A/N: Happy Blue Bloods Friday! I thought since this weeks episode seems to have a lot of Jamie, I would post a Jamie chapter! Finally, a family chapter. As always, kudos to my fabulous Beta, DanniMitchell85. I appreciate each and every review. I hope you enjoy this chapter. AOE01

Chapter 6

Jamie was in a deep sleep come Saturday morning. After returning home from his date with Caitlin, it had taken him a while to quiet his mind and fall asleep. Luckily, he had the day off and could sleep as long as he wanted to, but a loud pounding on his door rudely awoke him. He tried to ignore it, but whoever was knocking would not go away. Glancing at the clock as he stumbled out of bed, Jamie rubbed his hands over his face as he walked to the door. What kind of jackass would pound on his door at seven am?

"All right, All right," Jamie shouted at the door. "I'm coming!" Looking through the peephole, he groaned. He should have known who would be banging on his door at this hour. Jamie exhaled as he rested his head against the solid door to collect himself before unlocking it.

Opening the door and standing defensively, Jamie glared at his older brother. "What the hell, Danny? It's my day off." Jamie didn't even try and be civil; he wasn't happy about being woken up so early.

Danny pushed his way past an angry Jamie and into the apartment, looking around. Wearing sweats and carrying a basketball, Danny turned around and caught sight of his scantily clad younger brother.

"Oh, man," Danny said quietly, as a sudden thought occurred. "You don't have company, do you? Cause, I'll go." The last thing Danny wanted to do was to embarrass either his brother or a date.

Shutting the door behind him, Jamie rubbed his hands over his face to try and help himself wake up more. "No one's here but me, Danny," Jamie said while shaking his head.

Danny was disappointed. He thought his brother could use some female companionship. The breakup with Sydney had been a long time ago and Danny thought it was high time Jamie moved on with his life. He knew, better than most, the life of a police officer was hard and lonely. It made it much more bearable if there was a soft, loving woman waiting for you at home, or at least one to spend time with every now and then.

Changing subjects abruptly, Danny ordered, "Well, then let's go."

"Go? Go where, Danny?" Jamie was having trouble following Danny's train of thought.

"We got a game," Danny answered. "Don't you ever check your messages?" he asked as he tried to spin the basketball on his finger.

Jamie could only look at Danny with a blank stare. He really just wanted to go back to bed, but could see the determined look on his brother's face. Giving in to the inevitable, he decided he might as well go now that he was awake. "Let me get dressed," he said as he walked back to his room.

Wandering around his little brother's small apartment, Danny waited for Jamie to get dressed and ready. His gut, the one thing he relied on as a cop, was telling him something was going on with his brother. He was going to find out what it was; he wasn't a detective for nothing. Solving puzzles and fitting things together was something he was naturally good at, and this involved his brother.

Deep down, Danny hoped it was a girl. There wasn't any evidence lying around the apartment that he could see, but that didn't mean anything. Taking a seat on a barstool, he waited, impatiently. Looking idly into a bowl of change Jamie had sitting on the counter, Danny spotted an odd glint. Among the silver and copper coins he saw a shimmer of black. Running a finger through the contents of the bowl, he picked out several pins with small enamel pianos on them.

Leaning closer he placed them in the palm of his hand. It wasn't something he expected to find lying around his brother's place. Jamie wasn't involved in music and didn't have a piano, though there was one in his father's living room.

Jamie came out, finally dressed and saw what Danny had been doing.

"What are these?" Danny asked, his voice full of curiosity, as he held up a single pin between his thumb and forefinger.

"They're mine. Put them back." Jamie said tensely. He treasured the pins Caitlin had left for him and didn't like the thought of his brother touching them. It was childish, he knew, but he wasn't ready to talk about her with his family yet; the relationship was just starting to become more reality than fantasy.

"Okay, Okay," Danny said placing the small pin back with the others in the coin dish. "I didn't mean to pry," though he filed away Jamie's reaction so he could think about the possible meanings later.

Standing there, defensively, Jamie didn't relax until his brother put the pins back in the bowl where he had found them. "I'm sorry, Danny," he said, after taking a deep breath, "I'm just really tired."

"Yeah, I can tell," Danny nodded, as he stood up. "Well, let's go. We'll grab some coffee on the way. The guys are waiting and I'm gonna kick your ass, for the record."

"Don't count on it," Jamie laughed.

~Blue Bloods~

They went to the gym in Brooklyn where they played as kids. Meeting the guys they played with, they quickly chose sides and the Reagan brothers were on opposite sides as usual. It was a hard playing game and Danny and Jamie fought for possession of the ball zealously. Danny fouled Jamie sending him crashing to the floor. After making his free throw, Jamie slammed Danny back just as hard. Just part of the game, after all. The two were quickly separated and the game continued just as fierce as before. In the end, Danny's team won by two and the brothers headed into the locker room to shower.

Danny looked at Jamie as they walked back to their lockers after a quick shower, silently mulling over his brother's aggression. Jamie liked sports and even as kids they played hard, but Danny couldn't recall ever seeing Jamie play that aggressively. He doubted it had anything to do with the double shot espresso they picked up on the way.

"So, what's up, kid?" Danny asked.

"Nothing." Jamie said, tersely as he was checking his phone for missed calls.

"I don't know, seems like something's bothering you." Danny observed.

"No, Danny, nothing's bothering me. I'm just tired. You dragged me out of bed at seven this morning." Jamie retorted.

"What'd you do last night?" Danny asked, curious.

"Nothing much. Grabbed a bite after work; got home later than I planned, is all." Jamie sidestepped the issue. He didn't really lie…he did grab a bite after work. Jamie sighed, he loved his older brother, but he was a pain in the ass most of the time. "Nothing's going on, Danny." He had an edge in his voice and a hard look in his eye.

"Uh huh." Danny replied, skeptically, he wasn't buying any of it.

"I gotta go. I'll take the train back. See you tomorrow." Jamie left quickly. He could tell Danny was about to go into detective mode and when that happened Danny was like a dog with a bone until he got answers.

~Blue Bloods~

The next morning, Jamie reluctantly woke up and got ready for church. The sun hadn't even fully risen yet and he was already dreading the day. He'd been on the phone late last night with Caitlin, talking and laughing until the wee hours of the morning, neither one caring that they had church in the morning. He was glad she didn't seem to be holding him at a distance any longer and he enjoyed the idea of her opening up to him more. They made plans to see a movie Wednesday night since they wouldn't be able to see each other on Thanksgiving.

He had plans with the family and it was too soon to invite her over to meet everyone especially since they didn't know there was anyone to meet. They would eat Caitlin alive and what they had going would be over. Shaking his head, Jamie knew there would be no recovering if his family showed any kind of aggression towards Caitlin.

Checking his reflection in the mirror, he looped his tie over and around, securing it in place. He loved church and always felt at peace there. He was more devout than most of his family and he enjoyed the time spent in silent contemplation. Caitlin had taught him the beauty in silence. For the last several months he always said a prayer for Caitlin, this week he would add Thanksgiving to God for answering the prayer that lived in his heart if not on his lips.

What Jamie was dreading was Sunday dinner. Usually, he loved Sunday dinner with the family but he knew Danny was gunning for him, knowing he was hiding something. He just knew Danny wouldn't stop until he learned his 'secret.'

After church, the family headed for the house in Bay Ridge. Jamie had grown up in this house; he spent his whole life here. Sitting in his car, he thought about his childhood and growing up. Memories of his mother and brother Joe flooded his memory. He missed them; in times like this, he really missed his brother, Joe.

Joe had been the brother he could talk to about anything. Joe never judged and he never felt the need to share the information he received with the rest of the family. Joe was his confidante, his best friend, and he hadn't found anyone to fill that role now that he was gone. Part of him never wanted to. Pushing aside the ache in his heart, Jamie turned off his car. He knew he couldn't put it off any longer and walked up the driveway to the door leading into the kitchen.

Jamie walked into the kitchen where Erin and Linda were finishing up dinner preparations. After greeting him warmly, they told him the rest of the family was in the solarium watching the football game. Jamie grabbed a beer from the fridge before heading in to join them.

Setting his bottle of beer on a coaster, Jamie lifted his nephew, Sean, up and out of the recliner so he could sit down. He genially body slammed him down next to his brother, Jack, and tickled both boys during the commercial break.

Danny watched Jamie closely as he sat down in the chair and noted he seemed relaxed and happy. There was no sign of tension or stress in his younger brother today; he seemed a different person from the one who played basketball aggressively yesterday.

Just as the game finished, Erin came in to tell them dinner was ready. After everyone was in their seats and Erin said grace, Danny couldn't hold his question in any longer. "So, kid, what was going on yesterday?" he asked as he passed a dish to his wife.

"Nothing you need to be concerned about," Jamie said with annoyance as he looked at Danny.

Henry looked between his two grandsons and then shared a look with his son sitting at the other end of the table. "What's this all about?"

"Nothing, Grandpa," Jamie said shortly as he took a dish from Erin, scooping a serving onto his plate.

"Well, the boy wonder here was pretty aggressive playing ball yesterday," Danny answered his grandfather.

"That's how the game's played, Danny. I seem to recall you fouling me pretty hard." Jamie retorted.

"No, that was good defense." Danny defended himself.

Frank and Henry exchanged long looks. Somehow they didn't think this was about basketball.

"So, what about after the game?" Danny questioned, as everyone looked at Jamie. "Why not grab a beer like we usually do?" Danny challenged.

Jamie put his fork down loudly and replied, heatedly "And you've never rushed off without warning? Like say, when it's your turn to do the dishes?"

Danny looked at him, pointed his knife at Jamie and said, "When I do that, it's to go to work. Somehow, I don't think you were rushing off to go on patrol."

Jamie shrugged his shoulders, saying, stubbornly, "Where I go is my business, Danny."

Henry changed the subject, watching Jamie closely. He could see there was something going on with his youngest grandson and he knew Jamie wasn't the type to open up and share everything about his life. Dinner continued on, Sean and Jack talking about the upcoming Thanksgiving pageant at their school. Once dinner was over, Jamie rushed off, not staying for the pie Linda made.

~Blue Bloods~

Later that evening, after the table was cleared, dishes washed and put away, and the kids sent off, Frank and Henry sat in the study, glass of whiskey in hand. Henry pulled off his reading glasses and put the newspaper down, looking at his son who sat across from him.

"Something's going on with Jamie," Henry commented as he lifted his glass to take a sip.

Frank nodded as he looked over his own paper, "I know, Pop."

"I wonder what it is," Henry persisted. "I hope he's ok."

"I worry about him," Frank admitted. "Ever since he and Sydney broke up he spends more time here than at his own place."

"Not lately," Henry commented. "I used to see him a few times during the week and all day Sunday. The last couple months, Sunday's all I get. I miss our chess games."

Frank said, "I'll talk to him, but I think we'll just have to see what happens."

Henry nodded his agreement and picked his newspaper back up, looking for the crossword puzzle as Frank nursed his drink fretting about his youngest child.

~Blue Bloods~

Wednesday, Danny sat at his desk, brooding. His partner, Jackie came in and looked at him, resting her hand on her sidearm. It wasn't like Danny to be so quiet. In fact, quiet and Danny Reagan didn't compute.

"What's up Danny?" She asked, hoping it wasn't a new case. Thanksgiving was tomorrow and she really wanted to get out of town for the day. As much as she loved Danny as a partner, she did have family she wanted to spend time with.

Sighing deeply, Danny said, darkly, "Jamie."

"He's ok isn't he?" She knew Jamie and really liked him. He was smart and it was clear that he was going to follow in his family's footsteps and end up a detective sooner rather than later. She also knew ever since Joe's death and Jamie becoming a cop, Danny worried about him a lot more.

"Something's going on with him." Danny replied as he leaned back in his chair.

Pulling out the chair at her desk across from his, Jackie sat down. Now it made sense. Danny hated not knowing what was going on with every member of his family. This was not going to be a good day.

"I'm gonna find out, Jack," Danny said determinedly, leaning forward and resting his arms on his desk. "You know I will."

"Maybe you should wait and let him come to you instead of going after him like a bull in a china shop. This could be why he doesn't talk to you, you know," she said, twisting in her chair a little.

Without knowing it, Jackie said almost exactly what Linda had said to him the night before when Danny was raging about it at home.

Danny became quiet, silently going over everything about Jamie the last few weeks, looking for a clue he missed. Picking up the phone, he called Jamie thinking they could get together for a drink but Jamie told him he already had plans with his partner.

After his shift ended, and wishing Jackie a happy Thanksgiving and telling her to be safe, Danny stopped by the local bar to see if Jamie changed his mind. Through the haze of smoke and low lights, he spotted Jamie's partner as he was explaining darts to a pretty, young woman. Danny's mind started reexamining everything he knew. The one fact that was screaming at him was that his younger brother lied to him. He was more determined than ever to find out what was going on and why Jamie lied to him.