The door slammed as Danny Reagan dragged himself into his father's house. Frank was sitting in the living room, not even blinking when the sharp sound echoed briefly and fluttered the corner of the newspaper he was reading. He was accustomed to it. Glancing above his glasses, the commissioner saw his son enter the room and drop into a chair across from him. Something told him that this wasn't the usual work week sluggishness that was bothering Danny. Frank set the paper down neatly and pursed his lips for a moment, studying the detective.
"Son? Is everything alright?" Frank asked quietly, folding his hands.
Danny shifted uncomfortably. A bird trilled outside.
"Danny." He pressed, knowing he could break him better than Danny could his own suspects.
Danny's eyes slid over to the table beside him, thinking that it was a most interesting object indeed. Much more interesting than this question.
"I'm not leaving until you tell me." Frank sighed, picking up the paper again and shaking it out. That should do it.
"Dad…I…" Bingo.
"Yes?" The paper returned to his lap again.
"I miss Jacks." Danny choked out.
Frank took a deep breath and let it out. It was the only sound in the room besides the ticking of the clock and the hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen.
"I understand. I can see it."
"She was more than a partner. She was my friend. She got me. She knew when I had gone too far, she was there to hold me back. Kept me from getting myself into a mess of trouble sometimes. I just…she left. And something's missing, dad. Just gone." Danny took in a trembling breath, turning his head to the side to try to hide the tears.
"She said she needed some time away from the job, right?" Frank asked.
Danny nodded.
"Well, I think that it was her choice. I can't speak for her, but I think that she didn't want to fall apart in front of you. She knew you would fall right along with her." Frank explained, watching his son's face soften by the tiniest bit.
"Yeah…you could be right." Danny agreed, but a shadow of doubt still remained in his mind. He was right, though. It was her choice, and she had her reasons. But that didn't fill that empty spot opposite his desk. Even when it was filled by some new partner, it always seemed empty to him. Empty. The bird trilled again.