ETA:

Please don't forget, Jacob is not using his real name, however you will find out what it is in this chapter. I just wanted to state that so no one gets confused. OH... I've decided I need to change his age. In chapter 7 I mentioned he was 500 years and counting. Well, in order for me to use a line in chapter.. 25 I think, I need to make him older.

For those reviewers who didn't quite like the reveal with the last chapter, sorry. My beta readers are/were right when they both said had I kept the story the way I had written it, YIKES. I would have had to run for cover.

I only have up to chapter 20 typed and beta'd. So I really have to buckle down and start typing so I can catch up.

Thanks to all of you who have stuck with this story.

CHAPTER 19

Jacob could see how the effects of the DNA testing had thrown everyone into a whirlwind. He could see the damage it had created and a part of him felt sorry for all those concerned.

However the part of him which had sought out Lauren Lewis, the doctor, was rubbing his hands in glee.

This was not something he ever thought he'd encounter once he made his trek from the rainforests of Costa Rica. His mouth was watering at the prospect of watching this event take place.

Something that had not happened – ever - in the annuals of Fae history; it was awe inspiring and monumental, to say the least.

And as much as he wanted to take notes and run tests, he remembered something Madeline Everett had told him in strictest confidence.

'Salus, Lauren is unlike anyone I have ever known. Her compassion is vast and unyielding. Her intelligence, she hasn't even begun to use... is astonishing. But, she has difficulty letting people in, but when she does... there is nothing she won't do for them. I have seen things in her future, things I will not be apart of. Things I cannot change. You must look after her for me when I am not longer aroundto do so. She will need your help. I ask this because Lauren... she is the daughter of my heart and I can not bare the pain she will go through. Promise me Salus."

Of course he played it off, telling her she had many, many years left in her but she was adamant that he promise.

And he did.

He had pushed aside all thoughts of the conversation he had had with his colleague, his friend, until he learned of her death.

He knew then he had to honor his promise to Madeline. And he would do anything to help Lauren now.

"Why don't we have a seat? I brought some books from the archives." Jacob said.

Ancient texts were something she could immerse herself in. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Lauren sat down and waited for Jacob to do the same. "You... you asked if I was ovulating?"

"Yes. As you are well aware, there are certain types of Fae whose reproductive systems are very different from not only humans, but other Fae as well."

Lauren nodded in agreement.

"As I said, I took the liberty of borrowing a few books and I was able to find some very interesting cases from the past."

"Where would you begin to look?" Lauren asked.

"You forget," he said smiling. "I am far older than you, so I would have heard about them," his smiled faltered.

"What's wrong? I mean besides this entire situation?"

"These cases never involved a human."

"I see." Lauren said softly. "Can you tell me what you found?"

"It seems that Miss Dennis is truly a remarkable creature. I'm sure you haven't thought about the reproductive capabilities of a Succubus?"

Lauren blushed. She had thought of it, but not in the way he might have. "Not specifically in this type of situation." she told him.

Jacob looked at the titles of the books he brought with him and grabbed the one he was looking for. "There are a handful of cases where a Succubus would ingest or absorb the ova thru feeding, if the partner of choice was female." he said as he looked for the text. "Otherwise it would follow the standard method of conception via sexual intercourse with a male partner." he continued as he flipped through the pages.

"Bo..." Lauren blanched. "She ingested..."

"I know, it's not a very palatable way to describe something very personal." he said.

"But, how does that explain Dyson?"

"I believe," Jacob started the excitement in his voice evident. "This is what happened. It has been noted that females who spend a vast amount of time together, either at work or through a relationship tend to cycle simultaneously..."

"It happened with Nadia..." Lauren paused. "It happened with Nadia and I."

Jacob nodded slowly understanding how difficult it must be for her to bring up her deceased partner. "You and Miss Dennis have been rather close for some time now and since then you have embarked on a relationship that has evolved into a deeper, romantic, one in nature,"

"Are you saying that my cycle may have interfered or changed Bo's?"

"Again, this is a hypothesis. However it is the best solution I could come up with. Very simply Miss Dennis would have had to have been very close her to own ovulation cycle for this to have happened."

"So, it's possible that when Bo fed from me..." Lauren had been around the Fae for over five years, she had seen things which would have made grown men cower in fear, yet, her mind continued to grasp at straws. 'Bo's body ovulates at the same time mine does... she fed from me... my ova... no.' Lauren shook her head. "No, it's not possible. My ova would not have attached itself to Bo's uterus... it wasn't fertilized."

"In normal circumstances you would be one hundred percent correct. Normally the egg is fertilized in the fallopian tube." he answered as he picked up another heavy tome. He looked in Lauren direction. "How much time passed from when Miss Dennis fed from you and she healed with Detective Thornwood?"

Lauren frowned as she thought about the incident. She rubbed her forehead, "It... I believe it was the same day? I wasn't enough for her..."

"Lauren, you really must stop blaming yourself. You know as well as I do, your human physiology simply is not made to sustain Miss Dennis. It's not your fault and I doubt Miss Dennis blames you either."

"I know I've told Bo the same thing, but..."

"There's no need to explain." he told her.

"So, how did this happen?"

"It's here somewhere." Jacob muttered to himself. He knew or at least thought he knew what happen, but he thought he should show her the text. "Here it is." he said passing another book to Lauren.

Lauren took the book from Jacob's hands and began reading. After a while she looked at him. "Is this true? Is it even possible?"

"Amazing isn't it?"

"Amazing does not even begin to cover what I'm thinking." Lauren replied looking at the book again. "It says the process can be delayed?"

"Yes. It seems that during extreme duress, the gestation or conception, if conception has already occurred can be... halted, suspended, if you'd like."

"Incredible. So, if the mother is in danger, the body will shut down everything not related to keeping the mother alive and once out of danger…"

"Everything continues normally." Jacob finished. "Has Miss Dennis been injured in some way recently?"

Lauren nodded. "Bo was beaten up during her time at Hecuba prison when she went undercover... to help me find Dr. Everett," she said softly thinking of her mentor. "Then she was hit by a car while on another case and suffered massive internal bleeding," Lauren shook her head. "I wasn't paying attention... I did not notice."

Jacob knew there was nothing he could say at the moment to alleviate the guilt Lauren felt, so he continued as if nothing happened. "It is quite probable that when she healed with Detective Thornwood, her body sensing it was out of danger..."

"Continued with the process and conception occurred..." she whispered.

"There is no way to tell how long your ovum was in suspension. If she had fed off of you after her time in Hecuba and before her injury, it's quite possible that she may have become pregnant without Detective Thornwood's participation." he told her.

"Only you Bo." Lauren muttered. "It seems that Bo is unique in more ways that I ever thought." Lauren glanced at Jacob. "Do we know how long the gestation will last?"

"It varies..."

"Varies?"

"Unfortunately, it seems that Succubi, in general, are very secretive about their birthing practices. I'm not sure why."

"In the five years I've been in service to the Light, I've never dealt with a Succubi except for Bo. The Incubus I did treat was long before I met Bo and it had nothing to do with this."

"What I was able to find does not give a satisfactory answer. Apparently there are cases which it lasts as little as three weeks..."

Lauren felt her eyebrows rise in shock.

"Or as long as one year."

"Why such a discrepancy?"

"It could be based upon the donor material." Jacob sighed. "Cross breeding of species isn't unheard of, but not readily accepted. Too many variables make it difficult to say how the pregnancy will proceed."

"Wolves normally gestate from fifty-nine to sixty-three days." Lauren said. "Is that how long Bo has?"

"We don't know." Jacob told her. "We must get Miss Dennis back to the lab and do an ultrasound, get more blood samples; there is a gamut of tests that should be run in order to check not only on her, but the child as well."

"Will this hurt her?" Lauren finally asked.

"I think not."

"But you're not sure?"

"Lauren you have my word, if there is the slightest chance of Miss Dennis being in any danger from the pregnancy..."

Lauren stood up from the couch and began to pace. "I won't let this hurt her. I don't care if... if its mine. I will not sacrifice Bo." Lauren told him.

"I sincerely doubt it will come to that, however." He said holding his hand up, "I will do my best to help you and Miss Dennis in any way possible."

"Thank you Jacob."

Jacob stood up and slowly reached out for Lauren's hands. "Madeline thought very highly of you... Lauren. And I am sure she would go to the ends of the Earth to make sure everything went smoothly. How could I do any less?"

Lauren bit her lip and took a deep breath. "You don't know how much that means to me."