A/N: If the title of this chapter doesn't clue you in this is my way of filling in the missing scenes we never saw for Season 13 episode 1…

Chapter 163: Keeping The Faith

Outside the precinct, Eddie reads the text from Jamie then races towards the entrance calling "STOP!" just as people are moving forward up the steps to the building "THERE IS ANOTHER BOMB!" she yells so people stop moving forward.

"PULL BACK!" The Captain urgently commands so people begin retreating but before anyone knows what's happening there is a large explosion that blows a hole through the wall on the side of the building causing a few people – including Eddie - to be slightly blown back while most are now far enough way that instinctually moving to shield themselves and take cover is enough to protect them.

Suddenly its like everything is happening in slow motion - people are running, people are shouting and for a few moments after, Eddie feels disorientated. She has ringing in her ears and can hear all those voices shouting and calling in almost an echo but she can't quite make out what anyone is saying and when the dust settles, there is a massive gaping hole in the wall to the east side of the entrance of the 5-4 precinct building.

With her senses all a jumble, Eddie isn't exactly sure what's going on around her but there is one thing she DOES know for sure - her husband is still inside the building and she has to get to him so forcing herself to move, Eddie breathes out "Jamie." as she starts on a path to the door – staggering and stumbling as she goes…

"Jamie." She calls a little louder and with every step she takes the reality of what just happened begins to set in and her movements, steps and voice become faster, more urgent and louder as full on panic over takes her body while now running full force straight towards the precinct entrance screaming "JAMIEEEEEEEEEEE!" in terror.

But she gets to the front doors and surprisingly, even after the explosion, they still don't open.

"JAMIE!" She yells as she yanks on the door in vain.

"STOP!" The Captain commands her "GET BACK!" so others try to pull Eddie away but she just pushes them off and instead runs for the open smouldering hole instead and try as they might, no one – NO ONE - was going to stop her…

…or Maria who has now suddenly appeared at her side.

"JAMIE!" Eddie just keeps urgently calling as she and Maria now stumble and crawl their way through debris.

"DANNY!" Maria yells "TALK TO ME REAGAN!"

"JAMIE!"

…..

Inside the building an unconscious Jamie lies under the rubble where his mind drifts off to an alternate reality….

….

Eddie sits at her husband's bedside, one of her hands clutching his hand in hers while her other hand very gently tries to fix a few bits of his unruly hair on his head "You scared the hell out of me Jameson Reagan." She quietly chides to her sleeping husband.

"Sorry." Jamie groggily mumbles as he slowly regains consciousness and tries to open his eyes.

"Hey…" Eddie gently greets in a mixture of surprise and pure happy relief as she lifts her hand still holding his to her lips to kiss it "There you are."

"Yeah I'm here." Jamie groans out tired "What happened?"

"You got shot."

"Oh." He breathes out "I did?" He questions "I don't remember that." He admits as his eye lids become heavy "Sorry." He apologizes before drifting back off to sleep.

…..

Frank's cellphone is just finishing ringing yet again when he and Archbishop Kearns walk back into the Archbishop's office.

"Clearly they missed you." Kearns retorts.

Sighing, Frank makes his way over to pick up his device. He unlocks it and his brow crinkles as he sees 20 missed calls, the voice mail icon and 30 text messages all from a barrage of people – his Father, Danny, Erin, Garrett, Baker, Sid and even Joe. He is about to open one when his phone starts to ring again. He looks at the screen to see Garrett calling so he answers the call.

"Garrett..." Frank begins.

"Oh thank god!" Garrett interrupts in relief before calling out "I GOT HIM!" to someone at his end before taking on a super annoyed admonishing voice and addressing Frank again "Where the hell have you been?"

"I was out doing a little recon…" Frank defends but again Garrett cuts him off.

"Where are you?" he demands.

Not at all liking Garrett's tone, Frank replies "St. Angela's."

"He's at St. Angela's." Frank hears Garrett tell someone "Send his detail there now. Are you alone?"

"No, I'm with The Archbishop."

"Okay let me talk to him."

"Why?" Frank questions.

"Damn it Frank!" Garrett commands "Just give him your phone! NOW!"

Not used to Garrett being so forceful, Frank gets an unhappy look on his face but complies "He wants to talk to you." he tells Kevin as he holds his phone out.

Looking confused, Kearns takes the phone and puts it to his ear "Hello?"

Kearns listens a few moments as Garrett talks "Okay yes I see thank you. I will see to it." He states before holding the phone back out to Frank "Okay Francis, he'd like to talk to you again."

Growing more annoyed and now worried, Frank swipes his phone back "Enough Garrett, what is going on?"

"Frank." Garrett seriously begins "It's Jamie. He's been shot."

All color drains from Frank's face and his hand holding his phone slips from his ear.

The Archbishop immediately reaches to take the phone and put it back to his ear "Yes he is zoning out like you said he might but don't worry, I'll get him there." He promises Garrett before hanging up and focusing his attention on Frank. "Frank, listen to me. Your detail is on their way to pick us up – I'm going with you. They will take us to the hospital but Garrett says he made it through surgery so that's good right? Come on let's say a little prayer as we walk." He prompts as he reaches to begin guiding his friend towards the church exit to wait for Frank's detail.

Jamie slowly wakes from his sleep and for the briefest of moments he forgets where he is – that is until he tries to move and pain hits his right side and he feels the uncomfortableness of the IV in his arm.

He is still in the hospital after having been shot.

Sighing, he moves the best he can to try to get more comfortable and as he does his eyes glance over to see his wife curled up asleep under a blanket in the lounger next to the bed.

Hearing his movements, Eddie stirred from her awkward sleep and looks over "Are you okay?" She tiredly asks "What do you need?"

Jamie sighs "Babe I'm fine I'm just trying to get a bit more comfortable that's all."

"Here let me help." Eddie offers as she moves to get up.

"Eddie I'm fine. Really." Jamie reassures her "Why don't you go home and get some real sleep. I can tell that chair isn't comfortable."

"Absolutely not." Eddie rejects "I'm not going home until you do."

"Eddie…"

"If I was the one lying in that hospital bed would you leave?" She challenges.

"You WERE in this hospital bed once…" Jamie points out "…and yes I did leave."

Eddie frowns "Not the same thing. We weren't together then. I'm talking now, if I was the one that got shot now would you leave?"

"No." Jamie grumbles.

"See, so neither am I."

"Eddie, I just don't want YOU overdoing it."

"Jamie I'm fine."

"And I'd like to keep it that way because when I do get released you are going to have to wait on me hand and foot."

Eddie smiles "Oh really?"

Jamie nods his head "Uh huh. So I'd prefer you rest up now while I have hospital staff to tend to my every need."

Eddie smirks and shakes her head "I'll make you a deal. I'll go home in the morning once Henry gets here okay and not a second sooner and I won't be gone long – just enough time to maybe shower and change."

"AND get some real sleep." Jamie presses.

"You just won't let that go will you?"

"No. Eddie look at me I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You got shot."

"But I'm on the mend." Jamie points out before yawning.

"You need your rest." Eddie states as she gets up and move to adjust his pillow and covers. "Are you cold? Do you need another blanket?"

"No, I'm good."

"Okay then go back to sleep." She instructs before leaning over to lightly kiss his forehead "I'll be right over there if you need anything."

"All the way over there." Jamie whines causing Eddie to smirk.

"Yes over there." She confirms "You are so not cleared for any extra circular activities Mister."

"Oh get your mind out of the gutter." Jamie tosses back "I just want to hold you in my arms – I'm pretty sure that's allowed."

Eddie frowns "Jamie I could hurt you."

"Not if you are on my uninjured side." Jamie points out.

Eddie looks at her husband and seriously considers his reasoning – she really wanted him to hold her just as much as he wanted to hold her – she had after all almost lost him today "Okay." She finally accepts as she moves around the bed to his uninjured side "But if you feel even the slightest wince you tell me."

"Yes nurse." Jamie promises as he opens his arm up for his wife.

"The slightest wince." Eddie reiterates before ever so slowly and carefully settling herself next to her husband.

"Ah see this is the medicine I need." Jamie admits.

Eddie closes her eyes trying to keep her tears at bay as she rests herself in the crook of her husband's neck "I love you." She whispers out "I wasn't sure I'd be able to tell you that again."

"That makes two of us." Jamie emotionally admits "I love you Eddie, with all my heart, forever and ever. You're what got me through."

"Well you so lucky you didn't die on me because if you did I'd be so mad at you I'd want to kill you myself!"

"Well that makes sense!" Jamie laughs out before stiffening up in pain "Ow."

"Oh my god I hurt you." Eddie breathes out in alarm as she moves to get up but Jamie holds her to him.

"No, me laughing hurt me so just stop making me laugh and we're fine."

"Sorry." Eddie mumbles in regret as she settles herself back into her husband.

Silence as Jamie and Eddie both close their eyes trying to rest.

"Knock, knock." Erin's gentle voice sounds.

"Come on in Erin." Eddie greets as she opens her eyes but she makes no move to get up "But don't expect me to move."

Erin smiles at her sister in law "Wouldn't want you too. You are exactly where you need to be, right Jamie?" She prompts "Don't pretend you are asleep because she wouldn't be where she is without you prompting her."

"Damn." Jamie breathes out as he slowly opens his eyes "Hi Sis."

"You scared the crap out of us." Erin tells him.

"Sorry." Jamie apologizes.

Erin sighs "No I'm sorry. I ROR'd him."

"Erin stop." Jamie interrupts as he shifts slightly trying to get more comfortably causing Eddie to immediately lift herself up and look at him "I'm fine." He promises his wife before turning his attention back to his sister "You didn't pull the trigger. This isn't your fault."

"Well it feels like it is." Erin insists.

"Well it's not." Jamie insists right back before wincing again "Okay I think I might need more pain meds." He admits.

Eddie immediately gets up and reaches over to press the call button. She waits all of 5 seconds then heads for the door swinging it open "I NEED A NURSE!" She demands as she heads off in search of one herself. Erin watches her go then turns back towards her brother smiling "She's gone full on protective mode hasn't she?"

Jamie simply nods because talking hurt.

Suddenly the door opens and a nurse enters with Eddie following right behind.

"In a bit of pain Mr. Reagan?" the nurse inquires as she moves to check the IV.

Again Jamie nods so the nurse adjusts the drip "Okay that should help soon." She promises before departing just as quick as she entered.

"If it doesn't…" Eddie calls after her "I will find you again!"

"Eddie play nice with the nursing staff please." Jamie requests "I'm at their mercy."

"Don't you mean her mercy?" Erin corrects as she points at Eddie trying to bring a little humor into the situation.

"That too." Jamie admits.

Eddie looks at Erin "Like you wouldn't be rounding up the nurses to tend to him immediately if I wasn't here."

Erin tips her head at Eddie in conceit "Point taken."

"Erin why are you still here?" Jamie suddenly realizes with a yawn as his eye lids begin to droop "Isn't it well past visiting hours? I don't need you both hoovering…"

"I promised Danny I'd stay until he got back." Erin quietly replies "But I see that medication is kicking in so you just never mind about me - just close your eyes and rest. That's it." She encourages and after she and Eddie watch Jamie fall asleep, Eddie turns to her sister in law.

"Have you heard from Danny?" She quietly inquires "Did he and Joe catch the guy?"

Erin shakes her head "Haven't heard." but both turn their heads to the door when they hear it open to see the subject of their conversation stick his head in the doorway

"Hey." Danny quietly greets "How is he?"

"Just fell asleep." Eddie whispers as she silently waves him inside with her hand so opening the door wider, Danny enters.

He walks up to the foot of the bed and just stares at the rise and fall of his younger brother's chest as he peacefully sleeps.

"You get him?" Erin inquires.

"Yes." Danny replies but his eyes remain focused on Jamie.

"Thank you." Eddie quietly states.

At hearing the emotion in his sister in law's voice, Danny finally turns his head away from his brother to look at her and flashes her an ever so brief smile "By the book arrest." He promises in deflection "Don't need the Boss here giving me grief when he wakes up again – although Joe did take a few shots at the guy before I could stop him – he can be a bit of a hothead that one."

Erin huffs out a small laugh "Oh look who's talking!"

"Not in this case." Danny seriously promises as his eyes drift back to Jamie "I have never wanted an arrest to stick more."

"Ditto." Erin agrees.

Listening to her inlaws, and knowing Jamie getting shot must be bringing up all kinds of bad memories of Joe dying for them, Eddie tries to maintain her composure. Logically she knows Jamie will be fine but emotionally everything that happened truly starts to hit her and she knows she's a hair away from a complete meltdown so she quickly tries to excuse herself "Okay seeing as you two are here, I'm just going to quickly run to the washroom and fresh up, I'll be back in a few." She promises as she starts for the door but Erin's voice stops her

"Eddie it's okay, you don't have to run from us."

Those words cause Eddie to stop dead in her tracks but she doesn't turn back around to face them "I… I just need a moment."

"No." Erin rejects as she moves towards her sister in law "What you need is to stay here, with him and with us…" she decides as she turns Eddie around and walks her back towards Jamie's bed "…and if you want to cry, cry but you will not go off on your own and do that. Jamie would have our heads if he woke up and found out we just let you go off and do that – you don't want Jamie getting mad at us do you?"

It's impossible for Eddie to not huff out a laugh at that as a few stray tears escape her eyes "Wow, you're good." But Eddie watches as Erin's eye go sad at hearing those words.

"Clearly not." Erin retorts "If I was. Maybe this would not have happened."

"God not this again." Danny groans "Erin you are not responsible for Jamie getting shot."

Erin shrugs 'Can't help it. He's my little brother."

"Our little brother." Danny corrects "And if I had just gotten to that pier a minute earlier…" he begins as he tries to shoulder the blame himself.

Eddie sighs "Look if Jamie were awake he'd tell you both to stop but he's not so I'll do it for him. Jamie is a grown man. This is neither of your faults okay – if it's anyone's fault it's mine - I promised him I'd always have his back."

Erin and Danny both turn to look at their sister in law like she's crazy "You are the last person who's fault this is." Danny tells her "If anything its you that saved him. Why else do you think I helped you get to him in the ER? Hearing you made him fight."

Eddie's eyes blur with tears as she relives the moment she ran into the ER in search of her husband.

"Well way to go Danny." Erin quietly chides out to her brother "Make her cry!"

"Oh stop." Eddie admonishes with a slight little chuckle as she wipes away her tears and flashes a small but real smile "I'm fine." She promises as her eyes drift to Jamie "I'm fine because he'll be fine and that's what we all need to remember and focus on okay?" She adds before an involuntary yawn over takes her.

"You're tired." Erin notes "We need to go…" She adds as she moves towards the door beckoning her head for Danny to follow "So you can get some sleep too. Jamie's going to need you rested."

Eddie nods "I know."

"You call if either of you need anything…" Danny prompts "Or if there is the slightest change or…"

"I know!" Eddie interrupts "Go." She instructs "And thank you. Both of you."

Danny and Erin silently nod then depart the room.

Eddie watches them go then turns her attention back to her husband and for a moment she again just stands there watching him sleep. He'll be fine. She repeats to herself in her head before taking in a deep breath of air in relief. She blows it out then walks back over to the lounge chair by the bed and settles herself into it trying to get comfortable. She adjusts the blanket around her and with one final visual check on her husband, let's her eyes drift closed…

"Are they gone?" Jamie's voice inquires a moment later.

Eddie pops her eyes open in surprise to see Jamie looking at her "I thought you were asleep?"

"Nope."

"You mean you've been awake and listening to us this entire time?"

"Yup."

Eddie gives her husband an unhappy look.

"What?" Jamie defends "How else was I to know how you all really felt?"

"Oh my god." Eddie groans out.

"Now what are you doing all the way over there again?" Jamie inquires "I thought we already established that the best medicine for me is having you right here." He prompts as he pads the bed next to him.

Eddie shakes her head as she uncovers herself and gets up "You are so lucky I love you."

"I know." Jamie seriously states as he watches his wife again circle around the foot of his bed and gently lay down next to him "Now I can sleep." He relents in contentment as Eddie settles in and they both close their eyes.

….

Danny and Erin are waiting for the elevator and when it dings and the door opens, they both see their Father standing there.

"Dad!" Erin breathes out in relief.

"Where is he?" Franks anxiously demands as he steps off the elevator "Is he okay?"

Danny nods "He will be."

For the first time since finding out the news, Frank felt like he could breathe.

"It was touch and go for a while though." Danny adds on unimpressed as he looks at his Father "Bullet hit close to his spine so we didn't know if he'd be paralyzed."

Franks breath hitches "What?"

"He's not." Danny offers "Where the hell have you been? We've been trying you for hours."

"I…" Frank begins to try to explain but he's too overcome with guilt "I'm sorry."

"We got the guy in case you're interested." Danny offers.

"Danny." Erin warns.

"No your brother's right. I should have been here."

"Well you're here now." Erin offers trying to make her Dad feel better.

"He's really okay?" Frank presses needing to hear the reassurances again.

Erin nods "He's resting now. Eddie's with him - won't leave his side."

Frank can't help but smile a little at that.

"But I know you want to see him with your own two eyes that he's okay." Danny understandingly relents with a sigh as he turns and begins to walk back in the direction they came from "So come on, we'll take you to his room."

The trio get to the door and Danny gestures to it.

Frank steps forward and looks in the window to see his son hooked up to machines with his wife next to him both asleep and tears form in his eyes - He should have been here.

"I know I came on a little strong earlier." Danny tells his father at seeing his look "But you can't blame yourself for not being here because if you do then I have to blame myself for not getting to that pier one minute earlier and Erin has to blame herself for RORing the guy and then Eddie has to blame herself for not having Jamie's back like she promised in their vows and you see how messy this starts to get?"

Erin looks at her brother impressed "That was good."

Danny shrugs "I try."

"Except for that last part I don't really know what any of what you said means." Frank sadly admits as he steps away from the door and off to the side "And I should. I should know all of it."

"Well no time like the present to catch you up then." Danny offers.

"Anyone for coffee?" Erin questions as she looks between her brother and father.

"Weren't you two leaving?" Frank questions.

"Nah." Danny deflects before looking at his sister "Coffee sounds great."

"Great." Erin accepts.

"You two can go home you know." Frank tells his children.

"Are you going home?" Danny counters.

"No." Frank replies.

"Then neither are we." Erin replies as Danny nods his head in agreement.

Frank offers his two unharmed children a small but very thankful smile at their willingness to stay and keep him company until he can see for himself that his youngest is okay when he wakes up.

Silence.

"So um…" Danny begins as he looks at his Father "Money for the coffee? You make more then we do…"

….

Eddie walks out of Jamie's room and up to the nurse's station "Hi can I get another warm blanket?" She requests as Frank, Danny, and Erin now sit in some chairs not far from Jamie's room with empty coffee cups in their hands reminiscing "And then don't forget…" Frank chimes in "…there was the time that Jamie…"

Eddie turns her head at the sound of her Father in law's voice "Frank?"

Frank, Danny and Erin all look up to see Eddie standing before them.

Frank immediately stands "Eddie." He breathes out as he moves to take his daughter in law into his arms in a hug "How is he?"

"He was a bit cold so I came out to get him another blanket. You're here." She then notes before she can stop herself.

"I'm sorry." Frank apologizes again in regret and he and Eddie break apart "I was away from my phone and…"

"How long have you been here?" Eddie inquires as she glances at the clock on the wall.

"Oh since we were leaving hours ago." Danny chimes in.

Eddie's eyes go wide as she shifts her gaze to Danny then looks back at her Father in law in confusion "Why didn't you come in?"

"I didn't want to wake you two." Frank confesses "Jamie needs his rest."

Eddie smiles at her father in law as a nurse walks over and hands her a warm blanket "Thank you." She accepts before turning back to Frank "Well he's awake now. Come on." She prompts as she turns and heads back towards Jamie's room. She pushes the door open and poke her head in first "Guess who I found loitering out in the halls?" She prompts before pushing the door open wider and stepping aside.

Jamie looks towards the door and watches his Father step into view "Hey Dad." He breathes out as he plasters on a brave face and tries to sit up a bit.

"Jamie." Frank sighs in mixture of emotions at seeing his son and hearing his voice "How are you? Are you okay?"

"Been better." Jamie admits as he watches Eddie drape the warm blanket over him "Okay actually that's better." He admits as he gives his wife an appreciative smile.

Eddie silently nods in acceptance.

Suddenly the door opens and a nurse walks in "Okay I thought I saw more then the one allowed overnight guest walk in here. You all need to leave." She insists "Visiting hours are over."

Danny pulls out his shield "Official police business." He professionally counters.

"Nice try." The nurse counters "You're his brother, you're his sister and you're his Dad – the Police Commissioner. You think I don't know who the Reagans are? Now like I said - out. You can come back during regular hours like any other family with loved ones in this hospital - go."

"But…" Danny begins to protest.

The nurse looks at Eddie "We made an exception for you but if they want to stay now too we'll have to put our foot down and you'll all have to..."

"Okay everybody out." Eddie jumps in as she starts corralling Danny and Erin towards the door "Because I'm not leaving which means you have too."

Danny turns his head to look back at his brother "Bossy."

Jamie smiles a tired smile "I know."

Frank looking at Jamie and can tell he's fading fast "I'll be back in a few hours – get some rest son."

Jamie simply nods his head in acceptance as he tries to watch his family and then the nurse leave but his eyes keep closing on him.

"Don't fight it." Eddie gently prompts as she crawls back up on the bed "Just go to sleep."

"Was just waiting for you." Jamie sleepily mutters out.

"I'm here." Eddie promises "And I'm not going anywhere. Love you." She repeats again.

"Love you too." Jamie mumbles right before the toll of the day and his tiredness wins out.

"Jamie." Jamie hears his wife say.

"What?" he mumbles out.

"Jamie!" He hears Eddie call again but for some reason she sounded far away…

"What?" Jamie sighs out "I'm right here."

"JAMIE!" Eddie cries as she continues to crawl through the rubble "JAMIEEEEEEEE!"

Slowly bringing himself back to the land of the conscious at the sound of his wife's frantic voice repeatedly calling his name, Jamie slowly opens his eyes to discover he is sure as hell NOT in a hospital bed…

...