It was three weeks before we made our second attempt at furniture shopping. Bosco had been somewhat patient. I mean he didn't call me every day but whenever I happened to call he'd mention it.

It wasn't that I didn't want to go shopping with him. I was working a lot of overtime which left me little time for all the stuff I needed to get done. Besides I did need some time to recover from my last shopping trip with Bosco.

I arrived as his ma's place to find him sitting on the front porch. I was used to old Bosco rushing into the locker room three minutes before roll call. His new sense of punctuality was going to take some getting used to.

So, three weeks later, we set out, avoiding all the stores we'd visited before. Unlike last time, I'd come prepared. I had a lit of stores that I knew or had heard handled a lot of bedroom furniture. We arrived at the first store on my list. Upon entering, we were immediately greeted by not one but two salespeople. Bosco glanced at me before holding up one hand.

"We'd like to look around okay?"

That said he turned his attention to finding a bed. One sales an continued talking as if neither of us had said a word. Bosco took a few steps before turning around to find a salesman right in front of him.

"Let me rephrase that," he said; one hand out again. "We're going to look around...by ourselves. If we have any questions, we'll ask a salesperson...one of those other salespeople who aren't following us around the store."

Apparently the salesman still wasn't getting the picture. Again Bosco turned towards him.

"Do you speak English?"

"There is no need for such tone sir," the stuffy salesman replied.

"And there is no 'need' for you to continue to follow us around the store. What do you think I'm going to do, slip a couch under my shirt and try to walk out?"

I felt compelled to add in my own two cents.

"You see I'm a New York City police officer so I assure you, he won't be stealing any sofas, 5-piece dinette sets, not even an ottoman."

"I don't believe we have anything that would interest you."

I took that as an invitation for us to leave. Bosco smiled before adding a comment of his own.

"Well at least we agree on something." That said, he headed for the door.

Upon entering store number two and things went from bad to worse. Another pushy salesperson started in on us with a list of questions. As she paused to take a breath, Bosco had a question of his own.

"Do you have any free furniture," he quipped before turning to continue shopping. I was left to entertain the looks on the faces of two salespeople.

"Brain injury," I replied, getting an even stranger look from the salespeople.

"I don't have a brain injury," Bosco quickly defended himself. "As least not that I remember." That said he ignored all of us and went on shopping. As we soon discovered, the answer to Bosco's question was 'no'.

I'd heard a lot of things about store number three, just not about the prices. Bosco took it all in stride. He looked over at me as I gave him the 'who are they kidding' look. By the time a salesperson approached us, Bosco had an answer.

"Does this price include a new home?"

With two hands on my shoulders, Bosco guided me towards the door.

Store number four was an almost meaning he almost bought something. That was until they started discussing their extended warranties, fabric protections services and delivery costs.

"How much?" Bosco questioned.

"We have a standard cost of $50 per piece."

"Per piece? How many pieces will it be in when it's delivered?" Apparently the salesman missed Bosco's point.

"Well there'd be a charge for the headboard, footboard and the mattress set would be an additional $100 unless you choose a king set, then it'd be $150 more."

"So delivery is more than the cost of the furniture?"

We didn't give them time to answer. This time I had my hands on Bosco's shoulders as we headed for the door.

For lunch we stopped off at a deli since we could eat without having to wait long plus we could sit down.

"I think I should just sleep on the floor or maybe I should move that chaise thing into the bedroom. I fall asleep in it most nights anyway.

"Maybe you should have bought two of them?"

I could see that he was growing frustrated.

"Tell you what...why don't we swing by my apartment and grab some catalogs and stuff I have. I get 'em in the mail all the time. Maybe you'll see something that you like in one of 'em?"

So that's what we did. I had catalogs from all over town. I got them from stores I've never heard of and stores that I'd never step foot in. In all, I probably had a couple dozen or more. Back at Bosco's place, I got my first look at the new living room furniture that we'd shopped for weeks prior. In addition to the new furniture, he'd painted the living room walls and had added a rug. It was a far cry from the living room Rose had but there was one thing he hadn't changed.

"You kept the picture?" I commented. The picture I was referring to was the large one of Rose with her two sons when they were quite young.

He glanced over his shoulder at the photo before commenting.

"I didn't know what to do with it...I mean furniture is one thing but that...I didn't know what to do with it so I just left it alone."

"I know you don't remember it Bosco but there was nothing in this world that was more important to your mom than you and Mikey."

"So you think I should keep it then?"

"I'm in no position to tell you what to do but yeah, I think its perfect right where it is."

"Good."

Now that I'd seen the changes to Bosco's home, I had no idea what kind of bedroom furniture he was looking for. I'm not sure he did either. Based on the living room, you'd think he had a taste for the contemporary but then in the kitchen, he'd chosen a dinette set that was very traditional. The living room also had some traditional touches...none of it planned but it seemed to work. I liked it all. So, the bedroom was a challenge.

I left Bosco with a stack of catalogs and ads while I left for work. Monroe and I had just got back from dinner when Lieu called us back to the station. My first thought was that it was about Bosco.

"Lieu?" I said, standing in the doorway of his office. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah I do. Come on in and have a seat."

"Is this about Bosco?"

He looked across his desk at me with an unusual expression.

"Have you seen him lately? Talked with him?"

"Yeah, this morning before my shift. He's still not driving so I picked him up and we went shopping for furniture."

"Do you know if he's had any contact with his father?"

"Not that I know of. I mean he didn't mention anything about him. Before today I hadn't seen him in several weeks but we talk on the phone. Did something happen?"

"It seems Mr. Anthony Boscorelli is suing the department as well as the city."

"He what? What for?"

"My understanding is for emotional distress over the loss of Rose and Michael Boscorelli. He blames us for their deaths."

"So how does Bosco fit into all this?"

"Apparently he's been named in the suit as well. Anthony blames him for not doing more to prevent Michael from being 'tortured and bludgeoned to death'."

"How does he figure that's our fault? I mean he's the one who hired that sonofa bitch abusive attorney who got Michael off. Had Mikey been in our custody he might have been safe while we searched for Mann."

"I understand. I feel the same way. I'm just curious if Bosco's been served with this information. I'm concerned with his state of mind."

Lieu's phone buzzed. I wasn't sure what it was about but his only reply was that he'd be down in just a minute.

Upon hanging up his phone, I learned that we were about to find out. Bosco was downstairs.

"Before we talk to Bosco, there's just one thing I don't understand. Anthony named Bosco as a defendant in the suit. Doesn't that seem a little strange to you? I mean the same person who's responsible for the deaths of Mikey and Rose is also responsible for the fact that Bosco doesn't remember anything. So, in effect, hasn't he lost Bosco as well? Yet he names him as a defendant?"

"Yeah that seems more than a little strange."

Downstairs Bosco was making new friends of old friends. Ty and Sully must've brought someone in. Sully was nowhere in sight but Ty was talking with Bosco. They were smiling so I was hopeful that Bosco's state of mind was good.

"He doesn't seem upset?" Lieu replied as we made our way down the stairs.

"No, he doesn't but he also has no memory of the asshole his father was when Bosco was a little boy or the fact that his father tried to collect reward money for turning in his own son."

"Which reminds me, we need to discuss that issue. It seems Mr. Boscorelli has a pattern of trying to collect money with regards to his children or at least one of them."

Bosco looked up as Lieu and I approached.

"What?" I said, as he glanced at me.

"Nothing, it's just that this is the first time I've seen you in uniform."

I smiled as Lieu extended his hand.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Good," Bosco replied. "You were at the hospital?"

"Yeah, I stopped in to see you several times...most of them while you were still out of it."

"I remember...not that you were there while I was out of it. I remember seeing you there after I woke up."

"So, I understand you needed to see me?"

"Yeah, some guy came to the door a little while ago. He gave me these."

In Bosco's hand was a copy of the same lawsuit papers Lieu had shown me. We made our way back upstairs to Lieu's office.

"I called my neighbor but he's in meetings...at least that's what they told me on the phone."

"Mr. Fantenelli?" I questioned.

"No, Garrett...Kyle Garrett."

"Kyle Garrett is an attorney," I explained to Lieu. "He was a long-time neighbor of Rose's. He prepared her will and helped her with financial and legal issues."

"Do you have a phone number for Attorney Garrett?" Lieu questioned.

Bosco produced a business card. Lieu studied it for a moment before writing some of the information on a notepad before handing the car back to Bosco.

"If you two will excuse me for a few minutes, I need to talk to the Captain. It shouldn't take long."

"How did you get here?" I asked Bosco after Lieu had left the room.

"Mrs. Fantenelli...she said she'd drop me off since it was on her way," Bosco stated with a laugh. "I don't think she was going anywhere near here but you know how she is?"

Lieu returned a few minutes later.

"I gave Attorney Garrett's information to my Captain. I'm sure the attorneys for the city and the department will be in touch with him."

We talked with Lieu for a little while longer before Lieu suggested that maybe I should show Bosco around. I figured what could it hurt? It might even trigger a memory. We toured the roll call room, the locker room and were walking down a hallway when I got a phone call. It wasn't anything major...just a follow-up call from something that'd happened early in the shift. When I returned, I found Bosco staring at a sketch.

"Faith?"

"Yeah Bosco..."

"I know him," he replied, by now pointing at the sketch.

"You know him? Who?" I said, glancing over his shoulder to see who he was pointing at.

"This guy..."

By now he had not only my attention but Sully, Ty, and Lieu's.

"You know this guy?" Lieu questioned.

""The other day....at the furniture store...remember that guy...the one who made the comment about how that tone wasn't necessary?"

"Him?" I replied, taking a closer look.

"Yeah...take away the mustache and the long hair and I'm sure that's the same guy."

"Faith?" Lieu questioned, waiting for my opinion

Putting my finger over the mustache, I took another look.

"I think he's right Lieu...the guy at the store had longer hair and didn't have the mustache and this sketch is several months old. But the eyes, the nose, the shape of his face. I really think it's the same guy."

By the end of my shift, Joe Phillips aka Ray Patterson was in custody. It was a welcome site to see Sully, Ty, and Lieu all patting Bosco on the back.

I gave Bosco a ride home after the shift was over.

"So that guy...what'd he do?" Bosco asked.

"Joe Phillips/Ray Patterson...he was mixed up in all kinds of illegal stuff. Allegedly he's a key man in a drug operation. I heard some talk tonight that he's also suspected to be involved in a series of jewelry dealings."

"So did anyone get hurt tonight?"

I glanced over at him as we pulled up in front of his place.

"Nobody got hurt tonight Bosco. It was a good day...a very good day."

I know if I'd have looked in the mirror I would have seen a huge smile on my face. When Bosco showed up at the station after being served, I had a bad feeling. But now, I figured I was beaming with pride for what Bosco had accomplished. So maybe I had mothered him...maybe I still did.

"So how'd the catalogs work out for you? Did you find anything you liked?"

"I didn't get a chance to look at them," he explained. "I started to but then that guy showed up at the door with those papers."

"You up for checking out a few tonight?"

He may have said he was up for checking out a few but he wasn't up for long. About a half hour after he took a seat in that chaise of his, I glanced over to find him sound asleep.

I sat across the room watching him for a few minutes; my head filled with so many things. The Bosco I'd known for over twelve years was one of the most complex people I'd ever met. But yet the Bosco I'd grown to know these past two months was quite possibly even more complex. It was almost like knowing someone like the back of your hand only to discover something completely new about them. The past two months I discovered this side of Bosco that I'd never known. He had this ability to just let things go. The baggage-ridden Bosco I'd known didn't have that capacity. He had a hard time opening up to people and that often made things worse once they were given enough time to fester in his head. This version of Bosco had this amazing sense of humor. Given his current position and what he'd been through these past eight weeks, I don't know if I'd have the ability to laugh so soon much less the ability to accept what was handed to him. But, he also didn't have the childhood memories holding him back...defining who he was. My only question was who was the real Bosco? To look at him sleeping in that chaise, physically he appeared to be the same guy I'd known for so long. Lying beneath the photo of himself along with his mother and brother was a connection to his past yet a sad reminder of what was lost...what was missing in his life. Yet, I knew that once he opened his eyes, everything with old Bosco was gone...with the exception of one thing. He was still one of the most important people in my life. It was an amazing feeling to know that not even a loss of memory could destroy what Bosco and I had.

In the past, he'd often accused me of mothering him. Others had done the same. Maybe that was true. Maybe I did mother him. One would have to agree as I pulled a lightweight blanket from the end of the couch, placing it over him. On the other hand, maybe some things had changed. Maybe things between us would never be the same. That thought entered my mind seconds after I placed a soft kiss on his lips.