The Rush
Disclaimer: I only own what I made up and the others are owned by those who really created them. Thanks for reading.
Chapter Six: Running For Cover
Monday morning brought more rain. Seajae snuggled closer to her husband as the thunder echoed though the apartment. Sprawled around them where three bundles wrapped in varies blankets.
"You awake?" Bosco wispered.
"Yeah. How did they all get in here without us knowing?"
"Beats me." Bosco looked at the two brunett heads snuggled at the foot of the bed with the blond between them, "Storms never bother them. They sleep like rocks." Seajae looked at her husband. She knew Bosco was not always pround of his parenting skills and knowing that his kids might be worried or scared and he didn't know it.
"They would of woken us up if something was wrong." She stroked Bosco's cheek. "I know our kids. They just wanted to snuggle." Seajae sat up. "Do you wish........or wonder what she would of been like?"
"You mean.....the baby we lost."
"Miranda......"
"I think we wouldn't have Mac. You would of gotten sick with her."
"Maybe not." Seajae got up and went to the dresser and looked in the mirror. Mornings were not her strong point. She looked at herself. Her scars on each shoulder red and puckered. Bosco looked at her. She was more beautiful with every passing day.
"You ok?"
"For the first time in a long time I can answer yes." She turned and looked at her husband. "I wounder what Swertzky will tell us."
"Who knows. That wasn't the Tommy we all knew back then. He would of never brought Nicole in to shake us up. Or anyone for that matter. It's like he's hell bent on revenge and I don't know why." The children started to stir. "Jump in the shower and I'll change the kids and start breakfast."
"Your a great husband you know that?"
"Don't go telling the other girls, then they expect thier husbands to be just as great." He picked up a sleepy Hope and blew rasberries on her bare tummy. Seajae smiled and turned to the bathroom to take her shower.
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Seajae, Bosco and Faith climed the steps of the station house. All three a little leary of what lied ahead. They all had different stories about why Tommy was back. Different feelings. Swertzsky was waiting for them at the top of the steps.
"I'm glad you could make it." He closed the door to his office. "I'm sorry it came to this." He sat behind his desk. He looked up at his three best officers. He never wanted it to come down to having to choose. Tommy had been like a son to him. But he had left. Left with secrets. Secrets Dan couldn't keep from the rest of the family any longer. "Tom Herrigan's father was my best friend. Twenty years ago he left New York for the Wisconsin wilderness. Tommy stayed behind and went to the acadamy and thats where Bosco, Faith and he became friends."
"I know that Boss." He held up his hand.
"For once in your life Boscorelli keep your mouth shut." He looked at Seajae knowing she would do just that because he never took that tone with her. Ever. "Anyway I was Tommy's training officer and he thrived. He was one of the best recruits ever to come out of the acadamy. He did everything by the book. When Tommy met Maddie I saw something change in him. It wasn't easy to see but I saw the way he was around his friends. He backed away from going out and spending time in groups. You both chalked it up to dating Maddie I'm sure. He was spending more and more time with her which in anyones book was alright when your in love." Dan took a deep breath. "About a year and a half after the wedding Maddie called in sick. Not a problem.....but Tommy came in and didn't know she had done it. He asked for personal time and like an idiot I gave it to him. Bosco had the day off that day." Swertzsky stood up and went to his coffee pot and poured himself a cup. He offered the others some.
"No thanks." Was thier reply. Seajae kept quiet.
"Anyway Bosco was out of town and Tommy couldn't find Maddie. He assumed the worst and well he.......he tracked Maddie down at my house. She was sick. So sick she didn't want to be alone so she called Nancy and asked if she could come over.....she thought she was pregnant and well she was scared. He dragged her home like she was a child. Nancy called me I went over there and everything seemed fine." Dan sat down again. "I never saw Maddie again." He looked at the three people in front of him. "The next day was September 11th. She called me and said she wanted to talk to me before the shift started. She never made it to the house. " Taking something from his desk he handed it to Bosco. "I kept this. I've gone over it a hundred times in my head. Sully found it on Sassy.....Maddie's dog." Bosco opened it up and read it out loud.
"I'm in a better place now Dan. Tell Bosco and Faith that I love them. And tell....tell Tommy that I'll miss him. He never knew how to love me the way I needed to be loved. Don't blame him." Bosco looked at the hand writing he hadn't seen in eight years. He knew it like he knew his own. Like he knew his wifes and Faiths. "Your thinking she's not dead?"
"I talked to some people. He never hurt her but he said things. Things that made her uneasy. I think she was afraid for her baby."
"So she sent Sassy back into the building......" Bosco couldn't belive what he was hearing, Maddie alive after all these years.
"Tommy had a break down after he went to Montanan to see Maddie's parents. He held her parents at gun point because he believed they knew she was alive and somewhere close. He shot her dad before the local PD could take him. Maddie's dad didn't press chargers. Just found him the help he needed." Dan opened a file. "When he got the all clear to come back to work there wasn't a.......suitable job for him in the department. Nothing that didn't cause stress or.....remembering. But the department had to get him a job. So they put him in Internal Affairs."
"So his investigating us?"
"No. IAB kicked him loose last month. Said he needed a change. I got a call and I......I guess I felt sorry for him. I don't think Maddie's alive. I don't think Tommy will hurt anyone but it seems I might be wrong." He handed another letter to Bosco. "I got this last week." Bosco unfolded it. It was the same neat hand writing as the first.
"Dan, please find somewhere else for Tommy. He's too close to finding the truth. Please....for all our sakes." Bosco looked at his boss of nearly twenty years. "Maddie's alive. That means.....the baby......Tom's son is.....out there somewhere?"
"Thats what it looks like. If Tommy finds any of this out.......I just can't risk it."
"But you risked my wife by putting him as her partner."
"I thought.....I thought she could handle it. But after the stunt he pulled at your party on Saturday I don't know if I can controle the situation. If I tell him I'm transfering him he may not take it to well."
"I don't want him responsible for my wifes safty." Seajae looked at him. Bosco knew that she could take care of herself but something told her that Tommy Hannigan was far more of a threat then anyone thought.
"I'm doing my best to find a way to get him transfered." Swertzsky looked at Seajae. She was tence. Too tence. "Seajae....we'll figure out whats going on. Until then I'll pull him off the streets."
"Pull me off." Three people turned to Seajae.
"What?"
"Pull me off the streets. Tell him....tell him the shit with the trial and the shooting got to me. He only knows what he heard. He might come to expect I'm heading for a burn out."
"Seajae...." Bosoc looked at her.
"It's only temperary. We'll get this whole thing straightened out and I can go back to work." Seajae took her badge and gun and handed it to Swertzsky. "I just can't take any chances. Not with my family." Dan looked at her.
"Seajae....are you sure?"
"Get Tommy the help he needs and lets hope whatever went wrong with Maddie.....well lets hope she's happy and this hasn't put her in any danger."
"Seajae you don't have to do this." Bosco watched as she got up.
"Yeah I do." She went to the door. "I'll get some things straightened up in my office." Shutting the door Seajae headed to her office.
"I give her a week." Swertzsky put her gun and badge in the locked draw in his desk.
"I should see if she needs any help." Faith got up. She followed her friend out the door. Swertzsky looked at Bosco.
"I didn't want this to happen Bosco. I can't loose Seajae. As much as I want Tommy to succeed here Seajae's made this house what it is. You and Faith, Ty, Sully, Joey......you kept this house standing and kept the neighbor worth living in."
"Thanks boss." Bosco looked at the man who had been his boss for over fifteen years. He knew Dan Swertzsky. And he knew choosing between Seajae and Tommy was tearing him apart. And it would make Seajae hard to live with. "Maybe we're jumping the gun on this. Tommy wouldn't hurt us. He......" He shot his own father in law. Bosco didn't know what Tommy was capable of doing anymore. He hoped his wife was doing the right thing and he hoped she could keep her nose out of it. "Let's hope we can figure this out soon."
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Seajae sat at her desk and lit a cigarette. She looked at the picture of the kids and Bosco on her desk. If Tommy Harrigan had come back for some other reason then wanting back in the fold Seajae needed to know. This place, these people where her life. Tommy was never part of that life. He didn't know what he was messing with. The door opened and Faith came in.
"Are you sure this is the way you want to do this?"
"You have another way?"
"Stay on and let Tommy find someplace else to go."
"Faith, he's your friend too."
"Maddie was my friend. Bosco can take full resposablity for bringing Hannigan into the mix." Faith sat down across from her friend. "This is your life. Not his. He walked away from us." There was anger in her voice. "He walked away from Maddie's memories. I know he needed to grieve. But he walked away."
"He lost his mind. That's got to account for something." Seajae put out her cigarette and put a few things in a box at her feet. "You'll keep an eye on things....right?"
"Seajae.....you can't just quit."
"Bosco said something when I wanted to take Owen home after the shooting.....he said we don't spend enough time with our kids. Now I can. Angle will be starting school in the fall and Hope needs to be potty trained before Kelly has her baby. And we need to plan a shower for both Kim and Kelly."
"Seajae your not Susie Homemaker. Your.....your Seajae Marie Boscorelli....Zena Worrier Princess of law inforcement. You can't just change that." Seajae looked at Faith. She of all people shouldn't be giving her a hard time.
"I don't know it just feels like it's what I should do." Seajae stood up and took her back up gun out of her top drawer and put it in her waist band. Putting on her jacket. "Maybe if I take a step back he'll make a mistake. Or......confide in one of you." Picking up the box she looked out the window. Jimmy, Alex and Billy were just coming into work across the street. This wasn't good bye. They all still had lives together. Still had family. She turned and Faith was standing.
"If I had the power I'd send him back from where ever it was before he was here."
"Maybe he was in hell and he needed to come home."
"You don't come home to hurt your friends."
"Maybe not us. But some people think differently." Faith opened the door. "I'm going to go before the watch gets here. I don't want to explain a whole lot of what I don't understand." Seajae walked out the door. "See you at home." She left and walked down the back steps not even stopping to talk to her husband. She needed some time alone.
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"Okay boys and girls just some notes." Jason Christopher stood in role call. He looked at the men and woman in front of him. He was getting to old to be babysitting Boscorelli and his playmates. Davis was up for detective and Sully was up for retirement so all that was left was Bosco himself and his young friend Doyle. It wouldn't be long before he made Anti Crime. So soon all that would be left is the man himself. Forty and still a beat cop. He must hate his life. Jason smiled. He had Seajae. Life was good for Maurice Boscorelli. Capitain Swertzsky came behind him.
"Lt Christopher I need a moment." Jason nodded his head. Swertzsky stepped to the podium. "Before you all here it from someone else I want to inform you that Detective Sergent Seajae Boscorelli has taken a leave of absents from her duties here at the five five." Ty looked at Bosco. He shrugged his shoulders and continued scribbling on his note pad. "She'll be back as soon as she feels up to it." Tommy Harrigan stood in the back of the room. Swertzky looked at him. Bosco knew it wasn't the look two friends exchanged. If Swetzky had it his way Seajae would be standing back there not him. "She didn't want any fuss but she did want me to tell you all that she'll be home if any of you get board or hungry." He looked at Bosco. "We'll get it worked out and have her back here in no time." He stood down and headed back to his office. Dan Swertzky would not sit still and watch his best officer turn her back on the career she spent her life building.
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Seajae sat with her legs under her reading a report she took out of the office in her box. Someone had left Tommy Hannigan's file sitting on her desk for all the world and her to see. It wasn't just any file. It was his confidentail file. She had slipped it in the box at her feet before Faith walked in on her. The apartment over the bar was perfect for hiding away and reading what aparently someone wanted her to know. Seajae barly heard the soft knock at the door. Stuffing the file under the couch cousion she went to the door. She used the back stairs so no one would know that she was there. Taking her back up gun out of her boot by the door she looked into the small peep hole. A stranger stood on the other side. But there was something about her. Maybe it was the unruly chesnut hair or peircing blue eyes but for some reason Seajae didn't feel threatened. She slowly opened the door.
"Can I help you?"
"If anyone can its you. And Bosco." She looked at Seajae. Opening the door wider she invited the woman in. She carried a back pack in luie of a purse. Setting it down on the floor next to the couch she turned to Seajae. "Have you figured it out yet?"
"I've never been one for games.....but I think I got some of it." Seajae sat on the couch and pulled out the folder. "Thanks to this. How did you get your hands on this Maddie." The woman smiled. Bosco had picked a smart one. She knew he would.
"My new husband.....he works with computers alot. He got what we needed."
"Tommy's a time bomb. He had been for years. Why didn't anyone catch on?"
"He hid it well. Took his meds." The new Maddie looked Seajae up and down. "Your not what I expected. I heard stories. But I thought you'd be more like......."
"Nicole?"
"Faith. There was always this unerlining thing. Fred just wasn't the man for her. Maybe that's what it is.....your part Faith part Nicole." Maddie smiled. "You have the power to make him keep his head and the power to make him loose it all rolled into one."
"Somewhere there lies a compliment in that." Seajae watched as Maddie looked around the place. "Why did you stay in the city Maddie?"
"Wasn't hard not to. Just change my name....my look. I even went back to the police acadamy again. It was easy the second time around. I couldn't leave New York. It was where I always wanted to be. I went back to Montana after Tommy......I had our son. His name is Thomas Maurice...... I thought I owed it to Tommy."
"Was it bad?"
"He never hit me. He just.......he made it hard to be the woman I needed to be. Always questoning me. Making sure I didn't go anywhere or see anyone but him. I missed Faith and Bosco. If I wasn't home tweny five minutes after my shift he.........he would tell me he knew I was sleeping with another man. I knew he always thought Bosco. If I had told anyone.....he would of snapped. So I just went to work and came home. I let him do the shopping, I quit answering the phone. The night I went to Dan's I took Sassy to the vet. She had cancer. The department.....they would know by morning and have me put her down. She was such a fighter. The next morning as I headed to work. I was eight blocks away when the first plane hit. I ran and let Sassy go......we got there.....the second plane hit and all hell broke loose. I lost Sassy all together then she came to me leading an old man. I wrote the note and put it in her vest and started helping the wounded thinking she would stay by my side and whatever happened........ Sassy barked and turned to go back in........ The next thing I knew I was running as fast as I could the other way as the building fell." Maddie looked at the picture of Angela above the fire place. And the ones of Angela and all the kids. "I hitched a ride upstate and hid out for weeks. I knew Sassy was gone and that someday when they dug they would find her and I hoped they thought I was gone too." She picked up a picture of Bosco, Faith, Ty, Sully and Doyle. She ran her fingers over the faces of her friends. "I know I was wrong. But you never saw his eyes when he got mad. It wasn't the Tommy I married. I would of never....and being me I didn't know how to handle it."
"Your not a bad person for running Maddie. You did what you had to to survive. I know the feeling of knowing your life might be in danger everytime you wake up in the morning and it haunts you in your sleep." Seajae stood up and went to Maddie. "I'll do anything to keep you and your family safe. Tommy Hannigan won't hurt you. I won't let him." Maddie smiled.
"I can see why Bosco is so in love with you. Your everything he ever wanted, Even if he never knew what he wanted." Picking up her bag she handed Seajae a card. "This is between you and me. Do what you can to get Tommy some help." She turned to leave but then turned back. "Thank you for taking care of my friends while I was gone."
"Not a problem. Whenever your ready I'm sure they would love to have you back."
"I'm dead Seajae."
"Not in there hearts. She crossed her arms in front of her. "There's room for all of us. What better way to stay safe."
"I'm safe. Just get Tommy some help." She turned and slipped out the door. Seajae stood there for a long time wondering if this secret could be kept. And for how long. She looked at the card Maddie had handed her. 'Detective Madiline Sincliar, K-9 Division, Booklyn New York.'
"Stay safe Maddie." Seajae memorized the number and threw the card in the fire place and watched it burn. She hoped the woman was smart and would keep a low profile until they could figure out what do with Tommy. Hell Seajae hoped the she could stay safe herself. Tommy was gunning for something and she feared it was to make Bosco suffer like he had when he lost Maddie. That would mean Seajae would have to die. She didn't like that one bit. Dieing was never her favorite thing to do. Sitting back on the couch she took the folder and started reading again. Hoping to find something that would let her and Maddie both live the lives they were ment to live.
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Bosco watched as Sasha gave the man in the Town Car a speeding ticket. Seajae hadn't called. She hadn't called anyone. Not Faith, not Kim, not Alex or Tatianna. Faith said she was okay when she left the station. But she hadn't said goodbye. And Tommy didn't seem concerned that his partner took leave a mere three days after he was assigned to her. A knock at the window brought him out of his thoughts. Tom Herrigan stood at his window. Bosco rolled it down.
"What crawled up your wifes ass Maurice?" Bosco knew to play it cool. Tommy was a force to be recon with eight years ago. Now he was a recovering nut job. That to Bosco was more dagerous then an full fledged nut job.
"I guess the shooting took more out of her then she thought." He glanced at Monroe to make sure she was still ok.
"You always did fall for the unstable ones." Bosco's head turned. It took all the strength in his body not to hall off and hit him.
"She's been a cop longer then me and she never killed anyone. It's a lot for a person to deal with. You know that or have you turned into an unfeeling bastard?"
"You know me. If it has a gun shoot it or loose it." Bosco did know Tommy. But that was eight years ago. And now he knew about Maddie. Maddie had faked her death to get away from him. Tommy......his best friend.
"Yeah well the neighborhood's changed. Tanya Brunette's murder was the first one this year. Eight years ago we'd be in the triple digits by now. We do things differntly now."
"Yeah. Your women are different too."
"Singuler. I have one woman and I've kept her for the last eight years."
"Oh come on Bos. You. Mr. Sex......" Monroe was walking back. "You had more woman then the Macy's shoe sale."
"You don't really understand do you? I thought you would. You loved Maddie so much."
"Love has nothing to do with it. She was mine. Mine and no one elses."
"We'll love has a lot to do with my relationship with Seajae. Along with respect." Sasha got into the car.
"Hey Hannigan."
"Hey Sasha....you doing anthing after work?" Sasha looked at Bosco and saw him tence and then back at Tommy. She smiled. "I'm babysitting for the Davis's. Ty wants to bring Alex out for her birthday. Thanks for the offer though."
"Another time then." Tommy stood up and tapped the roof. "You guys stay safe." He turned and headed up the street.
"Can I say that that man scares the living hell out of me?"
"I can't see why." Bosco put Sasha's sitation book between the seats.
"Because anyone who makes you this tence has got to have some bad vibes ratiating off of him." She put on her seat belt. "You want to go track down your wife?"
"Are you a mind reader now?"
"No. I thought maybe if we heard from her you'd stop clenching your jaw and it would save you on the dental work." Putting the car in drive, Sasha pulled out and prayed they found Seajae before the vain in Maurice Boscorelli's head popped.
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Carlos sat in the bus looking out at the night sky. Spring was on the way. He smiled. Kim was going to have another kid. He missed her sitting next to him. She made him think. All the woman sitting next to him did now was look for a place to pee. He thought of Owen at home with Peggy. He was the most beautiful baby he'd ever seen. He imagained what his and Peggy's kids would look like and well Owen fit the bill. Peggy was having problems concieving. Now with Owen they might be able to sit back and relax a bit.
"You mind if we stop?" Erin Young looked at Carlos.
"No. Go ahead." They stopped outside the Bodaga on 49th. Erin jumped out. Carlos sat watching. Maybe he was parinoid but something wasn't right. He went to call to Erin but it was too late. She flung open the door with all her youthful energy and the shot rang out, sending the young blond woman flying back outside. Carlos picked up the radio and dived in the back of the bus. "Adam 55-3...Shots fired. 49th and Arther. Send P.D. and another bus. We have an EMT down. I repeat we have a EMT down." Carlos closed his eyes and prayed Young was wearing her vest. It was the best thing the P.D. did for them was supply them all with bullet proff vests. He knew Seajae was behind the funding . That's what she did. She did things for people. If Erin Young pulled thought this he would personally thank his friend. Attaching his radio to his belt he grabbed his bag and went to help his partner.
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"Five Five David shots fire at 2-9-6-8 49th street. Emergency personal on scene. Medic down. I repeat medic down. Adam 55-3 is under fire." Bosco hit the siren and grabbed the mic as Sasha pressed her foot harder on the accelarator.
"Five five David responding. ETA three minutes." Bosco turned his belt radio on to the FD freqency. "Adam 55-3 this five five David, what do you have?"
"One male caucaision early twenties, one black male late teens. both wielding 12 gauge shot guns. Youngs hit but I got her behind the bus. Stupid kid didn't tighten her vest. The bullets are buck shot Bosco. "
"How many civilians in the store Carlos?"
"Three counting the cashier."
"You my friend have been spending way to much with the PD....thank god. We're a block away Carlos.....hang on." Bosco turned his radio back. "Dispach we have one black male late teens, one white male early twenties both with shot guns.....loaded with buck shot."
"Ten four 55 David. ESU on route." Sasha stepped it up a notch and turned on 49th.
"Bosco......I don't have a good feeling about this."
"Your starting to sound like my wife." What he wouldn't do for some of his wife's input right now. Bosco pulled behind the ambulance. "Keep your head down Monroe."
"You don't have to tell me twice." They got out of the car and headed toward where Carlos was working on Young.
"You okay?" Bosco came up behind Carlos.
"She's loosing a lot of blood. That buck shot tore her up real good. We need to get her out of here now or she's never going to make. Grab the back board and we can get her in the bus."
"Alex and Doc are on the way." More shots rang out as Bosco pulled the back boad out of the bus. "Keep your heads down." The sounds of sirens errupted from all sides. But before they made the last corner three more shots were fired. The sound of the ambulance exploding was heard fourteen blocks away.
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Seajae dropped the folder as the rumble echoed though the room. Her gut clenched and her blood ran cold. It wasn't thunder that sounded. She knew it was far worse then a storm. Sliding on her boots and putting on her coat Seajae left the qiuet of the small apartment and headed to where she feared was a place where all hell and then some was breaking loose. Tears welled up in her eyes as she got into her truck and slammed the siren on the roof. It wasn't too late. It could't be. But the empty feeling was there. In her heart and in her stomach. She was alone. Not now......after all this time alone was one thing she couldn't be. Picking up her cell phone she dialed the one person she needed to answer. If he didn't ..........it was over. Her life........her love......
"Bosco please answer." She wispered knowing he wouldn't because of the emptyness she felt. Bosco was gone........She let the phone fall and the tears come..........she was alone. All alone.
Disclaimer: I only own what I made up and the others are owned by those who really created them. Thanks for reading.
Chapter Six: Running For Cover
Monday morning brought more rain. Seajae snuggled closer to her husband as the thunder echoed though the apartment. Sprawled around them where three bundles wrapped in varies blankets.
"You awake?" Bosco wispered.
"Yeah. How did they all get in here without us knowing?"
"Beats me." Bosco looked at the two brunett heads snuggled at the foot of the bed with the blond between them, "Storms never bother them. They sleep like rocks." Seajae looked at her husband. She knew Bosco was not always pround of his parenting skills and knowing that his kids might be worried or scared and he didn't know it.
"They would of woken us up if something was wrong." She stroked Bosco's cheek. "I know our kids. They just wanted to snuggle." Seajae sat up. "Do you wish........or wonder what she would of been like?"
"You mean.....the baby we lost."
"Miranda......"
"I think we wouldn't have Mac. You would of gotten sick with her."
"Maybe not." Seajae got up and went to the dresser and looked in the mirror. Mornings were not her strong point. She looked at herself. Her scars on each shoulder red and puckered. Bosco looked at her. She was more beautiful with every passing day.
"You ok?"
"For the first time in a long time I can answer yes." She turned and looked at her husband. "I wounder what Swertzky will tell us."
"Who knows. That wasn't the Tommy we all knew back then. He would of never brought Nicole in to shake us up. Or anyone for that matter. It's like he's hell bent on revenge and I don't know why." The children started to stir. "Jump in the shower and I'll change the kids and start breakfast."
"Your a great husband you know that?"
"Don't go telling the other girls, then they expect thier husbands to be just as great." He picked up a sleepy Hope and blew rasberries on her bare tummy. Seajae smiled and turned to the bathroom to take her shower.
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Seajae, Bosco and Faith climed the steps of the station house. All three a little leary of what lied ahead. They all had different stories about why Tommy was back. Different feelings. Swertzsky was waiting for them at the top of the steps.
"I'm glad you could make it." He closed the door to his office. "I'm sorry it came to this." He sat behind his desk. He looked up at his three best officers. He never wanted it to come down to having to choose. Tommy had been like a son to him. But he had left. Left with secrets. Secrets Dan couldn't keep from the rest of the family any longer. "Tom Herrigan's father was my best friend. Twenty years ago he left New York for the Wisconsin wilderness. Tommy stayed behind and went to the acadamy and thats where Bosco, Faith and he became friends."
"I know that Boss." He held up his hand.
"For once in your life Boscorelli keep your mouth shut." He looked at Seajae knowing she would do just that because he never took that tone with her. Ever. "Anyway I was Tommy's training officer and he thrived. He was one of the best recruits ever to come out of the acadamy. He did everything by the book. When Tommy met Maddie I saw something change in him. It wasn't easy to see but I saw the way he was around his friends. He backed away from going out and spending time in groups. You both chalked it up to dating Maddie I'm sure. He was spending more and more time with her which in anyones book was alright when your in love." Dan took a deep breath. "About a year and a half after the wedding Maddie called in sick. Not a problem.....but Tommy came in and didn't know she had done it. He asked for personal time and like an idiot I gave it to him. Bosco had the day off that day." Swertzsky stood up and went to his coffee pot and poured himself a cup. He offered the others some.
"No thanks." Was thier reply. Seajae kept quiet.
"Anyway Bosco was out of town and Tommy couldn't find Maddie. He assumed the worst and well he.......he tracked Maddie down at my house. She was sick. So sick she didn't want to be alone so she called Nancy and asked if she could come over.....she thought she was pregnant and well she was scared. He dragged her home like she was a child. Nancy called me I went over there and everything seemed fine." Dan sat down again. "I never saw Maddie again." He looked at the three people in front of him. "The next day was September 11th. She called me and said she wanted to talk to me before the shift started. She never made it to the house. " Taking something from his desk he handed it to Bosco. "I kept this. I've gone over it a hundred times in my head. Sully found it on Sassy.....Maddie's dog." Bosco opened it up and read it out loud.
"I'm in a better place now Dan. Tell Bosco and Faith that I love them. And tell....tell Tommy that I'll miss him. He never knew how to love me the way I needed to be loved. Don't blame him." Bosco looked at the hand writing he hadn't seen in eight years. He knew it like he knew his own. Like he knew his wifes and Faiths. "Your thinking she's not dead?"
"I talked to some people. He never hurt her but he said things. Things that made her uneasy. I think she was afraid for her baby."
"So she sent Sassy back into the building......" Bosco couldn't belive what he was hearing, Maddie alive after all these years.
"Tommy had a break down after he went to Montanan to see Maddie's parents. He held her parents at gun point because he believed they knew she was alive and somewhere close. He shot her dad before the local PD could take him. Maddie's dad didn't press chargers. Just found him the help he needed." Dan opened a file. "When he got the all clear to come back to work there wasn't a.......suitable job for him in the department. Nothing that didn't cause stress or.....remembering. But the department had to get him a job. So they put him in Internal Affairs."
"So his investigating us?"
"No. IAB kicked him loose last month. Said he needed a change. I got a call and I......I guess I felt sorry for him. I don't think Maddie's alive. I don't think Tommy will hurt anyone but it seems I might be wrong." He handed another letter to Bosco. "I got this last week." Bosco unfolded it. It was the same neat hand writing as the first.
"Dan, please find somewhere else for Tommy. He's too close to finding the truth. Please....for all our sakes." Bosco looked at his boss of nearly twenty years. "Maddie's alive. That means.....the baby......Tom's son is.....out there somewhere?"
"Thats what it looks like. If Tommy finds any of this out.......I just can't risk it."
"But you risked my wife by putting him as her partner."
"I thought.....I thought she could handle it. But after the stunt he pulled at your party on Saturday I don't know if I can controle the situation. If I tell him I'm transfering him he may not take it to well."
"I don't want him responsible for my wifes safty." Seajae looked at him. Bosco knew that she could take care of herself but something told her that Tommy Hannigan was far more of a threat then anyone thought.
"I'm doing my best to find a way to get him transfered." Swertzsky looked at Seajae. She was tence. Too tence. "Seajae....we'll figure out whats going on. Until then I'll pull him off the streets."
"Pull me off." Three people turned to Seajae.
"What?"
"Pull me off the streets. Tell him....tell him the shit with the trial and the shooting got to me. He only knows what he heard. He might come to expect I'm heading for a burn out."
"Seajae...." Bosoc looked at her.
"It's only temperary. We'll get this whole thing straightened out and I can go back to work." Seajae took her badge and gun and handed it to Swertzsky. "I just can't take any chances. Not with my family." Dan looked at her.
"Seajae....are you sure?"
"Get Tommy the help he needs and lets hope whatever went wrong with Maddie.....well lets hope she's happy and this hasn't put her in any danger."
"Seajae you don't have to do this." Bosco watched as she got up.
"Yeah I do." She went to the door. "I'll get some things straightened up in my office." Shutting the door Seajae headed to her office.
"I give her a week." Swertzsky put her gun and badge in the locked draw in his desk.
"I should see if she needs any help." Faith got up. She followed her friend out the door. Swertzsky looked at Bosco.
"I didn't want this to happen Bosco. I can't loose Seajae. As much as I want Tommy to succeed here Seajae's made this house what it is. You and Faith, Ty, Sully, Joey......you kept this house standing and kept the neighbor worth living in."
"Thanks boss." Bosco looked at the man who had been his boss for over fifteen years. He knew Dan Swertzsky. And he knew choosing between Seajae and Tommy was tearing him apart. And it would make Seajae hard to live with. "Maybe we're jumping the gun on this. Tommy wouldn't hurt us. He......" He shot his own father in law. Bosco didn't know what Tommy was capable of doing anymore. He hoped his wife was doing the right thing and he hoped she could keep her nose out of it. "Let's hope we can figure this out soon."
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Seajae sat at her desk and lit a cigarette. She looked at the picture of the kids and Bosco on her desk. If Tommy Harrigan had come back for some other reason then wanting back in the fold Seajae needed to know. This place, these people where her life. Tommy was never part of that life. He didn't know what he was messing with. The door opened and Faith came in.
"Are you sure this is the way you want to do this?"
"You have another way?"
"Stay on and let Tommy find someplace else to go."
"Faith, he's your friend too."
"Maddie was my friend. Bosco can take full resposablity for bringing Hannigan into the mix." Faith sat down across from her friend. "This is your life. Not his. He walked away from us." There was anger in her voice. "He walked away from Maddie's memories. I know he needed to grieve. But he walked away."
"He lost his mind. That's got to account for something." Seajae put out her cigarette and put a few things in a box at her feet. "You'll keep an eye on things....right?"
"Seajae.....you can't just quit."
"Bosco said something when I wanted to take Owen home after the shooting.....he said we don't spend enough time with our kids. Now I can. Angle will be starting school in the fall and Hope needs to be potty trained before Kelly has her baby. And we need to plan a shower for both Kim and Kelly."
"Seajae your not Susie Homemaker. Your.....your Seajae Marie Boscorelli....Zena Worrier Princess of law inforcement. You can't just change that." Seajae looked at Faith. She of all people shouldn't be giving her a hard time.
"I don't know it just feels like it's what I should do." Seajae stood up and took her back up gun out of her top drawer and put it in her waist band. Putting on her jacket. "Maybe if I take a step back he'll make a mistake. Or......confide in one of you." Picking up the box she looked out the window. Jimmy, Alex and Billy were just coming into work across the street. This wasn't good bye. They all still had lives together. Still had family. She turned and Faith was standing.
"If I had the power I'd send him back from where ever it was before he was here."
"Maybe he was in hell and he needed to come home."
"You don't come home to hurt your friends."
"Maybe not us. But some people think differently." Faith opened the door. "I'm going to go before the watch gets here. I don't want to explain a whole lot of what I don't understand." Seajae walked out the door. "See you at home." She left and walked down the back steps not even stopping to talk to her husband. She needed some time alone.
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"Okay boys and girls just some notes." Jason Christopher stood in role call. He looked at the men and woman in front of him. He was getting to old to be babysitting Boscorelli and his playmates. Davis was up for detective and Sully was up for retirement so all that was left was Bosco himself and his young friend Doyle. It wouldn't be long before he made Anti Crime. So soon all that would be left is the man himself. Forty and still a beat cop. He must hate his life. Jason smiled. He had Seajae. Life was good for Maurice Boscorelli. Capitain Swertzsky came behind him.
"Lt Christopher I need a moment." Jason nodded his head. Swertzsky stepped to the podium. "Before you all here it from someone else I want to inform you that Detective Sergent Seajae Boscorelli has taken a leave of absents from her duties here at the five five." Ty looked at Bosco. He shrugged his shoulders and continued scribbling on his note pad. "She'll be back as soon as she feels up to it." Tommy Harrigan stood in the back of the room. Swertzky looked at him. Bosco knew it wasn't the look two friends exchanged. If Swetzky had it his way Seajae would be standing back there not him. "She didn't want any fuss but she did want me to tell you all that she'll be home if any of you get board or hungry." He looked at Bosco. "We'll get it worked out and have her back here in no time." He stood down and headed back to his office. Dan Swertzky would not sit still and watch his best officer turn her back on the career she spent her life building.
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Seajae sat with her legs under her reading a report she took out of the office in her box. Someone had left Tommy Hannigan's file sitting on her desk for all the world and her to see. It wasn't just any file. It was his confidentail file. She had slipped it in the box at her feet before Faith walked in on her. The apartment over the bar was perfect for hiding away and reading what aparently someone wanted her to know. Seajae barly heard the soft knock at the door. Stuffing the file under the couch cousion she went to the door. She used the back stairs so no one would know that she was there. Taking her back up gun out of her boot by the door she looked into the small peep hole. A stranger stood on the other side. But there was something about her. Maybe it was the unruly chesnut hair or peircing blue eyes but for some reason Seajae didn't feel threatened. She slowly opened the door.
"Can I help you?"
"If anyone can its you. And Bosco." She looked at Seajae. Opening the door wider she invited the woman in. She carried a back pack in luie of a purse. Setting it down on the floor next to the couch she turned to Seajae. "Have you figured it out yet?"
"I've never been one for games.....but I think I got some of it." Seajae sat on the couch and pulled out the folder. "Thanks to this. How did you get your hands on this Maddie." The woman smiled. Bosco had picked a smart one. She knew he would.
"My new husband.....he works with computers alot. He got what we needed."
"Tommy's a time bomb. He had been for years. Why didn't anyone catch on?"
"He hid it well. Took his meds." The new Maddie looked Seajae up and down. "Your not what I expected. I heard stories. But I thought you'd be more like......."
"Nicole?"
"Faith. There was always this unerlining thing. Fred just wasn't the man for her. Maybe that's what it is.....your part Faith part Nicole." Maddie smiled. "You have the power to make him keep his head and the power to make him loose it all rolled into one."
"Somewhere there lies a compliment in that." Seajae watched as Maddie looked around the place. "Why did you stay in the city Maddie?"
"Wasn't hard not to. Just change my name....my look. I even went back to the police acadamy again. It was easy the second time around. I couldn't leave New York. It was where I always wanted to be. I went back to Montana after Tommy......I had our son. His name is Thomas Maurice...... I thought I owed it to Tommy."
"Was it bad?"
"He never hit me. He just.......he made it hard to be the woman I needed to be. Always questoning me. Making sure I didn't go anywhere or see anyone but him. I missed Faith and Bosco. If I wasn't home tweny five minutes after my shift he.........he would tell me he knew I was sleeping with another man. I knew he always thought Bosco. If I had told anyone.....he would of snapped. So I just went to work and came home. I let him do the shopping, I quit answering the phone. The night I went to Dan's I took Sassy to the vet. She had cancer. The department.....they would know by morning and have me put her down. She was such a fighter. The next morning as I headed to work. I was eight blocks away when the first plane hit. I ran and let Sassy go......we got there.....the second plane hit and all hell broke loose. I lost Sassy all together then she came to me leading an old man. I wrote the note and put it in her vest and started helping the wounded thinking she would stay by my side and whatever happened........ Sassy barked and turned to go back in........ The next thing I knew I was running as fast as I could the other way as the building fell." Maddie looked at the picture of Angela above the fire place. And the ones of Angela and all the kids. "I hitched a ride upstate and hid out for weeks. I knew Sassy was gone and that someday when they dug they would find her and I hoped they thought I was gone too." She picked up a picture of Bosco, Faith, Ty, Sully and Doyle. She ran her fingers over the faces of her friends. "I know I was wrong. But you never saw his eyes when he got mad. It wasn't the Tommy I married. I would of never....and being me I didn't know how to handle it."
"Your not a bad person for running Maddie. You did what you had to to survive. I know the feeling of knowing your life might be in danger everytime you wake up in the morning and it haunts you in your sleep." Seajae stood up and went to Maddie. "I'll do anything to keep you and your family safe. Tommy Hannigan won't hurt you. I won't let him." Maddie smiled.
"I can see why Bosco is so in love with you. Your everything he ever wanted, Even if he never knew what he wanted." Picking up her bag she handed Seajae a card. "This is between you and me. Do what you can to get Tommy some help." She turned to leave but then turned back. "Thank you for taking care of my friends while I was gone."
"Not a problem. Whenever your ready I'm sure they would love to have you back."
"I'm dead Seajae."
"Not in there hearts. She crossed her arms in front of her. "There's room for all of us. What better way to stay safe."
"I'm safe. Just get Tommy some help." She turned and slipped out the door. Seajae stood there for a long time wondering if this secret could be kept. And for how long. She looked at the card Maddie had handed her. 'Detective Madiline Sincliar, K-9 Division, Booklyn New York.'
"Stay safe Maddie." Seajae memorized the number and threw the card in the fire place and watched it burn. She hoped the woman was smart and would keep a low profile until they could figure out what do with Tommy. Hell Seajae hoped the she could stay safe herself. Tommy was gunning for something and she feared it was to make Bosco suffer like he had when he lost Maddie. That would mean Seajae would have to die. She didn't like that one bit. Dieing was never her favorite thing to do. Sitting back on the couch she took the folder and started reading again. Hoping to find something that would let her and Maddie both live the lives they were ment to live.
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Bosco watched as Sasha gave the man in the Town Car a speeding ticket. Seajae hadn't called. She hadn't called anyone. Not Faith, not Kim, not Alex or Tatianna. Faith said she was okay when she left the station. But she hadn't said goodbye. And Tommy didn't seem concerned that his partner took leave a mere three days after he was assigned to her. A knock at the window brought him out of his thoughts. Tom Herrigan stood at his window. Bosco rolled it down.
"What crawled up your wifes ass Maurice?" Bosco knew to play it cool. Tommy was a force to be recon with eight years ago. Now he was a recovering nut job. That to Bosco was more dagerous then an full fledged nut job.
"I guess the shooting took more out of her then she thought." He glanced at Monroe to make sure she was still ok.
"You always did fall for the unstable ones." Bosco's head turned. It took all the strength in his body not to hall off and hit him.
"She's been a cop longer then me and she never killed anyone. It's a lot for a person to deal with. You know that or have you turned into an unfeeling bastard?"
"You know me. If it has a gun shoot it or loose it." Bosco did know Tommy. But that was eight years ago. And now he knew about Maddie. Maddie had faked her death to get away from him. Tommy......his best friend.
"Yeah well the neighborhood's changed. Tanya Brunette's murder was the first one this year. Eight years ago we'd be in the triple digits by now. We do things differntly now."
"Yeah. Your women are different too."
"Singuler. I have one woman and I've kept her for the last eight years."
"Oh come on Bos. You. Mr. Sex......" Monroe was walking back. "You had more woman then the Macy's shoe sale."
"You don't really understand do you? I thought you would. You loved Maddie so much."
"Love has nothing to do with it. She was mine. Mine and no one elses."
"We'll love has a lot to do with my relationship with Seajae. Along with respect." Sasha got into the car.
"Hey Hannigan."
"Hey Sasha....you doing anthing after work?" Sasha looked at Bosco and saw him tence and then back at Tommy. She smiled. "I'm babysitting for the Davis's. Ty wants to bring Alex out for her birthday. Thanks for the offer though."
"Another time then." Tommy stood up and tapped the roof. "You guys stay safe." He turned and headed up the street.
"Can I say that that man scares the living hell out of me?"
"I can't see why." Bosco put Sasha's sitation book between the seats.
"Because anyone who makes you this tence has got to have some bad vibes ratiating off of him." She put on her seat belt. "You want to go track down your wife?"
"Are you a mind reader now?"
"No. I thought maybe if we heard from her you'd stop clenching your jaw and it would save you on the dental work." Putting the car in drive, Sasha pulled out and prayed they found Seajae before the vain in Maurice Boscorelli's head popped.
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Carlos sat in the bus looking out at the night sky. Spring was on the way. He smiled. Kim was going to have another kid. He missed her sitting next to him. She made him think. All the woman sitting next to him did now was look for a place to pee. He thought of Owen at home with Peggy. He was the most beautiful baby he'd ever seen. He imagained what his and Peggy's kids would look like and well Owen fit the bill. Peggy was having problems concieving. Now with Owen they might be able to sit back and relax a bit.
"You mind if we stop?" Erin Young looked at Carlos.
"No. Go ahead." They stopped outside the Bodaga on 49th. Erin jumped out. Carlos sat watching. Maybe he was parinoid but something wasn't right. He went to call to Erin but it was too late. She flung open the door with all her youthful energy and the shot rang out, sending the young blond woman flying back outside. Carlos picked up the radio and dived in the back of the bus. "Adam 55-3...Shots fired. 49th and Arther. Send P.D. and another bus. We have an EMT down. I repeat we have a EMT down." Carlos closed his eyes and prayed Young was wearing her vest. It was the best thing the P.D. did for them was supply them all with bullet proff vests. He knew Seajae was behind the funding . That's what she did. She did things for people. If Erin Young pulled thought this he would personally thank his friend. Attaching his radio to his belt he grabbed his bag and went to help his partner.
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"Five Five David shots fire at 2-9-6-8 49th street. Emergency personal on scene. Medic down. I repeat medic down. Adam 55-3 is under fire." Bosco hit the siren and grabbed the mic as Sasha pressed her foot harder on the accelarator.
"Five five David responding. ETA three minutes." Bosco turned his belt radio on to the FD freqency. "Adam 55-3 this five five David, what do you have?"
"One male caucaision early twenties, one black male late teens. both wielding 12 gauge shot guns. Youngs hit but I got her behind the bus. Stupid kid didn't tighten her vest. The bullets are buck shot Bosco. "
"How many civilians in the store Carlos?"
"Three counting the cashier."
"You my friend have been spending way to much with the PD....thank god. We're a block away Carlos.....hang on." Bosco turned his radio back. "Dispach we have one black male late teens, one white male early twenties both with shot guns.....loaded with buck shot."
"Ten four 55 David. ESU on route." Sasha stepped it up a notch and turned on 49th.
"Bosco......I don't have a good feeling about this."
"Your starting to sound like my wife." What he wouldn't do for some of his wife's input right now. Bosco pulled behind the ambulance. "Keep your head down Monroe."
"You don't have to tell me twice." They got out of the car and headed toward where Carlos was working on Young.
"You okay?" Bosco came up behind Carlos.
"She's loosing a lot of blood. That buck shot tore her up real good. We need to get her out of here now or she's never going to make. Grab the back board and we can get her in the bus."
"Alex and Doc are on the way." More shots rang out as Bosco pulled the back boad out of the bus. "Keep your heads down." The sounds of sirens errupted from all sides. But before they made the last corner three more shots were fired. The sound of the ambulance exploding was heard fourteen blocks away.
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Seajae dropped the folder as the rumble echoed though the room. Her gut clenched and her blood ran cold. It wasn't thunder that sounded. She knew it was far worse then a storm. Sliding on her boots and putting on her coat Seajae left the qiuet of the small apartment and headed to where she feared was a place where all hell and then some was breaking loose. Tears welled up in her eyes as she got into her truck and slammed the siren on the roof. It wasn't too late. It could't be. But the empty feeling was there. In her heart and in her stomach. She was alone. Not now......after all this time alone was one thing she couldn't be. Picking up her cell phone she dialed the one person she needed to answer. If he didn't ..........it was over. Her life........her love......
"Bosco please answer." She wispered knowing he wouldn't because of the emptyness she felt. Bosco was gone........She let the phone fall and the tears come..........she was alone. All alone.