AN: this thing is writing itself, i am actually just letting go and letting things come to me. I am still tired and my brain isn't super involved in much. Hopefully this chapter makes sense and it's good. RA will be updated eventually but that one is a complex bear that forces me to think. So enjoy this and enjoy the holidays! I am taking a short few day break to enjoy turkey and deal with work, so this update should hold you all over for a few days! thanks for reading and reviewing!

Day Two

"Bo, you're nervous. You're never nervous, what's up pup?" Kenzi squinted at me as we both stood outside the elevator to the VIP room. Well, Kenzi stood. I was pacing like an expectant father. I was nervous, had been since the moment I watched the automatic doors close behind Lauren.

I shook my head, forcing my feet to stop, "I'm not nervous, just eager to get the day started." I looked down at my watch, it was only five minutes past the last time I checked it. I turned my attention back down the hallway that led to the garage. The band would be dropped off in the next fifteen minutes and taken right into the next round of interviews, meet and greets and other PR nonsense.

Kenzi stepped closer to me, gnawing on my leftover half of a meatball sub. She studied me for a minute, unnerving me. "What Kenzi?" My voice betrayed me, a tone of anxious frustration slipped before I could hide it.

Kenzi chewed slowly, "You're nervous, Bo. You are never nervous. Even that one time the captain of the L.A. Clippers had his psycho ex come barreling at him with a broken champagne bottle. You were in the direct path to get slashed. You didn't blink, you just clothes lined the bitch and brushed your shoulders off." She bent down to look in my eyes, which I was trying to avoid. I knew one look and she would read me like I was glass. "What happened when you went left and I went for subs."

I swallowed down the strange sensation that had been rolling in my stomach since I kissed her, or she kissed me, or we kissed each other. I couldn't sleep that night. Sitting in my bed, buried under blankets that eventually became a twisted mess with the tossing and turning. Not even my boring procedural textbooks couldn't get my mind to stop, or the butterflies in my stomach to stop fluttering like it was migration season. I laid in bed, sat on the couch, leaned against the kitchen counter, all of my thoughts consumed by the blonde. A woman who could be as broken as I was. She started something in my heart and soul that lifted a huge weight that I never knew I carried around my heart and filled me with nerves. Nerves that I may have found something that all the hopeless romantics talk about. But I didn't want to say it out loud, if I did, I feared it would disappear like it had in the past so many other times before.

I folded my arms, looking from Kenzi to the entrance, "I spoke to Lauren for a minute. She was drinking at the bar and I made sure she was good to make it up to her room okay." I shrugged, "It's obvious Lianne got to her yesterday."

Kenzi tossed the foil from the sub into the large grey trashcan next to me, wiping her hands down the front of her black pants, "So it has nothing to do with the fact you two were kissing like star crossed lovers in front of the hotel entrance." Kenzi smirked at me. I could feel the heat fill my face. "You forget, Bo. I see everything, hear everything."

I looked at my perfectly polished boots, my jaw twitching as my nerves began to overflow. "Kenz. It was, wasn't..."

A comforting hand tugged on the crook of my elbow, "I was the only one who saw it. Bobby almost tripped over the curb, he was face deep in a triple cheese meatball." She squeezed my arm, "I won't say anything more, but what I did see. It's something you need, whether it was just that moment or more moments to come with that blonde English rose, you need it, her."

I raised my head to look in the soul piercing blue eyes of my best friend, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, the stupid grin on your face and the way your eyes lit up tells me all I need to know." Kenzi and I heard the limo pull up, car doors being opened with Lianne's grating voice coming closer. Kenzi stepped back from me, "Whatever connection you two have, search it out. Live a little before you dedicate your life to a shiny chocolate badge and black polyester pants in the Los Angeles heat."

I stared at Kenzi as she adjusted her belt and tried her best to flick off the numerous crumbs from the sub. Her motherly sage advice was exactly same thing my gut was telling me the second Lauren left. There was something there I needed, but it was making me nervous because of a past that stole my confidence one heart break at a time. I sucked in a calming breath when Kenzi frowned at me as the shrieking demands of Lianne moved closer.

I took my spot next to Kenzi. Lianne and Damien were first, closely followed by Edwin and in the back was Lauren. Her head down, buried in a tablet. Just the sight of her blonde hair made my skin prickle in anticipation.

"Edwin, I told you I don't want to do any more of these god damn interviews or more of insipid fan meets." Lianne was bitching as usual. Holding a massive cup of coffee and hiding behind large sunglasses that made her look like an alien. "You do know I have a stalker on the loose who will probably sneak her way into the meet and greet and kidnap me." She waved at Kenzi and I, "Since this is my security."

Damien flashed us an apologetic smile while Kenzi murmured under her breath, "And Hurricane Twat has landed. Remind me why I haven't quit yet?"

I whispered, "Law school tuition."

She frowned deeper, "Beauty school is sounding better by the second."

Lianne blew past us with Edwin, leaving Damien to pause and issue his usual high fives before halting a full step, "Coffee after this first interview Bo?"

I nodded slowly, "Sure thing, kid." Damien nodded and jogged to catch up to Edwin and Lianne. I turned my head to catch Lauren a few steps away. She had her hair back in a ponytail wearing a longer blue and grey pinstriped jacket tailored to every curve. A pale grey button down underneath with an extra button unbuttoned that took it from business causal to down right sexy as I saw glimpses of skin that made my throat dry. The outfit was topped off with her usual dark fitted jeans and worn boots. I had to bite my lip at the sight and how her perfume seemed to always send my heart into my throat. I always took notice of what people were wearing, part of my strange knack to memorize details, but I never memorized anything like I did this woman when she was near.

I closed my eyes for one second, the kiss from the night before at the forefront. I opened them quickly, making it a silent goal for the day that I would kiss her again before we parted on this second day. I did only have so many hours to make the most out this, whatever it was.

Lauren walked past us, her head still buried in the tablet, never looking up, "Bo, Kenzi, follow me. There have been some changes to the schedule." Her voice was firm, quiet.

Kenzi and I fell in on either side of her. I had to bite the inside of my mouth to focus on listening to Lauren and not looking at her. Kenzi took the lead, noticing I was nowhere in the right security head space yet, "What do we have today, Lauren."

Lauren swiped on the tablet, "I have had to move some of the interviews back and split a couple until after the fan meet. Edwin wants to take Damien and Lianne down to the arena doors and do a surprise visit with the line outside. Apparently he has arranged the local news and one of the major entertainment news channels to capture it." Lauren finally looked up from the tablet, her eyes straight forward on the elevator ahead of us, "We need to be cautious with this fan interaction. It's a perfect opportunity for an incident." She placed the tablet and notebook under her arm, waiting for the elevator.

Lauren looked tired, worn, but still beautiful. I could clearly see the effects from yesterdays stress and drinks piling up on what the new day was already bringing her. She sighed deeply when the doors opened. Kenzi held the door for her, "Honestly, I feel like the twat could use an incident to cure her diva behaviour and mistreatment of just about everyone around her."

I went to yell at Kenzi, when I saw the smallest smile curl around the edges of Lauren's mouth as she spoke, "If only that would solve that girls issues, but sadly I feel the only thing that will is a swift kick in the arse or Damien leaving her for another band." Lauren stepped into the elevator, turning around. Finally her eyes met mine, her small smile turned into a large grin that she had to look down to hide it. "I haven't forgotten about lunch, Bo." It came out softly, but regardless, that simple sentence brought a shit eating grin to my face.

Kenzi rolled her eyes and had to shove me into the elevator next to Lauren. She stood in front of us and mashed the floor buttons. I stepped back to stand closer to Lauren and looked up at her, catching her staring at me. She mouthed "Hi." and leaned ever so slightly against me. The soft fabric of her jacket caressing my skin with the lightest hint of her body heat seeping through. I went to say hi back or anything I could think of that wouldn't make me stumble, when I felt her warm, slender fingers slide into mine as my hand rest at my side. She pressed our hands together in a way that made my breath catch in my lungs and all I could do was smile and stare at her.

In that second, I knew.

The elevator dinged followed by Kenzi announcing, "So begins the shit show." She turned to us, stepping out of the elevator, "You girls ready for round two of the twatfest that is Lianne?"

Lauren moved away from me, her hand taking it's time leaving mine and shaking her head, "No, I am not. Haven't for the last two years." I watched as her grin fell away and she put her game face on. The sadness and stress returning with it. Kenzi patted Lauren on the back reassuringly, telling her that if she needed us, we were one step behind her. I took one last deep breath before exiting the elevator, one to calm my nerves and get my gameface on and two, to absorb the delicious and calming smell that was Lauren.

Lianne was in rare epic diva form. Lauren barely made it in the interview room before the girl focused on her and started tearing into her. Kenzi had to hold me back from barging in and slapping some reality in her. Especially when I saw Lauren's face and the defeated, broken look in her eyes.


In an hours worth of interviews, Lianne had chased out two female interviewers, one in tears and the other on the verge of a homicidal rampage. She had forced Damien out to cool down and call his agent to send the appropriate apology package to the magazine and newspaper the women worked for. Clear it was something he had to do on a daily basis.

I had gritted and clenched my jaw so much I gave myself a headache. I kept my eyes on Lauren and whenever she looked my way, I would make sure to hold eye contact and give the woman something to focus on. A strange lighthouse in the middle of the tempest that was Lianne. It worked, Lauren would smile genuinely and nod back before turning her attention to the she devil.

Damien walked up to stand next to me after making his apology calls, "Can we get that coffee now, Bo? I think I need a break." His voice was tense, far more tense than I had ever heard the normally happy go lucky kid.

I looked to Kenzi, who was staring in the glass encased room, "Hey Kenz, I am going to have Helm come up here and stand by in case you need him. Damien wants to grab a coffee."

Kenzi nodded, "Bring me back a danish or three." She motioned to the room, "I will keep an eye on twatsy, greasy and Lauren." She turned back to the room, earning Lianne throwing her empty cup at the window and shouting at Kenzi to stop staring at her. Kenzi promptly turned her back to the girl and looked dead at me, "One call to my crazy uncle Sergei, Bo, just one call."

I shook my head, "Find your happy place, Kenz." I smiled at Damien and motioned towards the far hallway, "There's a small lounge up ahead. They have the same crappy coffee as in the cafeteria."

Damien gave Kenzi a look before following me.

A few steps away from the VIP room, "And what does her uncle Sergei do?"

I chuckled, "Sergei is the only uncle in the family that has a legit job. He works over in the LA County Correctional facility as a guard and also organizes the local scared straight program." I folded my arms as we walked, "He is six foot seven, two hundred and eighty pounds of pure muscle and was once a guard in the Russian Gulag. The sight of the man alone would scare even the grim reaper, but he is the biggest teddy bear I have ever met. His biggest soft spot is his niece Kenzi. Would take down a skyscraper or build her one if she asked him of it."

Damien laughed, "Maybe we should have Sergei pop by after lunch." He ran a hand of his hair, looking up at the ceiling with a heavy sigh, "Lianne is out of control today and is taking it all out on Lauren." Damien looked at me with tired eyes. "It started the second we stepped out of our rooms. She noticed Lauren seemed to be in a good mood and that didn't sit well. I had to hold her back from throwing her coffee on Lauren when it didn't have the right amount of creamer and so on."

I directed the kid to the lounge, feeling my anger rise at the way Lianne was treating Lauren, "Why do you guys let her act like that?"

Damien moved towards the large metal pot, "I've tried, Lauren has tried, but nothing gets through. The record label likes the attention her behaviour receives. It sells records and the tabloids give the label a cut of the stories they sell." He filled two white cups of the black tar like coffee, "Today is going to be a breaking point. At least for me, Bo." He handed me one, walking over to a small red couch and sitting, "I can't think about the music or work on new songs when I have to apologize for every little thing Lianne does." Holding the cup in two hands he looked at me, "This morning was the first time in months I have seen Lauren smile genuinely, not the usual fake one that is hiding how hard she is gritting her teeth in attempts to not lash out on Lianne." He paused, "Do you have anything to do with that?"

I sipped my coffee, trying to hide the embarrassment I knew was covering my face, "Um, I don't think so." Was this kid a mind reader?

Damien grinned, "You don't need to say it, I can see it." He leaned back in the couch, "Tomorrow after the last show, I am announcing that I am leaving the band to focus on solo work. I am also going to fire Lauren the moment I step off the stage, handing her a ticket back to London and a nice severance package that will ensure that she won't need to look for a job for a few years." Damien kept looking at me before asking, "What do you think Bo?"

I raised my eyebrows, "You're asking me?" I even pointed at myself with the coffee cup. I was astounded the kid was asking me, especially since I was beginning to wonder what kind of relationship Lauren and Damien had that he was so concerned with her well being, her happiness, and ensure that she would be well taken care of monetarily. It made my senses tingle in the direction of possible lines had been crossed between the two, also making my jealousy flicker. I could only think of Lauren and I, not Lauren and the past companions I knew she had acquired.

He nodded, "Yes I am. You are the first person in a long time, well you and Kenzi, that have treated me normally and held an honest conversation that wasn't laden with hidden agendas or wants." He sat forward, setting his cup on the small table in front of him, "So what do you think."

I chewed on my lip, "I think you should do whatever it is that will make you happy." I paused and met his eyes again, "And what will make Lauren happy." I let out a slow breath, the thought of Lauren leaving on the next flight back to London where I may never see her again, made my stomach twist and my heart tighten.

Damien laughed, "You make her happy, but you are not mine to give to her." He looked down at his hands, fidgeting with his many leather bracelets.

I set my cup down next to the large pot, "Can I ask you a question, Damien?"

"Of course Bo."

I swallowed trying to keep on track of what I wanted to ask, "Why are you so nice to Lauren? Do you...did you?"

Damien held his hands up laughing, "Oh dear lord, no. No, no. Lauren and I have never crossed lines, dotted I's or dipped pens in the company ink." He smiled genuinely at me, "Lauren is like a big sister to me and has always taken care of us even when Lianne drives her to the brink of premeditated homicide, she has always put us first."

I smiled to hide the relief at his words, "I apologize for asking, I..." I shook my head, "Forget it."

Damien stood up, grabbing his empty cup and walking back over to me. "Bo, don't apologize." He squeezed my shoulder, "But whatever you do, don't break her heart." He smiled tightly, telling me that he had witnessed Lauren go through heartbreak or the heartbreak that had caused her to squirrel away and suffer in silence.

"I won't, I know what it feels like and I would never do that to anyone, let alone someone as incredible as she is." I glanced at my watch, grateful that it was time to get on to the fan meet and away from this conversation.


Damien and I left the lounge, heading back to the VIP room when he suddenly asked, "What do you mean you know what it feels like? Heartbreak."

I keep my eyes forward, the memories coming back at a rapid rate. "I was engaged once. Two weeks away from the perfect wedding to the man of my dreams. I came home from the arena. A basketball game I was working had gone into overtime and I was a couple of hours late." I paused, my hands tightening into fists, "I came home to all of my things packed in boxes and suitcases. A Dear John letter on the top of my gym bag. He left me for our wedding planner, pregnant with his child, saying I was too dedicated to my career and too hung up on a handful of other things to have the family he always dreamed of, the complete family I also always dreamed of." I looked at Kenzi shaking her head as she watched another Lianne tantrum erupt, "He broke my heart that day, turning the small fissures of lingering heartbreak from childhood and lovers past, into a large fault line that has threatened to shake my world apart at the slightest disruption." I turned and looked at Damien, his eyes full of a want to hug me like so many others when I gave them snippets of my past. I had no idea why this famous musician was finally the one who got me to speak of the past outside of Kenzi. But for some odd reason, I trusted him.

I turned back to the VIP room, my gaze settling on Lauren, "I was happily encased in my fortress of solitude until she walked into that green room, Damien. Now all I know is I want to heal those cracks." I let my words end as we came to the door and Kenzi.

Damien reached for the door handle, looking up at me once more, "Tomorrow night, Bo." He took a deep breath and walked into the room, coming face to face with Lianne screaming at him, giving Lauren a temporary reprieve.


Lauren and I never made it to lunch, neither did Kenzi. The schedule changed again, Edwin adding more interviews along with increasing the size of the fan meet. There was not a second to spare let alone a few minutes to eat. In the blink of an eye, Kenzi and I found ourselves escorting the band down to the side entrance where we could hear the mass of fans chanting the name of the band over and over.

There was something about the mass chant that made my gut tell me that this was not the best idea. I had already had more security officers come down to the side entrance and act like a small barricade to further separate the fans from the band.

Before opening the double doors, I turned to face Damien and Lianne. "Kenzi and I will be walking to the right side of both of you as you move down the line. One sign of trouble, we will pull you back and usher you inside. The police are on the other side of the line, but it will take them a minute to get through how thick the crowd has gotten." I paused, looking at Damien, listening intently and nodding. Lianne on the other hand, was playing on her cell phone, chewing her gum and rolling her eyes. God did I want to shake her senseless and then throw her out in to the crowd and let them have a go at her. I cleared my throat loudly, snapping Lianne's head up to look at me, "Lianne, I know instagram is pretty important to you, but I need you to listen to the lowly security officer."

Lianne grimaced at me, "Just stop talking you wanna be pig. The simple sight of you and your cheap makeup makes me want to vomit on you." She walked around me and opened the double doors, "My fans are waiting and so is my kale salad upstairs, let's stop wasting my time."

The roar of the crowd flooded the entrance, Kenzi ran after Lianne shouting, "You stupid twat, do you have a death wish?"

I clenched my jaw and sucked in a breath, motioning to Damien to go ahead and meet with the line of security officers waiting for us. "Remember, Kenzi and I will be right next to you." The kid smiled, patting my shoulder as he went to face his fans, "Got it Bo."

I straightened my belt, double checking I had the pepper spray and handcuffs, and went to step after him. A warm hand met my back, sliding down to my side. Her comforting smooth voice with that accent fell close to my ears, "Bo, just one more day. Remember that." I looked up at Lauren, smiling back at me, "One more day and you will never have to see her again."

I nodded swallowing down the re-emergence of the nerves that followed Lauren, "Yes, but one more day and I may never see you again, Lauren." I smiled tightly, adjusted my belt and went to meet the crowd. Walking away from the Lauren and the constant tug and war she set around my heart. I wasn't even sure why I said it, maybe it was my way of telling her to also be careful with my heart.

I pulled out my sunglasses and took one quick look behind me, back at Lauren, to see her standing there and staring at me. My words obviously having a profound effect. I covered my eyes with the black lenses and turned all of my attention to the mob in front of me.

I had to move Kenzi to stand with Damien, she was clearly two seconds away from shoving Lianne into the arms of the grabby crowd. Lianne was not kind to anyone, not even her fans. Squealing at them if they got to close or shoved a picture to be signed to high in her face. She would take pictures but stand at least a foot in front of the metal fence and do an awkward model pose. Her band mate was different, he was engaging with the fans politely and they were respecting him if he asked for them to be a little less forward or grabby. I shook my head again at how different the two were. I would go on tour with Damien any day, but Lianne.

Her shriek broke my idle thoughts, I was a few steps ahead of Lianne on the fan side of the line. My head shot up to see Lianne struggling with a fan who grabbed her arm and was pulling her in to a thick part of the line. The girl who had her arm was wearing a hood and huge sunglasses, she was far stronger than Lianne and was dragging the musician towards her with ease. I ran back, grabbing the hands of the exuberant fan. "Let go! Let go before you get hurt!"

I tried prying the fingers off of Lianne's arm. Looking down to reassure her, I saw the fear and for the first time, humility in the bright green eyes of the difficult girl. She looked at me with panic and hope I could save her. I nodded, "You will be okay." I curled my fingers around the other girls and wrenched them up. Encasing all four in mine and applying pressure. The girl shrieked and let go of Lianne, giving me the opportunity to shove Lianne back into the secured space. I yelled at Kenzi, "Get them inside!" I also looked up to see Lauren running towards us, her eyes darting from Lianne to me. I turned away quickly, needing to focus on the grabby girl. I grabbed her other hand and faced her. "You need to leave now!" I pushed her back into the crowd, yelling at the free officers to call the police and take the girl into custody until we could clear out the crowd safely. The girl then yanked her hand free from mine, jostling her hood down as her sunglasses were knocked free by another fans flailing arm. The fans were now all ramping up as we moved the band back and the other officers were shutting the meet down. It was only a matter of minutes before a riot erupted.

I glared at the girl in my grasp and my photographic memory lit up.

Paige was standing in front of me. We locked eyes. She yelled at me, "I am her number one fan! She knows me! She loves me like I love her!" The crazy kept ranting and yelling that I needed to let her go to Lianne.

I mumbled a fuck, reaching for my handcuffs. I had to secure Paige and possibly drag her over the barricade. The girl kept fighting my grip on her arm. I turned quickly to Kenzi who was shoving Damien and Lianne through the double doors, "Kenz, code purple."

Kenzi's eyes grew wide, she shoved Lianne hard back through the doors to the point she stumbled and fell to the floor. Kenzi ran full tilt at me, shouting in her radio.

That distracted second cost me. A thick, bony fist struck me across the right side of my face. Hard. I stumbled back but kept my grip on the girl. The edges of my vision blurred with stars, my sunglasses hitting the concrete and breaking into a million pieces. I shook my head, looking up to turn back to the girl. Fuck it now, she was going to get dragged like a sack of shit over the fence after I pepper sprayed the living hell out of her. I was dazed, making everything slow down a pace or two. I locked my hand on the girl's arm and stepped back enough to be out of her swinging range. I started to pull her towards me as I went for my pepper spray.

I locked eyes on Kenzi and the twenty other officers running to aid me. I also locked eyes on Lauren running ahead of them and towards me. Panic and fear in her eyes. I kept pulling the girl, also taking notice that the barricade in front of her was starting to give with the push pull of our struggle. It was about to give way and release the horde of angry fans. I shook my head, screaming, "Breach!"

The officers behind Kenzi moved in another direction, lining themselves up along the barricade. Starting to push the fans back verbally and physically. Kenzi kept running to me as I turned to spray the hell out of Paige. I met the girls crazed brown eyes. I opened up the pepper spray and shouted at Kenzi, "Get Lauren back inside! Now!"

I opened up the pepper spray, the directed stream hitting Paige in the eyes. Making her scream on contact and fall back, pulling me with her. I lost my grip on her when the sweat and excess spray coated her arm. She disappeared into a cloud of fans as I fell to the ground. I went to get my feet, the vision in my right eye now useless as my swelling cheek pushed it closed. Kenzi grabbed my arm to help me up, I went to push on the ground with my other to help her when I felt hands wrap around my bicep and hoist me up. Soft, warm hands. Hands that did not belong to any of the male officers out in the mess. I turned to see Lauren lifting me up, I shook my head, "Go inside! Go where it's safe! The line is about to fall apart."

Lauren shook her head, "There is no way I am leaving you, Bo." She had to scream it over the loud roar of the crowd, but I heard it and saw in her eyes there was a double meaning in her words. Kenzi and her didn't give me a chance to issue a retort. They hoisted me up and ran me back towards the double doors. Getting us inside and behind the thick doors just as the barricade gave up and all the angry fans swarmed the doors. Pounding and shouting for the band.

Inside I broke away from Kenzi and Lauren, walking further down the hallway to get away from the roar and find a seat. My adrenaline was out of control and I needed to walk it off, walk it back down. I glanced at Damien and Lianne standing with Edwin. Damien went to move to check on me, I held up my hand and shook my head. Lianne rolled her eyes at me and I heard snippets of her complaining to Edwin I shoved her and Kenzi pushed her down. I swallowed down the burning rage and faced the large wall of windows that looked into the arena. Taking in deep calming breaths before I truly lost it on Lianne and lost my job.

"Hey Wonder Bo, we need to get that eye looked at." Kenzi came up to me, reaching for my face to look at the damage. "Eek, you are going to need a stitch and will end up with a shiner that looked like you went toe to toe with Tyson." She pressed an ice pack against my swollen cheek. I groaned, "Is the line secure?"

Kenzi shook her head, "Always putting this dumb job first." She sighed, "The boys are doing crowd push back. Damien and the bitch queen are safe, not a scratch on either. I will call the Colonel in a minute and update him, everything is under control, Bo. Now tell me why the hell you went code purple."

I took the ice pack from Kenzi, "The girl that grabbed Lianne was Paige. I was trying to get her over the fence to detain her when she laid a nice hook on me." I looked at the floor, "I was distracted and she took it. I almost had her."

Kenzi nodded, "I think you did good, kiddo." She grabbed my arm, "Everyone is safe because of your quick thinking."

I nodded absently, clutching the ice pack in my fist. My adrenaline was dropping back and I was breathing easier. I went to tell Kenzi I was going to head over to medical to get my eye looked at when Lianne's voice tore through everyone's calm.

"NO LAUREN! That stupid security guard needs to be fired. Both of them. The bigger one scratched my arm and the other made me fall to the floor in front of all my fans." Lianne was in Lauren's face, screaming at her. Damien was trying to get between the two. "I want them fired and I want them to never ever be able to get a job anywhere in this town." She held up her arm, a tiny red mark from Paige's hand was already fading on her arm. "See this! That's all because of her." Lianne pointed directly at me, "I want that bitch fired."

Even Edwin was trying to calm the bitch down. Lauren held strong, "I will not do as such. Bo, Officer Dennis did exactly as she is trained to do. She quite possible saved you from further injury or incident. Officer Malikov did not purposefully shove you to the floor, you tripped over those ridiculous heels you insisted on wearing. As I see it, both Officers saved you, Lianne."

Lianne grew fire engine red, "Fuck you Lauren! How blind are you! Why are you taking the side of shitty low rent security? I am the star! I am the one who should take priority over anyone else." Lianne was screaming and drawing all attention to her, "Did you not hear them when the one shouted code purple? They made me purple." She held up her arm again.

I threw my ice pack to the ground, having heard enough I took long strides over to Lianne. Kenzi coming after me, "Whoa, whoa now killer. Let her rant."

I shook my head, "No, no more of this." I kept my eyes on Lianne and right as I came to her and Lauren, she met my eyes, "Oh what do you want, another go at tossing me about?"

I smiled, gritting my teeth, "Listen you selfish spoiled brat. Let me educate you on what just happened." I didn't wait for the girl, "Code purple is a code between my partner and I. I'm not going to waste my time explaining to you, just know that the excited fan that grabbed you was your stalker. Paige. I almost had her in custody when I was too distracted in making sure your dumb ass was safe." I sucked in a breath, "So go ahead and fire me, fire Kenzi, fire the whole fucking security team. Because honestly at this point I don't think there is a god damn person here that cares about you or cares to listen to your endless bitching and shit treatment of everyone you encounter." I stepped closer to the girl, "You are nothing but an overpaid, self entitled twat that is a sliver of talent and manners compared to your band mate." I held her green eyes, seeing the fear under her attempt to keep a strong, bitch face on. "Do it, Lianne, fire me."

I felt Lauren's hand on my arm, "Bo." I didn't budge, staring down the girl in front of me that was just that, a scared little girl with too much money.

Lianne swallowed hard and stepped back, "Lauren, cancel the rest of the day until the show." She then turned and walked towards Edwin, "I want to go back to the hotel for lunch, take me there now."

I stared at Lianne until she disappeared around the corner. I let out a breath and closed my eyes, leaning against the wall and sliding down to sit on the floor. My adrenaline had given out, I was tired and the pain of my cheek was throbbing. I leaned my head against the wall, closing my eyes,"Kenzi, can you have Helm go with them? I need a moment."

"Already taken care of, Helm and Tate volunteered to go with them." I could feel Kenzi kneeling next to me, "They witnessed your speech, said the next round at O'Toole's is on them for the giant set of steel balls you just tea bagged Lianne with."

I chuckled and winced, "I need to go to medical." I went to push myself up when I heard Lauren.

"I will take you Bo."

I opened my eyes to see Lauren kneeling in front of me. She looked to Kenzi, "Is that okay? I think you could use a break and something to eat."

Kenzi grinned at Lauren, "I think you are right my friend." She stood up, looking down at me, "I will be in the cafeteria, find me when you're patched up. I'll save you a burger."

I smiled and nodded, "Thanks Kenz."

As Kenzi ran down the hallway to the elevator, Lauren held her hand out to me. I sighed, taking it and letting her pull me up. Standing inches away from her, I felt my heart skip and the pain in my cheek dissipate so much I had to take a step back, "Um, medical is down the hall to the right."

Lauren nodded slowly, looking at our hands a minute before letting go. "Let's get you patched up." She waited for me to take the lead, moving to stand next to me as we walked together.

"So, what are the chances I will be fired later." I honestly didn't care if I was fired as long as I could get a decent reference out of the Colonel.

Lauren smiled, leaning closer to me so our shoulders brushed, "You won't. I will make sure of it. The simple fact that you rescued that girl from her stalker, is enough to trump her demands." Lauren glanced at me, "Plus you told her face to face everything what we all have wanted to for a very long time." She bumped me with her shoulder, "Steel balls indeed."

I laughed lightly, leaning closer to Lauren and fighting the urge to grab her hand again. "Blame the adrenaline." I sighed, my face dropping, "Why do you stay with this band?" I looked at Lauren, her eyes focused down the hallway, "You're obviously smarter than a band management job would require. You are far too kind to deal with the overinflated egos of the Lianne's of the world, and...far too beautiful for the amount of stress you take on day in and day out." I blushed as I said it.

Lauren turned, meeting my eyes and grinning, "Are you flirting with me officer?" She raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged, "Maybe." I paused, "I'm serious Lauren, I can see this job has worn you to pieces. How in the hell did you get roped into this job and what can I do to rope you out of it?" I risked it, letting my fingers brush against hers, grabbing a couple and squeezing them, "And yes, I am flirting with you...because." I shook my head, chasing the last few words back away. Now wasn't the time to tell her I wanted nothing more than to kiss her again.

Lauren sighed, moving her hand so she could properly hold mine as discreetly as possible. The feel of our hands together felt right and chased the world away in a flash. I smiled, if I could hold her hand everyday, I could forget about a lot of things. I almost didn't hear Lauren as she spoke, "I fell into this job and for the why I haven't bothered to escape it is because I never found that one thing that gave me a reason or a want to live happily." She looked down at her boots, "I worked in marketing for the record label. Designing posters and coordinating art departments and photographers for album covers and tours. I loved that job, the creativity and freedom I had there. Not really tied down by anything other than deadlines and artist approvals. Then I fell in love with the head of the new talent division. A beautiful stupid mistake looking back now. But Angie was charming, captivating and swept me off my proverbial feet. There wasn't a thing I wouldn't do for her."

Lauren's face changed, her hand slowly falling away from mine so she could fold her arms across her chest. "She was the one who discovered Dutch & Downing. I offered to help her set up the management so she could come home for dinner at a normal time. The next thing I knew I was on the first bus tour, then the first national tour while she was back home, sleeping with the CEO of England's most popular music website. David Archer." Lauren furrowed her brow, "I was gone six months and in that time, the three year loving relationship I thought was unbreakable was gone. One epic fight, one returned engagement ring and two years later, here I am. Drowning myself in a job I never wanted, hoping it will numb me until I can no longer function or feel."

Lauren cleared her throat of the tears threatening to spill, "Last week Angie and David were married in the same church the royals used. The whole affair was splashed across the headlines as the wedding of the decade." Lauren laughed lightly, "What kills me is she always told me she wanted to marry me in a small church up in the country. Just family and friends, a far cry from the five hundred plus she invited." She stopped, looking up at the white door with the typical red cross, "I guess this is the place."

I didn't bother to look at the door, I was too focused on Lauren. Her face riddled with heartbreak and sadness. I whispered, "Is that, is she why you told me not to break your heart last night?"

Lauren's eyes drifted from the door to mine, her jaw twitching as her eyes glossed over. She nodded slowly, "Yes." she bit her lip, "Because Bo, in two years no one has made me feel anything close to what I felt with Angie. Then you looked in my eyes that first day in the green room. Something hit me hard and I wanted to ignore it harder after our hands touched, telling me another something I wanted to ignore. Then last night..." She took a breath, "You are sweeping me off my feet, Bo, faster than she ever did and in a way that makes me want to breathe again and open my eyes to this self-imposed misery I have submerged my life in." Her eyes met mine and I could feel all of the emotions radiate around us. Lauren was broken like I was and so scared to let her heart out even when it was clear it was beyond her control with me. I wanted to tell her I felt the same and understood it. Then take her in my arms and hold her.

My heart pounded against my chest so hard I swore it was visible. I stepped closer to Lauren, reaching for her hand when the door opened up and the cheery EMT stuck his head out, "Dennis? Malikov told me you were coming. Told me you were indulging in a code purple again." He pulled the door open wider for Lauren and I to come in.

Lauren broke from our intense stare, smiling at the EMT, "She might need a stitch or two, yes." She walked into the room. I sighed hard, getting my heart back under control before entering the room. I had thirty hours left with Lauren, but somehow I knew time no longer matter, it would just be the distance of our hearts that needed to be closed.


I sat on the examination table, two brand new stitches in my cheek and an ice pack later, I was waiting for the EMT to come back with the incident sheet. I would have to give it to the Colonel before the end of the day. I swung my legs looking down at my boots, I was tired and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep. But the clock told me I had another twelve hours to go.

"Care to tell me what a code purple is?" Lauren's voice broke the awkward silence.

I laughed, looking at her, "A code purple is Kenzi's way of covertly telling me that she is about to beat someone purple with just cause. It's our go to when one of us is in a scuffle and need the other to either detain a drunk or in this case an angry fan. She uses it more than I do, but today was a day that I was about to beat that girl purple after she slugged me." I reached up and gingerly pressed on my cheek, "I almost went code purple on Lianne."

Lauren laughed, "I think you did, Bo, but with words not fists."

I smiled at her as another silence fell between us, then I broke it, "Can I buy you a drink later?"

Lauren looked at the ceiling, pretending to think about it, "I think I'd like that, I do still owe you lunch. However I think you need some rest before the show tonight." She stood up as the EMT came back into the room.

He handed me the incident sheet, "Here you go Dennis. The Colonel already has a copy on his desk, this is for your records." He looked me over once more, "Nothing is broken, your xrays came back clear. So just take it easy and ice it as you can stand it." He winked at me, "Try to stay out of the way of fists for the rest of this event, Dennis."

I slid off the examination table as he left the room. My body sore in places where I fell and from struggling with Paige. I stretched, grabbing the sheet, "I am going to go get Kenzi then hang out in the situation room. There's a nice couch I can take a nap on." I smiled, picking up my gear belt, "You should probably get back to the band before Lianne loses it."

Lauren laughed, holding up her phone, "It's too late for that. I have thirty shitty messages from the brat. Edwin and Damien are taking care of it." She stood up, smoothing out her jacket, "I will stop by the Colonels office and give him my statement of what happened, both incidents. Knowing Lianne she has already made it her mission to see your employment terminated here."

I shrugged, "The Colonel loves me, it would literally take more than an angry diva to get him to fire me." I shifted my gear belt on to my shoulder, reaching for the door. I desperately needed a nap and a greasy burger to settle my stomach.

"Bo, what were you going to say when I asked you if you were flirting with me." Lauren's voice was soft, hesitant as she asked her question that felt more like a statement. "You drifted off when there was clearly more you wanted to say."

The butterflies flew into my stomach, mixing with the painkillers to bring it to a tidal wave of nerves. I bit the inside of my mouth, staring at the door knob, "It wasn't anything important."

I felt her come up behind me, her body heat swarming around me and tearing down the weak defenses I was trying to build up. "Bo, I've never told anyone about Angie, the truth. You make me want to be honest and open and share things with you. I want you to feel the same with me." I turned to face her, she was smiling awkwardly, "I have no idea what this is building between us Bo, but all I know is I don't want to muddy it already." I saw the fears of her past slip in, a past that was built on lies and ignoring the simple things.

I searched her eyes before speaking, "It really wasn't anything important, all I was going to say was that yes I was flirting with you because all I want to do is kiss you again and it's making it hard to think about anything else until I do."

I saw the sparkle in her eyes. When I did, I threw my gear belt to the floor and covered the two steps to her. I didn't hesitate with my hands. Gently grabbing the sides of Lauren's face I pulled her to me. Covering her mouth with mine, I kissed her hard. Pouring all the crazy things I felt for her into that kiss, I closed my eyes. Life was too damn short and too stupid not to take advantage of the good things. I smiled against her mouth as I felt her hands slid over my waist and pull me closer into her. I ran my tongue over her bottom lip, making her moan softly and open her mouth wider for me. When our tongues met, I felt my knees go weak. Lauren gripped tighter to me as we kissed, making out like horny teenagers. I pressed my body harder against hers, pushing both of us back until the back of her legs hit the examination table, throwing her off balance. Effectively ending the kiss as we both broke out into laughter.

I braced myself from falling on her with a hand on the squishy black padding of the table, looking her amber eyes, "I still can't think about anything else."

Lauren smiled sheepishly, running her hand over my uninjured cheek, "Good." She leaned forward, kissing me softly one more time before whispering against my lips, "I don't think I want you too, Bo."

I almost melted in her arms and exposed the examination table to my own brand of examination of the blonde's body under me. The way her hips moved ever so slightly against mine was sending me into a need to know what those hips looked like out of those perfectly fitted jeans. I leaned forward to kiss her again when my forgotten radio on the floor squawked, "K dizzle to B hizzy, where the shit are you? Chuckie just told me he cleared you."

Lauren laughed, sitting up and wrapping me in her arms, "Your partner, best friend has exceptional timing."

I groaned, holding Lauren closer and breathing in her perfume, "She does, doesn't she." I tucked my chin against her shoulder, letting my lips brush over the soft skin of her neck, pulling a soft sigh from Lauren that made me ache. I pressed a kiss against said skin, memorizing the way she tasted and the way her pulse thundered under my touch. I felt her fingers dig into my side under the tight black shirt, her breath quickening against my own skin.

I was about to get lost when my radio went off again, "Earth to Officer Bo, I swear to god if you don't answer your radio I will go code orange on you." The radio clicked off then back on, "You have until the count of two before I do it."

I groaned, peeling myself out of the warmth of Lauren's arms, her eyes full of hazy desire and questions. I frowned lightly at the sight before turning and rushing to my radio as Kenzi counted one. I clicked the mic, "I will be down to the cafeteria in five, settle your impatient ass already."

Kenzi's voice was louder in the mic, "And she's alive! About time. Get your ass down here, the Colonel has been hovering around me and I can't finish my cake while he stares at me with his beady eagle eyes." The radio clicked off.

I sighed heavily, working on putting my belt back on. "I should go." I looked over at Lauren, still flushed as she tried to straighten herself after out impromptu make out session. I clicked my belt and adjusted it, "Can I walk you...somewhere?"

Lauren chuckled, walking over to me she reached up and smoothed out some of my messy hair. "I am fine, I will have one of the other drivers take me to the hotel." She ran her hand down my cheek, making me lean into it and close my eyes.

I choked out, "Are you sure?" I really didn't want to leave Lauren, knowing our time was limit and my heart was no longer interested in limits.

Lauren kissed my cheek, "I am sure, Bo. I fear if we stay together in this state, not much will get done, business and security wise." I opened my eyes to see her roam hers over my body, "This uniform puts all sorts of thoughts in my head." She stepped back, reaching for the door. She opened it and looked over her shoulder at me, "At the hotel tonight make sure you go to the left when the band goes to the right, I will be waiting for that drink." She winked and smirked at me before leaving the room.

As soon as she left the room, I debated taking another ice pack and dumping it down my pants. I sucked in a thick breath, straightened my belt again and counted to ten. Ensuring that when I walked out of medical, Lauren would be well around a corner where I couldn't see her and let my desires take over. Run to her and find the nearest empty room to let this fire in my body burn as hers was under mine.

I grumbled and left the room, my radio chirping with the voice of my best friend badgering for me to hurry my sweet little ass up before the eagle lost his shit. At least I had a lengthy walk to settle my libido so Kenzi wouldn't see the just made out flush and call me out on it.

As I mashed the buttons in the elevator that would take me to the cafeteria, I couldn't help but grin at what just happened. For the first time in a long time, it was a genuine grin, a grin full of hope and excitement of the future that went past a shiny chocolate badge and black polyester pants. A grin that was the result of a beautiful blonde with soft lips.