"Yeah, well, with you and me it always takes some sort of a tragedy to get us back together." I said. "Tough love." Bosco replied, and I laughed.
A/N: This story is inspired by these words Bosco and Faith exchanged in Season Six, while Bosco was still in the hospital. The story takes place a year or so after season six. And obviously, Faith is not with Miller. He's not good enough for her. Please let me know what you think of it so far!
Chapter 1: Missing
By SirenJunkie
Sunlight shone through the narrow space between the blinds, and I was about to roll over and groan, slipping my head under the pillow. Instead I smiled and stretched my tired muscles. Sunday. I thought to myself. This was the one and only day off from the grueling schedule of NYPD detective Faith Yokas. In a few more minutes, I could get up slowly, maybe ask Emily if she wanted to get breakfast at the café on the next block.
I turned towards the window; gazing out at the early spring sunshine, and debated how I was going to spend my day. I would inevitably have to do some laundry later, and potentially grab a few groceries. Not really a day off, but more of a day for chores that were abandoned during the week. Stretching one more time, and preparing to actually get out of bed, my lazy thoughts were shattered by the piercing ring of the phone. I sighed, noted Emily was in the shower, and pawed at the bedside table clumsily until I wrapped my hands around the receiver.
"Hello?" I grunted, hoping it wasn't another one of Emily's admirers.
"Faith?" The voice was familiar, and I struggled to place it with my tired brain.
"Yeah…"
"It's Rose." Of course, Bosco's mother.
"Oh hi, Rose. How are you?" I asked, and wondered what she could be calling about.
"Well, I'm sorry to call on a Sunday, Faith, but I need to know if you've seen Maurice."
"No, I haven't Rose, sorry. Doesn't he usually have breakfast with you on Sundays?"
"Well, that's the problem. We have that tradition, right? But he's about three hours late for breakfast today. That never happens. I guess I was just a little worried." Her voice sounded more than a little worried, but I didn't mention that.
"Look Rose, I'm sure he's fine, I'll try to track him down. I'm sure something just came up."
"Thank you, Faith. If you see him, tell him to call me, okay?" Her voice still sounded rather shaky and nervous.
"Will do, Rose. And try not to worry." I knew he would be fine, it wasn't like he couldn't take care of himself.
"I'll try Faith. Goodbye."
"Bye now." I shook my head slightly, feeling bad for her. On the rare occasion we got a chance to talk, Bosco told me he could barely go two days without hearing from her, she was always so worried about her only son. I suppose I would do the same if my kids had both almost been taken from me.
Thinking I might as well do my part, I dialed Bosco's cell number. I wasn't all that surprised when his voicemail picked up after one ring. Bosco was notorious for letting his phone battery die. Not that I talked to him very often any more. Remembering I had some dry-cleaning to pick up later today, I thought I would drop by for Rose's sake, seeing as my dry cleaner's was only two buildings down from Bosco's apartment. Hearing Emily getting out of the shower, I finally got to my feet. My stomach was rumbling, and as I left my bedroom, I forgot about the Boscorellis for now. It could wait until I was fed, at least.
I pushed the twenty dollar bill across the counter, and gathered up my suits.
"Keep the change, Mr. Lee." I said, giving him a smile.
"Thank you, Detective! Have a nice day now." He returned, giving me a wave as I walked out the door back in to the light spring breeze.
I'd split up with Emily a half hour ago, telling her I needed to run some errands. She had gone off to the library, saying something about a Senior English paper. I could hardly believe she was already graduating this year, and had been accepted to NYU. She was going to take Pre-Med, but insisted all she wanted to do once she finished was to be a Paramedic, to my chagrin. As long as she was happy, what could I really say? I secretly cursed Holly Nieto for giving her the idea in the first place.
Lost in my thoughts, I hardly noticed I had walked right past Bosco's building, and was in front of the bodega on the corner. I retraced my steps back to his building, and went in the familiar front doors.
I was slightly winded by the time I got to the fourth floor, realizing if I didn't watch myself, I was going to end up like Jelly. I spend way too much time in front of the computer these days. I didn't get as much exercise when I wasn't constantly chasing down my bull-headed former partner. I went down the hall to apartment 4-D, and knocked loudly, impatiently. I listened carefully for movement within the apartment, but heard nothing. I knocked again, and waited for a few more minutes. I began to feel ridiculous, he was fine, I was sure, and I was wasting away my one day off. I juggled my dry-cleaning around, trying to get a glimpse of my watch. I cursed when I saw the time, the afternoon was already half over. I hadn't heard from Rose again on my cell, maybe he had talked to her. I shrugged, and headed back to the stairs. I would find him at the precinct house tomorrow. By the time I left the building my mind was already on other things, busily compiling my to-do list.
The next afternoon I walked into the precinct house, waving at the desk sergeant as I passed. I noticed that the Lieutenant was also at the desk, muttering to himself. Here at the house in Bedford- Stuyvesant it was Lieutenant Wiley in charge, he's normally good-natured, but today he seemed awfully upset about something. The desk sergeant, Donlan, passed me a message I was expecting from the DA.
"What's the matter, Lieu?" I asked.
"I don't have the time to re-arrange assignments because some jag-offs just don't show up for work." He fumed, looking like he was about to pop a vein in his forehead.
I glanced down at my watch, "Someone didn't show for the third watch, Boss?"
"I am DEFINITELY writing Boscorelli up for this one!"
I felt like my veins were flooded with ice water, and my ears roared. I felt instantly nauseated. Now I knew something had to be very, very wrong. Noticing my silence, Wiley looked up at me, and the fear must have shown in my face.
"What's wrong, Detective?"
"Bosco would never miss work on purpose, Boss. Ever." I could feel the panic rising in me. "He came to work once with his face swollen from poison ivy. Something's wrong." Wiley and Sgt. Donlan exchanged a look. I fumbled in my pocket for the keys to my unit. I yelled over my shoulder on my way out the doors, "Tell Detective Laird I'll be back in a half hour!" I heard them calling my name, but I didn't hesitate. I knew my partner needed me.
To be continued…
