Chapter 4B

June 17, 2007

I never understood before. I never knew what love was for. My heart was broke, my head was sore - What a feeling. I never understood before. I never knew what love was for. My heart was broke, my head was sore - What a feeling.

What a feeling in my soul - Love burns brighter than sunshine, Brighter than sunshine. Let the rain fall, I don't care. I'm yours, and suddenly you're mine. Suddenly, you're mine; And it's brighter than sunshine.

"Lauren!"

The young blonde doctor smiled as her good friend burst into the room and enveloped her in a huge hug. This was the day she'd been waiting her entire life for. Tamsin laughed as she picked her friend up easily and gave her a huge hug before setting her down and checking that she hadn't messed up her hair or makeup.

"You look amazing Lauren."

The doctor blushed. "Thank you for coming Tamsin. Really, I wasn't sure you'd make it."

Tamsin nodded and smiled as she waived her friend off. "I wouldn't have missed this for anything. I would have literally moved mountains to be here for you today."

Lauren laughed and nodded knowing her friend was speaking the truth and not in exaggeration. Tamsin had always been fiercely protective of the young blonde but at the same time the best friend she could have ever hoped for and she always did whatever was necessary to ensure the blonde doctor was happiest at all times.

"Your dress is hanging in there…go get changed we only have a few hours!"

Tamsin nodded and gave her hand a squeeze before heading into the bathroom to slip into the matron of honor dress. Lauren had insisted from the first second she'd gotten engaged that Tamsin was to be the one to stand beside her and support her on her big day. Ten minutes later she emerged and Lauren beamed at her friend's appearance in the fitted strapless dress.

"Lovely…just lovely Tamsin."

The tall blonde scoffed as she moved behind Lauren who was taking in her appearance in the full length mirror. She smiled down at her friend's reflection and put her hands lightly on her shoulders. "You are absolutely glowing Lauren. I've never seen you so happy and I have to say I couldn't pick a better person to be your reason for happiness."

Lauren looked up at her friend with a small smile. "You think?"

Tamsin nodded. "She loves you with her everything Lauren. And she is the only person I know that would go further than I would to make you happy. She's a good one Laur…she's a good one."

Lauren felt tears of happiness form in her eyes as she smiled back at her friend's reflection. It meant the world to her to have Tamsin's approval of Bo and she knew that moreso than any blood relative the tall snarky blonde was the only family she would ever need. "I love her Tamsin. So much."

Tamsin nodded. "I know Lauren. I know."

I never saw it happening. I'd given up and given in. I just couldn't take the hurt again - What a feeling. I didn't have the strength to fight. Suddenly, you seemed so right. Me and you - What a feeling.

"Move people, hot coffee coming through."

Kenzi pushed past the few people that were mulling around the dressing room where Bo was getting ready. She and Lauren had agreed to do a somewhat traditional ceremony including them not seeing each other until the reveal right before the ceremony and it was killing the brunette to not be near her soon to be bride. She had been a bundle of nerves for the past 72 hours, the total time that had passed since she'd last seen or spoken to Lauren and if Bo didn't get an opportunity to see her soon she was seriously going to kill someone.

"Here…drink this."

Kenzi shoved a shot of whiskey in Bo's hand and the brunette laughed as she looked at her best friend with amusement. "I don't think I need to get drunk before all this Kenz. And seriously I haven't eaten in a week, this shot may put me on my ass."

Kenzi shrugged. "Well something needs to you've been acting like a crazy person. You need to chillax."

Bo laughed and shook her head. Only Kenzi would know exactly how to handle her and she thanked her lucky stars every day that she had such a good friend in her life. With no real family to speak of Kenzi had sort of adopted her as a surrogate sister and even though Bo was two years older than her Kenzi was definitely the older sibling in almost every way.

The pair raised the little shot glasses in a silent toast and Bo threw it back without contest knowing that Kenzi's assessment of the situation was correct. She made a face as the amber liquid burned and licked her lips letting the familiar taste linger on her tongue. "Can you believe this Kenz…I'm getting married."

Kenzi couldn't help but smile in amusement and nodded slowly. "Bo Dennis you deserve every moment of happiness that you've had and all of those that are yet to come. That woman that you are marrying is a Godsend and the two of you together are the cutest, most adorkable, most ridiculous couple I have ever seen. You make each other happier than is probably humanly possible yet every time I see you together you prove me wrong again and again."

Bo laughed as the warmth spread through her body. "I love her Kenz. More than I could have even imagined loving anyone. I'm afraid that one day I'll wake up and this will all have been a dream."

Kenzi gave her a sad smile and shook her head. "This isn't a dream Bo. This is reality. YOUR reality. You deserve some good in your life and Dr. Lewis is your happily ever after that you've been waiting for."

Bo smiled. "Thank you Kenz. Thank you for being there for me all these years and for being there for me today."

Kenzi waived her off. "Bitch please, I better be the one here with you on this very momentous occasion. You are breaking hearts all over the world tonight my friend. Officially off the market and I don't think there is a fuck you give about that is there?"

Bo laughed as the alcohol had done its job and finally taken the edge off. "Hell. No."

Kenzi smiled and hugged her friend. "Let's go get you married kid."

Bo smiled. "Let's go get me married. Yes."

And it's brighter than the sun. It's brighter than the sun. It's brighter than the sun, sunshine. Love will remain a mystery, But give me your hand, and you will see. Your heart is keeping time with me.

What a feeling in my soul - Love burns brighter than sunshine. It's brighter than sunshine. Let the rain fall, I don't care. I'm yours, and suddenly you're mine. Suddenly, you're mine.

Bo held her breath slightly as the small door on the patio area opened with a slight creak. It was finally time for them to see each other before the ceremony and Bo had been looking forward to this all day long. Heck, she'd been waiting for this all her life. She smiled as the sun lit up the golden hair of her love and she knew her face would probably crack soon from the huge smile she couldn't keep off of her face.

"Hi."

Lauren crossed the short distance and before she knew what was happening she had her arms around Bo and was placing soft kisses on her lips.

"Hi."

Bo took a deep breath and held her lightly as she sighed happily. "Hi."

Lauren laughed and ran her hand lightly down Bo's bare arm. "I think you said that already."

Bo smiled and nodded happily. "You're right. Wow. You look…Lauren…you look amazing."

Lauren blushed and looked at Bo shyly. "You don't look so bad yourself Ms. Dennis."

Bo beamed and let the happiness wash over her. She slid her hand lightly down and intertwined her fingers with Lauren's as she looked at her with a look that can only be described as pure, unconditional love. "This is forever Lauren. Me and you, hand in hand together, this is all I've ever wanted."

This time Lauren couldn't stop the tears from slowly falling down her face as she cupped Bo's cheek lightly. "I don't know how but you keep continuing to surprise me every day Bo. And I love you for it more and more ever time."

Bo leaned over and kissed the palm of Lauren's hand that was cupping her face and she leaned in to lightly rest her forehead against the blonde's. "You ready to do this Dr. Lewis?"

Lauren laughed and nodded. "I've been ready my whole life Bo."

I got a feeling in my soul. Love burns brighter than sunshine, Brighter than sunshine. Let the rain fall, I don't care. I'm yours, and suddenly you're mine. Suddenly, you're mine.

As the crowd buzzed with excitement Kenzi and Tamsin leaned against the bar sipping their drinks and taking in the party atmosphere that was going on around them. The nuptials had been quite the success and now they had transitioned to full on party mode as the couple celebrated their union.

"Did you think this would finally happen?"

Kenzi scoffed and stared at her glass before throwing back her shot of vodka. "If it didn't heads were gonna roll."

Tamsin laughed and nodded as she sipped her beer slowly and looked at Kenzi with amusement. "I'm going to assume you mean that metaphorically in which case I'd agree."

Kenzi snorted as she breathed in her refilled glass and smirked. "Sure, let's go with that."

It was no secret to the pair that they had less than favorable pasts and they'd made it their mission to ensure nothing disturbed the couples happy times dating back to when the pair had first gotten together all those years ago. Although they'd never admit to using their shady connections both women knew it wasn't beyond the other to call in favors if needed should anyone mess with the lovebirds.

"Well I for one am happy they finally got hitched. It's about damn time."

Kenzi nodded and laughed. "I'll drink to that."

They toasted and threw back their drinks before heading over to join Bo and Lauren at the head table for the remainder of dinner. The night had been a total success and no expense had been spared to give the couple the night they so deserved.

"Hey…save that for later."

Bo and Lauren had been whispering softly to each other and Tamsin not-so-gracefully had taken her seat next to Lauren and effectively broke up the pair who laughed as they were joined by their best friends. The foursome each filled their champagne glasses and Kenzi sighed happily as she raised hers slightly. "A toast. To Bo and Lauren and all of us finally getting a break from you two fretting about this and making it official."

They all laughed and Tamsin nodded as she raised her own glass for the little group. "And to happiness…may you both have many, many years of that to come. And to Bo for finally putting a ring on it because seriously, I was starting to get worried."

The group laughed again and Bo shook her head as they all clinked glasses and shared a good laugh. It was a night that perfectly represented the love not only her and Lauren shared but the love that all four ladies shared for each other which went beyond labels. They were a family and then some and they knew nothing would ever change that.

ooOOoo

June 17, 2014

Bo sighed as she climbed out of her Range Rover and looked up at house as if seeing it for the first time. It was a place that had become so unfamiliar to her mostly because she'd let herself become a broken shell of a memory that she once had of herself. With heavy feet she walked up the short walkway to the front door noticing almost immediately that all of the lights in the house were on, something that wasn't a good sign considering it was almost midnight. She braced herself as she put her key in the door and pushed it open slowly not sure what to expect on the other side of the door.

"Lauren?"

Bo slowly walked into the house and stopped when she saw Lauren sitting at the kitchen table with a bottle of wine open in front of her and a pair of glasses sitting next to it. Bo took in the broken appearance of her wife an she berated herself for being the reason Lauren looked this way. "Do you know what time it is Bo?"

The brunette glanced at the clock and sighed as she shook her head. "I'm sorry Lauren I lost track of time. Really. I swear I…"

Lauren put her hand up and sighed sadly as she barely looked up at her wife. "I know things are messed up right now Bo but I thought…you know what forget it. I'm not sure what I thought."

She stood up slowly and walked towards Bo only pausing as she stood almost evenly with her. "It was our anniversary Bo. And you couldn't even make it home on time for that. I don't know what's going on with you lately but I'm done. If you want a divorce just tell me. I'll have Tamsin draft papers in the morning."

She waited for Bo to say something, anything but when nothing came after a few minutes she sighed tiredly and started to walk past her.

"Wait." Bo put her hand on Lauren's arm to stop her and the blonde had to admit it was almost strange to feel Bo touch her since she felt like it had been forever since that last happened. Bo turned to look at Lauren sadly and she took a deep breath as the tears started forming in her eyes. "Lauren…I'm sorry about today. And…I…I need to tell you something…"