Walsh adjusted his tie. He was wearing his dress uniform a lot more than he liked to. It felt uncomfortable to him. He tugged down the front of his coat.

"I hate this thing." He muttered to himself as he checked the placement of his medals.

He checked his watch and saw that it was 10:30. They had to be at the house by 11 so he had to get moving. The radio in his Explorer was on and as he drove to work. Otherside by the Red Hot Chili Peppers played. He turned it up.

He pulled into his normal parking space up the street from the firehouse. He climbed out of his truck and walked towards the rest of the group that was milling around on the outside of the station. They had put the black drape above the bay doors three days ago. They hung one from the front of the truck, and had American Flags at all the corners of the truck. The truck was polished up; all the chrome shimmered brightly in the sun.

Walsh walked over, shook hands with Jimmy, DK, Lombardo, he hugged Taylor.

"How's Kim holding up?" He asked her

"She's hanging in there." Taylor replied

Bobby had died doing what he did best, trying to help a friend. He had a huge heart, and well it was ultimately broken when his best friend shot him. Paulie Fuentes, Bobby was trying to help him get clean when Paulie stole from his mother. Bobby tried to find the best in him, and Paulie didn't want to give it up. Drugs were more important to him than his best friend!

"What the hell are you doing?" Paulie screamed at Bobby as he threw two-dime bags into the toilet. "Give them back!"

"I thought you were going to get clean! You stole from my mother!" Bobby called out

Paulie pulled a 9 mm out of his coat, "Give me my drugs!"

"Bobby just do it, give him his drugs back and let's get out of here." Kim called from out the hall.

Paulie turned and aimed the gun at Kim.

"Give me the gun." Bobby called out, "Paulie, give me the damn gun!"

Bobby tried to wrestle it away to ensure that no one would get hurt. It seemed like slow motion, there was a flash, then the sound. It happened a second time. Bobby stumbled back over the toilet and fell to the floor.

"BOBBY!" Kim cried out

Paulie ran into the bathroom and fished the bags out of the toilet, then held the gun to Kim's forehead.

"Just leave." Kim cried in fear

Paulie pushed Kim to the living room of the apartment; he slid behind her and out the door. She stood in shock for a moment. Finally she rushed back the hallway.

Bobby attempted to speak but all he could do was gurgle up blood. His eyes rolled back.

"Bobby!" She screamed, "Oh my God!"

She ripped his shirt apart to assess his wounds. "Oh God! Bobby! Stay with me!"

Kim grabbed the radio, "Boyd 55-3 to Central, I need a bus on a rush to 243 134th apt 4 D. My partner's been shot!" She cried into the radio.

"Stay with me! Bobby!"

The Squad was sitting in the lounge when they heard the call go out.

"Adam 55-3 respond to 243 134th apt 4 for a shooting, Boyd 55-3 on scene, medic down." The alarm called

"Did they just say MEDIC DOWN?" Walsh asked

Lieutenant Johnson rushed out of the office.

"Let's go!" He yelled out

For Lt. Johnson to be excited about something, it had to be really bad. The guys jumped up from their recliners and rushed to the Squad. Walsh was in overdrive as he quickly guided the Squad to the building.

Doc and Carlos had already gotten there and were up with Bobby.

"Come on Bobby stay with me." Doc pleaded

Carlos quickly established a line.

"How's his airway?" Doc asked

Kim was in hysterics behind them as Bosco and Faith were trying to get information from her. All she kept repeating was "Paulie, oh God Bobby!"

The Squad rushed into the apartment.

"What happened?" Lt. Johnson asked

Taylor quickly knelt down next to Doc and Carlos to help them.

"What do you need?" Jimmy asked

"Get a backboard in her and let's get him out of here." Doc said

The guys quickly slid a backboard into the bathroom. They quickly secured Bobby to it and were headed out towards the bus. Walsh, DK, Jimmy, and Lombardo had the backboard. Carlos got the stretcher under it and they quickly put Bobby in the ambulance.

Doc and Taylor jumped in the back, Carlos jumped up front and soon they were off to the hospital. The guys stood in the street watching as the medic unit rushed towards the hospital.

Jimmy turned and took Kim into his arms. She was still bawling her eyes out.

Lt. Johnson looked at his Squad; "We gotta get the bus back to the house."

"I'll take it boss." DK said

"Thank you." Lt. Johnson swallowed hard, "Let's go to the hospital and pick Taylor up."

Jimmy helped Kim get into the cab of the Squad. And they all headed to the hospital.

Kim came out of the house with Bobby's mother and his sisters. His brother Matty had left long ago and made no attempt to get to the funeral. They put Mrs. Caffey and Bobby's 2 sisters in the Battalion Suburban. Kim got in with them as well.

Lt. Johnson walked over to the group.

"Well…" He took in a deep breath. "Let's go."

Doc and Carlos joined the rest of the squad as they got into the cab of the truck. They all sat silently as Walsh drove them to the church.

Taylor drifted off into thought from the night the four teenagers had died in the car crash after their prom. They had all wanted to forget the shift and she went out with everyone to have a few drinks.

"I go to church." Bobby said

"Good for you." Taylor replied

"I go to church on my way to work. I light a candle for anyone who dies on my watch." Bobby took another drink

"Oh, well that makes it all better then." Taylor responded.

She wondered who would light a candle for Bobby. She shifted uneasily in her seat. The Squad slowly came to a stop in front of the church. They all climbed out of it solemnly. Walsh stopped to make sure everyone was out. Taylor put her hat on and Walsh did as well. Taylor adjusted Walsh's tie.

"It was crooked." She said

"Thanks." He replied as he slipped his gloves on.

Taylor sat staring at the phone in the firehouse. It rang.

"Squad 55!" She jumped to answer it. "No, he's in the shower."

"Who was that?" Jimmy asked

"DK's girlfriend, she's been calling here every 5 minutes looking for him." Taylor complained

They wanted to keep the phone lines clear so that they could get word from the hospital. It had been hours since they had taken Bobby to surgery. Lt. Johnson, Doc, Carlos, and Kim had all stayed at the hospital. The rest of the Squad returned to the house to bring the medic units back and the Squad.

"Let's go back down there." Walsh said as he set his cup of coffee down, "We're out of service anyway."

"Yeah, let's go." Jimmy said

Lombardo, DK, Walsh, Jimmy, and Taylor all walked to the Squad. At first no one went to the passenger's seat.

"I'm not a taxi driver." Walsh said trying to get everyone to laugh

Taylor shut the door to the Squad and climbed in the front seat. "Wow everything looks so close up here." She said

They arrived at the hospital and went up to the waiting area. Davis and Sully were there with Bobby's mom and Gina Fuentes. They came in and sat down. Carlos had gone outside to get some air. The doctor walked out and asked to speak to Bobby's family.

"His mother went downstairs to the Chapel." Lt. Johnson said

"Okay, I'll send a nurse down for her." He said as he looked around the room at everyone.

"I'm going to go get Carlos." Doc said

Lt. Johnson nodded.

After about 10 minutes everyone had assembled in the hallway. The doctor returned.

"I'm sorry." He said

It seemed like the words resounded in Walsh's head. He brushed his hand down his face. It was shocking to them even though they had all seen the wounds, the blood. He walked back to the waiting room and sat down, putting his head in his hands. As he could hear crying and calling out for Bobby. Walsh just looked to the floor.

The church had family, and friends, the Squad, Bosco, Faith, Sully, and Davis. They sat there and listened to the service. Walsh's eyes were fixed on the flag draped casket. It came time for the end of the service and the Squad stood up and approached the casket. They had lined up 4 on each side, carefully they lifted it and silently walked back the aisle of the church and out to the waiting hearse.

They made their way to the cemetery and to the gravesite that was to be Bobby's final resting place. They went through the internment ceremony and slowly everyone drifted away from the graveside.

They went back to the house silently. Walsh backed the Squad into the bay.

"I think we need to go out in memory of Bobby." Lombardo said

It was the middle of the afternoon and they had all been given a few days off.

"I'm with you." DK said

Everyone agreed and they all went to get a few drinks. They sat at the bar in their dress shirts. Carlos was the brave one.

"A toast." He said as he raised his bottle

Everyone else stopped and raised their bottles as well.

"To Bobby Caffey, a good guy, whose life was cut short by being a good guy. May he rest in peace!"

"Here here!" Was the resounding response as everyone took a drink.

Walsh leaned back against the bar.

"You know, I hope I live to a ripe old age and die of natural causes." He said

Taylor looked at him, "Yeah, I don't want my family to have to go through that whole ordeal you know. Come in and clean out my locker, the flag… I don't want any of it."

"Make you a deal, you don't die on duty and we won't have to do that." Walsh smiled

"I'll agree but only if you do too." Taylor laughed

"Agreed." He said

The jukebox must have known why they were there because in its random shuffle a song came on that struck the right key.

Too alarming now to talk about

Take your pictures down

and shake it out

Truth or consequence, say it aloud

Use that evidence race it around

There goes my hero

Watch him as he goes

There goes my hero

He's ordinary

Walsh just smiled.

"Rest in peace Bobby." He said as he stood up, paid for his drinks, and then walked out the door.