The early evening sun filtered through the curtains as a light breeze blew in from the slightly open window behind them. The room was rapidly darkening as the sun continued to set behind the houses that lined the other side of the street.

The relaxation Faith felt was indescribable as she pressed her head into Bosco's chest as far as it could go, breathing in his scent. Her arm reached across his chest and she hugged him to her, revelling in the feeling of his arm wrapped tightly around her. She looked up to him, her head still leaning on him. His head was rested lazily on the back of the couch, his mouth slightly open, his eyes closed tight in sleep.

She smiled as she felt his even breaths underneath her. His features were softened by the blue light that emanated from the television that sat quietly on across from the couch where they sat together. The emotion she felt when she looked at the man sleeping beneath her was indescribable. He was her partner, her best friend, and after only a few short days he had come to be so much more than that.

She reached up and traced the left side of his face with her right hand, letting her fingers linger on his chin. Her smile grew as she watched him continue to sleep under her touch. She moved her hand to his unscarred cheek as she leaned herself up lightly pressed her lips to his.

"Hmm," he moaned under her lips.

"Wake up, Bos. I'm going to get a shower. You can go to bed for a little while if you want," she whispered leaning back slightly. He looked at her with mock annoyance and pushed his head back further into the cushions when she leaned in to kiss him again.

"Seriously? You woke me up to go to sleep?" His voice was deep and raspy from being pulled so quickly from sleep.

"I didn't want you to wake up alone," she laughed, leaning in to kiss him again, this time accomplishing her goal. His hands reached up and his fingers played in her hair as he pulled her into him.

"We aren't going out for a couple hours," he said when he finally broke the kiss, glancing at the bright numbers on the clock of the VCR. Faith leaned herself up and straddled his lap and kissed him again before wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning her cheek against his. She could feel slightly raised edges of the now light scar that marred his beautiful face as she leaned into him.

"I know." She kissed his neck before continuing. "That's why you have more time to sleep," she added matter-of-factly, sitting back to look at him. His hands slid over her back as he watched her, with a smirk on his face.

"Why are you getting ready so early?" he asked her quietly as he reached up and rubbed his thumbs against her cheeks. She smiled at the complete tenderness of his fingers on her face. In all of the times she had heard Bosco talk about the women in his life, she never would have pictured him as the gentle, loving man that had emerged when she had arrived.

He had always seemed cold towards the women he was with. He was never satisfied. There was always something lacking, there was always something to complain about to her.

"What?" he questioned at the silly grin on her face. She just smiled wider and kissed his forehead, resting her hands on his neck. Bosco tilted his head back and leaned up, kissing her quickly before asking her again.

"What's that look for?"

"I don't have a look," she said, sitting up straight and looking at him, the grin still present on her lips.

He raised an eyebrow at her and snickered, leaning his head on the cushion behind his head and looked up to her.

"Yeah ya do. That one ya got right now. The one that says 'I know something you don't know'."

Saying nothing she shrugged and pushed against his chest to stand herself up. Faith smiled wider at the look on his face as she turned from him and started to walk away.

"Faith!" He yelled after her. She turned her head back, flashing him a grin as she rounded the corner, leaving Bosco in the darkening living room alone with his thoughts.

He stretched his arms up above his head before placing his hands behind him, supporting his head and neck while he watched the doorway she had just passed through. He listened as she made her way to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. That sound alone was enough to comfort him.

As much as he loved the little town he had stumbled across, he was lonely.

There were literally dozens of nights he was extremely tempted to pack up his car and go home. He knew that he was the only one that would be disappointed in that decision. Everyone else would welcome him back, no questions asked.

But he had to be ready. He had to be able to be in the city where he only knew how to be one thing, where he only knew himself in ways that were gone forever. Looking around at the comforts of his living room, he knew that if he chose to, leaving would be enormously difficult.

He had a life here now. A life that included friends and a routine that he didn't want to lose. Going back to New York would mean having to completely start over. Again. He wasn't sure he was strong enough for that.

But having Faith with him had given him that one piece of his life that he had forced himself to have no emotion for. He wouldn't have made it a week if he had let himself feel the emptiness of being without her. Instead he had pushed his feelings down, throwing himself into fixing up his little house, then into becoming a social being again.

They hadn't talked much. Only often enough to keep up with each other; he knew all about Emily and Charlie. He heard about Fred's attempt to try to convince Faith to fix their marriage and her refusal. He learned about Faith's desire to go back in time and be back in 55-David with him. As much as she loved being a detective, it was a lot different than the job that had become so ingrained in her.

In turn, Faith had learned about the neighbours that both warmly welcomed Bosco and thoroughly annoyed him. He told her about the plethora of books he had read now that for the first time in his life he had nothing to fill up his days.

There were times where the days stretched into weeks and even months between their calls but when they finally came, the two would stay up all night talking and laughing together. Throughout their entire friendship they had never had conversations like those they had during the nights they both laid curled up, each with a phone pressed to their ear.

Those were the nights Bosco had looked forward to most even as he settled into his new life. Even as his new friends were introducing him to beautiful, single women that normally he would have jumped at the chance to be with, he only thought of Faith and the next time he would hear her, see her, just be with her. He had no doubt that that time would come; it was just a matter of when.

Hearing the shower start, Bosco sighed and pushed himself up off the couch and clicked on the lamp that sat on a small glass end table to brighten up the swiftly darkening room. He picked up the remote and clicked off the television before making his way down the hall and into his bedroom.

He smiled as he flipped on the overhead light, seeing Faith's things strewn about the room. Their things mingled together on his dresser; her makeup and perfume mixed with his cologne, deodorant and hair gel. Her pink zip up sweater hung next to his dark blue one on the closet door. Some of her clothes were folded with his and sat on the small chair in the corner.

After four days, the bedroom already smelled like her. Simply by her being present, the whole house felt more feminine. Anyone who walked through the door would feel it. They would feel the subtle changes that Faith had brought. They would feel the life and the love that radiated through the rooms.

Bosco made his way to the large bed and let himself drop into the blankets. Bringing one arm up behind his head, he let his eyes drift closed, smiling as he listened to Faith's light humming coming from the bathroom.

And for the first time in a long time, Faith felt like she had something to hum about. She stood under the stream of steaming water, letting it cascade through her hair, over her shoulders and flow down her body before it swirled down the drain. She turned around slowly, letting the random hummed notes fall from her upturned lips in tune that meant nothing more other than the fact that she was happy.

She let herself revel in the warmth of the water for a short while before forcing herself to step out into the damp air of the bathroom. Wrapping herself in a blue oversized towel she walked to the sink and wiped the steam off the mirror with a dry facecloth.

Staring back at her was someone that a week ago she would have never knew could have existed. It was someone that looked more vibrant and alive than Faith had felt in years…literally. She couldn't even remember another time.

Sighing softly, she looked away. Faith didn't want to get too used to seeing that person. She would be gone once morning came.

Pushing all thoughts of her early morning departure out of her mind, she reached for the blow dryer that sat in the cabinet beneath the sink. She was going to enjoy her night. She was going to make sure that she and Bosco had fun, or at the very least that they had a relaxing night that would have no reminders that she would be back in New York City in less than a day.

Twenty minutes later Faith pulled Bosco's robe from the back of the door and slid her arms into the lightly warn fabric and tied it around herself, breathing deeply when all she could smell from the fuzzy white fabric was Bosco before opening the door into the dark hallway. Noticing the light coming from the Bosco's bedroom, she crossed the hall and silently opened the door.

He was lying in the same position he had fallen in earlier, his mouth was slightly open as his breaths came long and steady.

Faith couldn't help the gentle laugh that forced itself from her at the sight. He looked so young and innocent and completely vulnerable. She tilted her head to the side as she watched him, timing her breathing with his.

Slowly her smile faded. Her eyes began to water when he shifted on the bed, an incoherent mumble slipping from his lips because it was then that she realized how much she loved him.

Every little thing about him she loved. The way his eyelids lightly fluttered as he dreamt, the corners of his open mouth lightly curled upwards; the way he was sleepy and barely able to function for upwards of an hour after he woke up in the mornings; the way he closed his eyes as he had his first sip of coffee of the day; the way he brushed his teeth so vigorously; everything.

Even the things that used to piss the hell out of her while they were partners were things that she couldn't imagine living without.

Swatting away the single tear that had found it's way down her cheek, she shook her head as if trying to lose every thought that wasn't one of pure bliss. She took a deep breath and tiptoed over to the bed where she climbed up slowly and curled into him, pressing her nose into his cheek and kissing him softly.

"Bos," she kissed his cheek once more, whispering his name again, her light kisses continuing in between each time his name passed over her lips.

He groaned softly when he began to stir, turning his head toward to her.

"The light's too bright," he mumbled into her hair as he wrapped his arms around her. She chuckled abruptly when his lips found her neck.

"Whine, whine, whine," she responded sarcastically, rubbing her hands over his back. He pulled back from her, his mouth agape in mock horror.

"I am deeply offended!"

She laughed and moved into to kiss him, his lips widening into a grin as she neared him. When she finally pulled away, her hand resting against his cheek, he raised an eyebrow as he stared at her.

"You think I can be bought with a kiss?"

"Well, I'd give ya more, but if we want to make it to dinner you have to get your ass in gear," she said sitting up, pulling his robe tighter around her.

"Fine," he sighed loudly. He kissed her forehead as he crawled off the bed. "But I'll remember this." He put on his annoyed look as he stomped away.

Turning around when he got to the door, he flashed his bright smile. "You look really great in my robe."

"I know," she laughed. "Get ready. We're gonna be late."

"Nag, nag, nag!" he threw back at her, echoing her earlier comment as he left the room.

Forcing herself to stand up from the bed, she began sifting through her clothes as she listened to Bosco start the shower.

She had met many of the friends that Bosco had made since he'd come here, most of them only briefly in the few days she had been there. Since it was Faith's last night in town, they were meeting a small group of them for dinner. They hadn't accepted their excuse of wanting to be alone for the evening and had insisted on them joining the group.

By the time Bosco exited the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel that was wrapped around his waist, Faith was pulling a light blue sweater over her white tank top.

They smiled at each other as she pulled the hair from her shirt and walked to him, kissing him quickly on the lips before leaving him to get dressed.

A half an hour later Bosco was slipping Faith's light jacket over her shoulders as he leaned in and pressed his face into her hair, resting his forehead against the back of her head.

"Bos…we have to go," she mumbled quietly when he moved his face lower and placed a gentle kiss on her neck, his left hand finding its way to her stomach where it lingered possessively.

"I know," his words were muffled through her hair as he reached in front of her and opened the door, ushering her out without ever lifting his head. She laughed loudly, pulling away from him when they were outside.

"Behave," she said sternly, pointing at him when she turned around. Instantly his eyes widened and softened and lip quivered in mock nervousness. The puppy dog face. He knew how to use it and he wasn't afraid to whip it out every now and then.

Rolling her eyes, Faith and Bosco walked towards the car before climbing inside and heading to the small restaurant where they were meeting Bosco's friends. From there, the entire evening progressed smoothly and comfortably. Seeing Bosco so comfortable around the group made Faith appreciate the changes in him even more.

He had never really been the one to have friends, at least not in the traditional sense of the word. He had her and that was really it. He didn't really have anyone else that he could really just be himself with, go to for help, and talk to about his problems. She was excited for him.

The only unexpectedness of the night came when his friends began talking about how excited they were to get to know that woman that Maurice talked about so often.

She looked at him and watched him blush and look away. Bosco was not one to get shy, and she found the new reaction endearing.

Smiling, she had assured them she wasn't nearly as horrible as he probably made her sound only to be told that they thought he had invented her, created a perfect woman made only for him and seeing her real and in person had been a major shock.

Laughing off the comments and the slight embarrassment that followed, they managed to enjoy the rest of their night. Before long, they said their goodbyes to all of Bosco's friends and they were pushing their way through Bosco's front door, barely able to keep their hands off each other.

He pushed her jacket from her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor before moving his hands to the back of her neck where his fingers twirled through her hair. Faith's hands were tangled against the warmth of Bosco's stomach, handfuls of his shirt being pushed out of the way as she slid her fingers softly around to his back, the heat from his skin searing into her palms.

Struggling for air in the brief instances while their mouths were separate, the two began to stumble down the hall, their shoes having been kicked off somewhere along the way. Faith pulled Bosco into his bedroom, moving her hands to cup his face.

"Faith," he pulled back somewhat when she moved in again after one of their quick moments of freedom for air. His voice was quiet and questioning, and Faith could hear the struggle for control he was having with himself.

"Are you sure?" he asked as he brushed some stray hair off her forehead before kissing it softly. Faith said nothing but smiled broadly and nodded mutely, pulling him closer to her.

Wrapping his arms around her, he felt Faith melt into him. Their heartbeats were coming together, pounding against their chests. The smell of Faith's hair combined with her hands and lips on his body sent his head spinning.

The room around them seemed to fade away into the ether as they slowly made their way to the bed, both ready to go somewhere they had never been together, a place that neither of them thought they would get to.

Bosco looked down at Faith as she sat on the bed. She smiled his favourite smile, the one that lit up her entire face. He smiled back, leaning down to her. Seeing her so happy, he forgot about the fear he had when they first walked in the bedroom of the possibility that she was doing this only because she was going back to New York in the morning; because she wanted to make him happy and not because it was really what she wanted.

As he leaned her back, covering her body with his own, both of them felt the weight of sadness and worry about their lives outside of the walls of the bedroom drift away and they let themselves get carried away with the all of the love and the excitement that swirled around them.