Bo rocked as she walked in circles. "What is it huh? What do you know? You can tell mama, mama Lauren already knows, I need to know too. What are you up to son? Is there a threat out there? I have always tried to protect your mother, now my job is to protect you too." She whispered as she held him close. She smiled, inhaling Lauren's scent on him. "Mama finally went into the office today. So, it's just the two of us for now. I have all day for you. All my life for you."
She heard her phone beep and pulled it out of her pocket. "Hawaii." The text read. With one hand, she replied "Not far enough." Vex had sent her word of his location. The succubus gritted her teeth and circled back around again. She felt Ethan run his little hand over her arm. It felt like Lauren's that day when Bo pulled her blade on Lachlan. Her eyes went back to their normal brown as she spoke again. "He will never get near you. I swear it."
Lauren
The blonde smiled as she pulled her scrubs off. She had to do an emergency procedure to stave off rushing her patient to the hospital. Bo was right, it had been too long since she went to work. She walked into her office and straightened up things she hadn't touched in weeks. She washed up at the small sink and pulled her lab coat from the rack. She took a seat and rocked back in it. She spun around in it and looked out the window. Her family is out there at home. Her mate. Their son. Hers.
She raised her head and took a breath. They have come such a long way. She was just a doctor in the Light Fae labs. Treating the Fae, solving their cases. Her life had long turned boring outside of her experiments trying to cure Nadia. Now, she's so far away from that relationship that she wonders if Nadia even knew she was at her pod every day. She almost wants the Garuda to be alive again so she can kick his ass this time. Bo breaking the curse was really her releasing Lachlan's long game. Nadia was never there. When she'd touch Lauren, the doctor knew it wasn't Nadia's touch. When Nadia touched her, her hands were soft and warm. Not cold like a dead corpse. Then she thought of that trip they took with Bo's car. As much as Nadia wanted to, Lauren couldn't bring herself to sleep with her. She told her she needed time to make sure she was really well enough to make love. If they really did do anything, it wouldn't be love, it would be sex. The doctor's hunch was confirmed when Nadia accepted her flimsy excuse. Then she watched her cut herself. Nadia never liked knives.
The doctor shrugged and pulled her jacket closer to her body. She had trusted when she shouldn't have. She settled into what she thought was about to become a routine with Bo in her life. Every moment they were spending privately or out in the streets meant something in the long run but in the short term, the doctor was losing herself. Bo was about to become another Nadia, only she was up and walking around. Lauren had recommitted to the Light Fae. There was no way she was ever going to get out of it alive. Then Isaac Taft appeared at her door. A nice distraction, she thought. She could learn from him. Pick his brain about this and that in the science world. Then he turned out to be another dick like every Ash. Here she sits with Bo in her life, a son and not a fuck to give about the Fae outside of them and their small circle.
Her phone beeped. Vex had forwarded his text. Hawaii is such a beautiful place for a shitty Mesmer to roam. She instinctively knows Bo told him to move farther away. She smiled thinking of how he is probably trying to be obedient so she will melt and release his father. No. That will never happen. Not just to protect their son, but children all over the world. This is her life. Her family is her world.
Every Ash and Morrigan would kill for Lauren's skill sets. Not only for being a doctor but for her powers that came from Hades' cowardly ass. The only Fae man she cares about is Ethan. He will grow up to be a good baby. A man. He will know how to respect women that respect him. Their little prince will be a king in his own right. Just like the other children they will have.
She stood and pulled her lab coat off again. It's time to get to work, again. She smiled and pulled the door open. It's fun being a doctor like this. If a patient lies about being ill, she will know it and send them on their way. She doesn't have time to play with bullshit.
Owen, Kenzi and Tamsin
"Get up, showered and dressed!." Owen screamed as he kicked their beds.
"What the fudge?!." Kenzi groaned.
"I said get up!." Owen gritted his teeth.
Tamsin crawled in her bed and nodded for Kenzi to climb out of hers. "I told you, all balls, no dick."
"Laziness will not be tolerated. You will get up, showered, dressed and be taken to work." Owen slammed the bedroom door and locked it back. They can't escape because their bedroom doesn't have any windows.
"Bo needs to know about this. To get her son to call this shit off!." Kenzi groaned.
"He's a baby Kenz, he won't do that." Tamsin replied.
"Is there really no Dark Fae stronger than him?." Kenzi asked.
"Are you kidding me right now? The Morrigan is long dead. Bruce is a no. Vex is a no. There's nobody left with balls big enough to try and overthrow a baby thrall. Not just any baby, Bo and Lauren's baby. That kid will never suffer any catastrophes." Tamsin rambled off. She was almost jealous of the life he's about to lead. He won't sleep in his truck. He will never flunk any subject in school. He'll probably graduate college at six years old if not sooner.
"Well, at least help me angle for a room with windows." Kenzi shrugged and ran to shower. Tamsin flopped on her bed. She's fucked and stuck with an idiot. There's no way of getting to Bo. There's damn sure no way of getting to Lauren. She had picked the wrong team and feels like she will forever be in the losers bracket.
Kenzi screamed as the hot water hit her face. She doesn't deserve to live like this. Work? Like eight hours of work? Even with Bo she had a lot of breaks and drink time. She groaned again and scrubbed her skin like she was filthy dirty. She felt like it. A baby thrall? What the actual fuck? Bo's baby can thrall already? He's not even one.
"Time's up!." Owen opened the door. Tamsin rolled her eyes. She hadn't showered yet.
"I'll give you five minutes to wash off. Not a second more." Owen threw a towel at Tamsin and it hit her dead in her face.
"Thanks, Kenzi." Tamsin looked up but never at the woman.
"Yo, Owen. Me and Bo go way back. You think we can get a room with windows?." Kenzi smiled.
"I'm not Bo's thrall, I'm young Ethan's thrall. I don't owe anything to this Bo." Owen growled down at Kenzi.
She stood looking at him. He's bigger and taller than Bruce. Kicking him in the balls would probably feel like a sneeze to him. Then she thought about that again. Any attack on him would be like an attack on Ethan. She can't do that to him.
The Dal
The gang sat talking and drinking. "Bo sent these over. We are to wear them when we babysit." Aife pushed two cameras towards Mason and Lou Ann.
"Damn, they really don't want to miss anything." Mason laughed.
"It's brilliant. Hell, I wish I had thought of this when Bo was a baby but I would have never convinced Hades to let me have one. I can only imagine my baby holding her baby for the first time. Probably like I held her, unsure. Probably how she is holding him right now, unsure. But that young king makes grandma proud. I only wish Trick was here, so he could fuck with him too." Aife smiled into her drink.
"You really had to dig far to bring Owen to the surface. Everyone thought he was far away from here." Lou Ann shook her head in awe. Nasty. Just nasty.
"Hell, it took balls for Ethan to thrall him. He is obviously smart as fuck." Mason laughed.
"And he's mine." Aife smiled teary-eyed as she touched her chest.
"We got him, Aife. You know that. We got all of them. To an extent. We don't want to overstep Bo and Lauren's roles as mothers." Lou Ann sat back in her seat.
"We can be backups. That's what we can be. What we will be. Now, this place needs scrubbing. I just hate feeling dirty." Aife shuddered.
"Right." Mason snapped his fingers and the staff appeared out of nowhere and started cleaning.
"I don't need to be here for it." Aife stood. Mason and Lou Ann followed her.
"Let's go see Sam!." Aife smiled and the gang pulled off.
Sam
Sam walked around his house. The place is absolutely spotless. Lauren keeps him spoiled by sending cleaners every other day. Bo doesn't even know about them. If they were married he could call her his favorite daughter-in-law. But since they are not, he can call her his favorite soon to be. He doesn't know why Bo won't marry her or hasn't popped the question but they are fine as they are. In love with a family. They don't need rings to be validated in anyone's eyes. He smiled, noticing a certain car motor pulling up. He walked to his doors and pulled them open. "Aife!." He smiled.
"Hey old boy! How are you?!." The succubus warmly greeted him.
"I'm well. Still getting used to all of this." Sam greeted Mason and Lou Ann as well.
"Sweetie, you deserve all of this and then some. If it hadn't been for you, that bitch would have killed my daughter in more ways than one. You deserve whatever spoils Bo is giving you." Aife gently tapped his back.
"Lauren is doing most of it." Sam offered them drinks and they all accepted them.
"Damn good woman. Damn good mother." Aife smiled and toasted the doctor.
"Have you eaten, Sam?." Mason asked.
"Not yet. I am fresh out of the shower." Sam replied.
"Then I will fix you something." Mason nodded and left the three to talk.
"See, we all care." Aife smiled.
"I will call a tailor. He needs some new clothes." Lou Ann pulled her phone out.
"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. This is too much. It will cost too much." Sam blushed in embarrassment.
"Who pays? We get everything free." Aife laughed.
Sam didn't have another word to say. He has a big family now. A new one to get to know. As much as he knows about them already, he knows he will never want for anything. Thirty minutes later, they all sat down to eat.
Bo and Ethan
Bo adjusted her bodycam and gently held Ethan's hand as she tried teaching him how to walk. Slowly his little feet moved. He stalled here and there but she was patient at every step. Bo felt her succubus need to help him walk, but she wants him to learn naturally. He's already teaching himself how to do things, this is one she wants to help him with. She doesn't want Lauren to miss it either. For years, Bo had to only worry about every step she took when she didn't know any of them. She had to worry about the repercussions of her actions. Now, she doesn't have to. She's a mother and a mate. She doesn't have to take another step in life, alone.
She smiled when he squeezed her hand. "Done for now? Okay!." She picked him up and realized why he really squeezed her hand. She laughed and walked him to his nursery. "Remember, don't pee in mama's face. Any of your mothers." She smiled as she pulled his diaper off. Quickly she cleaned him up and dressed him in fresh clothes. She looked at the clock and knew Lauren was almost done for the day. She had gone in really early just so she could get home earlier than usual.
She called for takeout. She had gotten so lost in holding Ethan and trying to get him to talk that the time got away from her. For now, she would be a stay at home wife, but soon she will get the same itch that Lauren gets and want to go out and work. She laughed knowing Aife will never work and will definitely want to babysit.
"I'm home!." Lauren announced with bags in her hands.
"Welcome home!." Bo and Ethan slowly walked down the stairs.
"I got the food!." Lauren smiled as she set the bags in the kitchen.
"Dang, I was going to give him a big tip!." Bo looked out the window.
"He got one." Lauren smiled as Ethan reached out for her. "Were you a good boy today?."
Ethan laughed. "He was". Bo pushed a lock of his hair back in place.
"How are you?." Lauren leaned in and gently kissed Bo.
"I'm better now." Bo sighed as she pulled back. "How was your day, babe?."
"Good. Good. I actually got to operate today." The doctor gently set Ethan in his high chair and helped Bo plate their food.
"I will go back to work, eventually." Bo handed Lauren some utensils.
"Bo, I'm not rushing you or judging you for staying home." Lauren smiled and squeezed the woman's hand before letting go.
"I know but I don't want to be feeling like I'm not contributing to all of this." Bo took a seat close to Ethan.
"We can talk about that after he's been fed and put down for the night." Lauren tried to keep the worry out of her voice but it sounds like a couch talk and not dinner table conversation.
They ate and talked to Ethan. He was making a mess and they found it adorable. When he pushed the baby spoon away, Lauren knew he was telling them he'd had enough. "Okay. Up we go." Lauren smiled and picked him up. She walked him for a long while, while Bo cleaned up.
"What did you and mama do, huh? Why is she suddenly sad?." Lauren cooed into his ear. She smiled when he ran his little hand down her arm. It reminded her of when she ran her hand down Bo's arm when she was ready to stab Lachlan. Bo stood watching them walk around the house. Lauren looked so relaxed and motherly. Ethan looked comfortable in her arms too. "Bed time." Bo whispered.
"Time for bed, sweetie." Lauren kissed the top of his dark haired head. "He's gorgeous, Bo." Lauren smiled as they walked him to his nursery. Ethan laughed and kicked as Lauren set him down in his crib. They stood there watching him and telling him goodnight respectively.
Lauren grabbed a baby monitor and Bo's hand as they walked out of the room, down the stairs and to the patio.
Lauren moved one chair in front of the other and gestured for Bo to sit first. The blonde took the seat in front of her and leaned forward. Taking her hands, she spoke. "Bo, what is wrong?."
"Lauren, you are really smart. You have Fae powers. You can go to work and make a difference in people's lives. I could go to work. Come home and feel like I never make a difference in people's lives.
That's why I used to try to work so hard with Kenzi. I wanted to try and be on the same level as you. Be worthy of dating a doctor and not feeling like a kept woman or being left behind while you grew in your profession. My succubus saved you from the Lich. She saved you in that sex club. Unless you are in immediate danger, I am just plain ole nothing to contribute to our relationship, Bo". Bo sighed hard.
"Bo I didn't fall in love with you because of what you can or can't do. I didn't fall in love with you because of your succubus. I know she protected me. But I always knew that was part of you protecting me too. I don't need you to be as smart as I am. I just need you to be you. Bo Dennis. You are caring. You are strong. I don't care if you want to stay home with our son. Stay home. Take him to the park. Take him for a drive. Take him wherever you want to take him. Just be you. Be yourself, Bo." Lauren wiped Bo's tears away with the palms of her hands.
"Thank you, Lauren but that's not good enough. Not good enough for me. Look where we live. I couldn't afford a house with walls much less a mansion. I didn't fall in love with you because you're a doctor. I didn't fall in love with you because you are smarter than I am. I fell in love with you because you are you. Lauren Lewis. You cared when people didn't deserve it. You helped when people could have helped themselves. You are caring. You are smart. You are strong. You are you. I still shake my head in disbelief that we have this life." Bo stood. "You go out into this world, probably seeing and interacting with women that I can't compete with. You died and came back with more courage than I have ever had. I just want to be worthy of you, Lauren. We broke up because I wasn't back then. Not much has changed." Bo took her seat again.
"Bo, I wouldn't be with you, if things were still the same. There was so much wrong back then but there is so much right, right now. We are mothers to a wonderful son. He was made out of the love between us. You have always been enough, I was the one that wasn't enough back then. That's why I wanted the break. I needed space. I needed air. I needed to get Taft off of my ass. He knew too much about my old life, he would have put every human in the world in danger had he brought the human police into the Fae world." Lauren took a deep, hard breath. "But if you feel this way, then we have a problem and a longer way to go than I thought." Ethan started to cry and Bo stood. "I'll get him."
Lauren took another breath and stood to follow Bo into the house. The succubus was a little further ahead of her. She walked up the stairs and rounded the corner and gasped at what she saw. "Bo? Ethan?!."
"I'm okay. I think he just made mama stronger and a little smarter." Bo laughed as her hair flew behind her, her arms were bigger and Ethan was still in his crib, laughing.
"What did you do?." Lauren walked over to Bo.
"I just touched him." Bo smiled.
"Good boy." Lauren smiled as she rubbed his stomach. He laughed at her touch.
TBC