Chapter Three

Frank took a deep breath as he approached the door. He knew how much Eddie loved her children, how protective she was of her three little babies, this was going to be so hard to tell her. Still, it was an accident, they happened.

Eddie held her tea cup, washing it, when the bell rang. Sighing she quickly dried her hands and answered

"Did you forget your key again?" she asked as she opened the door expecting hugs from her kids and a kiss from her husband. Instead she was greeted by the towering form of her father-in-law.

"Frank, I thought…What are you doing here?" Eddie felt her heart jump in her throat.

"We have to get to the hospital, honey," he replied. "There was an accident and there were injuries." Frank wanted her to find out the rest with Jamie, even he didn't know the extent of it, just how upset Danny was.

Eddie grabbed her jacket from the hook following him. "How bad is it? Whose hurt?"

"I don't know all the details, I just know that there was an accident. My detail is down stairs, let's go." Frank held onto Eddie, she was scared and shaking in his arms.

The entire short ride to the hospital, Eddie's mind whirled terrified at how bad it would be when they arrived.

Frank reached over and took her hand, "It's probably nothing honey. You know how careful the medics are with kids, they'll probably be playing with balloons and eating lollipops when you get there, hmm?"

"Yeah, I sure hope so," Eddie took a deep breath in holding onto Frank's arm.

The hospital was a sea of reporters when they arrived. This didn't look like an accident, not with so many news vans, but then again, it was a Reagan accident and that attracted attention.

Eddie held onto Frank's arm as they weaved through the crowd. Frank felt Eddie slipping from his grip as reporters surrounded him for answers.

"Commissioner Reagan, can you confirm it was a gang related shooting?" Frank felt his heart sink as Eddie rushed into the hospital, totally unaware of what was about to happen.

Out of the corner of his eye, Frank caught Gormley and Garrett, both with grim looks on their faces. It was clear now the news was such they felt they had to deliver it in person.

Linda had met Eddie by the door and took her arm. She quickly escorted her into the emergency room, where Jamie was sitting with the chaplain and Danny. He was dressed in hospital scrubs and looked sick as he saw Eddie coming. "Jamie, are you okay? Where are your clothes?"

Jamie only shook his head blinking as hot tears ran down his face. Both Danny and Linda stood off to the side to give them space, they were an intimate and private couple, they didn't welcome much intrusion.

"What happened?" Eddie held Jamie's clammy, shaking hands. "Honey? Where are the older kids?" Danny had Bella in his arms, she was asleep, not a care in her little world.

When he could finally look up eyes swollen and bloodshot, "Eddie? Th…there was a shooting."

"A what?" Eddie looked at Jamie in disbelief. "I though you said there was an accident, that there was..." Before she could finish, the doctor stepped out. "Mr. and Mrs. Reagan..."

Jamie looked up from his seat and nodded, "How are they doctor? Can we see them now?"

"Let's sit down," the doctor urged. "Your daughter sustained multiple gunshot wounds to her legs, one of them hit an artery and the other appears to have hit a nerve. She's going up to surgery now with the best vascular surgeon there is to try and save her leg. She's critical but stable and we hope she'll pull through this. Your son..." He took a breath. This was never easy. "Your son sustained a single gunshot wound to the chest and was killed almost instantly. We tried everything we could to resuscitate him, but were not successful. I'm very sorry...your son died."

Two of the nurses that had been on the scene when Joe first came in looked at each other, as Eddie let out a sound they only heard when a mother had lost her child. The older of the two looked at her colleague, "That little boy must have died."

"Why do you say that?' the younger trainee asked, to which the senior nurse replied, "You only hear a sound like that coming from a mother in grief."

Eddie felt her chest tighten, struggling to breath as she let out a long painful wail.

Jamie caught her as her knees buckled. She collapsed into her husband's strong chest and sobbed so hard she became silent.

Jamie rocked her sobbing into her shoulder so hard he was shaking again.

Danny moved to try to absorb some of his little brother's pain as Frank looked on, still in shock himself at learning of his grandson's death at the hands of men hunting his own oldest child. Eddie felt Danny approaching and snapped.

"I knew letting you near us would end up hurting someone and now look. This is all your fault!"

"Eddie, I didn't think..." Danny tried to defend himself but she reached out and shoved him. "Get out of here! Get away! My baby boy is dead because of your carelessness! Get away... I'll never forgive you for this, never!" Eddie fell to her knees, covering her head.

Jamie cradled Eddie, continuing to cry himself, needing her close.

Linda looked at Danny, "I think we need to go for now, let them grieve. Your father is here in case. We should go."

Danny watched them for a minute longer sighing in agreement and followed Linda out.

It took Eddie a few minutes to get her bearings, when she did, she pulled back, "I want to see him. I want to see my son."

The doctor nodded, "Of course Mrs. Reagan come back with me I'll take you to see him."

Jamie and Eddie held hands as they walked back to where Joey lay. The machines were off, and the bloody clothing had been removed. He was covered now with a clean gown and white sheet. His little face was so peaceful, he hadn't suffered, but it was little comfort to the grieving parents.

"Oh, my boy," Eddie sobbed leaning over to hug and kiss her boy as she sobbed. "I want to hold him one more time," she told the doctor.

"Mrs. Reagan," he replied gently but Frank broke in. "She needs to do this, please let her do this."

The doctor, out of his immense respect for Frank, agreed.

Jamie stood back and watched as Eddie slowly lifted their son into her arms. She moved with him to the big chair next to his gurney and sat down. She held him the same way she had done when she rocked him to sleep so many times. In a surprisingly clear voice, she began to sing his favorite lullaby. Jamie couldn't contain his emotions at her serenity.

When she finished the song, she stood up and held Joey, waiting for Jamie to sit down. She knew he would need this time with their son, just as he had when Joey was born.

Jamie held Joey so Eddie could sleep taking the baby to a rocking chair.

He didn't realize Eddie was actually awake and watching him as he bonded with their new baby boy. He wanted a son so badly, he loved Mary with all his heart, but he wanted the connection his father had with him, Danny, and Joe even to this day.

"I am going to teach you so many things...how to play basketball and football...How to build a soapbox derby car and race to win, how to romance the girls, and how to live like a good man Joey. I promise you I'll always be there for you, I'll always have your back." He bestowed a kiss on his son's head.

Eddie smiled at them, "He's so lucky to have you for a father, Jamie. He's going to learn so many things from you."

Jamie sighed quietly looking up at Eddie holding their boy in her arms. She slowly handed Joe to Jamie

"You promised him you would protect him," Eddie said flatly as she left the room "How is he protected?" she asked in a voice so quiet Jamie barely heard it.

"I'm sorry Joe. I know it's my fault. I'm sorry buddy."

Jamie looked down cradling his son tight.

Out in the hallway, Eddie composed herself before she returned to the room. She saw Jamie, softly whispering to their boy. "I asked you not to go near Danny with our children while the situation was so hot."

"He's my brother Eddie. I didn't realize. How could I have known?"

"They are your babies," Eddie countered. "A known violent gang threatened to kill him, you stay away with our babies."

"Eddie you think I don't know that? You don't think I want to keep them safe? Jamie asked firmly. "He's their uncle."

"Again," Eddie replied, still devoid of emotion. "They are your children, or at least they were." She walked out of the room one final time and headed to where Frank was waiting with Bella. He handed the baby over immediately, she had been crying to be fed.

Frank could tell what this was doing to them, but he stood and watched Eddie quietly attend to her daughter.

Bella ate from her mother sighing contentedly as she went. She had no idea what had happened to her family, none. Eddie liked this place, this world of Bella's.

Frank slowly walked back to see Jamie and Joey. The image of his son holding his late grandson hit him in the chest.

He walked in chest tight approaching the two. "Jamie? I'm so sorry son," frank knew the feeling of losing a son.

"He looks like he's asleep," Jamie replied. "There was so much blood, Dad. It was just pouring out of his little body. I knew he was dead, I knew he was dead but..."

"I know you don't ever want to believe it," Frank moved closer and placed a hand on Jamie's shoulders.

"This is all my fault," Jamie replied. "All my fault. Eddie told me not to go near Danny, she asked me not to do that and I did it. I got my son killed and my daughter, my precious Mary, I don't know if she's going to make it or have both her legs if she does."

"No, son this isn't your fault. You never would have brought your children so close to such violence if you thought there was even a chance of this happening."

"No," Jamie stood up and laid Joey back down on the bed. "No, I'm Joe's father, father trumps brother, it should trump everything. It's on me, all of it." Jamie headed out and went to the chapel to pray for what was left of his family.