N: a short one, but i'm tired from the weekend and was struggling with what would come next. Read on and enjoy! Also if anyone wants a signed copy of Revelry is a Decadence, i have a few new copies looking for a good home! Just message me!

Bo

I held onto Lauren as she walked us slowly into her house. I could've easily used the crutches the hospital gave me, but leaning on Lauren was far better than hard plastic and metal any day. I was released from the hospital this morning and Lauren offered to take care of me. The doctors didn't want me flying for a few more weeks, so I was stuck in Italy until my entire body continued to heal. My broken leg had knitted together and I was issued a walking cast with instructions to use the crutches more than walking on the cast. I was a medical mystery wrapped in a miracle, but I'd take it. I was ready to be out of the hospital and in a bed where the sheets didn't smell like bleach and iodine.

"I'll take you upstairs to the bedroom. I've got everything set up. The sheets are clean, the bathroom is cleaned and I bought you your own towels." Lauren walked us past the kitchen and held me tighter as we climbed the small set of stairs to her loft style bedroom. "I can make you something to eat while you get settled." She guided me to sit on the edge of the bed, I could see she was incredibly nervous as she puttered around the room. Lauren set clothes next to me and smiled. "I threw out your old clothes, the things were ruined. Tamsin is out grabbing you some new clothes, but in the meantime, mine should do the trick." She let out a slow breath, and looked at me. She was nervous, and tired.

I smiled, trying so hard not to yawn. I was exhausted. Being thrown around a train car and meeting gods and angels, could really take it out of a girl. I cleared my throat, my voice was still raspy from being asleep for weeks. "Lauren. I'm okay."

Lauren gave me a look, "Are you sure?" She set my crutches against the wall next to the bed.

I nodded, looking down at the black walking cast the doctors replaced that horrible white one with. "Yes." I let out a deep breath. "Why are you nervous?" I glanced at the blonde. She'd been awkward for the last couple of days since I woke up. I could feel it in the air whenever she thought I wasn't paying attention. I figured after the fight we both put up, there wouldn't be any nerves or fear.

Lauren smiled, shaking her head. "I'm tired, that's all." She paused, before turning away from me. She motioned towards the stairs. "I'll make you a sandwich and some soup." She smiled tightly before rushing down to the kitchen.

I stared at the steps for a moment, then looked around the room. It was airy, cozy, and a far cry from the stale hospital room I'd lived in for the last month. I spotted a small bathroom off in the far corner, and had a deep craving to take a long, hot bath. I carefully got to my feet and hobbled towards the bathroom, collecting the shirt and long pajama pants from the bed. The walking cast made it easier to be mobile, and I knew there was magic in my veins helping me heal quickly. The magic of love.

I smiled, and shook my head as I made it to the bathroom. I had to suck in a small breath at how incredible the small bathroom was. A large white claw foot bathtub sat in the middle of the room against a series of large pane windows, pouring the early afternoon sunlight in. There was a white marble sink next to a standing shower, and plants hanging from the bare wood beams in the ceiling. It reminded me of when I woke up in limbo, but warmer.

I wobbled to the bathtub and ran the water until it was almost boiling. I then found some citrus smelling bath soap and poured it into the steaming water. I took a deep breath of the fresh scent and moved to open one of the windows, letting a cool breeze to slip in.

After a bit of gentle maneuvering, I was able to strip down and ease my aching body into the hot water. I propped my cast up on the swooping edge of the tub and sunk into the heat. It had felt like years since I'd taken a proper bath, and I was relishing the feeling of the water soaking into my body. I turned my head, bubbles crawling up my chest to rest right at my chin, and looked out the window.

I started thinking about everything. The moments of the accident, and being tossed around the car, panicking and seeing Lauren's face as I passed out from the pain. Then I dissected what Meg and the sisters told me, Lauren was my soulmate and one of the few pairings in this universe that could heal not only my broken heart, but others. When I woke up to a crying blonde, utterly hopeless I was going to survive, I knew they were right. I couldn't not believe the magic, the mythology and that the crass Tamsin was cupid. I chuckled at that fact. It took me more than a few minutes to believe the woman, until she told me a hundred different stories about bringing together the best love pairings this world had seen. My favorite was Elizabeth Taylor and the twisted road she took Tamsin on as she went through husband after husband. I closed my eyes, the heat relaxing me. I knew I was in love with Lauren, but we had to establish a life outside of the fire of fear that brought us together. Maybe that was why she was nervous, she loved me but we didn't get the slow and steady road of dating. We had fates fires burning our asses to stop dawdling and move. Cloe had given me a quick glimpse of what our future was, together, and I wanted more than anything for it to get here already. I was ready to spend the rest of my life with Lauren, I had come back to life for her.

"I see you found my secret sanctuary." Lauren's soft voice pulled me from the nap I slipped into.

I scooted up in the tub, blinking heavy eyes. I smiled at Lauren leaning against the door with a tray of food. I blushed, leaning into the mountain of bubbles and brushing back wet hair. "I couldn't resist. I haven't had more than a sponge bath in months." I let my eyes settle on my cast that was getting wet. "This tub is incredible."

Lauren nodded, moving to set the food on a table right outside the bathroom. "I rescued it from a dump when I first arrived in this town. Some young man was throwing it out since it looked like a brown stained piece of trash." She pointed at the massive lion's feet that held the tub up, as she walked over to my cast and carefully undid the Velcro straps, freeing my purple and yellow leg. She slowly lowered my foot into the water, smiling as I sighed in content as the water surrounded the achy leg. "Then I saw those, and something sparked inside of me to save it. It took me three weekends to clean it, restore it and carry it up here." She walked closer, pulling a small stool from under the sink to sit next to me. "Why didn't you call for me? I would've helped you."

I smiled, "And fluster you even more with undressing me? I think we need a few more days of getting to know each other." I ran my eyes over the fidgety woman. "Lauren, are you okay? And please tell me the truth." I swallowed as my voice came out like an old smoker in her twilight years. I reached down grabbing her hand. She wrapped her fingers in mine, sighing heavily.

"I'm tired, Bo. That's not a lie or me trying to deflect." She looked up with weary brown eyes and a smile. "It's been a hell of a fight to keep you and maybe, maybe in the bottom of my stomach I'm scared I'm going to screw up again. It's also my tired mind picking everything a part and trying to understand why the gods chose us."

I squeezed her hand, moving closer to the edge of the tub. "The sisters asked me to tell them why I loved you, it had something to do with proving fate wrong as it was woven at that exact moment." I ran my thumb over her knuckles, memorizing the tiny little lines in them. "The first time I made eye contact with you, I felt something in my heart shift. Then I started talking to you and in time, I just knew. I tumbled head over heels in love for you. You made me feel safe, wanted, loved, and strong. No one had ever made me feel like that before. Even after you left, I couldn't stop the way you made me feel. You gave my soul life when it never ever felt alive before. I tried so hard to let you go, but I couldn't. And as the fate described how those on the train would change the lives of so many, I knew you had already changed mine and I never wanted to look back. I only wanted to look forward. Look for you, find you and if it meant fighting the gods and fates, I would. Even as we may not know each other like all the other couples out there, I know you Lauren Lewis. I love you. I will always love you, and I'm never getting on another train unless you're by my side." I smiled as Lauren gave me a look with watery eyes. I tugged her hand, silently asking her to move closer so I could kiss her. I brushed my lips against hers, whispering, "If I recall it's been exactly thirty-one days since you last kissed me."

Lauren chuckled, leaning forward to kiss me soundly on the lips. I sighed into the kiss and clutched onto the sleeve of her shirt, trying so very hard not to pull her into the tub with me. As we kissed, I could hear the fates cooing in my ear like they did over the cheesy parts of those soap operas they watched. She only interrupted the kiss to whisper that she also loved me, before kissing me harder.

I could've kissed her all day if it wasn't for the front door slamming shut, followed by the hearty bellowing of one blonde cupid. "Lauren! Where are you? I got some clothes, but I had no idea what size Bo wore in the underwear department, so I bought everything from thongs to granny panties."

Lauren rested her forehead against mine, licking her lips. "If she wasn't the best, she'd be the worst." She leaned back, grabbing a giant fluffy pink towel. She stood up, shaking the towel out as she blushed. "Without the cast, you're…going to need help getting out." She closed her eyes, directing her head to point at the floor and held her arm out for me to take.

I chuckled and grabbed it, using it to hoist myself up to at least lay both of my hands on her shoulders. "Okay, wrap the towel around me." Lauren moved quickly, encasing me in the soft material and without a second thought she wrapped her arms around me and lifted me out of the tub. I gasped at the show of strength and blushed as Lauren moved her arms so she was carrying me, my arms linked around her neck as we moved to the bed. I was sat on the bed carefully, secure in the towel. Lauren winked at me with bright red cheeks and ran back to grab my cast.

Tamsin hollered from the kitchen. "Can I have this soup and all of these sandwiches? I'm starving."

Lauren set my cast next to the bed, and kissed me once more. "I'll be right back, right after I throttle a cupid." She ran down the stairs, shushing Tamsin.

I laughed, running my hands through wet hair and caught the tray of food. My stomach rumbling like a den of lions. I went to stand up, but sat back down the moment my bad foot balked. I sighed and turned to the task of getting dressed.

Lauren

"You don't have to carry me, Lauren." Bo's raspy voice made me smile. She might be protesting, but the grip around my neck told me differently. I was carrying her back up to bed after dinner. Tamsin was still downstairs, cleaning up for me. Oddly enough, dinner with Tamsin had eased my desire to strangle her for interrupting Bo and I earlier.

"I like doing it." I grinned as I set her down on the bed. Bo was exhausted and I demanded that she go to bed and get some rest. Yes, she was better but she still needed her rest. I went about pulling the covers down as she adjusted her cast around my pajama pants. "I need to feed you more ravioli, you're as light as one of Fulvio's soufflé's." I yawned, fighting it by covering my mouth with a hand. It was almost eleven at night. Lunch had turned into a long dinner of chatting and getting to know Tamsin and Bo. It eased some of the tension around my heart, and chased some of the nerves away. I was nervous I'd screw something up, everything was too perfect. I didn't do well with too perfect, I always preferred slightly flawed and strived for that. Maybe it was the way I was raised, I didn't know. But Bo was perfect, and I was scared I was going to ruin that again. No matter how much fate was on my side. I loved her, I would change for her, and fight for her.

Bo scooted into the bed, sighing as she fell into the large pile of pillows. "I didn't realize how tired I was until just now." She ran her hands over her messy hair, trying to smooth out the frizz of letting it air dry.

"You need to take it easy. You're not hundred percent yet." I pulled the covers up and went about the room, collecting her towels and the clothes she wore home from the hospital. After tossing them into the hamper, I moved to my closet. I grabbed an extra pillow and a blanket. "If you need anything, I'll be downstairs on the couch."

Bo's smile faded and she sat up. "The couch?"

I nodded, "The couch. I only have the one bed, and it's yours until don't want it to be." I stopped talking, I was being awkward. I waved my hand to the stairs, "I'll be down there. Holler if you need me."

I turned to head down, when Bo spoke. "Stay with me." She looked at me with sad brown eyes. "I don't want to be alone anymore, and it'd be stupid for you to sleep on the couch. This bed is big enough for the both of us, we won't even touch each other it's so big." She looked at the massive bed.

I smiled at the adorable negotiation, I hesitated until she gave me another sad look. I gave in, tossed the extra pillow and blanket to the side and walked to the other side of the bed. I slipped in, keeping a stiff distance between Bo and I. I went to reach for the light when Bo looked at me, "Tamsin is still downstairs."

I chuckled, and hollered. "Tamsin, lock the door on your way out. I'm going to bed."

Tamsin laughed and called back. "You got it. Snuggle the hell out of Bo for me."

Bo rolled her eyes and sunk deeper into the pillows, embarrassed. "Sheesh, for a cupid she's got a mouth on her."

I laughed, and turned off the light. "She does. Not sure how she gets away with it upstairs with the angels." I let out a slow breath, so happy that I was back in my bed for the first time in weeks. I was two seconds away from passing out when I felt Bo scoot over, sneaking her arm across my stomach. I grinned in the dark and lifted my arm to let her slide in against me. She was very careful not to poke me with her cast as she snuggled deep into my side. She let out a few heavy breaths as I ran fingers through her hair, "I love you, Bo." She mumbled against my chest, squeezing the arm she had around me. I turned to look out the bathroom window, the moon rising to share its gentle light with the world. I smiled as Bo slept heavily in my arms.

The way it felt with her in my arms, feeling safe enough, trusting me enough to take care of her and fall asleep…well it started to make sense. This was what true love was, blindly and unconditionally loving someone with your whole being. Knowing there was nothing to worry about as long as your one true love was at your side. I smiled at the moon, pulling Bo in closer and whispered to the heavens. "I get it. I might not stop being scared in the next three seconds, but I get why you gave her back to me. She's the other half of my heart and soul."

I closed my eyes as I heard Tamsin let out a half assed "aw" below us, and fell asleep.

The sound of Tamsin yelling woke me up with a start, Bo was sitting next to me. Her eyes wide, her hands covering her mouth as I tried to figure out who Tamsin was yelling at. I hopped out of the bed and rushed to the stairs when I heard another female's voice yell back. It was early morning, the sun poured into the bathroom and cast its rays across the wooden floor.

"I want to see my daughter! I need to see her and get her out of this stranger's home. Who are you, and how dare you kidnap my daughter!"

I glanced at Bo, her eyes red and teary. I rushed to her as Tamsin continued bickering with the other woman. "Bo?"

She dropped her hand from her mouth and looked at me, "It's my mother. My mother is downstairs."

I nodded, and went to help her up. "I'll take you down there so you can talk to her and calm her down."

Bo shook her head, clutching to my arm as she stared into my eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks. "No, Lauren. I want to stay up here." She licked her lips, sucking in a breath as she looked at the stairs, her mother yelling louder. "I haven't spoken to my mother in ten years…" She scrunched her face up and started crying, falling forward to lay her head against my chest.

I let out a slow breath, casting a stink eye up to the heavens. Just when I thought everything was figured out.

XXX

Tamsin

I blame Lachesis for this long-lost mother bit. She loved drama and loved soap operas. Truthfully, after looking over the final report for these two, I understood why momma Bo popped up after so many years of being vacant from her only child's life. It was her thread of life weaving its own path. That train accident sparked a million other threads of life to pull up their grown ass adult pants and fix the broken parts of their lives.

It was another hiccup in the road that pushed our girls harder. This soul mate business isn't all apple pie and smiles. Sometimes it's families fighting and falling apart, not understand that love comes in all shapes and colors.

Ugh. I need some cake before we start this next chapter of our girls. Thank god, the bride let me help her pick the cake. Nothing like a triple chocolate with a cheesecake center to chase away bad memories.