Title: Becoming Blue
Chapter 1 – A New Day Dawns
Summary: AU As Danny Reagan works to become an NYPD Detective, his journey is met with successes and dangers. Will he achieve his goal? Or will someone try to stop him for good before that happens?
Disclaimer: Everything from Blue Bloods belongs to CBS and well not me lol I only own my muse (Alice love her!) and the ideas and any OCs that might pop up (which in name are only coincidence if they match anyone reading and not intentional!)
A/N: Alright here we go! A new Danny centric adventure that will expand a bit more on his role as beat cop and then into detective. I had thought about starting from Danny's graduation (which I might flashback to in this story) but so many of you wanted to see more Danny/Sam adventures and I have come to be fond of him also and we never knew much about Danny's first partner. So….my OC's (Sam for sure and maybe a contentious baddie) from my 9/11 story 'The Longest Day' will also feature in here as well as some beloved familiar faces from the show that also were featured in my 9/11 story. So…without further ado…here we go! Oh by the way? This starts a few weeks AFTER Danny had returned from his brief stint as Detective but it will have a few flashbacks :)
He could feel his heart rate start to climb as he turned and faced the entrance to the secluded alley on that dark, rainy night. He had been told to wait for backup but knew that he had the suspect was headed for him and wasn't about to let him get away or get the upper hand.
He held the small spare gun in his damp grasp as he slowly inched forward, his recovering injury already yelling at him to stop and get some rest as he'd been on it all day. But that wasn't to be. Instead, Danny inched closer toward his target as his heart rate continued to soar. Just as he thought he eyed their perp up in his sights, he heard a noise behind him turned and watched in horror as the man they sought stepped from the shadows and pulled back on the trigger.
Danny's lips gasped as he was snapped back to reality by the locker next to his as it was slammed shut and he slightly narrowed his gaze at a fellow officer.
"Sorry man…" the officer muttered as he shook his head and left the locker room area.
"Yeah…" Danny huffed as he looked at his somewhat haggard expression in the small mirror and uttered a whispered curse under his breath.
It was two weeks after he had finished his temporary assignment with the Detective team as part of his final recovery after an on the job injury. He had ruffled a few feathers right from the start with his brash attitude and having the same last name as the city's top brass didn't lend him too many favors either. However, he didn't care about who he rubbed the wrong way as long as the lead Detective liked his work as that was the one would ultimately help him fulfill his desire to become a Detective.
But the last case he helped on, he nearly got himself killed and that ruffled the wrong feathers – the top brass. 'Told you Reagan…no lone wolf stuff! And that got him an official talking to from his father.
'I know you don't always agree with the rules but to become a detective you need to show that you can follow them. Especially on the way up.'
It would go on his police file and that was the only thing he was worry for, as if too many of them added up he'd be in real trouble and might not make that Detective shield that he wanted so badly.
"Right…by the rules…" Danny told himself as he slammed the locker door shut and went in search of his new partner – Sam Wallace. He liked Sam. He was new with the NYPD, a rookie who had lost his partner in the line of duty and had so much promise that he told his father that when there was a house shuffle he wanted Sam to work at his precinct, if at all possible. It was accommodated. Sam was eager to learn but his father reminded him that Sam had to learn the right way; it wouldn't be fair for Danny to project his sometimes cavalier attitude onto someone else – both careers had so much potential.
With his nerves already on edge, the last thing Danny wanted was to get into another personal or professional entanglement but there were just some things that destiny wouldn't let you outrun.
"Watch where you're walking boy."
Danny heard the racial slur as he rounded the corner and stopped short and instantly cast a disdainful glance at the larger man in uniform a few meters a head.
"Nice mouth."
"What's that?" Dickson turned and glared at Danny who held his defiant gaze. "What did you say?"
"Deaf too?" Danny tossed back as Renzulli neared them with an order that they needed to report for duty.
"Whatever," Dickson muttered in disdain as he turned and left.
"Hey Sarge…who the hell is that blowhard?" Danny asked Renzulli in a low tone as he neared.
"Owen Dickson. Just moved to the big apple from the south. Why?"
"Boy?" Danny arched his brows. "Daniels just shrugged it off but come on…that crap isn't allowed here and you know it."
"I'll keep an eye out for it," Renzulli noted as Danny's brow knitted. "You've just had a review with the brass. The last thing you need right now is more heat on your ass. Cool it. I'll take care of it."
"Just don't pair him with…"
"Danny, I got it," Renzulli interjected as Dickson neared them. He gave them both a curt nod as he brushed past and then disappeared down the hallway.
"I'll also keep an eye out…" Danny muttered under his breath as Renzulli just shook his head. He watched Danny approach Mark Daniels and frowned. Renzulli knew that as much as Danny hated injustice and those that caused it, he had racial injustice even more. But he also feared that if Danny didn't keep his temper in check around Owen Dickson and didn't allow the internal processes to work through, he might do more harm than good.
"What are you so happy about?" Danny asked his partner Sam Wallace as he neared. "That smile is too bright this early."
"Katie said yes."
"You finally asked her out. Way to go. So…what's the first date gonna be?"
"I uh…maybe a game or…I don't know. What did you and Linda do for your first date?" Sam inquired.
"It was uh…well not planned. I was in for some routine treatment…some on the job thing and she was working in the ER and we just…well she scolded me for being reckless and I told her I'm not always like that and she said….'prove it.' And I said okay and after shift that night I showed up and took her out for dinner to a diner next door and well that was it. Sorry man…nothing special."
"Musta worked, you're getting married in the spring."
"Just be yourself. Do what you wanna do and then ask what she likes to do and then that can be your next date," Danny suggested as they entered the roll-call room.
"Good advice."
"Thank my mom," Danny grinned. "She gave it to my brother Joe a few weeks back. I think its working because he's already working on date number three. Angela I think. Anyhow…that's all I got."
"Okay…I'll give that a shot," Sam replied with a smile as Renzulli took his station.
After he called out the assignments, Renzulli took a few minutes to introduce and welcome the newest member to Precinct 12 – Owen Dickson.
"Yeah…gonna like it here!" Dickson stated loudly as he landed a hard slap on Daniels back; something that the other officer bristled at but said nothing. However, Danny looked at him with a narrowed gaze that lingered a bit longer than he expected and instantly drew Dickson's ire when they locked gazes.
But Danny didn't care; he hated racists and knew if he again caught Dickson bullying Daniels or any other officer or person of another race for that matter, they would have words – more like fists and he'd make sure he didn't lose.
Dickson walked toward him and purposely bumped his shoulder on the way out to get his day started.
"Reagan…" Renzulli gently but firmly warned as Danny held his ground, his gaze fixed on Dickson's back. "Remember what I said. Have a good shift you two."
"Copy," Danny acknowledged with a small hiss as he pulled away from his somewhat bewildered partner and entered the busy hallway.
"What's going on Sargent Renzulli?" Sam inquired.
"Nothing to worry about, Officer Wallace. Have a good shift."
Sam quickly nodded and then hurried after Danny, his mind eager to learn what just happened that Renzulli wouldn't tell him. "Danny!"
"Yeah…ready?"
"Always ready," Sam shot back with a cheeky reply. "So…what was that back there?" Sam asked as they slowly headed toward the exit to go out. "With that new guy?"
"It was…" Danny paused as they neared one of the rooms that Owen Dickson was actually in. "Not a fan of racists and that new guy…he just better keep himself and his attitude in check," Danny hissed in an undertone as they passed by the room that Dickson was in. Owen Dickson kept himself out of sight as they passed but then silently stepped into the hallway and narrowed his gaze at Danny's back.
"Or what Reagan?" Dickson whispered with a clenched jaw as his fists tightened on either side of his large frame. "We'll see about that!"
And just before he left the room, his balled fist met with the side of a metal locker and a small warning dent was left.
XXXXXXXX
"Thank you Sir…we got this," Danny huffed in exasperation as he looked over at Sam who tossed back an amused shrug but remained where he was inside the small, stuffy convenience store. "Alright Jason...we just need you to tell us who you actually saw!" Danny demanded as he turned back to the younger man who turned to his father for some help. "Jason…the guy who did this just killed someone else. Help me put his ass away for good!"
Sam's brow furrowed as he watched the younger man's fists curl and uncurl at his sides but knew Danny was right; he said he saw who did it and only his testimony would help put a killer away.
"D-do I have to do the whole lineup thing?"
"The suspect will not be able to see you. I promise."
"I've seen those shows…they always get the snitch. I-I can't…sorry. I saw nothing."
"He said he saw nothing."
"He lied because he said about five minutes earlier that he did."
"He-he'll know it's me. I'm sorry. Maybe someone else saw…or a camera. You know…like a security camera."
"Yeah I know what it is," Danny groaned as he turned to leave.
"Danny…"
"What? He said he knows nothing so we can't force him to."
"But what if…you know he comes back…to finish it off? Or take out his parents? You know send a message?" Sam pondered audibly.
"Not our issue any more. Come on," Danny urged.
"What?" The younger man gulped as he looked at Sam with widening eyes. "C-come back. Is he right?"
"Well yeah. If you saw him and he knows you saw him and we can't arrest him then…if I killed someone and knew someone had seen I don't think I'd want them around much. You know?"
"But…"
"Alright kid…had your chance."
"Wait!" Jason stammered as he clawed at Danny's arm. "Maybe…can I like wear a disguise or something?"
Danny looked up at Sam who held a placid expression and then back down at the younger man and was inwardly happy the rouse had worked. "Yeah fine…do you have it here?"
"Upstairs."
"Officer Wallace will accompany you to get it. You have five minutes."
The older man nodded to his son who quickly turned and darted toward the back of the store with Sam in tow while Danny looked at the father with a heavy frown. "We'll keep him safe."
"He's all I got," the older man implored with a heavy frown. "Do you really think that man would come back?"
"His history dictates he will. He's done it before. But if it makes you feel better, once he's done with the lineup, we'll release him into the basement where you can pick him up if you want and then go to a hotel or something until the DA's office decides their next move."
"Okay."
"All set," Sam reappeared a few minutes later with their witness, who true to his word was wearing a disguise.
"This is Detective Abetemarco. He's going to take you out back in another car," Danny directed as Anthony gestured for him to follow him.
"Thanks Danny."
"Yeah don't mention it," Danny replied as he looked at Sam. "Although I think it was my partner here. Tell us what happens."
He had worked briefly with Anthony and the detective squad a few weeks back while he was on crutches and helped with a few cold cases that helped to not only grow his intense desire to be a part of their team but also grew friendships that would continue into the future – that included new Detective Anthony Abetemarco who asked for their help with a stop on their beat. Something they just completed.
"That went well."
"Good job back there good cop," Danny smirked as they slowly headed back to their police cruiser.
"Learned from the best," Sam replied with a small punch to Danny's shoulder as Danny just chuckled. "Was that one of the detectives you worked with?"
"Yeah Anthony. Good man. Wants to work for the DA's office. This might help him climb up a rung or two."
They finished off the rest of their shift without too much fuss and then headed back to their precinct to complete their shift and call it a night.
"Alright man…I'll see you tomorrow."
"Tell me how the date planning goes," Danny playfully wagged his brows as Sam offered a sheepish smile. Danny watched Sam take his leave and then pulled his locker open. Just as he did a piece of paper dislodged and then slowly fluttered to the ground.
He picked it up and then cast a wondering glance at the three letters printed on it. W.Y.B. "WYB? Where you be? Huh? What the hell?" Danny muttered as he tossed the paper into his locker and shook his head. "Whatever…that means," he added as he pulled on his jacket and then headed for the exit and busted outside into the cool night air.
Danny slowly trudged toward his car and got in, unaware of the set of narrowed eyes that watched him from the shadows. As Danny headed toward his fiancé's place of employment he was unaware of the enemy he had just inadvertently drawn the ire of – but he would feel the consequences of it. And he could…come to regret it.
A/N: Okay so….am anxious for your thoughts on the start to this new adventure for our favorite detective! Lots of tension to start but had to get a few lighter moments in there and a few familiar faces we all know and love (or hate lol) coming back from my other story and the show! Hmm so what does that cryptic warming mean? And how long will it take before Danny gets into trouble with Dickson? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!
