Hello, dear readers. I hope this finds you well. Thank you for your kind comments on my story. You are appreciated more than you could possibly know. The next chapter is ready to go and it's a bit of a longer one. I hope you enjoy.

Pick Up on Aisle 10: Chapter 11

Frank turned off the lamp on his desk, latched his briefcase, and took his overcoat from the rack. He slipped it on, smiling as he noticed the blonde hair clinging to the shoulder, right where Lucy had rested her head when he took her home a couple of nights before.

His gaze landed on the shelves behind his desk, taking in the plaques resting there. The awards The pictures.

The memories.

Locking his office door as he left, he came to a decision.

"I need to make a couple of stops on the way home," he told Nuciforo.

At the cemetery, his head of security opened the door for him, then stepped back to allow him his privacy.

Sighing heavily, Frank gathered the bunches of flowers he had picked up and slowly made his way to where Reagans were laid to rest. A section he had visited far too often.

He came to a stop in front of the most recent addition to the plot. He laid a bunch of pale pink roses in front of the marker.

Linda Rose O'Shea Reagan.

The daughter he had gained as a teenager. He remembered Danny coming home from the first day of his freshman year of high school, sitting down to dinner, and announcing to his family that he had met the girl he was going to marry.

The pretty blonde he had brought around a few days later. From the start, she had stood up for herself, going toe to toe with any of the hard headed Reagan's she felt needed calling out.

And they had loved her for it.

"Your guys miss you, Linda. They're doing well, but they miss you. We all do. It's just not the same."

He stood there a few more minutes, wishing his son could have been spared this particular pain.

Moving further down the row, he lay another bundle of roses in front of another marker. These were blue. He started to speak, but couldn't for a moment, a familiar ache overwhelming him.

Joseph Conor Reagan.

Burying a child was unnatural. It just wasn't the way things were supposed to happen in life. You weren't supposed to visit your child's grave.

"Miss you, Son. I wish you were here for your son. For all of us, but especially for him. He's a good man. A really good cop. A little bit of a loose canon, sometimes. Brash. Quick to act." He smiled. "I'm sure that comes from his mothers side of the family."

The next marker was a double, one side still blank. Dark pink roses were laid in front of the engraved side.

Elizabeth Colleen Riley Reagan.

"Hey, Ma. Miss you. I've gotten myself in a bit of a situation and I could sure use your advice." He dusted some leaves from the top of the marker. "Though, to be fair, Pops is doing a great job as an advisor. Still as sharp as ever and going strong. I know I'm supposed to be taking care of him at this point, but it feels like he's still doing more for me than I do for him."

Childhood memories flooded his mind and found himself smiling again.

Finally, he found himself standing in front of the final marker he had come to visit.

Another double, only half engraved. Red roses for this one.

Mary Margaret Conor Reagan.

He was silent, recalling the promises he had made to her on their wedding day and the words he had told her the night he took off his ring.

"I'll always love you," he whispered, resting his hand on the cold stone.

After several minutes of quiet contemplation, he cleared his throat.

"I'm about to become a father again," he told her.

"What the hell, Dad?"

He turned at the loud exclamation, finding his son, Danny, standing several feet away, eyes wide. After a moment, the younger man shook his head quickly and laughed.

"Not sure if you misspoke or I misheard, but you gave me a bit of a shock there, Dad," he told him. "Instead of 'grandfather,' I heard that you're going to be a father again."

Sticking his hands in his pockets, Frank stared at the ground for a moment, then cleared his throat and looked up, meeting Danny's gaze.

"Neither."

"Neither, what?"

"I didn't misspeak and you didn't mishear. I am going to be a father again in about 6 months, if all goes well."

Danny stepped closer. "You'd better be about to tell me you're adopting, because the other option I'm thinking is that my old man got some girl knocked up and I really don't want to think about that."

Frank shrugged. "I'm really not fond of the term 'knocked up,' and she's older than you, so a woman, not a girl, but, otherwise, you're pretty much reading the situation correctly."

"How could this happen, Dad?"

"Usual way. Same way you ended up with two kids. Didn't we have the birds and bees discussion when you were about 12? Do you need a refresher course?"

The detective shuddered. "No, thanks. I remember it well. I seem to remember that discussion including the use of protection. Preventing not only unwanted kids, but other stuff, too."

"Unplanned," Frank corrected. "Not unwanted."

"I didn't know you were even seeing anyone."

"I wasn't, exactly. We just met."

"A one night stand? That doesn't sound like you."

"It's not."

"What is she? Some sort of cop groupie? A hooker?"

His father glared at him. "No. It was nothing like that."

"It wasn't a one night stand?"

"It wasn't supposed to be. It wasn't supposed to happen. It just did."

Now it was Danny's turn to glare. "Just happened? Would you have accepted that as an excuse if one of us said that? After you hammered into us to not let ourselves get in situations where things could possibly 'just happen?' To always be in control?"

"It's not that simple."

"You seemed to think it was when you thought one of us would screw up."

"I know it's not simple. The situation wasn't something you really think or plan for…It's complicated."

"Of course it is. Is she blackmailing you?"

"No."

"She's got to want something from you. I can't believe you would let yourself get tangled up with some manipulative badge bunny."

"It's nothing like that, Danny."

"She's probably not even pregnant. Going to end up having a tragic miscarriage. Or if she is really pregnant, it's not necessarily yours. A woman who will jump into bed with you the day you meet is likely to do the same thing to any number of other men."

Frank's anger boiled over.

"You are completely out of bounds, Daniel. You don't know Lucy or anything about her. I strongly suggest you leave now, before you say something I won't be able to forgive."

The younger man backed away, hands in the air.

"I'm just saying…"

"Just don't. Go cool down. When you're ready to listen instead of hurling baseless allegations, call me and we can sit down and talk."

After holding the glare for several more moments, Danny finally broke the stalemate. He walked to Linda's marker.

"Sorry, Babe."

With a final glare at his father, he turned and went back to his car, starting the engine and roaring away.

Frank watched him drive away, then sighed and turned back to the grave.

"That certainly went well," he mumbled. Bending down, he straightened the flowers as he tried to organize his thoughts again.

"Pops thinks you would have liked her. Assuming I wouldn't have slept with her and gotten her pregnant, of course. Which I wouldn't have."

He smiled. "When you were here, you were it, sweetheart. No one else. Even with you gone, I haven't really been open to other women, even though I promised I would."

Over the next several minutes, he proceeded to tell her about Lucy and about what had been going on between them.

About the twins.

And his proposal.

"If you've got any ideas on getting her to agree, I'm listening," he told her.

Finally, heaving another sigh, he said his good-byes and headed back to his vehicle where his security detail waited.

"Everything okay?" Nuciforo asked.

Frank looked at him, then shrugged. "I don't know."

At St Victor's Hospital, Lucy headed to the counter. After finishing a couple of notes and signing off, she placed the chart in a basket and glanced at the time.

"I'm going to go ahead and try to get my dinner break," she told the attendant. "I'll be in the breakroom in case of Armageddon."

She turned and made her way down the hallway to the employee area. The break room, locker room, and on call sleeping areas were grouped together in a quiet area away from the bustle of the main emergency room and treatment rooms.

Opening the refrigerator, she pulled out her dinner and placed it in the microwave to heat up. As she waited, the eyes fell on the green, glass vase, overflowing with a brightly colored array of wildflowers and she smiled.

A couple of female staff members were sitting at a nearby table and she overheard their conversation.

"I'd be pissed if my guy was too cheap to buy me roses," one commented.

"I don't know," the other replied. "All guys send roses. I kind of like something different from time to time."

Lucy spoke up. "Maybe the relationship isn't serious enough for roses yet. Or maybe the sender thinks the person would like these better. I think they're absolutely beautiful."

The other two looked at each other, then at her.

"You're probably right."

"Look at the time," the other one commented. "Time to get back to work."

Under Lucy's confused watch, they quickly cleaned up and headed out of the room and back into the organized chaos.

Just as the timer beeped and she took her food out, the door opened again and someone else entered the room.

"Hey, Dr Mac," the other woman said, stopping at her table.

"Sohalia. Are you leaving already?"

"It is that time for me," her friend replied. "You're on until 10?"

Lucy nodded, blowing on the spaghetti to cool it off.

"I guess things are going well with you and Frank? Working through those complications?" Sohalia asked with a grin.

"We're working on them," the blonde replied. "Why do you ask?"

The nurse threw out her arms, indicating the flowers.

"I'm assuming those are from him."

"Those are for me?"

In response, the other woman grabbed the card and handed it to her.

She set down her fork and took it, instantly recognizing the neat handwriting on the front of the envelope. Sohalia grinned knowingly as she pulled out the card.

'I was going to send roses, but I saw these and thought of you and smiled.

Always,

Francis

Hope you're thinking of me and smiling, too'

The other woman chuckled.

"I guess that answers that question."

"What?"

"I have never seen such a sappy smile on your face, Doc."

"I don't think anyone has ever sent me flowers before."

"Your husband never gave you flowers?"

"He was in the military, then with the police department. Neither of which is known for their high pay. I was a medical school student and brought in even less, and we had a house we were working on. Things like flowers just weren't in the budget."

She smiled at a memory. "He would, however, pull over to the side of the road to pick wildflowers for me, even though they sent his allergies into overdrive. Said it was worth it to make me smile."

Sohalia patted her hand. "Sounds like you had a good one."

"I did."

"And this one seems to be a keeper, too."

"He's a good man. A really good man."

The other woman looked at her watch. "Well, I need to get home to my good man, so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Enjoy your night."

She nodded towards the flowers. "Give him a call. Say 'thank you.'

"Yes, ma'am," she laughed, waving as the other woman left. She finished her meal, rinsed her dish, then pulled out her phone and sent a text.

Staring out the window, Frank felt his phone buzz. He pulled it out and looked to see a text from Lucy.

'Thank you. They're beautiful.'

He smiled and pressed the button to call her.

"You're not disappointed it's not fancier?"

"Not at all," she replied. "I'm not particularly fancy myself, so they're perfect for me. I love all the different colors and scents."

"I'm glad," he told her. "Full disclosure, my visit to the florist was dual purpose. I wanted to send something to you, but I was also planning a visit to the cemetery and wanted something to lay on the plots there. I was going to send you roses as well, but I saw those and thought of you."

"Okay."

The line was silent.

"Does that bother you?"

"That you didn't send me roses or that you visit your wife's grave? Of course not, Francis. I adore the flowers. I'm a little unnerved that you know me so well already, but they're exactly right for me. As for visiting Mary, she was an important part of your life for a long time. She still is. I don't expect you to forget her any more than you expect me to forget Oscar."

"I don't," he assured her.

"Have you been feeling alright today?" he asked, not wanting to go into detail about his experience at the cemetery. "Eating when you need to? Dinner and snacks?"

"I'm doing good," she told him. "Just finished my dinner. I went over to your place and had brunch with Henry before I came in, so he made sure I had enough then and packed up some more for later."

"That's good. How did that come about?"

"You said he wanted me to call if I needed anything and I wanted to check with him about a couple of things."

"What things?"

She gave him the highlights of their conversation, concluding with Henry's promise to be in her corner.

"No better man to have there," Frank told her.

"I definitely appreciate the support from the both of you."

After another silence, she spoke again. "How was your visit to the cemetery?" she asked, returning to the previous subject.

"Fine. As fine as a cemetery visit can be, I suppose."

"Did something happen? Or are you having second thoughts about all of this? I know Mary has been on your mind a lot."

"No," he assured her. "No second thoughts. I want us to be together. You. Me. Our children. It's best for all of us. I have been thinking about her alot. And the others. Sometimes I just need to spend time out there with people who won't argue with me," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

"So, are you going to tell me what's wrong? Or is it something work related that you can't talk about? Because all you need to do is say so."

"What makes you think something is wrong?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, but there's something in your voice that's making me suspicious that you're not telling me something," she replied.

He sat quietly for a moment, wondering how she had learned to read him so well in such a short time.

"So, there was a little bit of a situation of sorts at the cemetery," he finally admitted to her. "When I'm there thinking about things, I have a tendency to talk about what's on my mind to my Ma, or to Mary. It helps me think better. I mentioned the fact that I am going to be a father again."

"And someone heard," she deduced.

"Danny did," he admitted. "He was there, probably to visit Linda, and he heard what I said. He laughed it off at first, thinking I had misspoken or that he had misheard what I said."

"I see."

"When I told him that he had heard correctly, he kind of…"

"Kind of what? Got angry? Upset?"

"Both, I suppose. Confused. I never really told the kids about what happened that night. About the whole hostage situation. There wasn't anything any of them could have done and it all ended well."

"So, you told him now?"

"No. I didn't really get the chance to tell him anything. He started spouting off all kinds of nonsense and I told him to go somewhere and cool off before he said something that he would regret. Or something I couldn't forgive," he told her.

"What kind of things?"

"Just…things."

"About me?"

His long silence answered her question.

"About the whole situation."

"Including me."

He sighed. "Some of it, yes."

"Francis"

"He wasn't raised to act like that, Lucy. To talk like that, especially about people he knows nothing about."

"You don't think the situation itself tells him plenty about me?"

"Not as much as he thinks it does. He called you a "badge bunny."

"I'm sorry, Francis. I told Henry I don't want to cause conflict between you and your family."

"You're not," he assured her. "You and those babies are a part of my family. Besides, butting heads is what we Reagans do second best."

"Oh? And what do you Reagans do best?"

"Love each other. Look out for each other. Protect each other."

"And maybe that's what Danny feels like he's doing. Looking out for you."

"Probably," he admitted.

"So don't be too harsh on him. Give him some time. Please."

"Of course. Maybe this isn't so bad. Get one of them informed of the situation before I drop it on everyone."

"When were you planning on doing that?"

"I thought we could discuss that. Whether we get married or not, they're still going to have to know. And we probably shouldn't wait too long."

"Probably so," she agreed. She glanced at the clock. "I should probably be getting back to work."

"Okay. Be careful and don't overdo it," he told her.

"I will and I won't," she laughed. "And thank you again for the flowers."

"You're welcome. And don't forget to let me know when you get home."

She assured him she would and ended the call.

Frank spent the rest of the ride home brooding over this turn of events. He had been debating how to go about sharing the news with his family, whether it would be best done all together or person by person. And should he do so with Lucy present or without.

After seeing Danny's reaction, he was leaning towards not having her there. He knew she would say it wouldn't bother her and that she could handle it.

But it bothered him. And he felt the need to protect her, emotionally as well as physically.

Henry immediately noticed his mood when he arrived at the house. He acknowledged the older man wordlessly before heading upstairs to change into something more comfortable.

When he came down, he moved to fix drinks as his father moved the meal to the table.

"You're late tonight, Francis."

"Sorry."

"Rough day at work."

"No."

"Bad traffic?"

"No."

"Fine. Forget I asked."

Frank sighed heavily. "Sorry, Pops. Just frustrated with Danny."

"What's he done now?"

The younger Reagan proceeded to tell his father about what had happened at the cemetery that afternoon.

"Not a completely unexpected reaction," Henry told him.

"No, but not what I had hoped for," Frank replied. "He didn't even give me a chance to explain. And the assumptions he made about Lucy. About the kind of woman she is. That she's interested in my badge. That I don't even carry anymore since I'm a civilian."

"Like I told her, it's probably going to take some time."

"I know, but I don't want her to have to put up with that."

"I don't either, but she can handle it, Son. She's a whole lot tougher than she looks."

"I know. But I want to make things easier for her. She's always had to be tough and she deserves to not have to be for a while."

"I know. And I agree. And we will do what we can…what she will let us do…to make it happen. The rest isn't under our control."

"I know. But I don't have to like it," Frank grumbled.

"She's a good person, Francis. They'll all come to see that in time. Meanwhile, she has you and me on her side."

Nodding, Frank took a drink. "She told me you had her over for brunch and some conversation."

Henry shrugged. "She had some concerns she wanted to discuss and it's less fun cooking for one, so it served us both. I like this girl, Francis, and I like the effect she had on you."

"Me, too."

Conversation turned to other topics and the two men slipped easily into their regular nightly routine, Frank cleaning the kitchen, then a quiet evening of drinks, conversation, and reading.

Later that night, Henry took his glass into the kitchen and heard the back door open. He looked over to find his grandson shedding his coat and stepping into the room.

"Daniel."

Danny sighed. "Hey, Gramps. Is Dad in the living room?"

"Depends. Are you here to actually listen or do you plan to spout off more nonsense about something you know nothing about?''

"You know about this baby situation?"

"I do."

"And you're okay with it?"

"Not that my thoughts matter one way or the other, since the situation is what it is regardless, but yes, I'm okay with the situation."

"Really? Because from what he told me, it sounds like this woman has got some angle, some game going on here."

"If that were the case, she would have immediately agreed when he suggested they get married."

"He wants to marry her?" Danny exclaimed, his disapproval clear. "That's hardly expected in this day and age."

"But your father is from a previous day and age and feels like it's the right thing to do."

"I've got to talk some sense into him."

They heard the sound of Frank's cell phone ringing and Henry glanced at the time. He motioned for Danny to follow him.

"Come here and listen. And keep quiet."

They listened as he answered, the warmth in his tone clear.

"Hey, Lucy. I'm guessing you're home, inside, locked up and alarmed."

He listened, then laughed.

"And the flowers are, too. I hope you didn't struggle with them too much."

The two listened to his end of the conversation.

"How was your day? You didn't overdo things?"

Her response drew a hum from him.

"You do remember that you're supposed to be taking it a little bit easier? Staying off your feet when you can?"

He listened again.

"Yes, I realize you just drove home and were off your feet for the drive, but you still need to sit down and rest. Have something to eat. Relax."

Another pause.

"No, I haven't. I told him to get in touch when he was ready to listen. I guess he's not ready yet."

He grimaced, listening to her reply.

"Please don't worry about it. And don't let it sway your decision. Everything will work out fine. I don't want you stressing about it."

As he paused to listen again, Danny looked at his grandfather.

"What am I supposed to be hearing, Gramps?"

"All of it. The way he talks to her. His concern and affection for her. The way he laughs and smiles. How long has it been since you've seen or heard him act like that around a woman?"

"Are you trying to convince me he's in love with this woman?"

"No," Henry conceded. "Not yet, anyway. But this is the first time since your mom passed that I've seen him opening himself to the possibility."

Danny shook his head, clearly not convinced.

"You really mean to tell me you have no concerns about this situation? About this woman?"

"I have concerns, but I trust his judgment and I like this girl, Danny. She's good for my son and he's happier than I've seen him in a long time. This isn't exactly an ideal way for things to have happened, but it is what it is."

They turned their attention back to the call going on.

"You sound like you're about ready to fall asleep on me, sweetheart. Am I that boring?"

He listened, grinning.

"I know. Besides, I'm supposed to be making sure you get enough rest, so I'll let you get to bed. I'll call you in the morning, if that's okay?"

He nodded.

"Okay. I'll talk to you then. Call me if you need to. Any time."

Another pause.

"Good night. Sweet dreams."

Disconnecting the call, he sat for a moment, a small smile on his face. Finally, he put his phone down and looked around.

"Pops?"

Henry headed back into the room, Danny close behind him.

"Just in the kitchen, Francis. I guess Lucy made it home alright?"

Frank's gaze rested on Danny as he answered his father.

"She did. I told her to have a bite to eat and relax, then get to bed. She sounded tired," he told him, a look of concern on his face.

"Is she on the same shift tomorrow?"

"She is," Frank told him. "Noon to ten. But then she's off for the next couple of days. She says she doesn't have anything planned, so I'm hoping she'll take it easy. Rest up."

He turned his attention to his son.

"Are you ready to listen, Danny?"

The younger man took a seat on the sofa and breathed deeply in and out. He shook his head slightly, then leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I'll try. This just feels so out of character for you, Dad. I just can't imagine the man who raised me sleeping with a woman he just met."

"I agree. It's not how I would act under normal circumstances. Nor is it how she would act under normal circumstances. But the circumstances involved were far from normal."

"Who is this woman, anyway? How did this whole thing come about? And why did Gramps say you've asked her to marry you?"

Frank nodded, leaning back in his chair.

"Her name is Lucy Makenna. Widow. Her husband was one of our officers who died in the tower collapse on 9/11. She's 48 years old, so the pregnancy thing was pretty unexpected for her, too. She's a doctor in the emergency room at St Victors."

Danny sat up straight.

"St Victors?"

"She's been there about 12 years, I think and she did work with Linda. Says she was an excellent nurse and remembers her fondly."

"I don't remember Linda ever mentioning her," Danny told him.

"Not surprising. I'm sure she had a lot of coworkers over the years."

"True," he conceded. "So, how did the two of you meet?"

Frank dropped his gaze to the floor.

"That would be the night we were held hostage at the grocery store."

Danny lifted his hand in a 'stop' motion.

"Held hostage?"

"Yeah. Some gangbangers? At that little all-night grocery place over on Henderson? Few months back?"

"Why is this the first time I'm hearing about this?" he asked.

"I told you."

"No, Dad, you didn't."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Dad. I'm sure I would have remembered that. Linda was held hostage. Erin was held hostage. Nicky was held hostage. Eddie was held hostage. I remember those situations. I still have nightmares about those situations. I'm absolutely certain that I would remember you being taken hostage, especially in the last few months."

Frank glanced up at him.

"Must have slipped my mind."

Danny looked back and forth between his father and his grandfather.

"Did you know about this, Gramps?"

"I did."

"Anyone else in the family?"

"No," Frank acknowledged. "No one else in the family. And the officers involved were asked to keep it quiet."

"Why would you keep something like that from your own family, Dad? Keep it from me?"

His father sighed. "Because there wasn't really any reason to tell you. It was the middle of the night and it really wasn't very long. By the time I could tell anyone anything, it was all over with anyway. I was none the worse for wear. Everyone was fine."

He corrected himself. "Everyone except Chains."

"Who?"

"The gangbanger who had been shot. That was the whole reason the others were even there. He didn't make it."

"And didn't you say the store clerk was hit on the head?" Henry asked. "Ended up with a concussion?"

"That's right. He did. I think he spent a day or so in the hospital, but he did make a full recovery."

"I should have been told about this when it happened," Danny interrupted. "I think your family had a right to know that you were in danger."

Frank sighed again.

"I thought you probably had enough nightmare fuel already without adding my experience to the mix."

The younger man's anger faded. "Oh."

Henry took a seat. "He probably wouldn't have told me, either, but figured out I would notice that he didn't come home that night."

After a long moment of silence, Danny spoke again.

"So. The night you were held hostage…"

"I had been in meetings all day. Community group representatives complaining about the lack of patrols. Budget committee telling me I needed to cut back on spending. Union reps telling me we need to raise pay and hire more officers. Long and tiring day."

"I don't miss any of that part of the job," Henry commented.

"Anyway, it was very late when I got things wrapped up. I had called Pops that I was going to be late and not to wait up for me. I'd see him in the morning. I had my driver stop at that little diner on Henderson for something to eat before I came home."

Danny nodded for him to continue.

"On the way out, I noticed the grocery store and remembered that we needed a couple of things, so I told my detail to wait while I ran inside to pick them up."

"Isn't your detail supposed to stick with you all the time when you're out?" Danny questioned.

It was Henry who answered. "They are, but it gets really old sometimes having someone following you around all the time. Especially since there's absolutely nothing happening 99% of the time."

"And, unfortunately, this was one of those other times," Frank admitted.

He continued his story, picking up the milk, stopping to browse the cookie aisle, and the woman who caught his attention and her comments.

"She was flirting with you?"

Frank glared at his son. "You don't need to sound quite so surprised, Danny. It has happened."

"I've even been the object of flirtation from time to time," Henry added.

"Believe it or not."

The younger man hurried to clarify. "Of course you have. I'm sure. That Reagan charm and all that." He grinned. "But it didn't make you suspicious? Just a bit?"

'No, it didn't. As I said, it does happen and it's not like she was following me or even knew I was going to be there. It was a spur of the moment stop. Besides, she had no idea who I was."

"You sure?"

"Sure enough. Besides, she got embarrassed, apologized, turned around and hurried away."

"Baiting the hook," Danny suggested. "Getting your attention and hoping you'd follow her. Which, apparently, you did."

"I don't think that was her motive, but I go find her on the next aisle over. With the bread. Aisle 10, to be specific."

"Because she flattered you."

Frank shrugged. "Because she was cute."

"Cute?"

"Yes. Cute," his father insisted. "She's very petite. Claims to be 5' 4", but I think she's stretching it a bit. Fair skin that really shows a blush. Deep green eyes that crinkle at the corner when she smiles. Nice smile. And she's a blonde," he told him, raising his eyebrows.

Danny looked at him, confused.

"The other men in this family seem to have a thing for blondes. Pops seems to be drawn to blondes. Jamie is married to a blonde. Joe's fiance Angela was blonde as was Paula. Linda was blonde. Abigail is blonde."

The younger man nodded agreement, and started to speak, only to stop suddenly. "Abigail? Abigail who?"

Henry looked from his son to his grandson.

"Abigail Baker? Detective Abigail Baker?"

Frank nodded.

Danny found his voice. "Yes, I suppose she is. But what does your primary aide have to do with the conversation at hand?"

The question earned him a knowing glance from his father.

"You and Baker?" Henry asked.

Danny leaned back, sputtering. "I don't know where you came up with an idea like that, Dad."

"I'm a cop, son. I spent a lot of years watching people and situations and drawing conclusions."

"I know that, I just wonder what you think you've seen to make you come to that conclusion."

Frank grinned, enjoying the moment. "You've been dropping by my office more these last few months."

"Maybe I want to see the old man."

"Both of you taking the same days off last month. When her kids were on a school break?"

"Really? Clearly, coincidence."

"The ladies jacket I had to move out of the car seat when you picked me up for dinner the other night."

"Baez's."

"That doesn't explain the panicked look on your face. The blonde hairs on it? And the carseat? And your jacket?"

Danny quickly looked down at his front, seeking any stray hairs.

"How long has this been going on?" Henry asked.

"We're not talking about me," a clearly flustered Danny protested. "We're talking about Dad. And this woman…"

"Lucy."

"Right. Lucy. You followed her over to the bread aisle for more flirting."

"He never did deny it," Henry commented, giving Frank a sly look.

"You noticed that, too."

Danny sighed and glared at them both.

"Fine. Yes, Abigail and I have been seeing each other for several months now. She asked me for help on something for one of her boys and we spent some time together and things just kind of grew from there."

"Why haven't you said anything?" his grandfather asked.

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. We just kind of felt weird with her working for Dad and we wanted to see where things might go before we said anything."

"And where are things going?"

"We're discussing. But it's feeling serious," he admitted. "We've done some stuff with all the boys and they all seem comfortable."

"That's good," Frank told him. "I'm happy for both of you. For all of you. I just wish you would feel the same for me."

"Your situation is entirely different, Dad. I've known Abigail for years. As have you and the rest of the family. None of us know anything about this Lucy. Hell, you don't even know much about her."

"I know enough. I know she's smart. Caring. Tough. She's survived some pretty rough things," Frank responded. "That night, she stood up to armed thugs who pointed a gun in her face. Had the presence of mind to call 911 and leave the line open so the operator could hear what was going on. Insisted on checking on the clerk. Refused to leave the premises with them. Got them to bring the guy inside so she could look at him."

He paused, recalling the look she had given him, letting him know there was nothing they could do for him.

He continued, telling about how she had kept up the pretense of working on the man, keeping his friends distracted and too busy to notice the SWAT team gathering outside.

About sitting in the diner, drinking coffee.

Talking.

Feeling so at ease.

Taking her home.

Frank looked at his son.

"As I said, the situation was stressful. We were both upset. Afraid. What happened was as out of character for her as it was for me, but in that particular moment…"

"It happened," Danny finished.

"It happened."

The ticking of a clock was the only sound in the room and the two older men watched Danny processing what he had just been told.

Finally, he spoke.

"And you've been together since then?"

Frank looked at Henry, then down at his hands.

"Not exactly."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, I didn't see her again until she came to my office last week to tell me that she was pregnant."

"Why not? You realized you weren't interested in her?"

"I was. I was very interested in her. I felt a connection to her that I hadn't felt with a woman in a very long time."

"But?"

"I'm not proud of it, but I was ashamed of myself. I was ashamed of my loss of self control. Of taking advantage of her."

He stood up and walked over to study the collection of family pictures.

"And I was afraid of letting myself possibly feel something for her."

"Because you shouldn't feel like that for anyone but Mom," Danny said in a low voice.

Frank just nodded.

"I get it, Dad. Trust me, I do. It's scary. And it takes time to let yourself realize that it's okay. And as much as you are maybe starting to have feelings for this woman, you still need to take your time getting there. Don't let her rush you into something you're not ready for."

"She's not trying to rush me into anything, Danny. If anything, I'm the one pushing for this marriage to happen."

"Why?"

Frank stared at him.

"Do you remember the part about me becoming a father again?"

"So, she's pregnant. Allegedly."

"Definitely."

"That doesn't mean you have to get married anymore, Dad. Lots of people have kids together without ever getting married. It's not great, maybe, but neither is being married to someone you shouldn't be married to."

"Lots of people may do it and it may be just fine for them, but not right for me and it's not what I want for myself or my family."

"Are you worried about the press? About looking bad? Because having a kid out of wedlock isn't a big deal anymore."

"I do worry about the press. Not about making me look bad. I could care less. I do worry about the news making her a target. You mentioned Linda and Nicky being kidnapped and held hostage. That didn't happen because of who they were or anything they did. It happened because of their relationships in this family. I need for them to be close, to be able to keep an eye on them. Do as much as I can to make sure they're safe. To know if she's not where she's supposed to be when she's supposed to be there."

"You can call."

"It's not enough, Danny. She doesn't have anyone looking out for her. Orphaned young. Ten years in foster care. Doesn't let people get close. She's stubborn and independent and far too accustomed to being on her own and not asking for help. I need to be able to see for myself that everything is alright."

"It just seems like a bad idea, Dad, rushing into this. If Joe had known and decided he wanted to marry Paula, would you have been okay with that?"

"I don't know, Danny. He didn't know and we didn't know and so none of us had any part in his life until he was grown. I would have certainly supported him wanting to be a part of Joe's life."

"No one is saying you shouldn't be a part of your kids' life, Dad. If there even is…"

He stopped at his fathers angry glare.

"I'm just saying that you don't have to marry her to do so. Marriage is a big commitment, especially with someone you barely know."

"I'm aware. I know it probably doesn't make sense to you, but I trust her. And I want to support her, because she doesn't have anyone else and I have a responsibility towards her."

Danny shook his head. "I know you take your responsibilities seriously, but this just seems a little too much, even for you."

"She needs to know that I'm with her for the long haul on this. She needs to know that she can depend on me. And I need to be able to take care of things for them, to make decisions if something happens and she can't."

"Even if you're not married, the paternity test showing that you're the father should protect your rights as far as things with the baby are concerned."

Frank returned to his seat, looking down at the floor.

"You do have the paternity test results, right?"

"No."

"Not yet, right?"

"No."

"When do you expect them?"

The silence stretched.

"Dad? You have had one done, right?"

"We haven't."

"Why not?"

"We can't."

"Can't?"

"At least, not until after the delivery."

"People do them all the time. Same with genetic testing, which you should probably also consider."

"Okay. We CAN, but we've chosen not to."

"Because?"

"It's too risky," Frank explained.

"Actually, the risks are pretty minor," Danny replied. "At least, that's what we were told back when Linda was pregnant with Sean. There were some concerns because of some of the chemicals I was exposed to overseas."

"I didn't know that."

"One of the guys I served with…he and his wife had a kid about a year after we got back and he had some pretty severe birth defects."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"We discussed it with her doctor and he told us they could do some testing…hopefully ease our minds. There are some risks, but they were actually pretty minimal."

"Any risk is more than we are willing to take," his father replied. "There are already several things we can't control that make the pregnancy high risk, so we don't want to push our luck by taking on other risks that we don't have to."

"What things? Other than her age?"

"Her age. Rh compatibility. The fact that she has a high stress job that has her on her feet a lot. A previous pregnancy loss."

Danny looked at him.

"She and her husband lost a little girl about 6 months into the pregnancy."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"As I said, she's petite, so there's a higher risk of an early delivery, especially since we're having twins."

"Twins?"

Frank nodded. "Yeah. Talk about one shock on top of another. The doctor says she's going to need to start cutting back on some of her usual tasks, as well as her work. She may even end up on bed rest. I need to be able to make things easier on her."

Danny sat still, his mind clearly at work.

"What's on your mind, son?"

The younger man carefully considered his words.

"I'm just curious, Dad. How much of this is just stuff she's told you? Have you actually confirmed? Because a lot of it feels like a con working on your emotions," he said. "I mean…orphaned? Not just a widow, but the widow of a cop, killed in the line of duty on 9/11, no less? Lost a kid? Not just pregnant, but a high risk pregnancy with twins?"

"You think she made it all up?"

"Come on, Dad. As long as you've been at this, you're not even a little bit suspicious?"

Sighing, his father shook his head. "I haven't totally lost my senses. I did a background check on her."

"Does she know that?"

"She does," Henry told them. "Or at least, she figured he probably had."

"And it didn't bother her?" Frank asked.

"No. She said it was a prudent thing to do. I take it you didn't find anything there to concern you."

Frank shook his head. "She's had a few parking tickets, which is pretty standard for anyone who drives a car in New York City, and a few more for speeding, which is not uncommon for those who drive sports cars. All fines were paid in full in a timely manner. No criminal record."

"What kind of sports car?"

"Mustang. 1968 Shelby Cobra."

"Nice."

"As for the parent situation, Pops can verify that."

Henry nodded. "When you get the news that one of your men died in a car accident on his way in to work, then discover that he was actually drunk and had just beaten his wife to death and almost killed his 8 year old daughter as well, you remember."

"Her dad was a cop?"

The older man nodded. "You always know that you don't really 'know' the people under you, but that scene…poor woman beaten so badly…blood everywhere…Kid curled up in a ball under the bed all bruised and bloodied. I rode with her to the hospital and waited with her until someone from social services came. Thought about her from time to time over the years.'

Frank picked up the story from there.

"Oscar Makenna was an NYPD officer. Pulled his file. Decorated officer, well thought of. Joined up in 1999 after a stint in the Marines. Died in the Tower collapse, survived by his wife, Lucy."

Henry gave his grandson a pointed look. "Someone would have to be pretty stupid to lie about stuff that could be easily checked on."

"Yeah, maybe so," Danny conceded. "I've just never been a big fan of coincidences. What about the pregnancy itself? I assume you've done some follow up there?"

"I went with her to an appointment with her doctor earlier in the week. We got to hear the heartbeat and then they did an ultrasound. That's when the doctor told us it was twins."

He pulled up the pictures Lucy had forwarded to his phone and showed them to Danny.

"She said that they're measuring a little small, as is common for twins, but that they're right on target for development with the date of conception."

The detective studied the pictures on his father's phone.

"You have no doubt that you're the father?"

"I don't."

"But you won't do a test."

"No. As I said, we're not doing anything to risk the safety and well being of Lucy or the babies. There's a blood test that's non-invasive and not risky, but it's not effective for multiples."

"So, no genetic testing, either. Even with the higher risk of birth defects?"

Frank shook his head. "Again. There's too much risk. The doctor said she wouldn't necessarily recommend it if Lucy planned to continue the pregnancy regardless. And she does. Dr Ramirez said some of the measurements can be indicators of certain issues, but everything looks fine, as far as she can tell."

"That's good."

"Yes, it is."

Another silence fell. After several minutes, Danny handed the phone back to his father.

"You really think marrying her is the best option?"

"Yeah, I do. I can keep an eye on her, make sure she's doing okay. Help out if any problems come up. Didn't you feel the need to do that when Linda was pregnant?"

"I did, but we were already married."

"Also, I just enjoy spending time with her. I love you all, but, sometimes, a man just needs…more."

"I understand, Dad. I do. I love my family. I still love Linda. I always will. But I did start to feel something was missing. And Abigail and her boys are filling that emptiness. I'd just feel better about this whole situation if it had happened over time, you know."

"Unfortunately, I don't have the time to wait."

"If she does agree to marry you, then what? Do you move in with her? I assume she had a place. Does she move in here? What about Gramps? Where would he go?"

"She does have a place, but she would move in here."

"With the two of us," Henry contributed. "This is my home, too, and I have no plan to leave. I'll be right here, doing what I do. Cooking. Making sure everyone is okay. Getting to know my new daughter in law. Helping to prepare for my new grandbabies."

"And she doesn't have a problem with you being here, too?"

"She doesn't. She's more concerned with how I feel about having her and the little ones here. And I think it will be refreshing to have someone else around the place. Some new points of view."

Danny sighed, shaking his head. "I just don't know about this."

Frustrated, Frank rose and started pacing.

"I keep hearing that I need to do things for myself. When I was offered the NFL job, everyone kept telling me to do what made me happy, what I wanted for me."

"You can't tell me that this is for you, Dad. That this is something that will make you happy."

"Why not?" Frank asked angrily. "Why do I not get to decide what I want? What will make me happy? Why do you get to make that decision?"

"I'm just saying that it's way too soon for you to be making a commitment like this."

"Seems to me I remember you telling us back when you were in high school that you had just met the girl you were going to marry."

"I did. I knew that day. But I didn't marry her that day. You've known this woman…basically a week?"

The commissioner sighed heavily, his anger draining away.

"Basically, yes. But we've spent a lot of time together. We've talked about the big things, the important things. What we want for the future."

"I just don't know…"

"I do know, Danny. When she first told me about the baby, I wasn't sure. I was shocked. Confused about what to do next. But the more I've thought about it, the more time I've spent with Lucy, the more comfortable I've become about everything. The more I've come to feel that I want this. I'm looking forward to it."

"I've just got a bad feeling about this whole thing happening so fast, Dad. I'm not entirely comfortable with it."

Frank nodded. "You're entitled to think and to feel what you do. In the end, though, this is between me and Lucy and no one else gets to decide."

"Our opinions don't matter?"

"I value your opinion, Son. But, ultimately, the decision is mine. I hope you…all of you…will be able to respect that."

Danny looked at him, but didn't respond, so he continued.

"Please keep this all between us, for now. I'm not really ready to discuss any of this with the rest of the family until we've made some decisions. Will you at least do that for me?"

Finally, the younger man nodded.

:"I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Thank you." After a few moments of silence, he continued. "I'm going to go ahead and turn in. Make sure to lock up when you leave."

He turned and headed up the stairs, his disappointment clear in his slow progress and his slumped posture.

Henry turned to his grandson.

"Are you happy?"

"No, Gramps. Nothing about this situation makes me happy. Are you?"

"I may not be a big fan of the way things started, but my son is happy and excited in a way I haven't seen him in a long time. I happen to like Lucy and I think she's good for him. Even though she hasn't had a whole lot of experience with a family of her own, she's very concerned about causing issues with this one, so I hope you're not going to be an ass about it."

"I'm just concerned for him, Gramps."

"I know you are, but have faith in his judgment."

"I do. Usually. But this is just not something I ever imagined happening."

"I'm sure he didn't either. But it is what it is and he would love to have the support of his family."

"I'm just not sure I can," Danny admitted. "But I'll try to keep an open mind," he added when Henry's face fell. "I'll reserve judgment on her and her motives."

"That's all I ask," Henry replied as they walked to the door.

"Love you, Gramps."

"Love you, too."

The elder Reagan watched his oldest grandson walking out to his car, his heart hurting for him and for Francis. And Lucy.

"Please, Lord. Let this work out."

That wraps up another chapter. Thanks for reading, I know it was a bit longer than the others, but it just didn't feel like there was a good place to cut it off earlier. I was going to have the rest of the family find out at one time, but decided I liked the idea of Danny finding out first and the discussion between him and Frank. And Danny and Abigail? Does that work for you? I've gone back and forth about it, but I guess I'm committed now. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. I would really love it if you would drop a review to let me know your thoughts.

Now, on to chapter 12. An answer, maybe?