Title: Home For the Holidays

Authors: hbomba & lonejaguar

Rating: M

Summary: Kenzi comes home for Christmas.

Author's Notes: This takes place within the series finale, before the teen Dagny scene. This fic goes out to osixtytwo. I know I promised a Gemini Effect sequel dedication, but this came out of the oven first and in the spirit of giving back, here's some holiday cheer, friend.

"At Christmas, all roads lead home." | Marjorie Holmes

"Christmas is a time when you get homesick — even when you're home." | Carol Nelson

"I bought every fashion magazine at the news stand and two cases of cherry Coke," Bo called from across the room. "They were out of taquitos so I got burritos instead." She looked over to Lauren who stood in the wide doorway from the kitchen to the living room. "Do you think she'll notice?"

Lauren tore a segment from a clementine and held it in front of her lips. "Notice what?" She popped the small fruit into her mouth.

Bo shook her head and let her arms drop to her side. "Am I trying too hard?"

"It's certainly a possibility." She smirked.

"I just want her to feel welcome," Bo sighed as she walked toward Lauren.

Lauren set the small citrus fruit aside and stepped into Bo's space. "Bo, she's coming home for Christmas, it'll be fine." She smoothed her hands over Bo's arms. "It'll be fine," she repeated with a nod.

"I hope she likes it here." She looked around the townhouse, at their combined belongings mingling in the space. There wasn't much of Bo's left after the fire, so while there were some items that were salvageable, much of the furniture was Lauren's from her Dark Fae condo downtown. If they had to get anything, Lauren was more accommodating than Bo expected when it came to decorating, but she always managed to leave her touch.

Her eyes paused on the windows that overlooked their modest patch of grass which passed as a front yard. She hadn't seen it in weeks, covered in a record-setting December snowfall. In front was their small tree, decorated with Peanuts characters and colorful ornaments, placed equidistant from each other and between the tinsel garland. It was the perfect Christmas tree.

Their townhouse was about the size of the Clubhouse; it was a necessity for Lauren's home-based laboratory, both for safety of her more sensitive research as well as a place for her to retreat to. Their place had an extra room, for guests, they told themselves. And among the common areas on the main floor was an office and a third bedroom for Kenzi. It was an important detail they made sure their realtor was aware of.

"What's not to love?" Lauren snaked her arms around Bo's waist and smiled. "Stop worrying. She loves you, she's going to love everything you've done for her."

Kissing Lauren's shoulder, Bo mumbled. "She loves you too, you know."

Lauren smirked. "On occasion."

It had been a long eight months since Kenzi left for higher ground. But the flood never came and Bo missed her bestie. So when Kenzi called from a payphone in the pouring rain one night in October, the drops pelting the tin roof of the telephone booth echoing in the receiver as she said, "I want to come home," Bo nearly crumbled. She told her it wasn't safe, even though there hadn't been so much as a peep from the normal baddies they faced together in the past. Another call came some time later but this time she didn't ask permission. "I'm coming home for the holidays, Bo."

Painstakingly, Kenzi laced her knee-high boots, humming Jingle Bells as her fingers worked the laces through eyelets. Dagny cooed from the carrier a few feet away and Kenzi smiled. It was go-time. She would return to Fae town tonight-Christmas Eve-and they would see her friends, her adopted Fae family after a long absence. She knew it was important to take Dagny away from Bo in case Hades came back with a vengeance, but after living in a tiny rural town for months, Kenzi selfishly missed civilization. She also missed her family. Raising a baby was something Kenzi never imagined she would be doing before the age of thirty but here she was, caring for Tamsin's heir, keeping her safe and nurturing her.

She zipped a duffel bag and slung it across her shoulder and a diaper bag on the other. "Ready, baby?" She scooped up her keys, unlocked three deadbolts and two chains, picking up the car seat before leaving her tiny basement apartment behind.

The steam rose up and covered his face. The preparation of the night's feast had begun late the evening before in the Dal's kitchen, everything laid out and painstakingly organized. Now, Vex moved with precision from the stove, to the fridge, to the prep area he'd created, and back to the stove again. He didn't notice the shadow in the corner, moving slowly and silently across the floor until it was hovering next to him.

"Jesus Christ," Vex jumped, holding a wooden spoon over his heart. "You're gonna give me a heart attack one of these days."

Mark smirked and hopped up onto the countertop next to the large cutting board. He picked a carrot off the top of a pile and popped it in his mouth. "Smells good in here."

"Oy." Vex smacked Mark off the counter. "I'm cooking here. I don't need your ass on my plate."

Mark smirked and leaned into him. "Really?"

Vex elbowed the young shifter back a few steps. "Cheeky," he said with a smirk. "Now get out of here before you ruin dinner."

Mark grinned over his shoulder as he pushed through the kitchen doors and into the bar area of the Dal. He glanced over the scores of ancient booze before the open expanse of the Dal spread out before him. They didn't expect much business on Christmas Eve, so they decided to hold dinner for everyone, hoping it would help heal the still smarting wounds of their war months ago.

"Mark." Dyson waved him over to the fireplace. "Help me move these tables." They pulled a few together in front of the fire that had only just been lit that morning, moving the seating areas around it. It started to resemble a large farmhouse. The loud crash from the kitchen and subsequent swearing made them both jump. Dyson sighed and shook his head.

"He's trying his best, you know," Mark said.

Dyson grumbled. "I wish he would try a little quieter." He pushed the last chairs under the table. "We need eight," he said, speaking of place settings.

Mark frowned and counted on his hand. "Eight?"

"We honor those we've lost."

The sheet snapped and floated down onto the bed. Lauren tucked the corners beneath the mattress and smoothed a hand over the cool cotton before pulling the duvet over top. She turned, hands on her hips to the bassinet a few feet away. Her fingers played at the lace trim on the baby's blanket before picking up a small stuffed toy. She was ready-for everything. Soon there would be a baby in their midst and it had reawakened something in her, but she knew Bo wasn't on the same page and struggled with the best way to broach the subject.

"Penny for your thoughts." Bo leaned against the doorjamb, arms crossed, a smile playing on her lips.

Lauren looked up abruptly. "How much time do you have?"

Bo's face went slack. What she had meant as a joke had hit the mark with Lauren. "What's up?" Bo pushed off the doorjamb and glided to Lauren's side, her hand reaching out to feel the small fuzzy lamb's ear.

A small smile, that shy head tilt, and Lauren was letting down her guard. "I'm ready, Bo."

"Yeah, it looks great in here…" Bo looked around the guest room that Lauren had decorated in the grand tradition of fine hotels.

She covered Bo's hand on the stuffed toy. "No, Bo. I'm ready for a baby."

Bo's mouth hung open. "Lauren, I-" Her words were a jumble, unable to escape.

"You're not ready." Lauren nodded.

"No-I mean, it's not safe."

Lauren laughed. "When will it be safe, Bo?"

Bo looked away. "Give it some time."

Lauren set the stuffed lamb into the bassinet and steeled herself against Bo's gaze. "Time is not on my side."

"Lauren."

She waved a hand and walked past Bo, out of the guest room without another word. She found her on the back porch, a frostbitten daisy between her fingers, the same pensive look on her face. Bo looked out over the immaculately groomed back yard covered in a dusting of snow, its landscaping once filled with medicinal plants amidst local greenery.

Bo sat in the deck chair beside Lauren. "I'm sorry," she said, finally.

She shook her head. "I knew going into a relationship with you, that things would never be as simple as that."

"Lauren…"

"I'm happy," she said, looking at Bo. "I really am, but this feeling won't go away."

"Just… what about us?"

"What about us?"

Bo struggled with her words. "We've spent all these years chasing each other and now that we're finally together again, all I want is to spend time with you." She willed herself to finish the thought. "I just don't think a baby is going to give us more time together."

Lauren knew she was having a hard time with Kenzi being gone and now with the addition of Lauren's baby woes, the conflict in her eyes was real. She nodded, sure that Bo hadn't seen her reply but Bo nodded too. A silence blanketed them as the cold settled into her bones. Lauren shivered and hugged her coat around herself tighter. Even under snow, Lauren took great joy in her backyard. She had worked on it for a month in the fall. She tilled the soil with her bare hands and planted bulbs and seeds, grasses and trees. Bo helped on occasion, but it was Lauren's creation. It was Lauren's de-facto baby.

"Sure," her voice was hollow, even as her breath still hung in the frosty air between them.

Bo knew there was so much to be said but selfishly she postponed the inevitable because there was safety in distance. Still, her hand reached for Lauren's and held it.

End part 1