Bullets blanket the floor. Maybe I should be more technical, spent shell casings blanket the floor. Blood coating them like drizzled syrup, coating what little of the floor still visible. It looks almost staged. Like something from a Tarantino film. Where the scene opens and you just can't help thinking there's no way that could be real. It's not realistic. It still doesn't look real. I keep waiting for someone to jump out and yell "Cut!" but this is real life. There's no cuts or reshoots. Shit, what I wouldn't give for a retake right now. Go back and cancel the attack. Or maybe tell Dimitri to send more guards. Would that have mattered? Would having another twenty or thirty or fifty have helped any? I could have put Dagny in the middle of an Army base and something tells me it wouldn't have made a bit of difference.

M4s and M14s scattered on the floor. 9mms that aren't victims of death grips joining them. It's hard to believe such powerful weapons did nothing. You hear on the news every single day the destruction guns cause in the wrong hands. Here trained people, people who knew what they were doing were in possession and yet it meant nothing. Isn't that ass-backwards. Nothing ever makes sense in this world anymore.

I'm not a fan of guns in general. They're loud and heavy. It's so easy to make a mistake with them. A twitch of the hand, a lapse in concentration and the bullet goes into the wrong person. They give you a fake sense of superiority, of safety. The only time I'm a fan of them is when comes to movies, then everyone loves them. The bigger the better. The bigger the explosion the better. If that wasn't true Michael Bay would be out of business. But in real life, I just don't like them much. They serve a purpose. At least they should have. They should have taken out an army of infected. They should have slowed my surprise brother. I mean, well over a hundred shots fired and nothing. It shouldn't surprise me, our in the woods he must have taken five shots at the very least and he just kept going. I'd like to be able to do that. Seems like it would be a useful ability.

Eyes moving from the blanket of brass up the walls. Holes everywhere, almost like rabid termites on steroids had free reign. Chunks of drywall missing. A few spaces I can see clean through even the brick to the outside. Portions of the walls, of the ceiling turned to charcoal briquettes. Paint peeling from the wall in some spaces and bubbling up in others.

It's a very poetic picture of that saying, 'Living in the mess you've made'.

Something like that.

"Keep the pressure on it." Lauren's voice pulls my attention back to the triage center that was once our common bedroom. "Mark take off your shirt, I need to keep an eye on bruising." She leaning over Ayesha, head to her chest. "Try to wake him. No one pass out. You need to stay awake."

Vex manages to get Ash from the wall, dropping her onto a table before collapsing into a chair. Evony and Kenz trying to stop some of the bleeding from Dyson's many cuts. The rush of adrenaline long gone now. Pain suddenly all too real. Eyes shifting up. Bodies dangling from the ceiling. An appalling sight falling into unimportance. Lauren's scrambling. She isn't going to be able to save them all. Ayesha's teetering the line between life and death already. Theo, Kenz, Evony, all human and beaten beyond comprehension. Dyson isn't even conscious anymore. That bruise on Mark's chest is spreading. Vex can't even push himself from the chair.

Leading, this is leading.

Running my hands through my hair, eyes meeting Lauren's for a brief moment before turning my back to her, heading for the door. Knees locking on instinct, breeze beating my skin. When did this become a warzone? When did lives become so dispensable? Dozens of infected that will be nothing other than puddles of sludge in a few hours. No explanation for their families. No funerals. No closure. Dozens of guards who will be thrown into a mass grave. Fae and human alike. Free and enslaved alike. In the end, none of it really seems to matter.

Ignoring the sound of shell casings scraping against the ground under my feet as I walk over them. I reach down grabbing a guard's body by the shoulders. Dragging him to the back of the nearest SUV. Pulling the trunk open before struggling to get him into it. One down, thirty more to go. Give or take five. Sound of my phone vibrating grabbing my scattered attention. It's the sound, not the feel. I don't feel much at the moment come to think of it.

"What?"

"Do you know who this is?"

"No, I'm the one in several billion cellphone owners who doesn't have caller ID."

"I was expecting a thank you."

"For?"

"Keeping the cops far away from the Dal."

"Thanks. Best post-getting-my-ass-kicked gift ever."

"I'm assuming you didn't walk away with the cure?"

"No Dimitri, I didn't get your precious fucking cure."

"When will you have it?"

"I don't know! I don't know alright?! I'm a little busy trying to drag bodies away."

"There's no need."

"No need? I should just leave dead bodies everywhere for people to find? You may control the police but do you control the rest of the population too?"

"There's no need because help should be arriving

any minute. I need you focused on finding a cure

not cleaning up slaves. Make sure your pet understands

this, the moment I feel she isn't capable of saving

my sister I will kill you."

"This isn't the night to be threatening her."

"Or what Bo? You'll make some more speeches?

I'll hand it to you, it was quite rousing, but

it held no weight. You need me. And even when you no

longer need me, you still won't be able to touch me."

"Is that what you think?"

"It's what I know."

"Goodbye Dimitri." Words through a clenched jaw, gripping my phone so tightly I'm sure it'll break. Eyes focused on the sets of headlights pulling up. Two more SUVs and two small transportation trucks.

"Ma'am, we're here to assist with the cleanup." One guard says walking up to me.

Assist with the cleanup, how very indifferent.

Maybe that's my problem, maybe I'm not indifferent enough.

.

12:40 a.m.

.

"It's like nothing ever happened." Theo's voice a somewhat surprise as he leans against the wall next to me. I can feel him beside me, even see him out of the corner of my eye, but I keep focused on the building across the street.

"It did."

"Oh, believe me I know it did." He laughs, lifting his arm slightly. "I'm on so many painkillers I'm surprised I'm still standing. Gotta thank the good ole Mississippi moonshine for building a tolerance the size of an elephant."

"Are you going to lose it?"

"Lauren said it's possible. She did what she could, but any more time on me and she couldn't help Evony."

"Gentlemen still do exist."

"Yes ma'am we do."

"How is everyone?"

"Everyone or Lauren?"

"Both."

"So far we'll all still alive. Vex had to stop a guard from trying to Ashley's body. Lauren, she's alright. Worried about you. Keeps looking to the door like a puppy left alone."

"She send you out here?"

"No. But I'm sure it eases her mind knowing I came out here to check on you since she can't get away."

"I'm not ready to go back in yet." I glance at him, avoiding his gaze. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault you came from a fucked up family. Excuse the language."

"No, I'm sorry I got you into this."

"I came myself."

"We both know that isn't true."

"You know how I see it?" He laughs. "See I'm not big on faith, but when I was boy I had to go to church every Sunday and Wednesday. Cut into my muddin' time."

"Theo, if this is some pep talk about having faith or believing in something. Or hell even praying. I'm not in the mood."

"I've damn near lost my arm for your woman, you can let me say my peace. Then I'll go back inside and help the best I can." He waits for me to look at him. "I brushed off the fact that I couldn't shake this feeling about going after you. That right when I was bout to turn back I saw the glass. And that I came right at the moment to save Lauren. Coincidence. I even shook off the fact that I never meant to stop in White Lake Falls, that if my engine hadn't died I'd have kept going."

"But?" Snort escaping.

"What are the chances that Vex likes to take her tools and this one time she got distracted and put them in her pocket rather than down? What are the chances she didn't feel it the whole time? What are the chances that her belt would be too big, just loose enough for me to get my arm underneath? What are the chances that Vex woke up in that exact moment?"

"Lot of coincidences."

"Yup. Look what you believe is between you and that. But I can't help looking at it as a whole. A string of coincidences that are in our favor? God. Nature. Supreme Being. The universe. Whatever, I choose to believe we got something on our side. And you know what that tells me? It tells me that beyond a shadow of a doubt we are the good guys. And the good guys always win."

"If this looks like winning to you Theo, you have more issues than I do."

"This? No, this doesn't look like winning. This looks like a loss. But see every great leader has faced a loss in their time. What matters is what you do afterward. Either you get back up and win, that's what history focuses on. Or you stay down and become a coward along with a loser."

"Aren't you insightful?"

"Me? No, I'm a simple country boy who dreamed of being a real life cowboy. A hero. Since meeting you in this crazy world I see sometimes its more important to be the one helping the hero than actually being the hero."

"I'm not a hero."

"Well, you're gonna have to convince everyone inside of that too then. And I'm sure all those people who followed you in the revolution. The ones waiting for you to try again."

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to strap on your boots, grab your hat and jump back up on that horse. Because if I'm understanding this situation right, we got a damsel to save."

"Simple as that?"

"Yes ma'am, simple as that. Just because things get a little hard don't mean we get to quit. So when you're done staring at walls and feeling sorry for yourself, we'll be waiting."

.

2:03 a.m.

.

Each step back into the Dal feels like walking through quicksand. Their eyes falling to me, this look of desperation silently screaming throughout the room. Everyone with the exception of Ayesha is conscious and I guess that's a small victory. One I'd take if Lauren didn't look so scared. One I'd take if they didn't collectively look like they could drop at any given second.

"Bo, we need to talk." Lauren says, nodding toward the office as she pulls her bloodied gloves off.

"We do, we all do." My eyes running over them. "Tonight, this failure is on me. Not because we lost. Not because we lost people. Tonight is a failure on me because I let you dictate how I was going to lead. I've been standing here telling you I'm running things. Making idle threats. Living in the past. Making empty promises. Well, no more. This is not a democracy. It can't be. Not when it comes to these calls. So I stand here before you humbled and apologetic for failing all of you."

"Bo?"

"But I also want to reassure you, because I have a plan. And to tell you that Ashley didn't die in vain. First step in my plan is to kill Dimitri."

"I'm sorry, what?" Lauren uses the table to push herself up.

"I don't think this is the best time to settle a blood feud." Dyson adds, trying to push himself up into a seated position.

"I don't mean to rain on a parade here, especially after out little talk sheriff, but I don't think we're in the shape to launch another attack."

"No, you misunderstand. I'm going to kill him."

"Bo, can we talk?" Lauren's eyebrow raising, arms folded over her chest.

"We are talking."

"Why exactly are you going to kill the one ally we have right now?" Mark's own groan cuts himself off.

"Because of that." I gesture to him. "Look, the guards are a nice addition. They really worked well as cannon fodder. But we are a team, we've taken on things worse than this. We beat Jack once before without any other help. We keep looking for safety nets. Reasons to hide from being ourselves. But I saw it tonight. Everyone working together to save Lauren. To save me. To try and save Dagny. We are the team, the family, the band of allies that run headfirst into hell and hold back whatever it is that needs to be held back. That is us. No one else."

"You want to take his chi."

"Lauren's right, as always. I can't win this alone. I can't get Dagny back alone. But I don't possess nearly enough strength or chi to heal all of you. I could give a little to each of you, try to slow the hemorrhaging down, run out and try to feed off twenty different people and come back. Do this over and over again. But I can guarantee by the time I'm done not everyone will still be alive."

"This thing with Dimitri, it's risky. And to go alone?" Kenz looks up at me, uncertainty written over her bruised face.

"It is, but it's also logical. He's the most powerful Fae that I can get access to. Getting near him won't be a problem. He lives near. And well if I settle a blood feud in the process, then who am I to complain?"

"This is very risky Bo."

"It is." I nod, meeting her eyes for the first time since returning to the Dal. "But I also said this isn't a democracy. Let's be clear, I'm only explaining to everyone what I'm going to do out of respect. I'm doing this one way or another."

"I can go." Theo pushes off of the chair with his left hand. "I might be Billy the Kid with my right, but I'm still Wyatt Earp with my left. Flip my holster round and I'm good."

"Theo, hunny, you're in no shape to go…apparently gun slinging." Evony shakes her head, eyes shifting to me with that pleading look. What do you know, she actually does care for him.

"Evony's right. I appreciate it, but given the state of the group, you're looking the best. If something came back-."

"My job to lead the Alamo, got it."

"With much better results, but something like that." Uneasy nod, eyes shifting back to Lauren who's now refusing to look at me. Scowling down at the floor. "It's settled then."

.

2:36 a.m.

.

"I managed to keep one from the guards, I figured you might need it." She pushes the office door shut behind herself, tactical belt hanging from her hand.

"Thanks, but." I trail off, picking up the Katana off of the desk. "Time for human tactics are done."

"Ouch." Her jaw tightens, eyes falling to the ground as she drops the belt.

"I didn't mean it like that."

"I'm sure."

"I didn't."

"Okay." She nods, eyes falling down to my boots, finishing tying the last string. Yep, definitely a bigger pain in the ass than gym shoes. "Are you-?"

"Okay?"

"No, I was going to ask if you really weren't going to ask me if it's true."

"I don't need to, that look in your eyes back in the woods said it all."

"Ah well, of course."

"What do you want from me Lauren?"

"I don't know. Something. Anything. How you spoke to me out there, it's been a long time since you were 'that' Bo."

"And which Bo is that? Hurt? Upset? Discouraged? Beaten? Angry? Pick one Lauren, because I'm all of them right now."

"I'm here to-."

"How long have you even known?" Sliding off of the desk, leaning down to shove the knife in my boot. Just like old times. "Does anyone else? Does everyone?"

"No one else knows, except-."

"Except who? Please for the love of God do not say Dyson. I swear what composure I have left will fly right out the window if you say Dyson."

"Vex." Her eyes meet mine and I want to look away, but I can't. "He walked in on me in the middle of a morning sickness spell."

"Morning. Sickness. Spell."

"I didn't know what it was, I had initially assumed it was my body adapting to the serum again. As it did with the first strain. But certain things began to add up. Vex was there and I asked him to be my friend. I was half expecting to find myself staring down at a negative test. To have to worry about adjusting the serum again."

"But you didn't."

"No, I didn't."

"Look, I have to go." Swallowing at the lump in my throat, hand clenching holstered katana. Her arm reaching out, keeping me from reaching the door.

"Don't, don't do this."

"It's the only way to save everyone. To have a chance to save Dagny."

"That isn't what I'm talking about."

"I can't do this with you right now."

"We can't slip back Bo, not to that place."

"We're not."

"You're running away."

"I am," Taking a breath, free hand taking hers. "I am stepping away, because right now what I want to say to you is out of hurt and fear and anger, but I know that when this passes, this isn't how I'll feel."

"Bo."

"Let me step away. Let me process this. Please. Let me be the woman I've become."

"O-okay." She pulls her hand away, stepping away from the door.

I promise Lauren, it's just stepping away, not running.

.

3:16 a.m.

.

What is it about determination, anger and fear that make such a dangerous combination? What is it about self-doubt that makes it so relentless? What is it about strength that makes it seem just as much of a curse as it is a gift? What is that old adage, you're never given more than you can handle? Something like that.

Times like these I seriously question that.

The gravel makes an interesting sound beneath my heavy steps. Eyes falling upon the two guards standing at the bottom of the steps as I come around the curve of the fountain. Hand instinctively starting to raise, go for the katana only to stop myself. I need to stop relying things other than myself.

Only you now Bo, let's do this.

I hear them call out to me, telling me to turn back, that I have no business here at this hour. I'd apologize for this, but I'm beginning to think I sound like a broken record. Lip part, pulling the chi from them both. The two dropping like bricks. Steps up the stairs hurried, heart speeding as the more guards come running from around the corner of the house. They don't even manage to get within arm's reach before they fall to the ground. Surprisingly the door left unlocked, opening with such ease it's worrisome.

"Itsy bitsy succubus come to play?" His voice pulling my attention up to the top of the stairs. Hand on the railing, other in his pocket with a smug smile on his lips. He's amused. He was expected this.

"Nothing personal." Taking a step further in, looking into the darkness of the rooms on either side of me. "Actually that's a lie, there's a lot of personal happening here."

"Do you realize how difficult it's going to be to make your pet cooperate once I kill you? How much effort I'm going to have to make."

"I'd say sorry, but I wouldn't mean it."

"Coming from your family I expected to be stabbed in the back, but I expected you to at least be smart enough to get what you needed from me first."

"Well, see the thing is, you're actually what I need." Taking another step toward the stairs, eyes running over him, searching for the thing that's making him so annoyingly confident. "Besides, I don't plan to stab you in the back. I want you to see my face before you die."

"It really sticks in your craw doesn't it? That I dared to touch your precious pet."

"YOU didn't touch her. You forced someone else to do it, like the coward you are."

"Coward, such a strong word." He laughs, almost bouncing down the steps. "But you are right, I didn't technically touch her." Feet instinctively taking steps back as he reaches the bottom. "If I had," Words trailing as he pulls a sword from one of two display cases near the door. Actually it just looks like a big ass machete but semantics aren't really important at the moment. "She would never have revived. Truth be told, I wanted the little shifter to remove her head for me. A nice souvenir. Seems he just can't follow any order can he?"

A conscious effort needed to keep from lunging at him. A deep drawn breath held, needing to calm myself. Well, calm isn't the right word. Maybe something more along the lines of control. It's all about control Bo. Reaching up, tightly gripping the handle as I pull the blade free. It's been a long time since I've seen any swordplay. Just like riding a bike, right?

A very sharp and dangerous bike.

"Are we going to get on with this?"

"Ladies first."

"Hm."

I can't help laughing, steady steps to the right as he takes his to the left. Circling one another like two horses on the opposite sides of a carousal. I know why I'm so confident. I mean apart from being naturally stubborn, he can't work his little mind voodoo on me. For whatever reason, Lauren never did figure it out. But why does he seem like he's already won? Does he really see me that little of a threat?

Growing impatient against my better judgement and Lauren's faint voice in the back of my mind telling me 'Not yet' I make the first strike. He hits it away, spinning into me with the gracefulness of ballot dancer, elbow slamming into my stomach. Breath lost as I stumble back over my own feet. Despite his graceful walk and calm demeanor his strikes are anything but. Each clank of metal harder to control than the last. And even though I know I need to gain control again, I can't seem to figure out how. Every strike taken is purely defensive. Every step taken is backward, further into the darkness of a room I don't know. Further losing my advantage.

Do what you do best Bo, seize an opportunity.

Fighting natural instinct when he swings his machete thing straight for my neck, both hands grip the handle of the katana. Blocking it with enough ease I bought myself a second. A second to kick out into the inside of his thigh. Blade dropping from his hand. My own grabbing the back of his neck, pulling him to me.

"What?" Words whispered, shock stetting in as he laughs in my face. A laugh that only grows as I try again. But no chi comes. Nothing at all. It's like, he's empty.

Shit.

That's the only thought that crosses my mind as I feel him twist my wrist. Heel of his foot into my knee sending me to the ground. He raises up the blade, already swinging it at me before I've processed what's happened. I feel it slice through my skin with ease. I can feel the blood pouring down my cheek, but I refuse to lose again.

He raises it, readying to end it all. Sorry asshole, not happening. Leaping up, arms wrapped around his stomach as we go flying to the ground. Unlike him, I know how to fight dirty. Forehead coming down against his face twice, the sound of his nose breaking a nice reassurance he can at least be hurt. Quickly scrambling, trying to crawl over him, he grabs my thigh. Face first I go slamming into the ground.

Ow doesn't do the past twenty-four hours justice.

His hands relentlessly pulling at my leg as I kick backward. I must hit his face five of the ten times, he doesn't let go. Rolling onto my back, leg twisting in an awkward enough way to earn a violent groan from myself. He climbs up my body, head turned looking how far anything is to use.

After six I lose count of how many times his fists come down into my face. An already gushing cut ripped further open. Eyes closing instinctively at the sting from the blood rather than the pain. His weight of course coming down in just the right stop I can't use my legs for much of anything other than kick at the floor pointlessly.

The irony of today is not lost on me.

My own hands becoming aimless and wild, pushing and pulling at any inch of him I can. Panic becoming an issue despite my best efforts. Thoughts nearly as wild as my hands. One hit hard enough that everything goes black.

That cheating son of a bitch!

Six words that catapult my mind back to consciousness. Laughing through the pain. Left hand on his face, thumb pressing into his eye as hard as possible. Right hand pulling at his pocket. The sound of the seams tearing mixing with his pain filled yelled a welcomed sound. Forcing my eyes open to blurred vison, but it's enough.

I manage to rip his pocket completely off, the little clank of something hitting the ground music my ears. He manages to get in one last hit before I pull enough chi that he falls over.

"Cheating asshole." Groaning my insult as I push him off of myself. No sooner than do I get to my feet he's crawling, reaching for his little trinket. "Sorry buddy," Heel of my boot crushing the amulet along with a finger or two. Knew I wore the boots for a reason. "No Koushang for you."

"W-we can work this out."

"Actually no," Shaking my head, kneeling down already pulling chi from him. "No we can't."

"P-please. I can give you-."

"I'm gonna let you finish but," Hands gripping his face, staring into his eyes, watching everything except fear melt away. "Actually no, no I'm not." Pulling another hardy string of chi, beginning to feel myself get a little light headed. "My pet," Snorting in disgust at his choice word for her. "Sends her regards."

.

5:38 a.m.

.

Just a few more steps Bo, you've got this.

Tripping over my own feet, reaching out for the doorknob, missing several times before managing to pull it open. It's been a long time since I got drunk past the point of excessively flirty. A lot longer since I've gotten drunk on chi. I forgot what it was like. The exhilaration. The lack of control. The need for more even though one little ounce more and you're sure you'd die. Die smiling, but die none the less. I hear the collective concerned call of my name as I stumble into the bar, knocking over two of the four remaining stools. It's not funny, but I can't keep from laughing.

"What the hell is wrong with her? She looks like glow stick."

"She won." Lauren's voice clearer than his. His who? Theo? Mark? "I've got you." Her hands hold my arm, guiding me toward Ayesha. Touch setting my skin ablaze. "Focus." Leaning in, whispering, lips so close to my ear I can all but feel them on me.

"I um." Thoughts becoming hard to keep focused. What am I supposed to be doing?

"I've got you." I hear her repeat, chest pressed to my back as her arms wrap around my waist. "You can do this, just focus."

Smile pulling at my lips, eyes closing as I let myself fall into her embrace. Or at least it feels like falling. Her embrace so tight I can't help but feel safe. Okay Bo, you've done this before. Lips parting, silent prayer being repeated in the back of my mind far from conscious thought. Slowly I feel the haze my thoughts were lost in clear. Wool pulled from my eyes.

Opening my eyes, feeling grounded I find Ayesha's eyes fluttering open. The bruises from Kenz's face long gone. Mark no longer struggling to breathe next to his father who no longer looks like a living punching bag. Evony pulling the bandage from Theo's arm. Smile on my lips, the once gruesome injury long gone.

"You did it." Kenz smiles up at me, crawling over to Ayesha, helping the dazed girl sit up.

"Our hero." Lauren whispers against my shoulder, slowly pulling her arms from my waist. "I have to check them out, make sure all is healed." Sad smile on her lips as I turn to face her. Left hand gently wrapping around her wrist, meeting her uncertain gaze.

"You turn." Words a whispers, leaning in only to have her tilt her head back just enough to make me stop.

"You took care of me first, you need to be a hundred percent too."

"This," right hand hesitantly coming to rest over her stomach, eyes dancing over her face more in my own uncertainty than at hers. "It's not for you." Lips brushing against hers, feeling the slight drain nearly instantly.

"I have to check on them." Squeezing my hand she gives me the softest of smiles before pulling away, eyes never leaving her as she kneels down beside Kenz and Ayesha.

Even surrounded by people, if her heart isn't with me I never feel more alone.

I forgot what it felt like to feel alone.

.

6:00 a.m.

.

"I wasn't aware you cared for heights so much." Her voice just as much of a pleasant surprise as it is worrying.

Hands tapping the stone to some beat stuck in my head that I can't seem to place. Usual annoyance a welcome distraction from the chill in the air. I had sat for so long staring out into the city my legs had fallen asleep, but now standing, the tingling pain as feeling returns pulling at my attention. Or at least it was, until I heard her voice. Felt her lingering behind me.

"I don't think the sun is gonna rise today."

"Most likely not, the scent of snow is in the air."

"Yeah." I nod, gripping the ledge as I shift my weight. "Everyone okay?"

"Everyone downstairs? They're fine. Up here? I'm not so sure."

"I don't feel…right."

"That isn't unusual, you just had a massive shock to your system. Somewhere near the equivalent of taking a considerable amount of cocaine only to turn around and match it with a valium."

"That wasn't exactly what I meant. I'm pretty level there. He was a dick but he was powerful. As much as I gave away, I'm still a hundred and probably twenty percent."

"Powerful maybe, but no match for you."

"No, not for the harbinger of destruction." Snort escaping, shaking my head as my eyes focus in on the crack in the sidewalk across the street.

"This isn't your fault."

"It feels like it. Every time I turn around. Sooner or later everything I touch." The remainder of my words lost in a sigh.

"Not everything."

"Is it-?"

"Yours?" She snaps. Suddenly I'm glad I can't see her face.

"I was gonna say possible."

"I don't know. Theoretically it is."

"Theoretically like anything is possible? Or theoretically like it's happened before?"

"Both actually."

"You're mad."

"Mad wouldn't be the word I use Bo. But I'm not pleased, no."

"Well," I sort of shrug. "That makes two of us."

"Chi is essentially in the simplest of terms life. Theoretically speaking it isn't all that much of a shock something like this could happen. Logically on the other hand it's a bit much to process."

"You seem to be doing a great job of processing. But then again, you've had time. Seemingly lots of time."

"I have to, because for the first time in a long time I'm scared to break. I'm scared to break because I'm not sure if you're going to be here to catch me."

"W-what?" I can't help spinning around, her words like a blade cutting into my heart. Or maybe it's the conviction behind them.

"I wanted to tell you last night, but then you made your comments. Besides, it wasn't the right moment. And then you ran away tonight."

"I took a step back from the situation."

"Be that as it may, in that moment it felt like you running."

"And in this moment?"

"In this moment?" Weak, teary eyed smile breaking my heart. "I'm terrified that the baby isn't okay. That we aren't okay."

"Do you need more chi?" A step forward, her hand raising to stop me.

"No, believe me you've given enough."

"Is there a way to check?"

"Not really, it's too early."

"How early?"

"I don't know honestly. I'm estimating about eight to twelve weeks."

"Eight to twelve weeks." My heart skipping a beat. "C-can we, I mean is that too early to hear a heartbeat?"

"No." Shaking her head she takes a single step towards me. "With an early ultra sound we should be able to. If Dyson focused enough he might even be able to hear one. I'm honestly a little surprised he didn't pick up on it already. But then again we've been around multiple people nearly the entire time, so." A gentle shrug of her shoulders, tears in her eyes. She's not focused, her mind somewhere else. Somewhere in fear and uncertainty. I know the look.

"Y-you said things made sense when you found out?"

"Weight gain. Morning sickness. A reaction to the serum due to an influx in hormones. Increased sexual desire. Increased and unexplainable protective and territorial behavior from both of us. Even though you didn't know, some part of you, did. You've been so focused on controlling the succubus side of yourself, you just missed it. The influx of feelings, I mean."

"What did you find?" Voice uneven despite my best efforts, another step toward her taken. My own thoughts, my own feelings seemingly just as scattered as hers.

"Three cases of a succubus impregnating her female lover. Two were other Fae and one a human, surprisingly."

"You don't sound optimistic. That isn't your optimistic voice."

"No." She shakes her head, a single tear making it past her defenses as it slips down her cheek. "Two died before coming full term and the third was stillborn."

"O-oh."

"So, we might want to hold off on the celebrating." Looking away, using the back of her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Well, I don't know if celebrating would be the right word after our discussion last night."

"Hey. Hey." Several steps taken in seemingly one large step, hands cupping her cheeks. "I love you. I, Bo Dennis love you, Lauren Lewis."

"And this baby?" Her voice breaks, eyes reluctantly meeting mine. "If there is still a baby."

"Don't," Leaning in, forehead resting on hers. "Don't. This baby is part you and part me. A mixture of hard headed and strong. So, so strong."

"A little conceited." She smiles, leaning into my touch.

"The strong part is you." Smile curving my lips, letting them brush against hers. "This baby will be okay. You will be okay."

"I'm scared."

"We're scared together." Hands falling to her waist. "We're in this together." Arms wrapping around her, holding her close as she rests her head on my shoulder. "And we'll make it out of this together."

"Part of me wanted this, wanted to come back."

"And now?"

"Now, I just want to go back and have taco Tuesday at Shelly's."

"Mm, taco Tuesdays." Laugh escaping me, pulling one from her. "Bar-bee-Q Thursday."

"I could go for Bar-bee-Q."

"I'm sure."

"Don't judge me, it's your child I'm pregnant with."

"You're right," I pull back, waiting for her to face me. Tears gone now, just tired eyes to meet mine. "That is mine." Pride rushing through me realizing the weight of my words.

"We're going to have a baby Bo."

"We really are."

"Just so you know, I won't accept any proposal within the week."

"Good God woman, you have more restrictions than immigration."

"That's very specific." She laughs, taking a step back.

"I was watching that documentary on immigration before we left for this catastrophe. Guess it just popped up."

"Your mind works so interestingly." She laughs again, taking a seat on the ground. "If I didn't love you so much I'd want to study it."

"Um, what are you doing?"

"I'm sitting."

"It's cold up here. Especially on the ground."

"Then." She pats the ground, staring up at me until I give in. "There, you can keep me warm." Smiling, she takes my hand, looking up at the sky. "Sometimes I wish I was able to make myself Fae, but then looking at the damage my research has done."

"Funny, I sometimes think about the 'what if' I took the cure."

"The cure?"

"Yeah, the cure."

"Being Fae isn't a sickness Bo, it doesn't require a cure."

"No, but sometimes, it feels like it."

"Bo."

"Evony, she looks so happy. I mean once she embraced it, happy as a clam."

"Don't think like that," She squeezes my hand. "If you were human you wouldn't be able to stop this."

"I don't know if I can stop this. I don't even know what this is."

"Of course you can, you have a whole family depending on you. And now, you actually have one." She gives this little smiling shrug. "So, what's step two?"

"Step two?"

"Yes, step two. You said you had a plan. Step one, kill that…kill Dimitri. Step two would be?"

"Step two is that you get some rest."

"That's a little anti-climactic after step one."

"I like to keep you guessing, can't have you getting bored."

"Bored and Bo Dennis are two things that do not go together. Ever."

"Aw look at you flirting." Arm wrapping around her, pulling her into me. "I must be out of the doghouse."

"I hate to interrupt the lack of scissoring happening, but we have a serious problem." Evony bolts toward us, color drained from her cheeks. "And when I say serious, I mean serious."