"Yeah, I'm just gonna change and then I'll be home. So, do you need anything from the store?" Bosco asked Kim at the end of his shift.

"Well, I'm getting a little low on ginger-ale if you don't mind stopping to get some. I think I'm gonna try giving Joey a little bit to see if it settles his stomach at all," Kim replied. She had to take the day off from work because Joey was home sick.

"Sure. How's the little guy doing anyway?" Bosco asked. He was there last night when Joey had come into Kim's room saying he didn't feel good. He'd had a fever and then started throwing up. Bosco helped to take care of Joey while Kim was changing the sheets on Joey's bed after he got sick all over the place. It didn't seem to bother him that Bosco was there.

"He stopped throwing up at least. Now he's just wiped out," Kim told him.

"Okay, so that's all? Just ginger-ale? Did you have anything to eat today?" Bosco asked her, knowing she probably didn't.

"I had a half a sandwich earlier. I'm not really hungry. I'm beat," she told him, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Okay. I'll stop at the store and then I'll be over. I won't stay so you can get some rest. You gotta work tomorrow?"

"If Joey's okay for school, yeah," she replied.

"Okay, see you in a few," he said, hanging up the phone.

"Joey feeling any better?" Faith asked her partner.

"A little. I gotta stop and get some ginger-ale for him to try. Then I'm heading home. I'm beat. Boy, taking care of kids is hard work," he said, looking over at Faith.

"You have no idea," Faith replied, lightly punching Bosco in the arm.

"I'm beginning to get an idea. But, I kinda like it," Bosco said as they went into the locker room to change.

*^*^*^*^*^*^

Bosco had changed and was headed out of the station to go to his car. He walked down the steps and sensed someone in the shadows. Bosco unconsciously reached for his off-duty weapon at his side and rested his hand on the butt of the gun.

"Police. Who's there?" Bosco asked into the darkness. The figure stepped out of the shadows and Bosco relaxed. "Jimmy, man. What are you doin' here? I thought you were in the hospital. Are you okay?" Bosco asked, taking in his appearance.

"I'm fine. I got out of the hospital yesterday," Jimmy replied, a pained expression on his face.

"Should you be up and around yet? You want a lift to your apartment?" Bosco offered.

"No. I wanted to talk to you. Kim came to see me. We had a talk about our futures," Jimmy said.

"Yeah. I know. She told me," Bosco said, walking over to Jimmy, taking a closer look at him and noticing the perspiration on his face. "Look, Jimmy. You should really be at home or something," Bosco said, worried that Jimmy was about to keel over.

"In a minute. I want you to know that I don't like that she's with you," Jimmy said.

"Well, I don't think we asked for your permission, Jimmy. Kim's a big girl," Bosco said, trying to be sensitive to Jimmy's feelings, but getting angry just the same.

"I don't want her to get hurt. And I don't want Joey to get hurt," Jimmy said.

"That's not my plan," Bosco replied coolly. "Look, Jimmy," he said. "I thought you were with Brooke now. So, why the sudden interest in patching things up with Kim?"

"I am with Brooke. We're getting married in a little while, but I just wanted to be sure- I needed to be sure. I still have feelings for Kim," Jimmy said, suddenly having to lean against the building for support. Bosco stepped closer, thinking that Jimmy was gonna go down in a heap.

"Jimmy. Kim still has feelings for you too. She talked to me about it. They're just different than the feelings she had when you two were together. She'll always have feelings for you. You're the father of her child. You have a history. I understand that. I can live with that. Now, let me drive you home or to the hospital before you pass out here on the sidewalk," Bosco said, really worried at how pale Jimmy was.

Bosco walked up to Jimmy and put out a hand. Jimmy took it and Bosco helped him to his car. After getting Jimmy in the car, Bosco started to close the door, but Jimmy stopped him.

"You're not Joey's father," Jimmy said.

"I know that, Man," Bosco replied. "He's already got one. I'm not trying to take your place with him, Jimmy. Never," he finished, closing the door and walking around to the driver's door.

Jimmy gave Bosco Brooke's address and he drove him over there. "Is Brooke home?" Bosco asked as he pulled up to the curb outside of her apartment.

"She should be, unless she got tied up on an arrest or something," Jimmy said.

"Alright, sit tight while I find out if she's home. I'm not leaving you there by yourself," Bosco said, getting out of the car and walking up the steps. He rang the bell next to Brooke's name on the panel and got a response. A moment later, Brooke was down on the front steps and helping Bosco bring Jimmy upstairs.

"Jimmy! I was so worried when I got home and you weren't here. I called the hospital to see if you had gone back because you were having problems. Where the heck were you, Jimmy?" Brooke asked him, the fear still in her voice. "Where did you find him?"

"He came to see me at the station. We had a little talk," Bosco explained, while they got Jimmy up to the apartment and put him on the couch. "We got some things out in the open. Now, I think he just needs to get some rest," Bosco said, walking over to the door and looking back at Jimmy who'd fallen asleep where they had placed him.

"You want help getting him into bed?" Bosco asked.

Brooke came over to him. "No, I'll let him rest there for a little bit first. Thanks for bringing him home, Bosco," Brooke said. "What did you two talk about?" she asked, wondering what he had to discuss with Bosco besides Kim.

"He wanted to make sure that I understood he wouldn't tolerate me hurting Joey," Bosco said, skipping over the conversation about Kim. She didn't need to hear that - at least not from him.

"Oh, and what did you tell him," Brooke asked.

"I told him that Joey only has one father and I'm not looking to interfere with that. Sure, I like Joey, but I'd never try to get in the way of Jimmy and Joey," Bosco said, putting his hand on the doorknob and opening the door.

"Thanks again," Brooke said. Bosco nodded and headed back down the stairs.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Bosco used his key to open the door to Kim's apartment. He set the ginger- ale on the counter in the kitchen and walked down the hallway to see where Kim was. He found her asleep in the chair next to Joey's bed and gently touched her shoulder. She woke up and saw that Bosco was there. She looked over at the clock on Joey's nightstand and said, "Where've you been?"

"I had to make a stop along the way. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. Ginger-ale's on the counter. You want me to sit with him while you get some sleep?" Bosco asked.

"No. I think he's over the worst of it. I'm gonna go to sleep in my room. Care to join me?" Kim asked, standing up and giving Bosco a hug.

"I'm pretty tired too. I think I'm gonna head home so you two can get some rest. Call me tomorrow when you can," Bosco said, giving Kim a kiss and looking at Joey to see that he was still sleeping. When he was assured that Joey was asleep, he wrapped his arms around Kim and gave her a deep, passionate kiss. When they separated, Kim was out of breath.

"What was that for?" Kim asked him.

"For being such a great Mom," Bosco said. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Get some rest. You look like crap," he teased.

Kim followed him out to the door. "Thanks for the compliment," she said as she kissed him good-bye and closed the door behind him.

She checked on Joey one last time and then headed into her room to collapse on the bed, hoping for a solid night's sleep.

*^*^*

Bosco got in his car and looked up at Kim's apartment. He watched as she turned the lights out and then drove away toward his apartment.