Grateful for the dry and surprisingly warm weather, she stepped onto
the street, having just finished her EL train journey from her apartment,
on her way to work. It was closing on three, and already things were
getting busy in New York. People milled about everywhere, minding their own
business and generally being their usual moody impatient selves, and birds
sang quietly in the scattered yard trees. Cars drove single file down the
street she walked on, and the drivers watched each other cautiously, some
of the younger male occupants watching women in particular.
One man watched her as she walked, and she quickened her pace to get away from his prying gaze, a little unsettled. She wasn't used to people looking at her that way... she wasn't so sure she wanted people to.
Faith Yokas felt quite good today. She had seen her kids off to school, had a nice quiet sit-down with her husband Fred, and enjoyed a peaceful breakfast. After a brief jog around a couple of blocks, she had had a bite to eat for lunch, and had set off for work. She had no doubt the day ahead would contain much of their usual hustle and bustle, and she was bound to get into more than one bickering argument with her partner, but it was what she did every day, and nothing was going to change that.
She rounded the corner, and saw the collection of members from the third watch arriving at work. She recognised all of them, seeing them practically every day, and greeted just about every single one. Firemen, paramedics and police officers alike drove or walked to their respective stations and moved inside, momentarily enjoying the unexpected warmth from the sun overhead. There was barely a cloud in the sky.
Faith sprinted up the few steps, and opened the door to the station, walking inside casually, running a hand through her hair. She smiled at a pair of officers who were about to leave off for the day, and made her way to the locker room.
Carrying her bag over her shoulder, she felt its weight, the duffel containing her uniform, folded neatly, freshly cleaned and ironed. When she arrived at the door to the locker room, she knocked on it three times, hearing no response, and strolled on in, moving about quickly to get changed before the rush of male officers arrived. She didn't want to get caught with her trousers down, so to speak.
Faith smiled at the thought, and quickly removed her blouse, sighing lightly, and took her dark shirt from her duffel. After firmly attaching her bullet-proof vest, she took hold of the shirt again, and slipped it on, doing up the buttons, relieved she had decided to bring her short-sleeved, due to the warmth outside. She had taken note of the weather, and had no doubt that being out in the unit all day was bound to make her more than a little warm.
She donned her pants, and went about attaching her badge and belt, her locker open before her. She slipped the nightstick through the little loop, and felt it sit perfectly in position, easy to remove if need be. Faith took her gun out of her duffel, and secured it in its hip holster, snapping it shut. The handcuffs were the last item to be attached to the belt, aside from the radio, which she would collect later.
Faith moved to stand in front of the long mirror on the opposite side of the room, and went about donning her tie, just as the door opened, and in strolled a rather relaxed-looking Maurice 'Bosco' Boscorelli. His hair was styled so that it added a good couple of inches to his height, and he wore slacks, hooded zipped sweater and sleeveless vest. Over his shoulder was his uniform in a bag, and his duffel.
"Hey, Bos'," she greeted warmly, pulling the tie tight, and perfecting it slightly, smiling at the reflection of her partner.
His gaze wandered up to her own mirrored image, and he smiled. "Hi," he said to her in a friendly manner, and slung the duffel bag onto a bench. He hooked the long bag containing his uniform on the grilled front of his locker, and opened the door, the weight of the clothing swinging it back. He removed his sweater, and threw it inside unceremoniously. Nevertheless, he seemed in quite a bright mood... for Bosco anyway.
Faith turned back briefly to take a hold of a scrunchie and her hairbrush, and faced the mirror again, carefully tying her hair back in a loose bun, her bangs hanging gracefully down beside her eyes.
"How are you?" she asked Bosco, putting the finishing touches on her hair, watching him discreetly as he changed, forcing herself to remember she was a married woman, smiling at herself.
Bosco was in the process of slipping his own vest on over his sleeveless shirt when he replied, his eyes never leaving the task of fixing the piece around his chest and abdomen, "I'm good. How about you?"
She nodded, smiling. "I feel good today. Fred and me had some quality time this mornin' after I sent the kids off to school. Fred even got to kiss 'em goodbye."
Bosco looked up, and smiled lopsidedly, as if in remembrance of the personal lecture he had given his friend and partner not so long ago about his parents, and quietly commented, "That's good."
Seeing that her partner no longer needed privacy, and had succeeded in pulling on his pants, Faith turned to face him. He was finishing the securing process of his bullet-proof vest, and grabbed his short-sleeved shirt from the hanger. He slipped it on quickly, and subconsciously done up the buttons, soon reaching for his own tie.
Feeling a little silly for watching him, Faith moved to place her personal belongings in her locker, seeing it was ten to three, and roll call began soon. She was surprised the locker room hadn't filled already.
Bosco suddenly appeared dressed and presentable beside her locker, leaning against it casually as he inquired, "You ready?"
She noticed he had already fixed on his belt, and his badge, and had even slipped his own gun into its secure holster. No doubt he already wore his backup weapon around his ankle, as always.
Taking a look around momentarily to ensure everything was where it should be, she met his eyes, and nodded. "Yep."
"Let's go," Bosco suggested, holding the door open for her, following her out. The two walked together towards roll call, not really speaking, just enjoying comfortable silence. It felt good to not have the awkward tension between them, as they had when Faith had forced Fred to leave. Bosco hadn't agreed, and after hearing his heart-wrenching tale of how his parents had split up, and how it had ruined his life for years afterwards, she had let her alcoholic husband move back in. She had Bosco to thank for saving her marriage.
"Whadda ya' think they've got in store for us today?" Bosco quipped, walking into the room, and slipping into a chair at the back of the room, Faith seating herself beside him. She shrugged in response to his joke, and the two shared a brief smile.
The room soon filled, officers of all races and ages, of bother genders, finding themselves seats, and waiting patiently for the senior officer to arrive.
John 'Sully' Sullivan and Ty Davis Jr. were two of the last to enter, seating themselves quickly, and sharing a quiet word that Faith didn't hear, and didn't intrude upon. She had never really liked being the nosy neighbour, and wasn't about to start now.
The chatter dissipated as soon as the senior officer entered the room.
* * *
Jogging lightly down the steps of the station, Bobby Caffey hummed a light-hearted tune to himself, soon turning to whistling as he reached the end of his descent, and strolled over to the bus as it sat parked and locked just outside. He swung the key around his index finger, and heard the metal jangle as it moved.
"Bobby!" he heard someone call to him, and turned his head, coming to a halt as Kim Zambrano waved to him from across the street. He nodded to her in acknowledgement, even as she continued, "I'll be right there. I've just gotta change and grab a coffee."
"No problem," he replied happily, reaching the bus as he called back to her, and unlocked the door, moving to check the equipment in the back.
Everything was where it should be, all secured in its rightful place, the gurney clean and fresh, the backboard fixed to the wall. The two paramedics' bags were right near the door that led to the driver's seat in the front, for easy access, and Bobby remembered checking them the night before. He reminded himself to go through them again though, considering there had been two shifts since their own last night.
As he was skimming through the contents, now comfortably seated in the driver's seat, Kim clambered inside, a little breathless, but bright and alert nevertheless. She seemed fine, and had a cup of steaming coffee in her hand, the heat seeping through the lid on top. The scent carried across the bus, but Bobby resisted, having just downed a cup not too long ago, topped off with a muffin he had decided to treat himself to, considering his good mood.
He wasn't sure where it had come from, just knew not to let anything ruin it.
* * *
John Sullivan stood just behind Bosco and Yokas in line for a radio, his young partner Davis right next to him, waiting patiently as per normal. The youthful gaze skimmed around as if he were seeing everything for the first time again.
Sully smiled, and was amazed when Bosco didn't find something about his radio that bothered him, watching as he and Yokas walked away, the two conversing politely. He saw the male half of the partnership fix his radio to his belt, and attach the handset, attaching it to his shoulder afterwards, and then disappear around the corner.
"Sully?" Davis interrupted, tapping him slightly, and then nodding to the hand offering him a radio.
"Oh, sorry," Sully apologised accordingly, shaking himself out of his daydream, and accepted the piece of equipment, his other hand holding his policeman's cap firmly.
Davis walked up behind him as they moved to leave the station, briefed on the events that had piled up during their time off, and made their way straight to their unit.
Bosco and Yokas were just then driving off as Sully and Davis opened their own squad, the woman in the driver's seat, peering over her shoulder and checking her mirrors as all of the third watch officers started out on patrol.
The foot patrol officers started to make their way to their assigned neighbourhoods, the partners chatting pleasantly in the agreeable weather.
Sully slipped into the driver's seat, and started up the engine, hearing Davis shut his door carefully on the other side of the squad, glancing over his notes as he secured his belt around himself.
They were soon driving away from the station on King & Arthur, and on their way into the heart of New York, another shift just starting. The sun shone through the windshield, forcing Sully to bring down the visor to protect his eyes so he could see the road ahead.
Davis didn't seem bothered, even appeared pleased at the warmth that the sun brought with it.
"I wonder why everyone's so... happy today," Sully mused, mostly to himself.
Davis looked over briefly, and then turned his attention back on his scribbled notes before him, replying, "It's a good day, Sully. The sun's out, there's barely a cloud in sight, and there hasn't been much in the way of serious crime to bother us during the day. Everyone's relieved. We've had a pretty hectic time lately."
"Yeah," Sully grumbled in response.
"Let me guess," Davis ventured with a grin, "you're not one of the 'happy' ones?"
Sully glared at his rookie partner, who simply laughed, and the veteran officer soon let his attention wander back to the task of driving the squad.
Just because Davis was right, that didn't mean he had to know.
* * *
He felt good. He was up to date with his homework and studies, and his partner had been pleasant since they had met up at the station at three. The older paramedic drove the bus as was ritual, and just for today it seemed, Carlos Nieto couldn't care less.
Monte 'Doc' Parker sat driving the bus, and he watched the road through thin-rimmed glasses, the sleeves on his sweater rolled up to his elbows. They had the windows rolled down, and Carlos was feeling the unusual warmth, and had -at the last minute- changed into his short-sleeved shirt. He was glad he had thought about it. The sun felt good on his skin, refreshing and bright, bringing with it a sense of happiness and contentment.
"How was your date with Morales?" he ventured bravely, eyes turning to search the face of his partner for clues.
Doc gazed to him for a moment, nodding, giving a brief smile, replying, "It was nice. We had dinner at that Italian place on West-56th."
Carlos nodded, and acknowledged with a smile, saying, "Good. I'm glad you had fun."
Doc laughed quietly, and turned a corner, watching the traffic carefully. "How did you keep yourself entertained?"
"I..." Carlos hesitated, narrowing his eyes as he asked, "You're not gonna laugh if I say 'homework' again, are you?"
Doc shook his head earnestly and smiled warmly. "No, no, I'm sorry. How are the studies?"
"They're good. Thanks for asking."
"Anytime."
* * *
Jimmy Doherty took another bite of his toasted bagel, and stretched in his armchair, thankful for the apparent peace and quiet. The crack of pool balls behind him didn't bother him in the slightest, and the other boys were just sitting about relaxing in their casual work gear, waiting patiently and alertly for a call.
As he sat, Jimmy let his mind play back over his morning with Joey, and a smile crept over his face. His son and he had played some catch in the park before Joey had had to be in school, and the two had had pancakes for breakfast, as they quite often did now. It was like a new tradition between father and son, and Jimmy had to admit that he very much enjoyed their mornings together.
He had actually had a civil conversation with Kimmy last night as well, and he was still reeling from the shock if it this afternoon, laughing beneath his breath in remembrance of what the two had talked about. They had reminisced again, recalling Kodak moments from their past, when they had been together, and Joey had been no older than a few months at most.
They had had quite a time together during their brief marriage, and Jimmy sighed, reminding himself that he was once again in a fruitful relationship with a cop called Brooke, a beautiful woman... one who he knew his ex-wife didn't approve of at all.
Well, it was none of her business... well, almost. Joey seemed to like Brooke anyway, and that was all that mattered to Jimmy. As long as he and his son were having a good time together regardless of his and Kim's relationship, then Jimmy was happy.
He was just finishing his bagel snack when the alarm sounded loudly, and the commotion of a call brought everyone back to reality.
Jimmy smiled broadly, and leapt from his chair, ready for action.
One man watched her as she walked, and she quickened her pace to get away from his prying gaze, a little unsettled. She wasn't used to people looking at her that way... she wasn't so sure she wanted people to.
Faith Yokas felt quite good today. She had seen her kids off to school, had a nice quiet sit-down with her husband Fred, and enjoyed a peaceful breakfast. After a brief jog around a couple of blocks, she had had a bite to eat for lunch, and had set off for work. She had no doubt the day ahead would contain much of their usual hustle and bustle, and she was bound to get into more than one bickering argument with her partner, but it was what she did every day, and nothing was going to change that.
She rounded the corner, and saw the collection of members from the third watch arriving at work. She recognised all of them, seeing them practically every day, and greeted just about every single one. Firemen, paramedics and police officers alike drove or walked to their respective stations and moved inside, momentarily enjoying the unexpected warmth from the sun overhead. There was barely a cloud in the sky.
Faith sprinted up the few steps, and opened the door to the station, walking inside casually, running a hand through her hair. She smiled at a pair of officers who were about to leave off for the day, and made her way to the locker room.
Carrying her bag over her shoulder, she felt its weight, the duffel containing her uniform, folded neatly, freshly cleaned and ironed. When she arrived at the door to the locker room, she knocked on it three times, hearing no response, and strolled on in, moving about quickly to get changed before the rush of male officers arrived. She didn't want to get caught with her trousers down, so to speak.
Faith smiled at the thought, and quickly removed her blouse, sighing lightly, and took her dark shirt from her duffel. After firmly attaching her bullet-proof vest, she took hold of the shirt again, and slipped it on, doing up the buttons, relieved she had decided to bring her short-sleeved, due to the warmth outside. She had taken note of the weather, and had no doubt that being out in the unit all day was bound to make her more than a little warm.
She donned her pants, and went about attaching her badge and belt, her locker open before her. She slipped the nightstick through the little loop, and felt it sit perfectly in position, easy to remove if need be. Faith took her gun out of her duffel, and secured it in its hip holster, snapping it shut. The handcuffs were the last item to be attached to the belt, aside from the radio, which she would collect later.
Faith moved to stand in front of the long mirror on the opposite side of the room, and went about donning her tie, just as the door opened, and in strolled a rather relaxed-looking Maurice 'Bosco' Boscorelli. His hair was styled so that it added a good couple of inches to his height, and he wore slacks, hooded zipped sweater and sleeveless vest. Over his shoulder was his uniform in a bag, and his duffel.
"Hey, Bos'," she greeted warmly, pulling the tie tight, and perfecting it slightly, smiling at the reflection of her partner.
His gaze wandered up to her own mirrored image, and he smiled. "Hi," he said to her in a friendly manner, and slung the duffel bag onto a bench. He hooked the long bag containing his uniform on the grilled front of his locker, and opened the door, the weight of the clothing swinging it back. He removed his sweater, and threw it inside unceremoniously. Nevertheless, he seemed in quite a bright mood... for Bosco anyway.
Faith turned back briefly to take a hold of a scrunchie and her hairbrush, and faced the mirror again, carefully tying her hair back in a loose bun, her bangs hanging gracefully down beside her eyes.
"How are you?" she asked Bosco, putting the finishing touches on her hair, watching him discreetly as he changed, forcing herself to remember she was a married woman, smiling at herself.
Bosco was in the process of slipping his own vest on over his sleeveless shirt when he replied, his eyes never leaving the task of fixing the piece around his chest and abdomen, "I'm good. How about you?"
She nodded, smiling. "I feel good today. Fred and me had some quality time this mornin' after I sent the kids off to school. Fred even got to kiss 'em goodbye."
Bosco looked up, and smiled lopsidedly, as if in remembrance of the personal lecture he had given his friend and partner not so long ago about his parents, and quietly commented, "That's good."
Seeing that her partner no longer needed privacy, and had succeeded in pulling on his pants, Faith turned to face him. He was finishing the securing process of his bullet-proof vest, and grabbed his short-sleeved shirt from the hanger. He slipped it on quickly, and subconsciously done up the buttons, soon reaching for his own tie.
Feeling a little silly for watching him, Faith moved to place her personal belongings in her locker, seeing it was ten to three, and roll call began soon. She was surprised the locker room hadn't filled already.
Bosco suddenly appeared dressed and presentable beside her locker, leaning against it casually as he inquired, "You ready?"
She noticed he had already fixed on his belt, and his badge, and had even slipped his own gun into its secure holster. No doubt he already wore his backup weapon around his ankle, as always.
Taking a look around momentarily to ensure everything was where it should be, she met his eyes, and nodded. "Yep."
"Let's go," Bosco suggested, holding the door open for her, following her out. The two walked together towards roll call, not really speaking, just enjoying comfortable silence. It felt good to not have the awkward tension between them, as they had when Faith had forced Fred to leave. Bosco hadn't agreed, and after hearing his heart-wrenching tale of how his parents had split up, and how it had ruined his life for years afterwards, she had let her alcoholic husband move back in. She had Bosco to thank for saving her marriage.
"Whadda ya' think they've got in store for us today?" Bosco quipped, walking into the room, and slipping into a chair at the back of the room, Faith seating herself beside him. She shrugged in response to his joke, and the two shared a brief smile.
The room soon filled, officers of all races and ages, of bother genders, finding themselves seats, and waiting patiently for the senior officer to arrive.
John 'Sully' Sullivan and Ty Davis Jr. were two of the last to enter, seating themselves quickly, and sharing a quiet word that Faith didn't hear, and didn't intrude upon. She had never really liked being the nosy neighbour, and wasn't about to start now.
The chatter dissipated as soon as the senior officer entered the room.
* * *
Jogging lightly down the steps of the station, Bobby Caffey hummed a light-hearted tune to himself, soon turning to whistling as he reached the end of his descent, and strolled over to the bus as it sat parked and locked just outside. He swung the key around his index finger, and heard the metal jangle as it moved.
"Bobby!" he heard someone call to him, and turned his head, coming to a halt as Kim Zambrano waved to him from across the street. He nodded to her in acknowledgement, even as she continued, "I'll be right there. I've just gotta change and grab a coffee."
"No problem," he replied happily, reaching the bus as he called back to her, and unlocked the door, moving to check the equipment in the back.
Everything was where it should be, all secured in its rightful place, the gurney clean and fresh, the backboard fixed to the wall. The two paramedics' bags were right near the door that led to the driver's seat in the front, for easy access, and Bobby remembered checking them the night before. He reminded himself to go through them again though, considering there had been two shifts since their own last night.
As he was skimming through the contents, now comfortably seated in the driver's seat, Kim clambered inside, a little breathless, but bright and alert nevertheless. She seemed fine, and had a cup of steaming coffee in her hand, the heat seeping through the lid on top. The scent carried across the bus, but Bobby resisted, having just downed a cup not too long ago, topped off with a muffin he had decided to treat himself to, considering his good mood.
He wasn't sure where it had come from, just knew not to let anything ruin it.
* * *
John Sullivan stood just behind Bosco and Yokas in line for a radio, his young partner Davis right next to him, waiting patiently as per normal. The youthful gaze skimmed around as if he were seeing everything for the first time again.
Sully smiled, and was amazed when Bosco didn't find something about his radio that bothered him, watching as he and Yokas walked away, the two conversing politely. He saw the male half of the partnership fix his radio to his belt, and attach the handset, attaching it to his shoulder afterwards, and then disappear around the corner.
"Sully?" Davis interrupted, tapping him slightly, and then nodding to the hand offering him a radio.
"Oh, sorry," Sully apologised accordingly, shaking himself out of his daydream, and accepted the piece of equipment, his other hand holding his policeman's cap firmly.
Davis walked up behind him as they moved to leave the station, briefed on the events that had piled up during their time off, and made their way straight to their unit.
Bosco and Yokas were just then driving off as Sully and Davis opened their own squad, the woman in the driver's seat, peering over her shoulder and checking her mirrors as all of the third watch officers started out on patrol.
The foot patrol officers started to make their way to their assigned neighbourhoods, the partners chatting pleasantly in the agreeable weather.
Sully slipped into the driver's seat, and started up the engine, hearing Davis shut his door carefully on the other side of the squad, glancing over his notes as he secured his belt around himself.
They were soon driving away from the station on King & Arthur, and on their way into the heart of New York, another shift just starting. The sun shone through the windshield, forcing Sully to bring down the visor to protect his eyes so he could see the road ahead.
Davis didn't seem bothered, even appeared pleased at the warmth that the sun brought with it.
"I wonder why everyone's so... happy today," Sully mused, mostly to himself.
Davis looked over briefly, and then turned his attention back on his scribbled notes before him, replying, "It's a good day, Sully. The sun's out, there's barely a cloud in sight, and there hasn't been much in the way of serious crime to bother us during the day. Everyone's relieved. We've had a pretty hectic time lately."
"Yeah," Sully grumbled in response.
"Let me guess," Davis ventured with a grin, "you're not one of the 'happy' ones?"
Sully glared at his rookie partner, who simply laughed, and the veteran officer soon let his attention wander back to the task of driving the squad.
Just because Davis was right, that didn't mean he had to know.
* * *
He felt good. He was up to date with his homework and studies, and his partner had been pleasant since they had met up at the station at three. The older paramedic drove the bus as was ritual, and just for today it seemed, Carlos Nieto couldn't care less.
Monte 'Doc' Parker sat driving the bus, and he watched the road through thin-rimmed glasses, the sleeves on his sweater rolled up to his elbows. They had the windows rolled down, and Carlos was feeling the unusual warmth, and had -at the last minute- changed into his short-sleeved shirt. He was glad he had thought about it. The sun felt good on his skin, refreshing and bright, bringing with it a sense of happiness and contentment.
"How was your date with Morales?" he ventured bravely, eyes turning to search the face of his partner for clues.
Doc gazed to him for a moment, nodding, giving a brief smile, replying, "It was nice. We had dinner at that Italian place on West-56th."
Carlos nodded, and acknowledged with a smile, saying, "Good. I'm glad you had fun."
Doc laughed quietly, and turned a corner, watching the traffic carefully. "How did you keep yourself entertained?"
"I..." Carlos hesitated, narrowing his eyes as he asked, "You're not gonna laugh if I say 'homework' again, are you?"
Doc shook his head earnestly and smiled warmly. "No, no, I'm sorry. How are the studies?"
"They're good. Thanks for asking."
"Anytime."
* * *
Jimmy Doherty took another bite of his toasted bagel, and stretched in his armchair, thankful for the apparent peace and quiet. The crack of pool balls behind him didn't bother him in the slightest, and the other boys were just sitting about relaxing in their casual work gear, waiting patiently and alertly for a call.
As he sat, Jimmy let his mind play back over his morning with Joey, and a smile crept over his face. His son and he had played some catch in the park before Joey had had to be in school, and the two had had pancakes for breakfast, as they quite often did now. It was like a new tradition between father and son, and Jimmy had to admit that he very much enjoyed their mornings together.
He had actually had a civil conversation with Kimmy last night as well, and he was still reeling from the shock if it this afternoon, laughing beneath his breath in remembrance of what the two had talked about. They had reminisced again, recalling Kodak moments from their past, when they had been together, and Joey had been no older than a few months at most.
They had had quite a time together during their brief marriage, and Jimmy sighed, reminding himself that he was once again in a fruitful relationship with a cop called Brooke, a beautiful woman... one who he knew his ex-wife didn't approve of at all.
Well, it was none of her business... well, almost. Joey seemed to like Brooke anyway, and that was all that mattered to Jimmy. As long as he and his son were having a good time together regardless of his and Kim's relationship, then Jimmy was happy.
He was just finishing his bagel snack when the alarm sounded loudly, and the commotion of a call brought everyone back to reality.
Jimmy smiled broadly, and leapt from his chair, ready for action.