A/N: There's so little Linda in the episode, it was hard to write this, but I couldn't skip the whole Blue Templar/finding out who killed Joe. On to season 2 after this chapter.
He tells Linda the bare-bones, despite his dad's orders that the op remain "in house—this house." Otherwise she'll worry about him. Which she probably should, because he's not sleeping and he's not eating, and if he's realizing it, then Linda noticed days ago.
It's not until the night they've arrested the Templar, when he's finally home and collapses on his bed, shoes and badge still on, that he opens up.
"We got 'em. Malevsky killed himself. The rest of the bastards…I took their shields, Dad arrested them. It's over."
"I'm sorry, babe," she says, and holds him close. "Are you okay?"
He shrugs. "I don't know. It was bad enough thinking Joe was killed in the line of duty by a criminal. But knowing that it was cops, dirty cops…that makes me sick."
"You got 'em, though, babe. It's over. You can finally…"
"Move on? Forget what happened?" he snaps.
"That's not what I was going to say, Danny. You can grieve now. You know the truth."
He sighs. His head's pounding. "It's been two years, almost. Should be easier by now."
"Don't." Her hands are cool on his throbbing head.
"Don't what?" he frowns.
"Don't try to put a timeline on grief, Danny. Just because it's been two years doesn't mean it's stopped hurting."
"You know me and emotions, Linda."
"I know. But it's better than bottling it all up until you explode and put a perp's head in the toilet."
"Why are you still going on about the toilet?"
"Because I had to tell the boys yesterday that that wasn't something they could go around telling their friends about. Sean's suspended."
"He didn't…?"
"Yeah, he did. Jack double-dared him, so he's suspended, too."
"Great." He shakes his head. "Pretty sure Joe and I did the same thing when we were their age." He chuckles, then chokes back a sob. "I should have kept him safe."
"Danny, you didn't know."
"I should have known. He was my kid brother; it was my job to keep him safe!"
He tunes out whatever comforting platitude she tells him next, and tries to blot out the mental image of Sonny Malevsky blowing his brains out.