AN: I was so moved, watching the 15th anniversary program on television. So, I couldn't resist, putting the Reagans there and using it as a way for them to see Holly again.

No matter how many of these anniversaries went by, certain things never changed. He still felt the tingling on the back of his neck, the antsiness that kept him from being still for more than a couple of seconds. His face remained solemn as each name was read, and he kept one eye out for a specific familiar face. His dad was right. Maybe, he'd be able to move on from some of his own secret issues, if he coached Holly through hers. He winced, his hand squeezing Linda's as the second bell was rung. Everyone around him gave a sharp, barely-audible gasp. That little clang felt more like a slap across each person's face. For the briefest of seconds, the only sounds to be heard were those of passing cars, and the roar of the reflecting pools. When the moment of silence was over, he felt a tap on his arm. He turned, looking directly into his niece's eyes.

"What is it?"

"She's here, Uncle Danny. Look."

Nikki pointed to a spot in a shaded corner of the courtyard. Holly stood with three other people. She had her arm around a girl, who was wearing a print sundress and appeared to be two inches shorter. That had to be Tricia. He sighed. A middle-aged couple stood directly behind them, holding hands. The man was slightly-stooped over, resting some of his weight on a cane. The woman had black hair, while her husband and daughters were red-heads. It felt like an immense weight was lifted, when the last name was called and the closing prayer was said. Nikki instantly disappeared into the crowd, after telling her mother that she was going to get Holly.

Henry said, "Determination above all. She's a Reagan, through-and-through."

Erin rolled her eyes, a smile teasing in the corner of her mouth. Her nephew, Jack, tried to listen in on the conversation. He wasn't as subtle about it as he thought it was, though. This was proved by how his father chuckled softly, ruffling his hair. Danny's eyes met Holly's across the small distance. He watched her follow Nikki back towards them, with the rest of her family in-tow.

Colton shook Frank's hand, saying, "It's an honor to meet you, Commisioner."

"The honor is all mine", and he gestured at the dog tags around the man's neck, before asking, "Where'd you serve?"

"Two tours in Iraq for Desert Storm. You?"

"Vietnam."

Colton glanced at Henry and Danny, that same question in his eyes.

The former answered, "Korea."

The latter said, "Iraqi Freedom."

Frank clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Our country thanks you."

"I appreciate that, and I know this city certainly thanks you."

His smile remained, as he ushered his wife forward.

"Traci Mullins."

"Frank Reagan."

Turning slightly to the left, she continued, "And you must be Danny."

"Last time I checked."

"When Holly told us she'd found you...we were shocked. We had no idea that was possible, or that her memory of that day had held up so well."

"You and me both. Uh...this is my wife, Linda. My boys, Jack and Sean."

He hugged Tricia when she stepped up, and he remarked on how big she'd gotten. Then, he asked if she was going to college.

She told him, "Mm-hm. For pediatric dentistry. Most healthy habits start early. It seemed like the right fit."

That led into a conversation with Linda about her craziest experiences as a hospital nurse. She was careful to leave out the incident, when she'd been shot. Meanwhile, everyone else's distraction gave Holly and Jamie a chance to talk.

"So...theater, huh?"

"Yep", she replied, closing that word with a popping sound.

"What made you pick that?"

"It's just the niche I felt most comfortable in. I've always liked the idea of worlds within worlds. In a way, it's like creating another dimension."

"Wow."

"Yeah. And you know, seeing things through each character's eyes does give you a new perspective. It's just...fun. It's really, really fun."

Holly's passion for her chosen craft was something Jamie couldn't help but admire. It was the way he, his brother, and his father and grandfather often spoke about their careers. And Erin about hers, too. He knew Joe would agree, if he was alive to meet this girl.

Still, he felt the urge to test her a bit further: "What about that moment in your story two weeks ago, when you grabbed your sister and threw her away from the falling debris? That's the kind of protective instinct any decent cop should have."

Holly smiled, giggling as she shook her head. She liked Jamie's spunk. And if she were being honest, she also liked his appearance, too. Unlike his dark auburn-haired siblings, his hair possessed subtle hints of blond. His clean-shaven, acne scar-less baby-face also cut about five years from his actual age.

She told him, "I did think about joining the academy at one point. I wanted to help people, like your brother helped me."

"But?"

"But...I discovered other ways of doing that. Theater is more than just putting on a mask or sparkly costume. It teaches focus. Improves confidence", and she glanced over her shoulder, before continuing, "Think about your father. He gives speeches constantly. But if a person doesn't learn the confidence to get up in front of a crowd, any ideas they have could be lost to the world forever."

He didn't get the chance to say more, because of his brother's sudden interruption.

Danny waved them over, saying, "Your mother just gave the okay."

"For what?"

"To go out to lunch", Nikki chimed in, "We thought it might be fun. The two families together, getting to know each other."

Holly looked sideways at Jamie again, a slightly-awkward smile twitching in the corner of her mouth.

Her voice lowered a bit, as she asked, "Are you good with that?"

He shrugged and replied, "Yeah, if everyone else is."

"A go-with-the-flow-type, huh? I like that."

He gave a smile of his own, his cheeks briefly flushing scarlet.

She lightly smacked his arm with her ceremony pamphlet, before saying, "Let's go."

They walked back over to their families. Then, an odd emotion played over Colton's face.

He held up a finger, saying, "Almost forgot. Hey, Danny, can you come here a second?"

"What's up?"

He didn't get an answer right away. But he did show unusual patience, as he watched the older man search through his wallet to find whatever this item was. Finally, he took it out: a slightly-faded picture of his daughters as children. He cringed inwardly, when he saw the date-stamp in the lower right corner: September 9th, 2001. What made it even more eerie, was the fact that the towers were in the background.

Colton said, "A lot has changed since then. My girls both have asthma, from breathing in all that dust, and Holly is prone to migraines."

"Well, they're strong."

"Yeah", he replied, "They get that from their mother. With what I'm going through...I really don't know how they're doing it. I-I know that probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense-"

"Hey! Are we gonna get to the chow, or what", Henry yelled.

The men were both laughing, as they followed the group to the parking lot.

Tucking his hands in his pockets, Danny told Colton, "Lesson one about our family: Gramps ain't subtle."

"I like him already."

AN: You might recognize the name of this from a Bruce Springsteen song, which ironically was about 9/11. However, that wasn't the only reason I picked it. This story will be about healing and building new relationships, which is the other reason. Also, just so my readers know, I'll be using song lines and titles for each chapter. I'm open to any suggestions you can give me on that.