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!
I'M STILL foreign, so cut me some slack if I use a phrase or two that don't make no sense.
GREETINGS and huge thanx to Angie (me wuvs you too!), Helena (Let's see how far you get before the tissues put in an appearance!), Juls (peaches...yeah, me too babe), DreamLoveBreathe, Winterwolf (Aww shucks sweetie...you might find a few more warm fuzzies sprinkled through this bit...), Lifesaver55 (Aww shucks...please don't hurt me!), Kate Anderson (*hands KA a tissue* all in a day's work, m'dear), Ljae, Deliani, Meeko, mauriceboscorelli (sorry to freak you out babe!), AnnaDelAmico (I can't get onto the 3rdwatch site at all now! Fanfiction crack - I like it! Are folks still staring at you strangely?), Lauren Metal (heheh...Bosco as a daddy...that's a big warm fuzzy right there, ain't it), Jazz (Why thank ya precious, I aim to please, sweetie...), phpa (the B/R thang - oo, I am gonna have a bit of fun with that babe. Peaches made me smile too!), Nyna Boscorelli, Maartje (heheh...sorry, couldn't resist. Sorry about giving you a heart attack too!) Norla (Welcome! Hope the wait was worth it babe!) and Junglegirl (I swear you're a closet 'shipper! Time to come OUT! Hah! Patience is a virtue, O fellow kiwi and TWINZ threader....) for taking the time to review so kindly - please forgive me if I've missed anyone. And to everyone else who's enjoying this as much as I am writing it - Cheers!!
----
THE ONE CONSTANT
PART 23
He woke with a start and sat up abruptly. Disoriented, he stared around blearily in a vein attempt to get his bearings. The room was unfamiliar and for a moment he was panic stricken, his heart thumping in his chest as if it would burst, every muscle taut, awaiting the onslaught he knew would come soon, as it always had.
Then he saw her.
His baby daughter lay reaching for the soft mobile that dangled above her crib, soft grunts and gurgles of delight punctuating the silence of the small room.
Bosco's eyes drifted to where the sleeping form of his little girl's mother lay beside him. The soft curves of her naked body stirred fond memories of what he and Faith had shared the night before and instantly he felt the tension in his body begin to ease.
He gazed fondly at the gentle expression of peace on Faith's face. While he longed to take her in his arms once more a voice echoing from the past rang in his mind, offering cautionary guidance. "You're nothing but an inconsiderate little creep!" He couldn't place the voice or even begin to recall the circumstance that had brought the accusation about, but he was sure it's message was: 'let Faith get her sleep.'
Bosco looked up and found himself clasped in his baby daughter's intense and inquisitive gaze. As gently as he was able he rose from bed and quietly made his way over to her crib. Gracie watched him like a hawk as he approached, and when he reached down to scoop her into his arms, a broad smile of delight erupted onto her face.
"Hey beautiful," he murmured, noting the time was 5.45am and that Faith was still sleeping peacefully. "Looks like it's just you and me for now, Gracie Eve."
Gracie seemed happy to snuggle close, small gurgles, contented snuffling and satisfied trills escaping her every once in a while as her father stood rocking her softly, his cheek pressed gently against her head.
After a while he crossed back to the bed, propped a pillow against the headboard and settled himself quietly next to Faith once more. A smile of quiet pleasure lit his face when Gracie, as if she were preparing to do press-ups, propped her hands against his chest and leaned back to gaze inquisitively up at him.
"Hey gorgeous," he murmured.
Gracie grinned. Chuckles of delight then filled the room as Bosco lifted his daughter up into the air above him and watched her kick her legs with blissful abandon, her smile wide and never ending. When he brought her close and softly kissed her forehead, a gleeful squeal erupted from her.
"You prefer it up there do you?" he asked quietly, lifting her above him once more.
Gracie squealed.
"Or not." Bosco brought her back to his chest.
Gracie squealed again.
"Typical," he muttered, holding her aloft once more. "Women never know what they want. Just don't puke on me, alright?"
Gracie chuckled and kicked her legs.
Bringing her close once more Bosco watched, fascinated, as his daughter bench-pressed away from him and stared fixedly into his eyes. Inexplicably he felt tears begin to well.
"I'll be honest with you Gracie," he told her softly. "I'm scared as hell right now."
Gracie stared at him and grinned.
"Oh, you think that's funny do you?" He smiled back, but the tears in his eyes kept welling and threatening to spill. "Do you have any idea how incredible this is? I'm a father - me. Maurice Boscorelli. If you knew me better you'd be pretty amazed too."
His mother's voice echoed suddenly and painfully through his mind. "You're useless!"
As he stared sadly into his little girl's eyes, Faith's words of the afternoon before began to haunt him too. "Gracie and I...we need a different kinda hero..."
"I can't blame your mom for bein' worried," he said softly, watching as Gracie's gaze drifted to where her mother lay beside them. "But I swear to you Gracie, I'm gonna try my best to be what you need me to be..."
Gracie's attention remained focused intently on the sleeping form of her mother. When just staring at her clearly was having no effect, small grizzles began to make their presence known.
"You hungry? Or do you need your diaper changed or something?"
Gracie turned and looked up at him.
"'Cos diaper changin', that's mommy's job," Bosco smiled.
Beside him he heard Faith begin to stir.
"If you want in on this Bosco," a sleepy voice muttered, "you get to share the yucky jobs too."
"Hey," Bosco murmured, watching as Faith rolled over and propped herself up on one arm, leaning forward to kiss their little girl softly.
"You hungry, honey?"
A broad grin broke across their daughter's face.
Faith sat up slowly and gathered her pillows up behind her.
"Breakfast time, Gracie," Bosco said, placing their daughter into her mother's arms. "Just leave some for me."
Faith shot him a look and Bosco tried to cover the wicked grin that played on his lips.
"Daddy's jokin' honey," Faith murmured, stroking her daughter's cheek as Gracie began to suckle eagerly, her blue eyes fixed intently upon her mother's face.
"Daddy wasn't jokin'," Bosco muttered under his breath, watching Faith carefully for her reaction.
Faith's eyes danced with good humour. "Does Daddy want his ass kickin'?"
"If it counts as foreplay, sure," Bosco smirked.
Faith rolled her eyes.
"Mommy loves me, really," Bosco told his daughter. He watched, slightly disheartened as silence ensued and the same doubtful look he had seen on Faith's face the day before returned.
"Bos, we need to take this slowly," Faith said quietly.
"So what was last night?" he asked.
The look of hurt in his eyes troubled her. "Lots of things, Bos," she murmured. "Loneliness. Relief that at least one of the men in my life is alive and well. Relief that Gracie's father actually wants to be in her life..."
"Did you think I wouldn't want to be?"
"I didn't know what you'd do, Bosco. All the time I've known you you've never expressed any intention to have kids, and all of a sudden I spring one on you..."
Bosco let his eyes caress his baby girl. "I never thought I'd feel like this," he murmured softly.
Faith's heart was warmed by the look of genuine adoration on his face but still her doubts loomed large. "One step at a time, Bos," she said. "I'm still grieving for Fred. I still need to get things sorted with the kids. And you need time to sort yourself out. We can't go leaping into playin' happy families just yet, OK?"
Bosco shrugged, nodding. "So how we gonna work this Faith?"
Faith regarded him fondly.
"I'd kinda like to stay here with Isabelle for a while longer - she looks after Gracie like she's one of her own grandkids and Gracie adores her. I'd like to give her a bit more of that sort of stability."
Bosco nodded. "I could get a place somewhere near," he said quietly.
Faith nodded vigorously. "I'd like us to work together again...use the time to get to know each other better."
"Yeah, nine years just ain't long enough," Bosco murmured.
"I mean...couple stuff," Faith shrugged, rolling her eyes as Bosco flashed a cheeky grin her way. "You know what I mean."
"So goin' to work will be like goin' on a really long date - 'cept we're gettin' paid for it," he smirked.
"And we get to pull guns on other people legally when we're pissed with each other," Faith deadpanned.
Bosco grinned. "So, what about hot sex in the back seat of the squad?"
Faith eyed him sternly. "Before the shift or after the shift, but not during, and NOT in the back seat of anyone's car, OK?"
He smirked at her. "You say that now..."
"Bosco..."
He raised his hands in surrender and grinned at her. A reflective expression then crossed his face and after a while he asked: "So who else knows about Gracie bein' mine?"
"Probably half the precinct by now," Faith murmured.
"You OK with that?"
Faith stared into the distance for a moment. "I'd be lyin' if I said I was comfortable with it," she admitted quietly. "I'm ashamed of the fact that I cheated on Fred, Bosco. Gracie's like living proof I was foolin' around."
"So you'd prefer we kept it all low key," he said quietly. He was trying to sound nonchalant, but the hurt in his eyes was obvious. "No shoutin' it from the rooftops."
"One step at a time Bos," she murmured. "This is gonna be tough enough without an audience watchin' our every more."
He nodded. "I've been ordered to take leave and get counselling," he said quietly. "So you'll have plenty of time to prepare yourself for when I get back on duty."
Faith watched him sadly. "I'm not ashamed of you, Bosco."
The way he looked at her Faith could tell he didn't believe a word and a whole new kind of guilt began to stir in her.
"I'd like to take Gracie to see mom, if that's OK with you?" he said suddenly.
"Wanna do that sometime today?"
He nodded and leaned closer to them both. "Maybe presenting ma with her first grand daughter will put her in a better mood."
---
Rose was hardly welcoming when they arrived, and in fact seemed thoroughly put out to be descended upon by 'visitors' so 'early' on a Sunday morning.
It was clear to them both that Rose had started the day with a liquid breakfast.
"Ma," Bosco complained as he went to hug her. She ducked him.
"DON'T start with me Maurice," Rose snapped, eyeing Faith suspiciously as she hovered nearby with the carrycot. "Where'd you disappear to yesterday afternoon?"
"I told you - I went to see Faith," he replied, sniffing at the coffee cup Rose had just placed on the table.
"You mighta called," she growled, snatching the cup off him.
"Sorry ma," Bosco murmured contritely.
Rose snorted disdainfully and clamped her bleary vision upon Faith. "What the hell are you hangin' out with this loser for, huh?"
Faith frowned as she saw the look of hurt that crept across Bosco's face. "I'm sorry about Mikey," she murmured.
"Yeah, aren't we all," Rose answered sourly. "But no matter, the world's a better place now my other son's a big fat hero. Ain't that right, Maurice? They given you that medal the size of Texas yet?"
Bosco was staring grimly at the floor.
"Bos managed to get a dangerous..." Faith began but Rose cut her dead dismissively.
"What are you now?" she snapped. "His PR manager or his mommy? Oh, hang on, no. That privilege," she sneered the word spitefully, "belongs to me."
Bosco looked up at Faith. She returned his gaze evenly, but he could clearly see she was uncomfortable. He went to her.
"Maybe we should go, do this another day," he murmured.
"Do WHAT, Maurice?" Rose demanded.
Bosco exchanged a quiet look with Faith and finally turned to face his mother once more. "Introduce you to Gracie."
Rose stared at him, her arms crossed, swaying gently where she stood. "Who the hell's Gracie?"
Faith stepped forward and placed the carrycot on the kitchen table. "This is Gracie," she said.
Their little girl's wide blue eyes gathered in every detail about Rose as Rose took a few unsteady steps forward and leaned on the table. After a while she looked up.
"What are you try'na tell me, Maurice?"
"Look at her, ma."
"I'm lookin'!" Rose snapped.
Gracie began to whimper.
Rose stared at her some more and the expression of confusion gradually became one of dawning disbelief.
"Oh my god..."
Faith shot a worried glance at Bosco as the expression on Rose's face became shadowed with disdain. She saw his eyes head straight for the floor as his mother began to laugh, a laugh that contained no humour, not even the smallest scent of happiness or joy.
"YOU two??" Rose sputtered. " You and FAITH? You knocked up your goddamn partner, Maurice??" She turned her attention to Faith. "What the hell were you thinking? I thought you were the sensible one?"
Gracie's whimpers began to strengthen into unhappy wailing. Without hesitation Faith lifted her daughter from the table and about-faced smartly. Bosco followed silently and miserably in her wake.
"You can't tell me you don't have doubts, Faith!" Rose bellowed after them. "You've known him long enough to know what he's like - useless! Just like his goddamn father!"
They stopped halfway down the corridor outside Rose's apartment and Bosco watched, distraught, as Faith lifted little Gracie lovingly into her arms. Almost immediately Gracie's agonised wailing began to subside.
"She OK?" he asked, drawing close to gently stroke his daughter's head.
"She's not used to angry people," Faith murmured. She noted the intense look of despair on Bosco's face. "You OK?"
He shrugged. "Guess I'm gonna have to get used to that kinda reaction," he murmured.
"We both are," Faith said softly. She noticed his hands were trembling once again. "Rose is angry, Bos, that's all."
Bosco nodded mutely, his eyes fixed anxiously upon his little girl. "I wanted her to be happy for us," he said quietly, clearly hurt by his mother's reaction.
"Bos, she's missing Mikey," Faith told him gently. "All she knows is how sad and empty she feels right now. I get that."
He looked into her eyes, that same vulnerability that had always had the power to touch Faith so deeply stirring compassion within her again.
"I'm not my father, Faith," he whispered.
Faith leaned closer and felt him slip his trembling arms around her. "I know, Bos," she said softly. "I know."
----
TBC! Nyahaha - sorry to all the folks who had heart attacks with the "The End" thing I sprung on yaz last chapter...!
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!
I'M STILL foreign, so cut me some slack if I use a phrase or two that don't make no sense.
GREETINGS and huge thanx to Angie (me wuvs you too!), Helena (Let's see how far you get before the tissues put in an appearance!), Juls (peaches...yeah, me too babe), DreamLoveBreathe, Winterwolf (Aww shucks sweetie...you might find a few more warm fuzzies sprinkled through this bit...), Lifesaver55 (Aww shucks...please don't hurt me!), Kate Anderson (*hands KA a tissue* all in a day's work, m'dear), Ljae, Deliani, Meeko, mauriceboscorelli (sorry to freak you out babe!), AnnaDelAmico (I can't get onto the 3rdwatch site at all now! Fanfiction crack - I like it! Are folks still staring at you strangely?), Lauren Metal (heheh...Bosco as a daddy...that's a big warm fuzzy right there, ain't it), Jazz (Why thank ya precious, I aim to please, sweetie...), phpa (the B/R thang - oo, I am gonna have a bit of fun with that babe. Peaches made me smile too!), Nyna Boscorelli, Maartje (heheh...sorry, couldn't resist. Sorry about giving you a heart attack too!) Norla (Welcome! Hope the wait was worth it babe!) and Junglegirl (I swear you're a closet 'shipper! Time to come OUT! Hah! Patience is a virtue, O fellow kiwi and TWINZ threader....) for taking the time to review so kindly - please forgive me if I've missed anyone. And to everyone else who's enjoying this as much as I am writing it - Cheers!!
----
THE ONE CONSTANT
PART 23
He woke with a start and sat up abruptly. Disoriented, he stared around blearily in a vein attempt to get his bearings. The room was unfamiliar and for a moment he was panic stricken, his heart thumping in his chest as if it would burst, every muscle taut, awaiting the onslaught he knew would come soon, as it always had.
Then he saw her.
His baby daughter lay reaching for the soft mobile that dangled above her crib, soft grunts and gurgles of delight punctuating the silence of the small room.
Bosco's eyes drifted to where the sleeping form of his little girl's mother lay beside him. The soft curves of her naked body stirred fond memories of what he and Faith had shared the night before and instantly he felt the tension in his body begin to ease.
He gazed fondly at the gentle expression of peace on Faith's face. While he longed to take her in his arms once more a voice echoing from the past rang in his mind, offering cautionary guidance. "You're nothing but an inconsiderate little creep!" He couldn't place the voice or even begin to recall the circumstance that had brought the accusation about, but he was sure it's message was: 'let Faith get her sleep.'
Bosco looked up and found himself clasped in his baby daughter's intense and inquisitive gaze. As gently as he was able he rose from bed and quietly made his way over to her crib. Gracie watched him like a hawk as he approached, and when he reached down to scoop her into his arms, a broad smile of delight erupted onto her face.
"Hey beautiful," he murmured, noting the time was 5.45am and that Faith was still sleeping peacefully. "Looks like it's just you and me for now, Gracie Eve."
Gracie seemed happy to snuggle close, small gurgles, contented snuffling and satisfied trills escaping her every once in a while as her father stood rocking her softly, his cheek pressed gently against her head.
After a while he crossed back to the bed, propped a pillow against the headboard and settled himself quietly next to Faith once more. A smile of quiet pleasure lit his face when Gracie, as if she were preparing to do press-ups, propped her hands against his chest and leaned back to gaze inquisitively up at him.
"Hey gorgeous," he murmured.
Gracie grinned. Chuckles of delight then filled the room as Bosco lifted his daughter up into the air above him and watched her kick her legs with blissful abandon, her smile wide and never ending. When he brought her close and softly kissed her forehead, a gleeful squeal erupted from her.
"You prefer it up there do you?" he asked quietly, lifting her above him once more.
Gracie squealed.
"Or not." Bosco brought her back to his chest.
Gracie squealed again.
"Typical," he muttered, holding her aloft once more. "Women never know what they want. Just don't puke on me, alright?"
Gracie chuckled and kicked her legs.
Bringing her close once more Bosco watched, fascinated, as his daughter bench-pressed away from him and stared fixedly into his eyes. Inexplicably he felt tears begin to well.
"I'll be honest with you Gracie," he told her softly. "I'm scared as hell right now."
Gracie stared at him and grinned.
"Oh, you think that's funny do you?" He smiled back, but the tears in his eyes kept welling and threatening to spill. "Do you have any idea how incredible this is? I'm a father - me. Maurice Boscorelli. If you knew me better you'd be pretty amazed too."
His mother's voice echoed suddenly and painfully through his mind. "You're useless!"
As he stared sadly into his little girl's eyes, Faith's words of the afternoon before began to haunt him too. "Gracie and I...we need a different kinda hero..."
"I can't blame your mom for bein' worried," he said softly, watching as Gracie's gaze drifted to where her mother lay beside them. "But I swear to you Gracie, I'm gonna try my best to be what you need me to be..."
Gracie's attention remained focused intently on the sleeping form of her mother. When just staring at her clearly was having no effect, small grizzles began to make their presence known.
"You hungry? Or do you need your diaper changed or something?"
Gracie turned and looked up at him.
"'Cos diaper changin', that's mommy's job," Bosco smiled.
Beside him he heard Faith begin to stir.
"If you want in on this Bosco," a sleepy voice muttered, "you get to share the yucky jobs too."
"Hey," Bosco murmured, watching as Faith rolled over and propped herself up on one arm, leaning forward to kiss their little girl softly.
"You hungry, honey?"
A broad grin broke across their daughter's face.
Faith sat up slowly and gathered her pillows up behind her.
"Breakfast time, Gracie," Bosco said, placing their daughter into her mother's arms. "Just leave some for me."
Faith shot him a look and Bosco tried to cover the wicked grin that played on his lips.
"Daddy's jokin' honey," Faith murmured, stroking her daughter's cheek as Gracie began to suckle eagerly, her blue eyes fixed intently upon her mother's face.
"Daddy wasn't jokin'," Bosco muttered under his breath, watching Faith carefully for her reaction.
Faith's eyes danced with good humour. "Does Daddy want his ass kickin'?"
"If it counts as foreplay, sure," Bosco smirked.
Faith rolled her eyes.
"Mommy loves me, really," Bosco told his daughter. He watched, slightly disheartened as silence ensued and the same doubtful look he had seen on Faith's face the day before returned.
"Bos, we need to take this slowly," Faith said quietly.
"So what was last night?" he asked.
The look of hurt in his eyes troubled her. "Lots of things, Bos," she murmured. "Loneliness. Relief that at least one of the men in my life is alive and well. Relief that Gracie's father actually wants to be in her life..."
"Did you think I wouldn't want to be?"
"I didn't know what you'd do, Bosco. All the time I've known you you've never expressed any intention to have kids, and all of a sudden I spring one on you..."
Bosco let his eyes caress his baby girl. "I never thought I'd feel like this," he murmured softly.
Faith's heart was warmed by the look of genuine adoration on his face but still her doubts loomed large. "One step at a time, Bos," she said. "I'm still grieving for Fred. I still need to get things sorted with the kids. And you need time to sort yourself out. We can't go leaping into playin' happy families just yet, OK?"
Bosco shrugged, nodding. "So how we gonna work this Faith?"
Faith regarded him fondly.
"I'd kinda like to stay here with Isabelle for a while longer - she looks after Gracie like she's one of her own grandkids and Gracie adores her. I'd like to give her a bit more of that sort of stability."
Bosco nodded. "I could get a place somewhere near," he said quietly.
Faith nodded vigorously. "I'd like us to work together again...use the time to get to know each other better."
"Yeah, nine years just ain't long enough," Bosco murmured.
"I mean...couple stuff," Faith shrugged, rolling her eyes as Bosco flashed a cheeky grin her way. "You know what I mean."
"So goin' to work will be like goin' on a really long date - 'cept we're gettin' paid for it," he smirked.
"And we get to pull guns on other people legally when we're pissed with each other," Faith deadpanned.
Bosco grinned. "So, what about hot sex in the back seat of the squad?"
Faith eyed him sternly. "Before the shift or after the shift, but not during, and NOT in the back seat of anyone's car, OK?"
He smirked at her. "You say that now..."
"Bosco..."
He raised his hands in surrender and grinned at her. A reflective expression then crossed his face and after a while he asked: "So who else knows about Gracie bein' mine?"
"Probably half the precinct by now," Faith murmured.
"You OK with that?"
Faith stared into the distance for a moment. "I'd be lyin' if I said I was comfortable with it," she admitted quietly. "I'm ashamed of the fact that I cheated on Fred, Bosco. Gracie's like living proof I was foolin' around."
"So you'd prefer we kept it all low key," he said quietly. He was trying to sound nonchalant, but the hurt in his eyes was obvious. "No shoutin' it from the rooftops."
"One step at a time Bos," she murmured. "This is gonna be tough enough without an audience watchin' our every more."
He nodded. "I've been ordered to take leave and get counselling," he said quietly. "So you'll have plenty of time to prepare yourself for when I get back on duty."
Faith watched him sadly. "I'm not ashamed of you, Bosco."
The way he looked at her Faith could tell he didn't believe a word and a whole new kind of guilt began to stir in her.
"I'd like to take Gracie to see mom, if that's OK with you?" he said suddenly.
"Wanna do that sometime today?"
He nodded and leaned closer to them both. "Maybe presenting ma with her first grand daughter will put her in a better mood."
---
Rose was hardly welcoming when they arrived, and in fact seemed thoroughly put out to be descended upon by 'visitors' so 'early' on a Sunday morning.
It was clear to them both that Rose had started the day with a liquid breakfast.
"Ma," Bosco complained as he went to hug her. She ducked him.
"DON'T start with me Maurice," Rose snapped, eyeing Faith suspiciously as she hovered nearby with the carrycot. "Where'd you disappear to yesterday afternoon?"
"I told you - I went to see Faith," he replied, sniffing at the coffee cup Rose had just placed on the table.
"You mighta called," she growled, snatching the cup off him.
"Sorry ma," Bosco murmured contritely.
Rose snorted disdainfully and clamped her bleary vision upon Faith. "What the hell are you hangin' out with this loser for, huh?"
Faith frowned as she saw the look of hurt that crept across Bosco's face. "I'm sorry about Mikey," she murmured.
"Yeah, aren't we all," Rose answered sourly. "But no matter, the world's a better place now my other son's a big fat hero. Ain't that right, Maurice? They given you that medal the size of Texas yet?"
Bosco was staring grimly at the floor.
"Bos managed to get a dangerous..." Faith began but Rose cut her dead dismissively.
"What are you now?" she snapped. "His PR manager or his mommy? Oh, hang on, no. That privilege," she sneered the word spitefully, "belongs to me."
Bosco looked up at Faith. She returned his gaze evenly, but he could clearly see she was uncomfortable. He went to her.
"Maybe we should go, do this another day," he murmured.
"Do WHAT, Maurice?" Rose demanded.
Bosco exchanged a quiet look with Faith and finally turned to face his mother once more. "Introduce you to Gracie."
Rose stared at him, her arms crossed, swaying gently where she stood. "Who the hell's Gracie?"
Faith stepped forward and placed the carrycot on the kitchen table. "This is Gracie," she said.
Their little girl's wide blue eyes gathered in every detail about Rose as Rose took a few unsteady steps forward and leaned on the table. After a while she looked up.
"What are you try'na tell me, Maurice?"
"Look at her, ma."
"I'm lookin'!" Rose snapped.
Gracie began to whimper.
Rose stared at her some more and the expression of confusion gradually became one of dawning disbelief.
"Oh my god..."
Faith shot a worried glance at Bosco as the expression on Rose's face became shadowed with disdain. She saw his eyes head straight for the floor as his mother began to laugh, a laugh that contained no humour, not even the smallest scent of happiness or joy.
"YOU two??" Rose sputtered. " You and FAITH? You knocked up your goddamn partner, Maurice??" She turned her attention to Faith. "What the hell were you thinking? I thought you were the sensible one?"
Gracie's whimpers began to strengthen into unhappy wailing. Without hesitation Faith lifted her daughter from the table and about-faced smartly. Bosco followed silently and miserably in her wake.
"You can't tell me you don't have doubts, Faith!" Rose bellowed after them. "You've known him long enough to know what he's like - useless! Just like his goddamn father!"
They stopped halfway down the corridor outside Rose's apartment and Bosco watched, distraught, as Faith lifted little Gracie lovingly into her arms. Almost immediately Gracie's agonised wailing began to subside.
"She OK?" he asked, drawing close to gently stroke his daughter's head.
"She's not used to angry people," Faith murmured. She noted the intense look of despair on Bosco's face. "You OK?"
He shrugged. "Guess I'm gonna have to get used to that kinda reaction," he murmured.
"We both are," Faith said softly. She noticed his hands were trembling once again. "Rose is angry, Bos, that's all."
Bosco nodded mutely, his eyes fixed anxiously upon his little girl. "I wanted her to be happy for us," he said quietly, clearly hurt by his mother's reaction.
"Bos, she's missing Mikey," Faith told him gently. "All she knows is how sad and empty she feels right now. I get that."
He looked into her eyes, that same vulnerability that had always had the power to touch Faith so deeply stirring compassion within her again.
"I'm not my father, Faith," he whispered.
Faith leaned closer and felt him slip his trembling arms around her. "I know, Bos," she said softly. "I know."
----
TBC! Nyahaha - sorry to all the folks who had heart attacks with the "The End" thing I sprung on yaz last chapter...!