The shrill beeping of the alarm is the first thing to penetrate the darkness that surrounds me, the vibrations of my phone against my thigh follow forth soon after. I let out a gasp as I startle awake, my hand reaching up to grope around on my nightstand, only to feel the rough fabric of an oblong object come in contract with my hand instead.

"Whaa?" I groan as I blink open my eyes, before closing them again not wanting to leave the warm confines of sleep but still the beeping continues on, forcing me to open my eyes again. I let another groan escaping from my mouth when I see that the darkness that I was lost in was not only internal, but external as well. I hear another groan escape from nearby as I become aware of another source of heat, one that isn't from the blankets, but from another body pressed next to mine. I startle from my half sleep as the person next to me as pulls me closer to the chest my head rests against. I blink again as my body burrows into the body next to mine, a content warmth settling into the pit of my stomach, my eyes falling shut as I savour the warmth of the person lying next to me, of the feeling of being in her arms.

"Kenz turn off your alarm would you? I can hear it from down here." The low, husky sleep-filled voice of my companion grumbles out as the warm pressure of the arm wrapped around my waist tugs me closer to her body, the warmth that fills the pit of my stomach only blossoming further. I let out another annoyed grumble, trying my best to ignore my alarm until I absolutely have to get up.

I don't want to leave Bo's arms, not yet anyways. She let's out another groan as I feel her shift again, the hand on my waist letting go as she shifts herself into a more upright position, causing my head to fall onto the mattress below me. Another groan escapes from the loss of warmth from her body as I roll onto my stomach, trying to block out the noise of the alarm that's going off far to early in the morning. I hear a soft aha as my alarm falls silent, the mattress creaking again as Bo shifts next to me, lying back down as her arm comes to rest lightly over my waist, as Bo shifts again pressing her body as close to mine as she can. I let out a content sigh as I shift to face her, sliding my hand underneath her pillow.

Bo let's out something that sounds suspiciously like a content purr as she curls up against me, her warm breath tickling the hairs at the top of my head as she settles back in. I allow another nonsense murmur to escape as I allow myself to begin to drift off to sleep warm and content in Bo's arms. I sigh when I feel her hand settle against the small amount of skin exposed at my waist from where my shirt has risen up during the night, a small shiver of pleasure at the contact traveling up my spine.

"Go back to sleep Lo, I think you forgot to turn off you're alarm." She murmurs into my hair, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head as she presses herself a little closer to me. I'm beginning to fall asleep, the silence only broken by the sound of Bo's and my breathing, our chests rising and falling in sync as we begin to fall asleep again when a loud bang that rings out through the apartment moments later startles me awaken once more.

"Scrubs you had better… oh you're awake." Tamsin growls, her voice still heavy with sleep even as she does so.

"Who…?" Bo murmurs, her body shifting again as the arm wrapped around my waist trails slowly up my back, the warmth of her body disappearing as she shifts away from me. I already miss her warmth, even though she's still right next to me and her hand is still resting against my back. "You're Tamsin right?"

"So you're Bo Dennis then?" Tamsin asks, her voice suddenly cold. It's a tone that I haven't heard in years, not since we first met back in university, we could barely stand each other back then.

"Who's asking?" I reach out trying to grab the hand that Bo has resting on the bed next to my head, squeezing it as I try to somehow warn her that she shouldn't get defensive with Tamsin.

"Why are you so defensive about your identity? Something to hide?" Tamsin asks cryptically, her voice cold. I sigh as I blink open my eyes, the only way this situation is ever going to get diffused is if I'm the one to do it. Tamsin has never done well with strangers, especially if she talks to them without Ciara or I there to diffuse things when she gets like this.

"Tamsin stop interrogating Bo, please." I request as I role over to face her, not bother to open my eyes.

"Oh… so you are awake after all."

"Yes of course I am. What did you expect?"

I sigh before a yawn escapes from my lips. Slowly I blink my eyes open, as I shift myself onto my back, my head coming to rest fully on one of the old scratchy pillows, but Tamsin hasn't turned a light on, and it's too dark to see even her outline. I try to sit up on my elbows, to get a better view of the living room, instead of the one that is blocked by the arm of the couch, but Bo grabs me instead.

"It's still early. Sleep..." Bo murmurs as she moves back down, pulling me to her as she shifts, pressing herself as close to me as she can. A shiver travels down my spine at the feeling of small patches of skin against mine from where our shirts rode up during the night. I shake my head as I lean up, pressing a kiss to Bo's collarbone before I roll over and pull myself away.

"As much as I would love to stay in bed with you Bo, I can't. Do you remember when I told you that my shift started insanely early?" I ask as I gently pry myself away from her incredibly tight grip, propping myself up on my elbow as I do so. I don't want to leave, I don't want to leave her arms and return to the

"Mhmm?" She responds, her arm tightening it's grip on my waist. I smile as I lean down to press a kiss to her forehead before I speak again.

"Well this is insanely early." I murmur into her hair, a fond smile tugging at my lips as I use the hand of the arm that is propping me up to stroke her hand. Bo let's out a content murmur as she nuzzles her head against my stomach instead. My nose twitches as I bite my lip, trying to hold back a giggle at the sensation of her nose bumping against my abdomen.

"Don't want to let you go." She grumbles, her arm tightening more around my waist.

I bring my free hand up, stroking through her hair gently for a few moments, simply enjoying the feeling of softness of it in my palm.

"You have to Bo, I have to go to work." I sigh, blinking back the heaviness of exhaustion behind my eyes. I yawn again, as I stretch, shifting gently in an attempt to get Bo to loosen her grip on me and let me get out of bed.

Another annoyed grumble escapes from her as she grabs at me, trying to hold me in place and prevent me from escaping from her grip.

"Bo… I really do have to get up. I'm so sorry, but you and I both know that this was sort of an accident."

"Don't wanna be away from you."

"I don't want to be away from you either." I murmur as she moves her head until I know she's looking up at me, although because of the darkness in the room I can't see her eyes. "But I have to go to work. And you have class in a few hour

I smile down

"My Lauren." She murmurs hugging me around the waist as she buries her face in my stomach. I laugh lightly as I stroke her hair, my fingers moving up and down in a soothing rhythm. It doesn't take long before Bo seems to drift off again, her grip on my waist coming loose as she falls asleep again. I bring my hand up to the one still loosely griping my waist, catching it gently in my own. I bring it up to my lips, pressing a kiss to the soft skin there before I move away from Bo, and slowly begin to slide out from underneath he arm, her hand still firmly clasped in my own. An annoyed grumble escapes from her lips as I try to move away from her as I try to slide out of bed with as much stealth as I can manage. I stay still for a minute, waiting to make sure that I don't wake her up. Although if I'm completely honest with myself I'm also relishing in the last moments I get to spend in her arms because I'm not going to see her again for almost a week.

A week to long it feels like. I already want to be with her every second of everyday, but even that doesn't feel like it would be enough. I look down at her as I press another kiss to the side of her forehead.

"Sleep well." I whisper in her ear as I pull away, smiling as I look down at Bo, her grip on my hand going completely slack as she finally drifts off into oblivion.

Bo lets out a cute snoozing sound but she doesn't complain otherwise as I finally pull away from her. I can see the outline of her arm curling around the spare pillow instead, the springs squeaking as she pulls it to her chest. I laugh silently, shaking my head at the thought of the site before me as I stand up completely and begin to make my way over towards the kitchen, my next objective clear.

The great and powerful drug known as caffeine and the not so delicious coffee that it comes in.

"Scrubs?" Tamsin whispers as I approach the kitchen, the dim light from the kettle the only light in the otherwise dark kitchen.

"It's me." I reply before frowning. "Did my alarm wake you up?"

"Nah." She replies dismissively before she reaches out and grabs something off of the counter. "This woke me up."

"What are you holding in front of me?" I ask, squinting as I try to make out the outline of whatever she's holding in front of me, but unfortunately it blends in with her outline. Tamsin sighs I see what I assume is her thumb moves as she presses something on the face of the object she's holding in front of my face, and light immediately springs forth from the device, the familiar home screen of her phone appearing in front of me as she does so, showing me a pair of texts from someone called Bastard Partner.

"Who…?"

"My Bastard partner." Tamsin replies, refusing to provide the poor person with a given name, which means that it can really only be one person. She actually liked Hale enough to give him a name on her phone.

"Dyson?" I ask her.

"If you want to the undeserving dick a name."

"Is he still going on about Ciara?"

"The bastard doesn't even remember her name! At least he could bother to remember what he did to her!" She shouts I glare at her as I make a shushing sound before glancing back out into the living room to see if Tamsin's outburst had awoken Bo, but the outline on the couch remains as still as the dead. I can't help the smile that appears on my lips as I look at her, along with the burning desire to walk back over to that bed and crawl into it and pull Bo into my arms. I shake my head, as wonderful as the idea sounds if I need to go to work. Tamsin clears her through as she tries to get my attention, I shake my head as I reorient myself, before I turn back to Tamsin and begin to berate her.

"Your partner and my soulmate are still asleep, can we please keep it that way?" I hiss, before my eyes narrow and I glance over at the door. "Or do you feel like dealing with Ciara's wrath? You know how she is when she's woken up this early in the morning."

"I can…" Tamsin begins before she promptly stops talking, the kettle conveniently beginning to whistle, interrupting her and stopping her from finishing her sentance. "Oh look at that the water's ready!"

"Do you have to make a sacrifice to the Ciara monster?"

"Ah… maybe. She's going to kill me when she wakes up."

"Do you think that it's pathetic that we're 29 and still living off of instant coffee?" I ask as begin to search the counter space for the tin of coffee.

"I just barely made detective and if you want to argue about it you're still technically a student."

"That is a quickly diminishing technicality."

"Fine then you're a resident. Most people don't expect functional residents let alone sane ones. Well they expect sane ones, but I don't think many people expect you to be a functional human being." She mutters, about to continue when her phone begins to vibrate on the counter.

"What!" She barks into it as she brings it up to her ear, the light from the screen casting an eerie glow on her face, highlighting her cheekbones and creating deep shadows around her eyes. For a moment I swear I see her eyes disappear, becoming little more then dark recesses in her skull, but when I blink and shake my head the light of the phone has dimmed, leaving only her green-blue eyes sparkling as they always have.

I blink again, yawning as I do so. So tired...

"Gah! I'll be in as soon as I can get some damned coffee- no you do not get some. Get your own." Tamsin growls into the phone before she pulls it away from her ear and presses the red button on the screen, ending the call despite the small, low, but still audible voice protesting.

"Bastard." She growls as she shoves the phone back into the carrier on her hip.

"You really don't like him." I mutter in reply.

"Astute observation doctor. Do they pay you that salary of yours for those skills?" She growls, as I role my eyes silently. There's no point in trying to reason with her before she's had her coffee, or really any time before ten.

"You're grumpy in the morning."

"Another astute observation. I really hate being woken up in the middle of the night for no goddamn reason you know?"

"Not really because in case you've forgotten I work the nightshift two weeks a month."

"Yeah, yeah, but you signed up for that, and you knew it would continue on for five years at the very least. I thought I would be done with this whole let's call them in at three thing!" Tamsin growls. "But he's caught a whiff of some clue or another that I absolutely need to come in and see."

"Technically it's four." I reply, but all Tamsin does is growl at me in response. I quickly decide that finding the coffee tin is my current imperative, unless I have a burning desire to listen to Tamsin complain the entire drive into work because odds are she's not in a fit state to drive.

Groping around in the darkness I finally manage to find the tin of coffee, what is it even doing in the corner on the other side of the counter I don't know, and quickly walking over to the nearest cabinet I open it. I grope around the lowest shelf until my fingers brush against the cool ceramic of one of the mugs, moving my hand a little further to the right my fingers come in contact with the curved handle. Quickly pulling it down I open the tin and take the spoon that lives inside of it and scooping out two generous spoonfuls, dumping them into the cup before I stop and decide to add another one.

I walk over to the kettle and grab it off of its base and quickly pour the hot liquid into the mug. Grabbing the spoon again I begin to stir the liquid as I slowly make my way back over towards Tamsin.

"Drink." I order Tamsin as I let go of the spoon, and shove it in her direction. The kinetic energy that I've put into the system stirring the coffee causing the spoon to continue to spin around in the cup for a few more rounds, the spoon clinking against the inside of the cup as it continues to hit the edges at random points.

"Thanks." Tamsin murmured, her fingers briefly brushing mine as she lifts the cup out of my hand. "Do you need the spoon?"

"Nope." I reply as I slide past her as I begin to make my way over to my bedroom in order to change into my scrubs.

"Oh… what do you wanna do about our guests?"

"You're seriously calling Ciara a guest? Tamsin, she's here more often then I am."

"Should I be saying the same thing about your girlfriend lying on that couch of ours?" Tamsin hisses in my ear as she walks towards me, brushing past me and allowing our bodies to press together without even a second thought.

"Just let her sleep please. She'll be out of here by the time you get back, it's too early to kick her out. Bo and Ciara know each other anyways so it shouldn't be awkward." I murmur as I press myself against her as I move past I look down and for the first time notice the pyjamas that she's wearing. It would seem that the dancing ice-cream cones are back yet again. "You need to find a way to separate your wardrobe from Ciara's because you're wearing the dancing ice-cream cone pants again."

Tamsin glares at me before she looks down at her pants and lets out a groan. I slip past her, but not before I catch sight of Tamsin's open bedroom door. I bite my lip to stop myself from laughing when I catch sight of another outline. It would appear that Ciara has awakened, I give Tamsin a sympathetic look as I begin to make my way towards my bedroom, laughing silently as I leave Tamsin to deal with Ciara alone.

"Darling are there some things that we need to talk about once again?" Ciara growls before I shut the door to my bedroom, laughing silently as I begin to get ready for the day.

I hesitate for a moment as I zip up the hoodie to protect me from the chill of the morning. I stop, struggle with the zipper for a moment, before I sigh again, rubbing my eyes as I yawn.

What am I going to do about Bo? I can't exactly kick her out right now, I yawn as I glance over at the clock again.

It's really only 4:00? I definitely can't just kick her out, but at the same time I can't really leave without saying goodbye either, what are the odds of her even remembering our conversation at three in the morning? I shrug to myself, I don't know, I don't know if when Bo wakes up during the night she remembers things that happen or if she's like Tamsin, and you can have an entire coherent conversation with her on the meaning of life in the middle of the night and she won't remember a word of it in the morning.

I sigh as I walk over to my backpack and pick it up off the floor and quietly sling it over my shoulder. The familiar weight is for once a welcome sensation. I glance around my room again as I try to find something when my eyes fall onto my desk drawer. I close my eyes as I remember the contents of that particular drawer.

Notepaper.

I sigh as I reopen them, and let myself make my way over to the desk. I quickly open the drawer, the metal of the handle cold against the skin of my palm. Gently, quietly, because the walls in this apartment are thin and the drawer squeaks I pull it open, my eyes closing again when I catch sight of the design at the top of the paper.

It was the same on that I had used when I was with Katherine.

I close my eyes taking a breathe as I pull it out and place it gently down on the desk in front of me, and simply stare at it for a few moments as my fingers slowly drift upward towards the familiar design at the top of the page. I allow my fingers to trace out the pattern of familiar vines, their delicate loops and curves, the small branches that move off towards the ends of the page. My eyes drift closed again as I continue to trace the pattern from memory, the distinct loops and curves familiar under my fingers, the ones that seem so familiar to me now, just as an overwhelming sense of deja-vu overtakes me.

I blink my eyes open as I slowly pull my fingers away from the pattern at the top of the paper and turning my wrist over. I can't help the rueful smile that tugs at my lips as I look down at the pattern on my wrist and its similiar echo on the paper in front of me. The laugh silently at the irony of it all, at the fact that I had bought this pad of paper at random in a random store years ago in a rush because I'd had to get to work in time. I'd had a nagging feeling at the back of my mind at time as I'd starred at those notepads.

It would seem that through the simple facts of life, or through an act of fate, that this notepad would see use once again after eighteen months of simply laying there in my desk forgotten.

I reach out and grab one of the pens out of the holder and slowly begin to write the note.

Bo,

Thank-you so much for last night, I had an amazing time. I'm sorry that I have to leave you like this, but I have a shift in the ER.

There's some dry food in the cabinet and there might be some fruit or eggs and other beverages in the fridge in the fridge (make sure you check the date), and depending on when you get up Ciara might also be there (she'd be happy to cook for you).

I'm looking forward to seeing you on Friday, and until then I'll be counting the seconds until we can see each other again.

Yours,

Lauren

I wince as I reread the note, the formality of it feels out of place, but at the same time I can't write the note as I want to because it wouldn't feel right, and it would be far too soon for the thoughts bouncing around in my head to be written down onto paper. There are so many things that I want to write in this note, to find a way to tell her those words even when I can't find it within me to say them aloud yet because it's far too soon.

I grab the note off of my desk, quickly walking over to my door and opening it. I pause as I glance around one last time making sure that I haven't forgotten anything. I close the door behind me before I begin to make my way over to the couch. Quietly I put the note next to her on the pull-out couch, my hand trailing down the soft skin her cheek, my touch as gentle as I can make it, before I lean down to press a soft kiss to Bo's cheek.

"Sleep well." I whisper in her ear, her breath tickling my cheek as I press another kiss to the side of her head before I pull away from her. It's just enough for me to catch sight of the profile of her face in the dim light of pre-dawn.

Shit!

Pre-dawn I have to get out of here.

"See you soon." I murmur into her hair as I lean down and press one last kiss to her check, closing my eyes as I take in the feeling of being so close to her, of being able to smell the faint traces of her perfume as they cling to her. I bring one of my arms up, wrapping it around her waist as I pull her into a brief and one-sided hug.

The press of her body against my own, even through clothing and from as awkward an angle as this is, it's an intoxicating one.

It's a moment that I never want to leave, but it's one that I have to.

"Goodbye my love." I whisper as I pull away from her, and just as I'm turning around to walk away I could swear that I see a smile beginning to blossom on her lips.

"Tamsin…" I groan when I pull open the door to the fridge, the clear plastic of the empty shelves the only thing staring back at me, the cheerful white trim of the front of the shelving is glinting cheerfully, almost teasingly, from the inside light of the fridge. I sigh, blinking when through the middle shelf I catch sight of a hint of green on the shelf below, my hopes rise up for a moment only to be dashed again when I kneel down and I come face-to-face with the thing we vowed never to touch again. The thing that we're fairly sure is lettuce at the back of the fridge, but we don't touch it, because it's been in there since Tamsin and I moved in, nine years ago and it hasn't changed. Even when we bought a new fridge it magically appeared in it. It has never rotted, never gone limp, never changed colour, and the one time Ciara tried to touch it we heard what we think was an ear-piercing, heart-attack inducing scream emanating from it.

We leave it alone now to sit in the darkest and most desolate corner of the fridge on the lowest shelf, were it can plot it's evil schemes without us bothering it.

I yawn, again, my eyes drooping as I try to fight back exhaustion. I stretch as I stand-up my scrub top moving with me in an unpleasant reminder that I have yet to change out of my work clothes.

"Forgot to undress?" I murmur as I look down, grabbing at the smooth fabric of the top and pulling it out enough for me to see that I was indeed wearing pleasant and supposedly soothing blue of my scrubs, although if I am completely honest I think it's more to differentiate us then anything else. I blink as I bring a hand up to rub at my eyes.

It would seem that I'll have to go grocery shopping, at least to get the vegetables I want for the pasta sauce I was going to try and make for dinner tonight. I yawn again as my eyelids grow heavy, and I begin to tilt to the side as my body gives out. I'm exhausted, and at this point probably far too tired to drive, or cook, or really do anything useful.

I yawn again as I stumble, trying to take a step towards the cupboard where we store the dry pasta, but before I can take more then a few steps in the direction of the dark wooden cupboard my body sways violently, more of a rocking ship in rough seas then a graceful upright human.

"Sleep… " I groan out, voicing the complaints that my body is trying to make known. I glance over at the cable box in the living room. The green light blinks back at me telling me that it's only 1:30 in the afternoon, I have time to take a nap and still make it to the grocery store in time. It would be tight, but as long as my rest lasted for no more then an hour I would be able to make it to and back in time to put the chicken on to cook and then begin preparations for the vegetables and sauce.

I glance over at the couch on more time and then back down at my scrubs.

I could change later, right now I needed to sleep.

I startle awake when I feel something beginning to vibrate against my hip. I quickly open my eyes as I shift myself into a sitting position; I shake off any remaining exhaustion as I fumble for the device clipped to my hip. Hoping against all hope I reach down my hands quickly wrap around the plastic device as I pull it up towards my face, the antiquated display simply reading 911 in red numbers.

A groan escapes from my throat before I bury my head in my hands.

"Shit!" I curse.

Now of all times?

I shake my head, there's no time. I knew I would be on home-call today… but it's uncommon to be called in.

Something must have happened if they're calling me in today.

I can feel a wave of disappointment wash over me as I realize what this most likely means.

I'll have to call Bo, I glance over at the clock again. It was only two; I had only gotten a half hour of sleep in the past twenty-four hours. And on top of that I can't call her, not right now, she's either in class or TA one of the and I can't disturb her I shake my head and quickly pull myself away from everything else as I scramble to my bedroom, quickly grabbing my backpack off the ground as I run out of the apartment.

I stop only long enough to close the door to the apartment and lock it behind me. I don't even stop to glance as I rush past a blurry yellow figure, quickly heading for the elevator before I think better of it and instead head towards the stairs, all the while cursing in my head.

Why did it have to be today of all days that this happened?

I glance down at my wrist out of habit only to stop and curse myself for my own stupidity: I had forgotten my watch. I contemplate going back to get it before I shake my head and begin to run down the stairs, the sound of my footsteps echoing through the building as I practically run down flight after flight of stairs.

And not for the first time do I curse Tamsin for her insistence that we move in to an apartment on the eight floor of our building, I had told her that the sixth would be more then adequate for our safety needs, but she had insisted on two floors higher.

The pager on my hip vibrates again, and I already know what it says and without even looking down I know that all I can do is run faster.

"Hey Bo… I guess I must've caught you while you were still in class huh?" I murmur into my phone as I slam the door to the car. The ambulance bay around me a hive of activity as more pull up and a few others depart. "Sorry about the noise, something's happened… I think some kind of accident."

"Ahh… there's a reason I'm calling and unfortunately it's not because I want to hear your voice, and I'm so sorry that you have to hear this over voice-mail instead of from me directly… well I guess this is from me, just not directly." I ramble nervously into the phone. "I have to cancel dinner tonight. I know this is last minute but I just got called in. I am so sorry… did I even remember to tell you that my job sometimes requires me to be on call? It's not often, but it does happen, especially on days when we're short staff. I don't even know if I did… ah shit…. Sorry, ambulance."

I look up again, quickly stepping to the side as a pair of paramedics rush another person through and into the ER. I look over as I hear a car come screeching into the ambulance bay, a man getting out of the driver's side and rushing around to the passenger's side. The man pauses for a minute as he stands stalk still, before I watch him sway.

I quickly rush over, trying to stop him from fainting, but he falls over before I can even reach him.

"YOU IDIOT!" I hear a woman screech, her voice loud and shrill, and the sound is quickly followed by a loud painful scream.

"I have to go Bo. I think something that you only ever really see in the movies is about to happen." I quickly bring the phone away from my ear, pressing the red button before I rush over to try and help the woman screaming in pain and the person I can only assume is her fainted partner.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" I ask as I walk over to the open passenger-side door.

"What do you think is going on you idiot!" She yells at me, gesturing to her obviously very pregnant belly, and to the wet puddle that is in between her legs.

The woman flinches again before she screams again in pain, and all I can do is wince sympathetically and look down at the twitching husband on the ground.

This is going to be a very long shift isn't it? I think before I tell the woman that I'll be right back as I run into the ED and begin to yell for two gurneys.

"Uhnn…" I groan as I slowly make my way towards the door leading to the entrance of the apartment building. A quiet groan escapes from my lips as I try to lift my foot, but it catches on the concrete platform instead. I am nearly sent tumbling to the cold, hard, and incredibly dirty ground below me, but I manage to catch myself in time. I shiver, shaking again as my cold rain soaked jacket rubs against the exposed skin of my arms.

"Mhn…" I groan as I right myself, my backpack bouncing against my thigh, the water slowly seeping through my pants. I hoist the bag over my shoulder, letting it hang by the strap instead. I walk… well stumble really, over to the entrance to the elevator, raising my entire limp arm up so that I can hit the button.

As soon as the button lights up I allow my arm to fall back to my side and my body to lean against the wall, the side of my forehead pressed against the rough, faded, canary yellow plaster. I haven't been this exhausted since my second year after Kat and I broke up, when I returned to work after my unplanned vacation I ended up throwing myself into work to try and forget our relationship and to try and stop myself from drowning in despair. I think I probably ended up working twenty-four or thirty-six hour shifts regularly, volunteering for extra duty, first in the ICU before I finished my rotation and then and then in the ER. I yawn, groaning as I bury my head against the wall when I hear the ding that tells me the elevator has arrived.

With shuffling footsteps that echo off of the walls like a second heartbeat, the only reminder that I'm still awake in an otherwise silent world. I shuffle myself into the elevator, closing my eyes and letting another yawn escape as I look over at the panel of buttons, one of the last obstacles that separates me from a bed. I blink as I try to get my eyes to focus on the numbers on the buttons, but they remain blurry as I fight against the drowsiness. I reach out as I finally manage to get my eyes to focus, my hand sliding weakly against the panel of buttons, stopping slightly to press against the button with the number eight on it.

I close my eyes as I lean against the faux wood panels on the inside of the elevator, the feeling of my body becoming heavier as it begins to accelerate upward he only momentary break in the otherwise monotonous journey. I yawn again as my mind begins to wander.

What would it have been like if things had been able to go ahead as planned. Would I be upstairs with Bo right now? Would our dinner be over or would she be upstairs with me? Would we be talking…

I almost laughed at that thought. I sincerely doubt that we would be talking right now, given our inability to keep our hands off of each other, we would most likely be in my bed or on the couch. I wonder what it would be like to touch her? To feel her skin against mine as we slowly come together in a primal dance.

I sigh and shake my head, suppressing the shudders of arousal that travels through my weary body, at the thought of Bo's naked skin, of her above me, below me, inside of me. I shudder again, heat beginning to gather between my legs as I become lost in the images that my imaginations conjured of smooth supple skin, of my hands against her skin touching her, of my tongue tasting her skin, the taste of her, the feeling of her against me, and of her touching me, tasting me. Her hands, her body, soft against mine, her touch welcome and wanted, feelings that course through me, welcome, wanted, and desired.

I can feel an ache between my legs, at the thoughts in my mind but I shake my head roughly and swiftly, vanquishing the images that my suddenly active mind has conjured. Another groan escapes from me, although this one is of a vastly different nature from the ones before it. I blink open my eyes as I hear the door creak open, the supposedly pleasant salmon of the elevator doors gradually being replaced by the sight of the ugly pastel wallpaper that covers the dimly lit interior hallway.

I slowly push myself up and off the wall, inching my way out of the elevator and into the hallway, my feet sending pain rebounding through my body from standing on them for so many hours. I glance back once as the elevator doors close behind me, knowing that in only a few hours I will have to use it once again. I turn my head back to the hallway I slowly begin to shuffle my feet across the carpet, the sound of my footsteps barely audible as I travel through the otherwise silent, dark hallway. The identical doors leading to the apartments pass by, each wooden one the same as the one before it and the one after it, the only thing changing is the metal plate affixed to the door boldly, and loudly giving away the apartment number, a deep contrast to the otherwise dark and dank hallway. I yawn again as I make my way down towards the end of the hall finally coming to a halt in front of the door.

Swinging my backpack around to the front I quickly fumble my keys out of their designated pocket trying not to drop them in the process. My hands are unsteady in their exhausted state and I slide them into the lock, listening for the audible click of the mechanism sliding into place and unlocking the door, the last barrier between me and my very much-desired bed.

"Well it would seem that you're finally home…" Tamsin's teasing voice call out as I stumble into the apartment, quickly toeing off my shoes before I stagger into the living room. "Lauren!"

"Mhrmm?" I groan out as I glare at her as she quickly makes her way over to me. All I want to do is go to bed and sleep...

"Radio-nucleotides..." I mumble as I begin to make my way over towards the couch, ready to collapse.

"You're speaking in chemistry again. Come on." Tamsin mutters, annoyed as she walks over to me grabbing me by the arm as she begins to drag me in the direction of my bedroom. "Seriously, how long have you been working?"

"Dunno… thirty-six hours? Was home for a few yesterday afternoon, but…" I'm cut off when I yawn again, stumbling as Tamsin continues to drag me in the direction of my bedroom. "Why dragging…?"

"Because you've slept on the couch for the last two nights you were home, and honestly I'm sick of having to try and carry your heavy ass to bed." She grumbles before stopping for a moment and adding. "Your girlfriend dropped by."

"Not girlfriend." I groan, giving up the battle to keep myself upright as I lean most of my weight against Tamsin's waiting shoulder. "Haven't talked about relationship yet. Been on one date, too soon…"

"Uhuh… yeah sure. I think I'll tell you what happened during her visit once you can actually carry on a conversation without yawning. Now let's get you to bed Scrubs. Do you have work in the morning?" I let out an annoyed grumble before nodding my head in affirmation.

"They're running you into the ground again aren't they?" She sighs as we stop for a moment, the creaking of my door a welcome and relieving sound.

"'S flu season… what'd'ja expect?" I mumble, my words sounding slurred to even my own ears, as Tamsin lets me go, pushing me gently towards my bed.

"I don't know." She sighed before pushing me gently onto my bed, quickly grabbing my backpack from my shoulders. The dull thump of the bag falling to the floor tells me that she most likely dropped it on the ground at her feet. I can feel her tugging at my waist as I'm dragged back into a standing position, I can feel something warm and soft shoved into my hand.

I blink my tired, heavy, eyes open as I look down, taking in the red and black plaid of my favourite pair of pyjamas. I look up at Tamsin, my eyes blinking blearily as I do.

"What?" She asks before she glances down at the clothing items in my hand. "If you're looking for some ulterior motive, there isn't one. It's been a while since you've done laundry Lauren, they're the only clean ones you have left."

I glance down at the pyjamas again, trying to get my tired eyes to stay open. I yawn again before I slowly lift my head up to look at Tamsin. "Thank-you."

All she does is smirk back at me in reply. "We're even after this one I think?"

"Nope." I fire back, a sleepy smile tugging at my lips. "Not even close."

"Sleep well Lauren." Tamsin says before she walks out, closing the door behind her as she does so. I can hear a pause in her footsteps, followed by the low murmur of a hushed voice as her footsteps begin to fall away again.

I wonder what this was all about?

Another day, another alarm going off at four in the morning as I drag myself out of bed and begin to get ready to leave for the hospital.

I yawn as I fumble around with the can of instant coffee.

"Come on…" I mutter as I try to get my short fingernails under the lid.

Do I curse the inventor of tin cans for this, or the various developers of plastic over the millennia?

I groan as the lid continues to refuse to budge. Why did Ciara have to be the one to go grocery shopping yesterday? I texted both of them, but it was her who had to buy the groceries? I sigh, annoyed. Ciara usually got a different kind of coffee, a more expensive brand that she preferred

I yawn again as I glance over at the clock, the dim light from overhead casting long shadows over all parts of the room. A forlorn sigh escapes from my lips as I look over at the clock again, 4:23 I need to get ready to leave. I glance down at the coffee longingly before I gently put the tin back in its place on the shelf.

I wince at the thought of having to drink the coffee that they make in the break room.

I sigh as I glance around the room one last time, before my eyes fall onto something that I hadn't noticed the previous night when I'd stumbled in through the door. I smile as I walk over to the bouquet of red roses standing upright in one of our glass vases. I reach out to run my fingers along the soft pedals, and for a moment I can't help but feel the first stirrings of envy of Tamsin or Ciara.

They really are beautiful flowers, I smile before I shake my head and move my hand away from the flowers, my hand trailing briefly along the cool glass of the vase before I pull away sighing, and smiling despite myself. I envy the relationship that those two can have with each other, the fact that even after all the time they've been together the fact that one of them did this for the other…

I'm glad that Tamsin found her soulmate in Ciara, they really are an ideal match.

I glance over at the clock again, wincing when I notice the time, I'd been too caught up in reminiscing to realize that so much time had past! I'm going to be late.

I quickly run back to my room, grabbing my backpack off the floor next to where it had been dropped unceremoniously by Tamsin the night before. I shudder as I glance around my room, taking in the layer of dust that seems to occupy everything, the clothing spilling out of the laundry basket. I look down at my scrubs, still piled on the floor from the night before as I quickly pull open the door to my closet and try to find my spar set of scrubs.

Frantically I push one piece of clothing after another aside before I finally come across the dark blue pants and the light blue top. "Oh thank-god I remembered to wash them!"

I hear my phone vibrate from my nearby nightstand as it receives an email. Without even thinking about it I grab it, shoving it into my bag along with the scrubs in my hands, but my phone vibrates once again causing me to sigh as I press the home button, causing the screen to light up.

The first thing I notice is the little green phone icon next to the notification telling me that I have two missed calls, but its the name attached to those calls that causes my heart to sputter for a moment before it speeds up again.

Bo.

She had returned my call after all. I hadn't thought to check last night, far too exhausted from so much time on the job with so little opportunity for a break. I glance over at the red glowing clock again before I sigh cursing my own weakness as I unlock the phone and quickly navigate my way into the voicemail. I stop myself just before I can tap the message and listen to it.

Do I really have the time? I glance over at the clock again before I close my eyes and ignore it.

I tap the message and bring the phone up to my ear.

"Hey Lauren it's me… well I guess you can't just identify who me is from just my voice can you? It's Bo." She says into the phone, her voice loud and the noise in the background making it harder to hear her then it normally would. "About the dinner? Don't worry about it. Like I said you're not the only doctor I know, I kinda figured that this would happen, although I didn't think it would happen this soon, I mean today of all days… or really I should probably say yesterday of all days given that I think it's after midnight now. The hazards of having a doctor for a soulmate I guess huh? Ah well, you go and save lives, we can always reschedule a date, patients in the ER can't wait. I can."

Her voice sounds cool as she speaks the words but there's a hint of an edge in her voice, a slightly bitter undertone. I sigh as I press the phone closer to my ear, listening to the sounds of her voice, and trying to ignore the fact that they're as soothing to my ears as they are to my heart.

"I hope that you get the roses that I sent, or maybe they're sitting out in the hallway of your apartment building right now? What kind of crazy hours do you and your roommate keep?" She pauses before she continues. "Sorry about that, it was out of line. It's none of my business the hours you and your roommate keep, or Ciara for that matter."

I can feel my heart rate pick-up at the revelation, a slow blush creeping up on my cheeks. Those had been for me?

I can feel a giddy happiness spread through me as I continue to listen to Bo speak, her voice slowly changing to a more familiar tone as she begins to relax.

"I mean I think it's my business what hours you keep because that kind of is going to influence our lives for the next few years. And there I went spouting off about the future. We haven't even talked about the present. Oh boy… I think you've rubbed off on me already, I don't normally babble like this while I'm on the phone."

I chuckle at the image that comes to my mind of her pacing back and forth up and down one of the long corridors in the university that contain the smaller lecture halls often used for tutorials and problem analysis. I laugh at the mental images of her free hand flying around as she talks into the phone.

"Anyways… if you want maybe we could try and just hang out at my place instead? I may not know how to cook as well as you and your pasta dishes, but I have plenty of take-out menus and their numbers on speed-dial. Or maybe you want to try and reschedule?" She says as she continues to babble into the phone. "I'm good with whatever you want to do. I guess I'll try calling you again at a more decent hour? It's close to one in the morning right now, and you're probably asleep, or maybe you're still at the hospital? Anyways I hope we can talk in a few hours. I mi—no sorry you don't need to hear about that. I hope we can talk in a few hours ba- Lo. Good luck, and save lives." My heart flutters as I heart the last of the words that she speaks, at the conversation that she had, at the words she had nearly spoken, the name that she had nearly called me.

I can also feel my stomach twisting at the message that she left for me, the nervousness that laced the words that she had spoken into the phone only a few hours earlier. I let out an annoyed breath, wondering how it was possible that I could sleep through my phone going off when the similar sounds of an alarm clock would wake me only a few hours later.

I glance over at the clock and all I can do is sigh. The blinking colons were counting down the moments until I would be late for work. I finally allow my eyes to read the clock and my eyes widen as my stomach drops when I realize that I have 15 minutes to make it to the hospital, something that is normally a half-hour drive.

Shit! I curse again in my head as I grab my backpack and run our the door before I can even think about what Bo means by a reasonable hour.

"Dr. Lewis? What are you going here?" Francine asks, surprised as I make my way over to the nurses station. "Dr. Lewis, do you even realize what day it is today?"

"It's Saturday." I sigh, smiling light at her as I wait for her to hand me on of the patients charts.

"Dr. Lewis, how long had you been on shift for when stumbled out of here last night?" She asks, her voice full of concern as she reaches out and pats my hand lightly. "It's your day off today, and I thought you had a date last night with your sweetheart? What are you doing here instead of at home with her?"

"Huh?" I blink, trying to get my mind to come into focus. "I have today off?"

"You have the weekend off Dr. Lewis, do you not remember how excited you were about your date? You couldn't stop talking about it, and about her." She chuckles as she reaches out, grabbing my wrist and turning it over gently. "This means something that you're only just beginning to understand, and finding her, finding your Bo is a precious and wonderful gift."

I look up at Francine, but she looks over me, her eyes dull as if she's lost in memory. I can only stare at her as her eyes become misty. I glance down at one of the hands holding my wrist, a watch so like my own strapped to her wrist, covering her mark.

"Francine?" I prompt gently, as I turn my hand over in her grip, catching her fingers with my own. "Are you alright?"

This is the second time that this has happened. I wonder what's going on with her? I glance down at the mark on her wrist again, at the beautiful watch on her wrist, but when I glance over at her scrub top I don't see the telltale bulge of wedding rings or of a necklace.

"Dr. Lewis?" Francine asks as she looks over at me again before she smiles at me. "I apologize, I was just lost in my memories."

"It's alright… I mean I'm the one who should be sorry I didn't mean to trigger bad memories."

She smiles at me, her eyes warm as she replies. "They aren't all bad Dr. Lewis, so fear not, there are just as many happy as there are sad. Now go, be with your sweetheart, and enjoy the time that you have with her, because if there is one thing I've learned it is that life is far to short."

I look over at her, wanting to open my mouth to question what it was that she was telling me, but I close my mouth again. I don't want to dredge up bad memories, to make her relieve the obviously painful memories. All Francine does is smile at me as she begins to make shooing motions, telling me that it is time for me to leave and go home, and enjoy the time that I have with my sweetheart.

I didn't have the heart to correct her during our conversation, to tell her that Bo and I aren't together yet, and that I have no right to call her my sweetheart, at least not right now. One day soon I hope, my heart fluttering in my chest as I do so, only to come crashing back down as it dawns on me that not right now could mean weeks or months.

I shake my head, clearing my thoughts. There's little point in dwelling on the semantics of a relationship, especially when soulmates are involved, some never bother defining their relationship, assuming a mutual exclusivity immediately, others end up together, engaged, and married within a year or so, and there are others who follow the route that Tamsin and Ciara have and move at a snails pace, most of them fall somewhere in between following a progression that mirrors that of a relationship between mismatched or unmarked pairs, albeit faster. I glance back at Francine, smiling as I make my way back towards the entrance to the residents locker room.

"And Dr. Lewis?" I stop, spinning on my heel as I look back at her. "Remember that some things are finite and fragile, others are far stronger and more enduring then you think. Be careful which one you chose because you have to live with it for the rest of your life."

I raise an eyebrow wondering what she was talking about. Fragile and finite, stronger and more enduring?

I sigh before looking up at Francine and smiling. "And it would seem that you've succeeded in baffling me once again."

Francine responds with a chuckle before she smiles at me once again. "Everything reveals itself in time Dr. Lewis, just remember that things can only get harder from here."

I blink as I look at Francine, a sense of foreboding coming over me.

Out of the corner of my eye I catch sight of the small ball moving up and down as if it was nodding agreeing with the words that are coming out of Francine's mouth, but how was that possible? I close my eyes and blink, but as always it's gone when I open my eyes. I wonder what all of this could possibly mean for me, for Tamsin and Ciara, and for the budding relationship between Bo and I.

My phone begins to vibrate on my hip as I move around the stove humming to myself as I flip the pancakes, paying attention to the colour as I do so. The precise nature of the chemical reactions the pancakes are undergoing are complex, and far too delicate to be interrupted by answering the phone.

I can feel it vibrate against my hip again. I poke at the pancakes once before deciding that they were done enough to let me take them off the heat. I quickly put the spatula down to the side as I reach into the carrying-case on my hip and pull the phone out, not bothering to look at the caller ID as I swipe my finger across the screen to answer the call.

"Dr. Lewis." I say into the phone, my voice louder and clearer then it should have sounded given how little sleep I've gotten over the last few days.

"Who do you think it is?" Is the brisk reply I get from the other end.

"What is it?" I ask, trying my best to keep my tone neutral.

"We need to talk." That's all the voice says as the house phone begins to ring, calling out it's automated message.

"Call from Bo Dennis." It calls out mispronouncing her last name in the process. I close my eyes as I pull the phone away from my ear, dreading what I'm about to do.

A/N: I am so sorry that this took as long as it did, but please believe me when I say thank-you from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me for as long as you have. Thank-you so much for the messages, they were heartfelt and to be frank awe inspiring, to one of you, to know that my writing can do that is humbling in a way that I can't describe and is perhaps one of the best gifts that can ever be given to an author. To the other, thank-you, just thank-you, you're the reason that this chapter is here now being posted instead of languishing half-written on my hard drive, your message gave me the final push that I needed to finish this chapter.

To those who have left reviews at one point or another, thank-you your words are welcome and the few who left criticisms they were most useful.

And as always thank-you for favouriting and following this fic, even if it does puzzle me at times where some of you come from.

Reviews are appreciated and welcomed, they're a great source of inspiration. So let me know what you think, if you have any theories on what's going on or just any general thoughts.

Hopefully this chapter was worth the wait.