Title: Ride Out This Hurricane
Prequel: 'I Saw The Light Go Out'
Sequel: 'Out of This Darkness'
Author: Demelza
Season: Any
Spoilers: None that I'm aware
Disclaimer: Third Watch is NBC's property, only the arrangement of the words is mine. Any and all original characters are my own, but you may use them too. 'Hurricane' lyrics by Tapping the Vein inspired the title. Oh, and before I forget, Without Prejudice. g
Characters: Bosco, Faith
Warnings: Character death
Rating: O15
Summary: She wasn't supposed to remember. [sequel to 'I Saw The Light Go Out']

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Her eyes opened to ear piercing screams. A woman's cries, and she sat up, found herself sitting on the pavement of a quiet, inner-city street.

Everything was wet. The ground. Her hair. Her skin.

It had been raining, and the thought creased her forehead.

Only, she couldn't remember the rain.

She knew it by name, knew the scientific reason of how it happened.

But the feel of it against her skin?

She couldn't remember. Couldn't.

Tears rushed, and she lifted her face toward the dark sky, crying.

Crying for something, for someone…for reasons, she didn't know.

Broken inside, so confused, she lowered her face, and gazed at her hands.

There was dried blood, everywhere. Stains of it.

How?

Terrifying shards from memories past flashed in her mind.

She was running.

Running to a man.

He held something at his side.

She'd stopped in front of him.

Stopped, and he'd brought her into a hug.

The feelings, though. The heartache she felt inside. Every want for it to end, there, prickled her all over.

Her throat started to ache, and she swallowed, the pain, and the memories, vanishing within moments.

Her hand shaking, she lifted it to her throat, felt the thick, cold and sticky substance beneath her fingers.

And, though after a moment, afraid of what she'd find, she withdrew her hand, and she saw the blood.

It was dark. So dark.

How?

How did it get there?

There was metal.

Cold metal.

Wedged at the top of her throat, at the very base of her jaw, she could feel it.

So cold, wet. Sticky.

Blood

Someone else's, blood.

She wasn't alone.

Not now.

Not then.

She looked a little to her right, gaze fell to the ground, and she saw him lying there.

He was staring at her.

But not like before.

A breath, and his lungs filled with air.

Who…

The thought crept in, and in the same moment the man sat up, just as she was, no confusion, no uncertainty…just a staid, steady gaze, and locked on her.

She wanted to reach out, ask him if he was okay. Part of her told her it was the thing to do, but the thought faded from her mind and she was suddenly caught, mid-breath, realizing they were both there for the same reason.

After.

After.

After.

A few minutes, maybe longer, passed, and the man rose to his feet, his eyes never once leaving hers.

How was she supposed to understand?

How?

He took the few steps over to her, and then stretched his hand out. Waiting.

Thoughtless, she reached her hand up, placed it in his, and rose to her feet with him.

No words, he clasped her hand.

"What now?" she breathed, eyes searching his.

He softly sighed. "I'm, not sure."

And just like those minutes ago, sudden, painful memories filled her mind, and she crippled over, holding her free hand to her head, screaming in agony.

The man didn't react, though, he only held her hand, and watched.

She could see them in her head.

The bullets.

Two.

She could see them spinning.

Spinning and spinning.

Suddenly, though, they stopped, her eyes shot open and she was no longer screaming.

She was about to fall to her knees, when the man caught her in his arms.

"Not this time," he whispered, their faces cheek-to-cheek, holding her.

Her eyes drifted shut as she leaned against him, as she relaxed in his arms. As she tried to understand.

After a long time had passed, she finally stepped out of his embrace, caught her hand with his, and their eyes met.

He swallowed, hard.

"What?" she asked, voice barely louder than a whisper.

"They. The, bullets." He stopped.

Her forehead creased. "Y-you saw, them?"

Holding her hand in his, he brought it to his chin, straightened her fore and middle fingers for her, and then moved their hands, so her fingers were pointed hard up against his throat. "Here," he whispered, and a sudden thundering shot sounded.

She flinched, the smell of smoke and blood alike making her feel nauseas. When, it faded.

He moved their hands away; set his fingers in the same positions hers had been, against her throat. He swallowed, gazing deep into her eyes.

"And here," he brokenly whispered.

Another, louder shot, and she cried out, "Bosco!"

Tears, hers, and he moved closer to her. "You'll forget," he said, his voice soft. "You forget, everything."

"I can't. Not you," she cried, overwhelming despair rushing through her. "I can't."

"It fades, and you forget."

She shook her head. "No."

He clasped both her hands in his, held them tight. "If we didn't. If, we remembered…" he paused. Gently, he released one of his hands, reached up, and touched her face. "We'd never move on."

She closed her eyes at his gentle caress, treasured every ounce of the warmth it caused.

"Bosco," she whispered, "I can't, lose you."

"You won't. You never will."

Her eyes welled. "If I forget, how can I remember?"

He stepped closer still, he held her hands against his chest. "Soulmates."

She shook her head, crying. "No, Bosco."

His voice lowered. "You have to close your eyes now."

She cried, "I can't," with a soft whimper.

"Faith," he whispered, her breath catching as she gazed at him. "I'll never leave you."

She searched his eyes, desperate to find something, something of the man she thought she knew, but every vision of him faded from her mind.

She wasn't supposed to remember.

He held her hands closer to his chest. "I know, you're scared…but, it won't hurt."

A breath escaped. "You promise?" she asked.

He nodded. "With everything."

More tears flooded her eyes, and slowly fell down her cheeks. "Okay," she found herself whispering.

He bowed his head forehead, and she did the same. Their faces met, foreheads touching, eyes entrapped in one another.

"Let them close," he said, gently. "Let yourself, drift. I won't let you go."

Swallowing, she slowly closed her eyes.

At first, there was nothing, and a quick sigh of relief escaped her throat.

That's when it happened, though. That's when she felt the warmth surround her, when she felt it rush through her body.

Her reaction was to cry out, but he held her hands tighter, and she felt suddenly reassured.

He wasn't going to let her go.

He wouldn't.

She knew he wouldn't.

Somehow, she'd always known he would be there for her.

Something about them.

Something, she didn't remember now.

Something, she only felt as a fleeting feeling, like a bad dream she was woken by, and suddenly couldn't remember the details of.

The only thing she could recall, was the feeling afterward.

Just the feeling.

And it felt like this.

So strongly.

The warmth around her turned into brightness, and suddenly her eyes shot open.

He was there before her, hands clutched onto hers, gazing back into her eyes. She wanted to speak, to whisper his name, but she couldn't move.

The brightness grew in intensity, a white light like nothing she had ever seen before.

But, all of a sudden, the piercing pain faded, and she felt nothing.

She could no longer feel his touch, or his breath against her skin.

All, of that, was gone.

'Bosco…'

'You're okay, Faith.'

'What's…happening?'

'I—I don't know.'

'Boz…'

'It's okay. I promise. It's okay, Faith.'

'No…'

She blinked; a feather-light brush against her hand caught her attention. She watched, as his right hand let go of hers, and a sudden wave of a feeling she'd never felt before came over her.

'You promised.'

She lifted her gaze to his once more, a lone tear rolling down her cheek.

'They…'

'Bosco…please, don't…'

'I'm sorry, Faith.'

'Bosco!'

His left hand left hers, and within a split second the whiteness grew even more, and with it, he was suddenly gone.

But…

So was she.