N: here's another chapter. It's a little eh, i'm still recovering from my trip and catching a cold. But the trip has re-inspired me to get back to writing so that's what I'm doing. I've been working on devils 2 alot and dabbling in rizzles fiction to expand my horizons. I hope you like this, and some drama will be coming in the next chapter. Updates on this will be slow to come as I'm refocusing on devils 2 and Blitz becoming a book. Stick with me and things will work out! and to the guest reviewer, yes writing is hard. I'm sorry you get upset that i never seem to finish stories, but ff isn't my sole focus anymore. My real life is pretty hectic and fun right now, so i'm taking advantage of it. If anything, i suggest you take a crack at writing and see what you can come up with. You might be better than me!

Thank you all and read on!

I stared at the coffee cup in my hand, debating whether or not to smother Tamsin in the other room. The girl's snoring had woken me up, and now it was literally shaking the apartment. It was like she became a four-hundred-pound man with a broken nose when she was drunk and trying to sleep it off.

I was tired, but on a high after last night and making headway with Lauren. I'd wanted nothing more than to spend the entire night with her, kissing, holding hands or whatever, but she politely put me in a cab with my drunk best friend and sent me home. I picked up my cell phone, grinning like a fool when I saw I already had a message from Lauren. A message that was straight to the point.

-I'd like to take you out on a date. Tonight? No bars or Bob Seger cover bands.-

I giggled at her enthusiasm. Confident Lauren was a huge turn on. I hit her contact picture, pressing the phone to my ear as it rang.

She answered on the second ring. "Dr. Lewis."

I grinned, "Dr. Lewis, I'd love to go out with you tonight." I leaned back against my headboard. "But where are you going to take me? This town is nothing but bars and cover bands."

Lauren laughed, "Have you ever been inside Lincoln?"

I frowned, "Um, that's a bit of a personal question, but no, I don't think I've ever been inside of a Lincoln." I glanced at the ceiling, "Well, I mean my cousin Jaime had a lincoln, but it always smelled like stale beer and jock straps."

"Ew? And I mean the Lincoln monument." I could almost see Lauren shaking her head at my silliness. "A friend of mine told me the view at night from inside his head is incredible when the cherry blossoms are in bloom."

"Why is this conversation getting weirder?" I grinned at Lauren stammering to explain. "I'm kidding, I'll go. But can we go to a restaurant first so it's a little less weird? I'd hate to tell people about our first date and have to reference being inside lincolns head."

Lauren chuckled, "I can only imagine the political discussions that could bring on. I do have a restaurant picked out, I just got excited about taking you somewhere different." She took a breath, "You deserve something out of the normal, Bo. You're too special to me for anything less." Lauren spoke so softly, I almost didn't hear her. But I did.

I blushed furiously, covering the stupid grin on my face with my hand. "Lauren."

She cleared her throat, "I'll meet you outside your apartment at 6. We can walk to the restaurant and to the memorial." Awkward Lauren was adorable.

"Do you need my address?" I shifted on the bed, setting the coffee cup down. "It's a little hard to figure out, where an apartment building within another apartment building." I stared at my closet, a slow panic of what the hell to wear rising fast.

"Tamsin wrote it down and drew me a map when I went back to pay the tab. I think she's a little more enthusiastic than I am about this date." Lauren huffed, "She also threatened to have Olivia bother me endlessly until I took you out properly."

I groaned, "Remind me to murder her when she wakes up." I stood up, walking to my closet hearing a large moan come from Tamsin's room. "Speak of the devil, she's rising. I should go and get her a bucket before she pukes in the bed again. I'll see you at six, Lauren."

"I'll be there, Bo." Lauren hung up, leaving me to deal with my moaning dying best friend in the next room over. Tamsin was hollering for me to help her before she puked in the bed again.

I shook my head and walked to her room, still smiling like an idiot. Nothing could chase away my high. I was going on a date with Lauren tonight, and it was going to be incredible.

XXXX

"Aunt Tams. What was wrong with you when you were young? Were you raised by a fraternity?" Iris gave Tamsin a dirty look, "I've met your parents. They're normal. What happened?"

Tamsin threw a gummy bear at my daughter. "College happened. Beer happened. Whiskey happened." She pointed a finger at Iris, "Just you wait, kid. The first kegger you go to, it's all downhill from there." Tamsin looked at me, "Why do you have to tell all those parts to the kid? I'm her hero, stop tarnishing my cape."

I laughed, throwing my hands up. "True stories need to be told truthfully." Tamsin stuck her tongue out at me. I looked at Iris, "And you will never go to a kegger in college, ever. If your ma finds out, she'll lose her mind and lecture on the effects of alcohol on your system until you are bored to tears."

Iris gave me a look, "Mom. You don't need to worry. Keggers are stupid and people just barf and pass out in the grass, I've been to one. It's really gross and I don't ever intend to do it again." She sat on the edge of Lauren's desk. "Ma already lectured me on alcohol when I was twelve. She took the fun out of it. Whenever I look at a drink I just see the pain my liver goes through to process it."

I squinted at my daughter, "We'll have a discussion about whose kegger you went to, and that'll you're never hanging out with them again."

Iris turned pale and looked to Tamsin for help. Tamsin threw her hands up, "Don't look at me kid. You just ran me over the coals for being a dumb kid, you're on your own."

Iris, frowned and glanced at me. "Tommy Jones. He's stupid and I don't talk to him anymore. Can you please get back to the story about your first date."

"Fine, but only because I know how much you despise Tommy Jones. His dad is a tool, always hitting on me when I'm out running." I shifted in my seat, catching Tamsin writing his name down. "Tams, you don't need to beat him up. Lauren has a plan for my next run. She intends on verbally castrating him and serving up his balls to his wife." I laughed at the wide eyed looks from both Iris and Tamsin. "Your ma is tougher than she looks." I felt my smile fade, remembering why she became so tough and how I almost lost her. "Anyways, back to the story."

Iris clapped, "Yes! Back to the story."

XXXX

"How did you know I liked sushi fusion? I don't think we ever talked about food?" I patted my very full belly, walking next to Lauren as we strolled out of the restaurant. The evening was still warm, a small cool breeze was a small reprieve from the oppressive summer we were living in.

Lauren shrugged, "I took a chance." She glanced at me, "You make me want to take a lot of chances, Bo." She grinned sheepishly as she nudged me with her shoulder. "Did you like it?"

I nudged her back, "I loved it. I've not eaten that much since I was home for the holidays. College life and internships has me on a string budget." I reached down, grabbing Lauren's hand in mine, smiling as she didn't hesitate in linking our fingers together. "You know, you've always inspired me to take chances, Lauren. Ever since our first meeting to our last. I always took a chance when it came along. Some were good, many were bad, but I learned from them."

Lauren furrowed her brow. "I'm not sure how I inspired that, Bo. I'm very boring, always have been."

I sucked in a slow breath, nervous about what I was about to say. I shook my head, welcoming the cool breeze to ease the flush in my cheeks. "I loved you. My love for you has always pushed me. I wanted to do anything I could to find the feeling you gave me. I wasn't sure I'd see you again, let alone next to you holding your hand." I dipped my head down, "I was chasing lighting, hoping to capture it once more. The Lauren Lewis lighting."

Lauren suddenly stopped, tugging my hand so I would turn and face her. She studied my face, her brown eyes glassy and searching mine. "Bo…"

I shrugged, "It's stupid, I know. A kid's idea on love, but it's all I knew." I smiled softly, "It's totally cheesy and silly, but you always make me want to tell the truth."

Lauren stepped closer, cupping my face in her hands. She smiled, "It's not stupid. It's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me. She leaned forward, kissing me.

I melted instantly into her kiss, feeling those little lightning bolts on my lips. I pushed against her mouth, wanting more of the lightning that was Lauren. We kissed until someone hollered at us. Lauren parted first, laughing as she wrapped me in her arms. "We always have hecklers."

I laughed, burying my face into the side of her neck. Her skin smelled so good, I couldn't resist kissing it. "They're jealous."

"Maybe." Lauren sighed as I kissed her skin. "We should get to the monument before the sun sets. My friend said that's the best time to sit inside his head."

I burst out laughing as Lauren untangeled her arms from around me. "It still sounds odd. Can't we go back to the sushi place and eat more?"

Lauren rolled her eyes, taking my hand. "I'll get you ice cream after, Bo. Your almost as bad as Tamsin with the food."

I giggled, patting my belly once more. "I'm a growing girl!"

XXX

"Aunt Tamsin made you weird, mom." Iris was hanging off the edge of the couch, her legs swinging wildly.

I laughed, standing up to grab a handful of gummy bears before Tamsin ate them all. "She did. But she's been my best friend for over twenty years. Something was bound to rub off."

Tamsin grinned, "If you're lucky, kid, I'll tell you about how I conned your mom into a hot dog eating contest with me." She pointed at the weiner trophy I had shoved behind a stack of books. "Your mom is the central east hot dog champion of 2000. She has access to a lifetime supply of weiners…. Not that she's into that type of thing."

Iris and I both groaned at the dumb joke while Tamsin burst into laughter. I slapped my best friend on the shoulder and stole the bag of gummy bears. I flopped down next to my daughter, digging in the bag for the red gummy bears.

Iris giggled and held her hand out for a few gummies. "You're weird, but really cute, mom. That line about ma being the lightning, real smooth." She pulled out a few green gummies, "But how did you get trapped inside Lincoln? Which by the way, I'm telling everyone my parents were inside Lincoln."

I sighed, "Don't be weird, Iris. It's bad enough the queen of weird is your Aunt." I winked at Tamsin as she shouted a hey! my way. "We never made it inside inside of Lincoln. We got locked in the base of the statue. Lauren's friend forgot to unlock the hatch up to his head, and also forgot to unlock the door we went in through. We sat on mop buckets in silence for a few hours. I was so angry."

"Yeah, cause you hate small spaces." Tamsin leaned forward on the desk. "And I suck because I fell asleep with my phone on silent. Thirty five missed calls and a million I hate you, Tamsin, texts."

"I did hate you, more after Lauren and I had our argument."

Iris closed her eyes, "Not again, mom."

XXXX

"Bo, please stop pacing. I'm trying to get ahold of my friend." Lauren sat hunched over a mop bucket, mashing buttons on her phone.

"No one is coming for us! I've called Tamsin a hundred times. She's probably passed out on the couch, phone on silent watching friends." I huffed, pacing more. I was mildly freaking out. The small room we were in under Lincoln's ass, was incredibly small. I hated small spaces. "We need to call the police."

"They won't come. They'll think it's a prank and call my friend to come check on us." Lauren's tone was clipped as she tried to figure out what to do. "Please, sit down and relax."

"I'm trapped inside of a massive granite statue, breathing recycled air, and the walls are closing in!" I threw my hands up. "Why did you think this was a good idea?" I glared at Lauren.

She glared back, "It's marble. It was a good idea until my friend dropped the ball." She sighed, setting her phone down. "Bo, you should sit down. Your claustrophobia will not get better by pacing."

I shook my head furiously, "That's what you think. We should've just gone to a bar. How am I going to tell our kids this story? Our first date ended up with us perishing in Lincolns asshole. That'll be a hilarious wedding toast for Tamsin to issue." I mumbled as I did one more lap around the room.

Lauren looked up at me, her eyes wide. "Our kids? Wedding? Bo."

I waved her off, my panic on the verge of becoming out of control. My filter was gone at this point. "Yeah. I hope the wedding comes before kids, but you get the idea." I sighed, "This isn't the romantic story I imagined for us."

"Then what did you imagine?" Lauren's voice was small, questioning. I barely registered her reaction to my spastic ramblings and continued on.

"Not this. I thought I would swoop in and sweep you off your feet, then ask you to be my girlfriend. We'd date for a year, but I wouldn't be able to wait and would end up proposing to you one morning as you drank coffee and ate my piss poor attempt at eggs benedict. Then we marry and get a big house with a yard, dogs, and have a kid or two. I'd let you name them, and we'd grow old together. Watching old science fiction movies and making our grandkids give us their comic books to read." I fluttered my arms around, "Now I'm trapped in a marble tomb with the love of my life and we're not even official yet. One date and now we're doomed to die here." I was rambling like an auctioneer.

Lauren stood up slowly, grabbing my arm to stop me. "Bo." I looked at her, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Oh shit, I shit the bed, didn't I? I'm jumping the gun and rushing to the finish line." I covered my face with a hand. "I ramble when I'm scared shitless, and now you're probably freaked out by me and my intricate plan of a relationship I ruined before it started."

Lauren grabbed my wrist, pulling my hand from my face. She had a small smile on her face. "Not hardly. You're freaking me out with your pacing, but the rest of it… it's unique." She sucked in a slow breath, pressing fingers over my lips. Stopping me from rambling again. "I want you to be my girlfriend, Bo. I was going to ask you after this date, probably in the morning over a cup of coffee and my piss poor attempt at French toast." She cocked an eyebrow my way, "I had high hopes this date and Lincoln's head would work out very well for me." Lauren stepped closer, "But then we talked, and I realized around your seventh plate of California roll, that I wanted everything with you. In order for me to have that, I'd have to ask you to be my girlfriend." She paused.

I frowned, even as my heart was pounding like a drumline. "And the but is?"

Lauren smiled weakly, "There's always a but, isn't there?"

I looked up at the marble ceiling, "Especially when we're inside of one." I found Lauren's hand with mine, "Please, what is it? You were going to ask me something?" I was becoming giddy, bouncy at what Lauren was going to ask. My eleven year old fantasy about to become a reality. "I'm probably going to say yes, even though I'm a little appalled you thought I'd be easy and put out on the first date."

Lauren chuckled nervously, "I want you to be my girlfriend, but I'm leaving for Boston in two weeks. I was requested to go work on a satellite program at the NSA and NASA office there. It's a group effort between Hardvard, MIT and me. They want my expertise to assist with developing flight patterns and designs. I was going to tell you this week, depending on how our date went." Lauren bit her bottom lip, "You don't have to say yes."

I scrunched my face up, "How long will you be gone?"

Lauren's face fell even more, "Four months. I won't be back until right before the holidays. Your internship will be long over, and you'll be back home." She sighed, moving to step away from me. "I can't ask you to wait for me."

I grinned, rolling my eyes. I had my answer for her the second she asked but wanted to mess with her. "My internship will be over, but it's a good thing Mrs. Robbins already offered me a permanent job here for the rest of the year. After my internship, I'll be moving into a full time position with the Smithsonian marketing department." I tugged Lauren closer, "So, it looks like you're stuck with me and won't be able to check out all the hot Harvard girls trying to get your attention." I kissed Lauren on the cheek, "You'll have to tell them your girlfriend is waiting for you to come home." I moved my kiss to the corner of her mouth.

Lauren grinned, "Is that a yes?" She dropped her hands on my hip, squeezing.

I nodded, "Yes." I pressed my forehead against hers, "I've also heard making out is a great way to pass time and keep my mind off my claustrophobia."

"Then perhaps we should do that." Lauren smirked, leaning in to kiss me hard. She kissed me so hard, I forgot where I was.

I parted from her lips for a second, "I'm still not putting out on the first date." I grinned at Lauren's playful frown, moving back to kiss the woman of my dreams.

XXXX

"Awwwww! That's so cute I might barf up rainbows." Iris threw her arms around me, hugging me tightly.

I laughed, "We were pretty cute, I'll admit that." I patted Iris.

She leaned out of my arms, "But you only had two weeks before ma left for Boston." She looked over at Tamsin, "This is where things get sad, right? I know ma had an accident in Boston and it was bad." She turned to me, my smile falling as I nodded.

"It was." I looked down at my wedding ring, closing my eyes as the hard memories forced their way in. "I barely remember the two weeks we had because of that accident."

I heard Tamsin let out a huge sigh, "If we're going to tell this part of the story, I'm going for the whiskey." She stripped off her blazer and badge. "I'm off duty and could use a drink." She winked at Iris, "I promise I won't drink too much, if I do, I'll make sure to puke in your bed." Tamsin sauntered away, stretching her arms over her head.

Iris faced me, "Mom, Tamsin never drinks. Do I really want to hear this part?"

I opened my eyes, "It's part of our story, it has to be told. It was when I realized I'd push down the gates of hell to be with your ma, no matter what. And that your ma would do anything to survive the impossible to find her way back to me." I smiled weakly, looking at my daughter.

Iris let out a slow breath, "Maybe I need a whiskey."