Author's Notes:

Sorry for the delay. Sometimes when writing, a story gets its own ideas and unexpectedly goes off in a different direction or tangent and in my case, messed with all my upcoming timelines. So, I had to re-work everything after chapter 12. That took a while to sort out.

As for your questions about 'the moment you've been waiting for', everyone has different ideas about what that is. I decided the best way to answer that would be for you to read about it. (Yes, I know, that's just cruel. You should totally comment on how cruel that is after reading this chapter.)

Thanks to my Beta, Neytiri's Heart, for helping me stay true to the characters; to Spcecadet for her awesome suggestions; and to my friend Bev for helping me talk out and re-vamp the entire story's timeline – you're a lifesaver!

Chapter 13 – "One Step at a Time"

The Crack Shack (27 days since Lauren left)

Bo was up and out of bed early, much to her body's dismay. She had gashes and bruises all over her body and every single muscle ached, however, she didn't let that deter her. All she wanted was to get to Hale's office and find out where Lauren was. Healing would come after; Lauren's location was priority.

It was 7:30 A.M. when the brunette limped into the Light Fae Compound. Bo was greeted by the sounds of silence as there was no one around except for the guards which was a welcome change to the chaotic noise that was her life this past month. As she made her way through the quiet corridors to the Ash's office, it finally occurred to Bo why Lauren liked coming in early. The brunette always thought that it was about work but it was most likely the peace and quiet that the early morning afforded her and the fact that it was probably one of the few times in the day when Lauren wasn't surrounded by Fae. Just thinking about the blonde made Bo's heart ache and she wondered if things would ever get better; if her girlfriend would ever forgive her. She shook her head to physically chase away the negative thoughts – she was determined to find Lauren and make things right between them.

Bo pulled herself together as she opened the door to the Ash's outer office. The office was eerily quiet despite the fact that there were five Fae sitting in the waiting area along the far wall. Bo walked past them and headed straight for Hale's assistant, stopping in front of his desk. "Good morning. I'm here to see Hale."

Surok, the Ash's assistant, looked up from the paperwork on his desk. "You mean the Ash." he emphasized. "Do you have an appointment?" he asked haughtily.

"No, I don't but I'm sure that he'll make time to see me."

"I'm sorry but the Ash has a full schedule today, you will have to make an appointment. Let's see…." Surok scanned through the electronic calendar. "His next available time is a week and a half from now. Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Does that work for you?"

"No that doesn't work for me!" Bo almost shouted. She took a breath to calm herself. "Just… please let him know that Bo is here."

"I know who you are but I'm sorry, I cannot. You do not have an appointment and the Ash has a very busy schedule this morning." The assistant reiterated this point by nodding his head towards the Fae in the waiting room.

The brunette didn't have time for this. She didn't come here just to be turned away before talking to Hale. The Succubus subtly leaned forward and gently touched Surok's hand, sending a low pulse through him; the warmth of her hand on his was the only indication of what she was doing. "I'm sure you can squeeze me in. It won't take long." Bo said sweetly.

The assistant's stern look quickly faded and was replaced with a silly smile, "Of course. Anything for you." He said through hooded eyes as he ushered Bo into Hale's office.

Hearing the door open, Hale looked up from his stack of papers and noticed the glazed look on his assistant's face. "That will be all Surok." The Ash said. The Fae hesitated for a second, his hand lingering on the door knob as he took a final, longing glace at the brunette before closing the door behind him.

"Bo. Hi. You look like shit!"

"Hi. Yeah, I know. I ran into a problem last night but I was able to resolve it. I'll heal." Bo said as she stood in the centre of the office.

Hale stood up and made his way to the front of his desk, straightening and buttoning his jacket as he walked. This was a habit that he had developed ever since he came into office. He discovered, through Kenzi, that if his outward appearance showed him to be impeccably dressed and well put together, it made a strong, positive impression on others. That coupled with the simple act of smoothing and buttoning his jacket helped him feel collected and mentally prepared. "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?"

Bo decided to cut to the chase. "I need a favour, Hale. I need to know where Lauren is. I… I need to fix things between us."

Hale was expecting this. He knew that when Lauren left, Bo would eventually pay him a visit but knowing this didn't alleviate his discomfort. "I'm actually surprised that it's taken you this long to come see me. I've been expecting you for some time. Regardless, I cannot tell you where she is."

Bo was taken aback. She had not anticipated that Hale would not tell her where Lauren was. It never occurred to her that he wouldn't give her the information. "You know how I feel about Lauren. I thought you of all people would understand. Why won't you tell me where she is?" she asked perplexed.

Hale sighed. "Bo, I don't know the whole story but what I do know is that the Doc wanted out. She knew that you were aware that Dyson had his love back and begged me to send her on this assignment as she didn't want to be around either of you. All she wanted was to get away to sort things out while also helping others."

Bo's heart lurched. She already knew that Lauren had requested this assignment but hearing it from Hale was just further proof of how much she had hurt the woman she loved. Lauren was never one to reveal her fears or emotional concerns as she didn't want to be considered weak yet she confided in Hale instead of her girlfriend. Bo knew that Lauren had to have been at her wit's end to do so. The brunette also knew that Lauren never ran from anything - she always faced things head on regardless of the risk or consequence but in this situation she ran. Bo let out a heavy sigh; she was starting to doubt her resolve and berated herself. "How could I have been so self-absorbed to not see how unhappy she was to the point that she couldn't be around me anymore?"

The brunette held back her tears and gathered herself. Now wasn't the time for self-pity or self-flagellation; she had to convince Hale to help her. She had to find Lauren. "I know that I hurt Lauren but I want to make it up to her, Hale. Please, tell me where she is. I need to apologize to her and make things right."

The Siren felt horrible. He heard the desperation in the Succubus' voice but he had to stick to his decision as well as honour Lauren's request. "I can't Bo. I am sorry but there is too much at stake here – for Lauren, for the Fae that she's trying to save and for me. I can't have you going after her especially the way that you've been."

"What do you mean by the way that I've been?!" Bo's patience was dwindling; she was getting nowhere fast and Hale's outward indifference was making her angry.

Hale was also losing his patience. "You really want me to spell it out for you? I've received numerous reports and complaints about you every day for the last month – issues about the unaligned Succubus being intoxicated, destroying property and getting into numerous fights, causing serious injury to Dark and Light Fae. You are unstable Bo and there is no way that I'll let you go after Lauren to hurt her or undo what she is trying to accomplish."

The anger and disappointment resonated in Bo's voice. "I wouldn't hurt Lauren! I can't believe that you really think so little of me! I thought we were friends Hale."

It was now Hale's turn to be angry; his voice laced with frustration. "It's because we're friends that I looked the other way and ignored requests to have you punished! It's because we're friends that I repeatedly convinced the Morrigan to not go after you!"

"I never asked you to do that! I can take care of myself." Bo said, interrupting the Siren's rant.

Hale couldn't believe the Succubus' gall and scoffed at her. "You really think that don't you? The fact of the matter is that you've only survived this long because your friends have been helping and protecting you. Even though I am the Acting Ash, my time here is tenuous and I put that on the line every time I defended you against the Light Fae Elders. My hope was that you would come around but you didn't and each time I came to your defence, it was to the detriment of my reputation and good standing with the Light Fae community. Did you really think that there would be no consequences to your actions? Did you really think that no one would notice all the Fae you've injured and all the property that you've destroyed? Whatever rep that you built these past few years, you've now tarnished with your actions."

Bo was speechless.

The Siren continued with his tirade. "You accuse me of not being a friend but what about you? You are only here now because you want something from me. And what did you do when you got here?"

Bo went to interject but Hale cut her off, pointing to the small TV screen on his desk that had a live feed of the outer office. "Don't even deny it - I saw and heard you. You couldn't even be respectful of me and my position in front of my assistant and when he refused your request, you enthralled him even though he was only doing his job. You then cut in front of all the Fae who have been waiting weeks to get an appointment with this office and demand information from me. And why? Because Bo Dennis wants what she wants immediately, regardless of others. Isn't that what got you into this situation to begin with – your disregard for others? Isn't that why Lauren left? So don't come preaching to me about friendship. Take a good, long look in the mirror and get back to me when you understand what you're preaching about. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do. Please show yourself out."

Hale turned away and made his way back to his chair, not looking at Bo.

The brunette stood there for a few moments, dumbstruck by everything that the Siren said, before turning and leaving his office; the sound of the door shutting behind her breaking the silence. Hale was angry. He knew that he was harsh. He hadn't intended to unload a verbal barrage onto Bo but she was being a selfish ass and had been inconsiderate and irresponsible for far too long. He didn't realize how much her actions had affected him this past month until her attitude pushed him over the edge. He sighed and allowed himself to calm down before he buzzed Surok to let his next appointment in.

Bo walked or rather limped, to clear her head; she didn't know where she was going, just that she couldn't be behind the wheel right now as she found it impossible to get Hale's words out of her mind. She was filled with so much hope when she woke up this morning; hope of finding out where Lauren was and then going to her. Instead her heart and spirit felt heavier than ever which she didn't think was possible. The truth hurt but she had to accept it. Hale's words made her realize how incredibly selfish and inconsiderate she had been. She was so focused on fixing things with Lauren and Kenzi that she hadn't even considered the consequences of her actions to those around her.

Bo felt as if she were drowning – drowning in her heartache and in her disappointment of all the poor choices she made. Right now all she wanted was a few stiff drinks to silence her thoughts and feelings. Drinking was her go-to solution to numb everything but she refused to succumb. The brunette knew that the time for quick fixes had passed - that's what got her in this predicament to begin with. Instead she stopped at a diner and picked up two large coffees before making her way back to her car and heading home.

The Crack Shack

As she walked in, Bo was surprised to see a half-awake Kenzi slouched on the couch. "Kenz? What are you doing up? It's 9 A.M."

The Goth groaned as she tilted her head back and to the side as she looked in her friend's direction; the couch supporting her head. "Gahhh, I think my body is in shock and having a bad reaction. I'm serious. I think I have a fever." She brought the back of her hand up to her forehead to check her temperature before sitting up straight. "I was just about to call you to see how things went with Hale."

The brunette sighed as she plopped down next to her friend, handing her a coffee cup. "It didn't."

Kenzi scrunched up her face, "Whaddya mean?"

Bo recounted the entire conversation and how Hale refused to give her any information on Lauren.

"Wow, I didn't see that coming." Genuine surprise was etched on the Goth's face as she took a sip of her coffee.

"I didn't either. He's right though - I screwed up royally. I will make things right but I just want to fix things with Lauren. How do I get him to see that I've changed and that I won't hurt her or screw up what she's trying to accomplish?"

Kenzi knew that she had to intercede. "Let me talk to Hale. I'll get him to listen. But it will go a long way if you kept out of trouble for awhile – you know, to show that you're serious about things."

Bo nodded her thanks and understanding. "I can do that."

After a few moments, the Goth added, "I also think you need to make amends to those that tried to help you while you were Succu-slutting it up."

Bo ran her hand through her hair and sighed, "I don't think Hale wants to see me anytime soon."

"I agree. You need to give him time to cool off. However, I was talking about Vex."

"Vex?"

"Dude, you started so many fights in his bar and busted up his place each time but he never mesmered you or reported you to the Morrigan. I also lost count how many times he helped me calm you down so that we could get you home safely or how often he looked out for you when I wasn't around." Kenzi explained.

The brunette was truly ashamed; she hadn't realized how much she had put Kenzi and Vex through. "I … I didn't know." The morning was turning out to be full of ugly revelations.

"That's why I'm telling you now BoBo. You need to do some serious house cleaning and sort out your shit before you go find Hot Pants."

The brunette's eyes welled up with tears as the reality of how much she had screwed up came crashing down on her. "Fuck, I've made a mess!" Rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands, she exhaled. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Let's not find out, okay?" Kenzi smiled tiredly; she was too emotionally exhausted to make a quip.

Bo pulled her friend into her and hugged her tight, tears flowing down her cheeks. She whispered into the Goth's hair; "I'm so sorry Kenz. I swear, I'll make things right."

Kenzi nodded in response as a lump formed in her throat. The Goth had gone through an emotional and stressful roller coaster ride taking care of Bo and it seemed that the ride had finally come to an end; the realization of which made her feel an overpowering sense of relief. Bo leaned back and gave Kenzi a sloppy kiss on her cheek causing the tiny woman to smile from ear to ear. The Goth had really missed her friend and it was so good to see that she was back.

Kenzi waited till Bo went upstairs; after the emotional and physical beating she took the last couple of days she needed some rest. The Goth took out her cell and hesitated over Hale's name - it had been a while since they had spoken or even seen each other. When she was dealing with the Norn's 'gift', she was scared and went to him for help but instead he turned his back on her and gave her the cold shoulder. Now that the whole Kitsune thing was behind her and her arm was healed, she still had a hard time forgiving him; mostly because she was disappointed that he had let her down when she needed him the most. She also thought that their friendship surpassed the human-Fae divide but she guessed wrong.

For now, she would put it behind her; she needed to talk to Hale for Bo's sake. Looking at her cell, she took a deep breath and exhaled before she started typing.

* Hey. *

* Yo! Sup? *

* Can we meet? I need 2 talk 2 u about something. *

* What about? *

* I think u know. *

* I'm in meetings all day, how about the Dal tomorrow 8 a.m.? *

* OK. *

* Wow, u agreeing to a morning meeting? *

* Yeah. I'll c u then. *

The Dal (28 days since Lauren left)

Kenzi shuffled through the door with her coffee cup in hand and made her way to the bar, grunting her hello's to Trick. She was very thankful that the Dal was never busy at this time of the day; she didn't do mornings very well and noise and excessive talking only compounded her allergic reaction to being awake at this time. Fortunately, Trick knew this and indicated to his office with a nod of his head.

The tiny Goth made her way down the stairs to Trick's office, steeling herself for the conversation with Hale. She knew that things would be awkward but she would try to be civil. When she opened the door, she found the Siren standing in the centre of the room, waiting for her. They looked at each other for a few moments without saying a word; the tension between them making the silence uncomfortable.

Hale was the first to speak. "Hey 'lil mama; long time no see." His calm exterior masked the nervousness that he felt.

His seeming nonchalance immediately irked the Goth and she automatically went on the defensive. "You can thank your guard dogs for that. You trained them well in keeping the human peons out of your presence."

Hale knew that he deserved the snide remark; he had felt horrible about having his guard keep Kenzi at bay but he did what he felt he had to do – Kenzi was a distraction and he needed to keep his focus. "About that... I'm sorry but I had Ash business to deal with and-"

The petite Russian cut him off before he could finish. "I'm not here to discuss that but make no mistake; we will be talking about it at some point." The stern look she gave him made him avert his eyes briefly.

The Siren sighed. "Fair enough. Let's get straight down to it then. What did you want to discuss?"

Kenzi indicated towards the leather chairs so that they could sit down and have a civilized conversation. Once seated, she looked straight into Hale's eyes. "I know that Bo has been a mess this past month. I'm the first to call her on her shit – she was heartbroken when Hot Pants… when Lauren left and she handled things really badly but she's better now. She's realized her mistakes and is trying to fix things. And one of those things is her relationship with Lauren. She wants to go to her and apologize in person; she never got the chance because Lauren just up and left. She really wants to make things right. Can you please tell her where the Doc is so that she can do this?"

Hale shook his head sadly, "I can't Kenzi. There's more riding here than just a relationship gone wrong. Thousands of Fae lives are at stake – that's why Lauren is there - to help sick and dying Fae. Plus, it's political - this is an agreement between two Light Fae clans. I can't have Bo going over there and messing with the Doc's head. If things don't go the way that she wants, you and I both know that she'll lose her shit and it'll fuck up everything that Lauren is trying to accomplish."

Kenzi was stunned. She was certain that Hale would help once she spoke to him and explained that Bo wasn't unstable anymore. "Jesus Hale, this is Bo and Lauren that we're talking about here – they love each other! You know that. Since when did you turn away from doing what's right?"

The Siren was frustrated and it echoed in his voice as he stood up suddenly, his arms gesturing wildly. "Dammit Kenzi, that's all I've been doing! I'm trying to do right by everyone and I'm being torn in so many fucking directions! I'm navigating this political nightmare of a road by myself; trying to change thousands of years of stagnant thinking and it's all on my shoulders. I've learned that if I want to make a difference, I have to think beyond myself and my friends; I have to think about the bigger picture and the greater good for all. So, don't assume that I made this decision lightly." He sighed loudly and sat down now that he was a little calmer after his vent. "I thought you knew me better than that." He said softly, disappointment in his voice.

"I knew the old Hale. I don't recognize this Hale." As soon as she said it, she regretted it but it was too late to take it back.

The Siren winced at her words. "If that's the case, why did you contact me? Why am I even here?"

Kenzi didn't reply. She didn't know what to say or how to recant her harsh remark. After a few moments of silence, Hale stood up and started to walk towards the door.

"Wait!" Kenzi shouted, standing up with her arm outstretched; this is not how she had envisioned this conversation going. She let her arm fall back to her side and in a calm tone she tried to appeal to Hale again. "Look, I don't want to fight. I hear what you're saying. How about this – what if Bo can show you that she's changed? It would prove that she won't go ape shit over there, wherever there is. If she did that, would you reconsider and tell her where Lauren is?"

Hale had stopped in mid-step and turned around to face the petite woman. "If I consider this… how will she prove herself?"

Kenzi smiled internally as Hale was willing to listen. "If Bo stays out of trouble for a week, would you agree to tell her what she wants to know?"

The Siren stood there quietly thinking for a few moments. "Make it two weeks trouble free."

"A week and a half." Kenzi replied quickly.

"Two!" he repeated in a firm voice.

Kenzi rolled her eyes. "Okay, let me explain how negotiating works. You make an offer that is slightly lower than your previous number but still higher than mine; then I do the same when I make my bid; we keep doing this till we meet in the middle. It's called compromise. Let's try this again."

The young thief's antics always made him smile but he had to suppress it. "There is a lot at stake here Kenzi – for me, for Lauren, for the Fae clan in… umm, over there and for the ailing Fae that she's helping. As it is, I shouldn't even be considering this. If Bo stays out of trouble and I don't get any reports or complaints about her for the next two weeks, I'll tell her exactly where Lauren is. She has two weeks to keep her nose clean, starting today. That's my final offer."

Kenzi knew it was this or nothing. "Fine! Deal." She stuck her hand out for Hale to seal the deal. He shook her hand and maintained his grip as if he were afraid to let go; after a few moments he seemed to awaken from his daze and released her hand, a blush forming on his face.

The Goth pretended not to notice. "Know that I'm holding you to this." She said firmly.

"I have no doubt that you will." Hale said softly.

Later at the Crack Shack

Kenzi wasn't sure how her friend was going to react to the news but Bo surprised her by handling it well. In Bo's mind she had no choice - Hale was the only one who knew where Lauren was and she didn't want to enthrall him for the information as that would wreck whatever was left of their friendship. The brunette was determined to stay out of trouble as she wanted to prove to herself, Kenzi and Hale that she could. More importantly, she was willing to do anything necessary to get to Lauren and if she had to be good for two weeks, she would be very good.

The Succubus and the Goth quickly fell into the routine of working cases during the day to keep busy and still earn cash; and in the evenings, they stayed home, watching TV and ordering take out with Kenzi getting to choose what they ate, as per their arrangement.

Things were quickly back to normal in the Crack Shack; however, outside of work and home, Bo often wondered if her Succubus cravings would make her slip up – it was a theory that she didn't want to test. At first, the brunette was a bit hesitant going out to bars, especially to the Dal and the Carpe Noctem, which were her old stomping grounds; however she soon fell back into her old, healthy groove; keeping herself in check by staying sober. When it came time to feed, she made sure to only siphon small amounts from those she enthralled instead of having sex; this meant that she had to suck chi from more than one person or Fae at a time to sustain her.

Kenzi noticed the difference in Bo's feeding habits right away and questioned her on it when they got back home – she didn't want there to be any secrets or strange behaviour especially since her friend was starting to get back on track. Subtly, the Goth asked, "What's with all the Succu-sucking when you feed? How come you're not sexing it up?"

Bo, who was in the midst of drinking her beer, choked which caused beer to come out through her nose. After her coughing spurt was done, Bo shook her head at her friend. "You really must learn how to segue. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I've noticed that now that you're out of your funk, you only suck chi – you're not having sex to feed. Are you abstaining? Is that even possible?"

The Succubus ran her fingers through her wavy hair. "I'm fine. I was having sex all the time because I constantly needed to heal from all the fights. But since the Dawning, I've changed - I have more control over my chi after feeding. It's like I can tap into it whenever I want, taking as much or as little as I need to keep me going. I haven't tried it yet but I think I could go a few days off of one feeding; maybe longer." Bo smiled to herself as she knew that this would be something that Lauren would geek out about and would want to test; she would happily comply if it meant having her girlfriend back.

Bo paused to collect her thoughts before continuing. "After everything that happened these past few weeks, I am kinda abstaining from sex right now. I know it sounds really weird saying it out loud."

The brunette sighed, the weight of her self-destructive behaviour rested heavily on her shoulders. "I just need to sort myself out first; everything that I've done, it's… it's just messed up. I need to get my Succubus side under control - I was at an all you can eat buffet for a month after all. So, until I feel more stable, I'm choosing to feed by sucking it out of someone instead of having sex with them. With that said, if I get hurt and need to heal, sex is the fastest and best way to replenish my chi."

Bo looked at her friend to see if what she said sunk in. "Does that make sense?"

Kenzi tilted her head to the side as she processed this information. "So, before the Dawning, you were like a sexy sports car with a high performance engine that had shitty gas mileage, quickly burning through gas. And after the Dawning, your high performance engine became more fuel efficient, so you don't have to gas up as often?"

"Aside from the fact that you are comparing me to a sports car, yes, that's it exactly."

"Cool! Why didn't you explain it like that then? I would've understood you a lot sooner."

Bo shook her head at her friend and continued to drink her beer.

During the next two weeks, Bo heeded Kenzi's advice to clean up house. She made sure to apologize to Vex for all the trouble she caused and thanked him for helping Kenzi take care of her. The brunette could tell that the Mesmer was surprised by the apology as he tried to be nonchalant about it, saying that he liked the chaos that she brought to his establishment, but when she hugged him, he didn't push her away or make any sarcastic comments nor did he try to cop a feel.

The brunette felt better after apologizing to Vex. It was like a weight was lifted off of her shoulders as she took responsibility for her actions and acknowledged those who tried to help her. However, she knew that she still had a ways to go to make things right. Bo had amassed a great deal of money from all the cases that they had worked and even though she knew that it wouldn't completely make up for her behaviour, she used some of it to pay for the repairs to property that she had caused damage to; figuring it was the least that she could do.

Crack Shack (41 days since Lauren left - evening)

It was almost the end of the longest two weeks of her life and Bo had one last thing that she had to do; something which would involve a very special client.

"Hey Kenz, can you do me a favour? I, uh, double booked us with two clients tomorrow morning on the opposite sides of the city. Can you take one and I'll take the other?" Bo asked sheepishly.

Kenzi groaned. "How early are we talking about here? You know that I don't function well in the mornings."

The brunette gave her a big toothy grin. "Um, 8:30 A.M."

"Bo! Really?"

"I know! I'm sorry. I must've spaced out when I made the appointments. I'm taking the earlier appointment at 8 o'clock."

"Fine! Where am I meeting the client and what's the story?" The Goth agreed grumpily.

"At Cora's on Wellington Street. The client's name is Mrs. Altec and it's the usual cheating hubby scenario. I told her that you have black hair with purple highlights, so that she would recognize you."

"Presumptuous much? Well, at least I'll be able to have pancakes after the meeting." Kenzi grumbled.

Cora's (42 days since Lauren left)

The Goth was in a booth at the back of the restaurant and had a clear view of the door. It was 8:50 A.M. and Mrs. Altec hadn't shown up. She was hungry and sleepy and getting grumpier by the second; as she waited for the waitress to come around and pour her a refill, she cursed Bo in her head.

She pulled out her cell and texted the Succubus.

* This client is a no-show. *

* Give her till 9; if nothing, leave. *

* U owe me big time! *

* I know. Add another shopping spree to the list. *

* I'm upping it - u owe me an ALL day shopping spree. *

* U got it! When next are you free? *

* I'll have to check my calendar. Sec. *

"How about in an hour?" Bo said as she slid into the booth across from the Goth.

Kenzi almost dropped her cell as she jumped in her seat; not expecting her friend to materialize out of thin air. "You scared the shit out of me! What are you doing here?"

"I'm treating you to breakfast and a day of shopping." Bo said giddily.

"Huh?" the tiny Russian woman said eloquently.

"If I told you that I was taking you shopping, we wouldn't get going until sometime this afternoon. This way, I figured we could get an early start and also ensure that you had food and coffee in your system."

"I'm not quite awake yet as I only have one cup of coffee in me but did you just play me?" Kenzi asked mortified.

"I did!" Bo said grinning proudly from ear to ear.

"Oh my God! I'm losing my touch. I can't believe I fell for your pedestrian ploy." Kenzi looked horrified.

"Hey! Was that an insult?" Bo asked uncertainly.

"Oh, there's the waitress. Let's order!" Kenzi said as she excitedly grabbed the menu, obviously changing the subject.

Forty five minutes later, Kenzi had consumed four waffles covered in fresh fruit and custard, along with a stack of pancakes drenched in maple syrup. Bo was amazed at how much the tiny woman had eaten.

"I think you have a giant tape worm inside you. There's no other explanation for it. Where do you put all that food?" Bo asked incredulously.

"It goes straight to my hair and to my 'tude!" Kenzi said as she rubbed her stomach, smiling goofily. "Happy tummy. Sooo full!"

The brunette laughed at the Goth. This was the first time since Lauren left that she genuinely felt happy and laughed. Bo knew to cherish the moment and to cherish her friend. If it wasn't for Kenzi she didn't know if she would've been able to get past her depression and find herself again. She owed so much to her best friend and sister.

Bo winked at Kenzi. "Let me know when you can waddle out of here. We have a full day of shopping ahead of us and we can't do that from this booth."

Many, many hours of shopping later, Bo was never so happy to be home and off her feet. Their worn, beaten couch never looked so inviting as the brunette plopped down onto it and immediately took off her boots. "My feet are gonna fall off." She whined. "You have some serious shopping stamina." Bo said wearily as she rubbed her aching feet.

"It's a gift! Don't be jealous." Kenzi replied proudly as she surveyed the mountains of shopping bags piled on the floor around them. "Can I just say that today was the bestest day ever!" the petite Russian exclaimed as she rummaged through her bags.

Kenzi squealed like a little girl as she pulled out a pair of black, knee high, platform boots from one of the bags, "Would it be wrong if I slept with these beautiful babies?" A huge grin was etched on her face as she put one boot against her cheek and caressed the leather. "I know that the other shoes and boots would get jealous but I could take turns and sleep with a different pair each night. I'm considerate; I can share the love."

Bo just shook her head and chuckled at her friend. They had a wonderful day. They shopped, talked, laughed and had a blast - it was like old times again, except this time they had money and didn't steal anything. After everything that happened between them, they needed the time to reconnect and their day of shopping afforded them that.

The brunette was suddenly rousted out of her thoughts when Kenzi launched herself at her, hugging her tightly. "Thanks BoBo. I had a great time today." She said genuinely as she detached herself and sat next to the brunette.

"I did too." Bo replied happily as she put her arm around Kenzi's shoulder and pulled her close.

The two women sat in comfortable silence with Bo relishing being off her feet and Kenzi buzzing from her shopping high. However, the peace and quiet was suddenly interrupted by the sound of Kenzi's cell phone. It took a few moments for the Goth to even locate it amongst all the bags but when she finally found it, she realized that it was a text from the Siren.

"It's Hale." Kenzi said quietly as she looked over at her best friend.

Those two words were enough to make Bo's stomach flip flop. She didn't know if Hale would follow through on his end of the bargain and if he did, then it meant that she was a step closer to finding Lauren and making things right between them. "What did he say?" she asked hesitantly

Kenzi read out Hale's text. "He wants to know if we can be at Trick's office tomorrow at noon."

Bo took a deep breath and exhaled. "We'll be there."

The Goth texted the Siren back saying that that they would see him tomorrow, then turned to face her friend. "Are you okay?"

The brunette sighed. "Yeah. Just anxious and nervous… even when I was wallowing in my misery, I always wondered where Lauren was. If Hale makes good on his promise, I will know tomorrow. I'll be able to find her. The thing is that I don't know if she wants me to."

Kenzi gently squeezed her friend's hand. "One step at a time, okay? Let's get Hot Pants' location first and then you can worry about her reaction after."

"You're right." Bo took another deep breath and released the tension in her shoulders. "One step at a time."

TBC