Disclaimer: Don't own the original characters, but Dr. Poole and Jeremy are MINE!
Collision Course, Chapter 13
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Sully watched Rose Boscorelli like a hawk as they approached the emergency room doors at Mercy. She had been extremely quiet during the ride over and she was still visibly pale. He was glad that Faith had gone with him. He wasn't sure he could have handled her by himself.
When they entered the door, they noted several members of the 55 standing and staring at one of the trauma rooms. As they advanced, Faith looked past them to see a team of doctors and nurses working on Bosco. Her heart leapt to her throat when she saw one of the team doing chest compressions. Rose must have seen it as well, because she let out a small gasp and collapsed. Fortunately Sully was close enough behind her to break her fall.
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After clamping the aorta, Dr. Poole ordered another dose of Epinephrine. Jeremy continued chest compressions as everyone else watched the monitor. The heart rate began to slowly increase. When it reached 110, Dr. Poole asked Jeremy again to hold the compressions. He hesitantly placed two fingers to Bosco's neck while sending up a short prayer. "Bingo!" he shouted. "We've got a pulse! Somebody get me a blood pressure."
Dana was already in motion. After a moment she reported "85/35, Sir."
"Hang some Dopamine and let's move, people. Tell the OR we're on our way."
Dana quickly started the infusion of Dopamine to try to get Bosco's blood pressure up to a more normal level. She had barely gotten it started, when Dr. Poole grabbed the foot of Bosco's bed and jerked it out the door towards the OR. It was all that the others could do to keep up with him."
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Faith watched anxiously as Bosco was wheeled past them towards the elevator. She was alarmed to see how ashen he was. And she felt sick when she saw the surgical instruments protruding from the gaping hole in the side of his chest. Blood dripped from the gurney onto the floor as they passed.
She tore her eyes from the site and turned back to Sully and Rose. Rose was still lying on the floor with her head resting in Sully's lap. She was beginning to stir. Faith was touched by the site of Sully smoothing Rose's hair back and talking to her in a soft voice.
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As Rose felt her world coming back to her, she was a bit confused. She struggled to open her eyes. When she did, she found herself looking into the deep brown eyes of a rather large man. He was going on about how everything would be all right. What on earth was he talking about? She wondered. And what was she doing on the floor? She sat up abruptly when she remembered where she was.
"Maurice!" she shouted, as she struggled to her feet. When she saw that the trauma room was empty, she feared the worst. But then she heard Faith telling her that it was ok. He'd been taken to surgery. She swayed on her feet and the rather large man took her by the arm and placed his other hand behind her back to steady her. She finally recognized him as the officer who had come with Faith to get her. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.
"That's ok, Mrs. Boscorelli," Sully replied as he helped her over to a chair.
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Faith stared at the clock on the waiting room wall once again. It had been forty minutes since Bosco had been taken into surgery, but it seemed like an eternity. Lt. Swersky had stopped by, but had left again to go update the chief. Ty was waiting downstairs for Sasha to be moved to a room for observation overnight. The medics had all been called out again, but Kim and Carlos had said they'd stop back by as soon as they got a break.
Faith looked over at Rose who was sitting by her side. She noticed Rose's left leg bobbing up and down and smiled slightly. Now she knew where Bosco had gotten that annoying nervous habit. She looked up again to see Sully approaching with a cup of coffee in hand.
"Here you go, Mrs. Boscorelli. Is there anything else that I can get you?" Sully questioned softly.
Faith was amazed at the way Sully hovered around Rose. It was almost as if someone had given him charge over her.
"No. Thank you, Officer Sullivan." Rose replied, taking the cup and looking back towards her feet.
"Is there anyone you need us to contact?" Sully inquired.
Rose hesitated as though deep in thought. Then she looked up at Sully with a frown. "I guess we should let Maurice's father know what's going on." "And Mikey." She added.
Sully remained silent. He was remembering what Bosco had said about his father while he was delirious in the car. He sighed and addressed Rose. "I guess I could do that. Do you know where I can find them?"
"Well, Anthony works for a cab company over on Tenth Street. I don't know where Mikey's staying now. I haven't heard from him in a few weeks." Rose admitted.
"I'll see what I can do." Sully assured her and turned to leave.
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Maritza Cruz had spent the last 40 minutes pacing the room. 'I'll go crazy just waiting here.' She turned and almost collided with Sully.
"Sorry, Sarg." Sully apologized.
"Don't worry about it" Maritza replied. "Where are you going?"
"To try to find Bosco's dad and brother." Sully answered.
"Like they'll care." Maritza mumbled. Then she spoke more clearly. "Do you know where to find them?"
"I have an idea about dear ole Dad, but not Mikey." Sully replied.
"Well, why don't you find Dad and I'll find Mikey." Cruz suggested. "I'm sure I can find some other junky willing to give him up." Cruz continued. 'And it beats sitting here trying to avoid Yokas' stare.' She added to herself.
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Maritza Cruz stopped the car when she saw Joey Pallini standing on the sidewalk. As she walked over toward him, he moaned and started to walk away. "Stop right there, Joey!" Cruz commanded.
"Oh, come on, Sergeant Cruz. I ain't doing nothin." Joey complained.
"Sure you ain't, Joey." Cruz answered. "And if you are, I don't care. I'm looking for Mikey Boscorelli."
Joey shook his head sideways. "You know I don't give up my friends, Sergeant."
"I don't want to arrest him, Joey." Cruz replied.
Joey gave her a quizzical look.
"Look" Cruz began. "His brother was injured today. I just want to take him over to Mercy. His mother's asking for him." Cruz hoped that Joey had at least one decent bone in his body.
"Officer Boscorelli?" Joey questioned.
"Yeah." Cruz confirmed.
"What happened?" Joey quizzed.
"He was injured in a collision over at Huntington Park." 'Not that it's any of your business.' Cruz thought.
"That was Officer Boscorelli?" Joey asked in amazement. "I didn't think he had that in him." Joey continued. Apparently news of the heroic action had already been released.
"Well people can sometimes surprise you, Joey." Cruz replied with a hint of sarcasm.
"Yeah, I guess so." Joey still looked baffled. "Look, Mikey was staying over on Seventh last I heard. I hope you find him. Can I go now?" Joey questioned.
"Sure." Cruz shook her head. "Oh, and thanks, Joey." She added.
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Sully looked at his watch again. The cab company had radioed Anthony Boscorelli twice in the last 30 minutes asking him to return to the house. They had even told him the last time that it was a family emergency.
Finally a car turned into the parking lot. Sully noticed a dark haired man get out. He was built a lot like Bosco, but was a little larger. He had small dark eyes that looked almost like marbles and his hair curled slightly at the ends.
"You call for me?" He questioned Sully gruffly.
"Are you Anthony Boscorelli?" Sully was not in the mood for this.
"Yeah," the man replied. "What's this about a family emergency? Something happen to Mikey?"
"No." Sully responded. "It's Maurice."
A frown passed over Anthony's face. "Why are you contacting me? Call his mother."
Sully was getting irritated very quickly. "She thought you'd like to know that your son is in surgery fighting for his life!" Sully half shouted.
Anthony hesitated for a moment and then replied. "He wouldn't want me there." He turned and headed back to his car. He paused and turned back toward Sully. "Is that all, Officer?"
"That's all." Sully grumbled in disbelief. He was astonished at the other man's reaction or the lack thereof. 'How could anyone not care that their own child might be dying?'
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Maritza Cruz walked into an old run down hotel on Seventh Street. She had questioned several other users in the neighborhood about Mikey's exact location. She approached room 12 and banged on the door. She heard giggling from the other side of the door and then a slurred "Hold on." She heard the chain being unhooked. The door opened to reveal an obviously high Mikey Boscorelli. He was dressed in ragged jeans and dingy socks. He had no shirt or shoes on. And his hair was disheveled.
"Do I know you?" He questioned Maritza, and then laughed.
"No, but you're about too." Maritza seethed. She yanked Mikey out into the hall by his arm and cuffed him.
"WHOA!!! Little Momma." Mikey began. "Why you being so rough?"
"Shut up!" Cruz shouted and dragged him towards her car.
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Cruz pushed Mikey into a holding cell and turned away in disgust.
"What are the charges, Sarg?" The guard questioned.
"No charges." Maritza replied. "Just have someone call me when he comes down from his little high." She headed back to the hospital to see if there was any news about Bosco.
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Sully had arrived back at the hospital to find Rose Boscorelli and Faith in almost the same position as he'd left them. Davis had joined them once Sasha was settled in a room.
Sully had wondered what he should tell Bosco's mom, but he decided it was probably best to tell her the truth. She hadn't seemed very surprised when Sully told her that her ex-husband didn't think Maurice would want him there. "Well, at least he knows," had been her only comment.
Sully now sat in silence. His mind wandered back to the time when Ty and Bosco had kidnapped him to try to sober him up. Despite his delirium at the time, he remembered some of the awful things he'd said to Bosco, particularly those things he'd said about Bosco's father. He wished now that he could take those things back. He could only imagine what Bosco's childhood must have been like. Despite the things Sully had said, Bosco had been a good friend. And Sully could not recall ever thanking him for it. Now he wondered if he'd ever get the chance.
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Ty looked up to see Sergeant Cruz entering the surgery waiting room. He was surprised that Mikey Boscorelli wasn't with her. If anyone could find Mikey, he thought Cruz could. He approached her with a questioning look. "No luck?"
"Oh, I found him." Cruz answered.
"Where is he?" Ty asked.
"In lock-up." Maritza replied.
"You arrested him?" Davis was obviously shocked.
"No, they're just holding him until he comes down. He was high." Cruz said with disgust.
"Oh." Ty just shook his head.
"Any news?" Cruz questioned.
"No, but I'm thinking no news is good news. I mean if he's made it this long…" Ty shrugged his shoulders but didn't continue.
Cruz looked at her watch. It was after 8:00PM. Bosco had been in surgery for just over three hours. She walked over to Bosco's mother, but avoided making eye contact with Yokas.
"Did you find Mikey?" Rose Boscorelli asked hopefully.
"No, I'm sorry. But I've got some guys still looking. I'm sure we'll find him soon." She hated to lie to Bosco's mom, but she just couldn't bear to tell her the truth.
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Fred Yokas sat on the couch watching the TV. It was almost time for the late night news. He wondered what had happened to the officers in that police cruiser. He wanted to call Faith, but she was probably busy. Charlie had finally settled down and was in his room. Emily was staying overnight at a friend's house. Fred flipped the channel and stopped when he saw a news update.
He listened to the reporter. "In a news conference from Mercy hospital, police have released the names of the officers involved in a high speed collision in Huntington Park earlier this afternoon. Officer Maurice Boscorelli, the driver of the police cruiser, is currently in surgery and is said to be in critical condition. Officer Boscorelli's partner, Officer Sasha Monroe, has been hospitalized for observation but is expected to be released tomorrow. The officers apparently veered into the path of a fleeing robbery suspect's vehicle…" The remainder of the report was lost to Fred.
'Bosco?' Fred couldn't believe what he had heard. 'Bosco, his wife's arrogant, self-centered, pompous ex-partner, had saved his life and Charlie's?' But Bosco wouldn't do that. Fred was sure of it. There must be some mistake. Yet when he looked up at the TV screen again, he saw Bosco's picture displayed on the screen. 'Bosco?' 'Surely I couldn't have been that wrong about him?' Fred questioned himself. He fumbled with the telephone. He had to call Faith and find out what was going on.
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Faith jumped at the sound of her cell phone ringing. She had been lost in thought. Lieutenant Swersky had come and gone once more. Beside her Rose was wringing her hands with worry. Maritza Cruz was pacing the floor again. Sully and Ty sat across the room talking quietly.
Faith stood and took a few steps away from Rose. "Hello?" she answered softly.
"Faith? Is that you?"
"Well who else would it be, Fred?" Faith replied.
"Where are you?" Fred asked.
Faith sighed. She wasn't sure she wanted Fred to know where she was. "I'm at the hospital, Fred."
"Faith, is it true?" Fred inquired.
"Is what true?" Faith responded.
"Is it true that Bosco was driving that police car?"
Faith remained silent, unsure if she should answer Fred. "Yeah, Fred, it's true."
"I saw it on the news. They said he's critical."
Was that concern she heard in Fred's voice? Faith had assumed that he'd be angry at her for being at the hospital. Fred had practically hated Bosco since Faith had been shot.
"He's still in surgery, Fred. But, yeah, it's bad."
Fred's voice was quiet, almost mournful. "He saved our lives, Faith."
"What?" Faith questioned.
"He saved our lives, Faith. When I finally found Charlie, I looked up to see that car coming right toward us. Bosco saved our lives." Fred repeated in disbelief.
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Fred had told Faith to stay as long as she needed to and not to worry about him and the kids. Then he said he'd be praying for Bosco. Faith had been utterly amazed. Fred's loathing for Bosco had been one of the reasons that Faith had not forgiven Bos. Well, truth be told, she had forgiven him. She just hadn't let him know that. She felt that she needed to be loyal to her family for once. So she pushed Bosco away. Now, she too prayed. She prayed that she would get another chance. She looked up to see the doors to the waiting area open and a very weary appearing doctor enter.
"Boscorelli?" he inquired.
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Note: In this fic, Bosco's dad is the dad we saw in the cab in one of the earlier seasons, not the more recent grey haired man.