TITLE: The One Constant
AUTHOR: Minn
DISCLAIMER: Wells/Chulack/Bernero et al are the rightful owners of Third Watch - God Bless You! I am merely borrowing and intend no disrespect or harm. None of us do. This is fun. Harmless fun. No character was actually harmed in the typing of this nonsense. Nothing I say or do will probably ever make a blind bit of difference to what happens on the screen - dammit!
I'M FOREIGN! If you don't understand anything, it'll be 'cos I'm using a uniquely Kiwi expression, something I do try to avoid, but hell, t'ain't easy!
A MILLION THANX! To: Helena (You're forgiven, precious!), mauriceboscorelli (*hands mb tissues* here babe, you'll need these...), lee-lee (Cheers! And Welcome!!), AnnaDelAmico (boy, have we got somethin' cookin' here, eh? Isabelle's the grandmother I never had babe!), Maartje (The Cheshire Cat! I love it! There are a lot of addicts round this joint - no pun intended - y'all will have be arrested for dealing!), Angie (I know, Bos with a baby shakes head in amazement*...), Kate Anderson (Thank you! And join the club precious!), Jazz (You're forgiven too *still jumping*...), Juls (Ah, murderous Bos/Faith angst...heehee! Isabelle is a voice in my own head that keeps me on the straight and narrow - I'm happy to share! Ooo! B/F smutty goodness...I shall give it a look sometime...), as well as Paisley, Courtnee, Jess, Kerrip43, Kim1989, Kellycas, Lauren (You go girl!) and a whole heap of others that have offered up their thoughts on this wee(?) epic, THANK YOU!
A MILLION APOLGIES! This would have been here sooner but the disk I had the rest of TOC on up and died horribly and I had to retype this blighter again as I hadn't done a backup - always do a backup guys...meantime ENJOY!!!
---
THE ONE CONSTANT
Part 26
"What the hell was that?"
Bosco's voice echoed sharply in the empty street as an arrogant smirk flicked across Justin Matsakis' face.
"That old codger won't mess with the uniform again in a hurry," the rookie crowed.
A fleeting image of the fear in the old man's eyes as Matsakis levelled his weapon at him skipped across Bosco's mind. The memories it stirred made Bosco flinch inwardly. Another look of horror on another old man's face rose up to haunt him...comply or else, old man...Ribero's watching you old man...he sent me to have a little word in your ear...
A wave of nausea crept over him. Another echo from the past sounded in his head.
"You wanna be like me, Boscorelli...?"
"The old bastard just needed a bit of encouragement to open the door," Matsakis was saying, shrugging as if it were no big deal.
"He's an old man who's just lost his wife, you asshole!" Bosco snapped. "And the only thing he was guilty of was playin' their favourite song too loud. And apparently not opening the door wide enough for my idiot partner's liking! All it needed was a little bit of time..."
"When the hell did you turn into a pussy?" Matsakis spat. "That old geezer was obstructing us from..."
"He wasn't some dope dealer bent on hiding his stash, Matsakis!" Bosco bellowed, his growing agitation becoming harder to keep in check. "He was a sad old man drowning his sorrows in a song!"
"He was causing a disturbance," Matsakis retorted smugly.
"YOU were the one that caused the disturbance!" Bosco snarled. "Did you see those old people scatter the minute you pulled your gun?"
The rookie began to laugh. "I didn't think those wrinklies had it in 'em to move like that!"
Bosco glared at him.
"Aw c'mon Boscorelli! What've you got a bug up your ass about? It was just some stupid old man...we should be out here doin' REAL police work, not pussying about playing nursemaid to useless old farts that won't open their door properly when they're asked..."
'You wanna be like me?' Glen Hobart's voice rang in Bosco's mind as clearly as if he stood holding the gun to Bosco's head once more.
'You wanna be like me? You gotta give up everything for that. This is a favour I'm doin' for you, Boscorelli...'
'So how does it end,' Bosco heard himself say.
'This is a gift I'm giving you, Boscorelli..."
Suddenly Gracie's beautiful eyes gazed into his, and Faith's voice murmured to him.
"We need a different kind of hero. We don't need someone who thinks he can single-handedly set the world to rights by wearing a badge and carryin' a gun...you don't help people. All you do is arrest them..."
An expression of startled consternation sprang to Matsakis' face as Bosco suddenly lunged forward and grabbed him. With little effort Bosco had the rookie bailed up hard against the RMP clawing frantically at the hold Bosco had on his throat.
"You listen to me, you know-it-all little punk," Bosco hissed. "You're nothing but a joke, your hear me?"
Matsakis gagged and a vague look of dread began to creep into the young man's eyes.
"They're all laughing at you, you swaggering asshole. They all think you're the funniest thing on two legs. You think you're so shit hot...well I'm here to tell you otherwise."
Bosco pushed the rookie back harder against the cold metal of the car and leaned closer. With nowhere to run, the look of apprehension and confusion in Matsakis' eyes intensified.
"You wanna be a big hero like me, huh? I'll tell you what that's like, shall I? You lose everything that has any meaning to you - everything. Even yourself. You get so wrapped up in what you're doing you forget you were ever any other way. And when you finally remember, it's already too late."
He grabbed Matsakis' collar, swung him round and down onto the sidewalk.
"You're crazy," Matsakis wheezed.
Bosco knocked him down and put his boot to the young man's throat.
"You wanna get your own brother killed 'cos you put the job ahead of everything else in your life? You want your own mother to disown you?" The pressure he exerted intensified. "You wanna have the woman you adore too ashamed to even admit she's with you, let alone be proud of the fact you have a child together? Is that what you want? Huh?"
"Get the hell away from me," Matsakis gasped, pawing at the boot that held him prone.
"You listen to me," Bosco hissed. "If you wanna have everyone in your life either hate your damn guts or look at you like you're some kind of bad joke, you just carry on doin' what you're doin'. But I'm tellin' you now, nobody's ever gonna take you seriously if you keep behavin' like a goddamn ass. You hear me?"
Bosco stepped away and watched Matsakis roll onto his side gasping.
"You crazy son of a..." Matsakis sat up and turned to find himself staring down the barrel of Bosco's gun.
"What the hell is wrong with you man?!" the rookie yelped.
"How does it feel?" Bosco asked.
Matsakis scrambled to his feet and backed up as Bosco advanced.
"How does it fell to have someone stick a gun in your face?"
"You're not gonna shoot me..."
"How do you know, huh? Remember where I've been, Matsakis? What I've been doin'? Maybe they shouldn't have cleared me for duty so soon. And you've REALLY pissed me off today, you know that?"
Matsakis tumbled backwards over a pile of boxes left by the side of the road. Bosco advanced and stood over him.
"How does it feel?"
The expression of confusion and doubt on Matsakis' face mingled with no small amount of fear told Bosco all he needed to know. He sheathed his gun, turned, and walked back towards the RMP.
---
After the shift Bosco stood at his locker, so completely lost in his thoughts that he didn't see or hear Faith approach.
"So you're ignoring me now?"
Bosco turned to her. "What? No, I was just thinking..."
Faith regarded him quietly.
"You angry with me?" she asked.
He watched her a moment, his mind racing. "You keep pushing me away Faith."
"Is that what you think I'm doin'?"
He looked down.
"What do you want from me, Bosco?"
"A bit of credit," he replied, lifting his gaze to meet hers. "For tryin'."
Faith stared at him. "I told you from the get go that I need time."
"Time to get over the fact that you're embarrassed by me," he grumbled.
"I'm not..."
"The hell you're not," he muttered sourly.
Faith knew that look. The look that said: 'I've made up my mind that this is what you're thinking and NOTHING you say will change it.' Her father used to get that same look. There could be no reasoning with him.
Then as now, the devil rose in Faith. It didn't matter that Sully had wandered in and stood at his locker trying not to look like he was listening.
"You swagger," she blurted.
"What?"
"When we're together alone and when you're with Gracie you're the sweetest guy. But when you get within spitting distance of the House you go all tough guy on me and I hate it. I hate the act, Bosco."
Bosco stared at her. "You think I swagger?"
"You look like you think you're ten foot tall and bullet proof," Faith muttered. "You look like an ass."
The expression of hurt she had seen way too often on Bosco's face of late reappeared.
"I'm sorry you find me so offensive," Bosco said stiffly.
"You're NOT!" Faith snapped. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Yeah, and so far you've called me a swaggering ass," he shot back. "There anything else you'd like to add to that while we're here?"
The door to the locker room opened and Ty Davis rambled in.
"What's goin' on?" he asked his partner, noting the tension in the air.
"The Boscorellis are having an on-the-job domestic," Sully chuckled. "I'd lay odds the first of many."
Both Faith and Bosco stopped to glare at him.
"C'mon Sul', not helping man," Ty murmured.
"What?" Sully demanded. "Bosco's not back two minutes and they're already at each other's throats. Augers well for the future wouldn't you say?"
"'They're' standing right here Sullivan!" Bosco said loudly.
"Faith's right!" Sully shot back. "You do swagger like an ass."
"Fine!" Bosco snorted, returning to his locker. He staked Faith with a sharp glare. "You wanna lift home or would you prefer not to be seen with me in public any more today?"
Faith rolled her eyes. "Grow up."
"All I want is a bit of credit for tryin', Faith," Bosco retorted sharply. "I'm getting' help, I'm tryin' to make sense of what you want..."
"I'd be happy to point it out whenever you're gettin' it wrong," Faith said stiffly. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Ty shaking his head disapprovingly.
"A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT," Bosco enunciated loudly. He slammed his locker shut and threw his bag over one shoulder. "Look, you know what? Forget it."
"Bosco..."
He ignored his partner and the others as he marched from the locker room without another word.
When Faith had changed she went out to where they had parked the car to see if it was still there. To her immense relief, it was.
Bosco didn't look up when Faith climbed into the car and they sat for some long, awkward moments in silence.
"Did I ever tell you what Emily said to me not long after we buried Fred?" Faith asked after a while, watching as Bosco mutely shook his head.
"She told me I'd killed him," she said softly.
Their eyes met as Bosco looked up. "What?"
"Yeah. That was the day she told me she and Charlie didn't want anything to do with me any more. She said Fred would have to have been blind not to see that Gracie was yours...I guess she figures Fred died of a broken heart or somethin'." Faith shrugged and looked down at her hands that lay tightly knotted in her lap.
A brief silence hung between them.
"Bos, I'm sorry," Faith said quietly. "For everything."
Bosco nodded and let his gaze drift to rest upon a point in the distance beyond the car. "You miss Fred, and the kids. I get that."
"Fred's not been gone that long," Faith said gently, feeling tears prick her eyes. "And things were so good between us before he died. Real good. The best they'd ever been - between all of us, the kids too. It was startin' to feel like a real family, you know? Not just Fred and The Kids plus me." Her voice wavered. "Then Fred goes and dies on us and all that good stuff dies with him..."
Bosco turned and regarded her silently.
"I just can't toss all that to one side and forget about it overnight," she continued softly. "It's bad enough I'm already draggin' enough guilt around about having the affair, but I've gone and added to it by finding a bit of comfort - with you." She paused and let her eyes linger on his. "That's what I'm ashamed of, Bos, not you. There's this little voice in my head sayin' stuff like: 'you shouldn't be enjoyin' this. Your husband's barely cold and here you are in the arms of another man - the one you betrayed Fred with in the first place...'"
Bosco watched as Faith looked away, a solitary tear drifting lazily down her cheek. After a lingering moment of quiet, he spoke.
"It hurts," he said softly.
Faith turned to him and scanned his face. "What does?"
"It hurts to know you'd rather be with someone else," he mumbled, fidgeting self-consciously in his seat. "Especially when..." He hesitated. "Especially when most of the time there isn't anyone I'd rather be with than you."
Faith gazed at him, an expression of astonishment and gentle amusement softening her face. "Most of the time?" she murmured.
A small grin hovered on Bosco's lips. "Those times you're not calling me a swaggering ass."
He felt her slip her hand warmly into his.
"There were times when I was undercover," Bosco said after a while, "I thought I wasn't gonna be able to find my way back. Then I'd think of you...I'd imagine you were there waitin' for me." As their eyes met, Bosco shrugged self-consciously. "It helped."
Slowly Faith leaned closer to him and let her hand rest softly upon his cheek. Taking it in his, Bosco brought her hand to his lips.
"I get that you need to take things slow," he murmured. "And if I was bein' totally honest with you I'd admit I'm more than happy to takes things quietly too. 'cos there's times when I feel..." He paused, giving what he was about to say more consideration. "O'malley told me that sometimes people who were brought up like I was get...scared...about committing...'cos bein' close to people always meant bein' hurt."
Bosco shrugged and began to softly stroke her hand. When he spoke again, his voice was barely audible. "Sometimes it's like I'm looking for excuses to get out - not 'cos I wanna go, but 'cos I'm...afraid. Other times I can't stand the distance between us and I get scared about that too."
As Faith regarded her partner fondly, Manny's words recalled themselves softly to her mind.
'Some of us need to work a little harder in overcoming our pasts, Faith, and require a little more support than others in the process...He trusts you - and you would be one of the few people in this world he has extended that privilege to."
Leaning forward, Faith placed her lips softly upon Bosco's own and let them linger tenderly.
"You're important to me Bosco," she said gently. "Don't you ever doubt that, OK?"
Bosco gazed at her quietly for a moment and then nodded.
---
He was clearly thrilled to see them there.
Ty watched as Bosco joined the small gathering that had congregated outside the House prior to the shift.
Warm and safe in her mother's arms and watched over by Isabelle, the crowd had been drawn to Grace Eve like moths to a flame. It amazed Ty the power the little girl had to enthral cop, paramedic and firefighter alike.
But what intrigued Ty more was what passed between Faith and Bosco as Faith handed their daughter to her father. The look Bosco gave his partner - it was at once grateful, yet cautious; delighted, yet watchful. And when Faith fixed her eyes upon him, the fondness in her expression was unmistakable.
"Whoa!" Ty heard Jimmy Doherty exclaim. "HE'S daddy?"
Faith nodded and yet another look passed between them.
"You have a problem with that Doherty?" Bosco inquired, smiling as his daughter snuggled into to him cooing happily.
The expression of astonishment on Jimmy's face was echoed in the faces of just about everyone else there.
"You and BOSCO?" Jimmy exclaimed.
Ty watched, heartened, as Faith flicked a loving glance Bosco's way and smiled.
---
TBC! Storm warning in effect for all areas! Just like the Energiser Bunny, this fic keeps goin' and goin' and goin' and goin' and...just tell me when y'all have had enough...
AUTHOR: Minn
DISCLAIMER: Wells/Chulack/Bernero et al are the rightful owners of Third Watch - God Bless You! I am merely borrowing and intend no disrespect or harm. None of us do. This is fun. Harmless fun. No character was actually harmed in the typing of this nonsense. Nothing I say or do will probably ever make a blind bit of difference to what happens on the screen - dammit!
I'M FOREIGN! If you don't understand anything, it'll be 'cos I'm using a uniquely Kiwi expression, something I do try to avoid, but hell, t'ain't easy!
A MILLION THANX! To: Helena (You're forgiven, precious!), mauriceboscorelli (*hands mb tissues* here babe, you'll need these...), lee-lee (Cheers! And Welcome!!), AnnaDelAmico (boy, have we got somethin' cookin' here, eh? Isabelle's the grandmother I never had babe!), Maartje (The Cheshire Cat! I love it! There are a lot of addicts round this joint - no pun intended - y'all will have be arrested for dealing!), Angie (I know, Bos with a baby shakes head in amazement*...), Kate Anderson (Thank you! And join the club precious!), Jazz (You're forgiven too *still jumping*...), Juls (Ah, murderous Bos/Faith angst...heehee! Isabelle is a voice in my own head that keeps me on the straight and narrow - I'm happy to share! Ooo! B/F smutty goodness...I shall give it a look sometime...), as well as Paisley, Courtnee, Jess, Kerrip43, Kim1989, Kellycas, Lauren (You go girl!) and a whole heap of others that have offered up their thoughts on this wee(?) epic, THANK YOU!
A MILLION APOLGIES! This would have been here sooner but the disk I had the rest of TOC on up and died horribly and I had to retype this blighter again as I hadn't done a backup - always do a backup guys...meantime ENJOY!!!
---
THE ONE CONSTANT
Part 26
"What the hell was that?"
Bosco's voice echoed sharply in the empty street as an arrogant smirk flicked across Justin Matsakis' face.
"That old codger won't mess with the uniform again in a hurry," the rookie crowed.
A fleeting image of the fear in the old man's eyes as Matsakis levelled his weapon at him skipped across Bosco's mind. The memories it stirred made Bosco flinch inwardly. Another look of horror on another old man's face rose up to haunt him...comply or else, old man...Ribero's watching you old man...he sent me to have a little word in your ear...
A wave of nausea crept over him. Another echo from the past sounded in his head.
"You wanna be like me, Boscorelli...?"
"The old bastard just needed a bit of encouragement to open the door," Matsakis was saying, shrugging as if it were no big deal.
"He's an old man who's just lost his wife, you asshole!" Bosco snapped. "And the only thing he was guilty of was playin' their favourite song too loud. And apparently not opening the door wide enough for my idiot partner's liking! All it needed was a little bit of time..."
"When the hell did you turn into a pussy?" Matsakis spat. "That old geezer was obstructing us from..."
"He wasn't some dope dealer bent on hiding his stash, Matsakis!" Bosco bellowed, his growing agitation becoming harder to keep in check. "He was a sad old man drowning his sorrows in a song!"
"He was causing a disturbance," Matsakis retorted smugly.
"YOU were the one that caused the disturbance!" Bosco snarled. "Did you see those old people scatter the minute you pulled your gun?"
The rookie began to laugh. "I didn't think those wrinklies had it in 'em to move like that!"
Bosco glared at him.
"Aw c'mon Boscorelli! What've you got a bug up your ass about? It was just some stupid old man...we should be out here doin' REAL police work, not pussying about playing nursemaid to useless old farts that won't open their door properly when they're asked..."
'You wanna be like me?' Glen Hobart's voice rang in Bosco's mind as clearly as if he stood holding the gun to Bosco's head once more.
'You wanna be like me? You gotta give up everything for that. This is a favour I'm doin' for you, Boscorelli...'
'So how does it end,' Bosco heard himself say.
'This is a gift I'm giving you, Boscorelli..."
Suddenly Gracie's beautiful eyes gazed into his, and Faith's voice murmured to him.
"We need a different kind of hero. We don't need someone who thinks he can single-handedly set the world to rights by wearing a badge and carryin' a gun...you don't help people. All you do is arrest them..."
An expression of startled consternation sprang to Matsakis' face as Bosco suddenly lunged forward and grabbed him. With little effort Bosco had the rookie bailed up hard against the RMP clawing frantically at the hold Bosco had on his throat.
"You listen to me, you know-it-all little punk," Bosco hissed. "You're nothing but a joke, your hear me?"
Matsakis gagged and a vague look of dread began to creep into the young man's eyes.
"They're all laughing at you, you swaggering asshole. They all think you're the funniest thing on two legs. You think you're so shit hot...well I'm here to tell you otherwise."
Bosco pushed the rookie back harder against the cold metal of the car and leaned closer. With nowhere to run, the look of apprehension and confusion in Matsakis' eyes intensified.
"You wanna be a big hero like me, huh? I'll tell you what that's like, shall I? You lose everything that has any meaning to you - everything. Even yourself. You get so wrapped up in what you're doing you forget you were ever any other way. And when you finally remember, it's already too late."
He grabbed Matsakis' collar, swung him round and down onto the sidewalk.
"You're crazy," Matsakis wheezed.
Bosco knocked him down and put his boot to the young man's throat.
"You wanna get your own brother killed 'cos you put the job ahead of everything else in your life? You want your own mother to disown you?" The pressure he exerted intensified. "You wanna have the woman you adore too ashamed to even admit she's with you, let alone be proud of the fact you have a child together? Is that what you want? Huh?"
"Get the hell away from me," Matsakis gasped, pawing at the boot that held him prone.
"You listen to me," Bosco hissed. "If you wanna have everyone in your life either hate your damn guts or look at you like you're some kind of bad joke, you just carry on doin' what you're doin'. But I'm tellin' you now, nobody's ever gonna take you seriously if you keep behavin' like a goddamn ass. You hear me?"
Bosco stepped away and watched Matsakis roll onto his side gasping.
"You crazy son of a..." Matsakis sat up and turned to find himself staring down the barrel of Bosco's gun.
"What the hell is wrong with you man?!" the rookie yelped.
"How does it feel?" Bosco asked.
Matsakis scrambled to his feet and backed up as Bosco advanced.
"How does it fell to have someone stick a gun in your face?"
"You're not gonna shoot me..."
"How do you know, huh? Remember where I've been, Matsakis? What I've been doin'? Maybe they shouldn't have cleared me for duty so soon. And you've REALLY pissed me off today, you know that?"
Matsakis tumbled backwards over a pile of boxes left by the side of the road. Bosco advanced and stood over him.
"How does it feel?"
The expression of confusion and doubt on Matsakis' face mingled with no small amount of fear told Bosco all he needed to know. He sheathed his gun, turned, and walked back towards the RMP.
---
After the shift Bosco stood at his locker, so completely lost in his thoughts that he didn't see or hear Faith approach.
"So you're ignoring me now?"
Bosco turned to her. "What? No, I was just thinking..."
Faith regarded him quietly.
"You angry with me?" she asked.
He watched her a moment, his mind racing. "You keep pushing me away Faith."
"Is that what you think I'm doin'?"
He looked down.
"What do you want from me, Bosco?"
"A bit of credit," he replied, lifting his gaze to meet hers. "For tryin'."
Faith stared at him. "I told you from the get go that I need time."
"Time to get over the fact that you're embarrassed by me," he grumbled.
"I'm not..."
"The hell you're not," he muttered sourly.
Faith knew that look. The look that said: 'I've made up my mind that this is what you're thinking and NOTHING you say will change it.' Her father used to get that same look. There could be no reasoning with him.
Then as now, the devil rose in Faith. It didn't matter that Sully had wandered in and stood at his locker trying not to look like he was listening.
"You swagger," she blurted.
"What?"
"When we're together alone and when you're with Gracie you're the sweetest guy. But when you get within spitting distance of the House you go all tough guy on me and I hate it. I hate the act, Bosco."
Bosco stared at her. "You think I swagger?"
"You look like you think you're ten foot tall and bullet proof," Faith muttered. "You look like an ass."
The expression of hurt she had seen way too often on Bosco's face of late reappeared.
"I'm sorry you find me so offensive," Bosco said stiffly.
"You're NOT!" Faith snapped. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Yeah, and so far you've called me a swaggering ass," he shot back. "There anything else you'd like to add to that while we're here?"
The door to the locker room opened and Ty Davis rambled in.
"What's goin' on?" he asked his partner, noting the tension in the air.
"The Boscorellis are having an on-the-job domestic," Sully chuckled. "I'd lay odds the first of many."
Both Faith and Bosco stopped to glare at him.
"C'mon Sul', not helping man," Ty murmured.
"What?" Sully demanded. "Bosco's not back two minutes and they're already at each other's throats. Augers well for the future wouldn't you say?"
"'They're' standing right here Sullivan!" Bosco said loudly.
"Faith's right!" Sully shot back. "You do swagger like an ass."
"Fine!" Bosco snorted, returning to his locker. He staked Faith with a sharp glare. "You wanna lift home or would you prefer not to be seen with me in public any more today?"
Faith rolled her eyes. "Grow up."
"All I want is a bit of credit for tryin', Faith," Bosco retorted sharply. "I'm getting' help, I'm tryin' to make sense of what you want..."
"I'd be happy to point it out whenever you're gettin' it wrong," Faith said stiffly. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Ty shaking his head disapprovingly.
"A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT," Bosco enunciated loudly. He slammed his locker shut and threw his bag over one shoulder. "Look, you know what? Forget it."
"Bosco..."
He ignored his partner and the others as he marched from the locker room without another word.
When Faith had changed she went out to where they had parked the car to see if it was still there. To her immense relief, it was.
Bosco didn't look up when Faith climbed into the car and they sat for some long, awkward moments in silence.
"Did I ever tell you what Emily said to me not long after we buried Fred?" Faith asked after a while, watching as Bosco mutely shook his head.
"She told me I'd killed him," she said softly.
Their eyes met as Bosco looked up. "What?"
"Yeah. That was the day she told me she and Charlie didn't want anything to do with me any more. She said Fred would have to have been blind not to see that Gracie was yours...I guess she figures Fred died of a broken heart or somethin'." Faith shrugged and looked down at her hands that lay tightly knotted in her lap.
A brief silence hung between them.
"Bos, I'm sorry," Faith said quietly. "For everything."
Bosco nodded and let his gaze drift to rest upon a point in the distance beyond the car. "You miss Fred, and the kids. I get that."
"Fred's not been gone that long," Faith said gently, feeling tears prick her eyes. "And things were so good between us before he died. Real good. The best they'd ever been - between all of us, the kids too. It was startin' to feel like a real family, you know? Not just Fred and The Kids plus me." Her voice wavered. "Then Fred goes and dies on us and all that good stuff dies with him..."
Bosco turned and regarded her silently.
"I just can't toss all that to one side and forget about it overnight," she continued softly. "It's bad enough I'm already draggin' enough guilt around about having the affair, but I've gone and added to it by finding a bit of comfort - with you." She paused and let her eyes linger on his. "That's what I'm ashamed of, Bos, not you. There's this little voice in my head sayin' stuff like: 'you shouldn't be enjoyin' this. Your husband's barely cold and here you are in the arms of another man - the one you betrayed Fred with in the first place...'"
Bosco watched as Faith looked away, a solitary tear drifting lazily down her cheek. After a lingering moment of quiet, he spoke.
"It hurts," he said softly.
Faith turned to him and scanned his face. "What does?"
"It hurts to know you'd rather be with someone else," he mumbled, fidgeting self-consciously in his seat. "Especially when..." He hesitated. "Especially when most of the time there isn't anyone I'd rather be with than you."
Faith gazed at him, an expression of astonishment and gentle amusement softening her face. "Most of the time?" she murmured.
A small grin hovered on Bosco's lips. "Those times you're not calling me a swaggering ass."
He felt her slip her hand warmly into his.
"There were times when I was undercover," Bosco said after a while, "I thought I wasn't gonna be able to find my way back. Then I'd think of you...I'd imagine you were there waitin' for me." As their eyes met, Bosco shrugged self-consciously. "It helped."
Slowly Faith leaned closer to him and let her hand rest softly upon his cheek. Taking it in his, Bosco brought her hand to his lips.
"I get that you need to take things slow," he murmured. "And if I was bein' totally honest with you I'd admit I'm more than happy to takes things quietly too. 'cos there's times when I feel..." He paused, giving what he was about to say more consideration. "O'malley told me that sometimes people who were brought up like I was get...scared...about committing...'cos bein' close to people always meant bein' hurt."
Bosco shrugged and began to softly stroke her hand. When he spoke again, his voice was barely audible. "Sometimes it's like I'm looking for excuses to get out - not 'cos I wanna go, but 'cos I'm...afraid. Other times I can't stand the distance between us and I get scared about that too."
As Faith regarded her partner fondly, Manny's words recalled themselves softly to her mind.
'Some of us need to work a little harder in overcoming our pasts, Faith, and require a little more support than others in the process...He trusts you - and you would be one of the few people in this world he has extended that privilege to."
Leaning forward, Faith placed her lips softly upon Bosco's own and let them linger tenderly.
"You're important to me Bosco," she said gently. "Don't you ever doubt that, OK?"
Bosco gazed at her quietly for a moment and then nodded.
---
He was clearly thrilled to see them there.
Ty watched as Bosco joined the small gathering that had congregated outside the House prior to the shift.
Warm and safe in her mother's arms and watched over by Isabelle, the crowd had been drawn to Grace Eve like moths to a flame. It amazed Ty the power the little girl had to enthral cop, paramedic and firefighter alike.
But what intrigued Ty more was what passed between Faith and Bosco as Faith handed their daughter to her father. The look Bosco gave his partner - it was at once grateful, yet cautious; delighted, yet watchful. And when Faith fixed her eyes upon him, the fondness in her expression was unmistakable.
"Whoa!" Ty heard Jimmy Doherty exclaim. "HE'S daddy?"
Faith nodded and yet another look passed between them.
"You have a problem with that Doherty?" Bosco inquired, smiling as his daughter snuggled into to him cooing happily.
The expression of astonishment on Jimmy's face was echoed in the faces of just about everyone else there.
"You and BOSCO?" Jimmy exclaimed.
Ty watched, heartened, as Faith flicked a loving glance Bosco's way and smiled.
---
TBC! Storm warning in effect for all areas! Just like the Energiser Bunny, this fic keeps goin' and goin' and goin' and goin' and...just tell me when y'all have had enough...