Chapter Eight

Jamie held Eddie's hand tight as they walked into the music class. Earlier that day, they had sat with Frank and discussed the best way to handle this. He felt, since Mick was non-violent, they could handle it themselves with Danny and Baez as their back up. There could be some complications given Mick was Ava's biological father, they would need more help to navigate that minefield. They had a plan.

They would speak to Mick, and Eddie would get Ava away and to Baker's waiting arms. Then finally, they would take Mick in. Eddie's heart broke for the man, he had made mistakes but that should not cost him all contact with his little girl, a child he clearly loved. It just shouldn't.

"He made a mistake when he was in his twenties," Eddie protested again. "I did all sorts of crazy things in my twenties!"

"I know, but this is for the courts to decide honey," Jamie replied. "You worked SVU, you know how sensitive these crimes are. He can go through proper channels, clear his name, and work to get Ava back. We're going to help him…"

Eddie knew Jamie was right, she stopped for a kiss then went into the music school with her husband and partner at her side.

When the classes started, Jamie and Eddie moved closer to Mick. "Remember, if this goes bad, you let me and Danny handle it, protect yourself and the kids, okay. Don't risk the baby, please."

Eddie looked up at Jamie, "I won't, I promise you." They kissed gentle and Eddie smiled brightly. "Let's do this…"

"Hey," Eddie smiled. "Oh, look how pretty you look, Ava. Is that your favorite color? Yellow?"

Ava was engaged in a minute talking about yellow flowers and her yellow dress. "I have yellow shoes at home," she told Eddie.

"Yellow shoes!" Eddie exclaimed. "Wow Wee! That's so nice and special. Did Daddy buy those for you?"

Jamie got Mick's attention, "They are something aren't they? Little girls?"

"Your April is," Mick replied. "Eddie has such a way with Ava, you can tell she's a natural born mother."

"Yeah," Jamie agreed. "She is. When she said she was ready to retire to be a mother, of course my heart soared that she'd be safe, but I was surprised. I was concerned she wouldn't be happy just being home, but she's so happy now…mother's need their kids as much as the kids need them. It's wrong to strip that relationship, you know. I told Eddie once that Max wasn't her son that he was just my son and I don't think I ever hurt her so much. It hurts…"

Mick looked down then up to see Ava. She was gone! "Eddie has her," Jamie replied. "She's handing her over to Detective Baker who will see she's reunited with her mother. You didn't think we'd find out?"

Jamie kept his voice soft and light, he didn't want to scare or hurt Mick, and he was at one point, a desperate dad, praying that he'd keep custody of Max. "We can help you Mick," Jamie told him. "But only if you come with me now, willingly."

"Ava's going to be safe?" Mick asked. "She's going back to her Mom?"

"Yes, she'll go back to her Mom and we'll do our best to help you get a fair deal, a fair settlement. Eddie's first husband was well off and she has promised to commit some of those resources to helping you, but only if you come with me now." Jamie reached out for Mick and waited.

Mick thought about that, and he thought about his little girl. He loved her, he just wanted to be in her life. "Okay…I'll go with you. No cuffs or press?"

"Nope, just you and me, my brother is outside, he'll bring you in for a statement and Eddie will call the attorneys to meet you at the 5-4…" Jamie smiled, he knew this was how Eddie hoped it would go.

"I did file for custody,' Mick told Jamie as they walked to meet up with Danny. "But the charges from when I was younger made it hard. Her mother remarried a man that had four other kids, and Ava was falling through those cracks. She was so small, she couldn't defend herself, she couldn't speak up to her mother and her mom wasn't really caring either. I had to protect my little girl and I did try to do it the right way, Jamie. I did."

Jamie nodded, "I'm sure you did, Mick. We'll tell that to your lawyer, no one wants to see you lose contact with Ava, but we are law enforcement, we have to do the right thing."

With no fuss, Mick went from Jamie to Danny. Jamie found Eddie on the side of the building, with Frank's arms around her. The vision of little Ava going to Baker and the idea of separating Mick from the child he clearly loved was heartbreaking.

Jamie moved closer to Eddie and took her into his arms, "Hey…it's over now. It's all over, the hard part is over."

Eddie backed up and looked at her husband, "It's not that…It's just…I hate that anyone had to be hurt. Mick, Ava, Ava's Mom…I hate this about this job, I always have."

Jamie dried the tears and kissed her lips. "He's going to the 5-4, Danny's going to let him sit in the box and wait for the attorneys to come down. He went quietly, I think it'll be okay."

Eddie wanted to believe Jamie, she didn't want to think that Ava and Mick would never see each other again. She knew the pain of being separated from your father…she kept thinking about her dad now that she was pregnant again, but that ship had sailed and she couldn't go back now.

Jamie held her tight, knowing that's what she needed right now. "You want to go hear Max? Then Dad said he'll take care of the kids tonight, you and I can have some alone time, okay?"

Eddie smiled, she needed that. She wanted that and was so happy to have Jamie at her side, a full partner, no matter what.

Jamie treated Eddie to a steak dinner then took her home to rest and relax. They were so blissfully happy that it was easy to forget she was pregnant and needed to eat right and to get her rest. Jamie was trying to be diligent about that.

While Eddie combed out her hair, Jamie turned on the shower. They needed to be alone together, and wash off this day and the rough few nights before it. While the water got hot and steamy, Jamie stepped out and smiled at Eddie. "Come on, I'll wash your hair and rub your back for you. Come on."

Eddie needed that, she needed that special touch that only came from Jamie. She smiled and took his hand in hers. They walked to the bathroom where Jamie had dropped a few of the scented pods on the floor making the room smell sweet. Jamie pulled the curtain back and handed Eddie into the tub.

The hot water ran down her back and over her hair. Eddie sighed as the warmth sank into her bones. Jamie joined her under the warm spray and slowly drew her back towards him so that her back rested against his stomach. Jamie slid his hands around her and cupped them around her belly. He sighed, thinking of the child that grew there and the love that had gone into making that child.

He slid his hands up to cup her full breasts, the pregnancy had made them even fuller and firmer than before, and Jamie enjoyed this part very much.

Eddie moaned, the flesh was so sensitive now and with Jamie's touch there, it was over the top intense. "You like that?" Jamie asked. "I love how you feel so close to me."

"I like it a lot…you feel so good…I need you, Jamie,' Eddie sighed. "I need you to touch me."

Jamie was more than happy to oblige Eddie in that, he turned her in his arms and ran his hands up her back, over the gentle slope of her shoulders, and into her hair. He worked hard on her scalp, massaging it and relieving the tension she was holding there, as well as, in her neck and shoulders. Eddie dropped her head back and opened her lips.

Jamie slid his lips into Eddie's parted ones and joined them. She took a deep breath and ran her tongue inside his mouth. Jamie smiled and inhaled, pulling Eddie even closer to him. It was impossible to tell where her body ended and his began.

Eddie leaned on the back of the shower wall as Jamie worshipped her. She held onto him, her hands moving up and down, caressing his skin. Jamie ran kisses down her chest, over her breasts and highly sensitive nipples. She sighed and moaned her pleasure, loving the sensation that Jamie was bringing out in her. His tongue was working magic as he dropped lower and tasted her most intimate of places.

Eddie felt her knees grow weak, she dug her nails into Jamie's shoulders, and planted her feet to keep herself steady. "Jamie!" she cried out and dropped her head back, bumping it on the shower wall. "Jamie, yes!"

Jamie couldn't torture her anymore. He rose from his knees and lifted her into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his slender hips as he angled his body to make her his once again. She held on tight and rode the wave of ecstasy with her husband holding her body close.

The water had gone cold by the time they finished. Jamie carried Eddie dripping wet to the bed. He dried her off as she dried him. They were blissfully tired and ready to collapse into the bed together. Jamie spooned up behind Eddie, and kissed the back of her neck. "I love you, Mrs. Reagan."

Eddie sighed, "I love you too."