"And I have thought you were already gone," the commissioner Francis Xavier Reagan stated towards his friend, once he noticed that DCPI Garrett Moore entered his office.
"Must have been my hopeful wish," the tired man sighed heavily.
It was late, and the commissioner was just exhausted. He wanted nothing but to go home and have a beer with pops. But Garrett coming at this time of the day usually meant there was something that required his attention.
"Frank," Garrett addressed the commissioner carefully, wondering how he should bring the news to the commissioner. The news he would hardly want to hear, in fact, the news every parent dreaded to hear.
"What is it, Garrett?" The commissioner asked nervously once he saw the look on Garrett's face. Garret wasn't just the commissioner's DCPI, but mainly he was his long-time friend Frank could have trust. He would have entrusted him with his own life or with the life of his children, not that he would have entrusted their lives to anyone besides himself or pops, but that was about how much Frank trusted Garrett Moore.
"Twenty minutes ago the dispatch received a call from detective Reagan about an undercover officer in distress," Garrett informed the commissioner.
"Go on," his friend encouraged him as he laid down the files he was reading previously. From his long experience with the police department, he could that that whatever was about to follow, was hardly good.
"Detective Reagan managed to get the officer to the hospital on a low profile. However, the undercover officer was beaten pretty badly," Garret said to the commissioner carefully because the last thing he needed right now was the PC having a heart attack.
Frank just nodded his head, worried for the injured man for he felt responsible for every single man under his command.
"Find out more about the condition of the injured officer and let me know!" He instructed his DCPI, wanting nothing but to go home after a long day.
Garrett just stopped in his tracks, looking at the commissioner somehow shocked. "Frank, the injured officer is your son Jamie," he announced to his friend as gently as possible, but he could see the horror once Frank Reagan realized what Garrett was telling him.
The commissioner could feel his heart had stopped beating for a moment before he pulled himself back together.
"Do we know how he is?" The worried father wanted to know immediately.
"I spoke to Danny briefly...," Garrett announced to Frank, "all he said was that Jamie was having troubles breathing, but other than that he didn't know much at the moment," Garrett told him as he gave Frank apologetic look.
Commissioner's forehead wrinkled.
"Garrett, just get me to my son," he pleaded his friend, being worried for his youngest son. The son his late wife Mary begged him to keep away from joining the force. And he promised her that he would make sure that her wish was honored.
"Your car is already waiting for you," Garrett interrupted him from his thoughts as he handed him his coat.
***BB***
Frank was sitting next to his son's hospital bed looking at Jamie who was now dozing. It was late at night. Jamie's face was now ranging from various shades of purple to yellow and green. There was also a heart monitor attached to Jamie's chest to monitor Jamie's heartbeat, although the doctor assured Frank that it was just a precaution. Jamie's left arm which was now resting on his abdomen, was in a sling for it was broken.
The commissioner had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. He watched as his son's chest rose and fell down again. But what troubled the worried man the most was the rasping noise Jamie made as he was taking in and out breaths.
"Your son was quite lucky." He remembered the doctor say to him. Or at least when you counted concussion, two broken ribs and a broken arm as lucky. Frank thought for himself as he watched the nurses setting Jamie in his hospital room for the night earlier that night.
Of course, given the circumstances, Jamie was lucky for he could have ended up dead. Frank kept thinking as he watched over his beloved son as he grasped his good hand in his. In moments like this, he berated himself for not abiding by Mary's wish.
Danny had stayed at the hospital until they knew Jamie would be alright before he stormed out to have a word with Jamie's handling officer at OCCB. Initially, Frank tried to stop him, but he gave up once he saw it was pointless. Besides, his place was not here at the hospital with Jamie.
Jamie slightly shivered in his hospital bed drawing his father's attention back to him.
"Jamie," the commissioner whispered once he saw Jamie's eyes flickered open.
The commissioner leaned over to Jamie and planted his head a brief kiss, thanking God to keeping his son alive.
"Dad," Jamie mumbled tiredly. He was a little bit confused, for the last thing he remembered was Johnny Tesla beating him at the parking lot next to the firm where he was working undercover. And then there were pieces of his memory that were missing; he was now trying to put together. Bianca. He remembered starting his undercover car. Danny… And then the whole world went dark.
"How do you feel?" The worried father wanted to know, gently stroking Jamie's soft hair. He did it with great caution because Jamie's swollen eye, which was now closed shut, was indicating him how badly his son had been injured in the area of his face.
"I feel," Jamie started, but before he could finish a wave of pain hit him.
The commissioner could see the painful expression in his son's face.
"Are you in much pain, Jamie?" He asked his youngest compassionately being well aware that his son was now really struggling to keep his usual poker face.
"My head and chest really hurt," Jamie admitted to his father when he noticed his worried look.
"Well, that can be expected, you have got two broken ribs, and you suffered a concussion," Frank informed his son, giving Jamie's hand a soft squeeze.
"Should I call the nurse to give you some meds for pain?" He then asked as he sat upright in the chair next to his son's bed.
"No, it's okay," Jamie slightly shook his head. "Just stay with me," he pleaded him before he fell asleep again.
"Of course," the commissioner whispered, running his fingers through Jamie's hair.
***BB***
It was late at night or early in the morning, depending on how you looked at it. The commissioner was trying to get comfortable in the hospital chair when the door to Jamie's door opened, and the commissioner's oldest son detective Daniel Reagan walked in. He has been at the hospital earlier that day when he brought Jamie in and stayed with his kid brother until he knew his brother was going to be okay. He left only later when their father has finally arrived so he could have a word with that genius from OCCB who left his brother unattended in this messed up undercover op.
"So, how is he?" The detective asked his father as he took a chair so he could sit next to his brother's hospital bed.
Jesus, the kid looked just terrible. He thought for himself as he gave Jamie's bruised face a brief look.
"As can be expected," the commissioner revealed tiredly to his oldest. "Sore. Besides, I expect him to have a few nightmares after what he has been through today," the worried father sighed heavily as he gave his sleeping son a concerned look.
"He is not the only one who will have nightmares," Danny mumbled as he pulled the chair closer to Jamie.
Frank could see how worried and concerned Danny was for his younger brother. He felt with his oldest son because, frankly, he felt the same.
"When did the doctors say they're gonna release him?" The detective wanted to know as he laid his hand on Jamie's, gently caresses it.
"Well," Frank hawked, "if everything goes according to the plan, they will release him from the hospital tomorrow in the morning," the commissioner revealed to Danny.
"I'm gonna kill Johnny Tesla for this! Once I get my hands on him," the detective cursed, not letting his sight of his baby brother who was breathing with great difficulty thanks to his broken ribs.
"Hopefully, it won't take long, and we will be able to take him into custody, thanks to the evidence Jamie has provided us with," the commissioner said to his oldest.
"I never thought I would see the day when Jamie's bad habit will actually save his life," the detective shook his head as he kept watching his sleeping brother.
***BB***
The room was still dark, but Frank hasn't been sleeping anyway for he was constantly checking on Jamie. Besides, he was constantly haunted with thoughts on what could have happened if Jamie hasn't swallowed that flash drive. He sat straight in the armchair he has been trying to get some sleep in ever since Danny has left earlier that night. He wondered whether he did the right thing when he didn't intervene and let Jamie get involved with OCCB. Nevertheless, what pops might have said, he was still Jamie's father, and no matter how old his son was, it was his job to make sure that his child was safe. Moreover, he was responsible for Jamie's safety as his PC. These were the thoughts that haunted Frank Reagan when he heard his son's rasping voice:
"What time is it, dad?" Jamie asked his father, narrowing his eyes in the dark.
"It's late," the commissioner replied in a low voice, paying his full attention now to his son.
"What time?" Jamie asked again. He was still slightly disoriented. He didn't know what time it was, nor which day.
"It's four thirty in the morning," the commissioner informed his son as he leaned closer to Jamie.
"How do you feel, Jamie?" The worried father wanted to know.
"Sore," Jamie uttered in a low voice as he tried to sit in his bed. But he regretted this idea immediately for his broken ribs instantly protested.
Jamie hissed with pain.
"You better lay down again," Frank suggested as he helped Jamie to lay down again, "You have got two broken ribs, remember?" He reminded Jamie, not sure how much he remembered from their previous conversation.
"That's probably a good idea," Jamie agreed to his father's surprise, for Jamie was usually rebellious at did not want to follow doctors' orders.
Frank couldn't help it but to caresses Jamie's soft hair.
"Dad," Jamie mumbled weakly once he was lying again. He regretted his previous attempt to sit down in his bed, because not only were his ribs now crying with pain; his head was spinning, thanks to the concussion, and he was feeling dizzy.
"What is it, Jamie?" The commissioner whispered into the dark.
"They almost made me," Jamie uttered.
It couldn't escape to Frank that his voice was slightly shaking.
Hearing these words coming from his son's mouth made the commissioner shiver. He closed his eyes for a moment as if he was chasing away an image of his son's lifeless body lying on the cold ground dead. It took a while before the commissioner composed himself and replied:
"Jamie, you don't have to think about it now. We will talk about it once you feel better." He told his son as he gave Jamie another concerned look.
***BB***
Frank opened the door into their house which was quiet as usual, after all.
"We're home, pops!" He called after his father once he and Jamie walked into the hallway. Frank helped his son to take his jacket off. Jamie hissed a little for even the simplest movement was causing him pain.
"Sorry," the commissioner apologized to his son, seeing the painful expression written all over Jamie's face.
"It's okay," Jamie insisted, trying his best not to let his dad know the real amount of pain he was in. But he couldn't fool the commissioner for knew his son just too well.
"Jamie!" Henry cried shocked once he spotted his grandson, who, thanks to the injuries he suffered in his face, looked even worse than the night before.
"Hey gramps," Jamie uttered weakly. He felt miserable. He was tired, sore and dizzy. The only thing he wanted right now was to go to his bed and sleep as long as he could.
"I prepared your room," the former commissioner, who could read his mind, whispered into his ear as he took Jamie into his loving arms, trying to provide his youngest grandson with some comfort.
"Thanks, gramps," Jamie mumbled, lying his head tiredly on his grandfather's shoulder.
The commissioner exchanged a concerned look with his father, both wordlessly thanking God that it all ended up "only" with Jamie being severely beaten and not worse.
"Why don't we get you into your bed?" Frank suggested as he helped Jamie upstairs to his old room.
The commissioner then helped the young man to change his cloth and tucked him in his bed like he used to do when Jamie was just a little boy. He sat down on the edge of the bed, patiently waiting till his son fell asleep. Only then he would leave the room, but not before he gave Jamie's head a loving kiss.
"I have to go, pops," Frank informed his father who was in the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"You're not going to stay?" Henry asked surprised. He thought his son would want to stay with Jamie at least for a little bit longer.
"I have an early meeting with the mayor, pops," Frank revealed to his father with a heavy sight.
"I hoped you would take some rest first before you go back to work," the former commissioner uttered, not happy to see that Francis was once again going too hard on himself. Whether he admitted it or not, the current commissioner also had his years.
"I'll try to come home earlier tonight," Frank tried to appease his father, "just look after Jamie for me, would you?" He pleaded Henry.
"Sure thing," Henry nodded his head.
"You need to monitor his concussion and wake him every two hours," Frank reminded to his father as he was putting his coat on. He didn't want to leave, but he had to. It was something that came with the territory.
"Don't worry, Francis," Henry assured him, "I have watched after several kids with a concussion in this family over the years," he smirked as he remembered all the basketball, football, baseball and other injuries his grandsons and granddaughter suffered over the years.
"I know," the commissioner gave his father a weak smile. He was once again lost somewhere in his troublesome thoughts.
"It doesn't get any easier, does it?" Henry addressed the commissioner who was just about to leave the house.
"What pops?" Frank asked confused.
"The worry you feel for your children," his father explained.
Frank just shook his head. "No, it doesn't," he stated the truth because ever since his wife and Joe died there wasn't a day he didn't worry.