Author's Notes:
- This is a continuation from the previous chapter. It was way too long so I had to break it into two parts.
- I know that you are anxious to find out about Bo but to maintain flow and character development, this chapter has to be here to reflect Lauren's experience. With that said, I assure you that it will be worth the wait.
I can't say enough how much it means to read your reviews and comments. I value your opinion about the characters, scenes, story progression, realism, etc.; so a huge thank you to everyone who has left me a comment / review; and thanks also to those following.
Special thanks to my Beta, Neytiri's Heart - thank you for all your advice and awesome insight. It's greatly appreciated.
Chapter 8 - "All Work And No Play - part 2"
Light Fae Compound – Brasília (day 10)
It was early morning and Lauren and Serena were preparing to leave for Base Camp in an hour. They were each doing their final checks before meeting.
The Ignis had finished packing and was double checking that all her personal weapons were safely stowed. Aside from the fact that she was a walking weapon; Serena loved blades and had a propensity to use throwing knives, Shurikens and throwing stars. She had already provided Hale with an early SITREP to let him know that they were headed into the forest and communication may be intermittent even with a Satellite Phone. If there were any issues, the Compound would contact him immediately.
Meanwhile, Lauren was in her apartment conducting a final check of her back pack to make sure that she had everything that she needed. She was anxious and nervous. Going to Mata Atlântica represented her reason for coming to Brazil – to investigate the epidemic and to treat it. She was excited about starting this aspect of her assignment and the fact that she absolutely loved field work made this phase even more exciting. More importantly however, Lauren desperately wanted to help Nayara and her Clan find a cure for this disease and she hoped that she would be successful in doing so; she didn't want to fail as too much was at stake.
The blonde had to do one last thing before meeting up with Serena and Nayara. She opened her dresser drawer and pulled out her cell phone; she was about to turn it on to check for messages but her thumb hesitated over the power button. A part of her hoped that there was a message from Bo; but the other part knew that if there was a message, it would only be upsetting and she just didn't trust herself not to go running back to Bo at this point; she needed a clear head before heading out in the field. Lauren sighed and tucked the cell back into the drawer. She then took out the photo that she'd been carrying with her everywhere; it was worn around the edges from being constantly held, looked at and shoved into pockets. She was about to place it next to her cell phone but stopped herself; instead she closed the dresser drawer and placed the photo back into her pocket. "One thing at a time." she thought.
Light Fae Compound – Roof top
Lauren and Serena had their gear and were on the roof top with Nayara getting ready to board a helicopter. The Empath explained that the Base Camp was just outside of São Paulo in Mata Atlântica and was a 90 minute chopper ride there. As the remainder of the scientists from their team were from São Paulo, they would be the only ones flying in from Brasília.
Once in the chopper, they all buckled in and donned their headsets. It was Lauren's first time in a helicopter since she left Afghanistan and the experience quickly triggered memories from that time of her life: fear, apprehension, exhilaration, sense of duty and pride. Nayara looked over at her friend at the sudden change in emotions but the blonde smiled, indicating that she was okay. Lauren's reminiscing quickly faded as she took in the beauty of the landscape below her. Nayara was right, the view was spectacular.
The helicopter flew over lush green forests, mountain tops and mangroves; long, winding rivers and roaring waterfalls. As they gazed out at the wondrous landscape below, the Empath gave them a little history about the Atlantic Forest; that though adjacent to the Amazon rainforest, the Mata Atlântica had always been isolated from its larger and more famous neighbour; and it in fact was more ancient than the Amazon. Furthermore, being cut off from other tropical forests has allowed the Atlantic Forest to evolve unique ecosystems, which harbour a large number of species that are found nowhere else on Earth.
As they were about to land, Serena reminded Lauren about the tension between the Light and the Dark; and that even though security was in place she still needed to be careful when outside the confines of the Base Camp. The blonde nodded her understanding.
When the helicopter put down in a clearing, the Empath explained that it would be a 10 minute ride to Base Camp. As they alighted from the chopper, the security personnel quickly ushered them into one jeep and placed their gear into another before driving them towards the Camp.
Base Camp – near São Paulo (Mata Atlântica)
Lauren did not know what to expect as they approached the Base Camp. It was circular in shape with only one way in and out and its perimeter was completely surrounded by a 15 foot tall wooden barricade. As they drove in, the blonde got a better view of the Camp's layout. There were military styled tents throughout – some large and some small but with sufficient space between each so that there was no congestion.
As Nayara gave them a tour, she explained that a few Base Camps were erected throughout Mata Atlântica in order to expedite travel to and from the various villages for data collection. Due to the fact that a cure hadn't been found and no one knew how long it would take to find a cure, it only made sense to create semi-permanent structures with magical wards surrounding them for added protection against attacks.
If the Base Camp were the face of a watch, the entrance / exit would be at 6 o'clock; the large tents were in the foreground and closer to the center - they comprised of the Quarantine and Lab tents at 7 and 8 o'clock respectively; and the meal and security tents were at 4 and 5 o'clock. The smaller tents were two tents deep and housed all the staff. They were located in the back part of the Camp along the edge of the perimeter, from positions 9 to 11 and 1 to 3; with the washrooms and bathrooms located at the 12 o'clock position. The jeeps and ATVs were parked between the entrance and the centre where the arms of the clock would be; the large generators were next to the lab; and between the vehicles and the washrooms, there was a section that was cordoned off which housed a fire pit and some benches.
The Empath continued to explain that each Base consisted of 20 staff: seven scientists; eight security personnel / drivers; three cooks; and two maintenance personnel. Every member had their own tent – with the scientists normally on the 9 to 11 o'clock side as they changed out every ten days; whereas the rest of the staff had their own tents assigned as they remained on site.
Nayara showed them to their tents. It wasn't the Taj Mahal but they would be comfortable - each tent had a cot and clean bedding to sleep on, complete with a mosquito net; a locker to put their belongings in; and a table and chair.
Once they dropped off their gear and settled in, Lauren and Nayara made their way to the Lab and Serena to Security. The first day there was spent reviewing the previous shift's notes – which villages they went to; what samples they gathered; if any other Fae became ill; and if so, how many. They also determined which villages they were going to visit during their 10 day stint.
As head of this scientific team's shift, Nayara liaised with the head of security so that they could determine what route to take and the time allocated for each village. Depending on the location from the Base Camp, the scientists could visit one to two villages a day before returning to Camp.
Lauren and Serena quickly fell into the Camp's routine. Lauren, Serena and Nayara travelled with the scientists and the assigned security detail to various villages. The daily schedule would entail having breakfast early; pack up their equipment and lunch rations; and leave by 7 A.M to go to the scheduled village. For the most part, trails to the villages were already established and well groomed due to the continuous traversing over the last six months. For those easier to reach areas, the group got there via jeep or ATV; and for the more difficult to reach villages, they drove as far as they could and hiked in the rest of the way.
Once at a village, the medical team collected blood samples from everyone; they also gathered air, water, soil and plant life specimens; ensuring that everything was properly labelled and categorized. This sample collecting was important for running tests when back at the Compound. It was also mandatory that everyone wore gloves when in contact with villagers. It was determined early on that minimal skin exposure seemed to deter the spread of the disease, therefore, all Fae personnel also had to wear, safety goggles, face masks and cover all exposed skin.
There were always dangers to be expected in the forest – poisonous snakes, panthers, crocodiles; so, from the moment they left Base Camp to the time they returned, Security personnel were always on guard with their main concern being the presence of Dark Fae - there had been a few attacks on staff in the past, so security was always vigilant. Because of this, Serena never left Lauren's side whenever they were outside the Camp.
By the time the team returned to Camp at the end of the day, it would normally be between five and six o'clock. Everyone had to go through quarantine protocols immediately upon returning before they could secure their samples, eat supper or do anything else.
Days in the field were normally very hot, long and exhausting; so the evenings after supper were normally spent chatting in the meal tent or at the fire pit, which was an excellent repellent for the various bugs. This was everyone's way of unwinding and bonding after a long day and because of this, there was a great deal of camaraderie within the team.
Serena would always be in the general vicinity of the doctor when inside the Camp but she adopted a more relaxed posture while within the Base's walls. By the time Lauren retired for the evening, she was always exhausted yet relaxed, so she never had a problem falling asleep. The blonde definitely enjoyed field work and being in Mata Atlântica was the most fulfilling, exhausting and alive she'd felt in a long time.
Base Camp (day 20)
The week and a half in Mata Atlântica were incredibly busy for Lauren and the time just flew by. The blonde was in her element gathering and collating samples and conferring with other scientists. Despite the circumstances of her being there, she was enjoying herself.
It was the last day of their shift and there was a flurry of activity with the scientists packing up their equipment; the entire team would be departing in the morning and the oncoming team would arrive to replace them. Lauren had finished packing and decided to take a walk around the camp instead of staying cooped up in her tent. It was a beautiful evening – the sun was low in the sky and the cool, steady breeze was a welcome break from the seasonal warm temperatures. Lauren's stroll brought her to Nayara's tent.
"Hi." Lauren said.
"Hi yourself. Finished packing?" Nayara looked up from her bag and smiled at the blonde. Whenever she was in Lauren's presence, she couldn't help but smile.
"Yes, all done. I'm not quite sure what to do with myself seeing that everything is packed." Lauren admitted. "But at least I'm not holed away in the lab. I think that's progress, no?"
"No. That's called a miracle!" They both laughed. Lauren had definitely gotten better at taking care of herself during these last three weeks.
"There… finished!" Nayara said as she zipped up her back pack. "Come with me." The Empath linked her arm in Lauren's as they walked towards the fire pit.
The blonde wasn't surprised by the gesture as she felt very comfortable being with the brunette and was very relaxed as they walked arm in arm. Nayara was very charismatic and always made everyone feel at ease, so it wasn't difficult to understand why people gravitated to her; Lauren also was not immune to her charms.
When they arrived at the fire pit, there was an unusual amount of people already there chatting and mingling. Lauren looked at Nayara questioningly about what was going on. The brunette motioned to a bench and they arranged themselves so that they were semi-facing each other; their elbows resting on the back of the bench.
Nayara explained, "As you know, Fae can live for thousands of years and are almost immortal. This existence brought about a very lax way of thinking when it came to life – we took things for granted. However, because of this epidemic, a lot of Fae died; things changed. Our way of thinking changed. It made us realize that we were not immune to death and as such, it gave us a better appreciation of life… I think it's the one of the few good things that came out of all of this."
Lauren nodded, "I can see how tragedy can provide a change in perspective."
"Exactly. So, it's been a tradition since we built these Base Camps, that on the last night in the field, we hold a small concert. We do this as a reminder: to celebrate life; to show our appreciation for what we have; to honour and remember who and what we've lost; and to continue to recognize the importance of Fae and humans working together, side by side."
The blonde smiled at Nayara, "That's a wonderful idea." Lauren was in awe of this Fae clan - they had such a strong appreciation for humans and life; and it gave her hope for what could be for the clan in Toronto. If the Fae here could change thousands of years of thinking; the same could happen anywhere.
Lauren brought herself out of her reverie. "Do you have any hidden talents Nayara?"
The brunette smiled, "I've been told that I'm a good singer. What about you?"
Lauren waved her hand dismissively, "Aside from science and the incredible ability to babble on in a geeky way, not really."
Nayara poked Lauren in the ribs and chuckled, "I don't believe you. I'm sure there is something. Stop me when I get close … you can umm, tap dance? … Do magic tricks? … Play an instrument?"
The blonde smiled shyly, "Well I can play the guitar but it's been many, many years and another lifetime ago since I've even strummed one. I don't think I'd even remember how to play."
"I knew it! You were holding out on me!" Nayara laughed; she had a pure, joyous, laugh that was contagious; Lauren couldn't help but smile and laugh along with her. Maintaining her smile, Nayara looked directly into the blonde's eyes, "You are definitely a woman of many hidden talents."
Lauren blushed and quickly changed the subject. "Oh, there's Serena. I'll go get her." The blonde quickly got up to intercept the Ignis. She needed to clear her head as a part of her was enjoying Nayara's flirtatious nature while the other part felt guilty that she was. By the time they got back to the bench, most of the personnel in the camp minus the on duty security staff were already seated; and a make-shift wooden platform stage, was already set up.
They sat down just as four scientists got up on the stage with guitars and percussion instruments to perform.
Lauren couldn't remember the last time she experienced and enjoyed live music; to relax and enjoy culture. She also couldn't believe how normal and human she felt amidst all these Fae so far away from what she considered home. The normalcy of the moment overwhelmed her and made her smile. The blonde looked at her friend and gently squeezed her hand to get her attention. "I just wanted to say that despite the circumstances that brought me here, I am truly enjoying myself and I'm really glad that we met and have become good friends."
Nayara gazed into the blonde's brown eyes and smiled in response; her smile was warm and bright, "I, too, am glad that we have become such good friends."
Their attention was quickly drawn back to the quartet as they finished performing and everyone was applauding. While clapping, Nayara leaned over to Lauren and said, "Oh, I forgot to mention… all first timers to the Camp have to perform."
Lauren's eyes went wide at this revelation; she looked at the Empath for any sign of it being a cruel joke; when she realized that the brunette was very serious, her hands started to sweat. The blonde shook her head, "I was serious when I said that I haven't played in a long time."
Nayara stood up and waved to one of the scientists who had just finished performing. Lauren watched in horror as he handed over his guitar to the brunette and then her mortification level skyrocketed when Nayara stood with the guitar outstretched towards her. The blonde just stared at the instrument and then up at her tormentor; not moving from her spot. At this point, Serena had inched as far away from Lauren as she could on the bench; all the while chuckling at the doctor's predicament.
"Come on Lauren; don't make me resort to plan B." Nayara reasoned.
The blonde was afraid to ask but curiosity got the better of her. "What… what's plan B?" she stammered.
Nayara cocked her head to one side and grinned; and Lauren instantly regretted asking.
The brunette started to chant, "Lew-is! Lew-is! Lew-is!" The blonde dropped her head into her hands and groaned. Very quickly, the crowd joined in with chanting her name, until Lauren had no choice but to take the guitar out of Nayara's hands. She looked at the brunette and mouthed the words "I am going to get you for this." before making her way to the stage. The Empath sat down, chuckling at the blonde but at the same time, she was very anxious to hear her play.
Lauren sat on one of the folding chairs on the stage; took a deep breath and exhaled. She made herself as comfortable as possible; and plucked at the strings to quickly familiarize herself with the instrument. Looking up into the crowd, her eyes searched and found Nayara's; her voice steady, not betraying the nervousness she felt, "This is the last song that I taught myself, which was a little over six years ago. So please bear with me because I'm incredibly rusty." Lauren adjusted herself in the seat again before continuing, "It's called 'Everything'."©
The blonde exhaled and closed her eyes, tuning out everyone and everything as she focused on the music and the words in her mind. Before she realized it, her fingers seemed to tap into the memory of when she last played the song and they moved of their own volition. Her fingers plucked at the strings without hesitation; capturing and releasing notes accurately and giving her the confidence she needed to continue.
Lauren's body relaxed as she leaned into the guitar and allowed the music to flow through her. Any assumptions about her quiet and reserved personality dictating her ability to sing, was instantly dismissed as soon as she opened her mouth. Lauren's voice was haunting and she sang with a clarity and passion that was unexpected and wonderfully surprising.
Find me here,
And speak to me.
I want to feel you,
I need to hear you.
You are the light,
That's leading me,
To the place,
Where I find peace again.
You are the strength,
That keeps me walking.
You are the hope,
That keeps me trusting.
You are the light
To my soul.
You are my purpose,
You're everything.
How can I stand here with you,
And not be moved by you?
Would you tell me,
How could it be,
Any better than this?
You calm the storms,
And you give me rest.
You hold me in your hands,
You won't let me fall.
You steal my heart,
And you take my breath away.
Would you take me in,
Take me deeper now.
And how can I stand here with you,
And not be moved by you?
Would you tell me,
How could it be,
Any better than this?
Cause you're all I want,
You're all I need,
You're everything, everything.
You're all I want,
You're all I need,
You're everything, everything.
The song triggered forgotten memories; causing the emotional pain to come rushing back with a ferocity that Lauren had not expected. It took everything within her to hold it together and finish performing; to not cry and to keep her voice from wavering.
When the blonde finished playing, there was a moment of silence before the audience erupted into applause. Lauren slowly looked up; smiling sheepishly. To say that everyone was pleasantly surprised by her performance would be putting it mildly - they were literally blown away; with Nayara and Serena clapping the loudest. The Empath still had goose bumps from listening to Lauren sing and had to quickly collect herself as she had gotten swept away by Lauren's voice and her passionate performance.
Lauren quickly dismounted from the stage and handed the guitar back to its owner who patted her on the back for a job well done. Lauren needed space; she needed to get away from the crowd. It was Serena's turn to perform as her security cohorts pushed her on stage; the blonde used this opportunity to slip away and head back to her tent so that she could get her emotions in check.
Nayara sensed the gamut of emotions coming off of the blonde while she was performing; it overwhelmed her and she had to shield herself otherwise she would've been swept up in those feelings. She knew that Lauren was upset and once the blonde got off the stage, she saw her duck away. By the time the Empath made it past everyone, the doctor was already gone.
The brunette quickly made her way to Lauren's tent and found her seated on her cot with her face in her hands. Lauren looked up, startled by the intrusion; her cheeks already stained with tears. The Empath didn't say a word; she rushed over to the blonde and pulled her up so that she was standing and hugged her tightly. This time, Lauren didn't struggle; instead she melted into her friend's comforting arms; her body shuddering against Nayara as she sobbed.
They stood there for a few minutes with the Empath holding her until her sobs subsided. Nayara then guided her to sit on the cot while she pulled up a chair to sit across from her; her hands holding Lauren's.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Nayara asked softly.
Lauren took a deep calming breath. "About six and a half years ago, I learned to play that song for my girlfriend, Nadia. It was one of her favourite songs and I learned it so that I could surprise her. She loved it when I played that song for her." The blonde smiled at the memory.
"This was at a time in my life when things were normal; before everything changed – before the Congo, the Fae, Nadia's coma, my servitude and everything with Bo. This was when life was simple."
Lauren took a deep breath and exhaled. "This song summarized how Nadia felt about me. At the time I thought I felt the same but I knew that I wasn't honest with myself – I cared about her greatly and I loved her but I knew that her feelings were stronger than mine. I considered ending things before we left for the Congo but she convinced me that it would only bring us closer together… I've always felt guilty about prolonging our relationship and not ending things when I should have. But I didn't and now my guilt is further compounded by the fact that Nadia lost her life because of me."
The blonde sniffed and held back her tears. "Nadia was young, vibrant and passionate and she had so many plans. But her life was taken away when the Ash wanted me in his service; and when the Garuda used her as a puppet in his war. Nadia deserved more than that; she deserved to live – to be the successful photographer that she wanted to be; to marry and have a family… to love someone and to have them love her back with the same intensity. Those opportunities were taken from her… she will never get to have that life and sadly, neither will I."
Lauren breathed out, "Nadia is gone and I have to live with her death but I don't know how."
Tears made their way down her face as she laughed bitterly, "But you want to know what's ironic? This song expresses exactly how I feel for Bo; even after all that has happened; after all that I've sacrificed; and despite all the pain she caused me I still love her; I'm still in love with her...Yet she doesn't feel the same for me. What does that say about me? How pathetic am I? I guess karma is a bitch."
Nayara gently squeezed Lauren's hands; she hated seeing her friend hurt so much.
Lauren looked at Nayara with intense sadness in her eyes, "Can you take this from me? This pain and guilt I feel over Nadia and Bo is unbearable. It swirls around my head and my heart and its suffocating…."
Nayara was not expecting this. "You want me to feed from you?"
"Yes." the blonde whispered.
"You realize that it would only be temporary; only for a short period of time. I can't take away your pain completely. I want you to be sure of what you're asking." the brunette said, concern etched in her voice.
"I'm sure. A respite is better than nothing. I'm just so tired Nayara…. please!" Lauren begged.
Nayara removed one of her hands and gently caressed Lauren's cheek; a tender smile formed but there was a sadness behind it. "Okay." she breathed out. "Lie back and close your eyes."
TBC
Author's Notes:
The song "Everything" © was written by the band Lifehouse. All lyrics are theirs.
Have no fear, the next chapter will give insight into what Bo has been up to.
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