Author's Notes:
I apologize for the wait between chapters but my RL situation hasn't let up. As promised, I haven't given up on "Time" and have every intention of completing it; I just am not able to post often.
Thank you to all those that have followed and favorited; left reviews and PM'ed me – it means a great deal and has helped with my motivation especially when time and circumstances don't allow for it.
Special thanks to my awesome Beta, DinahWas for her recommendations, unlimited patience with my multiple edits and for pushing me to make this better; and always to T for her unending support and for helping me find Kenzi's voice.
Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl; I'm just borrowing their characters.
Chapter 23 – "Into the Jungle - part 1"
Lauren was excited and anxious. They were heading back to Mata Atlântica. This was what she, Nayara and her team had been working towards all these arduous weeks and now they were on the precipice of determining if they had a viable antidote. And then there was Bo. The Succubus was accompanying her to the jungle as a supportive friend and upon Serena's insistence, her bodyguard. Lauren knew that their relationship was in unchartered territory and that simultaneously excited and terrified her.
Blinking away her thoughts, Lauren allowed her gaze to fall upon Bo and Kenzi who sat across from her and she couldn't help but smile. The helicopter afforded them a spectacular bird's eye view and both women were looking out in awe, gawking and pointing excitedly at the panoramic scene of lush green forests, mangroves, mountains and winding rivers.
When Bo turned to look out Kenzi's window, she was surprised to find hazel eyes regarding her softly - the tenderness mirrored in them, made Bo's heart flutter. The brunette knew right then and there, that she would gladly suffer through any further tension or awkwardness to have Lauren look at her that way again. Smiling, she adjusted her headset mic, "The view is absolutely amazing Lauren!" she gushed as she kept her eyes on the blonde.
"Breathtaking isn't it?" Lauren agreed as she gazed out her window, taking in the sight. After a few moments, she looked back at Bo. "Thank you." she said softly.
"For what?" Bo asked, puzzled.
"I love seeing the jungle from this vantage point but now I get to appreciate its wonder again through fresh, new eyes. Yours… and Kenzi's." the blonde said genuinely.
Bo was practically beaming at Lauren's comment. Her smile shone in her eyes and resonated in her heart as she felt the sincerity of Lauren's words as well as the shift in attitude towards her. She felt it in her bones that they had turned a corner and for the first time in a long while, she genuinely believed that there was hope for their relationship. Not wanting to push the moment with an emotion-filled response, she turned her attention back to the beautiful landscape below; her grin locked in place.
Mata Atlântica
Bo and Kenzi disembarked from the helicopter and instantly staggered back, the heat intense. Bo actually thought she heard Kenzi whimper. However, before either could comment about the humidity or take in their surroundings, they were greeted by armed guards, quickly shuffled into ATVs and escorted to the Base Camp.
It was a fast fifteen minute drive over bumpy terrain as the vehicles whizzed past lush, green vegetation and dense trees, leaving clouds of dust swirling in their wake. Stepping out of the ATV, the brunette was amazed at what she saw in the Base Camp but more importantly, what she felt as she noticed that it was considerably cooler within the tall, wooden barricades. Bo didn't know what magic, science or technology caused the climate control nor did she care; all she knew was that whoever came up with such a brilliant idea was a genius.
Slinging her back pack over her shoulder, Lauren turned to the two women. "Why don't you grab your gear? I'll show you to your tents and give you a quick tour afterwards."
Both women nodded as they collected their bags and followed the doctor. They walked in silence amidst the myriad of tents and heavy duty equipment, astonished at their surroundings. "This isn't what I expected." Bo said, thinking it was going to be more rustic.
"I know. I was also surprised my first time out. It still amazes me how much they've done in their fight against this epidemic." Lauren said as she stopped in front of a grey tent at the rearmost row. "Kenzi, this one's yours," the blonde said, pulling aside the flap, "and Bo, you're right next door."
As soon as the words were out of Lauren's mouth, Kenzi immediately rushed past, dropped her bag and flung herself on to the cot, sighing contentedly as she nuzzled her face into the pillow. Bo and Lauren stood outside the tent, chuckling at the young woman; each sneaking a shy glance at the other. Within moments their laughter sputtered as they observed the Goth's body relax and a soft snore escape her lips.
"How can she pass out in a matter of seconds?!" Lauren asked, envious that it normally takes her thirty minutes to fall asleep.
"Kenzi doesn't do early mornings." Bo stated simply.
"Unfortunately we're going to have to wake her as we have a briefing in 15 minutes." the blonde explained as she looked at her watch.
"This isn't going to be pretty." Bo said with a grimace, knowing how difficult it was to wake her best friend once she was comfortable. Lauren understood and instinctively took a step back as the brunette walked into the tent and placed her bag on the ground.
Stooping next to the cot, Bo gave Kenzi's shoulder a gentle shake.
No response.
"Kenz, wake up." she said softly as she gave her a longer nudge.
This time the Goth unconsciously swatted the air as if she were shooing a buzzing insect, just missing Bo's face.
"We gotta go." Bo's tone was almost pleading and her voice slightly louder as she shook Kenzi's shoulder a little more vigorously.
Smuck!
"Ow!" The brunette hissed as she rubbed her cheek; watching as Kenzi tucked her offending hand under her chin.
The Succubus knew she had no choice but to resort to more drastic measures. "I'm sorry Kenz." she said through gritted teeth before picking up the slumbering Goth in her arms, jolting her awake in the process. Kenzi's eyes instantly shot open and a slew of Russian expletives spewed out of her mouth causing Bo to wince and Lauren to choke back a snicker.
After a minute of non-stop swearing, the petite woman eventually reverted to quiet grumblings and it was only then that Bo thought it safe to put her down. "I promise I'll get you coffee and something to eat." The brunette said in an attempt to placate her friend.
"Unless you have a double Americano stowed in your bra chica, I am not amused!" Kenzi grumbled, pouting dramatically.
Lauren couldn't help but smile at their camaraderie however a quick glance at her watch told her that they had to hustle. "Sorry guys but we don't have much time. I'll have to shorten the tour so that we can make the briefing." Lauren said as she ushered them away from their tents and began walking at a brisk pace, talking and pointing along the way. "Those structures we just passed are the showers and wash places… and this is the Fire Pit area where everyone hangs out in the evenings." she said, pausing briefly at the large stone fire pit area and surrounding benches.
The blonde knew that Kenzi would be sluggish from just waking up so she continued to guide them through the Camp quickly. "This is the Lab where we conduct sample testing and the dark green tent next to it, is Quarantine. Everyone," she emphasized the word for Bo's benefit, "goes through decontamination procedures whenever venturing outside these log walls." Lauren stopped to let them peek inside before resuming the tour, pointing to a tent near the entrance of the Camp. "Over there is security and finally, this large white tent is the meal tent where we eat and where briefings are held."
"You had me at meal, HotPants." Kenzi piped up for the first time since she was rudely awakened. "You should've started the tour from here. Food!"
Lauren simply rolled her eyes in response.
Bo and Lauren made their way through the crowd looking for a place to sit and in the process found themselves separated from Kenzi. Taking a quick glance around for the young woman, they saw Nayara at the front leaning over some paperwork while everyone around her chatted idly. It was soon after they found seats that the Goth plopped down on the chair beside them clutching a handful of muffins and sporting a crumb-eating grin.
The Empath waited a couple of minutes before she stood up, took a quick head count and cleared her throat. She was the epitome of grace and authority and effortlessly captured everyone's attention. Chatter immediately ceased and anyone who wasn't seated quickly grabbed a chair. "Good morning. As you are aware, we may have found a cure for this epidemic."
Loud cheers and applause erupted, interrupting her in mid-speech; a smile escaping as she saw the excitement reflected on the faces in front of her. "All trials have been successful but in order to progress to the next level we need all hands on deck to implement it which is why both scientific teams are here at Base Camp. Has everyone been briefed on 'Lima 109'?"
Everyone nodded in unison.
"Excelente! Time is of the essence so we need to work quickly and efficiently. On the tables in front of you are maps with four villages highlighted. These villages are in close proximity to rivers and swamps and will be our focus over the next ten days. The plan is to spend one day at each village to take medical and personal information; collect samples; and provide everyone with the trial vaccination before returning to Base Camp each night. Once all four villages are inoculated, we will return to each village to conduct further tests and check for any symptoms and progress. This schedule will allow for two spare days at the end for unforeseen circumstances and additional testing – time that we will most likely need. It will be an incredibly busy timetable but the payoff will be worth it. Are there any questions?"
At this point, Bo tuned out the multitudinous questions from the scientists and instead sat back and stole one of Kenzi's muffins while she patiently waited to get the show on the road.
Day 1 – en route to Village #1
As soon as the group departed Base Camp, Bo never left Lauren's side. The image of the doctor under attack and in excruciating pain from her shattered arm was etched in her mind. Bo took her bodyguard duties seriously – there was no way that she would allow Lauren to be harmed. "Not on my watch." she murmured as she kept the blonde in view.
Being in the jungle was unlike anything that Bo had experienced in Toronto and it was a glaring reminder that she was in unfamiliar territory. Even the air was foreign, carrying a combined scent of vegetation, soil, decaying plants, leaves and wood; but more notably, it was dense and incredibly humid. Bo had gotten accustomed to the more comfortable environment inside the wooden walls of the Base Camp that she had forgotten how hot it actually was until they all started hiking through the forest. The warm, sticky air was suffocating and having to wear mosquito netting, made it even more unpleasant.
The brunette thought back to right before they departed the Camp and she couldn't help but smile as she recalled Lauren explaining the various safeguards that she had to follow.
"Clear as mud." she had said with a wink.
"Are you sure? I think you zoned out."
"How would you know if I zoned out?" she asked playfully.
"You get that glazed look in your eyes whenever I spout scientific and medical terminology."
"Trust me, there was no zoning." she insisted with a smile to hide the fact that the glazed over look was from arousal and not boredom.
"Just promise me that you won't take off the mosquito netting until you are within the safe confines of this Camp." Lauren implored.
She was overjoyed at how science-y and concerned the doctor was being. She would do anything that Lauren asked. Truth be told, the blonde was the only person who could make her take such annoying safeguards without protest. "I promise." she answered, nibbling on her bottom lip.
Bo immediately blinked away her thoughts, not wanting to be distracted by the humidity or her daydreaming. Instead, she focused on getting her head back into the game and doubled her efforts to concentrate on Lauren and their surroundings.
The brunette's senses were on overload as they made their way through the jungle. Her eyes flicked from one large tree to the next and scanned the shadows in between; a task made difficult as the dense canopy of leaves and branches caused the forest floor to be dimly lit. As she moved over moss covered rocks and through dense ferns, her ears strained to listen for sounds outside of the buzzing of insects and the chatter of birds.
Bo could handle being waist deep in Toronto's sewer system; navigating abandoned industrial warehouses; and tracking Under Fae through dark, dank, urine infused alleyways. This however, she had concerns; she felt out of her element and completely on edge. It also didn't help her mood that Kenzi was complaining incessantly - once the excitement from being in a helicopter had faded, her whining about the 'intolerable heat' and the 'blood sucking insects' began.
"Did you see that?! That bug was as big as my fist and it had fangs!" the Goth moaned for the millionth time as she swatted wildly at the air. When that didn't generate a reaction, she amped up her grumbling. "This is ridiculous! Why aren't we driving or at least using a horse, camel or some four-legged creature to get there?"
Looking straight ahead, the brunette tried to suppress her annoyance. "Kenz, for the last time - we can't get to this village by vehicle so we have to hike in."
The young woman mumbled something under her breath and when Bo didn't react, she jabbed her in the ribs with her finger. "Look at this! This heat is brutal!" she complained as she pulled a thick strand of incredibly frizzy hair away from her uncharacteristically un-coiffed head.
The Succubus rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time; her frustration and discomfort overwhelming her as she stopped abruptly. "Look, gross doesn't even begin to express how I feel. I am covered from head to toe in a mosquito net causing me to sweat from every single pore on my body but I have to wear it so that I don't get sick and die. So please, cool it with the drama!"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it - she knew that Kenzi felt out of place in the jungle and was missing the city and all its comforts. Softening her tone, Bo looked at the petite woman and gently grabbed her hand, preventing her from walking away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I just feel disgustingly sweaty and I'm on edge knowing that there are literally a million and one places that we could be attacked from."
"It's okay." Kenzi murmured dejectedly as she looked down and absent mindedly kicked at a moss covered outcrop with the toe of her boot.
"Hey." Bo said softly, getting the younger woman's attention. "I know that all this," she gestured at their surroundings with her free hand, "is making you miserable and that you're doing this for me. And in case I haven't told you lately, thank you for being such an awesome friend." She said sincerely as she gave Kenzi's hand a gentle squeeze.
The Goth's frown instantly turned into a smile and Bo couldn't help smiling along with her.
"Besides, things could be worse. You don't have to parade around in this!" Bo said as she carefully plucked at the mosquito netting that was stuck to her clammy skin. "You'd think they'd design it to look better. If there is a possibility I could die, I'd like to die in style, you know? No one can make this look good."
The petite woman canted her head to one side and quirked an eyebrow in response. "Puh-lease. I can make anything look good." she said before suddenly releasing Bo's hand. "No offense Bo-Bo but you're sweating all over me. Gross!" Grinning, Kenzi exaggeratedly wiped her hand against her pants and hastily walked away, ensuring she was out of the Succubus' reach.
The one and a half hour hike felt a lot longer due to the extreme humidity and uneven terrain but they finally made it to the village. Once Bo conducted a reconnaissance and deemed everything safe, she gave Lauren some breathing room and watched as the blonde doctor and Nayara greeted the village elder before joining the other scientists to set up their equipment.
The brunette was pleasantly surprised to see well groomed trails running from one end of the village to the next, connecting the public areas like the market, main hall, school and medical hut to the individual thatched covered huts on the far end of the village. Beautiful flowers and gardens bordered each structure providing a stark contrast against the wood grains; and bright cloth weaves and wood carvings hung on the outer walls, adding a personal touch to each home.
As she took in her surroundings, she was astonished to see the villagers wearing everyday casual clothing instead of grass skirts and feathers; and was shocked to learn that were friendly and spoke perfect English when they greeted her. Every time she was approached, she found herself growing more and more embarrassed by her assumptions.
Bo walked up alongside Lauren and leaned in, whispering, "This is not what I expected."
"What do you mean?"
The brunette felt her cheeks grow warm. "Umm, I guess, destitute, half-naked people who don't speak a lick of English, sleeping on straw mats and living in stick huts?"
Lauren smiled at her but before she could respond, she was interrupted by some scientists in dire need to her expertise. "Sorry. We'll talk later okay?" she said apologetically as she was pulled away.
An hour later…
The Succubus gave Lauren space to deal with her patients but remained nearby just in case. As Bo watched her care for the villagers, she recalled Lauren telling her how she was treated by her Fae patients in Toronto. It had surprised her how detached the blonde seemed as she explained that they never looked her in her eyes; never paid her any attention; kept conversations to an absolute minimum; and that she received grunts of acknowledgement instead of basic common courtesies. Bo didn't know how Lauren had endured this daily treatment for so many years yet she did so without complaint, brushing it off as 'that's just how it was'.
The irony wasn't lost on her that it took being in a jungle thousands of miles away from home to be able to see things clearly. "I'm such an idiot!" Bo muttered to herself, feeling ashamed.
Observing Lauren with the village children and adults, it was obvious that the blonde had discarded the cold detached persona that she had relied on in Toronto. Here she interacted freely with her patients, carried on conversations, smiled, laughed and even received grateful hugs. Bo was genuinely happy for Lauren and loved seeing her being treated with the respect and gratitude she deserved.
As she continued to watch the blonde, her smile slowly disappeared as realization sunk in. "I get it now." she thought sadly to herself, understanding why Lauren dreaded returning to Toronto.
Later that night
It had been a very long and productive day with the group returning to Base Camp just before sunset. By the time everyone completed quarantine procedures and had supper, it was after nine with most of the team retiring for the night and the remainder congregating at the fire pit, talking and laughing while stoking the roaring fire. Lauren was exhausted but she couldn't stop thinking about the day's events and the various ways she could tweak her antidote if needed. Knowing that she would have to quiet her thoughts if she wanted to get any sleep, she found a spot at the rearmost part of the fire pit area, sat with her back and elbows resting against the table and directed her gaze heavenward. The stars sparkled brightly in the clear night sky and she quickly became enthralled with the spectacular view; distracting her from her thoughts, the campfire discussions and the distant chatter of tree frogs and monkeys.
The blonde was so engrossed with the stars that she didn't hear Bo approach. "Hi. Mind if I join you?" the brunette asked, startling her out of her trance. Lauren turned her head towards the voice to find herself staring at a freshly showered Succubus, her damp hair slicked back and cascading down her shoulders. The glow from the fire illuminated her features perfectly and highlighted every contour of her body; her snug V-neck tee shirt and leggings leaving nothing to the imagination. Bo looked fantastic and Lauren couldn't help but stare, dumbstruck by her beauty.
"Uhh. Hi… sure!" she said once she was able to form words. Feeling the heated blush on her cheeks, she turned her head away and scooted over to make room on the bench, hoping that Bo hadn't seen her ogling.
Bo waggled her eyebrows and grinned broadly at Lauren. "Sooo, come here often?" she joked, eliciting a chuckle and a relieved smile from the doctor.
"Actually, I do whenever we come out to the jungle. It's not often that we get to see the stars in Toronto so I take every opportunity to enjoy them when I can." the blonde confessed.
Bo looked towards the sky. "Yeah, with all the smog and light pollution, I sometimes forget that there are even stars there."
Lauren nodded in agreement before looking over the brunette's shoulder. "Where's Kenzi?" she asked, expecting to see the younger woman.
Bo turned her attention back to the doctor. "She inhaled her supper and grumbled about her tired, delicate feet before heading to her tent to sleep. She officially hates the jungle by the way." she said with a smirk.
"It was a very long day and it's quite the adjustment from being in the city. I'm not surprised that she's tired." Lauren said thoughtfully. "What about you? You must be exhausted."
"I am but I'm still wired." the Succubus admitted.
Lauren gave her an understanding smile. "So, earlier today… you were in the middle of telling me your impressions about the village before I was whisked away."
Bo looked at her feet and cleared her throat, feeling embarrassed. "Well, it wasn't what I imagined it would be – the village, the tribe… I guess I thought that they would be more primitive… simple. I didn't expect them to be clothed much less speak English. To be honest, I feel pretty stupid for thinking that way. It was very ignorant of me."
"Don't." Lauren said softly as she reached over and gave the brunette's knee a reassuring squeeze. "The average North American wouldn't know a thing about how tribes live in the jungles of Brazil much less a Fae tribe. There's no way you would've known. The important thing is that you know now and have a better appreciation of them."
Bo glanced over at her ex, appreciating her comforting words. "I blame television and movies for my education." she said jokingly causing the blonde to chuckle. "But seriously, they're knowledgeable and cultured and very aware of the world around them – why would they live like this?!"
"Living away from civilization and modern technology allows them to be more in tune with nature which is a belief that has been passed down from generation to generation." Lauren explained. "They are happy. They choose to live their life this way."
Lauren knew her words resonated with the brunette as her pensive, furrowed brow slowly relaxed and she released a loud sigh.
"Of all people, I should understand that." Bo said in a low but clear voice. "I chose to be unaligned because I wanted to live my life, my way. I didn't make the decision lightly but I made it knowing that it was best for me regardless of what others thought." Looking directly into Lauren's eyes, Bo's voice softened, "Just like you did what was best for you."
"Bo-" The blonde's voice cracked and she had to avert her eyes as a lump formed in her throat. She never thought her ex-girlfriend would understand why she ran away. Regardless of all her reasons, Lauren still felt guilty for leaving her but now that the brunette understood, she felt relieved as if a burden had been lifted off her shoulders.
The Succubus looked at her tenderly, her voice gentle. "You don't have to say anything Lauren. Really."
Both women sat in silence as they watched the fire crackle and flare, sending sparks showering in every direction and dark smoke billowing up into the night sky. Any residual tension they had, receded in the shadows as the glow from the fire inched towards them, illuminating their faces. Lauren allowed herself to relax as her eyes lazily followed the trail of smoke, watching it merge and disappear into the sky. She didn't know how much time had passed before her reverie was interrupted by the sound of Bo fidgeting - a telltale sign that the Succubus had something on her mind.
The blonde didn't have long to wait before Bo spoke. "It was good seeing how thankful the villagers were of you."
Lauren wasn't sure why the brunette brought this up but responded anyway. "After all these months of illness and death, this is our first break with the epidemic. Everyone is incredibly hopeful so it's only natural for the villagers to be appreciative of what we're doing." she said unselfishly.
"No, I meant, it was good seeing Fae patients being grateful to you…treating you with respect."
"Oh!" was all the blonde could say, astonished by Bo's comment. Lauren always felt that Bo didn't take their relationship seriously and often felt overlooked, unappreciated and not given any consideration. For the Succubus to make such an observation was a huge shift from her norm and took the doctor completely by surprise.
After a lapse of silence, Lauren finally found her voice. "It's been a while since I've been treated normally or respectfully by others." she said softly as she relaxed her posture. "It means more than I can say."
Bo's voice shook. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't more understanding of how you were being treated. I should've done something… anything to make life easier or better for you." she said ashamed.
This was the second time that Bo made Lauren speechless. Clearing her throat, she collected her thoughts. "I… I appreciate that Bo but you can't change thousands of years of Fae mentality towards humans."
"The Fae here have. It could happen in Toronto."
"A fatal epidemic forced them to realize how valuable humans are – it completely changed their way of thinking. Trust me, I would love the Fae in Toronto to adopt the same ideology but I wouldn't wish death to thousands to achieve that."
Bo nodded her understanding and dropped the subject, silently vowing to do whatever she could to make Lauren's life better once back in Toronto.
A comfortable stillness fell between them while they looked up at the brilliant night sky. After a few minutes, Bo's voice broke through the quiet. "I didn't take you for a star gazer."
Lauren maintained her vigil as her voice took on a nostalgic tone. "I used to all the time when I was younger. My dad would take me out every night and show me the various stars and constellations through his father's telescope just as his dad had done with him when he was a child. Almost every night mom would yell at us to come in before scolding dad for keeping me up late on a school night but she never stopped us from going out each night. Mom knew that we both loved spending time together and that astronomy was our thing." The blonde paused, smiling fondly at the memory.
"I remember handling that telescope reverently. It was old and treasured and it worked amazingly well. I didn't want to drop it or cause it to break and as silly as this sounds, I thought it was magical." Lauren chuckled. "When I looked through that telescope, it brought everything into focus, making distant celestial objects seem as if they were right in front of me and within arm's reach. When I grew older, astronomy took on another meaning. Everything fell away when I looked at the stars. It helped put things into perspective - it made me feel that any goal I had, was attainable and any problem I had, was insignificant."
Bo smiled adoringly at the blonde. She couldn't help it. This was a side of Lauren she hadn't experienced before - sharing details of her life without being prompted or without imminent danger or death around the corner. But most importantly, she felt honoured that Lauren had trusted her.
"I kinda felt the same when I was younger and living with my folks. Well, the everything falling away part when it came to looking at the stars." Bo said, wanting to share a part of her past with the blonde. "I used to go out to our barn at night and look out at the sky - it was the only place that was quiet and peaceful and where I could be alone for a few minutes every day without being told how I had offended God or sinned in some way." the brunette sighed out. "I used to wish upon the stars for a better life. I would gaze upon them and imagine that if I lived in the city, I would see the same stars and for that brief second, it felt as if I were actually somewhere else looking up at the night sky and not stuck in a barn in the countryside of a back end hick town."
Lauren felt her heart grow heavy thinking of how bad things had to have been for the brunette to want to escape. "I'm sorry." she said tenderly, knowing that her words were inadequate.
"It's okay. That was another life time ago." the brunette said with a sad smile. "But from what you just told me, even though we didn't know each other or live close to one another, we probably looked at the same stars each night."
"We probably did." Lauren agreed.
"You know, that's the most we've ever told each other about our past. I'm glad that we did."
The blonde smiled warmly. "I'm glad too. It's interesting hearing about little Bo."
Something caught Lauren's eye and she couldn't help but grin as she pointed to a region of the sky. "Do you see that star over there? It's the Corona Borealis!"
"The what now?" the brunette asked as she tried to focus on what Lauren was showing her.
The blonde leaned in towards Bo with the intention of pointing out the star when she was instantly overcome by the scent of the brunette's soap and shampoo. Bo's aroma flooded her senses; washing over and through her – triggering memories of intimate moments they spent in and out of the shower. Lauren involuntarily closed her eyes as a shiver ran through her body, causing goosebumps to form despite the warm night air.
Composing herself, Lauren opened her eyes and extended her arm, pointing to the central section of sky. "Umm, that one with the small arc of bright lights… kind of like a U-shape? It's Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown."
"Okay, I see it now. Beautiful." Bo said as she glanced over at the blonde.
Their faces were so close and Lauren knew that it would only take a split second to bridge the distance between them. Time seemed to stand still as she grappled with wanting to kiss Bo regardless of the consequences and not wanting to complicate things between them.
Lauren knew that Bo was being respectful of her wishes and of their friendship so she in turn, wanted to be respectful of her ex-girlfriend's feelings. Making her decision, she took a cleansing breath to calm her heart rate and leaned back to increase the distance between them.
Bo closed her eyes briefly and also took a deep breath to calm her libido. "Well, I should turn in. It's going to be another long day tomorrow and I'll have a grumpy Kenzi to deal with." She said trying to lighten the awkwardness between them.
"Okay. Have a good night Bo." Lauren said softly.
"Don't stay up too late. You need your rest." The brunette said with concern as she stood.
"I just want to enjoy the stars a little bit longer. I promise I won't stay out long." Lauren said with a smile.
"Okay, good night. I'll see you in the morning."
"Bo!" The blonde called out, stopping the Succubus in mid-stride. "I, umm, I enjoyed hanging out tonight. We should do it again… if you want." she stuttered.
Lauren watched Bo's face light up with a brilliant smile, easing her doubts. "I had fun too. And I'd love to! Tomorrow night?"
"Tomorrow night sounds good." The blonde said smiling; her grin firmly in place long after Bo had walked away.
TBC