A/N: After this, only 2 chapters left...
Chapter 29: Home Sweet Home
Eddie, then Jamie are driving both cars back into Albany. They just enter the city limits when suddenly behind them the siren of an RMP sounds.
Jamie glances into the review mirror to see lights flashing right behind him "Oh you have got to be kidding me." He mutters unimpressed as he flashes his lights at Eddie up front and starts to pull over so heeding the signal, Eddie does the same "If this is her idea of a joke..." He warns having a sneaky suspicious they'll discover it's Caitlin in the RMP.
Jamie stops, shifts into park, turns The Chevelle off then just opens his door and gets out. He shuts his door then leans against it and crosses his arms and feet waiting when sure enough a second later the driver's door to the RMP opens and Caitlin steps out.
Jamie takes a deep calming breath "Officer Reagan." He calls annoyed as she starts to walk over to him at the same time Eddie walks to him from the other direction "You think this is funny using police time and resources to stop us as we enter the city when you should be out there responding to real calls?"
"Oh wasn't my idea!" Caitlin profusely rejects with an amused smile as she turns slightly and points back at the RMP where Jamie and Eddie both see Captain Avery open the passenger's side door of the RMP and get out.
Immediately Jamie pushes his body off his car and both he and Eddie straighten up a bit as the Captain begins to walk over.
"Um Sir." Jamie professionally and very seriously greets.
"Welcome to Albany Lieutenant." Avery greets Jamie before turning his attention to Eddie "Sergeant." He adds as he then holds their appropriate and new Albany Police Shield's out to them "Wanted to get these to you ASAP."
"Oh." Eddie notes in surprise as she and Jamie both take them "Um thank you Sir."
"Also wanted to give you these." Caitlin adds as she reaches into her pocket to pull out two sets of keys and hand one set to each of them. "I'm on tour so I don't want you sitting on the front porch locked out."
"Oh." Jamie accepts "Thank you."
Silence.
"Well we must be going." Captain Avery suddenly announces "Until a couple of new senior officers start…" He explains as he looks pointedly at Jamie and Eddie "…we are a bit shorthanded on supervisors so I'm pitching in. Feels good to get back out on the streets for a bit." He admits "You know keep in touch with the people. Be the boots on the ground."
Jamie and Eddie just look at the Captain as they both desperately try to keep straight faces "Right." Jamie agrees.
"Of course." Eddie accepts.
"Let's go Rookie Reagan." Avery commands as he turns and starts for the car leaving Caitlin to look at Jamie and frown "Thank you for that by the way." She lowly hisses to her 'uncle' "Because there is now two of us, I can't just be Reagan anymore."
"Well you gotta start somewhere." Jamie counters amused before knocking his head towards the RMP "Now off you go Rookie and that's an order."
"Like it wasn't one from the Captain?" Caitlin challenges before turning and hurrying to get back to the RMP.
"Oh…" Eddie breathes out "She's going to be a handful."
"Yup." Jamie wholeheartedly agrees before huffing out a little laugh "Pop would be so proud."
Eddie smiles "Yes he would."
"But we don't admit that to her." Jamie then seriously clarifies.
"God no, never." Eddie immediately agrees.
"Okay then." Jamie accepts "Let's go home."
…..
The door to the Albany Reagan home unlocks. A moment later Eddie opens the door, steps in and to the side making room for her husband behind her "Home sweet home." She announces as they both put the bags in their hands down to look around. Her eyes land on the row of family photos and she lets out a little laugh at the addition of a photo she wasn't expecting to see "Well that's new!" She quips as she moves forward to pick up a very familiar photo - one of the entire NYC Reagan Family taken at hers and Jamie's wedding to show it to her husband "Did you give this to her?"
A look of surprise appears on Jamie's face at the sight of it "No." He replies so husband and wife both take a moment to ponder how Caitlin could have gotten it and then at the same time, they come to the same conclusion "Erin." They state in unison.
Laughing Eddie puts the photo back down "You know, I half expected Alex or Heather to be here greeting us."
"I am." Alex suddenly states as he begins coming down the stairs from the second floor.
Startled, Jamie's hand instinctually moves to his off duty weapon around his waist as he and Eddie whip around to face him "Jesus." Jamie chides as he relaxes and drops his hand at the sight of his 'nephew' "Don't do that. That's a good way to get yourself shot."
Alex raises an eyebrow.
"Don't worry, we look before we shoot." Eddie promises "But yeah not a great idea to try to sneak up on cops."
Alex's face scrunches up "Who's sneaking around? I was upstairs and I came down when I heard voices – which I would like to point out I wasn't expecting to hear because I thought I was alone in the house so if anyone should be on edge here, it's me! How did you even get in?"
Eddie lifts the keys in her hand "Caitlin pulled us over on our way into the city and gave us these."
Alex rolls his eyes in annoyance "She could have told me that. Here I am, here, ready to let you in when you arrive because she's working and she doesn't bother telling me she already gave you your keys?"
Jamie cringes "Sorry."
Alex sighs "Not your fault." He mumbles before plastering a big smile on his face "Welcome!" he then enthusiastically greets trying to get back on track of how he wanted their arrival to go "May I take your bags?" He cordially offers in hospitality.
Jamie and Eddie both chuckle.
"Oh did you leave little chocolates on our pillows too?" Eddie hopefully quips in amusement.
Jamie turns to look at his wife "I hope it's the little mint ones." He adds getting in on the fun.
"Oh yes!" Eddie agrees in eager anticipation.
"No." Alex deadpans unamused "But I did check all the mouse traps."
The smiles immediately drop from Jamie and Eddie's face.
Getting the reaction he was hoping for Alex laughs "Kidding!" He promises "Well kind of…" he then admits "IF…" he emphasizes "…they come in, it's into the basement - old foundation you know…" he explains "…so we always set up traps down there this time of year as a precaution but like I said – so far no bites."
Jamie sighs "Well Albany mice must be smaller than New York City rats right?"
"Here's hoping." Eddie mumbles as Alex nods in confirmation. "Great." Eddie sighs out "Guess you are going to need to show me where all those are so I can check them."
"You?" Alex questions in surprise.
"He's…" Eddie explains as she hooks a thumb in her husband's direction "… afraid of mice."
"Hey!" Jamie unhappily protests "I am not! And you're pregnant." He reminds his wife "You aren't going anywhere NEAR a mouse trap." He definitively decides.
"Oh yeah, congratulations by the way!" Alex happily offers at the reminder of the great news "If you need any advice or have any questions just let me or Heather know! We can tell you ALL about the ups and downs of having a baby!"
For a moment Jamie and Eddie look at Alex in realization that while they were older, Alex and Heather were indeed more experienced in this one aspect of life…
"We might just take you up on that." Eddie admits.
Alex smiles.
…..
After her tour that night, Caitlin yawns as she pulls into the driveway of her house but when she sees lights on, she can't help but smile – it had been a long time since she came home to someone else there…
She pulls the car to a stop, turns it off, gets out and hurries up the path…
…
Inside the house, Jamie is walking out of the kitchen through the front foyer heading towards the living room with 2 mugs in his hands when the front door swings wide open, Caitlin appears and she enthusiastically calls "I'M HOME!"
On instinct Jamie's entire body ducks a little bit startled before spinning to face the door "Jesus, why do you all insist on scaring the crap out of us our first night here?" he chides.
"Huh?" Caitlin queries confused.
"Alex." Eddie explains as she enters the front foyer from the living room and takes one cup out of her husband's hands "Heads up, he's not very happy you didn't tell him you gave us our keys."
Caitlin cringes "Right." She notes "Is he still here?" she apprehensively inquires.
"No." Eddie replies.
Caitlin visibly relaxes in relief and moves to shut the door "So!" She eagerly quips as she turns to face her new housemates "You settling in okay? You find everything? Do you have any questions?"
"Yes. Yes. And no." Jamie methodically replies.
"Perfect!" Caitlin replies before a yawn comes over her again so she starts for the stairs "Well I've got an early tour tomorrow so lock up would you – night."
Jamie's face scrunches up "Wait aren't you just getting off tour now?" He questions as he looks at his watch noting the lateness.
"Yes." Caitlin confirms as she climbs.
"Then how do you have an early shift tomorrow?" Eddie calls after her in equal confusion.
"What are you asking me for?" Caitlin calls back "I don't make the schedule! I just show up when they tell me too." She adds before disappearing from view.
For a moment Jamie and Eddie silently just watch her go, then Eddie defiantly crosses her arms "It's my job to make the schedule now right?"
"Yup." Jamie confirms.
"Great." Eddie accepts as she moves to the bottom of the stairs and calls up "ARE YOU ABLE TO ELECTRONICALLY SEND ME YOUR CURRENT SCHEDULE?"
A few moments later Eddie's phone dings with a message. She pulls it out to open the message from Caitlin. She reads and then a moment later breathes out "Oh hell no, not under my watch. Jamie look at this!" She insists as she turns her phone around for her husband to see "This is an accident waiting to happen! Why isn't their PBA rep challenging this?"
Jamie frowns a bit at his wife's overzealous attitude "Eddie, let's not overreact here…"
Eddie looks incredulously at her husband "Overreact?" she challenges.
"Eddie, we don't have all the facts yet and you need to remember you're a boss now…"
"I know that!"
"Then take a breath." Jamie prompts "The last thing you want to do on Monday is show up and start making radical changes."
Eddie's mouth drops open "Because you didn't do that when you moved to the 2-9?"
"That was different." Jamie dismisses.
"How?"
"I was brought in to help clean that house up and that isn't the case here - look let's just get the lay of the land first so we know what we are dealing with okay? Once we have that then we can strategize."
"Fine." Eddie begrudgingly relents.
…..
The next day, after running all their errands and settling in, Jamie and Eddie sit on the porch of the house sipping from cups as they take in the neighborhood they will now be living in when they see Caitlin's car pull into the driveway.
"She's ho-home." Jamie amusingly sing songs.
Eddie throws her husband a little side warning look at the same time she huffs out a bit of a laugh "Play nice." She admonishes.
"I always play nice." Jamie tosses back as both he and Eddie stand and wait so they can greet Caitlin as she walks up.
"Hey did you check the mail?" Caitlin eagerly queries upon arrival.
"Um no." Jamie admits.
Caitlin gives Jamie a "well what good are you look." before moving to the box herself.
Eddie moves behind her husband "Play nice." She whispers in reiteration.
In response, Jamie silently turns to look back at his wife and shoot her a look before stepping forward to open the door so they can all enter the house.
He enters first, then Eddie and Caitlin brings up the rear as she sorts through the mail in her hands "Bill, bill, bill…" She mutters before pausing as she looks at an envelope.
"Here." She suddenly prompts as she leans forward and just thrusts all the bills at Jamie's chest "Your turn to pay these anyway." She decides only keeping the one envelope that has garnered her interest.
"How is it our turn?" Jamie challenges as he has no choice but to quickly reach up with his one free hand to hold them against him while setting his coffee down on a flat surface with the other so he can use both hands to properly take the mail "We JUST moved in!"
But Caitlin isn't listening. She's too focused on ripping open the envelope and pulling out the letter inside. Her eyes quickly scan the contents reading.
A few moments later Caitlin let's out a triumphant "HAH! I am officially a Reagan!" She declares out in joy to Jamie and Eddie.
After setting down the rest of mail he was forced to take, Jamie raises a challenging eyebrow at her.
"Okay well I've always been a Reagan." Caitlin corrects "But now…" She declares with a big bright smile as she holds the letter out to Jamie "I'm your kind of Reagan!"
Jamie reaches out, takes the letter himself to read and when he does, he sees that Caitlin does indeed share DNA with Joe and Sean so he looks up and heavily sighs "Yeah…" he tells his wife in the ultimate defeat "There is no getting rid of her now."
"HEY!" Caitlin unhappily protests.
Jamie cracks a smile "I'm kidding." He promises before joking again "Because at least that means I get Alex and Quinn too and that kid is cute."
Unimpressed, Caitlin's mouth drops open and then she scoffs "What are you talking about? I'm cute! In fact…" She arrogantly decides "I'm downright adorable!"
"You're a handful." Jamie corrects.
"Yeah well if anyone here should be having second thoughts about getting absolute proof that we are related…" Caitlin counters "…it's me because now that you know that we are officially family you are going to even MORE overbearing and not let me get away with anything!"
Jamie looks at Caitlin in absolute disbelief "The fact that you know you are 'getting away' with things." he argues back "Means you know you shouldn't be doing them in the first place!"
Watching the exchange, Eddie sighs "It's adorable watching you two try to pretend you are both not over the moon happy about this."
Jamie and Caitlin turn to look at Eddie and as they do Caitlin lifts her hand and points at Jamie "He started it."
Eddie rolls her eyes.
"No he literally started this." Caitlin defends. "The undercover op was his idea."
Jamie turns his attention back to Caitlin "You say that like it was a bad thing!"
"Stop putting words in my mouth!" Caitlin shoots back.
Eddie brings her hands to her temples and rubs them a bit while mumbling "Why do I get the sneaking suspicion that I'm looking at a preview of the next 18 years?"
Again Caitlin and Jamie turn to look at Eddie.
"Huh?" Caitlin queries.
"What?" Jamie asks confused.
Eddie looks up "You mean you don't see it? Of course you don't see it." She then deduces "Jamie, you're treating her like she's some naïve teenager you have to teach right from wrong too instead of being a grown ass woman that carries a gun for a living."
"Hah." Caitlin smugly boasts.
"AND YOU!" Eddie emphasizes as she turns her attention to Caitlin "You purposefully try to egg him on just to see how far you can push him! Wait..." Eddie then realizes "You're both Reagans, of course that's what you do, I don't know why I even bothered pointing it out – in fact never mind, forget I said anything, just carry on – I'm going to take a nap."
Jamie and Caitlin silently watch Eddie leave then Jamie turns to look at Caitlin "She's pregnant." He states feeling he needs to explain why she's going to take a nap.
Caitlin rolls her eyes "No really? I had NOOOOOO idea."
"Well you don't need to get snarky over it."
"And you don't need to mansplain things to me!"
"Mansplain?" Jamie repeats right as the doorbell rings.
Standing closest to the door, Caitlin reaches back to open it while reiterating "Yes mansplain!" before she and Jamie both turn their attention to the door to, for Jamie, see some guy he doesn't know standing there and for Caitlin her eyes to go wide in remembrance "Crap." She apologetically breathes out "What that today?" she asks of the guy standing there.
The guy on the other side of the door heavily sighs "You forgot didn't you?"
Caitlin sheepishly cringes "Sorry." She apologizes "Give me 5 minutes and we can go."
Realizing Caitlin must have a date, a protective feeling comes over Jamie so he loudly clears his throat and eyes this strange guy up and down.
"Right." Caitlin mutters as she steps out of the way "Uncle Jamie, Kyle. Kyle, my Uncle Jamie."
"Uncle Jamie?" Kyle questions in complete surprise as Jamie takes a step towards the door "When did you get an uncle?"
"He's new." Caitlin flippantly dismisses while starting for the stairs "Just talk amongst yourselves, back in a flash!" She promises before disappearing onto the second floor and as she does Jamie steps right into the doorway blocking the entrance into the house.
He again eyes Kyle up and down causing Kyle to get a bit uncomfortable "Um hi." He greets "Caitlin and I are old friends from school." He adds suddenly feeling the need to explain…
"Hmmm." Jamie muses as he continues to size Kyle up.
"Um…" Kyle hesitates "Can I come in?" he requests but instead of stepping aside or even answering the guy Jamie simply flips his hand out "Driver's license." He requests.
A little confused by the request, Kyle just looks at Jamie.
"Driver's license." Jamie simply but yet a bit more forcefully reiterates so slowly, Kyle pulls out his wallet "Why do you need my driver's license?" Kyle questions as he takes out the card and hands it to Jamie.
Jamie in turn takes it, pulls his phone out and snaps a picture of it. "Thank you." He states before he hands it back "Now I can run your name through the system and I'll know where to find you if you ever hurt her."
Kyle just blinks his eyes at Jamie in stunned shock.
…..