A/N Just a little weekend ficlet for fun. Enjoy!

Two of the thugs held Jamie up against a car while the third slammed another fist blow to his jaw. His head snapped to the side, blood splattering over the car and his clothes. His love for vintage cars thought the vehicle might be a 1971 Chevelle, but it was hard to make in the dark. He thought of his Dad and Joe, but the moment was short lived as he was straightened up against the car again for another blow. This time to his ribs and the force was so strong he was thrown over the hood of the car. He coughed and blood dripped from his mouth. He recalled the beating he took from the Sanfino's henchman which seemed like a cake walk compared to this.

They pulled him off the hood and before he could take a breath a large fist pounded him in the eye. Pain shot through his head, which snapped back from the hit. He thought of Eddie and how long it had been since he'd seen her and his heart ached more than any of his injuries. All he wanted to was to see her again.

Suddenly the empty parking lot was lit up by lights. Headlights from a car that had pulled to a screeching halt. The hands restraining him let go, and Jamie collapsed to the ground, his head hitting the gravel. He heard shots fired but couldn't move.

"Jamie?" A woman's voice was hovering over him. "Jamie, it's me. Talk to me. What can I do?"

He could barely speak but was able to answer her question. "My partner….please, I need my partner."

It was last thing he remembered before everything went black.

~~00~~00~~

Eddie finished changing in to her civilian clothes and hung up her uniform. Another day, another collar, she mused to herself, with no one to share her joke with. She stowed her service weapon in the top shelf of the locker and quietly closed the door, her head lost in thought, as it had been since Jamie disappeared.

Without warning, or a goodbye, he'd been gone for over twelve weeks. As a cop she knew it was some sort of assignment and had all the tell tale signs of an undercover. After nearly three years on the job, she could detect a UC from a mile away. She had gone to work that morning, like any other day, but Jamie never arrived. Renzulli had told her it was some sort of case, all a part of the job, and she was assigned a new partner, Tom McKenna.

And that was that. For all intents and purposes, Jamie Reagan had disappeared and she hadn't seen or heard from him in over three months. He vanished.

She left the women's dressing room and saw Sgt. Renzulli in his office. "Hey, Sarge."

He looked up from his desk. "Officer Janko. How's everything going with you? You and McKenna still getting along?"

She leaned against the door jamb of his office and nodded. She liked that he kept tabs on her. "Yeah, everything's good. I was just wondering if you had any news on my promotion transfer?"

Renzulli smiled. "Eager to join the detective squad at the 54th? You'll have another Reagan looking over your shoulder."

She tried to smile and was happy about her promotion, but her heart wasn't in it. "I guess. Just curious so I can make some plans."

The sergeant got up from his desk. He'd worried about Janko ever since he first heard about Jamie being handpicked for the deep cover op with the FBI. The no-notice departure at three a.m. only made matters worse. He glanced over his shoulder making sure no one would hear him and lowered his voice, wanting to reassure her. "Look, Janko, I know the last few months haven't been a picnic, with your partner reassigned without notice and all. I know you and Officer Reagan are good friends. Believe me when I tell you he wasn't given a choice and couldn't talk with anyone before he left. But are you sure you don't want to hold off on your transfer until he's back?"

Eddie appreciated his encouragement. He looked out for her and she liked it. "No, that's okay, boss. It's been three months and I'm sure Reagan is where he needs to be. And I need to do the same."

"I'm proud of you, Janko, and Reagan will be, too, even though he'll be pissed you made it sooner than he did but don't quote me." She smiled at his attempt at humor and he watched as she turned and walked down the hallway.

Eddie walked through the precinct with her usual stride of confidence; but inside she felt worn out from walking alone.

~~00~~00~~

Eddie lay in bed watching the shadowy shapes the moonlight projected in to her room. The limbs of a tree outside her bedroom window turned in to a couple dancing on the ceiling, swaying back and forth. She looked at the clock on the nightstand for the tenth time and the glowing digits told her it was two a.m. She rolled on her side determined she would sleep, knowing she was fooling herself because she hadn't really slept in three months.

She thought she heard a noise. She raised her head trying to hear it again, but decided sleep deprivation was playing tricks on her. Her head fell back on to the pillow and she returned to her clock staring and sheep counting ritual.

The scraping noise returned, but slightly louder. Eddie sat up and waited…and there it was. A scratching sound outside the front door to the apartment. Throwing back the bed covers, she grabbed her phone and tip toed to the closet where she kept her personal firearm box. She pulled out the Colt, checked the chamber, and clicked off the safety.

Silently walking in to the living room, she followed the noise, just outside the front door. It stopped but was replaced by the sound of her heart hammering in her chest. And then she heard something else…a soft knock. She raised the gun as she approached the door, her back up against the wall. She stopped and listened and waited.

There was the knock again and the sound of a voice.

"Who's there?" She thought it sounded like Jamie but worried the late hour and lack of sleep were playing tricks on her. She turned on a light, steeled all the courage she had, and raised the Colt again.

As she unlocked the door and pulled it open, she stood in shock.

Jamie, covered in blood, was slumped against the door frame. "Eddie," he said breathlessly, falling forward in to her arms.

"Oh my God," she let out as she struggled to hold him. She eased him to the floor relieved and terrified to see him. He had been beaten nearly beyond recognition, his face covered in blood and bruises and one eye swollen shut. Blood dripped from his mouth.

"Help me," he pleaded in a hoarse voice as his hands reached for her.

"Oh, God, Jamie!" She shut the door and grabbed a kitchen towel off the counter. "You need a hospital!"

"No!" He was adamant. "No hospitals!" He tried to sit up, but collapsed on to the carpet. "Please…I need you." he mumbled before losing consciousness.