so this is my first ever fic so be nice ! id like to thank katnassy for being my editor and for encouraging me to write this plus she made it awesome if you havent check out her storys shes an amazeing writer!

i do not own anything but the story

It starts after Bo brings her back from Valhalla, which took longer than Kenzi had assumed it would, longer than anyone wanted it to be. He hasn't left her side for very long since that day when she asked him what it was all about with the clingyness. He has to say he made a promise to Hale if anything ever happened to the siren, the wolf would take care of her and that he just really missed her, was scared they would never get her back.

She lets him be clingy after that, almost enjoys it, in fact, after all they have always been close and Bo has a lot going on now being the leader of the Dark. As it turned out, Lauren couldn't fix whatever she broke in Evony, at least not yet, so Bo, being the ever socially conscious Bo and a super-powered, technically dark-fae succubus, is in charge for now.

She lives through the next few months just grieving and healing after the loss of their friend and the man she wanted to spend her life with. It takes time but, slowly, things go back to normal, well, as normal as they can be. There will always be a hole in their group, now with Hale's passing, but she starts to smile again, mainly because of him – he has become her rock in all of this.

It's been a little over a year now that Hale's been gone and she's back in perfect Kenzi-shape, playing pool at the Dal like they do every Friday night. She spots a girl giving Dyson the eye, she nudges him and says, "Hey, that hottie's checking you, wolfman, you should go say hi!"

He glances at the girl and then says, "She's not my type and I'm here with you, Kenz." She rolls her eyes at him. "I'm a big girl, Dyson, I can find my own way home. Go get laid, it's been like forever right?" she teases, knowing he hasn't been with anyone in the year they've been healing over Hale.

"Kenz, leave it alone, I don't want any one-night stands right now. It's too messy. I just want to be here with you, ok?" he answers and the way he says it has her worried and at the same time it soothes her. If she is honest with herself, she doesn't want him with anyone, she likes having him all to herself but that is wrong, isn't it? He is Dyson, one of her best friends, Hale's best friend.

She excuses herself early and gets a ride home from Vex. Dyson looks positively hurt when she opts for the dark fae over him and, as a placating gesture, she texts him once she is home safe to him but avoids him for a few days after that.

Dyson is sitting at his place, worried about Kenzi. The stubborn Russian hasn't called or texted him in a week since that night she hitched a ride with Vex. Bo swore to him she was fine but he is still upset and can't help feeling concerned and restless. The more he takes time to think on it, the more he misses her. When he dares to look back on there talk at the Dal, he realizes that the real reason he didn't want to take home the girl, whose advances Kenzi had pointed out to him, was he only wanted to be with Kenzi. Over the last year they have bonded over losing Hale but it has become more than that now. She is his best friend, she makes him feel more alive than he has felt in years. The simple realization strikes him, though he still refuses to believe it – he loves Kenzi, Hale's Kenzi!

This last thought has him feeling sick with doubts and questions. Is it ok for him to love her? How would Hale feel if he knew? Or maybe he already knows, form wherever he is? Dyson stops himself there - Hale would want them both to be happy and Hale knew no one would take better care of Kenzi than Dyson. That thought makes him feel better but none of that matters if Kenzi doesn't want to see him. He needs to know straightaway, he texts her, "No excuses this time, Kenz, I'm coming over, we need to talk. D. "

Kenzi has been knee deep in killing robot hookers when her phone goes off. She reads the text and shoots up and off the couch, throws some clothes on and is about to run out the door. Instead, she runs right into Dyson's chest. He looks down, a hand on her shoulder to steady her, a question on his lips, "Going somewhere, Kenz?" She smiles evasively and tries to get out of his firm grip "Yep, Bo needs me, something about the dark business, gotta run, fluffy," she dodges but she can tell from the set of his jaw he isn't buying any of it.

"What's going on, Kenzi? Why are you running away from me? It's been a week already. Did I do something to upset you?" he asks and seeing the hurt in his eye makes her cave. She tugs at his arm and leads them to the couch. "Look, Dyson, it's nothing like that. You're great, really, but I just felt like maybe we need some space. You need to live your life, not just spend all your time baby- sitting me. I want you to be happy to find someone. I'm ok now and you can move on," she rattles off and he is just staring at her during her heart-felt speech.

"Kenz, you're not holding me back from anything. I'm right where I want to be. And it's not just baby-sitting a friend, I enjoy spending time with you and I know you're ok and so am I but only because of you. Just being around you all this time has helped me heal. I wouldn't have made it through the past year without you, Kenz. What I am trying to say here is I love you and I just want to be with you," he finally stops to catch his breath, his heart beating faster than after a long run in the woods. Kenzi looks ready to cry and he doesn't quite understand. "What's wrong, Kenz? Say something," he asks, beyond worried, but she smiles a real, not just a 'get-off-my-case', smile.

"I love you too, Dyson, but I can't, we can't. It's not right, what about Hale?" she breathes out and he takes her in his arms and strokes her back. "Kenzi, he loved us both, he would want us to be happy. I feel like he would understand. Kenzi, please," he almost begs, desperate for her to give them a chance. She stays in his arms, silent, for a long time. "Ok, Dyson, let's do this, let's give us a try," she speaks at last and turns her face up to him. When he kisses her they both know that nothing has ever felt more right.

A year later they are married and soon enough they name there first child after Hale.