Author's Notes:

Sorry for the radio silence, I was hit with a nasty bout of writer's block. It was a painful and excruciating experience that turned my brain into mush and my fingers to nubs; preventing me from forming sentences and from hen-pecking at the keyboard. But seriously, it was Ugly (and I mean that with a capital 'U'), looking at a blank screen isn't pretty.

Thank you all for your patience as I worked through it and for all your wonderful comments on my last chapter.

Thanks to my Beta, Neytiri's Heart, for all your help and insight; and to T. for being ubber patient with me and for being an awesome sounding board.

Chapter 12 - "Endless Possibilities"

Compound - Gym (evening - day 25 evening)

"Move it Lewis! Thirty seconds! Come on, hit it harder! Just picture someone who really ticks you off and lay into it!" Serena bellowed.

The blonde grunted as she continued her assault on the bag; sweat rolled down her face and into her eyes, stinging them. Images of Tamsin and Dyson inadvertently appeared in her mind and the anger that flared within her caught her off-guard. Lauren's arms pistoned back and forth rapidly as she increased the power behind each blow; her rage fuelling her body. Her fists connected solidly with each punch, thrusting Serena and the heavy bag backwards repeatedly, surprising and forcing the Ignis her to re-adjust her stance in order to provide more resistance behind the bag.

"Fifteen seconds left…. That's it! Harder!" the Light Fae encouraged.

Blonde hair was plastered to her damp forehead; her ponytail swinging from side to side as her body turned into each punch. Lauren's breathing was heavy; the muscles in her arms and forearms, burning as she focused all her energy into her punches. Her gloved hands were a blur as they moved; combinations of left and right crosses, jabs and upper cuts slammed against the bag. The doctor's thoughts wandered momentarily to distract from the biting pain in all her muscles - she imagined that if she were hitting a person, they would've taken multiple blows to the head and body, resulting in cuts to the eyelids, cheeks and lips, a broken jaw, cracked ribs and bruised internal organs. Lauren wasn't a violent person but she had to admit that over these last few weeks, boxing proved to be a great release for her and she had noticed an improvement in her strength and coordination.

"Five… four… three… two… one. Done!"

"Uggghhh!" Lauren leaned against the heavy bag; wrapping her arms around it to keep herself upright. Her muscles were so taut that it felt as if they would burst out of her skin. She was beyond exhausted; the perspiration from her face, neck and arms smeared onto the bag as she clung to it. The blonde allowed her body to slowly slide down the bag till her butt and legs made contact with the ground before gently falling backwards to lay on the floor. Her arms and legs sprawled haphazardly as she enjoyed the cool sensation against her skin.

"That about… killed me." She panted as her chest rose and fell with each gasping breath.

"What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. And you're definitely stronger – your punches have more power behind it; your reflexes are faster when you dodge and block; and you're lighter on your feet when we spar." Serena said genuinely.

Lauren raised her head to look up at the Ignis, a tired smile plastered on her face and all memory of her anger, long forgotten. "Are you, Serena Thorne, paying me a compliment? If so, I'd do a celebratory fist pump but I'm too exhausted to move."

Serena responded with a raised eyebrow before offering her hand; helping the blonde to her feet.

Lauren's apartment (Day 26)

Lauren awoke well rested - her intense workout last night ensured a good night's sleep. As per her usual routine, the blonde arrived at the lab early, conducting a mental checklist of things she had to do. She wanted to make sure she finished all her testing within the next few days before they went to the field; she knew that if she didn't meet her self-imposed deadline there would be a backlog of specimens to test upon their return.

Normally, the blonde was the first one in the lab but as she walked through the outer lab's main doors, she stopped dead in her tracks. Twenty feet ahead of her through the inner lab's glass double doors, was Bo. She was pacing back and forth amidst a sea of laboratory equipment, looking impatiently at her watch. Time seemed to stand still as Lauren gazed at the distracted brunette who had no idea that she was being observed. Bo looked breathtaking; her long, brown, wavy hair framed her face and flowed down her shoulders; her deep purple tank top hugged her torso; and her black leggings and knee high boots clung to her toned legs. Lauren smiled and felt butterflies in her stomach. She didn't expect this to be her reaction but she was definitely happy to see the brunette; she hadn't realized how much she had missed her. The only thing that was stopping her from running through those doors and towards Bo was that she was still processing the fact that Bo was in Brazil for her – there could be no other reason for her presence. She couldn't believe that after everything that had happened between them, Bo still came looking for her; most likely to work things out. The blonde couldn't stop smiling. The thought of them working their relationship out never crossed her mind until now. Lauren had thought that things were too far gone for their relationship to be saved but looking at Bo now, she couldn't consider not trying.

Before Lauren could say or do anything, she heard a clattering sound come from the inner lab. Unfortunately, the privacy panels running along either side of the glass doors restricted her vision to line of sight. Because of this she was only able to observe Bo look up from her watch and walk towards the sound before she lost sight of her. The blonde assumed that whatever it was, it had to involve Kenzi as the Goth was attracted to shiny objects and was never far away from her friend. Lauren smiled thinking of the petite woman; she had to admit that she missed her crazy antics. The doctor sighed, closed her eyes as she collected herself and tried to figure out what she was going to say to Bo – saying that things would be awkward between them would be an understatement, nevertheless, she was willing to try.

As she nervously ran her fingers through her hair and gathered her courage, Lauren heard a loud sound, startling her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see Bo slumped against one of the lab tables; the equipment that resided there, strewn about the floor. Concerned, Lauren cast her anxiety aside to find out what was happening but was surprised to find the doors were locked. The fact that these doors were never secured before had her puzzled. Averting her attention from her glass barrier, the doctor saw Bo lunge forward and out of sight before hearing what sounded like a skirmish. With her heart racing, the blonde quickly re-focused her attention on the doors - all that mattered was that she get into the inner lab to help Bo. She yanked back on them repeatedly but it was to no avail – they were not budging. Just then, she saw a pair of hands reach for Bo and that's when her heart dropped. For the second time that morning, time stood still. 'This can't be happening.' flashing through her mind.

The pair of hands belonged to the blonde Valkyrie who was roughly pawing at Bo's neck, breasts and hips. Lauren closed her eyes and shook her head in an attempt to clear her vision. "I must be hallucinating." she thought. When she opened her eyes again, Bo's fingers were entangled in blonde tresses and she was kissing Tamsin passionately. Lauren felt sick to her stomach; her hands now braced against the handles of the glass doors for support. She wanted to look away but couldn't; it was like being at the scene of a car accident knowing that it was a horrific sight but still feeling compelled to watch.

Just when she thought that things couldn't get worse, Dyson appeared out of nowhere, grinning at both women. Bo shifted her attention to the wolf as he approached her and with a seductive smile on her face, she cupped his cheek and captured his mouth with hers. The vein in Lauren's temple throbbed as she watched Bo alternate between the two Fae standing in front of her; kissing each of them hungrily. Lauren continued to observe the strange scene unfold in front of her, thinking it was something out of an erotic 'Twilight Zone' episode. "None of this makes sense." she thought. Suddenly, Bo pushed the two Detectives towards one another causing a surprised unintelligible sound to escape from Lauren's mouth as she watched the two partners kiss and grope one another while Bo looked on; her eyes a bright electric blue. After a few moments and with a snap of her fingers, they pried their mouths away from each other and turned their attention back to the Succubus; their hands roaming all over her body; their mouths latched onto either side of her neck causing her to close her eyes in pleasure. Lauren's emotions quickly shifted from being hurt and heart broken to that of intense rage. All thoughts of reconciliation were instantly flushed down the toilet. In that exact moment, Bo's blue eyes blinked open and she stared straight at Lauren who refused to crumble under such intense scrutiny. The Succubus held the blonde's gaze and smirked; she then grabbed Dyson and Tamsin by the back of their necks and began kissing them, all the while maintaining eye contact with the blonde.

"BITCH!" The doctor growled out as she slammed her fist against the glass door in anger; the impact causing a loud banging sound to reverberate throughout the lab.

However, the echo didn't fade; instead the sound only grew louder despite the fact that Lauren was no longer hitting the door. The blonde couldn't understand where the incessant noise was coming from or what was causing it as the volume continued to increase. It soon became difficult to think and she had to cover her ears with her hands to block out the now annoying high pitched buzzing sound.

BUZZZ! BUZZZ! BUZZZ!

Lauren abruptly sat up in bed; the blaring alarm clock jarring her out of her dream. After turning off the alarm, the blonde fell back into bed and closed her eyes; resting the back of her hand against her forehead. Her heart was beating rapidly from the emotions dredged up by her horrible dream. Everything had seemed so real. Bo, Dyson and Tamsin had seemed so real and despite her rational nature, Lauren still felt the sting of 'dream' Bo's cruel actions as she tasted bile in her mouth.

The blonde finally blinked her eyes open as she quietly laid there trying to get her breathing under control. It was a few moments later before she realized that the heaviness that she felt in her heart hadn't disappeared and that all the feelings that had seemingly vanished over the last five days were front and centre again. Lauren let out a deep sigh knowing that the bond that she shared with Nayara had faded during the course of the night and her reprieve was unfortunately, over. She had no choice now but to live with her feelings.

After Lauren shook the dregs of her dream out of her mind, she allowed herself to fully wake up and run through her morning routine of getting ready for work and going to the dining hall. It was while staring at her plate of food trying unsuccessfully to sift through the barrage of emotions, that she realized that she would have to go through the healing process all over again; the thought of which completely overwhelmed her and left her feeling hopeless. Sighing loudly she picked up her tray of uneaten food and deposited it before making her way to the lab.

When she walked into the lab, Lauren faltered at the sight of the double glass doors; her dream replayed in her mind as she stood rooted to the spot. The blonde took a couple of deep, cleansing breaths to regain her composure. "It was just a dream; it wasn't real." she repeated to herself as she finally pushed through the doors and glanced at the table that 'dream' Bo was standing in front of. Giving her head a quick shake to clear the images out of her mind, Lauren made a beeline for her office. In that moment she decided that she would cocoon herself away and immerse herself in test reports as she didn't know how to handle this feeling of despondence. Until she figured it out, she opted to distract herself.

It was later in the morning when Nayara made her way over to Lauren's office to check on her. The blonde was so engrossed with what she was doing that she didn't notice the brunette walk in, lean comfortably against the door frame and cross her arms. Nayara observed Lauren for a few more seconds and smiled at the way the blonde unconsciously nibbled on her bottom lip when she was in deep concentration.

The Empath cleared her throat. "Good morning."

Lauren jumped slightly, causing the brunette to chuckle. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Hi. It's fine. I was just preoccupied with this report."

"Yes because those reports are so riveting." The brunette said sarcastically causing them both to laugh. Nayara noticed the dark circles under her friend's eyes. "You look like crap. How are you feeling?"

Lauren rolled her eyes at the brunette, "Just peachy." she said sarcastically. "Even though I knew that our bond was temporary, I still felt unprepared when it occurred. Everything just feels overwhelming and raw all over again." She stood up and walked to the front of her desk; leaning back on it as she faced her friend. "Enough about me, how are you doing?"

"I am off-kilter; sorting out what was real and what was heightened… It will take time to adjust…. for both of us."

Lauren bowed her head momentarily before looking up into Nayara's eyes. "I'm sorry that we had to avoid being alone together these past few days. I missed us hanging out."

"I did too and it's okay; it was necessary. We probably would've done something that we would've regretted if we didn't take precautions." Nayara paused before continuing. "For what it's worth, you won't feel this way for long. It's just the shock of everything returning all at once. It will get better and it won't seem as difficult. I promise." Nayara gently reassured her.

Lauren didn't respond; all her emotions were caught in her throat, restricting her speech. She really hoped that Nayara was right as she really didn't know how she would be able to go through this all over again.

The Empath's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Anyway, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I'll let you get back to work."

Lauren nodded and watched sadly as her friend turned and walked away. She knew that things were awkward between them and she appreciated that Nayara was being patient and understanding with her. The blonde knew that she would have to talk to her at some point but now was not the time for it; besides she wasn't sure what she was going to say. All she knew was that they would have to talk soon. If there was anything Lauren had learnt from her relationship with Bo was that communication was important and she didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

Lauren's apartment (later that evening)

Lauren paced back and forth; she couldn't sit still. She had already done a quick cleaning of the apartment and threw some laundry in the washing machine to occupy herself but nothing worked to soothe her heart and calm her thoughts. She looked at her cell phone for the umpteenth time, checking for messages but there were none; she hadn't heard back from Bo ever since she had returned her texts. As Lauren re-read the texts she sent, she sighed. She was glad that she was honest; however she regretted how she expressed herself. She didn't mean to come across as cold and uncaring; and she really couldn't blame Bo for not replying as her text seemed final.

The blonde felt as if the walls were closing in on her and decided to go for a walk to clear her head and get a change of scenery. After walking around the compound for a few minutes, Lauren wasn't surprised to find herself in front of Nayara's apartment even though it wasn't her intended destination.

Lauren took a deep breath and exhaled before knocking. A few seconds later, she heard footsteps before the door unlocked.

"Hi." She breathed out when the door opened.

Nayara smiled, "Hi."

"I hope I'm not interrupting?" Lauren said as she fidgeted in front of the door.

"Not at all. Come in."

Lauren made her way to her usual spot on the couch, making herself comfortable as Nayara went to the kitchen to grab them a couple of beers.

The blonde smiled as the Empath handed her a bottle before sitting down. "Thanks." They both took a long sip of their beer as silence filled the room.

After what seemed like eternity, Lauren bit the bullet and looked into Nayara's beautiful blue eyes, "I'd like to address the elephant in the room."

"Okay." The brunette said calmly. Nayara had found it difficult keeping her distance from the blonde over the last few days and now, with their bond broken, she found it challenging to sort out her feelings; but despite her own emotional upheaval, she knew that it was worse for Lauren. Because of this, she didn't want to push the blonde into talking about what happened between them. She however, had hoped that this would be that discussion because she hated that their friendship was somewhat strained.

The blonde exhaled, put her beer down on the coffee table and rested her hands in her lap. "I said some things when we were bonded; things that I wouldn't normally say because, well, I'm guarded and controlled... big surprise, I know."

Both women laughed, releasing some of the tension that they felt.

Lauren grew serious again, maintaining eye contact. "But it doesn't negate the fact I meant what I said. I am attracted to you Nay - very much so. I know that things are awkward between us because we kissed and I know that I should regret it but I don't. Instead of normally ignoring my thoughts and feelings, I acted on it and I'm glad that I did because it was wonderful and real for me."

"But?" the Empath prompted, knowing that there was more.

"But I'm an emotional mess and much to my chagrin, despite how much Bo has hurt me, I am still in love with her. I really wish that I wasn't as it would make it easier to move on and get through this so-called life of mine." Lauren sighed, wringing her hands together. "As much as I'd like to see where things could lead between us, it wouldn't be fair to you as I'd only end up hurting you. You're my best friend Nay and I care about you too much to do that."

Nayara smiled sadly, "I know."

"I only hope that I haven't jeopardized our friendship." the blonde said hesitantly.

Nayara put her beer down and reached out to gently take one of the blonde's hands. "You haven't Lauren. Don't think that. You are my best friend and I care about you greatly. Yes, our bonding heightened those feelings and even though I wasn't expecting it to be romantic in nature, I don't regret anything as it made me realize that I wasn't being true to myself. I was trying to deny my feelings and for an Empath, that isn't healthy."

Lauren looked down at their hands sadly before looking back at her friend. "I'm sorry that I put you in this position Nay. I was so focused on my pain that I didn't think of how it could or would affect you."

Nayara shook her head. "Don't be sorry. I did this to help you and if I had to do things all over again, I wouldn't change a thing…. But in the spirit of honesty, I do wish we were more than friends."

Lauren's brown eyes grew wide at this revelation. Even though she suspected Nayara had feelings for her, hearing it out loud made it real and intensified the guilt she felt over the whole situation. The blonde opened her mouth to say something but Nayara held up her free hand to stop her.

"Please let me finish. I understand and accept everything that you've told me. I have never been blind to your situation or how you feel for Bo; because of that, I knew that it could never work between us. It's just that our bonding made it difficult to reconcile that fact." Nayara sighed deeply. "I've been alive for many lifetimes Lauren and I've experienced more than you can imagine. I…" The brunette stopped in mid-sentence as if assessing whether she should continue with that train of thought. "Just know that I cherish our friendship and I would never do anything to jeopardize it or make you feel uncomfortable."

"I know that Nay. I never doubted that for a moment." Lauren smiled tenderly at her friend before reaching for her beer.

A comfortable silence fell between the two women as they quietly pondered over what they discussed. "Where do we stand now?" Lauren asked hesitantly before taking a sip from her bottle.

"Well, I can live with us being really good friends who find each other incredibly hot."

Lauren, not expecting that response, choked on her beer, causing the brunette to laugh out loud.

The blonde covered her mouth, coughing repeatedly. Once composed, she shook her head and smiled at Nayara. "I can live with that too."

"You realize that I'll still flirt with you shamelessly but if I find that you can't control yourself around me, I'll stop. I'm not that cruel." The Empath teased.

"I'm sure that I can handle it but I do appreciate your being so considerate." Lauren said sarcastically.

"Anytime."

Lauren's tone turned serious again. "I did mean what I said before… when we were bonded. You are wonderful and I really don't know how I could've gotten through these past few weeks if I hadn't have met you."

"You're a lot stronger than you think Lauren." The Empath encouraged.

"Please don't downplay this Nayara. I mean it. Thank you for everything."

Nayara nodded and pulled her friend in for a hug; both women smiling within the embrace.

With the tension and awkwardness gone, Nayara asked, "So, how are you doing… really?"

"I'm having a difficult time adjusting to my emotions being back." Lauren sighed.

"It is normal. You just need to give yourself time to acclimatize." Nayara explained.

"These last few days that we were bonded, I felt calm. And aside from us avoiding being alone with one another, I still felt at peace with myself. But now, everything is chaotic; it's hard to concentrate; and my heart feels heavy… Those five days made me forget how I felt before and now I feel as if I'm back at square one. I don't know if I have the strength to do this again." Lauren admitted sadly.

"You can get through this; your emotions are just overpowering you right now. I know that it feels as if you have to start over but you don't. I promise you will feel better about things soon. It won't seem so intense and overwhelming once you have a good night's sleep and once you give yourself time to adjust."

"I really hope you're right." Lauren sighed.

"Who do you think you're talking to? I'm always right!" the brunette said feigning false modesty, eliciting a chuckle from the blonde.

"You've come a long way since you arrived in Brazil. Don't sell yourself short Lauren."

The blonde smiled at her friend in appreciation.

"Would you like to talk about Bo?" the Empath offered knowing that Lauren's feelings about the Succubus were at the forefront of her pain.

"I'd rather not right now. My emotions are jumbled and I'm still trying to sort them out. Besides, we always talk about me. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Why is it that I don't know anything personal about you?" Lauren enquired.

The Empath shook her head. "You know a lot about me."

"I know that you are exactly 2,214 years old but you don't look a day over 35; you are an Aries…." Both women smiled before the blonde continued speaking. "I know that you've travelled extensively and lived all over the world; that you are multilingual and that you've held numerous careers, some of which were: teacher, painter, singer, Archaeologist, Curator, Linguist, Nurse, Psychiatrist, Physician and last but not least, Medical Research Scientist."

"Not bad. You do listen." Nayara grinned.

"Sometimes. What I don't know is why is it that an incredibly beautiful, smart and caring woman as yourself doesn't have someone special in her life?" Lauren asked.

"Well, that's a long story." The Empath said sadly.

"I have time." Lauren adjusted herself on the couch, making herself more comfortable.

Nayara contemplated whether she should divulge anything about her past. Because of her inherent ability, she was normally the one listening to others' problems and was never the one talking about them; in fact, it had been an incredibly long time since anyone had ever asked her if she wanted to discuss what was bothering her. The Empath exhaled deeply; for a being that was very emotional, she was also very controlled – controlling of her privacy and of her past; the downside being that it was exhausting not letting anyone in; and she was tired of living that way. As Nayara gazed at Lauren, she couldn't think of anyone else that she would rather share her past with. "I don't know where to start."

"Wherever you would like." Lauren said softly.

Nayara released a heavy sigh and settled back into the couch.

I came from an affluent family in São Paulo. My mother, who was also an Empath, died when I was 11. After her death, my father couldn't cope and isolated himself from me by involving himself heavily in every social and political event imaginable, so I hardly saw him growing up. Being an only child and an Empath, I was left alone to fend for myself; discovering my abilities and not knowing what to do or how to manage – this all during the worst moment of my childhood. Fortunately, I had a wonderful nanny, who helped me learn about my powers otherwise I would've gone crazy. But aside from her, I was on my own and free to do whatever I wanted, which was both good and bad. Let's just say, I got myself into a lot of trouble growing up.

In my early 20's I started travelling. If it was one thing that my father did for me, it was to make sure that I had enough money, so I used that to my advantage and travelled a lot. What started as a vacation to Bora Bora turned out to be the beginning of my love for travel as I never returned home after that trip. Looking back, it's funny how naïve I was. Back then, my reasons for travelling was to escape; to get away from my non-existent life at home or rather my non-existent family; it had nothing to do with experiencing various cultures and their history or the wonder of being somewhere new and different.

But I was young. I was very carefree, feeding from whomever I chose; doing whatever I wanted and being with whomever I wanted. I didn't do serious relationships. I didn't care about responsibilities or ties or consequences. I just wanted to do my own thing; after all, it was all I knew. I loved being spontaneous - if I woke up and wanted to go to Scotland or Moscow or Rome, I went.

I was like that for most of my first millennia before I grew tired of all the drinking, partying, sex and just being aimless. I decided I needed a change, so I used my immortality to my benefit and started studying and exploring different careers in various countries to determine what I wanted to do. I essentially would choose a job that I considered interesting and then studied within that field and followed that career path. I quickly learned about budgeting and responsibility once I started working and became financially independent, no longer needing to rely on my father as I earned and built my own wealth.

Over time, my interests would change or there would no longer be a challenge with that particular job or if I were living amongst humans, I had to leave before it was noticed that I didn't age. Whatever the reason, I moved on to a different career and country and started the process all over again; hence all the jobs that I've held. However, no matter how fulfilling working within my field of choice was, I still felt as if something was missing from my life.

When I was 1,885 years old, my father was very ill and I returned home from Spain, to be with him and say my goodbyes. It was my first time back home since I had left and I was no longer that young, naïve girl. I had matured considerably since he had last seen me and he had become very introspective during his illness, so we were able to mend some bridges before he passed away but I never got over his abandoning me. Being the only heir, everything was left to me, including the family mansion which was devoid of warmth and love. I just wanted to sell it all and leave for good as there were more negative memories than good ones but I just couldn't bring myself to do so because whatever was left of my mother was still in that house. Instead, I arranged for custodial staff to take care of the mansion and I found an apartment until I could decide what to do next. As I had my own medical practice in Spain, I figured I could use my experience as a doctor here until I made a decision about what I wanted to do and where I wanted to live.

My first day on the job at the São Paulo Light Fae Compound's hospital, I met a doctor named Gabriel who was assigned to show me around so I wouldn't get lost. I remember thinking how handsome he was and that if the job was boring, that at least some good would come out of this. It turned out the job was incredibly boring but I didn't care, Gabriel and I had hit it off immediately - it was the first time I didn't leave a job for that reason. He and I just had this connection; we had so much in common and really understood one another; and for the first time ever, I could be myself completely. Any thoughts of leaving Brazil quickly vanished as we fell deeply in love and married within a short period of time.

We both decided that my familial house would be the ideal place to live – to make the house a home and create new, happy memories there. For the first time since I left home in my 20's, I had found a place that I wanted to stay and settle down. The irony wasn't lost on me that it took me most of my life to figure out that everything that I wanted and needed was here all along and that I had to run away to learn that lesson.

Gabriel and I travelled extensively and we enjoyed experiencing and learning about new, exotic locations and cultures together. We also volunteered with an organization similar to 'doctors without borders' and for two months every year we went to developing countries and helped those in need. Everything was just better with Gabriel at my side; we were partners in every sense of the word and that hole that I had felt inside me all my life was finally filled; I had never been happier.

After 105 years of marriage, with all our travelling and volunteering behind us, we decided that it was time to start a family of our own and had a little boy, Téo. He was a beautiful, sweet, inquisitive boy with sandy brown curls, just like his father. I never thought I could be so happy and it warmed my heart knowing that my parent's mansion was filled with love and the sound of a child's laughter after so many years without.

One day everything changed. Gabriel went to pick up Téo from school while I was at work. According to witness reports, it happened so quickly that no one had time to react. The police said that Dark Fae were targeting one of the Light Fae Elders who was there to pick up their child from school and they didn't care who got caught in the crossfire. Twenty-three children and adults died that day, including my Gabriel and Téo. My son was 10 years old when he was taken from me.

I was a mess. I closed myself off from everyone – friends, co-workers and in-laws. It was then that I finally understood what my father went through when my mother died. I had lost my soul mate of 115 years and my son; I never thought I could feel so lost and empty.

I changed careers as I couldn't work in the same place that Gabriel and I had worked and I moved out of the mansion as it was too difficult living there with everything a reminder. Instead, I filled my time with work to the point of exhaustion before I realized that I was tainting their memory by just existing and not living; Gabriel and Téo wouldn't want me to be so unhappy. So I try to live my life to the fullest for them; in their memory. It's been 214 years since and it has gotten better - I've learned to live again and to love myself and life.

Nayara let out a long sigh after telling her story. "It's been a long time since I've talked to anyone about myself." She said with tear filled eyes.

Lauren, who had been listening intently, was moved by her friend's pain and loss; deep sorrow reflected in her eyes. She reached out and enveloped the brunette in a warm embrace, holding her tightly. "I'm so sorry Nay." whispered into her hair.

The Empath melted within her friend's arms; time had relieved most of her pain but it still lingered and will always be a part of her, however feeling the physical comfort from another, eased some of the residual grief.

After a few moments, Nayara pulled away and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm okay; sometimes my emotions surprise me…. I know I'm an Empath."

Both women chuckled at the comment.

"I appreciate that you trusted me enough to tell me about your past. It means a lot Nay." Lauren said genuinely as she squeezed her friend's hand.

"Well, aside from wanting to confide in you, I also had another reason for telling you." The brunette admitted, sniffing back the rest of her tears.

"Oh? And what reason is that?"

"I wanted you to know that I speak from experience when I say this. I think that you need to find other outlets to help you filter your feelings. I think if you took up a hobby - something outside of Science to occupy your mind and calm your spirit - it would be healthier for you."

"Oh-kay. I don't understand where this is coming from though."

Nayara looked directly in Lauren's warm brown eyes. "You need something more in your life Lauren; something other than Science. You need something that is yours; that you are passionate about; and that you enjoy doing outside of work and that is independent of others. Of course, having people in your life would be great but in case that is not possible…."

The brunette's voice hitched in her throat and as she continued to speak, there was a hint of sorrow, "If I could change things I would. And if it was possible and you wanted to, I think you would be very happy living here. What I'm trying to say is that as much as I would love for you to stay here, you would have to return to Toronto at some point. Call it selfish on my part but I couldn't bear thinking of you just managing to survive day by day. I know you and you wouldn't be able to continue as you have been for the last six years - too much has happened. You need something more than just existing need to have some kind of enjoyment in your life and after everything that has happened, I don't think that you can get that from Science alone, especially what Science has come to mean for you with the Fae."

"What do you suggest?" the blonde asked, feeling the weight and truth of Nayara's words. She didn't want to think about Toronto but she knew that it was inevitable.

"I think you already know."

Lauren didn't have to guess. "I only sing when I'm happy and I can't see myself ever being content as a slave to the Light once I return there; and as for other people in my life, well, that'll probably be next to nil." The blonde felt dejected just thinking about the bleak life waiting for her.

Nayara sensed this. "I'm really sorry for bringing this up, truly I am. But I do think you need to consider changing the way you've been doing things and you need to figure this out before you return to Toronto. I think you agree with me on that."

Lauren nodded, unable to speak.

The Empath continued her explanation. "Sometimes you need to force things to happen. You know when you've had a bad day and someone smiles at you and you can't help but smile back?" Lauren nodded again. "Well, maybe forcing yourself to sing can help bring you some joy, even if it's only for a moment." Nayara explained. "First you have one moment and then another and another; and before you know it, it adds up. I know that that's a simplistic example and I am by no means making light of your situation. I cannot imagine what it must be like… but what I do know is that you cannot continue this way - you need to replace what was lost with something else no matter how insignificant it may seem... I tell you this from experience."

Lauren was sceptical but she trusted Nayara and right now she didn't have any options upon her return to Toronto. "I have some doubts about your theory but I promise I will keep it in mind."

"That's all I ask. And while you consider that option, I have something for you." Nayara got up from the couch. "Be right back."

Nayara left and went into her bedroom; when she returned, she was smiling and carrying a guitar case in her hand.

The Empath handed the case to Lauren. "Here. One of the guys in the lab had an extra guitar and I borrowed it for you. It's yours to use for the remainder of your time here."

Lauren shook her head. "I appreciate it Nay but I couldn't."

In a resolute tone, the Empath said, "Look, I'm not taking this back to Bernard and the guitar is not staying here, so you're going to have to leave with it."

The blonde chuckled at her friend's gumption as she took the case and opened it; smiling, she plucked at the strings before her fingers slowly glided over the smooth body of the instrument. "Thanks." She said genuinely.

"Oh, you will be thanking me alright. Now that you have a guitar, we could practice a few songs together for concert night at Base Camp and blow the male Scientists quartet out of the water! Not that I'm competitive or anything."

"Not at all." Lauren mocked the brunette.

"Besides, it's better to be prepared than forced on stage; not that you know what that's like." The Empath winked at her friend. "No pressure of course."

"Of course not." Lauren chuckled. "Wow, it's been awhile since I've performed with anyone. It'll be fun! And I'll finally get to hear you sing." she said as she smiled brightly at Nayara. "So, what songs do you have in mind?"

Lauren's apartment (Day 31)

Over the next few days Lauren followed Nayara's advice of giving herself time to adjust. She stuck to her routine of working in the lab, boxing with Serena and hanging out with Nayara; being careful of not falling back into old, unhealthy habits of working late and not eating. She also started playing the guitar during her down time, which surprisingly, she enjoyed, so that whenever she and Nayara hung out, they practiced for the concert.

Lauren quickly discovered that focusing on other things – healthy things – helped her not ruminate on her pain as much and she soon started to feel a bit better, lighter and not as depressed. This solution that Nayara suggested, though simplistic in nature, was an eye opener for the blonde and it gave her some hope for getting past her heartache and for her future with the Fae upon her return to Toronto.

Lauren didn't lie to herself; she knew that she sometimes avoided thinking about Bo and the pain associated with their relationship, after all distance did help. However, she also knew that acceptance and time were vital and necessary for her to heal. Because of this understanding, she did her best to try and accept what transpired; to learn from that experience; and to be patient and allow herself time to get past the pain so that she could function normally. She had by no means perfected this but she still had time to work on it before she returned to Toronto. Her hope was that she could achieve a healthier state of mind before then.

Until that happened, she was going to focus on the here and now; and that entailed preparing for her second trip into the field tomorrow. Lauren hadn't forgotten her purpose in Brazil – a cure for the epidemic was her priority. They would be heading to the second Base Camp, which meant different villages and new samples. Aside from enjoying being in the field, this trip meant more specimens would be collected, which would create a significant increase in their information pool as they would have data to compare against the first Base Camp. Any similarities would bring them a step closer to finding a cure.

Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a brand new day and endless possibilities. Lauren couldn't wait to start.

TBC

Author's notes:

Without giving details away, just bear with me a teeny bit longer. The moment you have been patiently waiting for is getting closer. Just keep in mind that nothing is ever easy.