A/N: A big thank you to all who have reviewed, followed, favorited, or read this story. I am pleased you are all enjoying it. Rest assured, we are a long ways from the end and there will be many twists and turns in this road for Jamie and Caitlin. A big thank you to DanniMitchell83, my wonderful beta, who goes above and beyond for me and cares about my story almost as much as I do. That said, on to the next part in the saga. Enjoy!
Chapter Ten
Walking from the precinct towards the courthouse after his tour, Jamie reflected on the last two weeks. True to his word, Danny had backed off and wasn't questioning him every chance he got; but Jamie couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched more closely than usual.
His father and grandfather asked about Caitlin, showing their interest in her and the growing relationship. They kept the questions low key, so others wouldn't notice, making sure not to push for information he wasn't ready to share. They wanted to give Jamie the space he needed, hoping he would soon bring Caitlin home for the rest of the family to meet.
Jamie wasn't sure if Linda knew about Caitlin, but assumed Danny had told her about what they had discussed. Jamie realized Danny didn't like keeping things from her and he had known the danger of her finding out when he asked Danny to meet him. Linda didn't let on that she knew and Jamie didn't bring it up figuring she would wait for him to speak.
The relationship between Linda and his older brother was one that Jamie had secretly envied. He may not always see eye to eye with his brother or his methods, but he respected that Danny never hid anything from his wife. It was what made them such a great parenting team. He would never admit it to Danny, but his brother was a great husband and father; he just needed a little more work in the big brother department. Jamie had always hoped he would have the same open and honest partnership with whomever he chose to marry.
Jamie also made a special trip to talk to Nicky at her school the day after the dinner. She assured him she wouldn't say anything and Jamie was confident she would keep his secret. Nicky was young, but had a good head on her shoulders and he knew he could trust her.
He continued seeing Caitlin as often as he could, given their complicated schedules. This was a stressful time of year and he could see her worrying about the papers and projects she had to grade, as final grades were due within days. He was looking forward to Christmas and was agonizing over what to get her. He didn't want to go overboard but wanted to get her something meaningful and special.
Arriving at his destination, Jamie looked up at the majestic old building before pushing the heavy doors open and entering. He walked slowly down the marble halls finding his way, as he had many times before, to his sister's office.
~Blue Bloods~
Sitting at her desk, Erin reviewed the file in front of her. It was a complicated case and she needed to make sure she had all the facts straight before starting to build her case. The trial wouldn't begin until after the New Year, but she wanted to spend time with Nicky during the winter break.
Hearing a knock at her door she looked up from her paperwork. Seeing her handsome younger brother in the doorway, she waved him in with a smile as she rose to greet him. Giving him a hug, she looked at him critically, curious about his unexpected visit.
"What brings you by, Jamie?" Erin asked, "Not that I'm unhappy to see you," she added with a smile. In the past, Jamie would often drop by to talk, but since becoming a cop, Jamie only dropped by when his work required it, and she missed those little visits.
"I wanted to talk to you, if you're not busy," Jamie smiled nervously at her and looked away, suddenly unsure of himself now that he was standing before her.
"I was just finishing up. Nicky's having dinner with her father tonight; want to grab something to eat?" Erin invited him to join her, wondering about Jamie's sudden shyness.
Shaking his head and taking a deep breath, Jamie knew he needed to tell her what he had come to tell her, "Actually, I have a date tonight, so I can't."
"Really? Someone special?" Erin was surprised; she didn't think Jamie had dated anyone seriously since Sydney. In the back of her mind, Erin always hoped that Sydney would come back into Jamie's life. They had been perfect for each other and she liked having another lawyer around who shared her perspective.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about…" Jamie broke off as his phone rang. Looking at the display, he said, "Hang on, I gotta take this."
Erin watched with interest, as he turned his back to her and took a few steps away. Then she heard his voice become less professional and much more loving. "No, it's no problem. Are you sure you want to do that… Okay, call me when you get home."
Jamie slowly put his phone away. Turning he saw Erin looking at him questioningly.
"Sorry, about that. Looks like I'm free after all," Jamie said, musing over what Caitlin had said.
"She cancelled on you?" Erin asked sympathetically.
"Hmm?" Jamie replied, still thinking. "Yeah, she needs to work tonight. She didn't get as much done today as she wanted to; guess her meeting this afternoon ran later than she thought it would."
"This is someone special, isn't it?" Erin watched Jamie as a wide smile broke over his face. She realized he looked happier than she had seen him in a long time.
"Yeah, she's special," Jamie admitted.
"Does Dad know?" Erin had a sneaking suspicion she was the last to find out.
Jamie looked embarrassed as he admitted, "We had dinner with him and grandpa a few weeks ago."
"And Danny knows since he's leaving you alone." Erin wasn't an ADA for nothing.
Jamie nodded.
"Anyone else know?" Erin asked.
"Well, Nicky walked in when we were kissing in the living room." Jamie's face was now bright red. "Don't get mad at her, I asked her not to say anything," he said hurriedly. He never wanted to turn mother against daughter; he thought of it as uncle/niece bonding time.
Sighing, Erin asked, "Sometimes, I just don't understand you. I mean, this is good thing, right? So, why wouldn't you want to tell us about her? Does she have a record?" Erin looked at him closely as a thought occurred, "This isn't someone you arrested is it?"
Jamie looked at Erin, astounded. "Of course I didn't arrest her." Jamie said; he was surprised his sister would even ask such a question.
Erin didn't push more on the subject but she noticed that Jamie never answered the question about her record. She made a mental note to talk to Danny about it later; maybe they should check up on her.
Jamie smiled widely, "You'll meet her Sunday; she's coming for dinner."
Erin gave her brother a hug and said, "Well, let's go grab some dinner and you can tell me all about her."
It didn't take long for Erin to secure her files and grab her things. After locking her office, she walked down the long corridor alongside her brother. They debated good naturedly about where to eat and as they decided, Erin could see how happy Jamie seemed. She never thought he was unhappy, but seeing how he was now, the difference was noticeable. Whoever this new woman was, she seemed to have a positive effect on him, but it bothered her that he had hidden it from the family. It wasn't like him and she wondered about this new woman. She decided she would have to see for herself on Sunday.
~Blue Bloods~
Leaving for church on Sunday, both Frank and Henry were in a good mood. Jamie had called a few days before and asked them to set an extra place for Sunday dinner. Frank was thrilled that Caitlin had taken him up on his invitation. Having met her, he understood what a big step this was for her. He hadn't missed the delight in Jamie's voice though he knew Jamie was also nervous. Today, Caitlin would meet the rest of the family and Frank knew Jamie was worried about how his siblings would treat her.
Church was its usual peaceful experience, though in the season of advent it was extra nice. The church had been decorated with greenery and the purple banners heralded the coming of the Christ child. The advent candles were central and Frank particularly enjoyed the special music of the season. He knew Jamie wouldn't be there today and he missed him.
As the family arrived at the house, Sean and Jack ran in and headed for the TV. The football game was about to start and they didn't want to miss even a second of it. They loved the Jets and they were playing the rival Patriots today.
Nicky offered to help her mom set the table in preparation for the meal. "There are too many plates, mom," she said, holding the extra plate in her hand, looking quizzically at her mother, unsure of what to do with it.
"Uncle Jamie's bringing his new girlfriend, so set an extra place near him." Erin replied. She hadn't let on to Nicky that she knew.
"Cool. She looked nice." Nicky looked at her mom, shyly, "I wanted to tell you but grandpa and pops said I should let Uncle Jamie tell you, then he asked me not to say anything."
"You did the right thing, honey. He told me the other day," Erin reassured her daughter. After they finished the chore, Erin went into the kitchen to help with dinner while Nicky went to join her cousins and Uncle Danny watching the game.
Seeing that Linda and Henry were busy working on getting the meal prepared, Erin took a seat at the kitchen table staying out of the way of the work, but still able to have a conversation.
"I missed Jamie in church this morning," Linda commented.
Nodding, Henry told her, "Me too, but he said that they were going to go to her church this morning. She had to be there for some reason. They'll come on over when they're done."
Linda asked, "Is she Catholic?"
Henry considered, "I believe so. When they were here for dinner a few weeks ago, she wore a crucifix and crossed herself after grace."
Linda looked at Erin, "What has Jamie told you about her?"
"Well, since I was the last one to find out about her, I don't know much. She's from the south, I think. I know she's not a cop. What has Danny told you?" Erin asked, curiously.
"Not much, I don't think Jamie's told him a lot about her either." Linda laughed, "You know Jamie; he keeps things to himself."
Henry broke in, looking out the window, "You'll find out soon enough. I think they're here."
A few minutes later, the kitchen door opened and Jamie and Caitlin walked in. Jamie greeted his family. Standing behind Caitlin, he placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "Caitlin, this is my sister-in-law, Linda, and my sister, Erin." He continued, "This is my girlfriend, Caitlin." Jamie tried to sound as if he called her 'my girlfriend' all the time when in fact it was the first time he'd said the words out loud.
Erin looked at Caitlin. She wasn't at all what Erin expected. She was slight of frame and very quiet. She was dressed well in her simple dark brown dress and high heels, if a bit more formally than the Reagans were. Her outfit complemented her coloring but the way she held back and watched didn't sit well with Erin. She was lovely, but not at all what Erin had in mind for Jamie.
Linda came over to Caitlin and said, "Hi, it's nice to meet you." She liked Caitlin at once.
Caitlin smiled, she had a feeling she would like Linda very much.
"Let them get in the door and take their coats off," Henry ordered. "Nice to see you again, Caitlin."
"It's nice to see you, Mr. Reagan." Caitlin answered, shyly, as Jamie helped her take her coat off, gathering it in his arms.
"Please call me, Henry." Henry had never liked formality unless he was on the job.
Caitlin smiled and nodded, repeating the name to herself as if trying to memorize it; she hoped she would remember it later.
Jamie walked into the living room to put their coats on the rack, leaving Caitlin in the kitchen. He saw his father sitting in the living room, reading the paper and greeted him warmly. Not seeking out the rest of the family as was his habit, Jamie returned quickly to Caitlin's side.
Walking back into the kitchen, Jamie saw and Linda and Caitlin were talking as Erin observed. Seeing how quiet and reserved Caitlin was, Erin wondered what she was hiding from them. She was more determined than ever to get to the bottom of it before this woman could hurt Jamie.
"Where are Danny and the boys?" Jamie asked. He hadn't seen them in the living room.
"Football," was Linda's one word answer.
Laughing, Jamie said, "I should have known." Placing his hand on her back, he let Caitlin walk ahead of him as they went to the solarium to check on the game.
"Uncle Jamie!" Sean called out as he saw his uncle. "We missed you at church."
"I missed you, too," Jamie said to his young nephew, leaning over to tousle his hair.
Danny stood and walked over to the couple, saying, "Okay, Sean, settle down." He had a general idea what Caitlin looked like from Jamie, but he was surprised at what he saw. She was much more delicate looking than he thought she would be, though very pretty.
"Caitlin this is my brother, Danny." Jamie said. "And, those are his boys, Jack and Sean." He indicated each boy in turn. "I think you remember, Nicky."
Caitlin looked at Nicky briefly, and nodded, trying not to remember the awkward circumstances when they met. She looked more closely at Danny, wondering about Jamie's brother.
"Hello," Caitlin said, shyly.
Danny watched as she took Jamie's hand and he could see Jamie squeeze it in support. Danny thought, 'Good for you, little brother.'
Jamie asked, "What's the score?" He tried to shift the focus from Caitlin, knowing that she was already anxious.
"Where were you this morning, Uncle Jamie?" Sean asked.
"Sean, that's none of our business," Danny chided.
"No, it's okay, Danny" Jamie said, explaining to his curious nephew, "We went to church in the city, at St. Patrick's cathedral."
"Oh. How come?" Sean pestered.
Danny shook his head, "Enough, Sean. Watch the game."
"Sorry, he has a one track mind sometimes." Danny said to Caitlin. "It's nice to meet you."
"Hello, Caitlin," Frank stepped into the room, smiling. So far, everything looked like it was going okay. "Pop says dinner's ready," Frank added, as he rounded up his children and grandchildren.
"Aw, Grandpa, the Jets are about to score," Jack objected.
"You can find out how it ends later, it's time to eat," Frank ordered, sternly.
They walked in to the dining room, and there was some confusion about the seating. Finally everyone was seated with Frank and Henry at the heads of the table, as usual. Caitlin was seated between Jamie and Nicky and across from the two young boys. Frank decided to say grace and they bowed their heads.
As they started to pass the dishes and load up their plates, Danny watched Caitlin. She was reserved, but she seemed friendly.
"So, how did you two meet?" Danny asked. He was finally getting his opportunity to get more of the information he wanted.
Jamie talked about their meeting in the park, filling in more details than he had given to his father and grandfather.
"Caitlin, here, is a music professor at Juilliard, you teach piano, right?" Henry said.
"Really?" Linda remarked, after hearing Caitlin's quiet agreement, "I always thought the boys should take some music lessons." She ignored the groans from her sons at the mention of music lessons.
"I always envied the music students when I was in college," Erin commented, "I was studying hard all the time to get into Law School and they had it easy with such a soft course of study." She paused as she took a sip of wine before saying, "I thought Juilliard concentrated on performance."
"Yes, we teach performance exclusively," Caitlin answered, in her quiet way.
Erin pressed, "So you're a piano teacher."
Jamie sat back in his chair and looked over at his sister, stunned by her comments.
Caitlin also looked at Erin and took measure of her. "I suppose that's one way of putting it," she said calmly before Jamie could object.
Linda looked from Jamie to Erin; then, trying to diffuse a potential argument asked, "Where are you from, I love that accent."
"I was born and raised in Natchez, Mississippi," Caitlin replied with a smile. She recognized in Linda a kindred spirit; one that wasn't involved in "the family business."
"Where's that?" Jack asked.
Caitlin looked at Jack; he seemed to be about ten years old. "Do you know where the Mississippi River is?"
Jack looked at her, "I'm not sure. Somewhere in the middle?"
"I'll tell you what, after supper, I mean dinner, is over, we'll look at a map and I'll show you," Caitlin promised.
"Is Natchez on the river?" Linda asked, after looking sternly at her boys as they subsided. The boys, seeing their mother's gaze on them, turned their attention to eating.
"Yes, it is. It's about 170 miles north of New Orleans, and 70 miles south of Vicksburg," Caitlin said taking a sip of water.
"Don't you like the wine?" Danny asked. He noticed that her glass was still full.
Caitlin looked at Danny, "I don't often drink," she said, quietly, withdrawing.
Frank looked at her and changed the subject asking Danny about his latest case. As the conversation moved on, Caitlin listened as the Reagans argued and talked over each other, It seemed like everyone had an opinion and had to voice it.
As the meal was finishing, Jamie could feel the tension rolling off Caitlin in waves. He carried their plates into the kitchen and quickly returned to the front of the house and got their coats.
Walking back into the kitchen, Jamie searched for Caitlin. She was listening to Linda and Henry as they cleaned up. Jamie walked up to her, wearing his coat and carrying her coat over his arm, said, softly to her, "Let's go for a walk."
Caitlin looked at him, gratefully. She put her coat on willingly and they walked to the door.
"Are you leaving already?" Henry asked; he was disappointed. He wanted to get to know her better.
"No, grandpa, we're just going for a walk," Jamie explained. "We'll be back."
"It's really cold," Henry started to object, but could see that Caitlin had become withdrawn and he figured Jamie knew what she needed.
They left to go on their walk and the kitchen was cleaned and put to right quickly. The family gathered in the solarium watching football, looking out the window occasionally for Jamie and Caitlin.
Frank spotted them through the window after a while coming back. They were walking hand in hand as they talked. Jamie laughed and Caitlin smiled. They came back in the house and both seemed more at ease then when they left.
As they were taking their coats off, Jack and Sean ran up to Caitlin and Jack said, "I found an atlas."
Laughing at their enthusiasm, Caitlin smiled and said, "Okay, let's look at it."
They took it into the dining room and placed it on the table. Danny, Jamie, and Frank came in, curious.
Opening the atlas, Caitlin found a map of The United States. She stood looking at the map with an arm around each boy. "Where do we live, uh..?" She searched her memory for his name.
Jamie supplied, "Jack."
Caitlin repeated, "Jack," as Jack looked at the map and found New York City.
Caitlin smiled and said, "Do you know where Minnesota is?"
Jack frowned and said, "Not really."
Caitlin pointed to Minnesota and indicated a spot northwest of Minneapolis. "This is Lake Itasca, and at this point you can wade across the Mississippi River." Jack and Sean looked at the map with interest and followed her words closely. Caitlin continued, her finger tracing the river as she spoke, "It flows down to Minneapolis and then flows south to St Louis, Missouri where it gets wider until it gets to Cairo, Illinois. There the Ohio River joins and the river gets very wide, about a mile across as it continues south. Now this is the state of Mississippi and here is Natchez, where I grew up. The river continues on until it gets to the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans."
Jack followed her, listening to what she said. "What was is like there?"
Caitlin took a seat as she remembered, "Well, it was hot. It doesn't get cold like it does here and it never snows. My best friend and I used to walk down near the river and there was…um, a circular wooden platform with a pitched roof. In the summer, bands would sometimes play their music there."
"Sounds like a gazebo," Frank said. He and Danny exchanged confused looks. They looked at Jamie who didn't seem to think anything was amiss.
"Very similar," Caitlin said, nodding as she continued, "We would sit there and watch the boats come in. The barges were boring; flat and piled with crates and boxes. Oh, but the riverboats, they were something else." She spoke with a faraway expression on her face, "They looked like…elaborate birthday cakes. They were white with balconies and elaborate railings and a huge water wheel on the front that the water pours through as it turns. We used to sit there and watch the people get on and off. We would make up stories about who they were and where they were going and what they would do when they got there." She laughed as she finished and added, "Boys probably aren't interested in that kind of thing."
Sean went back to the solarium, bored, but Jack looked at the map, interested. As he studied it, Frank, Danny, Jamie, and Caitlin talked quietly. Jamie and Danny went to the kitchen and got coffee for the four of them. Frank saw that Caitlin was more relaxed and seemed more at ease, maybe because there were fewer people around.
After finishing their coffee, Jamie looked at his watch, "Caitlin, we need to go." Jamie was reluctant to leave but wanted to go while things were going well. He wasn't sure what was going on with his sister and her knuckle-headed comments.
They said their goodbyes and left to go back into the city.
After Jamie and Caitlin left, the rest of the adults gathered in the living room to talk. "What did you think of her?" Frank asked, handing everyone a drink as they sat there discussing the guest.
The concerned glances Danny and Erin exchanged didn't go unnoticed by Frank.
Linda said, "I liked her a lot."
"She was very good with the boys, especially, Jack," Danny added. "I think he actually learned something."
Henry looked at them and prodded, "But?"
"She's really quiet. She didn't really talk that much. We had to ask her questions to get her to open up. I don't know; she doesn't seem like Jamie's type." Erin shared her honest opinion, "I'm not sure she fits in."
Once Erin spoke her mind, Danny took the cue and weighed in, "She didn't drink any wine, not even a polite sip. She wouldn't even try it."
Erin offered, "Maybe she's an alcoholic?"
"I don't think so," Danny said, showing he had been more observant during dinner than they thought. "She wasn't looking at that drink with longing."
"Maybe she talks too much when she drinks," Erin thought out loud. "Maybe she has something to hide and didn't want to risk letting it slip out."
Danny looked down and thought about that option; it was possible and something he would have to look into later. Changing the subject, Danny asked, "And what was that with the gazebo?"
Henry asked, "What was that?" Like everyone else, he had let Erin and Danny have their say without interrupting their train of thought. The family had learned, with some pain, it wasn't a good idea to get in the middle of those two when they were brainstorming.
Frank filled him in, "Caitlin was talking to Jack and she described a gazebo instead using the word. I don't know why, but your brother wasn't bothered by it. Maybe it's just something she does, or it's a southern thing."
Frank began to understand why Jamie had been reluctant to bring her home. Tough crowd. Danny and Erin were making this more difficult than it needed to be. Who knew a word choice and lack of drinking would stir up this much trouble.
Linda commented, "You know, guys, it's really hard coming in here and getting to know everyone all at once. It can be intimidating having everyone watching you." She knew, firsthand, it could be hard dealing with the Reagans en masse.
Frank looked at Erin, "I know she's quiet and reserved, but her reserve suits him." Frank paused, thinking about his youngest son. "You know, the four of us are more like the Reagan side of the family. We tend to be impatient, impulsive, opinionated, quick to anger, and argumentative…but Jamie isn't. He's much more like the Reilly side. He's patient, quiet, slow to anger…he's a thinker. I think she complements him well. As she gets to know us, she might just open up a bit more."
Danny objected, "Jamie gets angry, Dad."
"Of course he does, when he's pushed," Frank looked at Danny meaningfully. "I have to tell you, I don't think I've ever seen him this happy and content."
Erin objected, "She just seems so passive and submissive."
Henry laughed, "I don't think she's either of those things." He leaned forward, intently, eyeing Erin, "Don't mistake quietness for weakness. I suspect there's more to her than meets the eye. You know, studying music isn't the soft thing you seem to think it is. I'm pretty sure in order to teach at an institution like Juilliard one must have a doctorate and a background in performance."
Erin shrugged, "She's not like Sydney at all."
Danny snorted, "That's a bad thing?"
"I liked Sydney," Erin argued.
"You liked her because she's a lawyer," Danny retorted.
"What's wrong with that?" Erin said
"Nothing's wrong with that, but Sydney walked away and left him because he wouldn't do what she wanted him to do." Danny stuck to his guns. "Look, I agree Jamie looks happy. It just worries me. Maybe she has a substance abuse issue or something's really wrong with her. I just don't want Jamie to get hurt again."
"This is Jamie's choice to make, Danny. We don't get a vote," Linda reminded him.
"They just started dating," Erin pointed out. "It's not like they're getting married. Maybe it won't last." She sounded hopeful. She wanted Jamie to be happy, but she always thought that Jamie would end up with a lawyer, like he should be. If Sydney had only stayed, Jamie wouldn't be a cop now, risking his life every day.
Frank said, sternly, "Erin, who he dates, is Jamie's choice and if you treat her with disrespect you could push him away for good."
Henry stood and said, "Well, I like her and I hope you will at the very least, respect your brother and whatever choices he makes." Henry turned and left the room, leaving the others to ponder what he had said as they also rose and prepared to leave.