Title: Through the Fire (4/6)

Author: X_tremeroswellian

Email: faithboscorelli1@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Not mine, but I wish they were. Okay, well, I don't wish Cr*z or Fr*d were mine. Ed Bernero can keep them ;)

Rating: PG-13 for language, violence and sexual content

Spoilers: Up through and including "Crime and Punishment II"

Summary: Sergeant Cruz's true plans for Bosco are finally revealed and they're not good. Will Faith be able to help him? Or will she be too busy trying to protect her own family?

Distribution: My site, Only Time

Category: Story

Subcategories: Drama/angst/friendship...could evolve into romance, but we'll see ;)

Feedback: Is essential to every writer. Helps keep the muses flowing.

Author's Note: I know I'm in the middle of writing "Between Time" and my 'There For You' series, but this story was demanding to be written and wouldn't leave me alone until I gave in. The song in this part is "Living in Danger" by Ace of Base.

Author's Note II: Special thanks to NYPDBosco for her assistance with this part :)

Dedication: For everyone who dislikes Sgt. Cruz as much as I do. This is not to confuse the wonderful actress, Tia Texada with her character.


* * *
You're living your life in peace
And in harmony
You're making your own decisions
That's how it's got to be
For you and me
So many people just running around and round
Without no sense or logic

I see lies
In the eyes of a stranger
You'll be living in danger
I see lies
In the eyes of a stranger
You'll be living in danger
I see lies
In the eyes of a stranger
You'll be living in danger

People are the same today
As they used to be
The same expectations
So high no one can reach that high
Not I nor you get satisfied today
We'll never get enough
I see lies
In the eyes of a stranger

You'll be living in danger
I see lies
In the eyes of a stranger
You'll be living in danger
I see lies
In the eyes of a stranger
You'll be living in danger

* * *

Through the Fire (Part Four)

"You go around front, I'll take the back," Bosco said as he and Cruz paused at the side of the old warehouse.

She glared at him. "You think you're runnin' this show, Boscorelli?"

He frowned. "No. I--"

"Whatever. Shut up and just go," she commanded. Without waiting for his response, she took off, creeping along the shadows of the building.

He shook his head, feeling frustrated. He let out a breath as he walked cautiously toward the back of the warehouse, his gun drawn. As he was about to round the corner, he heard Faith's words echo in his mind. //"Watch your back."//

He glanced over his shoulder, back to the alley, hesitating before he forced himself to move into position. He spotted their suspect at the same time their suspect spotted him. "Give it up, Dominick," he called out, his voice steady as he aimed his gun at the man.

"I ain't goin' back to prison, Boscorelli!" Dominick shouted.

"Yeah, well you should've thought of that before you knocked off that convenience store!" he retorted. "Now put your hands in the air, you're under arrest!"

"Fuck you!"

From the corner of his eye, he saw a quick flash of movement and realized Cruz was moving in behind their suspect. "Put your hands in the air!" Bosco repeated, locking eyes with the man. "Don't make me tell you again!"

Without warning, Dominick turned to run away and saw Cruz standing a few feet away. He hesitated for only a second, then reached for his waistband and pulled out a gun.

"Son of a bitch!" Bosco muttered as he raised his weapon and fired at the same time Cruz did.

Dominick dropped the gun with a loud clatter, then he fell down, as well.

"You all right?" Bosco asked, lowering his weapon.

Cruz nodded and put her gun away.

He reached for the hand held radio that was tucked into his pocket. "This is 55-Frankie to Central. We need a bus to 10th and McMullen for a GSW."

"10-4, Frankie."

Bosco walked over to Dominick, who was moaning in pain and holding his shoulder. He reached down and picked up the man's gun off the pavement. "You never were very bright," he remarked, shaking his head.


"I'm gonna wash up," Cruz said shortly as she and Bosco walked into Angel of Mercy hospital awhile later.

"Geez, what's her problem?" Carlos Nieto mumbled under his breath as he watched her walk down the hallway while he and Doc rolled Dominick in on a stretcher.

"Beats the hell outta me," Bosco answered, shaking his head. He raked a hand through his hair as he walked alongside the paramedics and into the e.r. where Proctor and Dr. Thomas were waiting for them.

"You shot me you son of a bitch!" Dominick shouted, glaring at him.

He rolled his eyes. "You just realized that?"

"When I get outta here, I'm gonna kick your ass, Boscorelli!!"

"In your dreams, Dominick. Now just sit back and relax."

Doc and Carlos exchanged a grin as Bosco handcuffed the hand of the man's uninjured arm to the gurney.

Bosco glanced at them. "You guys okay here?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine," Doc assured him.

He nodded. "I think I'm gonna go see how Faith's doin' while I'm here."

"Tell her we said hello," the older paramedic responded.

"Will do. Thanks, Doc." Bosco turned and walked down the hallway to the elevators. He waited impatiently then stepped on when the doors opened. He punched the button for the third floor.

When he got there, the door to Faith's hospital room was open, but he still felt compelled to knock.

"Come in," he heard her call.

Bosco took a deep breath and stepped inside, a small, nervous smile on his face. "Hey."

She looked up at him, her eyes widened slightly. "Hi."

He motioned to the door behind him. "We brought a suspect in with a GSW...thought I'd come up and see how you were."

"Thanks...I'm okay." She gave him a quick smile, but he could tell it was forced. She looked down at the blanket on her bed.

He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. He glanced around. "Where's Fred?"

"Oh...uh...he went home this morning."

"He left you here alone?" Bosco stared at her and felt the stirring of anger in his stomach.

"No, I told him to go...the kids need him."

"And what about what you need?"

Faith gazed at him. "Boz, I'm fine," she said softly.

"Yeah, you're fine. You just had the hell beat out of you, no big deal, right?"

She flinched and looked away. "Bosco..."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. There was a long moment of silence.

"Dr. Thomas said that...I could go home later today."

Bosco lifted his gaze to look at her. "Yeah?"

Faith nodded slightly. "Yeah."

"That's good. That's good news," he said awkwardly. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Fred gonna come pick you up?"

"I was gonna call a cab," she admitted, shrugging lightly.

He looked at his watch. "How about I swing by after my shift and give you a ride home?"

"Boz, you don't have to do that."

"I know," he answered seriously, gazing at her.

Faith met his gaze and held it.

"So I'll be here as soon as I'm off work."

"Okay," she agreed, her tone soft.

He hesitated, wanting to move closer to her, give her a hug or something, but stopped himself. "All right. So I'll see you later." He headed slowly for the door.

"Bosco?"

"Yeah?" He turned to look at her once more.

"Be careful out there, okay?"

"I will," Bosco promised, feeling a chill go down his spine. He gave her a small wave and left the room.


"You both fired your guns?" Lt. Swersky asked, glancing back and forth between Cruz and Bosco later that day at the station house.

"Yeah, Dominick turned and pulled a gun on Sergeant Cruz and we both shot at him," Bosco answered, leaning against the wall.

"I'll need to check your weapons."

Cruz's gaze flickered over to Bosco's face as she handed the lieutenant her duty weapon. He did the same. "Why don't you go get started on the paperwork?" she suggested, her arms folded across her chest.

"You don't need me for anything?" he asked with a slight frown.

"Yeah, I need you to go get started on the paperwork," she responded, her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Lt. Swersky glanced between them, and nodded his consent for Bosco to leave.

"Fine." Without another word, Bosco turned and left the room.

"Seems like you and Bosco aren't getting along so well," Swersky commented, glancing at her as he checked over her gun.

"We'd get along a hell of a lot better if he'd do what I told him to," she muttered.

He set her gun down on the table and picked up Bosco's. "Yeah, he's never been great at following orders, but he's a damn good cop," he said, a fond smile on his face.

Her gaze locked on the weapon in his hands, then shifted to her own weapon. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she quickly did her best to suppress it. This was going to be so much easier than she'd thought it would be.

"We won't know for sure who fired the round that hit your suspect until we run the ballistics on the bullet from Dominick's shoulder. But you're both clear." Swersky set down Bosco's gun.

"Thanks, Boss." She reached down and picked up both her and Bosco's weapons. Oh, yeah. So much easier than she'd planned. She turned and walked out of the room, a satisfied smile on her face. She tucked Bosco's weapon safely into her gun holster and walked up the stairs to where he was sitting at a desk attempting to type up the paperwork on one of the typewriters. "We're clear."

He glanced up at her, his hands paused on the keys. "Already?"

"Yeah, it doesn't take long. They won't know which of us actually hit him until later." She gave a half-shrug and set her weapon down on the desk in front of him. "I'm gonna take off. You can finish up here, I'll do mine in the morning."

"Right. See ya."

"See ya." Cruz turned and walked toward the door, smiling once more.

"Sergeant!"

She paused in her steps, annoyed. "What?" She turned to see Bosco headed toward her, the gun in his hands. She glanced down at it, then up at his face.

"You uh...you gave me the wrong one," Bosco told her.

"Excuse me?"

"The gun...this isn't mine. Mine has my badge number under the bottom of the handle. I had it engraved awhile back." He held up the weapon for her to see that the underside of the handle was smooth and blank.

She clenched her teeth together briefly, trying to hide her anger. "Right. Must have gotten 'em mixed up." Cruz reluctantly reached into her gun holster and removed the weapon.

"Accidents happen," Bosco said with a slight nod as he took his gun from her.

"All the time," she replied darkly, a small smile twisting onto her lips. She took her gun back from him, missing the look of confusion that passed over his eyes. Without another word, she turned and left the room.


He watched her from the doorway for a long time.

She was dressed in her own clothes: a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans, and she was sitting on the bed sideways, her feet dangling off the side as she stared out the window. Her face was still pale, and her arm was in a sling, but the doctors had assured everyone that she was going to be just fine.

"Hey. Your escort has arrived," Bosco finally spoke up as he stepped inside her room.

Faith looked up at him and for a second she smiled. A real smile, one he hadn't seen from her in weeks. Then it faded quickly and that troubled look returned to her hazel eyes. "Hey. Thanks."

"Sure," he said, nodding. "They spring you yet?"

"Yeah, I just have to stop at the nurse's station and sign the papers."

"How you feelin'? You in pain?" He hadn't meant for it to sound as stupid as it had, but he wanted so badly for things to be normal between them again that he'd felt the need to say -something-.

"I'm all right. My ribs are sore," she answered. She took a deep breath and slid off the hospital bed, wincing as her feet hit the floor.

Bosco cringed, remembering how bad it felt to have cracked ribs. He watched as she walked over to the closet and reached up to get her NYPD jacket off one of the hangers. "Here, Faith, let me get that," he said quickly, moving to her side and grabbing the jacket for her.

Faith looked at him with some surprise, but didn't argue.

He met her eyes for a moment and offered her a slight smile as he helped her put the coat on, gently draping it over her injured shoulder. "That okay?"

"Yeah, thanks," she said softly.

"Sure." Bosco released a short breath and took a step away from her. "You all ready?"

"I think so, yeah." She took a quick glance around the room, then turned back to him, meeting his gaze once more.

"All right. Let's get out of here."


"How was work?"

Bosco turned his eyes away from the road in front of him for just a second so he could glance at her. He'd have to have been deaf to miss the tension in her voice as she spoke and for a moment he was confused. "It was okay," he said guardedly.

"Just okay?" she asked as she stared out the windshield.

"Yeah. Nothing big went down."

"Right."

Silence fell between them once more.

He flipped on his turn signal and glanced in the rearview mirror before switching lanes. He turned his head to look at her once more. He could tell she was struggling with some internal battle and he wanted to ask her what it was and if he could help, but he wasn't sure she'd want his help. "Faith?"

"Yeah?" Her tone was soft.

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...what really happened the other night?"

"Nothing," she answered quickly. Too quickly.

Bosco felt the frustration from earlier creeping up on him once more. "Right. Nothing," he said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "Look, I know you've been trying to tell me something, so here we are. We're alone. So why don't you just tell me whatever it is that you wanted to tell me?"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because it's complicated," Faith said quietly, resting her head on the palm of her hand, leaning her elbow against the passenger window.

"What isn't?" he retorted. He pulled his car onto the street in front of her apartment building and put it in park. Then he shut the engine off and turned to look at her. "Faith."

"I can't, Bosco," she whispered, closing her eyes.

He sighed heavily and leaned his head against the head rest, searching his mind for possible explanations. "Well, I'm not good at guessing games. Never have been, never will be. So if it's something I need to know you're gonna have to tell me."

"You don't know how much I want to."

Bosco turned his head to gaze at her. There was no mistaking the tears in her eyes. "You in some kind of trouble?" he asked, growing more worried.

She didn't answer.

He reached over and touched her arm. "Look, if you are, I'll help you, but you gotta tell me what's going on."

Faith lifted her head and met his gaze and for a moment he was certain she was about to open up to him. But the moment passed.

Bosco pulled his hand back and gripped onto the steering wheel. "I'll walk you up to your apartment," he said shortly. He reached over and opened his door.

"Bosco--"

He climbed out and slammed the driver's side door shut. Then he leaned against his car for a moment, closing his eyes tightly and swearing under his breath. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm his anger. Then he walked around to the other side of the car just as Faith was slowly getting out. Without a word he reached his hand out to take the overnight bag that she was carrying.

Neither of them spoke as they walked up to her apartment building and then slowly ascended the staircase. When she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the keys to her and Fred's apartment, he carefully took them from her and unlocked the door. Then he turned the handle and pushed it open.

"Thank you," she said quietly, not looking at him.

"You're welcome." He motioned for her to go in first, then when she did, he followed her, shutting the door behind them.

"Faith?"

He looked over and saw Fred sitting on the sofa, but turned to face them, a confused look on his face.

"Hey, baby," Faith answered, not meeting his gaze. She grimaced and struggled to shrug out of her coat.

Without thinking about it, Bosco moved forward, setting the overnight bag on the floor and helping her take the jacket off. He didn't catch the dirty look that Fred shot his direction.

"Thanks, Boz."

Before he had a chance to respond, Fred cut in with, "The doctor released you?"

"Yeah, said I was okay to go home as long as I take it easy. No work for a few days, then desk duty for a couple weeks."

"Why didn't you call me?" Fred asked, a deep frown on his face.

"Because someone needed to stay here with the kids, and besides, Bosco said he'd bring me home after he got off work," Faith told him, covering her ribs with one hand protectively.

"Faith, the kids would've been fine by themselves for awhile," he argued. "There was no need to bother Bosco."

"It was no bother," Bosco interrupted, glancing at Faith.

There was a moment of tense, awkward silence.

"You want something to drink?" Faith asked finally as she turned to look at him.

"Uh...no. Actually, I'm gonna head home--oh, crap." He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. "I forgot to sign that last report I did. I better get back to the station. If it gets filed without my signature on it, Cruz'll have my head on a platter."

"And that's no joke," she muttered under her breath.

He frowned, suddenly realizing how much she really disliked the sergeant, though he wasn't sure why. Not that Cruz was all that nice of a person, but she wasn't *that* bad. "I'll uh...I'll see you later. Take it easy, okay?"

Faith nodded slowly, her eyes locking on his once more.

"Call me if you need anything," he said, his voice dropping so only she could hear him.

"Thanks, Bosco."

Bosco nodded slightly and then with one last look at her, he turned and walked out of her apartment.


Bosco was walking down the nearly deserted hallway of the 55th to file the report he'd signed when he heard an angry male voice from one of the offices frequently used by anti-crime.

"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses!" the man yelled. "Hang up the phone, bitch!"

Something made him pause in his steps and he backtracked and glanced into the office to see Darryl Martin inside, glaring at a woman he was apparently interrogating. Martin looked up and saw him, then gave him a brief nod before refocusing his attention on the task at hand.

Bosco nodded back but for some reason his gut was telling him he was missing something.

But what?

Shaking his head, he walked down the hall to file his report.


Bosco pulled a bottle of beer from his refridgerator and popped off the lid. He kicked the fridge shut and started to head for his sofa, figuring he'd watch a little ESPN until he fell asleep. Halfway there, he paused.

Something had been bugging him ever since he got home from filing his report a few hours before. The whole time he was jogging, then taking a shower and fixing himself something for dinner...something had been pulling at the back of his mind and he just couldn't figure out what it was.

With a sigh he flopped down on the couch and reached for the remote control, then realized he hadn't checked to see if he had any phone messages. He cursed himself inwardly. What if Faith had called and needed something? Or his mom? He looked over at his answering machine, but the light wasn't flashing.

For some reason he felt compelled to hit 'play' anyway.

A chill went down his spine as he listened to the message that Faith had left on his machine the night she'd been attacked.

//"Bosco, it's me. Something happened, I really need to talk to you. Please call me on my cell phone when you get this message."//

He frowned, suddenly recalling that she had been on her way to come see him when she'd been attacked. Something had happened before the attack to make her need to talk to him. But what?

The second message she left began to play.

//"Bosco, it's me, Faith. Look, if you're there, pick up." There was a brief pause. "Bosco, okay, look, I'm on my way over to your place right now. I have to talk to you, it's really important. It's 11:21 right now. I'll be at your place in like fifteen minutes, Boz, so--"

"Hang up the phone, bitch!" a cold male voice commanded harshly.//

Bosco nearly leapt off the sofa at the sound of the second voice. No way. No *fucking* way! he thought, his heart pounding in his chest.

He suddenly recalled the conversation he'd had with Faith the other night in the hospital.

//"You know how sometimes...sometimes it's really foggy outside? I mean, like really foggy, so bad you can't see anything. And you're in your car and you're driving and you come to this intersection. But the fog's so thick, you can't see if anything's coming from the other direction. You want to go on, but you're afraid of getting into a wreck. Sometimes you have to roll down your window and listen more carefully and pay really close attention because if you don't, you're gonna end up in a really bad car pile-up."

Bosco turned around to look at her, his eyebrows furrowed, a blank look on his face. "Faith, what the hell are you talking about?"

She met his gaze and held it. "I'm saying...listen more carefully, Bosco. Pay attention," she urged, her eyes pleading with him to understand.//

"Son of a bitch!" Bosco muttered in disbelief.


Go to Part 5

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