A/N: I'm grateful for the kind reviews of my latest chapter. It was the one I was most hesitant to post. Thank goodness in was ok!

GUEST: I have a kernel of a story in the back of my brain that deals with this topic. It will take a few months to appear, but please keep checking my profile until it appears =)

Jamie wriggled out of his father's lap and moved away. He didn't like talking about himself. He'd hoped he could get some closure, while at the same time leaving himself out of it. Yeah right.

"You know how you talked about switching roles? Sometimes I feel like I only have one role in life: Officer Jamie Reagan. 24/7, just like I said, and not cause I want it. I mean, I want to be Officer Jamie Reagan, don't get me wrong, I love being a cop, and I know it's a 24/7 job, but does it really have to be? I know, in this family its treason, but I'd really like to go from the end of one tour to the beginning of another completely law-less. Even one family dinner would be nice. Just being plain old Jamie Reagan – grandson, son, brother, uncle. I'm scared I'm going to forget how to do that."

"How is that treason?"

Jamie snorted, "Can you imagine Erin's reaction if, when she's talking about a case and she asks me my opinion, I answer "The gutters need cleaning"? Cause they do, you know."

"No I can't imagine it." Frank looked at Jamie, his eyes dancing.

"What? No! No way!"

"You won't know until you try. I'd do it, but that's not what you want to know, is it?" Frank said pointedly.

Jamie rolled his eyes, causing him to sway slightly. 'Probably because of the alcohol', Frank thought. Then the younger man stilled.

"Its treason because its un-Reagan-like to not want to defend the law day in and day out and climb the promotion ladder every few years – to want to have a rest every once in a while – to just want to be a normal person sometimes." Jamie's voice trailed off wistfully.

"Not treason. Human." Frank comforted, reaching out to rub his youngest's arms, and linking their fingers. "And it's your choice, no one else's, if you want to stay a beat cop for the next ten, twenty, fifty years. Understand?" Jamie nodded, appreciating the encouragement.

After another moment, Jamie looked Frank in the eye. "I'm not doubting our family's love and loyalty. I know we all have each other's backs in the big things. "

"You're just not sure we'd all have each other's backs in the little things."

"He can't even trust me to hand in my own leave request! Or maybe that is a big thing and I just can't tell the difference."

"There's only one way to find out. You going to be okay now?"

"Absolutely." Jamie hugged Frank. "Thanks."

"Anytime." Frank returned the hug. "And as for the rest, the trick is: when you are on duty, you switch roles to cop, but keep the role of brother and uncle and so on always in the back of your mind. And when you're not on duty, you switch roles to uncle or son or whatever, but keep the role of cop always in the back of your mind. And learn the price of cheese," he added cheekily.

"Night, Dad." Jamie grinned.

"Night, Son." Frank grinned back, relieved that one son was, at least, settled, if not much else. Tomorrow, he would check in with the other one.

He didn't get the chance.

A/N: Jack and Sean make their first appearance in the next chapter.