Monday came too early.. I didn't want to go back. I knew that Bosco would be watching over me, once and a while when I was keeping vigil by his beside I would hear him talking to me, but these were only on rare occasions.. I remember him telling me that possessing me the way he did just to talk to me drained him, so I forbade him to talk to me, I told him that he had to keep his strength to fight the angel of death. I wish I could have helped him in that fight.. I would have loved to kick the angel's winged ass back to whatever gate she came from.

Pulling the shirt over my head, I look in the mirror in the bathroom, I don't look like I am going to work, if it wasn't for the gold shield that sat on my hip, I wouldn't have believed that I was going back to work after being off for almost three weeks. I still cant believe that I am leaving the uniform at home.. I will be back in it again one day.. as soon as Bosco is ready to go back to the street I vowed that I would be right beside him in David.

Giving myself another once over in the mirror, I come face to face with Bosco, he is standing right behind my shoulder, he has a proud look on his transparent face, looking into his eyes I can see the pride and the sorrow that he is not able to join me physically.

I find myself talking to the mirror, hoping that nobody walks in on me, knowing that if they saw me talking to a mirror they would recommend me for admittance to the psych ward. I can almost see the smirk on Bosco's face when they put me in a white jacket that does up around the back, carting me off to the funny farm.

"Bosco, I don't know if I can do this... I mean I don't know if I am cut out being Detective."

From behind me I hear Bosco's faint reply:

"You can do this Faith, I know you can.. I have faith in you.. they wouldn't have promoted you if they didn't think you could do it.. I will help you every way I can"

And the voice is gone.. in the mirror Bosco's figure is a little more transparent and I know that he strained himself too much talking to me.

"Thanks... I needed to hear that...And thanks for being with me... with you helping me I know I can do this."

With the confidence of knowing that Bosco would be looking over my shoulder I head out the door and off to my first day as a detective.

55

Figures my first case as a detective is a stinker... passing the mirror behind the door I catch a glimpse of Bosco running out of it.. good at least his sense of smell hasn't been altered in any way.

I ended up being partnered with Jelly and so far I honestly don't like it.. I have to tolerate it but I don't like it.. he is more cantankerous than Bosco, especially when it comes to food and when he can eat.. I swear the man is one step away from having a personal all you can eat buffet following him, every time I look over he has something in his hand, well that would attest to his gargantuan size, but taking a meal break every ½ hour was getting on my nerves.

I watched as he rewound the tape of our suicide vic, I couldn't watch it when he pulled the trigger, I just couldn't do it.. it reminded me too much of Bosco.. about how close he came to death..

I argued with Jelly about processing the tapes.. I wanted to watch them just to see if there as any next of kin that I could notify about the unfortunate events of the suicide. I found myself trying not to knock Jelly into next week when he said that I could do what I wanted and that he had a date with a pasta bazoule...so I took the tapes and then took another look at Ty and then looking for his rookie.. some kid named Finney, supposedly some IAB captains son.. and I felt a twinge of guilt for not helping them out in processing this mess,

"I'm Sorry Ty.."

Ty looks back at me and smiles as he shrugs his shoulder and looks towards the bathroom where Finney was retching into the toilet, must be the kids first stinker..

"Don't worry Faith, its not your job anymore"

Turning around I feel a faint warmth on my shoulder that snakes around the side and I know Bosco regained control of his "stomach" and was back with me..

I feel the pang of loss that both he and I felt when Ty said that to me and I thought,

I know Bos I wish it still was too...

55

Watching the tapes of Aaron telling me the events of his life and the lessons that his mother taught him make the day go by a little quicker, and then he mentioned about Cindy.. about how great she is with the kids and how she would be a great girlfriend to him and how he was in love with her. Watching the tapes of Aaron rave on and on about this Cindy lady it makes me think of Bosco.. and how much I miss having him here for advice, the warm touch on my shoulders assures me that he is still with me but I would rather have him here in person.

"Bitch!...that selfish little WHORE!"

The tone in Aaron's voice attracts my attention for a moment as he rants on about how Cindy was caught kissing another man.. well there goes that theory about Cindy being his girlfriend.. so now I am looking for another next of kin... and then there was the line that got me..

"there is only one solution to this.. she has to die..."

What... Looking back at the tape that now captivates my full attention watching the tapes more closely I watch as he plans his own suicide but he leaves out one detail.. how he is going to take Cindy out with him.. well I know that he shot himself, but what I don't know is how he is going to kill Cindy because this is the last tape in the series...

Frantically thinking on what tape I might be missing I clue into the fact that the only thing that I haven't seen yet is his suicide.. well I saw it but I didn't have the tape here.. it was still in the video machine at the crime scene.. Sifting through the boxes of evidence that I had carted into my office I find the tape recorder and take out the cassette inside it, popping it into the tape converter and then into the VCR I rewind it all the way back to the beginning of the tape. Cringing I watch as Aaron assembled a bomb and explained how it would detonate as soon as Cindy opened the lid and then I watched as he slid the bomb into a mail bag... he was sending it priority mail.. and he has been dead for at least a couple of days.. which meant that I had until today or tomorrow to find her. Running to Swersky's office I had to get his help in on this, if I had any chance of finding her I would need all the manpower that I could muster.

55

I wish I could help her out.. I wish I knew where the hell this Cindy was.. especially after hearing her say to Jelly how much time they had to find her before the bomb did. I thought about asking the Angel if she might know who Cindy was but no luck. It figures the only time that I need the angel she isn't here to help me out.. and the other times I just want her to go away she hangs around, ahhh Faith is a bright cookie she will figure it out, but I can do everything that I can to help her.

Faith stands in front of the board that she set up with the times and dates of the tapes.. she keeps looking at it, going over it over and over again, searching for a clue that might help her with finding out more about where we can find Cindy, so far I heard that the street crew have had no luck trying to find her.. so now its up to Faith and what little help that I can give her.. looking at the numbers and dates I see Jelly come in and start talking to Faith.. I don't know why but I always block him out when I hear him talking.. I guess its because he is a detective and they usually tend to think that they are above us.. so I just concentrate on the board and that's when it comes to me.. why the hell didn't I think of it before?? Touching Faith's shoulder I take a deep breath and step inside her body to bridge her thoughts with mine, allowing me to talk to her..

"Faith look at the numbers.. every time this nut job sees her its on a weekday he doesn't stalk her on the weekends"

Her mind echoes back to me..

"Your right Boz.. and he only tapes between these times.. he always shuts the tape off at the same time and starts it again at the same time.."

"Faith those look like school hours to me... Oh my God.. Faith she is a parent.. she is going to be picking her kids up from school at that time.. oh my god Faith you gotta get there before she opens the bomb or she is going to kill all the kids around her too!!"

I feel the panic rise in her body as it rises in mine.. I am sure back at the hospital I have heart monitors going wild but I don't care... she must have said something out loud about the school thing because Jelly is telling her that there is only one school in the general vicinity of where he lives in the time it would take him to walk there and back..

"Faith you gotta get there.. you gotta save those kids.."

I feel the strength leave my body as I am forced to break the connection before I give too much and that would allow the Angel the opportunity to take me without a fight.. hanging on to what little strength I have left I follow Faith as she runs though the house to tell Swersky and to gather all the manpower she can find.. and not forgetting calling the Bomb Squad.

Not even waiting for Jelly who was waddling behind her puffing to try and keep up with Faith as she grabbed the keys to the RMP and slid into the drivers seat, after cursing at Jelly to "Move his ass" she starts the car with a roar and tears off down the street leaving me standing at the door.. I don't worry I have my own way of getting there.

55

Arriving at the school I didn't realize what I had gotten myself into there were kids everywhere, spilling out of the doors and into the street, parents picking them up.. so many of them everywhere.. I don't even know where to start looking.. I wish I had some sense of direction.. somewhere to turn to.. some landmark to start with.

"Where is she Faith?"

I look at Jelly and then I keep looking around the school yard where our presence is now being detected and were getting some attention

"I don't know.. they are everywhere.."

I feel the now familiar presence of Bosco, and then I hear his voice as I feel him enter me again as he did before..

"Faith the picture.. think about the picture he drew"

My mind flashes back to the picture that reminded me of something that a child would have done. It was a picture of a girl and her kids standing in front of a giant American Flag, looking around I locate one plastered to a wall and right below it stands a girl with red hair, surrounded by kids..

At the same time I say it I hear Bosco say in my mind..

"She is teacher.. she doesn't have kids, her students are her kids,"

Looking again I see that she has a package, my heart stops as I see that she is holding the bomb.. I have to get it away from her, making a beeline over to Cindy I walk as fast as I can without drawing attention to myself.

"Cindy.. can I talk to you for a second?"

She looks up at me confused and her kids are now looking at me and then looking at the badge that hangs on my waist, telling them that I am not a bad guy.. that I am someone who wants to help them.

I hardly remember the conversation that followed but she managed to get the kids away from her..

"What's this all about?"

"Cindy there is a bomb in that package, don't open it because its set to go off as soon as you open the lid. I am going to take the box..."

"Faith you don't want to do that just wait for the Bomb Unit."

I didn't even realize that Jelly was right behind me..

"Jelly look at al the kids around here, I am taking the bomb, hand it over gently, careful.. careful.. nice and slow.."

Taking the bomb from Cindy I start walking across the schoolyard, I look at the bomb and I cant stop shaking.. and then I feel that familiar warmth invade my body and my shaking stops, I know that Bosco is inside me again, taking control and helping me walk this package to the middle of the schoolyard.

"Easy now Faith.. I wont let you drop this.. I don't need you here too.. its hell enough that one of us is here.. I cant have you here with me too.."

"Thanks Boz.. where can I leave this where it will be safe if it goes off... where can I put it where it wont kill anyone?"

Looking around with my eyes Bosco pulls my body in a direction and I see where he is going.. he is headed towards the dodge ball court.. that would be perfect.. walking a little faster I am aware of the click click click my heels are making on the asphalt. Reaching the center of the court I bend at the knees and start to set the package down.

"Careful Faith... you can do this... just set it on the square and leave"

Placing the bomb in the middle of the square I shakily get to my feet and walking as fast as I can I practically run back to Jelly who is standing at the gate to the playground practically biting his nails.

Making it though the gate I finally realize that Bosco is gone.. I don't see him anywhere and I know that he is no longer in me because I don't feel his presence in my body anymore.

Accepting praise from Jelly and everyone else I just want to get out of here and get back to my Bosco's side. But there is paperwork to be done and I am the unfortunate one who has to do it. So I might as well get cracking at it.. forget it I will take it with me.. I am getting a little worried now because I don't know what happened to Bosco.. he left me so suddenly... I was worried because he was talking to me quite a bit, he might have overworked himself and now he might be dead...

Walking over to the RMP I order Jelly to drop me off at Mercy and not to ask any questions, hell he knows better by now. Running up the stairs and running down the corridor to the familiar room where I have spent so much time in since they brought him here, the feeling of dread I have worsens as I realize that I am running after a team of doctors, all heading for Bosco's room, oh God please no.. don't let him be dead.. he cant be dead... the light above the door is flashing wildly as I round the corner to find the doctors crowded around his bed.. with shaky legs I approach the bed and as I muse a little space I am greeted with the biggest shock that I think that I will ever have in my life... and then as soon as the squeak left my lips the world went dark as I fell to the floor..

55

That took it right out of me.. talking to Faith for all that time without having the chance to rest, but it was worth it.. if I die now I will be happy knowing that all those kids are safe.. but possessing her that last time left me feeling like I had been hit with a Mack truck.

"Maurice"

Oh god not now.. I don't have the patience to deal with her now.. turning around I realize that I am back in my room.. looking at my body in the bed, and standing beside it is the Angel, she looks at me and then looks at my body.

"Tell the Gatekeeper I am not going.. when will you get the bloody point? I am not going with you.. I don't want to go with you.. GO AWAY!"

She looks hurt but I no longer care.. I just want to rest.. I look at my hands and notice that they are much more transparent than usual. I know that I am weak and if she tries to come and take me I cant fight her off like I would normally be able to.. she has me and she knows it..

"Don't you see I still need to be here? I need to stay here with Faith.. my work isn't done yet! I need to be with her, I need to help her, I need to finish what I started.. please tell me you cant see that.. look at the kids I helped save today.."

"Maurice its time... the Gatekeeper saw what you did and how you protected the innocent lives of those kids, he decided to give you another chance at life, you have to make him one deal."

Deal.. why does that sound like I am making a deal with the devil.. but I want to stay with Faith.. so I guess I have no choice..

"What is it?"

The Angel looks at me and touches my cheek, I feel some strength returning to me but it is gone as soon as she pulls away

"Women.. you have to give up women, at least for the purposes of casual relationships... you have no idea how long your rap is for that..."

Looking down I know that its true.. I have had more women the ½ the Manhattan yellow pages.. but I realize that I don't want any woman.. at least if her name is not Faith then I don't want her.. I just want my Faith and no one else..

Nodding I agree swearing to God and whoever she wants me to promise to.. she sweeps her wings aside and reveals my broken body lying on the bed walking over to the side I notice that my monitors are going wild.. my body is dying.. NO! this cant happen!! I look at the Angel and just as I was about to yell at her she looks at me and says.

"Without a soul the body dies.. if you want to save yourself you know what to do Maurice.."

Nodding I leap over the side of the bed to land in my body just as the doctors come rushing into the room ready to save me.. possessing my body again I feel the familiar warmth as the body I had vacated for a week shuddered as I took control over it, forcing my lungs to work again, forcing my heartbeat to slow and finally I force my eyes to open, the first thing I see, aside from the doctors that surround my bedside, is Faith as she muses a little space, opening my eyes fully and looking at her I try and smile.. and then I hear a small squeak from her as her eyes roll back in her head and she falls to the floor.