Chapter 2

"Betty! Are you there, sweetheart?... I'm home," Henry called out as he opened the front door halfway before putting down several carefully packed grocery bags from the farmer's market and pausing to retrieve and scan the mail from the box on the stoop. It still felt odd to say that in the middle of the work week while daylight was spilling through the windows considering for the last however many years almost without fail he would have still been sequestered on the fourteenth floor at 1PP until well after dark, dealing with the near-constant business of being the city's top cop. Rising through the ranks to the level of Police Commissioner had its perks but spending leisure time at home during the day with his wife and now bustling extended family was definitely not one of them. Forced retirement had taken that problem off the table recently though after an ill-timed kerfuffle over bragging rights for dropping crime stats left him out of a job a few months before and no longer serving at the pleasure of the current mayor.

"I tried calling earlier, but you didn't answer," he added and looked through the doorway, expecting her to be in the kitchen starting supper like clockwork as he paged through a stack of meaningless advertisements.

"I'm sorry it took so long at the store, but I stopped by Pearson's to pick up the roast for Sunday and then dropped it off with Mary. I know you said not to worry, but she's happy to make the meal this week since you've been feeling under the weather the last few days. We got to talking a bit about Joseph. She says he's got a new girl named Angela that he's going to bring around..." Henry trailed off when there still was no response as the mere mention of one of her grandsons dating someone new would usually have Betty puffing away in her indomitable Irish ire about the virtues of young women these days and how he would need to lecture Joe about being a gentleman considering the situation that had preceded them with Daniel and Linda on her first visit to this house for Sunday dinner when the two had been caught being less than chaste in the backseat of the very Studebaker that he was retrieving the groceries from. Still, that had worked out in the end as the couple was now married with a little boy of their own, John Patrick, or Jack as their first great-grandson was affectionately called, who was just starting to crawl even though his father was no longer around to witness it. The shock of the attacks of 9/11 had eaten at Danny's conscience over the past year. In a surprising move, he had taken leave from the NYPD and recently enlisted in the Marines where he was currently finishing boot camp with an eye to shipping out to the Middle East any day now from his training post at Parris Island, South Carolina. The situation saddened Henry greatly as he recalled his own service and time away from home in Korea. This was no time to dwell on that though as he puzzled over where his wife might be since she still had not answered.

"Betty?" he tried again before stepping through the door, the groceries and everything else now forgotten on the stoop as his stunned eyes lit on her lying motionless at the bottom of the stairs, her head resting against that cherished oak banister she had polished religiously every week for the past forty plus years of their married lives together.

"BETTY!"

###

"Jamison, how are things going today?" DCLM Charles "Chuck" Miller asked from the doorway as he stopped to check in with the newest employee in the legal department at 1PP. "Settling in okay?"

"Yes, sir," Jamie smiled as he closed the folder on his desk while initially ignoring the buzz of the phone in his pocket given the fact he was in the presence of his new boss, having decided to stay in the NYPD and take on this post as an Assistant Director of Special Investigations in the Criminal Section when the original offer for a similar assignment with the FBI in Washington had been rescinded. True to his word, while his initial placement was as a subordinate, Deputy Commissioner Miller had provided a pathway to put Jamie's career on the fast track, and he was positioned to become the primary liaison with the federal bureau in the department, slated to work almost exclusively with them to coordinate operations between the two agencies. In addition, he was also now responsible for conducting training for other units on criminal and constitutional law. It promised to make for a rather full schedule, and while his heart still belonged to patrolling the streets, this new appointment was shaping up to be an interesting blend of his legal and policing skills with more opportunities for fieldwork coordinating joint operations than the stuffy courtroom requirements he had initially shied away from as corporate counsel. Added to that was the search and seizure course he was scheduled to begin teaching at the academy in the fall which gave him the desired opportunity to work with the young recruits again as well as an excuse to pop in and see how his good friend Quincy was faring in his new temporary role as an assistant tactical shooting instructor there.

"Just getting my feet wet with some of these warrant requests for next week's op in the East Village," he explained. "We should be all set to go by Tuesday at the latest."

"Excellent," Miller nodded with a pleased smile and a satisfied chuff since having a smart, dedicated and trustworthy designee to troubleshoot the often complicated interactions between two of the largest law enforcement agencies in the country would surely solve a majority of the headaches in this area and enhance his own status among the other deputy chiefs in an ultimate bid for a move up the ladder to a more substantial office in the future, either here at 1PP when Frank finally turned in his papers or more ambitiously at City Hall with a run for the Mayor's seat. "Now more importantly, how's that new baby?" he added in easy small talk. "I swear your father's chest is so puffed out when he speaks about him in the elevator I have to step back two feet. He told me both children will be attending the daycare here in a few more weeks, so I expect we'll see them visiting soon? Eddie's handling the transition well?"

"She's doing fine," Jamie assured. "Joey keeps us on our toes, and she loves staying home with him and Kaylin, but she still has her heart set on earning a gold shield, so she'll be back at work as soon as the pediatrician clears him, and her maternity leave is over," he added as the phone buzzed audibly in his pocket once more. "Speak of the devil," he smiled apologetically after allowing himself a quick peek to see who it was since the conversation had turned casual and it was unusual to receive multiple calls in rapid succession from her without a text or voicemail left to explain. "I'm sorry, but that's twice so it must be important."

"Well, then I'll let you get that. My advice to you is never keep the real boss waiting," Miller chuckled agreeably as he ducked out of the doorway and made his way towards the front desk to confer with his secretary.

"Hey, honey," Jamie answered, expecting to hear Eddie vent about something, make a plea for takeout tonight or remind him not to forget that promised trip to the pharmacy on the way home before a frightened little familiar voice came over the line instead.

###

"How was school today, honey?" Mary called out from the pantry as she heard the screen door open and his backpack being deposited on a chair in the kitchen like clockwork. No doubt her youngest and the last to leave the Reagan family nest on Harbor View would be looking for a snack to tide him over prior to holing up in his room to study as usual for a few hours before their routinely scheduled late dinner as the two waited for Frank to return from his heavy responsibilities as Chief of Detectives at 1PP.

"Good," came the expected agreeable, but abbreviated answer of a teenager. Now an easy-going Junior at the start of the fall term in high school, Jamie was ranked first in his class by a large margin and to Mary's great joy appeared well on his way towards a career in law with talk of application for early admission to Harvard for undergraduate studies in Government slated for late the next November, just over a year away. Still, no matter how hard she tried it had been impossible to shield him entirely from his blue-blooded heritage, and it always tended to bleed through whenever something reminded him of the family business.

"Hey, Ma… I thought I heard sirens up the way when I got off the bus. May I walk over to Grandma Betty's and see what's up?" he asked eagerly with innocent intent while flashing those charming hazel eyes and a wry smile at her as she rounded the corner and entered the kitchen. "Maybe it's Joe and his partner," he added since his middle brother's recent graduation from the academy and talk of his rookie adventures had only further stoked those fires she had sought desperately to snuff out.

"Jamison Henry Reagan, you know very well your brother is assigned to Sergeant Renzulli at the 12th now, and this is not in their area," she scolded with her hands on her hips. "You don't need to be nosey and wind up in the middle of some domestic situation that's none of your business. There are enough men from this family in harm's way every day now as it is," she added with a heavy sigh thinking of Danny's imminent departure for God only knew where in his quest to avenge that witnessed the deadly premeditated attack on their city. "Besides, doesn't someone have a very important history paper due tomorrow?" she reminded pointedly while walking over to the sink to wash her hands. "I made apple pie for dinner, but you can have a piece warm out of the oven early if you're hungry now," came an added level of distraction with one of his favorite treats as the phone began ringing. "Honey, can you get that for me?" she asked, never guessing the devastating news on the end of that line was about to change their family dynamic forever.

"Sure," Jamie sighed as he obediently did as she wished, still inwardly disappointed with the fact that he was not allowed to take part in any NYPD action, even if it was just as a spectator.

"Hello?" he answered as he picked up the line and was instantly concerned by the sound of sirens and commotion that could be heard in the background. "Grandpa, what's wrong?!" he cried as his frightened eyes looked up and met his mother's.

###

"KAYLIN! WHAT'S WRONG?!" Jamie panicked and was instantly concerned by the sound of sirens and commotion that could be heard in the background as his little girl was clearly upset and crying for her daddy but not offering any other pertinent information at first. "Is it the baby?" he begged for an answer as his first fear was for the welfare of their premature newborn son before he jumped to his feet with a grimace as that sudden movement was still a bit too much to ask from his mending leg and his hand automatically slid down to his thigh while he leaned back on the desk.

"Honey, where's Mommy?"

"Pop Pop fell down and went to sleep," came the gut-wrenching reply at a preschool level of understanding instead and Jamie's own heart skipped several beats as he instantly flashed back on the call that had come from the very same house all those years ago to inform them of Grandma Betty's collapse. "She said to, but he won't 'ake up!"

"H-he what?! Kaylin, baby… where's Mommy? Is she there?" Jamie tried again even as he was grabbing his keys from the desk drawer and hurrying out of his office and down the hall, the residual pain in his leg now fully ignored. "Sweetie, please give her the phone so that I can talk to her," he added with little hope the obviously upset little girl would carry out the order. Pausing at the reception desk, he held this hand over the receiver and mouthed "Family emergency, it's Pop," to DCLM Miller who instantly waved to the secretary to summon his own detail.

"Take my car, lights, and sirens," Miller offered quickly as the long-time Reagan family friend fully understood from that look how serious the matter was, especially given that it was the Police Commissioner's own father. "What's happened? Where is he? What do you need?"

"I'm not sure. Kaylin told me he fell down at our house and didn't get up, but she won't say anything else now, and Eddie hasn't picked up the phone. It could be his hip or his heart… he's had trouble with both before. I hear a response there already though… if they need to transport him somewhere he'd be going to St. Vic's, so I guess I should head there," Jamie reasoned with a shaky voice as he tried to formulate a plan given the fact that his father was currently on a plane heading for Seattle so virtually unreachable, probably somewhere 15,000 feet high over the Great Lakes at that very moment.

"What else can I do for you?" Miller asked again as he sensed the younger man's indecision.

"I need to tell Dad somehow. Baker… um, I guess she didn't make the trip west with him," he finally settled on with the knowledge that he had passed his father's assistant seated at her desk that morning. "Can you check and let her know that something's going on? He's supposed to be inflight already unless there was a delay, but maybe she can figure out a way to get him back… if he… well, if he needs to," Jamie stuttered out while he considered the implications of the situation given Henry's age and history. "It's a long nonstop, so ask her not to say anything until they land so he doesn't think about and not be able to… I mean he should call me first when he can," he added feeling the responsibility on his shoulders to deliver such news directly if needed.

"Understood," Miller assured with a sympathetic frown and a comforting hand on Jamie's arm. "I'll take care of that myself. Let us know when you have news," he called after the departing shadow as Jamie turned and headed for the elevator just as his wife finally picked up the phone.

"JAMIE!" he heard her cry and knew instantly that his fears weren't unfounded by the broken tone of her voice.

"Eddie, what is it? What's happening?" he demanded while punching the ground floor button and cursing the fact that the doors were so sluggish to close.

"It's Pop… he's… I don't know! He just got here, and then I turned around to pick up a few things and all of a sudden, he was sitting down by the steps and saying he was dizzy, but then he passed out cold for a little while until the ambulance got here. I'm so scared! He doesn't look good!" she warned as he could hear Joey crying with added vigor in the background now as she had frantically stuffed some supplies in the diaper bag before slinging it over her shoulder and scooping him up abruptly out of the bassinet without her usual softness in the rush to get both her little ones out to the car and into their seats. "Jamie, I think it might be his heart again," she informed sadly in a whisper as her own broke to say that out loud while she was buckling the baby into the carrier by the couch first knowing how much Henry was loved within the family. "He's really pale. They gave him some oxygen and started an IV, and he sort of came around a little though and told everyone to get the eff away and leave him alone, but I'm not sure he knew what was going on because he was talking about taking care of your Grandma. He usually doesn't curse like that, especially in front of the kids. They're leaving now and taking him to…"

"St. Vic's, yeah. I'm on my way already," Jamie assured as the doors opened on the ground floor and he rushed towards the entrance. "His cardiologist is… um, Dr. Conklin, I think. Linda could… wait, I'm not sure if she's on duty today. Didn't she and Danny have a meeting with Marcus somewhere? I don't know, I'll figure it out when I get there," he added while flagging down the car and jumping in the front seat before the driver sped off, already informed of the destination and urgency of the matter.

"Okay, I'm headed over too," she stated while grabbing her purse and keys off the counter before leaning over to pick up Kaylin who had gone quiet in shock and was just standing silently now in bare feet and her duckie pajamas with tears streaming down her face. "Shhh, it's okay, sweetie… we're going to make sure Pop Pop's alright. Daddy's coming to be with us right now," Eddie tried to comfort while somehow managing to grab the little girl's shoes off the stoop and fit through the front door three wide loaded down like a packhorse. "I wanted to ride with him, Jamie, but the kids…"

"Right, but maybe you should stay at home. Joey's not really supposed to be out in public just yet… all those germs in the hospital. I can handle..."

"Is that you telling me what to do?" she shrilled a reply back instantly that cut off that line of thought as it was evident there would be no changing her mind especially given the close bond that she and Henry shared. "Jamie, he's my Grandpa too! He needs us now!"

"Okay, okay, Ed, please… please, we both need to calm down," he admitted while trying to reason and soothe her before she got in the car with his two children in this state and attempted to drive herself. "Honey, take a breath and ask one of the uniforms to bring you in. Tell them it's under the Commissioner's orders if you have to. I don't want you behind the wheel!" he insisted forcefully. "Promise!"

"Okay, I'll do that," she conceded that was for the best given the circumstances and waved at one of the officers from the 1-9 in the RMP still sitting at the front curb before another thought hit her. "How will you tell your Dad and the rest of the family that it's probably another…"

###

"It's a heart attack, Commissioner Reagan, and the damage appears to be severe. I'm so very sorry. We will do everything in our capabilities, but you should prepare yourself for the worst."


Hopefully, everyone's following along there with the timeline as the flashbacks to Betty are in italic and mirror the events of the current day. Next, the family begins to arrive, and they'll await news as to what's going on with the Reagan patriarch before Jamie is forced to make a decision regarding care in his father's absence. Where's Erin and her infamous POA forms when they're needed now?