Title: Before the Door Closes (1/3)
Author: Demelza
Disclaimer: Without Prejudice. Third Watch and its characters are the property of NBC, WB, John Wells, and its other owners...no infringements of these copyrights are intended, and are used here without permission.
Pairing: Bosco/Faith
Rating: R
Warnings: Some language
Summary: What could've happened had Bosco and Faith actually been a couple in the opener of Third Watch's pilot eppy, 'Welcome to Camelot'?

"You're getting too slow...you put on a couple pounds?"

"You know you can be a real jerk, you know that?"

"But you love me anyway right? Huh?"

That's how things ended, with Faith standing at the door, her hand on the handle, while Bosco's arm stretched out in front of her as she went to push the door open. "Right?" he asked again, and she just looked at him with that intent, refusing to answer look on her face.

They walked into the well lit apartment hallway that lead directly through to the living area. The television was on, but no one was seated on the sofa. They closed the door behind them, and Faith was about to head through into the living area when she felt Bosco's hand on her arm, drawing her into a circle so she was now facing him. She gave him one of those uncertain looks, when he took her jacket from her and hung it up on the hook just to his left. She smiled, and was about to say thank you, when a woman's voice came from the kitchen.

"Missus Faith, is that you?"

Bosco gave Faith a look himself, a silly grin, mixed with something else she couldn't quite place her finger on. "Yeah, it's me Mia," Faith called back, taking a step backward, away from Bosco as she then turned and headed through to the kitchen. She was only a few steps into the room, when the petite forty-seven year old Latino woman walked in from the kitchen to the left.

"Missus Faith, it is good you are safe home," Mia said with a smile, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her waist.

Faith gave Mia a warm smile back, "How are the kids? Did they behave themselves?" she asked as she tried to stifle a yawn, but it came out in full force when Bosco stepped up to her side, that caring look on his face.

"They were good Missus Faith," Mia replied, when a sounding beep came from the kitchen, "Oh, that's dinner. Is ready now."

"You two sit down, I'll get it," Bosco announced, headed for the kitchen.

"I don't know what I'd do without you, Mia," Faith replied, before sitting down on the sofa at Bosco's direction. She had just sat down, when Mia sat down on the armchair to her right, also hearing Bosco rummaging through the kitchen cupboards. "Top shelf," Faith called to him, and when that 'ahhhh' came, she smiled.

Bosco came back into the room, their dinner in his hands, an apricot slice dessert with whipped cream, and she sighed contently at the lovely, sweet smell. "That smells absolutely divine," she said, gratefully taking her helping from Bosco as he handed it to her. He sat down at her side, and she smiled sideways at him, before turning her attention back to Mia, who was smiling at the two. "This is really beautiful, Mia, thank you."

"You are welcome Missus Faith."

There was a hesitant silence, and Faith's brow creased, sensing something was wrong. "Did something happen?" she asked, that niggling fear starting to settle in.

"I.." Mia was silent again, before continuing. "My sister, she call an hour ago. Her daughter, my niece, she is in labor. She asked that I be there. But, I told her no, Missus Faith need me here, to care for children while she work. Is okay."

Faith sat forward on the sofa, and set her dessert on the coffee table, just right of Bosco's foot, where it sat hooked on the wooden edge. "Mia, you go. I know how much you've been looking forward to this day."

"No. I cannot, Missus Faith."

She gave the woman a smile of thanks, but still shook her head, "I'll call in sick. You go, be with your family."

"Are you sure Missus Faith? I do not want to put you out of money," Mia replied.

"We have two wages coming in," Faith told her, "We want you to be with your family, Mia. Send them both our love."

Mia smiled with tears in her eyes, "Bless you Missus Faith, bless you. You are a good, good lady, with kind heart," she said, crying. There was a brief pause, when she thanked Faith again, then rose to her feet and retrieved her coat and handbag from behind the armchair she was seated on. She turned to Faith and Bosco once more, "Thank you, Missus Faith."

They both gave her a smile in return. "You're welcome," Faith said gently, then watched as she happily rushed out of the apartment.

There was a brief silence, when Faith turned where she sat, and looked back at Bosco, where he sat relaxed against the sofa. She couldn't help but smile when she saw the whipped cream at the side of his mouth.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"You have a little..." she began, reaching out and whipping the cream from his mouth, "Cream," she added with a warm smile, her hand still close to his face when he sat up on the sofa, her hand almost falling, when he caught it in his own. The breath she was about to let out caught in her chest as he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her finger, right on the spot where the cream was. Faith let out an excited laugh, that breath finally escaping, and she leant forward and kissed him on the corner of his mouth where a smidgen of cream had still remained, before she moved backward just enough so their faces were barely two inches apart. "There was still a little left," she told him softly.

Bosco's smile grew more into a boyish grin, "That's what all the girls say."

"All the girls you reckon?" Faith laughed, "And there I thought you only had eyes for me, mister Boscorelli."

He reached a hand up and touched her face, "You know I do."

"I know," she replied, though surprised to hear how low, how shaken with nervousness her voice was at that moment. Then, as that surprise settled in her throat, she made sure she kept her eyes locked on his, fearing that if she looked away for even a split second he'd disappear, as only too often in her dreams he had done. She would have willingly allowed herself to remain lost in his eyes forever, when a cry came from down the hall. A sigh came from her as she pressed her forehead to Bosco's, her eyes drifting shut as she did so.

"You want me to check on her?" she heard him ask, and at his words, his voice so tender, her eyes opened and she looked at him once more, her head moving away from his slightly as her hand went to his face. There was a pause, when she nodded. "Be back soon," he promised, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Thank you, baby," she said softly, though watching with a strange pang in her heart as he rose to his feet and headed down the hall to the kids room. Sitting back against the sofa, she let out a breath, before proceeding to remove her belt from her waist. With it off, she set it down on the floor in front of the sofa, and it was then that she could hear Bosco's voice down the hall. The way he talked to the children, the way his voice sounded, so sweet, so caring.

There was silence down the hall once more, when she heard Bosco's footsteps as he came back up to the living room. "They heard our voices," she heard him saying from the hallway a moment later, and she turned her head to see three and a half year old Samantha, and two year old Brittany in his arms. Their young faces were bright, their dark brown hair each a mess, and their matching baby yellow and white pajama's tidily tucked in on them as Bosco walked over and handed both little girls to their mom. First Samantha, then Brittany.

"Hey sweeties," Faith greeted them both, planting a kiss on each of their heads as Bosco sat down at her side, taking Samantha from her when she reached out to him.

"I can't believe they've gotten so big," Bosco said with a gentle laugh as Samantha wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, and he hugged her back.

Faith looked at him, and they exchanged smiles. "She really loves you," she said.

"Well, I don't blame her," he said back, grin on his face.

"Uh huh," she laughed gently, leaning backwards and against his shoulder as she held Brittany close to her. "They're such sweet little girls."

"Yeah, they really are," he replied, tucking the hair out of her face, and behind her ear, "Just like their mother."

His words tugging at her heart, Faith felt the tears as they rushed to her eyes, "Thank you Boz," she said, smiling down at Brittany, who was looking back up at her.

"Hey, I meant it," he said gently, "Though, it's a far reach from making up for all the crap I give you at work every day."

"You don't ever have to worry about that, being the greatest father in the world to our little girls more than makes up for all of that, a million times over," she said back, craning her head back as she looked at him.

He looked at her, "You mean that?"

"More than ever every second we spend together."

He touched her face again, more tenderly this time, "Marry me," he said, his voice low, but so sincere.

His words sent her aback. They'd always agreed since their academy days when their new found friendship turned into a romantic relationship that marriage could never be an option. For him, his want to never get married came from the abuse his father had dealt his mother, and he and his brother. He had sworn as he got older that he would never end up like his dad, no matter the sacrifices to his own happiness he would have to take.

And for Faith, her reasoning came from her lonely, six year marriage to Fred, before meeting Bosco. He was constantly drinking, and always abusive in the entire length of their marriage. His abuse had been the cause of two miscarriages, and when the opportunity to finally change what he had done to her came, she filed for a divorce and joined the academy, vowing to never be the victim of his abuse ever again.

That's when she, quite literally, ran into Bosco. She knew when their eyes met that first time, his hand on her back as she rose to her feet, that they were destined to meet that day. She didn't, however, in the five months since her divorce had been finalized, ever dream in a million years that she'd end up falling in love again. But she did. She couldn't help but do just what her mind was telling her not to ever do again.

So much had changed since then, she knew that. They'd moved in together after only three years of serious dating behind their superior officers backs, knowing that inter-personal relationships amongst comrades was frowned upon by the higher ups. Then, two years after moving in together, Faith gave birth to Samantha. Then, not quite a year and a half after that, she had given birth to Brittany, a name they had settled on after Bosco's rehabilitated mother helped Faith and Bosco both through Faith's painful, sixteen hour labor in one of New York City's biggest storms in over six years.

It was now only natural after all they'd been through, that the next step, marriage, was the one to take. Marriage was just one more step to a lifetime together, through thick and thin, like they had promised each other that night when they'd first found out they were pregnant with Samantha.

And now, there they were, their eyes locked, her answer needing to be given. And it was at that point that Faith nodded, smiling, "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you, Boz," she replied finally, watching as the relief washed over his face with one of the happiest smiles she thought she'd ever seen before.

"Thank you, Faith," Bosco said, his big grin made even sweeter to his true nature by the soot that was still plastered over his face from the fire less than an hour ago. He leant forward, his hand gently framing her face, and he captured her lips with his. Her eyes closed, and she felt herself sigh with joy as she kissed him back. "I love you Faith, so much, thank you," he said quickly as their lips parted, his eyes searching hers as their foreheads touched, her hand now resting against the back of his neck.

"I love you too, Boz..." she whispered, a tear rolling down her face from her left eye.

He kissed her again, when, "Ewww, stop it," Samantha said in her sweet voice, a soft laugh coming from her when mother and father both turned to look at their so called sweet and innocent little daughter, surprised looks on both their faces.

"Hey, daddy's allowed to kiss mommy," Bosco said, but Samantha just shook her head, pulling a face that just made her look even cuter than she was already.

"So no more eww's," Faith added, her and Bosco both turning to each other before kissing again.

This time, eww's came from both little girls.

Bosco tickled Samantha, "We'll have none of those eww's little lady," he told her in his stern, yet playful voice, but she just giggled and didn't stop. "Samantha Anne, stop that...I mean it..." Of course, she knew he was joking and it only made her laugh harder.

"No, she won't!" Brittany shouted for her sister, who was now laughing even louder and stronger than before as their dad tickled her some more.

Faith turned Brittany around on her lap, who gasped, before giggling herself when her mom tickled her as well. "You're not supposed to take your sister's side," she laughed, hugging Brittany, though tickling her at the same time still. Both sets of laughter filled the room as Brittany and Samantha both pulled free of their parents tickling, and scrambled for the other end of the sofa, when there was an all mighty rumbling noise. The laughing stopped, and Samantha quickly scrambled away from her sister and dad both, and onto her mother's lap. "Eww daddy!" she shrieked, holding onto her nose.

"Hey that was -not- me!" Bosco exclaimed, quickly giving Faith a foul look, "You evil, -evil- woman!"

Faith ripped with laughter, "It wasn't me!" she exclaimed through bursts of laughter she could barely control, but started to when the room fell silent as a soft laugh came from the other end of the sofa. All three sets of eyes went to Brittany, who's face was rosy red as she laughed away. Faith's jaw almost literally dropped open as she stared at her youngest daughter. She shook her head, "Brittany, Brittany..." she said in disbelief.

"I swear she's growing to be more and more like her grandmother every day," Bosco said, getting a chuckle from Faith. He turned to her, and she gave him a broad smile. "What's Mia feeding them? Baked beans?"

"I don't know, but we'll have to have a talk with her tomorrow," she replied, her attention going back to Samantha when she yawned, and almost fell backward in her mother's arms. "Aw, she's so tired," she said, bringing the youngster into her arms, so her head was against her chest. She brushed the curly hair both daughters got from their father out of Samantha's face as she closed her eyes and placed her thumb in her mouth.

"I can't believe how much she looks like you, Faith," Bosco said at her left, the movement of him reaching for Brittany, and bringing her to sit in her lap, making Faith turn her head to look at them both.

She smiled gently, then tucked the lock of hair out of Brittany's eyes, before lifting her gaze to Bosco. "You mean, like you. They both have your soft hair."

"By that, you mean curly locks," he replied, grinning, "Almost makes me wish..."

Her brow creased slightly as they both leaned back against the sofa at the same time, both daughters settled in their parent's laps. "Almost makes you wish what?" Faith asked after a moment, expecting him to continue, but he hadn't.

"That, me and you...that we'd taken the next step a long time ago."

"Marriage?" she asked. He nodded. "I'm really glad we waited."

"You are?"

She nodded gently, though the suppressed tiredness from the long day and night they'd had now, even more so, started to creep up on her, weighing heavy on her eyelids as she looked back at the father of her children. "Yeah. Where we're at, is a great place. I think, if we'd rushed into marriage sooner...it wouldn't've, been the same. You know?"

Bosco nodded, their foreheads pressing together again, "Yeah. I know what you mean. I'm just, so glad I asked, and you said yes."

"Me too," she smiled.

There was a definite beep that came from her and Bosco's watches both, and Faith immediately let out a sigh. "Do you have to go?" she asked softly, eyes focusing on him even more, "Couldn't we just...sit here, forever?"

"I can ring in, cancel for the both of us," he said back, touching her face, "We have those reports to finish, I really should get those done."

"What if we said it was an emergency, with the girls? We could make up the three hours tomorrow. Mikey's sitting for us while we go shopping, remember?"

He nodded, "I remember baby," he said softly, smiling, "What if I go in there, sit at the desk, do an hour's paper work, then head right home? You can call me, then the Lieu will definitely let us both be here without too much questions. That sound good?"

"It's not what I want, but...yeah, it sounds good. Sounds, almost perfect," she smiled, her eyes almost closing again, but she forced them open, smiled stronger at Bosco, who's hand was still caressing her cheek. "Be careful out there, I don't wanna lose you, Boz."

"I promise, you won't, and, I will," he replied, closing his eyes as he gently rubbed his nose against hers, his eyes opening when he moved again, a gentle sigh escaping. "I'm not about to let you lose me now, or ever," he said, his voice low.

"You better not," Faith whispered, that feeling, that clouds feeling, the one that made it so she could barely remember anything but the anxiety that was in her chest, the fear of losing him. Her eyes opened and closed a few times, a long exhaled breath escaping as she breathed out her nose, her eyes closing this time, a thought lost, two. "I don't want, our kids growing up, without their dad...without...you..." She was so tired, too tired to stay awake.

Bosco looked at her, at how peaceful she looked, but knew in his heart that her fears were real. Every night they would go out and both knew that they had each other's backs, and on the nights when they worked solo, well, those were the hardest nights the pair of them faced. The uncertainty of what would or might happen. What they both prayed never would. His hand, lingering at her cheek, moved to her chin, and he gently lifted her face up toward his. Her eyes opened, met his, and tears rushed to them. "Nothing will ever keep me from you, Faith," he whispered, his fingers brushing over her lips.

"Promise me," she said back, her voice so faded, but so strong in what she had said.

"I promise," he whispered, searching her barely open eyes, "I swear to God, I promise nothing will ever keep me from you, Faith. Not you, or Sammy, or Brittany."

Her eyes fluttered, but she tried to be strong, her eyes focusing on his, "Just come back to me in one piece, please," she cried, tears streaming effortlessly down her cheeks.

"One hour," Bosco whispered as her eyes closed again, his heart feeling weighted with sorrow, that same sorrow that he'd been overcome with the time he'd caught Fred beating on Faith six months after they'd joined the Five-Five. He was drunk, and he was demanding she quit and move out to Ohio with him. The anger he'd felt then rushed through him again, and he swore, one more time than each one before, that nothing would ever stop him from protecting and loving her like she so deserved to be.

He looked at her for a moment longer, could hear her breathing, could hear each breath, one after the other, like he'd done after she'd given birth to Samantha and he'd stayed at the hospital with her through the night. He had just sat in the chair watching the mother of his little girl sleep. Watched to make sure God or anyone else wouldn't take her from him, not when their lives had only just begun as a family. He could never break her heart, -never-.

Pressing a lingering kiss to Faith's forehead, Bosco squeezed his eyes shut, praying, Don't you make us lose each other now, please, don't. I love her so much, and I know you know. So please, don't ruin things when they're going so right for us. For me. You owe me that much. Both of us.

It seemed like an endless sleep, one with the same heart aching despair in-tow. Her mind was filled with Bosco's face, of his voice, of the word's he'd whispered to her not so long ago. Continuous, like she was being awoken every few minutes or so, just to be forced to relive the pain over and over again. The pain of the unknown. Of the fear, and the dread of what she'd do if anything happened to Bosco, to their little girls. She could sense them asleep with her where she sat asleep on the sofa. She could feel the weight of the blanket that covered them each, and she knew with little doubt that something was wrong. That something bad would happen. She just didn't know in the sense of controlling those thoughts, in being awake with realization, of knowing, to be able to change what she feared in her restless sleep.

There was a noise now, a shrill, tentative noise, over and over. Her eyes opened quickly to the encompassing darkness of the room, but she knew in a heartbeat where she was. She was awake, but that noise, whatever it had been, had just been a part of her dream, she knew that now as she silently, and carefully removed her arm from behind Brittany's head. Then, with her arm free, she reached up behind her, flicking the switch on the lamp as she fumbled for it. The sofa area of the room quickly lit up, and she sighed, realizing she must have fallen asleep, though not quite so sure when she had. She could barely remember.

'Nothing will ever keep me from you, Faith.'

'Promise me.'

'I promise.'

The tears rolled down both cheeks, and she allowed her gaze to fall to the coffee table, where she immediately felt her heart surge with all emotions as she saw her and Bosco's bowls of food from earlier. Hers was still uneaten, his only partial. What caught her attention more so was the way the bowls sat side-by-side, the spoons sitting at the outside sides of the bowl, both touching backward, toward her. She felt the breath catch in her throat, and more tears rushed from her eyes, "Oh Bosco," she cried, seeing the heart shape the bowls and spoons formed. She couldn't suppress the sob that escaped, and she leaned her head back against the sofa again, begging God to bring him back to her. Then, as she let out a breath through her mouth, she leaned her head forward, and looked down to see Samantha at her right, Brittany at her left. Please, don't make them live without a father that loves and adores them! Please, God, don't do that to them. Don't do that to me.

The phone rang, startling her and making Brittany stir against her side. Sighing, and wiping the tears from her eyes, she quickly reached for the phone where it was behind her and answered it. "Yokas," she said tiredly.

There was silence on the other end. "Faith, it's Sully."

"Sully?" Her brow creased in fear and confusion, "What...what is it?"

"It's Bosco."

She felt her heart clench, her stomach fall at a speed of a thousand miles per second. She couldn't bring herself to ask what had happened, fearing the answer she'd receive if she did.

"He was shot, about a half hour ago."

"Oh my god, no!" she cried out, Brittany and Samantha both waking up.

"He's at Mercy, they have him in theatre, but no one's sure that he'll..." he cut himself off, and Faith was honestly glad that he did. "There was a bust up at a pawn shop, down on Eighty-Fifth, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He wasn't even meant to get hit."

"Sully, no...don't...don't let that be true, please, don't!"

"It was friendly fire. Davis'. Fuck, Faith, he was out of uniform, there was a report of a burglary, but no one had any idea he was in there, not until..."

She couldn't let him finish, couldn't let her heart take that much more of what she was hearing, and so, Faith pressed the off button on the phone and slowly set it down on her lap.

"Mommy?"

She swallowed hard, looked down at Samantha, her tired eyes wide, staring back at her with questioning eyes. "We have to go...to the hospital, see daddy, alright sweet heart?"

"What's wrong with him?" she asked back, and Faith's heart clenched at the well formed words. "Is he sick?"

Swallowing again, Faith nodded, "Yeah. He's sick. But, he's going to be fine." She turned to Brittany, who was yawning, her little arm still wrapped around her mom's stomach. "He has to be..." Faith said softly to herself, tears streaming down both cheeks.

Her heart pounding in her chest, Faith stood, still in uniform, in the hospital elevator, holding Brittany in her left arm, while her right hand rested on the handle of the pram, where Samantha lay asleep inside. It was just them in the elevator, the hospital seeming so empty this time of night. Faith's mind was filled with images and sounds, as she tried to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything in her rush to get out of the apartment and head straight for the hospital. She knew she'd grabbed the bag with fresh diapers, formula, juice and some toddler food for Brittany and Samantha both. She also knew she'd grabbed the bag with a change of clothing, pajamas, and other items for Bosco. Still, she felt like she'd missed something. But, no. Everything her, the girls, and Bosco would need were sitting in two bags in the carrier at the bottom of the pram, and the other hooked over the handle.

Faith took in a low breath as the elevator came to a stop, and she started the walk out of it, pushing the pram ahead of her as she tried to find her way to the waiting area, a feat that seemed near impossible as her eyes welled with tears, blurring her vision. A small voice in her mind made her stop when she came to a near intersection of the corridors. She swallowed hard, lifting her gaze to the green and white signs above. Why, when she needed clarity in her mind the most, was she faced with not knowing? The words seemed garbled, patterned with an extreme taunt of making no sense to her pain filled mind and heart. All she wanted was to be with Bosco, Is that so much to ask!

A voice, a memory. She knew where to go, had been directed to the waiting area by Proctor upon their arrival at the hospital. She could hear her voice again as she told Faith that Bosco's spleen had ruptured, and he had taken a bullet to the chest. His heart stopped beating twice in the ambulance, and once more in the emergency room, before he was wheeled upstairs to the operating room.

The tears leaving her eyes, staining her cheeks as they rolled down, Faith swallowed again, then made her way left to the waiting area, making sure to let the nurse on charge know why she was there.

"Is there anyone else you'd like us to call?" the nurse asked, and Faith nodded. "Okay, you write it down, and Judy'll call straight away."

Faith took the block of yellow stick it notes from the nurse, and scratched out the only phone number she could remember. "His mother," she whispered, her voice fading even more as she handed the notes back to the nurse, who then gave a reassuring half smile, before directing her through to the waiting area. In the small, pastel cream painted area, Faith went to the far end of the room where there was the least amount of family members and friends waiting on their loved ones, and took a seat, making sure the front of the pram was facing her so she could carefully watch Samantha while she slept. She could feel the stares from the others, knew what they were thinking. Just some stupid cop. Stupid female cop. The men were the worst, but she ignored them for Bosco's sake, for her daughters, and her own.

Faith's left arm was around Brittany, where she lay stretched across her lap, drinking from her training cup. Faith looked at her small face, unable to believe she and Bosco had made such a gorgeous little girl. Two of them, she thought, her gaze shifting to Samantha where she stirred in the pram, though remaining asleep after moving just a little.

It felt like hours before there was a familiar voice. Rose Boscorelli's. She looked up to meet the other woman's tired face, and it was then that Faith realized just how late it was now. Just after two in the morning, according to the clock directly behind Rose's head. "Rose," she breathed, swallowing as more tears rushed to her eyes, stinging her already pain filled red eyes.

"Faith," Rose cried back, taking the seat at her right, and placing her hand on Faith's arm. "I just got home, found a bunch of messages on the machine. I came hear the minute I got changed," she said, pausing, "What happened to Maurice? They didn't say, only said he was hurt."

"Shot," Faith replied, the breath catching in her throat, "He was shot."

"Oh dear Lord," Rose gasped, staring at her. She could see the pain in the other woman's eyes, the pain that went to her very soul.

The tears rolled down Faith's cheeks again, one after the other. "I don't want him to die, Rose...please don't let him die!"

"He won't," she said back, gently rubbing her arm. "Maurice is strong, always has been, and he loves you very much. He won't let anything stop him from being with you."

Her lower lip trembled uncontrollably as she gently shook her head, "I love him too. I love him so much."

"I know you do sweet heart, and because of that, he's going to make it. You can't let yourself believe anything but that, do you understand?" she asked, touching her face.

Slowly, Faith nodded, wiping the tears from her face, before looking at Samantha first, then Brittany. Both were sound asleep. She turned back to Rose, crying more, "I don't think, they understand," she said between stops.

"They're probably just too young to right now," Rose replied, and Faith cried at her words. She moved forward, put her arm around the mother of her grandchildren, "It's okay, Faith, they're just little. It's okay."

"No. It's not. I can't...I won't, do this alone. I won't," she turned to her again, saw the tears in Bosco's mother's eyes.

"You're not alone. You've got me, and Mikey. We're here for you."

"We were...we were going to get married. He just, asked me...and...I can't, not have him in my life."

Rose brushed the hair out of Faith's face, "He finally proposed?" she asked sweetly, a smile on her lips.

Slowly, Faith nodded, "Tonight. After, this crazy fire."

"Sounds like something Maurice would do. It also explains his little visit a few hours back, wanting to know the best place to buy the perfect ring from in the dead of night. I had no idea it was for your engagement, not after you both explained your reasons not to get married."

Faith looked away, taking in a breath as she thought. "That...explains it..." She turned back to Rose, "Sully, he said Bosco went to a pawn shop. I thought it was, odd, but...now..." She paused again, this time when a sudden realization hit her, and she turned away from Rose again. "It's all my fault. He was shot, because of me."

"No Faith. No. Don't you dare go thinking that it was your fault, because it wasn't, do you hear me?" Rose asked, placing her hand under her chin and turning her face toward her. "He was not shot because of you."

"Then, why?"

"Because he was in the wrong place, at the wrong time."

She looked away again, not wanting to hear any more. She couldn't.

"Mrs Boscorelli?"

Faith turned her head, and looked up to see Doctor Healix standing there. She looked sideways at Rose, then back to the doctor, his eyes locked on hers. She knew at that very moment, as he said Mrs Boscorelli, that he had meant her. Oh Bosco! she cried out in her mind, then carefully rose to her feet, holding Brittany in her arms still. "Is he okay?" she asked, Rose standing at her side, putting her arm around her. "Is he going to make it?"

"He's going to be fine," Doctor Healix replied.

"But, he was shot..." Faith said, fearing that he was lying, or joking with her, "His heart failed."

"I know it might seem hard to believe, Mrs Boscorelli, but your husband is a very lucky man. In fact, he wanted me to come and get you right away, even against doctor's orders, I might add."

She cried, "He, he does?"

"He does," Doctor Healix said with a warm smile, "But just you, and he also said he wanted you to bring the small box from his bag of gear with you."

Faith's eyes moved to the brown bag in the trolley under the pram, nodded, then turned back to the doctor, "Can I see him now?"

"Of course," Doctor Healix replied, nodding, before looking at Rose briefly, then turning back to Faith.

"I'll watch them," Rose said, noticing Faith's hesitation. She took Brittany from her, and smiled, "I told you he'd be okay."

Faith bit her upper lip, to stop it from quivering as the happiness overcame her, "Thank you," she cried, before turning to the doctor, who gave her a small smile.

Walking into the recovery room where Bosco was in the bed, all sorts of tubes and wires connected to him, Faith couldn't help but pray a silent prayer to God as she walked up to the left of his bed, the box he'd asked for clutched in her hands, and thank Him for keeping Bosco alive. She wasn't a religious person by nature, never really understood the need for it, but as she reached her right hand out and placed it over Bosco's, she was grateful that she'd had Him to turn to.

The monitors beeping, Faith looked at each one of them, not understanding what they were all for, or what they were doing to help Bosco, but something about them brought a sense of peace of mind to her. If they were beeping, it meant Bosco was going to be okay. Her eyes drifted from the heart monitor, where she watched his steady rhythm change, beat a little faster, to his eyes, where he lay there looking back at her. "Hey," she whispered, the tears rushing to her eyes as she swallowed, smiling at him. "I thought I'd lost you tonight."

"Hey, you can never get rid of me that easily," he replied, turning his head to the right more, to look at her better. He turned his hand over, and gently squeezed hers, "How're our babies?"

"They're good. Your mom, she's in the waiting room with them," she replied, the tears streaming down her face.

"She's here?" he asked groggily.

"Yeah."

"How's she holding up?"

She started rubbing her thumb gently along the back of his hand, "I think she's a little too afraid to let her emotions show."

"Sounds like Ma," Bosco replied, but not before wincing when he went to move over a little.

"You okay?" Faith asked, panic in her voice as she reached her hand, the one still holding the box, out and gently touched his left shoulder, "I'll get the nurse," she said, about to pull away, when he grabbed her hand to stop her. "Bosco..."

"The box..."

She swallowed, looking down at it in her hand, "What, what about it?" she asked, somehow nervous.

"Open it," he said, moving a bit again, but not wincing this time, "Please?"

She nodded, though hesitated from removing her hand from his, fearing what would happen if she let go of him. She couldn't risk losing him now. But, he released her hand for her, and she reluctantly moved her hand to the box, slowly opening it up. Inside, sitting on red felt, she found a gold ring sitting inside, with a small diamond sitting on top. "Bosco..."

"It's...not the real thing, yet...I just got that while I pay the other off..." he said, and she looked right at him, fresh tears in her eyes. "Hey, don't cry..." he said gently, reaching up for her hand again, before bringing her into a hug, her head resting up against his, where he then kissed her forehead, "I love you, Faith. No one's ever gonna change that. Not ever."

"I love you too, Boz," she cried, closing her eyes when he pressed his lips to her forehead again. They slowly opened after a moment, and she pulled her head back just enough so she was looking down at him, "..." she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, all that happened was her eyes welled with tears, and she blinked them away so they'd stop blurring her vision of his handsome face.

"Something else, is wrong, isn't it?" Bosco asked, and his words made a lump rise in her throat, but she didn't reply. "Faith? What is it?"

She swallowed, shaking her head, "Nothing."

"No. Please, please tell me. I want to know, so I can help fix it."

Faith smiled gently, "It's not something that can be fixed..."

"You mean it's not something you want fixed?"

She swallowed again, "Earlier, when you said, had I put on an extra couple of pounds..."

He reached up, touched her face, "Hey, I didn't mean it, okay? I was being an insensitive ass. Typical Bosco."

"Not typical...don't say that...because...you were right..."

"No I wasn't. Faith, no," he replied, shaking his head.

She smiled gently again, "Yeah. It is. I'm pregnant."

Bosco smiled, "Y-you are?"

"Yeah. Looks like you'll end up with another Mitchell woman living under your roof. Hope you're not too mad," Faith said, laughing as she touched his face back, "It's like, every time something bad happens, something good happens, too."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," he replied, caressing her cheek with his thumb, "But, another girl? Come on, we're so having a boy."

Faith's smile widened, "And what makes you think that?"

"I just got shot, so I get to choose this time."

She playfully poked him in the arm, "Ha ha."

"But seriously..."

"Bosco, no seriously's..."

"I'd love to slip that ring on your finger," he said, pausing, "If you'd give me the honor, Mrs Boscorelli?"

Smiling, Faith handed him the opened ring box, where he carefully took the ring out of the box, and, their eyes locked on each others, slipped the ring on her finger, "I love you," he whispered, reaching up and touching her face again, "And that baby boy of ours," he added, grinning.

"Girl," Faith replied softly, moving her face closer to his, "But, I think we could do with a little Maurice Boscorelli junior running around the house, especially if he's as sweet as his daddy." There was a brief pause, her eyes searching his, when she gently pressed her lips to his, "I love you too Maurice," she said softly, her eyes once again meeting his, "Always remember that."

"I always will," he said back, drawing her mouth to his as he kissed her in return.