"Sir?" Abbey placed mug of coffee on the desk.

Chief Reagan rubbed his thumb and forefinger down the bridge of his nose before he glanced at the mug, "Yes. Thank you Baker."

She stepped back, clenching her fingers tightly as she looked him over; it was only 11am but he looked as if it were much later, top shirt button opened, and eyes tired. She had no idea what time he had come in in the morning but it had to have been earlier than 6:30 when she arrived.

Unfortunately for the Chief, there was no slow, easy transition back to normal following Mary's passing. After the two days off he had allowed himself, he had been pulled back to work with no respite.

Among the mountainous pile of folders and memos she had personally placed on his desk, her eye caught something new.

"Is that what I think it is?" She gestured to a folded paper on the desk.

He put down the mug and glared at the paper. "You shouldn't be thinking anything." He muttered, settling back into his chair.

"I can't help it." She smiled and shrugged, "I'm a detective."

A small smirk lifted his mustache, "That you are."

He huffed, running a hand down his face, "If you think it's a subpoena to a grand jury investigating Commissioner Connors, then you would be correct."

She grimaced and looked down, "So, then it's true."

"You know better than to assume that a grand jury means anything more than someone is asking questions."

She rolled her eyes, "With all due respect, this has been building for weeks now. Convening a grand jury simply shows that someone is taking the rumors seriously. That they have some merit."

Frank didn't say anything, just sighed heavily.

She took a hesitant step closer to the desk, "There have been other rumors too." Her voice was low.

"I don't comment on rumors." He replied gruffly, avoiding looking at her as he picked up a folder from the stack and flicked it open.

"Well…" She tested the waters "The Mayor's office called."

He froze.

"They didn't want me to schedule anything. Just asked that you call him back at your convenience between 12 and 4 this afternoon." She tilted her head, watching to see if could tell how the Chief processed this information.

His head slowly rose, looking up at her, a grimace crossing his features. He locked in to her inquisitive gaze for a beat before looking away.

"We talked briefly back in August when this thing with the Commissioner first started heating up." He admitted quietly.

She said nothing.

He looked back up and rolled his eyes, "It doesn't mean anything."

She still stood quiet.

"Really!" He insisted again.

She tried to contain the smile she felt pressuring her lips.

He sighed and dropped his pen to the desk, "Look, you and I both know that perception dictates reality. Regardless of his guilt or the level of his indiscretions, the NYPD can't afford to have its integrity tarnished because of what it looks like Connors might have done."

Abbey nodded.

"Either he's going to resign or be canned or the position minimized." Frank continued, "Regardless, until it's sorted out, the Mayor is going to be leaning more heavily on the Chiefs. Lorenzo and this office in particular." He sighed, "Hence…"

He lifted up a folder and gestured to the stack in his inbox.

Abbey nodded, "I had noticed."

"But it seems you've developed a different conclusion?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Suspicion is more like it." She couched.

"Being…?"

She shrugged, "Just that more likely than not that the 14th floor will be vacated, and you've already been picking up a significant amount of the slack."

"Looking for a promotion, Baker?" He pierced her with an amused but unwavering look.

She sighed, "No sir."

He rubbed his forehead and looked down to the desk, "Don't read too much into it Baker." He rolled his shoulders, "I just…" He breathed out, "Right now is a good time to keep myself busy. Occupied. Nothing professional or ambitious about it." He muttered.

Abbey swallowed, looking down, "Of course, I'm sorry sir."

He made a vague gesture with his hand, "Don't be."

She offered a soft grin, "Well, considering the timing, it's very kind of the Commissioner and the Mayor to leave you with so much to do."

At that he looked up and released a soft chuckle, "Yes, very considerate. Cleaning up after bureaucrats; what a thoughtful bereavement gift."

She grinned and moved back to the door, "I'll keep it coming, Sir."

"Thank you Baker…" he called after her as she closed the door behind her.

On the far side of the door she leaned back against it and released a long sigh.

She raised an eyebrow noting that in the 2 minutes she was gone the stack of folders on her own desk had grown.

She sighed again. The Chief may be throwing himself into the work to avoid his grief but she had just started dating the most amazing man and too many nights at the office until 10pm was NOT the best way to grow a new relationship. If the Mayor was refusing to run things through the Commissioner's office perhaps she could request some of his administrative team to assist her with the growing burden here.

She settled herself at the desk and dug in, blissfully unaware of the time until,

"I finally figured it out."

She looked up, smiling indulgently at Henry Reagan approaching her desk. "Oh?"

He nodded, "Yep, Grace Kelly. Spitting image. With your hair like that it's just like in 'To Catch a Thief'."

Abbey's eyebrows rose. "Well, that's one way to get on a woman's good side."

"I may be old, but I'm not dumb." Henry grinned.

Abbey smiled, "Of course not, sir."

He gave her a jaunty salute, "Okay, Gracie, clock the boss out on meal." He held up a paper bag and didn't wait for a response before he moved to let himself into the Chief's office.

Henry Reagan's appearance was not unexpected. Since the Chief had returned to work, once a day, a member of his family would come by the office, forcing the man to take a break, usually around lunch.

Prior to Mary's illness Abbey had hardly known most of the Reagans, now she was becoming familiar with them all.

Danny made Abbey nervous. Like his father, he wasn't much for small talk, but where the Chief's silence was often comfortable; Danny was tightly coiled, exuding tension. He didn't have the practiced ease or charm of his father and the only time she succeeded in prying a smile from him was when she inquired after his own, recently born son.

Joe was easier than Danny. He too was quiet but, like his father, he could transmit whole conversations and feelings with his eyes. He was quick with a joke and a warm smile. The first time he had to wait in her alcove he was quick to tell her how lucky her boyfriend was and give a cocky a wink. He had just made detective a few months previous and even as he was trying to flirt it was obvious his attention constantly scanning the room.

Abbey didn't get to know Erin as well as her brothers just because the Chief never seemed to make her wait. Regardless of what he was working on or with whom he might be meeting, Frank Reagan always seemed to have time for his daughter. Erin's mutual adoration of her father was obvious and the two of them would more frequently go out for an extended lunch then the quick sandwiches at the desk he most often shared with his boys.

Abbey kept a special place in her heart for the rare days when Erin would bring her young daughter with her. Those were the only times that the once familiar, full Frank Reagan smile would reappear. Hints of his old joviality would surface as he lifted the young girl into a bear hug despite her protests of getting too big.

The Chief saved a different smile for his youngest, a gentle, reflective one that only came out for Jamie. Something would connect between the two men that Abbey couldn't decipher. Jamie only came in twice; he was first to take his father to lunch when he went back to work the day after the funeral, and a few weeks later he showed up on a Friday night and pulled his Dad for dinner. Like Erin, Frank did not make his youngest wait long, but Abbey suspected that was most likely because Jamie spent most of his days in Boston.

Jamie was cute and less reserved than either of his brothers but the Reagan man that Abbey most enjoyed seeing was Henry. Like his grandson, Joe, Henry was quick with a smile and a flirtatious remark but unlike many older cops he seemed to realize Baker was a cop who just happened to be in an administrator's role. He asked about the precincts she had worked, what various Sergeants and Captains she knew, which firearm she preferred and would invariably follow up each of her answers with a 'back in the day' story related to the issue at hand. She surmised that part of the attention may have been to distract her before he would simply walk into the Chief's office and declare lunch, not waiting for nor caring about whatever business was in progress.

The Chief had locked eyes with her the first time Henry barged in but quickly waived away her concern.

Today though, when he moved to enter the office he almost walked smack into his son who had been approaching the door himself while shrugging into his uniform jacket.

Seeing his father, Frank sighed.

"Going somewhere?" Henry needled.

"No. I usually spend my days just standing in front of the door." Frank rolled his eyes.

"No need to be snippy." Henry straightened, "I come bearing pastrami from Katz's."

Frank glanced at the bag, eyes indicating interest for a beat.

"Sorry, can't today, Pops." He stepped around his father and approached Abbey's corner, "Baker, I'll be at City Hall."

"Of course sir." She pulled out the written agenda. "Do you know for how long?"

He frowned, "No. But it probably won't be short."

"I'll take care of things." She affirmed, internally groaning at the prospect of yet again having to reschedule a Chief's meeting.

"How about if I tag along?" Henry smiled.

"How about if you don't." Frank shot back.

"Hey now," Henry admonished, "I'm not saying I come in with you. Just walk along, maybe meet you on the bench across the street after? Pastrami is best fresh..." He nudged Frank's arm, "After what we talked about this morning, maybe I think you could use some extra encouragement."

Frank grimaced at him, "I don't want any extra encouragement, Pops."

"Just because you don't want it doesn't mean I don't think you need it." Henry grinned, "A little birdy told me…"

"Pop!" Frank snapped.

He swallowed whatever he was about to say next and glanced around the hall, lips tight.

He sighed, "You know I can't talk about anything right now."

Henry shook his finger up at Frank, "I still have a lot of allies around this department. You'd be surprised what news finds it way to me with out my even having to ask."

"Yeah, but you did this time, didn't ya?" Frank called him out.

Henry shrugged and looked away, tossing a wink to Baker.

Frank's lips flattened and he glanced to Abbey for a beat. She made a show of keeping her eyes focused on the computer monitor, even as her fingers typed gibberish.

She was aware that Henry had moved back in to the Reagan family house near the end of Mary's illness. She wasn't sure if he was still there but the idea of the two Reagans living together gave her no small amusement.

Perhaps, she mused, that was also one of the reasons the Chief was eager to put in long hours.

Frank sighed, "I suppose I can't stop you from following me."

Henry smiled broadly, "It's a lovely day for a trip to City Hall!"

"It's never a lovely day for a trip to City Hall." Frank grumped.

"Ah, wait until you're retired." Henry smiled while Frank rolled his eyes.

He waived in Abbey's direction with his cap, "I'll call in on my way back."

She nodded and made the necessary note in the daily book and then watched them leave.

It would seem the former commissioner had heard the same rumor that was flying around 1PP. Abbey fidgeted with her pen and tried not to get distracted by the changes that seemed likely to be coming.