I do not own any Blue Bloods characters or scenes from the show. The character of Madelyn is my own.

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Madelyn Reagan smiled widely. Today was the day her older brother Jamie graduated the Police Academy and officially took his place on the beat at the 12th Precinct. Madelyn and Jamie had always been close, being the two youngest in the family almost forces that upon you. Her sensitive nature yet fierce loyalty matched his quiet thoughtfulness and tenacity. Jamie had three years on her, and he never let her forget it.

When Jamie had chosen to join up instead of being the lawyer their mom had always wanted him to be, Madelyn simply smiled, hugged him when he announced it at Sunday dinner, and let the rest of the family discuss it at length. Danny had been shocked, mostly, to see his twenty-five year old sister so quiet during a pivotal moment in Jamie's life, considering Madelyn and Jamie were always vocal about the other. Very vocal, he mused, especially when it came to their dating lives. When Danny saw that smile wobble, just a tad, he knew; he knew exactly what the kid was doing – supporting her big brother even though another part of her foundation had just cracked. Madelyn had been just as close to Joe as Jamie had been, and his death had shattered her, and now another brother was going to risk his life. Family first, the Reagan motto; but apparently, Madelyn thought at dinner that night, maybe that wasn't entirely true.

Jamie found the family after the ceremony, all of them sporting proud grins while he was beaming with excitement. His little sister was happy that he had finally found his calling, that he would be making a difference daily in the lives of New York City residents and tourists; there was a also a dark feeling sitting in her chest that made her breath catch from time to time. Like today, right now. Joey should be here, the voice in her brain kept repeating, he would've been ecstatic. Does no one else notice? Does no on else miss the jokes he would've been cracking, the noogie he would've inevitably given Jamie? She glanced at Danny and Erin, who were happily chatting with Jamie, no noticeable tension in their bodies. Maybe she was the only one who felt this tornado of emotions, and in that moment she felt lonelier than she had in a long time.

Madelyn Reagan smiled widely. She was proud and terrified simultaneously, knowing once more things in the Reagan family were about to change.

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Her shoulder length brown hair was pulled back haphazardly, papers were scattered everywhere on her desk, and the two empty cups of coffee next to her showed what kind of day it was for Madelyn Reagan, Social Worker at Child Protective Services.

Madelyn put her head in her hands, pressing her palms into her eyes. She just returned to the office from a home in the Bronx – home being a very loose term for what she witnessed. She knew what would have to happen – the adorable four year old would have to be removed from that unsupervised, neglectful, moldy apartment. This job never got any easier.

The boy's dark brown eyes had touched something inside her, almost bringing tears to her eyes when she saw the conditions he was living in. Madelyn had to maintain her anger at the boy's mother, though, as was her job, even though she wanted to yell at the woman that her drug-dealing boyfriend was no where near as important as her son.

A knock at her office door broke her out of her thought process. Madelyn looked up, wiped under her eyes quickly, and the tendrils of hair that had fallen back behind her ears. And there she was once again, the strong Madelyn Reagan that her office was familiar with, the woman who would fight late into the night to ensure children's safety while staying calm and collected. Madelyn was human, though, and the tough cases upset her deeply, just like they would have anyone else.

"Danny?" What was he doing here? Madelyn looked him up and down quickly, assessing if this was a visit that would end in heartbreak, just like the day Joe died.

"Hey, kid. Need your help on a case." His eyes twinkled a bit when he saw the relief come across his sister's face. A worrier, that one; she had reason to be.

Madelyn looked at her desk and all she had to accomplish today, but after seeing Chaz's home today, she knew she could use a distraction. Taking a deep breath, she sat up straighter. "Anything for you, big brother," she replied, a giant, forced smile on her face.

"Mads, if you wanted Linda's apple cake at dinner on Sunday, all you had to do was ask," Danny noted sarcastically.

Madelyn smiled brightly, knowing that he would've caught onto her overly sweet disposition. "I would help you anyway," Danny rolled his eyes, smiling, "But since you mentioned it, I'll absolutely take some apple cake for all of my hard work."

"Yeah, yeah, okay. Let's see if you're actually helpful first, ya goof." Danny pulled out the case file, handing it to his little sister. "Let's get started. I want you to read over the case before I tell you about it, just to see what you think is going on in this family. I have to say, it's crazy what I've seen the past two days. Was hoping the resident social worker would have some insights."

Madelyn beamed internally at the reminder that she had a place in the family business, even if she wasn't a cop. Her family had of course been supportive when she decided to get her Masters in Social Work, but there had been a lingering insecurity that she didn't belong, especially since Jamie started the Academy. Luckily, Erin had sat her little sister down, talked some sense into her, and told her she was no less of a Reagan because of her choice in profession. Madelyn felt settled in that moment, and she knew the homemade margarita Erin had handed her the moment she showed up to her apartment was helping.

"Alright, let's see what we've got." Madelyn skimmed the file, eyebrows furrowing the more pages she turned. "This is…."

"Yup."

"And the kid was living in the apartment alone for a month? A ten year old?"

"Yup."

"What the hell, Danny? How was this not reported?" Madelyn read down the page further, anger simmering in her. No child deserved to feel unloved and neglected, but to have to fend for themselves for a month? Madelyn looked up at her brother. "What can I do?"