"I heard you asked Sam Croft to watch after Jamie," Erin stated towards her father as she came into the kitchen to see if there was anything she could help with and mainly to have a chat with her father. It was Sunday, and the family was gathering for their usual dinner.

"News travels fast, I see," the Commissioner pointed out, not taking his eyes off the pot roast right in front of him.

"May I ask why Sam?" Erin questioned, her heart pounding noticeably faster than usual.

"Jamie likes him, and Sam has been like family since serving with Danny in Iraq. I can trust him with Jamie's life—that's what matters most to me. So, I don't see a problem. Do you?"

"All this time Sam has been working for you, and you didn't think to tell me?" Erin reproached her father.

"You didn't need to know, Erin," her father insisted, his gaze fixed on the roast as though it was the most fascinating thing he had ever seen.

"But what if something happened to Sam, Dad?" Erin exclaimed, her voice filled with dramatic concern.

"Erin, it's my job to keep my men safe," the Commissioner reminded her. "And I can assure you I take it damn seriously!"

"He's hardly just any other officer, Dad, is he?" Erin questioned coldly, before storming out of the room.

"You heard?" Frank asked his father, who entered the room just as Erin walked out, heavily.

"Yeah, I heard pretty much everything." Henry nodded.

"What am I supposed to do now? Reassign Sam, even though I know he is the best to protect Jamie. Or should I just look the other way?" Frank sought Henry's advice.

"Francis, it's no secret Erin's been unhappy with Jack for a while. Let's just see how everything plays out. It might be nothing, or maybe it's not. You never can tell," Pop said, shrugging his shoulders as he pulled a beer from the fridge.

Frank sighed heavily, clearly dissatisfied with his father's response.

"Thanks, Pop. Big help," Frank said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Let's eat before the meat gets cold," Henry suggested, picking up the bowl of potatoes.

Frank followed, bearing the weighty roast into the dining room.

***BB***

"Sam Croft!" Henry exclaimed cheerfully, hearing Sam and Jamie's voices. "It's been too long since we've seen you!"

"Henry," Sam replied, warmth in his voice. He had always appreciated the older man for his welcoming nature. Moreover, Henry Reagan was something of a legend in NYPD circles.

"Come on in, Sam," Henry beckoned, opening the door wider. "We've got plenty to catch up on!"

"Sure, Henry, but just for a quick coffee. I'm sure you've got plenty on your plate," Sam insisted. He has been as polite as always. Henry liked him for that.

"My dear boy, I've had nothing but time since retiring. Besides, Jamie needs to do his homework before his father gets home, so your company would be more than welcome."

"In that case, it will be my pleasure," Sam replied, ready to follow Henry into the living room.

"We don't really have much homework today," Jamie chimed in, eager not to miss any stories Henry and Sam were about to share.

"Nice try," Henry laughed, knowing his grandson all too well. "How about this? You join us after you've finished all your schoolwork. We'll make sure to save the best stories for you."

"Okay," Jamie sighed heavily before heading upstairs.

***BB***

"Hey, Pop, you home?" Erin called out as she stepped into her childhood home.

"Anyone here?" she shouted again when no one answered.

Erin," Sam said, stopping in his tracks as he entered the hallway and saw her. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. It had been several years since their last meeting, just before he departed for Afghanistan.

"Sam!" Erin exclaimed, surprised and delighted to see him at the same time. "How long has it been?"

"Too long, but you're as beautiful as ever, if not more so," Sam complimented her.

Erin's cheeks flushed with color. "You're flattering me, Sam. I've never been more overworked and tired," she stated, slipping off her coat.

"May I help?" Sam offered, reaching to assist Erin with her coat.

"Of course," she replied, a shiver running through her as Sam stepped closer. His cologne, familiar and unsettling, enveloped her. She hastily pushed aside the memory of the night they had shared before his departure to Iraq, a time before Jack had even entered her life.

"How's Nicki doing?" Sam inquired, eager for updates from Erin's life. "How old is she now?"

"She started elementary school," Erin said with a laugh, clearly delighted.

"I can't believe how big she's gotten," Sam replied, amazed at how quickly time had passed.

"Aren't you two coming in?" Henry asked, peering into the hallway. "Francis will be here soon, and we'll have dinner once he arrives."

Henry's keen eye didn't miss the looks exchanged between his granddaughter and Sam. It felt like only yesterday they had first fallen for each other. Choosing discretion, Henry decided to excuse himself, giving them space to reconnect.

***BB***

"I'm home!" The Commissioner called out as he entered the house, his voice filling the space.

Jamie sprinted toward his dad, eager to give him a hug and share the latest updates. He leaned in to whisper into his father's ear, "Sam's here," he said, followed by a knowing wink, "and Erin too."

"I wonder how that happened," the Commissioner mumbled, sensing that his father might have played a role in it.

She hasn't taken her eyes off him since she got here," Jamie continued, noting Erin's unwavering attention to Sam.

"Have you finished your homework?" Frank asked his son, though he knew Jamie had been quite diligent with his schoolwork.

"Of course, I have," Jamie replied, though he couldn't help but be intrigued by the interaction between Erin and Sam.

"Good," his father praised him with a grin. "Let's go find out what Pop's been burning."

"What's this, Pop? A setup?" Frank asked his father with a serious tone as he found him in the kitchen.

"What do you mean, Francis?" Henry questioned as if he had no clue what his son was referring to.

"Erin and Sam meeting in our house tonight, that was your doing, am I right?" Frank questioned, seeking confirmation.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Francis," Henry replied, sounding slightly hurt.

"Sam brought Jamie home, and I invited him in. God knows we haven't seen the boy in ages. I just wanted to know how he's been. And then, Erin stopped by on her way home," Henry defended himself.

"I have a hard time believing you had nothing to do with that," Frank expressed his skepticism.

"Oh, cut the crap, let's just have dinner," Henry ordered.

4