Sorry for the super long delay (busy time of year for me) - this one jumps around a bit so I hope it's not too confusing. Enjoy. And sorry for typos :)

xxxx

With a brisk and cheerful pace, Lauren walked the halls of the hospital. She smiled at everyone she passed, even those that didn't take their eyes off the cellphones clutched in their palms as they walked. Even when one man ignored her politely offered "hello," Lauren never faltered. She was in far too good a mood to let something minor bring her down.

Bo always had that effect on her. A spontaneous romp before work kept Lauren on a high of happiness well into the wee hours of the work night. She even paced the hospital with an extra bounce in her step. To the unsuspecting stranger, Lauren was simply an oddity: a doctor working night shift who wore a genuine smile plastered across her face.

Lauren rounded the corner and glanced out a set of nearby windows on the way to her office. The dark night sky still shrouded everything from view. The absence of the sun gave the deceptive appearance of a cool night, but the doctor knew better. It was still hot and hazy outside. Fortunately for Lauren, the hospital kept a cool, almost chilly temperature as the standard in the building. Lauren had no complaints about that: it always made for comfortable working conditions.

She also had no complaints that the night had been proceeding at a smooth pace. Only a few more hours on shift and she could head home to see her family again. The thought made her smile grow even wider. Greeting Charlotte and Bo in the mornings always gave Lauren a swell of emotion. She loved them more than anything in life; she would give up everything in the world for them. There were no doubts about that.

Lauren loved thinking about her family, but she also tried to limit the amount of time she allowed them to occupy her thoughts while at work. It was a double edged sword really. Thinking about them always made Lauren wish she could be in two places at the same time. Loving her job was something that she had done for years far longer than she had been with her family, but the constant pull between both was sometimes emotionally draining. Lauren wanted to spend time with Bo and with Charlotte as much as possible, but she also wanted to work and practice medicine. While there really was no bullet proof solution to this issue, Lauren had accepted that it was just one of those topics that would pop into her head on occasion as something to think about. She tried to balance it as best as possible; like any other working mother trying to keep a healthy work/life balance.

Lauren remained lost in thought about her partner and her daughter for a few short moments before she arrived outside her closed office door. She swiped her badge along the scanner affixed to the wall before popping open the door. One step inside and the silence of her office was interrupted by dueling echoes of beeps from her cell phone and pager. Before she even caught a glimpse of the phone screen, the hospital loudspeaker barked out a code that told Lauren everything she needed to hear.

Lauren jammed the phone into her pocket as she quickly turned around and ran out of her office. Despite not even reading the messages flooding her phone, she had worked at this hospital long enough to know that two devices alerting her at the same time that a code is announced meant only one thing: Lauren was needed in the emergency room.

She was on call again that night, for no reason other than she still put in a few nights in the ER every month, as she had done for years. Jogging down the hall was familiar; a performance she had done on many prior occasions. It was during this jog that Lauren's mind shifted gears. Her brain blocked out all thoughts of Bo and Charlotte while focusing on her abilities to make quick, sharp decisions. She never knew what the ER would deliver to her on any night, but no matter the injury, Lauren always wanted to be at the top of her game.

Just as suspected, she stepped foot in to the emergency room as medics were wheeling in several individuals. The chaos contrasted greatly to the calm blanketing the emergency room over the past several hours. With a trained eye, Lauren scanned the scene just as a nurse handed her a clipboard.

"Major pile up right at our exit off the freeway. This one here is a male, age unknown. Found unconscious on the scene and not in any vehicle. He was pinned between a car and a guard rail by his arm only. BP 155 over 88. Severe lacerations to the right forearm. An EMT has her hand inside him arm and her fingers are literally pinching off the bleed."

Her feet moved before the nurse was finished speaking. Lauren jogged next to the patient's gurney as he was wheeled away down the hallway. She glanced over his body before looking at the clipboard. He was unconscious, thankfully so, as his forearm looked like it had been smashed with a rather large blunt object. The rest of his body showed no immediate injuries, contrary to her initial thoughts when the nurse said "not in any vehicle."

His muscle shirt was torn and scrappy looking but intentionally so, like a rock star or even a drug addict maybe. His blue jeans appeared rather clean despite the blood spots on the same side of his body as the injured arm. With sweeping glances over his body, Lauren assessed him externally while making quick decisions about injuries to his major organs. Trying to determine the exact cause of his injury was a guessing game mixed with memories from experience: she always hoped her quick decisions were accurate, but there was never a guarantee.

Leveraging those years of experience and intuition, Lauren focused on the injured man's arm as the priority. She tugged on his shirt and saw absolutely no immediate bruising on his abdomen. The other minor scrapes on his palms were nothing of concern, but the arm injury was major though; the swelling and bruising was already changing his skin to a purple color and the amount of blood that had covered his arm was extensive.

With quick moving hands, Lauren tossed the clipboard on the gurney and slid her fingers over his forearm. She maneuvered carefully around the medic's hand, still pressing off the torn artery in his arm. Lauren felt the protruding broken radius pushing from underneath the skin, and she felt confident he had also broken the ulna as well. The swelling on that side of his arm was worse, and only an x-ray would prove her right or wrong on the latter.

"Book this man an O.R."

Lauren directed her statement to another nurse as they crossed through a set of open double doors. The nurse shook her head and replied.

"There are no surgeons available for at least twenty minutes, Doctor Lewis. They were on ghost staff as it is tonight and both are in surgery now. We paged a few but no response yet. We are prepping O.R. 3 now but we have no guarantee we'll have a surgeon to handle it immediately."

Lauren shook her head. This man didn't have twenty minutes to wait. Lauren never hesitated. She may have felt a flutter in her gut but she made a quick decision. Losing this man's arm was not an option in her mind, especially due to the reason that there were no surgeons available. So Lauren did what she knew she could do.

"I'll do the surgery. It's a simple fix on the bleed, and any rookie can reset these bones. We're not going to wait, and I'm not going to have this man lose his arm simply because a surgeon is at dinner and can't get his ass here quickly."

Lauren's tone was sharp enough that the other medical personnel near her never questioned her statement. She simply knew that, if she were in this patient's situation, it is what she would want as well.

The elevator doors slid open and the two medics, one nurse and Lauren pushed the gurney inside. The doors had not even closed yet when the patient jolted to consciousness. With wide eyes, his deep gasps were joined by a mix of screams and complaints. His upper body shook as he tried to sit up.

"Oh fuck my bloody arm! Literally, I have a bloody arm!"

The man began to twist and turn, but one medic and nurse quickly shoved his shoulders and pinned him back on the gurney. Lauren pressed down on his shoulder firmly in an attempt to restrict his movements, hoping the other medic didn't lose her grip on the pinched off artery.

With a firm voice, Lauren spoke.

"Sir do not move. I know it hurts, but you need to be extremely still so we can get you into surgery. It's very important that you stop moving."

The man tightened his jaw and closed his eyes. A throaty growl followed. All the growling in the world wouldn't stop the pain he was feeling, but Lauren silently commended him on the attempt to refrain from screaming inside the closed elevator car.

"Surgery? Dear gods!" he uttered through gritted teeth.

"Sir does anything else hurt outside your arm?" Lauren quickly asked.

The man cringed his face in agony, but ignored her question.

"Oh my god, my arm! Please save my arm. I'm a damn martial arts instructor. I need my arm!"

The elevator quickly dinged as the doors slid open. The medics and nurse pushed the gurney out the doors into a cold, sterile hallway toward the operating room. Lauren observed the man as she spoke.

"I'll do everything I can. Please tell me other areas your feel pain, sir."

The man shook his head, simply repeating "my arm" over and over.

"What else hurts?" Lauren asked again.

Still, the man said nothing. His breathing shifted, and Lauren recongized the pain was more than the man could handle.

"What is your name?" Lauren quickly asked.

The man's eyes rolled in the back of his head as his eyelids fluttered closed. His vocal expression of anger started to dwindle, and surely the pain was about to knock him unconscious again, but on his last breath while awake he uttered the answer to Lauren's question.

"Vex. My name is Vex."

xxxx

Patience was a virtue, they say. Lauren repeated that phrase in her head often. When she would sit next to a patient in the recovery room and stare at them, not for any other reason than she wondered how they would feel, or if they would feel, the moment they woke up. She exhibited great patience in the past, including the time she spent with Kenzi before she even knew Kenzi's name. That was one of the most dear doctor-patient experiences in Lauren's career, and something deep in Lauren's gut triggered emotions with this patient that she hadn't felt since she treated Kenzi all those years ago.

The patient simply known as "Vex" was still unconscious, the tube of oxygen had been run under his nose and the IV was still threaded into his left arm. His spiky black hair was a mess and somewhat matted down, but his facial expression showed nothing but peace and calm. She imagined he would have been awake by now, but all patients reacted to anesthetic differently. And so Lauren stood there a beat longer, exhibiting all the patience of a saint.

The surgery was challenging, mostly because his bones had snapped with a very jagged, awkward breaks. The edge of his radius had sliced through his artery but the medic who pinched off his blood flow had kept him from bleeding out. Stitching that tear was the first injury Lauren addressed, and thankfully none of his nerves were severed. A few tests with electrode response showed his fingers working well, and so with his bones set properly, Vex was stitched up and wheeled off to recovery after a very quick and efficient surgery by none other than Doctor Lauren Lewis.

Lauren's behavior and mannerisms during surgery were precise and calculated. She did just what she always did, and just what she told Cassie that she did: pretend the person was a fake body. It allowed her to forget the man's pleading in the elevator and how his voice crackled when he asked her to save his arm. It allowed her to retrieve catalogued data and information stored in the depths of her mind that told her what nerve was where and how best to save this man from a high degree of damage. Lauren made educated, practiced decisions that gave this man the best chance he had: all because she simply pretended he wasn't real.

Lauren treated many additional patients afterwards that night, but none stuck in her mind like Vex did. It had been a long night really, and the end of her shift was just around the corner, but now that the ER had calmed, Lauren decided to linger at Vex's side during the last bit of free time she had before heading home for the day.

Other than being handed the patient's first name and occupation when he awoke in the elevator, Lauren discovered a lot more about him without anyone telling her. She looked over several of his tattoos and realized he had a profound appreciation for graffiti art, martial arts anime and foreign alphabets. She could not decipher any of the script inked over his body, but regardless of what it actually said, the artwork was phenomenal. She even attempted to stitch up his incision carefully to avoid any major damage to his tattoo work. While it was not completely avoidable, the lengths she went to for this man were far beyond any protocol.

An hour passed quickly with Lauren at Vex's side. His vitals remained strong, but he had yet to wake. Not everyone woke quickly, but the memories of a lengthy unconscious patient always reminded her of Kenzi. It made her heart ache from the pain that woman went through, and the last thing Lauren wanted was another comatose patient that became personal in any capacity. The doctor couldn't deny she had a few patients who really tugged at her heartstrings over the past few years, but she tried to keep that emotional side at bay when on the job. Lauren tried to remain objective, but clearly she had already failed seeing as to how she was standing in this patient's room when it was completely unnecessary. Shaking it off as best she could, Lauren took a deep breath and hoped Vex would wake soon. Hopefully he would be able to shed more light on how he was involved in this accident and how he was feeling post-surgery.

With a deep sigh, Lauren glanced at the clock and decided to pack up her things and head home. She was ready to see her daughter and her partner, hopefully enjoy a family round of peekaboo before catching some sleep and repeating the same schedule again. She glanced at Vex one last time, who slept peacefully in his hospital bed.

"No funny business while I'm gone. I hope to see you awake when I return."

With that, Lauren turned and exited the room. As she did on certain occasions with certain patients, Lauren advised the head of the nursing staff to page or call her immediately if this patient should wake during her absence. Only after that did she finally head home to her family.

xxxx

Stretched out on the bed, Lauren stared absently to the ceiling. Sleep evaded her as an overactive mind refused to rest even for a short while. Hours had passed while Bo slept soundly at her side. Rarely did these sleepless days make their presence known, but if Lauren had learned anything about herself, it was to listen to her mind and her body.

With a slow deep breath, Lauren sunk further into the pillow. She closed her eyes and tried to stop the patterned thoughts from repeating in her mind. Analyzing Vex's injuries, visions of Charlotte playing with toys, flashes of Bo dressed in her turnout gear, smiling faces of those who visit for Sunday supper, and the last image of Tamsin before she went undercover all kept her mind far more awake than she welcomed. Her body needed rest, but her mind sat in the driver's seat and would simply not allow her to rest.

The last time insomnia like this happened, Lauren went into a weeklong delirium of exhaustion. It was not an experience she wished to revisit, and with a hope to find a way to get a little bit of sleep, Lauren began to put herself through a mental exercise that solved her insomnia the prior time she had it. Forcing her mind to stop overthinking, Lauren simply envisioned a circle in the darkness; wobbly and loose like a limp piece of spaghetti. Her only mental task was to hold that vision of a circle in a perfectly still image. Strangely when one tries to do that, the circle continues to wobble and requires a great deal of creativity and thought to hold that single circle firm.

While the exercise takes patience, it always helped Lauren sleep. And just like prior occasions, it wore her mind out to the point of sleep. After an unrecognized amount of more time, Lauren finally yawned and drifted off to sleep for a short period of time. It was a deep enough sleep that she didn't dream at all, and she didn't even realize she had fallen asleep until she woke up to the sound of shattering glass jarring her to consciousness.

Lauren bolted upright in bed. She gasped for breath. Her eyes were dry, and she had to rub them to find any focus on her surroundings. Even without sight, she recognized Bo was next to her. The fire chief moved a slight bit slower than she, sitting up mere seconds after Lauren.

"What the fuck was that?!" Bo exclaimed as she bound from the bed.

Lauren sensed Bo move toward the door before she had enough focus to clear her sleepy eyes. Her mind was very groggy, so much that she could barely comprehend what was happening. The sound she heard definitely sounded like glass breaking. It was loud enough to wake her; much louder than anything her mind could make sense of.

Lauren's heart pounded. In the three seconds it took for Bo to leave the bed and tug open the bedroom door, the doctor's mind travelled the gamut of fear. Broken glass. Where was Charlotte? Was Cassie there? What time was it? What was happening? Trying to get her mind to focus, Lauren's thoughts raced quickly. With little balance, Lauren nearly fell out of the bed as her goal was to find Charlotte and ensure her safety. She held her arm out for balance as she raced behind Bo into the hallway.

Steps behind Bo, Lauren stumbled down the hallway on wobbly feet and took a quick glance into Charlotte's bedroom.

Empty.

Her heart thumped harder in her chest. The sun was shining in the windows, making Lauren's eyes adjust quickly. She turned to follow Bo further down the hallway, and only when she stepped into their open living room did a sudden relief flooded through Lauren.

There on the plush living room carpet sat Charlotte surrounded by piles of toys. She was grinning with wide eyes, her tiny hands gripping some random donut shaped piece of plastic.

The maternal side of Lauren was rolling full force, driving the doctor directly to Charlotte while she heard Cassie speaking to them from the adjoining kitchen.

"Don't step foot in the kitchen!"

Cassie's voice echoed in Lauren's mind but regardless of what broke, Lauren needed to hold her daughter. Seeing her was not enough to reassure Lauren that Charlotte was fine, but the moment she scooped the little one up from the floor, that racing heart beat calmed and her breathing eased quite a bit. Strange how just that physical connection with her daughter was able to soothe the most rattled of her nerves.

Bo, on the other hand, had made a beeline for Cassie in the kitchen as Lauren ran to Charlotte. Heeding part of Cassie's warning, Bo paused just outside the open archway as she glanced around the kitchen.

There, standing on a step ladder in the center of the kitchen was Cassie, and the entire floor surrounding her was covered in the shattered glass.

"What happened? Are you okay?!" Bo asked while glancing around the room.

Cassie covered her face and shook her head. When she pulled her hands away, her face was flush with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry Bo. The light burned out, and I was changing out the light bulb when I realized how dusty this chandelier was, so brilliant me decided to take it down to clean. Which is exactly when I dropped it and the entire thing bounced off the ladder and smashed on the floor. Shit, what a mess."

"You're not cut anywhere, are you?" Lauren yelled from the living room.

"No, thankfully."

Bo put her hands up, palms outward.

"Okay just don't move off that ladder. Let me grab a broom and I'll start getting this floor cleared."

"I'm so sorry guys!" Cassie exclaimed.

With Charlotte safely in her arms, Lauren walked to where Bo stood, peering over the chief's shoulder in to the kitchen.

"Don't be sorry. As long as you're okay, it's no big deal."

Cassie cringed. "Ugh, but what a mess I've made. Shit."

"The mess can be cleaned. I almost had a heart attack from the sound, but the mess is okay." Lauren replied.

The doctor laughed gently, tapping her hand over her heart. Cassie smiled back, as did Bo who was equally as relieved as Lauren that it was just a light fixture and nothing worse.

"Yeah me too. I thought we were getting robbed. Believe it or not, this broken light is a relief." Bo replied as she gestured to the messy floor.

"Well I'm glad you feel that way, but I'm still really sorry."

"Hey, it's okay," Lauren repeated. "Besides, I always hated that light fixture."

Bo looked over her shoulder with surprise as she grabbed the broom from the nearby closet.

"You did?"

Lauren nodded. "Uh, um, well yes. But now we can just get a new one. Something a little less chandelier and a lot more practical."

Bo smiled and saluted Lauren.

"Whatever you wish, dear. We can go shopping this afternoon."

xxxx

A short while later

Walking into the home improvement store, Bo lifted Charlotte into the child seat portion of the shopping cart and buckled her in. The brunette made faces at her daughter, hoping to keep the little one in a cheerful mood while they shopped for a new kitchen light fixture.

"Ready to race around the store in your custom designed, navy blue, race car shopping cart, Charlotte?"

Charlotte smiled but said nothing. She was mesmerized by all the lights and shelves of products stacked high toward the high ceiling.

"Lighting is in aisle seventeen," Lauren announced as she read over the store layout map.

"To aisle seventeen then," Bo replied.

The brunette made car engine sounds as she pushed the cart down the wide aisle. Lauren loved the connection Bo had with Charlotte. The fire chief may have had a strong outer physique, but she really had the softest, most gentle heart. She showed it in her daily interactions with Charlotte when they giggled as Bo made funny faces; when she held Lauren snugly in her arms after a slow night of lovemaking; when she sat quietly with Kenzi after a rough day. Bo Dennis was the most sincere and caring woman Lauren had ever met, and she never failed to acknowledge it.

"Bo you are so good with her," Lauren whispered as they navigated toward the light fixtures.

Bo smiled. "You know I was terrified of being a horrible parent."

Lauren slid her hand around the crook of Bo's elbow, leaning into her as they strolled the few remaining steps to the lighting aisle.

"The last thing you are is a horrible parent. I'd say you're the best mother Charlotte could ever have."

Bo blushed from the compliment. She paused their forward movement just as they rounded the corner into aisle seventeen. Bo stared at Lauren with pure adoration. The doctor knew it too, as she immediately blushed from the way Bo was looking at her.

Lauren looked away briefly, trying to maintain some composure in such a public setting.

"Babe….you're looking at me in a very naughty way."

Bo blew Lauren a kiss before resuming their stroll toward the light fixtures.

"Good, that's how I intended it."

Lauren tried to focus on the first light fixtures she spotted, but Bo's words were distracting her beyond belief. Bo continued making car engine noises as she pushed Charlotte along the aisle, but Lauren was working hard to focus on the task at hand. She was so focused that she didn't hear Bo's suggestions until the brunette repeated it for the third time.

"Lauren? Do you like this one?"

Feeling Bo's hand on her upper arm, Lauren quickly snapped out of her daze and turned her head to look at Bo.

"Sorry, what?"

Bo smiled as her brow creased, her curiosity clearly on display.

"I was just asking if you liked this ceiling light? It's just basic and functional; nothing frilly like the old one."

Lauren shifted her eyes in the direction to which Bo pointed. Bo was right: the lamp was definitely basic. It was a simple semi-circular glass light covering around a mount that held two light bulbs. It would easily occupy the space on their kitchen ceiling, and Lauren thought it would certainly work just as they needed it.

"I like it: very simple."

Lauren reached for the price tag, smiling even wider at the discounted price.

The doctor continued, "And judging by the price, I say this light fixture has found itself a new home."

"Home!"

The little bundle of joy burst out with the word "home" as clear as day. Both Lauren and Bo froze in place and simply stared at Charlotte, who was smiling and holding on to the shopping cart railing with her tiny hands.

"That's right punkin, home," Bo repeated.

"Home," Charlotte stated once more.

Lauren immediately leaned in and kissed Charlotte on the head. Her pride was seeping from every pore, not only that Charlotte had learned a new word but that she was speaking so clearly.

"You are such a smart, little girl," Lauren whispered as she peppered a few more kisses to Charlotte's cheek.

Bo was quick to agree.

"Yes she is. In fact, I say we buy this light and get home where we can play with some toys. What do you think, Charlotte?"

The word "toys" was enough to bring their daughter to a near hysterical happy moment.

"Toys!"

Charlotte's little voice squeaked it out a few times over as she tapped her open palms on the shopping cart handle.

"Great Bo, now we need to get home to some T-O-Y-S before this one has a fit and busts out with her loudest cries ever."

Bo smiled at Lauren as she reached for a boxed light fixture from the shelf. She placed it carefully in the cart before tickling Charlotte into a fit of giggles.

"I say we have fifteen minutes before that happens. Ready to race to the checkout lane?" Bo asked.

Lauren smirked, knowing the shopping cart was about to become a makeshift version of an Indy race car.

"Go ahead. I'll meet you in line," Lauren replied.

Bo nodded, immediately resuming making car noises and putting an even bigger smile on Charlotte's face. She moved ahead of Lauren, pushing the shopping cart quickly toward the front of the store.

Lauren walked at an average pace toward the same destination, knowing she would reconnect with her family before they made it through the checkout line. She was happy that their time in the store was brief. Finding a light fixture so quickly was efficient, and while Lauren thoroughly enjoyed her time with Bo and Charlotte, she would much rather spend time with them somewhere else. Images of a tropical island popped into Lauren's mind, and thoughts of a family vacation immediately began to form. She would certainly bring that up to Bo sometime soon. Maybe the Fire Chief had a vacation destination in mind, and Lauren would happily entertain almost any location as long as it was safe and kid friendly.

Lauren turned the corner of the aisle and caught a glimpse of Bo handing the cashier cash in exchange for their bagged purchase. Charlotte was staring upward, and Lauren was certain she was amazed by the high ceiling and bright lights. The doctor stuck her tongue out at Charlotte as she approached the little one, who immediately giggled at the sight.

"All set?" Lauren asked Bo without taking her eyes off Charlotte, who at this point was sticking her tongue out at Lauren in return.

"Yes we are. Ready to get some playtime in with peanut here before we have to work tonight?" Bo asked as they began walking toward the exit.

Lauren scooped Charlotte out of the shopping cart and snuggled her close. The little girl was more interested in the sliding doors than in snuggling with her mother, but that didn't stop Lauren from holding her a little tighter.

"I am definitely ready for some playtime. Maybe we can snack on some fruit cups too."

Bo's eyes widened. She glanced at Lauren, who tossed her wink. She couldn't hide her smile, but she refrained from laughing.

"Whoa babe, playtime and fruit cups. I don't know about all this: sounds like you're getting Charlotte set for a dangerous lifestyle," Bo joked.

Lauren laughed first, but she kept the banter going. "Wait til you see the press on tattoos I want to buy her."

Pulling the car keys from her pocket, Bo opened the passenger door and pushed the seat forward to aid in getting Charlotte situated in the back seat of their Camaro. It was a two door vehicle, but Bo had put the car seat in it enough times that she had become a pro on getting Charlotte buckled in without bumping her head off the ceiling anymore.

"Ooooh did you hear that Charlotte? Mamma is gonna get you a tattoo!"

Bo took Charlotte from Lauren's arms and slid her into the car seat. She buckled her in, all the while Charlotte was kicking her little legs around as every word Bo said brought excitement to the little one. She may not have understood anything that Bo was saying, but Charlotte was one happy little kid at the moment.

"Too," Charlotte said.

"That's right say it with me: tah – too," Bo repeated.

"Too," Charlotte said again.

With Charlotte all buckled in, Bo climbed out the vehicle and pushed the passenger seat back in place. She held the door for Lauren, who climbed in and buckled herself in before Bo pushed the door closed.

Once she slid into the driver's seat, Bo brought the Camaro's engine to life. She looked over her shoulder at Charlotte, who was listening intently to the revving of the engine.

"Vroom, vroom," Bo said to the little one.

It prompted Charlotte to kick her feet again as her excitement grew and grew.

"Roo, room," Charlotte repeated over and over.

Racing the cart around the store, and now making car engine sounds with Charlotte made Lauren think about Bo's passion for muscle cars. It made Lauren think about Bo's interest in car shows, and how their busy lives had kept them from going to any like Bo used to do frequently.

Lauren slid her hand onto Bo's thigh, squeezing it once as they left the hardware store parking lot.

"Babe?" Lauren asked.

"Yeah hon?" Bo replied as she steered them onto the street.

"Do you have any car shows coming up that you'd like to attend? I thought maybe the three of us could go together."

Bo took her eyes from the road momentarily, glancing at Lauren with a huge smile on her face.

"Really?" Bo asked.

Lauren squeezed Bo's thigh again.

"Yes, really. I remember clearly how, during our first date, you told me about the car shows you used to go to. I was thinking maybe you'd still like to go to one again."

Bo slid her right hand off the steering wheel, capturing Lauren's hand and pulling it to her lips. The brunette peppered kisses all over the back of Lauren's hand. Her heart was soaring, not just because she loved car shows and looking at all sorts of muscle cars, but because Lauren remembered, and she wanted them to go as a family. Bo took a deep breath, amazed at the happiness her life had become.

"I would love that, Lauren. So, so much."

Lauren's heart swelled to match Bo's happiness.

"Good, because I think you're already making Charlotte a huge fan of fast cars."

Lauren looked over her shoulder, and Bo glanced in the rear view mirror. They both caught sight of their daughter, fighting off a nap as her eye lids were drifting closed. But no matter how tired that little girl had become, she still managed to mumble a few words before she fell completely asleep.

"vroo, roo, roooom…"

xxxx

Later that evening

Bo stepped down from the ladder carefully, ensuring her footing with every step. She placed the screwdriver back in the tool box and walked across the kitchen until she reached the doorway. With a quick swipe of the light switch, Bo turned on the new ceiling light fixture and flooded the kitchen with a brilliant light.

"Success," Bo announced.

She glanced to Lauren, who was sitting at the kitchen table next to Charlotte. Their daughter was securely seated in her highchair to Lauren's right.

The doctor smiled and clapped her hands as she admired the new ceiling light. It was perfect: simple and functional. It provided adequate lighting for the kitchen without any hassle of cleaning a bulky, fancy fixture.

Charlotte seemed to like it as well, because she took one look at Lauren clapping and mimicked her mother's response.

"That looks so much better than the old one. Great job hon. Even Charlotte can see what a great job you did."

Bo walked over to the open tool box, propped up on the kitchen counter. She returned all her tools to their rightful places, making sure all supplies were packed away and cleaned up. She paused for a moment to look at the ceiling light.

"It does look good, doesn't it?"

"Yes it does," Lauren replied as she stood from her chair.

"Well I suppose having one break wasn't a total loss then. At least we have a new one that we both like," Bo replied.

"Agreed," Lauren answered.

Bo glanced to the clock on the wall. The day had gone by so fast, and she should have slept more than the short nap after the trip to the hardware store. But like a trooper, Bo never complained once. She fought off a yawn while leaning against the wall. "Although no more nap time available because it's already time to get ready for work and get to the station."

Lauren glanced at her cell phone resting on the kitchen table. Time surely did fly that day, but Lauren was simply not in the mood to go to work yet. Slowly, she stood from her chair and walked over to Bo. With ease, Lauren slid her arms around the Fire Chief from behind. She placed a kiss to Bo's cheek before resting her chin on the brunette's shoulder.

"I'm not in the mood to work tonight. Can't we just call in sick for once?" Lauren whined.

Bo spun in Lauren's arms, facing the doctor and wrapping her strong arms around her.

"Mmm, that sounds perfect. But I don't want to put the station in a jam without a chief tonight."

Lauren nodded, pulling Bo in for a tight hug and melting into her embrace more and more by the minute.

"I suppose that is a good reason to work. I guess I need to check on my patients anyway, so it sounds like we both have responsibilities that need our attention. Dammit why are we always so responsible?"

Bo laughed, kissing Lauren's neck slowly until her lips rested by the doctor's ear.

"I love that you're responsible," Bo whispered.

Lauren smiled, squeezing Bo and remaining in her arms a little while longer.

"I'm glad that you love that I'm responsible, but just wait until you see those crazy press on tattoos I'm going to get Charlotte."

Bo laughed as she stepped out of Lauren's hold. She playfully smacked Lauren on the ass.

"I can't wait to see them. Maybe you can get one that says hot mamma?"

Lauren laughed out loud as she walked toward Charlotte.

"Ha! I'd say you're the hot one, babe."

Bo blushed and shook her head.

"Go. Get ready for work before I corner you in the shower and delay you again. I'll get Charlotte cleaned up before Cassie gets here."

Begrudgingly Lauren walked a few steps toward the living room.

"Okay, okay. But let's continue this conversation later. Maybe we can get tattoos when we go on our next family vacation."

Bo lifted Charlotte from her high chair, shaking off some crumbs that stuck to her bib.

"First a car show then a vacation? Sounds like someone is itching for a little road trip."

Lauren paused in the doorway, thinking about Bo's statement. Maybe she was in the mood for a little getaway: just the three of them.

"Maybe I am," Lauren replied.

Bo smiled. She walked next to Lauren and kissed her on the cheek.

"I think it sounds like a great idea. Let's talk about it over breakfast when we get home from our shifts tomorrow morning."

"Perfect."

xxx

The Following Morning

Lauren's right arm dangled off the sofa, her eyes fighting to stay open. Her body relaxed further into the cushions and her breathing slowed as it did every time she fell asleep. The night shift had run her ragged. She never took a break that night except to use the restroom and gulp water or coffee on her way to see another patient. It seemed the entire city was accident prone during her shift, giving her quite an array of emergencies and non-emergencies to address. Several doctors worked diligently along her side, the sheer volume of patients overwhelming all the hospital departments and staff from sunset until sunrise. While Lauren dreaded nights like those, she had worked through enough of them that she always handled the pressure extremely well. And while she didn't like skipping meals, on occasion it was just something she had to do.

She also did not like having zero time to call or text Bo during a work shift either, but the nonstop pace of the hospital kept her from even checking her phone once that entire night. Three years into their solid relationship and Lauren accepted that some nights, one or both of them couldn't make time to chat with the other. It was the nature of their careers, both women had become quite familiar with the routine. If anything, it made Lauren want that family vacation time more than ever.

When Lauren wrapped up her shift as the sun began to rise, she had finally read and replied to the two messages Bo had sent her several hours prior: one about adding protein powder to the grocery list and one about catching one of her firefighters in the equipment room with his girlfriend. Apparently Bo and Lauren weren't the only ones who had lived out a fantasy in that space. It had given Lauren a good laugh after a long work night, and only after that did she head home from work for the day.

Lauren blinked her dry eyes repeatedly and glanced to the small brass timepiece centered above their living room fireplace. Despite her blurred vision from exhaustion, she still read the time as 8:03am. She had left the hospital at 7:00am sharp, drove directly home, gave her daughter Charlotte a good morning kiss, and all but collapsed on the sofa by 7:45am. Despite her hunger making its presence known, Lauren was simply too tired to eat. Even if someone spoon fed her a meal, the thought of using any energy to chew sounded like too much work to consider in her tired state.

Ignoring the rumbles from her stomach, Lauren had dozed off once already. It was only for maybe one or two minutes, but the innocent sounds escaping her daughter's lips brought her back to consciousness. She fluttered open her eyelids again and shifted her gaze in the direction of the oversized recliner. Greeting her view was Cassie, comfortably holding Charlotte protectively in her arms. Despite her exhaustion, there were multiple reasons for the smile that quickly formed on Lauren's face.

As always, hearing the sweet sounds Charlotte would make right before she was about to fall asleep carried nothing but innocence and comfort. Lauren lived for moments like that, and she always tried to commit the sounds to memory. Charlotte had just passed her first birthday. Those first few months after Lauren had given birth were quite a learning opportunity. Both Lauren and Bo navigated motherhood like any other new parents, with excessive questions, diligent attention to the smallest of changes and pride unlike anything either of them had experienced prior. Without a doubt, Charlotte had her fussy moments, but Lauren loved her daughter more than life itself.

Although there were mornings, like today, when Charlotte just wanted to sleep a little longer and take a morning nap earlier than usual. Lauren always liked to think it was her daughter's way of wanting to be on a night schedule like her mothers. Lauren rubbed her eyes while staring at Cassie and Charlotte, her gaze almost catatonic due to her lack of food and lack of rest. Despite her weary muscles, that smile remained fixed in place; the pure joy of her daughter resting comfortably always brightened even the most difficult mornings. Cassie glanced from Charlotte to Lauren, returning a smile to the sleepy doctor.

"Go sleep, Lauren. She'll be asleep in a few minutes for an early nap and I'll put her in her room."

Lauren nodded to Cassie's whisper, but she remained in her stretched out position on the sofa while mentally searching for strength to get up and make her way to the bedroom. She usually waited for Bo to get home before falling completely asleep, but her body was winning the battle pushing her to proceed to the bedroom without her. Lauren honestly doubted she'd last another five minutes. With a deep breath, the sleepy blonde forced herself upright to a sitting position. She actually felt dizzy, her thoughts and movements so distorted that her doctor mentality reasoned she must consume some form of nourishment before sleeping. With that decision made, she placed her palms on the cushions, preparing to stand up and give in to her need for food.

"I'm just going to grab a snack first and then crash."

Lauren's voice sounded groggy, the haze of exhaustion dropping her voice an octave.

"Leftover quiche on the top shelf in the fridge," Cassie replied.

Lauren perked up at hearing the words leftover quiche. She glanced at Cassie with surprise.

Seeing Lauren's surprise, Cassie quickly retorted. "What? I can cook. Sort of."

Lauren smiled at Cassie's statement, but she was definitely not going to turn down leftover quiche. Real food and one minute in a microwave meant she would be in bed within the next ten minutes. Lauren never thought she'd love the words leftover quiche so much in her life as she did right now.

"Thank you," Lauren replied, her voice again barely a whisper as to avoid waking Charlotte who had succumbed to sleep and rested peacefully in Cassie's arms. The doctor found the strength to stand, a twinge of sadness floating on the edges of her heart as she wished desperately to be the one snuggling Charlotte as she slept. Unfortunately Lauren lacked strength and energy to be that person at the moment, and so with resolve, she stood up and shuffled her feet across the carpeted living room toward the kitchen.

Lauren grabbed a clean plate and pulled the quiche from the refrigerator. She haphazardly cut an oversized slice and tossed it on the plate. She didn't even both to cover it, shoving it in the microwave and blasting it for one minute while her eyes drooped further toward unconsciousness. She faintly heard movement from the living room, recognizing that Cassie took Charlotte to her crib in the bedroom.

Waiting for the microwave to finish its job, Lauren poured a glass of water and chugged it, the chill temporarily waking her senses a bit. The annoying beep from the microwave caught her off guard; she meant to open the door before that damn thing sounded but lost track of time staring in to the glass of water.

Too tired and lazy to sit while eating, Lauren simply stood at the counter and stabbed her fork into the steaming hot meal. And in that moment, another annoying sound echoed in her ears: the unfortunate sound of her cell phone ringing from the dining room. Lauren dropped her fork before the bite even made it her mouth. She ran faster than her body wanted to support, the mother determined to reach that phone before it had a chance to ring again and wake a sleeping baby. She scrambled for her work bag propped on the dining room table and yanked the device from the front pocket just as it began to ring again. With a quick swipe on the screen, Lauren answered the call and stopped the annoying sound from causing any further disturbance. She lifted the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

Before Lauren heard any reply, loud screeching sounds and screaming blared in her ear. The volume was so great that she pulled the phone an arm's length away, shaking her head and opening her jaw as her ear drum tried to recover from that horrible sound. She glanced the screen, the name "Hale Santiago" staring back at her. She pulled the phone back to her ear and spoke.

"Hale?"

Lauren heard several male voices muffled and blurred together. Initially, she could not isolate one over another. She said hello two more times, a little louder than the time prior, and that is when she finally received a recognizable response.

"Doc? It's Hale. Can you hear me?"

"Yes, yes I can hear you. Where are you? Are you alright?"

"Lauren, you need to get to the hospital right away."

Lauren wrinkled her brow, trying desperately to understand what Hale was saying. "What?"

The loud sounds echoing through the phone quieted slightly, allowing Lauren to hear Hale's next words more clearly.

"Doc, we got a call, we went to the fire, and there was an accident."

It took maybe half of one second for Lauren's heart to pound inside her chest and her brain to wake fully. The loud sounds she was hearing through the phone were sirens. The fear that soared through her body traveled so quickly that words spewed from her mouth before she even realized she was talking.

"An accident? Oh my god, is it Bo?! Is she okay?"

His voice was panicked, but Hale spoke clearly and the next few words that traveled from Hale's lips to Lauren's ears were words she hoped to never hear.

"Doc, Bo's been hurt on the job. We're on our way to the hospital now. You need to meet us there. Please...hurry!"

xxxxxxxx