Disclaimer: Lost Girl belongs to Showcase or SYFY and I am only playing in their universe.

A/N: BIG thank you goes out to the readers and reviewers. Okay so we finally get a little peek into Lauren's past, not everything but enough to give you something. Little more action towards the end of the chapter. Lots of questions about Bo, please be patient, I miss her too.

To reviewer chris: Lots of chapters left for Lauren to do some ass kicking don't despair.

"Okay so I'm a druid and you are Catwoman with a chi powered green thumb. Let's see if your story ends in a cool as hell tattoo." said Kenzi. Lauren laughed and she knew that she was not going get out of sharing her story.

"Our stories are really not that different." said Lauren with a sigh, Kenzi looked doubtful so she continued. "We both fell for promises that crumbled beneath us. My, how did you say it? Oh yeah, rat bastard was named Taft. Like you, I was tired of being less than everyone else." Kenzi started to protest but Lauren held up her hand. "You wanted to hear this. So just let me tell it."

They were both quiet for a while then Lauren continued, "Even with Bo I was not enough for her. She loved me I know and I loved her but it was destroying me that I could not be enough for her. I felt that I was holding Bo back and I had to let her go for her own sake. Taft stepped in when I was at such a low point. For lack of a better word he wooed me, complementing my accomplishments, showing interest in my research, he treated me with such respect unlike the fae who owned me. With him I finally felt I was good enough, even better than that, I was exceptional in his eyes. At that time I needed to hear all of that and I like you it was enough to make me sign my life away."

"Lauren, you had no way of knowing he was the freak killing the fae." said Kenzi. The man's actions had the fae on edge and plotting against humans. He had been one of the reasons Kenzi was being held captive by the dark fae.

"I should have known something was going on but I never saw it. I was in over my head so fast." Lauren's sad tone made Kenzi wince. With a deep breath the doctor continued, "It wasn't until I joined Taft at his compound that I learned of the one on one battles to weed out the weaker species of fae and how Taft planned to use my research. The way I had left the fae and my friends made it look like I had turned against the fae. My life as I knew it was over so I fought Taft refusing to participate in his grand plan. I figured he would end up killing me and that would be that. Then Taft captured Dyson. I couldn't let that psycho hurt him. I knew that Bo would be coming to his rescue. Taft would use them both, hurting them with my research. I had put everyone in danger. There was only one way out."

"What was that?" asked Kenzi softly. She could see the pain in the doctor's eyes.

"I gave the man what he wanted, I made Taft fae. I manipulated my work that had protected Bo as she prepared for the dawning and used it on human DNA and damned if it didn't work." Lauren said with a cracking laugh. Then with a bite of anger to her tone, "I got the bastard in my own way. Instead of Dyson's wolf shifter DNA Taft was expecting, I used a sample taken from a cabbit."

Kenzi furrowed her brow. "A cabbit?"

"Fae species that gained its origins from a cat and rabbit hybrid. Japan is generally thought of as…." Lauren stopped sounding nerdy even to herself. "Anyway he would be fae but not powerful. Bo, Dyson or Tamsin could defeat him easily. The procedure had to be done by me and no one else. To make sure that happened…." Tears came to Lauren's eyes and her words faltered, "I caused Dyson intense pain, corrupt my life's work, and…" the tears flowed freely down the doctor's beautiful face now. "I had to convince Bo I didn't love her anymore. I had to be cold and heartless as she tried to help me. Make her think that I would be callous enough to kill Dyson because he stood in the way of my relationship with her." Wiping the tears away, Lauren got control of her emotions. "My actions saved the people I loved but officially made me the number one enemy of the Fae."

"Holy Moly Doc." said Kenzi quietly but then quickly added, "Now tell me the rest. How did you become… what you are now?"

Lauren rolled her eyes and thought of the wild chokecherry wine in the cellar, "You want a drink?" Kenzi pursed her lips and lowered her eyebrows, ignoring Lauren attempt to sidetrack the conversation. "Just asking," said Lauren. "Okay, after the procedure Taft recovered almost immediately. It was something I hadn't planned on. I knew I was of no use to him anymore and it was just a matter of time before he tried to kill me. My hopes to escape during his recovery were dashed as he trapped me in the exam room." Lauren shuttered at the memory, "Being fae he was much stronger than I was and he attacked. Injecting me with a modification he had made from my serum and a mixture of various DNA samples from his fae captives. I was the first test subject in his new plan, human hybrids of multiple species of fae. It was terribly painful, but then again I was supposed to die."

"But you didn't," smiled Kenzi.

"No I didn't," Lauren smiled back. "I woke up alone on the floor of the exam room and feeling like my body was at war with itself. Taft's new serum was not working. Despite the pain, I forced myself to move to my lab and found the last of my original serum. I injected it all into my body knowing it had worked for Taft and was my only hope to save myself. Then I destroyed the syringe." Kenzi grimaced.

Lauren continued, "Like Taft, I began recovering at an astonishing rate. Well enough to move without pain, I quickly destroyed all the information regarding my research. Moving to Taft's office, I looked for him but found only a dead fae woman. The man had left in a hurry. Taft's computer was wide open. Being the control freak that he was, Taft's computer had access to his entire system. I could completely destroy any digital records of the hybrid procedure and my research he had worldwide. I downloaded a nasty little computer virus and set it to activate with the press of the escape key. I did some interesting things with his finances, then hit the button and ran. " Lauren blushed at the illegal activity.

Kenzi's eyebrows shot up, "How did you end up here and furry?"

"I ran and kept on running. With my betrayal of the fae I knew I was in real trouble. After about two weeks of nonstop travel, walking or hitching rides. I doubled back often to check to see if anyone was on my trail. My body finally began reacting to the massive changes I was going through. Needing to rest, I aimed for the middle of nowhere."

"You found it." said Kenzi with a laugh and a wave of her hand to the surroundings.

"Yea I did," agreed Lauren with chuckle, "I was dropped off from a ride I hitched at a truck stop. As I was waiting in line to buy some fast food I saw a local real estate flier. I looked it over and found this place. Catching a ride out to the property, I found it totally run down. My new senses were not happy. The place felt dead. All the fields had been over farmed and spoiled by tons of artificial fertilizers and harsh pesticides. No birds were singing, nothing but the hardiest of weeds were growing. Some commercial farming group had pretty much ruined the place. With all the contamination, I felt the fae would never come close to this area. It was a perfect hiding place. I didn't even go in the house. I just knew this was my new home."

"Spent a little of Taft's relocated fundage?" said Kenzi

Lauren laughed and raised an eyebrow with her broad smile. "When the purchase was made in full by LauLew incorporated." Kenzi laughed, Lauren continued, "The locals just figured another company farm was moving in. They left well enough alone."

Kenzi stood up and stretched her legs, "Want to walk while you tell me the rest?" The newly minted druid's back was tingling. She didn't want to say anything to Lauren but for some reason thought movement might help.

The women stood and moved out the door. "I spent a couple of weeks in a hotel about twenty five miles away and got electricity set up, got some basic furniture ordered and had someone go out and check the wells on the property. I bought a used truck from a local and loaded it up with food and other essentials for basic repairs, grabbed the keys from the real estate lady and came home."

"What about the furriness doc?" said Kenzi kicking a rock down the path.

"Patience." said Lauren. "I settled myself into the house. Took a day or two cleaning the place up," Kenzi started to giggle and Lauren said in a mock stern tone. "No, all my transformations did not limit my need for order." Kenzi giggled harder. "Anyway, I moved from the house to the barn and soon everything was shipshape. I decided to start exploring my property. Waking along some of the barren fields, I remember being so angry at the mistreatment of the land. At one point I reached down and dug both hands in the soil. Upon the contact with the earth, my body started to burn from the inside and I heard myself making this growling noise. Not knowing what was happening, I yanked my hands out of the dirt. From behind me I heard a crackly voice laughing. I spun around and Hilde was standing there.

Kenzi thought of her first reaction to the hag and sympathized. "Did you freak out?"

"Yep, she scared me so badly. I thought the fae had found me. The need to protect myself was overwhelming and that brought on my first shift." Lauren cringed. "It was fast, awkward and painful, like my body exploded into this fury being then quickly shifted back to human. I was so weak after the changes Hilde could have killed me easily. Instead she shuffled over to help. Still not in control, I grabbed her and by instinct started to feed off her chi. Thank goodness hags are strong. Hilde was able to break away before I had taken too much of her energy. My new abilities appeared in such a short time. The stress was too much and I passed out."

"Damn Girl," said Kenzi. "It's like your body decided to try all its superpowers at once. What did Hilde do?"

Laruen laughed, "Well, she was in her rights to kill me. I had attempted to attack her as a shifter then as a succubus. I had no control at the time but still I was in the wrong by fae law." Shaking her head, Lauren continued, "Instead of terminating me on the spot, I caught her interest." Lauren laughed, "Hilde said I was the most out of balance being she had ever come across. I represented a challenge she had not had in sometime." Lauren paused thinking to herself for a moment.

"I was so afraid of her because she was fae. I would not let her help me. My fear was keeping me from thinking things through. Hilde saw that and used my fear to her advantage." There was a touch of admiration in Lauren's voice.

"How?" asked Kenzi. She had only known the hag for a short time but there was no doubt of the woman's power.

"I know now she was just helping but she went right for my panic button. Hilde said that as retribution for attacking her and showing such poor manners I had to perform a long list of tasks to be forgiven or she would kill me." Kenzi's eyes widened. Lauren chuckled, "The tasks required me to use my new abilities. The tasks started by working with the soil and plants to repair the fields then moving on to things that required me to shift. The last thing she assigned me to do was work with chi. It was awful at first and Hilde almost gave up on me but I would not give up on myself and that earned her respect. The more tasks I checked off the more control of my life I regained. I also grew to trust Hilde and accept her friendship. Soon we were working side by side, completing the task together. The land we live on was totally renewed thanks to our efforts. "

"Would Hilde really have killed you?" ask Kenzi.

Lauren laughed, "No, but she wouldn't have had to, she knew the manifestation of my fae abilities was killing me slowly. My inability to use these new gifts was literally burning my life force away. The tasks she gave me saved my life. It took almost a year but I eventually recovered. I didn't get a great tattoo, but I earned a lifelong friend."

Kenzi frowned, "She trained you, is she your master?" There was some fear in Kenzi's statement. Perhaps the girl was thinking that she had jumped from the frying pan to the fire and was now under the hag's control.

"Yes, she trained me and no, she is not my master." said Lauren with a calmness trying to reassure Kenzi. "I would call her my teacher, even more so my friend." Kenzi still didn't look happy. Lauren smiled and said, "She's my Yoda." That brought a relieved smile to the girl's face.

"I didn't know what I was, human, fae or what. Hilde helped me work through it and master control over my new life. I am not pure fae, I am considered under fae now. Hilde taught me that titles don't mean a thing." Lauren waited for the predictable reaction and watched as her friend paled. "My eyes have been opened. It's not what we think Kenzi. There is so much that the upper fae has taught us that is just wrong."

"But all the attacks on us, on Bo…" said Kenzi questioning what Lauren had told her.

"Kenzi it's all ignorance or prejudice. Most of the under fae we have come across have been told they can be no other way, or they are being held under the control of an upper fae. Another big thing I've learned is that there is really no dark or light fae. Just like a person is initially neither good nor bad, the character of a fae is shaped by simply intention. Fae is Fae no matter what anyone thinks."

The women walked in silence, Kenzi was uncomfortable but she couldn't figure out why. "Lauren I just don't know about all of this." She was fidgeting around unable to stay still. "Trick has always been straight with us and as the blood king said the under fae…" Kenzi rolled her shoulders

Lauren watched her friend, "Kenzi what's wrong? It took me some time to deal with this new knowledge too."

"No, it's not that. Crap, my back is tingling and driving me crazy." said Kenzi as she moved to scratch her back against a tree.

Lauren went on alert, "Kenzi did Massimo have some type of warning spell he used?"

Freezing mid-scratch, "When we were on the run this one time, he cast a spell to let him know if this fae tracking us was nearby." The tingle in Kenzi's back stopped as if with her words triggered the end of the spell. Kenzi went wide-eyed, "Lauren, do I have spidey senses now?

"I think so," a growl was on the edge of Lauren's voice. "Follow the path back to the house. Let Bruce and Hilde know we have company." The doctor's eyes flashed yellow and Kenzi took off on the run. Lauren took a moment to calm her mind and released her senses. She didn't detect anything. Trying again there was the same result. If Kenzi's warning hadn't focused her attention Lauren would have missed it. It was not what she could find. It was what she couldn't. The area directly in front of her was void of any scent, taste or sound. Taking two hopping steps, Lauren was on the move. She sprang forward and let the familiar changes flow. Within three steps she had fully shifted and was running full out.

It was unnerving to be running into an area so void of information. Visually everything looked normal but that had to be an illusion too. The deadened space was more intense the farther Lauren ran into the hollowness. Just to have something to focus on Lauren let out a scream. To the doctor's surprise the sound echoed. Bouncing vocals meant there was something for the sound waves to hit. She screamed again and heard the repeated sound clash immediately with the original. Throwing her claws out in front of her, Lauren launched herself at the invisible barrier. The illusion shattered like glass as her sleek feline form crashed into and through the obstacle. Landing on all fours, Lauren found herself in the midst of bloody chaos.

Two redcaps were in a fierce battle with a large grey and white wolf. A man was standing to the side with a wooded staff. He was chanting and the ground was opening in and around the battle scene. The wolf was slipping into the holes and having to jump out quickly before the ground would slam shut trapping his legs. The redcaps where making the most of the beast's divided attention landing heavy blows easily. The wolf was not long for this world.

Lauren had never seen a shaman before but she knew of them. Bo had broken Nadia's curse when she confronted one to help Lauren what seemed so long ago. When Hale had been made acting Ash he shared that hidden piece of information with her. Lauren had researched shaman thoroughly and knew she was looking at one now. The ground below her feet started to crumble. The magician was aware of her presence. Snarling Lauren sprang out of the pit and into the battle, knocking one of the redcaps to the ground as she moved by. The blood capped thugs were not her prey, she wanted the magic man. As if reading her mind, the man turned to focus on Lauren. The shaman leaned hard on his staff, digging it into the ground, as he swung his free hand at his attacker. This time a much larger depression started to form at Lauren's feet.

Not moving Lauren allowed herself to start to sink into the soil. Reaching out she dug her claws into the dirt and willed the change to come. In seconds she was in her human form again. Lauren was almost waist deep into the Earth. That was just fine with her as contact with her land is what she wanted. A growling sound was followed by a flash of green eyes as Lauren used her powers to find the wood of the shaman's staff. She commanded the staff to twist to life, smashing roots into the ground and splintering new branches out of the old wood. The reborn plant wrapped tightly around the man's hand at first and then began to incase every part of his body. The ground stopped shifting as the magician's focus now became saving his own life. Lauren concentrated then felt roots position beneath her feet and push her out of the ground.

With a quick look to the wolf, who was now holding his own against the redcaps she approached the shaman. Seeing her prey held tight in the wooden trap Lauren shot energy into the earth and the green faded from her eyes replaced by brilliant blue. The shaman was chanting a curse when she got to him but was not fast enough to finish it before Lauren had begun feeding on his chi. The fight was won in seconds, the man's eyes milked over his life's energy gone. Eyes flashing green again she willed the earth to reclaim the shaman body and watched as the new growth fully enclosed the corpse. There was a vicious howl and Lauren spun around. The wolf needed help and with little effort she had shifted back to her feline form.

The wolf had put up a good fight but one of the redcaps had the canine pinned down and the other held a knife ready to slit the animal's throat. With ease Lauren dove into the fray and slammed into the attackers knocking them aside and freeing the wolf. The one with the knife attacked, slashing at her with wild strokes. With all the extra energy from the shaman's chi, Lauren batted the object aside like a toy. Slicing with her claws, the redcap's throat was opened easily and he bled out in a matter of seconds. Whipping around she found the wolf at the throat of the second cap, biting down hard crushing the windpipe. It was a fatal wound. After its victory the wolf whimpered and collapsed, too tired and hurt to do anything else.

Slowly Lauren approached she shifted quickly to human. Again reaching to find her connection to the earth, she touched the ground and bade it open and accept the bodies of the two redcaps. The ground rippled and pulled the bodies under leaving no hint that they had ever been there. Shifting to her feline form, Lauren picked up the wolf shifter. She was careful not to cause any more harm. As she ran for home with the wolf draped over her shoulders, Lauren thought to herself, "Dyson don't you dare die on me?"