A/N: This story was made possible by the generosity and imagination of fellow author teamalley678 who participated in the Club Doccubus charity auction and donated to Stand For The Silent, an anti-bullying organization. I simply leased my soul [temporarily] to write out an idea she had. I thank her for her patience as it took me forever to write this. Sorry.
Go and thank her, please.
Anyhoo, if you guys could be so kind, consider supporting a charity as well. Bonus points if you could spare some of your time to help out. :)
"The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea / In a beautiful pea green boat..."
- Edward Lear, The Owl and the Pussy Cat
"Do you trust me?" Bo asked.
Lauren rolled her eyes. "Of course I do." She inclined her head, "But my trust and love for you has nothing to do with the amount of trust I place on this dinky airplane." She looked at the small aircraft dubiously.
"Oh, come on, Lauren," Bo pouted, tugging on her hand, "You agreed."
"It was after a few orgasms, I must have been delirious from dehydration," the blonde argued. "Because, clearly, no one in their right mind would jump out of an flying airplane willingly in a non-emergency situation."
Bo only grinned and raised her eyebrows.
At the brunette's adorably hopeful look, the doctor sighed resignedly and shook her head. "Of all the gorgeous women in the world, I had to marry the adrenaline junkie."
"Yeah, right, Little Miss I-can-assemble-pipe-bombs-out-of-household-items," Bo pretended to grouch.
Lauren cracked a smile, and nudged her playfully, "We are a pair, aren't we?"
"Honey, I love your hands and all but you are crushing my fingers- and I don't mean that in a sexy way," Bo winced as Lauren clutched her hand.
"This is almost like diving," Bo reassured her wife.
"Except we don't go splat when we scuba," Lauren said dryly. Rationally, she knew that she was relatively safe; they were with professionals and, should one parachute fail, there was a back-up.
Another part of her brain was freaking out over the thought if falling out of the sky.
"Ready?" their instructors asked.
The couple shared a look and nodded. "It's now or never," Lauren gulped as she watched Bo jump out of the plane attached to one of their instructors.
"Here we go," the instructor behind her said as they, too, jumped out.
Ten seconds it took to reach terminal velocity felt like forever, especially with her heart nearly beating its way out of her chest. However, after the initially weird queasiness in her stomach, Lauren had to admit that falling 120 miles per hour was not as bad as it was, especially when she finally saw Bo's huge shit-eating grin. The brunette wave enthusiastically at her.
"Woo-hoo!" Bo crowed loudly, her thumbs up. It felt like flying.
I love you, she mouthed at Lauren.
Lauren gave her a tentative smile and wondered when the damn chute was going to open. "Next time you plan to do this again, you can take Kenzi," Lauren muttered through her teeth.
Finally, finally, however, the instructors deploy their chutes. And, after a slight tug, everything became quiet and slow.
Almost serene.
In the early morning, the landscape was breath taking in different shades of green. She could see speckles of different colors, red tin roofs and small cars. Off even further to the distance was a deep shade of blue and Lauren could swear she could smell a bit of salt in the air.
"Beautiful, huh?" Bo asked with a soft grin and kept her eyes on Lauren's face.
"It is," Lauren admitted, suddenly shy.
"Do you want to steer?" their instructors asked each of them.
"Heck yeah," Bo said enthusiastically.
"I-I'm fine," Lauren declined with wide eyes. "I'll just enjoy the view." She watched the child-like glee on Bo's face and wondered if she did die because she had never seen her so beautiful.
Lauren was ever so happy to have the earth under her again. "Oh, thank God." She sat with her butt on the grass as her instructor put away their chute.
Bo looked at her worriedly, as she held out her hand to help Lauren up. "Did you not like it?"
"I did, Bo," Lauren assured her and gave Bo a deep, long grateful kiss, "I'm just even happier to have survived."
"You exaggerate. It was perfectly safe like I told you," Bo teased, hugging Lauren against her chest. She paused, "Your heart's still beating so fast. You sure you're okay?"
"I am… but let's grab a bite and then just head back, please?"
Bo gave her a worried glance, "Are you sure you're okay?"
Lauren nodded, squeezing her hand.
Sweet cured pork and salted egg with tomatoes and fresh onions were interesting but delightful combinations for breakfast. They traded bites of warm bread buns and creamy, soft white cheese.
Brunch never tasted so good and Bo figured it was from all the adrenaline they experienced during the jump. Lauren, on the other hand, was in a contemplative mood. And so, for dessert, Bo fed a quiet Lauren spoonfuls of caramelized plantains covered in milk, ice, and tapioca pearls in between kisses. She knew her wife was probably still processing the entire experience and thus was quietly thinking.
Lauren finally settled into her arms during the hour drive to the coast. After numerous reassurances, Bo finally felt the doctor relax against her chest, tucking her face against Bo's neck. Bo marveled at how openly Lauren expressed her affection -a far cry from the closed off doctor from their earlier meetings- and kissed her temple. "Love you," Lauren said quietly.
They zoomed down the road in a hired vehicle, the driver skillful but haphazard behind the wheel. Occasionally, rambunctious children and their playful dogs chased after their open-windowed vehicle and waved happily. In no time, the paved streets and houses slowly turned into sandy dirt roads and large trees.
They pulled apart, slightly sticky with sweat from the midday heat, when their little bus stopped by a path to the beach. "Race you there," Lauren said, a little more lively. She kicked off her sandals and carried them in her bag.
"Hey! No fair," Bo called after her as she, too, ran barefoot through the noon-warmed sand. She winced as the hot sand burned her feet a little.
They climbed into the fisherman's small boat laughing loudly like children. The thin, long canoe, balanced primarily by tied bamboo outriggers, swayed a little from the waves. They were hitching a ride to the island they were staying in.
"I win," Lauren smiled proudly as Bo sat across from her.
"You cheated," Bo complained, sticking her hand out to the side of the canoe to splash Lauren. The water was pleasantly cool against her skin.
The fisherman and his son laughed at couple's antics as they hauled the rest of their empty nets and buckets. Fish had already been sold at the market and it was time for them to head home. The boy asked them if they were ready.
"Sorry, yes, we're ready," Lauren said sheepishly as she slid her aviators on.
The father nodded bashfully and started the motor. The air was filled with the cheerful sound of the archaic, second hand engine and the smell of gasoline.
The small fishing boat moved quickly through the water, bouncing happily across the waves. The island they were going to stay in was a small fishing villages; it well-known amongst backpackers but its beauty remained unsullied by tourists.
Bo looked down at the clear blue water, watching as the bright and colorful fishes became startled by the passing boat and marveled at their appearance. She met Lauren's gaze and they shared a smile. Another day in paradise. When they approached the shore, Bo jumped out unto the knee-high water to help pull the boat to land.
Everyone gathered to greet the arriving fishermen, and so Bo and Lauren also received a warm, chaotic welcome.
The children milled around Lauren who produced a bag of candies to give away. "Thank you," they chorused in the local dialect and in English. They all chatted noisily and tugged at her shirt when she showed them the videos they took of the tandem jump on her ipad. Later, in the late afternoon, she knew they would return and find her or Bo bringing their own stories and presents to share.
"You're so popular," Bo teased.
"Jealous?" Lauren side-eyed her as she wiped sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand and pulled her sunglasses over her hair.
Bo held up a small hand attached to her wrist, "I have some admirers, too." The little girls that surrounded her giggled.
The small crowd, however, disappeared into thin air when mothers called the little ones home for their afternoon nap. The older children went off to explore on their own while the men went to grab a late lunch.
Bo and Lauren made their way back to the secluded bungalow on the other side of the island. They had rented it for their stay and on the third day of their trip, it felt like a paradise home away from home. They were free from interruptions, locked away in their own little world.
The bungalow was small but furnished and stood solidly on stilts under a canopy of trees. The beach was only a few steps away, the sea making soft sounds of waves splashing against the finely grained white sand.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Bo found herself under assault.
Lauren's tongue pressed insistently against her lips while the doctor's hands roamed the expanse of her back.
"Mmm, Lauren," Bo moaned but pulled away to speak. "What are y-"
Lauren's hands found their way inside Bo's t-shirt, under her bikini top. "I've wanted to touch you since this morning." She rolled Bo's nipples between her fingers and nipped at her neck.
"What- ah!" Bo gasped when Lauren's fingers tugged, "W-What brought this on?" At Lauren's insistent tug on her shorts, her lips quirked into a knowing smile. "Don't tell me the jump made you horny."
"Maybe," Lauren said nonchalantly, "Maybe not." She continued to pepper Bo's neck and cheeks with open-mouthed kisses.
"It so is," Bo said, stepping around deftly to switch their positions. She pressed Lauren against the door, her leg insinuating itself between Lauren's thighs and applied a bit of friction. The doctor groaned in pleasure. She pressed a kiss on Lauren's lips, rubbed their noses together, and then pulled away.
Lauren panted against the wall and tried to catch her breath.
"Don't play games you can't win, Dr. Lewis," Bo said and pulled off her t-shirt and shorts. However, instead of walking back into Lauren's arms, she walked the opposite direction.
"What are you doing?" Lauren asked, breathless.
"I'm going to take a shower and then," Bo paused for effect, "I will take a nap." She smiled innocently and grabbed a towel from their bags by the corner, "I'm tired."
At Lauren's incredulous look she added, "You can join me and wash my back if you want."
And the doctor followed her, a wicked grin on her face.
"So I said to him, 'The patient had supraventricular tachycardia and so I was going to prescribe…'" Lauren was babbling about a case she had to deal with as they sat on the couch just being in each other's space for a few hours. Dinner at their favorite restaurant had been simple and enjoyable but Bo's nerves were shaking the entire time while Lauren regaled her with the nerdiness of her day.
"Lauren, honey," Bo helped up her hands and grasped Lauren's fingers gently."I have to… I have to ask you something." She had been fidgeting in her seat throughout this entire conversation and not in the usual, I-am-both-turned-on-and-bored-by-geek-speak fidgeting that Lauren attributed to her.
Lauren blinked and, feeling Bo's anxiety, sat up in attention, "Of course, Bo. Anything."
Bo stood up so quickly, it startled Lauren a little. The brunette started to pace, "Uh… I know we've had a rocky start and I know I mess up a lot. I want you to know that I love you so, so much." She helped Lauren stand and pulled her upstairs to the bedroom they both shared.
The room was littered with soft tea candles which was not unsual, as Bo never really got around to fixing the light sockets in the old shack. What was unusual, however, was the table for two in the middle of the room. It was a small table, meant for sitting close enough for knees to touch. Bo had hoped they could have a long talk.
A bottle of very expensive champagne on ice and some hand-dipped chocolate covered strawberries waited for them.
"Oh, Bo, honey... this is so sweet of you," Lauren said.
"Shit." Bo rubbed at her face. "No! I mean, not shit, I mean… I… Lauren." She took a breath, "I planned for this for weeks and Kenzi even pulled some strings so I could pull off the perfect suprise but, God, Lauren." She took a good look at her.
"I'm messing this up," she said miserably. She reached into her pocket and nervously thrust a small box at Lauren's face. "Marry me."
Lauren stared at her in shock.
"Oh," Bo hurriedly kneeled, as if she just remembered to do so and opened the box to reveal a simple, elegant engagement ring. "Will you marry me?"
No response.
"Lauren?"
Still, silence.
Bo began to backtrack, "I mean, if you don't want to, we don't have to. I know I should have gone with a more romantic date but I just thought you looked so perfect and, and—We, we can forget about it. Lauren, please, just say something."
Lauren's eyes began to tear up and moisture ran down her cheeks.
"Oh, no, no," Bo fretted, "Baby, don't cry. I'm sorry, Lauren. I'm sorry. We don't have to get married. I'll take the ring back and-"
"No," Lauren shook her head.
"No?" Bo asked disappointed. "Oh."
"No, Bo, that's not," Lauren choked on sound that was half a sob and half a laugh. "I mean, yes. Yes."
"You want me to take the ring back?" Bo said, confused and hurt.
"No, Bo. I mean, yes, I want to marry you," Lauren said, openly crying. She grabbed Bo's face between her hands and kissed her. It was slow, deep, and achingly tender and Bo could hardly catch her breath when the pulled away, her heart beat so hard in her chest.
"But you haven't even opened the ring yet," she finally managed to mumble dumbly, cheeks still squished between Lauren's palms.
Lauren laughed tearfully, gazing deep into Bo's eyes. "You're so perfect, you know that?"
Bo's skin broke out into goose bumps as Lauren poured cold water on her back, washing the soap away. "That feels so good," she moaned. "We're just going to get all sweaty after we get out of this bath, though. This heat is oppressive."
"Hm," Lauren concurred eloquently as she licked her lips as she watched the water travel down Bo's skin.
"Behave," Bo said as she turned around. Much to Lauren's disappointment, there were only kisses exchanged as they washed each other. She knew, however, that Bo was purposely prolonging the wait while simultaneously trying to assure her with affection.
Lauren had the urge to ravage her mouth but instead bit her own lips in a modicum of self control."How the tables have turned," she sighed with a hopeless smile. "Shouldn't I be the one half-heartedly rejecting your advances right now?"
Bo rolled her eyes and chuckled. She grabbed her towel and stepped out of the bathing area. "Come on, Kenzi's gonna call us in a bit. You know how hard it is to find a signal here."
She didn't bother wrapping herself with the towel and instead dripped water all over the floor.
Lauren stared after her and poured more cold water on herself.
A/N: Hope you liked it. This fic has been completed in advance. Two more chapters will be posted in the next couple of days after I adjust a few things. :) I also still have to doodle something related to this fic so I'll share that with you eventually.
To those asking, I have no idea when I'll update LBP but I am trying. I have not dropped it yet.
Also, I highly recommend you all read the poem qouted above. For science.
