She felt like a kid again, watching her mother cook as Lauren peeled off her latex gloves and pushed the goggles up her nose. It was fascinating. Every movement Lauren made was measured, swift but not reckless, graceful, even. Lauren was a heavenly body, shimmering as the stars only can and when she worked she shone brightly.
A digital timer alarmed and Lauren hand swept over the glass terrain without disturbing a single beaker, test tube or flask. She added the concoction she had been working on all day to the test tube with Bo's DNA and set the timer again. In another ten minutes she would be injecting Bo.
Lauren never wished for much because she was not one for false hope, but today she wished for Bo's Succubus to return to her. Bo was mostly unchanged. Still brave and stubborn and all the things that made her Bo except her very nature. She had grown pale and thinner, like she was still starving without an infusion of chi.
At night Bo was restless. She clung to Lauren like there was no one else in the world. And sometimes it felt that way. Gone was her overabundant sex drive and what was left was a delicious kernel of what it was before. But the thing about it was, when she was with human Bo she knew there was no need to feed, no body sapping, just pure want and desire. When she was with human Bo, Lauren knew it was more about her than it was about Bo. Not that Lauren would ever begrudge Bo being a Succubus or her exponential sex drive. After all, she had been the benefactor in the past and she was sure as soon as Bo had her Fae back, they would be as they were again.
The how and when of Bo getting her Fae back was the puzzler. Lauren was throwing everything she could at Bo's DNA and all of her results were for naught. She held lightning in a bottle but Bo's kindling wouldn't ignite.
Bo shed her coat and rolled up her sleeve as Lauren prepared the injection. Lauren looked skyward momentarily, trying a sort of willful dominion over her expectations. She normally didn't subscribe to divine intervention but today, she thought, it couldn't hurt.
"I tried something new," Lauren said as she swabbed Bo's arm. "With any luck we'll see some improvement in your abilities." She searched Bo's face before slipping the needle into her arm with the utmost care. "Breathe," Lauren encouraged when she noticed that Bo was holding her breath.
"Easy for you to say. I'm beginning to feel like a walking pin cushion. I just want-" Bo's eyes closed, her body was abuzz with the reaction Lauren had carefully set into play. "Wait," she said, holding up a hand. Her head lulled from side to side, her fingertips vibrated. This was it. Bo was certain.
Lauren placed a hand on Bo's arm as she taped a cotton ball to the injection site. "What is it?"
"It's working," Bo exhaled, smiling.
Bo hugged Lauren tight against her chest when the feelings subsided. She felt renewed, alive again, but there was no telling how much of her abilities had returned without a road test. They stared at one another, unsure what to do next. And suddenly Bo couldn't think of anything she wanted to do more than Lauren. She kissed her hard on the mouth and wrenched her lab coat off.
"Bo," was all Lauren could muster as Bo backed her up against a metal desk in the corner. There was no reasoning with Bo when she was like this, Lauren knew, so she dropped all pretense that she wanted her to stop anyways and pulled at Bo's top. Bo set upon Lauren's jeans, pushing them over her hips before lifting her onto the desk. As she pulled the pants off one leg at a time, Lauren unbuttoned her shirt and shrugged it off. When they came together again, their mouths opened, unleashing a flurry of greedy and potent kisses.
It was as it always had been and Lauren was grateful, so grateful that she finally got it right. Bo smiled down at her, Lauren grimacing as she moved on the cold metal. When Bo disappeared over the edge of the desk, Lauren had some idea of what was coming but she still wasn't ready for Bo pressing soft kisses against her thighs. Lauren gripped the edge of the desk and held her breath. Bo's breath was blowing over her and soon her mouth would cover Lauren in a hasty show of expertise and ecstasy.
"Oh." Her mouth formed the shape of the word before it was heard. "Bo," she whispered. Lauren's hands threaded through Bo's hair but there was no guiding her today, Bo was on a mission all her own. Lauren's hips bucked as Bo concentrated her efforts, slyly pushing inside with a pair of fingers. Her back lifted from the desk and she held herself there, watching the blissed out expression and the wild spark that glimmered in Bo's eyes before letting her head roll back on her shoulders.
It wasn't long before Lauren's white knuckles on the edge of the desk flexed and her hips jumped before she let go completely and release coursed through her body. Her breath came in short bursts and when her eyes opened she found Bo smiling down upon her.
Lauren quickly reversed their positions and peeled away Bo's impossibly tight pants. She lifted Bo's leg and rest it on her shoulder. Bo grinned, eagerly awaiting what came next. Lauren threw a leg over Bo's and pressed herself against Bo's core.
"Mmm." A smile spread across Bo's face as Lauren began to move, slow at first but building intensity as her hips bucked faster still. Lauren lost herself, grinding against Bo, and then found herself again in the jerky movements of her hips, thrusting hopelessly out of control as she came. This time Bo followed, holding Lauren's hips against her and biting her lip as sweet release enveloped them.
Lauren untangled their bodies and sat beside Bo on the desk, whose chest heaved but a pervasive smile made it impossible for Bo to deny any of the feelings she was experiencing. "It's back."
"How do you know?"
"I can feel it-you-coursing through my veins."
Lauren lifted her stethoscope from the heap on the desk and pressed the cold metal chest piece against her breast. Her heart was racing and her body felt drained. She turned the stethoscope on Bo and covered her lips with a finger to keep her from talking while Lauren listened. Her heart sounded stronger, if that was even possible, than it did during her exam before the injection. Lauren removed the headset from her ears and slid it into the desk drawer. Overcome by her successes, Lauren basked in the triumph of science as her eyes roved Bo's bare body.
"What?" Bo asked.
"I'm going to have to sterilize this desk again."
"Again?" Bo shoved Lauren's shoulder playfully.
A smile spread across Lauren's features. She shook her head and laughed. "The desk came with the space."
"Ah," Bo nodded, reaching out to touch Lauren's hair affectionately. "You know, I never thanked you for everything you've done."
"No," she shook her head and looked away shyly. "I couldn't imagine not helping."
Bo nodded. It was these simple conversations, the quiet nods and smiles that added up to big understanding between them. Bo sat up and rubbed her arms. "Brrr, ever considered turning up the heat a bit?"
"It's not often I get the pleasure of such a visit."
"Uh huh."
"That, and my cultures like it cool."
"There it is," Bo teased tapping the tip of her nose.
"There's just one more test," Bo said in the car.
They sat in the Camaro, bodies still abuzz from their encounter in the lab. Lauren studied Bo's expression. She was elated to have her Fae back and Lauren couldn't begrudge her that. After all, she had found herself wishing for its return since this whole mess had begun.
"We can't go to the Dal," Lauren said.
"Dyson's it is," Bo said matter-of-factly.
Lauren shrunk away from this idea. There was a time when she could have given Bo what she wanted now and she wished it away. She grew somber, watching the trees and buildings whiz by as Bo drove with a gusto.
"I'm not sure how I feel about that, Bo," she said, finally shrugging off her shame long enough to make her point.
"Tamsin?" She asked.
The look Lauren cast then said everything Bo needed to know. She was most definitely not okay with this chi-tasting buffet that Bo was looking forward to. "How else am I going to know if it worked?"
"Take mine."
Bo stomped on the brakes and pulled the Camaro to the side of the road. She sighed. "But we talked about this."
"I know. Just this once. You can give it back." Lauren had thought it all out.
Bo's hands squeaked on the leather-wrapped steering wheel before she turned to face Lauren.
With one hand on the headrest and the other tangling in Lauren's hair, Bo leaned in. Lauren watched as Bo's mouth opened and the unmistakable blue stream of life began to leave her body. Utopian bliss filled her belly and Bo was warmed through. Her mouth covered Lauren's and her hand tightened on the back of Lauren's neck. When Bo's eyes opened they were a vivid blue but panic ran through them like a blood curdling scream. She had forgotten how to stop feeding. Her powers were as the others were, infantile and she had to stop or she'd risk draining Lauren completely.
Lauren's eyes were wide with fear. Bo pulled away but the blue stream of chi stretched between them. Bo shook her head, once, twice, and finally the third time which was able to break the connection in complete desperation.
Lauren slumped back into the bucket seat. "Lauren?" Bo asked frantically. "Stay with me." She patted her cheeks. Lauren was breathing but for how long, she worried. Foot to the floor, Bo spun the Camaro's wheels on the shoulder before speeding down the road.
She threw Lauren's arm over her shoulder and lifted her out of the car. Bo felt stronger now, if not quite herself. Holding Lauren against her side she threw open the side door and made their way inside. "Dyson!" Her voice was desperate, edging on tears.
"Bo?" Dyson called from the other side of the gym. He slipped out of the boxing gloves he was wearing and ran to her side. Bo had slumped by the boxing ring holding Lauren. He knelt beside them, taking in the scene carefully. "Bo, what happened?"
"I need your chi."
"With Lauren right here?"
Bo shook her head and grabbed him by the collar, greedily stealing his chi. When it was time to stop, she had an easier time of it. She was learning. Dazed, Dyson watched Bo cover Lauren's mouth as she tried to reverse the tide of chi.
Focus.
She watched the chi disintegrate into the ether as her attempts failed. Tears began to roll down her cheeks and she choked on a sob, holding Lauren's body against her, her head on Bo's shoulder.
"Bo, what happened?"
"I did this," she sobbed. Dyson ran a hand over his face. Bo felt a breath on her neck. She froze and waited for another to follow. When it did she lifted Lauren's head and their eyes met, Bo held her in a fierce embrace, choking back the tears that threatened to overwhelm her. "I thought…"
Lauren covered Bo's mouth with her hand and shook her head. Her eyes fell onto Dyson who met her gaze and scooted closer, cupping her shoulder affectionately. "Never a dull day with you two around." He smiled and scratched his beard uncomfortably.
When Bo walked into the clubhouse carrying Lauren, Kenzi went into Chicken Little mode, trotting around them as Bo shooed her away. "She needs to rest."
"What the hell happened? She looks like hell!"
"Thanks, Kenz," was all Lauren could muster in that sleepy, slurry way that she talked now.
"Oh, good. You can talk, at least." Kenzi lay the back of her hand on Lauren's forehead. "You're all clammy, Doc."
Bo readjusted her grip on Lauren. "Not getting any lighter here, Kenz."
"Oh!" Kenzi hopped and stepped out of the way, following them upstairs.
Bo laid Lauren back on the pillows of the bed and covered her with a blanket. Bo squeezed her thigh. "Get some sleep. I'll be back in a bit with some food." Lauren smiled as Bo slipped away.
"Feel better, Doc," Kenzi said as she followed Bo downstairs.
Bo made a beeline for the kitchen, opening the empty refrigerator and staring into its depths for a long minute. "One egg?" She held up the lone egg for emphasis.
"It was your day to shop," Kenzi pointed out. "You gonna tell me what happened?"
Bo shook her head. "I got my Fae back."
"So you tested it out on Lauren?" Kenzi asked incredulously.
Bo flinched, remembering Lauren's objections to the alternatives. "She asked me to."
"I see everyone was thinking clearly." Kenzi drummed her nails on the counter. "I thought you agreed not to do that anymore?"
"We did." Bo sat across from Kenzi and spun the last egg in the clubhouse on the tabletop.
"The wheels kind of fell off there, hey?"
"The punch line, if you must know, is that I'm back to square one. I can't control my abilities."
"So you need some Fae training wheels, surely Doc has something to help with that."
"Seeing as I almost killed her, I think it's gonna be awhile before she can look into training wheels."
Kenzi snorted. "Lauren sure can hold a grudge."
Bo swatted Kenzi's hand. Standing, she crossed the kitchen, pulling a bowl from the cabinet and cracking her lone egg into it. She began to scramble it with a fork. She set a pan down on the range and turned the element on.
"Really? You're gonna feed her an egg?"
"Got a better idea?"
"Yeah," she scoffed. "How about something that doesn't smell like a stinky, old egg?"
"I appreciate your concern but I'm not leaving her. Not when she's like this. I can't risk another ogre invasion."
"Fine," she said. "I'll go."
Bo reached into her pocket and threw a wad of cash onto the table. Kenzi's hand covered it quickly. "Don't blow it all on junk food. Lauren needs-"
"Spare me the 'what Lauren needs' speech. I got this." Kenzi scooped up the keys from the counter and sashayed her way to the door.
"And no joyriding!" She called after her. Bo sighed and looked down at the egg in the pan. She threw the frying pan into the sink and ascended the stairs again.
Bo stood in the doorway to her bedroom and stared at Lauren. Her eyes were closed, body half-covered. She looked so small and fragile. Bo could barely stand to be so far from her, the need to protect her was vast and overwhelming.
"I'm not dead yet," Lauren said in a gravelly voice.
Bo quickly shuffled to her side and sat beside her. "Kenzi went out for food." Lauren smiled and Bo relaxed a bit as her hand covered Bo's. "Why'd we do it, Lauren?"
She sighed. "It was a calculated risk."
Bo recoiled. "For who? You? Or me? Because I almost killed you, Lauren." She kept her tone even despite the fire burning in her brain.
"I never considered that you might not have control of your abilities, Bo. I should have, but… I just knew that I didn't want to share you so soon after what happened in the lab."
"I'm going to have to feed eventually."
Lauren moved to sit up and Bo reached out to help her up. "Correction," she grunted. "You need to learn how to feed again."
"I suppose you want another shot at a near-death experience?"
Lauren bowed her head and smirked. "I deserved that."
Bo cracked a smile. "Can I run you a bath?"
Lauren carefully swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "You read my mind."
The water rumbled as the bathtub filled. Lauren sat on the bed, staring aimlessly at the stacks of trunks, surrounded by sheer curtains braided onto the bedposts. She had truly gone down the rabbit hole. This was Wonderland. Standing in front of the mirror, she removed her clothes and there in front of it did she see the toll their near miss had on her body. She was gaunt and pale, her ribs sunken, with dark circles beneath her eyes. She covered her mouth and closed her eyes.
"Everything okay?" Bo appeared in the doorway behind her.
Lauren dropped her hands to her sides and opened her eyes before turning to face Bo with a smile. "Everything's fine."