As the days went by Bosco found himself falling more in love with Kim. He had admired her for a long time but had always figured that she would never go for him. However, this wasn't like all of his past relationships. It wasn't all about the sex in fact they hadn't even done that yet. Kim said she wasn't ready and for the first time Bosco found that he could accept that and still be with a woman. After all Kim's life hadn't been a bed of roses here lately and she already had one son that she had been raising as a single mother. Bosco couldn't blame her for not wanting to take the risk of having to raise a second child alone.

However, as the days went by, he became even surer that he wasn't going to let that happen. He was falling deeper in love with her the more they talked and got to know each other. Bosco found himself telling her stuff about his past that he had never told anyone, not even Faith. In return she started telling him things. Kim even started talking to Bosco about Bobby's death and how she felt afterwards. She never did come right out and say if her suicide attempt had been on purpose and Bosco figured he didn't need to know. He didn't want to think about how he would react if anything ever happened to Faith but deep down he doubted he would handle it any better than Kim had the death of her partner.

As for Joey, Bosco couldn't help but fall in love with him too. Whenever Kim had him the three of them would do stuff together. Kim loved the fact that she had found a guy who wanted to include her son in the things they did. It meant a lot to her. She started to see that Alex had been right when she said that Bosco cared about Joey. And Joey enjoyed being around Bosco. Kim had to admit that in the last couple of weeks she had been the happiest she had been in a long time. There was only one thing that could ruin her mood and that was the upcoming custody hearing.

Kim was finishing doing her hair when the buzzer for the door rang. She walked over to the door and pushed the intercom button.

"Who's there?" she asked.

"It's me, Kim," came Bosco's voice over the intercom.

"Come on up," she said hitting the button to let him through the front door. She opened the door to her apartment and waited for Bosco to come upstairs. When he finally stepped out of the elevator she was surprised at how he was dressed. Instead of his normal jeans, t shirt and leather jacket Bosco was dressed in dress shoes, dress pants, a long sleeved dress shirt and a tie.

~He looks good,~ Kim couldn't help but think as she watched him walk down the hall toward her.

"What's with the clothes?" is what she asked out loud though.

"You have a custody hearing this afternoon right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm going with you for moral support."

"You don't have to," Kim told him. She hadn=t even asked him to because she hadn=t been sure he would want to go. Somehow, not asking and giving him the chance of declining had been easier to deal with than the possibility of him telling her no. She was touched at the thought that he was basically volunteering to go.

"I know that, but I want to be there for you, Kim. I know how important this is to you. How much Joey means to you. That makes it important to me.

"Thank you," Kim managed to get out as she started feeling choked up. His show of support meant a lot. She gave him a quick hug and then pulled away saying, "Come on in while I finish getting ready." Kim ushered him into her apartment and closed the door behind them.

Kim quickly finished getting ready and then her and Bosco headed for the courthouse. They arrived ten minutes early and the only ones in the courtroom already were the bailiff and the two lawyers. Kim made her way to the front and took the seat next to her lawyer while Bosco took a seat toward the front of the courtroom behind them.

Mrs. Zambrano came in shortly after with Joey. As Kim's mom took a seat next to Bosco Joey ran up to the front to Kim.

"Hi Mommy," he said excitedly.

Kim stopped her conversation with her lawyer and picked her son up and gave him a hug.

"Hi Joey. How was school?"

"Okay. We're making paper bag puppets in art class. Mine is going to be a firefighter. My play is next week. Are you coming?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Kim said. She had already gotten one of the first watch paramedics to switch shifts with her so that she could go. She hadn't told Joey yet, but Bosco would be there too as he had taken personal time to go with her.

"Great. Daddy said he couldn't make," Joey said growing sad.

"Well it's hard for him to get off work for everything," Kim said knowing that Jimmy had been going crazy trying to get off next Friday. Of course if he hadn't forgotten about it until he had overheard Kim telling Alex about it yesterday he might have had better luck. "But I'm going to be there and grandma is going to be there." When Joey didn't seem to cheer up any she decided to tell her about Bosco. "And Bosco is going to come to. You'll have plenty of people applauding for you."

"Okay," Joey said cheering up a little bit.

"Now, why don't you go sit with Grandma, okay," Kim told him.

"Okay," Joey said and after giving his mother a quick hug and then going to join his grandmother.

The bailiff requested that all present stand as Judge Tiffany Albert entered the courtroom. As they all stood Kim noticed that Jimmy had yet to arrive. ~That shouldn't really surprise me any,~ Kim thought. He had been late to every hearing and meeting they had during this custody battle. As the judge had them sit back down Jimmy came rushing in the courtroom still dressed in his fire gear.

"Thank you for joining us Mr. Doherty," Judge Albert commented as Jimmy sat down next to his lawyer.

"I'm sorry I'm late your honor," Jimmy said quickly. He was about to say something else but the judge held her hand up.

"I don't want to hear it. Let's get down to business. We're here today to consider the appeal made by Ms Zambrano for custody of her son. I've reviewed the reports from the previous hearings and have talked to Dr. Carter concerning Ms. Zambrano's counseling. Is there anything new to add."

"We do your honor," Jimmy's lawyer said.

"Proceed."

"My client has expressed concerned over Ms. Zambrano's current boyfriend. He's afraid he may be a bad influence on Joey."

Kim cringed, expecting Bosco to go off. He and Jimmy never had gotten along and she wasn't surprised that Jimmy would try to use the fact that she was seeing him to his advantage. For once, Bosco used good judgment and kept his mouth shut.

"Oh please," Kim said from where she was seated. She wasn't about to let the accusation slide. "You're one to talk Jimmy after some of the women you've dated."

Judge Albert banged her gavel on the desk to regain order as her lawyer tried to calm Kim down.

"Is your boyfriend here today Ms. Zambrano?" Judge Albert asked.

"Yes I am," Bosco said standing up before Kim could answer.

"Your name please?"

"Maurice Boscorelli."

"Mr. Boscorelli, what is your profession please?" asked Judge Albert.

"I'm a New York City police officer."

That wasn't the answer that the Judge had been expecting. "And what exactly is your problem with Mr. Boscorelli, Mr. Doherty because it sure isn't his profession."

"No, I have the upmost respect for him professionally. It's his past personal life that I have issues with."

"Anything specifically that is current, while he has been seeing Ms. Zambrano."

"No," Jimmy admitted.

"Well thenm when we take into consideration your last marriage, I don't think that Ms. Zambrano's current relationship should be any of your concern."

"I'd like to speak with Joey in my chambers for a moment," Judge Ablert said.

Mrs. Zambrano went back to the judges chambers with her grandson. While they were gone there was quiet murmurs throughout the courtroom as people chatted quietly amongst themselves. The chatter came to a stop as the Judge, Joey and his grandmother reentered the courtroom.

Judge Albert took her seat and then waited for Joey and Mrs. Zambrano to get seated before addressing the room.

"Does either side has anything else relevant to add?" she asked and then paused as she glanced at each party. When no one ventured to say anything else she continued.

"After talking to Joey and reviewing all the information I have, I have decided that there should be a change in the custody arrangements. I feel that Joey would be safe and well cared for no matter which parent he is with. I'm therefore granting joint custody with time being split equally between the two of you. Mr. Doherty and Ms. Zambrano, I'm trusting you two to be adults and sort out how you want to split that time without my help. This hearing is over with," the judge told those gathered and then got up and left the courtroom.

"Congratulations, honey," Mrs. Zambrano said coming forward and giving her daughter a hug. "I know it isn't exactly what you wanted but it's a start."

"Yeah, I'm happy with the outcome," Kim told her.

"Does this mean I get to spend more time with you," Joey asked, as he and Bosco joined Kim and her mom.

"Yes, sweetie," Kim told her son.

"Kim," Jimmy said coming over. "We'll need to set up a time to meet with our lawyers and work out a schedule. I'll give you a call."

"Okay," Kim said as Jimmy left the courtroom not looking all that happy. He gave Bosco a look as he walked out but didn't say anything.

"Are you going to take him now?" Mrs. Zambrano asked her daughter.

"Yeah, thanks for picking him up from school, Mom," Kim said.

"No problem. Bye Kim. Bye Joey," Mrs. Zambrano said and then left.

By this time it was just Kim, Bosco, and Joey left in the courtroom.

"How about we all go out for dinner to celebrate?" Bosco asked Kim as they were both off that evening.

"Sounds good to me," Kim said. "What do you say Joey?" she asked looking down at her son.

"Sounds like fun," Joey said.

"Where would you like to go?" Bosco asked him.

"Hard Rock Café," Joey said quickly. Kim never could figure out what Joey liked about the Hard Rock but for some reason it was his favorite place to it.

"The Hard Rock it is then," Bosco said.

Kim took her son's hand as they headed out of the courtroom and then Joey reached up and took Bosco's hand. As the three of them made their way out to the car, Kim could help but think about how right it felt.