A/N - Mostly references 4.17 and 4.18, Knockout Game and Righting Wrongs


The spring weather had seemed so welcoming at 6am when Abbey had decided which jacket to wear but 14 hours later the early April chill made her cute overcoat feel much less appropriate. She pulled it tight as she descended the steps to the subway.

She swiped her metro card just in time to catch a 6 train. The car was crowded with midtown tourists and people dressed for a night on the town. She held on to the overhead bar and flipped aimlessly through her contacts; it seemed a waste to be heading home at 8 pm on a rare free Friday evening.

Her parents had taken Michael out to their place in Ocean Bay Park to give Brian some relief as he was overloaded with work and she wasn't supposed to join them until tomorrow morning. The PC had wrapped up earlier than anticipated and she had grabbed the opportunity to meet up with Anita at a chic uptown bistro. Before their second round Anita's desk sergeant had called her back to the precinct leaving Abbey at a bit of a loss of what to do with her evening.

She tried not to feel disappointed as she tucked her phone back in her purse; anyone who didn't have kids or a shift to deal with probably already had Friday night plans. By the time she got off at the City Hall stop the train was mostly empty and she had decided if she went home and Brian wasn't in the mood to be distracted, which was likely, then she could head out to Long Island and make it to her parent's place before midnight. It wasn't ideal, but there was a certain appeal to waking up near the ocean.

She just needed to grab her laptop from her desk.

Arriving at the 14th floor she was surprised to see lights on in the conference room, blinds closed.

She frowned, Jim wasn't at his desk and the lights to the PC's office were off. She couldn't fathom who else would be using the room this late on a Friday night.

For a moment she contemplated taking her gun out of it's locked desk drawer but shook her head and exhaled. Security was still in place she reminded herself, it wasn't an intruder, probably just Garrett organizing something for a Sunday paper.

Not wanting to startle him she slowly pushed the door open.

Garrett was there, sitting on the far side of the table, suit jacket gone; but he wasn't alone.

The Commissioner sat at the head of the table, also sans his jacket and without his tie. His white sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and a cigar was sticking out of his vest pocket.

Erin Reagan sat to her father's left, dressed for the office, but her heels had been kicked off and were lying on the floor next to her chair. Jim sat to her left, as buttoned up and professional as always, with perhaps a slight loosening of his tie. Most surprising was that between Garrett and the Commissioner sat the Mayor in a sports jacket and dark polo.

What they were doing was immediately clear; all five held cards in their hands and stacks of poker chips in front of them, along with glasses of scotch, with the exception of Jim who had a glass of water.

Garrett, Jim and Erin glanced at Abbey as she entered the room but the Mayor kept his eyes on his cards and the Commissioner kept his eyes on the Mayor.

The Mayor looked to Frank and smirked with confidence, "Raise to you Commissioner." He dropped a few green chips into the pot.

The PC didn't move. The Mayor rolled his shoulders and raised a hand to scratch at the back of his head. The Commissioner's lips tipped slightly, "I think I'll raise as well." He moved a mix of green and blue chips into the pot.

Erin glanced to her father with a quick grin, "Raise." She declared, dropping some chips in.

"Raise." Jim added without thought, pushing his chips up the table.

Garrett blinked at the pot then looked at his hand, "I'll call."

The Mayor shook his head but moved the requisite chips into the pot, "Call."

"Raise." The Commissioner put two more green chips into the pile and then looked at his daughter with a patronizing grin.

"Ugh." She sighed. "Fold." She glared at her father, only causing him to smile more.

"Fold." Jim dropped his cards.

"Yeah, me too." Garrett's cards hit the table leaving everyone to stare at the Mayor.

He narrowed his eyes, "I see through you Frank, you can't win three hands in a row; no way you top this." He pushed his chips forward, "I see and I raise."

He shook his head; again a hand coming up to scratch his closely cropped hair.

Frank smiled, "Well if you're so confident, let's make it interesting?" He dropped a black chip on the pile. "Raise."

Garrett glanced around the table and Erin leaned forward.

Carter Poole worked his jaw and sighed, dropping his cards to the table, "I'm out."

"Well, it was a good effort." Frank offered with condescension, tossing his cards down.

He looked in Abbey's direction for the first time as he stacked the pot among his chips, "Baker?"

She gestured to her desk, "I just came up for my laptop. Didn't realize the 14th floor became a casino after hours."

"Only occasionally." He nodded with a grin, "You in a rush? There's always space at the table."

"Actually, she can have my space." The mayor offered, backing up his electric wheel chair.

"Not already Mr. Mayor?" Garrett frowned.

Frank leaned back, "You have to at least stick around for a hand with my old man."

The mayor laughed, "I've already played with our former Commissioner. Once was all it took for me to learn my lesson." He smiled, "The only thing I could get out that game would be watching him take all those winnings from you."

Erin snickered and the Commissioner grimaced in her direction.

"Come on over here Abigail." The Mayor offered, further moving away and signaling Garrett to pull in a regular chair, "Just keep your eye on the deck when your boss is dealing."

The Commissioner looked back with a put upon expression, "You calling me a cheater, Mr. Mayor?"

"Not at all Frank." He pacified, pulling out his wallet and handing over a number of bills, "I should know better than to try and bluff a table of cops."

"Welcome to my life." Erin muttered. She turned to smile at Abbey, "No pressure, but I'd love another woman at the table." She looked around at the others in the small room, "Not to mention someone without memories of the Ford administration."

"Hey…" Both Frank and Garrett rebuked in unison. Jim tilted his head in Abbey's direction.

She bit her bottom lip, she really hadn't planned on heading home this early and she did miss the game nights in college and the Academy.

She glanced to the PC. He met her eyes and gave a slight bob and shrug, transmitting she truly was welcome but there were no expectations.

She smiled, "Well, I guess it's fortuitous that I stopped at the ATM earlier this evening." She took off her coat and draped it on the far chair before moving to the space vacated by the mayor, "What's the buy in?"

"Atta girl." Applauded Poole, missing Frank's raised eyebrow, "I will see you all later." He nodded to each as he passed, "Erin, always a pleasure."

The Commissioner waited for the Mayor to leave before looking seriously at Abbey, "Have you played before?"

She swallowed her smile and shrugged, "I've played a few times; mostly college."

"Alright." The Commissioner nodded and gestured to Garrett, "Get another glass for the Detective."

"Ante is $5." He explained as he set her up with a stack of chips, "We don't get too obnoxious here, but it is real money and no one holds back. I don't want you to get uncomfortable. Don't feel like you need to prove anything or keep up."

She frowned, "Thank you sir, I really appreciate that. I'll keep that in mind for sure."


"Sir, don't feel like you need to prove anything or keep up." She advised straight faced as he glared at his cards, flicking his eyes back up and scanning her with a grimace.

She stared back blankly, waiting.

"Raise." He dropped a few more chips into the pot from his pile that had steadily shrunk over the last 4 hands.

She didn't take her eyes off his unflinching face, watching, waiting…

A muscle tensed in his chin and she smirked internally. "See and raise." She pushed the chips in without looking down.

The Commissioner frowned and exhaled through his nose, his eyes narrowing.

"Alright. Call." He huffed, tossing in a final few chips.

Abbey grinned and laid her cards on the table, "Flush; jack high."

"Aw, fer cryn'..." PC muttered and tossed his own cards down, "Take it." He gestured helplessly to the pot.

Even Jim joined Garrett and Erin's laughter at Frank's abrupt change in fortune.

The Commissioner shook his head and scratched behind his ear, "I have a feeling you've played more than just 'a few times in college'."

Abbey shrugged, happily arranging her new winnings into organized stacks, "It was mostly in college. It was hard to get many folks at the academy to agree to play with me after the first few games."

"So I see." He nodded.

She smiled innocently, "I suppose I never mentioned that the 'Ice Queen' nickname was earned over a poker table."

He stared at her for a beat and released a heavy sigh, "No, you failed to mention that." He stood, "I'm getting another bottle."

Erin waited for him to disappear into his office before she reached across the table, "Have I mentioned how happy I am that you joined us?"

"Only after every hand." She smiled back, brushing Garrett away from her shoulder as he attempted to tally her chips.

"I was at your office the other day." She changed the subject, keeping her attention on Erin.

"Oh?" The ADA tilted her head, "You should have stopped by, it's been a while since we've grabbed lunch."

Abbey nodded, "That's actually what I was planning on, but you weren't there." She grinned, "I did notice an awfully impressive bouquet of flowers on the table."

Erin rolled her eyes, "Yeah, must have been more than just a day or two ago. Those are dead now."

"What are?" Frank asked, returning with a new bottle of scotch and a pitcher of water.

"Nothing." "Flowers." Erin and Garrett answered at the same time.

Erin glared at the DCPI and he shrunk back, glancing to Jim to support. The detective just shook his head.

"What flowers?" Frank asked tipping healthy pours into everyone's glass. "From whom?"

"It's not important." She answered through grit teeth.

Abbey winced and mouthed an apology. Erin brushed it away with a resigned roll of her eyes.

Frank settled in to his chair and pursed his lips, considering his daughter. "They wouldn't happen to have anything to do with those mystery dates you've been having?"

"Dad..." She sighed, "Can we just play?" She reached for the cards, but he pulled them away.

"Not your turn to deal, Sweetheart." He began shuffling, "I'm just wondering what's going on with my only daughter. She's seeing someone with enough interest that he brings her flowers at work and that she breaks our dinner plans twice in the past few months but is mysterious enough that she won't tell me who it is..."

He frowned, "Makes me think it's someone I know."

She stared back at him, jaw set.

"Someone you don't think I'd approve of?" He tapped the deck on the table, fidgeting more than shuffling. "Is it a cop?" He squinted, reading her, "No, that's not it." He frowned, "Is it Ronnie Cleary?"

"What?" Erin leaned back.

Frank shrugged, "He moved back to town last fall, and you've said..."

"When I was like 15, Dad." She shook her head, "No, gawd, Dad, no." She sighed and looked at him in defeat, "It was Jack."

"Jack who?" He frowned.

She stared back and his eyes opened wide, "Jack Boyle?!"

Abbey's eyebrows rose at the admission on Erin's face. She sighed internally, this was not what she intended when she brought up the flowers. Garrett stiffened next to her and Jim was studiously focused on his phone.

"Yes, Dad." Erin sighed. She rolled her eyes, "After the thing at the court house...he was there and it was scary and I think we both thought..." She floundered for the words.

Frank looked down but nodded, eventually looking up and patting Erin's clenched hands comfortingly, "He did good that day."

"Yeah." Erin nodded, "But he's still the same Jack. That's why I kept it quiet from you and from Nicky and also why I broke it off with him over a week ago."

Frank looked her over with a soft grimace, "Well, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Do you really mean that?" Erin looked back, a knowing smile on her lips.

"No." Frank answered immediately, "But I am sorry."

She smiled, "Thanks Dad."

He shrugged, "Hey, what are Dads for other than to pester our children?"

"Careful, Frank." Garrett smirked, "Say that too loud and Henry may never show up."

Frank glanced at his watch, "He said 9; my father is nothing if not punctual."

"Just checking." Garrett further loosened his tie. "Not sure if you two were still fighting."

Frank glared at him over his glasses, clenching his jaw for a moment, "He's coming. You're not hungry already, are you?" He began dealing the cards. "Omaha Hi-Lo, with a buy."

Jim snorted a chuckle and the rest of table stared at him.

"Something to say, Jimmy?" Frank pinned him with a glare.

"No, sir." He shook his head with a smirk.

Garrett leaned back, "I think he's just amused that you're choosing a variation where two players split the pot." He smiled at Abbey, "I wonder what could have changed to make you want to do that."

Abbey blushed but kept focused on the cards in her hand.

"Dealer's Choice." Frank rebuked, "I don't need a reason for calling the game."

"Yeah, right." Erin smiled fanning her cards and looking over them. Her eyes tracked back to her father as they proceeded with the motions of trading in cards, "Why you and Grandpa fighting this time?"

"We're not." Frank shot back returning a card and grabbing another.

Erin glanced back to Garrett.

Garrett shrugged, "Mason Doherty's son is on the job. Henry asked me to pass along a promotion recommendation."

Erin winced, "Ah."

"Exactly." Frank gestured to her, "But it was a couple weeks ago. Over and done with. Pops and I don't hold those kinds of grudges with one another."

"Most times." Erin muttered.

"All times." He defended.

She ignored him, "That's what was wrong at dinner when you two were barely speaking?"

He rolled his eyes, "Two weeks ago. It's over."

"Without needing a ref to force you to apologize to one another?" She smirked, "I'm impressed."

He dismissed her, "No apology necessary. He was wrong and I moved on; as we should now, Erin, your bet."

"Wait, wait, wait…" Garrett leaned on the table, his elbow knocking his scotch. He caught it and looked back up, "Who was wrong? Because unless I'm imagining things, that first round of scotch came from a bottle that miraculously appeared around the time that Jimmy Doherty's promotion was approved."

Erin's eyes arched, "You promoted someone through a hook?"

"No." Frank tilted his head sharply, "I promoted someone who I felt was qualified and deserving after a careful review of his record and after an in person interview." He pointed a finger at Garrett, "Where, by the way, he told me he asked his old man not to talk to Pop."

Garrett relented and turned his attention to his cards but Erin crossed her arms, thinking, "Still, the fact is, he wouldn't have come to your attention at all if it weren't that his father and Grandpa know one another."

Frank's lips rolled and he looked at his daughter, "I know." He exhaled and his shoulders stooped, "And if he wasn't apologetic about it I probably wouldn't have promoted him."

He looked down, "But that would have been wrong. He's a strong cop and will be an asset to the department in his new position." He rubbed his chin, "That shouldn't be negated just because of a relation he can't control."

The table was quiet. Erin's eyes flicked over her father, "You're talking about Jamie."

He looked at her, "Who said anything about Jamie?"

She tilted her head, "A good cop whose value shouldn't be negated because of who he's related to?" She leaned back, pulling her lower lip between her teeth, "That's why you gave him the Michelle Lowe case, to test him."

Frank shook his head.

"Come on, Dad." Erin leaned in.

"I didn't give him the Lowe case to test him." He exhaled and met her eyes, "I did it to test myself."

The admission was quiet and Erin's brow knitted, "What?"

Garrett sighed with a comprehending smile, "You needed to make sure Jamie really is as good as you think he is. That you aren't just biased because you're his father."

Frank shrugged, "Any beat cop who can solve a 10 year old, closed, murder, on his own and without department resources, is someone who has objectively earned a promotion recommendation."

"So you're going to bump him up?" Erin blinked.

"Nope." Frank sorted the cards in his hand, not looking up. "He doesn't know if he wants it." He sighed, "But if he asked I would."

He looked up, silently locking eyes with his daughter.

Erin blinked, "Never thought I'd see the day."

Abbey made passing eye contact with Garrett and Jim. The surprise of Frank Reagan being willing to pull a string for one of his kids flashed across each of their faces.

"Me neither." Frank muttered.

"Well this is the most morose looking poker game I've ever seen!" Henry Reagan ambled in holding two large pizza poxes. "What's going on?"

"Nothin' Pop." Frank greeted his father with a broad closed mouth smile that lifted his cheeks, "What you got?"

Henry evaluated his son before returning the smile and proudly placing the boxes on the table, "Salducci's" He looked around, "Where's Poole?"

"He had to leave." Frank replied shortly, gesturing for Jim to pass one of the pizza boxes down.

"That's too bad." Henry sighed, "I was looking forward to putting him in his place again."

Frank pointed to Abbey, "Baker's taken his place. A new challenge for you."

Henry raised an eyebrow, taking in the sizable stack of chips in front of her. She smiled innocently but the calculating look on the older cop's face told her that she wouldn't have the advantage of being underestimated.

"Interesting…" Henry muttered, removing his jacket, revealing a garish purple and maroon paisley shirt.

"Whoa, Pop." Erin leaned back, "What are you wearing?!"

"It's my lucky shirt." He gestured defensively. "Did I interrupt a game?"

"Not really." Frank sighed, putting down his hand and indicating for everyone to turn in theirs.

Jim tossed his cards up and moved over a chair, offering Henry to take the one closest to his granddaughter. Henry accepted, nodding his appreciation.

"What's been the game?" He looked around the table.

Erin smiled, "Dad had just called Omaha Hi-Lo."

"What?" Henry sneered, "That's a child's game!"

Frank shook his head, chewing on his pizza.

Henry held out a hand, "Turn over the deck, Francis." He looked to Abbey.

She made every effort not to shift in her seat as she had the distinct feeling she was being sized up.

Henry grinned, "Seems like this table is in dire need of a real dealer."


"That was pretty impressive." Erin offered as she joined Abbey in the elevator.

Abbey shook her head, "Your grandfather basically cleared me of all my winnings."

"True." Erin nodded, "But you made him work for it which is more than most can say." She smiled, "And you and him are the only ones walking out with more than what you walked in with."

"I'll be sure to have you all in my thoughts when I buy a round of ice cream this weekend." Abbey smiled, feeling the $20 bill in her pocket. It was hard to feel satisfied considering she had been up ten times that before the Reagan patriarch joined the table.

Erin grinned, "That's a cause I'm happy to support."

"Oh, and I'm sorry about bringing up the flowers." Abbey winced, "I didn't realize it would devolve into what it did."

"It's fine." Erin sighed, exiting into the parking garage. "I honestly had it coming. It had been going on sporadically for 6 months; it's a miracle Dad hadn't caught on earlier."

Abbey halted by the bumper of Erin's car, "I'm more impressed that you were able to keep Nicky in the dark if you were seeing your ex-husband for 6 months."

"Not really seeing." Erin shrugged, "It was more of an arrangement of convenience…fulfilling an occasional need." She smirked, "If you know what I mean."

Abbey smiled, biting her lip, "Understood." She sighed, "Then I'm really sorry you had to break it off."

"Yeah…" Erin fiddled with her keys, "Me too." She looked back up, "But it was good for me to be the one to break it off with him. You know?"

"Yeah, I do." Abbey nodded with a sigh, "I had a hard time with relationships before Brian. Never had the chance to be one to do the dumping."

"Too bad." Erin's smile grew, "It's very liberating."

"I'm a little jealous." Abbey admitted.

Erin frowned, "How are things with Brian?"

"Good. Good." Abbey nodded. She swallowed and looked down, "I mean, when we're together it's great. But..."

"But what?" Erin stepped closer.

Abbey sighed, "All his friends are working for big firms, running around to high end business dinners in expensive suits while Brian is cleaning up spittle and pushing a stroller." She fiddled with the strap of her purse, "He loves Michael and loves being a stay at home dad, but I think he also kind of misses what could have been."

She looked away, "It's not usually bad but this is the time of year when work gets real busy for him and some of that tension occasionally comes to a head." She shrugged, "That's why I didn't really hesitate too much to join the game."

Erin exhaled, long and slow, "I empathize." She nodded, "All my college friends got signed to pretty big firms pretty fast. Watching all of them living that life while I was at home with baby Nicky was difficult." She shrugged, "I always attributed my going back to work as what start the problems between Jack and I but the truth is that I was having problems for a lot longer."

"I can understand that..." Abbey acknowledged with a slow nod.

"Oh, hey, I'm not implying anything about your and Brian's relationship." Erin jumped, resting a hand on Abbey's arm. "Jack and I had all kinds issues, primarily that we didn't have any kind of foundation before we dove right into marriage and parenthood. You and Brian are very different."

Abbey nodded mutely; lips firmly sealed.

Erin sighed, "Now I'm the one who needs to apologize."

"No. No, you're fine." Abbey waved off, "I'm just deep in my own head."

"Well get out." Erin smirked, "Because trust me; getting the chance to dump my commitment averse ex-husband is not even close to making up for all the sucky parts of divorce and being single."

Abbey winced, "Copy that." She consciously relaxed, trying to smile at Erin "I've assumed that staying single has been a conscious choice on your part."

"Maybe." Erin shrugged, "Sometimes, between Nicky and work and family I just don't have the space for anyone else; and I'm not so sure I'm willing to put in the effort to make it."

Abbey nodded, biting the inside of her cheek; she couldn't imagine not having the desire to make space for Brian in her life.

Erin grinned, "Linda, Danny's wife? She set me up with one of those speed dating places; it was intolerable." She looked up slyly, "Though I do have lunch plans tomorrow."

"Oh?" Abbey's eyebrows rose.

"Well, Nicky has plans with friends and just because I don't have space in my life doesn't mean I can't spare an occasional meal for an attractive defense attorney who actually has a soul." She sassed.

"Ha!" Abbey snorted. "Well, you enjoy that. Meanwhile I'll going to see if I can convince my husband to take the weekend off."

"Good." Erin nodded. "And maybe use those winnings for something more fun than ice cream." She winked.

Abbey chuckled, "I'll look into that." She smiled, "Have a good night, and enjoy your lunch!"

"I will." Erin grinned, pulling open the door to her car, "And you get home to that husband of yours!"

Abbey's smile faltered as she headed to her car. Erin was right, maybe she wouldn't rush out in the morning. Her smile returned to her face as she started her car, contemplating the ways she and Brian could put an empty apartment to use.