Title: Journey to Nowhere - Chapter Four
Author: Lynne Facella
Rating: PG-13
Category: Drama/Angst
Email: lynne1919@aol.com
Spoilers: Through current season 4
Disclaimer: All characters are the property of John Wells and Edward Allen Bernero. I wish they were mine but unfortunately they're not.
Summary: A trip takes a deadly turn for Bosco, Faith, Sully and Ty.

Notes: Once again thank you for your comments on this story. I really do appreciate them :)

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Ty's eyes slowly opened and he tried to focus on the dark shadows he saw looming in front him. One was large and slow-moving. Something nagged at his memory as he watched it...something someone had mentioned... Then he remembered ... A bear. Sully had said there was a bear. Startled, he jumped as the shadow moved towards him.

"Ty. Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Ty looked towards Sully and his heartbeat which had quickened, began to slow down again.

"I...nothing...nothing's wrong." Nothing except their plane had crashed. Nothing except he had been shot and was beginning to feel like crap. Nothing except they were probably never going to be rescued and were going to die. He'd die first which was actually a blessing. He knew he wouldn't want to be the last one to die. He shuddered at the thought of being left here alone.

As he glanced around at his surroundings, he became aware that they were in some kind of a tent. "Where are we?"

"It's a shelter. Bosco built it. Seems he's a pretty handy guy to have around," Sully stated with a wry grin. "Who would have thought it?"

Ty tried to muster up a grin to match Sully's, but it turned out to be more of a grimace. Man he really felt bad.

Sully observed his partner's face and knew he wasn't doing as well as he had been earlier. "You're not feeling too great, huh?"

"Well I guess I've been better." What he would give right now to just be patrolling the street in their RMP. He couldn't even believe he had thought the wilderness would be a peaceful way to spend a few days. Fuck the wilderness.

Sully reached for the bottle of Tylenol and shook three tablets into his hand. "Here, take these. Maybe they'll help a little."

Sully handed the pills to Ty and then assisted him so he could drink them down with some water.

"Thanks," he whispered as he lay back down. Then the two men fell silent. Sully wasn't sure what to say and Ty was just trying to wish his pain away.

Some time later, Bosco came tromping into the shelter, carrying a big stack of wood. He'd been out walking for some time and was breathless and anxious to unload the what he was carrying. As he was looking for a place to put it down, he tripped over Sully's outstretched leg and almost fell, sending half of the firewood flying out of his arms. "Goddamit, Sully!" Angrily he dumped the wood in his arms into the corner and began to pick up the rest of the wood, tossing it into the pile as well.

"What happened?" Faith came hurrying into the shelter and looked from Bosco to Sully, trying to figure out what the problem was.

"I tripped over this oaf," Bosco scowled.

"Well I'm sorry we're not living in a mansion," Sully retorted. "Where the hell do you expect me to go?"

"You don't like where you're livin'?" Bosco asked. "Then fuckin' move out. Nobody cares."

"I didn't say I didn't like it. Jesus, Bosco, why do you have to be so touchy?"

"Why do you have to be so friggen condescendin'?"

"You need to get a grip."

"Why don't you both get a grip?" Faith raised her voice considerably. "God, the two of you act like two year-olds, I swear. Does this really make you feel better?"

"Yeah...yeah actually it does," Bosco responded.

"Fighting doesn't help anything..." Ty said softly.

Bosco cast a guilty look in Ty's direction and stared down at the ground, at a loss for words.

"We're not fighting, Ty," Sully said. "Just letting off a little steam. It doesn't mean anything." He looked towards Bosco for some validation of his statement.

"Yeah...you know I don't mean half the stuff I say, Davis."

"Maybe we should think about eatin'." Faith dropped down onto one of the makeshift beds of leaves Bosco had fashioned. "Hey Bos. These things aren't half bad."

Bosco shrugged. "They're better than lying on the ground anyhow."

Sully began to sift through some of the food rations. "You feel like some soup, Ty?" he asked hopefully as he pulled a can of chicken soup out of the box.

Ty shook his head, making a face. "No thanks. I'm not really hungry."

"Ty...you really need to eat," Faith broke in coaxingly. "Its important to keep up your strength. Just a little, okay?" She deliberately spoke the way she talked to her children when she needed to convince them to do something they didn't want to do. Being a mom had definitely taught her a thing or two in that area.

Ty hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. Arguing with Sully was one thing, but arguing with Faith something entirely different. He just didn't have it in him, especially now.

Sully gave a slight nod and smiled gratefully at Faith, then pulled out one of the mess kits and can opener so he could prepare the soup.

Bosco had finally seated himself and was trying to relax a bit. His eyes kept straying in Ty's direction. He couldn't help himself from staring at the younger officer. It was obvious that he wasn't feeling well and Bosco could literally feel the guilt eating away inside him. Why couldn't all his shots have hit the target? If they had, Davis wouldn't be in this situation. It sure wasn't an easy thing to see someone in pain and know that you had caused it. Sure it happened on the streets all the time, but those guys were scumbags. They deserved to be in pain. Davis was a fellow officer. It shouldn't have happened to him. He sure as hell hadn't done anything to deserve it.

"Here you go." Sully finished heating the soup and took the metal pan away from the flame. He dipped a spoon into the watery, yellow liquid, and then moved it towards Ty's mouth.

"What are you doing?" Ty asked, giving Sully an incredulous look. "You're going to feed me? No way, man."

"Yeah...I..." Sully hesitated. He hadn't been expecting that reaction. He lowered his voice. "Come on, Ty. It'll just be easier this way."

"It won't be easier on me." Ty shook his head stubbornly. "Just...just give it to me. I can do it myself."

"Ty...."

"Jesus, Sully, just let him do it himself, will ya?" Bosco grumbled in obvious irritation. He didn't blame Davis one bit. Having Sully feed him wouldn't have been Bosco's idea of a good time either.

Sully narrowed his eyes at Bosco, but poured the soup into a cup and handed the cup and spoon over to Ty. "Be careful," he muttered.

Ty managed to get down half the soup in the cup, but it took a great deal more effort than he would have thought. "That's enough," he finally stated tiredly as he handed the cup back to Sully.

"Man...this food really sucks." Bosco pulled a beef jerky stick out of the box and tore open the wrapper with his teeth. "I wish we had some real food."

"There's always that bear you shot," Sully remarked as he started in one the soup he had heated up. "I've heard bear meat is pretty tasty."

Bosco pondered Sully's suggestion thoughtfully. "I've never had to deal with a bear before, only smaller animals like rabbits, but...I guess I know enough to do it. I'll need help though." The thought of skinning and cutting up the bear was not on his list of fun things to do, but they had no idea how long they were going to be here and food was food. They needed to think in terms of survival now, not in terms of how unpleasant a task might be. "So you up for it?" Bosco looked at Sully as he got to his feet and picked up the axe. "Faith can stay here with Davis."

"Yeah, I'm up for it, Bosco." Sully slowly stood up, putting the empty soup cup aside. This was definitely not going to be an enjoyable experience. "I'll see you in a while." He glanced down at Ty who was burrowing deeper into his blankets. "You warm enough?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Personally he was glad he didn't have to go out and do whatever they were going to do to the bear. The thought of cutting a bear into pieces made him feel really sick to his stomach.

"Good luck, you guys." Like Davis, Faith wanted no part of skinning or cutting up a bear. She understood why it should be done, but wouldn't be very keen on having to actually perform the task. A pioneer woman she was not.

"You sure you're warm enough?" She echoed Sully's question after Bosco and Sully had gone outside. He sure didn't look warm the way he was huddled under the blankets. She didn't wait for an answer, but instead reached for another blanket and placed it on top of him.

"Thanks," Ty said softly. "Don't know why I'm so cold."

"You've been through a shock...its gonna affect you."

"How are you doing?" Ty looked up at Faith, wanting to talk about something other than his woes. "Hell of a situation we're in, huh?"

"Yeah...yeah it is. I still can't believe its real."

"I know what you mean...I wish it wasn't..." He sighed heavily as he gazed into the flickering flames of the fire. "Guess if Swersky wanted to punish us, he achieved his objective."

"I'd imagine he's actually feelin' pretty bad right about now," Faith said. She knew the members of their department had to be beside themselves with worry, but her true emotions were with her family and what they were going through. She couldn't imagine the effect this was having on them. For so long, Fred had wanted her to quit the force. He would not be happy. The kids weighed heaviest on her mind though. They were too young to have to cope with something like this. Emily had already gone through so much in her young life and the past months had been especially hard. She didn't want her daughter to have to deal with this or her son either.

"Yeah...yeah I'm sure he is." Ty could see the look of deep sadness in Faith's eyes and was unsure of what to say to comfort her. Words seemed really inadequate at a time like this. "They're going to find us..." he finally muttered after a few long moments of silence.

"I know they will." Faith managed a smile even as she wondered why they were insisting on this charade, pretending that everything would be fine, that they would be rescued soon. There were no guarantees that this was going to happen. Hell from what she could see, it was starting to seem less and less likely.

"You ever eat bear meat?" Ty could feel his eyelids getting heavier, but he was determined to try to stay awake. Staying awake meant that everything was okay.

"No...can't say that I have. Should be an interestin' experience. How 'bout you?"

"Me? No way." Ty smiled faintly as he shook his head. "Can't say I've ever considered it."

"I guess there's a first time for everything..."

"Yeah...yeah I guess..." Food was really the last thing on his mind right now. He wished with all his heart that they would hear the sound of a helicopter... that they would be rescued and he could just lie in a warm hospital bed. It was something he never thought he'd wish for. He hated hospitals, but now, he'd give anything to be in one.

"So Ty...whatever happened between you and Alex?" She sensed the younger officer's need to talk and decided that a topic change might not be a bad idea. Dwelling on this situation was only serving to depress the two of them.

"Alex?" The question took him by surprise. He smiled to himself as he thought of the pretty blonde paramedic/firefighter he had been involved with for a short time. He wondered how she was doing with this...if she thought of him at all... "I...I really don't know exactly," he began after a long silence. "I guess we just sort of drifted away from each other and neither of us really knew how to pull back together again..."

"You miss her?"

Did he miss her? Right now he missed her more than anything. "Sure I miss her, but I just don't think we were meant to be...we were too different..."

"Sometimes differences can be good." Faith knew she was prodding, but she was genuinely interested. She didn't really know Ty all that well. With the situation being as it was, it just seemed right that she should get to know him better.

"I guess..." He remembered the day in the hospital after he'd been shot. Alex had been visiting with him and his mom had come in the room. He'd dropped Alex's hand quicker than a hot potato and referred to her as his 'friend.' After that, things had never been quite the same between them. He didn't think that Alex was meant to be the love of his life, but now, he found himself regretting certain things, wishing he'd done them differently.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to pry." Watching the expression on Ty's face, Faith wondered if she'd pushed too much.

"You didn't." Ty shook his head. "Its fine. Really." He glanced up at her thoughtfully, his thoughts on his conversation with Bosco the day before and what he suspected. "So...you must really miss your husband...your kids..."

"Yeah. I hate to even think of what they're goin' through right now." Her husband...Faith found that she hadn't been thinking about Fred at all...her thoughts were with her children, but Fred...It scared her how little she was thinking of him...He was her husband. It wasn't right.

"I know...I bet my mom is just freaking out."

"It must be tough on her." Mrs. Davis had lost her husband. Faith imagined it would be unbearable if the woman lost her son as well.

"She'll be okay." He couldn't let himself think any differently. He didn't even want to think of what his mom was going through right now. It was better to just try to concentrate on thinking positively. He found that he was beginning to lose his battle to stay awake. "I think I'm going to get some rest," he said sleepily. "Thanks for staying with me."

"You sleep well," Faith said softly as she patted Ty's hand and watched as he surrendered to sleep. She placed her hand on his forehead, relieved that it still felt cool to the touch. She thought about going outside to check on Sully and Bosco's progress, but the thought of whatever they were doing to the bear made her decide against it. She'd be better off staying here with Ty until they were finished.

******

Finally, after a seemingly endless amount of time, the bear meat was cut into pieces and Bosco had managed to get it all hung high in the branches of a tree.

"Well that was fun," Sully remarked as they walked back towards the shelter.

"Yeah well it was your idea."

"I guess I didn't really think about the actual process behind it all," Sully admitted.

"At least we have some more food. It'll make our non-perishables last that much longer," Bosco stated as he opened the flap to the shelter and stepped inside. "How's everything goin?" he asked Faith who closed the book she was reading and looked up at him.

"Everything's fine here. How about with you guys? Everything okay?"

"Well we did it. I can't tell you how it's going to taste though." Bosco dropped down onto one of the cushions by his partner as Sully stepped into the shelter behind him.

"Hey Faith, how's he doing?" Sully kept his voice low as he glanced down at his sleeping partner.

"He's been holdin' his own, Sully. No sign of a fever. He's been restin'."

"Good." Sully settled down next to Ty. "Thanks for staying with him, Faith."

"Not a problem." She turned her head towards Bosco, resisting the impulse to ask if he was okay yet again. "You hungry, Bos? I can fix you something."

"No, not really." Bosco shook his head. "Thanks anyway."

"Sully?" Faith questioned looking over at him.

"Huh?"

"Would you like somethin' to eat?"

"No thanks."

"So Bos...what happened to that rain that was definitely comin?" Faith grinned at her partner, trying to get at least a little smile out of him. She wasn't used to seeing him so somber.

"It was drizzlin' a little bit earlier. Then it stopped." He picked up a small stick from the firewood pile and began using it to trace circular patterns on the ground. "It's too quiet out here...no city noises, just nothin'."

"Yeah, I know what you mean...pretty weird."

"I hate it. All that peace and quiet crap is for the birds."

"Well we're used to the city, Bos...some people like livin' out in the middle of nowhere," Faith said.

"I'd go out of my mind for sure," Bosco stated. There was no doubt about it. He was a city boy through and through.

"I wouldn't mind takin' the kids to a quiet place with a lake for them to swim and stuff, but this...this wouldn't exactly be what I'd have in mind." She'd had thoughts in the past of what it would be like to be far away from anyone, up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere, but now that she was actually experiencing it, it was nothing at all like she had imagined. Her expression turned sorrowful as she thought of her children and she had to struggle to hold back tears. God, she missed them so much.

"Its gonna be okay, Faith." Bosco put his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder gently. He hated to see her in pain this way. He wished he could find some way to help her, to send her back home to the family she loved...even if that meant she was with Fred. "You'll see your family again. I know you will."

Faith closed her eyes and rested her head against Bosco's shoulder, allowing him to comfort her. In spite of the countless times he had acted or spoke without thinking, she trusted him more than anyone...more than her own husband. He'd proven himself to her so many times in the past and she trusted Bosco with her life. He had the ability to make her feel safe, something Fred had never done for her.

Sully found himself watching Bosco and Faith, feeling oddly intrusive. They seemed to share that certain familiarity and closeness that couples had. He turned his attention to Ty, not wanting to invade their privacy...not that there really could be much privacy in the close quarters they were keeping. He checked on Ty again, feeling his forehead and adjusting the covers over him. After that, he stretched out and allowed his own eyes to close, deciding that a little bit of sleep wasn't a bad idea.

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