The next morning, Eddie awoke to the sunrise breaking through over the New York City skyline. She sat up in her bed, naked as she was last night. She looked and a sleeping Michael lay beside her.

She carefully got up so as not to wake up her overnight guest, quietly slipping on a fresh pair of panties and a robe. She made her way to the kitchen to brew a fresh pot of coffee for her and Michael. As the coffee brewed, she thought about last night and smiled.

Michael was a complete gentleman, asking, "Is this okay?" before he would touch her in a certain place or kept kissing a certain delicate body part, be above or below the waist.

Likewise, Eddie also asked Michael, "Is this okay?" before she would touch a body part here or caress a body part there. Old boyfriend or no, consent was a two-way street, and she took it seriously.

The morning after held a slight twinge of guilt, though, as she thought about Barry.

Was this too soon?

She knew Barry wouldn't want her to be a grieving widow for the rest of her life. She was still a relatively young woman in her thirties and if the shoe was on the other foot, if she had gotten killed in the line of duty, she would never want him to grieve for the rest of his life. She would want him to find love again.

Also, if she was honest, their marriage got cut short before it had a chance to really take off. Six months is barely a blip on the radar.

And yet, she still felt guilty.

At the same time, for the first time in almost four going on five months, she felt alive.

"Good morning."

Eddie jumped.

Michael raised his hands defensively, standing in his boxers.

"Sorry," he said with a smile.

Eddie gave her guest the once-over and an appreciative smile.

"Do not ever apologize…"

She kissed him on the lips.

"For looking this good at 5:30 in the morning."

"Well," he said, "you look pretty good yourself."

Eddie motioned at her body from head to toe.

"This body is only good as the company it keeps," she said.

She kissed his cheek.

"And I…"

She kissed his neck.

"Had amazing company last night."

She kissed his chest.

*Bing*

The coffee had finished brewing.

"I know your thermos isn't here, but at least let me get you a cup," Eddie said.

"Thanks," Michael said.

Eddie turned around with a cup in hand to see him lost in thought.

"You okay?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

Michael put the cup of coffee down on the kitchen counter.

"I'm not ashamed of us," he said, gesturing between the two of them. "I'm not ashamed of what happened last night. It was beautiful."

Eddie smiled.

"It was," she concurred.

"But…" he sighed.

Eddie knew where he was going and nodded.

"It's complicated," Eddie finished with her own sigh.

"It's absolutely your call how you want to do this," Michael said. "I'm fine keeping this on the down-low and no one at the precinct knows about us. We'd have to be extra careful, but we could do it if that's what you wanted."

Eddie exhaled the whirlwind.

"I'm not going to lie," she confessed, "that does sound appealing, but I don't want to hide."

She paused.

"I want to go to Renzulli and tell him about us so he won't partner us together out on the streets," she said. "I also want to let Jamie and Kara know."

Michael raised an eyebrow.

"Jamie and Kara are family to me," Eddie explained. "They were right there by my side when Barry and I got into a car accident and they left their honeymoon and showed up at my old place when Barry was killed, remember?"

Michael nodded.

"I just…" Michael trailed off.

"What?" Eddie asked.

"I remember hearing the rumors that you and Jamie were…"

Eddie raised her eyebrow.

"You believed those rumors?" she asked.

"No, because I knew you better than that and I shut them down every chance I could," Michael said.

Eddie smiled.

"But it was obvious you two had a thing for each other back then," Michael said. "And I know you and him still have a… Connection."

Eddie nodded.

"We did have a thing for each other," she admitted, "and we should have cut that out way back when, but we were dumb and let it fester until I chose Barry and it blew up in mine and Jamie's face. But we worked it out, Jamie fell head over heels for Kara and the only connection Jamie and I have now is the respect we have for one another as friends and partners on the job."

"I just… Don't want to accidentally trip a landmine," Michael said.

"You won't," Eddie assured him.

She picked up his coffee.

"Now drink some coffee," she ordered.

Michael took the cup.

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a wink and a smile as he sipped his cup o' joe. "Mmmm, that's good."

Eddie stood there, arms crossed and smiling.

"What?" an amused Michael asked in between sips.

"Nothing!" she said with a giggle. "Just enjoying the view."

His coffee finished, he put it down on the counter and wrapped his arms around Eddie's hips as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Well, I definitely enjoyed the view last night," he said.

"I'll bet you did," she teased.

He pulled her in for a tender kiss, his coffee-stained lips and tongue dancing with hers.

"But now I gotta go," he said quickly as he pulled away and went back to Eddie's bedroom to get dressed.

Eddie smiled.

"Duty calls," he said as he put on his clothes…

Across town, Kara Reagan was feeling all eight months of her pregnancy as she woke up to go pee yet again.

"Why do you do this to me, Little One?" she scolded the baby inside her.

As she finished and left the bathroom, she saw Jamie was up.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"No big deal," Jamie assured her, "I need to get up, anyway. Got Roll Call at 8AM."

"If my last month of pregnancy has been any indication, we are so screwed," Kara declared with a shake of the head and a grimace.

Jamie chuckled.

"Well, whatever it is, we'll handle it," he said, extending his arms out. "Come here."

Jamie embraced his wife.

"Sorry I'm such a whiner," she said.

"It's okay," Jamie comforted. "I still think you're hot and I'd have sex with you right now if I could."

Kara burst out laughing. She grabbed her phone and pretended to dial a number.

"Hello, Sarge?" she mocked. "Yeah, hi, this is Officer Walsh. I'm calling in on behalf on my husband who won't be coming in today… Why? Oh, because he's on drugs."

"You joke," he said, "but I find you attractive no matter what you look like."

"Awww, you're sweet," Kara said, "but we had sex two nights ago and that's all the energy I have now so it's going to be at least another night before you get some."

Jamie pouted playfully.

Kara sighed.

"I'll tell you what," Kara said, eyebrows raised, "if you behave yourself for the rest of the morning, mayybeee tonight when you get home, someone might be in the shower and might feel human again and might smell good and if her husband joined her, she might be willing to spread her legs for her man because…"

She cupped Jamie's face with both of her hands and tenderly kissed him.

"She loves it when she knows she's desired… But only if you behave, Officer Reagan!"

Jamie raised his right hand solemnly.

"Scout's honor."

Kara kissed him on the cheek.

"Good boy," she said with a slap on his butt. "Now go!"

As Jamie drove to the precinct, he looked across the street to the apartment complex where Eddie now lived. He saw a man he was almost certain didn't live there, Michael Daniels, an officer from the 1-2.

Strange, Jamie thought. Maybe he was visiting family overnight or seeing a girlfriend. Oh well, none of his business, anyway.

Eddie came out behind Michael.

"Hey!" she said.

Michael turned around.

She kissed him passionately.

Eyes wide, Jamie sunk down in his seat so as to keep from view.

Michael and Eddie pulled a part.

"Be safe out there, alright?" Eddie said.

"I will," Michael assured her.

As Michael walked away, Eddie looked on, clearly smitten.

Jamie hung low in his seat until Eddie was back inside her apartment complex.

Jamie sat there, stunned.

"Wow."