Chapter 16 - Truths

Thursday 16th May (Later that morning) - Lauren's Room

Bo woke and instantly looked around the room, adjusting slowly to her new surroundings, this was the second time she had woken in this room, yet it still seemed so strange and alien to her. The morning air was filled with the noise of the music from the hotel entertainment and somewhere in the distance a dog was yapping. Someone above her was walking around in heeled shoes, marking an audible path as they moved from room to room. Bo let a long stretch and rubbed her eyes and looked over towards the bedside clock Eleven sixteen am. Bo had slept for only three hours yet it was the deepest sleep she had ever had. No dreams, no tremors, no Kyle; just a peaceful slumber. She felt the mattress next to her, to find it cold and empty.

"Lauren?" she called out. Her voice was hoarse and dry. Bo noticed a bottle of water next to her and leaned over and grabbed it, swallowing most of the cool liquid in one gulp.

"Hello Baby. Did you sleep well?" Lauren replied as she entered the room from the balcony, her kindle resting under her arm. She walked over to Bo and planted a small delicate kiss on her lips.

"Lauren, what the hell did you do to me? I've never passed out from sex before. That was intense. I feel like I've woken from paradise." Bo said while sitting up.

"It was just something that you needed and I wanted to give you. Now that you're ready. I went to your place and picked up a few things that you might need or want to wear today." Lauren said while pointing towards the black duffle bag by the bottom of the bed.

"Wow, looks like you're moving me in. That must be all I own." Bo joked.

"Well I didn't know what you wanted, so I packed what I saw. And we won't get started on your wardrobe organisation Bo, and do you wear any colours?"

"Yes, I think there's a blue top in there, somewhere." Bo added. "And it's organised. Did that include my underwear drawer?" she teased.

"Well, as much as I enjoy you without it, where are we off to I wouldn't want to share that part of you with others. So, yes, it did include a visit to the underwear drawer, just as neat as the rest of the room" Lauren joked.

"So where are we going?" Bo asked taking the robe from the foot of the bed and putting it on.

"Just get ready before I cancel these plans and keep you locked up here all day." Lauren winked over as Bo started to get up off the bed.

Bo walked over to Lauren pulling her close and whispered into her ear. "That's my idea of a perfect day to keep you in bed all day and night." Bo looked at Lauren and gave her a sexy smile. Her smile widened into a genuine grin, showing off her dimple and Lauren melted into her arms. "And it's not my fault that my girlfriend is deliciously irresistible and amazing in and out of bed."

"Ahh, I would love that too, but we do have plans and one of them is a 12 noon appointment to have you x-rayed. It's important that we get you properly checked out." Lauren leaned over and kissed the dimple before stepping out of her arms and picking up the duffle bag.

"I think you checked me out perfectly well last night Lauren."

Smiling over, Lauren replied "True. Here, I couldn't find your toothbrush so I bought you a new one. Maybe it can stay here?"

"I think it would like that." Bo joked as she took it from Lauren. "I won't be too long." she said as she walked towards the bathroom with her toothbrush in her mouth.

Bo showered and got dressed and a few minutes later stepped out in a black denim skirt and black vest top. Her hair was pulled up at the sides and tied back. Lauren was like her contrast, wearing a beige skirt and pale blue and pink flowered, off the shoulder top. Lauren walked over to Bo with her oversized beach bag and kissed her again.

Reaching down to grab her large straw beach hat Lauren said "If you're ok at the hospital I've a boat arranged for us to take us to Ras Mohammed Natural Park. I've everything you need; swimwear, towel, cream and of course me. We'll take my car." Lauren then took Bo's hand to led her out the bedroom.

Leaving the Hotel

Lauren's car was a Hybrid Toyota Prius, white in colour with four doors. Bo had not been in this car before. "Nice ride." Bo said as she settled into the front seat and buckled herself in. "This white really brings out the colour in your lab coat." Bo gave a soft laugh.

"It's the hotels car, as you know. Besides the hybrid delivers low fuel consumption and ultra-low carbon emissions. It's good for the economy and the environment. Double whammy! So what do you drive Bo?" Lauren was proud of her eco-friendly car and loved how it slowed down without the need for gear changes and pedal pushing. It was not a trendy car, but still would be the kind of one she bought, and it done sixty to the gallon.

"I've only owned two cars in my lifetime. My pride a joy was my yellow Camaro, however I left that behind in California. I now have a blue Chavelle in Canada. I like the classics I guess." Bo shrugged beneath her seatbelt.

"Ahh, the classics, that's just another way of saying old and expensive. Cars built back then are just giant gas guzzlers." Lauren remarked.

"Yeah maybe; but they're also real chick magnets." Bo laughed over.

Lauren turned to Bo and smiled. I bet they were; Lauren's inner voice spoke her outer voice staying mute. Bo looked over to Lauren driving; she was concentrating hard and keeping both hands on the wheel. It was crazy to attempt to drive in Egypt, she thought as she watched the cars join seven lanes on a three lane road! No wonder they all get the bus, Bo looked out the window, continuing with her thoughts. Turning back to Lauren; this time with her eyes resting on her long legs. The skirt she was wearing rode up her thigh and her toned tanned legs were enticing Bo and she wanted to reach over to touch them. That shower should have been ice cold today as I'm horny again, Bo thought. Bo cranked up the air conditioning in the car, it was a hot day that just got a bit hotter!

Lauren pressed harder on the accelerator, glad that she had finally got off the main road and onto the desert road and that it was empty today. The car purred slightly, which made Lauren smile in a quiet, content fashion. Yes, I would definitely buy this car, she thought. The journey to the hospital was twenty minutes long and during the drive Lauren had played The London Philharmonic Orchestra, it was on low only background music, while Bo had simply looked out the window.

"Are you ok? We're here now." Lauren parked inside the Hospital car park and pulled a doctors' badge from the side door panel and placed on the windscreen. "We should be straight in and out my habibi, as I've called ahead and they're expecting us."

Bo smiled to herself as she got out the car, she had been in Egypt long enough to know what habibi meant.

As Bo and Lauren reached the doorway Lauren was stopped by a rather odd looking Doctor, overweight, sweating and his trousers rode too high up his legs. "Ah, Doctor Lauren, you're here on time, good. We have a wheelchair for your friend." the Doctor pointed to a nurse who stood next to him holding it.

Lauren looked over to Bo, who quickly nodded it away. "It's ok Doctor Yousef, we won't need that."

"As you please, follow me then. You have to complete this first." Doctor Yousef said while handing a clipboard to Lauren, who passed it to Bo. Lauren and Bo followed him down corridors and into elevators until they reached a waiting room next to the x-ray department. The Doctor explained that they would just need to set up the machine and get another Doctor and for Bo to complete the form in the meanwhile. Hospitals look the same wherever you are, Lauren thought as she took a plastic seat next to Bo. The seats were in rows of 4 and there were 3 rows in this particular waiting room. Bo sat next to her scribbling down her answers and ticking the boxes. These forms were always so long.

"Merhaba Doctor Lauren" Lauren looked up to see Doctor Borak smiling at her. She had always like him, not only a handsome Doctor but also very friendly and always so polite. "I've the privilege today to be assisting you and your friend. Did you complete the form?" The Doctor had dark olive skin and jet black hair. In the beginning he had asked Lauren on a series of dates, each time she let him down gently, now they had formed a kind of friendship. Although the Doctor wanted more, he respected Lauren and did not ask anymore. Lauren had considered telling him her sexuality in the beginning, after all she was comfortable of who she was, however due to his beliefs she didn't want to make him uncomfortable. Instead settling of telling him she was not interested in starting any relationship. They still have a friendship and play tennis together once a week.

Lauren's looked down at Bo who handed the clipboard back to the Doctor. "Good, let's go then, you have to remove your top half completely please and stand behind the screen. When you're ready, we will take your X-ray, nothing to worry about it's like taking your photo. It will be over in a few seconds and should only take twenty minutes to get the x-ray back. Oh wait a second you need to tick this box." The Doctor pointed down to the last question. Lauren looked over his shoulder "Are You Pregnant?"

"Bo? Could you be?"

"I don't know." Bo answered truthfully. "I don't think so, I think not, I'm not sure though. I missed my period last week, but that could just be one of them things, you know." Bo trailed off. If she was being really honest, she had doubts. She had tried to be careful with Lachlan, but they did have unprotected sex and since her missed period she had wondered.

"We need to make a test then. It will be quick. A pee on a stick and in two minutes you will know, and then we do or do not do the x-ray." The Doctor smiled over to Bo, unaware of the tension now in the room between the two women.

"Bo, you never said anything?" Lauren said when the doctor had left the room.

"Well it's not something you bring up to a person you have started dating "hey will you go out with me and oh I might be pregnant". I was going to wait till my next period and see then." Bo tried explaining to an angry looking Lauren.

"I'm still your doctor, you could have asked for a pregnancy test at any time. Preferably before you asked me out." Lauren snapped back, a bit angrier than she had intended. She was annoyed though, they had been together a week and not once did she mention it.

"Lauren, it was not easy, besides I've felt like I've been washed up in a whirlwind lately of emotions, and it was something I put to the back of my mind."

"Well that's a symptom of pregnancy; losing your concentration. Have you had an increase of appetite also?" Lauren stood up and walked towards the door.

"No, and I don't know why you're so upset over this. We don't know yet."

"You don't know why I'm upset? I'm your girlfriend Bo, or have you changed your mind on that now you might be having a baby? " Lauren snapped back, instantly regretting what she had said the minute she saw Bo's face. "I'm sorry Bo." before she could talk anymore the Doctor had returned to a now silent room and handed Bo the kit, which she took and left the room. Lauren inwardly cringed at her caustic words. She didn't want to be verbally attacking Bo. She didn't want to see her so hurt. However, her natural reaction was to lash back at the woman who could have been so stupid and careless. The same stupid and carless woman she cared for. "Shit" Lauren cursed under her breath. She went after her to find her to apologise.

Lauren found Bo in the ladies' toilet at the end of the corridor. Bo was slumped on the floor, the stick in her hands. Lauren pushed open the door further and walked in.

"Bo" Lauren sat down next to Bo. She had not moved or said anything since Lauren had entered. "I'm really sorry Bo. I was not thinking about you back there, and it was wrong of me."

For a long time, Bo did not say anything, she just sat there, head dipped and starring at the floor. When she did speak, it was so quietly it was a whisper. "It's just two lines. Two little lines will change my life forever Lauren. I never thought about being a parent before, but now I've thought of nothing else since I was handed this stick. Two little lines, how right are these anyway?"

"Actually there are pretty accurate. You see when you're pregnant your body secretes the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin. If this is present in your urine it will react to the monoclonal antibodies, causing a change in colour and a second line to appear..." Lauren stopped speaking when she saw Bo raise her head and smile over to her.

"Is there anything you don't know Lauren?"

"I don't know what to say to you if you're pregnant Bo." Lauren looked into Bo's eyes.

"Well I think we're too early in our relationship to be thinking of a family." Bo tried to joke the question off. She was also scared. "Do you even want that in your future?"

"Yes, one day. I always hoped for two children, one boy and one girl. I even had names picked out." Lauren nudged Bo's shoulder with her own and smiled over.

"Really? And what were they?" thankful of the distraction.

"It's silly really as I would need to discuss with the other parent first." Lauren smiled over to Bo "However as you have asked, I like the unusual, traditional names. So I thought Drake for a boy and maybe Aoife for a girl."

Bo let out an involuntary laugh, "Drake? Poor kid."

"Drake is actually a really good name, a Middle-English name that means Dragon. It's a cool name." Lauren said with pride.

"And Aofie? What does that mean?"

"It's Gaelic for Beauty." Lauren answered, noticing that Bo's eyes were fixed on her, she continued, "In Irish legend Aoife was a warrior princess who raged a war against her sister and lost. Eventually they reconciled."

"Ah, I didn't know that. Well you can hold that thought." Bo held up the stick showing only one line. "I'm not pregnant"

Lauren took Bo in her arms, part of her relieved and a small part disappointed. Bo was right though this was way too early in their relationship. "Come on then, let's go get your x-ray done and leave this place." Lauren looked into Bo's eyes; eyes that seemed to twinkle in the harsh neon lights.

Bo took Lauren's hand and allowed her to lead her back to the examination room. She would never say anything to Lauren, but part of her was disappointed, the way Lauren talked she would have made a good parent. And for the first time Bo wanted the same. If Bo thought herself capable of Being in Love like the films make out, then back there on that floor when Lauren looked at her, she would have fallen in that moment.

The x-ray was taken, and after a twenty-minute wait, it came back as negative for any fractures or breaks so they left shortly afterwards. Lauren drove them down to the marina where a small gullet boat was waiting for them. Lauren knew the owner and he had agreed to take them out for a few hours, no crew, just him to sail and them to relax.

"Hello Lauren." The captain called over as she walked down the ramp onto the boat. Taking her hand at the last part and helping her step on. "And you must be the Bo she has talked about. I see now why you wanted this day to be special. I've laid out lunch and I'll leave you for some privacy once we're at the park." The captain also took Bo's hand and helped on-board. The captain was from Australia, although the accent long gone, after living in Egypt for ten years.

"This is Troy, Bo. He runs the British tourist tours from the hotel, originally from Perth in Australia, his mother is from Egypt however." Lauren turned to face Troy. "Yes, this is my Bo. She works also at the hotel, from Canada, and my girlfriend." Lauren literally beamed at the last part. Being able to call Bo her girlfriend made her so happy.

"Nice to meet you Bo, Lauren has talked nonstop about you since I've known her, and I can see now why."

"Oh, really?" Bo smiled looking over to a now blushing Lauren and shaking Troy's hand. "It's also nice to meet you. Is this your boat? it nice, did you name her?"

"Yes, finally paid for from the banks. She's called Muna, which is Arabic for Wishes or Desire and she's my pride and joy. We will have a great day today; the sea is calm out there so should be smooth all the way."

They sailed from the harbour and Troy let them know that it would take only forty minutes to arrive. On the way he explained that Ras Mohammad was a protected national park, consisting of over 220 species of coral and over 1000 species of fish as well as maybe them catching a rare glimpse of sea turtles. After which the girls explored the boat more, the boat itself was a beautiful design, wooden all over with two masts at the front, the sails were already out. On the top sundeck there were two sun loungers in the middle of the deck, the middle deck was shaded with cushioned seats all round and the downstairs had one cabin, a bathroom and a separate living seating area. A table had been laid out with summer fruits, salads and seafood plates on the lower deck. After a quick lunch, they put their bag away in the cabin and changed into their bikinis, with Lauren wearing a gold one and Bo in her traditional black, and settled on the top deck sun loungers.

"Here Bo" Lauren handed her a chilled glass of champagne. "To us" she proclaimed as she raised her own glass.

"Here's to us" Bo repeated. She was still sore from her injuries but did not want to spoil the moment Lauren had created. Normally after a fight of any sorts, Bo would chill at home in her sweats, drink vodka and put the world to rights with Kenzi. This was all new to Bo, she had been on a boat before but not like this. In fact, everything the past week was new to Bo. She loved to see Lauren's face when she had a new experience and enjoyed spending this time with her. A real relationship she thought, so this is what it's like? This thought making her smile.

"What are you thinking about?" Lauren asked over.

"Just everything with you is all new to me. I've not been on a sail boat before."

"I like giving you new experiences babes." Lauren leaned back onto the sun bed.

"Well everything is new. I've not been on vacation before, never flown, never sailed, never snorkelled. I'm guessing though; you have?" Bo asked.

"Yes, I suppose I'm lucky that way. My family and I took holidays every year to places like this." Lauren fanned her arms out in a sweeping motion, "But this is still new to me, as it's with you and I want to show you the world Bo."

"And I would love to see the world-" Bo smiled over, "-with you" she added. "I could get used to this." Leaning back onto her bed she took another sip of her drink. "I might have to rethink my career though, as a bartender does not make enough for these kinds of vacations."

"Bo about that, I need to talk to you about something-." Lauren sat up; this was it, the time to be honest with Bo about her family and the money.

"Good, we should talk as I need to talk to you too Lauren." Bo also sat up, this was as good a time as any, and if she didn't do it now she feared she would lose her courage, and she wanted to say something before Lauren revealed anything that she may want to take back. She had already been understanding about her, her possible pregnancy, her rumoured past, and Bo could not bear hurting her. "This is as good a time as any to tell you something about me; at least I know you can't run off." Bo looked around the national park. It was beautiful, colourful coral was all around them. They were alone since the captain had taken the side boat to Tiran Island to give them some privacy a short while ago. "Lauren, I need you to listen to it all, and not say anything until I'm done. Can you do that?" Bo turned to face her and took both her hands in her own.

"Ok." Lauren was worried, Bo looked so serious all of a sudden.

Bo stood up and walked to the front of the boat. "I was eighteen years old when my boyfriend of three years died suddenly. My heart broke, but worse of all I was blamed." Bo was silent, she heard Lauren's breath inhale, but she had not said anything and was waiting quietly for her to continue. "It was a suspicious death and I was the last one with him." Bo let out a sigh of relief. Bo could see that Lauren was processing this, this look was familiar to Bo, it was the same look she had when reading. "I left home soon after that and gave up everything and everyone and I've not been back since. My adoptive dad died a few years ago, still not knowing what really happened that night."

"I'm so sorry Bo." Lauren stood up and held Bo in her arms.

Crack House

"What do you think they're doing?" Kenzi asked over to Tamsin.

"God knows. Knowing Lauren though, it will be something that Bo has not done before. She can't help it, it's not her fault, but when we first met she insisted on dragging me to see theatre shows and shit knows what else. I had to sit her down and have the talk that I was not her plaything. And I was never bothered about no Madam Butterfly or any other ballet, play or musical."

"You don't think she has taken her to a play? I know Bo she will be polite but that's not her thing, shin-a-ling at all." Kenzi refilled their glasses.

"Nah it will be snorkelling over the coral reef or desert quad biking or something. Anyway what do you think of them two?"

"The Doc and Bo are chalk and cheese, Itchy and Scratchy, ying and yang. However, no matter what, they're pulled together like an unstoppable force. I don't get it, but they get each other. They're like two opposite sides of the same coin." Kenzi took a sip of her newly poured drink, "Take last night for example, when Bo went all psycho on the dude, had him dangling in the air like that, that was some crazy arsed shit. She was all crazy-faced, I've not seen her like that before, she has never been so protective over someone like she's with the Doc. I'm happy for Bo, I just hope they don't burn each other out, as right now they're hot for each other, but soon they will have the boring domestic bliss all couples have to suffer. Who takes the trash out? Who walks the dog? Nights in with the tele. Chores round the house. Grocery shopping. Moving to suburbia. Mowing the lawn. A mortgage. Paying your taxes. Early nights. I know my Bo that lot will suffocate her, and like she does, will run. I just hope that she doesn't this time."

"Me too, I know Lauren and when she loves, she's 100% all the time. She will give her heart fully and I would hate to see it crushed. Let's hope it all works out then." Tamsin raised her glass. "Here is to supporting our besties and protecting their hearts."

"Yeah." Kenzi clinked her glass. "Let's make sure they do right by each other. Their hearts belong to stubborn owners but we're here to make sure they're not stupid."

"Have to ask though Kenz, is she faithful?"

"Honestly I don't know, this is the first time I've seen Bo wanting to be in an actual relationship. What I do know though is that she's an iron-fortress of principles, so if she says she will be, then she will."

"So this is where you two have been hiding!" Tamsin and Kenzi turned to see Vex entering the room.

"You're not allowed here, no guests allowed." Kenzi turned to face him.

"I've been looking for Bo, where is she?" ignoring Kenzi's statement.

"She's out with the Doc, and you have to leave." Kenzi again pointing out that he was not welcome.

"Do you know where they have gone?" taking a seat and again ignoring the not being welcome comment.

"Out Vex, they're just out." Tamsin snapped back. "What do you want?"

"I've been in the hotel manager's office all morning. They have CCTV of last night and I come over to pre-warn her of the barrel of shit she's in. Of course I was an innocent victim, but the man that Bo had sky high is not fucking happy and apparently is also a guest in the hotel."

"Shit." Kenzi said. "We better find her and tell her before they do."

"Agreed." Tamsin added.

A knock on the door startled them. "Open up, hotel security."

Bo and Lauren

Bo had been quite for a while, Lauren still standing by her side.

Lauren broke the silence, "What happened? They only say suspicious death when they don't know, maybe if we find out what happened, you will be cleared and can return home and take back your life. From the beginning, tell me everything that happened, and please know that I'm here and not going anywhere, no matter what you say."

Bo was relieved, she loved Lauren and to know that she would stand by her meant the world to her, so she began telling her story, a story she had only ever told once before to Kenzi many years ago. "OK from the beginning and everything. Firstly, you need to know about my upbringing, despite how I have turned out, I was brought up rather strict by Catholic adoptive parents. To say strict is rather an understatement, they called me Beth instead of Bo. They never like my birth name as they said that Ysabeau means 'God is my oath' in Hebrew, and being Catholic believed the name was too godly for me. The town called me Mary-Beth as my adoptive mother was called Mary and in the beginning she would introduce me as Her Beth, it kind of stuck that I was Mary's Beth, eventually just being Mary-Beth. Mary was a stay at home mom, she also was on the Church Committee and would help organise fundraisers. We forever had to go to Cherry Pie Contests and Hoe-Downs. Yes, I Lauren was a country girl." Bo giggled when she noticed Lauren raise her eyebrows and hid a small smile. "Not only was my mother something to desire, my adopted father Sam was a farmer and grew all organic produce and had a market stall in town."

"So due to my upbringing Kyle and I had dated for four years but never gone past second base. Kyle was my first boyfriend and we had known each other all our lives. We had planned to have sex for the first time after Homecoming Dance, but we had fought over a silly rumour about him and my best friend at the time, Anna-Sue. So instead we said after the Prom in April 2003. So on that night, after Prom, he drove us to a field just outside where we lived in Irwindale, it was lovely, blue bells everywhere. We had sex. It was our first time, so it didn't matter to me that it was not great as I had nothing to compare to. He was a bit rough and it was over in minutes." Bo looked over to Lauren again and noticed that she had not moved and more importantly not said anything and was allowing for Bo to continue. "Afterwards I begged him to drive me home, but he wanted to sleep under the stars. I did sleep there for a while cuddled up to him, but it was cold, so I got back in his truck. A few hours later I woke, he was still outside. I tried to wake him, but he was not moving. I remember he was hot and clammy. I drove him to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival."

Lauren wrapped her arms round Bo and felt her heart fluttering like a bird against her chest. "So it was a natural death? Why was you blamed?"

" The Medical Examiner delivered an open verdict, could not say why he died, and because of that his family blamed me, they said that I killed him and the whole town started to believe it. They're wealthy and soon the Police were questioning whether I did kill him or not. My adoptive parents disowned me, being Catholic just having sex outside marriage was enough, without the other allegations. So I ran and I've run ever since." Bo started to cry, every bit of willpower she had was now gone.

Lauren opened her arms as Bo tumbled against her, face pressed on her shoulder. She held her as she quaked with shudders so powerful she felt her body may shatter apart, that she was the only force holding together this shaking basket of bones. Bo clung to her, tears soaking into her neck. Lauren felt every bit her protector, ready to defend her in any way she could.

It was a tragic accident that she has carried all this time, I understand now why she finds it hard to commit. Her real parents left, her first love died and her adoptive parents disowned her, so theoretically they emotionally left her too. I won't leave her, Lauren thought to herself, as Bo clung more onto her.

Bo's mind raced, she needed to finish, needed to tell Lauren about the Police issuing a warrant for her arrest, that Kyle's sister found her in Canada and that was the real reason why she escaped to Egypt. Her two passports as there was a possibility of being arrested the moment she used her US Passport. Bo resided she would, but not today. Today I have her, today she's mine. Tomorrow I will, Bo thought, as she buried her head deeper into Lauren.

After Bo had settled down Lauren had suggested a swim and snorkel over the coral to clear their minds. Also she promised Bo that she would open the file and find a reason, that people did not just die, something happened and she would not rest until she knew what that was. And that one day they would return to Bo's home place and clear her name and be with her when she tried to re-connect with her adoptive mum. Bo seemed genuinely pleased. She wanted Lauren with her when she returned; she needed support if she was still wanted by the Police and more so if she was to face her mom again. Maybe she could collect her beloved car, Bo smiled at the thought of her car, if of course her mom had kept it?

They swam for over an hour, Bo seemed happier and almost lifted and Lauren was happy too. She took her underwater camera and dived down into the clear water to take pictures of Bo. Bo had dived down with her and they took a picture of them sitting at the bottom of the ocean floor with the coral all around them. They were smiling, they were happy. Back on-board the boat they had made love in the cabin. It was gentle and sensual as they explored each other's bodies more, with delicate kisses and words of loving affection. It was a day full of emotion and truths and their lovemaking imitated this. They held each other for a long while afterwards, with Bo softly whispering the lyrics to Halestorm Break In to Lauren.

Put your lighter in the air and lead me back home. When it's all said and done and follow where the air goes. I hear you, night after night calling out my name, and I'm finding myself running to meet you, I didn't want to escape from the bricks that I laid down.

You are the only one, the only one to tease me that trusts me and believes me. You are the only one, the only one that knows me and in the dark you show me. It's perfectly reckless, damn you leave me defenceless. So break in.

You let me fall apart without letting go, then you pick up the pieces and you make whole. I didn't want to escape from the bricks that I laid down.

You are the only one, the only one to tease me that trusts me and believes me. You are the only one, the only one that knows me and in the dark you show me. It's perfectly reckless, damn you leave me defenceless. So break in.

And take everything I have until there is nothing left, until it's just your voice in my head. And when the lights come on, you see me as I am, you're still inside me.

Put your lighter in the air and lead me back home

Another song to add to their playlist Lauren quietly thought and she held her close to her.

The captain arrived back when they were just sitting on the top deck watching the sunset and took them back to the harbour. Looking out to Sharm el-Sheik all lit in the distance, the sunset setting behind them, Bo pulled Lauren in closer and sat behind her "Thank you Lauren...thank you for today, for listening and just being you." she kissed her temple affectionately.

Lauren's heart quickened with that simple, yet effective kiss. "Thank you for telling me Bo, it will all be ok, we're in this together. I promise baby."

They drove back to the hotel. Lauren thinking that she needed to take the initiative once in a while took Bo's hand and entwined their fingers. The two women looked together at their joined hands. Bo flashed a dimple grin and gently squeezed Lauren's hand in return. Lauren marvelled at well their hands fit together so perfectly. Every now and then Lauren glanced over to see Bo was looking at her with those warm brown eyes. She felt connected like two separate parts of a whole.

Both unaware of the trouble they were in back at the hotel, neither of them had bothered to turn on their phones today. In this moment they were all they needed.