~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
by Demelza 2002
(demelza@tw-gateway.net)
Third Watch does not in any way belong to me. Third Watch belongs to NBC, Warner Brother's, John Wells and its other owners. None of the lyrics featured herein belong to me either, they belong to their respective owners. The only thing I own is the arrangement of words herein ;) Lyrics not mentioned with titles are.... 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' by Bonnie Tyler and 'Simon', by Lifehouse.
This fic goes out to Angie, my way of saying thanks for all your help over the past few months, and our many great fan fic discussions. ;) I also want to thank my sis Skye, for all her help, too. :)
Rated R for very minor language, violence, brief nudity and content, deals with issues of spousal abuse.
Each section of the story (scene breaks) are indicated like this:
~
A High School, eighties music, four cops, a group of teenagers. Anything can happen.
~
"Faith, are you awake?"
Faith's eye lids opened heavily. It took her a few moments for her vision to clear, but when it did, the first thing she saw was her partner's unshaven face looking down at her. He looked like shit, and knowing the night they'd had, so did she.
Faith sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the cot Bosco and she had shared, "I'm awake." she groggily yawned.
"That's good," Bosco replied, "Because your bail's been posted."
"What?" She asked back, her eyes instantly settling on the opened jail door. Fred stood in clear view, a most unimpressed look on his face. He didn't even wait as she stood up and gathered her jacket.
"See ya at work tonight." Bosco called after Faith, she just looked back at him over her shoulder as she continued out of there.
He turned and walked over to the cot, and sat down against the cold concrete wall. Taking in a breath, he closed his eyes as he let it back out.
~
The day before
Faith entered the locker room, she was a half hour late. Bosco was sitting on the bench just in front of her locker, his nose buried in a novel. "Sorry I'm late." She apologised to him, getting his attention.
Bosco looked up at her with a silly grin on his lips. "No worries." He said, closing the novel and putting it down beside him. "I covered for you."
"You did?" Shock in her voice. After what had happened in the recent weeks, she wondered if he would ever cover for her again. Her lying about her cancer, which nearly got him shot, and the week of him working with Gusler, refusing to have any part of a conversation with her. Then Stick said they had to be working together, and that was that. That was two weeks ago, and slowly, just very slowly things between them were finally getting better. His covering for her proving that. "Thanks."
"So why *were* you late? Another doctor's appointment?"
"No," Faith replied, walking over to her locker and opening it up. She reached in with her left hand and pulled out her uniform. "I sprained my wrist late last night, so I called into the pharmacy this morning to get something for it."
He nodded. "You fall?"
"Yeah," she replied, this time the tone in her voice letting him know she was almost lost in her own thoughts. Bosco looked up at her from where he sat, she stood there, uniform held against her stomach, her right hand against her chest, the sleeve pulled down over it, probably to cover the bandage that was wrapped around her wrist. Her eyes were directed at a photo of Emily and Charlie together with Fred.
"You okay Yokas?" He asked, slowly standing up.
There was a few moments silence before she finally snapped out of it. "Yeah. Fine. Thanks for covering for me." She repeated.
"Anytime." He replied. "Oh, your book." He leant down and picked up the novel and handed it to her. "That Roger is an asshole, beating his wife."
Faith looked at him quizzically, very carefully taking the novel from him with her right hand. He didn't say anything else, just walked out. Faith turned back to her locker, automatically looking down at the novel. Swallowing, a lone tear shed from her eye and streamed down her cheek, before falling and leaving a single damp stain on the purple blouse she wore. She blinked, and gazed up at the photo inside her locker again.
~
Bosco had been sitting in the squad car only five minutes when Faith walked out of the precinct and over to their car, climbing in the passenger side. "You okay?" He asked, she nodded but didn't say anything.
Not believing her, Bosco looked directly at her, waiting.
An angered sigh came from her, and she shook her head. "Would you drive already?" She asked, impatiently.
"Not until you tell me what's up."
"Just...please just drive. I don't want to talk about it."
He let out a sigh, "I thought we weren't gonna keep secrets anymore?" Faith just shook her head, refusing to respond. "Faith...we agreed..."
She immediately turned to him, something of anger and frustration in her eyes. "Fred and I had an argument! There, you happy?" She shook her head again, and looked directly out her side window, bringing her hand to her mouth, and trying not to cry.
"I'm glad you told me, but I'm not happy...what about this time?"
"I don't really want to talk about it. Can we get back to our shift, please?"
"Fine. It's your call, I'm only saying if you want to talk about it..."
"I don't."
Bosco cleared his throat. "Fine."
"Fine!" Faith snapped back, once again shaking her head in frustration and rolling her eyes.
The next hour of their shift not another word was spoken between the pair. They just patrolled their sector in silence until a call came in to a domestic disturbance. Faith was first out of the squad car and heading up to the front door of the home where the disturbance had been reported. She waited for Bosco before knocking three times. There was no answer, so she knocked a little louder a second time.
"Do it like this," Bosco pushed her aside slightly, pounding on the door time after time until it finally opened.
"Whadd'ya want?" The smelly drunk man standing before them in boxers and a t-shirt asked.
"Police. We're hear about a domestic disturbance." Bosco coolly replied.
"You want next door, I'm the one that called it in. They've been at it for three days now."
"Fighting?" The officer asked back.
"No, baking cookies...course I mean fighting, little man."
Bosco went to step forward and say something nasty when Faith interjected, "Thank you sir." She told the man, dragging her partner down the steps awkwardly with her sore wrist.
"Little man." He huffed, straightening his jacket, while Faith cradled her even worse aching wrist. Nothing else was said as they walked several feet along the footpath and up the front steps of the house next door. Bosco pounded on the door, "Police!" He called.
"Couldn't have knocked quietly?" Faith remarked, still cradling her sore wrist.
He laughed, "Like knocking quietly ever works."
She shot him a glare, "Does if you try it."
"Touchy..."
"Don't screw with me Boz, I'm not in the mood."
"You're certainly *in* a mood..." Bosco trailed off, stopping as the door in front of them opened. A battered woman stood there, fresh graises to her cheeks, bruises to her eyes...even days old bruises and cuts could be seen on her face. "Ma'am, is your husband or partner home?" He asked, looking past her, trying to assess for himself if the bastard that had done this to her was there.
"N-no, he just went out. You better go, before he comes back." The woman replied, pushing the door closed when Bosco put up his hand to stop the door. "Please, just go."
"Ma'am," Faith begun, "We're not going to do that. If he's hitting you, you need to report him."
"He loves me."
"He's hurting you!" Bosco exclaimed, a deep frown embeded in his forehead. "That's not love, that's assault and battery."
"He hits me, because his job, he gets so stressed."
Faith shook her head, angrily, "Ma'am, we don't care if he's the king of England, he doesn't have the right to beat you."
The woman chuckled, "He doesn't beat me. He's," a smile appeared on her face, "...doing what God says is right."
"Huh." Bosco looked toward Faith, seeing the same shocked look on her face.
"Ma'am, God doesn't say that it's okay to beat your spouse."
"But he says it is..." the woman replied, the smile still on her face.
[How can she think being beaten is right?] Bosco thought. "Since when has God ever said it is okay to beat your spouse, ma'am?" He asked.
"My husband, he goes to church every Sunday. He learns these preachings, and brings them home...we must obey as God commands." The woman said, her voice was so calm, she didn't even choke on the words. "I don't want to lay charges, I don't want to leave him...I love my husband, very much. Goodbye officers."
"No wait..." Faith called, but the woman closed the door and the fading footsteps as she walked away from the door sent chills up Faith's spine. "I can't believe it... she's just going to let that bastard do that to her?"
Bosco was already headed down the steps when he turned back to Faith, she was walking toward him now. "She might, but we have to go back to the precinct, and report the case to Social Services, and from there...let's hope they make her see that what her husband is doing is wrong."
Climbing back into their car, Bosco drove back to the precinct where they rung Social Services and he filled out their report. By the time they had finished, it was just before five. Sully and Ty were filling in a report from a break and entering they had answered a call to. "You guys up for an early dinner?" Ty asked, stopping over by the two officers where the duo sat at their desks.
"Why's that?" Bosco asked back.
"Well we're all getting together, me, Sully, Alex, Kim, Doc, Carlos...over at Hagerty's."
Bosco turned to Faith, "Faith?"
"I'll pass, thanks." She replied, standing up and heading out of the squad room.
"She okay?" Ty asked as Bosco stood up, gathering his hat from the desk. He shrugged. "Maybe some other time then?"
"Yeah." Bosco replied, heading out after his partner.
~
Faith had taken a few steps out front of the precinct when she felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned around, it was Bosco.
"Are you okay? You don't usually pass on group dinners."
"I'm just not feeling up to big groups today, that's all."
He nodded, "That sounds fair."
"You can go though, if you want." She told him, but he shook his head.
"Nah, I'm fine. Wanna drive?"
Faith rose her right hand a little, "You drive."
"Right."
~
The next two and a half hours Bosco and Faith spent patroling an urban neighbourhood, only once being requested to respond to a call. The call had been to a second domestic dispute, this time it was the wife beating the husband in front of her crying children, the eldest of which rung the police. She was arrested and driven back to the precinct for processing. Bosco filled out the report again, with Faith's assistance, and they were about to go for dinner when Stick called them into his office for a special assignment.
"...so, is there any questions?" Stick asked. Bosco blinked and looked at his commanding officer, finally shaking his head. "Yokas?" She automatically said 'no'. "Good, you're dismissed."
Faith and Bosco both walked out of the Captain's office, heading back to their unit.
"I'll drive," Bosco said, even though he was a few feet behind Faith.
"Not like I can," she sighed her reply.
"You know, if you want to drive, you just have to say so." He bit back, his tone unpleasant.
Faith rolled her eyes and climbed into the passenger side, and waited briefly for her partner to get in. She didn't want this to continue on. What had happened to them getting along better?
Once in, Bosco started the engine and pulled the car out of the parking space and then out left onto the main road.
They were driving on their way to Thomas High School, where they had been asked to shaparone a small group of teenagers who didn't want to take part in the party the rest of the school was attending in the main School Hall. It was a most peculiar assignment, if ever, but they'd been assured there would be no alchohol, just a group of teenagers who had been shunned by the rest of the school for not wanting to take part. In fact, according to Captain Stick, it had been the students who requested officer's shaparone them, as even the teachers and parents shaparoning the other party had been cruel and offensive to the students in the week leading to the event.
They arrived at the school after grabbing a bite to eat from Faith's favourite fast food joint a half hour later and climbed out of the squad car. "Wonder why they need so many units?" Bosco asked with a nod toward one of the other three squad cars there in the parking lot with them.
"Who knows." Faith replied.
Bosco accepted her reply with a nod, and they continued over to the main entrance of the school. The door was slightly ajar, and both officers walked in. Inside, the dim lights for the building were on along the hallways both to their left, and right. A white poster with a green arrow pointing left and the words, 'Losers Party' written beneath with a red marker pen lay pinned against the message board directly ahead of them. "Must be where we're headed..." he said, and both officer's headed left along the hall.
The walk along the long hall was silent, and soon another arrow that pointed up a flight of stairs appeared cellotaped to an easle standing in the middle of the hall, just opposite the staircase. Without a spoken word, they made their way up the stairs one step at a time, before coming face-to-face with a closed fire-proof door. A sign on it reading, 'Losers Only Through This Door'.
"That's so cruel," Faith said, anger in her voice. She pushed open the door, instantly music greeted them and so did a group of teenagers sitting in a circle on the floor in the classroom directly across from where they stood. Laughter and singing came from the students, and a smile appeared on Faith's lips.
Bosco stepped up beside her. "They need cops to shaparone them? Look at them, they're not doing anything wrong."
Faith didn't respond. Together they walked across the hall, and entered the large classroom. On a rough count, there had to be only thirteen or fourteen teenagers in the room, and all between sixteen and eighteen.
"The calvary has arrived!" A voice hollered, and instantly the laughter and singing stopped. Everyone was looking at Bosco and Faith. "I'm Paul Domico," a uniformed officer greeted them from their left, a red and white paper cup in his hand, "Officer Paul Domico."
"Boscorelli and Yokas." Bosco replied, taking one quick look at the dark haired italian man, before looking back out over the students. The students that were now already getting back to their singing and talking. Not to mention laughter. "So why are we here?" he asked, turning back to the officer. A familiar female officer now standing at his side, "Rizzi?"
"Boscorelli, and Yokas...long time no see!" Officer Adrian Rizzi exclaimed with a wide smile on her face, her once thick Australian accent having died down a lot since their Acadamy days. "It's been a while," she said, brushing back strands of her strawberry blonde hair that had fallen in front of her eyes.
"Seven, almost eight years," Faith said back, the first smile on her face that Bosco had seen all day. "Wow, it's so great to see you."
"Likewise," Rizzi replied. "So you guys here for the baby-sitting job, too?"
Bosco snorted, "Yeah, special assignment Stick said."
"Told us the same thing," Paul said at Rizzi's side, sipping a little of his drink. "We just got here a short while ago, the four of us are relieving Santonio, Brecken..." he paused, looking over toward the other end of the hall where two female officer's sat on a group of desks, "Although, Collins and Walters are staying put for the next hour, then they'll be leaving."
Bosco nodded, "Any ideas exactly why we have to baby-sit?"
"Actually, it's shaparoning...which is basically the same thing, but we're here to make sure none of their peers come bug them from down at the other party." Paul explained, taking in a breath. "They wanted rock, where's these guys wanted eighties."
"Rock, eighties?" Bosco asked back.
"Theme," Faith told him, getting a nod of agreement from Paul.
"Okay, so what now?"
"Now we sit back and just let these guys and gals have their fun." Rizzi said, putting her hand on Paul's back, "Back to our seat?" He turned around with her as the two of them walked back to their seats in the back end of the room.
Faith and Bosco looked at each other, "Eighties music, eighties theme...and I tried so hard to leave the eighties behind me," he said.
Faith just laughed, "Come on Boz." They walked over to Santonio and Brecken, who merely acknowledged their presence, before leaving. They were leaving when Bosco found a place to sit on top of one of the desks. Luckily enough, they were in what was obviously a home room or science lab, turned disco room for these teens. So the desk was large enough to sit on without fear of it buckling under him.
The music that was overhead was just straight disco music, no lyrics. But the DJ over by the back end of the room, where the drinks table was, put on a new vinyl and the song, 'Cry' by Waterfront began playing. The beat filled the room, and many of the students stood up and started dancing to the music. However slow the song was.
The song played loudly until the end, then all of a sudden the room was filled with large beats and fast moving music. 'Got To Keep On' by Cookie Crew. The dancing intensified, and Faith sat there bemused by the sight before her.
I got to keep on
I got to keep on
Ah ah ah I'm so tired
Ah ah ah I'm so tired
I got to keep on
I got to keep on
These teenagers had every eighties move down pact, even the robot. "I can so imagine you doing the robot," Bosco laughed, turning to Faith, who had a cross look on her face like she did that day in the car when he laughed and said to her, 'You a granny!' He mimicked several robot moves, wide grin on his face. Faith just shook her head, trying not to laugh at his antics.
The song came to an end, the teens cheering, and soon another song filled the room. 'She Drives Me Crazy' by Fine Young Cannibals.
The dancing was pretty eighties in itself, but was more the modern day dancing.
"I loved this song!" Bosco grinned, jumping off the desk and grabbing Faith by the hand and leading her to the dance area where everyone was dancing. "Dance!"
Faith tried telling him no, but he was already dancing.
I can't stop the way I feel
Things you do don't seem real
Tell me what you got in mind
'Cause we're running outta time
Won't you ever set me free
This waiting 'round's killing me
She drives me crazy (ooh ooh)
Like no one else (ooh ooh)
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself (ooh ooh)
She danced for a short while, when the aching in her wrist got worse, and she pulled out. Almost automatically, Rizzi was there, dancing just as crazy as Bosco was. It made Faith laugh, luckily enough the music was so loud that neither would have heard. She had just stepped over to the desk where Bosco had been seated earlier, when Paul approached.
"It's loud," Paul nodded toward the dancing group, the music pumping loudly in the room. "You two worked together long?" He asked.
Faith sat up on the desk, taking a few moments to do so, as came the difficulty from having a sore wrist. "Almost eight years." She replied, looking over at her partner. He was looking right back at her.
I can't get any rest
People say I'm obsessed
Everything you say is lies
But to me that's no surprise
What I had for you was true
Things go wrong, they always do
She drives me crazy (ooh ooh)
Like no one else (ooh ooh)
She drives me crazy
And I can't help myself (ooh ooh)
I won't make it on my own
No one likes to be alone
"Ever since you left the Academy?" Paul asked.
Blinking, watching as Bosco danced, smile on his face as he looked back at her. She slowly turned to Paul, "Yeah." She nodded, "How about you and Adrian?"
"Me and Adrian? 'bout three years. We were assigned each other's partners when my partner was shot by this kid..." he paused, the painful memories of seeing his partner drop to the ground from a single, fatal shot to the forehead stabbed at his mind. He blinked, continuing on, "We were transfered to the five-five 'bout three weeks back. This is our first night shift, though."
"You don't sound so enthusiastic." Faith remarked, noticing the unease that came from him.
He cleared his throat, "Yeah. Well, my old man was killed in the line of duty, the same with my two cousins, who were like brothers to me...and not to mention my partner."
"I'm so sorry."
"Me too. But, my therapist says I've got to look at it this way, that they were risk takers, and those risks were what claimed their lives."
Faith nodded, agreeing with him. What he said made her automatically think of her partner, he was a risk taker. And had several run-ins over the years that could have claimed his life. She looked over at him, and instantly seeing him dancing with the lights flickering above them and around the room sent memories flashing through her mind.
Her sick on the stairs, a gunshot going off... her heart pounding, mind surging with fear for the life of her partner. She ran up them, finding the man there, her partner on the floor. All the pain, the anguish, the hurt she held inside...she had got him shot.
Her mind flashed again, this time to her being down by his side, putting her hand under his vest, feeling for blood, and finding none. The relief in her heart and mind that there was no blood.
"Hey partner, you okay?" Bosco's voice broke her away from her thoughts. The song had stopped, Paul was walking over to Rizzi again, and new music was playing. She turned to her left to see Bosco sitting up on the desk beside her. She slowly nodded, turning away again. "Good. You had me worried for a minute."
"I was just thinking." Faith replied, not meeting his gaze.
"You sure, you've been...acting kinda strange today."
"Like you haven't?" She remarked, looking back at him.
"I've been worried." Bosco explained. "Ever since you came into work this morning, it's like your physically here, but emotionally...you're elsewhere."
"I could say the same for you a lot of the time lately," Faith pointed out.
"Yeah. But that's me...this is you. You're not usually like this. Is it because of the argument with Fred?"
Faith let out a sigh, "I told you I don't want to talk about it."
"So it is because of Fred that you're not your usual self today."
"Bosco..."
He shook his head. "No, Faith, I won't take you not wanting to talk about it as an answer. We always talk about our problems...most of them, at least. But whenever you fight with Fred, we talk about it." She shook her head, letting out another sigh. "What, is he hitting you or something?"
She shot him angered eyes, "Don't be stupid. Of course he's not hitting me."
"Then what?"
"Could we just, not talk about it...please?"
Reluctantly accepting her request, Bosco slowly nodded. "Fine. But only if you promise me a dance, the whole song through."
"I am not going to dance with you." Faith said, her voice firm. "There is no way..."
"Aw, come on..." he said, turning back to the group of teenagers. Rizzi and Paul were dancing to 'Teardrops' by Womack & Womack. The song was coming to an end, and Bosco turned to Faith. "One song, then I won't bug you for another dance, ever."
"No. I'm not dancing with you!" She laughed, shaking her head. But Bosco didn't listen, he jumped down off the desk and grabbed Faith by both her wrists, pulling her down from where she sat. "Ow!" She winced in pain, automatically pulling away from him. Tears flowed unevenly from her eyes.
"Oh shit Faith, I'm so sorry..." he apologised frantically, putting both his hands on her shoulders to look right at her. The tears were flowing fast, and she was biting her lip, trying not to sob. "I'm such a fucking moron, oh Faith, I'm so sorry..." he said.
Faith used her left hand to wipe the tears from her eyes, before once again cradling her wrist. It ached severly, and all she wanted to do was sit down and bawl her eyes out. As much as she hated to cry, and appear weak. "Just...leave me alone..." she cried, shrugging him away.
Bosco swallowed, nodding. "I'm so sorry, Faith. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"I told you I didn't want to dance..." She told him, swallowing back more tears.
"I said I was sorry..."
"I really don't care!" Faith shouted. She shook her head as she turned and walked around the dancing group, and headed out to the hallway. She stopped a few feet away from the door to the stair case. More tears flowed from her eyes, and she took in a breath. Swallowing again, her throat felt like it was all choked up, one of the parts of crying she hated.
Turn around,
Every now and then I get a little bit lonely
And you're never coming around
"Faith..."
Turn around
Every now and then, I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears
Wiping away the fresh tears, she turned to her partner. He stood in the doorway of the classroom. It was an accident, pure and simple. And she was a total bitch to him. And it wasn't even his fault!
Turn around
Every now and then I get a little bit nervous
That the best of all the years have gone by
"I'm sorry I hurt you, Faith...and for trying to force you to dance, especially after you said you didn't want to."
Turn around
Every now and then I get a little bit terrified
And then I see the look in your eyes
"It's not that..." she sniffed, turning away from him, trying hard not to cry more.
Turn around bright eyes
Every now and then I fall apart
Turn around bright eyes
Every now and then I fall apart
Footsteps as he walked over and stood beside her. "Then tell me what." There was a pause of silence, and Faith turned back to him, using her right hand to wipe the still flowing tears from her cheeks and red eyes. "Woah, how'd you get the bruises!?" He asked, carefully taking her hand and looking at her wrist. She hadn't been wearing a bandage, she was wearing what looked like a long sleeved top, and had the sleeve pulled right down over her wrist, to make it *look* like a bandage.
Faith pulled her hand away, pulling down the sleeve once again. "Supermarket."
He shook his head, "No, you said you fell."
"I lied. This woman, she grabbed my wrist over at the bargain bin, trying to stop me from grabbing a reduced packet of biscuits."
Bosco looked right at her, and Faith knew that he disbelieved every word. "Then why the hell did you say you fell?" He asked, his voice wasn't in anger, but in confusion.
"Because someone grabbing my wrist over a packet of biscuits sounded ridiculous." Faith replied.
"To you maybe. But me? Come on, I mean...two women having a fight over a packet of biscuits...meow! Cat fight!" He said with a wide grin, making her laugh. "You know you can tell me anything Faith, no matter how ridiculous it might be."
Faith looked away for a moment, nodding. She turned back to him, "I know."
"So, you coming back in?"
She nodded again, and they were a few feet across the hallway when a large clatter came from a darkened area of the hall. "What the hell was that?" Bosco exclaimed, he removed the flashlight from his belt, flicking it on and shining it down the hallway.
Two figures came into view instantly, spray painting the lockers. But within split moments, they begun running. "Fuck it! Cops!" One of them yelled.
Both both Bosco and Faith went chasing after them, "Police, freeze!" Bosco shouted. But neither of them listened. Faith removed her gun from its holster, as did Bosco. Except that as he reached for his gun, the torch fell to the ground and went out. The hall grew dark. "So much for unbreakable..." he cursed, still running after the guys as best he could see in the now dark hallway.
Faith removed her own flashlight, switching it on, instantly setting Bosco at ease from his fear of darkness that was settling in rather quickly. She handed him the torch, and the chase continued on down the hallway and up the next flight of stairs to the third level of the high school. As they entered the door of the third level, Faith was the first through and was instantly met with a blow to the stomach from a baseball bat. She fell to the ground, her gun scattering across the hall. Bosco almost froze in his steps, watching as his partner struggled to get back up.
The attacker hit from the left, so Bosco came through the door, crouching down. The attacker swung again, and that gave Bosco the time to swing his arm out and knock the bastard in the stomach, then pulling the bat out of his hands. He tossed the baseball bat down the staircase behind them, and laying a kick into the guy's stomach, who was starting to get back up again.
"Stop! Stop!" The second guy yelled, racing over to his buddy. "Leave him the fuck alone!"
Bosco crouched down by Faith, his gun trained on the two guys. "Faith, are you alright?" He asked, looking down at her for a moment, before setting his eyes back on the guys.
"Mmm..." she mumbled, her breathing shallow as she tried to regain her breath. "I'll live..." she finally managed.
"Good," Bosco replied, the concern in his tone never fading as he helped Faith get to her feet. "Alright you two little dip shits, get walking." He motioned with his gun toward the door they had just came up through.
The first guy stumbled to his feet, while his friend helped him walk down the staircase. They had just came to the basin where the steps curved to the left, when the second guy reached down for the baseball bat. Having it in his grip, he shoved the other guy out of the way and swung it at Bosco. But he missed, catching Faith in her right arm as she defended herself from the impact.
A scream came from her, and Bosco grabbed hold of the rail and kicked the baseball bat out of the guy's hands. He went stumbling back against the wall and Bosco went after him, punching him in the face twice, before pulling himself back. "You little asshole!"
Up on the stairs behind him, Faith was seated, trying not to cry. But she could hardly control her tears.
Bosco removed his handcuffs, and slapped them on the two guys. The first guy was scowling deeply, and it was at this moment that he noticed the extreme likeness in looks that the guys had. Brother's.
He turned to Faith for a moment, he felt so bad. Seeing the pain she was in. First the fight at the supermarket with that woman, the knock to the stomach with a baseball bat, and then being hit a second time with it. Anger grew inside him, he turned back to the two guys. He wanted to hit something, and he wanted to hit it now. He took one step towards the morons, when Faith called to him. "Don't Boz."
Shaking his head, Bosco turned back to her, running his hand through his hair. "You okay partner?"
Faith bit her lip, "Fine." She replied. But both of them new better.
~
They made it down the flight of stairs, the two young guys taken to the precinct by Walters and Collins, while Bosco took Faith to Mercy Hospital.
They waited in the ER waiting area for almost an hour before Faith was seen to. Her jacket was removed, and she sat on the bed with her arm resting on a pillow. The doctor had done x-rays, and were now waiting for the results. Beside her, Bosco sat nervously looking around the room on one of those plastic chairs. He hated hospitals.
"You can go, you know." Faith said to him, he looked up at her. "You don't have to stay."
"I know. You got knocked pretty bad though," Bosco pointed out. "How's the wrist?"
Faith looked down at her wrist, then at her partner's warm blue eyes. "Hurts like hell." She laughed. Slowly taking in a big breath, and letting it back out.
Bosco stood up, sitting on the bed beside her. "You know Yokas, you keep taking beatings like this, it could seriously alter your work."
Faith met his eyes a smile, "What, you're planning on getting me hit with a baseball bat again?"
He didn't reply straight away. "Well, what good would it be having the two of us injured tonight?"
"Jerk." She laughed.
He grinned, "Guilty as charged."
Faith merely shook her head, with a slight smile on her lips. She went to say something else when the doctor walked in, white folder with coloured stickers on it in his hands. "Alright Mrs Yokas, let's take a look at these x-rays shall we?"
Bosco stood up and walked over to the doctor as he placed the x-rays on the light box.
There were a few moments as the doctor looked over the x-ray, "Good news is, there's no break. However, there is a minor fracture on the trapezium bone, part of the thumb." He turned to Faith, "Which is not consistant with the blow you received to the right side of your wrist. I also noticed there was a lot of bruising on your wrist, which is also inconsistant with the blow you received. Care to tell me how it happened?"
Faith immediately looked at Bosco, causing the doctor to look at him too, before turning back to her. "Mrs Yokas?"
"Supermarket." She replied, "It was over a reduced packet of biscuits."
"Oh, I see." The doctor replied. He turned to Bosco, "Can I speak with you outside?"
Bosco nodded, and followed the doctor out into the hallway a short distance from the exam room out of Faith's ear range. "Fire away doc."
"Your partner, has she told you what really happened to her wrist?"
Bosco looked at him strangely, "Only what she told you."
"Well, I'm inclined to think she's hiding the truth."
"Come on doc, you can't be serious. This is my partner, she wouldn't lie..." But as soon as the words came out of his mouth, Bosco looked in Faith's direction. She had lied to him before, about her cancer. What if she was lying about her wrist, too? He turned back to the doctor, "She wouldn't lie about a thing like this."
"Very well. I just thought I'd ask."
"Yeah, well don't doubt my partner's word, ever." He warned, shaking his head before heading back to the exam room. Inside, he stopped at the foot end of the bed. Faith was looking directly at him.
"What? What is it?" She asked.
"Nothing." He replied, "I'll go call Stick, let him know what's going on." He said, his voice distant.
"Bosco..." Faith called, but Bosco was already headed out of the room. "Damn it."
~
Faith and Bosco remained at the hospital for almost an hour while a navy blue cast was applied to her wrist, and while it dried. When they finally left, Bosco drove back to the precinct where Captain Stick sent them both home early. There were only another two hours left in their shift by now, but neither argued that fact.
They were in the locker room when Rizzi and Paul came in, laughing their asses off. "Oh man, you missed a great strip tease!" Rizzi told Faith as she walked over to her. "How long you off for?" She then asked, noticing the cast on Faith's wrist.
"Few weeks."
"Bummer." Paul said over by Bosco.
"Yeah. But a strip tease huh?" Faith asked back, "Damn Boz, you took me away from the best part of the evening!" She laughed along with Paul and Rizzi, Bosco didn't say anything, he only turned back to his locker to remove his jacket before slipping it on and heading out of there.
"What's with him?" Paul asked.
Faith looked over at the door where her partner had just left through, "I'm not sure." She replied, but that was a half truth. It had to do with the fact the doctor pulled him out of the room to ask him something. She turned back to her own locker for a moment, removing her jacket also, and slipped it on. "I'll see you guys again soon?"
"Looking forward to it." Rizzi smiled back, "Take care Faith."
"I will, thanks." Faith replied, heading out of the locker room. She didn't look around her as she headed right, out along the hall.
After changing into their civies, Faith was the first to leave, headed home. While Bosco came out a few minutes later, trying to get his head around the events of the evening. More specifically, what the doctor has said to him. He was walking over to his car when he caught glimpse of Faith stand by the far corner of the Fire house. Cigerette in hand. "I thought you quit..." he muttered to himself, watching as she brought the obvious bad habit to her lips, before removing it and letting out a puff of smoke.
He looked at his car, before looking back in direction of Faith. She was still standing there, one arm in a sling, while she puffed on the smoke that was in the other hand. "Damn it..." he cursed, realising in his mind that it wasn't right for him to just let her walk home alone.
Shoving his keys deep into his pockets, Bosco sprinted over to Faith. "I thought you quit?" He asked, catching her by surprise as she looked in the other direction. She turned to him, automatically dropping the cigarette to the ground and rubbing it out with the toe of her left foot.
"I did..." She breathed out the last puff she had taken in. "That was..."
"Pain relief?"
Faith looked at him for a moment before slowly nodding. "Better that than drinking."
"Both kill you." Bosco informed her.
She sighed. "What, I'm in for a lecture now?"
"No, I'm just saying. Walk you home?" He offered.
Faith looked over at the precinct, then back to him. "I'll be fine. Besides, you can't just leave your car here."
Bosco nodded, "Yeah, but it wouldn't start. Have to walk anyways." He shrugged. "So, I'll walk you home."
She started walking by herself, "I don't need you to do that." She said over her shoulder.
He followed anyway. "I decided my asking always gets a no, so you now have no choice."
Faith wore a smile, but shook her head just the same. This was going to be a long walk home, she knew it.
A half hour later, she still wasn't home, Bosco had decided it would be better if they took a walk through the park before calling it a night. So they hailed a cab and drove out to Central Park. "I don't know Boz, it's dangerous this time of night." Faith explained. But he shrugged what she said off, and continued walking along.
They entered the main area of the park, there was a party of sorts going on, music thumping loudly.
"So, did you mean it before?" Bosco casually asked as they walked along. Faith stopped, a quizicall look on her face. He turned back to her. "About the strip tease."
"What about it...?"
"About, missing the best part of the evening. It being it."
"I was having you on."
Bosco nodded, "I thought as much. But, I do feel guilty for your missing out."
Faith looked back at him, "Boz, I could care less about seeing a bunch of teenagers strip tease."
Again he nodded, turning back around and continuing walking along. They walked a short distance longer, when suddenly the music at the party changed. "Aw, this is perfect!" Bosco said, stopping directly in his steps, a huge grin adorning his face.
I see you baby
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Bosco spun around on one foot, dropping his jacket over his shoulders and letting it slowly slide down his arms before removing it and spinning it around over his head three times and tossing it to Faith, where she caught it in her arms.
Alright don't touch me
He stopped, winking at her, before moving left in a smooth motion, then right again.
I see you baby
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
I see you baby
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
He crossed one arm over the other, grabbing the base of his black t-shirt. And as the music pounded on, he moved his hips left to right as he pulled the t-shirt off. Slowly, very slowly revealing the muscles that adorned his abdomen.
Alright don't touch me
Alright
"Bosco, what the hell are you doing?" Faith asked, she couldn't help the smile that she wore as he kept on moving his hips left to right, doing as the music said...shaking that ass.
I see you baby
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
I see you baby
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Bosco wore a grin, and with each smooth movement of his hips, swaying left to right, he brought his hands around to the buckle of his belt and started to unbuckle it. As the buckle released, his eyes automatically met Faith's, she was shaking her head, laughing at the same time. He thrust his pelvis forward, and removed the belt in one swift movement.
Alright don't touch me
I see you baby
"Oh. My. God." Faith said, "Boz, you have to stop..." she laughed again as he held the top of his jeans with one hand, and unzipped them with the other.
I see you baby
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
I see you baby
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Shakin' that ass
Bosco moved his pelvis in a circular motion, his hands clasped behind his heads, seductive eyes and lips looking back at her. He winked at her again before spinning around, his hands gripping the top of his trousers where the fly was undone, about to remove his pants when he stopped suddenly.
"You remove those pants buddy, I'll shoot." A deep voice said from behind Faith. She spun around, automatically stepping backward over to Bosco and handing him his t-shirt and jacket. Two cops stood there, one older guy who looked like he was due for retirement in a few years, and a younger officer with a mean look about him. "Zip up the fly." The younger officer ordered.
Bosco did so, then slipped on his t-shirt. "Sorry, it was just..."
"You were stripping in public for your girlfriend. Indecent exposure...you're both under arrest."
"What!?" Faith exclaimed, but before further protest could be heard, she had her good wrist cuffed to Bosco's right wrist. The Miranda of Rights being read.
"You can't do this!" Bosco shouted, but the younger officer who was putting on the handcuffs slapped him in the back of the head, barking at him to shut the hell up. Not taking kindly to it, Bosco used his free hand to lay a backhanded punch into the officer's jaw, catching him fair and square. "Let us the hell go!"
"Listen to me, son..." The older officer said, his nightstick removed from his belt and quickly pressed firmly against Bosco's groin. "You strip in public, you pay the consequences for your actions. Now shut the hell up."
~
Catch your breath hit the wall
Scream out loud as you start to crawl
Back in your cage
The only place where they will
Leave you alone 'cause the weak will
Seek the weaker until they've broken them
Could you get it back again
Would it be the same
Fulfillment to their lack of strength
At your expense
Left you with no defense
They tore it down
And i have felt the same
As you, I've felt the same
As you, I've felt the same