Characters aren't mine. I've taken the liberties I wanted for the storyline, but the characters belong to Showcase and Lost Girl.

R&R appreciated. Enjoy!

Chapter 10

"Doc?"

Tamsin opened the door and stuck her head in quietly as she looked around for the smaller blonde cautiously. She hadn't spoken to the blonde in three days since she'd left her after that night and she wasn't sure what kind of mood the Doctor was in. Tamsin knew Lauren and Bo had been researching the symbol with renewed interest after learning from Katya that the murders were all kept a secret from the human population. She sighed as she found the place empty and walked in shutting the door behind her quietly as she made her way over to the kitchen area. She was just opening a beer out of the fridge when she heard keys in the front door. Tamsin stood up a bit straighter and silently watched the blonde enter the loft talking on her phone and carrying a few large books.

"Holy shit."

Lauren had dropped the books and her phone in surprise upon seeing Tamsin standing in the dimly lit kitchen and she did a double take before bending down and retrieving her phone.

"Yes I'm here. Sorry. No…no everything's fine. No it's fine Bo. Okay. Yes. I'll meet you and Dyson tomorrow. Goodbye."

She ended her call and set the phone down on the dining table before bending down to pick up the large books she was carrying when she came in. Tamsin moved over to help her and Lauren gave her a brief smile as Tamsin gathered up a few of the lose pages that fell out of one of the books. She handed the paperwork back to the Doctor and leaned against the back of the couch with a sheepish look on her face.

"So…hows it going Doc?"

Tamsin motioned to the research that Lauren was doing and tried not to look her in the eye as Lauren studied her for a second before setting the book down with a thud and moving over to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. She took a sip and studied the contents of the glass a bit before looking up at the Valkyrie.

"What are you doing here Tamsin?"

Tamsin flinched slightly at the flat tone of her voice. She'd expected the human to be upset with her or even treat her coldly, but this was almost worse. Lauren sounded like she had when Tamsin first started her security detail and it kind of pissed her off. Void of any real emotion, Lauren sounded almost…clinical in the way she addressed her. Tamsin shrugged her shoulders and took a sip of her beer.

"Came to see how things were going. How you are doing?"

Lauren laughed almost sarcastically. "How I'm doing? Well, let me see. The last few months have been spent figuring out some mystery that doesn't appear to have an end in sight, I've been spending practically all my time these last few weeks with my ex-girlfriend and her ex-boyfriend, the Morrigan either wants my head on a platter or she wants to sleep with me but either way…ugh…and my maybe/maybe not girlfriend/fuck-buddy is putting me through one hell of a version of the hot-and-cold game. So tell me Tamsin how do you think I'm doing?"

'Well, there's the anger' thought Tamsin as she sipped her beer again. She looked at the shorter blonde with a semi-guilty but semi-sarcastic look. "So not good then?"

"Ahhh you are so…"

"So what?"

Tamsin took a step closer to Lauren cautiously but she knew she had a smirk on her face. As much as the Doctor would deny it, Tamsin knew the human couldn't stay away. Not now. Or at least, that's what she was kind of hoping because if Lauren shut her out she wouldn't know how to protect her. Tamsin reached out for Lauren's hand cautiously and smiled when Lauren didn't pull away immediately. Tamsin stepped closer and put one arm around the shorter blonde.

"So what Doc?"

Lauren glared up at her and removed her hand from Tamsin's as she stepped out of her embrace. She was annoyed that the Valkyrie was making light of the situation and so she looked at Tamsin with guarded eyes. "Like I said Tamsin, what do you want?"

Tamsin shrugged. She wasn't sure how these things were supposed to go and she now knew Lauren was pissed, hell she could feel it radiating off her in waves.

"I missed you?"

Even Tamsin had to cringe at the way it came out more as a question than a statement.

Lauren rolled her eyes and took another sip of wine. "So much that you didn't feel the need to contact me or anyone else for the past three days?"

Tamsin sighed. "I was busy."

"Doing what?"

"Stuff. For the Morrigan."

Lauren studied her as if trying to determine if she was telling the truth or not. She couldn't force Tamsin to open up to her but she also didn't have to stand by and let her get away with doing whatever she wanted. She was tired of the mind games and being kept in the dark. She finished her glass of wine and set it in the sink. "Fine. Well, as you can see I'm fine and busy as well. So if there's something specific you came here for then please enlighten me otherwise I am going to bed."

Lauren started to walk out of the room but stopped to turn back to Tamsin as if she had an afterthought. "And if you came here to sleep with me then you might as well leave because I'm too tired and honestly to upset with you to even consider that right now. Goodnight."

Tamsin stood there slack jawed for a second before setting her beer down and grabbing the Doctor's hand before she went up the stairs. Tamsin pulled her back down to where she was standing and gave her an apologetic look.

"Woah Doc. Okay look I know you're pissed and that's fine, but I just…"

"What? You what?"

Tamsin sighed. She was so not good at this shit. "I came to you know…apologize. For what happened the other day."

Lauren bristled but didn't say anything as she looked at the Valkyrie waiting for her to continue. When she didn't say anything more Lauren rolled her eyes and huffed a bit. "What exactly are you apologizing for? For keeping secrets? For not telling me what's going on in your head? For whatever the hell that was before you decided to disappear for a few days?"

Tamsin backed up slightly at Lauren's tone and she knew she had a bit of deer in the headlights thing going on with all the questions being thrown at her. She looked at Lauren cautiously. "Uh…yes?"

Lauren raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'really that's the best you can do?'

Tamsin sighed. "Okay look…that was shitty of me to do and I'm sorry. I can't say it won't happen again, but I'll work on that alright? As for what's going on in my head…"

She turned away from Lauren and sighed as she put one hand on her hip and raised her beer to her lips with the other hand. She finished the bottle and set it down on the dining table before turning back to Lauren with a small smile.

"You wouldn't even believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

Lauren remained where she was but at least her tone had softened. Tamsin rested her hands on the table and leaned on them as she looked down then back up at the Doc. She sighed. "There's a whole lot of stuff happening and I don't know what to do about it."

Lauren took a step forward. "Like what?"

Tamsin pushed off the table and ran a hand through her hair. "Like stuff. Weird stuff. And nothing makes sense…"

Lauren sighed. She wanted Tamsin to trust her and open up to her but she didn't know how to make the Valkyrie do just that. She took another step forward and spoke in a soft tone. "Tamsin…okay maybe there's a lot of stuff happening. Can you tell me about any of it?"

Tamsin looked over at her with a pleading tone. "Is it enough to say that by me not telling you I'm trying to protect you?"

Lauren's face hardened. "I don't need protection Tamsin."

Tamsin put her hands up to her face in frustration. "Yes you do."

Lauren raised her eyebrow in challenge. "From whom?"

Tamsin sighed and kept her hands over her face. "The Morrigan. Trick. Bo."

Lauren looked surprised. "Bo? What does she have to do with this?"

Tamsin lowered her hands and gave the Doctor an even stare. "That's what I'm trying to figure out."

Lauren nodded but didn't say anything. She remained silent for a few seconds which caused the Valkyrie to worry but then sighed and ran her hand through her hair in the same motion of frustration that Tamsin had done moments earlier. "Well, I guess it's not a surprise."

Tamsin looked up in curiosity. "What do you mean it's not a surprise?"

Lauren shrugged. "Between the Morrigan and Trick, they have more secrets locked away in their knowledge than you or I could even comprehend, that's a known fact. But Bo? Why would she be involved?"

Tamsin nodded. "Not sure. But I don't think she's hiding anything. I think they're hiding something from her."

Lauren looked at Tamsin cautiously. It wouldn't be the first time Trick held back information to protect his granddaughter and she would be a fool to think it was the last. She yawned slightly and nodded. "Okay, well tomorrow I'm going to meet Dyson and Bo. Maybe you can come and we can figure out what is going on."

Tamsin scrunched her face a little. "I don't entirely trust Dyson."

Lauren laughed. "Well Bo doesn't entirely trust you so I guess you two will have to figure something out."

Lauren turned and headed towards the stairs again to head up to bed. Tamsin watched her walk away not sure if she should follow or not seeing as how Lauren was basically bearing her teeth at her earlier so she stayed put. Half way up the short flight of stairs Lauren turned back to Tamsin with a small smile.

"Come on, might as well get some sleep."

Tamsin gave her a half smile and slowly followed her up the stairs. Once they were settled in bed Lauren snuggled into Tamsin like she'd done many times before and sighed tiredly as the taller woman wrapped one arm around her. Lauren was contentedly listening to Tamsin's heartbeat for a while until she felt the Valkyrie chuckling a bit. Lauren lifted her head and peered at the woman.

"Something funny?"

Tamsin looked down at her with a smirk. "So what exactly is a maybe/maybe not girlfriend/fuck-buddy and where can I find one?"

Lauren rolled her eyes and huffed in annoyance. "Keep it up and you really will be asking that question."

Tamsin tightened her grip around the petite blonde and nuzzled Lauren's neck with her nose. "Come on Doc, why so serious?"

Lauren sighed. "Go to sleep."

Tamsin laughed. "Okay okay. Fine. But just one more question."

Lauren looked back over her shoulder. "What?"

Tamsin smiled cheekily. "So does this mean we're…you know…"

Lauren raised an eyebrow. "We're what?"

Tamsin rolled her eyes. "What do you humans call it? Dating? Together? What is the clinical term here Doc?"

Lauren couldn't help it as she laughed and turned around to face Tamsin. She looked up at her thoughtfully. "Well, what do you want it to be?"

Tamsin shrugged. "I don't know…isn't that kind of your thing?"

Lauren rolled her eyes again. "You know, for someone so…seasoned…you're really bad at this stuff."

Tamsin nodded. "No shit. That's what I keep telling you."

Lauren laughed. "Okay, okay. Well…I mean we've slept together…"

Tamsin smirked. "Repeatedly."

Lauren nodded. "But we haven't really done much else that normal human couples do."

Tamsin looked confused. "Wait there's like a process for this? Because to be honest, the last time I was in this position was like the Victorian Era or something and I am not doing that courting shit again."

Lauren laughed heartily. "Well, I think I'm glad to know there isn't any recent ex of yours that will try and kill me. However, yes there is a process to this…sort of."

Tamsin nodded. "Okay so what is it?"

Lauren raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think that I want to partake in this process?"

Tamsin looked down at her with her own eyebrow raised and looked at the position they were in pointedly. "Really?"

Lauren smiled cheekily. "Okay, well normally, there would be a few awkward dates until both parties are comfortable enough to consider themselves in a relationship."

Tamsin looked skeptical. "And sex?"

Lauren laughed. "Is sometimes part of the deal and sometimes not…at least in the beginning."
Tamisn shrugged. "Okay, so let's do it then."

Lauren looked confused. "Do what?"

Tamsin motioned between them. "Let's do the date thing."

Lauren giggled slightly. "Wow that was possibly the worst offer to go out with someone I've ever heard."

Tamsin frowned. "Hey, don't knock it til you try it Doc."

Lauren licked her lips and rolled Tamsin on her back as she laid on top of her gently and slowly leaned down to kiss her softly. "Hmm…well I'll agree with you there. I've tried it and I must say, it's pretty damn good."

Tamsin smirked as she brought her hands to rest on Lauren's hips. She looked up at the Doctor with a cheeky smile. "So does that mean you'll go on a date with me?"

Lauren nodded. "If you're truly asking, then yes. I will."

Tamsin grinned. "Okay, now…about the sex part…"

Lauren laughed as she nodded and leaned down to kiss Tamsin slowly as she let her body weight settle between the Valkyrie's legs. She knew she should probably be more mad at the taller blonde but something about the way Tamsin could go from guarded to completely vulnerable and slightly adorkable with her just did it for her. She'd have plenty of time to figure out the rest at a more non-naked time.

I realized as I was writing this how soft this Tamsin has become. Oh well…it's a nice change of pace for me from the show. Let me know what you thought and thanks for reading!