A/N: I'm SOOOOO sorry seemingly abandoning this story. I was totally swamped with life (I got married), and then I lost it. Found it last week, thus this update.

In a cold room, up on the second floor of the hospital, sits another man. He slouches in an uncomfortable, metal chair. The smell of antiseptic cleaners and recycled A/C blows in his face from the vents. He stares at his younger brother in the hospital bed. Neither one moves for the longest time. At last, Danny glances at his watch.

9:30pm.

He promised Linda he'd be home tonight before ten. She's been good about letting him stay later than he should with Jamie, real good. Danny knows it kills her to be the only one at home, comforting the boys. It's selfish of him to let her do that almost every night. She needs support too.

But he can't seem to stop coming here, or staying so late.

What if something happens, and the next thing Danny hears is that Jamie died alone?

Danny shivers.

He'll never forgive himself if he lets that happen.

But he gets to his feet all the same. The doctors or nurses say, by all accounts, Jamie should be awake. His numbers are good, his blood fine, and his body well on its way to becoming healthy. It's just…his mind's not cooperating. Probably hiding from whatever nightmares Sanfino made him endure.

Flashback

"Talk!" Danny snaps, his patience done. "Where's Sanfino?!"

The suspect on the other side of the table hunches inward – universal sign of fear. He picks at his jacket's sleeve. Good. Danny wants him afraid. He'll talk then. Danny punches the table for extra incentive. The man flinches, hard.

Danny grins. He hopes the guy thinks about what it might feel like if Danny decides to use that same fist to punch him.

Jackie steps forward, physically pushing him back.

Danny almost doesn't let her.

"Noble, we just want to stop your uncle from hurting anyone else." She leans in. "You saw how vicious he can be. Imagine what he'll be like now. He's angry, Noble. He'll take that out on innocent people."

Noble looks away quickly. "I can't."

"What's wrong?" Danny asks, his muscles tightening. "You were all about helping us before? Why play chicken now?"

Especially when the intel could aid in Jamie's recovery. Nothing's better medicine than letting a patient know their kidnapper is behind bars (or dead…Danny's not above putting an accidental slug in the creep's head).

Noble swallows. "I-I can't, man. He'll…. he'll kill me."

Danny growls. "You're a real piece of work, you know that? You want us to protect you, but won't tell us anything."

"I told you plenty already!" Noble yells, half getting up. Jackie pushes him back into the chair. Noble glares at them both. "I told you all where the cop was. I did my duty."

"Oh yeah, you did your duty all right. Couple weeks late, weren't you?" Danny rounds the table. Noble's eyes get wide. He presses away from Danny. The elder Reagan revels in the cowering. He leans in close. "What? Couldn't stomach anymore? Got blood on your new shoes?"

Noble sucks in a hissed breath. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I?" Danny asks. "I was there."

Noble blinks. Deflates. "I…I can't."

Danny can't blame Noble, not really.

Even if he's said it a few times, in moments of weakness and fear.

"See ya later, bro," he says, gently ruffling Jamie's hair. The nurse washed it this morning, so it's got that light clean feel to it again. He waits, fingers lingering on his brother's head, like always, for anything to change. But nothing happens. Like always. His heart drops back down to his stomach, and he leaves.

Review? (even though I don't deserve it for making you wait so long)