"Unaligned succubus what are you doing here?"

The Ash's deep voice jerked her to her feet. Lauren didn't even try to hide the needle. She knew it was of no use. She simply pressed her lips together and accepted the moment for what it was.

Lauren had told how dangerous it was for her to be helping her. She just never expected the Ash to find out which is why she found herself at a loss for words.

"Perhaps you'd care to enlighten me?" His voice groveled turning to Lauren.

Lauren stepped forward with her head tilted down, shoulders tense.

"I've been injecting her with a treatment to help control her feeding abilities. "

"She is not light Fae. You did not receive my permission to do this."

"I apologize. I should've asked."

"We'll talk later." He warned. "And you succubus. I do not take kindly to freeloaders. Only light Fae are allowed to use this clinic. Leave."

She felt her stomach twisting with dread. What was going to happen to Lauren? From what Lauren let on helping her was a huge risk and she hardly knew how the Light Fae operated.

She looked to Lauren for answers but her head was still tilted downward.

"Yeah...sure." She glanced at Lauren one last time and her blood ran cold. Lauren looked petrified.

"Need I remind you doctor I run this facility despite the privileges I've given you"

"Yes of course. It won't happen again."

"You're right. It won't ."

One of his lackey's struck her forcefully across the face and she fell to her knees, crying out in pain from the harsh blow. He had always threatened her with violence but this was the first time he actually followed through.

"This is a reminder, doctor, of where you fit in this world. No more secrets."

He gestured for the same Fae to hit her again and she crumbled forward further.

"Make sure she lives."

The door shut behind him and she knew she was in for an agonizing punishment. The two men aimlessly threw kicks and punches knocking the breath right out of her. It lasted no more than a minute but it was enough to have her in tears. They left her laying on the floor of her lab grinning at her as they left. She never felt less than human up until that moment. This indenturement was going to kill her.

She crawled over to a nearby stool and leaned against it to catch her breath. A broken rib was definite, maybe even two. When she pulled herself to her feet she was groaning in pain. Her ribs felt like they were pressing into her lungs with every breath.

Her face was already swelling and there was blood dripping down her lip. The bastards.

She wiped angrily at her tears. This is what she gets for trying to help a pretty face. But Bo was more than a pretty face she sighed. She was…. different. A Fae with the traits of a human. She was kind, bold, and pleasant to talk to. Someone she wanted to get to know better.

She slipped out of her lab coat, painfully inching it past her arms. Now she'd have to get a new one she groaned. They weren't exactly cheap. At least not her brand.

Dammit. The Ash wouldn't pay for that given how it was ruined. She fought off more tears and took in a deep breath. Right now she needed to tend to her injuries.

Before she opened her first aid kit her phone started ringing from somewhere in the lab. She got up, wheezing as she did so and followed it's sound. It must've gotten kicked underneath the lab equipment during their assault. She groaned as she reached for it, picking it up before it went to voicemail.

"Dr. Lewis." she breathed

"Lauren, Hi it's Bo. I hope I didn't get you into too much trouble."

There was silence on her end of the line. How could she tell her the truth? From what she understood about Bo she often placed guilt on herself. This wasn't her fault.

"You're not grounded are you?"

Oh this was not the time for jokes! But Bo didn't know. She wasn't familiar with the politics of this world. She couldn't be mad at her.

"No. I'm not grounded. But you understand I can't help you anymore."

"Oh…" She could hear the disappointment in her voice. "I get it. The Ash doesn't like me. It wasn't my intention to get you in trouble but I'm a lot better than where I started and it's because of you. So thank you."

"Of course Bo." She shifted on her feet causing a burst of pain to shoot through her side. Her gasp didn't go unnoticed by Bo.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…."

"You don't sound fine."

"You just caught me in the middle of an experiment." She lied.

"Well I'll let you get back to it then….but could I maybe, see you again? Outside of the light Fae compound?"

"I don't know Bo. We'll see."

"Bye then…"

"Goodbye."

She hung up and buried her face in her hands. This was all going horribly wrong. She couldn't get attached to Bo but god dammit her heart refused to listen.

It had been three days since the Ash had his men punish her. She had a cut on her lower lip, bruises along her face and breathing felt like a torturous event.

None of her lab assistants commented on her appearance but they all knew what happened. She was just thankful they had enough respect for her not to bring it up. She wanted to forget it ever happened. Except Bo was back. This time escorting a patient. It was too late to try and hide from her. The succubus was already halfway in the room carrying a wailing female. Light Fae. The doctor in her had her rushing over.

"What happened? Set her down here."

Bo set her down on an empty bed and met her eyes for the first time.

"She-" Bo was momentarily taken aback by her appearance but quickly pushed on. "just collapsed and started screaming like this. Raving about burning in hell."

Bo's eyes ran all over her, moving from one dark bruise to the next and she shifted uncomfortably.

"We'll need to restrain her."

Bo nodded her eyes still glued to her bruising.

"I'm sorry…." Bo said. She looked to brown eyes filling with remorse. Bo figured it out.

"It's not your fault."

"But if I hadn't asked you to help in the first place-"

The woman's screaming cut her off.

"Tie her down ." She fastened her own side of the restraints waiting for Bo to do the same.

She placed a hand to the woman's forehead.

"She's burning up."

She quickly hooked the woman up to several machines monitoring her heart rate, blood pressure, and other vitals. Bo continued to talk to her as she worked on helping the stranger.

"You were right When you said I didn't understand the politics of this world. I don't. But I'm starting to now and it's not right! What they did to you is wrong. Nobody deserves -" The clinic's doors slammed open.

"Why is it whenever there's trouble the succubus is around?"

Oh no. The Ash. Why did this keep happening to her.

"She's light Fae I was just bringing her in."

"And you may leave. The doctor needs to work."

"I'm not leaving her."

She knew Bo meant her not the Fae laying down.

"And just what gives you the authority to do so? I remember asking you to leave a couple days ago. As I'm sure the doctor remembers just as well. Perhaps even better than I."

She gripped tightly onto the I.V bag she was setting up, desperately trying not to show just how badly his words were affecting her. It wasn't a memory she liked recalling.

"Yeah? Well maybe I need a refresher."

No Bo. No. What are you doing? She thought dreadfully.

"Hmm that can be arranged. Dyson."

The shifter stepped forward.

"Why don't you reenact the events for Bo here."

Bo's face instantly fell stricken.

"No!"

It was sweet it was foolish and it was useless. Once the Ash made up his mind he never went back on it.

She braced herself for Dyson's hit but it never came. Bo had intervened catching his fist and throwing a punch of her own. The wolf growled and bared his teeth while they stood at an impasse holding each other's fists.

"This isn't right! Lauren didn't do anything! If you're going to attack someone attack me!"

Her heart swelled at Bo's words. The succubus was sticking up for her but she wasn't sure if that was a good thing. Who knew what he ash would do because of it.

"Lauren is a human. You're a fool to even be siding with her. You're fae."

She hated seeing her species constantly being used as a putdown. She was better than this, intelligent, resourceful, crucial to many of the scientific advancements in the Fae world. If only they gave her more credit.

"It shouldn't matter if she's human or Fae. She's a living being."

"Whom I own." He growled. "I'm giving you one last chance until the doctor becomes a breathing punching bag."

Bo was distraught. No matter what she did it always seemed to end up hurting Lauren. She was trying to help the blonde not make it worse!

"Ok! I get it. I won't come back. But please don't punish Lauren because of me."

"I make no promises."

Her stomach dropped. He might as well have said he was going to beat her to a pulp because that's exactly what he was going to do.

Bo pushed back Dyson and ran over to her, grabbing her wrist.

"Come on Lauren!"

But she couldn't go with her. She stood in place pulling back her wrist.

"No..."

"What?" Bo looked like she had stabbed her in the heart.

"I can't go with you..."

"But you're not safe here. Let me help you."

"I'm sorry." Bo's hand fell away and she would never be able to forget the look of heartbreak on her face. They barely knew each other but the connection they had made it feel like they were long lasting lovers. The Ash watched the event unfold and laughed.

"See. I even have her trained."

Damn him! She wasn't a dog. Every fiber, every cell, every damn part of her soul pleaded with her to run away with Bo. This wasn't living. The woman on the bed started screaming again and she snapped. This was it she was done with this pitiful existence. She grabbed Bo's hand and made a run for it.

Bo was startled at first but quickly went along.

"What happened to staying?" Bo panted as they ran through the halls.

"Can't teach an old dog new tricks." she hissed bitterly.

The truth was, Bo made her feel hopeful. A feeling she hadn't felt in a long time. Maybe this was the worst decision of her life, but it had too much potential to let it go. When she saw the woman screaming on the bed she somehow knew that would be her in a matter of years. Lost to the insanity of the Ashes indenturement. She would run the rest of her life if she had too.

The Ash didn't try and stop them. He let them go, fully intent on issuing a manhunt but Bo promised to keep her safe. She wanted to believe her and the beating in her heart said she should.

She sat on Bo's couch. Vacantly staring at the TV in front of her. Her life was in the lab. She wasn't meant to be free. She didn't realize she had started to cry until Bo wrapped her arms around her. She gasped in agony with the added pressure to her a ribs and Bo immediately released her. She wished she hadn't though. Bo's embrace was exactly the kind of contact she needed despite the discomfort it gave her.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to..."

She leaned back into the couch and sighed.

"The Ash will find me Bo...and when he does he won't be understanding."

"No. I won't let him." A moment of silence passed between them and she didn't tell Bo what she was thinking. That it was impossible for her to win against the Ash.

"Why are you putting yourself in danger for me you barely know me?"

"Because you did the same for me."

Had she? She supposed she did with the injections but Bo's intervention was different. She caught Bo's gaze and felt a familiar spark in her gut. They had this connection. An unmistakable attraction that never seemed to dissipate. Whenever she looked into the succubus' eyes it always made it's presence know. She had to tear her eyes away.

"Why didn't you go with me at first?" Bo sounded just as hurt as the moment it happened.

"I've spent 5 years of my life with the Fae….It's all I know now, leaving meant abandoning all my research, the hard work, the lab and the resources at my fingertips. But...when he called me a well trained dog I just...I couldn't stand it anymore. He never used to be this way Bo. He's changed."

Bo's eyes shimmered sadly. She had the feeling Bo knew what it was like having to abandon a life you loved because of unfortunate events.

"I want you to know you can stay here as long as you need. I got you into this mess and I'm going to help you out of it."

"Thank you…" Bo smiled and offered her a hand up.

"Come on. You can sleep in my bed."

"Oh no I couldn't. I'll take the couch."

"Lauren, you've been through a lot with the Ash and I know you've taken an oath to look after people medically and all but you have to let someone else take care of you for once..." The sincerity and warmth behind Bo's eyes caught her by surprise. It was warming to see and had her falling just a little more for the succubus. "So...goodnight."

"Right." She looked down briefly before regarding caring eyes once more . "Good night." She brushed by Bo who expected her to head upstairs and bent over to set up the couch instead. Bo wasn't the only one who could be stubborn. Bo smirked when she realized the move she pulled. She wore a similar expression as she looked over her shoulder at a motionless Bo. After a moment Bo let out a small breath of amused disbelief and placed a hand to her lower back. The touch didn't last long but it seemed to take her heart with her as the succubus headed upstairs.