This one came straight off the CD so I didn't have to do anything but spellcheck...and that IE spellcheck this site offers leaves a lot to be desired! lol Thanks for reading guys!

M.

Bosco, Maurice and Moe, cont:

Chapter 11

Faith was sitting in her cruiser, again, only this time she wasn't alone.

She hadn't been alone for awhile now, when the bug that had been going around had run its course, including her household, she had been paired with a new partner.

That had been 3 months ago.

Reflecting back on the past four months and all that had happened she couldn't help but wonder if this was going to be permanent.

CJ Caster, her new partner, wasn't a bad partner, but, he wasn't Bosco.

CJ was out of the academy a year or so now and it had been time for him to have a permanent placement, although if Faith had the power it would only be 'semi' permanent. But, she knew that decision was out of her hands.

CJ was not even originally from New York, 'for 'god's sake he was a Louisiana boy, not exactly from the Bayou or anything but still, what the hell was he doing becoming NYPD' she had thought after meeting him for the first time.

He had moved up here to go to Drama school but after 9/11 he decided he had to do something after he had seen how many officers gave their lives to help others

"Talk about a career switch," Sully had remarked when he met him. CJ had ridden with Sully for a while right after CJ left the academy.

CJ could be pretty dramatic sometimes and it drove Sully crazy. Ty had said it was good for Sully to have him around on their Watch, "keeps ole Sully from missing Bosco, so much!"

Everyone had gotten a good laugh out of that one; Bosco drove Sully crazy too, what with his hot headed, bull headed, run into danger without looking behavior.

At first Sully had thought that CJ was the same kind of cop; but that had not proved to be the case, he was just real enthusiastic about his job.

Sully had actually enjoyed working with him; not that he would admit that out loud.

So, when Faith had gone to him about CJ being assigned as her new partner, Sully had given him the thumbs up.

Faith still missed Bosco of course, but as partners go, she had had a lot worse.

And unlike some of the others CJ actually wanted to learn, and listened to what she said. He also had real good instincts for a 'rookie' and they got along too which helped out a lot.

"Hey, Faith, you want a cup of coffee?" CJ was holding a thermos out.

'Boy, I thought Bosco loved his coffee!' she thought amused. This boy didn't drink what they had at the station or in most of the shops around here. Said it wasn't 'strong' enough for him.

Made his with a brand he had his mother and other assorted relatives ship to him from Louisiana.

She had gone with him to the post office one day to pick up a package and there must have been 10lbs of the stuff! He had given Faith a pound to try and she had to admit it was damn good.

"Is it Community Coffee?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"Hey, what else would it be!" he asked, pretending to be shocked she would think anything else; it was a joke between them.

"Dark Roast?" she was teasing him now.

He just looked at her out the corner of his eye, smirking, "Yes," slowly as if talking to a child.

This had gotten to be a running joke at the station too; everyone knew about his coffee addiction and tormented him about it.

Once someone had filled his thermos with Tea and he had about had a stroke; had made such a scene when he discovered it, that, Faith after a few hours couldn't take it and had actually gone back to the House and let him make a new pot.

There were times when she still felt Bosco's presence, and that had been one of them.

"Then, yea, I think I would like a cup!" reaching out and taking the cup from him. A real cup, not as he put it "no damn wax paper shit".

She had actually gotten hooked on the stuff, herself. CJ would give her a bag or two from his shipments now. He got one about every two weeks; he had given some away to friends to try, but, now some of them actually paid him to get it for them.

Looking at her, "How's Bosco doing?"

Most others didn't bring him up very often, they acted like she would break or something, but not CJ he never failed to ask about him, he had ridden with Bosco a couple of times when she had taken a day off. At first she thought he was just being nosey or was an insensitive idiot, but she had come to quickly realize, watching him around the station that he truly cared about people.

He came from a large family, only had two siblings of his own, but had 14 aunts and uncles, their spouses and 84 cousins, many of whom had kids, and still counting; and still had a couple of grandparents alive; AND had know 2 of his Great Grandparents! He had been raised with all of them being in his business, and, he in theirs.

The concept of a family that large; not to mention all your friends; ALL being in your business and looking out for you, 'when you weren't fighting'; that many people to love you, was just more than a little mind boggling to Faith.

When she had told him this he had looked at her strange and remarked;

"Family and friends are all you have Faith, and if you don't care about each other who will! I mean yeah sometimes they drive me nuts, I mean slap ass out of my mind nuts; but I always know that if I need them they are there for me and they know I'm there for them, ALWAYS Faith!"

Faith had decided right there that if Bosco was never able to come back she would fight tooth and nail to keep CJ as her partner.

Of course, that didn't mean she was giving up on Bosco coming back.

So, when CJ asked about Bosco she answered him, "He's doing real well. The Dr. told him he might be able to leave on a weekend pass soon."

She hadn't discussed details of course, Faith respected Bosco's privacy, but CJ didn't ask for them anyway. His question was a much about Faith as it was about Bosco.

"Hey, that's great! I'll bet the first place he goes after his mom's is to see you." CJ knew not only from Faith but from riding with Bosco times she was out how close they were.

For his part, CJ had actually liked Bosco.

Yeah he could be a bit of a 'loose cannon' but CJ had ridden with enough of the others to recognize that Bosco was also a real straight shooter and an honest cop to boot. CJ had seen him do some real nice things for people; sometimes the same people that Bosco had just raked over the coals and called 'Jag offs'; one of his favorite phases. Bosco cared, and in CJ's book that made him a good guy and good cop; no matter what.

That made Faith smile, "I hope so, CJ."

Just then a Yellow cab came around the corner at high speed, skidding, almost took out a jeep and then sailed right by them, tires squealing and sliding all over the place.

It looked to Faith like a Kid was driving!

Looking over a CJ who said amused, "Cab company hiring them kind of young now aren't' they!"

Hitting the siren and lights Faith pulled out doing a 180 and hauled it after the joyriding miscreant.

"Central," CJ was calling in, "this is 55 David, we are in a possible 'high speed' pursuit of Yellow Cab, cab is being driven by" looking over at Faith, "what looks like a 10 year old child, possibly male, we are heading Southeast on 33rd from present location."

"10:4, 55David, will notify," replied the dispatcher. "All units in area of 33rd and 10th Avenue be on look out for Yellow cab traveling at high speed; driver is male, possibly a child; 55 David in pursuit, heading Southeast."

The yellow cab was picking up speed and barely staying in his lane, several cars had to swerve to avoid him and two ran into parked cars.

"Central, be advised two accidents caused by Yellow cab on route. Please send assistance, accidents between 33rd and 10th," CJ reported.

"10:4, 55 David will notify," responded dispatcher.

Faith was beginning to gain ground on the pintsized carjacker when she realized that they were almost to 10th avenue.

"Oh my god he's not," she started to say; "there's no way he can make that turn!"

"Well, sure looks like he's going to try!" CJ was cringing and he was trying not to look as the cab approached the turn, dead end if the kid didn't stop.

Just then over the radio, "55 David, this is 55 Charlie approaching on 10th Avenue, from Southwest, are you still in pursuit," this was from Ty.

"10:4, 55 Charlie, approaching 10th Avenue, but I don't think he's going to make it, so be advised," said CJ, hoping that he would not have to tell this kids parents he had died in a damn car chase at ten years old.

"Ok, 55 David, will hold back," replied Ty.

As the cab reached the corner and not even slowing down it suddenly turned hard to the right and against all the odds made the turn and hauled ass, leaving all four cops with their mouths gaping.

"Ding-Dang, Man!" exclaimed CJ, "how the hell did he do that!"

Faith didn't have time to answer as she slowed to take the turn as safely as she could at a reasonable speed.

Passing Sully and Ty who were turning around and had paused to let her through, she angrily remarked, "If Charlie ever pulled something like this I would us him for Crawfish Bait, after I skinned him!"

Looking over at her and trying not to laugh CJ, remarked "Crawfish Bait? Faith, I think you been hanging around with me too much!"

Faith didn't see the humor right now as she poured on the speed. "Where the hell is he going," she exclaimed.

The cab was blowing down 10th and as they approached W 29th street she said, "His luck may be running out," and then, "where the hell did he learn to drive!" As he took the impossible left hand turn in a slide managed to control it and then hauled it headed Southeast to 8th Avenue.

Faith and Sully both on his butt now with more back up approaching as they were in a crowed area.

But the kid was not slowing down and in 55 Charlie, "Damn Sully that kid drives like Bosco!" This was said by Ty who was praying that Sully would not pull one of his famous 'old school' stunts like he had numerous times before.

Ty didn't really care for those, 'life flashing before your eyes' moments. Sully might not admit it; he considered himself a 'safe' driver; but truth be told, he had just as much fun as Bosco did on car chases, and Ty knew it.

And it didn't seem to matter to this kid if it was a one way or two ways he was driving down, or up it as the case may be, anyway.

"WHOA MAN," Ty exclaimed at the kid against the odds turned left again going north/northeast on 8th avenue and hauled ass again almost NOT missing a bus.

"Damn, Sully," he said in excited awe, "I don't know where he learned, but I know a few cops we should send there! DAMN!"

"FAITH, WATCH OUT," CJ cried out; as the bus almost hit them. She swerved at the last second, missing the bus only because she had slowed for the intersection.

"OWW; Oh, now, I, KNOW, I'm going to bust his ass myself when we catch him," he exclaimed, "Made me spill my freaking coffee!"

That did cause Faith to smile; as she spared him a glance she saw that he was dripping with it and she knew it was hot.

"God forbid you throw it out the window, CJ" she was rolling her eyes.

"HEY, and WASTE a good cup of coffee," he said pretending to be horrified.

"Yeah, and wearing it is BETTER!" If she wasn't so intent on catching the 'mini bandit' she would have cracked up, but, that would have to wait for later.

As he barreled up 8th Avenue he began to slow and Faith looking over at CJ, "No, I know, no, no way!" She paused as CJ, looking at the cab that had entered a parking lot and was now stopped at an angle in the street, started laughing.

"You got to be kidding me," she finished as they came to a stop and quickly got out; they began to give chase; as Sully and Ty pulled in and joined them in pursuit of the slightly built blonde headed boy, who had stopped the car at Madison Square Garden!

The kid was running full tilt into the crowd of people who were turning to watch the excitement. Upon seeing him being pursued by four NYPD Officers, many of the crowd started to cheer him on.

'Great,' thought Faith, 'that's right, encourage the little monster!"

And although none of the people in the crowd got in their way no one tried to stop HIM either, in fact most of them were laughing.

CJ and Ty cut to the left in the crowd, both of them tall enough to see his head still and Faith and Sully cut right, they were going to try to cut him off.

Seeing a couple of security guards, Sully gave them the kids' description and radioed it ahead; after a couple of minutes of searching; someone radioed to Faith and the rest that he had been spotted. As they approached their desperate criminal, they all looked at each other and Ty and CJ started laughing.

Sully stood there a moment looking at the little Capone then he to started to chuckle.

Faith glowered at them.

Walking their way; proudly looking down at something in his hands was their towheaded criminal; sure to be the next in line on the most wanted list.

Then they gestured to Faith to do the honors.

"YOU DID THIS FOR A JERSEY! A stupid freaking jersey! You STEAL a cab, risk your LIFE and the lives of New York citizens, NOT TO MENTION four of NYPD's finest, caused my partner to spill his COFFEE on him; all for a freaking JERSEY!" Faith was shouting this at the 11not 10 year old as she him by the back of the shirt with one hand, carrying the offending item in the other and hauling him alongside her to their RMP. "NOT TO MENTION THE PAPER WORK THIS IS GOING TO MAKE ME HAVE TO FILL OUT!"

Looking up at her innocently he said, "But the man on the phone said it was the last one and to get down here right away before it sold if I wanted it and my mom wouldn't bring me to get it!"

Faith paused a moment looking down at him incredulously and then shaking her head yelling," YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" started forward again with him in tow.

The guys, following behind were trying not to crack up; and were not succeeding very well.

Faith managed to shut CJ up though when she glanced back over her shoulder at him and said, "MAKE THAT THE PAPER WORK MY PARTNER IS GOING TO HAVE TO FILL OUT!"

"HEY, what did I do," he stopped with a fake shocked and hurt look on his face.

Later after the Bandit had been turned over to juvenile services and the paper work; and yes Faith made CJ do it; had been finished, they went back out on patrol.

After, she thought he had suffered enough for his transgression of laughing earlier, Faith asked CJ if he wanted to take a meal break and they were sitting in the diner eating.

She was remembering the lunches with Bosco here and how the waitress always gave him a hard time.

He would pick at his hamburger, and then eat only the fries, and drink his coffee.

It drove that woman crazy. She would get aggravated and then pick on him for the rest of the meal.

Faith liked the food here okay, a little greasy maybe, but, that's how she liked her cheeseburgers, when she had asked him about it he had just said he wasn't really hungry.

Sitting there now at the pint sizedcounter taking a bite out of her cheeseburger; and thinking about what she had seen in his kitchen, and what Rose had said it dawned on her that maybe the only reason he 'ate' here at all was because Faith liked it.

She would have to ask him about it the next time she saw him.

TBC...so, read and review please! :)