A/N: Sorry this one is a bit short…

Chapter 40: Changing Perspectives

For the second time that night, Jamie and Eddie drive home towards their apartment from Bay Ridge.

Eddie looks over at her husband in the driver's seat and sees his brow crinkled in thought "You okay?" She softly questions after a few moments "You've got that look on your face."

"What look?" Jamie questions.

"The look at that says your mind is in overdrive." Eddie replies.

Jamie sighs "I realized something tonight and I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it."

"Okay…" Eddie slowly accepts "What?"

"A year ago, or even six months ago…" Jamie begins "…if we had found Sean and his girlfriend doing what they were doing tonight I probably wouldn't have reacted so… harshly – even with whole heat thing." he admits.

Eddie curiously looks at her husband "How so?" She prompts.

"I've been a 20 year old guy." Jamie admits "I've done my fair share of stupid things so…"

But Jamie's voice trails off into silence.

"So?" Eddie prompts a few moments later.

"So I get it but…" Again, Jamie's voice trails off.

"But?" Eddie again prompts.

"Did Beth remind you of anyone?" Jamie suddenly inquires.

Eddie crinkles her face up in thought "Um…no…"

"Really?" Jamie questions as he glances over at his wife "Not even her shoulder length curly dark brown hair?"

Eddie simply looks at her husband still at a loss.

"Mia." Jamie explains "I looked at Beth and I saw Mia and then it hit me – that could be Mia in 8 years – alone with some guy…"

"Oh." Eddie breathes out in realization.

"8 years Eddie." Jamie continues "You think that's a long time but its not. We've now known each other over 8 years and sometimes it feels like it was just yesterday you walked down the steps of the 12th and introduced yourself to me and now here we are married and you're pregnant…" He rambles "…and there is a 50/50 shot it's a girl so…"

"So you no longer looked at the situation from the perspective of a young stupid 20 year old guy…" Eddie reasons in understanding "…but as a father wanting nothing more then to protect his daughter…"

"From a young stupid 20 year old guy!" Jamie reiterates in exasperation "When did I become THAT guy?"

Eddie smiles at her husband "Um Babe, I hate to break it to you but you've always been that guy."

"What?" Jamie questions.

"Its true." Eddie insists

"Eddie…" Jamie rejects "…you didn't know me when I was young and stupid."

"So tell me." Eddie prompts.

Jamie shakes his head "No thanks, I prefer you still love and respect me and not divorce me."

"Oh please…" Eddie counters with a slight laugh "…This is you we are talking about. I highly doubt it was that bad."

"Well…" Jamie ponders.

Eddie crosses her arms "Was it Skip level bad?" She flatly prompts.

"Well no." Jamie immediately rejects. "Never ever anything like that but..."

"Then you were just a normal regular young man sowing his oats!" Eddie reassures him.

"Okay don't say it like that." Jamie pleads causing Eddie to again laugh.

"You know I was no angel either." She reminds him.

"See I don't want to hear that either." Jamie whines "Again pregnant and 50/50 shot it's a girl."

Eddie can't help but chuckle some more.

"Are you laughing at me?" Jamie presses.

"No." Eddie tries to seriously promise but its hard "Absolutely not."

"You are." Jamie decides "You're laughing at me."

"I'm not!" Eddie reassures him "I promise! I just find it absolutely adorable that this is getting you so worked up."

"Adorable. Great." Jamie flatly repeats "Again, exactly what I want to hear. Way to kick a man when he's down."

"Oh my god!" Eddie chides "You've called yourself adorable on more then one occasion so stop pretending it's a bad thing!"

"Is it too much to ask to get a little support here?" he requests in slight irritation.

Eddie's mouth curves up into a playful smile and her eyes begin to dance "Ah, is my always put together Jamie Reagan having a bit of a meltdown?"

A look of true annoyance appears on Jamie's face "Why do I even bother…"

Eddie heartily laughs "Okay, okay, I'm sorry I'm sorry. I'll behave." She promises.

Jamie shakes his head "Look lets just talk about something else okay?"

Eddie sighs "Are you sure?" She gently presses "I said I would behave…"

Jamie glances at his wife "I'm sure." He insists.

Silence.

"So lets talk about these renovations then!" Eddie suddenly and excitedly quips.

Jamie's eyes go a bit wide "Renovations?" he repeats "I thought it was just fixing up the stuff that needed fixing so the house sells quicker? When did it become 'renovations'?"

Eddie shrugs "Renovations just sounds better. It's like in the home listings when a super small cramped space is called 'quaint and cozy'."

Jamie laughs "Alright what about these 'renovations.'?

"We need to make a list!" Eddie reminds him as she pulls out her phone and opens her notepad "First up – dead thing under the porch!" she types "That boy is going to have absolutely no free time for months!" she muses.

"Maybe his girlfriend can help him." Jamie sneers.

"A hot guy doing renos?" Eddie laughs "Hell yeah!"

"Did you just call your nephew hot?" Jamie questions in disbelief.

"I was talking like a 18 year old girl about her 20 almost 21 year old boyfriend." Eddie explains "I mean the tool belt, the manual sweaty labour that makes the guy take off his shirt…" She rambles "What's not to love?"

"I am literally sitting right here!" Jamie exclaims in disbelief "Remember me? Your husband?"

"Well if my husband wants to parade around with a tool belt doing manual sweaty labour that makes him take off his shirt I certainly won't stop him." Eddie announces "In fact sign me up for a front row seat!"

"You are unbelievable." Jamie mutters with a small shake of his head.

Eddie glances in the back seat and a wicked little gleam plays in her eyes "You know that backseat does look inviting…"

Jamie can't help but laugh as the conversation loops right back around to earlier in the evening "Hold that thought we are almost home."

"Home, home..." Eddie presses "Or house home."

"Apartment home." Jamie clarifies.

"So no backseat?" Eddie laughs.

"Not today." Jamie replies in amusement "We are not doing that whole trip again but we do have a lovely bed."

"Alright fine." Eddie relents "But backseat in the driveway is starting to grow on me – and before I'm too big to fit back there or the house sells."

Jamie quickly glances at his wife with a raised eyebrow "Why Mrs. Reagan..."

"Not an angel remember?" Eddie reminds him.

Jamie groans "How is it a statement like that now turns me on AND freaks me out all at the exact same time now?"

"Okay you really need to get past this." Eddie decides.

"I would love too!" Jamie tosses back.

"Jamie." Eddie gently prompts as she turns to face him "I'm not 18. I'm a grown ass woman well past the age of legal consent. We're married and in case you forgot sex is how we created this little bundle." She adds as she points at her stomach "It's kind of the way of nature. Now I'm in the mood – something that hasn't happened too often since said bundle came about so when we get home you are going to shut up and put up got it?"

A small smile creeps up onto Jamie's face "Damn, you're bossy."

Eddie smugly nods in acceptance "And I know that turns you on so it's a win win."

...