Disclaimer: Lost Girl belongs to Showcase or SYFY and I am only playing in their universe.
A/N: I can't thank you all enough for the reads, reviews and follows. Love reading your comments. On with the story...
Just clearing the woods near the barn, Lauren met up with Bruce and Kenzi running to help her. Lauren never slowed but she huffed a soft growl as she moved by the welcoming party. Hilde was waiting on the porch. "Put him on the ground child," she instructed as Lauren came closer. As gently as possible, Lauren placed Dyson, in wolf form, on the dirt in front of the porch steps. Lauren stepped back giving the hag room to work. She calmed herself and returned to her human form. There was no more threat and she might be needed as a doctor if Dyson shifted back to his human form.
As Kenzi and Bruce approached the two women, they both recognized the patient. "Dyson!" yelled Kenzi and she ran to the big wolf's side. She started to tear up as she dropped to the ground and began running her hands through the thick fur.
Hilde grumbled, "Child your tears won't help him. Up, up, up." Hilde held out her hand and helped Kenzi to her feet. "Druid it's time to use your skills." Kenzi blanched. The hag was not fazed, "Trust in yourself, that's the key child. Go to the kitchen and open the cabinets with the glass front, grab the containers one by one and hold them in your hand, concentrate on creating something to heal from a beating. Listen to your instincts and pick the herbs you will need. Create a tea from the ingredients when you are through. Be quick your wolf needs you, now go." Kenzi bolted to the kitchen with a determined look on her face.
"What are you doing?" asked Lauren quietly.
Giggling softly the old hag said, "She needed something to do and it gets her out of my way. Who knows she might even come back with something interesting." The hag bent down over the unmoving animal after a moment she said, "Bah… he's okay just beaten up and weak from hunger. He's been too long in wolf form without eating." She poked the wolf, "Time to shift back before you're stuck that way child." A red glow filled the hag's eyes and she said again with a power laced voice. "Time to shift child." and with those words Dyson made a slow, and Lauren was pretty sure, painful shift back to human.
When the shift was complete Hilde removed her shawl and covered Dyson's naked body. No more than a minute later Kenzi came running back with a small cup of murky liquid. She presented the cup to Hilde who held it to her nose. Lauren winced as she could smell the concoction from where she stood and it was enough to make her stomach turn. "Well done druid," said Hilde with a large toothy smile. Motioning to Bruce to prop Dyson up, they forced the liquid down his throat as he cussed and fought them weakly. Bruce please take him to a guest room." said the hag grinning at the big man he nodded beaming back at her. He picked up the man at his feet as if he was nothing. As Bruce carried the shifter to bed, Kenzi followed close behind.
Watching the small group move away, Lauren asked, "Not that I doubt you or anything but was that stuff Kenzi made useful?"
Hilde cackled a laugh and replied, "It really was. A simple remedy with druid and gypsy aspects, but a good solid cure-all for the child's first try, curiously strong mix. Hilde laughed, "As a side benefit that wolf will also be regular for quite some time." Both women let out a laugh. The hag shuffled towards the swing on the porch, she said over her shoulder, "The child has a real fire in her. I think the girl will make a fine druid and be an excellent healer." The hag let out a chuckle and Lauren looked to her mentor, who had flopped down and was starting to enjoy the sway of the swing, "Child, go get us some wine. I think I need a drink." turning Lauren smiled on the way to the cellar. They sat quietly for a few glasses. Hilde was a good enough friend to let matters alone. Lauren would talk to her if she needed to. A little more than an hour later they found their way upstairs to end a crazy day.
Yelling broke the dawn and had Lauren running down the hall towards Dyson's room. "Hag, Agent of the Dark." yelled a pompous voice. "What the hell did you do to me? I should kill you. What have you done with Kenzi? If you have hurt her…." Lauren broke into the room to find Dyson set to attack Hilde. The hag's eyes were bright red and Dyson was in a modified shift, teeth and claws at the ready. Lauren felt her own shift coming on when she was knocked aside by Bruce and Kenzi bursting into the room. Bruce grabbed Hilde and placed her behind him. A gallant gesture as Hilde was easily three times as dangerous as Bruce. Kenzi ran to Dyson to calm him.
"Dyson, no stop, it's not what you think." Kenzi said reaching out to touch the shifter. He registered his friend's presence by grabbing and pulling her roughly to his side.
"Damn it, Kenzi, a hag and an ogre. How do you get into these situations? They tried to poison me with this horrid liquid." On the floor near the bed was a broken mug with Kenzi's remedy puddled beside it. "I could smell the evil behind that swill." Kenzi let out a small cry and pulled away from Dyson. There were tears in her eyes as she ran from the room. It was enough to break the man's righteous outrage and quiet him for a moment.
Lauren had pulled herself off the floor, "So much for cat like reflexes." she thought to herself as she moved to the side to let Kenzi out the door. She walked between Dyson and the others in the room. "You finished with your tantrum now." Lauren said coldly. Dyson growled and Lauren's eyes flashed gold, "You are in my house and you do not threaten my friends. They are under my protection." There was a large amount of power laced in the growling statement. Dyson growled like he may be thinking of taking on the woman standing before him, the fae that had taken Lauren's shape.
She intensified her glare and snarled something she rarely did in human form. Dyson's mind flashed to the creature that had saved him last night. It had the same call. A look of confusion crossed his face, then he took in Lauren's scent, he raised his eyebrows in recognition. It was the same as the cat that had joined him in battle. Seeing Dyson come to some understanding of the situation, Lauren said in a calm but firm voice, "Do you smell the shifter that saved your life? Yeah it was me, Lauren. I was the one who came to your rescue last night. We will be in the kitchen when you have control of yourself." She motioned to Hilde and Bruce who walked towards the door. As Lauren followed them she turned, "By the way, Kenzi is the one that made that remedy. It helped save your life last night and she was trying to help you again this morning. Think you might want to apologize for calling her work evil." She took a step and turned again, "Oh yeah, clean up that mess."
It was a good hour before Dyson made it to the kitchen. He had left the house within minutes of Lauren and company leaving his room. He was after Kenzi and he found her walking down the path she had travelled the night before. "Kenzi wait," Dyson called to her when he saw her. She didn't stop she was beyond hurt and now was angry. Catching her he grabbed her arm and spun her to face him.
Immediately Kenzi started hitting his chest, "You are an asshole!" she yelled as she hit him again. "Those are good people in there." She landed one last blow and then pointed back down the path towards the house. "They did nothing but try to help you." She pulled away trying to get free of his grasp. "And Lauren…" Kenzi's words never got out as Dyson pulled her into a tight hug and held her. She squirmed in his grip but he did not loosen his hold. In fact, he pulled her even closer. Kenzi was helpless and could do nothing but return the hug. She mumbled, "You're still an asshole."
"I'm sorry. I have just been so worried about you. No one knew where you had gone." said Dyson when he finally loosened his grip and put some space between their two bodies. "I was confused and the hag and then that ogre that worked for Evony…."
"Bruce, his name is Bruce. The hag is named Hilde and they have both done so much for me." said Kenzi. "Then there's Lauren, Dyson you would not believe what has happened to Lauren. There is so much to tell you. But you," Kenzi worked a hand up to shifters chest and pressed against the skin of his open shirt. "You have to be willing to listen with an open mind." Her words stumbled for a moment then she said with more strength, "I have changed too. I made that drink they were trying to get you to drink and…"
"Lauren told me, I'm sorry I was…." Dyson never good with apologies but he was trying.
Kenzi gave him a lopsided smile, "It did smell foul, but it wasn't evil Dyson." she paused and then in a more serious tone continued, "I've changed but I'm not evil and I would never try to hurt you. You have to believe me."
"I know you are not evil Kenzi." The truth to Dyson's words rang in the quiet woods. Kenzi had a way with Dyson that he had never understood. She had always been there for him even when he didn't really deserve it. He grabbed her hand and said, "It sounds like you have a lot to tell me." said Dyson. "I need to hear it." Walking back towards the house Kenzi shared all that she knew with Dyson. How Massimo had tricked her, Bruce's friendship and protection, Lauren coming to her rescue and Hilde's work to make her safe, even stopping their walk to show off her tattoo. Kenzi was careful not to overshare the information she had learned about Lauren. It was not her place to reveal certain things. By the time the twosome reached the house, Kenzi had shared enough that Dyson's head was swimming. He growled and steeled himself for all the apologies he would have to be making.
Kenzi and Dyson entered the house to the smell of meat cooking. The rumble in Dyson's stomach made Kenzi laugh. Now that she looked at him he did look skinny, thin beyond his normally cut anatomy. "Smells like heaven in here." said Kenzi as they entered the kitchen, trying to hide how nervous she was about how everyone was going to act. Bruce was the one cooking, he was frying the steaks as no one was in the mood to fire up the grill. At the sight of the wolf shifter, Hilde's eyes flashed red but with a sniff and a, "Humph," they faded.
"I am sorry for my hurtful words and actions. Thank you for your assistance last night with the fight and my recovery." Dyson said clearly as he took a moment to look each person in the room in the eye. At the end of his statement he dropped his head in a show of submission. As dominant a creature as Dyson was his actions were worth almost more than his words. No one said anything for a long moment then Hilde reached over and tapped Bruce's leg. The big man cleared his throat, "I figured yours for rare and over easy." He slid a plate containing a large steak with three fried eggs on to the table and Lauren passed it over. The smile on Dyson's face conveyed that Bruce had guessed right.
The late breakfast of steak and eggs was peppered with careful small talk. What was it like to live on the farm? What was Lauren growing in the large garden and fields on the property? Before they could start swapping recipes Hilde interrupted the mind numbing babble. "Enough of this, child why are you here?" she directed the statement at Dyson. Everyone stopped and looked from the hag and to the wolf. Dyson looked as relieved as Hilde to finally get to the point and gave her a nod of thanks.
Clearing his throat, "I have been searching for Kenzi for months now." Dyson said with a smile as he refilled his coffee. Kenzi's cheeks flushed just slightly and she smiled, no one noticed but Lauren. "She is the best person I know when it comes to dealing with Bo." Lauren winced a little as Kenzi's sweet smile faltered. Dyson missed Kenzi's reaction entirely as he realized he had just made another mistake, "Lauren I had no idea where you were and Bo …."
Lauren let him off the hook. There was unfinished business when it came to Lauren and Dyson and their relationships with Bo, but the wolf had meant no offence in his statement. "Don't worry about it Dyson. After our time dealing with Taft, I am very sure that Bo doesn't ever want to see me again." Rushing the next statement to hide the hurt, "Besides you really couldn't have found me if you wanted too. Hilde has warded my location. You were looking for Kenzi, not me, and that's what led you here."
"Taft," Dyson bit out the man's name. "I need to thank you again for saving the fae from him and saving me in the compound. Exchanging my DNA for a cabbit was a stroke of brilliance doctor. I thank you for the snack. He will never be bothering anyone again."
Lauren smiled in spite of herself. The relief that Taft was dead and unable to hurt anyone else lifted a weight off her shoulders she had grown far to use to carrying. "You're welcome. I kinda hoped that you would be the one to find him." She bit her lip she shouldn't ask but she had to, "What's up with Bo? Why do you need Kenzi?"
Sighing heavily, Dyson said, "As many changes as you have all been through, there have been changes at home as well. Not all of them good either. Hale stepped down as Ash and Trick was called back from Scotland, he took over as the acting Ash at the request of the light fae elders," he looked to Kenzi and smiled. "Hale thanks you for returning his family heirloom. I'm assuming that Massimo didn't know you did that." Kenzi shrugged. "Hale took over as keep of the Dahl. I think the man has found his calling."
Dyson continued more seriously, "All hell broke loose after that and Trick used every bit of his influence just short of his blood to sort it out and get everything back to normal. Vex took over as leader of the Dark. Tamsin ended her lifecycle with me along for the ride." Kenzi let out an alarmed squeak. "She had it planned, something about a Valkyrie's power to protect a chosen warrior. Anyway I made it out unharmed, only suffering a slight headache and she did the Valkyrie thing and died then was awarded a new lifecycle. Only thing was she made Odin mad and he slowed the return of her powers. She won't be at full strength for seven hundred years. Man is she pissed." Dyson started laughing and the rest of the table just stared at him.
"Focus wolf," growled Hilde. "Tell us what you're hiding."
Shifting in his seat, "Ah yeah Bo…." Dyson's expression was sad as he thought of how to continue.
"When Bo returned from Taft's compound she ran to the Dahl to find you," he nodded to Kenzi, "and Trick. Instead her dad was waiting for her." Both Kenzi and Lauren gasped and started talking at once.
"Quiet!" yelled Hilde silencing everyone in a heartbeat. The hag rolled her eyes. They were never going to get out of the kitchen at this rate.
Continuing Dyson said, "The man's a piece of work, powerful and dark. Somehow he got to Bo and took her away for several months. When they returned, Bo was in bad shape. She wasn't the girl we all know. Quiet and introverted, she will not leave her father's side. She is living with him at his estate. Worst of all she is weak, I think that she has stopped feeding or she had stopped feeding normally anyway." The kitchen was silent.
Kenzi was the first to speak, "Has any one tried to help her, you or Trick? Trick's her grandfather for god's sake, can't he talk to her?"
"That is just it," growled Dyson, "She refuses to talk to any of us. If we try to approach her on our own we are turned away by her father's people. Over a year ago I broke into Bo's father's estate. I got to Bo and tried to snatch her. She fought me, telling me the whole time that she was better off where she was. It wasn't genuine, it sounded almost scripted. I made her good and mad but she didn't have the energy to tap her real power. Her eyes couldn't even fully flare. The scuffle brought daddy's goons running. After that a price was set on my head. The trio you saved me from was just the last in a very long line of attacks."
Pausing Dyson rolled his neck on his shoulders as if remembering the toll all of this had taken on his body. "Kenzi you are the one that Bo listens to no matter what. I have been trying to find you for months now but I always was just a step behind. From what you shared I think Massimo had something to do with that because within the last week your trail flared and I was able find you. " After a moment he continued, "I have pressed my search even harder lately because there are rumors that Bo is going to give up being unaligned and join the dark fae with her father. Once that happens…"
Lauren stood up so abruptly the rest of the room jumped in surprise. She walked out of the kitchen and was through the front door and off the porch in a matter of seconds. The shift was on her and she was running flat out. Lauren didn't know if she could out run the pain in her heart but she was sure as hell going to try.