After talking with a New York orphanage Danny and Linda started with the necessary
paperwork. "Are you ready to go tell Andy," Linda asked as the two made their way down the orphanage
stairs? "Might as well" Danny answered getting into the car. "Today's Jamie's day off isn't it" Linda asked
him? "I think so, Danny answered." "Okay good, because I was thinking about calling him and asking
him to pick up the boys from school." "That would probably be a good idea" Danny answered.
"Hey kiddo," Danny smiled as he and Linda approached Andy from where she sat near the
volleyball court? "Detective Reagan," Andy smiled. "Andy, this is my wife Linda," Danny introduced. "Hi,"
Andy gave a short smile, never allowing herself to trust someone fully without knowing them for a much
longer period of time. "Andy we need to talk," Danny said seriously. "Am I in some kind of trouble,"
was the first thing she asked, acting as if she was close to running. "No not at all" Danny stopped her,
"but why don't we go inside so we can talk somewhere privately." "Okay," Andy said a bit apprehensive
before following the detective. Once inside a vacant room Linda began, "Danny and I just came from the
orphanage and we want you to come live with us?" "Excuse me" Andy said surprised. "You mean you
want to become foster parents, because however great that would be for me, foster kids aren't always
the best, heck look at me "she said as a visual? Danny couldn't help but grin at her comment, after all he
knew it was true considering he did find her roaming the streets after midnight. "No," Linda clarified
"we want to adopt you legally." A smile began to play at the corners of Andy's mouth and she finally
found her voice, "are you serious?" "Absolutely," Danny answered. "Are you sure Detective Reagan,"
Andy asked the only man she trusted, despite the fact that he was a cop."Because you can walk
out of here now and I will be fine I assure you." "Stop there" Danny's eyes widened. "We have both
been talking about this and we are absolutely certain, we want you to be a part of our family." For the
first time in a while a genuine smile appeared on Andy's face as she rushed into the couple standing in
front of her. A tear ran down Linda's cheek, Andy was beaming and Danny couldn't help but hold onto
both of them, his family was growing. As Danny and Linda prepared to leave Danny said, "I have a friend
in the system working on getting the adoption papers pushed through, so surprisingly it shouldn't be
long." "I'll be here Andy said." "I'll come by and check on you tomorrow before work" Linda hugged the
girl.
As Danny and Linda pulled away from the children's center Danny glanced at Linda. "Sometimes
you really amaze me." "What do you mean Linda asked?" "You just barely met Andy and you already
love her." "I'm good with people" Linda said, "and it's true I do love her." "The first time I met her she
was a little apprehensive" Danny admitted. "You're a cop" Linda reminded him, "she was afraid she was
in some kind of trouble." "It's going to be a big adjustment," Danny took a breath. "For whom Linda
asked?" "For all of us" Danny answered. "I mean for one were going to have a teenager in the house
along with Jack and Sean, and then it will be an adjustment for her learning the Reagan rules, and
understanding what we will and will not allow." "I mean if you remember, I found her wandering the
streets of New York after midnight and there is absolutely no way that's ever going to happen again."
"It will be fine" Linda assured him, "you're a great dad and I'm sure all will fall into place." "Like I said
Linda, sometimes you amaze me." "Oh hush Danny Reagan Linda joked." "So where to now" Danny
stopped at a stop light? "Tell your father" Linda answered. "What now, he's still at the office," Danny
complained. "I think we should tell him first and who knows who is all at his house right now" Linda
made since. "But Linda," Danny tried. "No officer ever wants to be called up to the 14th floor." "Don't
think of it like that, Linda said." "Just think of it as going to your dads work." Lind tried to sound
reassuring. "But he's my boss, and I serve under him, needless to say who knows the questioning looks
I'm going to get from everyone around there." "Danny listen to me, right now you're not going in as a
detective but you are going in as his son." Danny exhaled and pulled into the parking lot, he sighed and
slowly got out of the car mumbling as he and Linda made their way to the front door of the building, "I
hate the 14th floor."
"Detective Reagan," Detective Baker said upon seeing Danny, "it's been awhile." "Yes it has"
Danny smiled, "several years in fact since we've worked together." "That it has, although I must say it
was a very interesting and rewarding experience for me." "I bet it was" Linda smiled at the lady
detective. "I need to see my father" Danny said. "I'll tell him you're here," she stood up from her desk.
"Commissioner Reagan," Baker spoke upon opening the door to his office. "Your son is here to see you."
"Send him in" Frank spoke expecting Jamie to come in. "Hi dad," Danny said innocently. "Daniel," Frank
was shocked to see his eldest son, knowing full well Danny didn't like going up to the 14th floor very
often, regardless of the situation. "Are you in some kind of trouble son," was the first thing Frank
asked? Danny grinned, "No, Dad I'm not in trouble." "That's a relief" Frank smirked, "now what brings
two of my favorite people up here." Danny didn't say a word for several minutes, which was highly
unusual. Frank certainly didn't want to push him, at least he knew Danny wasn't in some kind of trouble.
He knew the boys were fine, otherwise Danny or Linda would have just called. He also knew it had to be
something important to make Danny come all the way to the 14th floor, after all he knew his son very
well and knew there were only 3 ways that would ever get Danny up there. One was if he as the
Commissioner ordered it. Two was if he as his Father ordered it, in which all of his children knew it was
in their best interest to show up forthwith then again if it was a family matter he usually just called them
to the house. And the third was if Linda made him, which he expected was one of those times. The three
all found seats on the couches in Frank's office and Frank finally decided to take matters into his own
hands, figuring if he waited for Danny, he'd be old and gray before Danny said one word. "Start talking
son," Frank urged. "Maybe you should tell him," Danny looked at Linda. "Danny," Frank spoke up, "I
know you're not a coward." Hearing the word coward never even registered in Danny's brain all he
knew was he was still trying the find the right words to say, and finding words for him to say was never a
difficult task. "This is getting worse than I expected" Frank sighed knowing Danny was never afraid
to speak his mind. "Well Danny what's this all about," Frank tried again. Danny swallowed, he didn't
know why he was so nervous after all this was his father he was talking to, the man who had been able
to see right through him since he was a kid who could find trouble at a Sunday school picnic. "Do you
remember the other day when we were getting ready to go to the park to play softball and you were
getting on to me because I was on the phone." "Very well," Frank smiled. "Well the night before, just as I
was getting off of work I met a 12 year old girl Andrea Gates wandering the streets after midnight and
after checking out her story I found out she is a ward of the state living in foster care." Danny continued
to relay the story and finished with he and Linda had decided to officially adopt her. "I assume you know
everything about her Frank questioned?" "Yes, Jackie and Erin handled the investigation" Linda
answered sounding professional. "What's her back story Frank asked?" "Supposedly neither of her
parents have records, but as you know that doesn't mean much and they both just slipped off the
grid. Anyways her dad split when she was three and her mom just two years after that, needless to say
she's been in the system ever since Danny relayed?" Frank sighed, "you've seen a lot of broken homes,
along with your share of kids in need of good families with your line of work Danny, and something like
this has never come up, so I assume there's something special about this girl, am I right son?" Danny
looked up, "I can't really explain it, but yes there is something about her." "And you think she would be a
good addition to the family Frank asked?" "Yes" Linda spoke up, "she is a little rough around the edges,
but we think all she needs is love and a little discipline as well as a caring family, and we think we can be
that." Frank smiled at his daughter in law and again looked at Danny. "Well son I know you're not one to
just jump into something of importance, and where as it's going to be different, it's something I believe
the two of you are more than capable of handling." "Thanks Dad," Danny smiled for the first time since
coming into his father's office. "So when do I get to meet my new granddaughter" Frank asked changing
the mood? "I have a friend working on getting it pushed through, so it will be maybe a month at the
longest till she comes to live with us" Danny answered. "Andrea Gates Reagan" Frank said aloud.
Linda's cell phone went off and Linda looked at it. "It's the hospital. I'm sorry Frank I have to take this."
"I'm used to it" Frank laughed as Linda stepped out of the office. Leaving father and son alone Frank
turned to Danny. "Were you afraid to talk to me," Frank put a hand on his sons shoulder? "No of course
not" Danny looked up. "You know you've never been able to lie to me Danny." "Well I," Danny started
but soon stopped. "Danny we're not going to go through all this again are we?" "I just didn't know what
you thought about adoption and I wasn't sure on how you were going to react." "Listen to me Danny,
just because your mother and I never adopted doesn't mean we were against it. After all, we already
had four great kids and vaguely we had our hands full." A smile played at the corners of Danny's mouth,
"yeah, I may have had something to do with that," he couldn't help but grin. "No you had a lot to do with
that" Frank corrected. "I was just trying to keep your life interesting Dad." "That you did Danny, that
you did" Frank admitted.
A few minutes later and Danny left the office. "If you ever get bored and it gets too tame for
you, working for my father you can always come back and work with me" Danny offered as he passed
Detective Bakers desk? "I'll remember that" Baker laughed before Danny left the room. Frank settled
back behind his desk and leaned back as a smile crossed his face, he would soon be a grandfather of
four.
