Chapter One

"Waah! Waah!" Five-week-old Isabella began to cry in her crib. Jamie and Eddie both stretched and woke up. Jamie kicked his legs out of the bed and went to get their newest daughter. Eddie would breastfeed Bella, like she did their two older children, for at least six months, then weaned them to a bottle because she wanted to go back to work.

This time though, she had decided to permanently leave the NYPD and be a full-time mother to their children. She wanted to be active in the PTA, work with the neighborhood watch, and take Mary, Joey, and Isabella to their activities, including a Mommy and me yoga class.

Jamie was happy to oblige her on that front. Between her trust fund and their savings, they could live simply on his income for the next few years until all their children were in school and Eddie took a part time job or rejoined the force.

"Here we go," Jamie cooed to the baby. "Off to Mommy, we'll put some food in that little tummy of yours." Jamie handed the little one to her mother. She quickly latched onto Eddie's breast and suckled.

Jamie sat on the bed, his arms around both his girls. "She looks just like you. Joey and Mary, you can't mistake they are Reagans, but Bella Beautiful, looks just like you."

"All of our kids look like both of us," Eddie replied. "This one has my appetite though, she is not even satisfied with feeding every two hours."

Jamie rubbed Isabella's foot with his knuckle as she nursed. "I just wish she slept a little bit better, I'm so tired."

"I know," Jamie replied. "I know, I get a break, I can get a few zzzs on patrol, but you have them 24/7. What if tomorrow, I gave you the day off? Bella is big enough to be with me for a few hours, I can take the kids for hot dogs and ice cream."

Eddie smiled, the idea of a few hours of uninterrupted sleep sounded so good. "Are you sure you want to use your day off like that?"

Jamie kissed the side of her head and stroked her arm, "Yes, I'm sure, honey. I love to spend time with our kids and their mother. I'd be delighted to have time with them tomorrow and for you to get some rest. She wasn't the easiest birth."

Eddie agreed and smiled at him, "Okay, then, I'd be grateful for a little sleep."

Eddie nuzzled the baby's head with her cheek. She looked at Jamie and then at the baby's tiny face. They made light conversation as the small girl worked on getting sustenance. They both agreed their family felt complete with their newest princess in their arms, and laughed at the image of their three little ones running in the sand at Jones' Beach.

"I think we might need to look into a bigger place," Eddie said after a minute. "I want the girls to each have their own space, so they can be who they are, be individuals."

Jamie agreed, that was the key to the health of any sibling relationship.

The baby dislodged and Jamie patted her little back to burp her before putting her back in her cradle. Eddie was asleep before he even slid into the bed again.

The sunrise woke them both and they stirred. It smelled like vanilla and lavender, Eddie's lotion. Jamie nuzzled her, wrapping his arms around her. "Three more weeks,' he whispered gently. "I miss you so much, we hold one another and kiss and touch but I miss the deeper connection."

"It's that deeper connection that got us having to wait six weeks," Eddie laughed. "But I know what you mean." She nuzzled closer to him, resting her head on his chest.

"We'll ask Danny and Linda…" Jamie began then remembered that wasn't possible. "My Dad and Pop," Jamie corrected.

Eddie leaned over him and kissed him deeply. "Thank you for being so understanding about Danny. I know it's hard that you aren't around him and that we are avoiding him right now but it's for the good of our family."

Jamie nodded, "I can support Danny over the phone and on Sunday, I took the desk gig for the time being to be safer and being away from my brother while he's under this threat is part of that."

"Still, I know it's hard and I do appreciate it, I'm sure it won't be for much longer," Eddie replied as they heard little feet hit the floor, it was time to start another day.

Eddie got up and made breakfast the next morning. Jamie helped get five-year-old Mary and three-year-old Joey ready for their day out.

"Where we going, Daddy?" Mary asked as they walked from the car to the hot dog store.

"We are going to get a special treat, Buttons, some hot dogs," Jamie smiled

"Yay!" Mary replied. "Why didn't Mommy come? Cause she's sleepy?"

"Yeah its special time with daddy, then we'll see mommy later so she can sleep."

"Bella cries a lot because she's got a tiny tummy, right?" Mary asked as Jamie pushed the stroller toward the store.

Jamie smiled, "she cries because she is hungry and can't use her words."

"Love you," Joey kissed his little sister's head. They sat down at the table, "What kind of hot dogs do you want?"

The kids both told their orders at the same time excitedly.

Jamie laughed and soon they were eating hotdogs and drinking juice. They could only stay out about two hours until Bella had to eat.

The kids happily ate telling Jamie about the games they play with Eddie.

"Mommy is really good at games huh?" Jamie asked as his cell phone rang

Sighing Jamie looked down to see his brother's number. "Hang on guys. Hey, Danny."

"Hey Kid" he greeted. "Listen what are you doing now? You on the job?"

"No, I took the kids out for hot dogs to let Eddie sleep, she's exhausted."

"Oh uh...so the little woman isn't with you? That mean you can help me out?"

"What do you need Danny," Jamie asked.

"My car broke down near 10th and 53rd not far from that ice cream place. Can you pick me up and we'll get ice cream?'

Jamie sighed knowing Eddie wouldn't be happy, but he couldn't leave his brother hanging.

He got the kids in the car and drove to the service station near the ice cream place. "Thanks for doing this, Jamie. I know you're going to catch a lot of flak from Eddie. I don't get it, we have all had threats before, even Dad and she never did anything like this."

"I know she's just worried Danny. We have three young kids now and this threat is different, let's be honest, it's a gang war in the making. I'm sure it won't last much longer," Jamie sighed.

"I guess cause the threats came around the time she had Bella," he replied. "Besides, Eddie is a very protective mother, I guess this was the first time it was so serious. Still, we'll be safe, it's broad daylight. Come on you guys, give Uncle Danny a hug." The kids hugged their uncle, they didn't know their mother would flip her lid over this, they only knew they were having a good time.

Danny stepped out of the ice cream shop holding Joey's hand. Mary skipped with her hand on Jamie's jacket while he carried Bella's baby seat to the SUV. Danny strapped Joe in and Jamie got Bella and Mary's car seats secured. "Bella is going to need to eat soon so let me drop you back at your squad and get them home," Jamie told Danny. "She's still exclusively eating from Eddie so…"

"Well, she is still just a teeny tiny girl…" Danny said as he moved around the other side of the car.

"Bang!" a shot rang out and the bullet whizzed by Danny's head, ringing his ear.

"Gun!" Danny shouted. A brown van was shooting at the car and Jamie was desperately trying to protect his brother and his family. Danny was using the car for cover, in full cop mode, unconsciously drawing the fire to the children in the car.

Jamie dodged around and pushed Danny away from the vehicle, returning fire as he went. He had to get the gunfire away from his children. They were his babies, he had to protect them. The only thing he could thing to do was to jump out shooting and try to draw the fire away from the car.

Other NYPD officers in the area joined the gunfight as the 911 calls went in to central dispatch. In the streets of Brooklyn, a gun war waged and inside an SUV two babies cried.

Jamie had one ear trained on his kids, and the other on the shooting around him. He didn't want Danny or himself to get shot and be injured or killed in front of the kids, but he also wanted to get back in the car and hold his babies tight. He could hear the shrill new baby cries coming from Bella and a more mature deep sob from Mary, but he didn't hear Joey. He didn't hear a sound from his son, why didn't he hear his boy?

Jamie was terrified, he couldn't get to the van fast enough, as the shooting began to subside, yet he was petrified to confirm what had happened inside that van. Why were his thoughts solely on Joey? His father's heart knew the answer and all the possibilities were horrifying.

Finally, the shooting stopped. Jamie and Danny leaned against the storefront that was riddled bullets and caught their breath, Jamie only for a split second as he continued to count dwindling cries.

Jamie ran to the SUV and pulled the door open as the ambulance pulled up to being tending to the victims. Only Bella was crying now, Joey was lying painfully still. The red of his blood clear against the yellow shirt he had on dying it a sickening shade of orange. Mary was also eerily quiet, "Mary, answer me, sweetie…" Jamie was trying to keep his tone even. It felt like years since he began to examine his children, when it was only a few seconds.

"Joe? Joey? Answer Daddy, buddy! Answer Daddy." Jamie shook his three-year-old lightly trying to get any reaction at all, even a cry of pain would be music to his ears. His efforts didn't give him anything. Jamie had seen enough in his career to know that Joey would not be answering him, but he had to try.

"Help!" Jamie called out. "Over here! My kids. Danny, my kids!"

Danny ran to the car opening the door. It was a bloodbath in there, no other word would fit the situation. It was a blood bath. "Okay, Jamie," Danny kept his voice smooth for his brother who was mounting into a panic. He ripped his baby girl out of her car seat and held her to him with one hand while reaching his other hand out to Joey and Mary.

The medics descended on the car from either side. One team took Joey, beginning to do CPR on the little boy. He was ghost white and not breathing, yet his blood still ran freely. Mary's wounds were lower, to her little legs. Both were running with hot, dark blood, she was also pale but taking short gasping breaths. Jamie couldn't focus on the treatment, only the intense silence.

Jamie watched the scene unfold in terror. He saw his precious boy; his brother's namesake being put on a stretcher. The first ambulance whisked away with Joey as he climbed in the back of the second ambulance with Mary and Bella. He shut his eyes against that pain and remembered another day in his time with Joe.