Thanks to everyone who continues to read. Thanks to monkeybaby and decadenceofmysoul for your reviews though I'm not exactly sure what you liked so much about the last chapter.

Contains references to and scenes from 3x7 and 3x8.

Dinner was over and the dishes put away when Anna found her uncle. "Do you still have the photo of the guy you were talking about?" Anna asked.

"Malcolm? Yeah, why?" Jamie answered.

"Can I see it?" Anna asked, ignoring her uncle's question.

"Uh ... I guess." Jamie handed his phone over and Anna ejected the SD card from it, putting it in the computer on the kitchen table. She ran an image search for the photo in combination with the name Malcom but got thousands of results. When she added wrestler, it didn't find anything so she looked at the photo carefully. After a moment or two she tried a different sport. Then it came back with images that looked more like the guy. She clicked on one and smiled. "He's not a wrestler, Uncle Jamie, he's a hockey player. Malcolm La—Malcolm Laroche. Says here he's Canadian. Must have played defense. In the 70's and 80's. Retired in '82 from the Rangers. See," Anna said, turning the computer towards him and showing him the picture she found.

"How'd you do that?" Jamie asked.

"This search engine has a pretty good ability to search for similar and nearly exact matches with images. Kinda like facial recognition software. I just added his name and hockey to the search and there he was."

"Okay, Smarty Pants, figure out why he keeps going back to the same place."

"Maybe he's looking for someone. Jim told me about his great-grandmother who couldn't tell you what happened yesterday or two weeks ago but if you asked her about her hometown right before World War II, she'd paint a picture like she was living there in the moment. Jim told me that sometimes when it comes to people who are losing their memories, they keep looking for familiar places or keep reliving the same day over and over. Maybe he's got an appointment with someone who used to live or work in that building. Did you question him about it?"

"Yeah, he kept talking about this doctor he had to see. Doctor No or Knee or something like that."

"No? Like the James Bond villain?"

"You watch Bond?"

"Dad watches Bond. Anyway give me the address." She typed it in with 'Doctor' and it took a few moments but she found it. "Looks like there used to be a doctor's office on one of the upper floors. Doctor Knoth. He must have treated Malcolm for something, probably head trauma at one point. Maybe Malcolm still thinks he has an appointment with this guy and has to see him."

"Does it say where Malcolm lives?" Jamie asked.

"No," she answered hitting the back button and looking over the information on that page. "But it's gotta be somewhere close right? Maybe some kind of care facility? It doesn't look like he has much family."

"Maybe, thanks, Anna."

"Sure. Let me know how it goes."

Jamie nodded and left then texted her later the next night to let her know that Malcolm had indeed left an assisted care facility near Albany and was now back there and safe. She heard the front door close below her and knew her dad was home. She set her phone aside and listened to hear he had closed his case. "I must admit, I didn't hate working with her as much as I thought I would, considering ..." Danny trailed off.

Anna could tell he was trying to keep his voice from floating up the stairs to her and her brothers. "She's from IA?" Linda answered just as soft.

"Yeah," Danny said. "I guess it's a good thing though. Jackie came back tonight. To clean out her desk. She's taking a leave of absence from the force to clear her head."

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Besides I'm sure if she needs anything she'll reach out to us."

"How are the boys?"

"From what I can tell without going up," Linda paused and the house got very quiet, "still in their beds. Unlike the last two nights." Danny must have made a face because Linda went on. "They slept with Anna. Do you really think your sister traumatized them?"

"Scared maybe. She can have a twisted sense of humor. Knowing them, they told Anna all about it and she convinced them everything is okay. How is she?"

"Seems happier since the party. I know she feels guilty about going because of how trick or treating turned out for the boys, but she doesn't seem worried like she was."

"You think she's had any more nightmares?"

"No. The party was good for her. Thanks for not making a big deal about it. I know you wanted to," Linda said. Their conversation faded out after that and Anna finished up her homework before turning out the light.

Wednesday during lunch, Anna got a text from Nicky telling her she got invited to a party and she wanted to know how to get her mom to let her go. Anna told her cousin to just tell her mom it was a party with friends and that she'd be home by midnight. She reiterated this when Nicky went on to explain that the party was on Monday night and at a college campus with her friend Greg. Anna insisted that the minutest details would guarantee a favorable outcome. Nicky didn't seem convinced. She tried again to convince Nicky of this when they talked on the phone after school. "It's a college party not a drunken kegger. If I'm honest with my mom, she'll let me go," Nicky said.

"Do you know how drunken keggers start? As college parties. I'm 100% sure the minute she hears college campus and that Greg is 19, she's going to say no and you'll fight over it for the rest of the week until the day of the party."

"You don't think Mom trusts me?"

"I think she worries about what could happen to her only baby with a bunch of drunk frat guys around."

"You really think that low of me, Anna?"

"Of course not, that's not what I said. You're smart and you obey all of the rules and boundaries. God knows you're more mature than I am. If you insist on telling her everything then remind her that you're the good kid and stand your ground. Defend yourself with logic and reasoning and you'll make a dent. Every good lawyer likes and respects a good argument, even if it doesn't sway them. Grampa will too. Just don't sneak out to go. According to my Uncle Jimmy and Sofie it never turns out, especially not if you're an only child," Anna explained. Nicky reluctantly agreed. "And Nick, no matter what reasoning you come up with, no matter how you put it or how angry you get, under no circumstances should you bring up or throw your father at her. It's just wrong and my friend Beth says it always makes her feel guilty and like she's constantly making the other parent the bad guy. No one likes being the bad guy."

"I got it. Thanks for the advice," Nicky answered.

But as it turned out, Nicky only followed part of Anna's advice. The part about sticking to her guns and not bringing up her father. Since the argument was still going on, it was up for debate at dinner on Sunday. Nicky was trying to get someone on her side to convince her mom to let her go. Anna, Frank, and Henry all seemed to want to stay out of it at first, Linda seemed to be with Erin on not letting her go, and so that left the four younger Reagan males. Only Jamie appeared to take her side. "You're really going to let your daughter go out with a college guy?" Danny asked Erin.

"You let me, what's the difference?" Anna asked.

"The difference is his girlfriend is usually there." Danny said. "Don't you think you're moving a little fast, Nicky?"

"Greg's really sweet," Nicky defended.

"He's 19. Is it even legal for Nicky to date him?" Henry asked.

"Legal, yes. Sane, no. Though technically as long as he doesn't drive her across state lines, she can go out with him," Danny said.

"And that's only a problem if the parents make it one," Anna said.

"If she was still 15, it'd be a Class A Misdemeanor," Jamie added.

"But only if we had sex," Nicky argued.

"Come on," Danny groaned.

"Welcome to my world," Erin said.

"Boys, I think it's time you go and play some video games," Linda said.

"Sorry," Erin muttered.

"Why do we have to leave?" Sean asked.

"Because they're going to talk about sex," Jack answered.

"Hey," Danny protested.

"Dad will explain it to you when your bigger, and don't take anything Jack says at face value," Anna smirked. Jack made a face but he and Sean left the table when Danny ordered them.

"For the record, I have no intentions of sleeping with this guy," Nicky said.

"It's not your intentions we're worried about. Right, Dad?" Erin pressed.

"Well, sure," Frank answered, "But I think Nicky's a pretty good judge of character." Frank was straddling the line pretty well.

"Thank you," Nicky said gratefully.

"Yeah, it's not like she's me," Anna grinned from her seat at the end of the table between Henry and Nicky.

"At the same time, Erin has a point," Frank went on, "you're asking her to trust a guy she's never met." Frank still seemed to be trying to walk the line.

"Exactly," Erin said.

"Amen to that," Henry said. "Nicky is too young for a college guy?"

"Thank you," Erin said.

Nicky looked at her cousin sadly. Anna sighed and joined her cousin's side. "It's three years. Three years. Not a decade. My aunt and uncle are three years apart," Anna said.

"And look how that ended," Linda said.

Anna rolled her eyes. "This is about a party not a marriage and yeah, he's a college guy this year but he wasn't last year."

"I was a college guy once," Jamie said, "And I was a perfect gentleman."

"Come on. You're a choir boy, but the rest of us sowed our wild oats pretty good when we were kids, especially you sis," Danny said.

"What if it was your kid asking to go?" Erin asked.

"Yeah, Danny?" Frank and Henry added.

"If it was Anna," Anna piped up, "she would have done what she told Nicky to do four days ago. Under no circumstances what-so-ever would Anna have ever mentioned it was a college party. If I had, the answer would have been flat out 'no' and there'd be no continuing, days-long discussion. Just be glad she didn't do what my friends have done. Drop the subject then sneak out."

"You really wouldn't tell us?" Linda asked, staring down her daughter.

"I'd tell you that my friends had been invited to a party, they wanted me to go, and I'd be home before curfew. That's not the point here. I'm not going," Anna said.

"But what if you were?" Nicky asked, looking from Anna to Erin. "If Anna goes with us, would it be okay?"

"Anna can't go. Anna has a sleepover tomorrow night," Anna pointed out.

"What's that?" Linda asked curiously.

"I told you about a week ago. On Tuesday I have an exam in Chemistry. Becky and Beth are helping me study for it. Tomorrow night is our last cram session before the exam and we're staying at Becky's. You said I could go," Anna explained.

"I did say that, sorry Nicky," Linda said.

"Who's ready for some apple pie?" Frank asked.

"I'll take some," Jamie said. Frank served him some but that didn't stop the conversation or change the subject like Anna knew Frank was hoping for.

"Actually, I'd like to hear more about mom's wild oats," Nicky said.

"If your uncle values his life, you never will," Erin threatened as Danny took a drink of his coffee, most likely to keep from smirking at his sister.

Then Jamie pushed the subject just far enough to make his sister snap even if he didn't really mean it. "You and Mom seemed to have a pretty good system for raising us up, Dad," he said.

"Well, it wasn't really a system. We just believed in letting you live your own lives. For the most part, and ... if you look around the table, it turned out pretty well."

"Meaning you think I should let her go to the party?" Erin asked in disbelief.

"I didn't say that," Frank defended. "And it's not my call."

"Okay, but if it were, you wouldn't let her go, right?" Erin was pushing pretty hard to get Frank on her side. Frank thought it over and looked at his granddaughters. If it had been Anna, he might have agreed not to let her go, but Nicky was a different story. The girl was rarely in trouble and this was the first time he could remember her asking to do something that might have stepped on the line. It was like comparing Jamie and Danny. "Right?" Erin pushed again.

Frank looked back at Erin as all eyes turned to him. "I have always believed in rewarding responsibility with trust. Nicky is a responsible person. I think she has earned the benefit of the doubt."

"Ah, Francis," Henry groaned.

"Seriously?" Erin asked stunned.

"Come on, Aunt Erin," Anna griped. "It's not like we're talking about me. Nicky is responsible, mature, and has a good head on her shoulders. In recent memory she has stormed off from the table once and she's never stepped on any boundary you've set for her. Now me on the other hand, I've done both at least six times in the past two years. She's the good kid and it's no secret all of you wish I'd be more like her." Anna stared down at her plate trying not to feel bad about it. It was just a fact of her life.

"Anna," Danny warned. It wasn't her place to suggest things to her aunt about how to raise her daughter.

That's when Erin finally snapped and said something she'd probably regret. "Fine, go. Get drunk, have sex with Greg, get a tattoo. You need bail money, call your grandfather," Erin snapped. The rest of dessert was an awkwardly silent affair.

The school bell had just rang when Anna's phone was flooded with texts. All from the same person. Nicky; telling her how awesome the party was and how perfect Greg was. Then she mentioned how great the campus cops were. Nicky explained what happened and how the cops had helped them out. Anna texted back asking if Nicky found it strange or at least a bit suspicious that a cop was there to escort them to the party and to help them get out on time. Nicky sent her a shrugging emoji and told her that she just thought it was cool. Anna rolled her eyes, glad Nicky couldn't see her. Then Nicky asked about the sleepover. She told her how it went and that she was sure she passed the exam. Of course that lead to them to talking about why the test was on Tuesday instead of Friday and that was because Thursday was Thanksgiving. Nicky had plans to go out with friends for early morning Black Friday and invited Anna but Anna declined. She really didn't want to spend that morning stuck in giant crowds just to be pushed around, plus she had to work later that afternoon and didn't want to be dead on her feet. Luckily Thanksgiving went by better than the year before, without all the hospital visits, until the first weekend of December.

It limped in like September, though the first was on the cold side, the next couple days were rather warm. Anna had just come home from work when her mom sat her down. With the boys upstairs getting ready for bed, she knew this had to be something big. "What's wrong?" Anna asked.

"Your great-grandfather—Pops—"

"Mom, only got one left, you don't have to be specific."

Linda silenced her with a look. "Pops was robbed today. He was getting money out of an ATM when a man with a gun came up behind him and demanded it. Pops is okay but he did get a few bruises and a cut on the forehead."

"They catch the guy?"

"Not yet."

"They will. Pops probably got a good look at him and did a sketch. He's going to be fine, Mom. Pops has always had a hard head." Anna smirked trying to believe it herself.

"That's not funny Anna," Linda said.

Anna sobered. "Maybe not but I'm sure he's going to say it's no big deal. He's been a cop and a Marine his entire life, I'm sure he's faced worse things. I know you worry as the only one who doesn't bleed NYPD blue and being the only nurse in the family but from what you said it doesn't sound too bad if the medics didn't force him to go to the hospital. Have you seen him?" Anna asked. Linda shook her head. "Do you want to take a drive over there, maybe tomorrow?"

"We'll see him on Sunday."

"Yeah?" Anna asked. Linda sighed and nodded. "He's okay. He's stubborn and hardheaded. He'd do anything to protect this family."

"I know, I just worry. When's your next day off?" Linda asked.

"Sunday."

"Working extra hours?"

"As many as allowed to make some extra for Christmas."

That Sunday, Anna found her great-grandfather speaking to an old friend of his before service. She sidled up next to him and smiled as she quietly listened to their conversation. He didn't mention what he had happened but Anna figured they had already talked about it. Soon the friend walked off and Henry looked down at her. "Hey," Henry said.

"Wow, you don't look too bad," Anna said, looking him over.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that I heard you were attacked and I worried, so did Mom, but you don't look to bad, just a scratch." She looked up at him curiously.

"I'm fine, Anna, promise."

"Good, I can't lose you yet."

"Don't plan on leaving anytime soon." They took their seats and service started. All through dinner that night, Anna watched her uncle out of the corner of her eye to see he looked kinda guilty but she wasn't sure why. Then they touched on that very subject. Jamie had caught the guy that had assaulted Henry which Jack and Sean found cool. Watching Jamie though, she could tell the tension between him and Frank was palpable especially when Henry mentioned his disappointment of not getting a clear shot at the guy. Suddenly Jamie was offering to clear the table. Frank followed him into the kitchen leaving everyone confused.

"Are we missing something here?" Anna asked.

"I get that feeling," Nicky said.

"How many days you got left until vacation?" Henry asked. Anna instantly realized that it was something they weren't going to tell her.

"Two weeks from Thursday," Anna said. "Same for the boys."

"Wednesday that week for me," Nicky said.

"And what are you looking forward to the most about Christmas?" Henry asked.

"No homework," Nicky answered as Sean stared at his sister. Over the past couple of weeks he had been asking her to spend more time with him. She looked away feeling guilty.

"I agree with that," Jack said.

"I'm hoping it'll snow this year," Anna said.

"Sean?" Henry prompted when Sean didn't say anything.

"No school," Sean finally admitted. Dinner went on.

As Anna was brushing her teeth that night when she heard Jack and Sean talking. She moved closer to the door to hear them. "Are you trying to get Anna in trouble?" Jack asked.

"Maybe. She'd be around more," Sean answered, trying not to snap at his brother.

"But she'd be grounded and couldn't beat us in video games or soccer and she'd be mad at you for getting her in trouble."

"I'd take her mad at me but around instead of totally ignoring me."

"She's not ignoring you. She's just busy."

"Yeah, busy not being around. You remember what Dad said about the party last month," Sean said.

"I think that was supposed to be my line. Dad told us that she's a teenager and when we're teenagers we'll understand why she's never home. It's nothing bad about us, it's just the way they're wired," Jack said. "Look, be mad at her all you want, just don't let Mom and Dad see, okay? Remember, anytime we've gotten her in trouble with Mom and Dad, she always make it worse for us."

"I know, I just want her around," Sean said.

"Me too," Jack answered.

Anna sighed and finished up in the bathroom resolving to spend the following weekend with her brothers. As she went to bed she thought over the past two months and realized she really hadn't spent much time with them.

This is the last chapter I'm going to post before Christmas so I hope you have a great Christmas.