Chapter 20: Reagan History

Watching as Caitlin manually closes the overhead door on The Chevelle inside Mrs. Ryerson's garage and Alex drive Mrs. Ryerson's car back into her driveway, Joe looks at these two people before him in a new light – the light of they are family...

"All done!" Caitlin quips in satisfaction as she walks up to Joe from one side while Alex gets out of the car and walks over from the other and even though they had all met before, there is now a bit of awkwardness as all three people come together for the first time knowing they are cousins.

"So um hi." Joe greets in an attempt to break the ice.

Caitlin and Alex both raise a hand to their shoulder "Hi." They reply in unison.

Joe snickers "What are you like twins the way you did that?"

The twins nod.

"Oh." Joe awkwardly accepts and a silence befalls the trio as Caitlin and Alex look at him and he looks at them "So I guess I'm no longer the newbie to the family huh?"

Alex and Caitlin give Joe a questioning look.

Joe sighs as he starts back for Caitlin's house "Long story."

"Wait." Alex suddenly realizes "If we are on the same side - back at the Meretti Birthday party - why did you stop me…"

Joe stops walking and turns back to face Alex "…from snooping around the house?" Joe finishes.

Alex nods.

"To protect you and stop you from doing something really, really stupid." Joe explains.

Getting his back up a bit, Alex throws out a "Like what?"

"Potentially getting caught on video." Joe reveals.

"Oh." Alex mumbles out.

"Yeah, you can thank Uncle Jamie for having me save your ass on that one." Joe admits.

Caitlin looks up in thought "Uncle Jamie." She repeats trying it out "That sounds weird."

Joe shrugs "You get used to it."

Having listened to the exchange Alex crinkles his face up "Um, I don't think he'd be our Uncle…" he tells Caitlin "More like first cousin once removed."

Caitlin and Joe turn to look at Alex.

Beat.

"Yeah I like Uncle better." Caitlin simply decides before turning to head back home.

…..

Joe, Caitlin and Alex walk back into the house and head for the dining room to see Jamie already inside looking over all the documents and research Caitlin has on her parent's case "Have a seat." He instructs all of them as he sets the folder in his hands down.

A disgruntled look appears on Alex's face at the reminder that Caitlin was digging into their parent's death on her own and he scoffs as he looks at all the boxes and files everywhere "Where?"

Again, Caitlin turns her head to glare at her brother "You know you could have been helping me! Don't you want justice?"

"Of course I want justice – why do you think I'm a lawyer?"

"And why do you think I'm a cop?" Caitlin tosses back.

"Because you are both Reagans." Jamie suddenly interrupts "It's in your blood - literally."

"How's Eddie doing?" Joe chimes in trying to lower the temperature in the room.

"Heather is just finishing up." Jamie replies "Says Eddie will need some rest but she'll be okay."

A proud look appears on Alex's face "That's my girl."

A small smile threatens Jamie's face "Me too." He agrees of his wife.

Seeing the look on both men's faces, Caitlin just can't help herself "Oh look at you two getting all mushy over your girls." She laughs in pure amusement.

"Yeah well." Jamie admits before seriously sighing out "I don't know what I'd do if something happened to Eddie. I really don't."

Although she started it as a joke it's impossible for Caitlin not to smile at the way Jamie is talking about his wife "Ohhh." She happily laments "She's your 'it' girl!"

Jamie laughs at the euphemism "Yeah." He agrees "She's my 'it' girl."

But then Jamie pauses in realization – he wasn't usually one to openly talk about his feelings so he frowns "I have no idea why I'm even telling you this."

"Or that you were a Reagan in the first place…" Joe adds in a challenge "Or that my last name is Hill."

Jamie turns to glare at Joe but Alex jumps in with the answer "It's because it's her superpower and it's damned annoying."

Caitlin arrogantly shrugs "People just like to confess things to me – what can I say?"

"Well as a cop that will come in super handy." Jamie notes.

Caitlin grins "I know."

"Wish people would just confess things to me." Alex grumbles "Would make my job a lot easier."

"Hey, you got the brains lawyer boy." Caitlin tosses at her brother.

"Lawyer boy." Jamie repeats "Suddenly College Boy or Harvard isn't sounding so bad." He mutters to himself but Alex heard him.

"I'm sorry did you just say Harvard?" Alex inquires.

Jamie raises a slight hand "2007 alum."

Alex's face scrunches up in confusion "As what?"

"A lawyer." Jamie replies.

Alex's confusion grows "I thought you were a cop?"

"I am." Jamie confirms. "I gave up being a lawyer to become a cop."

Alex and Caitlin just look at Jamie.

"Long story." Jamie admits.

Joe sighs "One I would like to remind you, I myself would actually like to know too."

Caitlin looks at Joe "You don't know the story?"

Joe shakes his head "No. I didn't even know I was a Reagan until about 5 years ago and they aren't exactly forthcoming with information."

Jamie takes a deep unhappy breath "You could ask."

"I did ask!" Joe tosses back at Jamie.

"And I'm asking too!" Caitlin enthusiastically quips "And we have all night so I'll go make some coffee."

"Please no." Alex rejects in disgust as he reaches out to stop his sister "I'll make it." He decides as he starts to head off "Your coffee tastes like motor oil."

Caitlin looks at her brother annoyed "How?" Caitlin demands to know as she moves to follow "It's the same coffee. You measure it in the scoop, add water and hit a button – it tastes exactly the same!"

"Oh no it doesn't!" Alex rejects.

"Yes it does!" Caitlin insists as they disappear from the room.

"They fight like Reagans." Joe points out.

"They do don't they." Jamie admits.

Silence.

"Listen, thank you." Jamie suddenly begins "If you hadn't have given me a heads up…"

But Joe raises a hand and waves it slightly "We're family." He dismisses "Now how are we taking down Walker and Meretti?"

"As a family." Jamie replies as he pulls out his phone "And as family I think it's time we share our most valued tradition with them."

…..

The door bell of Caitlin's house rings causing Caitlin to anxiously stiff up – she wasn't expecting anyone.

"I ordered food." Jamie explains as he walks up to her while opening his wallet "Here." He states as he pulls out some money and hands it to her.

Unable to stop herself an amused smile appears on Caitlin's face "Thanks Uncle Jamie!" She quips as she swipes the money away and heads for the door.

A look of surprise appears on Jamie's face 'Uncle Jamie?' he thinks.

"Oh I don't think I'm…" Jamie begins to call after her in rejection but Caitlin is already almost at the door and he can't be seen so he quickly heads back into the dining room where Joe is moving a box off a chair "…your Uncle."

Joe places the box on top of another box by the wall before turning to face his Uncle with a smirk on his face "According to Caitlin, you are now."

Jamie frowns as he picks up a box himself "Why do I suddenly feel old?"

Joe's face scrunches up "At being called Uncle?" he questions "I would think you'd be well used to that from Nicky, Jack, Sean - me."

"No." Eddie chimes in as she walks in the room with Heather next to her and answers Joe "It's because he's been the baby of the family his whole life and suddenly right now, in this Reagan household…" She explains as she turns to focus her attention solely on her husband "You are now the oldest."

Jamie turns to look at his wife and his face immediately brightens "Hey!" He happily greets as he quickly puts the box in his hands down on top of the box Joe just placed and steps towards is wife "How you feeling?"

"Way better." Eddie admits before softening her face at her husband "Thank you for making sure I got help."

Jamie smiles a lopsided little smile at his wife "You can count on me." He simply promises before adding "And I could say the same to you. Even with a wounded arm, you still managed to once again save my ass and scare off Walker."

The corners of Eddie's mouth threaten to turn upwards as she locks eyes with her husband "And you can count on me."

Heather looks back and forth between Jamie and Eddie to see them just staring at one another "I know those looks."

"Hum?" Jamie simply muses but still doesn't break eye contact with his wife.

Heather narrows her eyes "Those words aren't just random words to you are they?"

"No." Eddie admits as she continues to smile at Jamie "They are a part of our vows."

"I knew it!" Heather exclaims.

"Yeah by the way…" Eddie remembers as she finally looks away from Jamie to look at Heather "Can you please finish explaining that to me now?"

"What?" Heather prompts.

"How you and Alex are married but not married."

"Oh. That."

"Yes that." Eddie confirms "Now spill!"

"Wow." Heather notes with a slight laugh in deflection "You're bossy!"

"Yes she is." Jamie confirms in amusement.

"Oh look who's talking." Alex quips as he enters the room "This one is the queen of bossy." He reveals as he gestures to Heather.

"Well to be able to deal with a Reagan man." Eddie defends "You have to be!"

"Amen sista!" Heather readily quips in agreement as she begins to raise her hand requesting Eddie give her a high five slap but then quickly lowers it in remembrance of her injured arm "No don't do that." Heather warns Eddie.

"Wasn't planning on it." Eddie admits.

Alex looks at Jamie "Now there is two of them."

Jamie shrugs "Is that a bad thing?"

A smile curves up onto Alex's face "Not at all."

"PIZZA!" Caitlin sings as she enters the room with a couple of take out boxes in hand.

"Sunday dinner pizza?" Joe questions of Jamie.

Jamie shrugs "Not much else is open at this hour."

"Sunday Dinner?" Alex questions confused "It's not Sunday."

"Oh I get it." Eddie suddenly notes.

"Well I would hope!" Jamie tosses at his wife.

"Then someone explain it please." Alex requests.

Joe and Eddie both look at Jamie and gesture for him to continue so in turn Jamie gestures for everyone to take a seat at the table and they do – Jamie, Eddie and Joe on one side and Heather, Alex and Caitlin on the other before Jamie turns to address Caitlin, Alex and Heather.

"Lots of families have traditions…" Jamie begins "For the Reagan's there is no bigger tradition then having a weekly sit down Sunday Dinner with the entire family."

Eddie leans slightly towards the group of three over the table "Every. Single. Sunday." She reiterates in punctuation "Without fail."

"It's mandatory." Joe simply but helpfully adds causing Jamie and Eddie to both immediately turn and look at him – surprised HE would be the one to say that "Oh don't look at me that way." Joe chides his Aunt and Uncle "You want to give them the proper run down right?"

"Yes." Jamie concurs as he turns his attention back to the trio "It is a tradition started by my Grandmother – your Great Grandmother – Betty Reagan who grew up poor in Ireland before moving to New York."

"So when she and Henry - I call him Henry…" Eddie explains "…got married, your Great Grandma Betty promised herself her family would always have enough to eat and Sunday Dinner was her way of proving that." She adds before looking at Jamie "Did I get that right?"

Jamie nods in confirmation.

"Oh is that why." Joe mutters.

Caitlin looks at Joe "You didn't know that?"

"Still a lot of stuff he doesn't know." Jamie replies.

Suddenly Caitlin is hit with a thought and she looks at Jamie "Wait you said Joe was your brother Joe's son right?"

Jamie nods so Caitlin turns her attention to Joe "So why is your last name Hill and not Reagan?"

"Again, he didn't know he was a Reagan until about 5 years ago." Jamie answers.

Joe looks down the table at Jamie annoyed that he answered for him "I can speak for myself thank you."

"Oh by all means!" Jamie mockingly relents as Eddie sitting in between the two men sighs.

Alex leans towards his sister "I think you hit a nerve."

"A big painful one." Eddie confirms.

Joe and Jamie turn to look at Eddie.

"Am I wrong?" She flat out challenges the two men on either side of her.

Joe takes a deep breath "My Mom and my Dad went to the police academy together." He begins to explain. "They dated but it wasn't serious. My Mom got pregnant, dropped out of the academy and didn't tell my Dad. He was then killed on the job a few years later. Neither he nor the Reagan's knew I existed and I didn't know who my Dad was until about 5 years ago. I did one of those mail in DNA tests and ended up matched up with Sean – Jamie's older brother Danny's son."

"So he wasn't raised a Reagan." Jamie adds "He was raised - and is…" He adds with a hint of irritation in his voice "…a Hill."

Joe looks at Jamie "I'm also a Reagan."

"When it's convenient for you." Jamie tosses back.

Eddie holds her hands up as if holding a big ball in her hands "BIIIIIIIG nerve." She reiterates "BUT…" She emphasizes "…even with issues to work out they are family." She pointed states as she looks between Jamie and Joe "And if there is one thing that Reagan's are known for, it's coming together when outside forces are against them."

Caitlin looks at Eddie but points at Jamie "He basically said the same thing earlier."

Jamie nods in complete agreement "That's right because…" Jamie begins repeating a line Danny once told him "Reagan Family rule #1 - Reagans can talk smack all night long but if an outsider talks smack – there's gonna be a fight."

"Oh I like that!" Caitlin impressively notes while Eddie's face scrunches up. Her first thought being 'well Reagan's can get into it with one another too' she silently notes as her mind flashes back to the most recent altercation of the street fight between Jamie and Joe but she thinks better to voice that out loud so instead she goes with "Talk smack?" she repeats at she looks at her husband a bit weirdly "Since when do you say things like talk smack?"

Jamie rolls his head a little from side to side "Danny said it first." He admits.

"Oh." Eddie notes in understanding "That makes much more sense."

"He sounds cool!" Caitlin interjects "I can't wait to meet him!"

Having always looked up to his older brother, a super small smile threatens to appear on Jamie's face and he nods in agreement "Yeah, he's cool."

Joe looks at Jamie "I'm telling him you said that."

Jamie shrugs "Go ahead."

Joe frowns "Well that's no fun."

Jamie smiles "I know."

"Alright boys." Eddie chides.

Caitlin looks between Jamie, Joe and then settles her gaze on Eddie "I take it these two do this a lot?" She queries before snickering a bit "Because you just sounded like a little Mother Hen chastising two kids for their behavior."

Alex rolls his eyes at his sister and mutters "Way to offend our new family members."

Eddie turns her attention to Alex and smiles "It's okay. I don't offend easily."

"Watch out." Caitlin herself mutters in response as she glances at her brother "Now he's going to take that as a challenge."

Alex turns his head to glare at his sister "Look who's talking!"

Jamie looks at Caitlin and Alex "You two do realize you are cut from the same cord – literally right?"

"Well no, not literally." Heather corrects.

For a moment, Eddie looks at Caitlin and Alex seated next to one another in thought then turns her attention to Jamie "I'm not used to having to watch people that spar sit right next to one another. For everyone's safety I think it's better if they sit across the table from one another don't you agree?"

Jamie can't help but let out an amused chuckle as he nods his head in agreement "There is reason the seating plan ended up being the way it is." He admits.

A look of immediate understanding appears on Joe's face "Danny on one side and you and Erin on the other." He notes.

Jamie nods.

"What are you talking about?" Caitlin queries.

"Sunday Dinner." Joe replies to Caitlin before looking at his Uncle "I always wondered how the assigned seating came to be what it is."

"It never used to be like that." Jamie admits "It used to be just randomly grab the first seat you see but somehow over time it organically turned into everyone having their own specific seat."

"This Sunday Dinner is beginning to sound more and more like a big deal." Alex mutters.

"Oh you have no idea." Eddie laughs.

"But you're about to find out." Jamie adds "Now, are there plates and napkins? Caitlin, as the youngest, it's your job to set the table."

Caitlin turns her head to look at Jamie and a scowl appears on her face "I am NOT the youngest – we… she adds as she gestures between herself and her brother "…are the same age."

"Except I was born first." Alex points out "So technically yes, you are the youngest."

Caitlin takes in a very deep unhappy breath of air "That means nothing."

Alex let's out an unhappy breath of air "Caitlin how many times do we have to go over this? I came out first. You came out second. It's like winning a race – the person that get's there first, is FIRST."

"Actually Quinn would be the youngest." Heather pipes up in an attempt to smooth things over.

"But he's not here." Jamie adds as he continues to just watch the scene play out in front of him and as Jamie watches Alex and Caitlin, Eddie splits her time watching not only Caitlin and Alex but her husband too.

"What are you up to?" Eddie curiously inquires to Jamie.

Jamie shrugs "Nothing."

"No you're working some kind of angle here." Eddie decides.

Alex, Caitlin, Heather and Joe all look at Jamie.

"You two butt heads." Jamie states as he gestures between the twins "And you play peace maker." He adds as he motions to Heather "If we are taking Meretti and his organization down I need to know everyone's strengths and weaknesses first."

"Taking down Meretti?" Heather repeats in slight alarm.

"Yes." Jamie confirms "And it will take all of us – including you." He adds as he looks straight at Heather.

"Whoa, hang on." Alex protectively protests "She's not a cop nor does she have any involvement in the justice system!"

"I know." Jamie confirms with a smile "She's a doctor and Eddie just got shot."

Eddie narrows her eyes at her husband "You have a plan don't you?"

Jamie's smile grows.

…..

A/N: Next up - take down #1.

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