TITLE: Shattered
AUTHOR: Liquid Thalassa
E-MAIL: liquidthalassa@yahoo.com
RATING: PG-13 (due to references of rape) and swear words here and there.
SPOILERS: 10-31's Eppy "Good Bye to All of That"
SUMMARY: Here's part 2, Bosco takes Cruz to his apartment.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanx for the reviews everyone! I really hope you all enjoy this chapter. It took a total rewrite to get it how I liked it. I'm going to be working on more chapters now! Just let me know what you think! Oh and please read the other Author's note at the end of the story!!! Thanx.
Here's the story:
PART TWO: Between Us
Bosco parked this car in the parking lot and killed the engine. He really didn't want Cruz in his place. Not only was the place a mess but it felt.different. Faith would love hearing about this, Bosco thought sarcastically. Faith. She hated Cruz for what she did; she hated Bosco too for sucking her into it that much was evident from her actions. Bosco looked over at Cruz, her hair covered most of her face but he could tell she was lost in a daze. He knew that look; he saw it in his own reflection more than a few times. Yet he always had someone there for him, he had Faith. Cruz had no one.
He gently nudged her shoulder. "We're here." He said.
She looked over at him and squinted her eyes. "No Boscorelli, I thought we were waiting for a red light."
He held her gaze. "Funny. Come on its cold- and late."
He got out of the car, grabbed his duffle bag from the back seat and locked the door. Rounding the vehicle he waited on her side. She just sat there. Rolling his eyes he set the bag down and tapped on her window. Seconds later she rolled it down.
"What?" She asked as if nothing was the matter.
"What? What do you mean what? Are you gonna to get out?" He said restraining exasperation.
"Yeah. Just give me a second. I gotta get my purse." She was stalling, he knew.
"I have it, it's in my bag. Can we go now?"
"What's the hurry?" She asked wiping a strand of ebony hair from her eye.
Bosco Sighed. "I got to pee and I'm not leaving you out here alone. So can we please go before I wet my pants?" He sounded like a whiney boy begging his mother to play out side with the big boys.
She cracked a lazy smile. "I think I'll just wait a few more minutes then. I think I lost something.a bobby pin actually."
"A what?" He asked. Seriously, he thought, she was infuriating.
She looked up, her features illuminated from the street lamp nearby. "You know. A bobby pin. It's about 3 inches long, brown, and straight top with a wavy bottom-" She was using her hands to try to explain it to him. It didn't help, Bosco was still clueless.
"Cruz! Seriously I gotta go." Bosco was almost doing the pee-pee dance.
"Fine." She said and stood up quickly, a little too quickly. "Damn it." She mumbled and reached for the open car door.
"Easy." Bosco said. "Can you make it on your own?"
"Of course." She replied curtly. Bosco didn't believe it yet held his tongue. He backed up to give her more space and waited for her to close the door.
"My gun," she said. "Where's my gun?" She turned and tried to look in the window, but all she saw was darkness.
"In my bag."
She looked at the bag. "Well, then Boscorelli you better be careful. The safety's off."
He gave her a look. Who leaves the safety off, he thought? Then answered himself: Cruz. "Come on." He waved her on, like some crossing guard.
She started to walk, slowly, wincing in pain every few steps. Sighing Bosco stayed in place, and waited for Cruz to catch up with him. When she did he swooped her into his arms. Carrying her like a large baby.
"Hey! What the Hell are you doing?!" She shouted quietly. "Boscorelli put me down.now!" He ignored her. Determined to get to his apartment in no more than five minutes; he started up the stairs. Four more flights to go, he thought, damn.
By the second flight she stilled and rested her head on his chest.
"Ouch!" She said, flinching in pain.
"What?" He asked stopping immediately. "Did I hurt you?" He looked down at her face, trying to read her.
"It was nothing." She sighed.
"No, what is it? If I'm hurting you just tell me."
"Bosco, you're not hurting me. You badge rammed into my eye is all. No big deal." She said assuring him.
"Sorry," he said and continued up the stairs. No big deal, he thought and shook his head, right.
"Now, I wasn't expecting any company." He said when they reached his door. Certainly not yours, he added to himself.
"I don't give a damn Boscorelli, what you place looks like." She said softly. She was practically falling asleep right there in his arms. The pain killers, Bosco figured.
He opened the door and carried her in.
***
She sat on his couch, with him on the chair. She was silent, preoccupied with God knows what. He cleared his throat and leaned more closely toward her. He remembered Faith, how she was when he was upset. Understanding, comforting, she listened. He knew people put up walls to protect themselves; he did it all the time himself. He pegged Cruz for the 'I'm-a- tough-bitch-can-handle-my-own-I-don't-need-anyone' type. Bosco was more of the 'I'm-fine-nothings-wrong-why-would-there-be-something-wrong' type.
He kept watching her. She looked like crap, but he wasn't about to tell her that, he was sure she knew anyhow. Her foundation long exceeded its 12 hour performance, leaving some blotchy areas but he liked her natural golden color anyway. Her lips were red and puffy. She kept biting at them the whole time he was in her company, nervous tick he surmised, unconscious. Her hair looked worse then before. It reminded Bosco of some wild-child being raised by wolves, strands kept falling into her eyes. She kept her coat wrapped tightly round her body, not letting him see her skin and the tell tale bruises and marks beneath. He met her eyes. They were pretty eyes he realized. Yet able to turn so completely, one moment soft and brown, the next hard as stone. Right now they were somewhere in between. Mascara stained the rims along with redness, but didn't take away for their appeal.
"Do you want to take a shower?" He asked. "I got a few clean towels." He watched her for any reaction. "Or a bath, you can take a bath."
"Mmmm, okay. I'll take a bath, might help with the bruises anyhow." She said.
"I'll go run it for you." Bosco left the room, thankful for something to do.
She started to stand up but then rethought it. She felt shaky and sick. She hated being like this. Helpless. Dependent. Nice. Scared. She knew Bosco saw through her tough-girl routine, how could he not. Her eyes started to well up. Why, she asked herself. Why, Maritza? Bosco walked into the room. Great, she thought, just great. She hated people seeing her cry. It was weakness and Cruz was nothing but weak. But she knew that was a lie she kept telling herself. She was just like everyone else, susceptible to weakness. She knew she wasn't Super Woman.
"The bath's ready. I don't have any bubble bath so you'll have to do without." He said trying to lighten up the mood. "I have a rubber ducky though, don't ask." He added with a small smile. "You can get there on your own?"
"Yeah." She said and started to rise. She walked around the chair and small coffee table and asked where the bathroom was.
"Second door on the right, through that hall." He told her pointing the way.
She nodded and left, closing the door behind her.
***
She let the warm water wash over her. The heat helped loosen her muscles but did little to make her feel clean. She already washed her hair three times, trying to get the smell of cheap perfume off of her. He skin felt lightly raw, she figured it would, she did scrub every inch of herself quite a few times. She sighed and closed her eyes. Get a hold of yourself Maritza, she told herself. Reaching for the towel Bosco left for her and rose not caring if she dripped water all over. She walked over to the mirror and forced herself to look. The bruises were worse than before, at her house. They were blue and brown, some rimmed yellow. She wanted shoot something, anything but her gun was in Bosco's bag. She cursed. Her throat seized up, she fought for air. She tried to scream out, but couldn't. She stared into the mirror and saw it. She smelled him; felt him on her."No." She whispered. "No."
***
Bosco looked at the clock. She'd been in there for 40 minutes. He flipped the television channel, hoping to find something relatively decent on. Nothing. Sighing he went to the kitchen and looked in his fridge. Nothing. That's when he sensed it. He had no idea what. Next came the sound of something braking and a curse. Bosco ran to the bathroom door and knocked.
"Cruz? Are you alright?" No answer. Just the sound of her quiet sobs. "Are you descent?" slight panic ran through him. What happened, he wondered worried.
"I'm fine." She managed.
"I'm coming in." He said as he started to turn the door knob, once opened he waited a moment.
"I'm covered." She said. "It's not like you never saw me naked before, anyway." True, he thought, but still.
He opened the door all the way and couldn't believe what he saw. She sat there, the medium sized towel wrapped over her slim body, she looked like broken doll. The mirror cracked and shattered. The reflective pieces littering his sink and floor. He saw blood and kneeled down. Her hand was bleeding. "You punched my mirror." He said taken aback.
"I don't know what happened. I saw him.I had to make it stop." She said, wincing in pain. A flashback. "If I had my gun I would've shot it instead."
"I don't doubt that." Bosco sighed. "Here, I got some peroxide under the sink." He told her and reached over and opened the sink cabinets. That's when he noticed the bruises. "My God." He whispered.
"What?" She asked sniffling.
He took the peroxide out and stared at her. He had no idea it was this bad. Without thinking he reached out and touched a bruise on her shoulder. She flinched, he pulled back immediately. "Cold." She said quietly. "Your hands are cold."
"Oh, sorry." He said almost embarrassed.
"It's alright." She replied.
"No it's not. We're gotta catch this sonofabitch." He said angrily, fire burning in his eyes.
She looked at him, cocking her head slightly and squinting her eyes. "Why do you care, Boscorelli?" She asked, seriously wondering why he cared, considering their history.
He gave her a look, like she was out of her mind. "Why *wouldn't* I care?" He countered.
She didn't answer.
"Maritza?"
"It was my fault you know." She said with all seriousness, while silent tears fell down her eyes.
He shook his head at her. "No." He said firmly. "It wasn't you fault. No woman asks for this."
"I asked for this detail, I begged Lieu. I told Monroe 'just one more, just one more John'. She said we should go but I couldn't." She whispered. "I just couldn't." Anger touched her words. Anger at herself, Bosco figured.
"I should've fought back, Bosco. Damn it.I should've done something! Yelled, screamed. Something. But I couldn't. He was too strong. I was too weak." She said raising her voice.
"It's not your fault." Bosco said again. But he didn't know if she would ever believe that. He moved the stray pieces of hair from her face. "And you're not weak."
She shook her head. "Why?" she asked after a few beats of silence.
He tried to pin point what she could possibly be talking about, not wanting to assume anything.
"Why don't you hate me?" She clarified.
"Look people do some pretty stupid things, hurtful things. But they don't always mean it, not truly anyways. I can't hold what's happened with Faith and I against you. I've done some pretty screw-up things myself, and every time Faith forgave me. Eventually, that is. More than anything I want to understand what caused you to do all those things.lie, betray, use, shoot. I can't hate what I don't understand and you Maritza, I don't think I will ever fully understand."
She looked up at him, her eyes wide with emotion he couldn't pick up on. Surprise perhaps?
"So you don't hate me, Boscorelli.Humm. But why did you bring me here?"
"I wasn't about to let you go home alone-"
"There was Monroe.Why did you offer?" She cut in. What was she getting to, he wondered.
"Do you trust Monroe?" He countered.
"Enough to do the job, that's all. She offered to help but I didn't feel like spilling my guts to her."
"But you will to me?" He asked.
She shot him a look. Annoyance? Anger? Bosco didn't know. She cleared her throat. She didn't want to say it, to let him know but she couldn't stop herself. "Because Officer Boscorelli, you're all I have." God, she wanted to say to herself, what the Hell is wrong with me?
He was speechless. He was all she had. He was shocked really. He figured she has *someone*; friends, coworkers, family.Then he remembered what the nurse said. It was true then. She had no one- except him. They weren't friends, yet they weren't quite enemies either. Bosco wondered what exactly they were.
"Wipe that look off your face." She said abruptly. He wasn't aware he had a look on his face.
"What if I never showed up at the hospital looking for Faith?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Then I'd be home alone, shooting out my mirror and drinking a Fifth." She paused, thinking. "Hey, do you have any alcohol?" She asked hopeful.
"Not after you took those pain killers. Sorry, no alcohol for you." She pouted.
"Let's get you cleaned up. You're shaking."
***
They sat on opposite sides of his couch staring at the television; nothing but infomercials. She wore a pair of old sweatpants and a long black shirt of his; he basically wore the same thing. She occupied herself with her silver necklace. It was small and circular bearing the picture of a winged angel piercing a serpent. Saint Michael, it read. She turned it around her fingers.
"What do you got over there?" Bosco asked interested.
She cleared her throat. "It's nothing, just a necklace." she replied.
Bosco moved closer to her to get a better look. "It's Saint Michael." She said. "Someone gave it to me the day I graduated the Academy."
"I didn't peg you as the religious type."
"I have my moments." She paused. Bosco backed up a little to get more comfortable.
"Did you know Saint Michael is the patron saint of police officers?" She asked him.
"So that's why there's a St. Michael prayer posted somewhere in the locker- room."
She nodded and yawned.
"Want me to put it back on you?" He asked.
She looked at him and nodded, turned around and lifted her hair up. Bosco placed it around her neck and secured the clasps.
"Thanks." She whispered.
"No problem."
***
"Hey, Bosco can you believe this crap-" She started to say but held her tongue when she saw him asleep. She allowed herself to smile a little. Grapping another blanket she draped it over him and allowed herself to relax. Letting her amazement over the things people would do and sell to hide their baldness fade away. Sleep would come, but she wasn't sure if she wanted it to.
***
"What is it?" Bosco asked Cruz in the darkness, who still seemed to be asleep caught in a nightmare. He felt her kicking him from the other side of the couch, thrashing around. She opened her eyes, now wide with panic. "It's alright. It's just me. Calm down." He said soothingly. Nightmares, panic attacks. He knew the feeling.
"How about I don't sleep." She said trying her best to take in deep calming breaths and quell her shaky nerves.
"You have to sleep. It's late." He looked drained. "Come here." He moved his arm and motioned for her to rest next to him. She did, letting her head rest on his chest and her body to align next to his.
"I can hear your heartbeat."
"I'd sure hope so." He smiled.
"Bosco?"
"hmmm?"
"Can we keep all this between us?"
"Sure." He said. "Wouldn't want me to ruin your reputation, huh?" He asked minutes later.
But she was already asleep. He closed his eyes and sighed.
TO BE CONTINUED! (Please read the note at the end, sorry it's so long!)
**A/N: Did everyone like this chapter? I wrote something totally different (it was lame!) but changed it to this at the last moment. I think this is way better, trust me! I still don't know for sure if I want it to be a Bosco-Cruz shipper story (sorry *Fyre4Bosco55* if it does.I guess you won't be reading, *but don't stop now*) * I think I'll keep it as a friendship- understanding- bond thing. What do you guys think? I do know Faith won't play a large part in this story; she'll only be there a few times to move the Cruz-Bosco story along (sorry Faith lovers! I hope you *won't stop* reading too!) I decided to take a lighter approach to this chapter, since it does revolve around Cruz's rape- something not light- But I didn't want to keep up with that gloominess throughout the whole story, yet I still wanted to show her human side and their relationship. I hope it wasn't *too* "mushy" for some people. I thought it was sweet, Bosco is a great guy and I could see him doing all this despite all their history and remember 'mushy' my not be Bosco and Cruz but we all know Bosco can be sweet and after what happened to Cruz anything is possible- even her being human- like. Hopefully I made the right move! Anyways, thanks for the reviews everyone :)! The next chapter'll be posted really soon. ~Liquid Thalassa~
AUTHOR: Liquid Thalassa
E-MAIL: liquidthalassa@yahoo.com
RATING: PG-13 (due to references of rape) and swear words here and there.
SPOILERS: 10-31's Eppy "Good Bye to All of That"
SUMMARY: Here's part 2, Bosco takes Cruz to his apartment.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanx for the reviews everyone! I really hope you all enjoy this chapter. It took a total rewrite to get it how I liked it. I'm going to be working on more chapters now! Just let me know what you think! Oh and please read the other Author's note at the end of the story!!! Thanx.
Here's the story:
PART TWO: Between Us
Bosco parked this car in the parking lot and killed the engine. He really didn't want Cruz in his place. Not only was the place a mess but it felt.different. Faith would love hearing about this, Bosco thought sarcastically. Faith. She hated Cruz for what she did; she hated Bosco too for sucking her into it that much was evident from her actions. Bosco looked over at Cruz, her hair covered most of her face but he could tell she was lost in a daze. He knew that look; he saw it in his own reflection more than a few times. Yet he always had someone there for him, he had Faith. Cruz had no one.
He gently nudged her shoulder. "We're here." He said.
She looked over at him and squinted her eyes. "No Boscorelli, I thought we were waiting for a red light."
He held her gaze. "Funny. Come on its cold- and late."
He got out of the car, grabbed his duffle bag from the back seat and locked the door. Rounding the vehicle he waited on her side. She just sat there. Rolling his eyes he set the bag down and tapped on her window. Seconds later she rolled it down.
"What?" She asked as if nothing was the matter.
"What? What do you mean what? Are you gonna to get out?" He said restraining exasperation.
"Yeah. Just give me a second. I gotta get my purse." She was stalling, he knew.
"I have it, it's in my bag. Can we go now?"
"What's the hurry?" She asked wiping a strand of ebony hair from her eye.
Bosco Sighed. "I got to pee and I'm not leaving you out here alone. So can we please go before I wet my pants?" He sounded like a whiney boy begging his mother to play out side with the big boys.
She cracked a lazy smile. "I think I'll just wait a few more minutes then. I think I lost something.a bobby pin actually."
"A what?" He asked. Seriously, he thought, she was infuriating.
She looked up, her features illuminated from the street lamp nearby. "You know. A bobby pin. It's about 3 inches long, brown, and straight top with a wavy bottom-" She was using her hands to try to explain it to him. It didn't help, Bosco was still clueless.
"Cruz! Seriously I gotta go." Bosco was almost doing the pee-pee dance.
"Fine." She said and stood up quickly, a little too quickly. "Damn it." She mumbled and reached for the open car door.
"Easy." Bosco said. "Can you make it on your own?"
"Of course." She replied curtly. Bosco didn't believe it yet held his tongue. He backed up to give her more space and waited for her to close the door.
"My gun," she said. "Where's my gun?" She turned and tried to look in the window, but all she saw was darkness.
"In my bag."
She looked at the bag. "Well, then Boscorelli you better be careful. The safety's off."
He gave her a look. Who leaves the safety off, he thought? Then answered himself: Cruz. "Come on." He waved her on, like some crossing guard.
She started to walk, slowly, wincing in pain every few steps. Sighing Bosco stayed in place, and waited for Cruz to catch up with him. When she did he swooped her into his arms. Carrying her like a large baby.
"Hey! What the Hell are you doing?!" She shouted quietly. "Boscorelli put me down.now!" He ignored her. Determined to get to his apartment in no more than five minutes; he started up the stairs. Four more flights to go, he thought, damn.
By the second flight she stilled and rested her head on his chest.
"Ouch!" She said, flinching in pain.
"What?" He asked stopping immediately. "Did I hurt you?" He looked down at her face, trying to read her.
"It was nothing." She sighed.
"No, what is it? If I'm hurting you just tell me."
"Bosco, you're not hurting me. You badge rammed into my eye is all. No big deal." She said assuring him.
"Sorry," he said and continued up the stairs. No big deal, he thought and shook his head, right.
"Now, I wasn't expecting any company." He said when they reached his door. Certainly not yours, he added to himself.
"I don't give a damn Boscorelli, what you place looks like." She said softly. She was practically falling asleep right there in his arms. The pain killers, Bosco figured.
He opened the door and carried her in.
***
She sat on his couch, with him on the chair. She was silent, preoccupied with God knows what. He cleared his throat and leaned more closely toward her. He remembered Faith, how she was when he was upset. Understanding, comforting, she listened. He knew people put up walls to protect themselves; he did it all the time himself. He pegged Cruz for the 'I'm-a- tough-bitch-can-handle-my-own-I-don't-need-anyone' type. Bosco was more of the 'I'm-fine-nothings-wrong-why-would-there-be-something-wrong' type.
He kept watching her. She looked like crap, but he wasn't about to tell her that, he was sure she knew anyhow. Her foundation long exceeded its 12 hour performance, leaving some blotchy areas but he liked her natural golden color anyway. Her lips were red and puffy. She kept biting at them the whole time he was in her company, nervous tick he surmised, unconscious. Her hair looked worse then before. It reminded Bosco of some wild-child being raised by wolves, strands kept falling into her eyes. She kept her coat wrapped tightly round her body, not letting him see her skin and the tell tale bruises and marks beneath. He met her eyes. They were pretty eyes he realized. Yet able to turn so completely, one moment soft and brown, the next hard as stone. Right now they were somewhere in between. Mascara stained the rims along with redness, but didn't take away for their appeal.
"Do you want to take a shower?" He asked. "I got a few clean towels." He watched her for any reaction. "Or a bath, you can take a bath."
"Mmmm, okay. I'll take a bath, might help with the bruises anyhow." She said.
"I'll go run it for you." Bosco left the room, thankful for something to do.
She started to stand up but then rethought it. She felt shaky and sick. She hated being like this. Helpless. Dependent. Nice. Scared. She knew Bosco saw through her tough-girl routine, how could he not. Her eyes started to well up. Why, she asked herself. Why, Maritza? Bosco walked into the room. Great, she thought, just great. She hated people seeing her cry. It was weakness and Cruz was nothing but weak. But she knew that was a lie she kept telling herself. She was just like everyone else, susceptible to weakness. She knew she wasn't Super Woman.
"The bath's ready. I don't have any bubble bath so you'll have to do without." He said trying to lighten up the mood. "I have a rubber ducky though, don't ask." He added with a small smile. "You can get there on your own?"
"Yeah." She said and started to rise. She walked around the chair and small coffee table and asked where the bathroom was.
"Second door on the right, through that hall." He told her pointing the way.
She nodded and left, closing the door behind her.
***
She let the warm water wash over her. The heat helped loosen her muscles but did little to make her feel clean. She already washed her hair three times, trying to get the smell of cheap perfume off of her. He skin felt lightly raw, she figured it would, she did scrub every inch of herself quite a few times. She sighed and closed her eyes. Get a hold of yourself Maritza, she told herself. Reaching for the towel Bosco left for her and rose not caring if she dripped water all over. She walked over to the mirror and forced herself to look. The bruises were worse than before, at her house. They were blue and brown, some rimmed yellow. She wanted shoot something, anything but her gun was in Bosco's bag. She cursed. Her throat seized up, she fought for air. She tried to scream out, but couldn't. She stared into the mirror and saw it. She smelled him; felt him on her."No." She whispered. "No."
***
Bosco looked at the clock. She'd been in there for 40 minutes. He flipped the television channel, hoping to find something relatively decent on. Nothing. Sighing he went to the kitchen and looked in his fridge. Nothing. That's when he sensed it. He had no idea what. Next came the sound of something braking and a curse. Bosco ran to the bathroom door and knocked.
"Cruz? Are you alright?" No answer. Just the sound of her quiet sobs. "Are you descent?" slight panic ran through him. What happened, he wondered worried.
"I'm fine." She managed.
"I'm coming in." He said as he started to turn the door knob, once opened he waited a moment.
"I'm covered." She said. "It's not like you never saw me naked before, anyway." True, he thought, but still.
He opened the door all the way and couldn't believe what he saw. She sat there, the medium sized towel wrapped over her slim body, she looked like broken doll. The mirror cracked and shattered. The reflective pieces littering his sink and floor. He saw blood and kneeled down. Her hand was bleeding. "You punched my mirror." He said taken aback.
"I don't know what happened. I saw him.I had to make it stop." She said, wincing in pain. A flashback. "If I had my gun I would've shot it instead."
"I don't doubt that." Bosco sighed. "Here, I got some peroxide under the sink." He told her and reached over and opened the sink cabinets. That's when he noticed the bruises. "My God." He whispered.
"What?" She asked sniffling.
He took the peroxide out and stared at her. He had no idea it was this bad. Without thinking he reached out and touched a bruise on her shoulder. She flinched, he pulled back immediately. "Cold." She said quietly. "Your hands are cold."
"Oh, sorry." He said almost embarrassed.
"It's alright." She replied.
"No it's not. We're gotta catch this sonofabitch." He said angrily, fire burning in his eyes.
She looked at him, cocking her head slightly and squinting her eyes. "Why do you care, Boscorelli?" She asked, seriously wondering why he cared, considering their history.
He gave her a look, like she was out of her mind. "Why *wouldn't* I care?" He countered.
She didn't answer.
"Maritza?"
"It was my fault you know." She said with all seriousness, while silent tears fell down her eyes.
He shook his head at her. "No." He said firmly. "It wasn't you fault. No woman asks for this."
"I asked for this detail, I begged Lieu. I told Monroe 'just one more, just one more John'. She said we should go but I couldn't." She whispered. "I just couldn't." Anger touched her words. Anger at herself, Bosco figured.
"I should've fought back, Bosco. Damn it.I should've done something! Yelled, screamed. Something. But I couldn't. He was too strong. I was too weak." She said raising her voice.
"It's not your fault." Bosco said again. But he didn't know if she would ever believe that. He moved the stray pieces of hair from her face. "And you're not weak."
She shook her head. "Why?" she asked after a few beats of silence.
He tried to pin point what she could possibly be talking about, not wanting to assume anything.
"Why don't you hate me?" She clarified.
"Look people do some pretty stupid things, hurtful things. But they don't always mean it, not truly anyways. I can't hold what's happened with Faith and I against you. I've done some pretty screw-up things myself, and every time Faith forgave me. Eventually, that is. More than anything I want to understand what caused you to do all those things.lie, betray, use, shoot. I can't hate what I don't understand and you Maritza, I don't think I will ever fully understand."
She looked up at him, her eyes wide with emotion he couldn't pick up on. Surprise perhaps?
"So you don't hate me, Boscorelli.Humm. But why did you bring me here?"
"I wasn't about to let you go home alone-"
"There was Monroe.Why did you offer?" She cut in. What was she getting to, he wondered.
"Do you trust Monroe?" He countered.
"Enough to do the job, that's all. She offered to help but I didn't feel like spilling my guts to her."
"But you will to me?" He asked.
She shot him a look. Annoyance? Anger? Bosco didn't know. She cleared her throat. She didn't want to say it, to let him know but she couldn't stop herself. "Because Officer Boscorelli, you're all I have." God, she wanted to say to herself, what the Hell is wrong with me?
He was speechless. He was all she had. He was shocked really. He figured she has *someone*; friends, coworkers, family.Then he remembered what the nurse said. It was true then. She had no one- except him. They weren't friends, yet they weren't quite enemies either. Bosco wondered what exactly they were.
"Wipe that look off your face." She said abruptly. He wasn't aware he had a look on his face.
"What if I never showed up at the hospital looking for Faith?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Then I'd be home alone, shooting out my mirror and drinking a Fifth." She paused, thinking. "Hey, do you have any alcohol?" She asked hopeful.
"Not after you took those pain killers. Sorry, no alcohol for you." She pouted.
"Let's get you cleaned up. You're shaking."
***
They sat on opposite sides of his couch staring at the television; nothing but infomercials. She wore a pair of old sweatpants and a long black shirt of his; he basically wore the same thing. She occupied herself with her silver necklace. It was small and circular bearing the picture of a winged angel piercing a serpent. Saint Michael, it read. She turned it around her fingers.
"What do you got over there?" Bosco asked interested.
She cleared her throat. "It's nothing, just a necklace." she replied.
Bosco moved closer to her to get a better look. "It's Saint Michael." She said. "Someone gave it to me the day I graduated the Academy."
"I didn't peg you as the religious type."
"I have my moments." She paused. Bosco backed up a little to get more comfortable.
"Did you know Saint Michael is the patron saint of police officers?" She asked him.
"So that's why there's a St. Michael prayer posted somewhere in the locker- room."
She nodded and yawned.
"Want me to put it back on you?" He asked.
She looked at him and nodded, turned around and lifted her hair up. Bosco placed it around her neck and secured the clasps.
"Thanks." She whispered.
"No problem."
***
"Hey, Bosco can you believe this crap-" She started to say but held her tongue when she saw him asleep. She allowed herself to smile a little. Grapping another blanket she draped it over him and allowed herself to relax. Letting her amazement over the things people would do and sell to hide their baldness fade away. Sleep would come, but she wasn't sure if she wanted it to.
***
"What is it?" Bosco asked Cruz in the darkness, who still seemed to be asleep caught in a nightmare. He felt her kicking him from the other side of the couch, thrashing around. She opened her eyes, now wide with panic. "It's alright. It's just me. Calm down." He said soothingly. Nightmares, panic attacks. He knew the feeling.
"How about I don't sleep." She said trying her best to take in deep calming breaths and quell her shaky nerves.
"You have to sleep. It's late." He looked drained. "Come here." He moved his arm and motioned for her to rest next to him. She did, letting her head rest on his chest and her body to align next to his.
"I can hear your heartbeat."
"I'd sure hope so." He smiled.
"Bosco?"
"hmmm?"
"Can we keep all this between us?"
"Sure." He said. "Wouldn't want me to ruin your reputation, huh?" He asked minutes later.
But she was already asleep. He closed his eyes and sighed.
TO BE CONTINUED! (Please read the note at the end, sorry it's so long!)
**A/N: Did everyone like this chapter? I wrote something totally different (it was lame!) but changed it to this at the last moment. I think this is way better, trust me! I still don't know for sure if I want it to be a Bosco-Cruz shipper story (sorry *Fyre4Bosco55* if it does.I guess you won't be reading, *but don't stop now*) * I think I'll keep it as a friendship- understanding- bond thing. What do you guys think? I do know Faith won't play a large part in this story; she'll only be there a few times to move the Cruz-Bosco story along (sorry Faith lovers! I hope you *won't stop* reading too!) I decided to take a lighter approach to this chapter, since it does revolve around Cruz's rape- something not light- But I didn't want to keep up with that gloominess throughout the whole story, yet I still wanted to show her human side and their relationship. I hope it wasn't *too* "mushy" for some people. I thought it was sweet, Bosco is a great guy and I could see him doing all this despite all their history and remember 'mushy' my not be Bosco and Cruz but we all know Bosco can be sweet and after what happened to Cruz anything is possible- even her being human- like. Hopefully I made the right move! Anyways, thanks for the reviews everyone :)! The next chapter'll be posted really soon. ~Liquid Thalassa~
