„She wouldn't tell me!" Erin buried her face in the pillows. Danny sighed. "Okay. That doesn't have to mean anything." He had to stay calm. Maybe he couldn't convince Erin, but he could - and he needed to – convince Joe, who just walked into Danny's room and sat down on the bed, too. "So what we're gonna do now?" His voice was very earnest as he looked at his older brother. Danny knew the look. He really needed to be convincing in the next ten seconds, or Joe would start to cry. And he knew without seeing Erin's face that she was near crying, too.

"It's gonna be okay", he said firmly. Joe swallowed, and Danny quickly added, "Mom is fine. Hey, she's grown up! She doesn't need to tell us everything, she can drive for herself! Right?" As Joe nodded slowly, Danny nodded with him. "Exactly. Okay. No need to worry." He gently patted Erin's back. "Nothing's wrong, and now go do your homework, or she's gonna be angry when she comes home!"

"If", Erin murmured out of the pillows, and Danny hit her as he saw Joe's eyes water again.

"If?", he whispered. "No if!" Danny shouted, hitting Erin once again. "No if, Joe. Really. Erin just needs to see the worst in everything and anyone to show us how clever and strong she is, remember?"

"Screw you, Danny!" Erin jumped up and shoved her brother off the bed. "You know it's not that easy!" She stared at her older brother, tears of both anger and sorrow in her eyes. Danny shrugged and pointed towards Joe who was still fighting for comportment. For a moment, Erin frowned in confusion, but then she understood and nodded bravely. Danny smiled encouragingly. He knew that being there for Joe would also help Erin feel better, so shoved Joe into Erin's arms. "It's gonna be okay", she said, but her voice was not half as steady as Danny's had been, so the eldest helped her, "we're Reagans, guys. Reagans get through anything", Erin rolled her eyes at that and Danny shrugged, "mommy will be home soon, and then we can ask her, okay? Erin, you will ask!"
"What? Why me again?" Erin let go Joe, for a moment the sorrow had left her eyes. "You're the eldest! You should ask!" "But you're the girl!" "So what? Why do girls have to talk every time?" "Cause you always keep your mouth open, Erin!"

Erin gasped, but Danny wasn't ready to take his words back. Not today.

The front door opened.

"I ask!" Joe ran down the stairs before his siblings could move.

"Mommy! Mommy, will you die?"

"Kids"; Erin sighed and stormed down after him. Danny bit his lip, not knowing if it was laughter or crying he wanted to stop. He was afraid, more than he would ever admit. From the moment Dad had lifted him up to the hospital bed to see his baby sister, Danny had felt responsible for her. Okay, maybe not from the first moment, since he had been only two then. Maybe not even right after Joe's birth. But he remembered the first day Erin went to school – the worried look on his parent's face. Erin was a nice girl most of the times, and she had no problems with making friends – but she could be a pest, and she was so stubborn! A typical Reagan quality, grandpa called it.

On this morning Danny had promised his parents to look after his little sister. And he had looked after her, without her knowing most of the times. When Joe had joined them in school, he had taken up the same vow for him. Whatever was going to happen, Danny would protect his siblings. He would make his dad proud, and he would make his mom smile.

That was his job.

And now…he couldn't protect them from what was coming now. He couldn't stop illness. Danny bit his lips harder as a single tear wound out of his eyes.

"Danny, c'mon, dinner's on the the table!" That was his father's voice, roaring up. Danny stretched and wiped away the tears. He had to be strong, for Erin, for Joe, for Dad. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe… maybe there was no reason to be worried at all.

"On my way!" He was a Reagan. He could do this.

Slowly, he walked down the stairs. Joe ran towards him, a big smile on his face. "Baby!", he cried. Danny's mask of composure was destroyed by confusion. "What?"

"Mom's having another baby!" Erin sang as she followed Joe, lifting him up into the air. "She's pregnant, that's why she went to the doctor! I'm gonna have a little sister after all!"

"Or another brother, Erin. We don't know yet." Frank smiled broadly as he left the kitchen, carrying a plate with meat. "Come on, guys!" Danny nodded, but didn't follow him.

"Mom?" Mary smiled, too, as Danny tapped into the kitchen. "They won't wait for you, honey, you better go eating, too!" Her smile disappeared as she saw the tears shivering in her son's eyes. "Danny, what's wrong?" He didn't answer as he wrapped his arms around her, cautiously to not hurt her or the baby. "You sure you're okay?"
"Oh, Danny!" Mary pulled him closer and tousled his hair, something even Joe had forbidden her two months ago. Danny didn't object, and Mary laughed softly. "I'm very okay, Danny. I just can't eat anything right now because I'm feeling sick, that's normal when you're pregnant. And going to the doctor every once or twice a month also. But I'm feeling good, and I'm happy that you will have another brother or sister." She pulled him away so she could look into his eyes. "Are you happy?"

Danny nodded, tears of relieve now running down his face. "Yes, mom." He was happy about anything right now. Mary smiled, and he knew that he had said the right thing. "Go and have dinner, big boy!"

Before Danny left the kitchen, he turned around. "Mom? I will protect the baby, you know that! I will protect it like I do with Erin and Joe. It's gonna be okay."

"I know you will."