I still don't own the characters of Third Watch nor do I own the songs.
I want to thank every one who reviewed this story. I am working on the final chapter and I am taking into consideration all the comments that you've given me. Please keep the reviews coming.
**************
Chapter 4
"Man's Best Friend"
Previously on my version of Third Watch:
Sully confronts Faith about what he did. Cruz criticizes Faith's actions during the robbery, causing her to have doubts about her ability as a cop.
************
Bosco is sitting at a desk doing paper work. There are so many forms to fill out, more than when he was just on patrol in the RMP. It is doubled because he has to fill out those reports, then almost duplicate them for ACU. He has filled out five forms so far on the diner shooting, and a few of those were two sided, and now he is struggling on this next report.
He didn't hate the paper work as much when he was working with Faith, partly because she did most of it, but also because they would do it as they rode patrol. At least it felt like they were actually working. He misses Yokas more now because she usually did all the paper work on people's statements, things you actually had to put into your own words. He, mostly did the stuff you just filled in the blanks with information off a drivers license.
This report is especially hard, because it pertains to the statement that he and Cruz obtained from Faith yesterday. It made her look pretty bad. He is trying to be creative and not make it sound like she botched the situation, but he can't help but wonder what the hell she was thinking. Communicating on the radio was another part of the job that Faith usually did when the were partnered.
He decides to hold off on this report, and talk to Faith again. Hell, maybe she will be feeling up to writing it for him. He looks at his watch. Fred will probably be coming home from work right about now, and he doesn't want to go there and run into him. He'll go see her tomorrow before his shift. And besides, there is plenty more paper work he can do instead.
Suddenly, a reprieve. Cruz rushes past the desk and calls, "Boscarelli, come with me." He stands up, grabs his jacket off the chair, and hurries after her. "Yes ma'am."
His mood has changed from dreary-dull to excited in the blink of an eye. God he loves the adrenaline rush. "What's up?" he says grinning.
"Dog attack. In the park."
"Dog attack?" He is a bit disappointed that it wasn't some wild shoot out, or something like that, but still, it must be something if they called ACU. As they arrive on the scene, he sees the usual pandemonium. There are several RMPs and two EMTs there. Sully, Davis and Candy are pushing the crowd back. The usual onlookers, saying 'Oh God, I can't look.' Yet they stay and gawk and get in the way.
There are four adults sitting on the grass and Carlos and Kim are scurrying back and forth between them. And there is one child laying on the grass. Doc is working frantically over her. It looks serious. He is yelling to Carlos to drop what he's doing and come help him. The kid's mother is kneeling close by and she is hysterical. Maria Lucas, from 55 Adam is consoling her, while her partner Dale Martin, stands nearby looking uncomfortable. They both have blood on them. They must have been first on the scene. Maria helps the woman to her feet and Martin finally steps up to help as they walk the woman towards the ambulance. Doc and Carlos have the kid on a stretcher and rush her into the back.
As it pulls away, he sees Martin put his hands on Lucas' shoulders and say something to Lucas that looks consoling, because she is obviously upset. Then she reaches up and wipes some blood off his face for him. Then they both head towards their RMP. They look to be very close.
Bosco approaches them before they get in the car. "What happened here? Were you first on?"
"Yah. These pit bulls came through the park and they both went after that little girl. Some people nearby tried to get them off of her and the dogs turned on them too. Actually, Candy got here first from the east side, we came in from there. (pointing) That dog, (he points again, and Bosco sees a dog laying dead behind him) turned on us as we approached. The girls mother started screaming for help and the dog turned towards her. I shot it before it got her too. Candy shot the other one."
"God damn." Bosco murmurs. "Where the hell did they come from?"
Martin tells him that witnesses said they came from the west end, probably that crack neighbor hood outside the park. He also mentions that the dogs were badly scarred up. "Looks like a dog fighting ring. That's why we called in ACU. Anything else? We gotta get to Mercy. Help that kids mother. Man, we're gonna be here all night on this. The call came in ten minutes before our shift ended."
Bosco nods sympathetically at him. "You'd better go. Hey, is the kid gonna be alright?"
"I don't think so. I don't think she was alive when they left."
After getting statements from the witnesses, and then checking the dogs for any tags, they head back to the precinct. Bosco, again starts doing paper work. This time a whole new set for the new case. Cruz is on the phone, pulling information from different resources about dog fighting rings.
*****[Later]*****
Bosco is at the control desk getting more forms, when 55 Adam finally returns. As they walk by, Bosco asks them how the little girl made out.
"The little girl didn't make it." Martin says.
Lucas stops briefly, then says, "I'm heading in." and enters the locker-room. Martin watches after her looking worried.
"She all right?" Bosco asks.
"She's taking it pretty hard. You know, being a kid and all."
"Yah. My partners the same way about kids."
Martin looks over at Cruz and says surprised, "Really? She don't look like anything could phase her."
"Oh, not her. I meant Yokas, my old partner."
"Yokas, the cop that got shot. Oh, that explains why you're stuck with Cruz."
"Yah." Bosco says quietly. "So, you and Lucas are pretty close, huh?"
"Yah. Best friends. My wife calls her my other wife."
"She jealous?"
"No. They get along great. Besides, Lucas is gay."
"That don't bother you?" Bosco asks.
"No, why should it. She's a great partner. That's hard to find, am I right?"
Bosco nods. "Do you two ever fight?"
"What partners don't. We could be hollering at each other in the car, and I know she wants to kill me, but then we get a call and there is no doubt in my mind that she has my back. Not for one second. I trust her more than anyone in the world, even my wife. That's all that matters, right?"
Bosco says, "Right." In a far away tone.
"When you find a great partner, you hold on to 'em." Martin adds.
Suddenly they are interrupted by Cruz yelling, "Boscarelli, are you worken today or what?"
Martin says, "Well I'd better go." Then glancing in Cruz's direction, "Hope your partner recovers quickly."
*****[It's early the next day.]*****
Faith answers the door to find Bosco standing there, paperwork in hand. He holds it up and says hi.
"Hi. Did you come alone or is your girlfriend hiding in ambush?"
"I'm here alone. I figured we can do your statement together. Your eye looks a lot better."
"Bos, you've got to learn to do your own paperwork."
"Hey, I'm only thinken of you. I can't hand in that shit you told us, they'll take your gun away."
"I really don't care what the report says. And, ya know what Bos, I really don't have anything I can add to make it sound better."
"C'mon, you need to tell me everything. According to this, you never even called in that there was a real robbery. I don't care what Cruz said, I know you. You don't just forget this stuff. Not you."
"Cruz heard the communications." She says unattached.
"What is wrong with you? Just tell me how it went down."
"Bos, I called in a possible 10-30 and never upgraded it. I never reported that there were weapons. Nothing. I ran in there without thinking. Without backup."
"Well, you 'called' for backup right? And Sully responded. What did he say? Did he question if it was real?"
"No. He said they were around the corner."
"Then what happened."
"Then they beat up that waitress. I thought they were gonna kill her, so I just went in. I tried to surprise them, but they surprised me."
"So it all happened too fast for you to call in anymore information. It happened in a matter of one or two minutes. Quicker than Sully could arrive from around the corner. And you rushed in to save the waitress. That's all. That makes perfect sense."
She lets it go at that, and doesn't bother to explain that she actually waited 18 minutes for Sully to arrive. Plenty of time to have called in the information.
*****[Later that afternoon]*****
Fred comes home from work and Faith greets him at the door. She kisses him and asks how his day was.
"Terrible, but it's better now. What are you doing up, shouldn't you be laying down?"
"I laid down all morning. I got bored with it, so I got up and got dinner ready. But I need your help." She escorts him into the kitchen. "I couldn't put the roast in the oven with only one hand."
Fred puts the huge pan in the oven for her and then wraps his arms around her. "I could get used to this. Having my wife home, and dinner waiten for me."
"Yah?" She says smiling.
"Yah. Why don't you stay home for good and not go back to work."
"Really, Ya mean it?" She is smiling like a child with a secret.
"What are you up to?" he asks half laughing.
"Well, I've had a lot of time to think and I made a decision I think you'll be pleased with."
"Tell me."
"I'm gonna quit my job."
He stares at her for a few moments. "What? Are you serious?" He looks happily surprised.
"Are you ok with that?" She asks.
"Yah. Of course. I've been telling you to quit for years. What brought this on?"
"Well, you want me to, right?"
"Wait a minute," Fred puts his hands on her shoulders and pushes her an arms length away. "You're not doing this just because I told you to, are you? Because, you'll only regret this later, you'll end up resenting me, and hating me for the rest of my life."
"No...I mean...well that's part of it, but I have my own reasons."
"Well, what are they?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes! It matters. This is a big decision and I want to make sure you're doing it for the right reasons."
She turns her eyes away from him, and gazing at the floor, she tells him, "I just don't think I can do this job any more. I've realized I'm not that good at it and before I hurt myself again, or hurt someone else..."
Fred stops her in mid sentence. "What are you talking about? You're a great cop."
She shakes her head and glances farther away from him, with a gaze that means she doesn't want to hear this. Fred takes her chin in his hand and forces her to look at him, and in a serious tone, says, "Faith...you're a good cop."
"I'm only half a cop. I have no partner. I don't feel safe out there anymore."
"Oh, I get it. And once again this boils down to Bosco. I don't want you to partner with him, and you can't be a cop without him. Is that what's going on?"
She raises her voice a little for emphasis. "No. That's not it. The truth is..." She pauses because this is hard for her to say, "I made a mistake. I screwed up and I almost got killed. I don't trust my judgment any more. Bosco has moved on. He found a partner in ACU that he can work with...But, I can't find one. A partner will keep you straight, ya know? Watch out for mistakes before you make them."
"So tell them that you want a partner. You won't go back until they find you one."
"You don't get it. It took seven years for me and Bos to click the way we do. He knows what I'm thinken. And I know what he's gonna do before he does it. You don't have that with just anyone. I don't want to start over. I don't have the desire to. It's dangerous. I don't feel safe out there anymore. With or without a partner."
"Well, what about taking the sergeant's exam?"
"I don't want to be a sergeant. I never did. I like being on patrol. But I... I'm afraid now. I'm scared to go back out there." For a second, she looks at him helplessly like she's lost. Then she shrugs his hands off of her shoulders and gives him an angry look. "Why are you arguing with me? You never wanted me to be a cop anyway."
"I don't know why I'm arguing with you. I just want you to be happy, and safe. If you don't feel that in your job any more, then good. Quit."
*****[Back out on the streets]*****
Bosco and Cruz are in an unmarked, heading to the neighborhood west of the park. Cruz got the name and address of a suspect that had been brought in for questioning, and released, five months earlier in connection with a dog fighting ring. They are on their way to pick the guy up.
Cruz explains the situation to Bosco. "About five months ago they were shutting down this dog fighting ring. They get search warrants for the whole gang, but when they get to this guys place, they find cages, dog food...everything but the dogs. Someone must have warned him. So they got nothing to hold him on. Now, he's the only one in the wind, and he lives near the park. He's got to be our guy. So, we'll show up, and if he's got dogs, we can tie him into everything. If he don't have any dogs, even better, that means we already got his dogs from the park. We just gather some dog hairs from his place, and we got him...on everything from murder to animal abuse. It's a win-win situation. He's going away for a long time."
"Shouldn't we call animal control? In case he has any dogs in there?"
"You don't leave fighting dogs just sitting around the house. They'll be caged. Besides, I'm sure we have his dogs. I've got a feeling."
They pull up in front of a dilapidated house that, if not for the rusted Ford in the driveway, would look abandoned. As they get out of the car, they hear a dog start barking from inside. Bosco looks at Cruz and she shakes her head confidently. They look around the yard quickly, then walk up to the door.
They draw their weapons, Bosco knocks hard and yells, "Police. Open the door."
They get no response. After the second try, Cruz motions towards the door knob with a nod of the head, and he turns it. The door is unlocked. Bosco raises his gun to shoulder level and slowly opens the door. As he walks in, with Cruz close behind him, he yells, "Police. We have a warrant. If you are holding a weapon, toss it into the hallway, and place your hands on your head." There is no sound but the dog barking from a room nearby.
The hallway leads to a kitchen. There is a doorway to the right about four steps away. As Bosco reaches it, he turns abruptly at it, thrusting his gun into the room. Except for some clutter, the room is empty. They slowly continue walking up the hall towards the second door, about four more steps ahead on the left. As Bosco steps to the doorway, a pit bull leaps into the hall in front of him and lunges at his arms. It clamps onto Bosco's arm with a vice like grip, causing him to fire the gun at the ceiling. Bosco yells out in pain. He falls backwards and pushes the dog as far off him as he can, yelling "Shoot it, shoot it!"
No one hears him. As this was happening, Cruz heard a door slam from the same room the dog was in, and she has already run back down the hallway, and out the door, slamming it shut behind her so the dog don't get out. She races around to the back yard, and finds the suspect has climbed to the top of the fence in the yard. As she yells 'freeze' she fires at him, hitting him in the shoulder, and knocking him into the next yard. As she calls in to central for an ambulance, she hears five shots from inside the house.
*****[Back at the Yokas house]*****
After dinner, Faith was feeling pretty sore so she took a pain pill and fell asleep on the couch. Fred is sitting in a chair, staring blankly at the tv. He is thinking about the conversation he had earlier with his wife. He has mixed feelings. He knows what he wants her to do, but he can't give her advise on what she should do.
Faith moans. Fred looks over and watches her sleep. She starts moving restlessly, and thrashing like someone is fighting her in her sleep. Like they have been every night since the shooting. She is being tormented and he can't reach her. He never could when it comes to her pride or her personal goals. He tucks the blanket in around her, and then makes a phone call. After hanging up, he leaves the house.
*****[At the hospital]*****
The doctor is putting the final stitches in Bosco's chin. All together he got 32 in his left arm, 12 in his right hand and 8 in his face. The doctor recommends for a second time that he stay over night but he sternly declines. As the nurse walks out of the room, Bosco ask her to send Sergeant Cruz in.
"I think she left. As soon as they admitted the shoulder wound, she walked out."
"Son of a bitch" Bosco says under his breath.
The doctor finishes up and asks if someone will be there to stay with him when he gets home, and he says yes. He'll be going to his mom's for the night. Bosco is gingerly putting his shirt back on as the doctor walks out of the room, and he hears the doc say, 'sure you can go in and see him now.'
Without looking up, Bosco says, "I knew you'd come back." He glances up and is floored to see Fred Yokas walk in. "What are you doing here?"
"I called the precinct and they told me you were brought here." Fred thinks about the last time he was here. Less than a week ago when Faith was rushed in. There were seven or eight cops in the waiting room and three or four paramedics, all waiting to see how she was. There is no one here for this guy. He briefly feels sorry for him because Faith really is all he's got. But tough shit, then he should have treated her better.
"Is Faith here?" Bosco asks confused.
"No. I just thought I'd come down and find out what happened, you know, for her."
"Right. Well...I'm ok. Got stitches. I Got attacked by a pit bull. But they're letting me go home." After a long awkward silence, Bosco says again, "What are you really doing here Fred?"
"I wanted to talk to you about something so I called the precinct, but when they told me you were here...well... [long awkward pause] I don't know why I came. I guess because Faith couldn't." Fred thinks to himself that Bosco has become like family, even to him. Although, kinda like an annoying cousin.
"Would you mind giving me a ride home? I'm goen to my moms. We can talk on the way."
*****[On the road in Fred's truck]*****
Bosco gives Fred the directions and they head to his mom's. He doesn't know what to make of Fred. Here he is driving him home, even though what Fred probably wants to tell him, is to stay away from Faith, and don't plan on being her partner again. Or maybe Faith told him about his visit with Cruz. That really upset Faith. They shouldn't have upset her when she wasn't feeling well, and Fred must be pissed off about it. Can't blame him. He tries to plan how he will respond to what ever Fred has to say, when Fred finally speaks.
"Faith is having a real hard time recovering from that shooting." He keeps staring straight ahead, as if he's not really talking to Bosco. "I don't know what to do to help her. I thought maybe you could talk to her."
Bosco is stunned. This is certainly not what he was expecting Fred to say. "Me? You want me to talk to her?"
"Well...you've been shot right? It's something that maybe you can relate to, where I can't."
"What do you mean by a hard time? What's wrong?"
"She's not herself. She's really depressed. And she can't sleep, not for more than a few hours at a time. Then she tosses and turns like she's having a nightmare. And when I wake her, she don't remember it. Or she don't want to tell me. I don't know. Something's wrong though."
"Well ya know Fred, they are gonna make her see the shrink down at the precinct before she can go back to work. It may be better for a professional to talk to her."
"She ain't going back to work. She's quitting."
Bosco stares at him for a second, then says sarcastically, "Well did you ever consider that making her quit could be what's depressing her?"
"I'm not making her quit. It was her decision, out of the blue. In fact, she got mad at me for trying to talk her out of it. She don't talk to me about cop stuff. But something is really bothering her and I can't help her. I was just hoping that for once you could be helpful. Be there for her for once." Fred looks over and holds his gaze on Bosco.
"Of course I'll talk to her. But, she doesn't always open up to me either. You know how stubborn she can be. But I'll try." After a few moments of silence, Bosco says to Fred, "I can't believe you're asking me to help, after what you said at the hospital and all. I didn't think you'd want me around."
"Bosco, she's my wife and I love her. I'm losing my best friend and I'll do anything to get her back, even ask you for help. Even if it means you two have to be partners again."
Bosco nods thinking, he just saw her today and she never let on that something was wrong...or that she was going to quit. He's losing his best friend too.
*[The music from Cheryl Crow's "Diamond Road" begins to play]*
Bosco's mom is fussing over him as he gets into bed.
*[Walk with me the diamond road, Tell me every story told]*
*[Give me something of your soul, That I can hold on to]*
Faith is thrashing in her sleep.
*[Wanna wake up to the sound of waves, Crashing on a brand new day]*
Fred is watching her from the doorway.
*[Keep the memory of your face, But wipe the pain away]*
Bosco gets up and gets his ACU badge out of his coat.
*[When your lonely, When your heart aches]*
*[It's gonna take a little time, Yah, It's gonna take a little time]*
Fred walks over and sits on the edge of the bed, and tucks the blanket in around Faith.
*[When the night falls, When you're stumbling]*
*[It's gonna take a little time, To make it to the other side]*
Sully and Davis are in their RMP talking and laughing.
*[So don't miss the diamonds along the way, Every road has met us here today]*
Bosco has his arm behind his head, and his stare is far away as he flips the badge around in his fingers.
*[Little bird what's troubling you, You know what you have to do]*
*[What is yours you'll never loose, and what's ahead may shine]*
Fred has gotten into bed and doesn't realize that Faith is awake now.
*[Ah beneath the promise of blue skies, Broken wings will learn to fly]*
*[Pull yourself out of the tide, And begin to live again]*
Faith gets out of bed and walks to the living room without turning on a light.
*[When your lonely, When your heart aches]*
*[It's gonna take a little time, To make it to the other side]*
Bosco is staring at his ACU badge.
*[When the night falls, When you're stumbling]*
*[It's gonna take a little time, And everything will be just fine]*
Cruz is sitting at her desk doing paperwork.
*[So don't miss the diamonds along the way, Every road has met us here today]*
Bosco tosses the badge onto the night stand and it falls to the floor.
*[Life is what happens, while your making plans]*
Faith is standing in her living room, looking at a picture of her and Bosco, taken when they graduated from the academy together.
*[All that you need, is right here in your hands]*
I want to thank every one who reviewed this story. I am working on the final chapter and I am taking into consideration all the comments that you've given me. Please keep the reviews coming.
**************
Chapter 4
"Man's Best Friend"
Previously on my version of Third Watch:
Sully confronts Faith about what he did. Cruz criticizes Faith's actions during the robbery, causing her to have doubts about her ability as a cop.
************
Bosco is sitting at a desk doing paper work. There are so many forms to fill out, more than when he was just on patrol in the RMP. It is doubled because he has to fill out those reports, then almost duplicate them for ACU. He has filled out five forms so far on the diner shooting, and a few of those were two sided, and now he is struggling on this next report.
He didn't hate the paper work as much when he was working with Faith, partly because she did most of it, but also because they would do it as they rode patrol. At least it felt like they were actually working. He misses Yokas more now because she usually did all the paper work on people's statements, things you actually had to put into your own words. He, mostly did the stuff you just filled in the blanks with information off a drivers license.
This report is especially hard, because it pertains to the statement that he and Cruz obtained from Faith yesterday. It made her look pretty bad. He is trying to be creative and not make it sound like she botched the situation, but he can't help but wonder what the hell she was thinking. Communicating on the radio was another part of the job that Faith usually did when the were partnered.
He decides to hold off on this report, and talk to Faith again. Hell, maybe she will be feeling up to writing it for him. He looks at his watch. Fred will probably be coming home from work right about now, and he doesn't want to go there and run into him. He'll go see her tomorrow before his shift. And besides, there is plenty more paper work he can do instead.
Suddenly, a reprieve. Cruz rushes past the desk and calls, "Boscarelli, come with me." He stands up, grabs his jacket off the chair, and hurries after her. "Yes ma'am."
His mood has changed from dreary-dull to excited in the blink of an eye. God he loves the adrenaline rush. "What's up?" he says grinning.
"Dog attack. In the park."
"Dog attack?" He is a bit disappointed that it wasn't some wild shoot out, or something like that, but still, it must be something if they called ACU. As they arrive on the scene, he sees the usual pandemonium. There are several RMPs and two EMTs there. Sully, Davis and Candy are pushing the crowd back. The usual onlookers, saying 'Oh God, I can't look.' Yet they stay and gawk and get in the way.
There are four adults sitting on the grass and Carlos and Kim are scurrying back and forth between them. And there is one child laying on the grass. Doc is working frantically over her. It looks serious. He is yelling to Carlos to drop what he's doing and come help him. The kid's mother is kneeling close by and she is hysterical. Maria Lucas, from 55 Adam is consoling her, while her partner Dale Martin, stands nearby looking uncomfortable. They both have blood on them. They must have been first on the scene. Maria helps the woman to her feet and Martin finally steps up to help as they walk the woman towards the ambulance. Doc and Carlos have the kid on a stretcher and rush her into the back.
As it pulls away, he sees Martin put his hands on Lucas' shoulders and say something to Lucas that looks consoling, because she is obviously upset. Then she reaches up and wipes some blood off his face for him. Then they both head towards their RMP. They look to be very close.
Bosco approaches them before they get in the car. "What happened here? Were you first on?"
"Yah. These pit bulls came through the park and they both went after that little girl. Some people nearby tried to get them off of her and the dogs turned on them too. Actually, Candy got here first from the east side, we came in from there. (pointing) That dog, (he points again, and Bosco sees a dog laying dead behind him) turned on us as we approached. The girls mother started screaming for help and the dog turned towards her. I shot it before it got her too. Candy shot the other one."
"God damn." Bosco murmurs. "Where the hell did they come from?"
Martin tells him that witnesses said they came from the west end, probably that crack neighbor hood outside the park. He also mentions that the dogs were badly scarred up. "Looks like a dog fighting ring. That's why we called in ACU. Anything else? We gotta get to Mercy. Help that kids mother. Man, we're gonna be here all night on this. The call came in ten minutes before our shift ended."
Bosco nods sympathetically at him. "You'd better go. Hey, is the kid gonna be alright?"
"I don't think so. I don't think she was alive when they left."
After getting statements from the witnesses, and then checking the dogs for any tags, they head back to the precinct. Bosco, again starts doing paper work. This time a whole new set for the new case. Cruz is on the phone, pulling information from different resources about dog fighting rings.
*****[Later]*****
Bosco is at the control desk getting more forms, when 55 Adam finally returns. As they walk by, Bosco asks them how the little girl made out.
"The little girl didn't make it." Martin says.
Lucas stops briefly, then says, "I'm heading in." and enters the locker-room. Martin watches after her looking worried.
"She all right?" Bosco asks.
"She's taking it pretty hard. You know, being a kid and all."
"Yah. My partners the same way about kids."
Martin looks over at Cruz and says surprised, "Really? She don't look like anything could phase her."
"Oh, not her. I meant Yokas, my old partner."
"Yokas, the cop that got shot. Oh, that explains why you're stuck with Cruz."
"Yah." Bosco says quietly. "So, you and Lucas are pretty close, huh?"
"Yah. Best friends. My wife calls her my other wife."
"She jealous?"
"No. They get along great. Besides, Lucas is gay."
"That don't bother you?" Bosco asks.
"No, why should it. She's a great partner. That's hard to find, am I right?"
Bosco nods. "Do you two ever fight?"
"What partners don't. We could be hollering at each other in the car, and I know she wants to kill me, but then we get a call and there is no doubt in my mind that she has my back. Not for one second. I trust her more than anyone in the world, even my wife. That's all that matters, right?"
Bosco says, "Right." In a far away tone.
"When you find a great partner, you hold on to 'em." Martin adds.
Suddenly they are interrupted by Cruz yelling, "Boscarelli, are you worken today or what?"
Martin says, "Well I'd better go." Then glancing in Cruz's direction, "Hope your partner recovers quickly."
*****[It's early the next day.]*****
Faith answers the door to find Bosco standing there, paperwork in hand. He holds it up and says hi.
"Hi. Did you come alone or is your girlfriend hiding in ambush?"
"I'm here alone. I figured we can do your statement together. Your eye looks a lot better."
"Bos, you've got to learn to do your own paperwork."
"Hey, I'm only thinken of you. I can't hand in that shit you told us, they'll take your gun away."
"I really don't care what the report says. And, ya know what Bos, I really don't have anything I can add to make it sound better."
"C'mon, you need to tell me everything. According to this, you never even called in that there was a real robbery. I don't care what Cruz said, I know you. You don't just forget this stuff. Not you."
"Cruz heard the communications." She says unattached.
"What is wrong with you? Just tell me how it went down."
"Bos, I called in a possible 10-30 and never upgraded it. I never reported that there were weapons. Nothing. I ran in there without thinking. Without backup."
"Well, you 'called' for backup right? And Sully responded. What did he say? Did he question if it was real?"
"No. He said they were around the corner."
"Then what happened."
"Then they beat up that waitress. I thought they were gonna kill her, so I just went in. I tried to surprise them, but they surprised me."
"So it all happened too fast for you to call in anymore information. It happened in a matter of one or two minutes. Quicker than Sully could arrive from around the corner. And you rushed in to save the waitress. That's all. That makes perfect sense."
She lets it go at that, and doesn't bother to explain that she actually waited 18 minutes for Sully to arrive. Plenty of time to have called in the information.
*****[Later that afternoon]*****
Fred comes home from work and Faith greets him at the door. She kisses him and asks how his day was.
"Terrible, but it's better now. What are you doing up, shouldn't you be laying down?"
"I laid down all morning. I got bored with it, so I got up and got dinner ready. But I need your help." She escorts him into the kitchen. "I couldn't put the roast in the oven with only one hand."
Fred puts the huge pan in the oven for her and then wraps his arms around her. "I could get used to this. Having my wife home, and dinner waiten for me."
"Yah?" She says smiling.
"Yah. Why don't you stay home for good and not go back to work."
"Really, Ya mean it?" She is smiling like a child with a secret.
"What are you up to?" he asks half laughing.
"Well, I've had a lot of time to think and I made a decision I think you'll be pleased with."
"Tell me."
"I'm gonna quit my job."
He stares at her for a few moments. "What? Are you serious?" He looks happily surprised.
"Are you ok with that?" She asks.
"Yah. Of course. I've been telling you to quit for years. What brought this on?"
"Well, you want me to, right?"
"Wait a minute," Fred puts his hands on her shoulders and pushes her an arms length away. "You're not doing this just because I told you to, are you? Because, you'll only regret this later, you'll end up resenting me, and hating me for the rest of my life."
"No...I mean...well that's part of it, but I have my own reasons."
"Well, what are they?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes! It matters. This is a big decision and I want to make sure you're doing it for the right reasons."
She turns her eyes away from him, and gazing at the floor, she tells him, "I just don't think I can do this job any more. I've realized I'm not that good at it and before I hurt myself again, or hurt someone else..."
Fred stops her in mid sentence. "What are you talking about? You're a great cop."
She shakes her head and glances farther away from him, with a gaze that means she doesn't want to hear this. Fred takes her chin in his hand and forces her to look at him, and in a serious tone, says, "Faith...you're a good cop."
"I'm only half a cop. I have no partner. I don't feel safe out there anymore."
"Oh, I get it. And once again this boils down to Bosco. I don't want you to partner with him, and you can't be a cop without him. Is that what's going on?"
She raises her voice a little for emphasis. "No. That's not it. The truth is..." She pauses because this is hard for her to say, "I made a mistake. I screwed up and I almost got killed. I don't trust my judgment any more. Bosco has moved on. He found a partner in ACU that he can work with...But, I can't find one. A partner will keep you straight, ya know? Watch out for mistakes before you make them."
"So tell them that you want a partner. You won't go back until they find you one."
"You don't get it. It took seven years for me and Bos to click the way we do. He knows what I'm thinken. And I know what he's gonna do before he does it. You don't have that with just anyone. I don't want to start over. I don't have the desire to. It's dangerous. I don't feel safe out there anymore. With or without a partner."
"Well, what about taking the sergeant's exam?"
"I don't want to be a sergeant. I never did. I like being on patrol. But I... I'm afraid now. I'm scared to go back out there." For a second, she looks at him helplessly like she's lost. Then she shrugs his hands off of her shoulders and gives him an angry look. "Why are you arguing with me? You never wanted me to be a cop anyway."
"I don't know why I'm arguing with you. I just want you to be happy, and safe. If you don't feel that in your job any more, then good. Quit."
*****[Back out on the streets]*****
Bosco and Cruz are in an unmarked, heading to the neighborhood west of the park. Cruz got the name and address of a suspect that had been brought in for questioning, and released, five months earlier in connection with a dog fighting ring. They are on their way to pick the guy up.
Cruz explains the situation to Bosco. "About five months ago they were shutting down this dog fighting ring. They get search warrants for the whole gang, but when they get to this guys place, they find cages, dog food...everything but the dogs. Someone must have warned him. So they got nothing to hold him on. Now, he's the only one in the wind, and he lives near the park. He's got to be our guy. So, we'll show up, and if he's got dogs, we can tie him into everything. If he don't have any dogs, even better, that means we already got his dogs from the park. We just gather some dog hairs from his place, and we got him...on everything from murder to animal abuse. It's a win-win situation. He's going away for a long time."
"Shouldn't we call animal control? In case he has any dogs in there?"
"You don't leave fighting dogs just sitting around the house. They'll be caged. Besides, I'm sure we have his dogs. I've got a feeling."
They pull up in front of a dilapidated house that, if not for the rusted Ford in the driveway, would look abandoned. As they get out of the car, they hear a dog start barking from inside. Bosco looks at Cruz and she shakes her head confidently. They look around the yard quickly, then walk up to the door.
They draw their weapons, Bosco knocks hard and yells, "Police. Open the door."
They get no response. After the second try, Cruz motions towards the door knob with a nod of the head, and he turns it. The door is unlocked. Bosco raises his gun to shoulder level and slowly opens the door. As he walks in, with Cruz close behind him, he yells, "Police. We have a warrant. If you are holding a weapon, toss it into the hallway, and place your hands on your head." There is no sound but the dog barking from a room nearby.
The hallway leads to a kitchen. There is a doorway to the right about four steps away. As Bosco reaches it, he turns abruptly at it, thrusting his gun into the room. Except for some clutter, the room is empty. They slowly continue walking up the hall towards the second door, about four more steps ahead on the left. As Bosco steps to the doorway, a pit bull leaps into the hall in front of him and lunges at his arms. It clamps onto Bosco's arm with a vice like grip, causing him to fire the gun at the ceiling. Bosco yells out in pain. He falls backwards and pushes the dog as far off him as he can, yelling "Shoot it, shoot it!"
No one hears him. As this was happening, Cruz heard a door slam from the same room the dog was in, and she has already run back down the hallway, and out the door, slamming it shut behind her so the dog don't get out. She races around to the back yard, and finds the suspect has climbed to the top of the fence in the yard. As she yells 'freeze' she fires at him, hitting him in the shoulder, and knocking him into the next yard. As she calls in to central for an ambulance, she hears five shots from inside the house.
*****[Back at the Yokas house]*****
After dinner, Faith was feeling pretty sore so she took a pain pill and fell asleep on the couch. Fred is sitting in a chair, staring blankly at the tv. He is thinking about the conversation he had earlier with his wife. He has mixed feelings. He knows what he wants her to do, but he can't give her advise on what she should do.
Faith moans. Fred looks over and watches her sleep. She starts moving restlessly, and thrashing like someone is fighting her in her sleep. Like they have been every night since the shooting. She is being tormented and he can't reach her. He never could when it comes to her pride or her personal goals. He tucks the blanket in around her, and then makes a phone call. After hanging up, he leaves the house.
*****[At the hospital]*****
The doctor is putting the final stitches in Bosco's chin. All together he got 32 in his left arm, 12 in his right hand and 8 in his face. The doctor recommends for a second time that he stay over night but he sternly declines. As the nurse walks out of the room, Bosco ask her to send Sergeant Cruz in.
"I think she left. As soon as they admitted the shoulder wound, she walked out."
"Son of a bitch" Bosco says under his breath.
The doctor finishes up and asks if someone will be there to stay with him when he gets home, and he says yes. He'll be going to his mom's for the night. Bosco is gingerly putting his shirt back on as the doctor walks out of the room, and he hears the doc say, 'sure you can go in and see him now.'
Without looking up, Bosco says, "I knew you'd come back." He glances up and is floored to see Fred Yokas walk in. "What are you doing here?"
"I called the precinct and they told me you were brought here." Fred thinks about the last time he was here. Less than a week ago when Faith was rushed in. There were seven or eight cops in the waiting room and three or four paramedics, all waiting to see how she was. There is no one here for this guy. He briefly feels sorry for him because Faith really is all he's got. But tough shit, then he should have treated her better.
"Is Faith here?" Bosco asks confused.
"No. I just thought I'd come down and find out what happened, you know, for her."
"Right. Well...I'm ok. Got stitches. I Got attacked by a pit bull. But they're letting me go home." After a long awkward silence, Bosco says again, "What are you really doing here Fred?"
"I wanted to talk to you about something so I called the precinct, but when they told me you were here...well... [long awkward pause] I don't know why I came. I guess because Faith couldn't." Fred thinks to himself that Bosco has become like family, even to him. Although, kinda like an annoying cousin.
"Would you mind giving me a ride home? I'm goen to my moms. We can talk on the way."
*****[On the road in Fred's truck]*****
Bosco gives Fred the directions and they head to his mom's. He doesn't know what to make of Fred. Here he is driving him home, even though what Fred probably wants to tell him, is to stay away from Faith, and don't plan on being her partner again. Or maybe Faith told him about his visit with Cruz. That really upset Faith. They shouldn't have upset her when she wasn't feeling well, and Fred must be pissed off about it. Can't blame him. He tries to plan how he will respond to what ever Fred has to say, when Fred finally speaks.
"Faith is having a real hard time recovering from that shooting." He keeps staring straight ahead, as if he's not really talking to Bosco. "I don't know what to do to help her. I thought maybe you could talk to her."
Bosco is stunned. This is certainly not what he was expecting Fred to say. "Me? You want me to talk to her?"
"Well...you've been shot right? It's something that maybe you can relate to, where I can't."
"What do you mean by a hard time? What's wrong?"
"She's not herself. She's really depressed. And she can't sleep, not for more than a few hours at a time. Then she tosses and turns like she's having a nightmare. And when I wake her, she don't remember it. Or she don't want to tell me. I don't know. Something's wrong though."
"Well ya know Fred, they are gonna make her see the shrink down at the precinct before she can go back to work. It may be better for a professional to talk to her."
"She ain't going back to work. She's quitting."
Bosco stares at him for a second, then says sarcastically, "Well did you ever consider that making her quit could be what's depressing her?"
"I'm not making her quit. It was her decision, out of the blue. In fact, she got mad at me for trying to talk her out of it. She don't talk to me about cop stuff. But something is really bothering her and I can't help her. I was just hoping that for once you could be helpful. Be there for her for once." Fred looks over and holds his gaze on Bosco.
"Of course I'll talk to her. But, she doesn't always open up to me either. You know how stubborn she can be. But I'll try." After a few moments of silence, Bosco says to Fred, "I can't believe you're asking me to help, after what you said at the hospital and all. I didn't think you'd want me around."
"Bosco, she's my wife and I love her. I'm losing my best friend and I'll do anything to get her back, even ask you for help. Even if it means you two have to be partners again."
Bosco nods thinking, he just saw her today and she never let on that something was wrong...or that she was going to quit. He's losing his best friend too.
*[The music from Cheryl Crow's "Diamond Road" begins to play]*
Bosco's mom is fussing over him as he gets into bed.
*[Walk with me the diamond road, Tell me every story told]*
*[Give me something of your soul, That I can hold on to]*
Faith is thrashing in her sleep.
*[Wanna wake up to the sound of waves, Crashing on a brand new day]*
Fred is watching her from the doorway.
*[Keep the memory of your face, But wipe the pain away]*
Bosco gets up and gets his ACU badge out of his coat.
*[When your lonely, When your heart aches]*
*[It's gonna take a little time, Yah, It's gonna take a little time]*
Fred walks over and sits on the edge of the bed, and tucks the blanket in around Faith.
*[When the night falls, When you're stumbling]*
*[It's gonna take a little time, To make it to the other side]*
Sully and Davis are in their RMP talking and laughing.
*[So don't miss the diamonds along the way, Every road has met us here today]*
Bosco has his arm behind his head, and his stare is far away as he flips the badge around in his fingers.
*[Little bird what's troubling you, You know what you have to do]*
*[What is yours you'll never loose, and what's ahead may shine]*
Fred has gotten into bed and doesn't realize that Faith is awake now.
*[Ah beneath the promise of blue skies, Broken wings will learn to fly]*
*[Pull yourself out of the tide, And begin to live again]*
Faith gets out of bed and walks to the living room without turning on a light.
*[When your lonely, When your heart aches]*
*[It's gonna take a little time, To make it to the other side]*
Bosco is staring at his ACU badge.
*[When the night falls, When you're stumbling]*
*[It's gonna take a little time, And everything will be just fine]*
Cruz is sitting at her desk doing paperwork.
*[So don't miss the diamonds along the way, Every road has met us here today]*
Bosco tosses the badge onto the night stand and it falls to the floor.
*[Life is what happens, while your making plans]*
Faith is standing in her living room, looking at a picture of her and Bosco, taken when they graduated from the academy together.
*[All that you need, is right here in your hands]*