Ch 53: Relationship Structures

Jamie turns to head back to his office and is immediately met with a hard fist to his jaw.

Stumbling a bit, it takes Jamie a second to try to counter but its all the time his attacker needs to loop a rope around Jamie's neck.

Jamie desperately fights back.

"POLICE!" Danny barks from behind the assailant as he and Maria appear out of nowhere with guns drawn.

"Let him go right now!" Maria demands from in front of the perp.

Startled, the perp backs off just enough for Jamie to elbow him in the stomach before hunching over and coughing trying to catch his breath.

"You okay?" Danny presses in real concern to his brother and he cuffs the guy.

All Jamie can do is nod his head in confirmation as he continues to try to breath.

"Is he okay?" Eddie's concerned voice sounds in all their ears through the earbud "Do I need to call a bus?"

"I'm fine." Jamie's slightly raspy voice sounds.

"Oh you sound terrible." Danny notes as he hands the perp over to Maria.

"You do." Eddie agrees "I'm coming in."

"Eddie." Jamie protests.

"Is the situation contained?" Eddie inquires.

"Yes." Danny replies.

"Then I'm coming in." Eddie insists.

Jamie lifts his head to shoot his brother a stop her from coming in here look.

"Oh don't give me that look." Danny counters instead "She's my boss now remember, she ain't gonna listen to me."

"Like she ever listened to you?" Maria tosses at her partner.

Danny thinks about that "True. She barely even listens to him." he notes as he gestures at Jamie.

"I do so!" Eddie defends as she walks into the room and her eyes zero in on her husband. She sucks in a breath of air at seeing his already starting to swell and bruise bleeding lip "Oh that's going to look nasty for a while." She notes as she looks around then reaches over, grabs a tissue box, pulls out a few tissues then hands them to her husband "Here. You're bleeding."

"Thank you." Jamie mumbles as he takes the tissues and holds them to his lip.

Then Eddie notices a slight red impression ring left by the rope around Jamie's neck "How long did you let him strangle him!" She demands to Danny and Maria "He's got a mark!"

"Eddie I'm fine." Jamie promises.

"Just enough to guarantee attempted murder." Danny defends as he digs his phone out of his pocket "What you really think I'd let him hurt my little brother?"

"No." Eddie mumbles as she watches Danny aim his phone at Jamie's neck.

"Here, tilt your head away and slightly towards the light." Danny instructs his brother "I need to document the evidence."

Eddie watches as Danny snaps a few pictures from different angles of Jamie's bruising.

"Besides I know you'll just kiss it and make it all better." Danny adds on when he's done as he pockets his phone then gestures for Maria and the perp to head out "We'll just leave so you can do that now."

Eddie and Jamie watch them leave and when they are alone Eddie turns her attention to her husband "You're sure your okay?"

"Yes." Jamie replies as he dabs at his lip one more time to confirm the bleeding has stopped "But a kiss would make it all better."

A small smile grace's Eddie's face "Oh well in that case." She softly says as she reaches over and places a light kiss just above his injured lip "Is that better?" She inquires as she pulls back slightly.

"A little lower." Jamie counters so Eddie moves to kiss him again.

"Ow." Jamie suddenly winces on reflex when she gets a little too close to the injury.

Eddie immediately pulls back "Yeah we're getting you checked out."

"Eddie I'm fine."

"Just listen to your wife." Danny's voice sounds over the coms "I would think you Mr. By the Book would know its protocol."

"Thank you Detective Reagan." Eddie notes.

"No problem Sergeant Reagan." Danny replies "And if Lieutenant Reagan over there gives you any more problems let me know and I can come strong arm him for you."

"I'm still the ranking officer you know." Jamie tosses out.

"Except in this situation family trumps rank." Danny counters "And I'm your older brother."

Jamie makes a funny face then again winces at the shot of pain that courses through his mouth "Since when?" he grumbles.

"Um family first." Eddie replies.

"What she said." Danny adds.

"Not while on the job." Jamie counters.

There is a moment of silence as Eddie and Danny both ponder that.

"Still two against one." Eddie decides "We win."

"Again what she said." Danny tacks on.

"I'm fine!" Jamie insists.

"Section 6, article 2.4…" Maria's voice suddenly sounds "Any officer involved in an alteration resulting in possible injuries must be checked out by a medical professional. - And you definitely got injured."

Jamie gets an unhappy look on his face "You are no longer my favorite." He tosses back to Maria over the coms.

"I'm okay with that." Maria lobs back "Just made things awkward around your wife and brother anyway."

Eddie gives her husband a smug little look "Three against one but if that's not enough for you I could always call The Commissioner."

"Fine." Jamie finally relents.

Eddie happily smiles.

Beat.

"See." Danny tosses out a moment later "New ranks change nothing."

Eddie snickers "Go team."

…..

Eddie, then Jamie, and Sydney stand in a line in the viewing room watching Danny, Maria and Erin in the box getting a full confession from the perp and every once in a while, Sydney steals a sideways glance at Jamie next to her looking at his bruised face and neck.

"I'm fine." Jamie finally tells her without even having to look at her.

Sydney shakes her head "Yeah we never would have worked."

Eddie leans slightly forward to look past Jamie at Sydney.

This causes Sydney to shift her gaze from Jamie to Eddie "I could never handle the stress of the dangers of the job." She explains.

"Oh." Eddie accepts as she stands back up straight and everyone turns their attention back to the interrogation room.

Silence.

"It's never easy." Eddie admits as she watches Erin accept a signed statement from the perp. "But it's a part of the job."

"One I was not cut out for." Sydney admits.

Eddie briefly glances at Sydney "Being a cop?" She tries to clarify in confusion.

"Being the wife of a cop." Sydney clarifies.

"Ah." Eddie accepts.

Silence as Jamie shifts uncomfortably on his feet trying to focus on the scene in the interrogation room instead of the weird feeling he has standing between his wife and exfiancee as they indirectly talk about him.

Noticing Jamie's slight shift in posture, Eddie tries to change the subject "So what does your fiancé do?"

"Barry?" Sydney replies "Oh he's in finance."

Eddie crinkles her forehead in thought a moment at hearing that. She opens her mouth to say something then just shuts it as they watch everyone in the interrogation room stand signaling the interview is over.

"Well!" Sydney quips as she turns to face Jamie and Eddie "Nice seeing you both but that's my cue."

Jamie offers his ex a quick slightly awkward smile "Yup."

Sydney turns to leave then pauses and looks back "Congratulations by the way." She sincerely offers as she gestures to the baby "You're both going to make great parents."

Jamie's face softens a bit and he slightly tilts his head in a nod "Thank you and congratulations to you as well on your upcoming wedding."

Sydney flashes one more smile "Look for your invitation in the mail."

Jamie and Eddie both get surprised expressions on there faces at hearing that.

"Kidding." Sydney promises with a laugh "But if you ever need a lawyer..."

Eddie hooks her thumb in Jamie's direction.

"With actual courtroom experience." Sydney clarifies "You know where to find me!" She adds before she turns, opens the door and exits leaving Jamie and Eddie alone.

Jamie watches her leave a moment – relieved everything ended as well as it did before turning to look at his wife. There he sees a see a weird, pensive look on her face as she stares out the door after Sydney "What?" he prompts.

"You didn't pick up on that did you?" Eddie questions.

"On what?" Jamie counters confused.

"Sydney's fiancé – Barry." Eddie presses "She said he was in finance."

"Yeah so?" Jamie replies.

"Jamie, the Barry I dated was in finance." Eddie reveals.

Jamie makes a shocked expression "Wait... you don't think…"

Eddie shrugs as they both stand there pondering the odds.

"I'm choosing to say its just a coincidence." Eddie decides "Otherwise that would just be weird."

"Very weird." Jamie wholeheartedly agrees as he stares off out the door as well.

Silence.

"You know in another life she and I might have been great friends." Eddie suddenly announces.

Jamie slowly turns his head to stare at his wife in disbelief.

"What?" Eddie defends "I'm just saying."

Jamie just shakes his head and moves to leave the room.

"She doesn't really strike me as the bossy and opinionated type though." Eddie adds in thought as she moves to follow.

Jamie glances back at his wife as they walk "This, again?"

"Well it's your type!" Eddie defends "It's no wonder you two didn't work out!"

"Shouldn't you be happy at that?" Jamie defends as he pushes through a set of double doors.

"Of course I'm happy about that!" Eddie immediately replies as she follows "I'm just saying she's not your type. I mean how did you not see that?"

Jamie buries his face in his hands as the couple disappears down the hall and as the doors close behind them neither of them notice Danny, Maria and Erin standing just outside the interrogation room watching them.

"That was a weird conversation." Erin slowly admits a moment later.

Danny and Maria sigh

"Welcome to our world."