Title: Irrational Behaviour
Chapter 1 – Caught!

Summary: It was supposed to be an innocent thank you from a stranger, but when the tables are turned and Jamie's in trouble; can Danny get to his brother in time? Or will his captor send Jamie out in a body bag?

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Blue Bloods.

A/N: Well I did promise some Jamie whump/peril right? And yeah okay so this just kinda fits after my Police Academy story – just turned out that way and sorry if that's lame in any way. And yes I am still working on my next multi-chap story, thing is I have an AU idea but not sure it'll fly so while I work up my courage to post am gonna post this one in the meantime. So I really hope you all like this little one shot and thanks so much!

"Seriously Sarge do I hafta do this?"

"Yeah rookie you do," Renzulli laughs as Jamie utters a heavy sigh and then heads toward the old woman looking at him with a pleading expression.

"Okay ma'am, what can I help with?"

"Can you carry fluffy for me?"

"Fluffy?" Jamie looks down at the small toy poodle sitting patiently beside its owner's legs, looking up in expectation. He looks back at Renzulli who merely nods with his head before uttering an exasperated sigh of compliance. "Okay…where too?" Jamie tries to pick up the small dog, who instantly snaps, forcing his hand back and a small snicker from his partner.

"Why to my house of course," the old woman looks at him as if he should know better than to ask.

"Okay, and which house is yours?"

"Oh it's a lovely house. My Fred and I have a whole acre of land. Green and lush…white picket fence too. Fred, he made it for me you know."

"Acre…of land? Ma'am we're in the city," Jamie reminds her as he tries to pick up the small dog. "Do you live around here?"

"Why yes I do," she replies with a firm nod as she picks up her small cotton bag of groceries and heads toward a nearby apartment building, leaving Renzulli laughing as Jamie picks up the struggling pooch, holding him out at arm's length as he follows after her, muttering to himself about it being unfair but knowing he really didn't have much choice.

"His leash broke you know and I just couldn't carry everything…" her voice trails off as they both slowly walk up the stairs and disappear into the rather musty smelling building.

"Which apartment ma'am?"

"One more flight," the old woman gestures to Jamie.

"The um…elevator?"

"Oh no I never get into an elevator…well maybe today but never any other day, never alone."

"Why is that?"

"You know rapists and all," she looks at him and wags her silvery brows and offers a wrinkly frown.

"Well today you're pretty safe okay?" Jamie urges as he walks over to the door and pushes the button with the dog's foot, telling himself that his partner better make it up to him after all this. He kindly listens to the old woman rattle on about her dead husband and why she's still living in the same apartment and how 'fluffy' her dog was actually good at catching mice and Frisbees; neither of which she's seen in a long while. The elevator opens and Jamie steps out and heads down the dimly lit hallway toward her apartment, waiting for her to open the door and get inside.

"Okay…you take care now," Jamie offers as he turns to leave.

"Would you like some cookies? I can make us some tea."

"Uh no thank you ma'am, I really need to get back on duty."

"Okay very well then. But I do thank you for the help."

"You're welcome," Jamie smiles, this time turning to leave for good. But just as he does, he notices the door across the hall open and a set of eyes watching him intently. "Hi…did you um need something?"

The door opens to reveal a young man, maybe about his age, heavier set watching him intently. But he says nothing to Jamie in reply only watches him with rapt fascination.

"Okay. Have a good day then."

"I'm a cop too," the man finally utters.

"That's great."

"No I am really."

"Okay. Which house do you work out of?" Jamie inquires; the term 'house' being the slang term for station house. It was cop lingo they all knew and used.

"No I'm a cop; I don't work from home."

"Ah okay," Jamie nods, knowing it was probably best to move on.

"Is your name Aaron?"

"No, it's Jamie."

"Wanna come see my badge?"

"Uh maybe another time okay? My partner is waiting for me."

"Another time…" the man ponders slowly. "Okay. Tonight?"

"You know I'm not sure, but I gotta go. Take care," Jamie offers before he heads for the stairs, wanting to exit the twilight zone before any other strange offers could be extended. He heads for his cruiser and merely shakes his head at his laughing partner. "Lemme guess…a regular?"

"Yeah…poor old Mrs. Lemke," Renzulli smiles. "You handled it well kid. Any problems?"

"With her or the dog?" Jamie retorts, making his partner snicker. But when Jamie looks back at the building with a frown, looking up to see the odd tenant watching him, Renzulli is quick to question.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, it's nothing…just an odd neighbor is all. Think he wasn't all there you know?"

"Lots of those around. Okay so we ready to press on?"

"Next dog call is yours," Jamie grumbles as he gets into the car.

XXXXXXXX

"Evening rookie," Danny teases his brother just as Jamie's shift for that was ending. "Hey you know I got a case I'd like your help on."

"Really?"

"Yeah, there's this dog named fluffy," Danny chuckles, drawing an irate gaze from his brother.

"Does everyone know?" Jaime huffs.

"Hey you did a very noble thing today. Takes a special cop to be able to hold a dog at arm's length and enter a building without backup."

"So no case?"

"Nice try rookie. You need a few years at least," Danny nods.

"Hey you ever have…you know crazy people…like wanna be cops ask you to…come and visit or something?"

"She wanted you to stay?"

"No another guy in her building. He said he was a cop and then for me to come and see his badge. I asked him which house he was based out of but he couldn't answer. I mean I'm sure he's harmless but something was off."

"Yeah lots of those around. But you trusted your gut…always the best way to go," Danny replies in truth. "What's wrong?"

"Ah I left my duffle bag in the Sarge's car," Jamie groans. "Damn it," he curses as he looks over at Danny with a frown.

"So you wear your uniform home? Won't kill ya," Danny playfully punches Jamie in the upper arm. "See ya Sunday."

"Sure," Jamie grumbles as he stows his radio and police weapons in his locker, his spare still tucked into his ankle holster. But just before he leaves, he hears his name being called and heads toward the clerks desk. "A message for me?"

"Yeah from a Mrs. Lemke," the clerk reads. "Said she'd like to thank you for your help today."

"Okay thanks…" Jamie frowns as he takes the note and then turns to see Danny watching.

"What?"

"That old woman from today…wants to thank me."

"Tea and cookies."

"Do I go?"

"Was she a threat?"

"Only if her dog bites me."

"Get a rabies shot tomorrow," Danny winks before he laughs and sits down in his chair.

"Danny…"

"You're call kid."

"Would you?"

"Hardly."

With an exasperated sigh, Jamie shoves the scribbled note into his pocket and heads for the exit door, reaching outside and heading in the direction of the old woman's apartment building. It wasn't the best neighbourhood in town, but he could understand with her lower income why she chose to live where she does. Jamie nods to another person coming out of the building at the same time and heads for the elevator and presses the number 2 button, leaning his weary frame against the cold steel walls as the box slowly moves upward and then comes to a creaking halt. He'd tell her it was a sweet gesture but he couldn't stay.

Just as Jamie nears the old woman's door, the man from the apartment across the hall, the one from earlier opens the door in haste, forcing Jamie to utter a startled gasp and jump back slightly.

"Sorry," the man mumbles as Jamie looks at him in question. "Are you here to see my badge now?"

"No I um…came to see Mrs. Lemke."

"She's not in. But you can wait here if you want."

"Where'd she go?"

"Bingo."

"Ah okay, well then I'm sure it wasn't that important."

"You're here now. It'll only take a few minutes," the man insists as he opens his door a bit wider. Despite the fact that his gut was telling him this guy was a bit off, when the door opens, Jamie can see inside that the apartment is clean but empty; no "visible" threat looming. "It'll only take a minute."

"Okay but then I gotta get home okay."

"It'll only take a minute," the man repeats softly as Jamie heads toward the apartment, carefully entering and quickly looking around for something out of the ordinary.

"Very clean," Jamie comments.

"I like it clean. Do you like it clean?"

"Sure. My family kinda jokes that I'm a bit of a clean freak."

"I like it clean."

"Right. So your badge?"

"Badge right," the man comments as he mutters something incoherent and heads off to the left – toward the kitchen. Jamie's eyes continue to scan the quiet apartment before something seemingly out of the ordinary catches his eye on the table in the hallway – an NYPD hat. He takes a few steps down the hall toward the lone bedroom, pausing to look at the hat and examine the authentic looking crest.

"Looks real," Jamie comments as he twists his head to the left and then quickly looks back in a double take. "What on earth…" he mumbles as he slowly heads toward the bedroom, his mind yelling at him to turn back now and leave! Jamie slowly pushes the door open and stares in shock at the sight before him. But just before he can utter another word, he hears angry footsteps approaching.

"I didn't say you could go in there – yet!" The man growls as he raises something toward Jamie's head and his world goes dark; his body crumpling at the feet of the man looming over him with a twisted smile.

XXXXXXXX

"Quittin' time," Danny groans as he looks at Demarcus and grins. "Well at least for one of us."

"You know man that ain't fair."

"Hey I offered to help," Danny smirks as his phone rings. "Hey dad…what's up? Uh sure…Jamie not home yet? No am sure everything's okay. Yeah if I see him I'll give him the message."

"What?"

"Nothin'."

"Danny," Demarcus urges.

"Jamie's not home yet. Ah you know it's probably nothing."

"And yet you're worried. Yeah I know you that well. Is his shift over?"

"Yeah and he went…oh damn he had that last call. Mrs. Lemke. She wanted to thank him."

"Oh man that crazy old Lady with the dog?"

"Yeah the one that always suckers the rookies into helping her. Today was Jamie's turn. He's not answering his cell. Probably doesn't want to be rude."

"Why not call her and say he's needed on a call," Demarcus suggests.

Danny looks at his partner and frowns, slow to act as his brain ponders the suggestion. Jamie was a grown man and a police officer but also a rookie, who despite the fact he has good instincts was still learning how to fine tune them. Probably nothing, he tries to convince himself as he finally picks up the phone and dials Mrs. Lemke. "Hmm no answer."

"Really."

"Yeah I think I'll take a ride over there."

"Want some company?"

"Nah I'll be fine. Too many crazies might make the dog go nuts," Danny winks as he heads for the door, pulling his cell along the way. "Come on kid…pick up."

XXXXXXXX

Jamie finally feels his world slowly starting to come back to him, his mind replaying the image of the man rushing toward him with an angry snarl and something like a heavy rolling pin raised in the air; the object connecting with his head and then his body falling into darkness.

What the…his mind groans as he forces his eyes open, pulling back a gasp as he tries to focus on the lone person sitting on the bed looking right at him. As soon as his attacker's somewhat placid expression comes into view, his body springs into action. However, his actions are short lived as he looks down in horror. Seated on a chair with each leg bound to a leg of the chair, copious amounts of duct tape wrapped around them, same with each arm that was securely fastened to a wooden chair arm.

"Wh…what happened…" Jamie asks softly, his voice dry and his brain still trying to push past the painful throbbing and form a clear sentence; his temple sporting a bloody bruise that had matted some dark blond strands to it.

"You were supposed to see my badge. You didn't ask if you could see my room," the man states with an angry pout.

"Right okay um…what's your name?"

"Carl."

"Okay Carl…you gotta let me…go now okay," Jamie tries with a hard swallow, his heart beating rapidly and his body still trying to pull itself free in vain against the tape.

"No, you're gonna stay here…with me," Carl states matter-of-factly, making Jamie look at him in shock and fear. "I always wanted to be a cop you know."

"Carl," Jamie tries with a clear voice, his eyes blinking as small dark circles start to form. "I can't…stay here."

"Sure you can. Do you wanna see my badge now?"

"Carl…"

"DO YOU!" Carl shouts, making Jamie slightly recoil on his chair.

"Sure…okay yes, I'd…love to see your badge," Jamie agrees in haste, finally swallowing and praying that his absence at home will be noticed before he has to endure too much more at the hands of his demented detainer. Jamie watches Carl get up and leave the room, his eyes foregoing the NYPD shrine that had distracted him earlier, in favor of looking at his bonds and trying to attempt the impossible; pulling himself free. Should I call out? Would he gag me? At least this way I can still try to reason with him. Damn it, no one knows I'm here! I told Danny! Will he come looking? Damn it why would he?

"Okay…here we…" Carl stops just as Jamie looks up from his pulling. "Is that loose?"

"What? No," Jamie replies with a quick gasp. "It's fine…just fine," he sputters as he watches Carl reach for the role of tape.

"Looks loose."

"No its fine…you know…why don't you tell me about…about your duties."

"Duties?"

"Yeah every officer has specific duties. What um…are yours?"

Jamie breathes a slight sigh of relief as he watches Carl put down the role of tape, slump back down onto the bed and launch into his mindless explanation, his own mind praying for a distraction so he could continue to try to pull himself free of his bonds. A distraction finally comes but it's not the distraction that Jamie had been expecting.

"Mrs. Lemke?" A somewhat quiet but familiar voice is heard.

Acting on pure instinct Jamie raises his head and utters, "Danny?" prompting Carl to look at him in haste and Jamie to slightly shrink back. It is Danny!

"DANN…" is all Jamie manages before Carl stands up and clamps his hand down over Jamie's mouth.

"Shhh he can't hear you. I'm a cop…I'll protect you. Just don't make a sound!"

"Mmmmph!" Jamie tries to twist his head free, wanting to get a shout out if possible. But the fast movement only serves up another helping of dizzy spells, his face further flushing and core enflaming. Danny! Jamie tries to shout as he hears the knock getting a bit louder and more impatient. Danny! In here! I'M IN HERE!

"Hush I said!" Carl growls as he tightens his grasp and pulls Jamie's head back against his stomach, nearly smothering him. Without his hands to help at all, Jamie tries frantically to move his head back and forth to give Carl the idea that he needed to breath. "Shhh and he'll leave and you'll be safe."

DANNY! Jamie tries once more, his body trying to rock on the chair.

"I said…be quiet!" Carl half shouts as he hits Jamie in the side, forcing Jamie's movements to ease and his eyes to slightly water. A few seconds later a knock is heard at Carl's door.

Danny! Thank goodness…I'm in here! Jamie tries to call out.

"Damn that guy," Carl growls as another knock is heard, forcing Carl to scramble to grab whatever cloth object was nearby and shove it into Jamie's mouth to keep him quiet. "You hafta be quiet," he tells Jamie in a serious tone as he rips off a strip of tape and crudely pushes it down over Jamie's mouth, sealing in the cloth, but not entirely effectively. Jamie tries to push out the thick piece of cloth with his tongue, his mind frantic to get his brother's attention and get away from his clearly unstable captor.

Danny!

With the door closing behind him, Carl heads off to answer the door and try to get rid of Danny sealing Jamie inside the now darkened room. But Jamie wastes no time in trying to pull himself free of the chair he's tied to, anything to make himself known to his would be rescuer. Danny! Jamie's mind calls out again as he tries to rock the chair back and forth; hoping at least the commotion would bring his brother. However the thick carpet foils even his smallest attempts at scuffing the chair so he tells himself to try to get the chair back toward the door and hit it.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, Detective Reagan," Danny flashes his badge. "Do you know the woman across the hall?"

"Yes."

"Okay and have you seen her tonight?"

"No."

"Right…well…do you know if she's gone out?"

"Yes."

"Okay am tired of the one word answers. Where did she go?"

"She's at bingo. Every Tuesday night is bingo."

"Bingo. Do you know where?"

"Evans Hall," Carl replies as he keeps the door closed to about two inches. Danny leans in a bit closer, his ears picking up strange sounds but nothing that couldn't be mistaken as either a cat or dog gently scratching at the door, wanting to come out.

"Okay thanks."

"Is she okay?"

"I hope so," Danny nods as he turns to leave. "Oh…" he quickly halts Carl from closing the door. "Did you by any chance see an officer in the building?"

"No. Why? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah sure. Thanks."

Danny! No! Jamie's mind calls out frantically just as he reaches the door and tries to lean against it, hoping to make a noise to alert his brother to his elusive whereabouts. Not caring about working himself into a heated sweat or the fact that his head was starting to pound a bit harder again, Jamie rocks the chair back against the door. Nothing. He tries once more, rocks the chair forward, but just as he's about to rock back the door opens and he crashes into Carl, his lungs temporarily winded as the chair slams onto the carpeted floor and Carl slams backward into the wall.

"You're gonna pay for that!"

Danny! HELP ME!

"Look what you did!" Carl growls as he looks down at Jamie with an angry snarl but makes no attempts to pick the chair back up, kicking him in the side and forcing Jamie's eyes to water and lips to offer a muffled cry. A few minutes later however, Carl's snarl disappears, replaced by a placid expression. "I should start supper now right? You hungry? Cops gotta keep up their energy when they walk the beat. I think you'll like my chili."

This can't be happening! Jamie moans, the only thing escaping the gag are some soft whimpers. CARL! CARL! Jamie tries to yell, his throat coughing, bringing his captor back to him.

"Oh very well," Carl huffs as he uprights Jamie's chair but leaves him just as he is in the hallway, his back to the open living room and kitchen but facing the eerily decorated bedroom.

This can't be happening…is this guy for real? Jamie groans as he hears Carl walking back up to him. Without warning, Carl rips the tape from Jamie's mouth, Jamie's face displaying a small wince but saying nothing heated in return as he quickly pushes out the damp cloth with his tongue.

"Are you allergic to beans?"

"No. But you know…I'd like to help," Jamie tries to suggest, hoping he could at least get free and overpower his mentally unstable captor.

"No I don't need the help. You just sit there and relax and…"

"But I'm taped to the chair Carl. It's kinda hard to relax when I'm restrained like this," Jamie gestures with his closed fists as he tries to pull his arms free. "Come on…let me go? Let me help you make us dinner."

For a few seconds Carl pauses as if to ponder the somewhat helpful suggestion, Jamie's mind anxious that his demented captor would agree and this nightmare would soon come to an end. Please…please let him agree. But it wasn't to be.

"Maybe later," Carl mumbles as he turns and walks away, leaving a shocked Jamie in his wake.

Unbelievable, Jamie's inwardly growls, his teeth gritting as he balls his fists and tries to pull himself free. Eerie silence ensues for the next five minutes, leaving Jamie to try to pull himself of the tape restraints and wondering what on earth Carl was up to. He's not making dinner…this isn't good. "Carl?" Jamie asks in with a hesitant tone. Silence. Where the hell is he? But just as Jamie thinks he feels his right wrist starting to loosen more so than the left, a distinct sound stops him cold. He's got my gun! Oh damn he found the spare.

"Have you ever fired this?" Carl asks softly as he comes up behind Jamie and presses the cold steel barrel against his flushed cheek.

Jamie quickly swallows and briefly closes his eyes. Think…don't panic…just think…act calm…oh damn this isn't good, Jamie's silent thoughts dance around in his anguished mind. "That's um…where'd you get the gun, Carl?"

"It's mine. Every cop has a gun right?"

"Right well um…you wanna take away from um…from my face," Jamie lightly begs, his brain frantically trying to keep his nervousness at bay.

"Are you scared?"

"Just not…by my face."

"Have you ever shot someone?" Carl leans in and whispers in Jamie's other ear, the gun still pressed up against the opposite cheek. "Have you!" Carl demands in an angry tone.

"No," Jamie replies back in a soft tone.

"Think it would hurt?" Carl wonders as he pulls back and then walks around to Jamie and points the gun right at his chest.

Oh god…this can't be happening. Danny!

XXXXXXXX

Danny slumps down into the driver's seat of his car and then looks up at the darkened building with a few mottled lights on; most of them diffused thanks to curtains or blinds. He looks down at the phone in his hand after he ends the useless call with his youngest sibling. "Damn it kid where are you?" Danny growls, having called home a few minutes earlier and told that he wasn't there, his tardiness starting to concern them. "Hey partner you still there?"

"Yeah man, where are you?"

"My brother hasn't come back by any chance has he?"

"No. You two still haven't connected?" Demarcus asks in shock. "Now even I know that's not like him."

"I know. I'm outside the old lady's and she's not home, according to a tenant who…son of a bi…sorry not you," Danny offers with an angry curse as he remembers what Jamie had told him about the odd tenant. "Jamie told me about him. Okay any complaints about the tenant in apartment 2B in the same building?"

"I can check hold on…"

Danny twists his head and looks back up to see a shadow moving in the apartment he was just at and then frowns. Jamie wouldn't stay with that guy…willingly, he concludes with an ill-feeling starting to gnaw at him from the inside. "Anything?"

"Okay so the tenant is one Carl…haha nice…Carl Wethers…but spelt differently. Long term disability…"

"Yeah what for?"

"Gulf War fallout. Man…he's in pretty bad shape. After he was discharged from the army on medical reasons he tried out for the NYPD several times but was turned away on application because he wasn't mentally sound."

"Great, that whole place is full of crazies," Danny states somewhat tongue-in-cheek. "What? Being PC is Erin's job. What else? Any arrests?"

"Minor stuff only. A few things involving the unlawful possession of a firearm, uttering public threats, minor assault…nothing to suggest…what happened with this guy? You have a run in with him or something?"

"No. Jamie described this guy and then he…just something was off. I always tell Jamie to trust his gut but…"

"But you think he might know where Jamie is?"

But Danny doesn't another word in as he glances up at the same time his partner asks the question watching as the shadow in the window above raises the outline of a gun. "Oh god no…" Danny whispers before the silence around him shatters; his fingers unable to open the door fast enough.

*bang*

"JAMIE!"

A/N: Okay so I lied! I got to the end and realized I coulda made it one ginourmous one shot but wasn't sure how much I wanted to cut out so have decided to end it here and make it a two shot and hope that's okay! So think Jamie's okay? Was he actually shot? Will Danny's guilt for just leaving factor in? Will he get to Jamie in time? Please review and let me know your thoughts on this and what you think might happen in the next chappy