Chapter 8

After lunch Eddie and Jamie decided to go back to Eddie's and sleep before tour. They were just stepping off the elevator when they ran in , a nice man in his late seventies who lived down the hall from Eddie. They said their hellos and parted ways. He went back to his apartment deep in thought, used to be a detective back in the good ole days. He noticed that the young man who he had come to know as Jamie who frequently came to see Eddie, and also happened to be her partner, had his arm draped over Eddie's shoulders. He smiled when he saw this, happy that his neighbor had finally gotten it through her head to follow her heart. Eddie noticed that someone was moving in down the hall she made a mental note to go say hi to her new neighbor. Jamie and Eddie changed into sweatpants and t-shirts and decided to get some sleep.

Across town at the 5-4 Danny sat at his desk contemplating everything that had happened in the past couple of days to Jamie. After all it was his kid brother and ever since Joe he felt he owed to him to keep a watch over Jamie. Oh if Joe could see his kid brother now..a cop, in a loving relationship with his partner, not some stuck up Harvard graduate married to Sydney living in some suburb being miserable. At least that's what Danny thought the second he heard Jamie talk about marrying Sydney all those years ago. He never liked her she never seemed to like our family or at least see the police side of the system. Now Eddie on the other hand he knew she would fit right in. Even when they were still partners he knew she could be just what their family needed. A family for her to love and a family to love her right back because Jamie had never been happier ever since Mom and Joe died. The first time in a long time with Eddie in Jamie's life, Danny had a feeling their family would feel whole again.

Back at Eddie's her phone started going off which means she had to untangle herself from her boyfriend's arms and get ready for work. It felt weird to think. Jamie is her boyfriend now…how they got here was a struggle but finally her life felt like it was coming together. Jamie was the part missing in her life. Eddie threw a pillow at Jamie as she started getting ready to take a shower before tour. Jamie rolled over and mumbled something incoherent into his pillow. "Cmon Reagan we both know if we miss work because we stayed in bed all day that we would be fired. I'm taking a shower if you would like to join me?" Jamie suddenly woke up and playfully chased Eddie into her bathroom.

Down the hall a college girl was moving into an apartment with her friend she had met in an intro to criminal justice class. Her name was Amanda, this was her first time away from home and she wanted to become a police officer one day. Nikki was happy to finally move out and have her own place so when Amanda said she was looking for a roommate Nikki jumped on the opportunity. Only her mom and Dad knew she decided to tell the rest of the family when they were all together. Little did they both know that Nikki's uncle's girlfriend lived just down the hall. Boy were they in for a surprise. Amanda was moving in first and Nikki was waiting until she told her family so that they could help her move. Amanda was currently outside talking to her new neighbor Mrs. Watson , who lived across the hall. Just then Eddie and Jamie left her apartment heading out for tour. Mrs. Watson saw the two of them and called them over. "Oh Eddie dear this is Amanda she is moving in across the hall."

"It's nice to meet you Amanda. I'm Eddie and this is my boyfriend Jamie."

"Eddie, Amanda is a criminal justice major, she's going to be a police officer one day! Isn't that exciting? Mrs. Watson went on to explain to Amanda, "Eddie and Jamie here are both police officers too."

"That's really cool it was really nice meeting you guys but a friend of mine is meeting me soon to help me finish unpacking. Bye!"

Eddie was contemplating on their way to the precinct. She was glad she met her new neighbor, she seemed like a sweet girl, young and excited about law enforcement. God knows that the NYPD wasn't the most popular with the college kids today. "She seems like a good kid Jamie, it's nice that she seems so excited about being a cop."

Jamie felt that too. It was always nice to meet others who want the same things for the betterment of the community. "Yeah she seems nice, she reminds me of you. So excited and personable. We need more of you on the force."

"Awe Jamie that's so sweet. Now cmon we're here. We should avoid any PDA around the precinct. I really don't want everyone to make a big deal over us.

"Agreed, it's not going to be the same without you being next to me all the time but its what's best. Eddie I just…I just want you to know I love you. Please be careful out there today."

Eddie could see the tears forming in Jamie's eyes. She wasn't expecting this from him. "I will be Jamie. I love you too. You do the same Reagan I can't lose you." They kissed for what seemed like a lifetime and decided it was time to go in and get ready.

So they walked in and went to their respective locker rooms to change into their blues. It was time for role call. They walked in and Renzulli got up to assign everyone and to read off some mundane in house memos. "Janko and Thomas you're ridin together." "Reagan you're with me."

Jamie looked thrilled to be ridin with his old TO again. Eddie couldn't complain either Aaron Thomas was a stand up cop, married, 2 kids.

They all left to go out on tour, Jamie was sitting shotgun to his old TO and boss. "Hey kid what's the matter?" "I'm fine Sarge, it's just weird I guess sitting shotgun I always drove with Eddie."

"Sorry I'm not Eddie kid but hey this give you time to relax and while you're relaxin you can tell me all about you and Eddie. We got all tour kid so start talkin."

Jamie wasn't explicit but he divulged everything about him and Eddie after all Renzulli was his TO, his mentor, and friend. He also happened to be his boss so he decided to leave out the part about kissing Eddie when they were first partnered.

Renzulli looked over at Jamie talking about his girl and felt a sense of pride, He may not have done anything other than partner them to together but he felt that because of his decision to assign Jamie a new partner, he met the love of his life. Tour was pretty boring and after a few parking tickets and a drunken disorderly they called it a night. It was currently almost 8am and both Eddie and Jamie were changing, ready to go home after a long and uneventful tour.

Eddie waited for Jamie and the two left together ready to go home for some much needed sleep. They decided Jamie's was closer and went back to his apartment and fell asleep almost immediately. Coming home after a long tour and falling asleep listening to Eddie sleep next to him made Jamie feel more at home than in all the years he had lived here. This was just the beginning of their journey and Jamie knew and felt in his heart that this was going to be his life, hopefully for the rest of his life.