SNOWSWEPT

by CuddleFae

Dr. Lauren Lewis has been assigned to oversee the opening of a new hospital. Overwhelmed by all there is to know and learn in an unfamiliar land, she crosses paths with a mysterious woman with a dark past - a past that has caused her to live by one rule. Trust no one. Thrown into a desperate struggle, can they overcome the barriers between them in their fight to survive?

9. Chapter 9: Romance and Recovery

A/N: Here's another multi-chapter update… Chapters 9, 10. & 11 - three chapters to keep you busy for a while except for those of you who have apparently taken speed-reading courses or literally consume fanfiction for breakfast! Disclaimer: I am not responsible for loss of employment for anyone caught reading at work! Haha! Ya'll crack me up! Let the roller coaster chapters begin!

Again, I appreciate the continued support through reviews and messages. Thank you all so much!

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Chapter 9: Romance and Recovery

Bo lay on her side, her head propped up on her elbow watching Lauren sleep. She rarely slept until dawn even if she was up late at night. She was super light sensitive… always had been. Growing up, Bo hated this stretch of time from late April to mid-May... still did. Of course, she lived on the North Slope in the northernmost town of Utqiaġvik where daylight would increase by ten minutes a day until somewhere around the tenth of May, the sun would never rest… and neither did Bo.

She laughed, remembering how she would fight her mom at bedtime because she was still wide awake. Her mom would sew black pieces of cloth to hang in her bedroom windows to trick her mind into believing it was dark and time for bed, but Bo loved the darkness. She would lay on her bed staring out the window at the arctic sea and ice, the stars twinkling all the way down to touch the water. It was the main reason she had put in the gigantic window near bed. It calmed her when she was a child, she decided it would calm her as an adult… and she was right.

On the last day of July, her Mom would sit up with her just to watch the sun go down for an hour… well, not all the way down, but at least part of the way down so that they could sit in the twilight and watch the stars become clearer in the sky. Her mom would sing to her as she sat on her lap, head on her chest. When she was too old for her lap, they would sit side by side on the bench that she and her mom had built together. Bo would lay her head in her mom's lap and they would talk until the sun rose again… each day welcoming back the darkness ten minutes at a time, Bo savoring every inch the sun moved lower on horizon.

So, now they were in that stretch where the sun would not be passing below the horizon. While the view is fantastic for the few hours of twilight they still had, she was going to have to get used to having the sun all day again. Kenzi had told her there were these things called room-darkening shades that she could hang, but she really didn't want to lose her morning view. She supposed she could rig something that attached to her bedpost so she wouldn't have to get out of bed to look outside, but… well, that would be for later.

Here in Talkeetna, it wasn't as dark or light for as long, as it was on the North Slope, but she still felt as if it was. On top of that, her construction crews would work longer hours to make up for the time they'd lose on the job starting in August when the darkness started to creep in again. Her days at work were about to get longer. But then again, she had December twenty-first to look forward to again. It was the day with the shortest amount of light. Of course, this year, she didn't think she'd be looking forward to that day. Lauren would be leaving in two weeks.

She looked down at the blonde and smiled at how perfectly restful her sleep was. She'd had such a horrid day and no doubt, more would die before she could get the cure to them. While Bo felt just as bad as the next person about the number of people getting sick, all she really cared about was that Lauren could sleep at night. Hopefully, she was correct about her suspicions and would receive confirmation today that her idea would bring the cure she had been seeking all of these months. She could easily worry about Lauren's mental health, but she knew that her doctor was resilient. She supposed that death had been a part of Lauren's life for as long as she had been a surgeon of hearts. She couldn't imagine what that must be like… holding someone's heart in your hands, knowing that – while you had only so much control over if they lived – one mistake and they would definitely die because of your mistake.

Bo guessed that was why Lauren needed to be strong and in control all the time. She wished she could let go more often – be vulnerable more often. But only she got to see that side of Lauren. She grinned, thinking of how much control Lauren had released last night. Sometimes she was like a wild animal when they shared their bodies. Bo looked down at the scratch above her right breast, smiling at the proof of just how much control the blonde could release. Still, she was lucky to have found a woman who was strong enough to love her with all of her faults. She knew she pushed Lauren's limits, but after last night's chat, she was sure that if they could find a way, she would love this woman for the rest of her life.

For today, she decided it looked like it was going to be Lauren's kind of weather as it looked like it might hit sixty degrees, or close to it. Of course, the dogs were going to start getting sluggish. Anything above thirty was uncomfortable for them. She had already noticed the familiar signs that they were beginning to blow their coats. She would be pulling thick plugs of fur for the next month or so, keeping the fur to use to make a blanket Lauren to take back to Boston with her.

She would talk to LJ today about getting out the training sleds next week. The wheeled carts would allow them to give the dogs some exercise in the absence of snow, though the wheels made it exceptionally easy for them to pull. LJ had talked to her about starting a business for tourists to get rides on the carts and was looking into insurance and business models. Putting passengers in the carts would give them a bit more resistance to keep them in running shape. Their runs would be shorter because of the heat, so there would be more doggie cabin fever and more fights among the dogs. It would be crucial that her dogs be kept separate from any dogs they were boarding for others. Strangers do not make good bedfellows in a kennel. Her dogs came from a long line of dogs bred from the wolf, so like wolves, it was instinctive for her team to protect their pack.

There would be more puppies, there was no way she could prevent that when the females went into heat, but she and LJ had already discussed the steps they were going to take to keep the risk of pregnancies down, especially now that they had pups to care for.

She sighed, there was a lot to do today and really, all she really wanted to do was spend more time with this beautiful woman in her bed. She reached out and brushed some strands of hair back off of her shoulder. As her fingers grazed the skin, she realized it was cold. She slipped out of the bed and quietly snuck down the stairs to stoke the coals of the fire and get it roaring again. She slipped out to the garage and was greeted by wagging tails.

"Shhh… Lauren's still sleeping. Who has to go out?" Everyone pushed their crate grates open and rushed towards the door. Bo opened it, shivering as the wind rushed in against her naked skin, "Okay, so maybe not quite sixty today."

Harper was the last one out, nudging the pups along. It warmed Bo's heart to see her mothering the babies of the group. She wondered if she knew they were her great grandbabies,

"Good girl, Harper. You take good care of your girls out there."

One of the pups missed the step and rolled out of the door, "Oops. Get up, baby girl. You're okay."

Bo watched as she rolled over in the snow and shook her fur, "You are a little furball, aren't you? Go on then." She looked down to see the other pup hesitating, "Go on, you can do it. Jump little girl, jump!" She watched as Harper gave her a nudge. While she stumbled, she managed to stay on all four paws, "Good girl!" She smiled as she rushed off to find her sister.

Eventually, they'd be handling the step with no problem. They would want to stay outside for a while, so she decided breakfast was the next item on the agenda. She filled each of the dog bowls with kibble. They'd be running less now, so she was going to back off on the amount of fat the dogs received in their diet, but they would be fed twice a day from now until the temperatures dropped again.

She moved to her sled and unzipped the pocket on the rail, pulling out a bag of pastries she'd picked up from the bakery in town,

"Not exactly the breakfast of champions, but Lauren made me promise to be in bed when she woke up. There will be no cooking this morning. Besides, based on the position of the sun, I'd say it's about eight o'clock already and Lauren won't have time for me to make a fire. Of course, I already have a fire going, so…"

She opened a cabinet door, then another and another until she found what she was looking for,

"I forgot that I bought you yesterday. Almost forgot where I put you," Bo spoke to the fireplace griddle as if it were a real person or one of her dogs. She had to laugh at herself. She did that a lot. She pulled on her coat and stepped into the mukluks she kept in the corner of the garage as a backup and headed out of the side door. Walking around the side of the house, she opened the window of the camper covering her temporary cache and reached inside. Grabbing the small hand shovel, she dug down until she found the corner of burlap and lifted it, revealing the fish and meats she'd stored there last week.

She dug through the snow, looking for cloth labeled reindeer sausage and smiled when she found it, "You're going to love this, Doctor Lewis."

She hurried back inside, dropping her mukluks and coat just before the door. She wrapped the pastries in a damp cloth and put them in the cast iron skillet and she filled a bottle with water from the pitcher in the refrigerator. She grabbed the griddle, opening the legs as she walked to the living room and placed it over the fire. She took the frozen sausages and placed them on the hearth in front of the fire so they would thaw enough for her to cut then into circular slices to cook on the griddle.

Grabbing the skillet and water, she hurried back upstairs. She rounded the corner to find Lauren laying on her back, the covers at her waist, her arms over her head, hair splayed out across the pillow,

"When whatever God that exists built you, she threw away the mold." She swallowed hard, pushing down the want that coursed through her veins before she turned to the stove.

She put the skillet and bottle on the floor and grabbed another burlap sack. She loaded it with the remaining hot rocks and wrapped it up, putting it on the covers beside Lauren to keep her warm while she was partially uncovered. She retrieved the sack of cold rocks and pulled them out, placing them on the stove, leaving enough room for the skillet.

She opened the front of the stove and smiled when she saw there were still some red coals there. Tosh had recommended this model and he was right. This bad boy was staying hot threw the night just as he said it would. It was a solid investment. She stoked the fire before loading the belly with wood and closing the door. She then picked up the skillet and placed it on top of the stove. She went to the small chest next to the stove where she kept mugs, spices and tea. She pulled out two small satchels, loading both with a few pinches of tea before pulling the drawstrings tight and tying each one closes. She dropped one satchel into each mug and then closed the drawer.

Satisfied, she went back downstairs to see if the meat had thawed enough to cut. She pulled it out with the fireside tongs and felt the densely packed oval,

"Good enough." She smiled, moving back to the kitchen. She reached up to the wall and pulled down her fine, thin axe and moved to the opposite wall, pulling out the handmade cutting board that was between the refrigerator and toaster oven that were both currently without power until the solar panels were installed. Currently, she was shuttling dry ice to the fridge to keep it cold inside. When all else failed, she resorted to packed snow.

"Okay, Mr. Sausage. Let's chop you up."

She held the end of the sausage and with one blow, cut off a precise quarter inched slice of meat. She cut off three more before cleaning her axe off in the sink and returned it to hang on the wall. She carried the slices to the fireplace and carefully tossed them on to the griddle. She stood watching as they turned from a deep-frozen red to brown around the edges, waiting until the perfect moment to pull the hearth shovel and flip each of the four over. She heard the sizzle and smiled as the smell began to fill the room,

"Mmmm… protein to go with our fatty, sugary carbs." She smiled, walking to the windows to check on the dogs. As expected, they were running around the yard, puppies chasing their tails while Harper stood watch over the entire group. She really needed to get their shelters built so that when the sun started to come up hot, they were protected. She was still debating how to create a protected area for them to access the water. She supposed she could build a run from the yard to the water, but once in the water, anything could happen to them, including getting washed downstream if the current was strong or they lost their footing.

Hearing the sizzle on the griddle, she moved back to the fire and removed the sausages from the grate. She carried them to the kitchen where she plated them and then headed back upstairs, putting the shovel with the other hearth tools as she rounded the corner.

When she got upstairs, she noticed that Lauren had rolled onto her side, her long, bare back exposed to Bo right down to dip that led to her perfectly rounded buttocks. Bo had gripped that exquisite flesh for a good part of the night while Lauren road her with perfect form. She would never get enough of the blonde. She had entered her heart and stolen her soul.

She checked the clock and noticed it was eight-forty-five. Like it or not, she was going to have to wake the blonde soon or she would be late for her clinic hours. She slid into the bed, carefully wrapping an arm around Lauren before she set her eyes on the view outside. The mountain top was clear today, so it would likely be an easy run back to Talkeetna. Well, easy for the humans, hot for the dogs.

Still, Bo had to watch the time, remembering that Lauren was expecting a very important call from the CDC on her clinic landline between ten and eleven o'clock. The doctor had said that she preferred to be in before ten just in case the call was early. Even ten was late for Lauren who was normally in the clinic by eight, but she'd had a very long day yesterday so had posted a sign adjusting her hours to allow her to be coherent for her patients.

The best news Lauren had given Bo last night was the actually the last thing they'd talked about before she fell asleep in her arms. Evony had finally set up the emergency hotline, so Lauren had gotten emergency hotline signs posted on the door of the clinic as well as in every public establishment in the town. She had received two nurses from back east who had agreed to make the move and staff the emergency line, each taking a twelve-hour on-call shift, each rotating into the clinic when Lauren was not open for regular hours. They were both young, single and without anything specific tethering them to the east coast, both looking for an adventure. While it meant Lauren was on speed dial 24/7, so far, the nurses had handled everything that came their way. It had only been three days, but the doctor found comfort in knowing that she finally had the backup she'd sought from Evony for months.

Lauren had paid twelve-year-old twin brothers Sam and Scott Cardon to post the signs when then came looking for work. Both of their parents were sick and while their mom's fever had broken about a week ago, their dad was getting worse and so they didn't have his paycheck. They told Lauren that they had enough food to survive the winter, but they were running out of money to pay for their dad's medicine, electricity, phones and running out of wood for heat.

Lauren had agreed to pay them five dollars for every emergency sign they posted of the one hundred she'd offered them, in addition to free medical care for their dad. She'd told Bo it was the least she could do. She would be paid regardless of how much money she brought into the clinic and she was paid well. Those boys needed the money more than she did. Bo knew the boys but had no idea they were struggling or that their father, Colin was sick. He worked for the Alyeska Pipeline Services group that handled the trans-Alaska pipeline work for the oil companies that owned it. She knew their mother Wendy as well. She worked at the bakery where Bo had picked up the pastries yesterday. She hadn't been there when she'd gone by, but one thing was for certain, Bo would do what she could for them. While they'd never really paid attention to Bo, they had never been the type to treat her poorly. She would extend the olive branch and they would take it or not. That was entirely up to them.

She told Lauren to have the twins stop by the kennel today if they wanted work. She and LJ needed help with feeding, brushing and caring for the dogs. Now she had the puppies who needed to be trained. She could teach the boys how to train them, one step at a time. If they took to the work, if any other pups came along, she would have help. In the grand scheme of things, LJ would have the little brothers he'd never had, and they would have a good male role model if anything happened to Colin.

For now, she was happy to see Lauren so relaxed in this place. It was, indeed, an incredible first night in her new home. Her bedroom smelled like Lauren and though that scent would fade, she would still have the memory of this night to give her comfort until the next time she stayed here – whenever that night be.

Lauren stirred, rolling onto her back and cuddling into Bo's chest, "You're awake."

Bo nodded, pushing the hair from Lauren's face, "Too much light."

"You need room darkening shades."

"I need what?" Bo asked.

"Room darkening shades. They come in curtains too. The light doesn't get through them. I would think everyone would have them here."

Bo shrugged, "Most people make something themselves. I just don't want to lose my view."

Lauren nodded, "I can understand that, but if you use blinds, you just pull the string and have a look. At least it will be dark while you're trying to sleep."

"I'll have to look into those. Do you think I can make my own?"

Lauren smiled, "I'm sure you can. I'll tell you what – I'm ordering blinds for the clinic, so you pick them out. If you like them, once I have them installed, you'll have a model to copy from."

"I'm afraid I'll pick something you won't like."

"Okay then, we'll pick together." Lauren said, finally opening her eyes to look up at Bo, "Good morning."

Bo smiled, leaning down to give her an innocent little peck on the lips, but Lauren rolled her over and climbed on top of her,

"Lauren, it's almost nine."

"Shit! Really?" She groaned, falling to Bo's side, "How in the world did I sleep that long?"

Bo shrugged, "Good company?"

Lauren smiled, "That's for certain. I wish we had more time."

Bo nodded, "One day we'll have less to do."

"Can you remind me again of when that will be?"

Bo chuckled, "When Evony brings another doctor out here."

Lauren laughed, "Right. You do realize she brought two nurses out here to work twelve-hour shifts as a replacement for an additional doctor, right?"

"What kind of contract did you sign?"

Lauren shrugged, "One that basically turned me into her slave. Nadia told me her dad looked it over and that everything was on the up and up."

"I take it her dad is an attorney?"

"He actually works in contract law which is why I'm pretty sure she forgot to have him look at it and just told me he did. His office is one of the stops I plan to make when I go back. Like it or not, he is my attorney. I plan to transfer my business elsewhere when I return."

Bo nodded, "Probably a good idea. If he's harboring any resentment, he may not be all that motivated to be in your corner."

"For sure." Lauren nodded, "What smells so good?"'

Bo smiled, "Ready for breakfast? It's not the healthiest, but it's food and it's ready."

"Tell me there's something that's bad for me because I'm really craving donuts." Lauren replied.

Bo slid out of bed, moving to the stove, "It's couple pastries I picked up in town and some reindeer sausage."

"You cooked Rudolph?"

Bo laughed, "I was very careful to make sure that he was not the one that Tosh gave me."

"Tosh gave you meat?" Lauren asked.

She nodded, "There was a ton of meat in Big Jim's cache, so he gave me all of his and kept Big Jim's meat for himself."

She carried a plate and one of the mugs of tea over to Lauren, "There's two sausages and a cinnamon swirl pastry and this is a cup of tea."

"Cheat day! I love it!" Lauren smiled. But when she sat up, she realized she would be cold. She laid back down and covered herself, "Brrrr."

Bo laughed, reaching for her hoodie that was on the floor near the wood stove, "Here. Throw on my hoodie."

"Perfect!" Lauren said, pulling the garment over her head, "That's perfect… and toasty."

Bo pulled her shirt over her head before handing Lauren the plate again. She climbed into the bed and watched as Lauren tried to decide what to eat first.

"This bakery is the best. Actually, the twins you met – their mom works there, but she wasn't in yesterday."

"Well, her fever just broke, so she's probably still feeling terrible." She lifted her pastry to her mouth but glanced up to see the ropes on the ceiling, "Oh, Bo! We were supposed to work out! I'm so sorry I woke up so late. You should have worked out without me."

Bo smiled, "I promised I would be here when you woke up and I'm a woman of my word… except when I promised to teach you sledding."

"It's okay. It's probably better that Kyle taught me, so we didn't end up at each other's throats."

Bo laughed, "Plus, you made a friend out of the deal."

Lauren nodded, "This is really amazing, and the tea is great too. What kind is it?"

Bo shrugged, "The tea that's in the jars at Molly's store."

"Oh, so you don't buy the boxed tea bags?"

"Nope. Just more trash to deal with. Remember, I don't have regular trash pick-up here. I have to carry my trash into the sanitation station."

Lauren shook her head, "Another thing I never gave any though to. All of my trash is picked up by the medical waste company Evony contracted. Wow, I can't believe I slept so late. It's daylight already."

Bo shook her head, "It's been daylight for a long time. Remember, we're losing darkness this time of year. Besides, you were exhausted when you got here. Add to that, our rather long aerobic activity last night and I'm not surprised you slept late at all."

"You wore me out." Lauren winked.

"I think the jury is still out on who wore who out." Bo chuckled, finishing off her pastry, "So, I have to let the dogs back in so they can eat. Then I'll get them hitched up and ready to go. Do you need to borrow any clothes?

Lauren nodded, "That would be great. Something you don't wear much. I'll change when I get to back."

"So, do you like having the apartment over the clinic?"

"It's a very nice place. I can't complain." Lauren smiled, "Why don't you let me cook you dinner at my place tonight?"

"You don't have to do that, Lauren. You're going to have another busy day today. I was going to send you home with the leftovers from last night."

Lauren licked her fingers and clapped her hands together, "Oh, I will definitely not say no to that. There's plenty left. Why don't we share the dinner leftovers?"

Bo nodded, "We can do that if you want. Why don't we play it by ear?"

Lauren's energy changed and Bo sensed it immediately. The blonde nodded, lifting the bag of rocks so she could exit on her side of the bed, but Bo pulled her back, climbing on top of her,

"Don't do that. We promised, open communication."

"Okay, so is there a reason you don't want to have dinner with me?"

Bo shook her head, "Not at all. I just… I have my appointment with Dr. Gray, then the appointment with Tamsin."

"LJ said she told you not to make any plans for the day."

"He told you that?"

Lauren nodded, "Is there any reason he shouldn't have?"

Bo shook her head, "Of course not. I just figured you would be at work, so it didn't matter how long I was going to be with Tamsin. Lauren, honestly, my appointment with the doctor is from twelve to two, then I'm checking in at the kennel with LJ, possibly taking one of the teams out for a run for an hour if he needs the help, then checking on my own dogs before I head over to the sheriff's office to see Tamsin. Apparently, that could take hours. So…"

Lauren nodded, "I see…"

"I mean, if you don't mind meeting me down there, it would be hard for her to keep me if you show up."

Lauren smirked, "Oh, so you want to use me to get away from the feds. Sounds a little Bonnie and Clyde to me."

"More like Bonnie and Bonnie, don't you think?"

Lauren smiled, "Why don't you just come by the clinic whenever you're finished? If it's going to be late, you can stay at my place, so you won't have to run the dogs back at night."

Bo nodded, "If I don't have to run a team or two after I meet with Tamsin, I can definitely do that, but keep in mind that you may have an awful lot of prescriptions to deliver today."

"That's true, but LJ offered to help with that when I find the cure. I plan to take him up on that offer."

"I suppose that would kill two birds with one stone. He can run the dogs and make the deliveries all at once."

Bo leaned down and kissed Lauren softly on the lips, "Well, we'd better get going then. If we get there at ten, I should be able to get at least one team's run in."

Lauren nodded, "Now I understand why you're not crazy about puppies."

"It's a big responsibility and a lot of time. We'll put the pups in the basket, so we won't need to worry about leaving them alone with the big dogs."

"LJ said you're looking into hiring some help?"

Bo nodded, "That's a long way off. I'm not letting just anyone near our kennels. Right now, I think the twins are our best option. We help them at the same time they're helping us. That's the kind of arrangement I want."

"It would be great if you can help them."

"They get a great role model in Little Jon and they get something to do once school's out that won't let them get into trouble. It'll teach them responsibility and give them exposure to something that could become a career for them. Let's face it, I won't be driving a sled forever. Someone will have to take over the job and since LJ's the only one who seems interested in running the race from the family, I'd love to get some young blood in there."

Bo stood with Lauren, both moving over to the single dresser she had in her room. She pulled open the drawers,

"Take anything you want."

She stepped back while Lauren looked through the drawers, "Anyway, I'll pay the kids and they can help out with the bills around the house until Colin gets back on his feet."

"If he gets back on his feet. Bo, no one called me to tell me he was sick. The mom got better, so they assumed he would too. She got better because she got lucky. If the boys hadn't told me he was sick, I never would have sent a broad-spectrum antibiotic back with them. I just hope he's taking it. From what they said, he's had a fever for two weeks now."

"Like Elise's mom."

Lauren nodded, "If people would just see a doctor sooner…" She shook her head, "…there sure are a lot of stubborn people around here."

Bo nodded, "They're just not big on the medicine from the Lower Forty-Eight."

"I know, but they're getting better, Bo. Evony – hate her or not – is a big part of that change. Now she's giving you the emergency hotline and additional medical staff. It's not just volunteers anymore, Bo. I can make a real difference here if I can get everything set up so that people come to me rather than try to handle their ills all by themselves. Hopefully, I'll have won them over so that when the hospital opens next year, they'll feel confident about going there."

"The villagers will still likely go to Seline." Bo replied.

Lauren nodded, "But it was Seline who was smart enough to sound the alarm when she realized she was out of her depth with this disease. She's helping my efforts, Bo. I really believe that."

Bo smiled, "She likes you."

"I'm glad."

"Ready to go?"

Lauren nodded, "Toothbrush?"

"In the footlocker down in the bathroom. You go first and I'll handle the dogs, then we'll switch. I'd like you to hook up my team."

"Are you sure?" Lauren asked, a bit concerned.

"You don't think you can handle it?" Bo asked.

"Uh… well, technically I know what I'm doing, but… well, what if I mess something up?"

Bo laughed, "Then I'll fix it and you'll learn from your mistakes."

"Oh. Right." She nodded, "Okay then. I'll go brush my teeth, then hook up the team."

"Okay." Bo smiled, turning down the damper on the wood stove and gathering the remnant of their breakfast before heading down the stairway.

The two women went about their respective jobs and when all was said and done, Bo arrived in the garage to find Lauren holding two leads in her hand, her index finger and thumb rubbing her jaw as she stared down at Harper,

"What am I missing, girl? I shouldn't have any leads left, right? If so, then where do these two go?"

Bo smiled, "Those two are extra leads that I attach parallel to the centerline as backups. It's not something you'll see any other musher do unless they've been taught by my mom or someone from her family. Apparently, her great-great grandfather went over the side of a mountain. He had an extra lead attached to the center line just because he had extra rope. Turns out that the center line snapped, but because that extra lead line was attached, it saved him and his team. My mom taught me to use two parallel lines so that if I'm ever in that situation, a team of fourteen dogs and a sled isn't dangling from one thin piece of rope."

Lauren smiled, "Good idea."

Bo nodded, "But since we aren't going over any cliffs or over water, they'll just go in the pack on the rail. So, you said you wanted to get a workout in today, right?"

"Yes, but I don't know when…"

Bo closed the door, then checked the side door to be sure it was locked. She pulled open the garage door, then went to the sled and detached the center line,

"We have to get the sled out first, then we can turn them around. I usually set the sled up outside, then bring the dogs out one at a time. Your way is fine too, you'll see."

She turned the sled towards the exit, then called to her leads, "Nike! Diana! Come Haw!"

The dogs looked over their left shoulders and moved towards Bo's voice, "Hold onto the sled, please?"

"Got it."

"Put the hook in."

Lauren nodded, dropping the hook into the snow, pushing it down with her foot and sat on the seat while Bo held to each pair of dogs, making sure they made the turn and didn't end up tangling the team up with itself.

When they were all outside, she called out to her leads again, "Whoa! Whoa!"

"Now, just adjust the sled to reach the center line clip and hook them up. I'll double check your attachments and the gear. Always make sure you double check every line for excess wear and tear. One of the dogs breaks loose, the dogs near that one will take off after that dog while the leads continue on path. It's happened to me before and it is not a good situation.

She walked back into the garage, "Harper! Come on, girl! Bring your pups!"

Harper came sauntering out of the garage, yawning while the pups ran next to her, one running between her legs and almost knocking her off her feet,

"Oh boy. These kids are quite the hyper ones. Come on you." Bo smiled, picking up the out of control pup and slipping her into the basket. She gripped the other by the scruff of the neck when it tried to take off running, dropping her in with her sister. Finally, she picked up Harper and dropped her in as well,

"Okay, so workout plan, you drive and I'll rest." Bo laughed, stepping into the sled, nudging the dogs out of her way.

"Bo, I've never driven a sled with this many dogs."

Bo shrugged, "I'm right here, Lauren. You can't screw this up. Just remember you're going to be going substantially faster than you do with three dogs, so call the turns much sooner than you wood with your team. You'll get the hang of it. If you don't call the turn when I think you should, I'll give you five seconds and then I'll call it. I've driven the trail about ten times now and since there's no fresh snow, it should be carved out pretty well."

"Bo…"

The musher looked up over her shoulder at Lauren, "You want to drive sleds, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"And you're an independent, strong, resilient, badass woman, right?"

Lauren laughed, "I am."

"Okay then, end of discussion. Onward!" Bo said, pointing towards the exit.

Lauren stepped onto the sled and put a hand on the rail. She bent down and pulled up the ice hook, securing it in the sled. She pulled her googles down over her eyes and looked at Bo,

"You all tucked in and ready to go?"

"Ready!"

"Nike! Diana! Line out!" Lauren called before leaning down and whispering to Bo, "I don't have to do that with a three dog sled. Is the line tight enough?"

Bo smiled, "You know what you don't have to do with this six-dog sled? Worry about stuff like is the line tight enough. Remember, Lauren, these dogs are very well trained. They'll pretty much drive the sled for you. There's a reason everyone wants my dogs or their children. They're special… bred by a special woman."

Lauren smiled, "Thank you Mom Dennis."

"Exactly. I thank her every time I step on the sled behind these girls."

Lauren nodded, "Nike! Diana! Hike! Hike!"

The two leads gave a tug, jumping and pulling until the rest of the team responded in kind, hauling the sled out of the deeper snow and on to the trail that Bo had been using. They were quickly up to speed with Lauren holding on for dear life,

"Wow. They are really fast." Lauren commented.

Bo smiled, "Yup. Your first turn comes up quickly. It's going to be a right turn, so where do you want your body weight?"

"I turn into the curve."

"Unless?"

"Unless they turn to hard and start putting me in the deep snow."

"Correct. Now let's see you execute that little bit of knowledge."

Lauren called out to the leads, "Nike Gee! Gee!"

The sled began to turn, Bo's swing dogs moving a little too far right, causing the sled to move on a diagonal rather than a curve. She quickly adjusted her weight from a right lean to a left lean, forcing the wheel dogs to swing left, pulling the swings in that direction as well,

"Diana! Haw! Haw!" The left lead moved left, pulling the team back onto the trail and around the bend.

"Well, well! We have a musher driving the sled, ladies and gentlemen! What amazing execution!" Bo yelled, clapping her hands over her head.

"Really? Was it good?" Lauren asked.

Bo smirked, "It was good for me. Was it good for you?"

Lauren chuckled, "Are we still talking about a sled turn?"

"Sled turns. Right. Yes, that was good too!"

"Bo Dennis, you are incorrigible!"

"I didn't know we were using the word calendar."

Lauren laughed, "You can look that one up when you get a signal on your phone."

Bo smiled, "I told you, the only thing I can do on that phone is make a call and pick up a call. You have to teach me the rest if you want me to do anything else techy with you."

Lauren smiled, "Okay, okay. Phone lessons this week. Consider it added to my to do list."

The two pups stuck their heads out of the basket, climbing onto Bo's lap. Harper remained laying in the dark protected spot, content to be next to Bo,

"Well, what are you two doing?"

Bo laughed, "Lauren, I wish you could see their little faces right now. Their tongues are hanging out and they're totally watching the team."

"They're naturals, I guess."

Bo nodded, "Definitely."

The two pups started barking up a storm, yapping at the other dogs.

"What's that? Did they say they want to run?" Lauren asked.

"Definitely, but I told them they'd get run over. For now, I think they're just saying faster."

Lauren smiled, "Are they warmed up enough?"

Bo nodded, "They're good. Open it up, Doctor Lewis."

Lauren grinned, "This is awesome. Nike! Diana! Mush! Mush! Come on, girls! Let's see what you can do!"

The dogs seemingly shifted into another gear, Lauren gripping the handle that much tighter to make sure she didn't fall off. She leaned into the wind, enjoying the sensation of speed. This was the most incredible feeling she'd had since arriving here. She night have to start begging for a bigger team.

"Bo, thank you! This is amazing!"

Bo grinned, "You're a natural, Lauren. Nike, Diana! Top gear, ladies! Let's go kids! Show Lauren what it's like to run behind champions! Hike! Hike!"

"Whoa!"

"Hold on, Lauren! You have about a mile until the next turn. Make sure you slow them down a bit when you give the turn command."

"Got it." Lauren replied.

"We've got a hill ahead. You're going to have to peddle because of the extra weight in the sled. Have you practice much peddling?"

Lauren shook her head, "Only a little."

"Wait for their momentum to slow for just a bit, then run. Be sure you don't let them momentum slow too much or you'll have to actually push the sled. That will put a lot of strain on the dogs."

"Are you sure you want me to drive for this?"

Bo laughed, "I'm confident, Lauren. I'm just giving you some tips. You're doing fine."

Lauren nodded, seeing the hill up ahead, "Hike! Hike!"

She got the girls to give her all they had to get the momentum up and just as they broke up hill, she felt the momentum slow. She stepped off the rails, running and pushing the sled as hard as she could. It didn't take but a minute or two for her lungs to burn under the strain, but she stuck with it until she finally saw the crest of the hill come into view. With quads burning, she made the push for the top, watching as the dogs went over the top two at a time. Finally, the sled went up and tipped down sharply, throwing her arms over her head. She hung on for dear life, getting dragged for a moment before strong arms pulled her lower body up onto the rails. It wasn't graceful, but she did it.

She looked up to find Bo staring back at her, "Okay there, Doctor?"

"Uh… yea. That was…"

"Fine. You're still with the sled, so it was fine."

"Fine. Right."

Bo smiled, "Keep in mind that the sled has straight runners. It's like a teeter totter at the crest of a hill. If

You aren't on the rails when it goes over the top, the back rails will throw you off. It's simple physics."

Lauren laughed, "Tell my burning quads and abs that it's simple physics. I can't believe you did this for a thousand miles."

Bo grinned, "Now you'll understand the workouts I do when you finally do one with me."

"I'm not sure I want to now."

Bo laughed, "You'll handle it, Doctor. You're a strong, independent, resilient, badass woman."

"Yes, I am." Lauren smiled, "Nike! Diana! Hike! Hike!"

Bo grinned, looking up at a smiling Lauren. She couldn't' see her eyes through the googles, but she was sure that there was a twinkle in those brown orbs that showed all the exhilaration she was feeling in this moment. She was glad she had her drive. This was an experience she'd wanted since she came here. Bo could now check it off of the doctors' Alaska bucket list.

"Bo?"

"Yea?"

"Thank you for this. It's amazing."

"You're welcome, Lauren."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Kennels, Talkeetna

"Whoa! Whoa, Nike! Whoa, Diana! Good girls!" Lauren dropped the ice hook into the snow and hopped off the sled, moving to the basket to take the puppies from Bo, but when she arrived at the front of the sled, she found Bo covered in snow.

"Uh… Bo?"

The brunette looked up at Lauren, her goggles frozen solid, "Yes, dear?"

"Did I do that?"

Bo smiled, "Well, I wasn't driving, but I'd guess you could blame it on Nike and Diana."

Lauren planted her hands on her hips, "I would never blame those precious ladies for my mistake. I'm so sorry, Bo. I didn't see the turn and…"

"Turns, Lauren. Turns, plural. But, it's okay. You're learning and that's all that matters. It's not easy handling a sled for the first time at those speeds. You handled most of them nicely…" She pulled up her goggles, Lauren helping her to brush off some of the snow so she could access the zipper, "…and, bright side, you only hit that one little tree."

Lauren blushed, "It was really little."

Bo stood, handing the puppies to Lauren, "Which is why I was wondering how you actually hit it. I mean, there was a five-foot-wide trail and a slight turn left, but you somehow managed to hit that tree that was no bigger around than my forearm on your right."

Lauren shrugged, giving Bo and innocent grin, "I turned a little late?"

Bo laughed, "I'd have to agree with that. Definitely turned a little late. I'll have to put a sign on the back of the sled when you drive that says, 'this sled makes wide turns', of course if I put it on the front of the sled, it will be fair warning to all tiny trees."

"Really, Bo. I am sorry."

"Lauren, my first time on a sled, my mom was in the basket. I fell off the sled when I hit a snowbank and the dogs took my mom right into a creek." Bo smiled, her eyes looking down at the sled, "I must have run for a half mile before I found them. My mom was stripped down naked wearing nothing but her mukluks and the blankets we had in the sled. She and the dogs were running around playing in the snow. I called out to her and she turned around, looked at me and…" She shrugged, "All she said was 'what took you so long?', then she started laughing and playing with the dogs again."

She looked back up at Lauren, "God, I loved that woman."

Lauren smiled, "Love, Bo. You still love that woman."

Bo nodded, taking a deep breath as she opened up her coat, "It's really warm here."

Lauren nodded, "It's amazing… the temperature difference, I mean."

"Thirty minutes north is still north. Add to that the glacier-fed river and the mountains around my property and you have a completely different weather forecast than you have here in a town where the mountains are much further away. The paved roads here also attract sunlight as do black roofs on buildings, so everything will melt a bit quicker here. It could be as much as ten degrees colder at my place than here. Likewise, in the summer months, if they hit the nineties here, it will likely be in the eighties at my place so that's an excellent trade off."

Lauren nodded, "You don't like the heat?"

Bo chuckled, "You, my dear Doctor Lewis, will likely treat more patients for heat exhaustion and heat stroke than you will ever treat for hypothermia and frostbite. We definitely know how to handle cold better than heat. You'll see everyone you know to be happy and carefree become sluggish and grumpy when the temperature goes over eighty-five. If we hit ninety, they'll be downright unfriendly."

Lauren laughed, "That's good to know. It's the complete opposite back east. We tend to get very happy and active in the spring. If it's super-hot, we hit the beach or the pool. You would love Cape Cod in the summer… I mean, once you get over the culture shock and all."

"Culture shock?"

Lauren shrugged, "I'm guessing you haven't spent a lot of times around throngs of tourists, wall-to-wall businesses, boats everywhere, needing a fishing license to fish, drag queens and parades?"

Bo hesitated, "Uh… I think I'm in culture shock just hearing all of that. Maybe… never mind."

Lauren smiled, "What?"

"I uh… I just never thought of what it would be like there… I mean, when we talked about me visiting."

"Bo? Would you mind driving the sled into the kennel chute? I'm not confident in…"

Bo smiled, "It's fine, Lauren. Believe me, I'm not fully comfortable with it yet. I wish the chute was a little wider. I mean, it's cool that you can drive in and circle around the barn to exit, but the dogs are still nervous about entering the chute, so it's a bit hairy. Diana and Nike are fine, but when some of the other leads come in, it's like trying to move a moose off the highway."

Lauren looked confused, "Is that hard to do?"

Bo laughed, "I'll have to introduce you to some moose before you go. First, they're massive. Second, no one tells a moose what to do. Elk are the much the same. Reindeer are really domesticated Elk… I guess kind of like cows are back east."

Bo hopped on the rails of the sled and made her turn to swing left into the barn chute,

"Hike! Gee! Gee!"

Lauren watched as Bo had Nike and Diana lead the team to the right, then readied to make the turn,

"Diana! Haw! Haw! Hike Haw!"

The two leads slowed to a walk and Bo shook her head,

"Come on, girls! Hike! Haw! Haw!"

They strained, pulling the sled slowly, the other dogs following more quickly which put a good deal of slack in the line,

"Lauren, can you grab Diana's harness and pull her in there, please?"

Nodding, "Give me a second to put the pups inside."

Bo waited while Lauren hurried inside to secure the pups, then came back outside and took Diana by her harness,

"Come on, Di! Come on! It's okay! There's plenty of room! Come on!"

Finally, Diana picked up the pace, forcing Nike to do the same. Lauren released the harness and ran ahead of the pair, stopping when she reached the yellow line on the boards beneath her feet. She turned and put up her hands,

"Whoa, girls! Whoa!"

"Whoa!" Bo called out, leading all of the dogs to stop, preventing Nike and Diana from moving the sled any further forward.

Lauren leaned down, rubbing both lead dogs' heads, "Good girls! See that? No problem! Good girls!"

Bo turned and closed the gate to the team entrance. The way the barn had been designed allowed for an entrance chute that went around the exterior of the barn at ground level. The idea was that mushers could pull right in out of the weather and never have to take the dogs off lead in an area where they could take off if the handler let go of their lead. It also allowed for the sled to be pushed all the way around to the other side where they could exit the barn without ever having to lift the sled. In the rear of the barn behind the chute was the sled repair shop, so any sled could be steered off the chute and right into the repair area if needed.

It was nice to not have to lift the sleds, but the release process was now much safer for the dogs. The chute was separated from the kennels by a rail fence so the dogs could be released and easily move under the bottom rail to enter the play area where the dogs were free to roam, but not leave the barn. There was a ramp on the ground floor that led up to the second floor where Tosh and Mark had designed a kennel area that was much like the stalls in a horse barn. If the dogs wanted privacy, they could go to their crate and if they wanted to socialize or just be in the vicinity of the other dogs, they could stay in the straw-covered ground floor of the barn.

On the third floor were offices, veterinary rooms and soon, their new kennel store. They planned to sell the larger items that Molly and Mark didn't sell as well as higher grade leads, lines, sled runners and other musher supplies.

While Bo tended to the lines and began releasing the dogs, Lauren opened the basket and lifted Harper out of the sled, walking her around the fence to put her in straw. The pups immediately came running to her, barking a jumping with excitement. Lauren grabbed a brush from the shelf, released Nike from her lead and began to work through her fur as she spoke,

Lauren nodded, "Does it make you nervous?"

"What?" Bo asked.

"Traveling by commercial airliner to Boston? Traveling to Boston? Being in Boston?"

Bo shrugged, "You're asking if I'm nervous about going to a big city on a massive plane that I have no control over?"

Lauren stopped but kept a firm grip on the dog as she looked at Bo, "Yes."

"Nervous? No." She took Nike by the harness, grabbed a brush from the shelf and went to work on her coat, "Terrified, yes."

"You know, I never asked… have you ever been on a commercial airliner?"

Bo shook her head, "Commercial? No. There's no need for that here. I have a bush plane. That pretty much gets me anywhere I need to go."

"You own a plane?"

Bo shrugged, "It's in a barn down in Point Siku. During tourist season, I'm for hire for private aerial tours."

Lauren released Nike to head into the kennel, then took Aphrodite by the harness. She looked down and saw blood on her paw,

"Bo? She's got blood on her paw."

Bo released Nike to the kennel and walked to Lauren, "Let's have a look."

She lifted her left front paw and wiped away the blood. The dog whimpered and tried to pull her paw away, but Bo held fast,

"Easy, girl. I know." She stood, lifting the dog with her, "There's something in there. I'm going to run her up to the Vet and have her take a look."

Lauren nodded, "I'll keep working on the rest of the team."

Bo shook her head, "Lauren, you're going to be late if you don't leave now."

She nodded, placing the brush on the shelf, "Bo?"

The brunette turned back to the blonde as she spoke, "I had fun and… I really liked how open we were with each other. I don't want to lose that progress."

Bo walked to her, Aphrodite leaning back to give Lauren a kiss, "I'm so sorry your paw hurts, baby girl."

Bo smiled, "You know it's not your fault, right?"

Lauren shrugged, "I was driving the sled."

"And do you have X-ray vision, doctor? If so, I would think you wouldn't need those big machines that are in your new clinic."

Lauren chuckled, "That would be kind of cool."

"My point is, you can't know what's under the snow, Lauren."

"But I made bad turns and went off the trail twice. I know that the deep snow is where things hide. Any one of them could have broken a leg in a hole or we could have hit a rock. We had puppies with us."

Bo laughed, "So do you want a 'baby on board' sign for the sled too?"

Lauren slapped Bo on the shoulder, causing Aphrodite to growl, but Bo was on that right away, "Hey! No growling at Lauren. I deserved it."

Aphrodite turned and kissed Lauren again, the blonde stroking her head, "I have to get going. You're good here?"

"I've been doing it alone for years. LJ will be in at some point. Don't worry. Let me know how things go with the call. I'll be leaving here for Anchorage at eleven-thirty for my appointment."

"Good luck, Bo."

She nodded, "Thanks."

"Are you taking your truck?"

Bo nodded, "Yup." She turned to leave, but Lauren placed a hand on her shoulder. Leaning in, she kissed the brunette softly,

"I love you, Bo."

The brunette smiled, "I love you too, Lauren. See you soon."

"See you soon."

Bo watched as the blonde left the barn and headed next door to her clinic. She hoped that she hadn't missed the call. She looked at Aphrodite,

"Okay girl, let's go see what's in your paw." She turned to walk away, but the door opened and a sled came in. She quickly backed up to the yellow line on the boards and halted to the two lead dogs,

"Whoa, Kikkan! Whoa Rosie!" Bo called to the leads of her rookie team of lead dogs. This was her youngest group, so she was surprised that LJ had taken them out together as a fourteen-dog team.

"Hey, Bo! Boy did these ladies rock the dog sled world today!" LJ said, pulling off his googles and hat all at once.

Bo smiled, "I was surprised you took this crew out together."

"Well, I knew you had appointments today, so I thought I'd shorten the number of runs we had to do."

"Thanks for that, but still… don't you think it was a bit of a risk to taken all of these two-year-olds out together?"

LJ pulled off his gloves, stowing them on the shelf next to Bo's, "I understand your concern, but they've been doing awesome as teams of seven, but… well, honestly, I feel like Kikkan and Rosie are better leads than Reese and Sadie. It turns out, Reese and Sadie were great swings. I moved Scotty and Logan to wheels and, of course, they were great because they are incredibly strong. I ran Tyler and Callan together. I ran Corey and Hill together. Then I put Jesse and Cait together and Casey and Keegan together."

He pulled off his parka and hung it on the hook by the door, closing the door behind him, "I just ask that you give it a chance, Bo. You said you trusted me, so…"

"I like it."

LJ stopped disconnecting the center line and looked up at Bo, "You what?"

Bo smiled, "I like it. I just needed to hear the arrangement. I like it. You have my blessing."

"I… I… uh… thanks." He said, scratching his head.

Bo nodded, "Well done. I've got to get this one upstairs. She's got a bloody foot."

"Aw, poor girl." He said, walking over to rub her between the ears, "Well, would you mind waiting a sec so I can take her up? Just let me get the team unhitched. I'll brush them all down after I take care of her."

"Why do you want to take her up?"

"Because you have prospective employees waiting outside for the interview you apparently promised them."

"I have what?" Bo asked, handing Aphrodite off to LJ.

"It's the twins – Sam and Scott Cardon. They said that Lauren told them…"

Bo waved him off, "Right, I forgot. Let me explain that one. Wendy was sick, but her fever broke. She's still on the mend, so not working at the bakery right now."

"I wondered what happened to her. She always gives me a baker's dozen when I order donuts."

Bo nodded, "Well, Colin got sick a couple of weeks ago, but no one told Lauren. She sent some kind of antibiotic to him through the twins, but she's afraid it may be too late. If she gets a call in the next hour that her results are correct, they'll start shipping mass amounts of the right drug to treat the disease. If not, she said it will be up to each person's body as to whether or not they survive. It could be as high as twenty percent of the people who get sick."

He nodded, "Well, that doesn't sound good."

"LJ, you should know that we'll be doing a lot of deliveries to remote areas. You'll have to do the shorter ones by sled or ATV. I'll head down to the Point, gas up my plane and fly the drugs into the bush areas with Kurt, Bob and Meg."

"What about the locals?" Little Jon asked.

"Your Uncle Mark has a group of volunteers on call who will drive the local routes. Your Pops had the idea to use the train. He said you can put the word out on the internet for people to come to the train to pick up the medications. Lauren can print out directions, we can make copies and deliver them that way."

LJ nodded, "Sounds like a plan."

"Good. So, I'm going to give these boys a shot at working here. I'm thinking that if Colin doesn't make it, they're going to need a good male role model."

"My Uncle?"

Bo laughed, shaking her head, "You, ya goof. You're a great young man. You can show them the ropes, they can help to raise the pups, you can show them why this place, sledding and the dogs is something they could really fall in love with… maybe have a future as mushers or vets or handlers, or just business owners. I want you to inspire them, LJ."

"Sort of like you inspired me?" He asked.

Bo smiled, "Pay it forward, buddy. That's all I ask."

"I can do that, Bo. Hire them and send them in. What are we paying them?"

"How much are you and I taking a week?"

He laughed, "Right now? Nothing."

"We have no money left?" Bo asked.

"Oh, yea. We have money, but I don't need any. Do you?"

"Nah, I'm covered by Evony's salary. Did you order stock for the store?"

"Yup."

"Are we putting up signs or something?"

"That guy… uh… the artist from Anchorage that paints signs? He's doing it for us. Said he's sending it up on the train this weekend."

"The train? The train is a passenger train. Not a freighter."

"Yea, his sister is bringing it."

"I thought it was…"

"Bo, I don't know how he's getting it here and I really don't care as long as the design and size match what we agreed on. If not, I'll send it back with his sister on the train."

"Wow. You're quite the businessman."

"No, it's just that Aphrodite is really heavy and I'm still holding her while you drill me with questions about something you don't need to worry about because the twins are waiting for you and you have to leave for your appointment in an hour."

Bo's eyes went wide as she cocked her head, "Standing up to the boss. I like it."

"I learned from the best." LJ replied.

"Go. Take care of her and I'll see to the twins."

"Thanks, Boss."

"You're welcome, Mr. Vice President."

LJ chuckled, "Get them started on the coats! Show them how to use a brush!"

"Bossy, too." Bo mumbled, opening the door and stepping outside, looking for the twins. Finally, she saw them sitting over on the side steps outside of the clinic. Their blonde hair was something that always stood out. She walked over to the clinic and started talking to the pair before she reached them

"Are you trying to get a job at the clinic too?" She asked, pointing up the building.

They both jumped up, brushing off their backsides, "Uh… well…"

"He means… uh… wow… you're…"

"He thinks you're pretty."

"Shut up!"

"Well, you do!"

"I do not! I mean…"

"You love her. You have her poster in your room!"

"Shut up!"

Bo walked to the two boys, "Hey guys? So far, your job interview isn't going so well. You see, my employees cannot argue on the job. It would be upsetting to the dogs. They don't do well with raised voices unless they're hearing very specific commands."

"Sorry." The boys said in unison.

"Okay, so how do I tell you boys apart?"

"I'm Scott. I have a scar on my lip."

Bo looked at the youngster's lip, "So you do. Okay then. Now, let me ask you something, Scott. Do you always share your brother's secrets?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me. Do. You. Always. Share. Your. Brother's. Secrets?"

"Uh…" He looked at Sam who looked away, "I guess I sort of do."

"Why?"

He shrugged.

"Okay, why did you just feel a need to tell me about his personal feelings?"

Scott's eyes welled with tears.

"Oh no, you don't. You don't get to cry, Scott. Sam is the one that got burned here, not you. Rule number one about working for me? Don't dish it out if you can't take it yourself. You understand me?"

The tears fell as he nodded his head.

"No more tears. You have ten seconds to pack those away. Turn around."

He turned, facing the clinic. Bo counted down, "Ten, nine, eight…" she looked up at the window seeing Lauren standing with her hands on her hips. She didn't look happy, but she also didn't now the situation, "…three, two, one."

He turned back around, his face dry, "Good man. Rule number two, family is everything. Now, when I say family, I don't just mean blood kin. I mean the people that would do anything for you. Now, you guys think about it. If you were in a lake right now, freezing cold and drowning, who would you trust to risk their life to pull you out?"

The two boys looked at each other, Sam saying to Scott, "I'd pull you out."

Scott nodded, "Me too."

"I'd save Mom and Dad cause they would save both of us." Sam replied.

Scott nodded, "Me too."

Finally, Sam said, "You. You would pull me out."

Bo looked at him for a moment before she asked, "What makes you think that?"

Sam shrugged, "I know people say bad stuff about you, but I watched you at the Iditarod in 2017. You treat your dogs like people. You saved Little Jon Morton, no matter what Mr. Morton said. I heard they killed your dogs, but you stayed and have been helping people ever since."

Sam pulled off his hat and scratched his head, "My Dad said you got character and character is important."

"Sam has character like you." Scott added, "Dad said I need to work on my character."

Bo nodded, "Well then, let's make a plan to improve Sam's character and build yours. Sound good?"

"Yes." The two boys replied in harmony.

"So, this is serious work, boys. Are you sure you're ready for this? You're pretty young for working with these dogs."

"Sam has wanted to work with you forever."

"Are you telling Sam's secrets again?"

Scott scrunched up his face, "Sorry."

"Don't tell me. Tell your brother."

"Sorry, Sam."

"Good." She decided to try another approached, "Let's sit down over her, boys."

She led them to the steps of the clinic, noticing the faint squeak of the door to the cold room opening. She laughed to herself knowing that Lauren was listening,

"Let me tell you a story about another pair of twins. They were separated at birth and their whole lives, they both said they felt like something was missing… they described it as a piece of themselves. They went about their lives, doing their thing with their separate families. They even grew up, got married and had kids of their own, but they both said something wasn't quite right. They were pretty old and one of them had lost both of her parents. She and her brother went to their old house to clean it out and get it ready to sell. They were going through all of these old papers when they came across her adoption papers."

"She was adopted?" Scott asked.

Bo nodded, "And she never knew. So, she wanted to see if her birth parents were still alive, but her records were sealed."

"That means she can't see them, right?" Sam asked.

Bo smiled, "That's right. So, she started using this cool thing that can compare your cells to someone else's' cells… well, that part is really confusing to me too, but in the end, there's this big computer that has everyone in it who is looking for someone who they lost. Well, it turns out, her twin sister was looking for her, too."

"And they finally found each other?" Scott asked.

Bo smiled, "Yes, they did. And they said it felt like they'd finally found that missing piece. Since they met, they haven't separated. They live in the same town now and they've met each other's children and spouses. Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yea." They both nodded, their smiles as brilliant as the sun.

"My point is that twins are something really special – especially the ones who look exactly alike. You guys both came from the very same cell. You are each other's half. Does it sound like you guys should be arguing all the time?"

Scott laughed, "I've been arguing with myself!"

Sam laughed as well, "Well, at least you always get to win!"

Bo looked at Scott, "It sounds like Sam isn't very happy with his other half. You're pretty hard on him, huh?"

Scott nodded, "Yea. I guess I am kinda mean."

"And why do you think that is?"

Scott shrugged, "I dunno. He's always getting everything perfect."

"I'm not." Sam protested weakly.

Bo looked at Sam, "Why is it that I hear a lot of talking from Scott, but hardly anything from you, Sam?"

Sam shrugged, "Dunno."

"You see, when I ask my employees a question, I expect an honest answer. Rule number three, never lie to Bo. It's better to be honest, even if the truth is going to make me mad or get you in trouble."

Sam sighed, "He always wins the arguments. He always tells me what to do. He yells at me and if I do something he doesn't like, he punches me on my arm."

Bo looked at Scott, "Wow. It's sounding more and more like you're quite the bully. You know, I knew one of those once. He's in jail now."

"You mean Mr. Morton." Sam replied.

Bo nodded.

"I heard he's your Dad. Is that true?" Scott asked.

"He's my father by blood, but he was never a father to me. Not like your dad is to you."

Scott lowered his eyes, "Our dad is really sick. Doctor Lauren gave us medicine, but he's not getting better."

Bo nodded, "It makes you sad and angry all at once, huh?"

Scott nodded, "If he dies, my mom will be all alone. We'll have to be the men of the house."

Bo brushed back the blonde hair on his head, "Scott, if anything happens to your dad, you have my word that you, Sam and your mom will not be alone."

"You promise?" He asked.

Bo nodded, "I promise."

"We need the money bad. They're gonna turn off our electricity and we're almost out of firewood and we're gonna have no food because Sam and I don't know how to catch a fish! We tried! We really, really tried!"

"We tried to take dad's traps out, but we almost took off our own hands. And then a bear came, and we didn't know what to do and…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa boys. Okay, just calm down. All of that? I can help you with it – all of it. I promise. If anything happens to your dad…"

LJ came out causing the three to look up, "I wondered where you were. Bo, you're gonna be late for that appointment."

Bo nodded. All she wanted to do right now was stay with these kids, show them the ropes in the kennel and teach them what they needed to know. She looked up to see Lauren standing in the door. She was holding up a sign that read,

"You can move your appointment."

Bo sighed, "LJ, did you know these guys want to learn how to handle sled dogs, how to trap and how to fish?"

LJ smiled, "Sounds like my kind of guys."

Bo nodded, "I taught LJ everything I know and now he's teaching me things too. You see, if you're a really good student in life… if you really listen, if you really pay attention to how things are done… you may someday become our teachers."

The two boys smiled, looking at each other until Sam asked, "So are we hired?"

Bo nodded, "Yes you are, boys. You have to work really hard, right?"

They both nodded.

"No arguing, right?"

Again, they nodded.

"You listen to us and do as we ask, right?"

Another nod from the pair and Bo was satisfied, "Okay then. You're hired. The first two weeks, you'll make five dollars an hour until you prove yourselves. Then, you'll get a dollar raise a week until you're making twenty dollars an hour. Spread the word. The more money we make, the better the chance that you boys will get a raise next year if you stick around."

Sam smiled wide as he asked, "Bo? Do you think we'll get to ride on a sled?"

"I'm sure you will." Bo said, ruffling the boys' hair, "Now, I'm going to leave you with LJ because I have another appointment. Work hard, men."

"We will!" The two cheered as they followed LJ back to the kennel.

Bo looked up at Lauren and smiled, giving her a wave as she headed for her truck. It was time to get started on moving forward.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dr. Faith Gray's Office, Anchorage

Bo stood by her truck, staring down at the card in her hand, checking and double checking the address. She sighed,

"I guess this is the place."

She slammed her truck door shut and walked to the sidewalk. She hated coming into the city. There were too many people and too many cars. It was a city of almost 300,000 and she came from a village of 4,000. She moved to Talkeetna because only 800 people live there at the time. Now they were almost to 900, but she barely noticed the growing population since she knew many of the people in the areas she frequented. In another month, the tourists would start coming and Bo would stick to the skies, mountains and her dogs. It was one sure fire way to make sure she interacted with as few people as possible. Her plane could carry nine including herself. The mountain hikes were limited to groups of ten per guide and her dogs would be keeping her busy.

A group of people came walking down the street, they flanked her left and right, crowding her as she stood frozen in place. After they'd passed, she realized she was now looking at the ground, holding her breath. She couldn't move, worried that more people were coming.

"Excuse me. Are you by any chance Bo Dennis?"

Bo hesitated, being accustomed to that question leading to someone accusing her of a crime or something. She raised her eyes to find a woman just a bit smaller in stature than her with snow white hair pulled up in a bun. She had light blue eyes the color of the sky and as she smiled, they showed the kindness in her soul. That was the first thing that Bo noticed.

"Depends. Who's asking?"

The woman smiled, "I'm Doctor Faith Gray. I was looking out of my window watching the world go by when your truck pulled up and blocked my view. You looked lost and unsure of where to go, so I had a feeling you might be my new client. Would you like to come in?"

Bo hesitated, the immediate answer coming to mind being a firm 'no', but then she thought of Lauren, LJ and Tosh. She'd promised them all she'd give this a shot. More importantly, she'd promised herself she would give this a shot. She needed this. Hell, last night she was ready to leave Lauren sitting by a fire to come here and spill her guts.

"It's time."

Dr. Gray cocked her head, "It's time? Time for what, dear?"

Bo lowered her eyes, pushing the business card into her back pocket, "It's time I got this weight off of my shoulders."

"Well, let me see if I can help you with that. Come, dear. Let's have some tea. Do you like tea?"

Bo nodded, "Very much, thank you. Usually only at night, but right now, it sounds like a good idea."

The woman turned to walk inside, but Bo stopped her, "Excuse me, Doctor Gray?"

"Yes, Bo?"

"Would you like me to move my truck? I mean… so it doesn't block your view?"

"All I want to see right now is that weight lifted from your shoulders, child. Besides, I have a better view in store for our session. Come."

Bo smiled, following the older woman inside. In many ways she reminded her of Seline. Her mentor always gave her more questions than answers. She had a feeling Dr. Gray was going to be cut from the same cloth.

Entering the building, Bo found a room that held a receptionist's desk, two small benches, four rocking chairs and two recliners. There were plants hanging from the ceiling in front of the window and several paintings handing from the wall. The room smelled like lavender and vanilla with a touch of chocolate chip cookies. She could really use a cookie right now.

She looked up to see Doctor Gray holding a door open for her. Bo walked slowly towards the entrance, doing her best to muster a smile in response to the one reflected before her. When she reached the doorway, she stopped. Doctor Gray chuckled,

"My, you are a skittish one, aren't you? I'm hardly in a position to harm you, dear. My years of overpowering my rivals are, sadly, in the rearview mirror."

Bo smiled, walking across the threshold. She heard the door close behind her and swallowed hard. She felt…

"Bo, can you tell me how you're feeling right now?" The doctor asked as she poured two cups of tea on the table that separated a rocking chair, recliner and love seat from the rocker where she now sat.

"Trapped."

"Excuse me?" The doctor asked.

Bo took a deep breath, "Trapped. Anxious. Nervous. Tense."

"So many feelings." She smiled, "I noticed you were very uncomfortable outside just before I called to you. Can you tell me about that?"

Bo frowned, "I felt… invaded. Everyone was bumping into me. I was surrounded by people. I felt trapped."

"Even outside in the open air you felt trapped?"

"Being around people makes me feel trapped. I've been living on my own off grid for most of my life."

She nodded, "I see. So being inside…"

"Trapped… surrounded… like I'm in a tomb. I just feel like I… have to get out."

Again, the doctor nodded, "And what was it that motivated you to come inside when asked?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well, obviously you wanted to get back in your truck and leave. I'm asking what it was that allowed you to make it through my front door."

Bo lowered her head, pacing the floor, "Lauren."

"Lauren? Can you tell me about this Lauren?"

Bo shrugged, stopping by a bookshelf, the smell of leather reminding her of all of the new books that people had purchased for Lauren to replace those lost in the fire,

"She's a doctor…" She smiled, thinking of the blonde, before remembering where she was. She cleared her throat and continued, "…Well, she's the doctor who helped me to realize I needed to come here. She's a… friend. She helped me to realize that I didn't want to be… well… me… anymore. At least, not the me I've been."

The doctor nodded, "So you feel strongly enough that you wish to change… so strongly, that you allowed yourself to be trapped here rather than get back in your truck?"

Bo nodded, "I'll admit, I'm… afraid. I'm afraid of being here, afraid of talking about… well, a lot of things and afraid of… all of that." She motioned to the activity outside of the window, "There's a lot of people… there's a lot to handle."

"But still, you're able to push those fears aside to be here… because of this Lauren?"

"Not because of Lauren… well, not just Lauren… everyone I've come to love and care for over the course of this year. I… I scare people and I don't want to be that person anymore. I guess I'm more afraid of not changing than I am of doing what I have to do to make the change." She replied with a shrug.

The older woman nodded, calling Bo over to take a seat, "Sit anywhere, dear. I like to offer a variety of seating options so that my clients feel comfortable."

Bo chuckled, "I don't know that a chair will help my comfort."

"Nonsense. Come. Sit. Enjoy your tea. I grow it myself in my greenhouse out back."

"You have a green house?" Bo asked.

"I may live in the city, but I still live off the land. We lived off the grid up until we were too old to drive a sled back and forth between here and Knik River. I'm not about to rely on anyone else now. Looks can be deceiving. This appears to be just another store front, but before all of this was here, we purchased the land that covers several city blocks behind these stores. I couldn't survive if I didn't have open space to roam and I'm too old to hop on a sled and travel to and from the city anymore. Once in a while, I do travel up north, but I use the train nowadays."

She sat back, sipping her tea as she stared out of the large picture window, "I do dream about getting back on a sled. One of these days, maybe I'll buy three dogs and a sled just to have one last hurrah."

Bo nodded, thinking of when the time would come when she could no longer drive a sled. She's always thought that would be never. Still, she offered a weak smile,

"Well, I'd be happy to help you out with that last hurrah if you're ever interested. My dogs can do the trip down here no problem."

The doctor laughed, "I'm sure traveling from their home to here would be more like a short sprint to your champions."

Bo smiled, "It's a good training run in the off season."

The doctor nodded her agreement, "So you live in Talkeetna?"

Bo shrugged, "I've only just made the town my home, but still live off the grid. As I said, living in a populated area just isn't for me." She sighed, "I don't trust easily. I wish I could."

She watched as the doctor nodded, "So you were born and raised near there?"

Bo shook her head, her jaw tightening as she sensed the conversation going to a place that was going to be uncomfortable to say the least. But still, it was time she stopped hiding. She'd made a promise to herself,

"I grew up on the water line of the North Slope outside of the village of Utqiaġvik. When I moved south, I tried every town from the west coast to here. Now, I come to Anchorage to do business, but it's never comfortable for me. I made a home out of Point Siku for the last decade on and off, but recently I put down roots… I built a home in Talkeetna right on the river beneath the mountain range. I own fourteen acres of land, so I'm quite comfortable there… and quite isolated."

She watched as the woman wrote something down on her tablet before looking up at her, "So you don't like people much?"

Bo shrugged, "I like some well enough. I just don't like crowds."

Doctor Gray stood, giving Bo a wave, "Well, let's show you how I avoid the crowds. Let's go have a look at my greenhouse, shall we?"

"Really?" Bo asked.

The woman nodded, leading the way out thru another door in the corner of the room. They walked through a hallway, past a staircase,

"That leads up to my residence. As you can see, I abide by your isolation principles somewhat as well."

Bo smiled, "Less acreage."

"Less upkeep. I rarely stay up there anymore. The stairs are difficult. Everything I need is out here." She countered.

"In a greenhouse?"

She laughed, "You'll see."

Bo nodded, now more curious than ever about this greenhouse. The doctor opened the back door revealing a large room with many windows. Around the perimeter of the room and in aisles in the middle, there were old wooden waist-height planting tables that had small tabletop greenhouses and seed pots on top,

"Wow. Miniature greenhouses. It's like a small village. There's so many of them. My seed house is a ten by ten shed. I don't have anything like this."

The doctor smiled, "My husband and I were each born to land-owning families, both of us only children. When our parents died, we each inherited land. We decided to raise our two children near the river up north, so this land served as a kennel for our dogs. We had a routine that we shared as a family, the children learning how to survive on their own in the wild. Growing and selling our fruits and vegetables was our primary business while breeding, raising and training dogs was our secondary business. My husband was always trying new things. He loved the challenge of growing crops that others said could not be grown in our climate. The land near the river was his and this land had been in my family for generations, becoming mine when my parents died. We chose to live near the river because it had everything we needed to survive, and we wanted to raise our kids as our parents raised us."

She moved to a table the held what resembled miniature versions of the trees that Bo saw in the forest. Bo leaned down, analyzing the curved tree trunks as the doctor continued,

"When the kids grew up and moved to Seattle and Oregon, we decided to move here to my land. We moved all of this here by truck and then spent the last forty years or so building the large greenhouse out back. Since he passed, I've just never gotten out of the routine, though I do have a young man who comes in to help me several times a week. I cannot climb the trees or a ladder to prune the tallest of the trees in the greenhouse."

"You have trees in your greenhouse?"

The doctor smiled and nodded, "We brought the trees we'd planted with us because some were as old as our wedding vows and others as old as our children. As I said, we grew accustomed to a routine. There's comfort in routine."

Bo nodded, "I agree. It's nice when I'm just tending to my seedlings and checking on my planting boxes. Of course, being me, I enjoy spending time with living things that don't talk back or judge me."

"So, you feel judged by others, do you?"

Bo shrugged, "I suppose. I mean… if you knew more about my background and how I came to be in this area, you might understand why."

The doctor nodded, "I'm sure we'll get to that in time."

"You mean you're not going to ask me today?"

"You want to change, child. Now, do you want to be grape juice or fine wine because fine wine can't be rushed nor can it be bottled in a day."

Bo chuckled, "Fine wine it is, then. Will I be dry or sweet?"

"Well, I suppose that depends on how we cultivate the grapes, yes?"

Bo nodded, "Yes. Of course, I've never actually grown a grape. My boxes hold mostly root vegetables."

The doctor smiled, "Oh, you used winter boxes? I've never attempted those but have always wanted to try. Of course, this far south and having the large greenhouse I do, I suppose I just never got around to it. I have all I can handle already."

Bo grinned, "I'm sure. This is… amazing." She said, turning around in the space.

"Plants are your primary food source then?" The doctor asked.

Bo shrugged, "Being from the North Slope, my primary food source was fish… whale, actually. My Umialik was pretty insistent that I learn once my Mom and I were left on our own. I went on the hunts from that point forward."

"You were not raised by your father?" The doctor asked.

Bo shook her head, "My father left us when I was quite young. My mom disappeared just a few years after. My Umialik raised me for the next little while. We lived on his whaling ship."

"You'll have to excuse me as I'm not familiar with all of the Inuit terms. I believe Umialik refers to the captain of a vessel?"

Bo thought for a moment, "Actually, it's Iñupiat and I'm not one of them. I mean… I was just raised in an Iñupiat village. My mom was Athabascan. I'm still not sure how she ended up living with the Iñupiat people of the north since everything I remember says she was from the Athabascans of northern Canada."

She shook out her thoughts, cursing herself for feeling any need to correct the older woman. Her background really didn't matter in the grand scheme of things,

"Anyway, Wolf wasn't just a captain. The term means more than that, really. These Umialik… sorry… whaling captains… have tremendous stature in a village. They are highly respected for willingly sharing large portions of their catch with the village so that they can survive the winter."

Bo smiled, thinking back on the celebrations they would have, "When they would return to shore with a whale in tow, the village would join us and together, we would throw large hooks with long lengths of rope attached over the whale and then together, pull until we rolled it onto the ice. Wolf would then stand atop the whale and shout to the people 'Aarigaa!' which roughly translated means very good. Then, the crew would chip in to climb the ropes and use long blades to cut the meat into sections. Wolf and his wife would oversee the distribution of the meat to the families based on the crew's position on the boat."

She smiled, "Today, they use machines to do much of the work, but my village was very traditional, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were still doing it all by hand. Captains and their wives were permitted to host Nalukataqtitchi or a festival after catching a whale. They were tremendous celebrations with many traditional games including the Blanket Toss which was one of my favorites."

The doctor smiled, "Mine as well."

Bo nodded, "Everyone came out and participated. Depending on your rank on the ship, you would get a certain part of the whale. Naturally, the captain and their first mates got the best quaq and muktuk."

"I've had the quaq. That's frozen whale meat, yes?"

Bo nodded, "Whale blubber and skin are the muktuk. I've never been a fan, though my mom was raised on the stuff. I was quite chubby as a child as my mom would mix it into any meat or fish we had."

"The children of the far north need to have an additional layer of fat to survive the winters there. It's part of what allows you to thrive in the harsh conditions."

"I'm aware of that now, but as a child, it was all about what tasted good. As is likely obvious, I'm not a full native."

"That's the second time you've mentioned that. I suppose it's a source of pain for you?"

Bo shrugged, "More like a source of concern for the man who turned out to be my family and all of the people he made a point of telling I was cheechako or half breed."

"Your own father said that about you?"

Bo laughed, "I was unaware he was my father until just after the Iditarod and he is likely the primary source of all of my anger." She chuckled, "So I suppose I do have some serious daddy issues."

"But I suppose you take after your mother with that beautiful dark mane of yours and the kind and compassionate spirit I sense you possess."

Bo blushed, "I was told I looked much like my mother. My eyes, however, belonged to my father. Large and round, unlike my mothers. It's what led to me being referred to as a half-breed as a teen. Not the best years of my life."

The doctor nodded, "I'm sure."

"So, this captain who raised you, he was good to you?"

Bo smiled, "He and his wife were the best. They owned a large home in the village, but still spent most of their time living on the boat. When they were not whaling, they were crabbing, selling to a large manufacturing plant."

Staring out through the windows, Bo thought back to a time she had not remembered for years, "His name was Captain Wolf Deerheart, named for his keen instincts and love of the land. His wife was Ember, named for her almost red eyes. They took me in as a young teen when no one else cared. Despite being quite capable, I was alone and afraid. No one else would take me in because I was not a full native. I suppose times were different back then."

The doctor nodded, "Indeed they were. So how long were you with them?"

"A little over a year… maybe two before I set out to find my mother. I stayed with them again for a short time when I returned to find my family home sold out from under me despite the fact that it had been paid for. They said it was abandoned, so the local government took possession and sold it."

"And were you paid for the property when you returned?"

Bo shook her head, "I was a teenage girl. They pretty much laughed in my general direction and sent me packing with nothing but my sled and dogs. With nowhere to stay, I sought out Wolf and Ember. They invited me to crash with them as long as I needed, but at that point, I had become quite accustomed to living alone. Being such popular people, they always had people stopping by. I just…"

"Too many people?"

"Yea. So, I thanked them and told them I was setting back out to find my mother."

"I guess you've never found her?"

Bo shook her head, "No, but I have a meeting with a federal agent after we're finished here. She has news of my mother… at least I think that's why she wants to see me."

The doctor nodded, noticing that Bo seemed very interested in the tree trunk she was examining,

"Those are called Bonsai Trees. For a time, Harold and I had traveled to Japan and China for foreign exchange credits while we were in college. He studied landscape architecture and business while I studied meditation a practitioner who was also a Bonsai Master. She believed in the power of bonsai to bring all that is good in nature within… to bring order, peace and harmony to chaotic thoughts. While the origin of the word is Japanese, the growing art originates in China. My master referred to growing bonsai as Penzai, but I use the more familiar bonsai when referring to my trees."

"I've never heard either term. These are amazing. It's like a miniature forest."

The doctor smiled, "That's the idea. I try to recreate the forests I've traveled throughout my life. These five are meant to replicate the giant Redwoods of our country." She pointed to a large table that had a miniature landscape of several trees, rocks and a tiny river by a mountainside, "This is a replica of a Chinese Elm forest where my master lived when I was in China."

"It's incredible." Bo said, looking under the table to see how the water was circulating to create the river. She thought she might be able to use a similar technique to irrigate her seedlings and winter plants in the shed.

"So, is there a reason you picked these specific trees?"

The older woman shook her head, "Aside from these two landscapes, I just tried to use at least one of each tree I've encountered in my travels. There's a spruce from Colorado, a pine from Maine, a Maple from Pennsylvania… here's my attempt at creating a bonsai from a Florida palm tree. I'm not sure if it will make it since it requires much more light and heat than any of the heartier trees in the other tables."

"Do the lights help?"

She nodded, "They would never have survived this long without them, but I must run them all day, every day until the summer comes. While it's not good for life in Alaska, the warmer than average temperatures we've had the last few years have allowed their roots to strengthen a bit."

She moved to the replica landscape of the forest from China, "These are Chinese elms. This tree is also known as the Tree of Harmony. It was the first tree I planted. I carried it here from China. It was my first."

Bo noted the brilliant smile on the woman's face as she picked up a small pair of scissors and snipped at a few pieces of growth on the ends of two branches.

"They require daily attention, but I enjoy it tremendously. They are my children."

Bo smiled, "The kind that never get into trouble and never talk back."

The doctor glanced up at Bo, "They talk to me about their troubles every day."

Bo's smile faded, replaced by a look of regret, "I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect."

The woman turned to face Bo, "I did not believe you intended disrespect, Ysabeau."

"I would really prefer you call me Bo."

"Your insurance and all of your patient history says your name is Ysabeau, so on occasion, I will refer to you as such. You must gain back the pride in your name, child. I cannot imagine it was given to you by anyone other than your mother."

Bo smiled, "You would be correct. She learned of the name from a traveler who came to her village from somewhere in Europe."

"It sounds like you are quite worldly."

Bo shook her head, "My mother traveled quite a bit as a child. My father apparently traveled back and forth between two families… two wives."

She heard the doctor gasp, but did not look in her direction out of fear she would break down and cry over the feelings of betrayal that seemed to be coming forth from her gut. She quickly changed the subject,

"I, however, have never left the state of Alaska. Honestly, the thought terrifies me."

"Well, you do not have to attack that step until you're ready." The doctor smiled.

"Actually, Lauren must return to the city of Boston in Massachusetts as the end of the year. She is hoping I will come and visit her for a while."

"And you want to go?"

"I'm sure I'll miss her when she goes. We've become quite close. She's only the second friend I've ever had. I'm sure I'll want to go, I just don't know if I'll have the courage to go. She said I would need to fly there. I have my pilots license…"

"That would be a flight meant for a commercial airliner. You could certainly do it in a bush plane, but it would consume a great deal of fuel and a thorough plan for small airport landings and emergency landing sites."

Bo sighed, "I'm aware which is why I'm a bit nervous about the trip."

The doctor looked up, pointing to the sky above them, "The air isn't so bad up there, Ysabeau. Embrace the journey."

Bo looked up, thinking about what the woman said for a moment before noticing that they were beneath a reinforced glass roof, "Is that double glass?"

Dr. Gray laughed, "My, you are easily distracted. Yes, dear. It is indeed. The first year that Harold and I had this seed house, the snow cracked the roof. My bonsai and a few other seedings were in the main house at that time, but everything that was in here was ready for harvest and frostbitten by the time we found it." She laughed at the memory, "We ate nothing but meat that winter, but vowed to try again in spring. He started by visiting a man up North who taught him how to build a reinforced glass roof. Our greenhouse was built that way as well. Come, I'll show you the greenhouse."

"This isn't the greenhouse?" Bo asked.

The older woman laughed as they exited the seed house through a door that Bo could see held both screen and storm doors. When she passed through the doorway, she couldn't believe her eyes. She was in a massive greenhouse that seemed to stretch vertically up to the sky and across the land to the horizon. There were about ten rows of planter boxes with sizeable aisles in between and the rows seemed to stretch to the length an ice hockey rink. Beyond the boxes, it looked like there was just a thick forest.

"This is… amazing."

Bo walked down the rows, just in front of the doctor who was watching her every move. Bo leaned down and sniffed at a plant,

"Basil. It smells amazing."

She moved to the next, running her fingers along the box, "Rosemary, thyme, parsley, chives… is that coriander?"

"You know your herbs."

Bo smiled, "My mom used to grow these in a small green house that sat on our kitchen counter when I was young. She used two desk lamps that got very hot to keep them warm." She chuckled, "She said no potato was complete without chives and no meat was complete without rosemary."

"Your mom is a smart woman."

Bo lowered her eyes, "Was. She was."

"Will you tell me about her?"

Bo nodded, continuing down the row, "This mint smells amazing."

"The tea that is waiting for us in my office has dried ground lemon, ginger and a hint of mint in it."

Bo smiled, "That sounds delicious."

"It's comforting and I find that it's very good for digestion or stomach upset."

Bo nodded, "Dill, tarragon, fennel, parsley, ginger, sprouts, carrots… Doctor Gray, this is amazing."

"More than that, it's very therapeutic. Losing my husband was difficult but continuing to do something that we shared makes me feel connected to him in many ways. There's something about putting your hands in the dirt that is very grounding."

"I know what you mean. My mom and I used to come south every spring to tend the gardens that fed numerous restaurants. I used to love digging in the soil, planting plants and learning all about how to grow them. My mom would quiz me on the names."

"So, she was a gardener?"

Bo shrugged, "She was… everything. She was mom, cook, hunter, fisher, musher, weaver, seamstress, survivor, teacher… the list goes on and on. She was… everything." Bo paused, suddenly overcome with emotion. She looked down as she added, "And I don't know what happened to her."

Doctor Gray nodded, "So it that why you came to see me?"

Bo shook her head, "I don't know. I mean… my life before… and now… so much has happened and…" she struggled to find her words and after several moments, Doctor Gray placed a gentle hand on her back,

"Come. I'd like to show you something."

They walked down the aisle of the greenhouse, Bo returning her focus to the life around her, "Is this a pumpkin?"

The doctor smiled, "You can't very well make pumpkin pie without it now, can you?"

"Pumpkin pie. I've tasted it thawed from frozen in my friend's restaurant, but I imagine with real pumpkins you could cook it fresh?"

"Indeed." She smiled. They exited the greenhouse and turned to the right. Bo looked up to see another greenhouse… no, it was more a massive dome. Through the glass, she could easily see at least one large tree reaching to the top,

"Oh. My. Gawd." Bo looked at the doctor, "I know I'm here for an appointment, but… can we go in there?"

"I wouldn't have teased a plant-lover like yourself with an outside view. Come. Let's go see my version of California's Disneyland. I think you'll find they have little to boast about over my little playland."

The doctor laughed at her own joke as they walked to the greenhouse structure and Bo almost fell over. Standing before her was a massive grove of trees that she didn't recognize. Whatever they were, they reached to the greenhouse ceiling.

"What are they?"

"Those are my husband's pride and joy. There are seven different species of palm trees up there."

"Palms? Like the ones you're trying to grow in the smaller greenhouse?"

The doctor shook her head, "No, these are from California and they were started in California. They had a head start. But still, they said it couldn't be done. Not in Alaska. But he did it. They had a few sketchy years, but once they were strong enough, they took off on their own. From there, all he had to do was make sure it stayed warm in here." She pointed, "There… he built six of those contraptions in here. My mechanic, Kurt, he keeps them running in the winter."

"I know Kurt." Bo smiled.

"Oh, I'm aware that you know Kurt."

Bo frowned, "You talked to him about me coming to see you?"

"Of course not, child. That would be against doctor-patient privilege and I take my work very seriously. You do realize your face is plastered on every poster from here to Nome, don't you?"

Bo shrugged, "I didn't know that. I don't get out much."

"Right. Well, a shy champion is rather refreshing. That obnoxious billboard, however, is not so much."

"Billboard?"

"In Fairbanks there's a big congratulations billboard in your honor. I'm surprised they didn't ask you if they could splash your face up there."

Bo shrugged, "You pretty much sign your life away when you enter the race. I'm not much for the fame. I'm in it for the challenge and the fact that my dogs love to run. Of course, the prize money doesn't hurt either. It's not what it used to be with them losing so many sponsors, but it still pays for the dogs for a year as well as some other bills."

"And that shiny new truck?" She quipped.

Bo shrugged, "I wanted to sell it and take the money. It's too fancy for my taste, but my family insisted I get rid of my old truck. Kurt was having trouble keeping it alive."

The doctor laughed, "That wouldn't by chance be the truck he refers to as Jezebel, would it?"

Bo smiled and nodded, "It would. He committed sacrilege and sent her to the scrap yard. I think maybe I should not speak to him until the end of days."

"Not much to hold a grudge, eh?" She laughed.

Bo was quick to reply, "It was a joke. I was just kidding."

"Easy, child. I'm aware. I was joking as well."

"Oh." Bo replied, distracted by several trees that caught her eye, "Are those fruit trees?"

She nodded, "Fig, lemon, grapefruit and I'm hoping for that little tree over there to eventually produce apples and that one, cherries. We'll see. The other trees have grown so tall that they decrease the amount of sunlight the fruit trees are getting. I'm fearing their demise. I do love a good piece of fruit. Anything but canned is rare around here."

Bo nodded, "I hate canned fruit, but we do need the nutrients. I prefer to dehydrate my fruit for winter."

"That's a brilliant idea."

She led Bo over to an area of tilled soil placed in large planting boxes on the ground, "These go down six feet deep. We aerate the soil from beneath. There's zucchini, tomato, potatoes, and other staples planted in there."

"From beneath? How do they not freeze?"

"Again, my genius husband lined the boxes with warming coils that continually circulate hot water warmed by our solar panel array that is mounted on the land beyond the greenhouse. In the winter months, a generator run by a wind turbine keeps things warm. The growth is slow because it's still quite cold, but they don't freeze."

"Are they Heirloom tomatoes?" Bo asked.

The doctor shook her head, "That's a tomato called the Mortgage Lifter and next to it is the Oxheart tomato. Both have amazing flavor. The mortgage is excellent for sandwiches. My husband always hated that tomatoes fell out of his sandwich when he took a bite, so the mortgage lifter was the answer."

"Why's that?" Bo asked.

She smiled, "Just one slice fills the entire piece of bread."

"And the Oxheart?"

She pressed a hand to her chest, "My husband wasn't just the man I married, he was my heart and soul. He was not just my lover, but my partner in every way. Two years before he died, he planted The Oxheart in time for it to come up for our anniversary. It was very romantic."

"A tomato is romantic?"

She laughed, "You have much to learn, my champion. Not only is a tomato red, but that particular one is shaped like a heart."

Bo smiled, "You're right. That's very romantic. It sounds like he was a wonderful man."

"He was, dear." She moved down the row, "Here is the Palace King cucumber. It grows as long as your arm and it doesn't have any seeds. My husband had dentures. He hated seeds."

They walked over a bridge that crossed a waterfall that spilled into a small creek below. The doctor stopped on the bridge, leaning over the rail,

"If you ever need me and can't find me, this is where I'll be."

"Doctor Gray, I would never come without…"

The woman looked up at Bo, her eyes showing the kindness that came from her very soul, "I'm not your average doctor, child. If you ever need me, you come. My door is always open to those who are open to change. I will not be a part of this land for many more years. While I'm here, I wish to make a difference in the lives of others. I have much idle time, so you need never fear interrupting me, Ysabeau."

"It's Bo." She interrupted with a scowl, "Sorry. I don't use my full name."

"May I ask why? It's such a beautiful name."

Bo lowered her eyes to the water, the sound of the rushing water calming her nerves, "I guess… well, to be honest, I don't really know. I've always thought it was because it's what my Mom called me and… well, she's gone so I'd prefer the name be gone with her."

"I see." The doctor replied, her eyes set on Bo as if analyzing her reply.

"What?"

She shrugged, "I don't know yet."

"You don't know? Isn't it your job to know?" Bo snapped before shaking her head, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I… actually, I tend to do that pretty often."

"Do what?"

Bo lowered her eyes back to the water, "Snap at people. It's like there's something inside me that just gets… I don't know… angry… no, that's what Lauren calls it, but it's more…" Bo searched for a description of the emotion she was feeling just before she snapped at the doctor, "… aggravation."

The doctor nodded, "And does this… aggravation… often become anger?"

Bo nodded, "Outright, uncontrollable, ugly, embarrassing anger."

The doctor stood, hands on the rail, taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back before opening them again and looking up at the greenhouse roof. She stared at it for a long while before she turned towards Bo, her elbow supporting her weight on the handrail,

"So that is why you came to me?"

Bo shrugged, "I don't want people to be afraid of me anymore. I guess… I've been alone for so long… I want to join the real world again… at least… a small piece of it."

"Oh? And what piece is that?"

Bo stood up straight, rubbing her hands back and forth on the smoothly carved wooden rail. She noticed the fine wood grain and the rounded edges. The doctor's husband had been a skilled craftsman. She wished she'd had the chance to work with him.

"Talkeetna and the surrounding lands. I want to be able to move about without families crossing the street when they see me coming."

"People do that?"

"They do."

"Are you sure this isn't just your perception of their behaviors?"

Bo chuckled, "I wish I was that paranoid. Until now, I haven't really cared what other people thought of me. Until now, I lived in my own world, doing what I had to do to survive, make enough money to feed myself, to fish, trap, train and take care of my dogs."

"So, the term loner is an understatement for you."

Bo shrugged, "I suppose."

"Why the aversion to people?"

Bo turned back, her eyes scanning the foliage around her, "I guess this is where I'm supposed to tell you all about my mommy issues and my daddy issues?"

The doctor laughed, "No, this is where you answer my question about why you don't like being around people. Or, we can continue our walk through this paradise."

She motioned towards the other side of the bridge. Bo nodded, turning to walk towards the other end of the bridge. There was a slow descent down a ramp before it rounded a bend that led to a trail through a small grove of trees.

"So, you and Harold built this place together?"

She nodded, "We did, but there are certain things that he specifically built for me. My forte is growing. He was a landscape architect, so making this beautiful kingdom was his specialty. Where we stood on the bridge… he called it 'my spot' and only stood there with me once or twice. He wanted it to be a space where I could experience tranquility without having to go who knows where to relax."

"Thank you for sharing it with me. It's beautiful."

She smiled, "It is."

They came to a small hut across from a small pool of water. The doctor moved inside, taking a seat on the bench, patting the space beside her. Bo took a seat and stared across the walkway to the water,

"This is a nice spot as well."

The doctor nodded, "There is beauty and tranquility in this space."

"Is that why you brought me here? So I would feel comfortable enough to spill my life story?"

The doctor shrugged, "I brought you here so I would be focused on whatever you wish to share with me. Of course, I spend most of my day in this place. I'm not much the four-walls-in-an-office kind of girl."

Bo smiled, "Me either. I felt uncomfortable the minute I walked through the door."

"I take it you haven't lived in a home in some time?"

Shaking her head, Bo replied, "Last night was actually the first time I stayed in the home I just finished building."

"You built your own home?"

Bo smiled, "I own a construction company. We're contracted to build the new hospital up in Talkeetna… just as soon as we are finished rebuilding from the fire."

The doctor sighed, "Yes, I heard they'd had a fire up there. Something about someone seeking revenge?"

Bo nodded, her face twisting into a scowl, "My father getting revenge on me by trying to kill everyone I loved."

"You?"

"I'm surprised you don't know my father."

"Who is your father?"

"Big Jim Morton."

She watched the doctor's face morph into a look of shock, "That man is your father? He and his sons used to terrorize this town every Friday night. I knew his wife. She was part of the garden group I used to belong to back in the day. Most of us are gone now."

"I'm glad she had a life outside of the household chores. My mom wasn't that lucky."

"I don't understand what possible grudge he would have with his own daughter?"

Bo shrugged, "It's a very long story and honestly, I'm not completely sure what his grudge has been against me. I suspect the grudge has something to do with the whole adultery thing? When I showed up – the bastard child of his adulterous affair up north – in a town where his first family and all of his power resided… well, I guess I was just bad for business. He came after me from the moment I stepped foot into Point Siku. I later learned that my brother had been tailing me from the time I'd left the North Slope. I just… I didn't remember him until now. When I saw my brother at the Iditarod… actually when my brother tried to kill me at the Iditarod, well, that's when things came trickling back."

"Your brother tried to kill you?"

She nodded, "It was me or him. Luckily, it was not my axe that actually killed him. Sheriff Santiago had fired on him a split second before I landed my axe."

"And how are you sleeping after that?"

Bo shrugged, "Not well. I see his face in my dreams, only it's his face from when we were young. A face I didn't remember until recently. He was my best friend and protector when I was little. I just don't understand what happened to him that he became so… I don't know what."

"The pull of a man who has groomed you to be a certain way is strong." She shook her head, "So you didn't recognize your father?"

Bo shook her head, "No ma'am. Honestly, I spent most of my childhood looking at my feet where he was concerned. Whenever I've pictured him, his face was a shadow beneath a snow-covered fur hood with black eyes. He used to get very physical with my mom, so I learned to keep my head down when he was around. I wish I'd been stronger. I might have been able to stand up to him and save my brothers from following in his corrupt footsteps."

"I'd heard he is now serving life in prison."

"You heard correctly." Bo replied.

"Well, I suppose he is a conversation for another session."

Bo nodded, "I would appreciate that. I don't think I could talk about him anymore today."

She smiled, "So you've built a house for yourself. Is this the first home you've lived in?"

"Before last night, I had stayed in an apartment whenever I was in Talkeetna and had a hut similar to the one we're sitting in right now down in the village in Point Siku."

"Then you know my old friend Seline?" She asked.

Bo smiled, "She has been my mentor and mother-figure since I arrived."

The doctor smiled, "Ah, and how is she?"

"I can't believe you know her. It's a small world." Bo replied.

"It's Alaska, Ysabeau… not Los Angeles."

Bo shrugged, "I wouldn't know the difference. Never been off of these lands unless you consider Canada to the east of the North Slope new land."

The doctor smiled, "They may be in Canada, but they're still just like us, so no, you've never been anywhere but native lands. As for my knowledge of people in these parts, I've been around for a very long time, child. I know most everyone, but especially those who are in my age group. There are not many of us left."

"I suppose we should get to this counseling session then?" Bo asked.

The doctor laughed, "Our session is about to come to a close, child."

"But what about me lying on the couch and you asking me a ton of questions? What happened to you analyzing me and telling me what's wrong with me? What about me and my anger. I just can't be like that anymore. I can't." Bo asked.

The doctor smiled, "Then don't be. In those moments of anger, you must recognize the rage and tame your beast. Quiet your mind, listen to the anger that is beneath… the anger in your heart and soul… the anger caused by years of feeling abandoned by your mother and wronged by your father. Listen to the voice of the inner child that still resides within and ask her why she chose to pick now to speak up instead of in the past when it could have changed her path. I believe that is where you will find the source of your anger and learn to reconcile it with the woman you are now."

She offered Bo a kind smile, "As I said, Ysabeau. Like fine wine, these things take time. Be patient with yourself. Allow the grapes of your youth to grow as we do the plants that are all around us. There is a reason you love to be in the wild. There is a reason you've chosen to spend the time it takes to forage for your own food and to painstakingly care for a garden to produce something that you and your loved ones can consume in order to live. Planting and playing in soil grounds us to the earth where, in native cultures, all life comes from. Tending to a growing plant is like tending to the needs of a child."

"So, you're saying I grow plants so that I can help my inner child grow or something?"

She smiled, "Or something, yes. You'll figure it out."

Bo sighed, a bit frustrated with the answer, "So you won't tell me how to fix it?"

"There's nothing to fix, child. Life is a journey and who we are is part of our growth within that journey. You will figure it out and until you do, we'll continue to talk."

Bo took a breath, "But…"

"Fine wine, Ysabeau. Fine wine."

"Could you be more cryptic?"

"Would you like me to be?" The doctor asked in reply.

Bo asked, "But isn't there something wrong with me? Aren't you supposed to tell me what's wrong?"

It's what Lauren had made her feel… the way she was behaving was wrong. What was the right way? How would she know if someone didn't explain it to her?

"I've never had to do emotions. I've never had to do people. I don't know how to do people."

"Well, you seem to be doing quite fine with this person."

"But you're like me. You understand me."

"But I'm not the same sort of native as you. I've been to the lower forty-eight. I've lived there and thrived there. I've been around people, so I have experiences that have taught me how to interact with people."

"But I haven't and I'm doing it… wrong. I need to know what's wrong with me… with what I'm doing. Please tell me what's wrong. Isn't that your job? Isn't that why I came here?"

The doctor smiled, "If you need to hear what's wrong, I'd say right now what's wrong is your expectations."

"My expectations?"

She nodded, "Fine. Wine."

Bo sighed, recognizing she wasn't going to get any more answers from the woman today, "Right. Fine wine."

"There's still much of the greenhouse to see. For today, we'll make our way back to my office, have some tea and then send you on your way."

Bo watched as the woman turned and headed back towards the smaller greenhouse. She sighed, following reluctantly.

They sat for a while and talked more about growing seasons and laughed over their worst growing failures. They'd both had plenty of those. When the tea was gone and the conversation had died out, Bo stood to leave, but the older doctor had one more piece of advice before she left,

"Ysabeau, I know you are concerned about your anger, so I will tell you this. When you feel the anger rise, recognize it… greet it as you would a child. Ask it why it exists and if it can't answer, be patient with it as you would a child. Talk to it, ask it the hard questions about why it must present itself in the way that it does… why it can't speak more calmly. Ask questions that make it truly consider its existence and listen for the answers. In time, you'll come to understand one another."

"Fine wine." Bo smiled.

The doctor took Bo's hand, cupping it in her own, "Life is not meant to be rushed, Ysabeau. It's meant to be savored. We each have our own paths to walk. Choose to walk yours in the same manner you love your dogs, care for your dogs, plant your seeds and grow your plants. Transfer the way you live your life to the way you approach those humans you despise so much. In that way, you may find a kind of peace you may never have known otherwise."

Something clicked in Bo's mind as she thought about the doctor's words. She felt a sense of calm come over her that she had only ever felt in her mother's gardens as a child. She looked into the kind eyes of the old woman and smiled,

"Thank you. Truly, thank you for your time and generosity. I am grateful for all you have shared of yourself today. It was a very special treat for someone like me."

"And for me." She smiled, "See you next week, then? You can make an appointment with my receptionist on the way out. She likes to keep me busy."

Bo smiled, "I'll do that. See you soon."

"Be kind to yourself, Ysabeau."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Talkeetna, Sheriff's Office…

Bo entered the office to find Dyson and Hale sitting at their desks, combing through boxes of file folders. It took a split second for her to think about turning around and walking out, but instead, she stood her ground and cleared her throat,

"Ahem." She coughed a few times for good measure, causing the two men to look up, "Uh… I've never come here willingly. I'm not sure of the… uh… well… what I'm supposed to do. Tamsin called and told me to meet her here when I have time." She lowered the zipper on her coat and tugged at her collar, "Well, I have time now."

Dyson stood, walking towards the brunette. He stopped in close proximity. The man never did understand the concept of personal space,

"It's good to see you, Bo." He smiled.

Struggling not to roll her eyes, Bo nodded, "Good to be seen these days… by anyone, seeing as my father and his merry band of assassins wanted me dead not even a month ago."

He placed a hand on her shoulder. Bo's eyes traveled to the spot where he was touching her, barely hearing his voice as he spoke as her attention was again on his lack of knowledge of personal barriers,

"They're gone, Bo. No one will hurt you again. I'll make sure of it."

That was it. She just couldn't help herself. She wasn't sure where it came from, but she just couldn't stop as she laughed out loud. It felt like it came from her toes, but it filled her very being and it felt… awesome. She felt like she'd been waiting for years to laugh out loud like this, but still, she reigned it in when she finally noticed the pained expression on his face. She didn't want to hurt anyone anymore and this man had always looked out for her despite her resistance to his help. She sighed,

"I'm sorry about that. Lately, my emotions are all out of whack. I laugh at inappropriate times, I snap at people who are nothing but kind to me and… hell, I even cry once in a while. Imagine that."

She didn't want to let on that she had become a blubbering idiot almost nightly, not to mention the downright debilitating nightmares that sometimes left her unable to do anything in the morning other than sit by the river and stare at the mountain. In fact, her house would be completely finished by now if she hadn't lost those few precious hours each morning.

"It's okay, Bo. You've been through a lot. What do you say you and I catch up over dinner one of these nights? You're still staying at Kenzi's hotel, right? I haven't seen you around much lately. Kenzi said you were staying somewhere else? I know you like the off-grid life, but if you ever need a place to crash…"

Bo waved him off, looking down to keep her emotions in check. Now, she wanted to punch the guy in the face, then laugh in it,

"Dyson… if we ever end up at the hotel on the same night and I happen to be eating at the bar, you would be more than welcome to pull up the stool next to me if it's open and have your dinner, but we won't be having a dinner date, Dyson. You really need to understand that you and I… we will never…"

"Bo, I realize you've never been big on people, but if you give them a chance… give me a chance, you might find that I'm what you've always been looking for… you just have to…"

"Dyson, I don't have to do anything. This lovesick puppy thing has got to stop. I'm not interested."

"Bo! Thanks for coming." Tamsin said, walking towards the brunette. She used her index finger and thumb to lift Dyson's middle finger from Bo's shoulder, pulling back hard to make him remove his hand, "Dyson, don't you have some files to look through?"

Dyson cleared his throat, "Think about it, Bo."

Tamsin looked between the pair and decided she needed to put this whole thing to bed before Dyson got himself into some serious trouble with Bo or her family,

"Dyson, before you find yourself in the middle of a harassment suit. That would be the end of your badge."

She threw an arm over Bo's shoulder, leading her to the back office, "You'll thank me later. Move on, Dyson. Bo certainly has."

The pair disappeared into the back room. Hale leaned back in his chair, intertwining his fingers as he propped his elbows up on the arms of his chair,

"You really have to stop, Dyson. If the rumors are true… and I really think they are… Bo will never be interested in you or me or any other dude, if you catch my drift."

"I know there's something there, Hale. I can feel it."

"Yea, well your gut instincts where Bo are concerned have never been right. You always want to be her hero, but she doesn't need that, Dyson. She's not some fairytale damsel in distress that needs you to rescue her. She's a strong, independent woman who needs a friend who respects her and her choices."

"That doctor is wrong for her, Hale."

"And what makes you an expert on who is right and wrong for Bo?"

"I can protect her."

Hale stood from his desk, moving quickly to Dyson, he pulled back his fist and thrust it into the Sheriff's jaw,

"Wake! The fuck up! Dude, did someone sprinkle you with pixie dust and put you under some sort of spell? She doesn't want you, Dyson. Get over it and move on."

Hale threw up his hands and walked away. He lowered his eyes to the work on his desk, picking up a folder and slamming it down before he took a seat in his chair. He put his face in his hands, remembering what had happened between he and Kenzi after the Iditarod. She came to see him soon after the awards banquet. Hale thought it was so they could have some alone time, but apparently it was so she could express her fury with him for how he handled everything with Bo. After that, she didn't speak to him for a week unless it was required for work reasons. After that, she slowly allowed him back into the hotel for lunch, not breakfast or dinner. This week, he had been in for a few extra meals and she had made a little bit of small talk with him, but it was a far cry from where they had been before the Iditarod.

He didn't need to be associated with Dyson and his persistent pursuit of Bo.

"Hale…"

"Dyson, I'm not going to discuss Bo with you."

"You're dating her best friend. Can't you at least ask Kenzi to put in a good word…"

"No! No!" He threw his hands up and pushed away from his desk, putting his hat on his head and grabbing his coat, "I'm done with this, Dyson. Kenzi will never go to bat for you with Bo. For the first time in her life, Bo is moving towards happy. Kenzi and I are in Bo's corner here, Dyson. We're going to support her in living the life she chooses with who she chooses. I happen to like the Doc and think she is very good for Bo. Take a hint, Dyson. Get on board or get off the boat, but to be clear, Bo is the captain and we're letting her steer the ship without any more interference from us."

"But Hale…"

"Geezus! Just stop! Bo has been through enough and she's survived with no help from any of us. Being there for an altercation here and there is no big deal. She could have handled everything we stepped in for all on her own. The bottom line is that we all should have treated her better when she first came to town. As the law in this town, we should have stood up to Big Jim long ago and we didn't. She will never forgive us for that, and I don't blame her. Bo is a particular kind of girl. She doesn't need anyone to take care of her. All Bo needs is the land and her dogs. Anyone and anything else that she allows in her life she does by her choosing. Back off and leave her the hell alone, Dyson. If you don't, I'll tell Bo to sue you myself!"

He walked out of the office slamming the door behind him. He headed down the road into town, deciding the walk would do him good, but stopped when he heard Bo calling his name. He turned to see her running after him,

"Bo, get back inside! You've got no jacket on!"

She laughed, "After that speech you just gave Dyson, you're going to tell me to go get my jacket?"

Hale rubbed the back of his neck, offering a chuckled, "Yea, I guess you're right about that." He looked up at the brunette, "So, you heard all that?"

She nodded, crossing her arms over her chest as a shiver ran through her body, "I just wanted to say thank you. I don't know what else to say to get him to understand that I am absolutely not interested in a relationship with him."

He shook his head, "All I know is that being his deputy has put me in a position to follow his orders and I just don't know how much longer I can do that. Look, Bo… I'm sorry for some of the things I said and did at the Iditarod. I never meant to hurt you. I just… I was stressed and worried and Dyson was being… well, more Dyson than usual. I'm just… I'm sorry."

"Like you said, I heard everything you said. I understand, Hale. You're forgiven. Let me know if you need any help with Kenzi."

"A good word would be nice.?"

"You've got it." Bo said with a smile, "I've gotta get back to Tamsin."

"Catch ya later." Hale said, waving goodbye as Bo ran back inside, ignoring Dyson and moving quickly to Tamsin's office once again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tamsin had reviewed the interrogation tapes from the day Bo and Tosh met with Big Jim Morton at least fifty times now. She went and met with him twice more on her own, asking the same questions to see if the answers he provided remained the same, changed altogether or if new information came forth.

She had showed Bo the tapes of her interview and then several of the return visit tapes where she had asked the same questions. Now, she was showing Bo video where she spoke openly to Bo about what she had just viewed.

"Wait. So, you're going to show me video of you talking to me like I'm in the room, but the room is empty?" Bo asked.

Tamsin nodded, "Exactly."

"And you don't think it's the least bit strange that you actually videotaped you talking to me in an empty room?" Bo laughed.

Tamsin shrugged, "It's my process. I do better when I think out loud. Just listen…"

She pressed the button on the remote and the video began to play. Bo stiffened in her seat at the sight of Big Jim, but tried to focus on Tamsin instead,

Video – Prison Interrogation Room…

Tamsin stepped to the table, her angry eyes set on Big Jim before she looked up at the two men inside the door, "Guards, take the prisoner from the room. Put him in holding for ten minutes, then bring him back in."

The guards didn't question the order. They did as they were told while Tamsin turned to the window, arms crossed over her chest. When she was finally alone, she began to speak,

"The statements and questions that follow are for Ysabeau Dennis. If anything should happen to me prior to having a chance to speak with her, pick up your investigation with this tape. It will both bring answers to light for Ms. Dennis and, hopefully, get some insight from Ms. Dennis as well."

She placed both hands on the windowsill, "Bo, I've been following you since you came back across the border from Canada into the United States. When I wasn't with you, someone else relieved me… vacations, my Mom's funeral, other cases they needed me for… but usually, I've been your very sexy shadow for a very, very long time."

She turned and walked towards the table, placing her fingers tips on top and tracing the wood as she walked around it,

"I'm sure you want to know why I would have been assigned to tail you. I'll try to explain."

She sat down in the chair, facing the interrogation room camera. She looked up, her eyes now staring right at Bo as she spoke through the flat screen TV,

"There was a Federal Agent in my rookie year with the bureau. His name was Justin Guinn. I'm going to have to go back and look at his case when I leave here. It's a cold case…"

She shook out here thoughts, "Look, this is going to be difficult to explain because I don't have all of the facts, but you were somehow connected to Justin Guinn. They just didn't know how, so I was sent to tail you. Like I said, I'm going to have to go back and look things up, but I think I just figured out how your cases connect… just… bear with me for a few minutes while I talk this through."

She lowered her eyes to the table, "So, a woman was put into witness protection because she was testifying against a man who - at the time – was wanted in three states for multiple crimes as well as a suspected murder. One of his crimes was a case that Justin Guinn was working on – a case that had been passed on to him by another agent named Paul Marshall who had retired just a year or two after the case broke. Anyone who even breathed the man's name was put into witness protection until they could figure out where this guy was. He had like, a zillion aliases."

Tamsin opened a file folder, shuffling through some papers until she found what she was looking for,

"So, this is the case file. It says that Justin didn't know anything about the woman. I mean, witness protection means no one – and I do mean no one – knows where the person is except their handler. Their name is changed, their location, they're given a job and a full backstory that doesn't begin to match their original life. There's no way that Justin would have known anything about the woman."

She looked up at the camera again, pointing as she began to connect the dots, "Big Jim just said that in 2011, his eldest son caught up with Justin Guinn and questioned him outside of Flanigan's Pub in Portland, Oregon. They were questioning him about a woman, and he didn't know anything about her."

Tamsin opened the file again, pulling out a picture and pointing to a hand, "The thing is, that I happen to know that Justin Guinn retired with three fingers missing from his right hand. He couldn't pull a trigger, so he lost his field agent status. He rode a desk for seventeen years until he was old enough to retire from the bureau at our mandatory retirement age of fifty-five."

She pulled out a picture of Justin, pointing at his face,

"He couldn't remember. Justin couldn't remember what had happened to him when they found him. And do you know where they found him?" She stared at the camera for a long while before she cleared her throat, "Sorry… forgot you weren't actually here. Anyway, they found him in the alley outside of Flanigan's Pub in Portland, Oregon… in 2011. I know that was the year because it was exactly two years from when I started at the bureau and was assigned to a case that I've been handling ever since."

Tamsin continued, "Those were the early days of girls getting roofied in bars. We had guessed that was what had happened to Justin. He could remember anything about his day right up until getting dragged out of the bar and into an alley by three men in masks. He remembered being questioned about the whereabouts of a woman and her daughter, but that was where his memory ended. He couldn't remember who they asked about or what they asked. He only knew that he really had no information about the two."

Tasmin shook her head, "I know right now you must be thinking it's all just a coincidence, but I don't think so. Here's what I think happened. I think the people that assaulted Justin were Big Jim's guys. It happened in the same year and the same bar. A knife was found at the scene in a dumpster – the prints came back matching a dead guy, aged twenty-four, but we couldn't find any death certificate on the supposedly dead guy."

Tamsin stood, pacing back and forth, "So, these guys are asking about a woman and her daughter. He has no knowledge of them because they're not a part of his case, but these men know that the two females can dime them out. So, they torture Justin, cutting off one finger at a time trying to find out where the woman is. They drug him to get the truth and when he doesn't know, they give up and leave him behind, not wanting to kill a Federal Agent."

"Okay, so you think that Big Jim had his guys assault your agent because they were asking about a woman and her daughter. But Big Jim already knew that I wasn't with her. He had Jacob tailing me."

Tamsin paused, looking at the camera again, "Now, you may have your doubts since as far as you knew, Big Jim already knew that you weren't with her since your brother Jacob was tailing you but you have to remember that the reason he had him following you was because he so Jim thought you and your Mom were both off the grid."

She began pacing again, "I don't remember the woman's name, but I do know that I was put on you from the time you returned to the U.S. from Canada. I was on a protective detail that they'd hoped would eventually reconnect me to Justin Guinn's case."

She pointed to her palm as she laid out the facts,

"When he woke up, his fingers were gone. He bandaged them and crawled into the bar, unable to stand. The bartender saw him, and she called 9-1-1. What happened to him is one of our biggest cold cases, but now I'm thinking it's not so cold anymore."

She turned back to the door and called to the guards, "Bring him back in, please."

Looking over her shoulder, she looked up at the camera, "I think I know how to find your Mom, Bo. If I'm right, we solve two cold cases and the case of what happened to your mom. If I'm right and she's the woman who was placed in witness protection, they can unseal the records now that Big Jim and the rest of the gang are in jail for life. Bo, your mom can be free again."

End of Video…

Tamsin clicked off the video and turned to Bo who was staring at the center of the table, palms flat, eyes wide, mouth hanging open,

"Bo?"

She said nothing, so Tamsin placed a hand on her shoulder, "Bo?"

Slowly, the brunette turned her head towards the blonde, "Tamsin…"

She nodded, "I know, Bo. It's a lot to take in."

Bo's head bobbed up and down several times, "So… what now?"

Tamsin stood, moving to the chair nearest Bo. She pulled it over, and sat down beside her, "Now, I go back to the head office and ask to have your mom's records unsealed. I won't lie, Bo. They may say she's not out of danger yet, so they won't unseal them."

"Is she out of danger? I mean… if my mom has been in witness protection all of these years… if she were to come back here from… well… wherever she is… will she be safe?"

Tamsin shrugged, "I don't know the circumstances of why – if it's her – she was put in protective custody. The one question remaining is…"

"Why her and not me."

Tamsin nodded, "Exactly. That's the only thing that may be an issue. There may be another party involved… someone who Big Jim was willing to protect you from… or maybe your brothers."

"Protect me? I hardly think what they were doing could be considered protection."

"I'd have to agree with you there." Tamsin shrugged, "Well, that's really all I have for now. I just wanted you to know everything I know before I took off for New York again."

"New York?" Bo asked.

Tamsin nodded, "That's the field office where Justin was assigned, so that has to be the office that put her into protection… or at least someone there knows who did if it wasn't them."

"Okay."

Bo sat quietly, her fingers now interlocked, her head hanging, "So, what do I do now?"

"Wait?" Tamsin replied, knowing that would be very hard for Bo to hear.

The brunette chuckled, "I've been waiting most of my life. I guess a little while longer won't hurt."

Tamsin sat up straight, surprised by the woman's response, "Wow. You're being so… mature about this."

Bo smiled, "No sense getting all emotional about things I can't change."

She stood, walking to the other side of the table before turning back to Tamsin, "Besides, if she is in witness protection and left me to be on my own… I think maybe I might be a bit upset about that."

Tamsin nodded, "It may not have been her choice, Bo. Just so you know."

"Great. Just what I need. Another reason to hate Feds."

Tamsin smiled, "Well, I hope you don't hate all of us."

Bo grinned, "You're okay… I guess."

"Gee thanks." Tamsin replied, standing up, "So, I'll call you when I know more?"

Bo nodded, "Thanks, Tamsin. Really."

"You're welcome, Bo."

"Now, if you could help me get out of the office without further interaction with… anyone?"

Tamsin laughed, "I can definitely handle that as well as an additional lecture like Hale gave."

"Thanks."

Tamsin threw an arm over Bo's shoulder and walked her to the office door. Normally, Bo would have removed her arm, but in some strange way, the gesture felt oddly comforting… and completely uncharacteristic of her, but she wasn't going to overanalyze. She was still trying to process her session with Dr. Gray. She didn't want to think too much. Of course, not thinking about where her mom was would likely prove to be quite the challenge in the coming days. She might just find her taking Dr. Gray up on her offer to meet anytime.

As she stepped out into the fresh air, she took a deep breath. Right now, she just wanted to hitch up her team and go for a run. Maybe Lauren would be able to take a break. She looked down at her watch, then up at the sky,

"Dang. It's already three o'clock. Where did the day go?" She jumped into her truck and drove the two blocks to the kennels. Hopefully by the time she finished running her team, Lauren would be finished for the day. If so, she had a special treat in store for the blonde… if she was up for an adventure.

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