A/N: There's only a couple more chapters left for our girls and then it's adios. I'm glad you guys enjoy the story, you're feedback really inspires me to keep writing. I don't know how I'm going to end this one tbh.

My brain is churning a few ideas for a new story but I have to finish this one and the other I'm in the process of writing before I consider writing another.

As always, enjoy and leave me some reviews or whatever.

Lauren and I arrive back at my place around ten and decide to go straight to bed. It's been a long day for both of us and wrapping my fiancée in my arms was the only thing that could calm my mind.

"Your mother was right about that pie." Lauren says as she exits the bathroom, wrapping a towel around her wet body. Her skin had that glow to it that it always did when she showered. Her hair was still wet as it cascaded over her left shoulder and if couldn't help but think she looks like an angel. "My stomach feels like I ate a ton of sugary boulders." she groans and makes her way to the dresser, no doubt looking for my sweatshirt she loves so much.

I sit in the middle of the bed, against the headboard, a book in my lap and reading glasses at the tip of my nose as I watch her. It was something I've always liked to do. Lauren is so graceful in her movements and it was hard not to watch her. Her body moved so effortlessly that it made everything she did look like a dance to a beat only she could hear. It was truly beautiful. Just like her.

Lauren's struggling grunt pulls me out of my admiration, "What are you doing darlin?" I ask with a laugh when I notice that she's sitting in the middle of my floor with the sweatshirt stuck over her head, arms in the air trying to get through the sleeves.

Her breast bouncing slightly as she tried again to pull the sweatshirt down over her head. "Help me baby." she whines in that adorable way and wiggles her hands in the air, "It was not a wise idea to try and put this on with wet hair and skin. It's sticking to me."

I shake my head and sit my book and glasses on the nightstand before making my way over to her, "Hmm, lets see." I say and kneel down on the side of her. "Where is my Lauren?"

She groans and struggles more against the fabric, "Just help, it's getting hot now."

I shake my head and pull the sweatshirt down with a good tug, making Lauren's head pop through the top like a daisy. "There you are." I say with a chuckle, pulling the messy hair out of the sweatshirt as Lauren huffs and brushes my hands away. "You okay now?" I ask and kiss the top of her head.

Lauren glares at me playfully and stands, "I was okay from the beginning." she says and walks back to the bathroom.

I shake my head with a laugh and push up off of the floor before making my way back to the bed and resuming my reading.

The book is something I found in Kenzi's room when I went looking for my boots the other day. It was one of those cheesy romance novels and even though it was cheesy as hell it was actually quite entertaining to me. I would have to tease my sister about these books the next time I see her.

My reading is interrupted again by Lauren crawling between my legs and laying her head on my chest, not saying a word.

I lift my arms up and put them over her head, resting them on her back so I could still see the words while Lauren cuddled her face into my chest, her damp hair sending a slight chill through my body. It was moments like these that I loved. Laying here in silence with Lauren's arms wrapped around my waist, not really needing to say much of anything because it was okay to just be.

The words on the page started to blur as I got further into my thoughts and Lauren's breathing started to even out. I started to think about my father and everything that was said my him and my great grandmother in their letters. It really had me stumped and the only question that was left unanswered was how did they know? Mother said dad had psychic abilities and could tell when something big was gonna happen before it actually did, that's how he knew about Lauren. He knew that she would come into my life and change how I loved and looked at life. He knew that she would bring me back to who I was before Em died. But how?

I sigh heavily and sink down into the mattress before taking off my glasses and sitting them, along with the book, on the nightstand.

Lauren squeezes me tighter and hums softly bringing a smile to my face. She was out cold. This day has been just as emotionally draining for her as it was for me. It made me feel bad because she already has had a pretty exhausting few days with the club opening and preparing for that, she already barely had any sleep and today was no different.

I sigh again and sink a little deeper into the bed, pulling Lauren closer to me, making her tighten her hold on my body again. Even in sleep she could feel me and that made me smile more.

"Bo." I hear Lauren whisper into my neck sleepily.

"Yes baby?"

She hums and cuddles in closer, if that was even possible at this point and said, "I can't wait to marry you." before drifting back off into sleep.

I can't help but chuckle and close my eyes. I wasn't that tired but that didn't mean I couldn't enjoy this peaceful moment with my Lauren.

***

The next morning the rising sun shining through the curtains wakes me from my sleep and I find that Lauren and I were still in the position we fell asleep in except Lauren was on her side and curled up on top of me, one arm still gripping at me. I decide to just lay here for a little while longer before I had to get up but just as a doze off again my alarm blares from the nightstand, making me jump a little. "Seriously?" Trying not wake Lauren I reach over and turn it off with a groan.

"It's Monday." I groan softly to myself when I see the time and date on my screen. I had forgotten. And not only was it Monday, Lochlan would be back in the office today and I would no doubt have to listen to his smart ass comments about the whole Rainer shituation.

I groan again.

"What's the matter?" Lauren asks as she stirs awake, her voice in that cute sleep riddled tone I have come to love waking up too.

I kiss the top of her head and run a hand over her hair, "I have to go to work today."

It was Lauren's turn to groan unhappily, "Can't you call in? I don't want to leave this bed today."

"I wish I could baby but Lochlan is back today and he's gonna want to tell me about the conference and chew me out about Rainer." I sigh, "If I want to keep my job then I can't call in and as much as I want to I can't."

Lauren kisses my neck softly, "But babe..." she whines.

"I know honey, but I have to." I reason as she continues to lay soft kisses on my neck, "I'll make a deal with you." I suggest. "We can go take a shower and get dressed and go have breakfast at the bakery. How's that sound?"

Lauren sits up and looks into my eyes with a small smile for the first time this morning and nod, "As long as you let me drop you off at work and maybe come have lunch?" she asks hopefully.

I smile and give her a quick kiss just as my second alarm goes off, "Sounds like a plan." I say and turn the blaring noise off, "Now let's get moving, I have an hour and a half so no fooling around in the shower missy."

Lauren rolls off of me and stands, "I'll keep my hands to myself I promise." she vows and makes her way into the bathroom, stripping off my sweatshirt that she wore to bed at the door.

I smile to myself and push off the bed after her. At least the day started off good.

***

"You're late." Lochlan says as soon as I step through the office doors, killing my Lauren high immediately.

I roll my eyes and make my way to my office, "By two minutes calm down." When I get to my office, or what is supposed to be my office I find it empty as the day I first got it. I turn around and find my assistant's deck empty as well. "What the fuck is going on?" I growl out at Lochlan, sitting my purse and bag down on the empty assistant's desk before stalking over to my so called boss.

He backs up a few steps and holds up his hands, "Now Bo I've had nothing to do with this. Just calm down." I've never seen him like this so...scared? Usually he stands his ground with me and yells back, makes smart ass comments about my work but right now...right now this was a little boy standing in front of me. A scared little boy and I wanted to know why. It's not this is his frost time seeing me pissed I mean we've worked together for the past four years. The boss before him saw worse sides of me than Lochlan does.

I stop walking and chuckle sarcastically, bending over and holding my stomach before standing up straight and folding my arms across my chest. "Yeah I'll calm down. That's what I'll do." I say with the fakes smile I could muster before my faces sets into a hard line, "I'll calm the fuck down when you tell me where my shit is. There are three things you don't fuck with Lochlan and that's my family, my girlfriend and my job. You already know this!" I shout, staring him down as a sheen of sweat breaks out over his greasy forehead and he shifts nervously from foot to foot, "Now I'm going to ask one more time and if I have to ask again..." I let my sentence trail off and take another step towards him, making him take a step back and hold his hands up in surrender.

After working in this stupid office for the past ten fucking years my office is missing. Everything. My desk, my fucking couch. I think they even took my scotch. This was unacceptable and if this was some sick way of the corporates firing me after all the shit I have done for this business then they better be ready for a fucking law suit because I'm not going to sit back and let them take away a job and damn good at.

What a great way to start a Monday.

"Okay. Okay Bo just listen to me." he suggests.

I tap my foot impatiently and watch as he tries to formulate words.

"The bosses have moved your stuff to the office upstate. They want you in the corporate office or some shit like that." he sighs. "They want you up there with them because they see how hard you work and apparently they have a position just for you. You'll be working a bit under them but it's a better, higher paying job than this one."

My eyes widen in shock, "Excuse me?"

Lochlan shrugs, "You're a good worker Bo. You're efficient, organized, you've made this office one of the best in the business and you've made me look damn good while doing it. The bosses want you to move upstate, all expenses paid and they've even set you up with a house not to far from the office." He smiles, "You've made it kid."

I continue to stare at him in disbelief. This can't be right. Well I mean it could, I'm a great investment broker. The best in the damn city if you ask me but why would they want me with corporate? I mean that's basically them saying "I want to own you but legally." I would have to answer to them no questions asked. I don't even answer to Lochlan. Half the shit he tells me to do goes in one ear and straight out the other. He's a man in power and like every man in power he thinks that everything that comes out of his mouth is gold, but I see the bigger picture. All the corporates are men expect for one but her husband is there with her. They are all puppet masters and they make their employees their puppets. I see how Lochlan gets whenever we have some audit and they come down to inspect the place for any kind of fraud or infidelity. He turns into a blubbering girl and I refuse to play along with that. That's not how I work.

Lochlan's voice breaks me out of my mental rant, "The offer is nonnegotiable. You take it or you leave the company completely."

I sigh heavily and walk over to pick up my things before turning back to Lochlan and making my way to the door, "You tell the bosses that I'm declining their offer. All though I appreciate the compliment I refuse to be a puppet. I make my own choices and mistakes. I'm not some brainless bimbo like they might think and from what I hear a woman that thinks isn't allowed to play with the big boys." I shrug and smile ruefully. "But if I can't play with the big boys I'll start my own game."

Lochlan looks at me in shock, "You do understand you're passing up a once in a life time opportunity?! This doesn't just happen to anybody! You aren't going to tell me you're stupid enough to walk away from this!?"

I scoff and open the office door and say, "I'm not stupid. I'm a woman with a brain who can see straight through their bullshit. After ten years all of a sudden they want me to move from some shithole office to a corporate office and if I wanted to be there I would already. Tell them I said thanks but no thanks. I'll see you around. And tell those fuckers I want my scotch back." before walking out of the office and straight to my car. I may be passing up a great opportunity and I may be stupid for doing it but what I'm not is sorry. I know I can make anything work for myself and if that meant opening up my own office, then so be it. It doesn't bother me none.

***

As soon as I get into my car my cell starts to blare and I have to fumble through purse pickets to find it. "Dennis here."

"Hey babe." Lauren says softly, her voice sounding shaky.

My brows furrow, "Darlin what's wrong?" I ask.

She sniffles, "Um, Anne...she um..." Lauren stammers.

Anne the ex girlfriend?

What?

Lauren just sits quietly on the other end of the phone, not finishing what she was saying. "What happened, baby talk to me."

"Can you just come home please? Please come home to me." she cries out desperately. "I need you."

At this point there are a thousand things going through my head. The sound of her voice makes my heart ache. I've never heard anyone plead that desperately with anyone and not knowing if she was hurt or something was making me worry."Lauren are you hurt? Please tell me what's happening."

She takes a deep breath, "Just get here soon okay? I'll explain when you get here. I love you." then she hangs up.

I sit in the car for a minute or two looking at my phone in shock before starting up the car and throwing it into drive, leaving tire marks on the road as I sped towards my home to Lauren.

It takes me about ten minutes to get home and when I push the door open I find Lauren curled up in a ball on the couch, her eyes red and puffy staring at nothing. I quickly drop my things and kick the door shut before rushing over to her and brushing her hair out of her face. "Lauren what happened? Did she hurt you? Are you alright? Talk to me." I ramble out worriedly but she doesn't move, she doesn't look at me, she just lays there. I look around the living room and nothing was out of place, nothing seemed to be wrong with anything except for Lauren. "Baby you're scaring me." I whisper and place a light kiss on her lips.

That seems to bring her back to me and her eyes flutter before focusing in on me as she gives me a sad smile. "Hi."

I kiss her softly again, "What happened?" I ask again.

Lauren just stares at me with tear filled eyes before pushing her upper half off the couch and into my arms with a chocked sob. "She stopped me and she just...Bo." she tries to get out in between breaths but fails miserably.

I hold onto her tight, trying to keep my own tears from falling as the woman I love falls completely apart in my arms. It was heart breaking to hear her little hiccups and sniffles before she squeezes me tighter and sobs heavily again. It went on for so long I just scooped her up and brought her upstairs to our bed, Letting her curl into me like she did this morning.

It seemed both if us had shitty morning bits Lauren's was clearly worse than mine.

I continue to hold her until she finally falls into a deep sleep. It was about eleven and I knew she had to be at the club to get ready for tonight but I was obvious that she wasn't feeling well enough to go anywhere so I reach over and grab her phone off the nightstand, dialing Kenzi.

"Well if it isn't the blonde goddess, what's shakin bacon?" Kenzi asks excitedly.

I sigh, "Kenz?"

"Bo? Why are you calling from Lo's phone." she asks before gasping. "Oh no. Did something happen? Is she in the hospital? Oh my god."

"Kenzi calm down. Nobody is in the hospital." I say with an eye roll but I can't help but smile at her concern for my fiancée. "But Lauren isn't doing so good right now. She called me cryin and I came straight home after a heated discussion with Lochlan and she's just been crying since." I sigh heavily and run my fee hand over her hair. "She didn't tell me what's wrong but I know it has something to do with her ex."

"Well where is Lauren now?"

"Sleeping on my chest." I sigh again. "I need you to run the club tonight. Lauren's not well enough to and I'm not leaving her like this." I say with conviction.

"Of course I will babe. That's no problem. I'll come by later and check on you guys but until then get some rest okay? We can talk about the rest later." Kenzi says lovingly.

I smile softly, "Thanks Kenzi. You're the best."

"Psh, I know that." she laughs before getting serious again, "Really though. Take care of her. Pop said she's a sad soul. Love her through it like only you can Bo."

"I will." I whisper. "See ya later Kenz. I love you."

"I love you too Bobalicious. Laterz." she says before the line goes dead.

I slide the phone back on the nightstand and pull Lauren closer to me, "What happened today baby?" I whisper to her heavily sleeping form.

If that bitch put a finger on her there would be hell to pay. I would not tolerate it. Even now seeing Lauren like this was not convincing me not to go out and find her right now. Maybe I should call Tamsin. She would know how to deal with this.

I reach out for the phone again but Lauren grabs my arm and pulls it back to her. "Just hold me please. Hold me." she whispers into my chest and sniffles.

With a sigh I wrap my arms back around her and kiss the top of her head. This was going to be a long day.

A few hours later I wake up to Lauren running her fingers slowly through my hair, her eyes once again not focused on anything in particular. I just sit and watch her as her face screws up into a frown or her eyes water a little. It was breaking my heart to see such battle of emotion on her face.

I reach up and cup her cheek softly, making her flinch before her eyes focus on me. "Hey beautiful." I whisper and watch as my finger traces down her jaw line.

"Hi." she says back, her hand stilling in my hair.

We sit in quiet, staring at each other's features until I notice the tear slowly making it's way down Lauren's cheek."Baby I need you to talk to me." I say softly, "Did she hurt you? I swear to god if she did I'll kick her ass in a heartbeat." I stress.

Lauren chuckles dryly and shakes her head no, "No she didn't hurt me...well physically at least."

"Lauren hurting you is hurting you, emotional or physical doesn't matter. I won't tolerate either one." I say sternly.

She stares at me silently for a minute or two, deciding what to say before sighing heavily. "Okay...just promise that you'll leave it Bo. She's not worth the energy."

I roll my eyes, "Lauren you're worth the energy. I came home to you curled up on the couch, I couldn't even get a full sentence out of you and if you think I'm not going to have a word or two with this Anne then you've gone crazy."

She stares into my eyes, no doubt seeing the determination and sighs again, "Fine." she says and sits up, crossing her legs butterfly style next to me. I mirror her position in front of her as she starts to explain. "Yesterday, after we left the bakery and you left to go to work?" I nod, "Well I decided to go for a walk in the park. I was in such a good mood like I always am when after I spend time with you and mixing that with thinking over the things your father told me in my letter...I was on cloud nine..." she stops and fiddles with her fingers, "Then I went and sat on a bench and started watching the clouds, kinda like I used to do when I was little when I heard someone call my name. I never expected to meet her at the park, I never expected to see her ever again actually after Tamsin made sure she got sent to prison for domestic abuse..." she trails off before cringing at the memory of that night no doubt, "Anyway, she stood in front of me with so much hatred in her eyes, I've never had someone look at me like that." She sighed heavily again and met my eyes as I watched her intently, "She told me that I ruined her life. She said that since I was a back stabbing, manipulative bitch that she couldn't get her dream job as an editor because she was in prison for almost two years. She even stressed that if I wasn't so busy with having my ankles in the air with Tamsin, like the slut I am apparently, I would've seen she was sleeping with her best friend the whole time we were together." My blood boils hotter as I listen to her tell me what happened earlier this morning but I keep my mouth shut and let her finish. "She then told me that she was going to make my life a living hell for ruining hers and she hopes that I get hit by a subway train." Lauren takes a shaky breath and wipes the tears that had started to fall. "Its funny cause if it were anyone else, well except you, that would've said this to me I wouldn't be this effected. It wouldn't bother me this much, but I loved her. I loved her even when she was beating the shit out of me because I thought she deserved to be loved and I guess I forgot that I deserved the same." she waves her hands dismissively, "I don't know. But all I know is I've never felt so shitty as I did this morning. As I still do right now. I can't even tell you the other horrible things she said to me. The picture she painted of me wasn't a pretty one...I'm a terrible person." she chokes back a sob and looks up at my with teary eyes. "I don't know how I got so lucky to get your love but I don't deserve it. I don't deserve you."

I shake my head and lean forward, taking her face in between my hands while wiping her falling tears. "I'm going to say this once and I don't need you to just hear me...I need you to listen." she nods softly with a sniffle, "You are not a bad person Lauren. Whatever she said about you was just said so you could feel like shit and I won't let you. You are an amazing person and woman and the fact that she had to step into the shoes of a teenager and say those terrible things to you shows who the real woman really is. You Lauren. You're the woman that has stolen my heart and brought back my family. You've mad me see that life is meant for fun and love. You are not a bad person Lauren. I may not have known as long as Tamisn but I know you and I love you. Don't let her make you into something you clearly are not, you understand? You are the love of my life and I will tell you everyday how wonderful you are until you believe it." I say firmly, holding her eyes so she see that I mean every word, that I will always mean every word.

I drop my hands from her face and grab her hands, "I'll call Tamsin and have her deal with Anne because if I did it...well that wouldn't be too pretty."

Lauren chuckles, tears finally stopping, "I love you." she says. "I love you so much."

I smile brightly, "I love you too and I can't wait to marry you."

She brings my knuckles up to her mouth and kisses them softly, "This doesn't mean I'll be better tomorrow or not even the next day but I'm going to get there if you be patient with me."

"Only if you can be patient with me while I find a new job for a bit." I say, hoping to change the subject.

Lauren's brows furrow in confusion, "Why do you need to find a new job?"

I sigh and explain to her everything hat happened in the office and how exactly I felt about. She listened intently and I could tell there were ideas churning through her head when I told her I was going to open my own office.

"Now I'm gonna be using some money out of my savings to get this." I say with a sigh before falling over on the bed, stretching out my now cramped legs.

"Well I know you'll do great Bo. You always do great." she says confidently as she crawls over and lays beside me.

I turn my head and strain my neck to give her a quick peck on the lips, "How about I order some take out and we go downstairs and watch some cheesy movies? Kenzi said she would be by later and I hate when she storms into my room."

Lauren smiles and nods, "Sounds like a plan to me."

And watch movies we did. We ate ice cream and take out, watched cheesy romance movies play on the flat screen and cuddled on the couch making jokes about the actors on screen. It was like all the stress from the day had melted and when Kenzi stopped by she didn't stay long. She said it looked like we healed each other and she would see us later. It was an amazing feeling to heal and be healed by the one you love. It's a little something that I would never get tired of.

Yay or nay? I don't really know where this chapter came from honestly and if you don't like it that's okay. Just let me know.