CHAPTER TWO: 5 DAYS BEFORE
Bo's Voiceover: Forgiveness is as delicate as candy glass.
A single wrong move and its shattered into a million little pieces.
Or maybe I'm thinking about trust. They're one in the same though, I guess.
.
"Why are you still awake?" Her heavily sleep laced words whispered into her pillow. Hand falling to the inside of my thigh with precision aim, just high enough to make me forget the answer to her question. "Come to sleep."
"I'm not tired." I lie, eyes fixed on the door. The dresser pushed halfway in front of the opening, I probably should have done it all the way. But it'll be enough, enough to wake me if I pass out. She squeezes my thigh, pulling my mind further toward some very interesting thoughts. Momentarily anyway. Shifting, pushing my back up further against the headboard. "I'm not."
"Well if you're not tired." Words trailing as her hand slides up my tensed thigh, breath catching in my throat. "I can think of something to tired you out."
"Babe."
"What?"
"You know what."
"If you're not tired," Words trailing once again as her hand slips ever so slightly higher, sweet torture. "Then what's the problem?" Leaning up on her elbow she lazily kisses up the length of my arm.
"We're not alone."
"That didn't stop us last month when Theo was passed out on the couch."
"It was different."
"How so?" Question followed by a sharp bite to my shoulder and then the back of my bicep. "How is Theo passed out on the couch different than Dyson," Bite. "Passed out on our couch?"
"You know how." My own conviction wavering as I feel her warm lips on my neck, hand slipping higher as half of her weight covers me. "Lauren, baby please."
"Please?" Smiling against my skin, fingers slipping underneath the waistband of my shorts. "Please what?" A gentle, teasing pull. Her knuckles grazing my skin sending a shiver up my spine. "Use your words."
"Words are a little challenging at this moment."
"Oh no, what a shame." Her lips trailing up my jaw, playfully nipping after each kiss. "Guess we'll just have to keep going."
My eyes fixed firmly on the door, on the dresser desperately trying to keep from looking at her. I know the second I do, this is over. I know the moment I look into her eyes, I'm at the will of her every desire. Of mine. God, the thought alone is exhilarating, but I can't right now. Not when there's a threat, no matter how farfetched. I won't put her at risk, not again. Eyes settling on the dresser handle as my hand rests over her wrist, forcing her to stop.
"Baby, please."
"If you want to be a little more dominating tonight then I can guarantee he'll hear. So how about you just let me take care of you." She giggles, lazily trying to pull her hand away. "I promise it will help you relax."
"The difference," FOCUS BO. "The difference is that I didn't have to worry about letting my guard down with Theo here."
"As oppose to now?" Another giggle hushed over my skin, but I feel her weight shift after a moment. "Bo, this is unnecessary."
"It isn't." She pulls her hand away, sitting up and I can finally manage to look at her. She's staring down the door now, sleepily scowling. "Lauren, it's just a precaution."
"So then what Bo? We're just going to sit up all night, staring at the door waiting for something that won't happen?"
"No, I was staring at the door all night. You," Gently I reach out, cupping her cheek just firmly enough to guide her face toward me. "Were supposed to be getting some sleep."
"I don't want to sleep alone."
"I'm right here."
"That isn't what I meant." Softly sighing, she leans into my touch. "I love how much you want to protect me, I always have. Sometimes it's infuriating, but there isn't a moment where I haven't loved that about you. There is no one I have ever felt safer with. There is no place I feel safer than by your side."
"Lauren."
"Dyson isn't going to hurt you or me or anyone. What happened before was, it was horrible and terrifying, but it wasn't intentional. You know that in your heart."
"You know what I love about you?" Soft smile pulling at my lips, hand falling from her cheek as I steal a kiss. "Your heart."
"This isn't feelings Bo, this is logic and reason. Dyson wasn't in control when he hurt me."
"Hurt you, is that what we're calling it now?"
"I'll say the words when you admit what this is really about."
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing." She shakes her head, kicking the sheet off of herself. "Nothing."
"No, what did that mean?"
"It meant," She sighs, standing up. "It meant that there's a reason you're still so angry at him."
"Yeah, he tried to kill you. Among other things, but that's the top one."
"No, he did kill me Bo." She turns her head, but I hear the quiver in her voice. "He killed me, I was dead and you brought me back. You saved me just as you have every time before."
"But?"
"But, you blame yourself."
"That's," I pause, kicking the sheet off of myself in frustration. "That's-."
"That's what Bo?"
"That is neither here nor there."
"I love you, but sometimes you can be so-."
"So what?"
"So-."
"So what?"
"So damn stubborn." She stares me down and for a solid minute we say nothing, then slowly the tiniest of smiles creeps onto her face. "Bo, I don't blame you for what happened."
"I know you don't, but I do." Admittance nothing other than a whisper. It's the first time I've said it aloud to her, to myself, to anyone since it happened. "It's my job to protect you. From everything and anything. It's my job and I failed. Don't you see that?"
"No, I see my beautiful and amazing girlfriend blaming herself for something she couldn't have foreseen. None of us could have, not even Dyson."
"Don't!" I catch myself, the way my tone sharpens and volume raises. "Don't make excuses for him, not with this."
"How could he have foreseen what would happen?"
"By playing God." Tone rising again as I stand up. "He betrayed us Lauren, he went behind ALL of our backs and made decisions not just for us, but for the whole colony."
"It wasn't his place."
"Damn right it wasn't his place. We had a plan, a dream and it was working."
"It was."
"And he betrayed us like nothing."
"He did."
"Then what are we arguing about?"
"I'm not defending what he did, he betrayed us and everything we worked for. He washed away everything we did. And he's paying for it. His son won't speak to him. His best friends and only family he has left won't speak to him. He knows what his choices cost him and there is a part of me that will never trust him again, not like I did."
"I'm sensing a but."
"But, when he lost control with me, that wasn't his choice."
"A consequence of his actual choices Lauren. If there's one thing I've learned over the past few years it's that you have to own up to the consequences of your actions too. You don't get to make choices and then walk away."
"Okay Bo." She nods, she's disappointed in me. I can see it, it hurts like hell, but it's fine.
She can be disappointed all she wants, she'll never know what it was like to be me in those minutes. The world came to a screeching halt, and the ground beneath me dropped away. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move or speak. I couldn't feel anything other than emptiness. Dyson standing there soaked in her blood, catatonic. Everything in me screaming the truth that it was him, but I still couldn't understand why he wasn't helping her. I fell to my knees hard enough fracture the left one. Staring at her bloodied face. Unrecognizable. No matter how much I shook her, no matter how much I screamed she wouldn't open her eyes. No matter how much chi I breathed into her, she wouldn't breathe.
She'll never know what that was like, so she'll never be able to understand how I feel.
"It doesn't matter, regardless you're going to have to learn to get along with him now that we're going back."
"You really think we're going back?" I snort, running my hands through my hair. "You've lost your brilliant mind."
"Please let's not do this. We'll fight about this and you'll fight with Dyson and then we'll end up going anyway. If we could just skip to the end it will save us a great deal of time and frustration."
"I'm not going back." I snort, waving her off. "We are not going back."
"Yes, we are."
"No, we aren't."
"Yes we are." Her eyes meet mine, hands on her hips. "I know we're going back because I'm me and you're you. No matter how much you run from it. No matter how much I run from it. We can start a new life and play house all we want, but we are who we are."
"So, that's what we've been doing to you? Playing house?"
"You know what I meant."
"No, I don't."
"Yes you do, you just want to start a fight because you're upset."
"You're damn right I'm upset." I turn my back to her, staring out the window. "Maybe we were just playing house. Maybe this always was just temporary, but is it so wrong that I don't want to give it up?"
"No, it's not wrong." She pauses, and I see her faint reflection in the glass moving. "Not at all, I'm not either."
"You sure as hell sound ready."
"Because we don't have a choice."
"We do, we always do."
"We don't, because the option that allows us to stay here is one the woman I love could never make. It's one that the woman you love could never make."
"You don't know that, I'm selfish." Slowly I turn around, she's within arm's reach now. "I've always been selfish."
"Yes, when it comes to personal things not when it comes to saving someone."
"There's always someone to save."
"I know," She gives me that trademark Lauren Lewis nod. "You're a champion Bo and I'm a healer. It's not just what we are, but who we are. We can play any other role we want. Small town doctor and sheriff. Stay at home wife and," She makes this cute thinking face as if she's confused herself. "And provider. It doesn't matter, but it's all just roles."
"What if I don't want to be a champion anymore?" My hands moving to her waist, pulling her closer. "What if I just want to be Bo Dennis in love with Lauren Lewis? What if that's enough for me?"
"You misunderstand," Her hands cupping my face. "I'm not saying you're not enough. That we're not enough."
"Then what are you saying?"
"I'm saying that Bo Dennis who is in love with Lauren Lewis has always been, is now and will always be a champion. We took a vacation, we got to live a normal life where it was just you and me. We got to be just us without anything else. We got to be free and that we can be an us without all of the danger. We got to see that what's between us is realer than anything we thought possible. We got to live a dream, but now it's time to go back."
"We'll see."
"So stubborn my love," She smiles gently, lips brushing against mine. "So stubborn."
"But you love that about me, don't you?"
"I love everything about you Bo," Her nose playfully brushes against mine. "Absolutely everything thing."
"We'll see if you still say that when you accept I'm serious about not going back."
Her lips part, this look in her eyes like she wants to shake some sense into me. But her hands just fall to my shoulders, sighing softly. She doesn't understand why I'm scared. She doesn't understand why I can't trust him. She doesn't understand why I don't want to go back. It's not just about any one thing, it's about a million little things. I swore if Jack or Hades or whatever he wants to call himself came back, I would come running without question. I gave my word and if this was him, I would strap on my cape and save the world or die trying.
But this isn't him and I owe Dyson nothing.
.
8:23 a.m.
.
"Lauren." Her names whispered into my pillow, hand running up and down the bed lazily. "Lauren?" I bolt up so fast I'm sure I've pulled a muscle or maybe two. Bed empty. Bathroom door open. Eyes shooting to the door, dresser pushed back into place. "Dammit babe."
Jumping from the bed, lunging toward the door. Foot hitting the dresser as I pull the door open, but the pain can be felt later. I make it down the hall and then the stairs in record timing. There's nothing other than silence. Dead silence. Nothing from outside. No snoring from Dyson. No talking. No noises from Lauren shuffling around.
"You don't have to do this Lauren." Dyson's voice carrying the way it does.
"Just because you almost killed me once doesn't mean I'll let you starve." There's a pause. "Hippocratic oath and all."
"You really are one of a kind."
"That's what Bo says."
"Can you blame her?"
"I'm already on your side Dyson, you don't need to try and flatter me." Silence. "Besides, we both know it wouldn't work on me."
"You've forgiven me."
"Well, I'm one of a kind." I can hear her smile and I can't help matching it. The feeling of panic lessening as I lean against the wall, careful to stay out of sight.
"I wouldn't be here if I didn't need you and her."
"I'm aware, Dyson you don't have to sell me on this. My bags are already packed, metaphorically speaking." She chuckles, and by the sound of it sets a plate down.
"Eager to get back?"
"Not particularly, but if I learned anything from Karen Beattie other than short hair doesn't suit me, it is that life changes."
"That really was an interesting choice in hair style."
"Careful wolf, I'll still call my girlfriend on you in an instant."
Sad smile fading, the memory of our life before trickling back. Memories of how close they had gotten, their friendly banter that occasionally made me a little jealous. It's a welcoming thought really. The three of us back together again, Team Good Guys back at it. But, every time that thought even remotely crosses my mind I remember him standing over her. I remember her in my arms. I remember her catatonic for days after. I remember standing there, watching each and every one of my family walking away. I remember watching the dozens of unaligned slaughtered. I remember seeing that look in Kenz's eyes, the one that told me I lied when I promised her it was okay to come back.
I remember it all, why don't they?
"I have to get Bo." Lauren's voice pulls me from my thoughts.
"No need, I'm awake." I force a smile, walking in with an equally forced yawn. "What happened?"
"Theo just text me, he needs you."
"What happened?"
"He just said he needs you." She leans in, kissing my cheek as she hands me her phone. Dyson's eyes glued to us or maybe me. "I'll make you some toast."
"I'm okay."
"Bo, you need to eat something."
"I will." I nod, setting her phone on the counter as I ignore the look she's giving me.
"You keep saying that."
"And I will."
"Bo, really you should eat something now-."
"Whoa there buddy." Arms folding over my chest, staring him down. "Just cause you're eating my bacon and eggs in my house doesn't mean you get input. You're the unwelcome houseguest that I haven't quite figured out how to get rid of. Kinda like termites."
"Bo." Lauren laughs softly under her breath, flicking the water on. I'm guessing more as a way to hide her laugh than anything else.
"I'm sorry I can't get on this little love train, really I am. I wish I could. But I've got bodies piling up. A partner who won't talk to me. A girlfriend who won't side with me and wolf shifting termite. I don't need any more input."
"Is that a remark for him," She turns around, eyebrow raised as she dries her hand with a rag. Shit. "Or me?"
"Honestly, depends on the topic."
"There's the Bo I know and love," She snorts a cold chuckle, throwing the rag in the sink. "Halfway back already." Shaking her head she starts to walk past me, my hand going for her wrist but she pulls away. "I have to get to work."
"See what you cause?" Eyes falling back on Dyson. "You shouldn't have come."
"Bo just-."
"You aren't welcome." I say as he stands, giving me that kicked-wolf look he's mastered. "I'm not going back and despite what Lauren may think right now, neither is she. We're a packaged deal."
"Are you sure about that?" His words forcing me to a stop, halfway back out of the kitchen.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Just seems your wrapping is coming a little loose."
Smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. I forgot how infuriating he could be when he wanted to be. Truth be told IF I ever allowed myself to think about the past when pertaining to him it was either what happened with Lauren or some of his best moments. Moments that made me feel bad for never attempting to forgive him. Everything else was just kind of left blank. Starting to remember now though.
.
Woods—9:14 a.m.
.
"What in the," My own words trailing off as I make it up the last hump of snow. Drops of blood scattered prepared me for what I'd find, only they didn't. Theo stands there, radioing something in as he looks over the slaughter in front of us. All eight of the Johnson's huskies scattered about. Once pure snow tainted with so much blood it almost looks fake.
"All eight of them. What could do that?"
"I—I really don't know."
"I hope Lauren has some room somewhere with the way the body toll is rising."
"Did you contact the Johnsons?" I ask, ignoring the sharpness in his tone. It really doesn't suit him.
"They know they're dead. I left out the how part."
"Good." Nodding. "Good."
"There's a lot of blood in and around some of their mouths I noticed, but I can't tell if that's theirs or they-."
"Got a chunk out of their attacker?"
"What do you know," He looks up to meet my gaze. "We do still work pretty well together."
"We work amazingly together."
"Naw, words like amazingly and excellent are for people who can trust one another."
"So, we're still fighting then."
"Depends."
"On?"
"On whether things are still complicated."
"Theo-."
"That's all the answer I needed." He snorts, lifting his radio back up and calling into Alex to bring the van around.
"If I even knew where to start I would."
"How about the beginning?" Silence. "No? How about the middle?" Silence. "No? What about anything? The cliff notes?"
"It's not that simple."
"Simple, the opposite of complicated." He laughs, shaking his head. "Whatever you say Sheriff."
A part of me wants to tell him. Wants to actually confide in him because at this point, he's the closest thing I have to a best friend. He's a partner. And truthfully, one of the best men I've ever met. But I can't do that to him. Whatever this is, is rooted in Fae bullshit. Even if Lauren can't definitively say it yet, the fact that Dyson is here says it all. I don't even want to slip back into that world, how could I knowingly suck someone I care about into it? All it takes is an inch, and inch of rope into the world of the Fae and you'll never be free. No matter how far Kenz runs she'll never be free. No matter how far me and Lauren run, we'll never be free. How could I willingly do that to someone now, knowing the game? It was different all of those years ago, it was scary and new and an adventure I didn't quite understand and I let myself get sucked in. I let Kenz get sucked in. If I knew then what I know now? I can't say I'd make the same choice, at least not for her.
The vibration in my pocket earns my attention.
.
LO: Where are you? (9:21 a.m.)
ME: On the outskirts of the woods, near the Johnson's farm. Why? (9:21 a.m.)
LO: We have a problem. (9:22 a.m.)
ME: I know, I'm looking at it. (9:22 a.m.)
LO: Okay, we have two problems then. (9:23 a.m.)
ME: What's happened? Is it Dyson? What did he do? (9:23 a.m.)
LO: Bo, stop. Please. I'm at the Tebolt's farm with Dyson. Their cows, all three of them are dead. (9:24 a.m.)
ME: Wait, what? I'm going to need an explanation. (9:24 a.m.)
LO: To which part? (9:24 a.m.)
ME: To all of it. (9:24 a.m.)
LO: Mrs. Tebolt called me, she couldn't reach a deputy. Dyson was with me, came as quick as we could. I hoped it was a wild animal. But what's been done to them, borrowing the improbability of an eight foot gorilla on steroids on the loose someone else is infected. (9:27 a.m.)
ME: I'll be there as soon as I can. (9:28 a.m.)
LO: Be careful Bo, please. (9:28 a.m.)
ME: Careful is my middle name. (9:29 a.m.)
.
"I have to go. Take care of this. Ask the Johnson's if they want to bury them or they want us to take care of it."
"Doesn't Lauren need to see them?"
"No, we already know how they died. Besides, we don't have the space."
Shoving the phone in my pocket, back already turned to him. I should tell him to call in the rest of the staff, at this rate we're gonna need them. But Levy was one of our part-time deputies and honestly with this going on, I don't know how willing the other two will be willing to toss on the uniform. God, I miss the days when I was chasing down runaway chickens on Main Street.
.
Tebolt's Farm—10:02 a.m.
.
"Getting replaced am I?" Eyes shifting between the pair leaning against the fence, talking about something a little too casually to be case related.
"I was already with Lauren, she didn't call me."
"Yeah and if you can't see why that's a problem then-."
"What is going on Sheriff?! Do you see this?!" Mrs. Tebolt comes storming toward us, her husband limping after her. "Over a thousand for each of those! Our whole lifesavings!"
"I know, I'm sorry."
"Sorry?! Sorry?! Sheriff, I hope you brought me more than apologies."
"Come now Agatha, it's not the Sheriff's fault." Mr. Tebolt pleads for me, pulling on her arm. "This won't help anything."
"There is no help! We're snowed off! Our animals are dead! Our money is gone! And all our sheriff has for us is an, I'm sorry?"
"Why don't we walk over here, we can see what we can work out." Dyson swoops in like the maniacal swooper he is. Using his batman whisper he ushers them back toward the house. I bet he would help a kitten out of a tree if it meant he could swoop in and be the hero.
"Bo?"
"Look at him, swooping in and handling my towns people like a flock of sheep." I can't help scoffing at the sight of him calming the pair. "He's a wolf you know, that's worth mentioning."
"I'm beginning to think the duration in between your last feed is affecting your sanity."
"My sanity is fine."
"You're standing here jealous because he's helping you."
"This isn't about helping me Lauren, this is about trying to prove some point."
"And what point is that?"
"That I can't handle this without him." Jaw tightening, eyes moving from her to the poor cows. "This is a horrible day for four legged friends."
"This is a horrible day for our two legged friends as well." She sighs, glancing toward the trio as she takes a step closer to me. "This is fresh, within two hours. Hunter said the huskies looked frozen."
"Partially." I run my hand through my hair, relaxing slightly. "Oh, and Theo mentioned he thought that he thought they got a piece of their killer."
"That only furthers my theory."
"Which would be?" I can't help making a face, as she glances back toward the trio. "You'll have to excuse me, I don't seem to be having the same mind meld you and fuzzy are."
"You get ten awesome points because of the Star Trek reference and zero girlfriend points because you're being a bit of an ass." She gives me that eye roll she does from time to time. "And my theory Sheriff is that there's at least two-possessed hosts out here."
"Possessed?"
"I don't exactly have a better word for it at the moment considering the lack of information we have."
"I don't know, I put more than a couple rounds into Levy yesterday and he just kept coming."
"Yes, but if the huskies were able to a few good bites in, that would mean blood loss. A pretty decent amount. Going on the assumption that they would still need at least half of their blood to operate at optimal capacity in order to crush three cows-."
"Okay, okay Doctor Genius, I get it."
"Get what?" Dyson interrupts, my smile fading.
"Lauren thinks there's two possessed slash infected running around."
"Then I guess it's time to go hunting." He sort of laughs, starting to undo his shirt.
"Any excuse." I snort, shaking my head. "You get your exhibitionist on and we'll take the car."
"You know I came in Dyson's car, right?" She asks after we get a few feet from him, my hand on her lower back guiding her toward the car.
"Yep."
"We can't just leave it here."
"Of course we can." I pull the door open for her, smiling innocently at her semi glare.
"That is so not believable Bo."
"Succubus has to try." I pull off. "I'm tired of playing fireman. Firemen? Firewoman? Fire-succubus? Whatever."
"I'm sorry, what?"
"That's all we've been doing since this started, running around putting out fires. I want to be detectiving and figuring out what's causing this."
"One, you need to put a dollar in the jar that isn't a word. Two, right now the only clues we have are from putting out these fires. So, strap on your boots babe, you're moonlighting as the fire chief today."
"Just," I can't help laughing, shaking my head at her.
"What? Knowing I'll be going home with not only the town sheriff but the fire chief too, it's quite exciting."
"If I didn't love you so much I'd have to kick you."
"Kick me?"
"Well you're still really hot, I wouldn't wanna damage anything."
"My hero ladies and gentlemen." She laughs, attention slowly drifting toward her window.
We fall into a silence, banter that only we would find endearing dying out. Each mile taken the silence growing heavier, until it's awkward. It's been a while since we had an awkward silence. She looks over at me several time as we make our way back toward town, but never says another word. I can't tell if she's displeased because I'm still refusing to go back or if it's because I refuse to warm up to our impromptu house guest. Sure, I could be nicer. But honestly, I just really don't want to. After all, you don't need to be friends to work together.
"Can I ask you something?" She asks quietly as I take a right.
"Of course."
"Are we okay?"
"Yeah, why would you ask me that?"
"I don't know, you just aren't exactly acting like we're okay."
"Lauren," I glance over at her as we take a left. "This….anger isn't at you. It's at him."
"It just is beginning to feel that it's at me too."
"Why?"
"Because it's me you've snapped at and it's me you're getting suspicious of."
"Suspicious of?" I can' help chuckling, looking over at her as we pull to a stop in front of the station.
"Like before, how you used to get with me and Dyson bonding."
"That was-that was different. I was being stupid and immature."
"And now?"
"And now, I'm just upset and worried. I'm not jealous. I wish he wasn't here and I wish that you're enormous heart didn't just forgive him, but that's it."
"If it was something more, would you tell me?"
"Without a hesitation." Gently my hand goes over hers, eyes meeting.
Maybe she was right. Maybe I'm being a little overly protective…and possessive. I can't exactly explain why. There could be a million and one reasons actually, but in this moment, staring into beautiful but tired eyes, none of them are valid. Immature Bo may have made a little guest appearance but that's over now. She needs me, besides, if she thinks it's her I'm mad at then I'm really doing something horribly wrong.
"Okay, good." She nods with the faintest of smiles. "No matter what's happening, I just want us to be good."
"Good?" I giggle, stealing a kiss. "Pfft, we're amazing." Another kiss stolen before I pull away, starting to get out of the car. "Aren't you coming in?" I ask, making my way around the hood, finding her walking off in the opposite direction.
"In a minute, I'm going to run to Shelly's and get us some early lunch. Theo too, peace offering."
"Where does it all go?" I mumble to myself with a smile, eyes falling to her ass as she walks away. Her steps slowing ever so slightly, she knows I'm watching, she's gotten quite good at that.
I push the door open, half hoping Theo is still out. But instead I find his legs sticking out from behind his desk. Hearting skipping a beat in the worst possible way. I know it's him, his size thirteen cowboy boots. I could recognize them anywhere. It's instinct to run to him, I want to, but I can't because everything in me is saying I can't relax. Something is here still.
Cautious steps forward, one foot after another. Ten and I'm at his feet. Eyes shifting between him, my office and the wall that cuts off into a hall. Six times or maybe seven my eyes do this dance, a silent prayer said in the back of my mind for any sign he's okay. Equally as cautious I pull my weapon from it's holster. To be honest at this point a gun is better than a knife, further I keep these things from me the better. Until Lauren figures out what this is anyway.
Silent prayer answered catching the faintest glimpse of his chest rising and falling. A sigh of relief escaping, cautious steps resumed. Six more and adjacent to my office, staring into darkness, but I can still see in. Nothing there. Alright. One spot left Bo, it's just like riding a bike. A very scary and violent bike. Seven more steps and angle to the left. More darkness, this I can't see easily through.
"Come on Bo, this is nothing new." I whisper to myself, two steps forward. "It hasn't been that long."
"Bo." My name a fixated, growling whisper. "Bo."
"That's me." Nervous chuckle, step backward as I hear whoever nearing me. "I don't suppose that you know any other words?"
"This is your fault." Snarls growing louder and louder as he steps into the light.
"Yeah, I hear that a lot." Sighing as I raise to aim. "I'm sorry Mr. Gottleman. I really am."
The sound of the shot causes me to jump as does the sound of his body hitting the floor. There's nothing you could do Bo, it was too late. I keep telling myself, staring down at his bloody body. I guess it's safe to say he was one of the animal murders.
"What happened?" Lauren's voice earns another jump, attention flying to her as she stands at the door, bag of food in each hand.
"Life. Life is what happened."
.
Bub Town—9:46 a.m.
.
"Here." I hold out the bottle, glaring at him as he makes sure to wait a solid thirty seconds before taking it. Of course, everything on Dyson time. "Babe." She takes hers gently, shaking her head to herself.
"I'm sorry, why are we here?"
"One, its better the people still see me out and here is closer to everything than my house." Sitting as I take a much needed drink. "Two, the less time you spend at our house the better."
"We're still playing this game."
"This is not a game," And another drink. "This is fact, I don't want you in our house. The less time you're there the better. And before you start on the whole 'save the world' spiel you stole from last weeks' B movie, we aren't leaving with you. Even if we wanted to, which we don't, we can't leave this place with people turning into whatever these things are."
"I'm sorry Bo but when did you start speaking for Lauren."
"Oh no." She chuckles awkwardly, taking a drink. "Don't drag me into this pissing match between the two of you."
"We've got company." He snaps, my eyes following his line of sigh to Theo who's leaning up against the bar watching us.
"Don't worry about him."
"He's watching us."
"He's mad at me, has nothing to do with you." Eyes moving back to Dyson. "The world, believe it or not doesn't revolve around you."
"And it doesn't around you either."
"And that is MY cue to leave." Lauren lets out another awkward laugh, standing up. "I'm going to go have a FRIENDLY drink with Theo, maybe by the time I'm done you two will have remembered how to play together."
"He's mad at us."
"No Bo, he's mad at you. I am the woman who fixed his shoulder and gave him an extra cookie afterward. I am the helpless, mostly stay at home girlfriend, remember?"
"Lauren Lewis helpless?" He laughs, taking a drink as his eyes move over her a little more than I care for. "That's a new one."
"Regular life remember. I got to be a girlfriend and a doctor. Echo terrorist, Fae terrorist and badass doctor weren't exactly positions available here." She takes a drink and smiles at me, a twinge of pain lingering in my chest. I know that smile, it's one I haven't seen since we left. It's beautiful, even her forced smiles are beautiful, but there's just a natural weight to it. I don't even think she knows it's there. "Babe, play nice." Leaning down she steals a kiss before walking over toward Theo who greets her with a smiling hug.
"So I can't compliment here, but he can hug her?"
"Cut the shit Dyson." Snapping, attention leaving her. "Look, I don't know how to make this more clear to you. We aren't going back with you. No matter what you say. No matter what you do. You will not, under any circumstances get us to come back."
"Will you honestly let people die because you're angry with me? Is that what you've become while out here playing human?"
"What about these people Dyson? Should I just leave them here to deal with it all?"
"Something tells me that if you leave this stops. Didn't you hear the guy in the street?"
"The guy in the street was Levy. And come to think of it, nothing happened until you came here. Maybe this isn't about me at all. Maybe it's about you."
"And maybe you're stretching." He leans forward, eyes narrowed. "I get it Bo, the desire to run. The desire to be free from everything. To get to be here with Lauren and-."
"If you say 'play house' I will chi-suck you to death right here and I won't even feel bad."
"We were always stronger together."
"You know, I thought so too once upon a time."
"This is bigger than us."
"No, no it's not." My eyes wander back to Lauren, finding her and Theo dancing to the song playing. She must be a little tipsy because she's actually dancing, not that awkward, half dancing she does when she's forced to. "This is about trust. This is about trusting that you know what you're talking about. This is about trusting that you can handle this. This is about knowing that you can follow me. This is about knowing you have my back. I can't trust you, so I can't know that. Any of it."
"You can Bo."
"You can say it as many times as you want, anyway you want, but it won't make it true."
"One mistake wipes away everything else?"
"One?" I take another drink, finishing it off. "With my mother YOU made the decision to give up your love for me and then YOU ran off to leave me wondering what happened. YOU got your love back and decided YOU would tell me when YOU wanted. YOU had a whole secret allegiance to Trick and didn't tell me. YOU tried to nudge Lauren to run when Lachlan died. YOU went behind my…our backs and tried to fix something that wasn't broken. Are YOU seeing where I'm going here?"
"Lauren has-."
"Lauren has lied to me, but it was always about protecting me. You do these things for you, so you can be the hero. Lauren doesn't want to be a hero, not even mine. She just wants to be my partner. And that's why it's always been her."
"Did you enjoy that? Taking your digs at me?"
"If all you've taken from that is digs at your ego then you haven't learned a damn thing since what happened."
"What do you want me to say Bo? Do you want me to beg for your help? For your forgiveness? For Lauren's? Because I have."
"I want you to see why this can never work."
"Families overcome anything."
"What are we Dyson?" I lean in to meet him, face inches from his. "Are we family?"
"You know we are."
"Then what are we?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well for the longest I made it clear my love for you changed. I guess in a way, I could have said you became like a brother. But, can't really think of you that way when you're still wanting me."
"Wanting you?" He laughs, taking another drink.
"I stopped seeing it in you because I didn't want to. I saw the disappointment in you when you found out Lauren figured out how to delay her aging. That the possibility of her dying wouldn't be for a very, very long time was real. I saw the change and then-well, you remember what you decided next."
"Of course I was jealous Bo. Of course I was hurt and angry. Of course. The last bit of hope for a chance for us was that one day, when her time came to pass we would have the opportunity. It wasn't even a conscious thought anymore Bo, but in that moment it was the end, the last nail in our coffin. It was an end and in that moment, no I wasn't happy. But I got over it and that didn't mean I would ever hurt her. Or that it swayed my judgement in my decision."
"Keep telling yourself that."
"You're grasping at straws, desperate to find a reason to hate me."
"I don't need to grasp for that Dyson."
He goes to say something, maybe another defense for himself or maybe an insult. I guess it doesn't really matter what he was going to say. All that matters is the thunder like crash that's dulled only with screams. The area of the front door obliterated, the tail end of a pick sticking out. But that isn't what the screams are for. They're for the six snarling infected men pushing themselves off of the floor and truck bed.
"Tell me this isn't about you again." He growls, standing as he kicks the seat back.
Theo grabs one that ran straight for Lauren. Just like the badass my girlfriend is, she grabs something from the bartop, ramming it right into the back of its head. Another makes it past them, running for me and I push him aside, let Dyson handle him.
"You want me?" I raise my voice, standing there much to Lauren's displeasure. But it works, the last four stop and stare at me, almost as if dogs waiting for a command. "Come on boys." I wave them on.
"Bo, what the hell are you doing?" I hear Theo, from the corner of my eye I can see him pushing Lauren behind himself.
"Dyson, the two to her left. Theo, the two to her right. Head shot only." Lauren orders, guess our mind meld is working again. "Ready."
I run straight for them earning the same response, only when I hear Lauren yell "Now!" I drop to my knees. Four overlapping shots and its all over. A loud thud and scattered screams from those who haven't trampled their way out of the back door yet.
"Just like riding a bike." I glance over my shoulder, flashing her a smile.
"Is it wrong that I'm finding you highly sexy right now?" She laughs as I take her hand, standing.
"It's moments like this that remind me why you-."
"Aligned myself with the Dark?"
"Smart ass." I laugh, stealing a quick kiss.
"I don't mean to interrupt the love-fest, but what the shit was that?"
"They do that." Dyson says, coming up behind us. "I can't count the amount of inappropriate times they've kissed."
"Careful babe." I warn, ignoring the boys as I watch her climb up onto the truck bed. "Seriously Lauren, what are you doing?"
"Just give me a moment. Scientific curiosity."
"Insatiably curious, I remember." Chuckle making its way out, hands on my hips as looks into the back window.
"Are they actually flirting right now?"
"They do that at inappropriate times too."
"Bo-."
"What? What is it? Are you okay?" Words leaving my mouth as I walk up to the truck, but she's already turning back around to face us. "Did you get hurt?"
"You are unusually cautious lately." She gives me this look, taking my hand for leverage as she hops down.
"We can discuss this later."
"What is happening right now?" Theo pulls our attention momentarily, staring at us like a deer in headlights. "I'm feelin' like my Uncle Russell who never knew whether to check his ass or scratch his watch."
"I was confirming a suspicion, the truck was driven by someone."
"Obviously. I mean I wasn't aware these things could drive, but I suppose anything is possible. Forty-eight hours ago this was a regular town and now we have crazies swinging off the rafters."
"No, Bo. Someone drove this truck into the bar deliberately, then got out and ran."
"Ran?" Dyson asks, now nearly climbing on top of me. Personal space buddy.
"Well he or she could have sprinted or skipped or walked or hopped or gallivanted or-."
"Yeah, okay I get it."
"The door is left open, the gear is shifted into park. Someone did this."
"Well, virus it isn't then." I sigh, looking around the emptied bar. "I was hoping for a good virus. Something you could fix right up in a lab like rabies on steroids or Ebola or the bubonic plague. Something simple."
"It could still be a virus, just weaponized."
"Still not coming back Bo? Still think this is all some elaborate plan to get you back?"
"I can hear you gloating right now." I snort, eyes meeting Lauren's. That strange and endearing twinkle of excitement in her eyes. "I can hear him gloating."
"I'm sorry, get who back now?" She looks between us. "When did this become part of the argument?"
"So really, everyone is just going to keep on ignore me then?"
"He talks too much." Dyson mumbles.
"Bo-."
"Yeah I know Lauren, I know."
So much for sitting this one out.