A/N: I m loving all the story suggestions! I might not get to all of them but some of them have already sparked ideas so keep them coming. Yes Joe will be making appearances as will cousin Jack and Nicky too. I can say that Linda (nor anyone else in the BB universe that has passed on) will be returning from the dead so to the reviewer that worried about that, you can rest ease.
Chapter 7: Keeping it in the Family
Erin is sitting at her desk working when Anthony walks into her office
"So to confirm you are indeed still keeping Reagan right?" he pushes "That hasn't changed?"
Immediately Erin drops her pen and for a moment just buries her face in her hands in annoyance before looking up "Why does everyone keep talking about this?"
"Because it's important!" Anthony tosses back.
"I know it's important." Erin huffs out "Jack knows it important. EVERYBODY knows it important! So yes, for the last time I AM KEEPING REAGAN! Can we please all just go back to work now and move on?"
"Wow." Anthony breathes out a bit offended "Touchie."
Growing even more annoyed now, Erin extends her arm out and points her finger towards the door "GOOOOOOOO!" She instructs.
"But don't you want to know what I found out about the Caplain case?" Anthony sweetly and a bit smugly tosses back instead.
For a moment Erin silently eyes Anthony then takes her finger and points it at the chair in front of her desk "Sit." She commands.
Anthony's smug smile grows to a full blown triumphant grin as he complies and takes a seat.
…..
Jamie is sitting at his desk when he hears a familiar voice
"I'm going to need you to release my client."
Looking up, Jamie sees his 'new' brother inlaw Jack standing there holding out a court ordered release to him.
"Come again?" Jamie questions.
"Chase Caplain." Jack explains as he again gestures for Jamie to take the order in his hand.
A look of disbelief appears on Jamie's face "You." He emphasizes are he snatches the paper away "Are his lawyer?"
Jack nods "I am."
Jamie fully turns his chair to face Jack then slightly leans back in it "Do you and my sister even talk?" He seriously wonders.
"Excuse me?"
"She's the DA assigned to the case." Jamie reveals.
"I know." Jack confirms.
"You know?" Jamie questions "Then if you know, how are you defending him?"
Jack shrugs "Everyone needs a defense."
"Bit of a conflict there though." Jamie points out.
"Erin and I are both professionals." Jack reasons but when Jamie gives him a bit of a look he adds "Look if anyone would understand, I thought it would be you."
"Why because Eddie and I work together?" Jamie challenges.
"Yes." Jack replies.
"Except Eddie and I are on the same side." Jamie points out "We are both cops - not lawyers on opposite sides of the courtroom."
"Won't be an issue." Jack dismisses.
"Doubt the judge will see it that way." Jamie mutters.
"Look it's not like it's the first time we've gone up against one another in court." Jack points out.
"Bit different now though." Jamie counters "You're married."
"So?" Jack challenges "What does that matter? As long as we remain professional who will even know - I mean it's not like we have the same last name."
Suddenly it clicks for Jamie and even though he told himself the last thing he wanted was to get involved in his sister's marriage his back goes up a bit in defense of her "Oh is that what this is about?" Jamie indignantly interrupts "Erin keeping Reagan and not using Boyle? You need to get your head out of your ass Jack."
A super unhappy look appears on Jack's face "EXCUSE ME?" He throws back.
"It's the 21st century." Jamie explains "Woman can keep their own names."
"I know that!" Jack argues back "That's why I sent her flowers addressed to Erin REAGAN not Boyle and promised I wasn't going to repeat the mistakes of the past!"
A look of complete and impressed surprise appears on Jamie's face "Oh." He simply breathes out in a bit more of an accommodating tone "Sorry."
For a second Jack looks at Jamie in a bit of shock himself "Wow. Did a Reagan just apologize to me?"
Jamie's face crinkle up in displeasure at Jack's statement "Yeah well don't get used to it." He postures as he turns his chair back towards his desk and computer.
"Never." Jack quickly retorts.
"Good." Jamie accepts as he goes back to reading something on his computer screen.
Silence.
"So are you going to release my client?" Jack prompts.
Sighing, Jamie final opens the order to look at it "Guess I don't have a choice do I?" he finally relents.
"No." Jack a bit arrogantly retorts.
"Fine." Jamie grumbles causing a smile to appear on Jack's face and he decides to offer his brother in law an olive branch and maybe mend some fences "You always were the most reasonable Reagan out of bunch."
Jamie tries to squash the smile that wants to appear on his face before glancing at his brother in law "I guess you aren't the worst brother in law I've ever had either."
"Um I'm the only brother in law you've ever had." Jack corrects.
"No." Jamie rejects as he turns his attention fully towards Jack "We had this other guy years ago. Didn't like him much but you – you might be okay."
Reading between the lines that Jamie is willing to not hold grudges like some others in the family and give him a second chance now, Jack tilts his head a bit in accommodation at Jamie "Understood." He accepts.
Suddenly Eddie appears in the doorway and is about to enter but stops short when she realizes there is someone else in Jamie's office – that is until she sees it's Jack "Oh, it's just you." She notes as she continues on her path inside towards her husband. She reaches him still seated in his chair but he is blocking her access to where she wants to go "Move please." She requests as she gestures for him to get out her way so Jamie rolls his chair slightly to the side "Thank you!" Eddie appreciatively states as she just bends down, opens his desk drawer, snags up a bag of chips, closes the drawer, stands up right then while opening the bag says "Hi Jack. Bye Jack." on her way back out the door.
Jack and Jamie both just watch her disappear before Jack turns to Jamie "Cravings?"
Jamie nods his head up and down in confirmation "Cravings."
Beat.
"So my client?" Jack once again prompts.
"Right." Jamie agrees as he stands and the men move to exit the office.
…..
With a stack of files in hand, McNichols walks out of her office and up to Eddie at her desk to see her eating chips "Again?" McNichols questions as she gestures to the chip bag.
Quickly Eddie chews and swallows as she closes the bag and sets it aside "Sorry." She apologizes as she brushes her hands together getting rid of any chip residue "I take it those are for me?"
"You think?" McNichols snarks as she holds the stack out to her "Have fun."
Eddie plasters a smile on her face as she takes the stack but the second McNichols turns to walk away the smile drops from Eddie's face "Yippee." She deadpans out as she drops the stack onto her desk with a bit of thud before begrudgingly swiping up the top file and opening it. She takes a deep breathes then plasters a forced smile on her face "Learning opportunity." She tries to remind herself as she once again gets down to her repetitive, mundane, boring work.
….
Danny and Maria are seated at their desks when they hear Lt. Gee call "Reagan. Baez." from his doorway "My office now!"
Glancing at one another in trepidation, Danny and Maria both silently rise from their seats and walk into the office "What's up Boss?" Danny queries.
"I have a special assignment for you." Gee announces.
Immediately Danny groans.
Gee raises an eyebrow at his Detective "You don't even know what it is yet." He points out.
Danny frowns "You never start a conversation like that if it's a good thing." He counters "Alright what is it? Who are we babysitting?"
"Woman named Carmen Whitfield." Gee explains "She's going to testify against her exboyfriend on assault and racketeering and then head into WITSEC."
"Why us?" Maria inquires.
Gee looks directly at Danny "Request from a certain someone at the DA's office."
Danny immediately sighs in understanding.
"Apparently you're really keeping it in family this time – from start to finish." Gee adds.
Danny looks quizzically at his Lieutenant "Boss?"
In response, Gee picks up a file off his desk and gives it to Danny "All you need to know."
Curious, Danny takes the file, opens it and both he and Maria next to him read.
"Wow." Maria notes as she reads initial complaint reported by Officer Edit Janko and then arresting officer of accused as Sergeant Jameson Reagan "You weren't kidding about the family bit."
"Ummmm…" Danny hesitates at the unusualness of this situation and Gee picking up on that explains
"Witness was a bit squirrelly – being afraid for her life and all and she was certain that whomever the DA's office got to protect her would be bought off so she was about to back out of testifying when your sister promised she would have someone she trusted completely protect her – her brother – yet another Reagan."
"Awww." Maria ribs to her partner "How sweet!"
"Yup." Danny flatly sighs "Sweet."
"The witness accepted…" Gee continues "...so here we are – off you go."
"Copy that boss." Danny mutters in acceptance as he and Baez step to leave.
...
Frank is sitting at his desk in his office when Abby quickly enters "Sir I have Lena Janko on the line for you."
Frank eyes his right hand "Temperature?" he curiously queries.
"Pleasant." Abby replies.
"Okay." Frank accepts "Let's have her."
Nodding, Abby quickly heads back out the office door and a moment later Frank's phone rings so he takes a deep steadying breath and even though it's just a phone call he plasters a smile on his face to help psych him up for what he is sure will be a whirlwind of a conversation "Lena!" he pleasantly greets.
"Francis!" Lena's chipper and bubbly voice sounds from the other end "How are you?"
"Oh good, good." Frank replies "How are you? I bet anticipating the big day huh? I mean I already have grandchildren and I'm still looking forward to it but this will be your first so you must be very excited."
There is a slight moment of awkward silence over the phone "Because..." Lena ever so slowly tries to clarify "... Jameson and Edit are having a baby?"
Picking up that something isn't quite right with the tone of her voice, Frank slowly replies "Yes…."
There is another moment of silence and on the other end of the phone if looks could kill Lena would be murdering someone – namely her daughter for not telling her she was pregnant so Lena plasters a smile on her face "Of course I'm excited. Soooo excited." She covers in her typical overly pleasant way…
Back on his end of the line Frank worriedly gulps while thinking 'Oh boy… did Lena not know?' First wondering why Eddie never told her and secondly realizing now he - like it or not - has now gotten himself into the middle of this…
...