Third Watch, There For You series: Fic Nine: Where Loyalty Lies (1/1)
Title: Where Loyalty Lies (1/1)
Author: X_tremeroswellian
Email: X_tremeroswellian@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: I keep wishing, but they *still* don't belong to me.
Rating: PG-13 for language, sexual content and mild violence
Spoilers: Up through and including "Act Brave."
Summary: During a celebration at Haggerty's, Faith is shocked to learn that Scott is a friend of Bosco's.
Distribution: My site, Only Time
Category: Story
Subcategories: A bit of humor, angst, drama, friendship, hurt/comfort
Feedback: Keeps me writing
Author's Note: This is the 9th story in a series of TW fics I'm writing called There For You. The first one was "Crossing Boundaries," the second was "Partners," the third was "Changing of the Tides," the fourth was "Surprise," the fifth was "For Every Ending," the sixth was "...There is a Beginning," the seventh was "A Night to Remember," and the eighth was "The Waiting Game." Might wanna read those first.
Where Loyalty Lies
When Faith walked into the locker room for work that day, she was startled to see Bosco there, leaning against her locker door. "Boz?"
His eyes lit up when he saw her and he grinned at her broadly. "Guess what?"
The smile was contagious and she found herself smiling back at him. "What?"
"My training at STS is over. I officially start with ESU next week."
Her eyes widened. "Boz, that's great! Congratulations!" Faith gave him a hug, smiling and feeling proud of her best friend.
"Thanks," Bosco replied, hugging her back tightly. "I couldn't have done it without you."
"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything."
"Yeah, you did." He pulled away to look at her. "You believed in me. Thank you."
Touched by his words, Faith nodded. "Always."
He smiled, watched as she unlocked her locker. "Hey, listen. Some of my friends from STS and I are all going out to Haggerty's tonight to celebrate. I'd really like it if you were there."
Faith smiled at him. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."
His grin broadened. "Great! I'll uh...let you get ready for your shift. I'll see you tonight."
"Count on it," she promised, smiling as he left.
Sully and Davis came in a second later. "Was that Bosco?" Davis asked, frowning slightly.
"Yep."
"Amazing. I see the guy more now before roll call than I did when he was actually working here," Sully remarked, shaking his head.
They all laughed.
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"55-David, we have an assault in progress at 422 West Mound, Apartment 211," the dispatcher said over the radio.
Faith flinched slightly as Gusler radioed back and she started the car engine, quickly heading for the location.
"I hate these calls," he said, frowning.
"You and me both," she replied, feeling tense.
The rest of the drive was silent. Faith parked the squad in front of the building and hurried out of the car, up the sidewalk and then up the stairs, Gusler right behind her.
The door to apartment 211 was open and she could hear a woman crying from inside. She took her weapon from its holster and went inside.
There was a red-headed woman, probably in her mid-forties, lying on the floor. Her clothes were torn, but she was clutching her right leg in pain.
"Check the apartment," Faith told Gusler, who nodded. She knelt down beside the woman. "Ma'am, are you all right?"
"I think he broke my leg," she whispered.
Faith reached for her radio. "55-David to Central, we need a bus to this location." She looked at the woman again. "Can you tell me what happened?" she asked gently.
"I went out to dinner with him. I asked him back for coffee, that's all...I didn't know he would..." She shuddered.
"I know. I'm sorry," Faith said quietly.
"I shouldn't have asked him up. I barely knew him..."
"It's not your fault," she tried to assure the woman. She took a deep breath, trying to ease the nausea in her own stomach. "I need to ask you some questions, okay?"
The woman nodded, still holding onto her leg.
"Can you tell me what your name is?"
"Sheilia Potter."
"And the man that did this to you?"
"Jonathen Fields," she whispered.
She jotted the name down on her notepad. "And how long have you known him?"
"Three years. We work in the same office together."
"Where's that?"
"Mason and Crow's Law Firm."
Faith nodded. "Are you a lawyer?"
"Yeah, we both are. I can't believe he would do this to me!"
She swallowed hard. "Did he rape you?" she asked softly.
Sheilia looked away, tears in her eyes. "Yes."
Faith heard the ambulance sirens from outside. "We can finish this after the doctors at the hospital check you out, okay?"
"Thanks."
She nodded and stood up, backing away by Gusler as Alex and Carlos came in carrying a stretcher.
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"Hey, are you okay?"
Faith turned to see Alex standing next to her in the e.r. waiting room. "Yeah, why?"
"Well, it's just that...after what happened to you a couple weeks ago..." Her voice trailed off.
"Nothing happened," she replied instantly.
"With Scott. At Haggerty's," Alex said gently, gazing at her in concern.
"It was no big deal," Faith denied.
The paramedic frowned. "Faith, the guy assaulted you. Whether or not he actually..." She shook her head. "Look, I was in that position once. Or something close to it. It still affects me."
She looked away.
"Have you talked to anyone about what happened?"
"Like who?" she asked, confused.
"I don't know. Bosco?"
She flinched. "No, he doesn't need to know."
"Faith..."
"Look, I'm all right. What happened was no big deal. I'm over it."
Alex sighed. "Okay. But if you change your mind and want to talk..."
"Thanks. But really, I'm fine."
"Sure. I'll see you later."
Faith watched as the other woman left the e.r. She swallowed hard, feeling anxious all of a sudden. She tried to push the feeling away. //Get over it, she commanded herself. Dwelling on it isn't going to help. Just forget it.//
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"So am I finally going to meet this old partner of yours?" Cynthia asked as she smiled at Bosco.
He nodded, smiling back. "Yeah, she should be here any minute," Bosco told her. "Her shift ended a little while ago."
"Good. I feel like I already know her."
His smile widened. He hoped Cynthia and Faith would like each other.
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Faith paused outside the entrance of Haggerty's, hesitating as memories of the last time she was there flashed through her mind. //This is Bosco's night. Get over it and go inside.//
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped inside, looking around. She spotted Bosco at the same time he spotted her. He immediately grinned and stood up, walking over in her direction. She met him halfway. "Hey."
"Hey, glad you could make it," Bosco said.
"Yeah. Sorry I'm late."
"No problem. We just got here a little while ago," he assured her. He draped his arm around her shoulders and guided her over to the crowded table.
She was surprised by the gesture of affection, but made no effort to pull away. It actually felt nice to have his arm around her. Comforting.
"Guys, this is my best friend and the best partner I ever had, Faith Yokas," Bosco announced to his group of friends from STS.
"Finally. I was beginning to think Bosco made you up in his head," one of the guys said with a laugh.
"That wise ass there is Mark Waterson," he told her, rolling his eyes.
She smiled and shook the man's hand, liking him instantly.
"Good to meet you. He talks about you all the time," another guy said, also shaking her hand.
"Don't believe a thing he said. It's all lies," she said with a laugh.
"Hey! It was all good stuff," Bosco protested, playfully elbowing her in the arm. "That's Jeff Michael, by the way."
He introduced half a dozen other guys, then finally got to the only other woman in the crowd, a pretty, petite brunette with dark green eyes. "And this is Cynthia Martin."
Faith shook her hand. "Good to meet you."
"Yeah, same here. I've heard so much about you." Cynthia smiled and looked at Bosco.
Faith's gaze went from her to her best friend. She sensed there was a little something more than just friendship between them. For some reason the thought made her uncomfortable.
"You want something to drink?" Bosco asked her.
"No, I'm good, thanks," she answered immediately.
He frowned slightly. "You sure?"
"Yeah."
He turned to Cynthia. "You want anything?"
"A beer would be great, thanks, Maurice," Cynthia replied.
Faith raised her eyebrows. Yep. Definitely more than just friends. She didn't have long to dwell on the thought, though.
Mark looked at her as she sat down at the table. "So how long were you and Bosco partners?"
"Eight years."
"Bet you have some great stories on him," Cynthia said with a grin, sitting forward in her chair.
"You better believe it," she answered with a chuckle.
"This I gotta hear," Jeff said, laughing.
"Where do I begin?" Faith wondered aloud. "This one time--"
"Hey, hey, hey," Bosco interrupted, handing Cynthia her beer. "Watch it, Yokas. I could tell some stories about you, too," he reminded her, amusement in his eyes.
She shrugged apologetically to his new friends. "Sorry, guys. He's got a point."
"Thank you," Bosco replied, grinning.
"Killjoy," she said, returning his smile.
"I do what I can." He looked toward the door to see a couple more of his friends walk in.
"Hey, Bosco!"
"Hey, Adams, Rodriguez. Come on over here, I want you to meet someone."
Faith turned to see who Bosco was talking to, then froze as her gaze locked on Scott's face. He saw her at the same moment and looked just as startled as she felt.
"Faith, these are some more of my buddies from ESU. This is Alex Rodriguez and Scott Adams. Guys, this is Faith Yokas."
He's a cop? she thought, her stomach knotting at the shock.
Rodriguez shook her hand. "Heard a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet."
"Nice to meet you, too," she murmured, her gaze still on Scott, who appeared to have regained his confidence as he reached for her hand.
"Bosco never mentioned how beautiful his ex-partner was," Scott told her, flashing the same smile he'd used on her that night a couple weeks ago. There was a look of warning in his eyes.
She couldn't form a coherent thought as she shook his hand back numbly.
Scott sat down in the seat right beside her so she was sandwiched in between him and Bosco. She casually scooted her chair away from Scott's as much as she could without being noticed. She really wanted to go home, but she couldn't do that. This was Bosco's night and he wanted her there. She wasn't going to ruin this for him.
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"So then the guy dropped his gun and screamed like a little kid," Jeff finished.
The group burst into laughter.
Bosco grinned, shaking his head and chuckling. He turned his head to look at Faith, his smile fading a little as he saw the distant look in her eyes. He leaned closer to her. "Hey, you okay?"
She nodded, giving him a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something told him she wasn't being honest with him. Her tone was too cheerful, not quite real. And her smile seemed forced, too. Come to think of it, she'd seemed uncomfortable most of the evening. Maybe she was feeling out of place with his new friends.
He frowned. No, she'd seemed okay at the beginning of the night. Had fit right in, just like he'd known she would. Faith always seemed to fit right in with whoever she was around. She made other people feel comfortable. It was one of the things he loved about her.
But if that wasn't it, what was it?
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Faith tried to force herself to pay attention to the stories Bosco's friends were telling while she kept an eye on Scott, who was alternately smiling at her and flirting with some woman across the room. So far he hadn't said or done anything out of line, but she still felt tense and uncomfortable.
She suddenly came to the realization that Bosco was now talking.
"...so we went in with our guns drawn. The one guy was being hostile, a real smart ass. He was holding this other guy at gunpoint. I thought for sure we were going to have to shoot him. But Yokas here started talking to him, being real sympathetic and the jag-off didn't even realize he'd been had until she had put the cuffs on him. You should have seen her. It was incredible," he finished with a proud grin, turning his head to look at her.
Faith met his gaze, momentarily forgetting about Scott as old memories flooded through her mind. He held her gaze, smiling at her warmly as someone else began talking.
Just then, she felt Scott's knee brush up against hers as he shifted in his seat. She jerked away from him, vividly recalling the feel of his hands on her body as he forced her up against the wall. She stood up quickly.
Bosco looked up at her, startled. "Faith?"
"Sorry. I'll be right back," she murmured, hurrying away from the table. She let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. She headed toward the back. Maybe if she splashed some cold water on her face then she'd be able to relax a little. She was nearly there when someone grabbed her arm and jerked her around. She found herself staring right at Scott.
"I thought we could take this opportunity to have a little talk," he informed her, pulling her farther down the dimly lit hallway that led to the back of the bar where the restrooms were located.
"Let go of me," she warned, yanking her arm away from him.
"What happened the other night was just a simple misunderstanding," Scott said, smiling at her as he spoke with a low voice and took a step toward her. "We'd both had too much to drink, we didn't know what we were doing..." He let his voice trail off.
"No, it wasn't a misunderstanding. You didn't want to take no for an answer."
His eyes narrowed and the smile left his face. "Listen, bitch," he said hatefully, cornering her against the wall. "You're gonna keep your mouth shut!"
"If you try anything, I'll yell and bring all your friends running over here to see the real you," Faith said, her voice calm despite the fact her heart was pounding rapidly against her chest.
"Oh, yeah?" Scott smirked. "And do you really think any of them will believe you over me?"
"Bosco will."
He raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"
Faith stared at him.
"I mean, you two may have been partners for awhile, but he's one of my teammates now, not yours." He leaned down toward her so their faces were only inches apart. "I'm holding all the cards here, Slut. So you might wanna think real hard before you open your pretty little mouth and say something you'll regret later." He placed one of his hands on the wall beside her head, glaring at her intensely. "Do you understand?"
She swallowed hard.
"Understand what?"
They both turned to see Bosco standing a few feet away, staring at them.
Scott smiled easily. "We were just having a little talk," he said with a shrug.
"I see that." Bosco moved closer, turned his gaze to her. "Faith?"
She glared defiantly at Scott. "I guess if you define a little talk by threatening the other person, then, yeah. That's what we were doing."
His eyes narrowed. "Did you threaten her?" Bosco asked, his tone low, his hands curling into fists.
"Of course not. I don't know what she's talking about." Scott looked at her intensely. "I would never threaten a woman."
Bosco's gaze went from him to Faith, then back again. "Then why would she say you did?"
"I guess you'd have to ask her. All I did was ask her out and she got all defensive about it," he said, shaking his head and holding his hands up.
Faith stared at him in disbelief.
Again, Bosco's gaze focused on his former partner. Her face was pale, her hands shaking slightly, though she was trying to hide it. "Faith?" he said again, taking a step toward her.
She saw the look of warning in Scott's eyes, and shifted her gaze to Bosco's face. He was clearly confused by what was going on. She couldn't look him in the eyes. "It was nothing. Forget it," she muttered.
Scott smiled.
Bosco frowned, then gently pulled her aside. "I know you better than that, Faith. Talk to me."
She shook her head slightly. "It was just a stupid misunderstanding. No big deal." Faith took a deep breath. "Look, I've got a headache. I think I'm gonna head home."
His frown deepened. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, his hand lingering on her arm.
"Yeah." She forced a smile.
"Do you need a ride home?" he asked, concern in his voice.
"No. But thanks. I'll see you later, Boz. Congratulations."
Bosco nodded and watched as she left. He slowly turned back to Scott, still feeling tense and suspicious. "If I find out that you said or did anything to hurt her, I'm going to make you very sorry," he warned, his eyes narrowed. Without another word, he turned and walked away.
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Faith took a long drink of herbal ea as she sat curled up on the recliner, mentally berating herself. What the hell had she been thinking to allow that jerk corner her? To intimidate her? What kind of a cop was she, anyway?
The knock on her door startled her and she spilled some of the tea on her sweatshirt. "Damn it," she muttered, setting the cup down on the table as she stood up. One her way to the door, she glanced at the clock. 2:46 a.m. Which meant it could only be one person at her door. Sure enough, she peered out the peep hole and then pulled the door open to reveal Bosco standing there. "What are you doing here?"
"Can I come in?"
She stepped aside and let him in, shutting the door behind him.
Bosco turned around to face her, a serious look in his eyes. "I want to know what happened, Faith."
"Nothing," she denied, moving back to her chair.
He sat down on the sofa. "Yeah? Then how come you're shaking?"
Faith couldn't bring herself to look at him. "It's been a long week."
"Did Scott say something to upset you?" he pressed.
"Why can't you just let this go, Bosco?" she asked, wearily, not wanting to think about Scott or what had happened earlier that night, or the night a couple weeks ago.
He studied her for a long moment. "Because you're my best friend and you haven't been acting like yourself all night. And if Scott's the reason why, I want to know it."
Tears filled her eyes and she quickly set her mug down, horrified. She stood up to try and make it to the bathroom before she started crying, but he stood up at the same time and blocked her path.
He placed his hands on her arms. "Tell me." He must have realized she was on the verge of crying because the next thing she knew, he'd pulled her into his arms. "Talk to me, Faith. Please."
She swallowed hard and pulled away from him. She sat down on the edge of the sofa and he sat down next to her, waiting. She hesitated, resting her forehead on her hands as she rested her elbows on her knees, doubt flooding her mind. "I met Scott a couple weeks ago at Haggerty's, that night I went out with Kim and Alex. He and a couple of his friends came over and spent a few hours talking to us. They bought us some drinks. When it was time to go, I decided to go to the bathroom before taking a cab home."
"And--?" he pressed gently.
"And Scott followed me into the women's bathroom." Her voice dropped.
Bosco stared at her, feeling a sense of dread coil up within his stomach. "Did he--"
"No," Faith said immediately, shaking her head.
"What did he do?"
"Nothing."
"Faith."
She closed her eyes. "He pinned me up against the wall and started...unbuttoning my shirt. He just...he didn't want to take no for an answer. So I kneed him in the groin and then it was over. I took care of it. It was no big deal."
"No big deal?" he repeated, shocked by her words as he stared at her open-mouthed. "Jesus Christ, Faith, that fucking bastard tried to rape you!" He saw her flinch at his words and he immediately felt bad. He took a deep breath to try and calm the rage he felt building up within him. He rested his hand on her back. "Why didn't you report him that night?" he asked, his voice quieter.
Faith looked at the floor. "Because I'd been drinking, Bosco."
"So? It wasn't your fault!"
"Maybe I sent him mixed signals. He bought me a drink. Maybe I didn't make it clear that I wasn't interested--"
"Stop it," he commanded. "Look at me, Faith."
She sighed, then turned her head to meet his gaze.
"Whether he bought you a drink or dinner or a god-damned diamond ring, it doesn't matter. It doesn't give him--or any other guy--the right to put his hands on you without your permission. Ever. It's not your fault."
"Thanks, Boz," she said softly.
"What did he say to you tonight?"
"Just that I better keep my mouth shut or I'd regret it. And that even if I did say something, no one would believe me over him anyway."
"That son of a bitch," Bosco said angrily.
"Bosco, I don't want you to do anything."
"How can you expect me not to, Faith? After what he tried to do to you?" he demanded, looking at her like she had lost her mind.
"Because there's no proof anyway. It's my word against his. It's not worth stirring up trouble over. I don't want you to put your job on the line because of me."
"I'd put my *life* on the line for you. I have in the past. It's just a damned job, Faith."
"A damned job that you worked damned hard to get, Bosco. Don't throw it away now."
Bosco stared at the floor, forcing his anger aside for the moment, trying to get his thoughts together. Then he took a deep breath and turned his head to look at her once more. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I just feel stupid, letting him corner me like that. I mean, I'm a cop." She shook her head in disgust.
"You can't doubt yourself out there because of this. You weren't on duty, you weren't 'Officer Yokas' when this happened. You were Faith. And that jag-off's twice your size. You did everything right, Faith," he said gently.
She looked at him for a second, hesitating. Then she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head down on his shoulder.
Bosco closed his eyes briefly, pressing a kiss against the side of her head as he folded his arms around her. He felt her shudder against him and he held her a little tighter as she began to cry. He felt the rage building within him again and vowed silently that one way or another, Scott Adams was going to get what he deserved.
Because no one fucked with Bosco's best friend and got away with it.
Author: X_tremeroswellian
Email: X_tremeroswellian@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: I keep wishing, but they *still* don't belong to me.
Rating: PG-13 for language, sexual content and mild violence
Spoilers: Up through and including "Act Brave."
Summary: During a celebration at Haggerty's, Faith is shocked to learn that Scott is a friend of Bosco's.
Distribution: My site, Only Time
Category: Story
Subcategories: A bit of humor, angst, drama, friendship, hurt/comfort
Feedback: Keeps me writing
Author's Note: This is the 9th story in a series of TW fics I'm writing called There For You. The first one was "Crossing Boundaries," the second was "Partners," the third was "Changing of the Tides," the fourth was "Surprise," the fifth was "For Every Ending," the sixth was "...There is a Beginning," the seventh was "A Night to Remember," and the eighth was "The Waiting Game." Might wanna read those first.
Where Loyalty Lies
When Faith walked into the locker room for work that day, she was startled to see Bosco there, leaning against her locker door. "Boz?"
His eyes lit up when he saw her and he grinned at her broadly. "Guess what?"
The smile was contagious and she found herself smiling back at him. "What?"
"My training at STS is over. I officially start with ESU next week."
Her eyes widened. "Boz, that's great! Congratulations!" Faith gave him a hug, smiling and feeling proud of her best friend.
"Thanks," Bosco replied, hugging her back tightly. "I couldn't have done it without you."
"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything."
"Yeah, you did." He pulled away to look at her. "You believed in me. Thank you."
Touched by his words, Faith nodded. "Always."
He smiled, watched as she unlocked her locker. "Hey, listen. Some of my friends from STS and I are all going out to Haggerty's tonight to celebrate. I'd really like it if you were there."
Faith smiled at him. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."
His grin broadened. "Great! I'll uh...let you get ready for your shift. I'll see you tonight."
"Count on it," she promised, smiling as he left.
Sully and Davis came in a second later. "Was that Bosco?" Davis asked, frowning slightly.
"Yep."
"Amazing. I see the guy more now before roll call than I did when he was actually working here," Sully remarked, shaking his head.
They all laughed.
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"55-David, we have an assault in progress at 422 West Mound, Apartment 211," the dispatcher said over the radio.
Faith flinched slightly as Gusler radioed back and she started the car engine, quickly heading for the location.
"I hate these calls," he said, frowning.
"You and me both," she replied, feeling tense.
The rest of the drive was silent. Faith parked the squad in front of the building and hurried out of the car, up the sidewalk and then up the stairs, Gusler right behind her.
The door to apartment 211 was open and she could hear a woman crying from inside. She took her weapon from its holster and went inside.
There was a red-headed woman, probably in her mid-forties, lying on the floor. Her clothes were torn, but she was clutching her right leg in pain.
"Check the apartment," Faith told Gusler, who nodded. She knelt down beside the woman. "Ma'am, are you all right?"
"I think he broke my leg," she whispered.
Faith reached for her radio. "55-David to Central, we need a bus to this location." She looked at the woman again. "Can you tell me what happened?" she asked gently.
"I went out to dinner with him. I asked him back for coffee, that's all...I didn't know he would..." She shuddered.
"I know. I'm sorry," Faith said quietly.
"I shouldn't have asked him up. I barely knew him..."
"It's not your fault," she tried to assure the woman. She took a deep breath, trying to ease the nausea in her own stomach. "I need to ask you some questions, okay?"
The woman nodded, still holding onto her leg.
"Can you tell me what your name is?"
"Sheilia Potter."
"And the man that did this to you?"
"Jonathen Fields," she whispered.
She jotted the name down on her notepad. "And how long have you known him?"
"Three years. We work in the same office together."
"Where's that?"
"Mason and Crow's Law Firm."
Faith nodded. "Are you a lawyer?"
"Yeah, we both are. I can't believe he would do this to me!"
She swallowed hard. "Did he rape you?" she asked softly.
Sheilia looked away, tears in her eyes. "Yes."
Faith heard the ambulance sirens from outside. "We can finish this after the doctors at the hospital check you out, okay?"
"Thanks."
She nodded and stood up, backing away by Gusler as Alex and Carlos came in carrying a stretcher.
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"Hey, are you okay?"
Faith turned to see Alex standing next to her in the e.r. waiting room. "Yeah, why?"
"Well, it's just that...after what happened to you a couple weeks ago..." Her voice trailed off.
"Nothing happened," she replied instantly.
"With Scott. At Haggerty's," Alex said gently, gazing at her in concern.
"It was no big deal," Faith denied.
The paramedic frowned. "Faith, the guy assaulted you. Whether or not he actually..." She shook her head. "Look, I was in that position once. Or something close to it. It still affects me."
She looked away.
"Have you talked to anyone about what happened?"
"Like who?" she asked, confused.
"I don't know. Bosco?"
She flinched. "No, he doesn't need to know."
"Faith..."
"Look, I'm all right. What happened was no big deal. I'm over it."
Alex sighed. "Okay. But if you change your mind and want to talk..."
"Thanks. But really, I'm fine."
"Sure. I'll see you later."
Faith watched as the other woman left the e.r. She swallowed hard, feeling anxious all of a sudden. She tried to push the feeling away. //Get over it, she commanded herself. Dwelling on it isn't going to help. Just forget it.//
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"So am I finally going to meet this old partner of yours?" Cynthia asked as she smiled at Bosco.
He nodded, smiling back. "Yeah, she should be here any minute," Bosco told her. "Her shift ended a little while ago."
"Good. I feel like I already know her."
His smile widened. He hoped Cynthia and Faith would like each other.
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Faith paused outside the entrance of Haggerty's, hesitating as memories of the last time she was there flashed through her mind. //This is Bosco's night. Get over it and go inside.//
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped inside, looking around. She spotted Bosco at the same time he spotted her. He immediately grinned and stood up, walking over in her direction. She met him halfway. "Hey."
"Hey, glad you could make it," Bosco said.
"Yeah. Sorry I'm late."
"No problem. We just got here a little while ago," he assured her. He draped his arm around her shoulders and guided her over to the crowded table.
She was surprised by the gesture of affection, but made no effort to pull away. It actually felt nice to have his arm around her. Comforting.
"Guys, this is my best friend and the best partner I ever had, Faith Yokas," Bosco announced to his group of friends from STS.
"Finally. I was beginning to think Bosco made you up in his head," one of the guys said with a laugh.
"That wise ass there is Mark Waterson," he told her, rolling his eyes.
She smiled and shook the man's hand, liking him instantly.
"Good to meet you. He talks about you all the time," another guy said, also shaking her hand.
"Don't believe a thing he said. It's all lies," she said with a laugh.
"Hey! It was all good stuff," Bosco protested, playfully elbowing her in the arm. "That's Jeff Michael, by the way."
He introduced half a dozen other guys, then finally got to the only other woman in the crowd, a pretty, petite brunette with dark green eyes. "And this is Cynthia Martin."
Faith shook her hand. "Good to meet you."
"Yeah, same here. I've heard so much about you." Cynthia smiled and looked at Bosco.
Faith's gaze went from her to her best friend. She sensed there was a little something more than just friendship between them. For some reason the thought made her uncomfortable.
"You want something to drink?" Bosco asked her.
"No, I'm good, thanks," she answered immediately.
He frowned slightly. "You sure?"
"Yeah."
He turned to Cynthia. "You want anything?"
"A beer would be great, thanks, Maurice," Cynthia replied.
Faith raised her eyebrows. Yep. Definitely more than just friends. She didn't have long to dwell on the thought, though.
Mark looked at her as she sat down at the table. "So how long were you and Bosco partners?"
"Eight years."
"Bet you have some great stories on him," Cynthia said with a grin, sitting forward in her chair.
"You better believe it," she answered with a chuckle.
"This I gotta hear," Jeff said, laughing.
"Where do I begin?" Faith wondered aloud. "This one time--"
"Hey, hey, hey," Bosco interrupted, handing Cynthia her beer. "Watch it, Yokas. I could tell some stories about you, too," he reminded her, amusement in his eyes.
She shrugged apologetically to his new friends. "Sorry, guys. He's got a point."
"Thank you," Bosco replied, grinning.
"Killjoy," she said, returning his smile.
"I do what I can." He looked toward the door to see a couple more of his friends walk in.
"Hey, Bosco!"
"Hey, Adams, Rodriguez. Come on over here, I want you to meet someone."
Faith turned to see who Bosco was talking to, then froze as her gaze locked on Scott's face. He saw her at the same moment and looked just as startled as she felt.
"Faith, these are some more of my buddies from ESU. This is Alex Rodriguez and Scott Adams. Guys, this is Faith Yokas."
He's a cop? she thought, her stomach knotting at the shock.
Rodriguez shook her hand. "Heard a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet."
"Nice to meet you, too," she murmured, her gaze still on Scott, who appeared to have regained his confidence as he reached for her hand.
"Bosco never mentioned how beautiful his ex-partner was," Scott told her, flashing the same smile he'd used on her that night a couple weeks ago. There was a look of warning in his eyes.
She couldn't form a coherent thought as she shook his hand back numbly.
Scott sat down in the seat right beside her so she was sandwiched in between him and Bosco. She casually scooted her chair away from Scott's as much as she could without being noticed. She really wanted to go home, but she couldn't do that. This was Bosco's night and he wanted her there. She wasn't going to ruin this for him.
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"So then the guy dropped his gun and screamed like a little kid," Jeff finished.
The group burst into laughter.
Bosco grinned, shaking his head and chuckling. He turned his head to look at Faith, his smile fading a little as he saw the distant look in her eyes. He leaned closer to her. "Hey, you okay?"
She nodded, giving him a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something told him she wasn't being honest with him. Her tone was too cheerful, not quite real. And her smile seemed forced, too. Come to think of it, she'd seemed uncomfortable most of the evening. Maybe she was feeling out of place with his new friends.
He frowned. No, she'd seemed okay at the beginning of the night. Had fit right in, just like he'd known she would. Faith always seemed to fit right in with whoever she was around. She made other people feel comfortable. It was one of the things he loved about her.
But if that wasn't it, what was it?
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Faith tried to force herself to pay attention to the stories Bosco's friends were telling while she kept an eye on Scott, who was alternately smiling at her and flirting with some woman across the room. So far he hadn't said or done anything out of line, but she still felt tense and uncomfortable.
She suddenly came to the realization that Bosco was now talking.
"...so we went in with our guns drawn. The one guy was being hostile, a real smart ass. He was holding this other guy at gunpoint. I thought for sure we were going to have to shoot him. But Yokas here started talking to him, being real sympathetic and the jag-off didn't even realize he'd been had until she had put the cuffs on him. You should have seen her. It was incredible," he finished with a proud grin, turning his head to look at her.
Faith met his gaze, momentarily forgetting about Scott as old memories flooded through her mind. He held her gaze, smiling at her warmly as someone else began talking.
Just then, she felt Scott's knee brush up against hers as he shifted in his seat. She jerked away from him, vividly recalling the feel of his hands on her body as he forced her up against the wall. She stood up quickly.
Bosco looked up at her, startled. "Faith?"
"Sorry. I'll be right back," she murmured, hurrying away from the table. She let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. She headed toward the back. Maybe if she splashed some cold water on her face then she'd be able to relax a little. She was nearly there when someone grabbed her arm and jerked her around. She found herself staring right at Scott.
"I thought we could take this opportunity to have a little talk," he informed her, pulling her farther down the dimly lit hallway that led to the back of the bar where the restrooms were located.
"Let go of me," she warned, yanking her arm away from him.
"What happened the other night was just a simple misunderstanding," Scott said, smiling at her as he spoke with a low voice and took a step toward her. "We'd both had too much to drink, we didn't know what we were doing..." He let his voice trail off.
"No, it wasn't a misunderstanding. You didn't want to take no for an answer."
His eyes narrowed and the smile left his face. "Listen, bitch," he said hatefully, cornering her against the wall. "You're gonna keep your mouth shut!"
"If you try anything, I'll yell and bring all your friends running over here to see the real you," Faith said, her voice calm despite the fact her heart was pounding rapidly against her chest.
"Oh, yeah?" Scott smirked. "And do you really think any of them will believe you over me?"
"Bosco will."
He raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"
Faith stared at him.
"I mean, you two may have been partners for awhile, but he's one of my teammates now, not yours." He leaned down toward her so their faces were only inches apart. "I'm holding all the cards here, Slut. So you might wanna think real hard before you open your pretty little mouth and say something you'll regret later." He placed one of his hands on the wall beside her head, glaring at her intensely. "Do you understand?"
She swallowed hard.
"Understand what?"
They both turned to see Bosco standing a few feet away, staring at them.
Scott smiled easily. "We were just having a little talk," he said with a shrug.
"I see that." Bosco moved closer, turned his gaze to her. "Faith?"
She glared defiantly at Scott. "I guess if you define a little talk by threatening the other person, then, yeah. That's what we were doing."
His eyes narrowed. "Did you threaten her?" Bosco asked, his tone low, his hands curling into fists.
"Of course not. I don't know what she's talking about." Scott looked at her intensely. "I would never threaten a woman."
Bosco's gaze went from him to Faith, then back again. "Then why would she say you did?"
"I guess you'd have to ask her. All I did was ask her out and she got all defensive about it," he said, shaking his head and holding his hands up.
Faith stared at him in disbelief.
Again, Bosco's gaze focused on his former partner. Her face was pale, her hands shaking slightly, though she was trying to hide it. "Faith?" he said again, taking a step toward her.
She saw the look of warning in Scott's eyes, and shifted her gaze to Bosco's face. He was clearly confused by what was going on. She couldn't look him in the eyes. "It was nothing. Forget it," she muttered.
Scott smiled.
Bosco frowned, then gently pulled her aside. "I know you better than that, Faith. Talk to me."
She shook her head slightly. "It was just a stupid misunderstanding. No big deal." Faith took a deep breath. "Look, I've got a headache. I think I'm gonna head home."
His frown deepened. "Are you sure you're all right?" he asked, his hand lingering on her arm.
"Yeah." She forced a smile.
"Do you need a ride home?" he asked, concern in his voice.
"No. But thanks. I'll see you later, Boz. Congratulations."
Bosco nodded and watched as she left. He slowly turned back to Scott, still feeling tense and suspicious. "If I find out that you said or did anything to hurt her, I'm going to make you very sorry," he warned, his eyes narrowed. Without another word, he turned and walked away.
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Faith took a long drink of herbal ea as she sat curled up on the recliner, mentally berating herself. What the hell had she been thinking to allow that jerk corner her? To intimidate her? What kind of a cop was she, anyway?
The knock on her door startled her and she spilled some of the tea on her sweatshirt. "Damn it," she muttered, setting the cup down on the table as she stood up. One her way to the door, she glanced at the clock. 2:46 a.m. Which meant it could only be one person at her door. Sure enough, she peered out the peep hole and then pulled the door open to reveal Bosco standing there. "What are you doing here?"
"Can I come in?"
She stepped aside and let him in, shutting the door behind him.
Bosco turned around to face her, a serious look in his eyes. "I want to know what happened, Faith."
"Nothing," she denied, moving back to her chair.
He sat down on the sofa. "Yeah? Then how come you're shaking?"
Faith couldn't bring herself to look at him. "It's been a long week."
"Did Scott say something to upset you?" he pressed.
"Why can't you just let this go, Bosco?" she asked, wearily, not wanting to think about Scott or what had happened earlier that night, or the night a couple weeks ago.
He studied her for a long moment. "Because you're my best friend and you haven't been acting like yourself all night. And if Scott's the reason why, I want to know it."
Tears filled her eyes and she quickly set her mug down, horrified. She stood up to try and make it to the bathroom before she started crying, but he stood up at the same time and blocked her path.
He placed his hands on her arms. "Tell me." He must have realized she was on the verge of crying because the next thing she knew, he'd pulled her into his arms. "Talk to me, Faith. Please."
She swallowed hard and pulled away from him. She sat down on the edge of the sofa and he sat down next to her, waiting. She hesitated, resting her forehead on her hands as she rested her elbows on her knees, doubt flooding her mind. "I met Scott a couple weeks ago at Haggerty's, that night I went out with Kim and Alex. He and a couple of his friends came over and spent a few hours talking to us. They bought us some drinks. When it was time to go, I decided to go to the bathroom before taking a cab home."
"And--?" he pressed gently.
"And Scott followed me into the women's bathroom." Her voice dropped.
Bosco stared at her, feeling a sense of dread coil up within his stomach. "Did he--"
"No," Faith said immediately, shaking her head.
"What did he do?"
"Nothing."
"Faith."
She closed her eyes. "He pinned me up against the wall and started...unbuttoning my shirt. He just...he didn't want to take no for an answer. So I kneed him in the groin and then it was over. I took care of it. It was no big deal."
"No big deal?" he repeated, shocked by her words as he stared at her open-mouthed. "Jesus Christ, Faith, that fucking bastard tried to rape you!" He saw her flinch at his words and he immediately felt bad. He took a deep breath to try and calm the rage he felt building up within him. He rested his hand on her back. "Why didn't you report him that night?" he asked, his voice quieter.
Faith looked at the floor. "Because I'd been drinking, Bosco."
"So? It wasn't your fault!"
"Maybe I sent him mixed signals. He bought me a drink. Maybe I didn't make it clear that I wasn't interested--"
"Stop it," he commanded. "Look at me, Faith."
She sighed, then turned her head to meet his gaze.
"Whether he bought you a drink or dinner or a god-damned diamond ring, it doesn't matter. It doesn't give him--or any other guy--the right to put his hands on you without your permission. Ever. It's not your fault."
"Thanks, Boz," she said softly.
"What did he say to you tonight?"
"Just that I better keep my mouth shut or I'd regret it. And that even if I did say something, no one would believe me over him anyway."
"That son of a bitch," Bosco said angrily.
"Bosco, I don't want you to do anything."
"How can you expect me not to, Faith? After what he tried to do to you?" he demanded, looking at her like she had lost her mind.
"Because there's no proof anyway. It's my word against his. It's not worth stirring up trouble over. I don't want you to put your job on the line because of me."
"I'd put my *life* on the line for you. I have in the past. It's just a damned job, Faith."
"A damned job that you worked damned hard to get, Bosco. Don't throw it away now."
Bosco stared at the floor, forcing his anger aside for the moment, trying to get his thoughts together. Then he took a deep breath and turned his head to look at her once more. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I just feel stupid, letting him corner me like that. I mean, I'm a cop." She shook her head in disgust.
"You can't doubt yourself out there because of this. You weren't on duty, you weren't 'Officer Yokas' when this happened. You were Faith. And that jag-off's twice your size. You did everything right, Faith," he said gently.
She looked at him for a second, hesitating. Then she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head down on his shoulder.
Bosco closed his eyes briefly, pressing a kiss against the side of her head as he folded his arms around her. He felt her shudder against him and he held her a little tighter as she began to cry. He felt the rage building within him again and vowed silently that one way or another, Scott Adams was going to get what he deserved.
Because no one fucked with Bosco's best friend and got away with it.