CH. 15: Keeping Mom Happy

With Christmas right around the corner, the Reagan's were exceptionally busy. Especially Mary, who was trying to plan the Christmas dinner, decorate the house, and get her husband and sons work schedule. She was sitting at the kitchen table holding Devon in her arms, while she worked on her list, of who all she needed to purchase Christmas gifts for. Not only that, but she needed to make sure Jamie didn't need a new suit for the Christmas Eve Mass service. Then again, with the way he was growing, she didn't doubt it.

"Does Grandmas girl need a new dress for Christmas?" Mary looked down at her granddaughter. "Maybe a pretty red one."

Devon squirmed, and Mary smiled. "We'll have to tell Daddy to get you one."

"Tell Daddy what?" Danny asked, walking through the kitchen door.

"That Devon needs a pretty red dress for the Christmas service," Mary looked at Devon.

"She's got plenty of clothes mom," Danny reached into the fridge for something to drink.

"But not one for Christmas," Mary shook her head.

"She's fine, I'm trying to save money, so I can get us a place of our own."

"I understand that son, but this is her first Christmas."

"Fine," Danny really didn't feel like arguing. He was too tired after the long sleepless night with Devon either fussing because of the colic, or because she wanted to be fed and held.

"Did you have another hard one at work?" Mary was trying to get to the bottom of his behavior.

"No," Danny shook his head. "Work was fine."

"Then what's the matter?" Mary looked at him inquisitively.

"I'm just tired, I don't get a lot of sleep at night. I have to be careful not to sleep too soundly, so I can get to her when the colic wakes her up again."

"Have you thought of trying to sleep train her yet?" Mary wondered.

"Is it even possible to sleep train a colicky baby?" Danny was so tired, he didn't have the energy to think about it for very long.

"Have you noticed if any coping mechanisms have worked, when she has the colic and starts crying at night."

"Yeah, if I pick her up and start walking, she usually settles down pretty quick."

"How long does it take to calm her down?"

"I don't know it depends," Danny shook his head. "Sometimes she'll go back to sleep if I just hold her."

"Do you lay her back down just as soon as she goes back to sleep?"

"That depends, sometimes I think I fall asleep holding her. And then I wake up hours later, with her still asleep in my arms, and me sitting up in bed or downstairs."

"Maybe you should start trying to lay her down, just as soon as she goes back to sleep," Mary suggested.

"As great as that sounds, I can't," Danny knew that would probably just defeat the purpose of him getting her back to sleep in the first place. "Any sound she makes wakes me up and I'm literally sitting on the edge of my bed waiting to grab her, for when she starts crying."

"And does she cry every time?"

"No, but most of the time. And I want to be able to get to her soon, so she doesn't wake up you, Dad and Jamie."

"Is that one of the reasons you want to find a place of your own?" Mary wondered.

"Partly," Danny admitted. "I mean it would be easier if she didn't have colic.

"Everything would be easier if your baby didn't have colic," Mary knew she had to agree with him. Especially considering she experienced it herself with him. "So, have you decided what you're going to get Devon for Christmas?" Mary asked changing the subject, returning to the list she had in front of her.

"I have no idea," Danny had to admit he was coming up blank. "I mean she has everything she needs."

"Christmas isn't really about getting something a person needs, it's more about wants." Mary said simply.

"My daughters a little over a month old," Danny took Devon from his mother. "I have a feeling the only reply I'm going to get from her is a squirm, cry or smile."

"What do you want?" Mary smiled at him.

"A good night's sleep," Danny wasn't by any means kidding.

"Be serious," Mary pushed him for an answer.

"I saw something online when I was up with Devon last night," Danny started to explain. "It was an infant carrier. Something I could put her in, and then strap it to my chest. "That way I'd still be able to do things like wash bottles without listening to her scream. Do laundry, because her diaper leaked all over her clothes, or because just as I was taking her diaper off she pees all over my bed."

"Wouldn't that be something to get for Devon, rather than for you?" Mary knew that never in her life did she expect to hear an answer like that come from her eldest. Who normally wanted things of quite a different nature.

"I guess it would be more for her benefit than my own," Danny admitted. Beginning to think this Christmas thing wouldn't be so hard after all.

Mary was about to give him another suggestion, but she was interrupted by the back-kitchen door opening. And her husband and youngest son walking in.

"Somebody seems to be in a good mood," Mary noticed the smile on her youngest son's face.

"I am," Jamie's smile grew all the wider. "I don't have to go back to school until after New Year's."

"Christmas break," Danny remembered his own feelings, back when he got out of school. "I lived for those days."

"So, did your teachers," Frank mumbled.

"I know that's true," Danny laughed.

"It isn't funny Danny," Frank didn't appreciate his sons attitude. "What happens if Devon does the same thing."

Danny's smile faded, and his expression changed almost in an instant. "I guess I didn't think about that."

"The next time you remember your past with a smile, think about how your daughter may be just like you." Frank knew that reminding him of his daughter and her future behavior would be better than any chastisement he could ever give him.

"I hate it when you make a good point," Danny handed Devon to him so he could make her a bottle.

Jamie was just about to grab his backpack and run upstairs to put his stuff away, when Mary stopped him. "We're going to get you a new suit tomorrow morning."

"I don't need a new suit," Jamie shook his head.

"Yes, you do, your growing out of your black pants," Mary remembered the last time he wore his black pants, and how she noticed the length wasn't nearly as long as it needed to be.

"I can wear my brown ones," Jamie tried to convince her.

"No, you can't," Mary shook her head. "You wear those all the time."

"Mom," Jamie started to complain.

"You don't have a choice Jamison," Mary wasn't backing down. "We have to do this, so you might as well make the best of it."

"Right during the Christmas rush," Jamie mumbled. "This aught be fun." He said, making his way up the stairs.

XXXXXXXX

After giving Devon her bottle, Danny made his way up the stairs, to give her a bath, so he could work on getting her ready for bed. He was just about to stop by the nursery to grab a diaper and a clean pair of pajamas when he stopped by his brother's bedroom.

"I know you're not thrilled about going shopping tomorrow," Danny closed the door behind him. "But if it makes you feel any better, I have to go to."

"Mom making you get a new suit too?" Jamie figured.

"No," Danny smiled. "Mom can't force me to buy clothes. But she is demanding I buy Devon a Christmas dress."

"What did you tell her, when she told you that?" Jamie knew his brother and knew he didn't handle demands very well.

"She was pestering me, so I gave in. Just because I was too tired to argue." Danny let on.

"Better get some sleep then, because you know what Christmas brings?" Jamie reminded him. Leaning against the headboard of his bed.

"Ugh," Danny moaned. "Mom turns into a prison warden, issuing orders."

"Hopefully she won't leave Joe out, just because he moved out," Jamie sounded hopeful.

"She didn't leave me out after I moved out. Or even when I was home on leave from the marines and was trying to rest." Danny reminded him. "I remember trying to sleep, and mom came charging in with a box of Christmas lights that she wanted me to put on the roof."

"So, there's a small glimmer of hope," Jamie sounded pleased.

Devon started to fuss, and Danny stood from his place at his brother's desk chair.

"Now, get off your ass, and help me bathe your niece."

"That's a nice way to ask. But since I don't have anything else to do I'll help." Jamie scooted himself off the bed, and followed his brother into the bathroom.

"Here," Danny handed Devon over to her uncle.

"But why do I have to hold her?" Jamie didn't even pretend to know how to hold a small infant.

"Because I have to get the water ready in her baby bathtub. And don't like leaving her on the cold bathroom floor while I do it." Danny made his point quite clearly.

"I guess you've got a point," Jamie placed her gently on his chest.

"But you could lay her on the rug and get her undressed for me." Danny suggested.

"I'll take her clothes off," Jamie agreed. "But I'm leaving the diaper on until it's time to put her in the tub."

"Coward," Danny muttered.

"No," Jamie tried picking up for himself. "But I do remember her not only peeing but pooping on you as well."

"I don't think you have to worry about her pooping on you," Danny admitted. "She hasn't had a dirty diaper recently, and I doubt she's going to drop it on you in the next sixty seconds."

"That's one thing, but what about the other," Jamie reminded him. "How often does she have a wet diaper?"

"Yeah those are pretty regular," Danny could only imagine the look on his brother's face, if she really did pee on him. It was something he could rib him about for the rest of his life.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe you should ask Linda what you could do to help with her not having dirty diapers." Sure, Jamie knew nothing about babies. But he had a feeling that wasn't supposed to happen.

"I'm not going to use her as my family's private nurse," Danny reached into the cabinet for a towel and wash cloth.

"But I thought she liked Devon?" Jamie remembered when he got hurt and had to go to the hospital, and how she took an interest in Devon's cries as well.

"She does like Devon," Danny said in all honesty. Knowing it wasn't likely for her to offer to babysit every infant she met, like she did with Devon. "But that's beside the point."

"Why?" Jamie sounded confused.

"I'll explain it to you when you're older," Danny took Devon from her uncle and placed her in the tub.

"I get it," a large grin started to spread over the teenager's face.

"Before you get any ideas, no I don't like her." Danny shoved his brother towards the door. "Now go get me some more baby soap."

"Where is it?" Jamie was laughing.

"In the nursery, piled up with all the other stuff I need to go through from the baby shower."

"The kids going to be two before you get to all that stuff," Jamie had a point.

"I know," Danny agreed. "That's why I wish mom would do it."

"I wonder why she hasn't," Jamie knew that it wasn't like his mother to leave a room out of order.

"She keeps saying she wants me to go through it. Why? I have no idea, it's not like I have organizational skills. Pretty sure my apartment spoke volumes of that." Danny hated to pick his stuff up, thinking it wasn't like he had a lot of time to do it anyways. He thought he was busy as a single guy working a job and going out almost every night. But it was nothing compared to how busy he was now, working the same job, and being a single parent to an infant.

"Probably because it's your daughters room," Jamie figured.

"I'll give you $20 bucks if you do it," Danny bribed.

"I would but mom already told me, not to let you bribe me into doing it." Jamie didn't sound like he was happy about not making the money.

"Great," Danny said sarcastically.

"But she didn't say anything about me not helping you," Jamie thought of another way to make a little extra money.

"It's only $10 if you help me," Danny wasn't by any means about to pay him $20 full dollars if all he was going to do was assist him.

"Deal," Jamie sounded as if he was willing to take what he could get.

With Jamie in the nursery, Danny turned his full attention back to the infant kicking her feet in the tub water. And he noticed how content she seemed to be, surprised that she wasn't crying for once. Like she normally did any time he submerged her. The small infant tub he purchased helped, and he found the pricy plastic item, more than worth the money he spent.

"Took me five minutes, but I finally found it," Jamie returned with a new bottle of soap.

"At least she isn't crying," Danny was just grateful he wasn't having to sit in the same room with his infant daughter's cries echoing off the ceiling, like he normally had to do when she had to take a bath.

"This is a first," Jamie watched her kick, while his brother soaped the wash cloth. "Maybe she's going to start liking baths."

"One can only hope," Danny muttered, shaking his head. "But the real test will come when I have to rinse the soap off her head."

"Have fun," Jamie started to take his leave. "I'm going to go call Joe."

"Be sure and tell him not to do anything, that I wouldn't do in my apartment!" Danny stopped him.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to follow in your footsteps." Jamie admitted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Part of Danny was tempted to shove his brothers head in the tub and hold him under till he was gasping for air. But he refrained, when he thought of not wanting his daughter to witness such a hostile act geared towards her uncle.

"He's finally got a taste of freedom," Jamie said pointedly. "I doubt he's going to risk all that by getting some girl pregnant and having to move back in with his parents with a baby. And I seriously doubt mom and dad want that too."

"I know I don't want it," Danny said solemnly.

"Maybe not," Jamie shrugged. "But by now you've gotten use to Devon."

"I have to admit, I don't know what I would do without her." Danny started to rub a small amount of soap over the girl's head. Knowing that the truth of the matter was, was that he had gotten use to Devon, and he had grown to love her.

"I've kind of gotten use to you and her being here too," Jamie leaned against the bathroom wall. "And it would be too quiet without you here."

"Is that your way of saying you don't want me to move," Danny looked over at him.

"I like having you or Joe here, it keeps things interesting," Jamie admitted.

"I believe that," Danny knew that Devon certainly kept his life interesting. "Yep, I knew it was too good to be true." Danny mentioned when his daughter started to cry, after he started to rinse the soap off her head.

"Time to go call Joe," Jamie was quick to take his leave, just as soon as she started to cry.

XXXXXXXX

The following morning, and Mary was up and ready to get started on her day. She had a lot she wanted to get done in the next few days, but in order to get it done, she knew they didn't need to stay in the stores all day. Then again, it wasn't like her family would oppose that. They all had their own things they wanted to do, unfortunately they didn't know that she was cancelling their plans and was going to need all hands-on deck if she was going to pull off an epic Christmas celebration.

The family was just entering the department store, when Mary started to map out each of the stores in her head, so they could be home just a little after lunch. Frank hadn't been expected to go, but after a little convincing from his wife, he finally gave in, when she ran him through the guilt trip by saying he never wanted to go shopping with her. He of course tried to remind her of when the two of them went away for a few days, but his attempts were futile, especially when she told him that Danny didn't even complain as much as he was, and that was saying a lot.

"Let's go to the men's department store first," Mary figured that with Jamie shooting down all her suggestions, it would naturally be one of the more difficult tasks of the day.

"That won't take long," Jamie spoke up. Not planning on making a big deal out of it aside from grabbing a pair of pants, shirt and suit jacket before throwing in up on the counter and stepping aside for his mother to pay.

Unfortunately for him, Mary had other plans and insisted he try everything on. If that battle wasn't bad enough, she tried talking him into getting a red shirt for Christmas, in which he contradicted her rather quickly by saying he preferred to stick with a white shirt.

"You are at least getting a red tie," Mary picked one out for him.

"But Mom," Jamie started to complain.

"No buts Jamie, now try this shirt on," Mary pushed him into the dressing room.

"Oh, that boy," Mary looked over at her husband, shaking her head while she said it.

"Aren't you glad he's our last one?" Frank smiled at her.

"When it comes to things like this, very much so." Mary sounded exasperated.

"If you're having that much trouble." Danny who had yet to say much, or even pay attention to his mother's struggles with his kid brother, decided to step in. "Here take Devon," he held his daughter out for one of his parents to take.

Mary was quick to take her, thinking that if Danny started to strangle his brother, it would take Frank to separate them. Then again, she really didn't expect her eldest to do something like that in public. He was an NYPD officer now and had grown up quite a bit since the last time she had taken her three sons for clothes. Causing Danny to get aggravated with how long it was taking his kid brother, and he shoved him outside of the dressing room, leaving him to stand out there in only his boxer shorts. Mary thought she was going to kill Danny for it, but she did find herself grateful that it hurried Jamie along once he got back into the dressing room so many years ago.

"Danny," Frank warned him. "Don't hurt him."

"Who said anything about violence?" Danny had to admit that manhandling him hadn't even entered his mind.

"And don't push him out of the dressing room wearing only his boxers again," he added.

"You have to admit that was a classic," Danny tried picking up for himself.

"You realize that if that was to happen now, he could get arrested for indecent exposure," Frank was careful to remind him.

A grin started to spread across his eldest son's face, causing Frank to once again speak up. "Don't even think about it."

"You know, life could be so much fun if you would just quit limiting me." Danny smiled, thinking of how much he could have gotten away with in the past, and still could if his father wouldn't be so strict.

"You'd still be in jail if it wouldn't be for all that bail money your mother and I set aside." Frank reminded him.

"I never did anything that bad," Danny walked away from him, and into the dressing room, to find the stall his sulking brother occupied.

"What do you want?" Jamie opened the door, when his brother called.

"Listen kid, if you want to get out of here before midnight, then just give in and get what mom wants." Danny suggested.

"Why? You never did that," Jamie remembered some of the epic battles he witnessed between his mother and teenage brother when he was just a kid hiding in the close racks.

"Because I'll kill you if you don't hurry up. Devon is going to be getting hungry and she needs to be changed. And I really don't relish the fact of having to lay my baby on the dirty changing table in the restroom."

"Leave me alone Danny," Jamie tried closing the door on him. "Mom wants me to get a dorky looking tie with Christmas trees all over it."

"Deal with it," Danny glared at him. "Or I'm going to shove you out of here in your boxers again." Danny noticed his brother was only wearing his boxer shorts.

"You wouldn't dare," Jamie knew that his father was just outside, and he would kill Danny if he caused a scene.

"Try me," Danny obviously wasn't backing down.

Jamie considered yelling for Frank to rescue him, but he decided against it when he figured that would only make him look a child, and that was something he was really trying to avoid.

"Fine," Jamie surrendered.

"Now I'll talk mom into getting you a little less dorky of a tie," Danny volunteered, before walking out of the dressing room. "He'll be right out," Danny smiled at his parents, satisfied that he had done his good deed for the day. Before he took up the task of finding another red tie that wouldn't be so embarrassing for the teenager. Yet one that his mother would approve on.

With another crisis averted, thanks to the quick-thinking Danny Reagan, the family moved on to the choosing of the red dress for Devon. Danny of course who could care less, grabbed the first red dress he saw, and was ready to go.

"Is that even her size?" Mary crossed her arms in front of her chest, now that Frank was holding their youngest granddaughter.

"It'll be fine, let's go," Danny was obviously in a hurry.

"Daniel," Mary chastised, before walking further into the baby department so she could look at the other options available.

"I don't think she'll care one way or the other," Danny voiced his opinion. "Besides, it's not like she'll be wearing it all that long. It's only for one service, and then she'll outgrow it."

"I like this one," Jamie held one up.

"Shut up," Danny glared at him.

After what seemed like an eternity, Danny decided to take the advice he gave to Jamie regarding getting whatever his mother liked, and it finally allowed them to get out of there, just in time for lunch.

"Let's stop and eat," Mary looked at Frank. "That way I won't have to clean the kitchen."

They were just walking down the mall, trying to decide which restaurant to stop at, when Joe came up behind them.

"Did you miss me?" Joe clasped a hand on each of his parent's shoulders.

"How did I know you were going to show up, just when we were going to stop for lunch," Frank said when he saw his son.

"Oh, you know me Dad, anything for a free meal," Joe grinned, before turning his full attention over to his little niece, who started to smile at him the second she saw him.

"Here," Danny handed her over to him. "It'll give my arms a break."

After settling on a restaurant, the family was soon led to a nearby table. Mary and Frank were busy looking through the menu, while Joe and Jamie talked about being on vacation from school and the police academy. Danny was just returning from changing his daughters diaper, when Frank looked over at his middle son.

"How did you know we were going to be here anyways?" Frank wondered, knowing that he hadn't talked to his son, at least not since he found out he was going to be drug to the department store, just so he could appease his wife.

"I talked to Jamie last night, and he said you were going to be here. And I thought I should spend a little more time with the family today, since I have plans just after family dinner." Joe said the last part carefully, knowing how his mother felt about the family spending the entire day together after mass.

"Why?" Mary turned her full attention on the young man.

"I just have plans," Joe was obviously beating around the bush.

"What kind of plans?" Mary wasn't willing to let him go with just that.

"I have a date," Joe muttered under his breath.

"I'm afraid I'm going to need to you to cancel it son." Mary enlightened him.

"What? Why?" Joe was trying to figure out why his mother felt that she could tell him how he could spend his weekend.

"Because you know how I feel about Sundays being family time," Mary let the conversation drop, while she excused herself to go to the restroom.

"Dad, can't you do something?" Joe looked at his father, just as soon as Mary was gone.

"I'm sorry Joe," Frank shook his head. "But you know how your mother feels about having everyone around to help her get ready for Christmas." Frank knew the real reason his wife wanted him around that particular day.

"I know but," Joe started to get his father to see reason.

"Give this one to your mother Joe," Frank sighed. "Christmas is her favorite time of the year. And the reason she likes it so much, is because all her children are present to help. The same as it was when you were all little."

It didn't take long for Joe to give in, knowing what his mother wanted and expected. And he knew that he couldn't let her down. That wasn't something he was taught growing up, and after all the things his mother did for him, he figured that giving her one day of happiness was something he owed her. And it wasn't like he couldn't reschedule the date for one day that week, being he was on break.

XXXXXXXX

That evening and Mary was beginning to catch on to her Children's dislike for the chores that Christmas brought. She knew it wasn't necessarily because they didn't enjoy the holiday, she knew that for a fact, especially considering they all still enjoyed tearing through their presents, as well as watching Nicki with her toys, as she tried to navigate her way through the pile of wrapping paper, so she could show everyone her new gifts. What she did know however, was how much Danny disliked climbing on the roof and hanging up the Christmas lights. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling it had something to do with when he was a kid, but he of course wasn't willing to shed any light on the subject. She knew it wasn't because of the directions she was giving him, considering she was content to let him do whatever he wanted to do with the roof, as long he made it look good, and didn't try to spell anything dirty out with the lights.

Joe on the other hand, she figured disliked his job of bringing all the Christmas decorations down from the attack, because he usually dropped some of the tubs, and broke some of the ornaments. She of course would tell him that wouldn't happen, if he wouldn't be in such a hurry and wouldn't try to carry three boxes down the stairs at the same time. then again, she really didn't think it was the broken ornaments that bothered him, it was more along the line of him falling down the stairs because he couldn't see where he was going.

Jamie's situation wasn't all that entirely different than that of his elder brother, only instead of falling down something. Jamie had a tendency with struggling to put the Christmas tree up, and it always ended up falling on him. How she had no idea. She considered it was because he didn't tighten it well enough on the stand, yet the other part of her had a feeling it was because Danny was always standing right close to the tree when it happened, causing her to think it was because he nudged it enough to make it crash atop his kid brother. However, she never had proof, and she couldn't very well yell at her most mischievous son for it, when he could very well be innocent. She didn't think it was possible for him to ever be totally innocent in anything, but she had been married into a cop family long enough to know the law.

Erin had come by that Saturday afternoon to help her mother plan the Christmas menu, which they planned to share their ideas with Betty the following day after dinner. Mary was just walking into the dining room, when she overheard her children complaining about the dreaded chores that were going to be forced upon them the following day.

"You know, I don't ask for a lot from this family," Mary started, before placing the boxes of take out on the table. "But what I do want is all four of my children present, accounted for, and excited about Christmas."

"You mean what you demand?" Danny muttered under his breath. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't nearly low enough to go unnoticed by his mother.

"Daniel!" Mary glared at him. "You are putting the Christmas lights on the house and you are going to be happy about it." She said just before turning her attention to the rest of her children. "Now everyone sit down! Shut up! And be pleasant!" Mary turned on her heels and hurried back into the kitchen to get the plates and silverware.

Danny, Erin, Joe and Jamie didn't say a word, but they did exchange brief glances. At least before the arguing insued.

"If any of you put her in a bad mood and cause her not to enjoy her favorite time of year, by not being in a good mood when she asks you to help tomorrow. I swear I'm going to kill you." Frank left his four children standing in the dining room, while he went into the kitchen to help his wife.

"This is all your fault Danny," Erin was as usual blaming Danny.

"My fault," Danny looked at her confused. "I'm not the one who was trying to schedule a date on a Sunday." Danny threw a look at his brother.

"Seriously Joe," Erin as the only girl in the family, turned her wrath on her dark-haired brother.

"Don't lecture me Erin," Joe grumbled, still not happy about rescheduling his date.

"And I suppose you're not totally innocent?" This time Erin faced her youngest brother.

"I," Jamie started to say that he was innocent, but he was cut off by his elder brother.

"Don't start saying you aren't to blame," Danny sounded as if he was planning to argue with him if necessary. "You're the one that was complaining about getting dorky clothes.

"Like you didn't think the tie was weird," Jamie argued.

"Not another word out of any of you," Frank stuck his head out of the kitchen door. "Your all to blame. Now sit down and shut up."

"How am I to blame?" Erin looked at her three brothers confused.

"You heard Dad," Danny shrugged, just glad that it wasn't just him and his brothers in the line of fire. "We're all to blame."

"I hate my brothers," Erin glared at the three of them, before taking her seat at the table, knowing she needed to hurry and eat so she could get home to Jack and Nicki.

XXXXXXXX

That evening after dinner, when Joe was planning to leave for home. He stopped his brother Danny outside.

"Do you have plans Monday?" Joe had intentionally waited to discuss his plans with his brother till they were alone. Knowing it would take some convincing on his part to get his brother to agree to it.

"Yes, I have to work a tour, then I have to come home and take care of Devon." Danny reminded him of his day to duties of working a job and caring for an infant.

"What would you say about going on a double date with me and Angela?" Joe couldn't believe he was suggesting it. But considering the woman he had the date planned with, had a friend she had plans with. And the only way she was willing to reschedule would be if Joe had a friend that could take her friend out.

"No Joe," Danny said immediately. Not wanting to get involved in anything his brother had set up.

"Come on Danny, just this once. I really like this girl Angela."

"Really Joe," Danny crossed his arms in front of his chest. "And just how long have you known her?" Danny had a feeling the answer would be a day or so, knowing his brother and his track record in changing out girlfriends almost weekly.

"Just met her a couple days ago," Joe admitted. "But I." He started to say, at least until he was interrupted.

"Look Joe, I have a baby now. And what kind of woman would be interested in dating a man who knows that?" Danny had a point.

"One that doesn't know it." Sure, Joe knew it was wrong to lie, but at this point in time, he was desperate, and was willing to do whatever means necessary to make his brother agree.

"You're an idiot, you know that Joe." Danny started to walk back into the house. Leaving Joe to stand out in the cold.

"Please Danny," Joe was begging. "I'll never ask you for anything again."

"I doubt it, but fine. But only if Mom, Dad, or Erin will agree to watch Devon." Danny didn't really care if his date looked like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer as long as it got him out of the house, and allowed him to go someplace that didn't end with him having to arrest somebody or by him having to get up and carry his daughter to the restroom so he could change her diaper and everyone in the entire restaurant glare at him when he walked out because they thought he was abusing her by the way she screamed when all he did was take her diaper off.

"Erin already said she would do it," Joe smiled. "And you won't regret this," he sounded excited.

"What's the name of the girl I'm supposed to be taking out?" Danny figured that he should at least know that much.

"I don't know," Joe said after thinking about it, before running to the car in a hurry, so he could get away before his brother had a chance to change his mind.

Danny muttered something under his breath as he walked into the house, knowing it was getting late, and he needed to get Devon ready for bed, knowing she would be letting him know that it was time for a bottle, and time for him to spend a little one on one time with her, with her doing what she liked best, being snuggled up in his arms, so she could fall asleep comfortably.

Hope you all enjoyed the update, I had fun with this chapter, and I'm really looking forward to the next one... Thanks for all the follows, favorites and reviews... JusticeStandsTRUE