Pillow Talk

Absolute Power - B

Eddie slammed the door hard as she entered the apartment with Jamie. How could she have been so stupid! She had just started to believe that her father was a victim! He was running drugs and being the same kind of crook he had always been!

"Eddie," Jamie sighed as he tried to get a hold of girlfriend. "Eddie, please just stop." Jamie was finally able to grab her arm and pull her in close. "Stop...Breathe..."

"Breathe," Eddie echoed. "What are you? A yoga instructor?"

"Eddie, stop it!" Jamie commanded. "I know you are angry, but I am not the enemy here."

"Oh, no? Then what were you and Armin talking about after I left the room in tears huh? You left me in the damn waiting room crying my eyes out! Why is it when I want you around you're off being a boy scout and when I want to be left alone you are all over me like white on rice?"

Jamie took a breath to get his own temper in check. Eddie's emotions were so saw right now she didn't know what she was saying. Instead of backing away and getting angry, Jamie pulled Eddie closer and held on tight. "We talked about you," Jamie replied. "We talked about how much we both love you."

Jamie felt the tension easing as he held Eddie in his arms, stroking her hair gently.

"This could be your chance, to make things right with Eddie."

Armin had quickly confessed that he had refused to run drugs for the corrections officers and agree to turn evidence against them. Jamie nodded, "I'll make sure the proper people find out what you've told me, Mr. Janko. I'll talk to Eddie, when she calms down she'll listen."

Armin sighed, "My girl is very strong willed. She's a lot like her mother in that respect."

Jamie nodded, "I know she is and she's been terribly hurt by all of this, by her mother's death, by your arrest. Eddie feels really alone. She's going through some hard times herself."

"How long have you been seeing my Edit?" Armin asked.

"Mr. Janko, I'm not seeing..."

"You are both rotten liars, I can see it plain as the nose on your face you are seeing my girl," Armin replied. "How long have you been together?"

"Going on eight months now," Jamie replied. "Eddie, she shot someone and did some really hard undercover work and we..."

Armin nodded, "My girl is very special. She's been hurt a lot by men not good enough for her. I really do hope that you don't fall into that category, Officer Reagan. I really do hope that you are worthy of my Edit's love. She does not give it easily, never has. She does not trust easily either, I did that."

"I know," Jamie replied. "Now that you know the truth I'll tell you, I love your daughter, Sir. I will do my best to do right by her and if that means a relationship with you, I'll do everything in my power to help her get to a place where that is possible for her. I can't and won't force her to do something that isn't in her heart, I can't cause her that kind of pain."

Armin nodded, "I know you love her...I can see. Thank you for that."

Jamie kissed Eddie's hair. "He loves you Eddie, he really does and if you give him a chance to explain things, you'll see it too."

Jamie's touch had softened Eddie's ire, she pulled back and looked up at him. "How could he love me when he ruined my life?"

Jamie sighed, "I think he made foolish mistakes. This drug thing Eddie, right now, as we speak, my father has federal investigators taking your father's statement against his corrections officials. He wasn't running drugs, he was beaten for refusing to cooperate and I believe him. The question is, do you?"

Eddie sighed, "I can't." For the second day in a row, Eddie laid her head on Jamie's chest and began to cry.

Jamie wrapped his arms around Eddie's waist slowly lowering her to the couch.

As Eddie sobbed Jamie shifted her so lay on his lap arms locked around her.

"I know Eddie," Jamie soothed, gently rubbing her arm holding her against him.

Eddie's body shook with every sob that escaped, laying her head against his chest.

"I'm sorry," Eddie hiccupped. "I'm so sorry, Jamie. I was horrible..."

"No," Jamie replied stroking her hair. "No, you needed me and I wasn't there, at least not how you wanted, but sweetheart, I felt it was more important to get you the truth. I know it is so hard to believe in him, baby, I do, but I think his story holds water and I think the evidence on this will speak for itself."

Eddie took a deep breath, "If the feds say he's telling the truth, Jamie it will be dangerous for him..."

"Eddie, he'll be transferred, my father already worked these details out, don't worry. Partners are family to us, and if he knew...we wouldn't be partners but he wouldn't want to see you lose your Dad for his telling the truth."

"If the feds say he's telling the truth then...I'll think about giving him another chance, but Jamie if one word he said was a lie, I am done. I have to be and I need you to support me on this."

Jamie played with Eddie's hair as she continued to sniffle on his lap. "If he lied to me and to the feds, yeah...I will back you 100%, even if he didn't lie and you just can't make that leap, I will back you, all I want for you to do is be open to it. That's all. I don't want for him to die in ten years or twenty years and you live with regrets."

Eddie sat up and offered Jamie a small smile, "Twenty years huh? Planning for a long future together Reagan?"

Jamie leaned closer to Eddie, tipping her head up to meet his lips. "You better believe it...I made an appointment today with a therapist, a grief specialist. I'm going to work on my fear and we are going to make a life together. I hope your dad can be a part of that, but if he can't...as long as we have each other..."

"Then we've got everything," Eddie whispered closing the gap between them sealing their promises with a long, gentle kiss.