Chapter 96: Alternative Solutions

Suddenly the sound of Jamko barking and high pitched cat screeching is heard coming from inside the house causing looks of alarm to appear on everyone's faces.

Danny's face scrunches up "Is that a dog?" but Jamie ignores his brother's question as he starts to run for the house "Jamko was in his room right?" He calls back.

"Yes!" Rosa returns as she and Mia then Eddie and Danny follow.

"Jamko?" Danny breathes out in surprise "He's back?"

"Yes." Eddie tosses back at her brother in law as Jamie throws the door open to once again see Jamko and Reagan in a stand off in the living room "JAMKO STOP!" Jamie commands as he makes a beeline for the duo but the dog and the cat are too deep into their stand off for Jamko to listen "ENOUGH!" Jamie commands again but right as he goes to grab Jamko's collar Reagan takes a defensive swipe at the dog and if Jamie had not have been right there to pull Jamko away who knows what might have happened "Okay let's go." Jamie insists as he struggles to pull Jamko away and head back up the stairs to his room with him.

"Reagan." Mia soothes as she takes a step towards her cat but Rosa, seeing the cat completely on edge holds her back "No. Let me." She instructs instead as she cautiously moves towards the cat "You're okay. You're okay." She soothingly prompts but the cat continues to make unhappy noises before simply just turning and running away to hide.

Sighing in defeat, Rosa turns to look back at the group "How did Jamko get out?"

Eddie and Mia had no answers and Danny just looks around still confused "When did the dog come back?"

….

Walking back down the stairs after having put Jamko back in his room, Jamie looks around "How's Reagan?" he asks of his wife, Rosa and Mia.

"Freaked out and now hiding somewhere." Rosa unhappily replies. "How did that dog get out?" she simply just repeats.

But before anyone can even reply, Jamko comes bounding down the stairs again.

"What the hell?" Rosa questions super unimpressed as she looks at Jamie.

"Hey!" Jamie commands in his own unhappy surprise as he again reaches for Jamko.

"Uh oh." Eddie breathes out in realization "I think someone knows how to open lever doors."

Jamie looks at his wife then down at the dog as realization hits him that she is probably right "Okay then." He admits in defeat "Let's see what we can do about that." He adds before once again leading the dog back up the stair but as he goes Rosa can't help but frown at this new revelation and the ramifications that could result in, sinks in.

Seeing the look on Rosa's face, Danny silently starts to climb the stairs heading after his brother "Hey." He quietly calls to him as he follows his brother into the spare room set up for Jamko "Rosa does NOT look happy."

Jamie glances at his brother as he shuts the door behind all of them "Can you blame her?" he tosses back.

"You got this under control?" Danny seriously questions of his brother.

"Yeah." Jamie sighs.

"I know how much Eddie loves that dog Jamie…" Danny warns "…but…"

"I know Danny." Jamie promises "I know the kind of line we're walking here."

"Good." Danny confirms "As long as you don't have blinders on. I'm gonna head out and leave you too it then - got a fun filled evening of paperwork ahead of me – my Bosses' are real hard asses!" he tosses out for fun.

Jamie nods his head at his brother and watches him slip out the door before looking back down at the dog and sighing "What are we going to do with you?" he asks the dog before lifting his head and looking back towards the closed door with a sudden thought of an answer.

….

Having slept on it, the next morning Rosa makes a decision as she walks into the kitchen and up to Eddie and Jamie. She takes a deep breath before she begins "We need to talk."

"Uh oh." Eddie laughs as she looks up "Are you breaking up with us?"

Rosa sighs "Eddie, Jamko has to go." She seriously states.

"Oh Rosa." Eddie dismisses "They just need a little more time."

"No." Rosa insists as she dawns her parental tone "Reagan was here first. Mia and I agreed to give Jamko a try provided he and Reagan got along but they haven't and frankly I don't see that changing. Not the way their initial encounters have gone and I'm not willing to keep putting Reagan through that so I'm sorry, but either Jamko goes or Mia, Reagan and I go."

Eddie looks at Rosa more then slightly stunned by her ultimatum "Okay Rosa let's not over react." She begins but Jamie's next words stop her cold.

"Rosa's right."

Eddie slowly turns her head to stare at her husband "What happened to you'll always have my back?"

"This is me having your back…" Jamie promises his wife "…because Reagan and Jamko were this close to getting into a serious brawl last night and the command didn't work Eddie - if one of them got hurt or worse – well, that's something we don't want to see happen and now that we know Jamko can open doors - it's not fair to just constantly keep one of them locked away. I mean what happens if he still gets out when no one is home? Or worse if Mia gets in the middle…"

"So that's it?" Eddie presses upset "We just give up? Where would he even go? WE were supposed to be his forever family!"

"Well I've been thinking about that…" Jamie states "I think I could probably convince Danny to take him."

Rosa looks up in thought and Eddie scrunches her face up "What? Danny's never home – how is he going to look after a dog?"

"Well maybe he's never home anymore because he has no reason to be." Jamie counters "Linda's gone. The boys are all grown up and moved out – You know after he left here last night he went back to the 5-4 to do paperwork."

"So he's lonely." Eddie deduces in thought herself "But if he had a dog…"

Jamie nods.

"You really think he'll go for it?" Eddie presses.

Jamie shrugs "Worth a shot."

…..

Danny stands in the bullpen of the 5-4 with his arms crossed looking down at Jamko sitting obediently between Jamie and Eddie on either side of him "Wait. So you want me to take him?" he skeptically tries to clarify before looking up at his brother "That is so not what I meant yesterday."

"He's a sweetheart!" Eddie promises as she cups the dogs face lovingly "I mean who could you say no to this face!"

Danny looks up at Eddie and Jamie "Well you apparently."

Jamie sighs "Look can you help us out or not? We'd love to keep him but as you saw, him and Reagan just don't get along."

Danny lifts his head and shakes it at his brother "Well I've been thinking too - we know Jamko is big and bold - likes to get right in there and Reagan is smaller, more reserved and likes to take things at his own pace."

"Okay." Jamie slowly agrees "Sure." He adds not really following his brother's train of thought "Where are you going with this?"

A smirk appears on Danny's face "Kinda sounds like you and me."

"SEE!" Eddie immediately chimes in "You have to take him now!" She tells her brother in law "You're like kindred spirits."

Danny looks at the dog and Jamko tilts his head to the side and looks back at him.

"See he likes you!" Eddie reiterates.

Just then Maria walks into the bullpen and stops short at the sight of Jamko "Hey! Jamko!" She then greets as she moves forward to pet the dog then looks up at her teammates "What's he doing here? Are we bringing him out of retirement?"

Danny points at Maria but looks at Jamie and Eddie "She can take him."

"What?" Maria questions in surprised confusion.

"Jamko needs a new home." Danny explains to his partner "You like him. You take him."

"Ah no." Maria rejects "I have Elena – that's enough. Why don't you take him?" She then asks Danny.

"SEE!" Eddie states yet again "Everyone agrees! Jamko will go home with you! Here you go." She adds as she just hands the leash over to Danny without giving him a choice.

"Cool dog." Detective Sheehan states as he walks up and looks at Jamie "Are we allowed to bring our dogs to work now?"

"He's a retired special services officer we had at the 2-9." Eddie quickly explains.

"Oh K9." Sheehan deduces.

"No he wasn't technically K9." Jamie corrects "He just had a nose for tracking down crime."

"And he doesn't now?" Sheehan inquires.

"Well I guess maybe he does." Jamie corrects "We don't really know but he's just visiting."

Sheehan shrugs "Too bad."

Danny holds the leash out to Sheehan "Want a new partner?"

Sheehan pushes Danny's hand back towards him "I'm good thanks."

"Then why did you say too bad?" Danny presses annoyed.

Sheehan shrugs then lifts his hand and holds a file out to Jamie "Can we talk a second?"

"Sure." Jamie accepts so he and Sheehan break off from the group and walk away.

Danny looks at Eddie "You sure he needs a new home?" He presses "If he's like me and Reagan is like Jamie maybe they just need some time to work through their differences and come to an understanding with each other. I mean if Jamie and I can do that then…"

Eddie heavily sighs "I know, I agree but apparently I've been outvoted."

"Oh a democratic vote took place huh?" Danny notes.

Eddie nods.

Danny sighs as he again looks down at Jamko.

"Just take the dog Danny." Maria prompts "You know you're going to anyway."

"I bet you eat a lot don't you…" Danny asks of the dog.

Jamko barks.