Helping Hand
Chapter 19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fred stood at the side of Bosco's bed and just looked at all the machines that were monitoring his vital signs. He listened to the rhythmic beat of the heart monitor and watched the IV fluids drip down the tubing and into his arm.
He had to admit he was torn between trusting and forgiving Bosco. He knew from talking to Faith that Bosco had had problems. He had a crappy childhood - but who hadn't. Although, dealing with an alcoholic father that beat your mother, you, and your brother was pretty severe. "I guess you're lucky you didn't turn into the same thing - or worse," he thought to himself.
He thought back on all the stuff that he and Faith had been through together and the fact that, for the most part, they'd all come out of it because they had each other's backs, as Faith liked to put it. He decided that he'd never understand the special bond that police officers had for each other; especially ones that were partnered every day with each other for the past 10 or so years. It was kind of like a marriage, he guessed.
Deciding not to disturb him, Fred turned to leave and head to work. He'd stop by some other time to talk to him. As he turned, the rubber sole of his work boot made a squeak on the floor. He'd just about reached the doorway of the room when he heard a soft voice from behind him.
"Fred?"
Fred turned back toward Bosco and saw that he was awake. His eyes were squinting, as if he was trying to focus in on Fred.
"Yeah, it's me," Fred said, walking back over toward Bosco.
"What're you doin' here?" Bosco asked, worry suddenly coming to his face. "Is Faith okay? The kids?"
"Everyone's fine," Fred assured him. "Just relax," he said, noticing the increased beat of the heart monitor. "I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing before I went to work," he said, as the monitor started to return to its normal rhythmic beat.
"I'll live, I guess," he said sarcastically. "Although, the way I feel right now, I don't believe them."
Fred chuckled a little. "Faith told me what the doctors said - you're gonna be fine."
"Yeah, but I can think of better ways to spend a vacation," Bosco replied, a smirk on his face as a cute nurse came in and he followed her path. Fred noticed the nurse shyly look over at Bosco, retrieve what she'd come in for and then leave.
"I think its gonna be a little while before you're up to that," Fred teased him.
"I don't know, Fred. I'm always up for that," Bosco teased back.
"Faith'll be glad you have your 'appetite' back," he joked.
There was an awkward silence for a moment and then Fred broke it. "Well, I guess I should head over to work. Faith said she'd stop over, but she's gonna call first to see if you're up to it. She's said she's going back out on patrol today," Fred told him and noticed the surprised look on his face.
"Really," Bosco said. "Hmm."
"What, you don't think she's ready?" Fred asked with concern.
"No, no. I think she's ready. The way she handled everything during that whole thing, she's definitely ready. I wouldn't be here if she hadn't gotten us out of there," Bosco said. He missed the surprised look on Fred's face.
"What do you mean if 'she hadn't gotten you out of there'?" Fred asked.
"Well, all I can remember is being shot. I mean, I was okay for a little while, but then it gets fuzzy and I don't remember what happened. But, she must've done something to get us out of there, right?" he said, half asking.
"Well, from what Faith says, it was you that got you guys out of there alive," Fred told him.
"Me?"
"Yeah, she said that some kid with a gun jumped into where you two were to hide and ended up pointing a gun at Faith's head, thinking that you were already dead," Fred explained. "She said, somehow, you managed to get your gun up and hold it on the kid until ESU found you guys. You don't remember that?" Fred asked.
"No," Bosco said, somewhat embarrassed.
"Well, that's part of what I came here for today," Fred confessed. "I wanted to thank you for saving her. I don't know if I could've lived through that again - or worse."
"Well, I'm sure it was more Faith than me. I was pretty well messed up," Bosco said.
"Yeah, well, I wanted to thank you for all you did for Charlie too. You really were great with him - and helping Emily and all that," Fred said.
"I'm glad they thought they could count on me. It meant a lot at a really difficult time for me. I was pretty messed up after everything, you know?" Bosco admitted.
"Yeah, well I guess we all were. Anyway, everyone can use a helping hand every now and then," Fred said. "So, I should get to work and let you get some rest," he said, suddenly changing the subject.
"Yeah, right. Thanks. For stopping by, I mean. It means a lot. And, it gives me a chance to tell you that I'm sorry, Fred. For all of it. I wish I could take that whole time back. And, when Faith got shot, I wished it was me. I never thought anything like that would happen. I thought I had it under control...," Bosco said, leaving the sentence open.
"Well, as Faith says, everyone learned something out of that," Fred said.
After another moment of silence, Fred added, "Bosco, I don't know how I feel yet, but Faith seems to be willing to give this partner thing another chance. I guess she knows best when it comes to the two of you, but I want your promise that you won't let anything like this happen again."
"I won't Fred. Never again," Bosco promised.
Fred reached out a hand to Bosco. "Alright. I'm going to work now - for real. Let us know if you need anything. Sort of a return of a 'helping hand,'" he added.
Bosco took his hand and shook it. "Thanks, Fred."
"Alright, get some rest because I think Faith's gonna bring the kids in if you're up to it. Tell Faith I'll call her later," Fred said, turning and walking to the door. Bosco nodded and laid his head back on the pillow, closing his eyes.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Fred came out of the room and turned toward the elevator and just about knocked Faith over. "Faith! What're you doing here?" Fred asked.
"Fred," Faith said and leaned in to give him a kiss. "I heard everything. Thank you for making peace with him. I know it means a lot to him - and to me," Faith said.
"Well, if you heard everything, you know I haven't made up my mind to trust him yet," Fred said. "So, what're you doing here this early?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Well, I called to see how he was doing and they said he had a good night. Then Emily called and said she forgot one of her books for school. So, since I had to come over this way anyway, I figured I'd stop in and see him before I went to work. I'll visit for a while and then offer his mom a ride home - the nurse said she's been here all night. She's asleep in the waiting room right now. She could probably use a change of clothes and some fresh air," Faith told him.
"Oh. Well, I may have worn him out. He looked pretty wiped out," he told her.
"Not too wiped out for the pretty nurses though, I heard," Faith said with a smile.
"Well, that's our Bosco," Fred said. Giving Faith a kiss, he headed for the elevator and work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End.
Chapter 19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fred stood at the side of Bosco's bed and just looked at all the machines that were monitoring his vital signs. He listened to the rhythmic beat of the heart monitor and watched the IV fluids drip down the tubing and into his arm.
He had to admit he was torn between trusting and forgiving Bosco. He knew from talking to Faith that Bosco had had problems. He had a crappy childhood - but who hadn't. Although, dealing with an alcoholic father that beat your mother, you, and your brother was pretty severe. "I guess you're lucky you didn't turn into the same thing - or worse," he thought to himself.
He thought back on all the stuff that he and Faith had been through together and the fact that, for the most part, they'd all come out of it because they had each other's backs, as Faith liked to put it. He decided that he'd never understand the special bond that police officers had for each other; especially ones that were partnered every day with each other for the past 10 or so years. It was kind of like a marriage, he guessed.
Deciding not to disturb him, Fred turned to leave and head to work. He'd stop by some other time to talk to him. As he turned, the rubber sole of his work boot made a squeak on the floor. He'd just about reached the doorway of the room when he heard a soft voice from behind him.
"Fred?"
Fred turned back toward Bosco and saw that he was awake. His eyes were squinting, as if he was trying to focus in on Fred.
"Yeah, it's me," Fred said, walking back over toward Bosco.
"What're you doin' here?" Bosco asked, worry suddenly coming to his face. "Is Faith okay? The kids?"
"Everyone's fine," Fred assured him. "Just relax," he said, noticing the increased beat of the heart monitor. "I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing before I went to work," he said, as the monitor started to return to its normal rhythmic beat.
"I'll live, I guess," he said sarcastically. "Although, the way I feel right now, I don't believe them."
Fred chuckled a little. "Faith told me what the doctors said - you're gonna be fine."
"Yeah, but I can think of better ways to spend a vacation," Bosco replied, a smirk on his face as a cute nurse came in and he followed her path. Fred noticed the nurse shyly look over at Bosco, retrieve what she'd come in for and then leave.
"I think its gonna be a little while before you're up to that," Fred teased him.
"I don't know, Fred. I'm always up for that," Bosco teased back.
"Faith'll be glad you have your 'appetite' back," he joked.
There was an awkward silence for a moment and then Fred broke it. "Well, I guess I should head over to work. Faith said she'd stop over, but she's gonna call first to see if you're up to it. She's said she's going back out on patrol today," Fred told him and noticed the surprised look on his face.
"Really," Bosco said. "Hmm."
"What, you don't think she's ready?" Fred asked with concern.
"No, no. I think she's ready. The way she handled everything during that whole thing, she's definitely ready. I wouldn't be here if she hadn't gotten us out of there," Bosco said. He missed the surprised look on Fred's face.
"What do you mean if 'she hadn't gotten you out of there'?" Fred asked.
"Well, all I can remember is being shot. I mean, I was okay for a little while, but then it gets fuzzy and I don't remember what happened. But, she must've done something to get us out of there, right?" he said, half asking.
"Well, from what Faith says, it was you that got you guys out of there alive," Fred told him.
"Me?"
"Yeah, she said that some kid with a gun jumped into where you two were to hide and ended up pointing a gun at Faith's head, thinking that you were already dead," Fred explained. "She said, somehow, you managed to get your gun up and hold it on the kid until ESU found you guys. You don't remember that?" Fred asked.
"No," Bosco said, somewhat embarrassed.
"Well, that's part of what I came here for today," Fred confessed. "I wanted to thank you for saving her. I don't know if I could've lived through that again - or worse."
"Well, I'm sure it was more Faith than me. I was pretty well messed up," Bosco said.
"Yeah, well, I wanted to thank you for all you did for Charlie too. You really were great with him - and helping Emily and all that," Fred said.
"I'm glad they thought they could count on me. It meant a lot at a really difficult time for me. I was pretty messed up after everything, you know?" Bosco admitted.
"Yeah, well I guess we all were. Anyway, everyone can use a helping hand every now and then," Fred said. "So, I should get to work and let you get some rest," he said, suddenly changing the subject.
"Yeah, right. Thanks. For stopping by, I mean. It means a lot. And, it gives me a chance to tell you that I'm sorry, Fred. For all of it. I wish I could take that whole time back. And, when Faith got shot, I wished it was me. I never thought anything like that would happen. I thought I had it under control...," Bosco said, leaving the sentence open.
"Well, as Faith says, everyone learned something out of that," Fred said.
After another moment of silence, Fred added, "Bosco, I don't know how I feel yet, but Faith seems to be willing to give this partner thing another chance. I guess she knows best when it comes to the two of you, but I want your promise that you won't let anything like this happen again."
"I won't Fred. Never again," Bosco promised.
Fred reached out a hand to Bosco. "Alright. I'm going to work now - for real. Let us know if you need anything. Sort of a return of a 'helping hand,'" he added.
Bosco took his hand and shook it. "Thanks, Fred."
"Alright, get some rest because I think Faith's gonna bring the kids in if you're up to it. Tell Faith I'll call her later," Fred said, turning and walking to the door. Bosco nodded and laid his head back on the pillow, closing his eyes.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Fred came out of the room and turned toward the elevator and just about knocked Faith over. "Faith! What're you doing here?" Fred asked.
"Fred," Faith said and leaned in to give him a kiss. "I heard everything. Thank you for making peace with him. I know it means a lot to him - and to me," Faith said.
"Well, if you heard everything, you know I haven't made up my mind to trust him yet," Fred said. "So, what're you doing here this early?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Well, I called to see how he was doing and they said he had a good night. Then Emily called and said she forgot one of her books for school. So, since I had to come over this way anyway, I figured I'd stop in and see him before I went to work. I'll visit for a while and then offer his mom a ride home - the nurse said she's been here all night. She's asleep in the waiting room right now. She could probably use a change of clothes and some fresh air," Faith told him.
"Oh. Well, I may have worn him out. He looked pretty wiped out," he told her.
"Not too wiped out for the pretty nurses though, I heard," Faith said with a smile.
"Well, that's our Bosco," Fred said. Giving Faith a kiss, he headed for the elevator and work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End.