At the sound of footsteps, Alex looked up from tying her shoes to see Kim coming up the steps the following afternoon. "Hey Kim," Alex said, taking in the look on her partner's face. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Why wouldn't it be?" Kim put her stuff in her locker and pulled out her paramedic shirt and started pulling it on over her white tank top.

"Just checking," Alex said knowing not to push it. Kim would talk if she wanted to. Alex had a feeling that there were a lot of things going on in her life that Kim wasn't telling her about right now. She decided to change the subject. "How's Joey?"

"He's doing okay. He's very excited about the school play. It's a musical. I still can't believe he even wanted to try out for it but he did and he is loving it."

"That's great."

"It would be better if I was spending more time with him. I miss him Alex."

"When's the appeal?"

"In a couple of weeks. I hope it goes well."

"I'm sure it will," Alex told her. At that point Jimmy Doherty, Kim's ex-husband walked into the room. "I'll be downstairs," Alex said making a quick exit. She had no intention of being in the room if anything started between the two of them. She was definitely on Kim's side in the battle for custody they were having over their son but she also had to work with Jimmy sometimes and so she chose to stay as neutral as possible.

"Hey Kim, can you take Joey tonight?" Jimmy asked her. It wasn't her night but Jimmy had plans to go out with a girl tonight and would rather have the date without his son hanging around.

"Sure," Kim said. She wasn't even going to ask why Jimmy wanted to take her. Right now she would take time with her son any chance she could get. She had every attention of winning her appeal.

Faith glanced over at her partner sitting in the passenger seat of their RMP. He was starting to scare her. Not only had he shown up on time but he was also still wearing the wrist brace. He had been silent during role call. Not one smart word from him not even when Sully had tried to bait him. Since they had gotten in the RMP and started their shift, the only words he had said was to answer the calls. He had yet to say anything smart to anyone, which for Bosco was a small miracle.

"What's wrong Boz?" she finally asked.

"What?" Bosco said coming out of the daze he had been in at the sound of his partner's voice.

"You're awfully quiet today. I was just wondering if something was wrong."

"No, nothing is wrong."

Faith had ridden with him for too long to accept that answer. She knew he was lying as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Instead of letting it go she tried a different approach.

"So how's Kim?"

"Okay, I guess," he told her staring out the window once again.

"Didn't you see her last night? I saw her standing outside by your mustang last night on my way home."

"We talked briefly."

"Boz, you didn't."

"What?"

"Tell me you didn't dump her. You guys were doing so well together. You were always telling me how happy you were when you were with her."

"It wasn't working out."

"It's because of that domestic yesterday isn't it? Boz just because your dad..."

"Can we just drop it," Bosco said cutting her off

"Fine," Faith told him. Silence fell over the car again, though it was a struggle for Faith not to say the scolding words that were on the tip of her tongue. Sometimes Bosco frustrated her so much.

"55-David," came the call over the radio.

"55-David, here," Bosco said into the radio answering the call.

"EMT's are with a victim of a purse snatching on the corner of 86th and Lex. Please respond."

"10-4 Central," Bosco said hoping that Kim wasn't going to be one of the paramedics at the scene.

Faith turned the car around and headed back toward the intersection of 86th and Lex. As soon as she pulled the car up to the curb Bosco got a look at the ambulance that had responded to the incident. Boyd 55-3.

"Dammit," Bosco said as he and Faith got out of the squad. Faith just gave her partner a look not understanding his reaction.

The two officers made their way past the ambulance to where Alex and Kim were taking care of the victim. The victim was a women, about forty, dressed in a business suit. Her nose was bleeding but other than that she seemed to be okay.

"What have we got," Faith asked approaching the group with Bosco right behind her.

"She was walking home from work when she was pushed down. The person who pushed her down grabbed her purse. Got the call from a cabi who was driving by believe it or not."

"What's you name ma'am?" Faith asked taking out her pad and pen as she addressed the victim.

"Veronica Hill," the woman said.

"Did you get a look at who pushed you down?"

"It was a black guy. He had on jeans and a purple t-shirt. He was short."

"How short?"

"About his height," Veronica said, waving a hand in Bosco's direction. Alex couldn't completely hide her laugh at that comment. Bosco had always been sensitive about his height. Even Faith had a smile on her face.

"If you saw him again, do you think you would recognize him?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Okay. Well we'll put this description out maybe we'll get lucky. Can you give me a number where you can be reached?"

The woman gave Faith the number.

"We would like to transport you to the hospital just as a precaution. Is that okay?" Alex said to Veronica who just nodded.

Kim got up and headed toward the ambulance not even glancing at Bosco. Faith followed her while Bosco radioed in the description they had gotten of the purse snatcher.

"Are you okay," Faith said softly as she helped Kim get the stretcher out of the ambulance.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"If you want to talk..."

"There's nothing to talk about. Bosco's a jerk. I knew it before I went out with him. Going out with him was a mistake. End of story."

"Okay," Faith said, as they approached the group. It appeared as if she wasn't going to get any further with Kim than she had with her partner.

"You guys got it from here?" Faith asked, addressing both paramedics.

"Yeah," Alex said.

"Alright then. We're done here," Faith said. She started walking toward the RMP and Bosco followed her.

"Central, David is 98," he said into his radio as they approached the squad. He got in the passenger seat and went back to staring out the window while Faith drove.

This is going to be a long shift Faith thought as they drove in silence. It wasn't long before another call came in for them. This one was for a fire at a Catholic school.

When the two officers arrived at the address for the school, they could see smoke coming out of the second floor windows. Kids and teachers were standing around outside and fire was not yet on the scene.

Faith hurried over to the closest adult she saw. "Is everyone out of the building?"

"I'm not sure," the woman she addressed asked. "I work in the office. The principal is checking with all of the teachers now."

"Where's the principal?" Faith asked her.

"Over there," she told Faith pointing across the crowd of kids to another woman who was moving from group to group.

"Okay thanks," Faith said.

"Anyone still inside?" Bosco asked her coming up beside her. Before Faith got a chance to answer, they heard a cry for help from somewhere above them. Both officers looked up to see a little boy standing in a second floor window. "Guess that answers that question," Bosco commented.

"Central we have at least one child still in the building," Faith radioed in.

"10-4 David. Fire and EMS are en route."

"Dammit," she heard her partner say and then start toward the building.

"Bosco, fire's on the way! Wait for the!"

"No way!" Bosco yelled back over his shoulder, not slowing down.

As her partner disappeared into the building Faith glanced back up at he kid in the second story window. When she did she realized why her partner had suddenly rushed into the burning building. She finally recognized the little boy in the window. It was Joey Doherty.