A/N: I'll let Eddie's first few sentences and actions in this chapter express my thoughts on all your comments - no point repeating myself! :)
Chapter 25: Consequences
With a file in hand, Sid comes rushing into Frank's office completely ignoring Abby at her desk.
Frank looks up, sees the look on his face and frowns "Now what?"
Sid lifts the file in his hand to display it before offering it out to Frank.
Frank takes it, opens it and reads. A moment later, he heavily sighs and closes his eyes. Then a moment after that, he takes a deep breath, opens his eyes, closes the file and hands it back "Do what you need to do Lieutenant."
"Me?" Sid whines.
"You are the commanding officer." Frank points out.
Sighing in defeat, Sid turns and heads for the door muttering "Some days I really do hate my job."
Frank watches him leave and once the door recloses leaving him alone, he lets out a defeated heavy breath "Don't we all."
…..
Eddie walks into the bullpen with Jamie a few steps behind when suddenly sparse clapping is heard. They both look up and over towards the sound to see Detective Sheehan stand up and clap as he looks right at them.
A second later another Detective stands and claps and then another and another until slowly all the Detectives in the squad room are on their feet welcoming Eddie back and soon the sound starts to include hoots and hollers and shouted out 'welcome backs!' and 'we missed yous' and 'so glad you're okays'.
"You guys." Eddie whines touched while Jamie behind her just smiles and look on in pride at the out pouring of support and love "Thank you, thank you! Please that's enough." She lightly chides the room "Go back to work. Please!" She pleads as she moves towards her desk to see Danny and Maria both standing and clapping for her as well.
"Oh my god you two, sit down." Eddie hisses embarrassed as the entire room starts to settle down "THANK YOU EVERYONE!" She then calls out as she gestures to everything on her desk "YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!"
"Hey how would it look if they were all clapping and we weren't." Danny points out "Just keeping up appearances." He nonchalantly tries to sluff off.
"Look there she is!" Eddie exclaims as she swipes the mini Miss Minnie off her desk and hands her backwards to Jamie "She really is cute. Who's she from?" She queries as she starts looking at the other gifts, flowers and cards on her desk.
Danny and Maria exchange a look.
Jamie turns the toy over "No tag." He states "Was she on top of a card or something?"
Eddie looks back to the spot she grabbed her from "No. Don't see anything."
"Really?" Jamie presses "Nothing?"
"Well look for yourself if you don't believe me." Eddie states.
"That's weird." Jamie states as he does indeed look over himself.
"Wow you two sure seem focused on that one plush toy." Maria chuckles as she again looks at Danny who gives her a small knowing smile.
"Yeah…" Danny chimes in "…you'd think it meant something special to you or something."
"Funny." Eddie tosses out without really thinking about the true meaning behind Danny's words before continuing on "Jamie took a photo of my desk to show me last night and well Mia was over and as soon as she saw the photo she of course zeroed in on this mini Miss Minnie…" Eddie rambles "…and… why wouldn't the person leave a card?" She then ponders "How am I supposed to thank them?"
"Maybe they don't need a thank you." Danny offers as he again looks at Maria with a smug little smile "Just having you back is enough."
"No." Eddie rejects "I want to thank them."
"You don't need to." Danny insists.
"I do!" Eddie insists right back.
"Oh my god." Maria finally chimes in with a roll of her eyes "Just tell her already Reagan…" She adds as she looks at Danny "…or we're going to be doing this all day."
Eddie looks between Danny and Maria "Tell me what?" She finally prompts.
Danny throws his hands up "She still can't figure it out."
"Maybe we aren't dropping good enough hints." Maria ponders to her partner.
"I said you think it was like it meant something special – how much more of a clue could that be?" Danny insists "I mean how many others in the squad know what Miss Minnie means?"
Finally a look of realization appears on Eddie's face "It was you!"
"Finally." Maria and Danny both say with flips of their hands.
"Man good thing you were the one kidnapped and we had to figure out YOUR clues because if it was the old way around…" Danny quips with a laugh "…I might STILL be tied to a chair!" He adds as he glances at Jamie to see him glaring daggers at him.
The smile immediately drops from Danny's face "Too soon?" He hesitantly questions.
Maria nods "WAY too soon." she deduces.
"My bad." Danny apologizes.
"Oh." Eddie suddenly breathes out as she moves to sink down into her chair and take a deep cleansing breath "This is really starting to get old." She grumbles in annoyance as she tries to hold the nausea at bay "I thought I was past this!"
"Ginger?" Danny questions as he points at Maria.
Maria shakes her head no "Ginger?" She questions as she gestures back at Danny.
Danny shakes his head no.
Danny and Maria both look over at Jamie.
"Ginger." Jamie accepts as he spins on his heels and heads for the breakroom.
"Should still be some in the fridge on the door." Eddie mumbles out.
"She says there should still be some on the door in the fridge!" Danny calls out after his brother.
"Yeah I know where it is thanks!" Jamie shoots back.
Danny looks at his sister in law to see her cross her arms on the desk and drop her head onto her arms "He knows where it is." he tries to reassures her.
Not wanting to talk, Eddie silently lifts one hand out from under her up onto her elbow and gives a thumbs up.
Danny looks over at Maria "It's all good." he states so the partners both sit down at their desks and get back to work.
….
Jamie stands in the bullpen with Danny and Maria when Gormley enters. For a moment he pauses in the entranceway really wishing he didn't have to do this but knowing he has no choice, he takes a deep breath and walks over "Sergeant this way please." He commands as he beckons his head towards Jamie's office.
Jamie exchanges looks with Danny and Maria before moving to follow.
"What's up Lieutenant?" Jamie inquires when both men enter Jamie's office.
"There is no easy way to say this so I'll just say it." Gormley begins "Effective immediately you are being suspended pending investigation for unnecessary assault during an arrest. I'll need your gun and your shield."
For a moment Jamie stands there speechless.
"Now." Gormley sternly instructs so letting out a scoff, Jamie removes his weapon and shield and hands them to Gormley "IAB will be in contact."
Having seen Jamie hand his gun and shield over through the doorway, Danny and Maria immediately walk over "What's going on?" Danny demands.
"I'm being suspended." Jamie tosses out before moving to walk out of his office "Guess you report to him now." He adds as he gestures back to Gormley before walking away.
Danny and Maria watch him leave then look back at Gormley "What the hell?" Danny again demands.
"Watch it Detective." Gormley warns "And IAB's going to want to talk to all of us too."
"Why?" Danny demands.
Gormley sighs "The perp that kidnapped Eddie filed a complaint. Unnecessary use of force during an arrest resulting in a broken nose."
Danny's body immediately fills with tension and he clenches his fists together "Son of a bitch." he seethes "Why suspended?" he demands "Shouldn't he just be modified?"
Gormley sighs "You better then anyone knows the drill. He's a Reagan yadda yadda yadda…"
"Are you kidding me?" Danny tosses back.
Gormley shakes his head "Wish I was but no…"
"Damn it." Danny mutters This is his fault he can't help but think If Eddie had not have been mistakenly kidnapped instead of him, Jamie would not have hit the guy and would not now be facing command discipline… or worse…
"So for now…" Gormley adds "You report to Lieutenant Gee again."
Maria looks at Danny to see him on the brink of exploding.
"Understood." She replies to Gormley for both of them.
Nodding, Gormley walks away and as he does Danny stands there now feeling like he wants to hit something too…
"You okay?" Maria tentatively inquires.
Finally Danny turns to look at his partner in confused disbelief "I know my Father has never pulled any favors for us but he's never gone overboard the other way either." He explains "I just don't get why he's flat out suspended and not modified."
"Who's suspended?" A Detective passing by inquires.
"Sergeant Reagan." Maria absently offers before realizing what she just said and looking at Danny hoping she didn't say anything she shouldn't have.
The Detective's face scrunches up "Why? What for?"
But Danny goes with it "Unnecessary use of force during the arrest of Eddie's kidnappers." He very unhappily grumbles.
The Detective looks at Danny stunned "Wait... shouldn't he just be modified for that? Why suspended?"
Danny wants nothing more then to simply say "Because he's a Reagan." but he bites his tongue and instead says "You'd have to ask the higher ups that."
"Well that's just wrong." The Detective counters before walking away and over to a group of other Detectives "Hey did you hear Sergeant Reagan was suspended?"
"What?" Another Detective replies "Why?" as the news travels fast….
…..
Entering the parking garage, Jamie makes a beeline for the Chevelle. He opens the driver's door in a huff, slides into his seat and slams the door shut in frustration.
Eddie lying in the backseat with her head on the passenger's side of the car pops her eyes open and looks over to see her husband stewing in the driver's seat "What happened?" She questions in alarm at his unusual demeanor.
"I've been suspended." He mumbles.
Eddie immediately sits up on her elbows "I'm sorry what?"
"I've been suspended Eddie." Jamie annoyingly states more clearly.
"What do you mean you've been suspended?" Eddie demands.
"Exactly what you think it means Eddie." Jamie counters in a huff "No gun. No shield."
"What? Why?"
"Unnecessary use of force during an arrest."
Eddie squeezes her eyes shut and sinks to lay back down in defeat - she didn't need to ask which arrest... "Oh god."
"I'd do it again Eddie."
"Jamie!" Eddie chides "You could lose your job!"
"It's his word against mine." Jamie points out "Everyone was turned away at the time."
"Except me." Eddie points out "I saw you purposefully turn him around and sucker punch him remember?"
Jamie lifts and turns his head to look at his wife.
"I'll just claim spousal privilege." Eddie decides "They can't force me to testify against you."
Jamie runs not one but both hands over his face before just shaking his head in defeat "We're screwed no matter which way we look at this."
"How do you mean?"
Jamie turns slightly in his seat so he can face his wife "You tell the truth and I could very well lose my job but if you claim spousal privilege that plays into the hands of those that believe married couples shouldn't work together. Up until this point we have been the model case for why it should be allowed but if we go the spousal privilege route…"
"… we'll essentially be slamming the book shut on the NYPD ever allowing another couple to work together." Eddie finishes in understanding as she stares up at the ceiling of the car "Yup, we're screwed."
"Yup." Jamie agrees as he faces forward again and stares out the windshield frustrated as the couple both silently ponder their situation.
….
Frank is sitting at his kitchen table when Danny come storming in the back door. "You had him suspended? What the hell Dad?"
Frank heavily sighs "Danny…"
"The guy kidnapped your own daughter in law – who is pregnant with your grandchild in case you forgot!"
"What the hell is all this yelling about?" Henry demands as he enters the kitchen.
Danny looks at his grandfather "Dad had Jamie suspended because he allegedly hit the guy that kidnapped and held Eddie hostage!"
Henry looks at his son in shock "Suspended?! Francis! Is this true?" He demands.
"Technically Gormley suspended him." Frank points out "Not me."
"And who does Gormley report to?" Danny counters frustrated "YOU!"
"Danny, the guy filed a complaint." Frank states "And you both know as Commissioner, my hands are tied. Protocol dictates there must be an investigation and I can't do anything to affect the outcome one way OR the other."
"But suspended? I was the one they were after Dad!" Danny bites back "Not Eddie. Not Jamie! You want to suspend someone, suspend me! They've been through enough!"
Frank frowns at his son knowing how much that guilt is still eating at him "Danny you know it doesn't work that way."
"Well how does it work then Dad? I know you've never played favorites with us which is fine but you've also never purposefully thrown us under the bus either!"
"I didn't throw your brother under the bus!" Frank tosses back agitated "The suspension was the recommendation of the new civilian oversight courtesy of the Mayor."
"Oh boy." Henry breathes out in understanding.
"You mean the same mayor that loves to use Jamie and Eddie for press coverage when it suits his fancy?" Danny counters.
"Yes." Frank states through gritted teeth.
"So they recommended suspension to see if you would step in." Henry deduces "And change it to modified duty."
Frank sighs "Yes."
"But you won't." Danny deduces "Because you don't get involved. Fine but I'm not you. I'm not just going to sit back and let this happen." He decides.
"Don't say stuff like that in front of your Commissioner." Frank warns.
Danny's mouth opens with some kind of defiant comeback right there on the tip of his tongue but he doesn't actually voice it out loud because he knows his Dad is right – they both have to tow the company line…
"But I'll always have faith that others are able to work together to see things through when needed." Frank simply adds as he glances from his father to his son and back again silently and in a very round about way giving them permission to indeed do something about it.
Henry eyes his son a few moments then looks at his grandson "Daniel, let's go." he instructs.
"Where are we going?" Danny inquires confused.
"To see things through." Henry simply tells him.
Suddenly Frank's commissioner cellphone rings "Well that's not good." he mutters with a sigh noting the late hour causing Danny and Henry to both pause "Sid what's up?" He answers.
Frank listens a moment and then closes his eyes "Alright, thank you. Keep me posted." he states before hanging up and turning to look at his oldest son unamused "The blue flu Danny, really?"
"What?" Danny counters in true confusion.
"The Detectives of the 5-4 have all suddenly come down with the flu." Frank reveals.
"Really?" Danny states in surprise.
"Really." Frank deadpans.
"Huh." Danny breathes out in wonder "Wow. Cool."
"COOL?" Frank presses in disbelief.
"Well okay, not cool for you as the Commissioner, no." Danny clarifies "But cool in the fact that they all seem to have Jamie and Eddie's back regarding this ludicrous excessive force charge and Jamie being suspended instead of him just being modified pending investigation."
"Danny." Frank warns.
"I know, I know. Blue flu is wrong but like you, my hands are tied." Danny informs his father "I'm not calling out but I'm not gonna call the rest of them out for calling out either. That's above my pay grade."
"I know." Frank sighs.
Danny nods his head in acceptance.
Silence.
"We better go." Danny announces.
"Danny." Frank calls.
"Yes?"
"Wait until morning but in the meantime, I think you should call your sister and catch up with her. Been a while since you two took on a project together." he adds with a pointed look.
Danny eyes his father then turns to look at his grandfather "We'll talk in the morning." he adds before heading out the door.
Frank and Henry watch him leave then Henry turns to his son "Rock and a hard place."
"He should only be modified." Frank admits to his father "But because I'm the Commissioner once again Jamie is getting the short end of the stick."
...
