Thanks to everyone who read the last chapter and to everyone who added it to their favorite or alert lists. Also thank yous to Donnie88, Pharmergirl, RHatch89, ki4pak, and the guest Alex. Your reviews mean a lot.
Contains references to 2x12.
Anna was headed to her last class before noon when her pocket buzzed. She glanced around the hall and spotting a few teachers outside their classrooms she slipped inside the nearest bathroom and pressed the send button to answer the call. The caller ID said it was a number from Jack's and Sean's school which worried her. There should be no reason they were calling her instead of her parents. "Hello?" Anna asked.
"Anna," Jack's voice came over the line. She could tell how upset he was just by that one word.
"What's wrong, Jack?" Anna asked gently.
"I—I'm—It's there. Every time I close my eyes. I don't know what to do."
"What's there, buddy?"
"The flash from the gun. I can't stop seeing it."
"It's okay. It was a scary event. How's Sean?"
"He's fine," Jack said quickly. "What do I do Anna?"
"Have you been crying a lot?"
"I can't stop. Every time I see that flash I just start all over again."
"Are you in the nurse's office?"
"Uh-huh."
"Call Mom. Have her come get you. The last thing you need right now is to be at school. If the nurse asks, just tell her you want to go home. Keep insisting that you want to go home and she should let you. Tell Mom what's going on and when I get home, we'll talk, okay? You can tell me how you feel."
"I don't know."
"Would you rather have that talk with Mom and Dad? I've been there, Jack, I know what you're going through."
"Okay, thanks."
"Just hang in there, buddy." They hung up and Anna went to class. For the first ten minutes of class, Anna pondered what she could say to her brother but eventually realized that maybe this was something her dad should talk to him about as well, so she got a bathroom pass and left the room. In the bathroom she called her dad.
"Reagan," Danny answered.
"Hey, Dad, it's me," Anna said.
"Why are you calling in the middle of the day? Is everything okay?"
"I'm okay. I need to tell you something but I'm not sure how to say it."
"Just tell me."
"It's about Jack. I really think you should sit down with him and talk to him about last night," Anna suggested gently. The last thing she wanted was for him to take this as her trying to tell him what to do. That wouldn't go over well. "I know you think talking doesn't help, but I think it will help Jack."
"Tell me what you know," Danny insisted.
"I—" Anna stopped.
"Anna," Danny said plainly.
Anna sighed. "I know that he was shaken up by it and that ..." Anna bit her lip. She really didn't want to out her brother or embarrass him.
"Anna, I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."
"I think he was scared by the muzzle flash. It's the first time he's ever seen a gun fired as far as I know."
"I'll talk to him when I get home."
"Thanks, Dad."
After school Anna got a text that her mom would pick her up from Jack's and Sean's school so she made her way there. When she caught a ride, she could get there in five or so minutes but walking took about 15. Either way she always got there before the school got out for the day. She reached the school and sat down on the end of the railing at the bottom of the steps in front of the school. She was waiting for about 10 minutes before Sean came down the front steps and turned to look back up at the building. After about two and a half minutes, he looked around the front lawn then at the street before looking back up at the building. Anna walked over to him and smiled. "Hey, kiddo," Anna asked.
"Anna, what are you doing here? Have you seen Jack? We usually meet at the doors just inside the school but I haven't seen him. He wasn't even at lunch." Sean looked up at his sister worried.
"He went home early. Uh, Sean, did you see what happened last night?" Anna asked worriedly.
"What do you mean?" Sean asked.
"Did you see it?"
"Not really. I heard the thump and felt Dad slam on the breaks. Next thing I know you're pulling me to you."
"So you didn't see the gun shots?"
"No. Is that why Jack got out of school?"
"Yeah. It's been bothering him. Dad's gonna talk to him when he gets home."
"Why?"
"Having a gun fired at you is scary, Sean, especially when you're kid."
"Then how come you and Mom and Dad weren't scared?"
"We were. Mom probably still is. Dad's used to bullets flying around so he can deal with it."
"And you?"
"When I saw him fire at us, I was scared but we're all okay now. No one was hurt and Dad's going to catch this guy. I try not to live in the past so much anymore and you can't think about the what ifs. Besides I've been firing a gun since I was just younger than Jack. The gun itself isn't the scary part. It's the people behind the gun you have to worry about. You can't think about the what ifs, Sean. You just have to think about what happened and realize that Dad would never let any harm come to us."
"But how?"
"How what?"
"How do you get over it?"
"You talk about it. To me, to Dad, to Grampa. Tell us how you feel, if you're worried about anything. We'll do our best to help you."
"Why'd he do it?"
"Who?"
"The guy who shot at us?"
"I don't know. Dad's going to figure that out and he'll make sure the guy pays."
"Do you think Jack will be okay?" Sean asked as their mom's van pulled up on the curb.
"I'm sure he will," Anna said. She threw an arm around her brother and steered him to the car. When they got home, Anna found Jack on the couch staring at the TV though it wasn't on. Her mom took Sean into the kitchen and Anna tenderly sat down next to him. "Jack," Anna asked softly.
"I talked to Dad," he said after a moment. "He's going to teach me about his gun tomorrow and Mom says I don't have to go to school if I'm not up to it."
"Okay," Anna answered. "Do you want to talk to me about anything?"
"Did you tell Dad what happened this morning?"
"No. That's up to you. I just asked him to sit down with you and talk about what happened. Did he?" she asked.
"He asked me what I saw and said it was okay to be scared."
"Are you scared?"
"I still see it," was his only answer.
"Muzzle flash. Happens every time you fire a gun. The gas and gun powder combine in the barrel and burn to force the bullet out and some of that burning mixture escapes around the bullet. That's what creates the flash. Would you like to know how a bullet is fired from a gun?"
"Did you ever have to know that?"
"I did. Before I could fire it. I was 10 the first time Dad put a gun in my hands. Unloaded but he let me hold it. He wouldn't let me hold a loaded gun until I could disassemble, clean and reassemble a gun. And then he only let me hold it while he was there. I'm not allowed to touch a loaded weapon without Dad or Uncle Jamie or Grampa's permission and the latter two it's only at the gun range."
"Why'd you have to know how it fired?"
"Made it less scary. Just like fireworks or things like that. The more you know about them the less scary it actually is."
"How come Dad didn't take me to the range when I was 10?"
"You didn't ask. I did. I begged him for two weeks to take me. Him and Uncle Joe both. Uncle Joe probably would have mentioned it on or shortly after your birthday last year but unless you ask about it Dad wouldn't have thought you were interested. I asked Uncle Joe first but he insisted I ask Dad. Told me there were somethings Dad would have to talk to me about before Uncle Joe could tell me. I mean he could help me with Math or Science or how cook or sports but guns or becoming a firefighter ..." Anna explained. She smiled and bumped her shoulder against her brother's.
"Would you really want to be a firefighter?" Jack asked, smiling a bit.
"No, but it was an example. Are you really okay?" Anna asked.
"For now," Jack said nodding. To prove it he reached for the remote and turned on the TV. For the rest of the night, Anna discreetly watched Jack and although he was more subdued than usual he didn't seem upset anymore.
Anna was sitting on her bed finishing her biology home when her dad came in and sat down next to her. "How are you doing?" Danny asked.
"I'm fine, Dad," Anna said, not looking up from her homework.
"Anna," Danny said, pushing the lid of her laptop towards her. She put down her pencil and looked up, turning her full attention on her dad.
"I'm okay. While it is the first time I've had a gun fired at me, I've been shooting a gun for four years. Gunfire doesn't scare me neither does muzzle flash. I'm okay. Did you talk to Jack?"
"I did," Danny said. "I take it you know he came home early from school. That's why you called me?" Danny was observing her the same way he did everyone he interviewed for a case to make sure she wasn't lying to him.
"He called me, before he called Mom," Anna said nervously. "He was really scared and didn't know what to do."
"Did he pee the bed this morning?"
There was a flicker of fear in her eyes. Almost like she was scared he had caught her lying and now she was in deep trouble for it but almost as soon as it was there, it was gone. "What would make you say that?"
"Because two days ago these were not the sheets that were on your bed. Those had penguins on them, these are dark blue and the hall shower turned on at 6:30. So either you were in the shower or your brother was. And the only reason one of you should be in the shower before school is if we get home too late for you to take a shower the night before. I also know that all three of you took showers Saturday night. I don't think it was you in the shower because your hair wasn't wet this morning and I didn't hear the blow dryer this morning either."
"Wonderful deduction, Detective. Did you mention any of this to your son?"
"Didn't want to embarrass him. Why didn't you tell me when you called?"
"Same reason. He had a couple nightmares and came to me. I know that you and Mom would prefer if he came to you with everything but I think that he should also have the option of coming to me. He doesn't want to look like a crybaby all the time and maybe if he came to me I can solve it and he won't have to go to you."
"You think I can't handle my own kid?"
"I didn't say that. I think you're a great father," Anna smiled, "But ... Aren't there things that Uncle Joe, Aunt Erin, Uncle Jamie trusted you with that you never told your parents? I know there are. It's nothing major and I want my brothers to trust me. If it was a big or a recurring thing then yes, I'd come to you, make him come to you, but it's not. It was once and I did ask you to talk to him."
"You're sure you're okay?"
"I'm okay," Anna said as she smiled.
Danny nodded taking her word for it. "Good," he said.
Then Anna's phone went off. Anna read the text as Linda stopped in the doorway. "Bed time Anna," she said.
"Mom, Becky's brother Tyler has a dentist appointment tomorrow so her mom has the morning off. Mrs. Stover would like to know if you want her to take Sean, Jack, and myself to school tomorrow. She has to go right passed our house and the school on the way to the dentist. Normally Becky and Tyler ride in with their neighbor but with the appointment she's taking them in," Anna explained.
"Uh ... yeah, that sounds fine," Linda said, thinking it over.
Anna texted Becky back then said goodnight to her parents. News of what happened had spread all over the school the following day and Anna could feel the suspicious looks and whispers coming her way. No one came right out and asked her about it though. The majority of her felt extremely grateful for that. The last thing she wanted was for her classmates to be pressuring her to talk about it however there was a small part of her that wondered why they weren't asking and wanted to talk about it.
"So tell me about it. What happened?" Jim asked after school that day.
"What happened when?" Anna asked slowly.
"Sunday night," Jim said rolling his eyes. "You told me your dad hit a guy and you were shot at but that was it."
"That's the basic story," Anna answered. Jim gave her an 'I demand answers' look and Anna went over everything that happened.
"Does your dad have any idea who it was?"
"Not yet."
"Come on, I'll walk you home,"
"You live in the opposite direction."
"I'm going to my sister's. She asked me to watch her kids." Anna nodded and they headed for her house. "How's your brother?"
"Sean's fine, but I don't know about Jack. He saw the gun fire and he was spooked by it. I don't know what to do. Dad talked to him but he didn't go to school today."
"I don't think there's anything you can do. Just let Jack know you're there for him. This is going to be something your little brother has to work out for himself."
"But—"
"No buts. It's something he's gotta do. The best way to help him is let him know you're there."
"What if he can't?"
"With your family? He'll be fine."
"Yeah," Anna sighed. "So what about you?"
"What about me?"
"How's your family?"
"Fine. Brother is a pain, sister is great and my nieces are beautiful as always. Not much else happening in my life. It's not baseball season so just school."
"Plan on getting a job any time soon?"
"My mom keeps pushing but Dad said it's not crucial."
"What do you think?"
"If I find something I find something. Granted that means getting permission from the school."
"Why?"
"Anyone in school and under 18 has to have a work permit and has to get the ok from their counselor and the headmistress. Something about making sure you can handle it."
"That doesn't seem fair."
"It's high school, that should come first."
"I guess."
"Well, here we are. Casa de Reagan."
Anna nodded as they stopped in front of the house. "Yeah we are. That's weird." Jim looked at her. "Dad's home. He's never home this early. I know that he said he'd teach Jack about his gun but I figured he would only take a half day. After all, my mom isn't happy with this."
"My mom wouldn't be either. I don't even know if my dad has ever held a gun. It's not part of firefighter training."
"Yeah, but Dad has close to 30 years or so of training on handling a gun. 16 with NYPD, four with the Marines and the rest with his dad. If you can't trust him, then who can you trust?"
"Sounds about right. Are you going inside or are you going to stand here all day?"
"I guess I should go inside." Anna took a deep breath and headed for the house. When she stepped inside she got a very cold vibe. Danny was sitting on the couch staring out the front window and she could see her mom doing the dishes by hand in the kitchen. "Everything okay, Dad?" Anna asked, leaning back against the door.
"Yeah, your mom's not too happy with me but that's not new."
"What did you do?"
"Like I said, nothing new."
Anna pushed away from the door and wrapped both hands around one backpack strap. Danny looked up at her and gave her a soft smile. "This about Jack?" she asked. "Have you talked to Mom about the other night? I'm sure she's just having as much trouble dealing with it as Jack is. Dad," Anna crossed the room and sat down next to him, her hands still on the strap. "I know that you're pissed off that this guy took a shot at your family and that you're channeling all your fear at what could have happened, and anger at what did happen, into solving this case. Having that helps you deal with it but Mom doesn't have that. There's nothing to distract her from what happened to her babies; what could have happened to her babies and she doesn't have the same training to put it behind her as quickly as some people. Just try to help her, okay?" Anna asked softly.
"Okay," Danny said. She had a point and though he didn't like that she felt she had to tell him this, he knew she was only doing so because she was worried about Linda. Danny cupped the back of Anna's head and pulled her to him. Anna wrapped her arms around him, hugging him. Danny kissed the top of her head. "I got it okay?"
"Okay." Anna smiled up at him then got up and went into the kitchen. "Hi, Mama," Anna said.
"Sweetie, how was your day?" Linda asked.
"Good, how are you?"
"What do you mean?"
"I know that what happened on Sunday night is hard on you, that it's hard to process. I understand that you don't process things the same way that Dad does. I want to know how you're doing since then."
"I'm fine, sweetheart. Don't worry about it," Linda said smiling.
"It's okay to talk about it. If not to me then to Dad or Grampa or even Aunt Erin. Make them understand."
"Anna," Linda said.
"Okay. I love you, Mommy," Anna said. She hugged her mom then grabbed an apple and went upstairs.
Thanks for reading.