It seemed to grow all the larger and all the more more terrifying the longer the two young men stared at it. There was no disguising it, there was no denying it. It was like a fork of lightening. Only this fork of lightening was far from where it ought to be, it was far from breaking the skies. It was much, much closer to breaking their asses. Running a sombre hand upon it, Danny fought the urge to make matters so much worse by vomiting upon it. Jamie, for his part, was working hard on keeping his breathing under control. The inclination towards hyperventilation was overwhelming and it wouldn't do to pass out now, at this most crucial of junctures. Erin, for her part, wiped away tears of laughter at the look on her brothers' faces. Fishing around for her own car keys, knowing that making a quick getaway was more important than sticking around for the fireworks, gurgled out a farewell chuckle. The boys' watched her car slide away, with her laughing maniacally inside, with muted horror. She had come to drop off food for dinner, but she would return later. It would not do to be found at the scene of the crime. That horror was nothing compared to the deadened, fiery fear they felt when familiar footsteps suddenly pattered around the corner.

Frank Reagan was in a great mood. It was Sunday morning, his favourite day of the week.

Both his boys' were in situ at his place since last night, and it was a scorching day. So beautiful in fact that he'd chosen to walk to the corner store for his paper and some milk. Patting his most beloved vintage car on the way, he'd set off whistling. His route had been watched with bated breath by his eldest and youngest as they'd all but fallen out the top window in anxiety. Each had breathed a sigh of relief when their father had bypassed the car and set off on foot. It would give them time to run some hot water over his beloved baby and have her spic n span by the time he returned. He would never, ever need to know they'd taken it out. Something no-one was allowed to do, ever, not even Henry. Especially in the middle of the night and especially for the sole purpose of driving the eight blocks necessary to retrieve triple choc ice-cream. It wasn't their fault they were struck with such a craving and that Linda had Danny's car at the hospital, having dropped he and Jamie off at the Reagan household. It should have been a routine run, but they must have encountered far more of a bump along the way then they thought.

Hot water and elbow grease wasn't going to fix it.

The scratch ran the full length of the car's left hand side, hidden from Frank on his morning trot. It was a deep, thick scratch that would require…extensive repair. And that was how the Reagan patriarch found his sons' in the morning sunlight, looking like they'd just buried their childhood dog all over again. "Boys?" he greeted amiably enough, but with confusion. "What are we doing out here then? Bit early for you two isn't it? And…don't you think you could have taken it upon yourselves to dress before you stretched your legs outside?" In their haste and terror, it was true. Both Reagan offsprings' were dressed in similar outfits of white t-shirts and flannel night pants. But that was the least of their worries. Jamie was beginning to break out in a cold sweat, but it was nothing compared to the perspiration that was coating Danny.

He'd been the one driving.

Raising a brow at their lack of response, Frank with his newspaper under his arm sighed and strode to where they were standing. And it was then that he saw it. The paper and milk fell from his arms as he stood in horrified mourning, taking in the battered visage of his beautiful, beautiful girl. She was mutilated. She had been eviscerated. Mouth hanging like a trap door, he mirrored Danny's earlier actions in running his hand over the evil laceration and the squeak of horror that escaped him was the most unbefitting noise that could have escaped a Police Commissioner. Confusion cloaked him as he moved away from his weeping widow and straightened up. His eyes were brimming with such sadness that Danny and Jamie nearly choked on the guilt that spurted like a scorching geyser into their windpipes.

"Did you see who did it, boys?"

Danny and Jamie's mouths fell open in tandem, which Frank mistook for shared misery.

"I know," he murmured, "It's criminal. Figuratively and literally. She was such a beauty. Never had a new paint job since the day I got her. Just elbow grease and a good wax. You boys' wouldn't sleep a night unless you were taken out in her and now look…just look at her." He glanced around in agitation, unaware of the broken and spilling milk that was trickling over his shoes. "I should never have left her out here. I should have put her in the garage. My job makes me so many enemies I don't think we'll ever find out who did this." He rubbed a hand over his sad eyes and sighed heavily. "I suppose there's no sense in standing out here. Whoever did this is long gone." He looked at Danny miserably. "I should have listened to you about getting the CCTV put in son, but I was too stubborn and arrogant to think anyone would dare approach my property. Let that be a lesson to you two, arrogance will always come back to bite you in the ass. It was as much my pride that damaged my baby as it was the criminal vermin who snuck in here and mutilated her. Remember, arrogance will always come back to bite you in the ass."

He glanced with morbid sadness at his beloved car.

"It certainly came back to bite me in mine."

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A/N: Random two-shot. Sort of dropped off the BB buzz, but caught a random episode and remembered how good a show it is! Hope you enjoyed- Inks

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