One Shot

By Shaz1

Disclaimer- okay I have said this several times before, but since I really don't want to get sued (since I have no money!) I suppose I had better say it again. None of the characters that are recognised in this story belong to me, I have merely borrowed them for the purposes of in all likelihood causing them pain and slight torture. I will return them as soon as I am finished.

This is a sequel to my previous story Blood and Thunder, it can possibly be read as a standalone, however it will make more sense if you read that one first!

One Shot

Detective Daniel Reagan eased himself up from his chair and stretched his back gingerly. He had returned to work three weeks ago, after being badly injured in a revenge attack carried out by an old acquaintance. He had only been back on full duties for the last week, and he was exhausted- not that he would admit it to anyone. He had pushed himself to recover as quickly as possible, desperate to take control on his life back and restore a sense of normality to his household. Linda and the boys were back at home, and his father's house was once more the place where they convened once a week for a family meal.

He had made it back to work months earlier than anyone had imagined he would, he did suffer for it with the constant head aches and tight chest that still plagued him, but it was worth it. With a sigh he strolled to the coffee machine and poured two cups out, one each for his partner and himself, leaving them on the side to get a cup of water. He tapped two pain pills out of the tub in his pocket and took them with the water, before taking the coffees back to their desks. He had not been eased back into work gently, as soon as he had been back on active duty they had been handed a complicated case.

"You read it all?" he asked his partner softly as he handed her the coffee.

"Yep" she replied, gratefully accepting the beverage and eyeing her partner up at the same time. She was certain that he wasn't fit to be back at work fully as yet, but she knew better than to verbalise her thoughts. He was still yet to gain back hardly any of the weight that he had lost during his ordeal, and she hadn't missed the pain lines that appeared around his eyes several times a day, not to mention the winces that he tried to hide.

"Any thoughts?" he asked her as he could a sip of the piping hot coffee.

"Well we need to review the CCTV fully from all of the locations and then pick out any possible suspects from there" she replied, surprised at her partner's questions. "Did you pick up any lines of enquiry?" she asked him, he shook his head a fraction in reply.

"I haven't read the file all the way through yet" he replied, and she furrowed her brow at him in confusion, he was normally fully on top of things. "I had to review the file from the DA's office" he told her, and she didn't need to ask him which file he meant.

"When does the trial start?" she asked him softly.

"Three weeks tomorrow" he replied with a sigh.

"You okay about it?" she asked, knowing that Danny hated all of the touchy feely stuff, but she couldn't help but be concerned for her friend.

"Fine, just another day" he replied, yet the flicker in his eyes betrayed his words. She nodded willing to let it slide for now.

"How about we go to the first store and I'll bring you up to speed on the way" she suggested instead.

"That's a great idea" he replied with a grateful smile.

BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB

Frank sighed as he left yet another meeting, sometimes he wondered why he had given up the mean streets in favour of meeting after meeting as police commissioner. Still he had been there and done that, and truth be told he did enjoy his job, it was good to feel that he was able to make a difference. To be honest he was just glad that everything appeared to be settling down. Jamie was doing well, learning from more experienced officers and gaining in confidence day by day. Erin was, as usual, excelling at her job as Assistant District attorney and seemed happy in her role. Most importantly his eldest son Danny was finally fully on the mend, he had resumed his duties, much to his father's worry, and seemed to be doing well. Frank wasn't naïve enough to believe that his boy was fully healed, he knew full well that the eldest Reagan child would push himself to his limits- but the fact that he wanted to spoke volumes to his father and we was relieved to see it. He hesitated as he thought of his brave son and how close he had come to losing him at the hands of a mad man. Suppressing a shudder he made his way to his office, collected his coat and headed out of the office. He had arranged to meet both of his sons at their local bar that evening, and he didn't want to be late.

BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB

Danny massaged his aching head as he flicked through yet more papers, his partner had updated him on everything that they had so far on the spate convenience store robberies that had each led to a clerk being murdered. Whilst they had been reviewing CCTV from three of the incidents a fourth had occurred. Broad daylight and still the robberies were occurring.

"Anything?" Jackie asked, handing her partner a bottle of water and not missing the lines around his eyes as he tried to focus on the page in front of him.

"Thank you" he replied accepting the water and using it to swallow two more of his pain killers. He closed his eyes against his pounding head and silently willed the tablets to take effect. "No, nothing" he finally responded to her original question. "CSI are still on it, hoping there will be some fibres at the scene" he finished.

"You ok there partner? You don't look so good" Jackie commented to her friend softly.

"I'm good, just a headache" he replied, hating himself for showing weakness to anyone.

"Some headache" she commented quietly, not wishing to bait her partner but not willing to stand by and see him hurting himself. He looked up at her words, but bit back on any response. Jackie sighed, wishing that he would open up to her but not surprised that he wouldn't.

BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB

Frank smiled as he stepped into the bar, Jamie was sat on a stool directly in front of the bar sipping from a bottle of beer as he waited.

"Hello Jamie" Frank greeted his youngest son with a grin.

"Hey Dad, scotch?" Jamie offered smiling at his father. It was very rare for the Reagan men to meet up and just have a drink and shoot the breeze.

"Please" Frank replied, taking a quick glance at his watch. "Have you heard from your brother?" he asked lightly.

"No, nothing since Sunday" Jamie replied, his own face displaying concern to match his father's. It wasn't that his brother was withdrawn, he just wasn't as vocal as he had been since before his attack- and as much as they were hoping that giving him time would result in him returning to normal, but so far he was still more sedate than his younger brother had ever known him.

"He'll be here" Frank replied, certainty in his voice. Danny had never been one to turn down having a casual drink after a hard day at work. Sure enough moments later the subject of their discussion stepped through the door and walked over to them.

"Sorry I'm late" he told them both with a light smile. Both of his fellow Reagans instantly observed the black smudges under his eyes and the lines around them- but neither of them commented.

"I got you a beer, that ok?" Jamie asked his brother softly.

"Perfect" Danny replied with a grin as he shrugged his coat off and gratefully accepted the cold bottle that his younger brother handed to him.

"Not to nag Danny, but you are allowed to drink aren't you?" Frank asked in concern, Danny rolled his eyes before answering.

"Yeah Dad, since I was 21" he replied cheekily. Frank couldn't help the smile that crossed his face at the comment, he was pleased to see a flash of the old Danny flashing through.

BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB

Frank looked at his watch, surprised to see that they had been at the bar for over three hours.

"I am starving, you two fancy grabbing a bite to eat?" he asked his sons quietly.

"Sure, I could eat" Jamie replied instantly. Danny looked up hesitantly, and glance at his watch.

"I should really get home" he eventually replied.

"Danny it's nine o'clock, you must be starving" Frank replied, concerned at the gaunt look of his son. Danny sighed reaching once more for his beer, and taking a big gulp to swallow down two more pain killers, not missing the flash of disapproval on his father's face. He sighed deeply, looking from one concerned face to another.

"Fine, you win. I'll come and eat, but you're paying" he finally conceded to his father. Frank smiled in relief and without any further discussion the three men left the bar and moved further down the block to a restaurant that they knew to be fairly safe. The two brothers ordered burgers, whilst Frank went with the steak and each of them ordered further drinks.

"So when are you back for your check up Danny?" Frank asked carefully.

"Monday" Danny replied, not elaborating any further for fear of encouraging his father to remain on the topic.

"Did you speak with Erin about the trial?" Frank asked softly.

"Yeah, all in hand Dad" he replied, getting to his feet and heading to the rest room.

"Should I go after him?" Jamie asked his father softly.

"No, leave him son. I shouldn't have pushed him" Frank replied, glad when Danny returned a few minutes later.

"So what have you had on today?" he asked both of his sons.

"Three traffic stops, a shop lifter and a traffic bump- nothing exciting" Jamie replied with a smile.

"Danny?" Frank questioned.

"We got those convenience store robberies" Danny replied with a shrug.

"Well you both beat me on excitement. Meeting, followed by more meetings" Frank told them, and both of them grinned in response- recognising that that was both of their worst nightmare. They were interrupted from further conversation by their food arriving. Danny tried to ignore the churning in his stomach that the smell of food brought, and concentrated instead on chewing on a fry. He could feel his father's eyes burning into him, so finally he picked up his burger and took a bite from it, chewing carefully to prevent gagging. He had no appetite whatsoever, and hadn't had since he had been released from hospital. He was saved from a second bite by his cell phone ringing in his pocket.

"Sorry" he muttered to his fellow diners, as he got to his feet and headed out of the door to answer the call. "Reagan" he responded.

"Hey Danny, hope I'm not interrupting you" his partner's voice greeted him. "There's been another robbery" she continued.

"You're kidding" he replied, frustrated at the lack of leads leaping out at them. "You need me to come in?" he asked, dreading the answer due to the beer he had drank.

"No, you continue with whatever you are doing" she replied, knowing that he had planned to meet his father after work. "Can you work tomorrow?" she asked him softly.

"Yeah, I'll see you at eight" he replied, knowing that Linda would be frustrated at him losing another cherished day off, but she had been a cop's wife long enough to understand. They both disconnected the call and Danny headed back in to join his father and brother.

"Everything ok?" Frank asked his son.

"Yeah Dad, just a development with the case" Danny replied, picking up the burger and taking a bite.

BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB-BB

"Danny is that you?" Linda shouted as she heard the front door open and close.

"Yeah babe it's only me" he called back to his wife.

"Have you eaten? There are leftovers in the fridge" she told him as she walked down the stairs.

"Yeah, I ate with Dad and Jamie" he replied, and chuckled as she looked surprised at his words.

"Did you have a nice chat?" she asked softly, as she gave him a welcome hug.

"Yeah Dad was checking on my welfare" he replied with a wry grin.

"Because he loves you" Linda replied with a smile, Danny enveloped her into an embrace, and inhaled the sweet smell of her skin- thanking his lucky stars that he had her.

"I have got to work tomorrow babe" he told her softly, she sighed in disappointment but simply nodded against him.

"Don't overdo it Danny" she whispered to him.

"I won't" he replied softly, before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead and heading up to bed, ready for what he fully expected to be another long day.

End Chapter One

Please review