A/N: Sorry it's been so long, folks! Had some real life interruptions, also a little writer's block, then I took an extended vacation to visit my family for the Thanksgiving holiday. But my muse came back and this is what I got. PLEASE review! :-)

Come Back to Me

Setup: Season 1, Episode 1, It's a Fae. Fae, Fae, Fae World. Lauren and Bo meet for the first time! Yay! Canon up to this point. Bo has been kidnapped and brought before the Ash. So what happened between Lauren saying "come with me" and Bo willingly ending up naked on Lauren's exam table? Includes the rewrite of the exam scene as well, but I preserved the iconic line "My god, you're beautiful." (To cut that line would be heresy. :-P) Unoriginal dialogue owned by Showcase is in bold italics.

Bo: Hi. Yeah, hello? Could somebody please just tell me what the hell's going on here?

The Ash: Lauren, take her to the lab.

The Morrigan: Grab her! (brawl ensues)

The Ash: ENOUGH! Lauren needs to examine the girl.

Lauren: Please, come with me.

Bo looked up at she strange blonde woman who gently held her arm, and instantly all of the fight drained out of her. She looked down at Bo with kind eyes and her voice was gentle, almost apologetic. Bo was still disoriented and worried about her fate, but she decided that allowing this woman to escort her to who-knows-where would still be a vast improvement over being cuffed to a chair surrounded by the goon squad.

Bo stood up and the blonde linked their arms and led her down a long hallway. Bo's hands were still cuffed behind her back, but the woman's grip on her arm was lax, friendly even. Bo sized her up and thought she could easily overpower this woman, even with cuffs on, but for all she knew, this quiet, striking woman would grow claws and fangs when threatened, just like her bearded kidnapper. Bo noticed they were headed straight for a door marked exit, but there was an armed guard standing next to it. If they were going outside, she could probably break away and make a run for it – assuming her escort didn't have claws and superhuman strength.

"So, uh…I assume you're Lauren?" Bo asked nonchalantly as she darted her eyes all around the marble-lined corridor.

"Oh yes, Lauren – that's me. It's nice to meet you. And what's your name?"

Bo was amused that Lauren sounded so…normal. She had asked the simple question as if she genuinely wanted to get to know Bo. If Bo weren't in handcuffs Lauren might as well have been a new neighbor, introducing herself with a warm casserole.

"Bo. So are you the good cop?"

"Pardon?"

"You know – good cop, bad cop? The bad cop roughs me up then the good cop butters me up. Sorry to disappoint, but I have nothing to confess."

"Oh no, I'm not a cop, and don't worry, you're not under arrest."

"Oh, so the handcuffs must be party favors then? Kinky. Look, I already got the memo that you aren't real cops. But I've been kidnapped, man-handled, a hood pulled over my head and then interrogated by some weird dude who sounds like the spawn of Darth Vader and Barry White. So I can appreciate that you're all Miss Sweetness and Light, but pardon me if I'm not very trusting."

Lauren had been trying to keep her expression neutral, but she couldn't help smiling at Bo's sarcastic humor and bad-ass attitude. She had no doubt that the bad-ass attitude had been legitimately earned, but there was something about Bo that was just… adorable. And hot. Very hot.

"Under the circumstances, your distrust is certainly understandable, Bo. But I'll do my best to change your mind about me."

Bo's heart raced as Lauren nodded for the guard to open the door, and then they stepped out into a large courtyard. She quickly scanned her surroundings and she noticed a space in between two buildings that was obscured by a hedge on the far side of the courtyard. She didn't see any more guards, so she planned to make a run for it when they got closer.

"By the way, if you try to ditch me there are armed guards surrounding this building and we're inside a heavily guarded, gated compound with a three meter high concrete barrier wall. And there are security cameras everywhere, so it really wouldn't be worth the effort."

Shit…so was that supposed to be intimidating in a creepy, fake-friendly way, or was she actually giving me friendly advice? And why does she have to be so damn cute?

"I am sorry about the man-handling and the handcuffs, though. That's not really my style, but for now my superiors think you're a flight risk and a threat to security. But that may change once we have more information."

"How am I a threat? I'm the victim here! I was minding my own business and they grabbed me off the street!"

Lauren smirked at Bo's protestations. Even while whining and feigning innocence, Lauren still found Bo charming. "You were obviously brought to their attention because of the body you left in that elevator. Not the sort of thing that should be exposed to the public."

"I don't know anything about a body." Bo cringed internally; she knew she had blurted that out way too fast to be even the tiniest bit convincing.

Lauren chuckled at Bo's transparent lie. "Relax Bo, there's no need to deny it, I said you weren't under arrest. Our people have already taken care of it. The police will never know anything about you. We know it was just a feeding – but you were rather careless leaving your kill out in the open like that. You're actually lucky they found you instead of the police."

A 'feeding?' 'My kill?' She's talking about me like I'm this week's animal guest on Jungle Jeeves.

"Where are you taking me?" Bo tried to sound intimidating with her demand, but Lauren's manner had been so disarming Bo knew that her own voice had betrayed her.

Lauren just continued to smile amicably. "To my lab. I have to give you a medical exam since you haven't been forthcoming about your species or clan."

"Gee, let's see, ten fingers, ten toes, walks on two legs, wicked fashion sense – I'm a person dammit not some monkey at the zoo! And what the hell is with this clan bullshit?"

"I never suggested you weren't a person, Bo. But for whatever reason, you've chosen not to disclose what you are or where you come from. So deny that all you want. But some facts are not in dispute so it's really pointless to play dumb."

"So what's not in dispute?"

Lauren rolled her eyes. Fine, I'll play along. "You're not human, you fed off that man, you killed him and you left his body in an elevator. And since you've been uncooperative, it's my job to figure out what kind of 'not-human' you are. Unless you'd like to change your story and tell me. Although at this point your denials haven't inspired much trust so I'm sure they would make me do the exam anyway even if you did start talking."

The bottom dropped out of Bo's stomach. "I'm not even human? I-I know I'm a freak, but I'm not even a human freak?" I'm not human. I'm a what, not a who. I'm a thing. "B-But how? I mean…" Ohmigod Kenzi was right… "Am I an alien? Was I marooned on earth like baby Superman?"

Lauren couldn't contain her giggles. If this was an act, it was certainly entertaining. Yet she couldn't help but notice that Bo's bravado suddenly became more…vulnerable? Reaching their destination, Lauren turned to Bo as she opened the door to a new building. "You know Bo, if you really aren't lying, that would make you extremely rare…" she grinned slyly and raised a single eyebrow. "…and infinitely more interesting."

Did she just flirt with me? Judging by the increasing amount of energy radiating from Lauren, Bo probably shouldn't have been surprised.

Meanwhile, Lauren was mentally slapping herself for accidentally dropping her professional demeanor, which was totally out of character for her. Did I just flirt with her? Shit. If she is what I think she is, she can totally see through me. Unfortunately Lauren had no control over her blushing. Busted.

Bo smirked as she watched Lauren's embarrassment – and arousal – continue to escalate. She thought Lauren's obvious attraction to her might prove useful later, to help her to manipulate the situation to her advantage. They walked along quietly until they reached an elevator. Bo broke the awkward silence once they were inside. "So, uh, are you a real doctor or a creepy mad scientist?"

"I'm actually both, but minus the creepy, at least I hope so. You'll have to let me know if my bedside manner is unsettling. I assure you that's not my intention." Lauren looked at Bo with a beaming smile. "My official title is Chief Medical Officer and Director of Research. But you can call me Lauren, or Dr. Lewis if you prefer."

"So seriously, is this like a reverse-alien abduction? Is this a secret government agency that does experiments on extraterrestrials? Am I going to be…probed?"

"Well, if I suspected you were a Skunk Ape, I would have to examine your rectum to confirm the presence of scent glands." All the color drained from Bo's face. "But fortunately for you, I've already narrowed you down to a handful of species based on your kill's cause of death. And you are definitely not a Skunk Ape, so there will be no probing."

"Ok, that was gross. Thank you so much for the reassurance."

"Sorry, just a little Fae humor to lighten the mood." Before Bo could ask what Lauren meant by 'fay humor,' the elevator dinged and they stepped off onto the fifth floor, where most of the people milling about were wearing hospital scrubs. They stopped outside a pair of double doors with yet another armed guard. "I have a patient here for examination, so I need the cuffs removed, please."

The guard nodded and silently unlocked and removed Bo's handcuffs, then Lauren ushered her into the lab.

"Ok people, our patient is here, so I need you all to clear out for a while." As the lab staff started filtering out of the room, Lauren led Bo over to an exam table. "Hop up and have a seat, Bo." Lauren rummaged around in a cupboard until she found a fresh exam gown and placed it on the table.

"I'm going to take a blood sample first, then I'll need you to undress and put on the exam gown with the opening in the back. I apologize for the lack of privacy, I usually see patients in the hospital wing in a proper exam room, but since this is a rush job, I don't have time to wait for your blood test results."

Bo shrugged and climbed up on the table and held out her arm. "Knock yourself out, doc."

When Lauren finished collecting the blood sample, she attached a label to the vial and dropped it in her lab coat pocket. "Ok Bo, I'm going to go get started processing your sample while you get changed into the gown."

Bo smirked as she picked up the folded garment. "This is a gown? Since when do they make clothes out of paper towels?"

"Ah, yes – it's disposable. Not great for the environment, but saves on the laundering. I'll just be over on the other side of the lab. Oh, and uh, just so you know, there's only one way out of here, and that's past the armed guard."

Bo chuckled at Lauren's casual attempt at warning her against trying to escape. "Lauren, I've just been kidnapped by circus freaks, I don't know where I am or who these people are or what they are going to do to me. If I didn't need you to tell me what the hell I am, do you really think I would have let myself be so easily led to some mysterious lab and then willingly get naked and submit to being poked and prodded like a lab rat? If I had been lying, I would have escaped by now. I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers."

Lauren looked at Bo intently for a few moments, contemplating the sincerity of her assertions. Could it really be – a Fae raised as a human, completely ignorant of the existence of her kind? Scientifically fascinating, of course, but it occurred to Lauren that if Bo was raised as a human, she would also be the first Fae that Lauren might actually be able to relate to – as an equal. Or possibly a friend?

"Fair enough. When I get back, I'll do my best to answer your questions." Lauren smiled warmly and turned to go get started on Bo's bloodwork.

Bo grabbed the paper gown and started to unfold it, eventually shaking it out to get it to open up properly; but in the process it ended up with a long tear up the side. Shit. Once she climbed up on the table, she scooted back so she wasn't balancing on the edge. But unsurprisingly, the gown ripped some more as she shifted position. It tore all the way up to her armpit so she had to hold her arm snugly against her side so she could keep the gown in one piece. This is stupid.

Lauren returned several minutes later with a clipboard. "Your blood sample is processing, hopefully we should have a result by the time we're finished. First I need to check some vitals to see how they deviate from human norms, and then I'll do the physical exam to check for any characteristics unique to other species."

"I don't know what you think you'll find, I've lived in this body for twenty-eight years and it's never looked like anything other than human to me."

"Then you'll just have to humor me, since I have all this fun paperwork to fill out that requires me to physically verify everything." Lauren grinned and aimed a thermometer into Bo's ear and clicked the button, giving her an instant temperature read. "Your temperature is running three degrees above normal, but I assume you're not feeling ill or feverish, right?"

"Feels totally normal to me."

Lauren made a note on her clipboard and then pulled a blood pressure cuff out of a holder on the wall and wrapped Bo's arm. After checking Bo's blood pressure and pulse she made another notation on her clipboard. Then Lauren tugged the top of Bo's gown aside to make room for her stethoscope so she could listen to Bo's heart.

"Well so far, your temperature, resting heart rate and blood pressure are all elevated, but within the normal range of most Fae species, but I can further narrow-down my short list since you only have one heartbeat." Smiling enthusiastically, Lauren grabbed her clipboard and scribbled some more notes.

"Having just one heart is supposed to be special? Shit, have you examined aliens with more than one heart? And what does fay mean – is that a planet?"

Bo frowned in annoyance as Lauren burst out laughing.

Lauren covered her mouth as she tried to regain her composure. "I'm sorry!" She squeaked between giggles. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Lauren closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry Bo, that was really unprofessional of me. I guess I'm still trying to get my head around the fact that you're a blank slate, so to speak."

"That makes two of us." Bo huffed. "So will you please bring me up to speed so I can stop feeling like a complete idiot?"

Lauren cleared her throat and smiled gently. "Yes, yes of course. First of all, you're not an alien. You are very much an earthling, but you aren't human. You belong to a class of humanoids called Fae. Humans and Fae share a common ancestor, but they branched off and evolved separately. There are many different species of Fae, but at first glance they look human, which is how their existence has been hidden from humans for millennia."

"So are the goons that kidnapped me Fae? I mean, obviously the werewolf isn't human, but is everyone else Fae too?"

"Yes, they're all Fae, but different kinds. Actually, Dyson isn't a werewolf – he's a wolf shifter. He can transform partially or completely into an actual wolf. No full moon required."

"Neat trick."

Lauren bent down and took ahold of Bo's left foot, carefully inspecting between her toes. Once she was satisfied, Lauren reached for the clipboard again. "Well, you're definitely not a Lilin. No webbed toes." Bo smirked and raised an eyebrow, but Lauren was too engrossed to notice. Next, she took one of Bo's hands and pressed all around the base of her pinky finger, fully exploring the knuckle and the side of her hand.

"Uh, is there something weird about my hand?"

"Actually…no." Lauren smiled brightly. "I was looking for any signs that you'd had a sixth finger removed. And since you were clearly born with five, I can rule out Quarina. And my original hypothesis is looking better and better." She picked up the clipboard again. "But I have a few questions for –"

"Um, I'm curious doctor, why am I sitting here in a paper dress if you just needed to look at my hands and feet?"

"Oh, uh – yes. It's possible it might not be relevant, but I still need to check you over for clan markings, such as brands and tattoos. Clan marks are usually on the back, upper arms, hips and…" Lauren's voice trailed off and her mouth went dry as Bo suddenly hopped off the table, ripped away the torn gown, spun around in a circle and then spread her arms with a flourish, as if to say 'ta-da!'

For the first time ever in her medical career, Lauren's professional eye completely abandoned her in the middle of an exam. In the instant Bo tore away the exam gown, she ceased being a fascinating Fae specimen of unknown origin. Bo's true nature was an intoxicating feast of sensuality that held Lauren and her hormones captive from the moment she got her first full view of Bo's breathtaking nude body.

"My god, you're beautiful."

Bo's original intention was to get the pointless exam over with so she could ditch the stupid paper gown and get back into her regular clothes. She knew there were no 'clan markings' to see and she just wanted to bypass the bullshit and start getting answers. But as she watched the doctor's aura flare up blindingly from arousal she stopped to savor the moment. It wasn't uncommon for Bo to trigger a similar reaction in others, but seeing this attractive woman helplessly stripped of her professional decorum was utterly delicious to behold.

"Is that your professional opinion, doctor?" Bo grinned deviously, her voice dripping with salacious intent. "By the way, my eyes are up here."

Lauren was trapped in her own cloud of lust for several more moments before it finally registered that she was blatantly ogling her patient. With an undignified squeak she averted her eyes and focused on her clipboard as she tried to rein in her libido and control her breathing. Her first instinct was to make some lame comment to cover her embarrassment, but she knew it was pointless.

"I think we both know that was far from a professional assessment, Bo." Lauren confessed contritely, her eyes never leaving her clipboard. "That was grossly inappropriate, and I can't apologize enough. Please, by all means, feel free to get dressed. And once I recover some of my dignity, I have some more questions for you."

Bo smirked as she reached for her pants. "Look, don't worry about it. No apology needed. And for what it's worth, you're cute when you're flustered."

Lauren chuckled self-consciously. "Flirting isn't really helping, you know."

"Sorry. So, back to business. As I'm sure you could see, I don't have any marks. I actually got a tattoo once, but it disappeared the next time I, uh, killed someone."

Lauren's eyes lit up in recognition. "Actually, that further confirms my suspicions. Have you ever had an injury that instantly healed after you fed?"

"Fed? So that's what I'm doing? I mean, it always gives me a rush that I'm obviously addicted to. And yeah, the miraculous healing thing has happened before. But I never really thought of it as feeding. Shit, I'm like eating people?" Killing people was horrific enough, but the idea that she was consuming her victims made Bo's stomach turn. "Oh, and uh, it's safe to look up again."

Lauren smiled sheepishly as she looked up to see her patient fully clothed again. "Bo, it's perfectly natural. And you don't have an addiction. You need to feed to live. What you're doing is feeding off their life force, or as the Chinese call it, chi. Humans mistakenly think they are at the top of the food chain, but in reality the Fae evolved to feed off of humans – in one way or another."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? As if being a serial killer isn't bad enough."

"You're not a monster, Bo. You are part of the natural world and have just as much right to exist as any human." Lauren said soothingly.

"Well, I guess that's pretty easy to say when you think humans are just walking happy meals!" Bo accused bitterly. "But I grew up as a human – so to me, they will never be anything less than people!"

Lauren hadn't meant to upset her patient, but she was actually quite charmed to hear a Fae so vehemently defend the intrinsic value of humanity. "Actually Bo, that's something we have in common."

"You were raised by humans too?"

"I was, actually. But I'm not Fae, Bo. I'm human. And I consider your attitude quite refreshing and admirable."

"You…but – are you crazy? How can you…I mean, do they know that? Holy shit, Lauren, you're working for a bunch of freaks that would eat you for dinner!"

"They aren't freaks, they are just as natural as any animal predator, just extremely more intelligent. Their existence isn't good or bad, it's just the natural order of things. But I assure you, nobody is going to feed off me. I'm far too useful to them. True, the Fae don't have a high regard for humans in general, but for me the Fae are a scientific goldmine. So it's a mutually beneficial arrangement."

"That's a hell of a compromise to make just to get your academic jollies."

"Such is the burden of a pathologically curious science nerd." Lauren smiled sincerely, though she was hoping to direct the conversation away from her relationship to the Fae. That was way too personal a subject for someone she just met. "But enough about me. So tell me, when you feed, is it usually when you're having sex? And yes, that is a strictly professional question."

"No disclaimer needed, doctor. But yeah, it's usually during sex, but sometimes all I have to do is make out with them. So I'm not just a killer, I'm a perv too."

"Not at all. The chi that you need to consume comes from the generation of sexual energy. Even if you are just kissing, I suspect that the person you're feeding from gets unusually aroused. It's perfectly normal."

"Lauren…" Bo sighed heavily. "What the hell am I?"

"I'd say the evidence is pretty conclusive, even without your bloodwork results. You're a succubus, Bo. A perfectly normal, natural succubus. And you have nothing to be ashamed of."

"How can you be so casual about it? I kill people. Habitually."

"I did want to ask about that. I'm not judging, but…does your feeding always result in a kill?"

"Well, yeah. That's how it works. Once it starts, I can't stop. It just won't shut off until they're dead. I finally gave up trying to stop. All I could do is try not to do it as often. I'd hold out until I just couldn't stand it anymore, and then the cycle starts all over again – kill someone, dump the body, then move on to a new town and a new identity."

"God Bo, I'm so sorry." Lauren felt a pang in her heart as she finally saw the pain in Bo's eyes that up till now had been hidden behind her brash exterior. "That's…that's just no way to live. It must be exhausting…and very lonely."

Bo's first instinct was to recoil from Lauren's pity, but when she saw the warm empathy in the doctor's eyes, Bo's defenses fell away.

"But it doesn't have to be that way, Bo."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid your killing spree is an unfortunate consequence of not being raised by your own kind, otherwise you would have been trained to control your abilities by now."

"But, but how? Lauren, I swear – I've tried so hard! Are you seriously telling me that I've spent ten years murdering people not because it was beyond my control, but because I'm incompetent? God, that's even worse!"

"Bo, you're not a murderer and this is not your fault. You've only done what you had to do to survive, and you can't be judged for that. Look, the Fae have already covered your tracks from this last kill, so there's no need to skip town again. If you stick around for a while, I might be able to help you."

"You really think it's still possible for me to change?" Bo didn't dare to hope.

"Absolutely. It won't happen overnight, it's going to take patience and practice. I even have some medication that might help. I developed it for an incubus – which is the male counterpart to a succubus – but I'm fairly certain it would work for you as well. I'll need a day or two to whip up a batch. But in the meantime, you'll be relieved to know that you can safely feed from a Fae without hurting them."

"Holy shit! Really?" Bo was suddenly so excited that she instinctively pulled Lauren into a grateful hug. "Oh my god…I, I don't have to kill anyone again – ever?"

Lauren was shocked by the sudden affectionate gesture from a relative stranger, but within less than a second of being in Bo's embrace, she felt like she had come home – and it made her heart ache a little. "Yes, Bo." Lauren gently pulled away so she could look Bo in the face. "You don't have to kill anyone again."

Despite her giddiness, Bo suddenly realized she had invaded the personal space of a woman she barely knew. With a sheepish grin she gently stepped away from the doctor, immediately noticing that she missed the comforting contact.

"Of course, it's still a good idea to learn how to feed safely from humans, you never know when you might be in a situation where humans are your only feeding option. Actually, most Fae don't have to kill to feed, which helps reduce the risk of the Fae world being exposed to humans. But accidents do happen. That's why there are Fae on the police force to help cover up mishaps. Leaving a body out in the open was a red flag that led the Fae right to you."

"Shit. I almost forgot about that little situation. So what are they going to do with me?"

"I don't know exactly. But I'm fairly certain that they aren't happy to discover a mysterious unaligned Fae in their midst."

"What does that mean, unaligned?"

"The Fae are sharply divided into two rival factions, the Light and the Dark. Most likely they are going to demand that you choose a side, otherwise they might make life difficult for you."

"Well that's fucked up."

"Right now, you're a wild card with no allegiance, so they perceive you as a threat."

"Well obviously I need to stay close to the Fae if I wanna stop killing people – but as for joining their little club? No offence, but your Fae friends seem like a bunch of mob thugs to me. So no thanks."

"I wish it were that simple. I can appreciate your not wanting the Fae butting into your life, but ironically, the Fae are more likely to leave you alone if you pick a side. Now that you're on their radar, I can guarantee they won't let you out of their sight even if you try to leave town. I know that probably offends your independent nature, but for now, you actually need the Fae. And it would be good for you to have the chance to learn about your own kind. Besides, the Fae aren't all thugs, some are actually quite nice, considering. You've only met the ones who are involved with Fae law enforcement, so they aren't exactly the welcome wagon."

"I'll think about it, but I make no promises."

"For what it's worth, I work for the Light Fae. It would be much easier for me to help you if you side with the Light. If you choose the Dark I wouldn't be allowed to have contact with you at all. And I have a feeling that you're the type that would find the Dark Fae…distasteful."

"And why is that?"

Lauren smiled slyly. "Because you have a conscience."

"Oh."

Before Bo had a chance to ask Lauren to elaborate further, the large double doors to the lab slid open and Dyson strode in briskly, brandishing handcuffs.

"Have you finished your exam, doctor? The Ash grows impatient."

"We're just finishing up. Dyson, in the future, if you know I'm with a patient, please use the intercom before barging in. A patient undergoing an exam is entitled to a modicum of privacy, regardless of who they are."

"She looks reasonably decent to me." He replied curtly. "So, do you have a verdict?"

Lauren quickly swallowed down her annoyance. "Yes, I'll be forwarding my formal report to the Ash shortly. But you can let him know she's a succubus."

"A succubus?" He smirked knowingly. "Then I'm actually surprised she's dressed after all. You probably should have been assigned a chaperone."

Lauren's annoyance immediately bloomed into full-fledged irritation. "As long as you are in my lab I would appreciate it if you kept your innuendo to yourself."

"Relax doctor," Dyson said as he walked over to Bo. "It was a comment on her nature, not your character."

"You know I can hear you, right?" Bo snapped.

"Hands behind your back, please." Dyson commanded quietly, holding up the handcuffs.

Bo just crossed her arms and scowled.

Dyson sighed wearily. "I'm just doing my job. I really don't want to use force." He paused a moment before adding, "And I'm sorry I was rude."

Bo looked at Lauren to gauge her reaction, but by the look of resignation on the doctor's face it was clear that resistance wouldn't be in her best interest.

"It's best to just do what he says." Lauren admitted, though she was cringing on the inside. "Don't give them anymore reason to consider you a threat."

Bo petulantly turned her back toward Dyson and thrust her arms behind her so he could cuff her.

"So what does the Ash want with her now?" Lauren asked in an abrupt tone.

"I'm taking her to the old glass factory. They're going to give her the test."

Lauren's eyes widened in shocked recognition. "That's insane! Dyson, she really didn't know what she is. She was raised by humans! She knows nothing about the Fae and their traditions. She hasn't had any training!"

Dyson seemed truly sympathetic. "It's not our decision to make."

"Hello? Again, I'm right here! What the hell are you two talking about?" Bo demanded.

"Dyson, will you give us a minute?" Lauren's voice was calm, but her eyes were pleading urgently.

"Make it quick, the Ash and the Morrigan are waiting."

When Dyson made no move to walk away, Lauren gently took Bo's arm and led her over to the other side of the room.

"What the hell is this test?"

"I wish I could tell you there's a way to get out of it, but I can't. Do you have any fighting experience?"

"I guess. I've gotten into my share of scrapes. I can take care of myself. Why?"

"They're going to put you through a series of physical and mental trials. You have to prove your worth in order to earn your standing in Fae society. It's the only way for you not to be considered an enemy. And they're going to make you choose a side."

"Fuck that!"

"I'm sorry, it's unavoidable. But listen, as soon as you get a chance, try and grab a Fae and kiss them senseless and get as much chi as you can. You need to have as much strength as possible!"

"But –"

"I wish there was more I could do to help you, Bo. Just keep your wits about you and believe in yourself. And when it's over, come back tomorrow and we'll get started working on a plan for you to gain control of your succubus abilities. Bo, you are part of the Fae now, whether you want to be or not. And you're going to need an ally to help you navigate this world. My power and influence are very limited, but I'll do what I can to help."

Bo paused a moment to let Lauren's words sink in. "An ally would be great," Bo said with a shy smile. "but how about a friend instead?"

"That goes without saying." Lauren smiled hopefully. "And quite honestly, I could use a friend too."

"You earned that the moment you told me I'm not a monster."

Without thinking, Lauren pulled Bo into a hug then whispered in her ear, "Now go kick some ass! And I'll see you soon."

As Dyson watched from across the room, he quirked an eyebrow when he saw the human hug the succubus. Interesting.

When Lauren released her new friend from her embrace, Bo smiled confidently and nodded her head, then turned to walk back over to Dyson.

"Let's go wolfy! Bring it on!"

As Dyson escorted Bo out of the lab, she gave Lauren a final glance and winked before she disappeared out the door.

Lauren kept staring at the door for several seconds after they were gone. She was worried, scared and hopeful all at the same time. In less than an hour, this mysterious woman had walked into her life and managed to turn her whole world upside down. I only just found you Bo. Please come back to me.

FIN