How's everyone doing?

So, it's been a little while since I updated. Here's the deal...I'm super into ignoring the things I should be doing, guys. It's crazy. I'm so, so good at it. I'm planning to go pro. Also, my work has this weird thing where they want me to "show up" and "work" and my children want to "be fed" and "bathed." Everyone is so demanding, geesh.

Anyway, if you're happy to be reading this chapter, give some love to lynedele77 who once again reminded me that, yes, I actually have a story that needs to be update, and maybe I should do that because maybe someone is curious about what's going to happen. I mean, she wasn't curious, because she already knows, but still. Oh, hey, while we're talking, have you read Fae to Fae? Because that story is the fucking SHIT. I'm serious. So good. I don't think she even gets how good it is. Insane. Anyway.

Alright, so this chapter - people, I'm not going to lie to you, it gets real weird. I mean, there are rabid parakeets and a drunk lemur...okay, so there isn't, but these are all ideas that come to me, and lynedele77 shoots them all down. Probably a good call. High five, lynedele77 (whose real name is fucker. It's so weird using her pen name).

Quick side note - fucker and I are planning a collaboration! If you're into that, it means you're obviously very smart, so good for you! Also, we need a pen name, since we'll be posting jointly and will both need access to the account. Send me your name suggestions so we can read them over. It's going to be awesome, guys, I mean, seriously. I want to add a lot of weird shit and fucker is trying to deal with that...it's going to be so much fun you guys, you don't even know.

Enjoy!

Bo woke up on Thursday morning curled up on Lauren's side of the bed. She turned her face to press it into the pillow, catching the light smell of Lauren's shampoo against the fabric. She smiled as she breathed in the familiar scent. She was vaguely aware that it was early – the sun wasn't all the way up yet – but after emerging from her deep sleep she felt confused and disoriented as her brain struggled to transition from being asleep to being awake..

She rolled to her back and glanced over at her side of the bed, noting that it was covered by a mass of blond hair. Lauren? her groggy brain questioned. But no – this hair was short, too thick, and a different shade than Lauren's. Also, it smelled nothing like clean cotton.

Bo was still trying to get her sleep addled mind to work out what she was seeing when a blond tail swished up and struck her in the face. Clarity flooded her and she sighed as she heard the dog huff.

"Morning, Zeus," she mumbled, pushing herself up to get out of bed. Zeus made no move to reply, opting instead to push his face further into the crumpled blankets. Apparently, he was not a morning person either.

Bo stretched as she stood and made her way to the kitchen to start the coffee. Once the brew had begun, she flipped on the news and made her way to the cabinet to pull out the mugs. She had just set Lauren's down on the counter when she remembered – she didn't need that one today. Lauren wasn't here. She glanced at the flower design for a moment and sighed before replacing it in the cabinet.

Once her coffee was prepared, she walked over to the couch and pulled her computer into her lap, logging to check her e-mail. The house was quiet – much quieter than she was accustomed to. It wasn't that Lauren was loud, it was just…life sounds. She could normally hear Lauren getting up, or turning on the sink to brush her teeth, or opening the dresser for clothes. Today there was just…nothing. Silence.

The sound of Zeus' toenails clacking on the floor drew her attention and she watched as he went to the kitchen, took a few licks of water from his bowl, and then turned toward the couch, jumping up and flopping down beside her, his head against her leg, his eyes looking up into hers.

She rubbed his ear, mussing the fur on the top of his head. "I know, buddy, I miss her too," she soothed with a sigh. She turned her attention back to the television, watching absentmindedly as her thoughts moved over what she needed to accomplish today.

She didn't have court today, which meant she could possibly clear some of the files off her desk. After work she could go by the house and see how things were coming along, maybe take Zeus with her so he could stretch his legs. From there she would probably come back, work on a few more cases, and then crash.

She glanced around the house one more time, almost looking for Lauren. It felt strange to be here without her, to be completely surrounded by things that were just….Lauren. It was like the entire contents of the house were lying in wait, frozen, waiting for Lauren's touch to bring them to life. Bo had been staying here for a while now, but the fact was she didn't really think of it as her home – it was very much Lauren's; being in this space without her felt wrong somehow.

She glanced at the time, noting that it was too early to bother Lauren with a text, and took a sip of her coffee as she headed to the bathroom to shower. The mug was about half empty when she set it beside the sink, shedding her clothes, and stepping under the hot shower spray as the steam from the water filled the bathroom with a thick fog.

She grabbed the shampoo and started with her hair, working the suds against her scalp as her thoughts began to wander. She was drawn back to the morning when she and Lauren had helped Kenzi and Nate move into together, how Lauren had stepped into the shower behind her…

She seriously needed to get a grip. Lauren had been gone for roughly fourteen hours and already she was turning into a needy, obsessed mess. She took a steadying breath and pushed her head under the spray, letting the pounding water rinse her clean as she attempted to shake the images of Lauren, naked and sliding against her, from her mind.

She twisted the water off and grabbed her towel from the hook beside the shower, drying herself and stepping out. The mirror was covered in condensation and she cracked the door to vent the steam. A few minutes later it started to clear and soon she could make out her dark brown eyes in the damp mirror.

You can do this, she told her reflection. It's just a few days. You're going to focus on work, you're going to spend time with Zeus, you're going to hang out with Kenzi, and you're going to be fine.

She stared at herself a moment longer before grabbing her makeup. Yeah, she thought as she began putting it on, tell yourself whatever you want. The truth is, you're fucked.

Bo sat in her office, absentmindedly tapping the back of her pen against the legal pad on her desk as she tried to focus on the paperwork spread out before her. She was trying to focus, but it was proving futile; the more she tried to read, the more she found she wasn't paying attention.

She reached for her coffee and took a sip, finding it cold. She sighed deeply, feeling her mood sink further. She glanced at the clock and decided to get a fresh cup. It was only 10:00 – too soon to text Lauren, who was probably sitting in a conference room right now. Bo toyed with the idea of texting Lauren anyway – if she was busy, she would just ignore it and read it later. What was the harm?

She grabbed her phone and tapped Lauren's name, her thumb hovering over the keypad, before she sighed and put the phone back down. This was ridiculous. She was a grown ass woman. She could go a few hours without talking to her girlfriend. With new resolve, she got up and went to get a fresh cup of coffee.

When Bo got back to her desk she hit the home button on her phone. She screen alerted her that she had one text message, the name Lauren appearing above it. A smile involuntarily broke out across Bo's face as she felt her heart beat slightly faster.

God, she was pathetic.

She clicked open the message.

Lauren: Hey, baby. How's your day going?

Bo: Getting better all the time. How's the conference?

Lauren: Really good, actually. They have some incredible speakers lined up.

Bo: That's great. I'm really proud of you. Even though I wish you were less important so you would be here with me. Preferably naked.

Lauren: Aren't you at work?

Bo: Yeah, why?

Lauren: I just feel like me being naked in your office would be frowned upon.

Bo: Have you seen you? Naked Lauren is always a positive, anytime, anywhere.

Lauren: What would we do if I was there?

Bo sat back, rereading the message. Interesting. She bit her lip while contemplating her response - there were so many things she wanted to do - when another message came through from Lauren.

Lauren: Hey, we'll have to finish this later, I have to run.

Bo sighed. Okay. Talk to you later tonight?

Lauren: Yeah, I'll text you. After we end for the day I'm going to grab a quick drink with Nadia, so I'll text you when I get back to the hotel for the night.

Wait – what? Bo's thumb froze over the keypad as she read the text two more times. No, it really did say Nadia. Nadia was there. With Lauren.

Bo: Oh, okay. Have fun. She hesitated for a moment before hitting send. What was she supposed to say to that?

Don't go, Bo thought. But she couldn't say that, not really. Lauren was an adult. Bo had no reason to distrust her. And, also, it's not like Lauren was hiding something. It was clear from the tone of the message that Lauren didn't see this as a big deal.

Don't be paranoid. It's a drink. It's fine. Still, though – Nadia had dated Lauren for five years. She had to know what a catch Lauren was, had to realize what she had let slip away. What if Nadia made Lauren feel nostalgic and they ended up rekindling something? What if Lauren was just lonely, like Bo was, and figured, what the hell, what's the harm?

Lauren wouldn't do any of that, her mind reminded herself.

Bo knew she was being ridiculous, alright? She got it. She knew. But…fuck, Lauren was perfect. She had a right to be a little jealous of the woman who got to see her naked for five years. She got to be a little freaked out that Lauren was spending time, possibly alone, with someone she had once loved.

Her thumb still hovering over the message, she finally hit send. Lauren didn't answer, and Bo dropped her phone to her desk a minute later, a deep sigh falling from her lips.

Bo's day dragged on. In the afternoon she moved into her secretary's office, reviewing some case files and goofing off for a little while to pass the time. When she returned to her desk, she grabbed her phone to check her messages and saw another one from Lauren, that had come in about a half hour before.

This city is incredible. I wish you were here to see it with me. Also, I hear during Mardi Gras you win beads for taking your shirt off. I would love to come back here during Mardi Gras and watch you win beads.

Bo couldn't help the smile that broke over her face. God, she missed her. Bo thought for a moment and then texted back. How many have you won so far?

Bo put her phone back on her desk, turning her attention back to her work while she waited for Lauren to answer. About ten minutes passed before she heard her phone buzz, and she grabbed it to see another message from Lauren.

Only sixteen sets. But the day is young.

A light laugh bubbled out of Bo. Can I see a picture?

Lauren: As a prosecutor I would think you would understand the importance of not sending compromising photos.

Bo: I'm willing to take the risk.

Lauren: Alright. If you're sure you want to see.

Before Bo had a chance to respond, a picture came through to Bo's phone, showing Lauren's hand holding a mass of green and gold beads.

Bo laughed. Yes, that is exactly the picture I was requesting she texted, the sarcasm evident even through the phone.

Lauren: Hey, I'm about to go into another session. I'll talk to you in a bit?

Bo smiled while texting back, Go have fun. I love you.

Bo looked at the text before sending it, opting to delete the 'I love you' before she sent it off. She didn't want to appear too needy, even if it was true.

Lauren: This speaker is boring. I don't know why they scheduled him on the first day.

Bo: I don't think you're supposed to text during the lectures, Doctor.

Lauren: It's this or fall asleep. Entertain me.

Bo: I'm watching a body cam video of a man who got into someone's car and stripped naked down to a thong with a hole in the front, which he stuck his penis through, and a black lace bra. He then went to door of the house where the car was, knocked, and was surprised when the guy called the cops.

Lauren: …I don't understand the world at all.

Bo: It was a surprisingly nice bra. You would look great in it. Or out of it.

Lauren: Please don't bring used lingerie home.

Bo: Where is your sense of adventure?

Lauren: I can be very adventurous.

Bo: Interested.

Lauren: I went on a safari in college.

Bo: Less interested.

Lauren: Had sex in the back of a Jeep.

Bo: We should go on a safari.

Lauren: Lol.

When the conference ended for the day, Lauren returned to her room to change. She felt somewhat invigorated, despite the fact that she hadn't slept that well the night before. Despite one or two boring speakers, it was going well so far. The agenda for the next few days looked equally impressive.

She quickly washed her face and applied fresh makeup before running a brush through her hair and grabbing clean clothes for her evening out with Nadia. She was actually looking forward to it. She and Nadia had talked a few times since their breakup, but they had lost touch in the last few months. Lauren hadn't thought about it, really, but now that she had seen her, she realized that she had missed her friend.

The romantic spark was gone, she knew that, but despite its absence Lauren still enjoyed talking to Nadia. She's always had an easy laugh that Lauren enjoyed, but more than anything Nadia knew Lauren. She always had. It was nice to talk to someone who just got you. Nadia wasn't as tuned in to Lauren as Bo was, but still, without Bo here, Nadia was a good fill-in.

She threw the keycard to her room into her purse next to her wallet and cellphone and headed out toward Bourbon Street. The air was sharp and cool, and for a moment she contemplated going back for a jacket, but decided against it. She would just take a cab home if it got too cold.

Bourbon Street was crowded when Lauren arrived. She took a moment to scan the street as drunk revelers spilled in and out of bars, laughing, talking, shouting, and, of course, drinking. Her eyes snagged on the sign for the bar where she and Nadia had agreed to meet, and she made her way to the entrance, weaving around the crowds of drunk people.

Nadia was seated at a table near the back when Lauren entered. She waved to her to let her know she was there and moved toward the bar to order a drink. Once it was in hand, she edged her way to the table.

"This place is crazy," she commented as she sat down.

"You're on Bourbon Street," Nadia noted with a light laugh. "Everywhere is crazy."

Lauren nodded and took a sip of her drink, smiling as the alcohol warmed her chest. It burned slightly in her throat and she was vaguely aware that her face would be flushed in a few minutes. "So, how have you been?"

Nadia took a sip of her own drink. "I've been great. Work is going really well." There was a buzz on the table and Nadia grabbed her phone, a faint look of disappointment crossing her eyes just long enough for Lauren to catch it.

"Not Stacey?" Lauren asked with a smile.

Nadia glanced back up at her. "That obvious?"

"I've known you a long time, you know."

Nadia nodded. "I wish she could have come with me, that's all."

"Yeah, I get that. Bo couldn't come, either."

"Sucks."

"Definitely." Nadia took another sip of her drink, and Lauren did the same. "So," Lauren continued, "tell me the story."

"The story?"

"You and Stacey. The proposal, the wedding, the whole thing."

A faint smile came over Nadia's face as she started talking. "I don't know, really, it just all happened really fast. We started seeing each other after you and I broke up, and at first it was just kind of casual, you know? Not a big thing. But then, one day…I don't know. I guess it just clicked. We were together all the time, and I started realizing that every time I thought about my future, she was there. It was like, I'd hear about a job opening somewhere else and my first thought would be 'but would that work for Stacey?' And I guess I just started to realize, this wasn't going away."

"Who proposed?"

"I did. We went to dinner and a movie one night, and the food was terrible, and the movie was so bad, and, I don't know, by the end of the night it was all so awful that we just couldn't stop laughing about it. We were going back to the car and I just…asked her. It was like I couldn't stop myself, like…I don't know, like I almost couldn't believe that we weren't engaged already, you know?"

"And she said yes right away?"

"Yeah. She started crying, and that really freaked me out at first."

Lauren laughed. "You never were good with tears."

Nadia grinned. "No, not at all. But she said yes, and we went home and just started planning."

"Was it a big wedding?"

"Mostly just family, a few friends – I almost invited you, actually."

"Really?"

Nadia took another sip and nodded. "Yeah, I just…I guess I was just worried it would be weird or something, but still, it was weird that you weren't there, too."

"I'm really happy for you guys," Lauren noted. "I'd love to meet her one day, if she's comfortable with that."

"I'd actually like to meet Bo, too," Nadia commented. "I just…we know each other so well, it's crazy to me that I haven't already met her, you know?"

"I know," Lauren answered. And she did – Nadia had been an integral part of her life for years. They had come out together. It did seem insane that Nadia didn't know Bo, as strange as that might seem. "So," Lauren said with a slight smile, "are you about to hear the pitter-patter of tiny feet?"

Nadia, who was taking a sip, nearly choked, and Lauren started laughing as she sputtered. "We've been married a month. Let's all settle down."

Nadia and Lauren spent the next few hours talking, drinking, laughing, and catching up. Lauren finally glanced down at her watch and noted the hour, remembering that she had told Bo she would call. "Hey, I should probably be getting back," she said to Nadia.

"To call Bo?" Nadia asked with a grin.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Come on, like you aren't going to call Stacey as soon as I leave."

Nadia laughed. "I'm actually supposed to meet some other people soon. I'm not going to call her until later."

Lauren grabbed her purse and stood up, feeling the buzz of the alcohol in her head as she did so. She definitely needed a cab – walking back, alone, in the dark, with a buzz seemed like a bad idea.

"Come on, I'll walk you to a cab," Nadia commented, as if reading her thoughts. They each grabbed the phones off the table and headed outside.

They walked a block over to find a cab, since Bourbon Street was covered with foot traffic. Nadia hailed one for her, and while it pulled up, Lauren turned to face her.

"This was fun," Nadia commented lightly as the cab coasted to a stop beside them.

"It was," Lauren agreed. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Nadia leaned in and gave Lauren a quick hug. The familiarity made Lauren smile.

They bid their goodbyes and Lauren climbed into the backseat, giving the driver the name of her hotel. She pulled her phone out of her purse and hit the home button, preparing to text Bo.

When she pushed the button, an unfamiliar image came up on the screen – Nadia and a woman Lauren didn't recognize. She was confused for a half second before she realized she'd picked up Nadia's phone by mistake. Shit. Now she needed to go track Nadia down, switch the phones, get another cab…she sighed, texting herself from Nadia's phone to alert Nadia of the mistake they had made.

She was halfway through the message when she heard the driver shout a curse, but before she could process what was happening she felt the car lurch, the tires screaming, and the sound of metal twisting, and then…nothing, as the world went black.

Let me know what you think