Lauren knew that Bo was spending the evening at work with Kenzi, finally getting the lowdown on her hooking up with Hale since the young woman wasn't ready to talk about it yet. Bo would text every once in a while to give Lauren the scoop or to just say she missed her. It was cute, but it made catching up on her work more difficult because Bo was definitely a worthy distraction. They had just returned from being away together, and their relationship had just experienced a lot, so it was natural to still be in that clingy mode as they got back into their routines.

While Bo was at work tonight, Lauren decided it was the perfect time to talk to Tamsin during their dinner date to see how she really felt about the engagement bomb that was dropped at the Dal the night they got back. She smiled and sent her honest congratulations, but Lauren could see her friend was hurt a bit. They hadn't intended on telling everyone just yet, but her best friend immediately could sense something was up with them. Bo had already told Kenzi, or they would've been double teamed by the best friend duo, who both took the opportunity of Bo and Lauren being gone to enhance their own love lives, apparently.

Tamsin was a detective now, so of course she noticed Bo's ring. The game of twenty questions that happened afterwards almost made it sound like she was interrogating Bo on a murder case. Lauren had to roll her eyes at her overly protective and aggressive best friend and was glad they had that conversation about their feelings before she and Bo left on vacation because it really put things into perspective. Of course, this interrogation meant they told whoever was there earlier than they planned. Trick even tucked into his reserves to celebrate with them.

When they got back to the city last week, they unpacked everything at Lauren's before going over to the clubhouse the next day to start packing Bo's things to bring over. Kenzi and Tamsin were both prepared for that already and had surprised them by having a bunch of boxes in Bo's bedroom that they'd scavenged while they were gone. Kenzi said she would've packed Bo's clothes for her but she was both afraid of what she'd find and wanted to live in denial a little bit longer.

Neither of them was surprised when Tamsin mentioned she was moving in once Bo left. Kenzi kept saying she wasn't happy about it, but everybody could tell it was her idea. The surprising part was that Tamsin agreed, since she had never lived with anyone since she moved out of her mom's place when she turned nineteen. Lauren had a feeling they'd be moving people like crazy all week, and she was not wrong. It was a good thing Tamsin didn't own much, practically living in her truck more than her tiny apartment. At least she would have more room to move in the clubhouse, and Lauren wouldn't have to worry about her drinking and driving since she would be living above the Dal.

Lauren wondered if they should even bother unpacking all of Bo's stuff in case they found a house sooner than later, considering they had appointments to start looking tomorrow. Lauren knew with her credit and family reputation in this city, she wouldn't have any trouble whatsoever closing on a house rather quickly. Plus, Mary Alice may be annoying but she was a great realtor and Lauren trusted her to listen to them and find them the home they wanted. She and Bo even agreed on a substantial down payment that combined their savings in equal shares, and Mary Alice definitely sounded positive about them moving fast if they really wanted. Hearing and seeing Bo gush about the various things she found in the magazines she would bring home, Lauren found she couldn't wait to give her future wife the house of her dreams. It was well within their means because they had both been smart with money over the years, so why wouldn't she want to? Lauren's only two stipulations were the kitchen and a place to set up a home lab. Everything else was something they could discuss later on once they'd settled into the house and accumulated more savings.

Lauren didn't know why she was so surprised Bo had all that money in her account, considering she didn't pay bills. It didn't even occur to Lauren that she never thought about money when they first started dating. This had been a problem for her in the past, particularly with Tamsin, who she didn't understand couldn't just up and fly down to visit her all of the time when she was at college. This casual approach to finances was a lot of how she was raised, and so was Bo's similar approach. It was funny how different upbringings could produce such similar results. Lauren knew a lot of relationships ended because of money issues, and she wanted to ensure they never had that problem. So, she made sure that they were equal partners in everything and the mortgage would be in both of their names, in case something ever happened to one or the other.

There was no doubt her parents were going to push the prenuptial agreement down their throats when they finally announced their wedding plans to them, but Lauren found she wanted to make 100% certain that Bo and their children weren't dismissed. The other night, Lauren suggested they take their time to get things right about the wedding and not rush things so they could ensure their marriage was the most important outcome of that one special day. So, she began making a to do list of things that she wanted and encouraged Bo to start doing the same. Lauren added "Bo and kids – what happens in case of my death" to her list, not the least bit surprised most of her items had nothing to do with the wedding itself. She would talk to her lawyers about securing their future, for sure.

Speaking of lawyers, Lauren heard Kenzi mention she wasn't the only one with overnight visitors while Bo and Lauren were away. Tamsin had apparently kept company with a lawyer, and the only reason Kenzi knew that much was because she walked in on them making out on the couch one night and asked her new flatmate about it.

Kenzi and Hale; Tamsin and the lawyer.

Kenzi didn't catch a name because the woman would be gone before anybody was awake, but she had stayed over three nights, and that was amazing considering Tamsin didn't do sleepovers or repeats that often. Lauren was her only real relationship throughout the years, since the various men and women her best friend dated never lasted more than a few weeks and definitely didn't get to have sleepovers. It seemed like everybody was bitten by the lovebug while Bo and Lauren were away, and even if it didn't last long with the lawyer, Lauren actually felt happy Tamsin was at least trying. It was something the badass hadn't done in a long time.

Lauren saved her work, knowing she needed to really start focusing on these lectures coming up. Her first one was in two weeks over in British Columbia, and she only had her talk narrowed down to a few particulars about her latest free radical work. She didn't want to give the same speech at every place, but she was still on a high from her vacation with Bo and couldn't concentrate yet. She toyed with asking Bo to travel to these places with her, but she was only going for two nights each time, and her schedule would be so busy she couldn't pay that much attention to Bo, who would know nobody else there. She knew Bo would love to go with her, but Lauren didn't want to bore her to death since they would hardly get to leave the science talks or university research labs and would be surrounded by the various university folk. Lauren wasn't too proud to admit she desperately wanted that contact, but she didn't want to make Bo upset when the conversations went way above her head. She could take Kenzi as a companion for her, but that would just be too much hassle. It was easier for Lauren to just go and do her work thing, get her hyperintellectual fix, and then return home to her loving fiance. They would get back into their routines soon enough, and being without Bo for a few days wouldn't be as scary as it felt at the moment.

The knock at the open door caused her to look up from staring at her wall. Tamsin walked in and must have recognized her in professor mode, so she didn't want to scare her too much by just popping up. That didn't mean Lauren was any less startled.

"Albert Einstein!" Even knowing Tamsin was coming over, Lauren still jumped and held her chest to calm her racing heartbeat.

"Hey, Doc." She moved into the kitchen, dropping off their dinner on the bartop. After a week of home cooking for both of them, Tamsin's in the form of prepared meals at the clubhouse, which she actually did eat though Kenzi skipped two of them for beer and wings at the Dal, Lauren was craving some Indian food from her favorite place.

"Hey, Detective." Lauren smiled at her friend, happy she was finally getting promoted thanks to her work solving that big time case. She was shot while off duty, but her bravery and quick thinking in that situation actually helped her get the promotion just as much as finding the evidence to put the bad guy away. They had gone to celebrate at the Dal so Bo and Kenzi could join in the festivities while they were working, since Tamsin got the notice of her promotion only a few days ago and wouldn't want to make a big deal about it. Lauren took the opportunity to encourage Tamsin to bring out her new love interest, and the normally badass woman actually blushed. Lauren hadn't seen Tamsin blush since they were dating, and it was refreshing to see her with a glow again. That just made Lauren want to meet the woman who could make her best friend smile like that because it was good not to worry about her for a change.

Actually, all of the details Lauren could get on the lawyer was that they had met while Tamsin was on desk duty as she recovered from her injury, and the woman was working a different case for Dyson and Hale and literally ran into her. The other two detectives knew the woman's name but wouldn't cough up the information, just told her that this woman was one of the good ones and Tamsin was lucky to catch her attention. Then again, not many people could resist the gorgeous blonde officer, though it did cause Lauren to chuckle a bit when Dyson mentioned he was tired of all of the women he wanted being taken away by the "blonde Odd Couple," as he apparently called Lauren and Tamsin. Lauren wouldn't push for more details because she didn't want to spook her best friend, but she made sure Tamsin knew she was there when she was ready to talk or if she needed her.

"I figure Bo can eat your leftovers, so I actually got my own. My mouth and sinuses thank your girlfriend for existing right now because I don't know if I could've handled that Indian hot shit tonight, Double L." Tamsin pulled out a container and handed it to Lauren before pulling out the rest. Just smelling the food was making Lauren salivate at the sensory memories it invoked, and she didn't hesitate to start eating.

"Actually, could we talk about that a bit?" Lauren cleared her throat, always loving the burn of that first bite. "About Bo, I mean."

"Trouble in paradise already?" Tamsin smirked as she actually inhaled her food. Lauren really did need to teach her table manners if she was going to woo this mystery woman, but if it didn't take the first fifty times she taught her, it sure as hell wouldn't take now. Besides, this was purely Tamsin, and if this new woman could get past the chipmunk method of eating, then she was a definite keeper.

"No, I mean you and me and Bo." Lauren let out a deep breath, feeling her sinuses already clearing. The flavors were starting to surface on her tongue despite the spiciness, and it was exactly what she had been craving.

"I knew you'd ask me for a threesome eventually." Tamsin smirked, obviously teasing as she started to slow down with her food.

"You know I mean about the engagement and buying a place together. I didn't exactly do the traditional best friend run by with you on anything. Not in so many details, at least." Lauren put down her fork, suddenly not feeling that hungry despite how delicious it was. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay with everything because I need you there with me for this wedding. I need you to stand with me."

"When have we ever been traditional?" Tamsin let out a deep breath, the honesty surfacing on her face. "I'm happy for you. You know that. This is what you want, and Bo grows on you, so of course I'll be your best man or maid of honor or however the hell this shit is going down."

"Good because even though I'm marrying Bo, I'm always going to need you, just like she's always going to need Kenzi." Lauren felt overwhelmed by everything, knowing how much stress planning a wedding could be if her college, med school, and residency friends were any indication. Even Karen went bananas a few times, and it was surprisingly big sister to the rescue. It's why they decided Lauren would take care of the legal stuff and the house and Bo would start deciding what she really wanted for their special day, then they would make final decisions together. It seemed like they were jumping right into it without even setting a date yet. Their eagerness only told Lauren how much even she wanted this to happen. Still, it was scary and overwhelming, and she really did need her best friend to keep her sane and give her a place to vent whenever she would get frustrated at Bo during this entire process. Even though she absolutely loved her, Lauren wanted to be realistic and have a plan so she wouldn't yell at Bo and start a fight because the stress got to them. She went back to eating, knowing she couldn't resist chicken tikka masala for too long. Indian food was her kryptonite. Bo knew it, too, as she'd bring takeout home sometimes as an apology or to butter Lauren up for something. She wasn't sure what it was about Indian food that made the big conversations happen. Maybe there was some mental or bodily reactions to the specific spices used; Lauren was surprised she never did much research on that, though she was always too busy just enjoying the food and relaxing outside of her busy brain whenever she ate it.

"I'm here. Always." Tamsin rolled her eyes and let out an exaggerated sigh as she stared at Lauren. "Her name is Jo, and she makes me laugh."

"Good. You need to laugh more often. You've been too scowly lately." Lauren kept eye contact and was careful and slow with her chewing, hoping to encourage her to talk more about it.

"I like her, and that terrifies the hell out of me." It was Tamsin's turn to put down her fork and give up on eating. Lauren saw how much this was like torture for the woman, and she could recall a similar reaction when she started dating Bo.

"Why?"

"You know why. Sometimes when I like people, I have to make them go away." Tamsin's eyes were so wide and innocent, like she couldn't change that if she really wanted. She had made an exception for Lauren all of those years ago, again when they started dating, and yet again when they started to actually be only friends again, so it could be done. She just had to want it. "I don't know what to do."

"What was it you said to me all of the time when I'd start seeing someone?" Lauren made sure to stay calm. It was obvious Tamsin was thinking seriously about this Jo, and Lauren didn't want to show her enthusiasm too much. Tamsin was too easily spooked in relationships; moreso than Lauren.

"You need to get laid?" Tamsin smirked before clearing her throat, probably realizing she had started to open up about it and there was no turning back now. It's how they worked after all. Neither of them was a particularly great communicator all of the time in a relationship, but they were when it counted. Bo had brought that out in Lauren, and she could only hope this Jo could do the same for Tamsin. If someone could make Tamsin laugh, that was a huge first step because she usually didn't let her guard down when first meeting somebody enough to actually enjoy their company that much. She was usually the get in and get out type; she was just like Bo used to be pre-Lauren, minus the open romanticism.

"Besides that, which it sounds like you've already taken care of for yourself." Lauren missed these moments with Tamsin. It seemed like they didn't have many of them the past few months, and thanks to their grocery store conversation, she completely understood why. Now that things were starting to look up for her best friend, Lauren seriously hoped they could find their way back to each other again. "No, you used to tell me to stop thinking too much and just go with the flow. Why don't you do that? Don't overthink it with Jo and just enjoy being with her. She doesn't have to be the one, but you don't have to give up on her just because you're scared of what liking her means. You're capable of caring for someone and loving them; I'm proof of that."

"What if I'm not ready?" Tamsin looked so lost and every bit the scared she mentioned, though she would never let anybody else see this.

"Tamsin, you're ready. You've been ready for years but were too stubborn to see it." Lauren put down her fork and reached to hold her best friend's hand, which was gripping her own fork.

"What if I screw up?" She looked up and seemed to grip the fork tighter, so Lauren extracted it from her hand before she hurt herself.

"I'm screwing up all of the time, but Bo and I are still happy and better for it. Just last night, Bo and I argued about color schemes when we do find a house. Screw ups are part of a relationship; you learn to deal with the bad and good. You learn to compromise." She placed Tamsin's fork on the counter and moved to start rinsing her own fork and empty glass of milk before putting them in the sink. She packed the container again, kind of glad she wouldn't have to worry about making a snack for Bo, before putting the leftovers in the fridge.

"What if she can't deal with you being part of my life like Bo deals with me being part of yours? What if my girlfriend isn't as cool as yours about our past?" Tamsin pushed her own container away before standing to do the same with her leftovers and utensils.

"Stop with the 'what ifs,' Tamsin. You're a badass Valkyrie, remember? Just be your usual confident and charming self, and she'll fall right in love with you just like I did. If she has a problem with me, then I'll sit down with her and explain everything until she understands, if that's what you need." Lauren pulled out two beers from the fridge and opened them. She handed one to Tamsin, who immediately took a big swig. "Don't go into this thing thinking of all the possible ways it'll end badly. That was my mistake with Bo; it's why I hesitated so much. Once I gave in, I was better for it and now look at me. I'm getting married and buying a house. You and Jo are still new; just enjoy that part of it while it lasts. You can figure out the other stuff when you get there; just don't run away the second it gets hard because it will get hard. You know that."

"I guess it was easier with you because we already knew how the other worked." Tamsin moved into the living area, falling onto the couch as she took another long swig.

"It was easier because we already knew we loved each other and wanted to spend the rest of our lives together." Lauren moved to sit next to her, moving her feet from the coffee table and pulling a coaster over for her. "It wasn't as scary because we already knew that, but it's not how every relationship starts. Bo and I weren't exactly great at the start. It took me over a month before I could let myself admit I wanted her so badly that I finally did take your advice and got laid."

"It felt so strange to be so relieved to catch you with another woman." Tamsin let her head fall back against the couch, looking over and smiling at Lauren. It was genuine, and she didn't look so torn anymore. It was a good start.

"Just like I imagine I'm feeling right now hearing you talk about being with this other woman." Lauren let herself relax into the couch, propping her leg up to hold so she could be facing her best friend. "You're already exhibiting symptoms of someone serious about another person. I had all of those 'what if' scenarios too, but you were there with me the entire time. You were right here with me during that break, and I will be there for you with the hard stuff, too. No matter what happens."

"We both know I'm frustrating, so there will no doubt be breaks. Gonna share a bed with me and cuddle at night when I go on a break? I'm not sure Bo would approve of that." Tamsin took another swig, not ashamed of her teasing.

"No, but it's not just me anymore, either. You have Bo and Kenzi. Dyson and Hale. I'm sure if you asked nicely, Ciara would be there for you in a heartbeat, too. You're not alone, Tamsin. You never have been." Lauren moved forward to place her hand on Tamsin's knee.

"I'm allowed to be scared." Tamsin arched her eyebrow before moving to finally sit up fully on the couch.

"You should be. Relationships are scary things, but when they're good, they make everything bad and scary worth it." Lauren couldn't help but laugh at that scared woman she once was. If somebody had told her a year ago that she was going to ask a beautiful, complicated woman to marry her, she would've laughed and ignored them. "To quote John Lennon, 'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.'"

"You're so sappy now, and it makes me wanna hurl." Tamsin stuck her tongue out a bit and pointed at it to feign being sick, and Lauren just chuckled at how much like that teenage girl she fell in love with that Tamsin still was sometimes. "I'm still trying to digest the idea of you being all romantic with this proposal. Sidebar? You're such a nerd."

"Tamsin, you can play the badass all you want, but you're the biggest closet romantic I've ever known, or don't you remember the girl who used to pick me flowers all the time?" Lauren remembered not having any clue what to do the first time Tamsin had brought her flowers from her neighbor's garden. Eventually, she wound up getting used to the gesture, since it happened quite frequently, though it would never be in public. No wonder other students thought they were dating back then. Lauren used to love pretending that was true but never dared say anything to her best friend because she didn't understand what flowers really meant at the time. She wasn't exactly the most socially intelligent person in her younger years (and most of her adult years, too), and she had moved away to college before they had a chance to explore their mutual attraction. When they would see each other during holidays or impromptu visits, they would fall right back into the similar pattern but never did anything about it. So, it was only natural that they started dating when Lauren officially moved back to the city. It was the longest courtship ever, which was probably why she didn't think anything about that month long courtship with Bo. Tamsin didn't bring her flowers anymore, but Lauren was a lot better at social cues by the time she moved back, so she didn't need them to tell her Tamsin liked her, too. "You're finally moving forward instead of standing in place or going backwards like you said a couple weeks ago, so don't move yourself backwards when everything is good for now. Don't overthink things."

"This coming from the queen of overthinking." Tamsin smirked at her, and Lauren knew the heaviness of their conversation was done for the night. One of the most refreshing things about Tamsin was how easy she was to read once you got to know her. For someone like Lauren who always has had a hard time reading people, that was a great trait to have in a best friend. "Will we still have dinner nights and breakfast when you're whisked away to the suburbs?"

"Do you still want that?" Lauren hadn't even realized how much their lives would change. She knew she would have to start commuting again, but she had just assumed Tamsin would find her wherever she was.

"Always." Her jaw was steeled and her eyes expressed her confident honesty.

"Then, we'll still have dinner nights and breakfast." Lauren let out a deep sigh, not able to hide her smile. She didn't want to, either. Why would she? Lauren Lewis was the happiest she had ever been in her life, and there was nothing going to change that in this moment, so she wanted to share that with her best friend and maybe encourage her to find that, too. "I'm sure you and Kenzi will be carpooling to us quite a bit. We should probably have you two pick out the guest room mattresses, since you'll be the ones using them."

"Is it weird if I say I like your bed and you can just use that one? One less piece of furniture you'll have to buy." Tamsin nodded up to the ceiling, where the bedroom was located. Their intimate positioning caused déjà vu in Lauren, who could remember many a time that head nod was a proposition she always seemed to accept. It was funny to see it now and not react the same way she once did.

"True. And no, it's not weird. I know you've always had a love affair with my bed." She chuckled before finally taking a long pull from her beer, which had already warmed in her hand, before placing it on the table. She pushed her hair behind her shoulders as she continued to laugh.

"It just dawned on me how weird it is that I'm using Bo's old bed now, too. Suddenly, I feel the urge to go buy a new mattress myself." Tamsin looked disturbed and was no doubt picturing various scenarios.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. That bed was only ever used for sleeping." Lauren felt a desperate need to change the subject. She didn't want to think about Bo's past lovers for the same reason she wanted to start their lives with new furniture instead of using hers, even if Bo had been the only person she slept with since she'd owned the furniture in this apartment. "Do you wanna go out to the movies or stay in?"

"Let's go out. We don't do that enough anymore." Tamsin stood before taking their beer bottles to the kitchen. She was being domestic, like a trained puppy, and it was odd. What had this Jo done to her, and why did Lauren like it?

"Sounds like a plan. I'll just go grab my jacket." She moved to kiss the side of Tamsin's head before walking upstairs, not sure why she needed a jacket since it was extremely humid outside. Still, it never hurt to have one just in case. Lauren always liked to be prepared for anything, but she kind of liked not knowing how everything was going to turn out for once.