Maurice Boscorelli was uneasily shifting his weight, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. He couldn't wait for the doctors to send him home, but since they had to repair several blood vessels during surgery, they wanted to keep him a few days longer.

"Just a precaution," Dr Goldstein had said earlier that day.

Bosco sighed once again. He had got used to the hospital sounds that went on all day and continued through the night, only a little more quiet than at daylight. But the bandage around his neck and the pain certain movements were still causing made it hard for him to get rest.

A knock on the door startled him, making him cuss his neck injury once again. Bosco slowly turned around again to see who the visitor was. Surprised, he sat up when he recognised the familiar face of his superior, Lieutenant Swersky. Bosco signed him to come in.

"Hey boss," he greeted him, the voice he used still not sounding like his again yet.

"Boscorelli," Swersky returned.

"How are you doing?" he wanted to know, trying to erase the last image he had in mind of his officer. It was good to see him alive and obviously better.

"I'd be better once they let me out of here," Boscorelli replied and managed a smile.

"You wanted to see me, Boscorelli?" Swersky asked, still wondering why he had requested him to come here.

"I wanted to thank you for saving my life," Bosco said. "Faith told me what you did."

That was a lie. Faith had never told him anything about what had happened in the station house after he had got shot. Bosco had witnessed it himself when he had been out of his body. But he would never let anybody know that, not if he didn't want to spend some time in the nut house.

Swersky waved it off.

"You would've done the same for me."

For a moment, there was an awkward silence between them until Bosco spoke again.

"Faith also told me you wanted to quit…"

Swersky hung his head, avoiding Bosco's eyes. It was impossible to keep something a secret at the precinct. Somehow he guessed that Captain Stick wasn't all innocent to this. He probably let slip out a word or two about the resignation.

"I can't do this anymore, Bosco," Swersky justified his decision rather unconvincingly. "I had never made a mistake like this," he added referring to the shooting.

Bosco tried to sit more comfortable. He knew he had to talk Swersky out of this. If the Lieutenant quit, Sergeant Christopher would probably take over and that would be Bosco's last day at the 55th precinct. Christopher hated his guts, despite Maurice's efforts to come clear with him.

"Boss, you can't go. It wasn't your fault! What are you, a damn mind reader? There was no way you could've known that man had a gun and wanted to use it too."

Somewhere deep inside his heart, Swersky knew Bosco was right. He couldn't have known. He had made a judgement call. It had been a bad one. Things like that happened. Inside of him, he felt a flower blossom. And it grew with every second he sat there next to Maurice Boscorelli, the one officer that he could kill most of the time but never did.

"You are the only one beside Faith who can handle me," Bosco tried to smile, but didn't when it made his neck hurt again.

"God knows why I do keep up with you…," Swersky sighed and slightly shook his head.

"Please, boss…don't let Christopher let take your place!" It was meant as a joke, but it sounded rather desperate.

"He's a jerk, isn't he?" Swersky smiled when Bosco rolled his eyes.

"Why do you keep up with me anyway?" Bosco was all serious again. He could never figure out the "why". After all the crap Bosco had done in the last few years, it was a wonder he still wore his badge. Swersky had protected him more than once. And Bosco never knew why.

"This stays in this room!" the Lieutenant warned him with pointing hid index finger at him.

Boscorelli nodded. This was a special moment, and he was extremely grateful for this.

"You remind me of me when I was your age."


Gently, Kim Zambrano tucked her son into bed. He had been home for a couple of days now and his condition had improved quickly. Now he was a healthy little boy again. They had made more tests at Angel of Mercy Hospital, but no results were in yet. So all Jimmy and Kim could do was wait. And be glad that Joey was well again.

"You scared us good, this time," Kim whispered and softly caressed Joey's cheek.

"Are you still mad at me?" Joey wanted to know, looking at his mother with his big innocent eyes.

Kim laid down next to him and pulled him close.

"No, we're not mad at you, baby! Why should we?"

"Because I got sick…"

Kim drew Joey even closer.

"No, baby, that wasn't your fault. It just happens that people get sick, that's nobody's fault…"

She kissed his forehead and cradled him until he fell asleep in her arms. She watched her son a little while and tried to get rid of the emotions that had been piled up inside of her during the time at the hospital. Again, she kissed his forehead, tucked him in one more time and quietly pulled the door shut behind her.

"He asleep?" Jimmy wanted to know. He had been waiting outside Joey's room the whole time. Bringing Joey to bed was his ex-wife's ritual and he would have felt like an intruder had he been inside there with her. He stood behind Kim, breathing in the smell of her long blond hair.

"Uh-hu," Kim returned, leaning against her ex-husband.

Jimmy softly kissed her neck sending shivers down her spine. Kim felt electrolysed by the touch of his uncasted hand and his lips, just like she always had when they were still married. And even after their divorce, they always seemed to end up together again. Slowly, Jimmy turned her around so she would face him. He leant closer and let his lips found hers merging into a long and intimate kiss.