Big thanks to YaleAceBella12, Sanchezashley, Pharmergirl, Dasiyangel, CaptainCharlieReagan, seleneplaysgames, and the guest Tot2006. Also thanks to everyone else who continues to read and like this story.
Side note, I appreciate your outrage, Sanchezashley, at Danny not budging on the fight. Also, Pharmergirl, because you asked so nicely, some Jim for you.
Scenes from and references to 5x10 and 5x11
Anna managed to avoid any tension in the Reagan homestead over the next few days until Sunday dinner with the family. After grace, Linda brought up the DeCarlo case Anna had only heard a little bit about it so she held back as the family discussed it. Henry seemed to be upset that he couldn't remember the details of the case well and everyone else was trying to cheer him up. Anna got the gist of it and spoke up.
"The University of Miami requires all out of state students to take a psych class their first semester in order to help them better adjust to being away from home for the first time and what not. We spent a few weeks on the changing psychology of court and law. One of the things he talked about is that eyewitness testimony isn't as reliable as they once thought because of how the brain recalls things, so courts are leaning more and more on physical evidence and recordings when they have them," Anna said. She could feel her father's glare on her so she kept her eyes on the table. "However," she looked up at Henry, "You were a cop and cops are trained to notice things better than the public at large."
It got very quiet at the table. "I didn't say I changed my mind," Henry said. Erin and Frank exchanged a look as Anna glanced at her dad.
"Well, either way I'm sure no one expects you to know your report inside and out or verbatim. Though recorded confessions go a lot farther," Anna said.
"Yeah," Henry agreed with Anna. He reached over and squeezed her hand. Anna smiled before her eyes fell back on Danny. He was staring at her like he was trying to figure her out. Almost like he was willing her to tell him something.
"You got a question, just ask," she said.
"Anna," Linda warned.
Danny took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Finally, he asked, "If you were sucked into something you were uncomfortable with, would you ask for my help?" Danny asked.
"Depends on what that something is," Anna answered softly. "Definitely not if it was illegal." She toyed with what was left on her plate. "I do have a few really good friends in Miami that I can go to if I need it."
"You have friends?" Jack asked.
Anna glared at her brother and stuck her tongue out at him. "You really wouldn't tell me?" Danny answered.
"I might. Like I said, it depends on what that something was or as long as I knew you couldn't do a thing about it. That or that if you could, you wouldn't go overboard."
Danny stared at her again. "Anna," Linda started.
"Does this have anything to do with that guy who got killed in the middle of the street? Rumor has it he was in the ... entertainment industry. But what's that got to do with me?"
"Nothing."
"You really think I'd put this face in front of a camera? I left New York to get out of the spotlight. Why would I ever willingly step back into it like that?" Anna paused. "I mean, I—the school was updating their website and wanted pictures of kids in the common areas so there's some of me on the university's website but those are just pictures and there are no names attached."
"Still, that could be dangerous. It doesn't take a lot to run a facial recognition search," Danny said.
"Maybe not but a constant theme of growing up with cops and lawyers is that you can't live your life in fear. Something happens, I'll handle it when it does, but most of my life has been drama-free so I'm not going to worry about it right now." Dinner continued on and though Danny watched her between conversations, Anna didn't get the feeling that he was trying to ask her any more.
They were in the middle of watching a hockey game, just her and Frank, later when he turned to her. "Would you come to me if you were in trouble?" Frank asked.
"I already have, you know that."
"And now?"
"What are you worried about?" Anna asked.
"The case your dad's investigating. It's not just entertainment."
"Adult entertainment? How's it relate to me?" Anna tapped her chin as she left the sentence hanging. "They believe it's related to a crime against a college student from out of town or is it just because some of the stars are college students from out of town?" Anna watched her grandfather and could see he was struggling with something. "It won't leave this room, I promise."
"They believe it has something to do with one of the stars committing suicide last year."
"Grampa, I'm smart, you know that. On top of that, I make friends everywhere. To include a seasoned veteran of the Miami PD. If I'm ever in trouble down there, he's my first call. I know it seems weird but he's a nice guy and since my own dad is being a pain and stained our relationship, he's like a surrogate father to me. Besides, I've never needed to use my code word. I'm fine."
"Code word?" Frank asked.
Anna sighed. "Shortly after I got to college, I saw an episode of my favorite cop show. One of the lead characters has a wife and was concerned that something may happen. If she was ever in danger and had to play it off like she wasn't or couldn't let the bad guy know she was talking to someone who could help, she had a code word. I have one too. Redrum. It's murder spelled backwards."
"Because when you scream when you're in danger, it sounds like bloody murder."
"Yeah. Not that I've ever been in that kind of danger."
"You were maybe five years old and your dad had taken you out. You had stopped to look at something while Danny had continued on. A guy walks up to you and starts talking. Danny says the next thing he knew, you were screaming bloody murder. As it turns out you weren't really in danger because the guy was a cop from Manhattan North but both he and your dad understood why you were worried."
"Like I said, I've been in the kind of danger that requires police attention and everything worked out. I know how to handle it."
She turned her attention back to the hockey game and he let the conversation go. "When are you leaving?" he asked as the game ended.
"Next Sunday, after dinner. Drive all night; I'll be there first thing in the morning."
Wednesday dawned bright and clear. It was also the first day in nearly a week that Jim had the day off and that Anna didn't have to watch the boys. So she did the only thing one could do in that situation, she drove to Queens and pulled up in front of his apartment building. She knew what her family would say if they found out she was visiting an FDNY EMT but he was her friend and she wasn't going to abandon him just because of his job. She stood in shock when he opened the door in just a towel. He just rolled his eyes and pulled the door open further. When she didn't come in, he walked away, leaving the door open.
"Uh, Jim. Do you often open the door in just a towel?" Anna asked when she finally recovered.
"You said you were on your way up the stairs and there's a peep hole in the door. Kinda knew it was you," Jim answered from the other room. "Get in here and shut the door."
Anna followed orders and plopped down on the couch. "Did you have a good Christmas?" Anna called as he got dressed in the other room.
"It was okay, nothing big. My nieces loved it. It was fun watching them have a ball at my parents' house. You?" he responded as he joined her in the living room.
"Spent the first week with the 'rents, but after that I've been staying with Grampa and Pops. Dad still won't apologize."
"Yeah?" Jim asked, handing over a bottle of cola and sitting down next to her on the couch. "Have you?"
"Have I apologized? For what?" she asked, turning to face him.
"I know that you were hurt because it seems like he doesn't think you can take care of yourself, but how do you think your choice to go to Florida felt to him?"
"What?" Anna shook her head.
Jim shifted a bit and draped his arm over the back of the couch. "When you left New York, you essentially told your dad you didn't need him anymore. Do you know what that does to a dad? Maybe I can't explain it because I don't have kids yet, but I know how much your dad loves you. I'm just saying that you may need to give him a break."
"I didn't—"
"I'm not saying you crossed a line, I know he did, Anna, but maybe try to sit down and talk to him. He's your father and he'd hate to lose you."
"Jim."
"What?" Jim asked.
Anna stared at him. "Why do I always have to be the one who apologizes? He's the parent and it's his mistake. He should be the bigger person and realize he's the one that supposed to fix things." Anna stood and paced the small living room. Jim only watched her. "He is my dad and being a parent means supporting your kid even if they make mistakes. It's his turn to come to the table first. His turn to decide he's had enough. College is a time to figure out who you are, where your life is going, and after the last year I've had, I think I deserve that trust and freedom. I just ... why can't he trust me?" Anna faced him with the most heartbreaking look he had ever seen and he had two nieces who constantly used heartbreaking, puppy dog eyes on him when he enforced most of their mom's rules.
Jim took one of Anna's hands and pulled her back down next to him on the couch. "You do. You deserve a long leash—that is not what I meant," Jim instantly stopped once he realized what he had said. "I mean, you deserve to have someone trust you and your father does trust you. He remembers what happened last year just like you do and he wants to prevent that from happening again. You're a beautiful, smart, talented, and driven young woman and that can bring a lot of attention. I know I'd go crazy if something happened to someone I care about because I wasn't there."
"Jim."
"No, Anna," Jim answered, squeezing her hand. "I care about you so I'm going to say this one time only. Your father does have one point." Anna bit down hard on her lip and tried not to snap. "Hear me out and then you can go off. For our friendship."
She took a deep, slow breath. "Okay."
"Even though you can make friends anywhere and you've never shown yourself to be anything less than trustworthy, you don't have family within 1,000 miles and it's extremely scary for a parent or close friend when you know how bad people can be."
Anna chewed her lip as she processed his words.
"Anna, please. I don't want to fight but I thought you needed to see what he's thinking about too. I'm sure your mom has tried to make your dad see your side of this too."
Anna plopped back down beside him. "I know and I'm not mad at you. It's been three months and he hasn't tried to apologize or anything. I'm just angry about it. So, tell me about you. I know you got your EMT certification last year but weren't you going for your paramedic license?"
"It's still just a certification and I'm working on it." Though Jim didn't like not completely resolving Anna's problems, or helping her solve them, but he knew it was time to change the subject. "It takes a lot of studying and my partner, although an EMT, gives me a lot of support while we're between calls. It'll take a few more months though."
"Speaking of support ... how are your parents about it?"
"Mom's proud, Dad's still upset I'm not a firefighter."
"Do you like it?"
"I get to help people and as long as I focus on that it's great." Anna looked at him confused. "I know that there's rivalry between FDNY and NYPD and it's occasionally fierce but sometimes it feels like EMTs have nowhere to stand. Doctors look at us and judge us for not being doctors but trying to save lives anyway, NYPD looks at us and sees the FDNY on the front of our jackets but not the EMT on the back, and FDNY ..." Jim trailed off then sighed heavily. "All they see is the EMT and they don't care so they crap on us the most. The only ones who don't really do it are paramedics because most of the time they've been there. It really is a no-win situation. I know my dad tries to help me out, he's a battalion chief, but would you like that—it's kinda like everyone knowing your dad is The Danny Reagan."
"Or like when I was little any my grandfather was Chief Reagan. You don't like it hanging over your head."
"The less people that know I'm Chief Miller's kid, the better."
"Here's a stupid question, what about your brother?" Anna asked, leaning her head on her closed fist that she had propped up on the back of the couch. Part of her didn't notice he was still holding her hand and the part that did, was ignoring it.
"He craps on me because I'm his kid brother, though he's cooled it a bit since he had a kid, but he does it 'cause he can."
"I'm the oldest so I don't know what it's like but when I pick on Sean, I do it 'cause I care."
"That's probably part of it. Anyway, part of him, I think, does it to make himself feel better. That's why I am so grateful that unlike TV, EMS and firefighters are in completely different station houses. I never have to deal with firefighters at the house. So when it comes to my brother, I only deal with him once a week, or if I want to see my nephew."
"You mean at Family Dinner Fridays?"
"Yeah. Mom and Grams are good at keeping the topics away from the job."
"I'm glad."
Jim finally released Anna's hand and tucked a hair behind Anna's ear and smiled. The later it got in the day the more Anna began to ponder if Jim could be right and if she should just back down and fix things with Danny.
These feelings continued to grow especially over the next few days when she finds the papers her parents were trying to hide, though if they were really trying to hide them they shouldn't have put them in the dining room credenza. Papers that said they were trying to refinance the house. Anna started to feel terrible that her want to go to college so far away at a big school was putting so much stress on her parents. If she had just gone to school at Hudson or NYU, they would have saved more money and they wouldn't be stressed. Bringing it up to her parents would just make things worse so she kept the information to herself. She continued to mull over the fight and the information she found. Those thoughts carried her through Mass, the last Jets game of the season, and into dinner.
Danny's voice broke her out of her thoughts. "So how are those Dolphins, Anna?" he asked.
"Eh, not as bad as the Jets from what I hear around school but just because I moved to Miami, doesn't mean I actually follow them. I still bleed blue, red, and white. Remind me again what the Jets chances are for the Super Bowl?" Anna said.
"How's the case, Danny?" Linda asked, sharply changing the subject.
"What case?" Anna asked.
"Bank robbery."
"Aren't those normally Federal crimes?"
"Sometimes."
"So what's the problem?"
"What do you mean?" Danny asked.
"What's stopping you from finding these guys? Nobody's perfect and everyone makes mistakes."
"It's not that simple."
"Why isn't it? Even the pros make mistakes."
"We know who did it, it's just the why that makes it harder."
"Why?" Jamie asked.
"Her husband needs treatment for a TBI and the VA has denied them," Danny said.
"Oh," Anna said.
"Maybe you could just look the other way," Jack suggested.
"Jack," Henry protested. "She and her friends robbed a bank. That's a crime, a serious crime."
"I know, but it's for a good cause," Jack answered.
"Doesn't work that way, Jack," Frank added.
"Follow that logic all the way through and we're living in anarchy," Erin threw in, looking at her nephew.
"Yeah, where anyone can do anything they want, so long as they feel it's justified," Jamie said.
"But I know where you're coming from," Linda said.
"Yeah, me too," Danny said. "Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind to just tell them all to get out of town."
"Really, Dad?" Anna asked stunned.
"That would make you an accomplice," Frank told his son.
"But in this case, it would be an honor."
"Can you remember that next time the boys or I do something wrong?" Anna asked.
"Yeah," Jack and Sean agreed.
Anna broke the silence at the table a few seconds later. "So I understand why this is so hard, morally, but why hasn't she been arrested? New York State has laws against theft, so does God for that matter and you've always told us that you don't get to pick which laws you uphold, you just have to arrest those who break the law. I'm not saying this guy should go without treatment, all vets should get the care they need, but what she did was wrong."
"No one at this table disagrees with you, Anna, especially since robbing a bank isn't the only alternative," Frank said.
"I know. But we got a vet who desperately needs help, and the only thing stopping him from getting it is gonna be me locking up his girl and her merry band of thieves," Danny said, stabbing angrily at his salad.
"That is, if you can prove it," Henry said.
Erin agreed with him but in that moment, Anna saw it. "You can prove it," she said, "or at the very least you have leverage to turn one of them against the others." Everyone at the table turned to look at her. "I'm the daughter of a detective. You got the same look on your face when you told me that you knew I broke Mom's blue vase and glued it back together. You turned Jack against me and after that I just blamed everything on him instead of trying to get him to cover."
"How can you make it?" Erin asked. Danny explained how he had followed her the other night and got pictures of her extra-curricular activities, namely an affair, though he didn't say that last part aloud. It took a few moments to put it together but the family eventually figured out how he could use the photos as leverage to get her to confess, but that would leave her husband right back where he started from which Henry pointed out.
"But that's not right, either," Frank said.
It went quiet again for a few moments. "Too bad you don't have a friend in the DOD who could cut through the red tape and get his treatment authorized," Anna suggested. After letting that sink in Anna looked back at her plate. "So, who made dessert?"
"Mom did. I smell apple pie," Jack answered. Linda nodded.
After said dessert, and a round of hugs for everyone but her father, Anna was back in her car and on the road to Miami, 16 and a half hours away.