A/N Does the first date dilemma get resolved or maybe other issues come up? Let's find out.

Oh and I don't own Lost Girl or House or anything but the mistakes.

Chapter 10

While Lauren had a Sunday full of research and remembering, Bo had a Sunday full of cranky child and nosey best friend. Charley missed seeing her new doctor friend and made no bones about it. No morning rounds, no Dr. Lewis stopping by to say hi, just the charge nurse handing the discharge papers to Bo and an envelope to Charley, "Here honey, Dr. Lewis left this with me, said it was for you and you only. Okay darling, you take care and I hope to not see you back here anytime soon."

Charley didn't understand, holding the brightly colored envelope in her hand, watching Bo pack up her stuff, tears close, "No Momma, we can't leave without seeing Dr. Lewis, we see her every morning and every night and she missed last night, she can't miss this morning too."

Scooping her up and holding her close, "Oh Charley, she did stop by last night, but it was late and you were already asleep. She got stuck doing doctor stuff," taking the envelope from Charley's hand, "but it looks like she didn't forget about you Bear. Do you want to open it now?"

Laying her head down on her Momma's shoulder, thumb going in her mouth, a firm "No." coming from her lips. Bo looks over her shoulder at Kenzi, who calls out, "Who broke your crayons?"

Without removing her thumb Charley deadpans, "Dr. Lewis."

Unable to stop themselves, both Bo and Kenzi burst into laughter, Kenzi giving props where props are due, "You've got talent there kiddo, pure, raw, comedic talent. Where'd that come from, I wonder?"

Pointing to her best friend, "You A. K., that's all you."

"I'll take credit, no prob." Reaching out to take Charley from Bo, "I'll take cranky pants here and head down to the car, if we're all set?"

Nodding, Bo gives the room one last sweep, "All set. Here Bear," Handing Charley her favorite stuffed animal, "Don't forget Eeyore."

Mumbling around her thumb and hugging the toy tight to her chest, "Thank you Momma."

Kenzi waited until after lunch was served and eaten and Charley had fallen asleep to ask the questions burning since the morning, giving herself a pat on the back for holding out that long.

"Tell me Bo-Bo, what happened last night when the doctor finally showed up?"

Clearing the lunch dishes from the table, Bo sets about washing them, "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," a mischievous gleam in her eye, "I see the light in your eyes Bo, a light I haven't seen in a long time. Plus, you told Charley she stopped by last night, causing me to use my mad math skills to add it up. Visit + doctor = light in my Bo's eyes." Standing from the table and moving to dry the dishes as Bo washed, she bumps her in the shoulder, "Come on Bo, tell me what went down, since I slept through meeting her."

She'd really rather keep it to herself for a little while longer, but Kenzi can be relentless, "She asked me out, on a date. A real date, like a dinner and dancing kind of date. Or maybe a meet me for coffee kind of date. We haven't talked about what we're gonna do, just that we're going to do something, sometime next week."

Smirking and snapping Bo with the dish towel, "Oh! I know WHAT and WHO you're going to do."

Splashing dish water in her direction, "Kenzi!"

Feigning innocence, "What? You know you're thinking the same thing I am."

Blushing and dropping her head, thinking about the doctors hands and lips and where she'd like them to be, but not ready to admit it to Kenzi or perhaps herself, she simply says, "Whatever Kenz."

Bo was of the hopes a nap would take the edge off of Charley's crankiness; not this time, not today.

"No Momma, I don't want to color, my crayons are broken remember? I want to go to the park." Crossing her arms and pouting, there was no reasoning with her.

At the end of her rope and in a voice Charley was not used to, "Charlotte Elizabeth Dennis, you are acting like an angry toddler rather than the happy child you are. Tell me; what's wrong?"

Digging in, like a willful six year old, Charley doesn't budge, "I want to go to the park."

"It's February Charley, it's not above freezing out there and you just got home, from the hospital. No, we are not going to the park. End of story."

Stomping to the hall closet to get her boots, ski jacket, scarf, hat and mittens, Charley calls to her Momma, "Dr. Lewis said yesterday I could do anything I want, no restri….restric." Balling her little six year hands up into frustrated fists, "I can't say the word." Ever the helpful aunt, Kenzi fills in, "Restrictions, sound it out, re-stric-tions, restrictions."

A glaring Bo, "Not helping Kenzi. Charley, put that stuff back in the closet. Now."

Filling her arms full of winter gear, she turns with tears in her eyes, "Please Momma, please. I miss park day with Daddy always because I don't feel good. Please Momma, I feel good today, please?"

Seeing Charley in such distress, Bo gives in, "Ok Bear, but only for a little while. As soon as your nose turns red, we're coming home. Deal?" Holding out her hand, ready to shake, she waits to see which way her child will turn. Dropping her winter gear, Charley shakes with her Momma, "Deal. I just want to go outside Momma, not for real long, just outside." She sits on the floor, pulling on her boots. Bo sits down with her, helps her with her boots, her mittens, her scarf, her jacket. Grabs her own winter boots and all the rest, bundling up to take Charley to the park.

Charley running ahead, jumping snow piles as she zips by, Kenzi asks, "Where did kidzilla come from Bo? She was acting like a terrible two year old. And what's with the thumb sucking, she stopped that like 3 years ago?"

Watching Charley run, a smile breaking across her face, "She's much better than when she was 2. She's just been through a lot Kenz. She's not been herself since the end of summer; it's now the middle of winter, she's barely wanted to play let alone go outside since Thanksgiving. I'll cut her some slack; seeing her run and jump is worth a temper tantrum or two."

Sliding her arm through Bo's, "She's uh pretty taken with Dr. Lewis, to be that mad at her, don't you think?"

Looking at Kenzi out of the side of her eyes, "What do you mean 'taken'?"

"I mean, she likes her Bo, likes her a lot, like favorite aunt likes her."

"She already has a favorite aunt, you."

"That's true. But, uh, I think there's room for maybe one more."

Charley runs back to her Momma and her favorite aunt, grabbing their hands and pulling them along, "Come on Momma, A.K., hurry, there's a snow fort!" Her laugh filling Bo's ears, the sweetest music she's heard in months, grinning Bo drops a challenge, "Last one to the fort makes dinner." And takes off running, leaving a surprised Kenzi and a laughing Charley in her wake.

After a dinner of pizza and beer for the adults and chocolate milk for Charley, Kenzi doesn't exactly have mad cooking skills, but orders take out like a champ, a coloring session, miraculously all of Charley's crayons healed themselves and a nice hot bath, it was bed time.

Carrying Charley down the hall from the bathroom, nuzzling her neck, "You smell so good after a bath; I could eat you up." A giggle fit her reward, "You can't eat me Momma." Plopping her down on the bed, "You wanna bet?" Blowing raspberries on her belly, "This belly looks like a good place to start." Giggling and pushing her Momma's head away, Charley calls for help, "A.K.! Momma's eating my belly! Help!" to no avail. Aunt Kenzi swoops into the bedroom, jumping on the bed, "Ohhh, this belly looks yummy, you sharing Bo Bo?"

"I don't know, I might want to keep," scooping Charley up and holding her tight, "all of this to myself." Diving in and calling no fair, Kenzi engages Bo and Charley in a ticklefest, leaving all laughing and breathless, finally calling a truce and kissing Charley goodnight; leaving mother and child alone.

Pulling the blankets up to her chin and hugging Eeyore tight, Charley yawns and asks, "Momma, am I going to see Dr. Lewis ever again?'

Brushing Charley's hair back from her forehead, "Do you want to?"

Nodding thoughtfully, "She talks to me like you do, most grown-ups don't."

"That she does."

Thinking a little harder, Charley confesses, "I like her Momma, but she didn't come see me, it made me mad. Like she forgot about me."

Running her finger over Charley's brows, "Oh Bear, is that why you've been so cranky today?"

Nodding solemnly, she couldn't explain why she felt drawn to the kind doctor who talked to her like she was a big girl, she just was and it hurt her to think she had been forgotten.

"She didn't forget about you, she came last night, you were sleeping, remember?" Bo sees a pout forming, points out the brightly colored envelope Dr. Lewis left for Charley and Charley only, is sitting on her dresser.

"Charley, you haven't opened your letter, maybe you should?"

A small smile replacing the pout, "I forgot. Can I have it Momma?"

Handing the envelope over, "Here you go Bear. Open it carefully."

Taking the envelope reverently, sliding her finger under the flap, Charley carefully opens the brightly colored envelope. Sparkly, glittery confetti falls out into her lap, earning a wide smile and a giggle.

"Do you need help?"

"No Momma, I got it."

Bo leans down, wanting to peek at what the doctor wrote, but it's between the doctor and Charley. She kisses her daughter's forehead instead, "I'll leave you to it then. Goodnight Charley, I love you. So much."

"I love you too Momma."

Switching on the nightlight and closing the door, Bo leaves Charley to her letter.

Grabbing a bottle of red and two glasses, Bo sits with Kenzi on the couch in the living room, "Wine?"

"Oh yeah, come to mama."

Pouring and handing a glass to Kenzi, Bo settles in and readies herself for the questions she knows are coming. "I know you have questions and since Charley is in bed now, I am free to answer whatever," checking her watch, "for the next hour. So go ahead, ask away."

Taking a big sip of her wine, Kenzi contemplates what questions to ask, goes for the only one that matters, "Do you think she'll make you happy?"

A slow smile spreading across her face, eyes downcast and gazing into her wine glass, Bo says a simple, "Yes."

"That's all that matters then."

Monday comes and goes with no ideas on where to go or what to do on their first date. Tuesday and Wednesday the same. Even though they've exchanged numerous late night phone calls, Bo waiting until Charley was in bed and her house guest for the remainder of the week passed out on the couch before calling; neither had any ideas. Even the ever resourceful Tamsin was coming up empty. Brainstorming Thursday morning after rounds and before her first appointment of the day, Lauren makes a declaration, "Tamsin, I am literally coming up empty. There is nothing I can think of that isn't straight out of a romantic comedy and I am not going to be predictable, not with this."

"How about we stick a pin in coming up with an epic first date and you tell me what you know about her?"

"She's an artist; she enjoys listening to music rather than watching TV; she reads, but only biographies or art history. She's kind of sporty, but girly too. She likes fashion, in fact she considered going into design but decided against it because she doesn't care for sewing. She's currently bartending at her grandfather's bar downtown, less than ideal, her words, not mine but it's a paycheck and she gets to people watch, one of her favorite pastimes. She loves her daughter with a fierceness that is astounding and refreshing. Umm, what else?" Looking down at her hands, she continues softly, "She's a really good kisser with a sexy chuckle, I get lost in her eyes sometimes and she takes my breath away."

"Some of those things I can work with, a couple of them not so much. How about you focus on something else. Like, uh your lunch with Evony this afternoon."

Smacking herself in the forehead and leaning forward in her desk chair, "That's today?"

"It's Thursday Doc."

"Shit."

"Tell me about it. She's been sharking around here all week, looking for you when you're on rounds or busy with patients." Smirking devilishly, Tamsin declares, "You'd think as the Dean she'd know your schedule. But then again, maybe she has the wrong one."

Smiling gratefully, "Oh Tamsin, have you been feeding Evony untruths about my whereabouts?"

"No, no. I am required to give her your schedule; I simply give her the un-revised one. She doesn't know the difference, but she did make sure to mention lunch yesterday. No way around it."

"I owe her lunch and I'm not going to bail. But, if you could randomly show up in the cafeteria around, say 1:45pm or so to save me?"

"Of course Doc. Brilliant. I'll show up with an emergency or something."

"Umm, no need for that, simply sit with us. Once you show up, she won't stay long…I hope."

"You got it Doc. Now, here are your files for tomorrow's appointments, you already have today's and," Tamsin pauses dramatically, pulling what looks like a page from a day planner out of her pocket and handing it to Lauren, "Therapy's schedule for today, both Physical and Speech, if you look at 10:00am you'll see someone's name I think you'll recognize."

Taking the offered piece of paper, Lauren skims down to the 10:00am slot and sees 'Charlotte Dennis'. "Well, damn, I talked to her last night, she didn't mention she'd be here today. I talked to Bo, not Charley, although I did tell her she could call me or come see me anytime she wanted, or if she wanted me to come see her, I would. But her mother would have to approve or drive her here or give me permission to go there." Tamsin, smirking with a knowing smile, "Oh Doc, you're rambling and I know what that means now. S, you're nervous." Tapping her finger against her chin, "I wonder, what do you have to be nervous about, hmmmm?" Pausing only briefly to think about, "Got it, you're nervous about possibly running into them, aren't you?"

Glancing sheepishly up at Tamsin, "Maybe."

"Don't be nervous Doc, you've got both of those chicks right in the palm of your hand."

Furrowing her brow, "What does that mean?"

Waving her hand, "Never mind, you'll figure it out. Uh, I see your first appointment for the day coming down the hall, put on your doctor face, not your teenager in love face."

All in a huff, Lauren blurts out, "I am not a teenager, nor am I in love."

"Not yet, but you're well on your way." Pointing towards her desk in the outer office, "I'll be right there if you need me." Tamsin exits to greet Lauren's first patient of the day, leaving the doctor to ponder the words left hanging in the air between them, muttering under her breath, "Teenager in love indeed. Humph."

The time passes quickly, 10:00 am comes and goes without Lauren even realizing, lost in work as she is prone to do, she doesn't lift her head from patient files until the afternoon. Promptly at 1:00pm, Lauren hears a knock on her office door, grimacing as she tosses aside the file she had been reviewing; she stands and walks to her office door. Putting on her best 'deal with it' face, she opens the door to a grinning Evony.

Running her eyes up Lauren's lithe frame, Evony asks with a glint in her eye, "Ready for lunch, Dr. Lewis?"

"Yes and lunch is all I'm ready for Dr. Marquise."

Rolling her eyes, "Sweeeetie, don't flatter yourself."

With a knowing nod, Lauren responds, "Mmmhhmmm. Right."

Sitting at a table for four on purpose, Lauren promptly begins to push around her food, making sure nothing is touching before she can begin eating. Noticing Lauren's ritual, Evony points to her plate, "I see things change, yet remain the same." With a chuckle she asks, "Do you still eat raisin bran with a fork?"

"Yes. What's wrong with that?"

Holding her hands up, "Nothing. Look, I didn't invite you to lunch to go over your OCD habits."

"What did you ask me to lunch for then?"

Tilting her head, "I think you know why."

Tossing her fork down and with an exasperated sigh, "Evony, I believe I told you that ship sailed, years ago and it's not coming into port anytime soon."

Reaching out to run her finger across the back of Lauren's hand, "That's not what you said two years ago at the International Pediatrics Innovations Conference."

Smiling in spite of herself, "We were in Paris, you were being uncharacteristically kind, your eyes were that crystalline brown I used to long to see and you called me Lo." Rolling her eyes but with a smile, "On a bridge, under the moon, in Paris. How was I supposed to resist?"

"You weren't."

Frowning and pulling her hand away, "Evony, it will not happen again. No matter what you think or do," pointing between the two of them, "we are colleagues, who have a history, that is all. Did you hear me, history, not present, not future, it's in the past. If I am to remain here, at this hospital, we are never going to happen. Agreed?" Lauren rolled the dice, it was a risky move, Evony is her boss and tended towards the spiteful end of the spectrum, rather than the forgiving end. She could very well terminate her contract, possibly ending her career. She had to do it, no way around it. Lauren waits for Evony's response, calm and cool on the exterior, shaking like a leaf inside. Evony looks at her ex, the only woman she let inside the bravado, nods her head and decides she'd rather have Lauren as a colleague than a girlfriend, finally and once and for all, "Agreed."

Both smiling in relief, Lauren is the first to voice what they both knew to be truth, "We were never good at the relationship thing. Too much running and chasing interfering with the friend part."

Evony concedes, "Yeah, we were pretty good at the friends part. I always pushed things too far. It's too many years too late…but," Lauren interrupts, "Evony, stop, no need to apologize. Let's table it, forever. Ok?"

Nodding and changing the subject, "How's your case load coming?" Going back to her lasagna with zeal, she continues, "Oh, I almost forgot, I am going to add your name to the on call roster, just for the ER and only the weird Peds cases, starting the first of next month. Good?"

Lauren nods in agreement, then panics for a second, "Uh, trauma or walk-ins? Because I haven't done trauma since I was a resident." She pushes around the food on her plate, making sure it all lines up exactly as she likes.

"No trauma, but I can work a trauma rotation in for you if you're interested?"

"No, not interested. Next topic."

Tamsin arrives right as she was told to, "Hey Doc. Mind if I sit? No? Good." She sets down her tray, nods to Evony, "Dean. What's shaking?"

Nodding curtly, "Tamsin." Turning to address Lauren and picking up her tray to leave, "I'll have my admin send you the on-call schedule. If there's anything out of line let her know. I'll talk to you later." With that she makes her way to the exit.

"Well, she didn't take long to leave once I showed up. Good call there Doc." Noticing Lauren's expression, "What's with the frowney face? Did I interrupt something or should I have not come?"

Shaking the frown, "No. I just need…. We, Evony and I settled something that's been going on since med school and I need a minute to process."

"Sure thing Doc, take your time."

Lauren goes inside her head, reviewing what happened between her and Evony, not certain how she feels. On the one hand she feels relief, on the other….. Evony chasing her….has been part of her life almost longer than it hasn't. Rubbing her eyes and blocking out the rest of the cafeteria noise, she breaks it down. Relief, sadness, emptiness, panic, all boiling around in her. Closing her eyes a flood of memories of her history with Evony, good and bad pass through her mind. At last, relief is what bubbles to the surface and she grabs it, setting herself free.

Picking up her fork, Lauren goes back to eating her lunch and thinking about what to do for her first date with Bo.

Noticing Lauren has come back, Tamsin asks the obvious, "All done processing there Doc?"

"Yes."

"Good." Waiving her fork in Lauren's direction, "What you thinking about now?"

"My impending date with Bo and how it's going to be a disaster before it even happens."

Shaking her head, "It's not going to be a disaster. How about you do your Sherlock thing? Take your mind off being romantic and shit. Oh, how about that chick waiting for fries, the brunette with the pony tail."

Lauren looks at the line, sees Tamsin is pointing out Dr. Avery Mendoza, "Oh, I can't do a Sherlock on her."

Frowning, "Um, why? You never give up an opportunity for doing that Sherlock thing?"

Smirking, "I know her."

Seeing the smirk, Tamsin puts two and two together, "Doc, you like, know her, know her?"

Rolling her eyes and with a light pink hue crawling up her cheeks, "Yes. I know her."

"Doc, what is it with you and brunettes? Evony is a brunette, that chick is a brunette and Bo is a brunette. You have a type Doc, definitely have a type."

Never having thought about it, Lauren concedes, "I suppose I do. That doesn't help with the date idea Tamsin."

"No, no it doesn't, but it's cute how you're blushing right now."

Indignant, "I am not blushing, it's warm in here."

"Uh huh," looking past Lauren's shoulder to the entrance of the cafeteria, Tamsin sees a familiar figure, "It's about to get warmer Doc."

Spotting her newest favorite person, Charley drops her Momma's hand and darts for the table where Lauren and Tamsin are eating lunch. As she skids to a stop right before plowing into her doctor, Charley is suddenly shy. Following Tamsin's eyes and feeling a presence behind her, Lauren turns to see a bashful smile on Charley, a sexy grin on Bo and a smirk on Kenzi.

Flustered and blushing, Lauren only manages to croak out "Hello.", before Charley gets over her shyness, grabbing Lauren's hand, pulling her to stand, "Hi Dr. Lewis. I been here for hours, practicing walking, I already walk really good, but they said you said I had to do it anyway. Is that true? I had to say rhyming words and write my abc's like a hundred times, I been doing that for years. I got really bored, but they said I had to, 'cause you said I had too. Is that true too?" Lauren being unprepared for the onslaught of words coming from Charley looks to Bo for some help, who simply lets her dangle, enjoying the sight of the doctor dealing with an over enthusiastic Charley. Who continues with, "Are you eating lunch? I didn't have lunch yet; can I sit on your lap? Can I have your apple?" Lauren gives Charley her apple in the hopes she'll take a breath and let her get a word in edgewise. Taking a big bite out of the apple and pulling Lauren's hand again to get her to sit down Charley is finally quiet as she crawls onto Lauren's lap.

With the break in words, Kenzi introduces herself, reaching out to bump Lauren on the shoulder, "So, you're Charley's doctor and the one who's put the light back in my Bo-Bo's eyes?"

"Um, yes I guess I am."

Kenzi sits between Tamsin and Lauren, whispering in Lauren's ear, "Don't fuck it up. They've both been through enough."

Tamsin drops her sandwich, "Wow, you really get to the point don't you?"

"When it comes to my girls I do."

Lauren, looking like a rabbit caught in a snare, she whispers, "I won't."

"Good answer." Taking Tamsin's fries Kenzi asks, "So peeps, what do you guys do for kicks around here?"

Reaching across the table and grabbing for the fries, "Uh, those are my fries, pipsqueak, give."

Munching on her apple, Charley pipes up, "We're going bowling, me and Momma and AK. I like bowling, do you like bowling? Do you want to come go bowling with us? You can bring your friend; Momma always says the more the merry, right Momma?"

Nodding, "That's right Charley, the more the merrier."

And just like that a six year old solved their first date dilemma.

Thank you for all the follows, favorites, PMs and of course reviews. There are parts I am not certain worked quite the way I wanted. Let me know your thoughts, it helps. Next update will most likely be next year, after I spend time on a white sandy beach. Happy Holidays to you and yours.