Lauren stepped outside, hoping the fresh air would help clear her thoughts as she attempted to sort through the emotions. She had pleaded with Bo to let her help her that the only way she knew how, through science. That wasn't the truth though, but it had been her girlfriend was asking her to step outside her comfort zone. What if in the off chance she was right, could she live with Bo or herself for that matter if something happened to Kenzi?
The last time she took a leap of faith it was with her then girlfriend as they made their way to the Congo, or when she took a chance that Bo would listen to her after the Vex debacle. No wonder she was reluctant to trust anything other than science, it had been the one thing she could count on aside from finding a cure for Nadia. The thought of her deceased lover still made her heart clench, she carried the weight of her death on her shoulders. How could Bo think for a moment that she would allow something of that magnitude to happen again? If she stayed on this course, there was the risk that Bo would never forgive her. She felt trapped as though being a slave wasn't enough. Bo wanted her to trust her? Well, the third times the charm because if this doesn't work, then to hell with it all. Lauren would find a way to leave it all behind.
Making a decision, she turned around to walk inside the Dal, almost bumping into Tamsin. Both watching in surprise as Kenzi's smile at burrowing into Dyson's arms sent a chill running down her spine.
"Bo was right, that is not Kenzi."
Rolling her eyes at the doctor, "Shouldn't you be running tests or something?"
"We have to help Bo," Lauren continued as she ignored Tamsin's comment as her mind ran through scenarios to distract the others.
"Why don't you run back to your little Light Fae lab while I handle this?" The Valkyrie sneered at her, standing at her full height in trying to make the human feel even smaller.
Lauren scoffs, "Do you think that you're the first Fae to come along and want to rescue Bo? Don't stop there, by all means play the human card too."
Tamsin taken aback by her behavior, she wasn't the least bit intimidated, "You have some bite."
"I need for you to get her, while I tell Trick that I'm headed back to the lab," she instructed her as she walked past her before she turned around, looking her dead in the eye to leave no room for misunderstanding, "Oh and try to leave without me and I'll make sure you that you regret it in your next life."
"What? How did you-?"
Smirking to herself, "The list of what I don't know is far shorter than what I do."
"From over here looks like those shackles are made of reinforced steel. Pretty strong stuff and you're looking weaker by the minute." Tamsin couldn't resist antagonizing the succubus just a little.
Bo looked up from her place on the floor, "Just another reason not to waste my breath talking to you."
"You and your girlfriend don't give up easily do you?"
Narrowing her eyes, "Lauren doesn't believe me either. She's off running tests or whatever."
Bo understood the doctor's hesitation given what had happened at the club, but it hurt more than she cared to admit that Lauren didn't believe her. After everything they had been through, how could her girlfriend do this to her now? As much as she loved the doctor, if Kenzi didn't make it through this, she wasn't sure how she would ever be able to look at Lauren again. She would probably leave again unwilling to deal with painful reminders of happier times.
"You want to save your little goth friend or what?" She'd let Lauren explain on the way as she had no interest in involving herself in their drama.
"Why would you help me? And there's no way Dyson will let us walk out of here."
"I think we have a little window of time and I don't need you losing your shit if something happens to your pet." Seeing that Bo was ready to argue over her use of the term, she held her hands up, "We can debate this on the way, now let's go."
As they made their way upstairs, Dyson let out a small growl of confusion, "What's going on here?"
"Dyson, let her go," the doctor requested from the doorway to Trick's lair. She had watched him return from taking "Kenzi" home, and made the necessary preparations if he did return early.
He whirled around to face her, "Lauren, you can't be serious. You know there's something wrong with Bo."
"And we will figure it out once we get Kenzi, the real one," Lauren attempted to reassure him but knew by his posturing that he was going to make this difficult. God, she really wanted to punch him in this moment.
"All of you have lost your minds." Turning around to face Tamsin, "You're taking her back through that door to the holding cell."
Scrunching her nose, "If there's one thing I hate, it's a man getting in the way of what I want, it's so retro." Moving to pull her hair in a loose fitting bun, "For the record, I really did not want to have to-"
To their surprise, Dyson crumbles to the floor, looking up the Fae women see Lauren holding a tranquilizer gun. "Come on, we don't have much time."
"Or space," Tamsin interjects, "Sorry, Doc, but my truck only holds two. You'll have to stay behind, thanks for the help though." She finished with a smirk to help regain her standing over their earlier encounter.
"She's right, Lauren, it's not safe. We don't know what we're up against at the moment." Bo made no movement towards her, she was still trying to process her emotions from being upset with her girlfriend to now her wanting to help. "Besides, it's best not to upset the Ash even if it is Hale."
"Neither is being a human amongst the Fae, besides if Kenzi is hurt she'll need medical attention. As far as the Ash," she stated with her eyes deadlocked on Bo, "don't you mean my asshat of a boss? Worst case scenario, I get a few days in the dungeon, not like it would be a first for me. But don't worry, sweetie, I'll do my time," she bit back at Bo before turning to a shocked Tamsin, "There's a jeep outside that will have more than enough room."
Bo didn't know what to say to Lauren's outburst, feeling an instant guilt from when the doctor spent time during Lachlan's reign. Too occupied with her own life to even bother checking in with her, and honestly too hurt about Nadia. Seeing the blondes head to the door shook her out of her thoughts, and she quickly followed them outside.
"Not exactly what I'd expect for a doctor. Nice wheels though," Tamsin commented as she took in the older model hard-covered jeep.
"Thanks," Lauren says as she wraps her jacket around her arm before smashing the window, "but it's not mine." Quickly jumping inside she begins to hot wire the vehicle, once it starts she turns to see the two women outside standing their with different expressions of shock. "Are you two going to stand there all day or what? Get in before Trick finds Dyson!" Her words urged Bo and Tamsin into action.
Tamsin startled at the authoritative tone in Lauren's voice, looking over she caught Bo's eyes as they flashed a quick shade of blue.
Lauren kept the jeep running as the other two were inside of the sorority house. Tamsin had insisted on driving, but the darker blonde wasn't about to take a back seat, literally or figuratively. She didn't know what to make of Tamsin and even though the Valkyrie was helping them, she still didn't trust her. The doctor laughed inwardly at having surprised the Dark Fae with her knowledge of her species.
"Alright," Tamsin stated gruffly as she climbed back in the front seat, "we need to head to the "creepy cave" by highway 8-"
She was interrupted by Lauren's phone ringing, shooting the doctor a glare knowing that phones can be traced.
"Hello? Yes, Trick I'm running her samples now. Of course science is exact, but the results are still inconclusive. No, I didn't miss anything. I know the biochemical anatomy of my girlfriend." She angrily ended the call before throwing her phone out of the window, throwing the jeep into gear she peeled away from the curb. She calmed slightly when she felt Bo's hand on her shoulder, meeting her eyes in the rear view mirror. "Once we get Kenzi, we need to head back to the Dal, Bo."
"Of course, babe."
"What were you two able to find out?"
Tamsin quickly filled her in on what the Kitsune had told them. Everything from her dealings with Inari to a human taking a chainsaw to the Norn's tree. Lauren quickly thought back to the conversation she had with "Kenzi" at the Dal. She had watched confused as the pretend Goth blew bubbles in her beer, the nonchalant attitude when she stated her concern over Bo not returning her call. Most of all what stood out was the talk about Dyson.
Being in the front seat, Tamsin watched as Lauren's knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel, feeling the shock dissolve into anger radiating from her especially as she took a corner too quickly, the tires on the driver's side almost going airborne.
"Holy shit, Doc! We're not good to Kenzi if we're dead!" The Valkyrie yelled as she braced herself.
Bo was already feeling all over the place given the events of the last few days. Apparently she wasn't the only one. Lauren had gone from being worried, somewhat fearful, taking charge to straight up pissed off.
"Lauren-"
"Have you noticed Dyson's behavior lately?" She ground out, a heavy feeling returning to her gut, there was no way she was going to compete with Dyson again.
Tamsin groaned, "You mean his love sick puppy routine with everyone's favorite succubus? I just thought it was something in the water."
"He doesn't seem as mopey lately. In fact, it seems like he's gone out of his way to..." She trailed off as she put the pieces together, and the changes in his aura but she had been focused on healing that she failed to realize in that moment that she had never used her touch. "Shit! Why wouldn't she tell me?!"
"Well, she's always been Team Wolf. So much for no strings attached, so happy he was there to help you heal earlier in the week," Lauren said with her teeth clenched, bitterness dripping off of her words, "I should have added a neutering chemical to that dart." She mumbled under her breath but still loud enough for the Fae to hear.
Bo honestly felt horrible knowing the insecurity her girlfriend must be feeling at the moment, and a sting of betrayal from the shifter too. "Lauren, I swear I didn't know."
Pulling roughly near the forest she slammed on the brakes before jumping out, quickly adjusting her strap to her medical bag.
"Lauren?" Bo pleaded with her to stop, she needed Lauren to understand that she never would have fed from him under those circumstances.
The doctor kept moving, yelling behind her shoulder, "We don't have time for this now. We need to find her or you'll never forgive me, remember?"
Tamsin wisely stayed silent, moving ahead she knew that the couple would follow her. She heard stories about the Light Fae doctor but this was not the same woman she had made her liver joke to earlier. No, even though she was human, even Tamsin had no wish to get on her bad side.
Lauren was too upset to walk beside Bo so she chose to walk behind Tamsin in her attempt to keep a calm and logical mindset even though her emotions were threatening to spill over.
"Come on Bobo, even the human is keeping her paces better than you."
The doctor quickly turned around, taking in Bo's weakened state. Her mind had been focused on the trail before them, creating a little bit of a physical distance to help with her warring emotions. She could see the conflicted expression across her girlfriend's face, only now allowing a moment that the revelation came no easier to her either.
Sighing deeply, "You need to feed, Bo."
Bo looked away, not wanting to feed especially with Lauren close by.
"Gee, I guess that leaves me," Tamsin oozed with as much sarcasm as possible as she stepped towards the succubus.
Nodding in agreement, Lauren cast one look back at Bo, not bothering to disguise the heartache in her eyes, "I'm going to scout ahead to get a better idea of what awaits us."
"Wait, Lauren, I'm fine I just need a minute. Besides, it's better if we stick together that way we don't get lost."
"No, Bo, you need to feed. If I can track rebels through the desert surely I can find Kenzi in a forest."
Now Tamsin was surprised, but at the same time it explained a lot. "You were a soldier?"
"Past life, past tense." She walked away quickly so as not to witness Bo being close to another, even if it was just for a snack. After walking for several minutes, she spotted the entrance to the cave, she took a moment to lean against a tree. The thoughts crashing around in her mind threaten to unsettle her. Sure everyone thought that they knew her, but really they knew the version that the Fae had shaped. Maybe running after saving Kenzi was the way to go, she could only imagine how Dyson would be now that Bo would know about his love. No, she would help find the solution to Bo then she would run. Allowing herself the moment, she doubled back to inform them of what she had discovered.
"I said feed off me, not suck me dry." Tamsin huffed as she stepped back, hands on her knees as she found her breath again.
"Wow, that was amazing! I never tasted chi like that."
"Not the first time someone's said that about me."
"It was incredible...but different."
This day was just getting better and better. She couldn't figure out what was going on with Bo's cells, Dyson had his love back, and now her girlfriend was delighting in the taste of another Fae's chi. The same Fae who she played spin the bottle with over a week ago. Clearing her throat, "I found the cave so if you two are done now." She refused to look at either of them, turning around to lead the way back.
It didn't take long to save Kenzi from her temporary prison, Dyson showing up at the last minute to offer his apologies, playing hero once again. No surprise there. After a quick medical assessment, she was able to tell that the goth was suffering from dehydration, hunger, and the signs of emotional trauma. Packing up her kit, "I'll meet you back at the Dal. Kenzi, I'll have a sedative ready for you. It'll help you sleep at night too." Lauren was all too familiar with the nightmares that might follow.
"Dyson, I assumed you drove your car here, and not your motorcycle?"
Confused he nodded in the affirmative, "I wasn't sure if-"
"Good, then you can give the others a lift while I return the jeep I borrowed." Standing up she turned to walk away, leaving everyone behind her stunned. She gripped her case tighter in attempt to keep a lock on her emotions, she would cry later.
Running to catch up, Bo grabbed Lauren by the arm, "No, Kenzi and I are coming with you and Tamsin can ride back with Dyson. Please, Lauren?" She pleaded with her, knowing that she had been an ass back at the Dal, but mostly she didn't want Lauren to believe that there was any competition.
"Are you sure, Bo?" Dyson inquired, not realizing that the intent behind his words were no longer cleverly disguised in friendship.
"I'm sure, Dyson, that I'd rather be with my girlfriend than anyone else," Never breaking eye contact with the wolf, missing the small smile on Lauren's lips. She gave him a wide berth as she scooped Kenzi up, and left without another word.
After placing Kenzi in the passenger seat, she placed her hands on Lauren's arm, "Why don't you let me drive back?"
Too exhausted to argue, she started the jeep and moved to sit in the back. As many twists and turns that revealed themselves today, Kenzi moving to sit beside her was one of them. She knew that they had a reached a new level against their fight with the pig men, but hadn't anticipated this reaction.
"Thanks for coming to my rescue today too, Lauren. You're one of the good ones, ya know?" She mumbled before sleep began to take over, relief that she was once again safe. She knew that Bo would save her, but it had been another day she was afraid that there would have only been a body.
Nodding her appreciation, she rested her head against the window. The ride back into town was fairly quiet. She could feel Bo's eyes watching her in the mirror, but she refused to meet them. Her heart heavy with the day's events. She finally addressed Bo once she realized the direction she was driving.
"Bo, where are you going? This isn't the way to the Dal."
"I know. Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow. I just want to take my girls home, we'll order some take out, and maybe finally plan our date for later this week?"
Her heart clenched around those words, wishing that it was that easy. "I should be getting back to the lab, I have quite a few tests to run."
"Lauren, please."
She had to look away, never being able to refuse Bo when she was like this.
Kenzi began to stir, looking around as they pulled up to the clubhouse. "Oh thank god, I'm going to take the world's hottest shower. Bo, whatever we're having for dinner, order lots of it."
"You got it, Kenz," She said with slight laugh as she helped her out of the vehicle and up the stairs.
Lauren reluctantly followed them, taking a seat on the couch as Kenzi headed towards the bathroom and Bo to their stack of menus. She was happy that Kenzi was safe and sound, not envying the ordeal that she must have endured. The blonde was lost in thoughts of memories past that she jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, you looked like you're a million miles away. I was asking if you felt like Chinese, pizza, or I could run out and get whatever you'd like."
Speaking with resolve that she had yet to build again, "Bo, I'm going to find out the changes happening to your cells. I have a feeling that Trick knows more than he's saying-"
"No surprise there."
Lauren ignored her agreement, "-but I'm stepping back, from us."
"What?!" She had now had Bo's full attention, moving to sit beside Lauren, grabbing both of her hands into hers, "You can't be serious! Just tell me what I need to do to make this better." Bo was nowhere ready to call it quits on their relationship, she knew that feeding from other Fae wasn't easy, but held hope that something else was going on to cause this level of hunger. She knew that Lauren would find the answer, but she still needed Lauren by her side.
"I can't do this again with you," even though she spoke quietly, there was no masking the hurt that surround her words. "Now that Dyson has his love back-"
"Doesn't change the fact that I'm in love with you, Lauren! I choose you, I meant what I said that it's time for us."
"Time? When do you have time, Bo?" Needing to put some space between them, she stood up from the couch, moving to stand in front of the fireplace. "There's always something that happens. Hell, we can't even find the time to have a simple dinner together let alone a relationship." Sighing in defeat, "It's better this way. I'm human, you're Fae, this was bound to-"
Not liking the physical distance as well as the growing emotional one, Bo moved to stand in front of her, "I don't care what you are as long as you're mine, Lauren. I messed up today and I know something is wrong with me and I don't know what, but I know that I love you." Shaking her head, "If I had been a better friend, actually listened to Kenzi then this whole day could have been avoided."
"And miss out on Tamsin's exquisite chi?" She didn't even bother to hide her jealousy, "Do you know how this day could have really been avoided?" Not waiting for the succubus to reply, "If I had run when Dyson told me to, when we came back to the Dal after we defeated the Garuda. I should have known something then but with Nadia's recent death, and me no longer needing to hide my feelings for you...well...I didn't put it together then. Noble my ass," she let out a humorless chuckle, "you'll forgive him though, you always seems to easily with him. Me? Not so much. So tell me again that you choose me."
Bo felt the weight of Lauren's words hit her square in the chest, her girlfriend was right. "You're right, you are absolutely right that when it comes to making a wrong decision I fuck up spectacularly. I've been unfair to you since the beginning. I forgave Dyson easily after the truth came out about my mother, but made you suffer after our first night. I was pissed after learning about Nadia, hurt that I had lost my chance with you whereas when Dyson was with Ciara I extended a friendship beer." Reaching out to grasp her hands in her own,"I don't know how I can ever make this right with you, but please believe me when I say that I choose you, Lauren. I know we have some shit coming our way, but after this is over I want to travel the world, but I only want to do that with you. I don't love you because I need you, I need you because I love you. I want you to feel as amazing as I do whenever I'm with you-"
Lauren lunges forward, her hands cradling her face, kissing Bo with an all consuming passion, the urge to reconnect on an intimate level. Pulling back, "Show me, show me how much you need me, Bo." The doctor was well aware that they would need to talk, that there was still the likelihood of more issues, but in this moment it was about her girlfriend owning up to past mistakes, making a declaration that their love was more than she had believed, and a knowledge that Bo had been affected by her actions more than Dyson's because her heart had chosen her already. It wouldn't be easy, but loving Bo was always worth it.