„Officer Reagan now, huh?" Danny shook his head. His jaw was hurting from smiling – he had feared he would have to fake being happy or proud of his little brother, but when the ceremony had begun he had found himself beaming like a complete idiot, smiling through every minute of it.
He was proud of his little brother. He was proud that Jamie was headstrong enough to follow his own mind, and that he had chosen the NYPD over lawyering. He was proud to see the boy he had once hummed to sleep being an adult now, looking handsome in his brand-new uniform.
His baby brother. How had he grown up so quickly?

"At your service, detective Reagan." Jamie's smile was as wide as Danny's as he hugged his brother tightly "Thank you for being here."
"You're kidding? Would've missed it for nothing in the world." Danny held his brother longer than usual. "I'm proud of you, kid. And I know they are, too."
Jamie closed his eyes so Danny wouldn't see the tears in them. Today he missed his mother and Joe more than he had thought, and the insecurity about their reaction to his becoming a cop was nagging at him. "Do you really think so?", he whispered under his breath.
Danny held him on arm's length so he could look into the younger's eyes. "I do, Jamie. Mom always wanted us to follow our heart, and you're doing that. And Joe… well, he never saw you as a lawyer. But even if they did… "he shook his head, hardly believing that those words were coming out of his own mouth, "it doesn't matter, Jamie. This is your life, and your decision. We're worried because we want you to be safe, but what's more important is that you're happy. And for all it's worth all of us here today are damn proud of you. You made the right decision."
Jamie beamed, and for a moment Danny could see the little boy in his eyes. He had promised Jamie to watch over him, and that was what he always would do.

"Well, guys, thank you all for coming, but I've gotta go now." Jamie quickly hugged the rest of his family. "I don't wanna be late on my first day."
"And the days to come, I expect" Frank said, the grave tone of his voice lightened by a wink. "See you for dinner, officer?"
If possible, Jamie's smile grew wider. "Yes, sir. I'll bring some…"

A beautiful red flower bloomed up on Jamie's forehead, silencing him mid-sentence. It took a moment for Danny to realize what it was.
"Jamie!" He lurched forward to catch the limp body in his arms, unaware of his family surrounding him as he rocked his little brother, just like he had done twenty-five years ago. "Jamie, come on, stay with me! Stay with me!" He stroked frantically over Jamie's face, searching his eyes for traces of the man that had just been there.
The eyes were empty.

"No!" Suddenly Joe's eyes stared at him, empty and accusingly.
Failed. Again. Danny winced at the silent reproach. He had lost another brother.
It couldn't be true. "Please", his voice didn't seem to belong to him anymore as he pleaded with one brother to spare the other. "Please, no."
But what good was pleading? Danny felt his heartbeat hammering painfully through his whole body. Tears crammed in his eyes and throat, threatening to choke him. It was almost unbearable to feel his whole being so strong when Jamie was lying in his arms, completely lifeless. Sobbingly, he hugged the suddenly very small body, cursing himself with every breath he took.

"Jamie, please. Please!"

"Danny!"

He jerked upwards, wondering for a moment where he was. Then he noticed the beautiful blonde woman next to him. She was holding his hand and smiling reassuringly. "It's okay, baby. I'm here, everything's okay."
"Sorry." Danny gently kissed his wife's hand and sank back into the pillow. "It was just a nightmare."
"May I guess what it was about?" Linda moved closed to her husband, stroking his face. "It's going to be okay, Danny. Jamie knows what he's doing."
"You think?" Danny swallowed. The picture of his dead brother was still vivid before his eyes, and he wasn't sure if it would ever go away. So many things could happen.
"I'm just… I feel like I'm responsible for him. I've always been. It's my job to watch over him."
"I know." Linda smiled in the dark. And you've done a wonderful job so far. Jamie's a wonderful person thanks to you, and your family, and this is what he has wanted for all his life. At least since I've known him." She kissed him. "You have to let him grow up now. He'll be okay."
Danny grumbled.
"What was that?"
"I hope so."
"He will be" Linda said, with a sincerity she hadn't known she would feel.
"And now try to sleep, honey. We'll have to get up in two hours for the ceremony."