Life & How To Live It

Summary: It's Bosco's first day back at work since his shooting.
Disclaimer: I don't own Third Watch or the characters and the title is based on the REM title

Author's Note: I would like to thank Lia for all her help with the series. This is the 3 and final part of Bosco series. You don't really have to read " Someone LikeYou" and " Guilt", but you might want to! If you aren't a Bosco and Faith shipper you might want to stop reading now!

I never thought that I would be this nervous about going back to work. It is not like I'm a rookie and it is my first day on the job. I have been a police officer for 12 years, but as soon as I opened the door, I feel like I did on my very first day. I hated being a rookie then and I certainly hate that feeling even more now.

I waved at Swersky as I made my way to the locker room, glad to see that the place was empty. I never use to care about other people in the room but that was before I shot – and before I had those scars marring me. It was the ones that you couldn't see that seemed to always be the worst. I didn't want to remind people of all those months away – a reason for them to treat me any differently.

I pulled my shirt off, and touched where my scars are, they are always going to be a reminder of what I went through this year.

I remember what Mikey told me that day when I visit him in the cemetery to let the guilt go. It took a long time for me to get over his death but I am dealing with it, and starting to realize that it wasn't my fault.

"Thank you, Mikey for helping me," I whispered to myself.

I never thought this day would happen that I would be sitting back in here, getting ready for roll call after all those months lying in the hospital bed. All those doctors had insisted that I would never recovery – that I wouldn't be able to live a normal life – and yet here I was. Someone should have told them that Maurice Boscorelli doesn't listen well to others.

I looked at the time, and saw that I needed to get going, I didn't really want to be late for roll call on my first day back. Something told me that there would be plenty of time to resume my less than stellar attendance.

As soon as I walked into the roll call room, everybody stood up and clapped. I didn't want anybody to make a big deal about me coming back to work. I just want to work again as a police officer.

"Today is a special day for us," Swersky said, as he looked directly at me. "I would like to welcome back Bosco. And don't think about milking this, Boscorelli." Swersky replied.

"Yes I'm even happy to see you, "Sully responded. I turned around to look at him, smirking at him.

"So who we will I be partnered with?" I asked, eagerly to get back to doing my job, just like I did before.

"Bosco, you aren't going to be riding with anybody, I want you to take it slow, you are going to be doing desk duty today."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I thought when the department told me that I was able to go back to work, that I would be "back" at work, not standing with Swersky taking phone calls.

"But boss," I argued.

"Bosco, you either do desk duty or you aren't coming back to work yet, it is up to you," Swersky said.

I can still remember the day that both Faith and I admitted that there was something more between us. It's a memory that I will cherish forever.

She knocked at his door. He opened the door. "Faith, what are you doing here?" I asked her. "I just saw you a few hours ago,"

"Bos, I need to talk to you now," Faith replied, as she hurried into the apartment.

"Is everything okay?" I asked her as we walked over to the living room.

She looked at me, with this serious look on her face; I know that it was important to her.

"I'm fine, Bos." She grabbed a hold of his hand. "I was walking home from seeing you and I couldn't stop thinking about you, it was different than I ever felt before. You are everything to me. I don't know – I mean I am not even your type and you aren't mine either but you -" Faith paused, nervously playing with her hair. "I should go. Coming here was a mistake." Noticing Bosco's frown, she smiled weakly at him. "Oh god, Bosco, I didn't mean it like that. It's just – this is too confusing – I mean I can look at you and talk to you – and there is something I can't explain it. I just don't understand it – any of it – and I want to understand why you did it and why I can't stop thinking about you all the time."

I looked at her. "Faith, I'm in love with you, that is why I did what I did that day, I didn't want to lose you, I don't know how I would have to be able to get on with my life without you in it. I told you once that you are the only one. I just didn't realize how much until that day."

Bosco stepped forward, his eyes locking with hers, as his hand touches her cheek. "I love you, Faith. I've always loved you. It took a bullet you took for me to understand it. But those four bullets, they were my way to show you how much I loved you." His lips lightly trace the outline of her jaw. "And I think that those four bullets-" He whispered, bring her hand to his back, their joined hands tracing his scars. " - told you the same thing."

Moved, Faith blinked her heart pounding. "Told me what?"

"That you love me."

Speechless, Faith felt herself nod at his comment. As his lips found hers, he couldn't help the grin forming as she confirmed it.
((

I saw her coming towards me, her smile lighting up the room. Since I got out of the hospital, we saw every other as often as we could. We may not work together but I had the better deal now - I had her at home. And I wouldn't give that up for the world.

She grabbed my hand. "Hey Bos, how are you doing?"

" If you discount the boredom, I am doing fine." I replied.

Swersky looked at us. "Why don't you take him out for dinner, Faith, anything to get him away from me," he said, laughing.

"You haven't even been back at work for a whole day, and you are already bothering people."

"I'm not bothering him. I'm just bored. I want to be out there on the street," I replied, as me and Faith walked away.

She grabbed my hand tightly, and smiled at me. "I know you want to be out there, and soon you will be."

I looked at her, she always was able to calm me down, and squeezed her hand tightly.

"So where are you taking me for dinner?" I said, smiling. She looked at me.

"Who said I was paying?"

" Goodnight Bosco, I know you didn't want to do desk duty, but I'm glad that you are back, and tomorrow, you will be on the street,"

I was so happy to see Swersky said that. "Thanks, Boss,"

"I am only doing it, because I can't spend another day with you. I don't know how Faith did it all those years," I laughed. " I don't know, I guess she liked me."

" Yeah I guess that is true."

"See you tomorrow," I said, as I walked into the locker room.

I opened my locker; it felt so good to be back at work. I never realize how much I missed this place. I have the same locker which may not seem like a big deal to the others but for me – it helped to alleviate those fears that they would replace me. It was a small gesture but I feel humbled by it – that they knew I was going to come back.

I suddenly felt someone touched my back, and turned around, and saw her standing in front of me. "Hey," I said, as I moved closer to her.

She looked at me. "So how was the rest of your day?"

"It was fine, but at least I don't have to do desk duty anymore," I said. She looked at me. "Doesn't Swersky want to work with you anymore?"

"I don't think he had fun with me today. I don't know why I'm fun to be with, aren't I? You love me don't you?"

"Of course I love you, Bos," she said, as she leaned over and kissed me.

"I love you too, Faith,"

"I hope so," she said, as a smile crept though her face. She grabbed my hand, and held it tightly. "Do you want me to go your place or mine? Emily is staying with a friend tonight, so we have the whole place," she said, with this grin on her face.

But before I could say anything, Ty walked into the room. "Can you two get a room?"

"Excuse me?" I asked, looking suspiciously at Ty.

"I see the way you two look at each other, I know you two are dating, everybody knows it. It is so obvious,"

I looked at Faith, and I didn't care what anybody thinks. I love her, and I want everybody to know.

"Yes, Ty, we are dating. I love this woman; she is everything to me,"

Suddenly I saw that Faith had disappear out of the locker room.

"Damn it" I muttered under my breath. "Just don't –." I stop, knowing that it was too late now to stop the rumor mill. "I'll see you later.'

I heard Ty say see you tomorrow, but I didn't care all I want was to find Faith.

As soon as I got out of the locker room, I saw her.

"Why did you leave?" I asked her.

She looked at me. "I thought we agreed that we were going to tell anybody about us, just not yet."

"I'm sorry, Faith, but Ty guessed and I wasn't going to lie about it, you are everything to me. You helped me through a lot, Faith. You were there every day when I got out of the hospital. I don't care who knows, I want everybody to know that I am the happiest that I've been in a long time."

I leaned over and kissed her, where I knew that everybody would see us. I want everybody to know. She looked at me. "You make me happy as well, Bos. I never thought that I could be this happy but I am. I love you, and I don't care that everybody knows."

I turned around and saw all the police officer staring at us. "Yes, Faith and I are dating, just in case anybody was wondering."

I could swear I saw people chapping, but I didn't see them, all I saw was her.

I've been through a lot these past few months, with my shooting, and losing my brother, but as long as I have her in my life, everything will be fine.

"So where are we going?" she asked me.

"Yours,"

And in that instant, I knew that I found the woman that I would be spending the rest of my life with.

And one day soon, there would be no more 'yours' or 'mine' but ours.

I couldn't wait.