Chapter 79: Coming Clean

"You are a lot of things Jamie." Eddie notes "Smart, caring, practical, even heroic but one of the things you are not, is funny. I on the other hand am hilarious." Eddie arrogantly adds causing Jamie huff out a good laugh.

"See." Eddie points out "I made you laugh."

Suddenly over the earbud Eddie hears a grunt and a thud and she narrows her eyes "Jamie, what was that?"

Silence.

"Jamie?" she repeats.

No response.

"Danny! Maria!" Eddie prompts as she starts to get up from her chair in the van "Jamie…"

Still standing with Nicole, Danny interrupts his sister in law "We heard it." he states as he makes eye contact with Maria who is making a beeline for the restaurant exit so he reaches for Nicole with one hand and his shield with the other "Hi Police. Come with me please. Might need a nurse."

"Say what?" Nicole states in complete surprise but never the less she let's Danny quickly lead her to the restaurant exit "Stay right here. Don't move." he instructs as he places her in a spot right inside the doors as Maria pushes the doors open for both of them "Jamie! Jamie, come on talk to me!" Danny prompts as he and Maria disappear out the door.

"What's going on?" Nicole tries to call after Danny in complete confusion but it's no use - he was gone…

"Damn it." Danny mutters in full on cop mode when his brother still doesn't respond as he and Maria carefully but quickly make their way across the parking lot and at the far end they see a figure laying on the ground by the driver's side of The Chevelle with another figure hovering over it.

They immediately raise their weapons "POLICE! DON'T MOVE!"

Startled, the attacker hovering over Jamie's limp body briefly glances over towards the sound of the voice then takes off running "I got him!" Maria calls as she heads off in pursuit allowing Danny to head to his brother.

Having come out of the van, Eddie's eyes quickly survey the scene and she sees the perp headed right for her so making a split second decision, Eddie doubles herself over in pain "OH! OW! OW!" She cries in despair as she reaches out the second the perp is within reach "Help me! My water broke. OW!" she cries again and she just frantically paws at the perp with her hands pretending to be trying to keep herself upright.

"Lady what are you doing?" the perp counters in true surprise and alarm as he tries to glance backwards and remove Eddie's hands from his body while still somehow helping her.

"I'm in labour!" Eddie cries "I need your help! OWWWWWWWWW!" she adds as one of her hands finds what she's been looking for - the perp's hidden gun around his waist. In the blink of an eye, she grips it, pulls it out, steps back and points it at the perp "Police!" She barks as Maria comes running towards them "Hands up!"

….

Danny comes to a screeching halt beside his brother on the ground "Jamie!" he prompts as he frantically checks his brother over for signs of trauma.

Over the earbuds comes Eddie's "OWWWWWWWWW!"

"Eddie." Jamie mutters out as the sound of his wife's voice in despair in his ear brings him back to a semi consciousness. He tries to sit up but a shot of pain shoots through his head "Ow." he mutters out himself.

"Easy." Danny prompts as he helps his brother into a sitting position.

"Eddie." Jamie manages to groggily get out "Where's Eddie?" he insists as he tries to go to get up but falters.

"Whoa, okay." Danny breathes out as he has to quickly catch his brother and stop him from hurting himself further.

"I'm fine." Eddie's voice sounds over the coms.

"Eddie." Jamie mutters again "I need to get to Eddie." he rambles as he feels something wet and cool on the back of his head so he reaches his hand up to touch it then winces in pain. He pulls his hand back to see blood on it.

"Yup need that nurse." Danny decides before pulling out his phone and dialing "Baez! Get the nurse!"

"But I've got the perp!" Maria replies.

"You good?" Eddie questions Maria as she watches her place the guy in cuffs.

"I got it, go." Maria instructs with a knock of her head back towards Jamie's direction.

"Hi 10-13 officer down, need a bus to this location." Danny's voice sounds.

"Danny, I'm on my way." Eddie rushes out in alarm "How bad?"

"I don't know!" Danny bites back "But his head is bleeding. Eddie, you're closer to the restaurant entrance. Get Nicole." He instructs "We left her just inside the door. Blonde. Green blouse, black slacks."

"Copy." Eddie returns as she changes course and hurries as best she can towards the restaurant. She pushes the door open and her eyes land on Nicole "Nicole." Eddie greets on a mission as she holds her shield up "Police. Come with me now please." She demands as she reaches for a confused Nicole.

"O…okay…" Nicole replies as she complies.

Eddie leads her to the parking lot then gestures to the far end towards Danny and Jamie's positions "You can run faster then I can – go!" she instructs.

"Huh?" Nicole questions.

"Jamie's hurt!" Eddie prompts in frustration as she again gestures forward "Go!"

"Oh." Nicole breathes out as she again glances towards the figures on the ground up ahead then quickly moves to get to them with Eddie following.

Running up, Nicole kneels beside Jamie and Danny "Oh my god what happened?"

"He got attacked. Hit the back of his head pretty good." Danny explains.

Nicole slips into professional nurse mode "Okay let me see."

"Ow." Jamie mumbles out again the second Nicole tries to get a look "Where's Eddie?" he repeats again still stuck on hearing his wife in distress as he again tries to get up.

"He's right here." Nicole replies "Now stay still."

"No." Jamie protests in frustration as he tries to wave Nicole off "Not Danny. Eddie. Where's Eddie?"

"I'm right here Babe." Eddie soothes as she walks up "I'm perfectly fine. Just sit there like a good little patient and let Nicole do her thing."

Squinting as he looks up towards the sound of his wife's voice Jamie mutters out an "Eddie." in relief at the sight of her being fine so he slums himself back to rest again the car "Ow." He mutters out yet again.

At hearing and seeing the exchange, Nicole stills her movements a second as she looks back and forth between Jamie and Eddie in confusion.

"Long story." Eddie quickly states "Will explain later." She promises "Right now, please just concentrate on making sure he's okay alright."

Nicole stares at Eddie a second longer then turns her attention back to Jamie and her job.

….

"I'm fine." Jamie insists as he sits on a gurney looking annoyed at all the fuss being made over him as he tries to wave off the blanket a paramedic is putting around him "I don't even need stitches."

"You might still have a concussion." Eddie points outs as she reaches to take control of the blanket "Thank you." She graciously tells the paramedic before turning her attention back to her husband "Just put this on." she sternly instructs as she drapes it around his shoulders.

"Will you sit down already." Jamie instead counters to his wife as he shrugs it off "You've been on your feet too long. You need to rest."

"I'm fine." Eddie counters.

"Humor me." Jamie deadpans

"On one condition." Eddie decides.

Jamie sighs "What?"

"Put the blanket back on." Eddie negotiates.

Huffing out a breath, Jamie reaches to put the blanket on.

"Thank you." Eddie accepts as she turns and positions herself to sit on the gurney next her husband "Now open up one side of that blanket for me would you?"

A small smile creeps up onto Jamie's face as he does as instructed and wraps his wife up in the blanket with him.

"See isn't that better?" Eddie prompts.

"Much." Jamie agrees.

Beat.

Suddenly Eddie lifts her hands and undoes the clasp of a necklace around her neck. She lowers the necklace and removes a gold ring from the chain. "Here." She prompts as she holds her husband's wedding ring out to him "You scared me Jamie." She quietly notes.

Jamie lifts his left hand and Eddie slides the ring on his finger "You scared me too with that whole fake labor thing." Jamie points out.

"Hey it worked didn't it?" Eddie arrogantly counters back as she holds the necklace out to her husband "Here, do this back up." she requests so Jamie takes the necklace and reaffixes it around her neck.

"Funny that ring wasn't there before." Nicole's voice suddenly sounds.

Looking over and up Jamie and Eddie see Nicole standing before them.

"So you're Eddie." Nicole adds unimpressed.

Jamie and Eddie both take deep breaths knowing now they need to explain.

"Yes." Jamie confirms "Nicole, this is Eddie – my wife."

"Hi." Eddie awkwardly greets.

Nicole opens her mouth to speak but she honestly doesn't even know what to say.

"I'm sorry." Jamie apologetically offers "We are police officers and I was undercover."

"At a speed dating night?" Nicole slowly tries to clarify.

"Crime happens in the weirdest places." Eddie points out.

"Sure." Nicole replies with a hint of annoyance in her voice "Knew I never should have come to this stupid thing." she mutters to herself "I feel like such an idiot. The one guy I thought might have been half decent turned out to be married with a baby on the way. Boy do I know how to pick 'em."

"Look don't beat yourself up." Eddie interjects. "Your instincts were spot on – Jamie IS a great guy! One of the best!"

Nicole turns her head to look at Eddie "And that's supposed to make me feel better?" She snarks out "He's taken!"

"Yes he is." Eddie protectively confirms "My point is one day you will find your Mr. Right and when you do I have no doubt he will be just as wonderful as Jamie."

Jamie leans slightly towards his wife next to him "All these great words you're saying about me is kinda going to go to my head you know." He just can't help but point out in amusement to his wife.

In a long steeped tradition between the couple, Eddie lightly backhands Jamie on his chest "You keep thinking that." Eddie warns causing Jamie to offer his trademark response of a half hearted fake "Ow." in return as he tries to stop the smile from spreading across is face.

Having watched the exchange Nicole groans out an "Ugh. I barely know you but I can tell you two are the epitome of adorable."

A big grin appears on Eddie's face "See spot on instincts!" She replies before suddenly getting a thought "You know, Jamie might not be available but his brother Danny is…" She adds as she gestures to Danny further away taking care of the scene "…and they have a lot of the same qualities."

Jamie turns his head to look at his wife floored at what she is doing.

Nicole follows Eddie's eyes "Oh he's Danny." She realizes.

Eddie nods "Has a thing for nurses too. His wife used to be a nurse."

Jamie hangs his head "Please stop." he lowly pleads out to his wife.

"His wife?" Nicole questions.

"Oh um…" Eddie awkwardly continues now realizing where she has inadvertently taken the conversation "She died."

"Oh." Nicole breathes out.

More awkward silence.

"I think I'm just going to go." Nicole decides "I'd say lovely to meet you all but… not really." She adds before just turning to walk away.

Silence as Jamie and Eddie watch her leave.

"Well I think that went well." Eddie finally offers a few moments later.

"Really?" Jamie challenges unconvinced "And what's with you trying to fix Danny up with Nicole? I thought you were a hardcore Daez fan?"

"Daez?" Eddie questions.

"Yeah, Danny and Baez." Jamie clarifies.

Silence as Eddie gives her husband a look of disbelief.

"Hey if they can mash up our names into Jamko…" Jamie defends "I can mash up theirs into Daez."

Eddie just starts to laugh "I stand corrected Jamie – you ARE funny!"

Jamie nods his head in agreement and satisfaction "Hilarious." He counters repeating his wife's line from earlier in the night.

"You're good to go Lieutenant." A paramedic tells Jamie.

"Thank you." Jamie states in relief as he goes to slide off the gurney.

"But no driving for 24 hours." The paramedic adds causing Jamie to groan and Eddie to let out a "HA!" in triumph.

"Fine." Jamie grumbles as he reaches into his pocket to look for his keys but can't find them.

"Looking for these?" Eddie states as she holds up and dangles her husband's car keys in front of him.

"How did you?..." Jamie begins.

"They fell to the ground when the perp whacked you from behind." Eddie explains.

"Oh." Jamie notes before looking up in thought "So why did the perp hit me from behind?"

Eddie sighs "We have a cool car Jamie."

Jamie ponders his wife's words "So... nothing to do with our case?"

Eddie shakes her head from side to side "Nope."

"Oh." Jamie sighs as he turns to walk away and as he does Eddie gets a good look at the badge on the back oh his head and she frowns

"Maybe put a hat on so Mia doesn't see your bandage." Eddie advises as she gets up to follow "Might freak her out and send her into little cub protective mode – constantly hovering and asking if you're okay."

Jamie huffs out a laugh at the image "Agreed."

"Now come on…" Eddie prompts "I'm driving! …and before you ask, I put Danny in charge of the scene." She professional adds "Because I have a husband to take care of."

"Yeah pretty sure it's not Mia I need to worry about hovering." Jamie notes as they start on the path towards the car.

...