Hi Everyone. Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews!!! I really appreciate them. Here is chapter 5, please read, review and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I still don't own any Third Watch characters

Chapter 5

His eyes practically popped out of his head. "Oh, this is just wonderful," Fred said, the tears finally coming to his eyes. The alcohol had worn off and so had his bravado from before. He was coming to terms with the fact that he was hurt.

Faith jumped up. "Fred, please," she said.

"I wasn't even gone three hours Faith, and you call him?" he asked, tears running down his cheeks.

Bosco stepped up. "Fred, it's not like that," he said.

Fred pushed him away. "You. You are the cause of most problems in my marriage," he said.

"Look again, pal. It ain't me," he said.

"Bosco!" Faith hissed. "Fred, I've never been unfaithful to you. Ever," she said.

"If you want to know why I came over, on my own accord, I'll tell you. After what you did to me, I was afraid you hurt Faith. I came over to check on her," Bosco said.

"You think I would hit my wife?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, the thought crossed my mind," he said.

Faith sighed. "Bosco, please. Thank you for coming over, I really appreciate it. But I need to be alone with Fred right now, okay?" she said.

"Sure. I'll see ya tomorrow," he said and with that, after glaring at Fred one more time for good measure, walked out.

"Fred, you really have to believe me," she said.

"You really hurt me," he said, sitting on the couch, his head in his hands.

"I know baby, I know. I'm sorry. I was caught off guard. I pushed him away Fred, you have to believe that," she said, rubbing his back. "I'd like to Faith. But this is just one of a whole lot of issues we've been having lately. I can't stand the fact that you're a cop," he said.

"I really don't want to get into that again, Fred. I told you before, I'm not quitting my career because you don't like it," she said.

"Don't you get it? It's not that I `don't like it.' It's that I'm worried about you. Every day you go out of this house, I have to wonder if you'll be coming home. Every time the phone rings I'm wondering if it's a call to tell me you've been shot or involved in something. I can't take it anymore Faith, I just can't," he said.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," she said.

"Are you telling me that you're willing to toss our marriage for your job?" he asked, searching her eyes.

"It's not just a job to me Fred. It's my career; I can't explain this any better to you than I have. If you can't accept it, then we obviously can't continue together. I'm not giving it up," she said.

All of a sudden he came out with a bombshell. "Do you love Bosco?" he asked matter of fact. He watched her green eyes and by the way she widened them before she spoke, he got his answer.

"Fred, Bosco is my good friend and partner. You don't know what it's like. I trust Bosco with my life, I have to. So yes, I guess I'd have to say I love him," she said, desperately hoping that answer would skirt the true issue of his question.

"Do you love him like you would love your husband?" he asked. She couldn't lie and her eyes would betray her anyway. They already did as the tears fell down.

Fred shook his head. "That's all I need to know. I can't compete with that," he said.

"Fred, wait, please," she said. "Why, Faith?" he asked. "There's no point. I want a separation," he said sadly. She went to hug him. He held her tightly. "I should have known this would happen at some point," he said.

"Why would you say that?" she asked.

"You're too good for me," he said.

"Fred, baby, come on. I don't want a separation," she said.

"I'm sorry, Faith," he said, breaking away from her embrace.

"Fred, I'll do anything you want. Let's go to counseling?" she suggested.

He shook his head. "No. Faith, you've always had something for Bosco. I could see it when you talk about him, when you worry about him, it's so obvious. I can't compete anymore. I love you and I will always love you. But to know you're thinking of another man most of the time, I can't live with that," he said. He continued to the bedroom.

She sat down on the couch. He totally called her on it. She couldn't even deny what he just said. Since when though? Since when did these feelings develop that would make her want to give up her marriage with Fred to tread on shaky ground with Maurice Boscorelli.

She still couldn't reason it out in her head. She and Fred had some hard times, sure, but who hasn't? She sat there for a half hour thinking about it. She heard banging around in the bedroom and walked down the hall. Fred was packing a suitcase.

"Fred," she said. He looked up. "I'm, I'm sorry," she said, tears falling down her face.

"Faith, don't apologize. It's better we discovered this before we had kids. Look, I know I wasn't the perfect husband, but I tried to make you happy," he said.

"I know, Fred, I know," she said.

"But in our three years together, I knew. I knew you had something for Bosco. Hell you've been with him a lot longer than you have been with me," he said. He hugged her and closed up his suitcase. "I'm leaving Faith. I'm going to Bobby's house. You have the number if you need to call me. I'll look for a place soon," he said.

"Fred, I'm so so so sorry. Please know I was always faithful, always," she said.

"I know, and I do believe you pushed him away when he kissed you. But I now know that he's where your heart is," he said.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too. I'll always love you," he said and with that headed out the door.

TBC