Hi all!

I know this story's been on hiatus for quite some time and I can only apologise. I know some of you caught my little one-shot the other night where I mentioned that real life's been a bit overwhelming lately and I just honestly haven't had the time nor the willpower to sit down and write anything. However, I have a long night ahead of me. I've just trudged back in weary boots to my small but pleasantly warm office (read; shed-adjacent-type-cabin-thingy that's falling to bits!) from doing my rounds out on the harbour. For some reason, I always find being out on the jetty getting drenched and peering at all the tiny lights just managing to poke through the thick fog quite inspiring for some odd reason. It's what prompted my one-shot the other night so I'm hoping it'll work the same way now.

By-the-way, it's nowhere near as romantic as it sounds- I spend my nights ducking about under boats and listening to the wind battering at the rigging above my head all the while hoping and praying that tonight isn't the night that something heavy decides to land on my head!

Anyway, thank you all for sticking with me- I've said it before and I'll say it again; I have the best readers on FanFic!

Chapter Seven

"Bo, did you plan last night?"

Oh boy…

'Uh-oh', thought Bo, a sensation of panic rising hard and fast in her throat.

"Uh, what do you mean hon?" she asked all too innocently, grimacing at the annoyingly coincidental shift in the clouds above. All of a sudden, the heavens opened and a driving rain began to batter at the Camaro's windscreen. She did not appreciate the irony as she swatted haphazardly at the controls and releasing a growl at the immediate teeth-grating squeak of the wipers that had seen better days much like the rest of the old clunker.

"You know exactly what I mean Bo. I heard what that mechanic said," replied Lauren testily, "did you know the car was probably going to give out somewhere on this trip?"

"No Lauren, I don't have a crystal ball stuffed under this baby," she said, pointing to the same velvety corset she had been wearing since the previous day, "these girls are all mine" she chuckled impishly but the doctor wasn't in the mood for jokes.

She knew it was cynical and she felt terrible for even thinking it but then, she also knew the nature of Succubae. Had been intimately acquainted with such on several memorable occasions in fact and as much as she wanted to think better of Bo she had to know;

"Bo, I'm not mad," she only half lied. No one who has ever potentially been conned into someone else's bed was ever completely happy with the idea, "but…I don't get what that guy meant. Didn't you get the car checked before we set off on this little adventure?"

"Umm…no?" Bo mumbled, barely audible over the loud shushing of tyre on wet tarmac while her gaze remained firmly fixed on the road ahead.

"Bo?" Lauren persisted with just a hint of severity creeping in around the edge of her tone to which the Succubus visibly winced, not quite matching the deliberately casual shrug of her shoulders.

"Well, maybe…I…umm…kinda did?"

Despite herself, Lauren was actually beginning to quite enjoy watching the younger woman squirm just a little. There weren't many things that could rattle the nerves of the notoriously badass Bo Dennis. The Doctor was secretly a little thrilled that she, lowly human, could have such a profound effect on the unshakable Succubus. Though, sensibly, she would perhaps keep these secret observations to herself for now. Still, the thought made her give a chuckle to herself and for a second, Bo's ears perked up at the sound;

"What?" smiled Bo, joining in on the laughter uncertainly but the blonde quickly clamped down on her giggling and with the practiced ease of a doctor, schooled her features back to the picture of sobriety.

Well, she wasn't going to let the other woman off the hook just yet.

"Bo, what do you mean you kinda got the car checked? Surely if you thought the engine would suddenly fry on us mid-trip you've have gotten it fixed?" she asked, "well wouldn't you?" she pressed when no answer was forthcoming.

"Maybe, yeah, I should have but…" the Succubus trailed off, not sure whether or not Lauren would really want the truth.

"But what, Bo?"

Bo sighed forlornly. Okay, maybe she does, she thought even as she felt a crimson heat flush in her cheeks.

"I couldn't afford it," Bo blurted and for a second Lauren checked her response in confusion;

"But Bo," she began.

"I couldn't thrall the guy, Lauren" the Succubus interrupted grunted, more from embarrassment than ire.

"Your powers, are you…?" asked Lauren, immediately grabbing for the nearest scientific straw.

"No!" Bo huffed, "my powers are just fine," she paused for a moment, gathering her facts, "the truth is Kenzi wanted me to go and see a guy she knows," she continued to which Lauren immediately began to roll her eyes in response but Bo spotted the look before she could stop herself. "It's not like that Laur'. He's a kid made good. He umm…he knew Kenzi out on the streets way back when. Anyway, long-story-short, he got caught trying to fence some stolen alloys. The cops thought he could learn more if they turned him over to the guy that owned the garage he stole 'em from. Turned out he had a knack for fixing things so this guy paid for him to train as a mechanic then come work for him and it's kept him on the straight and narrow.

So…Kenzi practically begged me to go see this kid about the car. I knew I had some cash and I thought it would be enough to fix anything that was likely to fall off anytime soon but turned out…not so much. I thought about it. I did but…I just couldn't cheat this kid. I really thought the plugs would last until I could get us something better or at least find some schmuck I would feel so guilty about thrilling next time. I really did Laur'."

Lauren, who had remained stunned into silence throughout Bo's story swallowed hard and continued to stare at the passing scenery, all vivid greens and dewy from the rain that was steadily beginning to clear.

"I know I shouldn't have done it Lauren," Bo's voice broke through the doctor's reverie once again, "you just really needed this trip. We both did and I don't regret a thing. Except that I think I've hurt you now. Laur'?" she prodded, "Lauren? Are you even listening to me at all?"

But when the blonde finally turned to face her, Bo found the evidence of unshed tears in the other woman's watery hazel eyes.

"Every time I think that I can't fall for you anymore, I do, Bo Dennis," she smiled softly, "underneath all that front you really are just the sweetest, kindest…human…person I have ever met and I am so glad…so glad that you came into my life and I am so sorry I overreacted."

"It's okay," Bo replied easily and Lauren wondered again at the sheer embodiment of contradictions before her. On the one hand, Bo could hold a grudge like no other, a fact of which Lauren was personally familiar but then on the other, she could also be the most forgiving and trusting of beings when perhaps she had the least reason to be. She found herself perpetually flummoxed and she hoped to god that would never change. If she were to believe in such a divine creature, that is. She was, after all, a scientist first and foremost.

XXXX

The rest of the day's drive towards Calgary passed in a fairly companionable quiet, both women contain to fixate on the beautiful views each new turn in the road brought. Besides, lord-knew Bo was not always the most patient nor empathic woman but she had long-ago learned when Lauren's mind was worrying away at something and had decided to give the doctor peace to work out whatever it was that still seemed to be niggling at her.

Groaning slightly, she made a poor go at cracking her aching spine back to where it was supposed to be, grateful that she didn't have all that much driving to do after their impromptu night in the backseat of the car. Chancing a sly glance to her right, she could see Lauren pulling at her bottom lip with her teeth in that adorable way she did when she was trying to solve a problem. She wished there was something she could do to assuage the other woman's doubts, she really did but she also knew that any attempt would likely meet with resistance and/or failure. It wasn't that she hadn't been hurt by Lauren's tacit accusation that morning but it was done now and she was over it. For Lauren, she knew, these things just seemed to take longer; her analytical brain chewing away at that bone from every angle until there was nothing left but marrow. It was the scientist, she supposed. Every tiny little thing had to "figured out" then catalogued away.

XXXX

Another hour or so brought them haltingly into the centre of Calgary; its bright lights and the queues of traffic with their honking horns and the blaring sounds of the stores felt incredible jarring after the tranquillity of the road, albeit with the background chug-chugging of the Camaro which neither women really noticed much anymore.

A quick check online found them a hotel in the town centre which, while a touch on the swanky side for either of their tastes was at least a bed for the night. Truth-be-told, Bo could have done with somewhere quieter but it was only for a quick stopover before hitting the spectacular Icefields Parkway, through Banff and onto Jasper, their final destination at last.

Bo flopped fully-clothed onto the luxurious king-sized bed, tossing about fitfully and desperately trying to use the duvet to block out the noise of the street below. But then the gentle intonations of Lauren humming away contentedly in the shower wafted over from the far corner of the room and slowly, Bo lowered the pillow she currently had pressed against her ear while she listened. Suddenly all the noise and the aggravation that had been plaguing her since they had first arrived in Calgary seemed to melt away to nothing.

Earlier, they had shared what was, admittedly, a rather sumptuous meal in the hotel restaurant- at Lauren's insistent expense before playfully arguing about whether a late-lunch-cum-early-dinner should properly be known as a 'dunch' or a 'linner' on the way back to their well-appointed suite and Bo had naively thought that maybe life had once again returned to normal all by itself. But then the door to the room had closed and the doctor abruptly had that same strained look on her face and had immediately excused herself to the bathroom.

The Succubus was broken out of her musings by the click of that same bathroom door and her attention sparked as she watched her love emerge from the light now flooding out from behind her. She stayed quiet as Lauren went about the business of towelling and brushing out her damp-darkened blonde locks, stuck to her scalp with the weight of the water. The fluffy terrycloth guest robe looked warm and inviting but the Succubus dared not move from her place on the bed. She watched, mesmerised, as with a few deft strokes of the brush by those skilled hands, Lauren's curls began to spring back to life, framing the other woman's face in that angelic way like a picture of one of those saints her adoptive mother used to show her every Sunday when she dragged the unwilling Bo off to church, all benevolent and serene. But then maybe the troubled brow this evening was the giveaway.

Finally, Lauren made her way over to the bed, the dip of the well-upholstered mattress hardly noticeable as the older woman settled beside Bo on top of the covers, her lean body still encased in the robe and Bo had to fight her most primal urge to rip the thick fabric away and leave Lauren exposed to her advances.

God, no-wonder she got scared this morning. You're an animal Dennis! Bo chided herself.

"I'm so sorry Bo." Lauren said quietly into the space between them.

"Lauren, honey, you already said 'sorry' earlier so…unless there's something I don't know about, you have nothing else to be sorry for" replied Bo soothingly with far more control than she was feeling inside.

"But I do Bo. I thought the worst of you when you've given me no reason to. You've been so patient with me," she continued, turning to look at the younger woman, "so patient and kind and loving…you didn't deserve that."

"It would help if I knew why" said Bo after a long moment's pause. Lauren shrugged hesitantly;

"I guess I'm still feeling a lot more vulnerable than I thought I was. I thought I was ready for what happened last night and please don't think I regret it, at all!" she rushed in what she hoped was reassurance, "last night was so beautiful Bo. It was wonderful…but then when the morning came…I got scared again. And then when I heard what that man said to you when we left, it just gave rise to all those doubts…all those nasty voices in my head and I just couldn't make them be quiet."

In that moment, the usually so poised and accomplished woman sound so small and fragile…so much like a frightened child that Bo could do nothing but reach forward to take her into a tight hold, allowing her to fall apart while she held her together.

"Those voices have been put there by evil masters Lauren. Years of them telling you you're not good enough, that you are worth less. But honey, that's not you," she muttered in Lauren's ear, "god, it's no wonder you don't know where your head's at or how to feel. You've been through hell for so long…I can't even imagine…and here you are, with me, one of them."

"No Bo!" exclaimed Lauren vehemently, raised her head to look the other woman square in the face and Bo could see the fire in the blonde's eyes as she spoke; "you are not one of them Bo. You will never be one of them. You are the bravest and most decent person I have ever met. Human or Fae…and I love you."

"Well…what?" Bo broke off, "you…love me?"

"Yes Bo" said Lauren shyly, retreating behind the curtain of hair that hung loose about her features but Bo was already tucking it back behind the other woman's ear.

"You don't have to hide anymore Laur', least of all from me. Never. Hide. From. Me."

The doctor nodded weakly at Bo's words and the Succubus found the mix of hope and fear waiting in her expression so utterly beguiling.

"You don't have to hide from me because I love you too and I will always be here to put you back together again…even if you do think I'm like a dirty old man" she chuckled.

At first Lauren wasn't quite sure whether to laugh along or not, wondering if Bo was still upset over the whole debacle but then Bo's laugh grew heartier at the look on Lauren's face and soon the pair of them were rolling around on the bed in fits of hysterics until eventually, they had no idea what they were even laughing at, just merely content that they were together and for a while, at least, they could be happy.

I wasn't quite sure where I was leaving this one in all honesty but this felt like a good place. Also, I just want to say a quick 'thank you' to someone who left me an absolutely amazing review on Heavenly Creatures. I'm sorry but I don't have any way of referring to you other than "guest" but I could not have been more flattered by your comparisons. I can only hope you are reading this but I will also put a notice on Close to Home whenever I eventually get around to updating it. Thank you so much, I will definitely look up the text you mentioned too. As always, thanks to my lovely regulars who keep me writing (albeit slowly), you wonderful, wonderful people. Ooh, I promise, more about the actual 'road trip' in this next instalment. I kinda made a rod for my own back with the cliffhanger on the last chapter then had to find a way to play it out. Hope it was okay.

Mwah!