Chapter Nineteen – The Party

Lauren pulled up to the incredible mansion, feeling relieved that she hadn't overdressed. They were throwing a party in her honor, to celebrate her having passed The Test. She had assumed it was going to be at The Dal but Trick refused, telling her that they were going to go all out. He gave her the address and told her it was formal dress so she'd spent the next two hours getting ready. Her hair was long and curled at the ends, swept over one shoulder and elegantly pinned in place.

She'd even gone all out with false eyelashes and so much mascara that Kenzi would've been proud. Her dress was a cream colored ball gown with pearls sewn into the corset type bodice. The light color palette accentuated her golden hair and porcelain skin.

She'd looked herself over in the mirror before she'd left, feeling a little ridiculous since she was so used to casual clothes and a lab coat, "Great, now all I'm missing is the fairy godmother and glass slippers."

She entered the mansion and made her way to the magnificently extravagant marble ballroom. She stood on the balcony overlooking the party that was already packed with Fae's. She even spotted her favorite human in the crowd as well. Kenzi was sitting at a table with Bo who looked stunning in a slim, tight fitting short black dress with a corset top similar to her own and black thigh high boots.

Lauren noticed a stunning blonde Nymph making her way towards Bo and held her breath as she watched the scene unfold from her perch, out of sight. The Nymph tapped Bo on the shoulder and leaned in close to speak with her, stroking patterns on Bo's bare shoulder flirtatiously as she talked. Bo smiled politely and shook her head, the Nymph looked stunned and then dejected and turned to walk away in a huff. Lauren couldn't help but smile.

"Ladies and gentleman, can I please have your attention!" Hale was suddenly standing at Lauren's elbow and he commanded the attention of the room effortlessly. He gave her his elbow and she laced her arm with his bashfully as all eyes in the room turned towards them. The pair moved to the top of the stairs, in view of the party, "May I present, the guest of honor, Ms. Lauren Lewis." Lauren was taken aback as everyone in the building erupted into raucous cheers and whoops.

Hale laughed and smiled and they descended the stairs together.

Bo watched her descend the stairs, her eyes glued to the blonde. She knew she'd never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life, Lauren always looked beautiful but this – this was something else. She looked like something out of a fairytale, or Bo's dreams. Her flaxen hair seemed to glow with an ethereal light and her skin looked like something too perfect to be real, but for Bo, the dress was the kicker, extravagant and luxurious and so unlike Lauren, it suited her perfectly.

Lauren made the rounds, greeting everyone politely, she even saw Tue and engulfed him in a hug.

When she pulled back there was a tear in his emerald eye. "I was so proud of you today my dear."

She smiled, disbelievingly, "You were? You weren't mad that I made that Siren ill?"

He shook his head firmly, "Of course not, I know you'd never do such a thing to someone undeserving, you're too ethical for that. You did what you had to do and if faced with the choice between you or the Siren, I'd pick you any day."

"Thanks Tue, that means a lot. I'm sorry to do this but I really have to speak to someone," She gave him an apologetic looked and he brushed it off.

"Nonsense, this is your party, you have lots of people to see. Besides I haven't seen Trick in ages and it'll be nice to catch up, I just wanted to congratulate you… go to her," Her smiled mischievously and winked knowingly.

She blushed. "I wonder if I know what you mean," she said coyly.

"Hmm, I wonder if you wonder," He winked at her again and she smiled and shook her head.

She found Bo standing near the bar, waiting for a drink.

Lauren tapped her lightly on the shoulder and when she looked into those beautiful chocolate eyes she had to remind herself to keep things polite, concise and to the point. "I just wanted to say thank you for everything that you did for me at The Test today… you didn't need to do that."

Bo shook her head, "I know I didn't but I knew I was your best chance at not being executed. That was a dumb thing you did… the counsel has a zero tolerance policy on remaining unaligned after me, they want to set an example. You were really putting yourself in the line of fire – but I have to say I respect your decision, it took guts."

Lauren ducked her head, trying hard not to smile too wide. "Thank you, there's no denying that your own choice gave me the courage to think it was possible, so thank you for that."

"I did nothing, it was all you, I know how strong you are."

Lauren nodded, looking at her toes again, not knowing what to say. Bo's drink arrived and she thanked the bartender. "Well this is me so, I'll see you around," Bo pushed off the bar and faltered, her legs betraying her. She almost fell and she was forced to put a hand back on the bar to steady herself. Lauren gripped her elbow, filled with concern.

"Bo what's wrong, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You seem weak, your pupils are dilated. When was the last time you fed?" The Doctor in Lauren took over as she immediately diagnosed that Bo needed to feed.

"I'm fine, I guess I just haven't been feeding as much lately."

"How come?"

"I don't know, just lost my appetite I guess. Kenzi is calling me over, I have to go. Nice to see you Lauren," Bo smiled at her like they were mere acquaintances and Lauren's heart squeezed a little.

Lauren was pretty sure she knew what Bo really meant by 'losing her appetite' and it filled her heart with hope. She didn't want to be presumptuous but there was nothing she knew of that could make a Succubus lose their appetite, nothing except maybe a broken heart. All at once Lauren's mind was flooded with a sense of dread, a feeling of 'what have I done'. She realized how cruel and unkind she'd been these past few months and though she hated to admit it, maybe she'd been wrong about everything. Maybe she'd let her insecurities dictate her life, unfounded insecurities at that. How could she have let the part of her that so needed to rely on facts – dictate what her heart felt, she'd always known the truth in her heart and she'd forced it down, denied it, all to protect herself.

She was Bo's for now and for always and she hoped beyond hope that Bo was still hers. She knew now wasn't the time or place to bring up such things but she'd made up her mind in that moment.

It was dark and pouring rain when she left the mansion. She prayed all the way home that she wasn't wrong about things, she couldn't imagine Bo rejecting her as Lauren had done to her, it broke her heart to think of how'd she'd hurt the love of her life. She prayed Bo would hear her out.

She changed in a hurry, wiping away her makeup and ripping off the false lashes, not caring where they landed. She cursed the stupid ball gown as the zipper refused to cooperate with her. Finally she got it down and she pulled on her favorite pair of skin tight jeans, boots and a simple white button up that she left a few buttons undone on, accentuating her cleavage, she shrugged, it couldn't hurt.

She drove to The Dal like a mad woman, thinking that Bo was likely there because she'd heard the gang talking about meeting there for food and more drinks after the party. She was driving like such a maniac- which was totally out of character for her- that in the dark, she didn't notice that the garbage can that was normally in the alley, had been moved out onto the road near the curb- until it was too late. She slammed into it, not hard enough to make her airbags deploy but hard enough that the hood of her suv crunched up like a folded piece of paper and started to steam.

"FUCK!" She screamed, slamming her hands on the wheel. She couldn't be bothered to care. She jumped out of the car, the rain was coming down in buckets now, part of the reason she hadn't been able to stop in time. She ran into The Dal and saw all her friends, all but one.

"Hey Lo, came to get your drink on with us party girl?" Kenzi asked when she saw her. Then she noticed the urgent look on Lauren's face. "What's wrong?"

"Is Bo here?"

"Oooooh," Hale sang like a five year old boy and made a kissy face.

"Oh my god, is what I think happening, happening?" Kenzi squealed ecstatically, getting off her stool to skip excitedly over to Lauren.

"Nothing is happening yet, I'm just here to talk. Don't get too excited."

"Bo's at home, she didn't want to come out partying afterwards and don't worry, I'll make myself scarce tonight," Kenzi said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Lauren shook her head and tried to hold back a smile. "Seriously, don't jump to conclusions, I really am just going over there to talk."

"Sure you are Doctor Hotpants, go get her tiger," Kenzi said, slapping Lauren on the behind as she pushed her out the door.

It was raining so hard, she couldn't have been wetter if she'd jumped in the shower with her all clothes on. The droplets in her hair were dripping into her eyes as she ran harder than she could ever remember running, her lungs burned as she entered Bo's building, lactic acid building in her exhausted legs.

Her shirt clung uncomfortably to her skin as she panted hard, she was so nervous that her heart pounded in her chest like it was going to jump out, not just from the exertion of her impromptu run. Her hands shook nervously and she stood outside Bo's door, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm her nerves before she knocked.

She finally knocked when she wasn't winded anymore, a puddle of water at her feet already. She waited with bated breath. After what seemed like eternity, the door opened.

"Hi."

"Hi."