Thank you to everyone for the feedback on the last chapter, I had no idea everyone would be so interested in the sciencey part of BoLo's baby-making. I'm kind of like Bo,I tune out if the topic gets too dry. I also like to leave certain things to the reader's imagination, I guess I left too much out. My bad...Hope this helps those of you who had questions.

I own nothing but the mistakes.

Chapter 26

Entering the examination room, Bo hops up onto the table as Lauren paces, waiting for Dr. Jason Riggs, an old friend of Lauren's from her residency and their fertility doctor, to join them. A tall, dark haired doctor with a scruffy beard and sparkling blue eyes, bustles into the room greeting Lauren with a handshake, "Dr. Lewis, so nice to see you." as he turns to Bo, hand on her shoulder and a kiss to her cheek, "Good to see you again Bo, on the other side of the table."

Lauren punches him in the shoulder "Why so formal Jason?"

Speaking out of the side of his mouth, "I'm in doctor mode." Turning to Bo and handing her a gown, he points to a door on the other side of the exam room, winking as he says, "Why don't you go change Bo," tossing his thumb in Lauren's direction, "and I'll handle nervous Nelly here."

Hopping off the table, kissing Lauren's cheek as she passes, "I'll be right back. Be nice."

Lauren smirks, "Only if he is."

Jason rolls his eyes, "I'm always nice, you" pointing at Lauren, "not so much."

Leaning in for a real hug, "It was one time, back when we were residents and you totally deserved it."

Nodding his head, a mischievous smile on his face, "Yeah I did." Sitting on the stool in front of the examination table, hands folded between his knees, "Ok Lo, tell me how the insemination went."

A blush creeping up her neck and spreading across her cheeks, "It was textbook."

"Did she orgasm?"

Dipping her head and turning redder by the second, "Yes."

"Before and after the insemination?"

"Yes." Throwing her hands up and rolling her eyes, "Why are you asking me these questions?"

Leaning back, arms folded, a grin on his face, "You never had any trouble talking about your sexcapades when we were residents. Why so squeamish now?"

Checking items off on her fingers as she says them, "We were residents; we worked together, lived together, ate together, even slept together." Pointing between the two of them, "Except you and I, we didn't sleep together," rolling her eyes and raising her hands, palms up, "but we practically shared the same skin Jason, plus if I didn't tell you, Evony or someone else would have."

Leaning forward, Jason has a glint in his eye, "I do enjoy making you squirm Lo. It's been such a long time since I was able to."

Punching him in the shoulder again, "Ass."

Chuckling, "Yup. Now, a couple more questions and we're done."

Lauren nods, twirling her finger in a 'move it' motion, "Alright, get on with it."

"Which method did you use? The insemination syringe and the cervical cup or just the syringe or just the cup?"

Standing with her arms crossed and her foot tapping, "Seriously?"

He stands, hands on her shoulders, in a quiet voice, "I'm not trying to be difficult Lo, the method, the orgasms, they all factor into success rate. You know the percentage for successful at home insemination is lower than when done in a doctor's office." Running his hands down her arms to hold her hands, "That's why, in your case we bypassed everything else and went with intrauterine insemination. To raise the rate of success, since you'd never conceived before, we had no track record."

"I know, but Bo and I decided we wanted a less clinical atmosphere and a less, mmmmmm, invasive approach. At least the first try." Rolling her eyes, releasing a frustrated sigh, pulling her hands free and balling them into fists, "And I'm a doctor Jason, I know what to do."

She feels the enormity of this process falling on her shoulders and its weight is almost unbearable, "What I have with Bo is different than any relationship I've ever been in before Jason. I can take being teased, but Bo's not a conquest or a notch on my belt. She's not a random chick in a bar Evony or you dared me to pick up and take home." Shifting from foot to foot, nervously picking at her nails and looking down, in a low voice, "She's the love of my life Jason and it's far too personal to joke about, at least right now."

Nodding, "Ok Lo, I'm sorry if I went too far, but I like to push your shiny buttons, you have so few of them."

Looking up and smirking, the tension all gone, "I know, all is forgiven."

Reaching out to still Lauren's fidgeting hands, "It will work Lauren, my confidence in your ability as a doctor is unmatched." He grabs Bo's chart from the counter, reviewing, for a second time, the results of all the fertility tests he had put Bo through, "Plus….she's a fertile Myrtle. Look at these test results, I don't know why she doesn't have 6 kids running around, rather than just the one. I think the chance for success is at about 85-90%, that's why I agreed to let you do the insemination at home."

Looking over his shoulder, she runs her eyes down the sheet, everything is normal, Bo's hormone levels are exactly where they should be during her 28 day cycle, her anatomy is perfect, no defects, no scarring, "Well, she did say her cycle has always been like clockwork, every 28 days since she was 16." Shrugging her shoulders, "Maybe it was her partners or emotional or something?"

Jason smiles as he sits back down on the stool, "Kind of looks like it doesn't it? And we know that's not an issue this time." Poking Lauren in the ribs, "You're as potent as Hercules aren't ya?" Both laughing as Bo re-enters the exam room, holding her gown closed in the front with one hand, her clothes in the other, "What's all this?"

Taking Bo's clothes and setting them down on the counter as she glares at Jason, "Dr. Riggs here was reviewing your fertility as well as the potency of the donor."

Looking between the two of them, "Ok, so what's the word?"

Dr. Riggs pats the table, "Hop up Bo." Grinning, "You, my dear are as fertile as they come and the donor's sperm count and motility are both high enough to get almost anyone pregnant." Rubbing his hands together, "Ok Bo, this is what's going to happen next. I have a few questions for you, I'll draw some blood and then we'll do an internal ultra-sound and hopefully, if there's a baby in there," pointing at Bo's belly, "We'll hear a heartbeat. Alright?"

Bo grimaced when he mentioned the internal ultra-sound, the last one was a bit.….unpleasant, "Alright, ask away."

Checking the dates on the chart, "Have you had a period since the insemination?"

"Umm, no, a little spotting, but no."

"Ok, good. How many days past your date are you?"

"Eighteen days since the spotting, but all told 42 days."

Jason raises his eyebrows, "Hmm, you could have come in much earlier Bo, two weeks ago in fact. I know the wait can be torture."

Reaching for Lauren's hand, "I wanted Lauren to be with me and she's been traveling a lot lately."

Grinning and pointing his finger at Bo, Jason can't help but push another of Lauren's shiny buttons, "You are too cute. Where have you been all of Lo's life?"

Lauren punches Jason in the shoulder for the third time in less than an hour, "You're lucky you're the best fertility specialist in the city, otherwise…"

Smirking and opening the blood draw kit on the tray, "Otherwise?"

Lauren shakes her head, leans in close to Jason's scruffy cheek, "You're a douche."

Feigning a shot to the chest, "That hurts Lo, I haven't been called that since my resident days."

Lauren smiles, "I guess you've improved your behavior since then."

Jason holds his hand out flat, wags it back and forth, squinting one eye, "Eh, not really." And laughs as he pulls on gloves, preparing to draw Bo's blood.

Lauren asks, "You do your own blood draws?"

"I do."

"Just when I was about to write you off as a total elitist, you surprise me."

Ignoring Lauren and speaking to Bo, "Ok, I'm going to take about 3 vials, to check your HCG levels and some other stuff. I'll get the HCG results in about 15 minutes. Then we'll go from there."

Jason draws three vials of blood, marks each for what tests he wants, "I'm going to run these to our in-house lab and I'll be back in about 15-20 minutes."

Nodding to Dr. Riggs, wrinkling her nose, swinging her feet and turning to Lauren, "Refresh my memory, HCG levels?"

Lacing their hands together and rubbing Bo's arm, "It's a hormone that's present in women all the time, but the levels fluctuate, depending on where you are in your cycle. When you're pregnant, the quantitative levels skyrocket in the first trimester. So, if you're pregnant, your levels should be between 25,700-288,000 mlU/ml, since it's been about what, 9-12 weeks since your last period?"

Taking a deep breath, "Yup."

Sensing Bo's nervousness and fear coming off her in waves, Lauren places her hand on Bo's forehead, "You ok?"

Biting her bottom lip, "Truth?"

Tilting her head to the side, eyes focused on Bo, "Truth."

Bo takes a deep breath, "I'm scared, Lauren. Scared that it worked, scared that it didn't." Shrugging her shoulders, " This will change everything, either way. Aren't you scared, even a little?"

Moving to stand between Bo's swinging legs, hands on either side of her face, looking into Bo's oh so brown eyes, "I'm terrified."

Bo snakes her arms around Lauren's waist, drawing her in close, her head against Lauren's stomach, "It'll be alright, right?" She looks up at Lauren, eyes full of fear and hope.

Brushing the hair back from Bo's face, "Of course it will be. We're in this together, remember?"

Rubbing her face back and forth against the soft cotton of Lauren's shirt, "Together."

Leaning down and kissing the top of Bo's head, her arms firmly linked around Bo's shoulders, "I love you Bo Dennis."

Grinning, and looking up at her quiet and shy doctor who completely and unexpectedly captured her whole heart, "I love you too Lauren Lewis."

A soft knock on the door interrupts their moment, Lauren catches Bo's eye, "Here we go."

Jason enters the room, chart in hand and a grin on his face, he doesn't say anything, just hands Lauren the data print out showing Bo's HCG levels. Her eyes running over the page, finding the numbers she so desperately wanted, no needed, to see right there in bold print. Beaming and hugging Bo tight to her chest, she whispers, "It worked, Bo, it worked."

A smile wide and bright enough to fill the room, "It worked?" Bo looks to Jason for confirmation.

He nods, "It worked, you're pregnant, or your body thinks so. Let's take a look inside and make sure everything is as it should be, alright? Lay back, feet in the stirrups." Turning to Lauren, "Up here Lo, near her head and watch the monitor."

Turning on the machines, setting everything up, he stops, folds his arms across his chest, pulling the whiskers on his chin, "Let's try the trans abdominal ultrasound first. I think you're far enough along; 8 weeks, yeah we should be able to see things well enough and if we're lucky, a heartbeat. Let me move these stirrups out of the way." He moves the stirrups and pulls the table extension out for Bo's legs, moving to Bo's right side.

Busying himself with the wand, the gel, opening Bo's gown, talking the whole time, "I assume you both know what we're looking for, a tiny embryo floating in a dark circle which is the sac within your uterus. It's gonna look like a ahhh… peanut, big head, tiny limb buds and probably a tail. If we can get a clear enough picture, we might be able to see the egg sac trailing behind it. If not, we'll do the intrauterine. Ok, here we go."

Running the wand back and forth on Bo's belly, looking at the monitor, all three see a tiny bean with an egg sac and umbilical cord attached appear inside a dark circle. Dr. Riggs points out the embryo, "There it is, your tiny bean, bouncing around, trailing an egg sac, looks like." Grinning, no need to do the intrauterine scan, "This is an awesome image, Bo. The placenta looks to be in a good spot and developing nicely." Pointing to the screen, "See that fluttering there, that's the heart." Flipping a switch on the machine, the sound of their baby's beating heart fills the room.

Gripping Bo's hand tightly, Lauren feels the tears forming in her eyes as Bo looks up at her. They've been here before, with different results each time, when Lauren was the patient. The first time they didn't make it to week 8, the second time they did, but there was no heartbeat. The final time, there was a bean, a heartbeat and much hope; this time they are cautiously optimistic they'll make it past the critical 12th week. It will be four more weeks, maybe five to be safe, before either of them will be able to celebrate completely. But for now, they relish in the sound of their baby's beating heart, the sight of their little jumping bean and each other.

Jason clears his throat, bringing both Bo's and Lauren's attention back to him, "I know we've been here before, but everything looks great Bo. I am certain, when I see you in 5 weeks, everything will be as it should be and right on schedule." Wiping the gel from Bo's belly and closing her gown, "I'll leave you two alone for a minute, and you can get dressed Bo." Turning to Lauren, "When you're both ready, meet me in my office and we'll go over what we have so far and next steps. Alright?' Clapping Lauren on the back and leaning into her, "Congratulations Lo, I know this means the world to you, to you both."

Ducking her head and wiping her tears, "Thank you Jason, thank you."

Jason makes his exit, leaving Bo and Lauren with the image of their baby still on the monitor. Blowing the breath she had been holding out between pursed lips, holding Lauren's hand between both of hers, Bo turns, "What are you feeling, my love?"

The joy she feels in her chest hardly contained, she can't help but glow with a smile as wide as Bo has ever seen, "I feel joy, Bo. Indescribable, unexplainable joy."

Bringing their foreheads together, Bo breathes out, "Me too." before she dips her head to press her lips to Lauren's in a kiss full of hope, joy and love.

Tossing her keys into the bowl by the door, Bo sees the mail she forgot to give Lauren yesterday morning when she got back from out of town. She left the mail there a couple of days ago, waiting for Lauren before going through all the legal documents sent by the Lewis family's lawyer. Taking off her light jack and hanging it on one of the hooks by the door, Bo grabs the oversized, thick envelope and follows Lauren to the kitchen.

Leaning on the counter and pulling out one of the bar stools, Bo sits as she watches Lauren take stuff out of the fridge to make lunch. Dropping the envelope on the counter, "We got the papers from the attorney for Henry's donor status and all that entails. At least I'm guessing that's what," tapping her finger on the envelope, "this is. You want to go through them now?"

As a child of a very wealthy family and wealthy in her own right, Lauren receives legal documents in the mail regularly, this shouldn't be any different, but it is. Not only would that envelope contain the documents pertaining to Henry's donor status; she also had the lawyer draw up documents for Bo and Charley and she hadn't had a chance to talk to Bo about it. She's been traveling far too much lately and that is one thing she's going to make sure is changed. She didn't want to be away from Bo at all for the next 32 weeks; video conferencing and e-mail will have to do.

Her back to Bo, Lauren rolls her eyes, here goes nothing. She turns and leans across the counter, grasping both of Bo's hands in hers, "There are more than just those documents in there. I had my attorney draw up some paperwork, protecting you and Charley if something should happen to me. I want to make sure you are both taken care of in the event I can't take care of you myself."

At Bo's protest, she shrugs her shoulders, "I've been traveling a lot of late and you never know what can happen." Hesitating, but only slightly, this is something they've discussed a multitude of times, "And since you won't marry me, I needed to make things legal, for you and Charley and now" pointing to Bo's belly, "tiny bean in there."

Bo shakes her head, a smirk at the corner of her mouth, this has been a topic they've tabled, deciding to agree to disagree, "It's not that I won't marry you, it's…..we're already...…we don't need a piece of paper from the state of Pennsylvania to prove what we are to each other."

Shaking her head, her own smirk making an appearance, "I know Bo. But I am a very wealthy woman and I have a lot of assets that you won't get if we aren't married….."

Bo interrupts, "I don't want or need your assets. I want, need and oh yeah," hand on Lauren's chest, raising her eyebrows, "love you. Just you."

Holding her hand up, "I am well aware, but the state and federal governments see things in a different light, and" putting her fore finger on Bo's protesting lips, "Bo, hear me out."

A pout, a nod and a wave of her hand, "Go ahead."

Smiling, "And I want to protect you and Charley. I have set up a college fund for Charley, she'll also get the benefit of a trust fund, managed by an independent finance partner, the one who manages mine, actually; first when she turns 18, she'll get an additional amount when she turns 25 and then again when she's 35. It's set up just like mine and Henry's. I also had something similar set up for you, one that you can utilize for the money you're making now as an artist as well. Based on the last finance report Maureen sent, you need to start looking into investing in a diversified portfolio Bo or you're going to suffer at tax time. And it leaves you independent from me and my earnings."

Moving to Bo's side of the counter, stepping into her space and wrapping Bo's hands around her waist, Lauren takes Bo's head in her hands, tilting it up to look into her eyes, "I know you don't do details, you fly by the seat of your pants and I love you, oh so much because of it. This financial stuff, it needs plans and details. I want there to be no questions, ever over what you're entitled to as my partner or what Charley is entitled to as my child. Ok?"

Closing her eyes and sighing, she was not going to win this one, Lauren was always taking care of her and Charley; this was no exception, "Ok. Now, about the bean and your brother. Let's go over that, because when I went to the attorney's office with him and your mother when he was here, I can't lie, I tuned out."

Hugging Bo to her, "You are going to have to stop that at some point. Particularly when you're a rich and famous artist."

Smirking, "No I won't. I'll have you with me and you'll remember everything, right down to the temperature in the room."

Sharing a laugh as Lauren moves back to finish making lunch. "Let me finish making lunch and we'll take this into the living room where it's more comfortable."

Sliding off the stool, "Alright. We have to make sure we're done by 3:00pm to pick up Bear. You're coming with, right? We need to tell her about the bean."

Frowning, "Should we tell her already Bo? Do you think it's wise before we're sure?"

Moving to Lauren's side of the kitchen, sliding her arms around her waist from behind, her chin in the crook of her neck, kissing her cheek, "I have absolutely no doubts this will be a successful pregnancy my love and if it isn't she'll need to know what's wrong with Momma, better to tell her sooner rather than later."

Holding Bo's hands as they lay on her belly, hoping with everything Bo was right, "Ok, I'm going to trust you're right."

"Oh I am." Placing another kiss to Lauren's cheek, Bo lets go and moves to her favorite spot on the couch.

Mumbling around delicious lunch Lauren made and pointing at all of the papers spread on the coffee table, "Start explaining," picking up the sheet with Henry's name on it, "with…this one."

Setting down her fork, "This one, umm," skimming the paper, "ok, is where my brother signed away any parental rights, and will be furthermore referred to as 'Donor' as it pertains to any progeny."

Bo frowns, "That's a lot of big words to say Henry is the donor."

Wiping her chin, "It's more than that Bo, this means he is giving up parental rights, it's as if we're using an anonymous donor. We wouldn't have to worry anyway, Henry is not the parental type, he's barely ever in town and at 46 I doubt he'll be starting a family anytime soon, but this makes it all legal."

Chuckling, "That makes family holidays easier anyway."

Shaking her head, "This is important Bo…"

Holding her hand up, "I know, that's why we did it this way, it allows for the second parent adoption. I'm the birth mother, so I'll be on the birth certificate as mother and Donor will be listed as father. Then you can adopt tiny bean as a second parent. Those documents should be in there too."

Smiling, "It appears you paid attention at least a bit."

"Oh I had tuned out by then, but your mother called me 'Ysabeau', so I knew I had to pay attention to this part. Oh, I also talked to the attorney about the second parent adoption for Charley."

Lauren frowns, bracing herself for bad news. She read the law and remembers it exactly, the adoption Act states: a natural parent must sign a consent terminating his or her parental rights in order for another person to adopt, the exception allowing step-parents who are married to adopt a step-child without forcing the biological parent to give up their rights, didn't apply. Another reason why they should get married, but Bo insisted they didn't need to be married in order for her to adopt Charley.

Grinning from ear to ear, quite proud of herself for keeping this part as a surprise, keeping it in her back pocket in case this morning's appointment didn't go as well as it did, "Good news, even though we aren't married, you can adopt her using the step-parent clause of the Adoption Act allowing for a Second parent adoption." Paging through the documents on the table, looking for the adoption paperwork, officially naming Lauren as a Second parent to Charley, finding it she holds it up triumphantly, "It's been that way since 2002, by the way. You must have read an old law book or something."

Grimacing at being wrong, "I found it in case law, I guess I didn't find the appeals overturning it." Taking the papers from Bo, her heart soars as she reads the document titled, Petition for Second Parent Adoption of one Charlotte Elizabeth Dennis. Leaning over Lauren's shoulder, pointing at the fluorescent arrows marking where Lauren and she would have to sign, "All we have to do is sign in these places and return it to the lawyer's office, he'll file the petition, we'll have a hearing, he tells me the hearing is a simple formality and voila, you are officially and legally Charley's second Momma."

Dropping the papers and hugging Bo as tight as she can, tears in her eyes for the second time that day, "You are full of surprises today aren't you Bo Dennis?"

Smirking, "I'm full of something."

Lauren's heart is full to bursting, "Can we pick her up early? I can't wait until 3 to tell her."

Wrapping her arms around her love, "You tell me, you're her Momma too."

Kissing Bo with everything this day has brought her, "Yes….yes….. yes."

This had a lot of details in it, hope it didn't bore too much, but this was needed in order to move forward with the story.

One more thing, not certain when I'll be able to update next, got a lot of stuff going on in my work life, which bleeds over into my life, life.

As always, thank you for reading and continuing to read.