A/N: Huge thanks to everyone reading and reviewing, feedback is what fuels a writer...just sayin..:) I am sorry this re-post is taking so long, I honestly just want to improve on the original. Better get a nice glass of wine, trust me you will need it...cheers Dee
Chapter 26
"Lauren!" shouted Danny, lightly shaking the sedate woman. The blonde was slumped onto the couch, slightly hunched to the side where the glass shard remained. The woman moaned, her dark lashes flickering and finally blinked, a smile forming on her lips as her eyes met Danny's.
"Hey you," greeted the wolf returning the doctor's smile. "I need you to stay awake okay."
A tiny stifled groan escaped the doctor's lips as Danny gingerly picked her up from the couch and carried her to the car. "I'm so tired."
Danny finished belting the doctor into the passenger seat. "I know babe, we're going to go see Katie. She threw the car in reverse doing an 180 degree turn before heading in the opposite direction.
The Fae leader stomped on the accelerator her eyes divided between watching the road and monitoring the injured woman. "Lauren, I need your help, I need you to tell me, uuummm..." Her mind was spinning, 'what would grab her attention. Think Danny, think." The tires squealed around a corner doing their very best to hold the road. "Lauren, I need to know the chromosome pairing, please, tell me how they work which set is for what characteristics….." blurted the wolf.
Lauren took a deep breath clearing her mind and focusing, "that's easy." She started to work through the list... "And the 12th pair..." The car came to screeching halt in front of the clinic. Danny was at the passenger door and carrying Lauren into the clinic before number 12 was identified.
"Katie!" gasped Danny spotting the young woman filling out a chart at the reception desk.
"In here," instructed Katie indicated a room to the left, when she recognized it was Dr. Lewis. The bright intern called for David before hurrying into the room to examine the doctor.
"What happened?" barked Katie.
"There was an explosion," replied Danny her nerves fragile and near the surface. She squeezed the doctor's hand. "Just hang in there okay, they are going to look after you." Lauren nodded sluggishly.
Katie cut the bandages to examine the injury, "Who did the bandages?" asked Katie, her thick fingers probing the puncture site.
"I did," admitted Danny cautiously, her eyes searching the intern's expressionless features.
"You did good, likely saved her life," uttered Katie, relieved to see the bleeding was coagulating and the wound was clean. "David please get an IV going she needs blood."
"Back up please," advised Katie. "Let us work." Danny took one step back but was not leaving Lauren's side. She ran her hand quickly through her hair and took a deep breath trying to calm herself.
"We have to take her to surgery," informed the intern. "The glass obviously needs to come out and we will assess any internal trauma in surgery."
Leaning over the blonde, the Fae leader pressed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I'll see you soon. I love you." Her deep gold eyes glistened fighting back tears.
"I love you too," replied the doctor as their fingers slipped apart.
Is she going to be okay?" asked the wolf, barely audible after David had taken Lauren from the room.
Katie put her hand on the distraught woman's arm, "We'll take good care of her."
Danny was pacing the waiting room, chewing her lip, when Bo ran through the door, having come immediately after getting the call.
"How is she?" asked the succubus, hugging the wolf tightly, while her thoughts drifted to the doctor.
"Still in surgery," whispered Danny lost in thought.
Bo grabbed her by both her arms and looked her in the eyes. She was prepared to tell her it would be okay but couldn't utter a word seeing the sadness and despair reflected in the other woman's eyes. Bo took a deep breath and found her resolve, "she's going to be fine."
Danny shook her head, "this is my fault, I was so wrapped up in what happed at the acreage that I never noticed she was hurt. I could have got her here sooner."
"No, you did good, you at least got her here," argued Bo.
"Where's Kenzi?" asked the Fae leader changing the subject unwilling to forgive herself so easily.
"She's on her way. She was at Trick's with Hale," replied the leather clad woman.
Bo guided the wolf over to some chairs and put her arm around her. Bo's mind was reeling. She was trying to be supportive but at the same time, her heart was breaking. She still had feelings for the beautiful doctor and couldn't bare the thought of losing her. Within about 5 minutes She was up walking the floor absentmindedly.
Danny stuffed her hands in the pockets of her ripped jeans and took a deep breath, "Bo, I know you're worried too, upset, terrified of losing her. I know you still have feelings for her."
Bo stopped pacing and stared at the wolf. Her dark gaze met the auburn eyes still filled with worry, unsure what to say.
"It's okay Bo."
Bo shook her head and smiled awkwardly, "I can't help but love Lauren, that's true, but I don't have and never will have what you have with her. You don't need to be a succubus to see the way she looks at you, and the adoration that's in your eyes when you're with her," uttered Bo for the first time, feeling like somehow saying what she felt made it more real.
"I'm sorry Bo," replied Danny seeing the sadness in the dark beauty.
"Don't be, she deserves to be adored and you're growing on me," chuckled the succubus.
Kenzi strolled in breaking the silence that had fallen between the two women who both cared for each other and loved the same woman.
"Sorry my peeps. Am I interrupting something?" asked Kenzi hugging Bo and then Danny.
"No," replied the women in unison.
"First Bo, now the Doc, I can`t keep up with all this emotional bullshit. Is it really too much to ask to just have a normal day? How is our doc anyway?" she asked leaning back in a chair, her feet resting on another.
"Still in surgery," replied Bo noticing The Ash walk in and stop to speak with Katie.
"What`s he doing here?" growled Danny walking over to the doorway, her eyes narrowing.
"His prize possession is here," replied Kenzi, stretching her arms and yawning.
Danny took a step back as Katie opened the door to the glass waiting room, with The Ash in tow.
"So it`s you three that are responsible for my Doctor being in this predicament?" asked the man pulling his fingers out of his leather gloves.
Bo stepped forward defiantly, "her name is Lauren."
"In the future," started The Ash unbuttoning his tan coat, "I would prefer you not get 'Lauren' involved in your drama."
"Hey, there was a dead Fae in that house that needed examining which is why she was there," replied Bo, her weight shifted on her left leg. "By the way, that house you sent us to was rigged, but, I'm sure you knew that."
"I'm sure I didn't," replied the man impatiently, his piercing stare looking through Bo, glancing at the side kick, finally resting on Danny. "The doctor's in good hands, you all might as well go home." His intense gaze sent chills down Kenzi's spine.
Danny's brow crinkled, trying not to let her rage surface. She walked over to Kenzi, and slumped casually in the chair next to her. The black leather scrunched on Bo's jacket as she crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows defiantly.
"Fine suit yourselves," conceded the Ash, turning quickly, his long coat floating freely around him.
"I`m sorry about that," admitted Katie, her lips turned up in a tiny apologetic smile. "The surgery went well, and I expect her to make a full recovery."
"Can we see her?" asked Danny anxiously getting to her feet, slipping her fingers in a raking motion through the dishevelled tresses.
"She's still in intensive care, so just one of you," agreed Katie, stuffing her hands into her neatly pressed lab coat that coincidentally matched her mentor's.
Danny glanced at Bo.
Go," offered the succubus. trying not to show her disappointment. "Give her a hug for me."
Danny turned to Katie, "Please Katie, just for a few minutes, can we both go?" Katie started to protest when Danny suggested, "you know she would want us both there."
Katie sighed, "Okay but only for a few minutes, follow me." Bo squeezed Danny's hand appreciatively and smiled.
"Yeah, don't worry about me, I'll just be here alone, as usual, counting the dust balls under the chairs," muttered Kenzi, her eyes narrowing, before suddenly shrieking and scrambling up on to the chair. "OMG Dude did you see the size of that spider?" Her eyes darted around the room frantically scanning the room for more intruders.
"Call your pal Billy," offered Bo sarcastically, before following the intern out of the room.
"A little help here..." shouted the human after the women who had no intention of turning back. "You guys suck! You know that right? Ahhhhhhhhh!" Giving up, she hopped one foot pulling off a shoe and raised it in defence...just in case...
Danny and Bo quietly slipped into Lauren's room and could see her silky blonde hair laid out on her pillow with a crisp white sheet pulled up under her arms. She looked as if she were only sleeping except for the IV in her arm and the drone of the heart monitor beeping.
The normally confident wolf tentatively bent down kissing her forehead and picked up her cool hand in hers. She hated seeing Lauren like this and would gladly take her place. Everyone needed the unselfish doctor; she was the glue that provided stability and normalcy to their abnormal world.
"I don't know what to do Lauren, you need to wake up and tell me," whispered Danny, shifting her weight to relieve the pressure on her seat bone that was resting uncomfortably on a hard plastic chair. Danny pressed her lips to the back of Lauren slender hand, her eyes searching the doctor's beautiful face, willing her to wake up.
Bo had gone around the other side of the bed and touched the doctor's cheek tenderly. "We're here," she said, her heart breaking feeling responsible for Lauren getting hurt.
Bo looked across at Danny seeing the love and concern etched on her face and she knew in that moment, that Lauren was well cared for and she needn't worry.
She'd always been protective of Lauren, especially after she had hurt her so deeply choosing to be with Dyson and Lauren was not the type that took things lightly. She had loved Bo intensely and there was a time Bo wondered if she would ever recover. If she were being honest with herself, she had hindered Lauren's recovery by always drawing her back, selfishly not willing to share but unable to give the doctor what she truly needed.
Bo pushed her chair back, kissed Lauren on the lips and whispered, "come back to us sweetie."
She then went over to Danny, wrapped one arm around her, kissed her on her forehead and said, "Lauren is a lucky girl to have you, take good care of her."
Danny smiled, reaching for Bo's hand. "Thank you."
"I better go. Let me know if there are any changes, I'll be downstairs." Danny nodded, listening to the sound of Bo's heels disappearing down the hall.
Bo was pacing the room lost in thought a few hours later, after sneaking back in Lauren's room. Danny had Lauren's hand in hers and was resting her forehead on her hands, elbows propped on the bed.
Bo spun around, her focus turned immediately to the doctor when she heard a groan.
Lauren slowly opened her eyes, blinking under the sting of the florescent lights. "Danny?"
Danny glanced up and smiled. "Bo and I are here." She reached out, affectionately dusting the doctor's cheek as Bo moved to stand next to her.
"What happened?" uttered the still groggy woman trying to push herself higher on the pillow.
"Do you remember the explosion?" asked Danny, her gold eyes searching Lauren's.
"Yes, Bo was hurt," replied the blonde thinking back.
"Uhum, and so were you," added Danny gently stroking Lauren's arm. "You were impaled by a large piece of glass and had several lacerations," continued Danny, reading Lauren's face to see if she understood.
"Bo? You're okay?" asked Lauren, just realizing she was there.
"I'm fine sweetie, what's the last thing you remember?" asked Bo.
Lauren thought about it, a frown crinkling on her brow as her eyes narrowed, "Does Katie know the both of you are in the ICU?"
Danny and Bo both smirked, "ummm, no, Bo snuck in."
"Tattle tale," growled Bo, pretending to glare at Danny, drawing a chuckle from the patient.
Concern crossed the doctor's face.
"What's wrong?" the Fae asked in unison.
"You both look like crap. When did you last feed?" she asked smoothing the sheet around herself.
"We're fine," shrugged Danny glancing at Bo, who nodded in agreement.
"Don't worry about us," agreed Bo. "We're going to look after you for a change."
"Oh no, you don't. You both have needs that need to be addressed for you to be healthy," replied Lauren firmly. Looking directly at Danny she asked. "When?"
"Twelve days maybe," whispered Danny looking away, knowing she couldn't hide from doctor.
"Any you?" she asked turning her attention to Bo.
"I just fed on Danny remember," replied Bo, her lips pulling up in a grin revealing her perfect teeth. "So I'm fine."
Lauren wasn't fooled and sarcastically added, "That was just to rise from the dead if I remember correctly. You both need to go and feed."
"We won't leave you alone," said Danny, lacing her strong fingers through Lauren's.
"Ummm, there's a way that one of us can stay," offered Bo raising an eyebrow.
Danny's eyes opened wide as it dawned on her what she was suggesting. "Oh, man you want to feed on me, again?"
"Well," said Bo, "that way I can stay with Lauren until you return."
"I don't know..."
"Come on Danny, you know this is best for Lauren, and I will ummm, take it easy," argued the succubus.
Danny thought about it and eventually agreed, "Fine, but only because I do need to feed and I don't want Lauren to be alone."
Bo's eyes flashed, her predatory nature fuelling her normally dark orbs while a devilish grin crept across her lips.
"Bo," cautioned Danny, backing away, and knocking over a chair. She nervously stumbled back a couple more steps trying to keep her eye on the advancing succubus. Danny felt her back pressing against the wall, her anxiety rising, as she faced the ravenous woman. Bo smirked, her hungry eyes undressing the wolf, taking a final deliberate step to stand close enough to feel the wolf's rapid breath on her chest.
"You can run, but you can't hide," whispered the sensual succubus.
"I'm, um, not sure this is a good idea," stuttered Danny, her eyes darting around looking for escape routes. She moved to the right trying to dodge Bo but she quickly threw her arm up the wall blocking Danny's exit. Bo ran her finger tip down Danny's neck through her cleavage, feeling the wolf shiver beneath her touch.
"I love games," soothed Bo clearly enjoying the hunt. Her eye lids closed for what seemed like seconds and when they opened the blue was so intense it was difficult to look away.
The succubus aggressively pushed her knee between the legs of her prey forcing them open and then used her foot to spread her feet further apart. Danny gasped, momentarily dropping her eyes, and before she could utter a word Bo had her mouth pressed over hers in a passionate kiss. The wolf put her hands on the other woman's shoulders protesting, but succubus pressed closer, wrapping her fingers in Danny's messy tresses, her tongue forcing the wolf's mouth open.
Danny whimpered, feeling a tingle in her groin unable to stop the feelings of arousal. Bo dropped her hand, slowly caressing a breast feeling the firm mound, imagining what it would be like without the cotton interfering.
The cornered wolf swallowed hard, her respiration increasing, helplessly under the control of the succubus. Bo breathed in Danny's scent, her arousal filling her lungs as she snaked a finger down her midline, feeling every muscle, every rib on her too thin frame.
Danny's breath caught and she closed her eyes feeling Bo's finger tips running across her flat belly just beneath the waist band of her jeans. Bo smiled, feeling Danny shudder under her touch, her hand dusting slowly up her thigh.
"Bo stop," begged Danny catching the wrist of the succubus.
"Don't fight it," whispered Bo, her warm breath ghosting over Danny's neck, as she struggled to escape the grip of the aggressive Fae.
"You are delicious," thought the succubus, her mouth nipping at Danny's neck near her ear, wanting more, wanting to discover the treasures beneath the clothing and feel Danny's touch on her body.
"Um Bo?" frowned Lauren feeling awkward having to watch Bo attack Danny.
"Bo!" shouted the doctor when she got no response.
Bo was losing herself in her own arousal, forgetting who she was with, and was very near completely taking the wolf when Lauren's voice echoed in her ears drawing her back from the edge. She stopped, pulled back from Danny who was gasping, her eyes pleading with Lauren to rescue her.
"Do I need to remind you, she's mine?" asked Lauren sternly, uncomfortable with Bo's aggressiveness.
Bo smiled sheepishly, knowing how close she had come to crossing the line, "I just need to get the sexual energy going before I can feed."
"I think it is going, so just feed," griped Lauren.
"Fine," agreed Bo, trying to control her arousal and the feeling that touching the wolf caused to race through her. Bo returned her attention to Danny whose eyes were wide open bracing herself for what the succubus planned to do to her.
"Quit squirming and just relax," growled Bo, her brow now etched in a frown Her eyes turned an eerie blue as she pressed her lips to Danny's. With the hunt now over she pushed her tongue between the wolf's lips and began to feed.
Danny closed her eyes, her hands gripping Bo's shoulders, feeling the power of the succubus drawing her energy. She finally stumbled away from the succubus when she felt she had endured enough.
"Are you okay?" asked Bo gently.
Leaning against the wall gasping Danny glared back at her. "We,... you... you and I, are never doing that again. Ever!"
Bo shrugged, "I'm sorry, sometimes when I get going I don't know what I'm doing or who I'm doing it with." Danny shook her head, knowing Bo's memories of childhood were just pictures and that she didn't have the same feelings of Sisterhood that she had.
"Come here," beckoned Lauren, her hand outstretched to Danny. The wolf wobbled toward Lauren on unsteady legs.
"Are you okay?" asked the doctor, affectionately brushing a stray lock from Danny's eyes.
"Yeah mostly," grunted wolf leaning toward the doctor and placing a kiss on her lips. Her gentle auburn eyes were filled with love. "Are you?"
"Well I don't think I want to see that very often but I trust you and Bo," replied Lauren as a look of guilt passed through Bo's eyes.
"No offense to your Chi Doc but her's is absolutely to die for," uttered Bo licking her lips. Lauren chuckled nervously shaking her head unsure how to feel.
"You do remember she's mine right?" asked Lauren again, her fingers protectively laced with Danny's.
"What? I'm just trying her out," replied Bo, hiding her true feelings wanting so much more from the irresistibly unaware wolf. She knew she shouldn't feel the way she did, but the combination of being a sexual predator with very primal instincts and the fact that she didn't remember feelings from her childhood were a bad combination when she was aroused.
Lauren sat quietly lost in thought, "It's normal for a succubus to be attracted, to, well, pretty well everyone," she tried to convince herself.
"I'm right here," muttered Danny awkwardly rolling her eyes.
Katie walked in pushing a tray on wheels with several instruments, syringes and vials.
Bo looked at Danny and they both laughed, "Busted."
"You two, out!" instructed Katie hitching her thumb toward the door.
"I would prefer to stay," suggested Danny, protectively.
"Danny I know how much you care for Dr. Lewis but I need to examine her. You can come back as soon as I am done," replied Katie. "You can both come back if you like?" Bo smiled and nodded appreciatively.
"Oh, your friend Trick is around somewhere too. I ran into him just before coming here," advised the intern pulling her stethoscope from her shoulders.
"We'll be right outside," said Danny smiling, the warmth reaching her eyes before pressing her lips to the doctor's. Lauren's lips curved up in a tiny smile as she ran her tongue over her lips still tasting the wolf.
"Welcome back Doc, you gave us quite a scare," greeted the intern placing her stethoscope on Lauren's chest.
"Sorry," replied Lauren weakly.
"Those two are a handful," smiled Katie, referring to Bo and Danny.
Lauren nodded, "yes, and they appear to be getting to be a bigger handful as they become better friends."
"You're very lucky Lauren to have friends who love you as much as they both clearly do," said Katie.
"I know," admitted Lauren smiling, thinking about Bo and Danny. Katie finished her exam, filled a syringe and pushed the liquid in Lauren's IV.
Lauren felt herself getting weak, her lids starting to close as she fought to focus on the young woman who had been her loyal assistant for years. "Katie, what have you done?" slurred the doctor, feeling the blackness overtaking her.
The sound of the heart monitor going crazy echoed into the hallway. Bo and Danny scrambled back to Lauren's room.
"What the hell happened?" shouted Danny, her eyes wild with terror, sprinting to the doctor's side. Katie hit the button indicating there was an emergency in the room and started compressions.
"She's crashing," gasped Katie, lowering the bed to a prone position. "I don't know what happened."
Danny grabbed Lauren's hand, uttering "please baby," as she watched Katie pumping the blonde's chest. The wolf felt Bo by her side, her hand resting her lower back while her other hand rubbed Lauren's thigh.
A team of doctors rushed in with the crash cart and immediately pushed Bo and Danny back. Katie used the paddles to try and start Lauren's heart but nothing was working. 36 agonizing minutes went by before Katie finally stopped.
"Do the shaman thing," gasped Bo.
"You can't," uttered Trick suddenly appearing behind them. "She's human. Her heart would explode under the stress."
"Kenzi isn't with you?" asked the Blood Seer seemingly unaffected by the situation.
"She's in the lobby," replied Bo weakly, her voice barely audible, not taking her eyes off the doctor. The small man turned and left quickly despite what was taking place in the room.
"Time of death, 22:32," uttered the intern, her gaze moving from the still doctor to Danny and Bo.
"I'm sorry," offered Katie gently, real grief in her sad eyes.
"No!" shouted Danny shaking her head wildly, trying to get away from Bo's grip. Bo hung on desperately trying to comfort the inconsolable wolf.
"No! She was fine an hour ago," gasped Danny, unable to comprehend, the magnitude of her grief crippling. "You said she was going to be fine!"
Tears were flowing down the succubus's cheeks as she buried her face in the back of Danny's t-shirt her arms wrapped tightly around the wolf. Danny fought to get free but Bo was unrelenting, her grip firm. Danny's chest heaved with emotion, her eyes fixed on the doctor, needing to get to her, needing to rescue her, needing to hold her…Frantically the wolf clawed at Bo's arms trying to get free.
Katie looked sadly over at the two Fae, her eyes filling with tears, before pulling the sheet over the doctor.
Gasping for breath, the life disappeared from the wolf's eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks, "I can't….breathe…" gasped Danny unable to regain composure, as she leaned forward her hands on her knees, still unable to take her eyes off the doctor. The pain reached the depths of her soul and the emptiness chilled her to her core, as she crumbled to her knees.
Bo's heart was hammering, having never lost someone she loved before, having never felt the immense pain that losing someone you loved could cause. Her tears flowed freely down her cheeks, not having the strength or courage to hold them back. Bo tentatively moved toward the bedside, and pulled the sheet back. She wanted to say something but her throat so tight with emotion she couldn't form the words and only stared in disbelief.
As Danny kneeled on the floor, her emotions still bleeding from her soul Trick reappeared, "We have to go, right now," gasped the small man breathing heavily.
Danny shook her head, "no, I'm not leaving."
"There's no choice," suggested the man exasperated that he always had to explain himself to these girls. "I'm very sorry about Lauren," his eyes glistening with emotion, seeing the devastation in both women. "But we have to go now, down the back stairs, there is no time to waste, please," he begged. "The Ash is rounding up anyone who is not affiliated or they know is Independent."
Danny and Bo still didn't move, both focused on the doctor. Danny got to her feet, slowly walking to the bed. Pulling the sheet back, her distraught eyes studied the beautiful doctor, wanting to remember everything about the woman she loved so deeply. Trick impatiently checked the hallway.
Bo touched Danny's arm, "we have to go."
Danny reached down tenderly capturing Lauren's lips and whispered, "You're finally free my love. You'll always be in my dreams." She tenderly brushed her fingers over her cheek one last time as Katie watched, tears cascading over her lids.
"Now!" shouted Trick as Bo's slender fingers wrapped around Danny's wrist pulling her into the hallway. "Dyson and Kenzi are in the car outside waiting for you. Go directly to the safe house. I will meet you there." The two women disappeared down the stairwell, just as The Ash and his men turned the corner toward the doctor's room.
"Trick, I'm surprised to see you here," uttered The Ash.
"I heard the doctor was in an accident. I came," shrugged the powerful man.
The Ash nodded, entering Lauren's room. "She's dead?"
Katie nodded, looking down, "yes Sir."
"Pity, she was useful," replied The Ash.
"Where are her friends?" asked the Fae leader, his voice smooth as a cheesy lounge singer.
"I'm not sure. I haven't seen them for awhile," replied the woman, trying to hide her nervousness.
The Ash pulled the sheet from Lauren's face and put his fingers on her neck verifying that she was really dead. He pulled the sheet back and quickly exited the room.
Trick nodded at Katie, knowing she had done the girls a huge favour and that she had put herself in personal danger to do so.
"Lauren deserves a proper burial. She won't get that with The Ash because she's human. Please have her brought to this address right away," instructed the bartender writing down an address. "I don't want her to be alone, so please don't delay." He smiled, "she was a good friend."
Katie returned a brief smile," I'll make the arrangements."
Trick nodded, "do you mind if I take 5 minutes?"
"No, not at all. Take all the time you need and I will have her moved right away to this location," replied Katie. Katie walked quickly to the door and paused. "Will Danny and Bo be okay?"
Trick shrugged, "at least they're safe for now."
The intern turned to leave the room.
"Katie," called Trick stopping the woman. "Thank you."
The woman nodded and left the room.
The small man moved to the side of the bed where Lauren lay silently. He pulled the sheet back lost in thought, his eyes studying the beautiful woman who cared so deeply for others.
After several minutes, he pulled the sheet back, walked to the door, hesitated briefly and exited out the back.
Told ya you would need wine...insert evil grin here...;)