Eddie paced in the lobby, fingering the key necklace Barry had given her. She was praying to a God she wasn't even quite sure she believed in.

Please let him be okay. Please, God, let him be okay. Please…

"Eddie!"

Eddie turned to see Kara and Jamie walking towards her.

Kara embraced her sister from another mister and Eddie broke down, sobbing silently as Jamie stood and let them have their moment.

Regaining some measure of control, Eddie wiped away the tears. "Thank you," she said looking at Kara, then at Jamie, "thank you both for coming. I didn't know who else to call and I… I didn't mean to interrupt your guys' night … I just… I didn't know who to call," she said, her voice cracking as the tears flowed once more.

Jamie stepped forward and put a hand on Eddie's shoulder. "It's no problem at all," he assured his partner. "Absolutely no problem."

"So what happened?" Kara couldn't help but ask.

"I met up with Barry for dessert when I got back from the reception," Eddie explained. "He was giving me a lift home when this car just came flying out of nowhere. Barry had the right-of-way, he had it, he's always conscientious like that." She looked at Jamie. "You would love his driving," she couldn't help but crack.

Jamie smiled sympathetically. "And are you okay, though?" Jamie asked.

"I'm fine, didn't even get a scratch, but Barry…" she trailed off, shaking her head in bewilderment.

Sensing Eddie wanted to say much more, but not in front of Jamie, Kara turned to him. "Hey, babe, could you get us some coffee and a couple muffins from the cafeteria?"

"Sure, no problem," Jamie answered, picking up on the hint.

As Jamie walked away and made himself scarce, Kara turned to Eddie. "So how are you, really?"

A few remaining tears escaped Eddie's puffy eyes. "I can't lose him, Kara," she said, wiping the tears away with a balled-up tissue. "I love him," she said with conviction. "I love him…"

Two hours had passed. Eddie did everything she could to keep from getting impatient. Being a cop, she knew things like this took time.

"For Barry Cooper?" a man in surgical scrubs called out.

Eddie, Jamie and Kara stood up.

"Yeah!" Eddie called back in response.

The surgeon looked at the three of them, suspicious. "I'm sorry, but only family or emergency contact can be in on this discussion," the surgeon said.

"I'm Barry's girlfriend, I'm his emergency contact," Eddie said firmly. "And these two are family to me and Barry knows them, so whatever you got to say, say it to all of us."

The surgeon nodded. "Barry severely injured both legs during the car accident," he explained. "We did everything we possibly could, but…"

Eddie's breath hitched.

"But what?" Kara asked on Eddie's behalf.

"He will not be able to walk," the surgeon said.

"Oh!" Eddie whimpered. Kara put her hands on Eddie's shoulders as a sign of support and comfort. Jamie put his hand on Eddie's back like Eddie had done for him almost three years ago when Linda was shot and he was hugging a sobbing Danny.

"He will be wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life," the surgeon continued. "There is some physical therapy he can do to where he could maybe walk with the aid of braces and crutches, but it would be really painful."

Eddie closed her eyes, steeling herself. "Is he awake?"

"Yes. First thing he did was ask about you. I assured him that you were okay."

Eddie smiled. Even after what could have been a fatal injury, Barry thought of her.

"Does he know?" she asked. "Can I see him?"

"I told him and, yes, you can see him, but he's under heavy medication to keep him comfortable."

Eddie nodded. "Thank you, doctor."

The surgeon nodded. "The nurse will be here in a couple minutes to take you back, but only one at a time, please."

All three nodded.

Eddie turned around to Jamie and Kara, her eyes still red and puffy. "If you guys want to head home, I totally get it."

Realizing there was nothing really more that they could do, Jamie and Kara nodded.

Kara hugged Eddie tight. "Do not hesitate to call me if you need anything, okay? Don't be stubborn."

As they pulled away, Eddie smiled her first genuine smile. "I think you're confusing me with your boyfriend," she said, pointing at Jamie.

Jamie smiled. "Nah," he joked, "my girlfriend has it right. Seriously, though," he said, "call me or Kara if you or Barry need anything. We got your back. I'll take to the Sarge and let him know your situation. Your brothers and sisters at the 1-2 are here for you."

Eddie smiled appreciatively. "Thank you," she said, truly touched. Out of sisterly solidarity, Eddie glanced at Kara. "Is it okay if I hug your boyfriend?" she asked.

Kara smiled, giving approval. Eddie hugged Jamie tight. She pulled away. "Thank you," she said eyes full of sincerity. "And… I really am sorry about your grandfather. I only met him a couple times, but he was very kind to me."

"Thank you," Jamie said sincerely. "He was impressed with you, too. Said he could tell you were a good cop one minute after meeting with you."

"And you're just telling me this now?"

Jamie shrugged. "Didn't want it to go to your head," he joked.

Eddie rolled her eyes, jokingly. "Get him out of here," she said to Kara.

Kara smiled and gave Eddie one last quick hug. "I mean it, sis," Kara whispered into Eddie's ear. "Call me anytime, okay?"

Eddie's eyes teared up, overwhelmed by it all. "Yeah," was all she could say…

Jamie and Kara walked out to their car, lost in thought over what had transpired in the last 35 hours. "I'm exhausted," Jamie confessed, "and ready for bed. You want me to drop you off at home or my place still?"

Kara smiled. "Your place," she said. She got lost in thought a minute and said, "And maybe after some sleep, we could um…" She looked around to see no one was near them "Go for Round 3?"

Jamie's eyes went wide and he blushed.

"What?" Kara said innocently. "I have it on good authority that it's warm, soft, and always good."

He huffed out a laugh. "Only if you promise you'll do one specific thing…"

Kara raised her eyebrows, intrigued. "What exactly did you have in mind?" she asked, voice dripping with the desire to pleasure her man.

"Make me some breakfast?"

Kara swatted Jamie's chest playfully. "Jerk!" She then got serious and placed a tender kiss on his cheek. "You're on."

Back inside the hospital, Eddie was guided to Barry's room.

"Hey!" Barry rasped.

Eddie tried to put on a brave face and smile, but it was betrayed by the tears that streamed down her face as she cried silently.

"Heyyyy," Barry chided, reaching out his hand. "Come here." Still crying, Eddie took his hand and showered every inch with warm, tender kisses. She didn't care who might walk by and see. Commissioner Reagan himself could walk in and she'd tell him to wait for a salute.

Barry closed his eyes, taking in the warm and moist feel of Eddie's mouth on his hand, but also taking in the realization of what could have happened. Still holding his hand, Eddie sat down.

"That's my love all over your hand," Eddie joked, trying to lighten the mood. "You better not wash that off anytime soon."

"I'll do my best," Barry said.

Eddie turned serious. "Before you say anything," she said, "I'm not going home. I'm staying until a doctor gets here and we know what's going on."

"Eddie, that could be hours," Barry protested.

"Well, then, tough!" Eddie said in a no-nonsense tone. She then softened. "I'm staying here, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Barry said.

"Good boy!" Eddie said, bending over to kiss him on his forehead.

A moment passed by.

"Eddie, we…" Barry began. "We need to talk."

Eddie straightened up. She knew where this conversation was going.

Barry sighed. "The surgeon told you that… I… I can't walk anymore, right?"

Eddie nodded solemnly, squeezing his hand. "Yes, and I'm not going anywhere. Do you hear me, Barry Cooper? Wheelchair or not, you still have the key to my heart."

Barry squeezed Eddie's hand. "And you have the key to mine," he said. "I'm not saying it'll be easy, but… If you still want all this mess…"

"I like your mess," Eddie said, echoing the words Barry said to her four months ago. "It's a beautiful mess."

Barry rolled his eyes. "What loser told you that?" he asked with a chuckle.

"He's not a loser," Eddie said. "Far from it. He's a fighter. He's a survivor. He might look like your typical financial advisor from Manhattan, but he's got the heart of a warrior. And he's easy on the eyes, too."

Barry smiled weakly. The smile faded, though and a somber expression came to him. "It could've gone so wrong, Eddie," he said. "It could've gone so, so wrong – "

"But it didn't," Eddie interrupted.

Barry nodded. His eyes were getting heavy thanks to the pain medicine.

"Let's turn the lights off," Eddie said, getting up to flip the light switch. She sat down in her chair, ready to snooze when she felt Barry's hand on top of hers.

"Would you…" he began cautiously. "Would you mind lying in bed with me? At least until I fall asleep?"

Eddie's face softened. She knew this was a line that, under any other circumstance, he wouldn't cross.

But, sometimes, there are extenuating circumstances.

"Of course," she said. She took off her shoes and set her phone in her back pocket. She got in beside him.

They held each other, Eddie being careful not to mess with the IV on his right arm.

"So," Eddie said suggestively, "is sleeping with a woman everything you'd hope it be?"

"Oh, definitely!"

They both burst into laughter.

A beat passed.

"I love you, Eddie."

Eddie smiled softly. "I love you, too, Barry."

They softly kissed.

Deep within him, Barry knew he had found her.

Deep within her, Eddie she knew had found him.

That early-morning, they both knew.