Author's notes:

I tried something new writing wise (for me) where the first two scenes are in the first person before reverting to the third person for the rest of the chapter. Hopefully it works as intended and gives you a better understanding inside each character. If it doesn't work, I'll have to chock it up as a learning experience.

Words in italics indicate when a character is talking to themself.

Thanks to my Beta, LostGirlz for her advice and to T for her suggestions and unlimited patience.

Chapter 15 – "Long Overdue"

(Bo's POV)

It seemed like forever since I had seen Lauren and now that she was standing here in front of me, I couldn't believe it. She looked absolutely beautiful even with her injuries, dishevelled hair and dry blood caked on her skin and clothes. She still took my breath away.

I knew that my eyes were still glowing blue from seeing Lauren interact with her friend. I hadn't intended on my blue eyed bitch making an appearance but seeing her intimate and comfortable with this woman caught me off guard; I wasn't expecting there to be anyone else in the picture. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and shoved my inner Succubus back down. It was at some point after my Dawning that I was able to sense the shift and knew when my eyes changed colour without needing to look in a mirror; so after I exhaled, I knew that my eyes were back to normal.

Gazing into Lauren's beautiful dark, brown eyes, I was finally able to speak. "Are you okay? They told us about the attack. I… I thought that you were..." The lump in my throat grew and I just couldn't finish my sentence. Not knowing whether Lauren was seriously hurt or dead was something I never wanted to experience again; my heart couldn't take it. Willing my feet to move, I walked away from the bed. By the time I got to the corner of the room, Lauren was standing and facing me with the brunette standing right behind her.

I stopped about an arm's length away. It took everything within me to not grab her, hold her tight and not let go. I had to force myself to give her some space as I knew that she was in shock and now my surprise appearance probably didn't help. After what seemed like eternity of us just looking at each other, she finally responded. "I'm fine. I look worse than I really am." Lauren's attention turned to the woman lying in the bed and I could see the concern etched on her face. "It could've been a lot worse." she whispered.

My eyes roamed over the cuts on her face and neck before travelling down to see that her left arm was bandaged from the top of her bicep to her wrist; the white bandage standing out against her shredded and blood soaked sleeve. I shook my head sadly; my voice laced with concern. "You're a sight for sore eyes." I clenched my fists to contain my anger; I knew that if I ever got my hands on who attacked her, I would suck them dry.

Lauren seemed to ignore my comment and wore an expression that I couldn't quite read. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a curt tone.

I may not have recognized her expression but I certainly recognized her tone. It was the one that she used to mask her frustration while also remaining professional. She normally reserved that tone for Fae that annoyed her, like Dyson; but now I was on the receiving end. Swallowing my pride and nervousness, I said, "I was worried. I missed you."

She ignored my statement and continued to speak tersely. "How did you find me?"

I wasn't used to Lauren directing her aloof tone at me. I sighed, deciding that it was best to be patient and hopefully we would be able to talk afterwards. "I'm here as Hale's delegate to see how you are doing and how things are progressing with finding a cure."

Lauren furrowed her brow and simply said, "I see."

This wasn't going well. How could being in Lauren's presence make me so nervous? Externally, I seemed calm but I was just barely keeping my shit together. Hoping to address things between us, I asked tentatively, "I know you must need rest but could we talk… just for a few minutes?"

"I already said everything that I had to say, Bo." Apparently Lauren didn't want to talk as Dr. Freeze just showed up and shot me down.

Two can play that game. "Yes, in a letter." I replied automatically as I let my frustration seep out.

My eyes were focused on Lauren and I saw her flinch slightly at my comment - she knew that she never gave me a chance to explain myself. The woman she was with, crossed her arms and stared at me intently, observing our exchange very carefully. Hell, everyone in the room was probably listening to us but I couldn't care less - we needed to talk and she was deflecting. Instead of responding as I had hoped she would, she turned to her friend and whispered something in her ear. Lauren continued to ignore me; went to the side of the bed, politely nudging the two men out of the way in the process and gently squeezed the patient's hand. Turning her attention to the nurse, she said, "I'll be back later to check on Serena." The nurse nodded her understanding before resuming whatever she was doing with the machines on the far side of the bed. The next thing I knew the brunette's hand was on Lauren's lower back and was ushering her past me towards the door.

"Hell, no!" I didn't come all this way just to watch her walk away again. I reached out with my arm to get her attention but she just glared at me, halting my movement; my hand hanging in mid-air. "Lauren, please." I begged.

She looked directly in my eyes and almost hissed out the words; "This is not the time Bo." Her gaze quickly darted to the medical staff before returning her attention to me.

"But you have time for her?!" I erupted; my eyes wild and my head gesturing towards Lauren's friend. I regretted it as soon as I said it and let my arm fall helplessly to my side. I knew that I just let my frustration and jealousy get the better of me, causing me to insert boot in mouth.

If Lauren could've shot daggers with her eyes, she would've as she stared me down. I could tell that she was trying to keep her anger contained but it was starting to bubble over. "Are you kidding me?!" she growled out as softly as she could. "You have some nerve showing up here. You-"

I would've preferred if Lauren would've let me have it with both barrels blazing but she stopped herself in mid-sentence, turned and stormed out of the room; her friend quickly shot me a look as she hurried out the door after her.

"Shit!" I muttered under my breath as I hung my head in regret; my shoulders slumped.

"Bo." The sound of Kenzi's voice brought me out of my stupor. I looked up at her to see her give me that 'I-support-you-but-what-the-fuck-were-you-thinking' look.

"I know!" I groaned out. Kenzi didn't have to say it; I knew that I screwed up. This was not how I wanted things to go with Lauren. "Dammit!" I exhaled as I swiftly made my way to the door, yanked it open and proceeded to race after her with Kenzi right behind me.

(Lauren's POV)

First we were attacked; then Serena nearly died; and now Bo appeared. It really wasn't a good day for surprises. I knew that I was abrupt with her but I hadn't expected to see her for another couple of months. I wasn't prepared.

I was walking rapidly - I needed out. I needed to get off this floor immediately. I just had to make it down the hall and into the elevator and then I would be able to figure things out once I had some space. I was still reeling from seeing Bo. I couldn't believe that she was here. She looked breathtakingly beautiful.

"Dammit!" How could she still affect me to this extent after everything? My heart was beating so hard I thought it would burst out of my chest even though medically, I knew that wasn't possible. Despite the logic, my heartbeat echoed loudly in my ears and made it seem feasible; it also made it difficult to focus on anything around me. I only just happened to register Nayara's voice asking if I was alright as she maintained my pace down the hallway. I turned to look at her but I couldn't form any words so I just walked faster.

My mind was going a mile a minute; my thoughts were scattered and my emotions were in turmoil. "Why was Bo here? Why would Hale tell her where I was?" Memories of my nightmare of Bo taunting me with Dyson and Tamsin in the lab came flooding back and I physically shook my head to get rid of them.

I needed to focus on something, anything, to get Bo out of my mind. I switched to doctor mode and started thinking about the human brain. "The Limbic System is the area of the brain that regulates emotion and memory. It directly connects the lower and higher brain functions and influences emotions. The Limbic System is comprised of the: Amygdala; Thalamus; Hypothalamus; Cingulate gyrus; Hippocampus; and Basal Ganglia."

My thoughts quickly changed gears. "Bo came here out of the blue to say that she missed me and was worried about me. She actually came here for me. No! It doesn't matter why she's here; it's a little too late. She should've been concerned when we were together."

I shook my head again to clear my thoughts. "The Amygdala is a small, almond shaped mass of nuclei located in the temporal lobes of the brain near the hippocampus. It is linked to emotions and aggression and functions to control fear responses, the secretion of hormones, arousal and the formation of emotional memories."

My anger was growing. This wasn't working. "How dare she flash her blue eyes at Nay and I!? How dare she be jealous especially after everything she did? God, she's infuriating!"

I felt my jaw clench as we walked briskly down the hall. I needed to calm down and get my emotions under control. I had been fine until now. I was enjoying science and research again. I had my routine and was finally able to get some sleep at night. I was even sorting out my emotions. Then Bo appeared and I'm instantly flustered. It's like everything I accomplished these past two months went flying out the window. How was it possible for her to turn my life upside down in a matter of minutes?

I was almost to the elevator. Once I was able to put some space between us, I'd be able to think clearly.

Bo's voice floated down the hallway towards me. "Lauren! Wait please." How was it possible to hear her voice when nothing else registered? Why did everything about Bo stand out?

I stopped in mid-stride; my posture rigid. I took a deep breath and exhaled to try and calm myself; my feelings were chaotic and I couldn't think straight. Despite how messed up everything was in my life, I was always in control of my emotions; it was one of the few things that I had authority over but now, it was controlling me.

I was angry that Bo broke my heart leaving me feeling lost and confused. I was angry that she was here and complicating things. And I was angry at myself for foolishly thinking that I was getting over her. But what surprised me was that I didn't realize how much I had suppressed until I saw her - everything came rushing back and it all felt raw and intense.

I don't know how much time had passed since Bo called out to me, just that I knew that she was standing behind me. I didn't have to look to know - I just felt her presence. I was always able to.

"Lauren." She said in an almost whisper.

I couldn't turn around and look into her chocolate brown eyes again; not in the state I was in. Her voice was soft and mesmerizing, causing goose bumps to form on my skin. There was a time that hearing her voice would calm my soul and bring me comfort; now it only caused me pain.

"Lauren. I'm sorry… I didn't mean-"

Hearing those two words come out of her mouth, 'I'm sorry', caused something inside me to snap. The weight and meaning of those words made the anger churn within me and I couldn't contain it any longer. I whirled around to face her; the fire raging in my eyes stopped Bo in mid-sentence. My voice rumbled like thunder. "Sorry?! What are you sorry about?" I demanded. "Could it be for not placing any importance on me or our relationship? Knowing that Dyson got his love back but never saying anything about it? That you and Tamsin kissed and you couldn't be honest? Not respecting my wishes and coming here? Or for being jealous when you have absolutely no right to be? Why exactly are you sorry?"

I could tell from the expression on her face that she was shocked; Kenzi too. They both stood there speechless after my harangue but I didn't care.

I stared at her unflinching as I waited for a response. When none came, I shook my head sadly; my tone now soft and resigned. "I thought as much. You don't even know."

My outburst took all the energy out of me. After the attack this morning; my injuries; seeing my friend lying in a coma; the shock of Bo being here; and the feelings that she evoked in me, I was absolutely exhausted.

I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself. I knew that Bo's comment about my letter held some merit; she didn't get a chance to express her side because I left. Sighing, I opened my eyes and looked at Bo; and in as soft a tone that I could muster, said, "We'll talk but not today." I put my hand up to stop her as she was about to respond.

"It's been a really long day, Bo. I will come to you. Please, just respect that and don't push me." I said as nicely as I could. Bo just nodded. In light of everything that had happened today, that was the best that I could do at being understanding. I felt drained and just wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep.

Nayara must have sensed it as she put her hand on my shoulder and gave me a gentle squeeze, bringing me out of my haze. I looked at her and she gave me a sad smile before she walked the short distance to the elevator and pressed the call button, subtly hinting that it was time to go. My energy was depleted as I slowly walked over to Nayara and stood next to her.

I must've been in a trance because one second I was waiting for the elevator and the next thing I knew, I was standing inside it, looking out into the hall with my eyes glued to the floor. As I forced myself to look up, I saw Bo standing there looking at me sadly, her eyes glistening. I slipped on my 'Dr. Freeze' mask as Kenzi would say, refusing to breakdown in front of her.

We both stood frozen in place, watching one another for what seemed like eternity until the elevator doors closed and cut off our view of one another. Finally free to discard my mask, I allowed my tears to escape as my legs gave out under me.

Bo stared at the elevator doors long after they had closed; not saying a word. Kenzi walked up to her friend and gently placed her hand on her shoulder to get her attention. When the brunette looked in her direction, the Goth could see the sorrow written all over her face.

"Let's get outta here." She said softly as she escorted Bo to the elevator. They were both physically tired from the long flight; emotionally stressed thinking that Lauren was seriously injured or dead; and now the incredibly frosty reunion - they definitely needed to get some rest.

Bo was quiet as they made their way back to their apartment and didn't say a word when Kenzi sat her down on the couch.

"I've never seen her so angry before." Kenzi blurted out, breaking the silence.

Bo had a far away look in her eyes but the statement resonated as she nodded in agreement.

"I thought I had seen her cold before but that was nothing compared to this. I think the good ship Bo just collided with Dr. Iceberg."

Bo cradled her face in her hands and sobbed out, "She hates me."

"Oh BoBo, she doesn't hate you. She's just really, really pissed at you." Kenzi said as she sat next to her.

Bo looked up, dropping her hands to her knees. "I fail to see the difference Kenz."

"Hate is forever; pissed is temporary." She said as she patted her friend's arm. "Remember we talked about this? You're supposed to put on your big girl panties and take whatever she throws at you."

Bo groaned and ran her fingers through her hair. "I know she had a hell of a day and just survived an attack. And I know that my surprising her was the last thing that she needed but I honestly didn't expect this." She said in a resigned tone.

"I knew that Lauren would be upset seeing me but that was a whole new level on the Richter scale." Bo sighed.

"And who was that woman with her? I suppose she would be considered attractive if one were into exotic, fit, tanned, blue-eyed brunettes. But do you think she's Lauren's type? I mean, they seemed really comfortable with each other. You saw that right? And she had her hands all over Lauren! Do you think-"

Without warning, Kenzi slugged Bo in the shoulder, interrupting the Succubus' rant. The Goth's intent was to get her attention and try and halt her now glowing blue eyes.

"Oww! What the hell Kenz?" she exclaimed.

"Focus Bo! Get your Succu-bitch under control. As soon as your blue-eyed jealous self showed up, things went to shit." The Goth paused as she observed Bo's eyes revert back to their chocolate brown colour. "You know exactly at what point too."

"I know, I know. I didn't mean to say it. It just came out and I regretted it instantly." She sighed. "I was just caught off guard. Before coming here, I played a bunch of scenarios in my head for when I would meet Lauren but I didn't…" her voice trailed off, afraid to verbalize her fear.

Kenzi gave Bo some time to formulate her thoughts but when she didn't continue her sentence, she gave her hand a squeeze. "Its okay Bo, just say it." She said softly.

The brunette sighed sadly. "It never crossed my mind that Lauren would meet someone else. I knew she would be really upset but I secretly hoped that she would be waiting for me."

Kenzi nodded her understanding.

"I know it was pathetic and completely unrealistic of me to think that but in my heart, I didn't consider us over and I was really hoping that she felt the same. I just… this is just a horrible surprise." She said disheartened.

"So what if that woman is drop dead gorgeous?" Bo looked at her friend despondently but Kenzi continued with her train of thought. "Look, we don't know if Hot Pants and this chick are playing doctor with each other, so don't jump to conclusions. And as much as it would really suck ass if they were, you're in no position to say anything. You're here to apologize and make things right with her first and foremost. Then you can deal with the rest. OK?"

Bo nodded her head sadly; she felt absolutely dejected but knew that she had no choice - she had to suppress her jealousy. She took a deep breath, exhaled and looked at her best friend. "How do I get her to listen and talk to me Kenz? I'm obviously not her favourite person right now. She can't even be in the same room with me."

"You got that right. You're public enemy number one. She'd probably rather be in a room with Dyson and Tamsin than with you right now."

Bo shot her a look.

"What?! I'm just sayin'." The Goth replied indifferently.

"Just give her time to cool off. She has to be ready to talk, otherwise if you approach her, you'll be going down with the Titanic."

Bo gave her a puzzled look.

"Dr. Iceberg – Titanic – Get it?!"

Bo sighed in response; slumping back into the couch.

"My talents are completely wasted here." Kenzi huffed with a fake annoyance.

She took the Succubus' hand in hers and in a serious but gentle tone, said, "Hot Pants said that she would come to you, so that means that you two will talk. Until then, collect yourself and figure out what you want to say."

Bo nodded. She knew that Kenzi was right - she needed to give Lauren some time to calm down; she just found it difficult waiting after all this time apart and so much left unsaid.

Kenzi's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Now why don't you call Carlos and find out where we can get some Brazilian Rum in this joint."

Nayara walked with Lauren to her apartment. The blonde was lost in her thoughts and the Empath was quietly observing her. Once in her apartment, Lauren didn't say a word, she just made a beeline for the kitchen, opened a bottle of wine and promptly poured two tall glasses for them before taking a mouthful.

Lauren leaned against the kitchen sink, staring into space and absentmindedly ran her finger along the rim of her glass. Nayara picked up her glass and leaned against the kitchen island across from Lauren before breaking the silence "So... that was Bo."

"Mhhhm." The blonde responded and took another mouthful of wine.

"Had I known that you liked your women in leather, I would've gone shopping." Nay said to try to alleviate her friend's tension.

The blonde chuckled and shook her head at Nayara's attempt to cheer her up. "It's a package deal with Bo. Not that I'm complaining about how she looks in leather."

"She's a very attractive and passionate woman." The Empath said. It was more of a statement and not a question.

Lauren nodded. "Yes, she is."

Nayara knew that Bo's arrival threw Lauren for a loop and was now forcing her to address her relationship issues before she had intended. "How are you feeling?" she asked, concern showing in her eyes.

"To be honest, I'm not sure… though of the two of us, I thought you'd know." The blonde replied distractedly.

"I've been shielding myself ever since we were in Serena's room. I'd rather know how you feel because you want to tell me, not because of what I can do." The Empath said honestly.

Lauren rested her glass down on the counter and looked at her friend. "I'm sorry Nay, I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to imply…"

Nayara put up her hand, waving off the comment. "It's alright; its been a long day." The Empath took a sip of her wine and changed subjects. "Though remind me not to piss you off. I've never seen you so angry."

She sighed as she wrung her fingers together. "I don't think I've ever been that angry before. Everything that went wrong between Bo and I flashed in front of my eyes and … well, you saw."

The Empath nodded. "What are you going to do?"

The blonde felt as if all her fight was taken out of her and responded tiredly, "I don't know. I mean, Bo and I will have to talk but … there's just so much that's happened between us… I honestly don't know if it will make a difference."

"Did you ever tell her how you felt before?" Nayara enquired.

"No, we were so caught up with the Kenzi-Kitsune situation; and then Bo's training for her Dawning; and my trying to find an antidote to stop her from devolving. How I felt wasn't important in the whole scheme of things."

The Empath frowned. "Who determined that your feelings weren't important? Bo or you?"

"I… I made that decision." The blonde admitted.

Nayara shook her head at her friend. "Lauren, I don't know if it's because you've been with the Fae too long or if you've always been self-sacrificing but you need to realize that you matter; don't marginalize yourself."

Lauren wiped at the stray tear that rolled down her cheek and slowly paced within the kitchen. "Nay, you don't know what it's like to be human living amongst the Fae! You don't know what its like to be constantly treated less than; to have nothing; no emotional support; no kindness; no one that cares..." The blonde's voice cracked as she made her admission. "After all these years, I eventually grew to accept myself that way."

Nayara gently grabbed hold of Lauren's arm to get her attention and to halt her pacing. "You're right; I don't know what it's like." She said softly. "But I can tell you this – you are important and extraordinary. I can also tell you how wonderful, amazing and special you are but those words would be empty if you don't believe it."

The Empath peered into the blonde's dark brown eyes. "Lauren, you need to believe in and appreciate yourself outside of your medical skills. If only you could see how much you are appreciated not just by Serena and me but also by the other scientists. And not just for your scientific abilities. If you did, you would never think otherwise again."

Even though Lauren was slowly adjusting to being treated as an equal these past couple of months, she wasn't accustomed to being appreciated - it seemed foreign and was overwhelming. Nayara recognized this and pulled her friend into her arms and held her tightly; she wanted her to know that she meant everything she said. They stood in an embrace for a while until Lauren pulled away, wiping at her tear stained cheeks.

Without saying a word, Nayara grabbed the bottle of wine and guided them both to the couch in the living room. "What do you want the outcome to be? What do you want?" she asked softly.

Lauren laughed sadly. "What do I want? I want to be free. I want for Bo to need and want me and only me. I want to be able to sustain her completely without any harm to myself. I want for us to get past our issues and for things to be as they were before things changed. That's what I want."

The blonde shook her head despondently; her hair moving about her softly. "But what I want and reality are two different things. I am a human and a slave. She's a Succubus. I will always have to share her because I will never be enough for her. And even if I could accept that in my heart one hundred percent, I don't know if I am the one she wants. Between Dyson and Tamsin, I honestly don't know where I stand. I gave her everything and she lied to me. I don't know if I can trust her with my heart again. Even if I wanted to, I don't know if I could."

Nayara squeezed the blonde's hand. "I know a thing or two about emotions - it's kind of my thing." The Empath flashed a dazzling smile at Lauren, causing her to return a thin smile. "In all my experiences, in my many lifetimes; in the numerous countries that I've lived in and travelled to, I've observed countless relationships end and the primary factor in a majority of those breakups was a lack of communication."

The brunette put up her hand to stop Lauren from interrupting. "From everything that you've told me, it seems that at some point, you two stopped talking about the things that mattered. I'm glad that you acknowledged that you need to talk to Bo but you also need to listen to her. The only way to put all of this behind you is for you both to say everything that needs to be said and get everything out into the open. It's going to be difficult however you look at it so there's no point in holding back. The fact that Bo is here shows that she wants to talk so ask whatever questions you have and answer all questions truthfully. Only when you have the full story will you be able to move forward as you will have a better understanding of why things happened the way that it did."

The Empath paused to see if what she was saying was registering before she continued. "I know that you're concerned with how things will be when you return to Toronto. All I'm saying is focus on the here and now first – talk to Bo and get the closure you need. Once you do that, I think you'll find that it will be a relief and you'll have a better grasp on your feelings and what you need to do."

Lauren was silent as she considered her friend's words. "I will take all that you have said under advisement." She smiled sadly.

"How about we finish our wine and then get some rest. We've both had a long day." Nayara offered as she stifled a yawn.

The blonde nodded in agreement. Her body ached and her left arm throbbed under the bandages. She was absolutely exhausted and knew that she had to be mentally and emotionally prepared for when she and Bo had their talk. It wasn't something that she was looking forward to but she knew that it was long overdue - they should've had a serious talk when she first felt the strain in their relationship. Now it was inevitable and she was dreading it.

TBC

Author's notes:

I know it's taken a little while but our two ladies are back in the same city. This doesn't mean that it will be clear sailing – they will have to get through the storm first.

Thanks for reading and following.