Title: The Guardian – Book II
Chapter 1 – Another day in Paradise?
Summary: AU SQL to The Guardian. Jamie and Danny prepare to fully become Reagan's but it won't be as easy as Frank wants for the boys. A new threat, a past enemy, a budding romance, family tension and looming danger. Will the boys ultimate dream be realized? Will their destiny be Blue?
Disclaimer: I own nothing from Blue Bloods and…well you know the rest
A/N: we're back! So at the start of this story there is a brief recap of what our boys went through from being orphans on the street to coming into the Reagan's life and about to broach the subject of adoption and taking on the Reagan name. Much like the Book 1 – this one will have lots brotherly broments, whump, Hurt/comfort, family bonding, fatherly and grandfatherly caring, sibling bonding and Danny/Linda growing toward getting married. But you know its me so I'll toss in lots of angst, tension and danger! I know lots started last time and didn't finish the story (some by their own admission) but I hope that you'll all do me the kind courtesy of staying to the end and much like last time, the more reviews the longer the story! So…here we go enjoy and thanks!
It was dark outside when the younger man is awakened by a sound, his sleepy mind slowly pulling him from his current state as his eyes quickly adjust to the familiar surroundings in a place he now calls home. He hears a small grunt and can't help but feel his lips twist upward in his dimly lit surroundings as his arms fold under his head and his mind automatically drifts back in time to the moment Frank Reagan had come into his and Jamie's life.
Jamie had met Henry Reagan; his younger brother coming home to their shabby apartment that afternoon after school and telling him his fear of Henry Reagan finding out the fact they were living without a legal guardian and take him away and putting him in foster care – ripping their tightly knit world roughly apart.
But their troubles didn't just stem from the eldest Reagan, almost right after that he had his own run in with the current police Chief – Frank Reagan. Much like Jamie with Henry, he and Frank had a connection right from the start and no matter what they did, all their destinies were intertwined. Enter Sonny Malvesky and those future strands with the Reagan's became even more tightly woven. Helping to uncover the person behind Joe Reagan's murder and bringing down Sonny Malvesky and his NYPD internal crime syndicate, had cemented both boys in the lives and hearts of the Reagan's. Then came Jamie's sexual attack by his boss's friend, his run in with a high school bully and of course the terrifying showdown with their birth father. Then were the tense therapy sessions with family psychiatrist – Margaret Henderson. Both were uncomfortable but Jamie's was the most unsettling, a few things he fears the two of them might never get past. But through it all, Frank Reagan had proven to be their protector, guardian, confidant and father-figure. He had literally put his life on the line to save theirs and fulfilled his promise to them by slaying their paternal dragon.
Interwoven in all that was Danny meeting Linda Brown, the woman he can't wait to call fiancé. They had survived a few relationship ups and downs but in the end she's the only one he wants standing at his side when he takes her to see the precious gravesite that Frank had made for them in honor of their beloved murdered mother. Jamie had taken to a homeless man living in the alley outside his place of employment and was now working with their new friend and the newly appointed NYPD cybercrimes lead detective to track down George's family and see if he could reunite them. Erin Reagan had also inserted herself into their lives as their would-be sister and added a whole new dimension to something they thought they'd never have. Working part time jobs, hanging with friends, enjoying their first real family vacation and of course never forgetting their strong brotherly bond – a connection that no matter what would never be destroyed or tampered with.
But the other bond – the bond with the Reagan's is something both he and Jamie cherish more than they could ever express. However, little did they know but that bond was about to get even stronger by a surprising announcement that Frank would be making very soon.
His mind settles on Linda's first family dinner with them on the weekend and with that happy thought now dancing around in his head, Danny's frame rolls onto its side and he easily falls back asleep until morning.
XXXXXXXX
The next morning, Henry walks toward the kitchen and pauses in the entranceway as he watches Jamie looking at something in his grasp and his mind drifts back to the time when he came upon Jamie in the same pose. Jamie looks up and holds up the object for Henry to see – a can of pears.
"Pears," Jamie whispers as Henry nears him with a tender smile. "I remember that day."
"I do too," Henry replies as his arm wraps around Jamie's shoulders and he gives him a warm hug. Henry's mind also drifts back in time to the moment he had caught Jamie in the kitchen, quickly hiding something behind his back and jumping to the rash and very wrong conclusion that the young man had just stolen from them. But when Jamie brought out the item, Henry's heart sunk to his very feet; Jamie's confession that followed making him instantly tear up. After that it was something they did on special occasions or just because – but each occasion always had one very important thing in common – it was just the two of them.
"You know…it's just the two of us up right now," Henry suggest with a smile as he looks down at the can in Jamie's grasp.
"Yeah…we are."
"I'll get the bowls," Henry tells Jamie as the teen goes in search of the can opener and then sits down at the table opposite Henry.
"I still remember her bringing out that can of pears," Jamie relates in a quiet tone, pausing in his eating as his mind recalls the tender memory. "Think she'd still be eating them out of a can? Or maybe making us fresh pears?"
"Maybe poached with candied nuts and ice cream."
"Wow you can make that?"
"Well not me, but I'm sure she could," Henry retorts with a small chuckle as Jamie looks at him and smiles. "But I do know she'd be very proud of you now."
"Think she'd be okay with me wanting to look into George's family?"
"I think she'd want you to follow your heart. But I think she'd want to you also to use your head and be careful. And since you said you've never done anything like this before I think she'd take comfort in knowing that you're not doing it alone and that you have me and Scott helping you."
Jamie's mind takes comfort in that confession but had told himself, or was still trying to tell himself, that even if he found George's family they might not want to be reunited with the patriarch that, by his own admission, walked out on them. 'Real life isn't like the movies and there isn't always a happy ending as you very well know,' Frank and Henry had reminded him the other week.
"Frank was home late," Danny remarks as he walks into the kitchen about half hour later, the pears gone and the dishes put away – no pre-breakfast evidence remaining.
"New case," Henry replies with a heavy frown as Danny plunks himself down beside Jamie, watching his brother trying to tackle the daily crossword puzzle.
"He seemed tense yesterday," Danny notes as he tells Jamie another word to put into the empty boxes. "It is an internal matter?"
"Part of it is. He's still finding internal fallout from the Sonny Malvesky case."
"Sonny," Danny looks up with disdain.
"Is he still in jail?" Jamie asks as Henry nods in agreement.
"I hope he rots in there!" Danny states sourly as Jamie looks at him with arched brows. "Still a sore point," Danny adds as he gets up to start the coffee for their shared family breakfast. "Who'd they finger this time?"
"It was someone his father had tried to get implanted but was ratted out by one loyal to us."
"I hope that pissed him off," Danny mutters under his breath.
"Oh it ruffled more than a few feathers," Henry replies as he leans back in his chair, Danny turning around to face him with a wondering glance. "There are still a few on the inside that think the ideals of the Templar should still be in operation today. I can't deny that I don't at times agree we need a special task force on the inside to police certain well police activities but it would have to be run by a neutral, independent body and that doesn't exist anymore. Too many politics and too much money to blackmail with and benefit off of."
"So who does police the real police? You know keep the in line? Who do they answer to?" Jamie wonders innocently.
"Me," Frank replies resolutely as he enters the kitchen with a firm smile. "Morning."
"Morning," both boys offer at the same time; their words accompanied by friendly smiles.
"But with the help of a few trustworthy outsiders, the process is getting better."
"Who are the outsiders?" Danny inquires as Frank nears him.
"They remain anonymous for a good reason," Frank answers in truth. "So what is on the agenda for today?"
The boys take the hint and the subject is changed to what the boys might be expecting to do at work that day; Danny telling them about his co-workers latest dating mishap and Jamie telling them about going to talk to George. Erin finally joins them, telling them the plans for her day about going with a friend to the library of congress for a law club outing.
Frank had prepared to tell the boys the night before about the adoption idea but the call about a possible resurgence in the Templar was serious enough for him to put everything else on hold and take care of that looming danger before it could blossom into a full-fledged threat. What he didn't fully disclose to Danny is that he had met some of the members of that internal task force, one being their new friend and his new lead cybercrimes detective – Scott Daniels as well as Senator Carter Poole who had helped him with Sonny's initial takedown. He'd have one more meeting with the newly formed task force before the matter he hopes is put to rest for now.
I hope I can tell them tonight, Frank's mind ponders as he watches Jamie and Danny hover around his father, Henry, as he fills in another word on the daily crossword.
Danny watches Frank leave and then Henry get up and excuse himself from the kitchen to get ready to head out as well. He tries to keep his mind busy with breakfast and the day ahead but all his mind can ponder is one word – Sonny! Part of him wants to just march down to the jail and thumb his nose at his incarcerated nemesis, taunting that they'll both be old men before he'd again see the light of freedom. But the other part wisely warns – Sonny still has powerful and deadly friends…don't give him something more to target.
"Danny?" Jamie asks with a small jump as a sudden noise by Danny makes him and Erin look up in haste.
"Mind is elsewhere," he replies in haste as he quickly scrambles to clean up the spilt coffee, thankful the dropped mug didn't clatter to the floor and break. Damn you Sonny! His mind curses as he pictures Sonny Malvesky's evil smug looking at him with an intent glare.
Jamie watches Danny leave and then looks at Erin in wonder. "Do you know what's wrong?"
"I think he's nervous about Linda coming over for dinner on Sunday," Erin suggests along with a shrug.
Jamie looks over at Danny's mug and then excuses himself and goes in search of his brother. "Danny?" He asks softly as he knocks on his door and then pokes his head into his brother's room. He spies Danny facing the window looking down at something before he turns and gives him a half side nod. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah," Danny huffs as he shoves his phone back into his pocket and then turns around to face his brother's curious glance. "Sorry about that back there…was um… thinking about…"
"Linda?"
"Sonny."
Jamie's brows gently arch at the mention of a man that had played such an important role in their lives by being the main catalyst for them and the Reagan's joining futures. "Sonny? But he's in jail right Danny?" Jamie asks with a hint of fear in his voice.
"Yes. And I hope his ass rots in his damn cell for the rest of his life!" Danny hisses before he takes a deep breath. "I still remember what he did to you…and Linda…how he tried to kill Frank…he murdered Joe…just seems he got off lighter than I wanted. But…it wasn't up to me," he resigns as he slumps down on his bed with a heavy sigh. "Frank seems a bit more stressed than usual and it's probably just work but um…but maybe I'm reading more into it than it really is. I think it's Sonny. I mean someone tries to take your life you don't forget that too easily do you?"
"I still remember that night dad…tried to hang us," Jamie mentions weakly as Danny's eyes produce a mournful gaze. "But I'm sure Frank sees lot more bad stuff than that."
"I still remember that night also," Danny confesses as he nears Jamie with a sympathetic gaze. "Let's go before we both drown in melancholy and the day is ruined before it even starts."
The two of them head back into the kitchen to finish breakfast with Erin before the three of them part ways; Erin to her field trip, Danny to the warehouse and Jamie to the bowling alley; neither of the boys knowing that that night their lives were once again going to change.
XXXXXXXX
As soon as Jamie enters his place of employment, he instantly starts into his routine, heading for the popcorn machine and emptying out the remaining popcorn from the night before into a plastic Ziploc bag and heading for the back exit door. He enters the alleyway and starts to look for George. As per his usual, when he doesn't see the old man at first, panic sets in that George has died all alone.
But when he finally spies him, he utters a sigh of relief and then calls out, not wanting to startle his aged friend.
"Hey George."
"Hey Jamie, my boy, how are you today?"
"I'm good," Jamie replies as he squats down by George's side. He hands the bag of popcorn to his friend but frowns when he notices George offer him a hearty grimace. "George? What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I'm old," George replies with a small frown as he looks up at Jamie and tries to smile. "Got a cure for that?"
"No," Jamie answers meekly as he slides down to his butt and looks at George in wonder.
"Do I look so old to young eyes?"
"What? No…no I just…" Jamie stammers as George smiles and then pats his arm. "I just worry. I wish you were with your family or something."
"You have a good family Jamie, not all of us do."
"Never used to be good. Well my mom was good but my dad wasn't. I just wish you weren't alone."
"I'm not alone. I have you," George offers warmly as Jamie's face softens.
"I wish I could take you home with me," Jamie huffs as he looks at George in frustration.
"This is my home now Jamie. It's where I'll…"
"Don't say that!" Jamie interjects angrily before he shrinks back and apologizes. "No one should die alone on the street."
"You're very kind Jamie and you have a big heart. But this is reality," George replies pointedly. "I don't want you to worry about me."
"I'll always worry about you George. You're my friend," Jamie tells him in truth; George's face lighting up a bit more brightly than a few minutes ago.
"Now…what flavor is today's?"
"Mac and cheese," Jamie tosses back with a smirk.
"Oh my favorite," George opens the bag with glee and then offers Jamie some. Jamie takes a few kernels, not wanting to deprive George of too much and chews.
"Too much cheese," Jamie snickers. Not wanting to push too much more about his family, Jamie decides to back off from the family talk and just talk to George about a few observations in the alleyway before he excuses himself and heads back inside to start his shift.
But a few hours later, during his break, things don't go quite as smoothly as Jamie reenters the back alleyway to give George another treat and sees two young punks taunting his friend.
"HEY!" Jamie shouts as he stomps toward them; both younger men looking up in disdain.
"Who the hell are you?"
"I've called the cops!"
"For this homeless loser?" One of them spits.
You don't always need to engage and two on one can quickly turn into two on none.
But as Jamie looks down on George's roughed up frame, his anger surges and he turns and reacts without thinking. His balled fist strikes the nearest one in the face, making him cry out as his nose spits forth blood a few seconds later. However, the other one isn't about to just let Jamie's interference go unpunished and before Jamie has a chance to react, sends forth his fist and strikes Jamie in the mouth, spitting a part of his lower lip open and making him stumble backward. Jamie's mind races to remember a few more moves that Danny had taught him and he strikes at the other opponent with angry force once more. This blow catches the other one in the stomach.
But it's blow for blow and Jamie's jaw sustains the second hit – two against one, not really a fair fight. But before it can really become even more uneven, sirens are heard approaching and the two punks thinks Jamie's 'bluff' has been called.
"Get lost!" Jamie shouts as he tries to get his pounding head to quiet for a few seconds longer as his hand comes up to touch his pulsing lip.
"This isn't over!" One of them shouts as glares at Jamie for a few seconds and then turns and rushes after his friend.
Jamie watches them both disappear from view and then rushes back to George's side and drops to his knees. "George…"
"Jamie…I'm ok…ay," George offers weakly as Jamie pulls his phone.
"I need to call for help."
"No…no mon…ey…" George's voice dies out as he goes limp in Jamie's grasp.
"George?" Jamie asks in haste as his fingers quickly check for a pulse. "George!"
XXXXXXXX
Danny walks into the warehouse and heads for the staff room to put his duffle bag in and talk to Ralph for a few minutes before they start their shift. He opens the door and looks at a picture of him and Linda and smiles. But as he thinks about her coming over for family dinner on the weekend his anxiety grows. It was such a big step and while he was sure he wanted to marry her and was sure she felt the same way…she does right? Yes she does! His insecurity starts to ebb and flow. What if she didn't want to be a cops wife long term? What if her job as a nurse made her work longer hours than he might have wanted? Did she want a family? Did he? What if…and on it went. That is until fate decided to step in and throw an even bigger anxiety wrench into his thoughts.
"Ahhh!" Danny huffs as he closes his locker and then turns to see Ralph enters with a strained expression. "Hey man…what's up? You look stressed."
"I am," he sighs as he walks up to Danny and opens his own locker two doors down. "My brother…did I ever tell you about him?"
"The one who's a cop in Jersey right?" Danny asks as Ralph nods in agreement. "Once in passing. What's going on?"
"His wife just left him. They have two boys. I mean…they've been married ten years and now she can't take it?"
"Really?"
"Yeah. I think they've been drifting apart for a while now but you know guys…ah he doesn't talk much about it. She said she'd still want to see the boys…just not with him on a regular daily basis. How messed up is that."
"I feel sorry for the kids," Danny offers in sympathy as he looks at his friend and fellow warehouse worker. "So…she didn't say anything before?"
"Maybe…who knows what they talk about you know? I've seen them argue when we've been over there but um…but didn't think it was bad enough to force a separation. Cop's life I guess. Crazy hours…not knowing if you're gonna come home…kids never see their dad. Maybe there was someone else there for her?"
"Yeah."
"I'm just guessing and if you could keep it to yourself…"
"Yeah of course," Danny replies with a tight lipped smile.
"I know this job is kinda dead end and I'm working on getting my degree in warehouse management on my nights off but at least my wife knows I'll be home and at what time."
"You're degree huh?" Danny tosses back with a smile. "That's great."
"Yeah. I think so. I know you wanna be a cop and all and I didn't mean to dump all this on you but um…thanks for listening."
"Sure," Danny answers weakly as he pulls away from Ralph and heads into the main part of the warehouse. The cool air inside the large structure actually feels good on his now somewhat flushed face, but his mind starts to really race. He's a cop….two boys…married for ten years…drifted apart…he was always away…separated…divorced? Why'd they even bother?
"Damn," Danny whispers under his breath as he starts his shift. What if Linda and I drift apart? Cops do work crazy hours…what if I can't keep her happy? What if we can't make it work? What if she really wants someone more stable? What if we have a family and it's my fault it breaks apart? I'll be to blame…like my father…
And while the day had started off with tension that he hoped would ease, it instead builds so much so that he actually considers cancelling Linda's invitation on the weekend – wanting to just wait…wait?...for what?
XXXXXXXX
"How'd it go with Sanchez?"
"He gave up Sonny's father but it's nothing we didn't know," Frank replies to his father as Henry stands before Frank's desk that same day. "It might get him a reduced sentence but either way he's gone."
"I heard Sonny had a few choice words for you when you went to the prison yesterday," Henry states as Frank looks up at him in wonder.
"I didn't expect a warm welcome," Frank retorts with a heavy sigh as he leans back in his chair and lets his mind wander back in time. He remembers walking into the visiting area and looking at Sonny who was talking with another man. Their eyes locked and instantly narrowed at the same time – the feeling of disdain being mutual and palpable.
'Well well…NYPD royalty among us. Here to put a few more good men away to keep your lies and corruption hidden?'
Frank of course said nothing in return, merely looked away and sat down at a table to wait for another inmate, one that had insider information on the man he had just arrested a few hours later.
'How's that no good bum Danny boy? Still trying to make you feel sorry for him? Better watch him. He'll stab you in the back any chance he gets! Him and his no good brother! Two no good troublemakers, those two.'
Hearing Sonny's sour words only made Frank's fatherly protection toward Danny and Jamie surge even more but once again he didn't engage him. To what point? They were just words and Frank knows that if he were to engage, it might cause Sonny's hatred to fester even more and despite being stuck in jail, Sonny Malvesky had a long reach. It was something he worried about every day; not telling the boys of course.
"He's bitter and jaded and…" Frank starts as Henry's phone rings.
"Jamie," Henry replies as he answers and looks at Frank in concern. "Jamie? What's going….whoa slow down….you're at the hospital? Who's been injured…Jamie…"
"What happened?"
"George was attacked by two men in the alley and Jamie's with him in the ER. I'll go and take care of this."
"Okay. I'll tell Danny just so that he doesn't worry," Frank mentions as his father turns to leave.
"Francis…"
"I want to tell them both tonight," Frank tells his father in truth. "I know the last few days have been tense and I have promised but have worked a few late nights trying to get this Sanchez thing taken care of. Tonight. I just hope they'll be as happy as we are."
"Oh…I'm sure they will be. I'll see you later."
Frank watches his father leave as he leans back in his chair; his mind racing with so many things that have happened in the past few days that he can't help but be nervous.
It was going to be a tension-filled day all around.
A/N: Okay so….I wanted this chapter to do a few things…briefly recap most of the events in The Guardian Book I and of course hint at a few new issues that we'll cover in book II (but more new ones to come also if you all want that). And I didn't want to rush the new plotlines so the big adoption talk is coming up next. Thoughts on this new start? Sonny's back? (evil grin). The boys still have nightmares. Will Jamie see those punks again? And what about George's family? Will Jamie find them? And what about Danny? Will he back off now? And of course how will the adoption talk go? Please do review before you go to let me know and thanks so much!
