Taking The Chance
By Maquis Leader
Rated PG13
Author’s note: This story is set just after the end of Bosco and Faith’s rookie year at the 55. I had the mention of Bed-Stuy before the final epi aired, so imagine my surprise!
“I’m telling you, Lieu – I’m not working with Boscorelli again!”
“Come on, Ray – just – “
“No! He’s a pain in the ass!”
Faith slowed as she walked past Lieutenant Swersky’s office. Inside, she could see Ray O’Shaugnessy arguing with the lieutenant.
“I know Bosco’s a pain in the ass – “ Swersky ran a hand over his face. “But the kid’s going to be a hell of a good cop one of these days – you just need to cut him some slack.”
“Bullshit, Lieu!” Ray snorted. “He won’t listen – he wants to do everything the hard way!”
Faith felt like doing a little snorting of her own at that statement. O’Shaugnessy’s idea of working was parking the RMP outside the pub his girlfriend worked at, and sitting there all night. Bosco had probably been going nuts after five minutes.
“You know what you need to do, Lieu – you need to send Boscorelli on his way.” Ray nodded, confident in his solution to the Boscorelli problem. “Ship him to Brooklyn or Bed-Stuy.”
“Bed-Stuy? Come on, Ray.” Swersky held his hands out pleadingly. “Give the kid a chance.”
“Lieu, all due respect, but I’m too close to retirement.” Ray shook his head. “You know I work better with a more mature partner.”
Swersky sighed, and waved him out of his office. “You’ll hook back up with Dalby tomorrow, Ray.”
“Thanks. Night, Lieu.”
Faith pretended to be interested in the bulletins posted outside Swersky’s office as O’Shaugnessy walked past her on his way to the locker room. This wasn’t the first time she’d heard someone bitching about working with Bosco and then ditching him the first chance they got. Bosco had partnered with just about every veteran in the house.
Would Lieutenant Swersky really ship him off somewhere else? She chewed her lip worriedly. Some houses were always desperate for manpower. A higher crime rate meant a higher danger factor which meant a higher transfer rate. Bed-Stuy was a prime example.
She didn’t understand why Bosco was having so much trouble fitting in. Almost from day one, he’d rubbed everybody wrong. He could be a colossal jerk, but he was a hard worker. It seemed like she was the only one who wasn’t ready to strangle him. They’d worked together at the Academy and she hadn’t had any trouble with him. Not more than she could put up with anyway.
Before she could change her mind, Faith knocked on the lieutenant’s door and stuck her head inside. “Got a minute, Lieutenant Swersky?”
“Only if you call me Lieu like everybody else.” He told her sternly. “It’s been over a year, Yokas, you’re not a rookie anymore.”
“Yes, sir – Lieu – “ She stopped in front of his desk, trying to hide her nervousness. “I was wondering, Lieu, if I could request a change of partners.”
A frown creased his forehead. “Are you having problems with Thompson? I thought you two were getting along pretty well.”
“We’re okay, but – “ Making a face, Faith tried to figure the best way to broach the subject. “He’s a little… set in his ways, you know?”
“You mean he likes to stay close to the house and duck the hard calls.” Swersky smiled at Faith’s surprised look. “Don’t think I don’t know that some of the old timers are just trying to wait out their retirement. I do – and so long as it doesn’t endanger any of our people – I’ll let them get away with it from time to time.”
“Well, it’s just a little dull sometimes… and we could be doing more… “ She took a deep breath and jumped off the cliff. “I’d like to partner up with Bosco.”
“Bosco?” Swersky sat forward in his chair, leaning his elbows on the desk. “Did I hear you right? You want to partner with Boscorelli?”
“Um… yeah.” Nervously, Faith studied her fingernails. “You know we were in the Academy together?”
“That doesn’t mean you’d make good partners.”
“We got along okay, you know? We worked on some stuff together.” She shrugged. “Studied together sometimes. He taught me how to shoot straight.”
“That’s not the same as working together, Yokas.”
“I know, but – “ Raising her head, Faith looked him in the eye. “I’m willing to give it a chance.”
“Well…” Swersky sat back again. He’d been about to assign Boscorelli to foot patrol. That way, Bosco wouldn’t need a partner and would feel like he was taking care of people. As far as he could tell, that was the only reason Boscorelli had for being a cop. “Let me think about it, all right?”
“Sure, Lieu.” She smiled and nodded. “Bosco’s a good guy – he just takes getting used to.”
“Go on home, Yokas.” Swersky smiled back at her. “It’s been a long shift.”
“Night, sir.” Faith left his office and headed upstairs to the locker room.
O’Shaugnessy was just leaving, and she nodded to him as she passed. The locker room looked empty and she was relieved to be able to change without an audience for once. Williams exited one of the stalls, and Faith sighed. So much for that idea. Avoiding his eyes, she hurried to her locker.
Bosco was sitting in front of his locker, staring inside as if the secrets to the universe were unfolding within.
“Hey, Bosco.” She called softly as she opened her locker.
“Huh?” Bosco blinked a few times before turning to look at her. “You say something?”
“I said hey.”
“Oh. Hey.” He got up and shut his locker.
“Tough night?” Faith unhooked her gun belt and pulled it off.
“Boring night.” Walking over to her locker, Bosco sat down on the bench there. “O’Shaugnessy wants to freaking park all night. There’s calls for domestics and crap, and he won’t answer them. All he wants is the easy stuff.”
“He’s only a year short of twenty five, Bosco – it’s hard to blame him for wanting to make it to collect his pension.”
“Then he should quit now. He’s got twenty years in – retire on that.” He made a face. “If he don’t want to do the job – he should get out of the way for someone who will.”
“Someone like you?” She grinned at him as she unbuttoned her uniform shirt.
“Yeah. Someone who’s willing to get in there and help people.” He rested his forearms on his legs and studied the floor between his feet. “Maybe I oughta transfer somewhere else.”
“You don’t think you’ll run into the same thing in another house?” Faith quickly stripped off her uniform shirt and vest. She still wasn’t used to changing in the locker room. Bosco was staring at the floor, but Williams was looking right at her. Although the sleeveless t-shirt she was wearing covered her, she still felt exposed.
“Maybe. Maybe there’s nothing but a bunch of old women in the NYPD.” Bosco turned his head slightly, and caught Williams watching Faith undress. He stood up and moved so that he was blocking the other man’s view, keeping his own eyes focused carefully on a point over Faith’s shoulder.
She reached for the shirt hanging in her locker and pulled it on over her head. Bosco’s move made her smile. For a jerk, he had a protective streak that wouldn’t quit.
Sitting down, Faith untied her shoes and pulled them off. She took her jeans out of her locker and laid them on the bench. Early on, she’d perfected the art of stepping out of her uniform pants and into her jeans as quickly as possible.
Bosco turned around, giving her a bit more privacy. Williams was still trying to get a look past him. He could hang the man’s ass with the harassment policy, but Faith would just get pissed. She had some dumb ass notion about being treated as an equal. So he settled for meeting Williams’ frustrated look with a grin. Fuck you, jagoff. Get your jollies somewhere else.
“Hey, you want to get some coffee?” Faith zipped her jeans up. “We could go to that diner around the corner and get a cup.”
“Nah, I gotta go by my Mom’s – she likes to go shopping on Wednesday nights, and she gets my groceries for me. Says I don’t know how to shop.” He checked over his shoulder and saw that Faith was putting her shoes on. “I can drop you off at home, though. It’s still raining.”
“Sure.” Faith smiled at him. “I don’t know a man who does know how to shop.”
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with beer and TV dinners.” Bosco defended.
“There’s nothing right with it, either.” Closing her locker, Faith started out of the locker room. “I’ll bet you don’t have a single pot to cook in, do you?”
“I do so!” He followed her out into the hall. “I happen to be a good cook!”
“Yeah, I remember what you brought to the picnic. Three bags of chips.”
“Five bags.”
“Five bags, forgive me.” She grinned.
“And everybody loves chips.” Bosco nodded at Lieutenant Swersky as they walked past his office. “Plus, I don’t have to take home a dirty dish.”
“’Cos you’d have to wash it?”
“You wanna walk?”
Swersky stuck his head out of his office door, watching the two of them bicker their way down the stairs and out of the house. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he turned and went back to work.
“Good evening, ladies.” Swersky waited until everyone had settled into their seats and given him their full attention before continuing. “We’ve got a few changes today – at the top of the list, the city just sent us three brand new RMPs.”
“Which will go to the old timers that sit and sleep all damn shift.” Bosco muttered under his breath.
“Charlie, David, and Edward are next in line for RMPs.” Swersky looked down at his list. “Sector Charlie – Thompson and Williams. Meal period at oh three hundred. Sector David, that’ll be Yokas and Boscorelli – meal period at oh four hundred. Sector Edward – “
Surprised, Bosco turned to look at Faith. She shrugged.
“Hey, Lieu – “ O’Shaugnessy protested. “David is my sector.”
“Not anymore.” Swersky went on as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “Martinez and Hampton – meal period at oh three thirty. Sector Frank – “
“But Lieu – I’ve covered David for over five years!” O’Shaugnessy stood up. “It’s my sector!”
“Sit down, O’Shaugnessy.” Swersky snapped. “Let’s get one thing straight right now! This is my house – my precinct – my sectors – do you understand?”
“Yeah, but – “
“No buts – “ He smiled slightly. “You’re in Frank with Dalby. Your girlfriend will have to start paying for security from now on. I understand bars usually hire people called bouncers to keep an eye on their customers.”
Bosco grinned. About time O’Shaugnessy got a kick in the ass for not doing his job.
There was laughter from the assembled officers as O’Shaugnessy sat down. It was no secret that he’d been keeping the customers in line at his girlfriend’s bar. The only secret was what had kept Lieu from calling him on it for so long.
The rest of the roll call went by in a blur for Bosco. All he could think of was a new RMP and a new partner – one who wouldn’t want to hide out and talk about the old days and how things used to be.
Yokas might yap about her kids – but he could live with that. Smile and nod just like he had when they were at the Academy. Getting up as roll call ended, Bosco made his way out the door.
“So, I’ll get the radios – “ Faith said as she followed him out.
“I’ll get the keys.” He nodded. “You want to ride or drive first?”
“Whatever you want is good with me.”
“I’ll drive first.” Bosco headed downstairs. “Meet you outside.”
“’Kay.” Faith nodded.
Swersky watched the two of them and mentally crossed his fingers.
Outside, Faith found Bosco holding up the hood of their RMP. “Checking it out, huh?”
“Nothing’s prettier than a new engine.” He let the hood down gently. “Except a naked woman.”
“Why not combine them?” She shook her head as she slid into the passenger seat. “A naked woman on a new engine?”
“Nah, she’d burn her butt.” Getting in, Bosco took his radio from Faith and put it on.
“I forgot you’re such a gentleman.”
“So, whatd’ya wanna do?” He started the car, smiling at the sound of the engine. “Drive around and see what trouble we can find?”
“Yeah.” Faith grinned. “Or more like find what trouble you can get us into.”
“Smart ass.” Grinning back at her, Bosco put the car in gear and pulled away from the house.
“Will you quit, already? You’re caught – “ Faith planted her knee in the small of the perp’s back. “Give it up!”
Jerking the man’s hands behind his back, she struggled to snap the cuffs on his wrists. From the corner of her eye, Faith could see Bosco standing off to one side, his hand resting on his pistol, alert and ready to help her if she needed it.
She snapped the cuffs on the perp’s wrists and pulled the man to his feet. “You’re under arrest – you have the right to remain silent – “ She huffed a strand of hair out of her eyes as she pushed him toward the RMP, reciting the Miranda rights from memory as she had countless times before.
Bosco opened the back door. “Don’t get blood on the seat – it’s new – I’ll kick your ass.”
“Do you understand these rights as I’ve explained them to you?” Faith finished as she marched the perp toward the open car door.
“I didn’t hear the right for you to suck my dick, bitch.” The man sneered.
Faith jumped back as Bosco’s hand shot out and hit the side of the perp’s head, slamming him into the doorframe. The man crumpled and fell inside the RMP.
“I slipped.” Bosco explained as he shoved the perp’s feet inside and shut the door. “The sidewalk’s wet.”
Her gaze went to the sidewalk at his feet. It was perfectly dry. She looked back up at him. The midnight blue eyes dared her to say otherwise.
Turning away, Bosco pulled the keys from his pocket. “Let’s get this jagoff back to the house.”
“Watch your step.” Faith shook her head as she watched Bosco walk around the front of the RMP.
“I’ll take Einstein here upstairs – “ Bosco shoved their perp past the front desk. “You wanna get started on the paperwork?”
“Sure.” Faith hid a smile. Bosco hated paperwork even more than he hated processing. “Give me your radio and I’ll turn it in.”
“What for?”
“’Cos our shift ended about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Really?” He glanced down at his watch. “I’ll be damned – went by pretty quick for a change.”
“Probably because we kept busy.” Faith laughed. “For a change.”
“Really.” Bosco unhooked his radio and handed it to her before pushing their perp toward the stairs once again. “Grab me some coffee, would ya?”
“Sure.”
As she passed his office, Swersky called to her. “Yokas, got a minute?”
“Sure thing, Lieutenant.” Faith detoured into his office. “What do you need?”
“How’d it go tonight?”
“Good. It went good.”
“Yokas...” He leaned back in his seat, making eye contact with her. “No problems?”
“None.” She shrugged. “We had a good shift.”
“Come on, level with me.” That Yokas hadn’t come through the front doors with a scowl on her face or yelling at Boscorelli – or both – was a good sign. But he wasn’t sure he believed that things had been completely trouble free. “No problems at all tonight? Not a one?”
“Nope. We had a couple of accidents to write up – a burglary – a domestic – oh, and this last stupid guy – “ Faith couldn’t hold back a giggle.
“What?”
“This guy snatches a sack from this old lady out walking her dog – “ Another giggle escaped her. “He runs off – opens the bag – and it’s full of dog crap!”
“Crap? From the – “ Swersky laughed. “She cleaned up after her dog and he stole it?”
“Grabbed it right out of her hand.” Wiping her eyes, Faith laughed harder. “Not only that – but me and Bos were right across the street. We saw the whole thing!”
“And they say there’s never a cop around when you need one.” He chuckled. “Wait – you didn’t bring him in for stealing dog crap?”
“No. Not exactly.” She sobered. “He had a gun – it misfired when he tried to shoot the dog.”
“We’re doing the city a favor in locking this guy up.” Swersky sighed. “You’re sure you didn’t have any trouble with Boscorelli?”
“Not a bit.”
“Don’t think you have to cover for him, Yokas.”
“I’m not. Lieutenant, Bosco’s probably the biggest jerk I’ve ever met – but he’s professional and he works hard – and he didn’t throw a blanket over me, you know?” At his confused look, she tried to explain. “Bosco doesn’t smother me. He’s right there – but he lets me do my job. He’s protective – but he doesn’t tell me it’s dangerous and I should wait in the car – you know what I mean?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Just so long as you do.”
Faith headed for the equipment room again. She stopped in the doorway and turned back. “Well, there was one thing – really pissed me off.”
“What?”
“He stole my fries.”
“He did what?”
“Yeah, when we were eating dinner – Bosco finished his fries and started on mine.” She smiled slightly. “I told him I’d break his fingers if he didn’t knock it off.”
“Smart alec.” Swersky smiled and shook his head. “You two deserve each other.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Faith left his office.
“Yokas – “ He called after her. “Any trouble – you let me know, you understand?”
“Don’t worry.”
“You get him all nice and comfy?”
“Did everything but read him a bedtime story.” Bosco plopped into the chair across from Faith. “So, how’s the report comin’?”
“Almost done.” She glanced up from the report. “You need to do your own report, you know.”
“I hate reports.” He picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip. “Ugh – this is cold!”
“Yeah. It’s not yours either.” Pointing to a cup at the other end of the desk, she went back to work. “That’s yours. And it’s probably cold, too.”
“Tell you what – I’ll get you some nice, fresh, hot coffee – “ Bosco leaned forward and gave her his best puppy dog look. “If you let me copy your report.”
“Bosco – “ That look was hard to resist, but this wasn’t the first time she’d seen it. “You go get me a nice, fresh, hot coffee – and then maybe I’ll help you with your report.”
“Aw, come on.” He upped the poor, pitiful me part of his look. When she didn’t crack, Bosco got up. “You’re a hard ass, you know that?”
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t mean it as a compliment.” Pouring two cups of coffee, Bosco brought them back to the desk.
“Why don’t you read mine, and tell me what you think should be in yours? That’s half the work.” Faith took a sip from the cup he handed her and made a face. “Ugh – needs sugar.”
“You want sugar?” He dangled two sugar packets in front of her. “You gonna make me write my own report?”
“Give me the sugar, Bosco.”
“How about – “ When Faith reached for the packets, Bosco pulled them back. “I tell you what I saw, you write it, and I’ll sign it.”
“Throw in an extra sugar – “ She glared up at him. “And I’ll think about it.”
“Done.” Tossing the packets on the desk, he went back to the coffee pot and grabbed another sugar packet.
“Is this how it’s gonna be? Me doing the paperwork?”
“Works for me.” Bosco tore open the packet and poured it into her coffee. “So – I saw the perp grab the bag.”
Sighing, Faith picked up her pen and a fresh report while Bosco stirred the sugar into her coffee.
“I jumped out of the car while you made a U-turn and cut him off up the block – “ He looked thoughtful. “Can you read that back to me?”
“And then Officer Yokas killed her partner.”
“Yeah, I don’t remember that part.” He grinned at her.
“Trust me, it’s coming.” She glared at him. “Keep stirring.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Stirring her coffee, Bosco resumed his dictation. “I saw my partner cut the perp off…”