Concrete Angel Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I'm borrowing the TW crew for my own amusement. The title and song lyrics are from Martina McBride's song Concrete Angel.
Author's Note: I'm really bad with following the show's timeline and such so I can't tell you exactly when this takes place. Just assume now I guess. Sorry if it confuses anyone.
Feedback: Please? Let me know if it's worth continuing.
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He stepped out of his apartment and into the empty hallway. He was running late for work as usual. Glancing across the hall to the apartment door he sighed. The little girl who lived there would stop by whenever she could and say hi or give him goodies she baked. Not that he would ever tell anyone, but she grew on him and he felt this need to protect the child. The feeling of worry wouldn't go away and he knew why. She said hi everyday, except the last two.
"What the hell," he muttered as he knocked on the door.
"Whadda ya want?" a gruff voice called.
"I got it Daddy. Go watch TV." The door slowly opened. "Mr. Bosco? Hi."
"Hi? Shouldn't you be in school?" He smiled though at the young girl.
"I got beat up a couple of days ago at school. Been staying in."
"You shouldn't be fighting," he said. "Get any good shots in?"
"Nope. Bigger than me."
"Megan, get in here!"
"Gotta go. Can I stop by tomorrow? You get cable and I really wanna watch some Nickelodeon. I won't be any trouble," she pleaded.
"If your dad says its ok. It's not normal for a kid like you to hang around an older guy like me."
"You're a cop. I'm safe," she said. "Besides, you're the brother I don't have. Oh yeah and I'm 8! Not a little kid."
"Got it. I'll see you later Meg."
Maurice Boscorelli walked away and out of the building. Something didn't settle right with him. He knew the look in her eye when she said she got beat up at school. A hint of fear. Like she was lying. She was always trying to hang around him. She always said it was because he was like her brother. Bosco wondered if it wasn't because he was a cop and she felt safe and protected with him.
Before he knew it he was at work. Rushing into the locker room, he received his usual snickers and comments from his colleagues. He gave a nod of acknowledgement to his partner but continued getting ready. It wasn't until they were in their squad did he talk to his partner.
"What's got you so quiet?" Faith Yokas asked.
"Probably nothing. Yeah. It's nothing." It better be nothing, he thought.
"What's the nothing?"
"Nothing."
"Fine." Faith continued to drive. "So, about this nothing. It's got you upset, then?"
"Faith! Drop it. K?"
"Gotcha." She began to open her mouth.
"Don't."
He watched her scrunch her face up. He loved that look. It was a mix of annoyance and concern. He could always manage to get her to do that. For a moment his mind let him forget about Meg. Bosco couldn't keep his eyes of off Faith. She was beautiful. A grin appeared on his face as he thought of just how much he loved her.
"Get that grin off your face." She turned to him for a second.
"Can't."
"Don't look at me like that then. Someone is gonna find out."
Fine let them, he wanted to say. He didn't care if people found out. They were in love. He had been in love with her longer than she was with him. It had taken a nasty break up with her husband for her to realize what was waiting for her all along. They had been hiding their relationship for a few months now.
"You still thinking of taking that Sergeant's test?" he asked out of the blue.
"Do you still want ESU?"
"Don't know what I want anymore. I just want more than sitting in this car writing up citations and hooker patrol. Maybe I should have gone with the FBI after the Rangers." He didn't look at her. His eyes remained on the floor.
"FBI?"
"Never told ya, did I?"
"No."
"Thought I did."
"You didn't"
"Sorry."
"Spill," she said.
"I guess my records were something the FBI liked. I dunno. One day an agent came to me and asked if I ever thought of a career in the FBI. Told the suit no. Me, in a suit all day. Yeah right. He said I had potential or some crap like that. Instead, I went to the Academy," he finished.
"I don't think I can picture you in a suit and tie all day either. Pretty impressive though. FBI wanted you." She stopped at a light. "I don't think you'd be content doing anything but this or ESU. You need the excitement and adventure."
"You coming over tonight?"
"Yeah, Fred's got the kids. You gonna brush me off like earlier in the locker room?"
"Never." He frowned a bit. "Sorry about that. I just had something on my mind."
"That nothing?"
"Yeah, that nothing."
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It was early that next day when they woke up. Bosco smiled at Faith in bed next to him. He was so lucky he had her. She made him be the man he always wanted to be. He loved her with all he had. Loving her, in a way, allowed him to open up to little Meg. Meg. That creeping feeling wouldn't go away.
"Someone's knocking," Faith said breaking him out of his thoughts.
"Who could it be this early. Oh, Meg." He jumped up putting pants and a top on.
"Meg?"
"You know, little girl across the hall. Promised I'd let her watch some cable TV. Better get dressed. We don't want to taint the mind of a minor," he joked as he walked to the door. Opening it he found the little girl in the same dress she had on yesterday. "Come on in."
"I'm going to school today. Just wanted to say I wouldn't be by."
"Oh, ok. Come in real quick though. I got you a surprise." He moved out of the way for her. "Last time you said how much you loved those doughnuts were that I had."
"Krispy Kremes?"
"Yeah, well, I got you your own box yesterday. Thought you'd like them while you watched your shows. Why don't you take one for lunch and take the rest home." Bosco led her to the kitchen and sat down at the table.
"Can I have one now?" Meg asked timidly.
"Of course. They are for you." He opened the box and got up. "Want some milk?"
"Yep. Thank you."
"Not a problem. You bring me enough of your chocolate chip cookies," he replied. He noticed Faith coming out into the room. "Hey, Meg. I want to meet my friend Faith."
"Oh, hi," she mumbled as she chewed on her doughnut. "Sorry." She swallowed.
"It's ok. My kids talk with their mouths full all the time." Faith sat down next to Meg. "You got a nice shiner there."
"Fight at school."
"I see."
"Hey, Meg. I don't want to sound rude, but did you run out of clean clothes?" Bosco asked instantly regretting asking.
"Dad's been sick lately so he hasn't done much laundry. I don't know how or else I'd do it." She pulled her lunch bag onto the table. "Can I take two?"
"Take three, take four. It's your teeth."
"Two's fine."
Bosco looked into her bag to find half a peanut butter sandwich and some crackers. He didn't know much about raising kids, but he knew you didn't send them to school with just that. She glanced up at him and he noticed just how tired she looked.
"Wanna ride?"
"School's only a few blocks. I gotta go," she rushed. "Thanks again. Can I leave the rest here?"
"Yeah." Bosco got up and walked Meg to the door. "See ya later."
"Bye Mr. Bosco. Bye Faith."
"Bye Meg."
~"She walks to school with the lunch she packed
Nobody knows what she's holdin' back
wearin' the same dress she wore yesterday
She hides the bruises with linen and lace"~
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Meg walked slowly to school. Her whole body still ached. No one knew. They couldn't know and if they did they didn't care. Daddy's always careful not to make a lot of noise, she thought angrily. She was good at making up cover stories and hiding her hurt and pain. Mr. Bosco seemed to be nice enough. Maybe one day she could tell him her secret.
"Megan, it's good to see you're back." Her teacher walked over to her and pattered her on the back.
"Thanks," she said cheerfully. The pat on her back caused her pain due the whipping she had received.
"You look like you are healing fast from that little fall you took down the stairs at home."
"Yeah, fall." She looked down at her lunch bag and stole a bite from the doughnut Mr. Bosco got her.
~"The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask
Bearing the burden of a secret storm
Sometimes she wishes she was never born"~