xtremeroswellia

Bosco paused and let out a breath before continuing his pacing in the small visiting room. He'd been waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the guards to bring Faith to see him. There were so many thoughts running through his mind that he didn't know which one to concentrate on first.

A moment later, the guards led her into the room, undoing the cuffs around her wrists, then exiting the same way they came.

He wasted no time before diving right in. "Faith, I gotta know what he did."

"What?" She stared at him.

"Emily." He swallowed hard and shook his head. "She...she flinches and she backs away, and it isn't just with me, it was with the doctor too."

The breath caught in her throat and she remained silent.

"Ma and I were talking and...He hit you didn't he? You and the kids."

She stared at him. "What? What makes--"

"Emily won't let me near her. Me or any guy. I had to take her to the doctor and mom went in with her and--"

Faith closed her eyes, leaning against the wall. "No."

"You don't have to say that. You can tell me. I mean...I swear to God if I'd found out before I woulda..."

"He never beat anyone," she whispered.

He raked his hands through his hair. "But...I can see how scared she is, and the other night..."

"Bosco...he didn't."

"Then what?" He was pleading with her. "What happened? I wanna help her, but I don't know how."

Swallowing hard, she couldn't answer him.

Sitting down at the table he rested his elbows on the surface of it as he ran his hands through his hair. "It's been two nights in a row," he whispered.

"What do you mean?" she whispered back.

"Emily...she's had an...accident the last couple nights. I took her to the doctor after the first time. Ma was afraid she might have some kind of infection, but the doctor thinks it's stress and I can't get her into the counselor for another couple days."

Feeling ill, Faith sat down at the table.

"I keep telling her it's okay, that she's going through a lot right now." He was quiet for a moment. "I'm not real good at the whole compassion thing, ya know? But I've been tryin' with the kids and every time I try to hug her..." He shrugged.

"You just...you need to give her time." She swallowed hard, unable to meet his eyes.

"And we both know I'm more compassionate than I am patient."

"When it counts...you're good with both," she whispered.

He rested his head on his fist and looked at her. "I just wanna help so bad," he told her softly. "She seems so lost and scared."

Tears prickled at her eyes. "I should've figured it out sooner," she whispered, her voice inaudible.

"Ma's helpin' out a lot. She and the kids get along great, and Emily seems more relaxed with her. So that's a bonus," he said, not hearing her words.

Swallowing hard, she ran a hand over her face.

Bosco let out a breath. "They miss you...I miss you."

Her eyes were sad as she looked at him. "I miss you guys too."

He reached across the table, holding his hand out to her.

A tear rolling down her cheek, she reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a quick squeeze. "I gotta go."

"Can't you stay any longer? You just got here."

"I'm sorry, Bosco. I just...I can't do this right now."

Pressing his lips together he nodded his head. "I hope it's okay," he whispered. "That I visit."

She quickly wiped the tear off her cheek. "It is," she managed to whisper. She stood up. "Take care of my babies."

"Absolutely."

"Take care of yourself too," she murmured, moving toward the door and knocking loudly on the glass pane.

"I'll see you soon, Faith," he told her softly.

The guards opened the door and swallowing hard, she held her wrists out so they could handcuff her again. She looked back at Bosco, her eyes full of sadness and regret. Then they led her away.

Swallowing hard he blinked through the tears in his eyes then let out a breath. If time was supposed to heal all wounds why did each day seem so much harder?

* * *

"Bosco?" Emily's voice was very soft as she tiptoed into the living room early the next morning.

Since he'd been taking care of Faith's kids he'd become a very light sleeper, learning quickly during that short stay that he would be woken up at least once a night by one of them. "Hmm?"

"I don't feel good," she whispered.

He quickly sat up, turning toward her. "You don't? What's wrong?"

"My stomach hurts."

"Okay, um...do you feel like you're gonna throw up?"

"Not yet." Her face was pale, her eyes red rimmed from crying.

"Come here," he whispered, motioning her closer.

She sat down beside him.

He reached out to touch her forehead with the back of his hand, seeing if he could figure out if she had a fever.

"I had a bad dream."

"What happened in your dream?" He asked softly.

"I can't tell," she whispered.

"Whadda you mean you can't tell?"

"I'm not supposed to." Her voice was barely audible.

His eyebrows furrowed. "Who told you that you weren't supposed to?"

She didn't answer.

"Emily," he whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "There isn't anything that you can't tell me."

A tear trickled down her cheek. "Dad."

"Your dad told you that you weren't supposed to tell anyone?" He questioned, his voice very soft.

She nodded wordlessly.

"Sweetie...what didn't your dad want you to tell?"

She looked up at him in the semi-darkness of the room. "He made me promise not to."

"Emily, sometimes there are promises that need to be broken," he whispered.

"But...he said I'd get in trouble," she whispered back, fear in her voice.

The way this conversation was all ready playing out was concerning him. "You're not gonna be in trouble, Em," he informed her softly.

"He said they'd send me away."

"I'm not gonna let anybody send you away. You don't have to be afraid."

"Promise?" Tears sparkled in her eyes.

He nodded his head. "Cross my heart."

She swallowed hard, wrapping her arms around herself, her head hanging down.

"I want you to know something."

"What?" she whispered.

"Ever since you were a little girl, even way back when you were in kindergarten you and me were buddies. Do you remember that?"

"Yes." She nodded, swallowing again.

"And we were buddies even when you went through that faze where all you'd wear was pink and I -hated- pink, but we were still friends weren't we?"

A tiny smile tugged at her lips and she nodded again silently.

"We were friends because I liked you. It didn't matter that you were a girl or that you liked pink. I liked you because you liked to goof around and have fun. Cause you liked to play soccer and stuff. I liked Emily Yokas." He smiled softly. "And no matter what you tell me...I'm still gonna like Emily Yokas. Okay?"

Biting her lower lip, she nodded solemnly.

"And whatever you tell me...I'm gonna make sure you don't get in trouble."

Emily was silent for a long moment as they sat side-by-side in the darkness. "He hurt me," she whispered.

He closed his eyes tight before responding in a whisper. "How did he hurt you?"

"He used to come into my bedroom at night," she whispered, barely audible. "And...he would touch me and..."

Bosco let out a shaky breath. It had been many years since he last felt the urge to cry and strangle someone at the same time, but it still hit him full force. He'd been preparing himself for something like this when Emily had first started talking to him, but he hadn't wanted to draw this conclusion. It was so unbelievably wrong and now he knew. Now he knew exactly why Faith had killed her husband. She'd found out what he'd been doing to their daughter. Knowing he had to stay strong for the little girl beside him, and that he couldn't let his temper flare he nodded his head slightly. "I'm so sorry, Em," he whispered.

"I didn't like it," she whispered, another tear trickling down her cheek.

"I know you didn't," he told her softly. "And he was wrong to do that to you. It was very wrong."

"It was?"

"Yes. No one should ever touch a little girl like that. It doesn't matter who they are."

She bit her lower lip, trembling.

"I would never do something like that to you," he said quietly, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear once more. "Never."

Hesitating a moment, she wrapped her arms around his torso.

He returned the embrace and pressed a soft kiss to the side of her head. "You're so brave."

"I am?"

"Yes." He nodded his head. "It took a lot of courage for you to tell me that, Emily, and I'm -very- proud of you."

Sniffling, she pulled away, looking up at him. "I miss Mommy."

"She misses you too and she loves you very much."

"I wanna see her."

"I'll see what I can do, okay?"

"Okay," she whispered, wrapping her arms around herself again.

"Emily?"

"What?"

"You're still my buddy."

She smiled very faintly.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"A little."

"Do you wanna go back to bed?"

She nodded. "Can we leave a lamp on?" she whispered.

"Of course. I find it much easier to sleep with a little light in the room," he told her with a smile.

"You do?" There was surprise in her voice.

"Mmhmm." He nodded his head. "I have bad dreams sometimes too."
"What are your bad dreams about?"

"If I tell you a secret...you promise not to tell?"

Emily nodded, looking at him curiously.

"When I was your age and even a little younger my dad...he used to hit us sometimes," he told her softly. "He wasn't very nice and sometimes I'll have a bad dream about that, but they aren't near as bad as they were when I was a little kid."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Thanks, but I'm okay," he informed her. "The more time that passes the less often I have those bad dreams." He grinned. "You wanna know what my bad dreams are about now?"

She nodded silently.

"The other night, I dreamt that Charlie ate the last pop-tart and I had to have Raisin Bran for breakfast. Ick."

Emily giggled. "Bosco."

"It's the truth," he chuckled. "I was -so- relieved when I woke up and there was still a whole box left."

"You're silly." She giggled again.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He smiled softly. "You want me to tuck you in or you wanna do that yourself?"

"Will you tuck me in?" she asked shyly.

"Of course I will." He stood up and held his hand out to her.

She stood up as well and slid her hand into his.

Bosco squeezed her hand very gently and walked her down the hall to his bedroom where Charlie was still sleeping peacefully on one half of the large bed. He motioned for Emily to climb into bed.

She did as he silently told her to and laid her head down on the pillow.

He pulled the blankets over her, lifting them to her chin before sitting down on the edge of the bed. Reaching out he turned on the small lamp that was on the night stand. "How's that?" He asked quietly.

"Good," she murmured. "Bosco?"

"Yeah, Em?"

"Will you stay in here with us?"

"You want me to?" He asked, surprised.

She nodded wordlessly.

"Sure thing. I'll go get a chair and I'll sit right over there," he told her, nodding toward the corner.

"Thanks," she whispered, closing her eyes.

"I'll be right back."

Nodding, she pulled the covers up a little higher and snuggled into the mattress.

Bosco gazed at her for a moment before standing up and heading out into the kitchen to get a chair so he could sit in the bedroom while the kids slept. He was surprised by how calm he felt all of a sudden. After hearing what Emily said he was so sad, yet he was furious with Fred at the same time. But he was happy in a way because Emily was able to come forward, putting them on the right path to being able to get her the help she needed. And maybe...maybe his new knowledge of the kind of man Fred Yokas was would help Faith.