A/N This story is the result of some wonderful input by several people...thank you for so many great perspectives! Enjoy. :-)

Jamie pulled the steering wheel of the RMP hard to the right, the wheels screaming against the pavement and the ninety mile an hour speed, as the car careened in to the abandoned warehouse parking lot. His mind racing, his worries were too fierce to be drowned out by the deafening siren of the car. He saw Eddie's rookie, Gonzales, just ahead, outside an opened door. He was bent over, his hands on his knees, catching his breath. Jamie slammed on the breaks, jerking the car to a violent halt, dust flying up around the vehicle. He bolted out of the car, nearly taking the door off in the process. "Gonzales!" He yelled out as he ran up to the young officer.

Gonzales stood up, his breathing heavy. "Yes, sir!" He called back, wanting to appear composed. Everyone knew Sergeant Reagan had been partnered with Janko for almost three years, and the scuttlebutt was there was a special relationship between them but nobody knew for sure. From the look on the sergeant's face, Gonzales didn't need much more evidence.

"Where's Janko?" Jamie was trying to keep a cool exterior while keeping his panic hidden. The radio call had announced that Gonzales and Janko were pinned down in the warehouse. His blood ran cold wondering why the rookie was outside and alone.

"She's inside," he said, pointing over his shoulder. "She followed the first perp."

"What the hell are you doing out here!" So much for keeping his cool, Jamie thought. "Why aren't you with your partner?!"

"She told me to stay with the second perp, Sarge!"

Jamie quickly looked around. "What second perp? There's nobody out here, Gonzales!"

"He was here, I swear to God, but he got away!"

"You better hope you're right or you'll be walking a foot beat at McDonalds!" Jamie spit out, turning to run in to the building. "Stay here and cover the door! I'll go…." His order was interrupted by the loud bang of a gunshot. "Jesus Christ," Jamie muttered, racing in to the blackened warehouse.

As he ran in to the musty building he saw two figures straight ahead. "Eddie!" He called out, pulling his service weapon out of the holster. "Eddie! Where are you?" He finally saw them come in to view. He reached up to his radio mic and called for assistance. "Central this is Twelve Echo requesting a bus forthwith!" His new call sign was still unfamiliar to him.

"We're here! I'm okay." Eddie's voice sounded winded. She was on the floor, on her side, trying to get up.

The suspect was on the floor with a crow bar in one hand while the other hand gripped his right leg, which was bleeding. He looked up at Jamie. "That cop bitch shot me!"

Jamie kicked the crow bar from his hand, and bent over to cuff him jerking him up by his jacket, yelling in to his face. "If there's a scratch on her so help me God I'll make sure they'll have to cut that leg off!" He let the perp drop to the cement as he turned to check on Eddie. "Janko?" He had to do his job and treat her like any other officer, but his heart was winning the battle over his common sense. He knelt down. "Hey, are you okay?"

Eddie pushed herself up from the floor until she was standing, catching her breath. "I'm good. Everything's fine. Really."

Jamie stood up with her. Strands of her hair had fallen in to her face. He instinctively reached to brush them away, but stopped himself, resting his hand on his utility belt instead. "You sure? That guy had a crow bar Eddie. Did he hit you with it?"

She shook her head as she tucked the errant strands behind her ear. "He got a few swipes in, but I'm okay." She stood up taller, her resolve front and center.

Jamie looked at her trying to guage if she telling the truth. She was good at maintaining control and a good face, so it was hard to tell. He lowered his voice. "If he hit you Eddie you need to tell me and we need to get you checked out."

She squared her shoulders. "I'm fine, sergeant, really. It's okay." She gave him an earnest smile and meant it. No one was prouder of Jamie's promotion and new position in the precinct, but their roles had changed, so they had to change a well. She didn't want him to treat her differently, and she needed to accept that the friendship they had was over.

He pressed his lips together, his anger firmly in place. "I'm gonna have Gonzales' shield for this…"

"No," she shook her head, "No Jamie, he didn't do anything wrong. I told him to go after the second perp. He did what I told him to do so that's on me. It will all be on our report."

Gonzales appeared with two other officers and they began pulling the collar up off the floor. "Everything squared away, Eddie? I lost the first guy but another unit picked him up two blocks over!"

Eddie walked up to her rookie. "It's okay. Good job. Let's get this one booked."

Jamie followed behind them as they walked back out in to the afternoon sun. An EMT unit went to work on the suspect's leg and they loaded him to the ambulance, with Gonzales riding as escort. Jamie's eyes followed Eddie as she walked back over to her RMP. She leaned against the hood and wiped a hand across her brow. He watched as she put a hand to her rib cage and gingerly slid back in to the driver's seat, starting the car, hitting the lights and following the ambulance.

The promotion Jamie was supposed to be happy with—the thing he had chased for four years—suddenly felt like a dead weight; an empty consolation prize for something valuable he'd lost.

Eddie Janko.

~~00~~00~~00~~

After work Jamie walked out to his car. It was nearly seven at night and he knew Eddie would be home. He had called and left messages, but she hadn't returned his calls. No surprise. He pulled out his cell phone and decided to call his hook at St. Vick's. "Hey, Linda it's me."

"Hi, Jamie. What's up?" Linda's voice greeted him through the phone.

"I'm calling about my partner, Eddie. She had a rough collar earlier today and I was wondering if she was seen by anyone there?"

"C'mon, you know the rules. I can't share confidential information. Besides, I thought she wasn't your partner anymore?"

"Technicality." Jamie breathed out. He decided to play the ace he had up his sleeve. "I think if you check Officer Janko's records you'll find that I'm listed as her emergency contact." He waited and listened as he heard Linda's fingertips clicking a keyboard to verify his status.

"Well, well," she started, "so you are. Unfortunately, this isn't an emergency so I can't share anything."

He exhaled. "Come one Linda, give me a break. It's important. I just want to know how she's doing in case there's anything she needs. I'm worried about her."

"I can't share any particulars about Officer Janko's case. But, hypothetically speaking of course, I can share that if someone was violently attacked by a crow bar it would likely result in several fractured ribs, severe contusions on the back and legs, and possibly a torn bicep."

Jamie winced and pulled a hand over his face. "Oh, God," he breathed out. "In such a case would the officer be directed to stay off work?"

"They would," Linda said, "but in many cases the officers refuse to do that. Probably because they don't want to be perceived as being soft or unable to hold their own."

"Okay, thanks," he said feeling more worried than ever.

"Jamie, I know it's none of my business but we all know you care for this woman. And your promotion has caused a few wrinkles. But remember, wrinkles can be ironed out. Don't lose sight of what's really important to you. "

He smiled in to the phone. "I haven't."

~~00~~00~~00~~

Eddie was lying on her sofa watching tv. She stretched and groaned at the pain where her injuries were. She heard a knock on the door and slowly pushed herself up, mindful of her torn bicep, reaching a hand to her wrapped rib cage. She cursed as she found her footing. "Just a second," she called out in a voice that sounded defeated even to her. "Coming," she said trying to sound more convincing. She was too tired to get up on her tip-toes to look through the peep hole. If it turned out to be a creep, she'd have to take her chances. She pulled open the door and found herself face to face with Jamie.

He was wearing jeans and a leather jacket and he tilted his head. "Hey."

She straightened her posture, resulting in a stinging sensation as the welts on her back screamed back at her. "Hey. What's up? Everything okay?"

He looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. "I came by to ask you the same thing? I've been calling for hours. You alright?"

She leaned against the door. "Yeah. Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

He nodded slowly, her point making sense, but he didn't buy it. He waited several awkward moments as she left him standing in the hallway and they stood looking at each other. When they were partners he used to practically walk right in to her apartment; now, he felt like an interloper. Then again, he was her sergeant, and sergeants don't just walk in to officers homes. The politics of the rank structure were grating on his nerves and his life. "Would it be okay if came in?"

She stood up from the door again. "Oh, sure, sorry." She stepped aside and held the door open. "I don't know where my manners are."

Manners? He had his politics, and she had hers. He glanced around as he walked inside, his detective skills going in to overdrive. He spotted several bottles of pills, tubes of medical cream, bandages, and ice packs on the coffee table. "That's quite a pharmacy for someone who says she's perfectly fine."

"Yeah, well, like I said, he took a few wipes at me, so the doc gave me a few things." She noticed Jamie had a funny look on his face. "What is it?"

"It smells like cookies in here." The smell made him smile.

His smile was infectious. "Remember that old lady named Ruth that I told you about? She came over a while ago and brought me some homemade chocolate chip cookies." Eddie felt a smile of her own for the first time that day. "Would you like some?" She walked to the kitchen and set the platter of cookies up on the counter, careful to use her good arm. She liked having Jamie around even if it was a courtesy call.

"God I love chocolate chip." His voice took on a playful, conspiratorial tone.

"Me, too." She smiled as she watched him take a cookie and bite in to it. A look of ecstasy covered his face as he chewed the soft, warm, gooey goodness. She loved seeing him like that. "Good, huh?"

He nodded. "Amazing." His eyes were tender and inviting. "Milk would make it epic."

She chuckled. "You have good taste, Reagan." Eddie turned to pull open the fridge. She forgot about her bicep and was immediately crippled by pain radiating from her upper arm to her shoulder. "Oh, God! Dammit!" She winced in pain as she slumped against the door.

Jamie quickly reached out for her. "God, Eddie, what is it?" He softened his voice. "What's going on?"

She hesitated at first, but then looked at him. "He struck me with the crow bar."

As he watched her he saw her lower lip begin to tremble. Her voice had sounded small and fragile. He touched a finger underneath her chin and tilted her head up toward him. "Please tell me. I want to help if you'll let me."

She closed her eyes, pushing back the tears, but it was too late. Several drops slipped down her cheek. "I couldn't stop him. He came out of nowhere and he was so fast."

"It's okay." He put a hand on her other shoulder, trying to reassure her. He rubbed her arm gently, not entirely sure where she was hurt. "It's alright."

She sniffled. "I'm not crying because I can't do my job!" She was quick to report.

"I wasn't thinking that."

"You don't have to take care of me."

He took a step closer. "I like taking care of you." His hand caressed her back. "I'm your partner. Not on the force, but here." His voice was comforting and tender. "I want to help you."

She blinked back more tears and wiped her hand across her face. "He hurt me." Her voice hitched in her throat. "I have some cracked ribs, a torn muscle and he struck me across my back."

"I'm so sorry Eddie." He rested his head against hers. "What I can do?"

She looked at him, her eyes returning to the trusting look they had known as partners. She leaned forward until she was tentatively resting her cheek on his chest. "You're doing it."

He gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. Sometimes he forgot how small she was. Eddie Janko did not take up much space in the world, but she filled his heart and was a force to be reckoned with. He pressed his lips against her hair line.

She sniffled and chuckled in to his shirt. "I'm guessing Renzulli never went by your place and gave you a hug when you were hurt."

"As a matter of fact…"

She laughed and squeezed him tighter. "I don't want you to get in to trouble."

"Let me worry about that." He murmured against her head as he ran a hand through her hair, tucking several strands behind her ear.

He was warm and his arms seemed to make her fear and pain melt away. She could feel his affection in his touch and could hear it in his voice. "I've missed this so much." She almost drifting off in his arms.

"Me too," he whispered as one of his hands rubbed large circles around her back. They stood for a long time until he spoke up again. "What do you say we take these insanely incredible cookies, a couple of glasses of milk, and sit on the sofa?"

She looked up at him. "That's the best offer I've had a in a long, long time."

In her living room, Eddie cringed as she sat down on the sofa, holding a hand to her ribs. Jamie settled beside her with the cookies and milk. "I should have Gonzales removed from the force. Don't think I wouldn't do it."

"I told you. It wasn't his fault. I told him to go after the first perp."

"Yeah, well, the guy should have hustled to back you up." He bit in to a cookie. "If I'd been with you on that call I never would have let it happen."

She watched his mouth, which had a small fleck of chocolate on it, which he licked off with his tongue. She took a deep a breath. "I know. You've always had my back. I'm surprised you haven't had all my dates checked out."

He struggled to suppress a smile as he took another bite of cookie. His eyes glanced over at her, his face clearly hiding some unknown secret. Eddie's mouth fell open. "Oh, wait a minute. You didn't!"

He smiled. "What?"

"Have you been checking up on my dates all this time?"

He dunked the cookie in to the milk and bit it. "I might have had a few of those knuckleheads checked out."

She watched as several drops of milk glistened on his lip and he swiped them with his tongue. She felt tingles inside her chest flutter at the thought his mouth. "I can't believe you!"

"Hey, after that Jake Singer incident I wanted to make sure you were okay." He grabbed another cookie.

She couldn't entirely argue with his reason, but eyed him. "Uh-huh. And that kiss we shared on my front stoop? That had nothing to do with it?"

He shrugged. "I told you I'd always have your back. And I did."

She laughed and ate another cookie, realizing she felt better. He nudged her closer, until she curled in to his side. Eddie looked up, wanting to confide in him. "Okay, since we're playing full disclosure and since we're alone, there's something I need to tell you."

His voice quiet and soft. "What?"

"Don't take this personally because I think you're a terrific sergeant and no one is prouder of you than I am." She took a deep breath. "But I submitted a request for a transfer to the five-four."

His lips turned up in to a smile. "So did I. To the twenty-fifth."

Her eyes were wide with surprise. "Why?"

He gazed at her. "You first."

She wanted to tap dance around it, but decided this moment deserved more. They deserved more. "Because I felt I should branch out from the twelfth. And there might be a faster track to a detective slot over there and…" She let out a long sigh, finally whispering her real reason. "I missed my best friend."

His heart felt restored, the empty space filled by her again. His arm tightened around her. He leaned toward her, but Eddie flinched. "Wait, we'll get in to trouble! We're violating about five different department codes!" She tried to push herself up from the sofa. "Oh my God, we're going to get fired!"

He reached for her elbow and gently tugged her back down next to him. "Eddie, please, relax. No one is getting fired."

She was confused. "How do you know?"

He looked at her, his eyes reading every inflection of her face. "Because my transfer was already approved. It was effective at the end of my shift today."

Her eyebrows knitted in a question. "You mean you're already attached to the two-five?"

"Yep. I have two days off until I conduct roll call first thing Thursday morning."

She pressed her lips together and looked up at him. "Oh. Okay," she said, now feeling really awkward. Now what? "What are you doing with your days of?"

He leaned forward and grabbed one of the medical creams and a pill bottle and scanned the instructions. "For starters, I'm not letting you out of my sight. You need to take a few days off and I can help you. That is if you'll let me." He looked back at her. "These pills cause drowsiness. Have you taken one?"

She leaned back in to the sofa cushion and shook her head. "No. I didn't want to be sleepy like that while I was all by myself."

He squeezed her hand and leaned toward her. "You were never by all yourself." He pressed a kiss to her fingers and then her hand.

She had always felt it but loved hearing him say it. She smiled mischievously and traced a finger over his cheek and down toward his lips. "It would have been worth getting fired over."

A/N Thanks for reading and for your thoughts! :-)