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?

26. Chapter 26: Separate Lives

A/N: Happy December, Everyone! So sorry for the long delay. A lot has been happening in life and writing just had to be put on the back burner. Many of you asked about my other stories being taken down, they had a great deal of original content, so I am working on a more secure way to share them with all of you. That's all I'll say about that.

I can't believe it's December! Time seems to move differently these days. I'm not sure if anyone else is experiencing this phenomenon or not, but for me, with temperatures dipping in these parts, it only seemed fitting that I give you a little more of this snowy Alaskan winter story… without actually having to be in their current 37F to -17F temps! Of course, if anyone is in Alaska, keep the home fires burning, stay warm and stay safe! I truly loved my time in your state and hope to visit there in winter one day… maybe just not negative temperature winter!

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Chapter 26: Separate Lives

Departure Day, Barn Loft

Lauren stood by the bed wrapped in a sheet. She looked around the room taking inventory of the damage they'd done last night. A broken lamp, a disconnected headboard on the bed, a broken curtain rod and torn curtain, and a broken pipe that Bo had to fix in the middle of the night. Lauren smiled, remembering Bo strapping on her toolbelt while buck naked. She bit her lower lip and squeezed her thighs as the memory surged through her. Who knew a toolbelt could be so damn sexy?

She gazed back at the brunette lying diagonally across the bed, her limbs splayed out to the sides, still in the same position she'd been in when Lauren had her final taste of the insatiable lover. The doctor chuckled as she looked around the bed speaking in a hushed tone,

"Broken mug, hole in the wall, and – of course – the smashed smartphone screen." She chuckled, "Kenzi, she warned you not to call again."

She turned her attention to the floor and smiled at the strap-on lying well-used on the floor,

"My dear Ysabeau, you will definitely know my wish for a homecoming present."

She smiled, biting her bottom lip one again as her core ached in more ways than one. The brunette had definitely made good on her promise – walking would be difficult today.

Finally, she walked to the bedside table and placed the note there, propping it up so the brunette would see her name. She placed to fingers on her lips before blowing the brunette a kiss and whispering,

"Waking you would just make it harder to leave you. I hope you understand. I love you, Ysabeau. I hope you find your way while I'm gone. I'll be working to find mine. Hopefully we both learn that what we have is deeper than just an incredible sexual relationship. I can't imagine my aching heart could mean there's not much, much more to us. Let's hope that our story is one where love wins."

She wiped the tears from her cheeks and moved to the bottom of the bed. She hung her panties over the desk chair with a grin, then pulled on her jeans and top, draping her bra over the chair was well. She pulled on her coat and, taking one last look at the tussled mane of black streaming down over the golden native skin of her lover's chest, she cracked the door and slipped through, making her way back to reality.

Lauren moved quickly down the steps from the loft to the truck. She'd had a quick conversation with Mary after their family dinner last night, explaining that she had planned to make a quick getaway in the morning so as not to wake Bo or Rudy. She would shower at the clinic, check in on her messages, discharge John Lightfoot and then head over to the airfield.

Mary was bringing a team of twelve of Bo's dogs with Lauren's sled and one of Bo's backup sleds. They would split the team for the days they were traveling separately as Mary assured them that six dogs each was plenty for getting around on the relatively flat terrain of the North Slope village.

When Bo and Rudy were cleared to be around people in the next few days, Bo would still have her sled and full team. Once she started training runs, Molly would have Rudy during the day or during Bo's overnight runs then pick her up when she returned. The youngster didn't complain about having to spend days with her friend Elise. Of course, when the family was over for dinner last night, Mark had explained that with the adoption finalized, Elise and Rudy were technically cousins. The two girls couldn't stop using the new-found family relationship as their new titles for one another.

Lauren slowed the truck when she saw a Moose and her young up ahead in the road. She smiled, watching the youngster rub her head up and down against her mother's torso while the elder moose pulled berries from an overhead branch. Lauren moved cautiously forward, checking to be sure that the mother wasn't spooked by the truck. Of course, in the battle of Moose versus vehicle, the former would always win. The large mammals were quite formidable – especially if their young were to be threatened.

Once past the pair, Lauren heaved a sigh of relief before she smiled and chuckled,

"You are well aware that Mosquito's kill upwards of 700,000 people a year while there might be fifteen Moose attacks on humans. Of course, all of those attacks are because humans are being silly and getting too close. So, why are you so worried that a Moose who is happily chomping on berries would attack you? It's not like she was a black bear, Lauren."

About another five minutes later, she noticed a CD in the sound system,

"Hmmm… what's this baby truck? I didn't notice a CD when I drove you the other night. Are you seriously telling me that Bo Dennis has learned to burn music to a disc? It's old technology, but for her, it's definitely progress."

Lauren smiled, pushing the disc into the player, "I'm going to guess Sinatra… or maybe some Motown from the old days."

She listened, anxiously waiting to see just how well she knew her lover but instead of music, Bo's voice came through loud and clear,

"Good Morning, Lover!"

Lauren smiled, unable to hold back her laughter at the perky sound of Bo's voice. But when did she… how did she know…

"In case you're wondering, I got up to pee last night and ran into my Mom knitting in the living room by the fire. We had a nice little chat and talked about a lot things, among them that you had planned to leave early in the morning to do rounds and discharge our friend John from the clinic. She said you had decided it wouldn't do anyone any good to have a long goodbye… that you'd already said your goodbyes…"

There was a long pause, Bo clearing her throat before she continued,

"I'm sure that before we fell asleep, we said a lot of things. Of course, if I went back into the loft in the barn and you were awake from your nap, you may have had other plans for me so I may not have had a chance to say all that I wanted to say. Right now, it's three-thirty in the morning and I just finished an online tutorial of how to burn an audio file onto a CD. Of course, I had to learn how to make an audio file first. Did you know there's an app for taking voice notes? Maybe I'll send you audio files instead of text messages while you're gone."

Again, there was a long pause, but Lauren could hear the clicking of a pen in the background. It was one of Bo's nervous ticks she'd picked up while working the register in the Kennel. She hated working the register.

"Okay, so we're going our separate ways after an incredible twenty-four hours. We won't get into the details but you should know that – no matter what happens moving forward – I will never regret it. I know you said it was probably a mistake, but I just can't see it that way, Lauren. Feeling that connection with you – even for only one day and night – well, it's worth it. I'll carry the memories with me until I see you again. And if…"

Lauren felt her throat tighten when she heard Bo's breath hitch,

"… if when we come back together, you have had a change of heart, I will always be grateful for all you've done to teach me how to open my heart to love and family. I little less than a year ago, I had no friends, no family. Sure, I had Kenzi, Kyle, Tamsin, Dyson and Hale but other than Kenzi, they were just people who kept me from landing in prison. Mark, Molly and Tosh were really just trading partners and LJ was still Little Jon to me. Let's face it, LJ will always be Little Jon to me… someone who I kept at a distance to keep him safe."

Lauren could tell that Bo was doing as she always did these days. She was allowing her mind to take her where it wanted to go. To remember, to feel and to accept, slowly, all that was becoming a part of her new life.

"… I guess I just want you to know that I am so grateful to all you brought into my life. I was a rusty old can, stubborn and prepared to live the rest of my life slowly disappearing into the land. You were my can opener. You were sharp and when my rust kept you from cutting me open to see that what was inside was still good, you persisted. Other people tried over the years, but they always gave up on me. You didn't… even now."

She smiled when Bo laughed,

"Now I know that the analogy of a can and can opener may not be very romantic, but neither was I back then… neither were you. But I think that's the other thing we've given each other. While you were opening me up, I hope that I was helping you to do the same. While I was learning to love, I hope that I was helping you to realize that you are capable of loving someone fully and completely. I hope that you know that you are worthy of the love of another… of a friend, lover, companion, girlfriend, fiancé and yes, a wife. I hope that you will find that I check the boxes of all of those for you…"

Lauren's eyes brimmed with tears as she heard Bo's voice crack and the recording cut off,

"That's it?" Lauren asked, panicked. She stared down at the sound system, tears rolling slowly down her cheeks as she leaned over to the device to be usre it was still playing. She blinked, turning up the volume which blasted loudly when Bo's voice sounded again. The sound of the brunette crying broke Lauren's heart,

"…but if you find that I'm not the one for you, I will have no regrets, I swear. You have brought me into the light and given me a family and friends. No one would have trusted me if you hadn't broken the ice with them and taught me to let them in as they had been trying to do with me for years. You helped me to reconcile my past with my Mom and for that, she's back in my life. I have a little sister who is so precious, and we'll be together for a long time."

Bo paused, sniffing several times before she continued,

"Well, I guess there is a lie in there. I will have one regret… that I never learned how to ride a bike with you. That I never got to teach you all I know about living in Alaska. I never really got to rub all of the city girl off of you and show you there's another way to live… maybe even a better way."

Another long pause came, but this time Lauren could hear the grief that Bo was suffering in her silence and it broke her heart. The road was blurry now, so Lauren pulled over, needing to hear the rest of Bo's recording before she got into town. She waited, crying along with her lover until she spoke again,

"Okay… being honest, I'll regret not taking yearly vacations with you. I'll regret not helping you to find your full potential behind a full team of dogs you've raised with your own hands, I'll regret not getting to know Lauren the heart surgeon. I would have loved to sit in that galley we're building in the teaching center to watch you bring a person back to life so they can enjoy more time with their loved ones. I would have loved to have a baby with you… to raise a child who loves to race a dog sled around the yard… who I could watch read five or ten books with you every night. I would have loved watching you help them pick a college and become someone important like their Mom…"

Lauren allowed her head to drop back against the head rest, the tears falling harder as Bo's voice cracked yet again,

"I would regret not sitting out by the river after a pit dinner, watching the moon and stars appear over your mountain night after night. Harper and Elsa would be laying together between us year after year and after they were gone from this earth, there would always be pups from their bloodline nipping at our ankles as we grew old together by our river beneath your mountain. I'll always regret what could have been if we had been able to make space in our lives for what truly mattered… the only thing that makes everything else matter… us."

An ache so deep ripped through Lauren's chest so viciously that she had to press her hand into the space as she folded in half and released all of the pain, she was feeling at the thought of losing the brunette.

"Be careful on your journey, Lauren. May the Athabascan Spirits fly with you and protect you in the land of my ancestors. I hope your flight to Boston is safe. I think it would be better if we don't see each other until you get back from Boston unless there's an emergency. I don't think I can go through this again. I'm sorry if that makes me weak, but this is harder than I thought it would be. I'll find my way through it as I always have. I'll go to the only other place I can go where my heart can begin to heal. Honestly, I'm not sure it ever really will."

She could hear Bo heave a big sigh – a cleansing breath followed before she spoke again,

"You've left your mark on me, Lauren Lewis. I will always love you, no matter where you go or what you do. No matter what happens, I'll always be grateful that we had this year together. You are my one great love. I truly believe that. The love that only comes around once in a lifetime. It's an experience I wouldn't change for anything."

Bo chuckled,

"I hope I was worth all of the worry, fear and grief I gave you. But most of all, I hope you find what you're looking for. I love you. Goodbye."

She heard the click and knew the recording was over. What came next was most unexpected,

"Hi Lauren! I talked Sister into letting me record too. She's not too happy that I'm out of bed and really not happy that I came up to your guys room without yelling up to her first, but Mommy told me you two were having a sleepout private party in the barn, so I didn't really do anything wrong…"

Bo's frustrated voice sounded, "Roo, get to your message, kiddo."

"Right. Sister is grumpy so I just wanted to say I love you and I'll read my new Seuss book the whole time you're gone. When you get back, I'll be able to read it to you without any mistakes! Bo's gonna teach me to sled while you're gone, so when you get back, maybe I'll be good enough to race you like Bo does! I'm gonna miss you so much. I love you and even though you're not marrying my Sister until later, I still love you like a Sister. I wish I was going with you to Boston. I would get to surf on your beach! I love to surf, did you know that?"

"Roo…"

"I know, I know."

She could hear the little girls' voice crack,

"I love you, Lauren. Please come home soon. I'll miss you and… and… Bo…"

She could hear Rudy crying hard as she imagined the youngster's head finding the familiar crook in Bo's neck as she'd seen her do a hundred times by now. The image was burned into her mind.

"It'll be okay Roo…"

She heard Bo say before the recording cut off. Lauren waited, hoping to hear Bo's voice one more time, but the CD Player read -End-. She sat, wiping her tears on her sleeve before she dug around in her bag for the small baggie of tissues she had packed.

She blew her nose and wiped her cheeks, then took several deep breaths to calm herself. She pulled out some hand sanitizer, then took a sip of her water… then another. She gripped the steering wheel, turning her hands forward and back as she stared down at the picture Bo kept of them over the speedometer. It always drove Lauren crazy that the picture blocked her view of the speedometer, but Bo insisted that when she was looking at the two of them together, it reminded her to be calm and take her time on the road.

Lauren looked up, noting that she was about fifteen minutes from town. She looked in the rearview mirror and thought about the family she'd left behind. She shook her head,

"What are you doing, Lauren? Are you running away from something or are you running to something? Is what you're running from fear? Is what you're running to better than what you're leaving behind?"

She lowered her head to the steering wheel and heaved another breath. She sat up straight,

"You made a decision to take time, so take the time. Answer the questions you just asked. Bo will be here. You heard her. She loves you. She'll still be here when you get back. If you don't take the time now, things may just slide right back into the way they were. She has no idea what it's like to be with you when you're doing surgeries. She has no idea what it takes to be the wife of a cardiothoracic surgeon. I have to see this through, no matter what. If it's meant to be, we'll find our way back together. Like Bo says, this is just a part of the Bo and Lauren journey. We'll be together in our own time."

With one last check of her face, she tossed her tissues into the trash bin hanging from the gearshift and put the bottle of hand sanitizer away. She put her foot on the brake and the truck in gear, then looked over her shoulder to see if the road was clear but came face to face with a Musher who had stopped their sled next to her door. She rolled down the window as the driver pulled up their goggles,

"Everything okay, Child?"

Lauren shrugged, "Yea. I just needed a minute."

Mary nodded, "Minute's up."

Lauren offered a tight smile, "I guess I'm running a bit behind."

"No worries. I have to stop at the General Store to drop off some papers to Molly, then I have to pick up the bags of food LJ set aside for us at the Kennel. Are you still planning to meet me at the airstrip behind the hotel?"

Lauren nodded.

"Okay then. You should go ahead of me since the truck is faster."

"Are you sure? I'd hate for you to be traveling in my exhaust."

Mary waved her on, "I'll wait to get started again. If I don't, your girls will be trying to chase you down and I don't want them to get hurt."

Lauren looked to the front of the sled, seeing Elsa and Anna at the front, "You're using two of my dogs as leads?"

Mary shrugged, "It was Bo's idea since I have twelve. So far, they're working well running side-by-side, though Elsa is clearly the alpha."

Lauren smiled, "Tell me about it. I thought you were taking Bo's backup dogs. You have her rookies. Are they hurt?"

Mary nodded, "I had LJ deliver this crew at my request. I know that Bo is planning to take Rudy out behind a full team, and I would rather she ride with her backups than these rookies. They still have much to learn, but they know both you and I very well, so I thought we'd do fine with them on the North Slope. They won't know the territory, so they'll have to trust us and trust their instincts. It's a perfect training run to get them a little more experience listening to their Musher."

"You do know I'm pretty much a rookie just like them, right?"

Mary smiled, "According to my Ysabeau, you are an Intermediate Musher. She believes that with Elsa and Anna or Elsa and Belle as your leads, you'll be fine. She also told me that you have a strong bond with Kikkan, Sadie and Keegan, so they will round out your team. I'll take Rosie, Reese, Tyler, Scotty, Logan and Cait unless Bo decides at the last minute, she wants some of her rookies to run behind Nike and Diana. I'd prefer not to take her true leads, but I'll do what she needs me to do."

Lauren nodded, "When it comes to me on a sled, I trust you and Bo."

"While the sentiment is flattering, when it comes to you surviving on a sled, you need to trust yourself and your dogs." Mary smiled, "We'd better go then. We don't want to be late for our meeting with the Elders."

Lauren took one last look at the dogs and pulled out, leaving Mary behind. She watched in her rearview mirror as she drove, making sure that her girls didn't take off after the truck. As she drove down the road, she couldn't help but feel that Mary was unhappy with her. Lauren began to wonder if the elder Dennis had been with Bo this morning. If so, she'd probably gotten an earful about her abrupt departure. Of course, Mary had warned her about leaving without waking Bo, but Lauren didn't listen.

She pulled out her phone and thought about calling Bo, but then remembered her device had been smashed last night,

"Shit. She doesn't have a phone and she's out there with Rudy all alone for three more days."

Lauren lifted the phone again, scrolling through her contacts,

"Hey Kenzi."

"Lauren. What's up."

"Is everything okay?"

"Sure. I'll just be handling my heartbroken best friend for the entire time you're gone. Everything is fine."

Lauren shook her head, "I thought you agreed that this was the right thing to do?"

"Yea, well that was before you did a bang and run on her last night."

"She called you this morning?"

"No, I called her and when she didn't answer, I called Mary who ran her phone out to Bo. I needed her to bring the rest of my order by breakfast. I'm out of Halibut."

Lauren nodded, "We cut up the last of the filets day before yesterday."

"I know and she was supposed to bring them over yesterday, but apparently she was having the best sex of her life so couldn't be bothered to take care of the business agreement she has with her best friend."

Lauren blushed, "I'm sorry, Kenzi. If I had known…"

"I know, I know. You would have released her from her fluffy pink handcuffs."

"What?" Lauren asked, horrified that Bo may have reported on their private time.

"Sorry. My imagination runs wild when I think of the kinky things you lesbians must do during sex."

"Really?" Lauren asked, relieved that Bo had not betrayed their privacy.

"No, actually I try not to think about it! What did you want?"

"Well, first for you to not be ten shades of pissed off at me. This break was a mutual decision, Kenzi."

"I know! I'm just… I'm just dreading it after talking to her this morning. She was okay, but she's clearly not. I mean… she will be. It's just going to be rough for a little while." Kenzi's tone softened.

"Just remind her of why she wanted the break, Kenzi. She's supposed to be training and seeing Dr. Gray most of the time anyway. Spending time with you and the family are the other things on her to do list. Just keep her focused on why we're taking this break. I know that's what I'm trying to do. It's the only reason this truck is still moving towards town. Try to stay positive, okay?"

"I know. I should be grateful I'll finally get to hang out with her a bit."

"She misses you, Kenzi. You're one of the people we talked about last night. You mean so much to her. When everyone else turned their back on her, you were always there."

"She didn't deserve the way my townspeople treated her."

"I think everyone is starting to realize that now."

"So, she wants to run in the Iditarod?"

Lauren shrugged, "Honestly, I'm not sure her heart is completely in it. I think that once she gets back out on the trail, her competitive nature will come back. Of course, if you could hang the pictures of her in the hotel behind the bar again, it might help."

"Shit! I totally forgot to hang those after we painted!" Lauren pulled the phone away from her ear when Kenzi yelled to one of her workers,

"Corky! I know you're back there laying on the bags of oats! Get off your ass and hang Bo's pictures, mount the shelves and put her trophies and ribbons back out! It's time this place looks like the Iditarod is coming to town again!"

Lauren smiled, hearing the crew whoop and holler. All of the people at Kenzi's hotels were huge fans of their resident champion and it might be just what Bo needed to get back in the swing of things.

"They're on it, Doc. Anything else I can do to perk up our girl?"

"Actually, her phone is broken. Can you get her account transferred to a new one and set up the phone for her again? I won't have time before my rounds. We have an appointment on the North Slope that Mary is nervous about being late for, so I can't add anything else to my plate."

"She broke her phone again?"

Lauren chuckled, "She warned you not to call her again last night."

"She threw it against the wall again? That girl and her temper."

"I'm afraid so."

"Why didn't you stop her?"

"Have you seen her reflexes? I'm not that fast!" Lauren replied.

"Fine. But I'm putting this one on your tab!"

"I'll send you the money through the cash app. Just text me the amount."

"Fine, but I'm charging you for the labor as well."

"Fine." Lauren smiled, "Take care, Kenzi."

There was a long pause before the young woman asked, "How long, Doc?"

"I don't know, Kenzi. At least three weeks."

Another long pause was followed by, "You'll be missed around here."

Lauren didn't get to say goodbye as Kenzi hung up quickly just as the mountain range behind the town came into view. It wouldn't be long now. Lauren started to run through her to-do list so that she could be as efficient as possible when she got to the clinic. Carolyn was meeting her there to be sure everything was ready to go. She also had to sign off on some of the equipment for the hospital. By the time she returned, the structure would be fully built. It was time to get started on the inside details, so having Carolyn, Shannon and Kelly on board for this part was a relief. Stephen and Betsy would be back from Anchorage by tomorrow and they would all be getting to work on Monday. It was time to focus on the future.

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The Homestead

Flashback…

"Mom? What is this!"

"Ysabeau, please. You'll wake your little sister and I'd like to leave without any more drama than we had last night in putting her to bed."

Bo held out a two-page letter, "Where is she?"

"Where is who, Child?"

"You know damn well! Where is Lauren?"

"Mommy? Why is everyone yelling?" Rudy said with a groan as she came out in her footy pajamas carrying the stuffed dolphin Lauren had given her upon her return from Boston last spring.

Mary rolled her eyes, glaring at Bo, "To answer your question, Ysabeau, I suppose it's all in the letter in your hand."

"I'm going after her."

"You're doing no such thing." Mary barked, "I must leave and you cannot leave your little sister in this home alone."

"But Mom…"

"The two of you have an agreement, Ysabeau. I suggest you focus on your part of the bargain and move forward making your decision."

"I've already made my decision."

"No, the two of you rekindled an intimate bond yesterday, but you have yet to address the mental and emotional issues in your relationship. Your search for answers has only just begun, Child. Focus that anger into your memory and remember why it was you first asked for this break the two of you are taking."

Mary watched her elder daughter's shoulders slump and it broke her heart that she had spoken the truth so harshly. She had already lost so much in life so it pained her as a mother that her child should have to endure more on her journey to happiness.

"Now, the two of you have a fish wheel to check. Kenzi sent me a text to remind me to tell you that you owe her a Halibut delivery to the cache at the rear of her store where you can't infect anyone. You also have dogs to train and run if you wish to finish in the top twenty at the Iditarod this year. I fear that's as close as you'll get to crossing the line first with your current mindset and fitness level."

"Wow, Mom. Really?" Bo shook her head, putting a fist on her hip and the letter on the table.

"Call me a liar and I will tell you to check to see that you are living in this reality, Ysabeau. While I was in town yesterday, a group of seven men came into your kennel seeking the same equipment you used to win. They're looking to even the odds. They're coming for you, Ysabeau and you seem to believe you can rest on your laurels, enter the race and somehow finish at the front of the pack."

She stepped closer to Bo as Rudy settled onto the couch, pulling two blankets over her and crashing back onto the pillows,

"May I remind you that your little sister is looking forward to watching her big sister win the Iditarod. I've told her stories of the race her entire life. All of her friends at school are betting against you. She defends your honor every day telling them to wait and see. If you think she's disappointed to see Lauren and I leave this morning, just wait until you see the disappointment on her face when you aren't among the winners at the finish line… or worse yet, that you don't finish at all. Your dogs are not ready and you've grown soft. You've lost your edge. I may not have been here, but the Ysabeau I met at the train had a much stronger mind and body than the one standing before me this morning."

Mary sighed, "Now, I must take my leave or I will fail to make the meeting of the Elders on time. I don't need any more trouble and I do need that cure… or have you forgotten that you're not the only one with something to lose right now, Ysabeau?"

She pulled on her hat and gloves before turning to place a gentle kiss on her younger daughter's forehead,

"I will love you through all of eternity in this life and the next, my daughter. Be strong, be smart, be one with the Spirits and you will find your way. No matter what, know that I am always with you."

Rudy's eyes were filled with tears, "I'll be brave, Momma. I love you so much. I'll miss you."

"I love you to the moon and back, my sweet Child."

"I love you beyond the stars and on to infinity." Rudy smiled, reaching up to hug her Mom.

Mary gently tucked her back under the blankets and turned to her elder daughter. She moved to her side and placed a kiss on her cheek,

"That applies to you as well, my daughter. My love is and always has been with you, but mind me – put your sister's needs before your own for if anything should happen to her while she is in your care, I will not be merciful. Get your shit together, Ysabeau. I expect to come home to a strong Athabascan Warrior. Not some lovesick fool who lives in fear that her true love will not return to her. You and that doctor are meant to be. Everyone sees it except the two of you. Worry less. Live more. You will be together when the Spirits decide it is time. Until then, fight for the life you want to live. Fight for the woman you want to be. Fight for those you love. Protect your sister at all costs."

Bo stood, frozen to the spot as Mary left the house. She slowly raised a hand, feeling the spot where her Mom had placed a kiss on her cheek, her eyes brimming with tears that fell fast and hard. She turned and ran for the door, rushing down the short flight of stairs. She jumped the rail into the kennel, her feet skidding across the hay until she came to a halt just before Mary,

"Mom. Thank you. Thank you for saying all of that. You're absolutely right. You should have said all of that long ago. I promise. I will make you proud. I will make Rudy proud."

Mary raised her hand to her daughter's cheek, "The Iditarod is a race to be run for you and your dogs. Make yourself proud, Ysabeau. Live up to the expectations you set for yourself. You do remember how to set expectations for yourself, yes?"

Bo smiled, "I don't, but I will."

"Those of us who have seen all you have been through these last months… well, it would be quite a motivator for everyone if you were to win. But winning for women, winning for history, winning for a purse, winning for a trophy or winning for the sake of winning – that's all been done. Maybe this time, you get yourself and your team in the best shape of your lives and just get out where you all love to be and run for a couple of weeks… just or the love of it."

"Just for the love of it." Bo pondered, her lips slowly stretching into a broad smile, "I like that. You're right, you know."

"And that's unusual?" She snickered, Bo joining with a laugh, "What am I right about?"

"I'm in no shape to be in that race right now. I'm not ready and my team is a mess. They've got to learn to run without Harper since I'm not sure she'll last the whole race this year. It's going to be a challenge. She raised every single one of those pups."

Mary nodded, "Honestly, I'd worry about you camping out overnight right now." Mary laughed.

"I deserved that. So, what do you suggest?"

"Let's review." Mary said, leaning against one of the dog houses, "I've got no more than ten minutes if you help me hook the kids up to the sled."

"Done." Bo agreed.

"Okay. Go put on a jacket before you catch your death."

Bo reached over to the sled basket blankets hanging on the garage wall and wrapped them around herself, "I'm warm. Tell me."

"Hmmm… perhaps she's still in there." Mary replied, her eyes set on her daughter.

"Who?" Bo asked.

"My curious Ysabeau who yearns to be taught… who doesn't know quite everything." Mary replied.

"I've been an ass, Mom. We both know you taught me everything I know about sledding. Sure, I've made some good changes and have worked with good people for the advancements in equipment, but you have insight that I don't have yet… lessons you never finished teaching me."

Mary smiled, "You've got instincts that I've never had and a will stronger than anyone in that race when you get yourself focused on something you want. I watched that race on that YouTube thing last year. I've never been prouder to be your mother."

Bo smiled, "Thanks, Mom. That means a lot."

"Okay, so like I said – let's review. We all know you can win the race… you've done that three times which ties your friend Mitch. If you win a fourth time, that's great. You join the ranks of your idol Susan, Spirits be with her, and the four men to reach the same achievement."

Bo nodded, "Doug, Martin, Lance and Dallas. And Rick tops them all with five total wins."

Mary nodded, "Well, you have to get to number four first. Of course, Lance is the only one to have four straight wins in addition to winning in both the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest in consecutive years."

Bo nodded, "2007 and 2008 when I started running. I busted my sled and didn't finish in 2007 and got run off the trail by Dad's buddy Darrell in 2008. The bastard cheated."

Mary smiled, "You know better Ysabeau. There are no rules in the Iditarod unless you get caught."

"Yea, like that would happen in the middle of nowhere."

"You're also the first woman to win with the fourteen-dog team rule while being chased by people who wanted to kill you."

Bo cocked her head, "I was surprised they allowed the win considering the FBI was sort of helping me the whole time."

"They didn't help you race. They helped you avoid getting shot and killed." Mary countered.

Bo was silent for a moment, "I didn't realize I was first to win under the fourteen-dog rule. I hadn't even thought about it."

"I know. Of course, no one is talking about that record. You're not popular with the bulk of the race officials after last season. They felt you put everyone in danger by choosing to race."

"Big Jim saw to that." Bo replied, "But still, they let it happen. They could have pulled the plug and so could any of the racers. No one bowed out."

"It's true that the mushers all had your backs, Ysabeau. I asked around – or should I say I had Kyle ask around. Everyone thinks the fact that you won while under that type of stress was incredible." She hesitated, but then added, "And by the way, Jim had no business in the race back in 2007. He was supposed to be disqualified for life after the incident in 2005." Mary said, shaking her head.

"Well, at least he finished." Bo said, her brow knitting together as the memory of him flying past her sat in her gut.

"Why did you keep that sled?" Mary asked.

"What?"

Mary asked again, "I asked why you kept the sled – from 2007. I saw it hanging in your office at the kennel. Kyle said you wouldn't let her throw it away. She thought it wasn't a good message to customers. You told her you didn't care. The message was for you, not them."

Bo nodded, "I do business in the store and lessons outside. People don't come into my office unless they're meeting with me to discuss equipment proposals."

"What's the message for you?"

"Never let it happen again." Bo said, her eyes focused on the sled her Mom was going to use on the North Slope.

Mary nodded, "Did your Dad do it?"

Bo shrugged, "When you get back, take a closer look at the sled. If you want, I can open up the frame for you so you can examine the wood yourself. You decide."

"I take it you believe he did."

"No comment."

Mary smiled, "That's what you told that reporter."

Bo shrugged, again, "Why was a reporter interviewing someone who didn't finish the race or have a spectacular crash? I was one of many with a technical reason for withdrawing from the race."

"Your Father wanted to rub it in, so he sent the reporter after you."

"No comment." Bo replied.

"I can take a hint, Child." Mary replied, "Okay, so back to your goal for this year, I assume you're not interested in trying to win the Red Lantern and break the record?"

Bo laughed, "Nah, we'll leave that slowest record to John."

"I was thinking the fastest Red Lantern by Cindy, but if you prefer to focus on John's thirty-two-day finish, that's fine too."

"Okay, so what do you really think I should focus on, Mom?"

"Well, eventually, I'd love to see you beat DeeDee's race record."

Bo nodded, "She's at thirty-two of thirty-six completed races, right?"

"It's impressive." Mary nodded, "If you did that, you could race with Rudy. Of course, you could also go for a win in every decade until then."

Bo shook her head, "I'll want Rudy to have the attention to herself. I think I would retire before then. I have an idea. Why don't you enter again and become the oldest musher to finish in the top ten?"

"Doesn't the Colonel own that record?"

"He's the oldest musher to finish, but he didn't place in the top ten. I think you could do that – top fifteen at the least."

"That's… ambitious."

"Yea, but if we get you healthy, I'd bet you could do it."

"I believe my mushing days are long gone, Daughter."

Bo shrugged, "Yet you've been training my dogs and you're about to run on the North Slope – the harshest climate in the state."

Mary shook her head, "No wooded trails, no steeps or descents… it's not exactly training-worthy territory."

Bo shook her head, "Still, I think you should consider it. We'd be the first mother-daughter team to finish the race."

Mary smiled, "That does sound interesting. Back on topic, let's talk about your goal again."

"Okay, so what is it?"

"Alas, that must be chosen by you."

"So, will you just tell me what you're thinking already?" Bo said, growing impatient, "You're going to be really late."

"We can talk and prep the sled," Mary grinned, winding the center line out before the sled, "Your friend Mitch has the all-time consecutive-four-win record."

Bo nodded, "Well, shared record."

"For wins, yes but for time, no. What was that fourth-win time again?" Mary said, feigning ignorance.

"Eight days, three hours, forty minutes and thirteen seconds."

Mary smiled, "Well?"

"Are you saying I should try to break the all-time course record?"

Mary shrugged, "You asked what I would suggest. That is my suggestion. I mean, even your idol didn't win four years in a row. It would be nice to show the men that a woman can do it as well. Of course, there is also the tie for the most consecutive wins up for grabs next year, so you have to win this year. If you can break the time this year, you could pick up the tie for fifth consecutive this year and all-time race time next year."

"So not just win, but win while breaking a record that bested the previous record by eight hours because the weather conditions were near perfect and the course just slightly shorter?"

"That would be an incredible feat, don't you think? Anyone who could break that record… well, their name would be written into Iditarod history books. Especially if that musher was a woman."

Bo smiled, "With equipment technology and them changing things to adapt to the environmental changes, I'm sure the records won't last for long. Someone always replaces the record setters."

"With the men, I agree. But with women, the list is very short, Ysabeau. You think about it. Keep your sister busy and train hard while I'm gone. I think it's time for you to start hanging from those rafters again. I just ask that if you take your sister up there with you…"

"Helmet and harness, I know."

Mary nodded, "I'm sure you do."

"Mom, be careful up there, okay?"

"They're my people for better or worse, Ysabeau. I have to make peace with my past just as you do. This is the only way for me to do so. We may still have living relatives. I've got to know. I've got to revisit my past."

Bo nodded, "I actually understand. I just… I don't want… I can't lose you, Mom."

Mary moved to her daughter, wrapping her arms around her, "Apparently the only way you'll lose me is if I don't go and get your doctor her answers. And before you ask, I'll look out for her as well. She's like a daughter to me, Ysabeau. I'll protect her with my life."

"Just make sure it doesn't come to that." Bo replied, "I love you, Mom."

"I love you, Ysabeau. Take care of our Rudy. Don't be afraid to take her on an overnight or two. It will be good for her to learn the ways of the wild."

Bo pulled back, "Are you sure?"

Mary smiled, "She may have been raised on a beautiful island, but she surfed in waters that are the equivalent of a violent storm here… waters I never dared attempt to take my long board into. She went out there with her Island brothers."

Bo smiled, "You mean the Federal Agents who were there to protect her."

"Brothers just the same. They taught her how to defend herself. There's more to your sister than you know. Take her with you. I believe you'll be surprised."

"She does seem to know no fear."

"At times, I fear she can be a bit overconfident, but if you had seen her throw a knife into a palm tree trunk from ten yards, you would understand."

Bo's eyes went wide, "Really?"

Mary nodded, "As I said, her Island Brothers taught her well. They knew she had only me in this world. They wanted her to be prepared should anyone ever breach their perimeter. Of course, it was all a game to her. She's never actually targeted a person."

Bo nodded, "Thank the Spirits."

Mary picked up the gloves that she had discarded to attach the lines and called the dogs over one at a time, but Bo stopped her,

"Mom, I want you to take the rookies. You're most comfortable with them and I believe they need the experience. It will help them develop their instincts in the blind."

"Are you sure?"

"You're most comfortable with them, correct? And Lauren has run a few of them with her dogs. I think you could easily split them into two six-dog sleds when you get up there and have to go your separate ways."

Mary nodded, "Are you sure it's okay for me to leave her to her business with the Healer on her own?"

Bo nodded, "She was in the military, Mom. She may have been a doctor, but she went through basic training like anyone else. I know that this week she didn't look too keen on handling a weapon, but the lessons are inside her. She just needs to go with her gut. If she's forced into a situation where she has to defend herself, she'll do what she has to do. I'm sure of it. You didn't see her instincts when she got stuck out in the blizzard when she first came here. I believe any other outsider would have perished. She's smart, Mom. Trust her."

"Do you?" Mary asked.

Bo shrugged, "She asked me to, so it's what I'm going to do."

"Very well. I will trust her, but I will also trust my own gut. It is my home and those are my people, after all."

Bo smiled, "Don't discount the value of her Boston street-smarts."

"Whatever those are." Mary laughed, making the rounds to the dogs to recheck the leads and give each of the dogs a rub, finally stopping at Elsa and Belle who Bo had put at the front of the sled. Mary knelt in front of the lead pair,

"Okay, Ladies. This is a very important job for teenage girls. I expect you to take good care of me and our supplies. We've got a very important trip ahead of us. You are going to have your first plane ride and then venture into a beautiful and mysterious land. It's in your blood to be there. Let's get started."

She earned a bark from each dog in reply before walking back to the sled. Bo moved to the front, placing her mouth between the two dogs and whispering,

"You take care of our girls. Run like the wind, lead like the champions you are, follow your instincts and listen to the land. Be strong. Never give up. No matter what. Never, ever give up."

The pair licked Bo's face, "I love you girls, so much."

She stood, both girls barking, as she looked at her Mom, giving her a nod. She looked back down at the pair of leads, then to Anna,

"I know, you want to be up front. When it's just the three of you in town, Lauren will give you a chance. She always does. If teams had three leads, you'd be right up there with them. You'll get your turn. I promise."

Mary smiled at the dog who let out a bark in response, then she looked up at Bo, "Think about what we discussed, daughter. Set a goal for yourself while I'm gone."

Bo nodded, "You set a goal to get well while you're gone."

Mary smiled, "That is my intention. Lauren signed the papers last night. I'll drop them at Molly's before I head to the airstrip."

"Great. That's great." Bo smiled. She looked at the lead dogs, then back to her Mom, "Line out!"

Mary stepped onto the sled, watching as her rookie leads followed Bo's command. Once the lines were stretched out and the team aligned, she gave one last smile to her daughter and called out,

"Let's go, Ladies!"

Bo watched as the team pulled out, carrying the heavy load. They looked strong… stronger than she'd ever given them credit. She really needed to start to do run-offs between the dogs again. It's a lesson she could teach both LJ and Rudy about building a team and maintaining the best team for a race.

She lowered the garage door once her Mom was out of sight and turned back to the kennel where her veteran team was looking up at her, anxiously awaiting their breakfast,

"If you eat now, you're going to be hungry before lunch. Are you sure you want to eat now?"

Harper spoke for the group with a single, loud bark, "Okay, Ma'am. You are the voice of the group, so I suppose you'll also take responsibility for their growling tummies later on."

She stepped back over the rail and walked through the kennel, greeting all of her favorite companions in the world, stopping – as always – to give a little attention to her bestie, Harper.

"Do you want to go wake up Rudy? She's always grumpy in the morning unless you're the one who wakes her up. What do you think, huh?"

Harper barked, launching herself over the rail and running into the house. Bo listened for her little sister's screams while she stayed outside and fed the dogs. Harper didn't disappoint. The scream was followed by a good long string of giggles and the sound of footsteps. She heard tiny footsteps run into the bathroom, then silence for a long moment, then the sound of the seat slamming shut, but did not hear the sound of water being pumped,

"Wash those hands, Missy!"

"Awe, Sister!"

"Don't you Sister me! I do not want your pee covered hands all over my house!"

"Gross!"

"Exactly! So, wash 'em up, brush your teeth and get dressed. We're taking the girls outside as soon as they're finished eating their breakfast."

"Yes!" Bo heard her say. She was sure the trademark Rudy fist pump was included which made Bo smile.

Harper came running out, hurdling the rail once again. She headed right to her breakfast bowl, chowing down on her food before heading to the trough to drink some water. She then lined up at the door with the rest of the group.

Bo smiled, "Take your time, Ladies. We're not ready yet. I've got to go brush, wash up and get dressed. I smell like sex. Lots and lots of sex. Lots and lots of really, really good sex."

She thought of Lauren and wondered if she was thinking of her. For now, she had a letter to read. She headed into the house where Rudy was climbing up a step stool to reach the shelf,

"Whoa there, little girl! What are you after?"

"My cereal!"

Bo smiled, pulling the box down, then a bowl, "You pour the cereal – only half of the bowl so there's room for the milk. I'll pour the milk."

"Goodie!" Rudy smiled, dumping the container of cereal until it was overflowing. Bo shook her head, walking over and taking the bowl,

"Half, silly."

"Oops." Rudy replied, watching as her sister poured half back into the container, "You smell like cinnamon. Did Lauren bake her famous cinnamon rolls?"

Bo coughed a few times, her face flushing red, "We had them last night. Sorry, Roo. None left."

"Bummer." She replied, "I still have my cinnamon cereal!"

"Yes, you do. I'm going to go clean up while you eat. If you finish before I'm back down here, bundle up so we can take the girls outside. Do NOT go outside without me, do you hear?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I'm not Ma'am. I'm your sister."

"Yes, Sister."

Bo laughed, grabbing the letter from Lauren and heading up the steps. She felt much better today and had more energy. She sat on the bed and took a deep breath, readying herself for Lauren's words…

-End Flashback-

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Talkeetna, Airstrip

"What's she doing?" Kurt asked, nodding towards Lauren who was sitting by the lake with her three dogs.

Mary shrugged, lifting her backpack into the seat of the plane, "Pondering her existence?"

"Well, this is the last of her fancy lab equipment. I suggest she get on the plane before the engine freezes up from sitting here idling for too long."

"I'll go get her."

Kurt reached out and grabbed her gently by the arm, "Mary, is she okay?"

"Our doctor is a strong one. She'll be fine."

"She's got a lot on her plate. Opening a new hospital, re-staffing the clinic and building an addition on to that, this trip and then going back to Boston after this… I mean, I know things aren't great with her and her friends… or with Bo. I mean… she seems to be just sort of… I don't know – just pulling away from everyone and keeping to herself. I'm worried about her. I'm not the only one."

Mary sighed, knowing all the young man was saying to be true,

"The Doctor may be from the Lower Forty-Eight, but she chose not to take the path laid with the golden bricks purchased by her parents." She looked up at Lauren, "No, she has always made her own way… laid her own path. She knows what it is to win and to lose, she knows hatred and love, she knows sacrifice and success. When we would choose to be hard, she would get the job done with her own brand of toughness. Our doctor is a strong one. She will rise."

Kurt nodded, "Okay then. I'll stay over here and do the final flight check and flight plan verification. Five minutes?"

"Five minutes." Mary replied, taking a second look at the pups in the back before turning to walk to the lake. She could hear the blonde talking to Belle, Elsa and Anna.

"Lauren?"

"Hi, Mary. I was just giving the girls a chance to run off some of their energy. They ended up on my lap instead."

Mary smiled, "They've missed you. You work too much."

Lauren smiled, standing, "Well, that is one thing I am trying to fix. Is Kurt ready?"

Mary nodded, "He has just put the last of your science equipment on the plane. He's a bit concerned about ice, so we should get going."

Standing, Lauren called to her dogs, waving them to the plane. They took the opportunity to play the whole way back to the plane, sprinting, ducking, dodging and jumping until the two women packed them into the crates with the other dogs.

"I'll take the back." Lauren said as Mary moved to get into the rear seat of the plane, but Mary shook her head,

"I've seen this view many times, Child. It's your turn to experience it."

"But you haven't seen it in so long. This is your homecoming flight. Really, Mary. I insist."

Mary smiled, "Thank you."

"This is quite an occasion." Lauren grinned.

"I only wish my girls were with us."

"I know they both feel the same." Lauren said, climbing into one of the back seats, "Where's Tamsin?"

"I'm not sure where she is. She was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago at least." Kurt said.

"There." Mary said, pointing at the sled coming towards the runway, "That's Kyle's sled."

"I don't see Tamsin."

"In the basket." Mary replied.

Before long, the blonde was running to the plane, two bags and an envelope waving under the air power of the propellers. Kyle waved goodbye and headed off while Tamsin boarded the plane.

Lauren greeted her with a smile, handing her a headset. She held the mic to her mouth, but didn't put the set on her head, "Hey Kurt?"

"Yea, Tamsin?"

"Lauren and I are going to be radio silent. I have a telegram to share with her."

"Roger that. Buckle up, Ladies. Here we go."

Lauren looked at Tamsin who was telling her to remove her headset. The agent handed the blonde the large envelope, but wagged a finger at her when she went to open it. She pulled the note that was taped to the outside off of it and handed it to her,

"Read this first."

Lauren hesitated, but then unfolded the note and took note of the handwriting, "The note is from you."

Tamsin nodded towards the two in the front and leaned closer, "To give you privacy."

"Oh. Uh… thanks."

Tamsin smiled, giving the blonde's hand a squeeze before nodding towards the note. Lauren took a deep breath and began to read the note,

'Doc – this envelope came via Western Union. Dyson had me detour to pick it up. It's an urgent memo. The news is not good, so brace yourself. It's from Boston. Sorry we couldn't speak privately somewhere. – T.'

It didn't take Special Agent skills to see Lauren's hands shaking as she tried to open the metal brad that held the envelope closed. Tamsin stilled the doctor's hands with her own, waiting for her to take a breath. Calmer, Tamsin unfastened the fold of the envelope, then handed it back to Lauren.

The doctor removed the contents and immediately began to read. When she finished, she read it again… and again. After a long moment, Tamsin saw Lauren's head drop, her jaw flexing under the stress of clenched teeth before the tears fell. Tamsin reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of tissues, handing one to the blonde.

As the plane lifted off, the cabin was silent except for the muffled sounds of Lauren's sobs as she grieved. Tamsin held tight to Lauren's folded hands, trying to provide any comfort she could.

About fifteen minutes later, Lauren was asleep, and Mary was urging Tamsin to put on her headset. Once in place, Tamsin explained the telegraph. Mary shook her head as she asked the agent,

"Do we put this trip on hold? Kurt could turn us around now."

Tamsin shook her head, "No way. She would never forgive us if we delay finding a treatment for you. She said this is time sensitive. I think we should call Shannon and let her know. She knows the Boston people, so can get the scoop on what's going on then give Lauren a heads up before she gets there. Besides, Shannon should be the one to tell Bo."

She cocked her head to the side, "On the other hand, maybe Lauren should cancel the Boston leg of this trip and take care of the paperwork with Patrick later."

Mary sighed, "I don't think that will happen either."

Tamsin turned away from Lauren, cupping her microphone to her mouth, "Look at her, Mary. She needs Bo right now."

Kurt and Mary looked at each other for a long moment, leading Tamsin to ask, "What?"

Mary turned to look out of her window, the ground suddenly very interesting to her. Kurt finally spoke up,

"They're on a break, Tamsin."

"What?" Tamsin asked, shocked, "They're not getting married?"

"Kelly says it's not a breakup. It's just a break. They're each taking some time to fix what's wrong in each of their lives. That is the real reason Lauren's headed to Boston after our trip to the North Slope."

"Kyle. It's because of what Kyle said to her in the apartment."

Mary shook her head, "I must say that I was shocked by the words your friend Kyle spoke, but that is not why Lauren is going to Boston."

Kurt shrugged, "Patrick says if she does it right it'll take four to six weeks."

"Whoa. That long?" Tamsin asked.

"He said that would allow her time to train the doctor who is taking her place, hire the new staff, meet with the potential buyers for the Boston hospital, take care of all of her personal items, visit some of her friends and colleagues if she chooses and…"

"Okay, okay. I get the picture. Busy Doctor Lewis. The woman has more to do in a day than I've had cases in my entire career."

Kurt nodded, "And that's another reason they're taking a break."

"At some point, I would hope your title as friend would lead you to keep some of Bo and Lauren's private life, private. Yes?" Mary asked.

"Apologies, Ma'am." Kurt replied, his eyes turning back to focus on the skies.

Tamsin looked at Lauren, "Well, I suppose we just play it by ear. Keep an eye on her and help her when and however we can. But I still say we tell Carolyn or Shannon."

Mary nodded, "I suppose it would help her when she gets to Boston."

"Will I still have a signal up here?" Tamsin asked Kurt.

"I'll drop down a bit to be sure, but yea, you should connect." Kurt called the tower, announcing a temporary drop in altitude for a Federal Agent while Tamsin went ahead with her call,

"Carolyn, this is Tamsin."

"Oh, Tamsin thank goodness you called. Did you make the plane?"

"Yea, why?"

"I called Kyle just before she was leaving to pick you up to try to help you make the plane on time."

"Oh. Yea, I got… delayed at the Sheriff's office."

"I need to talk to Lauren. Something… something terrible has happened."

Tamsin sighed, "You know."

"What?"

"I take it you talked to some of your old friends in Boston?"

"You know?" Carolyn asked.

"If you're talking about a certain accident that took place in Boston last night, yes."

"Did you tell Lauren?"

Tamsin looked at Mary who was still looking forward, "Yes. Any idea what's going to be waiting for her in Boston?"

"We'll do some… research. Call me if you don't hear from me when you're on your way back from the North Slope."

"Will do." Tamsin replied, "And… uh, Carolyn?"

"Yea?"

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"Yea. This is kind of confusing for all of us. We're not really sure how to feel. I can't imagine what Lauren's going through."

Tamsin looked at the blonde, shaking her head, "Luckily, she's asleep. Hopefully she stays that way and forgets all about the telegram that she got."

"Wait. A telegram? Who sent it?"

Tamsin shrugged, "Dunno. It just said it was from the hospital."

"Strange."

"Strange as in weird or strange as in it's quite the mystery."

"Mystery."

"Okay, let me know when you figure it out."

"Will do. Call me."

"Will do." Tamsin put her phone away and turned to check on her friend. For now, she was sleeping soundly. She turned to look down over the glassy snow-white tundra beneath them. There was nothing but white as far as she could see… literally nothing – well, except for the occasional small cabin. It made her wonder how anyone could live here. This is how Bo grew up. This is the land that she always spoke of loving. She looked to Mary,

"How did you ever survive out there. There's no trees, no water… hell, there's no signs of life."

Mary grinned, "Where you see no life, I see tasty blue and red lingonberries and pale orange cloudberries."

"Where?" Tamsin asked, straining to see any sign of color on the ground.

"Life in the lower forty-eight really blinds you to the reality of food. Nourishment is not born of a can or paper packaging, Child."

"In my world it is." Tamsin snarked before turning back to the view.

Mary shook her head, "Beneath the snow is a thriving world that lies in wait of someone wise enough to find it. That hidden world provides life to my people. Just west of us are the wetlands where cattails grow with wild abandon."

"Cattails? The things our federal survival guide tells us to burn as a torch?"

Mary laughed, "Outsiders. Always wasting food. We consume the brown stalk, roots and leaves of the plant."

"Bark is not food! It's wood." Tamsin squinted, her face sour at the thought.

Mary laughed, "You had better prepare yourself, Child. The snows have begun abruptly which means much of the root vegetables planted for harvest may have been frozen by the sudden snows which means they will be unavailable until after winter."

"There won't be any food?" Tamsin asked.

Mary laughed, "Certainly. The buds, needles and stems from spruce trees are great raw snacks or I can make you a fabulous tea. Our Birch Trees have edible inner bark as well and they often have frozen berries nearby if you're willing to dig."

Kurt laughed, "Of course, you need to know which berries are good to eat and which will kill ya, so don't go eating off the land without one of us with you."

"Great. I have to become Bo Dennis to save her Mother."

Mary chuckled, "Even if you lived to be one hundred, you could not know all that my eldest daughter knows. She has learned much from living as she has… more than I could ever have taught her."

Tamsin looked up at the older woman, the pain evident in her voice. She could only offer the bright side, though she knew it would offer little relief. Mary Dennis would always blame herself for abandoning her older daughter. Still, she tried,

"I suppose there's always a silver lining to any tragic story." Tamsin offered, though the reply was as she suspected,

"I should have raised her. She should never have known such pain."

Tamsin shrugged, "But if things hadn't happened precisely as they did, you wouldn't have Rudy and Bo wouldn't have Lauren. Time will heal the wounds that Big Jim inflicted. I'm just sorry I didn't figure all of this out sooner… much sooner."

Mary turned in her seat, trying to catch a glimpse of the blonde, "Without you, Tamsin, we would never have gotten this second chance. Bo would not know her brother Tosh and his children. She would have continued to be the withdrawn, angry, impulsive woman that I met when I first arrived."

"I sorta liked that Bo."

"You sound like Lauren." Mary countered.

"And that's a bad thing?"

Mary shook her head, "What the two of you fail to recognize is that the old Bo would never sit and have lunch with you nor would she have allowed herself to fall in love let alone contemplate marriage and life among others."

Tamsin nodded, "I suppose I hadn't thought of it that way."

Mary grinned, "Another of your… silver linings."

"Touché."

The rest of the trip was largely silent other than Kurt asking occasional advice from the two women on his life with a certain nurse. The coastal winds grew as they approached the land at the top of the world, the flight growing bumpy enough to wake a sleeping Lauren. She gave Tamsin a nod before turning to stare out over the barren land below. The special agent had come to know this version of the doctor. She was focused on the job now and her personal life would take a backseat until they boarded the plane to come home.

"Okay, for those of you first timers to the North Slope, the runway is short… very short… and possibly icy. Hold on tight."

Tamsin and Lauren shared a worried glance, before both grabbed the seats in front of them and ducked down behind the backrest. They closed their eyes and held on tight as Kurt and Mary continued to chatter as if nothing serious was happening in the moment.

There was a small bump, then the sound of rubber squealing across the air strip. The two passengers looked up to watch Kurt steering the plane to a small airport… if you could call it that. It looked more like an oversized garage that would fit two planes.

"Ladies, welcome to the North Slope. From here, we go by sleds." Kurt said, unbuckling his seatbelt.

The group departed the plane and worked together to prep the sleds and then headed off on the second leg of their journey. This wasn't the sledding that Lauren was accustomed to. This was an exposed, white land. She had no sense of direction, so pushed her younger team, worried that if she lost sight of Mary, she would venture too far east or west and end up in the Arctic Ocean, completely missing the town.

She wondered more than once how Mary knew she was on the correct path. They were in the twilight season, so the light of day was dim, even for early afternoon. There were no visible stars, no landmarks, no logical way for her to know they were on target to reach the town. She saw Mary press her break, calling out a hearty 'Whoa' to the team, so she did the same, pulling up beside her,

"Problem?" Lauren asked, Tamsin looking up from the basket at the older woman.

"Child, what has Bo taught you about traversing lakes?"

Lauren shrugged, "Only the story of when she was a child and almost lost you. Other than that, we've only circled them since I've only just learned."

Mary shook her head, intending her words only for herself, "It is the first lesson taught. Not the last, Ysabeau."

"I don't believe Bo intentionally kept the lessons from me, Mary."

The woman looked up, surprised that Lauren had heard her, "Her fear…"

"No. I mean, I've only just learned to drive a sled on my own. There hasn't been any ice for me to cross. I arrived here in December, was initially self-taught for the streets. I had little need to drive a sled since I was living above the clinic in Talkeetna. Bo didn't start teaching me until late winter and I was too busy for long lessons. We only went to the lake once and… well, we did go around it that day, but…"

Mary nodded, "She should have taken you across right then and there. Not coddle you and avoid one of the basic lessons everyone should have before they get on a sled."

The woman shook her head, "Kurt, you're going to need to drive Lauren's sled and…"

"No." Lauren replied.

"Excuse me?" Mary asked.

"No." Lauren replied, "You dare accuse Bo of coddling me and then do the same when you have the opportunity to teach me?"

Mary frowned, turning her head towards the hidden body of water just a few yards away, "It's not my place to teach you about…"

"You taught Bo."

"That was long ago."

"Fine. I'll do it myself. Wish me luck." Lauren said, pulling her ice hook from the ice.

"Lauren… I don't think…" Tamsin began, but the doctor was already wrapping a nylon line around her waist and tying it off to the hook on the sled rails, then moving to tie rope leads to the sled hook to anchor to Tamsin's basket and the center line loop for the dogs.

"I've watched Bo do this. I can do it too." She stepped back, looking at the lines to be sure she had both Tamsin and the dogs anchored to her. They may lose the sled, but both the humans and dogs would likely be safe.

"Wait!" Mary yelled as Lauren was about to call out to the dogs, "Fine. I'll teach you." She dismounted her sled, walking over to the doctor, "I swear, if you die, I will blame Tamsin."

"Hey!" Tamsin shouted as Lauren chuckled.

Mary moved to the doctor and lowered her respirator so the blonde could see her smile, "Bo was right. You're a stubborn one. What she missed was that you're also tenacious, ambitious, daring, adventurous and determined as well."

"Thank you." Lauren replied, beaming with pride.

"Let's just hope that your smarts apply to more than medicine because medicine won't get you across this lake." Mary said, retying the knot on the safety lead Lauren had tied her waist.

"My knot is wrong?"

Mary shrugged, "Not if you want to stitch a hem in your pants."

"Oh. So, what knot…"

"This is a figure of eight knot. Your waist rope is nylon."

"Bo likes to keep nylon rope on the sled so that…"

"It doesn't rot. I'm aware."

Lauren blushed, "Yes. Of course, you are. You taught Bo knot tying." Lauren chuckled, "She said you made her tie every not one hundred times or until her fingers bled. Whichever came first."

Mary nodded, "And I see she didn't do the same with you. A mistake."

"You'd be surprised how many knots I've tied."

Mary looked up, smiling and shaking her head, "And yet you use the wrong knot to tie two pieces of nylon together. They would not have held. First lesson in knot tying is that tying your shoes is not the same as…"

"Surgical knots, Mary. With all due respect, I'd prefer you not speak to me as a novice when it comes to tying a knot. I may not have been forced by Bo to tie knots until my fingers bled, but Stephen made me tie surgical knots with twenty rolls of fishing line in my apartment to prepare me to save lives. Even the smallest gap in an imperfect knot can cause a patient to bleed out over time. Any knot you can tie, I can tie… better."

Mary was surprised by the challenge and while they didn't have time to truly test it, she was willing to give her one small trial,

"Oh? Then can you tie a reef knot? Because that is the knot that should be used to tie the two non-nylon rope leads together."

Lauren smirked, knowing she could tie a better reef knot than Mary. She untied her original knot. She had thought a slip knot would be appropriate, but thinking on the identified knot now, she realized it was perfect for the situation. As she tied the knot, she explained,

"What most people don't realize is that a surgical knot is basically a reef knot… with a small twist." Lauren said, adding a twist when tying the first throw. As expected, Mary protested,

"That is incorrect…"

"Please, Mary. I've tied millions of these knots. It is fact that a reef knot can be strengthened by adding the extra twist, forming a double overhand knot. This additional turn of the rope provides the additional friction that can prevent loosening of the first tie while the second part of the knot is tied. For my purposes, this is a way of maintaining tension on a suture so that the first throw doesn't loosen, allowing blood to seep out."

Mary cocked her head, observing the knot, "That's similar to a quilting knot."

"Some books will classify a surgeon's knot as a bend since it can also be effective in that manner as well. It can also be used in fly fishing."

Lauren watched as Mary took the knot in hand, pulling one of the working ends away from the standing end closest to it. The knot broke free.

"Wow. It works despite the added twist." She stared down at her hands, "Show me again? Please?"

Lauren smiled, tying the knot again as Mary watched. She then moved to her sled and, under Lauren's supervision, tied her safety lines in the same manner. When finished, she smiled,

"I was wrong about you, Doctor. I'm sorry. I misjudged you."

"Yea, well Bo does that to. I'm not surprised. Someday, the two of you will come and sit in the amphitheater at the new hospital and watch me replace a heart. You will see the fight I have in me when you see me in action. I wasn't raised out here in this barren landscape, but inside me is the heart of a lion… or polar… bear. I mean, this is Alaska, so I guess lion doesn't quite… fit."

Mary nodded, "Black Bear. Fiercest animal in the whole of Alaska."

"But I thought Moose harmed more humans?" Lauren asked.

"That's because they outnumber bears almost three to one." Mary explained, as she finished checking the lines on both sleds.

"So, you're more likely to encounter them." Lauren concluded.

"That is the case. Now, some lessons in ice. Tamsin, you'd do well to listen, so she has an extra set of eyes out there."

Tamsin nodded, loosening the zipper on the basket so that she could turn around,

"Listener with eyes. Present!" She said, raising a finger.

Mary shook her head as the two blondes shared a chuckle.

"First lesson. There is no such thing as safe ice." Lauren watched as Mary grabbed the long spear she had tied to the inside rail beneath her sled. She'd seen the weapon sticking out earlier, but assumed it was for fighting off polar bears.

Suddenly, Lauren turned, looking behind her. Were there polar bears out here? How stupid of her! She'd let her guard down. Of course, there were. Two eyes and a nose… all black… they form a triangle about three feet off the ground, sometimes higher. She looked left, then right, feeling behind her to where her axe was hanging, strapped to the upright of the handle. Slowly, she undid the button hook that held it in place and pulled it to her side…

"Lauren? What are you doing, child?"

"Polar bears, right? There's no safe ice because of polar bears." Lauren pulled the axe up, readying it by her shoulder as Bo had taught her…

"No, Child. It's October. The ice may not be thick enough for us to cross. We may have to go around the water which will take us an additional eight hours or so."

"Oh." Lauren said, feeling a little silly for assuming her attack stance when there was apparently no bear threat."

"I mean, you're correct to be wary of polar bears, but they're usually closer to the shore than inland by a lake." Mary explained.

Now Lauren was truly embarrassed, "Ocean… where there are seals… of course."

Mary grinned, but Tamsin and Kurt blurted out a restrained laugh, quickly tucking in their pleasure when the elder woman gave them a glare before moving towards the lake. Lauren watched as she moved carefully onto the ice, driving the spear into the ice several times. She walked forward again, repeating the gesture. Over and over she did this until she was well onto the lake. There, she worked the same spot over and over until the spear was buried at least a foot into the ice. Finally, she turned to face Lauren who was still standing on shore.

"We have at least a foot of ice at the shore. It should be thicker as we go out. There's no way to know for sure, but we're crossing at a good time of day. The sun has been strong here, but the icy arctic air is doing its best to freeze over the body of water. We'll have to watch out for thin ice, but the ice depth is thick. I'm pleasantly surprised."

Lauren nodded, watching the woman stow the spear back under the sled before standing and turning to the blonde once more,

"Come child, allow me to explain."

Lauren walked onto the ice, a bit wary, though she didn't let it show. She peered down into the hole where Mary now pointed,

"Ice lesson number one, color. White is not right. Gray, no way. Black no going back."

Lauren stared at her for a moment before nodding, "So white is just snow, so it's not good to go. Gray isn't really solid ice – it's still mostly water. Black is strong ice – I suppose because it's translucent so shows the depths of the dark waters below."

"Maybe, but mostly it's just because it's thick and light cannot pass through it. Of course, if the winds blow and the snow is pushed from the surface, it's much easier to see the color of the ice. If you see white cracks on the surface, but pitch black below, that's just the thin layer of newly frozen ice over the frozen lake, so it's still safe to cross. When you see hints of blue or white mixed into the black or gray and black, that's ice with thin spots and can crack beneath you. It's normal for you to hear cracking sounds as you cross. Ice moves, so it will move and quickly heal itself from beneath as the waters are very cold as well."

Lauren nodded, "So I want to cross ice that appears black."

Mary shrugged, tipping her head from side to side, "Well, remember that there is snow atop the ice, so you cannot see the color of the water until a crack appears and water rushes to the surface. It will happen very quickly, so you must be aware of what is happening just a few feet in front of your lead dogs. Your girls have crossed water. I asked Bo and she told me that LJ has had them across a lake. Trust them. They have no desire to die or to watch you die. If they slow, follow their lead. They'll sniff out the thickest ice. Bo has trained them well and LJ has been learning from both Kyle and Bo."

Lauren nodded. She hadn't thought about the incident with Kyle at her apartment since it had happened. She only remembered that Mary had been very angry. She decided she didn't want to have the weight of that between them,

"Mary… about Kyle. I just want you to know that what you heard her say at the apartment… well, that has nothing to do with why I'm going to Boston and taking a break from Bo."

The older woman smiled, "I know better than to believe you would ever allow anyone to influence your choices, Lauren. You are a woman of your own mind. My daughter is as well. I believe that is why you clash at times. Recently, my daughter has forgotten that part of her. I believe it's what you miss in her… one of the things you miss. She'll find herself again."

Lauren nodded, "She will."

Mary smiled, "For the record, I don't believe your friend meant any harm. She has no patience for Bo's weakness. She only knows the strong-willed, independent version. I believe she is much more attracted to the more… detached… version of her friend." She leaned in, whispering to Lauren, "I believe that is why she and Tamsin are so attached to each other. They both like detachment."

Lauren smiled, giving Mary a wink, "I believe you're right. Yet, they're a couple."

Chuckling, the elder woman nodded, "And yet, they never let that show."

The pair turned, smiling at Tamsin who was munching on a cookie.

"Tamsin, those are for the children at the…"

Mary placed a hand on Lauren's shoulder, "They won't miss one."

Lauren pointed at Tamsin, "One. Only one. We don't take food out of the mouths of children."

"Well, you have to admit, Doc. I am just an overgrown child."

"You said it." Lauren replied, walking with Mary back to the sleds.

"So, ice depth is important. You can see that I made sure we have at least a foot of ice at the shoreline. It tends to be thinner as you progress further from shore because deeper water takes longer to freeze. Water currents, objects in the water or spots that are exposed to direct rays of the sun will also impact the depth of the ice or if the water is even frozen. So, as we venture further onto the lake, we will be guessing again. Stay away from any rocks, debris or plant life you see above the ice. Listen for the frequency of the sounds or any explosive ice."

"Explosive?" Lauren asked.

"Yes. Ice that is under great pressure from the surface as well as beneath. It will crack and suddenly try to flip, spewing water into the air like an explosion. You'll want to dodge such events."

"Dodge? I have a team of six dogs. Dodging isn't exactly a thing like it is with feet."

Mary smiled, "Ah, but it is. That's why you have a drag mat."

"A drag mat is a brake. I mean, a slow brake. I mean, it slows the sled. How will that help me dodge breaking ice?"

Mary stood on her sled, demonstrating, "One foot on the rail, one foot on the mat. I push to the right, my sled goes left. I push left, my sled goes right. Always lean away from the way you push, putting your weight on the rail you're leaning towards. Remember to hang on to the handlebar. If you lose grip of the handlebar…"

"The dogs have less weight to tow, so they'll go faster because dogs never stop and wait for a musher who has fallen from the sled."

Mary smiled, "Another very important lesson to remember."

"So much for loyalty." Lauren said, heaving a heavy breath.

Mary continued, "Next lesson. Use the drag mat in combinations with verbal commands to brake while on the ice, not the metal brake."

Lauren nodded, "Of course. The metal brake will carve into the ice. The drag mat will simply add friction to slow the sled without damaging the ice."

"Correct."

"Wow. You're good, Lewis." Tamsin said, pulling another cookie from the tin. She looked up, earning a disapproving look from Lauren. She handed the tin to Kurt, "You'd better pack these into a bag in your basket. I know you don't eat much sugar. They're safer with you."

Kurt laughed, taking the cookies and stowing them into a bag between his legs.

Mary ignored Tamsin, continuing, "Be sure to keep tension on the sled lines and not allow them to go slack. If you do, the sled will skid left to right. Your dogs will already be running on slick ice and while the rubber on their booties will help with traction, a skidding sled will likely cause one or more of your dogs to jump the center line and…"

Lauren nodded as she finished for Mary, "The lines get tangled, the dogs get tangled and they land in a crumpled pile of fur and tangled line."

"Putting all of their weight on one section of the ice while your sled continues to move towards them. Now, if your sled hasn't already skidded past them and isn't now dragging them, the ice is going to be extremely thin in some spots. Such an event will surely plunge all of you into the depths of the lake and I won't be able to pull you out without risking Kurt and my team of dogs."

Tamsin and Lauren shared a glance before Lauren turned back to Mary, "Keep tension on the sled lines and I don't have to worry about the rest."

Mary smiled, "Good. You focused on the skill and not the fear of consequence."

Lauren smiled, noting the lesson in her words. Focus on action, not emotion, just like in surgery.

"Keep in mind that usually, with good thick ice, the brake is fine to use. It is the only means of fully stopping the sled. The drag mat cannot stand up to the force of the team. It will help you to keep a strong line and slow forward progress, nothing more. I'm just asking you to limit the metal brake or wooden hand brake because of the season."

Lauren nodded, "Understood."

"Wait. Your sled has three brakes? Mine only has two." Tamsin commented.

Mary smiled, "Since my… incident… on the lake, Bo invented the hand brake that we use. The U-shaped design that latches to the handle allows the sharp ends to drop on either side of the inside rails, carving into ice, snow or dirt to bring the sled to a halt without the sled swaying right to left. I actually prefer her hand brake to using the foot brake."

"But the sleds she sells in the kennel shop don't have that brake."

Mary shrugged, "Additional overhead and most people wouldn't use it. They're accustomed to braking with their feet."

Lauren raised her hand, but only about shoulder height, "I prefer the hand brake as well. But I hate to state the obvious." She pointed towards the lake, "We're losing what little daylight we have. Can we move this along before I'm trying to make this crossing in the dark? We'll all be in trouble then."

Mary nodded, "Okay, I'd like to go back to our discussion about the ice. There are acceptable depths for ice and weight. We start at two inches of ice which is not thick enough for anyone to be on.

Lauren nodded, "Two inches, stay off the ice. Check."

She gave Mary a thumbs up and the elder woman continued, "Three inches is thick enough for you to walk on with a single gear bag in hand."

"Okay, well I'm not traveling alone, so what's next?"

"At four inches, a group can walk in single file, so if we lost a sled out there, we would allow the dogs to go first, hang on to the line and allow them to drag us behind them. If we lose the dogs, we would walk in single file to the other side of the lake."

Lauren's eyes traveled to the rookie dog teams who were sitting or lying in the snow, taking a rest while the humans talked. As her eyes traveled to Belle, Anna and Elsa, she sighed. She couldn't imagine having to watch her girls drown. She felt her throat tighten, saved from the emotions of her thoughts when Mary began to speak again,

"But we're not going to let that happen, because we're going to pay attention to the ice."

"Right." Lauren said, refocusing her attention.

"Now, seven and a half to eight inches will handle the weight of a small car and ten inches can handle a medium sized truck…"

"Which one are we?" Lauren asked.

Mary smiled, "We're a little less than a medium sized car with our gear and the weight of the dogs."

"Good. So, eight inches should do it." Lauren deduced.

Mary nodded, "That's correct. I know that we've got almost a foot, so we should be fine."

"Except for ice explosions."

Mary smiled, "Which we shouldn't see unless there's been direct sunlight on the lake."

"Great." Lauren replied, "And how do we know if that happened."

"We don't, so listen…"

"For the crackling of the ice."

Mary nodded.

"Anything else for my crash course in crossing a lake?"

"Just that. This is a lake, it's not a river. On a river, you're looking for white ice, not black. Black is thin on a river."

"And you're telling me this now because?"

"I haven't been on this lake for a very long time, Lauren. There could be a river running through this lake that I'm not aware of. Land changes with time and it's not different with permafrost. The manmade damage to the lands of Alaska are causing unexpected topographical changes that natives never had to worry about before."

Lauren nodded, remembering plenty of speeches she had heard from Bo at random intervals on their sledding runs to lands along the river. It broke the brunette's heart to see the glacier ice receding and the landforms changing.

"So, what does that mean for us now?"

"Look left to right as you run the ice. If you see a channel, it's a river. Try to turn and find an angled line across. If your sled breaks through a deep channel, the water will take anything it's fed and carry it with the current."

"I take it the water moves faster under the ice?"

Mary nodded, "It is powerful and will carry you to its end."

"Which is?"

Mary shrugged, "I cannot know for sure. It could be another lake; it could be a shallower river, or it could be the ocean."

"The ocean? But that's…"

"Far away. Be wary as you cross, Lauren. Crossing water requires all of your attention. Now, one last item."

She signaled Kurt who reached into the basket beside him and pulled out two long dowels with rope attached. He handed one to Mary who pulled it over her head so that the rope was in front of her and the dowel hung behind her, almost touching the ground. Kurt wrapped the rope around each of his hands, placing the dowel across the sled.

"The two of you do the same. Tamsin, in the basket to your right."

Tamsin looked inside, pulling out the two long pieces of wood, untangling the ropes and handing one to Lauren. The pair looked at the other two, mirroring what they had done before Lauren asked,

"What are these for?"

"If you should break through the ice, hold tight to the rope. With any luck, the dowel will catch either side of the opening you slip through. Bo trains all of our dogs to take the dowel in their teeth if they can reach it and pull you to safety. Don't let go of the rope. They will pull you out. If they cannot, the hook of the spear can grip the dowel, pull it to you so that you can pull us out." Mary nodded to the rail of Lauren's sled, pointing at the spear attached to the rail, "You have a spear too, Child."

"Right." Lauren replied, checking to see how it was mounted so she would be able to release it.

"Okay then. Lessons are over. Let's get going before we lose the light that remains."

Mary waited for Lauren to mount the sled. Then, readied her dogs,

"Nike! Diana! Line out, girls!"

The pair stood, doing as instructed as the team voiced their anticipation. Lauren smiled as her team did the same. She always loved when the team was readied to move. The noise of their barking was deafening, but she knew that once they started running, a silence would follow. One where she knew the teams were doing what they loved best… running. She always wondered if they had silent conversation similar to the ones she and Bo had while they ran their sleds side by side. She loved their chats.

"Hike! Hike!" She heard Mary call, so followed suit, keeping her distance from the other sled. That much, Bo had taught her from the story of the lake incident in Bo's childhood.

Today, however, was different. Mary wasn't carrying all of the weight. The two sleds were balanced in that regard. She knew that if anything happened, Tamsin was strong enough to pull her out and she was strong enough to pull Tamsin free. Even more so, she trusted her team of dogs. They would stop at nothing to save her and Lauren would do anything to save them.

She knew Kurt was a strong, fit man… one of the strongest she'd ever met. He was a bit of a health buff, always watching what he ate. If it didn't come from the land, he wasn't interested. He was from a long line of Native Alaskans and Lauren had been privy to the proud story of his family history. His parents were killed in a small plane crash and his older sister had moved to Seattle, but he remained proud of his heritage and his sister Kyle who wasn't actually his twin. Kyle was fourteen months older, but they truly were identical in appearance, build and manner. Kurt had spoken to Lauren of a small concern over not marrying a native woman to keep the family history alive, but – in the end – he loved Kelly and that would be the deciding factor.

Lauren focused on the ice ahead, seeing the wind blow the snow free of the dark, frozen waters. The snow layer was thin. She guessed that was expected, but the crackling beneath the sled was unnerving. Her dogs seemed to be taking it in stride, moving along as if they were running on land. She saw Tamsin point just to the right up ahead as a large rock formation came into view. It was sticking up out of the ice about ten feet in height and was the size of a small island at its base, so the rookie musher gave it a wide berth.

She looked for Mary who was doing the same, moving to the opposite side of the rock. They were pretty far apart now, and it made Lauren nervous, but she focused on the partnership between she and Tamsin. They would work together… two humans and six dogs… to survive this crossing, no matter what.

They continued forward, now about ten minutes into the trek across the lake, she could just make out a possible end to the lake in the distance. The dogs were still running without incident as winds picked up speed and snow began to fall. She heard Tamsin call out,

"Is it snowing or is this just the white stuff blowing?"

"Look up." Lauren replied, watching as the agent did as she suggested.

"It's snowing."

Lauren shook her head, "For someone who has more experience in Alaska than I do, you're not very observant."

"I'm in Mary mode."

"Mary mode? What's that?"

Tamsin smiled, "Bo and I have a bet going."

"Oh? And what's that?"

She could imagine Tamsin's grin even though she couldn't see it, "A five hundred dollar bet that I can make Mary believe I'm more East Coast Outsider than resident Alaskan."

"Is that why you didn't volunteer to drive the sled? You're much more experienced than I am and I know for a fact you have crossed plenty of rivers and lakes on a sled. You should be driving right now."

"Ah, but that would give me away and Mary would find out I wasn't a Cheechako."

"So how long are you keeping up this charade?"

"It's supposed to be six months."

"Mary has been here for at least that." Lauren replied, turning to the right as she noticed lighter coloring to the ice ahead. Tamsin gave her a thumbs up, directing her even further east.

"Bo extended the bet when she realized she was going to lose."

Lauren shook her head, "Let me guess. It's now a year and a thousand dollars."

Tamsin shook her head, "No, it's still five hundred, but she threw in a house on the river for me and Kyle."

"Wow." Lauren replied, her smile broad beneath her mask knowing that Bo had extended the bet using something she had already planned to offer the couple without the bet.

"I know. That's at least worth a hundred thousand bucks when you throw in the cost of the land and construction of a small cabin for two."

Lauren grinned knowing that Bo had every intention of building something a bit bigger for each of her family members. This was where her lover had won the bet regardless. She would save on supplies and money by building smaller than she was building for everyone else. Of course, she also knew Bo would have no problem adding on later if they asked.

"Shit!" She heard Tamsin call out as both women looked to their right to see water shooting up beneath the rear of Mary's sled, "Go east! Get closer!"

Lauren watched as Tamsin unzipped her basket, readying the dowel in her hands. She watched the sled, seeing Kurt looking back at them while Mary called commands to the dogs,

"Gee! Gee!"

Lauren watched as their sled moved further away, "What is she doing? Why isn't she coming towards us?"

Tamsin sighed, "She's trying to keep us safe. She doesn't want us coming closer."

"Kurt! Kurt!" Tamsin shouted, waving Kurt towards them, "We've got thick ice!"

Lauren could see Kurt and Mary shouting back and forth as the rear of the elder woman's sled lurched to the left and then dropped beneath the ice, throwing her off and out to the side. She was now being dragged by the harness at her waist as the dogs accelerated, running at will. Mary rolled and tumbled as the two women watched helplessly.

"Tamsin, we have to get to the dogs and slow the sled."

"We're almost to the other side, Lauren."

"Mary is bouncing off the ice like a ragdoll, Tamsin!"

"I have an idea. Get me close to the lead dogs." Tamsin said, "Hand me the rope of your dowel."

Lauren reached down and did as asked. Tamsin looked at her, "Whatever you do, don't let go of the handle."

The doctor nodded, gripping the rail with all her might, "Never."

Lauren called out to the team, "Gee! Gee! Go girls! Go!"

The team gained on the other sled as Lauren watched the color of the ice grow a lighter shade of black. It wasn't gray yet, but considering where they were going, she was concerned. She decided on another course of action, quickly running a parallel course to the other sled.

"Lewis!"

"The ice, Tamsin! I can't! I have another idea! Trust me!" She said, calling out to the dogs, "Haw! Haw! That's it, girls! Hike!"

Tamsin nodded, leaning back and taking hold of the handle between Lauren's hands to stabilize herself as the sled turned back to run parallel to Kurt and Mary.

"What now, Lewis?"

Tamsin turned, watching Lauren pull the seat pad from the driver's bench, "Climb over the handle and drive the sled."

"What?"

"I'm going to do a little surf-skiing." Lauren smiled.

"You're what?"

"I've always wanted to try this."

"Now? Lauren…"

The blonde looked up at Tamsin, "Look. The bottom of this seat pad is made from the same material they use for boogie boards. I'm a beach girl who skis in the winter, Tamsin. I can do this. I can save their sled and keep our sled on safe ice."

Tamsin hesitated but finally sighed, "Okay. Tell me what to do."

She watched as Lauren hooked her dowel rope to the back of the sled seat, "We're not carrying a trail sled, so I'm going to use the trail sled lead as a tow rope. You just keep driving, keeping in mind that if you turn right, I'll end up going left. If you turn left, I'll end up going right, closer to their sled. It's called cracking the whip in water skiing because you gain speed and end up next to the boat if you lean into the turn. I'm going to get Nike and Diana to bite onto my dowel and we're going to pull them all behind us. You in?"

"You're crazy, Lewis but yes, I'm in. I hope this works."

Lauren nodded, "Me too. Once we're free of ice, I'll be able to get the dogs to come to a stop. Then we can check on Mary. Let's go."

Tamsin watched as the doctor hooked the trail line to the bench hook and placed it on the ice, holding the excess line in her hand,

"Wish me luck. If I fall, you'll be pulling me too!"

"I'll stop for you!"

"Thanks."

Lauren took one last look at Kurt who was now hanging off the side of the sled, apparently thrown by the movement of the ice. The dogs were dodging breaking ice left and right and Mary looked unconscious. Lauren held tight to the rope and back of the seat, stepping onto the makeshift ice ski and found her balance.

Little by little, she released more rope, leaning back as she gained confidence in her balance. It was bumpier than skiing on the glasslike surface of a smooth lake, but not as bumpy as skiing on the waves in the inlet of the ocean in P-Town.

She would have loved to focus on the feel of trailing the sled. She missed water skiing, but right now, she needed to focus on saving her friends and Bo's team of dogs. She could feel Tamsin turn the sled before she heard her call out the 'haw' to the leads. The speed increased, but she was turning too sharply,

"Gee!" Lauren called, trying to help Tamsin time the commands to get her close enough to the other sled. She watched Tamsin make the correction, then – when she knew she was close enough to whip out towards the other sled, called out to her friend again, "Haw! Now! Haw!"

Tamsin repeated the command and Lauren held tight to the rope, leaning into the turn. As her speed increased, she flexed her knees to stabilize her balance over the bumpy surface and reached out the dowel towards the dogs. Nike bit down hard, the thrust of force, ripping the dowel from Lauren's hands, but Diana was reaching for it, too and caught the other end successfully.

Lauren smiled, relieved the dowel was now successfully towing the team, to safe ice, "Follow us, girls! Come on! Hold tight!"

"Haw! Haw!" Tamsin called, making her way back to the dark black ice as they moved closer to shore.

Lauren held tight to the line, now awkwardly balancing as the dogs were pulling one end and the sled was pulling the other. As the rear sled caught another piece of cracked ice, the dogs lurched to the right, throwing Lauren off balance, leaving her hanging from the back of her sled. She pulled with all of her might, trying to get the seat pad beneath her feet again, but ultimately decided to let it go, instead pulling her feet to the side until she finally got them to settle on the rails beneath the driver's seat.

Now, the blonde could only watch the ice beneath the sled and when she saw that it was a good dark black, she waited until she was sure both sleds were on firm ice and called out,

"Whoa Nike! Whoa Diana! Whoa girls! Whoa!"

The dogs obeyed the blonde's command and when she was sure they were settled, she reached under the seat and pulled out the spear, looping the rope around it twice and driving it into the ice. She then slid out of the rope and laid on her back for a long moment, catching her breath. Her muscles in her quads and hands were screaming for oxygen as Tamsin leaned over her,

"Crazy bravery, Lewis."

"Thanks." She took the blonde's hand, "Ow. Hand cramp."

Tamsin gripped her elbow and helped her to a stand. Lauren immediately turned and gave the two lead dogs rubs,

"Good girls! Good girls!" She looked at Tamsin, "Check Kurt? I've got Mary."

Tamsin nodded, tossing her the dowel while she held tight to the center line of Mary's team, "Careful on the ice, Lewis."

Lauren pulled the rope over her head and walked to Mary who was tangled in the line. Her face was cut, probably from sharp ice. As she pulled off her goggles, she could see that her face was badly bruised and her eyes were closed, but he had a pulse.

"Oh, thank your Spirits." Lauren said, tapping the woman's shoulder repeatedly, "Mary? Mary?"

She turned to Tamsin who was with a conscious Kurt. He was rubbing his head and shoulder, which was a good sign.

"Tamsin, she's unconscious. We've got to get her to the village. Now."

The blonde nodded, helping Kurt to his feet, "Kurt can ride with you. I'll take Mary."

"I'll take Mary." Lauren replied, but Tamsin shook her head,

"I know my way to the village, Lewis. So does Kurt, but he's in no condition to drive a sled. He's got to go with you because I've got to drive the other sled. I'll take care of her. I promise."

Lauren nodded, gripping the dowel still behind Mary as she lay on her back on the ice. The blonde pulled with both hands, but she was unable to get traction, so she walked to her sled and freed Bella, bringing her back to Mary. As Bo had apparently taught her, the pup took the dowel in her mouth and began to pull. Lauren took the other end, helping her canine friend and soon enough, Mary was sliding quickly along the ice to the other sled.

"Tamsin! I'm going to need your help getting her into the basket of my sled."

The blonde waved, as Kurt tossed the sled onto its side, checking the rails while Tamsin tossed a stray piece of sled wood to the side. She walked over to Lauren,

"Sled is pretty busted up, but it will make it to town. Kurt probably has a concussion. He said he hit his head when he came out of the basket. The dowel got caught in the cloth, otherwise it would have run him over. He managed to get a grip on the side rail, but the dogs wouldn't listen to his commands. They were probably freaking out over the breaking ice… doing what comes natural."

Lauren nodded, "She's definitely got a concussion. I'm concerned that she won't wake up. She probably hit her head several times."

"Good thing she had that line tied tight."

"She could have pulled the end and set herself free." Lauren said as they hoisted her upper body into the basket, then her legs.

"She didn't want to lose Bo's dogs. Golden rule, never let go of the sled."

"But Kurt was still in the sled and we were here."

"Yea, but she thought there were two cheechakoes in this sled and Bo's dogs are trained to listen only to the driver. It looks like our little bet may have cost Mary big time."

Lauren shook her head, "Well, we can't worry about that now. Let's just get these two to the village for help."

Tamsin nodded, the pair working together to get both sleds running again. After checking on Mary's sled, Lauren was concerned, "Tamsin, you have a broken track on the righthand rail. How will you…"

"Not a rookie, Lewis."

Lauren nodded, watching as the blonde reached into the handle bag and pulled out two rolled up pieces of plastic,

"You know how in Boston you have those little donut tires you put on your car when you get a flat?"

Lauren nodded, "I hate those. I don't understand why they're not full sized."

"Because they're more expensive and take up more space. Not my point. Anyway, I was explaining that to Kyle one day and she came up with these. They're now standard on all of Bo's sleds. Not the ones she sells, just the ones she will personally use so she doesn't get stranded in the middle of nowhere if a track gets busted."

"What are they?"

"Flexible spare tracks that should last about fifty to a hundred miles. They're not as stiff or durable, but they're slick and fast. They've never been road tested, so this will be a good trial run for them. They're only meant for snow or ice. They may not stay on in water, so we have to avoid crossing creeks and rivers. For now, we're thankful for the early winter. Not that it would be anything but snow up here in October. This weather is actually kind of normal for these parts."

Lauren nodded, watching as Kurt slid the temporary tracks onto the rails, clipping off the extra length with his pocketknife.

"That should do it. Just go easy. The left rail is also cracked. Nothing we can do about that except stay away from anything that could break it."

"Terrific." Tamsin said, "Well, let's get going then."

Lauren nodded, "You're leading?"

"Nope. I want these dogs behind you because I know they'll listen to you. Just go straight ahead and I'll take the lead when we hit land."

"And where is straight ahead?" Lauren asked.

"See the slightly higher elevation of the ice ahead? That's the land. Hopefully this rail doesn't break when we hit it. I'm going to try to stay in your tracks, but if you can step on your drag brake, it will give me a smooth line for my left rail."

"Will do." Lauren replied, walking towards her sled, but Tamsin called out,

"Lewis? Seat pad?"

Lauren looked back at the pad on the lake, "It's too far and it's too close to the thin ice. If it's still there, I'll get it on the way back."

Tamsin shook her head, "Yea, I think we'll be going around the lake on the way back."

Lauren shook her head, "Nope. We cross the lake again. We just stay to the right on the way back. It's going to get colder up here, not warmer. We'll check the weather before we go. This time, we'll be better prepared."

She moved towards her sled, pulling the spear from the ice to release Tamsin's team, but kept hold of Nike's collar,

"Okay, girls. Mary is hurt. We need to get her back, so Tamsin has to drive your sled. You stay right behind me, you hear? Listen to her commands because we have to get Mary help as quickly as possible, okay?"

The lead dog nudged Lauren's hand while Diana let out two ear-piercing barks, "Thank you, Diana. I knew I could count on you to keep this one in line."

Nike barked twice as if to tell Lauren that Diana wasn't the boss of her. She chuckled, picking up the dowel and putting it over her shoulder. She moved to check her team once more, then checked on Mary. She had hoped she would regain consciousness, but there was no such luck. She made sure she was covered and then zipped the basket shut. After a double check of the team and center lines, she moved back to her lead dogs for a little chat,

"Ready Ladies?" Two strong barks gave her the answer she wanted to hear, "Good. You listen to Tamsin now."

The two blondes switched sleds, Lauren giving Kurt a nod as she moved past him to the drivers' seat and called out to Nike and Diana, her mind set on the older woman who was her latest patient from the Dennis family. She shook her head. Apparently, Mary, dog sleds and lakes were a trio that didn't mix well.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Talkeetna, Kenzi's Hotel – Five Days Later

"So, you haven't heard from her at all?" Kenzi asked, plopping an omelet in front of her friend with sides of bacon, pancakes and orange juice.

Bo sipped her coffee, "No, I still haven't heard from Lauren, my Mom, Tamsin or Kurt. You'd think Kurt would have at least called Kelly by now."

"Maybe he did, and they swore her to secrecy."

Bo lowered her mug, staring at her friend, "Really?"

"Okay, so we all know Kelly would never keep a secret, even if there was a diamond ring promised, but they had to talk to someone. What about Dyson? They're doing the wire taps."

Bo shook her head, "Hale is doing the wire taps. He's coordinating with the feds and native government."

"What the hell does that mean?" Kenzi asked.

"It means 'mind your own business, Bo'. That's a direct quote from Sheriff Asshole." Bo replied, slamming down the bottle of syrup.

"Manners."

"Sorry. I'm just so frustrated. Didn't Hale say anything about the wire taps?"

Kenzi shrugged, "He can't discuss…"

"And ongoing investigation. I know, I know. It's just so frustrating!" Bo groaned.

"You're thinking about going up there, aren't you."

"Yes, but no. I'm still in charge of little Miss Thing." Bo replied, "Which I love, by the way."

Kenzi smiled, "Little sis is great, huh?"

"She's incredible. She handles a sled almost as good as I did at her age and she's just starting. By now I'd been driving a sled for almost seven years to get as good as she is."

Kenzi nodded, watching Bo drown her pancakes in syrup, "Uh… want a little pancake with that syrup, Miss Not-Too-Much-Sugar? You do realize that's the second time you put syrup on that stack, right?"

Bo put the syrup down, "Dammit!"

"Yea, BoBo's a little distracted today."

She pushed the plate away, "Kenz…"

"I'll get you another plate. Eat your omelet before it gets cold."

Bo picked up her fork and ate a bite, "Mmm… that's really good. This new chef is really, really good." She took another bite, "What did he do to these eggs?"

"What?" Kenzi asked.

"I said what did your new breakfast chef do to these eggs?"

"Apparently, a touch of baking powder and a few other secret ingredients. He is good, isn't he." She smiled.

"Don't let this guy go, Kenz."

"Actually, he's a she and get this… she's a transplant."

Bo looked up, "She had a transplant?"

"No! Are you listening?"

"Actually, my hearing is temporarily cut off so that my sense of taste can truly enjoy this incredible masterpiece on my plate. This is really incredible."

Kenzi laughed, "You said that already and no, she didn't have a transplant. She is a transplant as in, she's an outsider. She came in on a cruise ship, fell in love with Alaska, went back east, quit her job and moved here six months ago."

"No kidding." Bo said, as the kitchen bell rang, "Wow. Fast, too."

"She's a professional chef. She was working at that fancy place in Anchorage… I think it's called Sponza's… but the Executive Chef was a pain in her ass, so she came here instead."

Bo watched as Kenzi ran back to the kitchen to get her a new plate of pancakes, "Lucky me. I can eat breakfast here every day before going to work at the kennel. Maybe Kenzi can talk to her about making my training meals too."

The hotel owner returned, sliding the plate in front of Bo who immediately drizzled syrup on the stack as if it was a work of art. Kenzi shook her head,

"No more drowning them in syrup?"

"If the pancakes are anything like the eggs, they deserve a careful addition of syrup so as not to harm the flavor of the actual pancakes. When Jeremy makes them, they taste like the box."

"Well, that's because he uses a boxed mix. Prudence uses a scratch recipe."

"Prudence, huh?" Bo laughed.

"Apparently she comes from money… big money. She fled the family fortune and the stuffy life she was forced into as a child. Sound familiar?"

Bo looked up at Kenzi, "Maybe she has a long-lost twin she never told me about."

Kenzi shook her head, "I can promise you that's not the case."

"How?"

"Uh… hired her… saw her… been looking at her all morning. She looks nothing like Lauren."

Bo nodded, "Is she cute?"

"Uh… hello… you're taken!"

Bo shrugged, "We're on break."

"Oh? And not five days ago, you were having the… what was that you called it? The best sex of your life?"

Again, Bo shrugged, "She hasn't called me for five days. I would say that means the break has officially begun."

"And I thought there was going to be no hanky panky." Kenzi said, but she was really probing for answers to get to Bo's intentions.

Bo sighed, "Looking isn't cheating. I'm looking for a breakfast relationship."

"A what?"

"Do you think she would cook my training meals for me?"

Kenzi rolled her eyes, "Oh, I get it. Momma Dennis is gone, you're starting your training today and you need someone to cook for you because you can't cook your training meals in the fire pit."

"For your information, I'm making progress on that front."

"Oh? You have something other than burned eggs after you shovel the pit back out?"

Bo shook her head, "No, I actually tried cooking them in a pan over an open fire."

"So, what happened?"

"Rudy wanted to take the eggs out of the pan and she accidentally dumped them into the fire. But they looked good before that happened. We made bacon too."

"Bummer."

Bo nodded, staring at the first perfect bite of pancake on her fork, "It was."

She placed it on her tongue, closing her mouth slowly around the bite, then began to chew, "Oh. My. God. This is… amazing. I just want to… savor… the flavor… and… oh… this is so good."

Kenzi laughed, "You're not going to have an orgasm at the bar in my hotel, are you?"

"I just might." Bo smiled, taking another bite, then returning to her omelet.

Kenzi watched as her friend's attention was suddenly completely focused on her meal. She shoveled in bite after bite, barely stopping to breathe let along to sip her coffee,

"This is amazing. Best breakfast ever."

"Great." Kenzi replied.

"Training meals. Definitely ask her about my training meals." Bo managed between bites.

"Right. Well, I'll call her out here and you can talk to her about it."

Bo shook her head, "No, don't do that. Right now, I'm imagining the hands that made this meal. Long, slender fingers, immaculately kept nails, her skin clean and soft as a baby's behind. Her long blonde hair is pulled back as she carefully tends to every ingredient in every plate she creates. She's meticulous in her cooking, carefully measuring and calculating each item as she crafts a masterpiece for the intended recipient. When it's finished, she garnishes it like it's a piece of art and then carefully hands it off to you to serve, her big brown eyes secretly proud of her accomplishment, though you only see the professional."

"And you don't want me to ruin your image of her?" Kenzi asked, thumbing through the pictures on her phone.

"No. She will live only in my mind every time I savor her food. You know what I like in a training meal. Just tell her and she can whip up some simple little thing for her best paying customer."

"You mean my best paying customer who doesn't actually pay."

Bo smiled, "I'll pay her."

"Oh, so now you're gonna pay for meals?"

"No, now I'm going to tip the chef. If you want me to do your repairs for free, I still get free meals."

"Fair enough. Just curious. Does your image of her look anything like this?" She turned her phone showing Bo a picture of her and Lauren sitting in the restaurant on their first official date night.

"Ha. Ha." Bo frowned.

"Oh, come on. You described Lauren to a tee. Blonde, brown eyes, professional appearance, meticulous nails and skin, measuring the ingredients, I mean… come on."

Bo considered Kenzi's comment before rolling her eyes and face planting on the bar, "Nooooo! Dammit! She's going to haunt my every sleeping and waking moment while she's gone!"

Kenzi laughed, "Haunt? Your luscious lover is haunting you? Isn't that sort of negative?"

The pair turned to the sound of a voice at the end of the bar,

"Hey Kenzi? Did the shipment of fruits I ordered come in yet?"

The owner replied, "Nope. You just ordered them yesterday. Things don't show up that fast around these parts, especially when there's ten feet of snow on the ground. Do you have to adjust the menu?"

After a moment of silence, the woman replied, "I'll use the canned fruits. I can rinse them, put them on ice and they'll perk up nicely. Thanks."

"Sure thing." Kenzi replied, turning back to her friend who was still staring at the kitchen entrance, "Uh, hello? Earth to Bo?"

"Was that…"

"Prudence. The new chef. Yes."

"Dang. She's hot." Bo said, as Kenzi grabbed her jaw and turned her head until their eyes met,

"Again. You. Are. Spoken. For."

Bo shrugged, returning to her plate of pancakes, holding a bite in front of her mouth, "Again. We're. On. A. Break."

"Bo…"

"Oh, Kenzi, stop. It's not like I'm going to sleep with the woman or anything."

"Good. Because you're not available. So, if you start leading her on and breaking her heart, I'll lose the best chef I've ever had. She's going to pull in a ton of winter business. I could have my best winter season ever and you know I need the money to upgrade…"

Bo placed her hand on Kenzi's forearm, "Kenz. I get it. I will not screw up things up with your new employee. I promise, I'm just in it for the food and I'll make that very clear."

"Thank you."

"No problem. Now, can I get another short stack, short stack?" Bo smiled.

"Sure. But don't blame me if your dogs won't pull you on the sled."

"Ha. Ha." Bo replied, taking a sip of her coffee. The door opened, causing the hanging bell to ring. Bo turned to see Shannon and Carolyn entering the hotel. She smiled, giving them a wave.

"Hey Bo. How are you?" Carolyn said, stepping behind Bo and giving her shoulders a squeeze before climbing onto the stool next to her.

"I'm finally out of the clanker, thank you."

Shannon smiled, flanking her on the right, "No problem."

"You're sure it's safe for me to be out and around? I mean, I'm not contagious or anything?"

Carolyn shook her head, "Nope. Your scabs are gone and you're back to normal."

Bo smiled, "Rudy's wishing she had the pox again."

Shannon laughed, "She didn't wanna go to school?"

"Nope." Bo smiled, "She wouldn't get out of bed. I felt like the meanest sister on the planet dropping her off at school. At least I brought her into town on the sled and not the truck."

"Well, that was your first mistake." Announced Kenzi, dropping the short stack Bo ordered in front of her, "Sledding is that kids' favorite thing in the world. Showing up at school with her big sis, the Iditarod champ on the seat behind her while she drove in was probably her proudest moment. You should have signed autographs. She would have been the hit of the school."

Bo stopped decorating her pancakes with syrup and looked up, "I didn't even think to do that. Should I have? I'm a terrible sister."

Carolyn waved off Bo's obvious concern, "She'll be fine. I've never met a kid who loves school more than Rudy Dennis. By now, she's probably sitting in class playing twenty questions with her teacher."

"Yea. She asks twenty questions and the teacher struggles to answer them all." Shannon quipped.

Kenzi laughed, "I swear she gets more and more like Lauren every day."

The group grew silent, all eyes turning to Bo who was chewing a bite of pancake, savoring the moment. Kenzi looked at the girls,

"She's in love with my new chef. I mean, she's in love with her pancakes… her breakfast. She wants her to make her training meals."

Shannon shook her head, "That's a bad idea."

They all turned to Bo who wiped her mouth and stood, "I'll be back. Nature calls. I'm going to run up to my apartment and clean up. Do not clear my plate. I'm not done yet."

Kenzi nodded, waiting for Bo to be out of ear shot before she turned back to the pair and asked,

"Why is it a bad idea?"

Carolyn shrugged, "Because that woman is single, hot and she plays for our team."

Kenzi shook her head, "Bo is in love with Lauren."

"They're on a break to figure things out. Obviously, there's some doubts in both of their heads." Shannon replied.

"Are you trying to break them up?" Kenzi asked.

"No, of course not. I'm just trying to make sure that Bo finds what she truly wants." Shannon said before mumbling, "Like Lauren asked us to."

"What?" Kenzi asked, walking around the end of the bar so she was standing next to Shannon, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I said. She wants Bo to do whatever she feels inclined to do. If that means going out with other women, then so be it. Lauren just doesn't want to know if she does."

"Does Bo know she said that?"

Shannon shook her head, "No, of course not. She thinks Lauren expects monogamy while they're on their break."

"Then why would you encourage her to be with another woman?"

Shannon shrugged, "Lauren figures if Bo can be with another woman, then she has doubts about spending a lifetime with her. If she does get to a point where she thinks she wants to sleep with another woman, Lauren figures if she actually goes through with it – or at least doesn't regret it afterwards – then she's not the one and Bo will know it."

Kenzi shook her head, "This is a bad idea."

"We aren't doing anything to encourage it. We are simply going to be supportive of whatever Bo wants to do."

Kenzi rolled her eyes, "Which includes bar hopping and hanging out with sexy blondes."

"If that's what she wants to do, then that's what we've been asked to support her in doing."

Kenzi placed her hands over her face, shaking her head, "You do realize that you're listening to the woman who thinks Bo doesn't love her because of what she said during her fever? Has it occurred to you that Lauren may be looking for a way to prove she's right just so that she can prove her own theory correct?"

Shannon shook her head, "And what theory would that be, Kenzi?"

Kenzi shook her head, "You know, I'm the one without the college degree but yet I'm the one who has to explain the simplest concepts to the smart kids in the room who have known Lauren ten times longer than I have!"

"Insults don't help us understand any better!" Shannon snapped.

"Well, I did say you were smart. Where I come from, that's a compliment."

Carolyn leaned between the pair, "Kenzi…"

"Fine! But I first have to ask if the two of you have ever bothered to listen to your friend! She thinks that she's not worthy of Bo. She has said as much about a hundred times! In her mind, she's the reason that she and Nadia got divorced. She thinks that she is to blame… for everything, but the only thing she is guilty of is being afraid of failure in any form – and her parents are to blame for that…" she added, "… and Nadia didn't help."

Shannon lowered her head, "I hadn't thought of it that way."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought up Nadia." Kenzi was truly apologetic.

"No, it's okay. You're right. Lauren always blamed herself. Actually, that's not true. Nadia always blamed Lauren – all the time. Worse yet, she gossiped about it near the end of their marriage. So many people at the hospital saw Lauren as the one at fault in the marriage. What's that they say? If someone tells you something enough, you start to believe it – even if they're wrong."

Kenzi nodded, "I guess that's true. I mean, I wasn't there but…"

"It's true. Trust me. Nadia manipulated Lauren on the daily. You didn't know the Lauren we knew before she was tied to the ball and chain by marriage. She biked, hiked, sailed, skied, surfed, took trips on her friend's tall ship regularly, ran marathons, rock climbed and parachuted out of planes. When she met Nadia, all of that changed. It was work and Nadia – all of the things she loved were shoved aside to make room for what Nadia wanted."

"And what was that?"

"High society life. Important parties with important people. Being propped up like Evony's monkey because Nadia agreed to allow Evony to use her that way. Lauren's parents loved Nadia. That should tell you something right there. Nadia hosted all of these galas just so she could be seen on Lauren's arm to feel self-important. The only active time Lauren had on her own was the gold card gym membership that Nadia bought her. Of course, to buy the membership, she sold Lauren's sailboat that she kept in the harbor near the hospital."

Shannon hung her head, but Carolyn continued, "She loved that boat. Whenever she lost a patient, whenever she had a bad day, she would go out in that boat and come back right as rain. Nadia never asked if she could sell the boat. She just sold it. Lauren was devastated."

"So why doesn't she buy herself a new one?" Kenzi asked.

"Because that boat was a gift from her grandmother… it was named after her grandmother. We'd never seen her that way. She was inconsolable when she found out and then she pretty much vanished for a week. When she came back, she was… different. Stoic, all-business, the Chief of Staff you would expect, not the one you loved and worked hard for because they'd earned your respect and admiration."

"But you kept working for her?"

"We're persistent." Shannon smiled, "We eventually renewed some of the lost parts of Lauren Lewis, but the doctor… well, she stayed the same… she just spent more hours at work."

Kenzi nodded, "Because the more she was at the hospital, the less she had to see Nadia."

"That's about it." Shannon said, "She never forgave her for selling that boat."

Kenzi shrugged, "So why not buy it back?"

Shannon stopped mid-sip of her coffee, turning to face Kenzi, "I never thought… wow… I never thought of that."

She looked at Carolyn who nodded. Shannon pulled out her phone, as Kenzi smiled and said, "My work is done here. I'll take my brilliance down to the other end of the bar to where my paying customers await. I swear I should be getting paid doctor wages."

Kenzi arrived behind the other end of the bar just in time to see Bo had come down the steps from her apartment and was talking to Prudence. Kenzi watched the pair carefully, noting the number of times the chef smiled at the brunette. She walked back down to where the nurses were,

"I can't watch this. I just can't. Lauren is the best thing that ever happened to Bo. Prudence is the best thing that ever happened to my restaurant. The two of them together is a disaster waiting to happen."

The young hotel owner stopped suddenly, "The Iditarod. Bo will be leaving soon for long runs. They won't have a lot of time together. That will take care of that. She'll go back to living like mountain woman. Problem solved."

Carolyn and Shannon shared a glance before Lynnie said, "Kenzi, what do you say we just let it go and see what happens? Maybe they'll just be great friends. You know, other than you, Bo has no friends of her own."

"Sure, she does. She has Kyle and Tamsin and Dyson and…"

"Kenzi, we're talking friends from her life now. Friends that aren't all about her past and who she was then. A friend who can accept her for who she is without all of the awards and trophies. A friend who might have different opinions. A friend who doesn't judge Bo for her past, who her Father was or who the rumor mill said she was." Shannon explained.

Relenting, Kenzi shrugged, "Okay. Maybe you're right."

"Maybe we are, maybe we aren't. The bottom line – it's Bo's life and Bo's choices. All we can do is let her life move forward. If the road leads back to Lauren, great. If it doesn't, if Bo's happy, isn't that really all that matters?"

Kenzi looked at her friend, then back to Carolyn, "Yes."

Carolyn smiled, "Great. Now get your chef back to work. I need another stack of those pancakes she made us yesterday with a side of eggs, scrambled and reindeer sausage."

Shannon nodded, "Same, but my eggs over easy."

"Got it." She walked down the bar, handing Prudence the order, then checked on the other customers at the bar before heading back to the girls.

They all stood awkwardly until Bo returned to her seat, downing the rest of her coffee, "Gotta run. I'm late for the kennel."

Kenzi nodded, "Is that going to become a regular thing? Late to the kennel because you're here talking to Prudence?"

"She prefers Prue and she was asking me questions about my training meals. She's going to start packing something for me next week after she places another order."

"She's making you special meals?"

Bo winked, "Yup. She's interested in the Iditarod and dog sledding. Asked me to take her out sometime."

"Oh? And what did you say."

"I said yes, of course. Why not?"

"Uh, did you forget our discussion?"

"Kenzi, I'm not marrying the girl. I'm just taking her out for a sled ride. She's new to Alaska and wants to see the sights."

"Funny. It took you forever to take Lauren for a sled ride. It took you forever to show her the sights."

Bo shook her head, "I'm not doing this with you, Kenzi. Lauren and I are on a break. I'm finding myself again. My new self – the one my past built, with all that Lauren has showed me I can be. You're just going to have to trust that I'm going to end up exactly where I'm supposed to be."

Tossing down a five-dollar bill, she smiled, "The tip is for the chef. I'll be back on Friday to fix the solar panels on the south side of the hotel. Manny is supposed to deliver them on Thursday after he closes the shop. Of course, that's only if they come in on time. The snow is holding everything up."

Bo turned to Shannon and Carolyn, "See you guys for dinner?"

They nodded, Carolyn adding, "We'll bring our drawings. Remember, we're not architects so don't get your hopes up too high!"

Bo smiled, "It's okay. I have a great imagination."

The brunette headed for the door, but Kenzi shouted to her, picking up the bag, "Bo! Your feed bag!"

Bo rushed back, grabbing the bag, "Thank you. The girls will thank you! It's their favorite. See you later, Kenz. Don't be late and don't forget the bread!"

Kenzi shook her head, "Always with the bread."

Shannon shrugged, "Your bread is awesome. So, what was the favorite in the bag?"

"Scraps."

"Scraps?"

"The dogs need protein, so I give Bo all of the scraps of meat and fish that are left over on plates or cut free before cooking. It's a mix of fats and proteins that she mixes in with their kibble and some other powder Bo creates from plants in her garden. This year, I'll be ordering some of those items from California since she lost some of her buried crops to frost before she was able to harvest them. The stuff in her greenhouse is okay, but it's not enough to get her through the Iditarod and now that she's doing a couple of those other races, she's going to need more stock."

"I never thought there was a specific diet for the dogs. I thought they were just mixing water into kibble."

Kenzi shook her head, "Bo's dogs get a very specific diet. She worked on the formula for years, reading everything she could get her hands on about canine evolution and blood lines. Combined with what her Mom taught her, she found what she believes is the perfect blend to help them live long, healthy lives."

"I guess that makes sense. Bo trains and eats like she's the one doing all of the running. I guess it makes sense that the dogs should train and eat even better than Bo."

"Yup. That's the philosophy." Kenzi replied, throwing a towel over her shoulder.

Shannon nodded, "But fish guts and meat scraps doesn't sound like a food group."

"Not at all." Carolyn replied, the two sharing a laugh, "What are these other races she's doing?"

"Dunno. She's never done anything like this before. She said they're just small races in a few local neighborhoods along the Iditarod trail. She said she always gets invites after the Iditarod to do a short fifty-mile town run, give people some autographs and talk to some school kids. She's never done it before, but this year she decided not to say no. She didn't particularly want to say yes, either, but for whatever reason, she's going."

Shannon nodded, "So no big finish line or spectators?"

Kenzi laughed, "Are you kidding? If the great Bo Dennis was coming to your town when you were twelve, wouldn't you have cut school to see her?"

The couple laughed, Carolyn admitting, "I guess when you put it that way, yes I would have."

"Exactly. Of courses, she won't like it if there is a big finish, but I don't think she's really thought this through. She said she's going to be spontaneous and just go where the winter winds blow her."

Shannon shook her head, "Impulsive Bo is making these decisions? That doesn't sound good."

Kenzi shrugged, "She's on her temporarily-single journey. Like you said, Lauren wants it to play out, so we're not going to worry about, right?"

The pair nodded, "Great. We all agree. I'll be back with two short-stacks in a jiffy."

They watched as Kenzi moved down the bar, picking up tips, clearing plates, refilling coffees and wiping the counter before disappearing into the kitchen. It was then that Carolyn asked,

"So, do you think Bo's really going to fall for this Prudence, chick?"

Shannon laughed, "Prudence prefers Prue and I vote no. But I think Bo's going to have to go through whatever it is to figure it out. I remember Tamsin saying that Bo never got attached before Lauren. If she was sleeping with you, it was only you, but there was nothing other than a quick bang and she was out of the bed. I'm thinking that's all it would be… if it even happens. Personally, I think she's going to get outta Dodge and avoid everyone and everything until Lauren comes home."

Carolyn was surprised, "Oh? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of this alone time? I thought she would be spending time learning to socialize and be with her family. I thought this was more about figuring out a career and how to make life work here… in town. Where do you think she's going?"

Shannon nodded towards the window, "Out there into the great unknown. Well… not unknown to her, but really unknown to us."

Carolyn nodded, "How much of the stuff she has to go through do you think has to do with being mad at Lauren for not returning her calls or texts?"

Shannon smiled, lifting her mug to her lips, "Oh, I think all of it has to do with that and I think it's also why Bo isn't doing all of those family and friends things you thought she would do. She's reacting to Lauren hurting her feelings."

"Like she always does." Carolyn nodded, "Although, I can't say I blame her. What if there was something really wrong? I can't believe Lauren hasn't called her back – or at least sent a text. I wish she would call or text her Mom, Kurt or Tamsin. I'm sure they would respond."

Shannon nodded, taking a sip of her coffee, "So did you call Lauren?"

Carolyn only nodded, putting down her mug, "And what did our dear ice-traveling boss have to say?"

"The usual. They got there. The trip was long. Mary almost fell through the ice and died. She didn't. They've tried to meet with the Elders three times, but that guy she and Bo were worried about is running interference. Mary has filed an official motion with the tribal council."

Shannon looked at Carolyn, "Tribal council? Isn't that a thing from a TV show?"

"Yea, but I forget what it's actually called. If the motion is passed, then the Elders have to hear her out and that dude can't interfere anymore. In the meantime, Lauren has been meeting with the woman who saved Mary."

"Saved Mary?" Shannon asked.

"From when she fell through the ice."

"That was real? You said she didn't fall through the ice!" Shannon shouted before looking around and seeing all eyes in her direction, "Sorry."

Carolyn clarified, "I said she fell through the ice and almost died but she didn't die… at least not when I had talked to Lauren.

"Geezus, Lynnie! Why didn't you tell me?"

Carolyn shrugged, "You were with Rudy and I wasn't about to mention it in front of her. Plus, I really don't know the whole story, so I'm not telling it. No rumors. Bo will freak."

Shannon sighed, "Right."

"Anyway, this woman I mentioned is supposedly a long-lost childhood friend of Mary's. Lauren believes Mary is keeping something from her because the two of them are chatting all the time. She also thinks that Tamsin holding out because she's on satellite calls to Dyson and Hale all the time."

"Well, Kenzi told me last night that Hale won't tell her anything about the wire taps."

Carolyn nodded, "So we're all in the dark."

"It appears so. And Bo is naturally thinking the worst."

Carolyn smiled, "Well, Dr. Gray called for an update yesterday. I told her that Lauren wasn't returning Bo's calls and that Bo's pretty upset. She said they have a session scheduled so she would work that into the conversation if our beloved Musher doesn't bring it up herself."

Shannon nodded, "I'm glad that Bo has a therapist she trusts."

"A smart therapist. Nothing gets past that woman." Carolyn smiled.

"Bo's in good hands, right?" Shannon asked, the worry visible on her face.

Carolyn smiled, rubbing her back, "Dr. Gray is the best. We all agree. I know you've become really close, Shannie. I think Bo is the first friend you've had that didn't come into your life by way of an operating room."

Shannon nodded, "One day I want to kick her ass, the next I absolutely love the socially inept, impulsive, incredibly hot asshole. Since our little altercation at the hospital, she's become like a sister to me."

Carolyn nodded, "I've noticed. Don't worry, Shannie. She'll find her way."

"Yea. Let's just hope it's back here to her family and friends."

"And with Lauren where she belongs." Carolyn added, the pair looking up to see Kenzi coming with their pancakes.

"Here you are, Ladies. Do you want your coffee topped?"

Both women nodded, stopping mid-bite when Kenzi asked, "So, either of you two scrubs heard from blondie?"

The pair shared a glance, then dove into their pancakes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two Miles from Yentna Station Iditarod Checkpoint, Forty Miles from Anchorage…

Bo sat with her dogs against the rock face overlooking the trail to Yentna Station. It was the second checkpoint in the Iditarod and today it was her turn around point so that she would be home in time for dinner. Molly was cooking family dinner tonight, so she was picking up the girls from school and then driving Bo's truck back over to the Homestead so that Bo could go straight to the Homestead with the dogs.

She had to chuckle thinking of how disappointed Rudy would be, but she had also arranged a little surprise with LJ. He was actually going to show up just before his Aunt Molly left and offer Rudy a ride on the sled. Kyle would be right behind him to take Elise. Bo knew by now to give equal treatment to the two girls and the sled rides would allow Molly to get to the homestead ahead of everyone, so dinner was ready. Mark would be bringing up the rear in his truck after closing the General Store, so if there were any problems, he would find them.

Bo grabbed another piece of muktuk from the bag and tossed another piece of jerky to Harper. Personally, she wasn't a big fan of muktuk, but the frozen whale skin and blubber was high in protein, so it was a necessary part of her training diet – especially when she was out on the trail. Packing a light sled was crucial for the dogs, so Bo was willing to sacrifice taste for space when it came to training runs.

She turned to where Rosie and Reese were causing a ruckus. Shaking her head, she tossed two pieces of jerky about six feet apart to separate the pair,

"Teenagers, huh Harper? They just won't let their sisters get any rest. I hope Mom is enjoying Nike and Diana as her leads. She has no idea how good she has it. Still, with Rosie and Reese along, their young legs are making the load easier for the rest of you to haul, huh?" Harper moaned, lowering her head. Bo smiled, "Come on. We only have to deal, with them for this one rest stop. That's not so bad, right?"

She looked around, again double checking her surroundings. Harper moved to her, laying down, her head on her lap,

"Don't get too comfortable, girl. We're heading out soon."

Bo smiled as her best friend groaned, closing her eyes. She looked tired. Cocking her head to the side, the Musher looked down at her champion and asked,

"Do you want to ride in the basket girl?"

Harper's ears perked up before she stood, walking slowly to the sled. She crawled into the open basket on her own. Bo's eyes brimmed with tears,

"Well, that's new." Bo said, shaking her head and wiping her cheeks dry, "So, I guess it's been a while since you did a run this long, huh? You just need to ease into the season. We started a little later than usual, so it's understandable that you're tired already. You'll be fine." She shook her head, her tears now falling as she knew her old girl was beginning to struggle,

"You'll be fine." She lied. She turned away, looking down the trail to town as she whispered to herself, "Denial is a wonderful way to deal with an aging dog."

Bo took a deep breath, pushing thoughts of Harper's age and health from her mind to see that the other dogs were up and stretching their legs, sniffing at the wind or playing with one another. Standing, she walked to Harper, tucking her into the basket and zipping it shut. The elder dog whimpered, causing Bo's tears to rise again, as she re-opened the cover. She dug through the supply bag and pulled out the salve her Mom had made for the dogs,

"I suppose this can't hurt, huh? Mom says it will help your joints and muscles when they're sore, so let's see if it works. You let me know, okay?"

She rubbed the gooey substance into the fur of Harper's legs hearing her Mother's voice as she taught her the secrets of the legendary salve. B

'Ysabeau, this has been used by our people since our beginning. I taught you of it when you were a small child, though I'd never shared the recipe until now. That knowledge is one of the biggest trusts among my Mother's tribe. So now, I pass on the knowledge I never got to share with you as a teenager. You must never share the recipe I've given you… not even with your business partners. You must never sell the recipe. It is not meant for profit.'

'But if it's good for the dogs, why wouldn't we want other owners to have it so that their dogs can heal faster and feel better as they do?'

Mary shook her head, 'There are ingredients in the salve that would not survive the mass production of the remedy. You've seen how the white man has decimated entire land species for profit. Revealing this recipe would result in the same, guaranteed.'

Bo nodded her understanding, tucking the recipe away in the inside pocket of her jacket, 'I promise.'

'Thank you, Child.'

'So how do I use it?' Bo asked.

'You must rub deep into the muscle, Ysabeau making circles with your thumbs. Pay careful attention to the gaps in the joints and where the muscles run along the bone. Rub firmly but watch for them to flinch. If they do, there might be more damage than we'd like. I've used this on LJ's dog, Miss Sally.'

'One of those old dogs he bought off of Smitty?'

'Yes, and you've seen her, Bo. She's the snow-white dog with the black boots and blue eyes.'

'Wow. She's running with his main team now. She's just a year or so younger than Harper.'

Mary nodded, 'It's the salve. It does wonders if applied regularly. But it takes a week to make, so you must make batches continuously. Be warned, two of the ingredients can only be found in the winter ice. So, you must dig it up and freeze it for when you can harvest the other components in the spring.'

Bo opened her supply bag, seeing that there were three of the salve containers remaining, "Mom gave us four of these containers. I don't know if this is all of it or not, so we'll have to go easy on this stuff."

Harper groaned, flinching when Bo hit a sensitive spot. The brunette eased off on the pressure and her old friend seemed to relax again. The musher smiled,

"It's okay, girl. It's okay. You rest. Let's teach these rookies how to pull their weight without you helping."

Bo set to work scribbling in her journal the various configurations for the team absent Harper. She decided she would see how her rookie leads did as the wheels. She would move Gaea and Athena to the swing position, replacing Harper and Aphrodite, then run Aphrodite as the sole lead. She wasn't sure how the dog would do there. She had run beside Harper since she had begun running, but that was just because of their bond. Aphrodite was definitely as strong and fast as her canine mother… possibly smarter as well. She had been born of the best, after all.

While she made the necessary rigging changes, she thought about the younger Harper. She and Swan were probably the best lead dogs she'd ever raised. When Swan was killed by Big Jim, she tried to run Harper as a single lead, but she had kept pulling left to where Swan used to be. Ultimately, she moved her to the swing position to serve as coach and tutor to her pup - a very young Aphrodite. The two ran together like pieces of Velcro. They were inseparable – even when they slept. Bo would come out to the barn in the morning and find an anchor pulled from the ground, the two dogs huddled together in one kennel. Bo had been taught that dogs must eventually be separated from their mothers, but the brunette finally surrendered to their inevitable bond and allowed them to bed down together.

Bo began to hook up the team, saving Aphrodite for last. She moved the veteran to the front, hooking her line fast to the base of her harness, then detached the extra line from her collar. She took a seat in the snow before the proud canine and spoke,

"Your Mom is tired, girl. You understand, right?"

She watched as the veteran dog looked back, letting out a bark which Harper echoed.

"So, you're going to have to lead the team now. Nike and Diana will be back soon, and you can go back to the swing position if you want, but you know we're running in twilight. The trail is dark and I'm afraid those crazy rookies will get us lost. You've got this, right?"

Aphrodite licked Bo's face, earning a rub of the neck in return, "Thanks, Girl. I knew you'd understand. Okay then, so we're heading into Yentna Station, about another ten miles, then we're heading back home. Total miles… I'd say we've got about sixty to go. Let's try to do it in under six hours, okay? That will get us home just in time for your Aunt Molly's fancy table setting hour."

Bo smiled, standing to look down at one of her most playful dogs. She was Harper's eldest daughter, but she was still full of youthful exuberance, not to mention being near and dear to Bo's heart. She was the first pup Bo had delivered on her own and though she had plenty of siblings in the same litter, there was something about her being first into the world. The night she'd watched Big Jim slaughter her other dogs, the appearance of Aphrodite from Harper's loins was like a stream of light and love let into the dark world he had brought upon her. Aphrodite and her siblings that followed in the litter had breathed new life into the musher at a time she'd thought of ending it all.

She sighed, turning her focus again to thoughts of the family she now had and the dinner she was running home to. She smiled at the image of the table her niece-in-law would be setting when she arrived,

"I'll never understand why she feels a need to spend so much time dressing up a table like it's a person. She puts a white dress on it with fine embroidered corners, then her shiny candlesticks and those hand-crafted silver eating utensils." Bo smiled, shaking her head, "She even gives us pieces of fancy folded cloth for wiping our mouths. I'd rather just lick my lips. Why waste the juicy bits by wiping them onto a napkin?"

She moved methodically, checking the lines and leads of all of the dogs, leaning over to check the center line as well. When she was back with her lead, she smiled,

"I wonder how many times we've done this routine, huh? Do you ever get tired of getting hitched and unhitched to the team? Now that I think about it, I've never bothered to ask any of you if you're bored with all of this."

Aphrodite yawned and Bo laughed, "Or if you're bored with me, apparently. You know, I have to apologize to you, my very precious pup. Because you're paired with your Mom, I've never really given you the attention you've deserved. It's usually Harper first and then Diana and Nike because they're the leads. If I've neglected you or offended you, I'm very sorry."

Bo smiled, "I wonder if you've got one more set of pups in you, huh? Would you like that?" Bo chuckled, "Want me to find you a real stud to give you babies?"

Aphrodite barked twice, her tail wagging and Bo responded, "Well, that's either a resounding 'yes, I've been horny for years how have you not noticed' or a shut the hell up and let's get going, Bo."

The brunette sighed, moving to one knee and speaking more softly to her temporary lead, "Would you tell me if the team was sick of racing? I mean, does the trophy still matter to all of you? What's the talk around the kennel, huh?" She lowered her eyes, "Is your Mom too tired for another race?"

Aphrodite turned, looking back at Harper who looked as if she had perked up a bit since having the salve rubbed on her legs. She barked at her daughter, receiving a similar reply. Bo shook her head,

"You'd think after all of these years, I'd have learned to speak canineese more fluently, but I'll take that as a

'we'll see' and a pointed 'let's get this show on the road', Bo."

With one last firm rub between the ears, she switched on Aphrodite's headlamp and those mounted to the front of the sled before moving to double check her gear. She gave a pat to Harper's head,

"She's a good girl, Mom." She smiled, "She'll get us where we're going."

Turning on her own headlamp, she went through her routine. She checked her boot laces and then began to close up her coat. She took a peek at the picture of Lauren she carried inside her inner vest pocket before tucking it back into its place near her heart and securing her out layers, then snugged her collar to her neck before raising her hood. She pulled tight the Velcro straps around her gloves at the wrists, raised her mask, lowered her goggles and moved behind the handle. Scuffing the snow from the rails, she stepped into place, lifting the ice hook and pushing the sled handle forward to remove the secondary brake. Running her hands back and forth on the icy handle, she found a firm grip before exhaling a deep breathing and calling out,

"Hike, Aphrodite! Show us the way, Girl!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Homestead, Four Hours Later…

Molly smoothed the surface of the white silk tablecloth before walking to the cupboard and removing the two sterling silver candlesticks. She shook her head,

"Dusty. I can't believe none of the three women in this house care to use these beautifully crafted candle holders to light this room for a meal. They should be regular fixtures on the table, family dinner or not."

She placed a long, white, tapered candle in each fixture before striking a wood match across the front of the stove and lighting each of them. She turned and peered out the window once more, checking to see if Bo had yet pulled into the barn where she was parking her sled tonight. She had offered to do so because they needed space for LJ and Kyle's dogs in the garage. LJ and Kyle had arrived a little over an hour ago and had already laid down straw for their teams, arranging extra haybales to give each dog their own private space. Now, just one team was missing… one family member. Molly stared out into the darkness across the mountain range and whispered,

"Don't you do this, Bo. You come home to us. Wherever you are, come home to us."

The shrill sound of the kettle whistle pulled Molly's attention from the window. She turned, walking to the stove to pour the steaming water into the pot of stainless mesh tea infusers, setting it to steep, as she lingered over the aromatic mist for a long moment,

She sighed, "I don't know what you put in your tea, Mary but the scent is divine."

She felt two strong arms wrap around her waist and smiled, relaxing into the embrace as his deep voice whispered in her ear,

"Dinner smells amazing."

"That's only because it's your favorite." Molly quipped to her husband.

"Coincidentally, it's Bo's favorite as well. So, who did you cook it for, my love?" Mark chuckled.

"Bo is heartbroken. She hasn't heard from her Mother or Lauren. She tried to get news from Dyson and Hale since they've been in contact with Tamsin, but they just told her not to worry."

"And are you worried?" Mark asked.

Molly turned in his arms, the look of concern speaking volumes before she ever spoke, "I am."

Mark sighed, "Me too."

"Did Rudy ask again?"

"According to LJ, it's all she talked about the whole ride here. Usually, she's focused on the driver – whoever that may be – not going fast enough.."

Molly laughed, "Our little dare devil. It seems the only words she knows on a sled are 'hike' and 'faster'."

Mark smiled and nodded, "She does enjoy going fast, doesn't she? LJ even asked her if she wanted to drive. But she said no."

"She said no?" Molly asked, surprised.

Mark nodded as Mary shook her head and said, "It's just not right. They shouldn't do this to that kid. Mary knows better than to leave her waiting."

Mark shrugged, "We don't know why they haven't called, Molly. It just may be that they don't have a signal."

"Then they should send Kurt back and have him let us know what's going on."

Mark smiled, "You know that would be a waste of time and fuel. They wouldn't look kindly on him draining their supplies this time of year. It's hard enough for them to get any oil products outside of winter let along when the white outs begin. They're having the same weather up there that we're having here."

"Damn early winter." Molly spat, stepping from her husband's embrace to check the oven, "Almost ready. Where the hell is Bo? She should be home by now."

"Hey. Bo knows what she's doing out there. She may have hit some weather or had trouble with her team. She's not exactly running with her best dogs. Regardless, we all know that she knows how to handle any situation out there."

"What if she broke a rail?" Molly asked.

Mark smiled, "She spent decades living on a sled and now she builds sleds for a living. If that happened, do you really think she couldn't figure something out?"

"I suppose you're right." Molly said, opening the oven door to pull out the fresh bread, "My bread isn't as good as Mary's, but I tried her recipe. Maybe it's close."

"I'm sure it's fine, my love." Mark grinned, "It's odd that Bo's our Aunt, but you still treat her like a daughter."

"She's young and new to the ways of this world. All of her time away from people… she still doesn't know how to ask for help and I just…"

"You worry about her, I know. We all do, Mo."

Molly looked up at her husband, her eyes watery with unshed tears, "I just want her to find peace, Mark. Is that too much to ask? She's suffered so much at the hands of her parents and the townspeople… even the native clans rejected her because of Seline. She deserves a home and a family."

Mark smiled, "Look around, Molly. We've given her exactly that."

"But she's still not happy, Mark. She deserves to have all of that and be happy with it." Molly said, a tear escaping. She quickly wiped it away, turning from her husband, "I'm like an old fool crying over such a strong woman. She'll be fine. It's silly of me to worry."

Mark's broad smile stretched across his face as he moved to his wife. Taking her in his arms, he dipped her back and took her mouth in a full, passionate kiss,

"I love you more than my dogs, Molly Morton. You're a kind, compassionate, caring woman who is everyone's mother in some way, shape or form. It's endearing, it's philanthropic and it's sexy."

Molly slapped his shoulders, forcing him to stand her up as he let out a hearty laugh. Molly pouted, pulling the towel from her shoulder and snapping him with it several times on the ass,

"And where did you learn those fancy words?" She laughed.

"What? Philanthropic?"

"Yes."

"Bo's word-a-day calendar. She put one on the counter at the kennel store. Business was slow the other day, so I paged through it. I can actually see why she carries it."

"So you're passing the time reading vocabulary instead of stocking shelves? She is paying you for your time."

Mark shrugged, "I never take a dime from her. LJ and I have an agreement. He logs it in Bo's book, but the real books don't show it. She never looks at the real books. Just the bottom line so she knows she's in the green."

Mary smiled, "You're a kind man, Mark Morton."

He grinned proudly, "Yes I am."

The pair looked to the door, hearing quite the ruckus outside. Molly ran past her husband, throwing open the door to find Bo laying on the straw in the kennel in the middle of LJ and Kyle's dogs. Bo's dogs were running anxiously around the kennel, barking nonstop.

"Mark!"

"I'm on it." Mark said, rushing to grab Bo's dogs by the collars so he could get them into their kennels.

Molly made her way to Bo who had dogs running all over her. She pushed them back to the other side of the hay bales, restacking them as necessary until she finally got to the brunette,

"Bo? Bo?" She tapped her, "Bo!"

Mark rushed over, "She's not waking up?"

Molly shook her head, carefully pulling back the brunette's hood and removing her mask and goggles, "Shit! Mark, get the girls! Now!"

Mark pulled himself together and rushed inside, calling out for help before turning for the door. Thinking twice about it, he turned back, his eyes meeting his Dad's,

"Pops keep the young ones inside. Bo's hurt."

But Tosh rushed for the door. Mark knew better than to try to keep him from his little sister, "Fine. You go out and I'll keep the kids inside."

Tosh hurried outside while Shannon, Carolyn and Kelly followed close behind. LJ and Kyle rushed to check on the dogs. Rudy and Elise reached the door but were stopped by Mark,

"Let's give the nurses room to work. She's in good hands."

The two nodded, but remained in the doorway, looking out at the group who were circling Bo.

"Sister! Sister!" Rudy yelled, before looking at Mark, "Is she dead?"

Mark smiled, "Of course not, silly. Bo is tough to kill. She's just a little banged up."

"Can't we go to her? She needs us. She always feels better when we're around." Elise said, her eyes filled with concern as she watched the three women working.

Mark gave his adopted daughter a hug, "The girls will take care of her. You know they will."

"What's wrong with her?" Rudy asked, holding Elise's hand tightly with both of her own.

Mark replied, "We don't know yet, girls. Give Shannon, Carolyn and Kelly a chance to check her out."

All three turned to LJ who was suddenly rushing for a first aid kit at Kyle's command, "Grab Mary's salve. The white stuff, not the green stuff. Make sure there's a needle and thread in there, too."

And so, they all waited while the Nurses worked on Bo… while LJ and Kyle worked on the dogs… all of them… watching and hoping… and wondering what had gone wrong this time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX