CHAPTER 21

Hours passed into days, days passed into weeks. Lauren had barely seen Bo since leaving her apartment that faithful morning after. In fact, she had barely seen anyone - not Emma, not Angie, and certainly not Thomas. Try as she might, she knew she couldn't hide in her lab forever, even Henry was beginning to ask question. Just the other day he actually stopped at her desk on his way out and, in a tone she had never heard from him before, asked her if she needed a place to crash or something for a little while. If she hadn't been so horrified that everyone thought her constant presence at the lab lately might indicate she was homeless, she would have laughed at the whole thing.

But Lauren could take a hint.

Gathering up her belongings, she had thanked Henry sincerely for offering, but reassured him that she had just been so wrapped up in the details of their project that she hadn't realized how much time she had been spending there lately.

Lauren chuckled mirthlessly to herself as the memory replayed itself. She had tried to be better after that - though on this particular day she had lingered behind all of her colleagues yet again to avoid going home to her quiet, empty apartment.

As she stared down at her laptop, her hands poised over the keys, it occurred to her that she couldn't go on like this forever. The situation she was in was all of her own making, after all. Lauren had over-stepped when it came to her relationship with Bo, so what did she expect? The world wasn't set up to embrace poor choices and misplaced affections. And though Lauren had asked - nay demanded - more from Bo, she had also given her an easy out.

Realizing that there was no hope of getting any more work done tonight, Lauren closed the lid of her laptop, grabbed her things out of the break room and left.

Stepping out of the elevator, Lauren wandered the vacant halls of the medical building as if being pulled along by an invisible string, not even realizing where she was headed until she found herself standing in front of Bo's office, her hand resting on the doorknob. What was she doing? It was late and the odds of Bo even being there were slim-to-none. But what if she was? Lauren's heart raced at the thought, her palms becoming sweaty as her insecurities took over. It didn't take long for her to realize how ridiculous she was being. Reluctantly, she removed her hand from the door preparing to head home when the door suddenly flew open. Kenzi let out a squeal as she came face-to-face with an equally startled Lauren.

"Holy shitballs, Doc!" Kenzi said loudly. "Creeper, much?"

"Sss-sorry Kenz, I wasn't.. uh... I wasn't expecting anyone to be in there."

Kenzi raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed with Lauren's explanation.

" Well 'Anyone' would like it if you stepped back a bit so she can close the door," Kenzi responded with a gentle push to Lauren's shoulders.

Kenzi quickly locked the office door, giving the handle a quick jiggle just to be sure.

"Kinda weird coming to see someone you didn't think would actually be here," Kenzi offhandedly commented.

"Mmmm, I suppose," Lauren mumbled, clearly uncomfortable under the young woman's scrutiny.

Turning back around, Kenzi dropped her keys back into her black pleather purse and, lightly brushing past Lauren's shoulder as she moved past, walked away with nothing more than a "Later, Doc".

Lauren let out an audible sigh, letting her head drop forward unceremoniously against the office door. After taking a long moment to gather her thoughts and - more importantly - her dignity, she pushed herself back from the door, preparing to head home. But when she turned around, she was surprised to find Kenzi standing behind her. She's like a tiny little ninja! Lauren thought incredulously.

"Listen. Lauren," Kenzi began, sounding unusually serious, "what I said at the party the other night? I didn't think we needed a translator. You're a girl! I thought you would talk to her, not bang her. Jesus!" Kenzi let out in frustration, her hands flying up from her sides.

"I'm sorry, I didn't... " Lauren reflexively took a step back, startled by Kenzi's outburst.

"It doesn't matter," she immediately halted Lauren's apology. "The two of you made a mistake, mistakes happen. But know this - you've started something now. You took these fuzzy, confusing, girly feelings Bo-Bo was having for you and you made them real. You threw them back at her and she is fucked up from it. "

Lauren let out another sigh. "I don't know how to fix this."

"You just need to talk to her. You know, 'talk'" Kenzi repeated with exaggerated air quotes," the thing you do with your mouth. You..."

Lauren watched Kenzi intently as realization hit her, her eyes closing tightly as her hand came up to her forehead as if to physically rub the thought away.

"Oh god, no. Not that thing. The... " Kenzi started backing down the hallway putting more space between them. "Never mind. Must. Poke. Out. Mind's. Eye," her words were punctuated by sharp taps to the center of her forehead.

"Kenz, wait," Lauren stopped her retreat. "Just..." she paused, not even sure what she could possibly do to make this better, "... if you could tell her I stopped by. Tell her..." Lauren trailed off, looking down at her hands sadly, wishing it was Bo standing in front of her instead of Kenzi.

"I'll tell her you miss her."