Elizabeth Hinds snuggled into her scarf as she walked the two blocks
to her apartment building, her eyes wandering up to glance at the glinting
stars above. They seemed to wink at her, and she felt her eyes swell with
tears as she remembered how her day had basically ended... perhaps even her
career.
She wasn't so sure she wanted to work in the police force after seeing god knew how many bullets rip her partner and friend apart not long after the start of their shift. It had terrified her more than she had known possible to see his last moments, witness that look of horror in his eyes when he realised that was it... it was all over for him.
She stifled a sob, and used the thick sleeve on her jacket to wipe away the tears, cursing herself for her seemingly free-flowing emotions lately. Elizabeth was normally such a strong person... at least she had always thought she was.
As she walked the short distance, her feet dragging, the heels of her boots scraping the sidewalk, she remembered the noble act of a man she had always thought to be a complete and utter... well, moron.
Boscorelli had saved her life today, and she knew it. Hell, she didn't really know how she could thank him... or how she would ever be able to thank him. She had always thought he hated her enough to let her die in a situation like that.
Yokas hadn't been half bad today either. She had gone to Elizabeth and tried to calm her down, offered her help in getting up. She had walked with her to the ambulances that had arrived. Such compassion had stunned Elizabeth, and she regretted that comment she had made about Yokas years ago, earning her a split lip and a rather nasty bruise. Elizabeth hadn't really meant it... or had she?
Well, now she realised she had deserved it. She hadn't ever thought she was that much of a bitch... until now. Had she always been so nasty?
Elizabeth remembered making kids cry quite a lot in high school... and pushing kids over in day-care. She had been a rather spiteful bratty child. She wished she could take it all back, apologise to everyone she had ever hurt.
But she knew one thing she had to do when she got her act together enough to get back to work. She had to thank Boscorelli... and Yokas. Their kindness and compassion, and Boscorelli's bravery, had saved her from what would have been a complete breakdown.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get that image of Daniel's last moments out of her head. It was burning itself brutally into her memory, a constant reminder of her 'accomplishments' in her job. She had managed to get her partner killed by not paying enough attention.
If Boscorelli hadn't been there, I would have died too, she thought suddenly. Maybe I should have... what if they were aiming for me?
Elizabeth paused for a moment, and felt the first raindrop fall, hitting her shoulder, before a gentle shower was tumbling from the heavens. She hoped that wherever Spencer was now, he was content. He didn't have to put up with the New York crap anymore. She almost envied him.
But as a large strong pair of hands latched around her throat, she wished instantly to take the thought back.
* * *
Bosco and Faith emerged from the station together, wrapped up warm now, jackets donned and fastened tightly around themselves, scarves dug out from duffels and draped around their necks, gloves pulled over cold hands. They had only just got outside into the lightly falling rain, and already it seemed the bitter cold had found its way through their many layers and to their skin.
Faith pulled her hat onto her head, tugging it down securely over her ears, and shivered momentarily, casting a pitiful glance up at the falling rain. She moaned lightly, and pouted ever so slightly.
Bosco smiled discreetly, glancing to his boots for a minute, before asking, "You want a ride?"
Faith's head turned in his direction, and her pretty eyes peered out from beneath her woolly hat. She looked a little surprised, even as she shook her head. "No Nicole?"
With one back and forth motion of his head, he mumbled, "Nope. Not tonight."
"You got a break, huh?"
He elbowed her lightly, and buried his hands deep in his leather jacket pockets, fiddling with his car keys. "You want a ride or not?"
Her brow furrowed, and she cocked her head. "It's a little out of your way, isn't it?"
"Don't be stupid." He nodded his head briefly to the car park, where his blue Mustang was parked, rain settling on the clean surface. "Come on. You'll get soaked walkin' in this weather."
Faith seemed to realise then that Bosco wasn't going to let her walk all the way to the EL station, wait for half an hour, and then walk home through the rain. And so, she hefted her bag onto her shoulder a little more, and followed him out, jogging lightly, to his car. He quickly unlocked it, and slipped into the driver's seat, letting her in the passenger side.
She settled into the comfortable seat, and smiled. It always amazed her how much care Bosco put into his car. He could see it in her face how impressed she was. She knew how much he loved his car.
Bosco casually slung his duffel over the back of his seat, hearing it land with a dull thud on the floor behind him. He brought the engine to life, and reversed out of his space, driving away from King & Arthur.
The first half of their journey was completely uneventful in the way of conversation. Neither said a single word. Faith looked out of her side window, watching the rain spill down the glass, and Bosco concentrated on his driving, one hand on the wheel. He knew how to handle his car. He drove it enough.
But after about ten minutes, Faith's voice could be heard over the quiet rumble from the radio, as she said, "I think we've seen about all the sun we're gonna get for a while." Her eyes never left the tumbling droplets on the glass outside.
Bosco cast a swift glance to his friend, and furrowed his brow in confusion. "What's with you and the weather today?"
Faith gazed at him for what seemed like a long time, and replied, "I dunno. Haven't you ever just stopped to notice whether or not it's rainin' or whether the sun's shining?"
He shrugged his shoulders, sighing. "Not really."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" she asked rhetorically.
He turned a corner a little too fast, soon reducing speed when he realised he could cause an accident, and inquired, "What is that supposed to mean?"
Faith shook her head.
Here we go, he thought instantly.
"You always see things at face value, Bos', haven't you ever noticed that? Rain is just rain to you, a girl with a nice ass is a girl with a nice ass... it's never anything more than that." Her eyes were fixed on him as she spoke, and her face was serious.
He just couldn't tell where she was headed with this. But he knew he wasn't about to let it go. He never could. "It's not always like that, Faith."
"Tell me one time you've looked at a person and wondered what they're really like underneath it all. One time, Bosco, one time. And I mean really wondered, not just thought about whether or not they do drugs, or whether they'd be good in bed."
"Hey," Bosco began, their eyes locking for a second, before his attention was soon back on the road ahead, "there's been lots of times. Remember that big girl we had to lower out the window a few months back?"
Faith gave a laugh, single, hollow. "Can you even remember her name?"
"Sure I can," Bosco retorted, and resisted the urge to feel smug as he continued, "Tina. Her name was Tina."
Faith looked surprised... if only slightly, as she said quietly, "Okay. I'll give you that."
"And remember when you and Fred had that... minor disagreement about his drinkin'?"
"Bos'..." she began in warning, her head lowering.
"No, no, you brought this up." He shook his head firmly, and continued, "You were ready to give up on him, but I convinced you not to. You remember that, Faith? I told you something I never told anyone before, and I thought that helped you. I showed you a side of me no one has seen before. You think I'm shallow, is that it?"
"I didn't say that, Bos'," she told him instantly.
"Well then what were you sayin'?"
"I just meant that sometimes you can be a little..." she paused for a moment, searching for a word, before finally finishing by saying, "blunt."
"Blunt?"
"You see things and take them as what they are."
They were at Faith's apartment, and she hadn't even noticed. Bosco had just stopped out of habit, having not really taken any notice of it himself. He turned his body to her halfway, and leaned in a little, saying, "You only see what I'm like on the outside. You think I'm blunt? Take a look at yourself, Faith. Whenever we come across a drunk mom, or an alcoholic father, you want nothin' more than to lock 'em up and throw away the key. At least I'm willing to give them a shot."
He looked deep into her eyes; saw the level of her attention was at maximum.
"I told you not so long ago that when I put that uniform on I help every damn person I can, Faith, and I thought that helped you to realise that when I'm out on the job, I put on a brave face, and try not to let all the crap out there get to me. I'm not the strongest person in the world, Faith. Sometimes I get so scared that I think I might just turn tail and run until my legs give out... but I don't. You know why?"
She didn't reply.
"Because I'm a damn good cop, Faith, and I try as hard as I can not to break down at the hell that we live in. all the horrible stuff we see every day... it hurts me sometimes. Whenever we find an abandoned kid, save a beaten woman from her jerk husband, break up a gang fight... hell, even get a homeless guy away from some stuffy suits... you know how that makes me feel?"
Another quiet moment with no response.
"It makes me feel like we can never really do any good out here. And after what I saw today..." he shook his head firmly, taking a breath, "seeing Spencer die like that, knowing that people want us dead that much terrified me more than you know. How can we protect the people out there if we can't even protect ourselves, Faith?"
She blinked once, frowning deeply.
"So don't you tell me I don't really see it, Faith... don't ever tell me that."
Their eyes were locked for a few more silent moments, before Bosco turned back to rest in his seat properly again.
He heard her climb out of the car, and saw her cross in front of the vehicle and enter her building, only glancing back once. He thought he saw regret in her eyes, but he wasn't sure. If she wanted to feel guilty, then that was up to her.
It just drove him crazy that after all their time together; she couldn't really understand him still. He knew he didn't open up much at all, but he had thought that she was able to read him better than that. It had offended him... her analogy. She hadn't said anything like that to him in a while. He hadn't expected it.
Shaking his head once more, and letting out an abrupt sigh of disappointment, he sped away without looking back.
She wasn't so sure she wanted to work in the police force after seeing god knew how many bullets rip her partner and friend apart not long after the start of their shift. It had terrified her more than she had known possible to see his last moments, witness that look of horror in his eyes when he realised that was it... it was all over for him.
She stifled a sob, and used the thick sleeve on her jacket to wipe away the tears, cursing herself for her seemingly free-flowing emotions lately. Elizabeth was normally such a strong person... at least she had always thought she was.
As she walked the short distance, her feet dragging, the heels of her boots scraping the sidewalk, she remembered the noble act of a man she had always thought to be a complete and utter... well, moron.
Boscorelli had saved her life today, and she knew it. Hell, she didn't really know how she could thank him... or how she would ever be able to thank him. She had always thought he hated her enough to let her die in a situation like that.
Yokas hadn't been half bad today either. She had gone to Elizabeth and tried to calm her down, offered her help in getting up. She had walked with her to the ambulances that had arrived. Such compassion had stunned Elizabeth, and she regretted that comment she had made about Yokas years ago, earning her a split lip and a rather nasty bruise. Elizabeth hadn't really meant it... or had she?
Well, now she realised she had deserved it. She hadn't ever thought she was that much of a bitch... until now. Had she always been so nasty?
Elizabeth remembered making kids cry quite a lot in high school... and pushing kids over in day-care. She had been a rather spiteful bratty child. She wished she could take it all back, apologise to everyone she had ever hurt.
But she knew one thing she had to do when she got her act together enough to get back to work. She had to thank Boscorelli... and Yokas. Their kindness and compassion, and Boscorelli's bravery, had saved her from what would have been a complete breakdown.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get that image of Daniel's last moments out of her head. It was burning itself brutally into her memory, a constant reminder of her 'accomplishments' in her job. She had managed to get her partner killed by not paying enough attention.
If Boscorelli hadn't been there, I would have died too, she thought suddenly. Maybe I should have... what if they were aiming for me?
Elizabeth paused for a moment, and felt the first raindrop fall, hitting her shoulder, before a gentle shower was tumbling from the heavens. She hoped that wherever Spencer was now, he was content. He didn't have to put up with the New York crap anymore. She almost envied him.
But as a large strong pair of hands latched around her throat, she wished instantly to take the thought back.
* * *
Bosco and Faith emerged from the station together, wrapped up warm now, jackets donned and fastened tightly around themselves, scarves dug out from duffels and draped around their necks, gloves pulled over cold hands. They had only just got outside into the lightly falling rain, and already it seemed the bitter cold had found its way through their many layers and to their skin.
Faith pulled her hat onto her head, tugging it down securely over her ears, and shivered momentarily, casting a pitiful glance up at the falling rain. She moaned lightly, and pouted ever so slightly.
Bosco smiled discreetly, glancing to his boots for a minute, before asking, "You want a ride?"
Faith's head turned in his direction, and her pretty eyes peered out from beneath her woolly hat. She looked a little surprised, even as she shook her head. "No Nicole?"
With one back and forth motion of his head, he mumbled, "Nope. Not tonight."
"You got a break, huh?"
He elbowed her lightly, and buried his hands deep in his leather jacket pockets, fiddling with his car keys. "You want a ride or not?"
Her brow furrowed, and she cocked her head. "It's a little out of your way, isn't it?"
"Don't be stupid." He nodded his head briefly to the car park, where his blue Mustang was parked, rain settling on the clean surface. "Come on. You'll get soaked walkin' in this weather."
Faith seemed to realise then that Bosco wasn't going to let her walk all the way to the EL station, wait for half an hour, and then walk home through the rain. And so, she hefted her bag onto her shoulder a little more, and followed him out, jogging lightly, to his car. He quickly unlocked it, and slipped into the driver's seat, letting her in the passenger side.
She settled into the comfortable seat, and smiled. It always amazed her how much care Bosco put into his car. He could see it in her face how impressed she was. She knew how much he loved his car.
Bosco casually slung his duffel over the back of his seat, hearing it land with a dull thud on the floor behind him. He brought the engine to life, and reversed out of his space, driving away from King & Arthur.
The first half of their journey was completely uneventful in the way of conversation. Neither said a single word. Faith looked out of her side window, watching the rain spill down the glass, and Bosco concentrated on his driving, one hand on the wheel. He knew how to handle his car. He drove it enough.
But after about ten minutes, Faith's voice could be heard over the quiet rumble from the radio, as she said, "I think we've seen about all the sun we're gonna get for a while." Her eyes never left the tumbling droplets on the glass outside.
Bosco cast a swift glance to his friend, and furrowed his brow in confusion. "What's with you and the weather today?"
Faith gazed at him for what seemed like a long time, and replied, "I dunno. Haven't you ever just stopped to notice whether or not it's rainin' or whether the sun's shining?"
He shrugged his shoulders, sighing. "Not really."
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" she asked rhetorically.
He turned a corner a little too fast, soon reducing speed when he realised he could cause an accident, and inquired, "What is that supposed to mean?"
Faith shook her head.
Here we go, he thought instantly.
"You always see things at face value, Bos', haven't you ever noticed that? Rain is just rain to you, a girl with a nice ass is a girl with a nice ass... it's never anything more than that." Her eyes were fixed on him as she spoke, and her face was serious.
He just couldn't tell where she was headed with this. But he knew he wasn't about to let it go. He never could. "It's not always like that, Faith."
"Tell me one time you've looked at a person and wondered what they're really like underneath it all. One time, Bosco, one time. And I mean really wondered, not just thought about whether or not they do drugs, or whether they'd be good in bed."
"Hey," Bosco began, their eyes locking for a second, before his attention was soon back on the road ahead, "there's been lots of times. Remember that big girl we had to lower out the window a few months back?"
Faith gave a laugh, single, hollow. "Can you even remember her name?"
"Sure I can," Bosco retorted, and resisted the urge to feel smug as he continued, "Tina. Her name was Tina."
Faith looked surprised... if only slightly, as she said quietly, "Okay. I'll give you that."
"And remember when you and Fred had that... minor disagreement about his drinkin'?"
"Bos'..." she began in warning, her head lowering.
"No, no, you brought this up." He shook his head firmly, and continued, "You were ready to give up on him, but I convinced you not to. You remember that, Faith? I told you something I never told anyone before, and I thought that helped you. I showed you a side of me no one has seen before. You think I'm shallow, is that it?"
"I didn't say that, Bos'," she told him instantly.
"Well then what were you sayin'?"
"I just meant that sometimes you can be a little..." she paused for a moment, searching for a word, before finally finishing by saying, "blunt."
"Blunt?"
"You see things and take them as what they are."
They were at Faith's apartment, and she hadn't even noticed. Bosco had just stopped out of habit, having not really taken any notice of it himself. He turned his body to her halfway, and leaned in a little, saying, "You only see what I'm like on the outside. You think I'm blunt? Take a look at yourself, Faith. Whenever we come across a drunk mom, or an alcoholic father, you want nothin' more than to lock 'em up and throw away the key. At least I'm willing to give them a shot."
He looked deep into her eyes; saw the level of her attention was at maximum.
"I told you not so long ago that when I put that uniform on I help every damn person I can, Faith, and I thought that helped you to realise that when I'm out on the job, I put on a brave face, and try not to let all the crap out there get to me. I'm not the strongest person in the world, Faith. Sometimes I get so scared that I think I might just turn tail and run until my legs give out... but I don't. You know why?"
She didn't reply.
"Because I'm a damn good cop, Faith, and I try as hard as I can not to break down at the hell that we live in. all the horrible stuff we see every day... it hurts me sometimes. Whenever we find an abandoned kid, save a beaten woman from her jerk husband, break up a gang fight... hell, even get a homeless guy away from some stuffy suits... you know how that makes me feel?"
Another quiet moment with no response.
"It makes me feel like we can never really do any good out here. And after what I saw today..." he shook his head firmly, taking a breath, "seeing Spencer die like that, knowing that people want us dead that much terrified me more than you know. How can we protect the people out there if we can't even protect ourselves, Faith?"
She blinked once, frowning deeply.
"So don't you tell me I don't really see it, Faith... don't ever tell me that."
Their eyes were locked for a few more silent moments, before Bosco turned back to rest in his seat properly again.
He heard her climb out of the car, and saw her cross in front of the vehicle and enter her building, only glancing back once. He thought he saw regret in her eyes, but he wasn't sure. If she wanted to feel guilty, then that was up to her.
It just drove him crazy that after all their time together; she couldn't really understand him still. He knew he didn't open up much at all, but he had thought that she was able to read him better than that. It had offended him... her analogy. She hadn't said anything like that to him in a while. He hadn't expected it.
Shaking his head once more, and letting out an abrupt sigh of disappointment, he sped away without looking back.