Final Chapter

A/N; Thanks very much for all the feedback and reviews - they're greatly appreciated! This is the end of this little story, glad you liked it.

She looked at him sideways in the dark. He was unmoving beside her, head resting in his unencumbered hand, his face not visible to her, just the top of his head. Good this'll be easier if I can just say this, not have to see his face, look in his eyes…

Faith took a deep breath, and prepared to speak, to reveal what she was thinking, what she was feeling.

"Bos - " "Faith - "

"sorry, go ahead – " "no, you…"

"No, wait Faith. Can I - I need to say something, so I'm just gonna…" Oh great, he wants to make sure I don't think he meant anything by his joking around, he's terrified I might read something into–

"Faith – what if I'm not – what if I'm not just saying?"

"It's okay Bos, I know you were just jok – what?"

"What? Wait, I said-"

"No, no I heard what you said; I just don't know if I understand what you meant"

"I meant, what if I'm not just saying we should do something. What if I really think we should, you know…what if I'm saying I think I want more for us, from us" He spoke quietly, sounding serious now, his hand sliding down to take hers, his thumb starting to make slow circles on the pulse of her wrist.

Her stomach almost knocked her heart through her mouth. I am too weak for this temptation. Please, please whatever gods are in charge of this sort of stuff, do not mess with me. Okay, one last chance…

"Careful, Bos. You keep thinking like that, using that brain muscle, you might hurt something."

"Don't joke, Faith. I'm being serious here

"Sorry…"

"Look, how long we been partners?"

"Thirteen years"

"Right. And since then, what has been my longest relationship with a woman?"

"Um, I'd guess...6 weeks, maybe?"

"Right. And when was the last time I mentioned anything about any woman to you?'

"Uhhhhh…"

"Right. You can't remember. Want to know why? Because it's been almost a couple of years…"

"You haven't been with, with anyone in like, two years!"

"Right"

Faith was silent, stunned by his confession.

"Faith, these are called clues. Being a detective and all, you should be arriving at some sort of conclusion here." He was teasing – was that all, just teasing?

"I wasn't teasing about the rest, Faith. I think I want us...to be more, you know?" I'm too close, he can read me too easy. She tried to slide sideways, to put some space between them, but he quickly released her hand and slid his arm around her shoulders, and brought her closer into him, his hand touching, caressing at her hair, her neck, her cheek, pulling them back against the couch and each other. Their heads came to rest within an inches of each other, their words mingling softly in the darkness, surrounding them.

"Sorry, Bos. I don't know what you want me to say. I don't know what you're saying. I'm just tired, worn out, you know and uh, I – well, I gotta say, I'm a little…"

"Faith - just say that you're a little interested, please?. 'Cause that's what I'm saying. I'm interested in you, really interested and I think - uh, I guess I have been for years. So just say that, okay? Just say that maybe I'm not out of line, thinking."

Faith turned her head, and found herself looking directly into his eyes. The moonlight was soft between them, and she smiled at him slightly

"Out of line with what you're thinking? Yeah Bos, actually you are, you are way out of line. You say you think you want this? That's not good enough Bos." He backed away slightly, starting to speak, frowning. She put a finger to his lips to shush him; he kissed it lightly. A tingle of electricity zapped through her entire body, momentarily shutting down any thoughts other than what his kisses could do and would, oh please, would do before this night is over, oh please and thank you gods-of-this-stuff to other, more vulnerable parts of her body. She pulled her hand away, not wanting any further distraction that physical contact with him would present. She needed to get through this, she had to be sure.

He gave her a slight smile and raised an eyebrow at her, able to see her reaction play across her face, feel it in the sudden tension of her body, aware that he had caused it.

"Quit it. You want to know why that's not enough? Let me tell you, then, what it is that I think, okay? Some days, I think if I'd never met Fred, how much better my life would have been. Some days, I think I should have just stayed a housewife, never joined the police. Some days I think a house on the beach would be nice, some days one in the country" She reached up to trail her fingers lightly across his hair, unable to resist touching him, the openness on his face and the permission of the darkness giving her the courage.

"But you know what? What I think doesn't matter for shit, Bos." She touched her fingers to his cheek, softening her words. "What I think changes, depending on how the wind is blowing. It's what I know that matters. And you - you are what I know. I know that I trust you with my life. I know you're my best friend. I know you're...everything. I know I would die before I let anything affect that. And I know now that the rest of my life has just been a dress rehearsal for the real thing, that I was waiting for you. So don't tell me what you think Bosco, because I don't care.

Tell me what you know"

He had held her eyes during her explanation, and didn't break the connection now as he replied, nodding slowly. "Okay. All right, then. I know that I met a girl 13 years ago, and I thought about hitting on her, but I was more interested in becoming a cop, so I didn't. And I know that not hitting on her was the smartest thing I ever did, because she became my best friend, and she saves my life every day, just by being alive. I know that the man I am today is due more to her than to anyone else, including my old man. I know I hurt her, let her down and that I don't deserve all the chances she's given me. I know she's everything I know about love and how it's supposed to be" He voice broke as he stopped and he moved in closer to her, so his head was bowed to hers, as they sat side by side, leaning together. His hand had risen to her hair and he was stroking it softly.

"I know if she gives me the chance, I'll spend the rest of my life proving to her I deserved it."

And then he kissed her and the life she had been waiting for, began.

A short time later...

"So, Bos, what do we do about the cuffs?"

"Huh?"

"The cuffs – how do we get you out of them? I've got better places that we can do – better things…So, how do we get the key from them?"

He didn't reply, but shifted slightly in the dark. She sat looking at him, puzzled, as she heard a soft click. Suddenly, a rapid kaleidoscope of puzzle pieces fell into place – Bosco, asking Sully, Davis & Em for help in making her see; Bosco walking into her apartment, letting himself be handcuffed into place, waiting for Faith to come out, making up excuses as to how he had got here (I knew Emily could do better than that); Bosco, coaching them on the note; Bosco mastermind of the whole "conspiracy" to get them to talk, to make up, to move forward...

She nodded slowly to herself. Instead of answering, she stood up and knelt beside him, lifting the wrist that had been cuffed. It was red, chaffed and sore looking. She rubbed it gently for a second and then picked up the loose end of the cuff and snapped it lightly back into place.

"Faith, wait a second. I'm sorry for tricking you! Really - hey, what are you doing!"

"Well, didn't you say earlier that the cuffs wouldn't be a problem?"

She leaned in close and whispered in his ear; "Prove it"

Turns out, he wasn't bragging – they really aren't a problem.

Aren't I a lucky gir?