Chapter 27: Reinstated

Jamie walks up to his apartment door feeling stressed and tired but he takes a deep breath then plasters an upbeat look on his face. He unlocks and opens the door to see Eddie napping on the couch. He smiles a small genuine smile at seeing that before he goes about quietly shutting the door, putting his keys down and taking his jacket off in an attempt to not wake her. When he's finished, he heads for the kitchen and opens the fridge.

"Hey." Eddie's sleepy voice sounds "You're home. How'd it go?"

Standing up and looking over Jamie sees his wife starting to wake up. He shuts the fridge "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you."

"What time is it?" Eddie asks as she glances at the clock then sighs "Ugh. I only meant to lay down for a few minutes." She grumbles in frustration as she start to sit up "That was two hours ago. Here I'll start supper."

"No." Jamie rejects as he walks out of the kitchen "You're tired. We'll just order in tonight."

Eddie sinks herself back to lay against the back of the couch "Thank you and before you ask I'm fine. This is just your regular old run of the mill pregnancy tired, nothing is wrong."

Jamie can't help but laugh at little at her declaration "Fine. Thank you for clarifying that for me."

"So I repeat." Eddie begins "How did it go?"

Jamie sighs.

"Well that answers that." Eddie deduces.

"I'll figure it out Eddie, I promise."

"I know because if anyone can, you can."

"So what do you feel like?" Jamie prompts.

Eddie thinks about that a moment then looks down at her stomach "Come on Baby, Daddy asked you a question. What do you want to eat?"

Silence.

"I got nothing." Eddie sighs.

"Thai?" Jamie suggests.

Eddie thinks a moment then shakes her head in rejection.

"Chinese?" Jamie suggests.

Eddie again thinks then shakes her head no "Keep going."

"Italian? Pizza? Ribs? Chicken? Greek? Burger and fries?" Jamie rambles off.

Eddie frowns and shakes her head at all of them "Come on you must want something!" she prompts her baby.

"A salad?" Jamie jokes.

Eddie lifts her head, closes her eyes and groans in defeat before she nods her head up and down yes.

Jamie laughs "Aw man this really is my kid!"

Eddie pops her eyes open and looks at husband unamused "Did you doubt that?"

"Oh come on Eddie, this is funny." Jamie laughs "Our kid is making you eat green things."

"Funny is NOT the word I'd use but yes I'll take a salad."

"What kind?" Jamie prompts.

"You want to know what I really miss?" Eddie states as she thinks "Making my own food choices." She adds "Hang on your kid is taking their sweet time deciding."

"Italian, Caesar, chicken…" Jamie begins again "Tossed salad, potato salad, jello salad?" he tosses in for the hell of it.

"Tossed." Eddie announces "And Jamie?" She adds.

"Yes?"

"Extra tomatoes please." She announces while looking like she wants to burst into tears.

"Oh Baby." Jamie laughs as he moves to give his wife a quick kiss on the head "Be nice to your Mommy now."

But then suddenly Eddie's eyes go wide.

"What?" Jamie prompts at seeing her look.

"And… and olives." Eddie quietly breathes out as she looks up her husband in slight fear.

Now Jamie's eyes go wide "Oh…"

Silence.

"Oh well that's um good right?" Jamie tries to reason "I'm not passing on any food allergies then?"

Eddie looks down at her stomach "No. I'm putting my foot down. We are not having olives. Daddy is allergic."

"Eddie It's okay. We'll just be careful."

"NO!" Eddie rejects "NO OLIVES! WHY DO YOU WANT OLIVES!" She demands to her unborn child as she gets upset.

Jamie closes his eyes "Here we go. Eddie calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Eddie snaps "Our child wants olives!"

"Yes we've established that."

"What am I doing wrong?" Eddie whines as the tears start to fall "Why do you want olives?" She just repeats again.

"Eddie you're not doing anything wrong." Jamie promises wondering how to stop this looping conversation "What if I make you a smoothie?" He offers instead. "I could run out and get you some french fries to go with it?"

Eddie wipes away her tears "Okay."

"Great." Jamie accepts.

"I'm sorry." Eddie mutters "I'm sorry I'm such a basket case."

"Eddie." Jamie sighs.

"This is the 4th time I've cried today!" Eddie huffs out "The first time was because I heard a song on the radio that I've heard a million times before but today for some reason – waterworks. The second time was because I got frustrated that I had cried for no reason. The third time - I don't even remember what that was because of – that's how inconsequential it was and now this! I'm a basket case!"

Jamie studies his wife then sighs "And it's got nothing to do with me being suspended right?"

Eddie cringes slightly but tries to quickly cover up "No, of course not. I was having mood swings before you were suspended remember? It goes with the territory."

"Right." Jamie agrees on the outside but inside he knows him being suspended is only amplifying everything for her and giving her stress she doesn't need.

Suddenly Jamie's cell phone rings. He digs it out to see One Police Plaza flash on the screen.

"What is it?" Eddie immediately questions at seeing his look.

"It's a land line from 1PP." Jamie states before answering the phone "S…" he begins but then pauses realizing he can't answer the phone with this rank – he's suspended so "Hello?" he greets instead.

"Is that normally how you answer the phone when your boss calls you Sergeant?" Gormley queries.

"Am I a Sergeant?" Jamie questions back.

"As of this moment, yes." Gormley announces "Pick up your gun and shield from me here at 1PP in the morning."

Jamie opens his mouth to speak but so many questions were running through his head he didn't really know where to even start "How?" Is all he finally gets out.

"Perp recanted his statement." Gormley simply explains "Said he made it up."

"Ummm…" Jamie mutters in confusion as he looks over at his wife to see her eyes trained on him trying to figure out what is going on "Okay. Sure..." he slowly accepts "I… I'll see you in the morning."

"Have a good evening Sergeant." Gormley adds before hanging up.

Jamie lowers his disconnected phone and for a moment just stares at it.

"What?" Eddie finally prompts "What happened?"

Jamie lifts his head and looks at his wife "I've been reinstated."

Eddie's eyes go wide "Jamie that's great!" She cries in relief.

"Yeah…" Jamie unconvincingly agrees.

Eddie looks at her husband confused "Why don't you seem happy about this?"

"Because Gormley said the perp recanted his statement saying he made it up except you and I both know he didn't make it up. It happened so…"

"So what - or more likely who - made him change his story." Eddie finishes in understanding.

Jamie nods.

Silence.

"Well I don't care." Eddie decides a moment later "It's done. Now we can move on."

For a moment Jamie begins to open his mouth to protest. He had to get to the bottom of why the guy made a false statement but as he looks at his wife, he remembers one very important rule 'family first' so he stops. If letting this go is what his pregnant wife needs, he could do that. He WOULD do that for her – for his family.

"So smoothie?" Jamie questions instead.

"Yes please! And don't forget the French fries!" Eddie happily tacks on.

"Coming right up." Jamie promises.

…..

Jamie walks up to Lieutenant Gormley's closed office door at 1PP and knocks.

"ENTER!" Gormley barks out from inside.

Jamie opens the door and walks in "Lieutenant." He greets keeping his hand on the knob holding the door open "Reporting as requested."

"Excellent." Gormley quips as he stands up and begins to move out from around his desk "Stay here." He commands as he moves to walk past Jamie to exit his office forcing Jamie to have to let go of the door.

Confused, Jamie turns watching him leave but as Gormley goes, he closes the door behind him revealing to Jamie Frank standing before him "Oh." Jamie then notes in understanding.

"Sergeant." Frank greets as he holds his hands up and out to his son offering him his gun and his shield back.

"Personal touch from the Commissioner." Jamie notes as he reaches to take his items back "What makes me so special?"

Frank sighs "Jamie…"

"Don't." Jamie interrupts as he holsters his gun "I get it. It's fine."

Frank shakes his head in awe at his youngest son's ability to be so understanding "How's Eddie?"

"Better now that this is over." Jamie admits as he clips his shield to his waist "Not that she'll admit that it affected her."

Frank nods and for a moment Frank and Jamie simply stare at each other - Frank wishing he could say he's sorry to Jamie for everything Jamie has had to deal with as of late especially being suspended instead of modified and Jamie wishing he could ask how the perp recanted his statement but neither one goes there.

"So is there anything else Commissioner?" Jamie professionally inquires "If not I'd like to get back to work." he adds.

"Dismissed." Frank simply states so nodding in acceptance Jamie heads for the door and leaves and its only once Frank is alone in the office he lets out a heavy breath of air in relief.

…..

With all Detectives now back to work, it's business as usual in the bullpen of the 5-4.

Danny stands over Maria who is seated at her desk both concentrating on her computer as she types.

Eddie stands with a couple of Detectives going over the notes she took for them while they were 'out sick' when suddenly one of the Detectives with Eddie looks toward the entrance to see Jamie walk in. He immediately starts to clap.

Surprised and slightly confused by his actions, Eddie looks at the Detective then turns and follows his line of sight at the same time Danny and Maria do the same. They all see Jamie entering and suddenly the entire bullpen erupts into a standing ovation and round of applause.

The sudden sound causes Jamie to stop short and look up in surprise to see everyone – including his wife and brother, both with huge proud smiles on their faces - clapping for him and a slight blush creeps up on his face.

"Okay good job everyone!" Danny calls out "We've accomplished our goal and made him blush!"

Jamie's blush deepens as he shoots his brother a glare.

"See I knew that would work!" Danny laughs out.

"Alright enough!" Lieutenant Gee commands with a chuckle as he comes out of his office saving Jamie from any further embarrassment "Back to work everyone."

So the room settles and everyone returns to their tasks.

"Sergeant…" Gee greets as he walks towards Jamie "Happy to have you back."

"You're only saying that because that means you have all them back." Jamie points out as he gestures around the room "Sorry about that by the way." he sheepishly apologizes.

Gee dismissively shrugs "We handled it."

"We?" Jamie questions.

Gee knocks his head towards Eddie "Detective Edit Reagan." He explains as he and Jamie look towards her to see she's gone back to conversing with the Detectives "Never would have been able to muddle through without her help." he adds before looking back at Jamie "So when they give you both standing ovations, its because they mean it." He adds before turning to walk away.

"Alright Boss." Danny begins as he and Maria walk up to Jamie "Wait, you are officially Boss again right? Show me that shield!" He demands.

Jamie moves his jacket out of his way to show his Sergeant shield clipped to his waist.

Danny eyes it a moment "Okay good, just checking. So Boss!" he quips as he rubs is hands together in anticipation "What have we got? Murder? String of robberies? Assault? Drug ring? Auto theft?" he prompts before placing his hands on his hips "Is your father in law being wrongfully charged with fraud again?"

Jamie rolls his eyes "Hang on." He chides "I haven't even made it to my office yet."

"Well what are you waiting for?" Danny counters right back before turning to look at Maria "He gets a little time off and becomes such a slacker."

Jamie lets out a heavy exasperated breath "Right back to the ribbing huh?"

Maria looks from Danny to Jamie "Good to see somethings don't change huh?"

Danny smiles brightly at his brother "Welcome back Boss!"

Shaking his head, Jamie turns and heads to his office with Danny and Maria following but they barely get inside when Eddie comes charging into the office "Sorry, excuse me." She apologizes as she scoots past everyone and up to Jamie's desk. She opens a drawer and pulls out a couple ziploc bags of snacks. She closes the drawer and looks up to see everyone looking back at her with questioning expectant eyes. "What?" she defends "I had to move them in here from my desk so I had more room for all the extra files yesterday." She explains before looking at her husband "It's not like you were using your desk."

"Oh burn." Danny breathes out.

"How is that a burn?" Eddie challenges as she opens one bag and pulls a small handful of nuts out "He wasn't using his desk. I needed the space. Was a logical solution. Now he's back and all the Detectives are back so they've taken their files back and I'm taking my snacks back!" She adds before tosses 2 nuts in her mouth and chewing.

"Wait is that mixed nuts you have?" Danny inquires as he begins to reach over to grab some from the bag but Eddie protectively holds her food to her and out of Danny's reach.

"Get your own!" Eddie chides.

Jamie holds his hand out "I'll take some." he requests so Eddie offers the bag to her husband and Jamie reaches in and grabs just a few nuts. He didn't really want them – he was just doing it as payback for Danny's earlier ribbing so when Danny frowns, Jamie smiles smugly at his brother before popping the nuts in his mouth.

"Hey Eddie." A Detective interrupts as he sticks his head in the office doorway holding up a file with a note on it "I have a question about this DNA sample note you made."

"Coming!" Eddie sweetly calls as she moves to exit the office with her snacks just as quick as she entered.

Jamie, Danny and Maria all watch her go when Jamie's desk phone rings so he swipes it up "Reagan. Uh huh got it." He states as he reaches for a pen and paper to write.

Danny leans over to look then looks back at Maria "New case." he quietly explains to her.

"No really?" Maria sarcastically returns "Is that how it works?"

"Well you were out with the flu." Danny counters "So I just wanted to make sure you remembered how this all works."

Hearing that as he hangs up the phone, Jamie looks over at Maria in surprise that she called out too.

"I was not out with the flu." Maria defensively explains to Jamie "I just took a personal day." She dismissively deflects "Totally different…" She adds but she can't stop a grin from creeping up on her face.

"Sure. Sure." Danny quickly agrees "Of course. It's all good, right Boss?"

Jamie doesn't say anything he just shakes his head in disbelief as he holds the paper in his hands out.

"On it Boss!" Danny quips as he snatches the paper away "Did you at least do something fun on your personal day?" Danny inquires to his partner as he and Maria disappear out of Jamie's office leaving Jamie alone.

For a moment, Jamie looks out into the bullpen and takes everything in. There is nothing out of the ordinary - it's just another work day but he smiles "Yeah, it's good to be back." he states to himself before looking back to his desk phone to notice he has voice mails so he picks up the receiver and dials in

"Your mailbox… is full." comes the automated voice.

Groaning and hanging his head a moment, Jamie then sits down grabs his pen and paper and gets to work.

"Message 1…"

...

A/N: Next up we wrap up this storyarc with - you guessed it! Sunday Dinner! ...to be posted on an actual Sunday too :)