The Sun was bright in the sky and Lauren was sat out in the garden. At over 7 months pregnant, she was massive. She'd put on far more weight than she expected and struggled to walk much further than to the garden gate without something hurting. She'd kept tabs on her pregnancy herself. She had her own lab in her house as well as an ultrasound machine. As far as she could tell everything was normal, but she didn't want to risk going to a hospital as she didn't know what her status was after she left. She never knew if she was being hunted or someone reported her missing so venturing out into public was not an option in her opinion. The only person who knew where she was staying was her friend Maggie from town who was also a doctor. She'd check up on her regularly and was going to deliver the baby. She never questioned Lauren's need for secrecy and brought up food and other essentials when needed.

Struggling to get up off the garden chair, Lauren made her way back inside. She'd been in a fair bit of pain the past few days and hoped it wasn't a sign of early labour. She often contemplated phoning Trick, just for information about Fae pregnancies but didn't think the risks were worth it. She knew the gang spent a lot of time at the Dal and she didn't want them over hearing or having Trick tell them her situation.

When Lauren heard a car off in the distance she assumed it was Maggie coming to check on her after texting her this morning. Maggie had replied saying she'd pop round after work. It was late afternoon so although a little bit earlier than Lauren expected, it never crossed her mind it could be someone else. Going into the kitchen to make a drink for herself and Maggie, Lauren came to a sudden stop when her baby started kicked extremely hard and repeatedly. Waiting a few minutes until it passed she carried on to the kitchen. Opening the fridge the hairs on Lauren's neck prickled. Her senses heightened and she froze to the spot. Not wanting to turn around through fear of being right. No no no no no was all she kept thinking. How is it possible? Was just one of the questions flying through her head. Taking a deep breath Lauren closed the fridge without getting anything to drink and turned around. Her eyes immediately landed on the cause of her heightened senses.

Bo.

It felt like forever, it could have been forever for all Lauren knew. No rational thought was going through her head. She couldn't tell what she was feeling. The baby's kicking started up again, this time harder, causing Lauren to bend over and protectively rub her stomach in an attempt to calm the baby. The baby had never kicked her this hard but she assumed it had something to do with the succubus standing in front of her. So wrapped up in her own thought she didn't notice Bo come towards her and pull out a chair from next to the table, nor did she feel Bo guide her into sitting on said chair.

It took a few minutes for her to realise that the kicking had stopped and she was feeling fine, actually better than fine. It took her just as long to realise why she was no longer in pain. When she looked down at her stomach she noticed Bo's had was gently rubbing her swollen stomach, right over where the baby had been kicking. Her eyes were transfixed on the hand that was gently massaging her stomach and soothing her baby. She wished she had the strength to push Bo's hand away, tell her to leave and not bother coming back. But this was the most at peace she'd felt in the past few weeks and she craved every minute of it. She finally motivated herself to push her chair back and out of Bo's reach, much to the disappointment of Bo who looked like somebody had just kicked her puppy.

"You have no business being here Bo, you need to leave"

"No business? Lauren are you serious? You're pregnant!"

"Tell me something I don't know Bo. That still doesn't change the fact that you have no need to be here"

"You're pregnant!"

"I KNOW!"

"Let me say it again a little clearer, you're pregnant with my child"

"This baby isn't your Bo. I slept with someone when you were off with Tamsin" It ached Lauren to lie but she had to make Bo leave, her being here was too painful for her and the last thing she wanted was for Bo to make claim to the baby then try and take the baby away from her. She felt a pang of guilt at the look of hurt across Bo's face. She could tell Bo was willing herself not to cry.

Bo knew Lauren was lying, but it still sent a sharp pain shooting through her heart. She knew she had messed up but the fact that Lauren felt the need to lie to her and didn't want her to have anything to do with the baby tore her apart inside. It took all her self control not to let her tears fall.

"I know you're lying Lauren. I can feel her, our daughter. I can tell when she's hungry, when she sleeps. She calls out to me, she calls me mamma. She has done for months. I thought I was going crazy at first. Then I thought I was pregnant. Then I thought something had possessed me. When I spoke to Trick, he was sketchy about explaining what it could mean but as soon as he said you could be pregnant, I knew straight away. Of course Trick didn't want to believe it. But we got Dyson to confirm it. She's mine"

Lauren sat there, unmoving. Her baby spoke to Bo, they already had a connection. Her baby...girl.

"She's a she, I'm having a girl?"

"You...you didn't know?"

"No, I couldn't get a clear view on the ultrasound."

"Yeah, she's a she. She can't properly talk obviously, and I don't even know how she does it, but I can tell what she's feeling. I can tell when she's distressed. The past few weeks must have been hard for you? But It wasn't so much as distress this week I don't think. I mean it's taken me ages to find you. At first I wasn't going to you know. I believed if you left and didn't want me near the baby, it was for a reason. I mean I'm a monster. I know I am. But I'd never hurt our baby Lauren. Never.

Anyway, when I first realised it was about 7 weeks ago, I wasn't going to look for you. I kinda just upped and left. I think everyone was really worried I'd do something, kill someone. But I didn't, honest. I just needed a bit of peace in my life. So I packed a bag and left. Some days I'd be travelling and I could barely hear or feel her. And I missed her, the baby I mean. Then I'd head in a different direction and I could feel her more, but I still was going to leave you alone. But the closer I must have gotten to you, the stronger my pull was. Guess she wanted to meet me. I don't know. But I couldn't stay away. So yeah, seven weeks, and I finally made it here. She knew it was me, when she was kicking your insides. It felt like she was happy. I've never felt this kind of pull to anything or anyone. I need her Lauren. And I know you don't want me here, and that's ok, but you can't cut me out of her life. She's Fae Lauren and she'll need me growing up too."