Title: The Guardian – Book II
Chapter 26 – Crossing the (Blue) Line

"I knew she'd say yes!" Jamie exclaims the next morning as he drops himself down onto Danny's bed; Danny's lips uttering a grunt as he tries to swat his brother away. "I was going to say something last night but you were home so late."

Danny looks up at Jamie's expectant expression and can't help but smile in return.

"So what happens now?"

"Now…" Danny huffs as he grabs a nearby pillow and then strikes his brother in the head, making him slightly fall back and laugh. "I'm going back to sleep!" He rolls over onto his stomach while Jamie remains flopped on his back at the end of the bed. Danny lifts his head to see Jamie's still frame lying quietly and strikes him with the second pillow, prompting Jamie to laugh and then look up with a slightly flushed face. "It's like 8am."

"What time are you going to work?"

Danny's lips utter a small growl as he looks at his watch and then up at Jamie's grin and can't help but smile in return. "She said yes…it was great."

"So you talked to mom…and then what?"

"We made out," Danny wags his brows. Jamie rolls his eyes and then flops back down onto the bed, making Danny laugh and grab his foot and tickle the soft sole, causing Jamie to squeal and try to pull himself away.

"Help!" Jamie calls out with a laugh. Just at that moment Erin is passing by and hears the commotion and pops her head into Danny's room. She grabs Jamie's flailing arms and within seconds he's the middle of a tug of war. "This isn't…fair…" Jamie laughs as Danny tugs on his legs and Erin on his arms, neither winning the battle. Jamie finally calls out he surrenders and is dropped back onto Danny's bed.

"So what'd Linda say?" Erin asks eagerly as she sits cross-legged on the other side of Danny's bed.

"So much for sleep," he grumbles as both Jamie and Erin look at him with expectant expressions. "She said yes. Can I go back to sleep now?"

Jamie and Erin look at each other and snicker before looking back at Danny and saying in unison, "no."

Frank listens to the happy banter coming down the hallway and enters the kitchen with a happy smile. "Morning pop."

"Morning Francis. I hear Linda said yes," he chuckles as Frank gives his father a happy smile.

"Those two have a good handle on things," Frank replies with a warm note to his tone. "I'm happy for them both and I know she'll make a great addition to the family. All set for the weekend?"

"Just finalizing the list of new candidates' names to read out. Danny Reagan. I know it'll raise a few brows. Anything prepared for the press? You know they'll ask," Henry reminds him in truth. "Chief Reagan, is there a reason for the same name or is it just a coincidence?" Henry offers in a mock reporter's voice.

Frank looks at his father and knows his reasoning to be valid. The press would ask and they would have reason. A Reagan hadn't entered the police academy since Joseph Reagan and his death was well known by everyone in the city. Now there was another Reagan entering the same institution – carrying on the same legacy? They would ask and he needed to be prepared.

"I could ignore them but then they'll make up headlines that he's a secret love child and stuff like that. I know how this works," Frank states with a heavy sigh. "I could just say that Daniel Reagan is my adoptive son and I'm proud of him and everyone else entering the academy. I wish them all the best…or something like that."

"Sounds…good. You know they'll ask about their mother and father."

"If it comes to that I'll say both their birth parents are dead and my reasons for adopting them are my own. No matter what I say you know those social media hounds are going to make up a story if they want to. Why do you think the 'Star' and 'Enquirer' are still in business?" Frank retorts, earning a small chuckle from his father.

"Right. As if anyone would believe that Elvis and Lady Gaga are living together," Henry quips as Frank chuckles. "As stupid as those trashy tabloid stories are, people thrive on talking about that nonsense. But it is nonsense. This…Francis this is real and we need to help protect the boys."

"All their legal files have been locked by Theo and someone has to go through him or Troy to get them…and if that fails I'll just sick Spencer on them."

"I'll tell him you said that," Henry retorts.

"Don't get him excited," Frank lightly smirks. "I know this weekend will be exciting and stressful for the boys but once it's out there at least…" Frank pauses as he looks at his father with a heavy frown. "Was it my own arrogance in wanting to hear another Reagan is entering the academy that I pushed for this?" He asks somewhat rhetorically.

"You love the boys and they love you. No matter if it was before Danny entered or when his name was announced upon graduation it would be the news of the day. This weekend people will talk about it and in a month when Danny does enter the academy and Jamie goes into his final year of high school, it'll be old news."

"Not to some."

"That's with everything," Henry reminds his son. "I have your back no matter what and I know you have theirs and so do I. We'll get past this. I'm more worried about Sonny. Anton says there's been some movement and coming right before this weekend worries me."

"I'm going to get everyone on shift and in uniform and supply a few extra vests to those of us who won't be in uniform. What else did he hear?"

XXXXXXXX

"Seriously if you keep pacing like that, I'm gonna hafta charge you for some new flooring."

Danny looks up at Demarcus and slightly frowns as he stops and then perches himself on the edge of a nearby counter.

"Why are you so nervous anyways? Linda said she's not going to pressure you for a wedding date until a year right?" Jackie adds.

"No I'm nervous about this weekend. You know…when they call out the name Danny Reagan. Everyone else there deserves their ten seconds to shine and then…up pops a new Reagan and…" his voice trails off as his two friend's exchange wondering glances. "Am I just being paranoid or what?"

"No you have a valid point," Jackie replies. "People will be like oh long lost love child or child of an affair or…"

"Way to go!" Demarcus huffs.

"He asked," Jackie tosses back as Danny starts to pace once more. "It has to come out sometime right? Better a scandal going in than coming out."

"Great! All my life I've hated scandals and now I'm one," Danny groans as he slumps down onto a leather seat pulled from an old truck. "I know the media will ask. I get that. Even Frank and Henry will get it and yeah I guess coming out they'd have more reason to think Frank had a hand in it…"

"Just in case you suck and need someone to help you cheat?" Demarcus snickers as Jackie picks up something and tosses at him. "What? It's true right?"

"It's going to be fine," Jackie utters with confidence. However…adding somewhat fatefully, "besides…what's the worst that could happen? You're already prepared for everything."

And in his mind, Danny is. Prepared for the verbal onslaught that is. But in that moment, no one in that room could have guessed that they would be facing an attack of another kind – one designed to kill.

"Okay…so let's talk about something else," Danny suggests in haste.

XXXXXXXX

"You sure you want him to do it…Sonny…this is crazy!" The male voice hisses as the two of them stand in the shadows of the bowels of the prison.

"This will work. All eyes will be on the Chief as he's reading the names. His vantage point will be secured. I've bought him a shield, a uniform and a space. He takes the shot and then acts as surprised as everyone else. This will work. Half the funds will be in his account the night before and the other half the day after. This will work," Sonny repeats in a low, but firm tone.

"I know you had Darren killed."

"And of course you're worried about your own ass."

"Thought has crossed my mind."

"Once Frank Reagan is dead, you'll collect your reward and put in for a transfer and then I don't care where you go. Move to Canada and take up basket weaving for all I give a damn! But…if Frank Reagan lives, you'll line up right beside Darren. If you back out…you get the picture right?" Sonny sneers as he slaps the other crooked guard on the back. "Go make it happen!"

The guard takes his leave, carefully heading back to the surface, existing the stairwell and looking up to see the camera still turned off. Sonny emerges about two minutes later. The camera flicking back on about ten seconds after Sonny exits the security doors and is back into the kitchen.

His lips start to whistle a casual tune as he heads for his station, telling himself that no one has seen him.

However, he fails to realize that not every face inside the prison walls or inside his own little circle of trust is a face he can rely on. One face had seen him emerge with the guard in question and was about to make a report back to the city's top NYPD administrator. But…after he learns what the new crooked guard was up to.

Henry looks at the text from Anton and frowns.

'Sonny's plan is in play. New guard. Jason. I need to know his plan. Right now I have nothing solid. Stay tuned.'

Henry's eyes drift over to a picture on his desk taken during their summer holiday at the beach House. Himself, his son, his blood granddaughter and his two newly adopted grandsons and he feels his heart sink. "This better work," he whispers in an undertone. "Or God forgive me."

XXXXXXXX

"I just want to see how he's doing," Jamie explains as Danny drives him to work the next day. Jamie said he wanted to check on Alan before his shift, just to see how he was doing. Jamie slowly heads toward the entrance to the tunnels, his eyes darting around to see if the two punks where close by, lying in wait.

Nothing.

"Maybe they finally got the message," Danny muses.

"Because they killed someone?" Jamie retorts sourly as Danny's lips purse.

"Maybe," Danny shrugs his retort. As soon as they enter the dimly lit entranceway both are hit with the pungent smell of musty air and stale…life.

"I'm excited about going to see George on Sunday," Jamie states somewhat casually, having emailed Heidi and telling her that he would see her and Ryan on the weekend. "I'm glad that George got settled and is doing well. I can't wait to see his new home."

"I'm just glad that his family wanted to take him. This place is hell," Danny comments as they reach the open area. "There he is," Danny nudges Jamie toward Alan.

"Hey Alan."

"Jamie…and it's Danny right? The cop?"

"Well…soon to be," Danny replies with a somewhat sheepish smile. "So…those punks been around again?"

"Yesterday. We tried to lure them in here because at least we can take them down on our turf. But they just ran. Cowards!" Alan hisses angrily. "How's George?"

"His granddaughter Heidi says he's doing fine. He has a small room but to him it's Buckingham Palace," Jamie repeats George's exact words.

"I'm happy for him. He deserves that."

"Where's Nora?" Jamie asks as he looks around for the old woman who had helped him find George.

"Oh she uh…she passed last night. I called the paramedics and they said she just died in her sleep. Guess that's okay. No pain right?"

"No," Jamie agrees glumly as he looks up with a frown. "Did she have any family?"

"Don't know kid…sorry," Alan shrugs as he eases himself down with a wince. "So what's new up there?"

The three of them talk a bit longer until Jamie says he has to get to work and he and Danny take their leave. During his break he had arranged to meet Alan in the alley to give him the day old popcorn that he used to give to George; Alan of course more than thankful and happy to have a friend like Jamie.

But as he works, Jamie's heart feels for Nora. 'At least she wasn't alone,' Alan had assured him. It was some comfort. Some. But then his mind drifts toward the two punks causing trouble and misery for the homeless in that area and wonders how he can stop them – for good.

XXXXXXXX

"Are you nervous about today?" Erin asks her father early Saturday morning as she sits on his bed watching him brush off his dress blue uniform. The rest of the week had passed by without much incident.

Anton had confirmed that something was going to happen at the barbeque but he had lost track of the man Jason had contacted on the outside and so wasn't sure if it was a bomb, a shooting or just a well-played rouse. In any case, it put them all on alert and that was something that gives Frank a bit more peace of mind.

"I am more nervous for us all about how the press is going to hound us all after they hear the name Reagan. What about you?"

"I'm worried about the press attacking you…or saying you had an affair or just making it ugly for headlines."

"As long as you know the truth," Frank tells her seriously. "The rest our family will face together."

"I know the truth," Erin replies as she hugs her father tightly. "I hope today goes smoothly."

"I hope so too."

"Are you nervous?" Jamie whispers to Danny as they get out of the dark SUV and look at the crowds before them. The day was perfect weather wise – everyone happy and excited, casually talking and milling about; a very obvious police presence mixing with the regular crowd.

"Anything out of the ordinary?" Frank asks Spencer who was in charge of the command post.

"Nothing so far but…there's a lot of…a crowd this large and knowing something could happen makes me nervous," Spencer replies from inside the large command truck.

"Anything at all…you let me know."

"Copy that."

Frank turns and watches his children mingling with a group of peers and can't help but smile at them. Danny, Linda, Jackie, Ian, Demarcus, Keysha, Jamie, Anna, Lucas, Tiffany, Erin, Jack and a few others. He looks over at the long table of prepared food but doesn't feel an inkling of a hunger pang in his stomach – his mind too nervous to even want to put something inside.

"Francis…all seems in order."

"So far," Frank replies under his breath as he smiles and nods to two passersby. "Have you heard from Anton?"

"He's squeezing an informant," Henry answers in an undertone. "Sonny's smart. He knows we'll have everything covered. It's something we won't expect."

"I hate that," Frank groans as he looks at his watch. "Almost time. You ready?"

"Almost," Henry looks at Frank and nods.

Frank watches his father pull away and go and talk to a few other NYPD academy administrators including the newly appointed instructor that replaced Sonny's father. He looks back at his family and then starts to scan the crowd in general. Where are you you bastard, Frank's mind ponders as his eyes rest on a strange face…and then another…and then another…his mind racing as to what Sonny might have planned.

XXXXXXXX

But despite being on almost the other side of the city, Sonny Malvesky was well aware of what was going on; especially with his men in position.

"Hey…turn this up," Sonny calls out to the nearest inmate as he remains in his chair at the table watching the small TV.

"Seriously Malvesky? You wanna watch the NYPD barbeque coverage?"

"Why not? You know I always like mocking the boys in blue."

"Yeah well I wanna wat…"

"Turn…up the volume!" Sonny retorts with a controlled hiss as the other inmate looks at the nearest guard and then back at Sonny.

"Turn up the sound," Jason the guard repeats loudly as Sonny looks at the inmate in contempt.

"Whatever."

Sonny leans back in his chair, his jaw gritting as the camera reporter starts to talk about Frank Regan and his recent crackdown on gangs and interdepartmental police corruption.

"Blah blah blah," Sonny mocks as the talk turns to those who would be entering the academy in the fall; one month away.

"I believe this intake is one of the strongest intakes we've had in a while. I'm proud of all of them and very soon you'll get to see the face behind the names of those who will soon be bringing law and order to our streets."

Sonny's eyes narrow at Frank, his fist gently curling and his mind picturing the bullet slamming into Frank's chest and taking him down for good. Of course he doesn't know that Frank and Henry already had wind of 'something' and so both were wearing a vest. But the body was vulnerable in other places. Sonny's plan wasn't void just yet.

XXXXXXXX

"Okay now I'm ready," Henry tells Frank as he stands beside his son and pulls out his notes. "Are you?"

"Let's get this done. I'm tired of waiting on that punk to make his move."

Linda takes Danny's hand and holds it tightly as he falls into place beside a few of the other rookie candidates; Jamie standing beside Erin and Jack and looking at his brother with a big smile. Frank walks up to the podium with his father; Henry taking his place before the microphones and welcoming their guests.

After saying a few things about the year and some of the NYPD's biggest accomplishments, Henry tells the large, happy crowd that it was now time to meet their newest batch of future officers.

XXXXXXXX

"And here it comes…the list of newest suck-ups," Sonny mocks as he figures he can just doze off until they near the end of the alphabetical list as it would be punctuated with Frank Reagan's death. But as they near the R's he's not sure how much longer until the end so he sits up and starts to pay attention.

For a man that prided himself on being in control and having the upper hand the next name that is read out – literally stops his heart cold.

"Danny Reagan."

And there it was…there he was – his nemesis. Only…something had changed with that announcement. Everything had changed. And his world comes to a grinding halt.

"What the hell?" Sonny hisses under his breath, his balled fist slamming on the table. "Danny…Reagan?"

"Frank Reagan had another kid?" One of the guards asks loudly as Sonny keeps his gaze fixed on the TV screen. "What?"

"He's not a real Reagan!" Sonny growls as the TV camera pans to Danny, Linda at his side; Frank beaming from the platform and Sonny's lips uttering another hateful curse in an undertone – but one still loud enough for all to hear.

Danny Reagan! That bastard isn't a Reagan! He's an imposter! A fake!

His mind wants to revel in his hatred for Danny but as they near the end of the names he realizes just how perfect the day is actually going to be.

Danny Reagan can watch the man who gave him his name…die! This is actually going to be perfect!

Frank nears the end of the list and then looks over at the last name; the press already buzzing about asking him about Danny Reagan but his mind wanting nothing more than to take his family and go home.

But fate wasn't to be that kind.

Just as Frank reads out the last name, Henry looks up and notices one of the snipers atop the command truck reposition his rifle. It wasn't something that the ordinary person would never notice or think of as alarming; and unless an officer was watching for it – it was something about to go unnoticed.

Almost.

With most eyes on Frank and each of the names and new faces as they are being read out; only a few are on alert for whatever seems out of place.

Spencer notices Henry looking at something with a heavy frown and tries to follow his gaze.

Frank reads out the last name and then looks over at his father. But his father's gaze isn't fixed on him or the new candidates or their family. It's fixed….

"And here…it comes…" Sonny laughs as he watches Frank starting to turn toward his father. "Bang!" He whispers as he starts to laugh.

"Pop!" Frank shouts as a small glint catches his eye and he turns; the bullet leaving the chamber of the high priced sniper rifle at exactly that second.

Danny, Jamie and Erin watch in horrible slow motion as Frank's frame steps in front of his father's and turns, raising his arm to push his father out of the way; a few seconds later his body jerks as the bullet manages to find its way in between the protective layers of Kevlar when his arm is raised.

*bang*

In that second a scream is heard, a curse is uttered, a prayer is offered and evil laughter rains down upon a certain part of Manhattan.

Frank's body falters…then falls.

The blue line had been crossed and there was no going back.

Everything changed in the blink of an eye.

A/N: yikes! So Sonny has made his final move. Of course hearing the name Danny Reagan made his anger surge even more and he thinks he's won. Had to get a few fun broments in there and a few other details from the side characters in this story and hope you all appreciate that. Please do review before you go and thanks so much everyone!