Time to find out more about the mystery brunette and what Bo and Lauren are up to across the pond!

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Enjoy Chapter 3, the last chapter of the 4th episode.

Oxford, Lauren's apartment

The blonde doctor put the paper in her bag and exited the Science buildings, passed the Bodleian Library and the Radcliffe Camera, and then walked into High Street. When she unlocked her door, some ten minutes later, she was aching for a shower and headed straight for the bathroom. It took her only about ten minutes to shower, but those ten minutes did her a world of good, and she sighed contently. When she exited the bathroom warm arms clasped around her towel wrapped body; Lauren froze for a split-second then relaxed in the touch. A pretty brunette kissed her neck, and the doctor leaned into soft lips closing her eyes.

"I know we've only been dating for a couple of weeks, but I have to say seeing you like this makes me want to move ahead of schedule"

Lauren laughed and turned into the lightheaded brunette. "All in good time" she smiled and planted a small kiss on the brunette's welcoming lips.

"You're early" she called from the bedroom as the brunette took a seat on Lauren's living room couch.

"Am I?" The brunette looked at her watch."I think you're kinda late"

Lauren stuck her head out of the bedroom door and looked at the clock on the wall.
"Oh damn, I'm sorry, Mel!" "Jeremy wanted to see me in his office after my lecture and after that I ran into one of my students" "I guess I just lost track of time"

"Not to worry, we still have about an hour"

"I ruined our dinner plans though" Lauren's lips pulled into an apologetic sideway half grin.

"As long as I can have desert" Melissa Marks wiggled her brows.

"You have a dirty mind, Dr. Marks"

"Let me show you just how dirty it can be later on tonight."

City of London, Crosse Keys Wetherspoon bar

"Ames!" a voice bellowed from the entrance of the Weatherspoon bar making Bo turn around from the conversation she was having, and a wide grin spill on her face.

"Luce!" "You're back!" Bo shouted back as she opened her arms to catch the oncoming storm that was Lucy Wells in a tight hug.

"How was Brighton?" She smiled after the warm greeting and straightened her glasses.

"A-maaaaaazing!" "Granted, I can't truly recall Saturday night but Rube assures me I kept 'some' of my dignity intact" Lucy bellowed out a laugh like only she could and Bo laughed with her.

"Next time, I am NOT accepting no for answer anymore Ames" "You're coming with!" Bo's friend shouted above the Friday buzz of the bar.

"I'll be there with bells on!" Bo responded enthusiastically. "Just as long as Mr. Thompson doesn't make me work late again." the brunette said.

"If he does, we're telling him you have cramps!"

Bo laughed at her friend. "He's not falling for that one anymore, Luce!"

"Fine, we"ll drag him along then" "He can have a drinking contest with Fran!"

"You do know I'll be fired if I get my boss killed, right?" Bo said so seriously it made Lucy laugh.

Shouts for Lucy piped up as all their friends started noticing she was there. Bo smiled as she saw the small platina blonde make her way around the table hugging and kissing. With Lucy back, the promise of Fran and Pippa joining them afterwards, and rumors of all them going to a karaoke bar, Bo knew she'd be in for a rowdy night.

Baliol College Dining Hall

The start of a new academic year was celebrated in the gorgeous dining hall of Baliol College. The long wooden tables where fellows and students normally shared a meal had been swapped for elegant little cocktail tables that were strewn across the hall. Groups were gathered around them, leaning into them and chatting away but in the middle a large area had been kept free as dance floor. Already a few of the students who were also in attendance, were showing off their best dance moves. When Lauren walked in she smiled. Long ribbons: red, white and blue, the college colors, decorated and draped down the beautiful 15th century rafters, and there was even a DJ at the front of the dais. It didn't take long before both Lauren and Mell were engaged into conversation with their colleagues and friends, and it wasn't long after that that Lauren had dragged her date onto the dance floor. As they danced, Lauren's hands wandered over Mel's side cheekily.

"Careful there doctor, you are well on your way to making me all hot and bothered"

"Is that a problem?" Lauren asked with a coy smile.

"With the Chancellor and Vice-chancellor of the university watching us" "It might be" her tone was serious.

"I'm sure they have better things to do then pay us any attention"

"It's not a big hall, Steph" "Everything here is analyzed under a microscope. Her tone had returned to its low, sultry depth Lauren had become accustomed to.

"Guess that just means you will have to get me all to yourself as quickly as possible."

"Such a tease" Dr. Marks whispered as she slid her hand from Lauren's back to her buttocks and gave it a small squeeze. Lauren hips responded by pressing closer to the lanky brunette. As the song they had been dancing to drew to a close, Lauren kissed Mel's cheek and whispered over her ear.

"Let me schmooze up to a couple of the boosters of my department and then we'll see about getting you that desert"

The brunette smiled and watched Lauren's every move as she made her way over to her fellow college lecturers.

An hour later

Lauren looked through the crowds to see if she could spot her date for tonight, and it didn't take long before Lauren did. Melissa Marks wasn't hard to pick out in a crowd. All you had to do was listen for the loudest laugh in the room. As a top barrister and a rising political star, Melissa was an excellent networker and it was no surprise to Lauren to see her laughing, chatting and otherwise getting chummy with one of the most powerful people in attendance, the Vice-chancellor of the university, Jeremiah Richards. Melissa reminded her a lot of Evony, she was a mover and a shaker, someone could twist the entire faculty around her finger. if it suited her purposes. But Melissa was less brash about it than Evony was, more subtle, more refined. Lauren smiled when they made eye-contact and she saw the brunette break away from the small group she had been chatting with, the woman certainly had game.

"I'm starving!" Lauren exclaimed when they finally exited the university grounds. "Let me take you to a late dinner?" "I think I might just pass out on you in a drunken stupor otherwise" The blonde said hinting at the vast amounts of sparkling wine she had been drinking on an empty stomach.

"Well, we can't have that" the brunette said as she pulled Lauren onto her lips and nibbled on the bottom one before releasing it again.

"I know a good place not far from here" "I go there with a lot of my clients" "The food is excellent"

City of London, Karaoke bar

The karaoke bar was crowded as it always was on a Sunday night, but Luce knew the owners and they always reserved a table for them in the corner. It was only the second time Bo had been here, but she loved it. In the background, the Spice Girls played and that music always made her feel like a giddy teenager again. It was only 10pm, but the group was loud, rowdy, laughing, and drinking. Drinks would appear like magic before her eyes, Bo's Guinness was only half empty, but there were already two other beers and a Baileys waiting for her on the table.

"I hear Freddy Quince has been shaggin' Vicky Latham in the broom cupboard on the 7th floor" Lucy said to the group of eight friends at the table right after setting her shot glass down.

"Nooooooooooooo friggen way!" Bo shouted a little too loudly from behind her pint Guinness, she was a little drunk, buzzed, but still mostly in control of her faculties.

"I heard he's been banging David from accountancy in the bathroom" Pippa joined in after a swig of her vodka.

"Nuh uh" "Gerard from HR" Will piped up, and downed the rest of his pint of Stella.

"Shut up!" Nerdy McNerdster Frederick Quince? Bo's voice rang out, a little too loudly again as she just about finished off her Guinness.

"Freddy?" "I heard he's been servicing Catherine McKenna!" Fran trumped them. Bo almost choked on her drink. The rest of the group laughed, interspersed with "No way!" comments and reaching for their next round of drinks.

"Oh girl" Will flicked his head round "That boy is sex on legs" "I'd do him" A shot of tequila was downed.

"I'd do her!" Fran blurted out and Bo now completely choked on her drink as the rest of the group fell over laughing.

Oxford, Fabricio's Italian Food

Lauren loved Italian food, and this place was authentic. Fabricio, the owner and chef was a third generation immigrant, and he had proudly been cooking his grandmother's recipes for years. He took great pride in only using fresh, authentic and organically grown products, and took care in explaining every dish of the three course meal they were enjoying. The food was every bit as delicious as Melissa claimed it would be. They had eaten, drunk, laughed and chatted, gossiped about some of the colleagues at the university, when suddenly, the conversation shifted.

"So, tell me your secrets Dr. Birkenbaum" Melissa"s voice sounded low, almost conspiring.

"Secrets?" Lauren raised a brow and smiled lightly as she eyes the woman across from her. "I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about" Lauren said smoothly.

"There is something about you" Melissa remarked. "A certain sadness behind everything you do"
"You're able to hide it well, but when you smile…"

"You got all of that out of from a handful of dates, huh?" "Impressive" Melissa truly was impressive, she wasn't only charming and intelligent, she was also observant, more so than Lauren was comfortable with at the moment.

"You're apprehensive at times" "Guarded"

"Week three and we're diving into the exes?"

"Not if you don't want to"

Lauren dropped her eyes, looking at the empty plate in front of her. "I don't" "It's just...it's painful" she half smiled and then reached out her hand to interweave it with Melissa "But, I like you, I like what we have, what we could have" "And I guess that means I will have to tell you about Amy"

"Amy, huh?" Melissa offered up when the pause in between Lauren's words was becoming uncomfortable.

"Amy was gorgeous" Lauren started softly "She, ehm, she was a patient of mine" "Treated her for a minor infection" "The sight of her half-naked" "I eh, I threw all semblance of professionalism out of the window that day, and just blurted out how beautiful she was" "God, I made such an ass out of myself, covering the beautiful up with 'from a professional point of view' comment" Lauren chuckled at the memory.

"You didn't!" Melissa said amused.

"I did" "She was breathtaking" "I couldn't help myself" "I fell madly, deeply, hopelessly"

"But?"

"I was hers... but she was never really mine" "We dated, I loved her, but she could never really commit to me" "She'd run back to her ex whenever things got a little difficult" "She even told me she couldn't decide between us"

"But you stayed?"

Lauren nodded "For years" "I couldn't not love her, she was that addictive" "And it was killing me" "One day I woke up and I didn't even recognize myself anymore" "That's when I decided to move"

Melissa squeezed Lauren's hand. "She sounds like a bitch"

Lauren laughed. "She had her good sides, beautiful sides" "I guess that's why it took me so long to tear myself away from her"

"Thank you for sharing, Steph" "You make a lot more sense to me now"

"I do?" "Good" "What about you?" "I've seen the white line on your ring finger" "You were married?"

Melissa sighed and smiled at the same time, her expression surprised
"There's no pulling the wool over your eyes either, is there?"

"Well, I do pay attention when there's something I want"

"Smart, gorgeous and determined" "Me likes" "You're right, I was married" "For eight years"

"Wow" Lauren sipped her wine "That's a long time"

"Yes" "It's actually very refreshing to meet someone who doesn't know the details about our break-up"

"Oh?"

"It was all over the tabloids before you got here, about six months ago" "She is a big deal, one of the top executives of McKenna Consolidated" "And it was all very ugly"

"Do you still love her?"

"God, no" "She almost destroyed my reputation, my career" "Actually, she's still actively trying" Melissa's eyes grew cold, there was a hardness there that she hadn't seen before "And she's fighting me for custody over our daughter"

"How old is she?" Lauren asked softly.

"Zita is five" Melissa said as she wiped her tears away "I have her every other weekend" "But, if Abigailhad her way, I would never see her again in my life." "That woman has no soul or heart."

City of London, Beethoven Karaoke bar

I will surviiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive. For as long as I know to…yeah…LOVE , I know I will something…and ladededadaaa….yeah….daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! YEAH! Bo sang/shouted into the microphone as half her Guinness flew halfway across the stage and Pippa and Fran sang/slurred and danced awkwardly along with her as backing vocals.

After another two mauled, reheated and rechewed, intermittently sung choruses and improvised dance moves with her friends, Bo ended the song with a grand finale of her hands flying up in the air, while shrieking out her last "I WILL SURVIVE!" like a bear in search of its mate. Her glass was seen launched in the air, flying against the wall, and shattering on impact.

"Thank you" "You"ve been an awesome cr…crowd" she slurred taking a bow, then joined Pippa and Fran in stumbling off the stage while giggling.

"Tha was ab…absolutely fabulou, mind… "Bo got that curious look of pensive thought about her, the deep thinking frown that indicated that all her brain cells were focused on one task at hand, but that they were unable to perform it. After about 20 seconds….
"Somethin with the mind!" "Lauren would know" "I miss her" "She knows EVERYTHING! "Cause she's A-MAZING" she rambled to her friend Luce as she wrapped an arm around her. "Like you are!" She continued enthusiastically. "You are so great, Luce" "You rock!" "YOU ALL ROCK" she cheered and grinned at her couch of friends. Her outburst was met with equally festive, enthusiastic and alcohol induced shouts of perceived awesomeness.

Oxford, outside of Fabricio's Italian Food

When Melissa and Lauren left the restaurant it was almost 1am. It was the beginning of December and the winter cold had slowly been creeping into the evenings and nights. Tonight wasn't any different as Lauren could see her breath puff out in smoke when she and Melissa stepped outside. All around town, the Christmas lights were going up, it made Lauren smile.

"I love Christmas lights" she said "Makes the whole city sparkle"

"Oh, I think these Christmas lights will do more than just sparkle"

Lauren raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"Our current mayor has been taking bribes left and right, and awarded the Christmas Lights contract solely on the basis of the "extra bonus" it gave him" Lauren saw Melissa"s eyes sparkle in what was unguarded glee. The woman looked like she had just set her teeth in the juiciest steak imaginable, and was eating it up with relish"

"Oh, that must be good news for your campaign" Lauren said with a smirk. Melissa was running for mayor of Oxford, but she hadn't been doing well in the polls. The current mayor, a woman named Gail Sully, was very popular and miles ahead in the race.

"The best news" "But honestly, though" "Those kind of politicians are the reason I took an interest in politics in the first place" "It's a corrupt little world, Steph" "If I can clean it up, one bad politician at a time, I will."

"You've got my vote" she smiled. "Course, I'm still working on actually getting the right to vote" she chuckled.

"I'm not as interested in your vote as I am in other parts about you" the brunette said while roaming her eyes up and down Lauren's body leaving no doubt as to what she was referring to.

Lauren laughed out loud "Noted" she said, then pulled away in a shy grin.

"My god, you are adorable"

Lauren smiled. "Thank you, although at the moment I am also dead tired" she confessed "Do you mind if we continue this another night?"

Being the skillful politician that she was, it was hard to read Melissa"s expression, but Lauren did catch a hint of disappointment before Melissa"s face opened up in a gracious smile.

"Of course not" "It is quite late, and we both have classes in the morning"

Lauren nodded her head. "Thank you though" "I had a wonderful time" she said looking up into the woman's eyes.

Melissa"s eyes softened at the look she got from Lauren. "Me too" She pulled Lauren in by the waist and kissed her lips softly.

"Goodnight, Steph"

"Goodnight, Mel"

The walk back to her apartment only took a good five minutes. Lauren was quick to shed her gala attire and climb into bed. She grabbed a notepad and pen out of the drawer of her nightstand and made a couple of quick notes. She put the pen and pad back, and turned on her side, pulled the covers all the way over her shoulders and sighed in her pillow. The doctor hoped she would sleep through the night. It had been awhile. There was a sadness in her eyes that suggested differently.

The Walkie Talkie building, top floor

Bo held a hand against her head as if it was too heavy for her neck alone to carry. She knew she'd have to eventually take off her sunglasses and let the natural light of day filter through, but there was nothing 'natural' about this morning's daylight at all. If she would have to use an adjective to describe it, she would use 'cruel'. She'd use the same word for all the sounds that were coming her way, and that felt like nails being driven into her skull, the telephone ringing being the cruelest of all. But, looking on the bright side of things, at least she had stopped throwing up.

Bo passed Lucy's desk on her way to the bathroom and mouthed "aspirin" to her chuckling friend. She glared back. Lucy had probably drunk more than she had, but Luce was obviously fine. Bo's mind drifted off to last night, trying to reconstruct what had happened. She vaguely remembered being in the middle a well-founded argument against consuming too much English beer as her stomach suddenly felt very queasy. Bo ran from the scene, not long after spewing her guts out in a nearby floral arrangement. Her curses at the quality of the golden liquid had been met with fits of laughter from her friends. She couldn't remember how she got home, but the image of sitting on her bathroom floor, hugging the toilet bowl was carved into her memories. Honestly, the least Luce could do was bring her an aspirin and stop with the chuckling. She couldn't remember ever feeling this bad when she was Fae.

Being human sucked, it really did.

Coming back from the bathroom, Bo plopped in her seat behind her desk. The brunette straightened her glasses and rubbed her temples when she felt a hand on her back.

"You alright there, love?" Lucy's voice was soft and caring. She'd brought her a glass of water and the life-saving aspirin Bo had asked for.

"Oh my God, Luce" "Why did you let me drink so much?" "My head is killing me!" Bo exclaimed holding her head in her hands.

Lucy chuckled. "How was I to know you couldn't hold your liquor" Bo's head was pounding, but she could still hear the tinge of amusement in Lucy's voice.

"Laugh it up, fuzzball!"

"Calling the person who brings you aspirin, names huh?" "I have a good mind to…"

Bo snatched the medicine out of Lucy's hands before the blond girl could walk off with it.
"Thank you" she said with as much as a smile she could muster. "Love you" she added sarcastically.

Lucy chuckled. "You'll feel better after the aspirin kicks in" "Take a break at 10am, I've got something else that will help with the hangover"

"A new head?" "Cause that's what I think I need at the moment" "A new stomach would be nice too"

Lucy laughed "Oh, could you imagine if I did have a head with me" "In my backpack or something, and I'd walk up to people and go "SURPRISE"! and open the backpack"

Bo cringed at Lucy's loud "SURPRISE!", but had to chuckle.
"I still think I'm a little drunk cause I actually do think that's sort of funny"

Lucy play swatted at her when the pair of them were suddenly interrupted by a loud booming voice Bo recognized as her boss "Pond!" "In my office!"

"Ugh" Bo sighed as her head felt like it was going to explode.

"Thanks again for the aspirin, Luce" Bo mumbled, and quickly swallowed the pill Lucy had brought "Duty calls, huh? Bo pushed her chair backwards and walked towards her boss' office wondering what Harry wanted.

The Walkie Talkie building, Harold Thompson's office

Harold Thompson was a gruffly looking older man. His beard and hair were always unkempt, the buttons on his shirt were always either loose or struggling to break free from the contact with his wide, protruding belly. By midday, his shirt was usually also covered in stains from his lunch break. He was loud and direct, plain rude at times, and unapologetic about it. Harry Thompson drank too much, the red color of his cheeks betraying him on the first day they had met. Still, Bo liked him. There was a candor about his rudeness that she appreciated, and though he often acted belligerent on the phone, he was never nasty without cause. Bo sensed that deep down Harry Thompson was a decent man, but he was a decent man with a secret that was tearing him up inside.

"Amy"

"Yes, Mr. Thompson"

"You're coming with me to the races this weekend"

"Sorry?"

"No sorries" "You're coming" "I take it you don't have some controlling husband waiting for you at home, because if you do, this isn't the job for you"

"I don't, Sir"

"Good, we are going to Ascot this weekend" "I am meeting with some of our biggest clients there, and I will need you there on my arm to give those power hungry sons of bitches something to ogle at" "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir"

"Now" "Do you own some type of frock?" Harry's hand was on his chest as he looked up at Bo with one eye open.

Bo couldn't help but laugh at the awkward use of the word 'frock'. He couldn't hide his ignorance about women attire even if he was trying.
"The overtly flirtatious kind?"

Harry laughed "You speak my language" "Yes, that kind, the kind that shows off some of your god given talents"

Bo could so easily take offense at his words, and consider them highly inappropriate, but being a succubus she knew a thing or two about innuendos, and Harry's comments were never that, they were simply a reflection of the way he perceived things.

"I do have a couple of those"

"What about hats?"

"Hats?"

"We're British, Amy" " I know Canadians are less formal, but we Brits like to uphold our traditions and a lady without an insanely decadent hat at Ascot is simply not done" Harry reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a card. "Call this number, it's my wife's personal stylist, she will be able to help you"

Bo nodded her head "Thank you, sir" "Will that be all?"

"Yes, Miss Pond" "Thank you" "Oh, and get me Martin Rosenthal on the phone"

"Yes, sir"

Lauren's office University Campus

Lauren was grading some of her students" papers in her office when she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in"

"Hey gorgeous"

"Mel" Lauren said smiling up from her paperwork.

"Time for lunch?" The lawyer said as she closed the door behind her.

"I have a working lunch with Jeremy today" "Wish you would have called" "Could have saved you the trip to my office"

"I wanted to see you" "Anyway, just my luck to fall in lust with a woman who almost has as busy a schedule as I do"

Lauren chuckled. "Let me make it up to you and your libido on Friday?" "Dinner?"

The brunette wiggled her brows. "Yes, please!" "I'm going to need some TLC Friday night"

"Oh?"

"A meeting with the ex" "Supervised by our barristers, but I know she's going to make it as ugly as she possibly can, and it's not exactly something I'm looking forward to."

"Hmm, how bout I cook us some lasagna and we have a nice dinner in at your place?" "I could really take a break from looking at my stuff still stuffed in boxes" Lauren smiled widely.

"Deal" "I'll text you my address" "See you Friday, sexy"

"Just don't call me that in the hallway, huh?" Lauren chuckled.

"Oh, I can't promise that" "You have that effect on me." The brunette closed the door with a wink.

10am the office break room

"So, what's this wonder drug you have for my head?" Bo asked as her friend was busy spreading honey over a piece of toast.

"Honey toast" "My gran swears by it" Luce responded, shoving the piece of toast in Bo's mouth. Bo reluctantly sank her teeth in it.

"I'm not sure if food is a good idea"

"Try it" Luce also shoved a water bottle in Bo's hand

"Honey toast and hydration" "Works like a charm" "Make sure you keep your meals light today"

"Yes, ma'am" Bo said as she continued to nibble on her toast.

"Ames?"

"Yeah"

"Who's Lauren?"

Bo froze hearing Lauren's name, she hadn't expected the sound of her name alone to have such a profoundly painful effect on her. Bo swallowed.

"I mentioned her, did I?"

"You kind of rambled on about her" "Said you missed her"

"Lauren is my ex" Bo said, her voice cracking at the sound of her name "We broke up about 2 months ago"

"Sounded like you still love her" Lucy's eyes were filled with care and concern for her friend.

"Maybe"

"The way your face lit up when you said her name yesterday" "I've never seen you like that before"

"I miss her, Luce" "Physically, mentally" "I can't sleep, I miss her sleeping next to me, I miss her warmth, her presence, her voice, her damn aura" Bo had tears in her eyes. "I miss her geek outs, her rants, the way she would smile, the look in her eyes when I would smile at her"

Lucy looked at her with a mix of sadness and envy. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone speak about another person that way" "Why would you ever let that go?"

"I guess love sometimes just isn't enough"

END OF EPISODE 4

So that concludes the first installment of Heritage! Speculation was rife and you all hoped it was Bo who was kissing Lauren's neck! So you should! Because we all love Doccubus.

But,...you were all wrong ;-)
Something somewhere in those three months we do not know a lot about went wrong, and now friggen' Mel is in the picture :-/

And Bo is human... What? Seriously? Any guesses as to what is going on? I did warn you guys that I would pull BoLo apart if I thought it benefitted the story!

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JCM: Believe it or not, but something came up, and Lauren hasn't been able to run those tests she wanted to ;-) We will be getting back to those though, but it'll take some time.

Mammon: Episode 1 had a Chimaera in it, which at the very least suggests some sort of genetic manipulation, but it is true that Lauren's formula has made her incredibly powerful, or let's say it has the potential to make her that :)

Frenchi: If you like a territorial Bo, you're in for a treat later. Ally is still in Canada, life there progresses without our favorite pair. I always intended to move Bo and Lauren across the pond for a while, because I wanted to explore Bo's family and it's sort of nice for me to write them in a European setting, because I'm acquainted with their surroundings first hand. One day, obviously, they will return to Canada and to the stuff they have going on there.

Guest: Catherine McKenna loves her granddaughter, but she is a woman of power and one with many secrets. In that regard she is a lot like her son, so she'll be there with a couple of surprises of her own.

Guest: Thanks for liking the quick updates. I'm happy that I can update as quickly as I am. Course, updating will go a lot slower once I run out of material I've already written. This stuff I just kinda have to edit, the other stuff needs to be written still. But, I do know where I'm going with all of this!

Read you later, my sweets!