A/N: Thank you all so much for the reviews! I appreciate every one of them. See the first chapter for the disclaimer. I hope you all enjoy this one, and please review. :)

Chapter Forty

Linda was cutting up potatoes when Jamie walked in with a bouquet of flowers. "You got a date after dinner tonight?" she quipped.

Jamie smiled slightly. "No," he said. "Actually, they're for you."

Linda arched her eyebrows. "Thanks, but I'm already married."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I just wanted to say thank you. You've put up with a lot from me over the last few months, and… I know flowers aren't really enough, but…"

"Jamie, you don't have to thank me," she told him softly. "You're family. You're always welcome, any time. And when things get tough, I'll always be there."

"Yeah, well, I felt bad every time I'd call in the middle of the night and wake you up."

Linda shrugged. "If I were you, I'd feel worse for Danny. He's the one who stayed up with you. I fell right back to sleep."

Jamie laughed softly.

"But seriously, Jamie," she said. "You don't have to thank me. I'm always gonna be there. And I'm glad you're doing better."

"Gets better every day," he acknowledged.

She nodded as she finished chopping potatoes. She put them in the pot of water before wiping her hands on the towel. "I love the flowers," she told him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied.

She stepped forward, giving him a hug. He squeezed her gently before letting go. "Erin help you pick them out?"

He snorted a small laugh. "No, actually, Danny did."

She smiled widely. "I have him so well trained, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess. Now, if you could only curb his temper…"

She whipped him with the towel, causing him to laugh.

"Do you need any help?" he asked as they settled down.

"Sure, you can help with the salad," she replied.

Jamie nodded, grabbing a knife and beginning to slice vegetables and put them in the bowl. "So, how come you're doing all the work today and Erin's not helping?"

"Her and Nicki were working on something today. They'll be here for dinner, though."

"That's good."

Linda nodded, watching Jamie cutting the carrots. "Remember, not your fingers."

Jamie looked up at her with a half-glare.

She just smiled.

"Bless us, oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from your bounty, through Christ our Lord, Amen," Jack said.

"Amen," the rest of the Reagans said.

As they passed the food around and started eating, Linda looked across the table at her brother-in-law. Jamie seemed to be much better than he had been in a long time, a far cry from the broken man who woke up months ago in the hospital. The late night calls had ceased a few weeks ago, and he was back at work.

Back to arguing with Danny.

"I'm just saying, you can't always do that," Jamie replied.

"How would you know?" Danny countered.

"It's taunting the lines of legality. And one of these days, it'll cross it."

"You and your 'legality' stuff, that's crap. It's a good tactic."

Jamie shook his head. "I'm just saying, it's cutting it close. It's a risk."

"One worth taking."

Linda shook her head, taking a bite of her food as the two brothers continued a relatively civil argument. One that was more normal than any discussion that had come up at the Reagan dinner table in the past few months. Linda glanced over at Frank, who was thinking the same thing she was.

It was good to have Jamie back, for the most part. There were still a few pieces missing, but he was back.

Much to Danny's chagrin.

"You'll learn, Harvard," Danny grunted.

"Right, because I haven't figured anything out from my time on the beat," Jamie countered.

"You don't know what it is like as a detective. When you get there, you'll understand."

Jamie rolled his eyes.

"So, Erin, how was that thing earlier?" Linda asked, changing the subject.