Disclaimers: Lost Girl is the property of Prodigy Pictures and Shaw Media. I own nothing, and do not take any credit for any creative choices its production staff has made. However, any further bastardization of the plot and/or characters in the scope of this story is solely of my own doing, for which I apologize immensely.
The following story is being written on behalf of Isotopes5150 and her extremely generous contribution to the Stand for the Silent anti-bullying campaign. To all the other donors and participants in the ClubDoccubus auction, I just wanted to reiterate how thankful I am for all of your dedication. This fandom continues to truly amaze me in every conceivable way.
The prompt for this story was to use themes from the 1983 film Trading Places, in which Bo's and Lauren's positions are switched by the meddling duo of Levi and the Norn, hoping to see the fallout that would befall them and the Fae world. This story will deviate some from canon — as you'll see, at the start of the story Bo still hasn't forgiven Lauren after their fallout from "Vexed" (1.08) — though other major canon plot points will remain the same (the defeat of the Garuda, etc.). These will be noted and explained in the narrative so that there's no confusion.
As always, I encourage feedback on this piece, and if you have a moment, drop Isotopes a quick message on Twitter to thank her as well. I appreciate all of you reading, and I hope you enjoy.
-Leslie
...
...
...
Life sure was good at the top of the world. Four years ago, Bo wouldn't have even been able to conceive of living life as she was now. Back then, she was a fugitive, a killer running from her past. Despite her initial terror when she was found by the Fae, she'd never once looked back. In just a few years, Bo garnered quite the reputation among the supernatural ranks, yet somehow still managing to avoid declaring fealty to either clan.
Some regarded Bo in awe for her heroics against the Garuda — how her poisoned blade sliced his abdomen cleanly and ensured his demise. Others remembered Bo for her legendary defeat of the Wanderer, a literal demon from the pits of hell itself (and not coincidentally Bo's father as well). At first, she thought the Fae had no greater fear than the Garuda, the dangerous beast she slayed one year previously. But that was before whispers of the Wanderer's return surfaced. The Fae who were old enough to remember the tales of his destruction thought him dead, and the merest mention of him sent factions all over the world into a massive panic. The only one that remained collected was Bo, and in the coming months she systematically hunted the bastard down and made him pay for his many sins, not the least of which was his abuse of Aife. Those that considered Bo's victory against the Garuda merely a fluke were forced to change their tune after that, and as a result, Bo officially became the closest thing the Fae had to actual royalty.
She and Kenzi no longer had to live in the crack shack, for starters. They'd upgraded to a luxury condo, thanks to a most generous donation from one of the Light Fae's most wealthy donors. Bo was originally going to decline the offer, but Kenzi insisted they accept it — "Enjoy your shit already," she reminded Bo, right before pointing out that they'd both earned the right to have fully intact walls in their home. Bo suspected that Kenzi also secretly needed a bigger closet to house all the shoes she'd been gifted from their wealthiest Dark Fae contact. However, Kenzi and Bo still maintained their private investigator business as a hobby, despite the fact that neither of them really needed to work another day in their lives. Both clans had a vested interest in staying in Bo's good graces, and they showered her in wealth and their strongest Fae to keep her succubus appetite sated. Now that Trick had just been officially coronated as Ash, the potential perks could only get better.
Bo stretched her limbs and squinted her eyes shut against the bright sunlight filtering through her window, recoiling only slightly when her left arm bumped against a solid mass in the bed next to her. Four years later, and she still couldn't get used to the feeling of waking up next to the living, breathing bodies of her feeds. She nudged him awake, earning a deep, muffled grunt in response.
"Dyson, you know the rules," Bo told him. "No staying for breakfast."
"Yeah, and no more than two days in a row — I got it, Bo," Dyson mumbled. A moment later, he threw the smooth sheets back away from his body in a dejected huff. "We've been doing this for months… When are you gonna drop it with these rules anyway?"
Truthfully, Bo needed her rules. She didn't have the heart to outright push Dyson away after he got his love back, but she couldn't pretend like hearing the news was the best thing that ever happened to her. It felt more like an obligation — like she owed him a token effort because he'd lost his love to save her in the first place. Bo never asked him to do that, and now that she'd moved on, there was no way for her to recapture her feelings from before. She valued his friendship immensely but wanted nothing else. To try to maintain some semblance of their former closeness, she'd adopted "the rules," a variation of their initial friends with benefits arrangement that once upon a time had been so difficult to maintain. Bo just wasn't that girl anymore, but Dyson hadn't changed one bit — probably hadn't for at least a thousand years.
"We've talked about this," Bo said in a warning tone. "If you can't handle it, then say something. I need you to respect that I'm not ready for this to be anything more — for us to be anything more." And I never will be, Bo finished in her thoughts. She supposed that this was the dreaded "Tim effect" that Kenzi mentioned to her once upon a time.
Bo could have anyone she wanted, and just about any Fae she'd been offered recently could easily hold their own against Dyson. Just a few days prior, the Dark Fae elders sent one of their famous Yukshee as Bo's prize for the evening. Dyson couldn't even begin to hold a candle to that particular experience, though it would irreparably damage his pride to hear it.
An insistent knocking sounded at the door, cutting off Dyson's reply. Both he and Bo knew instantly who was standing on the other side.
"Hola, bitches!" Kenzi chirped, her energetic voice muted slightly by the sturdy door. "Cover up your naughty bits, I'm coming in!"
Dyson managed to slide into his jeans and button them just before Kenzi came barging into Bo's bedroom, carrying a file folder. He was still shirtless, and Bo didn't miss the way her friend licked her lips at the sight of his muscled abs. Her succubus also didn't miss the little flare of sexual excitement from Kenzi as she stared at him. Bo cleared her throat loudly to get Kenzi's attention, and the young girl looked away quickly with a guilty expression on her face. Yet the fact that Bo was still sitting naked underneath her sheets didn't seem to bother her in the slightest.
"Yes, Kenzi?" Bo asked. She smirked knowingly at her friend and enjoyed the resultant blush on her friend's face. "Something bothering you this morning?"
"We… umm… we got a new case." Kenzi shoved the manilla folder toward Bo and stepped backward, now intently ignoring the shirtless white elephant in the room that was the half-naked shifter. "A Fae dude done crossed the River Styx. One of the weird ones, just like you like 'em, succu-face."
Bo leafed through the pages in the file, perusing through the pictures and the notes scribbled across the pages. As she reached the last few, the pictures of the dead body in question showed up, and Bo immediately saw the weirdness Kenzi was talking about. Her face contorted in distaste.
"Ugh, Kenzi why is he so…"
"Liquidy?" the girl offered.
"Yeah." Bo shuddered. Most dead bodies she saw maintained their shape after they died, but this one looked like a humanoid water mattress. The hair and facial features remained the same, however, giving the victim an eerie, sinister appearance.
"I dunno," Kenzi shrugged. "I asked Trickster what could cause it. He didn't know right off hand, but he was willing to put money on some kind of Fae poison." Kenzi toed the soft beige carpet nervously with her high-heeled boots. "But he did mention that it might be some rare imported shit that wouldn't be in his books. You'd have to ask —"
"Lauren." Bo finished Kenzi's sentence for her, making it the first time she'd said the woman's name out loud in over a year. The silence that followed her name hung heavily in the room for several long moments, so Bo turned back to her best friend. "Will you go with —"
"Nope, not gonna happen," Kenzi cut her off and shook her head animatedly. "That shit is way too awkward without booze, and even I am not a big enough alcoholic to start drinking before nine o'clock."
Though it had been a long time since Bo and Lauren shared any outward hostility, their interactions still made Bo feel incredibly awkward. Bo could count on one hand the number of times they'd actually been in the same room alone together since that night — the night that Lauren revealed she was loyal to the Ash above all others. It stung like a hot branding iron pressed up against her heart, and Bo never forgave her for the pain she caused. A couple of years helped the anger go away, but she still had no desire to share Lauren's presence alone. It trudged up too many unpleasant memories. Any time Bo needed scientific expertise, she always brought someone else with her, getting what she needed and leaving as fast as physically possible.
"I could go with you, if you want," Dyson offered, already shrugging into his black buttoned shirt from last night. "I'm headed that way to see Trick anyway."
"Are you sure?" Bo asked.
"Only if getting donuts before we go doesn't break your 'no breakfast' rule." Dyson grinned at her.
Bo leaned over the edge of the bed, fumbling through last night's outfit that was still strewn on the floor. She finally found her money and chucked one of her large, crumpled bills at the wolf, who caught it expertly.
"Chocolate, no sprinkles," Bo ordered him. "Now get going so I can take a shower."
Dyson gave her a mock salute and winked at her on his way out.
Lauren knew she had to time her request to the Ash perfectly. Now that Trick had been officially confirmed as the Light Fae's leader (and consequently, Lauren's new owner), it was time for Lauren to make her move. She and Trick had always gotten along well — at least, as well as could be expected for a Fae and a human — and what's more was that Trick always showed Lauren respect for her accomplishments.
With the exception of Hale, who'd surprisingly been an abject failure in politics, no other Ash was appreciative as Trick was. Most times, the requests that Lauren received were barked at her like orders, and even when she did manage to solve a tremendously complicated problem, she got little to no acknowledgment for it, much less actual thanks. Even years later, it still stung the worst when it was Bo at the other end of it. The doctor recalled vividly how Bo ignored her and openly lauded Dyson for his help with Aife after Lauren provided her with the koushang, or how Bo completely ignored the fact that against all odds, she somehow managed to stabilize Lachlan's Naga venom. Despite playing a crucial role in the Garuda's defeat, Lauren's contributions were ignored by all the Fae. She was merely a tool to be used. Lauren had known it for years, but now that there was the faintest glimmer of hope to escape from it in the form of her fond acquaintance, she was poised to take advantage of it.
There was literally nothing else for her here anymore. Even the uniqueness of the Fae's science was starting to become increasingly lackluster. The only reason that she'd stayed this long was for Nadia, and every passing month sucked a little more of Lauren's hope for her recovery. She'd agreed to this life of servitude in exchange for the Light's resources, ultimately to cure whatever Nadia's ailment was. Yet Lauren had done a complete medical workup a hundred times, both for Fae and human causes of persistent coma. The search yielded nothing. Nadia was one hundred percent healthy, minus the fact that she'd been unconscious for eight years and was dependent on her pod to continue living and breathing. She was Lauren's one and only failure to date, and each day that passed with no progress made Lauren more and more resentful toward her captors.
"Dr. Lewis, you're here early this morning," Trick greeted her jovially as she approached his office. Unlike Lachlan, Trick kept the doors to the Ash's quarters open, giving the place a more accessible vibe. "What can I do for you today?" he asked. Trick probably thought she was here to address the lab's medical supplies, which he was ultimately responsible for keeping in stock.
He had no idea that Lauren was about to drop a bombshell on him. She swallowed hard and tried to collect the courage to speak the words that were burning on her mind.
"I'm here to make a special request…" Lauren said in a shaky voice. She bowed her head to him in deference, a gesture she hated, but nonetheless would intimate the seriousness of her words.
Trick frowned. "Oh?"
"We've known each other for a long time, Ash." Lauren was still obligated to use the more formal title in professional circumstances, but it still felt awkward to use with him. "I'm sure you're aware by now of the circumstances that have lead to my servitude. I've exhausted every treatment and diagnostic modality available here, and there has been no change in Nadia's status. And in those years, I think it would be accurate to say that my services have been invaluable to the Light Fae." Nobody ever told Lauren as much, but she knew it to be true.
"Indeed, your work here has been impeccable. I can think of no finer physician we've had in our employ for centuries."
Lauren cringed at his word choice. She wasn't under anyone's employ; she was owned, and the necklace she wore around her neck was a symbol of that arrangement.
"It's the basis of that work on which I make my request today," Lauren said. She paused for a moment as Trick looked on expectantly. She took one huge, steadying breath and continued: "I've come to make a formal request for my freedom."
Her words seemed to echo endlessly in the high-ceilinged stone room, not helped by the fact that Trick was now staring at her with his mouth slightly agape. In terms of shock factor, Lauren definitely didn't disappoint, and it took a moment before the Ash finally realized that his mouth was open. He snapped it shut with an audible click, and the silence drew on uncomfortably for a long minute.
"I'm afraid that's not possible, Lauren," Trick said eventually, busying himself with the papers sprawled across his desk. She didn't miss how he was suddenly refusing to look her in the eye.
"I can't keep living like this," Lauren begged. "You're the Ash, Trick. Please… There has to be something you can do."
"I've read the Ash's manifest." Trick's paper shuffling stopped, and he stared determinedly into the finished wood surface of his desk. "You're captivity was ordered by this office, yes, but it was ratified in full by the council of elders. It would take more than an edict from me to overturn that decision. You would need a majority in the council to take your side as well, and I can assure you, Dr. Lewis — none of them would go for it."
What little hope Lauren held onto before she entered Trick's office was officially crushed yet again by the Fae and their hypocritical bullshit. The bitterness and rage was threatening to spill over, and instead of releasing it by smashing furniture (as she was sorely tempted to do), her throat constricted uncomfortably and her eyes began to burn. She didn't want to cry — least of all not in front of Trick, of all people. But seeing as how throwing, kicking, and screaming weren't a viable option, the only thing she could do was concentrate on not allowing any tears to spill over.
"Of course. I understand, sir," Lauren managed to choke out. Trick could probably tell from the tension in her voice that she was tenuously holding onto her control, though for Lauren's sake, he continued to avoid eye contact. "I think I'll be going now."
Trick called out to her right before she crossed the threshold to leave the office. "I know it won't help anything… but I am sorry, Dr. Lewis," he said to Lauren's back, with some modicum of sincerity.
She nodded almost imperceptibly and kept walking. Lauren kept walking down the south hall, through the medical labs, and without putting too much thought into where she was going or what she planned to do, she walked all the way to her parking lot and crawled into the driver's seat of her Light Fae-issued sedan, huddling herself over the steering column and finally letting her frustrations go in the form of tears.
Processing one week's frustrations turned into one month's, which later turned into a full year's worth. As Lauren kept on reflecting, the tears just kept on coming. As painful as the experience was, rehashing the memories that were better off forgotten, the exercise was cathartic. Once Lauren processed the hurt she'd been bottling inside for years, it lessened somehow. Two hours later, Lauren was was still sitting in her stuffy car with smeared makeup and red, puffy eyes, but she ironically felt more at peace — more clear-headed even.
Lauren still desperately wanted her freedom, especially as there was nothing further she could do for Nadia. If Trick was right, then she had no chance of obtaining her freedom directly through the Light Fae. Asking the Morrigan for help was out of the question; she'd just be exchanging on servitude for another. Lauren seriously considered searching out a genie before remembering that the wishes they granted were temporary and illusory. Lauren would think she was free for a little while, but there would be no basis in reality.
There were other Fae that could give Lauren an authentic, lasting freedom. It wouldn't come free, however. The Norn was legendary for the hard bargains she drove. Lauren witnessed her cunning first-hand when Dyson foolishly gave up his love. Lauren actually laughed out loud at the idea. If the old crone wants my heart, she can have it, Lauren thought. It's not like the damned thing isn't broken beyond repair anyway.
Could Lauren really willingly give that up though? She was miserable in her current state with her half-dead girlfriend, and it's not like she would ever find love in the Fae world anyway. A few years ago, there was one fleeting moment when Lauren had optimism — like perhaps she could love and be loved in this crazy world after all. She recalled vividly having her necklace torn off and being assured that nobody owned her. It was revolutionary, being considered an equal amongst the Fae. But not even half an hour later, the damned necklace was hurled back at her, along with the most venomous words Lauren would ever hear.
Don't forget your dog collar.
The words still made Lauren's muscles stiffen in response.
She would give anything to not have to relive those memories again. If she couldn't have love, at least she could numb herself against the hurt. She would remember Bo and Nadia, but the all consuming agony would be gone. The doctor part of her was fascinated at the idea of supernatural anesthetic for her heart. She wouldn't feel the pleasure that came with love, but she certainly wouldn't feel the pain from it either. And if succumbing to the Norn's power meant that she would be allowed her freedom, so much the better.
Lauren had never been to the Norn's home herself, though she knew of the address. Without saying a single word to any of the Light Fae at the compound, Lauren simply drove away. Hers was such a well known face that nobody stopped her as she left, and within minutes, she was standing on the ancient Fae's front porch. The Fae were notorious for their efforts to blend into the human world, but she still could help but be surprised at the little suburban house the fearsome Norn lived in. There was even a blue rocking chair out front swaying gently in the breeze.
"Dr. Lauren Lewis," an old, haggard woman answered the door with a creepy smile. She leaned on her walking stick heavily, pushing her wrinkled face closer to Lauren's. "I was wondering when I was going to be seeing you. What is your business?"
"I've come to offer a trade."
The Norn's eyes glinted in happiness. "Of course, child. Come in."
The inside of the Norn's house was even stranger than the outside. Lauren wasn't sure what she was expecting from a several thousand-year old Fae, but Good Housekeeping magazines littering the coffee table and an old-style cathode ray television set definitely weren't on the list. Once they emerged in the den, an enormous tree trunk was visible. Judging from the diameter, the height probably rivaled some of the world's tallest redwoods (though Lauren couldn't recall seeing even a tiny sapling from the front of the house). In the dim lighting, Lauren could still discern some heavy scarring along the tree's roots, making her frown. The Norn's sacred tree was where she drew her many powers from, and she couldn't fathom anyone being stupid enough to defile it.
"I know you're a smart woman, Dr. Lewis," the Norn said, drawing Lauren's eyes away from the unsightly blemish on her tree. "You wouldn't be here unless you were willing to sacrifice. I can see what it is you wish of me — how you long for your freedom. I trust that you know my price?"
"That which is most valuable," Lauren answered. "I am prepared to offer it."
The Norn smirked. "For what you desire most, I will take what you value most. That is my offer."
Lauren replayed the words in her head, searching for any hidden meanings or loopholes where the Norn could press her trickery. It was how she fooled Dyson, no doubt. For all the wolf's strength, he severely lacked in cunning. Lauren knew that facing the Norn was a battle in and of itself and deserved to be treated as such.
"I said 'that which is most valuable,' and you said 'that which I value most.'" Lauren mused. "There has to be a difference, or else you wouldn't have said it any differently."
The Norn glanced back at her curiously, but didn't respond to Lauren's ramblings.
"What is 'that which is most valuable'?" Lauren asked, eager to hear what the ancient Fae said.
"That which is most valuable in your kind is, of course, the human heart. Its strength and resilience is unmatched compared to any other in existence."
Lauren suspected as much, and that was precisely what she intended to give to the Norn in exchange for her freedom. "And what is that which I value most?" Lauren asked for clarification, knowing that in order to strike an honest deal, the ancient Fae was required to answer her truthfully. The old Norn was cunning, but she never outwardly lied. She was a master of misdirection, and Lauren couldn't allow herself to fall into her trap.
"You should know, of all people. Despite its wealth of value, you don't value your heart, Dr. Lewis. That which you value most is your wonderful mind, and that is what I would require as payment for your freedom."
"If it's more valuable, why wouldn't you just take my heart?"
"The strength of the sacrifice is what creates the strength of the wish granted. Freedom is no trivial matter. If you claim to want it, you must be willing to sacrifice heavily for it." The Norn glared at Lauren accusingly for an instant. "You want your heart taken from you, Dr. Lewis. That will not do. The price for your freedom will be your mind — I will accept no other substitutions."
If the Norn took Lauren's mind, well… She wouldn't be Lauren anymore. She shuddered to think of the prospect, of what her life would be if she returned to the human world a shallow husk of her former self. Even though her hollowed out brain wouldn't know the difference, this version of herself would. Lauren didn't have much pride left after eight years with the Fae, but what little she had was placed in her intelligence. She couldn't knowingly subject herself to that kind of twisted torture. She would remain a slave and fight for her freedom another way, even if it took the rest of her life to accomplish.
"In light of these terms, I decline your offer, Norn," Lauren said.
"I thought you might. You aren't so foolish as to blindly accept terms you don't understand. As you're well aware, I don't offer refunds." The old woman's words were heavily laced with bitterness, and she looked away from Lauren promptly. "If you no longer have a trade to offer me, doctor, then I suggest you leave."
Lauren wasted no time freeing herself from the odd little house. As she walked from the front door and spotted the rocking chair again, she had a sinister vision of the old crone sitting on the front porch and offering unsuspecting passers by an invitation into her home. She'd most likely preyed on more than a few unknowing humans already, which made Lauren's stomach turn. The doctor walked with a little more haste in her movements and quickly drove to the compound.
Each day she arrived, the place seemed more and more like a prison. Even the sight of her medical labs, which were classically white with clean, sophisticated equipment, began to fill her with dread, though the sentiment wasn't helped by the two people loitering in her lobby at this early hour.
Dyson and Bo were sitting together on Lauren's main workstation, their legs dangling over the edge of the tabletop. The tiny hairs on the back of Lauren's neck rose in alarm, and when the two of them giggled and Dyson reached over to suggestively wipe chocolate icing from the corner of Bo's mouth, Lauren's hands reflexively squeezed tighter around the strap of her medical bag. Every second that the intimate gestures continued, Lauren's grip only grew tighter, only ceasing once the cramping in her hand became unbearable. Dyson would have definitely smelled her presence by now, yet he seemed to enjoy toying with her intentionally. Bo carried on flirting with Dyson completely oblivious to Lauren's presence.
Just like it's always been, Lauren thought bitterly. Dyson's head popped up in interest as if he'd heard Lauren's thoughts out loud.
"Dr. Lewis," he said with a perfunctory show of decorum. Lauren wasn't sure if it was her own psyche projecting or not, but she swore his expression was gloating. "We weren't expecting for you to be so late today. That's not like you at all." He reached for Bo's hand and threaded their fingers together while the succubus looked determinedly away from her.
Yep, he was definitely gloating. Dyson 1, Lauren 0.
"I had an errand," Lauren said, purposefully leaving out the details of her visit to the Norn. If any Light Fae found out she nearly bartered for her freedom, they'd throw her in the dungeon for considering it.
"Well, now that you've decided to grace us with your presence, we need you to take a look at this case report." The wolf held out a file folder for her expectantly.
The arrogance of the simple gesture rubbed Lauren the wrong way. She was already a slave to the Ash, so attending to his every whim was already something she was forced to put up with on a regular wasn't Light Fae-related work, however. If it was, she would have been notified by an elder or Trick himself. This was Bo-related work, and the stubborn succubus couldn't even be bothered to look her in the eye while her Fae boyfriend did her bidding for her.
"I'm busy today, Dyson."
"Not too busy to get here almost an hour late." Dyson 2, Lauren 0.
Lauren hesitated, glancing back and forth between the folder and the woman it actually belonged to, the same woman who broke Lauren's heart years ago and was still determined to punish her for their misunderstanding. Helping her with this case wouldn't change anything, Lauren knew. It never did. No matter how many revival or hunger serums she provided, or how many Naga venom compounds she stabilized, she would still be the enemy to Bo. What bothered Lauren the most was that she still had the unrelenting urge to help her — even now, when things were still most acrimonious between them.
"Fine," Lauren said, holding out her hand to accept the file but making no move to step any closer to the Fae duo. "Let me see."
Dyson finally released Bo's hand and hopped down from the workstation's surface. He closed the space between them with several confident strides and proffered the file folder, knowing better than to interrupt Lauren as she glanced through its contents. She took her time, examining each detail the Fae crime scene unit was able to record, as well as the pictures themselves.
"Well?" the wolf asked after a few minutes. His growing impatience was audible even to Lauren, who was engrossed in the material in front of her.
"It's a poison, definitely," Lauren announced. "But it's not like one I've ever seen before."
"Figures," Dyson scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I knew that coming here was completely useless."
"I wasn't finished, Dyson," Lauren said sternly. The reprimand made him pause — Dyson 2, Lauren 1. "The body's entire tissue collection deep to the subdermal layer has appeared to undergo liquefactive necrosis. Now as a doctor, there's not a great explanation for that. Poisons cause necrosis yes, but their effects are organ-specific. Blood vessels undergo fibrinoid necrosis, most solid organs undergo coagulation necrosis, and in some longer-acting poisons, you can even see gangrenous necrosis. In each of these, however, the underlying bone structure is spared. To dissolve calcium bone matrix would require osteoclast activity, and if the bone tissue was dead, that wouldn't happen. Everything here has undergone liquefactive necrosis — even the bones."
Lauren glanced up from her folder to see Dyson's obtuse expression. It didn't disappoint, and from the corner of her eye, she caught Bo staring. It wasn't long though; as soon as Lauren caught sight of her, she looked away hurriedly.
Lauren continued after a long sigh: "This is a toxin of some sort, I'm certain, but it's not organic. It has all the hallmarks of a specifically engineered super-toxin. Of course, to tell you anything else or to make an anti-toxin I would need to take some samples from the body."
"The Light Fae crimes unit will be bringing him in shortly," Dyson explained. "You can do any tests you like after that."
Lauren nodded. "Is that all?" It was foolish to hope for Bo to pay her any attention, yet even after the countless times she'd visited the labs for help, the doctor couldn't help but naively wait for the woman's undivided attention. Bo showed more interest in the scuff marks on her boots most days, and Lauren didn't know what she could even hope for anymore.
Dyson spoke up first. "That's all, doctor. You can send over your assessment to the precinct when you're done." He returned to Bo's side and whispered into her ear, making her laugh.
Lauren watched with the equivalent of an underfae demon clawing at her insides as the pair strolled out of the lab. Bo didn't once look back, and as soon as Dyson offered his bent elbow in the classic gesture of offering to escort her away, Bo smiled brightly at him and looped her own arm through his in acceptance. After that, Lauren couldn't bear to watch anymore. She dropped the case file and her heavy medical bag, burying her face in her hands and trying vainly to clear the unpleasant image from her mind.
Yet again, she'd been abandoned to her task alone, and yet again, the Fae requesting her help didn't offer so much as a simple "thank you" in return.
Dyson was acting out, Bo was all too aware. He never giggled in public, and he certainly had an aversion to public displays of affection — it didn't mix well with his brooding badass reputation, most likely. Bo was more outward with her emotions, which is why it surprised her that Dyson was doing the same a few minutes before. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why: he was intentionally rubbing Lauren's face in it.
As childish as his behavior was, Bo couldn't bring herself to correct him. That would mean confronting Lauren, and Bo still wasn't ready to do that, even now. So she went along with the charade, not missing the subtle signs that the doctor may have been more flustered than she was letting on — her white knuckled grip on her bag's strap, for instance. Bo long ago discovered first hand how detached Lauren could be with her emotions. Though she disapproved of Dyson's actions for sending the wrong message, part of her enjoyed still getting a rise from the doctor years after the fact. That pretense was over, however. As soon as she and Dyson were out of the lab, Bo extricated her arm from his grasp, creating a more friend-appropriate distance between them, and Dyson at least had the good sense not to argue about it. He was already getting enough attention from the Fae walking the compound's halls. Merely being in Bo's presence commanded a wealth of attention these days, and the wolf was obviously loving the spotlight immensely in whatever role she offered him.
"I'll let you know when I get the report," Dyson said, having to raise his voice a little to project over the steady hum of voices surrounding them. "Maybe I could come over tonight and we could… you know… look over them together." His eyes gleamed suggestively.
His tone was way too eager, and Bo didn't like that she couldn't read his motivations exactly. He was never one to waste an opportunity to get into her pants, Bo was certain, but if he wanted that, he would have made the proposition later… and in private. The publicity of his offer bothered her, and she was convinced that at least part of it was done to revel in Bo's rising celebrity factor. If he asked for the equivalent of a date, and she accepted in front of half the Light Fae, Dyson's reputation would soar to legend status in a matter of minutes. Bo knew that she regularly used Dyson to keep her hunger satiated, but this was the first time she'd ever felt used in return.
"Huh," was Bo's only reply, but Dyson wasn't going to be deterred so easily.
"If you're lucky, we could go through the files — twice."
Bo glared at him. His blatant come on did remind her of something she'd forgotten, however…
"Dyson, I left the case files back in the labs." Without thinking, she turned on her heel and retreated, leaving a stunned wolf behind her. It took a few seconds, but eventually she heard his heavy footsteps thudding behind her once again.
"Bo, slow down, you're gonna —"
Dyson's warning came just a fraction of a second too late. In the growing crowd, Bo hadn't seen the figure dashing right in front of her, and the two careened into each other with a respectable head of steam, causing them both to sprawl awkwardly and papers to fly everywhere. It hadn't hurt, by any means, but the sudden change in momentum was enough to throw her off balance and send her crashing to the floor.
Bo's apologies came swiftly and automatically. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, it was my fault, I —"
Her words got caught in her throat once she saw the other person on the ground in front of her. It was Lauren, who suddenly looked like a deer caught in the headlights. The doctor moved to pick up the mess of papers quickly as the Fae onlookers formed a circle around them. Most of them were so focused on Bo that they hadn't really noticed what happened, and nearly all of them were glaring at Lauren accusingly. Several of them tried to pull Bo upright, but the succubus brushed them all off.
"You left your files in the lab," Lauren muttered, looking anywhere but Bo. She clearly took comfort in organizing the mess of papers in front of her. "I didn't see you coming, it was my fault…" The doctor kept rambling, but Bo didn't really register any of it. She'd been avoiding Lauren like the plague and still couldn't shake the flustered feeling she got whenever she was around her. The effect Lauren had on her after all this time pissed Bo off, but she didn't know what else she could do to get rid of it.
"I… I —" Bo stuttered.
"What's going on here?" a deep voice called from the edge of the circle. Both Lauren and Bo glanced up to see one of the Light Fae's beefy security officers glaring at the doctor, obviously having just arrived on the scene.
"It's nothing," Lauren said hastily. "It was just an accident, I was going to return this, but —"
"Is that yours, Ms. Dennis?" the security guard ignored Lauren's explanation, turning his attention toward the Light Fae's favored succubus. He gestured toward the file folder that Lauren held in her hand, and Bo stared at him with an unsure expression.
"Yeah…" Bo answered in a small voice. "… It's mine."
"I thought so," he nodded in agreement. In one smooth movement, he violently snatched the collection of papers from Lauren's grasp, handing them to Bo dutifully. Bo's eyes widened when he moved to pull Lauren up by her underarms. The blonde winced at the discomfort, though the guard paid her no mind. "The Ash will be disappointed to hear that you're attacking one if his best supporters to steal from them. He expects better from you."
Nobody from the growing crowd of Fae said a word as he twisted Lauren's arms behind her back. It was all a misunderstanding, Bo knew, but the assumptions Fae made about humans would never favor them in any way. In lieu of labeling this debacle as the accident it truly was, the Fae would willingly call it an attack. The truth didn't matter to them, however. The human would be put in her place, and the status quo would be maintained. She wasn't Lauren's biggest fan by any means, but this was still unfair, and she knew it. The guard was pulling her away from the crowd brusquely, not paying any mind to the way Lauren's face was contorting in pain.
Bo clambered to her feet, ignoring the shocked looks around her. Several Fae moved forward to help, but Bo brushed them all off.
"Hey, she didn't do anyth—" Her argument was cut short by a strong grip on her shoulder.
"Just let it be, Bo," Dyson said gently in her ear, loud enough for only Bo to hear. "It's the way things are."
"But she didn't do anything wrong, Dyson," Bo argued.
"That doesn't always matter. Humans need to be reminded where they stand sometimes. It isn't always a hundred percent right, but it has to be done. It's for the greater good of the Fae."
By the time Bo looked back, Lauren and the guard were gone. Where they'd disappeared to was anyone's best guess, but Bo couldn't imagine that it was anywhere pleasant.
It had been just over a year since that damned human brandished her chainsaw against the Norn's sacred tree. The heavy cuts against the roots hadn't killed it straightaway, but the injuries had been severe enough to require nearly constant care. If the Norn didn't tend to it, then her powers would slowly ebb away, and one day, years from now, she would die as mundane a death as the humans she occasionally bartered with. She'd lived far too many millennia to meet such an ordinary end.
In addition to numerous gardening salves she'd bartered from various woodland fairies, the Norn also visited the injured roots underground every week to cast her protective spells over them as they healed. The tree had taken many years to grow to its current greatness, and she suspected it would be just as long before it returned to its former glory. All she had to do was keep painstakingly caring for its health. The improvements were slow, but noticeable. She'd measured that the huge gash along the base of her tree had shrunk by a few millimeters already. Every time she saw the jagged cuts, however, it filled her with an implacable rage. That damned succubus' pet was responsible for this, she knew… All of them were probably still laughing at her this very day.
The dark, damp underground tunnels were familiar territory for the Norn even before she had to visit the this particular part of her tree. One of her oldest rivals lived here, and if the Norn could escape without being teased about letting a human deface her tree this week, she would be satisfied. The Leviathan wouldn't be so considerate, however. The Norn's visits came at regular intervals now, and Levi (as the Norn jokingly referred to her) always knew when she would be underground. Sure enough, as soon as the Norn was about to make her escape, a familiar cackling laughter sounded behind her. As she turned around, her suspicions were confirmed. Levi's glittering blue shroud looked as ridiculous as ever, and her darkened lips were spread widely in amusement.
"What do you want now, you old bat?!" the Norn snapped. "You want me to turn you into an overgrown lizard again?" She waved her walking stick at Levi threateningly.
Levi kept smiling at her. "Oh come on, Wynne — lighten up. Just think… You could have avoided all of this if you'd just given the succubus' pet a cheeseburger."
The Norn bristled at the reminder of the girl's words that night. She never believed the girl would go through with it, but she'd said some nonsense about the irreverence of her kind — how they drive SUV's, dump raw sewage into pretty lakes, and would burn this planet to the ground if it meant just one more cheeseburger. After that, the girl pressed her blade against the sacred tree, and the Norn hadn't heard the end of it since. The entire story was absolutely hilarious to Levi, who wasted no opportunity to remind her.
The Norn knew that the girl — this Kenzi — was the succubus' pet. She'd done her atrocities for the succubus' benefit, and nobody stopped her. The wolf's love was returned, and he'd been at the beck and call of Bo Dennis ever since. In the grand scheme of things, Bo was the victor. Eons ago, the Norn used to be the most feared and respected Fae living this side of the earth, and the Leviathan was the most feared living below it. Now that title belonged to that damned arrogant succubus Bo Dennis, though she'd done nothing to earn that reputation. She never won any victories alone, yet she claimed the rewards for herself. Bo cheated her way through life and through every battle she faced, and the Fae treated her like royalty for sheer dumb luck, forgetting all about the terror the Norn could bring upon them all. It made her sick to her stomach.
"As I recall, Levi, the succubus bested you once upon a time," the Norn teased in return. "Looks like either your mind isn't what it used to be, or there's someone else in this world now that can craft an unsolvable riddle."
"But she cheated!"
"That's not what I heard." Actually, the phrase the Norn heard was that the succubus Bo'd it, obviously a euphemism for her particular brand of deception, but she wasn't about to let Levi off the hook that easily.
"If you give a riddle, there has to either be an answer or no answer at all! Merely saying, 'I'm confused,' as an answer does not count!"
The Norn chuckled at Levi. After the embarrassment of chainsaw incident, it had been a while since she'd gained the upper hand on her old rival. She'd almost forgotten what it felt like.
"Relax, Levi. I'm just joking — well, mostly joking." The Norn stepped forward to the other ancient Fae in an outward showing of peace. "I think we can both agree that the arrogant succubus is out of control. No respect, no conscience, and —"
"— and no consequences!" Levi blurted.
"Indeed," the Norn agreed with a nod. "What I wouldn't give to see her being brought back down to earth with the rest of us. She needs to be taught a lesson, though the Fae seem content to worship the ground she walks on. Hell, most of them would probably willingly volunteer to drink her dirty bathwater."
Levi was pensive for a moment. "You know, I'll bet you anything that if you took everything from her — her strength, her position, her reputation — there wouldn't be anyone left to fawn over her," she mused. "She would be completely helpless and exposed for the fraud she is!"
The Norn grinned mischievously. "Are you talking about a wager, Levi?"
"Why not? Between the two of us, we could break her, you know. Make her human and completely helpless. All we would need is a human's place to put her in — someone alone and powerless. We could arrange the switch, and watch from afar as Bo Dennis spiraled out of control. If she does — or I should say when she does," Levi beamed at her confidently, "I would be the winner."
Levi's tone was positively gleeful at the idea. Her suggestion triggered one of the Norn's recent memories — the Light Fae's human doctor, Lauren Lewis, fit her description of the required human entirely. If the Norn wasn't mistaken (and she never was), the isolation wrought upon her was in large part due to the succubus' actions. The poetic justice of having them switch places made her mouth water in anticipation. Even if Bo didn't completely fall on her face as Levi suspected, the balance of power in the Fae world would finally normalize. That made the entire proposition enticing to the Norn whether she won or not.
"What will we be betting?" the Norn asked.
Levi blinked in confusion and swiftly glanced around her tunnels. Ancient Fae had no use for human money, of course. That was the reason the Norn traded in goods and powers, and Levi would deal in the same. She scrambled to the dark corner as nimbly as she could with her walking stick, hobbling slightly on her weathered old frame. She held up an old bone proudly, with a triumphant smile on her face.
"And just what the hell am I supposed to do with that, you daft nut?" the Norn scoffed. "Do I look like a dog to you?"
Levi raised a challenging eyebrow at her. "Do you really want me to answer that?"
"If we're going to do this, it has to be something we would both use. Something rare…"
"I suppose you have something in mind then? It's not like enjoy gardening, if that's what you had in mind." Levi glared over the Norn's shoulder at the tree roots that were passing through her tunnel.
The Norn thought for several moments before a brilliant idea struck her: "How about an ice cold Cherry Dr Pepper?"
They were certainly tasty. The Norn only ever tasted the drink once, and she knew Levi's experience was about the same. Cherry Dr Peppers were even rare in this part of the world…
"Deal," Levi said with a wide grin. She extended her hand to seal their agreement, and the Norn didn't hesitate to take it.
Tonight, they would destroy Bo Dennis together, all for the bargain price of an admittedly delicious can of soda.