The idea for this story came up in a discussion. It was one of those ideas that just hits you and you know you have to write it. So, that's what I did. I wrote it. Well, I wrote chapter one anyway.

Please read and review. It'd be a shame if the idea only appealed to me....

Now if only I could come up with a good title. I am terrible with titles in case you havent figured that out already...

IN LIEU OF.....

Bad day Lieu?" Bosco asked. I was descending the stairs when I noticed Lieu shaking his head while exhaling a deep breath.

"Been a bad week Boscorelli," Lieu conceded.

"Maybe you need a vacation, you know, recharge the ole batteries."

"Yeah, you might be right," Lieu agreed. "For the time being, I'd settle for a beer."

"You're welcome to join us.Sully, Ty, me...couple other maybe," I offered.

"I'm 'fraid I'm gonna be here awhile tonight," Lieu said nodding his head. "Thanks for the offer though."

"Sure thing," I replied snapping my jacket. "Nite."

"Good nite," Lieu said with a heavy sigh before turning his attention to his work.

An hour or so later, I found myself breaking up a fight between Sully and his evening's sparring partner.

"Sul man, this is getting real old real fast," Ty replied, trying to stay calm. Sully was making it a habit of getting into someone's face every time we went out for a beer.

"Mind your own business kid," Sully snarled.

"Can't do that Sully," Ty replied nodding his head. "Come on, I think it's time to call it a night."

As the three of us left, Ty managed to keep Sully from getting in anyone else's face. Sully, intent on driving, had his keys in hand. Stumbling in his drunken state, he dropped them. I got to them before Sully (which of course was no huge task) handing them over to Ty.

"Wish I could say you're gonna feel better in the morning Sul," I said leaning on the window edge of Sully's car. "But I don't think that's going to be the case."

"Thanks for the help Bosco," Ty offered before getting in the drivers seat. "See ya tomorrow."

"See ya Ty," I offered as Ty pulled away. I crossed the parking lot headed for his own car when a familiar sedan pulled up alongside him.

"Boscorelli" Lieu replied after rolling down his window.

"Hey Lieu, you decide to take me up on that beer?"

"Yeah, got finished a little earlier than I'd expected so I thought I'd stop by."

"I was just about to head on home. You just missed Ty and Sully."

"Maybe another time then," Lieu replied as he prepared to leave.

"It's still early," I said looking at my watch. "Sully kind of made a nuisance of himself. If you still want that beer. We might want to try another place."

"Any suggestions?"

"I know a perfect place. You want to drive?"

"Sure no problem," Lieu said reaching over and unlocking his passenger door.

Fifteen minutes later, I led the way into an all too familiar bar.

"Hey ma" I called out to my mother who was at the bar talking with a customer.

"This is a surprise," she replied. "What can I get you?"

"Couple beers," I answered before heading to a table in the corner.

"Be right over," Rose called after him.

"Your mother?" Lieu asked as he took a seat.

"I wasn't expecting to see you so soon," Rose replied, setting two beers on the table before sitting down beside me. What brings you by?"

"Ma, this is Lt Swersky," I replied, introducing my superior to my mother.

"A Lieutenant huh," Rose replied with a smile.

"Yes ma'am," Lieu replied. "Most people call me Lieu."

"Lieu works at the 55th precinct," I explained.

"Oh so you work with my boy here?" Rose questioned.

"Yeah I've worked with Bosco since he joined the force."

"I better get back to work. Lemme know if you boys need anything else. Nice meeting you Lieu," Rose said before leaving the two to their drinks.

"Your mom's a nice lady," Lieu replied as Bosco watched her go back to work.

"This surprises you?"

"She's just not what I expected," Lieu admitted. "Although I'm not sure what I expected but given the hot-headed officer she has for a son."

"My ma's incredible," I continued. "She's been through a lot in her life..my old man beating her.my brother Mikey and his run-ins with the law.and me, her hot-headed cop of a son."

"You really surprised me that night.arresting your own brother."

"Ma was pissed at me for a while after that one. Mikey's my brother, he's family, but that didn't change what he did. I couldn't let it slide."

"How long did you think about the situation before you arrested him?"

"Not long. Me and Faith pulled him over. We had our weapons out, told him to get out of the car. When he got out, he had his back to me. Then he turned around and I saw it was Mikey. It was a shock but I couldn't let him get away with dealing drugs. Faith thought otherwise. I don't know if she didn't want to arrest him or if she just didn't want me to do it. Either way, we brought him in."

"And your ma bailed him out."

"Yep, she's always had a soft spot for Mikey. I was pissed when I found out she paid his bail. But where else was he going to get the money? Certainly not from my old man."

"I take it you and your father don't see eye-to-eye on things?"

"My old man and I don't see each other period. I have nothing to say to him and he doesn't want to hear from me. I've seen him once since 9/11 and I had to go through Mikey to find him."

"You didn't hear from him after the Towers collapsed?'

"Nope! He didn't give a damn whether I was alive or not."

"I bet your mom took it pretty hard."

"Yeah she did. Of course, I've given her more than enough reasons to worry."

"Well you have a knack for finding trouble."

"Hey, I don't find trouble, Trouble finds me."

"Trouble like getting shot.twice.crashing through a second story window.fires.yeah I'd say she has reason to worry. "

"Something like that," I acknowledged, glancing at Lieu. "How come it's always me everything happens to?"

"Cause you're a good cop Bosco," Lieu said before nodding as if he was waiting to see if I agreed or not.

I didn't reply right away, thinking over what he'd said before I continued.

"You really think I'm a good cop Lieu?" I finally asked, a sense of doubt in my voice.

"You're a hot head Bosco. I think we both agree on that." Lieu started to explain.

I had to laugh. I don't know why but it just struck me as humorous. Hell, the whole idea of me and Lieu, sitting here talking over a couple of beers was humorous if not a little odd.

"Being a hot-head isn't necessarily a bad thing," Lieu continued, a smile on his face as he looked right at me. "Don't get me wrong, I like it when my men and women think before reacting but sometimes we have to go on instincts. The academy teaches a lot of different things but you can't teach someone instincts. You either have them or you don't."

"To answer your question," Lieu replied. "You've got good instincts Bosco and yes, I think you're a good cop. When things get tough out there, you kick it up a notch.you get the job done."

"I just do what I gotta do," I commented. "Like you said, sometimes the situation doesn't give you time to think."

"And that's why you've taken two gunshots and fell through a second story window.'

"I'm sorry to interrupt," ma replied, looking like she had a job in mind. "Can I borrow my son for just a minute?"

"Of course," Lieu smiled. I think he was getting a kick out of me and ma. I was beginning to think that this night was gonna be one that I wouldn't live down.

"I'm sorry, it's just that Scott is off tonight and he usually changes the tank," ma explained.

"No problem ma," I replied. "Be right back, Lieu."

"I'm really sorry," ma replied once again. "Scott, my regular bartender is off tonight. He's been with me for almost nine years. I almost didn't hire him but he's turned out to be a great bartender."

"So it runs in the family," Lieu questioned. Ma wasn't sure what Lieu was referring to. "Eight years ago I wasn't exactly sure putting Bosco and Faith together was such a good idea either. But, they seem to work together well."

"Faith's a beautiful gal," Rose replied. "She takes care of my Maurice. I know first hand that she has her hands full with him but he respects her. I taught him that.at least I tried. Many times I wondered if he was listening to what I was trying to tell him. I guess he was It's not easy being a single parent but he's turned out okay. I'm proud of him."

"Proud of him being a police officer?" Lieu couldn't resist asking.

"Yeah, I am proud of him for being a police officer, although sometimes he scares the hell out of me. But being a cop is important to him, it's a big part of who he is. Asking him to change would change who he is and nothing is worth that. So you learn to live with it."

"Can I ask you a question?" Lieu stated.

"Sure you can," ma responded. "Of course I reserve the right to not answer.the right to remain silent?"

Lieu and ma shared a laugh before he continued.

"Why do you think Bosco being a cop is such an important part of who he is?"

"My son didn't have a charmed childhood. His father wasn't a good man or a good father. He hurt me and he hurt Maurice and his brother. I thought divorcing him would make things better for my boys but it didn't work out that way. In some ways it was worse 'cause neither of my boys suspected there was anything wrong. Just one day he found out his father wouldn't be living with us anymore. It wasn't easy being a single parent to two boys but I did the best I could. Mikey's a lot like his father. He doesn't dwell on things. He just lets it go and moves on. Maurice is more like me. He wants to fix things. He always has, ever since he was a little boy. I think that's why he's a cop so he can fix things; especially when a little kid's involved. He doesn't want kids to suffer like he did."

"I have noticed that he gets a little more involved when a child is at risk," Lieu offered. "Bosco's good with kids, especially ones who are hurting."

"I keep telling him that. I think he worries too much that he'll be like his father was with him but I don't believe that. Course every time I bring up the subject, he thinks I'm pushing him for grandchildren."

"Grandchildren?" Lieu chuckled. "I take it he's not interested in having kids of his own?"

"No, I just think he hasn't met the mother of his children yet," Rose said smiling. "But when he does, he'll know it and I won't have to make suggestions about grandkids."

"The two of you seem really close." Lieu stated, although it was more in the form of a question.

"Well, I guess we are. But then, he's all I got and I'm all he's got. Sure he has a father.somewhere. He's got a brother who has no interest in forming any bond with him. So, it's just the two of us. Plus, I think he worries about me and the men I date."

"And they think being a parent is easy," Lieu offered his opinion. "My two daughters seem to think they need to fix up dear old dad with a new woman. But I make a comment on someone they're dating."

"All hell breaks lose?" Ma filled in the blank.

"Well Maurice has good reason to not like some of the men I've dated," Rose confessed. "Not all of them but I have dated a few who treated me badly. That's when Maurice the son and Maurice the police officer become one and it's not a pretty site. But I can't blame him. He worries about me. I mean he's out there on the streets trying to protect people and here I am being beaten up. It's a tough thing for him and he doesn't handle it all that well."

"You cant blame him. Like you said, he wants to fix things."

"What needs fixing?" I asked, coming into the conversation late.

"See what I mean?" Rose said with a laugh.

"You talking about me again ma?"

"Of course. You're my favorite subject."

"So, you boys hungry?" ma asked.

"That question would be directed at you" I said pointing towards Lieu. "Ma knows I'm always hungry especially if she's cooking."

"You're so good for my ego" ma replied leaning over placing a kiss on my cheek. "You used to get upset when I kissed you in public."

"Yeah well, it didn't do me any good," I said, in my defense. "I figure 'what's the point'?"

"What do you say Lieu? I have a nice big pan of lasagna in the oven."

"Sounds good to me," Lieu replied.

"You know, maybe if you're not busy Saturday you should stop by. Maurice and I usually have a nice dinner. It'd be nice if you could join us.

Okay, did I just hear my ma correctly? Did she just invite my boss over for dinner?

Like I was saying, I don't find trouble. Trouble finds me Right now trouble was brewing right in front of me. And like so many other times, I was powerless to do anything. So, I did what no one would believe..I kept my mouth shut.



To be continued.