Disclaimers: All original property is owned by Showcase, and we do not infer that any characters, creations or the concept of 'Lost Girl' are our property and the following fan fiction has been written purely for entertainment purposes only.
Pairings: Bo/Lauren Set directly after our story "Faery Tale", the fourth story in an AU plot line.
Rating: M (Contains scenes of violence, sexuality and nudity)
No Faete But What We Make: Chapter Six
By: The Rainbowwriters
When Bo had carefully unlocked the door to the Dal and let herself in, she'd been expecting that her best friend would still be star fished in her bed asleep but the scene that met her was very different. The first thing that struck her was that Kenzi was not only up at six thirty in the morning but she was pleasant and bright, not the brunette's usual response to the early hour. The second was that she was scooted over into one half of the bed and beside her was perched the redheaded Harvester that Bo had been impatiently waiting to return. The third thing, that she didn't see until she moved silently over closer to the bed, was that they were drawing in charcoal on a wide sheet of parchment.
"I hope you didn't keep her up all night drawing inappropriate comics." Bo announced her arrival, mostly just to introduce herself into the cozy situation. She guessed that Thistle had probably tuned into her as the Harvester's body language stayed relaxed and a Fae hunted like her for almost a century must have built up extra super senses. Of course she knew that Kenzi was libel to come up with any number of opening lines to respond to her. After all she had been missing all night, looked as post sex fest dishevelled with Lauren as she ever could and wasn't carrying anything yummy for her bestie from the outside world.
Red eyes came up slowly from the parchment as blue eyes quickly darted from it to look at her best friend.
"Look who's back." The young human announced with a broad smile beckoning the succubus ever closer with a quick series of waves. "Rough night?" She grinned more when Bo came closer, a sparkle in her eyes. For her part the Harvester remained silent just greeting Bo with a silent nod and the hint of a smile.
"I couldn't sleep." Bo gave the somewhat cryptic reply to her best friend as she moved up to the side of the bed, looking at the parchment and the drawings of Kenzi's arms now with overlying 'tattoo' guidelines for the Harvester. "But the good Doctor helped me out." She reached out gripping Kenzi's bad hand momentarily almost like a mini hug before she looked at Thistle. "I'm glad you're back." She said honestly. "Is this to get things sealed up?" She motioned to the drawing, for the first time taking a real look at it.
"Yes, I thought it would be good to involve Kenzi in the design of the seal since it will be hers for the rest of her life." Thistle nodded at the succubus' comment. "My pet made me aware of our friend's progress." She added glancing briefly at Kenzi with a soft smile. "She is tenacious."
"That's one of the reasons I love her." Bo couldn't help the beaming proud smile that spread across her face. "I like it though... brass knuckles? And you call some of my outfits butch?" She teased.
"It's an outward show of my inner strength." Kenzi puffed out her chest slightly.
"Don't worry, I like it." Bo reached up and ruffled dark sleep tossed hair. "So all of this is going to be made out of the iridium?" She looked to Thistle.
"In a sense yes." Thistle nodded. "In appearance at least." She clarified her answer slightly. "The seal will take some time to perform and will be quite painful, I have talked to Kenzi at some length about this." She added looking at Bo particularly. "I suggested that it may be for the best if you were not present during the ceremony, your dear friend was not so certain." Red eyes glanced at Kenzi.
"I was wondering about that... if I was here, I could try to help with the pain, if it's going to be that bad." Bo gave a little shrug, not sure how likely Thistle or even Kenzi would be to agreeing with this. "A little sway might take your mind off of it."
It was Kenzi's eyes that first went a little wide with Bo's suggestion.
"Er Bo-Bo, I'm not sure I'm totally down with that. I mean not that I don't appreciate the offer or anything but..." She gave a slight frown. "It would probably feel a little, no make that a whole lot icky."
Bo was about to open her mouth to counter Kenzi's objection when Thistle cut her off.
"Actually Succu... Bo." She corrected herself. "Adding any other kind of magical or mystical input during the operation would not be wise or recommended." She shook her head softly. "Though your desire to help your friend is more than commendable." She gave a soft nod.
"I just wanted to keep you from feeling pain." Bo pointed out softly to Kenzi but she did understand and had feared that Thistle's response would revolve around her being more of an interference than a help. "Can Lauren be here for it? To monitor all the other things she can monitor? Maybe give her something to help with the pain after your done?"
"I was about to suggest that your lover be present for the ceremony, to both support Kenzi and to monitor as you suggested. She can also provide her with some medications prior to the sealing, I will do my best to provide the best environment I can to keep Kenzi comfortable at all times." She added her own proviso. "In the past when I have had to do this I recommend someone close like a mother, or sister be present, preferably human." She underlined softly.
"Fae interfere in general." Bo gave another nod like she understood. "So when is this tattoo party going to be happening?" She felt a icy edge of anticipation race up her spine suddenly. Even though she'd been wanting this very thing to happen for days now, to know that Kenzi was completely safe, faced now with the idea of her best friend having to go through a traumatic painful sealing without her made her antsy.
"Well I want to do my own assessment of Kenzi, and it will take some time to prepare all that is needed, but if everything is in order I should think by the weekend at the latest." Thistle outlined her emerging timetable.
"Prep time is good, I know Lauren will want to do a full work up on you as well to make sure you're as physically ready as you can be." Bo put her hand on Kenzi's shoulder. "Are you two okay for a bit then while I grab a shower?" She smiled again, remembering Lauren's rant about Fae with acute senses of smell. The worry that Thistle might be one of those hitting her suddenly. Kenzi might be used to the post sex smell of her best friend, but the Harvester shouldn't be expected to deal with it.
"Yeah, we're still trying to sort out the part that's going up my forearm. Do I look more like a vine or a Celtic knot work kind of girl?" Kenzi smiled at her best friend, knowing later she was going to get a barrage of questions about what Thistle had told her.
"Vine." Bo gave a soft laugh and began to move off out of the bar.
"She's freaking out." Kenzi commented as soon as her bestie was out of the room. "She's trying to hide it but she hates anything she can't fight herself with her big bad succubus mojo." She made the admission. "Having Lauren here was a great suggestion though, you're better at reading her than most."
"Her attachment to you is very deep, very true." Thistle frowned slightly, her eyes still on the door that Bo had left by. "As is the one she shares with the doctor, I took a logical guess and honestly hoped for the best." A slim smile graced the Harvester's lips. "I should however have checked on your own feelings for the other human we are discussing." She looked back at Kenzi for a moment, her usually fiery eyes burning a little dimmer, almost a more 'normal' colour. "Would having Dr. Lewis with you during this time make you feel more comforted or less so?"
"Um..." Kenzi actually took a moment to think about it and then reached down digging into the tent made by her feet in the hospital tuck in corners of the blanket. When her hand emerged she wiggled the small ever present kangaroo stuffy Lauren had gotten her, so long ago it seemed now. "This is Mr. Kickers, say hello Mr. Kickers." She made him do a little more of a wiggle dance. "Lauren got him for me, I'm cool with Lauren being here. We got off to a rough start Dr. Hotpants and I, but we're good now. From what Bo told me Lauren did a lot for me during all this, she..." The young woman's words drifted off and her brow knotted into a furrow. "Lauren got me Mr. Kickers after Hale's coronation party, I had this wicked evil hangover... it was starting even then wasn't it? That thing was taking me over?"
Thistle watched for a moment as Kenzi obviously wrestled a little with the memory and the time line of events.
"Kenzi it began the moment after you were exposed." The Harvester said, her tone low but gentle. "It would have progressed rather like a sickness, the symptoms minor to begin with, probably manifesting as you suggested in physical ways, like the feelings of general illness with no specific cause." She made sure to keep her eyes on Kenzi as she explained a little more. "In olden times often lives were lost in the early stages of possession because the victims were not surrounded by ones who could love them, take care of them as you obviously were." Somewhat unexpectedly the Harvester reached out and ran a hand over the top of the small kangaroo's head. "You are both a very unlucky and yet lucky young woman Kenzi, to have been touched by something so... so dark, so devastating and yet to have come out of it so bright."
"I don't remember most of it." Kenzi shook her head. "But..." She put her hand up to her collarbone. "It's like I can feel the memory of it in here somewhere, of being lost and out of control."
The red head looked at Kenzi for a moment.
"I can take those things away Kenzi, those memories, the patches that you have." The eyes that looked at her burned just a little brighter.
"I don't know if I want to lose them." Kenzi shook her head her voice small. "I mean... Bo said there were things, I didn't want to know and I believe her but I don't want to totally forget all of this. The reason I got this Ghoul spilt on me is because I had to get something back for a friend, I didn't know this could be the consequence but I was willing to take the chance. I deserve some sort of reminder other than a pretty tattoo."
"And that is why I didn't just take them during the Harvest." Thistle nodded as Kenzi went through her reasoning. "May I ask was what you got for your friend worth the risk you took, as unknowing as it may have been?"
"You know the wolfman?" Kenzi questioned and saw Thistle give a nod that she was familiar with him. "Ages ago Bo had a beat down fight with her crazy evil Mom, and he went to the Norn thinking he was trading away his wolf to give Bo strength enough to beat Aife. When the agreement was made the Norn didn't take his wolf, but the thing he really valued the most, his love for Bo." She let the statement stand to see what Thistle would say.
"A deal with the Norn is never quite the thing you expect it to be." The Harvester frowned ever so slightly. "And you went to the Norn to retrieve this love? Even though the succubus loves another? Or is this the shaky start you spoke of before. Is it that you believe your friend should be with this wolf and not the human doctor?"
"I used to believe that, it's who I'd have chosen." Kenzi tried to explain the origins of her selfish reasoning. "But I realized even before we beat the Garuda, Dyson needed to be whole again for Dyson, not for Bo and Bo needs to pick who her heart wants her to pick not who I, the totally straight girl, want her to pick." She gave a soft smile. "And so you know... I went after the Norn's tree with a chainsaw until she gave me his love back. The ghoul drool spilt on me by accident but the old bat was loving it from the get go."
"Well given the nature of what was spilled I am not surprised." Thistle was honest in her reply. "Your friends fought long and hard for you during the Harvest did the succubus tell you that?" Red eyes once again glanced over to the door to the back rooms.
"No, she didn't mention anything about The Harvest..." Kenzi couldn't help but feel a shiver at the two words. "She just said you were the only fae who could do what you did, strip the ghoul out of me. She didn't really tell me how you did it."
"Well technically any of my kin could have done it." Thistle smiled a little. "My son was actually here as well, though not present during the harvest." She made the small distinction. "But yes only a harvester could have split your essence from that of the Ghoul and successfully returned yours to your body." She nodded a little at Bo's summary of the events.
"But everyone helped you?" Kenzi brought Thistle back to her original point, holding Mr. Kickers and playing with his tail.
"Even the old king." Thistle nodded trying not to infuse her voice with venom.
"I bet it was crazy, all the shit you Fae do is usually crazy." Kenzi gave her a weak smile sensing that there was a lot more to the Harvester's history with the Blood King then her mind could wrap around right now. Pushing down her curiosity she pulled the parchment closer again. "So, it just struck me... I need something in this tattoo to say thank you to you."
Thistle shook her head.
"Unfortunately you will wear my mark forever now Kenzi." A brief frown dance on Thistle brow for a moment as she reached to pick up the parchment and folded it carefully to focus the young human's attention to the pre-drawn seal on the centre of the hand. The somewhat intricate symbol that featured a large ornate scythe and an hour glass, some leaves and a beautifully filigreed owl all encapsulated in a circle of thorns. "This is my crest."
"Come on, I got that." Kenzi grinned at her. "I meant more you... you. I could say we put a thistle flower in it, but isn't that technically a weed?" She grinned more.
"Never say that in Scotland." A broad smile spread across the Harvester's face.
"Cause I look like I spend a lot of time in Scotland." Kenzi joked more. "I have it..." She pulled the parchment closer and began to try and show what she was thinking.
-x-
It was much later when in the day when the relative peace that had settled in the Dal was broken again, though it had taken some time for a calm to settle into the tavern. The reason for the air of discontentment was mainly because Trick hadn't been prepared to come out and start his morning ritual to find the Harvester sitting in the bar already chatting to his granddaughter and Kenzi.
It was more than obvious to Kenzi, over the hours that followed just how uncomfortable the Harvester made the old Fae. The young human was used to Trick being so very confident and self assured in everything he did, but just with Thistle present he seemed to be a little more wary, more withdrawn. If she was honest it made the usual brash and confident woman a little wary herself, after all if Trick was so off put by the other Fae, didn't that suggest there was something dangerous, or at least, unpredictable about her? Something that maybe Bo was missing because well Bo knew about as much about Fae history and lore as she did about astrophysics.
As time had gone on though Thistle had set up her 'work' corner and Bo had explained to Kenzi that it was was pretty much what the Harvester had done the first time she had been there at the Dal for an extended period of time. She had moved tables to corner herself in and had covered them with a variety of urns and burners, Not to mention other equipment that truly looked like it should be in a blacksmith's shop rather than a bar, though it was all miniature, looking to be at least less half the size it 'should' have been to be useful to a real blacksmith.
The Harvester getting comfortable had had the knock on effect that Trick had relaxed too. He had gone about the bar doing his own thing, giving her a wide birth at all times, but being strangely quiet still as he did his best to keep the tension down. For her part Bo had been better when she had come back from her shower, obviously having talked through a few things to herself while there. She had just slipped into normal 'Bo' like activities, even sitting down to play a few rounds of robot hookers with Kenzi before insisting the younger woman settle down for a nap, considering how early she had been up.
The succubus had then gone out, a quick follow up visit to a case she was thinking of taking on, and that had left just Trick, Kenzi and Thistle in the Dal. The three of them having settled into an oddly relaxed coexistence, that was until the door had opened.
Kenzi who had been flicking though magazines peered around the edge of her bed, expecting it to be Bo, having long since been expecting her bestie to be back from the case meeting. She was therefore surprised when Dyson took long steps into the bar. She sat up with a bright smile, instantly slightly more energized when behind the tall wolf someone she hadn't seen for what seemed like an eternity stepped into view.
The handsome Siren was carrying a large bouquet of white and pink roses as he stepped through over the threshold of the Dal, his free hand coming up to remove the typically 'Hale' hat that he was wearing in greeting to Trick, who was smiling brightly at The Ash as the door closed behind him.
"There he is, finally come to visit the sick. Don't tell me you've been busy or something." Kenzi called to the Siren and held out her arms before he had even been able to come across the bar.
"Oh L'il momma." Hale was beaming as he crossed the room quickly and pulled her into his arm, sandwiching the flowers between them briefly. "You wouldn't believe how busy I have been." He shook his head as he eased back and then shook the bouquet to plump it out a little and handed it to Kenzi. "I also wanted to avoid clashing with..." His eyes came up briefly to glance at the figure who was in the far corner of the room working away diligently. "But I see my timing is a little off."
"Clashing with who? I see no one, nothing your Ashness needs to be concerned with. That's my cousin Ginger, she's making brownies." Kenzi threw a grin over to Thistle whose head had come up upon realization of who was in the bar, clearly double checking that there wasn't a problem. When she saw that there wasn't, her head lowered as she went back to her work. "These are nice, very nice, floral shop job, you charmer." She inspected the flowers gleefully and reached out to play with his tie. "Really though, I'm glad to see you. I thought maybe I did something while I wasn't myself to make you hate me."
"Not a chance." Hale shook his head slowly, still smiling brightly. "It's good to see you." He added every word filled with genuine enthusiastic honesty. "You had me scared." He admitted looking her over a few times before moving forward to pull her into a hug a second time. "Damn girl we need to feed you." He eased back. "You're skin and bones."
"Mmmm those little pillow things filled with green stuff at your coronation wouldn't go astray if you could arrange some to arrive." Kenzi gave him a direction to follow, hugging him back just as enthusiastically.
"Just as many as you can eat." Hale seemed more than happy to be involved in anyway. "Seriously girl it is so good to see you." The siren couldn't help but repeat the phrase as he sat down on the bar stool that Dyson moved to put next to Kenzi's bed for him.
"Bo's filled me in a little bit about how close I came to not being seen again." Kenzi put the flowers down on the blanket at the bottom of the bed. "So I'm glad you get the chance to see me too and thank you, for all the..." She put her finger to the side of her nose and gave a long wink. "Behind the scenes stuff you're doing for me."
"Well like I said you and other things have been keeping me busy." Hale leaned back a little with a short laugh as he straightened out the crease in his smart suit pants. "But I'm getting the hang of this Ash thing now." He added, brushing off his knee. "Just try not to do any more stuff say, this month?"
"You know I can't promise that." Kenzi teased him. "As soon as I'm outta here I have your investigation to run, that's bound to cause you trouble." She made the subtle reminder that she still intended on doing her job.
"Believe me with no pressure, the sooner you get back on that, the better." Hale nodded his head with a smile.
"Now really, tell me how the job is going?" Kenzi brought the top of the bed up so she could lean more upright and talk to him.
Dyson had hung around for a while smiling to himself at the obvious mutual sense of happiness that Hale's surprise visit had brought before he eased subtly away to lean his back against the bar where Trick was busy making Hale a cup of his favourite tea.
"When did the Harvester come back?" He asked, his voice hushed, his head coming to turn away from them all so that only Trick could see and hear him.
"This morning." The Blood King replied pausing in what he was doing to pass the wolf a beer.
"Officially I'm doing the Ash's business I shouldn't." Dyson smiled as he picked up the bottle and took a long drink. "But considering my last two days I'll take it." He put it down on the bar with a hard sigh.
"How is your new partner?" There was a hint of a smile on the Blood King's face as he asked the question of his old friend.
"She's going to take some getting used to that's for sure." The wolf was honest as he took another swig of beer and briefly thought about the blonde who had just an hour before teased him mercilessly about being an 'Ash's boy' when he had been summoned to the compound. "The fact that the Dal is out of commission for a while might not be such a bad thing, it means that any meeting between her and Bo might be delayed for some time, because I don't see that going smoothly." He added with an honest eyebrow arch.
"Lived up to her write up then?" Trick asked, having been privy to the paperwork Dyson had been given on the Harpy before the new detective had arrived.
"You could say that." Dyson's let his eyes widen briefly as he took another drink and glanced over towards Hale and Kenzi, who were chatting animatedly which made him smile. "I should have called but the Ash wanted to come over as soon as he could, we're actually on our way somewhere, he thought the brief stop over wouldn't catch anyone's unnecessary attention." He explained the reason they had just appeared. "Though I probably wouldn't have agreed to the visit if I'd have know your guest was back."
Trick raised his eyebrow in response and breathed out with obvious restraint.
"I think we both have to admit our Siren friend has filled the shoes asked of him rather well." Trick gave Hale the somewhat surprising compliment. "The fact that the Harvester is actually present will not change anything."
"That's true." Dyson nodded knowing that the older man was right. Whether the Harvester was right under his nose or just in his county, Hale's knowledge of her presence at all was that would be needed to bring his actions under question. Yet again, he'd had the pleasure of working under a number of Ash's and he had seen more than one of them break fundamental laws and writs. "How is Bo doing? Any more relaxed now that Thistle has returned."
"No." Trick was honest. "In fact she seemed worse." The succubus' grandfather was honest. "Though I haven't been able to ask why, like the Bo we know and love, she managed to slip out on an 'important mission' before the opportunity to talk arose." The Blood King gave a soft knowing smile.
"Avoiding the issue." The wolf gave a nod. "I'm willing to guess the desire to have this be over with has been suddenly replaced by the reality that the next step is going to be a hard one for Kenzi. She won't have the liberty of being mostly unconscious while the sealing is performed."
"And she won't have her team of Fae around her, I think possibly Bo found that small fact out." Trick made the logical leap.
"Kenzi is strong, she will endure whatever she must." Dyson said the words with intense confidence.
"And how do you feel about the fact that you will not be able to stand with her to help her face the pain that she must through it?" Trick frowned slightly the wolf.
"Impotent." Dyson admitted the fact with a sigh. "Kenzi is only facing this because of what she did to help me become whole again,..." He hesitated turning fully to look at the bartender his voice dropping. "She is a human Trick and still she took on the Norn? If that cannot inspire my pack loyalty to her, I don't know what could." He finally made the serious admission.
"And with that in mind, knowing and understanding what you do about what is going to happen do you think Bo should understand what we do about the ceremony?" The older Fae's brow furrowed deeply as he leaned on his elbows and closed some of the distance between them.
"My initial reaction is no." Dyson made the honest statement to show Trick he did understand the issue. "But if we don't, she will never forgive any of us for not warning her, giving her the chance to cherish the moments before the sealing. Cherish the time we can guarantee she has left with Kenzi before she is once again in the hands of the Harvester."
Trick sighed again still obviously unsettled on the matter.
"And what of Kenzi herself?" He added, his voice sadder this time as the young woman's bright laughter lit up the Dal for a moment almost mocking the two of them and their conversation.
"No." This time the wolf's answer was more definite. "If the sealing is successful then she will be here to celebrate with us, if it is not... she will be at least spared our grief. She needs all the emotional strength she can have to face this, not fear and worry."
"With every decision made there is always a consequence, good or bad." Trick seemed to nod his agreement to the wolf's assessment, finally finishing Hale's tea and making a move to bring it over to him.
-x-