Well folks, I'm back again! There's been a little bit of interest in a continuation of my story, about enough for me to justify the fact that, truthfully, I just enjoy working with these characters.

Now here comes the fun part. Unlike the last story where I knew exactly where I was headed, this time I have absolutely no idea. You guys are going to be in the driving seat for this one so throw all your ideas and suggestions at me and I'll try and incorporate some into the plot.

Some of you did request a bit more Athdara/Lauren backstory. I'm glad you appreciated the character and while she won't really feature much at all in this story, I'm happy to include a few flashbacks just because I'm nice like that ;-)

Hope all my lovely readers are staying with me for this one. This picks up pretty much from where we left the Epilogue.

Chapter One

"I can tell the difference between you and your mother y'know."

The unexpected voice cut through the late-night darkness making the visitor's heart give just a little more of a jolt than pride would allow her to admit.

Lauren possessed little control over the heavy droop of eyelids that had been plaguing her since the late, summertime setting of the sun but the involuntary nod of her head and accompanying snort soon jerked her awake once more. The rocking chair on which, eight years prior, she had nursed her two beautiful children was proving far less comfortable than she remembered and she shifted against the hard crick that had at some point developed in her neck. She shivered in the midnight cool that the heat of the Summer sun had left behind in its wake and wrapped the fluffy blanket tither about her body as she smiled fondly, glancing at the two little bundles of perfection snuggled up tightly on the large double bed in which Bo had placed them earlier.

They had their moments like any other children. They threw the odd tantrum and stomped their feet when they didn't get their own way but all in all, Charlotte and Ethan were good kids. Bo and Lauren had discussed the possibility of having yet more children at one point but in truth, times were just far too dangerous and the twins were enough of a handful as it was. 'There again, when weren't their lives in mortal peril' She thought to herself sardonically.

But there again that wasn't strictly fair. For several years, the Fae world had enjoyed a relative peace. The corrupt Council of Elders had long-since been disbanded. There was no Ash, nor Morrigan to play their pathetic chess games and society had become much more tolerant than it had ever been before.

At work, Lauren had literally been living the dream; running a joint-Fae clinic in the very heart of Toronto, treating Dark and Light alike under the same roof. Best of all, her real achievement was bringing her Sister-in-Law, Dagny, under her...wing, so-to-speak,as her very own medical protégé. Originally the Valkyrie had thought of joining the 'Force like her mother but in her late teens she had started visiting Lauren at the clinic. Initially it was just any excuse to see the attractive doctor, offering to bring her lunch and mooning around the blonde's office but eventually as she grew more mature and her girlish crush over her older sister's wife dissipated, the young woman had begun to take note of the good works that Lauren ploughed herself into with little-to-no thought of her own wellbeing. Over time Dagny realised that one could be just as much of a hero in a lab coat as they could be carrying a gun. And thinking about it, what better place for a budding Valkyrie to ply her dark trade of ferrying the souls of warriors to the afterlife than a hospital where all manner of Fae had received mortal wounds? If she couldn't save them, she could still ensure their wellbeing after death.

But while her work was rewarding, Lauren had discovered that true satisfaction was to be found in the house. With Bo and their children, she finally understood all the terrible clichés about domestic bliss and happy families. In her youth, Lauren had always believed that her entire sense of self was wrapped up in her future scientific career. As much as she craved the warmth of a loving home, in her heart of hearts, she had never really thought she would ever actually find it for herself. Then through their own selfish means, the Fae had stormed in and ripped her freedom away. Suddenly, any choice over her future had been taken entirely out of her hands.

Then she met Athdara and for all too brief a time she had believed that there could be an escape for her. In their whirlwind romance, she had foolishly allowed herself to think that the Griffin would somehow whisk her and away and protect her from all things Fae. But the truth hit home with the force of a sledgehammer when Athdara abandoned her, having unsuspectingly altered the course of both of their lives irrevocably and Lauren, in her secret pregnancy, was once again manacled to her lab with even more uncompromising shackles. She had thought then that it was all over for her. The only thing keeping her iron will in-tact the variety of species she was now able to study and the eternal hope of finding a cure for her stricken girlfriend Nadia.

The guilt over how little regard she had had for the dark-curled photographer during her time with Athdara had never failed to come crashing over her whenever she thought back over the affair. The fact that she had become so infatuated with some heroic warrior straight out of an erotic fiction novel to the point where, at the Griffin's request, she would have instantly taken flight and abandoned her comatose lover to her fate. It was only with the stark clarity of afterthought that she would vow to never again contemplate surrendering her duty for a torrid liaison.

Then Bo happened. The Succubus had burst into her life with all the subtlety of a tornado and Lauren knew she was in love…and that this time there really was no going back. Even after the cure for Nadia's condition had 'miraculously' landed in her lap, in her mind there was still only Bo. Bo would have done anything for her, she knew.

She had begged Bo to slay her lover in her own arms and with it, the evil creature that tormented the poor woman's mind. The Succubus did it with barely a backward glance, unable to stand the anguish etched with painful precision in the doctor's face. The choice had been simple. Even after the trauma of that awful night, it was to Bo's arms that Lauren had run, found comfort in and her home in which she had begged sanctuary from Lachlan's deprivations.

After all they had been through in the years since, it was still Bo. It would always be Bo. And now their ever-growing little family too. In fact, as she peered through the streetlight glow filtering in through the curtains, she was just about able to discern the rather distinct characteristics of her eldest offspring.

Saoirse uncoiled gracefully from her place at the foot of the bed, morphing from her Griffin form to something that looked entirely more human; "Damnit, Mom, how'd you know it was me?" she hissed, desperately trying not to wake her two much younger, very precious siblings.

Lauren grinned her delight; "I knew your mother's Griffin very well…and my daughter is not quite the silent assassin she would like to think she is." She said, rising to her feet with outstretched arms which Saoirse gratefully stepped into with a sigh of content. "You've been watching over your brother and sister at night." She continued with just the slightest hint of rebuke in her tone but the younger woman merely shrugged.

"You asked for help."

"Hmm, I asked your mother for help. The last time I saw you, you were bracing yourself to face some god-awful trial to prove your worthiness as a warrior and that was only yesterday. Then suddenly you were here last night." She paused for a moment before smiling a tad impishly. "I hope you kicked some ass."

Saoirse beamed a daughter's pride and for just an instant Lauren thought she was looking at Athdara. She took the young woman's shoulders in her hands and squeezed the strong, warm flesh; "How is your mother anyway? Does she know you're here?"

Saoirse nodded; "Actually, you're my first assignment and she couldn't be more delighted. Not only did your clever girl pass muster but she's won her Mum's place beside the Celestial Elders. Well, on probation anyway. I wanted to come see you Mom, this problem your having with the malcontents is the reason they let me come see you. You know them, all business but even the Elders know that as much trouble as they've had between you and Mom, they can see that both you and Bo are a force for good in the world. If this Christophe guy succeeds it would throw the whole Fae community into turmoil again. And…I may have had some other intel that I'm not really supposed to know. I can't say too much but it's imperative that my little brother and sister there are protected at all costs."

Lauren heaved a sigh. It was true, despite her pleasure at having her eldest child at home with her, bigger things were calling them and Saoirse's choice of words caused her no-little alarm. Still, she knew it was pointless to press further for the time being.

"Come downstairs and have some tea honey." She resolved, running her hands briskly up and down Saoirse's arms for a moment, vaguely aware of the evidence of Athdara's hard and rigorous training regime firm below her fingertips but the Griffin bit her lip.

"I'm here to protect the little ones Mom. I daren't leave their side." Lauren chuckled and turned her daughter to the less-than-optimal chair she had just vacated. Such devotion to duty. Not sure which one of us she can thank…or blame for that one.

"Then sit and I'll bring some to you…unless there's any rule about not being under the influence of tea whilst on duty." She teased, winking at her daughter's narrowing of eyes.

She left Saoirse attempting to get comfortable on the hard, wooden chair while she headed downstairs to boil some water, stopping off in the kids' bedroom en-route, giggling as she grabbed herself a much more pliant beanbag for their long night ahead. She had no idea how long Saoirse would be remaining in their lives for and she was determined not to waste a moment of it.

Well, folks, just a short intro really to test the waters. Let me know your thoughts and if this is something you'd like to see continue.