IV

Of course it was Bo, Lauren thought. It had always been here and would always be. She needed to get out.

To be fair, Bo was following homicide detective Dyson, who in turn was apparently looking for his colleague Tamsin. However, in a way, this made matters even worse. Lauren swallowed. She knew that Dyson's feelings for Bo were still deeply rooted within him. And she knew that Bo cared very much about him as well. She had seen it, not just after the Dawning. He was much more than just Bo's "first real boyfriend". He was the first Fae that had looked after Bo, who had trusted her completely and whom she could trust as well. He was the first man around whom she could allow herself to be completely careless, no obligatory, protective walls needed. Dyson was Bo's first anchor, a fixed point in her life. Of course Bo had fallen for him. Lauren sighed, wondering what she was fooling herself for.

She could hear their muffled voices through the half closed door. They were coming nearer. Tamsin led them through the hall into the room where Lauren sat. When they entered Lauren stood up, went around the chair and uttered "Hello" while smoothing her blouse. She placed herself purposely right in front of the small table with the still weakly glinting sphere on it.

Dyson, curiously looking at her, greeted back and went with Tamsin to another large table near to another door on the other side of the room. Above it were pictures pinned to the wall, splashes of colour in the solitude of chrome and black wood. Lauren suspected that Tamsin was bringing work home, despite denying it. She and Dyson were probably talking about a case. Their position within the human police was a time-demanding job. They were basically working 24 hours a day. Not that they couldn't handle it. Tamsin threw a meaningful glance towards Lauren, obviously warning her not to mention what they had discussed earlier. So much for "overrun by people who have no business with it".

But Lauren focused on the third Fae in the room. Bo had stopped short upon meeting Lauren in Tamsin's living room. Her gaze was equally surprised, and lingered, a second too long for Lauren not to notice it, on the dark rings beneath Lauren's eyes. She was wearing a leather jacket, tight boots and jeans, all black, of course. Her hair spilled down her back. She looked gorgeous. Her posture was upright and self-assured. The dawning had really changed her whole attitude. She exhaled confidence with every breath. A smile lighted up her face when their eyes met. "Hi" she replied softly. "How are you?"

Lauren managed to smile back. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same, Doc", Bo answered. Her voice sounded almost playfully as she strode up to Lauren, slowly closing the space between them. "There is a new case, about a vanished Fae. We are hunting a Leprechaun." She grinned. "Maybe we get a pot of gold if we catch him." Her tone was nonchalant and calm, but her eyes gave her curiosity away. She approached Lauren without looking away. Lauren crossed her arms in front of her chest.
A small part of her wondered whether the two new Fae could feel the presence of the small object behind Lauren's back. But it's influence on her draw back as she tried to concentrate on it. It somehow lapsed into silence.

Just then Dyson and Tamsin came back. "Nice place" he said, looking around.
"Yeah. I've been visiting some old friends who owed me a favour. Turns out, they had exactly the thing in mind I was looking for. Way better than where I lived before." Tamsin's voice had found that distinct note on the edge of sneering again. "How did you find the address?" she asked casually.
Dyson admitted grinning that he had seen an open email with the address on her computer and decided to just drive around until he found her truck. Tamsin was not very happy about that answer. She threatened going through his stuff the next time he dared to look at her things again. Dyson apologized immediately, still grinning, and said that he had really just seen the address and nothing else. It was still visibly bothering Tamsin, though. At first her place and now her desk. She needed to be more careful. Bo changed the subject by asking about what she knew about the Leprechaun.

Lauren seized the opportunity to excuse herself. "Well, then, I am going to leave you to your case. It's really getting late." As she went to the door Tamsin and Dyson said goodbye, Dyson still very curious but holding back his obvious questions. He was sure to ask his colleague later. Tamsin on the other hand looked still alert and wary.

Bo followed her into the hall. Lauren had feared that. She needed time on her own. Especially to think about the things Tamsin had said, or rather not said but implied. She had to figure out what to do.
Bo complicated everything, as usual. "Lauren?" Her voice was quiet and soft. "Can we talk?"
"Look, I don't know if that's a good idea." Lauren answered, putting on her jacket and avoiding Bo's eyes.
Bo came closer. Her steps didn't make any sound and her movements were graceful and fluent. If she wanted to she could just stretch out her hand and touch her. Lauren tried to look everywhere but Bo's face. The succubus wasn't making this easy.
"Please. You are still my doctor. Sort of. I acknowledge and respect that you need space. But can I visit you at your lab? As your patient?"
Finally Lauren looked up. Bo was honest and open. She didn't avert her eyes. Lauren forced herself to keep her own emotionless expression. "Are you experiencing anything unusual?" she inquired.

Bo laughed melodiously. "No. Nothing in particular." Her glance dropped to the floor. "Actually yes, there is something. I think it started with the Dawning. I didn't notice it at first, but it's growing stronger."
Lauren frowned. She lacked experience with the Dawning. It was something very deeply fixed within the Fae traditions, she had never even had the chance to catch a glimpse of it before. She was human, after all. She didn't belong in this world. All the knowledge about the Dawning she had acquired came from reading very old books.

Bo continued with less ease than she had shown before. "Well, you know how I see people. Energy. Auras. Chi." Lauren nodded. Bo shot her a glance to make sure that their conversation was still within the limits. Her caution was not unjustified. Lauren thought about ending their talk already. But Bo's behaviour made her stay.

Bo shifted her weight from one leg to another. Then she bit her lip. "It's nothing bad or anything. Just different. I'm somehow starting to see auras clearer. More colourful, in a way, and sometimes even moving or shifting. You know I just used to see them when I was looking for Chi, but now they are always there. Not distracting, not at all, and just somehow in the background."
Bo's apparent uneasiness discussing the topic worried Lauren. As a doctor she knew that the succubus had exceptional powers and was just beginning to develop them. As her former girlfriend she knew that Bo was deeply afraid of herself.
"Okay" she said. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Mistake, she thought to herself, mistake, mistake, stupid mistake. She had to stay focused. She had done this before, and she could do this again. She had to stay professional. It was not that difficult.
Bo smiled. "Thank you, Lauren. Really."
Lauren smiled at her. "Of course."
Then she went to the door. Bo was still not looking at her. With one fluent movement she caught Lauren's wrist in her hand, surprisingly quickly. Lauren stopped dead, facing the door with her other hand already on the doorknob. She didn't look around, but pulled her hand softly out of Bo's grasp. She had to get out. Now.
Her walls crumbled, here and now, when Bo murmured "It's just that I need you."