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Small Talk By Maquis Leader
Rated PG Author’s note: This was supposed to be a little ficlet for Emma over at Third Watch Dot Net in trade for screen caps she capped for me. However… the characters had more than a couple of paragraphs in mind.
Haggerty’s Bar, Season 6 sometime…
“So, you’re a cop?”
“Yeah.” Bosco looked the redhead over, giving her a smile.
“That’s so exciting.” She leaned on the bar next to him.
“Fighting crime in the big city.” Conscious of the scar on his cheek, he angled his face slightly to keep his profile to her.
“I bet you’ve got some great stories.” Licking her lips, the redhead eased closer. “I’d just love to hear them.”
“Would you?” Her hand had found its way to his thigh and Bosco smiled again. “I dunno, some of them are kinda scary.”
“Well, if I get scared – “ She slid her hand up his thigh.
“Maybe I could tell you the story about how I’m gonna handcuff you to the parking meter outside.”
Bosco looked up to see Faith glaring at him. “What?”
“I thought we were going to have a drink and talk?” She looked from the hand on his thigh and back.
“We are.” He moved the redhead’s hand off his leg. “She was just… “
“Excuse me.” The redhead gave Faith a once over, her lip curling in a sneer. “But he was talking to me. Take a hike.”
“We’re kinda on a date here.” Bosco explained, hoping he wasn’t stepping over the line.
“A date?” Smirking, the redhead turned her back on Faith. “What it is it? A pity date?”
“Yeah, it is.” The woman’s attitude was beginning to irritate him. Bosco leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “You see, lately all I seem to attract is professional skanks such as yourself – so Faith’s taking pity on me and reminding me what it’s like to be with a nice woman.”
Faith laughed, wishing she could see the woman’s face. If the way her shoulders and back stiffened were any indication – getting blown off was not something she was used to.
She backed up a step as the redhead turned on her.
“What are you laughing at?” The woman hissed. “As if you could get him? What – are you paying him?”
Another laugh escaped Faith at the look on Bosco’s face. Bosco the gigolo? “I don’t think I could afford him.”
“What do I say to that?” Bosco lifted his hands. “I’m insulted either way I go.”
“Why don’t you just find someone else to hit on.” The redhead was clearly not ready to give up on the hot guy she’d found. She poked Faith in the chest. “He was sitting here all alone – so you’re not taking care of him.”
“Did you just poke me?“ The fun was beginning to wear off the situation. “Listen, there’s two ways we can resolve this – you can take it somewhere else, or we can take it outside.”
Bosco’s jaw dropped. Was Faith telling this chick she’d fight over him?
“Outside.” A smile curved the redhead’s painted lips.
“Fine.” Faith brushed past the woman, heading for the door.
“Faith!”
Her head jerked back just as she heard Bosco’s warning shout. The redhead had grabbed a handful of her hair and was pulling her around. Faith saw the fist coming her way, but she was too off balance to do anything about it. This was going to hurt.
Faith closed her eyes, but the blow never came.
“Let go of me!”
“You let go of her!”
Opening her eyes, she saw Bosco wrestling with the woman, his hand gripping her arm. The tugging on her hair made Faith’s eyes water, and she reached up to loosen the redhead’s grip. It took both hands to pry the woman’s death grip from her hair, and Faith was sure she lost a handful of hair before she was free.
“Damn it, Faith!” Bosco bent the redhead’s arm up behind her back and shoved her against the bar. “You never go first! You let them walk out in front of you so they don’t sucker punch you!”
“Sorry.” Her head was killing her and Bosco was mad at her?
“And you – “ He pushed the other woman away. “You just assaulted a cop – take a hike before I arrest you.”
She hurried out of the bar, tossing a venomous look at Faith as she went.
Rubbing her throbbing scalp, Faith let Bosco lead her out of the bar. “Sorry, Bos. This was my first bar fight. As a participant anyway.”
“You do not – do not – let them get the drop on you!”
Grinning, she tried to untangle her hair. “I knew you had my back.”
“Yeah, well… What’s the matter with you?” He brushed her hand away and combed his fingers through her hair, trying to straighten it out. “Since when do you get all bent out of shape ‘cos I’m flirting?”
“Since you’re with me!” The jealous words popped out before Faith could stop them.
“Am I with you?”
“Well… you said it was a date.” She looked away.
“Do you want it to be a date?” Stepping closer, Bosco waited until Faith turned to look at him again.
“Maybe.”
“Maybe…” He put a hand on her waist, pulling her closer. “Maybe… we should go back to my place and talk about it?”
“That’d – that’d be good.”
“Just promise me you won’t handcuff me to anything.” Putting his arm around her, Bosco led her to his car. “Except the bed.”
“Bosco!” Faith slipped an arm around his waist and let her head rest on his shoulder as they walked. “Do you have a uniform at home?”
Laughing, he opened the car door for her. “Officer Boscorelli is prepared for anything.”
“Good.” She brushed her lips quickly across his as she got into the car. “I dunno if I want Officer Boscorelli or Bosco the gigolo.”
Bosco hustled around the car to the driver’s door. He spared a glance up at the sky. “Wherever you are, Fred – you’re a moron.”
Getting in, he started the car and pulled Faith against his side as he drove off.
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