You came back

A/N: Just came to me, because Joe Reagan is my favorite non shown character. I am hoping you guys like this.

It was Saturday, 4 years after Joe had passed away. Jamie was sitting at home, with Joe's favorite vanilla cinnamon tea, on the window seat. He was looking out at the street below wondering why life had to be so hard. He was just a cop after all, so why did his family life have to be so complicated. He kept thinking that if he had a different last name things would be easier for him. 'Things would have been easier for Joe....' He trailed off bitterly.

The leaves were swirling outside and Jamie opened the window, to let a bit of fresh air into the apartment. He just sat there lost in his thoughts and his own world. He wanted to be alone tonight. The doorbell rang several times but he didn't hear it. Then there was loud pounding on his door. He thought it might be Eddie so he said "Eddie I'm not in the mood to hangout."

When he didn't get her very female reply he knew something was up. Then he heard it, "Jamie open the door it's me."

It was Joe's voice and he thought he was hearing things. "That's impossible. Joe's dead." Jamie said going to the door and looking through the peep hole.

When he really did see Joe he almost fainted. "Open the door and let me in Jamie." Joe said.

Jamie opened the door and hugged Joe so hard. He was already crying so hard, in his arms and Joe was rubbing his back. "I'm so sorry Jamie. I'm so sorry I had to leave and hurt you like I did." Joe soothed.

Jamie had hiccups and said "Why did you leave? Why did you make me believe you were murdered? I needed you." through the hiccups.

"I had no choice. Come on let's go sit down and talk about it." Joe said and closed the door. He poured himself a cup of tea and smiled when he realized it was his favorite.

"Some things never change." Joe commented and pointed to his cup of tea. Jamie smiled slightly.

"Where should I start?" Joe asked.

"Tell me why. Tell me what happened." Jamie replied.

He had stopped crying but was still emotional. "Well I was actually shot, by the old warrant squad members, but I survived." Joe started saying.

"So who did we bury? Who was in that coffin? Who did I grieve for?" Jamie questioned.

"A lifelike mannequin. It was designed to look like me in every way, so you would all be fooled. I even fooled Dad and he is hard to fool." Joe answered.

"I knew something was off... You didn't have that scar on your neck, that you got from the fishing accident." Jamie noted.

"Well I forgot I even had the scar. But then again, you were always the observant one, in the family." Joe said.

"So that explains who we buried, but it doesn't explain where you have been, for the past 4 years." Jamie said.

"Hold on I am getting there. Patience little brother." Joe commented then sipped more of his tea. "This is really good tea."

"Where was I... Oh right, so I had to go undercover, to stop this terror plot in New York." Joe said.

"You were hiding in New York all this time and I didn't even know." Jamie shouted feeling so hurt.

"I'm sorry Jamie. I couldn't reach out to anyone. I couldn't tell anyone I was alive." Joe said and hugged Jamie again.

"I cried for you and I didn't eat properly for weeks, and I was holed up in my old room. I was depressed and broken. And now I find out you are here, and I am so happy, but I am still so hurt." Jamie confessed.

"I know and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you and Dad and everyone else. If it makes you feel any better, I stopped the terror attacks on New York with the undercover group, I was a part of." Joe admitted.

"There is probably only one way you can make it up to me. Live in my spare bedroom here at my apartment and never leave me again." Jamie said and just cried again.

Joe rubbed his back again and soothed him. "I would love to move in with you Jamie." Joe said accepting the offer graciously.

"You know what I still don't get..." Jamie trailed off jumping into thinking mode.

"What?" Joe asked.

"Why it had to be you. What was so special about you, that they needed you to go as far as, faking your death, and making your whole family believe you were murdered." Jamie replied.

"Well I was the best in my field, and as you already know, most of the cops in the warrant squad were dirty, and I was one of the few good cops, with actual talent and knowledge." Joe said.

"I mean that makes sense. They put the best guy undercover, but they made us believe, you died a horrific death." Jamie commented.

Joe sat and thought for a moment. It was getting dark and the sun was setting. He was thinking of how to say things without crying too. "I really missed you. I thought about you everyday. I thought about how you were doing. I heard you became a cop and I was so proud of you."

The tears fell from Joe's eyes and he continued, "I wanted so many times to pick up a phone and call you and hear your voice but I couldn't."

Joe choked on the emotion and said "I am so proud of you. You have become a great cop."

"Coming from you that means a lot. There were times when I wanted to give up, and quit, but then I looked at your photo inside my hat. It all made sense, I was doing this because I wanted to make you proud and show you that even though you weren't here anymore, that you impacted my life so much." Jamie said.

"I felt so bad when Angie gave you that box of my stuff and all that was left was a flannel shirt and my iPod and a few old cassettes." Joe admitted.

"I still have your iPod. You are welcome to have it back, it is your's after all." Jamie offered.

"I would really like that. I wonder how Angie is...." Joe trailed off.

"She never got over it and she never married anyone. We have kept in touch over the years." Jamie admitted.

"Think I would still have a chance? All this time and I am still in love with her. I want to marry that woman!" Joe exclaimed.

"I think she would be thrilled, you are alive. I think you should call her tomorrow." Jamie suggested.

"I think I will, and I know I will enjoy living with you. Now I just have to figure out how to tell the rest of the family, I am alive." Joe said with a chuckle.

Jamie laughed at that and they spent the rest of the evening together on the window seat, glad to be together again.