A/N: Hey guys! Thanks so much for the warm welcome. I was so surprised and flattered by the lovely comments and I hope I will be able to meet expectations. (Fortunately, my beta is awesome and I trust that she'll catch my OOC moments. :D) Anyway, here's the chapter for the Can't See the Fae-Rest and Masks episode. Enjoy! :) (I'm veering slowly off canon now and I'm slightly nervous, but please bear with me.)

37

Lauren's brief reprieve with Bo was just that: brief. Once again she was back in the labs, working up to 16-hour days. Perhaps only four of those hectic hours would be dedicated to research about the curse and the rest would be taken up by the overflowing investigative reports that she needed to complete for the Ash. (Who was currently asking for a more comprehensive report on a preliminary autopsy she'd done to a Peri weeks ago. Apparently, he was no longer satisfied with the initial report and was blaming her for its shortcomings. It was all she could do not to answer him back about wasting her time.)

It was enough to frustrate anyone but for someone like Lauren, who had been waiting so patiently these past five years for answers that were almost in her reach, it was almost devastating.

The recent body possession hadn't helped any because emotions she had long buried were brought to the surface, snapping at her control. She felt too sensitive, like at any moment she could burst and there would be nothing left of her but desperate need and hopelessness. Lauren could no longer find solace in her work, finding it a burden instead, as it kept her away from the research she wanted to do.

She had already gone through most of the books about African shamans and curses that were available to her from the Fae library and Trick's own collection but she hadn't found the solution to Nadia's coma yet. Lauren had been in the middle of research when it struck her with a certainty that none of the remaining books she had would yield the right answers. For a moment, she just sat there in despair.

But then she remembered that she hadn't checked everything yet. For a long time now, Lauren had gotten used to having unfettered access to the Light Fae library and was even encouraged to seek more knowledge. It was part of the former Ash's bargain with her: to have access to all knowledge and resource in his disposal. It was a grand gesture and one she had been grateful for. However, even that promise had its limitations. Lauren had respected that, knowing that it was a reasonable restriction.

Usually though, she only had to ask for permission and the former Ash would still grant her access or at least, look up any information for her.

Lauren sat up straighter at that thought. She barely resisted the urge to bang her face on the book she was reading. How could she have forgotten about those resources? It must have been the stress, Lauren rationalized. She wasn't able to properly concentrate for days now, what with the constant worry (for everything!) dogging her heels. She was only getting by at work automatically, her body going through familiar motions with minimal thought.

With new options to consider, Lauren felt her determination firm once again. She resolved to ask Lachlan about it the next time she met with him.

xxx

"...And based on the evidence you provided, we have at least three Peri deaths... by electrocution," Lauren finished her report and waited.

"It doesn't make sense," Lachlan commented confusedly. He was perusing the report she'd given, as though a second look would change the stated results.

"I agree. And I have a theory," Lauren offered, her voice growing a bit bolder as her heart started to pump faster in anticipation of her plans.

"Oh yes?" Lachlan turned his full attention to her then and seemed intrigued with her tone.

"But I need your help first. With this." At that, Lauren took the nail from her lab coat pocket (she always carried it with her now and had become some sort of talisman.) and passed it to him.

Lachlan readily looked it over. "Cursing nail. African," he determined quickly. Lauren felt a pang at that. He had known so easily what it was. They had not needed to risk their lives tangling with the Lich for answers.

She quickly shook off her regrets over that matter and explained. "I have reason to believe it is related to Nadia's state," she paused and added pleadingly, "I have to get her out of that coma."

"You think she's cursed," he said flatly.

"It fits," Lauren agreed. She took one deep breath and said, "I have done everything that you've ever asked of me. I think I have earned the right to ask one thing of you... surely there's something that you could..."

"I wasn't the Ash when she was cursed, if indeed she is. I can't help you," Lachlan frowned and cut her off immediately.

"But you're the Ash now and you have all the power of the Ash. Just grant me top level clearance for research and documents. The old Ash kept journals religiously..." Lauren almost babbled as she tried to hastily explain what she needed from him.

"No." There was no explanation, just a blanket refusal. Lauren almost stepped back from the sudden wall that appeared before her. She blinked, trying to make sense of it, trying to see Lachlan's reason but all she could hear was his resounding no, echoing inside her.

The overwhelming emotions that she had been trying to suppress for days, surged forth in a fury. It left her trembling in its wake, like a desperate junky without a fix.

"I cannot go on like this." Lauren shocked herself with her own words but the moment they left her mouth, she knew they were honest. (Maybe they were an unconscious plea for help too?)

"You can and you will. Come back when you've composed yourself," Lachlan ordered before turning his back away to dismiss her. There wasn't even a flicker of pity in those cold, brown eyes.

"No," Lauren argued. She grabbed her necklace and pulled it viciously, breaking the clasp. There was a sting of pain as it caught skin but it was disregarded at the rush of exhilaration she felt when she threw the necklace at her master's feet. "Because nothing is worth this life and I will not be your servant anymore. I will take Nadia and we will leave," she declared and felt completely fine with the snap decision. Lauren wouldn't normally decide something of this magnitude (the fae were her family now and she felt comfortable in this world, ward-status notwithstanding) but she had reached her breaking point.

Yet Lachlan only had a smirk for her and she knew why with his next words, "And how on Earth will you manage that?"

She shook her head as renewed despair crashed over her, pushing away her newfound confidence. Lauren began to beg "No please, please, please, please Ash, I beg of you, please, please Ash, please..." even when strong hands began to lead her away.

xxx

When they stuck her in a dungeon cell, Lauren had waited tensely for someone to come and take her to be whipped again. It took a few hours before she realized that no one was coming and that imprisonment was her ultimate punishment. She looked around her "new" room then and acknowledged that it was already miles better than her old cell if only because it was well-lit.

After checking to make sure that she was really locked in, Lauren only turned to lie down on the bed and promptly fell asleep.

She wasn't sure how long she slept but when she woke up someone had already seen fit to pass her a food tray that was left untouched. Lauren hated to admit it but it was probably the best sleep she'd gotten in weeks. While she was still angry and sad at how she was treated, some parts of her were relieved by this forced "time-out". It was a chance to re-group and relax without feeling guilty about it. Since it was clearly not her "choice" to stop and take a break, then she shouldn't be blamed for it either. For this moment, the heavy weight of responsibility was no longer on her shoulders but on Lachlan's and she could breathe easier.

Lauren "enjoyed" this unintended break for a whole day (in her estimate) before the anxiety rose up once again and she began to get antsy at the confinement. She became slightly paranoid over what Lachlan may be doing to Nadia. (She replayed the way Lachlan had said that he wasn't the Ash when Nadia was cursed and that he couldn't help her. Did that mean the bargain she'd struck with the former Ash was no longer valid? Fortunately, Lauren wasn't entirely convinced of this "fear". After all, Lachlan hadn't just thrown Nadia out when she ran away to Bo's and for the most part, he still treated her skills with the respect afforded to her position as Chief Medical officer.) When Lachlan came to visit her the one time, she couldn't help but beg once more even though she already knew it wouldn't do any good.

The panicked feeling hadn't lasted for long, though.

As Lauren was left to stew on her own, the worries that plagued her gave way to her own rational thinking. The break had allowed her brain the rest it badly needed and now it worked furiously to make sense of things.

Lachlan's actions especially baffled her. (Not the imprisoning-her part, she understood that. She had challenged him directly and he wasn't about to let that go. In fact, she still wasn't sure that this was her whole punishment; part of her was waiting for the other shoe to drop.) While he was not bound to cater to her needs, his point-blank refusal felt too extreme. What she had asked for was not unreasonable: she hadn't refused to do her duties, just requested for some assistance in a personal project. Even if he wasn't inclined to indulge her there and then, he could have just put it off. He didn't even have to promise anything because Lauren was clearly desperate and would only appreciate any reassurance from him. It would have been good for her flagging morale and help with her productivity, why hadn't he seen that? (Or did he see it but chosen to ignore it? He was too cunning to have missed that.)

Lauren began to suspect then that Lachlan was purposely provoking her. Which did not make any sense but why else would he act this way? Her mind began to review previous interactions with the Ash and she suddenly remembered that scene in her rooms; how he'd made her bow to him to goad Bo and her later conclusions as to why.

He was using her! Maybe it wasn't about Bo as she had originally thought but still, somehow, Lauren had become a plaything in Lachlan's eyes. He was deliberately running her ragged, keeping her from doing what she really wanted to do. He must've been so amused at her and at that last thought, Lauren felt a sudden shift in her emotions.

She sensed the swirling, conflicted feelings inside her coalesce into a ball of anger that grew bigger as time passed by. It was different, not like the anger that Raynard had unburied. This was colder and almost serene. There was no overwhelming passionate desire to get revenge, only a careful patience of a hunter that knew when to strike. Lauren let it encompass her whole being, finding comfort in the hardness slowly encasing her inside out.

38

Four days later, Lauren was set free and taken to the Ash's office. She felt a small thrill from the tentative freedom of being away from the small cell but she did not let it get past her apathetic mask. Last time, she had presented a pitiful picture to the guards as she begged shamelessly at her master's back. This time she was determined to appear stronger and uncaring; this time she would have control.

And to do that, Lauren couldn't let the Ash get the first word in. When she was brought in front of him, she started immediately.

"So what's next on the agenda? Torture?" she asked sarcastically, maintaining a careless and derisive tone.

Lachlan didn't take the bite and only said, "I was hoping you'd be ready to go back to work."

Lauren chuckled bitterly at that. She could feel her mask cracking a bit as the cold anger in her began to gave way to more fiery emotions.

"You lock me in the dungeon for four days. I'm supposed to be grateful to be let out that I just head back to the lab as though nothing happened?" she taunted Lachlan, wanting to crack his mask of affability.

Lauren knew she succeeded when she heard him say, "You've forgotten your place here," in a flat tone.

But his words also hit a sensitive nerve in her. She wanted to protest that statement because she had anything but forgotten her place with the fae. No. Even if she had wanted to forget, the fae wouldn't allow her to, either. She had carved her own place here with literal blood, sweat and tears and it was Lachlan who had driven her to this state.

Lauren only shook her head and said, "I just refuse to play anymore." She wondered briefly if he understood the layers of conversation they were having now; if he sensed the hidden history of her words and actions. But then she continued, "I'm gonna pack my things and take my chances with the Morrigan because she seems to know a hell of a lot more about Nadia's condition than you do."

It was a deliberate challenge, one that Lauren had especially tailored for this encounter. She had remembered the Morrigan's simple invitation after the bombing incident and used it now to provoke Lachlan as he had done to her.

And it worked effectively. He lost the cheerful air he was maintaining and his voice was irritated and threatening when he said, "I can assure you that if you so much as try to make any contact with the Morrigan, punishment will be swift and severe."

Lauren didn't flinch. "As severe as five years of indentured servitude?" she asked. It was a half-lie because even though her tone suggested only bitterness over the years spent with the fae, she did not (could not) completely regret them either.

In a quick turnabout, Lachlan tried to bring back his charming facade and adopted a cajoling tone. When it was clear that Lauren wouldn't yield to his tricks, he changed tactics again and adopted a more serious air as he decided to get to the point.

"I called you up here because I have some information about Nadia," Lachlan said. Lauren couldn't help but react slightly at that, her heart beating faster. "I read the journals of the former Ash," Lachlan confessed, "I discovered that he had known about the curse but decided not to share the information with you."

Lauren felt like all the breath was gone from her body. "What? Why?"

Lachlan looked slightly sympathetic and Lauren could hardly bear to look at him. "It's obvious really. He saw your potential when you managed to find a cure for the blood fever. He didn't have leverage to keep you with him but Nadia's sudden illness worked perfectly in his favor. When he found out about the curse, he kept it from you so he wouldn't lose your talents."

"It was a lie? I worked night and day for the Ash!" Lauren felt bewildered, her brain seemed stuck and couldn't process anything beyond the fact that the Ash had known, and had willfully decided not to inform Lauren. "But he promised! He was under oath!"

Lachlan shrugged. "From what I read, he found a loophole in the agreement. If you had asked him directly about it, he would have been forced to tell you. But since he had already offered resources, it seemed you never thought to ask him about it." He sighed and tried to look understanding. "I don't condone what he did but you're just going to have to put that all behind you now," he said.

Lauren was thinking furiously and realized that Lachlan was right. She had asked many fae about Nadia but she hadn't thought to ask the Ash. Why hadn't she? If she had then all of this... But then Lachlan's words finally reached her. "Oh and what? Continue working here? I'd rather burn the place to the ground," she stated calmly. At that moment, she would have done it without hesitating.

Lachlan saw the conviction in her eyes and instead of threatening her again, he appealed to her logic. "That wouldn't bring you any closer to Nadia's recovery now, would it? Besides I believe I've located the shaman who placed the curse on Nadia. He's in a village in the Congo," he said.

Lauren's focus changed. "I can go there, I can talk to him..." she offered earnestly.

But Lachlan had to refuse her. The shaman was Dark fae and they both knew that clan politics could not be ignored. Instead he offered, "Lauren, I would do anything in my power to help Nadia but for now, I'd appreciate it if you just clean yourself up and go back to work."

She didn't acknowledge his promise and only turned to leave.

xxx

Lauren had left at the Ash's bidding but it didn't mean she would blindly follow his orders either. After taking a quick shower, she went back to the lab to snag some paperwork and headed straight to Nadia's chamber. At least this way, she could pretend to be doing work but really, she needed time to think. To process everything that she had learned today and figure out how that would affect her and Nadia.

A multitude of thoughts were threatening to crash her brain. She needed to be logical about it but a few doubts began to creep in: what if she had just asked the Ash about it? They could have left long ago. When had he learned about the curse, anyway? And what if Lachlan was lying now? How could she trust him - or any fae for that matter - after the old Ash had betrayed her? She hadn't known anything at all! She had been so clueless and helpless.

With a force of will, Lauren pushed the doubts away and tried to concentrate on the important matters. She couldn't do anything to change the past but she could still find some answers. First, there was still the matter of Nadia getting cursed at all. Why her? According to the texts she'd read, curses were mainly used as punishment for evildoers. However, the term "evildoers" itself was broadly and arbitrarily interpreted by the shamans and that was why they were regarded with caution. (There were some anecdotes of people managing to piss off a shaman and ended up getting cursed.)

So, on that premise, Nadia was either evil or had managed to get tangled up with the wrong sort of people.

Her eyes wandered to the familiar pod and felt her lips turn up in a pained, rueful smile. "Hey babe. Sorry I haven't been here to see you in the past few days, it's just been kind of busy and... " she let out a sad chuckle, "Why am I lying to you? Truth is... the Ash held me prisoner. Again. But I guess we've both been prisoners for the past five years huh? But maybe that's all gonna change soon. I don't wanna get my hopes up but there could be a light at the end of the tunnel. And maybe someday real soon you're gonna wake up from your long sleep. And maybe I'll get to hold you again."

Lauren barely held her tears in check. In all the stressful chaos that was her life right now, she had been so preoccupied in finding a solution and trying not to hope that she had forgotten why she was doing this in the first place. She had been so frantic, running herself to the ground, that she hadn't allowed herself to imagine what would happen if she succeeded. (Because she was scared and excited and she had hoped so many times before that Nadia would wake up but she never did and it would kill her now if she failed again.)

xxx

She was still pacing by Nadia's pod, a couple of hours later, when the monitors started beeping. Alarmed, Lauren tried to figure out what was happening but before she could even think of a hypothesis, the life support tubes connected to the pod had fallen away to the floor. She felt her heart climb into her throat in panic and then there was a bright flash of light. The pod dome had disappeared and there she was: Nadia, blinking awake.

Lauren couldn't help but raise her hands to her mouth in awed surprise.

"Lauren?"

That voice. She had dreamed of hearing it for five years and now...

"Nadia?" Lauren asked in disbelief.

And then the prone woman on the table sat up and smiled at her in wonder.