Somehow a fic I planned on wrapping up in less than 50k words has become my longest one yet! Many thanks for those who are keeping me on track with loose ends - and you all can thank SomewhatAddicted for posing a question to me that resulted in an extra chapter being added to this thing! So who's ready to see a little Fae celebration in the village? And what's going on with these changes that Lauren is experiencing? And what about Kenzi's health and the trip to North America? And what in the world is going on with Erin and Tamsin, or Erin and Amelia, or Erin, Tamsin and Amelia? And when the hell will Lauren ever touch that damn tree? Keep reading peeps!

xxxxx

Fae Village, Celebration

The drums beating in rapid succession echoed from the center of the Fae village throughout the mountain tunnels. Most of the clan was already thrust into the party, enjoying the music, food and drink while building comradery with one another. The event had a carnival atmosphere to it, where juggling and Fae powers came out to play. Dagger tossing, shooting arrows, and even a bit of rough and tumble play all came out in the spirit of fun. In every sense of the word, the Fae village was alive in celebration.

The party had been ongoing for quite some time before Bo and Lauren finally left Bo's bedroom to join the festivities. Bo pulled the door shut behind her, taking Lauren's hand in her own as they exited the clan leader's bedroom. Both Lauren and Bo's eyes were glowing blue, illuminating the tunnel with a brilliance bright enough to put the torches to shame.

Lauren squeezed Bo's hand as it slipped into hers. Her feelings for the brunette had only grown with each passing minute they spent together, and now the celebration they were about to join in heightened Lauren's enthusiasm for what the night would hold. The energy in the air was so thick it should have felt suffocating, but instead the doctor fed off it. Even the rhythmic sounds of the drums getting louder escalated her excitement.

"Ready to see what kind of celebrating this clan gets into?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded.

"Definitely."

For Bo, clan celebrations were held for various reasons, but one of this magnitude had not happened in quite some time. She sensed the pride emanating from her clan before she even laid eyes on them. Locating and eliminating the dangerous thieves had given the entire village a reason to smile. While her thoughts were heavy with worry about Kenzi flying around the globe, Bo didn't show it. She wanted to celebrate with her clan; wanted each and every one of them to build stronger ties to one another. It would only strengthen the clan as a whole, and that would ultimately serve them all quite well.

With a controlled hunger, Bo kissed Lauren on the cheek. She knew that any interaction more intimate otherwise would drive them immediately back into her bedroom for the duration of the night.

Lauren smiled, accepting the kiss with as much self control as she could muster. She took the first steps toward the village with Bo at her side. She truly had no idea what the clan celebration would look like or what it would involve. If the chants, cheers and music were any indication, she figured it was going to be quite a long, rowdy night.

She couldn't have been more accurate.

One foot outside the tunnel and she recognized the village full of vibrant enthusiasm. Lanterns lit up the center of the village, casting lights over the various crowds of clan members dancing and drinking. A countless number of clan members spread far and wide across the center of the village. Not a frown was visible on anyone present, even those who were in non-human forms. Their happiness and relief was evident in the way they hugged or the way they swayed to the music; even in the way they clinked their beer mugs together with an overzealous cheer or celebratory yell.

It took quite some time to walk from the tunnel to the center of the village. Clan member after clan member stopped to share their excitement with the clan leader, and many took interest in the opportunity to meet Lauren. Just as the polite doctor would on any occasion, she returned each introduction warmly. She tried to memorize names with faces, even the small chit chat stories they shared with her, but truthfully she lost track after the first dozen. Some were easier to remember than others, mostly when they had a very unique non-human characteristic visible that her scientific mind fascinated over and analyzed.

Close to three dozen introductions and Bo cut off the rest of her followers. She wanted Lauren to enjoy the celebration without being bombarded with questions or the challenge of memorizing names. Being the clan leader did have advantages. One of those included having no trouble getting either of them a drink or finding a suitable seating option near the center of the Fae village. With a tasty fruity drink in hand, both Bo and Lauren took up residence on a hand crafted bench that afforded them an excellent view of the celebration.

"Wow Bo this is quite a party."

Bo nodded. Her smile showed her appreciation of her clan's enjoyment as well as Lauren's. Tonight was special: she was the clan leader and everyone in the village was happy. And Lauren was happy and at her side. Everything felt right.

Bo pointed to a woman nearby. A small group had gathered around her.

"Watch her."

Lauren glanced in the direction of the woman. Surprise was an understatement when the woman split into two identical but separate images of herself.

"What is she?" Lauren asked.

"She's a Gemini. She can split into two."

"Wow." Lauren imagined all the times in her life she wished to be in two places at once. "That must come in handy."

Bo laughed before quickly pointing out another clan member nearby. She was tossing fire as if she was juggling tennis balls. Lauren's eyes widened, amazed at the sight.

"See her? She's a Fire Fae. We never have to worry about running out of matches for those lanterns."

Lauren watched the woman with great interest, amazed at how her hands generated the balls of fire that she tossed in the air with ease. The fire balls created a trail of light behind them as they flowed in a vertical, circular pattern. It was quite the sight.

"That is so cool," Lauren whispered.

"Hey Lewis!"

Erin's voice cutting through the crowd caught Lauren's attention immediately. There, waving across the crowd, was Erin holding a dagger in each hand. At her side was Tamsin, smiling with a happiness that Lauren had yet to fully understand. Lauren returned the wave, keeping her eyes on her friend as she immediately tossed one dagger and then the other at a nearby target.

Her aim was perfect.

Bo joined Lauren in watching the entire scene unfold.

"Wow. Your friend Erin; she has amazing aim."

Lauren smiled as she tossed Erin a thumbs up.

"I guess she does. I knew she was good with a gun but not with knives. I'm still learning all sorts of things about her, even though I've known her a lifetime."

"Oh yeah?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded. "Well I know a lot about Erin, but somehow we get to this island and I seem to learn a lot more about her by the day."

"Like what?" Bo asked.

Lauren shrugged.

"I think she hooked up with Amelia, but now I think she's hooking up with Tamsin. I don't know. That's a conversation I have yet to have with her."

Bo laughed. "Sounds like you two need a girl's night in."

Bo's suggestion sounded like a great idea to the doctor.

"Or maybe a morning swim in the lagoon."

"Oh that sounds amazing!" Bo exclaimed.

"Well maybe the four of us can head down there in the morning."

Bo nodded.

"Excellent idea, Lauren."

In her appreciation of the events unfolding around her, Lauren absorbed as much of the surroundings and happenings as possible. There were so many unique clan members present. Atticus and Lachlan were goofing off wearing some makeshift paper hats where a few other Fae were shooting arrows at nearby targets. She hoped neither of them got shot; Lauren was simply not in the mood to perform emergency surgery on a non-human in the middle of a celebration. Tamsin and Erin were affectionately close to one another despite having daggers in their grasp. The Fire Fae had taken to pitching fire balls like baseballs at some creature whose hands were formed by what appeared to be water. Each catch immediately extinguished the flames. Further glancing around the area, Lauren recognized Isaac happily in conversation with Dyson, Hale and Trick near the center of the village. They all seemed elated with whatever they discussed. Even Hale, who apparently had slept off his drunken stupor had a smile on his face. Everyone seemed incredibly happy.

Lauren's gaze shifted from the group of men to their right, immediately catching the sight of the village tree again. The moment her eyes locked on to it, her body tingled. Not just her hand, but intense waves of curiosity melded with a renewed desire to touch it again. Connecting with that tree in some way had been on her mind enough times that she felt compelled to make it a reality.

Lauren placed her empty glass on the ground then stood from the bench to stretch her back. She stared at the tree with questions that just begged for answers, and Bo immediately noticed.

"Whatcha staring at?" Bo asked as she tugged on Lauren's hand.

Lauren looked to Bo still sitting on the bench and smiled.

"Your tree is calling me. I must pay it a visit."

With her own curiosity, Bo glanced to the tree and then to Lauren. She immediately stood.

"Want company?"

"Sure," Lauren replied.

Hand in hand, Lauren and Bo walked toward the tree. The commotion around them was slightly overwhelming; so many people, various conversations, and events all filling the space to create a swell of activity. The closer Lauren got to the tree, the more her body tingled with joy. All science aside, Lauren's heart pumped from a surge of adrenaline. She felt connected to that tree in some mysterious way, but all she kept hearing inside her head was to touch it. That was exactly what she intended to do.

Three steps from the tree and she looked at Isaac, who was waving at her. Hale, Dyson and Trick smiled and waved as well. Lauren nodded, her smile as genuine as she meant it to be. Bo was at her side, she was at the center of an unbelievable village on a beautiful tropical island, and everything felt right.

Everything felt right.

Everything felt right until Dyson's eyes widened, his smile faded and he lunged toward her.

One step.

Two steps.

Lauren froze.

Dyson's arms outstretched toward her.

Lauren dropped Bo's hand from her own. She raised her arms up in a sweeping motion as instinct attempted to prepare her, to shield her, as Dyson charged forth.

Her heart pounded harder, but her feet remained frozen in place. Dyson was a freight train charging at her, and all she could do was stand on the tracks and stare.

Moments in life when things happen in seconds can be perceived as full length feature films; each and every detail captured by the mind and processed at the speed of light. This was one of the moments. It truly happened so quickly that even Bo did not have time to react.

Fortunately for everyone, Dyson did.

Dyson's lunge propelled him forward and his outstretched arm bypassed Lauren's head. She held her breath as he whizzed by her, only exhaling when she heard his growl surface when his body hit the ground. She was dazed over what was happening, as was Bo who had immediately wrapped her arms around the blonde and pulled her aside. They barely maintained their footing but succeeded. Wrapped in Bo's arms, Lauren spun around and looked directly at Dyson who was now lying on the earth below.

Embedded in his chest was a single arrow. He writhed in pain. The tip had penetrated his skin and muscle but she had no idea the depth of its damage. He grasped his chest with both palms. The shapeshifter in him brought forth wolf-like characteristics throughout his expression. Even his hands appeared a cross between human hands and the paws of a wolf. His growls mixed with his human screams as the agony of pain pierced through him.

A quick glance aside and Lauren saw the clan members playing with bows and arrows also frozen in complete shock. Their expressions said it all really: a stray arrow not intended to hit anyone had merely gone off course. Only Dyson stopped it from hitting Lauren in the head. The reality of the situation hit Lauren like a heavy weight to the chest.

Dyson saved Lauren's life.

Even though more important things should have surfaced in her mind first, Dyson saving her was the first thought in Lauren's mind. While she felt a wave of shock over the entire moment of life flashing before her eyes, Lauren knew in that moment that Dyson was an honorable man. She may have doubted earlier if he would protect her or if he could move past the jealousy, but Dyson proved his redemption, and immediately all that doubt faded from her mind. She knew for certain he deserved to live, and the doctor was not about to let an honorable man die on her account.

Lauren tore herself from Bo's grasp and dropped to her knees at Dyson's side. His writhing kept her from getting a good look at his injury but she grabbed his arms anyway, pulling them away from his chest while trying to steady his movements. The commotion from the ongoing celebration around her quieted. The lack of noise gave her more focus on thinking logically about what injuries he could have sustained.

The arrow was sticking out from his chest but very close to his heart. Blood poured out from around the wound, covering her hands as quickly as it had covered his arm and soaked through his shirt. She needed to see the wound but the material of his shirt blocked her view. The arrow pinched the shirt in place. She had very few options. Get something to cut through his shirt and let him die while she waits. Cut through this arrow and analyze it further, and let him die while she waits. Or rip out the arrow and pull away the shirt, and let him die from bleeding out.

There was no solution that stood out as a good option. She was a doctor. She knew injuries like this: the kind where he would die in minutes. It was as obvious as the blood on his chest but despite the odds, Lauren still had to try.

She ignored the voices of nearby clan members panicking over the amount of blood. She ignored the echoes of apologies from the drunk Fae who accidentally fired the arrow in the wrong direction, and she further ignored the others now holding the guilty party at bay.

Nothing humanly possible would stop that bleeding without the proper equipment. It reminded her of another horrible time when she had injured men laid out before her: that horrible night she experienced along Frank's side during military service when so many didn't make it through the night. Her stomach churned once before she pushed the fear aside.

Kneeling beside Lauren, Bo held Dyson as still as possible. The clan leader was stunned; stuck in a middle ground between thanking and cursing the universe. Lauren was alive and Dyson was dying. She simply couldn't get past that thought.

Lauren had no supplies needed to handle this injury in any appropriate or sanitary method. Knowing that kept the blonde from hesitating. She grasped the arrow and snapped it in half, giving her the ability to tug the shirt over the smaller wooded shaft protruding from his chest. The motion jarred the arrow and pulled a howl from Dyson before he lost consciousness. Whether from the pain or the quick loss of blood, Lauren did not know.

All she knew was that time was running out.

"Dammit I need tools to do this!"

Lauren shrieked as she pressed her bare hands to his flesh around the arrow, hoping any type of pressure on the arteries would slow the bleeding. She looked around panicked for anything that could help.

"You! Give me that material in your hand!"

The unknown clan member holding some type of cloth in his hands quickly extended it toward Lauren.

"Bo tear it in two."

Without waiting Bo snagged the material and tore it in half. Lauren slipped one piece under her hands and pressed harder, but the blood spurting out around the arrow had only increased.

"Dammit, Bo. How do Fae usually stop this?"

"Stop what?" Bo asked panicked.

"In your clan, how do you usually stop an injury?"

"An injury like this? We don't!"

Lauren closed her eyes, her hopes dashed as Dyson's life slowly drained from him. The man was punished for his crimes, sentenced to protect her, and protect her he did. He saved her life, the very act putting his life on the line. Lauren cringed.

There was no justice in that.

Dyson was dying, and anger swelled in Lauren. She grasped the end of the arrow and with force yanked it from his chest. She tossed it to her side in the direction of the tree: the tree that suddenly caught her attention again. She was still out of reach from touching it, but that didn't stop Lauren from finally making a wish upon that tree in hopes that it did have some sort of power to make this entire situation better again.

"Don't die Dyson. Please, don't die."

Lauren pressed the material against his chest harder as she whispered that phrase repeatedly. The cloth was soaked red to match her hands and Dyson's chest, but that didn't stop her from applying pressure as much as possible. She looked from Dyson to the tree again and this time said it a little louder.

"Save this man, would you?!"

Her tone was sharp. Demanding. It was the voice of a woman not asking for favors or begging for mercy. Lauren did not just make a wish; she cast an order.

It was an order she only had to give once.

A swirl of breeze filled the night sky and encircled them huddled on the ground. It spread further to encompass the entire clan in the village. The moonlight seemed to glow brighter than the lanterns decorating the land. Lauren's heavy heart felt lighter; light enough that she felt peace overtake the bulk of other emotions present.

The hushed clan marveled at the sight as that swirling breeze gave way to a light blue glow surrounding Lauren, Bo and Dyson. The blue glow shifted from a spherical shape to a thick band, creating a connection from the tree directly to Dyson's upper body. Lauren's hand tingled again, so much that despite her attempts to keep pressure on his wound, she lost all her arm strength. Her fingers gave way to releasing her grip and the blood soaked cloth merely clung to his skin while Lauren's arms fell to her sides as she knelt over his body.

Dyson lay there, unmoving. Bo's hands still gripped his shoulders fiercely despite his lack of movement. With an unyielding stare, Lauren gazed upon Dyson carefully.

Waiting.

Watching.

Seconds passed until Dyson took a deep breath. He didn't squirm further, but the rise and fall of his chest kept even paces as he came back to consciousness. Seconds collectively turned to one solid minute and rapidly blinking eyes soon followed. Dyson opened his eyes and looked upon the one person directly in his line of sight.

Lauren.

"Dyson?! Dyson, don't move okay? Just stay still. Breathe slowly."

Lauren asked quickly and quietly. He obeyed, mostly because he tried to figure out what had happened. He slowly scanned the surroundings as he lay there. Glancing up, he saw Bo hovering over him. Both women were kneeling at his side.

His memory came back quickly. He looked toward his own chest, and while the sight of so much blood soaked through the cloth and coating his skin should have terrified him, the unique comfort he experienced was much too prevalent to cause any alarm.

Dyson reached across his body, pinching the edge of the soaked cloth and pulling it aside. He wasn't the only one who marveled at the sight: nothing but healthy, healed skin.

Gasps from nearby onlookers grew louder, including those from Tamsin and Erin. Even Bo couldn't believe what she witnessed.

Lauren's order was obeyed, and Dyson had been saved.

Lauren's hands tingled again and with it, the return of movement was granted. She found her strength again and instantly reached for Dyson. Despite her own assessment of his chest, Lauren remained in utter surprise as she slid her hand over perfectly healthy, uninjured skin. All the speculation, assumptions, or even historic Fae explanations couldn't match experiencing this moment.

Lauren had saved Dyson's life merely by commanding it to be.

"Lauren, you did it. You did it!"

Bo's voice roared in the otherwise silence. Her excitement and joy came forth with loud laughter, mostly an expression of surprise from seeing the woman she had been falling for make a connection with a tree no other Fae had connected with in over one hundred years. Marvelous and ironic didn't begin to describe the scenario. But truthfully, Bo didn't need any words to describe the moment.

Lauren had done something sure to be seen as a sign by every member of her clan. If there were any unspoken doubts about her connection to this clan, this moment had wiped them away. Bo saw it. Tamsin saw it. And even Dyson saw it.

"How did you...?" Dyson looked to Lauren. He too marveled at seeing the absence of a wound on his chest. He pushed up from the ground, sitting up and rubbing his own skin carefully to see if there were any strange marks remaining. Outside of the blood quickly drying against his skin, all the injuries were gone.

"I don't...I don't know really," Lauren replied.

She quickly looked to the tree, gazing over the trunk and leaves as she had done several times prior. There was no change to the appearance, not that it mattered. What mattered was that somehow her spoken words were obeyed.

Dyson followed Lauren's gaze to the tree, and the realization hit him hard.

"You wished me to live?"

Lauren nodded, still rather dazed that Dyson had no injury or that some mystical event just occurred at her hand. She heard the surprise and heartfelt emotion in his voice.

"Well, you saved me first."

Dyson's shock was short-lived. He had no residual pain, even as he stood from the ground and regained his footing among the mass of clan members. The crowd chatter had begun to grow again, more so about Lauren activating something in the clan tree that no one really understood. Proudly, Dyson extended a hand to Lauren and then to Bo, bringing them both to their feet.

None of them really knew what to say.

Dyson stood with Bo to his left and Lauren to his right. He needed no other sign, ever, to tell him that Lauren was meant to be.

He reached for Lauren's blood coated hand and gently guided it into Bo's grasp. He took one step off to the side and looked toward the clan still dazed and whispering about what was happening. With a strong voice to match his stance, Dyson addressed the crowd.

"I serve our clan leader, and now I also serve her mate. In the spirit of our people, let us give thanks to the universe for the arrival of this human; this human named Lauren. Let her now be known as the Healer!"

And in tune with a reply the Fae had certainly come to say with familiar repetition, their voices echoed loudly in unison as they chanted "All thanks" three times over.

That chant came from everyone, including the clan leader herself.

xxxxxx

At the Vancouver, BC, Canada, military airstrip

Once the plane descended below the clouds, Amelia could see the clear divide between land and water in The Strait of Georgia. She scanned the visible buildings and roadways even from this distance, the semi-trucks appeared like tiny ants marching along a path. She shifted in her seat again. The ache of constant flying cramping every muscle she could name, and that was an extensive list. Pulling her view from the window, she glanced at her flying companion for the past day. Frank had been sleeping for the past two hours, snoring evenly while he slumped in the seat next to her. She had slept quite a bit during the flight as well, but the final approach to Vancouver kept Amelia awake and more alert than anticipated.

Conversation with Frank during the lengthy flight was enjoyable. The majority of the early hours were spent grasping the uniqueness of Fate Island and the unbelievable discovery of a secret neither would ever share. Their mutual, unyielding support and protection of Lauren clearly had no boundaries, even when other worldly scenarios had unfolded right before their very eyes. Frank and Amelia also hashed out details about flying into Canada and transferring planes to the United States. Unfortunately Frank's military pull only went so far, and all the favors in the world would not allow him to fly directly in to Seattle without authorization from people they preferred to keep out of this. Vancouver was as close to Seattle as he could get them, and for Amelia, that was close enough.

While Frank and Amelia laid out plans as best they could, Amelia felt comfortable that a woman named Olivia Benson would have the flight from Vancouver to Seattle worked out by the time they landed. Despite that flight's short air distance, identity and customs tied to landing in Seattle was a great concern, her earlier call with the New York police sergeant took all the control out of Amelia's hands. She simply had to wait to find out how they were going to get across the border. Amelia worried about it vocally early on when she asked Frank if he had any ideas how anyone could pull this off. Those questions were met with assumptions, speculation and shrugs. Amelia simply had to resort to blind faith and hopes that Erin's connections would make it happen.

Even though Amelia didn't know these connections of Erin's, Amelia didn't doubt Erin or her abilities one bit. She had heard stories about the detective for as long as she had known Lauren. Finally getting the chance to meet the woman justified all the praise Lauren spoke of regarding the detective over the years. She was smart. She was funny. She was determined. And she was incredibly sexy.

Images and thoughts about Erin crossed Amelia's mind many times during that flight. Not just due to Erin's role in getting Kenzi to Seattle, but also due to the way the detective knew just which buttons the doctor liked to have pressed. They had connected while on the island, but Amelia was a realist and knew connecting was really the extent of it. Nothing between them had been defined, nor did Amelia really want it to be. Amelia's history proved she was the type to play and play and play some more. That's what she started to do with Erin, and that's also what she did with Tamsin as well. While Tamsin was still very much an unknown element in so many ways, Amelia could not deny that finding her way into a bed with a non-human was the best outlandish thing she had ever done. And those wings were certainly something to remember.

Thoughts of those Valkyrie wings shifted as Amelia glanced out the window to the wings of the plane. The entire flight was rather unique. It was the first time she had flown on a military craft. It was unlike commercial flying in many ways but similar in others. Fortunately for her, paying attention to all of the technical aspects of it was something left to Frank. She maintained her focus on Kenzi and simply followed Frank's lead otherwise.

Caring for Kenzi on the flight lacked most of the obstacles Amelia anticipated. After liftoff, Amelia struggled with adjusting the sedation levels to keep Kenzi comfortable. Not only was the patient a poor candidate for such a long flight, but she had also been away from the moonlight daisies for a longer period of time than her body was accustomed. Despite knowing little about the flower, the doctor recognized the signs of withdrawal with ease; something Amelia had experienced in her own lifetime and would never forget. For but a brief moment, it triggered a need in Amelia that she hated to recognize. Armed with sedatives that she could easily consume to feed that need, Amelia faced a very challenging hour after they first left the island. Fortunately those frequent images of Erin and of Tamsin in her mind fueled her strength to keep her sobriety. After all, popping sedatives would only knock her unconscious, where her mind would forget all about either woman. Why would Amelia ever want that?

The smooth descent led to an equally smooth landing, even though the jet was large and clunky. Frank stirred as wheels touched down and the craft rolled to a complete stop.

"We here?" Frank asked.

"Yeah. One down, one to go." Amelia replied.

It wasn't long after they landed that Amelia once again followed Frank's lead. Their few bags were removed from the plane's cargo hold. Kenzi was secured comfortably on a transporter bed and Frank's men moved her with ease out of the military jet and down to the tarmac. Amelia followed, appreciative of the fresh air but instantly recognizing the chill of fall. She immediately missed the warmth of the tropics, and if she was honest with herself, she also missed the people she had been there with.

"Captain Marsh."

A young woman dressed in military attire stood stiff before them, saluting Frank until he acknowledged her presence. She lowered her arm and addressed him directly.

"Your connection is ready. Follow me."

Frank did not conceal his surprise.

"Here? The connection is here?!"

The younger woman glanced at Amelia, appearing nervous to speak further in the presence of a civilian.

"Yes sir," the woman replied. "Right there."

She pointed away from them, her extended arm creating a direct line toward a small, unmarked jet. Both Frank and Amelia stared at it with awe. After all, their lengthy discussions over this plane transfer always assumed a trip to a commercial airport would be involved. Never did either think that Erin's connections would involve people who had the ability to put an unmarked jet on a military base. Perhaps surprise and awe were very much understatements.

"Well I'll be damned," Frank whispered.

He glanced to Amelia and smiled. An appreciative laugh even came forth as he patted Amelia on the back.

"Lieutenant Lewis has quite the circle of friends, doesn't she?"

Frank's statement caused Amelia to laugh with him.

"Yes, she certainly does," Amelia replied.

Quickly Amelia followed closely behind the military group, simply walking a short distant on the runway to a plane parked adjacent to the one of which they just departed. They moved quickly across the tarmac, and with little delay Amelia and Frank watched Kenzi be transferred to the smaller plane before climbing aboard.

The space inside the cabin door was much smaller than the military jet. There were momentary, awkward movements from the men shifting Kenzi's transport bed through the space, but eventually they were able to secure it in position. That cleared enough space for Amelia to move toward the passenger compartment, where she surprisingly walked right into Cosima's outstretched arms.

It took Amelia a moment to realize that it was in fact Cosima standing before her. While she had not expected her arrival until they were in Seattle, Amelia's weary eyes were appreciative of her presence.

"Cosima! Holy cow! What are you doing here?"

Cosima squeezed her tight, bouncing slightly up and down from enthusiasm.

"Good to see you too Doctor Shepherd. I'm here at Erin's request actually. Well, her friends who arranged all this called me. I was just back in Toronto from France and well, after another quick flight, now I'm here. I hope you don't mind me hitching a ride."

"Mind? Of course not. It's perfect."

Amelia hugged Cosima again.

"How the hell did Erin pull this off?" Amelia wondered out loud.

Cosima stepped back and smiled.

"Well, you'll probably want to meet the ladies who made this happen then."

"Ladies, as in more than just the woman named Olivia Benson that I spoke with on the phone?" Amelia asked.

Cosima nodded.

"Yeah, they're on board, near the back of the plane. Olivia and her partner, Alex. I guess they are kind of a big deal over in New York. Oh and there's another woman too, someone named JJ. I think this is her jet? Anyway, Erin really knows some people, huh?"

Amelia couldn't hide her smile.

"Yeah, apparently she does."

xxxxxx

Outskirts of Fae Village

With her legs stretched out before her, Erin leaned against an oversized tree trunk and looked up at the sky. It was well into the wee hours of the night as Erin tried to decipher which stars were attached to which constellations, but none of them looked familiar. The night air was humid and she felt overheated, but perhaps it was all the alcohol she had consumed in the Fae village. Out of habit she lifted the drinking glass in her left hand to her lips, but it was already empty.

"You want a refill?" Tamsin asked.

Erin glanced to her right. The Valkyrie was sitting next to her, also enjoying the beauty of the sky from atop the mountainside just outside of the village. She immediately looked at Tamsin's glass, noticing that it too was empty. While the idea of another drink actually sounded great, getting another meant going back to the village. Plus Erin knew that one more would surely put her intoxication to a point she didn't want to approach.

"Naah, I'm good. But thanks."

Tamsin rolled her empty glass in the dirt, freeing up both hands as she shifted her position and angled her body to face Erin. The detective was still looking at her, and it wasn't her alcohol consumption that had her appreciating the view.

Tamsin offered a smile that Erin immediately returned. The quiet surroundings had all the makings of an awkward moment. They had spent the majority of the clan celebration together, had become rather comfortable in the presence of the other, and definitely flirted with each other through the course of the night. They even left the party together, and now that they sat together under the stars, neither woman could deny the tension building between them.

Tamsin's smile grew more confident and Erin blushed. The detective looked away briefly, trying desperately to compose herself. Tamsin had more courage however, for the blonde slid her hand to Erin's leg just above her knee. When Erin didn't react, Tamsin slid her hand slightly higher.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Tamsin whispered.

Erin placed her empty glass in the dirt to her left before returning her gaze to Tamsin at her right.

"No, not at all."

Tamsin's smile grew more confident.

Erin knew the path this interaction could take. She had taken a similar one with Amelia before she took it with Amelia AND Tamsin. But now it was just her and Tamsin, alone in the dark under the stars. It had all the makings of a potentially thrilling night. Why would she ever turn that down?

Truthfully Erin really liked the Valkyrie. She also really liked the dark haired doctor from Seattle too. The detective kept her physical interactions with others rather minimal back home, but her behavior on the island had been quite the opposite. And she couldn't deny that she was enjoying it.

Tamsin's hand slid further up Erin's thigh and her fingertips paused when they met the hem of Erin's shorts.

"I think you're nervous," Tamsin whispered.

Erin closed her eyes as she smiled. Nervous wasn't quite exactly what she was feeling, but there was a subject on her mind that temporarily held her back.

"I'm not nervous. It's not like I haven't seen you naked already."

Tamsin laughed. "True, but that was different."

Erin wrinkled her brow.

"How so?"

Tamsin cocked her head slightly to the side and replied.

"Well, I seem to recall raiding your kitchen for junk food and then getting naked with both you and Amelia, which for the record, was a night I'd thoroughly like to repeat many times over. But since Amelia is not here, right now it's just us: just you and me. That is why this is different."

The funny thing about having a candid conversation with a Valkyrie is that they will say what so many others are afraid to admit. Erin appreciated it: the refreshing honesty of a woman not ashamed of enjoying a little fun in the bedroom, even if it was with two other women who happened to be human.

Erin looked at the situation in a rather similar fashion, although she was the human who had a fantastic night of fun with another human and a non-human. She had an innate ability to physically connect with someone and leave it at just that: an enjoyable experience without any promises or expectations. The problem with that approach is that someone always developed feelings at some point, and someone always got hurt. Being with the same person on more than one occasion would typically result in someone getting attached, and that someone was generally not her. It was why she preferred to avoid repeat performances.

"Okay for the record, I had an incredible night with you and Amelia."

"Of course you did," Tamsin replied with a wink.

Erin smiled and continued.

"Also for the record, I'm not nervous because it's just you and me right now. It just means that we would be a repeat performance and those usually come with expectations. I happen to really like spending time with you, and I also happen to really like spending time with Amelia."

Tamsin raised a brow as she replied.

"When you say spending time, you mean getting naked, right?"

Erin shook her head, the smile still present on her face.

"Exactly."

Tamsin chuckled and looked away momentarily. She found this Erin's indirect approach absolutely adorable. It was certainly different than the image the detective usually projected. Even during their prior night of fun with Amelia, Erin was not reserved in any sense of the word.

Tamsin returned her attention to Erin.

"Maybe I should tell you that I don't have expectations, and honestly I don't care who else you sleep with. I don't care if you sleep with Amelia or Dyson or hell, at this point, Isaac. I'm not into attachments or strings right now. I like to have fun. I liked having fun with Amelia. I liked having fun with you. Seeing as how you and I are the only ones sitting here, I'd like to have fun with you again."

Again, the detective appreciated her honesty. That alone gave Erin the ease of offering a bit of her own banter in return.

"When you say having fun, you mean getting naked, right?"

Tamsin leaned toward Erin. Her hand slipped further along Erin's thigh, pulling a sudden breath from the detective. Their lips were separated by the smallest of airspace as the Valkyrie whispered her answer.

"Exactly. So are we on the same page then?"

Erin looked over the blonde before her: those gorgeous eyes and that cocky smirk still in place. Tamsin's expression showed Erin just what she wanted to see: a no strings attached, fun opportunity ready and willing for an incredible good time. All she had to do was reply, and reply she did.

"I believe we are."

xxxxxx

The Dal

Propped in his favorite chair, Trick combed through another book in his quest to find answers about Lauren's changing characteristics. Her glowing eyes and obvious succubus needs were curious enough, but in his mind, the moment she commanded their village tree to save Dyson was the moment everything changed.

When Kenzi first entered the village and that tree flowered, he spent months upon months trying to figure out why it happened. Eventually, the lack of finding answers gave way to more important ways to spend his time. Kenzi became a part of their clan, and he simply stopped searching for answers. A random question would come up about the tree every so many years, and on occasion Trick would pick up a book and re-read a passage in search of answers again. Each and every time, the same results occurred: Trick found nothing to explain it.

Lauren's connection with that tree was different though. While Kenzi's arrival brought the tree to flower, it was a one-time event that had not repeated itself for one hundred years. Lauren had a multitude of changes occurring all at once. Not only had she taken on Fae characteristics, but she had verbally commanded their clan tree to do something, and the tree actually did it. Knowing there was something larger at play, Trick flipped the page and continued re-reading the same books he had read many times prior. Anything he found tied to the tree never formulated to much except speculation.

A flip of another page took Trick to another story that rambled on and on about the transition of power from clan leader to clan leader. He had read it thousands of times during his lifetime, before he took over the clan and before he gave the clan over to Bo. The passage explained the leader's qualifications including both temperament and bravery. One paragraph even went so far as to explain the importance of the leader being of sound emotions, spirit and physical form. And as he read, nothing tied Lauren to that tree or helped him get any closer to the truth of what had been happening. Despite the lack of answers, Trick was a determined man, and he would not rest until he could find something to help explain it all.

xxxxxx

Morning at the Waterfall

Lauren looked up at the waterfall cascading down into the lagoon. While the falling water still exhibited the same power it had the last time she stared at it from this angle weeks ago, Lauren had since found other things that held even more power.

Things like the moonlight daisy. Such a beautiful flower that was a powerful drug; one that could both heal and harm.

Things like Bo. The power in just that one woman was limitless. She held power over an entire clan, and she held power over Lauren's heart.

Things like Lauren herself. Lauren had been picking up more and more of Bo's succubus traits. First the glowing blue eyes, the ability to take chi, visually seeing auras, and just the night prior, commanding an inanimate object, a tree, to save Dyson's life.

The doctor floated comfortably in the lagoon, shifting her eyes from the waterfall to the shore. There Dyson sat perched, alert and prepared. He was one man yet portrayed the strength and determination of many. Since saving his life, Lauren found Dyson unwilling to leave her side. He wasn't searching for answers or requesting further interactions with that tree to prove anything. Quite the opposite, Dyson was acting as her guard. He would stop at nothing to keep her safe, and Lauren found the shift in attitude and expression rather ironic. His presence was not annoying, just consistent. Bo had to force him to return to his own bedroom during the night; otherwise the shapeshifter may have slept in the tunnel guarding Lauren from outside Bo's bedroom door until morning.

"Lewis, check those two out. I'm certain one of them is going to break a bone or something."

Floating next to her, Erin pointed toward the far side of the falls. Lauren looked in that direction, only to see Tamsin playfully flying just out of Bo's reach above the water. Bo was standing on the shore trying to reach the Valkyrie without falling in, and Bo's choice of standard human beach wear allowed the clan leader to show off each and every curve to perfection. Lauren's attempt to control the sudden flare of hunger within was successful. She forced her mind to think of Dyson's bleeding chest under her bare hands and that was more than enough to keep the blazing blues at bay.

"Let's hope not. I'm in no mood to save anyone else's life by wishing upon a tree this morning."

Bo glanced down to Lauren and Erin floating at the center of the lagoon. She smiled and tossed Lauren a wave, one that the doctor immediately returned. Playfully, Bo leaned forward and blew Lauren a kiss.

While the kiss alone was a seductive gesture, it was the sight of the bikini top on the verge of failing its duties that pushed all Lauren's attempted control to the wayside. The surge of craving chi rose up quickly in Lauren. There were no thoughts in existence that kept her blue eyes from surfacing once again.

"Lewis, what are you going to do about this eye color thing? You have one naughty thought about Bo and you look like something out of a movie. You can't go back to Toronto with eyes glowing like that."

Lauren forced her gaze away from Bo, shifting her blue eyes to Erin as she shook her head.

"I know. Trick said he was going to look into it more, plus I'm going to call Cosima when we go to the lab. I'm going to run some tests on myself so she can analyze the results. Maybe she'll figure something out."

Erin nodded.

"Hopefully Trick will find something. But if not, having Cosima is another great option." Erin paused a moment before she added, "Cosima should actually be with Amelia by now."

Lauren smiled as Erin's aura brightened immediately. Those purples and reds had returned just as bright as they were the last time she saw them. In fact, Lauren was certain the shades were almost identical whether Erin was with Tamsin or thinking of Amelia. It pushed the doctor to probe further on the matter.

"Enough about me. I want to know what's up with you and Amelia, or you and Tamsin, or whoever the hell you're sleeping with."

Erin smiled.

"Well, they're both really strong, independent women."

"So you have a type then," Lauren stated bluntly.

Erin slid her hand along the water surface, splashing Lauren playfully as she continued.

"Don't knock it, but I guess I do."

Lauren playfully returned the splash.

"I'm not knocking it, I promise. I'm just curious how you are going to step out of this independent woman triangle without alerting one about the other?"

Erin's smile widened.

"Oh they know."

Lauren glanced over her shoulder toward Tamsin, who was taunting Bo by remaining just out of her grasp. She quickly returned her focus to Erin.

"They know you are sleeping with the other?"

Erin's confidence surfaced. It pushed her shoulders back as she continued to tread water next to Lauren. Her facial expression shifted and any hint of shyness was gone. In that moment, the determined detective Lauren knew quite well had suddenly returned.

"Remember your after hours Lauren story?"

Lauren cautiously replied.

"Yes."

Erin raised a brow as the colors of her aura flashed brightly. Had Lauren figured it out sooner, she may have had a planned reply, but the doctor found herself speechless. Her lack of words was simply a reflection of discovering yet another thing about her friend that she didn't know prior.

"Say something Lewis."

Lauren broke through her expression of surprise with a brilliant smile.

"Detective Erin Lindsay, I'm impressed. Beyond impressed, I'm officially handing the after hours title over to you. May you put it to good use always."

"Thanks. I'd like to put it good use with those two. Regularly."

Lauren laughed. "Wow. They must have skills, and no I don't want to know the details."

"They do, and don't worry: I wasn't about share."

Erin stared at Tamsin, enjoying the sight of what the Valkyrie had added to the view. And while she appreciated the sight tremendously, Erin couldn't help but think about Amelia as well. It made her want to see the dark haired doctor again.

"Well maybe you can get the Valkyrie to fly around the globe and meet up with you and Amelia sometime. For an encore, perhaps?"

Erin returned her attention to Lauren.

"I think that sounds like an excellent idea. Speaking of flying, I leave for home in two days. Can you believe how fast this trip has gone?"

Lauren shook her head.

"Too fast."

"Are you going to extend your trip here a bit more? To spend time with Bo or find out more about the blue eyes or the tree?" Erin asked.

Lauren sighed. "I can't. I'm schedule to leave the day after you. Without a body to study, there is no way I'll get an extension on this trip."

"So what about this thing you have with Bo then? Are you going to just up and leave and that's it?"

Lauren's heart felt heavy. She watched Bo lean a bit too far over the water in her attempt to reach Tamsin. With a splash, Bo fell in the lagoon while the Valkyrie laughed hysterically. Bo surfaced, wiping the water from her face and laughing along with Tamsin.

"I have to leave. My life, not to mention my science, is in Toronto. Plus just up and moving would only be a cause for alarm that could do more harm than good for Bo and her clan. The last thing I want to do is make Fate Island a topic on anyone's mind. But, I may need you to call in more favors for me."

"Favors like what?" Erin asked cautiously.

"I may need you to get another fake identity, because as much as I have to leave the island, I don't think I can leave Bo. And I think I'm going to ask her to come home with me."

xxxxxx

Later at the Medical Complex

Dressed for a typical work day on the island, Lauren sat in front of an open laptop in the lab. She toyed with her necklace, not even aware of the mannerism she had made into a habit. Lauren had her cell phone pinched between her shoulder and her ear, listening to the ringing echo three times before the intended party answered. Hearing Cosima's voice put the doctor at ease. Their conversation began once Cosima cleared the haze from her sleepy mind with discussion about Kenzi and the status of the surgery. Amelia was still processing options for her approach toward the risky procedure, but she should be ready to operate within a few days' time. Frank had taken some personal time away from the military to stay in Seattle and be of assistance in case anything related to the island should arise. Cosima also spent a lengthy amount of time talking about Kenzi and a unique genetic subset identified in some tests before Lauren shifted that genetic topic to one pertaining to herself.

Explaining her eye color changes, the give and take of chi, the visual appearance of auras and the entire incident about the tree was easier than Lauren anticipated. She spoke about each change as if it was just another ingredient in a recipe list. She heard Cosima's rapid strokes on a keyboard echo through the phone and knew the young scientist was well on her way to formulating theories in code, hopeful to solve the mystery surrounding all these changes. Lauren did not argue when Cosima asked for another swab analysis, especially since she the doctor already run several tests on herself and had the data files ready to email to Cosima. Their conversation ended as Lauren hit send on the laptop and Cosima confirmed receipt of the files.

Upon ending the call, Lauren took a deep breath. The lab felt suffocating, and fresh air felt critical in order to get through the day. She pulled Erin away from an intense game of solitaire and the two women left the confines of the lab to take a walk through the medical complex. Their path led them all over the buildings until they found their way to the front doors as Sheriff Isaac Sanchez sauntered inside. Timing couldn't have been better truthfully, as having the three of them in the presence of front desk employees was pinnacle when the sheriff broke the bad news. News that Doctor Lee and Angelo had a boating accident near Piper Bay. News that the heavy infestation of alligators never gave them a chance to survive. It was hard to muster enough heartache to fake their sadness, but Lauren and Erin fed off the sadness from the other employees and that provided more than enough fuel to tap into their own emotions. Even Isaac himself, the target of Doctor Lee's bullying and even the victim of his abduction, gave the performance of a lifetime.

xxxxx