Weathering the Storm
Part 1
*****
OK, same old, same old…I don't own the Third Watch characters!

This is story #4 in the Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Rain series.
#1 Let the Sun Shine Through
#2 Rainy Season
#3 Chasing the Clouds Away
******
Bosco woke with a start. Faith sat up next to him, and put her hand on his back. "Dammit! I can't do this Faith."

"Yes you can," she said softly.

He shook his head. "I'm gonna go home, so you can get some sleep."

Bosco started to get out of bed, but she grabbed his arm. "I want you to stay. Don't worry about me."

He looked at the clock that was on the dresser across the room. 3:56a.m. "Faith I've jumped or mumbled or yelled six times in the last two hours, and caused you to wake up. And that doesn't even include all the other times before this. There's no reason *both* of us should walk around like zombies all day. Just let me go home." Once again he tried to get out of bed, but she tightened her grip on his arm.

"You tired?"

"What?" he asked a little shocked. "Of course I am."

"And you want to go to your apartment?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"And what are you going to do when you get there?"

"I'll probably take a," he stopped when he realized where she was going with her line of questioning. "That the only reason you want me to stay here?! Cause you don't want me taking a sleeping pill?!" he asked in an accusing voice.

She ran her hand through his hair. "Of course not! I want you to stay because I miss being close to you. That's the reason." She tenderly kissed his cheek. "But yes, part of me wants you to stay so you don't take another pill. It was *you* who was upset about it earlier. I'm just trying to help."

He looked down at his hands as he played with the edge of the comforter. "It's not that I can't sleep without them," he said softly. "It's just that I wake up from nightmares every twenty minutes or so." He paused briefly. "When I take the pills they knock me out. I don't dream. I don't have nightmares. I don't wake up. It's peaceful."

Faith put her hands on top of his, and he looked at her. "We'll figure this out Reese. I promise, but until then we'll just have to weather the storm…together."

He shook his head. "It's my problem Faith. You shouldn't have to suffer because of it."

She leaned into him, and kissed his lips. "When you love someone their problems become yours."

Bosco looked down again. "You sure you want to take on all my problems?"

Faith smiled at him. "I'm up for the challenge." She lay back down, and held her arms out. "Come here."

He lay down next to her, and settled into her arms. Bosco grinned at her. "So, I'll wake you up again in about twenty minutes."

She wrapped her arms around him, and kissed his head. "I'll see you then."
*****
Bosco's nightmares were like clockwork. Every twenty minutes he jolted upright in bed. Faith would wake up with him, wipe the sweat-drenched hair off his forehead, rub his back and reassure him that everything would be all right.

At five-thirty Faith rolled out of bed, and headed for the shower. Bosco was still sleeping peacefully when she came back into the bedroom around six-fifteen. She stood quietly in the doorway as she watched him sleep. His face contorted into a look of pain, and she knew another nightmare was starting.

Faith walked over, and sat on the edge of the bed. She gently ran her hand up and down his arm; hoping to help chase away the demons. Faith felt his body tense. She leaned down, and kissed his cheek. "It's me Reese. I'm OK baby," she whispered in his ear. The muscles of his face relaxed, and he was sleeping peacefully once again.

She tiptoed out of the room, and picked the phone up off its cradle. "Fifty-fifth precinct. Lieutenant Anderson speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hi. This is Officer Faith Yokas."

"Hey Yokas. Everything OK?"

She looked toward her bedroom. Bosco was going to kill her for this. "Yeah, pretty much. I was just calling to let you know that Bosco won't be coming in to work today."

"And why didn't Officer Boscorelli call in himself?" questioned the Lieutenant.

"He's pretty sick Lieu," she lied. "He finally fell asleep a little while ago, and I didn't want to wake him."

"I can expect you on time though?"

"Yes sir."

"Fine then. Tell Boscorelli to take care of himself."

"I will."

She went back into her room to check on Bosco. He had rolled over, and was facing the opposite wall. She sat down on the bed, and leaned over him. "Reese. Reese honey," she said softly as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Hmmm?" he mumbled as he turned his head toward her. "What time is it?" he asked groggily.

"Six-thirty."

"What?! I'm gonna be late!"

"Shhh. I called in for you. Told them you were sick."

"But I'm not."

"I know, but you didn't sleep much. I figured you should just rest today."

"You didn't sleep much either."

"Yeah, but I'm a mother. I'm used to it. Besides I slept more than you." She started to push herself off the bed.

"Wait. You called in for me?"

"Yeah, so?"

He laid his head back down. "Everyone's going to think we're shacking up."

"Oh well." She smiled and kissed his forehead. "I'll see you when I get home. Try to get some sleep."

"What about Em and Charlie?" he asked as his eyes started to close.

"The kids wake up and go over to the Hanson's around ten. So no worries."

"I can watch them," he said with a yawn.

"No, it's OK. You just get some sleep."
******
"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! NOOOOO!" Bosco's father was coming toward him. His belt was wrapped around his hand. He inched closer and closer to Bosco.

"You *will* do it!" His father ordered.

"No I won't," Bosco replied in a shaky voice. "I won't do it," this time the words came out with more confidence.

His father got in his face. "Damn you Maurice! Do as I say!"

"No," Bosco shook his head confidently, but there was fear in his eyes.

"Then suffer the consequences!"

Bosco's body tensed as he waited for the beating to start, but it never did. His father walked right past him, and moved toward Faith. Bosco watched in horror as his father raised the belt in the air over Faith. He turned toward Bosco. "Someone needs to put this woman in her place, but since you're such a coward it looks like I'll have to do it!" His father's arm moved forward.

"NOOOOOOO!" Bosco jolted upright. His own screams causing him to wake from his nightmare. He swallowed hard as he tried to control his breathing. Bosco ran a hand through his now sweaty hair. "Son of a bitch," he whispered as he thought about the nightmare. He buried his face in his hands, then roughly rubbed his face as he tried to pull himself further from the nightmare. He glanced at the clock. It was 6:45. Faith had only been gone for fifteen minutes.

Bosco got out of bed, and got dressed. He went down the hall to check on the kids. He was relieved to see they were both sleeping, and he hadn't woken them when he cried out. He went back into Faith's bedroom, and made the bed before going out to his car and driving himself home.
******
He pushed open the door, and sleepily staggered over to the couch. Bosco was so tired he wasn't even sure how he had managed to keep his eyes open as he drove home. Figuring he'd just nap for a while he stripped off his jacket, and practically dove onto the couch.

Bosco lay sprawled out on his stomach. His head turned toward the back of the couch; mouth open slightly. Never before had he realized how comfortable his couch was. Ever so slowly his eyes drifted shut, and then quickly jerked back open.

It was as if the image of his father was tattooed on the inside of his eyelids because when his eyes closed that\'s who he saw. Bosco lifted his head off the cushion and turned to face the TV. Once again his eyes closed, and again they shot back open. "Dammit!"

He sat up, and grabbed the remote control for the television. SportsCenter was just ending, but was coming on again. Bosco sat looking at the picture tube, but he didn't see or hear anything coming from the television. His head dropped forward, but he quickly looked up. Soon afterward his head lulled back, and he snapped his head forward.

The nightmares were there waiting for him. Every time he closed his eyes for even a second he would see his father standing over Faith with a belt, and there he would be---afraid---or maybe----unwilling---to help her.

Bosco went into the bathroom, and opened the medicine cabinet. It didn't take him long to find the pills. He popped two in his mouth, then cupped his hands under the faucet getting enough water to swallow the pills. He walked into his bedroom, and without pulling back the covers or taking off his shoes he fell onto the bed and waited for the pills to work their magic.