Finally! I got an ending finished up for this story, so now I can post more often. :)

Chapter 6

Jamie pulled the squad car alongside a five-story building. It was near the end of tour and they were responding to a domestic disturbance call at an address with a history of such calls.

Eddie studied her partner again as he put the car in park. He'd been quiet again today and it was really starting to worry her. She'd been unable to get more than short, precise responses from him whenever she'd tried to start up a conversation. They hadn't been out for drinks or a bite after tour like they typically did in weeks, since everything happened, and she had noticed the shadows under his eyes - they were hard to miss. Whenever she asked how he was doing, all she'd get was a 'fine.' But she knew better and she didn't know what to do.

Jamie got out the car and looked through the rear window of the car parked in front of them, something that, once again, didn't escape Eddie's attention. He walked up the short flight of stairs to the building's main entrance with his partner at his side.

"Hopefully this won't turn into major drama and we can clock out on time," Eddie said.

Jamie opened the front door for her. "Yeah," he replied.

Eddie sighed at his one word response, but said nothing and they proceeded up the stairs to the fourth floor where they had no trouble finding the apartment. The yelling was clearly coming from 4B.

"Great. Still going at it," Eddie commented.

Jamie stopped at the door. "Police, open up!" he yelled as he banged on the door with the side of his fist to make sure he was heard, but the couple continued to shout at each other.

Jamie pounded on the door a little harder. The partners exchanged a look when the yelling suddenly stopped and the door opened halfway to reveal a dark-haired man of no more than forty slumped slightly against it.

"Can I help you, officers?" he greeted them calmly, despite his flushed complexion.

"Yeah, your neighbors called in a disturbance. Do you live here, sir?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, this is my place," he answered.

"What's your name, sir?" Jamie asked.

"Jeff Bennett."

"Mr. Bennett, who else is in the apartment with you?" Jamie eyed the area behind him for any signs of trouble.

"My wife and kid," he responded curtly.

The partners exchanged another look when they heard a quiet whimpering coming from inside.

"Can we come in, Mr. Bennett?" Eddie asked.

"Why?" Bennett responded harshly. He stood to his full height with a firm grip on the edge of the door.

Jamie turned away momentarily to request back-up on his shoulder radio when he noted Bennett's defensive stance.

"We need to make sure everyone is all right," Eddie responded.

"Everyone's fine. We were arguing and the stupid neighbors are overreacting," Bennett explained.

"This is not the first call to this address, Mr. Bennett. We want to speak to your wife," Jamie ordered.

"Why? I told you everything's fine," he replied indignantly.

"If everything's fine, then we'll be on our way. But we need to speak to your wife first," Eddie told him.

Bennett began to shut the door, but Jamie stuck his foot in the threshold as the crying drew closer and he caught movement behind the husband. A blonde woman, younger than Bennett, came into view. Mascara was running down her face and she clutched a toddler in her bruised arms. The child had his head buried in her neck, muffling his own whimpers.

Seeing the bruises on the woman's arms, Jamie had every intention of entering the apartment despite Bennett's refusal to allow them in. "Step aside, sir!" Jamie shoved the door open with his forearm, pushing Bennett off to the left and stepped into the small living room. He held his hand out to keep Bennett away from his wife and child.

Eddie followed him in and walked over to the woman, extending her arms to escort her out into the hallway and away from her husband. "Ma'am, why don't we step over here so I can talk to you for a moment."

"Hey, you have no right!" Bennett spat.

The woman glanced nervously between the officers and her husband, but did as she was told. As they made their way out, the little boy in her arms lifted his head, curious about the police officers.

Jamie's eyes widened when he saw the bruise on the little boy's cheek. "Son of a bitch," Jamie whispered.

That momentary distraction delayed him from turning back and questioning the husband. Bennett, however, didn't hesitate to slam his large hand onto the side of Jamie's neck, grasping it tightly when he saw his wife and child being led away from him. Jamie instinctively hunched down and pulled away from Bennett's clutches, feeling the man's nails digging into his skin as he tried to distance himself from him which only caused him to tumble to the ground.

"Reagan!" Eddie screamed and she pushed the woman and child away from the altercation and into the open doorway.

Bennett moved quickly around him, going after the two women and the little boy.

Eddie was drawing her weapon when her partner suddenly tackled Bennett low and forced him to the ground. Bennett bucked underneath him, grabbing onto Jamie's hair with one hand and throwing weak punches to the side of his face with the other. Eddie slid down next to them to grab onto on of Bennett's arm, giving Jamie a chance to climb up the struggling man's body. All Jamie saw was red and he began throwing his own repeated punches into Bennett's face.

"Reagan! Stop!" Eddie screamed and grabbed hold of her partner's arm before he could swing it back down for another strike.

Jamie blinked, seeing a dazed and bloodied Bennett below him. He was gasping for air and turned to see his partner staring at him with her own wide eyes. The woman and child were crying in the hallway and the sound of booted feet made its way up the stairs outside the open apartment door.

Jamie sat back on the floor, away from Bennett, grimacing as he touched his bruised face.

Renzulli and one of his probationary officers ran through the door as Eddie was rolling a disoriented Bennett onto his stomach, cuffing his hands behind his back.

"What the hell happened?" Renzulli asked while he squated down next to his old partner to examine his face. He saw a woman cowering in the hallway, and with the only other civilian on the ground and in handcuffs, he called for a bus. "You're bleeding," he said and tilted Jamie's head to get a better look at the gouge marks on his neck.

Jamie pulled away. "I'm fine," he snapped.

"Sure you are," Renzulli replied as he got back up with a groan and turned to look at Janko, expecting a sit rep from his officer.

Eddie jutted her chin out at their perp. "Jeff Bennett. Assaulted an officer when we tried to separate him and his wife," she explained quickly while glancing at her partner.

Jamie got to his feet and put his hand up to his neck, bringing it back down to find thin streaks of blood on his palm. He walked over to the far wall and leaned back against it and then hunched forward, placing his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

What the hell had just happened? he asked himself.