Title: The Guardian – Book II
Chapter 19 – Life on the Streets

A/N: I am sorry that interest is dropping and I know this story is more plot driven but I had hoped that all would love and appreciate that just as much as the first part. For those still left please enjoy this update. Thanks.

A few days pass and the nightmares about the courthouse shooting had finally stopped and all are looking forward enjoying a weekend of relaxing, bonding, some working and trying to plan for the big NYPD BBQ in a month.

"I'm glad Troy's doing okay," Danny pipes up as he pours some salt into his coffee. "Ah damn," he curses as he pours out the contents and then reaches for the coffee pot.

"It's just dinner Danny," Frank reminds him with a soft smirk.

"Sunday dinner…Linda's first with…the family," Danny's voice stammers as he turns and looks at Frank and then the three other faces looking back at him from the kitchen table.

"You'll be fine," Frank smiles as he pats him on the back. "I thought you were more nervous with me coming to the gun range with you."

"That too," Danny groans as he reaches for the sugar this time and puts the right condiment into his coffee. "Linda's excited."

"Jack's first time was…strained."

"Jack? So why haven't I seen him at the last few?" Jamie wonders as Erin looks at her father. "Oh."

"Jack thought he was always being interrogated."

"Was he?" Danny asks in haste.

"Yes."

"No."

Erin and Frank look at each other and trade small smiles.

"He felt we were interrogating him," Frank interjects as Erin nods. "He's welcome back anytime he wants."

"Good to know," Erin replies directly to her father.

"Linda will not be interrogated."

Danny looks at Frank with a weak smile, earning himself a small around of laughter. After breakfast Jamie would Henry for a ride to work; Erin was heading out to a study session with Jack and her friend Hannah and her boyfriend Ian; Danny was off to Demarcus's Uncle's garage to help Demarcus work on his truck, Frank heading over to see Troy to check up on his friend.

And Sonny. He was spending his Saturday the same as all the others…plotting his takedown of the entire Reagan family.

Frank tries to listen to his family talking but at the same time can't help but think about what Spencer and Chin found out by talking to the bookie 'Block'.

'Spencer, did you get to talk to Mr. Block…head?' Frank had asked with a small smirk.

'He wasn't too forthcoming but what he said wasn't that informative to the case. Ed Vickers had placed a few personal bets on a few sporting events, won some, lost some. And the ones he lost…he always paid back.'

'So…no reason to suspect Mr. Block for Vickers murder.'

'Nothing on the surface,' Spencer replied with a heavy sigh. 'Chin and I have a few other leads connected to Block that we're going to follow up on and hope they lead us to a viable motive. 'Frank, this one doesn't make sense.'

'Explain.'

'If I wanted to murder someone and waned to have the trail run cold…this is the guy I'd pick to take the fall for it. On the outside Vickers looks like he could be dirty but when you dig deep enough you'll see what we just learned. He's not. He's got some flaws and debts like the rest of us but I don't think he's going to lead us anywhere.'

'If that's the case Spencer and you're right and you usually are then we are looking for not only motive but means and by that I mean inner, internal, NYPD means.'

'But…the Templar?'

'Possibly and we have to tread carefully. So taking that aside, who else would ever think took at Ed Vickers with an idea to frame him for murder. Go back and cross check all dealings with ex-NYPD officers over the past year. Maybe two. It's there Spencer, the motive and the person behind the motive. Let's find it.'

'Yes…sir.'

"Francis?" Henry's voice brings Frank back to reality.

"Yes I did do that," Frank replies without missing a beat.

"Wow that sounds like fun," Jamie answers with a smile. Just as he finishes his phone beeps and all eyes turn to him.

"You're not gonna answer it?"

"Oh it's from Lucas. Another Vine from his computer camp," Jamie smirks. "I um…was hoping it was about George."

"It's only been a week," Henry reminds Jamie in a kind tone as his hand rests on his back.

"I know," Jamie tosses back a glum expression as Danny looks at his brother in sympathy.

"Come on, we'll talk to the old guy together," Henry tells Jamie with a friendly smile. "Say hi to Troy from us."

"Will do," Frank assures his father as they all get up from the breakfast table and put their own plans into action. On the way to Troy's, Frank texts Spencer for an update.

XXXXXXXX

"Henry he's not here!" Jamie exclaims excitedly as he hurries down the alleyway a bit ahead of Henry.

"Jamie, hold up!" Henry calls out as his phone rings. "Anton… I got…"

"Sir, I might have…everything okay?"

"Anton, I'll call you right back," Henry states in haste as Jamie disappears around the corner from view. "Jamie!"

Jamie sees the same two punks he had two weeks earlier, beating up a man he thinks is George, and races toward them. "HEY!" Jamie shouts as he rushes toward them. "Leave him alone!"

But as Jamie nears, he sees it's not George. However, it's a bit too late as the larger boy looks at Jamie with contempt and charges. He punches Jamie in the side but Jamie is able to counter and punch the larger boy in the jaw. Jamie's frame however, jerks to the right when the smaller boy's frame slams into his.

"Jamie!" Henry shouts as he rounds the corner and gasps in horror as he sees Jamie tossing back another punch. "NYPD!"

"Cops!"

"Let's get the hell out of here!"

"This isn't over!" The large boy shouts at Jamie as he pushes him to the ground and then glares at him for a few seconds. Looking up to see Henry rushing toward them and then spitting up some bloody saliva before he turns and races after the second smaller boy.

"Jamie!" Henry reaches Jamie who's now on his knees, clutching his stomach and trying to push himself up. "Oh damn," he curses as he helps Jamie slowly get upright. "What was that all about?"

"I don't…George!" Jamie exclaims as he quickly looks around for who he thought was George.

"It's not him," Henry reminds him in truth as he pulls a Kleenex and gently dabs the bottom of Jamie's nose. "Jamie…" he starts with a hint of exasperation in his tone as Jamie looks up at him in misery. "I told you to stay…" But before Henry can offer anything more in the way of a verbal reprimand, Jamie pulls away and then kneels down beside the homeless man, wanting to know if he was okay.

Jamie had been worried that perhaps these punks had come back to target George specifically, but now he sees they'll just attack anyone homeless. "Are you okay?" Jamie asks in concern as Henry joins him, both of them helping the homeless man to sit upright.

"They just came outta nowhere," the old man offers with a small wheeze.

"Where can we take you to get some help?" Jamie inquires in haste.

"I'll be…"

"No! Don't say you'll be okay! Grampa we need to do something to help these people!" Jamie insists as he looks at Henry with an angry gaze.

"Can we take you to St. Paul's shelter?"

It takes a few minutes, but this time the man slowly complies. As much as Henry wants to protest Jamie's staying alone with the man, it's Saturday and he doesn't have his driver with him. But it's only a few moments before Jamie looks up to see the black SUV heading toward him and then he and Henry helping the injured man inside.

"Jamie, I'll take it from here," Henry tells the young teen. "You go and start your shift. But promise me you won't try to look for George on your own. I'll come by a bit later and you can take your break and we'll go together."

Jamie's heart slightly sinks and he wants to protest the fact that he's not a child and can defend himself. But he also knows that Henry's concern is valid and so he yields, nodding in agreement and promising him what Henry asked for. Jamie helps the older man into the backseat and then slides onto the bench seat for the short ride back to back of the bowling alley.

"You have a very special grandson," the older man manages in a soft whisper.

"That I do," Henry replies with a heavy sigh as he waves to Jamie; lingering a bit to make sure he gets into the bowling alley safely. "That I do," he repeats as he pulls away and heads for St. Paul's shelter. As much as he knows Jamie's kind heart attracts people and endears them to him; to them all, it can also attract trouble, like the fight he had broken up. As much as he wants to think that Jamie doesn't have that rush in to settle a fight attitude that Danny seems to display very well, he knows Jamie does and that worries him. What happens if he runs into those boys again and no one is around to help him?

Jamie cleans up the little lingering bits of blood splatter from his nose from the fight, looking at himself in the mirror with a heavy frown. Your life is worth more than a stranger's. Never forget that. Call the police. "Stupid," he curses himself softly as he looks at the little bruise on his cheek, just adjacent to his nose. He leaves the bathroom and heads to his place behind the check in desk, cleaning out the popcorn bin and telling himself to wait for Henry for his break. But at the same time he can't help but worry about his friend.

XXXXXXXX

"No man that's…what's going on?" Demarcus asks Danny as they hover over the hood of a truck in his Uncle's garage. "You've been distracted all morning."

"No…yeah…ah it's nothing."

"Still thinkin' about that shooting?" Demarcus wonders.

"Part of it. I asked Linda if she was okay with the fact that I…I just react you know? I see something wrong and…I just go. She said she got it but now I wonder if she's…just telling me what I want to hear," he sighs as he hands Demarcus the correct tool.

"You're not your old man," Demarcus reminds him with a friendly glance.

"I know. Frank's guy, Detective Rogers is still working on the mechanic's death. I don't know what they found because he says it's a very closed case and I get that because it might be an insider but I'd still like to know. Then there's the upcoming NYPD barbeque and…ah man it's just a whole bunch of stuff."

"Sounds like you got the whole world on your shoulders," Demarcus tosses back lightly. But when he sees Danny's tense expression remain, he straightens up and looks at his friend directly. "You still worried about your half Uncle in jail? I know you said he's capable of some nasty stuff even from behind bars. You thinkin' he did this or had a hand in it?"

"I wanted to, but I'm…I'm not sure. Look…"

"Whatever it is you know you can trust me. Danny…I always got your back, you know that."

"I can't help but shake this feeling that um…it's Sonny."

"Malvesky? Man that dude was locked away in solitary."

"No…see that's just it, he's not. I heard that he's in an area with more minimal security and where they'd put an ex-cop if they were afraid he'd be killed. I'd say put him into general population and let the inmates deal with it but they can't. I have no proof of course but um…just a gut feeling."

"Ain't known you that long but long enough to know your gut feelings are usually right. Did you tell Frank?"

"No. Sonny murdered Joe and they are having a little tribute at the barbeque and I don't want him…I don't know. It's just a gut feeling. I don't want to rock the boat if there's nothing to rock. For all we know we're the last people Sonny Malvesky would be thinking about."

But just as the words escape his lips, Demarcus looks at Danny with the same weak, uncertain expression; the doubt in his voice just lending to the fact that Sonny was still a perceived threat.

They were of course right.

XXXXXXXX

"What? Are you sure?" Sonny asks Darren the guard in a soft hiss; the two of them standing in the back of the kitchen; just out of the camera's view. "Who was it?"

"Spencer and Chin. Block knows enough to keep his mouth shut and if they do look all they'll find is a few surface bets. All legit. Shawn has it covered."

"Damn those meddlers!" Sonny curses as he looks away with narrowed eyes. As much as he wants to take out Frank's two top detectives, he wonders if doing so right after they visited a hot lead would cast more suspicion and he wants the case leads to go cold and the case to die out.

"Want me to tell Shawn to take them out?"

"Yes moron because that wouldn't be suspicious at all!"

"But I thought…"

"Leave the thinking to me!" Sonny snaps as he pulls away, rubs his face and then removes himself from camera view once more. "I don't care about the lackeys! I want the Chief himself. Got it! But we have to be careful about this. Now…after Block where can they go?"

"That's the beauty of it. Nowhere. Vickers made a few small bets, Block's alibi will check out because we all know he didn't do it. The guy who killed him is dead and that leaves them…chasing their damn tails."

"Okay…good. Let it cool for a day or two and then we'll carry on," Sonny replies with a firm nod as he looks down at his watch. "Better get back," Sonny mentions as they both finally come back into view, Sonny carrying some supplies and Darren walking behind him.

"Don't drop that crap Malvesky," Darren snides as they reenter the public area. Sonny merely sneers as Darren pulls away and then slowly wanders over to the two cooks and drops the items onto the table. He heads back into the common area and then plunks himself down onto a computer and pulls up a web browser. But instead of looking at something on social media, he goes to the one bank account that has been garnering Henry's attention. Just before he logs in he pauses, wondering if the activity has attracted some unwanted attention. Henry…that meddling old bastard…I'll bet he still looks at this.

He closes the page and then leans back in his chair, hands clasped behind his head. Who do I take down first?

XXXXXXXX

"Thanks for coming with me," Jamie thanks Henry who had returned as promised to help Jamie on his break to look for George. "I wish Scott or Officer Renzulli would get a call from one of his family members."

"I know, me too," Henry replies as his arm drapes protectively across Jamie's shoulders. "How are you feeling from the fight earlier?"

"A bit sore but I'm okay," Jamie shrugs as they near the entrance to the tunnels. "I hope he's okay."

"For your sake…I hope so to," Henry replies as they enter the entrance to the tunnels. "Watch yourself in here."

"George?"

"Hello Jamie."

"Nora," Jamie squints as the older woman approaches him. "Did you see George?"

Nora's eyes drop and suddenly Jamie's heart explodes with worry.

"Where is he?" Jamie asks in haste as the old woman's face looks up with a frown. "Nora? What happened to George?"

"He's resting. He took another tumble yesterday. Down a few stairs and..."

"What? George!" Jamie calls out as he breaks away and darts into the darkness.

"Ah damn that kid," Henry gently growls as Nora's hand rests on Henry's arm. "Is he dead?"

"It's not good Commissioner."

"Show me."

"George!"

Jamie drops to his knees on the hard ground at his old friend's side; George's eyes slowly opening and a faint smile cracking his lips. "Nora said you fell down the stairs. Where are you hurt?"

"My pride," George answers as Henry and Nora finally catch up. "Woman…you talk too much," he huffs as Nora just shakes her head.

"No matter how old a man gets, he'll always remain stubborn!"

"She's right about that," Henry sighs as he feels George's pulse. "George your pulse is irregular. Let me take you to the VA hospital."

"I'll be okay."

"Please George," Jamie begs as his eyes slightly water. "It's free for you. We can go right now."

This time, much to the surprise of both Henry and Jamie…to all around, George softly complies. Henry looks down at the aged face and wonders if it's because George knows he's near his end and doesn't want to die on the streets – alone.

"I'll carry him Commissioner," a male voice pipes up as he steps from the shadows. Both of them look up to see a man in about his mid-thirties come forward – the same man that had confronted Jamie earlier. Jamie looks at the man and feels his stomach instantly seize – it's the same man that had confronted him a few weeks earlier when he was alone in the tunnels. "I want to help."

"Why?" Jamie asks somewhat stonily.

"Because I was wrong and um…I can see now that you genuinely do care and that's rare."

Henry pulls Jamie back slightly as the man lifts him up into his arms and gently carries him toward the entrance of the tunnels, Henry looking at Jamie in question. Jamie's eyes dart back to the man's back and then at Henry but he remains silent.

"How old are you?" Henry asks the man after he had helped George into the backseat and closed the door.

"35. I hope George is okay," he replies as he turns to leave.

"Thank you…what's your name?"

"Andy."

"Thank you Andy. You know…a good strong young man like you…you could easily find some descent work, get you off the streets."

Andy turns back to Henry and gently smiles before his expression looks at Jamie and then back at Henry. "I um…I had a job once but um…same old story right? Broken home…broken family…tried drugs, got hooked and…I did this to myself."

"How long you been sober?"

"Just over a year. But before you ask no one wants to hire an ex-con, even one with a small arrest record like mine. Mostly petty stuff but it's enough for me to keep from filling out an application. Always hate that question that asks if you've been convicted…whatever. Look I'm uh…I'm not good with words and such but…I just wanted to help. I meant no harm. Some days…well they're better than others. Right…you help him now."

Both Henry and Jamie watch as Andy turns around and then disappears from view. "Was that the same guy that accosted you in the tunnel a few weeks ago?" Henry asks Jamie before they get into the SUV.

"It was. I thought he…it makes sense why he went for my wallet."

"You could have turned him in just now. I could have arrested him for attempted robbery and assault."

"Yeah but then what?" Jamie ponders with a heavy sigh as he turns around and heads for the front of the van. "I'd like to put a program in place that helps people like Andy…and George," he whispers as he looks back at his friend; George looking up in misery. "Life is so unfair."

"Jamie, I'm going to drop you back at work to finish your shift and…"

"No, I want to come with you!"

"My boy, I'm more than capable of taking George to the ER," Henry replies with an easy smile. "You finish your shift and then I'll be back. No arguments this time."

"Get better," Jamie tells George as his hand gives the old man's cool limb a loving squeeze. He hands him the bag of popcorn and looks at Henry with a teary gaze before he nods and heads back into the bowling alley. A few seconds later, the same sentiment that was offered earlier is offered once again.

"You have a very special grandson commissioner," George offers in truth.

"That I do," Henry replies with a small sigh as he pulls away. "More than even he knows."

XXXXXXXX

"You gave us all a real scare," Frank tells Troy in truth as he sits in a small chair at his friend's bedside in the private hospital room.

"Thank God…I have a hard…head," Troy replies with a labored breath. "I know you want…the details."

"I do," Frank answers with a nod. "But…I don't mind waiting a few more days."

"Came outta...nowhere. I wish I had more to tell. It was dark…and I was alone. Stupid…right?"

"It's what you're used to. But at least you always let Angie know where you'll be and you always check in with me so I knew something was up."

"Was it…Jed Allen?"

"We don't think so. The Springfield team is working on the case right now. They confirmed the ID of the body…"

"Knew I smelt…death. Who?"

"Young man. Drifter apparently. DNA is being gathered but it might be moot. If Jed Allen did live there then it would be natural for his DNA to be found on the premises. However, he might not have killed the young man. I want to let this rest but I want to make sure Jed Allen isn't around."

"Think he'd…make a play…for the boys?"

"He might just to spite us," Frank replies with a heavy sigh. "I just…want to know."

"There is someone…who might know."

Frank looks at Troy and frowns. "You mean McGuiness?"

"No…I mean where Jed Allen…might be hiding."

"Scott Daniels is working on that. He's the best. You know that."

"Frank…this family…they don't play by the rules. Even Scott's…cyber rules. I'm not talking about him."

"Who then?" Frank dares to ask.

"Louis…Watson."

Frank leans back in his chair and looks at his friend with a heavy frown. Louis Watson was the man, loyal to Wade Allen until Wade betrayed him. But Louis was the one who had helped Wade find the boys. He's now sitting in a jail in Cleveland for the next twenty-five years. Frank knows that Louis Watson might be willing to help for a price – and that being a reduced sentence. Could he do that to the boys? Was it worth it to reopen all those old wounds on a hunch? And if he was to get some help from Watson and was to go before a judge asking for a reduced sentence, he'd have to force his hand about the adoption and then he'd run the risk of letting others know and with their family being targeted by a vengeful insider, it could spell all their dooms.

"I can't," Frank replies softly but firmly. "There has to be another way."

"Frank…"

"I'm glad you're on the mend," Frank interjects with a small smile; Troy taking the hint and giving his friend a nod. "Let me show you some beach photos of the kids."

"It's…the only way," Troy adds gravely. "Sorry."

As much as he tries to distract his mind on his friend and some happy past memories, he can't help but be forced to ponder Troy's suggestion. Would it come down to reopening the past? Or could he just push through the adoption and hope for the best? Either way making the boys Reagan's wasn't going to be easy. It would be worth it, but not easy. What do I do?

A/N: Hope you all liked this update and please do review before you go and thanks so much!