Chapter Two:

Nora sat at their table; running her fingers through Matthew's hair, his head resting in her lap as he slept. She smiles as she watches Rachel and Bo dance.

Bo glanced over at Nora and winked. Rachel noticed where Bo's attention had turned. She looked up at the only other man she thought of as "dad" and finally spoke what was on her mind, "She loves you so much, Bo."

Bo turned his attention back to Rachel, "I love her too, Rachel. More than you'll ever know."

"I know you do Bo, but please, please don't hurt her again." Bo began to speak, "Bo please just let me say this," Bo nodded and let her continue, "I know she hurt you beyond reason when she turned to Sam to give you a baby and I never, regardless of her reasons, have justified what she did. But that being said, when you walked out on her you hurt her, and you know I understand why you did it, but losing you devastated her; it broke her spirit and I never want to see my mother that broken again."

Bo reached out and placed his finger under Rachel's chin, making sure she was looking at him before he spoke, "Rachel, honey, I promise you on my life that I will never ever hurt your mother. One thing I've learned during our time apart is that your mother and I have a connection; a connection that surpasses the physical, and that connection is a beautiful thing. What we have is so strong that when we hurt each other like we did and things ended between us it was like we died. That connection, that love, we felt for each other consumed us; it was what kept our hearts beating, it's what gave us breath. Without your mother in my life; without her love, I wasn't alive, I wasn't truly living. We've been given a second chance at living and loving, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life and into the next loving your mother."

"That's all I ask."

While Bo and Rachel were talking Asa and Renee had taken a sleeping Matthew home with them. The guests began to dwindle and Hank and Rachel said their final goodbyes. A few minutes later Bo was helping Nora into the back of the limo. They settled in their seats and Nora laid her head on his shoulder. He took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers before bringing her hand up to his lips, "Tired, Red?"

"A little," she yawned, a sleepy grin spreading across her lips.

"Well do you think you can stay awake long enough for me to give you your wedding presents?"

She lifted her head off his shoulder, "Bo, you've already given me more than I ever dreamed I would have again by simply loving me. I don't need anything else."

"Well this present is actually in two parts. The first part is for all of us, but the other part," he leaned in and kissed her, "the other part is just for you."

Nora looked over at Bo, her moist brown eyes, locking with his sparkling blue ones, "I love you so much, Bo. Thank you...thank you for trusting me with your heart again."

"Nora you're the only one who's ever owned my heart, who else would I trust with it." The limo comes to a stop just as he pulls her close and kisses her. He breaks their kiss and leans his forehead against hers, "We're here."

"Where's here?"

"Home."

Nora looked at him, confused, knowing the route that they took from the Palace did not take them back to the house on Birch Street, "What do you mean, home?"

"Come with me and I'll show you, but you have to close your eyes first," she begins to protest, "Please Nora, just close your eyes for a moment." She finally complied as Bo helped her out of the limo. He positioned her in front of him; wrapping his arms around her from behind, "Okay honey, you can open them." Nora opened her eyes and gasped at the sight before her. She turned around in his arms; the tears falling. He reached out and wiped the tears away with his thumbs, "Welcome home, Mrs. Buchanan."

She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close, "I can't believe you bought us a house."

"I wanted us to have a place to make and keep our new memories, with no ghosts from the past. I know the other house is all Matthew has ever known, but I..."

She kissed him, silencing his sudden doubts, "Matthew will love this house. He'll love it because you're there; his family will be there. I love you so much Bo and I can't wait to start building new memories in this house."

Bo pulled her into a tight embrace and together they walked over to the front door. He unlocked the door and they entered the large foyer hand in hand. She looked around the house and couldn't believe the sight before her. He had brought some of the old stuff from the Garrett over and all their things from the old house. He took her by the hand and led her upstairs. They walked down the long hallway and stopped outside of one of the bedrooms. All of Matthew's things had already been moved and displayed in the room exactly as it was in the other house. He opened the next door and everything from the guest room had been moved in along with all of Rachel's things. Nora turned and looked at Bo, "How...how did you know she was staying?"

"She called and told me shortly after she made the decision. She wanted it to be a surprise." He took her hand and led her to the next room closest to the other end of the hallway. They stood outside the door for a moment. She ran her hands over the lettering on the door, "Destiny.", she read out loud before turning to him, "I can't wait until she's here with us."

He opened the door and they stood in the middle of the empty room. He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her from behind, "I can't wait either. Just a few more months and she'll be here."

He took her hand and led her out of the room. They stood outside the door at the end of the hallway. He opened the door and picked her up, carrying her into the room. She looked around the room and the tears began to well up in her eyes once again. There was a fire lit in the huge fireplace that adorned the far wall. There were candles lit and soft music was playing. She looked over at the large bed that was positioned at the other end of the room, "Bo it's our old bed and all of our old furniture. How?"

"Well after the divorce I put most of the stuff in storage. We made so many beautiful memories in that bed and spent some of our best moments lying there together, holding each other." He noticed her tears, "What's the matter, honey. If you don't like it we can always get a new one."

"No...no that's not it. I love that you kept our bed...and everything that you've done making this new house into a home for us...it's just so overwhelming. Just when I couldn't love you more, you do something like this and I fall all over again." He walked over to the bed, where there was a package lying on top of it, "Bo, what have you done?"

"That is for you, this is the part of the wedding gift that's just for you."

He sat her down on the bed and she began to open the small box. She pulled out a new charm for the bracelet; two intertwined wedding rings. She looked up at him and reached out and laid her hand on his cheek, "Thank you, so much. Thank you for this beautiful house and this beautiful gift..."

He reached into the pocket of his tuxedo and pulled out an envelope, "There's more", handing her the envelope.

She opened the envelope and began to read it out loud, "One night; just us, the stars, a hot tub and some tofu on rye. Then later we'll head over to where crazy mixed up me first found all your hidden talents," she looked up at him and smiled, "You rented out Serenity Springs and my old suite at the Palace?"

"Well I know it's not a tropical island somewhere and I know once the baby is born, chances are going to be slim to none that we can get away on a real honeymoon for a while. So once the baby is born and things settle we'll get away even if it's just to the spa and the Palace."

"I can't believe you've done all this without me knowing."

"Well I know how you love surprises", she smiled at him and his sarcasm, "but I did have a lot of help pulling this off, and seeing the smile on your face and the way your eyes are sparkling right now made it all worth it."

She leaned in and kissed him; pulling him down onto the bed with her. They spent the night holding each other close; talking about the baby and the first time they'll be able to consummate their marriage. She soon fell asleep in his arms and as he laid there listening to her slow breathing he thought about how truly blessed he was and how his life had never been so complete.

TBC