N: here it is, the end! the end for these two ladies in this epic story that took one heck of a turn! so read on and enjoy! thank you to all of you readers and WritingSux for this fun little journey! stay tuned on facebook and twitter as i move on to other projects!

"Goddammit," I muttered as I walked through the front door of the house. I had stumbled over the pile of shoes that was crowding the entrance and instead of doing something so that they were a safety hazard I pulled off the pumps that I was wearing and added them to the pile before I made my way out into the living room.

As I walked through the room I took my hair out of the ponytail I had put it in then dropped down onto the couch. It had been another long, tedious day down at the legal aid offices and I was ready to go down to the local Burger King to see if they were hiring. I couldn't do it anymore. Piles of cases for people you felt bad for, but when the system was more worried about getting them processed and out of the way, you kind of became desensitized to it all. I blew out a breath and closed my eyes. I needed a shower. I needed a meal. If I hadn't quit drinking eons ago I probably could have used a drink but I didn't want to move. The couch was too comfortable and my body was just that tired.

I reached over the arm of the couch and got the phone, not bothering to open my eyes. With my eyes still closed I dialed the number from memory and it rang a few times before it went to voicemail. "Of fucking course," I mumbled under my breath as I mashed the button to end the call. My day of hell wasn't quite done with me yet. I drew in a breath then made another call. This time it was answered, "Bo, what's up?"

I forced a smile on my face and tried not to sound so miserable. "Hey Laurel. Nothing much is up. I just got home and my day has been complete shit."

"Damn that sucks but I told you legal aid was a warzone but you wanted to be superwoman." She chuckled then asked, "You want me to see if Annalise has room for a new defense attorney?"

I rolled my eyes. Keating hated me in law school so I didn't think her opinion of me would be different almost ten years later. "No. Annalise deals in a different kind of law that I'm not going to bother with. Also legal aid has left a bad taste in my mouth about being a defense attorney. You know anyone down at the prosecutor's office that can help."

Laurel clicked her tongue a few times then said, "I'm not sure, but I'll call around and see."

A smirk came to my face. Laurel always had my back and I think she would continue to have my back until we were old crotchety ladies. "Thanks Laurel. Hey you want to go out to eat tonight. My treat."

Laurel groaned then said, "Sorry Bo I can't. One of the twins is sick and Michaela needs a break. She called me an hour ago and she swore at me in Spanish. Can you believe that?"

"I mean with the way you go off the handle in Spanish sometimes, yes. Yes I can believe that, " I said with a small chuckle. Laurel and Michaela had gotten married five years ago after Laurel finally told Michaela about her feelings in one drunken confession. That had been a fun call to receive at two in the morning. The two of them had tried for kid last year and they ended up with twins who just turned one last month.

Laurel scoffed then remarked, "I do not go off the handle. You have a weak constitution." She sighed. "You want to come over. I'm sure the kids will go down early then you and me can piss Michaela off and tell her about our lawyer-tastic days."

I let out a soft snort then commented, "You can piss her off with your lawyer-tastic day. I sat in an office the size of a supply closet trying to help clients the system could careless about."

Laurel sucked in a breath. "We have got to get you out of legal aid." She paused a moment then offered again, "You sure you don't want to come over. I know how you are when you have your bad days and you're alone Bo."

I drew in a breath through my nose then let it out. My mental health these days erred on the side of good most of the time but if I had a terrible day at work I would lock myself in my room and paint. I've been told that I might need to change professions but I like what I did. My current job on the other hand was a main source of my stress and I was trying to fix that. "Don't worry Laurel. I'll probably read over some case files for Monday over some takeout then call it an early night." I smiled. "Go home to Michaela, RJ, and Ali. I'll come over tomorrow and we can go to the park or something so Michaela can get a break."

Laurel chuckled and told her, "She won't take a break. She'll work on that case that she's been working on for the last month, but okay. Call me before you come over."

"Will do."

She said bye to me then the call ended. I dropped the phone on the couch next to me then let my head fall back onto the couch. I looked up at the ceiling for a moment then I got up and headed into the kitchen. I was about to open the refrigerator door then I saw the invitation for my twentieth high school reunion. I stared at the invite and contemplated on going to the party. It probably was a better idea than reading case files I would barely be able to present and the thought of seeing who had work done was also a plus. I frowned. But then I would have to deal with the assholes. In particular, the ones I used to hang out with.

I blew out a breath then snagged the invite off the fridge door and muttered, "Fuck it." I needed something to do also a part of me wanted to show people that the dumb head cheerleader had actually made something of herself. I looked at the clock on the microwave. It was early enough that I would make it to the venue just as soon as the party was starting at eight. I walked back into the living room and grabbed the phone off of the couch. I dialed the number I had dialed before I had called Laurel and when it went to voicemail I left a quick message then hung up.

I headed for my closet and found a dress that wasn't over the top but would definitely show the girls off in a way that would let people know that they were still au natural. Once I had picked out the dress I went in the bathroom to take a shower and do my makeup. An hour and a half later I was heading out of the house and on my way to the reunion. Ready to show everyone how much I had changed.

And two hours later I was pulling into the parking lot of the field house of Mapleview High. As I got out of the car I looked around and being back at my old alma mater, if could call it that, was a little surreal. Everything was the same, smaller, but the same. I turned and looked at the front of the building. The numerous times I had walked through those doors for gym, practice, and whatever else went through my mind then I thought about the last time I had walked through them. I shook my head and forced a smile on my face before the terrible thoughts could take hold. I wasn't that person anymore. In fact, I was better than who I was in high school. Holding my head high I walk towards the entrance.

I gave him a politely at those milling around out front even though I had no idea who they were. Once I was inside I went up to the table where they were handing out the name tags. I got the sticker from a woman who looked vaguely familiar but I had no idea who she was. I think she was on the swim team and even though I couldn't remember her, she remembered me. The woman started talking about how she had been surprised when she heard about the me, Dyson, and Lauren thing. I was polite and told her that it had been a surprise to me too but it was something I never regretted.

I walked into the ballroom as I stuck the name tag onto my dress. I felt so awkward being in the same room with all the people I had gone to high school. None of them seemed familiar to me and I felt guilty for that because I had been such an ambivalent twit that I didn't even bother to get to know the other people who went to the same school as me. With the exception of those in the jock-cheerleader social group I didn't know anyone. However, they knew me and were coming up to me and asking me questions about what I had been up to over the last twenty years. Most of them were stunned to hear about me going to Harvard and becoming a lawyer. Several of the men asked me about legal representation and if I would help them with something with business law.

I avoided all questions about kids, marriage, and family. It wasn't that I was avoiding them on purpose but I wanted them to see that I had become something unlike most of them that had glommed onto either their parents' fortunes or married rich. I, Bo Dennis, was not the dumb head cheerleader, and though I hadn't seen myself as such in the longest time, coming to my reunion had given me some validation that I had fared better than those who probably only saw me as a dumb cheerleader in high school.

I had spotted Dyson, Ted, and Bev from the refreshments table twenty minutes into the event and they looked as plastic as they had been in high school. Bev had had a boob job. It was obvious. Like on a level that I was tempted to ask if she need representation for a malpractice suit. Ted had gotten his nose fixed from where Tamsin had broken it. And Dyson….Dyson couldn't fix the asshole that he was with surgery. He looked as smug and as arrogant as ever. Looking at them only made my stomach churned and I couldn't believe I had ever hung out with them.

I walked over to the bar and got myself a sprite. I had just started to walk away from the bar when I saw her. A smile took over my face as I watched her. Lauren looked like the shy nerd she had been in high school, only older, and she looked so out of place. I chuckled to myself as I watched as she and Tamsin bickered with each other. The two of them got some odd looks from everyone that walked by and Tamsin would either scowl at them or tell them to go piss off. I couldn't hold back the laughter when Tamsin tapped the side of her as she passed by one of the women who had been on the cheerleader squad with me. While Lauren shook her head in disbelief. I chuckled then decided to make my way over to them.

Tamsin was piling a small plate with enough buffalo wings that I was certain she was going to have to go to the hospital later and Lauren watched her with a slight look of disbelief. I walked up to her and said, "Don't look so surprise. I would be worried if Tamsin wasn't herself at this thing."

Lauren looked at me and I smiled at her. Her cheeks started to turn that adorable shade of red that always caused me to laugh. Though I felt myself start to blush too when her eyes roamed over my body. Lauren chuckled a little then said, "You look amazing."

I grinned and said, "Thank you." Then I moved closer to her so that I could lean in to give her a kiss. It was soft one that lingered on her lips then I pulled back. "I called you when I got home and you didn't answer."

Lauren gave me an apologetic look then scowled at Tamsin. "Someone decided to be a hero and chase after a purse snatcher when I was right behind her in the patrol car."

"What?" Tamsin said with a mouth full of half masticated chicken. She chewed up a little bit more then said around it, "He was getting away."

I let out an exasperated breath then I began to fuss over Lauren's shirt. "Where did you get this? And Tamsin if my wife gets hurt because you decide to be a big hero I will murder you."

"Sorry," Tamsin mumbled as she took another bite of chicken.

Lauren reached out and placed her hand on my cheek. I meet her gaze and she said, "Don't worry Bo. I'm careful."

I smiled and nodded my head as I tried to fight back the tears. "After you being in this stupid job for the last ten years you'd think I would find a place to be okay with what you do." I sighed. "But I haven't." I leaned forward and sniffed her shirt. I scrunched my face up and asked, "Did you get this from your locker?"

"We sprayed it down with some starch hoping it would hide the locker scent," Lauren said with a slight grimace. "Though if we want to talk about outfits. What the hell are you wearing? Do you want me to kick someone's ass tonight?"

I chuckled and told her, "Making sure I'm the best looking person in the room also giving you the chance for you tell everyone that you married the smoking hot Bo Dennis. Who has only gotten hotter. Oh and also to let everyone know that my boobs are still real and as amazing as ever." Lauren got eyed me with some uncertainty. "What?"

"Have you been drinking?"

I rolled my eyes and told her, "No I haven't been drinking. I had a shitty day at work and I wanted to feel better. This makes me feel better. Though me being here makes me feel guilty. I don't really know anyone."

Lauren scoffed. "Yeah well at least everyone knows you."

I frowned a little then I took hold of her hand and said, "Lauren who cares about what happened in high school. After tonight none of this will matter and we can go back to our life. If this is going to be too much for you then we can leave. "

Lauren shook her head then said, "No Bo. Let's stay for a bit. Plus I think you said something about a dance in your message since we didn't get one back in high school."

I smiled and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, "You sure?"

"Absolutely," she said with a smile then she gave me a quick kiss.

We walked around and quite a few people came up to Lauren and thanked her for helping them turn their act around in high school because if they hadn't who knows where they would be. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I was proud of Lauren. She had come a long way from the person that she had been in high school. We were talking to one of the guys that had been on the track team that had been in Lauren's tutoring group when I heard an all too familiar voice say, "I remember that body."

I scowled for a second then I turned around and force a smile on my face. "Dyson."

He held open his arms and said, "What no hug?"

I folded my arms over my chest and said, "Fuck no." I wanted to hand him his ass. I wanted to kick his ass. It was because of this arrogant, self-centered asshole that Lauren and I had the history that we had. But I didn't.

Dyson chuckled then slipped his hands in his pockets. "Okay, okay. We left things off in a bad term in high school and I have changed Bo. I got in some trouble a few years back and that opened my eyes y'know." He glanced at Lauren who looked like she wanted to kick his ass yet at the same time she looked like she was going to ask Tamsin to kick his ass for her. "Nerdo! Damn you aren't such a nerd these days huh?"

I scowled at Dyson. I was done talking with asshole. He had no right to talk to Lauren. Not after all the shit he had put her through in high school and even after high school. I was so close to assaulting him with one of the heels that I was wearing. "So what do you say Bo? You and I can go grab a drink and catch up on old times."

I grinned and said, "I can't Dyson. Not because you're an asshole but because you're only going to hit on me and I'm married. And I heard your divorce wasn't even finalized yet."

He scoffed and remarked, "It'll be finalized in a week and your marriage can't be holding up too well since," he looked around, "the guy isn't even here."

XXXX

The high school parking lot brought back a lot of memories. The whole building made my emotions turn sour. I really didn't understand why I was standing on this asphalt lot, smoothing out the sleeveless dress shirt I had in my locker, waiting for Tamsin finish changing in the back seat of my car. I sighed, Mapleview high was a catalyst for the rest of my life and I had very bittersweet memories that would need more than an open bar and buffet to cure.

"Are you almost done? I told you to change at the station." I glanced over my shoulder at my best friend tumbling out of the backseat, flipping me off and rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, I could have, but I didn't." she glared at me, "Someone was in a big damn hurry after they checked their voicemail while I was booking the flash."

I gave her a dirty look, "I was right behind you in the car, you didn't have to run." I checked my phone, "Come on, let's get this over with so I can go home and start my five day weekend."

Tamsin saluted me, "Yes sir, sarge."

I groaned and shoved her when she stood next to me. Looking every bit of Tamsin in a plain white button down and form fitting slacks. "You're next, you know that?"

She shrugged, "Yeah, after you get lieutenant. I made a promise to stay on the road with you until you got a desk job." She tucked the shirt in, "Why are you still doing this job when you could be some fancy lawyer making more money to add on to the piles of money you have from my dad's company?"

I sighed, looking at the giant banner welcoming the class of 1996. "You know why Tamsin." I brushed some hair out of my face as we walked into the front entrance.

We were greeted by a smiley lady who I might have recognized as the class president, but wasn't sure. She handed us a pamphlet full of the night's events, blank name tags and a sharpie to write our names on.

I smiled tightly as the lady prattled on, and press the sticky backing on my shirt, frowning when it wrinkled up the edges of the grey top. I looked over at Tamsin as she slapped hers on, making me frown deeper when I read NACHO FRIEND in bold black letters.

"Tams? Really?" I suddenly despised being here, I wanted to go home, not indulge in stupid painful memories or run into that asshats who ruined my life and continued to for a very long time.

Tamsin nudged me, "Hey everyone will know it's me, Nerdo Lewis's only friend." She winked at me and turned to spot the large buffet setup in the gym. She grabbed my arm and dragged me towards it, "Let's go there now."

I rolled my eyes and let my best friend lead me to the massive offering of food. I let her fill multiple plates up as I scanned the crowd. Looking out at a sea of faces I barely recognized. "Why are we here?"

Tamsin cocked an eyebrow and mumbled through a mouthful of chicken wings and pasta salad, "I'm here for the free food, I missed lunch because of that chase and dinner because of you." She looked around the room, grinning like a idiot when her eyes landed on someone we both knew. "And you're here for her."

I sighed heavily, my face turning red like it always did when I would look at Bo Dennis. "She still makes me blush like an idiot and my heart race."

Tamsin chuckled, "You had such a wicked bad crush on her in high school. It was so embarrassing for me to watch and suffer through. Good thing I had a strong will and determination to get you two idiots in the same room and talking…and kissing. Ew." She shivered and grabbed a hot dog, shoving that in her mouth in two bites.

I tilted my head down to look at the tops of my shiny black heels. "Is she coming over here?"

"Yup, but so is that fucking fucktard Dyson. His eyeballs just about exploded when he saw Bo in that blue dress." Tamsin's voice dropped to that low tense one that she used on the streets of Boston.

I felt my gut twist, my jaw clench and the anger from what that asshole did to me, returned as if it was graduation day all over again. "I'm going to go outside."

I took one step away when I heard her voice, "Lauren?"

I swung around to look at my wife, grinning and moving my way. I sighed again and held out my hand for her to take, a dopey grin covering my face like I was sixteen again. "Bo." The second her hand was in mine I pulled her into my arms, hugging her tightly. "Hi, I've missed you."

She sighed and kissed my cheek, "I know, that's why I called you and you didn't answer. I wanted to talk to my wife and then I saw the invitation on the fridge." She shrugged, "I know this isn't ideal but I wanted to show you off, us off, to the people who didn't think we'd make it." Bo turned and looked at Tamsin eating, "I see the buffet means her quality standards."

I laughed, "Would you expect any less from her? The blonde eating machine." I sighed, looking at Bo. I had missed her terribly over the last few days. Our hectic schedules were keeping us apart and I hated it. I wanted Bo to quit her job and go work with our old law professor Keating, but she was hesitant to do so. I also knew she wanted me to quit my job as a cop, but I wouldn't yet. I had taken the sergeant promotion to get better hours, but that wasn't working out yet. The captain of the department had asked me a week ago about moving into the detective unit or applying for the lieutenant spot, giving me more stability and time with Bo. I looked down in Bo's big brown eyes and saw the love in them, it made me want to force us to quit both of our jobs and be full time Ebay sellers. I did have enough money to support us both, but Bo was determined to prove to herself and the world she could do it. Bo had done it, we had done it and after ten years of marriage, I loved her more than I ever thought imaginable and even thought we weren't perfect, we worked on it. We fought through the low points and came out stronger and deeper in love.

I had zoned out and barely heard anything she was talking about in regards to being at the reunion, until my favorite word floated across, pulling all of my attention. Boobs. I blinked a few times trying to focus on what we were talking about, I think it was something about my shirt smelling like a rank locker-room.

I sighed and made a comment about Tamsin being the one to blame when I looked up and saw Dyson strolling over, making a disgusting comment about my wife's body.

I had to reach back when I felt Tamsin start to lunge for the bearded fuck, letting Bo say her piece when he made a comment my way about how I grew up and wasn't so much of a Nerdo anymore. I clenched my jaw when he then asked Bo for a drink and she refused, telling him she was married.

He scoffed and remarked, "It'll be finalized in a week and your marriage can't be holding up too well since," he looked around, "the guy isn't even here."

I cleared my throat and glared at the piece of shit, "So how was federal prison, Dyson? I heard even minimum security in Chicago is like being in cook county jail." I watched his face turn a pale shade of white. I stepped closer, "You know, you shouldn't lie to your friends over there, telling them you're a stock broker when we both know your license was revoked for life and you actually work at the rubber plant in town." I motioned to Ted laughing with Bev on his lap, "You and Ted both."

Dyson stammered and glowered at me, "Whatever Nerdo, you don't know anything. Now if you'll excuse me, I was talking to Bo, trying to apologize to her for my stupid high school ways." He stepped between me and Bo, offering her the second glass of whiskey he had. I watched Bo's jaw clench as the booze was so very close. I went to grab a fistful of beard when a very familiar hand snatch it out of his palm.

"Thanks for the drink fuckface." Tamsin slammed the drink in two gulps and slapped the empty back. "I have a great idea, Dyson. Piss off and leave my friends alone before Bo's wife gets really upset and I let her break your fucking nose like I broke Ted's." Tamsin was still protective of Bo and I like she had been from day one. It was her way of staying loyal and making what she thought was a life time of amends of being as stupid as the rest of us in believing this bearded jerk.

Dyson gave my best friend a strange look, "Wife?" He then looked at me before turning to Bo, "You can't be serious, Nerdo is your wife?" He chuckled incredulously, "That's a funny joke."

I went to pound his face in, Tamsin making a low whistle that told me she was about to demolish him, when Bo stepped in front of me, grabbing my left hand and shoving it up in his face. "It's not a joke, Dyson. Lauren is my wife. My very incredible, loving, beautiful, kind and strong wife." She grinned looking at me, "And as much as I hate you for doing what you did to us in high school and tearing us apart, I found her again. We found each other again and fought hard to fall back in love." She ran a finger over my rings, sighing happily, "So, Dyson, you should go back to your table before I tell your probation officer you're breaking the rules by drinking." She winked at him, "But I understand that after spending almost ten years in federal prison for stock broker scams and insider trading, you'd want to have a drink or two."

Dyson's face turned a bright red before it turned sheet white. He swallowed hard and looked at the three of us before turning around and skittering off. I let out a breath as Tamsin started laughing, patting Bo's shoulder, "Way to stand up for you and Lauren!" She playfully sniffled, "My girl done grown up."

I rolled my eyes and half shoved Tamsin, "Shut it." I then looked at Bo, smiling softly, "Thank you."

Bo grinned, sliding her arms around my waist, "For what? You're my wife, the love of my life and I will fight wolves like that shitface to stand up for you." She kissed me softly, "I love you, always have. My first and last love, Lauren Lewis."

I sighed contently, running a hand over her hair, "And I love you, Bo Lewis." I tapped her nametag, "No wonder not many knew you, you could have written Bo Dennis on it."

Bo shook her head, "I could have, but that's not who I am now."

Tamsin hushed out a sarcastic awe around another mouthful of cake, "You two make me want to vomit."

Bo laughed, "And you make us want to vomit when we see how cute you and Freddy are." She then squinted at the blonde, "So when are you two going to make it official?"

Tamsin turned a bright red, tipping her head down, "Shut up and stop looking at me." She turned around and walked towards the pastry table where the old football team was hovering. They all greeted each other with loud hoots and hollers.

I grinned, "Freddy asked me yesterday if he could ask Tamsin to marry him at the end of our ten year anniversary party. He said that we are the relationship he hopes to have and that we're the reason why Tamsin has a heart of gold, well, a heart of gold wrapped up in curse words."

Bo laughed, leaning into me, "I'd be more than happy to share our day with them." She then looked up at me, "Ten years, Lauren. Can you believe it? We've been married for ten years and been in love for almost twenty."

I nodded, finding her hand and squeezing it, "I can, and I look forward to the lifetime ahead of us." I tugged her, "Let's go say hi to a few more people before we go home and I make you drag out your old cheerleading outfit."

Bo chuckled, a smirk on her face, "I have something better waiting for us." She leaned up to whisper in my ear, making my face turn a lava hot red color.

I immediately turned her back to the door, "Fuck this party, we're going home."

Bo stared at me wide eyed and excited, "What about Tamsin?"

I stopped and picked Bo up, carrying her to the car, "She can find her own way home." I smirked and kissed Bo before rushing to her car.

All I knew was the past was now completely behind me and I had nothing but an incredible future ahead of me with the love of my life, my wife, the cheerleader.

I grinned as I slowly replaced the last memory I had of running out into this parking lot with a new one.

Finally, the nerd had won.