Present Day…

Mornings were pretty easy. Wake up, take a shower, eat breakfast, go to work. No ancient rituals or oppressive supernatural beings. Lauren could make herself a pot of coffee and relish in the calmness of reading the newspaper, forgetting about the Fae. Except it was less like forgetting and more like unconsciously obsessing over current events and their likelihood of them being Fae-related. Everything she read ended up being a mystery in itself.

When she read about Taft's death and the resulting investigations of the circumstances surrounding it, it was surreal. To read a Fae case through the eyes of humans was near comical as they all tried to explain it with deforestation, humans encroaching on the wilderness, or random incident. It was a strange calm that fell over her.

Her plan that day, despite it's spontaneity, seemed to work like a charm. She didn't enjoy setting people up. Lauren might have been involved in some questionable activities, but she still saw the good in most people. If it had been five months ago, Lauren would have said Isaac was a smart and charming scientist who was passionate about his career and his endeavors. Now her impression ranged more in the manipulative, tortured scientist with a little megalomania thrown in for good measure. She was glad Dyson got to him. After she left Dyson unshackled and unconscious, she had hoped he got out okay.

Even though it left her on her own, running from the Fae and from what was left of Taft's security, Lauren couldn't help the sting of being left behind or the shame in falling for the romanticized image of the scientific utopia Isaac had painted for her. She used to think she was smarter than that. It was partly how she was roped in to working with the Fae and it was how she was convinced to join a group that guaranteed freedom from scientific red tape. She thought she had learned her lesson about trusting strangers that promised the world.

As much as she still thought about it- them, she had other responsibilities now. They might not be as exotic or exciting, but they were hers. Lauren folded the paper and checked her watch. The lecture started in an hour. Back to the grindstone.

The Light Fae compound felt like coming back to your old high school where everything is so familiar, the teachers all remember you, but there's always a distinct message that you don't belong there anymore. The new Acting Ash was a large woman with an even larger personality and spoke with a southern drawl Bo didn't believe it was real at first. She didn't really know anything about her. She might have been a relative unknown, but all of Bo's sources of Fae political figures were either in hospital or MIA.

"As you know, one of my humans has gone rogue."

Bo's eyes narrowed. "Her name is Lauren and she doesn't belong to you."

"They warned me about you, Succubus."

"Oh yeah? Can't say the same about you." Bo cocked her head and smiled congenially.

"I can see that I need to change my tact. Return the doctor to me or-""Or what?" she needled.

"Or the good doctor will be in need of some medical attention of her own."

Bo grew serious. "Is that a threat?"

"This can all be avoided if you just bring her back to me."

"And who's to say that you won't hurt her anyways?"

"That is a possibility." The Ash smiled coyly. "Depending on my mood, I may use her for a science experiment on just how much pain a human can endure."

Bo lunged at the Ash. Her guards grabbed Bo immediately and held her back. Bo's eyes flashed a vibrant blue.

"Oh ho, she is feisty," the Ash chuckled cruelly.

"You know, I could end this right now if I wanted to." Bo bared her teeth.

"I don't doubt that you think you could, child. But I am centuries old and well-acquainted with your kind."

"Lady, it ain't just a song, there's nobody like me."

The Ash signaled to her guards to release Bo. "Then do what you must." She lifted a hand dramatically.

Bo shrugged off the guards. "I will find Lauren, but not for you, not for anybody."

"Your soft spot for humans has not been exaggerated. Go on, find her then. You just better hope you find her first."

The crowd was rowdy tonight as Bo meandered into the Dal. She pushed through the throng of bodies and made a beeline for the bar. Trick smiled at her from the far end as he poured a pint. She sat on a stool and patted the bar top with her palms expectantly.

"Heard about your human…" Tamsin turned on her stool to face Bo.

Bo regarded the blonde critically. "What did you hear?"

"Heard she spliced Taft and ran off." Tamsin sipped her scotch. "Not so loyal after all."

Bo looked after Trick, who was still busy at the other end of the bar and then back at Tamsin who gave her best Mean Girl smile.

"I'm sure Lauren has her reasons, the least of which is that the Fae want her dead."

"Where were you on that one?"

The pang of guilt that reverberated throughout her body made her nauseous. "With you, apparently."

"Nobody made you abandon your girlfriend in Taft's house of horrors. You did that all on your own."

"Yo D-Man!"

Dyson looked up from his desk to see Bo and Kenzi stroll into the bullpen and turn a couple of heads as usual. Kenzi dropped into the chair next to his desk.

"How are you feeling?" Bo asked.

"Good," Dyson replied. He waited for the rest of the typical greeting.

"I need a favor."

"Uh huh."

Bo handed him a piece of paper. "Can you check out the buyers of formaldehyde from this company? Maybe check a couple addresses for me?"

Dyson raised an eyebrow. "Formaldehyde?" he repeated.

Bo wrung her hands. "Lauren uses it in a private research project she's been working on. Maybe she's started it up again by now."

Dyson nodded. The theory made sense. "Okay," he said. "I'll let you know what I find."

When Bo turned to leave, Kenzi held her arm. "I just wanna ask about my cousin's latest arrest, okay? I'll catch up at the car." She watched Bo continue on alone and returned her attention to Dyson. "Okay, now I need a favor."

"Of course, you do." Dyson rolled his eyes.

"No come on, I'm serious." She grabbed his arm. "I need you to tell me those results first. I want to check out the good doctor before she puts the Hulk Smash on Bo's heart again."

"Kenzi, I can't keep that kind of information from Bo."

"Just this one time, please," she pleaded. "I can't see her get her heart broken again."

Dyson clenched his jaw and sighed. "Alright. I'll see what I can find."