Hello again! I had received such a great response over the weekend that I decided to post twice today, with the help of my fabulous beta Shaz1. (I hope you don't mind.)

Also, so many people were asking for Jamie to find Danny. As usual, I try to give people what they asked for.

However, I'm not sure this is what you had in mind ...

Chapter 4

"Damn!" Wolf panted, as the two rounded another corner. "This guy needs an off switch or something."

Ignoring the latest of his companion's commentary, Hudson led the way into yet another ally. Halfway through, he ducked between two buildings, emerging on another street. But the crash of a knocked over trash can signaled that they had yet to lose their pursuer.

"And this is why you should never tangle with the NYPD."

As annoying as the chatter was, Hudson was beginning to agree. This kid wouldn't stop! If they wanted any chance of getting away, they were going to have to change tactics. Flight was out, it was time to fight.

"Back here," he whispered, pulling his companion into a darkened doorway.

Motioning for Wolf to keep quiet, Hudson discreetly peeked into the ally. The cop was at the entrance, headed straight toward them. He was young, like the punk he had already dealt with, but this one already had his gun in plain view. In fact, but the time he set foot into the quiet ally, the cop's gun was already in his hands.

"What are you-"

Clamping his own hand over Wolf's mouth, Hudson kept his eyes trained on the cop and tried to allow his instincts to take over once again. As soon as the officer was in range, Hudson made a grab for the gun. Unfortunately, it appeared the kid's instincts were just as good, causing a brief wrestling match over the weapon. It was close, but whoever he was before had taken a lot of time to get in shape. Hudson soon found himself overpowering the cop, pinning him to the wall, and getting control of the gun. The officer's eyes grew wide as they got their first good look at each other. He was little more than a kid, probably fresh out of college. He almost hated to finish the job, but knowing that the other cops had to be closing in forced Hudson to move quickly. He slammed the gun against the officer's head, allowing the body to drop to the ground.

"Sweet dreams," he muttered, looking down at the weapon in his hands.

Everything he had seen, everything he remembered, told him that he was not the world's nicest guy. He had shadows in his life, perhaps darker than he would care to know, but did those shadows run into murder? As right as the gun felt in his hand, something inside told him to leave the cop as he was. Of course, that might have just been the guy standing next to him.

"Are you insane!" Wolf shouted. "We are going to be on their hit list just for running from them! Do you know how bad the idea of attacking a cop is?"

"Relax," Hudson assured him, tucking the gun into the waistband of his pants. "I'm not gonna kill him."

"Well you already- Oh no," Wolf shook his head. "You are not taking that cop's gun. That's a bad idea, a hugely bad idea. If the Titanic was one giant bad idea, this would be bigger."

"You finished?"

Wolf took a deep breath and grabbed the gun, dropping it next to the cop. Hudson started to protest, but then he saw the fear shining in his new friend's eyes. With a slightly shaking hand, Wolf lifted the edge of his sweater to reveal several scars. Most were light and long, but one was perfectly round; a sealed hole in his pale side.

"I've already paid a price for crossing a cop, I'm not about to stand by and watch you do it too."

Before Hudson could say anything, the cop's radio crackled to life just before sirens were heard in the distance. Time to go. The two raced out of the ally and back toward their camp, but all the while the image of those scars burned in Hudson's mind. Whatever had happened, he knew Wolf couldn't have done anything to deserve it. By the time they made it back home, he had promised himself to find out who had hurt his friend … and make them pay.

*B*B*

Jackie stepped into the interrogation room and sat down across from one very nervous college student. Calmly, she laid a picture of Danny on the table. It was his official NYPD portrait, with him in his dress uniform; the one she prayed would not soon be next to his brother's on the Wall of Heroes.

"You know who this is?"

"A cop?" Hastings answered, his voice altered slightly but the white bandage on his nose.

"His name is Detective Reagan," she replied coolly. "And if he turns up dead, the best you are looking at is life without parole."

"I didn't kill anybody!" Hastings half yelled, his eyes wide. "I-I barely even touched him! He was the one who hit me!"

"So you just had to hit him back, is that it?"

"No, I didn't even touch him!"

Jackie reached into the file and pulled out a picture of the knife recovered from the scene and her suspect paled. She knew he recognized it, his prints were all over it, but not enough blood on the blade for it to have been used. Still, a little scare might be just what Hastings needed to crack.

"Know what this is? We found it in some of Detective Reagan's blood."

It was this point that her suspect started to tear up. Typical. The kid probably didn't have a clue what he was getting himself into when he and his friends went down to the docks, and any other time she might have gone easy on him. But at the moment, finding Danny was a hell of a lot more important than this guy's feelings.

"I swear, it wasn't me," he said, eyes shining with unshed tears. "It was Eric. He killed the cop!"

Jackie's breath caught in her throat at his words. Was it true? Was Danny really dead? Forcing herself to remain composed, she somehow managed to keep her voice calm.

"What happened?"

Hastings slumped in his seat, obviously trying not to look at the pictures on the table. For a moment, she thought he wasn't going to talk, but soon a soft voice broke the silence in the room.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like that," he muttered. "We were just gonna talk to that guy about selling his stuff around school. Then the cops showed up and … I just pulled the knife to get him to back off, you know? I mean, I tried to take him down without it, but he was too strong. Then when we were fighting over the knife, Eric came up with the crowbar and hit him in the head."

The kid started to cry in earnest, and Jackie found it difficult to hold herself back. They already knew that Danny had been hit with the crowbar at least once, but not what happened after. Did Connors kill him after he went down? And where was the body?

"What happened next?" she asked, all the while dreading the answer.

"He fell over the edge; went into the river," Hastings concluded, looking up for the first time since his story began. "But I didn't kill him. You can't pin that on me."

"Actually we can," Jackie replied, her voice cold. "If what you say is true, Detective Reagan was killed during the course of a crime; and everyone present can be charged with his murder."

She gathered up the pictures and placed them in the file, but stopped at the door.

"You'd better pray he's still alive."

She was.

*B*B*

Erin clamped a hand over her mouth as she leaned against the wall. Her brain tried to calculate survival times in the Hudson in December, but she was kidding herself if she thought this made anything better. If her brother had fallen in the river, than he was probably- No, she couldn't let herself think like that. Danny was alive … he had to be.

"Hey," Jackie's gentle voice broke through her thoughts. "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah," she managed to reply, fighting back the tears that wanted to fall. "I better give my dad the update."

"Why don't you let me do that?"

Erin gave a sad smile to Danny's partner. She knew this had to be hard on her too, but the detective somehow managed to stay in control. It was a lot like when Danny … God, this couldn't be happening. But before she could give an answer, her phone rang. Seeing who it was, Erin forced her emotions back and picked up.

"Hi Dad."

"Erin, what's wrong?"

Should have known better than to try and fool a cop. Still, she didn't want to give him news like this over the phone.

"It's just …everything," she admitted, telling as much of the truth as possible.

"It's gonna be okay, sweetheart."

His voice was strong and soothing, giving her more comfort than he would ever know. She just prayed they would find news to counter hers before she would have to shatter his world.

"I know," she whispered, trying hard to believe what she was saying. "Um …how's Linda?"

"She's …hanging in there. Listen, something happened. I need you to come down the St. Vincent's. It's Jamie."

She nearly dropped the phone as her fragile world began to crumble. No, not Jamie. Joe was already dead, and Danny might be lost for good, but she would not lose her baby brother. With that thought in mind, she hurried into the ER, Jackie at her side, to find her family waiting.

"How is he?" she demanded as soon as she caught sight of her father.

"We're still waiting to hear from the doctor," Frank answered, taking her into his arms. "But he was stable when they brought him in."

She let out a sigh of relief, melting into his embrace. Even as a grown woman, few things brought comfort like a hug from Daddy. Pulling back, she turned to greet Henry, who told her that Nicki had stayed behind to help Linda with the kids. Renzulli stood nearby with several other officers and members of the commissioner's detail. The number of people made the room crowded, but it warmed Erin's heart to see so many supporting her family. And they were going to need that support very soon.

"Commissioner Reagan?" a doctor called, stepping into the room.

"Doctor," Frank replied, dwarfing the smaller man. "How is he?"

"Lucky. Your son is suffering from a mild concussion, but he is going to be just fine."

"Thank God," Frank sighed. "Do you know what happened?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself. He's right in here."

Following the doctor, the three Reagans soon found themselves in an exam room where Jamie was perched on the edge of the bed.

"Back in bed, Mr. Reagan," the doctor ordered.

"I'm fine, doc," he insisted. "I have to get back out there. Danny is-"

"We've got a hundred men out there looking for Danny right now," Frank assured him, helping his youngest lean back against the pillows. "Just rest. They'll find them."

"But they don't know where to look," Jamie pleaded, trying to push away his father's hands.

Knowing that she couldn't keep this to herself any longer, Erin took a deep breath.

"I think I know."

"What?" Henry gave her a puzzled look. "Where?'

"The river," she forced out, dropping her gaze. "Jackie just questioned a witness that saw Danny get hit by a crowbar … and fall into the Hudson."

"My god," Frank breathed.

"That makes sense," Jamie muttered.

Erin snapped her head up to stare at him in shock. What? Their brother may be dead and that makes sense? What was he talking about?

"No," Jamie winced as he shook his head. "I mean, that's why he didn't recognize me. Don't you see? Danny is alive, he's just … homeless."

Worried that her brother's head injury was worse than the doctor let on, Erin looked to her father for guidance. Sure enough, Frank stepped up to Jamie, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Jamie, you've been through a lot-"

"I know what I saw," he snapped.

Irritability, the fun side of head injuries. Luckily, raising three sons had given her dad more than enough experience to deal with this episode. Maintaining a low, even tone, he tried again.

"I just want to make sure that you're sure before we go any farther."

"I'm sure, Dad."

"You have a concussion," Erin pointed out.

"Yeah," Jamie replied calmly. "And Danny is the one who gave it to me."

So, what do you think?

Now that the family knows, will they be able to help Danny?

Oh, and let me know if you have any requests (as I really do try to work them in). I look forward to your feedback as I finish up the next chapter.