Summary: My take on why Bosco and Sully don't get along. Takes place shortly after Bosco graduates from the Police Academy

Disclaimer: I don't own Third Watch or any of its characters.

A/N: This story was previously posted on another Third Watch site but is no longer available at that site. However, I was encouraged to post it here by Joey and Orison.

I've taken the liberty of editing this story, as it was written on the fly when originally posted. Some of the chapters will be merged or changed slightly in the hope of enhancing the story.

Thanks for your wonderful reviews.

I close my eyes for a second 'cause I can't stand to hear that old guy coughing. Geez, that cough is so gross. He's gonna make me toss my cookies if he doesn't stop. I don't know what closing my eyes will do for my hearing but it makes me feel a little better.

I gotta take my mind off his hacking. I need one of those annoying songs that get stuck in your head, but I'm too tired to think. Maybe, I can block him out by singing something, not out loud, of course, because Sully would tell everyone at the house. How about the Star Spangled Banner? Yeah, that's a good choice.

I start singing. 'O say can you see, by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed, at the twilight's last gleaming'...even in my mind I'm off key. Maybe, I should try another song...I know, 'Take me out to the Ball Game'. You can't really mess that up. 'Take me out to the ball game, take me out'...shit what comes after that. I don't really care at this point. I'm just gonna rest for a while, because miraculously all sounds, gross or otherwise, have disappeared.

I smile when I see the stairway, the one that appears when I'm falling asleep. I happily make my way down knowing I'm gonna get some real rest when I get to the bottom.

"Officer Boscorelli, you have to stay awake," someone screams into my ear as they pinch me.

I didn't realize it would be so difficult opening my eyes. I have to blink about six times before I actually make out shapes and colours.

The big black shape must be Sully. The white shape must be the nurse. Please let her be the cute one.

"Officer Boscorelli."

There she goes again screaming in my ear. Can't she tone it down? It feels like a sonic boom.

"Aagh." Was that me? How pathetic, I can't even speak anymore. I just want to tell them that all I need is a good night's sleep. Especially since I didn't go home last night. I just kept walking after I left Ma's. I don't want to think about that right now.

"Officer Boscorelli."

Geez, that's why I hate hospitals, you get the opposite of what you need. Right now I need peace and quiet so I can sleep. What's a matter with these people?

I raise my arms so I can block my ears with my fingers. Where the hell are my ears? My hands move around and I feel hard plastic. Must be the collar. Keep moving up Bosco.

"Officer Boscorelli. Are you in pain?"

Hell, yes. Stop SCREAMING! You're making my head hurt. "Shhhhh..." That's all I can eke out? I was trying to tell her to shut-up.

"Miss, I think he needs some quiet. Can we move him to another area?"

Ah, Sully...I don't know how you can read my mind like that, but I think I'm in love.

"He needs to wake up, Officer." She's yelling at Sully now. Good job old boy, at getting that shrieking voice pointed in the opposite direction.

"Alright, I'll talk to him."

I feel someone move in close to my head. "Bosco...you gotta stay awake, okay."

Yeah, sure no problem just let me get some sleep first.

"Bosco, she's not gonna leave until you open your eyes," Sully whispers in my ear. "C'mon, Bosco. My life is on the line here."

He does sound desperate so I force my eyes open and stare up. Hell, I can't really tell it's Sully, except for the smell of coffee and chocolate glaze on his breath. I try to nod my head to let him know I'm okay.

"Don't let him sleep." The nurse barks out at Sully.

Bitch.

I don't know how he can sleep with all this racket; people coming in and out, the old guy coughing, machines beeping and whining, orders being yelled out. But I know I need to keep him awake.

I'm trying not to talk too loudly 'cause he made that face like his head was gonna explode when nurse Ratchet was in here before.

"Bosco, talk to me. C'mon, tell me about that hot chick you've been bragging about."

I know I've got his attention when the corners of his mouth turn up slightly. "Stella..." he murmurs groggily.

"Yeah, Stella. I hear she's hot." I can't help but smile too. I can't believe we're having this conversation.

"So....h-hot," Bosco replies.

"Where'd you meet her?"

He bats his eyes a few times, and then tries to turn to look at me. He looks a little desperate. "What is it, Bosco?"

"No talk...need sleep...please...five minutes," he slurs tiredly.

"Bosco, I can't." I look around for you know who. "She'll kill me and then she'll kill you. And you know how she's gonna kill you?"

Bosco blinks questioningly.

"She's gonna scream out your name and pinch you to death."

Bosco groans loudly. I think the fear of nurse Ratchet is enough to keep him awake for a while. I know I shouldn't tease him like that but I can't help myself. He's really scared of her. Hell, so am I.

I look up to see the wife from our domestic call, holding her baby, looking at us through the window. She waves at me tentatively and I wave her in. "Bosco, look who's here?"

Bosco's drooping eyelids shoot open at the sight of the woman. He sighs audibly and shuts his eyes tightly.

Can this day get any worse? What is she doing here?

I can't look. I can't. I don't want to be reminded of what happened. I gotta block her out. 'O say can you see, by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed'...dad is asleep on the couch. The television set is blaring out the national anthem. It's so loud I can't sleep. I carefully make my way around the beer bottles. I have to make sure I don't make a sound. I look for the remote, but he's probably lying on top of it. I watch him to make sure he's sleeping soundly and then make my way to the television. I reach out and push on the on/off button. The room falls silent except for the static sounds from the TV.

I wait a few seconds to allow my eyes to adjust to the darkness. I don't dare move until I know the coast is clear. I stare at the reflection of the room on the T.V. screen and notice a gap tooth man standing behind me. I feel my breath catch in my throat as I spin around quickly only to be confronted by my dad coming towards me angrily.

Shit.

"Okay, that's enough. This is an ER not a coffee shop." Nurse Ratchet yells at us.

I feel myself stutter. "She was j-just checking on him."

"Well, I can see he's had enough visitors for now." She grabs Bosco's wrist and checks his pulse. He's breathing rapidly and his eyes are shut tightly. She pulls back his eyelids and checks them with a small flashlight.

Bosco moans loudly.

I offer the obvious. "I don't think he's doing okay."

"No shit Sherlock. No one here is doing okay in case you haven't noticed." She checks his pressure. Then turns and dials a number on the wall phone. Is CT open? I'm bringing up Officer Boscorelli, Dr. Beck's patient."

She hooks the IV bag to the side of the bed and makes sure she's not forgetting anything else before she rolls him out of the room and leaves me, the wife and baby staring stupidly at each other.

TBC...