Huge thanks to all of those that have left reviews, and constructive feedback! I was a little at a loss as to how to proceed when it was suggested that I explore the depth of Kenzi & Lauren a tad more. I hope that I was able to accomplish that with this chapter. Again, thank you all for your continued support, it means more than you know :)
As Kenzi awoke the next morning, she delighted in the feel of Lauren wrapped behind her. Taking the hand that lay leisurely across her hip, she brought it to her lips for a kiss before hugging it to her chest.
"Mmm...good morning." Lauren said as she pulled the younger woman closer to her. She basked in the moment, appreciating the feel of her in her arms. She knew that they needed to talk, but for now she was going to revel in the reprieve.
Rolling over to face her, Kenzi looked in her eyes allowing herself to feel the love that shone in them.
Smiling she said, "So about this breakfast..."
"Yes," the blonde chuckled lightly "I keep my promises. I will start on it now."
"Speaking of promises, I take it that you'll fill me on what you asked...sorry...demanded of Tamsin?" She asked with an arch of her brow.
Taking a slow breath, she agreed. "I will but coffee and breakfast first, okay?"
"Please tell me your coffee is as good as your cooking."
"Even better." She assured her before leaning down to kiss her.
After the dishes had been cleared away, the couple made their way to the couch. Lauren took advantage of the her new status in the lab to call in for the day. Tucking one leg under her, leaning on her elbow on the back of the couch she watched as Kenzi mirrored her position.
"So..." Lauren drew out slowly "You want to know what I requested of Tamsin?"
"Yes, among other things." She replied suddenly finding the upholstery more interesting.
"Other things?" Taking her hand it forced the younger girl to look up at her. "Kenzi, what is it? You know you can tell me anything."
Smiling at her as she remembered Olivia saying those words to her before she had brought up her concerns over Evony. Nodding her head "I know, it's just...I mean...it's been a hell of year, huh? Who would have thought that the smoking hot Russian and the sexy doctor would be a couple? I want this "she said without any doubt lacing her words "but I don't know where we go from here. Now that we're back with the fae."
"Why did you come here yesterday? After two weeks, I thought it would have given you time to regroup. Realize that this was..."
"The most I've ever felt loved and wanted? I don't like how Evony went about it, but at the same time would we have gotten together otherwise? I mean I just thought that it would always be you and Bo going back & forth. The first week I tried to tell myself that it was joke at our expense, but she only messed with our memories. Our emotions that developed were all us, even as different versions of ourselves. You were still this lonely person who suffered alone, yet so strong at the same time. I knew that I could trust you and it...was the most normal that I've ever felt. Even though we both could feel that something was off, I was happy. You protected me when you had no reason to, and never asked for anything in return. Do you know what the means to someone like me? My own mother wouldn't protect me..." She looked away at that moment.
"Kenzi" Lauren whispered, her heart going out to her.
"Let me finish, please?" Seeing the blonde nod her head she continued. "When I thought that you no longer shared the same feelings, I was ready to find a way to kill Evony myself. I mean there was no guarantee that you would feel the same, but I still had to take the chance. And I know you want your revenge and even though Bo gave me her okay...I can't help but to feel guilty." She finished quietly.
"I want this too and it's not revenge that's driving me. I just know that Evony will always find a way to disrupt whatever happiness we find. You're right that Evony did help bring us together, but isn't the reason why. Even before she kidnapped us, I always admired that you spoke your mind..." seeing Kenzi's raised eyebrows "even if it lacked tact most of the time." She finished with a smile. "But as different as we may be we're also alike in that we survived in worlds that would have preferred if we fail. As far as Bo, I won't lie...I do love her but I also recognized that there was no happy ending there. You see me, Kenzi, even when I do my best to hide. You don't allow me to retreat. You protect me too even when its from myself. Our time as Natasha & Olivia, let me know that I couldn't go back to the way it was before."
"Then why did you say that you only expected to see me in passing if you couldn't go back?"
"I was used to seeing Bo with others when we were together, but I wouldn't have handled it as well with you. We're not some tragic love story filled with angst over not being enough for each other. As you said, even if we didn't quite know who we were, we were still happy. I still knew where I stood at the end of the day with you, even on those nights I slept on the couch."
Laughing for a moment, she turned serious to ask "So this plan you have isn't a suicide mission?"
"Not anymore." She answered squeezing the hand that held a little tighter.
"Bo, always such a lovely surprise to see you." Trick welcomed her as she walked up to the bar. She smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Everything okay?"
"Did you know that when I was in the Dawning, that was the moment Dyson confessed he had his love back?"
"Not the most ideal timing." Shaking his head over the wolf's actions.
"He said that he didn't like that I was with Lauren, but that he respected it. I'm trying to do the same thing with Lauren and Kenzi. I thought that by doing the right thing that it wouldn't hurt as much. I watched Kenzi for the first week as she tried to hide behind her jokes, the same way Lauren used to hide behind her research." She huffed.
"Not so different after all. I can only imagine how Kenzi survived living on the streets as well as Lauren surviving with the fae those first few years. The fact that she's head of the light fae lab, quite a feat for a human. Now that she has the ability to create a hybrid? Well, lets just say that it's a good thing that she's back under the protection of the light fae."
"Don't you mean back in her cage?" She asked with a hint of bitterness.
"Call it want you want, Bo. But without the protection she's as good as dead. She knows too much and there's the possibility that she could be captured to do who know what. Somehow though, I don't think you came all this way to discuss fae politics."
"You're right, Trick. I..uh..just needed to do some research on a case that I'm working, and since Kenzi didn't come home last night from Lauren's..."
"Ah, you know why don't we go take a look and I'll see if I can help."
"Not now? Lauren, tell me you weren't serious!" She asked her eyes wide with disbelief.
"If you want me to lie, then I wasn't..."
"Why? I mean...how could you be so selfish? Why ask for an all expense paid vacation?!" It then dawned on her. "Wait, it was going to be your last before you could carry whatever it was out?"
"I was tired of hurting and the last thing I wanted was to be captured yet again." She answered looking down, now feeling a bit ashamed over her original plan.
"Aarrggh, I'm so upset with you right now! I can't believe..." she whispered "...that would have killed me."
"Hey I'm not going anywhere okay?" She pulled Kenzi towards her to envelop her in a hug. "You being here gave me a reason again. I didn't mean to upset you, I'm sorry I was at my breaking point. I couldn't go back to a solitary existence."
"Promise?" She asked locking her eyes with Lauren.
"Promise. That's why I've already been thinking of a different way, which is why I called Tamsin."
"Do you think we can trust her?" She was unsure even though the dark fae was the reason Bo was able to find her during the kitsune incident.
"I think she wants Evony out of the way just as much as I do." Reaching for her phone as she felt it vibrate she saw that she had a text from the dark fae
Meet me at the Dal in 20! T
They arrived at the Dal surprised to see that Trick wasn't at the bar. Taking a seat Lauren glanced at her watch. "She should be here in a few."
Kenzi had gone behind the bar instead of waiting. "What will the lovely doctor have this evening?" She asked needing to lighten the moment after learning of her girlfriend's original line of thinking.
Grinning, she leaned forward on the bar. "Mmm..what do you suggest?"
"Oh, I have all kinds of ideas." She flirted back with a wink. "Not sure if you're quite ready to hear them all yet."
"Is that so? I would love to hear them all, but for now a glass of white will work."
Making a show of pouring a glass, they hadn't noticed Bo standing at the top of the stairs. She watched them as they interacted and yeah it still hurt. How the hell did Dyson do this? Maybe she understood a little though because they looked so happy. Baby steps she told herself. She took a step to approach when she saw a pissed off looking Tamsin make a beeline for them. She narrowed her eyes as she took a step back.
"Here, Tamsin." Kenzi said she she slid the Valkyrie a shot of vodka. "Looks like you could use it."
Slamming the shot down she glared at Lauren. "Whatever this is better work especially with what I had to do!"
"You merely had to retrieve it. I don't understand..." She was confused as to why she was acting this way.
"Skunk ape." Tamsin interrupted indicating she wanted another shot.
"Skunk ape? What does that have to do.."
"The lab tech that caught me sneaking out was close to calling security. I had to pretend that I was looking for her, but since she didn't believe me...I grabbed her and kissed her."
Spitting out her drink Lauren let out a hearty laugh. "You didn't? Babe, just give her the whole bottle." She said she continued to laugh.
"Kenzi, what are you doing behind my bar? And what is that smell?" Trick asked reappearing from downstairs.
"Oh you think that's funny? I can still smell her and not in a good way!" She fumed as she chugged from the bottle.
This only caused Lauren to laugh even more. "I think that you may have to burn your clothes!"
"You don't say?" She asked with a wicked grin. "Have you ever kissed a skunk ape?"
"No! And why would I want to-"
"Oh shit!" Kenzi said realizing what was about to happen.
Tamsin moved forward placing one hand on the doctor's face and the other on her hip before kissing her with such force that the bar stool moved. She would have fallen if not for the other blonde's grip.
Shoving the Valkyrie back. "Tamsin! What the hell?!" She demanded before grabbing the bottle to drink from it for a moment.
Bo watched frozen in place as the scene unfolded before her. She was going to march up there until she noticed Tamsin slip a vial into Lauren's front pocket.
"Now we're even." She laughed to herself. "You didn't lose anything did you? Make sure you have everything you need, doc."
Puzzled yet maintaining eye contact Lauren felt her front pocket. "Seems I have everything I need."
Nodding the dark fae finished the bottle before leaving to take a scalding hot shower and most likely burn her clothes.
Kenzi realized that the kiss was a ruse, but she couldn't help but to feel annoyed. "Well, why don't we head back because I am not touching you until you've scrubbed down in case any of that" she made a circular motion with her hand" is on you and I've calmed down enough to where I don't want to kick Tamsin's ass."
"You know a good way to channel that aggression..." Lauren started as they left the Dal.
Slowly Bo came out of her hiding space as she watched Trick wipe down the bar, and spray to relieve the area of the smell. She was now aware that Lauren may have some sort of plan in place, and most likely against the Morrigan if it required something of Tamsin. Whatever it was...she wanted in on it too.
Thanks again for taking the time to read!