"Hey, Dad, my phone's dead. Can I use yours to check and see what the weather will be like today?" Jack asked through his dad's closed bedroom door.
"I am always telling you to charge it! Go ahead, it's on the counter by the sink," Danny Reagan called.
"'K', thanks."
Jack typed in his dad's password - which was no short task -, the stared at the home screen. There before him was a picture of Danny Reagan and his partner, Detective Maria Baez. They were both smiling at the camera, Danny giving a thumbs up. Jack smiled. He could not wait to tease his dad about this picture!
"Is it supposed to snow again?" Danny came out of the bedroom, adjusting his tie.
Jack hastily clicked on the weather app, then shook his head. He went about getting himself breakfast.
"So, uh, Dad, are you and Baez working today?"
"That is Detective Baez to you, and what do you mean are we working together? Of course we are working together today, we're partners, that's what partners do."
"Weren't Uncle Jamie and Aunt Eddie partners?"
"Yes," Danny wrinkled his nose at the bowl of rotting fruit on the counter and dumped the whole thing, bowl and all, into the trashcan.
"That was how they met right?" Jack slid a bowl of cereal over to his dad.
"I guess so," Danny shrugged.
"Is that how you and Detective Baez met?"
"No, we had met before that."
"Ahh. What did the family think when Uncle Jamie announced that he was marrying his partner?"
Danny stopped eating, the spoon still in his mouth, finally realizing what his son was getting at.
"You were right there at the dinner table when we found out about Jamie and Eddie only two years ago."
Jack opened his mouth to say something else, but Danny cut him off.
"What do you want to know, Jack?" he sighed.
"Is there anything between you and Detective Baez?" Jack smiled impishly.
"She's my work partner," Danny shrugged and dumped the rest of his milk down the drain.
"Work partners don't keep pictures of themselves as their home screen."
"Aren't you going to be late for school?"
"Is there anything between you and Detective Baez?" Jack asked again.
"Would you be all right with you if there was something between us?" Danny put his hands on his hips.
"I think it would be great. She seems like a nice lady."
"She is!"
"Very smart," Jack said and Danny nodded, "Pretty," Danny nodded, "And she seems to keep you in line," Danny gave him a dark look, "I think that it would be wonderful if you two got together."
"I'm glad you approve," Danny tried to sound sarcastic, but Jack noticed that he looked more relieved.
"Maybe you could bring her to Sunday dinner again?" suggested Jack.
"Yeah, I-I might, if there was anything between us," Danny shrugged.
"If?"
"Aren't you going to be late for school?" Danny asked again.
"I'm going," Jack grabbed his backpack and went to the door.
"Jack," Danny called, "We already planned to go out for pizza tonight, but I may invite Detective Baez to join us."
Jack smiled.
"IF she doesn't have something else going on, that is."
"That sounds great to me! See ya later, Dad."
"'Bye," Danny heard the door shut, "That kid," he chuckled.