A/N: Surprise! Extra chapter this week - and probably next week too... Enjoy! And to the guest reviewer that outlined an entire season of events for Erin. All I can say is wow - are you sure YOU don't want to write that story? You should give it a try, you already have the outline - seriously, you should try it! :)

Chapter 8: Protection Duty

Watching over Carmen who is just off to the side in the other room in a safe house, Danny and Maria are lounging around when Maria's cell phone rings. She pulls it out to see her nanny calling "Hey everything okay?" she immediately greets upon answering.

"I know you're on special assignment and I agreed to stay with Elena until you're finished…" the nanny begins to quickly ramble in a panic "…but I just got a call that my mom was taken to the hospital. I… I need to go and I tried calling your mother and sister but they can't watch Elena so I don't know what to do here…"

"Okay, okay..." Maria soothes "Slow down."

"What's wrong?" Danny whispers to his partner so Maria removes the phone from her ear slightly so she can cover the mic with her hand "Elena's nanny's mom just got taken to the hospital." She reveals "She called my mom and sister but neither one can take Elena and knowing I'm stuck here, she's panicking a little…"

"Okay, I'll take care of it." Danny decides as he motions for his partner to give him her phone.

"Danny…" Maria hesitates "What are you…"

"Just give me the phone!" Danny insistently demands.

"Okay!" Maria relents feeling she has no choice as she hands it over.

"Hi." Danny sweetly greets into the device "It's Danny Reagan here, you remember me? Great." He accepts when he gets a positive response over the phone "I can take care of your problem - here's what I'm going to need you to do..."

….

Garrett, Abby and Sid all sit across from Frank at his desk in his office.

"So she didn't know?" Abby asks in surprise.

"No!" Frank replies "At least I don't think so." He hesitantly adds "It didn't sound like it." He tacks on in confusion but also wonder.

"Wow." Garrett states "I thought you Reagan's were all about family."

"We are." Frank admits.

"Yeah." Sid agrees "Which is why I can't see Jamie keeping this from his inlaws."

Frank waivers "Except things with Eddie and her parents are… complicated." He decides "I just don't know – do I stay out of it? Do I say something to Jamie or Eddie? Warn them I inadvertently spoiled their news?"

The dream team all apprehensively look at one another but remain silent.

"Well say something!" Frank demands "You are my team of advisors – advise!"

"I don't think 'spoil' would be the right word." Garrett carefully states "Eddie has been pregnant for months now."

"Yeah." Abby chimes in in agreement "It kind of sounds like maybe she didn't… want to tell them?" she hesitatingly offers.

Sid looks at Abby then at Frank "Could that be true boss?"

Frank sighs "I have no idea." He honestly admits in defeat. He was no closer to deciding on what he should do.

Suddenly the office door opens and Nuciforo appears "Boss, we've got a situation."

And just like that it's back to work and all thoughts of any personal problems are pushed aside.

…..

Jamie opens his apartment door to head out to work but abruptly stops at the sight of both his mother and father in law standing there – Lena with her hand up about ready to knock and his eyes go a bit wide "Um… hi." He greets in confused surprise at what they could be doing there so early on a work day before turning his head backwards into the apartment "EDDIE!" He calls "IT'S FOR YOU!"

A second later Eddie comes out from the archway "What's for me?" She asks confused.

Jamie sidesteps letting his in laws in "Your parents." He clarifies as he gestures to the door.

At his words, now Eddie's eyes go wide "Um hi." She a bit awkwardly greets as her parents step into view and she immediately tries to inconspicuously cross her arms over her now slightly protruding belly "We ah… weren't expecting you!"

"I bet." Armin states.

"Expecting." Lena notes as she looks at her daughter's abdomen to indeed see the outline of a little bump "Interesting choice of words. Trying to hide the evidence are you?" Lena then unhappily accuses as she gestures at her daughter's crossed arms "How could you not tell us you are pregnant?!"

For the second time in a less than a minute, Jamie's eyes again go wide in surprise at this mother in law's statement so he takes a step towards his wife "You didn't tell them?" he tries to lowly whisper in disbelief.

"I was getting to it!" Eddie sharply defends to her husband.

Jamie shuffles himself around in a circle to hide the fact that he his is now heavily rolling his eyes at the hot water his wife's procrastination has clearly gotten them into while Eddie looks directly at her parents unhappy that someone else 'spilled the beans' to them "How did you find out?"

Lena gives her daughter another unhappy look then turns her full attention to Jamie "I was talking with your Father, Francis about an unrelated matter and he, assuming that I ALREADY KNEW…" She emphasizes as she turns to glare at her daughter "Let it slip! I mean really Edit!" She admonishes "Can you imagine how I felt having to hear that my own daughter is pregnant from your husband's father! How embarrassing! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Us." Armin quickly jumps in to correct.

"Us." Lena repeats "Why didn't you tell us?"

Eddie sighs in regret "I'm sorry." She sincerely apologizes "I was going to tell you I swear it's just things have been busy and…"

"Yeah, uh huh. Sure." Lena rejects "No, it's fine. Truly." She then sarcastically adds as she lays on one hell of a guilt trip.

"Wait." Jamie pipes up as a thought hits him so he turns his attention to his wife "How did you get your chair if you didn't tell them?"

Eddie turns to glare at her husband with eyes that demand he shut up.

"What chair?" Lena inquires.

"No chair." Jamie immediately backtracks in compliance with his wife's demand.

Lena eyes Jamie then again turns to her daughter "What." She flatly demands "Chair?"

Eddie heavily sighs "My old high chair from when I was a baby."

Armin's eyes show shock "We still had that?"

"It was in the storage locker." Eddie explains.

"We have a storage locker?" Armin asks in even more surprise.

"No, not we." Lena corrects "Eddie and I have a storage locker."

"Oh." Armin breathes out.

"Wait, I didn't know that either." Jamie chimes in in surprise as he now gives his wife a 'WTH' confused look.

"It's really Mom's locker." Eddie mumbles back to her husband "I just have the back up key."

"But I thought you got that chair from your parents…" Jamie presses "You know..." He challenges "...when you told them we were expecting a baby!"

"Well I didn't." Eddie mumbles disgruntled before looking at her mother trying to change the subject "You really should clean that unit out – there is a lot of crap in there."

"What else is in that unit?" Armin curiously inquires.

"Crap nobody needs." Eddie replies "Were you not just listening to me?"

"Well clearly it's not all crap since you took your high chair." Lena defends before looking around the apartment for it "Where is it anyway?"

Eddie cringes knowing the answer is just going to further aggravate the situation "Jamiesdadshouse." She quickly mumbles out.

Lena narrows her eyes at her daughter "I'm sorry." Lena unhappily queries "Say that again - slower this time." She warns.

Eddie heavily sighs before letting out a much more clear and audible "Jamie's Dad's house."

For a second, both Eddie and Jamie could swear they see a flash of true hurt in Lena's eyes "Oh." She simply breathes out.

"Look I was going to tell you." Eddie regretfully swears "I just... I wanted to do it in person and…" She tries to explain but then giving up she just outright apologizes "I'm sorry. I should have told you so Mom, Dad, Jamie and I are expecting. I'm due June 13. Surprise!" She tries to happily tack on at the end.

"June 13." Lena repeats as she does the math in her head "So you've been pregnant for… okay wow." She just finishes in disbelief "And you couldn't find one opportunity to tell us? NOT ONE?!"

Jamie had always been one to let Eddie fight her own battles but she was pregnant and she didn't need the stress so he steps into the conversation – literally - as he steps right in front of his wife to face off with his in laws "Okay look, I get it. You're upset. I would be too but what's done is done, you know now and Eddie doesn't need the stress so either accept what has happened and move on with the promise that I will personally guarantee you will now be kept in the loop or there's the door." He finishes with a point of his finger.

Behind him Eddie unhappily crosses her arms "You will 'personally' guarantee?" She mocks causing Jamie to turn his upper body backwards and now be the one to glare at his wife "Work with me here." He lowly chides.

Still unhappy but getting what he is saying, Eddie simply gestures with her hand for her husband to continue so Jamie turns back to face his in laws.

"So what's it going to be?" he straight up queries.

Armin shrugs "Fine by me." He accepts so Jamie turns his attention to his mother in law.

"Lena?"

Lena heavily sighs "Fine." She begrudgingly grumbles out.

Jamie tilts his head slightly at his mother in law "That didn't sound very convincing there Lena." He challenges "Did you want to try that again?" he prompts causing Armin to huff out a laugh "Boy you're clearly going to make a great Dad."

"Yes." Lena confirms in approval "He's already got the guilt trip down pact."

"So is that a yes?" Jamie presses at Lena's deflection.

"And the focus to not get easily side tracked too!" Lena points out with a laugh.

Jamie takes in a deep breath of air and tries one more time to get the answer he is looking for from his mother in law by giving her a very serious pointed look.

"Okay yes fine." Lena relents "I forgive you as long as we are kept in the loop from now on."

"You will be." Jamie promises and even though Jamie is amicable handling the situation Eddie, now feeling a bit left out, steps forward while lightly pushing her husband out of the way "Go make deals with your own family." She chides her husband to which Jamie - not to be deterred - quickly retorts with "I thought they were my family?" he emphasizes.

"Oh you know what I mean." Eddie quickly tosses back before focusing her attention on her parents.

"Mom, Dad, I promise, from now on, I will keep you in the loop."

Not really believing her daughter, Lena crosses her arms "Sure you will." She mockingly accepts before looking at Jamie "I look forward to hearing from you."

Eddie throws her hands up in the air in defeat.

"Well you can't really blame them." Jamie defends of his mother in law to his wife.

Eddie's mouth drops open "Who's side are you on?"

"The entire family's." Jamie arrogantly returns as he circles his hand around indicating all of them "Sue me. I like peace."

"Hah!" Eddie loudly huffs out as she places her hands on her hips and squares off with her husband "Have you even met your own family?"

"You mean your family too?" Jamie quickly challenges.

"Stop being logical." Eddie huffs out.

"Can't." Jamie rejects "It's in my blood - your blood too now that you are carrying my child so you better just accept it."

Eddie narrows her eyes at her husband "You…" She huffs out as she points a warning finger at him.

"Are right?" Jamie arrogantly finishes.

"I hate you." Eddie tosses back.

An arrogant dismissive look appears on Jamie's face and he begin to shake his head in rejection "No, you…" He begins to correct but knowing exactly where he is about to go, Eddie cuts him off

"Oh do not say I love you because you know I love you but it's a figure of speech Jamie…." She rambles in exasperated frustration "…because sometimes you are soooo annoying!"

But Jamie just can't help himself…

"You love me." He a bit flippantly finishes anyway causing Eddie to huff out a breath of air at him proving her exact point.

The entire time Jamie and Eddie were bantering Lena and Armin just kept silently looking back and forth between them in awe.

"Okay well we need to be going." Lena suddenly decides.

"Yup." Armin quickly agrees as both of Eddie's parents make a beeline for the door.

"Talk later!" Lena sings as she swings the door open, steps out with Armin quickly following.

"Yup, later!" Armin agrees with one last look at his daughter and son in law where he flashes a smile before just quickly shutting the door behind him and as the soon to be new grandparent's walk away they talk

"She's glowing." Armin can't help but happily note.

"And did you see how protective Jameson was of her?" Lena giddily gushes "That's all I've ever wanted for our baby!"

"Our baby who's having a baby!" Armin adds in amazed awe.

"EEEEE!" Lena squeals in a delight "I have sooo much shopping to do!"

..

Back inside the apartment Jamie and Eddie just silently stare at the closed door.

"Well I think that went well." Eddie finally decides.

"Yup." Jamie agrees before turning his head to look at his wife "But seriously, why didn't you tell them?"

Eddie heavily sighs "I guess I was just trying to delay the inevitable."

"Which is?"

Eddie turns her head to look at her husband "You'll understand when random packages of anything and everything baby related start showing up at our door."

Not really believing his wife Jamie frowns at her pessimism when suddenly his phone dings in his pocket. He pulls it out to see a text from Lena "Um your mother wants to know if we know if it's a boy or girl yet." He announces before he simply begins to type that they are waiting until the baby is born to find out in reply and as he does a smug look appears on Eddie's face.

"See." Eddie righteously notes.

"See what?" Jamie counters as he hits send.

"She wants to know what to shop for." Eddie explains "A boy or a girl."

Jamie's phone dings again.

Again Jamie looks at it "She says okay she'll go with… green." He slowly finishes in defeat as he realizes his wife is right.

A 1000 watt smile appears on Eddie's face "SEE!" She repeats in triumph before smugly adding "Oh and she'll also probably now be bombarding you will text messages about this, that and everything under the sun baby related but hey! You volunteered to be her point of contact so… good luck with that!"

Jamie heavily sighs in resignment "I gotta go or I'll be late for my own raid."

"Yup." Eddie agrees "I'll see you after. Love you – be safe."

"Love you too." Jamie returns as he leans over and gives his wife a quick kiss on her cheek before heading out the door himself and Eddie heads back through the archway towards the bedroom.

….

Erin is in her office when she hears a knock on her door. She looks up to see a woman she doesn't recognize standing there with a stroller with a toddler in it and a couple of large bags slung over her shoulders "Um Hi excuse me." The woman greets "Are you Erin Reagan?"

"Yes." Erin hesitantly replies as she stands "Sorry do I know you? Do we have an appointment?"

"No." the woman flat out admits as she just starts to barrel inside with the stroller and begins dumping the bags on the first flat surface she sees "But this is Elena Baez – I'm her nanny…" She quickly explains "…but my mom just got rushed to the hospital so your brother told me to bring her here to you… "

"Wait what?" Erin apprehensively questions in shock.

"He said if you have any questions to call him." The nanny rushes out as she starts to back out of the office.

"Wait where are you going?" Erin calls in a panic now trying to stop her "You can't just leave her here!"

But it was no use the woman was gone…

Absolutely flabbergasted at what just happened, Erin turns to look at the stroller to see Elena oblivious to everything as she plays with a toy.

Now wondering what the hell she is supposed to do, Erin rushes for her desk, swipes up her cellphone and makes a call.

"Danny!" She demands the second her call is answered.

A huge smile plays on Danny's face at the sound of his sister's agitated voice "Oh hello sis, what's up?"

"What's up?" Erin indigently repeats "WHAT'S UP?! I am trying to work over here!" Erin rants "I can't watch this child!"

"Her name is Elena." Danny calmly reiterates "Say it with me now – E-LAAAN-AH." he sweetly elgonates causing Maria to bury her face in her hands now regretting she ever agreed to this cockamamie plan "And hey, my partner can't go home and take care of her daughter herself because we are here..." he adds as he leans over to check and make sure Carmen isn't listening "BABYSITTING FOR YOU." He quietly but quite forcefully reminds his sister.

Erin takes a deep unhappy breath "Danny..." She warns.

"Erin." Danny authoritatively butts in "What do we always say about family?"

Immediately Erin's eye narrow, now knowing exactly what he's trying to do "Oh you..."

"What do we say Erin?" Danny insistently prompts "Come on..."

Erin groans "Family comes first." she reluctantly admits.

"That's right." Danny smugly agrees "And my partner is family."

"Danny..." Erin sighs annoyed.

"Erin…" Danny interrupts "If this was say 15-20 years ago and I or Linda had an emergency like this you'd look after Sean and Jack without hesitation right?"

Again Erin takes in a deep breath of air "Right." She begrudgingly admits.

"So please just do this." Danny soothingly reasons "We look after your girl and you look after ours."

Erin's eyes go a little wide at her brother's choice of words "Ours?" She repeats right as Danny watches Maria's head snap up to look at him in shock.

"Baez's." Danny quickly corrects "Baez's girl."

"Yeah. Uh huh right." Erin muses with a smirk as she glances over at Elena right as Elena happens to look up and meet her eye "Hi Elena…" she pleasantly greets the little girl while talking right into the phone "I'm your new Aunt Erin." She states with the sole purpose of ribbing her brother.

Now it's Danny's turn to heavily sigh "Erin…" he warns.

"Oh you just watch my girl and I'll watch yours!" Erin sings in amusement "Bye!" She giddily adds before simply hanging up, tossing her phone on her desk and stepping towards the young girl.

She unbuckles her then lifts her out of the stroller "Oh my you are precious aren't you? Yeah." she both queries and decides as she settles the girl on her hip "Now what you got there?" She asks Elena as she strikes up a conversation with her about her toy.

…

Danny sighs as he hangs up his phone knowing he is now never going to hear the end of this and honestly – he wasn't sure that was a bad thing…

"OUR girl?" Maria immediately questions in disbelief.

Danny turns his head to look at his partner "What?" He challenges "I got her to do it didn't I?"

For a moment Maria just stares at her partner but then realization hits her "Wow." She laughs "Nicely played!"

Danny flippantly shrugs it off "Whatever works."

"You know you are never going to hear the end of this now right?" Maria notes.

"You know I was just thinking the same thing." Danny a bit playfully returns when suddenly there is an unexpected knock on the door so instantly Danny and Maria flip into professional mode as they draw their weapons and move to the door "Who's there?" Danny cautiously demands…

...