A Family Matter CH 16
Tamsin
Two shots rang out, making my ears ring from the close quarters. As soon as I saw Trick raise his arms, I knew I had to act. I just prayed that the bullets wouldn't go through and hit my best friend in the process.
I've been in police involved shootings, not many thankfully, but enough to know how it feels to disarm a suspect. Or in this case, to shoot to kill. And it still wasn't enough.
Still on the phone with the Operator, I call for an ambulance and give out Lauren's address and tell them to hurry. Seeing the large blade imbedded in my friend's upper thigh has my own blood run cold. "Don't touch it!" I yell when Bo goes to remove the machete, tears cascading down her face. "It will cause her to bleed out, just leave it."
"Baby please Lo, don't leave me. The ambulance is coming. Just stay with me!" Bo cries and cradles Lauren's head in her lap. The blood is quickly forming a puddle and my friend is shivering so hard.
Thinking fast, I take off my belt, ignoring the limp man on the floor, and wrap it above the wound on Lauren. "Keep talking to her, Bo. We need to keep her awake." I loop and tighten the belt painfully around her thigh in hopes to slow the bleeding down.
Lauren's eyes are blinking and she's nodding away at Bo's questions, but she has yet to say a word. She looks so fragile and scared. Something Lauren is never.
Meeting her in school was easily the greatest thing to ever happen to me. She was shy and so smart, with a low key humor that made any bad day better. She was my best friend that soon turn into a sisterhood. I missed her when she left before our final year of High school, but I knew she was destined for greater things. She deserved the world from all the shit people put her through and still turned out to be this warm hearted person. For her to look so small right now, it's like lead was encased in my chest.
"Hang in there Hotpants." She manages a glare in my direction and I squeeze her shoulder. "I hear the ambulance now. Just hang on, friend. I need you to hang on for us, ok?"
Bo continues to hold her tight and pepper kisses anywhere she can reach. I almost missed the way her hand is right on her pulse point on Lauren's neck and hide my smile. My friend must have taught her basic necessities in case of emergencies. I know Bo can see Lauren's eyes start to droop too, but tries to keep her focused.
Lauren does stay focused. It's only when the paramedics bust through the door, that she loses consciousness.
Bo
My hands are still stained with the blood of my lover. How did this escalate so fast? First with the marshal, then the new about my father...Trick.
My eyes sting, tears stain my face while I rub my tiredness away. My sweet Lauren. I put her through Hell ever since meeting her and yet she fought for us through every mountain moving in our paths. For some reason, I bring her happiness and yet, I continue to hurt her.
Watching her being taken away in a hurry, strapped down to a gurney, broke me. The paramedics wouldn't let me ride with them, needing the extra room to help Lauren. As much as I hated it, them calling her Dr. Lewis, I knew she was in good hands as the seemed familiar with her.
Tamsin was by my side with a few officers, dragging me into their vehicle. She gave them her statement quickly wanting to get to the hospital as fast as humanly possible. I agreed, and they took my statement and ask me questions on the ride there.
"I called Vex. He's going to pick up Jane and come over." Tamsin' voice hitches as she sits along the wall next to me. "I-I couldn't tell her."
Reaching for her hand, her fingers grip mine tight as we lean on each other for support. We've been in here for hours already. The halls are quieter than I've ever seen them. The room is quiet, Lauren's coworkers and superiors helping out any way they can. They bring coffee and food every now and then, sending us hopes and prayers while she is still in surgery. "How did this happen?" I ask aloud for the millionth time and look to my fiancée's best friend.
Tamsin just shakes her head. I swallow the bile rising to my throats seeing her hands also covered in blood. Lauren's blood.
"Bo? Oh thank God you're alright! I was worried si-" But I never let Kenzi finish, interrupting her with a harsh slap across her face.
The sound echoes in the tiny room. Kenzi' hand goes to cover up the reddening mark on her cheek and I am just a hair apart from her. "How dare you? The love of my life is fighting for her LIFE." I point out the door, eyes filled with fire. "And you decide that now is the time to show your face?"
"Bo,"
Tamsin tries, getting up to put a hand on my shoulder but I shrug it off. "No T, she knew what was going on. She knew about Jack and that man in the suit. All of this could have been prevented!"
"Isabeau..." Hearing Lauren's mother voice has me slumped to my knees in no time, all the anger and hate dissipated as I see her walking towards me. "It'll be ok, sweetheart. Our Lauren is strong. She could never leave you."
"I am so sorry, Jane." I cry into my hands. I feel the older woman's body pulling me into her own. When I look up, I see such familiarity in her eyes. "All I want is her to be safe and I keep putting her in danger. I love her, god knows I don't deserve her, but I love her so much."
"And she loves you, Bo." She says and grips my chin before it falls once more. "My daughter loves you. She will continue to fight for you, even against every odd stacked against you guys. You're our family, don't lose hope on our Lauren."
"She's a fighter." We look up at Dr. Dallas who quiets the room. She's in the same navy blue scrubs that Lauren has brought home a dozen times. "But I'm sure you guys knew that."
"Is she-" my breath hitches and Jane is there to hold me up.
"The blade nicked her femoral artery but since it was still embedded in her quad, we had more than enough time to close it up." She says smiling and I pull her into a fierce hug. "She's very lucky you two were there."
"So she's okay?" Vex asks holding Tamsin's crying for, a hand protectively on their growing child.
Dr. Dallas nods but clutches her clipboard after I release her. "It will be a long road to recovery but yes. Dr. Lewis is in the clear. She's just getting cleaned up now and we can take her to her room." She bites her lip and looks at the room. "I'd say no visitors just yet, but I think a few of you will be alright."
I take Jane's hand and nod to Tamsin to follow. I don't spare another look at Kenzi. I just can't right now. My focus is on Lauren and will remain on her until she is safe in my arms.
XXX FOUR MONTHS LATER XXX
Bo
"Sweetie? What are doing out here? It's about to start. You don't want to keep her waiting, don't you?" My mother is lightly playing with vail pinned to my hair. I never thought I would see today. The day I get to be married to my best friend and partner.
The flowers are just beginning to bloom as I look across the orchid ahead of me. I made sure to take a few allergy pills because of those pesky white and pink flowered trees, but it'll be worth it.
These last few months have been the hardest we've had to deal with. Even though, Lauren was stable and more importantly alive, the hit to her leg was a nasty one. That day in the hospital, her leg was swollen and stitched up the best the doctors could. The gash left in her thigh was a reoccurring nightmare for her, though. More so than the night terrors that kept her awake most nights.
Trick was killed before he even hit the ground that dreadful day. Aife and I were the ones to sign off on his and my father's bodies. It was a hard day, but I soon moved past it.
I wish things could have been different for my family. For us to look past our differences and grow to life be each other and accept the choices we make. But that won't happen and I've accepted that.
I forgave Kenzi after a few weeks. She would wordlessly show up at our bourse and help out with Lauren. Kenzi would show up hours after Lauren and I would go to bed to continue to bleach the floor where the blood soaked through after the incident. It only took her a few days to hire someone to replace the whole floor. New floor, no obvious reminders.
Lauren was an uphill battle. My poor baby has been in a wheelchair since she had been released from the hospital. She is to remain that way until her muscles heal properly, which has been a slower process according to her physical therapist. Our entire family knew the struggle and quietly had a part to make things easier for her. As much as we could.
The depression was hard on our relationship. Lauren would lash out some days and be unresponsive others. She was ashamed to ask for help. Lauren has always been a proud woman, but being so broken (her words) she wouldn't let me help her. She wouldn't even let me touch her. And that was too much for me to handle.
After many tears and hurtful words from both of us, we nearly split up right then and there. Everything hurt that night of our fight. The thought of not having her in my life, as my wife, broke my heart and I knew we couldn't do it. I reminded her of the promise she made to me that damned night. The marriage, the kids, a dog... I reminded her how much I was in love with her. I named every little thing that I loved from her geek speak to her funky dance moves to her beautiful smile to her huge heart.
We hit rock bottom that night. But the vow we made after, helped us rise from our darkest ditch we were pulled in. After weeks of trying for each other, we grew together and found patience that I didn't realize we needed.
"Isabeau." I turn to look at my mother once more. "It's time. Go get your woman."
Lauren
"Stop fidgeting, you're making me fidget!" I slap Tamsin who is bouncing on the balls of her feet. She is wearing a simple red dress with a dark grey bow on the back of it. She looks so out of sorts, but it's not often she has to dress up.
"Shut up, Hotpants! I remember you and my wedding. You were smart this time." She laughs and leans down to fix my red tie. "Bo is going to have a hard time not ripping your suit to shreds." I opted to wear a suit, knowing a dress would be almost impossible in my wheel chair. My black suit isn't anything special. The traditional look fits me perfectly but I took off my jacket a while ago. My nerves got the best of me and I really really didn't want to sweat through my clothes.
Still, Tamsin's words made my heart flutter. Bo and I have abstained from sex since my surgery and it hasn't been easy. My body isn't what it used to be before Trick cut me. I've been working out as best I could to prepare for our wedding night, but I'm still somewhat embarrassed at the slowly healing wound. Not to mention the pain that came when I flexed the muscle for too long. Building my quad muscle back has been tough, too tough sometimes.
"I plan on it." I smirk at my friend as she laughs and pats my shoulder. The music skips mid way through and I gasp hearing the intro to Bo's walk out song. I only sneak a quick glance at the front row, to my mother, mouthing an 'I love you, mom' before returning to the end of the aisle across from me.
When I see the woman, who stole my heart at first encounter walking down the aisle with Aife, I grab Tamsin's hand. She took her cue and helped me to my feet, keeping me close just in case I lose my balance. I've been practicing for our first dance for weeks with my family (without Bo knowing) just for the surprised look on her face right now.
We've come so far and in a few steps, we will be standing in front of each other being united as happily wedded wives.
AN: We are close to wrapping things up! I'm excited too! Reviews are always welcomed! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!
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