Haggerty's …1:31 am….June 21st….

"Come on…..do it" Bosco taunted with a smug grin plastered across his face. His bobbed from one foot to the other like Mohammed Ali on fight night.

"Right here.." He pressed a finger into his left cheek. "….let's see what ya got tough guy"

Faith shook her head at him as she slammed back another shot.

"I'm not gonna hit you Bosco"

"Aww come on Faith, just do it…." Sully teased with amusement. "….do us all a favor"

Ty laughed as he stood beside him, fresh beer in hand.

"Shut up Sullivan…come on Yokas, just one shot…I won't even hit back" He smiled eyes twinkling.

"Oh yeah, like I'd be scared of you…." Faith snickered."… and stop bouncin' around like that, you're makin' me dizzy"

"I knew it, all talk and no action….you women are all the same." Bosco stopped bouncing and waved a hand at Faith.

"Please tell me, what did I miss?" Davis asked Sully.

"Well, boy genius over here…" Sully gestured towards Bosco. "…bet wonder woman that she couldn't knock him out with one punch after a stupid argument"

"What was the argument about?"

"Tell em' Bosco…Robocop here thinks that female officers can't protect themselves on the street…that they, correct me if I'm wrong here, 'hide behind the badge'." Faith looked to Sully to see if she quoted Bosco correctly. Sully simply nodded in agreement.

"And gun" Bosco mumbled, mouth hidden behind a beer. Faith leaned her ear in his direction with raised eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"And gun….hide behind the badge AND gun" If Bosco wasn't three sheets to the wind he would have recognized that never back down look that now floated over Faith's face.

"Oh boy" Sully on the other hand was still sober, taking a deep breath, waiting for what he knew would come.

"Really…you think I hide behind my gun...that I can't protect myself?" Faith, now completely intoxicated, sauntered in Bosco's direction.

"I gave you a chance to prove me wrong" With a shrug of his shoulders he turned back to his beer.

Sully and Davis watched in sick fascination, trying desperately to keep from bursting into a fit of laughter. Bosco got himself into this one, he was going to have to get himself out.

"Hey Bosco?" Faith now stood directly behind him like a lion seeking out it's prey. When he didn't get a reply he turned slowly in the direction her voice came from.

"HOW'S THIS FOR A GUN?!" Before he knew what was coming Faith's right hook made perfect contact with Bosco's left eye, sending him crashing to the floor. The other patrons of the bar, including some other officers from the 55, watched as Bosco struggled to sit up. As the realization of what she had just done hit her, Faith's hands flew to her mouth.

"Oh my God….Bosco I'm sor..."

"Next time you open your mouth Bosco you might want to keep your eyes open too" Sully chuckled like Santa on Christmas Eve.

"Well Bosco, good to see your protected out there"

"Hey Boscorelli, can I borrow Faith tomorrow…my gun's in the shop" Laughter broke out across the room.

Bosco's cheeks were a lovely shade of red as his coworkers heckled him across the bar, matching his darkening red eye perfectly. In the midst of his laughter Davis leaned down to help scrape Bosco off the floor which he stubbornly yanked away.

"Bosco, I'm sorry….you said….so I…." She stopped speaking when she saw the glare Bosco was giving her as he unsteadily rose to his feet. She backed away from him as he stepped slowly toward her.

"Bosco….you can't be mad…" Her back bumped into the bar, leaving her nowhere else to run. "…you told me to…I was just…" Bosco stood only a foot away, she studied his face, completely unsure of what he was thinking. Her body grew hot at his closeness which she was sure was from the alcohol. She closed her eyes, flinching as Bosco leaned close. When she didn't feel any contact she peeked through one eye watching with relief as he reached around her for a fresh beer. She raised her eyebrows at his movement, wondering when the explosion would come. Instead of being angry Bosco raised his beer in her direction. And with a genuine smile he spoke.

"I stand corrected"

HAGGERTY'S…..3:00AM….June 21st

Almost two hours and God knows how much liquor later, Bosco and Faith were laughing in unison at some stupid joke Davis had made. Sully stood nearby, settling the tab with the barkeep.

"Alright kids….let's move out…" Sully grunted as he was ignored by the three musketeers. "…Hello…these nice people would like to go home sometime in this century"

"Sssssshhhhh…" Bosco held a wobbly finger to his lips. "…Sir Yes Sir! Bosco turned to a serious Sully saluting the older man. Faith and Davis stood nearby with their lips pursed together trying with all their might to keep their laughter in.

"Cute Bosco…" Sully scowled as he pushed them towards the door. It was way past his bedtime. "….Night Joe…thanks again" He called to the barkeep. As they reached outside Davis leaned against the wall laughing as he watched Faith and Bosco stumble down the street together. Sully shook his head mumbling, "It's like the blind leading the blind."

"Guys, where are you going?...Let's go Davis you gotta help me get them home"

"OOOKKKIE DOOOKIE POPS"

Was that the theme from Laverne and Shirley he heard coming from Bosco and Faith? Sully caught up, stopping them from falling off the curb. He waved for a cab as he turned to Bosco.

"Gimme your wallet Bosco"

Bosco looked at Sully sternly as his arm hung loosely over Faith's shoulder. He wasn't sure who was holding up who anymore, everything was blurry. But it felt great.

"Is this a stick up?" Bosco slurred as Sully sighed heavily. "I'm a cop…I got a gun ya know" He let go of Faith and reached to where his gun would normally sit if he were in uniform. He heard Faith laugh behind him as she struggled to stay in a standing position. When he couldn't find his gun that was not there, he turned to Faith and pushed her in front of him.

"Get em' Faith…you better watch out she's got a killer right hook" He peeked out from behind her as he rubbed as his now black eye.

"Bosco…stop foolin around" Sully was in no mood for his games. As a cab stopped beside them he opened the door. "Get in"

"I don't think he's joking Bosco…" Faith sobered up for a brief second before bursting into another fit of laughter.

"Don't go Faith…he's tryin to kidnap us…Davis, do something" Davis was leaning against the cab, not nearly as drunk as they were.

"I would do what he says Bosco…Sully don't play"

"No, I don't have to do anything he says…who the hell is…."

"GET IN THE DAMN CAR BOSCO!" Completely exhausted Sully snapped. Bosco didn't respond. He simply hung his head like a scolded child and stumbled toward the car. Faith and Davis followed suit and soon they were all on their way.

12:16PM….JUNE 21ST

Why in the world was somebody slamming a hammer into her skull like that? Faith painfully moved her body as she slowly arose from a very drunken sleep. She could feel the bile slowly rising from her stomach into her throat and before she knew what was happening she was puking into a trash can next to the bed. As the nausea slowly began to cease she dragged herself back onto the mattress fully. Turning her head it dropped like lead back into the pillow. Unable to find a comfortable position to keep the vomit at bay, she kicked her leg out coming surprisingly into contact with another leg.

"Fred, what time is it?" She mumbled into the pillow. Just as she heard herself say it, she remembered that Fred shouldn't be here. He had left her 6 months ago. As that realization hit her, she heard a voice. A male voice and it sure as hell wasn't Fred's.

"Fred?"