/

Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Bloods or any of the characters. All rights belong to CBS. I am but a lowly fan, writing a few stories, inspired by the show and its characters.

Feedback is always appreciated. I'm not an expert in any sense of the word so if I've got certain things wrong i.e. police procedures, language, grammar and such. Please forgive me. Let me know where I've gone wrong and I'll do my best to change it.

Author's Note: Throughout this story and most likely any future stories, you will see - / - in between text. This is my way of showing a change in location or time.

/

A frustrated detective makes his way over to his car. Another dead end. Great. This is just what he needs!

There's a man, he put away years ago, out for his blood and he has no idea where he is. This guy is dangerous. Out of all the criminals Detective Daniel Reagan has been threatened by over the years, Benjamin Walker has to be the most credible threat. Danny is worried. A part of him scared. An attack could come at any minute.

Danny slams his fist down on the hood of his car. A small tremor in his hand. Frustration is building. Why hasn't this guy tried anything yet? The waiting is killing Danny more than anything else. The detective isn't very patient. At least not when it comes to something like this.

A vibration against his chest brings him back to reality. Danny fishes inside his jacket. Thinking, it's probably Jackie, hopefully she'll have a lead.

He finds his cell phone and pulls it out. Still ringing. Danny furrows his eyebrows when he sees the caller ID. It's not who he was expecting...

Danny answers with a sigh "Kid, what is it? I'm kinda busy right now"

"Danny" his kid brother's voice sounds different. It sounds uncharacteristically unnerved.

"Jamie?" Danny questions; concern, in the form of a knot in the base of his stomach, starts to grow.

"Y'know Danny, it really shouldn't have come to this" a new, but familiar voice tells him.

Danny's heart skips a beat. It skips high. It jumps up into his throat then plummets back down. Slamming into the ground. It hurts like hell. It leaves a painful ache in his chest.

"Walker?! You son of a bitch!" Danny growls "You leave my kid brother outta this! It's me you want!"

"You're damn right it's you I want!" Walker retorts, resentment clear in his voice "Unfortunately for your brother, I had to take him in order to get to you"

"What do you want me to do?" Danny asks, trying to mask the desperation in his voice as best he can.

Walker chuckles coldly "What will you do, huh? I wanna know what the great Detective Danny Reagan will do for his baby brother"

"Anything" Danny responds without even needing a second to think "Absolutely anything"

"You hear that kid?" Walker taunts his captive "Big brother will do anything for ya"

"Danny don't-" Danny hears his brother's voice being cut off by the unmistakable sound of a harsh backhander to the face.

"I'll do anything you want. You hear me?" Danny speaks up, trying to draw Walker's violent attention away from Jamie "Just don't hurt him, okay? Do we have a deal?"

"Not yet, but we will" Walker answers "Let's make a trade. No cops, just you Danny or say goodbye to baby brother"

"Okay, I understand, just me" Danny states as calmly as he can "Where should I meet you?"

"Back where it all began, in the park where you arrested me" the line goes dead.

Danny's heart sinks even further. This psycho has Jamie! The detective thought Walker would go after him directly. Now his family has been dragged into it. Jamie is innocent in all of this. The kid wasn't even on the force when Danny arrested Walker. Now he's being used as bait to draw his big brother out. Possibly out to his death. It certainly will be if Walker get his way!

/

At the park, Danny searches frantically for any sign of Walker or Jamie. All he needs is one look. Just to see his brother's eyes. To see that he's alive. The detective's heart pounds loudly in his ears.

Please let Jamie be okay. Please God, don't let anything bad happen to my kid brother.

Danny arrives on the very spot he arrested Walker. The memory playing in his mind. It wasn't an easy arrest. Walker certainly didn't make it easy.

He takes a look around. Head spinning before he'd even started to turn. Danny's eyes hone in on a bench. On it is a cell phone. It starts ringing.

Danny's eyes widen. Walker is watching him right now! The detective gulps down his fear. He won't give this man the satisfaction. Taking Jamie was his way of eliciting fear within the older Reagan. It's certainly working. Only, Danny doesn't want Walker to see that. So he tries to keep calm. For Jamie's sake if not his own. Danny picks up the cell phone.

"Hello?" he answers, still surveying the area.

"Detective Reagan" Walker greets.

"Where are you?" Danny questions him, trying to keep his anger and anxiety at bay "This wasn't part of our deal. I said in person"

"Oh we will see each other in person, that I can guarantee" Walker adds chillingly "This is just to make sure you didn't bring any backup"

"Is that what the phone is for?" Danny asks, the detective part of him keeping the big brother part of him from completely throwing logic away.

Walker chuckles coldly "No wonder they pinned a detective's badge on you"

There's a pause. It's brief, but agonisingly long for Danny. It's decision time. It's Walker's move. All the cards are in his hands. Danny is completely at his mercy. It must be so satisfying for him. Revenge is almost his.

"Walk to the South entrance" Walker orders.

/

Danny approaches the South entrance to the park. It's quiet. No one else is around. The perfect spot for an exchange to go down.

As Danny leaves the park, he spots a yellow taxi cab. Sat in the driver's seat is Walker. The hardened criminal pulls a gun out. He brandishes it clearly so Danny can see.

"I'm not wearing a wire if that's what you're thinking. I'm alone, like you said, there's no one else here with me" Danny tells him in a calming tone.

"There better not be or baby brother is gonna pay for your mistake" Walker growls, lowering his gun "I wanna see you put your gun, your backup and your cell phone in the trash"

"Okay" Danny says, as he pulls his gun out, holding it up in the air then tossing it in the bin beside him.

Next the detective kneels down. Lifting his trouser leg up to reveal his concealed backup weapon. He slowly pulls the gun out. Walker knew he had it on him. Clearly he still remembers his arrest as well.

Danny glances up at the cab again. This is when he spots something. A glimmer of hope flashes in his eyes. This could save him. More importantly for Danny, it could save Jamie.

"Hurry up!" Walker barks, becoming impatient.

Danny tosses his backup into the bin. It's just his cell phone now. There's no way of tracking him without it. At least that's what Walker thinks.

The detective fumbles around in his pocket. Fingers clumsily moving. Danny's cell drops to the ground. It conveniently drops behind the bin. Thank God! In Danny's case, he'll quite literally have to thank God in church on Sunday. Provided he makes it out of this alive. Perhaps he'll be meeting God face to face before this day is over?

The thought of God and Heaven is brushed aside for now. He's wasted enough time. Walker will start to get suspicious. The quick thinking detective finds his wife on speed dial. He sends her a set of numbers. Danny places his cell phone in the bin.

Of course Linda will have no idea what they mean. A seemingly random set of number. However, knowing his wife, she'll just know what to do. Specifically who to call.

"Jacket off and cuffs on" Walker orders.

Danny does as he's told "Okay done"

"Throw me the key" Walker adds, gun still raised high, like the paranoia within him.

Danny throws the key through the open window and on to the passenger seat.

Walker glances at it "Get in"

"Where's Jamie?" Danny questions, the knot in his stomach growing tighter.

"I'll take you to him" Walker replies, looking back up at Danny.

Danny, seeing little choice, gets in the back of the taxi. Walker lowers his gun. Dark eyes stare at Danny in the mirror. The car sets off at high speed.

/

The taxi cab finally stops. Danny exhales deeply. It was a tense ride for him.

When Walker gets out, Danny takes the opportunity to glance at his new surroundings. The detective's heart drops. A graveyard. Walker has brought him to a freakin' graveyard! A not so subtle pun intended?

The door opens, Walker stands outside, pointing his gun at Danny "Get out!"

Danny steps out. Walker grabs a fistful of his shirt. He pushes him up against the trunk.

"Where's Jamie?" Danny asks again, eyes squinting in the sunlight.

A heavy sigh. Followed by Walker dragging Danny out of the way. Walker pops the trunk. Inside is his baby brother. Relief. Oh so much relief! The mere sight of the rise and fall of Jamie's chest makes his own chest fit to burst. Jamie is alive. For now that's all that matters.

"Mmpfph!" Jamie protests angrily through his duct tape gag.

"Jamie" Danny breathes out, leaning against the side of the trunk.

Jamie struggles against the duct tape binding his wrists behind his back. He too squints at the bright sun. Danny leans in closer. The rookie strains to look up. Green eyes flick up at Danny. There's pain and fear in them. Danny can see it. The blood trickling down the side of his head explains the pain. The fear? Well, the current situation speaks for that.

"Mmmpphfh!" Jamie suddenly calls out in alarm.

Danny soon finds out why. The tip of a gun presses against his head.

"If you're gonna kill me Benjamin then at least do it somewhere my kid brother can't see" Danny pleads, trying to keep his voice from breaking.

"And let him miss all the fun?" Walker retorts "No, get him out"

Danny shares a sad look with Jamie then helps him out of the trunk. As soon as the older Reagan has got the younger one to his feet, Walker grabs a hold of him. Again, he points his gun at Danny.

"Walk" their kidnapper orders.

Danny complies. He walks up front. Walker pushes his leverage, Jamie, along behind him. The rookie cop separating the two men is the only thing keeping Danny from misbehaving. The gun doesn't scare him that much. Danny has been in a war zone. If it's his time to die then so be it, but not Jamie. The baby of the Reagans has got so much left to live for in his big brother's eyes.

The trio stop by two graves. Jamie is shoved to the ground beside them. Danny is pushed further along.

"On your knees!" Walker barks at the detective.

Danny sinks to his knees "Why have you brought us here Benjamin?"

For the first time today, Danny sees some of the rage die within Walker. It's still there. It's not completely gone. It's just subdued momentarily. When Walker points to two graves behind him, that's when Danny gets his first real glimpse at the painful grief tormenting the criminal.

/

The minutes tick by. Danny continues to talk to Walker. A delay tactic. Hopefully, his wife has seen the text by now and passed it on to Jackie or any member of his family. All Danny can do now is keep this guy talking about his dead wife and son.

Danny's heart quickens. It looks as though he's losing Walker again. Emotions are seeping in. In particular, rage. It reminds Walker of why he's here and what he came to do.

Walker turns the gun on Jamie "So how about I even the score a little, huh? My family was taken from me. How about I take your family from you?"

"No! No, please!" Danny begs, clasping his cuffed hands together "Your beef is with me, not him! Kill me! Just don't hurt him! Jamie played no part in any of this! You wanna blame someone then blame me! I'm the one who put you away!"

Walker turns the gun towards Danny "You're damn right about that"

"Mmpfph!" Jamie let's out another protest.

"Quiet!" Walker yells.

"Benjamin, please, let him go" Danny pleads once again, glancing over to see the scared look in his brother's eyes.

Is he scared for himself? Maybe. He'd be a fool if he wasn't even a little bit scared for his own life. Jamie certainly isn't a fool though. However, knowing his baby brother the way he does, he's probably more scared for Danny's life than his own.

"Start digging Danny" Walker orders, gesturing to the shovel beside him.

/

Danny has dug the hole, with great difficulty, considering his hands are still cuffed. Sweat patches cover his shirt. The rest is stained by dirt. Danny climbs back out of his self dug grave.

"Alright Danny, time to die" Walker says with a cocky smirk "Any last requests?"

"Yeah, one actually, let me say goodbye to my brother" Danny responds.

Walker sighs bitterly. Probably wishing he hadn't said anything.

"You've won Benjamin. You're gonna kill me. You'll have your revenge. Just let me say goodbye to my kid brother, please" Danny argues, no longer trying to stall for time. If this really is it then Danny wants Jamie to know some things before he dies.

"Alright" Walker says, grabbing Jamie by the arm and pulling him to his feet "I'll show you the mercy you never showed me"

Walker pushes Jamie forwards. The rookie drops to his knees in front of his big brother. Tears already in his eyes. Danny carefully removes the tape from Jamie's mouth.

"Hey kid" Danny sighs once it's off.

"Danny, I'm sorry" Jamie blurts out, a slight tremble in his voice.

"It's not your fault" Danny is quick to point out.

Jamie turns in desperation to Walker "Please don't kill him"

"Oh I'm gonna kill him" Walker replies, determined.

"Hey, hey, look at me" Danny says cupping Jamie's face with his hands "It's gonna be okay"

"I can't lose another brother" Jamie chokes out, tears brimming "I can't"

"Another brother?" Walker questions, curiosity getting the better of him.

The Reagan brothers turn to their captor. A harsh glare aimed at him.

"Yeah our brother Joe died" Danny confirms.

"Our family has suffered enough" Jamie tells his captor "This vendetta you have against my brother, you won't just be killing him, you'll be destroying an entire family!"

"Danny destroyed any hope I had of having a family!" Walker argues, no hint of sympathy arising within him after Jamie's words.

"So what? You're gonna do the same thing back?" Jamie retorts, anger, fear, dread, growing stronger.

"Alright, your goodbye is over" Walker says pointing the gun at Danny.

Jamie refuses to budge. With his hands still tied behind his back, he shuffles closer to Danny. Trying to act as a barrier. A human shield. The one last defence between Danny and a bullet.

"Kid!" Danny gently pushes him back "Stop it! Don't do this!"

"I can't lose you Danny!" Jamie retorts, emotions getting the better of him.

The brothers lock gazes. Both have tears streaming down their cheeks. Jamie puts his head on Danny's shoulder. The detective puts his cuffed hands over his kid brother. Holding him securely. If in his last moments he can offer Jamie some comfort then he'll die a relatively happy man.

"Move back or the Reagans will be losing two today!" Walker growls, patience wearing thin.

"NYPD!"

The three men turn to the sound. A glorious sight for two. A painfully familiar sight for the other. NYPD officers in SWAT gear surround them. Jackie is amongst them. Danny smiles when he spots her.

"It's over Walker!" Jackie calls out.

"No!" Walker yells in frustration "Stay back!"

"It's over. You can't win" Danny tells him.

Walker turns on him "I could just shoot you!"

"All these cops aren't gonna let that happen. The second it looks like you're gonna make a move and they'll shoot. Even if you do kill me, they're not gonna stop shooting until they kill you" Danny explains "Just give it up Walker"

Walker looks like he's about to cry "No!"

Danny, with his arms still around Jamie, hurls himself backwards. Gun shots ring out. The brothers go down together. They land in the grave. Both doing their best to shield one another from any stray bullets.

The gun shots continue. A seemingly endless stream of them. The brothers cling to one another. Well, Danny clings to Jamie. Jamie's hands are still tied behind his back. The best he can do is tuck himself as close to Danny as he possibly can.

The gun fire ceases. All that the detective can hear is his brother's staggering breaths against his chest.

"Danny!" a voice calls out "Danny!"

Danny looks up to see his partner "Jackie!"

"You two okay?" she questions, holstering her gun.

"Yeah I think so" Danny replies, glancing at his brother in his arms "What about Walker?"

"Dead" Jack responds, watching the relief wash over her partner.

Danny brushes his fingers through Jamie's hair. The younger Reagan glances up. Jackie jumps down. Knife in hand, she cuts the tape on Jamie's wrists. She then unlocks Danny's cuffs.

"Thanks partner" Danny tells her, as he and Jamie sit up.

"Don't thank me. Thank your wife" Jackie replies with a smile.

"Don't worry, I will" Danny adds with a smile "I married a smart woman"

Jackie casts a worried glance over to her partner's brother "Are you sure you're alright Jamie? Do you need me to call a bus?"

"No, I'm okay" Jamie replies, shaky voice betraying his response.

"Call a bus Jack" Danny tells her "I think the both of us need to get checked out"

Jackie nods then walks off. It's clear they need a moment alone.

The Reagan brothers help each other out the hole. Both are covered in dirt. The younger of the two has dirt smeared across his bloody forehead. No wonder Jackie thought he needed a bus!

Jamie looks back down at the hole. No, not a hole. A grave. One Danny dug. It was meant for him. Jamie turns away. Repulsed at the thought. The mental picture of his brother lying dead in the dirt is enough to give him nightmares for a long time.

"You alright kid?" Danny probes, already preemptive of the answer.

Jamie turns to him, fierce tears in his eyes "Of course I'm not alright Danny! You almost died! I almost lost another brother!"

Danny sighs "I'm sorry kid. I can't believe you got dragged into this"

"It doesn't make a difference whether I was here or somewhere else" Jamie argues "The pain of losing a brother is the exact same no matter where I am"

"You've not lost me" Danny points out, placing a hand on his shoulder "I'm right here"

"No, but I could have" Jamie mumbles weakly.

Danny wraps his arms around his baby brother. It's not something he would normally do. Danny Reagan showing public affection? Almost unheard of. Jamie knows this better than most. However, considering what they've both been through, an exception can be made. Even Danny has to admit today was a close one.