Erin almost fell over Joe as he opened the door, so eagerly had she been to see the baby. Now, though, she wasn't sure what to do. Should she really get close to mom yet? What if the baby saw her as a threat? And would mom look at her at all, with the newborn around? What did you say in moments like this?

"Come on, Erin, he won't bite you!" Mary smiled.
"I know", Erin said irritated, "he's got no teeth yet." Then she realized the comment wasn't meant literally. "Sorry." She bit her lips and slowly approached the bed. "How are you, mom?"
"Tired. In pain. Hungry, actually. And as happy as a mother can be."
Erin swallowed. "That's good."
"Erin? I'm happy because you're Jamie's big sister." Mary's voice got stern. "You will need to protect him sometimes. Joe loves Jamie, and I'm sure Danny will love him too – you should have seen his smile when we let him hold you for the first time – but they're boys." She pulled her daughter closer while Frank held Jamie, and whispered, "they're gonna show him he's the youngest and weakest and must do what they say. And that's not a bad thing, and it doesn't make bad boys out of them. No, it doesn't", she added a little louder when Erin frowned, "boys are different than girls." "Really, mom?" Erin's voice was loud too – and so sarcastic that Mary backed away. Frank frowned. "Erin, what's wrong?"
"Why am I always supposed to keep everything in order? Danny and Joe get through with anything because they're boys and we can't expect them to think. And I've got to do everything right! I don't wanna protect Jamie, why should I? Give him two years and he'll be running after Danny right as Joe does, and never wastes a second about protecting me!"
That was unfair and she knew it. She knew that Danny was trying to take care of her every second of the day, and actually – she was old enough, she needed no extra-protection. Still it hurt to know that she was just a baby-sitter again.

"Erin, you will apologize for this." Frank's voice was calm, but it was a calmness the children feared more than shouting. "Now."
Erin swallowed, tears of fear and shame burning in her eyes. "Sorry, mom."
"It's okay, honey", Mary said gently, but her eyes glowed as she looked at Frank. "I guess you know your brothers do care for you, don't you?" Erin quickly nodded. "Good. Your brothers love you, even if they don't show it. You don't either, sometimes." She lifted Erin's chin gently and looked into her eyes. "I trust you to know how to be with Jamie. I hope you love him, and I hope he'll look up to you the way Danny and Joe do. But I can't force him to, and neither can I force you to love Jamie. You will see for yourself. But you're a Reagan, and you're a Reagan too, so I expect you to be there for him if he needs you. Can you promise me that, big girl?"
Erin nodded again, firmer now. "I promise, mom." She turned around to her dad, for a moment having forgotten the anger in his eyes.
Frank looked at his daughter, not yet calmed down, and she Erin held the glance bravely.
Mary sighed. "You're so stubborn, both of you. Now for my sake, could you please be nice to each other again?"
"I'm sorry, dad", Erin whispered, and Frank nodded. The joy in his face, never completely disappeared, bloomed again. "I know. I just wish I'd understand you." Again he looked into his only daughter's eyes, trying to find out how the female brain was working. Eventually he smiled, hugged Erin and as he let go, placed Jamie into her arms.

The baby cocked his head as he looked at his big sister. Erin held her breath, suddenly afraid Jamie had heard her words. Maybe he remembered them and found the sense behind them one day! She smiled shyly, and immediately Jamie smiled back, broadly and giggling. Erin felt her heart melting towards the little bundle in her arms, so definitive that it made her cry. As she gently kissed her brother's forehead, the little one wrinkled his nose – and smiled again. Mary laughed softly. "I think he likes you."
"He's co cute!" Like Joe before Erin couldn't help but stare at Jamie. "Mom? I promise", she murmured, carefully not to frighten Jamie who now closed his eyes and yawned, "I won't let Danny and Joe hurt him. I'm gonna protect him."
Frank beamed with pride. "We know you will, Erin." He looked at his wife. "She's gonna be good mom, don't you think?"
Mary chuckled. "She's my daughter, what did you expect?" She leant back in the cushions, the glow of joy could no longer hide how exhausted she was. Frank sat down beside her, put his arms around her and kissed her pale cheeks. "Danny can wait to see him. He'll understand."
Mary shook her head. "I don't want him to understand. I don't want any of my children to cut back because of me. That's not how it should be."
"But that what's family is for, mom." Erin stood right before the bed. Carefully and with a big smile on her face she laid Jamie in Frank's arms where she kissed him again. "Be a good boy and kick Danny for me!" Then she looked at Mary. It was obvious she had just matured a lot. "Family means you do thing you don't want to help others. Actually, that's not even family, that's plain courtesy. We love you, and we want to have you around for a few hundred years longer. Danny has to understand, and he will, and…" She frowned. "And he will gladly", she said eventually, grumbling at the thought that she just had said anything good about her brother.

Mary smiled with tears of disappointment of herself hovering in her eyes. "Frank, why don't you take Jamie outside so Danny can see him?", she suggested. Frank shook his head. "I won't leave you alone, Mary, I told you."
"I know", she sighed, "you told me about five hundred times at our wedding, and even more often when I was in labor with Danny."
"See?"
"Okay." Her head leaning on her husband's chest, her hand protectively lying on her baby, Mary closed her eyes. "Give me ten minutes. Erin, honey, could you please tell Danny he can see Jamie in a few minutes?"

"Of course, mom. Love you three." Erin smiled like an angel as she left the room.
"Danny? Mom says you gotta wait till you see him! I think she wants to protect him from a beast like you!"