Title : Long Way From Happy
Author : Tariq ( formerly Aeris Jade Orion )
Rating : R
Pairing : LL/BD
Timeline : Season One
Summary : What if Lauren suffered from PTSD?
Authors note: It's unbeta'd. At the moment I
have no beta reader for this genre. So drop me
a line if you're interested.
Second, due to health issues, and taking care
of my disabled mom, I haven't been able to
write much. But over the last several years
I've managed to slowly write on a number
of stories.
What I've decided to do is go ahead and
publish what I've managed to put together.
The stories are unfinished, and sometimes,
the last chapter I worked on is unfinished.
Plus, there maybe multiple chapters, each one a
different version. Just warning everyone.
So I apologize in advance.
Disclaimer : Not mine. All characters belong
to SYFY.
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Prologue
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" Why the hell didn't you strip her weapons? " Lauren
scolded the Orderly as they rushed the wounded solider
into the medical tent.
There were strict procedures to be followed. The Orderly
should know them by now.
" I asked you a question, Private! " She snapped, when
he didn't answer.
Glancing up, she realized the entire tent was silent. The
Orderly was staring over her shoulder. Everyone was
staring at the same spot.
Lauren half-turned and froze. A four year old boy stood
inside the entrance of the medical tent. A large bomb
was strapped to his chest. The large red numbers counting
down rapidly. A trigger was taped to the boys right hand,
his thumb hovering over it.
Her hand wrapped around the gun on the stretcher. In one
single motion, she drew, aimed, and fired. Large brown eyes
stared at her as they drained of life. Blood splattering on
the dirt floor. The tiny body limply folding to the ground.
The blonde handed the gun off to the shocked Orderly.
" Everyone back to work. " She softly ordered, picking up
a tray of surgical tools.
Moving to the body, she made quick work of the bomb.
" He was a child... " The Orderly appeared behind her.
Lauren sat up in a cold sweat. Her body shaking violently.
Tossing the saturated covers aside, she grabbed the
trash can next to the bed and lost what little she'd eaten
that day.
" Another nightmare? " Nadia's bloody image appeared
in the dark corner of her bedroom. " You've really got
to let this go, babe. "
The blonde's brown eyes scanned over the gapping stab
wound in Nadia's chest. Just where her heart would be.
" You're not here. " The doctor whispered. " You're dead.
I killed you. "
" You live in the world of the Fae. " Nadia sauntered
forward. " Who's to say if I'm dead or not. "
" While there are many Genus of Fae who are capable... "
Lauren began to lecture.
" Lauren, this has to stop. " Nadia sternly interrupted.
" I saw the stunt you pulled with Bo. She got to close
and you panicked, so you did what you always do. You
used the Ash's orders to sabotaged your relationship. "
The blonde stared at her dead wife soberly. Killed by
her own hand on their wedding night. It had been six
months into her slavery to The Ash. The Morrigan had
given her the answers she needed to help the woman.
Evony had told her everything. The evil woman giving
her the curse nail, telling her about The Ash, the location
of the Shaman. Everything but the fact Nadia was under
the influence of a Garuda.
" Don't ignore me, Lauren. " Nadia snapped. " How
many potential girlfriends does this make? The Wood
Nymph? The Selkie? Now Bo? You can't keep going
like this. "
Lauren pushed up from the bed violently. " SHUT UP! "
" It wasn't your fault! " Nadia yelled.
" I don't want to hear this! " Lauren shoved her night
table over. " Just go the hell away! LEAVE ME ALONE! "
" Fine. " Nadia sighed. " But one day, you'll have to deal
with your past. "
She let out a scream of frustration. A single tear falling
from her left eye. Lying on the floor by her night stand
was the shattered remains of a music box. Nadia's death
certifact, their wedding liscence, their wedding rings, and
her dog tags were scattered on the floor.
Suddenly numb, she slipped to her knees, and fell into the
side of the bed. Closing her eyes to the room around her.
Why bother dealing with the past when her present was
so screwed up?
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" Look who's finally here. The Ash's yes girl. " Kenzi slurred
from her seat on the warehouse crate.
Lauren hurried into dim building trying to ignore the cold
atmosphere. Bo had obviously not kept her actions to
herself. Kenzi and Dyson were both glaring at her. Bo was
trying to keep from looking at her at all.
" What's the... uh, situation? " She questioned, moving
to what was left of a body.
" We have a dead Light Fae, not sure what. " Hale said,
appearing from the shadowing. " It looks like it could
be a Dark Fae killing. "
She kneeled by the large bloody blob, opening her kit.
The Doctor tugged on a pair exam gloves.
" Did you sleep at all last night, doc? " Hale frowned
in concern.
" Maybe the Ash asked her to entertain someone. " Bo
spoke up.
Lauren paused briefly filling a test tube with the biological
material. She continued, putting the lid on it, and moving
onto the next tube.
" Leave off the doc, guys. " Hale shifted uncomfortably.
She stiffened at the Siren's support. He would have her
back. He'd investigated the incident with Nadia, and
had learned about her background in Afgahn. He knew
everything from the Garuda to her PTSD. Hell, he'd even
been witness to her failed relationships.
" Hale, my man, we need to conference. " Kenzi cocked
her finger at him. " Now! "
Grimacing at the coming wreck, she hurried through
the rest of gathering evidence.
" What do you think you're doing? " Kenzi whispered
loudly enough to be heard by everyone, and half the
city block. " You're consorting with the enemy. "
" The doc's good people. " Hale held his hands up in
surrender.
Lauren repacked her bag, and stood up. It was time to
leave before she got pulled into a fight she wanted
nothing to do with.
" Whoa! Have you forgotten what she did to Bo? "
Kenzi exclaimed.
" Na, I remember. " Hale flicked his nose. " But I also
know the doc, and I know why she did it. I admit she
did your sister wrong, but she was solid for it. "
" Oh, yeah, I forgot, cause The Ash ordered her. " Kenzi
held out her hand and spoke with an upper class accent.
" It was nothing like that. " Hale brushed off.
" Hale, that's enough. " Lauren slung her medical satchel
over her shoulder. " They don't need to know my business,
and in case you forgot, you gave me a blood oath. "
" Ah shit. " Hale tipped his hat back. " Come on doc, we're
all friends here. They can help you. "
She shook her head coldly at the man. " They are not my
friends, and neither are you. The only reason I am even
here is because I was ordered by my master. You'll have
my report by tommorrow morning. "
Lauren headed out the door quickly.
" Doc, wait, I'm sorry. " Hale chased after her. " At least,
let me drive you back to the Compound. You're exhausted. "
" Keep your concern for someone who cares, Detective. "
She called back.
Boom!
She jumped, her bag falling from her shoulder, and spun
around.
"...wounded. " The orderly yelled over the explosions. His
eyes glared at her silently. Following her orders, but hating
her ever since she'd killed the boy.
" How many? " She demanded.
The building shook around them, debris showering on them,
and the wounded already coming in. They were overrun and
it wasn't stopping. Their medical personal were being killed
off too fast, and replinished too slowly.
" At least a dozen more. " The private grabbed his helmet
to keep it steady.
" We can't take anymore. " The newly promoted Captain
scanned the room of the derelict building they'd taken
over for the time being. " Get on the radio, and tell them
to reroute the rest of the incoming. "
" I've tried. No one else will take them. " Lauren pinched
her nose in frustration. " Where am I supposed to put them?
On the ceiling? "
" Captain! " Nurse Richards scream snapped her into
action.
She ran for the young male nurse with the orderly behind
her. " What is it? "
" A belly bomb. " The Nurse grimly answered, peeling
back the thick compression bandages.
Lauren glanced inside the stomach of the young solider.
She could barely make out the signs of what was becoming
common. Planting bombs in your own body. But this was
the first time the enemy had planted the bomb in one
of Canada's solider's.
" We have to neutralize the bomb... I have to open him
here. " The doctor sighed.
" He's in bad shape. If you do, he may go into
shock, and die. " The Nurse eyed her sadly.
" And if the bomb goes off, we all die. " Lauren
grabbed a pair of gloves.
" You're not even going to try and save him? " The
orderly's face darkened.
" Stand down, Private. " Lauren snapped off. " Go
help Corpol Marks. "
" But... " The orderly shifted angerly.
" Now! "
" Sir! " He saluted.
" He's going to be trouble. " The Nurse frowned.
" He wasn't made for any of this. " Lauren started
to get her equipment.
" Were any of us? " Nurse Richards pointed out.
Lauren pulled the bandages off, and quickly opened
the wound around the bomb. Nurse Richards, and a
second nurse worked to keep the solider alive
while she started defusing the bomb.
" His heart rate is racing. " Nurse Gates whispered,
wrapping a BP cuff around his arm.
" He's bleeding too much. " Nurse Richards packed
the wound.
" I know. " Lauren used her scapel to cut a wire.
" I'm going as fast as I dare. "
" His BP's 60 and dropping. " Nurse Gates glanced
up.
" Damn it. " Lauren cut a second wire. " I can't
do anything. The bomb is on a trigger, if I don't
get all the wires the entire building will go. "
" He's gone. " Nurse Gate's removed her Stethoscope.
The doctor continued to work, feeling the orderly's
death glare from across the room. Accusing her of
killing him, like she'd killed the boy weeks before.
What he didn't know, or maybe didn't realize, was
he didn't have to blame her. Because she blamed herself
more than enough.
" Doc. " Hale laid a gently hand on her shoulder.
" You alright? "
She stared at the old car driving past as it backfired
again. It sounded almost like a bomb going off in the
distance.
" I need to go. " She picked her bag up.
" You can't keep ignoring this. " Hale tried.
She kept walking toward her car. The image of the
dead solider flashing in front of her eyes.
She would ignore it, and everything else about
her past for as long as she could.
11111
Chapter One
11111
The bodies writhed in one large mass. The heavy
music pounding so loud it vibrated the building.
The pitch black building, with the black paint,
was penetrated by black light and the bodies
wrapped in glowing jewelry, or painted with
glow in the dark paint.
Lauren threw her sweat soaked hair back in ectasy
as she pressed into the back of the mermaid. She
ran her hands up the arms of dark haired princess,
drapping them over her head.
With surgical precision, her long fingers ghosted
over the perfect body. Making promises of long
days and even longer nights of passion. The throbbing
beat bringing a Fairy to join them. The second blonde
pressing in from the front.
The doctor leaned over and licked the Fairies lips.
The action caused the Fae's eyes to flicker silver.
" Outside. " Lauren ordered the two women.
She stepped back, disppearing into the crowd. Hale
would be furious with her. Falling back into her old
habits of dealing, but she didn't care. Two flashbacks
in twenty four hours, plus having Nadia appear to her
was too much to deal with.
Lauren need an outlet.
The blonde pushed throught the crowd. Moving toward
the exit. With a final shove, she got through the
crowds, and headed out of the Fae Rave.
The doctor straightened her silk button up. It
was black, left unbuttoned at the top to show
a lot of cleavage, and at the bottom, to above
her belly button piercing.
Her skin tight dark chocalate leather pants
were so soft they were like butter. They hung
low on her hips, and held up with a black leather
belt. The outfit was finished with her favorite
black leather boots.
Pain exploded in her left shoulder and forearm.
She rolled into the doorway on instinct. Echoes
of gunshots ringing in her ears. Brown eyes
traced the shadow darting into the distance.
" Lauren... " The Mermaid opened the door.
She rolled her eyes up with a smirk. " I'm afraid
our evening's going to be put on hold. "
11111
To Be Continued