This is a flashback chapter, dealing with Billy's partner's death. The chapter after this will probably continue from this one. I don't want to confuse people with too much jumping around. Sorry the update took so long, maybe more reviews would help….hint hint Thanks and enjoy hopefully.

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A drone sounded over the quiet panic of the surgeons, nurses, and staff…the drone of the heart monitor revealed the release that this world had on him. The alarm of the doctors as they attempted to revive him…all in vain. She pressed her hand to the glass in a final attempt to reach him, watching it all happen without any real hope. She was numb.

The wait was over. A comforting hand, a look of sympathy, and words of sorrow…and all that's left is the memory. He was gone.

The severe lighting of the hospital submerged the surroundings in cool starkness. Green walls met white tiles, sterile and cold and so inhuman. How could a place whose function is to heal, feel so…cruel.

She laid her head against the cool glass, a temporary relief against her hot skin. Squeezing her eyes shut, she attempted to keep the images in her mind out (…shut the door, lock it tight…). It only sharpened them, intensifying the experience, flashing over, and over again.

None of this was real. She would wake up from this unholy nightmare…go to work and see him standing there with his smile and his laughing blue eyes.

But then the pain was building inside along with a very deep and very real sorrow.

He was gone.

And she was…alone.

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Bosco, Faith, Sully, Davis, Cruz, Lieu and several officers crowded the waiting room outside the OR. Kim and Carlos were talking quietly at the desk nearby. Billy could be seen down the hall, staring through the glass to where Layne was. The doctor came out, covered in blood, his face trying to conceal the sadness that lingered beneath. They all stood up, but couldn't move. Lieu moved over to where the doctor was talking to Billy. He didn't need to hear the words.

"I'm very sorry…"The doctor gave a look to Lieu, who nodded in understanding. This was hard on everyone; a New York City police officer had just died.

She leaned her head against the glass. Lieu placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze and trying to think of what to say.

Billy suddenly felt trapped, stuck here in this hell hole. Her chest felt tight. She needed to get out, to breathe. She turned toward the exits, pushing past her friends and their stares of pity, of sadness. To the cool air outside, a light rain pouring down.

She didn't look back, just kept walking, her hands pulled at her hair, eyes shut, jaw clenched. It was too much. She suddenly felt sick, nauseated and bent over against a brick wall, dry hacking when nothing came out. "Oh God.." she gasped. The rain still came down, soaking her cloths, her hair, her skin, and she still felt so dirty, so tainted, so covered in his blood.

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Kim watched Billy leave the hospital. She swallowed, closing her eyes for a second. God knows she knew how Bilecki was feeling…the hopelessness, the overwhelming sense of loss and the pain. It was like Bobby all over again.

Carlos stopped talking, noticing for the first time that Kim was not paying attention, instead staring right past him.

"Kim…Kim!" she slowly returned her gaze back to him.

"Kim, you alright?" his eyes were full of concern and worry.

She smiled a little. Carlos really was an ok guy. "Yeah, I just…I'll be right back, ok?"

"Yeah." He nodded. As she turned to go, he touched her arm, "Kim…"

"Yeah?"

He looked at the paperwork in front of him, not looking up. "We did what we could, right? I mean…all we could?"

She looked at him a second, not knowing quite how to respond. "He was pretty bad, Carlos…you know how much blood he lost by the time we got there."She sighed, and put her hand on his shoulder. "We did all we could, I don't doubt that. You're a good paramedic, and…I think we did everything in our power to save him. Sometimes…sometimes it's just not enough." She swallowed back as the memories of Bobby flooded her mind.

He nodded and looked back up. "It's fucked up. He was a good guy…good cop." He paused not knowing what else to say. "I'll get started on the run sheets. You do whatever it is you were gonna do."

She attempted a smile, "Thanks, Carlos." She turned and took off down the hall, toward the exits. Carlos let out the air in his lungs, and slumped back over the nurses' counter he was standing by…what a shitty day…

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Bosco stood frozen in place. So, Layne was dead. That was it, he was gone. He looked at his partner, who was already staring at him. An understanding was between them, clarified as blue eyes met green. He swallowed, what if he lost Faith? What would he do?

Lieu broke his thoughts. "Bosco, Yokas…you wanna take 5-5 Eddie back to the station?"

Faith answered, "No problem, boss." She saw how tired Lieu looked. Hell, they probably all looked tired, it had been a shitty day. She could see Bosco out of the corner of her eye, staring at the ER exit. She was just glad to have him here, breathing.

"C'mon Boz, you take David. I'll meet you at the station." She lightly tugged on his sleeve, bringing him back to the present. They fell into step beside each other, heading out the doors.

Faith checked her watch, wondering what time it could possibly be. Three in morning. The rain was still coming down, not a downpour, but a steady flow. She expected to hear a complaint from Bosco about the crappy weather, but he simply stepped out from the hospital's shelter, and into the rain. She stayed beside him, heading in the general direction of 5-5 David.

5-5 Eddie was parked onto the curb, where Billy had haphazardly left it. When Faith realized this, she turned around to head back to it.

"Faith…" she almost missed it, the rain dampening the already quiet call of her name. She looked at him, his dark eyes burned through her. She felt emotion well up within her, the love and affection she felt for her partner of nearly ten years becoming more evident to her than it ever had.

"I…I uh.." the words that would seem so right just wouldn't come out.

Faith cut him off after a few seconds with a small smile. "I know, Boz…me too". The understanding between the two did not need to be communicated aloud; an understanding of their partnership, of love, and trust, and sacrifice. The strength of their bond had only intensified over the years

He nodded, not looking away from her. "Ok…so, see you back at the station?" It wasn't really a question.

"You will." She confirmed it with a nod. She stood, looking at him for a second before heading toward the other RMP.

Bosco sighed as he climbed into 5-5 David. Layne's death hadn't really hit him yet and he pushed it farther back in his mind. As he turned the ignition and put the car into gear, Bosco forced his thoughts to what he would do that night. The rain had made him feel so…alive. To be alive and breathing…after seeing what had happened to Layne. He realized how glad he was to be living, to wake up tomorrow and work with Faith doing a job he loved.

He pulled the car into the precinct and killed the engine. Knowing he wouldn't get much sleep that night, he wished for nothing more than to share a beer with his partner.

5-5 Eddie was already parked nearby, so Faith was probably already in the locker room. He entered the station, making the familiar way to the lockers. He pushed through the door, Faith was pulling on a jacket, already dressed and ready to go.

"I could really use a beer Faith."

He opened his locker and started to change as Faith sat down on the bench beside him.

"A beer, a couch, and a movie sound great right now. My place or yours?"

"Whatever's easier for you." He paused and then looked at her. "Fred might be worried. If you need to head home, Faith, don't worry about hanging out with me." He didn't want to piss Fred off, but secretly hoped it would be alright. Going home to a dark apartment alone didn't sound like fun at the moment.

"Don't worry about it. I called him a couple hours ago. Besides, he's gotta work early, and the kids have got school. I don't want to wake them up…its what, nearly four in the morning? I don't even feel like sleeping now….you got some beer at your place?"

He smirked, "What do you think?" He closed his locker and grabbed his bag. "PBR and Animal Planet?"

She laughed and followed him out of the locker room. "Bosco, if you seriously think I'm gonna sit and watch Animal Planet with you, which by the way, consists of a one way yelling match between you and the Tv, you're outta your mind. You get way too involved in those shows…"

They walked through the parking lot, and she went to the passenger side of his Mustang, waiting for him to unlock it. She rolled her eyes as Bosco unlocked his side, sat down, closed the door, and then unlocked her door for her. He always waited until he was settled in his seat before unlocking the other door…that always annoyed her.

He started the engine and they headed to his apartment. Bosco glanced at her, "Fine, no Animal Planet? We'll watch Die Hard, I need some mindless action."

"Whatever makes you happy, cowboy." She laughed and leaned back in her seat, happy to enjoy his company and try to forget most of the day.

"Yippie kay yay mother fucker!" he grinned and revved the engine.

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Ok, so tell me what you think! I think the next chapter with start out with a scene with Kim and Billy, probably more Bosco and Faith, I'd also like to get more Carlos in here (I think he's a greatly under used character). Really trying to avoid a Mary Sue story, and hopefully you guys don't hate Billy. R and R if you can