Short chapter...I know. Life has been busy and things have changed a bit in my life, so I am adjusting to it all and trying to stay fresh with these stories. there will be more to come with this story as I have a couple more chapters left in this one. so be patient and I will continue to update as I can while the dust bowl of life surrounds me!

My hand covered my mouth as I tried to hold back the gasp that was about to escape. I felt my heart tighten at the simple sight of Lauren on my bed. I was frozen in my place, my hand was wet as my tears rolled down and landed on my fingers, as I tried to hold back my emotions. I didn't want to upset Jack as he laid his head on his mother's shoulder. Lauren turned her head back around and whispered something to Jack. He leaned back out of her arms, and smiled. Lauren left him sitting in the middle of the bed as she slowly stood up. She turned to me, my eyes fell to the edge of the cast that ended at the edge of her left hand.

"Your arm...is it?" I pulled my hand away from my face, it trembled as I lowered it to my chest.

Lauren said nothing, just took the few steps towards me, she pulled me to her with her good arm, saying nothing at all as she kissed me. It was a kiss like no other I had ever experienced in my life, not from anyone in my life before Lauren and I was certain, no one after her. Because in that moment I knew there would be no one else I would ever want or need. I gripped her upper arm as I held her close, giving all I had in that same kiss, as she was giving me everything. She broke the kiss, and with her eyes closed, "I owe you my life and my heart."

I couldn't find the words. I just kept staring into the golden brown eyes that I thought I would never see again. I glanced at her arm, "Are you okay?" my voice trembled as the words faltered out.

Lauren smiled, "I will be, in time." she looked back at Jack who was smiling, "Having him back, it's all I need." she came back to me, "And you."

"He has become a part of this small family that grows by the minute." I leaned into her arms, my head resting on her chest as I shut my eyes tight and I listened to her heart beat, she was alive, she was here.

Lauren and I were soon interrupted by an excited little boy who missed his mother tremendously and never let go of her hand as we left my bedroom and walked to the kitchen. I could tell Lauren's arm was still healing, as she held it at a strange angle. While Jack was eating his cereal, I asked, "Will you still be able to be a doctor?"

Lauren never took her eyes off her son, "After a couple more surgeries. I have metal plates holding the bones together. My stubbornness and unwillingness to seek proper treatment allowed the bones to heal in a mismatched manner. I had to have the bone fragments and the bullet shard removed, then the bone re-broken." she lifted up the cast, "I will be back to performing surgeries in a few months, but I will never swing a tennis racket like I used too."

I smiled wide at her, "You played tennis?"

She glanced at me, "There are some things you still don't know about me, Bo." She looked at my bandages, "And you?"

I shrugged, trying to hide the half mummy I was, "Better, I have been told I will recover completely. All because of a doctor who refused to let me go when I should have..." Lauren shook her head at me, stopping my words. I pushed my coffee cup around, "How can I ever thank you for saving my life."

Lauren said nothing, just reached across the table and picked up my hand in hers. Jack giggled as he bounced in his seat, finishing up the last few spoonful's of cereal, "Mummy, I like it here. My room is really big and Miss Grace is nice, and Kenzi calls me Jackson. That's not even my name, but it's okay, I think she's funny." He leaned his head on his arm, "Can we go to the zoo again?"

Lauren laughed lightly, "Anything you want." Jack smiled wide, bouncing in his seat more. "Can we stay here mummy?"

Lauren frowned a bit, "It's not our house, Jack. It's Bo's and Grace's."

"There is more than enough room for two more, Lauren." I looked at her with hopeful eyes, suddenly wanting her to be with me no matter what. "I know Grace enjoys the house being a little more lively, and I. I would be willing to share." I smirked. Lauren sighed, running her thumb over my fingers. She looked at her son, as she spoke to me, "This is more family than he has had since Robert died. We will talk about it when Grace gets up, I would hate to impose anymore than I already have."

"You don't have to discuss anything further with me Lauren, Ysabeau is correct. This house is far too large for the two lonely ladies that live here." Grace walked into the kitchen in her robe, still looking as elegant as ever, regardless that it was apparent she had just woken up. She walked over to where Jack was sitting, "You are more than welcome to share this house with us as long as you like. Jack has his room and there is a lovely large room next to his that would suit you, Lauren." Grace smiled at Jack as he whispered a good morning. "You have become a part of this family, both of you."

Lauren bit her lip, trying not to cry. I stood up, moving to stand next to her, my hand on her back. Silence fell between us as watched Jack showing Grace the pictures on his cereal box.

After breakfast and some time spent with Jack as he showed Lauren all the pictures he had drawn over the last few months, we went outside to walk around the property. Jack was running around in front of us, playing and chasing leaves as the cool wind blew them around. I reached for her hand, taking it I mine as we walked. It felt strange to be walking in the green expanse of my backyard with her, especially after everything that had happened. I found myself stealing glances at her, it had been awhile since I saw Lauren, the last time I did it was for short, blurred moments. Lauren smiled, still watching Jack as he ran around, "Bo, you can stop staring. I have no intentions of leaving you." she turned to me, "Because I never want you to chase after me again." leaning over, Lauren kissed me on the lips.

I went to kiss her again when I felt a little arm hug my leg, looking down I saw Jack wrapping his arms around Lauren and I, giggling as he squeezed us tight. I kept my eyes on the little boy, "Lauren, I was serious about it, I would love if you and this little guy moved in." I turned to look at her, a smirk on my face, "Is it too soon to ask my girlfriend to move in with me?"

Lauren raised her eyebrows at me, "I think after everything we have gone through together, it's a pretty tame request." she bent down to her son, "Jack, what do you think?"

Jack poked at the cast on Laurens arm, nodding in agreement, "I want to stay here, mummy." She kissed him on the cheek and looked up at me, "I think that settles it." Jack clapped his hands as Lauren stood up, her cell phone ringing. Pulling it out of her pocket her face dropped a bit. "Excuse me, Bo. I need to take this, it's Audrey."

I raised my eyebrows as Lauren shook her head, "It's nothing like that, I called her when I landed. I am having her turn over all my files to John, she was my lawyer for a long time and I entrusted her with much of my private affairs." Lauren issued me a quick kiss as she stepped away to answer the phone.

I watched as she spoke quietly, her face full of calm determination. A small twinge of jealousy hit my heart but was eased as I felt Jack pull at my hand, I smiled as he waved at me to bend down so he could talk to me. I knelt in front of him, "Bo, are you going to marry my mummy?"

I was caught by surprise, and at a loss of words at the power of one little boy's question. "I don't know Jack."

He made a face, and played with my good hand as it held onto his, "Mummy is always happy when you are around, she isn't sad like she used to be." he smiled, "and mummy always told me that I should marry someone who makes me happy when I grow up." he nodded at me as if it was a hard life fact.

I sighed and looked over at Lauren, still on the phone. She turned and caught my eyes, smiling wide as a slow blush came over her face. Jack whispered as I kept my eyes on Lauren, "I want you to marry my mummy, so we can be friends forever Bo." I squeezed his hand, I didn't know what to say. I had not thought about marriage since Dyson, never really wanted it as I shuttered my heart up like an abandoned house. Now, one woman and her son were pulling down those boards and opening my heart to the possibilities of a life full of love.

Lauren was off the phone, coming back over to Jack and I. "Audrey is on her way over to John's office, with my files." she let out a steady breath, "I am going to run over there and meet her, try to finish this up as fast as I can so John can get to work sorting through the other small messes she made." Lauren looked at Jack and I with playful suspicion, " Are You two talking about me behind my back?"

I smiled and shook my head, "Not at all, right Jack?" He giggled and hide his face behind me. Lauren raised an eyebrow, I spoke quickly to throw her off, "I will come with you, Lauren, I want to see John as well, I need to thank him."

Lauren glanced at the ground, "Just be warned, Audrey is a little um, emotional. Apparently Jack's grandmother had told her everything about me being going to the war and being wounded." Lauren sighed, "She is still very much attached to me and it's going to be a bit of an ordeal."

I shrugged, "I can't blame her, I am very much attached to you and you have only been home for less than a day." I walked over to her, my hands on her arms, "I don't want you out of my sight anytime soon. I can handle an upset ex girlfriend, like you handled a jealous ex boyfriend."

Lauren laughed, "Hopefully you won't punch her in the mouth."

I laughed with her, "I don't have a mean right hook like you do, Doctor."

Jack was giggling as he pushed off from behind me, Lauren and I watched as he ran full speed towards Aaron. Aaron had a bright, wide grin on his face as he picked up Jack in his arms. He carried the little boy on his shoulders as he walked over to Lauren and I. Commander, how did you sneak past me? Grace told me you have been here all morning? I was sleeping on the couch in the front room."

"I tried to wake you up, but you were very much asleep, Aaron." Lauren half hugged Aaron. "You were mumbling something about accepting the academy award for best actor, and you had a smile on your face. I thought I would leave you to your dream." Lauren winked at Aaron as he changed the subject as his face turned a slight pink

"I have to thank you for saving my favorite girl here." Aaron winked at me, "My life would be drastically boring without Bo in it." He shifted Jack on his shoulders, "I was sent out here to collect you ladies, Grace is serving lunch in the kitchen and it's the size of a small buffet. I think she is a little more than excited that her family is whole again." Aaron set Jack down, handing him off to Lauren as Jack pulled his mother to the kitchen. I watched as she giggled with the boy, I could not stop staring at the woman.

Aaron half hugged me and smirked, "You should stop staring and marry that girl already, Bo."

I poked him in the side, "You know, you are the second person to tell me that today. What is it with you all wanting me to settle down." Aaron looked down at me, "We just want you to find the same happiness you have given us all. When you look at that woman, your eyes light up and the rest of the world fades away." he squeezed me gently, "I am serious Bo, I have never seen you this happy even though you were two toes away from shaking hands with the good lord. The nurses told me the few times you woke up, you asked for her. If that's not true love, I don't know what is." he motioned for us to start walking back to the house, "Marry that girl, and find the life you ran away from." I sighed hard and leaned into him. I was starting to think Jack and Aaron were right, it was time that I let someone in completely and capture the life I always wanted, but this time it would be with Lauren.