Disclaimers: All original property is owned by Showcase, and we do not infer that any characters, creations or the concept of 'Lost Girl' is my property and the following fan fiction has been written purely for entertainment purposes only.

Pairings: Bo/Lauren Set three weeks after the end of 2x22.

Rating: M (Contains scenes of violence, sexuality and nudity)

A/N: I am obsessed with this show and have delighted in reading so many of these stories that I have decided to try my hand at writing one myself. Constructive criticism is appretiated and encouraged. I will do my best to update weekly at minimum. I know where I want this story to go, but I have no idea how long it will take me to get there, so enjoy the ride and yes I know my title is lame.

After the Storm

Dr. Lauren Lewis was asleep. She was warm and comfortable. She was dreamless and content. She was relaxed and peaceful and some freaking jack-hole was knocking-no pounding on her fringing door!

Her day had been exhausting, the first one back at the lab in nearly three weeks. There were samples to catalogue, test results to analyze, patient work ups to review, in short Lauren had returned from vacation to a literal mountain of paperwork, oh joy. She wasn't sure that making a pilgrimage to bury her deceased girlfriend, pay respect to her family, give them boxes of her crap and then top off the return trip with a visit to her own family who were indifferent towards her really counted as a vacation. Eh whatever, it was still time away from here, this place, this lab, these people. It was time on her own away from the fae and despite the circumstances, she was grateful for it.

With the Garuda, stabilizing the Naga venom, plus that whole end of the world apocalypse thing, Lauren really hadn't had time to properly grieve for Nadia and process everything that had happened. Ugh Nadia, what a mess that had been. She spent most of their brief reunion feeling like she was cheating on both Bo and Nadia. If she had just "manned up" and been honest about her feelings maybe Nadia would still be-no don't think like that. It wasn't that she didn't love Nadia, but 5 years is a long time to watch the person you love asleep in pod. It had felt like this slow torture with no end in sight. In the end Nadia had become just another patient to her and Lauren had trouble making the separation once she was awake. It also didn't help that Lauren had to sleep on the couch most nights because she couldn't stand to look at Nadia when she was asleep. In Lauren's basement she had several shelves filled with boxes containing countless research and treatments that she had tried on Nadia. Lauren had almost killed her several times over the years as she became increasingly desperate and tried more and more outrageous treatment options. Nothing worked of course because Nadia hadn't been sick at all, she had been cursed. That had been another thing to process, the lies and manipulations by the fae, namely her former boss/owner.

Lauren chastised herself for being so blind, so naive, but Nadia was everything to her. Nadia was her heart and soul. She had to try everything possible to make her well. When the Ash had made his offer to help Lauren jumped on it without a second thought. She loved Nadia more than anything and Nadia was her future, it was all planned out. Lauren was going to finish her work in the Congo, return home a hero with international acclaim for her humanitarian efforts bringing modern medicine to underdeveloped nations, and her groundbreaking research leading to finding the cure for cancer or AIDS. Nadia would be a world renowned photographer, recognized for her gripping an unapologetic look at her real-life subjects. They would get married and Lauren would take a job at a big government research facility finding cures for disease that had plagued mankind for centuries, while Nadia globe trotted and freelanced for magazines like "Time" and "Newsweek". Eventually Nadia would grow weary of the travelling journalist lifestyle and want to settle down. They would buy a house in the suburbs, get a dog, and then have kids, two girls and boy, Nadia being the birth mother of course. Nadia would open a portrait studio and take all the pictures for the local schools. Nadia would teach the children how to ride a bike and coach their little league teams. Lauren would help them with their homework and teach them how to bake cookies and cupcakes scientifically. It would be simple and perfect- but it wasn't, because nothing ever is, especially not when it comes to the fae.

Case in point, Bo.

If she were being honest with herself, Lauren had fallen in love with Bo fairly early on in their relationship/friendship/whatever it was this week. She had definitely been in love with her the first time they slept together and remained so throughout everything that has happened since, including Nadia. Lauren found herself comparing Nadia to Bo in all aspects, including the bedroom, especially the bedroom. Nadia was a skilled and attentive lover, but Bo was in another world. She tried to tell herself it was because Bo was a succubus, a creature defined by sex, but Lauren knew that Bo never used her powers on her. That when they were together it was Bo making her scream out in pleasure, not the succubus. Still, Lauren and Nadia had been fine when they were off on their reunion/honeymoon/love fest trip, but as soon as they came back to the city and the real world, the bubble burst. At least that was how it had felt for Lauren; Nadia seemed the same, at first anyways.

Nadia had adjusted very well, way too well, to the news that she had been in a coma and lost the last five years of her life. If the situation had been reversed Lauren figured she would have been a basket case and need to be committed to an asylum while she wrapped her head around the shock of everything, Nadia however just took it in stride. She accepted that she fell asleep at 25 and woke-up 30 and her fun, open, sexy girlfriend who had a bit of a wild streak was now this boring, workaholic, closed off 32 year old adult. Nadia had marveled at how technology had evolved with the world of smart phones and computer tablets. She loved that the internet was wireless everywhere and so much faster now. She had even ordered some photography magazines to familiarize herself with the new equipment that was out there. Nadia had no reservations with Lauren and responded to her without any hesitation. Their reconnection at the lake had been so easy and five years had felt like five minutes. Lauren had let herself believe that maybe they had a chance, everything could be like it was before, they could make it work, they could be happy together. It was all sunshine and rainbows until they got back to the city and dropped off Bo's car.

Bo's arms felt so right when she hugged her at the door, Lauren never wanted to step out of that embrace. It took everything inside to not kiss Bo then. Nadia had noticed of course, but never said a word she just hung all over Lauren and bragged about all the sex they had on their trip showing Bo that Lauren was hers. Lauren had always abhorred rampant public displays, and Nadia's behavior in front of Bo was beyond embarrassing for her. Though she later apologized to Bo, Nadia's possessiveness and jealousy didn't stop. If Nadia wasn't giving Lauren the third degree about where she was when not in sight, she was trying to initiate sex. Nadia was always finding reasons to touch her breasts, grab her ass, or rub up against her; the fact that if it had been Bo doing those things Lauren wouldn't have minded did not escape her. If Lauren had to leave the apartment for anything besides when she went to work Nadia always had to come. Even when she did go to work Nadia was always calling the compound trying to get her to talk, have phone sex or beg off work completely and come home. It got to the point where Lauren gave up and started working from home most days. After a month Lauren's patience was wearing thin. She was ready to insist Nadia either seek psychiatric help or they needed to call time of death on their relationship because it was very unhealthy. Then she had walked in on Nadia standing in the kitchen over the sink bleeding after she had cut herself with a knife.

Nadia had looked dazed and seemingly had no idea what had happened, thus beginning a new chapter in their saga. Lauren now spent her time split between her work for the Ash and trying to figure out what the fuck was wrong with Nadia now. Lauren's resentment of the situation bubbled under the surface, but she refused to acknowledge it. Instead Lauren simply exhausted herself running test after test and coming up with nothing. When she finally had a positive test result she was so worn out that she was practically on autopilot. She recreated the serum she had developed in Africa modifying it specifically for Nadia and deluded herself into thinking all would be well, nope wrong again. When Lauren approached Nadia and explained what she thought was wrong with her, Nadia exploded in a rage tossed the syringe shattering it on the wall, then went back to cutting up a melon, just another day. Lauren had been at a loss, but she told herself that Nadia was sick and just as frustrated with the situation as she was. It was understandable, she had been awake for barely two months after being in a coma for 5 years and now she had some horrific disease, possibly the same one that had caused her to be in said coma. The prospects for Nadia were terrifying, true Lauren herself could have alleviated some of them by telling her that she had been cursed all along and not sick, but Lauren didn't know where to begin that conversation. Her desire to protect Nadia from the Fae by keeping her in the dark may have been the most illogical decision of her life. Nadia wasn't stupid; she knew that Lauren was keeping things from her just like she had known Bo wasn't just a co-worker/friend. Lauren's lies under the guise of protection in fact left Nadia more vulnerable and indirectly helped cause her death. Nadia was weak and frail after being in stasis for so long, which left her open to possession by the Garuda. He fed her rage, facilitated her aggression causing her to act out and attack those around her, first Lauren in the shower, then Kenzi at the clubhouse.

Lauren had reached out to the one person she knew she could always trust, Bo. Unfortunately, Bo had been busy being tied to a chair by the Glaive at the time though and Lauren was left alone in her panic. When Nadia had returned from wherever complaining of fever and blackouts she finally demanded the truth from her "girlfriend", Lauren was without any option but to come clean so they could maybe find a way to fix this. Nadia sat silent while Lauren explained the whole sordid mess; the Ash, the curse, the fae, her enslavement/debt and Bo. Nadia smiled her gorgeous smile and Lauren had felt this weight had been lifted, no more secrets now they could be happy. Nadia wasn't done though; story time became an interrogation, her agitation increasing. Lauren began to feel it, something was off, Nadia wasn't just sick, and there was more below the surface. She was saved from her trepidations by the barging in of an enraged succubus, her succubus, demanding answers from Nadia about why she had attacked Kenzi. Lauren was stunned, Nadia lamely tried to explain she didn't remember then hid behind Lauren. Bo was having none of it and Nadia's inner beast came out to play. There was a scuffle, shoving and threats, followed by the real Nadia begging Lauren to kill her and put her out of her misery. When she went for Lauren again Bo, always the protector, reacted with instinct and the real Nadia thanked her as she fell to the floor dying in Lauren's arms. Lauren was shattered, Bo walked out in utter shock, and Nadia was just dead.

The next few days were hazy at best for Lauren; the body was collected, arrangements were made, tears were shed nothing felt real for her until Trick called and told her of an attack at the Dal and Hale had been hurt. Dr. Lewis took over and forced Lauren to take a shower and become a person again. She had been tempted to run, even packed up her meager possessions, her passport, university degrees; she was all set to go. Nadia stopped her; well Nadia's bloodstain on the floor stopped her. Lauren Lewis didn't run away from the shitty things in life and her friends needed her, the world needed her, Bo needed her. Bo, it all boiled down to Bo.

She had stayed for Bo. She had come back here because of Bo. She was in love with Bo, so why not? Everything was so uncertain, the Light Fae was in ruins, Lauren's status as a potential slave again was unknown, the Morrigan had a serious grudge against Bo, but Lauren remained optimistic. Whatever happened she knew they would face their futures together, and yes, have lots and lots of hot sex. The only problem, Lauren had been back for 3- no 4 days now and was yet to hear back from Bo. Where was she? What/who was she doing? Was she planning some grand romantic gesture or was 3 weeks enough time to let go of this silly fantasy and move on? And who the fuck was knocking on her door at 3 am?

Lauren had drifted back off completely lost in her thoughts when the pounding on her door brought her back to reality. She groaned in frustration and sat up. This was no good, sleep now, bed so warm, ugh. She dragged herself out of bed whimpering as her feet touched the cold floor. She shook the cobwebs out of her brain, wiped the sleep out of her eyes, grabbed her robe off the bathroom door and padded downstairs. She stood in front of her door willing herself to focus, the knocking continued so whoever it was wanted in and was definitely not going to go away.

"Who is it?" she called out not even trying to hide the irritation in her voice.

"Lauren, it's me, open the door."

Bo, it figures, she can't be bothered to call first or have the courtesy to come by at a normal hour. Lauren contemplated telling her to get bent, but they both knew she would never do that. So Lauren tied the robe around her body and opened the door. The sight she was greeted with was straight out of a slasher movie. Bo was covered in dried blood. "Jesus Christ Bo!" Lauren exclaimed. "What the hell happened to you? Are you injured?" Lauren grabbed Bo by the hand and pulled her inside.

"I heard you were back in town, I just wanted to see you." She said. Bo gave Lauren a warm smile, leaned forward and collapsed in her arms.