Chapter 2 of Following the Heart is up, let's rumble on.

Chapter 2:

Sydney looked shocked at hearing what Jamie had told her as she said, "Please tell me, this is a stupid joke, you thought up?"

Jamie shakes his head again saying, "No, it isn't. I'm doing this because it's right." "Jamie, have you seen what is going on over in Fallujah or Afghanistan? It's going to hell in a hacksaw." "Syd, I watch the news, I see the hell that goes on down there. It isn't pretty, I never wanted to be a lawyer, all I ever wanted to do somethin' right for this country and for my family, continue what we've been doing since 1917. Fighting for this country."

Sydney shook her head saying, "You're an idiot, Jamie, you don't even care about the risks, you think you're bulletproof?" "I don't think that, I'm not proving a point, this is my choice alone." "Why couldn't you at least go to college, first?" "Not an option, I was always willing to be the boots on the ground, this is my choice and my choice alone, my family backed me on this saying they'd stand by me."

Sydney shook her head in disgust saying, "I don't understand you, Jamie. But, don't expect me to understand you, you're just doing this to continue your family destiny. I'm breaking up with you, you ain't the man I fell in love with." "Don't expect to come running back to me then." Jamie spat in disgust.

Sydney turned and walked out of the park, leaving Jamie on the seat clutching the book in his hand as he said to himself, "Did I make the right choice?" running a hand through his hair as he said to himself, "This what you do, follow your heart. That's all you can do."

Jamie repeats this in his mind like a mantra before heading home, he walks in the door as Henry spots him saying, "Hey kiddo. You alright?" "Yeah, I'm good, I feel ready. All I gotta do is study for this test I got in 2 weeks and I'll be shipped off for basic training." "When do you find out which camp?" "After I finish the test."

Henry smiles patting his youngest grandson on the shoulder before watching him head upstairs. He then gets into a prayer position saying, "Father in heaven, I pray to O Lord to watch over my youngest Grandson Jamie, he is the heart of this family, a natural as well. I pray to you to keep him safe. Amen." Henry makes the sign of the cross before heading upstairs to bed himself.

2 weeks later

At the MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) in Brooklyn, New York, just next to the Fort Hamilton Army Base. Jamie was taking his test, he had sat down and got on with the test as many other potential soldiers had done. He was sat in the third row seated next to a guy with dark hair, blue eyes. He wore a red t-shirt, a white vest underneath the shirt and a pair of cargo trousers, Jamie was taking his time in answering the questions going as quickly and carefully as he can, 3 hours later, Jamie has finished the test at the same time as the man next to him as they hand in their papers.

After the test papers are handed in, the examiner then says, "Alright folks, now that you have handed in your papers, I can tell you the results for all papers will be handed in, in the next 2-3 weeks, so keep your ears open for an envelope through the door and check with your high school as well. Are there any questions?"

Nobody says a word as the examiner says, "Alright then, dismissed ladies and gents."

Everyone stands to as they leave via row as Jamie walks out behind the man in the red shirt as he turns saying, "So, you training to be on the frontlines?" "Yeah, you?" Jamie asked.

The man says, "I always wanted to be the boots on the ground, you?" "More like I changed my mind, I never thought about becoming a soldier until 2 weeks ago, but I always wanted to be a cop."

That piqued the man's interest as he said, "NYPD Cop family, right?" "Yeah, how'd ya know?" "Lucky guess, plus I have family serving as cops." "Pretty good, where you from?" "Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, now I've lived in Manhattan since I was 2." "I've lived in Brooklyn as well, Bay Ridge boy." "What street?" "Harbor View."

The man chuckled saying, "Well I be, same too, Name's Matt, Matt O'Mara." "Jamie Reagan."

Matt shook Jamie's hand saying, "Well met, Jamie. You need a lift?" "Na, I'm good, it was nice to meet ya, Matt." "You too, Jamie, see ya around." "You too, bud."

Jamie had began to walk back as he saw Matt drive off in a '54 light steel blue V8 Dodge Convertible as he began to walk back to his house in Harbor View Terrace.

Once he gets home, Jamie is hugged by Joe who says, "How was it?" "Tricky test, time it took to complete was 3 hours, but I finished 15 minutes early to go over answers." "So what happens now?"

Jamie takes a seat to take his shoes off saying, "Now I wait 2-3 weeks to hear back on how I did on the ASVAB test." "You'd have done pretty well." "Hope so." Jamie said praying for good news. Joe patted him on the back as he said, "Want to do a little boxing before I head off for my beat?" "Yeah, let's do that."

Jamie heads up to change into his workout clothing as him and Joe head down into the garage. Jamie takes up the boxing gloves as Joe keeps the bag steady for him as he begins to pound the bag, focusing his blows into the centre mass of the bag, Joe counts the amount of time he does this watching Jamie's tempo in the boxing, seeing improvements from the last session they had together.

1 ½ Weeks later, Jamie had just walked in from finishing his junior year of high school, he walked into the kitchen seeing his whole family standing there as he said, "What's going on?" "You got a letter from the Army." "The test results, I didn't think they were coming in until this Friday."

Mary then said, "They must've sent the results earlier." "Yeah."

Jamie opened the letter and looked at the results, he noted he scored 100% on the ASVAB, to which he was very surprised about and he saw his new instructions that said.

"Dear Jameson Reagan, your planned role to become an Infantry combat soldier has been accepted, you are to report for MEPS at Fort Hamilton from there you'll recite the oath of enlistment before basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia."

Jamie looked up from the letter as Erin said, "What is it?" "I got 100%, I'm going to become an infantry soldier like the rest of us Reagans."

Frank and Henry smiled at Jamie as he nodded as Erin smiled at him with tears in her eyes as she said, "I'm proud of you, little bro, you got this."

Mary smiled before engulfing Jamie in a very rib-crushing hug as she said, "I'm proud of you, my baby." "Thanks Mom."

Joe then high-fived Jamie afterwards saying, "So which camp you going to be in?" "I'm going to Fort Benning, Georgia." "The best of the best, right Grandpa?" Joe asked Henry.

Henry nodded saying, "Only the best get in, Kiddo. We're all proud of you, you've done a heck of a good job." "Thanks Pop."

Everyone had gone out to dinner afterwards to toast Jamie's success for getting into the Army.

A day later, the Reagan family had arrived at Fort Hamilton for Jamie's reciting of the oath of Enlistment. Before the ceremony began, Jamie had walked in whilst the Reagans had time to kill before the ceremony.

Jamie had walked in as he saw Matt and said, "Hey Matt!" "Hey, Jamie, good to see ya, how's it going?" "Good, you?" "Better." "How'd you do on the ASVAB?" "100% top of the chain." "Same too." "Lucky bastard, come on over got some guys for you to meet."

Jamie and Matt walked over as they saw 2 men in NYPD Uniforms, one wore a Captain's Uniform with many decorations, and the elder man had a Chief's uniform on as Matt said, "Grandpa, Uncle Hank, meet Jamie."

Jamie shook the hands of the elder men as he said, "Captain, Commissioner." "Well-met Jamie, where are you from?" "Bay Ridge, sir." "Good to see another Brooklyn native, didn't catch your last name though? Chief O'Mara said.

Jamie then replied, "Reagan, sir, my father's Frank Reagan." "Your family was the best of us all, true patriots to this city." "As are your family, sir." "Honoured by your words, son."

Soon everyone is called to be seated as Jamie and Matt sit at the front alongside their fellow enlistees that are going to be going into Basic training.

The Reagans sit in the back as they listen to the announcer. As he whittles through the list to have everyone recite the Oath of Enlistment, soon the announcer then says, "Jameson Reagan, please stand to recite the oath of enlistment, please?"

Jamie walks over and up the steps, he looks out at the audience as he stands to as the announcer says, "Please raise your right hand and repeat after me." Jamie places his left hand on the book whilst raising his right hand as the announcer said, "I, Jameson Reagan, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

Jamie nods, he had spent time right before the ceremony reciting the oath, he had spent plenty of time reciting the oath of enlistment with help from Henry and Frank. He mastered it perfectly. Soon he began, ""I, Jameson Reagan, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

He stepped down from the podium, he was now a recruit in the United States Army.

After the ceremony, Jamie had gone home and only packed what he essentially needed, he didn't take a watch or his phone. He only took his picture ID, social security, a pair of clothes and his banking information.

Afterwards, he had set off for Grand Central Station for Georgia as his family was there to wave him off as he said, "I'll miss you guys." "We'll write to you kiddo." Henry said.

That had filled Jamie with some comfort as he heard the Tannoy say, "Final call for the train to Fort Benning, Georgia, train leaves in 3 minutes."

Jamie muttered as he gave everyone a quick hug saying, "Good luck." "You'll need it more, son." Frank said.

Jamie smiled as he waved goodbye before heading for the train. He found a seat and sat next to Matt as he said, "Ready Matt?" "Should I be asking you that?"

Jamie chuckled as he heard the train doors close, this was it Jamie thought to himself. As the train departed the platform and chugged off heading for Georgia, getting ready for the next step in his life.

For those of you wondering if Eddie is in this story, I'm sad to say, she won't appear in this story.