Chapter 97: Rain, Rain Go Away

Eddie sits in her Porsche Boxster outside Mia's school waiting as she watches the rain pour down around her.

Suddenly the passenger's door whips opens and Mia quickly slides into the seat "Thank you for picking me up from school." The young girl states as she shuts the door "It's pouring out there!"

"Yes it is." Eddie agrees as she pulls away from the curb "And your mom is stuck at Mrs. Marshawitz's."

"But shouldn't you be at work?" Mia points out.

"That's the beauty of desk duty." Eddie states "It doesn't matter which desk I work at." She laughs "I brought some cases home with me to look over. Might was well get some mileage out of our new study!"

"Nice." Mia commends as a flash of lightening crosses the sky followed not long after by a loud clap of thunder "Boy that was loud." Mia notes "I hope Reagan's okay."

"I'm sure he's fine." Eddie promises "He's warm and dry and probably found a nice spot under a bed and is sleeping through it."

"So… how come you brought this Porsche and not the other Porsche?" Mia curiously inquires.

Eddie glances at her god daughter "Cuz it was a short trip and I miss driving her." She flippantly explains as she shifts herself in the seat trying to get more comfortable before mumbling "And will also help you make a good impression." to herself under her breath.

"Oh okay." Mia simple accepts not having heard the last part.

….

Pulling into the garage, Eddie parks the car and hits the remote to close the overhead door "Boy I really appreciate having this garage on days like today!" She quips as both she and Mia get out…

…Mia at a speed much faster than Eddie…

"I got it!" Mia calls as she runs for the door to the house, uses her key, unlocks the door then reaches up to enter her code to disarm the alarm.

"Thank you!" Eddie calls as she finally gets herself into a standing position.

"REAGAN!" Mia then calls as she disappears into the house.

Shaking her head, Eddie blows out a breath of air then slowly walks to the house as she composes a text to Rosa Mia home safe and dry. Let me know when u want 2 come home and I'll run out and pick u up

In the SUV… Eddie adds to herself in her head.

R: I'm 3 houses away…

E: Have u looked out a window lately? I mean unless you want a free shower…

R: Oh. Now I have. K will text. Thank u.

…..

Jamie walks into the kitchen after arriving home to see Eddie in the kitchen looking in the pantry "Man I love having a garage!"

Eddie laughs as she glances over "I said the exact same thing to Mia when I brought her home after school. What do you want for supper?" She then asks "I can't decide."

"I don't care." Jamie shrugs.

Eddie sighs and stands up "Your indecision is so not helpful to me."

Just then another bolt of lightening flashes and thunder booms almost immediately - the sound so loud and close it reverberates through the house.

Suddenly the power goes out.

Jamie sighs and Eddie hangs her head.

"Something we obviously don't have to cook." Eddie deduces.

"Holy crap!" Mia states as she comes running down the stairs "I felt that! Did you feel that? Oh hi Uncle Jamie."

"Hey Kiddo." Jamie greets "Hopefully the power won't be out long."

Eddie's phone dings with a message. She grabs it off the counter to see it's from Rosa

Is power out there 2?

"Heather's power is out too." Eddie announces as she types back Yup.

….

Reagan comes bounding down the stairs to the main floor of the house with Mia not far behind "We're bored." She announces as she moves to flop herself down onto the couch "And hungry."

"Well looks like the power could be out all night." Jamie sighs as he looks at his phone "The lightening hit a pole and until this storm passes..."

"Great." Eddie grumbles as she reaches for her phone "I better let Rosa know."

"But I'm hungry!" Mia whines.

Jamie sighs "Too bad we don't have a barbecue yet."

Eddie looks over at her husband and internally she smiles now knowing the barbecue the family plans on getting him for his birthday is the right gift.

But then Jamie's eyes land on the fireplace and he smiles "Well!" He quips "Who wants supper cooked over an open fire?"

Mia's eyes light up "Really?"

Eddie looks over at Jamie in surprise.

"Have I mentioned how much I really like living in this house?" Jamie offers his wife with a giddy grin.

Eddie laughs "You know Mia, we might even have everything we need to make s'mores."

"I love rainstorms!" Mia quips in glee.

"Now…" Jamie begins "Do either you know how to start a fireplace fire?" He asks as he looks between his wife and Mia.

"Um with a match?" Mia returns.

"So that's a no." Jamie immediately deduces before looking at Eddie.

"Um no." Eddie admits.

Jamie mouth drops open slightly "Okay her I expected but you? You lived here!"

"Dad always started the fires!" Eddie defends.

Jamie just frowns and shakes his head

"Look at it this way Boy Scout." Eddie tosses back "If I had already known it would have deprived you the joy of teaching me – us…" She quickly corrects as she glances at Mia "Now."

A smile creeps up onto Jamie's face "True." He admits as he turns and starts walking in the direction of the garage "Okay first thing is you need wood – dry wood and kindling – that's why I have some stored in the garage."

Eddie looks over to Mia "Rule number one of being a boy scout…" She explains "…always be prepared."

Jamie stops walking and turns to look back at his wife "I know you meant that as a jab but when you're toasty warm next to the fireplace eating and drinking warm tea you won't be laughing.

Eddie turns to look at her husband "Didn't mean that as a jab at all actually." She sincerely counters "Because I'm quite fond of my boy scout husband that is always prepared so that I CAN sit by a warm fireplace and enjoy food and drink during a rainstorm."

"Oh." Jamie simply accepts as he tries not to let his wife's compliment get him too flustered "Mia come help me." he adds in deflection.

"I'll see what I can pull together in the kitchen." Eddie adds as they all head off in their designated directions.

…..

"And there you go." Jamie states as the fireplace roars to life.

"Nice." Mia commends in approval as she holds her hands out in front of her feeling the warmth when Eddie's phone dings with a message. She pulls it out and reads "Ugh." She groans out "With the storm, The Marshawitz's are stuck in the city. Your Mom is going to have to spend the night with the baby."

"Is she okay over there with the power out?" Jamie asks in concern.

"Hang on." Eddie states as she types a message then hits send.

Everyone waits a moment then when Eddie's phone dings with a reply, she reads it and then just starts to laugh "Oh yeah, she's fine. The Marshawitz's apparently have a back up generator and they just walked her through how to turn it on."

Jamie's mouth falls slightly open "Well geez, and here we are all proud of ourselves for having a fireplace."

"Guess there is no keeping up with the Jones for us!" Eddie laughs.

"Ah man!" Mia huffs out "You mean Mom still has TV and internet?"

Eddie and Jamie turn to look at the young girl.

"We have s'mores." Eddie points out.

Jamie and Eddie watch as Mia's mind struggles with which she prefers.

"You're stuck here." Eddie deadpans "So just pretend the s'mores won out."

Another bolt of lightening flashes across the sky once again followed by loud thunder.

"And I'm sure the baby is super happy listening to the thunder." Jamie points out.

Mia looks between Jamie and Eddie "YAY S'MORES!" she eagerly quips before her face turns expressionless again and again, she looks back and forth between her godparents "Good?"

Eddie shrugs "It will do."

….

With it now completely dark outside, the rain storm rages on as lightening and thunder continues but inside the Reagan / Ruiz household it's warm and dry.

"Okay this is really good!" Mia genuinely states in awe as she eats the food cooked over the fireplace.

Jamie laughs "I take it you've never been camping?"

Mia repeatedly shakes her head back and forth no as a reply for she is too busy taking another bite of food to actually speak.

…

With Mia now asleep under a blanket on the couch, Eddie and Jamie still sit on the floor in front of the fireplace with Eddie propped up against her husband and on pillows but being pregnant she still shifts uncomfortably.

"You okay?" Jamie quietly questions in concern "We can move to the other couch."

"No." Eddie rejects "It's warmer here with you and the fire."

Jamie eyes his wife "But if you're not comfortable…"

"I'm finally in front of my lit fireplace with my husband." Eddie whispers in his ear as her hands do a little exploring "I'm not going anywhere."

Jamie groans as he drops his head onto his wife's shoulder "We can't." he reluctantly rejects in barely a whisper "She's literally right there." He reminds his wife of Mia.

"Oh I know." Eddie agrees with yawn "I'm okay with just snuggling."

"But sleeping on the floor Eddie?" Jamie questions unsure.

"Look as long as I sleep on my left side, I'll be facing the fireplace so I'll be warm in the front. You'll be behind me so I'll be warm and supported in the back and I have pillows supporting me everywhere else."

"Okay." Jamie finally relents as he shifts into position "But the second you feel even the slightest…"

"I know." Eddie relents cutting her husband off as she settles onto her left side "I wake you up and we get off the floor."

"Oh I'm not going to sleep." Jamie counters as he hands his wife a couple of pillows "We have a fire going Eddie."

Eddie frowns as she takes the pillows but turns slightly to look back at her husband "Jamie you can't stay up all night."

"We all need to stay warm." Jamie counters as he moves to place a pillow between the floor and Eddie's pregnant belly "That only happens if the fire stays lit."

"So we'll just get more blankets." Eddie tosses back "Just dowse the fire."

"You know I'm trying to sleep over here right?" Mia's unhappy voice sounds.

Jamie and Eddie turn to look backwards towards the couch to see Mia with her eyes open looking at them.

"Sorry." Eddie apologizes as she shifts again and winces uncomfortably.

Sighing, Mia throws her covers off "Come on." the young girl prompts as she walks over to her Aunt "You're taking the couch."

"What?" Eddie protests "No."

"Yes." Mia counters as she places her hands on her hips and looks down unimpressed at her Aunt "My little sister clearly doesn't like you sleeping on the floor and as big sister its my job to look out for her so lets go." she demands as she reaches to pick up her Aunt's hand "Uncle Jamie push her up." She instructs as she begins to pull

"Okay hang on." Eddie chides as she shifts into position "When did you get so bossy?"

"She's been hanging out with you remember?" Jamie can't help but toss out.

Eddie turns to shoot her husband a look "Okay ready." She grumbles.

So with Mia pulling and Jamie helping to support her from behind Eddie stands with little effort.

"Couch." Mia directs with a point of her finger.

"Yes Boss." Eddie sarcastically tosses at the young girl as she heads in that direction.

"Excuse me?" Jamie protests "When did she make Captain?"

Mia giggles "Hmmm I bet if I called Mr. Frank I could get an upgrade."

Jamie and Eddie both scoff "Not likely."

Mia looks at her Aunt and Uncle confused "What does that mean?"

"It means…" Jamie begins with a sigh "…that when you're a Reagan and your Father…"

"…or Father in law..." Eddie quickly tacks on.

"...is the Police Commissioner…" Jamie continues "...you get no special treatment." but before the conversation can go any further, Jamie's cellphone begins to ring. He reaches to grab it and sees his Grandfather's name "Hey Pop." he greets "You surviving the rain storm?" he inquires but then a silence comes over Jamie as he just listens and suddenly he begins to get up "Okay, you call Danny and Erin?" He inquires which immediately gets Eddie's attention "Okay good." Jamie continues "I'm on my way." he states before hanging up.

"What?" Eddie presses in concern "What's wrong?"

"Bay Ridge got a deluge of rain." Jamie states "Dad's basement is flooding."

"Oh no." Eddie breathes out.

"I gotta go." Jamie simply breathes out.

"We'll come too." Eddie decides.

"NO!" Jamie immediately rejects before taking a deep breath – his mind moving so fast he doesn't even notice Mia has gotten up and is heading for the front door "You're pregnant. Who knows what could be swimming in that water." he explains "I don't want you anywhere near that."

"Jamie, I'm not going to go wading into the water but I can help okay?" Eddie insists as Mia grabs her rain jacket and rubber boots "They are my family too."

"I'm ready." Mia announces as she walks from the front door towards the garage entrance "Let's go."

"See!" Eddie tells her husband as she heads for the door herself.

Jamie sighs in resignment "Guess I'll grab the rubber roots."

...