Chapter 4-

Danny studied herself in the mirror, thinking how things had changed over the last few months. She was still living a lie with Mike because she just couldn't bring herself to break his heart, but she had found out she was Fae, had some new friends and for the first time actually felt comfortable just hanging out. She was meeting Mike for lunch because he had something important he wanted to discuss with her and then she was meeting the girls later at a bar downtown for drinks.

"Hey beautiful," greeted Mike kissing Danny on the cheek.

"Hey," replied Danny smiling trying to reciprocate his enthusiasm.

When the waiter arrived Mike immediately ordered. "I'll have the chicken salad, and can you bring us a bottle of your best red please."

"And for you Miss," asked the waiter.

"Umm, I, I, ummm, think I need a few minutes," replied Danny narrowing her eyes. "What's with the wine?"

"Geez, you don't make it easy do you," replied Mike smiling. "Very well, I was thinking we have been together for quite some time now, I love you, and I was thinking…"

Danny's heart was now in her throat as she tried to swallow. "No this can't be, he should be breaking up with me, why is this man so freaking nice," wondered Danny, her mind reeling at the though of what he was about to say.

"I was thinking," continued Mike with a big grin on his face, as he got down on one knee, producing a ring, "we should get married." Danny just stared at him for what seemed like forever, her heart racing. She clasped her hands to keep them from shaking, her eyes fixed on the man.

"You don't have to answer right now," uttered Mike, barely a whisper. "I know this is a big step..." He trailed off unable to speak as he considered for the first time that Danny might not say "yes."

Danny was now looking at the floor biting her lip as she realized they had arrived at the crossroad she had been dreading. She hated herself. Why couldn't she just love this man that had laid his heart at her feet.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I can't." Her eyes searched his pleading with him to be okay.

"Ever?" he choked.

She slowly shook her head and hesitated for a moment. "I think I'm," she cleared her throat, "I think I'm falling in love with someone else," she breathed.

Mike threw his chair back angrily. "Might have been nice to know that before I bought the ring," he spat before turning and stomping out of the restaurant.

Danny closed her eyes as they filled with tears, "I'm sorry," she whispered to no one.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey girls," greeted Danny flashing her easy going grin, trying not to reveal the feelings that still lingered from her lunch date with Mike.

Bo replied, "Hey, about time you got here."

Danny smiled, "Kenzi driving you crazy?"

"Hey now, that is a little uncalled for," cracked Kenzi throwing back a shot.

Danny pushed Kenzi's shoulder teasingly and then turned her attention Lauren admiring the low cut tight orange tee she was wearing that accentuated her beautiful figure so perfectly. "How are you?"

"I'm okay," replied the doctor with a shy smile that was so endearing.

Danny thought to herself, "she has no idea how incredible she is."

"Pool?" asked Kenzi, already drunk, dragging Danny by the arm. Glancing back at Bo and Lauren Danny pleaded with them to rescue her but they just laughed and raised their glasses in a mock toast.

"Let's go up to the bar for a bit. I need to ask the bartender a couple questions for a case I am working on," suggested Bo grabbing Lauren's hand.

"Okay," agreed Lauren dutifully following along, never able to resist Bo's wishes. Lauren leaned on the bar facing the crowd studying Danny with amusement as she argued with Kenzi about cheating. Catching Lauren watching her Danny flashed her easy, disarming grin and held the doctor's gaze for a moment before turning her attention back to the drunk human who was now hitting on three teenagers. An involuntary, content smile spread over the doctor's lips and her mind began to drift.

"Hey," said Bo snapping her fingers in front of Lauren.

"What?" asked Lauren some what irritated by the interruption.

"Oh, my god," gasped Bo her eyes getting big staring at the doctor and a smirk forming on her lips. I know that look."

Lauren looked away slightly embarrassed, "what are you talking about Bo?"

"The look that says, ah, ain't she just the cutest," suggested Bo looking directly at Lauren, demanding an answer. Lauren said nothing trying to play it cool.

"You like her don't you?" asked Bo more gently this time feeling a pang of jealousy that she knew she had no right to have. Lauren looked at Danny patiently dealing with Kenzi and nodded.

Bo gave Lauren a playful push with her shoulder. "You have been holding out on me. Have you told her?"

"No," whispered Lauren blushing.

"Does she like you back?" asked Bo teasing again.

"I'm not sure, she's in a relationship," replied Lauren feeling like a little kid being grilled by her Mother.

Bo grabbed Lauren's wrist towing her toward the pool table. "We should go rescue Danny. Me and Kenz against you two okay," suggested Bo with a mischievous grin pointing at Danny and Lauren.

"Alright, but we bwweak," slurred Kenzi having had way too much tequila already.

Part way through the game Bo turned to see Dyson and Hale walking briskly toward their table. "Hey good lookin', what a nice surprise," greeted the succubus before reaching up and capturing Dyson's top lip between her own.

Dyson gently pushed Bo back, "I'm actually here on official business."

"What's going on?" Bo asked suddenly concerned.

"The Fae elders have decided that Danny has had enough time to heal and they feel it is time for her to join the Fae world officially through the challenge," replied Dyson expressionless.

"No way," argued Bo stepping between Dyson and Danny. "You aren't taking her, she isn't ready."

"Bo you weren't ready either and you can't stop this," replied Dyson gently. "It is done."

"It's okay Bo," sighed Danny.

"I won't let them take you," Bo whispered.

"I know," replied Danny touched by Bo's concern and willingness to stand up for her. "Thank you, but I need to face this alone."

"Be careful, and remember what we talked about, be quick, and be tough mentally, what seems real, isn't. If you don't pass the test, they will kill you," urged Bo reminding the wolf what was at stake.

Danny nodded and turned to Lauren whose face was drained of color. She gently took both of Lauren's shaking hands in hers and looked at her with calm, loving auburn eyes. Her heart was racing but not because of the challenge, but more the fear of never getting to tell the doctor how she felt. She knew what she was seeing in Lauren's deep brown eyes was an identical reflection of her own.

She reached out tenderly brushing Lauren's cheek. "It's going to be okay."

"I know," breathed Lauren desperately trying to hide her concern. "You can do this."

Holding Lauren's undivided attention, Danny flashed a quick smile meant to express confidence. "I'll come back. I promise." She lingered for a moment and then left the bar with Dyson and Hale.

Dyson led Danny into what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse with poor lighting and no ventilation. It smelled musty and there was an undeniable smell of death which made Danny sick to her stomach. The building was actually connected to Lauren's clinic through a series of dark and damp tunnels. They came into a room that looked like an armoury stocked with every different kind of sword, knife, dagger, or axe you could imagine.

"Choose your weapon wisely," suggested Dyson, "and Danny," Danny looked at him, "your first challenge will be something big and strong. You will have a speed advantage so pick something you can handle." Danny swallowed hard and gingerly picked up two shorter swords, one in each hand.

"Danny, it's til the death so, don't show compassion and don't give it a chance," advised Dyson grimly. "And one more thing, the second test will be an elder who will manipulate your mind leading you from reality, if you have to beg for mercy, you lose. You need to fight him with your mind." Danny nodded knowing that Dyson was doing what he could to give her a chance, and took a deep breath.

Dyson led her out to the "arena" where spectators from both Light and Dark were watching from above. Danny stood nervously taking a deep breath at the entry way feeling everyone's eyes on her as sweat trickled down her chest. She swallowed hard, quickly glanced over at Dyson, Lauren and Bo and summoned all her courage.

"Danny you have been brought here to participate in two challenges to prove your worth to the Fae society," boomed a voice from the shadows. Danny looked up squinting through the lights to see a man and woman standing together at the middle of the upper deck rail.

"Danny, I'm The Ash, the leader of the Light Fae and this is The Morgan, leader of the Dark Fae and we jointly sanction this challenge."

"Let the challenge begin," shouted the man.

A large door dragged open and Danny backed away from the direction of the noise. In thumped an enormous creature, maybe twelve feet tall, six feet wide, and it walked up right. The huge fangs were already dripping with blood from a previous snack Danny supposed. It had shorter front legs with powerful looking back legs and razor sharp talons. Dragging along behind it was a thick spiny tail.

"Seriously?" whispered Danny, wiping the sweat from her hands on her jeans.

The creature lunged at her and she quickly side stepped the attack. The beast let out a disappointed grunt turning and lunging again. This time a talon tore across Danny's shoulder. She grimaced but didn't take her eyes off the beast.

Lauren grabbed Bo's wrist biting her lip trying desperately to hide her feelings with the Ash so near. Supportively Bo wrapped her arm around the doctor.

Danny dodged the creature again as it rushed at her with reckless abandon but this time it swung wildly around catching Danny with it's tail throwing her into a near by brick pillar. Danny let out a yelp and struggled to get to her feet, having only one of the swords in her possession.

Lauren gasped looking up the ceiling barely able to watch.

"Be quicker," Danny whispered.

The aggressor was closing in on Danny, and just as it left it's feet to dive at Danny she scrambled out of the way. The beast crashed into the pillar and in that moment Danny jumped on it's back, driving the sword between it's shoulder blades into it's chest. The creature shuddered and let out a horrific cry, rearing up and throwing Danny across the room before it collapsed.

Danny slowly got to her feet. With blood trickling down her back and breathing heavy, she ran both her hands through her hair trying to collect herself. "One down," she whispered to herself. Lauren and Bo both breathed deep sighs of relief but knew the hardest challenge was yet to come.

An old man with only a few wisps of hair, walked toward the center of the floor, wearing a dark cloak that was much like a monk would wear. When he got close to Danny she could see that his eyes where pure white with no pupil and his mouth was sewn shut.

Danny picked up the sword, let out an involuntary growl and as she was rising she heard the words, "No need child." Danny looked at the man and then glanced around wondering who had spoken.

"It was me. You are not mistaken," confirmed the man starring at her with his empty eyes. The man took another step closer.

Danny's mind raced frantically. "Don't let him in. Don't think, don't think, clear your mind, think of nothing...nothingness..."

The man put his hand on Danny's forehead and she instantly dropped her sword feeling his power flow through her. She closed her eyes, hoping to remove distractions focusing on "nothing" as hard as she could, not allowing a thought, furiously trying to block the intrusion. Her heart was racing as she drifted...

Wild dogs with gnashing teeth appeared out of no where, their barks deafening as they crept toward her. She backed up desperately searching for an escape. The distracting noise of the dogs dissipated as quickly as it started replaced with a deathly still and desolate grave yard. The dawn gave way to the rising ball of fire veiled in thick fog creating an eerie eclipse over the fallen. Something dropped from the sky brushing her shoulder. Her eyes followed the object to the ground and she kneeled next to a sparrow whose eyes where leaking dark red blood. The bird twitched feverishly, not dead, but not alive. Soft thumping drummed on the desert dry clay. Confused she looked up from the bird realizing it was raining sparrows all suffering from the same affliction. A shriek cut deep to her core drawing her attention toward a wooded area. She took a few uncertain steps toward the ratty, deformed forest. The trees were grey seeming to have suffered a horrific fate and petrified where they stood. There was something evil and unnatural about it. A dark cloaked figure with its back toward her stood over something just inside the forest perimeter. She could hear her heart pounding while she continued to creep closer. She needed to see the face, see what its purpose was. Looking past the dark figure she could see a blonde body laying on the ground. "NO! What have you done?" The figure turned toward her and pushed back the hood revealing a familiar face, that of her own. "NO!" she gasped slowly lowering her gaze staring at her bloodied hands shaking uncontrollably.

The elder was gaining control as he had done with so many others before creating distress that weakened his victim. More images flashed through her mind settling on one of Lauren bloodied and Danny standing over her sword in hand.

"No!" she shouted. Her eyes flew open dissolving the images. Now awake she gathered her resolve gritting her teeth. The man frowned, and put his other hand behind Danny's head applying more pressure. Danny tensed as the power became overwhelming but stubbornly maintained her focus staring blankly at a dry spot of blood on the floor. The man's forearms were now shaking violently but Danny's demeanour showed no sign of relenting. Emotionless the man eventually pushed her away. She collapsed to her hands and knees breathing heavily.

Bo, shook her fist satisfied and grunted, "Yes!" as quietly as she could, while Lauren let out a held breath, relief completely overwhelming her. Danny got up slowly retrieving her sword. She watched after the man slowly leaving the arena feeling exhausted.

"Congratulations my dear Danny," boomed The Ash's voice as he walked out onto the floor with the Morgan. "You have passed the Fae acceptance challenges. Now all that is left to do is to pick your side. Do you want to affiliate with the Light or the Dark?"

Danny thought for a minute, "With all due respect Sir, I don't feel that I have been part of the Fae world long enough to make an informed decision," replied Danny as politely as she could.

"Very well," growled The Ash, "as you wish but you should know it is a dangerous road not being under the protection of a side."

"Thank you for your concern Sir," replied Danny keeping her head down.

"We'll revisit this in the future. For now, you are free to go. Dr. Lewis," he said turning to Lauren, "please make sure our guest gets medical attention."

"Yes sir," choked Lauren barely able to speak. The Ash nodded, turned and vanished into the darkness as did the others.

Bo ran on the floor and scooped Danny up in a big hug. "You did it!" She then turned to Dyson, "was it that scary to watch when I went through it?"

Both Lauren and Dyson said "yes" in unison.

"I have never seen anyone block the Priest like that," mused Dyson. "He had you, but you fought back. No one has ever been under his control and managed to win."

"How'd you do that Danny?" asked Bo giddy that The Ash had been put in his place again.

"I'm not sure," shrugged Danny, still shaking off the unnerving images.

Lauren being wildly aware of her place and the people watching conservatively placed her hand on Danny's shoulder. "I'm so relieved that you're okay. Come I need to take a look at your injuries."

"Danny, I'll catch up with you later, there's a Dark Fae in the crowd I want to talk to for a minute about a case," offered Bo pulling Dyson away. Danny nodded.

Lauren led Danny down a hallway toward her clinic. "I'm sorry about back there, I need to maintain a level of professionalism around The Ash."

"I understand," replied Danny, her auburn eyes locking with Lauren's just as they entered the lab.

Lauren swallowed hard, her heart fluttering, feeling drawn to the heat in Danny's smouldering eyes. Just as she was about to throw caution to the wind, Danny doubled over in pain holding her head.

"Danny! What is it?" shouted Lauren rushing to her side. Danny pulled away from Lauren and vomited in a near by trash can. The doctor approached cautiously timidly reaching out to gently stroke Danny's shoulder.

Still holding her head in her hands, Danny desperately gasped, "Lauren, I'm going to change. I have to get out of here and you have to promise to stay away."

"It's too dangerous for you to be out when you change, we haven't caught Smithson," argued Lauren, her eyes filled with concern.

"It is too dangerous for me to stay here. I can't control it," breathed Danny stumbling to the door. "I won't stay here and risk hurting you."

Running to the door the doctor shouted into the night begging Danny to return but the night was still. The cry of coyote in the distance and the doctor's own heavy breaths were all that remained. Danny was gone.