To all the Bosco/Faith shippers. The brainwashing continues!

*****

 

"Every lifetime has a little bit of rain. This is just your rainy season. Trust me when I tell you, your sun will shine again."

 

*****

"My place is the other way." Bosco said as he looked over his shoulder in the direction he thought they were supposed to be going.

 

"I know."

 

"Then why aren't we going that way?"

 

"You're staying with us tonight."

 

"Huh unh. No way," he protested.

 

"Why not?"

 

"Cause I'll just keep you awake. We have to work tomorrow, and we can't have you falling asleep on patrol especially since you're riding solo."

 

"I'll be fine. Besides we don't even know if you'll have another nightmare."

 

He sighed. "Yeah, but we don't know that I won't."

*****

They had gone to bed around eleven, and Bosco lay there on his side staring at the clock; Faith was behind him with her arm around his waist. The clock read 1:23 when Bosco's eyes finally drifted shut.

 

Faith woke up and gently lifted her head to see if he was sleeping. She smiled when she saw that he was asleep. Faith planted a kiss on his temple and rolled over to the other side of the bed. She was so relieved that he was finally getting some sleep. Once more she closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her.

*****

"No. No," he mumbled. "Stop! No! Not again! Please!

 

Faith woke as Bosco's mumbles grew louder, and his tossing and turning became more violent. She quickly moved to his side, and placed a hand on his cheek. His face was hot to the touch. She moved her hand to his forehead. "Oh honey you're burning up."

 

Bosco subconsciously felt her touch and pulled away from it. "Leave me alone! No!" This nightmare was worse than last night's. He desperately needed something, anything, to pull him from it.

 

"Reese honey," she shook his shoulder. "Wake up. It's OK. Open your eyes sweetie. It's OK."

 

He faintly heard a familiar voice. It took a moment for him to recognize it, and realize where the voice was coming from. It wasn't from his nightmare he knew that because in his nightmare Faith's face was so swollen from his beatings there was no way she could speak. Bosco knew she was there with him in the 'real world'.

 

"Reese baby please wake up," she pleaded with him.

 

His eyes flew open. As usual after his nightmares he was sweating, and this time Faith noticed that he was shaking. When he noticed her looking at him so intently with such concern he quickly sat up and did his best to wipe the sweat from his face. "Sorry," he said as he avoided eye contact with her.

 

She put the back of her hand to his forehead. "You're burning up. You feeling OK?"

 

He moved his head quickly, and Faith puller her hand away. "I'm fine."

 

"Are you sure cause---"

 

"I'm fine Faith." Before she could ask another question he kicked the covers off, and stood up. He headed for the door.

 

"Where are you going?"

 

"Couch."

 

Faith watched his retreating form as he left the bedroom. She bit her lip as she contemplated going after him.

 

Bosco sat on the couch, and looked at the green numbers on the VCR. "1:58. Shit." He stared at the clock, and watched the time slowly tick away. He raked a hand through his hair then vigorously rubbed his face before letting out a long sigh.

 

"Man it's hot." He pulled off his shirt, and held it in his hands. Tears started to roll down his cheeks. These nightmares were tearing him up, and he didn't think he could take much more. He buried his face in the t-shirt he held in his hands as he began to sob.

 

Faith couldn't handle staring at the clock any longer. She couldn't just sit here and wonder how he was doing; she needed to go into the living room and find out.

 

He didn’t' hear her approaching. She sat down on the coffee table in front of him, and pulled his hands away from his face. He tried to pull his hands away to wipe away the tears, but she wouldn't let go. He still wouldn't look at her. "Come on Reese. Look at me."

 

Bosco just shook his head and continued to look at the floor. Faith put her hand under his chin, and lifted his head. She looked him in the eye and he quickly stabbed at his eyes with the shirt he still held. Then he wiped his nose with the t-shirt. "Are you OK?"

 

He shook his head. "Not really," he said softly.

 

"I'll listen if you want to talk about it."

 

"No." He looked away, and nervously twisted the shirt in his hands.

 

"You sure honey?" She tenderly stroked his cheek.

 

"They keep getting worse." His voice was barely above a whisper.

 

Faith caressed his face with both hands. "The counseling will help." She ran a hand through his hair. "Things will get better."

 

"I hope so, cause I don't think I can handle it if it gets any worse."

 

"I'm so sorry Reese," she said softly.

 

"No, I'm the one who's sorry." He took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. "I love you Faith. Please believe that."

 

"I do baby. I do." She once again put the back of her hand on his forehead. "You're still really warm." Faith put her lips to his forehead. She stood up. "I'm gonna get the thermometer. I wanna take your temperature."

 

"No Faith. I'm all right."

 

"Reese you're burning up. I think you might be coming down with something."

 

"It's just from lack of sleep. Trust me. Ever since I was a kid this is what would happen when I didn't sleep enough. I'd run a fever and stuff. Don't ask me why. It's no big deal."

 

"Are you sure?" she asked with concern.

 

"Yeah I'm sure. Now go get some sleep."

 

"You coming with me?"

 

"No I got all the sleep I'm gonna get." He stood up and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her cheek.

 

"You sure you're OK?"

 

"Faith," he said in a warning tone.

*****

Faith stretched her arms over her head and yawned as she walked into the kitchen where she found Bosco slaving over the stove. "What are you doing?" she asked as she walked up behind him.

 

"I made French toast. Are scrambled eggs OK?"

 

She looked at the food he was making. "Yeah, scrambled is fine." He turned to her and smiled. Faith looked at his face. A frown spread across hers.

 

"What's wrong?"

 

His face was pale and there were dark circles around his bloodshot eyes. He looked haggard. Faith put a hand on his arm. "Did you sleep at all?"

 

"No."

 

"Did you try to get any sleep?"

 

"No."

 

"Bosco----"

 

"There was no point in trying. I would have just had another---you know." He walked past her and put their breakfast on the table. "Eat up before it gets cold."

 

Before he could sit down Faith grabbed his arm. She put her hand on his forehead then dropped it down and cupped his cheek. "You're still really warm. Are you feeling OK?"

 

He pulled away from her touch, and sat down. "I'm fine Faith. I'm not one of your kids. I can take care of myself."

 

"Well, the jury's still out on that one." He glared at her. "Look. I'm just worried about you. You've got a fever, you're pale, and you look like you haven't slept in days."

 

Bosco cut into his French toast. "I haven't."

 

"You gonna be OK?"

 

He nodded as he shoved a forkful of scrambled eggs in his mouth. "Hopefully."

*****

Bosco sat in the large overstuffed armchair, and drummed his fingers on his leg. He bit his lower lip, and nervously looked around the office. "*Another* shrink," he thought to himself. He crossed his arms, and tried to relax into the cushions of the chair. The office door opened. Bosco sprang out of the chair as the doctor walked in.

 

"Hello Officer Boscorelli. I'm Doctor Parker." Bosco nodded. "Have a seat young man, and we'll get started."

 

Bosco sat down again. He did his best to relax into the folds of the chair. He hated counseling. Bosco cleared his throat. "So, uh, where do we start?"

 

Dr. Parker pulled out a notebook and a pen. "Well, why don't you tell me why you feel you need counseling."

 

He took a deep breath, and exhaled loudly. "Well…"

*****

Faith picked up the phone. "Hello."

 

"Hey, it's me."

 

"Hi. So how did it go?"

 

"OK I guess."

 

"You guess?"

 

"Well yeah. I mean I just sat and talked to the guy for like an hour."

 

"Was it easy to talk to him?"

 

"Yeah surprisingly."

 

"You feel any better about things?"

 

"Faith it was only one session," he chuckled. "The guy's a shrink not a miracle worker."

 

"I know. I was just wondering if talking about it with someone else made you feel any better."

 

"A little I guess."

 

"When's your next session?"

 

"Not til Tuesday. I only go Tuesdays and Thursdays."

 

"So what are you doing tonight?"

 

"Sleeping. He gave me some sleeping pills."

 

"Good. Then maybe tomorrow you won't look like death warmed over."

 

"Ha ha funny." Bosco paused. "Hey so tomorrow's Friday, and we got a three day weekend. Whaddya say we got out tomorrow night?"

 

"Sure if we can find someone to stay with the kids on short notice."

 

"Oh yeah," he said as he slapped his forehead. "I forgot about the kids…I mean I don't forget about them. I just forgot that we have to find a sitter. I mean---" He felt like he kept digging a bigger hole.

 

"Hey it's OK," she chuckled. "I know what you meant, and I know you're new at this kid thing."

******

"OK you two, behave tonight." Faith gave Emily a hug. Then stepped over to Charlie who went to kiss his mother on the cheek only to have her plant a kiss on his cheek instead.

 

"MOM!" He quickly wiped his cheek. "You got lipstick all over my face!"

"I know," she grinned as she went to kiss him again.

 

"MOM STOP!" Charlie laughed.

 

"Irene thanks so much for staying with the kids tonight."

 

"It's my pleasure Faith."

 

"I feel so bad. I haven't lived her all that long and you've been watching the kids every day while I'm at work and then at night when---"

 

Irene cut her off. "Faith, I'm a retired woman married to a retired man. I'm not just doing you a favor I'm doing me a favor as well."

 

Faith raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

 

The older woman smiled. "I love my husband, but being with him all day every day with nothing to do, well lets just say spending time with your kids is a nice break."

 

The two women giggled. "OK. Well I'm on my way to pick up Maurice, and we're going to dinner and then I'm not sure what we're doing but we shouldn't be out too late."

 

"Have fun, and don't worry about a thing dear."

******

Faith knocked on Bosco's door. "It's open!" She pushed the door open, and closed it behind her. "Sorry I'm running a little late." He yelled from the bathroom.

 

"That's OK." She went and stood in the doorway. He was standing in front of the sink wearing nothing but a pair of khaki pants, and had a towel draped around his neck. Bosco finished shaving, and wiped the excess shaving cream off his face before slapping on a little aftershave. "So, I always thought it was the woman who was supposed to be running late."

 

He turned to face her. "Yeah well I fell asleep on the couch and just woke up a little while ago."

 

"You fell asleep?" He nodded. "Any bad dreams?"

 

"Nope, not this time." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

 

"Are those new pants?"

 

He looked down at what he was wearing. "Oh, yeah. I went shopping after work. Figured I couldn't keep wearing the same jeans all the time just cause they fit over the cast." Faith nodded absently. "So where do you want to go for dinner?" She didn't answer; she just looked at his bare chest. He raised his voice. "Hey Faith!"

 

She jumped. "Huh?"

 

Bosco grinned. "Why don't you take a picture? It'll last longer."

 

"What?"

 

"If I was staring at your chest like that you'd more than likely shoot me."

 

Faith blushed. "Sorry."

 

"Hey that's OK. I like the attention. Just don't go staring at any other guys like that."

 

"I wouldn't dream of it."

 

He put some toothpaste on his toothbrush. "Can you do me a favor and grab a shirt out of my closet?"

 

"Nah, I like that look."

 

"Yeah, well most restaurants tend to have that 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' policy."

 

"Oh you're no fun."

*****

"Ohhhh man I ate too much." Bosco groaned as he leaned back in his chair, and put a hand on his stomach.

 

"Well yeah; you ate your dinner, finished what was left of mine, and managed to polish off a piece of apple pie."

 

"I was hungry."

 

"Yeah I guess," she laughed.

 

"So, where to now?"

 

Faith looked at her watch. "If we hurry we could make the 8:15 movie."

 

"And what movie do you have in mind?"

*****

"You know the only good thing about that movie?"

 

"The whole thing was good."

 

"No. The only thing I liked was that you rested your head on my shoulder." He smiled.

 

"You are so sweet." She kissed his lips. "You always know what to say."

 

"Yeah, well the rest of the movie sucked. I only agreed to go because I thought there'd be some serious make-out time. Boy was I wrong."

 

She smacked his stomach. "You better watch it bub."

 

"How 'bout we head over to Haggerty's before going home?"

 

"OK, but only for a little while."

*****

They walked into the dimly lit, smoky bar. After they got their drinks Faith and Bosco headed for the booth in the corner where they had spotted some of their friends from the 55^th precinct. But before they could get to the booth they ran into someone else they knew.

 

"Dammit," Bosco said under his breath as Jason Christopher stood in front of them grinning like an idiot.

 

"So Boscorelli, when does the cast come off?"

 

"Not soon enough."

 

"Hi Faith. How are you doing tonight?"

 

"Fine Jason." The three officers just stood there looking at each other. Bosco really didn't like the smug grin on Christopher's face. Faith saw Bosco's jaw tense up. "Excuse us Jason we're going to go sit down. I wanna get Bosco off his feet."

 

"Have a good night," Christopher smiled as he got out of their way.

 

"AUGH! I can't stand that guy! I just want to beat him over the head with my crutches!"

 

"Yeah he seemed way too chummy just now. He gives me the creeps."

 

Christopher watched them walk away. "So who were those two?" asked his friend.

 

"Boscorelli and Yokas. We were at the academy together. Now we're all at the 55^th."

 

"Did you say Yokas?"

 

"Yeah. Faith Yokas."

 

"Small world."

 

"How's that?"

 

"I'm representing her ex-husband in a custody hearing on Monday."

 

"Really?"

 

"Yeah." They watched as the two officers sat down, and Bosco put his arm around Faith. "Things aren't looking real good for my client. Unless I can find something to really turn the tables she'll probably get the kids."

 

Christopher's face lit up, and he stroked his chin. "Well, I've got some dirt I can give you on Boscorelli." His friend looked at him. "He's her *very* unstable partner *and* boyfriend."