Contains scenes from episode 1x1.

Danny Reagan could remember the day his life changed forever. A year on the job and just eleven months of marital bliss to his beautiful wife, his little girl became the center of his world. It was the single greatest and worst day of his life. The minute that fussy, bright eyed, little bundle of pink blankets was laid in his arms, his heart was sunk. He was in love but then ten seconds later, everything that came along with a little girl sank in. He knew the rest of his life wouldn't be easy, but he knew he wouldn't trade it for the world.

Over the following 14 years Danny was proven right more times than not, but he found that the happier times definitely outweighed the bad. "Let's go parents; we're going to be late!" Anna called up the stairs. She rolled her eyes as she tapped her foot. For the past month, the date and time of the event had been on the calendar on the side of the refrigerator. There would be no excuse if they missed it. Just as she had that thought, her mom came down the stairs. "Is dad coming too? The boys are already in the car and if we miss this graduation, Uncle Jamie isn't going to be very happy with us. Parking is going to be impossible in the city," she said.

"Yes, your father is coming. Go get in the car," Linda told her. Anna rolled her eyes but went to the car as Danny came down the stairs.

"Everything okay?" Danny asked, adjusting his tie.

"Teenagers," Linda explained. Danny smirked and kissed his wife before following her to the car after making sure the house was locked up tight.

Though they came to every police academy graduation at Madison Square Garden, as well as a few Rangers' games, each time felt different than the last. This time was more important than the rest as this time it would be Anna's youngest uncle graduating. The last time a Reagan had graduated from the academy was two years after Anna had been born when her uncle Joe graduated. Anna's attention turned to the floor where the newly minted officers filed in, dressed head to toe in dress blues, caps, and white gloves. Anna scanned the faces finally finding that of her uncle and pointing him out to Nicky and Sean, whom she was seated between. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted her mom taking pictures before her attention was drawn to the stage where the top brass had filed in, to include her grandfather and great-grandfather. Since she had been to so many of these, she tuned out all the speeches and addresses and just clapped and cheered at the appropriate times. It ended quicker than she thought it would and the graduates filed out first then the rest of the crowd was turned out. Anna ducked, dodged, and maneuvered her way out to the barricaded off, front entrance of the Garden finding her uncle closest to the street with a perfect view of the front of the building.

"Congrats, Uncle Jamie," Anna told him as she rushed up to him. He scooped her into a hug and held her tight for a moment.

"Thanks, Anna," Jamie answered, setting her back down on her feet. "Where's the rest of the family?" he asked.

"They'll be along."

"I remember the last time we were here for a Reagan graduation. I hugged you that tight then too."

"I was knee-high to a RMP back then." Anna grinned. "Bet you 10 bucks Dad won't make it to dinner without being called for a case."

"You're on, ye of little faith," Jamie answered, grinning at his oldest niece.

Anna had always been closer to her uncles than she was to her father though that was mostly because they always seemed to make time for her, whereas her dad's down time had to be split between her, her brothers, and her mom. Most of the time she was last on that list. She didn't blame them but part of her missed their time together. "Uncle Joe would have been proud of you, fulfilling your dream."

"You think?" Jamie asked, knowing that before Joe had died Anna had been closer to his brother than he had.

"I know. He really loved you and if you felt a calling to do this then he would have supported that and you, no matter what the rest of the family says." She smirked then slipped out of the way as they were joined by the rest of the Reagans and Jamie's fiancée, Sydney. Well, most of the rest of the family; Frank and Henry were still inside. Jamie glanced at his niece as he hugged his fiancée wondering how she had known. Her eyes had been on him the entire time and not once had she looked over her shoulder to see if they were being approached and she had slipped out of the way just in the nick of time as Sydney had reached out for him and would have had to step around Anna to get to him.

"Don't lean on the barricade," Danny said, flicking her arm.

"Don't flick your boss's granddaughter," Anna quipped back at him.

"You're my kid first and that trumps your grandfather."

"That's debatable," Anna muttered under her breath.

Danny rolled his eyes but didn't say another word to his daughter. Sometimes she was just too much like him even if she looked more like her mother. Instead, he turned his attention to his brother who was getting congratulations from their sister and niece. Anna rolled her eyes at him, made a face then pulled out her game, tuning them all out. At least until Frank brought up lunch. She hadn't even seen Frank and Henry walk up. Sydney made her excuses about being a first year at a law firm and barely having enough time for the graduation and headed off. Anna paused her game, got her uncle's attention and held up a hand counting down from five. As Anna reached one, she pointed to Danny and he put his phone to his ear. Jamie sighed, hoping Anna was wrong and it was just information his brother was getting and he wasn't about to leave.

"Joe died doing what he loved to do," Henry said. It had been just over a year since they had buried Joe and it was still hard on the family. Anna was unsure where the topic had come from but Danny changed the subject quickly.

"Little brother," Danny said, stepping over to Jamie's side, "I'm going to have to buy you a beer another time. I got a missing kid. Gotta go."

"You up to catch a case?" Frank asked.

"Yeah, Dad. Demarcus is on his way," Danny answered. "I'll see you later. Bye." He kissed his wife, "bye boys," he said, ruffling their hair then waved to the rest of the family. Finally he stepped in front of Anna. "Behave, and give me that. You're still in trouble for last week." Danny took the game from Anna's hand and slipped it into his inner suit jacket pocket before taking off for a car down the street.

"What happened last week?" Erin asked.

"After school poker game," Anna shrugged. "Tanya Johnson bet her new iPod touch against my Rangers' tickets. Her mom called the principal who called my mom who made me give it back and I was grounded for three weeks." She sighed not happy with the turnout.

"What did the headmistress say?" Frank asked.

"That since it was a first offense, as long as I apologized, returned the iPod, and promised to never do it again, she'd only give me a week of detention instead of expelling me for illicit activity of a minor on school property," Anna explained.

"And what did your father tell you?" Linda asked.

"No more gambling, period. Though I'm pretty sure that he meant don't get caught, I took it at face value," Anna admitted glumly. "If you didn't want me to play poker, you shouldn't have let Pops teach me."

"Let him?" Linda asked.

"Anyone else hungry?" Henry asked, diverting their attention.

As they headed to lunch, Anna fell into step next to her uncle at the back of the pack. He tossed an arm around her casually. "Speaking of betting," Anna prompted, holding her hand out to him.

"How much do I owe you now?" Jamie asked.

"Total? About 100 bucks. And it's not that I have little faith in my dad, it's just that he's as predictable as Jets never making it out of the playoffs. I don't have to remind you that the last time they made it to the Super Bowl, Dad wasn't even born yet."

Jamie sighed but pulled out his wallet. After making sure that Linda wasn't looking or paying attention, she was distracted by Sean, he handed his niece a twenty. He really had to stop betting her. She almost always won. "I'll get you the rest."

"No rush, I know where you live." Anna grinned and Jamie rolled his eyes. He gave her a gentle squeeze and soon arrived at the restaurant.

After dinner later that night Anna helped her mom clean up as the boys raced up stairs to play a few video games, though they told their mom they'd be studying. "Thanks, sweetie," Linda said as Anna put the last plate back in the cupboard.

"Of course. When is Dad coming home?" Anna asked.

"You know how these cases can get. He won't rest until she's found and you know that's how you love him best," Linda told her.

"I know. So he'll be home in a few days?"

"It's the job, Anna. I know we expect a lot from you, but we wouldn't unless we knew you could handle it."

"I still miss him though. When other kids tell me about their weekends with their parents, I have to pretend I'm interested and make up some bull crap about Dad's busy job. It just doesn't seem fair."

"I know, he tries to be here. You know that."

"I know." Anna nodded. She sighed and hugged her mom then went upstairs to finish her homework.

"Anna," Jack said, peaking in the door a bit later. She looked up at him, smiling softly. He took this as an invitation to come in. "Are you mad at Dad?" He asked as he sat down on the end of her bed. Anna clicked her pen shut, set it on top of her books then looked at her brother, studying him for a moment. She ran a hand through her blonde hair then smiled.

"Of course not. He's got an important job. I know that, we just have to support him and Mom while he works."

"Then how come you were so mad at him earlier?" Sean asked from the doorway.

"He took my iPod. I wasn't really mad," she motioned for Sean to come in and he joined them on the bed. "It was a big day for Uncle Jamie and I'm disappointed that Dad couldn't be there to celebrate with him," Anna told her brothers.

"So you're not mad?" Jack asked just to be sure.

"No," Anna grinned, "now I'm pretty sure it's time for you boys to get ready for bed."

"Yeah," Jack answered then he and Sean hugged their sister and went to their room. She too got into her PJs and finished her homework before brushing her teeth and going to bed.

The following night at dinner, Anna noticed her dad was awfully quiet but didn't comment on it. If something was bothering him, it was best not to let on in front of her brothers. The boys and her mom talked for a while before Danny was up and back off to the precinct. "Mom, why'd he come home for dinner if he was only going to eat angrily then take off again?" Anna asked.

"Because even if he doesn't say anything, he likes getting to see his kids. Sean, you clear, Anna dishes," Linda said. The two kids agreed and got started.

Saturday passed and before they knew it, it was time for the weekly Sunday dinner. Anna plopped down on her mom's right at the table and noticed the empty seat to her right between her and Sean for her dad. Anna did her best to bite her tongue when Jamie asked where Danny was and her mom answered that he'd said he'd try to make it. She had heard that line too many times and though she understood the importance of the case and taking the guy off the street, family had to be important too.

Then Erin brought up the case and Henry agreed with what Danny had done, which of course led to a fight between him and Erin. They had found the kid but the defense attorney had convinced the judge of Danny's excessive force and the judge had thrown out the man's confession and any evidence in the storage locker. So they were pretty much back at square one. Frank changed the subject by asking Jamie to say grace which Danny came in halfway through. Then a few short seconds after "amen", the fight was back on. This time it was Erin and Danny going back and forth almost like a tennis match. Occasionally Henry would back Danny but eventually it became more about shouting at each other. That's when Frank stepped in. "This is Sunday dinner," he said, cutting them both off, "not a free-for-all." Erin and Danny both looked down at their plates. "Let's keep it civil."

Anna stared hard at her plate knowing that if she said anything she'd probably upset her aunt more, especially since in this case she agreed that extreme measures had to be taken to save the kid's life. The entire table was quiet for a few moments right up until Erin tried to make her case to her dad. Frank rebutted that it wasn't about torture but rather enhanced interrogation and whether or not it was justified. Erin said it wasn't then Frank countered with a hypothetical case about a time bomb. Anna and the rest of the family just watched and listened. Anna's favorite answer by far was what Jamie said when asked. At first he agreed with Erin, which had Danny steaming mad and bringing up his hypothetical about a guy in a dark alley with something in his hand that may or may not be a gun. Jamie looked from his brother to his sister considering Danny's words.

"It's true, I can say whatever I want but I don't know what I would have done in his position," Jamie said as a phone rang. Anna shot Jamie a look as Danny fished his phone from his pocket. Jamie did his best to hide his smirk. Danny tossed his napkin back on the table and stood up explaining why he had to go. The evidence he needed came in and he had to go check it out. After saying goodbye to his family he turned to leave but suddenly turned back to Erin.

"Oh, let me ask you one question, Erin. What if it would have been Nicky? She only had 24 hours left. What would you want me to do then?" Danny asked.

"Me?" Nicky asked.

"That's not fair," Erin said.

"He already knows what he'd do if it was one of his boys," Anna said. "He'd beat the guy senseless." She smirked and could feel her dad's eyes on her but didn't turn to look.

"Be honest, some guy snatches her off the street, I got ahold of him but he won't talk?" Danny pushed. Erin refused to answer. "Give me a break." Danny huffed then he walked out.

Then Henry went and stuck his foot in it. "Nicky? You don't have to worry about it. They'd throw her back in ten minutes."

"That's not funny," Nicky snapped. She got up and stormed off. Erin sighed then followed after her as Jack and Sean raced off to watch TV. Linda got up to corral them and the four remaining at the table looked at each other.

"That went well," Anna grinned. The rest of them laughed with her.

"What about you? If a perp had you, what do you think your dad would have done?" Jamie asked, looking at her.

"Before or after he found me kicking the crap out of the guy? Uncle Joe taught me to fight and to shoot a gun. I think I could hold my own but after Dad got ahold of him? I don't know, I'd like to believe he'd do the same thing but I couldn't say for certain. Not anymore." Anna shrugged and stabbed at the meat on her plate. She knew that all three Reagans were thinking the same thing, that family came first and there was no doubt Danny would cross the line for one of his kids, but they knew she wouldn't believe them. As dinner wound down Anna looked up at her uncle. "You never said and I know that you're worried about what I'm going to think ... but what precinct did you end up at?"

Frank and Jamie shared a look then Jamie sat down his silverware and stood up, rounding the table to sit down next to her in her dad's vacant chair. "Anna, I know this is going to be hard—" He turned her to look at him head on so he could judge where she was with this news.

"No," Anna said. All she needed to hear was that one statement and she knew. He had been assigned to the 12th. The precinct Joe had been working out of before he had died. Granted that had been out of the Warrants' squad and not the officer level like he would be, but it cranked her superstition up a notch. "You can't."

"Do you want me to put in for a transfer?" Jamie asked. It was the last thing he was ever going to do, he'd do his best to try to make her come to terms with it before the transfer but if she really couldn't then putting in for a transfer was the least he could do. He knew his father was watching them and that he would do his best to help his granddaughter as well, but they both knew that she was more sensitive to Joe's death that almost the rest of the family had been.

"Will that make me look like a brat?" Anna asked. She paused for a moment then shook her head. "I know I'm being a brat. It's a good precinct. Lots of great guys, detectives and officers. I'm not saying it's bad luck, I'm just saying ... I don't know what I'm saying." Anna shook her head again. "Who's your T.O.?"

"Renzulli."

Anna smiled. "Uncle Joe liked him. I know that with his training, you're going to be a great cop. Just listen to this," Anna put her hand over her uncle's heart, "and not your brother and you'll be fine."

"Anna, I know this is going to be hard," Jamie said, giving her a soft smile, "I know Joe was your favorite uncle, and I'm okay with that. No one here is asking, will ever ask, you to just get over it and move on, I don't think any of us have, we just want you to be okay."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Frank asked.

"No," Anna took a shaky breath, "but it is nice to know that I have support if I need it though." Jamie gave her hand a gentle squeeze and she smiled up at him. He asked her to help clear and she was only too glad to. She stood helping him take plates to the kitchen.

A few days later Anna came home from school to once again find her dad on the couch watching sports highlights. "Everything okay?" Anna asked, looking at her dad. He only looked at her. "Dad, I can count on one hand the number of times you've been on that couch three days in a row when I come home from school and each and every time it's because of an IA investigation. They suspend you for that kidnapping case?" she asked.

"Anna," Danny said.

"Fine, I'll be upstairs," Anna said, walking up the stairs.

Linda came into the living room and looked at her husband. "I understand why you don't want to tell her, you don't want her to worry, but don't you think you should at least talk to her?" Linda asked.

"About what?" Danny asked.

"About what's wrong with her. Haven't you noticed? She's been super upset lately. Even your grandfather's noticed."

Danny stared at his wife for a few minutes. "What do you think is bothering her?"

"Could be anything. Danny, our sweet and happy, bubbly, little girl isn't so happy and bubbly right now. You're the detective, figure it out."

Danny sighed and went upstairs to talk to his oldest. He hated when his wife put him in that position, mainly because he knew that Anna was more apt to talk to her than she was to him. "Anna," Danny said, pushing open the door. Anna looked up at him expectantly but didn't say anything. Danny walked in and sat down on her bed. "Wanna tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing's going on," Anna said, putting down her pen and staring up at him.

That's when he knew something was definitely going on. "You can tell me. Just between us."

Anna glanced at the photo on her nightstand before looking at her books. Danny looked at the photo too and saw it was of her and Joe. Joe was standing behind Anna, his arms around her shoulders. It had been taken the summer before her 12th birthday, less than a year before Joe had died. Danny picked up the photo and smiled. "What?" Anna asked.

"I remember this day. Right out here in the backyard. Sean and Jack complained it was too hot to continue the football game, me and them against you and Joe, so Joe brought out the water balloons. Teams stayed the same and you and Joe had us pinned down pretty good. Then Joe turned on you," Danny said.

"Angie snapped that photo right after Uncle Joe smashed that water balloon over my head. It was a great afternoon," Anna said. Angie had stepped out to call them in for a snack right as Joe had dropped the balloon on her head. Angie had laughed, saying she needed a photo of Anna looking like a drowned cat. That's when Danny realized what was wrong. The way Anna's voice hitched when she said Uncle Joe, told him this had everything to do with his deceased brother. If he hadn't been a detective for the past 11 years, he wouldn't have noticed it.

"Worst part of having a detective for an old man, I know when something's wrong. Especially when that something has to do with my brother. I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong," Danny said gently.

"Take me to the gun range," Anna said unexpectedly. That hadn't been the response he had been hoping for but he knew he should have expected it.

"Wait, what?" Danny asked when it set in exactly what she was asking for.

"The firing range. You take me and let me shoot for a while, long gun or hand gun, and I will tell you everything you want to know." Anna braved a look up at her dad. He was studying her with an unreadable look. "Or you could just tell Mom you tried but failed."

"You're still grounded, for another week."

"True, but you do want to know don't you?" Anna asked.

"No holds barred. If I take you, you have to tell me everything," Danny said. "If I sense you're holding back from me, I will extend your punishment." Anna nodded and looked back down at her homework, reading the next question. Danny looked back down at the photo in his hands and could almost hear Joe's voice in his head telling him to tell Anna. "I got suspended. Pending a full IA investigation."

Anna swallowed. Suspensions usually meant no pay and it'd be tougher on her parents to make ends meet especially if the investigation dragged on. The last thing she had to burden her parents with was a bill from the gun range they couldn't afford. "Oh. In that case ... I guess I can just tell you." Anna nervously looked away feeling guilty.

"We are never so hard pressed for money that I can't take you to the gun range. We'll manage it. Don't worry about it," Danny said. "When was the last time you went?" Anna looked down at her books and hoped her dad got the message. "That long huh?"

"We were supposed to go the weekend after. Sorta a last hoorah before ... he wanted to get his nerves up. He loved Angie. You were supposed to come with us. Talk some sense into him."

He hadn't known his brother was going to propose to Angie. He wondered if she knew this. Probably. They had been dating for more than two years. "I promise, I'll take you tomorrow after school."

"Thanks Dad," Anna said. Danny put the photo back on the nightstand and kissed the top of his daughter's head. He then left her alone to do her homework.

I just want to say that you'll only get as many chapters as reviews so it would behoove you to continue to review. I know that it should only matter that a lot of you are reading but reviews let me gage how much you like this story and if there is anything I need to change. Also the cover image is what I imagine Anna to look like.