Third Watch Fic: Fallen (12-13/16)

[xtremeroswellia]

Title: Fallen

Authors: NYPDBosco and X_tremeroswellian

Emails: mauriceboscorelli@yahoo.com and faithboscorelli1@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Not ours.

Rating: R

Summary: What if life as Bosco and Faith knew it were completely different?

Categories: Angst/Alternate Universe/dark.

Author's Note: Titled after the wonderful song "Fallen" by Sarah McLachlan.



Fallen—Chapter Twelve

Faith woke up slowly the next morning, feeling warm and safe in Bosco's arms. Her head was against his chest as he held her protectively. Their legs were tangled, barely any space between them. She let her eyes drift shut again, feeling too comfortable to move.

Bosco hadn't quite managed to open his eyes completely, and he took a deep breath. He instinctively began to rub Faith's back even though he wasn't fully awake.

She shifted a little closer to him, pressing a light kiss against his collarbone.

"You 'wake," he mumbled groggily.

"No," she murmured.

"Mmm 'kay." He wrapped his arms around her a little tighter.

She kissed his collarbone once more, resting her forehead against his shoulder.

"Time is it?"

"Don't know."

"Charlie got school today?"

"It's Saturday," she murmured.

"He sleeps in, right," he asked softly.

"Til at least noon."

"Perfect." He slowly lifted his head, and kissed her neck.

A faint smile touched her lips and she tilted her head back a little. "Definitely," she murmured in agreement.

"Though..." He kissed her neck once more. "We could always sleep in too if ya want."

"No, this is good," she whispered, sliding a hand down his chest.

"Thought so," he whispered back as he reached for her hand, holding it against his chest. "You gave me a hickey the other night," he reminded her as he began to kiss her neck once more.

"Did I?" She grinned, then a soft moan escaped her lips at the feel of his mouth on her skin.

“Yeah," he told her softly. He nibbled a trail up her neck to her ear. "I think I should pay you back," he whispered in her ear.

She shivered and tried to move closer to him, realizing there was no space left between them. "I'm okay with that," she whispered back.

He held her against him tightly as he placed soft kisses on her neck. "I think I like this spot right...here." Bosco began to nibble near the base of her neck then began to gently suck on the patch of skin.

Faith swallowed hard, then slid her hand to the back of his neck, her fingers tangling in his short brown hair as he slowly increased the pressure of his lips. Another soft moan escaped her lips.

Already feeling the heat radiating between their bodies he placed his hands on her hips, urging her to move so that she was laying on top of him completely. He knew they couldn't be together in the most intimate way yet, but he wanted more contact.

She groaned softly at the feel of his body against hers. She kissed his lips urgently, her hands splayed across his chest.

"Mmm." His arms slid around her waist, and he held her against him. He parted his lips slightly and was rewarded with Faith deepening the kiss. His entire body was beginning to awaken.

She explored his mouth slowly, deeply, her hair falling down across their faces like a blond waterfall.

He moaned into her mouth, and lifted a hand, tangling his fingers in her hair. His other hand moved very slowly under the hem of the shirt she was wearing, and rested gently on the small of her back.

Faith broke their kiss in order to catch her breath, then she lowered her lips to his neck and collarbone, kissing him lightly and then running her tongue over his smooth skin.

Bosco swallowed hard as he laid his head back on the pillow. "You got any idea what you're doin' to me," he asked with a soft chuckle.

She lifted her head. "You want me to stop?" she asked softly.

"No way," he whispered. "I'm rather fond of you."

A small smile touched her lips. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." He lifted his head, and placed a very soft kiss on her lips before laying back down. Both hands were under her shirt now, resting on her sides as he gazed up at her.

"I'm rather fond of you too," she whispered, gazing back at him, her eyes soft and full of warmth.

"Guess it's a good thing that I'm your boyfriend, huh?"

She nodded wordlessly, then leaned down and kissed his forehead before leaning her head against his. "I'm sorry that we can't..." She let her voice trail off.

"It's okay," he whispered. "We can get to know each other first. Sex can wait. Probably how it should be anyway."

Faith brushed her lips over his cheek. "Yeah," she agreed softly.

"Though while we're gettin' to know each other this whole makin' out thing is kinda fun," he told her with a grin.

She chuckled. "I can't disagree with that." She kissed his jaw softly.

He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath as he gently rubbed her sides. "So...since we're up should we make breakfast, or should we just stay in bed until Charlie comes bouncin' in?"

"Let's just stay here," she murmured.

"Yeah, then we can make Charlie make lunch," he suggested with a chuckle.

She yawned. "Pancakes for lunch."

He shook his head as he yawned as well. "Look what you went and did."

Faith grinned. "You're cute when you yawn."

"Thought I was cute all the time."

"Well, yeah. But you're even cuter when you yawn."

Bosco smiled softly. He carefully wrapped his arms around her, and rolled
them onto their sides. For a few moments he just gazed at her, looking into her eyes.

She touched his cheek gently, holding his gaze. "I'm so glad you came back into my life," she whispered.

"I'm glad we're here," he whispered back. He turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand then turned back to look at her.

"I love you," she said softly.

"I love you, too, Faith." He scooted forward slightly, wrapping his arms around her a little tighter, their legs tangled. He placed a very gentle kiss on her lips. "Why don't we just let Charlie wake us up when he's ready?"

"That sounds nice," she murmured, snuggling into his arms and never wanting to leave.

* * *

Faith tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she slipped her jacket on, relieved to be in normal clothes again. "Night, Martie!" she said as she headed for the door after grabbing her purse from behind the bar.

He looked up from what he was doing, and waved. "Goodnight. Tell the boys I said hi."

A small smile touched her lips. "You do the same." She waved back and stepped out the door, tension immediately returning at the thought of the payment she had to make in little more than a half hour.

"That's her," he told his friend softly as he put the car in gear.

He nodded and reached for the door handle, waiting for the right moment.

"Let's give it a few blocks. Can't have anyone she knows from work seein' us."

The other man nodded again, watching her intently.

The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she walked and she had the creepy feeling that she was being watched. She quickly turned around to see if she was being followed. She didn't see anyone around and she swallowed hard, turning and picking up the pace a little.

"That's it," he chuckled. "Walk faster."

"I think it's gonna take us both. She looks like a fighter."

He quickly glanced over at his passenger. "You admittin' you can't handle her," he asked with a smirk.

The guy shot him a glare. "You wanna risk fuckin' this up and pissin' off the boss? Cause I gotta say, I value my kneecaps."

He nodded his head as he watched Faith turn a corner. "You ready?"

"On three. One..."

"Two." He applied the brakes to slow the vehicle.

"Three." The man in the passenger seat flung open his car door and quickly approached Faith from behind without a sound.

Slamming the car into park he quickly opened his door, and hurried after his partner and the woman.

A small cry escaped her lips as someone grabbed her from behind, a hand covering her mouth quickly.

"Stay quiet, don't fight and you won't get hurt," he whispered in her ear.

"We're your ride to the warehouse," the other man informed her.

Faith swallowed hard, resisting the urge to try and bite the man's hand as he pulled her backward and then started to shove her into the backseat of a dark car.

"You don't have to worry about anything as long as you don't cause any trouble."

She scooted over as far as she could as one of the men climbed into the backseat beside her and closed the door. "I wasn't gonna be late."

"The boss wasn't worried about that. He just wanted to talk to you in-person, and seeing as he has other obligations after you...he wanted to hurry this up."

Her body tensed even more than it already had been. She hadn't been expecting to see Chevchenko himself tonight. She'd only met the man on a handful of occasions. He was an arrogant, conceited murderer who loved to play mind games and inflict pain on people.

"Well be there soon." He looked at Faith in the rearview mirror. "I doubt it'll take very long."

She didn't answer or meet his eyes in the mirror, she simply stared out the window, her heart pounding heavily in her chest.

It was a few minutes later when he pulled the car to a stop near the warehouse entrance. He climbed out, and went to open the door for Faith. Once the door was open he reached inside, and grabbed her arm. "Let's go."

She winced as his fingers tightened around her arm and he pulled her toward the warehouse, the other man following close behind.

"You do have -all- the money this time, right?"

"The only reason I didn't have it all last time was because my son got sick and I had to buy his medicine," she said tensely.

"And you should know by now that the boss doesn't really care about that kinda stuff." He pulled the warehouse door open, and shoved her inside.

Faith stumbled, barely catching herself in time as her sneakers slipped on the floor.

The second man grabbed her right arm roughly. "Move faster," he commanded.

"The boss doesn't have all night."

"Bastards," she said under her breath as they hauled her down a long corridor that led to an office at the back of the warehouse. The man holding onto her reached up and knocked loudly three times.

"Enter," came the voice from within.

He opened the door and yanked her inside, pulling her into the room until she stood in front of where Chevchenko sat at a desk. She swallowed hard, her eyes cold.

"Aww, Mrs. Yokas, we meet again. How lovely to see you." Chevchenko grinned at her. His hands were folded in his lap, and he was very calm.

She didn't smile as she remained motionless in front of his desk. "Wish I could say the same."

He chuckled softly. "So, you are probably wondering why I've chosen to collect your payment in-person."

"Just figured you were tryin' to make my night even lousier than it already was."

"A lovely hardworking girl like you...having a lousy night? What a shame."

Her jaw tensed. "Is there a point to this meeting? Cause I'd really like to go home."

"Aw yes, the point. Due to certain circumstances we're going to have to increase the amount of your payments," he informed her.

Faith stared at him. "Excuse me? How much money do you really -need- a week?"

The man standing to her right narrowed his eyes and looked at his boss.

Chevchenko shook his head slightly at the man. "It's not about how much money I need. It's about how much money you owe me."

Her hands clenched into fists. "-I- didn't borrow a dime from you. My ex-husband did. If you want your damn money so bad, why don't you track him down and make -him- pay you back?"

"Well Faith. Our plan was to have your husband pay us back. We tracked him down in a small town in Ohio, but it seems that before we could get in touch with him he died of a heart attack." Chevchenko shook his head. "Such a shame."

Her face grew pale. "He's dead?"

Chevchenko nodded. "Apparently his ticker couldn't handle the stress of running from me."

She felt her chest tighten, surprised by the surge of grief she felt at the knowledge that Fred had died.

"So, seeing as you are Mrs. Fred Yokas his debt became yours."

"You son of a bitch," she whispered.

He ignored her whispered words. "Do you have this week's payment?"

She reached into her purse and pulled out a large stack of bills held together by a silver money clip. She tossed it onto his desk, glaring at him.

Chevchenko picked up the bills, and began to slowly count them. He frowned as he looked up at her. "It appears you're $500 short."

"Excuse me? I counted it three times. There's exactly thirty five hundred there!"

"Correct. But starting today you owe four thousand dollars."

She stared at him. "But I didn't know that you were increasing my payments until just now."

"Is unfortunate for you." He put the money in the inside pocket of his suit jacket. "Because you remember what happened the last time."

Faith flinched. "I'll have the money here in two hours if you just let me go home."

He sighed, and shook his head. "It does not work that way."

“How can you punish me for not knowing something when you didn't bother to tell me you wanted more money?" she demanded, her voice strained.

Chevchenko pushed himself out of the chair, and leaned forward, his hands on the desk. "I'm the one who makes the rules!"

She leaned toward him, as well, her eyes dark. "You killed my daughter. And I'm gonna make you pay for that one day," she whispered harshly.

The man beside her tensed, looking at his boss and waiting for a signal.

"I will meet you here in exactly two days," he informed her. "I give you one day to heal...and one day to collect the other $500." He looked at his men, and nodded his head.

Without warning, the man to her right hit her hard across her face, hard enough to knock her to the floor. She tasted blood in her mouth and looked up, her eyes widening as the man held up a lighter, a smile on his face.

Chevchenko sat back down in his chair, a smile on his face as he saw the fear in her eyes.

* * *

Bosco raked his hand through his hair as he paced in front of the sofa. He looked at his watch to find that it was close to 4:30 in the morning, and Faith wasn't home yet. Since he had the day off of work he'd offered to babysit Charlie for the day so Tammy could have a night off, and so Faith could save a little bit of money. He wandered down the hallway to check on Charlie. As he stood in the doorway of the boy's room he glanced at the clock on the headboard to see if it matched the time on his watch. He put both hands on his head, and tugged at his hair. Faith should have been home hours ago.

By the time she arrived at her apartment she was so exhausted she could barely stand. She leaned against the wall in the hallway for support, breathing heavily from the effort it had taken to walk up the two flights of steps. She dug her keys out of her coat pocket and slid the apartment key in the lock, turning it slowly.

Hearing the jingle of keys outside Bosco made his way back down the hallway. He went over to the door, and pulled it open before she had a chance to open the door herself.

She swallowed hard as she door opened just as she touched the handle. Her hair hung down in her face, covering up the bruise that had already formed from where Chevchenko's man had hit her. "Hey. How's Charlie?"

"Fine. Where've you been? I've been worried sick."

"Sorry. Had to work late," she said softly, setting her keys down on the table by the door.

"Faith, it's almost five in the morning."

"I know what time it is."

"Right. Sorry," he whispered as he shut the door, and then turned to put his arms around her. "I was just worried. You shoulda called."

She flinched, biting down hard on her lower lip as his arms and hands brushed over the painful new wounds on her back. "Next time."

"You hungry? I can make you something to eat," he offered, his voice soft as he hugged her.

"No, I'm good." She slowly extracted herself from his arms and headed into the kitchen.

"So...long night, huh? Everything go okay," he asked as he followed her.

"Fine," she said softly, reaching up into the cabinet and pulling out a bottle of extra strength excederin.

He watched the way she moved, the way she walked. A frown formed on his face when he noticed how all of her movements were stiff, rigid. "Your back botherin' you again," he asked, his voice full of concern.

"Just have a headache," she lied without turning to look at him. She shook four of the pills out of the bottle and quickly swallowed them down with some water.

"What's wrong?"

"I told you. My head hurts. No big deal."

"No." He shook his head. "There's somethin' else. I can tell. Cause...you didn't hug me back," he said softly.

Faith closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm just..." Her voice trailed off and she was too exhausted to try and come up with another lie.

Bosco walked over to her. "It's okay." He reached up to move her hair away from her face so he could kiss her. His eyes widened when he saw the bruise on her cheek, and his shock quickly turned to rage. "How'd this happen?"

"It's all right."

"Faith, -what- happened?"

She closed her eyes. "I had to make my weekly payment." Her voice was soft.

His eyes narrowed. "And they hit you?!"

“I saw Chevchenko."

He took hold of her hand. "Come sit down. I wanna know everything."

Faith sighed softly and reluctantly followed him into the living room. She sat down on the edge of the couch, not leaning back against the cushions.

His eyes were sad as he sat beside her. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I was walking on my way to the meeting place after work." She paused. "Two men grabbed me, told me Chevchenko sent them to bring me in."

He swallowed hard, and nodded his head. The fact that Chevchenko was there tonight didn't sit well with him.

"When I got there...he told me he was increasing my payments again."

Bosco let out a breath. "Dammit."

"There's something else," she whispered.

"What," he asked softly.

Faith swallowed hard. "Chevchenko told me that...that Fred was dead."

He closed his eyes for a moment. "Did Chevchenko, did he...did he kill..."

"He said that Fred died of a heart attack."

"When? How'd he know?"

She rubbed the back of her neck, closing her eyes. "Apparently Chevchenko tried to track him down and when he found him, Fred was in a small town in Ohio and...he was already dead."

"Faith, I'm really sorry," he whispered. Unsure what to do, or if she even wanted to be comforted he placed his hand on her shoulder, and then began to gently rub her back.

She quickly pulled away, wincing. "I should check on Charlie." Her voice was strained.

"Whoa. Did I hurt you," he asked immediately, alarm in his voice.

"No. I'm just tired." She stood up. "I'll be right back."

"Faith, if there's somethin' you're not tellin' me..."

"It's no big deal, okay? I just wanna check on Charlie," she whispered.

He sighed heavily, and leaned back against the cushions. "Fine."

She wiped a tear off her cheek and headed down the hall, quietly entering her son's bedroom. Swallowing hard, she moved over to the bed where he lay asleep, one arm draped off the side of his mattress. She kissed his forehead lightly, then carefully moved his arm back up so it wouldn't hurt him in the morning from being in such an awkward position. She tugged the blanket up around him and kissed the top of his head, gazing down at him through teary eyes.

Bosco ran a hand over his face. He had been out of his mind with worry when Faith had been late coming home, and now that she was home he was still worried. There was definitely something that she was keeping from him, and the only way he could help her was if he knew what it was.

He pushed himself off the sofa, and went into the kitchen. Finding a clean dishtowel he dug some ice out of the freezer then wrapped it in the towel before heading down the hall to find Faith.

Faith stood staring blankly out her son's bedroom window as she listened to the soft sounds of his breathing. A moment later she heard another sound--footsteps. She didn't turn around.

"Faith," he whispered softly from the doorway.

She closed her eyes for a moment, then slowly turned to look at him. Without saying anything, she walked toward the door.

When she was standing in front of him he gently placed the makeshift icepack to her cheek, and kissed her lips softly.

She rested a hand on his chest as she returned the light pressure, drawing in a shuddering breath.

He leaned his forehead against hers. "I just wanna help," he whispered.

"I know."

His eyes were full of love as he gazed at her. While holding the ice to her cheek he allowed his thumb to trace her lips. "It just freaks me out knowing that there isn't a whole lot I can do. I wanna protect you."

Faith closed her eyes, then leaned her forehead against his shoulder, unable to speak.

He carefully put his arm around her waist, and placed a kiss on her shoulder. "Let's get you into bed."

She bit down on her tongue as his fingers rested on her lower back and she nodded, moving past him and heading for her bedroom.

Bosco closed his eyes, a frustrated sigh escaping him before he turned to follow her.

She flipped on the light in her room, idly wondering what type of pajama material would hurt the least to wear for a few hours.

He closed the bedroom door behind him, and moved over to the bed. He quickly stripped down to his boxers then crawled into bed without a word to her. As he lay there he watched Faith out of the corner of his eye.

Faith was virtually unaware of his presence as she dug into her dresser drawer and located a very soft cotton t-shirt and a pair of shorts. She bit down on her tongue again as she slowly started to lift the shirt she was wearing off over her head, her back to Bosco.

Wondering how her back was healing he turned his head to look at her. His face paled. "Holy shit," he whispered.

She quickly discarded the shirt to the floor and pulled the other one over her head before unzipping her jeans, slipping out of them and pulling the shorts on.

He stared at her for a moment before getting out of bed, and walking over to her. Very carefully he reached for the hem of her shirt, and pulled it up.

"Bosco, don't," she whispered.

"Faith...what'd they do to you?"

“Nothing." Her voice was barely audible.

"This isn't nothing," he whispered, his voice strained as he saw what appeared to be burn marks and fresh welts on her skin.

"I'm okay." She closed her eyes.

"Oh God, Faith." He couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight before him.

She exhaled slowly, her body trembling slightly.

Bosco finally let her shirt drop back down. He then quickly turned her around, and wrapped his arms around her, making sure that his arms were slightly below her waist. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm all right," she whispered.

He placed a soft kiss on her lips as he pulled away to look at her. There were tears in his eyes, and he didn't understand how she could say she was all right.

She touched his cheek gently, her eyes sad as she saw the tears shining in his eyes.

"We have to put an end to this."

"I know." Her voice was quiet.

He pulled her close once more, resting his chin on her shoulder as he took a deep breath.

Faith slid her arms around his waist and stared for a long moment at the picture of her kids that was set on the bedside table. She closed her eyes, placing a soft kiss against his collarbone. She was going to put an end to it very soon.

***

Part Thirteen

Bosco was sitting on the sofa next to Faith with his arm around her. She was turned slightly so her back wasn't resting against the sofa cushions. "So...I was thinking maybe I could watch Charlie again today," he said softly.

"That'd be good," she said just as softly.

"I was thinkin' maybe I could take him to the park? There's a really nice one over by my place."

She glanced at him. "I think Charlie would love that."

He smiled. "You said he likes soccer. Does he have his own soccer ball?"

Faith nodded. "Yeah. It's generally either under his bed or in his closet."

"Okay." He looked at his watch. "I should probably start gettin' him ready now, huh?"

"Good idea. I'll help you." She closed her eyes, leaning her head against his shoulder for a moment.

"You all right?"

"Just a little tired," she murmured.

"Okay." He kissed the side of her head. "Why don't you just relax? I'll get Charlie."

"You sure?" she whispered.

He nodded his head. "Yeah. I could probably use a little practice figurin' out how to get a six-year-old ready."

Faith kissed his cheek before lying down in the spot he vacated, careful not to let her back brush up against the sofa. She let her eyes drift shut as she tucked a hand under her head.

Bosco headed to Charlie's room, and slowly pushed the door open. "Hey Champ," he said softly.

Charlie looked up from where he lay on his bed reading Harry Potter. He grinned. "Hi, Uncle B."

"You wanna go to the park with me?"

His eyes widened. "Really?"

He nodded his head, a smile on his face. "Yeah, I thought we could go play on the playground. Maybe kick the soccer ball around."

"Awesome!" He quickly put his book down and stood up on his bed. "Can Mom go too?"

"I think mom's gonna sit this one out. She had to work late last night," he told him softly. "So it's just gonna be us guys."

A flicker of disappointment crossed over his face, but it was fleeting. "You good at soccer?"

Bosco shrugged. "Probably not as good as you." He paused having seen the look of disappointment that flashed on the young boy's face. "Mom'll come with us next time, okay?"


Charlie smiled. "Okay."

"All right, so...what are you gonna wear to the park?" He scratched his head.

He thought for a moment. "Jeans and a t-shirt. And my favorite sneakers. But they're in Mom's closet somewhere. I think."

"They're your favorite sneakers, and you don't know exactly where they are," Bosco joked. He moved over to Charlie's dresser, and opened up the drawer to find him a pair of jeans.

"Well, Mom had to wash 'em awhile ago and I don't remember where she put them."

"Oh okay." He pulled out a worn looking pair of jeans and held them up. "These look like playground jeans." He turned to Charlie with a raised eyebrow. "Right?"

He nodded. "Yep. That's my drawer for play jeans. My good jeans are in the next drawer."

"Oh." Out of curiosity, and for future reference Bosco pulled the next drawer open, and nodded his head. "All right, so where do we find a t-shirt?"

"In the closet."

Bosco tossed the jeans to Charlie and went over to the closet. "Okay, which one kiddo?"

"The blue one with the dragon on it. It's cool. Emily got it for me for my birthday last year."

"You and Emily got along pretty good, huh?" He looked through the shirts until he found the one Charlie wanted.

Charlie nodded, putting the jeans on that Bosco had given him. "Yep." He was quiet for a moment. "I miss her."

"I bet," he whispered as he walked over to Charlie, and placed a kiss on the top of his head. "I bet she misses you, too."

The young boy gazed up at him. "Mommy misses her too," he whispered, his voice very soft. "She cries a lot."

He crouched down in front of him. "No matter how old you are it hurts to lose someone that you love. It makes your heart hurt." He placed his hand over Charlie's heart.


He nodded slightly and was silent for a moment. "She was a good sister."

"Always remember that, and you'll never forget her," he whispered.

Charlie kissed his cheek. "Will you find my shoes for me?"

"Yup, whadda they look like?"

"They're blue and white ones."

"Okay." He handed Charlie his t-shirt. "And when you're done gettin' dressed you should go shave, or do whatever it is six year olds do," he told him with a grin.

"Mommy says I can't shave til I'm seventeen."

Bosco carefully grabbed Charlie's chin in his hand, and turned his head to the left and then the right. "Yeah...I think seventeen's about right."

He grinned. "Will you teach me?"

He smiled softly, and ruffled Charlie's hair. "You bet." He then headed off on his mission to find Charlie's shoes.

Charlie's eyes were bright as he watched him leave the room.

Bosco went into Faith's bedroom, and opened the closet door to begin his search. He shook his head at the sight of all the shoes on the floor. "What is it with women and shoes," he wondered aloud. He got down on his knees, and began to search through the heels, sneakers, and boots that were scattered about. "Ah, here we go." Bosco picked up the blue and white sneakers that were definitely Charlie's. He was getting ready to stand up when he caught a glimpse of a metal box on the floor. His eyebrows furrowed and he moved a couple pairs of shoes aside to get a better look.

"Uncle B? Did you find my shoes?" Charlie asked as he stepped into his mom's room.

"I think so." He turned toward Charlie, and held up the shoes.

He grinned. "Yep. Those are mine. Thanks." He took them and disappeared into the hallway again.

Bosco pushed himself off the floor, and closed the closet door. He walked back down the hall to where Faith was resting on the sofa.

As though sensing his presence despite the fact her eyes were closed, a faint smiled touched her lips. "How's it goin'?"

"Okay I think. He's dressed and we found his shoes."

"Good. That's good."

"Am I forgettin' anything," he asked uncertainly.

"Jacket," she told him softly.

"Oh, right." He nodded his head as he went over, and sat on the edge of the sofa. "I was thinkin' I'd take him out for dinner. He allergic to anything?"

"Carrots. That's it." She opened her eyes and gaze at him.

"Okay." He leaned down, and kissed her forehead. "Can I ask you somethin'?"

"Sure, although I think you know all my secrets."

"Well, I was in your closet lookin' for Charlie's shoes, and I saw you had a lockbox." He glanced toward the hallway to make sure Charlie wasn't there. "And...well, it's just like the one I keep my gun in," he whispered.

Faith fell silent, avoiding his eyes.

"Hey, look at me," he whispered softly. "Whatever it is, it's okay."

She let out a breath before shifting her gaze back to his. "You're right. It's a gun." Her voice was very quiet.

Bosco nodded his head. "Is it registered?"

She bit her lip. "No," she admitted softly.

"I'm assuming it's for protection?"

Faith nodded slightly. "I bought it right after Emily..." Her voice trailed off.

"Okay." Bosco kissed her forehead once more. "Once this is all over we should get rid of it."

"I will," she whispered, touching his cheek.

"One more question."

"What?"

"Does Charlie know it's there?"

"No. He has no idea."

He was quiet for a moment as he looked at her. "Seein' as I plan on bein' here a lot, and bein' with him...I think we should teach him about gun safety," he told her softly.

Faith closed her eyes, releasing a breath. "Yeah. You're right."

"I've almost always got mine with me, so I think it'd be for the best to talk to him." He gently rubbed her arm. "And you gotta help me remember not to leave it layin' out."

"I will." She looked at him, her eyes full of seriousness.

He nodded his head. "I think he'll adjust pretty fast to havin' a cop around all the time."

"He already has, Boz," she said quietly.

Bosco smiled softly, and leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss.

She kissed him back lightly, sliding a hand down his arm.

He slowly ran his tongue over her lips.

She let her lips part to allow him to deepen their kiss, wincing slightly as the sofa cushions brushed against her back.

He pulled away slightly, feeling her tense. "You okay?"

“Yeah. Back hurts," she murmured, her eyebrows furrowing slightly at the pain.

"Maybe Charlie and I should stay here with you?"

“No, you go ahead. He needs to have some fun. I"ll be all right." Her voice was soft.

"Okay. I'm gonna get you some ice." He kissed her softly before standing up.

Faith let her eyes drift shut as he walked toward the kitchen.

Bosco was busy in the kitchen filling ziploc bags with ice when Charlie came hustling toward him. "You all set to go?"

"Yep." Charlie grinned, then looked at the ice in his hands. "What's that for?"

"Oh, your mom hurt her back when she fell last night. So it hurts some," he told him, sticking with the story they'd told him earlier. That Faith had gotten the bruise on her cheek when she'd tripped on her way home from work.

"Oh." He looked worried. "Should we stay here and take care of her?"

"She said she's okay with us goin'. She wants us to go have some fun, and she's just gonna relax."

"Okay." Charlie followed him into the living room.

Faith opened her eyes again as she heard the footsteps approaching.

"You want these under your shirt, or on top," he asked her softly as he held up the ice bags.

"On top," she said softly, not wanting to risk her son seeing her back. She smiled at him gently as he kissed her cheek.

"Uncle B's gonna play soccer with me."

"Uncle B's gonna -attempt- to play soccer with you. He's pretty sure you're gonna run circles around him." He carefully placed the ice on Faith's back.

She bit down on her lip, relaxing a little after he removed his hands. "You guys have fun, okay?"

"We will. Call my cell if you need anything or just wanna talk," he told her softly before leaning down to kiss the corner of Faith's mouth. "Be careful, and give your mom a kiss, Champ."

Charlie kissed her cheek. "Love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she whispered back.

"Do you love me," Bosco asked with a grin.

She shifted her gaze to his face. "Yes, I love you, too," she said softly and Charlie grinned broadly.

Bosco smiled. "Love you. See ya later." He grabbed Charlie's jacket off the coffee table, and held his hand out to the young boy.

He quickly slipped his hand into Bosco's, still grinning.

"I'm takin' your spare key so I'll lock the door behind us. And don't forget to call if..."

"I know. I will. Have fun," she called after them.

"Let's go get dirty," Bosco said to Charlie as they headed out the door.

* * *

Faith lay awake in bed, her body filled with tension as she stared at the wall. "Boz?" she whispered. "You still awake?"

"Barely," he whispered back.

"Sorry." She closed her eyes and released a breath.

"It's okay." He kissed her shoulder. "What's up?"

"Nothing." She shifted a little closer to him, resting her forehead against his collarbone.

"So why'd you ask if I was still awake," he asked softly.

"Guess I just wanted to hear your voice," she whispered.

"Are you okay, Faith?"

"Bosco, I just want you to know that...I love you." She kissed his collarbone softly.

He shifted a little so he could look at her better. "Faith, is something wrong?"

"No," she whispered. "I just wanted you to know that." She didn't meet his eyes.

"I do know that," he whispered back. He gently kissed her cheek. "I love you, too."

"Thank you...for everything you've done. Helpin' me and helpin' take care of Charlie." Her voice was very soft.

"I like doin' that stuff. I love you both."

She closed her eyes, placing another soft kiss against his collarbone. "Charlie loves you too."

"You think he's okay with us...I mean does he know what's going on between you and me?"

"Yeah. He knows. He's a smart kid."

"Yeah he is a smart kid." He took a deep breath. "Do you think I'm ready to be a father," he asked in a whisper.

She touched his cheek. "I think you'd make a great father," she whispered back.

"My partner and I were talkin' about Charlie the other day. And...he asked me if I was ready to be a daddy to Charlie?"

"Are you?" she asked softly.

"I think so...but there's a lot I don't know."

Faith was quiet for a moment. "You'll figure it out, Bosco."

"Will you help me," he asked in a hushed voice.

"If I can." Her voice was nearly inaudible.

Bosco kissed her. "I'm sure you can."

"I love you," she murmured against his lips, kissing him deeply.

"Mmm." He ran his fingers through her hair, and pulled away for a brief second. "Love you, Faith," he whispered before continuing the kiss.

She pressed her lips more firmly to his, feeling an urgency that bordered on desperation surging through her. There were tears in her eyes, though her eyes were shut.

He felt the change in her, felt how the kiss had gone from gentle to something much more intense. Bosco didn't stop to question what was wrong, instead he kissed her back just as urgently.

She deepened the kiss slowly, her hands threading in his short hair as she shifted closer to him again, no space left between them. She could feel his heart beating against her chest.

Not wanting to hurt her back he rested a hand on her backside, holding her close to him.

Faith slid one of her legs between his, rubbing her foot against his ankle as the heated kiss continued.

He moaned into her mouth, feeling the heat radiating between them as he tried to pull her a little closer.

Their lower bodies brushed together, a soft groan escaping her lips as she ended the kiss and lowered her mouth to his neck, sliding her hands down his back.

Bosco slid his hands under her shirt, running his hands up and down her sides. "Faith..."

She kissed his neck and collarbone lightly, carefully scraping her teeth over his skin, then soothing the area with her tongue as she tried to get closer to him.

He swallowed hard, and breathed heavily as she kissed him. Caressing her skin with his hands he slid one hand around to her stomach. "Are you sure we have to wait," he asked breathlessly.

She was tempted to say no and she hated herself for it. She wanted to be with him right then more than anything, despite the possible consequences. She ignored his question for the moment and focused on kissing his neck.

"Gawd Faith." He slid his hand up to her chest, cupping her breast, his fingers sliding over her skin.

A gasp escaped her throat and she quickly kissed his lips again, her tongue exploring his mouth.

Bosco couldn't stop the moan that escaped him. Their tongues battling one another as they kissed.

Faith pulled herself closer to him, using her leg that was wrapped around his for leverage, pressing their lower bodies together as the kiss continued.

With one hand still caressing her chest he moved his other hand to her backside. He instinctively moved his hips against hers.

She panted for breath as she broke away from the kiss, pressing her hips back against his, swallowing hard.

His eyes closed, and he bit his lip. He moved his hands to her hips as he once again rubbed against her. Even with clothing between them the sensation was incredible. He wanted to be with her, and if this was as close as he could get he'd take it.

She lowered her lips to his chest as she carefully rolled on top of him, her hands moving up and down his arms.

A low groan escaped him when she changed their position, and he squirmed slightly underneath her.

Faith sat up slightly, biting down on her lower lip as she slid her lower body over his, feeling him pressing up against her.

His mouth opened in a silent gasp, and he opened his eyes to gaze up at her.

She met his eyes, swallowing hard as she breathed heavily.

Bosco reached for her hands as he lifted his hips.

She slid her fingers through his, holding onto him tightly as she moved over him.

He continued to gaze at her as they ground their hips against each other. His heart was beating quickly, and his breathing was erratic. This was something he'd never really done before, but knowing it wasn't safe for them to be together right now he wasn't embarrassed at all by their actions.

She leaned down to kiss him as she ground her hips against his. It was somewhat like giving someone a lap dance, only with Bosco it was much more intimate and significant.

"This okay for you," he asked in a whisper. He shifted underneath her, a groan escaping him.

A smile touched her lips as she rested her hands against his chest for leverage. "Yeah...this is good," she murmured, closing her eyes as more heat flooded her and her heart began to pound a little harder.

"Good," he whispered. He held her hips as he rubbed against her a little faster.

She was breathing heavily as their pace increased. "Love you," she whispered.

"Love you, too," he told her breathlessly. He slid one hand under her shirt, and allowed it to roam over her stomach and chest. Bosco bit his lip hard as he felt the pressure inside him building.

Faith kissed his chest lightly, sliding her body over his as she ground her hips down against his with a little more pressure, sparks of pleasure flitting through her.

"Faith." He moaned her name as he moved both hands to her hips again, helping to guide her over him.

She rocked against him quickly, licking her lips as her eyes drifted shut.

"Oh gawd. Faith, I..." He placed his hands on her backside, holding her firmly against him as he thrust.

Pleasure rocketed through her at his action and a small cry escaped her lips. "Boz..." Heat flushed her cheeks immediately.

He arched his back as he thrust once more, still holding her tightly. Knowing Faith's son was just across the hall he managed to keep from crying out, his mouth opened as he gasped and his body shuddered.

She breathed heavily as she all but collapsed on top of him, her eyes drifting shut. She swallowed hard, listening to the sound of his rapid heartbeat beneath her ear. "Love you," she murmured, kissing his chest lightly.

Bosco kissed the top of her head as he gently rubbed her arms. "I love you, Faith," he told her breathlessly a smile on his face.

She relaxed in his embrace as she felt unconsciousness tugging at her. She wasn't going to think about what the morning would bring. What she was going to do. She fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep in the arms of the man she loved.

* * *

Morning came all too quickly and not quickly enough. She woke from sleep in cold chill, startled by the sound of her alarm clock buzzing loudly by her ear. She squinted against the faint light shining in through the windows and filtering into her bedroom, the dust sparkling in the sunbeams as it swirled around the bed. She reached over and shut off the clock, staring at the digits. 6:45. She felt Bosco shift beside her and she closed her eyes again briefly, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "It's okay. Go back to sleep. I gotta get Charlie ready for school," she whispered.

"Need help," he asked her, sounding tired.

"No. Just rest." She kissed his lips softly before shifting her legs over the side of the bed.

"Let me know when he's ready," he murmured as he rolled over. "I'll take him."

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "It's okay. Tammy's pickin' him up this morning." She stood up slowly.

He licked his lips. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure. Go back to sleep, Boz," she said softly as she slipped her robe on and tied the sash around her waist.

"You gonna come back to bed after he goes," he asked quietly as he pulled the blankets up a little higher.

She paused. "Depends on how awake I am by then."

"Mmm 'kay," he mumbled as his eyes drooped shut.

Faith gazed at him for a moment before leaving the room silently, pulling the door closed behind her as she stepped into the hallway. She leaned back against it for a moment, taking a deep breath before crossing the hall to her son's bedroom. She knocked softly, then stepped inside. "Charlie? You gotta get up, Sweetie. It's time to get ready for school."

A groan came from underneath the covers.

A small smile touched her lips despite herself and she moved farther into the room, then sat down on the edge of his bed. "Come on, sleepyhead," she said softly, rubbing his back through the blankets.

"You sure I have to go back today?"

"Yep. You haven't ran a fever in four days. Dr. Mom says you're just fine now." She kissed his forehead.

He looked up at his mother. "I could stay home with you and Uncle B," he suggested.

"Nope. You need to go back baby. You're too smart not to be in school."

"I could be dumb," he told her with a grin.

Faith chuckled, then reached out and tickled his ribs. "My son's no dummy," she informed him, her eyes twinkling.

He giggled as he tried to squirm away from her. "Okay. Okay!"

She grinned. "How do pancakes sound?"

"Good!" He sat up, and gave her a hug.

She wrapped her arms around him tightly, kissing his cheek. "You wanna help me?"

"Sure." He nodded his head. "Is Uncle B gonna help too?"

"Uncle B's still sleeping." She kissed her son's forehead.

"If I gotta be up, he should be up," Charlie informed her.

Faith chuckled again. "Yeah, well, your Uncle B has to work tonight and he needs his rest so he can go out and catch the bad guys."

"Oh okay." He nodded his head. "Then we should be quiet," he whispered.

She touched his cheek gently. "Yeah, let's be quiet," she agreed, whispering back. "You get dressed and I'll go start on breakfast, then you can come help me, okay?"

Charlie nodded his head again, then kissed his mother's cheek before scooting out of bed.

She gazed at him for a long moment as he headed over to his closet. Then she stood up slowly and left the room, heading for the kitchen.

* * *

Tammy adjusted her backpack on her shoulder, and then knocked on the door.

Faith drew in a breath as she pulled the door open. "Hey, Tammy. Come in." She smiled faintly.

"Morning." She stepped inside the apartment. "He almost ready?"

"Yeah, he's just getting his bookbag and he'll be right out. Thanks for takin' him this mornin'."

"It's no problem. So...this doctor's appointment...you okay?"

She nodded quickly. "Yeah, it's just a routine checkup. No big deal." Her voice was soft.

"Well that's good cause with Charlie havin' been sick I was worried that maybe you weren't feelin' good."

"No, nothing like that." She gazed at the young woman who'd been babysitting for her son nearly three years now. Tammy used to babysit both of the kids before Emily had died. "Tammy...thanks. For everything you've done the last few years. You've been very dependable and wonderful and I really appreciate it."

She smiled softly. "Well I've really enjoyed workin' for you. You've always treated me well. And Charlie's great, and Emily...well I miss her."

She felt a lump form in her throat. "Yeah. I know. I miss her too," she whispered.

"You know..." Tammy grinned. "I don't know if you ever found out or not, but...I used to let her wear make-up when you were gone."

Her unexpected comment made her chuckle. "Well, I know now."

She chuckled softly, glad to make Faith smile.

Charlie hurried down the hall. "Tammy!" His eyes widened when he realized he'd yelled, and he quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.

Faith turned and smiled at him. "It's okay. Come over here." She knelt down on the floor.

He walked over to his mother, his bookbag on his back. "I hope I didn't wake him," he whispered.

"Don't worry. He's a heavy sleeper." She held her arms out.

Tammy raised an eyebrow when she figured out they were talking about Faith's boyfriend.

He wrapped his arms around her. "Tell him I said 'bye'."

"I will. You have a good day okay?" She hugged him tightly, closing her eyes.

"Yep." He kissed her cheek. "See ya after school."

Faith kissed his forehead. "I love you," she said softly.

"Love you," he told her with a smile. After a moment he pulled away from her, and grabbed Tammy's arm. "Come on or we'll be late."

"Guess we better go," she chuckled as she looked at Faith.

She stood up slowly, still gazing at her son. "Yeah. Thanks, Tammy. Bye, Sweetie."

"Bye, Mom." He waved at her as they headed out the door.

She leaned against the doorframe, watching as they disappeared down the corridor. She closed her eyes, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.

Bosco rolled onto his back and rubbed his eyes. He could have slept a lot longer, but he didn't feel like sleeping. Instead he wanted to spend the morning with Faith. Stretching his arms and legs he yawned then sat up, and swung his legs off the bed.

Faith shut and locked the door, turning around, her eyes settling on the clock. 7:39. She felt her stomach knot and she quickly tried to push away her growing nervousness as she walked slowly down the hallway, her steps quiet.

He raked his hand through his hair, and yawned once more. The morning was definitely not his friend.

She opened the door silently, a little startled to see him sitting up in bed. Her heart sank a little. She hadn't counted on him waking up so soon.

"Hey." He smiled softly.

"Hey. I thought you were goin' back to sleep." She sat down beside him, their arms brushing together.

"I did for a little while, but..." He rested his hand on her leg. "I wanted to spend some time with you before work."

Faith gazed at him for a moment, then leaned over and kissed him softly.

Bosco smiled against her lips as he returned the soft kiss. He pulled back to look at her. "Faith...last night..."

She touched his cheek. "I know. Me too," she whispered.

He rubbed his thumb back and forth over her leg, and leaned in for another kiss.

She didn't pull away, instead leaning closer to him as they kissed slowly.

Her lips parted slightly, and he slipped his tongue between them. He shifted so he could wrap his arms around her.

She shifted even closer to him, her hands cupping his face as their tongues danced together.

A soft moan escaped him, and he ran his hand up and down her side.

A moment later the kiss ended and she gazed at him intently. "I love you," she whispered, her hand lingering on his cheek.

"I love you," he echoed softly, a warm smile on his face.

She kissed his forehead softly, closing her eyes for a moment. "Charlie said goodbye."

"I'm sorry I missed him."

"We didn't wanna wake you."

"Thanks, but it woulda been okay."

"I made breakfast."

"Anything good," he asked with a grin.

"Well, Charlie thought so." She smiled softly.

"I'm sure its great." He placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I think I should shower before breakfast."

She paused, realizing that was her chance. "Yeah, okay." She kissed him lightly, letting her hand rest over his heart for a moment.

His eyes were warm as he gazed at her for a moment. "See ya in a little bit." He kissed her forehead before standing up, and retrieving the duffel bag of clothes he'd brought from his apartment the previous day.

Faith watched as he headed into the bathroom and as soon as the door shut she quickly rose to her feet and headed to her closet. She dressed in record time, pulling on a baggy red sweater and a pair of faded blue jeans. She picked up the picture frame that held the photo of her kids and carefully removed the back, grasping the key that had been hidden inside. She made her way to the floor of her closet, pulling the lock box in her lap and unlocking it.

For a moment she stared down at the gun, her heart beating quickly. She wondered briefly if she was really going to go through with it. Her gaze drifted to the photo, to the image of her eight year old daughter smiling as she and Charlie posed for the camera after their snowball fight. Her doubts disappeared instantly. She picked the weapon up, set the box back in her closet and tucked the gun in the back of her jeans, underneath the fuzzy sweater.

She drew in a breath, closing her eyes as she heard the water running in the next room from where Bosco was taking his shower. "Take care of my son," she whispered inaudibly as she headed for the door.