I dont own Lost Girl. Just being a fan.
Chapter 3: Vulnerable
Rough breathing against her ear has Bo catapulting herself off the bed. Hung-over, she tightly closed her eyes to ease the sharp pain that pierced through her head, presses her thumb against her right temple. She knows she's somewhere not home but had to think hard who she spent the night with. Slowly Bo opens an eye and sees the scruffy-faced guy from the club, fast asleep and apparently exhausted. Yeah, the stalkerish, persistent man who wouldnt leave her alone. He's not so bad yet she was really after the blonde woman at the bar. Bo tried to follow the said woman but lost her when dog-mugged here got in the way.
His aura was ablaze and she needed to feed properly to survive the next 48 hours (though tonight's kill is techncally a feed). She had seen them together and wanted to pry but the guy couldnt keep his hands to himself and didnt wanna talk. They even stopped twice to make out the roadside on the way to his place. Bo let him drive the Muscle to his house which is more like an abandoned boxing gym—with a bed. She groans, realizing it's an hour drive back to the city and another half will take her to the Crack Shack on the other side of the Metro.
Quietly, Bo puts on her clothes, tip-toeing to make no sound. She finds the door, spares her ALIVE feed one last glance and says a grateful prayer that the sun hasnt come up the horizon yet. On her way to her car parked across the street, an image as good as a dream steals her breath away. It must be what they call Kismet, Bo thought and smirks. The woman from last night, no mistaking! Though no longer wearing the safari outfit. Instead all dressed up in an impeccably tailored suit, opening the boot of some Aston Martin—sleek and pristinely black befitting its owner. Assuming the blonde stranger owns it. Hell, aint she hotter today? Intelligently sexy, looking so fresh and so out of the succubus' league. The car's in front of a typical fenceless two-storey bungalow with shrubs and a couple of trees surrounding it three houses away. Now, that's kinda weird. She belongs to a Penthouse Assessed the brunette.
The suburban neighborhood is as quiet as a ghosttown this early Saturday morn. The woman carries on nonchalantly, giving no attention to the only other soul awake allowing Bo to snoop further. The lady walks back to her front porch and takes some stuff, mostly like empty boxes, and gently places them inside the trunk.
Bo strokes her invisible goatee, an idea in mind. Yet quickly she ducks like a caught peeping-tom when the object of her perving glanced her direction, using the Camaro to shield herself from those unforgetable big brown eyes. Bo heard a car door slammed close some minutes later. And blondie is gone as her car sped off into a young stream of crepuscular rays . For a creature with heightened senses, Bo sensed late the figure standing over her, a tazer in hand.
Lauren had been so deep in her thoughts she wasnt aware of somebody else's presence until she heard the sound of her car boot shutting. She threw a glance at the person's direction who quickly hid itself behind a yellow vintage convertible. She should be alarmed at such behavior but since last night she gives a damn no more. Instead, it reminded her of something, causing her heart to ache. Faint voices from the past begins to come back. *
EIGHT YEARS AGO
Lauren inhales the invigorating verdant scent of summer. She had spent the last four days locked inside her very own laboratory, it felt like her lungs had lived on steams of various chemicals she had been cooking up. She asked Bruce and Jen to leave her alone for at least a few minutes so could enjoy a small quiet stroll in the garden at the back of the hospital.
A sound of camera shutter has her sharply turning her head towards the beautifully trimmed bushes that Dr. Everett herself maintains. Whoever the culprit is had quickly hidden behind them. Despite the slight fear for her own safety, Lauren braved the possible danger and ordered the person to come out.
"Whoever you are, show yourself now!" Gripping tightly her mobile phone, ready to give Bruce an emergency call.
A woman with dark curly hair smiling guiltily had slowly risen behind the shrubs. Lauren gasps aloud. The stranger has perhaps the loveliest smile she had ever seen. Around her neck is a thick strap that holds a camera.
"Sorry." The woman started, taking steps towards Lauren. "Please dont be afraid. Im Nadia," stretching out an arm for a handshake.
Lauren absentmindedly accepted the friendly gesture.
"Im a photographer." nodding at her camera.
Lauren nods back in acknowlegement. "Lauren." Introducing herself timidly.
"Yeah, I heard." Nadia grins. "Sorry if I scared you. I just love taking picures of…beautiful things." Nadia looks straight into the young doctor's eyes causing the latter to blush.
It's pretty obvious that the woman is flirting with her it made Lauren uncomfortably flattered. Nadia laughs at the reaction.
"Sorry, I dont mean to come on too strong… just that I was watching you during the talk and—wow! I think youre amazing."
"Thank you." Lauren said, barely audible.
"Ive been wanting to actually, ahm, approach you but your entourage is always trailing behind."
Lauren finds her voice. "A driver and Personal Assistant is hardly an entourage." Getting a bit defensive.
"Hey," Nadia casually placates her,"Okay I get it." Flashing another smile, slowly melting the young doctor's defenses.
"Seriously, Id like to personally thank you for paying this place a visit. You and your company had been so generous for donating such a huge amount." Nadia glances at the small facility up the hill.
The blonde shakes her head. Keeping the fact to herself that half of the money given to the foundation is from her personal pocket.
"Stine," rolls her eyes, "I mean Dr. Henry is a friend. She and Dr. Everett were some of my mentors. They have the biggest heart I think to build this place for poor children with Cancer." Lauren explains, now more at ease.
"Still, you helping with the funding is pretty awesome." Nadia extends her hand once more. "It was nice meeting you, Dr. Lewis. An honour in fact."
Lauren takes her hand, reciprocating the smile.
"I know youre such a busy person so wont keep you longer." There was reluctance in Nadia's voice but she starts to walk away slowly.
"Wait!" Nadia halts.
"May I offer you a lift?" Asked Lauren nervously, biting hard her lower lip.
The photographer gives her a knowing smile.
The feel of a single tear trickling down her face breaks her reverie. She wipes it away fast and went to her car. Hitting the accelerator, she mentally scolds herself to keep it together until she does what she needs to do. An hour drive to the headquarters will give her enough time to muster some courage. She hasnt slept at all. Reading all night Lachlan's journal recounting the events of a project in the Congo five years ago.
APPROX 7 HOURS EARLIER
Late autumn breeze hits Lauren's face as she comes out of the club using the back exit, her face void of emotion.
A Limo camouflaged in the darkness of the unlit corner of the parking area waits for her. A bald, muscular man comes out of it to open the door for her.
" Thanks, Bruce." She says softly and gets into the limo.
Jen is on the phone but quickly turns to her boss, fingerspelling Ebony's name. The doctor sign-languages back.
"Miss Marquise, Dr. Lewis is currently engaged in another phone call but she will get back to you as soon as she can. Apologies."
Lauren watches as her Personal Assistant listens then cringes when the person on the other end of the line mightve rudely ended the conversation. Jen gives her a curious look in which she answers with a shrug.
Jen and Bruce are some of the few people under her employ who can be casual around her but they would never question her actions.
The woman picks up a thick leatherbound planner. "Miss Coelho-Azul had been calling the whole day to ask if she can include your parents' portrait in her exhibit."
"Ill call her back myself tomorrow." The artist was Nadia's bestfriend. Her eye stinging at the reminder of her late partner.
Jen went through a long list. Once done, she grabs one by one the parcels and folders for Lauren to see.
"Dr. Taft's office had this faxed over. Said you might wanna take a peek at tomorrow's agenda." Referring to the Board Meeting that had her flying back from Africa immediately.
Jen hands her last a sealed brown packet. Lauren takes it fast, staring at it hard. Dr. Lachlan Richardson, a colleague who she worked with in the Congo years back has recently gotten into trouble and is currently in hiding. Beattie Pharmaceuticals wouldnt allow its name to be dragged in another scandal has promised to hand him over to the authorities once found.
Susan, his wife begged to see her before she went out of country, begging for protection in exchange for some very classified information. She clutches it tightly.
It took a few minutes before she spoke again. She pushes the intercom button.
"Bruce, I want you drop me at mom's place."
"Okay, Lauren." "Bruce, Jen both of you take a break for two weeks starting tomorrow."
Before either can protest, she continued. "Consider yourselves on PAID leave for two weeks, I will ask Maria to take care of it. Ill see you both after."
Bruce tries to reason, "But who will drive for you, Lauren? You need a bodyguard too."
"I can drive myself, Bruce. And Ill be okay." The doctor says calmly. "And werent you planning to bring Stef and the kids to the beach?" She turns to Jen. "Jen, do me one last favor, please?" The other woman nods. "Help Bruce get a hotel in Malibu. I meant, a decent hotel for him and his family."
Bruce was about to make a fuss when she spoke again."Bruce, Id love to cover everything but if I missed on something, you see my office once youre back. I dont want you spending a single cent on this trip."
"Gee, Doc…I dont know what to say." The man's voice a bit shaky. For a huge man, he's really a softy.
"Jen, where are my Lionel Richie tickets?"
"Theyre at your office, Dr. Lewis. Inside the safe."
"When is it again?"
"Next weekend."
"Alright then, immediately book yourself and Keisha a flight to Paris and get yourself a hotel room too." Keisha is Jen's fiancee and they are celebrating their anniversary the very day of the concert.
Lauren gently covers the hand of her flabbergasted Assistant. "You two have been working so hard. I want you both to spend time with your loved ones."
Lauren herself was trying not to be so emotional despite knowing that she might never see them again. She brings the packet close to her chest.
Lauren steps on the brake pedal suddenly. Her hands on the driving wheel, gripping it so tight until her knuckles turned white. Quiet sobs became louder and her shoulders begin to shake. As she burries her face in her open palms, her elbow touches a button in the process, activating the audio system.
The song loudly coming from the car speakers drowns the doctor's pained moanings.
Days like these no one should be alone
No heart should hide away
Her touch is gently conquering my mind
There's nothin' words can say
She's colored all the secrets of my soul
I've whispered all my dreams
But just as night time falls this vision falls apart
Into a riddle of her heart, yeah
She's so vulnerable (She's so vulnerable)
like China in my hands
She's so vulnerable (Oh, so vulnerable)
and I don't understand
I could never hurt someone I love,
she's all I've got
But she's so vulnerable,
oh, so vulnerable, yeah
AN: hey, yall...I had posted this before Anna's announcement and really, it made me sad and almost didnt wanna continue...I borrowed some names and apologies if I didnt ask for permission first because that would be revealing myself. If anyone of you is not comfortable with it, message me, I wont mind. Thank you if it's okay though. Also-again, apologies for the poor writing, as one of my fave ff authors and readers of this story said on the review page: write your heart out. Im lazy to read back thus the typos. I wish I can use more dramatically-effective terms but whatever comes to mind thats it. Still, I hope this keeps you entertained more now that S5 premieres in December instead of next month, we need tons of fanfics. love and peace