A Chance for a Better Life

Chapter Eleven

Jamie was on medical leave for two weeks. The first couple days no one in his family would let him do anything, but that honestly wasn't a problem because he slept most of the time. He spent the entire time in New York. He knew things were going to be different when he arrived home in Boston. A temporary HQ had been set up, and each day one of the injured arrived back to work and they were celebrated. Jamie was the last to arrive back.

Jamie found a new normal that included going home for Sunday dinner each week. He knew how close he'd come to never coming home again. It also got him thinking about moving back home. He'd ventured out and proved that he could make it on his own.

Joe was stressed. The FBI had contacted him about something that hit too close to home. He wasn't sure if he wanted to accept the assignment, and he didn't like that he couldn't tell anyone in his family because the feds thought that his dad was involved. He had a random Wednesday off and was deep in thought when he heard a knock at the door.

"Jamie! What are you doing here?"

"I just took the test." Jamie just blurted out as he sat on the couch.

"The NYPD exam?" Joe wasn't expecting Jamie to say that.

"Yes. I want to come home, and although I like my job it's not where I'm meant to be. I have to pass it first."

"Jamie, you've never failed anything in your life. How long are you here for?"

"I took a half a day yesterday, today, and tomorrow off. I'll head home after dinner Sunday."

"Where'd you stay last night?" Joe worried that he slept in his car. Jamie had never been one to get a hotel because he didn't understand why he should spend the money when he had a great place to sleep already.

"With a friend." Jamie blushed.

"A friend. Who is this friend?"

"Her name is Amelia, and we met at the soup kitchen over Christmas."

"Is she where you've been disappearing to on Saturday afternoons and evenings when you're home?"

"You've been talking to grandpa."

"Yes, answer the question."

"We've been out on a couple dates, but it's nothing serious."

"You stayed with her last night. That's serious. What does she do?"

"She's a social worker in Brooklyn, and I stayed on the couch last night. She offered when we talked over the weekend. She knew I didn't want anyone to know that I was taking the test."

"Why not?"

"Because mom and dad never wanted me to have anything to do with the NYPD."

"Is this what you really want? It's not going to be easy."

"Joe, when I was trapped last Christmas all I could think about was first you guys, and second the cops and firefighters who were risking their lives for mine. I've been so lucky throughout my entire life. Now it's time for me to give back."

"Jamie, most people would not look at your life and go that kid's lucky. Some might say cursed. On top of that, it's not easy being a Reagan in the NYPD. You realize that it's going to be hard, right? And you're coming in with dad already being the PC. People are going to look at you harder than they have Danny or myself."

"I know Joe. If anything, I ever did was easy I'd think I was doing something wrong. I thought about joining the BPD, but I want to move home."

"Ok, as long as you understand what you're getting yourself into. Dad and grandpa are going to ask the same questions. Danny's gonna think you're nuts, and Erin's probably gonna be mad that you're leaving the law after only two years."

"Yeah, I know, but I've always been told that it's my life and I can do whatever I want. That I'm capable of anything. I hope I'm capable of living up to the name."

"Are you gonna tell anyone at dinner Sunday about the test?"

"No, I'm gonna wait until I go through the process, and I'll tell them if I get accepted into the academy."

"Jamie, you are young and healthy. You will get in."

"I hope so. You got time for lunch?"

"Yeah. Where are you staying tonight?"

"Milly said I could stay with her until I head back to Boston, but I told her I was gonna see you and I might have a second option."

Joe laughed. His little brother was one of the nicest people you could ever meet, so of course a random girl would let him stay with her. "I got a bed for you here."

"Ok. Thanks Joe." Jamie sent Milly a text and let her know that he'd see her at least one more time before he left.

"All good?"

"All good. Thanks Joe."

Joe and Jamie spent a lot of time together during that week. Joe ended up calling in sick Thursday and Friday. He needed time to think about what the FBI was suggesting. When he called in his Sergeant hadn't been surprised because Joe had been acting odd the last few days.

Two weeks later Jamie found out that he'd passed the exam and was moving onto the next stage in the process. Jamie knew from watching both of his brothers go through the process that if he passed the second stage things would move quickly after that. With his medical history and recently being trapped in a building he was worried about the physical.

He'd stayed with Joe when he came home for his physical. Joe knew Jamie's medical history and understood his apprehension, but Jamie ran every day and ate healthy. One thing Joe and the rest of the family didn't know was that right after their mother died Jamie had a cancer scare. He spent the first couple months of law school while undergoing radiation. He'd caught it early and was able to manage it while avoiding his family until he knew that he looked better, and when he did go home, he begged it off as the stress of school and work. He was only home for a day this time and had decided to start looking at apartments if he passed the physical.

Danny and Erin had no idea what was going on. They were involved with their own lives. Henry could tell something was going on with his youngest grandson but knew not to say anything yet. He knew if he said something too early Jamie would clam up. Frank knew what was up with Jamie but hadn't said anything yet. He'd scored one of the highest scores on the exam in the last five years since the test had been updated. He would be getting his acceptance letter to the Academy in the next couple days. Frank was upset that Jamie hadn't come to talk to him about it. The only reason he knew about it was because Garret was worried about the possible press implications.

Jamie was exited for the first time in a while when he got his acceptance letter into the Academy. Classes were set to start January second. Jamie lived life very frugally and the fact that he was lucky enough to not have any student loans after seven years of school meant that he had a healthy savings so he would be able to take some time off and get moved and settled in before Christmas. He'd already done research on where he wanted to live, he just needed to put a deposit down on the apartment he wanted.

Jamie started packing his apartment a week before Thanksgiving. He'd told his new landlord that he'd be paying the deposit when he was going to be home the following week. The apartment had been empty for the last few months so the landlord told him that he could begin moving in over the holidays.

Jamie put in his notice with the BPD, and when he did, they were upset. They offered to let him go through the BPD Academy and stay on in legal. His last day was on the one-year anniversary of the explosion. It was an emotional day for everyone.

He had movers and was all moved into his Brooklyn Heights apartment before Christmas. No one in the family knew that he would be back in New York full time.

"Jamie, how long are you home for Christmas this year?" Henry asked. He didn't know anything about Jamie's recent change.

"I'm not going back to Boston. I got a job here. I start on January second."

"That's great kid. What will you be doing?" Danny was happy to have all of his family back in the city.

"I start at the Academy." Jamie said and waited for the fireworks.

The room went silent. Their peaceful Christmas Eve dinner was going to be anything but.

"Congratulations Jamie!" Henry and Joe said at the same time.

"Thank you. I finished moving into my apartment this morning. I'm happy and exhausted."

"Where's your apartment?" Erin was so happy to have her brother home.

"Brooklyn Heights." Jamie smiled; his new apartment was a block away from Joe's.

Erin was happy that her baby brother was home, but she hated the reason he was home. Last year was hard enough when he was involved in the explosion, now he was going to be in the line of fire every day.

Danny was seething. His mother has asked him on her death bed to take care of his little brother and make sure that he didn't follow in the family's legacy, and now that promise had been broken. Frank had made a similar promise, and although he wasn't seething, he was upset. He understood something that Danny didn't, and that was that was Jamie's life and his decision. Frank had his opportunity to step in and stop Jamie from being a cop, but he promised himself when he started climbing the ranks that he wouldn't do anything to stop his kids from achieving their dreams.

"Kid, is this some kind of joke?" Danny couldn't stay quiet any longer.

"No Danny, this is what I want to do with MY LIFE."

"Danny it's Christmas Eve. Back off and we can have this conversation another day." Joe stepped in as always to defend Jamie and keep order at the family table.

"Fine, your right Joe, but don't think that you're getting out of this kid."

"Okay. Got it."

"Now can we focus on the fact that our entire family is back living in New York." Frank said with a smile. He didn't like what brought Jamie home, but he couldn't deny the fact that he was home, and he was happy about it.

"Yay! Uncle Jamie, I'm so happy your back full time." Nikki loved her two youngest uncles.

"I'm happy to be back. Boston just wasn't the same after what happened last year. Now onto new and better adventures."

The dinner conversation continues on a positive note and Jamie's happy that he has his apartment to go back to after midnight mass. Everyone was to be back at the house at lunch time to open presents, eat a snack, and prepare for Christmas dinner.

At their dad's request Christmas is peaceful as well. Frank reminds his two oldest children that no one has ever questioned their life choices and Jamie has always been responsible and isn't known to make crazy decisions. Joe points out that Jamie has been thinking about this for the last year and half, and that they have had a lot of conversations about this very topic. He also points out that Jamie is scared to death of ruining the family's stellar reputation. They set up a family meeting for the following Tuesday night.

"Jamie doesn't have to worry about that. He scored the highest on the test that we've seen since this version has been in rotation. This latest version is difficult."

"Of course, he did. He's an egg head, but he knows nothing about being on the streets with all of the scum." Danny seethed.

Jamie walked in hearing that statement and had to hold back a laugh. Danny was the family member who didn't want the little street kid in the family because he was afraid that he would cause his parents trouble, now he's a little egg head that doesn't have any idea what the streets are like. Jamie rolled his eyes before walking into the room.

"Never mind the two years that I was homeless before I came to live here or the fact that I worked the streets in Boston, and I spend hours a week working in homeless shelters and soup kitchens. I can handle myself, and I understand the streets in ways that no one in this room ever could."

"Jamie, Danny didn't mean anything negative. He's just worried about you." Frank said trying to deescalate the situation.

"Danny, Jamie's right. None of us really know what he's been doing in Boston for the last two years and he had a beginning like none of us would understand." Joe said again trying to defend his brother and hated that he had defend him to their family.

"Joe and Jamie are both right. Now we need to respect Jamie's career choice, and we should be proud he's following in our footsteps." Henry smiled.

Danny and Erin realized that their viewpoints were likely not going to go over well. The one who would make the biggest impact their dad, hadn't said much yet.

"Jamie, we are all proud that you are following in our path. We just thought that you might continue the path that you were already on. We just want you to be happy." And safe Frank continued silently. Jamie didn't need any additional stress.

Jamie stood up and got everyone to face him. "I liked my job with BPD, but working with cops made me understand that although the law has been a good field for me and I had just accepted another promotion a few months ago, it helped me understand that my true calling is law enforcement."

"You understand that it'll be dangerous and that you'll have to run towards the danger not away from it?" Danny asked still unsure of the reason behind Jamie's choice.

"Is that why you've been asking so many questions about your paternal grandfather?" Things were starting to make sense to Henry about past conversations that they'd had recently.

"Yes. I know I'm not a Reagan by blood, but I've been raised around it since I was little and then I was remembering stories that my mom would tell me when we were living in the warehouse, and I remember her telling me about her dad and how proud he was. After talking to grandpa, I did some research and found out that my mom's dad was second generation NYPD, and my mom had an older brother who was killed on duty in his fifth year. Coming from a cop family isn't just how I was raised after I was adopted, it's in my blood as much as it's in all of yours." Jamie explained with a passion they hadn't seen him have since he started volunteering at the soup kitchen where he'd been found.

Frank didn't know all of what Jamie had just explained to them. Once they adopted Jamie, he focused on him being theirs. He understood Jamie's passion because it was the same passion and calling that made him and both Joe and Danny chose to wear the uniform.

Danny hadn't thought about a lot of the things that Jamie had said. Jamie had always been around, and it was easy for them to forget that he had a life and a family before he joined theirs. Danny had to rethink how he reacted to Jamie's announcement and that wasn't something Danny was known for.

Erin forgot about the adoption too. To her Jamie was just her little brother and the best uncle her kid could have. She needed to back off and give him the respect he deserved. She still didn't like his decision, but it wasn't her place to stand in his way.

The family meeting went better than Jamie thought it would or could. Sometimes he knew he needed to remind them of his past, and it was nice learning about his family. He never discounted the impact the Reagan's had in his life, but because of the Reagan's, he knew it was important to know where you come from. They all taught him the importance of family in their own way.

He spent the new year with his girlfriend Amelia and then his focus changed to school. School was going great. He knew that he'd made the right decision despite the fact that he got a lot of razzing for his name, but he knew that was going to happen and that he couldn't control.

Joe had made sure that Jamie got back into boxing. He wanted him to have any way to defend himself, and boxing was a good way to let off steam after a hard day on the beat. They'd been spending time at the boxing gym every Saturday.

"Jamie, I need your help with something."

"What's up Joe?" Jamie looked at his brother. Something had been bothering him for a while, and he hadn't said anything to him. He hoped he was talking to their dad or Danny about it.

"I need you to promise me that you won't talk to anyone with what I'm about to tell you including dad, grandpa, Danny, and Erin."

"Ok."

"I've been working undercover for the FBI for the last year. We're working on taking down dirty cops in the NYPD."

"And dad doesn't know?" Jamie yelled.

"No, he can't know. We need to solve this and prove that dads isn't involved, but it's hard because grandpa, dad, and Danny were all members at one point and time."

"Members of what?" Jamie's head was spinning.

"The Blue Templar. I'm a member now too, but they aren't about doing good anymore. They are corrupt. They run drugs and steel money, and work with the criminals if it means they can gain something."

"How can I help, I'm just a cadet?" Jamie had a quizzical look on his face.

"They are recruiting out the Academy, they need to have patrol officers on the books who will look the other way for them. That way nothing looks suspicious, and they follow the new protocols."

"Ok, does the FBI know that you're talking to me?"

"Yes, and I thought of this when you brought up your past. You know we forget about the adoption because you're one of us, right."

"I know, and I feel bad sometimes that I can't forget about my life before you guys. I know mom would get upset that I'm still having nightmares sometimes. She wanted me to focus on the good in life."

"Jamie, it's okay. No one can control what happens in their past. Mom would be proud of where you are today, and that you're still here with us." Joe smiled. Jamie always wanted everyone to be happy.

"Now, back to the topic at hand. The Templar knows about you, and about Mason. They know he's a hit man for the mob. They think that you may have inherited his moral compass and we've been hiding it behind your vast intelligence." Joe had to laugh.

Jamie laughed. Obviously, none of these guys had ever met him. One reason he left practicing law is because he had issues lying. "Ok, so based on that stellar recommendation they want me to join up?"

"Yes. They want me to bring you in. I need you to keep up your grades up too because they think that you cheat because Mason isn't exactly the smartest person in the world."

"What if it comes out that they say I cheated after we take them down? Will I be out the NYPD? I'll help you, but I need to do this job." Jamie was getting nervous. He wasn't even a cop yet and this was a big undercover assignment.

"You graduated first from Harvard Law and every graduation before that. My guess would be you're first in your class at the Academy because we both know you're very healthy. Don't worry, the FBI will document everything. You'll still have a job as long as we survive this."

"I'm in. Let's take these down and prove that our family isn't corrupt. Would visiting Mason in prison help my case?"

Joe knew about letters that Mason had written him after he turned eighteen. He knew when Jamie got those letters, they hurt him and reminded him of everything that he had lost at such as young age. He knew it would help Jamie with the Blue Templar if he did, but he was afraid of what it would do to Jamie at the same time.

Jamie could see that Joe was deep in thought and he could guess what it was about. "I've been visiting Mason about once a year for the last few years. I thought it was time I grew up, and I needed to do it on my own. You're the first person I've told about this. The visits only last about an hour."

Joe was shocked. He thought that they told each other all the important stuff. Then again, he'd been hiding the Templar thing for a while.

"Why didn't you tell me after the first time?"

"Because I was afraid what the family might think, what you would think. He's been sending me a letter a month since I'd graduated high school. I needed to visit for my piece of mind."

"Jamie, you know we've got your back and I know we wouldn't have liked it, at least if we knew we could've been there to support you. Someone should be there to support you."

"Dad arrested him after he stabbed me while trying to kidnap me. I really didn't want dad there. He protects me like his own, and I know it could've gone badly. Dad has too much to lose."

"The last thing dad wants is to lose any one of us."

"He sent me another letter last week. He wants to know how the Academy's going. Let's just say he's not thrilled his kid is becoming a cop, but this is part of the therapy that he's receiving. I can go visit him next weekend."

"Ok, but after the Templar we talk to dad about all of this, and I will go with you each time."

"Joe, I promise I'm fine. You can ride up with me, but you're not going in with me."

"Ok. That works."

That night Joe leaves and goes to a Templar meeting in a bar and lets them know his kid brother is in. Jamie studies and prepares himself for another rough visit to the prison. He didn't want Joe to know how hard the visits were.

A month later Jamie attends his first meeting, and he sees Joe transform before his eyes. Joe isn't the nice easy-going guy that he's always known. He acts like a rough ugly perp who he's learning how to arrest. Similar to all the other cops. He didn't realize but he did the same, only in his case he acts like his birth father. He had a good teacher when it came to criminal behavior.

Joe sat in the meeting and watched Jamie transform into something he'd never thought he'd see. Mason. He wondered if the meetings that he'd been having with him had an impact on him or if he was just a really good actor and had a great person to copy.

Neither Joe or Jamie realized that Frank had put a watch on Mason's visitor list, and he'd been notified each time Jamie visited. Frank wasn't worried about losing his son to his natural family he was worried about the impacts the visits had on his son's mental state. More so now with him joining the NYPD and based on how he was doing there wasn't any doubt that he would graduate and be an exceptional officer. He still didn't have any idea about the Blue Templar and the impact it would have on his family.

Joe and Jamie are working together for a singular goal, and that's to take down the Blue Templar. Frank and the family thought that they were getting closer because of Jamie's recent career change.

Jamie's graduation is one of the happiest days of his life. He knows that this is his true calling and he and Joe are close to bringing down the Blue Templar and ending their evil rein. What Jamie and Joe didn't realize is that one of their old FBI contacts had been turned by the Templar.

Joe knows something's coming, so he starts spending a lot of time over his dad's and tries to get Jamie to do the same, but Jamie's work schedule makes it difficult. Joe forgot how demanding the first year as a rookie could be. When Joe isn't at his dad's he's over at Jamie's apartment.

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon when Jamie was driving to the family home when he got into a bad car accident. In order to reduce injuries to others Jamie steered into a concrete barrier. By the time of impact, he was going so fast that all of the air bags in his car went off. Jamie hadn't regained consciousness by the time he arrived at the hospital.

The entire family had been waiting for him to begin dinner when Frank gets the call that Jamie's in the hospital.

The entire Reagan crowed into the Emergency Room waiting area. They didn't have to wait long because a doctor came out and let them know that Jamie was going to be okay. He has two broken ribs and a concussion and because of the concussion he's being kept overnight.

"What happened Jamie?" Frank was worried.

Jamie tried to think for a minute. The investigator has told him what they'd found. "My break lines were cut."

"Who would cut your break lines? You've been on the job a month. I know you're annoying, but you couldn't make enemies that quickly." Danny laughed.

"This is on something that I've been working on since I was in the Academy. A joint investigation with the FBI." Jamie looked at Joe before he saw his dad's shocked expression.

"What would the FBI want with a cadet?" Frank was confused.

"The Blue Templar." Was all Joe said before everyone in the room stared at him. "They are corrupt and dangerous, and the FBI has been investigating them for years."

"They weren't pillars of society when I was a member, but I wouldn't call them corrupt." Danny thought back to his time when he'd been recruited and the couple of weeks, he'd spent inside the organization.

"Danny, they're steeling money and drugs. They're working with the criminals." Jamie explained.

"Why didn't either one of you come to me about this?" Frank was mad. Jamie could've been killed.

"Because we were asked not to, because the FBI thought you were involved." Joe looked around the room to see everyone upset.

"Why get Jamie involved?" Frank worried. He understood why the FBI would want to clear him, but why a cadet.

"Because they are recruiting out of the Academy. We needed someone we could trust inside. Jamie was our best bet."

"Is that why you've visited Mason more frequently?" Frank was angry that Jamie was putting himself in a bad place without any support.

"You've been doing what?" Danny screamed.

"Yes, but the last three times Joe's gone with me and stayed in the car. He wasn't happy when he found out that I'd gone to see him alone either."

"Why'd you go Jamie?" Henry thought Jamie didn't want anything to do with Mason.

"Because I wanted to know why he killed my mom and why he hated me so much that he wanted to kill me. I was his son. Who wants to kill their own kid?" Jamie was holding back tears. This wasn't the time.

"What did he say?"

Jamie took a deep breath and winced because of his ribs. "Nothing of value, and that's what was expecting. The only good thing he did say is that I proved him wrong. That I'm smarter than I look, and then he asked if I would look up his case since, I'm a brilliant attorney."

Henry laughed knowing that would never happen, but he could see the fear in his son and grandsons faces.

"I told him no, that I couldn't help him. That I specialized in corporate and family law. Don't worry I would never help him."

"We didn't think so, but it was just surprising that you went to see him more than once." Frank said worried for his son.

"Like it or not I came from him. He beat and abused me for years; he killed my mom. I had to see him and know that I'm nothing like him before I started carrying a gun every day."

"Jamie, one of things that I and your mother loved about you so much is how sweet you are. No part of you is Mason in any way. It's part of why Danny was so worried about you becoming a cop." Frank smiled because there wasn't anything truer.

"Can we figure out a way to take down the Templar now?" Joe wanted to take care of the bigger problem. They'd have the rest of their lives to take care of Jamie.

The first of many conversations began once Jamie had been moved into his room, but it didn't last long since Jamie could hardly keep his eyes open and all except Frank were asked to leave and they could return for visiting hours the next morning.

Once Jamie was discharged, he wasn't given a choice of where he was going. He would be staying in Bay Ridge until he was told he could move back to his apartment.

The planning meetings continued, and all five men were exhausted. Joe was pissed off that they went after his baby brother. Joe would never be able to understand how Jamie was always the one to get hurt or be targeted. It still amazed Joe how resilient Jamie was. No matter what happened to him he still had a positive outlook.

Jamie was determined that he was going to be a part of the takedown. He needed to be a part of the take down.

Frank had amassed about ten trusted officers who would go in with them when they entered the bar that the Templar was working out of. Right now, at their current estimate, they think about fifty people are involved.

When they arrive the first-person Joe sees is his partner, Sonny, and he appears to be leading the group. Sonny sees him and immediately runs out the back. Joe and Jamie follow.

As soon as they make it out the back door both of them are hit. Joe took four bullets, two below his vest, while Jamie took two bullets to his vest. One of Frank's detail had followed and shot Sonny as soon as both of the Reagan boys went down. Danny and the other officers got the shields from all the members in the bar and started loading the seventy-four members into vans to take them to central holding.

Frank and Danny made their way out back to find both Jamie and Joe down. There's a pool of blood around Joe, and Jamie's drifting in and out of consciousness. When the EMTs arrive, they learn that Jamie was only hit in the vest, but because of his previous injury he's having some trouble breathing and is rushed to the hospital. Joe's injuries were much worse, and he didn't make it to the hospital.

Frank and Danny were at a loss for words. Joe's partner had killed him and injured Jamie. Frank's guilt was palpable. He was responsible for the OP that got one son killed and another could have easily been killed but had watched his older brother die. Joe and Jamie were more than brother's they were best friends. Danny was beside himself because he'd been on scene and unable to protect either one of his brothers. He didn't know how he was going to explain anything to the family. How could he look any of his family in the face, in his mind he'd failed everyone.

Jamie had only been out of the hospital for two days when it was time for Joe's funeral, and he didn't care about anything. He couldn't believe that his brother was gone. He'd been flooded with memories constantly sine the day of the OP.

He remembered how Joe treated him like a little brother before Jamie ever knew that they were thinking about adopting him. There are so many things that Joe taught Jamie and helped him with that he didn't know where he'd be without him. Then he could almost hear Joe laughing at him in his head saying that he'd be fine, he'd always be fine, that he's reliant and can do anything he puts his mind to.

The family all make their way back to the house in Bay Ridge to have a private wake. Jamie doesn't really want to be around anyone but knew that had to go back to the house.

The remainder of Jamie's rookie year went well. He received an accommodation thanks to the FBI for his part in the arrest. They believe he performed way above the level of a rookie cop on a tough case that hit too close to home. Despite the consequences Jamie is already making a name for himself in the department.

The family was worried because Jamie always retreated inside himself when life gets rough and the only two people who were able to get him to open up were Mary and Joe. Frank's worried that he's going to lose a second son. Jamie kept coming to Sunday dinners but kept quiet unless someone specifically spoke to him. He wasn't even breaking up Danny and Erin's dinner fights. Memories of Jamie's first few days flood Frank's mind and he worries that he may stop coming around because without Mary and Joe he doesn't feel like he belongs.