A/N: Apologies for the very long chapter, but I didn't feel like dividing it up into two chapters this time around.

Eddie re-dedicated herself to her therapy sessions with her grief counselor. With the counselor's help, she got connected to a local widow's support group. To Eddie's surprise, it wasn't just a group of elderly women, but a mix of young, old, and in-betweens who shared the laughter, the tears, and the support.

"I hooked up with an old boyfriend of mine," Eddie confessed to her new group of friends, a blush creeping to her face. "I won't lie, it was fun, but also very screwed-up."

"Eddie, honey," a woman piped up, "that man was taking advantage of you. Whether he meant to or not, that's what he did."

"Even if he did, I let him do it," Eddie declared. "I'm just as responsible because I took advantage of him, too, and that's not right, either."

In addition to therapy and meeting with her support group, Eddie had decided she was going to abstain from sex. If she went on a date, it would go no further than a goodnight hug or a chaste kiss on the cheek. She had given it away too freely in her younger days and so quickly again with Michael after Barry's death. Even her willingness to abstain from sex until marriage with Barry was done because she loved and respected Barry more so than she bought into the idea of virginity and all that went with that. So, in retrospect, it should have been no surprise to her that after Barry died and a new opportunity came a la Michael, she jumped right back into old habits. This newfound conviction came about the time she started attending church services again at First Baptist Church of the City of New York, the church where she and Barry attended.

"I'm not sure what I believe in anymore, spiritually," she confessed to Pastor Jeremy in a private pastoral counseling session. "But… I know I always felt at home here."

"Eddie, you are always welcome here," Pastor Jeremy said. "Of course, we will always preach the gospel here and what the Bible says, and we won't compromise on that."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Eddie said. "That's honestly what drew me to this place is that you guys aren't wishy-washy. You say what you mean and mean what you say… I just want you to know where my head is at right now."

Pastor Jeremy smiled.

"This is New York City," he said with a smile. "Trust me, Eddie, you're not the first one to come into my office not knowing where their head is at."

"So, it's not just police officers who deal with that?" she joked.

"Nope!" Pastor Jeremy said with a smile.

The smile faded as a thought came to him.

"Eddie," he said. "Would you mind if I prayed for you?"

Eddie was taken aback, but truly moved.

"I'd appreciate it."

Both bowed their heads and closed their eyes as Pastor Jeremy prayed on Eddie's behalf…

Kara woke up in the middle of the night, like clockwork, to go to the restroom. She got up as carefully as she could so she wouldn't wake Jamie. But something felt wrong. She felt woozy. Maybe it was something she ate for dinner?

She made it to the restroom, but lost balance, taking a glass vase off the bathroom counter with her and falling to the floor, glass all around her as she proceeded to throw up.

Jamie shot up in bed.

"Kara?"

"JAAAAAAMIEEEEEEE!"

"KARA!"

Kara threw up more.

"Call a…"

Kara threw up more, then screamed in agony.

"Something's wrong with the baby!" she cried. "Call a bus, now!"

Meanwhile, Eddie was riding solo in the graveyard shift when her radio squawked.

"Officer Janko, please respond."

Eddie picked up the radio.

"Dispatch, go ahead."

"We have a neighbor calling," the dispatcher reported, "about a domestic incident at 454 West 24th Street, Apartment 504. Loud screaming and pounding, possible breaking of glass."

That's Jamie and Kara's place
, she thought.

"Apologies, Dispatch, could you please repeat the address?" Eddie asked.

"454 West 24th Street, Apartment 504," Dispatch repeated.

"And it's a domestic disturbance?" Eddie clarified. "I repeat, a domestic disturbance?"

"Correct," Dispatch said.

There's just no way
, she thought. Just no way…

She steeled herself.

"10-4, Dispatch, show me responding," she said, hitting the lights…

In the Reagan apartment, Jamie cuddled a crying Kara in his lap, trying to ease her pain even though he knew he couldn't.

"Jamie," Kara said. "Jamie, look at me, please."

Jamie looked at his wife as she grabbed his hand.

"I love you so much," she said.

"I love you, too," Jamie said, trying not to cry.

"I… I need you to promise something, okay?"

"Anything!" he said.

"If it comes to saving me or the baby, you choose the baby."

Jamie was taken aback.

"Jamie," Kara said, "you and I both have seen situations like this. So, I need you to promise if it's me or the baby, the baby lives, okay?"

"I… I… I, uh…"

"Jamie, please tell me you understand."

Jamie nodded.

"Jamie, I need to hear you say it."

"I... I understand."

Tears flowed from his eyes.

"I love you so much," he said sobbing.

"I love you, too, Jamie," Kara said. "I love you so mu – "

Kara turned to throw up again, screaming in pain as she did.

*Boom Boom Boom*

"Police! Open up!"

Jamie's ears perked up as that voice sounded familiar.

He opened the door to see a stern looking Eddie determined to play it professional.

"We got a call about a – "

"EDDIEEEE!" Kara cried when she heard her friend. "HELLLLLPPP!"

Eddie pushed Jamie out of the way and sprinted towards her friend and stopped at what looked like black eyes and bloodied lips, not noticing the vomit or broken glass.

"Oh my God," she muttered.

She kneeled beside her friend.

"Tell me right now, sweetheart," she whispered. "Did Jamie do this?"

Kara moaned, crying, in too much pain to answer.

"You can tell me, sis," Eddie said.

"No," Kara mustered. "Went to bathroom. Vomiting… Can't stop… Baby in trouble…"

Kara opened her eyes wide as saucers.

"I'm dying, Eddie!" she whimpered. "Please save the baby!"

Eddie grabbed her radio.

"Dispatch, this is Janko! I'm at 454 West 24th Street, Apartment 504! Disregard domestic disturbance complaint! I repeat, disregard the domestic disturbance complaint! I need a bus forthwith for a police officer who is 36 weeks pregnant and in distress! Constantly vomiting, in excruciating pain! Baby might be in critical condition! Put a rush on the bus, now!"

"Copy that," Dispatch said.

Jamie kneeled beside his wife, holding her hand. Eddie looked at him just barely holding onto his own sanity.

"Jamie," Eddie said. "Jamie, look at me."

Jamie looked up at Eddie.

"Do you want to ride with me to the hospital? I'll lead the way for the bus to get her there safe."

"No," he rejected. "I want to be with her."

He grasped Kara's hand…

At St. Matthew's, Kara was hooked up to an IV with all kinds of wires attached to her belly and a vigilant Jamie by her side. The entire Reagan Family was in a private room with Eddie standing guard outside.

"They need a familiar face, right now," Renzulli told Eddie an hour earlier over the phone. "Unless they are family or a doctor, no one gets in that room. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Eddie said, resolute.

And, now, here Eddie stood. She couldn't help but think of Barry and how differently it could have been if she had found him and how she might have been in the hospital with him, holding onto his hand as he slowly faded away. Hoping against hope like Jamie was doing at that very moment.

Jamie came out in the hallway while doctors and nurses tended to his wife, his eyes red and puffy from crying.

"The baby is fine," he said hoarsely, "but… Kar… Kara… Oh God!"

Jamie buried his head in his hands as Eddie gently grabbed Jamie's free arm and gently led him to the room where the rest of the Reagans were.

Eddie opened the door.

Danny stood up, catching a collapsing Jamie. Danny quietly nodded his thanks as Eddie closed the door to give the family their privacy. She may have been family in the loose sense of the word to Jamie and Kara and the Reagans knew who she was, but this was literal family matters. She had no right to be in that room and she knew it.

And then the door opened.

"Officer Janko?" Sean asked with a trembling voice, trying not to cry.

"Yes, Sean?" Eddie asked, wanting to be of help to her honorary little bro.

"My Uncle Jamie wants you to hear this," he said, motioning with his head for her to come into the room.

Sean led Eddie into the room, closing the door behind her.

"She's lost a lot of fluid," Jamie rasped. "They have to get the baby out if it's going to survive. Kara's going down fast, she's not going to make it. As soon as they deliver the baby, it's maybe an hour after that before she…"

Jamie burst into tears.

Danny held his little brother. Having lost his own wife, he understood.

*Knock Knock Knock*

All heads turned to see who it was.

"I'll get it," Eddie said.

Eddie opened the door to see a nurse.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt," the nurse said, "but Mrs. Reagan is wanting to speak to… Eddie?"

"That's me," Eddie said, raising her hand.

"She needs to talk to you in private," the nurse said.

Eddie glanced at Jamie for permission and Jamie nodded.

"You need to brace yourself," the nurse warned Eddie as they walked to Kara's bed. "Mrs. Reagan is very weak and she looks it."

"Jamie, her husband, said after the baby is delivered, that Mrs. Reagan won't last for much longer than one hour," Eddie said. "Is that true?"

"Unfortunately, yes," the nurse said. "That's why we're trying to keep her as comfortable as possible."

"Does… Does she know?"

"Yes," the nurse answered.

Eddie exhaled.

The nurse opened the door.

"Hi, Kara," the nurse said pleasantly. "Eddie's here to see you as you requested."

Kara smiled weakly.

"Thank you so much," Kara rasped.

"I'll give you two some privacy," the nurse said as she left the room as closed the door.

Eddie choked back the tears and put on a brave face.

"Still causing trouble, huh?" she joked.

"You know me," Kara joked right back.

Kara tried to sit up, but couldn't, a look of horror coming to Eddie's face.

"Honey, no, don't sit up, it's okay," Eddie soothed. "I'll sit down here."

A beat passed between the two sisters from different misters as Eddie sat in a chair by Kara's bed.

"So, you know?" Kara asked.

"Yeah," was all Eddie could say, fighting back the tears.

"Eddie," Kara said matter-of-factly, "I'm going to ask you one last favor, okay?"

"Anything!" Eddie said.

Kara took a breath.

"I know…" she began, "that you and Jamie used to have feelings for each other."

Eddie opened her mouth to speak, but Kara held up her hand, smiling.

"It's okay," she said softly, placing a hand on Eddie's hand. "It's okay because I knew that going in. And I knew that, even though Jamie loves me with his entire heart, mind, and soul, you and him would always have a connection."

Kara swallowed.

"When the time is right," she continued, "for both of you, I think you two need to find your way back to each other."

"Kara, I – ".

"I know you're still processing Barry's death. I get that, I absolutely do… But Jamie has so much love to give and so do you!"

Kara placed a hand on her belly.

"My baby needs a mother, Eddie," she said.

Tears flowed from Eddie's eyes like raindrops.

"And I'm going to make sure that precious baby knows," she said, swallowing lumps in her throat, "about the momma that conceived it and carried it for nine months and loved it so much."

"I know you will," Kara said, tears falling like rain from her own eyes as well...

Eddie walked out of Kara's room to see Jamie waiting.

"She's asleep right now," Eddie told him.

"I'm going to go in and…" he said, trailing off.

Eddie nodded.

"I'm going to go back to stand watch," she said.

Eddie walked to the private room where the rest of the Reagans were.

"Eddie?" she heard Jamie say.

Eddie turned around.

Jamie walked up to her and embraced her, surrendering to the tears.

Eddie lightly kissed the side of his face.

"I am so sorry, Jamie," she said. "I am so, so sorry."

Jamie pulled away and nodded.

As she walked back to the private room the Reagans were in, she found herself ruminating over what might have been some of Kara's last words to her about her and Jamie. She glanced down the hall through the door window at Jamie, holding the hand of his soon-to-be-departed wife.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jamie looked and saw Eddie looking at him through the door window. He nodded. She nodded back.

"Ja… Jamie?"

"Kara, I'm right here," Jamie said, holding his wife's hand.

"Jamie," Kara said, "I need to talk to you…"