"Could you pass the corn, Jack?"

"Sure little man." John Patrick Ryan Jr. said passing the dish to his younger brother. It was July 4th and family reunion day for the Ryan family. Sally was home from Medical school and his grandparents had traveled down, too. There was the usual spread of food out on the picnic table; hotdogs, hamburgers, potatoes salad, carrots, and jell-o which was of coursed toped with cool whip. Meal time was a rather loud affair for the family, yelling for food to be passed and most of the time just reaching over the table to grabbing it. Well, the kids, including Jack and Sally, even Jack Sr. were. Caroline and her parents tolerating it. After all, John had his life share formal meals as President; it was time for a little break wasn't it?

"The cooks at Med School could learn a thing or two from you, mom." Sally said biting into her ketchup and mustard hotdog.

"You think?" Caroline Ryan asked surprised. How hard was it to cook a hotdog?

"Oh, I know! I don't know how I can eat that campus food."

"I don't know how you guys get on with out us, not just for food I mean! It seems so weird that your two are grown up." She lamented. "At least I still have Katie and Kyle."

"I'm not that far away, mom." Jack Jr. reassured with a smile. "You could always call me."

"I did, a couple times two weeks ago, but you didn't answer." Caroline answered with smile of her own. "What are you up to, Jack?"

Man, she's good. Little Jack thought. After graduating from Georgetown he hadn't felt the need to tell his parents what he was up to, to their dismay. At first, it was a whole lot of nothing but now…

"I was over seas on a business trip." Jack explained.

"You got a job?" Jack Sr. asked surprised. All heads at the table turned to Jack Jr.

"Of course, Dad. Do you think I'm lazy?" Jack Jr. rolled his eyes.

"What job is it, Junior?" His grandfather asked, interested for the first time in the whole day.

"Oh, it's nothing really. I'm just a consultant." Jack didn't really lie.

"Money?"

"Yes." Jack lied this time and found that it was quite… easy.

"Oh good!" His grandfather exclaimed. "At least one man is following into the family business!"

"It's not your business though, Dad." Caroline pointed out.

"Same type of thing, it doesn't matter that much."

"What's the corporation?" Jack Ryan Sr. asked, sticking a pea with his fork and bringing it up to his mouth.

"Hendly Associates." Jack said off handedly, like it was nothing of real importance but looked up, watching his father's reaction.

Jack Ryan Sr.'s fork dropped to his plate and his eyes went wide. He almost chocked. "Hendly Associates?" He questioned again.

"Yep."

"You were on a business trip… over seas?" John Ryan Sr. was trying hard to conceal his thoughts but there was the hint of disbelief there. "Um… ah, what do you do over there?"

"Not much, I just consult people to help them on their jobs." Jack Jr. said with a mischievous grin. And wait til he finds out it's Dom and Brian I consult. God, this IS a family business.

Caroline Ryan glanced questionably between the two "Jacks" The vagueness of this conversation was odd but the preciseness that both understood was troubling. It clicked in Caroline's mind that it was like when Jack was back in the intelligence world. Not Little Jack, too.

"Have you done any business besides consult over there?" Jack Sr. was almost afraid to ask.

"Once or twice." And Jack Sr. paled a little at that.

"Maybe we should talk sometime, then. I remember some of the things I learned when I had that kind of job."

"If that would be possible, I would like that." Jack Jr. said with a smile, confirming Caroline's speculation.

She sighed. Well, I guess I shouldn't have expected any different. In spite of what Dad thinks this IS the family business.