Chapter Text
"Put your hand up like this." Danny said, "Now hit like this." He hit the punching bag, "Okay. Now your turn."
Sam squinted at the punching bag. He took a good swing at the bag hitting it on the side, "I did it!" Sam smiled wide.
"Good job!" Danny patted Sam's head, "Do it again."
Fall was slowly changing to winter. Bringing with it colder temperatures and bitter winds. Thursday before Halloween Danny was home early. Sam had followed his Daddy down to the basement while he worked out, then wanted to join in while Linda and the girls made treats for their class Halloween parties and Spense stayed busy playing in his high chair in the kitchen. This year their costumes were all storybook characters. It started with Grace who wanted to be Fern from Charlotte's Web. But when she pitched her idea for her siblings being Wilber, and Charlotte, Faith, and Sam said no. So Linda helped them look through the costumes. They picked Hansel and Gretel. Linda had found the cutest Corduroy Bear costume for Spense to wear. Linda had bribed Danny to dress up with her. He told her if the kids aren't going as a theme, he wasn't dressing up this year. However, when Linda pulled out her favorite book and bribed her husband he agreed. Linda was going as Irene Adler from the 'Sherlock Holmes' stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Linda's favorite Holme's story always was 'A Scandal In Bohemia" where Adler made her first and only appearance. Linda worked her husband until he agreed to go as Sherlock Holmes. Linda couldn't wait for Halloween with the kids. It was going to be so much fun with the kids this year. Linda was already planning Christmas presents for everyone. This year was the first year they were doing a secret Santa. Since the family had grown to eleven children under eighteen and five grown children plus all the adults in the family, it made Christmas gifts somewhat overwhelming. They split into groups. All the adults were putting names in a hat to buy for, and all the children were picking names out of a hat as well. The only stipulation was that adults couldn't pick their spouse. Linda was excited to see who she'd pick this year as well as Danny and the kids.
Linda put the finishing touches on a few sugar cookies shaped like ghosts, "You two stay here with your brother. I'm going to bring these and a drink down to Daddy and Sam." She smiled. Linda grabbed a Gatorade for Danny and a juice box for Sam. She walked down the stairs to the basement with the small plate of cookies. Linda smiled seeing Danny doing push-ups and Sam trying to copy his father. Sam was kneeling on the floor with his hands down touching his nose to the floor then pushing back up again as Danny did push-ups beside him. Linda's eyes wandered her husband's body for a few moments. She walked over to the two of them, "Who is ready for a snack?" She asked.
"Me!" Sam jumped up.
Linda laughed, "I thought so. Are you working hard with Daddy down here?" Linda asked.
Sam nodded his head, "I stwong boy!" He put his arm up trying to make a muscle.
"You do a good job." Danny got up from the floor. He walked to his wife kissing her sweetly, "Thank you." He grinned taking a cookie.
Linda smiled, "I figured you two were getting hungry. Besides, laundry needs to be switched." Linda started towards the washing machine.
Danny shook his head, "Sam and I did it." He smiled, "Dryer just shut off a few minutes ago. There's a load I need to pull out and swap from the washer."
"Since you're down here want to fold the clothes too?" Linda grinned.
"Hmm...I don't know. Sammie, do we want to fold the clothes for Mommy?" Danny chugged his Gatorade.
"I be 'elper!" Sam nodded his head.
"Yeah, we can fold the clothes." Danny said.
"I really do have the best husband." Linda kissed his cheek.
Danny grinned, "Only because I have the best wife." He flirted, "Did the girls have fun baking?"
"They loved it. We made all kinds of cookies for Faith's class. Cupcakes for Grace's class. And we made brownies for Sam's class." Linda gave Sam a second cookie, "How's your training session going?"
"We're having fun. Sam hit the punching bag a few times. I think he really likes it." Danny said as he watched Sam wander around the basement careful of his Daddy's things.
"I think the time with just you, does him a lot of good." Linda nodded her head. Danny hummed in agreement as Sam walked back to his parents, "Alright, you boys have fun down here. Don't get crumbs on the clean clothes." Linda kissed Sam's cheek before going back upstairs. She loved that Danny was making sure to spend extra time with Sam one-on-one when he was home. Linda's could never have imagined her life would turn out like this. There was nothing she'd change about it. Danny was more than anything she could have asked for in a husband. For the man to be the father of her children. She always thought she'd stop after having two kids but along came the little ones barrelling their way into Linda and Danny's life. Every second of the day she was thankful for every one of her children. Linda stood in the doorway of the kitchen watching Faith read Spense an Elmo book while Grace carefully filled the dishwasher with dirty dishes putting the large pans aside. Linda knew being the wife of a cop, the wife of a Reagan, meant she always had to expect the unexpected. However, she never thought about another Reagan's past catching up to her future in a case that would send Danny on a manhunt that would end with so much more than just his life on the line. His career would hang in the balance as his actions were recorded, step-by-step. His need to catch the perpetrator would cause him to miss an important key to tracking the murderer down. The case would erupt so violently, it would nearly push Danny over the edge as he hunted for a killer that was hiding in plain sight.