Bo's POV
I had left's Lauren later that night with a new sense of purpose. A new sense of responsibility. I had no idea she was going to give my memories back, and how painless it all was. I am stoked that it didn't hurt Lauren. I know all of the memories did and still do, but I have to come out of that and focus on the future I saw when I took her Chi. This is bigger than me now. It has been for a long time. I know that now.
Wow. Just wow. That's all I could think of when I pulled back. When I looked at her every hour after that. It was us. Me and Lauren with a real future. One uncontested. A devotion so strong and like no other I have ever had compared to what I had witnessed. Lauren swore to me up and down that she saw it too, and that glimpse wasn't her doing. I settled it in my mind that it was just our love and powers combining to show us the truth. A truth that we had both always known but fought so hard against and for over the past few years.
I know most of that was me. I have accepted it. Lauren hadn't exactly lied to me, she was just playing a game that I never understood. I never stood still long enough to hear her truths to be honest. She wa protecting me from unforeseen enemies. We had no idea who Rainer was at first and when I look back on the moment Lauren told me she was staying with the Dark, it all became clear. She stayed because I said I was Dark and she knew how much I loved being unaligned. Nobody to report to. No Morrigan to bow to or, do horrible things that I would never feel comfortable with. Rainer was making me feel that way in the end.
Here I am back home and sitting on my couch. I have a beer in my hand and whatever is on the TV is watching me because I haven't paid attention since I turned it on. I have a lot of work to do. And I have to do them alone and with Lauren. A lot of growing up to do that should have been done a long time ago. If I want the future I saw last night, I have to fix the present.
Kenzi
Kenzi's night wasn't as reflective and good as Bo's. In fact it was quite noisy and she had no liquor to drown out whatever the hell they were tearing up outside. She looked and only saw a few construction workers. She hoped they were about to cut the grass. It had grown taller than she was. She could only imagine the size of mice and snakes that were hiding out or living in the small yard.
If that wasn't enough she kept hearing creaking sounds, like there was somebody else or a ghost in the house. Even living with Bo, she had never heard those noises. They were getting louder and louder as the night went on. Finally tuning them out, she curled up on the couch and let the horror movie she was watching, watch her fall asleep. She wasn't even sleep for an hour before she heard something or someone banging at her door. She groaned and rolled over, hoping they would think nobody was home and go away. When the pounding didn't stop, she crawled off of the couch and stormed her way to the door.
"You need to leave. We are taking over this building". A tall Ogre with like 50 tattoos said.
"Who the hell are you? Kenzi asked.
"My name is Finley. I work for McCorrigan Construction. You won't be needing that". He said pointing to Kenzi's sword.
"So Finley what do you want and did you say McCorrigan? Kenzi asked looking the guy up and down.
"We are here to remodel this lot and were told to kick any squatters out of the building". Finley answered.
"Get this Fins, I own this building, so I am assuming you have the wrong house". Kenzi said poking the man in his chest with Geraldine.
"That doesn't hurt but I will give you one hour to pack your stuff and be out of the building". Finley said tipping his construction hat.
"Bullshit. You don't own this house or have permission to remodel it". Kenzi said.
"One hour". Finley said as he stood aside and an officer stepped up.
"You are here by evicted Mackenzie Malikov. Like Finley said you have one hour to clear out". The Sheriff said handing Kenzi a large and long sheet of paper.
"What the fuck is this?! Kenzi asked reading the document.
"It's an eviction notice. Normally you would get a few days to move, but the owner was insistent that you vacate the premises immediately". The Sheriff answered.
"Bo?! Bo is kicking me out! This is really bullshit now". Kenzi said.
"The longer you stand there, your hour is ticking away". Finley said taking measurements.
Kenzi stepped outside and walked around the building. There was massive trucks on every side of the building. She looked up at the roof and saw it had been worked on while she was sleeping. What the actual fuck was going on? Was Bo trying to kill her? Kick her out as coldly as she did when Rainer showed up? This was a new low even for Bo. The clubhouse didn't look sturdy at all. She had put Kenzi's life in danger and no matter what had happened between them, Bo wouldn't do this.
"You're right. Bo didn't do this. I am". Aife said coolly from across the parking lot.
"You are?! You have no right to do this! This is my home and Bo gave it to me! Kenzi snapped turning angrily towards the Succubus.
"This is my building. Bo had no right to give it away". Aife laughed.
"Yours? There is no way this building is yours! Kenzi said pointing Geraldine at her.
"Finley how much longer does she have? Aife laughed.
"About forty minutes madam". Finley said as he walked towards this truck for some additional tools.
Kenzi froze in place. It all made sense now. Why she heard so much noise. Why Finley worked for McCorrigan Construction. That was Trick's last name. Aife had somehow swindled the clubhouse from the old owners. She honestly thought Bo owned it, but they were never disturbed about the building until now.
"We will see what Bo says about this". Kenzi said stomping off and back inside.
"Gone in the crack house and call her. I ain't skurred". Aife laughed.
Kenzi groaned again once she was inside and grabbed her phone from the coffee table. She dialed Bo's number and heard the number was out of service. So she hung up and called again. Getting the same message again, she pocketed her phone and took off upstairs. She didn't trust Aife, so she packed up what she thought she would need and come back for the rest later. After she had found and spoken with Bo.
Lauren's POV
I had a fantastic night of sleep as I rolled over, moaned and stretched my arms and legs. It was almost noon and I hadn't gotten out of bed once. The sun was bright against my white walls. I inhaled and could smell Oscar cooking brunch. I laughed that he was cooking that and not actual lunch. He must have been up here or saw that my doors was closed and went about his daily routine of cleaning the house from top to bottom.
I dressed in sweats and a tank top, and headed downstairs. The scents were practically dragging me to the dining room. Coffee. Bagels. A fresh tossed salad.
"Good morning ma'am". Oscar bowed as he carried the last of the plates to the table as I took my seat.
"Good morning Oscar and how are you this morning? I asked. There was no need to treat him like a slave or servant, I know how that feels.
"Very well ma'am. Thank you. I didn't find an itinerary yet, so I am assuming you don't have much planned for the day". Oscar said as he poured my first cup of coffee.
"I will be out in the yard exercising and testing my powers. That's pretty much all I have planned for today. Once you have finished your chores, you are free to go. I may order a pizza tonight, so there is no need in you staying to cook dinner". Lauren smiled as she took her first sip.
"Thank you ma'am! Oscar smiled. Lauren was a great boss. No matter if he worked a full day or not, she paid him like he worked all day.
Lauren smiled at him as she took her first bite and moaned at how tasty and fresh the salad was. She had her own vegetable garden in the backyard. Oscar didn't have rave reviews from his last boss, but he was quite talented and in tuned with what Lauren liked and didn't like.
As the Doctor was finishing her last bite, she received a text from Bo. The Succubus had bought a new phone and changed her number. She hadn't mentioned it the night before so this was news to Lauren. Setting it back down, she wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up from the table.
After putting her hair up into a ponytail, she stretched again as she walked out of the house to the backyard. The land was so big, all four sides had the same amount of grass and space. She loved it. It was quiet and it was private.
She thought of Bo as she stretched her legs. The future they had seen. Things and people that were coming into their lives. They both needed to be ready and had a lot of growing to do. Taking a deep breath, she tried to tap into Bo's memories again. After a few minutes, she realized they were truly gone. There was one that stuck out in her head, but she would only talk to Bo about that.
Getting to the future they saw wasn't going to be quick or easy. None of what they had gone through was suddenly over and nonexistent, but they still had a lot of time to talk it out. Sort it all out.
Their biggest mutual problem was their communication. What they both thought was so clear, was fogged by misunderstandings. While Lauren would have never told her about her plans for Evony, she should have said something to the effect of you need to trust me or, I know what I'm doing.
She thought Bo would have caught on since she pretty much gave her the same speech at Evony's, that she did at Taft's. The Light never gave a damn about her and neither did the Dark really. They were only nice because Evony was still the Morrigan and knew about Lauren's skills at turning human's Fae. Sure Taft wasn't immortal but the procedure still worked.
She knew she was going to turn Evony human the minute she kidnapped her. The minute Bo told her that she was dark. The minute she said that everything would be easier if the Succubus was dead. As much as it pained her to see Bo with Rainer, Bo dying would have been disastrous because no other Fae cared for humans as much as Bo did or could. Dyson had affections for Kenzi but if it came down to it, he would stick to the Fae laws and massacres.
Finding a piece of concrete, Lauren raised her hands and watched as a small lightning bolt struck it. Finding a small piece of wood. She raised her eyes and watched it burn in a matter of minutes. Taking a blade from her pants, she swung and ducked like she was battling someone.
Setting her feet, she looking down and up as she sped around the house at what felt like lightning speed. Once she stopped, she was back in the house and back outside on the other side of the house. Her disappearing skills impressed her most. After what she had seen of her and Bo's future, they would be coming in handy. She repeated everything she had done for the next three hours. After she was satisfied that her powers were still in check without Bo's memories, she went to call to check on her clinic and shower.
Bo
Bo was on her laptop trying to find an adult school or something that would help her get her high school diploma. She didn't want their kids thinking that she just quit for kicks. She wanted to be better for herself too. For years she had dipped in and out of buildings, old houses or old prison facilities. It was time to learn what she hadn't years ago.
She would be dating a Doctor and didn't want people pointing their fingers saying she didn't deserve such a woman. But they wouldn't be dating for very long, so she had to hurry up and get this done. She planned to ask Lauren what she thought of the idea, but since she didn't respond to her text message, figured she was busy with something and Bo didn't want to push her.
She wanted to see her. To hold her. To kiss her like she did last night but that would come. She just needed to learn how to be patient and trust the process. That's what always screwed them up. Just assuming they knew what the other was doing. Once she found a name of a few organizations and schools, she wrote the names down on a piece of paper and tucked it into her desk drawer. She had actually gone and bought a desk. It was the only way she would be able to study. Looking at the time and seeing how early it was, she decided to go for a run. She would catch up with Lauren later.
Before she knew it, she was at the Dal Riata. Running inside she hurried to the nearest barstool.
"Hey Bo. Enjoying your day off? Mason laughed.
"Yeah. Yeah I am". Bo laughed.
"What can I get you? Mason asked.
"A bottle of water". Bo panted.
"You got it". Mason smiled and made his way down to the small cooler.
Bo looked around. There was a huge crowd. She looked at her watch and realized it was going to be happy hour soon.
She stared off into nothing as she thought of the future. How much time she and Lauren would be spending there before their kids were born. How the Fae that had spat on Lauren would envy her. How Lauren was going to take her breath away with what she was going to be wearing. How Lauren was going to plant Bo against the wall and blow Bo's mind with an earth shattering kiss. A single tear slipped out from Bo's eye as she thought of how she almost lost her world. Her Lauren. Her Doctor. Her friend. Her love. Her life.
"Bo! Wake the fuck up! Kenzi seethed as she stood in front of the Succubus.
"Kenzi? What the fuck?! Bo spat.
"That was a bitch ass thing to do to change your number without telling me! Kenzi snapped.
"I don't have to tell you everything that I do". Bo snapped.
"You owe me Bo. You owe me". Kenzi snapped as she tapped one foot on the floor.
"I can't give you free liquor. That won't fly here anymore". Bo said. She wasn't about to piss her mother off. Aife was another important piece in her future.
"That's not what I meant". Kenzi replied.
"What are you doing here Kenzi? What do you want? You wanted me to unclaim you and I did that. You wanted out of the Fae world so why are you here!? Bo snapped angrily pointing around the bar. She was in a nice, warm place until Kenzi showed up, pouring cold water all over her mood.
"You gave me the clubhouse and now your bi...mother is trying to kick me out of it! Kenzi snapped.
"Oh! Back to that are we. Kenzi I should kick your ass for trying to pit me against Aife. Didn't you get tired of doing that with Lauren? Bo snapped.
"I have nowhere to go! Nowhere! You gave me the clubhouse, I shouldn't have to move! Kenzi snapped as she eyed the beer nuts. She was starving.
"What did you do and why do keep mentioning the clubhouse? Bo asked. Kenzi had more than triggered her annoyance.
"Because I threw her freeloading ass out and look at where she is now! Casing the Dal Riata". Aife laughed.
"How did you do that? Bo asked as she turned to the Succubus.
"Simple. The property that houses the clubhouse belonged to the Blood King". Aife explained.
"What?! It was Trick's? Bo asked.
"The land actually belonged to mom. When she was murdered, Trick inherited it, and when he died, I inherited it". Aife winked at Kenzi.
"That's bullshit! Make her give it back to me Bo! Kenzi snapped.
"No". Bo said.
"What?! Kenzi snapped.
"I said no. You wanted out and you're out. So am I". Bo said as she stood to leave as Mason handed her, her water. She needed to run back home to shower. She wanted out of there and to see Lauren.
"Where am I going to go?! Kenzi screamed after Bo.
"A homeless shelter? Aife laughed.
"Fuck you". Kenzi groaned.
"Oh honey I don't do girls. Now get the hell out of my building! Aife snapped as the crowd looked on.
Kenzi stomped out cursing in Russian.
"I know what you said! Aife laughed.
Kenzi cursed all of them. Bo. Lauren. Tamsin. They were once all friends. A family. Now she had none of them. She wished she would have left with Tamsin. If she had to sleep in a homeless shelter, she would be sleeping standing up. It really was bullshit. For the first time she really understood what it felt like to be a human in the Fae world. She cursed Lauren again as she walked away from the Dal.
Lauren.
Lauren had gone back outside and found she had made such a mess of her yard training that she had to fix it. She laughed as she saw a hole in the ground. Starting with that first, she raised her hands and pointed towards it and watched as it closed up. She could smell burnt grass and fixed that too.
She was glad she had a high fence, she didn't want anyone to see what she had done. Once she was finished, she walked back into the house and grabbed the cordless phone. She hadn't touched her cell since Bo sent a text and it was relaxing not being tied to it for once.
She ordered two large pizzas and a garden salad for two. She hung up the phone and went and stood in her living room. Inhaling the clean smells, she closed her eyes. She opened them when she heard the doorbell ring.
She slowly walked over to it and opened the door.
"Hi". Bo said softly.
"Hi". Lauren said as she stood back to allow Bo in.
"I'm sorry for not calling first, but I just wanted to see you. Talk to you about something". Bo said shyly. She was still unsure of what to talk to Lauren about. Yes they were going to be a couple again someday, but right now she still felt like a stranger to the Doctor.
Lauren noticed Bo's nervousness and gestured for her to to go into the living room. "It is ok".
Bo walked into the living room and took the farthest cushion on the couch away from Lauren. She looked around the room like she was expecting somebody else to be there. Stop it Bo. It's Lauren.
"Bo? Lauren said softly and heard the doorbell ring again.
"I'm sorry. You were expecting company. I should have called first". Bo said standing.
"That should be the food I ordered". Lauren smiled and gestured for Bo to sit.
"Oh. Ok". Bo said easing back down on to the sofa.
Lauren returned and Bo rushed over to help her. She was juggling two sacks and two pizzas.
"Here let me help". Bo said as they walked into the kitchen.
They made their plates and made their way to the dining room. Bo drank soda while Lauren drank wine. She didn't realize she was starving and had eaten three pieces before she knew it.
Once they were done, the cleaned off the table, cleaned the kitchen and stored the leftovers in the fridge.
Bo followed Lauren back to the living room and started talking.
"Lauren after last night I did a lot of serious thinking. Obviously there is a lot we both need to do before we reach all of that, and the first thing I want to do is to get my high school diploma". Bo explained.
"I'm so proud of you Bo! How can I help? Lauren asked as she pounced all over Bo and pulled back.
"I found a few organizations and such. I will need your help studying Biology and with the other difficult courses I struggled with". Bo said.
Lauren was touched. Bo was doing this for them. For herself. To fit into Lauren's world of geek friends. To deserve Lauren.
"Bo. I know you are doing this for yourself, but if it's about me or about my crack about you not finishing high school I'm sorry". Lauren said holding the Succubus hands.
"It's ok. It wasn't like I wasn't attacking your education. That was just a weird day and case. I want to get started on this as soon as possible so I have already applied. From what I understand, I can study at my own pace. So I won't be around that much. I really want this and soon". Bo said softly as Lauren pulled away to give the Succubus her personal space back.
The Doctor stared at her for the longest time. She saw their future and Bo had a great job and she knew the only way that she would have a legitimate shot at it was with her high school diploma and more. She also noticed that Bo was keeping her distance. For the first time in their friendship or relationship, Bo wanted to earn her back with no tricks or favors.
"Whatever you need, I will be glad to help". Lauren smiled softly.
"Thank you. Thank you. I will be taking you up on that. I just wanted to stop by and tell you what I was about to do and I will be getting on it first thing tomorrow". Bo said standing up.
"I understand. Good night Bo". Lauren smiled as Bo walked towards the door.
"Good night Lauren". Bo smiled as she grabbed her car keys from the small end table.
Lauren watched Bo walk out. That would be the last time she saw Bo like that for tomorrow would be the first day. The first step towards their future. They wouldn't be the old them, they would be better. Although Bo didn't need to do this to impress her, Lauren was proud of her. Lauren had her own stuff to do and lots of room to grow.
The Dal
The bar was busier than usual. The beer was pouring and shot glass after shot glass were hitting the tables, pool tables and countertops.
Mason and four others were working as fast as they could. Once he walked towards the end of the bar, he could smell a scent that should not be there. Walking down into the lair, he found the suspect.
"What are you doing here and more importantly, how did you get in!? Mason screamed.
"How I got in is none of your business". Kenzi said as she threw papers and old books around.
"This is my business and you are one crazy ass woman to try and rob this place again! Mason growled.
"I was friends with a wolf, a Panther won't scare me. I just want Trick's will". Kenzi said trying to pick a lock on a trunk.
"I am Trick's will". Aife growled from the stairs as her Succubus surfaced.
TBC
Lauren returns to work.
Bo returns to Grimley.
Aife throws Kenzi in a cage without locks.