Boxer or Blonde

Chapter 6

GOOD-BY MY LOVE

New Year's Eve

Jamie and Eddie have been partners for 1.5 years after her year with him as her T/O. So, 2.5 years all together. They have developed a solid partnership and friendship. Lizzie seems to be the glue that holds it all together, if glue is needed at all. The little one is now 5.5 years old and started pre-school this past September.

Jamie and Olive are over-the-hill in love. Her career is going along nicely. 1 year ago, she let Rich go as her manager and 'hired' Jamie. He wasn't thrilled about that, but he agreed. And it is working out very well. Olive got all her records from Rich; contracts, contacts, agreements, financial statements and tax records, flyers & brochures – the works. This gave Jamie all the info he needed to take over. His attorney training and work experience really helped too. He does all this work at home – which is now Olive's apartment suite. They are living together now. AND he has THE RING. He is certain that they are ready for this next step. They have talked around it; never saying the words, but coming so close that he feels ready. Since he is working tonight, he planned a nice New Years Day dinner at home. He will be cooking; Olive loves it when he does that.

Eddie can tell that her partner is jittery – more than usual.

"Hey, partner, what's up with you?" She inquires.

"Nothing much, just cold out here." They are on duty in Times Square. He is jiggling a lot.

"No worse than usual," she replies. "What about some hot chocolate?" She spots a vendor with a steaming beverage apparatus.

"I could use some," He admits.

"I'll go get it, right over there," Eddie points to where she's going.

"Ok, things a quiet right now."

She is gone no more than 5 minutes. As she returns, approaching Jamie, she hears him shout "DAMNIT! Eddie, I gotta go!"

She grips his arm, "Reagan, what's the matter?"

"My cell went off, it's the EMERGENCY code for Olive!"

Eddie calls in to check and see if they can be replaced; Jamie calls St. Vic's, where the code came from.

Since it's only 22:00 and quiet, relatively speaking, they are told that they can go, and replacements will be on site in 10".

They rush to their RMP, Eddie takes the wheel and they head for St. Vic's, LIGHTS AND SIRENS.

On the way she asks, "Shall we call your family, Jamie?"

"No, let's see what's up first. Can you go any faster, Janko?"

"Not without sacrificing some pedestrians."

"Got it."

Eddie screeches to a stop in front of the ER. They bolt from the car and rush to the front desk.

Eddie talks, "Officers Reagan and Janko! He got an emergency code for his girlfriend, Olive Hain! Where is she?"

"I'm sorry . . . the nurse behind the desk says, -

"WHERE IS SHE?" Jamie shouts.

A young man in a blood-spattered green scrub suit comes to Jamie's side. "You are?" He quietly asks.

"Jamie Reagan, Olive Hain's boyfriend. Where the HELL is she?"

"Come with me, I'll take you to her." He starts off down a corridor at a fast pace.

"Where are we going? We are leaving the ER?" Eddie is confused.

"She is downstairs," the young man says over his shoulder.

Just then an older nurse and doctor catch up. "Nathan, you can't take them down there!"

"What the hell is going on? Where is my Olive?" Jamie is shouting again. He is frantic!

"Come back this way, sir. I'm doctor Wells, I'll tell you what happened." The older man says in a comforting voice. He and the nurse lead the group to a small waiting room, where they all take a seat.

Jamie has a very bad feeling; Eddie is clutching his hands. They both have begun to weep.

"Ms. Hain was brought in 1 hour ago," the doctor begins.

"But I just got the code." Jamie wails.

"It took some time to make the connection to you," the nurse explains.

"DAMNIT," Jamie is distraught.

"Apparently, from what we could piece together, she had responded to a call from an old friend. Someone she knew when she was using drugs. He had asked for help, and she went to meet him."

"Who was that?" Jamie requests.

"I don't have a name, sorry."

"Is Rich, her former manager here?"

"We haven't seen any male visitors around. Shall I have someone look?" The nurse asks.

"Yes, please."

"Anyway, the situation deteriorated, a fight started with 6-8 combatants. Ms. Hain received 4 GSW to the chest and abdomen. Unfortunately, she was DOA and could not be revived. I'm very sorry – we did all we could."

Eddie speaks up, "Who gave you this information?"

"Police who interviewed people at the scene."

Jamie and Eddie flash their badges. "We would like the officers' names, so we can talk with them, please."

"I will get you that information," the nurse says.

"Thank you," Eddie whispers.

"Where is Olive now?" Jamie tearfully asks.

"In the morgue," Nathan says. "I was going to take you there."

"Let's go, I need to say good-bye to my Beloved." Jamie chokes out.

"I'm coming with you," Eddie whispers.

"You don't have to do that, Eddie."

"Yes, I do. I've got your back, partner."

Jamie presses a hug to his partner; they follow Nathan downstairs. When they arrive at the door, Nathan asks them to wait a moment. "Give me a minute to prepare her. Wait right here."

He returns shortly, they enter the cold room.

Olive's body lay on a stretcher, in the middle of the room. She was covered with a white sheet, only her head and face showing. She looked so peaceful.

Jamie stopped and stared for a moment. Then he took 3 strides, laid himself on her chest and began to sob. He began to keen, he was inconsolable. Eddie came up behind him, laid herself on his back and sobbed with him. There was nothing to say.

After Jamie became quiet, Eddie stood up. "Ready to go, partner?" She said softly.

He nodded his head, reached for her hand and let Eddie and Nathan lead him out the door. He had said good-bye to his Beloved.

When they came back up to the ER, they saw that Frank Reagan was in the small waiting room. Jamie paused in the doorway, Eddie at his side. "You can go," he whispered to her.

"I'll stay if you want me too." She squeezed his hand.

"Thanks, I know you would. But this is family business. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I will call you, to help you with stuff. I'm here for you, you know."

"I know, and thanks, from the bottom of my heart." He gave his partner a hug and stepped into the room.

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TBC

A/N: This was really hard to write. Even though I've been there, in the morgue, many times as an orderly in my past. Though never with a loved one, yet. I had to take a break during that scene and collect myself. I hope you caught the angst, and came out the other side appreciating Olive even more.

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