Be forewarned that Erin is a bit of a bitch in this, but I don't think that's too OOC for her ;-)

I mean, just from what we've seen on the show, I think it's fair to assume that Danny and Erin got into some pretty nasty fights and feuds as teens.

This chapter and the next should be read as two parts of one story.

Enjoy!

2018

"Payback I expected," Eddie said. "Especially from you, Danny."

"Hey!" Danny pretended to look hurt, but he didn't quite manage to keep the smirk from his face. "That one has a story too, if you wanna hear it. A couple of stories, actually. But there's a particular incident I'm sure we're all thinking about."

"Katie's party?" Erin asked. "I don't think I've ever forgiven you for that."

"Aww, come on, sis! Ius in bellum. So, what happened was..."

"Erin should tell her part first," Henry cut in. "It's no use calling it payback unless you know what the payment is for."

"Good point, Gramps."

The table turned expectantly to Erin, who gave Danny a slightly predatory grin and then began.

1989

Danny Reagan had the luck of the devil.

Or the Irish, but it was much more satisfying to think of him as somewhat demonic. Erin, at fifteen, loved her brother and would ruin the life of anybody who tried to hurt him, but it didn't mean that she had to be blind to his faults.

At sixteen, he was arrogant, cocky, boisterous and about as pleasant as a sock in the jaw.

He was as dutiful and obedient as most sixteen-year-olds, which of course is not very much at all. He mostly didn't study, goofed off in class, gave his teachers headaches. At home he teased mercilessly, hogged the telephone and the TV and was only convinced to do his chores in the face of the most severe consequences. He'd developed sneaking out after curfew and even while technically being grounded into an art form.

Moreover having, as mentioned, the luck of the devil, he very rarely got caught. Which was why Erin could hardly believe her luck, one chilly winter evening, when she came into possession of information that could put him behind bars...well, that could put him across Dad's knee in a jiffy.

"Dad," Danny said at dinner, a bit tentatively. "Coach has scheduled an extra basketball practice after school tomorrow..."

Dad gave him a quizzical look, chewing on a mouthful of macaroni and cheese.

"Would you consider letting me go? I know I'm grounded, but not from basketball, right?"

Danny was grounded, which didn't sway Erin's conviction that he never got caught, but only proved that even the luck of the devil didn't stand up against Mrs. DiAngelo and her resolve to do everything in her power to make sure that no student would ever fail her classes. There's only so much you can do to stop a teacher from calling your parents and telling them about you slacking off in Chemistry.

Dad shared a pensive look with Mom, who was trying to prevent Jamie from stuffing peas up his nose.

"You're not grounded from basketball, no," he said then. "I don't see why you can't go."

Danny grinned. "Thanks, Dad! The O'Sheas said they'd drop me off after practice, so that won't be a problem."

"Great," Dad said, and the conversation turned to something funny that had happened in Joe's catechism class.

Erin, however, studied Danny carefully. There was something in the twinkle of his eyes, and the bounce in his step as he shot upstairs after dinner that made her intensely suspicious. She stacked the dishes for Joe, who was washing up tonight while Dad dried, and then slipped upstairs herself. Danny's door was closed, but the telephone cord was running beneath it and out of sight.

Taking care to avoid any treacherous and creaky planks in the old wooden floor, she crept up to Danny's door and pressed her ear against it.

She could hear his voice, very faintly, which meant that he was probably inside his closet.

"Yeah, yeah, baby, I'll be there."

A pause.

"No, I told you, my grounding's over. Dad said I could go, no problem.

Erin beat a quiet retreat, her mind spinning with possibilities.

The first class Erin had with Linda the next morning was English. The blonde gave her a wide grin as she slipped into the seat beside her.

"Hey, Erin."

"Hey, Linda. You and Danny all set for tonight?"

Linda's grin widened. "Oh, yeah. I can't believe your dad finally let him out again. I was beginning to think he got a life sentence. I mean, we could still call each other on the phone, but..."

Erin giggled. "Yeah, Dad can be pretty mean sometimes. So, what are you guys doing?"

"We're going to the movies, and maybe for a hot drink afterwards," Linda shrugged. "I really like your brother, ya know. He's a real gentleman."

"He's pretty neat," Erin said unwillingly.

Erin considered telling Mom, after school, that Danny had to be picked up from practice after all. Maybe Jimmy wasn't at school and Danny asked her to pass on the request. While that would certainly result in Mom arriving at school and finding out that there wasn't, in fact, any basketball practice, it might also result in Erin getting into trouble of her own for lying. She knew Danny wouldn't be above taking her down with him, once it came to it.

So, she settled on the simplest plan.

Danny sauntered in at around five o'clock, sweaty and boisterous in his basketball clothes. She wandered what kind of nonsense he'd told Linda about why he needed to pretend like he'd been to basketball.

"Hey, Ma. Hey, pipsqueak."

Mom successfully aborted his attempt at cornering her for a sweaty hug, which he knew she absolutely hated.

"Hi, Daniel. Don't antagonise your sister. Had fun at practice?"

"Oh, yeah," Danny grinned at the glare Erin sent him, surreptitiously swiping a chunk of feta cheese she was trying to cut into the salad from underneath her knife. "Coach says this is going to be our season, Ma, and I'm not one to argue with him."

"I'm sure it will be," Mary said with a smile. "Go on upstairs and catch a shower, hun. Dinner will be served in just a minute."

Danny swiped another piece of cheese on his way out, but Erin didn't say anything. He'd be grinning on the other side of his face soon enough.

Erin waited until they had said grace and everybody had been served some of the stew Mom had spent the better part of the day cooking. It was perfect winter food, and the Reagan dining room was quiet as everybody tucked in.

"How was everybody's day?" Mom asked. "You're all so quiet."

"It's because the food's so good, Mom," Joe grinned at her. "I had a good day. School wasn't too boring, and I almost finished my project in woodworking class."

"Still not ready to tell us what it is?" Dad teased.

"No," Joe said firmly. "It's a Christmas gift for Jamie, and I want it to be a surprise."

"A gift for Jamie?" Jamie asked through a half-chewed mouthful of stew. "Really for Jamie, Joey?"

"Yeah, squirt," Joe poked him in the ribs. "But I'm not telling you what it is either."

"I bet it's a toy car," Danny said into his stew.

Joe's face fell for a moment, but he schooled his expression quickly. "Maybe, maybe not. You won't know until Christmas Day, though."

"We certainly won't," Mom said, sending Danny a firm look.

Erin gave Danny a sweet smile.

"And your day, Danny? How was the movie?"

The look of shock and surprise on Danny's face was glorious. And very hard to miss, despite the fact that he tried to play it off immediately.

"What movie?" Mom asked.

Dad didn't say anything, but he had stopped eating and was watching Danny keenly.

"I don't know what she's talking about," Danny mumbled.

"But Linda said you guys were planning on going out for a movie and maybe some hot drinks afterwards," Erin said innocently. "Did you do something else then?"

"When was this, honey?" Mom asked.

"This morning in English class," Erin tried to look confused. "She said she was happy Danny's grounding was over, and I just thought I missed something..."

Dad put his knife and fork down and levelled a Look at Danny that made him quake.

"Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan. Explain yourself."

"I...Dad, it's not what it looks like."

"I'm going to need a better explanation than that, son."

Danny looked down at his plate, his face growing red.

"Daniel," Dad said. "I'm not going to ask you again. Where were you this afternoon?"

"I..." Danny swallowed hard. "I went to the movies with Linda, sir."

Dad took a deep breath, but before he could explode, Mom spoke.

"Frank, not in front of the babies. Daniel, leave the table and go to your room. Your father will be up to speak with you when he's ready."

Danny got up, his eyes downcast and his face a picture of misery.

"I'm sorry," Erin said in a small voice when he'd disappeared upstairs. "I didn't mean to..."

Dad turned a distinctly unimpressed look on her. "Careful, young lady. There are no consequences for informing on your siblings in this house, but there are for lying. I'd keep that in mind, if I were you."

"Yes, sir," Erin said quietly. She picked up her fork again and dug into the stew.

Dad went upstairs after dinner, after a private deliberation with Mom in the sitting room. There was a tenseness in the atmosphere, even in the kitchen, and Erin swiped viciously at a dirty plate.

"Is Danny in trouble, Erin?" Jamie asked. He was leaning against her leg, looking tired.

Joe answered, giving Erin a mild glare as he took a new plate to dry. "Yeah, Jamie. Thanks to Erin, he is."

"That's not fair, Joe," Mom said, coming into the kitchen. "Danny isn't in trouble because Erin said something, he's in trouble because he was very disobedient."

"But if Erin hadn't said anything he wouldn't be in trouble."

"He wouldn't be in trouble if he hadn't lied to Dad and broken his grounding either," Mom said gently. "Would he?"

"No, I suppose not." Joe sighed.

"I don't like it, Mommy," Jamie said, slightly tearful. "Everything feels sad."

Mom picked him up, planting a kiss on the side of his head. "That's okay, baby. Why don't we go sit by the fire and read some Peter Rabbit? Would you like that?"

They disappeared, leaving Erin and Joe alone to deal with the dishes.

There was no rule about not going upstairs when Dad or Mom was dealing with someone, but it was pretty much an unspoken contract between the siblings. Erin hung around on the ground floor, pretending to read a Sherlock Holmes novel while she waited for the cracks of the paddle to quiet down on the top floor. It was a pretty thorough spanking, and she found herself feeling slightly smug. Sure, she felt a bit sorry for him too. An angry Dad was a force of nature, and one nobody in their right mind wanted a piece of. But still, like Mom had said, Danny wasn't really being punished because she said anything. He was being punished because he had finally been caught.

When Dad finally came downstairs, grim-faced and looking rather tired, Erin went upstairs to start on her homework. She met Danny in the hallway, seemingly returning to his room from the bathroom. He was walking stiffly, his eyes puffy, his face splotched with red from crying. The look he gave her was hot enough to melt steel.

Erin smirked.

Thank you for reading! I would really appreciate it if you could tell me what you thought in a review. It really helps, and encourages me to write faster!

Tremulous xx