Thanks to everyone who has continued to read and add this to their favorites and alerts lists. Also big thanks to LoveMeSomeFrankR, Donnie88, decandenceofmysoul, Pharmergirl, and ki4pak who all reviewed the last chapter. Your words are great motivators.

Contains references to 1X22 and 2X4.

Despite knowing the Blue Templar was wrapped up and couldn't hurt anyone again, the following week was hard on Anna. Not just because it was the end of the school year but because a small part of her still felt guilty. Then a week and a day since she found out that the take down had happened, Anna woke up in a terrible mood. When she checked her phone and saw the date she realized why. It was May 15, exactly two years from the day her uncle died. Linda asked about her choice of all black outfits when she came down for breakfast, but Anna just shrugged it off. All through mass, Anna went through the motions but wasn't really feeling very religious. Especially not on that day. After mass they went to the Reagan Homestead where Linda and Erin cooked as the men watched baseball and the other three kids played basketball outside in the driveway. Anna sat on the steps inside staring at the Mets game playing on TV. They were playing Houston but Anna couldn't focus. Finally she stood up and walked over to the couch, leaning her arms on the back.

"Uncle Jamie, can we talk?" Anna whispered. Jamie looked up at her then nodded following her over to the front door. "I know that you don't want to miss this game but I need a favor," Anna said.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Jamie asked. Anna pulled out her phone, flipped it open, and showed Jamie the screen pointing to the date at the bottom. He mouthed the date, confused, then it hit him. "Oh, okay. Get your coat; I'll meet you at the car." Jamie walked over to his dad and spoke to him as Anna pulled her hoodie on and walked down to the car. She could hear laughter coming from up the drive as well as the thud of a basketball off the backboard. She didn't turn to look or she might have regretted it. Soon Jamie joined her and they were off. In what seemed like hours but was only minutes, Jamie and Anna were standing in front of Joe's grave. That day's date, only two years prior, was carved at the bottom of the headstone. "I'll give you a minute," Jamie said, after a moment.

He walked away and Anna sat down at the head of the grave, slightly off to the side. She never liked sitting directly in front of the stone as she felt like she was sitting directly on top of the person buried there. She sat tracing the letters of his name with her eyes for a bit then lay down between his grave and that of his mother's. Part of her felt like she was cuddling up next to her uncle. She could almost feel him. Jamie watched from a distance and felt bad that he hadn't suggested this to begin with or taken her with them last week when the adults had visited. Then again as she lay down next to the grave, maybe it was time for him to build a stronger bond with her so she didn't miss Joe quite as much.

Meanwhile at the house, Linda was getting the bottle of dressing out of the fridge. She had just closed the door when she caught sight of the calendar on the fridge. The bottle slipped from her hand landing on the floor with a loud thud, cracking the lid and causing dressing to pour out and over towards the back door. "Linda? Is everything okay?" Erin asked.

"It—Uh—Yeah. I'm sorry. I just saw today's date," Linda answered, shaking her head.

"Linda?" Danny asked, entering the kitchen.

"We're fine," Linda said, looking over at him.

"I'll get a mop," Erin said. Linda picked up the bottle and stepped away from the puddle.

"Danny, where's Anna?" Linda asked.

"I don't know. She and Jamie went out the front door about 15 minutes or so ago," Danny said.

"Mom?" Sean asked, pulling open the screen door.

"Stop. Use the other door." Linda pointed towards the sunroom. "Where's your sister?"

"She and Uncle Jamie left about 15 minutes ago," Nicky said as they headed for the other door.

"Of course," Linda said softly.

"What?" Danny said.

"It's May 15th. There's only one place they would go," Linda told them.

Erin started cleaning up the mess as Danny stared at his wife. "The graveyard," Erin explained.

"You're okay with that?" Danny asked, looking at Linda as she went to the cupboard to find something to put the rest of the dressing in.

"To be honest, no. The last place Anna needs to be today after everything is in front of that grave but maybe it'll be good for the two of them. Anna's always worried about bonding with Jamie, how far to take it and wondering whether or not bonding with him would hurt her memory of Joe. Jamie has always wanted to bond with his niece, but didn't know how to open that door. Maybe this will help."

"Not if the only thing they bond over is Joe," Danny said, walking to the kitchen island where Linda was standing, having forgotten why he had come into the kitchen in the first place.

"Let's just see how it goes, Danny," Linda said. Danny sighed and grabbed a carrot stick off the counter.

By the time dinner was on the table, Jamie and Anna were coming in the door. "Everything alright?" Frank asked as Jamie took a seat at the table and Anna went into the bathroom to wash up.

"Yeah, I think she's starting to feel better," Jamie said.

"You okay, sweetheart?" Linda asked as Anna came out of the bathroom and headed through the kitchen to the table.

"I think so. It's been a hard two years but deep down I know I shouldn't be so upset about this."

"I'm proud of you," Linda said. She hugged her daughter then noticed some grass in the young girl's hair. She gently pulled it out and dumped it in the trash can as the girl went to the table.

On Wednesday, Jim stopped Anna after school. "Hey, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"It is the last day of school," Anna smirked.

"I meant tomorrow night. Um ... Ray and Derrek want to take their girls out but Krista and Emma aren't allowed to double date anymore so they were hoping I'd go along and then get lost but Emma said that was too risky and when she told her parents that I was going they said she could only go if you went with us."

"Me? You have a girlfriend," Anna said.

"Actually I don't," Jim answered.

"What? What happened?"

"She wanted to be free for whatever summer love she found. Her folks are taking her to the Jersey Shore for a few weeks. I said good luck and warned her not to come crawling back when she was done."

"That's harsh."

"She obviously didn't have deep feeling for me. Besides even if I did go and get lost I'd be bored out of my mind. Keep me company, please."

"You agreed to all this already?" Anna asked.

"No, I said I'd have to ask you first but Krista's parents have agreed with Emma's, you don't go, they can't go. They wanted to do Froyo and a movie."

"Three conditions."

"Name it."

"First, we see that new Austin Thomas action flick. Second, we get Froyo at Froyo Forever since there's an ice cream place next door and frozen yogurt never agrees with my stomach. Third, you take me to dinner first. I know the minute this gets out, everyone's going to think we're dating or something."

"I—"

"Take it or leave it. Oh, and if we do this, it's not a date, it's just two friends hanging out."

"Deal," Jim answered after a minute. He clapped her on the shoulder. "I'll pick you up at 5:30 tomorrow."

"Great," Anna said. That night Anna found both her parents in the living room. "Mom, can I talk to you for a second?" Anna asked.

"Of course, anything," Linda said, putting down her magazine.

"Um ..." Anna sat down on the couch in front of the TV as her parents were sharing the other couch. "You know tomorrow's not a school night, in fact it's the last day of school and Jim, you remember Jim, right?"

"First base on the baseball team. He was on the varsity team this year, reddish-brown hair, tall, he's 16, I think, and he's kinda cute?"

"A little cute, but we've been friends since I was in seventh grade and he was in eighth."

"Right, what about him?"

"He was wondering if, since tomorrow isn't a school night, I could go out with him. It's not a date," Anna rushed out, "it's just two friends hanging out for dinner, an action movie, and ice cream."

"Sounds like a date," Linda said gently.

"My 14 year old isn't going out with a 16 year old boy I don't know," Danny added.

"It's not a date," Anna pointed out again.

"I don't think the two of you should be going out alone, even if it's not a date," Linda said.

"But Mom, we won't be. Ray and Emma and Derrek and Krista will also be there. We're all good kids and besides Jim's only two years older than me for five months of the year," Anna explained.

"Is he picking you up?" Linda asked.

"He's had his license for a month and he's a really good driver. Ray's also driving but his car only seats four."

"So you want me—us," Danny corrected when Linda swatted his shoulder, "to let our 14 year old go on a triple date in a car with a newly licensed driver on a school night?"

"It's not a school night and it's not a date. Not for me and Jim. Jim's just a friend and if I don't go Emma and Krista can't go either. Please, Mom. I haven't been in trouble for months and when my report card comes out you'll see I'm passing every class."

"Why don't you go upstairs and let me talk to your dad for a few minutes?" Linda said. Though it sounded very much like a suggestion, Anna knew it wasn't. She also knew her dad was in for an earful. So she went up to her room, pulled off her shoes, then went back to the top of the stairs where she could hear but wouldn't be seen. "Of course I'm considering this, Danny. It's the first time she's asked to go out with friends in a very long time and the first time she's asked me in front of you. Besides, she was pretty clear it wasn't a date."

"Three guys, three girls, we call that a triple date. She's too young to date, plus I don't know any of these guys."

"Try showing up to a baseball game. You're only saying she's too young because she's your daughter. If it were Jack or Sean who were asking at her age, you'd be encouraging it. We agreed Danny, no double standards. All three of our children get treated the same."

"Linda, he's 16," Danny argued.

"And your daughter will be 15 in four months," Linda said.

"Can we really let her go into the city with these kids?" Danny asked.

"Would it make you feel better if we told her she can't leave Staten Island?"

"I've never even met these kids, Linda. You want me to trust them with my baby girl?" Her dad's voice was desperate and she knew that he was scared for her. He was only making this a big deal because he didn't want anything to happen to her.

"Danny, I've met both Jim and Derrek. They're good kids. Jim's mom used to be a dispatch operator and Derrek's parents own a grocery store not too far from here. We're talking about athletes not thugs. I'm telling her she can go and unless you run their names through the system tomorrow and find out they're felons or something, I don't want to hear another word out of you," Linda told him.

"But—"

"No buts, Danny, try to accept this. Please," Linda begged. Anna didn't hear another word out of her dad. "Thank you; you heard all that, right, Anna?" Linda called.

"Thanks, Mom," Anna answered, standing up to go back to her room.

"Hold it," Linda said. She appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "You text or call if you'll be out later than 11 o'clock,"

"Her curfew is ten," Danny protested.

"It's not a school night, it's the start of summer, and we trust her," Linda said, looking at her husband. "We do trust her, right?" Linda asked.

"Fine," Danny reluctantly agreed.

"Thanks, Dad," Anna said. She went to bed and after he was sure she wasn't going to see him, Danny grabbed her yearbook from the shelf and flipped to the baseball team's page. He ran his finger along the names until he found the three he was looking for. Jim Miller, Derrek Jones, and Raymond Baylock. They looked like ordinary kids but since they all went to Catholic school, he knew looks weren't everything. He jotted down the names and vowed to run them through the system when he got to work.

At lunch the following day, Anna sat down at the varsity baseball table and calmly started to eat her lunch. Every one of the boys watched her for a few minutes to see if she was going to say anything and when she didn't, they slowly returned to their conversations and lunches. Each one would randomly glance at her but no one said anything. "You're in my seat, little girl," a voice said in her ear.

"Mom said yes, but I still have five hours to change my mind, so don't make me mad or you just ruined a really good date for two of your really good friends," Anna answered, not looking up as Jim sat his tray on the table.

"You're going to let her talk to you like that?" Ray asked from across the table. Jim discreetly nudged her.

"Will your parents let you go on a double date with Emma if I don't go and Jim just "gets lost" and somehow they find out?"

"My parents don't care. I turned 18 two months ago. I screw up; it's not their problem," Ray said.

"And uh ... Emma's parents? I'm sure her parents are the ones that said she couldn't go unless I went." Anna stood up and leaned across the table a bit. "Do they know you've been picked up twice by the cops?"

"For loitering. It's not an actual crime."

"They don't have to know that."

"How do you know that?"

"I have friends in high places."

"Shutting up," Ray said as Anna sat back down.

"Okay, so your mom's on board but what about your dad?" Jim asked as he leaned forward to open his chocolate milk and get a better look at Anna's face.

Anna glanced around the cafeteria and checked her phone discreetly. "So far he hasn't given a valid reason as to why I can't go. So um ... when you pick me up tonight make sure you come to the door. I know that's asking you to submit to the Spanish Inquisition and all but it'll score you points with my dad. Oh and Mom said I could only go if we didn't leave Staten Island."

"We weren't planning on it," Ray said. Anna nodded as Emma and Krista rushed up.

"So it's it on? Is it a date?" Emma asked.

"It's not a date," Anna said.

"But Anna agreed to hang out and as far as we know her parents are cool with it," Jim finished.

"Why isn't it a date? He's cute, that's be a perfect first date," Krista pressed.

"Because I'm 14, he's 16, and my dad would flip if it was a date," Anna said.

"Tara and I broke up a week ago, I'm not ready to get back out there," Jim said. Derrek leaned over to his girlfriend and whispered something and she nodded looking less happy than she had a moment before.

"Okay," Krista said.

Later that night, Anna saw Jim's brother's truck pull into the driveway and she turned to her dad. "Jim just pulled up. I'm going upstairs. He knows you're a detective out of Manhattan. You have two minutes," Anna held up two fingers, "two minutes to submit him to whatever scare tactics or inquisition you want before I come back down. That's all you get. When I come back down you will be nice to him and semi-supportive of this night out or I will never ask your permission to go out again," she said.

"So I screw this up and you'll never go out again?" Danny asked.

"Not what I said."

"A dad can hope." Anna rolled her eyes then raced upstairs as the doorbell rang. She paused in her doorway and waited for him to come inside.

"Danny, play nice," Linda warned.

"I'm always nice," Danny answered. "Can I help you?" he asked as he opened the front door.

"Mr. Reagan, I'm Jim Miller. Anna and I are supposed to be going out tonight, if that's alright with you," Jim said. Anna could hear the hesitancy in his tone.

"She'll be down in a few minutes. Come in, have a seat. And please, it's Detective," Danny said. Anna could imagine the look her mom was giving her dad and moved to the top of the stairs to hear better.

"Of course, sir. Mrs. Reagan, Jack, Sean," Jim greeted the rest of the family.

"Hey, Jim," Jack and Sean answered.

"Jim, have a seat. She'll be down soon," Linda said.

Jim sat down and looked at Danny. "So how old are you, kid?" Danny asked.

"Turned 16 last month. I'm a very careful driver, no accidents or tickets and my dad taught me to drive in Manhattan during rush hour. I promise I'll keep her safe," Jim answered.

"Your parents, what do they do?"

"My mom was a dispatch operator until my older brother was born then she became a stay-at-home mom and my dad works out of lower Manhattan."

"Doing what exactly?"

"He runs a company there."

"What kind of company?"

"I don't really understand what he does so I always just say that. I get really good grades, I'm on the baseball team and I'll be a junior next year."

"Have you decided on after high school?"

"Something in the medical field. Maybe a doctor, maybe just sports medicine."

"Sports?"

"Giants, Rangers, and Mets. The only thing we don't agree on is football according to Anna. She told me you're a Jets fan. Not that there's anything wrong with that particularly. You know, aside from the fact they haven't beat the Giants in regular season since 1993. Almost 20 years ago."

"That doesn't make them a bad team."

"Of course not," Jim nodded.

"So, my daughter—" Danny prompted.

"She's a very good friend. I just—" Jim started. Anna cut him off as she came down the stairs.

"I hope you're not taking him seriously. He just likes to scare people." Anna smiled at her dad. "You ready to go?" Anna asked, looking at Jim.

"Uh, sure. I'll have her home before nine, Mr. Reagan," Jim said. Danny looked impressed. "Like I said I just got my license, I can only drive until 9 pm until I get my full license in 5 months."

"Be careful," Linda said.

"Thank you, Mrs. Reagan," Jim said as Anna grabbed his hand and pulled him up off the couch.

"Bye, Mom," Anna said, "Bye, Dad."

"Text if you're going to be late and be careful," Linda answered.

"Okay, bye," Anna pulled Jim out the door grabbing her bag along the way.

Danny glared at the front door as it shut and moments later heard the truck roar to life. "If you even think about tailing her, Daniel Reagan, you better make yourself comfortable on that couch," Linda told him as she looked at him.

Danny stared out the front window until the truck was out of sight then turned to look at her. "You honestly think I would?" Danny asked.

"You told me about Erin's first date. You won't do that to our daughter. You said it yourself, those three boys have clean records and we trust our daughter. She's never disappointed us. Now go get washed up, it's dinner time," Linda answered. "Boys, wash up."