Jamie Reagan adjusted the blue dress uniform as he fell in line behind the other graduates. Today was graduation from the academy a transition into the force but despite having family already in the ceremony would be a quiet one for the youngest Reagan.
Following the person in front of him Jamie scanned the crown not surprised none of his family came. Taking a seat Jamie half listened to his father, now his boss address the crowd not once looking over at his son.
Afterwards Jamie hung around hoping his father or grandfather would pass by and offer a congratulations. As though reading his mind Frank made rounds shaking hands with the new police officers and wishing them luck.
He'd just finished with a guy Jamie bonded with for the past eight months turning and catching the blue eyes of his youngest. Stepping forward Frank ext ended a hand offering a handshake. "Congrats officer Reagan."
"Thank you sir.. How are you dad?"
Frank dropped his hand and cleared his throat looking away towards the street. "We're fine Jamison but I have a lot more people to meet so." With that Frank started towards the next person he saw greeting the family warmly while Jamie watched.
Ducking his head, Jamie slipped away from the crowd taking a quiet walk alone. It had been when Jamie returned from Harvard with aspirations to join the department like his father, grandfather and brothers. Although the family had taken the news well they accepted it, until a few dinners into his training.
Danny was working a hard case coming to dinner agitated and tired. A simple comment from Erin flipped the table into a debate that turned into everyone exchanging words and walking off in their own directions. Since then no one from the family spoke again unless it concerned business.
Even during Joe's funeral each Reagan stood in their own corner to mourn, making little to no eye contact with each other.
Now a rookie officer in a family of cops and Jamie never felt more alone. He reached into his left pants pocket for a metro card and started walking uptown towards Chambers where his apartment was located.
Jamie took slow strides not in any hurry to go home to an empty apartment. When he got in Jamie changed his clothes taking comfort on the couch with a cold beer in his hand thinking over the ceremony. In a few days he would find out his assignment and training officer to officially begin.
Frank returned to the office at 1pp half listening to his DCPI Garret drone on about the schedule for the day. "I saw Jamie," Frank interrupted mid sentence continuing to stare at the far wall.
Garret lowered the paper he'd been reading from to read his boss' face, finding nothing more then a blank look. "Did you talk to him, at least congratulate him?"
"Yes I did very briefly." Frank paused leaving it at that. He wasn't even sure why he brought it up having known Jamie was graduating. He hadn't seen Jamie since the fight and even prepared seeing him was a shock.
"Boss, I wasn't there so I don't know exactly what happened but I can see how you've changed since. Don't you think it's about time to bury the hatchet," Garret commented watching Frank frown through his glasses.
"If you mean apologize I don't have anything to apologize for. Now can we please move on with our day?"
A week later Jamie stood outside the 12th precinct doors which he would call home for at least a year. Nerves stuck evident by the sweat on his hands despite his attempt to wipe it off. Before leaving the apartment Jamie checked his phone ten times hoping for a message from his father at least, leaving disappointed.
"Excuse me, do you need help sir?"
Hearing a voice forgetting he was standing in front of police precinct doors Jamie turned finding a small blond behind him. "Sorry it's my first day, Jamie Reagan," Jamie extended a hand to greet her.
"Eddie Janko. Reagan huh, any relation to the commissioner?"
Even though he was prepared for the question Jamie was still caught off guard, forcing him to pause a second. "Yea kind of. I'm supposed to report to Sergeant Renzulli.."
Giving him a smile Eddie pulled the door open leading him towards the back officers. "Don't be nervous it's a great house and Sarg is pretty cool. Maybe I'll see you after your at McDarees for a beer?"
Her blue eyes twinkled up at him once they stopped outside the officer. "Yea okay I'll meet you after tour by the locker room. " Giving a smile at his answer Eddie started down towards the locker rooms to get ready for her tour.
Taking a nervous breath Jamie reached a hand up knocking gently against the door. A shorter man with curly black hair looked up from behind his desk, smiling at the young man. "You Reagan?"
"Yes sir, Jamie Reagan I was told to come talk to you."
Waving a hand inviting him to sit Sergeant reseat in own chair looking the kid over. "Yea I was expecting you, the commissioner's youngest. I have your locker assignment and I'll be your field training officer so we have plenty of time to talk.."
Renzulli led Jamie to the locker room leaving him only to change before meeting up again to start Jamie's first tour. "You know I was your brother Joe's training officer too," Renzulli mentioned in between calls.
"No kidding, no I didn't." Jamie swallowed hard hearing his brother's name, missing Joe especially now when he'd be the most supportive.
"Yea, he was a good guy Joe. I'm really sorry about what happened to him. You were in Harvard right? What's a Harvard kid doing on the beat huh," Renzulli teased quickly changing the subject seeing the sad look in Jamie's eyes
Finishing the sandwich they'd ordered for lunch Jamie faced his new boss nodding to confirm. "All right Harvard, going to see what you can do."
The first couple of days of Jamie's training were uneventful. The roughest call he dealt with was a drunken father throwing his son down the stairs. The child was paralyzed for life and the father arrested for attempted murder. Jamie cried for an hour with Eddie in the back of the bar.
Eddie. He liked her. She was pretty, spunky, and very supportive, something his own family was not. He missed them. He really did miss them but this was their choice.
Tonight looked like every other night. He and Renzulli mounted up after roll call and headed on patrol. They'd been out for about and hour when they got a report of a shooting on the train. Renzulli hit the lights and headed there posthaste.