With the adoption process complete and the papers in hand Danny walked up to Stacie at the front desk of the center. "Detective Reagan, you are becoming a
regular around here," the attendant laughed. "Not for long," Danny smiled handing the papers over to her, "today is the day I take her home with me." The
attendant took the papers and made a copy of them for their records, after returning the papers to him, she spoke, "since it's raining today, the kids are
watching a movie. If you go down that hall," she pointed, "and make a right at the second door, that's where you will find her." Danny thanked her and started
to walk away. "Oh and congratulations Detective," the attendant added. Danny easily found the dark room and quietly walked in, after surveying the filled room
for a second he saw Andy sitting not too far away. Danny gently placed a hand on her shoulder and Andy looked up, seeing him she quietly stood as Danny
motioned for her to follow him out. "I didn't know you were coming today Detective," Andy mentioned after they stepped out of the room. "I didn't either,"
Danny added in all seriousness until he proceeded to pull the adoption papers out of his inside jacket pocket. "You mean there done," Andy was getting
excited. "It means its official and you are going home with me today," Danny smiled. Andy rushed into his arms and Danny hugged her for a moment until she
left to get the few things she had from her room.
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Driving home Danny mentioned, "Linda is at home with the boys and cooking dinner. We didn't want to overload you with meeting family on the first day."
Danny paused, "that can be tomorrow or something so the only ones you have to meet are you new brothers." "We can go wherever you
want," Andy replied sheepishly. "My family is very anxious to meet you but tomorrow will be soon enough, let's just get you settled in at home." "Okay," Andy
said making a mental note of all the roads they were taking so she would always be able to find her way home. Arriving at the house, Danny took her two
small bags from the trunk and led the way into the house. Andy looked around the house, it was pretty and everything was nicely put away in its place, much
different than the Wilson's place she thought to herself. "Andy," Linda was beaming as she came out of the kitchen happily. After hugging the girl, Linda called
the boys in from the back room. Jack and Sean hurried into the room and stood next to Danny. "Boys," Linda introduced "this is your sister Andy, and Andy
these are your brothers, Jack and Sean," she said pointing. Neither of the boys could find their voice and Danny nudged them. "Hi," Sean spoke up. "It's nice to
meet you," Jack replied. "It's nice to meet you too," Andy answered. Neither of the kids made any attempts to say anything further and Linda broke the silence
that seemed to settle. "Okay then, let's show Andy around and then get her settled into her room." Andy started to pick up her things but Danny stopped get.
"Jack, Sean take Andy's things up to her room," Danny turned to his sons as Linda started for the kitchen. As the boys headed upstairs Sean whispered to his
brother, "Do you think this is how it will always be, you and I having to do all the work while Andy does nothing?" "I don't know," Jack answered, "but it's not
like we can do anything about it without getting into some serious trouble."
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After showing Andy around the downstairs Linda led the way up the stairs. Andy was beginning to feel as if she needed a pen and pad to take down all the
things that Linda was telling her. "This here is our room" Linda opened the door to her and Danny's room, "and the linen closet is here to the left and then
Sean's room is the one closest to ours, he still has nightmares from time to time," Linda mentioned. "And then Jacks is across the hall," Linda added, barely
taking a breath. "Let's give her time to breathe, before showing her where everything is hon," Danny chuckled coming up the stairs and stopping in front of
Andy's room. "Why don't we give her some down time in her own room," Danny suggested. "I'm okay Detective Reagan," Andy said trying to sound reassuring
although she was seriously beginning to doubt her own words. Danny knew she wasn't telling the complete truth, yet he didn't want to go in to complete Dad
mode with her just yet and tell her something about lying and instead decided on a different approach. "Well there is no hurry, so why don't you just go ahead
and get settled in here," Danny said opening the door to the girl's bedroom. Andy slowly stepped through the doorway and smiled, the room was painted
green, her favorite color. There was a twin sized bed with a cute blue, green and purple plaid bed spread that Linda picked out, with a little help from Nicky, as
well as a dresser, a nightstand and a chest of drawers, along with a desk and CD player. "If one of the boys needs the dresser or chest of drawers they can
have it," Andy volunteered turning to Danny and Linda. "I don't have anywhere near the amount of clothes to put in both of them." "You will," Linda answered.
"We will be going shopping one day this week to get everything you need," Linda implied. "I don't want you to feel obligated, like you have to buy me things,"
Andy was quick to say, "besides I don't need anything." "Nonsense," Linda interrupted. "Were going, now if you will excuse me I have to go make sure the
dinner isn't burning," she said before hurrying down the stairs. Danny took a seat on the edge of the bed and motioned for Andy to have a seat. Andy took a
seat next to him and Danny turned to face her. "You okay," he asked seriously? Andy started to answer, saying she was fine but Danny interrupted her. "Now
don't lie to me Andy, it produces bad results in this family." Andy sighed and finally answered him, "I just can't believe this is all happening to me." "What do
mean," he asked? "A family," she answered. Danny smiled, "well you have one now and trust me, it's going to be anything but boring." Andy laughed, "yeah I
can kind of tell that already," she said after Sean ran passed her open door with Jack hot on his trail. Danny stood, "you go ahead and start unpacking. I'm
going to go save Sean." Andy went over to her bag and stopped short before unpacking as she looked about her room once again. Her room, she repeated to
herself smiling, she had never had her own room before, or a real family for that matter. Andy had just finished unpacking the few meager belongings she
possessed when Linda called from downstairs, "it's time to wash up, dinners ready." Jack and Sean ran passed her door and Danny was about to follow but
stopped short at Andy's door. "It's time to eat," Danny motioned with his head to follow him down the stairs.
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"Alright who's got kitchen duty," Linda asked after dinner? Jack and Sean each pointed at one another and Danny spoke up, "you know it was called KP when I
was in the marines." "You were in the marines," Andy asked curiously? "Sure was" Danny answered, "I joined right out of high school." "Did you join because
grandpa was in the marines," Sean asked? "That had something to do with it, but I guess it was also maybe because I was trying to avoid the inevitable of
being a cop or something, but anyways when I did join, I found myself face to face with Fallujah." "Let's get back to the here and now," Linda suggested.
"Kitchen duty or KP whichever you call it, we have to get started on cleaning the kitchen," Linda interrupted before the kids became even more curious about
their fathers past. Nobody said a word and Andy spoke up, "I'll do them, I used to do them regularly at the Wilson's." "Not on your first night honey," Linda
answered. "I think Jack wants to do them," Danny said aloud, "don't you son?" "Not really," Jack said honestly. "We need you to do them tonight Jack," Linda
continued. "But mom," Jack complained. "Your dad and I need to talk to Andy and Sean needs to take a shower and get ready for bed," Linda answered in her
mother voice. "Yes mam," Jack answered after getting a look from both Danny and Linda. "Can I be excused Sean asked?" "After you clear the table," Danny
answered. "Then it's straight to the shower," Linda added. A few minutes later Danny and Linda sat Andy down in the living room and started the discussion
they had been planning. "We realize the first day is a little early to have the ground rules talk," Linda said, "but the Reagan's are planning a welcoming dinner
tomorrow night so we figured we should have it tonight."
"1. You always let us know where you are, and if you ever go out with any friends your curfew is at 9:30, unless you are with one of the Reagan's, then you can stay out later.
2. Before leaving the dinner table, you always ask to be excused.
3. Whereas we don't expect a Yes Sir or Mam at all times, it needs to become a regular word in your vocabulary.
4. Lying, stealing, and just about anything else that falls into those categories is not allowed.
5. You always do your homework, and try your best in school.
6. And showing respect to anyone in authority is expected.
7. We go to church every Sunday and then have family dinner with the Reagan's every Sunday.
8. I know this sounds like a lot of do's and dont's but it's really not.
And just to say I am very glad you are here and I will have someone other than just boys here," Linda smiled. Andy smiled and shook her head agreeing, "it
does look like you have had your hands full with just boys." "Thanks a lot" Danny looked at her grinning. "Yah well girls mature faster than boys," Andy
chuckled. "Now you are going to get it," Danny grabbed her and started tickling her unmercifully. "Stop! Stop!" Andy tried pulling away from him, but was no
match for his strength." How can I stop," Danny questioned? "I haven't matured enough to stop at a reasonable time." "No!" she was squealing "Detective
Reagan," she was trying to get the words out in between breaths "Stop." Danny heard her call him Detective Reagan again and stopped, pulling her back up
onto the couch.
"We still have something else to talk about," Danny remembered. "As of lately you have been calling me Detective Reagan and her, he nodded at Linda, Mrs.
Reagan, and that was fine but now you are a Reagan and have been officially adopted, so I think we should go a little more informal." "Okay," Andy said still
trying to catch her breath. "Because of the way things were with your real parents, you don't have to call us mom and dad if you don't want to," Danny
continued. "Danny and Linda would be fine." "Can I say something," Andy asked timidly? "Of course" Danny said reassuringly. "I've never had a real family
before," Andy started. "My dad took off when I was three and my mom when I was five, and I know that's old enough to know who your parents are but the
truth is, even when my parents were with me, they weren't around much, and I pretty much lived with a neighbor they always pawned me off on so as far as
I'm concerned I have never really had a mom or dad. So if you're cool with mom and dad, then I'll go with that." A smile started to play at the corners of
Danny's mouth, and Linda laughed, "We are certainly cool with it," she said hugging her.
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Jack stood in front of the kitchen sink where he worked drying dishes, he had been at them for nearly 20 minutes and was beginning to get a little bored with
it. Reaching to put a dish up Jacks eye caught a glimpse of the CD player his mom kept in the kitchen. After switching the stations to find the one centered on
rock and roll Jack cranked up the volume. "Jack!" Linda called, "turn it down now." "Mom," Jack complained, "if I have to do this I might as well make it fun."
"Jack Francis, if I come in there your fun is definitely going to be over, now turn it down," she ordered. Jack turned the volume down and Linda turned back to
Danny and Andy, "I'll be back, I need to make sure Sean is out of the shower." Leaving Danny and Andy alone in the living room, Danny started. "There's just
one other thing I need to talk to you about." Andy turned her attention back to Danny, and Danny started. "You're a Reagan now, so I thought I'd give you a
little warning." "The family is well known in the city considering we all have ties in the NYPD, my dad's the police commissioner, just as his dad was before him.
My brother Jamie's a cop and my sister Erin is an ADA." "Anyways" Danny continued, "sometimes people don't look too kindly upon us." "Don't worry about me
Detective," she started to say. "When you're a foster child runaway, you get the same thing." Danny chuckled, "I guess we have something in common then."
Danny's phone rang and he glanced at it, "I need to take this, it's my dad." "I'm good," Andy said leaving the room in order to give him some space.
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Wandering into the kitchen, Andy found Jack still drying the dishes. "Want some help?" Jack looked up surprised, "you want to help me clean the kitchen?"
"Sure why not," she said taking the dishtowel from him. Jack stayed quiet, still trying to figure out why this kid would volunteer to help clean the kitchen,
coming up blank, Jack finally spoke up. "Sean and I never volunteer to clean the kitchen, and on Sundays after dinner at Grandpa's who ever fights at the table
gets to wash the dishes, the majority of the time its Dad and Aunt Erin." Andy smiled, "thanks for the warning." The two continued to work on the dishes,
steadily making progress and it wasn't long before Andy was handing Jack the last dish. "Thanks for the help" Jack said, looking over the now cleaned kitchen.
"No problem," Andy said "it didn't take that long." "Do you need help unpacking" Jack asked as they headed up the stairs? "No" Andy said as she and Jack
stepped into her room, "I don't have much, so I'm already done." "Yeah mom said we were going shopping before we go over to Grandpa's tomorrow night,
when he gets off of work, he's the Police Commissioner," Jack mentioned. "Yeah, Detective Reagan, I mean Dad"
Andy caught herself, "said something about that earlier." "Listen, I need to go take a shower before mom comes up here," Jack noticed the time "But if you
need anything just holler, it's very seldom quiet around here, and Sean can help you." "Okay," Andy smiled.
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Andy stretched out onto her bed and looked up at the spinning ceiling fan. Dad, she thought the word to herself. She had said it a few minutes ago to Jack, her
brother. She had never had a real dad before, and saying the word was different. But for some odd reason she couldn't figure, it made her feel happy. Nobody
had ever really wanted her before and along came this Detective who had a choice, and he wanted her. Her door was open and Danny stopped in before
walking past to find Linda. "Tired," he asked getting her attention? "A little," Andy answered sitting up. "It's been a long day," Danny replied "and it will be an
even busier one tomorrow." There was a crashing sound in one of the nearby rooms and Danny and Andy both found themselves running for Sean's room,
where they found him covered in books and DVD's from his shelf. "How did this happen," Danny chuckled finding his youngest covered. "I was putting one of my
movies up, and it was pretty much the domino theory after that," Sean answered. "What happened," Jack asked startled running out of the bathroom with just
his P.J. pants? "Sean's stuff fell off his shelf," Andy answered. "I knew that was going to happen one of these days, he's got too much junk on it," Jack said
pointedly. "Do not," Sean started to argue. Danny held a hand up and turned to his son, "Jack are you finished in the bathroom?" "Yes Sir," Jack answered.
"Alright then, Andy shower, Sean bed, and Jack room," he said before heading into his own room. Sean closed the door to his room and Jack turned back to
Andy, "the towels are in the cabinet and the hot water is on the left and the cold is on the right." "Thanks," Andy said before grabbing her a pair of pajamas on
her way to the shower.
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"Ready for bed," Linda asked finding Andy in her room sometime later? Andy yawned and Linda smiled, "that answers that question." "Sean's asleep and Jack's
going to bed," Danny said after checking on the boys. "Sounds like a plan," Andy implied crawling under the fresh clean sheets. "Goodnight Andy," they both
said hugging her, just before Linda turned down the light switch and Danny closed the door behind them. Andy stretched out in bed and sighed, as she found
herself hoping for something she had never had before, a good night's sleep. And for the first time in her life she felt something she could honestly say she had
never felt before, she felt safe and was fast asleep in a matter of minutes.
