Lauren's eyes fluttered open, not the least bit surprised that she was the first to wake. No matter how much sleep she got the night before, no matter what time she went to bed, her biological clock would never allow her to sleep in past 10:00 a.m. Bo's clock was naturally different, since she worked nights and was used to sleeping during the day. Often, Lauren toyed with buying dark curtains so the light from outside wouldn't disturb Bo when she slept over, which was practically every night now. After all, that was the real reason the windows were boarded up in her bedroom at the clubhouse. Bo kept saying it was for protection, but Lauren knew it was Bo's attempts at keeping out more sun than her curtains could block.

They would probably need to talk about living together soon. They practically already were without making it official, though how would they decide where to stay? Bo came over here to sleep most nights, and they would go to stay at the clubhouse on the weekends. The plan seemed to accommodate both of their work schedules perfectly, and it wasn't like having the clubhouse cost Bo anything to keep since her grandfather did own it. However, Lauren realized she wanted a permanent home with Bo. No more of this back and forth stuff and the separate spaces. She wanted to start sharing a space with her girlfriend.

If they were going to build a life together, they really should talk about that next big step. The problem was that Lauren didn't know if she should be the one to approach it, since Bo didn't exactly like her reasonable approach to their big relationship decisions. Granted, Lauren knew it wasn't that romantic to just hand her a key and say "here; it makes more sense," especially considering Bo was extremely romantic even though she pretended like she didn't know the entire dialogue of Pretty Woman.

Lauren knew Bo could tell how upset and scared she really was about Tamsin and the shooting without her actually saying it. Even though she had seen far worse in Afghanistan and during her residency, Lauren realized just how different the situation was when it was your best friend. She had spent the evening and night doting on Tamsin, not meaning to forget to text or call Bo; actually, Bo was constantly on her mind because Lauren would picture it being her girlfriend instead of her best friend, and it would kill her just a little bit more to imagine doing this with Bo in surgery instead. It scared her and almost made her have an anxiety attack, even though she hadn't had an episode since she was in med school. She felt too much, too, but she had to learn how to control it for her profession, and those lessons mixed with her natural personality made her appear cold and distant most of the time. Years of learning how to control her anxiety and stress really culminated when she was in the warzone, and she could admit that had a lot to do with her calm demeanor now and not the years of therapy or classes she took to learn to control her emotions. Her time in Afghanistan may have been some of the scariest and toughest of her life, but they served to teach Lauren things in field that she never would have learned at Yale.

For the first time, Lauren learned the lesson of why doctors couldn't work on their loved ones, and she was surprised that she fit into that cliché. She always thought she would be an exception because her parents raised her in the medical world. Then again, her father didn't perform surgery on her mother when she needed that hysterectomy, but Lauren thought that was because it wasn't her father's specialty more than actual protocol. Yet, her parents also didn't love each other as far as Lauren could tell, so what difference would that have made other than the companionship and political maneuvering for the foundation? Her parents were both attractive people and would probably have no lack of suitors should they decide to split or if something happened to one of them. Lauren had to chuckle knowing how much Stella Lewis would probably fall prey to Trick's charms and vice versa. The women Lauren had seen Bo's grandfather court definitely reminded Lauren of her mother. Now, that would make for some awkward family dinners. Suddenly, the banquet and dinner with Bo's mom didn't sound so bad.

Tamsin was fine, but Lauren was so worried and constantly checking her charts to make sure nothing was overlooked until the nurses actually asked her to leave to let Tamsin rest and let them do their jobs. Knowing Bo would be home, and Lauren quite aware she needed her girlfriend more than ever, she rushed home with the intention of crawling into bed and holding Bo all night. She was surprised to find her still awake and waiting on her, considering the hour, and it made Lauren feel both relieved at seeing her and guilty for not calling her.

Tamsin and Bo were so much alike sometimes, and it was easy to picture Bo doing the exact same thing for her with the gunman. They were both so protective, and even though Tamsin liked to pretend to be an anti-hero, she really was one deep down; she just didn't know what to do with that part of herself and rarely let it surface. However, the problem was that Tamsin had more experience and training with those situations, and Bo would just be impetuous and brave and jump in front of the bullet not caring about where it hit her. Bo was a true hero, though, and would do anything to ensure other people were taken care of, even if it meant she would die or get hurt in the process.

Now that she was awake, Lauren found her grip on Bo was almost as tight as Bo's on her, similar to how they had been when they woke up at sunrise. She took a breath, knowing that she needed to get up and make lunch before calling to check on Tamsin. Lauren placed a kiss on Bo's head before maneuvering to free herself. Her girlfriend's hair was sweating, which meant she was sleeping hard, and that was a good thing. Bo needed the rest; her body must be purging stress through her dreams and REM sleep. Lauren hoped the nightmares weren't bad, so she leaned over to kiss Bo's forehead and push her sweaty locks from her face, willing the bad dreams to go away.

Lauren picked up her phone as she made her way to the bathroom to get ready for the day, not surprised to see the mess they made in their passionate neediness early this morning but not quite ready to pick up because she liked the reminder. It seemed traumatic events and the aftermath were exceptions for her OCD. She stepped lightly in the shower, careful not to slip on the soap and bottles that had fallen in the tub in their heated exchange. This time, she actually bathed and didn't feel like Tamsin's blood was all over her anymore.

Bo always was good at making her feel secure and loved. Last night, sitting in that waiting room and waiting on Tamsin to get out of surgery, Lauren had decided that if Bo asked her to marry her, she would without a doubt say yes. She almost said yes when Bo proposed running away and eloping this morning, but neither of them really wanted that. Bo was the type who wanted a big wedding, complete with white dress, and even though Lauren never really cared about that stuff, she wanted to give Bo everything she ever wanted and then some. Plus, Bo would be unbelievably beautiful as a bride, and Lauren couldn't resist seeing that. Bo wanted to do asking, but would it be bad if Lauren got her an engagement ring instead? Lauren never imagined herself as the one to wear an engagement ring; she was more the simple, singular band type because of her work. Maybe she and Bo should talk about that, too.

As she was blow drying her hair, she noticed Tamsin had replied back to her while she was in the shower, stating she was home and was going to crash but would call when she woke up. Dyson had apparently come to pick her up to take her home, and Lauren had to bite her lip to keep from reacting to that. She wasn't sure if it was jealousy or general disappointment that she wasn't the one picking up her best friend, considering it was her job to look after Tamsin.

Then again, was it really her job anymore? Considering how long term she and Bo were, Lauren wouldn't be surprised if Tamsin had started to move on a little on her own without telling her. Maybe she would finally decide to settle down, though Lauren doubted it would be with someone like Dyson. Even though Tamsin enjoyed handsome men, she liked to be the one with the most control and power in a relationship so she usually dated women if she was going to pretend to date someone. Unless she had bested Dyson in one of their weekly boxing matches and showed off her dominance, Tamsin wouldn't be going there romantically. Lauren wished she would, though, because it would have solved the Dyson problem and solved Tamsin's obvious loneliness. Lauren knew her best friend's recent breakdown wasn't just about being passed up for a promotion and was at least a little bit about the fact that they weren't attached at the hip anymore. It may have taken a while for Lauren to get that, but she understood now, even if her friend would never ever say that to her. Maybe Tamsin would at least start dating seriously because she deserved so much and deserved to be happy.

When she was finished getting ready for the day, she noticed Bo still out cold in the bed, except now she was gripping Lauren's pillow between her arms. She walked over to place another soft, loving kiss on her forehead. Even in sleep, Bo seemed to always know when she was around and responded accordingly, the big smile gracing her face telling Lauren that her girlfriend was finally getting some rest minus the nightmares. She was still sweaty, but it had seemed to dry some.

Lauren walked downstairs to make them lunch, deciding it would be okay if she skipped doing any work today. Her research would understand given the events of last night. So, she looked in her fridge and cabinets to make sure she had the stuff to make Tamsin's favorite butterscotch brownies to take over later before Lauren began to make Bo's favorite enchiladas for lunch. She always made too much food anymore because Tamsin would randomly appear and join them and Kenzi always seemed to be there too and would eat a good two servings herself. Bo wanted Lauren to test the young girl for a tapeworm because she was lazy but ate and drank like she should be at least a little overweight yet still appeared like she was maybe 90 pounds soaking wet. Still, Lauren had started making larger meals, and even after months of doing this, Lauren was still tickled that she didn't have to do the math to adjust recipes for one person anymore. That's when she realized she probably wouldn't have to do that probably ever again.

She took a deep breath as she put the enchiladas in the oven before going to sit at her counter and just close her eyes to take in the day. Lauren was never the type to stop moving; her personality and energy always had her on the go and doing something, especially with her hands. Not able to hide her blush, Lauren remembered how often Bo liked to compliment how good she was with her hands.

The knock on the door was what startled Lauren from her quiet morning contemplation.

"Hello, stranger. Long time no see." Karen was the last person Lauren expected to see standing outside her door. For some reason, Lauren suspected Tamsin being stubborn and coming over now that she was free from the hospital. She suspected Kenzi because the girl always seemed to know whenever Lauren put something in the oven; almost like Pavlov's Bell, and Lauren had to fight to test that hypothesis, too. Hell, she even suspected Dyson would show to get more details on the guy who attacked them or to let her know how Tamsin actually was; maybe even ask how she was, considering the gunman was originally aimed at her. Karen was the last person Lauren expected to see standing outside her door. She didn't even know her sister knew where her new place was. "Trevor is on his way up. He had a phone call he had to take."

"What are you doing here?" Lauren knew the banquet was coming up, but Karen and Trevor rarely came to stay more than the day before or after, even during holidays. They would fly back to New York before staying the extra few days here with their parents. Okay, so it was just three extra days from their usual visitation schedule, considering the banquet was Friday, but it was still odd.

"Nice to see you too, sis." Karen walked in the door, not seeming to care (not that she ever did) about invading Lauren's space. "We would've called, but this was a last minute trip. Trevor is consulting on a surgery here, so I thought we'd just come on up. We just came from the hospital; mom and dad send their best."

"I'm sure they do." Lauren steeled her jaw, not prepared for this at all. Usually, she had a lot of mental preparing before she could deal with her sister. She would go from excited at seeing her partner-in-crime from years past to being frustrated she would have to deal with her sister's drama and attitude. They had been raised the same way by the same parents, who never showed favoritism at all, but Karen was different in ways that Lauren didn't like. For starters, she smoked and usually carried that smell with her wherever she went; in fact, she smelled like she smoked an entire pack on purpose before coming to visit her big sister, who she knew didn't like it. Karen didn't even care how hypocritical it was considering she was a lung specialist who frequently advised her patients to quit smoking. "I'm assuming you're staying at the condo, since I'm not there anymore?"

"Of course. Did you think I was dropping by to crash with you?" Karen walked further into the kitchen, lifted her nose, and visibly sniffed the air. "What is that god awful smell?"

"Chicken enchiladas." Lauren tried to calm herself so she wouldn't show any reaction to her sister's obvious goading. When their mother was home to cook, she would use this same recipe, which was passed down to her from her mother, so Karen knew the smell and never complained about it before. She just couldn't enter a room without being the literal center of attention. "So, if you're not here to crash, what are you doing here?"

"Well, what else were we going to do? Trevor just left the consult with the patients at the hospital, and I mentioned we should come pick you up and see what you're doing for dinner tonight. I saw mom when she was between surgeries there, and she agreed it was a good idea since nobody has heard from you in awhile." Karen sat down in the chair, and Trevor chose that moment to walk in the door, though he was still on the phone, obviously giving advice to his team at the hospital. "We wanted to make sure you were still alive."

"A phone call would have worked." Lauren smirked slightly, not convinced her sister didn't have an ulterior motive. It was mostly in her posture and the way she was acting like she was too good to be standing in the loft apartment. Still, she had no idea how impacting her statement was after last night about her being alive. So, Lauren reverted to her defense mechanisms and smirked to not give anything away.

"Well, you just would have said no to lunch. At least this way, I can guilt you into coming since we made the trip all the way over here." Karen took a deep breath and looked over at Trevor, who just finished his phone call and was coming into the kitchen area. He went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, which was strange considering this was the first time they had ever been to this place and Lauren never had trouble drinking filtered tap water. He unscrewed the cap and didn't care that it spilled a little liquid onto the countertop and didn't bother to wipe it up. It was just water, but it still would've been polite.

"You're more than welcome to stay for lunch. I have more than enough for four people." Lauren cleared her throat, hoping that her sister would say no. She was in no way prepared to share a meal with these two, and that usually took a fair amount of mental preparation. At least Trevor looked like he wanted to bolt and eyed her in warning not to accept the invitation. He was snobbier than Karen sometimes, and Lauren wondered if he knew his wife used to wet the bed until she was seven.

"Ohmygod, hon. Please tell me I smell enchiladas." Bo came trudging in, and Lauren felt familiar signs of panic surface. It didn't help matters that Bo looked every bit the sex-tousled she was from early this morning and was just now tying the sash on her super short kimono as she was walking down the stairs, oblivious to the additional guests, probably thinking it was just Kenzi as usual.

"It appears you already have company, so we'd better not stay for lunch." Karen's shot Lauren a look that said, "what the hell?"

"Now, Kare, let's not discount such a generous offer. We haven't seen Lauren since the holidays, she said there was plenty of food for four people, and it does smell delicious." Trevor still had a deep yet nasally voice that Lauren used to tease sounded like Barry White had grown up with a stick in his ass. Karen thought it was funny the first time she said it, when she had just started dating him back in college, but she didn't find it funny after that when they had agreed to get married. He was an attractive man, Lauren could admit, his dark flawless skin and baby blue eyes making him extra appealing, so she could see why her sister would choose him. Still, they weren't in love and only did it to further their pedigrees. Lauren's family was medical royalty, and since he was studying to be a surgeon when they met, it made sense why he jumped on the Lewis family bandwagon so quickly. Karen used to make fun of him when they first started dating, so it had surprised Lauren that she agreed to marry him. He was definitely still a lech, though, and Lauren hated how he was staring at Bo, who definitely seemed immediately uncomfortable when she heard the unfamiliar voice and saw them in the kitchen. "Of course we'd love to stay for lunch, Lauren."

"Eyes back in your head, Dr. Beattie." Karen almost sounded like she was a mixture between amused and jealous. It actually wouldn't surprise Lauren if Trevor had cheated on her sister over the years, though she also wouldn't be surprised if Karen cheated on him, too. It made Lauren curious if her parents ever had extramarital affairs, considering their marriage was exactly the same. That person, that relationship was exactly what Lauren didn't want, which was why she was always so careful about dating someone. Luckily, she didn't have to worry about that anymore because she did find somebody to love and love her in return.

"Dr. Beattie? Are you colleagues of Lauren's over at the college?" Bo was always so comfortable in her body and didn't mind that she was practically standing naked in front of two strangers. It probably bothered Lauren more. Bo was also used to people staring at her with open lust and wantonness like Trevor was, so she smiled politely and brushed off the admiration like she always did.

"Most definitely not." Karen narrowed her eyes, not hiding her disdain at the idea. "You must not be that serious if Lauren didn't mention her own sister."

"Oh! You're Karen. Of course. I see it now, especially in the face." Bo rushed forward to extend her hand. Karen only looked at it, so Trevor came around to shake it himself. This time, Bo did look uncomfortable, which was reasonable considering he was getting a better view down her robe. Lauren caught herself gripping the counter and having to physically stop herself from going over and pulling him from her girlfriend. "I'm Bo. It's good to finally meet you. You must be Trevor, or do you prefer Dr. Beattie?"

"I prefer anything you want to call me." He held on a little too long in the handshake and Bo finally pulled her hand back from his, and Lauren finally relaxed.

"I'll just call you Trevor, then; so there's no confusion. Lots of doctors in your family. How does it not get confusing when people call for Dr. Lewis?" Bo openly chuckled a little, and Lauren couldn't help but smile at how beautiful her girlfriend was, even in tense and awkward situations. "I'll run upstairs and get ready. How long until lunch, babe?"

"You have time." Lauren just watched and allowed the territorial claim Bo made by coming to kiss her on the cheek before retreating back upstairs. It didn't take long before the familiar sounds of the shower running could be heard.

"We should be leaving. You obviously already have your hands full this morning, and we wouldn't to intrude." Karen sounded like she was hurt, which didn't make any sense. Other than the fact that Bo couldn't look at Lauren without showing how much she loved her and Trevor had probably never looked at her like that, not even in their wedding, Lauren couldn't figure out why Karen would be upset.

"Nonsense, Karen. We already agreed to stay for lunch. We do not want to be rude to your sister, especially considering we had intentions to have lunch with her anyways." Trevor picked up his phone and started typing on it, no longer concerned with the people in the room now that Bo had disappeared. "Your girlfriend is lovely, Lauren. I approve."

"Well, I don't. Who is this Bo, and why am I just now hearing about her?" Karen and Lauren always had a minor sibling rivalry growing up. How could they not considering how their parents raised them? Karen was younger, but she always seemed to act like she was fighting and starving for attention. It was probably why she was so dramatic now, and it wasn't like Lauren was constantly trying to steal their parents' attention. She just always did more and was more active. Karen would try and wasn't bad at things, but she would be too hung up on thinking she should be better and have more attention than actually working at things like Lauren did. "Mother never mentioned you were dating someone seriously. She said you brought someone to the holiday banquet, and we missed you at the last one, but she never mentioned a girlfriend."

"Bo was who I took with me to the holiday banquet. We've been together for quite some time now, so yes, we're seriously dating." Lauren smirked a little because she suspected her mother would never mention anything. Lauren had never directly called Bo her girlfriend to her parents, so her mother would not have listened to the rumors until they were confirmed from the direct source. It was one of her better qualities, and one that Lauren took to heart in her own dealings with people. If she honestly believed rumors, she wouldn't be dating Bo right now, since more than one person warned her Bo was not long term material and would just cheat on her in the end. Her brain may have been worried about that, but her heart told her to give in and her brain eventually followed. It was funny how love and logic sometimes meshed together, even if she was extremely paranoid about that very thing in the early months of their relationship. Lauren knew better now, though, and that felt good to know.

"Well, she is obviously charming, and I hope to see more of her for years to come." Trevor never once looked up from his phone.

"Wait. You're not thinking seriously long term with her, are you? Who even is this woman? She's not another Tamsin, is she?" Karen always hated Tamsin. She used to claim that Tamsin would bully her in school, but Lauren knew it was the opposite, considering her best friend never cared much for her sister enough to give her a single thought. Karen no doubt approached her and didn't like when Tamsin finally told her to leave her alone, calling her "the Other Lewis," which Tamsin knew was already a sore spot for Karen. "I don't trust her. She's just using you to get to the family like all of the others."

"She's not a doctor, Karen. She doesn't care about the family or the money." Actually, money was something they never really discussed. There were a lot of things they really needed to talk about before starting this together thing. Lauren wanted Bo not to feel like she was tied down to her financially, much like her girlfriends in the past, and she also knew her parents would demand a prenuptial agreement regardless of what Lauren said. How would Bo react to that? She was the "completely" type of person; the what's mine is yours type. How would she feel about them having separate accounts with their own money and a joint account for their couple stuff like bills and vacations? It never came up because it was never an issue, though they would still need to have those discussions. "I love her, and yes, I'm not just thinking about long term; I know it's long term. Be happy your big sister is finally settling down and going to get married one day."

"Marriage? Excellent choice, Lauren. Lock that down now while the iron is obviously still hot." Trevor was the first to react when the water upstairs turned off. He smoothed a hand across his dark taper fade and sat up straighter in his chair to push out his chest. He finally looked up from his phone to smirk at Lauren. "I never would've thought you had it in you, but kudos."

"Not sure how comfortable I am hearing that from you, but thanks, I think." Lauren cleared her throat, hearing the quiet cursing coming from upstairs when Bo probably ran into the dresser again. She really needed to pay more attention when she got dressed, or at least learn some better balance. She was still that goofy bartender Lauren used to watch before they met.

"Well, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with you talking about marrying someone like that." Karen lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes, trying to put the fear of the devil in Lauren but failing miserably.

"You don't really get a say in that, and mother and father already seemed to like her. You know, if you would only get to know Bo, you'd really like her. She has this big huge heart, and she takes care of me. Imagine that, Karen, someone taking care of me for a change." Lauren had always assumed the big sister role the best she could. Karen didn't graduate or speed through school like Lauren did, so she was there well after her big sister despite them being so close in age. She tried to follow in her footsteps, but there's a reason she earned the nickname "the Other Lewis." For Lauren to have both a career and a happy marriage must be overwhelming for her little sister, who only chose career like they had been taught. She could've had both, and probably could've had that with Trevor, if she had just taken the time and allowed herself that. This was the problem with Karen. She tried to be Lauren and was bitter that she couldn't be, so she blossomed into her own identity late and caused for a lot of friction between them once they hit puberty.

"I'll get to know her then, though I make no promises." It was a Lewis family motto to make no promises because you never make promises to patients, and it was the best Lauren could ask for. "The next few days until the banquet, Trevor will be busy at the hospital. I considered going and scrubbing in and watching my brilliant husband's hands at work, but once you've seen one endolymphatic sac tumor, you've seen them all. Am I right?"

"If you say so." Lauren didn't do many surgical rounds during her residency, only agreeing to do the extra work to please her parents. She was going to specialize in trauma and research, which was why she went to Afghanistan, the Congo, Ireland, and several other places throughout the years. She was always more interested in biochemistry than she was anything. She could admit to being interested in cryptozoology, too, but she was too logical to believe certain fantastical, mythological creatures existed. She worked more in facts, though Bo was quite a fascinating and complex creature, so maybe she could believe a little.

"How about we skip lunch today so we can go settle into the condo?" Karen wasn't really asking a question. She had already decided the plan of action. If it didn't fit with her new plan she just concocted, she would throw a fit, and Lauren's schedule was freer right now and she did want her sister to get to know Bo, so she could be a little flexible and give her what she wanted this time. Actually, it would probably be a first for them that Lauren caved so easily and they didn't into a passive aggressive argument. Besides, Lauren wanted to check on Tamsin later anyways, and she had a feeling if they stayed for lunch today, they would stay well into dinner. "Trevor goes back to the hospital tomorrow for the surgery. Why don't you and Bo meet me for lunch uptown and do a little girl shopping for the banquet?"

"I'll have to check with Bo's schedule. I'll let you know tonight, okay?" Lauren actually felt a lot of relief that Karen and Trevor wouldn't be staying today. She really needed the day without the added drama, since she already had enough personal drama on her mind.

They left the apartment without really saying goodbye, and Lauren instantly relaxed when the door shut and locked behind them.

When Bo came downstairs, freshly dressed and smelling and looking amazing, Lauren smiled and pulled her into a warm embrace. They ate lunch, and then Lauren texted Tamsin to call her when she woke up so she could bring her butterscotch brownies and some enchiladas over. Bo had a shift tonight and didn't get to stay too long, though she protested leaving and tried to call in to keep an eye on Lauren, who urged her to go to work, explaining that letting things go back to normal would help her more than anything. Lauren hated being doted on; Karen was the opposite. It's why she was worried when Bo said she didn't have to go in until later and could make the lunch date the next day. Lauren felt that instant panic return, and it was worse than the feeling she got with that guy pointing a gun at her last night.