The woman smiled as she walked back and forth. Beautiful, she thought. "How long do you think you can keep this up?." Her cool voice spoke just across the way.

"Pardon?." Lauren replied. She had no sooner walked outside before the silence was broken by the woman's voice. A voice with an edge but she recognized it.

"How long do you think, doctor, that you can keep running? Running from me. I'm the one that you're upset with, right?." The brunette smiled.

Lauren rolled her eyes upward and turned around. There she stood. Bo's blue-eyed succubus. "I don't know you. We've never actually had a conversation. But, succubus, since you share Bo's body, everything that she does, you do too." She replied.

"That means I've done you too, then, right?." The succubus licked her lips and smiled.

"Right." Lauren shrugged. She yanked her medical bag from her shoulder and hung it over the other one.

"Bo didn't save him, I did. I wanted those idiots in the Dal to actually see my powers, up close and personal." The succubus slowly crept towards the doctor but the blonde never flinched. She was sure she never saw the woman blink either.

"Thank you for saving my life with the Lich. Now, we're even." Lauren's cool but soft voice stopped the woman momentarily in her tracks.

"You should thank Bo for that when I give her control again. She was fighting against releasing me to kill him but once that blade touched your skin, he was dead where he stood." The succubus started walking again.

"What do you want?." Lauren asked.

"Nothing that I won't have again." The succubus smiled and finally reached the spot she wanted.

"This won't change anything. You or Bo, hell it could have been the both of your decisions to nearly kill me and Kenzi. But somehow, I wasn't the one that was invited to stay for drinks. I was invited to treat the wolf. Then the three of you slammed shots and that was it for me. I don't need to go back, if that's why you're here. Noah has my back and I have his. Before you make the mistake like Bo did of assuming it's a sexual relationship, it is not. Even if it was, how can a succubus judge me?." Lauren stood tall and sure.

"Awww, you didn't need to say that, sweetie, I know you only like our touch. Our lips. Our...everything." The succubus laughed.

"Again, what do you want?." Lauren asked.

"Again, nothing that I won't have again. I'll let Bo come back. But remember your manners, doctor. Don't make me come back." And with that, blue eyes turned brown. "Lauren." Bo stepped forward.

"You couldn't have warned me that was coming?." Lauren asked.

"You weren't listening to me, Lauren. I was desperate and had to try something. Besides, I didn't have control over that, but I'm happy she came out and explained it, too." Bo folded her arms and adjusted her boot heel.

"Well, it was thoughtful of her to come out and try to explain what happened but I meant what I said. My life is my life. I don't need the Fae, although I'm sure some of them are stewing trying to figure out how to use a band-aid." Lauren half laughed. "Shots fired."

"Forget about them, Lauren!." Bo snapped.

Lauren turned serious and looked Bo dead in her eyes as she ranted. "You came after me, I am going to speak my peace from now on. I will say what I want to say when I want to say it. If you don't like what I say, you are welcome to return to the pissy dog and your best friend."

Bo took a few deep breaths. "That's not what I meant. I meant for you to forget about them because this is about you and me. I want us to be focused on ourselves."

Lauren stood staring at Bo and she stood staring back. "Nothing I can say right now will make you happy, Bo. Your life was all about the Dawning and blowing up my phone with texts. My life was about being a doctor when your cells were degrading. Now, you have gone through your Dawning and I'm still being a doctor. Something that makes me happy and makes me feel rewarded for my efforts. The very Ash that I served has provided me with so much in such a short amount of time. You don't like him and I don't care. Just like you don't care that your crew doesn't like me."

"What? Kenzi likes you." Bo frowned.

"Kenzi likes whomever can do whatever she needs at the time. Her affections are bought." Lauren laughed.

"She's my human, Lauren. I have to protect her." Bo spoke softly. She shook her head. She thought they were getting along better. She thought a lot of things that are no longer true. "I chose you, Lauren. Why didn't you choose me?."

"I did choose you, Bo. When I defied the Ash for you and the first time we slept together. I had a girlfriend and I chose you over her. You couldn't keep that commitment." Lauren took a seat.

Bo looked around for a chair. Somewhere to sit so she wouldn't look too imposing by continuing to stand up. "Bring us some menus." She raised her hand to the woman standing just behind Lauren.

"I'm not hungry and I won't be staying." Lauren waved her off.

"You are hungry and you will eat something, Lauren." Bo folded her arms and fixed her eyes on the woman again.

"Fine, bring me a cobb salad with lemon water." Lauren looked up at the waitress and back to Bo.

"Are we really going to eat like this?." Bo pointed back and forth between them.

"Works for me. I won't reveal any secrets or break any confidentialities." Lauren set her bag on an empty chair.

"Fine." Bo sat back in her chair. Again, she stared at the woman while tapping the arm of the chair with her finger.

The Dal.

"Dude!." Kenzi covered her ears.

"She's been going on and on like that for hours." Dyson shook his head.

"I can't release her. Even though she's better, she's still dangerous." Trick held his head down.

"The good thing is that Bo knows where Aife is. It is not like we are hiding her from her. The bad thing is, what to do with her now." Dyson looked to Trick but the old man still had his head down.

"He doesn't know what to do." Kenzi grabbed a shot glass and served herself.

"She was Dark Fae, we could give her to the Morrigan." Dyson suggested.

"Like hell you will, boy." The Morrigan walked in.

Trick rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "What is it, now, Evony?."

"That! That's what it is now. What are you going to do about her? Sending her back to me is a big hell no. Besides, most of the Elders agree with me. That succubus is your problem. However, I'll take the young one, should she ever decide to choose again." The Morrigan winked in Dyson's direction.

"Don't say anything, Dyson." Kenzi grabbed his shirt.

"Oh, come now. It is no secret Bo is with Lauren and Noah. What a threesome that must be, huh, wolf? I heard he kicked your ass. My people are looking for anyone that has footage of it. Tiktok is my shit right now." The Morrigan laughed.

"Is there a point for your visit, Evony?." Trick asked. His patience was running on empty.

"If you let her out, she dies. If you keep her, she dies. I'm assuming you've called sanctuary for her. Once her crusty ass toes hit the streets, she's dead." The Morrigan grabbed a bottle of liquor and walked out.

"She never pays for anything." Kenzi scoffed.

"Neither do you." Dyson reminded her.

"Hey!." Kenzi poked him in his side.

"Can't you two take your recess time somewhere else? I have some serious thinking to do." Trick groaned.

"I'm sorry, Trick. I can help. I just don't know how. It's never easy when it comes to Aife. She's your daughter. Bo's mother. While her succubus didn't kill her, there's more than likely some affection still there." Dyson moved away from Kenzi.

"With Bo still chasing Lauren all over the world, there's no telling what her feelings regarding her mother are." Trick sighed.

"Maybe if she's well like you said she is, she'll go looking for Bo and be out of your ass. Bo is a big girl. She can protect herself. Besides, she's stronger now. As we all saw, right there." Kenzi pointed across the room.

"You're forgetting one thing, Kenzi. Humans are out there too. You know Bo wouldn't want them harmed." Trick looked at the woman and looked away.

"Well, shit. Damn my people." Kenzi shook her head.

"Let's all go out. We can't hear her, if we are not here." Dyson suggested.

Trick grabbed his hat and practically ran out of the building.

Aife's room.

"Noah says hello." A voice laughed.

"He would never say that." Aife gritted her teeth as she yanked against her chains.

"Fuck you. Is that better?." The laughing voice turned serious.

"You're lucky I'm not my daughter. I would have pulled your chi by now and kicked your dead body after freeing myself." Aife laughed.

"Now, now. We aren't here for threats. The blood king, his dog and the human left. I was sent to make an offer. We'll free you, if you take over the Morrigan office." The man spoke softly. She could tell he'd been around Noah by the tone in his voice.

"Evony's a slave to the Elders. I won't have them up my ass day and night." Aife laughed at the thought of the Morrigan having to curtsy before them.

"We have bigger plans than just you taking her office over. We are here to destroy the Fae politics before they know what we are up to. Now, if you are the Morrigan, you can do what he wants, when he wants. He's picking up on your plan of freeing us all from being Light or Dark." The man explained.

"And if I kill her?." Aife asked.

"Her who?." The man asked.

"Evony, idiot!." Aife rolled her eyes.

"Again, her who?." The man asked.

"Ahh. I see. Sorry. Fine. Tell Noah that I will accept his offer if he gets me out of here and tonight." Aife smiled.

"Done". The man left. She heard a door close and knew he was gone. She looked at the clock and night would be on them all soon.

Noah.

"She accepted your offer, sir." A man approached Noah from behind.

"Good. Good. Evony is about to learn that pulling the plug fits so many situations. About Lauren?." Noah asked.

"She's with the succubus. We have a 100 deep on her." The man replied.

"Good. Good. I can't stop her from seeing the succubus but I can protect her while she does whatever she wants." Noah looked out the window.

"She's well protected sir. They had lunch and retreated to a nearby park. Lauren looks well and rested." The man nodded.

"Bo's a succubus. I seriously doubt she will harm my doctor but her mouth could. Keep your eyes out until the doctor retires for the evening." Noah gave his next order and turned to leave the room.

Bo and Lauren.

Bo sat quietly. This is good and bad. Good because they had been together most of the afternoon until Lauren had to take a phone call. She walked far away from Bo and looked so professional as she talked. The brunette couldn't hear anything she said but she knows exactly how the woman looks when she's explaining something. Seeing her talk about anything has always interested Bo. They hadn't talked much about them as Bo would have liked for them to, so far, but just being around Lauren and not being told to go away is some progress. She's leaning on her succubus surfacing and literally taking one for the team as being what has softened Lauren, a little.

"Bo, if there is nothing else, it is starting to get late." Lauren pulled the woman out of what looked like a long daydream.

"I'm here, Lauren. I was just thinking about you. Nothing else." Bo spoke softly.

"We're just not getting anywhere. We keep talking about the same thing. You love me. You want a life with me. I understand all of that. I'm just not ready for that." Lauren leaned forward.

"I'm in no rush. I just want another opportunity. You misunderstood why Dyson was brought back and that hurt us. Today has been nice. I will go when you do. When I'm sure that you are safely home and comfortable." Bo kept her back to her seat. Lauren's perfume was tempting her to make a mistake.

"I don't want you to come home with me. I'm not being mean, I don't want that." Lauren raised up and stood.

"I just want to see you home, I don't have to or need to follow you inside." Bo stood and stretched. She looked around. Noah's people, she thought as she saw eyes on them. "Let's get you home." She gestured with her hand. Lauren had agreed to ride with Bo, so the brunette will drive her to her car and follow her home. She knows what Noah is doing by protecting Lauren but she's her protector too. Lauren is far more than that to Bo, but this is where they are now and she can't push or she'll lose the woman forever. It was a long drive with both cars. Not because of engine trouble but because Bo wants them as they were just before she entered that damn portal. She had the blonde warm and soft in her arms as Lauren kissed her. Lauren wished her luck. She didn't need it because the doctor was already her girlfriend. That made her feel like the luckiest person alive. Lauren is beautiful in more ways than just her physical appearance. Bo has had many lovers but never love like this. Never loved like this. As Lauren climbed out of her car, she inhaled her scent and breathed it in as she drove home, alone.

Lauren sighed as she opened the front door. She stopped when she spotted Noah standing in the center of her living room. "Is something wrong?."

"I'm blowing the Fae up, Lauren." Noah spoke softly.

"As in murdering them?." Lauren asked.

"As in finishing what Aife clumsily started. I'm going to blow the Fae up so the divide won't exist anymore. Don't worry about your Succubus. We all know she can protect herself. I am telling you personally so that there won't be any divide between the two of us. You saved my life when you didn't have to. You could have let me die. I will spend the rest of my existence defending your life. Even should it include protecting your succubus." Noah smiled and dropped it.

Lauren was stunned. She thought he was going to tell her something really awful but this is good. She will get a little joy in those fae that thought she was shit and not in a good way. She will have a powerful ally on her side when their own shit hits the fan.

"One more thing. Aife will be the Morrigan for a second, but my plan still goes ahead without a hiccup. My people know to be precise. The current Morrigan won't like it but word got back to me today that she pushed for the Elders to take me off of life support. Now, I will have her choking for air of her own. This isn't all about revenge. It's about making sure the fae knows not to screw around with us. You're not Fae like we are. That doesn't matter to me but it does matter that we protect your life. You will have everything that you want and deserve, Lauren. I will see to it. Now, your heart, I will leave that to you. She doesn't deserve you but that's my opinion and your choice, should you decide to reconcile with her." Noah walked towards the door and left the woman to her night.

Lauren looked around the room and walked to pour herself a glass of wine. She drew a bath and settled in. She leaned back and blew breaths into the air. It was nice, clean and quiet. She knows Noah. He won't sit on this for long. She expects by morning that the plan will be in full execution mode. He's right about Bo, she can protect herself. She closed her eyes and began to think if Bo can protect Lauren's heart should she give it to her, again.

Noah and Aife.

"I heard you have agreed to my plan." Noah spoke from across the room. He was flanked by plenty of security should the woman lose her shit and attempt to attack him. "My teeth are sharper by the way."

"You mean my plan? Yes. I'm in. I get to kick Evony's ass on her ass and pay a little visit to the Blood King." Aife rubbed her hands together.

"I don't trust you Aife but know this, your little succubus is slowly becoming part of my circle. I have someone under my protection that she wants. She's my chess piece. Your succubus will bow to her should it come to that." Noah closed his hands together.

"Take me to this..chess piece. I have an apology to offer." Aife stood.

"Now, now. You won't see her tonight. Go to bed. Party or whatever it is that you do but be ready to roll by morning." Noah nodded and Aife was escorted to a guest house and shoved in. She doesn't sleep much but this house is up to her standards, so she will stay in and party.

TBC.