Lauren's POV. I'm really enjoying writing this, I hope everyone else is enjoying reading it.
Just as a side note, I was kicking myself because I realized that the timeline of the "case" Bo is working on and the timeline I've been working with is off. Cases take longer than this to get to trial. But then I thought, hey, these are people who enjoy a show about a succubus, so maybe they'll be okay with just rolling with an unrealistic timeline as far as criminal trials are concerned. So that's what we're going with, lol
Also, Bo's coffee consumption habits are based on mine. Yes, I have a problem.
Enjoy
Ring, ring.
Lauren grabbed her desk phone, her eyes never leaving the folder in her hands. "Dr. Lewis."
"Hello, Doctor Lewis, this is prosecutor Dennis."
Lauren dropped the folder. "Oh, uh…hi, Bo. What's going on?"
Bo laughed softly and Lauren knew she had picked up on how the surprise of hearing Bo's voice had flustered her. "Sorry to bother you at work, but I was working on some case prep, and I realized that you were the treating physician for one of my victims."
The talk of work re-oriented Lauren's brain. "Oh, really? Which one?"
"Greg Alvi."
"Alvi…Alvi…yeah, stabbing victim, right?"
"Right, a little while back."
Lauren clicked open her calendar and was surprised to see court date listed on October 31. "Huh, it looks like the secretary already put it in my schedule."
"Yeah, one of the secretaries here did the summons so I didn't realize you were my witness until today. The main reason I'm calling is to see if you had some time to meet, maybe go over what I would need you to testify to?"
"Absolutely, do you have time today?" Smooth, Lewis. Not at all too eager.
"Actually, yeah, want to meet for coffee around…how does 3 sound?"
"Perfect." They exchanged the meeting location and bid their goodbyes. After hanging up the phone, Lauren felt a smile spreading across her face.
She was excited to see Bo, she wasn't going to pretend that she wasn't. They actually hadn't seen each other at all since the night of Vex's fake birthday, and that had been about three weeks ago. It wasn't intentional, at least on Lauren's part – she had felt a connection to Bo that night. But it was also the night that Bo had found out about Nadia, so…but, really, that probably didn't matter, because Bo wasn't single either, and it's not like Lauren having a girlfriend would be an issue.
It's just coffee, and it's just work related, Lauren told herself. Calm down. Get a grip. But she couldn't help it – she knew this was unusual. She'd testified before, not a lot, but a few times, and she knew that lawyers rarely took you out for coffee to discuss routine cases. Greg Alvi had been stabbed badly, but there was really not much more to say that wasn't in his medical paperwork, which Bo definitely had seen and reviewed.
Maybe Bo just wanted to see her?
Yeah, probably not. But really, who was she hurting if she let herself believe it, just a little bit?
Lauren walked into the coffee shop at 2:50p, knowing she was early, but figuring that would give her enough time to get a cup of coffee before Bo arrived. Much to her surprise, she glanced to her left and saw Bo already sitting at a table, absorbed in paperwork that strewn in front of her. Lauren's heart stuttered, a sensation she was quickly coming to think of as the "Bo feeling."
"Hey, Bo," she said, walking over.
Bo jumped slightly and looked up. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but Lauren thought she saw her eyes brighten slightly. "Doctor Lewis! Sorry, you startled me. I was absorbed in your brilliant medical work."
Lauren laughed. "Sure, sure. I'm going to grab a coffee, do you need one?" she asked.
"Sit, please, sit, I'll get you a cup. You're only here because I interrupted your day. And I could go for another one anyway." Bo grabbed a 20 ounce coffee cup off the table and took the last drag.
"Is that…you already drank that whole cup?"
Bo glanced at the cup, and then back at Lauren. "Yes. Sure…just that one…"
"Good Lord, Bo, how much coffee have you had today?"
"Well, let's see, I got to work and…that was probably about my fourth, I think?"
"Why would anyone need that much caffeine?"
"I can smell colors now," Bo said with a grin.
Lauren laughed and gave Bo her orders. "Please promise you'll get decaf for yourself."
Bo waved a hand at her as she walked away. "Sure, sure."
When Bo returned, Lauren had started leafing through the pile. "Is it decaf?" Lauren asked, pointing at Bo's cup.
"It could be," Bo answered.
"But is it?"
"No. Not even a little bit. I also got an extra shot."
"BO!"
"Okay, two shots." Bo took a sip. "Ahhh," she said, exaggeratedly.
"Fine, but don't come complaining to me when your heart explodes," Lauren said, returning her eyes to the papers.
Lauren thought she heard Bo murmur "it might," but when she looked up Bo was leafing through papers as well, so Lauren assumed she must have imagined it.
Bo pulled a legal pad out from under the documents and clicked open a pen. "Alright, so if you can, just take me through your initial assessments and what you did."
Lauren gathered some papers and began talking.
Twenty minutes later the coffees were half finished and the two women had covered most of the care of Mr. Alvi. "Will this be your first time testifying?" Bo asked, making a note about the medication the victim had been given on her pad.
"No, I've testified three times before, actually."
"Any issues with public speaking? Nerves?"
Lauren gave a quick chuckle. "Well, I mean, I don't love it, is that a problem?"
Bo looked up and smiled. "Of course not. Most people don't. Just some things for you to remember when you're up there – first, there is no need to be worried. I'll be asking you questions and I'll keep you on track. If you don't know what I'm asking, you can ask me to clarify the question. If you don't remember, just say that, I'll ask if your report would refresh your recollection. If it will, you can look at it. Don't guess an answer if you aren't sure."
Lauren nodded.
"The defense attorney may try to intimidate you or get you off track. If he makes you uncomfortable, just look at me when you answer, or look at the jury. If you don't know what the defense attorney is trying to ask you, ask him to clarify. When asked a question, answer with as few words as possible. If you can say yes or no, just say yes or no. If I need you to expound more on something, I'll ask you to."
Lauren started to smile.
"Remember to breath before you answer. No one is going to rush you. Stay calm and collected. You did good work in this case – remember that. Regardless of whether or not I do my job well, you did yours well. That's what's important. This man would be dead without you. The hardest part of this case is over – you kept him alive. What are you smiling at?"
Lauren shook her head. "I was right the other night. You really are a protector, aren't you?"
Bo sat back, not sure what to say.
"It's a good thing. You take care of people, and you do it by building them up."
Bo took a sip of her coffee. "You're making me sound more virtuous than I am."
Lauren shrugged. "Maybe. But I doubt it."
They sat in silence for a minute before Bo cleared her throat. "Anyway, you're a doctor. That means you're kind of a protector, too, right?"
"I guess, in a way."
"Is that why you became a doctor?"
Lauren thought for a minute. "Maybe, a little. Maybe it was just some sort of God complex."
Bo laughed.
"I always liked knowing how things worked, how they fit together. The human body is so intricate, fragile, but also sturdy and tough. It's fascinating."
"So you always wanted to be a doctor?"
"It was always something I considered. It was also a good reason to stay away from my parents, so that was an added bonus." Lauren's voice was more bitter than she'd intended.
"I take it there's a story there?"
"Not a very unique one."
Bo nodded. "I like ordinary stories."
The "Bo feeling" flared up again. "I started dating women when I was at University, but it wasn't something I advertised, you know? I wasn't 'out,' it was just something that I did. We didn't date so much as get drunk and 'accidently end up sleeping together.' Eventually it got harder and harder to deny. When I started my internship, there was this mixer, this night out thing, and I met Nadia. She was in sort of the same position as me as far as her sexuality went, and we got together a few times.
"We got a point where there was really no denying it at all anymore, and she decided she wanted to come out to her family. I offered to go with her, for support. And her family…they just took it really, really well. It was almost surreal. They welcomed me, and they were warm…it was completely the opposite of what I think we both expected."
Lauren was quiet for a beat, lost in the memory. "So, after seeing that, I got up the courage to tell my parents. Nadia went with me. My parents…took it less well."
Bo winced. "God, that's…I'm sorry you went through that."
Lauren nodded. "They still don't accept it, really. Mom says she does, but she's constantly reminding me to keep it to myself, not tell anyone, that it could hurt my career. You know, subtle reminders that she's ashamed of me, I guess. Dad, he just refuses to accept it most of the time, but occasionally he'll get drunk and call to remind me that I'm screwed up and it's my mother's fault."
Without thought, Bo reached out and put her hand over Lauren's. "You know that's bullshit, right?" It was said firmly, so there was no room for argument.
Lauren gave Bo a weak smile. "It doesn't always feel like it, you know?"
"I'm glad you had Nadia, at least, to help you through it."
Lauren nodded. "Yeah, I am too. Going through that together, coming out together, it really bonded us. We were close for a really long time."
"Were?"
Lauren looked up, not realizing she had used the past tense until Bo had pointed it out. "Yeah. I mean, I care about her, but over time, I think…I don't know. It's like we went through a war together or something. That creates a strong bond, but…I don't know. I think somewhere along the way we became really close friends. I don't know that we're girlfriends so much anymore." It was the first time Lauren had ever said it out loud, and she was struck by how true it was. "We don't talk much since I moved, and what's weird is I don't think either one of us miss it that much. And the other night, she told me she was going out with friends, and I had the weirdest thought…I thought, you know, she could hook up with someone tonight, and I wouldn't know. And I realized…I wasn't jealous. I had the thought that if she met someone who swept her off her feet, I'd be happy for her. Crazy, right?"
Bo smiled at her again. "Maybe not that crazy."
"No? Huh."
"So, what happens now? Are you guys going to break up?"
"Yeah. Wow…I've never said that before. But yeah, I think so. I just don't think either one of us is ready to be the one to say it yet." Besides, what's the rush? My girl isn't available yet, anyway.
When did I start thinking of Bo as "my girl"?
"Well, for whatever it's worth, when you do break up, I don't think you'll be single for long, at least not if you don't want to be."
Lauren shrugged. "Maybe, if I meet the right person." A brunette, maybe. A lawyer would be nice.
Something changed in Bo's eyes. "The right person is out there. I bet you'll find her soon."
Lauren's heart was thudding out of control, and she tried to tell herself it was the coffee when she answered, "I hope so."
A quiet settled over the table, and it was broken by Bo gathering up her papers. "I hate to say this, but I really do have to go back to work." Based on the look on Bo's face, Lauren knew she was telling the truth – she really didn't seem to want to leave.
Lauren helped her gather everything and dump it back into her bag. "Thanks for the coffee," Lauren said, trying to find any reason to prolong her time with Bo.
"My pleasure. Thanks so much for helping me with everything." With the papers put away and the table back in order, they stood.
Bo looked awkward for a second. "I don't really know how to say goodbye," she said with a laugh. "Just walking out feels flippant. And handshake seems weirdly formal."
For one of the first times in her life, Lauren was impulsive and pulled Bo into a hug. She felt certain that Bo would be able to feel her heart through her chest, but she didn't really care, because Bo was warm and Lauren didn't want to step back.
The hug lasted a touch longer than it probably should have, but when it ended Lauren and Bo bid their goodbyes and Bo walked out. Lauren stood, looking after her, trying to get her wits back about her.
After all, she needed to make a phone call.
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