Another day, another chapter. So all that's left to do is for all of you toread, enjoy and please review. Thanks guys! Have an amazing day!
Today was officially Eddie's last day on modified assignment and as far as she was concerned she couldn't be happier about it. She changed and walked out only to be called from behind.
"Eddie!"
Eddie turned only to have her mouth drop slightly however ever so subtly in shock.
"Dana, this is a surprise." Eddie said in a forced cheerful and polite way.
Dana smiled back, "I know, my boss generously gave me a week off so here I am."
"Here you are," Eddie replied back as if trying to accept the fact that Dana was really standing in front of her.
Dana nodded, feeling the awkwardness, she looked around and asked, "Uh, so where's Jamie?"
Eddie scratched at her ear lobe replying with, "You just missed him, he's gone on tour."
Dana looked back at Eddie confused, "Without you?"
"Sorry, I should've explained, I've been on modified assignment for the last month so Jamie's been reassigned to a new partner until I'm 100 per cent."
Dana frowned in concern, "What happened?"
Eddie dismissed it with, "Oh nothing serious, fractured my arm arresting a perp."
"I'm sorry to hear that. How much longer until you're back on the street?"
"Well, I got the cast off a week ago so boss said I'm all good to go back out tomorrow and if I never get a paper cut for the rest of my life, it will be too soon."
Dana laughed and then said, "Well, no point in me hanging around here, so I better head off. I'll catch up with Jamie later on."
Eddie nodded and smiled as Dana waved goodbye and walked away. Eddie furrowed her eye brows and then sighed, realisation hitting her that this comfortable, easy, no questions relationship she had going on with Jamie was about to get complicated.
She settled in to an hour of paper work when Renzulli called out from the doorway of his office, "Janko!"
Eddie looked up.
"My office, now."
Eddie nodded, got up and walked into the boss's office, shutting the door behind her.
"Have a seat Officer Janko." Renzulli said as he sat down himself.
Renzulli waited a beat and then asked, "So, I just wanted to check in on how the house hunting's going?"
"I've been looking and I actually found a place online this morning. I'm going to meet up with the landlord after tour today." Jamie had said that she could stay as long as she wanted but living together when they were trying to figure out this thing between them was getting a little too much, at least for her.
"That's a relief to hear that Janko."
Eddie frowned questioningly.
Renzulli sighed, "Look, Janko you know me. I'm not one to beat around the bush. I know that there's something going on between you and Reagan."
Eddie was taken aback and was about to respond when Renzulli cut her off with, "And I'm not a fool either, so spare me the denial ok Janko. I've seen how you two been acting around each other the last month, a little closer than usual."
Eddie shrugged her shoulders slightly, "We've been partners for three years' boss. We get closer every day…." Renzulli raised his eyebrows, silently saying that Eddie was making his point so she continued with, "you know, in terms of our working relationship." Eddie covered up with a smile.
Eddie's smile soon dropped when Renzulli said, "So then holdin hands and kissin on your days off is part of a close, working relationship?"
Eddie frowned, "Boss?"
It was now Renzulli's time to roll his eyes, "I saw both of you last weekend and I honestly had to do a double take at you two, cause from where I was standin, at first glance I saw a couple, it was only on my second glance that I realised it was you and Reagan."
Eddie shut her eyes tight in embarrassment and disappointment at being caught.
Renzulli softened his tone at Eddie's obvious discomfort, "Look, Janko I know that you've had a tough run of it the last month, with losing a fellow cop and your home to being on modified assignment so being the kind and considerate boss that I am, I'm willing to throw you a life line here and ignore what I saw."
Eddie opened her eyes, gauging Renzulli from where she was sitting and replied with a question, "Why would you do that?"
"Because it's not the way I want your partnership with Reagan to end and I've gotta feelin that it's not the way you want it to end either."
"So what are you saying?" Eddie said as she shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm sayin that you gotta make a choice here Janko. Either you go full steam ahead with your partnership or you go full steam ahead with this secret, casual relationship thing you already got goin on with Reagan."
Eddie furrowed her eyebrows as she started to think about her options.
"You're a cop Officer Janko and with this profession you can't have your cake and eat it too so it's all or nothin."
Eddie brushed her brow, "Can I at least have the day to think about it?"
Renzulli nodded, "Ok, but I want an answer by start of tour tomorrow."
Eddie nodded.
Renzulli sighed, "Consider yourself lucky Janko, if the circumstances were any different and I didn't have a heart I'd be shippin one of you out to another precinct as were the conditions with when I had this conversation with Officer Reagan two years ago."
Eddie's head snapped up, "Say what Sarge?"
Renzulli looked back at Eddie confused, "Reagan didn't tell you."
Eddie waited a beat, "Tell me what?" she asked a little too forcefully.
"When that knucklehead put hands on you in that domestic and Reagan went after him like there was no tomorrow, I told him that if I even got a whiff of anything romantic happenin between the two of you I would send one of you to a different precinct."
Eddie scoffed and shook her head with anger.
"You're dismissed Janko. Get back to work."
Eddie pinched the bridge of her nose and unenthusiastically replied with, "Yes sir."
After her work day was finished, she quickly changed and went to meet the landlord for the apartment. Eddie liked the place, it was a good price and it was near work however the landlord needed an answer by the next day. Eddie was starting to get fed up with all the deadlines she was getting. After the meeting she went back to Jamie's apartment, letting herself in with the key and what she saw before her, surprised and hurt the hell out of Eddie. Jamie had his back to Eddie and Dana had his head in her hands and was kissing him. Eddie then closed the door with a slight bang, breaking the two apart. As soon as Jamie saw Eddie, he looked to Dana and back to her and before he could have his say Dana jumped in.
"Eddie, running into each other twice in one day, what are the odds?" Dana asked awkwardly as she looked between Eddie and Jamie. Jamie looking at Eddie and Eddie looking away with a cold expression.
When Eddie didn't answer Dana asked, "Are you two living together?"
As Jamie said, "Yes," Eddie said, "No," Jamie couldn't help the flash of hurt that came across his face.
"My apartment building burnt down about a month ago and I've just been stayin here until I get back on my feet." Eddie then looked between Dana and Jamie and couldn't take it anymore closing her eyes and nodding, "You know what, don't stop on account of me, I'm just gonna, well I'm gonna go," As Eddie said this she opened the door, rushing out.
Before she got to the end of the hall, Jamie caught up with her, stepping in front of her to block her path, "Eddie, that wasn't what it looked like."
"Well, it looked pretty clear from where I was standin Reagan." Eddie said as she tried to side step Jamie.
"She kissed me."
Eddie laughed with sarcasm, "I could see that."
Jamie was about to respond when Eddie caught Jamie off, "You know what, we've been kiddin ourselves Jamie with what we've been doing. I mean in all honestly, what have we been doing?"
Jamie sighed and looked down as Eddie continued with, "We're cops Jamie, it should be all or nothing and I don't think that you're ready for that, I know that I'm not ready for that."
"So what are you sayin?"
"I'm sayin that maybe Dana's come back in your life now as a sign that, I'm not the right fit for you."
"Eddie…." Jamie was about to dispute when Eddie cut him off.
"I'm not the girl next door type Reagan, probably the reason why I'm a serial dater because at end of tour I don't take the bullet proof vest off, I keep it on cause it's the only way I know how not to get hurt."
Jamie looked to Eddie not knowing what to say, "Come to think of it, I'm not the family type either so if you ever invited me to one of those famous Reagan family dinners, I wouldn't fit there either."
"And Dana would?" Jamie asked with a bit of bite in his tone.
Eddie waited a beat before saying, "You made a choice two years ago, and I'm making one now." Eddie side stepped Jamie, this time successfully.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jamie asked annoyed as he turned.
Eddie walked backwards slowly and said clearly, "Ask Renzulli." She then turned and left as realisation hit Jamie what Eddie meant.
