Alison sat across from Erin drinking her coffee.

"So, how's it going." Erin glanced over at her.

"Fine, why do you ask." Panic shot through Alison as realizing that Nicky hadn't told her she was taking the entrance exam to become a cop. She smiled, doing her best to stay calm.

"I heard Danny came by to talk to you, and he and Antony went at it." Erin set her coffee down, and Alison relaxed. If Nicky didn't want to tell her that she was trying to become a cop, then that was Nicky's busyness.

"Don't remind me. I don't know what it is but those two are like oil and water. The minute they walk into my office their at each other's throats." Alison took another sip of her coffee.

"Well, Danny's a cop, and Anthony works for the DA. It's like someone who's supposed to be your friend and have your back shooting you down." Erin locked eyes with her.

"Like me." Alison nearly choked on her coffee. Coughing, she waved her hands.

"No…No, that's not what I meant."

"But it's what you implied. Every time one of you come in here, you think that I'm about to shoot you in the back."

"Erin, please, Danny thinks that Greg and I can magically find evidence after he has gone traipsing through a crime scene. If anyone was going to understand you, it would be me." Alison tossed her cup in the trash. "To be fair, half of the time, my testimony ends up helping the defense, so you could say that I am far more likely to stab one of you in the back. Evidence is tricky that way." Erin signed another form.

"Is that why you're here to tell me that you think that our guy is innocent." Alison looked at the evidence boards that they had put up earlier.

"No, I don't form opinions; I let the evidence lead us to the truth. I leave my biases at the doors of the courtroom."

"Like Greg's book." Alison was so shocked by Erin's offhand comment that all she could do was stare at her. Her sister, however, was still making notes and hadn't even bothered to look up at her.

"I…uh… that's different." Erin stopped staring at her.

"And the weird tension between the two of you since he started working on this book is just a coincidence, right." Alison's mouth hung open as she scrambled for an answer. Before she had to come up with one, the phone on Erin's desk started to ring. She pointed at Alison.

"We are not done with this…ADA Reagan." The color from Erin's face vanished, and Alison tensed. "I'll be right there." She hung the phone up, shooting out of her chair. Alison did the same, grabbing her ratty bag. "Erin, what's up." Erin's eyes darted around the room until Alison handed her coat to her.

"Antony was shot." Alison paused for a minute then handed Erin her purse.

"I'll drive you over."

Greg walked over to Jamie.

"Hey, thanks for coming down for this." Greg looked over where Eddie was sitting next to a man on a bench. His hands were handcuffed behind him.

"No problem. What's going on." Jamie ushered him over to his desk so they could talk.

"That's Billy. He's mentally changed and a big cop fan. He heard the report about an officer needing assistance and stole a black and white." Greg let out a deep breath rubbing his forehead.

"How is he still standing." Jamie leaned his head from side to side.

"That's the thing. I walked into the line of fire to go talk him down." Greg looked down at him.

"You didn't, Jamie." Jamie shrugged his shoulders.

"They were going to shoot him."

"So you thought it was better to get shot yourself. Frank's going to love that report." Jamie shot him a look. "Fine…fine, what do you need." Jamie glanced over his shoulder at Billy.

"Because of everything. The captain doesn't want us handling evidence. I was hoping that you might be able to do us a solid." Greg crossed his arms.

"You know that this isn't normally what I do." Jamie nodded.

"I know, but he's a friend in a pinch, and I know that you would treat him right." Greg took a deep breath.

"Corse, I'll do it. Let me just go get my bag." Jamie let out a deep breath.

"Thank I really appreciate it." Greg glanced over that Billy smiling at him.

"Not a problem."

Alison sat on the counter with the baby monitor on one knee and a bowl of ice cream on the other. Anthony was going to be alright, and Danny was working the case. She was thankfully able to avoid going to the hospital, completely letting Erin off at the door. There was a knock on the front door. Checking the cameras, she unlocked it with her phone.

"In the kitchen, she called out." Nicky walked in, setting her bag down. "Hey kid, how's it going? I have ice cream in the fridge if you want any." Nicky waved her off, pointing at the pot of coffee.

"No, but I could use some of that." Alison smiled, pointing to the cabinmate that had the mugs.

"Help yourself." Nicky made herself a cup then sat on one of the bar stools near where Alison was seated. "Been up late studying," Alison asked, noting the dark circles under her eyes.

"Yeah, I just hope that it's not all for nothing." Alison took a bite of her ice cream.

"What do you mean you'll go great."

"My mom found out."

"Oh, Well, it will be alright." Nicky leaned back in her chair.

"Only if she doesn't convince Grandpa not to let me take the exam." Alison waved her off.

"My mom would have don't the same if she had been alive when I took the exam and I was just going to work at the lab with Mac." Nicky rolled her eyes.

"See, you and Uncle Greg always talk about how safe it is, but you two have had the same number of trips to the ER and any other cops I know." Alison laughed, pointing her spoon at her.

"Fair enough. But seriously, Nicky, don't worry about it. Your mom will be fine with you being a cop. It will just take her time to get used to it. Just be sure that this is what you really want. Don't do it just because it's the family business." Nicky smiled.

"Thanks, Aunt Al."

Greg took a bite of the chicken while Nicky and Erin went at each other over Nicky, wanting to be a cop.

"There are plenty of ways to help people that don't put you in harm's way," Erin said.

"She has a point." Henry, who was very excited about Nicky taking the test, conceded. "It's different now. It's a different culture than when we all got started. Back then, it was considered an honor."

"And it still is." Erin said, looking down at her food.

"But?" Nicky shot out.

"It's not a but."

"No, please." Erin took a deep breath nodding.

"All of these gangsters and rapists and murderers that you all get a charge out of taking down, I prosecute them. I put them away. And there is no one that I wouldn't gladly see walk if it meant that…" Her voice cracked. "If it meant that one of you would still be sitting at this table and not lying somewhere in a morgue." There was a long pause. The weight of her words filling the silence. Greg couldn't help but notice the gazes at

"I would." Greg looked over at Alison. She hadn't said much for most of the dinner. Her voice was so quiet that the others didn't hear her.

"What?" He said loud enough to get the other's attention.

"I would be in a morgue if Greg wasn't a cop if Danny wasn't a cop." She looked over at Erin. Greg could see her whole body trembling. "I stared into Death's eyes for months. I prayed every day that it would be over. Even if that meant one less Reagan at the table. The only reason I could keep going was because I knew that one day I would be found." Alison reached a Shaky hand up to her face to whip her eyes. "I kept going because I have worked with countless cops and knew that as long as my file was in that stack, someone would be looking for yes, it's dangerous, and at times, I hate the idea that Ethan could lose both his parents. But I think about what it felt like to be that people that needed help, and you know what? I'd become a cop all over again in a heartbeat."

Alison stood at the window in her bedroom, looking out over the city. Her mind was trapped in that room. He was staring down at her. His cold blue eyes stared at her. She shook her head. No, that wasn't right. Looking again and they were back to green.

"Alison." Greg's voice caused her to jump, being pulled for her thought. Her hand covered her mouth, stopping the scream that tried to escape. She could see him standing behind her in the reflecting on the window.

"I thought you were going to work on your book tonight." Greg slowly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She relaxed, taking a deep breath.

"The book can wait for another night." She smiled.

"I shouldn't have said anything." Greg tilted his head so he could better see her face.

"You have every right to say what you did." Alison closed her eyes. "That how it works; everyone has an opinion at that table no matter the age."

"But I shouldn't bring it up with them." Greg kissed the top of her head.

"Ally, their family, it might be hard, but if you need to talk to them about that, you should be able to do that. I mean, you talk to me." Alison smiled, opening her eyes.

"I married you, so I kinda have to talk to you." Greg rolled his eyes.

"Thanks." She turned, so she was facing him.

"And I think I would even marry you again given a choice." She looked him in the eyes, growing serious. "You have been there for the good and the bad. You gave up full nights of sleep long before Ethan and are there for my family." Greg smiled.

"You are worth every late night and long shifts with Danny. You are there when I need you. My biggest fan and supporter of my books." Greg smiled at her, and Alison forced her own. The book she didn't want to talk about the book not tonight, not right now. So she smiled and leaned into a kiss. She would be fine as long as they didn't talk about it.