FIC A Very Meeny Christmas
Title: A Very Meeny Christmas
Characters: Jamie Reagan, Eddie Janko, Frank Reagan, Danny Reagon, Erin Reagan-Boyle, Henry Reagan, Linda Reagan, Jack Reagan, Sean Reagan, Nicky Reagan-Boyle, Anthony Renzulli, OCs
Fandom: Blue Bloods
Series:
Written For: weakmoments
Prompt:
Summary: Jamie finds something a little surprising a few days before Christmas, but no one is prepared for the decisions he makes concerning his discovery.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: not really any, but probably best to be familiar with the show
Warnings: scmoop
Disclaimer: No one recognizable belongs to me. Not making any money off this.
Second Disclaimer Despite being fanfiction, this is MY work and I do not give anyone or any other site permission to republish this story under my name or any other without my authorization.
Author's Note: I’m still just dipping my toe into this fandom. Sorry if anyone isn’t quite in character, but I’ve just started to feel out the characters and I’m just figuring out who goes where and how it all fits together. I had this idea with Jamie and I kinda… ran with it. Not sure it exactly worked out. And there’s absolutely NO way this would actually happen in reality, but it worked. Thanks to weakmoments and irishjeeper who took a look at this and had comments and betaing galore. Hope y’all enjoy it!
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Eddie stopped as Jamie started back the way they'd been walking. "Reagan, it's cold. And it's almost end of tour. You're hearing things."
"No, I'm sure I heard something," Jaime said over his shoulder. "It'll just take a second."
Eddie sighed but followed after her partner as he headed into the alley. "I don't know how you can hear anything over this wind," she complained.
"Years of being the lookout," Jaime said, glancing over his shoulder at Eddie as he continued on his way.
“That explains so much about your family,” she commented.
“Hey. I was the youngest. And the fastest.” Jamie began moving the cardboard boxes, looking to see if he could locate the sounds. Eddie stood behind him, her hands resting on her equipment belt. “Are you going to help me look?” he asked.
“I still think you’re…” Eddie stopped as she heard the cry this time. “Where did it come from?” She moved now, joining Jamie as he ripped apart the temporary shelters. The people who’d lived there had obviously fled because of the weather, seeking shelter elsewhere or just gone.
Someone was clearly still in the alley though, because they could both hear the crying now.
Jamie pulled aside a heavier than usual pallet, tossing it behind him. He started to move on when he realized the noise was right in front of him. There was a scream in response and both officers jerked back, their hands going to their weapons.
“Wait,” Jamie cautioned. He lowered his hand before crouching down.
“Are you crazy, Reagan?” Eddie asked in a whisper.
“It’s just a kid.” Jamie smiled at the cowering child, hoping that would be enough to calm it. He couldn’t tell underneath the dirt if it was a boy or girl. The child stopped, obviously startled by Jamie getting down to the same height. “Hi. I’m Jamie.” He indicated Eddie. “This is my friend, Eddie.” When there was no further movement or noise, Jamie took it as a good sign and tapped his shield. “I’m a police officer. You know what that means?”
A grubby hand reached out, touching the shiny silver attached to Jamie’s uniform. “Help?” came the tentative question.
“Yeah, that’s right, bud. We can help you.” Jamie held out his hand. “Wanna come here?”
The child eyed him suspiciously for a minute, but finally accepted Jamie’s hand, allowing him to pull her free. As he drew the child closer, Jamie was finally able to see enough to make a tentative guess at gender. He also bumped his estimation of her age down by a few years, although that could be due to malnutrition. “Now what, Reagan?” Eddie asked.
“Will you let me pick you up?” Jamie asked the little girl. She considered him for a moment, then nodded, holding her arms out to him. Jamie scooped her up, settling her on his hip, and turned to Eddie as he stood up. “We take her back to the house and call DYFYS.”
“Check missing persons?” Eddie suggested as they began the hike back to the car.
“Could work,” Jamie agreed. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Jamie! Eddie!” the little girl parroted.
Jamie snorted, remembering his niece and nephews’ habit of repeating things when they didn’t want to answer questions. “Yeah. I’m Jamie. And that’s Eddie,” he agreed. “Who are you?” The little girl shook her head in answer though, gripping his shield.
When they got back to the car, the girl refused to relinquish her hold on Jamie so he squirmed into the front passenger seat with her, buckling them both in, after handing the keys over to Eddie. “I’ll drive slowly,” she promised.
Heads turned as the two officers walked into the 12th, although Eddie wasn’t sure if it was the sight of Jamie carrying the little girl or Eddie leading the way for them that drew the most attention.
Rather than take her into an interrogation room, they entered roll call, closing the door behind them and shutting out most of the noise of the house. “Now…?” Eddie started to ask.
Jamie meanwhile had been working on coaxing the little girl to let him go. He finally succeeded when he unhooked his shield and handed it over to her. “You sure that’s a good idea?” Eddie asked.
“Where’s she gonna go with it?” Jamie replied. “Did you call DYFYS?”
Eddie nodded. “While you were trying to convince her to stop initiating a cling-on. They’re on the way. Missing persons?”
“Reagan? What the hell are you doing?”
“Sarge!” Jamie jumped a little at the demanding voice coming from the now open doorway, spinning to see him. One hand automatically went to the little girl who’d squeaked at the new voice and clutched at his jacket.
Sergeant Renzulli was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed as he glared at the two officers. “Did we open a daycare when I wasn’t looking?”
“No, Sarge,” Jamie answered. “We found her.”
“So we’re adopting strays?”
“We couldn’t leave her in the cold,” Jamie attempted. “She was behind a pallet in an alley. Janko called DYFYS and we were just about to check missing persons.”
Renzulli nodded at the news. “Well, see about turning her over.” He smiled at the little girl, who was peeking out at him from behind Jamie’s arm. “You get a name from her?”
“Not so far,” Jamie admitted.
“Hermione!” the little girl blurted out, grinning at Jamie when he spun around to look at her.
“You think?” Eddie asked.
Jamie shrugged. “It’s the first name she’s said that’s not yours or mine. So try it.”
“Oh, I see how it is. I get to do all the work while you have all the fun with her,” Eddie said.
“Hey, I can go run her, but…” Jamie started to move away from where Hermione was seated on the table and she immediately started wiggling, soft whimpers coming from her throat. “That happens.”
“Fine.” Eddie picked up her memo book. “I’ll be right back.”
Renzulli pointed at Jamie. “That could be a problem.”
“Yeah. I know, Sarge.”
When Eddie returned a few minutes later, Jamie had managed to clean off Hermione’s face and smooth her hair back from it. He was sitting on a chair next to the table, softly singing to her. Eddie paused for just a minute to watch them; their heads bent closely together as Jamie kept her calm. He looked up after a moment, as if he sensed her return to the room, and stopped, a light blush creeping over his cheeks. “Not at all what I expected from you, Reagan,” Eddie commented.
“She liked it,” he said defensively.
“I didn’t say it was bad,” she answered, “just not what I was expecting.”
“Officer Reagan? Officer Janko?” a voice asked.
Eddie moved aside to admit the woman, jerking a thumb at Jamie. “I’m Janko. He’s Reagan.”
“Amelia Scott.” Her eyes skipped around the room, finally alighting on Hermione. “And this must be the little girl?”
“Hermione,” Jamie confirmed. “Can you say hello?”
She shook her head in response, her hair almost hitting Jamie in her urgency as she clutched at his jacket. She buried her face in his arm, hiding away from the new woman.
“Sorry, she’s been kinda clingy since we found her,” Jamie explained.
“Well, I’ll have to take her,” Amelia said. “Unless you’ve found…”
Eddie shook her head. “She’s not in missing persons.”
“Then I’ll see her placed in a foster setting. With the holidays, she’ll probably have to stay in a group home until after the new year,” Amelia explained, reaching for Hermione again. She gently peeled the little girl’s hands from Jamie’s jacket and attempted to pick her up.
“No!” Hermione wailed. “No! Jamie!” She kicked and squirmed as soon as her grip was completely removed, reaching for him again. Her screams reached a crescendo, until Amelia had no choice but to return her to Jamie.
“I have to admit that wasn’t the reaction I was expecting,” Amelia commented.
“Jamie does have a way with the ladies,” Eddie commented.
Jamie favored Eddie with a look as he attempted to comfort Hermione. When he finally got her quiet, he turned his attention to Amelia. “If she’s just going to a group home, is there any reason I can’t take her?”
“It’s not protocol,” Amelia started.
“I know it’s not,” Jamie agreed. “But temporarily. No one should have to go to a group home for Christmas.”
“Give me a minute.”
When Amelia returned a few minutes later, she nodded at him. “You have some place for her to stay?” she asked.
“Two bedroom,” he confirmed. “And I’ll take her to dinner with my family.”
“I’ll take that under recommendation. I can get you some emergency help for clothes and have them dropped off here or at your apartment,” she continued.
“That’s helpful,” Jamie said.
“What are you going to do with her while you’re on shift?” Amelia asked.
“My niece can watch her. She’s responsible. Daughter of an ADA and freshman at Columbia,” Jamie said.
Amelia nodded and glanced down at her list. “I assume I can reach you here.”
“Or at my father’s house.” Jamie took one of his cards from his jacket pocket. “My cell number’s on the the back.”
As soon as he let himself into his apartment, Jamie dug his cell out of his pocket. He hadn’t been able to change out of his uniform at the house because Hermione wouldn’t let go of him. So he’d grabbed his clothes and stuffed them in a bag. Now he hoped he’d be able to convince her to let him change and get her clean. “Erin,” he said when his sister picked up. “What are you doing?”
“I was about to order dinner for Nicky and me,” Erin answered. “Why?”
“Think you can make it for four? And come over here? I need some help.”
“Did you get into trouble?” Erin asked.
“Not. Exactly,” Jamie admitted. He watched Hermione as she slowly crept around the apartment, not actually touching anything. “And if you have anything of Nicky’s from when she was little. Not little, little, but like… I dunno. She looks like she’s maybe five?”
“Jamison. What did you do?”
"Eddie and I found a little girl."
"And you brought her home with you?!"
“I couldn’t let her go to a group home for Christmas,” Jamie said in a low voice.
“Okay. I need… No. Never mind. I’ll get the whole story from you when we get there.”
“Thanks, Erin.”
Nicky had been full of questions all the way through errands and the trip over to Jamie’s apartment, but Erin couldn’t answer any of them. As they waited to be buzzed into his building, she reminded her daughter that they until they had the whole story, they needed to proceed quietly.
Jamie jerked the door open when they knocked. “Hey. Come on in.” The front of his t-shirt was wet and he still had his uniform pants on. Erin raised an eyebrow at his unusual attire. “Just. Set the stuff anywhere. Hermione?” he called, turning back towards the bathroom.
“Jamie!” a childish voice called back from the half-open door.
Jamie covered his eyes, pushing the door the rest of the way open. “How are you doing?” he asked, carefully not looking into the room.
“Okay!” the voice answered.
“Good girl. Let me know when you’re ready to get out.”
Erin was waiting when he turned back around. “Is she in the bathtub?” she asked.
“She was covered with dirt. And who knows what else. I had her take off her own clothes and I’ve been watching from out here. I have her call out to me every couple of minutes. I figured you or Nicky could get her out.”
Erin nodded at his planning, holding up one of the bags. “We got her clothes. A couple of different sizes.”
“Jamie!” the voice called.
“Hermione, my sister, Erin, is going to come in and help you get out,” Jamie told her. “She’s got some clothes for you to put on. I’ll be right out here.”
“You stay?” she asked.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Jamie assured her.
While they waited, Nicky and Jamie set dinner up on his table. The female Reagans had picked up Italian, choosing a couple of simple dishes that would hopefully tempt the little girl. “Did you call Grandpa?” Nicky asked as they finished taking the food out of the bags.
“Not yet,” Jamie admitted. “I haven’t quite figured out how to tell him.”
“Well, at least you’ll have a cleaner little girl to introduce to him,” Erin said. “Although I think your bathtub needs a bath now.”
Jamie looked up from the food he was examining to discover Hermione running towards him; Erin following on her heels. The dirt had been washed from her and her hair was now revealed to be a dirty blonde, rather than just dirty. She wrapped her arms around one of Jamie’s legs when she reached him, clearly happy to be near him again.
“I think you made a friend, Uncle Jamie,” Nicky said with a grin.
“Yeah, she seems to do that,” Jamie agreed. He hefted Hermione, settling her on his hip as he tried to figure out how she was going to reach the table.
Nicky pulled one of his law books off the shelf and set it on the chair. “See. Your textbooks are good for something.”
Jamie laughed as he set his barnacle down on the chair, sitting down in the one next to her before she could leap back up. “What are you planning to do with her while you’re on tour?” Erin asked as she took a seat across from them.
“I was hoping Nicky might be willing to stay with her, assuming I can convince them both,” Jamie replied. “She’s screamed every time someone’s tried to take her away.”
“They tried to take her away,” Erin commented. “But have you tried to leave and assured her that you’re coming back? And proved it to her?”
“What do you mean?” Jamie asked. He’d dished up a plate of pasta for Hermione, giving her a little bit of everything and watching as she picked at what she wanted.
“You used to scream when Mom left you places. Or left you home with someone. So she tell you she was going, then leave for a few minutes, before returning to show you that she’d come back. It might work with Hermione,” Erin explained.
Jamie looked down at the little girl, who appeared to be ignoring them. “It’s worth a try.”
“Which one do you want?” Jamie held up two shirts for Hermione to see, a red one and a pink one. Over the last few days they settled into a tentative routine, learning to live in close proximity to each other. Jamie was glad he hadn’t expected everything to be easy because he’d experienced tantrums and nightmares along with a clingy little girl.
Today she was cheerfully coloring in a book that Nicky had produced from somewhere the last time she’d come to babysit as Jamie tried to get them ready to leave for family dinner. “Pink,” she answered without looking up.
“Did you even look?” Jamie asked. There had been a crying fit two days prior when he’d gotten her dressed in a shirt she didn’t like and she’d stripped it off in the middle of the living room. He had no wish to repeat that incident.
Hermione looked up at his question, jumping up, and running from the room. Jamie sighed as he followed her. “I decide!” she told him. “I know!”
“Meeny, we have to leave soon,” Jamie reminded her.
She threw her door open, very proudly showing off her t-shirt which proclaimed Property of the NYPD. Holding up her foot, she said, “I need my shoe tied.”
“Oh, you do, do you? And how do you get your shoe tied?”
“Please tie my shoe, Jamie?”
He knelt down, tying both shoes before helping her into her coat. “Ready to meet the rest of the family?”
“And Nicky and Erin?” she questioned as they headed out of the apartment.
He agreed as they headed downstairs.
Jamie let himself into the Reagan family home, balancing Hermione on his hip and shutting the door quietly. When he turned to walk farther into the house, he came face to face with his father. “This is not exactly what I was expecting when Erin said you needed to tell me something,” Frank commented after a minute of staring at the little girl clinging to his youngest son.
Bright blue eyes stared back at him as little fingers clutched at Jamie’s jacket. When Frank continued to look at her, waiting for Jamie to answer, she ducked her head, burying her face in Jamie’s shoulder. A minute later, she lifted her head again to stare at Frank who’d continued to wait for Jamie to answer his comment.
Jamie attempted to unhook her fingers, but didn’t succeed as she simply held on tighter. “Meeny, he’s not going to hurt you,” the youngest Reagan sibling explained.
“He’s kinda scary,” she whispered.
Nicky laughed as she joined them in the hallway, reaching for Hermione. The little girl looked torn for a minute before finally allowing the older girl to take her from Jamie and set her on the floor. “Come on. Mom’s in the kitchen,” Nicky explained.
Hermione took Nicky’s hand and went willingly with her, voice trilling in question as they left the room. Frank turned back to his son as soon as they were out of earshot. “I gather Nicky’s been helping you hide this?”
“Not hide exactly, Dad. Just keep an eye on Meeny while I’ve been at work.”
“At least you knew enough not to leave her alone. What were you thinking?”
“That I couldn’t leave her in a group home for Christmas,” Jamie answered immediately.
“While your compassion is commendable, were you thinking this through?”
Jamie took a seat on the steps, waiting until Frank joined him to speak, “I said I’d take her originally because I didn’t want her to go to the group home, but… I like having her around, Dad. And it’s more than that. There are other things I could do if I was just lonely. I could go out or come here, but I enjoy being with Meeny.”
“So what are your plans?” Frank stared at his son. Jamie wasn’t given to frequently acting without thinking like Danny was, but every so often he’d do something that didn’t seem in his best interests. Frank had thought at first that Jamie’s choice to join the force instead of a firm was one of those times, but Jamie had excelled as a patrolman even if he hadn’t made detective yet.
“I’m going to see about applying to be her foster parent after the new year,” Jamie admitted. “And then go from there.”
Frank frowned, but nodded anyway. “I’ll support you, but you realize it’s not going to be easy. You’re a young, single man. It’s not the most opportune situation.”
“I know, Dad. But if I don’t try, I’ll be asking what would have happened for the next fifteen years.”
“Okay then.” Frank looked up as four heads peeked around the corner. “I think we’re being summoned to dinner.”
As Jamie helped Hermione into the chair that had been placed next to his normal seat, Danny and Linda’s two boys watched him. He glanced over to see them studying the little girl intently. “What are you boys wanting to ask?” he questioned as he took his seat.
“Where did she come from?” Sean asked.
“What’s her name?” Jack wanted to know.
“Is she staying?” Sean continued. “Is she yours, Uncle Jamie?”
Hermione hid her face as the questions flew fast and furious until Linda looked around Danny, reprimanding her sons, “That’s enough, boys.”
“But, Mom,” Jack protested.
“Yer mother said that’s enough,” Danny told them. “Poor kid looks like she’s gonna run away and attempt to drag Jamie with her.”
Jamie glared at his brother as he pointed to the dishes on the table, trying to coax Hermione into letting go. From his other side, Nicky peeked around him attempting to play with her. “Our dinner table is not a place for games,” Frank finally said.
“Sorry, Dad,” Jamie said.
Nicky sat back in her seat. “Sorry, Grandpa, but Meeny still isn’t sure about new people.”
“She’ll learn,” Frank said. “And she won’t learn if you coddle her.”
Hermione tugged on Jamie’s sleeve, indicating she wanted him to lean down, then whispered loud enough for half the table to hear, “He really is scary!”
Henry laughed from where he sat at the foot of the table. “She’s got you pegged, Francis.”
Frank sighed. “You aren’t helping, Pop.”
The little girl’s eyes widened at the name. “Pop? Pop. Pop! Pop!” she said, clearly delighted with the sound.
Linda frowned. “She seems a little delayed.”
“She’s better when she’s not surrounded by people,” Jamie said, “but yeah. She’s a bit delayed. She’s doing pretty well though.”
“Who’s saying grace today?” Frank asked. “Before our food gets cold.”
“I will,” Jamie volunteered. The family bowed their heads as Jamie coached Hermione, the Jamie started, “Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to welcome Hermione into our home, even if it’s only for a short time.” He glanced at the little girl next to him, then continued, “Bless us, O Lord…”
The rest of the family joined in, with even Hermione attempting the prayer, to finish, “for these thy gifts,which we are about to receive, from thy bounty,through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.”
Frank looked at his family as they began reaching for the food. It had been the last thing he’d expected from his youngest, but as he watched Jamie patiently assisting the little girl with her dinner, he realized he should have. Reagan blood and the Reagan name would tell out.
Characters: Jamie Reagan, Eddie Janko, Frank Reagan, Danny Reagon, Erin Reagan-Boyle, Henry Reagan, Linda Reagan, Jack Reagan, Sean Reagan, Nicky Reagan-Boyle, Anthony Renzulli, OCs
Fandom: Blue Bloods
Series:
Written For: weakmoments
Prompt:
Summary: Jamie finds something a little surprising a few days before Christmas, but no one is prepared for the decisions he makes concerning his discovery.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: not really any, but probably best to be familiar with the show
Warnings: scmoop
Disclaimer: No one recognizable belongs to me. Not making any money off this.
Second Disclaimer Despite being fanfiction, this is MY work and I do not give anyone or any other site permission to republish this story under my name or any other without my authorization.
Author's Note: I’m still just dipping my toe into this fandom. Sorry if anyone isn’t quite in character, but I’ve just started to feel out the characters and I’m just figuring out who goes where and how it all fits together. I had this idea with Jamie and I kinda… ran with it. Not sure it exactly worked out. And there’s absolutely NO way this would actually happen in reality, but it worked. Thanks to weakmoments and irishjeeper who took a look at this and had comments and betaing galore. Hope y’all enjoy it!
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Eddie stopped as Jamie started back the way they'd been walking. "Reagan, it's cold. And it's almost end of tour. You're hearing things."
"No, I'm sure I heard something," Jaime said over his shoulder. "It'll just take a second."
Eddie sighed but followed after her partner as he headed into the alley. "I don't know how you can hear anything over this wind," she complained.
"Years of being the lookout," Jaime said, glancing over his shoulder at Eddie as he continued on his way.
“That explains so much about your family,” she commented.
“Hey. I was the youngest. And the fastest.” Jamie began moving the cardboard boxes, looking to see if he could locate the sounds. Eddie stood behind him, her hands resting on her equipment belt. “Are you going to help me look?” he asked.
“I still think you’re…” Eddie stopped as she heard the cry this time. “Where did it come from?” She moved now, joining Jamie as he ripped apart the temporary shelters. The people who’d lived there had obviously fled because of the weather, seeking shelter elsewhere or just gone.
Someone was clearly still in the alley though, because they could both hear the crying now.
Jamie pulled aside a heavier than usual pallet, tossing it behind him. He started to move on when he realized the noise was right in front of him. There was a scream in response and both officers jerked back, their hands going to their weapons.
“Wait,” Jamie cautioned. He lowered his hand before crouching down.
“Are you crazy, Reagan?” Eddie asked in a whisper.
“It’s just a kid.” Jamie smiled at the cowering child, hoping that would be enough to calm it. He couldn’t tell underneath the dirt if it was a boy or girl. The child stopped, obviously startled by Jamie getting down to the same height. “Hi. I’m Jamie.” He indicated Eddie. “This is my friend, Eddie.” When there was no further movement or noise, Jamie took it as a good sign and tapped his shield. “I’m a police officer. You know what that means?”
A grubby hand reached out, touching the shiny silver attached to Jamie’s uniform. “Help?” came the tentative question.
“Yeah, that’s right, bud. We can help you.” Jamie held out his hand. “Wanna come here?”
The child eyed him suspiciously for a minute, but finally accepted Jamie’s hand, allowing him to pull her free. As he drew the child closer, Jamie was finally able to see enough to make a tentative guess at gender. He also bumped his estimation of her age down by a few years, although that could be due to malnutrition. “Now what, Reagan?” Eddie asked.
“Will you let me pick you up?” Jamie asked the little girl. She considered him for a moment, then nodded, holding her arms out to him. Jamie scooped her up, settling her on his hip, and turned to Eddie as he stood up. “We take her back to the house and call DYFYS.”
“Check missing persons?” Eddie suggested as they began the hike back to the car.
“Could work,” Jamie agreed. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Jamie! Eddie!” the little girl parroted.
Jamie snorted, remembering his niece and nephews’ habit of repeating things when they didn’t want to answer questions. “Yeah. I’m Jamie. And that’s Eddie,” he agreed. “Who are you?” The little girl shook her head in answer though, gripping his shield.
When they got back to the car, the girl refused to relinquish her hold on Jamie so he squirmed into the front passenger seat with her, buckling them both in, after handing the keys over to Eddie. “I’ll drive slowly,” she promised.
Heads turned as the two officers walked into the 12th, although Eddie wasn’t sure if it was the sight of Jamie carrying the little girl or Eddie leading the way for them that drew the most attention.
Rather than take her into an interrogation room, they entered roll call, closing the door behind them and shutting out most of the noise of the house. “Now…?” Eddie started to ask.
Jamie meanwhile had been working on coaxing the little girl to let him go. He finally succeeded when he unhooked his shield and handed it over to her. “You sure that’s a good idea?” Eddie asked.
“Where’s she gonna go with it?” Jamie replied. “Did you call DYFYS?”
Eddie nodded. “While you were trying to convince her to stop initiating a cling-on. They’re on the way. Missing persons?”
“Reagan? What the hell are you doing?”
“Sarge!” Jamie jumped a little at the demanding voice coming from the now open doorway, spinning to see him. One hand automatically went to the little girl who’d squeaked at the new voice and clutched at his jacket.
Sergeant Renzulli was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed as he glared at the two officers. “Did we open a daycare when I wasn’t looking?”
“No, Sarge,” Jamie answered. “We found her.”
“So we’re adopting strays?”
“We couldn’t leave her in the cold,” Jamie attempted. “She was behind a pallet in an alley. Janko called DYFYS and we were just about to check missing persons.”
Renzulli nodded at the news. “Well, see about turning her over.” He smiled at the little girl, who was peeking out at him from behind Jamie’s arm. “You get a name from her?”
“Not so far,” Jamie admitted.
“Hermione!” the little girl blurted out, grinning at Jamie when he spun around to look at her.
“You think?” Eddie asked.
Jamie shrugged. “It’s the first name she’s said that’s not yours or mine. So try it.”
“Oh, I see how it is. I get to do all the work while you have all the fun with her,” Eddie said.
“Hey, I can go run her, but…” Jamie started to move away from where Hermione was seated on the table and she immediately started wiggling, soft whimpers coming from her throat. “That happens.”
“Fine.” Eddie picked up her memo book. “I’ll be right back.”
Renzulli pointed at Jamie. “That could be a problem.”
“Yeah. I know, Sarge.”
When Eddie returned a few minutes later, Jamie had managed to clean off Hermione’s face and smooth her hair back from it. He was sitting on a chair next to the table, softly singing to her. Eddie paused for just a minute to watch them; their heads bent closely together as Jamie kept her calm. He looked up after a moment, as if he sensed her return to the room, and stopped, a light blush creeping over his cheeks. “Not at all what I expected from you, Reagan,” Eddie commented.
“She liked it,” he said defensively.
“I didn’t say it was bad,” she answered, “just not what I was expecting.”
“Officer Reagan? Officer Janko?” a voice asked.
Eddie moved aside to admit the woman, jerking a thumb at Jamie. “I’m Janko. He’s Reagan.”
“Amelia Scott.” Her eyes skipped around the room, finally alighting on Hermione. “And this must be the little girl?”
“Hermione,” Jamie confirmed. “Can you say hello?”
She shook her head in response, her hair almost hitting Jamie in her urgency as she clutched at his jacket. She buried her face in his arm, hiding away from the new woman.
“Sorry, she’s been kinda clingy since we found her,” Jamie explained.
“Well, I’ll have to take her,” Amelia said. “Unless you’ve found…”
Eddie shook her head. “She’s not in missing persons.”
“Then I’ll see her placed in a foster setting. With the holidays, she’ll probably have to stay in a group home until after the new year,” Amelia explained, reaching for Hermione again. She gently peeled the little girl’s hands from Jamie’s jacket and attempted to pick her up.
“No!” Hermione wailed. “No! Jamie!” She kicked and squirmed as soon as her grip was completely removed, reaching for him again. Her screams reached a crescendo, until Amelia had no choice but to return her to Jamie.
“I have to admit that wasn’t the reaction I was expecting,” Amelia commented.
“Jamie does have a way with the ladies,” Eddie commented.
Jamie favored Eddie with a look as he attempted to comfort Hermione. When he finally got her quiet, he turned his attention to Amelia. “If she’s just going to a group home, is there any reason I can’t take her?”
“It’s not protocol,” Amelia started.
“I know it’s not,” Jamie agreed. “But temporarily. No one should have to go to a group home for Christmas.”
“Give me a minute.”
When Amelia returned a few minutes later, she nodded at him. “You have some place for her to stay?” she asked.
“Two bedroom,” he confirmed. “And I’ll take her to dinner with my family.”
“I’ll take that under recommendation. I can get you some emergency help for clothes and have them dropped off here or at your apartment,” she continued.
“That’s helpful,” Jamie said.
“What are you going to do with her while you’re on shift?” Amelia asked.
“My niece can watch her. She’s responsible. Daughter of an ADA and freshman at Columbia,” Jamie said.
Amelia nodded and glanced down at her list. “I assume I can reach you here.”
“Or at my father’s house.” Jamie took one of his cards from his jacket pocket. “My cell number’s on the the back.”
As soon as he let himself into his apartment, Jamie dug his cell out of his pocket. He hadn’t been able to change out of his uniform at the house because Hermione wouldn’t let go of him. So he’d grabbed his clothes and stuffed them in a bag. Now he hoped he’d be able to convince her to let him change and get her clean. “Erin,” he said when his sister picked up. “What are you doing?”
“I was about to order dinner for Nicky and me,” Erin answered. “Why?”
“Think you can make it for four? And come over here? I need some help.”
“Did you get into trouble?” Erin asked.
“Not. Exactly,” Jamie admitted. He watched Hermione as she slowly crept around the apartment, not actually touching anything. “And if you have anything of Nicky’s from when she was little. Not little, little, but like… I dunno. She looks like she’s maybe five?”
“Jamison. What did you do?”
"Eddie and I found a little girl."
"And you brought her home with you?!"
“I couldn’t let her go to a group home for Christmas,” Jamie said in a low voice.
“Okay. I need… No. Never mind. I’ll get the whole story from you when we get there.”
“Thanks, Erin.”
Nicky had been full of questions all the way through errands and the trip over to Jamie’s apartment, but Erin couldn’t answer any of them. As they waited to be buzzed into his building, she reminded her daughter that they until they had the whole story, they needed to proceed quietly.
Jamie jerked the door open when they knocked. “Hey. Come on in.” The front of his t-shirt was wet and he still had his uniform pants on. Erin raised an eyebrow at his unusual attire. “Just. Set the stuff anywhere. Hermione?” he called, turning back towards the bathroom.
“Jamie!” a childish voice called back from the half-open door.
Jamie covered his eyes, pushing the door the rest of the way open. “How are you doing?” he asked, carefully not looking into the room.
“Okay!” the voice answered.
“Good girl. Let me know when you’re ready to get out.”
Erin was waiting when he turned back around. “Is she in the bathtub?” she asked.
“She was covered with dirt. And who knows what else. I had her take off her own clothes and I’ve been watching from out here. I have her call out to me every couple of minutes. I figured you or Nicky could get her out.”
Erin nodded at his planning, holding up one of the bags. “We got her clothes. A couple of different sizes.”
“Jamie!” the voice called.
“Hermione, my sister, Erin, is going to come in and help you get out,” Jamie told her. “She’s got some clothes for you to put on. I’ll be right out here.”
“You stay?” she asked.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Jamie assured her.
While they waited, Nicky and Jamie set dinner up on his table. The female Reagans had picked up Italian, choosing a couple of simple dishes that would hopefully tempt the little girl. “Did you call Grandpa?” Nicky asked as they finished taking the food out of the bags.
“Not yet,” Jamie admitted. “I haven’t quite figured out how to tell him.”
“Well, at least you’ll have a cleaner little girl to introduce to him,” Erin said. “Although I think your bathtub needs a bath now.”
Jamie looked up from the food he was examining to discover Hermione running towards him; Erin following on her heels. The dirt had been washed from her and her hair was now revealed to be a dirty blonde, rather than just dirty. She wrapped her arms around one of Jamie’s legs when she reached him, clearly happy to be near him again.
“I think you made a friend, Uncle Jamie,” Nicky said with a grin.
“Yeah, she seems to do that,” Jamie agreed. He hefted Hermione, settling her on his hip as he tried to figure out how she was going to reach the table.
Nicky pulled one of his law books off the shelf and set it on the chair. “See. Your textbooks are good for something.”
Jamie laughed as he set his barnacle down on the chair, sitting down in the one next to her before she could leap back up. “What are you planning to do with her while you’re on tour?” Erin asked as she took a seat across from them.
“I was hoping Nicky might be willing to stay with her, assuming I can convince them both,” Jamie replied. “She’s screamed every time someone’s tried to take her away.”
“They tried to take her away,” Erin commented. “But have you tried to leave and assured her that you’re coming back? And proved it to her?”
“What do you mean?” Jamie asked. He’d dished up a plate of pasta for Hermione, giving her a little bit of everything and watching as she picked at what she wanted.
“You used to scream when Mom left you places. Or left you home with someone. So she tell you she was going, then leave for a few minutes, before returning to show you that she’d come back. It might work with Hermione,” Erin explained.
Jamie looked down at the little girl, who appeared to be ignoring them. “It’s worth a try.”
“Which one do you want?” Jamie held up two shirts for Hermione to see, a red one and a pink one. Over the last few days they settled into a tentative routine, learning to live in close proximity to each other. Jamie was glad he hadn’t expected everything to be easy because he’d experienced tantrums and nightmares along with a clingy little girl.
Today she was cheerfully coloring in a book that Nicky had produced from somewhere the last time she’d come to babysit as Jamie tried to get them ready to leave for family dinner. “Pink,” she answered without looking up.
“Did you even look?” Jamie asked. There had been a crying fit two days prior when he’d gotten her dressed in a shirt she didn’t like and she’d stripped it off in the middle of the living room. He had no wish to repeat that incident.
Hermione looked up at his question, jumping up, and running from the room. Jamie sighed as he followed her. “I decide!” she told him. “I know!”
“Meeny, we have to leave soon,” Jamie reminded her.
She threw her door open, very proudly showing off her t-shirt which proclaimed Property of the NYPD. Holding up her foot, she said, “I need my shoe tied.”
“Oh, you do, do you? And how do you get your shoe tied?”
“Please tie my shoe, Jamie?”
He knelt down, tying both shoes before helping her into her coat. “Ready to meet the rest of the family?”
“And Nicky and Erin?” she questioned as they headed out of the apartment.
He agreed as they headed downstairs.
Jamie let himself into the Reagan family home, balancing Hermione on his hip and shutting the door quietly. When he turned to walk farther into the house, he came face to face with his father. “This is not exactly what I was expecting when Erin said you needed to tell me something,” Frank commented after a minute of staring at the little girl clinging to his youngest son.
Bright blue eyes stared back at him as little fingers clutched at Jamie’s jacket. When Frank continued to look at her, waiting for Jamie to answer, she ducked her head, burying her face in Jamie’s shoulder. A minute later, she lifted her head again to stare at Frank who’d continued to wait for Jamie to answer his comment.
Jamie attempted to unhook her fingers, but didn’t succeed as she simply held on tighter. “Meeny, he’s not going to hurt you,” the youngest Reagan sibling explained.
“He’s kinda scary,” she whispered.
Nicky laughed as she joined them in the hallway, reaching for Hermione. The little girl looked torn for a minute before finally allowing the older girl to take her from Jamie and set her on the floor. “Come on. Mom’s in the kitchen,” Nicky explained.
Hermione took Nicky’s hand and went willingly with her, voice trilling in question as they left the room. Frank turned back to his son as soon as they were out of earshot. “I gather Nicky’s been helping you hide this?”
“Not hide exactly, Dad. Just keep an eye on Meeny while I’ve been at work.”
“At least you knew enough not to leave her alone. What were you thinking?”
“That I couldn’t leave her in a group home for Christmas,” Jamie answered immediately.
“While your compassion is commendable, were you thinking this through?”
Jamie took a seat on the steps, waiting until Frank joined him to speak, “I said I’d take her originally because I didn’t want her to go to the group home, but… I like having her around, Dad. And it’s more than that. There are other things I could do if I was just lonely. I could go out or come here, but I enjoy being with Meeny.”
“So what are your plans?” Frank stared at his son. Jamie wasn’t given to frequently acting without thinking like Danny was, but every so often he’d do something that didn’t seem in his best interests. Frank had thought at first that Jamie’s choice to join the force instead of a firm was one of those times, but Jamie had excelled as a patrolman even if he hadn’t made detective yet.
“I’m going to see about applying to be her foster parent after the new year,” Jamie admitted. “And then go from there.”
Frank frowned, but nodded anyway. “I’ll support you, but you realize it’s not going to be easy. You’re a young, single man. It’s not the most opportune situation.”
“I know, Dad. But if I don’t try, I’ll be asking what would have happened for the next fifteen years.”
“Okay then.” Frank looked up as four heads peeked around the corner. “I think we’re being summoned to dinner.”
As Jamie helped Hermione into the chair that had been placed next to his normal seat, Danny and Linda’s two boys watched him. He glanced over to see them studying the little girl intently. “What are you boys wanting to ask?” he questioned as he took his seat.
“Where did she come from?” Sean asked.
“What’s her name?” Jack wanted to know.
“Is she staying?” Sean continued. “Is she yours, Uncle Jamie?”
Hermione hid her face as the questions flew fast and furious until Linda looked around Danny, reprimanding her sons, “That’s enough, boys.”
“But, Mom,” Jack protested.
“Yer mother said that’s enough,” Danny told them. “Poor kid looks like she’s gonna run away and attempt to drag Jamie with her.”
Jamie glared at his brother as he pointed to the dishes on the table, trying to coax Hermione into letting go. From his other side, Nicky peeked around him attempting to play with her. “Our dinner table is not a place for games,” Frank finally said.
“Sorry, Dad,” Jamie said.
Nicky sat back in her seat. “Sorry, Grandpa, but Meeny still isn’t sure about new people.”
“She’ll learn,” Frank said. “And she won’t learn if you coddle her.”
Hermione tugged on Jamie’s sleeve, indicating she wanted him to lean down, then whispered loud enough for half the table to hear, “He really is scary!”
Henry laughed from where he sat at the foot of the table. “She’s got you pegged, Francis.”
Frank sighed. “You aren’t helping, Pop.”
The little girl’s eyes widened at the name. “Pop? Pop. Pop! Pop!” she said, clearly delighted with the sound.
Linda frowned. “She seems a little delayed.”
“She’s better when she’s not surrounded by people,” Jamie said, “but yeah. She’s a bit delayed. She’s doing pretty well though.”
“Who’s saying grace today?” Frank asked. “Before our food gets cold.”
“I will,” Jamie volunteered. The family bowed their heads as Jamie coached Hermione, the Jamie started, “Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to welcome Hermione into our home, even if it’s only for a short time.” He glanced at the little girl next to him, then continued, “Bless us, O Lord…”
The rest of the family joined in, with even Hermione attempting the prayer, to finish, “for these thy gifts,which we are about to receive, from thy bounty,through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.”
Frank looked at his family as they began reaching for the food. It had been the last thing he’d expected from his youngest, but as he watched Jamie patiently assisting the little girl with her dinner, he realized he should have. Reagan blood and the Reagan name would tell out.