Finding Our Way

by CuddleFae

Lauren has gone and is no longer returning Bo's calls or texts. The last they talked she told Bo she just needed time and space. Bo follows every lead she can find but after a year she is still missing. The gang says to forget her but how do you forget the one person who holds your heart? Bo believes that love will always find a way. The search is on... AU

36. Chapter 36: An Uninvited Guest

A/N: Well, the bad news... this is the last pre-written chapter I have. From here on out, it's post as I write. The good news, I'll try to post frequent, but shorter chapters. The other good news... this is an extra long chapter just in case you have a longer than my usual 1-2 day wait for a post. I'll do the best I can but I'm battling a little depression over Anna Silk's YouTube message! URGH! Tell me it's not over! Sniff... sniff... sniff... Hopefully Doccubus will live on in Fanfic! Thanks again for your support! I love reading your reviews. Cuddles xo

...

Chapter 36: An Uninvited Guest

Because Bantos couldn't be above ground for too long, Bo had delayed her plan to enter the woods before Ryan was scheduled to arrive so they could scout out the territory. She decided knowing what was around without Bantos with them wasn't as much of an advantage as arriving on time with Bantos. They all knew what would happen if they went into those woods alone and none of them had any idea what control – if any – Ryan had over the Kerberos. Bo hoped he had tinkered out some sort of control device like he'd done for Bo to control Sadie the Afreet. His inventions didn't tend to work correctly ever time and he rarely gave proper directions for how to use them, but she figured hey, a girl could dream, right?

It was now dark outside and the kids were all safely tucked away for an overnight stay with Kenzi and Chase just in case things didn't go as planned. Lauren had gone inside to strip and shift. All of the elders were now gathered with Bo. A few moments later, Bantos was teleported in by Madge and John. They all stood waiting for Lauren when a large furry nudged Bo's shoulder. She smiled as her wife rubbed up against her signaling she was ready to go. When Bo turned back to the group, she could see the wide-eyed look on Bantos' face,

"Bantos?"

"Bo, your wife shifts to the white tiger?"

"Yes, she does. Are you okay?"

Bo watched as Bantos kneeled before Lauren, bowing his head.

'Bo? Why is he bowing to you now?'

'I don't think he's bowing to me, Lo… he's bowing to you.'

'Why?'

'I don't know. He seemed shocked that this was your shifted form, and then he just knelt without explanation. How do we get him to stand back up?'

'I don't know, Bo.'

'Can you speak to him, Lo?'

'Bantos?'

'Yes, my Queen.'

'Can I ask why you felt you had to kneel?'

'It's the ethos of my people, my Queen. For you to shift to a white tiger means you possess absolute virtue and are the bringer of peace to the world. Your personal strength, willpower and courage are unprecedented. You are rare and next to the Gods themselves in our culture.'

Lauren's eyes moved to Bo, her head tilted and ears up. Bo had begun to recognize some of the mannerisms of her wife's tiger and this one was quite familiar. If there was one thing she knew about her lover, she did not do flattery well and Bantos had just laid a bundle on her wife.

'Lo? Say something.' Bo pushed into Lauren's mind while shielding Bantos from her comment.

'Bantos, I… I just… don't know what to say to that. I'm just… me… so, please pardon my silence. I respect your culture and beliefs but if we are to work together, I would request that you continue to call me Lauren if that would not offend.'

'As you wish, Lauren. But I hope that in time you will come to realize the incredible strength and power you possess. I hope that it will give you the confidence to be all that you can be for yourself, our children, your wife and your people.'

'I think I am on my way to becoming what I can be, Bantos. It is a process.'

'That is a process made more difficult by years of slavery to a people who made you feel like you were worthless. I believe in that experience, we have common ground on which to build our friendship.'

'Agreed. So, are we ready to go?'

'Yes, Lauren.'

'I will lead the way in, if you would take my left flank since I prefer to keep Bo to my right as we enter their territory.'

'I understand. You must protect your mate.'

'The rest of our Druid family will circle behind us.'

'Very well.'

Lauren listened as Bo passed on the message to the rest of the family. A moment later, she felt her wife brush back the fur on her shoulder and they began to enter the woods. The three Druid protectors – Madge, Emma and Abigail – formed a triangle at the rear ready to shield the group as needed. While Bo could not use fire her first time in because she would have burned down the forest. Now, she and the fire Druids could throw fire while shielding the trees to be sure to have no problems. The wind and water powers of the protectors would also help in combination with the universe Druids abilities to take oxygen. This was a powerful group and Bo felt relief knowing that for once, Lauren wouldn't have to take these creatures on themselves.

Fifteen minutes in, they were at the rendezvous point Bantos had arranged with Ryan. The good news was they hadn't been attacked yet. The bad news was, there was no sign of the Loki.

"Suggestions, Bantos?"

"We'll give him five more minutes, then I'll use my powers to contact the Underfae council."

"Okay. Let's circle up." Bo ordered as everyone moved into position to receive attacks from all sides. Lauren sidled up next to Bo more closely, nudging her wife.

'Lo?'

'They're here.'

'They? Ryan and who?'

'Not Ryan… the Kerberos.'

'More than one.'

'A group… I think five but I'm not sure.'

'Fuck.'

'Fuck is right. Tight formation, single shield?'

'Agreed.'

Bo explained what Lauren sensed and ordered the change of formation with the shield put in place. A few moments later, Bantos agreed with Lauren's assessment but he also told Bo and Lauren that there didn't seem to be a leader. He said that Kerberos who traveled or fought in packs always had a leader. These five seemed to be functioning of one mind with one single purpose… to kill anyone who tried to enter the nest.

'So what do you think?'

'I will try to speak to the largest of the creatures, but I may have to speak to all five simultaneously to get a response. This is truly a strange situation.'

'If you connect with all five, you will be unable to protect yourself.'

'That is correct, but once I connect with all five, I will move their collective consciousness to a dreamscape making all movement cease.'

'Good to know... move to the center of our circle where we can protect you.'

Bantos did as he was told and cautioned Bo, 'Please remind everyone they must not touch me. Even to graze a nail would pull them into the dreamscape with the Kerberos collective consciousness. Aside from you, Lauren or a seer I am not sure they could survive a battle of the mind.'

'I'll tell them.'

Bo passed on the message, causing all of them to take an additional two steps out. Arranz began pulling large rocks through the air, placing them in consecutive order around Bantos' outstretched arms. Satisfied that they were all far enough away, the pain eater began his work to make contact. They all stood waiting until they finally saw the glowing blood red eyes begin to emerge from the woods from five different directions.

"Heads up, everyone."

"Bo and Lauren don't forget to feed while you fight." Madge reminded. The couple nodded in response.

The first Kerberos came right at Lauren. She was instantly airborne, getting her mouth wrapped around one of the beasts' throats, biting down hard and ripping the windpipe from the beast. She instantly rolled on her back as the two remaining heads went for her throat. She slashed one with a paw as the other erupted in flame before her very eyes. She stood over the thrashing head that was damaged, slid her massive claws into its carotid artery and ripped. The rupture of the artery caused the blood to gush forth, splattering her white fur.

'Shit, Lo. Blood is impossible to get out of your fur!'

'I guess you'll just have to spend extra time bathing me tonight, baby. Thanks for the fireball.'

'You're welcome. I didn't want you to have all the fun.'

Bo suddenly yelled to Lauren, 'DUCK!'

Lauren's quickness paid off as she ducked and rolled the Kerberos that flew past her… headless.

"Sorry, Lo!" They heard John yell, "That was your aunts! Not my fault!"

Bo and Lauren turned to see the ground open up behind them as the three remaining Kerberos all fell into a fiery pit deep into the earth's crust. They followed the fault line to it's source just in time to see Abigail wiping the dirt from her hands as she stood from where she had knelt down and slammed her hands into the earth. She had literally spread it apart and slammed it back together, trapping the beasts below with a precision that made Bo jealous.

"Shit. Remind me not to piss you off… like… ever." Bo chuckled as she high-fived the protector.

"Don't piss me off, Succubus… ever." Abigail laughed.

Bo turned to Calub, "Probably an even more important rule for your ass."

"Yea, but I don't worry about her powers, I worry about her withholding sex!" He said, as his mate again smacked him in the chest.

Bo turned to see Bantos still trying to connect with someone or something.

'Lauren? Do you think we can talk to him right now?'

'I'm not sure, Bo. I probably have a better chance because I'm in my tiger form. Let me try.'

'Don't commit to it, Lo. Just call to him.'

'I won't enter his mind, Bo.' Lauren walked to stand in front of the pain eater, 'Bantos?'

There was no response so he tried again, 'Bantos!'

'Yes, Lauren?'

'The Kerberos are all dead. Any luck?'

'There are more, but they are standing back. The collective strength of your group is not something they are willing to battle against. There is some conversation happening but there is… a presence… someone or something seems to be leading the discussion but I cannot…'

Lauren heard Bantos sigh, 'It's Ryan. He is controlling the Kerberos.'

'Why doesn't he show himself?'

'He was testing us.'

'Why would he test us unless he wanted to see the powers we possess?'

'I am unsure. Quiet your mind, child. Let us not give away any more of your abilities.'

Lauren shielded her mind from all but Bo, 'Did you get all of that.'

'Yes. I got this.'

"RYAN LAMBERT! GET YOUR SLIMY ASS OUT HERE BEFORE WE COME IN THERE AND PULL IT OUT… AND I WILL NOT SPARE YOUR COCK!"

The group almost burst out laughing. They'd never heard a battle challenge made in quite that way but this was Bo leading them so they quickly decided the change was good. It only took a moment before Ryan was passing through the trees with seven Kerberos moving with him.

"What's the matter? Afraid to face me one on one?"

"Now Bo… you know I'm a lover, not a fighter. I'm surprised to see you here among the Druids. They are not big fans of the Fae. Did you not find your beautiful doctor?"

"No, but I did find out that you are spreading rumors about my love life."

"Awe, come on Bo. You know I can't resist the old kiss and tell."

"You're still just that immature inventor I left trying to burn down his own workshop… by accident."

"All great inventions begin with a thousand failures."

"Why are you here on land that belongs to the Druid, Ryan?"

"Bantos invited me."

"Because he thought you were loyal to the rebels. What's your game, Ryan… and please… these people have no patience for a trespasser on your land and whether you bring five or seven of your pets out here isn't going to make a difference to what they'll do to you if you don't speak… soon."

"I come seeking asylum for one who is in need of safety."

"You need to be safe?" Bo asked with a chuckle.

"I do not speak on my behalf. I speak for a human who is a target of the Fae… Light, Dark and Underfae. This human comes seeking the assistance of a Druid Healer named Jianna. The Kerberos have watched your grounds for weeks and know the healer is here."

'Bo, it's Evony.'

'How can you know that?'

'The lover Jianna was talking about at our checkup the other day? It was Evony. She chose the Dark Fae over her relationship with Jianna. She broke her heart.'

'Shit… give me a second to decide how to play this.'

Bo thought for a moment, "I need you to submit to a Druid ritual before you can be permitted to enter their hallowed ground… you and your human friend."

"Agreed."

"Now, about your pets."

"They are within my control, as you can see."

"They were created without the permission of your council."

"I had no choice. I couldn't come on my own without protection."

"Why did you not ask Bantos to come?"

"He would have refused as soon as he saw my human."

"Your human?"

"I have claimed her to protect her."

"How many Kerberos are there, Ryan?"

"One hundred were created. There are twenty that remain."

'I didn't kill that many, Bo. He's lying.'

"The Druids have not killed that many."

"Their tiger here has killed twenty-seven alone."

"Uh… your math isn't adding up there, Ryan. One hundred minus twenty seven does not equal twenty."

"They have a life span of five days, Bo. Their organs break down and they die."

'Bo, he used my journal… these creatures are dying horrible deaths. They should be put down… put our of their misery.'

'He thinks he needs them for protection. He'll keep making them.'

'Ask him… tell him that Bantos told you what I just told you.'

'Agreed, Bo. These creatures should be sent to your spirit Gaia where they can find peace.'

"Ryan, Bantos tells me that these creatures are dying in pain… horrible, horrible deaths. I would like for you to allow the Druids to take them and give them peace with their spirit Gaia."

Ryan looked at the beasts, then eyed the group cautiously, "Ryan, you have come seeking the help of the Druid people, correct?"

"Yes, but I don't want to die here. If I sacrifice my protection, what guarantee do I have I will survive?"

"What is your end game, Ryan?"

"To go back to the Underfae City with Bantos when he departs, leaving my human in the care of the Druids where she will be protected."

"If you pass the ritual, that will be arranged. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

"And the Kerberos."

"Are the property of the Druid people."

He placed a small box on the ground and turned the lid. All of the Kerberos lay down and went to sleep, "This device will allow a skilled Druid to explain to the Kerberos what they wish to offer to them. I'm not sure how their connection to this Gaia spirit works, but they may actually be able to connect with her directly with the use of the device as well. The device should be burned when they are finished."

"Where is the den, Ryan?"

"Straight back behind me. Bantos will have no trouble locating it. It's the same type of entryway that guards our city."

"I'm going to need you to come out and lay down with your arms behind your back and your legs together."

"And my human?"

"Your human will come forward after you are bound. No harm will come to her as long as she comes out with her palms open and facing us above her head. We need to be sure you have not placed any protective charms or devices on her that could cause harm to any of us. You understand, yes?"

"Of course. I'm doing this in good faith, Bo. I'm trusting you because we have history."

"And we're trusting you not to be hiding anything, Ryan. You have entered sacred land where Fae are usually killed first and asked questions later."

"I am aware. It's why I used the back door."

"Thanks for letting us know about the whole they need to repair."

"Okay, let's do this, Ry."

Ryan walked out and assumed the position Bo had requested. Lauren slowly moved out, sniffing at the air. She placed a large paw on his back and applied enough pressure to push most of the air out of him, "Umph…" He held perfectly still as Arranz moved forward and began gathering the materials he needed to bind his legs and feet.

Bo looked to Vesta who walked to her.

He whispered, "Bo?"

Bo whispered back, "He doesn't know I'm Druid, grandfather. I'd like to keep it that way. Can you please bind his powers as King?"

"Understood… a wise decision, Bo. I'm embarrassed I didn't think of that myself."

"We need to play some poker, grandpa."

"Poker?"

"Oh, my. You really don't know poker?"

"I don't."

"Kenzi… we need Kenzi. It's poker night, grandfather. You're going to learn some new tricks tonight."

Vesta smiled as the pair watched Arranz finish his work. Vesta then stepped up.

"Ryan Lambert of the Dark Fae, I am the Vesta the Druid King."

They heard a gasp come from the woods behind them. Bo and Lauren looked to Madge, Emma and Abigail who were way ahead of them, already moving towards the opening to gather the human as Vesta continued.

"Your powers will be withdrawn from your essence and stored with Gaia for as long as you remain on Druid land. Upon your departure, your powers will pass back into your body restoring you to your current state. This process will be painful and it will leave you feeling weak as you will essentially be as a human."

Bo watched as her grandfather performed the ceremony. He looked much more regal than she had, but decided looks aren't everything. Both got the job done. Ryan was teleported by Calub and Abigail to an interrogation room where Bantos and James would meet them soon. Depending on the outcome of the rite, he would be either welcomed into the farmhouse for dinner before he and Bantos would leave or returned to a cell until after the war was over for the safety of the Druid people.

Bo and Lauren faced the woods as they watched a frail, sickly and unkempt brunette come from the woods. She staggered as she walked and dropped to her knees before Madge.

"Bo?" Madge said as she waved her niece over. Madge knelt down before the woman sensing that she was, indeed human. Bo arrived at her side.

"She's definitely human. Abigail senses no weapons of any kind. She's covered in bruises and looks like she hasn't eaten in months. Bo… this is horrible. This can't be…" Madge tilted the head of the woman up and the Succubus gasped out the word,

"Evony." She knelt down in front of her as Lauren moved in behind her wife.

'Gods, Bo. I did this to her.'

'Lauren, don't you dare. This is called payback. Years and years of treating people like shit will get you exactly this when you are finally unable to defend yourself. It she was still Fae where do you think she would be right now?'

'Bo, that doesn't matter… look at her.'

'What's the matter? Feeling sorry for your old lover? For Christ's sake, Lauren if you had never taken away her Fae, she would be sitting with Trick right now planning our demise and you know it. The only difference is that from what you told me, I'd be DEAD! Nice to know that's what your prefer!'

"Madge, can you teleport her to the hospital but you need to give Jianna a head's up."

"Bo… why did she come to Jianna?"

"She knows Druid philosophy? Knows she wouldn't turn her away?"

"Do you trust this, Bo?"

"I don't know, Madge. I just don't know."

"Do we bind her?"

"Not as long as we know for sure that she doesn't have some slick bomb in her teeth or some explosive pussy surprise."

'Bo, don't be an asshole!'

'What? Apparently she really packs a wallop.'

'I'm going back to deal with Ryan and Arum. You can make the decisions regarding your ex.'

'Bo, please.'

'I just can't do this right now, Lauren. Just think about what you said… maybe then you'll understand what triggered… this! But one thing that you WILL NOT do is tell her that you are no longer human. Do NOT compromise the safety of this community by trusting her because she looks so pathetic right now. Hide your powers, Lauren. I mean it.'

'You have my word.'

'Humph.'

Lauren shook her head, 'FUCK! She's fucking right. I took Evony's Fae because she was going to kill the woman I loved with a touch. Now the woman who wanted to kill my wife comes here looking pathetic and I tell my wife I'm sorry for taking the woman's Fae so she couldn't kill her. What the fuck is wrong with me?'

She looked down at Evony. Sure she felt bad for her current state, but Bo was right. She was a cruel and callous leader who never cared for anyone but herself and the things that gave her power. It's why Lauren had always feared and avoided her. She chose the light over the Dark as the lesser of two evils. She had protected her mate. It was that simple. She knew that she had never had any real feelings for the woman. They had used each other for sex and she had used Lauren for her knowledge. It was a good arrangement.

The women teleported out of sight leaving Lauren to deal with the Kerberos problem with four remaining men. She gripped each one with her teeth, dragging them in to the opening near the device Ryan had left. Arranz figured it out quickly and they began the process of asking for Gaia to claim them. Luckily, Gaia told Lauren she did not have to move the remaining Kerberos from their nest. She would pull them in from their current place of rest.

Lauren moved to the side and lay down, guarding the area as they worked. Her thoughts were drawn back to Bo. She had defended Evony rather than back her own wife… on the same day that she had told her she had kept the secret… and slept with her – multiple times. She had sided with the Ash rather than Bo with the Vex thing. She had sided with the Ash rather than Bo with the spider thing. As she thought about it, she realized she had not sided with Bo on many occasions… on many arguments. If she was truly going to rule by her side, she had to truly be on her side.

She looked up to find that she was now alone. She looked around and noticed the quiet of the night. She rolled over onto her back and stared up at the sky. It was a clear, cool night and the stars were so very bright. She wished that Bo were here with her right now. She had dreamed of being able to do this very thing without worry of a Kerberos attack and now she could feel the peace in these woods. She hoped it was only a matter of time until the usual residents came back to these woods so she could run here and hunt here. It would take time, but it would happen.

'Gaia?'

'Yes, Lauren.'

'I hurt her again.'

'I heard. I'm never too busy to pay attention to my favorite couple.'

'How many more times can I do it and not have her walk away?'

'Apparently you weren't listening to her when you were in the cavern today. She will never leave you, Lauren. But sometimes I wonder if you aren't intentionally testing her or trying to drive her away.'

'The Evony thing was pretty stupid, huh?'

'Not stupid, my child… but emotional. You tend to lead with that doctor heart of yours rather than lead with the heart that belongs to your mate. You must consider how what you say may impact her before you say it.'

'I made a crack one time about her not having finished high school. The look on her face was horrible. I don't know why I do it… I just don't think sometimes and I blurt things out that offend her. I'm always so careful with everyone else. Why am I not as considerate with her.'

'You'll have to look inside yourself for the answer to that one, my child. When we first spoke of Bo, I sensed that you had some anger with her – not for her infidelities, but because of who she was.'

'Do you think I'm jealous of her?'

'Do you feel like you live in her shadow?'

'No… I mean… I… I don't know… I've never thought about it.'

'You told me you once asked her for a break because you need to find yourself. Maybe you were feeling immersed in her world and that your world didn't exist?'

'I just wanted to get away from the Fae.'

'And you were forced back to life with them. If the Taft situation hadn't happened, Lauren would you have come back?'

'No. You're right. I was tired with being a slave to my circumstance and I'd resigned myself to death over slavery.'

'Then you went on the run…'

'I left her. All this time, I'd been thinking she'd left me but really, I left her… twice. Once when I called for the break and once again after declaring to her that I was hers… but I wasn't because… I'd never really given her all of me.'

'Why do you think that is, child? What are you afraid of?'

'I don't know.'

'Well… maybe you need to focus on that for now.'

'Am I ever going to feel complete?'

'That's up to you my child. First you have to figure out what's missing.'

'Goodnight, Gaia.'

'Goodnight, Lauren. Peace to you. You will find your balance, child.'

… … … … …

Lauren rolled over onto her side and dug her claws deep into the dirt, dragging them to create long thin channels in the soil. She needed to get back to the farmhouse but she just needed a break… to think… to feel… to figure out who she was now. Was she just a mother, wife… could she be a good Queen for Bo? Why was she continually unable to be open and honest with Bo?

Despite how much it hurt sometimes, that's something that she could always count on from her wife. She had never hidden that she slept with Dyson, Tamsin, Ryan or her feeds until she asked her to stop telling her. It's funny, really. Lauren got tired of Bo being honest… had she just pursued Bo because there was no one else? Because she was jealous? Because the thought of a Succubus wanting her was somewhat… exciting… a huge boost to her self-esteem?

Gods… had she made a mistake in marrying Bo? Was she really in love with her or was she just the first person who could meet all of her needs? They'd fallen back into the same routine but if she truly loved this woman, why did she always find a way to make unkind remarks and keep truths from her?

Lauren played the last six years over again in her head. She remembered having Ethan and how much love she felt for child she thought she would never have. She thought Bo and how hard it was without her… it wasn't about missing her because she was a single parent… she truly missed Bo. Now she had her and sometimes the things she said to her were… not nice… and then the secrets… she knew she should have told her about the cellular degradation long before their exam… she'd known about it for weeks. And as for not telling her about Evony… well, she's had six years to tell her about that and any number of opportunities since she'd come back.

Lauren sighed… what was wrong with her today? None of these thoughts had even crossed her mind until Evony was revealed to her. Right now, she just wanted to hide from the world. She rolled over on her back and stared at the sky. I wish I could just fly away and leave all of the drama behind.

… … … … … … … …

Rain… sand… cold… daylight… waves crashing on the shore… skin… no clothes… something on my lip… wipe it off… fingers… wet… blood… headache… pounding… open your eyes… ocean… keep your eyes open… chi… feed… must feed… hands… sand…

'Gaia…'

'Lauren? You're weak, child.'

'Help… please… don't know what happened…'

'Rest, child… I'll feed you.'

'Sleep. So tired… bleeding… blood loss… can't sleep.'

'You're no longer bleeding, child. Rest… the chi will heal you.'

'Bo… I don't know where I am.' Lauren tried to push out, but she was too weak. 'Gaia, how will she find me… Bo, I'm so sorry. I should have never doubted our love.'

'Rest, child. She will come.'

'She always does.' Lauren passed out on the sand.

… … … … … … … …

Bo burst through the door of Kenzi and Chase's house, "Kenzi!"

"Shhhh… Bo-Bo, Ethan's still sleeping."

"Did Lauren come here last night?"

"Of course not. You and your lady love were supposed to make hot, hot love last night… without any kids in the house."

"She never came home, Kenz… I new she was upset… I listened to her thoughts… she's doubting us… doubting marrying me, Kenz. When she saw Evony she blamed herself for her condition… she said she never should have made her human."

"But she did it because Evony was going to kill you!"

"I know, but all she was worried about was Evony."

"Does she blame you?"

"I don't know, Kenz. I didn't react well when she told me she had kept another secret from me, but I calmed down right away and I didn't get angry. I told her it was okay, Kenz. I thought I did everything right… I was so careful about how I handled it but then when she regretted doing what she did to Evony to save me… I felt like I didn't matter and instead of getting upset, I got angry. I just wanted to be able to talk to her and I had to deal with all this Queening shit. I just… Gods, Kenzi… I just can't handle all of this."

Bo was sobbing openly as Kenzi moved to comfort her friend, "Kenzi, I couldn't feel her all night long. I… it's not just the link being shielded… I literally couldn't feel her presence. I fell asleep on the side porch of our house watching the opening to the woods. I woke up… I thought I felt a sharp pain come from her, so I ran into the back into where we had parted in the woods. I thought maybe the ritual was wrong about Ryan and that he had really been hiding something after all. I was terrified she had been hurt by a Kerberos we didn't know existed or… or…"

"I get it, Bo-Bo… your imagination ran wild with thoughts of someone coming through the tunnel before she was able to close it and hurting her. But Bo, if she was dead you would know it."

"I know she's not dead, Kenz. But she's hurt and she's really weak. I've looked everywhere – even her usual swimming holes and she's nowhere to be found. Kenzi I'm going crazy… I can't do this without her… I can't lose her, Kenzi."

"I know, Bo. I know. It's okay, we'll find her… come with me. It's time you see what your BFF can do."

"Kenz?"

"Just trust me, Bo. We haven't had much chance to talk with how busy both of us are let alone talk about my training… come on. Trust me."

"I do, Kenz. Sorry." She took Kenzi's offered hand and they moved to her balcony.

"Stand there, Bo." She pointed to the corner of the deck as she moved out into the middle.

"Kenz?"

"Patience… I need you to be quiet… just watch… you will see what you wish to see."

Kenzi looked up to the sky, allowing the rain to fall on her face. Her arms moved to her sides and rose up, shoulder height, palms up. The young Druid Seer now stood perfectly still, saying nothing, doing nothing as far as Bo could tell. Finally, she was dripping wet. She moved her arms to her sides and carried her soaking wet form to an odd looking table that Bo had never noticed on the deck of Kenzi's home before.

She watched as her friend seemingly shed every ounce of fluid from her body and clothing on the table, which held the water within the peculiarly shaped rim that held the glass surface. Bo watched as Kenzi ran her fingers through the water, mumbled a few runes, placed her hands lightly on the surface of the water and turned them over.

As she brought her hands up to chest height, Bo saw an image of Lauren lying naked on a beach with blood streaming from her nose and ear. She watched, her throat tight, mouth dry as Kenzi turned the image so they could see the beach beyond where the blonde lay motionless. There was nothing but coastline as far as the image allowed them to see. The young Druid turned the image in the other direction and Bo's eyes went wide as she recognized the road that paralleled the beach where Bo and Lauren had first road together.

"I know exactly where that is, Kenzi."

"Me too, Bo. Go, I'll bring Ella. She's the only one that hasn't had to heal anyone recently."

"Thanks, Kenzi. We'll talk later about how incredibly frickin' amazing that was."

Bo teleported directly to Lauren's side and immediately removed her boots before thrusting her feet into the soil. Her hands went to Lauren's chest over her heart where she began to push chi as fast as she could pull it. Suddenly, Lauren sat up and gasped in a long breath. She looked up at the devastated look on her wife's face. She could see every bit of fear and relief before her face was pulled into its spot on her neck… the spot that always made Lauren feel so safe and loved.

"Bo, I'm so sorry… I…"

"Shhhh… not now, Lauren. Just feed, please… just feed."

They lay there as both of their bodies gave to heal the doctor who had ironically been unable to heal herself.

'She's okay, Bo. She awoke moments ago and managed to call to me. Do you recognize the symptoms?'

'I do… her unicorn. But why would she try to do this on her own? She's only been doing supervised attempts with my grandmother.'

'I don't think it was intentional, Bo. I can feel her energy trail extend from the water to where we are. I think her Nereid saved her this time.'

'Go, Nereid. I love that little fish sometimes.'

'Your family comes, Bo. Your mate is struggling right now.'

'Why didn't she tell me?'

'I feel her fear, Bo and it is great. She is second-guessing every decision she has ever made. Support, her dear. It's all you can do. The rest she must figure out for herself.'

'I understand… and thank you, Good Mother.'

'Bo… your trials begin tomorrow. Discuss this with her.'

'I will.'

'No, Bo. Discuss it. Do not take the decision from her hands.'

'Understood.'

"BO!" Kenzi yelled when she saw Lauren's limp body in Bo's arms.

"She's okay! We're feeding."

"Let us help, Bo."

Ella and Kenzi sat down next to Bo and placed a hand on each of Lauren's arms through which to push chi.

"Those are her unicorn symptoms. Why would she do that alone?"

"Gaia doesn't think it was intentional. We argued after the mess in the woods. She never came home last night and I couldn't feel her to find her. Kenzi…"

"Relax, Bo. I don't blame you. We are all responsible for the choices we make in this life. Kenzi already told me what happened and how she found her. Your friend's got game, eh?"

"Tell me about it. I had no idea she could do that. It was amazing." Bo smiled at her friend.

"Ella?"

"Yes Bo?" Ella looked up to see the tears in her friend's eyes. Her shoulders drop and a look of sympathy crossed her face.

"How much longer is this going to happen? I mean, this can't be good for her body. Just how much more of this can she take?"

"I don't know, Bo. But you're right."

"We're supposed to start our coronation ritual tomorrow. As her doctor, would you recommend she do it?"

"That's not my call, Bo."

"Can her body handle it?"

"Loaded up on chi? Yes. I'm more worried about what happened in her mind to make her shift to another realm."

"She was running away without physically running away… I'm sure of it."

"I see."

Just then, they felt Lauren twitch. She opened her eyes and looked up at Bo. Tears welled up in her eyes as Bo lowered her lips and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"It's okay. I'd like to teleport you to the lab?"

"No. Evony's there. I don't want to see her."

"Kenzi's?"

"No… do you not want me home?"

Kenzi stood, "We'll just be over here checking out the ocean." She and Ella walked away.

"I didn't think you wanted to come home. You didn't come home last night, so I just assumed that…"

"Bo, please. Take me home. I'd like to sleep… in your arms… just sleep… in our bed."

"Okay. Are you okay to teleport?"

"Yes, that would be great."

"KENZ!"

Bo motioned that she was leaving and vanished. Kenzi looked at Ella,

"I love my girls but I'm wondering how much more they can take. They need a break, Ells. It's gotta happen before the kids are born. They need alone time away from all of the shit that's been hitting the fan. I know it won't look good if the Queens take the throne and then take a vacation, but it needs to happen. They're going to burst."

"Agreed."

… … … … … … … …

Bo laid Lauren in their bed, covered her to her neck and tossed a fireball into the fireplace. If she had been in her Nereid form, it wouldn't be long until she was cold. She sat on the edge of the bed and pushed a lose strand of hair back behind her ear and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

"Where have you been, Lo? I can't help you if you won't talk to me. I can't be there for you if you won't let me be. I wish I could help you, but I'm afraid this is all up to you. The things I heard you say…" Bo choked back her tears trying desperately to stay silent so Lauren wouldn't hear her cry. She didn't need the stress of knowing she was upset over what she had heard.

"You don't know if you love me? You don't know if you should have married me? You don't know if you ever loved me? You think it may have been jealousy…" She chuckled, "Got wrapped up in the competition with Dyson, eh? I wish you knew… well, you should know… I've told you enough… it was never a competition. You had me from the moment you showed up at the Dahl to help me with my control. We sat on the couch and when you put your hand in mine… so unafraid even though you knew I was going to use my powers on you… you trusted me then…" Bo sobbed as the tears rolled down her cheeks, "Why can't you trust me now?"

She sat staring at her wife. Last night was supposed to be so different… in a moment it all went to shit. Would their relationship always be like this? She just wanted to take her and Ethan and move away from everything here… then she thought of all the support they had for what was coming and she knew they couldn't. She noticed the goose bumps on her wife's skin. She walked to the closet, opened the door and pulled out an extra blanket. She walked back over and laid it over the blonde, being sure to tuck her arms underneath. She looked down at the embroidery at the bottom and traced her fingers over the letters,

"Bo & Lauren Martini, January 4, 2014… Love will always find a way."

The tears flowed as she remembered their wedding day. Kenzi had given Lauren the blanket that now covered her and given Bo a matching one that read Bo-Bo and Hotpants instead of their names. Arranz had bought her a new sewing machine and she had used it for the first time to embroider their blanket. Bo smiled at the memory of Kenzi telling her how many times she had to rip out the stitches.

She pulled her ring up and stared at the tattoo beneath, If all went well, there would be another tattoo somewhere on her body by the end of next week… and Lauren's too… but she had questioned wanting to be Queen as well… she wouldn't force Lauren to do anything she didn't want to do. She could be a queen in title and nothing else. She could hang out with the kids, be a doctor, researcher… whatever she wanted. Bo would make sure she was well fed whenever she asked. She didn't care… whatever she wanted she would give her. She turned to leave the room,

"I love you Lauren… with all that I am… no matter what you may or may not feel for me… I'll find a way to make sure you live the life you choose… I love you and love will always find a way to make those they love happy."

She looked down at her growing baby bump, then up at Lauren. The tears filled her eyes as she turned and walked from the room being careful to close the door quietly.

"I love you too, Bo. I'm sorry my thoughts made you doubt that." Lauren whispered as she opened her eyes and watched the door close. A single tear dripped down her cheek as she rolled over and closed her eyes.

… … … … … … … …

Madge saw Bo sitting out on the side porch and made her way over to see her. She had spoken with Ella about the events of last night and knew that the couple had argued from the way Bo had left.

"Mind if I sit?"

Bo looked up to see her aunt and smiled, "Sure, Aunt Madge. You're always welcome."

"Do you want to talk about those tears?"

"I'm a little shell-shocked right now… I don't know if I can." Bo's voice broke and the tears fell hard. She leaned over and fell into Madge who took her in her arms, "I can't do this, Aunt Madge… I can't… I feel broken… I'm so tired of fighting… so tired."

Madge knew that Bo was run down and exhausted. So much had been thrown at her in such a short time. Hell, Madge wasn't sure she could handle all her niece had handled. Six years looking for Lauren with four of those on the road while trying to avoid getting caught by the Fae, finding out her Father was alive and that she was a Druid, the prophecy, training her Druid, training for the throne, a new son, a marriage, finances, land ownership, governing a people, being queen of it all, trials, watching the love of your life battle for her life, being pregnant, old friends showing up, old enemies showing up who are friends and new friends who are enemies, now this. She gave Bo a squeeze as she felt her begin to calm,

"You know, I've learned that life goes in cycles. There are times where you have to push way beyond what you think you're capable of… bear more than you can take. But I assure you, my dear, dear niece… you can and will handle all that is happening right now… in the end, you will be stronger for it."

Bo lay in Madge's embrace silent. Right now, she just couldn't believe this was every going to be okay.

… … … … … … … …

"Aunt Kenzi?"

"'Sup, bud?"

"Can I call Mommy now?"

Kenzi looked at the time on her cell phone. It was one o'clock, but she wasn't sure if either of Ethan's parents were ready for him yet. Madge had called around nine to tell her Bo had fallen asleep in her arms on the side porch of the beach house, so she had teleported her back to the farmhouse to sleep since she didn't seem to want to be in bed with wife mumbling something about her not wanting Bo there. Ella and Emma had gone over to the beach house to be there when Lauren woke up. Chase was due back in twenty minutes. He was having some of his new hires cover the Marina with his cousins and Dad today, so Kenzi asked Arranz to cover the shop. She told her lover that she needed to go do some damage control. She hadn't spent time with either of her friends alone since before Christmas, so it was time.

"Uncle Chase will be home soon and he's going to hang out with you while I go check on your Mommy. I'm not sure if she's awake yet, buddy and I don't want to wake her if she's still sleeping. She had to fight the Kerberos yesterday and your little Lottie is taking a lot of chi out of her, so she needs her rest, right?"

Ethan nodded, "She needs lots of chi, too."

"That's right. So if she's awake when I get there, I'm going to take her to feed and we're going to talk for a while."

"Are you going to help her not be so sad?"

"Do you think your Mommy has been sad?"

"Well, she's quiet and usually that means she is sad about something. A lot of times it has to do with Mamma, but that was before we got married to her."

Kenzi chuckled at her nephew's comment, "Well, how about I just ask her?"

"That would be good. I miss them." Ethan said with a frown.

"I know you do, little dude. They're just going through a rough patch right now."

"I'm scared for this week."

"Why are you scared?"

"They're going to try to kill them."

"A lot of people have tried to kill your mommies Ethan. I was there for most of them and none of them ever succeeded. Don't worry, bud. They always protect each other."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

The door opened and closed, "Kenz? Ethan?"

"Hi Uncle Chase!" Ethan yelled.

"Hey babe." Ethan fist bumped his uncle as he continued to Kenzi and gave her a soft kiss on the lips, "Love you, Kenz."

"Love you, Chase."

"Are you heading right over to see Lauren?"

"I was going to… little man here is a little worried and he misses his moms."

"Bo still at the farmhouse?"

"Yea. I haven't heard from Madge yet. Maybe you can check on that one while I check on Lo?"

"You want me to talk to her?"

"That would be great. Madge would take Ethan to Druid training."

"What time?"

"Two o'clock."

"It's a plan. Go check on Lo. I'll see you for dinner?"

"Yup." They kissed goodbye and Kenzi gave Ethan a hug, "Kick butt at training, now. Don't embarrass me by burning down a house or anything."

"That was you who hit the barn with a fireball, Aunt K!"

"Oh, yea. It was, wasn't it!" She laughed as she teleported away.

… … … … … … …

Kenzi knocked on the bedroom door. There was no response, so she opened the door slowly and peeked inside. There was Lauren sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace just gazing into the orange glow, her arms wrapped tightly around her chest.

"Lauren? It's Kenzi."

No response. Kenzi spoke again, "Lauren? It's me Kenzi." Still no response. She walked over to the blonde and spoke again, "Lauren you're starting to scare me... please say something."

"There's nothing to say. I heard her again Kenzi. I just keep hurting her. I don't know why I just do. I don't know how to fix this."

"Sure you do. You two are experts at making up. One of you screws up, you argue, sometimes you get mad, sometimes you get hurt, you take some time, then you talk, then you apologize and then you have marathon sex to make up for lost time. It's what you two do. You'll work this out too."

"I don't know Kenz. I said some things. I forgot about our link and I was thinking things that no spouse would ever want to hear their wife say."

"I know, Lo. She told me."

"She thought I was asleep when she tucked me in… she was talking about all these concessions she would make so that I wouldn't have to honor our marriage vows or handle any queen duties. She was giving me an out of our eternal commitment."

"Well, there is no out, Lauren. It's what the two of you signed up for, remember?"

"I do, Kenzi."

"And do you really regret it? Are you really not in love with Bo? Do you not want the babies the two of you are carrying? Do you not want to be her co-Queen? Do you not want to be Druid or Fae?"

"Kenzi, Of course I love her! I don't know… It's just… it's too many questions to answer… it's all just too much!"

"No, Lauren… you know… I don't know what… this is," She pointed her finger up and down the blonde's disheveled body, "But I know that you are stronger than all this. You're quitting… sitting here wallowing in self-pity while your wife and kid suffer. You know the load Bo is carrying right now and she is handling it all on her own because you decided you weren't strong enough." Kenzi threw both hands at Lauren, fingers extended, "You're the strongest person she knows! You know she can't do any of what she's doing with out you. I mean, you could lay here on that bed for a week and she would do everything… train, fight to earn the throne, take care of Ethan, manage the war, handle the meetings… all of it… but only if she knows that at the end of the day, you love her. For you to question that now, after all you've been through… after all she's been through… you married her, Lauren! What the fuck!"

Lauren stood frozen to the spot, her head down as tears flowed freely. She was shaking and still weak. She sat back on the bed.

"Fuck! You need to feed, Lauren."

"I'm too tired, Kenz. Don't you see? I'm so damn tired. I just… what if I can't do any of this? Why do I keep secrets from her? Why do I say mean things to her? Why do I hurt her? What if I'm not there when she needs me? What if I let her down? What if I can't balance it all? What if I screw up our kids? What if I can't protect her, Kenzi? What if something happens to her? How will I handle the kids… what if I have to be Queen by myself for thousands of years, Kenzi?"

A voice came from the doorway, "Is that what this is all about? You're afraid you aren't enough?" Bo clearly had her second wind as she entered the room.

"I'll just…" Kenzi went to duck out gracefully but Bo cut her off,

"No, Kenz. I want you here. You are family… a huge part of our family and Lauren needs to know that she can count on you just like she does me."

"Hotpants, is that what you're afraid of? That you're gonna be left alone holding the bag?" Kenzi asked.

"I'm afraid… this fight to the death… Queens juggling three kids… losing myself like I did before… not being able to practice medicine and do research – I know it sounds selfish, but it's my sanity… not having enough time for the kids and them resenting us being away all the time…" Kenzi kept quiet, but she knew that was already an issue for Ethan.

"Lauren, if this is about the trials we can put it off… hell, if you don't want to be queen, you don't have to be! My father ruled without his mate for centuries. If either of my grandparents had been killed during the Great Fae War, the other would have ruled alone. You don't have to do this, Lauren…

Bo paused and lowered her head,

"And if you don't love me and don't want to live with me, you don't have to do that either. I can't do anything about the marriage… we both knew when we got into it that it was for all eternity, but I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to do… I wouldn't want to be the recipient of fake affection and I won't pretend. You can take the kids if you want them and live where you'd like. You can leave all of this and do whatever you want. You are not a slave, Lauren. No one owns you. You can do as you please. If this prophecy made you somehow feel like you had to marry me, you should have told me."

Lauren's heart broke as she watched Bo sacrifice everything about her happiness for her as the tears streamed down her cheeks. Her head was down, her hands stuffed hard into her pockets as she spoke in such a quiet voice that she had to strain to hear her. She loved this woman… in this moment she knew for sure she loved this woman…

"Bo… please… I'm sorry about the things you heard snaking through my mind last night. When you drew attention to the face that I had basically said I would rather let you die than make Evony human… I… I didn't mean it to sound that way, although after replaying it over and over in my mind I could see why you would think that. I thought about how I had kept the secret about her and about my health and wondered why I would do that… again. I seem to hurt you… repeatedly… and I had to ask myself… what kind of love is that? It's why you heard me question my love for you… I was questioning how I could treat you the way I do and claim to love you."

Lauren stared at her hands… they were cold. She stood on wobbly legs and walked to the fireplace. Kenzi made a casual move to be closer to her since Bo was not aware of Lauren's current low chi levels. Why was she so low on chi again?

"I love you, Bo. I do. I'm just so afraid of screwing up."

"And what if I screw up?"

"You haven't screwed anything up in so long, Bo…"

"What? Lauren, I didn't remember to adjourn the meeting yesterday. You had to remind me. I went Succubus blue over a speculum at my exam the other day because I was terrified of the thing. You had to calm me down!" Bo spoke a little softer as she continued… she almost mumbled the words in embarrassment, "I teleported into our bedroom during training last week when I saw you walking from the farmhouse to the beach house with Ethan."

"What's wrong with that, Bo-Bo?" Kenzi asked.

"I was supposed to teleport out over the water, hover and teleport back without touching solid ground."

"One track mind."

"Huh?" Lauren didn't get it.

"Oh come on, Hotpants, keep up! She saw you, thought about how bad she wanted to bang you and wham! She's thinking teleport you to bed instead of teleport over water! It's a Bo-Bo classic!"

Lauren chuckled. That was actually funny.

"Look, you two. The bottom line is that life is messy. Hotpants, I know you have your OCD ways and all, but life it messy. The question is, how much mess are you willing to put up with and how much of that mess do you TRUST your wife here to handle? Here's what you need to know… first, do you love her?"

Lauren looked up at Bo, "Yes, I truly do. I am very much in love with you, Bo and I'm sorry you read my thoughts in that moment. I really was questioning my behaviors versus my claim to love you."

"Okay, second, do you want your marriage?"

"Yes. I meant my vows when I said them and I'd say them again tomorrow."

"Okay, third, do you want your kids?"

"Yes. Ethan and the babies mean the world to me. These are the precious lives that neither of us thought we would ever have."

"Okay, fourth, do you want to be Bo's Queen?"

"I want to be there for you, Bo. I want to support you in your efforts to make this world a better place, but I don't ever want to have to rule without you."

"And I don't ever want to have to rule without you, Lauren. But the bottom line is that one of us is going to die first. I hope it won't be for thousands of years, but it is going to happen. The best part of this is that we have children. We can retire whenever we'd like. Ethan can assume the throne at age thirty according to our lessons… unless we both die before that… which would really suck. So, neither of us will have to rule alone for long if one of us were to pass."

"I hadn't thought of it that way. I thought of thousands of years sitting in that meeting room with the empty chair across from me… biweekly reminders that you are gone… it would be horrible."

"Agreed. Let's not think of that, okay? But I would appreciate it if you would turn and face that fire and draw chi from it. I know you need to feed, Lauren. So please…" Bo nodded to the fireplace.

"I'm so sorry, Bo. I want to talk… I do… but…"

"Hey… stop it, Lauren, please!" Bo walked over and sat in the chair next to the fireplace, "Sit… feed. I'm right here and I know you are very good at drawing chi from fire. If you want, I can give you…"

"Oh Gods, yes… please?"

Bo smiled, "Sorry, Kenz. Just a couple quick pushes."

"Gross. I'm gonna step out on the deck."

Bo chuckled as she captured Lauren's lips, "Are you sure?"

"I'm truly sorry I have put doubt in your mind. Please, Bo. Push into my mind… feel what I feel." Lauren closed her eyes as she felt Bo's presence invade her very core. It had been so long since they connected this way. It was such an intimate connection… especially when they were making love.

She felt Bo capture her lips as the emotions stirred within as the intensity of the kiss grew. Lauren could feel Bo relax as she reciprocated the feelings of love that her wife projected. The blonde felt the familiar push as the chi entered her body and warmed her very soul. She was lost in Bo… her lover… her mate… her wife… her soul… her life… her eternity.

"Hey! Are you two done yet?" Kenzi entered the room from the deck, "Sorry, but it's pretty nippy out there! It is still winter, you know. Friends don't let friends freeze their tits off!"

"Sorry, Kenz."

"Yea, yea… save it for someone who believes you're actually sorry for getting intimate with the woman who has obviously once again realized her undying love and devotion for you."

"We love you, Kenz." Bo said with a smile.

"Yea, I love you guys too… as much as it kills me sometimes! Hotpants, I gotta say, you look a thousand times better. Now, let me get back to my list. The fifth and final question, do you want to do this coronation thing tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Yes? Lauren, I don't know if that's such a good idea…"

"Hear me out, Bo. If we wait and my human cells don't die off fast enough, we'd have to wait until after the babies are born. After they're born, it'll take about six weeks for me to get back in fighting shape because we're going to be swamped with baby duties. Plus… we ARE going to take that honeymoon. We've been training so hard and… I really think we can do this, Bo."

"We do fight really well together."

"And we have those moves that they don't know about that we came up with on our own, so I think we're ready." Lauren reminded.

"You know they're all going to wear a Koushang, right?"

"Probably, but we don't need our Succubae to win."

"Okay, so today is all about feeding, but I want you to go over to see Ella. She wants to check your blood."

"Agreed. I'm losing chi fast. It's like I sprung a leak somewhere."

"Yea, well if you can't stay chi'd up for the trials, we're not doing them. I told Ella she has the final say in whether or not we go or wait."

"That's fine."

"I mean it, Lauren. These are fights to the death and for all the fear you have about losing me, I have those same fears about you. If you go down in this fight, I'll go down too. This whole thing is rigged so that we need each other to win. So, stay alive and I will too."

Lauren nodded as Bo threw more fire into the fireplace so her mate could harness the chi.

"Lauren, can we talk about the run you took?"

"Run?"

"I know what you did last night, Lo. We promised each other no more running and you didn't want to break that promise after breaking the secret one. So, instead of physically running, you let your mind run. I think that's how you ended up in your unicorn world last night."

Lauren hung her head, "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Apologizing again."

"Sor… I'll work on that."

"Thank you."

"Well, my work is done here. You two just need to keep remembering that you are that epic love. Trust each other and fight for each other. I think this is proof that you need to spend more quality time with Kenzi. I'm team maintenance… you need me for more than just babysitting services. I'm your dang marriage counselor!"

"Speaking of time, that's the issue that started all of this and I'm sure Kenzi has something to say about it as well. Bo, we can't keep this pace. It's hurting us and our relationship… it's hurting Ethan. He was really upset the other day… I can't imagine how he feels now that he hasn't seen us for two days."

"You… he saw me twice today and last night."

"He asked for you before I came over, Lo. That's why I came."

"Is he at training now?"

"Yes. He had a half-day at school today, so I had him until I came here. Chase was taking him to training at two and he's supposed to be done by five. He has all of his homework finished. By the way… he wants to see the Moron and tell her exactly what he thinks of her."

"Oh Gods, he's going to slip and call her Moron."

"Okay… I hate to start another fight, but I will NOT be polite to her just because she is human. If anything, I have more reason to hate her now than ever!"

"Oh no! I missed everything last night! Arum, Ryan, Evony… what's going on?"

Bo sighed… she really didn't want to think about any of it right now, but her wife had a right to know. She actually needed to know if she was going to see Evony,

"Look… first, we didn't tell Ryan or Evony that you are here and they definitely don't know about our kids. Second, Ryan turned out to be a very passionate rebel. He wants to open up a shop somewhere in Canada so he can feed freely off of his passion for tinkering. No more creating complex devices for the Fae leaders. He just wants to repair TV's or computers or something."

"Good for him."

"Yea. Apparently he is working on a device that will trap the essence of the Dark King. I'm not counting on it, but it would help."

"And Evony?"

"Long story short, she's still human and has no desire to be made Fae… ever again."

"It's creepy, Hotpants."

"Did she say why?"

"She said that being human got her in touch with something she had lost in herself a long time ago. She said she was different before the Dark King forced her to be her right hand. When he was banished to another realm, she was forced into the position of the Morrigan. She never wanted to be the woman she became but she didn't know how else to survive. Someone was always trying to take her position and the only way to do that was to kill her or find her incompetent. By her Fae nature, she couldn't fail."

"That's true. It would kill her."

"How?"

"Evony feeds off talent. If she has none, she can't feed from other talented people."

"Oh. So… anyway, she said both of her parents were Fae and when she fell in love with a Druid woman, they didn't support it but they didn't stop it since it was when the Fae were supposed to be making nice with them before the war. Evony and Jianna didn't know the Fae would change their stance on Druids but when they did, her parents forced her to choose between Jianna and a life among Druids or her Dark Fae roots. She chose the Fae and broke her lover's heart. The only problem was, they were mated and she didn't know until they parted. Evony had no way back after the Druid people fled. Evony said being away from her mate was painful and got worse every day until the pain in her heart became anger and then the anger was so second nature to her that it bled into every part of her life.

"No way…" Lauren said the words like she'd just gotten a piece of juicy tabloid gossip. Kenzi, naturally replied with similar enthusiasm,

"Yes… Jianna is her long lost Druid mate. She's come home to live out the rest of her days with her. The problem is… drum roll, please… Jianna didn't exactly react like she was going to welcome her with open arms, although she was clearly shaken by her physical state and as a mated pair, I'm sure she felt everything. Jianna told me privately, her point of view is that they've lived apart for centuries because Evony refused to stand up for them. She's pretty pissed."

"And by the way, Lo. Jianna bares no ill will towards you for making her human. She understands why you did it and Evony admits that if you hadn't, she did plan to kill me when she sent her wack-job of a son after Rainer. She also believes Evony wouldn't be here right now if you hadn't made her human. She would have stayed buried in her heartbreak turned anger."

"Anger? That's what the kids are calling the way Evony has treated everyone?" Lauren asked sarcastically.

"Yea, really. Either that or she's had the longest case of PMS on record." Kenzi said in her usual snarky voice.

Lauren said, "So why doesn't she want to be Fae again if she wants a life with Jianna? She shows up to make her fall in love only to lose her in maybe fifty years if she's lucky?"

"She doesn't want to become that monster again." Bo said flatly.

Lauren went silent as she stared at the flames. Bo and Kenzi looked at each other as they could see she had gone into doctor mode… they both new the familiar posture.

"Yo, Doc? Care to share?"

Lauren came out of her daze and said, "What if she could be a Druid?"

"I'm not sure I'd be comfortable giving her that much power." Bo said.

"True, but then how about some lower level Fae that doesn't have an offensive power that could be harmful? It would still give her the benefits of a longer life span? Jianna could… eventually… have an actual love life again… if she chooses."

"Like what?" Bo asked Lauren.

"I don't know off the top of my head, but I know a bunch I wouldn't want her to be."

"Such as?" Bo asked.

Lauren began, "A Succubus… a shapeshifter.. a skunk ape…"

"Eeww… smelly… a Kappa… a Kitsune… a Basilisk…" Bo listed.

"Ugh… slimy." Lauren recalled.

"Hey, that slimy cured my disease!" Kenzi argued, "I call no siren, cabbit or djieiene…" the young Druid paused, her finger to the corner of her mouth eyes cast upward, "And no blood sage, berserker, banshee, harpy, afreet, alabaster, vamps…"

"Aswang!" Bo yelled.

"Hey! You were never supposed to mention foot soup again, Bo! And no Loki, Mare, Mongolian Death Worm, Naga, Ogre, Valkyrie, Vamp, Wendigo… oh my God… Bo, remember the Will-o'-the-Wisp!"

Lauren said, "Could you imagine Evony living in a tree in the woods?" they all chuckled.

Bo continued, "No telepath, garuda, treefolk, sprite, seniatta… I still remember Evony's secretary when she killed herself. It was horrible… Evony just called for a cleaning crew, laughed it off and went out drinking with Vex."

Lauren added, "No Scavenger Fae or Sandman… how about a Selkie? Wouldn't that be sort of Evony-like?"

"And it wouldn't be bad for Jianna either." Bo said as Lauren laughed at her one track minded wife.

"She'd go for a swim as a seal, come back to land as a human. She'd be a great dancer." Kenzi added.

"How about a phoenix? She could fly and heal… are there any powers you have that could be considered dangerous?"

"Bo, I created a ring of fire in the arena at my quest. Do you want her to be able to do that?"

"Guess not. Selkie it is."

"We'll, offer it to her and see what she thinks. My Nereid could introduce her to a few Selkies she knows,"

"Oh she could, could she?" Bo asked, her jealousy rising.

"Not like that, Bo. When my Nereid is in the water, she swims and plays with fish… mainly dolphin. She only knows Selkies in their seal form. They're fun and you'll meet them when we swim together in the spring when the water is warm enough for you." Lauren paused needing the answer to one more question that the doctor knew might be the hardest for Bo,

"So what happened with your Uncle Arum?"

Bo lowered her head before she spoke softly, "He's no Uncle of mine…" Bo paused before taking a deep breath, heaving a big sigh,

"He's a traitor, Lauren."

"I'm so sorry, Bo."

"Yea… me too. Madge was pretty upset. Well… all of them were."

"I would expect them to be."

"I guess the plus side is that he hasn't actually been in contact with anyone, but he was waiting for Taliesen's return. Apparently they were lovers long before the Great Fae War and when Vesta banished him, he was somehow able to keep contact with him. When he took power, my father found out and somehow bound all of his powers except fire so he would have something to defend himself should he need to. Anyway, they were not living her yet, so Taliesen won't know of this land from him. That's not to say that he hasn't learned of it since, but we can't blame Arum if they find us. That said, he is a traitor by heart, not by action."

"So what happens to him now?" Lauren asked.

"They're leaving that to us. For now, he stays as he was after our meeting yesterday."

"Do you have any ideas of what you want to do with him?"

"No, but I know how painful it is to be away from your bonded mate. Do you have any ideas?" Bo asked, hoping Lauren had some advice.

"No. But does the punishment of every person who commits a crime come to us?"

Bo chuckled, "Currently, yes because most Druids don't commit crimes. The very core of their beliefs doesn't allow it. They have no need for a judicial system."

"Unless you're in love." Lauren said sarcastically.

"Apparently. But even then siding with a man who is the right hand of the Dark King… that's some crazy love."

"Oh, I don't know. I'm a woman in love and I've done some pretty crazy things for my mate."

"That you have, my dear… that you have. So… about Evony." Bo cringed as she said it, but she had to bring it up. She watched as Lauren stared back at the fire again. She was quiet.

"Lauren, its safe for her to know you're here. You can't avoid her forever."

"I know, Bo. But… I just don't want to deal with her snark and shitting remarks. I'm dealing with enough right now and…"

"Lauren… I can't believe this is coming out of my mouth, but she's not the same Evony. She was… nice."

"Nice?" Lauren said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Like I said… can't believe I said it but yes. No snark, no sarcasm, no backhanded comments and no threats. Of course, she's get her ass kicked if she had threatened anyone, so that was a no brainer. She's in bad shape, Lo. Her guards figured out she was human and took advantage of it... beat her up good and through her in a cell. When Vex came around three days later, they told him. Apparently, one of them had tried to assume the title of Morrigan, but they have a hierarchy. Vex is next in line, so he is now officially the new leader of the Dark. It's how we know a little of what Trick is doing." Bo paused, lowering her eyes and heaving a big sigh.

"Anyway, if he had bailed her out, he would have lost his cover, so he called Ryan and had him do it. They put on a little 'show' forcing Ryan to claim her as his human in front of the guards. One of them questioned Vex for not just killing her, but he made the guy choke himself and… for good measure… explained that she may be human, but she had a lot of knowledge that he wanted before he did that before he snapped the guards neck."

"So, none of the guards questioned his power again… they didn't question the rationale behind keeping her alive and she could disappear because Ryan isn't around that often."

"Correct, my brilliant wife." Bo smiled.

"Look… I'll think about Evony but right now, I really need to feed."

"I'll be happy to help you with that." Bo said as she stood and offered Lauren her hand.

"Bo, so you understand… I need to feed my Succubus and Phoenix… and my Tiger needs meat."

"And your Uni and Nereid?"

"Uni fed last night when I realm jumped, Nereid had a long swim afterwards."

"So…"

"I know sex between us right now would be awkward… you just spent hours thinking I didn't love you… and I'm sure the sting of my thoughts is still fresh… maybe the trust in my love isn't what it was…"

"Lauren, I'm not going to say that what I heard didn't do damage, but feeding from someone else sexually certainly wouldn't help things between us right now."

"We could go to a bar together?"

"It's early for there to be enough sexual energy there to feed you, sweetie." Bo sighed and took a few steps towards Lauren. She reached up and touched her mate's face as her eyes once again welled with tears. Her lips met Lauren's in a soft kiss before she pulled away and looked at her mate.

"I couldn't feel you Lauren… when you realm jumped… I thought you were gone… it was right after I heard your thoughts questioning your love for me… our marriage…" Bo gasped as the tears began to flow freely. Her voice broke as she said,

"… Our kids. I… I thought you left… or were injured or dead… you sounded so desperate. I thought you might have hurt yourself. I looked everywhere… running through the woods more like a banshee than a Succubus."

Bo was stuck in her memories now, her eyes fixed as she watched the events of last night play out in her mind as the tears continued to cascade down her cheeks, her voice a hysterical whisper as she spoke,

"I searched all night until I went to Kenzi's hoping to Gaia that Ethan wouldn't be awake and see me… I… Gods, Lauren you know I can't do this life without you but if you need to be alone, I will do whatever you need. You're all that matters to me… don't you see… I would give up everything… except our kids… everything for you. Just say the word and we'll leave… or say the word and I'll build you a house of your own away from me where we can both still have the kids and the protection of the Druid community. You don't have to be Queen if you don't want to… I just…"

Lauren grabbed both of Bo's hands at the wrists, "Bo… stop, please. Look at me, baby." Bo moved her gaze to her wife, who gasped at the look in her eyes. She took her tightly into her arms and squeezed her close as she spoke, choking back her own tears. She had hurt her wife… horribly.

"Bo, I'm not going anywhere. I was so weak last night… so much had happened and I was completely overwhelmed by our schedule and the anxiety of more threats showing up. So many things were running through my mind when we entered those woods and when you got… rightfully mad about the Evony comment, I just lost all confidence in my ability to live up to the hype of the prophecy. I just realized that you have changed so much, but I'm still keeping secrets and saying things that hurt you. Yes, I was giving up… not on you or us… on myself. You were right… I ran the only way I could that wouldn't break my promise not to physically run from you."

Lauren pulled away from Bo and gently placed her fingers beneath her chin, moving her eyes to meet her own,

"You are my everything, Bo. I couldn't do most of what I do without you. I would hope that by now you realize that you are the reason I've survived… will continue to survive. I'm so sorry I hurt you, Bo. I never want you to doubt my love for you… my want for you… my need for you… or our kids."

Lauren softly kissed Bo's forehead before placing a soft kiss on Bo's lips. She wiped away her tears, holding her face with both hands placing soft kisses on each cheek. She smiled as new tears trailed down Bo's face and she wiped them away again,

"I'm sorry, Lauren. I can't stop crying… it's just… fear… sadness… relief… fear… my heart feels so broken… I just… are you sure you love me?"

"Like I said… my thoughts hurt your trust of my love for you. I wish you hadn't heard them, but you did and the words without the feelings are as easy to misinterpret as a text message. Bo, please… open your link… you've had it slammed shut tight as a drum the entire time you've been here."

"Lauren… I don't want you to think I'm weak…"

"Bo… you're the strongest woman I know. You went through all of the same things I went through these past few weeks, you managed to get all of your Queen duties, and two visits with our son in before you fell apart. I'll never think you're weak."

Lauren chuckled as Bo watched then said, "What's so funny?"

"I'm sorry… it's Kenzi's advice… she told me that I had to accept the fact that life is messy and that my OCD ways didn't allow for it. So, I am trying to embrace the messiness of life."

"Does that mean I don't have to clean?"

"No." The pair laughed, "But I will certainly always be there to help you clean. Bo… please, honey… open your link. Let me in… I caused your pain, I should be the one to feel it. Please."

"Just remember… I warned you." Bo said as she opened her link, watching Lauren's face go from a smile to pain as she did. The tears started to fall down her face as she reached up and pulled Bo in for a passionate kiss, trying to take away her doubt. She opened her link letting all of the love she felt for this woman flow between them. Lauren finally pulled away, watching Bo's face, as her eyes remained closed though her tears still managed to escape.

"Bo, I'm so in love with you and I'm so damn sorry I hurt you again." Bo shook her head,

"Please Lauren… make love to me?"

Lauren pulled Bo gently, deliberately towards her and placed her lips against Bo's. She moved her head from right to left, sliding her lips back and forth across her wife's before parting her lover's lips with her own and falling into an intimately soft kiss. Her tongue glided along Bo's lower lip before sliding into her mouth, searching and finding its mate. The soft, warm dance began and as the passion of the kiss grew, she pulled away watching her lover's face. She traced her lips back and forth of hers once again before moving them to her forehead. A soft kiss was placed at the center of her forehead before her lips trailed down over one eyelid, then the other their attempt to kiss away the tears she had caused to fall from them.

"I love you, Ysabeau Faith Martini." She reached for the panel on the wall next to the fireplace mantle and turned the knob until the power came on. The soft classical sounds that Bo had listened to several nights ago to relax before bed a few nights ago were still loaded. Lauren pulled Bo to her, placing her hand around her lover's waist and pulling their joined hands to their chest between them. Bo's head came to rest in the crook of Lauren's neck as they began to move to the softly flowing music, relaxing into each other's bodies.

The hand on Bo's wait slid under the hem of her shirt to her low back, as the fingers slid ever so slightly into the top of the waistband of her sweatpants. Lauren's hand started a gentle pass across her lover's back, her fingers light and loving as they moved. She moved the hand she was holding to her shoulder and used the now free hand to grasp the bottom of Bo's top and gently pull it up and over her head revealing her wife's milky skin. She turned Bo around and twisted her long locks up into a bun, grabbing a pencil from the end table by the chair to secure it.

The hand of one arm was placed lovingly on Bo's small baby bump while the fingers of the other traced down Bo's neck to her shoulder as warm, wet lips gently followed, "I'm so in love with you, Ysabeau. You are my love, my mate, my wife, my soul… you are my chi… you are the energy I need to survive… you and only you."

Lauren's mouth continued to trail wet kisses along Bo's neck and shoulder, covering ever inch of space before her eyes as her hand flicked open the rear clasp on her wife's bra causing her wife's aura to surge a bit. She reached up and pulled the straps from her shoulders, dropping the cloth to the floor. She pulled off her sleep shirt and moved slowly against Bo's back feeling the electricity between them when their skin finally made contact. She slowly moved both hands from Bo's neck and shoulders, dropping them down to her waist, sliding them to wrap around her wife, one arm across her breasts, the hand on her shoulder, the other over their child. She pulled Bo in close and just held her until she saw her aura calm again.

Lauren slowly, gently with feather light touch moved her hands go slide beneath the heavy mounds of flesh. She caressed the soft milky skin, leaning over Bo's shoulder to place kisses on the space between Bo's ear and shoulder so she could watch her hands on her lover's breasts. Her fingers moved to tease the stiffening peaks as Bo leaned her head back onto Lauren's shoulder giving her a better view.

The blonde slid one hand down her lover's abdomen, stopping for a few moments to stroke the belly that held their child, before continuing the path sliding fingertips beneath the waistband of her sweatpants once again. This time she traveled farther, sliding under the waistband of Bo's panties until a single finger dipped slowly between her folds and began to lightly stroke the hardened clitoris. Bo's hips began to move with each stroke as Lauren's body maintained close contact and moved with her.

She watched as their auras began to glow with sexual energy and the familiar swirl of color began to rise between them. This is what would feed them both as they continued this dance that came from the very core of their love for one another. Lauren felt Bo's hips begin to stiffen as her energy surged. As she reached her peak, she called out the blonde's name before collapsing against her as her legs betrayed the Succubus strength they usually possessed.

Lauren lifted her up and laid her on the bed, carefully removing the pencil from the makeshift bun to allow her wife's long locks to drop and cascade over her shoulders. She sat down on the bed next to her wife and traced the wet finger down her neck to the center of her throat, over her breastbone to the valley between her breasts. She stared at the soft mounds of flesh, sliding her hand beneath the one of the right, cupping it softly before sliding the hand down over her ribs to her belly.

Lauren slid down and laid her head on the center of Bo's chest as she caressed their child with her hand. She could hear her wife's heartbeat knowing that it meant her body was sending life-giving blood to their growing child within. She spoke,

"Hi Kai. It's me, Mommy. I'm sorry that you probably haven't been feeling so well for the last day or so. It's my fault, baby. I broke my promise and didn't treat your Mamma the way I was supposed to, so in turn it hurt you. I'm so sorry little man. I never wanted to hurt you. I love you so much. I will try harder from now on not to upset your Mamma so you don't have to feel that way ever again. I only want you to feel loved and wanted… because that's what you are, little man… loved. I love you so very much."

Lauren kissed the baby bump and wiped away the tears that marred the perfect flesh. She moved her hand back and forth over the small bump gradually working her hand towards the softest flesh near Bo's hip. She dipped her hand down, pulling the sweatpants lower so she could run her lips and tongue over the spot that was one of Bo's erogenous zones. She watched as her mate's hip twisted at the contact, in awe of how she always responded to her touch. She dipped her hand beneath the waistband of the sweatpants to pull them down, but finally relented and stood at the end of the bed to pull them off leaving the panties in place.

She slowly moved back up between Bo's legs, tracing her eyes over every inch of her wife's beautiful form from her toes to her well-muscled calves and quads, the cum-soaked panties that covered her core, her hips, her slightly heavy belly, her hands, well-defined forearms and upper arms, her muscled rib cage, her beautiful firm, perfectly round breasts and the dip of the valley between them, her chest, shoulders, neck, chin, dimple, perfect red lips, nose, to those deep brown orbs that could suck the very soul from her body. The tears had stopped flowing, though Lauren could still see that her wife's eyes were watery.

She lay down, placing her head on her shoulder. She reached up and stroked her wife's cheek, gently turning it so their eyes met.

"Don't close your eyes. Please… stay with me." Bo could only nod as tears flooded her eyes once again, "I wish I could take away the pain I've caused your heart. It never should have happened. I should have been stronger."

"You are the strongest woman I know. But we all have our breaking point. Look at me… I'm not exactly the picture of strength right now. I've been crying for over an hour and can't seem to stop. Being strong means admitting when life is beating you, too. It's okay to tell me when you've had enough. Just don't run from the one person who can ease the burden, okay?"

"Okay." Lauren hadn't even realized that the hand not trapped beneath her wife's pillow had traveled to her wife's breast as if it had a mind of it's own. She continued to the pad of each finger across the hardened peak while never taking her eyes from Bo's. She could feel her wife's chest rising up and well as the surge of arousal from their link being wide open. She moved her fingers to follow the same pattern on the other breast knowing that Bo hated it when she didn't give them both equal time.

When she sensed that her mate's need was nearing the breaking point, she moved her hand down to where she wanted it most, ghosting her fingertips over the soft, soaked silk of her panties. She pressed down gently, massaging her wife's clit through the soft material as Bo's hips rose up to meet the motion of her hand. Lauren could see the light blue come to her mate's eyes, knowing that the same was happening to her own. They never lost eye contact as Lauren saw the look on her wife's face turn from love to need. She moved her hand beneath Bo's panties and slid her fingers between her mate's folds. Her hand moved easily through her lover's arousal as she built quickly to her climax while Lauren stroked her clit. As Bo reached the height of her orgasmic pleasure, the blonde kissed her lips, as their eyes remained locked sharing the sensation of her pleasure.

Lauren slid down and removed Bo's panties. She stood for a moment, leaning against the bedpost just taking in the beauty that her wife possessed. Bo moved her arm behind her head and bent the knee of one leg and placed a hand over her belly,

"Lauren? Are you okay?"

"I'm more than okay. I just wish I could figure out how my head jumped to where it went last night. You are so strong, so giving, so caring, so determined, passionate and loving. You are such a great daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend to people you've only known a few months. You are a courageous and skilled warrior with unprecedented power that you've only just begun to tap into. You are an incredibly patient wife who gives me all I could offer including the children I never thought I would have. You are an incredible lover with the grace and beauty to match. I am truly the luckiest woman alive and I thank Gaia for you and your forgiving ways."

Lauren's eyes remained focused on Bo's as she slid between her mate's legs. She kissed the folds of skin that protected her lover's core as she gently used her hands to push her lover's legs apart, giving her better access. She traced fingers from each hand over the folds of skin before pulling them apart, stretching them so she could see the glistening wet heat of her mate. She looked back up at Bo as she pursed her lips and blew a smooth stream of blue-orange blame through her core causing her to rise up and moan. Lauren saw her skin begin to glow the color of the flame now flickering against Bo's core as the blonde's succubus and phoenix surged to life together.

Lauren placed one glowing hot hand just above Bo's pubic bone as she slid two fingers inside her mate, slowly working in rhythm with her wife's hips as she maintained eye contact with her, "I love you Ysabeau Faith… feel my love for you."

She lowered her mouth to her wife's clit and began slow long strokes across the hardened nub. Bo's aura began to glow as the chi began to circle between them again feeding their Succubae yet another healthy dose of sexual energy. Lauren could not have looked away in that moment if a bomb had gone off. Bo's face was mesmerizing as her mouth was dropped open, eyes filled with want and need. Lauren watched as Bo's tears began to fall at the surge of emotions building between them through their link. Lauren added a finger, as she felt her walls open up to take more of her in. She wrapped her lips around her lover's clit and began to suck as she felt her Bo's desire turn to want, her want to need, her need to ecstasy as she exploded into a long and hard orgasm. As it ended, she sat up and gripped Lauren's face in both of her hands, pulling her in for a fierce kiss tasting herself on Lauren's lips and tongue.

Bo went to push her hand down Lauren's sleep shorts but was stopped, "No… Bo. This is about you. It has nothing to do with me not wanting you, because believe me, I do but right now… in this moment… I just want to make love to you. You can touch me tonight, tomorrow or whenever you want but right now… this is about you."

She pushed Bo back onto the bed and pulled her leg up across her hip, locked her lips on Bo's and slid her hand into her heat once more. She pulled away from the kiss as she stared into her wife's eyes. Stroking her lover's center she spoke softly,

"I love you so much Bo. Please… just let me make love to you until your tears stop and your heart knows that I am yours… always."

… … … … … … … …

It had been another hour until Bo's tears had relented and their wounds had healed. They had taken a shower that, while had not involved sex and orgasms, had been one of the most intimate experiences of Bo's life. Lauren had washed her from head to toe, paying such incredible attention to each and every inch of her skin. Bo found it strange that she didn't get aroused from the experience, just warmed… calmed. She felt secure in Lauren's love for her even though she had initially been afraid that her wife wouldn't let her touch her body. She had not even been permitted to touch her body to clean her, though she did allow Bo to put the conditioner in her hair and rinse it. By that time they were in 'get to Ethan' mode. He had been without his parents for long enough.

When they walked into the door of the farmhouse, they had found the entire family gathered there. They all looked worried which meant that the family grapevine had moved full force into spread-the-word mode. Bo would have to talk to Madge and Kenzi about not sharing things beyond a certain point. Madge and Kenzi would naturally share with their partners, but beyond Ella and Emma the rest of the world didn't need to know every time Lauren and Bo had a crisis.

"Hey everyone. Sorry we've been… unavailable. We had some things to straighten out between us… you know…"

Beli stood and walked to her granddaughter, "We all understand dear. Life and love are messy sometimes. We've all been there and we'll all be there again."

Vesta spoke, "And again, and again, and again…" Everyone chuckled which helped to break the awkwardness of the moment.

Ella approached Lauren, "Sorry…" holding out a rubber tourniquet, needle and three vials for blood.

"Three?"

"Well… I'm assuming you're all charged up now?"

"Yes."

"All of them?"

"All of them. Tiger had a massive steak since my wife doesn't know that if my tiger overeats that this form will get fat as well. My Unicorn and Nereid were fed last night into this morning, Succubus and Phoenix just over an hour ago, Druid just over fifteen minutes ago. Did I miss anyone?" Lauren said as she looked up at her doctor.

Bo and Ella just laughed as Ella handed Bo the empty vials while she set up Lauren's arm. She took turns trading out filled vials with empty ones until Bo was holding all full vials. She removed the tourniquet with a snap and placed a cotton ball over the injection site, signaling Lauren to hold it. She then turned to Bo,

"Do your thing, Succubus."

Bo smiled as she leaned over to Lauren, gave her a soft kiss and pushed a small stream of chi into her. She pulled away giving her another light peck before Lauren pulled away the cotton ball and tossed it into the trash.

"I save so much money on band aids with you two, it's awesome." Ella turned to leave, "I'll have the results in an hour or so, Laur. Stop by so you can check it out. Oh… we've moved Evony so you don't have to worry."

"Really? Where's she staying?"

"Believe it or not, Dyson offered her a room at their cottage."

"You mean Tamsin did." Lauren corrected.

"Nope… I mean Dyson. He thought Tamsin would be the best help to her right now seeing as she just went through a similar thing… new life, reliving memories of how they used to be… new leaf kind of thing." Ella said.

"Well I'm sure Dyson is feeling all of that as well." Bo added.

Vesta spoke, "He is and I meant to thank you girls for the talk you had with him. He needed it. It's helped him a lot. And I also told him about Trick. He's pretty upset, Bo. I mean… he had his suspicions, but none of them were confirmed until now."

"I'll talk to him when I have a chance."

Vesta continued, "Have you decided on Arum?"

"Lauren and I were actually just talking about that while we were… uh… getting ready to come here and we've both agreed we want to wait until after the war is over to make a decision. If we are going to be one society, then there will have to be a judicial system. The Fae are going to bring a whole new entity to Druid life, so we think trial by jury is the best route."

"You know that doesn't always work so well in human society."

"We are aware of that… remember… former human in the room. As a doctor, I was sued every day of the week and twice on Sundays. It was crazy. I was never found guilty, incompetent or otherwise, but grief and loss lead people to want to place blame first. Only the best-educated, healthiest individuals can think rationally when someone they love is incapacitated in some way or worse… has died. However, Druid and Fae societies have people like James and Bantos who can be employed by the courts to produce evidence. We thought we'd sit down with the two of them at some point and discuss it."

"That actually sounds like a great plan." Madge said as she sat down next to John who nodded in agreement.

"I'm in, sis. Let me know how I can help." James replied, "You know I have to use my powers to feed, so it would be mutually beneficial. Hacking in to random people's character on the street isn't very satisfying and can be quite disturbing in the human population… there's some sick people out there. But if I could make one request… maybe my interrogation room could be an outdoor courtyard so I could feed my sun Druid at the same time I feed my seer? I've never had the opportunity to do both at the same time at a high level of concentration. That would be quite a rush."

"I get it… instead of the single light bulb hanging over the interrogation room table, you want a room where the sun streams in instead. We'll need some serious SPF for the accused." Bo said with a laugh.

"Uh… the sunlight needs to be on me, Succubus."

"Oh… you want to bask in the spotlight… even better." They all laughed as Bo continued, "So… where's our son?"

"He's upstairs with the boys." Jake said as a loud bang came through the ceiling.

They all sat up until they heard, "WE'RE OKAY! LITTLE JOHN JUST FELL OFF THE BED BUT THERE'S NO BLOOD."

The entire room burst out laughing, "Well, we're going to take our son down to Main Street for dinner unless you had other plans for him."

"Nope, Kenzi and Chase already told us that you guys were taking your son for some alone time tonight. We totally understand."

"And I had a chat with my great grandson about next week. He's a bit nervous, but feels better now." Vesta informed the parents.

"I think we've all had that chat by now." John added.

Bo looked at Lauren. They had talked about that in the shower as well. Bo spoke,

"We talked about this while we were getting ready as well. There is really nothing we can do other than survive this week. That's the only thing that is really going to give him confidence in our strength as a fighting duo. Lauren has an opinion on this…"

Bo looked to Lauren not wanting to share her thoughts unless she wanted them shared. Lauren spoke,

"I think that he has spent so many years seeing me in a fragile state, that he still sees me as the Mommy he could lose any minute. He just got Bo back, so I'm sure he fears losing her as well. It doesn't help that he saw my cells under Jianna's microscope the other day. I don't know how much she has shared..."

"No one knew until today when we discussed our plans for this week. I'm sorry, dear but they needed to know what was causing the problem… you looked weak. Some of the elders were concerned about your condition and when you were not present with Bo last night for the rites, they questioned your desire to be Queen."

"I must be honest and tell you that I was doing the very same thing last night. But we've talked and worked through all of that. Bo has agreed that my first priority once we take the throne is still our children, then healing, then my duties as Queen."

"But…" Vesta went to speak, but Bo cut him off.

"Grandfather, there will be no arguments about this. Remember the whole 'we're doing things differently… change is good… embrace the change conversation? Besides, my father ruled for years without his mate by his side. You aren't saying a man can do it but a woman can't, are you?" Bo watched as the eyes of every strong woman in the room turned to look at him. He sat there frozen, unsure of what to say until Beli spoke,

"Vesta? You aren't saying that, are you?"

"Well no, dear but Bo is young and…"

"Okay, now you sound like Arum… no offense to his family, but that was one of the lines he spoke yesterday."

"Apologies to you and all of the women in this room… especially those younger than this foolish old man." His wife kissed his cheek,

"Well done, dear. Now shut up and listen to your brilliant granddaughter… you know… the one that a whole mess of prophecies were written about?" Beli sat back in his seat, "Good man. Please, Bo. Continue."

"Listen… Lauren is hearing this for the first time as well, but I think I've just put all of the pieces to my wife's mysterious weakness together, so Beli… you may want to run off to the lab and tell your protégé all of this as well, but… you see… Lauren's human DNA is trying to merge with her Unicorn DNA… I think because it doesn't really feel like any of the other Fae fit it. It should be binding with her Druid DNA… that's where her healer is. Get it?"

"I'm sorry, Bo. I'm not following you." Beli said.

Bo's speech was more rapid, her volume increasing as she figured it all out in her own head and conveyed the idea to the group,

"Look… Lauren is and always has been a brilliant scientist and doctor, right? It was the very core of her being as a human. When she left, she was okay for a while because she was constantly working in labs trying to cure Ethan and herself along with the patients whose diseases she actually had to find cures for. Now, for the last couple of years since coming here, there have been other people to do the science and she's been pushed to a more behind the scenes roll and focusing on Ethan so she could live whatever time she had left with him. Her doctor had given up on finding a cure… all of this has left her floundering emotionally because she had lost her identity… she had no center."

Bo thought, gathering the rest of the puzzle pieces together. In that moment it hit Lauren… this is where Ethan gets it. You can't interrupt Bo when she has this look on her face… it's the same one Ethan gets… they both get upset when you interrupt their train of thought or give them the answer. She waited…

Bo had her answer. She smiled first at Lauren, then looked back to Beli,

"Her balance as a Druid… as a being of this earth is in healing people. It is how healing Druids feed and by keeping her from the lab and medicine with training her Fae, Queening lessons, time with Ethan, meetings with the elders… well, you get the idea. By keeping her all of that, we have taken the very core of her Druid away from her. We're starving her Druid."

"My Gods Bo, you're right!" Beli jumped from her seat and gripped both of her shoulders, "How in the world did you put that all together?"

"Well, it started when James reminded me how he feeds his Druid. It made me realize that not all Druids feed like I do. Then I realized I didn't really know how my own mate feeds, which led me to wonder… she has been feeding the same way I do, but you've called my Druid a Master Druid and hers a healing Druid with a minor in the elements. From there, I just realized I didn't know how healing Druids feed. Then I thought back to our conversation from earlier about how she'd felt like she has been lost, she missed medicine and she was tired all the time. From there, it was just putting together the puzzle."

"We did this to her, Vesta." Beli said to her husband, "How could we not realize…" She turned to Lauren, "I'm so sorry, dear. As a Healing Druid myself I should have known better. I was just so concerned by your Fae that…"

"It's okay, Beli. Actually, just having this conversation is strangely giving me a small rush of energy."

"We've figured out a part of your medical situation. Even though you didn't come up with the answer yourself, your mind was still processing with Bo as she put the pieces together."

"Actually, I'm sure she was just waiting for me to say it all. My wife's big brain had it figured out four sentences before I finished." Bo pulled Lauren into her side from the waist and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. Her wife was smiling and she could feel the sense of happiness coming from within her. They had agreed to leave their link wide open until at least tomorrow so they could really feel their bond. It helped to bridge the gap their argument had created.

"But, I still don't understand why…" Vesta began, but Bo again cut him off.

"Let's make it simple, grandfather. If I took fire away from you, could you survive?"

"Point taken, my child."

"So, for the health of my Queen… which I think we all agree that every being's physical, mental and emotional health should always be the number one priority since it makes for a happier, more productive and more intelligent community… her priorities will be Mother, Healer, Queen. And there will be no question of support for my Queen when we are in chambers with the elders?"

"None," was heard from the group.

"So, as I've said, while Lauren was first and foremost a doctor, she is now first and foremost a mother, moving Queening to her third priority. That said, we want one of us to be there for our children at all times. So, if Ethan gets sick at school, don't expect us to send Kenzi or James or Chase. It will be one of his parents going to get him unless we are on a battlefield pinned down by seven angry warlords. We trust, love and and appreciate the incredible support you all give to Ethan and us… and the support we are sure you will also offer to the children we now carry. We could not do all that we are doing without each and every one of you. We need you to help us raise them… it takes a village, as Madge has constantly reminded me. But one of us needs to be available to them. Our experience with Ethan these last few days has taught us that." Bo took a breath as Lauren took her hand and gave it a squeeze of confidence.

"He may be upstairs jumping up and down on a bed laughing right now, but when Lauren shifted a little while ago, her tiger felt our son's sad heart. He feels last on our list of priorities and that is not okay by any stretch of the imagination. All of you that have a child or have been a child know all too well that some things only a parent can fix… missing a parent can only be fixed by that parent… as a child who grew up without either of mine, I understand that probably better than most. I am here, surrounded by incredible members of a family I never knew I had. It fills me with more joy that you can possibly imagine… but at the end of the day, I want my Mom here with our healers and I want my Father back here safe from that bastard's grasp."

Bo's eyes flashed blue as she lowered her head and reined in her control. Lauren gave her arm a squeeze as she spoke in her stead,

"I can tell you that I was raised by two parents who were always around but I was never hugged, kissed or told that I was loved. In all my years with them, I never heard the words. The Ash allowed me to attend my 'funeral' where I was erased from human existence. I stood in the trees and watched as my mother fell apart in my Dad's arms. When everyone else had left accept my parents and brother, he screamed at them explaining that all either of us ever wanted was for them to take us on a picnic or play in the sand with us or tell us they fucking loved us." The tears rolled down Lauren's cheeks as Bo gave her waist a squeeze,

"Sometimes parents are right there with you but they still can't fill the hole inside. Bo, Kenzi, Dyson and Tamsin can all tell you who I was before I fell in love with Bo. I was closed off and distant." She looked up at Bo with a smile, "Kenzi would call me…"

"Doctor Freeze! Cold as a speculum!" Kenzi entered the room with her usual one-liner as Chase shook his head behind her. The whole room laughed as she rolled over the back of the couch and landed with her feet on James' lap,

"Hey Kenz."

"What up, J-man?" She gave him an exploding fist bump, "Sorry, continue Hotpants."

"Well… and now… I've learned to open my heart to Bo… to all of you. I've been hugged and kissed more in my two and a half years with all of you… more with some… than I was in more than twenty-five years of life with my parents. I've even learned to love Kenzi's kenzisms… and love her like the little sister I never had."

"Well, I'm lurvable! And besides… you're much more lurvable now that you're so much cooler than you were as Doctor Freeze."

"Don't ever change, Kenzi." Lauren said.

"As I've told your wifey there a thousand times, I couldn't if I tried, Lo-Bear."

"So, hopefully from this we can all agree that in order for the royal line to continue to be healthy, well-adjusted contenders for the throne, we need to make time for them as parents and you all need to make time for them to feel the love that goes beyond their parents to family. If you still don't believe that Lo and I not being around for Ethan could have a negative impact your Prince, just look at what sadness, rejection and loss did in the long term to Tamsin, Dyson… and Evony." She gave Lauren's hand a squeeze as she gave a sympathetic look to James.

Lauren said, "We will not let our children become something that is a product of an environment where they did not feel loved and supported by their parents."

Bo turned to her grandmother, "G-mom Beli, you taught me to learn from the life lessons that Gaia is offering. I ask you, if not to learn to be a better parent and wife, why else would she have brought Dyson, Tamsin and Evony into my life?"

Beli nodded, "You are indeed going to be a wise Queen, granddaughter… but G-mom?"

"Sorry."

"I'm kidding… you probably picked it up from Kenzi. She's been calling me that for weeks."

"And I'm GF-Bomb…" Vesta said throwing his arms up in the air in surrender as Kenzi yelled,

"Yea GF-Bomb!"

Bo and Lauren burst out laughing, "Oh my sweet Gaia, I'm so sorry. Kenzi!"

"What, Bo-Bo? He secretly loves my terms of endearment. At training, he's not very grandfatherly to me, so I call him V-Bomb."

He waved Bo off, "I take no offense. Change is good, right? It's Kenzi's way of telling me that she loves and accepts me. I've learned that by now just as Lauren learned to accept Hotpants. Besides, it apparently makes me 'cooler', so 'I'm down with it', Bo-Bo."

"Oh. My. Gaia. My best friend has turned my grandfather into her evil twin a thousand years removed. Unreal."

"You love me, Bo-Lo!"

"We do, Kenz." Lauren said.

"I know you're taking Ethan, but how about appetizers with the family before you go?"

Bo looked at Lauren who replied, "Sounds great, Madge. We have reservations at seven, so we've got about an hour."

"Great. I made a huge casserole of crab dip, some stuffed mushrooms and a huge platter of nachos for the boys."

"Perfect." Bo said looking at Lauren who was caught off guard when her wife suddenly dipped her and pulled her in for a scorching kiss.

Everyone applauded when Lauren came up with brilliant blue eyes and latched onto Bo's mouth taking a huge draft of chi from her. Bo's legs wobbled as Lauren caught her, "Paybacks, dear."

Lauren said with a grin as everyone around her laughed… everyone except John who took a page out of Bo's book and dipped Madge, kissing her deeply as well. She stood a little off balance, "Lauren… pay him back for me… I can't do that chi suck thing!"

"Sorry, Madge… I'm partial to one particular flavor or sexual chi."

"Too bad for your Uncle John then, I'll have to pay him back Druid style." Everyone took a step back knowing what was coming as John was hit with a spout of water from the kitchen faucet followed by a towel.

"Now dry off. You're getting my kitchen floor all wet!"

He looked at Bo, "That kiss? Totally worth it."

"Sometimes you just have to sacrifice to get what you want, Uncle John. And yes, I'd say that was totally worth it. That was HOT!"

"Thanks, Bo. I still got it." John bragged as he flamed on to dry himself.

"Yes, you do darlin'. Now put out the small paper plates and napkins. Appetizers are ready." Madge said before she yelled to the boys, "BOYS! NACHOS!"

"ALRIGHT!" was all that was heard as the thunderous noise of hungry footsteps came down the stairway. They were headed to the table when they spied Bo and Lauren.

"MOMMIES!" Ethan yelled as he jumped into Lauren's arms. She picked him up, reminding him how heavy he was getting as she gave him a big hug and a kiss.

"I'm sorry I haven't seen you for two days, buddy. I haven't been feeling well, but Mamma just figured it all out, so I am tons better."

"Really? Can we go check your blood?"

"Right before we go to dinner. Ella just took it out. I think she's going to draw some more after we do some medical talking so she can compare it."

"You only compare samples when you have a hypotenuse." Ethan said proudly.

"Sorry, buddy. That's a math word. Try again."

"A hyp… It's a hy something, right?"

"Yup. A hypothe…' Lauren began the word, but didn't say all of it so he could fill in the blank,

"HYPOTHESIS!"

"That's right, buddy."

'He can say hypothesis, but I get Succubutt?'

'Kenzi confuses him with that one.'

"Grandpa Vesta told me the schedule for next week. I understand you needing to get away and it's okay with me as long as you call me every night before bed and send me pitchures."

"Get away?" Kenzi overheard the conversation and yelled to Vesta,

"Wait a sec… wait a sec… little man, I think you're letting a cat out of the bag that your moms don't know about yet."

"Kenz?" Bo asked.

"After last night, we made a deal with Ethan. Since you haven't had a honeymoon and you've both been pushed to your limits by everything lately, we're giving you a pre-honeymoon weekend get away starting on Friday. You'll be teleported to the location where we've made all of your arrangements in a Druid-shielded community where you will naturally have the royal guard with you at that point…"

Bo began to protest, but Vesta cut her off,

"Sorry, Bo… it's not an option… I have to put my foot down with this one. The only reason they're not with us is because Madge and Emma are both protectors. They won't be with you."

"Fine. But Ethan…" Again Bo was cut off…

"As I was saying, you'll be away at our pre-planned destination vacation until Monday when you will be teleported back. It's shielded and only the royal guard knows the runes. Even Druids in this particular community cannot come and go without the protectorates' approval. It's… uh… high end only. It will give you a chance to possibly meet some of the leaders from the other clans that will be coming here this week for your coronation."

"Great… a business trip."

"No… the royal guard has explicit instructions you may greet three people per day and when I say greet, I mean they may say hello, explain where they are from and say good day to you. That's it. You'll have a name, a face and a location."

"Well, that sounds a little better, but we want Ethan with us…"

"No, Mamma." he wiggled out of Lauren's arms and moved in front of Bo with his hands on his hips, "I don't mean to be dispectful or anythin' but you and Mommy need a break. Mommy had been tired and sad and you need to fix it. I know I've been sad because we've had like hardly any time together in like… a lot a lot of hours but how can you poss-bly take care of me if you don't take care of yourselfs, right?"

"But it would be fun to have you with us, buddy." Bo argued.

"Mamma. Don't argue with me on this." Bo had to hold back her smile as she heard her son and watched him make a sharp downward motion with his arm as he spoke,

"You and Mommy are having a little honeymoon. I know what they are, ya know. You guys are going to do all of that mushy kissy huggy stuff and then you're succubutts gonna suck the blue stuff and then you get all googly eyes and then the 'Oh, I love you Lo'… stuff starts and…"

Ethan was pretending he was hugging and kissing someone as he acted out his version of what he thought Bo and Lauren would be doing on vacation. Bo could see the tears welling up in Vesta's eyes as he tried to hold back his laugh,

"…don't even get me started on that birds and the bees stuff that probly happens next. But Mamma, I'm gonna tell you just in case you don't know. I hate to disappoint you but Mommy is already pregant and so are you so you can't get pregnant again right now so I don't know why you keep tryin'… but anyway…"

Ethan heaved a big sigh as if relieved that was over,

"All I have to do is get through this week. It's already Sunday and we have all night together. I mean, I'll see you all week, you'll just be tired after the fight days and then there's the twenty four hours that you're away… that's like my vision quest and if you could handle being away from me while I did mine, I can handle being away from you while you do yours… and you'll have to see me to get me all dressed up every day for the things where I have to act all royal. Don't worry… Uncle Vesta and Uncle John have taught me about how to walk and talk and stuff. I won't embarrass you."

"We would never be embarrassed by you, buddy… unless of course, you fart really loud when the room is really quiet." Bo tickled her son.

"But can we practice the forks at dinner tonight? There's so many of them."

"There's a secret to that."

"Really? Tell me, Mamma! I can't remember them."

"Me either. The secret is to watch Mommy. She knows them all."

"Really?" He said looking up at Lauren with admiration, "She's billiant."

"She is brilliant and she's all ours."

"Are you gonna kiss her again now, Mamma?"

"I want to, but I'll hold back so you don't have to watch us be all mushy."

"That's okay. My friend Timmy said he doesn't think his mom and dad love each other because they never hug or kiss each other or him. They don't even say I love you! Can you image that?"

Bo looked at Vesta who smiled at her knowing that Ethan was making her point for him from their previous conversation,

"I can't imagine that at all, Ethan. Can you tell your moms what you said about them being away for the weekend after coronation week?"

"Well, we're having 'mens weekend' so I wouldn't be able to be with you if you were here anyway."

"Mens weekend?"

"Yea… all of the men are going on a fishing trip aboard The Aidan if it's alright with the two of you. There's fifteen of us and the boat sleeps twenty, so there's plenty of room. The women are all doing ladies weekend here at the farmhouse because Ella has taken charge of Evony's care. Because she's human there is a risk of infection for her wounds. She is refusing Druid healing unless Jianna does it."

Lauren just shook her head, 'Bo, I need to talk to her tonight. She needs to be reasonable.'

'When we get back, we'll stop by. Ella asked if I thought you would want her to take over Dyson's case since Evony is there. I told her that was up to you.'

'I'll keep Dyson and may take on Evony if you're okay with that – it's one stop shopping… or feeding for my Druid.'

'That's true but…'

'I know you're not comfortable with the whole Evony thing, but I'll keep my link open the entire time. I don't want to have to take time to feed my Druid elsewhere if I'm going to have to stop there every day, Bo. Time and scheduling, remember?'

'Okay, but I want your link open. I just…'

'I know… trust.'

'And this guys weekend? I'm okay with it if you are. He'll be distracted, he'll have fun, we can still text him through Chase or James' phones and he'll be safe.'

'It'll be fun for him and it will be a chance for him to sleep out on that boat. He's been asking for years.'

Lauren took them back to their conversation, "Okay, guys weekend is a go."

"Yes! Thank you Mommy! Thank you Mamma! Can I go eat nachos now?"

"Go… hurry before your cousins eat them all." Ethan rushed off as the group of adults laughed.

"Okay, let's enjoy the company and have some appetizers. We're down to about forty-five minutes until our departure for dinner."

"Where are you guys goin', tonight?"

"We're going to try that steakhouse that you mentioned."

"Such good food! Besides, I forgot to give Ethan a steak today."

"It's okay, Kenz. We've started making him ask for it if he wants it. We're trying to get him to start recognizing the sensation of his hunger for meat starting to build."

"I get it, so he can tell how long he can go without it."

"Exactly, so when he's with you if you could start asking him if he wants it instead of just giving it to him, that will be great. You may also want to ask him when the last time was he had it. He seems to want a steak every other day right now but when he goes back to training with Dyson, he'll probably definitely need it on his tiger days."

"Gods those stuffed mushrooms look incredible… and look… mini crab cakes…"

"I have to tell you guys about the new boots that Arranz just made…"

Lauren watched as Bo and Kenzi moved to the appetizers on the table. She took in the view of her family, and then moved her gaze to Bo and Ethan. All was right with the world again. She felt fully fed and they had a plan for a schedule. They were as ready as they would ever be for the coronation. She and Bo had bonded again,

'Mmmm… I love you too, Bo.' Lauren replied as she felt more than heard her wife's words come into her and settle into her being. She loved when their link was wide open like this.

Whatever happened this week, they were at their strongest to handle it right now.

… … … … … …

Lauren and Ethan had been sitting on the couch watching the rest of Disney's Frozen. The youngster loved the story because Elsa has 'Druid powers'. Bo had gone in to take a shower since she took the worst of the milk that Ethan had accidentally spilled at dinner. Lauren just couldn't help but think that the Bo from six years ago wouldn't have had the patience that she exhibited tonight. She had simply stuck her fingers in her water glass and flicked some at Ethan as a 'payback' and then asked the waitress for a wet towel.

After dinner they had walked down to the amusement pier for some fun. They played some arcade driving games and basketball, drove go-carts and bumper cars, road the Ferris Wheel and the Mickey Mouse roller coaster and finished off the night with human miniature golf. Ethan decided he liked Druid miniature golf more.

Lauren looked down and noticed that her son had fallen asleep. She knew that if she tried to pick him up and carry him into bed he would wake up, so she just roused him.

"E… time for bed, buddy."

"Aw, Mommy… the even is just getting started!"

"You mean 'evening' and you've been hanging around Aunt Kenzi too much! You have school tomorrow and you are already falling asleep, sweetie."

"But I promise I'll get up and I won't complain at all. I just want to spend more time with you and Mamma."

"Ethan, we're not going anywhere and we're going to be here to send you off to the bus in the morning. We're going to do our normal bedtime routine… brush our teeth, put on our PJ's, lay down in your bed…"

"All three of us?"

"Of course."

"Well, I just thought maybe Momma had queeny stuff to do. Is that where she is now?"

"Nope. Right now she's taking a shower to wash away the milk somebody spilled on her at dinner." Lauren tickled her son's belly and he giggled.

"But she got me back. I'm glad she didn't get angry with me."

"Of course not, buddy. Listen. We talked to the family about needing more time with you tonight. We told them we are going to get back to our normal schedule so that one of us is always available to you. The queeny thing was getting a little bit much, huh?"

"Yea. I mean, I know it's gonna be bad this week still, but after this we'll be a family again?"

"Even when we're apart we're still a family buddy. We're always a family."

"So what are we gonna do in my room tonight?"

"The same thing we always do. Lay in your bed, talk about our day, say our tiger prayer, tuck you under the covers, then we'll lay in our spots on either side of you and read the story you want to read."

"Do you promise you won't leave my bed until I fall asleep?"

"I wouldn't think of it and neither would your Mamma. We want to spend every single minute we can with you while you're awake. You know what?"

"What?"

"Well, you know how after we tuck you in I take my shower because Mamma takes hers before tuck in?"

"Yea."

"Sometimes when I come out of the shower I go into your room and do you know what I find?"

"I'm a tiger cub!"

"Maybe, but sometimes I find your Mamma in there just staring at you."

"She watches me sleep?"

"She said she likes staying with you after you fall asleep. She thinks you like it even though you're asleep."

"I do. That's sort of nice to know."

"Yea, I think so. And sometimes when I walk in the two of you are all cuddled up together asleep. That's whey I sometimes get in your bed and watch the two of you sleep."

"You like watching the two people you love most in the whole wide world."

"I do."

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Ethan?"

"When we have two more babies, we're gonna have to make our hearts even bigger to hold all the love we're gonna feel."

Lauren smiled at her son. She didn't think anyone's heart could be any bigger, "Yes we will sweetie. But you know you'll always be my baby."

"I know, Mommy. We had some special times didn't we?"

"We certainly did."

"But I'm really glad Mamma came home. Do you think it's better with her?"

"I do. Do you?"

"Yup. She made my heart warmer."

Lauren chuckled, "She did, did she? Well that's good to know. So, are you going to go in and get ready for bed?"

"Yes. I won't be difficult." They stood up and walked to Ethan's room continuing to talk as they went.

"Hey… you're never difficult… you're never ever too much trouble for us. We love you and you are perfect just the way you are… bedtime whining and all. We have a big day tomorrow, you know."

"I know. Did you talk to my teacher about having to leave school early? She's a little upset that I've been absent so much."

"Well, Aunt Kenzi apparently explained it all to her."

Ethan stopped just outside his door and turned to face Lauren, his arms spread wide, "Oh no! Did she yell at her again?"

Lauren turned him around and walked him into the room, stopping at his dresser to open the drawer and pull out his PJ's. Ethan kicked off his shoes and tossed his socks in the hamper. She pulled Ethan's shirt up off his head and tossed him the tear-away boxers Kenzi made him for when he shifts in his sleep. They were actually now available in her store. Kenzi let him name them and he called them Aunt K's. They were actually selling off the shelves. Apparently they were comfortable to sleep in,

"No, I told her not to start anything with your teacher like last time. She said she was very polite this time, explaining that there have been some family things going on that she was not at liberty to discuss. If the teacher asks you, use the normal excuse."

"My Mommy had a relapse and has been recovering so things are a little clectic."

"The word is hectic. Okay… drop the pants, bud. Put on your Aunt K's and brush your teeth. I'm going to go get dressed. Your Mamma should be in any minute."

"Okay. But Aunt Kenzi is getting attacked by the tickle monster if my teacher is mad at me."

Lauren smiled, "I put the notes for your early dismissals and absences this week in your turn in folder and gave names of who is dropping you off and picking you up. Make sure you give them to your teacher tomorrow, buddy."

"I will." Ethan dropped his pants and boxers, pulled on his Aunt K's and went in to the bathroom to brush his teeth as Lauren exited the room to go get ready for bed.

They had followed their nighttime routine after that although they ended up talking for so long that they never got to the story. He had wanted to cuddle instead and had rolled into Bo's arms on one side while Lauren rolled in to face him on the other. They had talked and laughed until Ethan started to tell them all about the vacation they were taking next weekend. Kenzi had let him pick the destination, the room and all of the things they would eat and do there.

"Wait… I show you… I made a itinatey…"

He had jumped out of bed and ran across the room to his desk to pull out a three-page document and handed it to Lauren.

"Here."

Lauren looked at the top page and her mouth dropped open. Bo saw her reaction and leaned over to look as Ethan crawled back into his spot in her arms,

"This is a full itinerary." Lauren said flipping the pages.

"Yea… that's what I said!"

Bo chuckled as she listened to Lauren read the details to her,

"So, our son has chosen a private island called Musha Cay for us. It is one hundred and fifty acres of unspoiled tropical environment with white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise water and over thirty staff to serve us. We'll have a private outdoor Jacuzzi and all of the personal comforts we need such as air conditioning, telephone, email access and a charter boat with a captain for water activities such as fishing, snorkeling, etc."

Bo read over Lauren's shoulder, "And he scheduled water activities, too… wind surfing, wave runners, snorkeling, ocean kayaking, bone fishing and shelling. I can say that I have never done any of those so for me this will be an educational trip, too."

Ethan smiled proudly that he had picked things his Mamma had never done,

"And look you guys… you have a maid, butler, gardener… that's a flower guy so I guess you'll have flowers every day… and private chef! I got to talk to him and make the 'rangements. I told him you love seafood and that you would want meat on Saturday and… and… that's it… but he comes to you when you get there. He said he'll meet you there, so call me if he's not there when you get there and I'll call and tell him to get over there right now!"

Bo and Lauren chuckled at how adorable their son was,

'He wants this to be so perfect for us, Lo. Gods I love our son so fucking much! It's gonna suck being away from him.'

'Yea, I was going to insist he go with us but I think he's actually pretty excited about guys weekend.'

'At dinner he didn't stop talking about wanting to sleep on that yacht.'

'Are you kidding? He hasn't stopped talking about sleeping on that thing since he saw it parked at the dock years ago.'

Ethan gripped Bo's face in his hand, "Mamma! This is serious! You have to pay attention to me!"

Bo smiled, "Okay, bud. I'm sorry. Tell me."

"So, when the chef gets there, he's gonna ask you what time you want your meals and what you want in your meals and where you want every meal served. Like… you can say I want crab cakes for lunch served on the beach at lunch time… sorry but I'm not real good with times yet… you know how to tell time so just tell him."

"Wait… so you're telling me they'll serve our meals anywhere we want?"

"Yea, but don't 'barrass me and tell them to serve you breakfast in bed and then not have clothes on. He'll call me up and tell me my mommies were being mushy in front of him and that wouldn't be cool at all."

"Okay, little man… no embarrassing you… got it." Lauren smiled.

"Then… here's your schedule on this page. I know how Mommy likes to keep on a schedule, so I made you one. You can arrange it again if you want to. Like… if you want to sleep longer or something. The first day I figured you'd just want to relax and look around and stuff. I know I would wanna go 'sploring so you can just go for a walk on the beach and then… see… I drew this map… there's a cove here so if you walk and you get hot… cause its not winter there… you turn here and this is the cove and there's no houses so you can let your Nereid swim and Mamma can swim with her and no one will see her get naked. I don't know if there's any dolphins to swim with though so she'll have to check it out when she gets underwater. Making new friends is important even for a Nereid in the ocean, right?"

"That's right, buddy. I'll make sure she's really friendly with whoever she swims with." Lauren winked at Bo, her eyes flashing Nereid green at the thought of finally getting to swim with her wife.

"And you have a private pool and a tennis court and this little hut-thing that's 'apposed to be really special for some reason but it's built right in the water with nothing else around so I don't know what's the big deal about that."

Bo and Lauren laughed,

"So you can play tennis and there's jogging paths since you both run and there's a gym and hiking and you can sing Karaoke, Mommy! Remember when we did that?"

"You did?" Bo said, the look of surprise apparent on her face, "That must have been after-hours Lauren." She whispered. Lauren just laughed.

"Then the stuff that Aunt K said you'd really like, there's a steam room and great sunrises and sunsets… I mean, it's an island so you can see them everywhere. You have a massage scheduled every day so you want those for sure. And you can roast marshmallows!"

Lauren and Bo quickly read through the travel arrangement printout seeing nothing about costs or travel. There was just a note that a limo would pick us up on our last day to take us to an undisclosed location before we would be teleported back. The average temperatures would be in the low 80's and below.

"Ethan, this is so special for us. You thought of everything, buddy."

"I know but you're special to me and I know you're tired so you needed to get away and have a good place to rest and have fun. Hey! We can trade pictures! I'll send you pictures of me and the guys on the yacht and you can reply with pictures of you two wherever you are!"

"That's a great idea!"

… … … … … …

Ethan had fallen asleep mid-sentence as he babbled on about different things he had learned about their trip on the website. Bo and Lauren hadn't left him right away. They were both having anxiety about spending time away from him. If they were being honest, they were starting to realize they were starting their coronation rite tomorrow and they were both nervous.

Lauren had called Ella from the restaurant and asked her to look in on Dyson and Evony. Her friend had been very understanding about her need to spend time with her wife and son. She had agreed right away without question.

Lauren had drawn her own blood in her lab and prepped it for Ella who picked it up from the specimen box Lauren put outside her door for when she and the other healers were working on cases together. She had told Lauren that it looked like, once again, Bo had come up with a viable theory about her wife's condition. Ella suggested she had missed her calling in medicine.

Once the couple managed to get into bed, they immediately fell into conversation about the coming battle to the death that led to a very emotional love-making session that generated a huge amount of chi for them to strengthen their resolve and confidence in their bond. As they closed their eyes to sleep, Bo told Lauren,

"We'll be okay, Lauren. Love will always find a way."

… … … … …