Thanks to kirbyschoice, Alex, ki4pak, and RHatch89 for reviewing. Thanks for the rest of you for reading and adding to your favorite and alert lists. Also I just wanted to say that I messed with the timeline of the episodes a little for this and the next two or three chapters. Since the episodes are filmed two to three months in advance they wouldn't know this but that year, 2011-2012, the Jets didn't go to the playoffs and there for they wouldn't have been playing when this episode aired. In fact the Superbowl was two days after this episode aired. So I jumped this episode back to just after Christmas and then will set the two episodes that happened in January after this one.
Contains scenes from 2x12.
Christmas morning. Typically the best morning in the Reagan home. Carols pumped through the house, the smell of baked goods coming from the kitchen, and 30-degree weather outside to make it feel like Christmas. Like every Christmas before it, Anna was awoken by her brothers at 7:30 that morning. "Come on, get up, presents," Jack said from the door.
"Come on, Annnnna," Sean added, dragging out her name, "or we'll have to wait until after dinner."
Anna sighed, pulled herself out of bed, and donned Joe's NYPD hoodie before running a brush through her hair. "Where's Dad?" Anna asked. On Danny's days off he was harder to get out of bed than she was. Jack and Sean smirked then rushed across the hall. Anna stepped out of her room to see the boys standing in the doorway, staring at the empty bed in their parents' room. Their parents were already up and if Anna listened carefully she could hear the Christmas Carols floating up the stairs. Anna grinned, knowing her parents' quiet Christmas morning was about to end. She motioned for her brothers to stay quiet and they crept down the stairs, avoiding the squeaky boards. Once at the bottom, they looked around but still didn't see their parents. Jack nudged Anna and pointed to the kitchen.
Linda was standing at the counter making something while Danny stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist. He was either saying something to her or singing to her by the way his mouth was moving. Anna pulled her iPod from her pocket and snapped a few photos. Danny whipped his wife around and then the kids could hear Danny singing along with the song coming from the radio in the corner. Anna continued to take pictures, smiling at the sweetness of it.
"Danny, the kids!" Linda protested as he danced with her.
"It's time they got up anyway," Danny said not missing a beat in the up-tempo song.
"They're watching us," Linda finished as he finished the song.
"Let them," Danny said then kissed his wife soundly. Anna snapped a picture then started a round of applause with her brothers.
"Encore, Daddy, encore. Sing us another one," Anna cried.
Danny smirked at his wife before letting her go then turning to his kids, planting his hands on his hips. "Another you say?" Danny grinned, approaching them. All three nodded. "Okay, but first ..." Danny grabbed Sean and flipped him over his shoulder.
"Danny!" Linda scolded.
Danny rolled his eyes and dropped his kid on the couch. "When was the last time I broke a kid?" Danny asked.
"Jack was two and he fell off the bed. His arm was in a cast for weeks," Linda said, moving to the doorway between the kitchen and living room.
"Okay, but that was nine years ago and I haven't hurt one of my kids since," Danny said.
"Presents?" Anna asked to deter the fight she felt was brewing.
Soon paper was flying everywhere and Linda was taking pictures. Though she didn't say it out loud, Anna noticed that not only were there fewer gifts than the prior year, but she was certain her parents spent less on Christmas this year. Not that she blamed them. The kids were getting bigger, presents got more expensive and three private school tuitions were expensive on a cop's salary. That was to say nothing of the seven sports they played or the extras her parents tried to give them. She would definitely have to try to be more careful about what she asked for and how quickly she went through shoes and backpacks and stuff.
After Mass they went to Frank's and it was just as fun as it was every year. Thankfully most of the talk was centered around adult stuff as well as whom they'd like to see in the Super Bowl, which most Reagans agreed it wasn't the Giants or the Patriots.
Over the next week, Anna tried to find ways to help out her parents and tried not to be obvious about it. That included picking up more babysitting jobs in the neighborhood and dropping a quarter of what she made into the cookie jar in the top cupboard beside the fridge. That was her parents' rainy day fund and she knew that from time to time they had to dip into it.
Part of Anna was glad when the final week of regular season football was upon them. Without some kind of New Year's miracle, this week would be the last week of the Jets' chant and the last week of avoiding the sunroom after mass. Since the Giants' game wouldn't be on until later that night, Anna plopped down in the living room and was joined by Nicky as the rest of the family, sans Frank, congregated in the sunroom. Nicky and Anna talked boys, clothes, and friends until they saw Frank come in and heard cheering coming from the other room. "Sounds like the game is over," Anna said.
"Are the Giants playing today?" Nicky asked.
"8 o'clock. Last game of the day. Speaking of games," Anna said. She bolted to the sunroom and turned the channel to the Tennessee game.
"We were watching that," Danny complained.
"And now you're watching the last five minutes of the Tennessee-Houston game," Anna answered softly as she smirked.
"Why?" Linda asked curiously.
"Because they have to know who wins this game. Houston wins the Jets have a chance at the playoffs, Tennessee wins, it's buh-bye playoffs, buh-bye Jets."
"I thought three teams had to lose?" Linda said.
"Cincinnati, Tennessee as well as Oakland or Denver. If Tennessee wins, chances are pretty much shot though."
"Says the girl whose team has to win today to make it," Danny taunted.
Anna wrinkled her nose at her dad then turned her attention back to the TV. "At least we control our own destiny. You have to rely on three other teams to make it in," Anna answered after a moment. With four and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter, with Titans in possession on the Houston 23 yard line the Titans quarterback dropped back and after faking the handoff, he threw it the 23 plus yards for a touchdown. "Oh! Touchdown Titans!" Anna cheered.
"No way, that wasn't complete," Danny argued. The Texans' coach agreed with Danny and challenged.
"Get your eyes checked old man, that was complete," Anna argued with her dad. The refs agreed with her and upheld the touch down making the score 22-16. The extra point was good and play continued.
"Oh, fumble, fumble," Danny called two minutes of play later.
"Texans with it," Jamie said as the Texans came up with the ball. A minute and a half and three first downs later, it was third and goal when the Texans made a short pass and brought the score to 23-22.
"What do you say to that, Anna?" Danny asked.
"Their best bet for the Texans is to kick the extra point and get them in over time. You go for two here, there's no guarantee that you'll make it," Anna said.
"They're going for two," Frank said.
"Penalty," Anna called. "False start. Will they try the extra point this time?"
"Nope, going for two again," Henry said.
"I don't believe it, it went right over his head," Jamie said. The center had snapped the ball over the quarterback's head and it went tumbling down the field.
"Recovered by the Titans, this game is over. So are the Jets' chances at the playoffs. 14 seconds left. There's no way the Texans will make up the two points they need to win," Anna said.
Sure enough with an onside kick and then the quarterback kneeling Tennessee beat Houston 23-22 and the Jets were out of the playoffs. "We'll see who's cheering at the end of the night," Danny teased.
"Still gonna be me," Anna answered. "We beat Dallas two weeks ago, we'll beat them again."
"We'll see about that," Danny said. Anna only smirked then it was dinner time.
"Dad, does this mean we shouldn't be happy about the Jets' win?" Sean asked as they sat down at the table.
"You should always be happy when your team wins," Anna told her brother. Danny looked at her shocked. Though the Jets weren't her team and she always seemed to be hard on them, Danny loved that his little girl was showing support for her little brother.
"Yeah, they may not be going to the playoffs but they had a good season," Jamie said.
"9-7 isn't bad; at least they won their season. You still got hope for the Rangers, plus baseball season starts in three months so be happy for that," Anna said.
"True," Sean agreed.
Dinner passed relatively quietly though her mom did bring up the new halfway house that had been built in their neighborhood. Frank acknowledged that he did know about it, but didn't say anymore. As Danny drove his family home that night, halfway through the Giants' game, which Anna wasn't happy about, Danny started another round, or three, of the Jets chant. Anna plugged into her music and a game to tune it out but the rest of the family joined right in. Not long after they turned off the main highway the chanting stopped and shortly after that she heard her mom scream. The car jerked to a stop and as Linda checked on the kids in the back seat, Danny got out. Anna pulled her earbuds out of her ears just in time to hear her mom ask if everyone was okay. "We're fine, Mom. Did we just hit somebody?" Anna asked.
"It was an accident, Anna, he came out of nowhere. Are you sure you're okay?" Linda asked.
"Yeah, we're fine," Anna said after checking on her brothers. Then she grabbed her phone and called 911.
"911, where is the location of your emergency?" the operator asked.
Anna rattled off the street corner they were on. "Can you send a bus and a couple units? We accidently hit a guy. We were driving home and he came out of nowhere. He was on foot."
"Miss, can you tell me your name?"
"It's Anna, Anna Reagan. My dad is a detective out of the 5-4 in Manhattan. Shield number 51466. Someone else just walked up. I think—I think it looks like a man but he's all dressed in dark colors. I can't see much of him, it's too dark," Anna said. The operator asked her a question but at that moment her gut was screaming at her to take cover and protect her brothers. Anna looked at her brothers and saw they both had their seatbelts off. "Jack, get down," Anna said then pulled Sean towards her. The moment Sean was against her, Anna heard what sounded like two or three gunshots then two more. Then her mom was screaming for her dad. Anna let go of Sean and checked him over as Danny rushed back to the car. "Are you hurt?" Anna asked.
"No," Sean answered.
Suddenly Danny was asking the same question. All three of the children answered no. "It's right here, Dad," Jack said pointing to the bullet hole in the back seat where Sean's shoulder had been only moments earlier. "Anna pulled him out of the way, we're okay," Jack insisted. Danny knelt in his seat and pulled his middle child to him and reached out for Sean. Sean sat forward taking his dad's hand as Linda checked her youngest over. Anna leaned down and picked up her phone then pressed it to her ear to hear the operator frantically calling for her.
"Ms. Reagan! Ms. Reagan, hello? Are you still there?" the operator asked.
"Yes, ma'am, we're okay. The other guy, the one I could barely see, he fired a few shots but no one's hurt. One bullet broke through the front window and lodged in the backseat but it missed everyone."
"May I speak with your father?"
"Yeah," Anna held the phone out to her dad, "911 operator wants to talk to you." Danny took the phone and spoke with the operator in a hushed tone before hanging up.
"That was really smart thinking of you, Anna, calling 911," Linda said.
"It's what you taught us to do in an emergency," Anna answered as several RMPs pulled up to the location. Danny pulled his phone out after handing Anna back hers and less than 15 minutes later Danny's partner, Jackie, pulled up. Everyone had piled out of the Jeep and the crime scene technicians were looking it over as the EMTs took the pedestrian to the hospital. A few cops spoke with each member of the family but soon Jack and Sean were in the back seat of a cruiser, fast asleep. Anna leaned against the back door of the car, her eyes combing the scene on high alert just in case something more could happen. After giving her statement, Anna pulled out her phone and called Jim. "Hey, it's me," Anna said softly.
"Anna? It's almost 10, why are you calling so late?" Jim asked.
Anna softly explained that they had hit someone and had been shot at. "Can you do me a favor now? Put your phone on speaker and put it in front of the TV? Right now I need to calm down and the best way to do that is the Giants' game, if it's not over," Anna said.
"No, not yet," Jim said as he did as she asked. Soon the TV announcers' voices floated into her ears and by the time they were allowed to leave the scene it was nearly 10:45 and the Giants were beating Dallas 21-7. Anna hung up then slipped into the middle seat pressing her left shoulder against the bullet hole hoping to keep everyone's minds off it but could do nothing about the hole in the windshield. As they drove, her dad kept saying that he was going to get the guy and take him down. Linda tried to make him stop but had no luck.
"Daddy," Anna said, her voice desperate, "Daddy, can you stop? Please?" Anna begged. Her voice was watery and Danny glanced in the rearview mirror.
"Anna, I—"
"Please? I just want to forget okay? At least let me sleep tonight?" Anna asked. Both her brothers were still asleep, each with their head on her shoulder. She hoped it would stay that way until they got home. Danny went silent and didn't say another word until they got home. Anna prodded her brothers up as Danny parked on the curb then she rushed inside and grabbed the remote to the TV.
"Uh, no little miss, it's 11 o'clock," Linda said. "Bed, all of you."
"But the game—"
"No, ma'am. You have school tomorrow," Linda told her as Jack and Sean went up to bed.
"But Mom!" Anna protested.
"I don't care if it's the Super Bowl, Anna. It's been a long day. Go to bed."
"If it was the Jets you'd let me stay up."
"I most certainly would not."
"You're right, we would never have left Grampa's in the middle of a Jets' game," Anna spat.
"Maryanna," both Linda and Danny chided.
"Sorry, I'm going to bed." Anna walked up the stairs and threw on her PJs before climbing into bed. Just as she got comfortable, she got a text from Jim asking her if she was watching the game. When she replied what Linda had told her, that she had sent her to bed, Jim asked why she didn't just watch it on Sports' Access. Jim's uncle had Sports' Access, a package with his cable company that let him watch 15 different games every day on up to four different devices through the TV company. When Jim had found out how big of a Giants' fan she was while the rest of her family were Jets' fans, he had given her access to it so if both games were on at the same time, she could watch the Giants while the rest of the family watched the Jets. It didn't happen often but it gave her another option than being relegated to the radio.
Anna booted up her computer, put her headphones on and watched the game for the next half hour. The Giants ended up winning the game and their division and would play the Packers the following week for week one of the playoffs. Just as Anna was silently celebrating the win, Jack peaked his head in the door. "Anna?" he said softly. So softly Anna almost missed it.
Anna pulled off her headphones and looked at him. "What's wrong, bud?"
"Can I sleep in here? I had a nightmare," Jack said. Anna nodded and pulled back her covers after setting the computer and headphones on her nightstand. He crawled into the bed and they both tried to get some sleep. Anna turned out the light and stroked Jack's hair as she tried to fall asleep.
The bright green alarm clock glared 6:30 am when Anna's flannel pajamas felt warmer than usual and when she touched them she realized they were wet. She grabbed her flashlight from the nightstand and pulled up the covers to see a dark puddle forming on her sheets under her little brother. Anna clicked the flashlight off and sank back into her pillows before snapping on the bedside lamp and throwing off the covers onto the floor at the end of the bed. She got up and shook her little brother awake. "Jack, Jack, get up," Anna demanded. Her little brother's eyes flew open and he looked at her, eyes wide. "Bad dream?" she asked. He nodded. "You're safe now. No one is going to hurt you. Now, go get in the shower."
"Why?" Jack asked confused.
"Because you just peed my bed." Jack looked ready to cry as he climbed off the bed. Anna instantly felt bad. This was hard on him and the least she could do was be supportive. "It's okay, Jack. I'm sorry. It's okay, I promise." Anna pulled him into a hug and rubbed his back.
"I'm sorry," Jack muttered.
"It's not your fault. I'm not mad. Go on. Go get in the shower and after you get these wet PJs off, hand them out through the door," Anna said gently as she let him go. He nodded and went down the hall to the bathroom. Anna changed into her school clothes and then stripped off her bed before getting Jack's clothes and taking everything down to the laundry room. Just as she dropped them into the washer she heard someone behind her. She sent up a quick and silent prayer for it not to be her dad and when she turned around she was surprised to see her mom.
"What happened? If you're not in the shower, who is?" Linda asked.
"Jack, he uh ... had a bad dream," Anna explained.
"Then why are those ..." Linda trailed off seeing Anna's sheets in the washer. "Oh. Did you dry your bed and spray some stain remover on it?"
"I was getting to that," Anna said.
"Okay. I'll start these after I check Jack's bed. Why don't you go finish cleaning your bed then get some breakfast." Anna grabbed the stain remover from the shelf as well as an old towel and some air freshener. "Anna," Linda said stopping her.
"Yeah, Mom?" Anna asked.
"I'm sorry about last night. And the game. Is there anything I can do?" Linda asked.
"Uh, no," Anna said softly. "Jim sent an email and some sports highlights that I'll watch in a bit to see it, but the Giants won. I'm sorry too. It was a difficult night for everyone and I didn't mean to make it worse." Anna looked down at her shoes feeling worse than she had in a while. She understood where her mom was coming from and she had probably pushed too hard.
"It's okay," Linda said, hugging her daughter.
Anna hugged her back, relishing it. "And could you not say anything to Dad? I'm sure Jack's okay and I don't think he wants anyone to know," Anna said. She really didn't want to embarrass or insult her brother without need.
"Okay, but if it happens again ..." Linda prompted.
"I'll convince him to talk to you both." Anna smiled and Linda nodded. Then Anna went up to her room and cleaned her bed before heading down to breakfast. Just as she finished her breakfast, Jack and Sean came downstairs. Sean looked rested and Jack no longer looked ready to cry. Anna put her dishes in the dishwasher and her mom entered the kitchen.
"Both the boys' beds were dry. Looks like yours was the only one to suffer," Linda said softly.
"Okay," Anna said. She smiled softly and then checked her backpack as Linda made the lunches. Soon they were off too school.
Part of me wanted to have Anna hurt in this episode to make everything so much worse but I realized I couldn't do that to Anna. Especially since I don't think it would do anything for the plot except make Danny angrier at the perp.