Title: The Guardian – Book II
Chapter 29 – A Few more Loose Ends


"I'm so glad you could come to see George," Heidi greets Jamie with a warm hug and then Danny as they enter the care home where his, at one time homeless friend, and her grandfather is now living. Danny nears the door to the modest room and hangs back so that Jamie can talk to his friend.

"Hey George!" Jamie greets the older man with a warm hug.

"Jamie, my boy, you came!" George exclaims as he accepts the hug and gives Jamie one back in return.

As soon as Jamie pulls back from George, he can tell right away that things have changed. He looks…it wasn't younger as a man in his late 80's would still look age appropriate but it was almost fresh? Cleaner…and definitely happier. Content. Loved. Yes that much is obvious. He had lost the once very familiar odor of the street, still sported a whitish/greyish scruff and the same hopeful twinkle in his blue eyes. But his face lights up when he sees Jamie, much like it always has.

"This place is great," Jamie tells George in truth as he eases himself down onto the end of his bed, handing his friend a bag of fresh popcorn. "For you."

"Like old times huh."

"Yeah but…new times…better times," Jamie replies in haste. Heidi had told him over the course of the week that both her mother and her Uncle had come to visit their father at different times and were well on their way to mending the long-standing rift. The place that George is in would be almost miniscule to some, but for him it was a grand palace; warm, safe, secure and of course close to his loving family.

"Better times. I like that," George states as he opens the bag and offers some to Jamie and then Heidi. "Saw the news about the shooting at the barbeque. Tell me what I didn't see on the news."

"Okay…Frank, my dad was shot and…" Jamie's voice trails off as he starts to tell George about the takedown of the two shooters and their ordeal while waiting on Frank's prognosis; leaving out of course the Sonny connection as Jamie wasn't sure how much information he was allowed to share.

Danny had popped his head into the room every so often to add a few extra details to Jamie's story about the weekend and then popping back out to talk to Linda and Demarcus via text.

'Better not flirt with any cute nurses up there…or else.'

Danny smirks at Linda's text and then sends back just as cheeky a reply. But before he can continue his conversation with Linda, he overhears Jamie telling George about Nora and then another homeless man and how he and Henry were coming up with a plan to put the two punks responsible for it away for good – hopefully. He doesn't question Jamie in that moment to save his brother's dignity but would make a definite point of asking him when they were in the car on the way home – just the two of them.

After they talk a bit longer inside, the four of them take a walk outside into the small garden area, sitting down on a few nearby benches to enjoy the warm sunshine and continue their friendly conversation. The half day is relaxed and by the time the visit comes to a close, the bonds of friendship are further strengthened.

"I hope you come again," Heidi tells Jamie as she gives him a friendly hug.

"I'll take the bus next time so I can stay a bit longer," Jamie promises as he gives George a big hug next. George's arm wraps around his granddaughters shoulders and gives her a happy squeeze, his crinkly eyes wanting to well with satisfied tears.

"So…what's this about a plan?" Danny inquires as soon as the doors are close, making Jamie look at him in wonder. "You and Henry have some plan? When were you gonna tell me?"

"I didn't want you to try to stop me."

"You're going to be part of it?" Danny asks in shock as Jamie nods. "Okay…what's the plan?"

"Henry or another undercover Detective is going to pose as a homeless person to try to stop for good the punks who beat up Norman and are stealing from the other homeless people behind the bowling alley. It has to stop Danny."

"You sure you don't wanna be a cop?" Danny retorts with a small snicker.

"Y-you're not mad?"

"Yeah I'm mad, can I get you grounded?" Danny tosses back as Jamie glowers at him; Danny smirking. "But I get it. I'm glad that it'll be a cop though…not you. I worry. I always will."

"Okay."

"Okay but next time tell me first."

"Okay," Jamie retorts a second time; Danny just shaking his head.

Jamie settles back into his seat for the drive back home, his mind comforted by Danny's words 'always will' as he had wondered with him and Linda getting promised if he'd have time for his younger sibling. He tells him a few more details and the initial agitation that he had when the conversation started is a distant memory by the time they get home.

"We're home!" Jamie calls out as he enters the Reagan home early Saturday evening. He rushes up to Frank, happily accepting a warm welcome home hug.

"Missed you both today," Frank smiles as his hand clasps Danny's. "How's George?" He inquires as the three of them head into the kitchen where Erin, Jack and Henry already are tending to dinner; Jamie happily giving them all a detailed play by play.

XXXXXXXX

"Morning Mr. Walters!" Danny calls out Sunday morning as he heads into his other part time, the next day.

"Morning Danny!" Jerry Walters replies with a wave as he heads toward him. "Getting anxious about starting the academy? It's coming up pretty fast."

"Yeah…one more week," Danny replies with a heavy frown as he manages a tense smile. Since he needed the money from the warehouse but also didn't want to lose the training the veteran NYPD officer could provide at the gun range, Danny had worked it so that he'd work a day shift every Saturday and at the range every Sunday morning. For the next year he'd have a heavy schedule with something every day and very little personal time, but Linda understood and his family was backing him one hundred percent. He'd make it work. They all would.

"How's Frank?"

"Friday, he was back in action like nothing happened. It's only been two weeks," Danny replies with a small snicker as Jerry shrugs in acknowledgement. "Typical right?"

"Frank's old school but I'm glad he's back on his feet. So about school?"

"I'm nervous. I don't want to let anyone down."

"Trust me, you're gonna do good. Since you're in early…how about a few pointers? You know…on the QT," Jerry winks as Danny smiles and nods.

He eagerly picks up the rental piece that is waiting for him and takes his place beside the older man; the gun range administrator offering a few pointers on leg and arm positioning before he fires off a few blanks at the paper outline in the near distance – all four shots ripping the mid-section apart. The next one goes into the head and Danny's expression turns to one of amazement.

Not expecting to be anywhere near that good yet – Danny's happy that he gets a few shots in the outline itself; the last one hitting just below the waist outline.

"Hope he didn't want kids," Jerry retorts as he offers a friendly slap to Danny's back. "But not bad. Come in early each shift, setup and practice a round."

"Oh that'd be awesome! Thanks!"

With that exciting news now settling his mind, Danny goes about setting up the other stations for patrons to use. The morning would be a bit slower, but he doesn't mind as it gives him time to once again go over the pre-reading for his first day as a rookie recruit at the academy in a week's time.

While he's thankful that the social media hounds have found something else to occupy themselves with for the next week he knows once he starts the academy there will be a whole other influx of gossip that he'll have to contend with. He tries to tell himself he'll just ignore it, but he knows it'll affect him and Jamie – at least at the start of their new school years.

XXXXXXXX

"Can I come in?" Frank knocks on Jamie's room door, giving the young teen a smile as he enters his bedroom after dinner that same Sunday night. "You were pretty quiet during dinner, are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Jamie nods as he looks back down and then up as Frank's wondering glance. "How are you?"

"I was tired on Friday after a day's work after my recovery but I think I'll be ready for tomorrow. Are you sure you're okay? I know this is going to be a busy week and…"

"I'm worried about grandpa…Henry…and the um….the undercover thing was my idea and he said he was going to do it and…and if something happens to me it'll be my fault," Jamie laments as his head lolls onto Frank's shoulder. "I don't want him to do it now. I was okay when he said there would be another cop but now…what if something bad happens? I remember he said something about Sonny and sending you to do something for him and then you got hurt and he…he felt guilty. What if something happens to him and it'll be my fault?" Jamie's tone saddens as he looks up with wide eyes.

"At least your silence during dinner makes sense," Frank sighs as his hand pulls Jamie's frame closer into his embrace. "Pop is very experienced and has done this a few times."

"I know he said that too! But what if something goes wrong?"

"There is always that possibility but he'll be protected and as soon as they try to make a harmful move, they'll be arrested."

Jamie's lips slightly purse as he looks up at Frank and then tries to smile.

"I worry too," Frank admits as he kisses the top of Jamie's head. "I'll feel better when it's over. So…how about we go and join the others in a poker game."

"Okay," Jamie agrees as the two of them stand up and head into the hallway and then then living room to join the rest of the family. They settle in around the table and the rest of the evening concludes with all of them happy and drawing closer as a family unit.

XXXXXXXX

"Why are you so calm?" Jamie asks with a whisper as he and Danny stand in their respective hiding place the next day; Henry having been on the street dressed as a homeless man with two other officers also dressed appropriately. They weren't allowed to be part of the action but, along with Alan couldn't help but watch from a hidden vantage point to see what would go down.

"You just train yourself…I'm still working on it," Danny whispers with a frown. "I'm worried about Henry."

"We won't let anything happen to him," Alan assures them both as they remain in the shadows of the tunnels – close but not as close as Jamie might like.

Jamie's eyes fixate on Henry as he shifts to another foot, his heart rate skipping every time someone rounds the corner. "He doesn't look nervous at all," Jamie mutters as Danny and Alan exchange amused expressions. A false alarm comes in the next twenty minutes, a kid looking for spare change but not the two that Jamie and Alan had seen the past few times nor the ones that had really done some damage to Norman.

Another hour passes and Jamie starts to wonder if his idea might have been a waste of time. But it's not to be. About fifteen minutes later, Jamie looks up to see one of the punks he had tangled with a few weeks back round the corner, kicking a trash can and followed by two others.

"They're here!" Jamie hisses as he tries to make a move to charge outside.

"Hey wait!" Danny quickly pulls Jamie back before he can make himself known and blow the whole operation. Jamie falls back and starts to nervously chew his lip as he watches the three of them approach Henry's falsely dozing frame.

"Hey you bum! You got any money?" One of them starts to laugh as they near Henry; Henry looking up with a sincere look of disdain. "Are you deaf!?"

"Maybe…but at least I'm not stupid," Henry retorts; Danny unable to hold back a snicker.

"Is that so?" Another growls as he kicks Henry in the leg. This action makes Alan want to make a move but since it wasn't anything that could garner a real arrest, everyone stands down.

"Grandpa," Jamie whispers in sorrow as Danny's hand rests on his shoulder.

"You a tough guy?" The first one prods with anger; Henry goading them on purpose.

"Maybe he wants to find out!" The second one snarls as he pulls a knife. This action puts them all on alert and what happens next happens so fast.

The first one makes a move on Henry, leaning in to try to see what kind of money he has on him while the second makes a move with the knife to stab Henry in the side of his chest. One of the other officers, dressed as another homeless man tries to come his aid; the third punk stepping up to handle him with a piece of rebar in his grasp.

The knife rises and then plunges into Henry's vest; this attempt assault action prompts Henry to call in his team and at the same time elicits a shout from Jamie as he bolts from his location and rushes toward one of the punks, literally slamming into him and forcing both of them to tumble to the ground. Danny races toward his brother as two other officers also converge; Alan heading for the third officer and helping him disarm the punk with the piece of rebar.

Jamie's lower jaw sustains a small hit but the image of the punk hurting his grandfather fuels his angry adrenaline, helps him ball his fist and send the punk falling back to the ground; the ensuing officer yanking him away to be arrested.

"It's over for you!" Jamie shouts as the punk tries to lunge back at him, the officer struggling to keep him away from Jamie and Danny having to hold his brother back from garnering an assault charge of his own.

"Who's gonna press charges pig! You?" One of the thugs spits at Henry. "Or maybe your little runt here!" He narrows his eyes at Jamie. "You have something to say?"

"Maybe! I saw you two the last few times!" Jamie insists.

"You saw us after the fact – big deal! You have nothing!" He punk leans in closer to Jamie. "You can't do anything!"

"No, but I can," Alan steps forward with an angry scowl and the piece of rebar in his grasp. He steps toward the punk, glaring at him in anger as the punk tries to hold his ground. But the punk wavers as Alan starts to raise the bar to do harm. "Not only did you beat up George Williams and Norman Greenly but I know you two killed that other fella Gary two weeks back. I saw it all and I'm pressing charges."

"We did n…" one of them starts as Alan pulls out a small baggie.

"I kept this! That's right this is the weapon you used!" Alan hisses as he holds up the little baggie with the bloody pocket knife in it. "Yeah…I'm pressing charges and you're going to jail! Both of you! All of you!" He hands the bag to the nearest officer, but holds the young punks gaze. "You made the wrong choice…and now you'll pay for it."

"Hey I was just along for the ride!" The third one starts to protest. "They made me!"

"Shut up Richie!"

"No way Mark! I'm done! It was them!"

"Get them all out of here!" Henry orders. Jamie, Danny, Alan and Henry's driver all watch the other undercover officers, cuff and take the three punks away to be arrested on varying charges. "You had that the whole time?" Henry looks at Alan as he takes the bagged evidence and hands it to his driver; an officer he knows will deal with it properly. "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"I know how this works commish," Alan gently smirks, "a guy like me…on the street…I'm no one. I turn in a knife tell them two punks killed a homeless man, they don't care. No offense to your guys but they don't exactly treat someone like me like…well like one of them."

"That's not fair," Jamie softly protests as he looks up at Henry with a heavy frown.

"I agree," Henry nods as he extends his hand to Alan. "With your help I think we can change that. Come to my office tomorrow."

Alan shakes Henry's hand and smiles and then nods.

"Thank you," Henry tells Alan. The four of them watch as the kind-hearted homeless man turns and slowly walks away, disappearing into the tunnels to go in search of a clean shirt and then find his way out to a shelter so he can shower, shave and present someone a bit more 'confident' for tomorrow. He wasn't sure what Henry Reagan has in mind, telling himself it'll probably be just something along the lines of an official commendation. What he doesn't know, it would be a meeting that would change his life forever – for the better.

"Are you okay?" Danny asks Henry as he slowly removes his vest with the knife cut still in it.

"These things…are a God send," Henry nods firmly as he hands his driver the vest and motions for them all to leave.

"So what happens now?" Jamie asks eagerly as they turn and head toward the opposite end of the alley and the waiting SUV. "Can we watch them get booked?"

Henry looks at Danny and both chuckle before Henry pats Jamie's hand and smiles. "You sure you don't want to go to the academy in a few years?"

XXXXXXXX

"You here with me?"

Danny looks over at Linda and offers her a small smile. It was nearing the end of the week and all of them had gathered in the park for one last family and friend's outing before it was time to start new beginnings on Monday.

"Nervous about Monday," Danny admits softly as they sit on a bench, hand in hand watching Jamie, Lucas, Ryan (Heidi's cousin) and a few others play some friendly touch football. "Aren't you nervous?"

"Very. But I'm also excited," Linda replies as she squeezes his hand and smiles warmly. "This is going to be a big change for all of us. You ready for it?"

"I sure am," he smiles as he leans in and kisses her on the lips. "I love you," he tells her seriously.

"I love you too, always."

A few moments later they join in the fun with the rest of their friends; Frank and Henry looking at their family with delighted smiles.

"We've come a long way in a year pop," Frank mentions as he looks at the happy smiles on Danny's and Jamie's faces; Henry nodding in agreement.

"So much has happened but look how our family has expanded and for the better. I love those boys as if they were our own blood."

"They're family," Frank whispers as he watches the two of them trying to tackle Erin and her scolding her 'brothers' with a playful tone. "All the ups and downs and somehow…if I could change one thing it would be to have Mary here to enjoy this along with us."

"I'd like that too," Henry agrees warmly. "Monday…will be a new day for all of us."

"Scary and exciting at the same time," Frank adds.

"Hey dad! Grandpa! Come join us!"

Frank and Henry exchange warm smiles as Danny calls out to them their beloved familial titles; all the pain and heartache over the past year fades with a few loving words uttered so proudly in public. "They're Reagans," Frank states softly with pride.

"Forever."


A/N: Frank's well on the road to recovery and the two punks are behind bars. Yay! Some happy times for George and possibly a happy ending for Alan also. Hope you all liked them bonding together in the end and please do review before you go and thanks so much!