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Think Of Only Good Things By Maquis Leader
Rated R Author’s notes: This story is set in the Season 6: Reloaded universe. It stands alone and you don't need to read the other chapters before you read this one.Please see the note on the main page. Thanks to nypd7748 for the information on NYPD shields and the proper term for the medal rack.
Previously on Third Watch: Episode 15:Think Of Only Good Things
“You gonna go see Bosco?”
“Yeah.” Sully pulled on a clean shirt and buttoned it. “His mom’s still pretty weak – it’ll give her a chance to get some rest.”
“It’s gotta be tough on her.” Ty looked at the picture of his mother and sisters that sat on the shelf in his locker. “Losing one son and maybe losing the other.”
“Yokas already left to go over there.” Sully stood up and closed his locker. “I figure I’ll give her some time alone with him and then go on over.”
“Good idea.” He nodded. “You want to go grab a bite?”
“Sure. I want to stop and get something for Bosco’s room, too – help liven the place up a little. I can hear him bitching about the room, you know?”
“You’re going to go see Boscorelli?” Williams interrupted.
Sully turned and looked at him. “Yeah, why?”
“Boscorelli’s a jerk, that’s why.”
“You can say that again.” Another officer agreed. “Biggest freaking jerk I’ve ever met.”
“Hey, the man’s in coma – “ Sully glared at them. “Have a little respect!”
“What for? Like he’d have any for me?” O’Reilly thumped his chest as he came out of one of the bathroom stalls. “I’ve heard Boscorelli’s two cents on drunken paddy’s.”
“And you gave him your two cents on guineas, as I recall!”
“Hey – hey, guys – “Ty stood up and got between them. “Let’s stay cool, here.”
“The man took four bullets for his partner – have some respect for that, if nothing else!” Sully tried to move past Ty to get at O’Reilly, but Ty moved with him.
“Sure he did.” O’Reilly snickered. “More than likely he ran into Yokas trying to get out of the way.”
“You’re an asshole, O’Reilly!” Sully snarled at him.
“Hey, man, I was there.” Ty turned to look at him. “I was in the room – he grabbed Faith – he went right for her when he coulda just saved himself.”
‘You just go on believin’ that, kid.” Williams laughed. “You haven’t known Boscorelli as long as we have.”
“I’ve known him for six years.” Ty was beginning to lose his cool. “Okay, yeah, he’s a jerk – I’m not arguing that – “
“Good – ‘cos you’d lose!” O’Reilly laughed.
“But he’s a good guy, too – “ Ty insisted. “I’ve seen him reach out to people – help people – “
“When?” Williams shut his locker and spun the combination. “Name one time.”
“Um… okay… I can do that…”
“Come on, kid. I ain't got all night.”
“Oh! When Zambrano had her um… accident.” Everybody knew that the paramedic’s accident wasn’t really, but Ty wasn’t going to say otherwise. “Bosco was the one to say we should call over to the firehouse and see if we could do anything.”
“That’s right, he did.” Sully nodded. “Me and Davis were there – we took the call – but we didn’t think of doing anything.”
“So he did one nice thing?” Williams sneered.
“Who did?” Matthews walked into the locker room, stopping to see what was going on.
“Boscorelli.” Williams told him. “Davis here is trying to convince us that Bosco’s a great guy.”
“That’ll take some doing.” Matthews chuckled.
“He’s an ass.” Diaz pushed her partner out of the way as she came into the locker room. “And so are you, Matthews.”
“What’d I do?” Matthews asked her.
“You guys act like he’s like that all the time.” Diaz unbuckled her gun belt and hung it in her locker. “Bosco’s done some nice things.”
“Geez, he’s got the girls on his side.” When Diaz turned to give him a dirty look, Matthews backed out of arms reach.
“We worked a domestic dispute with him and Yokas a few months ago, remember?” Diaz asked her partner.
“No.”
“The husband and wife were beating the crap out of each other – she had a broom and he had some big back scratcher thing or something.”
“Oh, yeah, I remember that.” Matthews laughed. “They were whaling on each other and we couldn’t get in there and grab them. They’d swing at us every time we tried.”
“You know where Bosco was?” Diaz asked. “Well? Do you?”
Matthews thought about it for a minute. “I don’t remember. Yokas, she was barking out orders like she always does. Boscorelli – I don’t know where he was.”
“Probably outside sitting on his ass.” O’Reilly put in.
“Bosco was outside – “ Diaz put her hands on her hips. “He took the kids outside and let them play with the lights and siren on 55 David. That way, they didn’t see their parents handcuffed and put in separate buses to go to the hospital.”
“Bosco likes kids.” Ty nodded. “I’ve seen that.”
“He and Yokas took the kids down to Child Services.” Diaz sat down on the bench in front of her locker. “You know we’re supposed to bring kids back here and call Child Services to come and get them. Bosco said he didn’t want them to think they were going to jail.”
“He’s got a real soft spot for kids.” Sully smiled sadly. “He bitches about Faith’s kids and all the crap they have – recitals and games and stuff – but he’s always there.”
“Her kids call him Uncle B.” Swersky said, suddenly appearing in the doorway. “Every summer at the picnic Bosco’s playing with her kids – hell, he’s playing with a whole pack of kids.”
“The guy’s still a jerk.” Williams insisted. “One or two good moments don’t make him a nice guy.”
“Remember when that guy – that handicapped guy – stole 55 David?” Ty started laughing at the memory. “And he and Yokas commandeered a bus to chase us down – and then got in so we could chase the guy?”
“Do I remember?” Swersky put a hand to his forehead. “Half the precinct was following you!”
“Bosco talked the guy out of the car. Didn’t yell – didn’t threaten – “ Remembering the incident, Sully smiled again, a happy smile this time. “Played along with the guy’s fantasy that he was a cop. Got him to go off duty or something – got him out of the car nice and easy.”
“I don’t know that I would’ve been that nice.” Ty admitted. “Wasn’t there like helicopters and stuff?”
“Don’t remind me, Davis.” Swersky chuckled. “I couldn’t even bust his chops for it because the press was all over how he talked the guy out.”
“Good press for a change, huh, Lieu?” Sully grinned.
“What’s going on?” Monroe pushed past some of the officers in the doorway and made her way to Ty. “Lieutenant taking role call in the locker room for a change?”
“We were talking about going to visit Bosco.” Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, Ty reached for her hand and squeezed it quickly before letting go. “Williams was saying Bosco wasn’t worth visiting – Sully and I kinda took offense, you know?”
Monroe looked at Williams and raised an eyebrow. “I rode with you for one day – one – and you were a total ass. You had your hand on my knee and my butt – “
“I did not!” Williams protested.
“The hell you didn’t.” She pointed a finger at him. “You were more of a jerk than Bosco ever was.”
“He was – he was harrassing you?” Ty looked from her to Williams and back.
“Remember his broken finger?” Several of the officers in the locker room laughed, and she grinned. “When I started riding with Bosco last year – I knew he was a jerk – I’d seen him. Everyone knows how he is.”
There was more laughter at that and Monroe joined in – even Bosco would admit he was a class A jerk. “Everybody warned me about riding with Bosco. Even you, Sully – “ She pointed at him, and he shrugged. “But we got along fine. I never worried about Bosco having my back. Yeah, he griped and he was rude and he would try to duck calls sometimes – “
“That’s his favorite pastime!” O’Reilly laughed. “Hiding out!”
“Like you’ve never laid low somewhere, O’Reilly?” Swersky fixed him with a stare. “What? Do you think I was never out there? Everybody ducks calls at one time or another – it just better not be too often.”
“The thing is – “ Monroe continued. “When he’d go in somewhere and get coffee – he’d bring me one. When I said I was hungry – he stopped so we could eat. Not that Bosco didn’t gripe – ‘cos he did – but he took damn good care of me. And he kept his hands to himself – unlike some people. When he gets back – I’ll ride with him.”
There was a sudden silence in the locker room. Bosco’s prognosis wasn’t good. The doctors had decided that he would probably never come out of his coma. If by some miracle he did, there was a good chance that Bosco had suffered brain damage during the time his heart had stopped, and he could be a mindless cripple.
“Bosco’s tough.” Swersky said into the silence. “Let’s not count him out just yet.”
After a moment, there were nods of agreement. Swersky smiled as others began sharing the one time or two they’d caught Bosco acting out of character – at least the character they were used to.
“A couple years ago, Tatiana – my wife – died.” Sully cleared his throat, remembering the pit he’d fallen into. “Davis here decided I needed some help – and it was Bosco who helped him get me back on track.”
“What’s goin’ on?” Cruz looked past Swersky into the locker room. “What about Bosco?”
“We were talking about going to visit him.” Monroe told her.
“I’ve been to see him a few times.” Cruz admitted. “When Yokas wasn’t around. Figured the last thing his mom needs is a cat fight in her son’s hospital room.”
There were a few chuckles at her comment. It was no secret that the two women despised each other.
“They’ve been trying to convince us what a great guy Boscorelli is.” Williams told her. “I bet you don’t have any of those heartwarming stories to share.”
“Whatever.” Cruz turned to leave and then turned back. “Actually, I do.”
“I don’t think a romp in the sack counts.” O’Reilly snickered.
“No?” She smiled. “That’s too bad – ‘cos I got a lot of those.”
O’Reilly’s face turned red as the locker room erupted with laughter.
“But… since I can’t tell you about those… ‘cos a lady never kisses and tells…” Cruz let her smile deepen. “I’ll give you a little somethin’ else. Like how Bosco coulda left me to die in a crack house that was burnin’ – but he didn’t.”
“What are you talking about, Cruz?” Williams waved a hand dismissively. “Boscorelli was trapped in there with you – I worked that call – I know.”
“Oh, you know?” She sneered. “Then of course you know that there came a time when Bosco coulda got out – but he didn’t – he wouldn’t leave me in there. I wanted to die with my sister. But Bosco wouldn’t let me. He made me get up and get out, and he made sure Lettie didn’t get left behind either. She was already dead – but she didn’t get left behind. But you know all that, right?”
“Wasn’t there a woman trapped with you guys?” Sully asked. “A woman with a baby – no – she was pregnant?”
“Yeah. The junkie old lady of the guy who ran the lab. She was ‘bout ready to pop, too.” Cruz nodded. “He set the fire and then left her there to burn with us. I didn’t give a crap about her one way or the other – but Bosco helped them get her out first.”
“Big deal.” Williams shrugged. “That’s part of the job.”
“Nobody’s asking you to declare Bosco for sainthood.” Sully glared at him. “Just give him the respect he’s earned – respect the uniform if nothing else.”
There were nods and murmurs of agreement throughout the locker room.
“You know – “ Sully looked around the crowded locker room. “A lot of us have known Bosco for years, and I don’t think any of us know him at all.”
“He’s hard to get to know.” Monroe smiled sadly. “I rode with him for months – and I can’t say I really got to know him.”
“I think only Yokas knows him.” Ty agreed. “Maybe that’s why she puts up with him.”
“Bosco’s a jerk – he always will be more than likely.” Sully shook his head. “But maybe the real Bosco is hiding behind that jerk and can’t come out.”
“And now he’s not going to get the chance.” Turning, Monroe opened her locker.
“Come on, Sasha.” Ty sat down beside her. “You know Bosco – he’s not gonna go out like this.”
“Davis is right.” Cruz elbowed her way to her locker. “If Bosco was gonna die – he’d have died right there in that room – so if he’s hanging on – he’s fighting.”
Swersky looked around the locker room again. It was crowded with officers who were off duty and who should have been long gone as well as those who were on duty and should have been out of the house.
It saddened him to think that many of Bosco’s fellow officers were just now seeing who he really was. They’d each taken their pieces of the puzzle and put them all together to form a new picture of Bosco – and found he was someone they’d never gotten to know. And maybe never would.
Clearing his throat, Swersky waited until he had everyone’s attention. “For anyone who’s going to visit Boscorelli – I’d like to ask that you space your visits out a little bit – don’t everyone go at one time. His mother’s still recovering from her own surgery – let’s not overwhelm her. A few people coming and going at different times throughout the day would be best. Does everyone understand?”
There were nods and acknowledgements from the gathered officers. Bosco was going to be in the hospital for a very long time; it was better to space out the visits and keep a steady flow of visitors coming – it would help his mother to cope with the long hours.
“Why don’t those of you who are supposed to be on duty – get on duty – “ Swersky watched as several officers headed for the doorway. “And the rest of you can go on home.”
The room cleared out slowly. Sully stopped next to Ty on his way out. “You goin’ over to the diner?”
“Yeah, thought I’d grab some breakfast before I went over to the hospital.” Ty leaned closer to Monroe. “You want to get something to eat with me and Sully?”
“Sure.” She smiled up at him. “I’ve got to make a phone call first, and then I’ll meet you over there.”
“I can wait and walk with you.” Ty ignored the snicker from Sully. “It's dark and late – a lady shouldn’t be out alone. It’s not safe.”
Monroe raised her eyebrows and Sully laughed outright. “Better watch it, Davis – she’s liable to show you that you need more protection than she does.”
“No doubt.” She nodded in agreement.
“Hey, I didn’t mean it like that.” Ty grinned at her. “I’m just saying safety in numbers and all that.”
“Right.” Slapping him on the back, Sully headed for the door. “I’ll catch up to you two later.”
“Sure thing, Sul.” After Sully left, Ty leaned over and kissed Monroe on the cheek.
“Hey! Watch it – “ She pushed him away, smiling as she did so. “Not at work, remember?”
“Come on, nobody’s here but us.”
“And next time there might be.” Turning back to her locker, Monroe tugged off her gun belt and hung it in her locker. “You know, it was really sad hearing all this stuff about Bosco that nobody knows – it makes me wonder what people think of me? Do they know me? Or just someone they think is me?”
“I don’t know if we ever get to know what somebody’s really like.” Thinking of his own father and the double life he’d led, Ty shook his head. “We only see what they want us to see.”
“Yeah, but – “ Sighing, Monroe looked at Bosco’s locker. Through the wire mesh, she could see his shield with its commendations. “How could someone hide so much of themself like that – so deep that nobody sees them?”
“Maybe Bosco doesn’t want anybody to see him.” Ty had given up trying to figure Bosco out not long after he’d met him. “He goes out of his way to shove people away – it’s like he doesn’t want anybody to get close enough to know him.”
“When people get close – they can hurt you.”
“That’s one way to look at it, I guess.” He leaned against her. “But they can get to like you – maybe love you, too.”
“That’s where the hurt comes in, Ty.” She looked up at him and then back into her locker, thinking of the secret she was hiding.
“Yeah, yeah, but sometimes you’ve got to take some chances.”
“Bosco may not get anymore chances.” Shaking her head, Monroe let herself lean on him for a moment. “What if he never comes out of it – what if he doesn’t wake up?”
“Come on, Sasha, you know better. Bosco would be the first one to tell you he’ll be okay.” Playfully Ty nudged her. “What’s the matter with you guys? You think I’m not tough enough to beat this?”
In spite of the seriousness of Bosco’s situation, Monroe could see him being pissed off that they were thinking he might die. “Jagoffs – he’d call us jagoffs.”
“Come on, let's go get something to eat and you can go ask him yourself.” Ty plucked at her sleeve. “Hurry up with the undressing.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” She pushed at him. “Go wait in the hall. I’ll be out in a minute.”
“Only if you promise me a private show later.” He grinned at her as he got up and left the locker room.
Monroe changed quickly and then pulled out her cell phone. CT Finney was as short and to the point as always. He wasn’t happy that she had no new info on Cruz and how she’d killed Mann – and she’d better come up with something. Soon.
Closing her phone, she stood up. Something told her this wasn’t going to end well. She shut her locker and pulled on her jacket.
As she walked past Bosco’s locker, Monroe stopped and peered inside. Everything was clean, not a sign of dust anywhere, and she wondered if Faith had been making sure of that.
Bosco’s shield and medal rack was propped up next to a picture of himself and Faith. They were holding up their shields and smiling. It had to have been taken just after their graduation, as there were no commendations or medals attached.
Their shield numbers were radically different, due to the tradition of reusing old badges. When an officer retired their shield was turned in and handed out to someone who had just graduated from the Academy. For those who died in the line, the shield was retired.
“We’re not handing you in – and don’t think you’re getting to retire.” Monroe tapped a finger on the mesh. “So don’t go anywhere – he’ll be back.”
“Hey – “ Ty opened the door and stuck his head in. “Are you coming or what?”
“Yeah. I’m coming.” She smiled at him. “I’ve got to go tell Bosco something.”
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