AN: Thank you for all your support through your reviews and messages here as well as tweets, retweets, messages, and follows on Twitter. You guys are great!
I know that I left you guys hanging at the end of the last chapter, sorry! I have felt so bad about not being able to update but I simply had too much going on in my life. Next chapter won't take as long! I promise.
It was interesting for me to see that many of you felt that since Bo called off the bet Lauren probably wouldn't/shouldn't be too mad or upset. But for me, if I was Lauren, I would be extremely upset and mad. What Bo did was really hurtful and inconsiderate. Put yourself in her shoes. Lauren has fallen for Bo and this is a huge betrayal of her trust. Also, Lauren doesn't yet have the full story, nor does she know exactly how Bo feels. But I do get why you guys feel sorry for Bo, so do I. No doubt! But this is a situation with no winners. But let's not loose hope just yet ;-)
I hope you guys like this chapter. I'm not quite as satisfied with it as I would like to be, but hopefully it isn't too bad.
Disclaimer: I do not own Lost Girl or any of the established characters. Established characters from Lost Girl belong to The Lost Girl creators.
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A tear rolls down Lauren's cheek as she speaks in a very low and unsteady voice. "Did you make a bet that you could get me to have sex with you?"
Bo stops in her tracks immediately. It feels like the whole world just came crashing down….
Bo can't think straight! Her heart is pounding and she feels like she might faint. This cannot be happening! Not now.. Not now…
"Lauren…. I'm… Listen… Please give me a chance to explain..." Bo pleads desperately and takes a step towards Lauren.
"Don't!" Lauren warns determined as she takes a step backwards. "Answer me Bo! Did you?" Tears are rolling down Lauren's cheeks and her breathing is rapid and shallow.
Lauren isn't shouting but it is clear to Bo how mad and hurt she is. Bo has never felt so sorry and lost as she does right now. Seeing the pain that she has caused Lauren, and knowing that in this very moment she is loosing any chance she ever had with Lauren is breaking her heart into a thousand pieces… And the worst thing about it….. It is her own damn fault!
"Answer me Bo!" A shaking Lauren demands.
"Yes…" Bo reluctantly lets out in anguish.
And in that moment Bo knows what it looks like when a person's heart breaks. The answer, although expected, seems to knock the wind out of Lauren and she bends over slightly and rests her hands on her thighs while trying to control her erratic breathing. Then she straightens. "Don't ever talk to me again. EVER!". With tears streaming down her face, Lauren gives Bo a look of disbelief and disappointment before she turns around and determinedly heads for the door.
"Lauren please..!" Panic seizes Bo. "Lauren don't go! Let me explain! Please!" But the effort is of no use. Lauren opens the door and hurriedly walks away without looking back.
The frustration and pain Bo is feeling in that moment is overwhelming and paralyzing. What has she done?!
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Kenzi and Crystal are still at the bar arguing with each other and Vex when Bo arrives, but by the looks of it, Crystal is just about to leave. Bo resolutely heads straight towards the three of them.
"Bo! I am so..." Kenzi starts as soon as she sees her best friend.
At that moment Crystal, who had her back to the entrance, spins around and spots Bo.
Crystal looks at Bo with aversion. "I cannot believe that you pulled a stunt like this! I cannot believe that you would do something like this to Lauren! She does not deserve this Bo! At all! At the cabin I pleaded with you, asked you to please be careful and walk away if you where only going to break her heart because she deserves so much more after what she has been through with Evony, and then I find out that all this time she was just part of some stupid bet to you!" Crystal is furious and Bo is too ashamed to look her in the eyes as she continues.
"She fell for you Bo! And you played her in a way even more ruthless, repulsive and disrespectful than I could have ever dreamt of. I knew you were a player, but I thought you had some kind of heart! But I guess I gave you too much credit! I have never been this disappointed in person before." Crystal turns to Kenzi. "And you knew about it! I'm almost as disappointed in you. I thought we were friends Kenzi, but I guess I was wrong about that too. What is wrong with you guys?! What makes it okay for you to play with other people and their emotions like this?! And you have been doing so for a couple of months now! You had so many chances to tell her about it before things went to far and you didn't"
"Crystal you are absolutely right, but please listen to me.. " Bo pleads.
But Crystal just raises her hand in rejection and starts to walk away. "There is nothing you can say that will make this alright Bo! And neither of you should bother coming to my birthday on Saturday, neither Lauren nor I want you there. And Bo... Stay the hell away from Lauren!" And with that Crystal walks away.
"I am so sorry Bo. Crystal didn't mean all that, she is just really upset right now. She just spoke to Lauren and Lauren is devastated right now. " Kenzi tries.
"No, Crystal is right. I deserve everything she said." Bo answers numbly while staring at the exit before turning around and facing her two friends. "What I would really like to know right now, is how the HELL Lauren found out about the bet!? Because I sure as hell didn't tell her!" Bo yells.
"Bo… We really didn't mean to!" Vex starts.
Kenzi continues. "Bo, I am so sorry! We were drinking and having a good time. And of course we also talked about the date you and Lauren were on, and how happy and exited we were for you guys. Then Crystal went to use the bathroom and Vex and I came to talk about how good it was that you didn't go through with the bet and that you called it off. But Crystal came back in that moment and overheard us. She demanded that we explain what she had just overheard. I tried to explain to her how you called it off and all that, but by that time she wasn't listening to me anymore and she called Lauren right away. I am SO SO sorry Bo!"
"KENZ FOR CHRIST'S SAKE! I cannot believe that you guys would do that! How could you?! I thought you were my best friend!"
"Believe me, I am very very sorry Bo! We both are! But to be fair, you did make the bet! We shouldn't have accidentally exposed your secret. Nor should we have been a part of this bet in the first place, but don't forget that you made the bet and I warned you about it early on. We are partly to blame, but so are you Bo." Kenzi points out.
Although annoyed, angry, and frustrated Bo knows that Kenzi is right. Bo made this bet. She is the one who made some terrible choices along the way. But nothing could have prepared her for how she was going to feel for Lauren. But still…. Bo knows that that does not make any of this alright.
"You are right Kenz. I am to blame. I did this. I hurt Lauren. I take full responsibility for that. But I still cannot believe that you two told Crystal." Bo says resignedly and walks out of the bar.
Kenzi turns back to face the bar and buries her face in her hands.
"What are we going to do Kenzi?" Vex askes worried. "We have to help Bo. This is partly our fault."
Kenzi looks up again and takes a deep breath. "I know. Bo and Lauren are perfect for each other, no matter how things started. I have never seen Bo as happy as she was with Lauren." Kenzi considers their options for a while and the gets up from the bar stool.
"Where are you going Kenzi?"
"I'm going home for now. Crystal is probably with Lauren, and I won't have any chance of getting them to hear me out right now, they are understandably angry and hurt. But tomorrow morning I will go over to Crystal's apartment and try to explain EVERYTHING to her, and just hope and pray that she hears me out and that I can convince her that Bo really does sincerely care about Lauren. And with any luck, well with a LOT of luck, I will be able to convince her to help Bo get a chance to explain herself to Lauren." Kenzi answers and leaves the bar feeling sad and regretful.
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(2 days later)
Kenzi comes barging through Bo's front door.
Bo enters the living room. "Haven't you heard about knocking?" She asks annoyed.
"Since when do we knock?! We always just walk into each others' apartments…"
"Yeah, well, I don't feel like company right now." Bo answers curtly.
"I get that, but you also aren't answering my calls, so I had to come over. Have you talked to Lauren?"
"She isn't answering any of my calls or texts. I tried going to the clinic earlier today but she wasn't there. She is working at the hospital today and the nurse at the reception wouldn't tell me where she was in the hospital. It is very very obvious that she meant it when she told me that she never wanted to speak to me again. And honestly, I can't blame her. I just really wish that she would let me at least explain everything to her. I hate that she doesn't know everything." Bo says hopelessly and frustrated.
" I know Bo…. You might get that chance. You and I are going to Crystal's birthday on Saturday. Lauren will be there, and that is your chance to try to get her to listen to you and explain everything,"
"Kenz… We are no longer invited! Crystal made that very clear. And Lauren has made it very clear that she doesn't want to see me again! Crystal would never allow us to come."
"Yes, she will. I went over to her place yesterday, and at first she wasn't willing to listen to me but I explained EVERYTHING to her. EVERYTHING. I wouldn't have had any chance of convincing her if I hadn't told her everything I knew about you and Lauren. And it worked. Even though Crystal is still pissed at you, and me partly, for breaking Lauren's heart and for acting like an real A**hole (her words), she also now understands how you feel about Lauren and she knows what I have known for a long time… That Lauren and you belong together! So, Crystal is risking a lot by letting us come to the birthday party on Saturday without Lauren knowing that we are coming, so that you can get a chance to explain yourself to Lauren. "
"Wow! You convinced her of that?! I don't know exactly what you told her, but thank you Kenz!" Bo says gratefully.
"I just told her the truth. And no need to thank me Bobo, this was partly my mess as well. And now the rest is up to you. But getting Lauren to actually listen to you might be difficult in itself."
"I know Kenz. But at least now I have a chance. That is all I can hope for right now."
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(Saturday night)
"WOW! They really weren't kidding about that storm tonight." Kenzi shouts as she enters Bo's apartment with her hair all messed up and her coat soaking wet from the torrential rain
"Hey Kenz." Bo greets and gives her best friend a kiss on the cheek, careful not to get too wet. "Yeah, now they are saying it is probably going to be a full-blown hurricane later tonight."
"Hopefully it won't get much worse than it is right now, because otherwise all of us are going to be stuck at Crystal's place, and all things considered that might not be all that fun or desirable." Kenzi says sceptically and with a sarcastic expression that only Kenzi can pull off.
That might not be all bad Bo thinks. "At least then Lauren would be forced to hear me out."
Kenzi and Bo arrive at Crystal's place safely, although the storm made sure is was a bit of a hairy ride. Bo looks around and spots Lauren's car so she is definitely here.
"This weather is absolutely crazy! Let's hope it doesn't get any worse. Are you ready?"Kenzi asks supportively.
"As ready as I will ever be." Bo answers nervously and the two of them exit the car and make a run for the apartment trying not to get too soaked. They struggle to keep their balance and stay on their feet as they are hit by gusts of wind.
When Crystal opens the door and greets them it is obvious to Bo that Crystal is nervous as well, and understandably so, Bo can't imagine that Lauren is going to appreciate that Crystal allowed Kenzi and Bo to come tonight.
And Bo is right. As soon as Bo and Kenzi enter the living room Lauren appears from the bathroom.
"Was that the doorbell Crystal? I thought it was just going to be the two of us…" Lauren says while focussing on a small water stain on her blouse, but as soon as she sees Bo and Kenzi she is baffled and stops.
"Lauren, I know you don't want them here but I think you should listen to what Bo has to say." Crystal says very carefully and with great hesitation.
"You what?!" Laurens bursts out in astonishment. "After everything, you think that I should listen to what Bo has to say?! Why?! I can never again trust anything she has to say! I would think that was fairly obvious seeing as how she has spent the last couple of months playing me, playing mind games, playing with my emotions, lying to me." Lauren says infuriated. "I don't get it Crystal. How could you let them come?! "
Crystal is on the verge of crying.
In the background there are hurricane warnings on the muted TV telling everyone in this area of the country to stay inside until further notice.
Bo takes a deep breath, seeing Lauren so hurt and angry is excruciating, and knowing that Bo is the one to blame makes it unbearable. "Lauren, please don't blame Crystal. She is just trying to help me, help us… Please let me explain everything to you." Bo pleads while her heart is pounding rapidly in her chest as if it was trying to escape through her ribcage.
Lauren shakes her head. "As I said Bo, I don't think I will ever again believe anything you say. – How could I?! I just found out that everything I thought was real, was actually a lie, a game."
For Lauren to think that is agonizing. Bo takes a step closer towards Lauren, her body language pleading Lauren to listen. "Lauren, it was real! It was." She reassures.
This statement seems to affect Lauren a bit, but after a moment of what looks like doubt, she shakes her head and is back to being angry. "You want to explain everything? Okay, well since you like games so much Bo you still owe me the answer to one question, remember?! So here's my last question; Why? Why did you make that stupid bet and do this to me?" Lauren asks starring into Bo's eyes while a tear rolls down her cheek.
"I don't know Lauren…."
"That isn't an answer Bo!"
"Lauren, please..."
"I believed you! I was stupid enough to believe you! I believed you when you said that I wasn't just another woman in a long list of woman… I believed that we had something real… You pursued me! And against all my efforts to resist you, I opened up my heart to you. I fell for you Bo and I thought you were falling for me too… But now I know that none of that was true! But still… Betting that you could get me to sleep with you… What kind of ruthless, inconsiderate and heartless person does that?! And now you won't respect that I don't want to have anything to do with you. And you don't even have the decency to answer why you did it! - Why you insisted on betraying my trust and breaking my heart….. Answer my question; Why?" Lauren says as she shivers from top to bottom, overwhelmed by anger, frustration, hurt, and pain.
Bo is trembling. All she has wanted to do all week is have the chance to explain herself to Lauren, explain everything, but standing in front of the blond who unknowingly holds Bo's heart in her hands and seeing the hurt and pain that she has caused her is almost paralyzing, and she doesn't know how to answer the simple question of "why". The shame and her own pain is too consuming. She looks down for a moment before looking Lauren in the eyes. "I am sincerely sorry Lauren, and I hope that you may one day believe me when I say that it was real for me. But I shouldn't have come tonight, sorry. I will leave you alone from now on. Bye." Bo says defeated and resignedly before turning around and heading for the door.
"Bo!" Kenzi calls "Bo!"
Kenzi runs after Bo and catches her in the hallway just as she is about to open the front door.
"Bo, don't leave. Don't run like you have done in the past. Lauren is hurt right now, but you need to stay and take the time to explain everything to her. You haven't told her any of the things you wanted to tell her."
"It's too hard Kenz." Bo sighs.
"Of course it is hard. This is no walk in the park. You hurt Lauren and you need to open up and tell her everything, tell her how you feel. It is time Bo. Otherwise you will loose her for ever."
With flooding eyes Bo looks Kenzi in the eyes. "I can't..."
Bo grabs the doorknob but Kenzi places her own hand on top of Bo's on the knob. "Bo, you can't leave, the weather is too bad now, it is a hurricane now. They are telling people to stay where they are. It is too dangerous to go out there now. Besides we drove in my car and I am not leaving till you talk to Lauren for real. Stay and work this out, it will take time, but you have a lot of things you need to tell Lauren in order for her to understand all this. Once she understands how you really feel she will most likely get over the disappointment and betrayal that she is feeling right now, or at least with time."
Bo takes a long deep breath and exhales slowly. "Okay Kenz, I will stay, just please give me a minute okay?"
Kenzi is relieved. "Okay. I will go back in and give you a minute." She says with a reassuring smile.
As Kenzi re-joins the others in the living room she hears the front door close and instantly knows. She runs out to the hallway and rips the front door open. It is hard to see anything outside in the dark because of the lashing rain and the wind, which is now extreme. There are leaves, small branches and litter flying around everywhere. "BO! BO!" She tries, but is of no use. Bo is gone.
Kenzi is anxious and worried. She prays to God that Bo makes it home safe. She contemplates going after Bo, but decides that it is pointless as Bo could have taken several different routes home and Kenzi wouldn't be able to catch up with her. So for now it seems most sensible to stay put and send Bo a text making it EXTREMLY clear that she better send Kenzi a text as soon as she is home safe.
Kenzi walks back into the living room and grabs her phone from her purse and sends Bo the text.
"Where is Bo." Crystal asks.
"She left! On foot. I am just writing her a text, making sure she lets me know as soon as she is home safe. "
"What?! In this whether!" Crystal asks worried.
"I know… But right now there is nothing we can do but wait for her to text back." Kenzi replies.
Lauren looks worried and uneasy. "I can't believe she would do that!" She mutters frustrated in a low voice to her self. No matter what, she still cares about Bo's safety.
There is an awkward silence. Everybody is worried about Bo and Lauren is mad at Kenzi for her part in all of this and at Crystal for betraying her by letting them come tonight.
Kenzi is mad at Bo for putting herself in this kind of danger. But also, Bo did what she always does, she ran away to avoid dealing with her problems, feelings, and emotions. If Kenzi doesn't do something Bo will loose Lauren and with her, her best shot at happiness. - Kenzi honestly believes that, so she decides to lay it all out there.
"Lauren, please hear me out and then I will back off. I know you are mad at Crystal right now. Please don't be. I went to her and she reluctantly listened to me as I explained everything and convinced her that she should let us come tonight so that Bo could explain everything herself."
Lauren doesn't say anything.
"Lauren you know me. I would never do anything to hurt you. And I am on your side here. But I have seen the way you have changed these last couple of months. You have come back to life and you have finally been happy again, genuinely. - Because of Bo. " Crystal says carefully.
"Yeah, but that doesn't matter! It wasn't real." Lauren dismisses and wipes away a tear.
"Maybe, maybe not. I was angry on your behalf, really really angry. I still am. And I almost didn't listen to Kenzi, but I did, and I think you should listen to what she has to say. Please."
Lauren momentarily says nothing, obviously processing her best friend's words. With her arms crossed she nods.
Kenzi takes a deep breath and starts. "I fully understand that you are hurt and angry right now Lauren, I really do. - And you have every right to be. I think anyone in your shoes would be. But there are things that you should know. While this started out as a mindless and stupid bet, it quite quickly became about something else for Bo. Bo changed the minute she met you. Bo didn't see that her self straight away, but I did. Before you came along she would be with a new woman every night, she would never let anyone come close. But then you came along and you got her attention immediately. At first, it honestly was probably mostly about the bet. She wanted to win that bet and she did everything she possibly could to get close enough to you to win you over and win the bet, which is why she got you to let her help out with the fundraiser. But very quickly it became obvious that her attraction to you was about more than just the bet, even if she wouldn't admit it at first. What Bo, nor I, had ever predicted or expected was that she would fall, really fall, for you. But she did Lauren. I know it is hard to believe right now, but it was real. It started out wrong, horribly wrong, but along the way she fell for you, that is real." Kenzi says obviously moved with watery eyes.
Lauren is obviously moved as well. "I don't know how to believe that now." She says and wipes away a tear of her own.
"I fully understand that, but Lauren think back, wasn't there moments where Bo could have made her move but where she chose not to? At the cabin Crystal and I saw the two of you in heated moments and at least three times it looked like the two would kiss. But Bo didn't kiss you. She pulled away when she was laying on top of you at the shore and you were about to kiss her. She never kissed you before after the bet was called off. I think she knew, subconsciously, that if she did, there would be no turning back. And Lauren, she had the chance to win the bet outright. The night you were drunk you pleaded for her to have sex with you. She could easily have done it and won the bet. But she didn't. She couldn't. She cared too much about you to have sex with you as part of the bet or take advantage of you in that vulnerable situation. And the next morning she called off the bet. Nothing physically happened between the two of you until after the bet was called off. I am not saying that all of that makes everything okay, of course not, because while nothing had really happened physically, it had emotionally. I get that. But you should know that Bo has never felt this way about another woman. Never. And truthfully, most of what happened between the two of you was real, it was, even before Bo realized it herself, it was real. She has just as strong feelings for you as you have for her, or as you did. - That's why she volunteered to host the fundraiser here at the bar. - That's why she didn't have sex with you the night you were drunk, instead she made sure you got home to bed. - That's why she rubbed your back when you puked. - That's why she put her heart and soul into planning those dates for you. There is more, but some things she need to tell you her self. But do you remember how at the fundraiser you were a long way from reaching the goal. You were nervous that the clinic would have to close because you wouldn't reach the fundraising goal. But then someone anonymously bought a weekend trip in the silent auction for 15.000….. That was Bo. Bo bought that trip. Bo made sure that you reached the fundraising goal. But Lauren, she didn't want you to know that it was her, because she didn't want to use it to impress you, she just genuinely wanted to make you happy. If she had just been playing some game, don't you think she would have told you about that? She fell for you Lauren…"
Lauren is noticeably shocked. She slowly looks at Crystal. Crystal nods. "It is true Lauren."
Lauren takes a lot of deep breathes and starts to pace the living room as she absorbs all of this.
Kenzi and Crystal look at each other, unsure of what way this will go.
Eventually Lauren looks at Kenzi again, staring into her eyes, searching for the truth in her eyes. Then Lauren nods once and heads for the hallway.
"Lauren….? Where are you going" Crystal asks nervously as her and Kenzi follow Lauren.
Lauren doesn't answer but starts putting on her raincoat and rain boots.
"Lauren, you can't go out in that weather, it might kill you!" Kenzi warns.
"I need to talk to Bo. I need to hear all of this from her." Lauren says and opens the door and leaves before the Crystal and Kenzi have a chance to stop her.
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AN: Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it? Please let me know.
It was a chapter that was neccessary. As I have mentioned before, the next chapter "The Storm part 2" is a pivotal chapter in this story and one I think/hope you guys will like. And I won't keep you waiting as long as this time.
I might do the next chapter from Lauren's POV, haven't quite decided yet.
Twitter: Susanne_KJ
