Chapter 129: Making Connections

Jamie, Eddie and Warren all sit together in The Commissioner's conference room with Jessie in her carrier on the table as Jamie and Eddie recount the baby naming story to Warren.

"So now there is a male baby Eddie and a female baby Jamie." Eddie finishes.

Warren laughs in awe thoroughly entertained "That…" He humorously admits as he repeatedly points at Eddie "… that is a great story."

"And we have lots of them." Jamie chimes in with a slight shrug of his shoulders "You know when I became a cop, I once said it was to help people and if I got to live some great stories along the way that would be icing on the cake – and I think I've done that – we've done that…" he quickly corrects as he looks at his wife to see Eddie nod in complete agreement "Tenfold." She adds in but then Warren blows out a breath of air "I still can't believe you went into that clinic like that though."

Eddie shrugs "We're cops."

"That's what we do." Jamie tacks on.

"Yeah but the risks…" Warren wonders out loud.

"I knew my team would have my back." Eddie replies as she turns her head to look at her husband and Jamie turns his head to look at his wife "Through and through." He promises as the couple smile at one another.

Watching the couple, Warren smiles too "I can see why you two make such a great pair."

Jamie and Eddie look back at Warren.

"Yes." Eddie laughs "For the longest time everyone except us could apparently see that."

Warren looks quizzically at Eddie right as the door from Frank's office opens and Frank enters.

"Frank!" Warren happily greets.

Frank smiles at the benefactor "Warren. My apologies for keeping you waiting."

"Nonsense." Warren easily dismisses "I've been thoroughly entertained." He adds as he looks at Jamie and Eddie and smiles before looking back at Frank "Where have you been keeping these two?" Warren laughs right as Jessie makes a sound in her carrier while kicking at her blanket "Three!" He then corrects as he glances at Jessie "You have an adorable grand daughter Frank."

"She is adorable isn't she?" Eddie happily boasts as she rises from her seat to adjust Jessie's blanket around her while Frank glances at Jamie to see Jamie give him a 'so far so good' look.

Frank plasters a big smile on his face as he looks at everyone in the room "I keep two of them out in the field fighting crime and all three around the dinner table on Sundays."

"Hah!" Warren laugh "That's a good one!"

"Shall we?" Frank then prompts as he gestures backwards towards his office.

"Yes, yes of course." Warren accepts before again looking at Jamie and Eddie "Absolute pleasure meeting you both."

"You as well." Jamie sincerely returns so Warren gets up and Jamie and Eddie watch as he and Frank disappear into Frank's office and once the door closes, they both stare at it a moment before finally they both sag a little in relief.

"Did that go okay?" Eddie wonders a bit nervously to her husband "I felt it went okay." She then offers.

"I think so." Jamie replies.

"This political stuff is exhausting." Eddie notes as the exterior conference room door opens and Garrett and Sid enter.

"But you're both so good at it." Garrett compliments the couple.

Jamie and Eddie both look over at Garrett with questioning looks on their faces.

Garrett points at the phone on the table "Intercom was on."

Jamie's mouth falls open.

"Just a precaution." Garrett quickly explains.

"You mean in case it went sideways…" Jamie challenges "…and you had to come rescue him from us?"

"See." Sid deduces "Always thinking like a cop."

"I am a cop." Jamie reiterates.

"A cop with the chops to sit in the big guy's chair." Sid blurts out before he can stop himself.

"Let's not worry about things like that right now okay?" Garrett quickly jumps in trying to minimize any reaction to those words "Right now let's just focus on the fact that you two…" he adds as he looks at Jamie and Eddie "…may have helped secure the largest donation amount in NYPD history."

"Glad we could help." Eddie offers before yawning.

"Amen." Sid agrees.

"But we really need to get home now." Jamie decides seeing the tiredness start to appear on his wife's face.

"Agreed." Eddie adds as the couple once again begin gathering up all their bags, belongings and daughter.

….

Abby sits at her desk with Garrett and Sid nonchalantly hanging out around her all trying to look busy as they wait on pins and needles. Suddenly the door to Frank's office opens and the trio watch Warren James step out and head for the elevator. They wait until he disappears inside and the doors close before they all quickly make a beeline for Frank's door and just burst in unannounced.

"Well?" Garrett eagerly prompts.

As he goes to sit back down at his desk, Frank looks at his team and let's out an amazed breath of air "$7 million."

All their mouth's drop slightly open "Frank!" Garrett exclaims in awe.

"Sir that's amazing!" Abby adds.

"I know." Frank agrees.

"$7 million." Sid simply repeats in amazement "Wow. That's the biggest one yet isn't it?"

"It is." Frank confirms.

"Even Sy Goodman's largest donation was only $5 million." Sid reminds everyone.

Garrett turns to look at Sid "Only?"

"You know what I mean." Sid tosses back.

"But that was quite a few years ago now." Abby points out.

"True." Garrett accepts as he tosses that around in his mind "Gotta account for inflation."

"I know you don't like accepting credit Boss…" Sid begins impressed "But…"

"But it wasn't my doing." Frank interrupts.

Garrett, Abby and Sid all look at Frank confused.

"What do you mean?" Sid finally questions.

"Warren already decided on a number before he even walked in my office." Frank reveals.

"He did?" Garrett states in surprise before his mind makes the connection "Oh. So this was Jamie and Eddie's doing."

Frank nods in confirmation.

"Wow." Abby breathes out super impressed as Sid gets a smug look on his face "Did I mention I called that or what?"

"This is going to help a lot of officers Frank." Garrett notes thoroughly impressed as everyone ponders all the different ways that kind of money will benefit the NYPD and their officers.

Beat.

"Any chance we can tag those two for other fundraising events?" Sid hopefully inquires as Garrett and Abby look at Sid then both turn to look expectantly at Frank clearly agreeing with Sid's idea "I knew those two were something special after watching them talk to that group of Law Enforcement Explorers years go." He boasts.

Frank mulls that over in his mind but doesn't give an answer…

…..

There is a comfortable silence in the SUV as Jamie drives, Eddie sits in the passenger's seat and Jessie in the backseat as they drive home.

"You think your Dad will let us know for sure?" Eddie suddenly inquires.

"What?" Jamie absently counters as he briefly glances over at his wife before looking back at the road.

"If we helped." Eddie clarifies.

"I don't know." Jamie admits "Maybe. Maybe not."

More silence.

"I think we helped." Eddie flippantly and a bit arrogantly adds.

"So you previously mentioned." Jamie agrees causing Eddie to turn her head to look at her husband and she can see the wheels turning in his brain.

"What?" She prompts.

"Nothing." Jamie deflects with a slight shrug.

"Say that again like you mean it." Eddie tosses back "Or have you forgotten who you are talking to."

"No, I'm serious." Jamie reiterates "It's nothing… really…" he waivers.

"Spill to your wifey Jamie…" Eddie demands "Because if you don't, I have ways of getting it out of you."

"Wifey?" Jamie challenges with a laugh.

"Yeah now that I've said it out loud…" Eddie rejects "…don't ever call me that." she warns.

"Never planned too." Jamie admits.

More silence.

"What I said back there was the truth…" Jamie begins to explain "…I became a cop to help people. I always thought that was by being out there on the streets directly interacting with the people but after today I see there are other ways of accomplishing that. If we did help secure funding that's going to go a long way to keep more officers on the job longer and therefore help more people in the long run."

"Agreed." Eddie notes.

"And you can only do things like that from higher ranking positions." Jamie adds.

"Also agreed." Eddie states.

Beat.

"Unless your last name is Reagan." Eddie adds "Because let's face it, if our last name wasn't Reagan and your Father wasn't who your Father is, what we were thrown into today never would have happened."

"I do realize that." Jamie agrees.

More silence.

"But Danny never would have been able to pull that off." Eddie suddenly adds "Only you could have."

"We could have." Jamie corrects before heavily sighs "But I know that too." He admits in reference to Danny.

"You could have done it on your own." Eddie tells him.

"Maybe." Jamie deflects.

"Definitely." Eddie presses.

"It's like having my own personal cheerleader." Jamie jokes.

"Ra Ra." Eddie needles not willing to back down causing Jamie to huff out a laugh at her persistence.

"But like I told you before…" Jamie reminds his wife as he again glances over and flashes her a smile "You make me better."

"Oh." Eddie happily notes as she turns slightly in her seat to look back at her sleeping daughter "Did you hear that Sweetie? I make Daddy better. Now when you grow up you need to find someone like your Daddy that thinks that of you too okay?"

"But only once Daddy has vetted and cleared said someone through all the criminal databases." Jamie tacks on.

Eddie turns her head to look at her husband "We are going to have this same conversation multiple times over the years aren't we?"

"Yup." Jamie simply confirms.

Eddie shakes her head at her husband then turns to look back at her daughter "I once told your Daddy his family was crazy for they way they were overprotective of your cousin Nicky."

"Hey, they are your family now too." Jamie reminds his wife "And we aren't crazy."

"Yeah you are." Eddie reiterates with a smirk.

"Crazy in love maybe." Jamie cheekily deflects with dancing eyes causing Eddie's mouth to form an 'O'

"I know." Jamie arrogantly adds "I get bonus points for that one don't I?" he giddily quips.

"Maybe." Eddie deflects.

"Definitely." Jamie counters tossing their previous exchange right back at her as Jamie's phone dings with a text message so Eddie reaches over, grabs his phone and unlocks it causing Jamie to do a double take.

"Hey!" He protests.

"Oh please." Eddie dismisses as she opens the text app "I know you Jamie, it wasn't that hard to figure out your new passcode."

"Hmph." Jamie huffs out as Eddie reads and suddenly her mouth drops open "Oh my god Jamie." She breathes out in amazement "$7 million."

"What?" Jamie questions.

"$7 million!" Eddie excitedly repeats "That's the amount Warren is securing for the NYPD!"

"Woah." Jamie breathes out in awe as another message pops up "Dad's good..."

"Um Jamie?" Eddie breathes out in shock as she reads "It wasn't your Dad."

"What do you mean?" Jamie questions.

"Apparently it was us…" Eddie slowly reveals "Jamie…" she repeats "…your Dad says it was our doing!"

"What?" Jamie states in true surprise "Us?"

Eddie nods in confirmation.

Not really sure what else to say, Jamie simply mutters out a "Damn."

"We should celebrate!" Eddie giddily decides.

"I thought you were tired?" Jamie reminds his wife "And wanted to go home and go to sleep?"

"I was. I am." Eddie confirms "But that doesn't mean we can't still celebrate."

"How?" Jamie inquires before an amused little smile creeps up on his face "How will we live it up this time?" he just can't help but rib as his phone dings with another message so again, Eddie reads it.

"By ordering in a lot of expensive food from Lugers." Eddie announces.

"You get WE didn't get the $7 million right?" Jamie points out.

"No I know." Eddie confirms as she turns Jamie's phone around to show him "But we just got a text message confirming we have a dinner order being delivered to our house tonight."

Jamie's face scrunches up "We didn't order from Lugers."

"Well somebody ordered… and paid for it." Eddie notes before looking up in thought "Your Dad? As a thank you?"

"Ummm…" Jamie hesitantly waivers "Not really a Dad move."

"True." Eddie admits "His team?"

Jamie laughs "Not if they wanted to keep their jobs."

"Also true." Eddie relents.

Silence as they think.

"Maybe it's got nothing to do with the $7 million." Jamie suddenly offers "You did get a medal today." He reminds his wife.

"So did you." Eddie points out.

"Pop?" Jamie offers.

"He has been quite giving in the gift department lately." Eddie notes in agreement.

"Was probably Pop." Jamie decides.

"We'll have to thank him." Eddie agrees as she begins to type Henry a thank you text from Jamie's phone. A moment later she hits send and goes to put the phone back in its holder but it dings with another message so Eddie grabs it back up to read.

"Huh." She breathes out a moment later "He says it wasn't him."

"Really?" Jamie questions "Well then who was it?" he prompts in confusion.

All Eddie can do is look at her husband and shrug slightly with no answer to give…

….

Now dressed back in his everyday, just kicking around the house sweats and a tshirt, Jamie says "Thank you." to the delivery driver as he takes the take out bags from him and shuts the front door. He turns and catches sight of his wife coming down the stairs "Well it's here." He tells her as he slightly lifts and displays the bags from Lugers in his hands before heading for the kitchen.

"I know I could smell it the second you opened the door." Eddie states as she moves to follow her husband "Let's see what we got!" She eagerly quips.

"Calm down Eddie." Jamie laughs as he walks up to the kitchen Island "Its not going to run away." He adds as he sets the bags down.

"But it is getting colder by the second." Eddie points out "And I'm hungry so hurry up!"

"I'm opening! I'm opening!" Jamie promises as he opens the first bag and as he repeatedly pulls out container after container, Eddie gets to work on opening each one up.

"Eeeee!" Eddie happily shrieks delighted at what she sees before her.

"Oh hang on." Jamie states after opening the second bag and on top he sees what looks like a card envelope "I think it came with a card." He adds as he pulls the envelope out.

"What does it say?" Eddie eagerly prompts "Does it say who it's from?"

"Did I not say hang on?" Jamie chides as he opens up the envelope and pulls out the card. He takes a moment to read.

"Well?" Eddie finally prompts.

"Um…" Jamie begins with a bit of a stunned look on his face "It's from Warren James." He reveals as he turns the card around to show his wife and Eddie's mouth falls open a bit as she reads...

Jamie and Eddie,

On behalf of the Citizens of New York, please accept this small token of appreciation for all your service.

Looking forward to crossing paths again one day,

Warren

"Um… okay…." She slowly breathes out in complete surprise as she tries to process that "How does he even know where we live?"

"Well, if I was in the habit of raising funds like Warren is…" Jamie slowly reasons out "…I'd have ways of finding out." He admits.

Eddie nods in agreement then her face scrunches up as a thought hits her "This isn't considered to be on the arm is it?" she reluctantly prompts "Because I really want to eat this!"

Jamie looks at his wife then down at the food then up again. He opens his mouth to speak but before he can Eddie's finger springs out to stop him "DON'T ANSWER THAT!" She demands regretting she even said anything "If you don't answer that, I can still eat it." She reasons "And I WILL be eating this so SHHHHHH!"

Jamie's only reply is to silently turn, open a cupboard and take out 2 plates. He turns back around and offers one out to his wife "We're both on leave." He reminds her.

A big bright smile appears on Eddie's face at her husband's reasoning "Now we're talking." She quips in satisfaction as she swipes the plate into her hand "Get the cutlery too."

…..