Standard disclaimers applied.

Author's Note: Parts of this are from the original epilogue, but there are plenty of new scenes. Enjoy!

Parts XVIII: To be True

I never felt true love until I was with you,
and,
I never felt true sadness until you left me.

-Unknown

Months after the incident with Mann, Bosco was still recovering from its aftermaths. There were a lot scarring done from the bullets. While surgeries could help cover up some of the physical scars, the emotional ones were not so easily dismissed. Night times were the worst, as he was plagued by the fallen bodies of Cruz, Mann and Yoshi who stared back at him with their haunting eyes. Unidentifiable voices spoke of eternal isolation and sadness. Wispy images floated in and out of his mind, until he could not discern wakefulness or deep sleep. Yet, his greatest fear was losing Faith, where he failed to protect her from the shooting.

He screamed into the darkness and broke out in sweats. A small light had been left lit in his room, until he felt the comforting presence beside him. Gentle hands massaged his tense shoulders and soothing voice of a female whispered into his ear. "It's ok, Bosco. I'm here. I'm safe. Thanks to you."

"Faith."

-o-o-

For convenience sake, she had convinced him to move in with her in her new apartment. The rent wasn't too shabby and it was closed by to the station. She had a spare room, where he could keep most of his clothes and other belongings. She felt safer knowing that he was on the way to recovery and she was constantly at his side for every doctor's check up and rehab session. She held him when the night time demons refused to relieve its hold on him or when insomnia kept them both awake for long hours until dawn.

During that time, she only took on light duties, mostly mundane desk work. She had once vowed to herself that she could ride with anybody else except Bosco. If she had to go back to fully into active duty, she was going back all the way with Bosco. She didn't care for the fact that she now, had a sergeant in front of her name.

The day that the doctors gave the green light for Bosco to return to duty, there had been two surprises. The first was the promotion of Officer Maurice Boscorelli to Detective, on the grounds of bravery and courage. Certainly, the disassembly of Mann and his organization had also been a major factor.

Sully and Davis joked that years of Bosco's hot-shot attitude had paid off in the end and that the "jag-offs" of New York had better armed themselves.

The second event had knocked everybody's breath away, but mostly Faith's. After Bosco got his promotion, he had promptly turned to the woman beside him and got down on one knee. Before all of their fellow officers and members of Camelot, he asked her to marry him. "Make me your partner for life, Faith."

In the midst of tears and boisterous clapping, what answer could she give? She didn't care for his at-times-ignorant attitude or his frustrating impatience. She could look on with amusement as he flirted with some of the younger nurses on the floor. It was part of his charm. Yet, how could she ever doubt the depth and affection of a man who would willingly take four bullets for her?

"Yes, thousand times yes, Bosco."

-o-o-

For Jing-Mei, her one-year contract with Mercy was drawing to a close. However, she had been offered a choice to stay there permanently as the former Chief Resident was transferring to another hospital. While she was ambivalent, the decision was firm in Carter's mind. "Take it, Deb."

"But -"

"No, buts, Deb. It doesn't take much to figure out that you are a fantastic Chief Resident."

"What about you? What about us and Chicago?"

"I can move here, permanently. As for Chicago, I think Kerry knows that she will be needing two new doctors by the years end."

-o-o-

As for Deb and John, they had spent the time reacquainting with each other. During that time, John accumulated more frequent flyer air-miles, than they did in the last four years. It certainly to help a private plane at your disposal and the fact that the Chief of Staff at County General wasn't unsympathetic to your domestic bliss.

Jing-Mei got the courage to tell John about her insecurities about the letter that she had found in the drawer. "I just freaked like I was some hormonal teenage. There was never a moment that I doubted your fidelity, but I had my own fears. The more that I debated them in the mind, the more that I was convinced that I was just some rebound girl or the woman who conquered John Carter."

She was afraid that she had spoken too much. Avoiding his eyes, she wondered what he was thinking right now.

"Oh Deb."

He never knew and for that, he was ashamed. He had taken her friendship and then her love for granted for so long, that he forgot that to say the actual words.

"I love you, Deb. I realize that I don't say the words enough, but to you, I will always be true."

-o-o-

One thing that Deb thought that she should amend was her friendship, or the lack thereof, with Abby. The Chinese woman felt that she had been unfair to the woman who had just so much impact on John's life, prior to their marriage.

One weekend, Deb made a surprise visit to the Kovac's apartment. Abby was there by herself with the twins, when she oped the door to find her there.

"Jing-Mei!"

She had brought gifts with her. Mostly things were Sophia and Alexis. When their conversations became borderline awkward, Deb said, "Abby, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being such a good friend to John all these years. You are a very special woman and I am sorry for being unfair to you."

It took a lot for someone to apologize to her husband's ex-girlfriend and it was equally taxing for the said ex-girlfriend to offer in kind. "Jing-Mei. I know that we are never close, but I hope there is a chance for us to be good friends. Carter loves you. He has his faults, but I think you make them less significant."

End of Part XVIII