Hello again. I do hope you have enjoyed Crossroads. This is the last chapter of this story. I have enjoyed writing it and I hope I have somehow adequately filled in the gap between the time of the shooting and Reagan family dinner in Episode 22, Season 8. I would like to thank all of you, from the bottom of my heart, for your reviews and feedback. They mean a lot. Again, I do not own these characters. Enjoy. :)

XXX

"Jamie, are you sure about this? You don't think it's too soon? I mean, to tell them..." Eddie's nervous voice rattled off as she and Jamie walked hand-in-hand back to his apartment from the Brooklyn Bridge Park. They were still basking in the afterglow of their very recent engagement. Jamie could not believe he managed to pull it off. Eddie, his partner and best friend, who he had been harboring feelings for for five years, was now also his fiancée. His wife-to-be. Jamie, who was usually reserved about matters of the heart, wanted to let the world know he and Eddie were getting married. He did feel like the happiest man in the galaxy.

As soon as they left the park, they started talking about breaking the news to their families. While Eddie did not have immediate family living in the city, the situation was very different for Jamie. And seeing that it was Sunday, the day his family gathered for their weekly family dinner, he thought it would be the perfect time to bring Eddie along. Eddie, it seemed, needed some convincing.

"Hey," Jamie started. "I really don't think it's going to be a huge surprise to them that we are together. I have a feeling they may already have some sort of idea that we have been holding a torch for each other." At his last statement, Eddie stopped in her tracks and looked at Jamie. Her eyes were wide in disbelief.

"They know?! How do they know? And how much do they know?" Eddie was genuinely worried. She certainly did not want the Reagans to get the wrong idea. They had been nothing short of professional while on duty and save for a few kisses off duty, two to be exact, and some innocent flirting, they did not at any time cross the line to become lovers. Not until the night before. Not until their lives were threatened in such a manner that neither of them could imagine going on for longer without the other knowing how they really felt. How much they loved and cared for the other.

"Relax, Eddie. It's just my family. You've met them. You really think they don't have even an inkling about how we feel? And we're getting married. Married," Jamie paused and took both her hands in his. "We're not being flippant or casual about this. We know it's the real deal. And so will they." Jamie continued to look at Eddie and decided that this was the best time to tell her what he had found out while waiting for her at the precinct. "We've never allowed anything to compromise our work. What we do means a lot to you and me. We wear the uniform because we believe in what it stands for. We do what we have to do for the greater good. Even if that means putting ourselves in harm's way. We have done that many times over. And Eddie, we can and will continue to do it. Together. As Twelve-David."

Eddie could hardly believe what she was hearing. How did they get from informing Jamie's family of their engagement to their partnership at work? Then again, with the Reagans, work and family often meant the same thing. It was the family business after all. She would be wise to get used to that idea quickly if she was going to marry Jamie. "Remain partners? How?" she asked.

"I did some digging yesterday. After my appointment with the department psychologist. Looks like there is nothing stopping us from working together as a married couple. I poured through the Patrol Guide and found nothing. I went through some other documents on rules and regulations. Nothing, Eddie," he told her.

"No way. How can that be?" Eddie trusted Jamie with her life, but she found it incredulous that there was no formal rule against couples working together as partners. How was that possible? Surely it had to be written in black and white somewhere.

"I know. It's been the practice all this while for couples to be split. But I couldn't find a rule about it anywhere," Jamie replied. He was just as flabbergasted as she was. This could potentially mean big waves crashing through the entire police department if word got out. A public relations nightmare within the force and outside of it. With the Police Commissioner's son and his wife-to-be right in the thick of things. Jamie knew what he was up against. He also knew Eddie would share the same sentiments. They were strong together. A unit – one and the same. This could wear them down, but come what may, they were going to ride this tsunami together. As Twelve-David and as Mr and Mrs Jameson Reagan. One way or another, they were getting married.

"And your father? What's he going to think?" Eddie gently prompted. She did not want to be the cause of friction between Jamie and his father, who also happened to be their boss. It was not going to be a walk in the park, but she loved Jamie and together, they made a great team. It was going to be worth it. They were in it for the long haul.

"I'm sure my Dad will be happy for us. But he probably will not agree to the idea of us remaining partners. We'll have to show him, I guess. Somehow convince him that this is what's best for us," Jamie's voice though determined, held a hint of uncertainty. He knew he wanted to remain partnered with Eddie. He had waited so long to act on his feelings because of this very reason. As Twelve-David, they were formidable. Their strength showed. Their partnership had been the very crucible where they had nurtured each other as police officers. It was also where their love grew. It was here that Jamie and Eddie felt safest. "I'm not sure what's going to happen to us at work. But we can let our work speak for itself, for now. Let the higher ups decide with the knowledge that the two of us have always towed the line as best we could. If we need to fight, we'll fight."

Eddie looked at Jamie. She understood. He did not want to rock the boat. That was not what this was about. However, he was ready to go into battle if it came to that. Her Jamie. She was going to stand by him, with him. As his partner and as his fiancée. For them. She was proud of Jamie. For the scout, protector and partner that he was and would always be. Eddie nodded. "Ok," she said. "I don't think your father will be easily swayed, but I'm with you on this. Is there anything we can do or say to ease his mind though? Just for today, at least? So things don't get too awkward during dinner." Eddie could not fathom what the atmosphere was like at the Reagan family dinner. She most certainly did not wish for her first appearance there to be uncomfortable for anyone, especially for the head of the household.

Jamie had an idea he was toying with in his head. He did not know how much of an impact it would have on his father, but he had to run it by Eddie. And so he did.

"Vows?!" Eddie could not have been more astonished at Jamie's suggestion. She eyed Jamie suspiciously. "Where is my partner and what have you done with him?"

"I'm being serious, Eddie. We make promises, like taking an oath, something similar to our oath to serve and protect the people of New York City. But, more personal. It's just you and me, Ed. C'mon," Jamie's eyes implored her.

Eddie wondered whether or not she should reveal to Jamie that on and off during their partnership and more recently since they helped deliver Baby Eddie at the movie theater, she had been indulging in fantasies of marrying him and having children with him. There were times she would find herself day-dreaming of a life as Jamie's wife. And she had also allowed herself to think of what she might say to him when they became man and wife. However, more often than not, she stopped this fantasy from going too far because in reality, that outcome seemed almost impossible. Eddie let out a small laugh as she realized that if over the years, she had been thinking about marrying Jamie, then it was likely that he was doing the same. She decided to ask him about it. "How long have you been thinking about this, Reagan? About us getting married..."

Jamie felt his face grow warm. Busted. In truth, he had be harboring thoughts of marrying Eddie for a very long time. It seemed futile seeing as they were partners at work. So he kept these thoughts close to his heart. The fantasies would play in his mind in the wee hours of the morning when he was not yet fully functioning or late in the night, when his mind was exhausted and about to shut down. But lately, he found that he thought about it more frequently and to his surprise, he did not want to push those thoughts away. He welcomed them and in turn, his desire for those thoughts to become reality became stronger. And with this, he also thought of the promises he would make to Eddie if one day, things for them would change. "The truth? Years. I don't know exactly when it started, but I do know it's been a long time," Jamie sheepishly confessed.

Eddie's heart melted for the twentieth time that morning. "Jamie..." she sighed tenderly. He deserved the truth from her too. She wanted to come clean about her little fantasies too. "Well, since we are spilling our guts here, I've been thinking about this, about us, for a long time too." Jamie looked straight at her and a big grin lit up his face.

"So, we agree then? We have vows we'd like to say to each other." Jamie was excited and touched at her revelation. She was indeed his soulmate and he was lucky to have found her. Eddie could not be more happy. Yes, she had thought of her promises to Jamie. "I will always have your back," she started.

"If you fall behind, I'll wait up," Jamie continued and waited patiently for her next promise.

"I will earn your respect and pay you respect every day we have."

"I'll be your scout, your night watchman, your calvary..." Jamie's voice cracked slightly as he brushed away the single tear that run down his cheek.

"Your medic, your chaplain in our army of two," Eddie could hardly get those words out as she too was having difficulty keeping it together.

"You can count on me," he whispered as he pulled Eddie into his arms and held her close. "And you can count on me," Jamie heard her choke as she said the words. He buried his head in her hair and murmured a soft but heartfelt 'thank you' to her. Eddie, with tears streaming down her face, had tried as hard as she could to say what she needed to say. She needed Jamie to know that she would stand by him for all of eternity.

Both Jamie and Eddie stood in the middle of Brooklyn with their arms around each other, overcome with emotion, much like they did just days ago when a bullet had missed Jamie by mere millimeters. Their declaration of their commitment, though not the most gracefully executed, moved them both. It solidified their intent to enter into marriage and to continue to fulfill their duties as partners at work. It was only when their breathing slowed and the sobbing stopped that the pair pulled away from each other.

"Reagan, why do you have to do this to me? Now look at me. How can I show up at your father's house for dinner looking like this?" Eddie feigned annoyance. Jamie let out a laugh and pulled her back into his embrace. "They're all going to love you, Eddie. And they'll give us their blessing. I know they will."

Jamie and Eddie were sure of their love and commitment. They walked back to Jamie's apartment, hearts on fire and ready to meet the family head-on with the news. It was going to be a family dinner the Reagans would remember for a long, long time.

XXX

In my mind's eye, I would like to believe that Jamie added, "No retreat, no surrender" on the spot at the dinner table, without Eddie's knowledge that it was going to be part of his vows. To me, it did seem that way. Eddie appeared surprised when he said it. Hence, I left it out in my story. I hope I did not disappoint too many readers by this omission. My apologies of I did.