TITLE: THE ONE CONSTANT
AUTHOR: MINN
DISCLAIMER: I STILL don't own nothin' - mores the pity - just playing. No character was really harmed during the typing of this nonsense. The creators of Third Watch are, of course, gods. And so are the actors who portray the characters!
CHEERS!: To all the kind folks who said such nice things about my maiden outing "Grace", and about the follow-up-story-that-isn't-really, "The Replacement". And about this wee outing too! Glad y'all seem to be enjoying reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it.
TO ANGIE: You're right of course, none of you deserve to be tortured by me - my most humble apologies. However, I can't guarantee I won't do it again!
TO LJAE: It's been a long time since anyone told me I do anything like a grown up, given my tendency to be thoroughly childish! However, if it seems like I write like a grown up it would be because I'm actually damn near 40! Going on 12! WOOHOO!
SPECIAL THANKS: to TWJunkie for all her hard work in supplying we Kiwis with great written summaries of what's happening in the fourth season episodes now screening in the States. Cheers!
******** Enough chatter...on with the show...
THE ONE CONSTANT
Part Nine
They stood locked in a silent embrace for a long time, delighting in the quiet solace each found in the other.
It was Faith who stepped back first, if only slightly. She felt his body tense against hers and what little light there was revealed a look of apprehension etched upon his face. Clearly he was remembering the last time he held her in his arms and he seemed to be preparing his defences for whatever was to come.
It was a fleeting look of amazement that Faith glimpsed as she leaned forward and delicately touched her lips to his, felt his whole body become rigid with surprise and startled anticipation. When she brought her head back to gaze into his eyes, the look of astonishment on his face caused a soft smile to tug at the corners of her mouth.
His eyes never left hers, and as they stood enveloped in each other's arms Bosco reached up and tenderly touched his hand to her cheek. He let it linger there meaningfully for some time.
You tell me what you want, he seemed to be saying.
Faith brought her mouth to his once more and gently ran the tip of her tongue across his bottom lip; she felt him shudder, heard him murmur softly under his breath. She pressed her lips to his more firmly this time, eagerly, while her hands slipped under his jacket and began an exploration of his taut, compact body through the light material of his shirt.
The kiss they shared deepened and became more urgent. His hands began their own eager exploration of her body, and, as it had so often in her dreams, his touch set her skin tingling. While one hand roamed her body under the soft blouse she wore, the other sent small shivers of anticipation through her as it made its way down her thigh. His touch was restrained and tender but the muscular tension of his body told her he was calling upon every ounce of his willpower to keep the pace slow and steady.
The hand that travelled her thigh found its way under her skirt and the moment intensified. He began a gentle exploration of her through the satiny fabric of her panties, taking his time, enjoying how the lightness of his touch could make Faith tremble in his arms. When his fingers slipped gently beneath the rim of the flimsy undergarment, she gasped, but made no move to pull away from him.
He paused, resting his forehead against hers as her fingers negotiated the buttons and zip on his jeans, and deftly peeled them from his hips.
"We shouldn't..." he said in a ragged whisper.
She said nothing. Instead her lips searched his once again, while her hands made her intentions clear.
"Dammit Faith," he murmured.
Reaching up under her skirt, he took her by the hips and guided her to him.
------
The locker room, she found to her annoyance, was Grand Central Station in miniature. The whole world seemed to be in there.
As she glanced across at Bosco from her locker, she saw him watching her. In an almost self-conscious manner he glanced down before warily casting his eyes her way once more. When he found she was prepared to meet his gaze a small, wary half-smile played on his lips. It was a sweet moment.
"You're not your usual obnoxious post-weekend self," Sully growled as he shuffled past Bosco to his locker. "What happened? Get dumped?"
"None of your damn business," Bosco replied.
"Ooo, someone struck out BIG time!" Ty crowed.
"Time to think about changing your brand of aftershave," Sully chuckled.
"Or have that personality transplant you've been promising yourself," Ty smirked.
"It might reject him," Sully pointed out.
"Better go for the aftershave - doesn't have opinions - cheaper too."
Bosco, to their amazement, silently ignored the jibes.
Their first interaction for the day was a tentative one.
He seemed quietly self-conscious as he approached her, cautious even. There was no swaggering, no insufferable arrogance in his demeanour. The look on his face told her he was unsure and a little concerned about how she would react to him after what had transpired between them Saturday night.
"Is it OK if we work together today?"
He stood there, almost nervously, carefully examining every expression on her face.
"Sure. We can do that," she murmured.
Faith found the look of relief on his face touching.
She had come to work not knowing what to expect from Bosco. So many times before she had witnessed him parading smugly around the locker room announcing to all who cared to listen that he had yet another notch on his belt.
Now she was one of those notches.
It was as much a relief as it was a surprise to find him quietly reserved, even worried about what her reaction to him would be.
With roll call out of the way they headed for the RMP. Conversation for the first half-hour or so was restricted to job related subjects. Then they sat awaiting calls, the uncomfortable silence between them dragging the wait out interminably. Faith could feel him watching her.
Unable to stand it any more, Bosco suddenly got out of the car.
She watched him in the rear view mirror, watched him pace the sidewalk in the fine drizzle that was falling from the dull grey clouds above. After a while she joined him.
It was unusually cool for the time of year, and Faith tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she approached her partner.
"Bos, it's wet and it's cold out here."
"Good," he replied. "That's a good thing."
"How?"
He gazed at her with a look of quiet torment. "What? You'd prefer I jumped you?"
A small, self-indulgent smile crossed her lips. "Oh."
Bosco glanced at the ground then at something in the distance. "Can we talk about this?" he asked softly.
"As long as we do it in the car...talk, I mean." She rolled her eyes as he smirked at her.
They headed back to the RMP and sat in awkward silence for some moments.
"Are you OK...with what happened?" Bosco asked tentatively, fixing her with a penetrating gaze.
Faith looked away and collected her thoughts.
Fred had long since departed for bed when she finally arrived home that night. She stood in the doorway of their room for some time watching him sleep, unable to reconcile herself to what she had just done. She wanted to wake her husband, confess to him and beg his forgiveness. But she also wanted to return to the arms of the man whose company she had just left, whose sensuous touch still lingered warmly on her skin and in her mind.
Standing in the shower, Faith found herself torn between wanting to wash what she had done away and needing to revel in the memories that made her entire body tremble with delight. As a lover Bosco had been attentive, eager to please, yet confident in his ability to do so. Contrary to her assumptions, and to her dismay, making love to Bosco in real life had been an exquisite experience. She wished it had been different; it would have made things so much easier.
Fred had known something was up the minute he looked at her the following morning. He said nothing, but as the look of hurt in her husband's eyes reached new depths, the sense of guilt Faith shouldered intensified.
"Bos," she murmured finally. "Fred doesn't deserve to be treated like crap by the both of us."
"In other words, no, you're not OK with it," Bosco murmured, looking down at an indeterminate spot somewhere near his feet.
"I didn't say no," she said quickly. "I'm just sayin' there's other considerations here. Other people."
He sat and silently searched her eyes.
"I betrayed him Bosco," she said softly. "I've already hurt Fred enough but now I've betrayed him too. Do you get that?"
He nodded. "I get that Faith. That's why I asked."
He was clearly unhappy. As she watched him, memories of their night together flooded her mind once more, easily overriding her wish for them not to. His touch; the sound of his voice as he whispered her name; the feel of his body against hers. The incredible intensity of the passion between them...
You did it in an alley and then you did it in his car, snapped the voice in her head, like a couple of hormone-soaked teenagers...
"I take it you won't be coming over to my place after the shift then?" Bosco said in a half-hearted attempt to lighten the moment.
She looked at him, surprised. "You'd want me to?"
He seemed stunned. "You have to ask?"
Faith shrugged. "You're not usually the kinda guy that comes back for seconds, Bos."
"I am for the right woman," he replied softly.
She stared at him, futilely continuing her attempts to resist the feelings she had for him as they battled the love and loyalty she felt for her husband.
"I used you Bosco," she whispered.
"Neither of us have covered ourselves in glory here Faith," he replied gently.
Looking into his eyes Faith could clearly see the love and affection he held for her, the look that had been the genesis of her fantasies.
They sat in silence for some time, each of them preoccupied with their own thoughts.
"Bos," she whispered finally, turning to face him. "It...you...were amazing. Thank you."
"You've always held me to higher standards than anyone else in my life Faith," he murmured.
Despite the torment she felt, Faith smiled. She paused for a moment before speaking again. "You know we can't..."
"I know," he said quickly, a sad smile flicking at the edges of his mouth. "It's OK, Faith. I know."
He searched for something else to say, but when nothing seemed adequate, he simply looked away.
-----
TBC - cigarette anyone?
AUTHOR: MINN
DISCLAIMER: I STILL don't own nothin' - mores the pity - just playing. No character was really harmed during the typing of this nonsense. The creators of Third Watch are, of course, gods. And so are the actors who portray the characters!
CHEERS!: To all the kind folks who said such nice things about my maiden outing "Grace", and about the follow-up-story-that-isn't-really, "The Replacement". And about this wee outing too! Glad y'all seem to be enjoying reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it.
TO ANGIE: You're right of course, none of you deserve to be tortured by me - my most humble apologies. However, I can't guarantee I won't do it again!
TO LJAE: It's been a long time since anyone told me I do anything like a grown up, given my tendency to be thoroughly childish! However, if it seems like I write like a grown up it would be because I'm actually damn near 40! Going on 12! WOOHOO!
SPECIAL THANKS: to TWJunkie for all her hard work in supplying we Kiwis with great written summaries of what's happening in the fourth season episodes now screening in the States. Cheers!
******** Enough chatter...on with the show...
THE ONE CONSTANT
Part Nine
They stood locked in a silent embrace for a long time, delighting in the quiet solace each found in the other.
It was Faith who stepped back first, if only slightly. She felt his body tense against hers and what little light there was revealed a look of apprehension etched upon his face. Clearly he was remembering the last time he held her in his arms and he seemed to be preparing his defences for whatever was to come.
It was a fleeting look of amazement that Faith glimpsed as she leaned forward and delicately touched her lips to his, felt his whole body become rigid with surprise and startled anticipation. When she brought her head back to gaze into his eyes, the look of astonishment on his face caused a soft smile to tug at the corners of her mouth.
His eyes never left hers, and as they stood enveloped in each other's arms Bosco reached up and tenderly touched his hand to her cheek. He let it linger there meaningfully for some time.
You tell me what you want, he seemed to be saying.
Faith brought her mouth to his once more and gently ran the tip of her tongue across his bottom lip; she felt him shudder, heard him murmur softly under his breath. She pressed her lips to his more firmly this time, eagerly, while her hands slipped under his jacket and began an exploration of his taut, compact body through the light material of his shirt.
The kiss they shared deepened and became more urgent. His hands began their own eager exploration of her body, and, as it had so often in her dreams, his touch set her skin tingling. While one hand roamed her body under the soft blouse she wore, the other sent small shivers of anticipation through her as it made its way down her thigh. His touch was restrained and tender but the muscular tension of his body told her he was calling upon every ounce of his willpower to keep the pace slow and steady.
The hand that travelled her thigh found its way under her skirt and the moment intensified. He began a gentle exploration of her through the satiny fabric of her panties, taking his time, enjoying how the lightness of his touch could make Faith tremble in his arms. When his fingers slipped gently beneath the rim of the flimsy undergarment, she gasped, but made no move to pull away from him.
He paused, resting his forehead against hers as her fingers negotiated the buttons and zip on his jeans, and deftly peeled them from his hips.
"We shouldn't..." he said in a ragged whisper.
She said nothing. Instead her lips searched his once again, while her hands made her intentions clear.
"Dammit Faith," he murmured.
Reaching up under her skirt, he took her by the hips and guided her to him.
------
The locker room, she found to her annoyance, was Grand Central Station in miniature. The whole world seemed to be in there.
As she glanced across at Bosco from her locker, she saw him watching her. In an almost self-conscious manner he glanced down before warily casting his eyes her way once more. When he found she was prepared to meet his gaze a small, wary half-smile played on his lips. It was a sweet moment.
"You're not your usual obnoxious post-weekend self," Sully growled as he shuffled past Bosco to his locker. "What happened? Get dumped?"
"None of your damn business," Bosco replied.
"Ooo, someone struck out BIG time!" Ty crowed.
"Time to think about changing your brand of aftershave," Sully chuckled.
"Or have that personality transplant you've been promising yourself," Ty smirked.
"It might reject him," Sully pointed out.
"Better go for the aftershave - doesn't have opinions - cheaper too."
Bosco, to their amazement, silently ignored the jibes.
Their first interaction for the day was a tentative one.
He seemed quietly self-conscious as he approached her, cautious even. There was no swaggering, no insufferable arrogance in his demeanour. The look on his face told her he was unsure and a little concerned about how she would react to him after what had transpired between them Saturday night.
"Is it OK if we work together today?"
He stood there, almost nervously, carefully examining every expression on her face.
"Sure. We can do that," she murmured.
Faith found the look of relief on his face touching.
She had come to work not knowing what to expect from Bosco. So many times before she had witnessed him parading smugly around the locker room announcing to all who cared to listen that he had yet another notch on his belt.
Now she was one of those notches.
It was as much a relief as it was a surprise to find him quietly reserved, even worried about what her reaction to him would be.
With roll call out of the way they headed for the RMP. Conversation for the first half-hour or so was restricted to job related subjects. Then they sat awaiting calls, the uncomfortable silence between them dragging the wait out interminably. Faith could feel him watching her.
Unable to stand it any more, Bosco suddenly got out of the car.
She watched him in the rear view mirror, watched him pace the sidewalk in the fine drizzle that was falling from the dull grey clouds above. After a while she joined him.
It was unusually cool for the time of year, and Faith tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she approached her partner.
"Bos, it's wet and it's cold out here."
"Good," he replied. "That's a good thing."
"How?"
He gazed at her with a look of quiet torment. "What? You'd prefer I jumped you?"
A small, self-indulgent smile crossed her lips. "Oh."
Bosco glanced at the ground then at something in the distance. "Can we talk about this?" he asked softly.
"As long as we do it in the car...talk, I mean." She rolled her eyes as he smirked at her.
They headed back to the RMP and sat in awkward silence for some moments.
"Are you OK...with what happened?" Bosco asked tentatively, fixing her with a penetrating gaze.
Faith looked away and collected her thoughts.
Fred had long since departed for bed when she finally arrived home that night. She stood in the doorway of their room for some time watching him sleep, unable to reconcile herself to what she had just done. She wanted to wake her husband, confess to him and beg his forgiveness. But she also wanted to return to the arms of the man whose company she had just left, whose sensuous touch still lingered warmly on her skin and in her mind.
Standing in the shower, Faith found herself torn between wanting to wash what she had done away and needing to revel in the memories that made her entire body tremble with delight. As a lover Bosco had been attentive, eager to please, yet confident in his ability to do so. Contrary to her assumptions, and to her dismay, making love to Bosco in real life had been an exquisite experience. She wished it had been different; it would have made things so much easier.
Fred had known something was up the minute he looked at her the following morning. He said nothing, but as the look of hurt in her husband's eyes reached new depths, the sense of guilt Faith shouldered intensified.
"Bos," she murmured finally. "Fred doesn't deserve to be treated like crap by the both of us."
"In other words, no, you're not OK with it," Bosco murmured, looking down at an indeterminate spot somewhere near his feet.
"I didn't say no," she said quickly. "I'm just sayin' there's other considerations here. Other people."
He sat and silently searched her eyes.
"I betrayed him Bosco," she said softly. "I've already hurt Fred enough but now I've betrayed him too. Do you get that?"
He nodded. "I get that Faith. That's why I asked."
He was clearly unhappy. As she watched him, memories of their night together flooded her mind once more, easily overriding her wish for them not to. His touch; the sound of his voice as he whispered her name; the feel of his body against hers. The incredible intensity of the passion between them...
You did it in an alley and then you did it in his car, snapped the voice in her head, like a couple of hormone-soaked teenagers...
"I take it you won't be coming over to my place after the shift then?" Bosco said in a half-hearted attempt to lighten the moment.
She looked at him, surprised. "You'd want me to?"
He seemed stunned. "You have to ask?"
Faith shrugged. "You're not usually the kinda guy that comes back for seconds, Bos."
"I am for the right woman," he replied softly.
She stared at him, futilely continuing her attempts to resist the feelings she had for him as they battled the love and loyalty she felt for her husband.
"I used you Bosco," she whispered.
"Neither of us have covered ourselves in glory here Faith," he replied gently.
Looking into his eyes Faith could clearly see the love and affection he held for her, the look that had been the genesis of her fantasies.
They sat in silence for some time, each of them preoccupied with their own thoughts.
"Bos," she whispered finally, turning to face him. "It...you...were amazing. Thank you."
"You've always held me to higher standards than anyone else in my life Faith," he murmured.
Despite the torment she felt, Faith smiled. She paused for a moment before speaking again. "You know we can't..."
"I know," he said quickly, a sad smile flicking at the edges of his mouth. "It's OK, Faith. I know."
He searched for something else to say, but when nothing seemed adequate, he simply looked away.
-----
TBC - cigarette anyone?