Chapter 60: Looping Back Around

Jamie sits on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table, laptop on his lap intently typing.

Suddenly the door opens and Eddie comes breezing into the apartment "JAMIE!" She excitedly greets.

"Hi." Jamie returns but he doesn't look up – he just continues to type.

"You are never going to believe what Theresa does for a living!" Eddie exclaims in delight.

"Theresa?" Jamie absently questions only half listening as he still types away.

"Yeah, you know…" Eddie reminds him "…your first crush!"

Jamie immediately stops typing and slowly looks up turning his full attention to his wife "I thought you were going to lunch with a friend?"

"I did!" Eddie confirms "Theresa!"

Jamie squeezes his eyes shut "Kill me now."

"Oh stop that." Eddie chides "We had a lovely time and she didn't tell me anything overly embarrassing about you I promise."

"I find that hard to believe." Jamie mutters to himself but Eddie just continues on.

"She's a travel agent Jamie! She says she can get us a fantastic deal on a package trip to the Caribbean!"

Jamie slowly opens his eyes "Okay now you've peaked my interest - Really?"

Eddie bops her head up and down yes.

"Huh." Jamie breathes out in thought as Eddie stuffs her hand in her purse and pulls out a pamphlet "Here. It's all inclusive. I want to go Jamie – and before the baby is born - because I want one last vacation where it's just you and me and let's face it, once this baby is born who knows when we'll be able to go on vacation again!"

Jamie nods his head in agreement at her reasoning as he peruses the pamphlet.

"Great!" Eddie quips as she lowers herself down next to him on the couch "So when can we go? Next week? Week after?"

Jamie turns his attention to his wife "Are you new?" He counters "You know we have to prebook off vacation time."

Eddie's face scrunches up "Still? Even with our higher ranks because haven't you ever noticed that it seems most of the higher ups – especially Lieutenant and up get way more days off on short notice?" She rambles causing Jamie to truly think about her words "I have." Eddie continues "Besides we are our own little unit now – Ooh can't we make the case that all four of us should take off at the same time – oh maybe Danny and Maria can come with us!"

Jamie looks at his wife "Why would you want that? We don't see enough of them?"

"If it gets me on a plane faster to warm sandy beaches I would be okay with that. We can just ditch them when we get there."

Jamie can't help but laugh "Well Maria has Elena." He points out "Doubt she'll want to go."

"See that's exactly my point!" Eddie exclaims before her face turns into a pout "I want to go now!"

"And we will." Jamie promises.

"Before I'm as big as a house!" Eddie insists.

Jamie thinks then smiles "You're going to look really hot in a bikini while pregnant."

Eddie looks at Jamie unimpressed "Right. Make fun of me."

"Hey I'm serious in fact you should go shopping for swimwear. I'll even come and help you this time!" he giddily adds.

"Right. Uh huh. So you can watch other skinny woman parade out of the dressing rooms?" Eddie counters annoyed as she starts to stand "I don't think so."

"Hey." Jamie immediately chides as he grabs Eddie's arm stopping her from getting up. He gently tugs on her arm forcing her to have to sit back down "I only have eyes for you. You know that."

Eddie sighs "I know."

Jamie gives her a challenging look at her unconvincing reply.

"I do." Eddie promises "It's just sometimes…" she adds as she looks down at her growing belly.

Jamie picks the laptop off of his lap and sets it on the coffee table.

"Eddie I love you. Only you and quite frankly you carrying my baby is the hottest thing I've ever seen so like I said bring on the bikini!"

She tries to hide it but slowly a small smile begins to curve up onto Eddie's lips.

"Oh you're smiling." Jamie notes.

"I am not." Eddie rejects as she makes her face go flat.

"You totally are." Jamie reiterates "Right baby?" he asks as he leans slightly down to Eddie's belly "You saw it too right? Your Mommy was smiling wasn't she?"

Eddie begins to roll her eyes but then they just go wide instead when she feels the baby kick "Oh no fair!" Eddie then states as she looks down at the growing baby "You are not allowed to gang up on me with your Daddy!" she chides "I'm your Mother you listen to me!"

"Hi five baby girl!" Jamie triumphantly states as he puts a hand on Eddie's belly and the baby kicks it "Oh! Good job." Jamie giddily praises impressed.

"Daddy's girl." Eddie tosses out at the baby before smiling again "Now THAT'S gonna be hot." She quips before cursing "Damn. I hear hot guys with baby's are like a chick magnets."

"Yeah well I have my ring of protection." Jamie states as he lifts his left hand to display his wedding ring "So no need to worry." he promises.

"Hmmm. I might need to get flashing neon lights for that thing." Eddie thinks.

"I'd be mighty impressed if you pulled that off." Jamie admits with a slight chuckle.

Eddie shrugs as she gets up and starts for the archway "Hey. Who knows where technology could be by the time this baby is born." She adds before disappearing from view.

Jamie watches after her a second and then a thought pops in his head. He might not need flashing lights – just the right accessory… he notes as he grabs his laptop again, opens a web page and begins to search for custom baby onsies…

…..

With Eddie in Gee's office, Jamie sticks his head out of his office door "Hey!" He quietly calls to his brother at his desk and beckons this head for Danny to come.

Curious, Danny gets up "What's up Boss?" he inquires as he enters.

"I need you to do me a favor." Jamie begins as he sits back down at his desk "I need you to buy something online using your credit card then have it shipped to you so Eddie doesn't a) see it of b) see the charge on the credit card. I'll pay you back."

Danny frowns "Oh god are you cheating on your pregnant wife?"

Jamie looks at his brother super unimpressed "Yes by ordering a onsie that says 'My Mommy's a cop. She carries a gun and knows how to use it." he deadpans right back.

Danny laughs "I know I'm just messing with you. So buying a onsie that says my Mommy's a cop. She carries a gun and knows how to use it – interesting. And what is the back story behind this little inspiration?"

Jamie shrugs "Eddie thinks apparently guys with babies are chick magnets."

"Oh they are." Danny confirms.

"So if I take the baby out myself..." Jamie continues "Baby will be wearing said onsie." he proudly declares.

"Oh that's clever." Danny admits "Very clever indeed. That will get you a lot of good husband points for sure."

"So you'll do it?" Jamie presses "I found this site that takes custom orders."

"Sure." Danny agrees as he pulls out his credit card and Jamie pulls up the webpage while glancing to make sure Eddie would not be returning anytime soon.

…..

Killing time at his desk later as he awaits a phone call back on a lead, Danny absently scrolls through the custom onsie site chuckling as he reads what all the samples say.

"What's so funny?" Maria questions as she walks up behind her partner.

Danny glances back over his shoulder then gestures at his computer screen "Jamie had me order a custom onsie for him as a surprise for Eddie and I gotta admit some of these sayings are pretty funny."

Maria leans over to look and reads a few "Cute."

"I'm thinking of ordering a custom one of my own as a gift." Danny announces "My Uncle kicks ass'- get it? A play on the kicks ass bit?"

Maria shakes her head at her partners antics…

"… or 'I'm not kidnapped! He's my Uncle!" Danny continues on "Or just plain 'Uncle Danny rules!"

Marria huffs out a laugh at the last one "You get that last one and I bet that onsie will mysteriously disappear."

"Hmmm." Danny ponders "You're right… I should order multiples!" He laughs as a way to needle his brother.

Maria rolls her eyes.

"Hey!" Eddie greets as she walks up causing Danny to quickly switch webpages.

"What's up Boss?" Danny quips.

"You see where Jamie went?" Eddie inquires as she gestures to the stack of files in her hands "Gee wants him to sign off on these."

"Try the breakroom." Danny offers.

Eddie nods then turns and walks away.

"Is he really in the breakroom?" Maria questions after she's gone.

Danny shrugs "No idea. I just didn't want her to see this screen."

"So which one did you actually buy for her?" Maria inquires.

"Here." Danny offers are he pulls up his email and shows her the purchase confirmation email.

Maria reads the slogan, then lifts her head and squints her eyes in thought as she ponders it's meaning "Nice." She approves "Jamie's a good husband."

"He comes from a long line of us." Danny boasts.

Maria slowly turns her head to look at her partner "Modest much?"

"It's not being modest, it's the truth." Danny defends "Once a Reagan man has that ring on his finger - it's done. Simple as that."

"Hmmm." Maria muses "Good to know."

Silence.

"So not even looking?" Maria presses.

"Oh you can look." Danny admits "You just can't touch."

"Yeah that's more like it." Maria accepts unimpressed as she moves to sit at her desk.

"Oh come on." Danny tries to defend but Maria cuts him off.

"No, no, it's fine." She dismisses with an attitude that says it is clearly NOT fine.

"Now you're mad." Danny deduces in defeat.

"I'm not mad." Maria counters as Eddie walks back into the bullpen.

"Yes you are!" Danny insists causing Eddie to slow her pace and eye the partners curiously.

Suddenly Jamie walks up behind his wife "Hi…" He begins to greet but Eddie's hand springs up in a stop motion to silence him.

Jamie pauses then leans slightly forward to whisper in his wife's ear "What are we waiting for?"

"Danny and Maria are fighting." Eddie lowly offers.

"About?" Jamie questions.

"I don't know!" Eddie chides back "That's why I told you to shh! Now SHHHHH!"

But at that moment, Jamie and Eddie watch as Maria gets up and heads in the opposite direction from them while Danny throws his hands in the air and heads straight for Jamie and Eddie. He stops in front of his brother and sister in law and looks directly at Jamie "This is your fault!" He tosses at his brother before stocking off past them towards the breakroom.

Slightly stunned, Jamie and Eddie watch him leave then Eddie turns to look at her husband "What did you do?" she demands.

All Jamie can do is look at his wife at a loss for words "No idea." he finally offers in confusion.

Eddie heavily sighs "Go talk to your brother. I'll take Maria."

"Eddie they are partners." Jamie dismisses "They have been for years. They'll work it out. They don't need us meddling."

"Well clearly you already meddled." Eddie tosses back "So now we have to unmeddle your meddling!"

Jamie hangs his head in defeat "Why do I even bother."

"Yeah I don't know." Eddie agrees as she turns her husband around and gives him a little shove in the direction Danny went "You would think you would know by now to just listen to me."

Jamie turns his head backwards to shoot his wife a very unamused, unimpressed look at her statement.

"You can give me that look all you want." Eddie as she makes a shooing gesture with her hands "But you know I'm right."

Jamie glowers at his wife one more second then looks forward and heads after his brother.

For a moment a look of triumph appears on Eddie's face but then she turns and heads after Maria.

Jamie walks into the breakroom to see his brother practically slam the coffee pot back onto the burner.

"Easy there." Jamie soothes "Unless you want a broken pot gushing hot liquid everywhere."

Danny turns his head and glares at his brother.

"What did I do?" Jamie earnestly inquires.

Danny continues to just silently glare at his brother.

"Okay, can you at least give me a bit of a hint?" Jamie tries again "Just something I can take back to Eddie so she knows I at least tried?"

Danny huffs out a frustrated laugh in disbelief "There you go again!"

"There I go again what?"

"Being all perfect!" Danny tosses out annoyed "Perfect husband, perfect police lieutenant, I'm sure you'll be a perfect father too!"

"Look who's talking!" Jamie tosses back.

"What the hell does that mean?" Danny bites back.

"You know what that means." Jamie counters "I'm not the perfect one, you are! You wrote the book on being the perfect husband, perfect Detective, perfect father."

"I so did not!" Danny counters as he grabs a napkin and swipes a donut up into his hand "Nobody's perfect!"

"Then why are you telling me I am!" Jamie snaps back frustrated.

Silence as the brothers glare at one another.

"Two Reagan's arguing about who is less perfect." A familiar male voice sounds from off to the side… "Sound about right."

Danny and Jamie both turn their heads to the voice to see Anthony standing there.

"Oh great." Danny groans.

"Nice to see you too." Anthony tosses back.

"If you're looking for the cafeteria, you seriously took a wrong turn." Danny needles.

"Well you clearly know your way to the donut shop." Anthony counters.

Danny looks at the donut in his hand then hastily puts it down.

"Alright you two." Jamie sighs.

"See!" Danny points out to Anthony "Perfect!"

Anthony shakes his head "It truly is amazing how similar you siblings all are."

Jamie and Danny both turn to look at Anthony as other Detectives casually reach over and grab donuts.

"Give you shoulder length hair, grow a few inches and I swear I would be talking to your sister." Anthony points out.

Danny crosses his arms unamused as he leans slightly towards his brother "Did he just diss us with that comment. I feel like that's what that was."

"Everything between you two is a diss." Jamie points out.

Danny and Anthony both silently consider Jamie's statement then both nod their heads in agreement.

"So why are you here?" Danny then prompts "Does our sister need our help again?"

"Nope." Anthony rejects "Nothing to do with you two or your sister. I'm here to see Eddie."

"Oh." Jamie accepts "Well she went to go find Baez."

Danny turns to look at his brother at that comment.

"She sent me to talk to you." Jamie tells his brother "Of course she went to find Baez."

"Of course." Danny mutters.

Anthony looks between the two brothers "Baez finally wise up and request a new partner?"

"NO!" Danny immediately rejects "She and I…" he begins to explain but then he gets frustrated and changes his mind "Okay, just go!" He instructs Anthony "Go call Eddie on her cell."

"You still call her Eddie?" Anthony needles as he tries to keep a straight face "Isn't she your boss now?"

Danny takes a very deep breath and points out the breakroom "Goooooooo! before I have your visitor pass revoked!"

"I am not a visitor!" Anthony defends "I am a Detective just like you!"

"Oh so NOT just like me!" Danny counters.

"Always such a joy when you two are in a room together." Jamie mutters.

"Well BOSS." Danny prompts his brother "You could always order him to leave." he adds as he gestures to Anthony.

"Why would I do that?" Jamie counters.

Danny glowers at his brother.

Having more important things to do, Jamie shrugs his shoulders in indifference "At least this time I know why you're mad at me." He states before turning and walking away.

He walks out of the breakroom and sees Eddie walking back towards their office.

"Well?" Eddie prompts as they meet up and continue the walk together.

"Anthony is here and he's looking for you." Jamie deflects hoping to change the subject.

Eddie abruptly stops walking "Really?"

Jamie nods then gestures backwards "He's in the breakroom with Danny so enter at your own risk."

Eddie sighs "Are those two at it again?"

"Something to be said for consistency." Jamie offers.

Eddie looks at the entrance to the breakroom as if pondering her options "Alright." She finally decides as she heads in that direction.

"Good luck." Jamie calls after her before heading back to his office.

Eddie enters the breakroom to see Anthony about to sit down on the couch.

"NO!" Danny immediately chides him.

Anthony freezes mid sit "What?" he challenges confusion.

Danny gestures in Eddie's direction "Pregnant lady in the room." He sweetly informs Anthony "For a Detective you really should have noticed the sign." He smugly adds before gesturing to the sign on the wall above the couch that says "Pregnant Officers have couch usage priority. Please and thank you."

Anthony looks at the sign, then back at Eddie, he begins to stand back up.

"It's fine." Eddie promises "I wasn't coming here to sit, Jamie told me you were looking for me."

"I was!" Anthony replies with a smile as he and Danny both reach for the last donut in the box.

"Hey! My house, my donut!" Danny claims as Maria enters the breakroom and abruptly stops walking taking in the scene.

"So much for hospitality!" Anthony tosses back.

Not in the mood, Maria walks over and snatches the donut out from under both of them "There problem solved."

"Hey!" Danny and Anthony both protest as Lt. Gee walks in the room "Reagan." He calls before noticing both Eddie and Danny "E." he adds for clarification.

Danny looks at his former boss "It's like you don't love me anymore."

"I love that you are no longer my problem." Lt Gee humorously returns with a laugh before looking at Maria and sighing "But I do miss you Baez."

Danny feigns hurt "Oh straight to the heart." while Maria goes a bit over the top giddy school girl "Aw, thanks."

"I take it those are for me?" Eddie questions to the stack of files in Gee's hands.

Gee smiles and extends his arms out to her "Yup."

"Copy that sir." Eddie accepts as she takes them.

"Hey is one of those the Yorkshire case?" Anthony questions.

"Ummmmmmm…" Eddie mutters as she starts fingering through them "Yes." She answers when she finds the file.

"That's why I need to see you!" Anthony announces.

"Okay come on." Eddie prompts as she heads for the door and Anthony follows leaving Gee with Danny and Maria.

Silence.

"Good talk." Gee suddenly states before turning and walking away leaving Danny and Maria alone.

Silence.

"I'm sorry?" Danny hopefully offers.

Maria rolls her eyes and sighs "Yeah. Uh huh. Come on…" She then prompts as she starts for the door "We have a new case."

"Oh thank god." Danny sighs in relief as he moves to follow but they both practically run right into Jamie who is headed back in their direction.

"Hey did you get that confirmation email yet?" Jamie asks his brother.

"Yeah." Danny slowly confirms.

"Did you forward it to me?" Jamie prompts.

"Why would I do that?" Danny counters "You had me buy it and are having it shipped to me so Eddie won't see it. If I send you the email – she could see that."

Jamie ponders that "Good point." He decides "She has a sixth sense about these things. But you did get the confirmation right?"

"Yeeeeesssss." Danny drawls out annoyed "It's all good. Don't worry. Says it will ship within 7-14 days."

"Perfect." Jamie notes "Eddie and I will be out of town when it arrives then so no way she'll see it!"

"Out of town?" Danny questions.

Jamie smiles "We're going on vacation. Just got it approved."

Danny's mouth drops open slightly "How the hell did you pull that off? Do you know how long in advance I have to put in to book time off?"

"Yeah." Maria chimes in in agreement unimpressed.

Jamie smiles but shrugs "Detective." he begins to explain as he holds one hand out in front of him palm facing the floor "Sergeant." He adds as he lifts his other hand in the air to place it above his first hand "Lieutenant." He finishes as he takes his first hand and moves it above his second hand "Think about it." He then prompts "How do you think we always managed to get away to Montauk at the perfect time every year when we were younger." Jamie prompts his brother "Pop and Dad had rank."

Danny doesn't even need long to think about his brother's words – he already knew they were true "Fine." He grumbles "But you know, maybe you could use some of that rank for us too." he points out.

"Now now." Jamie placates "That would be showing favoritism and if Dad has taught us anything..."

"Oh." Danny unhappily chides his younger brother.

Jamie smugly shrugs and turns to walk away "Let me know where you get on that new case."

Danny watches his brother leave "It's moments like this that I really HATE that he's my boss."

Maria slowly nods her head in agreement "I can see that." She concurs before both Detectives move to exit the breakroom "And 2 steps ahead." She adds for the hell of it "You think he's gonna try for Captain? I got $20 that he does."

Danny glances back towards his brother and sister in laws office as they cross through the bullpen towards the door to see them both hard at work "And then some." He adds with a proud little smile.

Maria glances at her partner "Oh yeah you hate…" She mocks "…that he's your boss."

"Shut up." Danny tosses back at being called out as they head out on their case.