Make It Right

by teamlauren4eva

Lauren is in crisis and tries to push Bo away. Bo won't give up that easily. Alternate ending for ep 3x10 and beyond; the backstory is mostly canon, with a few revisionist reinterpretations thrown in. This is Doccubus all the way!

36. Epilogue

A/N: Hello faithful readers! Sorry for such a long wait but I hope it was worth it. This is one huge, fat, and juicy epilogue! It's about the length of 5 chapters. Please review, would love to see what you think! Thanks for reading! :-)

PS: Includes mature sexual content. Read at your own risk.

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EPILOGUE: Six Months Later

Lauren was in the kitchen chopping up raw chicken when she heard the distinctive rumble of Bo's old Camaro pulling into the garage. Normally she would have opened the door as a courtesy, but since her hands were a mess, she hoped that Kenzi didn't forget her key again.

"Hey Hotpants, I didn't expect to see your car in the garage." Kenzi announced as she and Tamsin came in through the side door connecting the kitchen to the garage. "Did you just get home?"

"Hey Kenz, hey TamTam," greeted Lauren. "No, I took the afternoon off, so I thought we could have an early dinner. I sometimes forget that I'm able to do that." She chuckled. "I'm still not used to having this much freedom. The work environment is so different."

"Oh, I know why you're home – Bo's finally coming back from that stakeout today!" Tamsin giggled knowingly as she went to the fridge to get a juice box. "Surveillance is like totes boring."

"So…you needed some extra time to tidy up the Pervy Proxy Suite of Lurve? Is it candles and incense or whips and chains tonight?" Kenzi taunted with a mischievous grin.

"God Kenzi, must you keep calling it that? And if I find out you've let that slip to Hale and the others, your gaming system will be taking a swim in Lake Ontario. And seriously, whips and chains?" Lauren whined.

"Oh come on, Doc!" Tamsin chimed in. "You bought a house with an apartment over the garage – and renovated it – and nobody lives in it even though you have two roommates. Do you really think that the guys don't know what you use it for?"

"Couldn't you at least let me pretend that my life has some semblance of privacy?"

"Uh, I'm pretty sure that ship sailed when Bo got barbecued." Kenzi deadpanned. "Which reminds me – what's for dinner?"

Lauren sighed in amused resignation. "Chicken vindaloo." Tamsin wrinkled her nose at the odd sounding name. "It's Indian, you'll like it."

"I have learned not to ever question the Doc's culinary choices." Kenzi remarked to Tamsin. "No matter how weird it sounds, everything she cooks tastes amazing." Kenzi opened the lid on a large pot of simmering sauce and took a good sniff. "Smells strange, but kinda good."

Lauren smirked as she brought the cutting board full of chopped chicken over to the stove and used the knife to push the meat into the sauce. "Put the lid back on so it can simmer." She placed the board and knife in the sink and washed her hands.

"So Lauren, Hale wanted me to tell you something, but you can't tell Bo, because it's a surprise." said Kenzi, as she covered the pot of sauce and chicken again.

"Oh? What's going on?"

"Ok, so…during his welcome speech tomorrow Hale is going to give Bo some award to officially recognize her for all her heroics for the last few years." Kenzi wandered over toward the washer and dryer that were in a built-in nook on the opposite side of the large kitchen. "It will probably be one of the few things in Bo's life that will make her blush! Anyway, so we have to make sure to get Bo there in time for the welcome speech before the booze starts flowing and La Shoshain becomes La Sho-shitfaced."

"Wow, that's really cool. She definitely deserves –"

"Ah-HAH!" Kenzi yelled as she pointed to the dryer she had just opened. "Freshly cleaned sheets! I knew it was proxy night!"

"Jesus Christ! There are other beds in the house, you know! And there is no 'proxy night.' It's at Bo's discretion when or if she needs to uh, have company." Lauren muttered. And I actually thought bringing donors here would be more private than the Bacchus club. Yeah, right.

Kenzi was in mid-eye-roll when Bo suddenly appeared at the entrance of the dining room. "Did I hear something about having company for dinner? Smells great babe."

"Oh hey, baby! I didn't hear you come in." At the first sight of Bo, Lauren's face lit up in happy surprise.

"Hey, Cagney's back!" Tamsin said with a little wave in Bo's direction.

"Dyson just dropped me off out front. So who's coming over?"

"Depends on how hungry you are!" Kenzi leered.

"Ignore her." Lauren groused.

"Okaaay. So – wait, uh, TamTam what did you call me?" Bo looked questioningly at Tamsin.

"Cagney! From that show. I watched all the reruns." Tamsin beamed proudly.

"No Tam," Kenzi corrected, "she's gotta be Lacey, the brunette with the attitude."

"What do you think Bo? Cagney or Lacey?" Tamsin looked at Bo expectantly.

"Uh, neither."

"You gotta pick one!" Tamsin whined childishly.

"She's detective Rizzoli." Lauren grinned wickedly as she approached Bo.

"That's right babe." With a cheeky smile, Bo pulled Lauren into an embrace. "Because Rizzoli comes with Dr. Isles."

"Oh, I'm sure she does!" Kenzi guffawed as Bo and Lauren enjoyed a very long-awaited 'hello' kiss.

"Dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes, sweetie. Can I get you a drink?"

"That's ok babe. I just want to change out of these clothes. After thirty-six hours, even leather isn't so sexy anymore."

"I beg to differ." Lauren whispered in Bo's ear. "Kenzi, take the rice off the burner when the timer goes off and stir the vindaloo at least once. We'll be back soon." With a sly smile Lauren took Bo's hand and led her up the stairs.

"Dinner in twenty minutes my ass." Kenzi grumbled.

---

"I just don't get that girl." Bo chuckled as they climbed the stairs.

"Who, TamTam?"

"It's been five months since Little T started looking like Big T, but I swear that girl can bounce from grown-up to child to teenager all within ten minutes. I can never figure out if I should have a beer with her or be afraid to swear in front of her." Once they got to the bedroom, Bo sat on the bed and started to pull off her boots.

"Considering she's only about six months old, everything she learns about the world is coming into her awareness in a rapid jumble of age-appropriateness. Frankly it's amazing that her brain can assimilate so much stimuli so fast without exploding." Lauren took Bo's leather jacket from her and draped it over a chair. "She may be unpredictable and quirky but it's actually been nice to see her real personality develop. Her brazen attitude is actually oddly charming without the bitterness tainting it." Lauren climbed on the bed and knelt behind Bo and began rubbing her stiff neck and shoulders.

"Yeah, but who knows how long that will last once she remembers the more unpleasant stuff of her past lives." Bo frowned pensively. "And she'll probably remember the bad crap that's most recent. I really don't want to deal with her hating me when she remembers that she died taking a bullet to save my ass – for the second time – after getting burned saving it the first time. And on top of that, I took her job. That will definitely chap her ass." Bo groaned as Lauren massaged a particularly tense knot on her shoulder. "Mmmm…that's so good babe."

"I think you should be more worried if she starts crushing on you again!" Lauren giggled, then affectionately kissed the top of Bo's head.

"You really think so? We're practically her parents now!" Bo was horrified at the thought.

"Kenzi is closer to being her mom than we are. You're the really cool bad-ass aunt, and hero worship very easily turns into crushing. Last week she was asking if you were Xena or Gabrielle. Obvious much? Then it was Buffy or Faith. She's totally fishing. She wants to be your sidekick." Lauren chuckled. "At least this time she went with something more realistic."

"Two middle aged women with kids and sensible shoes?" Bo snarked.

"Cops, doofus!" Lauren started kissing and licking up and down Bo's neck, causing her to softly gasp and moan. "You know, as an ex-military pacifist doctor who hates guns," Lauren lightly licked the rim of Bo's ear, giving her delicious shivers, "nothing surprised me more than when I saw how incredibly hot you are with a shoulder holster and a badge on your belt." Lauren stroked her hands down Bo's back and then reached around to cup both of her breasts. Bo groaned and tipped her head back to rest on Lauren's shoulder.

"Mmm…Yeah, but unless I'm wearing a jacket," Bo inhaled sharply as Lauren continued to fondle her, "the shoulder holster totally ruins the look of a bustier."

Lauren smiled and unbuckled Bo's shoulder holster and carefully slipped it off with her gun. "Your belt holster is just as sexy." She pulled off Bo's skin-tight black t-shirt, unbuckled her belt, and removed her knife and sheath. "Lie back sweetie and I'll give you a foot rub." Lauren slipped off the bed so Bo could recline. Bo unbuttoned her leather pants and Lauren peeled them off her legs before climbing back on the bed and taking one of Bo's tired feet in her hands.

Bo sighed contently. "Baby you are so good at that. I may have to keep you around just for the foot rubs." She winked playfully when Lauren's loving smile caught her eye.

"I just wish you didn't have to go on marathon stakeouts."

"Well, if the case is Fae related, it's best to be handled by Fae cops – and there's only so many of those to go around. Speaking of cases, did Kenzi finally decide to take on that client with a pissed off Brownie squatting in her basement?"

"Yeah, Kenzi and Tamsin went to go check it out today. But she hasn't had a chance to tell me how they're going to handle it."

"I bet she could lure him away to go clean up a hoarder's house!" Bo smirked playfully.

Lauren snorted and shook her head in amusement. "As long as it isn't a Packrat Fae. They can get pretty vicious if you try to throw out their stuff." Lauren gave Bo's foot a final squeeze and patted her leg. "Ok sweetie, why don't you go take a hot shower and I'll have dinner ready for you when you get out."

"Hey, no fair! I need more lovin' after that boob tease!" Bo pouted adorably as Lauren giggled and stood up from the bed.

"You'll live. If we get carried away, then dinner will either be gone or ruined by the time we've finished. But how are you doing on chi? Did you get enough snacks while you were gone? Do you want to bring in some donors tonight?"

"My tank is fairly low, but frankly I'm just too tired to go out and thrall people tonight. I'd rather enjoy the night with just you babe." Bo sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed so she could wrap her arms around Lauren's waist and nuzzle her tummy. "Besides, the pick-me-up I get from you will get me through till the next feed." She looked up at Lauren's face. "I mean, if you're up to it of course. I don't want to presume."

Lauren stroked Bo's hair and grinned mischievously. "Baby, after being without you for so long, you can presume all you want. I might not need chi, but I definitely need you." She pulled Bo into a standing position. "Although we shouldn't go all night again. You need to rest up so you can enjoy tomorrow's festivities."

"Ok, but I'm not making any promises!" Bo gave Lauren a cheeky grin and then smothered her with persistent kisses.

---

"Come on you guys, we're gonna be late! We have to be there before it starts! Come on!" Kenzi anxiously yelled up the stairs, as hyper as a kid on Christmas.

"Chill Kenzi. There's no rush." said Bo as she and Lauren came down the stairs. "I promise there will be plenty of beer left! Besides it's lame to come too early to a party."

Lauren just rolled her eyes. "We should be ok Kenz, traffic isn't going to be so bad at this time of day." If Kenzi kept laying it on so thick then Bo would know something was up. Lauren decided a little improvisation might help. "So Kenzi, why are you all fired up anyway? Do you need to talk to Hale before he gives the official welcome speech?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. And I have to make sure his outfit looks right. The man sucks at tying a tie. TamTam are you ready yet?" Kenzi yelled toward the Valkyrie's bedroom.

"I'm sure he looks fine!" Bo replied. "He's probably had a couple of centuries to practice!"

Tamsin immediately appeared from around the corner. "Take a pill, Kenz, I'm right here!"

Lauren held the door open for the others and then activated the security system before she followed them into the garage.

"Let's take the mustang! If we're going to a party, we should take the party mobile!"

"You got it Kenz!" Bo unlocked the convertible and Lauren took a deep breath to prepare herself for the terrifying – and arousing – adrenaline rush she always got from Bo recklessly driving the muscle car.

When they finally arrived at the Light compound's formal ballroom, the four women just gaped in awe as they entered the completely transformed space. Gone was the stuffy formal décor; instead the ballroom resembled an enormous pub. A small ensemble on the stage was playing raucous Celtic music and at the other end of the ballroom was an enormous full service cash bar with every type of liquor imaginable and a boatload of beer kegs stacked along one wall. Multiple tables filled with a huge selection of complementary finger food lined another wall. The remainder of the room was filled with tables and chairs, a dance floor and a cluster of pool tables and other pub games. Huge banners adorned the wall with phrases such as 'La Shoshain 2013' and 'Rejoice and Make Merry!'

Kenzi was alarmed to see so many people milling about dancing, playing pool or nibbling on the refreshments. "Oh shit, did it start already?"

"No, we're fine, Kenz." Bo tried to reassure her unusually high-strung BFF. "It hasn't officially started – the bar isn't open yet. They don't break out the booze until the Ash finishes his welcome speech."

"Oh ok, cool. Make sure you guys get a table down front!" Kenzi and Tamsin rushed off to the tables of food without another word.

"I guess we have our marching orders." Lauren chuckled and held out her arm for Bo to take. "We better go claim a table before they're all taken."

Once Bo and Lauren made their way to the front of the ballroom, they were pleasantly surprised to see Dyson and Trick had already grabbed a table.

"Hey guys! Thanks for staking out a good spot!" Bo greeted cheerfully as she and Lauren sat down.

"It is so cool what they did with the place! It looks nothing like it was at the inauguration!" said Lauren excitedly.

"Yeah, I know! I was afraid when Hale decided to move the celebration from the Dal to the ballroom that it would just be a mood killer, but this is awesome!" Bo gushed.

"He wanted to have room for a bigger crowd since La Shoshain is all about goodwill and togetherness." Trick explained.

"Gee, and here I thought it was all about drunken debauchery!"

Everyone looked up to see Tamsin and Kenzi weighted down with arm-loads of food and a pitcher of water and some cups.

"Touché Little T, I've taught you well." Kenzi intoned sagely.

"Damn Kenz, that's quite an appetite for such a tiny body." Dyson teased.

"Hey! Give me some credit! We brought enough for everyone. And it took major skills to carry all this through the crowd without it ending up on the floor."

"Thanks you guys, it was very thoughtful of you," said Lauren with genuine appreciation.

"You're very welcome." Kenzi grinned broadly. "Sorry we'll have to make due with water until the bar opens. But there's probably going to be a stampede so it might be awhile before we get the good stuff."

"Hey Kenz, didn't you want to go see Hale before it gets started?" Bo asked.

"Huh? Oh, right. I better go find him." She stuffed a mini quiche in her mouth and ran off to find her boyfriend.

Lauren sighed wistfully as she watched Kenzi leave. "I wonder how long it's going to take before those two can be open about their relationship. I mean, they don't hide it, but the Fae think she's just his little girl toy."

"Yeah, it kinda sucks," agreed Bo. "I'm sure most of them think the same thing about us, even though you're unclaimed. But I know things will change eventually, and we'll have Hale to thank for it. But for now what's important is we know who we are and what we mean to each other." Bo put her arm around Lauren's shoulders and affectionately kissed her on the cheek.

"I think Hale has been doing an excellent job pushing the Fae towards progress." Trick then lowered his voice. "It's not public knowledge yet, but Hale has been getting prepared to start releasing the claimed humans that are wards of the government."

"That's awesome!" exclaimed Bo.

"In fact, he just told me yesterday that he wants to create a new advisory position for human affairs, sort of a human liaison to the Ash. Someone that humans feel safe to talk to about their issues and needs. And of course he's going to tap Kenzi for the job. But don't say anything to her yet. I don't know how long Hale needs to get everything together before he can talk to her about it."

"That is so cool!" Tamsin said with a wide-eyed grin. She'd always been annoyed that the Fae didn't give her friend/mother-figure the respect she deserved.

"Wow. I am absolutely amazed at how bold he's being after such a short time in office! He's hell-bent on doing what's right and not putting up with any excuses. It's really inspiring." Lauren couldn't contain her excitement.

"You know, creating a position for Kenzi is actually a wise move," said Dyson. "Not only is the position needed, but it will help to start building her a public image other than just his plaything. She's not going to get more respect right away, but it should make a difference in the long run."

Lauren smiled at Dyson's words of support. It was refreshing to hear him speak of a human as deserving equal respect among the Fae. He had come a long way since she first met him.

"Ohmigod you guys! Hale's on his way out!" Kenzi appeared out of nowhere and sat down in a rush.

"That was fast!" Bo remarked with a smirk.

"Wasn't much time except for a good-luck kiss!" Kenzi said giddily.

Suddenly the music stopped and a booming voice came over the loud speaker. "Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention please. Please be seated for the opening ceremony, which will begin momentarily. Thank you."

Within a few minutes most of the party goers had found a seat and the band on stage started playing a more dignified tune as the Senior Elder of the Light Fae approached the podium. Kenzi and Tamsin did little to hide their annoyed boredom as they sat through the recitation of an ancient Fae invocation and the performance of a traditional Fae anthem that Trick and Dyson and half the ballroom sang along with. Finally, Hale walked up to the podium as the crowd applauded and Kenzi suddenly perked up with rapt attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by wishing everyone a most merry La Shoshain! As the Ash of the Light Fae, it is my honor to be hosting today's sacred celebration. Thank you all for coming out today to enjoy this new, larger venue, especially those from the Dark Fae who have joined us in good faith despite it being in Light territory. In the true spirit of La Shoshain, we are all in neutral territory today!"

Hale's closest friends grinned in admiration as the mixed crowd of Fae applauded enthusiastically in response to the Ash's declaration.

"I know you're all eager to officially start the merrymaking, but before we kick off the festivities, and while everyone is still sober, I have an important announcement to make."

The crowd snickered at Hale's little joke and a particularly boisterous Fae in the back yelled out a loud "Woo hoooo!"

"My fellow Fae, there is a hero who walks among us. It's not in her nature to seek the spotlight, but chances are you already know her, and some may even be aware of her heroic deeds; and yet she has never received the official recognition she so richly deserves. It is my pleasure to right that wrong today."

Lauren beamed proudly at Bo, her heart swelling with happiness because her love was being so honored.

"Her strength and resolve are matched only by her compassion, which drives her to fight for the greater good of all Fae, regardless of species or clan. She is selfless and dedicated beyond measure. She has never hesitated to come to the aid of those in need, whether it is an individual Fae or our entire race. If not for her loyalty, tenacity, and cunning bravery, Isaac Taft would still be butchering our Fae brothers and sisters, and the Garuda's reign of terror would never have been stopped before all of Faedom perished."

Lauren assumed by now it was fairly obvious to Bo that she was the one being honored, so Lauren clasped Bo's hand and smiled adoringly at her love, who looked back in surprised anticipation.

"So it is on this sacred day of unity, when the barriers that divide us are torn down, that we finally honor our unsung hero. She is staunchly unaligned, yet also a close friend and trusted advisor. But most remarkably, she is unclaimed. One of the Fae's most noble champions is in fact, human: my Chief Medical Officer and Director of Research, Dr. Lauren Lewis."

Lauren froze like the proverbial deer-in-the-headlights as a huge cheer erupted from her friends and family, including a cluster of tables behind them filled with Lauren's medical staff. Sandra, the feisty nurse from Bo's donor team, shrieked at the top of her lungs, "Woo Hooo! Way to go, Doctor!" A low murmur of surprise and discomfort rumbled through the rest of the crowd, but it was easily drowned out by Lauren's personal cheerleaders.

As Lauren continued to gape at Hale in utter shock, Bo leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Gotcha!" Lauren turned toward Bo and opened and closed her mouth several times, but the words wouldn't come. Bo kissed Lauren gently to snap her out of her daze. "Soak it up, baby. This is your moment!"

"Dr. Lewis first crossed paths with the Fae in the Congo seven years ago, when a mysterious disease attacked one of our oldest indigenous colonies. It was virulent and deadly, and our doctors were helpless to stop it. Had it made its way into the general Fae population it surely would have been the plague that ended us all. But Dr. Lewis was determined to help, despite discovering that her patients weren't human. With her unmatched brilliance and perseverance, she single-handedly contained and annihilated a deadly plague, and saved countless Fae lives in the process.

"When the Garuda awoke to resume laying waste to all of Faedom, once again Dr. Lewis accomplished the impossible. She worked tirelessly day and night to achieve what had never been done before: she discovered how to preserve the venom of a deceased Naga, the slain former Ash Lachlan. Naga venom is the only known weapon that can kill a Garuda, so Dr. Lewis not only ensured Lachlan's sacrifice was not in vain, but the viable venom she produced saved us all from one of the most deadly foes known to Fae.

"And just six months ago, when a horrific mass grave of Fae was uncovered, despite the diligence of our best detectives, there were absolutely no leads, nearly bringing the investigation to a grinding halt. But it was Dr. Lewis who found the madman behind the atrocity. She was no longer in service to the Fae at that time, but as soon as she discovered what Taft was doing she immediately informed us and helped us form a plan of attack. The intel she provided and her inside assistance during the raid were instrumental in destroying Taft and his evil operation and freeing the surviving Fae that were imprisoned in his compound.

"So during the last seven years, the very survival of our race has been threatened three times. And each time, Dr. Lewis has been there to defend the Fae at all costs, whether it was in her own best interest or not. She has provided the finest medical care for countless Fae patients, from Elders to prisoners and everyone in between. She has never failed to perform above and beyond the call of duty, and she has always served with the utmost compassion and dignity – even though, as a former ward of the Ash, she never received the same in return. The Fae owe Dr. Lewis an immeasurable debt of gratitude. And now that she has returned to the Fae of her own free will, we are honored to have the opportunity to return that gratitude and give her the due compassion, respect, and dignity that she has always given to her patients and to all Fae. Dr. Lewis, would you come up to the stage please?"

Throughout Hale's speech, Lauren's shock had gradually thawed, and by the time he asked her to join him on stage, a fluttering sensation of warmth radiated from the center of her chest, infusing her with pride and peaceful confidence. "Go on up, sweetie. Own it baby!" Bo urged supportively.

As Lauren made her way to the stage, her personal cheering section exploded in applause. But more remarkably, the sound of tentative clapping began to slowly spread among the rest of the crowd as the more progressive Fae in the audience finally found their courage to express their approval.

When Lauren joined him on stage, Hale stepped away from the microphone to shake her hand. "Hey, girl – surprise!" Lauren blushed profusely, but her radiant smile assured him that she wasn't embarrassed or upset. Hale guided her to stand next to him as he returned to the podium and gestured for the crowd to hold their applause.

Hale picked up an elegantly embossed leather portfolio and a handsome wooden wall plaque that were resting on top of the podium, and turned toward Lauren. "Dr. Lewis, by this joint proclamation signed by the Ash and the Morrigan, it is our pleasure to bestow upon you the honorary title, Friend of the Fae."

He opened the portfolio to reveal a mounted sheet of printed parchment, and then handed it to Lauren, who stared at it with wide eyes. He turned to face the audience again. "Let it be known that Dr. Lauren Lewis shall henceforth enjoy the due respect, rights, privileges, and social standing equal to that of all free Fae citizens!"

The crowd responded with a low rolling tide of surprised murmurs and gasps as they tried to wrap their heads around the concept of a human with equal social standing. But once again Lauren's friends and family drowned them out.

Next, Hale presented Lauren with the ornately carved wooden plaque with her name and new title emblazoned in gold. "Dr. Lewis, we are deeply honored that you have chosen to return to the Fae; may we always strive to remain worthy of your decision."

Once again Lauren's fan club burst out in applause and their enthusiasm slowly spread to the rest of the crowd. Hale leaned in and spoke softly to his friend, "I know this was the last thing you were expecting, but would you like to say a few words? No pressure, though."

Lauren's face was flushed and her eyes were watery, but she felt grounded and strong. She looked out at the crowd of Fae, and though there were many who didn't look pleased at all, they were in the minority – and that was a sign of progress as far as she was concerned. Lauren looked at Hale and nodded. He smiled broadly and moved away from the podium so she could take his place at the microphone. He gestured to the crowd again to hold their applause.

"Since this is a total surprise to me, I have no prepared speech to bore you with, so I'll be brief. To the Ash and the Morrigan, I am simply overwhelmed and gratified by this gesture. It's something I never imagined receiving, and I am deeply touched. It means more to me than you could ever know." Lauren paused briefly to collect her thoughts and take a deep breath to calm the manic butterflies in her stomach.

"Finally finding peace and happiness among the Fae was a long, arduous, and often confusing journey. But in the end I was faced with a simple truth; home isn't a place. It's people. Home is friends and family. So I would like to thank those who are near and dear to my heart: my entire lab and medical staff, with a special shout out to my elite trauma team, you know who you are; my amazing Fae family: Trick, Dyson, Tamsin and Hale, otherwise known as the Ash, who've welcomed me with open arms and always have my back; Kenzi, my honorary sister and fellow Fae-loving human…"

She took one look at Bo's beautiful, radiant face, and Lauren's happy eyes came close to overflowing and a lump arose in her throat. She knew it was finally time to publically break down the last Fae closet door, shaky voice be damned. Go big or go home.

"…and my beloved wife, Bo Dennis, who is my heart, my strength, and my greatest joy. Thank you all so, so much."

Lauren's friends and family jumped to their feet, cheering and clapping ecstatically. Moderate applause spread through the crowd again, and then Lauren watched an amazing thing happen. Little by little, random Fae all over the ballroom started joining the standing ovation until roughly half of the room was on their feet, and the majority of those still sitting were clapping respectfully.

Hale grinned affectionately at Lauren and leaned into the microphone. "Merry La Shoshain, everybody! The bar is now open!" The band immediately started playing again and a herd of stampeding Fae rushed to the back of the ballroom and began barking drink orders at the overwhelmed bartenders.

"Hale, would you mind holding these for a minute?" Lauren held out her portfolio and plaque, and he graciously took them with a smile. Then she turned and ran to her wife as fast as her feet could carry her, while Bo ran to meet her halfway. Lauren joyously collided with her wife, who lifted her up off the floor and spun her around as they both giggled and exchanged I love yous. When they finally came to a stop, Bo and Lauren lost themselves in the depths of passionate kisses.

As everyone affectionately watched their favorite couple, Tamsin nudged Kenzi in the arm. "Five bucks says they sneak off for a quickie within the next two hours."

"Ten bucks says they sneak off in the next forty-five minutes!"

"You're on."

When Hale joined his friends at their table, Kenzi jumped up to meet him and to ogle Lauren's plaque and proclamation. "Wow. Friend of the Fae! We should totally put that on a t-shirt! Hey Hotpants, now you'll have to change your official signature to Dr. Lauren Lewis, FF." she giggled and excitedly passed around the plaque and portfolio for the others to see.

Hale embraced her from behind and whispered in her ear. "You'll be next baby, I promise. I'm still working on it." Kenzi turned in his arms and instantly changed from a giddy teenager to a young woman in love. She stroked Hale's face as she gazed at him with adoration.

"I know you are baby. As long as you know I love you, I don't care about anyone else. I'm so proud of you! I love you, Hale." They met in a sweet lingering kiss as they continued to hold each other tightly.

"Love you too, li'l mama."

Once the two couples pried themselves apart, everyone took turns giving Lauren a congratulatory hug. They eventually all sat back down at their table to enjoy each other's company while they waited for the mob at the bar to thin out.

"I can't believe you guys faked me out like that!" Lauren playfully swatted Kenzi's arm.

"Oh, but the look on your face was so worth it!" Bo snickered.

"And how in the hell did you get the Morrigan to sign this? Is this for real?" Lauren asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Oh it's not just a signature," Hale said proudly. "I got her blood oath."

"You've got to be shitting me."

"It's amazing what one can accomplish with an amoral Mesmer, an iPhone, and a little blackmail between friends!"

Everyone turned toward the very distinctive voice, and there stood Vex, wearing a studded dog collar, a leather harness across his bare chest, skin-tight black latex pants, and a self-satisfied smirk. He was flanked by two cater waiters holding frosty mugs and two pitchers of beer.

"Vex!" Kenzi exclaimed happily. "How'd you get the beer so fast?"

"Please! I can clear a path through any crowd. Mesmer, remember?" Vex turned his attention to Lauren. "And look at you, in your brand new big girl panties! In light of your recently revealed marital status, consider them a belated wedding gift." he said with a wicked grin.

"You never fail to surprise me, Vex. But thanks. Thank you very, very much. For the Morrigan's oath and for the beer." Lauren smiled genuinely. "By the way, where is the Morrigan? Did she show up?"

"Oh, she's lurking around somewhere. But for once in her life she didn't seek the spotlight. Poor dear, all through the Ash Hat's speech she looked like she'd been weaned on a pickle. But she'll be good as new once she gets pissed."

"That's British for drunk." Kenzi explained to Tamsin.

"So have a seat and join us for some beer, Vex!" Bo insisted jovially.

"No thanks, lovey. I would never touch that cheap swill. And my outfit is far too fabulous to be hanging around you boring lot. Ta ta!" Vex winked, turned with a flourish, and sashayed back into the crowd.

Lauren smirked and shook her head. "And that, my friends, was not surprising!" Everyone chuckled in agreement and started passing around mugs of beer.

"You know, just a few years ago he slaughtered three children as punishment for a Fae and human mixed marriage. And now, by blackmailing the Morrigan, he just made ours legal!" Bo snorted and rolled her eyes at the absurdity.

"Never try to understand Vex logic, BoBo." Kenzi teased. "It's a total waste of time, and likely to lead to catastrophic brain injury."

About twenty minutes later, as Bo finished her first mug of beer, she noticed that her elated wife had become quietly pensive for the past few minutes, oblivious to the boisterous and animated conversations around their table. She reached for Lauren's hand and gave it a loving squeeze. "What's going on in that big brain of yours, sweetie?"

Lauren snapped out of her reverie and gave Bo a reassuring smile. "I was just thinking that now is the right time to talk to you about something, but not here. Could we get out of here for a little while and go over to the lab? It should be deserted because of the holiday."

"Ok, you've piqued my curiosity. Should I be worried?"

"No sweetie, it's nothing bad, I promise."

"Ok baby. You know I'd follow you anywhere." She winked flirtatiously and stood up from the table. "Hey guys, we're going to go take a walk for a while."

"We'll be back later for more drinks. Don't get too wasted without us!" Lauren waved back at her friends as she took Bo's hand again and headed for the door.

Misinterpreting her friends' hasty exit, Kenzi turned to Tamsin and triumphantly held out her hand. The young Valkerie sighed in exasperation as she begrudgingly handed her friend ten dollars.

---

"So what's going on, Lo?" asked Bo as she and her wife strolled hand in hand across the compound's courtyard.

Lauren smiled mysteriously. "I'll explain when we get to my office. Besides, I want to show you something."

Bo chuckled good-naturedly. "Ok babe, it's your show."

"So when did Hale tell you guys that he was doing this?"

"It's only been a couple days. Kenzi and I thought we were going to burst trying to act natural around you!"

"Well you obviously did a good job! I was so blindsided it felt like getting my freedom all over again."

"In a way you did. Now you are free and equal. You've got Fae law on your side now. Nobody can look down on you anymore – because if they try, you're tall enough now to look them straight in the eye, metaphorically speaking."

"I think I underestimated the importance of Fae equality – I thought all that mattered was being free. But now that I've chosen to live my life among the Fae, equality means more than ever. I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to acknowledge you as my wife in front of all of those Fae. I know I still pissed off a lot of them, but I felt safe doing it!"

"It gave me goose bumps when you called me your wife. I'm so proud of you, and proud of what we have, I want to shout it from the rooftops!"

Lauren gave Bo a sweet peck on the lips. "If you really want to, my key card gives me access to the roof." Lauren chuckled and swiped said key card to open the door to the medical research wing of the hospital.

"Be careful what you offer babe, I just might take you up on it." Bo smirked playfully as she held the door open for her wife.

After a walk through the lobby and a trip up an elevator, Lauren unlocked the door to her lab and ushered Bo inside. Next, Lauren unlocked her office, and then unlocked the deep lower drawer of a large metal storage cabinet. Bo watched curiously as Lauren dug through an impressive pile of scientific journals, and finally uncovered a portable fireproof security safe about the size of a file box. She heaved it onto her desk and keyed in the combination to the electronic lock. Lauren opened it and Bo saw that it was full of file folders and thick binders. Lauren rummaged around in the bottom and pulled out a couple of thumb drives and several DVD-ROMs.

"So what's all this, sweetie?"

"Taft's research."

Bo's eyes opened wide in surprise – and a little fear, if she was honest. "I thought it was destroyed."

"It was, but not before I copied everything. Nearly all of it was salvaged and I've been working on reverse-engineering the missing parts. I also smuggled out most of Taft's tissue samples. It's true, this information is dangerous and I have some serious ethical conflicts that I'm finding hard to reconcile. But this is the key, Bo. It's the miracle I've been looking for, the miracle to give me a Fae lifespan – to actually be Fae."

"Holy shit." Bo studied her wife's face. "You're serious. This is really possible?"

"It's incredibly complex and involves many steps and it's a long term process. It's so far ahead of its time it's scary. If I were to use this research, most Fae would consider it an abomination. But now…I'm still physically inferior in their eyes, but I'm no longer socially inferior. And it just got me thinking – I'm one step closer to where I want to be, I just need to work on the science. That's why I suddenly wanted to tell you now – and because I knew the lab would be empty today. Up until this point it was mostly a theoretical exercise. But now that I'm considering the real possibilities, you have a right to know exactly what we're dealing with."

There were so many different emotions vying for Bo's attention, she felt completely lost trying to process what Lauren was telling her. "Is there any way you can explain the process in laymen's terms?"

"Ok, um…it requires the combination of several different techniques, each one complicated in its own right. The end result is basically a type of gene therapy, which includes gene splicing and stem cell transplant. Gene splicing is combining two different species of DNA to create a hybrid. Its main application today is hybrid GMO foods. Some of the genes from each species are removed and what's left over is combined to create a new organism. Those kinds of 'half-and-half' hybrids are what Taft wanted to create, starting with himself. Are you with me so far?"

Bo nodded cautiously.

"Taft had already done research on creating a normal Fae – which is what I want to be – but eventually he was more interested in the hybrids because it would speed up evolution as each hybrid generation reproduces and the gene pool continues to diversify. Evolution is basically hybrids begetting more hybrids, whereas when a pure human and a pure Fae reproduce, you just get another human, keeping the evolutionary branches separate. How mixed parents end up with normal human offspring is a whole other complicated subject that's beside the point."

"Yeah, I don't need any extra stuff to process so let's stick to what's relevant. So you don't want to be a half-and-half hybrid, because some of you gets lost? You want to become Fae but with all of yourself intact, right?"

"Right. And since I don't want to be a hybrid, the splicing has to be done differently, and it's a more complex process. Have you heard how humans and chimps actually share most of the same DNA?"

"Yeah, I think I must have seen that on the Discovery Channel or something."

"Well, Fae and humans are the same way. Most of the Fae's DNA is like humans, with that little something extra that makes them Fae.

"So you need to strip off the 'little something extra' and leave the rest of the donor DNA behind? And attach the 'something extra' together with your DNA which is still in one piece?"

"That's right. And as far as global consequences go, by transforming humans into the pure Fae version of themselves instead of hybrids, all that really happens is the Fae population increases, but evolution-wise humans and Fae stay on their separate tracks."

"So I get the DNA splicing, I think. So what's the gene therapy part? "

"The way to isolate the 'something extra' from the donor is a modified gene therapy technique. Gene therapy is when a specific gene is introduced into a cell via an engineered virus. The virus is just an empty container that the genes are packaged in so it can invade a cell and replicate, just like the common cold. Right now mainstream science has only been able to replace one single gene at a time so it's been used experimentally to treat diseases that are caused by a single dysfunctional gene, like hemophilia or cystic fibrosis. What is revolutionary is Taft found a way to replace entire clusters of genes, not just one."

"So are those clusters of genes the Fae part?"

"It's actually the other way around. Instead of adding a piece of Fae DNA to my intact genes, you strip off the human-like genes from the donor Fae, and replace them with my complete set of genes. It sounds like just a difference in semantics, but it's a different process that produces a more stable bond. So the splicing is the combining of DNA, whereas the gene therapy technique is how you get the right pieces you need, and how to get them into the cell where they can combine. And the cell you're going to use is a modified stem cell from the donor.

"You can't use your gene therapy virus package thing to go directly into your own stem cells?"

"No. That's why there is a difference between replacing the human-like Fae DNA with mine as opposed to adding Fae genes to mine. You start with a Fae donor stem cell and get rid of the human-like genes and swap them out for my genes, but the pure Fae genes don't go anywhere, which is why it all starts with a donor stem cell instead of one of mine.

"So you're doing all this to donor cells that have already been taken out of the donor? So the donor isn't harmed because no strange DNA goes in their body?"

"Right, all that stuff is done in the lab. You have to take the donor stem cells out of the body because you have to remove some of the genes first to make room for mine."

"Ok, so now what happens with those donor stem cells that have been filled with the new spliced DNA?"

"That's the stem cell transplant part. Those modified donor stem cells get injected into me. They travel to the bone marrow where they take root and replicate."

"And what are stem cells for anyway?"

"Stem cells are cells that have the ability to transform into any kind of specialized cell. They are like blank slates, building blocks that the body uses to create whatever kind of cell it needs. Bone marrow is the primary source of stem cells. So we need to get these new building block cells into my body. Are you still with me?"

"I think so. So, you use gene therapy to chop up the donor DNA in the stem cell, and empty out the part you don't need, then use your virus thingie to send your DNA into the half-empty cell where they get spliced together. Then the modified donor stem cells are injected into you and they go to your bone marrow and reproduce and then eventually they get turned into whatever special cells the body needs."

"Right, you got it. And if it stopped there, your body would use those replicated cells bit by bit whenever it needed new cells, since cells are replicating and dying all the time. But it would take a long time waiting for every cell in your body to be replaced. That takes years to happen naturally. And it would go so slowly that the new stem cells wouldn't keep up and just get overrun by the larger population of 'normal' stem cells. But there's still one last magic ingredient which is the most amazing part!" Lauren said excitedly.

"Which is?"

"Regardless of what kind of Fae you're creating, in order for a complete systemic transformation to occur, you need two enzymes from a mature succubus. When you take in fresh chi, two enzymes are released that when combined set off a massive chain reaction that allows you to quickly repair yourself after an injury. The Fae transformation would spread through my body similar to the way your healing does, although it will take a lot longer. One enzyme goes into my bone marrow where it's inert and doesn't do anything. The other enzyme gets chemically bonded with the donor stem cells, and when the two enzymes meet, Bam! The transformation would be nearly complete in about a month, but it will take a few years to make my body completely stop making the old kind of stem cells, which is why there has to be multiple transplants."

"Wow. Just…just wow!"

"You are the magic ingredient Bo. Taft figured it out by experimenting on your mother."

"Holy shit."

"Pretty mind-blowing, huh? And trust me, that was the simple explanation."

"Baby, how dangerous is this?"

"I won't lie, there's a lot of risk, and I can't exactly test this on a bunch of humans before I get it right. The biggest danger is what happens to the integrity of the body during transformation while it is made up of two different sets of DNA at the same time."

"God Lauren, PLEASE – don't risk your life when all you have to go on is blind faith! I'd never be able to live with myself if something goes wrong! The despair would kill me!"

"It's not exactly blind faith, Bo. But as extra insurance I have the additional task of developing a treatment that will immediately neutralize the enzymes and arrest the chain reaction if something starts to go wrong. But according to Taft's research, since the new cells would still have my complete set of DNA, all systems should remain functioning and the Fae part of me would remain dormant until the transformation is complete. But I can't completely replicate and verify his results since I'm not willing to endanger a bunch of people to do it. Right now my own research is at the petri dish level, and so far I've replicated the final successful results from Taft's experiments, so that's a good sign. Eventually I'll move on to small mammals, like rats paired with their nearest related Underfae equivalent."

Bo became pensive for a few moments as she tried to digest the possible consequences. "Do you have any idea how long it will take till you're ready to try this on yourself? Because if this takes years and years and still doesn't work, it could be too late for you to have children, and I know you would be crushed if you missed that opportunity."

"I think it's going to take me another year or two before I'm ready to use the treatment on myself. But if it takes longer and my biological clock starts to run out, then we'll have human children, even though I hate the idea of you watching your own children age and die."

"As heartbreaking as that would be, I would still cherish every second of your lives, no matter how long or short that might be." Bo stroked Lauren's cheek and kissed her tenderly.

"I know you will baby. And we'll face that reality if and when the time comes. But let's not go there yet, because I still think our chances are good."

"Ok, sweetie. Deal." Bo smiled warmly and gave Lauren an affectionate peck on the lips.

"But I've hit a bit of a snag because I've run out of the succubus enzymes and my collection of Fae DNA is running low. And if I get blood and tissue samples from you, I still have to try to replicate the process that isolates and extracts the enzymes."

"So you need my enzymes as well as DNA samples to keep experimenting? Sweetie, all of this scares me a little, but I'll give you whatever you need to continue your research."

"Thank you Bo. I know this is a major leap of faith for you and I don't take it lightly. However, when it's finally time to start my transformation, I'll still need your enzymes, but using your stem cells might not be the best choice."

"Gee, should I be offended?" Bo chuckled. "So why not?"

"If I became a succubus, we would both still have to feed off others because otherwise we would just be trading the same chi back and forth and we could never be fully nourished at the same time. Also, if we get far enough along to really do this, we have got to keep it secret for as long as possible – and I'd be outed if I were ever caught feeding. Not all Fae species have to feed off humans exclusively, some are adapted to be able to survive on regular food as an alternative; so if I were a non-human-feeding species I could fly under the radar until it became obvious that I wasn't aging. But then we could just explain that away as if I just discovered an anti-aging treatment that has nothing to do with being Fae. The only risk of discovery would be from Fae that have the ability to sniff out other Fae, like Dyson. There's also the issue of children."

"You wouldn't be able to have kids if I donated stem cells? I would never want to deprive you of that."

"No, I could still get pregnant it's a matter of when." Bo just looked at her questioningly. "Bo, I know you've used condoms in the past, but I can't believe that during all those years you've managed to use one every single time. Of course, you would never have gotten an STD because the chi heals you. But don't you think it's interesting that you've never gotten pregnant?"

"Umm…I'm just lucky?" Lauren raised an eyebrow, telling Bo she should know better. "Ok, if I can't get pregnant how do succubi reproduce?"

"Oh you can get pregnant alright. But I ran into a very interesting fact about succubi in one of Trick's books, and he confirmed it based on his personal experience with your grandmother. Succubi go through a five year period of fertility every thirty years. So you won't ovulate until thirty years after your powers emerge. Yours started when you were eighteen, so you won't be fertile until you're forty-eight years old. If I became a succubus I don't know if my ovulation would be thirty years after I became Fae, or thirty years after I hit puberty as a human. Either way it would be a long wait to start a family. Of course when you're looking at a lifetime spanning millennia there would be plenty of time for kids, but…I guess I'm just impatient." She smiled self-deprecatingly.

"Holy shit – I won't ovulate for another eighteen years? Then why the hell do I have to put up with a goddamn period every month?"

"Oh, poor baby!" Lauren giggled. "Bo, your periods barely last two days and it's just a little spotting. That's why I went looking into Trick's books. You aren't ovulating but your womb still has to regularly shed its lining just for general maintenance, there just isn't that much of it. Just wait till you become fertile, then you'll know what a real period is like!"

"You know, I never thought of this before – but is there such a thing as a Fae sperm bank? Or are we gonna have to ask someone we know? Because that's a whole other world of awkward."

"Actually, there is. It's in Scotland. But we are still a long way from dealing with that."

"Ok so back to your Faeness. If you get stem cells from someone other than me, how much are you going to need?"

"Well that's another sticky issue. The transformation will probably be fairly complete after a month, although it will take six months before we can verify that the aging process has been arrested. But since it's not permanent at first, it's going to take three to four regular infusions per year over a two to four year period before the transformation is permanent. Of course these are just tentative estimations, but that is still a major commitment to ask of a donor, and on top of that, bone marrow extraction is pretty painful."

"So we have to find a non-human-feeding Fae who is supportive and won't expose us for breaking the laws of nature and who is willing to submit to painful procedures for several years. That should be easy!"

"Well…we do have one possible candidate."

"Are you serious?"

"Hale."

"You're kidding."

"He doesn't have to feed on humans, his DNA is closer to human than you are, and he may be more sympathetic to our cause because of Kenzi. If their relationship continues on its current trajectory, their desire to increase her lifespan might be enough motivation for him to consider something so deeply controversial. But we'll also have the extra challenge of finding willing medical assistants. At the very least I need a nurse who can set up the IV for my infusions, but it would be safer if I had a dedicated anesthesiologist for the bone marrow extraction." Lauren paused and sighed heavily. "And there's one more thing."

"Well that sounds ominous. What is it sweetie?"

"Bo, now that I see an end in sight, I want this more than anything. I want it so bad I can taste it. But…" Lauren frowned sadly as she contemplated the implications.

"But…?"

"Bo, if I use Taft's research, doesn't that make me a monster too?" Lauren asked in a small voice.

"What? Baby no, don't say that!" Bo pulled her suddenly anxious wife into a comforting hug. "You could never be a monster."

Lauren felt protected by Bo's tight embrace, giving her the courage to voice her disturbing fears. "Taft's motivation was sick and twisted but he basically wanted the same thing I do – to transform, to change our DNA. He wanted a new world order and I just want to be with the woman I love, but the means are the same. Bo, this research, this incredible knowledge, is soaked in the blood of countless innocent Fae. How can I even think about benefitting from such a horrific atrocity? What does that make me?"

Bo rubbed her wife's back soothingly and kissed her hair. "It just makes you someone who wants to be with the woman you love. No more, no less." Bo pulled back slightly so she could look into Lauren's vulnerable eyes. "You said it yourself, the difference is the motivation. Taft wanted to create generations of hybrids to forcibly change the natural order of human evolution. But turning humans into normal Fae keeps the evolution tracks separate. For someone to just jump the evolutionary fence in the name of love is pretty inconsequential in comparison."

"So you think if my intensions are good it's ok to use information with blood on it? I mean, I know it's possible for some good things to eventually arise from tragedy – we are living here in a modern society because the native North Americans were invaded and slaughtered. But don't we have to consider whether it's a fair trade or not? The real question is whether the ends justify the means – and that is a slippery slope."

"True…but that question is only useful had it been considered before Taft started down his road to hell – and if he had been sane, of course. But in this case the horrible 'means' is done and over with. Those innocent Fae aren't coming back. All that's left is information, and if you use it, you aren't going to kill anyone else. Isn't there a saying about knowledge isn't good or bad, it's what you do with it that matters?

"That's a valid way of looking at it, I suppose. But it's also a favorite justification used by intellectual freedom advocates who support putting bomb recipes on the Internet." Lauren snarked.

"Well… that information might be really useful for teaching people how to diffuse bombs." Bo smirked flirtatiously and Lauren just rolled her eyes, conceding the point but still not sure she was convinced.

"Look Lo, how the information came to be is horrible, but not using it for something good doesn't make the atrocity go away, it just makes their deaths even more pointless. And using it doesn't mean you're saying the atrocity was good and justified either."

"But that's what's bothering me, that benefitting from the slaughter means I'm a bad person for trivializing their deaths – that I'm condoning what happened because I'm getting something out of it."

"You mean you're afraid that it would seem like you're condoning it. But you're not. You know what kind of person you are. You know as well as I do that if you could've prevented their deaths – even if it meant you could never become Fae – then you would've done it. So what's really going on here is you're afraid that using the research is a symbolic gesture that suggests that it was ok that these people died horribly, right?"

"Yes, of course!"

"So in the grand scheme of things, what do you think is more important – real, tangible consequences or symbolic consequences?"

Lauren just stared at Bo with a stony face. Bo could almost literally see the cogs turning as Lauren wrestled with the question. She opened her mouth to say something a couple of times, but the words escaped her. She sighed heavily and finally threw her hands up in exasperation. "Shit. I never thought I'd see the day when you made my brain hurt!"

"Wow, score one for the succubus! Look sweetie, I think the real question is, which type of reasoning are you going to use? Emotional or logical? You need to decide which one you can live with. And because it's such a gray area, I don't think there's only one right answer. But whichever you choose, I will support you all the way, and if necessary, defend you from anyone who tries to give you shit about it."

"So I'm not a sick ghoul for wanting to do this?"

"Of course not! Unfortunately there will be people who will think that if the secret gets out, so we have to be prepared for that. But I don't think for a second that it makes you a bad person to want to take this knowledge that has fallen into your lap and do something wonderful with it. And sweetie, let me point out: truly bad people never ask themselves if they're bad, because they just wouldn't care. So if you're asking, then you can't be a bad person."

Lauren sighed, shook her head, and looked at Bo in wonder. "God Bo, how do you always do that?"

"Do what?" Bo asked with an amused smile.

"I'm supposed to be the rational scientist, but whenever I get lost in a storm of confusing emotions, you manage to sort them out and make sense of it for me."

Bo chuckled. "Ironic isn't it? Bo Dennis being logical." She smiled self-deprecatingly. "I guess I'm just highly motivated whenever I see you in pain, no matter what kind it is." Bo gently stroked her wife's cheek and kissed her tenderly. "So you're feeling better about this?"

Lauren nodded as she felt the emotional tension start to melt away. "Much."

"So where do we go from here?"

A confident smile slowly spread across Lauren's face. "Go big or go home, baby!" She playfully grabbed Bo's leather jacket and pulled her in for a demanding kiss full of passion and promise.

"Mmm…Ok, so let's get your Fae on, baby! Do you want me to give you a blood sample while we're here?"

"Thanks for the offer sweetie, but we need to do it when there's no alcohol in your system."

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense. Speaking of alcohol, we've been away from the boozefest for quite a while. We should probably get back to our friends."

"Yeah, they probably think we ran off to have sex in a broom closet or something."

---

"Careful Bo, watch her head." Lauren held the kitchen side door open as Bo gingerly walked through, carrying a passed out Valkyrie in her arms.

"I can't believe she got totally wasted this early!" Bo muttered.

"I know!" Lauren shut the door and quickly deactivated the security alarm. "Do you have any idea how much alcohol it takes to knock out a Valkyrie? If she had a liver it would be pickled by now. We should have paid more attention to how fast she was knocking 'em back."

"Yeah, you're right. We don't need her becoming an alcoholic before she makes it to her first birthday. Old Tamsin was such a sad and nasty drunk I'd hate for her to go down that road again."

Lauren followed Bo as she took Tamsin into her room and laid her down on the bed. Bo knelt down to remove Tamsin's boots. "I guess this is good practice for when we're dealing with rebellious teenagers, huh?" She winked at her wife as Lauren worked on getting Tamsin out of her shirt.

"Nope. Our kids will inherit too many nerd genes to ever get in trouble!" said Lauren with a cheeky grin.

"Says the woman who was high on weed during her freshman anatomy final!" teased Bo. "Lo, if you get her jeans off I'll go get some water and aspirin to leave on the nightstand."

"You might want to bring one of the larger trash cans in here too. Valkyries have a strong constitution, but if she has to hurl, it would be nice to save the carpet."

"You got it, babe."

Once Lauren had Tamsin stripped down to her camisole and underwear, she gently covered her with the comforter and studied her face for a moment. Lauren found it hard to believe that this serene young woman was once her supposed rival, whose tortured soul was full of bitter regret. Lauren truly hoped that Tamsin would finally find love in her last life.

Bo returned with a bottle of water, two aspirin, and a trashcan to put by the bed. She noticed that her wife seemed lost in thought. "Everything ok babe?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah sweetie I'm fine. I was just thinking about Tamsin's new life. She was so angry and miserable before, I really hope she can find happiness this time around."

"I think the odds are in her favor this time." Bo smiled fondly. "She's surrounded by friends who care about her, she has a stable home, and since she's chosen to be unaligned, she won't be indoctrinated into all that Light and Dark Fae clan rivalry bullshit. I'm actually pretty proud of her for that."

"And you should be proud of yourself for being a positive role model." Lauren smiled affectionately as she turned out the light and led Bo out of the bedroom.

"So…" Bo grinned mischievously as she stopped Lauren in the middle of the hallway and pulled her into a loose embrace. "Kenzi is staying with Hale, Tamsin is unconscious, we have the house to ourselves and the night is young. Whatever shall we do to pass the time?" She batted her eyelashes coquettishly.

"Oh, I don't know, I'm sure we'll find something to do…upstairs." Lauren grinned wickedly as she gripped Bo's ass firmly and pulled her wife in tight to her body. Lauren devoured Bo's lips, running her tongue over them before plunging inside. Bo took hold of Lauren's tongue and sucked firmly, causing her wife to emit a long, low moan.

"Yes…upstairs." Bo gave Lauren's lips a final, sensual lick and then backed away, beckoning her wife to follow her to their bedroom.

As soon as they closed the bedroom door behind them, Bo said, "Give me a few minutes, babe. Nature's calling."

"You mean your last two beers are calling!" Lauren snickered, as she started to take off her shoes.

"Ha, ha. Do you need to go?"

"No, I went before we left. It's all yours, sweetie. And don't even think about coming out of that bathroom with any clothes on!"

"Yes ma'am!"

Lauren dimmed the lights slightly and peeled off the rest of her clothes. She climbed into bed and stared up at the fabric draped on the overhead cross beams that connected the huge bedposts. The enormous antique bed had been one of the few pieces of furniture that was salvaged from the clubhouse. It was too unique and had too many wonderful memories to just leave it behind.

She sat up again as she looked through the sheer fabric that was hanging down near the foot of the bed. A sly smile spread across her face as she quickly got up and pulled back the bed curtains and tied them off at the bed posts. She returned to the bed and sat up in the middle, with her back resting on the enormous headboard.

"Hey sweetie, do you want candles?" Bo asked as she emerged from the bathroom.

Lauren gave her wife a long appreciative look as she admired her graceful nude body. "You can if you want, but I want to keep the lights on. How about some incense?"

"Wanna keep the lights on huh?" Bo smirked. "I would never say no to getting a better look at that heavenly body of yours." She walked to the long lowboy dresser that faced the bed where there was a ceramic platter with various candles and incense burners. As she was about to light the incense, she looked up at the dresser's large mirror and saw Lauren staring back at her from the center of the bed. That's when she realized that Lauren had tied back the curtain sheers. "Hey sexy. That's quite a lovely view." Bo said with a saucy smile.

Lauren grinned as she brought her knees up, resting the soles of her feet on the mattress – and giving Bo a pleasantly surprising eyeful. "Best seat in the house, baby." Lauren patted the mattress between her thighs. "Now come sit."

Bo's smile grew into a lecherous leer as she stalked toward her wife and climbed into bed, sitting between Lauren's legs and settling back into her warm embrace. "Hey, baby." Bo turned her head to the side to join her wife in a long sensual kiss.

Lauren opened her legs wider to give Bo more room and to give her own heated flesh more contact. "Scoot back a little more, babe." Lauren gently whispered in Bo's ear. With a tiny giggle Bo complied, wriggling her ass until she was pressed tightly against her wife's body. She groaned happily as she felt Lauren's breasts, abs, and mons rubbing against her naked back and ass. Lauren rested her chin on Bo's shoulder and rubbed gentle circles over her tummy. "Have I told you how much I love this bed?" She sighed wistfully.

"You better love it." Bo chuckled. "After having it disassembled, moved, refinished, and reassembled it must be the most expensive used bed in history."

"Are you kidding? Designers kill for stuff like this! It was well worth it." Lauren began placing feather light kisses up and down Bo's neck.

Bo closed her eyes and sighed happily as Lauren's lips teased her neck and shoulder. "Considering that we carved our names into the back, I don't think we made the investment for its resale value!" Lauren ran her fingers through Bo's silky hair, lightly massaging her scalp and gently sucked on her earlobe. "Lo, baby you feel so good…mmm."

Lauren ran her hands slowly back and forth over Bo's shoulders and down her arms. "You have the most amazing skin. And you know what I love most about it?"

"Hmmm?"

"It covers your whole body!"

Bo giggled playfully and brought her hand up to guide Lauren's face to her for another deep kiss. "You are adorkable."

Lauren guided Bo to lay her head back on her shoulder, and then used her fingertips to lightly stroke up and down Bo's throat and the sides of her neck and jaw. Bo gasped as little shivers rippled through her body.

"I love you, Bo. You make me so happy."

"I love you too, Lo." Bo gasped softly as Lauren stroked lower, dragging her fingers down over her collar bones, upper chest, and in to her cleavage. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me, baby."

Lauren guided Bo to lift an arm and rest her hand on the back of Lauren's head. Then she stroked up and down the underside of Bo's arm causing her to tremble and whimper as her wife teased the sensitive skin of her armpit. Lauren tapped Bo's other arm to encourage her to raise it up too. Lauren stroked both arms with the lightest feather touch, Bo's whimpers turned to moans as Lauren's fingertips glided over the sides of her breasts. Bo tipped her head back and closed her eyes, drowning in the delicious sensations of her wife's touch.

"Baby, open your eyes. Look in the mirror." Bo forced her eyes open and looked beyond the foot of the bed to the dresser mirror. She was unprepared for the eroticism of seeing her own body with her arms raised and her back arched, her breasts thrust out begging for attention.

"Oh, god."

"Look at how beautiful you are. You're breathtaking, Bo." Lauren resumed her torturous stroking over the outsides of Bo's breasts and continuing down the sides of her torso and moving languidly over her stomach. Bo inhaled sharply when her wife barely touched the underside of her breasts at the same time Lauren wetly kissed her neck and blew cooling air over it.

"Oh, baby how do you do these things to me?" Bo's hips involuntarily started to undulate almost imperceptibly as her body cried out for more friction.

"By loving you, that's how." Lauren stroked down Bo's thighs. She gently pressed on Bo's inner thighs to encourage her to open her legs. "Open wide baby. Bend your knees for me." Bo complied and brought her knees up and placed the bottoms of her feet on the mattress. "That's it. Here, sweetie, hook your feet over my legs." Bo opened her legs wider so she could place her feet on the outside of Lauren's legs, effectively bracing her in position with her pussy unashamedly exposed.

Bo was having difficulty keeping her eyes open as she was overwhelmed by the sensory experience of Lauren's hands and fingers and the relentless throbbing between her legs. "Keep looking in the mirror, baby." Bo struggled to open her eyes and then groaned deeply as she took in the carnal image in the mirror.

"God, you're gorgeous." Lauren whispered, and then traced the rim of her wife's ear with the tip of her tongue. Bo turned her head to capture Lauren's mouth in a toe-curling kiss as she started drawing lazy circles on Bo's inner thighs.

Bo broke the kiss as she started to pant. She turned back to the mirror and was utterly mesmerized by the sight. As Bo continued to rock her hips, she felt Lauren returning the small thrusts as the sensation of her wife's wet heat rhythmically pressed against her ass.

"Are you getting wet for me, Bo?" Lauren asked, as she continued to stroke closer and closer to Bo's inflamed pussy, but never close enough to give her any relief.

"Oooh…uhhn…Oh god, yes."

"Watching you is making me so wet Bo." Lauren spoke breathily into Bo's ear. "Baby, you feel so good against my pussy." Lauren gave Bo a long lick up her neck, causing her to cry out helplessly. "But I'm not going to touch you where you want until you've made a puddle on the sheet and you're begging me to come. The longer you can hold out, the better it will be, I promise." Lauren resumed kissing Bo's neck and gently licked and sucked at the junction of her neck and shoulder.

Bo couldn't believe what was coming out of Lauren's mouth. It was setting her flesh on fire just hearing her voice. "Please, baby. Please keep talking! You're driving me insane!"

"As long as you keep looking in the mirror, love. I want you to watch yourself come undone. It's the most beautiful sight I've ever seen and I want to share it with you."

"Ok, ok I will baby! Just keep talking to me!" Bo pleaded breathlessly.

Lauren began fondling Bo's breasts, circling around her nipples but never touching them. "So you like the dirty talk, huh?"

"Oh yes baby, that is so hot! More, talk to me more…uuhhhnn!" Bo arched her back even more, her nipples begging to be touched.

"Oh Bo, your nipples look so hard!" Lauren took Bo's earlobe in her mouth and sucked gently. "I love the way your breasts feel in my hands. So soft and full. Are your nipples throbbing, Bo? Do you wish I would touch them?"

"Yes! Please! I'm aching for you!" Bo cried helplessly.

"I love your beautiful breasts so much baby." Lauren continued to stroke and squeeze Bo's breasts, cupping them in her hands to feel their full weight. "They always taste so good in my mouth. I love making you moan when I suck on your nipples. Too bad my mouth can't reach them now. I bet they're hard as rocks." Lauren licked one of her fingers and used the wet digit to barely graze over the tip of one of Bo's nipples, eliciting an undignified yelp and a sharp hip thrust.

"Please do that again! Oh god I can't stand it!" Bo begged.

Lauren teased the other nipple before suddenly grabbing them both and tugging on them.

"AHHHH! More! Please harder! Oh shit…" Bo gasped.

Lauren pinched harder and tugged in an alternating rhythm. "You like that baby? Don't you wish it was my mouth on you, biting and sucking you so hard?"

"YES!" Bo continued to pant helplessly and her hips thrust desperately at the air, the merciless hot throb in her clit making her legs quake.

Lauren inhaled deeply through her nose. "Oh god, Bo. I can smell how much you need me. You smell absolutely delicious! Too bad I can't lick your hot pussy right now. Wouldn't you like that? For me to lick and suck your clit until you explode in my mouth? You always taste so good when you come." Lauren roughly grabbed at Bo's breasts, aggressively massaging them and pulling on her nipples. Bo closed her eyes and thrust her breasts out even farther as she moaned incoherently. "Keep looking in the mirror, Bo. I can see how wet you are from here. You look so fucking hot! I love watching you squirm. Your clit must be pounding so hard! Is it Bo? Is your clit throbbing? Don't you wish I could suck it for you? Would you like that, baby? Want me to lick your pussy clean?"

"PLEASE! Baby I need to come! Oh god I'm gonna come so hard. Please touch me!"

"Hmm…I don't know if you're dripping enough yet. I guess I better check." Lauren reached down and slid a single finger back and forth between Bo's slippery lips but avoiding her clit. Bo released a strangled moan as she thrust her hips trying to get more contact, but Lauren always moved her finger out of the way before she could get the much needed friction on her clit.

Lauren brought her wet finger to her mouth and slowly sucked Bo's slick arousal off of it. "Oh baby you taste so good. Would you like a taste?" Bo's only response was to nod her head and grunt as she continued to grind against the air. Lauren scooped up another fingerful of hot wetness and offered it to Bo, who greedily took it in her mouth, sucking and licking as both women moaned at the sensation.

When Bo released her finger, Lauren dove into her wife's mouth for a scorching kiss as they both moaned and grunted as their tongues danced together.

"Ok baby, you've been so good, so sexy hot that I'm going to give you a reward. You want me to make you come, make you come all over my hand?"

"Yes, yes! Oh god, Lauren I'm burning up for you!"

"Oh baby, your pussy's on fire? Aching so hard and only I can relieve you?"

Bo was starting to come apart at the seams. She whimpered loudly and nodded her head vigorously, desperate for release.

"Keep your eyes open and look at the mirror Bo. If you close your eyes I'll stop."

"Ok, ok! I'm watching! Oh god!" She stared at herself in the mirror, writhing helplessly. Just looking at her own weeping pussy sent another wave of wetness pouring over her glistening lips.

Lauren used all her fingers to lightly stroke over Bo's inflamed pussy, just barely grazing over her wife's wiry hair while she used her other hand to pinch and tease a nipple. Bo released another helpless cry as she violently bucked her hips. "PLEASE! Please baby! Oh god, stop teasing!"

Both Lauren and Bo were transfixed by the image of their own quivering lust looking back at them from the mirror. Bo's intensely blue eyes were glowing and her mouth hung open as she panted hard. "Are you going to explode for me baby? When I touch your clit are you going to come undone and scream my name?"

"Yes, yes! Please Lauren! I love you so much! Please make me come!" Bo begged desperately.

Lauren finally took pity on her wife and slid two fingers through Bo's sopping pussy and rubbed steady circles around her hard, engorged clit.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Bo shrieked as the fire in her clit surged. "Oh god, oh god, FASTER! Please faster, baby!"

"Keep your eyes open baby! Watch me make you come!" Bo stared at the mirror as Lauren's fingers rubbed her clit so fast that her wife's hand was a mere blur. With a screaming crescendo, Bo was launched into the stratosphere, her legs shaking violently as her hands held on to her wife's legs for dear life.

"LAURENNNNNN! UUHHNNNN…GAAAH! Oh FUCK!"

Lauren was awestruck as she watched Bo's explosive release. "Oh god, Bo! You're so beautiful!" Lauren gently stroked Bo's clit slower and slower as she rode out her orgasm. "Baby, you feel so good on my fingers!" She slowly licked Bo's ear. "So hot and slick!"

Bo groaned incoherently in response. Lauren was still lightly stroking her clit and she felt the fire start to flare again.

"Hey baby, you want to feel my lips and tongue on you? Want me to finally lick you clean?"

Bo nodded her head and moaned out a strangled "Uh-huh!"

"Ok sweetie, we need to move."

Bo moaned and straightened her legs, then simply rolled over Lauren's leg and collapsed at her side. Lauren scooted away from the headboard so she could lie down. "How tired are you baby? Can you get up and sit on my face so I can feel you drip all over me?"

"Holy fuck Lauren! Where the hell did that dirty mouth come from? You've been holding out on me! Holy shit, do you have some secret past working for a phone sex line? Oh my god that was so fucking hot, baby!"

Lauren giggled as Bo slowly sat up and crawled toward her shoulders. "I don't know Bo, I even surprised myself. I swear sometimes I think your succubus has hijacked my libido! But I'm certainly not complaining. Now get your sweet pussy over here!"

Bo carefully straddled Lauren's face and groaned when she felt her wife's strong hands take hold of her ass to guide her in position as she braced her hands against the tall headboard.

"It's ok Bo, I got you. Don't worry about me, just enjoy the ride. I love you."

"Oh baby I love you so – AAHH! Oh god!" Lauren didn't waste any time teasing Bo, instead she coaxed her wife's hips closer and plunged her tongue in as deep as possible. Lauren raised her head slightly and firmly pushed her face into Bo's pussy, as hot slick liquid lust dripped over her cheeks and chin and the bridge of her nose pressed into her wife's clit. Bo let loose a long, high-pitched moan as Lauren's tongue entered her several times in rapid succession. Lauren groaned deeply as her senses were overpowered by the smell, taste, and tactile sensations of her wife's aroused body. Before she took a break for air she moved her entire face in circles, smearing Bo's intoxicating wetness all over her.

"Oh FUCK Bo! God I can't get enough of you! I need to put my head down, ok? Go ahead and bear down and ride my face! Let me have all of you!"

"Are…you…sure? I…don't… want to… smother you!" Bo was panting so hard she could barely string a sentence together.

"You let me worry about that, I'll be fine. Come on baby, I'm so thirsty for you!"

"Oh god." With a loud whimper, Bo pressed herself into Lauren's face, who began to devour her wet, heated flesh. Bo couldn't hold back the urge to thrust any longer, and started bucking her hips, riding her wife's tongue and face with reckless abandon.

Lauren was so overcome with ravenous lust that she was groaning as much as Bo, the vibrations of her voice buzzing teasingly over Bo's throbbing lips and clit. Lauren finally moved her tongue up to Bo's clit which moved her nose forward so she could breathe. She swirled the tip of her tongue on her wife's clit causing Bo to wail and buck her hips harder. Without warning Lauren squeezed Bo's ass cheeks firmly and sucked hard on her clit. Lauren felt Bo's ass and thighs tense up so tight that her hips stopped thrusting and the strength of her muscle contraction made her quiver as she hovered just over the edge of oblivion. Lauren released her suction and rapidly fluttered her tongue over Bo's clit, finally sending Bo crashing down, screaming helplessly, no longer able to hold up her own weight. But her wife was there with strong loving arms to hold her up. Bo collapsed into the headboard, her forearms and forehead pressed heavily into the wood for support. She was hyperventilating and shaking as her wife lazily licked her clean.

"Holy shit baby, you are incredible!" Bo gasped sharply as Lauren's gentle licking set off an aftershock. "Oh god!"

"I lrf moo!"

Bo chuckled at Lauren's attempt to speak while muffled by her …uh, muff. "I love you too babe." Bo carefully dismounted from her precarious position and flopped down beside her wife. Lauren rolled to face her, but before she could say anything, Bo grabbed her wife and pulled her on top of her, holding her tight and kissing her deeply. Bo rubbed Lauren's back and ass firmly as if she couldn't get Lauren close enough, couldn't get enough skin contact, couldn't get enough Lauren. Bo's need for release had been sated, but now she hungered desperately for this woman she loved so dearly.

"Oh Lauren, I love you so much baby!" Bo frantically kissed and licked Lauren's cheeks and chin, groaning as she tasted her juices clinging to her wife's face.

"I love you to babe, god you're so hot! And absolutely delicious!"

Bo rolled them so she was on top and pressed her thigh between Lauren's legs. Lauren groaned deeply from the contact.

"Does that feel good baby? You must be ready to pop! I need you so bad Lauren! Can I have you? Can you let me take what I want, ravish your body and let me make you come so hard?"

"Holy shit Bo, now who's talking dirty? I've been ready to explode ever since I started touching you! Go ahead and take me, take everything you want!"

Bo's eyes flashed brightly as she dove into Lauren's neck, licking and kissing urgently and then stopped to suck on her pulse point. Lauren whimpered at the sensation and she thought she actually heard Bo growl. The hungry succubus had come out to play.

Bo kissed down Lauren's collarbones savoring the fresh salty taste of her wife's flushed skin. Bo ravenously pulled a breast into her mouth, opening as wide as she could and sucking hard as she reveled in the helpless cries of pleasure coming from her wife. She switched breasts and Lauren grabbed Bo's head and held it tightly to her, becoming drunk from the overwhelming sensation of being so desperately devoured by her love. "Oh god, yes Bo! Harder!"

Bo was delirious with lust as she nibbled and sucked harder on Lauren's breast. Bo reached down under her wife's thigh and pulled, urging her to bend her knee to give her more leverage to grind against Bo's thigh. Bo aggressively rubbed the underside of Lauren's raised thigh and suddenly veered to the side to slide her fingers through Lauren's dripping pussy lips, causing her whimpering wife to buck her hips and moan helplessly.

"Baby you're so hot and wet for me! I 'm gonna eat you up, make you come so hard! Are you gonna come hard for me?"

"God YES! Please Bo!"

Bo licked her wife's nipple one more time, then pulled her mouth off of Lauren's breast and replaced it with her hand as she inched her way down Lauren's body, urgently kissing, licking, and nibbling on her oversensitive skin. Lauren was writhing and bucking her hips involuntarily but Bo held her down and took her time as she tried to sate her hunger for her wife's trembling body.

With a needy, lust-filled growl, Bo dove into Lauren's pussy as her wife howled her ecstasy. Her hungry succubus was utterly consuming her and she happily surrendered her body to Bo's carnal appetites.

A deep, guttural groan poured from Bo's throat as she greedily licked and sucked every inch of engorged flesh she could reach. She used her fingers to gently pull back the hood of her wife's clit and rhythmically pressed the tip of her tongue into the newly exposed flesh. Lauren squealed and clamped her hand down on Bo's head as she pressed her famished succubus harder into her throbbing pussy. The pressure of a steadily building inferno inside Lauren's clit threatened to swallow her whole, and she knew she wouldn't last much longer. Lauren suddenly shrieked when Bo roughly latched on to her clit and sucked hard.

Bo quickly released Lauren's clit from the suction and went back to licking and nibbling. Lauren felt the tidal wave cresting as her legs started to shake. She pressed the back of Bo's head even harder as she silently begged for completion. Her other hand held a wad of sheet in a white-knuckle grip. In the dark depths of her haze, Lauren felt Bo's fingers stroking her hand that held the sheet. As her orgasm finally hit the tipping point, Bo and Lauren urgently joined hands and held on tight to carry each other through the storm raging through Lauren's body.

No sooner had Lauren started to scream out in orgasmic ecstasy, a new sensation started to build deep inside her. The pressure pulsed and throbbed, growing larger and more demanding; for a moment she thought Bo had entered her as she felt another growing pressure on her g-spot. Her orgasm peaked, but before it had receded, another emerged to carry her away. Lauren totally lost control of her body as wave after wave crashed and she was still coming. This had never happened before and the rolling orgasm lasted so long she had to stop her screaming twice just to take a breath. Tears started to leak from the corner of Lauren's eyes as the pressure from deep within her exploded like a supernova and she felt herself expel a forceful gush of fluid as her strangled cries finally began to wane.

As Lauren lay there quivering like a melting puddle of jello, sparks of pleasure continuing to ripple through her, she heard what sounded like laughter. Yes, that was definitely it. Bo's head was resting on her thigh and she was laughing hysterically.

"Oh my god I can't believe it!" Bo struggled to speak, even as her laughter calmed down to a fit of girlish giggles. "I can't fucking believe it! I always wondered about that!"

"Bo, Bo what's so funny?" Lauren desperately gasped for breath. She was so utterly spent she couldn't even lift her head to look at Bo. "And my god what the hell did you do to me? I must have been coming for thirty seconds straight! And you made me squirt! I felt the pressure on my g-spot but you weren't inside me were you?"

Bo slowly sat up and crawled up the bed so she could look at her wife. "Nope, I wasn't."

Lauren turned her head to look at Bo and she gasped in shock. "Bo! Your eyes!"

"What is it?"

"They're glowing white!" She gasped as the recognition hit her. "I haven't seen them do that since that time we overdid it at the Bacchus club."

Bo laughed heartily again. "I guess that makes sense." Bo flopped down on her back and stared at the ceiling and giggled. She felt utterly intoxicated.

"Bo, what the hell happened?"

Bo turned to her concerned wife, with a grin the size of Texas. "You, my sexy hot doctor, are going to love writing this down in one of your fancy medical journals. I just discovered something that I don't think you'll find in any of Trick's books."

"Bo, what are you talking about?"

"Apparently, your mouth isn't the only part of your body I can feed from."

Lauren stared at Bo, utterly dumbfounded – her eyes as big as saucers and her mouth agape. They continued to hold each other's stare until the smallest beginnings of a smile shone in their eyes and then they finally exploded in shrill, belly-wrenching laughter.

"Are you fucking SHITTING ME? Oh my fucking GOD!" Lauren rolled back and forth clutching her stomach as she convulsed and gasped with laughter, finally hiccupping and setting off more giggles.

"So what's with your eyes?" Lauren managed to squeak out.

"Oh damn baby, that's the best part! I guess by feeding like that, I'm getting your sexual energy straight from the source, and holy FUCK is it concentrated! I still only took a human-sized serving, but dear god it's like chi heroin! That's gotta be two to three times more concentrated than the most potent chi I've ever had! It might not last quite as long as a Fae proxy feed just because of the smaller amount – but goddamn it's a hell of a lot more fun to feed on! Holy shit, Lauren. When you become Fae someday and I can take a full size hit, you're probably going to short out my entire central nervous system!"

Lauren was absolutely awestruck. "So what you're telling me is I am now doomed to spend an eternity regularly receiving bone-melting cunnilingus from a horny succubus high on chi crack?"

"Chi heroin. But yeah, life as you know it is over. Such a tragic burden."

They both burst into shrieks of laughter again, as they reached for each other and rolled back and forth in a tight embrace, their joy bubbling up through their kisses and playful laughter.

"You know, you better be careful and not blow your chi back into me down there or you might get me pregnant!" They squealed shrilly as they laughed at the absurdity. Every time they were about to calm down, one would look at the other and the laughter would start all over again. Gradually the laughter gave way to giggles, which gave way to small chuckles, which slowed to the point of dead silence as the two wives stared at each other in wide-eyed shock.

Bo was the first to break the silence. "Holy shit, could that really work?"

"I…I-I don't know! Nobody's ever been able to capture chi and study it. We don't know if it carries any genetic information or not. Shit, it couldn't be that easy, could it?"

"Well babe, when it's time to finally bring Ethan and Charlotte into the world, maybe we should give it a try just in case – before we spend the money on a trip to Scotland!"

"Oh, shit!" Lauren was helpless to contain her guffaw. "Ok baby, it's a deal. And until that day comes, let's just enjoy the fact that we now have a new feeding technique that all our friends don't know about!"

"You mean you're not gonna go write a journal article about our sex life? And I was so looking forward to the lecture tour!"

"Shut up and kiss me, Bo. You still have extra chi to burn."

"And it only burns for you, my love. Only for you."

Bo and Lauren giggled softly and then tenderly joined their mouths together and drank deeply, slowly writhing and pressing their bodies tightly against each other as their loving murmurs and moans escalated. In a perfect moment suspended in time, their bodies passionately expressed their joy of knowing that their love was strong, their future bright, and they would never be without each other again. Finally, all was right in their world.

FIN

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A/N: And there you have it folks. I hope you enjoyed some of the surprises! ;-) Thanks for coming along for the ride. I think it's safe to say I'm going to continue with this writing thing. I'm thinking that my next project will be a series of one-shots, so check back in the next week or two, or put me on your follow list. And have a Happy Halloween! :-)