Longer than the last two. I wrote all of these as one block and divided them where it felt right, but I see now that it made things uneven. I cannot promise that this will change in the future.

Thank you, as always, to my beta, lynedele77!

"You didn't read it before you got there?!" Lauren exclaimed, laughing as she opened the food Bo had brought back to her.

"No. I didn't. I trusted you, like a fool."

Lauren smiled, digging in. "Aw, that was a mistake," she said sweetly.

Bo sighed.

"So how pissed is Kenzi?"

"She's fine," Bo answered. "She expected me to bail all together, so she said the fact I tried to outsource it suggests I was working on it harder than she had expected."

"Wow, her bar for you is set really low."

"Thank God."

Lauren smiled. "So, what's the plan now?"

"What do you mean?"

"How are you going to get it written?"

Bo looked at her blankly for a moment before replying, "I thought we went over this. You said you'd write it."

Lauren stared at her. "You aren't serious."

"Of course I'm serious."

"I tried to write it and failed, I'm out."

Bo regarded Lauren for a moment, and then walked over to her, stepping close. She leaned in and gave Lauren a lingering kiss. Lauren felt herself sinking into it, her mind falling blank as she felt herself being pulled further into Bo's orbit. Bo broke the kiss slowly and didn't step away before whispering "please" in a husky tone.

Lauren's heart was hammering in her chest. "I hate you," Lauren said, exhaling slowly.

Bo grinned.

The next few weeks passed quietly. Bo and Lauren fell back into their normal routines of days at work, evenings together, and weekends and the occasional weekday evening with their friends. As more time went by Lauren was relieved to find Bo becoming less overprotective, and was also happy to note that her recovery was quick and uneventful. It finally felt like things were going back to the way they should be, with both of them still busy but able to find solace with one another in the calm of their apartment.

On a Tuesday night Bo and Lauren invited their friends to their new home to see the progress being made. Although it wasn't finished, it had come a long way in a relatively short time.

"Is it safe to come in here?" Kenzi asked, half serious, standing outside the doorway.

Nate kicked the doorframe. "The roof didn't fall off, that's always a good sign," he noted, looking up.

"Hilarious," Bo deadpanned, stepping to the side to let them in. Dyson, Ciara, and Tamsin were already inside.

They took their friends on a quick tour, showing them bedrooms, future offices, bathrooms, and everything else in between.

"It's lovely," Ciara said warmly, as they concluded the tour in the kitchen.

Dyson wrapped his arm around Ciara's shoulder and kissed the side of her head. "It'll be even nicer when you have walls," he added, playfully.

"I'll have you know that open concept is king," Bo replied.

"I'm pretty sure most open concept houses still put doors on the bathroom," Tamsin noted.

"It's a work in progress," Lauren conceded.

"Personally, I adore the dedication you lot have to the exhibitionist lifestyle," commented Vex, sweeping into the room. "People have far too many hang ups."

"Hello, Vex, please come in, no, no, you aren't late," Lauren said, rolling her eyes at him.

"Always make an entrance, darling," Vex answered, walking up to kiss Lauren's cheeks. "Ta."

"Alright, alright, so there's a little more we need to do –" Bo started.

"A little?" Kenzi interjected.

"—but we're getting there. By next year we'll be having Thanksgiving here," Bo finished.

"Speaking of, shouldn't we make some plans for that?" Dyson asked.

Kenzi nodded. "We can plan to do it at the bar again this year, since Bo and Lauren's deathtrap isn't ready yet."

"I vote Kenzi cooks," Bo shot back.

"No, thanks, I'm not in the mood to spend Black Friday getting my stomach pumped," Vex commented.

"How would that be different than last year?" Lauren asked.

"I'll have you know that alcohol poisoning and botulism are two very different things, doctor," Vex replied. "A bit shocked you don't know that."

"You got alcohol poisoning last year?" Tamsin asked, puzzled. "I don't remember that."

"No, he didn't, but he did show up at my office and claim that he was dying from a hangover," Lauren answered, rolling her eyes at Vex.

"I have a delicate constitution," Vex said with a solemn nod.

"Anyway, Thanksgiving is in, what, a week? We should probably make plans," Bo continued, picking up the previous conversation thread.

"Kenzi and I can bring the turkey," Nate supplied.

Bo regarded him for a moment. "But you're going to cook it, right?"

"Obviously," Kenzi said at the same time that Nate said, "well…"

Kenzi turned to him, her expression shocked. "You're cooking it, right?"

"I thought we could do it together," Nate said. His face was sweet and open, and Bo internally laughed as she saw his laid-back manner having an effect on Kenzi.

"That's…it seems like a really bad idea…" Kenzi said, clearly disarmed by Nate.

"C'mon, babe, it'll be fun." His warmth was almost infectious.

"Yeah, babe," Bo said with a smirk.

"Lauren, Bo wants more cooking lessons," Kenzi shot back with a withering look.

"Sounds like she can join yours," Lauren replied without missing a beat.

Bo grinned. God, Lauren was the best.

"I could start a list and have people sign up for things, if that's okay, or –?" Ciara commented, clearly trying to dispel the situation.

Dyson grinned without thought, looking at Ciara. "That would be awesome."

Suddenly Bo was struck with the moment – her, Dyson, and Kenzi, three damaged people with rocky track records in relationships – all here, happy, goofy, in love. Who could have seen this coming? She had a fleeting thought that she wished Dyson's mom could have seen how they all turned out. She would have been proud Bo thought.

While the group continued to talk she wrapped an arm casually arm Lauren and pulled her close, quietly saying "love you" into her ear.

Two days later Bo sent Lauren a text at 4:30p telling her that she was going to be working late, with an apology telling Lauren to have dinner without her. Lauren answered and felt a moment of sadness in the way she always did when she missed time with Bo, however brief.

After a few minutes she grabbed her phone again and texted Vex.

Lauren: Hey, are you free tonight?

Vex: I am a man in very high demand, love.

Lauren: What if I make the chicken pie you like?

Vex: No need to cry, darling, of course I'll come if you need me. I'll bring the whiskey.

Lauren: I don't need whiskey lol

Vex: Who said it was for you?

Lauren smiled and shook her head.

Vex arrived at 6p and let himself in while Lauren was checking dinner in the oven.

"Sweetheart, you are divine," he said, sweeping in and breathing in the smell of dinner. "I haven't had a home cooked meal in ages." He put his bottle of whiskey on the counter and walked over to give Lauren a kiss on the cheek. As he did so, his eyes landed on a green box. "What is that?"

Lauren smiled and grabbed the box, walking it to the trashcan.

"Is my home cooked meal frozen? From a box?"

"I have a job, Vex, did you think I was going to magically create a homemade meal for you that fast?"

"I'm hurt. I'm wounded."

"I'm still feeding you."

"I was promised a home cooked meal!"

"First, no you weren't, and second, it is a meal that I cooked. In my home."

Vex huffed and sat down. "I feel as though I've been misled. I am a delicate person, love, you know this."

"Of course," Lauren said with a smile. "Dinner is going to take a little bit longer." She grabbed Vex a glass and poured him two fingers of his whiskey. "Hopefully this will help your delicate constitution."

He took a sip. "It does a bit." Putting the glass down as Lauren sat beside him, he smiled. "So, to what do I owe this somewhat half-hearted dinner invitation?"

Lauren shrugged. "Bo was working late."

"…that's it? That's the reason?"

Lauren looked at him. "What?"

"I'm your placeholder!"

Lauren reached up to pinch his cheek. "But what an adorable little placeholder."

He swatted her hand away with a small smirk that he tried to hide. "First the frozen dinner and now this news. I may need an extra beverage to repair my wounded spirit."

"Definitely," Lauren said with fake seriousness. "How are things with Dave?"

Vex cut his eyes at her. "How are things with your proposal?"

Lauren rolled her eyes back at him. "I'm not teasing, I really want to know."

He took another sip. "He still finds me devilishly charming, if that's what you mean. But who can blame him, really, he is only human."

Lauren smiled and waited for Vex to continue. When he didn't, she spoke again. "That's it? That's my whole update?"

Vex sighed. "Alright, I still have," his voice dropped almost to a whisper, "feelings, okay? Is that what you want to hear?"

Lauren smiled. "Still not a disease, Vex." Vex took another sip. Lauren put up her hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, I'll stop pushing. I'm just wondering when I can meet this nice boy."

Vex ran his finger around the rim of his glass. "He mentioned…maybe us getting together around Thanksgiving."

Lauren's mouth dropped open. "You're bringing him to Thanksgiving?"

"I didn't say that."

"I don't even remember the last time you knew the last name of the man you were with. Now we're talking about bringing a boy home for the holidays?"

"Taylor."

"Who is Taylor?"

"No, that's Dave's last name. David Andrew Taylor."

"You even know his middle name? I don't…I just…wow."

"Look, I didn't say I was bringing him, alright?"

"You should, though!"

Vex regarded Lauren cautiously.

"Truly," Lauren continued. "I promise to tell everyone to not tease you in front of him, alright?"

Vex didn't answer taking another sip of his half empty drink.

There was a beat of silence that Lauren broke by softly saying, "you really like this one, huh?"

Vex didn't answer, clearing his throat. The silence was all the affirmation Lauren needed. After another pause, Vex spoke again. "So how is the proposal planning going?"

Lauren rolled her eyes and stood up. "Vex…"

"No, no, I was all vulnerable with you, now it's your turn."

"I already told you, I'm not proposing," she answered, walking back toward the oven to check the timer.

"So you returned the ring?"

"I…well…no, not yet."

Vex smiled. "Mhmm."

"But I will."

"Of course you will."

Lauren grabbed a glass of wine and returned to her seat beside Vex. "Can we drop it now, please?"

"I don't get it. You finally admitted you live together, you bought a house together –"

"So isn't that enough commitment?"

Vex shrugged. "A nauseating amount to me, but not for you."

"Why not for me?" Lauren challenged.

"Because you bought a ring."

And there it was. He was right, of course, in that annoying Vex way. Lauren shook her head. "Marriage is just a business arrangement."

"Bo isn't Nadia," Vex shot back.

Lauren sighed. "Look…we're in a good place. I've never been a risk taker, you know that better than anyone."

" 'But, Vex, what if the bartender has seen a Kansas ID before?'" Vex mocked, imitating Lauren's voice. "Yes, I know you aren't a risk taker."

"It's just, I don't know, after the accident and everything…"

Vex regarded her for another moment. "You know Bo is crazy about you. You know she wouldn't say no." He shrugged. "I can't pretend to understand it, love."

Lauren thought for a moment. "It's just…I know she would say yes. But that moment, the moment you ask someone to marry you, you relive that moment again and again, you know? You tell people about it, you repeat it over and over. What if I ask her and she says yes, but when she does she hesitates? Or what if I can just see it in her eyes that it blindsided her and she isn't into it? What if I ask her, and she says yes, and then we just…never plan a wedding? So now there's just this elephant in the room that we don't talk about?"

"Counterpoint, what if she reacts perfectly and everything goes swimmingly?"

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Statistically, the likelihood of something going wrong is far greater than everything going right."

"Statistically what are the odds of you, a girl from England, meeting Bo, an American who has never been to England, at all?"

This comment stopped Lauren from a moment. "Huh. That's actually…astute."

"I contain multitudes, love," Vex replied with a satisfied smile.

"This would have been so much easier in the olden days when someone could have just drawn up a contract trading me for a tract of land and a few goats."

"I hear same-sex marriage was all the rage back then." Vex stood to pour himself another drink. He regarded her for a moment. "Have you thought about how you'd do it?"

If anyone else had asked Lauren would have given a non-committal answer and moved on, but Vex knew her as well as anyone, so there was really no point in denying it. "You know, it's weird…we already had the perfect night for me to do it."

Vex looked surprised, but didn't speak, waiting for Lauren to continue.

"This past summer Bo texted me on a Friday and asked if I wanted to go to dinner and movie. We hadn't actually been out on a 'date' date in a while, and it sounded fun, so of course I agreed. On the way to the theater I asked Bo what we were seeing. I remember she just shrugged and said 'I don't know, what's playing?' That was it. If I had asked her to a movie I probably would have gone online and read reviews, bought tickets, maybe made reservations at a restaurant so we would know we had time for everything. But not Bo.

"So we get to the theater and we're just standing outside, looking at the marquee. We don't know what any of the movies are about, and she just picks one at random, walks up to this teenager at the ticket window and asks if it's any good. Then she just buys the tickets. Of course, because she hadn't planned ahead, we had all this time to kill before the movie started, but not enough to actually go to a restaurant and eat, so we decide we'll eat after the movie.

"Then we just start wandering around, and we talked, and laughed, and I remember she found this really stupid looking pair of sunglasses that she bought because I made fun of her in them. It was so much fun just wasting time that we were actually late to the movie, even though we'd gotten there so early for it. But by then, of course, we were starving, so she said 'okay, I'll get us some popcorn to hold us over.' Then she goes to the concession stand and this buys a crazy amount of stuff, like popcorn, and candy, and I can't even remember what else.

"The movie ended up being some kind of horror movie, but it was so bad it was actually kind of funny. I kept getting surprised by the jump-scares, I remember. She was teasing me about it, laughing at how they kept getting me. At one point she put the new sunglasses on me, and we just couldn't stop laughing. I know we pissed off everyone around us.

"When the movie was over we were half sick from all the junk we'd eaten, so neither of us really wanted a real dinner. She found us some random bar somewhere to go have a drink while we decided if we were even going to bother with an actual meal. Then we started drinking, but we hadn't eaten anything of substance, so we ended up half drunk.

"We probably should have called a cab from the bar, but there was festival or something being set up and she said she wanted to go look at it, so we wandered out to do that. I remember we were holding hands, and laughing, and I had the thought that if I had a ring I would have proposed to her then. That whole night…it was…Bo. It was unplanned, and inefficient, and meandering, and perfect." Lauren was quiet for a few moments, lost in the memory. "But, see, you can't plan a night like that."

The quiet washed over them for a moment before Vex finished the last of his drink. Breaking the silence, he asked, "how soon will our not-homemade dinner be ready?"

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