It was a long shift, that first one back full-time with Faith. Normally saying a shift was long isn't a good thing and maybe that day wasn't all that good either. But, as I think back on that day, nothing stands out in my mind other than I was working with Faith again.

As the day progressed, I began to realize things. I'd missed working with Faith.not just the cop, but Faith, my best friend. I missed having someone to talk to.someone who actually listened. Both of us knew that there were days when she wasn't really paying attention to what I was saying and I have to admit that I did the same thing. But, for the most part, Faith and I communicated in ways that were different.ways other than with just words. Me and Faith, we could speak volumes with just a look. We knew what the other was thinking with just a look.we could finish each other's sentences.

Cruz, now that was something completely different. We didn't communicate. She gave orders and I followed them. Looking back, I can't remember when it was exactly that I'd stopped thinking for myself. But, I know exactly when it was that I started thinking for myself.it was the night Nicole was attacked. The following day, Cruz's puppet was laid to rest and the loudmouth pissed-off Officer Boscorelli came back to life. Of course, it took a few weeks to fully recover. I was caught in a cloverleaf for a while as the brass worked out a plan. I grew tired of waiting for their plan. Faith and I moved onto Plan B and the rest of Camelot came along for the ride. What a ride it had been. While my mind was working overtime, my body was exhausted.

After work that first day back, I gave Faith a ride home. She invited me up for coffee or 'something' as she put it. I guess it was a tossup between coffee and a beer. I was a little surprised but it wasn't completely out of the norm. I took a seat on the sofa while Faith went to start the coffee.

We talked for a while that night about stuff that seemed important and stuff that was actually pretty dumb but it felt good just talking. The dumb stuff was the best though cause lately everything me and Faith talked about involved our plan and it had gotten a bit intense. Another thing I hadn't realized was how tense I had become. Okay so maybe I was always a little tense, high-strung, but with Cruz, it had taken on a whole new meaning. Faith and me, that was different, and the longer we talked that night, the more I realized it. The more relaxed I became.

In fact, he was a little too relaxed. It's me, Faith taking over for a second here. I had gone to put my coffee cup in the kitchen only to come back and find my partner sound asleep on my couch. Yeah I'd say he was relaxed. Now you got to remember this is Bosco we're talking about. I probably know the guy better than anyone and I've seen his good days and his bad days. I've seen him blow it big time like that time with he slept with the Captain's daughter. Of course lying to me about that evidence wasn't so hot either but I like to think we've put that behind us. Anyway, Bosco is a complex guy. But, he can be a sweetheart too, especially when it involves a kid. Most recently, I'd seen him with Nicole the day she was attacked. He was just so sweet, so gentle with her. Nothing like I'd ever imagined him being with Nicole. Course, he'd provided me with more details than I needed so my perception of the two of them was a little off.

Seeing him asleep on my couch was all together different. He was so un- Bosco. I'd never seen him look so peaceful, so relaxed. I mean 'Bosco relaxed' has to be one of the all-time greatest oxymorons. So, walking back into my living room and finding him asleep.well, I admit I stood there for a minute or two just watching him. Maybe I half expected that if I'd walked over next to him, he would have jumped off my couch scaring the hell out of me. But no, he was out.

So, just as I'd said once before, I treated him as one of my kids. I went to the closet; pulled out an extra blanket I kept there and carefully covered him up. I bent over and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, not realizing what I'd done until I was walking back to my own bedroom. Maybe I took the 'treating him like one of my kids' a little too far.

The next morning, I woke up early. It wasn't quite six o'clock when I strolled from my room to the bathroom. I'd forgotten all about Bosco on my couch until I walked into the kitchen to start the coffee. I remembered him the moment I saw the coffee pot in the sink. As my eyes ventured from that coffee pot to the couch, Bosco stirred.

"Morning sleepyhead," I said with a laugh. Seeing him just waking up.I have to admit he was just too darn cute. His hair was going this way and that way, stubble on his chin. I watched as he lay there on my couch, yawning and stretching all at once. I started a fresh pot of coffee as he used the palms of his hands to rub the sand out of his eyes.

"I guess my coffee isn't strong enough?" I replied as he glanced at me with a look that pretty much said 'I have no clue what you're talking about'.

"You fell asleep on my couch," I explained, gesturing to the blanket that still covered part of him. "I guess my coffee wasn't strong enough otherwise you wouldn't have fallen asleep.'

"Naaa, your coffee was fine," he commented. "I just haven't been sleeping too well lately and it's just catching up to me."

"Yeah I guess," I agreed. He had a point. I know Bosco and he had been under a lot of stress just working with Cruz. After he figured it all out, when the brass wanted him to take down Cruz, he was under even more stress. Finally he was able to get some sleep.

"So how'd you sleep?"

"Better than I have in a long time.last I remember we were sitting here talking. Next think I knew, you were making coffee."

"You've had a lot on your mind," I replied as he slowly got up from the couch, walking over and looking out the window. I'd let Faith take over for a while since I'd been a little out of it. But after a good night's sleep, I was feeling better. I felt like I was taking control over my life. I guess that includes taking back this story.

"Yeah, I have," I replied before turning around to face her. "Faith, I.you've.thanks.for everything. For being there that day...for convincing me to tell everyone.Sully, Ty, Jimmy, everyone at the fire house."

"Camelot?"

"Yeah Camelot," I agreed with a smile. I don't know what it was but the way this all worked out with everyone involved.it just felt good.

"Anyway, I wanted to say thanks."

"You're welcome Bos."

"And I'm sorry.sorry for bailing on you.sorry for not listening to you when you tried to knock some sense into my hard head."

"Hey everything worked out, that's what important," Faith replied, taking little credit for everything just as I'd expected. "I was a little surprised that Nicole, of all people, got through to you. I'm just glad someone did."

"Yeah, I'm a little surprised at that too," I acknowledged, thinking for a minute.

"Did you ever call her?"

"Yeah, I called her during our dinner break last night."

"So you gonna see her?"

"I told her I'd call her again later when we were off duty," I explained the brief conversation Nicole and I'd had earlier. "She knows I'm off in a few days. Not sure what we might do but I'll talk to her again before then."

"Good for you," she replied with a look that made me smile.

"What?" I replied shaking my head. I wasn't able to read what she was thinking.

"Just surprised is all," Faith replied still smiling. "You've changed Bosco."

"Changed? How so?" I asked.

"Not in a bad way or anything," she explained. "You've grown up a lot in the last few months."

"It was bound to happen sometime."

"Yeah well just don't go changing too much on me. I kinda liked my old partner."

"The hot-headed smart ass one?"

"Yeah that's the guy."

"You kinda like him huh?"

"Yeah, at first, I thought he was an ass but over the years, he's kinda grown on me."

"No problem," I replied trying to stifle a laugh. "Your old partner is still around. I'll let him know you're looking for him."

"You do that," Faith replied with a laugh.

The conversation I had with Faith that morning was the most comfortable I've felt in a long time. So much so that before I left, I did something that surprised me. I may not be the touchy feely kind of guy. But that morning, before I left Faith's apartment, I reached out to her. She placed her hand in my outstretched hand before I pulled her into a warm embrace. I wrapped my arms around her as she wrapped hers around me. The embrace lasted for a minute or so before releasing her.

"I'll see you later," I replied stepping towards the door.

"See ya Bos," I replied closing the door behind him. Yeah I took over the story for a minute.

What can I say; just when I think I've figured Bosco out he goes and does something like that hug. Then I'm left remembering what I said about him being a complex person.

I'm not sure what he was thinking that morning but we talked like we haven't talked in months. The odd thing was that not once did he ask about Fred and the kids. If he'd noticed that I was alone in the apartment, he didn't mention it.