We start the morning after Bo's big show and then go backwards. I thought it made it more interesting. I hope it works.

We've made it to the end...almost...let's see what happens

Chapter 21

6:30 am Wednesday morning, Keystone Medical Center

A large cup of coffee sitting untouched in front of her, Lauren watches the early local news on the big screen TV in the hospital cafeteria; too early for real news, all fluff at this hour, flowers, national parks and viral videos. She looks away and down, stirring her coffee until she hears the anchor say Lyrical Abstractions Gallery and Color My World. Snapping her head up in time to see footage of Dyson holding Charley, her head drooping on his shoulder, apparently asleep, his arm protectively around Bo, whispering into her ear, Bo smiling and nodding at whatever he was saying. As she watches the footage, it switches to the reporter speaking to Bo at the presser before the gallery opened to the public. She can see several members of the press milling about, waiting for their turn to speak to the unknown artist who managed to get a solo show at such an exclusive gallery. Lauren smiles despite her current emotional state, distraught over missing Bo's show completely, distraught over why she missed it, distraught over putting being a doctor first so soon after telling Bo she wouldn't do so frivolously. She hears the reporter's voice asking Bo the typical background bio questions ; where are you from, how long have you been an artist, and so on, all things she already knows. She tunes out the reporter's voice, only able to concentrate on Bo; her outfit, a flashy 60's mod print and white go-go boots; how beautiful she looks with her hair pulled back, the sides falling down around her shoulders, smiling big enough to show her dimple, all leaving her breathless. She hears Bo say, "Oh, this, my daughter picked it out and I thought, why not? The name of the show is Color My World, might as well wear all the colors." Lauren blushes at Bo saying all the colors, remembering the piece Bo named for Charley's way of saying every color and what that piece means to her and to Bo. They cut from the stock footage to the news desk, the anchor asking about the outcome, the reporting saying it was an astounding debut and the artist is on her way to being the newest darling of the art world. There's more, but Lauren doesn't hear it, she is focusing on the footage running over the anchor's shoulder, what the reporter referred to as 'the artist and her family'. The blush turns to anger, seeing Bo standing with Dyson, his arm around her holding her too close, Charley in his other arm, her little brown head down on his shoulder, her thumb in her mouth, sleeping, cameras flashing all around them. If she didn't know better, she'd swear it was a red carpet event. As she watches, Dyson turns to Bo and kisses the corner of her mouth, right there, in front of everyone. Then, in slow motion Bo returns his kiss before he lets her go, smiling and walking away, taking Charley with him.

She is up and out of her seat in seconds, coffee forgotten, the events of last night forgotten, flying through the hospital to the parking garage and home. Bo and Charley are her family, he had his chance; Bo and Charley chose her.

Standing in front of Bo's studio door, Lauren hesitates before knocking. She's been through the ringer the last 24 hours; emotionally, physically, spiritually and everything in between, suddenly the fire that propelled her here in such a rush has flamed out. Her head hanging down, she falters momentarily but she needs to see Bo, she needs to talk to her; she needs to find out what the hell is going on. Out of habit, she reaches to her necklace for strength, remembering too late she gave it to Charley to ease her little girl's worry about her Momma. Taking a deep breath, she knocks, it being answered by a smiling six year old with messy hair and footed pajamas covered in cartoon monsters. Bending down, she extends her arms, "Hi Charley."

"Ren!" Charley exclaims as she launches herself into Lauren's open arms, hugging tight to her person, Charley chatters about her Momma's big night, "We missed you last night. Me and Momma sent you our goodnight text, did you get it? I fell asleep, but Momma woke me up so we could tell you goodnight." Pointing towards the couch, "AK is still sleeping, but I can turn on the TV, as long as it's not too loud or we can have breakfast? Did you eat breakfast yet?"

Lauren smiles sadly and shakes her head, "No, I didn't eat breakfast yet. But, umm" She stands, holding Charley's hand, "Is your Momma awake Charley?"

Shrugging her shoulders, "I don't know, I can go check?" Charley drops Lauren's hand, turning to run to her Momma's room, Lauren stops her with a hand on her shoulder, "No Charley. It's ok. Don't wake her. I'll stop by later." Lauren turns to leave as Bo enters the living space, dressed in a man's white button down shirt and little else, seeing Lauren at her door, she breaks into an easy smile walking towards the doctor. Lauren takes note of Bo's attire and with the scene from the news clip fresh in her mind, crosses her arms over her chest as Bo reaches for her hands. Puzzled by Lauren's reaction, by her pulling back and away from her, Bo asks softly, "Hey? You ok?" Stepping forward, she places her hands on Lauren's hips to pull her into her space; Lauren reaches out, her hands on Bo's shoulders pushing back. Searching her face, Bo sees Lauren's eyes fill with tears, her bottom lip quivering with the effort of stopping them, dropping her head she sighs, "Bo…I'm sorry."

Bo bends her head down to find Lauren's face, lets go of her hips to wipe the tears falling down her cheeks, asks, "For?"

At the same time Dyson calls out, "Bo?" as he enters the living area, wearing an old pair of basketball shorts and nothing else, running his hand over his scruffy cheek and chin. "Do you know where…" He stops mid-sentence as he sees Lauren crying at the door to the apartment, Bo in front of her and Charley behind and off to the side. Taking in the scene and seeing Lauren's state of distress, Dyson moves to scoop up Charley and make a quick exit. Seeing Dyson, Lauren drops her head again, "I can't do this, I can't get into this right now. I thought I could, but…" She trails off, reaching up to move Bo's hands from her face.

Her voice laced with concern and a little bit of fear, Bo asks, "What are we getting into? What's wrong Lauren?"

Looking up, her face crumbling in grief, "It's done, Bo. It's all over." That's all she can bring herself to say as she twists away from Bo and out of the open door, bolting for the elevator.

"Lauren!" Bo runs out and smack into her neighbor from across the hall, both falling to the floor, Bo scrambling to her feet, she runs to the elevator, making it in time for the doors to shut in her face. Pounding on the elevator doors, "No, no, no! Dammit!" Running for the stairs, Bo detours past her stunned neighbor and into her open apartment door to see Dyson and Charley standing in the middle of the living room area, dazed and confused over the events that just happened, Kenzi in the process of sitting up on the couch. Not wanting to waste time running to her room, Bo yells at Dyson, "Throw me those shorts on the end of the couch."

"What?"

"The shorts," pointing frantically to the shorts on the arm of the couch, "throw them to me." He throws her the shorts and grabs her phone, "Don't forget your phone."

Sliding the shorts on and taking her phone, "Thanks!" And with that Bo is out the door and running for the stairs. Sprinting up the stairs, cursing the too big shorts, of course they were Dyson's, one hand holding the shorts up, the other clutching her phone as she runs the four flights up. She stops at Lauren's door, bent at the waist and breathing hard, reaching up to bang on the door, "Lauren! Lauren, do not do this. You do not get to do this. Don't run from me. Open the door. Lauren, what's done? What's over? Tell me what's wrong."

On the other side of the door, Lauren leans against it, hugging herself and shaking her head, "I can't Bo. I can't, not right now."

"Yes you can. Open the door, please." Squeezing her phone in a death grip, Bo leans her head against the door, "Please Lauren, let me in. I can handle anything you have to say, just….. let me in." After several minutes of silence, Bo turns around leaning against the door and slides down to sit on the floor. "I can sit here all day Lauren, I have nowhere to be, when you're ready to open the door, I'll be right here, waiting." Bo fires off a text to Kenzi, asking her to make sure Charley is taken to school, to bring her some clothes and a pillow for her ass as she settles in to wait.

Tuesday mid-morning, Lauren's apartment

Lauren woke several minutes ago, a smile on her face and an ache in her limbs, the sun shining brightly through her floor to ceiling windows on this the first day of March. She feels strong arms circled around her waist, a curtain of dark brown hair falling across her shoulder, soft breathing in her ear, all telling her Bo is still asleep. Pulling Bo's arms tighter around her, she considers the possibility of dozing here in Bo's arms for several more glorious hours, but she has a long list of things to do before Bo's opening. Bo has been adamant Lauren needs to be at the gallery by 7pm, no later. There is a small presser being held before the doors open to the public for local art critics and journalists that cover the Philadelphia art scene and some others. It's an opportunity for the critics and journalists to view the show and interview the artist without public scrutiny and Bo asked her to be part of it. She was not exactly thrilled about being in the spotlight, still not comfortable outside of her zone of medical expertise, but she agreed; anything for Bo.

Rolling over in Bo's arms, trying not to wake her, she is content to watch Bo sleep for a few seconds, she looks innocent and beautiful, the proverbial fresh faced girl-next-door; the one she'd been waiting for her whole life it seems. Sighing, she brushes Bo's hair back and around her ear, kisses her forehead and tries to extricate herself without waking her. She manages to get to her closet and pull out her robe before Bo rolls over to catch her, "Hey. Where are you going? I'm not done spooning you." Bo sits up, rubbing her face free of sleep, a smile big enough to show her dimple and reach her eyes inching across her lips. Lauren finishes sliding her arms into her robe, ties the waist closed and sits on the edge of the bed. As soon as her ass hits the bed, Bo's hand shoots out, grasping the tied belt and pulling Lauren's robe open, says, "Again with the layers." Skating her hand up Lauren's ribs and around her back, she pulls her down for a proper good morning kiss, mumbling "There you are, good morning."

Leaning into Bo and pushing her down, Lauren kisses her thoroughly, lays her head on her chest, holding Bo's hand across her hip and sighs, "Good morning, bella ragazza."

"You speak italiano? I see your beautiful girl and raise you il mio amore."

Kissing Bo's neck, "My love."

Smirking, Bo asks, "Is there anything you can't do?"

Chuckling and nodding her head against Bo's chest, "I haven't perfected time travel yet, but I am close to a breakthrough." Sitting up and kissing the back of Bo's hand, "Which would come in handy today. I have a to-do-list as long as the Ben Franklin Bridge and I need to get moving if I am going to be able to meet you at the gallery by 7 tonight."

Frowning, "Can't we skip the opening? I'd rather stay here all day and long into the night. Only leaving this big, fluffy bed full of pillows to answer the door for Chinese take out."

Leaning on one arm, Lauren is tempted, but years of strict discipline don't go away quite that easily, "Sadly, no. This is your big break Bo, you are a spectacular artist, one the world needs to know about and I will not allow you to," doing air quotes, "skip it."

"How about your to-do-list? Can you skip that?"

A small smile on her lips, Lauren shakes her head slowly back and forth, "I cannot. I need to check on my genome sequencing program for the next phase of the cancer project I am collaborating on with the docs at CHOP, I have a meeting at the hospital with Kat about Oliver. His tumor is shrinking, miniscule changes in the scanned measurements, but shrinking and we have to discuss next steps before I meet with the oncology attending on Thursday and I have to stop by my mother's to pick up something."

Running the end of the belt to Lauren's robe between her fingers, Bo looks down and grumbles "Ah, Kat. Can't skip that."

Placing her hand over Bo's, stopping her fidgeting, "Bo, what's that about?"

Biting her bottom lip and looking up at Lauren's troubled tone, "I guess I might be a little jealous of Kat. She's everything I'm not. Super smart, super respected in her field, super hot based on what Tamsin says and she's a doctor. I'm none of those things." Casting her eyes down to their joined hands, running her finger over Lauren's thumb, "Why would someone like you ever pick someone like me… over her?"

Lauren pulls her hand free, places it under Bo's chin to be able to see her eyes, "You are all of those things and more. The Kat's of the world don't even come close." Lauren leans down, kisses her artist once more before standing, "Now, enough of that and onto the question of the day. What do you want for breakfast? Waffles, pancakes, eggs?"

Her fear of not being enough fading, Bo grins and running her hand across the spot Lauren just vacated, "You."

Smirking and tossing over her shoulder as she exits the bedroom, "I believe you had me all night long."

Flopping backwards into the pillows, Bo laughs out, "I did indeed."

Parting ways as the elevator stops on the 10th floor, Bo tries one last time, "Are you sure you don't want to walk me to my door?" Looking down and pulling at her shirt; boots and coat slung over her arm, "I am wearing last night's clothes and I shouldn't have to do the walk of shame alone." Lauren simply stares her down. Bo smiles, "No? Ok then." She leans in, kissing her love before exiting the elevator, "I'll see you at 7, sharp."

As the elevator doors close, "You can count on it."

Humming the tune of Sara McLachlan's Sweet Surrender under her breath as she unlocks her door, Bo is greeted by Charley and Kenzi, sitting in the middle of the living space. A cardboard fire pit in front of a wigwam made out of the cloth tarps she uses to cover her in process paintings, a box of brightly colored beads and strips of cloth between them. Heads bent together as they work on creating Wampum belts. Hearing the door open, Charley's head pops up, dropping what she was working on she runs to her Momma, "You're home!" Crashing into Bo's legs, hugging tight and grabbing her Momma's hand, pulling her towards their makeshift full sized diorama, "We made a Wigwam and a fire ring thing and AK is showing me how to make Wampum. Come on Momma, you can make some too." Bo drops her coat on the couch and her boots by the door, bends down to Charley's level, "Whoa there Bear, let Momma change first, ok?"

"Ok Momma. I'll come with."

Chuckling Bo nods, greets her bestie and points to the Wigwam, "Hey Kenz, what's all this?"

Kenzi looks up at Bo, "Oh, history lesson. They started local Native American culture week and she was asking me about the Lenape and voila! A village appeared."

"Only you Kenz, only you."

"Yeah and you love it!"

Bo and Charley head to the bedroom for Bo to change, Charley bouncing on the bed as Bo picks out an outfit to wear now and then one for tonight. Luckily, she showered at Lauren's before leaving this morning, so there's that, she'll have to shower later, but one less thing for right now.

"Charley, stop bouncing for a second and help Momma pick out a dress for tonight." Holding her hand out, Bo helps Charley off the bed and guides her to the closet as she changes into yoga pants and a long sleeved t-shirt with a faded Philadelphia Eagles emblem on the front and a pair of thick socks. Charley stands on the foot stool in her Momma's closet as she looks through Bo's dressy clothes.

"Momma."

"Charley."

Looking back over her shoulder, "You said a dress?"

Sitting on the end of the bed, putting on her thick socks, "Yes. Why? Did you find something better?" Bo finishes dressing and stands behind Charley, hands on her shoulders, kisses the top of her head.

"Not yet."

Reaching into the closet and above Charley's head, flipping through her clothes, Bo pulls out a black, long sleeve turtleneck, knee length sweater dress with a pencil skirt. "How about this one?"

Charley looks at it, biting her bottom lip, "Ummm, maybe."

"Ok, I'll put it in the try on pile." She pulls out another black dress, floor length with a sweetheart neckline, cap sleeves and a long slit past her knee, "This one?"

"Is all of them black?"

"Not all of them, but I like black."

Frowning and turning back to her Momma's closet, "I like all the colors Momma." Charley flips through each hanger until she comes to a dress Bo wore to a Halloween party ages ago, stopping to gawk, "Momma! Look, all the colors." Bo reaches out, pulling the dress off the hanger and holding it up. A sleeveless mini dress in a swirling mess of a print with green, orange, blue, pink, yellow and red. All she needed was the white go-go boots that she wore to the party and she'd be all set for 1964. Laughing out, "Oh Charley, this is a bit busy don't you think?"

Shaking her head solemnly, "No Momma, its perfect."

Shrugging her shoulders, she is an artist and they're allowed to be eccentric, "Ok, I'll put it in the try on pile." Clapping her hands and jumping down off the stool Charley squeals, "Fashion show!" as she runs to the living area to grab her Aunt Kenzi and drag her back to the bedroom to be a judge.

Many dresses later, ones from the try on pile and ones not from the try on pile, both Kenzi and Charley weren't budging, "You know Bo Bo; the kid has some fashion sense. The 60's mod print and white go-go boots really are best. The name of your show is Color My World, what better way to embody that theme than that dress?"

6:45 pm Tuesday Lyrical Abstractions Gallery

Clutching her phone tightly as she paces back and forth in her squeaky white go-go boots, Bo is reminded of the day of Charley's surgery, again waiting for word from Dr. Lewis, this time, though Charley is right there with her, holding her hand as she paces.

Looking up at her Momma, Charley asks, "Momma, why are we walking back and forth, back and forth?"

"Oh, Momma needs to move Bear. I can't sit still."

"Cause you're excited?"

"Something like that." Checking her phone for the millionth time, "Why don't you go see what Daddy is doing?"

Dropping her Momma's hand, "Ok. Can you come get me when Ren gets here? She should be here soon right?"

"She should be, yes and I'll come get you. Now go on." Bo pages through her contacts, presses the button for Dr. Hotpants, straight to voicemail…again. "Hey, Lauren, it's Bo. Is everything ok? I'm getting worried, it's almost 7. Anyway, umm, call or text when you can." A long pause, "I love you."

Tapping her phone against her leg, she decides to bring in the big guns, pulling up Tamsin's contact information she presses the call button and waits.

Tamsin answers before the first ring is even finished, "Hi Bo, what's up?"

"Tamsin, do you have any idea where Lauren is?"

"Uh, I thought the Doc was with you?"

"No. She was supposed to be here by 7, and it's 10 of, in her book that's late. I'm concerned, not upset or angry, just concerned. Make sure she knows that if you talk to her, ok?"

"No worries Bo, I'm on it."

"Thanks Tamsin. I have about 30 reporters wandering around here waiting to talk to me in," pulling the phone away from her ear to see the time, "less than 10 minutes now; I might not be able to answer my phone….."

"It's ok Bo; I'm on my way to pick up Kenzi. We'll handle it. Talk to the reporters, show 'em who's boss. Kenzi and I got this. Enjoy your moment."

Sighing, "It'd be ever so much more enjoyable if Lauren was here, at my side. But thanks Tamsin."

"Yup. "

Ending the call, Bo takes a deep breath, calming her nerves and settling her thoughts as she prepares to make a splash in the art world.

The presser over and done, Bo is sitting in Maureen Thatch's office discussing which pieces, if any she wants to sell from the Color My World series, if they're going to be offering commissions or something from her catalogue of completed works. Maureen is going through Bo's finished product catalogue, making notes on the ones that Bo will sell and she comes to the image of Lauren and Charley, the one she picked out of Bo's sketch book when they first met. Pointing at the page, "Bo, I see the finished product for this one and it's everything I thought it would be. I'd really like to see it in person. I don't know why you don't do more portraits, lots of money to be made in portraits." Stopping to scrutinize the photo of the finished piece, "and if this is representative of your abilities, the sky's the limit. I'd really like to show this and if you have others, which I believe you do, based on your portfolio. Yes?"

Bo nods, "Yes, there are more, but I spent many years in the corporate world having my freedom restricted and I'm not certain I want to go there again. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against it, but that piece," tapping her finger on the page, "Is an exception to my usual portrait work. It's not for sale or for showing. It's a gift and I'll leave it at that."

Pursing her lips and nodding her head as she looks into Bo's eyes. She can tell Bo's not budging on this one, "Ok Bo. What else is for sale in this catalogue and from what's out in the gallery?"

Answering immediately, even though details are not her thing, she has given this some thought, "You can sell any of them; except All The Colors."

Smirking, Maureen asks, "Another gift?"

A chuckle is all Bo gives her, as they move onto pricing for finished works and commissions. The financial side settled, Maureen offers her hand for Bo to shake, "I think you're going to be making a name for yourself tonight Bo and in the process you and me a lot of money. Some of those pieces will go for upwards of $2,000.00. it's a shame you're not selling All The Colors, I'd probably be able to get 10 grand or more for that piece alone." A mischievous glint in her eye, "Maybe 5 grand for the other versions sitting in my back room."

Bo considers the idea of selling the wrong versions of her all in, but she wants there to be one and only one version of that piece out in the world, offers this instead, "You can show them during the retrospective of my career in about 20 years."

Laughing and shaking Bo's hand, "You've got a deal Bo Dennis."

Exiting Maureen's office, Bo sees the gallery is full of people but no blonde doctor. She spots Kenzi and Tamsin, heads in their direction, Charley catching her hand as she goes, asking, "Momma, where's Ren? I don't see her."

Bo bends down, picks her up, "I don't know Bear, maybe AK and Tamsin know, let's go find out."

"Ok." Charley lays her head down on her Momma's shoulder, she's had a big night already and she's getting tired.

Walking up to Kenzi and Tamsin, Bo is greeted by both of them talking at once, putting up her hand, "One at a time please."

Tamsin is the first to speak, ticking bullet points off on her fingers as she says them, "I haven't been able to get hold of Doc. Every time I call her it goes straight to voicemail. When I left the hospital this afternoon, she said she was right behind me. I don't know Bo. She had her meeting with Dr. Castelone, Evony dropped by, after Evony left, Doc said she had to go to her mother's to pick up something and then she was going home to shower and change to be here by 7." Checking her phone for the time, "It's now after 9:30pm, I have a call into Gina, the charge nurse on the pediatrics floor, in case she's there for a patient. If she's not on peds, I can have Gina page her over the hospital's intercom system, rather than her phone in case it's not working or whatever. I left a message for her mother, but she hasn't called back yet." Stopping to take a breath and then continuing, "I know something had to have come up Bo. She was really looking forward to sharing this experience with you."

Nodding and looking off, Bo asks Kenzi, "Where's Dyson?" Hoisting a sleepy Charley farther up onto her shoulder, "This little one needs to go home. It's way past her bedtime."

"I'll get him Bo."

Bo thanks Kenzi and Tamsin, turns and heads back to Maureen Thatch's office. Sitting down on the couch in the office, Bo rouses Charley, "Hey you."

Mumbling sleepily, "Hi Momma."

Moving Charley to sit on her lap facing her, "Daddy is going to take you home soon, ok?"

"Ok Momma. Is Ren here?"

"No baby, but we can send her our good night text, alright?"

Nodding and holding out her hand, "Can I do it?"

Smiling, Bo pulls out her phone, "Here you go."

Charley types out their usual goodnight text and Bo presses send. Standing, still holding Charley in her arms, she exits the office to find Dyson to take her sleepy Charley Bear home and to bed. Finding Dyson and handing her off, Bo is cornered by yet another reporter. Smiling as she turns toward the calling voice, her public smile plastered on her face, she braces for the 30th interview of the night. While speaking with the reporter Bo feels Dyson come up beside her as he wraps his free arm protectively around her. Turning to him, she raises her eyebrows in question. She turns to the reporter, "Excuse me a second, will you?"

The reporter motions for Bo to proceed with Dyson and turns away to find the gallery owner for comment as the cameras keep rolling.

"What Dyson?"

He leans down to whisper in her ear, "I'm taking Bear home, she's zonked. I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you Bo." He kisses the corner of her mouth, "You deserve this, enjoy it." Surprised by Dyson's words, Bo turns and gives him a chaste kiss to the lips, "Thanks Dy. Take care of our girl, ok?" He smiles and walks off, Charley asleep on his shoulder.

Turning back to find the reporter had returned, Bo smiles at her question, "Was that your husband and daughter?"

Smirking, "I'm not married. That was my daughter and her father."

After checking her phone for any words from Lauren for a thousand times and speaking to potential clients and buyers until her throat is raw, Bo sees Maureen Thatch finally usher out the last of them. Maureen declares Bo's first show an overwhelming success, both financially and critically. Bo sold several pieces from her catalogue as well as all the pieces from the series on display, save one. That one had already been spoken for by the artist herself. Sitting in Maureen Thatch's office at well after 1 am, Bo is exhausted and all she wants to do is go home, change and find Lauren. Maureen is going over details of sales and next steps. She wants to show Bo's work again, maybe in 3-6 months, depending on what she can create in that time frame. All Bo hears is the droning of her voice, "Look, Maureen. I am exhausted and have no head for these kinds of details right now. I can meet with you later this week or next?"

Maureen nods, "It's been a long and exciting night. I'll call you later in the week to go over details from tonight and the future. You have quite a bright one Bo. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Bo leaves the office to find Kenzi and Tamsin sitting in the outer gallery, "What are you guys doing here? I thought you left an hour ago, along with everyone else?"

Kenzi answered, "We waited for you, to take you home. We haven't been able to find her Bo."

Tamsin chimes in, "I heard from Gina, she's not on the peds floor and she paged her several times, nothing. But, Avery told her she saw Doc at some point during the evening, she doesn't remember what time. Her mom called back, Lauren called to cancel, something urgent came up and she'd have to make it another time. She didn't tell her what. I'm guessing she's somewhere in that hospital. Do you want to head over there and see if we can find her?"

Arms crossed and foot tapping, Bo ponders, give chase or wait for Lauren to surface? A delicate position to be in, if she tracks her down, it might come across as too strong and Lauren will bolt. If she waits it might come across as being selfish, waiting for Lauren to come crawling to her. Making her decision, Bo shakes her head slowly, "No Tamsin, she'll call when she can. Obviously she's involved in something important with her work and she's been unable to contact anyone." Nodding to herself, "She'll contact me when she's ready."

10:30 am Wednesday Morning, outside Lauren's apartment

Bo is sitting cross legged outside Lauren's door, Lauren on the other side, huddled on the floor, hugging herself and crying…..again. She heard Kenzi come and go about 2 hours ago, wonders if Bo is still there or if she gave up on her and left. She wouldn't blame her, she is acting foolish. Pulling herself together, she stands, smoothes down her shirt, brushes her hair back from her face and peeks through the peep hole. She can't see Bo, she's either sitting or gone. She takes a chance, whispers through the door, "Bo?"

Bo is up and standing in seconds, "I'm here Lauren. I'm still here." Bo's hand pressed against the door, she wants in, she wants to hold Lauren, take away whatever is hurting her. But she needs to be patient, not one of Bo's strongest assets. "Lauren, let me…." Bo's hand goes to the door handle, still locked, her shoulders slump, "in. Let me help you."

Her head against the other side of the cold steel door, fingering the lock, Lauren whispers barely loud enough for Bo to hear, "He died Bo. I lost him."

Realization dawning across Bo's face, she whispers, "Oliver." A statement not a question as her forehead leans against the door. Nodding on the other side, Lauren places her hand on the handle and opens the door, cries out through gritted teeth to Bo, "I lost my patient. I put being a doctor first for nothing. I lost him anyway."

Bo moves to pull Lauren into her arms, wrapping her in comfort, "Oh my love." Her hand to the back of Lauren's head, laying it down on her shoulder, "Not for nothing."

Lauren breaks, crumbles into Bo, sobbing, "I was sitting in the cafeteria…after they had taken him to the morgue…..after I held his sobbing mother in my arms while they wheeled him away… watching the news and I saw you, your opening that I missed…" The doctor who feels too much and frightens too easily saw the future she had only dreamt of shatter with an image and a voiceover, "and the reporter said the artist and her family and it was you and Dyson and Charley in a red carpet moment." Sobbing against Bo's neck, her words almost incoherent, "It was supposed to be me with you, it should have been me with you and Charley."

Her emotions all over the board as she remembers to fight for what is hers; she continues with an edge to her voice as anger comes rushing back like a flash flood, anger at herself, anger at the world. And then finally anger at Bo as the footage runs through her mind again, "He kissed you Bo. I saw you kiss him back."

Pulling back and out of Bo's embrace, spewing out harshly, "Did you sleep with him? Did you?"

Bo knows she has to tread lightly with this, only shaking her head back and forth slowly. She can see Lauren is ramped up to a point where no words will get through, not yet. Bo remains quiet, waiting for Lauren to get it all out.

"Did you sleep with him because I failed you, again, because I wasn't there? Did you?" Bo tries to catch her before she moves too far away from her, Lauren strikes out, hitting Bo's shoulders, repeatedly, "Did you?! Did you sleep with him?!" Continuing in a frantic voice, her face contorted with an irrational rage, "I know the signs Bo. I did the Sherlock, you were wearing his shirt, him coming out of your bedroom, bare chested and rubbing his face; Kenzi on the couch….." Her rage wilting as quickly as it bloomed, Lauren dissolves into tears, slumping towards the floor.

Bo grabs her to stop her fall, enfolding her in a loving embrace telling her in a soft and comforting voice, "No Lauren, I did not sleep with him. That ship sailed many moons ago. He took Charley home and stayed with her because I was at the gallery. He slept in Charley's bed, she slept with me and Kenzi was on the couch because she didn't want a six year-old kicking her in the face."

Lauren drops her head against Bo's chest and in a low voice full of agony, "I lost him Bo. I was supposed to save him and I couldn't." Looking up and into Bo's eyes, "The reporter called Dyson your family – it was supposed to be me standing there with you," big fat tears in her eyes as she envisions her most coveted future fade, "Charley asleep on my shoulder. It was too much, all too much and I lost it." Bo wraps her arms around her weeping doctor, pulling her tightly into her strong arms, "Shhh, it's ok, I've got you."

Heaving an immense sigh, anger gone, speaking what she's feared from the beginning, "I thought I lost you Bo. I thought I lost you."

Holding the quiet and shy doctor tightly, "I'm not going anywhere." Kissing her forehead, "You're my forever."

I have one more chapter planned and an epilogue already written. I actually began this story with the epilogue and then had to have a story to go with it. My work life has intruded on my life life, the next update might be slow in coming.

As always, thank you for reading, following, PMs, DMs, tweets and all of the support this story has been given.