Chapter 18 – "Hope"
Author's Notes:
- First of all, I'm so sorry for such a long wait – being ill, the holidays and some real life issues have all kept me away. I'm hoping that this long chapter makes up for it.
- Secondly, thank you to everyone who has been reading and following, it means a lot to me that you are enjoying 'Time'. And a special thanks for all your reviews – it definitely helps keep me motivated.
- Lastly, thanks to my Beta, Lostgirlz for her advice; to FireArcade for her help; and to T for her patience when I constantly bug her to proof read.
Bo's apartment
"Kenzi!" Bo shouted as she walked into her apartment. All she could see from by the door was a hand and a foot dangling off of the couch while the rest of her body was covered by a blanket. "Kenz, wake up!" the brunette said as she closed the distance between the door and her shrouded friend, shaking the exposed foot vigorously until she got a response.
"I'm sleeping here." The Goth grumbled as she waved her hand about in an attempt to swat at Bo but seeing that she was lying on her stomach it only looked like her hand was twitching.
"It's almost 11 and we have to go to the lab." the Succubus persisted, anxious to see Lauren again. Sitting next to the blonde in Serena's room was difficult; she wanted so much to reach out and hold her in her arms. After all these weeks of being apart, it was excruciating being so close and not be able to touch her. Closing her eyes, she could still smell Lauren's lotion – a hint of vanilla; the familiar scent triggering intimate memories and causing her to smile.
The petite Russian groaned from under the blanket stirring Bo out of her reverie. "You mean you have to go to the lab."
"I brought you coffee and muffins." Bo placed the paper cup and bag of treats on the coffee table; she wasn't ashamed to resort to bribery as she knew how much Kenzi hated mornings and even more so after a night of drinking. "Once you're awake, we can go to the Dining Hall and you can have pancakes or a hamburger or both!" she said in an attempt to appeal to her tired and hungover friend.
At the mention of food, there was movement under the blanket. Hands and feet flailed about under the covers as the Goth flipped herself over; once on her back, she quickly pulled the blanket off her face and instantly regretted it. The sunlight streaming through the apartment windows was incredibly bright for her sensitive eyes and caused her to grimace. "You're not going to let me go back to sleep are you?" she asked pouting.
The brunette stood there with her hands on her hips and simply shook her head.
Kenzi relented, releasing a loud, exaggerated sigh, knowing that Bo wouldn't leave her alone. "Fine! I'll go with you but while I'm getting ready you're going to go get my food for me. Capiche?!"
"No problem. What would you like?"
"I want two cheese burgers and some fries." Kenzi demanded. "And a chocolate milkshake! Make sure it's super thick."
"Coming right up! But I want to see you standing and in the bathroom before I leave." Before she could protest, Bo continued. "And you know that I'll check to make sure you are actually showering and don't just have the water running while you're asleep on the floor."
"Arrrgghh! You're a pain in my ass!" Kenzi whipped the blanket off and swung both feet off the couch so that they were planted on the floor. She was about to stand but the room started to spin. "What I wouldn't give for Hale and his anti-hangover whistle right now." She mumbled to herself as she ever so slowly stood up and shielded her eyes from the light.
"See! Standing and walking!" Kenzi indicated to herself, making a point to the brunette and wincing at how loudly her voice sounded. "And, no I won't fall asleep in the bathroom." the Goth grumbled softly as she very slowly shuffled towards the bathroom. "Now, fetch me my food!"
Light Fae Laboratory
"Still no word?" Lauren asked as she walked into Nayara's office and sat in the chair across from her desk.
"Not yet." The Empath shook her head.
A comfortable silence filled the room with both women were lost in their thoughts. A couple minutes passed before Lauren spoke. "So did you find what you were looking for?"
"Pardon?" Nayara had a puzzled look on her face.
"You had to get something from your apartment." The blonde reminded her friend.
"Oh that." she said suddenly remembering. "I made that up. I didn't forget anything." The Empath said honestly and without regret.
"You sensed Bo didn't you?" she said in a non-accusatory tone.
"Yes." Nayara admitted. "I figured it was best if I wasn't there. Things are awkward enough between you two without adding me to the mix."
Lauren nodded her head understanding. "You didn't have to but I appreciate it. You know that you don't have to avoid Bo because of me right?"
"I know. It's just that everything is raw for you both right now and I know that my presence irks her." At that statement, the blonde raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything.
Nayara answered the unspoken question. "I don't have to be an Empath to know that she's jealous that we are friends." The brunette had a relaxed smile on her face, letting Lauren know that she was fine with it. "There's no need to worry. I can handle an emotional and territorial Succubus."
Changing the subject she asked, "So, how did things go? And just out of curiosity, why was she in Serena's room?"
"It went well actually. Bo thought that she would sit with Serena seeing that she had no family here." Lauren smiled just thinking of the brunette's sweet gesture. She was relieved when they were able to get past their awkward silence. Truth be told, she found it difficult being around Bo. She was still trying to resolve her feelings and keep her attraction at bay whilst also trying to work on their friendship. She knew that it would take some time and she hoped that she didn't come across as being cold as that tended to be her modus operandi all these years.
"That was nice of her." Nayara said surprised by the Succubus' thoughtfulness; her voice rousing the blonde out of her thoughts.
Before Lauren could respond, her attention was diverted by a knock on the door. "Hey Docs!" Kenzi greeted the two women as she walked into the office.
"Hi Kenzi." The blonde stood up and smiled at the Goth.
Nayara got up and met Kenzi in the middle of her office where she kissed her on her left cheek, then on her right and back again on her left. "I hope that the Caipirinha was not unkind to you this morning." she said with concern.
"Nothing that a couple of greasy cheese burgers, fries and a chocolate milkshake couldn't fix." The Goth replied, grinning proudly at her ability to thwart hangovers.
Nayara's eyes went wide. "Oohh, milkshake! That would've been great at breakfast." The comment caused the blonde to shake her head and chuckle.
Kenzi gently poked her new found friend in the arm. "And how were you this morning Dr. Feel Good?"
"Fine but famished." The Empath admitted, smiling at the petite woman's nickname for her.
"I didn't think there was anyone who could eat as much as you Kenzi. Nay had at least four plates of food this morning." Lauren said light heartedly.
The Fae doctor had a huge grin on her face. "I can't help it. Drinking makes me incredibly hungry. It's been a long time since I've gone drinking like that but I had a lot of fun."
Kenzi was happy to know that Nayara enjoyed herself as much as she did. "We'll have to hit the bar again, then."
"I'd like that." The Empath said genuinely.
All three women were involved in their conversation that they didn't realize that Bo had lingered a few feet behind Kenzi and was outside the office door. The Succubus jealously watched them interact and was quickly growing irritated at how well the two humans in her life were getting along with the Brazilian Fae doctor. Clearing her throat to get their attention, she made sure that she had a smile plastered on her face before she walked through the door and said hello.
Lauren noticed that the Succubus seemed a bit tense but understood given the circumstances. However, she was glad to see her for the second time this morning and greeted her with a smile. "Hi Bo."
Nayara directed her attention to the Succubus. "Hello Bo." she said politely.
Bo nodded her head in acknowledgement of their greetings. All four women stood stiffly in Nayara's office not knowing what to say. Wanting to dispel the awkward silence, Bo piped up. "Any word on the test results?" she asked. "Lauren mentioned that it would be a game changer."
The Empath appreciated Bo's attempt at civility and replied. "Not yet. We're still waiting."
Kenzi felt bad for what she was about to do to Bo and Nayara but knew that timing was everything. Turning to Lauren she asked, "Seeing that you're twiddling your thumbs, do you have time to do a follow up… umm, post Kitsune injury stuff?"
The blonde was not expecting the Goth's request and was a bit hesitant leaving Bo and Nayara alone. However, being a doctor, she felt obligated to help; besides she didn't want to postpone anything as the petite woman was usually unreceptive to any type of medical treatment. She looked between Bo and Nayara tentatively and then back to Kenzi. "Of course. Follow me."
Lauren's office
Lauren was in doctor mode as she told Kenzi to sit on the sofa while she turned to apply some antiseptic gel on her hands. "Has there been any pain, itching or anything irregular since-"
The Goth quickly interrupted. "My arm's fine Lauren. I just wanted one on one time with you."
The blonde stilled her actions as she heard Kenzi call her by her name instead of one of the many nicknames she had in her arsenal. She guessed what this conversation would entail but opted to keep things light instead of going on the defensive. "I'm flattered Kenzi. I didn't realize you missed me that much."
"You're a comedian now Doc? Word of advice, don't give up your day job at the lab." The petite woman smirked before becoming serious again. "Can we talk?" She asked softly as she nodded her head towards the cushion next to her. Lauren hesitated for a moment before she made her way to the sofa; her posture stiff as she turned to face the younger woman.
The Goth sorted out her thoughts before looking directly into Lauren's eyes. "I know that we're not the bestest of buds but I think we've come a long way and have moved past the 'will-tolerate-you-because-of-Bo' stage to the 'you're-not-that-bad' stage."
Lauren nodded in agreement and smiled at the younger woman's attempt to be nice yet maintain a tough image.
Seeing the blonde's acknowledgement, Kenzi continued. "I'm not going to try and pull a fast one on you – you know that I'm here to help Bo and you know that I would do anything for her. But I also want to help you. The two of you had a good thing and it went to shit for a variety of reasons and that really sucks because I can see how much you both are hurting. As much as I griped about you in the beginning, I always thought that you and Bo were good together and despite everything, I hope that you two can be friends again."
"Kenz-" Lauren went to speak but the Goth put up her hand, stopping her before she could complete her sentence. "Please hear me out."
Lauren complied and allowed the Goth to continue. "What I'm about to tell you would shame Bo, so I don't do this lightly but I think that if you knew, it would help you understand. All I ask is that you please listen to what I have to say. Okay?"
Lauren sighed. "Okay, I'm listening." Settling back into the sofa, the blonde took a deep breath and exhaled, releasing any negative thoughts that she may have as she prepared to listen with an open mind.
Kenzi was slightly relieved seeing that the doctor was willing to listen. Knowing that she had cleared one hurdle, she braced herself for the big one that was fast approaching. Maintaining eye contact, the Goth spoke with a quiet sadness. "I can only imagine how hurt and alone you felt when you left but I know that what I can imagine and what you actually went through are two totally different things. With that said, I'm sure that you had some ideas about how Bo may have reacted after you left but I can honestly tell you that whatever you envisioned would be nowhere close to what actually happened because even I couldn't have predicted it."
Kenzi took a deep breath before continuing. "When you left, Bo was devastated. She didn't leave the Shack for the first few days and most of that time was spent crying in her room. When she finally decided to join the land of the living, she threw herself into our P.I. business so that we were working cases steadily every day. At first I figured that she just wanted to keep busy as a distraction but then I realized that it was more than that. She started taking a lot of risks on jobs and got into more trouble than usual. And when I say trouble, I don't mean the odd bruised eye or busted lip – that would be child's play. Nope! Bo Bo always has to go big or go home…. She suffered numerous fractures; was stabbed repeatedly; got her arm flame broiled by some fire wielding Fae; was hit and dragged by a car; poisoned by a Hydra; got a nasty, non-sexually transmitted rash from a Wood Nymph; and was beaten to a pulp more times than I could count. But none of these injuries stopped her from being reckless. She just didn't seem to care about herself."
Lauren furrowed her brow as she heard about Bo's recklessness and many injuries but remained quiet and waited for Kenzi to continue. "But that was just the start of it. When she wasn't working, she spent her time drinking herself stupid which normally led to her starting fights. This was an every day occurrence with me trying to break up a fight or calm her down from starting one. It didn't matter what I said or did, she just continued on her destructive path and eventually, all I could do was make sure she got home safely." Kenzi let out a sigh; the memories weighing heavily on her.
"When she wasn't drinking, she was feeding. I won't lie, she had sex a lot. But just so you know, it was never with Dyson or Tamsin. In fact, we hardly saw or spoke to them after you left. Bo wanted us to focus on our own stuff so we didn't assist with any of the police cases like we would normally do, which I think was her way of not having to bump into them." Kenzi looked to see if that fact registered with Lauren but she had her poker face on and didn't react.
Internally the blonde wasn't happy to hear about Bo's atypical drunkenness and numerous fights, much less her sexual dalliances; however, she did get some satisfaction knowing that Bo wasn't intimate with the two Fae detectives. Lauren recognized that Kenzi could just be telling her what she wanted to hear but she knew without a shadow of a doubt, that the last place the Goth wanted to be was here, sharing the harsh truth about her best friend. Because of this, Lauren knew that she wasn't lying and with that realization, the blonde found herself admitting that she secretly wanted to know what happened while she had been away.
"Every day it was the same thing. All Bo would talk about was our cases, which bar to hit up and needing to feed. It got to the point that even I was concerned about how much and how often she was drinking… that should tell you how bad it was."
At that point, Kenzi hesitated and dropped her gaze from Lauren; conflicted about how much she should reveal. When she decided that it was all or nothing, she steeled herself and continued to speak in a subdued tone. "I don't talk about my past but just know that I experienced my share of self-destruction with my biological family. When I left home, I swore that I would never put myself in that situation again, so, watching Bo hurt herself was beyond difficult; I couldn't bear it."
The Goth choked back a sob as she spoke. "Bo doesn't know about this but it got to the point when I just couldn't take it anymore. I had my bags packed and was planning on leaving but at the last minute, I just couldn't. She's my family and she needed me. Even though it was killing me to see her hurt herself, I knew that my leaving would've pushed her completely over the edge." Kenzi wiped at the tears that streaked down her cheeks and hoped that Lauren wouldn't try and comfort her. She didn't want sympathy; she just wanted to get through this conversation. To her relief, the blonde simply handed her a box of tissues and gave her some time to compose herself.
Lauren was shocked that the Goth had considered running away. The battle with the Garuda and everything with the Kitsune was terrifying yet Kenzi remained at Bo's side, therefore things had to have been really bad for her to think about leaving. The blonde could also tell that the younger woman didn't want to be consoled despite the apparent pain in her voice, so instead she sat back, quietly observed her and waited for her to continue.
Kenzi took a couple of calming breaths and dried her eyes. "With the way Bo had been acting, I could tell that your break up ate at her and that her recklessness was her way of punishing herself."
Lauren huffed, doubting the Goth's assessment. Kenzi understood the blonde not believing what she just said but she didn't let it phase her. "I know you think I'm making this shit up but feel free to ask Trick or Hale… hell, ask anyone at the Dal or the Carpe Noctem when you get back to Toronto. They'll all tell you that Bo was a ticking time bomb. No one wanted to be around her as they all knew that she would start a fight or end up destroying their property."
"Kenzi, I don't know what to think about this. I don't know what you expect from me." The blonde was at a loss for words and clasped her hands tightly on her lap in an attempt to keep her emotions contained. She was drowning in all this information and didn't know how to process it.
"Lauren, I know Bo hurt you terribly; I'm not trivializing that at all. The reason I'm telling you all of this is to show you that you mean more to Bo than you think. I want you to understand how important you are to her because your break up left her a wreck; and her realizing how much she hurt you, devastated her."
The blonde sighed and gave a slight nod to continue. The Goth saw a hint of something in Lauren's eyes - maybe it was the realization that things weren't as straightforward as she thought or maybe it was a hint of understanding of the situation. Either way, it gave Kenzi hope that Lauren was starting to get a clearer picture. As she prepared herself to tackle the final hurdle, she looked the blonde in her eyes so that she could see her sincerity. "Bo is madly in love with you Lauren and she really missed you these past two months. She also knows how much she screwed up and it kills her that she lost you. I know you may not believe that but I saw it day after day when she would repeatedly read your letter and cry herself to sleep; when she would come home bloody and beaten; and when she would drink till she passed out. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that she wouldn't have reacted this way if you weren't important to her and if she didn't regret hurting you."
Lauren's eyes glistened as she kept her tears at bay. She remembered all those sleepless nights of being depressed; feeling weak; and foolishly hoping that Bo was just as miserable. Eventually, she convinced herself that Bo didn't care so that she would stop giving herself false hope. But now Kenzi was telling her that she did care and that she was a wreck. Lauren didn't know how to feel about this.
The Goth could see that what she was saying was causing a reaction and she pushed on. "Take it from me, I saw her after the Norn took Dyson's love – even though she was upset and depressed, it was nowhere close to the break down she went through after you left. You and I both know that she's a newbie when it comes to relationships - it doesn't detract from what she did to you but it was never done intentionally. She loves you and only you Lauren."
Kenzi had just cleared her last hurdle. "I'll be the first to tell you that Bo is still a mess but she's come a long way these past few weeks. She has learned from her mistakes; cleaned up her act; and has turned herself around. And you are the reason for that, Lauren. When she was being self-destructive, she never spoke about you because she believed that she didn't deserve to have you in her life. Trick and I tried to help and console her but we couldn't get through to her. However once she finally accepted the truth and accepted responsibility for what she had done, all she could think of was finding you, apologizing and making things right... Lauren, she is trying to be a better person for you. She is trying to be deserving of having you in her life again."
The Goth paused to observe the blonde's body language and could see that her posture was less rigid. She hoped that what she was saying was registering as she was in the final stretch and the finish line was fast approaching.
"I essentially had to beg Hale to give her your location as he wouldn't tell her. But he still wouldn't - Bo had to prove to him that she was no longer an irresponsible, immature, destructive drunk. She had to show him that she had changed; that she had the ability to remain calm and talk through issues instead of using violence; that she was responsible and mature and could stay out of trouble. But most importantly, he had to believe it. Hale would never have told her where you were if he didn't see and believe that she had changed and that she truly wanted to make amends. You were the reason that she got better, Lauren. Her wanting to apologize and make things right to you, was and still is her motivation. I know that you don't owe her anything but all I ask is that you give her a chance to show you that she's changed and that she wants to make things right. Please."
The Goth was done. She said what she had to and hoped that it made a difference; she didn't want either of them to continue hurting. While she waited for a reaction or comment, Lauren tilted her head back against the sofa and stared at a point on the ceiling; her mind reeling from everything that Kenzi had told her. Moments passed before she rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands and exhaled loudly. "I don't think I've ever heard you say so many words at once that had nothing to do with food, alcohol or shoes." she said as she returned her gaze towards the Goth.
Kenzi grinned. "I know. I'm normally paid for my pearls of wisdom but 'cuz it's you, I'll accept Caipirinha as payment."
Lauren gave her a weak smile. She knew that Kenzi was trying to help and she appreciated her telling her the truth but her heart still felt heavy. Even though she had every intention on working on her friendship with Bo; anger, disappointment and a multitude of hurt feelings had permeated her being. She was conflicted. Finding out that Bo was as miserable as she was, made her want to make things easy for her but the other part of her thought that the Succubus deserved to feel that way. The blonde just didn't know how to transition from being hurt and bitter to letting it all go and being forgiving. Lauren just couldn't forget everything that happened and replied in an unintentionally cool tone. "Bo hurt me greatly and she lost my trust, Kenzi… It's hard to get past that."
The Goth looked at her sadly, having some understanding of the doctor's emotional conflict. "I know." The petite woman didn't know what else to say and felt dejected that she wasn't able to do more to help. She had really tried to make the blonde see how important she was to Bo but thought that maybe it wasn't enough.
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Lauren knew that she hadn't spoken the whole truth. All these weeks of trying to convince herself that she didn't need Bo and that she was better off without her, she had unconsciously known that she still wanted the Succubus in her life in some capacity. It was just a matter of figuring out exactly what that capacity was. The blonde rolled her eyes and sighed; the realization that she just couldn't walk away from the brunette was so overwhelming it was almost stifling. Lauren looked at the Goth and spoke in a soft voice. "I can't promise anything Kenzi but I'll try and give her a chance to prove herself."
The Goth smiled brightly and gave the doctor's hand a gentle squeeze. "Thank you! And for what it's worth, Bo wasn't the only one who missed you. It sucked being the only human around." She said honestly. "I never thought I'd miss your OCD science-y explanations." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Kenzi hesitated, realizing what she had said. "But if you ever breathe a word about this, I'll totally deny it!" she threatened.
Lauren smiled. "I missed you too Kenzi. And thanks for telling me." Their relationship had come a long way and the blonde was thankful for that. Ready to change topics, she decided that she would follow through with Kenzi's request. "Well, since I have you here, I might as well look at your arm. Why don't you take off your top?"
The Goth grinned and waggled her eyebrows as she threw the blonde's words back at her. "I'm flattered, Doc. I didn't realize you missed me that much!"
Lauren just rolled her eyes. "Either roll up your sleeve or take off your top - one way or another, you're not leaving here till I've examined your arm."
"Sheesh! Bossy much?" the Goth said pretending to be upset.
"Arm!" the blonde ordered with a smirk on her face, causing Kenzi to grin and comply.
Meanwhile in Nayara's office
After Lauren and Kenzi left, both Fae remained standing in the middle of the office in silence. The tension between them was palpable. "Please have a seat." Nayara offered after a few moments.
"I'm fine. I'd rather stand." The Succubus said coolly as she slowly paced and looked around the office. This was the last place that Bo wanted to be. She wanted to be with Lauren but instead she was stuck with doctor Perfect. It just bugged her that Nayara said that she and Lauren were only friends yet the Succubus could plainly see her aura flare anytime she was around the blonde. Everything about this Fae doctor irritated her – she was smart, attractive, fun and even got Kenzi's seal of approval which boggled her mind. But worst of all, she and Lauren were close. It took every ounce of Bo's control to be cordial to her.
"Suit yourself." Nayara said calmly as she walked towards the front of her desk and leaned against it; her hands resting comfortably on top of the desk on either side of her body. She could see the frustration rolling off of the unaligned Fae in waves and knew that anything she said would set her off. The Empath didn't want to instigate anything but at the same time, she was not one to walk on eggshells. Hoping to sort things out with Bo sooner rather than later, she chose to be direct as opposed to their continuing to avoid talking about Lauren. "I understand that you don't like or trust me Bo. I get that but I just want you to know that I care about Lauren and only have her best interests at heart."
Bo instantly stopped her casual inspection of the office's decor. It ate at her that she didn't know the exact nature of their relationship but she was too stubborn and proud to ask. There was no way that she would give this woman the pleasure of knowing how much it bothered her. She was, however, tired of guessing what Nayara's intentions were and decided that it was time to get some answers. Whirling around to face the Empath, and with venom dripping from her voice, she asked, "And what exactly would those interests be?!"
Nayara was patient and was not going to be baited into an argument; however, she was also not going to let Bo steamroll her. She maintained eye contact and spoke in a calm and even tone. "Of all the questions you could've asked, I'm surprised that that's the one you placed the most importance on. I would've thought you'd want to know how Lauren's been since she arrived in Brazil, considering why she left Toronto." The Empath knew that her comment hit close to home when she saw Bo's eye twitch and felt her anger surge. She hadn't planned on angering the Succubus but she couldn't deny the guilty sense of satisfaction she got from eliciting a reaction.
Bo almost growled; Nayara just rubbed her the wrong way and now she was beyond irritated. "Sounds like an evasive answer from someone who has something to hide." She said agitatedly.
"I have nothing to hide." Nayara replied in a placid tone.
"Right! The Fae always want something from Lauren." The Succubus accused with a rumble in her voice. Knowing how the Fae had treated and manipulated the blonde over the years, Bo didn't trust Nayara or her clan.
"Lauren has always known that we needed her help and expertise to find a cure for this epidemic. That has never been a secret." The Empath replied matter of factly.
Bo only glared at Nayara. "And what do you want from Lauren?"
"Nothing." She said calmly.
The Succubus scoffed as she gestured haphazardly. "I find that hard to believe."
Nayara's focus never wavered from Bo's steely gaze. "I don't want anything from Lauren that she doesn't want to give freely."
"And what's that supposed to mean?!" Bo was angry and the Empath's calm and peaceful tone only infuriated her further.
"Lauren has had enough taken from her these past six years. She has offered me her friendship freely which I am very grateful for. However, what I'm more concerned about is what I can give back to her in the form of respect, trust, consideration, appreciation and friendship… all things that she has been denied for so long. Considering the amazing woman that she is, it's a very easy thing to want to do." The Empath said honestly.
"I don't believe you." The Succubus spat out; her jealousy and insecurity guiding her reactions.
"I don't care what you believe. I only care what Lauren believes." Nayara said honestly and without spite. "I've already proven myself to her. You are the only one here that has to prove something to her. When are you going to start doing that?" she asked wanting to know her intentions. Nayara thought that Bo was extremely lucky that Lauren gave her another chance but from what she could see so far, the Succubus had a poor attitude and seemed to be squandering her opportunity. The last thing she wanted was for her to hurt her best friend again.
Bo faltered. When it came to Lauren she was so unsure of herself; it was such an unfamiliar feeling as she was normally very confident. This doubt was like a knife twisting in her gut and it made her feel weak and helpless. Not wanting to give Nayara the upper hand, she quickly composed herself. "I'm here because I'm concerned about Lauren and her well being."
Nayara stood abruptly and took a step towards Bo, looking directly into her eyes. "Then act like it! Instead of being focused on Lauren and me, perhaps you should focus on your own relationship with her. Haven't you learnt by now that words are empty and meaningless if they aren't followed with appropriate action?" The Empath's tone wasn't harsh but it was direct and to the point. The meaning wasn't lost on Bo however Nayara was the last person that she wanted advice from regarding her ex-girlfriend.
Bo was furious at the Empath and at herself because there was truth in what she said, however she didn't know who exactly she was angrier at. Her inner Succubus growled and her eyes flashed blue but before she could say anything, Nayara's telephone rang, interrupting their stand off and distracting them both.
Just as the Fae doctor made her way around her desk to answer her phone, Kenzi walked in. "Hey BoBo!" The smile on her face quickly disappeared and was replaced with concern. "You okay?" Kenzi asked, seeing her blue eyed friend.
"Yeah, peachy." She replied sarcastically as she tried to calm herself down.
When Lauren walked through the door, she got a glimpse of Bo's blue eyes and was instantly on alert. Immediately she looked to Nayara and was relieved to see that she was okay and was talking on the phone. By the time she glanced back at the Succubus, her eyes had reverted back to chocolate brown. Sighing, the blonde decided to let it be and that she would find out what happened later.
The Empath got off the phone and looked at Lauren. "That was the lab in São Paulo; the courier is en route with the test results."
Lauren gave her a slight nod; her mind racing as she plunged her hands into the pockets of her lab coat. Bo and Kenzi could see that both doctors were visibly anxious as a lot was riding on these results.
Everyone's attention was directed back to the Empath as she spoke. "Please excuse me, I have to brief my staff and get them ready. Lauren, I'll let you know when the courier gets here."
A few seconds after Nayara had left, the blonde had still not spoken; lost in her thoughts. "Lauren, are you okay?" Bo asked bringing her out of her daze.
"Sorry. I'm just thinking. This is the only lead that we've had. If these results can shed any light on what's causing the epidemic then we will have a starting point to work from. But if the results are inconclusive then we're right back at square one with no idea what's causing this illness; and the more time that passes, more Fae will die." The blonde explained frustrated.
"Well, I hope you all get the answers you need. If there's any kind of link or clue, I know that you'll be able to figure it out." Bo said softly, trying to be supportive.
"Thanks." She gave Bo a faint smile. "You're both more than welcome to stay here if you wish, though I don't think I'll be able to spend much time with you. Whatever the test results are, everybody will be incredibly busy today."
"That's okay. It's probably best that we stay out of everyone's way due to the circumstances. How about meeting up for supper later and letting us know how things went?" Bo asked hopefully.
"I don't think I'll be able to." The blonde said apologetically.
"You have to eat sometime Lauren." The Succubus tried again, knowing that the blonde tended to forget to eat when she got caught up in her work.
"I know." She said gently. "I will eat, I just don't know when. I'll most likely sneak away for a quick bite during a break in testing or research. It's just that I can't give you an exact time and I don't want to keep you both waiting." She said trying to be considerate.
"I understand." Bo thought that Lauren was giving her the brush off and was trying to hide her disappointment. "Well, we should get going before things get busy."
"Okay." The blonde said, trying to understand the sad look that quickly flashed across Bo's face as she turned to leave.
Kenzi, meanwhile, had been standing back, observing both women and let out a silent groan as she shook her head; watching both women tip toe around each other was exhausting.
Seeing the Goth's reaction, Lauren quickly realized how her response may have been interpreted and rolled her eyes at her own social awkwardness. The blonde promptly called after them, stopping them before they had exited the lab. As she bridged the distance between them, she directed her question to Bo. "How about meeting me at the gym instead?"
"The gym?" the brunette reiterated as she cocked her head to one side.
"Yes, the gym." Lauren said smiling. "Serena has been teaching me to box and I've been going a few times a week. With her in ICU… well, I don't have a sparring partner at the moment."
A smile broke out on Bo's face as she realized that the blonde wanted to spend time with her. "Sure!"
"How about 8 o'clock?"
"Sounds good. See you then." The Succubus replied with a bright smile on her face.
Both women were making their way back to their apartment and with every couple of steps, Kenzi would cast a sideways glance at her best friend.
"What?!"
"Could your grin be any bigger?" the Goth smirked.
The brunette just shrugged the comment off. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Do you want me to get you a mirror to show you the huge shit-eatin' grin on your face?"
"Whatever!" Bo said ignoring her best friend's attempt to poke fun at her. "So, what was with your secret meeting with Lauren anyway?"
"You know, doctor-patient confidentiality stuff." Kenzi said nonchalantly.
"Riiiight! You're not going to tell me are you?" Bo enquired further.
The Goth simply smiled in response.
"You do realize that you left me alone with that emotion sucking vamp! I wanted to rip her head off!" the brunette complained. "I really don't know what you see in her."
The petite Russian stopped and placed a firm but gentle grip on Bo's forearm, stopping her from walking any further. "What'd I tell you about getting your Succu-bitch under control?"
"I know! I just don't trust her or this Fae clan but mostly, she just irritates the shit out of me!" The brunette said, gesturing wildly with her free hand.
"You gotta deal with it Bo! Nayara is Lauren's friend and you don't dis' the friend of the person that you are trying to make amends with!" Kenzi exclaimed as she tried to get her point across.
In a calmer tone, she explained, "Look, just think how you would feel if the person who was trying to reconnect with you was hatin' on me. Would you think that they were really trying if they couldn't even try to be nice to your friend?"
Bo pondered on her friend's words and slumped her shoulders as Kenzi's point sunk in. "Probably not." She said meekly.
"All I'm saying is keep your cool when it comes to Nayara. You don't have to like her; just be civil and make sure not to flash your baby blues." The Goth said in a soft tone.
Bo huffed and rolled her eyes. "Fine! Though trying to be nice to her will be harder than trying to abstain from sex."
Kenzi couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head at her best friend. "Okay, Sister Mary Isabeau, how about we take baby steps?" Taking her friend's hands in hers, she looked into Bo's eyes and spoke in a serious but gentle tone. "First step is to work on being nice or at least respectful to Nayara, which I know you can totally do. Next, you need to realize that there are people and Fae out there - outside of you and me - who care about Lauren. You can't let your paranoia and jealousy scare off what few friends she has - it's not fair to her. This is about you making amends and proving that you deserve to be in her life, so how about showing her that you can, by respecting her decisions and the people she cares about."
Bo bowed her head and she let out a deep sigh. When she looked back at Kenzi, her eyes were filled with sadness. "You're right." She said softly. "I'm jealous of Nayara. I'm jealous that Lauren trusts and confides in her and that they are so close… It just eats at me that there is something more between them because I can see how brightly Nayara's aura glows whenever Lauren is around. But more than that, I hate knowing that I had what Nayara now has and it's my fault that I don't anymore."
Kenzi squeezed her best friend's hands. "I know Bo Bo but you're here in Brazil and Hot Pants hasn't told you to go to hell. In fact, she asked you to meet her in a few hours – just the two of you. So focus on that; focus on this opportunity to show her that you've changed and that you can be there for her regardless of who else she has in her life. Show her how awesome it will be having you as a friend… and I speak from experience."
The brunette pulled Kenzi into her and held onto her tightly. "Thank you for being my voice of reason and telling me like it is." She said softly into Kenzi's hair as she squeezed her tighter.
After a few moments, the Goth pulled away gently and smiled. "Always… Now feed me! Imparting all this awesome and incredible advice is tiring work and I'm starving!"
Bo just smiled and put her arm around the younger woman's shoulders as they altered course and made their way towards the dining hall.
The Gym (later in the evening)
Bo was anxious to see Lauren and arrived at the gym early. She wished that she could spend every second with the blonde even though it was unrealistic given why the doctor was in Brazil. She had less than three weeks to make amends and repair as much of their relationship as possible and even though she feared that it wasn't enough time, she was determined to make every moment with Lauren count. Despite this determination, her nervousness still reared its ugly head and she decided to shower and wash her hair before leaving for the gym. Kenzi, of course, made fun of her the entire time.
While Bo waited for Lauren, she gave herself a pep talk, reminding herself to keep her cool, not talk about their relationship unless Lauren brought it up and to keep things casual. Pacing back and forth, the brunette repeated it over and over in her head like a mantra, all the while releasing a nervous chuckle at how un-Succubus-like she was being. She never would've thought that she'd revert back to her insecure-high-school-teenage self for anyone. Granted, Lauren wasn't just anyone.
The blonde was running late. She had a quick bite to eat and returned to the lab to follow up on one thing which ended up multiplying. Now she was sprinting to the gym and cursing herself for losing track of time. She didn't want to miss her sparring session with Bo especially after she made her feel that she didn't want to spend time with her.
As she entered the gym, it didn't take long to spot Bo by the heavy bag, hitting it as it swung towards her. Lauren's body instantly reacted to seeing the brunette. Bo's hair was pulled back in a pony tail, swaying as she moved gracefully around the bag; her blue tank top left nothing to the imagination; and her black shorts hugged her hips and ass. Bo was always breathtaking and seeing her dressed simply without the distraction of leather, lace and thigh high boots, reminded the blonde of how naturally beautiful she was.
A couple of seconds passed before Lauren realized that she was nibbling her lip while ogling her ex. Shaking her head, she chastised herself as she knew that if Bo happened to look in her direction, she would see her desire glowing like a neon sign in the night. Thankfully, the brunette was too busy with the heavy bag to notice anything. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she suppressed her lust and gave her libido a mental cold shower before making her way over to the Succubus.
Lauren stopped across from Bo and waited till she saw her. "Hey." she said as casually as possible when the brunette looked up.
"Hi." Bo smiled when she saw the blonde. The doctor was wearing gym clothes, which was a look that was unfamiliar to her as Lauren only wore casual clothing and the odd formal wear. Not that Bo was complaining; she was definitely enjoying the view. The blonde had her hair back in a high ponytail displaying her long, elegant neck and jaw line that Bo loved to kiss. And though her white t-shirt and navy blue shorts were not snug, they softly clung to her in all the right places, showing off her pale, soft skin; toned arms; and long, lean legs. Lauren had definitely been working out and Bo liked what she saw as her eyes blatantly roamed over the blonde's body while she unconsciously licked her lips.
Lauren understood Bo's Succubus nature and tried her best to not get flustered over her open perusal. "I'm sorry I'm late. I lost track of time at the lab." She said, feeling badly for keeping her waiting.
"It's okay, I kept myself busy." Bo said with a smile. She was relieved that Lauren had arrived as she was beginning to think that she wasn't going to come.
"I can see. Impressive footwork." The blonde complimented.
"Thanks." The brunette said as she wiped her glistening forehead with the back of her hand.
As they approached one of the empty boxing rings, Bo asked, "Before we start, are you sure it's okay for you to be boxing?"
"What do you mean?" she asked confused.
"Your injury." She replied as she pointed to the blonde's arm.
Lauren looked at her bandaged left arm and shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I guess I'll find out."
Bo gave a lopsided grin and poked the blonde in her good arm. "What'd you do with Lauren 'play by the rules' Lewis?" This was the first time that Bo had touched her and though it was only a split second, it instantly caused goose bumps to form on her skin.
Despite her physical reaction, Bo's playfulness made the doctor chuckle; the sound of which was like music to the Succubus' ears, knowing that she was able to make her laugh. "It's been a hectic and mentally exhausting day. I really need this, so I'm willing to risk it." Lauren said.
Bo nodded her understanding and stretched the ropes apart so that Lauren could enter the ring. Once they were both inside, the doctor put on her boxing gloves and Bo secured the pads to her hands.
Lauren slowly rotated her neck and shoulders and started bouncing lightly on her feet to loosen up. This was yet another instance of the blonde being different - she seemed more comfortable and at ease with herself instead of her normal restrained self. Seeing this side of her intrigued Bo; she wanted to get to know this Lauren and more than anything, she hoped that the blonde would let her. Remembering her mantra, Bo aimed to keep things casual. "I have to be honest. I was surprised when you said that you boxed."
"I know it's not an activity that anyone would associate with me. When I arrived here, I fell into my usual work routine and it was noticed. Serena suggested boxing as a means of releasing stress and to get my mind off of…. things." She said, averting her eyes momentarily.
Bo understood what things Lauren meant but hid her reaction. She wanted to continue their light, casual conversation so she pressed on. "I'm not surprised that you continued to live and work in the lab here but I am shocked that you wanted to box."
"I never said that I wanted to box!" she laughed. "I didn't want to have anything to do with it but Serena was very insistent and I knew that she wouldn't let it go." She admitted. "I thought that if I tried it once, she wouldn't bring it up again and would leave me alone afterwards but then it turned out that I actually enjoyed boxing. And then the next day when I was able to appreciate the benefits, I decided to stick with it. Serena never questioned anything; she just kept training with me." She said smiling at how astute and patient the Empath was.
"Well, I'm glad that you found something that you enjoy. It's obvious that it's working for you. You look great." Bo smiled genuinely. It was an honest compliment with no hidden sexual innuendo; however it still made Lauren blush. Before things could get awkward between them, the brunette smirked and slapped her hand pads together, making a loud thwaping sound. "Let's see what you got Lewis."
The Succubus started at a slow pace as a warm up but also to assess Lauren's abilities. However, she quickly ramped things up when she realized that the doctor knew what she was doing, that she had good form and followed through with each punch. Bo called out various combinations of jabs, crosses and uppercuts and had the blonde moving around the ring so that she wasn't just working on her punches but also on her footwork. It didn't take long for them to start sweating; Lauren especially as she was expending more energy.
Bo didn't realize it at first but her eyes were drifting – moving from the blonde's hands to other parts of her body. Lauren, however, was too busy concentrating on her punches to notice. The brunette found it difficult being this close to the doctor and tried to bury her desire. Initially it worked as she focused on observing Lauren's technique - impressed by her footwork and the force of her blows. However, as time passed, her eyes would roam over her body; first travelling up the blonde's arms, admiring the definition in her biceps and triceps; then to her neck and chest, observing the sheen of perspiration as her skin flushed from the physical activity; and then downwards, enjoying the view of her sweaty, white t-shirt that clung to her sports bra and tight abdomen. Bo swallowed hard and nibbled on her bottom lip as she thought about how much she wanted to rip Lauren's t-shirt off to see and feel her hot skin against her fingertips. As soon as she realized what she was thinking and how her own body was reacting, she quickly averted her eyes and concentrated on not letting her eyes travel past Lauren's chin.
They quietly sparred in the ring before they moved to one of the heavy bags for the '30-30-30' drills. Bo was familiar with this intense exercise and motivated the blonde through each round of 30; urging her on as she knew that all of Lauren's muscles would be burning and that her lungs would be screaming for oxygen. The doctor simultaneously hated and loved heavy bag drills. It was a great way to release tension and stress and clear her mind but it meant that every single muscle ached and vibrated from the exertion.
When they were finally done, Lauren collapsed against the heavy bag and hugged it, using it to keep herself standing while she tried to catch her breath. Bo smiled at the blonde and wondered how she could be so incredibly cute and sexy at the same time. She was also very impressed at her boxing skills and thought that the Ignis did a great job in training her.
Sitting on one of the exercise mats and leaning against the wall, Lauren allowed her body to recover. Bo soon joined her on the floor, sitting across from her. "I'm truly impressed!" she said practically beaming.
The blonde's face lit up as she gave the brunette a huge grin. She was pleased about the compliment and that she surprised Bo. Meanwhile, all the Succubus could think was how much she had missed Lauren's beautiful smile and how happy it made her.
Pulling herself out of her thoughts, she asked, "How's your arm?"
The blonde looked down and gently pulled a section of the bandage away from her skin, peering underneath. She didn't want to upset Bo, so she made sure to obstruct the view of the injury. "All good."
The brunette smiled in relief. The last thing she wanted was for Lauren to hurt her arm further. Changing subjects, she asked, "So, I don't know if I should ask seeing that the whole point of being here is for you to not think about work but did the test results give you the answers you needed?"
Lauren's eyes twinkled. "Yes but it took a little while to figure it out. Essentially, the Fae living near swampy areas showed a higher concentration of the virus in their system than the Fae in the more outlying areas. This is what led us to focus on one specific area over another within the Atlantic forest. According to the test results, the virus itself has symptoms similar to Dengue Fever which is normally transmitted by several species of mosquito within the genus Aedes, mainly the Aedes Aegypti." She said enthusiastically with her hands animated. Bo had missed Lauren's geek speak and continued to listen and enjoy how excited and passionate the blonde was as she spoke.
"However, it wasn't considered before because these mosquitoes are not native to this region. But then I started thinking that Fae react differently than humans do to some diseases and viruses, so maybe the same could apply here. Keeping that theory in mind, one could reasonably assume that the species of mosquito doesn't matter. If I focused on the symptoms to determine the cause, it could then be deduced that Dengue Fever is the culprit. Or to be more accurate, that it started off as Dengue Fever and evolved into Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever or DHF. Using this hypothesis, the infected Fae have shown every possible symptom and all to the extreme; more so than what has been documented on human patients."
Bo's eyes blinked rapidly from the information overload as she slowly processed what was explained. "I may regret asking this but what are the symptoms?"
The doctor smiled at the Succubus' typical response to her geek speak. "The initial symptoms are flu like - high continuous fever, headache, fatigue, dizziness, muscle and joint ache and overall weakness. As these symptoms intensify, patients experience nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain and eventually, bleeding appears as tiny spots of blood on the skin called Petechiae and in larger patches of blood under the skin called Ecchymoses. Further bleeding can occur from the mouth, nose, eyes, ears and in their stool. Pneumonia is also common and Myocarditis or inflammation of the heart may develop. In the final stages, delirium and shock occur before the patient quickly slips into a coma where their internal organs and the nervous system fails and eventually, death."
The brunette screwed up her face in response to the horrific symptoms. "Damn, that's brutal!"
"Indeed." Lauren said seriously. "There's still some testing to do to determine if my hypothesis is correct but I think it is."
"I knew that you would figure it out!" Bo said proudly.
The doctor gave a lopsided smile and shook her head. "It's not that simple. There is no known cure for Dengue Fever and DHF – even with mankind's medical and technological advances, all that can be done is to treat the symptoms. In addition, the treatments used on humans may not work for Fae but of course we will try these known solutions first and go from there."
"I'm certain you'll be able to create an antidote. It's just a matter of time." Bo said confidently.
Lauren chuckled. "You make it sound easy."
"It is because I have complete confidence in your brilliant mind." The brunette said mater of factly; causing Lauren to smile shyly at the compliment.
"Enough about me. Kenzi mentioned that your Investigation business has been doing well. Any interesting stories or cases you could share?" the blonde asked, wanting to take the attention off of her.
Bo just grinned playfully. "I don't know…. client confidentiality and all."
"I'm sure you can change up the names to protect your clients' identities." Lauren insisted.
The brunette smiled, "Well, there was this one case…."
Before they realized it, they had spent at an hour sitting on the floor talking. It felt natural and comfortable and both women didn't want to leave their but Lauren had a very long day ahead of her and needed to get some sleep. Neither wanted the evening to end but both were content with how things went so before they said goodnight, they agreed to meet for breakfast in the morning.
As Lauren walked back to her place, she couldn't help the smile that was forming. She had initially asked Bo to meet her at the gym as it was the first thing that came to mind without sounding like a lame excuse. But seeing how well things went between them, she was very glad that she had. Boxing gave them time together without the distraction of work and friends. It also kept them occupied so that they didn't think or talk about all the things that caused tension between them. It was such a simple activity but it gave them the chance to be on neutral ground with each other.
Lauren didn't want to have any expectations but tonight gave her hope that their friendship could actually work. She could see the change in Bo. She was charming but not in her usual suave, sexual way; tonight, Lauren saw and talked with Bo the person and not the Succubus. She was funny, considerate and attentive and she seemed genuinely interested in her job here in Brazil. It had been a long time since the brunette had shown any interest or pride in anything that Lauren did and she couldn't help but feel happy about that. Yes, she didn't want to get her hopes up but after this evening, it would be difficult not to.
Bo almost had a skip in her step as she walked back to her apartment. She was ecstatic about how the evening went and that they made plans to have breakfast together. She couldn't get over how much she and Lauren talked and laughed all night and how comfortable they felt with one another.
The brunette knew that she had to work on her desire for the blonde so that she wouldn't slip into Succubus mode but she was proud that she was able to maintain control. When she did, she realized that she was then able to focus on Lauren the person and not Lauren the ex-girlfriend and in so doing, was able to push her insecurities to the background. Bo was able to relax and be herself without any pressure or stress; she was able to concentrate on Lauren and enjoy the moment. The entire evening also gave Bo a much needed confidence boost. She could see that Lauren was trying and wasn't pushing her away as she had feared would happen. This gave her a renewed hope that their friendship could work and she couldn't be happier.
TBC
Author's Notes:
So, a lot happened in this chapter. I know that it was long but I thought it would be disjointed if I had split it into two parts. As for their journey, I know it's taken awhile for them to get here but actually, things have only just begun - they still have a lot to work on.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you did, please review - I need all the motivation I can get!