Well here it is, the final chapter of this little collab. It's not very long, but it says it all. Sorry for the delay, but you know how life is. Thank you Sydney563 for joining me on this little experiment. I had a lot of fun trying to keep up with you and I learned a few things along the way. We thank you all for reading/following/favoriting this story. Enjoy!

Epilogue

"Move it or lose it Doctor! We are already late!" Betty hollered at me while leaning cross the front seat of my Maserati. Shoving the passenger side door open for me as I ran out the glass sliding doors and down the textured concrete of the hospitals front entrance.

I smirked, running and stripping off my lab coat. Betty was half on the curb and half off it, revving the engine with a shit eating grin on her face, waving at me and yelling at me to hurry my ass up. I caught the edge of the door, throwing myself into the plush leather of the passenger seat. "Surgery ran late, and then I was caught by the new Chief Resident."

My rambunctious blonde best friend raised an eyebrow, flicking the necklace that was now exposed as I leaned back to throw my lab coat and replace it with a loose sweater. Her index finger ran down to the simple diamond band that was looped around the chain. "Maybe you should start wearing that on your ring finger and not on a tiny ball chain that gets lost with your hospital ID badge. That way Chief Resident grabby hands would know you were taken." Betty glared at me. "How does he not know by now you're married? The whole damn west wing of that place was invited to the wedding." She held up the diamond ring in the light, slamming on the accelerator and popping the sports car off the curb. Tires squealing as the car fishtailed out of the roundabout. "Phew, it is a nice ring. If I was as lucky as you to get one of these, I'd shove it in everyone's face." She tapped the diamonds. "Shit, some of the east coast rappers would be jealous of this bling."

I laughed, shaking my head. "You and Bo know I don't wear it on my hand because of surgery and I don't want patients or colleagues commenting on it. Bo spent far too much money on it." Pulling my wedding band from her fingers, smiling at what it symbolized. "Eyes on the road. Hands on the wheel." I glanced at the clock. "Shit. We are going to be super late." I shrugged on the sweater. "Did you call Bo?"

Betty nodded, guiding the car to cut off much of the freeway traffic and leaving many angry horns in her wake. "I tired. But it went to voice mail." She frowned. "Meaning she probably hates me that I told her I would make sure I would get you out on time and obviously didn't." Betty yelled at a car that screamed passed her. "Asshole. Ugh." She turned to me. "I mean it also didn't help that I got pulled over three times for speeding in this thing."

I paused shoving my arm into a sleeve. "You didn't."

Betty just grinned at me. Yanking down the sun visor and tossing me three long slips of paper. "Your insurance is going to be ridiculous next month. Good thing you are an heiress married to money."

I snatched the tickets up, groaning at the excessive speeding citations. "Betty. I swear to god if you weren't my best friend…"

"I know. You'd make me pay for them." Betty winked at me. Slamming on the accelerator again. Shouting a small woo hoo as the car raced around the traffic.

I shook my head and threw the tickets in the console. "You are going to pay for them and this is the last time I let you pick me up in my car."

Betty's infamous frown came my way. "But Lauren. It's a special day. Special days call for special cars and etc." She batted her eyelashes at me. "Plus I just got us to the University in less than five minutes." She waved her hand, pointing out that we were now on the exit ramp directing us to the large football arena where my daughter was possibly in the middle of her Valedictorian speech.

I let out a huge sigh of relief, peering out the window to see the small signs pointing us towards event parking. "Fine, I will pay for one ticket. The rest is your problem and your bad driving record."

Betty chuckled, racing the car through the parking lot and once again driving it up on to a curb and parking it. I went to say something when she dug in her bag and picked out a laminate sheet with PROPERTY OF D.A. DENNIS –DO NOT TICKET OR TOW. She held it up and winked at me. "Working for the District Attorney has some benefits." Tossing the parking pass into the front window she hopped out of the car. "Hustle your ass Lauren; I can hear the Dean introduce your kid."

I shook my head, laughing and racing after Betty. Smiling as I began to hear the Dean introduce my daughter as class Valedictorian. At least I wasn't that late.

Running with Betty I thought back on the last three years and how life had changed and morphed into this strange romantic comedy that was now my life. Bo and I had married eight months after I proposed to her. We took over the massive house that was my childhood home at the behest of my mother and her desire to fill the house up with the family she always wanted. It also gave her the freedom to travel and find her own romance rebirth with our longtime landscaper, Tom. A man who silently pined after my mother for years until he broke down during our engagement party and asked her out.

They were a month away from their one year wedding anniversary and had come back from a trip to Greece.

Elizabeth was set to go to Harvard but at the last minute, opted to go the main University in the city. One that was as equally as prestigious as Harvard but closer to home. Elizabeth, like my mother and I, had found a family that she didn't want to give up for the sake of an incredible education experience. She lived with Bo and I. She even shared Maid of Honor duties with Betty at the wedding.

Betty had stayed in town. Finding work with the District Attorney's office and eventually helping the woman build her senate bid. A senate bid that became a won senate seat and left Bo open to slide right in and take over as the next District Attorney. Betty had stayed on to be her administrative assistant and basic permanent fixture in our lives. She even moved into my house when Bo and I moved out.

Not a day didn't go by without having Betty stroll into the kitchen or the living room like she had been in the house the entire time, even when she hadn't. Sometimes she wore pants. Sometimes she didn't.

Betty held the arena door open for me, pointing towards the front where my daughter was climbing up on to the stage. A brilliant young woman who had graduated at the top of her glass at the young age of 19 and was looking to head off to one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country. Which also happened to be in the same city.

Betty grabbed my arm, pulling me off to the side. "We might as well stand here and watch. No point in distracting the masses and embarrass your kid."

I nodded silently. Moving to stand next to Betty against the walls right on the edge of the stage. The football field was filled with chairs and a stage. Students and student families filled the rows and some of the grandstands. It was an impressive sight. One that made me envious that I had missed out on my formal graduation, opting to receive my degrees in the mail instead of taking time off from my many jobs.

I grinned watching my daughter look out on the crowd. She was looking around and when she caught me standing in the corner, she grinned and waved. Elizabeth took a deep breath, "As valedictorian I am expected to make a motivating and grand statement. A speech of how all of us have breached into adulthood, leaving our youth and fears behind the second we toss our cap in the air."

She grinned, finding me again. "But I don't think I am going to do the normal." Elizabeth folded up the small sheet of paper that held the speech she had written months ago on it. "Fate is a funny thing. A idea that not many believe in nor subscribe too. I am even hesitant to admit that I believe in fate and destiny." She pointed at me. "Over there is my mom. Standing and hiding in the corner because she is late to the graduation ceremony and is embarrassed because she is never late."

I groaned as Betty laughed, nudging me. "She's got you there doctor."

Elizabeth turned to the center of the crowd pointing in the center. "And here is her wife. My other mother, Bo." She paused. "You are all probably wondering why I am bringing attention to these two incredible woman. Well, you see they are the prime example of why I now believe in fate. My parents met in a coffee shop almost four years ago. Bo waltzed up to my mom and asked her out on a date. What came next changed all of our lives. The initial spark that drew my parents together brought me back into my mom's life. Fate gave me a second chance to meet the woman, who gave birth to me. To find my mother. Fate gave her a chance to find an all-encompassing love. Fate gave my grandmother back her daughter back and gave the family she had always wanted. Fate had Bo finding the love of her life. "

I suddenly looked down at the necklace. My wedding ring on it. I sighed, slipping the necklace off. I removed the wedding band and slipped it on my left ring finger. Enjoying the foreign feeling of it actually being on my finger. A foreign feeling that would always be there, but would always remind me of how fate brought me to this point.

Elizabeth gripped the edges of the podium. "I can ramble on and on about how my education here has been life changing, the way my future has been shaped by the professors and courses I took. But in reality, it all means very little to me on the large scope of things." She waved across the crowd. "But I would not be here if it wasn't for fate. I would not have the understanding of how important life, love and family are without fate. Books and knowledge comes and go. Degrees are gotten, framed on the walls and collect dust. Eventually my education will die away as I age. But the one thing that won't is my family. They are the true education and the only education I need. Fate. Destiny. Love. The three words that I have learned more from than all of my courses here and to come."

Elizabeth grinned. "That's my grand statement. Whether it makes sense to you or not, it will in time." She looked at me again. "To my parents, my grandmother and Betty, I love you all so dearly. Without you, I would be nothing." She smiled and stepped back from the podium. "Congratulations class of 2014. Go out and find life's education. I can tell you, you won't find it in any books."

A roar of applause filled the field. Fellow students stood up, hooting and hollering at my daughter as she shook hands with the Dean. I wiped away the tears, when I spotted Bo standing up from her chair. Struggling to find her feet, grabbing on to my mother's arm. Bo's eight month pregnant belly poking out even under loose fitting pink dress. I walked towards my wife, gently pushing through the crowd. Smiling like a fool as my daughter's words swirled in my head.

She was right. It was all fate that day. Fate that Bo's raging hormones and curiosity made her sit down at my table in the coffee shop. Fate that I found the one woman who fought me like the devil himself when my past came out. Fate that her unwillingness to let me go led me back to my daughter. It was fate and destiny that pushed me to fight for Bo and the incredible and surprising love we fell into. One that gave me a perfect marriage with a little boy one short month away from joining us. Joining the family I now had.

Bo turned my direction, grinning when she met my eyes. She instinctively held out her hand like she did every time I was near. She was addicted to holding my hand or some other part of me whenever we were near. Something that had not changed in our almost four years together and something I did not see changing in the next sixty. I smiled at my mother who was now distracted by Betty and trying to get her to stop cat calling my daughter like an obnoxious older brother.

I sighed when Bo's hand met mine, pulling me close for a quick kiss before moving to my ear. Bo half yelled over the applause, "You know you're late, Lauren."

I wrapped one arm around my wife, pulling her close. I pressed my left hand against her cheek. Getting lost in her brown eyes and feeling like we were the only two in the entire world. Bo flinched at the cool metal of my ring. She grabbed my hand and pulled it down, smirking as she saw the ring on its proper place. "I thought you were against wearing rings? The unnecessary attention it brought."

I leaned forward, kissing her softly. "Not anymore." I looked over at my daughter staring at us. "I think I want people to ask and know about my ring. My amazing wife and how fate changed our lives. All because of things I should not have been thinking about that day in the coffee shop."

Bo grinned, linking her fingers in mine. Her simple but equally extravagant wedding band resting against mine. She whispered, "I love you Lauren."

"And I Love you, Bo."

XXX

It was unfathomable how fast time flew by. I'd swear it was yesterday I was obsessing over the gorgeous blonde stranger at the coffee shop. Now here we were, some three years later, and I was married to that very same blonde from the coffee shop that I couldn't stop thinking about. Not only was I married, but I lived in a mansion. I was now the District Attorney. I was nearly ready to pop with our first child. And to to it all off, I was standing in the middle of a football field, watching as my adopted daughter delivered her Valedictorian speech. She was every bit as beautiful and brilliant as her mother and I loved them both more than anything.

It was no easy journey given the past Lauren had been hiding, but I wouldn't change a thing. Fate got me here after all and I couldn't be happier. I guess Lauren was my destiny. This love we have had to be written in the stars. What we had was every bit the fairy tale romance. Falling for one another like a ton of bricks, overcoming all odds and of course, a wicked witch.

We never heard so much as a whisper from Allie after she left. I had to hand it to my mother in law, she found something the woman wanted more than me. At least I'm holding onto hope that she was a woman of her word, though I still wasn't completely positive she didn't have a mobster friend that "took care of our little problem" for us. She and Lauren had an odd sense of humor, so some of her off handed "jokes" still make me wonder. Either way, it made me very happy that I was on her good side and I planned to keep it that way.

Sometimes I still missed my best friend, but having Betty around more than made up for it. She had now become a best friend to all of us and really more of a family member. Especially since she still seemed comfortable walking around without pants.

Fate. Destiny. Love.

Liz was definitely eloquent as she spoke from her heart. Those words more than echoed our family. I did say she was smart right? Not just book smart, but she had a great head on her shoulders and a wicked sense of humor. She was going to give this world a run for its money.

As she finished her speech, everyone jumped to their feet to applaud. Me? I was more like a turtle stuck upside down in his shell as I rolled to one side and needed a hoist up by the arm. Pregnancy was beautiful, but I was ready for this little guy to get out already.

I scanned the cheering crowd to find the love of my life. The woman who also happened to pick today of all days to be late for something. When our eyes met, it was just as moving as the first time. Butterflies still swarmed my belly and my skin tingled at the thought of holding her.

I held out my hand for her, reaching through the swarm of people to pull her to me. As soon as our hands met there was nothing else. No crowd, no sound, only us. I craved her touch just as much today as I ever have and I didn't see that going away anytime before I left this life.

"You know you're late, Lauren," I smiled and yelled loud enough to be heard over the hoots and hollers, most of which came from Betty.

She didn't say a word, only slipped her hand around my waist and pulled me in close. I gazed into her eyes, getting lost again, never wanting to be found. I flinched at the sting of cold on my cheek as her hand came to rest there. I reached up and pulled it down, staring at the metal band that I'd grown accustomed to seeing hanging around her neck. I knew she was mine, even without the ring, but seeing it there upon her hand made me feel more complete than I ever could have imagined. I was so proud to call her mine and even more so that she called me hers. I understood why she didn't wear it, sort of, but I never pushed the issue. I didn't think it was really a big deal since we knew, but in that moment, I realized what a power the small band held. The true power behind showing the world that you belonged to someone else.

Staring at her hand in silence, I was beaming with pride and joy. Before I could let her know how much it meant to me I had to tease her a little, smirking at the fact she finally put it on after years of justifying her reasons not to, all due to her daughter's heart felt words. "I thought you were against wearing rings? The unnecessary attention it brought."

She kissed me softly. "Not anymore." she looked at Liz. "I think I want people to ask and know about my ring. My amazing wife and how fate changed our lives. All because of things I should not have been thinking about that day in the coffee shop."

I knew what she meant. I never missed a chance to brag about my family. It felt like the last of her walls had finally come down. I didn't think it was possible to love her any more, but in that moment my heart had never been more full.

I grinned and interlocked our fingers, glancing down once again at the band on her finger and reveling in the way it felt against my skin. I whispered, "I love you, Lauren."

"And I love you, Bo," she whispered back.

My eyes made there way back up to hers. A smile so big on my face that it almost hurt. I draped my arms around her neck and leaned in over my belly to kiss her once more.

"It's been three years and you two are still like teenagers. Always ready to make out at the drop of a hat no matter where we are."

We quickly pulled away, turning our attention to Liz, simultaneously shaking our heads and protesting. "We weren't-"

"Yeah, I know, but it's fun to see the look on your face." She laughed and wrapped us both up in a warm hug. "I love you both so much."

"I love you, too and I'm so proud of you," I spoke into her ear and squeezed her tighter with my one arm around her back.

"Oh, I love this family so much," Betty shrieked and jumped into the group hug.

"Oh what the hell." It was Angela's voice, though I couldn't see anything over Betty's arm, but another set of arms wrapped around as she joined in on the love fest.

When we finally unraveled ourselves and finished with the formalities, it was time to head home and continue the celebration. Liz didn't know it yet, but she was getting a new car. She wanted the Maserati, but she would have to settle for an Audi RS seven. Lauren was not giving up her car and sure wasn't buying a nineteen year old a new Maserati.

"Here Liz. Take Betty and mom home in my car."

"Yes!" Liz beamed and fist bumped Betty.

"You know the rules," Lauren continued with her usual list as Betty and Liz frowned and made faces. "Oh, and no screeching the tires as you pull off the curb that Betty so kindly parked it on." Lauren glared at her, but the smirk gave her away as she handed over the keys.

I slipped my hand into my wife's and started to walk. "I'm glad we're leaving. Little Ronaldo is getting antsy. He wants food and he wants it now."

She frowned at me. "Bo, we are not naming him Ronaldo." She shook her head.

"Fine. Wendell would like a double bacon cheeseburger and a peppermint shake." I fought hard to hold back a smile. I loved getting her riled up with baby names.

"And we are not naming him Wendell, either." She laughed.

"Well, whatever his name is, he's throwing a tantrum in my belly that can only be silenced by Big Bob's burgers."

Lauren pulled my hand causing me to stop in my tracks. She tugged again, a silent request to face her. She had a serious look on her face. "Whatever his name will be doesn't matter. All that matters is us, this family, and that we will love him like crazy." She bent down and kissed my belly. "And we will get him that burger and shake if it means he quits filling mama Bo's head with crazy baby names."

She stood back up and smiled at me, leaning in to kiss me softly on the lips. She was so caring, so gentle, it made me sigh as my body warmed from head to toe. I always craved her skin on mine, but the pregnancy hormones seemed to make it ten times worse.

Her light brown eyes gazed deep into mine. Powerfully conveying all I ever needed to know without her saying a word. Lauren was the perfect mix of intensity, kindness and passion. Intense when it came to her job or her rules. Kind to everyone, even when they didn't deserve it. Passionate about helping others and her love of her family. And intensely passionate in expressing how he feels about me, both in and out of the bedroom. God, these hormones

"Come on wife of mine. Let's get some food in you. You're going to need a lot of energy for our next great adventure." She laughed and took my hand, resuming our walk to the car.

My smile stretched to both ends of the globe. I was sure people would think I was on drugs, but I didn't care. I was happy. More than happy. I would have to look up a word that meant happier than you ever imagined you could be when I got home. In truth though, there were no words to describe what I felt inside. I was ready for this adventure and a million more with my wife.

Lauren glanced at me as we walked, her smile growing when she saw the ridiculously wide one on my face.

I winked and gave her hand a squeeze. "I can't wait."

XXX

And they lived happily ever after.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. We hope you enjoyed it. If you've stuck around this long you've probably figured out who wrote what, but in case you haven't here it is:

All Bo POV written by Somewhat and all Lauren POV by Syd.

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