When Lauren woke up she was surprised to find that Bo's side of the bed was empty. She normally woke up before Bo on a daily basis, but it seems today her girlfriend decided to change it up. She pulled off the covers, dragging her feet as she made her way to their closest. She felt a little bit better now that she had gotten some sleep but she was still exhausted. Lauren wrapped one of Bo's kimonos around her and made her way downstairs.
As she walked into the kitchen she was hit with the smell of burnt food. She saw Bo, throwing whatever said food was into the garbage can while murmuring curse words to herself. Bo would do this every now and then. She would randomly decide one day, that she would like to cook Lauren breakfast and no matter how hard she tried she always burnt it. It's one of the many things Lauren found adorable about her, most would have given up by now. Lauren slipped her arms around the brunette causing her to jump.
"What are you making?"
Bo gave a huff in aggravation. She knew Lauren was messing with her and it wasn't making her feel any better.
"Apparently, nothing. How do people do this!"
Lauren chuckled a little and released her girlfriend. She walked around the island and sat in one of the tall chairs.
"Well, most develop the skills with their parents or during college when they have no choice but to fix themselves their own food. You learn fast when you're the one eating it."
"How did you learn?"
Lauren looked down at this. She always liked to keep her past where it was, in the past. Going down memory lane just reveals sad memories that had taken years to subside.
"I, uh, learned it from my parents." Lauren said with almost no emotion.
This made Bo focus intently on Lauren. She knew very little about her girlfriend's past. She always assumed Lauren would tell her when she was ready. She could see it made the blonde uncomfortable, but she hoped this was that first step in the right direction.
"Hey," Bo said gently, grabbing Lauren's attention, "we don't have to talk about it. But I'm willing to listen whenever you're ready."
Lauren gave a grateful smile, "Thank you, I will tell you, but not today. We have enough to talk about. Speaking of which, can you come to my office? I want to draw some more blood."
"Why?" Bo said hesitantly.
Lauren gave her girlfriend a look but responded for her sake anyway, "I want to analyze it. You started showing symptoms, maybe I'll see something that I missed before."
"Okay, but after that can we make some breakfa-uh lunch?"
"Sure," Lauren said with a smile while getting up, she gave a quick kiss to Bo before walking to the stairs. Bo followed. "It'll be good for you to eat something after I finish anyway."
After the blood was drawn, both Lauren and Bo made their way downstairs to start making their meal. Neither really knew what to call it since it was almost 4 o'clock in the afternoon. After a little cooking lesson, they both slowed down to eat their meal. Both were a little anxious about this upcoming talk. A lot had happened, emotions were high, and the pair feared that things would be said that couldn't be unsaid. They're past has always been complicated and messy but one thing stood strong: their love. They just had to hold on to that.
"So, yesterday, a lot happened, huh?" Bo tried to get the conversation started, but instead that had come out of her mouth. She squinted slightly at the words that had spilled out of her mouth.
Taking her last bite, Lauren grabbed both hers and Bo's plate, putting them in the sink. She was trying to give herself a little more time to gather her thoughts.
"Couch?" she suggested.
Bo nodded and grabbed Lauren's pulling her down with her on the couch.
"I'm sorry I walked out on you yesterday. I think I just needed – I don't know what I needed but I should have stayed it wasn't right to leave you here alone."
"It's okay, Bo. It was devastating, and you were so excited. I didn't know you wanted kids?" Lauren tried to pose the question so it wasn't putting any pressure on Bo, but she needed to know if there was a chance in the future.
"Honestly?" Bo asked, when Lauren nodded she continued, "I don't think I knew until yesterday. It terrified me before, being a mother. I had two and neither were that great. I just don't think that I would know how."
"Oh Bo," Lauren said with a sad laugh, "I know you've have bad luck when it comes to mothers, but despite that I think you would be wonderful at it. Your protective, and loving. Besides, you should know better than anyone that our parents don't define us."
Bo nodded at Lauren's words. But she paused before asking her next question, "Do you think it's a possibility for us to get pregnant?"
"It's possible. The reason I didn't immediately think to run a pregnancy test is because it's normally the other way around," Bo gave her a perplexed look so she elaborated, "Normally, you would be the one getting me pregnant. Though it is more common between mates."
"Uh, Lauren," Lauren looked up sharply at the worry in Bo's voice, "Trick said something about that yesterday, he uh, he thinks my succubus is trying to mate with you."
"Really?" Lauren said with a hint of fear and excitement in her voice, "What do you think?"
"I think," Bo said, giving Lauren a bright smile while taking both of Lauren's hands, "that I would have no problem loving you for the rest of my life. You're the one Lauren, and no matter how much you doubt that, I'll always be here reminding you otherwise. I would love to make you mine, but you have to be sure that it is the same for you."
"Of course it is." Lauren whispered, emotionally. Lauren grabbed the back of Bo's neck, swiftly drawing them into each other. The kiss was electric. Without thinking she deepened it, and Bo responded the same. She didn't think or worry or fear anything in that moment. She was completely lost in the woman she loved.
Bo moaned when Lauren deepened the kiss. She was ecstatic that Lauren didn't shy away from being her mate. She always feared that one day Lauren would walk away, but she never thought that Lauren might be thinking the same thing about her. She instinctually slipped a hand under the blonde's shirt, wanting to connect with her in every way she could. She loved the feeling of Lauren's warm smooth skin underneath her fingers.
Lauren hesitantly pulled back from the kiss, breathing hastily she asked, "Should we take this upstairs?" Bo nodded and moved the doctor's hair off her neck so she could place sweet kisses there. Lauren let out a surprised squeal, when Bo picked her up, taking them both to their bedroom.
For the next hour, they spent their time bringing each other pleasure and basking in a love that they couldn't wait to expand. Every kiss, touch, movement brought them closer together. They couldn't imagine intensifying their love more than it was now, but they knew that they're possible mating would do just that. And both were excited for the adventures it would bring.
Trick had been going through books all day. He managed to pull every book he could think of that covered diseases, mating, and Succubi. He'd been trying to find anything that Lauren could have missed so they could figure out what was happening to their favorite succubus. Lauren's research had pointed him in the right direction but he has books that she wouldn't have access to, he'd been hopeful that something in them would tell them what was going on. He was starting to give up, when he flipped to the next page and something jumped out at him. He sat up a little straighter and intently reading the page in front of him.
According to this book, there was a disease that could cause an internal battle between soul and fae. The disease would throw them out of balance, so instead of supporting each other; they wage war. It seemed to fit Bo's symptoms: dizziness, her succubus' hunger, and her lack of control over her emotions. The more he read, the more he started to believe that this might be Bo's problem. He blindly reaches over his stack of books trying to grab his phone. Once he got it, he hit three on speed dial. When Lauren answered, she sounded like she had been sleeping seconds before.
"Lauren! I think I figured out what is causing Bo's symptoms."
He heard her shuffling around, and murmuring something to someone he assumes is Bo.
"Okay Trick, you have us on speaker."
"Would you both mind coming in? I know you are probably trying catch up on sleep but it would be easier to talk this through in person. And Lauren, you can look at what I found and make your assumptions as well."
"We'll be there in thirty."
The line went dead. Now, all he could do was wait.
Exactly, thirty minutes later, Trick looked up to see Lauren and Bo walking down the short flight of stairs. Lauren released Bo's hand and quickly walked so that she was looking at Trick's open books. She zoned out the rest of the world while she read over the material Trick had pulled.
Bo looked on worriedly at her girlfriend. She knew this was taking a lot out of her, not knowing. Though she would never say it, Lauren loved being the "no it all" in the room. It gave her confidence and her lack of knowledge about her girlfriend's strange test results was starting to take its toll on her.
Bo quietly walked over to Trick, "Can you give me the cliff notes?"
Trick gave her a confused look at her expression, but summarized what he could on the material that he found.
After Trick's summary, Bo exhaled a deep breath, "Does it say anything about how to fix it?"
Trick shook his head; all the book gave was a brief description. It seemed like this was a very rare occurrence in fae, though when it did present itself it seemed to be in more powerful fae. Before, either could say anymore Lauren spoke up.
"This could definitely be what is attacking Bo. I need to run more tests before I have a definitive answer though. And even then I'll have to think of a way to counteract what is happening to her."
"Lauren, this is a step in the right direction though. Now that we have an idea we can work to finding a cure or a way to slow it down. It's a good thing."
"Maybe," Lauren said solemnly, "but it just gives us more questions."
"Do you think if this thing progresses I could be a danger to people?" Bo asked quietly.
"I won't let that happen." Lauren was quick to respond, "I promise that I will do everything in my powerful to protect you and the people around you. But I want your focus to be on you. Make sure you are feeding more regularly so that you don't tempt your succubus to lash out."
"And Bo," Trick stepped in, "Remember that your instincts are going to be heightened because of this. You might find yourself doing things that are more primal."
"Great," Bo mumbled while dropping herself into a chair, "So as this thing advances will I have any control over my emotions. Because I can do some serious damage, and I have a track record to prove that."
"You are not a monster, Bo." Lauren said, "And you won't become one because of this. You just have to be more aware. Your body, mind, and spirit are shifting trying to figure it out, just as we are. And we will figure it out."
Lauren spoke with such confidence that Bo could only nod. There was one thing that Bo hated more than anything and that was not being in control. She went on a ten year killing spree before the fae found her. And she would not be the one to put her family in danger. She could not live with herself if she harmed them, they mean too much to her.
Bo sensed that someone knelt down next her and it was confirmed when she felt Lauren's arm wrap around her back. Lauren placed her forehead against Bo's temple and started whispering sweet reassurances into her ear. Bo slowly felt the tension that had built up minutes ago leave her.
Trick watched their interaction and couldn't deny that their love was unique. They balanced each other out. Together they seemed unstoppable, and the more he believed it the better he felt. This family has supported each other through trial after trial. And not one of them: Trick, Kenzi, Dyson, Hale; were going to let them fight this battle on their own. All they had to do was ask.
A/N: I have to admit that I was really nervous about posting this chapter. It was one of the more difficult ones to write so far. I wanted to do the "big reveal" right but I fear it fell flat a little in the end. As always, thank you so much for the reviews, favorites, and follows. Please, please let me know what you think about this one. Any advice or ideas are welcomed! Hope you enjoyed!