TITLE: A Friend in Need
AUTHOR: trista groulx (the dustytiger)
DISCLAIMER: kim, faith, fred, joey, bobby, jimmy, bosco, davis, sully, none of these characters are mine, i'm just borowing them to play with them for a little while, they belong to their creator and the actors and actresses who portray them, i promise i'll be gentle, don't sue
RATING: PG-13 tops currently
CONTENT: kim/faith friendship, fred/faith divorce, kim/bobby r, faith/bosco sex/ust
SPOILERS: 32 bullets and a broken heart (missing scene/continuation)
SUMMARY: Kim and Faith become friends after they share their heartaches that Valintines day.
AUTHORS NOTES: i'm so sorry for the delay soo much has happened in my life since my last update and the longer i put off writing the harder it was but i figured i owed it to you now that i've got some ambition to try and finish up this story, so here it is... and now i remember why i went for shortfic before... i get too distracted sometimes and life changes too fast

A few hours later Faith woke up, spooned in Bosco's arms. It felt so good to wake up next to him, and she hoped that she would be able to do it more often. This time she didn't want to run away from him. She wanted to stay there, but knew that she couldn't. She had to get back to her kids.

She kissed Bosco lightly on the lips, and he opened his eyes. He kissed her back, deepening the kiss, until she pulled away.

"As much as I've enjoyed this, I should be getting home, and to the kids," she told him.

"Not running away this time?" he asked.

"No," she assured him. "I'm not going to run away for over a year to come back this time."

She kissed him again, to assure him that she really did want to be with him this time. She wanted to make it last this time. It took her too long to realize just how much she needed him.

"I love you," she told him, smiling.

"I'll never sick of hearing those words," he told her. "I love you, too."

She smiled at him. "I never thought I'd see that day when you were telling anyone those words, and I certainly never thought you'd be telling them to me."

He smiled at her. "People change."

She nodded. "They sure do, and in this case it's defiantly for the better."

She leaned in and kissed him again, already addicted to the way he felt and tasted. He wrapped his arm around her neck, and deepened the kiss, for a long moment. She pulled away, and he pulled her back.

"Bosco," she whimpered against his lips.

"I seem to be having trouble letting you go," he told her.

She ran her hand through his hair. "I have to go, I'm sorry, I'll call you later," she told him, pulling away.

"I'll see you later then?" he replied.

"Well, yes, you're gonna be picking up Charlie later, right?"

He smiled. "Right, how about we change the plan? I'm gonna take you three out to a nice supper, so that we can tell them our news."

She smiled at him. "I think I'd like that. Just be prepared for them making our wedding plans."

He laughed. "All right, I'll see you all later then."

"All right, later Bos."

She kissed him one last time before she left the house. She couldn't believe what had happened. She would have to thank Kim for the girl's night, since it had all worked out so well.

She made her way over to her friend's house to pick up the kids. She hoped that they had behaved themselves while they were there. She buzzed up to the apartment, and was let up right away. She knocked on the door, and Bobby answered it.

"Hi," Faith said. "Are the kids still here?"

"Yeah," he replied. "Come on in. The boys are in Joey's room, and Kim and Emily are watching a movie."

"Together?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Em's kinda been in a bit of a mood of late, I didn't think she associated with any adults."

Bobby shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you. They've been like sisters most of the night. Although it could be a hint from Kim that she wants to have a daughter eventually."

Faith laughed. "All right, well I'm just glad that Emily is getting along with someone."

Bobby nodded. "Yeah, Kim was mentioning she's been a handful of late."

"Yeah, she's just pissed off cause she found out about Fred calling. She blames me for him not coming back."

"It's not your fault, you just want to make sure that if he comes back he'll stay in their lives."

She smiled at him. "Thank you I needed to hear that."

"Do you have time for some coffee?"

"I'm sorry, I'll have to take a rain cheque. I have a couple of things I need to do before we go for supper tonight."

Kim came out of her room, and smiled at her friend.

"Hey," she said. "How did it go last night?"

Faith grinned. "It went well, I heard about some of Bosco's old tricks." She laughed.

"And?"

"What and?"

"You know what I want to know." Kim laughed.

"We're telling the kids tonight, so I can't give you any details until tomorrow."

Kim smiled. "I'm so happy for you!"

"Thank you, and for setting everything up last night too."

"No problem. I'll go get Emily, Charlie's in Joey's room playing."

Kim went into her room to talk to Emily, as Faith went in to get Charlie.

"Your mom's here," Kim told Emily.

"Okay," she replied, dryly.

"I know you're still mad at her sweetie," Kim told her. "But her and Bosco are gonna bring you two out for supper. You'll see it's all gonna work out. I know you love your father, but right now he needs to stay away."

"I know," Emily said. "I just miss him."

She nodded. "I know, and the worst part about that is that that never really goes away."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean even when you're older, and you realize what he did, and how much he hurt you, and your mother, you'll still miss him, and a part of you will still love him."

"Why's that?"

"Cause no matter what he's always your dad, and you're just supposed to love your parents."

Emily nodded. "So do you want me to apologize to her?"

"Not if you don't want to just yet."

"Okay."

"Everything you told me last night, is between you an me, all right. The only time I would tell your mother something is if I thought you'd be hurt if I didn't tell her. All right?"

"Okay. Thank you so much."

"You can come over here whenever you want to get away all right?" She smiled. "You just have to ask your mother first, all right? Anyway enough of the chit chat for now, your mom's waiting."

She nodded. "Okay, thank you, again, Kim."

They went into the living room, and Charlie was already ready to go. Emily got her things together, and left.

Faith was actually kind of excited about telling the kids about her and Bosco. She knew they had been bugging her for some time to get together with him. She just wasn't sure that Emily felt the same way as she once had.

She had turned into quiet the handful lately, and she just hoped that she didn't make a scene at the restaurant. She knew that Bosco could deal with that, she just didn't think that he should have to.

She was so happy about the whole thing that nothing could really bring her down at that point. Logically she knew that Emily would probably be all right with everything, still. She hadn't been complaining about spending time with him.

Charlie was really the one who was bugging her about them getting married though. She wondered if he really did understand what had happened with Fred after all. He seemed to just be sailing along as if nothing big had happened.

She was fairly certain that Emily had told him about the phone call, but he hadn't asked her anything about it. She found it hard to believe that a boy could just forget about his father, and not care about him.

"So did you two have fun last night?" Faith asked them.

"Why's it okay for you to go out and drink, and Daddy had to leave cause of it?" Emily asked.

"Because I don't go out and drink every night. Drinking sometimes isn't a problem," Faith explained. "The problem arises when someone is drinking all the time, and thinks that drinking is more important then everything else."

"Oh."

"When was the last time I went out with my friends like that?"

Emily shrugged. "Why can't you just not drink at all?"

"Cause sometimes when you're an adult it's fun to out and have a good time and have a few drinks."

"Oh."

"You'll understand when you're older."

Emily shook her head. "I'm so sick of hearing that!"

Faith shrugged. "I'm sorry, Emily but it's the truth."

"Whatever."

She hated that Emily was getting closer and closer to being a teenager, and that she was getting so hard to talk to. She knew that Emily was upset, but she thought she'd move past it eventually.

"What about you Charlie?" she asked her son.

"I had a lot of fun!" Charlie told him. "What's Bobby?"

"What do you mean what's Bobby."

"Like is he like Bosco?"

"Yeah, a little bit. But Bobby and Kim are going to be getting married. So Bobby's going to be Joey's step father."

"Oh, okay, I wasn't sure. Anyway he's really cool. He actually played with us for a little while last night."

"That's really great honey."

"Why is that that Joey still gets to see his dad even though his mom and dad are divorced?"

Faith wanted to reply, that it was because Jimmy was surprisingly a much better father then Fred. But she knew that was a bad idea.

"Because," she said, not sure what to say. "Kim and Joey's dad, Jimmy, they still get along, and Jimmy's responsible with him. He doesn't drink all the time, and he wants to see Joey."

"Oh. Why doesn't your dad want to see us anymore?"

"I wish I knew honey."

He nodded. "Are you still sad that he left?"

"No, she isn't stupid," Emily replied.

"Emily!" Faith scaled. "Don't call your brother stupid! And don't answer for me."

"Why shouldn't I it's the truth. You don't miss him."

"I don't miss him being my husband, no, but I do miss him being your father."

"Then why won't you let him come back."

"Because what if he's just lying to me?" she asked. "I don't want him to come back only for him to get up and leave again. That's not fair to you kids."

Emily shrugged. "I don't care."

"So you'd be just as happy as you are now if your father came back, and left again in a month."

She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Be honest with me, Emily."

"Fine I guess I'd be right back at when he left the first time."

"Now do you see why I want him to be sober for a little while before I want him back."

"He's coming back?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know," Faith told him. "That depends on him. I told him that he could come back if he really wanted to, and if he had stopped drinking for a few months."

"Oh."

"I know you want him back, but I know you don't want him to come back and leave again."

"No," he admitted.

"Then we're gonna have to do this my way. All right?"

"All right," said Charlie.

"If he does that, then maybe he'll come back, but not until then."

"Is Bosco gonna be staying?"

"Yeah, I think he will."

"Then that's good then."

Faith smiled glad that Charlie at least would be happy about their news. They pulled up to Faith's apartment, and they all got out of the cab. They all went inside.

"I'd like you two to clean your room today," Faith told them.

"All right," they grumbled.

"Hi," said Katri. "How did it going last night?"

"It went really well," Faith replied. "I had a lot of fun."

"That good. Who was there?"

"My friend Kim, you know her. A firefighter named Alex, but she's a girl. And then I met Kim's sister Melanie."

"Oh that must be nice."

"It was, she was the bartender."

Katri smiled. "How did your head feel in the morning?"

Faith laughed. "It hurt a lot, but Bosco helped me with that."

"Oh, really. How does he help when you drink too much?"

"He gave me an egg sandwich."

"With bacon and cheese?"

"No cheese but bacon."

"In Suomi Katri's mother makes an egg sandwich with bacon and cheese, and toast when someone has too much too drink the day before."

"I don't think I could have handled the cheese," Faith laughed. "But it was good, and I did feel better after. It's good to know that Bosco isn't the only person who does something with eggs for hangovers."

Katri laughed, she then took out her note book, and wrote down the word, and what it meant.

"That is a new word!" she exclaimed.

"I noticed," Faith laughed.

She was learning so much since she had come to work with the family, and she felt like she fit right in. The kids were really good with her, and treated her almost like a big sister.

"Where are you going tonight?" Katri asked.

"I don't really know where Bosco is taking us tonight," Faith replied.

"So it's all of you?"

"Yes. Do you have something to do tonight?"

"No, I want email everyone I miss them."

"That's fine. It must be so hard being away from everyone you know."

She nodded. "Yes, but they all jealous of Katri's adventure."

Faith laughed. "Oh, all right then. If you'd like you can call home for a little bit, while we're out."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think I can spare the money this month, just don't talk for too long."

"It's okay," Katri assured her just happy that she'd be able to talk to her family.

--

Bosco had taken them to an Italian restaurant that night. It wasn't overly fancy, but it was still very nice. Faith smiled at him upon seeing him, wanting nothing more then to kiss him. She knew that wouldn't be a good idea. The two kids gave him a hug, and then sat down.

A man dressed in a blue suit came over to the table. Faith knew that he wasn't a waiter, and wondered who he might be. He was an older man with graying hair.

"Maurice, such a beautiful family," he said in a deep Italian accent.

"This is my partner, Faith, and her kids, Emily, and Charlie, Mister Angalini," he told the man.

He laughed. "Okay." He went and introduced himself to each of them, kissing the two women as he went around. "But I'll let you get to your meal. Say hello to your Mama for for me!"

"I will."

He left, and Bosco laughed, looking at the expression on Faith's face.

"That's an old family friend. He bought this place around the same time Ma bought the bar. He's still trying to get her to sell the place and co-own a couple of these with him. She wants nothing to do with it. She says it's too Italian." He laughed. "Get whatever you'd like, next my mother's this is the best Italian you're gonna find 'round here. Authentic Italian, you'll see the difference."

A waiter came by with a small bottle of white wine. "From Mister Angalini, one of his favourites vintages, and a good size for a couple." He smiled and poured them each a glass. "And what can I get for you?" he asked Emily and Charlie.

"Apple Juice?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, me too please," Charlie agreed.

"All right, I'll be right back. You just keep looking at the menu.

"Okay, so he might have a bit of a thing for my mother," Bosco laughed.

"So why'd you bring us here?" Emily asked.

Emily's attitude was not getting much better, Faith realized. She felt bad, because know she was starting to snap at Bosco too. She just didn't know what to do to help her anymore.

"I thought it would be a nice change," Bosco told her. "I've never brought you here before, and it's one of my favourite places." He looked over at Faith.

"And we have something to tell you two," Faith added.

"What Bosco's leaving too?" she muttered.

"How about you let people speak, before you jump down their throats, and ask them what they have to say?"

"Whatever."

Faith would have said something to her, but she didn't want to make a scene here. She just wanted Emily to be herself again, but she knew that was not going to happen. She was growing up, and she just couldn't stop her.

"I'm not going anywhere," Bosco assured her.

"So what's the news?" Charlie asked, not wanting to witness another one of Emily's little outbursts.

Faith looked at them grinning. "Bosco and I decided we want to try and start dating."

"Does that mean you're gonna get married?" Charlie asked, hopefully.

"No, stupid. It means that they're gonna spend more time together, then realize that they don't actually like each other anymore. Then Bosco's gonna leave."

Faith knew that had they been at home Charlie would have been in tears, but held it in cause he never cried in public.

"That's not what it means," Faith assured her son. "It means that we want to see each other more, to see if we want to maybe get married. It's not going to happen right away. It's just a possibility. Nothing's gonna change too much just yet. You're still gonna have Bosco nights."

"Oh."

"I know you want us to get married, and maybe one day we will, I just don't want to rush into anything."

Emily wasn't showing it, but she was happy they were together. She just hoped that he wouldn't want to be her new father, she already had a father, and one day he would come back for her, she knew it.

The waiter came back and took everyone's orders. Charlie got spaghetti, Emily and Faith got lasagna, and Bosco got fettuccini. Before long they had all eaten, and the waiter came back.

"Can we get the gelato menu, please?" he asked. "And some coffee too."

He nodded, and disappeared, back into the kitchen. The host had already cleared away most of the dishes.

"What's gelato?" Charlie asked.

"It's Italian ice cream, it's really good. I think you'll like it."

"Cool!"

The waiter soon came back with the gelato menu. He looked at, and sure enough they didn't explain what the flavours were on there. He had been going long enough to know what they all were. He told everyone what they had, and they all ordered their gelato.

"This is way better then regular ice cream!" Charlie exclaimed trying his.

"Yeah," Emily agreed.

Before long Bosco was dropping them all back at home. When the kids weren't looking he gave Faith a small goodnight kiss, before she went inside. She was happy the evening had gone so well.

She had been worried about what Emily might say, but she had behaved herself quiet well. She went upstairs, and the two kids had already changed into their pajamas. They watched an hour of TV before they went to bad.

Soon Faith was in her own bed, starting up at the ceiling thinking about Bosco. She was so happy she had decided to give him a chance.

tbc...

end notes: all right again with the sorry on the taking sooo long... all the stuff reallly isn't excuse for not updating for so long but it's all i got... the muse fizzled i think i can finish this fic though, so here it is... sorry if there's timeline gaffs it's been a while