I wasn't the biggest fan of the Eddie's storyline this past episode but it did inspire me to write this fic :) Enjoy!
"Daddy! Daddy!" Grace exclaimed, tugging on her father's hand as they walked down the sidewalk at a small shopping center near their apartment. She pulled him towards a big shop window with a sign that read Happy Paws Adoption Center. He looked inside to see a small pack of puppies running around together in a pen. "Look at the puppies! May we go look at 'em?"
"I don't see why not," Jamie replied. "We still got awhile until we have to meet Mama and Conor. Let's go in."
"Yay!" Grace cheered.
Jamie smiled as his five-year-old opened the door and skipped happily inside. The little girl was already a dog lover, never hesitating to pet one if she was allowed. The father and daughter duo were trying to pass the time while Eddie was with Conor at his twelve month checkup a block away. Afterwards, they were all due to meet up and have a quick lunch before going shopping for decorations for Conor's first birthday party that was coming up at the end of the month.
As soon as they walked in, Grace made a beeline for the puppies that she'd seen from outside. In the pen was a total of seven cream colored pug puppies, probably no more than seven to eight weeks old if Jamie was guessing correctly.
"May I pet 'em please?" Grace asked her father.
"Let's ask," he responded.
They walked over to the attendant at the front desk who assured that it was okay for them to interact with the puppies. Grace reached into the pen and began to pet one of them. Soon after, most of the other puppies took notice and huddled around so Jamie and Grace could pet them.
"Are you two looking to adopt?" the attendant suddenly asked as she walked over to Jamie and Grace.
"We were just taking a look," Jamie responded as he stood up. "My daughter and I are waiting on my wife and son so we figured we'd come in and look around to pass the time."
"Oh okay," the attendant said, then smiled at Grace, who let out a laugh when one of the puppies licked her hand. "But if you do get interested, we have a great selection of animals who need homes. These that you're with right here are eight-week-old full bred pug puppies that were just brought in last week. There's four girls, three boys. We have them marked by the color of their collars. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask."
Jamie smiled politely and nodded, "Thank you."
"Daddy," Grace said when the attendant walked away. She pointed to a blue collared puppy sitting alone in the corner of the pen, watching as the other ones played together. He had a black spot right in the middle of his forehead, which distinguished him from the others. "Look at him. He looks so sad."
Jamie frowned, "Yeah he does. Why don't you go over and see if he plays with you?"
Grace walked over to the corner of the pen and sat down. Then, Jamie watched as she reached in and started to gently stroke the puppy's back. The puppy hesitated for a moment before visibly starting to relax. After a minute, the puppy turned toward Grace and laid down, scooting himself as close to her as possible even though there was a barrier between them.
"I think he likes you," Jamie commented to his daughter. He took out his phone and took a quick picture.
"May I please hold him, Daddy?" she asked.
Jamie nodded and walked over to lift him out of the pen for her. He held the puppy for a moment as his daughter got ready to hold him. The puppy nuzzled against him, which softened Jamie immediately. Then, he handed the puppy to Grace. The puppy took an immediate liking to her and she clearly liked him back. He knew that he was getting into dangerous territory because he could see that his daughter was starting to get attached to the puppy and if he was being honest, he was too. He and Eddie knew that they'd eventually want to get a pet for their children but were thinking about waiting until Grace was a few years older.
"Daddy…" Grace said, her pleading eyes telling him exactly what she was asking.
Jamie sighed. "We can't honey," he responded, reaching out and running a hand over her head. "We have to give him back."
The sad look on his daughter's face broke his heart. He gently took the puppy from her and set it back down in the pen. The puppy flashed sad eyes up at them, which broke him even more.
"Bye pup," Grace said sadly, giving him a small wave as Jamie led her away.
"Was everything okay with Grace today, babe?" Eddie asked her husband as she joined him in bed later that night after getting both of the kids to sleep. "She was not her usual self when we met up with you guys for lunch. I kept asking her what was wrong but she kept saying that she was fine. Even when I was putting her to bed, she said the same thing."
"That's on me. I told you that we went to that adoption center to pass the time while you were with Conor at his check up, right? Well, there was this little puppy that was sitting alone in the corner of the pen while the others played. It was a pug with a black spot right in the middle of his forehead." He grabbed his phone and pulled up a picture to show Eddie. "Grace held him. They really started to like each other. And I'll admit that I was really liking him too. She didn't flat out ask if we could take him home but I could tell that she wanted to. I told her that we had to put him back and she got sad."
"Oh man," Eddie replied.
"Yeah," Jamie responded. "But today does have me thinking, maybe it's time that we do get a dog. I think the one we saw today would be perfect for us."
"I thought we were going to wait until Grace was older? And have Conor be a little older too."
"Yeah I know we said that but I don't think it would hurt anything if we went ahead and did it. She loves dogs and he does too. And it would teach her alot about responsibility. I think it would be a good idea."
There was a quiet moment between them as Eddie gathered her thoughts. He was advocating for their daughter, but she could tell that he wanted the puppy just as much. "Jamie..." she began. "I understand what you're saying but I just don't think it's the right time for it. We don't have the space to have a puppy right now. They need time and attention that we really don't have. We're both working, Grace is at school and Conor is at daycare. Also, the house is close to being finished and we'll be packing and moving soon. Maybe once we're moved and settled in we can but I don't think it's a good idea to get one right now."
Jamie sighed. It wasn't the exact answer he was hoping for but as usual, she was right. They didn't have the space at the moment and with moving into their new home soon, it made more sense for them to wait.
"I guess you're right," he replied.
Eddie gave a sad smile at the look on his face. She reached out and rubbed circles on his bare back, "We will get one, Jamie. I know you want the puppy too but we just have too many things going on right now."
He gave a small nod, "I know. I know."
As the days passed on, Eddie could tell that the puppy was still on her husband and daughter's minds. She would catch Grace looking at the pictures that Jamie took the day they were at the adoption center and find little drawings of the puppy that the five-year-old would make around the apartment.
One day while Jamie was picking up Grace from school and Conor from daycare, he got a text from his wife saying that she was going to be home a little bit late but would pick up some dinner for all of them. He found that a little odd, especially since her partner had told him on the way out of the precinct that it looked like they would be going home a little early. But, he didn't question it.
"Mama's home!" Grace said excitedly when she saw Eddie's car pull up outside.
"Mama!" Conor exclaimed, pulling himself up beside his older sister who was standing at the window that looked out toward the front of their building.
Jamie walked over and joined them. They waved down at Eddie, who smiled up at them and waved back. He could see that she had her hands full, so he waited by their door so he could help her.
"Hey you," Jamie said as his wife walked around the corner.
"Hey," she smiled. She walked up and greeted him with a kiss, then handed him the two pizza boxes that she had in her hands. "You take these, I still need to go get something else from the car."
"Something else? Do you want me to go?"
"No. I can get it. It'll be really quick."
Jamie gave a confused look as she went back down the hallway. He went back into the apartment and set the pizzas down on the table, then decided to get Grace and Conor ready for dinner.
A few minutes passed by when Eddie walked back into the apartment, clutching a large gift bag.
"Hi Mama!" Grace said happily. She ran over and hugged her mother, with Conor crawling right behind her. Eddie greeted them both with hugs and kisses then set the gift bag down.
"What's that?" Grace asked.
"Yeah, what's that?" Jamie added.
"Let's just say that it's a gift for all of us," she said with a smile, picking up Conor and sitting him on her hip. "Go ahead and open it."
Grace nodded and carefully started to take the tissue paper out of the bag.
"Whoa," she let out, her eyes widening as whatever was inside the bag started to move around.
All of a sudden, the bag knocked over and out came running the puppy that Jamie and Grace had to sadly leave behind at the adoption center.
Grace gasped with delight, "The puppy! What is he doing here?"
"He's our puppy now," Eddie replied, smiling at their daughter's excitement. "I went to the adoption center that you and Daddy went to and adopted him."
"Thank you, Mama!" Grace exclaimed, nearly knocking her mother over as she hugged her legs.
Eddie bent down and kissed the top of her head, "You're welcome, honey."
Jamie looked at his wife surprised. Grace quickly ran after the barking puppy who went into the kitchen. Eddie put Conor down and he went into a fast crawl after his sister and the puppy.
"I thought you said that it wasn't the right time?" Jamie said as he approached her.
"Well... I went by the adoption center earlier this week with Conor while we were waiting for Grace to get out of school. I recognized the puppy that you showed me so Conor and I started to play with him. He was the only one left. After being with him for awhile... I knew that he had to be ours. I could see why you and Grace loved him so much. So I started the paperwork that day. I didn't realize how much went into adopting. I had to get a few things worked out before they let me take him. They finally called me this morning and said that I could go get him."
He reached out and pulled her into his arms, "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"
"This morning but I wouldn't mind hearing it again," she responded with a smile.
"I love you," he said, leaning his forehead onto hers.
"I love you too," she replied, pressing a quick kiss to his lips.
They separated as Grace and Conor came up to them with their new puppy in tow. He seemed right at home with them, nuzzling his head against Grace's legs.
"What do you think we should name him?" Jamie asked her. He sat on the ground and reached for the puppy, who went to him happily. The rest of them followed suit, with Conor crawling into his mother's lap.
Grace sat in thought for a moment before a name finally came to her. "Buddy," she said. "I think he looks like a Buddy."
Jamie and Eddie both smiled at each other and nodded.
"I think that's a great name," Eddie said. Then, she looked down at her son. "What do you think, Conor? Do you think Buddy is a good name? Can you say Buddy?"
"Bud!" he let out.
"I think that settles it," Jamie chuckled. He ran a hand over the puppy's head. "Welcome home, Buddy Reagan."
