Lauren
Lauren had grown tired of Vex. It was no longer funny when the Mesmer kept whining. So she finally let him go. Checking her clinic again, she walked out and set the alarm.
She looked to her right and snapped her fingers. "You can go now".
"Mason? Leave us! Aife said angrily.
"Aife, maybe we should...". Mason started.
"Now Mason". Aife said slowly.
Mason shifted and left the dimly lit street.
The women walked forward and stood face to face.
"Obviously we need to talk. But make no mistake about this, if it weren't for Isabeau, you would be dead". Aife seethed.
"I'm not scared of you Aife, and I have nothing to talk to you about! Lauren said loudly.
"Oh sweetie. You're not with Isabeau. That's a clue. Your anger is another clue. Now are you going to get into my car, or would you like me to throw you in? Aife asked seriously.
"Where? Lauren asked. She would entertain the Succubus for a moment.
"The Dal. Now! Aife screamed.
Lauren half smiled and snapped her fingers. She had already drank half a bottle before Aife arrived. Lou Ann had left Lauren to herself and pointed her table out to the Succubus when she stormed in.
Aife didn't stop for drinks or acknowledged anyone. She pointed, and Lauren followed. They walked down a short hall that Lauren knew well. When Aife opened the door, Lauren nearly froze.
The Succubus walked inside the cage, making sure to jam the door, so that it wouldn't lock them in.
"Trick had this cage built for me right after mother died. I was dropping bodies all over the streets of Toronto in revenge. Most Fae didn't notice or care. Until it was the Elders turn. They suffered the worst of it. I didn't give a fuck about anything..". Aife started and turned to make sure Lauren was listening and she was.
"When I killed an old friend of Trick's, he had me captured and placed in here. I kept escaping, so he built this hideous thing in the floor and chained me to it. Chained in here like an animal. His first and only child. He starved me for days before he had no choice but to allow me to feed. Then I killed again. I even drained people on the way out. I'd grab his customers by their heads and leave them on the floor, pool tables, counter tops, or wherever I saw them. Then they threw me in a van and put a muzzle on me so that I couldn't try to mass chi suck like Isabeau can do. They'd feared my daughter before she was ever conceived.
Once we arrived at the Dark Fae compound, I was stripped naked and given a gown that made me feel like I was still naked. Chained again to a wall. I cried. I screamed. Trick never came. Note once. I had no one. I had nothing. Nothing to do. Nobody to talk to, but the creatures of the night. I was so hungry, I even thought of feeding off of them. But I was a princess and refused to lower my standards. When the mice squeaked, I took it as them talking to me.
I don't know how he did it or how he even knew where I was. Who I was. But Hades took me from them. Then put me in another cage. I wasn't chained, but I was raped repeatedly. He raped me so often that my body reacted when he wasn't even there. At night he'd go scampering around for his wife. He never slept with her because she wasn't a Succubus. So there I sat. On a cold floor again. Who was I going to scream to now? There were no mice to keep my paranoia company. There was breakfast, lunch and dinner. But only when I was pregnant. Then Isabeau was my company. My warmth. My little bit of sanity in a often chaotic mind. I used the bars to stand up. Walking from one end to the other. Trying to focus on my baby before the memories of my rape took over. Then she was born. He took her from me, and put her crib in the room.
I know you've never had a child. But there is nothing worse hearing your voice in your child crying, and she did. Like the memories of Hades raping me, I heard her cry even when he'd taken her out of the room. Then one night, he came back with a crown that read Isabeau. At first I thought it was mother's crown and that he'd killed Trick to get it. But my mother's crown is rich with diamonds.
I snapped. I felt like he was mocking my mother's death. So I snapped back into his reality. My hate. My anger, and my rage consumed me for days on end. Then Persephone grew jealous of Isabeau and goofed up one night. She had to change her diapers and it pissed her off. Cousin envy I guess.
With her help, I escaped my cage. Slowly I walked over to my baby and picked her up for the very first time. She didn't even cry. I cradled her in my arms and ran out of there. Ducking and dodging per her instructions.
Once I go out I found Lou Ann and here we are now". Aife explained, and turned around to face Lauren.
Lauren was still standing in the same spot.
"I know what it's like to be chained. Chained down to the floor. Chained to the wall. Chained inside of you because you can't let go of the memories. And they can't let go of you. You don't have to need a doctor to help you, Doctor. You have a story to tell. I'm not the Succubus you need to tell. She's not the chains. She's not the bombs. She's not the dead bodies. She's not the helicopters exploding. She's your freedom. Like she was mine". Aife said yanking the chains off of the floor and threw them in a trash bin.
"I...I don't know what to say, besides I'm sorry". Lauren said drying her eyes.
"Then start there. I accept your apology, and she will too". Aife said. The signs had been there. Boiling at the surface. Lauren being Lauren, proud and a doctor that thought she could treat herself. But this was something no prescription pad is going to solve. It would never be over, but it's time for Lauren to start talking. To lean on others for help. That other for Lauren is Bo.
Bo and Sam
Bo looked around her room. She hadn't been fishing in so long, she wasn't sure what to wear or bring. Tank top, jeans, and tennis shoes was what she finally decided on. Walking out to the living room, she awkwardly set down on the couch. She heard Sam moving around in the other room. This wasn't her old childhood home by any means, so she had no right to poke around, and be nosy.
"Ready? Sam smiled as he emerged.
"Yes sir! Bo smiled as she stood. Sam had a couple of tackle boxes and Bo grabbed one from him.
They loaded the car, and jumped in. They talked about the new things in town, and Mary Dennis. Sam hadn't seen her, but the woman was alive, that's the best way to describe it.
Bo shook her mood off and smiled when Sam suggested they stop and get beer. She adored this man. He was always in tune with whatever she needs, and right now, fishing is it.
Once they found a good spot, they settled in. Bo had her pole, bait and net. She took her seat, and they both sat quietly. Which was a good thing. Because if Bo unloaded, her rantings would scare the fish off.
She needed a different approach. She needed to regroup. Sam asked her a few questions, and then patted her back indicating that he was going to leave her to the fish, and her thoughts. But what other thoughts could she have? They all centered around one person. Lauren.
Bo sighed. Trying to stay focused on the fish, she soon found herself daydreaming. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes.
Lauren. She needed to help her. Wanted to help her, and the doctor was dead set against it. Did Bo push too hard, and too fast? Bo almost cried at the thought of never asking about her past besides Karen Beattie. Had she ever sat down to talk to Lauren about anything that wasn't Fae related? For goodness sakes, look at Nadia. Lauren's old girlfriend was locked in a pod for five years. There wasn't anyone that cared about Lauren. Nobody to ask how she was, and what she needed. What she needed was to be free. Bo did that for her. Gave her a chance to tell the Fae to kick rocks.
Lauren had the opportunity too. When she asked to borrow Bo's car, the Succubus didn't hesitate to say yes. Then she handed her the keys. That moment. That moment of wanting to pull her into her arms, and beg her not to go. That moment of knowing Lauren wasn't emotionally free because Nadia was awake and apparently still in love with the doctor. But who wasn't?
Bo sighed again and gently yanked her pole so a fish would take the bait. She didn't need bait to catch Lauren. She just needed to be Bo. Which seemed like it was enough. Even with Lauren knowing nothing about Nadia at the time. Bo knew Lauren loved her long before she inadvertently said it. Nothing about that moment felt wrong.
What a mess. There had always been this pull with Lauren since the first day they met. She was interesting, and far different than the Light Fae dicks. Lauren was pulled around by her bullshit necklace and Bo was pulled around by her ignorance of the Fae world.
None of this was getting Bo anywhere. She can paint the past over, and over again or do something about her present world. Which was half way screwed up because Lauren wasn't with them. Sam's her family, just as Aife is and Bo wanted to spend as much time with the three of them together just like times with Aife. But things spiraled out of control, and Bo has been off balance.
"Reel them in Bo! Sam suddenly screamed waking Bo from her mind.
Bo gripped then pole tighter and brought the fish in. She somehow had caught two at the same time. Sam helped unhook them, and Bo baited her line as he put the ones she caught with the ones he did. Bo shook off her funk because it's not fair to Sam.
Lauren
Aife had left the Dal. Lauren had soon followed. There she sat in her car. As Lauren, not as the powerful woman she was. But as the weakened woman she had always tried to hide. That's part of why she became a doctor. She could get so lost in science that her personal world was dull.
You take away her science and it could be one dull party of one. Except, she wasn't just one. She was two. A tear fell when she blinked.
She'd spent a decade trying to push down her war memories. Nadia came along and she didn't have to think about that time at all. Then she could be carefree outside of her work. Then the Congo, the Fae, and Nadia's coma. She had to go home to a drafty loft. Nothing but plain white walls. Then after a year or so, she trained her personality to match the walls. Plain and nothing much to see.
Then the Morrigan stormed her lab hoping to find a murderous, and restrained patient. Lauren didn't have her. The Ash did. With the Morrigan not believing her, or leaving her lab, Lauren stormed into the throne room. And there she was. Bo.
Lauren scrubbed her face. Bo was lost when they met, and unsure of what she was. But she was never unsure about who she was. She blew up the Fae world and the small corner that was Lauren's world too.
She sat hundreds of miles away from the Succubus. But she could still feel her. A warmth and love that's as sweet as that kiss on the sleeping doctor's cheek.
Bo once called Egypt a place with sand. And it is. But it's also the place where Lauren finally melted. It wasn't due to the heat. It was the fires from the medvacs exploding in her head and dead bodies.
Finally starting up her car, she pulled off. She needed to get some distance between herself and the Dal which held humiliating experiences for her. Bow to him. Bow to her. For five consecutive years, her life was never her own. Nothing that she wanted besides Nadia belonged to her. But here she is. Free at the hands of the man that captured Aife and raped her. They had all come full circle now because Lauren is in love with the baby from that rape. A full grown woman now. True their road was just as fucked as Aife's. But when their paths crossed you could just feel that connection.
But the disconnection fell solely on Lauren's shoulders because the Doctor can't allow herself to feel like a patient. Not even in front of Bo.
Looking at the time, she faced perhaps the hardest equation that she ever had. Should she drive to Grimley at this hour and join Bo and Sam? Does she have the right and guts to do so? Should she stay away and allow the Succubus to think she is done with her. They broke and it's up to Lauren to figure out how to fix the break.
Thinking about what she had in her car. She did have a few bags of clothes in the trunk. They were notorious for miscommunication in the past. But this is a new time. And right now time is all they have.
Bo and Sam
"Wow! Just wow! Bo laughed.
"Yep. You caught a lot! Sam smiled as they loaded up.
"I know nothing about cleaning fish". Bo frowned.
"It's okay. I know how. Besides you're a guest. I'll take care of that part. You just sit back and try to relax". Sam said as they jumped in the car and left the lake behind them.
Bo settled in her seat and looked out the window. She turned to Sam when she thought of something or to ask a question. They did have a nice time once she actually focused on catching fish. She caught some big ones and little ones. She threw the little ones back because it freaked her out.
Once they returned to Sam's house, they both showered and Bo helped Sam cook wherever he needed her to. She was amazed at the aroma in the kitchen. It didn't smell like fish at all.
Now dinner was ready. Bo took a chilled bottle of wine out to the table and Sam carried their plates. They toasted their day and dug in. Bo was amazed at how good everything was. They finished eating and cleared the table. They went back out to the patio to finish off the wine.
Sam jumped up when he heard a car pulling in. Bo closed her eyes. She knew that motor all too well.
"It's Lauren". Bo said quietly.
Sam looked back and forth. Bo's face looked pained. Lauren hadn't emerged from her car yet. "She's not getting out".
Of course not, Bo said internally. "Have a seat dad. We need to talk and we won't taint your property with our mess".
Sam nodded and took his seat again. "Talk and listen sweetie. I don't know what's going on. I just know that's how Mary and I failed".
Bo smiled and kissed him on the forehead. He handed her a spare set of keys to his house. Bo nodded at the gesture. She walked out to her car and got in. She wasn't about to sit in Lauren's car. She pointed for Lauren to follow her, and the doctor did.
Bo found a deserted spot that Sam had pointed out. It was a spot he frequented when he'd fought with Mary. Probably inappropriate but it's where she and Lauren are going to talk. And only talk.
The women climbed out of their cars respectively, and walked towards the clearing. Bo was glad the weather is nice because everything about her felt cold.
"Bo...". Lauren started.
"This is the last time Lauren! The very last time that you will ever do this to me! I did nothing wrong, but care ,and you pushed me aside like a stranger. I'm not a fucking mind reader, but I would appreciate you not reading mine. I only wanted you to talk so that you would feel a little better. Not for my benefit but for yours! Bo exploded.
The women stood face to face with their mouths open.
"Bo. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry". Lauren said stepping forwards.
"That's not what I want from you Lauren! Bo screamed.
Lauren stepped closer.
"Really? No. That's not it either. I'm not going to touch you again anytime soon". Bo said stepping backwards.
Lauren bit her lip but nodded. Bo has every right to feel the way she does. Lauren sighed and took two steps backwards. She wanted to sit, but other than her car, there was only a few boulders. Taking a deep breath, she took a seat on one.
Bo took some deep breaths of her own and took the boulder two boulders away from Lauren.
"When I joined the military, I was smart but naive. I thought I would be treating soldiers that came home. Then I was deployed. I couldn't get out of it. It was okay for awhile and then the deaths started. We were losing patients left and right. I'm a doctor, I'm supposed to save lives. Too many died at my hands. I didn't have enough experience and my ignorance of that and the big world failed me.
They sent me somewhere else, and I thought I was finally going to gain some control. Well you know the rest about that. Nadia. The Congo and then the Fae. With the Congo I thought I found something that I was going to be able to control. A chance to save people. Only those people weren't really people. Then the Ash cursed Nadia to keep me around. None of that was in my control. I would go on to witness many Fae die. But I was dead inside. Dead from the nightmares of war. Dead because Nadia was practically dead. By the time that I met you, my heart was lukewarm. I was still carrying around all of that and had nobody to talk to. Nobody to confide in.
I honestly thought about therapy. But when would I have time for that? The Fae wouldn't grant me time away for that without killing Nadia in my absence. By the time I was ready to open up about it, Lachlan told me that the previous Ash had cursed her. Then he threw me in a dungeon. From then on, I decided that I would never talk about it, and pushed it down. Like the cold Fae world taught me to do. I saved lives and my life wasn't worth shit to anyone. The Ash. Lachlan. Taft. Evony. Rainer. They all took something. Then Hades took the most.
I almost wished he would've left me dead because I was free of all of it. I loved our trip. I love our life. But what I didn't love was you trying to push me into deciding when I wanted to talk about it. You assumed that all I needed was therapy. I can't sit in a chair or lay on a couch and talk to strangers about this. The Fae didn't build me like that. I meant it when I said I'm sorry. But that gave you no right to try and force me into doing anything. To control how I deal with this". Lauren explained.
Bo sat stunned. Lauren's voice was at times high and low. The Succubus didn't think she ever blinked.
Bo had always thought that there was more buried inside of Lauren. Long before they slept together. Long before they became a couple. Long after she discovered her real name. In a way she never really knew the doctor. In a way she did. No matter what they saw in one kiss. They still had a long way to go.
"I'm not going to sit here and pretend to know what you're going through. I'm not going to sit here and compare our pasts even if they are a bit similar. I just wanted you to get that out of your system. I wasn't trying to control you. I would never try to do that to you. I can sense there is more because of what you did to me in your sleep. But I won't push.
I'm so sorry that I wasn't there to stop you from dying because he put his evil shit in you just as it is in me. Just like he put it in mom. I don't know where we go from here Lauren. You broke a little bit of me. But the world, the Fae, and Hades broke a lot more in you. I'm going back to dad's because he and I were having a good time and I still want to spend time with him. I know he'd love to see you, but I think you need rest more than you need to be around us right now. I'm not trying to control you or anything that you do. But we both know what's going to happen if we're in the same bed. I still love you. But your well-being comes before my feelings. That's something I learned by loving you in the beginning". Bo said softly.
Lauren nodded and stood. Bo jumped up and stood watching her.
"I rented a hotel room for a few days. I think I am going back there to sleep. I didn't go to bed at all last night. I'll talk to you soon". Lauren said as she started walking to her car.
Bo walked to hers. The women stood staring at each other. Bo broke first and climbed into her car. She closed her eyes and waited for Lauren to pull off and drive away. She finally burst into tears. She wasn't crying because she's hurting. She's crying because Lauren would always hurt and most of the bastards that caused her pain are dead. There was no ass to kick. No soul to drain. Bo wanted to be Lauren's protector. Right now, she's not even her band-aid.
TBC