CHAPTER 28

"I want the baby." she replied, hiding her face in the crook of Bo's shoulder.

Lauren knew she could not let this go.

With everything stacked against them, she had to do it.

Regardless of the fact that Dyson was the father...

Regardless that they may be on the run for the rest of their lives, there was one vital fact she could not overlook: Bo would be giving birth and any child from Bo was important to her. It would not matter if it had been Bo's child, Lauren would love, care, shelter and protect the child with her life.

Even more so if they had been the biological parents, it simply would have been an easier decision.

Bo smiled against Lauren's neck, before placing a kiss or two on her jaw. She slowly lifted her head to face everyone. "We are keeping the baby." she said firmly. She felt Lauren draw her closer.

"Thanks." Kenzi whispered taking the offered handkerchief. "Hey, this isn't the same one you gave Bo earlier is it?" she asked looking at it.

"No." Jacob replied.

"Okay then." Kenzi dabbed at the tears falling down her cheeks. This was better than a movie on Lifetime© or the Hallmark Channel©, not that she watched those stations.

"Bo, don't do this!" Dyson pleaded.

"No, you don't get to say a damn thing!" she told him. "Not only that, you will not be a part of this, in fact," Bo turned and looked at her Grandfather. "I'll need your help."

"Bo, you know the laws about this." he said.

"Screw them. You are going to do help with this."

Trick saw the determination in his granddaughter's eyes. He knew that look. She would do this without his help. He nodded; after all, child was not hers.

"Okay, for all intents and purposes, I am the mother and no one, I repeat, no one will be the wiser." She turned, "Jacob..."

"Yes Miss Dennis." he said smiling.

Bo chuckled. "I think you can call me Bo now." she told him.

"Yes Bo." he answered. Privately wondering why he did not call her "Miss Bo," as he did with Kenzi. It was simply a term of affection, that's all.

"Lauren's going to need your help with everything. Once the baby arrives I don't know what's going to happen and I have a feeling she's going to be preoccupied, so any paperwork, birth certificate, that sort of stuff, I'll leave in your hands."

Jacob nodded. "Of course, you can count on me." he replied thankful for the brief reprieve from his previous thoughts. A term of affection for... Kenzi? That was silly, he barely knew the young woman.

"You don't honestly think you'll get away with this?" Dyson interjected.

"We can and we will," Bo said forcefully. "You're going to make it happen."

"What? You must be joking. Why should I? This... thing should not be allowed to live."

Lauren held Bo back when it looked as if she were going to rush him. "No, don't." she said gazing into Bo's eyes, trying to calm her down. "He's entitled to his opinion – no matter how outdated it is."

Bo looked at Lauren. "I don't understand how you can defend him." she said, her anger growing.

"Neither can I?" Kenzi added.

"The child is his as well. He can say what he wants but it's your body and he has no control over that." Lauren stressed placing a brief kiss on Bo's lips.

"I don't think I should be listening to this conversation any more," Hale said as he stepped away from the counter. "Doc, can I see you when you're done?" Hale knew he should have left earlier, but like a bad car wreck he could not look away.

"Of course." Lauren nodded.

"You're leaving? Now? This is way better than Housewives..."

"Mama, if I listen to anymore, I'll have to step in and do something I don't want to. You feelin' me?"

Kenzi nodded. "I feel you." she hopped off the stool and gave him a hug. "You are a good man Hale."

"Thanks Mama."

"Hale... how can you leave?" Dyson said stepping closer to his ex-partner. "You can't let this happen."

Hale brushed imaginary lint off his sleeves. "I came in to have a drink," he said grabbing the mug and finishing his beer. "Thanks Trick."

"Ash." Trick smiled.

"Now that I have, I'm going to my office and play some music, very loudly and wait for the Doc to finish visiting with her friends." he said as he started to leave.

"Hale!" Dyson reached out and grabbed him by the arm. "Please."

"Dyson." Hale said looking at arm. "Because of our past friendship, our working relationship, I'll let that slide, but you will remove your hand from my arm or I'll take it as an attack."

Dyson pulled back as if he had been struck. "You can't mean that?"

Hale closed the gap between them. "I can and I do. Don't think I've forgotten what you did with Val." He yanked his arm out of Dyson's grasp. "Lil' Mama, I'll see you later."

"I am so proud of my Ashiness." Kenzi said batting her eyes.

Hale chuckled and left.

"Anything else you want to try Dyson?" Bo asked. She would have to thank Hale later for his silent support. She walked up to Dyson and poked him in the chest with her finger.

Kenzi winced, it sounded louder than when Dyson did it to Jake.

Dyson scoffed.

Bo poked him again, harder. "You are going to do this. Or I'll make you." Bo threatened as her eyes flashed.

"Bo you can't."

"No Trick." Bo countered. "He is going to help. I don't care how much he hates it. Tomorrow night, we will come back here and have a very loud and highly visible fight..."

"Bo, honey, you have to calm down... for the baby's sake." Lauren interrupted.

Bo closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She smiled at Lauren. "See, you're already taking care of me... us."

"Oh... I get it." Kenzi piped up. "You can chew his ass off for getting you knocked up. You can tell him you don't want anything to do with him..."

Bo nodded, the idea was somewhat flawed, but it would have to do and trust Kenzi to understand her thought process. It did not mean she was completely forgiven, but it was a start.

"I... Lauren and I will raise the baby."

"How do you intend to do that? You shouldn't even be dating her."

Lauren sighed.

Dyson was correct.

She and Bo were breaking Fae laws by being together – how could they think about raising a child together?

Bo saw Lauren slump. Trust Dyson to put a crimp in her plans – again. "I'll think of something." Bo said rubbing her forehead.

"Well, the baby will need a doctor." Trick uttered trying to show his support.

"And Lauren does help out with cases from time to time. Why couldn't you bring the baby with you when you visit her?"

Jacob stepped forward. "You may have the use of my home in Costa Rica for as long as you wish or like, for the baby and afterwards."

"What?" Lauren gasped.

"Let me help you Lauren, please." he said.

"Jacob, you have done so much already. I could not impose on you any longer." Lauren replied.

"Dude you have a place in Costa Rica?" Kenzi whispered, thinking about the beaches, the rainforests, the drinks, the clubs, the drinks, the nightlife and let's not forget:those exotic drinks.

"You are not imposing. Besides, I'm sure you have vacation time piled up, you could take a trip. And if you just so happen to run into Bo while she's on a case, who's the wiser?"

"We can do this Lauren." Bo said walking back to Lauren.

"Bo, this is too much to ask."

"You could never ask enough," she said caressing Lauren's face. Bo would never get enough of touching her girlfriend in some manner. It made her feel grounded and safe. "Lauren don't you understand yet? I love you. I would walk mile after mile in the pouring rain to get to you. Don't you see, wherever you are, I'm home."

Lauren could not believe the depth of emotions Bo was displaying. She knew Bo loved her, but this declaration was incredible. "You're absolutely sure Bo? There is still time to back out." she had to ask, just once more.

"You are one of a kind Lauren Lewis." Bo said smiling. "And I've got to admit although we are jumping the gun by a year or two," she shrugged. "But I could not imagine going through something like this without you."

Kenzi looked at Jake and wondered why he was smiling. "Hey Jake?"

"Yes Miss Kenzi." he replied taking his eyes off Bo and Lauren for a moment.

"They're going to be alright, aren't they?" she asked.

Lauren gazed into Bo's expressive eyes and felt the love she had for Bo deepen, she reached out and brought her closer and kissed her. She moaned as the kiss grew deeper and she didn't care that she was in front of everyone, especially Dyson.

None of it mattered.

The only thing that did was that she had found the love of her lifetime and they were going to have a baby.

Little Charlotte or Ethan would make an appearance and she only hoped it would not take a year... for Bo's sake.

She smiled. "I love you so much Bo."

"Not as much as I love you."

Kenzi and Jacob watched as Dyson stormed out.

"I've got a bad feeling about that." Kenzi muttered.

Jacob silently agreed. Perhaps he would need to pay Thornwood a visit.

Dyson slammed the door behind him when he left the Dal. He could not stand to be in there a moment longer. He wanted to run – to set his wolf free and run as far as he could so that he might lick his wounds in private.

And his wounds were deep.

The news of the pregnancy had floored him.

He never thought he would have a child and the thought that Bo was carrying his offspring made him feel whole, complete.

He had been the happiest he had been in a very long time.

And to have it taken from him was a blow he wasn't sure he could heal from.

He would have to fix this somehow.

Bo was insane to think he would actually participate in this farce.

This just proved how little Bo knew him.

He could forgive almost anything, but not this.

Had he not stepped aside when Bo, who was his mate (and she would always be his mate no matter what she thought), decided to give Lauren a chance; things would be very different now.

Could she not see the pain he was in? Or had he gotten so good at pretending that he was even fooling himself?

How was it possible for Bo to think that he could do what she asked?

So, he hadn't told her that he had his love back. Yes, he did feel a small bit of shame, fleeting as it was, when Bo healed with him. But it was his concern for her well-being that made him withhold the truth.

He had seen her injury.

She may not have made it to the hospital. He did what he thought was right at the time.

And she got mad at him?!

His blood was boiling – he shook his head to get his thoughts in order.

He could go to the Elders.

They could deal with this.

He frowned.

If he did - not only would the thing Bo was carrying be taken care of, but perhaps Bo as well.

As long as it was gone, surely the Elders would let Bo live, especially if he could prove she would never do anything like it again.

Of course he would have to find out exactly how it occurred in the first place, so there was no possibility of it happening again.

Until he was certain, he would take Bo away and wait until things cooled down, no matter how long it took. He would take care of her.

He doubted "Salus" had any sway over the Elders and Lauren would be punished – not only for the child but for her relationship with Bo as well. They might turn a blind eye to Fae-Human relationships from time to time, but if a child was produced, the wrath of the Elders would come quickly and with deadly intent.

He would have to think this over carefully. He could not let Bo find out that he had anything to do with Lauren's punishment whatever it may be – not yet. If he could keep this from her, there was a chance he could get away with this.

Lauren would simply be collateral damage.

She should have insisted right away that Bo get an abortion. She knew the consequences of this flagrant disregard of the law.

She had been given far too much leeway as it was. She should have taken his advice when he told her to run before a new Ash was chosen now she would pay for her egoism.

It might take a while but he knew Bo would forgive him in the end.

Dyson smiled. He started to feel better about the situation already.

He would have to lull them into a false sense of security that he had changed his mind.

As much as it galled him, he would "help" Bo with her plan.

Then when everything had been taken care of, he would have to deal with Hale somehow.

He was the Ash, acting or not and he had deliberately ignored the situation.

Dyson snorted.

Hale had violated one of the highest laws they had; he had knowledge of a hybrid and did nothing about it. That would not go over well with the Elders.

Dyson clapped his hands - he only needed to bide his time.

Bo thought he owed her.

Oh yes... he owed her.

And the price would be immeasurable.

Author's Notes:

Hello there...

I wanted to let you know that I was going to end the story here. (ducking projectiles... okay who threw the rotten egg!)

Ahem.

As I said, I was going to end the story actually before the last part with Dyson's thoughts and feelings. That was going to be chapter one of "The Waiting Game." Nice title huh?

Then after speaking with my beta, and thinking about all the questions I had not answered yet... I decided to simply continue the story and hopefully bring it to a conclusion that will resolve? many of the questions I've brought up... silly me.

So as of today, April 8, 2013, I am on chapter thirty-four?... I can't keep up with them.

I am still curious if anyone is interested in reading at least the parts I did not use for this version of "The Blame Game."

Well, using a line from the musical "The Man from La Mancha."

"Onward to glory I go!"

"I hope." Muttering under my breath as I save this file.