Third Watch Fic: Tying Up Loose Ends (3-4/?)
Title: Tying Up Loose Ends
Authors: X_tremeroswellian and NYPDBosco
Rating: Cool for fans of all ages
Summary: When he asked for her help one last time he swore he'd transfer if she wanted him to. When she found out she was paralyzed after having been shot while helping him she told him to go away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
By the time he opened his eyes the next morning it was 9:30. He rolled off the sofa, folded the blankets and stacked the pillows before quietly making his way down the hall to use the bathroom. On his return trip to the living room he'd looked in on Faith quickly, not surprised to see her still asleep. It had been a fairly late night and a rather emotional one as well.
After calling his mother to inform her that he was back in the city for an undetermined amount of time he'd spent some time staring out the window and wandering around Faith's small apartment. Two and a half hours later, Faith was still asleep and he was starting to get worried.
Making the decision to go check on her, he made his way down the hall and quietly stepped into her room. For a moment he just gazed at her from inside the doorway, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw the rise and fall of her chest. The pills she'd mixed with the alcohol had him nervous. He crept across the room and sat down on the bed. "Faith," he whispered softly, resting his hand on her arm.
She didn't stir at all, her breathing deep and even.
Frowning he shook her gently. "Faith. Faith, wake up."
She mumbled something, but didn't open her eyes.
The fact that he was having a hard time waking her up was starting to make him nervous. "Faith," he said louder, shaking her a little harder. "Faith, come on."
"What?" she mumbled.
"It's noon. Let's go grab some lunch or something."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "Not hungry."
He swallowed hard. "You're scaring me," he told her softly.
She groaned, rubbing a hand over her face.
"That's better."
She slowly rolled over in bed, looking up at the ceiling. Her eyes were bloodshot.
"How ya feeling?" He asked in a whisper.
"Tired."
"Maybe we should go for a walk or something," he suggested.
"No..." She shook her head, closing her eyes once more.
"Was it because I was here?"
"What?"
"The vodka and the pills," he whispered. "Is that why you took them? Because I was here?"
Her eyebrows furrowed and she turned to look at him. "No."
"Okay, I just...I just wanted to make sure that...well, that I wasn't causing you any problems. Anxiety and stuff."
"Not anymore than I already have," she told him.
"I just hope that my being here isn't hurting you. Cause that's the last thing I wanna do."
"I know." She rubbed her eyes.
"How long have you been taking the medication?"
"Couple years."
"What's it for? I mean, I know what it's for, but..."
"PTSD, anxiety attacks. Depression."
He closed his eyes, he knew about those things all too well.
"I'm all right," she informed him, not liking the pity she saw on his face. She sat up slowly, squinting against the bright light pouring through the window.
"I won't say I know what you're going through cause I know it's different for both of us, but...I don't remember being fine or all right. I just remember being in some serious trouble, and in need of help. So I'm just worried."
"Well, don't be. I'm dealin' okay."
"What?" A soft chuckle escaped him and a faint smile touched his lips. "I'm not allowed to worry about you?"
She smiled, but it was very faint, a mere shadow of her former self. "Nope."
"Promise me something," he whispered.
"What?"
"That if you need some kinda help you'll come to me."
She turned her head to look at him, doubt in her eyes.
"I'm through hiding, and I'm tired of running. You're always gonna know where I am and you know I'll never judge you."
"Yeah." Her voice was quiet. "You're gonna be back in Seattle."
"Maybe not," he whispered.
"Your life's there now."
"It's just a phone call away."
"Yeah." She slowly climbed out of bed.
"Faith, please. Let's not think about that right now. Let's just concentrate on the fact that I'm here now."
"How about I concentrate on not losing last night's dinner?"
His eyes widened slightly. "You not feelin' good?"
"Little too much vodka."
"Mixed with Xanax."
"I take Xanax all the time." She slowly moved into the bathroom.
"So you know you're not supposed to take it with vodka then."
Faith shrugged. "It makes it easier to sleep."
"It makes it harder for you to wake up."
"Same difference."
He gazed at her. "It -scares- me."
"It shouldn't. It's no big deal."
"Dammit, Faith! It is too!"
She didn't even flinch at the tone of his voice.
Sighing in frustration he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.
She splashed some cold water on her face.
"You work today?"
"This evening."
"So...we could spend the day together?" He asked hesitantly.
She was silent for a moment. "You don't wanna see your mom?"
"I can visit her while you're at work."
Swallowing hard, she looked up, glancing at her reflection in the mirror.
"But it's not like I'm leaving tomorrow, so there's plenty of time if you don't wanna hang out today. I know me showin' up like this was a shock."
"Yeah." Her voice was soft.
"So I'll just..." He stood up. "I'll just swing by tomorrow?"
"You don't have to--"
"Depending on when you work maybe I could take you out for dinner or something."
"Go," she finished.
"Oh," he whispered, an embarrassed grin on his face for having assumed she wanted him to leave.
She managed a tiny smile.
"Well...I'll go out in the other room, let you get dressed."
"Thanks."
He nodded his head, smiled softly and left the room. Unfortunately there was still a weight on his shoulders.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Bosco made his way into the building, nodding at a few of the officers he passed, but for the most part he tried to keep a low profile. He stopped at the front desk and cleared his throat to get the attention of the desk sergeant.
The guy looked up. "Can I help you?"
"I'm looking for Lieutenant Swersky."
"Do you have an appointment with him?"
"No, I just got into town last night and..."
"Bosco?" Davis stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide.
Turning toward the familiar voice he smiled. "Davis."
"Hey, man. How ya doing?" He quickly stuck his hand out.
Bosco reached out with his left hand to shake the other officer's. "I'm alright. It's good to see you."
"Good to see you too. How are you? Where've you been?"
He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I've been out on the west coast. Working at a precinct just outside of Seattle."
Davis stared at him for a moment, then waved his partner on.
"It's a long story," he told him softly.
"I bet."
"How’ve you been? How's Sullivan?"
"He retired last year. But I'm doin' good."
"Sullivan retired? You gotta be kidding? I thought he was a lifer."
Davis grinned. "Nah."
He smiled. "Maybe you and me could go out for a drink? Do some catching up while I'm in town."
"Yeah, I'd like that." He glanced up the steps where his boss was standing. "I'm at the same place. Give me a call."
"Absolutely. I look forward to it."
"Me too. Take it easy." Davis nodded at him, then turned and headed for the door.
Letting out a breath Bosco watched his friend for a moment before turning back to the desk to find out if he could meet with the lieutenant.
"Boscorelli."
He quickly looked up and smiled. "Lieu. Hey."
Swersky stared at him for a moment. "Come on up."
Bosco nodded his head, gave the man at the desk a look then hustled up the stairs.
Lieu led Bosco down the hall to his office. "Come on in, have a seat."
Biting his lip he moved over to the chair on the other side of the desk and sat down. He couldn't help but feel like he was in trouble even though he hadn't worked for this man in years.
Swersky smiled at him. "How've you been, Bosco?"
"Gettin' by, Lieu. Gettin' by." He said with a nod of his head. "You?"
"Gettin' older." He smiled a little wider.
He chuckled softly. "Have ya missed me?" He asked lightly.
"How could I not?" Lieu shook his head slightly. "What've you been up to?"
"Workin' for a precinct just outta Seattle." He scooted forward a little in his chair and laid his hand on the desk. "This." He nodded toward his hand. "Turned me into a desk jockey."
"What happened?"
"Short version. Car chase in the rain. Another car came outta nowhere. I slammed on the brakes and slam straight into a light pole." He held up his hand and turned it over as he looked at it. "Three reconstructive surgeries later..." He shrugged.
"Damn." Swersky shook his head. "Sorry to hear that."
"Yeah." He nodded his head. "Coulda been worse though, right?"
"Yeah. Much."
"It's not so bad though really. The department's paying for me to take some courses in crime scene investigation. Maybe I'll finally get that promotion."
"Well, if you ever wanna come back here, we'd be glad to have you."
He was quiet for a moment. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, of course."
Bosco rested his elbows on the armrests of the chair and clasped his hands together in front of him. "So...Faith left the department."
The smile slipped from the older man's face. "Yes. Yes, she did." His voice was very quiet.
"Did she leave on good terms?" He asked softly.
He sighed softly. "She turned in her resignation the day after I told her that you transferred. I didn't hear from her again until..."
"Until?"
"After her son died."
"She's livin' in a rundown apartment building, working as a waitress at some diner." He shook his head. "I thought me leaving...I thought I was helpin', Boss."
"She tried to come back here." His voice was hushed.
His eyebrows furrowed. "Whadda ya mean?"
"After her son was killed...she showed up wanting her job back."
"Really?"
He nodded slightly, his eyes sad.
"What happened? Why didn't she..."
"She was different, Bosco. She didn't come here to work again."
There was a confused look on his face. "I'm afraid I don't understand," he said softly.
Swersky sat forward a little. "She came here...lookin' to get herself killed out there. I offered her a desk job--just for a few months, until she was back with the swing of things. She was furious at the suggestion."
Bosco raked his hands through his hair. "I think she's...she's still in bad shape, Lieu. Hell, I don't blame her. My wife--my ex-wife and I lost a baby, so I kinda understand what she's going through. I mean...when it happened..." He shook his head. "I gotta help her."
He sighed very softly. "If there's anything I can do...for either of you..."
"Thanks, Lieu." He stood up, paused, then sat back down. "I'm really sorry about how I left."
"You've been missed."
"I've missed it here, but I had to go."
"I understand."
"I'm just sorry it took me so long to come back." Bosco stood up again and offered his left hand to the lieutenant. "I'm not sure how long I'll be in town, but I'll try to stop by before I take off again."
"I'd like that." Swersky stood up and shook his hand. "Take care, Bosco."
"You too, sir. It was nice to see you again."
"Likewise. Tell Faith...I said hello."
"I will." He nodded his head. "See ya later."
"Goodbye, Bosco."
He started to head out of the office then stopped and turned around. "Hey, Lieu?"
"Yes?" He looked up.
"If Faith was better...would she be welcome to come back?"
"She'd have to be a lot better, Bosco." His voice was quiet.
"I understand. Thanks."
Swersky nodded and watched as Bosco left his office.
Bosco walked out into the hall and paused. Shoving his hands into his pockets he looked around, taking in the sights and sounds of the place he used to call home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear as she quickly carried the plates of food to the table of men in the corner. She ignored their leers and the way that the one closest to her stared right at her chest. It wasn't like it was the first time. "Okay. Here's your dinner. Can I get you anything else?"
"Yeah, but I doubt it's on the menu."
She rolled her eyes. "I'll take that as a no."
Bosco stepped into the diner, the small bell above the door jingled. Hands in his pockets he looked around the small establishment.
She turned and headed away from the table, not glancing at the door. "I'll be back with your refills."
He spotted her and remained silent for a moment. "Hey, Faith," he called her name softly.
Faith glanced up, more than a little caught off guard by his voice.
"I was hungry, so..."
"Oh. Uh...well, have a seat."
"Is it okay that I'm here?" He hitched his thumb over his shoulder. "I could go somewhere else."
"No, it's...it's fine."
"Good. Cause I'm starvin'," he told her with a grin.
She managed a small smile. "Mountain Dew?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "Is over there okay?" He questioned, pointing toward an empty table.
"Yeah, that's fine."
"Okay, thanks." He smiled softly and then headed over to the table.
Taking in a deep breath, she turned and headed for the soda dispenser, filling up four new glasses of various sodas for the guys in the corner booth.
Bosco sat so he could watch Faith work. It was strange seeing her do something other than police work, and he could tell just by watching her that she wasn't happy.
She returned the drinks to the men. "Anything else menu-wise I can get you?"
"We're good for now, but we'll definitely let you know."
"Okay." She nodded, starting to turn and head back to the soda dispenser once more.
Bosco watched and listened as the four men at the table talked about Faith. He shook his head. It took everything he had not to say anything to them. He didn't need to cause Faith any trouble.
She carried a glass of Mountain Dew over to where he sat. "What sounds good?"
"You got any recommendations?"
"Find another cafe?"
"Other than that."
A smile tugged at her lips. "The burgers are greasy, but not bad...the rest..." She made a face.
"I’ll have a cheeseburger and fries. If you think that's safe," he chuckled.
"Well, it won't kill you...at least not immediately." She grinned.
"Oh, nice." He shook his head.
"Just don't make this place an eating habit. Not that you will since you live in Seattle...but you know what I mean." She smiled and jotted down his order. "I'll be right back."
"I'll be right here," he told her softly, pointing at the table.
"Okay." She nodded, then headed off to the kitchen to turn in the order.
He sighed softly, and slouched a little in the booth. Sometimes being around Faith, when they'd smile and joke felt like old times, but other times, like when she mentioned Seattle, it felt like there was still an entire country between them.
Faith returned a few moments later, glancing around the diner. When she didn't spot any new customers, she moved over and sat down across from Bosco. "It'll just be a couple minutes more."
He nodded his head. "How's it going today?"
"Slow. We haven't had many customers."
"Is this a popular place, or..."
"For this side of town, it is."
"So I was wondering...could I stay with you again tonight?"
She met his gaze. "Absolutely."
"You go, man!" one of the guys from the corner booth called out, grinning.
Bosco's eyes narrowed and he quickly turned to face the man. "Shut up."
"Oh, come on."
"Mind your own business."
"Lucky dog," one of the others said, grinning.
He rolled his eyes, and turned back to Faith. "You get this kinda shit often?"
"Every day." She rolled her eyes, as well.
"Sorry to hear that." He shook his head then leaned over the table. "Men can be such pigs," he told her with a grin.
"Tell me about it." She smirked.
"Oh, I couldn't. Cause I don't know," he chuckled.
"Riiight." She shook her head in amusement.
He grinned, sat back and took a drink of his soda. "So there anything you wanna do after work?"
She shrugged. "Sleeping is good."
"If you want. Otherwise we could go to a movie or something."
"We'll see," she said softly, glancing at the door as the bell above it jangled. "I gotta--" She motioned with one hand.
"Yeah. Of course."
She took a deep breath and stood up, forcing herself to smile at the new customers.
Bosco put his feet up on the other seat and leaned his head back. Maybe going back to Faith's and going to sleep wasn't such a bad idea. This was one tiring trip.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Faith finished wiping down the counters, glad that her shift was finally over. She was the one closing up that night and she was still a little surprised that Bosco had opted to wait there the whole time. He was still seated at his table, nursing his fifth Mountain Dew of the night. Glancing over at him, she couldn't help but smile faintly. Maybe there was some hope for their friendship after all.
"Okay, I think I've had enough for one night," he announced pushing his glass away.
"I'd hope so. I can't believe you're not bouncin' off the walls."
He chuckled. "I can handle my Mountain Dew...but I tell ya, I'll be peein' all night."
She grinned. "Just don't keep me awake."
"I'll do my best to pee quietly."
A short laugh escaped her.
With a smile on his face he picked up his glass and walked over to the counter. "Anything I can help with?"
"No, I'm just about done here."
He nodded his head and moved behind the counter where he dumped the ice from his glass into the sink.
She let out a breath as she washed his glass and put it in the dish drainer to dry. "All right. The floor's been swept, dishes are done, tables and counter are washed, toilets are clean...I think that's everything."
"Sure beats paperwork, huh?" He joked.
She made a face. "I'd run them about equally."
"I'd take paperwork over cleaning toilets any day."
"And that's sayin' something cause you -hate- paperwork." She chuckled as she slid her coat on and headed for the door.
"Paperwork is my life now," he told her with a small smile as he followed her. "I'm good at it, believe it or not."
"I believe it," she said softly. "I don't believe you love it."
"You'd be right about that." He was quiet for a moment. "There's another surgery I could have."
She glanced at him as she led him to the door, her eyes questioning.
"It's possible I could get more movement back, maybe even make a fist again. If I could do that..."
"Then you could work the beat again," she finished softly.
He nodded his head. "Yeah," he whispered.
"That'd be great," she whispered back, stepping outside into the chilly night air.
"But it's not a guarantee. I could go through all that for nothing." He shoved his hands into his pockets as he waited for her to lock the door.
She pulled the keys out and locked the cafe doors, glancing at him again. "Or it could work and be worth it," she said softly.
"It's a tough decision."
"Yeah, I'm sure it is." She caught sight of movement in the glass doors and quickly turned in time to see a man with a gun pointed at them.
"Give me your purse, bitch!"
"Whoa." Bosco put his hands up and shifted a little closer to Faith. "You don't wanna do that."
He glared at Bosco. "I want your wallet, too. Now."
"Okay. Okay, just take it easy, alright?"
"Hurry up!" He commanded, glancing around nervously.
"Just...don't shoot," Bosco said as he reached with his left hand, acting like he was going for his wallet. He glanced at Faith just as he wrapped his hand around the handle of his gun. Just because he was no longer a patrol officer and didn't have full function of his right hand didn't mean he couldn't use his left.
Her eyes wide, she swallowed hard. She slid her purse off her arm and held it out to the man, hoping to distract him from Bosco's actions.
Quickly pulling his gun, Bosco took another step over so he was in front of Faith. "Drop the gun."
The man looked at him in surprise. "What the fuck?"
"I'm a cop. Drop the gun!"
"Son of a bitch!" The man glared at him, but reluctantly put down his weapon.
Bosco quickly pushed the man toward the wall. "Get against the wall, jag-off!"
He grumbled and did as told, putting his hands up against the wall.
Faith already had her cell phone out, dialing the police.
He quickly shoved his gun back in his holster then grabbed the would-be-robber's gun. "Stupid move," he told the guy.
"Every other night, she's alone. The night I finally decide to make my move..." he mumbled in disgust.
"You've been watchin' her?"
He shut his mouth.
"You son of a bitch." Bosco grabbed hold of the man's wrist and pulled his arm up behind his back.
"Back-up's on the way," she told him, hanging up her phone and sliding it back into her purse.
"And you know somethin', asshole?" Bosco yanked on the guy's arm a little harder, causing him to cry out. "She coulda taken you without me."
"Easy, Boz," she whispered.
Hearing her soft words he pulled on the guy's arm one more time before nodding his head and relaxing a little.
She gazed at him silently as the sirens began in the distance.
"You okay, Faith?" He asked softly, his voice full of concern.
"Yeah, I'm okay," she said just as softly.
"Good." He nodded his head. "So maybe...maybe tonight we will just go home and get some sleep. I'm not in the mood for a movie anymore."
Biting her lower lip, she nodded as well, not taking her eyes off him until the squad cars pulled up, their lights flashing.
A car door opened and an officer stepped out. "What seems to be the...Sir, put the gun down."
Bosco looked over toward the officer. "I'm an off duty police officer from the state of Washington. My badge is in my back pocket."
Faith watched him glance doubtfully at his partner. "He used to work here at the 5-5. He transferred."
"My name's Maurice Boscorelli. I used to work under Lieutenant Swersky at the 5-5."
The officer glanced once more at his partner who nodded, informing him that he had him covered. Bosco remained motionless as the officer approached slowly then carefully removed Bosco's wallet from his back pocket. "He's legit," he called to his partner.
Relaxing a little, she leaned against the wall of the building as the other officers took over.
He handed over the robber's gun and gave the officers a quick statement, hardly taking his eyes off of Faith.
Feeling anxious, she pawed through her purse, unaware that Bosco was watching her. She pulled the cap off the bottle of Xanax and quickly popped the pill into her mouth, swallowing it down without water before fastening the lid back on.
"If you need anything else..." He pulled one of his business cards out of his wallet. "You can call my cell phone. Excuse me." He gave the officers a nod and walked over to Faith. "Hey," he whispered, touching her arm. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." She nodded quickly, feeling guilty--as though she'd done something wrong when she knew she hadn't.
"We should get you home before that kicks in," he whispered.
"Before what kicks in?" She didn't look at him.
"It's okay," he murmured. "I understand."
"Understand what?"
"You don't have to hide it. I saw you take the pill. I understand," he told her softly.
She swallowed hard, not answering him.
"It's okay, Faith," he whispered.
"Is it?"
"Did you need it?"
"Yes."
"Then, yes. It's okay."
Tears sparkled in her eyes when she finally looked up at him.
"No alcohol tonight though, okay?" He said quietly.
She nodded wordlessly.
"Come on," he whispered. "Let's get you home."
"Okay." Biting her lower lip, she slowly headed toward his Mustang.
Walking beside her he rested his hand on the small of her back.
She let him guide her to the passenger seat of his car, where she slid in and closed the door, laying her head against the headrest.
He went around to the other side of the vehicle and got in. Once he'd fastened his seatbelt and started the car he looked over at her. "It really is okay, Faith."
"I know," she whispered, closing her eyes.
He reached for her hand.
She hesitated a moment, then slid her fingers through his.
Bosco rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "Just relax," he told her softly.
She was silent for a moment. "Bosco?"
"Hmm?"
Faith chewed on her lower lip. "Nothing. Nevermind."
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "What is it?" He asked softly.
"I wanna go back with you."
Stopped at an intersection he turned to look at her. "To Washington?"
She nodded wordlessly, her eyes focused on the windshield.
For a moment he was quiet. "Okay," he whispered.
"You don't have to..."
"After all this time...I think it's something we both need."
She slowly turned her head to look at him, her eyes full of sadness, exhaustion.
"I got the house in the divorce," he told her softly. "There's lots of room."
"I think I just...need to get away from this place," she whispered.
"When do you wanna leave?"
"Tomorrow." There was no hesitation before she answered.
"If that's what you want then that's what we'll do," he told her softly as he squeezed her hand.
Letting out a breath, she let her eyes drift shut as he drove them back to her apartment.
He parked the car and walked around to the passenger side where he opened her door and offered her his hand.
"Thanks," she whispered, tiredly, letting him help her out of the car.
"You gonna be able to make it inside?" He questioned as he slid his arm around her waist.
"Yeah. I always manage." She forced a smile, leaning against him as he guided her toward the front of the apartment building.
"I think you'll like my place," he told her softly. "It's a nice house in a quiet neighborhood."
"Sounds like heaven," she murmured.
He chuckled softly. "Well, it was mostly just lonely before."
"Bosco, are you sure...that you want me there? I mean...that was your house with your wife," she whispered.
"Yeah, I want you there. I've missed you."
She swallowed hard as they stepped inside and she looked up the steep staircase, wishing that her apartment was on the ground floor, not for the first time.
Noticing the look on her face he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "You look like you're ready to camp out right here," he told her with a soft smile.
"I was actually thinking about going and sleeping in your car."
He chuckled softly then carefully pulled away from her and moved in front of Faith. Bending his knees slightly he looked over his shoulder. "Get on," he told her, offering her a piggy back ride.
"What?" She stared at him.
"Hop on. I'll give you a piggy back ride."
"Bosco, I'll break your back."
"Hardly. I'm a guy who's had three surgeries on his hand. When something like that happens you do a lotta squats and stuff. Put your arms around my neck."
She looked at him doubtfully.
"You can do this willingly or I'll just wait until you fall asleep down here and I'll carry you anyway."
Rolling her eyes, she hesitated a moment longer before reluctantly winding her arms around his neck.
Grinning, he reached back and slid his hands behind her knees. "One, two, three." He lifted up, picking her up off the ground. "Hang on."
"No problem." She closed her eyes, holding onto him tightly.
Very carefully Bosco ascended the stairs. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" He said as they stood outside her door.
"No. But you'll be sore in the morning."
"Sometimes that's the price you pay for being a nice guy," he told her with a smile.
Shaking her head slightly, she pulled her keys out of her coat pocket and unlocked the door. "Well...thank you."
"You're most definitely welcome."
She opened the door, flipping on the light as she stepped inside, waiting for him to follow.
"All that excitement made me tired," he told her softly as he entered the apartment.
"Me too."
"Let's get you ready for bed. We got a big day tomorrow."
"Boz?"
"Yeah, Faith?"
"If you want...you can share my bed. The couch isn't very comfortable."
"Are you...sure?"
"Yeah. As long as you're okay with it. I'll be passed out in five minutes."
"I'm okay with it. Thanks for the offer."
Nodding slightly, she headed back to her bedroom. "I'm just gonna change."
"I'm gonna change too. Let me know when you're decent," he told her as he moved over to the duffel bag he'd brought with on his trip.
"Okay." She changed into a pair of warm, flannel pajamas. "I'm decent."
"Shucks," he joked as he came into her bedroom wearing a pair of sweats and a tanktop.
She couldn't help but smile as she turned to face him.
He returned the smile as he walked over to her bed and pulled the covers back.
She crawled under the covers and moved to the far side of the bed to make room for him.
Yawning he climbed in beside her and turned onto his side so he was facing her.
Her eyes were already closed, her hand tucked under the pillow beneath her head.
Reaching out he gently pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Goodnight, Faith," he whispered.
"Night," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
"Sleep well," he told her softly as he pulled the covers up to his shoulder and watched her quietly until his own eyes drifted shut.
* * *
Part Four
Faith lay completely unconscious beside Bosco in bed though it was nearly twelve hours since she'd taken her last anti-anxiety pill. Combined with her lack of desire to get out of bed, she probably could have stayed there all day without moving. Except someone was shaking her.
"Faith. Faith, wake up," he urged her.
A soft groan escaped her, but she didn't open her eyes. "What," she mumbled.
"Do you still want to leave today?" He asked her softly.
"Leave?"
"Go to Washington." He rubbed her arm gently, gazing at her with concern in his eyes.
Her eyebrows furrowed, but she still didn't open her eyes. "Sure," she murmured.
Bosco let out a breath and propped himself up on an elbow. "Faith, I need you to wake up, okay?"
"I'm tired."
"I know you are, but we need to talk about some things."
"So talk."
"Are you awake enough for this?" He asked her softly.
"Mmhmm."
"I need to know what you want to do."
"'bout what?"
"Well, if you're going with me to Washington, we should figure out how we're going to get there." He was quiet for a moment. "Are you gonna be less anxious driving or flying?"
"Driving," she answered immediately.
He smiled. "Excellent. I've been wanting to get my Mustang back from my mom ever since I left."
"That's good," she murmured, relaxing a little more again.
"What all do you need to do today before we leave?"
She didn't answer, her breathing evening out once more.
"Faith?" He shook her gently.
A faint groan escaped her again, but she didn't speak.
"Tell ya what. How 'bout I get some of your things packed while you sleep some more? I think that pill's still got a hold of you," he said quietly.
She mumbled something barely audible and was instantly asleep once more.
Bosco sighed and rolled onto his back. He rubbed his face vigorously then stared up at the ceiling for a moment. Before getting out of bed so he could start getting some of her belongings together he glanced over at her, worry written on his face. He hoped he could help her, and that taking her away from New York made things better and not worse.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith was still sleepy and warm, but as she started to awaken, it didn't take her long to realize she wasn't in her bed anymore. Her eyebrows furrowing, she slowly opened her eyes, wondering where she was and what was going on. She squinted against the sunlight pouring in through the windows all around her. Frowning a little, she started to sit up when she realized she was lying down in the backseat of a car which was moving steadily down the road.
Hearing her slight movement he'd immediately glanced in the rearview mirror. "You awake back there?" He asked softly.
"Somewhat." She rubbed her eyes. "What's going on?"
"Oh, well...You were still sleeping pretty soundly when I finished packing up, so...I loaded up the car and..."
"Where are we?" She shook her head in confusion.
"Not quite to Pennsylvania," he informed her.
It took her a moment to collect her scattered thoughts enough to speak again. "I need to go to the bathroom."
"Oh, okay." He nodded his head. "I'll pull off at the next exit."
Faith leaned back against the seat, resting her head against the window.
"I'm sorry if...I just, I thought that leaving might cause you to..."
"To what?"
Bosco glanced at her in the mirror again. "I didn't wanna risk you having a uh...an anxiety attack or somethin'."
She met his gaze in the mirror, nodding slightly.
He gave her a small nod, then put on his directional and pulled into the exit lane. "I loaded up the trunk with all the stuff I thought you'd need right away, and I gave my mom the key to your apartment. She's gonna finish getting your stuff packed up and Davis is gonna help her get it outta there. Once that's done we'll take care of letting your landlord know that you've moved out."
"What?" She stared at him.
"Uh...whadda you mean 'what'?"
"Moved out? What the hell are you talking about?"
"Relax, okay," he told her softly. "I just...you can't live there."
"I can't afford to live anywhere -else-!"
Blowing out a breath he concentrated on pulling into the gas station. He parked the car and turned around to face her. "Faith, I understand that, but..."
"But what? You think you have the right to just swoop back into my life and take charge of everything?"
"No." His eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head. "Of course not. Faith, I'm just trying to help."
"By helping me out of my apartment and what? Onto the streets? Where do you want me to live, Bosco? A cardboard box?"
"Right now, Faith, right now I want you to live with me."
"When I said I wanted to go to Seattle with you, I meant for a little while. Not permanently."
"I know," he said softly.
"So basically what you're telling me is that when I go back home...I don't have a home to go back to."
"Well, actually..." He bit his lip and looked down at the seat.
She folded her arms across her chest, her eyes narrowed. "Actually what?"
"My mother...she's got that duplex and she's been havin' a hard time finding a tenant who's reliable so..."
"So she agreed to give me charity."
"No. She agreed to let you rent it."
"I don't have that much money."
"You don't even know what she's asking."
"I know that your mother lives on the West Side and that the West Side apartments are double what I pay now."
Bosco let out a breath and dragged a hand down his face.
Faith looked out the window. "Was this your way of 'saving' me?"
"Excuse me?"
"Well, you always have had a knight in shining armor complex."
He motioned toward the gas station. "You know what, just...just go inside and use the bathroom and then we'll talk."
Glaring at him, she shoved the passenger seat forward and climbed out of his car, slamming the door shut once she got out.
Turning in his seat to face forward he closed his eyes and banged his head back against the headrest. He should have known it was too soon to tell her what he'd done. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he mumbled to himself.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith made sure to take an extra long time in the restroom, then perused the aisles of the small gas station until the attendant started to look worried that he was about to be robbed by a strung-out, middle-aged woman before she took the hint and reluctantly headed back to Bosco's car, still feeling angry and upset.
Bosco sat slouched in the front seat, his head against the headrest as he looked out his window, longing for the good old days. Hearing the car door open he slowly turned his head to look at her. He'd half expected her to have stayed in the gas station and possibly even called for a ride back to New York, but then he'd remembered that she didn't know her purse was on the floor of the front seat.
She climbed into the passenger side without a word, folding her arms across her chest and glaring out the window.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"No, you're not. You're just sorry I'm pissed."
"Okay, yeah. I'm sorry you're pissed, but I'm also sorry that I did all this without talking to you first, but..."
"But you don't regret it."
Bosco looked over at her. "You wanna know why I don't?"
"Because you have a hero complex?"
"No." His eyes narrowed. "Because I haven't even been with you for two full days yet and I've watched you take those pills, which means I've had to shake you awake two days in a row and I don't like that."
Her jaw was tense. "And your point is what, exactly?"
"That I'm worried about you and it's the only way I know how to help!"
She flinched at his tone of voice. "So you decided that making me homeless was helpful."
"Dammit, Faith! You're not homeless!" When the words were out of his mouth he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Look," he said, his voice much softer. "If you don't want to rent from my mother then I'll call her...I'll tell her to just leave everything alone."
She stared blankly out the window, not responding.
"I know you're proud," he whispered. "I understand that, but it might not be so bad to let my mother help you out some."
"Just drive," she murmured.
"Just try to remember that I only did it cause I care about you," he said quietly before starting the car.
Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the glass. She had a feeling it was going to be a long trip.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bosco pulled into a parking space at the hotel and looked over at Faith. She hadn't done anything but answer his questions in annoyed grunts and groans for the last seven hours. "I need to stop for the night and get some sleep. You want me to get two rooms?"
"One's fine. Get two beds." Without another word, she was out of the car.
He glared after her for a moment before getting out of the car, unsure of how much more of this he could take.
She knew she was getting close to being on the edge of his patience, but at the moment she didn't care. In a half hour she'd be unconscious anyway. Folding her arms across her chest, she leaned against the passenger door of his Mustang.
He glanced at her before pulling open the door to the hotel office and ducking inside.
Sighing softly, she looked the other direction for a moment before digging through her purse to locate her pill bottle.
A few minutes later he came back outside and headed over to the car. "One room. Two beds," he announced as he opened the trunk and retrieved their bags.
"Good." She yanked her hand back out of her purse quickly.
He hoisted her bag up onto his shoulder and picked up his duffel before slamming the trunk shut. "Room 109."
She didn't answer before moving back to where he stood and reaching for her bag.
"I got it," he told her softly.
"Fine." She stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets and headed down the sidewalk toward room 109.
"Knock it off, Faith."
She didn't respond.
"Me carrying your bag is just me bein' nice. I know you're perfectly capable of carrying your own damn bag."
She resisted the urge to tell him exactly where to stuff his niceness. "If you let me have the key, I'll unlock the door."
A soft sigh escaped him and he reached into his pocket and pulled out the key. "Here ya go."
She took it from him wordlessly, locating the room, unlocking the door and stepping inside.
"Which bed you want," he asked as he followed her inside.
"Doesn't matter." She headed for the bathroom.
"Hey, Faith?"
She paused in her steps. "What?"
"Do me a favor?"
"What?"
"Only take half," he said softly as he set down their bags and kicked off his shoes.
"Excuse me?" She turned to face him.
He looked over at her, his expression soft. "You know," he whispered.
"Half won't help me sleep."
"Could you...could you just try? Please."
Faith stared at him for a long moment. "Fine." She turned and disappeared into the bathroom.
He let out a breath and raked a hand through his hair. Quickly pulling off his shirt and changing into a pair of sweatpants he moved over to one of the beds and pulled down the blankets.
A few moments later, she returned to the main room, dropping her purse on the floor at the end of her bed and tossing the pill bottle to him. "I only took half. You can check."
Bosco barely got his hand up in time to catch the bottle before it hit him. He shook his head and put the bottle on the nightstand. "I don't need to check."
"Up to you." She shrugged and pulled a pair of pajamas out of her suitcase, tossing them onto her bed before she began to undress.
"Believe it or not I trust you," he informed her.
She couldn't help but smirk, sliding her shirt off and reaching for her pajama top.
"You don't believe me?" He asked softly, gazing at her.
"Why would you trust me? I thought drug addicts were the most untrustworthy people in your book."
His eyes narrowed and he sat up quickly. "You told me you aren't addicted. I've got no reason to not believe you."
"Yeah. But you were thinkin' it." She finished changing and crawled into bed without looking at him.
He turned toward her and leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him as he rested his elbows on his knees. "If the situation had been reversed you woulda thought the same thing. You couldn't honestly think I wouldn't be worried with the way you were drinking that night?"
"Point proven. Goodnight, Bosco." She turned away from him, closing her eyes.
"I'm not trying to hurt you, Faith," he whispered. "I'm sorry that I am."
Letting out a breath, she swallowed hard, feeling guilty for being so harsh with him.
Bosco bit his lip as he gazed at her for a moment, then shut the lights off and crawled back into bed.
Faith lay in bed silently. And for the first time in a long time, she didn't fall asleep immediately. Instead, she lay awake, crying softly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith woke up in the middle of the night, tears streaming down her cheeks though she couldn't remember why she was crying. She supposed she'd been lucid enough to dream for a change, probably of Charlie, and had been awakened from her slumber by her own sadness. Her body was trembling and she sat up slowly, wiping the tears from her eyes. She swallowed hard and looked over to where Bosco lay sleeping. Her heart ached.
Right then there was only one thing in the world that she needed, that she craved. And only he could help her, if he was even willing after the way she'd treated him all day. Hesitating, she crawled out of her bed and moved to sit on the edge of his. "Boz?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
He felt the bed shift and turned his head in that direction. "Mmm."
She bit her lower lip, another tear slipping down her cheek. "Can I sleep here with you?" she whispered.
Hearing her voice his eyes opened slowly and he blinked a few times, trying to bring her into focus. "Faith?"
She swallowed hard again, and she fell silent, afraid her voice would break if she spoke anymore.
When his vision cleared and he was able to see that she was crying he quickly sat up. "What's wrong?"
"Will you just...will you hold me?"
Without hesitating he nodded his head. "Are you okay? Do you feel sick or..."
"No, I just..." She couldn't finish.
"It's okay." He scooted over in the bed. "Why don't you lay down," he whispered.
She didn't hesitate before lowering herself down, resting her head on his pillow as she held her breath, trying not to cry.
He gazed at her for a moment before lowering himself down again. Turning onto his side he slowly reached out to put his arm around her.
Closing her eyes, she shifted closer to him, resting her forehead against his collarbone.
"I'm sorry," he whispered softly as he gently rubbed her back.
"Don't...don't apologize...I should be apologizing to you," she whispered.
"You were right about the hero complex thing. It's just..."
"I do need saving." Her voice was barely audible.
He swallowed hard and pulled her a little closer. "Will you let me help you?"
Exhausted and emotionally drained, she slid her arm around his waist. "Please help me."
"I will, Faith. I promise. I'll do everything I can."
Her body relaxed a little as he held her.
He kissed the top of her head. "I'm gonna make up for all the time I was gone," he told her softly.
"I missed you so much," she whispered.
"I missed you too. I thought about you all the time."
She rested her head against his chest. "Are we gonna be okay?"
"Yeah." He nodded his head. "We are," he told her with confidence. "We're gonna get to my place and we're gonna catch up with each other and we're gonna be fine."
His promise echoing in her mind, comforting her, she slowly managed to drift back to sleep, this time feeling more peaceful.
Authors: X_tremeroswellian and NYPDBosco
Rating: Cool for fans of all ages
Summary: When he asked for her help one last time he swore he'd transfer if she wanted him to. When she found out she was paralyzed after having been shot while helping him she told him to go away.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
By the time he opened his eyes the next morning it was 9:30. He rolled off the sofa, folded the blankets and stacked the pillows before quietly making his way down the hall to use the bathroom. On his return trip to the living room he'd looked in on Faith quickly, not surprised to see her still asleep. It had been a fairly late night and a rather emotional one as well.
After calling his mother to inform her that he was back in the city for an undetermined amount of time he'd spent some time staring out the window and wandering around Faith's small apartment. Two and a half hours later, Faith was still asleep and he was starting to get worried.
Making the decision to go check on her, he made his way down the hall and quietly stepped into her room. For a moment he just gazed at her from inside the doorway, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw the rise and fall of her chest. The pills she'd mixed with the alcohol had him nervous. He crept across the room and sat down on the bed. "Faith," he whispered softly, resting his hand on her arm.
She didn't stir at all, her breathing deep and even.
Frowning he shook her gently. "Faith. Faith, wake up."
She mumbled something, but didn't open her eyes.
The fact that he was having a hard time waking her up was starting to make him nervous. "Faith," he said louder, shaking her a little harder. "Faith, come on."
"What?" she mumbled.
"It's noon. Let's go grab some lunch or something."
Her eyebrows furrowed. "Not hungry."
He swallowed hard. "You're scaring me," he told her softly.
She groaned, rubbing a hand over her face.
"That's better."
She slowly rolled over in bed, looking up at the ceiling. Her eyes were bloodshot.
"How ya feeling?" He asked in a whisper.
"Tired."
"Maybe we should go for a walk or something," he suggested.
"No..." She shook her head, closing her eyes once more.
"Was it because I was here?"
"What?"
"The vodka and the pills," he whispered. "Is that why you took them? Because I was here?"
Her eyebrows furrowed and she turned to look at him. "No."
"Okay, I just...I just wanted to make sure that...well, that I wasn't causing you any problems. Anxiety and stuff."
"Not anymore than I already have," she told him.
"I just hope that my being here isn't hurting you. Cause that's the last thing I wanna do."
"I know." She rubbed her eyes.
"How long have you been taking the medication?"
"Couple years."
"What's it for? I mean, I know what it's for, but..."
"PTSD, anxiety attacks. Depression."
He closed his eyes, he knew about those things all too well.
"I'm all right," she informed him, not liking the pity she saw on his face. She sat up slowly, squinting against the bright light pouring through the window.
"I won't say I know what you're going through cause I know it's different for both of us, but...I don't remember being fine or all right. I just remember being in some serious trouble, and in need of help. So I'm just worried."
"Well, don't be. I'm dealin' okay."
"What?" A soft chuckle escaped him and a faint smile touched his lips. "I'm not allowed to worry about you?"
She smiled, but it was very faint, a mere shadow of her former self. "Nope."
"Promise me something," he whispered.
"What?"
"That if you need some kinda help you'll come to me."
She turned her head to look at him, doubt in her eyes.
"I'm through hiding, and I'm tired of running. You're always gonna know where I am and you know I'll never judge you."
"Yeah." Her voice was quiet. "You're gonna be back in Seattle."
"Maybe not," he whispered.
"Your life's there now."
"It's just a phone call away."
"Yeah." She slowly climbed out of bed.
"Faith, please. Let's not think about that right now. Let's just concentrate on the fact that I'm here now."
"How about I concentrate on not losing last night's dinner?"
His eyes widened slightly. "You not feelin' good?"
"Little too much vodka."
"Mixed with Xanax."
"I take Xanax all the time." She slowly moved into the bathroom.
"So you know you're not supposed to take it with vodka then."
Faith shrugged. "It makes it easier to sleep."
"It makes it harder for you to wake up."
"Same difference."
He gazed at her. "It -scares- me."
"It shouldn't. It's no big deal."
"Dammit, Faith! It is too!"
She didn't even flinch at the tone of his voice.
Sighing in frustration he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.
She splashed some cold water on her face.
"You work today?"
"This evening."
"So...we could spend the day together?" He asked hesitantly.
She was silent for a moment. "You don't wanna see your mom?"
"I can visit her while you're at work."
Swallowing hard, she looked up, glancing at her reflection in the mirror.
"But it's not like I'm leaving tomorrow, so there's plenty of time if you don't wanna hang out today. I know me showin' up like this was a shock."
"Yeah." Her voice was soft.
"So I'll just..." He stood up. "I'll just swing by tomorrow?"
"You don't have to--"
"Depending on when you work maybe I could take you out for dinner or something."
"Go," she finished.
"Oh," he whispered, an embarrassed grin on his face for having assumed she wanted him to leave.
She managed a tiny smile.
"Well...I'll go out in the other room, let you get dressed."
"Thanks."
He nodded his head, smiled softly and left the room. Unfortunately there was still a weight on his shoulders.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Bosco made his way into the building, nodding at a few of the officers he passed, but for the most part he tried to keep a low profile. He stopped at the front desk and cleared his throat to get the attention of the desk sergeant.
The guy looked up. "Can I help you?"
"I'm looking for Lieutenant Swersky."
"Do you have an appointment with him?"
"No, I just got into town last night and..."
"Bosco?" Davis stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide.
Turning toward the familiar voice he smiled. "Davis."
"Hey, man. How ya doing?" He quickly stuck his hand out.
Bosco reached out with his left hand to shake the other officer's. "I'm alright. It's good to see you."
"Good to see you too. How are you? Where've you been?"
He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I've been out on the west coast. Working at a precinct just outside of Seattle."
Davis stared at him for a moment, then waved his partner on.
"It's a long story," he told him softly.
"I bet."
"How’ve you been? How's Sullivan?"
"He retired last year. But I'm doin' good."
"Sullivan retired? You gotta be kidding? I thought he was a lifer."
Davis grinned. "Nah."
He smiled. "Maybe you and me could go out for a drink? Do some catching up while I'm in town."
"Yeah, I'd like that." He glanced up the steps where his boss was standing. "I'm at the same place. Give me a call."
"Absolutely. I look forward to it."
"Me too. Take it easy." Davis nodded at him, then turned and headed for the door.
Letting out a breath Bosco watched his friend for a moment before turning back to the desk to find out if he could meet with the lieutenant.
"Boscorelli."
He quickly looked up and smiled. "Lieu. Hey."
Swersky stared at him for a moment. "Come on up."
Bosco nodded his head, gave the man at the desk a look then hustled up the stairs.
Lieu led Bosco down the hall to his office. "Come on in, have a seat."
Biting his lip he moved over to the chair on the other side of the desk and sat down. He couldn't help but feel like he was in trouble even though he hadn't worked for this man in years.
Swersky smiled at him. "How've you been, Bosco?"
"Gettin' by, Lieu. Gettin' by." He said with a nod of his head. "You?"
"Gettin' older." He smiled a little wider.
He chuckled softly. "Have ya missed me?" He asked lightly.
"How could I not?" Lieu shook his head slightly. "What've you been up to?"
"Workin' for a precinct just outta Seattle." He scooted forward a little in his chair and laid his hand on the desk. "This." He nodded toward his hand. "Turned me into a desk jockey."
"What happened?"
"Short version. Car chase in the rain. Another car came outta nowhere. I slammed on the brakes and slam straight into a light pole." He held up his hand and turned it over as he looked at it. "Three reconstructive surgeries later..." He shrugged.
"Damn." Swersky shook his head. "Sorry to hear that."
"Yeah." He nodded his head. "Coulda been worse though, right?"
"Yeah. Much."
"It's not so bad though really. The department's paying for me to take some courses in crime scene investigation. Maybe I'll finally get that promotion."
"Well, if you ever wanna come back here, we'd be glad to have you."
He was quiet for a moment. "Seriously?"
"Yeah, of course."
Bosco rested his elbows on the armrests of the chair and clasped his hands together in front of him. "So...Faith left the department."
The smile slipped from the older man's face. "Yes. Yes, she did." His voice was very quiet.
"Did she leave on good terms?" He asked softly.
He sighed softly. "She turned in her resignation the day after I told her that you transferred. I didn't hear from her again until..."
"Until?"
"After her son died."
"She's livin' in a rundown apartment building, working as a waitress at some diner." He shook his head. "I thought me leaving...I thought I was helpin', Boss."
"She tried to come back here." His voice was hushed.
His eyebrows furrowed. "Whadda ya mean?"
"After her son was killed...she showed up wanting her job back."
"Really?"
He nodded slightly, his eyes sad.
"What happened? Why didn't she..."
"She was different, Bosco. She didn't come here to work again."
There was a confused look on his face. "I'm afraid I don't understand," he said softly.
Swersky sat forward a little. "She came here...lookin' to get herself killed out there. I offered her a desk job--just for a few months, until she was back with the swing of things. She was furious at the suggestion."
Bosco raked his hands through his hair. "I think she's...she's still in bad shape, Lieu. Hell, I don't blame her. My wife--my ex-wife and I lost a baby, so I kinda understand what she's going through. I mean...when it happened..." He shook his head. "I gotta help her."
He sighed very softly. "If there's anything I can do...for either of you..."
"Thanks, Lieu." He stood up, paused, then sat back down. "I'm really sorry about how I left."
"You've been missed."
"I've missed it here, but I had to go."
"I understand."
"I'm just sorry it took me so long to come back." Bosco stood up again and offered his left hand to the lieutenant. "I'm not sure how long I'll be in town, but I'll try to stop by before I take off again."
"I'd like that." Swersky stood up and shook his hand. "Take care, Bosco."
"You too, sir. It was nice to see you again."
"Likewise. Tell Faith...I said hello."
"I will." He nodded his head. "See ya later."
"Goodbye, Bosco."
He started to head out of the office then stopped and turned around. "Hey, Lieu?"
"Yes?" He looked up.
"If Faith was better...would she be welcome to come back?"
"She'd have to be a lot better, Bosco." His voice was quiet.
"I understand. Thanks."
Swersky nodded and watched as Bosco left his office.
Bosco walked out into the hall and paused. Shoving his hands into his pockets he looked around, taking in the sights and sounds of the place he used to call home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear as she quickly carried the plates of food to the table of men in the corner. She ignored their leers and the way that the one closest to her stared right at her chest. It wasn't like it was the first time. "Okay. Here's your dinner. Can I get you anything else?"
"Yeah, but I doubt it's on the menu."
She rolled her eyes. "I'll take that as a no."
Bosco stepped into the diner, the small bell above the door jingled. Hands in his pockets he looked around the small establishment.
She turned and headed away from the table, not glancing at the door. "I'll be back with your refills."
He spotted her and remained silent for a moment. "Hey, Faith," he called her name softly.
Faith glanced up, more than a little caught off guard by his voice.
"I was hungry, so..."
"Oh. Uh...well, have a seat."
"Is it okay that I'm here?" He hitched his thumb over his shoulder. "I could go somewhere else."
"No, it's...it's fine."
"Good. Cause I'm starvin'," he told her with a grin.
She managed a small smile. "Mountain Dew?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "Is over there okay?" He questioned, pointing toward an empty table.
"Yeah, that's fine."
"Okay, thanks." He smiled softly and then headed over to the table.
Taking in a deep breath, she turned and headed for the soda dispenser, filling up four new glasses of various sodas for the guys in the corner booth.
Bosco sat so he could watch Faith work. It was strange seeing her do something other than police work, and he could tell just by watching her that she wasn't happy.
She returned the drinks to the men. "Anything else menu-wise I can get you?"
"We're good for now, but we'll definitely let you know."
"Okay." She nodded, starting to turn and head back to the soda dispenser once more.
Bosco watched and listened as the four men at the table talked about Faith. He shook his head. It took everything he had not to say anything to them. He didn't need to cause Faith any trouble.
She carried a glass of Mountain Dew over to where he sat. "What sounds good?"
"You got any recommendations?"
"Find another cafe?"
"Other than that."
A smile tugged at her lips. "The burgers are greasy, but not bad...the rest..." She made a face.
"I’ll have a cheeseburger and fries. If you think that's safe," he chuckled.
"Well, it won't kill you...at least not immediately." She grinned.
"Oh, nice." He shook his head.
"Just don't make this place an eating habit. Not that you will since you live in Seattle...but you know what I mean." She smiled and jotted down his order. "I'll be right back."
"I'll be right here," he told her softly, pointing at the table.
"Okay." She nodded, then headed off to the kitchen to turn in the order.
He sighed softly, and slouched a little in the booth. Sometimes being around Faith, when they'd smile and joke felt like old times, but other times, like when she mentioned Seattle, it felt like there was still an entire country between them.
Faith returned a few moments later, glancing around the diner. When she didn't spot any new customers, she moved over and sat down across from Bosco. "It'll just be a couple minutes more."
He nodded his head. "How's it going today?"
"Slow. We haven't had many customers."
"Is this a popular place, or..."
"For this side of town, it is."
"So I was wondering...could I stay with you again tonight?"
She met his gaze. "Absolutely."
"You go, man!" one of the guys from the corner booth called out, grinning.
Bosco's eyes narrowed and he quickly turned to face the man. "Shut up."
"Oh, come on."
"Mind your own business."
"Lucky dog," one of the others said, grinning.
He rolled his eyes, and turned back to Faith. "You get this kinda shit often?"
"Every day." She rolled her eyes, as well.
"Sorry to hear that." He shook his head then leaned over the table. "Men can be such pigs," he told her with a grin.
"Tell me about it." She smirked.
"Oh, I couldn't. Cause I don't know," he chuckled.
"Riiight." She shook her head in amusement.
He grinned, sat back and took a drink of his soda. "So there anything you wanna do after work?"
She shrugged. "Sleeping is good."
"If you want. Otherwise we could go to a movie or something."
"We'll see," she said softly, glancing at the door as the bell above it jangled. "I gotta--" She motioned with one hand.
"Yeah. Of course."
She took a deep breath and stood up, forcing herself to smile at the new customers.
Bosco put his feet up on the other seat and leaned his head back. Maybe going back to Faith's and going to sleep wasn't such a bad idea. This was one tiring trip.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Faith finished wiping down the counters, glad that her shift was finally over. She was the one closing up that night and she was still a little surprised that Bosco had opted to wait there the whole time. He was still seated at his table, nursing his fifth Mountain Dew of the night. Glancing over at him, she couldn't help but smile faintly. Maybe there was some hope for their friendship after all.
"Okay, I think I've had enough for one night," he announced pushing his glass away.
"I'd hope so. I can't believe you're not bouncin' off the walls."
He chuckled. "I can handle my Mountain Dew...but I tell ya, I'll be peein' all night."
She grinned. "Just don't keep me awake."
"I'll do my best to pee quietly."
A short laugh escaped her.
With a smile on his face he picked up his glass and walked over to the counter. "Anything I can help with?"
"No, I'm just about done here."
He nodded his head and moved behind the counter where he dumped the ice from his glass into the sink.
She let out a breath as she washed his glass and put it in the dish drainer to dry. "All right. The floor's been swept, dishes are done, tables and counter are washed, toilets are clean...I think that's everything."
"Sure beats paperwork, huh?" He joked.
She made a face. "I'd run them about equally."
"I'd take paperwork over cleaning toilets any day."
"And that's sayin' something cause you -hate- paperwork." She chuckled as she slid her coat on and headed for the door.
"Paperwork is my life now," he told her with a small smile as he followed her. "I'm good at it, believe it or not."
"I believe it," she said softly. "I don't believe you love it."
"You'd be right about that." He was quiet for a moment. "There's another surgery I could have."
She glanced at him as she led him to the door, her eyes questioning.
"It's possible I could get more movement back, maybe even make a fist again. If I could do that..."
"Then you could work the beat again," she finished softly.
He nodded his head. "Yeah," he whispered.
"That'd be great," she whispered back, stepping outside into the chilly night air.
"But it's not a guarantee. I could go through all that for nothing." He shoved his hands into his pockets as he waited for her to lock the door.
She pulled the keys out and locked the cafe doors, glancing at him again. "Or it could work and be worth it," she said softly.
"It's a tough decision."
"Yeah, I'm sure it is." She caught sight of movement in the glass doors and quickly turned in time to see a man with a gun pointed at them.
"Give me your purse, bitch!"
"Whoa." Bosco put his hands up and shifted a little closer to Faith. "You don't wanna do that."
He glared at Bosco. "I want your wallet, too. Now."
"Okay. Okay, just take it easy, alright?"
"Hurry up!" He commanded, glancing around nervously.
"Just...don't shoot," Bosco said as he reached with his left hand, acting like he was going for his wallet. He glanced at Faith just as he wrapped his hand around the handle of his gun. Just because he was no longer a patrol officer and didn't have full function of his right hand didn't mean he couldn't use his left.
Her eyes wide, she swallowed hard. She slid her purse off her arm and held it out to the man, hoping to distract him from Bosco's actions.
Quickly pulling his gun, Bosco took another step over so he was in front of Faith. "Drop the gun."
The man looked at him in surprise. "What the fuck?"
"I'm a cop. Drop the gun!"
"Son of a bitch!" The man glared at him, but reluctantly put down his weapon.
Bosco quickly pushed the man toward the wall. "Get against the wall, jag-off!"
He grumbled and did as told, putting his hands up against the wall.
Faith already had her cell phone out, dialing the police.
He quickly shoved his gun back in his holster then grabbed the would-be-robber's gun. "Stupid move," he told the guy.
"Every other night, she's alone. The night I finally decide to make my move..." he mumbled in disgust.
"You've been watchin' her?"
He shut his mouth.
"You son of a bitch." Bosco grabbed hold of the man's wrist and pulled his arm up behind his back.
"Back-up's on the way," she told him, hanging up her phone and sliding it back into her purse.
"And you know somethin', asshole?" Bosco yanked on the guy's arm a little harder, causing him to cry out. "She coulda taken you without me."
"Easy, Boz," she whispered.
Hearing her soft words he pulled on the guy's arm one more time before nodding his head and relaxing a little.
She gazed at him silently as the sirens began in the distance.
"You okay, Faith?" He asked softly, his voice full of concern.
"Yeah, I'm okay," she said just as softly.
"Good." He nodded his head. "So maybe...maybe tonight we will just go home and get some sleep. I'm not in the mood for a movie anymore."
Biting her lower lip, she nodded as well, not taking her eyes off him until the squad cars pulled up, their lights flashing.
A car door opened and an officer stepped out. "What seems to be the...Sir, put the gun down."
Bosco looked over toward the officer. "I'm an off duty police officer from the state of Washington. My badge is in my back pocket."
Faith watched him glance doubtfully at his partner. "He used to work here at the 5-5. He transferred."
"My name's Maurice Boscorelli. I used to work under Lieutenant Swersky at the 5-5."
The officer glanced once more at his partner who nodded, informing him that he had him covered. Bosco remained motionless as the officer approached slowly then carefully removed Bosco's wallet from his back pocket. "He's legit," he called to his partner.
Relaxing a little, she leaned against the wall of the building as the other officers took over.
He handed over the robber's gun and gave the officers a quick statement, hardly taking his eyes off of Faith.
Feeling anxious, she pawed through her purse, unaware that Bosco was watching her. She pulled the cap off the bottle of Xanax and quickly popped the pill into her mouth, swallowing it down without water before fastening the lid back on.
"If you need anything else..." He pulled one of his business cards out of his wallet. "You can call my cell phone. Excuse me." He gave the officers a nod and walked over to Faith. "Hey," he whispered, touching her arm. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." She nodded quickly, feeling guilty--as though she'd done something wrong when she knew she hadn't.
"We should get you home before that kicks in," he whispered.
"Before what kicks in?" She didn't look at him.
"It's okay," he murmured. "I understand."
"Understand what?"
"You don't have to hide it. I saw you take the pill. I understand," he told her softly.
She swallowed hard, not answering him.
"It's okay, Faith," he whispered.
"Is it?"
"Did you need it?"
"Yes."
"Then, yes. It's okay."
Tears sparkled in her eyes when she finally looked up at him.
"No alcohol tonight though, okay?" He said quietly.
She nodded wordlessly.
"Come on," he whispered. "Let's get you home."
"Okay." Biting her lower lip, she slowly headed toward his Mustang.
Walking beside her he rested his hand on the small of her back.
She let him guide her to the passenger seat of his car, where she slid in and closed the door, laying her head against the headrest.
He went around to the other side of the vehicle and got in. Once he'd fastened his seatbelt and started the car he looked over at her. "It really is okay, Faith."
"I know," she whispered, closing her eyes.
He reached for her hand.
She hesitated a moment, then slid her fingers through his.
Bosco rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "Just relax," he told her softly.
She was silent for a moment. "Bosco?"
"Hmm?"
Faith chewed on her lower lip. "Nothing. Nevermind."
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "What is it?" He asked softly.
"I wanna go back with you."
Stopped at an intersection he turned to look at her. "To Washington?"
She nodded wordlessly, her eyes focused on the windshield.
For a moment he was quiet. "Okay," he whispered.
"You don't have to..."
"After all this time...I think it's something we both need."
She slowly turned her head to look at him, her eyes full of sadness, exhaustion.
"I got the house in the divorce," he told her softly. "There's lots of room."
"I think I just...need to get away from this place," she whispered.
"When do you wanna leave?"
"Tomorrow." There was no hesitation before she answered.
"If that's what you want then that's what we'll do," he told her softly as he squeezed her hand.
Letting out a breath, she let her eyes drift shut as he drove them back to her apartment.
He parked the car and walked around to the passenger side where he opened her door and offered her his hand.
"Thanks," she whispered, tiredly, letting him help her out of the car.
"You gonna be able to make it inside?" He questioned as he slid his arm around her waist.
"Yeah. I always manage." She forced a smile, leaning against him as he guided her toward the front of the apartment building.
"I think you'll like my place," he told her softly. "It's a nice house in a quiet neighborhood."
"Sounds like heaven," she murmured.
He chuckled softly. "Well, it was mostly just lonely before."
"Bosco, are you sure...that you want me there? I mean...that was your house with your wife," she whispered.
"Yeah, I want you there. I've missed you."
She swallowed hard as they stepped inside and she looked up the steep staircase, wishing that her apartment was on the ground floor, not for the first time.
Noticing the look on her face he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "You look like you're ready to camp out right here," he told her with a soft smile.
"I was actually thinking about going and sleeping in your car."
He chuckled softly then carefully pulled away from her and moved in front of Faith. Bending his knees slightly he looked over his shoulder. "Get on," he told her, offering her a piggy back ride.
"What?" She stared at him.
"Hop on. I'll give you a piggy back ride."
"Bosco, I'll break your back."
"Hardly. I'm a guy who's had three surgeries on his hand. When something like that happens you do a lotta squats and stuff. Put your arms around my neck."
She looked at him doubtfully.
"You can do this willingly or I'll just wait until you fall asleep down here and I'll carry you anyway."
Rolling her eyes, she hesitated a moment longer before reluctantly winding her arms around his neck.
Grinning, he reached back and slid his hands behind her knees. "One, two, three." He lifted up, picking her up off the ground. "Hang on."
"No problem." She closed her eyes, holding onto him tightly.
Very carefully Bosco ascended the stairs. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" He said as they stood outside her door.
"No. But you'll be sore in the morning."
"Sometimes that's the price you pay for being a nice guy," he told her with a smile.
Shaking her head slightly, she pulled her keys out of her coat pocket and unlocked the door. "Well...thank you."
"You're most definitely welcome."
She opened the door, flipping on the light as she stepped inside, waiting for him to follow.
"All that excitement made me tired," he told her softly as he entered the apartment.
"Me too."
"Let's get you ready for bed. We got a big day tomorrow."
"Boz?"
"Yeah, Faith?"
"If you want...you can share my bed. The couch isn't very comfortable."
"Are you...sure?"
"Yeah. As long as you're okay with it. I'll be passed out in five minutes."
"I'm okay with it. Thanks for the offer."
Nodding slightly, she headed back to her bedroom. "I'm just gonna change."
"I'm gonna change too. Let me know when you're decent," he told her as he moved over to the duffel bag he'd brought with on his trip.
"Okay." She changed into a pair of warm, flannel pajamas. "I'm decent."
"Shucks," he joked as he came into her bedroom wearing a pair of sweats and a tanktop.
She couldn't help but smile as she turned to face him.
He returned the smile as he walked over to her bed and pulled the covers back.
She crawled under the covers and moved to the far side of the bed to make room for him.
Yawning he climbed in beside her and turned onto his side so he was facing her.
Her eyes were already closed, her hand tucked under the pillow beneath her head.
Reaching out he gently pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Goodnight, Faith," he whispered.
"Night," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
"Sleep well," he told her softly as he pulled the covers up to his shoulder and watched her quietly until his own eyes drifted shut.
* * *
Part Four
Faith lay completely unconscious beside Bosco in bed though it was nearly twelve hours since she'd taken her last anti-anxiety pill. Combined with her lack of desire to get out of bed, she probably could have stayed there all day without moving. Except someone was shaking her.
"Faith. Faith, wake up," he urged her.
A soft groan escaped her, but she didn't open her eyes. "What," she mumbled.
"Do you still want to leave today?" He asked her softly.
"Leave?"
"Go to Washington." He rubbed her arm gently, gazing at her with concern in his eyes.
Her eyebrows furrowed, but she still didn't open her eyes. "Sure," she murmured.
Bosco let out a breath and propped himself up on an elbow. "Faith, I need you to wake up, okay?"
"I'm tired."
"I know you are, but we need to talk about some things."
"So talk."
"Are you awake enough for this?" He asked her softly.
"Mmhmm."
"I need to know what you want to do."
"'bout what?"
"Well, if you're going with me to Washington, we should figure out how we're going to get there." He was quiet for a moment. "Are you gonna be less anxious driving or flying?"
"Driving," she answered immediately.
He smiled. "Excellent. I've been wanting to get my Mustang back from my mom ever since I left."
"That's good," she murmured, relaxing a little more again.
"What all do you need to do today before we leave?"
She didn't answer, her breathing evening out once more.
"Faith?" He shook her gently.
A faint groan escaped her again, but she didn't speak.
"Tell ya what. How 'bout I get some of your things packed while you sleep some more? I think that pill's still got a hold of you," he said quietly.
She mumbled something barely audible and was instantly asleep once more.
Bosco sighed and rolled onto his back. He rubbed his face vigorously then stared up at the ceiling for a moment. Before getting out of bed so he could start getting some of her belongings together he glanced over at her, worry written on his face. He hoped he could help her, and that taking her away from New York made things better and not worse.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith was still sleepy and warm, but as she started to awaken, it didn't take her long to realize she wasn't in her bed anymore. Her eyebrows furrowing, she slowly opened her eyes, wondering where she was and what was going on. She squinted against the sunlight pouring in through the windows all around her. Frowning a little, she started to sit up when she realized she was lying down in the backseat of a car which was moving steadily down the road.
Hearing her slight movement he'd immediately glanced in the rearview mirror. "You awake back there?" He asked softly.
"Somewhat." She rubbed her eyes. "What's going on?"
"Oh, well...You were still sleeping pretty soundly when I finished packing up, so...I loaded up the car and..."
"Where are we?" She shook her head in confusion.
"Not quite to Pennsylvania," he informed her.
It took her a moment to collect her scattered thoughts enough to speak again. "I need to go to the bathroom."
"Oh, okay." He nodded his head. "I'll pull off at the next exit."
Faith leaned back against the seat, resting her head against the window.
"I'm sorry if...I just, I thought that leaving might cause you to..."
"To what?"
Bosco glanced at her in the mirror again. "I didn't wanna risk you having a uh...an anxiety attack or somethin'."
She met his gaze in the mirror, nodding slightly.
He gave her a small nod, then put on his directional and pulled into the exit lane. "I loaded up the trunk with all the stuff I thought you'd need right away, and I gave my mom the key to your apartment. She's gonna finish getting your stuff packed up and Davis is gonna help her get it outta there. Once that's done we'll take care of letting your landlord know that you've moved out."
"What?" She stared at him.
"Uh...whadda you mean 'what'?"
"Moved out? What the hell are you talking about?"
"Relax, okay," he told her softly. "I just...you can't live there."
"I can't afford to live anywhere -else-!"
Blowing out a breath he concentrated on pulling into the gas station. He parked the car and turned around to face her. "Faith, I understand that, but..."
"But what? You think you have the right to just swoop back into my life and take charge of everything?"
"No." His eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head. "Of course not. Faith, I'm just trying to help."
"By helping me out of my apartment and what? Onto the streets? Where do you want me to live, Bosco? A cardboard box?"
"Right now, Faith, right now I want you to live with me."
"When I said I wanted to go to Seattle with you, I meant for a little while. Not permanently."
"I know," he said softly.
"So basically what you're telling me is that when I go back home...I don't have a home to go back to."
"Well, actually..." He bit his lip and looked down at the seat.
She folded her arms across her chest, her eyes narrowed. "Actually what?"
"My mother...she's got that duplex and she's been havin' a hard time finding a tenant who's reliable so..."
"So she agreed to give me charity."
"No. She agreed to let you rent it."
"I don't have that much money."
"You don't even know what she's asking."
"I know that your mother lives on the West Side and that the West Side apartments are double what I pay now."
Bosco let out a breath and dragged a hand down his face.
Faith looked out the window. "Was this your way of 'saving' me?"
"Excuse me?"
"Well, you always have had a knight in shining armor complex."
He motioned toward the gas station. "You know what, just...just go inside and use the bathroom and then we'll talk."
Glaring at him, she shoved the passenger seat forward and climbed out of his car, slamming the door shut once she got out.
Turning in his seat to face forward he closed his eyes and banged his head back against the headrest. He should have known it was too soon to tell her what he'd done. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he mumbled to himself.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith made sure to take an extra long time in the restroom, then perused the aisles of the small gas station until the attendant started to look worried that he was about to be robbed by a strung-out, middle-aged woman before she took the hint and reluctantly headed back to Bosco's car, still feeling angry and upset.
Bosco sat slouched in the front seat, his head against the headrest as he looked out his window, longing for the good old days. Hearing the car door open he slowly turned his head to look at her. He'd half expected her to have stayed in the gas station and possibly even called for a ride back to New York, but then he'd remembered that she didn't know her purse was on the floor of the front seat.
She climbed into the passenger side without a word, folding her arms across her chest and glaring out the window.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"No, you're not. You're just sorry I'm pissed."
"Okay, yeah. I'm sorry you're pissed, but I'm also sorry that I did all this without talking to you first, but..."
"But you don't regret it."
Bosco looked over at her. "You wanna know why I don't?"
"Because you have a hero complex?"
"No." His eyes narrowed. "Because I haven't even been with you for two full days yet and I've watched you take those pills, which means I've had to shake you awake two days in a row and I don't like that."
Her jaw was tense. "And your point is what, exactly?"
"That I'm worried about you and it's the only way I know how to help!"
She flinched at his tone of voice. "So you decided that making me homeless was helpful."
"Dammit, Faith! You're not homeless!" When the words were out of his mouth he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Look," he said, his voice much softer. "If you don't want to rent from my mother then I'll call her...I'll tell her to just leave everything alone."
She stared blankly out the window, not responding.
"I know you're proud," he whispered. "I understand that, but it might not be so bad to let my mother help you out some."
"Just drive," she murmured.
"Just try to remember that I only did it cause I care about you," he said quietly before starting the car.
Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the glass. She had a feeling it was going to be a long trip.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bosco pulled into a parking space at the hotel and looked over at Faith. She hadn't done anything but answer his questions in annoyed grunts and groans for the last seven hours. "I need to stop for the night and get some sleep. You want me to get two rooms?"
"One's fine. Get two beds." Without another word, she was out of the car.
He glared after her for a moment before getting out of the car, unsure of how much more of this he could take.
She knew she was getting close to being on the edge of his patience, but at the moment she didn't care. In a half hour she'd be unconscious anyway. Folding her arms across her chest, she leaned against the passenger door of his Mustang.
He glanced at her before pulling open the door to the hotel office and ducking inside.
Sighing softly, she looked the other direction for a moment before digging through her purse to locate her pill bottle.
A few minutes later he came back outside and headed over to the car. "One room. Two beds," he announced as he opened the trunk and retrieved their bags.
"Good." She yanked her hand back out of her purse quickly.
He hoisted her bag up onto his shoulder and picked up his duffel before slamming the trunk shut. "Room 109."
She didn't answer before moving back to where he stood and reaching for her bag.
"I got it," he told her softly.
"Fine." She stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets and headed down the sidewalk toward room 109.
"Knock it off, Faith."
She didn't respond.
"Me carrying your bag is just me bein' nice. I know you're perfectly capable of carrying your own damn bag."
She resisted the urge to tell him exactly where to stuff his niceness. "If you let me have the key, I'll unlock the door."
A soft sigh escaped him and he reached into his pocket and pulled out the key. "Here ya go."
She took it from him wordlessly, locating the room, unlocking the door and stepping inside.
"Which bed you want," he asked as he followed her inside.
"Doesn't matter." She headed for the bathroom.
"Hey, Faith?"
She paused in her steps. "What?"
"Do me a favor?"
"What?"
"Only take half," he said softly as he set down their bags and kicked off his shoes.
"Excuse me?" She turned to face him.
He looked over at her, his expression soft. "You know," he whispered.
"Half won't help me sleep."
"Could you...could you just try? Please."
Faith stared at him for a long moment. "Fine." She turned and disappeared into the bathroom.
He let out a breath and raked a hand through his hair. Quickly pulling off his shirt and changing into a pair of sweatpants he moved over to one of the beds and pulled down the blankets.
A few moments later, she returned to the main room, dropping her purse on the floor at the end of her bed and tossing the pill bottle to him. "I only took half. You can check."
Bosco barely got his hand up in time to catch the bottle before it hit him. He shook his head and put the bottle on the nightstand. "I don't need to check."
"Up to you." She shrugged and pulled a pair of pajamas out of her suitcase, tossing them onto her bed before she began to undress.
"Believe it or not I trust you," he informed her.
She couldn't help but smirk, sliding her shirt off and reaching for her pajama top.
"You don't believe me?" He asked softly, gazing at her.
"Why would you trust me? I thought drug addicts were the most untrustworthy people in your book."
His eyes narrowed and he sat up quickly. "You told me you aren't addicted. I've got no reason to not believe you."
"Yeah. But you were thinkin' it." She finished changing and crawled into bed without looking at him.
He turned toward her and leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him as he rested his elbows on his knees. "If the situation had been reversed you woulda thought the same thing. You couldn't honestly think I wouldn't be worried with the way you were drinking that night?"
"Point proven. Goodnight, Bosco." She turned away from him, closing her eyes.
"I'm not trying to hurt you, Faith," he whispered. "I'm sorry that I am."
Letting out a breath, she swallowed hard, feeling guilty for being so harsh with him.
Bosco bit his lip as he gazed at her for a moment, then shut the lights off and crawled back into bed.
Faith lay in bed silently. And for the first time in a long time, she didn't fall asleep immediately. Instead, she lay awake, crying softly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Faith woke up in the middle of the night, tears streaming down her cheeks though she couldn't remember why she was crying. She supposed she'd been lucid enough to dream for a change, probably of Charlie, and had been awakened from her slumber by her own sadness. Her body was trembling and she sat up slowly, wiping the tears from her eyes. She swallowed hard and looked over to where Bosco lay sleeping. Her heart ached.
Right then there was only one thing in the world that she needed, that she craved. And only he could help her, if he was even willing after the way she'd treated him all day. Hesitating, she crawled out of her bed and moved to sit on the edge of his. "Boz?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
He felt the bed shift and turned his head in that direction. "Mmm."
She bit her lower lip, another tear slipping down her cheek. "Can I sleep here with you?" she whispered.
Hearing her voice his eyes opened slowly and he blinked a few times, trying to bring her into focus. "Faith?"
She swallowed hard again, and she fell silent, afraid her voice would break if she spoke anymore.
When his vision cleared and he was able to see that she was crying he quickly sat up. "What's wrong?"
"Will you just...will you hold me?"
Without hesitating he nodded his head. "Are you okay? Do you feel sick or..."
"No, I just..." She couldn't finish.
"It's okay." He scooted over in the bed. "Why don't you lay down," he whispered.
She didn't hesitate before lowering herself down, resting her head on his pillow as she held her breath, trying not to cry.
He gazed at her for a moment before lowering himself down again. Turning onto his side he slowly reached out to put his arm around her.
Closing her eyes, she shifted closer to him, resting her forehead against his collarbone.
"I'm sorry," he whispered softly as he gently rubbed her back.
"Don't...don't apologize...I should be apologizing to you," she whispered.
"You were right about the hero complex thing. It's just..."
"I do need saving." Her voice was barely audible.
He swallowed hard and pulled her a little closer. "Will you let me help you?"
Exhausted and emotionally drained, she slid her arm around his waist. "Please help me."
"I will, Faith. I promise. I'll do everything I can."
Her body relaxed a little as he held her.
He kissed the top of her head. "I'm gonna make up for all the time I was gone," he told her softly.
"I missed you so much," she whispered.
"I missed you too. I thought about you all the time."
She rested her head against his chest. "Are we gonna be okay?"
"Yeah." He nodded his head. "We are," he told her with confidence. "We're gonna get to my place and we're gonna catch up with each other and we're gonna be fine."
His promise echoing in her mind, comforting her, she slowly managed to drift back to sleep, this time feeling more peaceful.