A/N: Hi guys, sorry for the humongous long wait! Holidays, exams and whatnot happened, coupled with my lack of inspiration/Writer's Block. So… remember impish_dragon's Musts List? Well, I'm sort of sidetracking from it. It was a good starting point, but I'm gonna start breaking some of those rules. You'll see.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter, mainly because it's not Dyson-centric. Tell me how I did here, in a review! Love those, just so you know ;)
Thanks for reading, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl; I'm merely borrowing its world and changing it up to suit my fantasies.
4: Second Sense: Hearing – Part One
Morning sunlight filters in through the many crevices in Bo's and Kenzi's home. Everything that has happened just hours ago is taking its toll on Bo, but there's no question in her mind in regards to what she needs to do to keep Kenzi safe.
The night flew by for her as she watched her friend murmur gentle nothings in her slumber, finally letting herself get the rest she so needed. Lauren's sudden interruption right after they'd gotten home; them having to throw Dyson out (literally) when it looked like he wouldn't move from Kenzi's side even if the house was on fire…
She had spent the night trying to come up with any number of explanations as to why Dyson was acting in a way that baffled her, until Trick called her a couple of hours ago with the answer, leaving her in an even worst state than before.
She has said nothing to Kenzi of it yet, nor does she plan to on the short term. The poor girl has already been through a lot in the past couple of weeks, and Bo is convinced that burdening her with this knowledge is bound to overflow her already brimming glass of water.
The early morning hours found Bo analysing the situation at hand, though she knows that try as she may, her abilities cannot be of much help to the man she used to love. The man she still loves, in a way, although not as passionately as before. All of her hope of finding a way to help him falls on her grandfather and her girlfriend, and even they didn't sound so enthusiastic about finding a cure for Dyson's ailment.
Bo knows very little of the Fae world, but she knows how to realise when something's beyond anyone's help, she knows that sometimes there's no other way out of a particularly tough predicament but through the worst of it. And it looks like they're gonna have to go through some very fucked up shit to get out of this mess.
It has been killing her, but she has finally decided: Between saving Kenzi and saving Dyson, she'll forever choose her sister. This is no longer a question in her mind.
Trick has warned her of the effects of the spell that's hurting Dyson. So while he and Lauren try to look for cures for their friend, Bo has taken the very important job of not letting Kenzi out of her sight. She has even accompanied Kenzi to the bathroom, rooting herself in the doorway, just in case.
Normally, Kenzi would make a snarky remark and ask her to go the hell away while she tries to take a leak. But the look of sorrow on Bo's face, the fallen shape of her shoulders and the very clear black bags under Bo's bloodshot eyes have stopped her from doing so.
Bo still insists that everything's fine, that she's just a little tired and should be okay after a having a tiny snack; but Kenzi's no fool, and the way Bo mirrors her movements and watches her over… it makes Kenzi feel like there's something she's missing, something Bo hasn't told her.
Anyway, if Kenzi had contracted a fatal disease in that awful cave, Bo wouldn't have waited this long to tell her that her life's in danger. And she would have certainly had her shackled to one of Lauren's hospital beds by now, holding her down onto it for good measure.
So, no, her life must not be in any danger… any immediate danger. Being a human in a Fae world is a dangerous feat in itself. Still, she remembers that every single time she's needed her, Bo's been there. She will always be there for her, the same way that Kenzi will always be there to support Bo.
She has not regained her full strength; still, Kenzi has made the colossal effort of walking down the stairs all on her own to show Bo that she is getting better, while thanking the heavens that her friend can only read sexual tension in a person's body. Otherwise, she'd know that the still healing cuts on Kenzi's legs are burning her like hell, and that it's a wonder that she can stand, let alone walk all this way unaided.
The bear trap that had clutched her, imprisoning her, has left deep marks that will never fade, always reminding Kenzi of the nightmare she went through. What's one more horror to my ever growing list, right?, she thinks. There's no need to give Bo one more reason to worry. Kenzi's a big girl; she'll learn how to handle this, like she always does.
Kenzi's depleted her full energy supply with her little trip to the living room. She lets out a loud harrumph as she plops down on the sofa, feeling Bo's eyes on the back of her neck and pretending she doesn't notice her lowering her voice as she talks over the phone. Keeping up the pretence, she turns on the TV, turning down the volume almost all the way.
Some very delicious smells coming from the kitchen area are hitting her nostrils, making her stomach let out a chain of growls, one after the other. If there's one thing Kenzi's always been proud of is her ability to get all the nourishment her body needs and never feel the need to puke it back out.
"What are you making me, mama?" Kenzi shouts over her shoulder.
A part of her is playing a part for Bo's sake, while another part of her really is curious about what she'll be putting in her mouth in a couple of minutes. The smells are making her mouth water.
Knowing that her appetite is functioning properly takes the edge off Bo's thoughts. She cannot stop herself from straining to hear footsteps on her doorstep, or from looking out the windows to see if anyone is coming. Last night was really hard for her and she could really do with some help now.
Kenzi, on the other hand, had a fantastic night's sleep. She always said to herself that Bo and Dyson would come save her if she needed them, but after their impressive rescue yesterday, she knows that this is true and will hold true forever.
She remembers her dreams from the previous night, too, images of Dyson at her feet while she rested and of him carrying her through darkness. These were not as upsetting as you might think, because in that blackness, she could hear voices she recognised, and more importantly, she could feel Dyson's heart beating under her ear, a tranquil rhythm that set the pace to her dreams.
Kenzi looks up at her sister as Bo hands her a cup of hot cocoa and places a grilled cheese sandwich on the coffee table. She does not sit beside her, though, choosing instead to stand under the doorframe that separates the living area from the door. However exhausted Bo might be, Kenzi knows better than to ask her to go take a nap for a little while. It would be of no use, and she doesn't want to upset her for nothing. Bo will rest when she feels it is right… or when Kenzi whacks her on the forehead with a frying pan to subdue her.
The cup is a little too hot, but it's not a bother for Kenzi. Her fingers wrap completely around it, trying to absorb its heat through osmosis. The club house, as trashed as it looks, is actually patched up in all the right places, keeping the warmth inside. But Kenzi's chest still feels chilly, for reasons entirely alien to this.
The girls have never fixed the lock on the door, and only sometimes they remember to put the bolt on it to keep it shut. It used to scare Kenzi half to death to have her front door open by a stranger (remember how many times have they had to deal with crazy Fae in their house?).
From the way Bo's been acting all morning, Kenzi's pieced together the fact that she's been expecting someone. So she focuses her attention elsewhere while she hears the front door open.
A little moan of appreciation escapes her mouth as she swallows the chocolaty goodness in her hands. Bo's learned how to make it to perfection: A thick, heavy substance that is not overly sweet and just hot enough to last her a good while.
She does not need to turn her head to see that Lauren has just come in; it is evident it is her by the way Bo sighs in relief when she sees her. Kenzi did not, however, even think that Tamsin would be tagging along with the doc.
The blond Valkyrie crosses her line of vision in a thrice and settles down next to Kenzi on the sofa, surprising her. Whatever Kenzi thought she knew of her, she knows now that this is a woman with a thick, thick skin. And she wonders if that skin might be starting to break a little, showing Tamsin's true colours.
"Well, look who's up and about in record time," Tamsin says, overly cheerfully, looking Kenzi in the eye.
Ever since she can remember, ever since her father taught her to play poker, Kenzi's been able to read people and find out their intentions just by looking at their expressions. It's what's gotten her out of many sticky situations, an ability that's saved her life many countless times.
"Yeah, well, I couldn't stay in bed forever, ya know?" she replies.
Tamsin's smile may fool others, but Kenzi notices that it's a bit too forced, her eyes not quite catching on the feeling and her jaw tensing from the lie it's just uttered. And here's something Kenzi has mastered over the years too: When she smiles back at Tamsin, it is a genuine thing that lights up her face and masks her real emotions from everyone.
Tamsin straightens up, almost realising that this is not something they ordinarily do, sit down and chat like this. Flashing lights and blaring sirens go off on Kenzi's mind (obviously something big is going on, there's no other plausible explanation for Bo to be so content in letting Tamsin in their home), but she's strong, and she'll keep up the charade for as long as she has to. Nerves destroyed her in the Cave, but here she's the one holding the reins.
Lauren's been whispering into Bo's ear. Her hands travel up and down Bo's arms while she gives her a pointed look, giving Bo no other choice but to look back at her. Feeling slightly defeated, Bo nods unperceptively and moves to sit on the armchair opposite the girls. Kenzi can see the effort she's making to keep her eyes open and it's hurting her to see her like this.
As Lauren walks closer, Kenzi spots the doctor's bag she's carrying on her hand and her whole body immediately tenses. She is so done with tests!
Tamsin's hands come to rest on her arms, and Kenzi notices that she's moved closer to her and away from Lauren's invasive hands. Surprisingly, Tamsin's touch is soothing, her hold on her is gentle and Kenzi somehow knows that she's not gonna force her to do anything she doesn't want to. She's just trying to let her know that she's here for her, too.
Lauren's caught on to Kenzi's look by now. She sits on the coffee table, pushing the now cold sandwich aside to make room for her bag. She turns her head and finds that Bo has finally fallen asleep. She could have used her help here, but it's not like she needs to draw more blood from Kenzi… for now.
Holding her hand up, Lauren says, "I'm not here to poke you again, Kenzi." Her eyebrows lift as she looks at Kenzi, trying to make her believe her.
Kenzi looks at Lauren's huge eyes and what she sees there calms her. No wonder Bo's so fond of the doc. She does have a strange ability, for a human, she thinks.
Lauren breaks the eye contact to look for something in her bag. "I just… need…" she says, rummaging through her stuff, "a sample of your hair."
She's finally found what she was looking for: A pair of surgeon scissors and a small glass flask. Sighing, Lauren takes a strand of rebel hair out of her face and tucks it behind an ear. She knows that Bo's right, that this is not the best time to tell Kenzi the truth, and she needs to come up with a good excuse to explain why she needs more of Kenzi's hair. It must be the hundredth and fifth time she's asked her for it.
Why Lauren would want more of her hair, when she's already cut like half of it already is beyond Kenzi. Yet she knows the doc wouldn't be here asking for more if she didn't really need it. Which again brings Kenzi to wonder what Bo is -scratch that-, what everyone is hiding from her.
"Sure thing, doc," says Kenzi, leaning forwards. Maybe Bo won't tell her the truth, but Kenzi is willing to try and break Lauren's force of will. "What, you planning on opening a salon or something?" she teases. "Just FYI, I ain't chopping off my hair for you-"
A crashing sound interrupts her midsentence. Something's collided with her front door and she does not like the sound of it. Nor does she like the way Tamsin's hands are now gripping her tighter, nor the way Lauren's expression is going into panic mode. And she certainly does not approve of Bo being woken up like this, when it's clear that her stamina is rapidly decreasing, almost to a breaking point.
When the door opens (actually, when it's yanked open) and she sees Dyson standing on the threshold, panting loudly, she lets out a sigh of relief. But, for some reason, Bo's jumped up from her armchair, Tamsin's circling her waist with her right arm and Lauren's standing up and standing directly on her line of vision, almost as if she were trying to keep her out of his sight.
Kenzi's hyperactive mind is trying to decipher why these three women are acting so overprotective of her. She sees Bo walking towards Dyson, pulling strength from God knows where to keep her going. Bo places a hand on his chest, but he doesn't seem to notice her.
Dyson's deep sighs reach her ears; she can see him craning his neck to take a better look at her. Then she locks gazes with him, really looking at him now that he's closer… and holy shit.
If she thought Bo looked like hell, then she has no words for how Dyson looks in that moment. Kenzi could have sworn that it was only yesterday that she saw him… and yet, his face. It's completely sunken in, his cheekbones peeking out at her from under his flesh. His eyes are caved in their sockets, more red than blue, and every strand of hair on him has been washed off its colour.
He looks terrible. He looks half dead.
And he's looking at her with such longing in his eyes… it's completely freaking her out, more than whatever she went through in Inari's cave.
Her own pain forgotten, Kenzi tries to pry herself off of Tamsin's vice-like grip, but the Valkyrie's not having it. She can hear Tamsin's voice in her ear, but it's a noise she's purposefully drowning out. Lauren has not moved from her post: She's taken the surgeon scissors and is gripping them as if she were ready to use them as a weapon. And Bo… Bo is holding a paralysed Dyson, a confused expression clear on her tired face.
Kenzi realises that the three of them are waiting for him to pounce on her, but she knows he wouldn't do that. And why does he look like that?
Meanwhile, Dyson's quiet. He does not say a word. Why would he? There's nothing important that he can say. None of his words are worth anything, anyway. He's learnt this from Her, in their Dreamland. Words are never necessary. Actions are what count.
He spent a good part of his morning playing with Her. But when She disappeared again and didn't come back, he knew he had to look for her elsewhere. So he came here. Because She told him to.
All that time with Her, he learnt so much… he realised he's been a fool most of his life. He knows that nothing else matters much now. His life has gone full circle, almost coming to a close. But before it can do that, he needs to be near her.
He's come to see the real her because he got tired of her doppelgänger. That one may try to be as funny or smart as Kenzi, but there's no comparison when it comes to her. She's one of a kind.
He ran all the way here. Ran as fast as he could and jumped up the gates to get to the door, before he tore it open, hearing her heartbeat (he's also learnt to make it out from among a crowd) calling out a song just for him.
As he entered, he was able to feel these kinds of scents, presences, almost, but he could see no one other than her. She was waiting for him, all by herself in this big old house. A sense of rage invades him; how could they have left her alone after what happened?
But no matter. He's here now, and he'll keep her safe and sound. You could hardly tell she'd been held captive by a raving lunatic until yesterday. She looks… whole. It makes him happy to see her like this. So, so deeply happy. He couldn't take his eyes off of her even if he wanted to.
But now he's noticing that she's struggling against something invisible to him, and that she looks royally pissed. He's beginning to wonder what's holding him back, keeping him from getting to her, and why she looks like she's ready to punch someone in the cojones.
He is fighting it, impossibly, but true. Her sight is reaching into the farthest corners of his mind and quickly pulling him back out again. The pressure on his chest solidifies and he recognises the scents that surround him. He's nearly out of it, barely hanging onto reality.
Dyson can see now Tamsin's arms on Kenzi's waist. He sees how tightly she's holding her, how little Kenzi appears to be enjoying it, and a fresh wave of anger flows through his veins. The rumbling of his chest echoes on Bo's hand, but she does not take it away.
"Will someone please explain to me what the holy fuck is going on here!" Kenzi shouts.
It's her string of words, her choice of vocabulary and the fact that she chose to speak now, what finally manages to pull him back under. His anger subsides, and he's back to being what he's fast becoming: A shell of himself.