High school graduation was nearing, it was only two months away; Javier didn't know what he was going to do after graduation, but Kevin on the other hand, had already made his mind up on what he was going to do once he graduated. Javier could remember that conversation clearly.

"So what you gonna do once you graduate Kev?" asked Javier who was intrigued what Kevin would say because for the past five days Kevin had been going to the school library to the careers section, a lot.

"Well, I've decided I'm going to take the cop test"

"OK… wait your gonna be a cop!"

"Jeez Javi don't need to sound so surprised!"

Javier was shocked, he wanted Kevin to do what he wanted but joining the police force could be dangerous. He heard of cops being injured and even killed while on duty, he didn't want to see Kevin get hurt, but by the look on Kevin's face he could tell his friend had thought Javier was implying that he couldn't do it.

"Look Kev, it's not that I don't think you could be a cop, it's just… well you've seen the news reports about cops getting killed, I just don't want you being one of them".

Kevin smiled at him, "Javi, it doesn't matter whether people are cops or not, everyone takes risks every day. Tomorrow I could be hit by a bus, you could fall off a ladder, sure being a cop may add more risks, but at the end of the day different jobs have different risks".

"Wow Kev, when did you get so clever?" mocked Javier,

"Hahaha very funny Javi" smirked Kevin.

The next two months flew by; Kevin had passed his test and was on to start at the academy in September. Javier still had no idea what he would do. He decided until he completely made up his mind that he would take odd jobs, like working at the local store or bar.

The summer went by really fast, faster than any other summer which was a huge disappointment for Javier and Kevin, who had no idea when they would see each other with Kevin busy training to be a cop. They only knew weekends would be when they defiantly would see each other. Fortunately Javier's boss at the store allowed him to take weekends off because he sympathised with Javier as his son was a NYPD Detective. When Kevin talked about his training his eyes would light up with excitement, Javier was glad to see this again because after Liam's death Javier wasn't sure whether he would see Kevin's eyes light up like that again and that had been three years ago. A year after their graduation Javier was working at the store and his phone beeped showing he had a text. He looked to see it was from Kevin, it read:

Hey Javi, have now finished training at the academy graduation is next Friday, do you wanna come? It's ok if you can't or don't want to, see you at the weekend Kev

Javier didn't understand why Kevin thought he wouldn't want to come to his graduation. He asked his boss if he could take next Friday off.

"Of course you can Javier, it's your friends graduation and you can still have the whole weekend off, because believe me when cops do their tours around the city they have different shifts so you'll probably end up seeing your friend less and less I'm afraid"

Javier nodded his thanks, but what his boss said slightly upset him, it was bad enough only meeting up with Kevin on weekends but if he saw him less it was going to be very strange, this October it would mean they had known each other nine years and they had become really good friends quickly. Javier got his phone and text back to Kevin:

Hey Kev, course I wanna come! Don't know what you were thinking why I wouldn't wanna come, just checked with my boss he says I can have Friday off and the weekend as normal, see you later Javi

########

Javier was sat with Kevin's mom and sisters. They were watching the cadets marching to their seats. "Look mom there he is!" pointed out Alison, Fiona whipped out her camera and started taking pictures. Javier smiled when he saw Kevin's big grin, they watched the cadets be sworn in and then they threw their gloves into the air. Javier and Kevin's family went outside and waited for Kevin to join them, two minutes later Kevin met them. Fiona went over to him and smoothed his uniform.

"Mom!"

"I have to have you looking your best, Officer Ryan" said Fiona, Kevin beamed at Fiona when she said his rank. Javier took the camera from Fiona and took a picture of Kevin surrounded by his mom and sisters. Fiona then stepped towards him and took the camera off him and said "come on Javier I need a photo of you two now"

Javier smiled at Kevin; they stood next to each other with one of their arms resting on their friends shoulders. Fiona and Kevin's sisters headed back home when Javier and Kevin wandered through the streets. Javier found it odd looking at Kevin in his uniform, Javier didn't realise he had sighed, but Kevin had.

"Look Javi I know it's gonna be strange and we're not gonna see much of each other now, but trust me we'll make sure we meet up and even though I'm moving out of Chapel Street soon, I'm only going living on Gold Street and it's not that far away"

Javier could only nod, he also found Kevin moving from Chapel Street odd as well, but he had to live with it as it was gonna happen sooner or later. He was just thankful Kevin was moving to Gold Street which wasn't that far away. They reached the end of Chapel Street and Kevin waved to Javier as he turned to walk home, Javier waved back and remembered his first day at school in Downtown Brooklyn and Kevin had waved at him then to, as Javier walked home he smiled at the memories, when he got to his bedroom he looked at the photo of him and Kevin when they were 10, in the photo frame Kevin had got him from London and next to the frame was the baseball cap Kevin had got him as well, Javier put the cap on his head and plugged in his headphones. He didn't notice his mother watching him through the crack in the door. She knew it was going to be harder for the boys, but she knew that one day somehow they were going to see a lot of each other again, she just knew it and she also prayed for it because she knew Kevin was like the brother Javier never had and she hoped with all her heart that they wouldn't go their separate ways.