Chapter 8: Reprieve

Author: zeusfluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Blue Bloods characters. They belong to CBS. But I do own a few originals. Date Started: 7/24/23. Date Finished: 7/25/23. Enjoy!

Jamie was relieved yet angry what Eddie was going through was not sleep walking. He and Eddie found out from Doctor Canton a neurologist at Saint Victor's that she was having small seizures. She was currently sitting on an exam table in an exam room nervously picking at an invisible string on her shirt. Doctor Canton repeated his question.

"Do you have any questions Eddie?"

Eddie looked up at Doctor Canton and gave him a tight-lipped smile.

"How long am I going to have to take the Dilantin for?"

Doctor Canton spread his hands and gave Eddie a sympathetic look.

"Until we can rule out what's causing it."

Eddie gave a frustrated sigh.

"You mean all those tests you did on me, and you still haven't found the cause?"

Doctor Canton kept his hands spread.

"I'd like to keep you on the Dilantin for the next 6 months. In the meantime, Jamie, I want you to keep a close eye on her. If she shows any signs of a seizure despite having Dilantin in her system, bring her in right away. We might have to switch her to a different medication."

Jamie nodded and shook hands with Doctor Canton.

"Thank-you doctor. I wish we'd known about this the first time I brought her in. We thought she was just sleep walking."

Doctor Canton spoke to Jamie and Eddie one more time before he left the exam room.

"Most people don't know what to look for in an Absence seizure. They equate it to sleep walking because patients exhibit similar symptoms. The one that stood out with Eddie is she wasn't speaking much and she didn't respond to you."

Jamie's gut clenched. He was relieved that Eddie was ok. Hopefully this medication would help. It was a few minutes before a nurse came back with Eddie's paperwork and they were out the door. Jamie took her hand as they headed towards the car.

"We've missed the noon mass for this Sunday. How about we head over to the house. I know pop and dad will be happy to see us."

Eddie gave a smile.

"Yeah. It's good for me to get out of the apartment anyways."

When they arrived at the house, Jamie could smell a roast as they entered the front door.

"Hey! Something smells great!"

Eddie giggled. She had to agree. She was also hungry. As they entered the dining room, the last of the dishes were being put onto the table. Everyone was all smiles. After the prayer was said and everyone had their food, Frank decided to break the ice and speak.

"How are you feeling Eddie? After the other night pop and I wanted to check in with you, but Jamie said you were sleeping."

Eddie finished chewing and swallowing her piece of roast.

"I'm doing ok dad. Jamie and I just came from the doctor actually. I spent all day yesterday and part of today having tests done in the hospital. I went to see a neurologist. I had an MRI and an EEG done on me. Apparently, I've been having seizures. Not the big ones you see some people have. The one's I've been having are different. So, if you see me stop talking and get this blank stare and don't respond when you talk to me, I'm in the middle of what the doctor called an Absence seizure. They usually only last a few seconds. But can be dangerous given the wrong conditions. Usually, kids and teenagers get them. Adults can get them too, but a small percentage. So, the doctor put me on some anti-seizure medication for the next 6 months. They are still trying to pinpoint what's causing it. It's not Epilepsy."

Linda took this moment to bring in a thought.

"They put you on Dilantin, didn't they?"

Eddie nodded her head.

"Yeah, they did. They put me on 10 milligrams."

Erin took this moment to add her own thought.

"Dad said something happened the other night. What happened?"

Jamie was the one who cut in before Eddie could speak.

"I woke up the other night and Eddie was nowhere to be found in our apartment. My mind was reeling. Pop called me as I was putting my coat on and told me Eddie was here, sitting in her spot at the table. Distant and not talking much. I get here and she's sitting in the dark, staring at something only she can see in front of her. I talk to her, and she doesn't hear me. About a minute later, she squeezes my arm and asks me what's going on and what she's doing here. The scary part is this: She has no idea how she got here. She didn't drive, because her car and mine were in the garage. I checked when I went to get her."

A couple of Saturday's later the family decided to have a day a the beach. It was unusually warm for a day in February. Even if the water was cold, Eddie liked to bury her feet in the sand and let the tide unbury them. After about half an hour, Eddie decided to make her way back towards a beach chair and get off her feet. Jamie gave her a smile and handed her a shovel.

"Want to help build a moat around the sandcastle?"

Jamie knew building a sandcastle may be juvenile, but he felt that Eddie needed something therapeutic from childhood to keep her mind off all the things she was going through. Eddie got through digging the entire moat and had to stop when she was about to pour the water in.

"Jamie, I have to stop… Can't go anymore…"

Jamie stopped pouring water into the moat and gave Eddie a concerned look. She was out of breath.

"Ok, let's take a break. Just lie back in the chair here and relax. Take deep breaths in and out. There you go."

Cracking her eyes open slightly, she tossed a comeback as soon as she caught her breath.

"Jamie, you're talking to me like you were to the woman we helped deliver her baby in the movie theater. I'm not in labor. I'm just out of breath."

Jamie smirked and shook his head.

"Sorry. I think about that little boy sometimes. He's 3 years old now."

Eddie smiled at the memory. Then she remembered what the couple ended up naming him.

"Well, remember, they named him after me. Only because they thought your name was Eddie and I had your name. I hope if the next baby they have is a girl, they name her after you. I still say you should've been a doctor. You would've made a great baby doctor."

Jamie gave Eddie another smirk.

"Yeah, and I'd be great at it."

Eddie rolled her eyes at him.

"Well, look who's talking. How many babies have you delivered since we've been on the job? Be honest."

Jamie shook his head.

"60. It's beautiful. But I wouldn't trade it for putting bad guys away."

Eddie's face fell slightly and then she gave a laugh.

"Ok, my numbers pale in comparison to yours. My 12 to your 60."

Jamie kept the smirk on his face.

"Well 11 and 12 were a set of twins. The rest were just one baby per mother."

Eddie smiled at the thought.

"Twins. A boy and a girl. Of course, on the BQE in the middle of rush hour traffic. You and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

Jamie put an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm glad this day on the beach brightened your mood. We should do this more often."

Eddie smiled and watched as Danny and Erin spiked a volleyball back and forth over a net. Frank and Henry both had their noses in books. Today had turned out just right. Hopefully every day after, would be like this one.

To Be Continued…

A/N: I took some artistic license on the beach scene. I have no idea what beaches are like in New York. Washington state's beaches are similar, minus the snow in the winter.