Francis Reagan sat at his desk with the notice in his hands. In a few minutes, a car would be there to take him to the home of the newest NYPD widow. These calls were never easy but this one, this one, just might be the death of him. There were others who could do it for him, but not this one. He still couldn't believe it himself.
"Sir," Detective Baker interrupted his thoughts. "The car's here."
"Thanks." He got to his feet slowly.
"Sir?" she said, uncertainly as he reached the door.
He turned to look at her.
"For what it's worth, I am sorry. My prayers are with you and your family."
He nodded and looked down again as he left. He thought of what he needed to do as the car sped down a familiar path.
Katie was just getting out of the shower when she heard her doorbell ring. She quickly threw on her scrubs and run downstairs to answer the door. She smiled when saw who it was.
"Hey, Dad," she said, pulling the door open. "Come in, come in. I was just getting ready for work. What brings you to this side of town? Can I get you something to drink? You just missed Emily. She's spending the night with Nikki."
Frank watched his daughter-in-law a she bustled around her small kitchen. Her feet were bare; her hair was dripping on her shoulders and her round stomach starting to stretch her scrub top out. He closed his eyes against the memory of the look of pride on Joe's face when Danny finally questioned why Katie had quit drinking wine with Sunday dinner a few months before. He fought for the courage to say what he needed to.
"Katie, Honey, sit down," he said softly.
At the sound of his voice, Katie froze. "What's wrong?" She knew something was wrong. She looked at the man who'd been like a father to her for last 16 years. "Is it Joe? Has he been hurt? What's going on?" Her voice was taking on an edge of panic.
"Katie, Joe's.., Joe's been shot. I'm sorry, he didn't make it."
"No. NO," Katie said, backing away from him. "No, Frank. No. He can't…, I just…" Her back hit the counter and she slipped down to floor before dissolving in tears as her world crashed in around her.
Frank stood there, feeling helpless. He needed to call Mary and Danny and Erin. He needed get Emily back home. He needed to do a million things, but in that moment, he did the only thing he could do. He sat down on the floor wrapped his arms around Katie and cried.
