Lauren spent her day off doing responsible, grown up things, like cleaning the apartment, studying, scheduling appointments. Then she walked over to her laptop and sighed. She browsed through her email avoiding the one email she needed to write, to her parents. Her parents always spent the fall and winter months traveling, so email was the easiest way to reach them. Not that she would have wanted to have this conversation face to face. They didn't deserve it. The most they deserved from her was a detached email, or nothing else.

She wondered how she could put into words a lifetime of hurt. Nothing would ever be enough to express her feelings and disappointment. Her father always thought he could manipulate her with his comments, hints, looks, and her mother just sat by and said nothing. They seemed to relish any opportunity to undermine her relationship with Bo, and life choices. That was conditional love, and she didn't need that.

It didn't matter. Not anymore. She was marrying Bo, they were starting their lives together, and it was her parent's choice not to support that, or be a part of her life. She couldn't change them, she could only live her life, her way. She couldn't believe she hadn't done this before now. But she was taking Bo's advice and not letting guilt or regret consume her. The future was waiting for her, and she wouldn't let it go, even for her parents.

Her bubble of anxiety, over writing this email, was interrupted by a beep from her phone. I'm thinking about you. She smiled at the text from Bo.

She knew that was Bo's way of keeping tabs on her, since the incident at her work. So, she made sure to send a quick response to let Bo know she was ok. She felt a flicker of guilt sink into her heart at causing Bo was much worry. Rationally, she knew it wasn't her fault, but she hated that Bo was at work stressing about her safety.

She frowned and turned her concentration back to her computer. She was only now seeing her parents through a clearer lens. She wasn't angry with them, anymore, for the life they had subjected her to. She just felt sorry for them and how closed minded they were. Without the early intervention of her grandmother, she would have sunk into despair at her parent's ignorance. They were frauds she knew that now.

But instead of writing her email, she shoved herself out of the chair. She slipped on her jacket and decided to go for a walk.

When she stepped onto the street and took in the sun, and crisp fall air, the invisible ropes of anxiety, with thinking about her family, fell away. She wasn't drifting back into the old pattern of avoidance with her parents; she was just relieved to step away from it for a moment. She needed the quiet calmness of a quick walk to her favorite coffee shop.

She felt energized as she started her walk. It was only a half block away. Walking through the neighborhood always cleared her head and relaxed her. Any moodiness she had seemed to slip away as she strolled down the familiar streets, listening to the cars, passing by different people and shops.

Lauren stepped into the coffee shop to grab a cup of coffee and bumped into Evony. They both came to an abrupt stop and stared each other down. Lauren was aware that Evony was standing too close to her, eying her down.

"Dr. Lewis, how are you this afternoon?" Evony asked, with a wicked smirk.

Lauren took a deep breath before daring to start a conversation with Evony. "Fine. Perfect." She stepped back and raised her chin high.

Evony dipped her eyes down and caught sight of Lauren's ring. "So, you're finally doing it? Marrying that detective." Her eyes studied Lauren, one hand poised on her hip, and the other held her cup.

Lauren rolled her eyes. She didn't feel a shred of surprise that Evony had something to say about that. "Yes." She put her shoulders back, readying herself for another one of their tiresome exchanges.

"Well, congratulations." Evony nodded and began to walk away.

That, on the other hand, surprised Lauren, she frowned and stopped Evony with a hand around her wrist. "You mean that?" She asked as she let go of her grip.

Evony shrugged indifferently. "It's none of my business." She slanted her head and looked at Lauren closely. "But I still say it's a waste of youth to tie yourself to another person. But it's your life. But, I will say, you continue to make the most mind-boggling life decisions."

Lauren's mouth tightened for a quick moment. "Right." She relaxed her face and body. "You see marriage as losing something, but I see it as gaining a whole lot."

Evony tapped her fingers on her coffee cup, looking Lauren up and down. "I guess you'll see after years of marriage whether you regret it or not."

"I won't." Lauren insisted with conviction.

"As you say. Like I said congratulations. But call me if you get that itch after seven years." Evony winked and twirled around to leave the shop.

In spite of herself, Lauren smiled. "Bye, Evony," She called out. For the first time, in a long time, Evony's words didn't affect her, she felt confident and secure with Bo, with their relationship. She knew no one would be able to come between them unless they allowed it.

Evony waved her hand high in the air before she pulled open the door to leave.

XXXXX

Bo stood across the parking lot of the police station, watching a group of cops chatting by their cars. She scanned their faces looking for the officers that took their time getting to the lab to help Lauren. She needed answers as to why it had taken them so long. She felt a surge of anger when her eyes fell on one she remembered seeing there.

She stalked across the parking toward the group but halted when Dyson pulled up next to her.

"Morning, boss," Dyson said after he opened the car door.

Bo waved a livid hand at the building. "The response time on Lauren's call was unacceptable. I need answers."

He yanked himself out of the car and glanced over at the group of cops, and then back to Bo.

Bo watched the uneasy shift of his eyes with irritation. "Spill it. What do you know?"

Dyson ran his hands over his eyes. "I think they answered another call, before answering the one about Lauren."

Bo's eyes flew wide as she swung her head in the group's direction, feeling another jolt of fury. "You're kidding?" She snapped, and turned back to look him. "They should face consequences for that. They put Lauren's life at risk."

"I agree. We'll talk to Hale." Dyson said, trying to calm Bo. He knew she'd be pissed, hell, so was he, but he tried to tamp down his own anger to keep Bo composed.

Bo's mouth tensed and her hands balled at her sides. And she shot a look of pure fiery at the group of uniform cops.

Dyson watched her body language and slung in arm around her and guided her toward the front doors. "Let's get some terrible coffee inside."

Bo followed Dyson into the building, cursing under her breath as she walked. She knew Dyson had a point, she should talk to Hale, and let him handle the situation.

Inside, Tamsin stretched her arms up and yawned taking the chance to glance around the rows of desks around her. Most of the other detectives were on phone calls, and the others huddled around the coffee machine chatting. She wondered if any of them were actually working their cases.

Her eyes shifted to the door when Dyson and Bo walked in side by side. Tamsin told herself to look calm. There was nothing weird about seeing Dyson. They only worked together, and were friends. Still, she felt a slight flush ran down her face as she watched him walking and talking. She wondered if maybe she could like him back, if the circumstances were different.

Tamsin had a sinking feeling that Dyson was avoiding her, and she was still trying to shake off the uneasiness when he sat beside her.

"Hey, just Tamsin," Dyson greeted, casually, flipping through the messages on his desk.

Tamsin just sat there with a dumbfounded look on her face and didn't say anything. It was a simple hello, but she couldn't think of anything easy to say. Her mind felt like a muddled mess.

Bo was caught up in her own thoughts and missed the awkwardness between them. She nodded at Tamsin and headed straight for Hale's office.

Tamsin finally snapped out of her speechlessness. "Are you going to the bar, tonight?" She asked trying to match his casual tone from before.

"Of course. Lauren invited me." Dyson refused to say more. Tamsin never said a word about his confession about liking her, and he couldn't push the issue, or start the conversation.

Dyson sat watching her too closely, and she reached for a simple response. Finally she said, "Oh, maybe I'll see you there then."

Dyson shrugged. "I'm sure you will." He smiled and turned on his computer to get to work.

Thirty minutes later, Bo hurried out of Hale's office, to Dyson's desk. She breathed a sigh and plopped into the chair next to him. "Hale is going to look into what happened."

Bo looked over her shoulder, glancing around the room. She still felt like the other detectives were staring at her, or whispering behind her back, but she refused to let that bother her for another second. She loved her job, she was engaged to the love of her life, she was happy, and she wouldn't let any of the rest of it get her down.

XXXXX

"Have I ever told you how painfully sexy you are?" Bo asked wrapping her arms around Lauren from behind.

Lauren immediately leaned back against Bo. She could smell the leather from her jacket, the warmth of her arms and she inhaled deeply. She played with her drink before setting it down on the bar. "I don't think you have," She joked back at last, turning to the side to give Bo a quick kiss.

Bo slid her hands up and down Lauren's hips. "I really, really like these jeans. Are they new?"

Lauren shook her head. "No, you've seen me wear these dozens of times." She smirked and glanced at Bo out of the corner of her eye. "I sent my parents an email telling them we are getting married, and that I have no interest in continuing a relationship with them until they can respect our relationship and me."

Bo released her embrace and circled around to take a seat next to her at the bar. She rested her hands on Lauren's waist and peered up at her. "Are you relieved?"

Lauren took a sip of her drink and nodded. "I am."

Bo stared at her with eyes that seemed to be looking through her. "I'm glad. But I know it was probably hard to do."

Lauren placed her hands on Bo's shoulders and studied her eyes. "I thought it would be, but really it wasn't. I guess I reached the point where I simply don't care about what they think or have to say. My youth would have been much easier if I'd come to that conclusion sooner."

Bo gently swayed Lauren's hips in time with the music around them and said. "You are brave, wonderful, and perfect, Future Mrs. Dennis."

Lauren pressed a kiss to Bo's lips. "I'm keeping my name," She said against Bo's mouth.

When Lauren straightened up again, Bo grinned hard at her. "Oh, shucks, Doctor." She teased. "No, I understand." She pulled Lauren, so she was sitting on the edge of her lap.

"You're not upset?" Lauren asked.

Bo shook her head, and couldn't help a small smile. "No. Names aren't important to me; I was joking. We won't be any less married staying as Bo Dennis, and Lauren Lewis."

Bo's hand cradled Lauren's hand and they sat listening to the music for several minutes. They were too distracted by each other to notice the rest of the world around them.

"This is nice," Lauren whispered as the song faded away, playing with Bo's fingers.

"Yeah, it is." Bo smiled, then her eyebrows snapped together. "But I admit, I can't help but worry about you after what happened."

Lauren turned to the side so she could meet Bo's gaze. "Lucky for me, I have a detective living with me, so I'll be just fine. I also suspect the odds of chatting up another serial killer are pretty low."

Irritation flashed in Bo's eyes. "Don't be flippant."

Lauren leaned back, preparing to plant her feet for an argument. "I'm not. But I can't live in fear." She said with a hard edge in her tone.

Bo's irritation faded, but her eyes narrowed at Lauren. "I want to take you to the shooting range. You need protection."

Lauren laughed that off and added a quick headshake.

Bo buried her head in Lauren's neck and kissed at her pulse. "I'm serious. Personal protection is very important." She whispered against her skin.

"I'm not carrying a gun, Bo. And I'm not going to spend my life looking over my shoulder all the time."

Bo drew back. She knew she wasn't going to win this debate. "Fine. But going to teach you some self-defense moves."

Lauren didn't argue, and her gaze fell onto Tamsin and Dyson across the room. "What's going on with those two?" She jerked her head in their direction.

Bo followed her eyes and shrugged. "I don't know."

Bo's eye narrowed to half slits as her gaze drifted to Lauren's lips. She dipped her head in and pressed her lips to Lauren's. Lauren parted her lips slightly, pressing hard into Bo, her hand slipped around the back of Bo's neck to pull her even closer. The kiss became deeper, deeper, and their hands clutched tight around each other. Again the world around them faded into nothingness.

Across the room, Tamsin played with her glass not looking at Dyson. She felt like bit-by-bit the walls were slowly closing in on her.

"Look, let's not be weird with each other, ok? I'm not some jerk guy who'll stop being your friend just because you turned me down." Dyson said without any preamble.

Tamsin shuddered as relief flooded her body. "I just don't want to get involved in anything that might mess with my job. I've finally found the career I enjoy. I just want to focus on that. Relationships are messy. I don't want to open any doors that might complicate that."

Dyson nodded in agreement. "I hear, ya. Sorry, if I made you feel uncomfortable. I didn't want that."

"I know," Tamsin said, feebly. Feeling a twinge of self-consciousness, that old uncomfortable feeling of being exposed.

Dyson met her eyes, and he looked more friendly than disappointed. "We'll stay drinking buddies, and bros."

"I would like that." If Tamsin ever wanted to step cautiously into the dangerous waters of dating, she didn't think a work colleague and friend would be the wisest choice. She felt bad about rejecting him, but her practical nature wouldn't allow her to move forward with anything romantic with him.

Two hours later, Dyson, Lauren, Bo, and Tamsin sat together at a table. "I think I'm drunk," Lauren grumbled, she rolled her head and looked sleepily at Bo. "Why'd you let me drink so much?" Her voice came out loud, and a few sets of eyes around them turned to look.

"I tried to cut you off you wouldn't listen." Bo snatched up her water and offered it to Lauren.

"You should probably eat something." Tamsin pushed a plate of food in front of her.

Lauren ignored the food, but took the water from Bo, sipping carefully, and slowly.

"Yeah, it might get ugly, and Bo will have to carry you home," Dyson said, choking on his laughter and drink.

Lauren groaned as an answer. Her eyes started to drift shut, and she rested her head on Bo's shoulder.

Bo wrapped her arm around Lauren to steady her. "You better eat something because I am not carrying you."

Lauren's eyes popped open, and she laughed so hard, her sides began to hurt.

"Yep, drunk," Dyson said. "Boy, Lauren, you can't hold your liquor. Remember in 11th grade when you had like two drinks and you ended up making out with that horribly boring girl, Crystal? Talk about regretful." He teasingly shuttered and took a large gulp of his drink.

Lauren pointed a finger at him. "She was cute." She slurred out and frowned. "I think." Her eyes shifted up as she tried to remember through her hazy mind. She shook her head, turning to unscramble her brain. "You two should date," She held up her hands. "I'm just saying, you look good together and have a lot in common."

Bo glared at her. "Lauren, stop." She pushed the water back at her.

"What?" Lauren grabbed Bo and kissed her cheek. "I'm happy, and I want everyone to be happy. Even these two knuckleheads."

Dyson cleared his throat. "I don't need dating advice from drunk Lauren, thanks."

Lauren looked at Dyson. "I just want you happy." She swirled her head to look at Tamsin. "I want you happy." She slumped down into her chair. "I love you, guys."

Bo stood and helped Lauren up, letting her rest on her body. "Time to go home, love guru."

Lauren wobbled against Bo and smiled at Tamsin and Dyson. "Don't you want this? Someone to take care of you while you're drunk, or sad, or angry, or stupid…" She stopped as if forgetting what she was saying. "Everyone should have their own Bo."

"Ok. Drunkie, let's go." Bo said, as she fished money out from her pocket and tossed it on the table.

"This isn't drunk talk. This is real talk." A wave of dizziness hit Lauren and Bo gripped her tight with a shake of her head.

Dyson stared at Lauren over his glass, his eyes sharpening, "Thanks for the unsolicited advice, but we're good."

"Don't be grouchy, I only want you happy." Lauren tried to sound stern, but slurred the words instead.

Silence greeted Lauren's words. Feeling embarrassed, Tamsin kept her mouth shut and watched the back and forth. All she wanted to do was disappear under the table.

Finally, Dyson's expression softened, and he sat down his drink. "Thanks, doc. Now go home and get some sleep."

Bo tipped her head at Dyson and Tamsin and directed Lauren away from the table. Lauren leaned on Bo and kept her pace slow and steady. "My sweet, Bo. Always taking care of me."

Bo pulled open the door to leave the bar and said. "And I always will."

The wind kicked up Lauren's hair and Bo pushed it back behind her ear.

Lauren halted her steps, offering Bo a sheepish grin. "I never told you…I'm sorry, I didn't but I punched Ryan, the day you were shot."

Bo laughed, thinking Lauren was joking; and then her smile faded, and she studied Lauren's face for a time. She couldn't help her shock at that confession.

Lauren's gaze dropped to her hands, for a second. "I just lost control of my temper. I should have told you."

"Lauren, you're lucky he didn't press charges on you. You put herself at risk, doing that." Bo's eyes darkened in concern and her brows drew together.

"I know." Lauren's head slumped. "He did deserve it," She muttered, eyes locked on the sidewalk.

Bo hunched down to look her in the eye. When she smiled at Lauren her eyes twinkled. "I won't argue with that. Come on." She draped her arm around Lauren's waist to resume their walk home.

XXXX

AN

Sorry if it wasn't clear but Ryan's 'revenge' was telling Bo's colleagues they slept together to ruin her reputation. I should have been clearer with that wrap up.

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.

Next update: Wedding…?...maybe

XOXO to all Doccubus fans