"Your little human came close to dying tonight. So, if you want her to live a long, pathetic life, you will keep her away from mine." Aife pushed Kenzi towards Bo. Bo mouthed what the fuck to Kenzi. Kenzi shrugged and flopped on a chair. The duo watched the old succubus leave before Bo exploded. "Kenzi?! What the fuck did you do?!."
"You weren't coming home and you weren't getting any answers your way. I'm human. I figured if I could get to Lauren, I could get something out of her. Anything that will get you off of this ridiculous plan to see what's going on between them. Because, let's be honest Bo, if Lauren wanted you to know, she would tell you." Kenzi stood and paced back and forth.
"Aife will kill you Kenzi. She only spared you right now to show her muscle against me. I can't fight her because she's my mother and Lauren's her human. Don't do anything that crazy again. In fact, go to the Dal and stay there. Trick and Dyson will protect you. I need to talk to Lauren. It's the only way to finally get answers. But, given what you just pulled, she may never talk to me." Bo yanked at her hair and pulled. This was not what she needed right now. "Just go and keep your mouth shut and your feet off the ground."
Lauren's clinic.
Aife sat in Lauren's office until the blonde finally walked in. "What's wrong?." Lauren asked.
"The little human almost infiltrated your clinic. Vex stopped her and brought her to me. Lauren, this shit is getting old. If you want to tell Bo, you have my permission." Aife took a drink.
"There's really nothing to tell, Bo. She's not my patient anymore. You are." Lauren replied simply. "This is what they do. Over-assume and make asses out of themselves. Mostly Kenzi but Bo...I don't exactly know what's going on with her. But as my patient, I won't divulge any patient intel that she doesn't need to know. Even if she's your next of kin. Your next of kin after her is Trick. I know you don't want him to know anything." Lauren sat in her office chair.
"No. Never tell him anything. Nothing. But to get you off of the patient/Doctor hook, I will tell Bo. She will like it or she won't but they won't come near you without my permission. That little shit could have stolen something out of here and I would have really lost my shit." Aife stood and walked towards the door. "I'll handle it."
Lauren nodded and spun her chair around. She swore when she helped Aife her days of telling Bo's friends any medical business that is none of their business would be over. She's just trying to enjoy her life as it is, again. This is different from her days under the Ash. She's protected and highly spoiled. The Dal Riata crew can't understand anything outside of being loyal to Trick and Bo. Bo's not as bad as Trick can be, but Kenzi's her best friend and that's where any confidentialities go to die. This is fun. It's safe. It's freeing.
The Dal.
"The ole girl left you alive, huh? Pity. I wanted to see her bust your balls a little." Vex laughed as Kenzi walked in with a few bags.
"Back off, Vex." Dyson growled.
"I haven't gotten on her yet, but it looks like someone lit a fire under her arse. Baby or mama succubus?." Vex smiled as Kenzi walked past him and over to Trick.
"Sanctuary." Kenzi said simply.
"That's got to be baby succubus. She can't keep Aife out of here." Vex laughed again. They have got to come up with better than this.
"What happened?." Trick asked.
"I tried to go see Lauren and Vex caught me. He took me to Aife and she angrily took me to Bo." Kenzi explained as she stared at Vex. They used to share secrets. Now? They don't share anything but oxygen.
"Kenzi, that was foolish. Aife is nasty. Her heart is as black as the skirts she wears against people she doesn't like. You are most likely number 2 on her list, now. You should have let Bo handle this. She's the only one with gains and losses here." Trick folded his arms and kept his eyes on the doors.
"I think Bo is going ham right now. She has to soften my mess or get her answers. The best thing for me to do is stay here and away from him." Kenzi pointed at Vex.
"What can I do, Trick?." Dyson asked.
"I'm surrounded by fools. Nothing, Dyson, nothing. You're just as vulnerable as Kenzi." Trick rubbed his head.
"This is brilliant. You three are stuck with each other while Aife and the doc are out there doing their thing." Vex ordered another drink and sat at the far end of the bar.
The three of them looked at Vex. He's right. They have no recourse. Bo is the only one that can do anything. The only thing they can do is drink, eat or shoot pool. The Una Mens are out there. Aife is out there with something Trick can't let be known. Lauren is out there. Bo is out there. If there was ever a ticking time bomb, it's slowly ticking with every move Bo makes.
Bo
The succubus walked out to her car. She had sat and sat trying to cool off before heading out. She looked up and rolled her eyes. "Never do that to me."
"If you want my respect, you are going to have to earn it." Bo shrugged.
"If you want to keep living, you are going to have to earn it. I am tired of playing around with you and your idiot friends. But, the good news is, I am here to give you what you want. What you couldn't figure out yourself. Even though the answer is big and bold as shit. Lauren is my doctor. She saved my life when you and your slutty Valkyrie left a succubus to die. Imagine, thinking that was the end of Aife McCorrigan. Your dumbass grandfather thought that too." Aife leaned against Bo's car and felt her jacket zipper scratch the door a little bit.
"Why didn't see tell me that?." Bo asked.
"Did you not hear me say she's my doctor? She can't tell you shit without my consent. I am only telling you so it doesn't make Lauren uncomfortable, look like shit and your bumbling friend will stay out of her surroundings. Lauren is a doctor. A damn good one. More importantly, she's my human. Cross that line again and there will be blood on the streets. Namely blood that you care about." The old succubus walked away.
Bo sat on her car and looked dumbfounded. Lauren had crossed lines before by telling them things they shouldn't know. She's no longer that Lauren. That brings up another question as to why she didn't come home. But the easy answer is she was treating Aife with Vex's help. She saved Bo's mother. Not because she's Bo's mother but because she's a Doctor. She's Lauren.
She started her car and raced over. She didn't think she stopped before she jumped out. Walking hard and furiously, she entered the bar. "Lauren saved Aife's life. That's what is between them. While we were all sitting on our balls and asses, that doctor was being a doctor and a human. I'm telling the three of you now. Don't speak a word of this to anyone and stay away from them. This town is big enough for you all to find something else to do and somewhere else to go. If this gets out, it will have only come from the three of you. Not one word, Kenzi. You tend to ramble. Especially when you drink. If she gets drunk, Trick, I will hold you accountable and it won't be pretty. Having said that, I will go and see Lauren. Through the proper channels and not make her feel ambushed. That's all I came to say." The young succubus left them all with their mouths wide open. Dyson wanted to say something but didn't. Bo hadn't looked like she's fed lately and likely wouldn't with him and Lauren back in town.
"Well, shit. That's that then." Kenzi finally broke the silence.
"You handed Aife over to the Dark and she nearly died. Bo left her at Tafts, she nearly died and Lauren saved her. She's never going to unclaim that woman." Dyson looked at Trick.
"We need to keep this quiet. Aife having a human at all is cause for concern. Lauren's life could be in danger at any minute should one of Aife's enemies surface." Trick stood in front of them.
"You're not suggesting that I watch Lauren?." Dyson's eyes went wide.
"No. Vex, Aife and more importantly the Una Mens will protect her. We just need to know that's what's going on and it has nothing to do with us, directly." Trick replied.
"Well, Bo's not going to let go of Lauren. Aife's not going to let go of Lauren. Shit. Shit. Double cheesed shit." Kenzi shook her head.
"It's bad. Aife won't put up with shit any longer and Bo, well Bo won't put up with not having Lauren immediately available to her." Dyson rubbed Kenzi's shivering back.
Aife's.
"I am requesting to see Lauren." Bo was escorted in. She held her hands up to not come off as demanding.
"I will tell her that you have requested that." Aife replied but didn't look up.
"Look, I tried to be nice about this but now you are really pissing me off. You had my girlfriend out there for months. Neither of you called to say you were still alive. I would have come to help." Bo looked around the room. The old succubus has been busy.
"Oh, we know what your kind of help is. You kleptomaniac friend, your wolf and the blood king. None of which have our best interests at heart. My crew is finely tuned. We don't need you little shits but you need us. One of us anyway. Since, I don't believe in incest, that only leaves Lauren. That's a big hell no." Aife still hadn't looked up.
"You kissed me once, what was that then?." Bo asked.
"I had to confirm that you were my daughter. Turned out to be a weak one, but still my daughter." Aife finished writing on one page and started a fresh one.
"I didn't come here to be insulted. I didn't come here to fight. I came to ask your permission to talk to Lauren. That's all. There is nobody else here but me." Bo took one step to her right side and stopped.
"And as I said, I will tell the doctor. She's working at the moment. So, you can wait for her response." Aife finally stood upright and left the room. Bo closed her eyes and turned to leave. She tried to do the right thing and still has to wait.
She wondered how many nights Lauren sat up waiting for Bo to come and find her. Find her. It should have been Bo to go. Lauren is a doctor before anything else in her life. Even before she breathes. She was never going to leave comatose Nadia. She was never going to leave Aife, until she was better. Now she is. The old succubus looks more fit and far more stronger. It all makes sense really. If she can doctor Bo, she can doctor her mother.
It hit Bo like a mile of bricks, she had failed the both of them. That is something she can never make up for. Especially to Aife. The woman keeps mental receipts. She learned that when Trick turned on her. She called Bo her daughter earlier. But must not feel like she has any living relatives right now. She heard distinctive footsteps and took a breath. "It could have been different. It could have all been different." Bo bowed her head and turned around. There she stood. The one person she longed to see.
"What could have been different?." Lauren asked.
"We could have been different. If you'll listen, I will explain." Bo gently held her hands up.
"Bo, I'm tired." Lauren shook her head.
"Listen to me without interruption and it'll go a lot faster." Bo gestured to two seats. Lauren nodded and pulled her own chair out.
The blonde smiled into her microscope. She heard footsteps stop, and the faint creaking of one of her examination tables. "What brings you back? Did you leave something behind?."
"Yes, I left something." A soft voice replied.
"Bo, my nurses and the cleaning crew clean each room thoroughly. There was nothing reported as being found." Lauren smiled again and went back to her work.
Heels hit the concrete and footsteps started and stopped again. "I left you." Bo whispered. She ran her hands down the doctor's arms and put her hands directly on top of hers.
"I'm working." Lauren smiled.
"Not anymore." Bo whispered as she raised her hand and warmly pulled the doctor's body into hers.
Lauren cleared her throat. "I can't."
"Why not?." Bo's voice was soft and her breath was hot against the doctor's neck.
"A few reasons, really. One, I'm working. Two, Dyson will be back. The third is a bit more private." Lauren answered.
Bo closed her eyes and smiled. "The wolf? He's literally chasing a stick that I threw far into the woods." She pulled away from the woman and turned to find a seat again. "Now, the third. Tell me."
"Bo, I am a human bound to the Light Fae for as long as, well, that's part of my third answer." Lauren turned around after the warm moment with the succubus had worn off.
"I know about her. I just don't know where she is." Bo looked the woman up and down and smiled again. Lauren looked down and took a hard, deep breath. "She's your girlfriend." Bo's boot hitting the ground raised the woman's head. "Take me to her."
Lauren looked from side to side with her eyes and nodded. Bo stood and immediately followed her. When a door opened in front of Lauren, she stopped walking and took her own deep breath. "This isn't good. Perhaps it would be best if you remained out here." Bo pulled Lauren out of the room and closed the door behind herself. "Someone has been naughty." She shook her head and walked over to the pod. Lifting her hands she touched it. "Big one." She replied and sent orange waves into it. When she felt it was about to either open or explode, she moved back.
"Where is Lauren?." The woman asked.
"Follow me." Bo replied and turned to open the doors again.
"Nadia." Lauren spoke softly.
"Where are we, Lauren? This isn't the Congo from what I can see." Nadia looked at her clothes and grabbed a sheet to cover up what she didn't want seen.
"Congo?." Bo mouthed but didn't speak.
"We have almost five years of catching up to do. Come with me, Nadia." Lauren stepped forward.
"Five years!? You said five years?! I've been in that thing that long? How? When? Why?." Nadia raged.
"Nadia. here and please try to calm down." Lauren stepped closer.
"No!." Nadia screamed.
"She asked you to calm down. Look at her, does it look like she hasn't been trying to find answers?." Bo intervened.
"Who are you!?." Nadia screamed.
"The one that just woke you up. I can just as easily put you back to sleep. You will repay me by listening to Lauren's explanation. I will respect Lauren by leaving the two of you to talk." Unseen by Nadia, Bo smiled at Lauren and nodded.
"Thank you." Lauren nodded and sighed. "You won't be bothered. I emptied the place out." Bo spoke over her shoulder as she left the building. Lauren raised her head in relief. She can finally talk to Nadia. The curse is over and this cursed necklace can finally come off. She yanked it off and threw it into the nearest trash can.
Bo
The brunette adjusted her jacket and looked around. She's not new to the town but a lot about it is new. She jumped into her car and drove to the local pub. Pulling up she climbed out and walked into gasps, winks and a lot of one-sided flirting. "Good to see you." Trick smiled behind the bar.
"I'll have a beer." Bo didn't smile back but took a seat at the bar.
"Where is Dyson?." Trick asked.
"In the woods, I heard." Bo replied.
"Look, I know you don't know us or trust us. We only want to help. You can help yourself by choosing a side. It is the only way you are going to live in our world." Trick leaned forward.
"I did choose. Just not the choice you are thinking of." Bo looked at her beer and set the bottle down.
"Bo! Where have you been? I thought those dickheads would never let me go." Kenzi ran over and took a seat next to the brunette.
"But you're ok, right?." Bo asked as she looked the woman over.
"Yeah, just buy me a drink." Kenzi rubbed her hands.
"Bo, she can't be here. She's not one of us. She needs to be claimed." Trick looked around the bar for Fae that he didn't know.
Bo shrugged. "Claim her."
"What? She's a human. I can't do that. I am not exactly known here." Trick gasped.
"Stay right here." Bo rolled her eyes. Walked outside and came back in. "Now, there's another witness. Claim her."
"Yo, Trick, my man. What is this?." The man laughed.
"She wants me to claim this young lady. You and I both know, I can't publicly do that." Trick grabbed his tie.
"I helped her, I will not be claiming her. As I said, I made my choice. Either claim her or kill her. That's how Dyson explained it to me." Bo looked back and forth between them.
"Hale, can you do it?." Trick asked.
"No! She's a handful from what I've heard." Hale laughed.
"Fine, I have another idea. She can stay but keep your mouth shut and your head down." Trick swallowed.
"I lost her, Trick!." Dyson ran into the bar.
"Shouldn't you dress, first?." Bo asked.
"Nah, he's fine the way he is." Kenzi blushed. Bo rolled her eyes and walked to the other side of the bar.
"The Ash wants her head!." Dyson took a jacket from Trick.
"He won't get it." Bo replied from across the room. Trick watched her move around and the sight sent chills up and down his spine. This woman is dangerous. Her being so naive makes her more so.
"I'm not stupid. I know how it works. Fae chooses Light or Dark. Humans must be claimed or enslaved. Nobody Light or Dark can sleep with each other. Am I close?." Bo asked.
"That's most of it, yeah." Hale nodded and looked at Trick.
"So, who is your choice?." Dyson smiled.
"Not you." Bo replied.
"Bo. You have to choose." Trick sighed.
"I did choose. It's not him or anyone in this room." Bo smiled and took a booth seat.
"Trick, there are rules. He will come here. The Morrigan will come here." Dyson was finally fully dressed.
"She's behaving herself. Her training will have to wait." Trick walked back behind the bar and turned his back on the scene behind him. If he can't see it, he won't feel the need to act.
Lauren and Nadia.
"That's it. That's the story. You have been sleeping for years and I couldn't find anything that could wake you up." Lauren sighed tiredly.
"How did she do it, then?." Nadia asked.
"I honestly don't know. I wasn't in here when she did it. But, I'm glad she did it." Lauren gave the woman bottles and bottles of juice and water.
"This is a lot to take in, Lauren. I don't know what's going on and five years is a lot of life to miss." Nadia stood angrily.
"Nadia, I'm sorry. I tried. I really did." Lauren leaned forward in her seat.
"I am sure you did. You breathe this doctor's life." Nadia snapped.
"Nadia, please. Just give it time. I love you." Lauren raised her teary eyes to the woman.
"I can't say the same, Lauren. I'm sorry." Nadia didn't look at the woman. She walked out of the building. Her friend was right. It was empty as far as she could see.
Lauren shook her head and leaned back. It's all over. A few hours ago, she was working for the Ash and side-jobbing trying to find a cure for Nadia. Now, both jobs are done. She stood up, looked around, and walked out. Pulling a wig on, she snuck out of the building in case anyone would recognize her. Time to put every skill she has to use.
Two days later.
"Why hasn't that child been brought before me?." A soft voice awakened the bar.
"Because she doesn't need to be brought before you." Bo laughed.
"You must choose if you are going to stay here." The Ash walked slowly into the bar. Random Fae bowed or moved out of his path.
"I'm not staying here." Bo took her shot and ended the game with the 8 ball in the corner pocket.
"Trouble with the little one, Ash?." A female voice laughed.
"I didn't see her choose the Dark, Evony." The Ash took his seat as he turned around.
"The two leaders have finally come here. Well, hear this. Kiss my ass, I am not choosing or staying here." Bo went to get a drink when her insides perked up.
The room jumped when a necklace flew across the floor. The Ash gasped when he noticed his emblem but didn't bother to pick it up. "I already know about Nadia." He laughed.
"This is funny to you!?." Lauren screamed.
"Easy, babe." Bo smiled as she stepped between the two of them.
"Babe?." Lauren looked at the brunette.
"Well, you are." Bo shrugged.
"What is this? You turned me down for her?! A human?!." Dyson growled.
"Watch your mouth, wolf, or eat your balls." A deep voice shook his bones. Lauren watched blue eyes flash and back to brown. "Go on." Bo smiled in her face.
A Fae has chosen a human? Voices rang around the bar. "Hello, I'm still here. She hasn't chosen me." Kenzi raised her hand.
"Kenzi!." Trick screamed.
"Another human in the Dal Riata! We'll have your head, barkeep!." Angry voices grew louder.
"What happened?." Bo whispered. Lauren shook her head and the brunette saw tears fall. "I understand." The woman turned around "Shut up!. Yes. I have made my choice and I chose a human. I chose Lauren! Now if you don't like it and by the looks on your faces, you don't, I don't give a fuck. I never said I was staying here and by the sounds of your voices of disdain, Lauren is not staying here either. Look upon us both for the last time!." Bo's eyes were navy blue and her skin looked like it was almost on fire. Bo closed her eyes.
"You had the chance to claim me, wouldn't claim me, but you claimed her?! Bo, are you serious?!." Kenzi pushed her way through every Fae that was trying to get a good grip on her.
"I saved your life in the elevator. That's all I owed you." Brown eyes stared gently but hard at Kenzi. Everything about the woman screamed desperation and a desperate need to fit in somewhere. It just can't be Bo's life, given the nasty aura that the woman was giving her about Lauren.
"Oh, Please, Kenzi is it?! I can give Bo far more than the both of you can!." Dyson growled and stepped between Bo and Kenzi.
"Touch me and you die, right here. I understand Lauren was the CME. There's nobody that will run your cause of death for the record books." Bo's eyes were blue again.
Trick gasped at the sight. He had never seen any succubus do that. That's what she is by everything he is observing. "Dyson! Stand down!."
"But Trick!." Dyson screamed.
"Stand down!." Trick said again.
"You are never going to be happy with her, Bo!." Kenzi screamed as she pushed some hands off of her again. She has seen Lauren's kind many times before. Stuck up and cold around the heart.
"She would be with me." Dyson smiled.
"Some of the class needs a show and tell period? Okay." Bo turned Lauren and gently brought her lips to hers. The room gasped when she pent the woman to the nearest wall. A few seconds later, they all leaned back when the wall behind the blonde started to turn orange. Bo smiled into the woman's mouth and pulled back. "Now you do dumbfucks get it? She is my pledge. My choice. Like it or not, you will not stop us. You will not come after us, either. Lauren is free and so am I. Free of the bullshit you were trying to cage me with. A human and a wolf. Who knows who or what that bartender really is. None of it matters to me. We are going to walk across these piss sticky floors and never return. Look upon us for the last time. Dr. Lewis needs air and so do I." Bo gently pulled the doctor across the room and out the door.
"Ash? Are you a man or a mouse? This can't stand and you know that!." A few voices flowed in the man's direction. "Did you not see what they did to that wall? Look at it. It is still glowing. This works in our favor. If she is gone, she's out of our hair. Those of us that still have hair. Let the next Ash or Morrigan's colony that they eventually settle in deal with her." The Ash tapped the table and waited to be served.
Trick walked over and looked at the wall. No succubus had ever done that. Clearing his throat, he spoke. "Drinks?." Feet stormed across the floor and shouted their orders. "Get the hard stuff from the back." Trick turned to someone.
"We almost had her." Kenzi shook her head.
"I almost did. Under different circumstances." Dyson bowed his head. If given a day or two with him, Bo would still be there. Kenzi would probably be her human and Lauren would have been free to leave to parts unknown.
Afterparty.
"Who is going to claim Kenzi?." Dyson asked.
"We don't exactly need her to stay here. Just for her to keep her mouth shut about the Fae is all we need her to do." Trick replied.
"Hey!." Kenzi screamed. "You are sitting on a goldmine here and I want some of that action."
"What will it take to keep your mouth shut?." Trick asked.
"How does this claiming thing work?." Kenzi asked.
"It is protection against attacks or kidnappings." Trick replied.
"Ok. I will take that and free drinks for the rest of my life." Kenzi slapped the counter top.
"Hale said no. That only leaves you Dyson. You know I can't do it." Trick looked at the man.
"Fine. I will claim her. But she must live somewhere else besides my place." Dyson took a seat.
"Done." Trick toasted the duo and the music was turned up.
Bo and Lauren.
"Lauren. Lauren what are you doing?." Bo gasped.
The blonde stopped. I was kissing you. After that kiss in the Dal, you can't tell me you weren't ready for another one." Lauren let go of Bo and climbed off of her lap.
"I am always ready but your heart is not. Just a few days ago, you still had a girlfriend. You can't tell me that your feelings and deep rooted loyalty to her are gone just that soon." Bo raised both arms over the couch.
"I'm sorry." Lauren sighed.
"No. Don't be sorry." Bo patted her hand.
"For all the time that Nadia was in her pod, I haven't touched anyone outside of the labs. I haven't been on dates. Even flirted with anyone. Although I did turn down lots of dates. " Lauren sighed and pushed up and off of the couch. Walking a short distance, she started again. "She said she can't say if she's still in love with me. She just left. It felt for years like I had already left her. I would walk to her pod. Talk to her. Inject her with what I thought would be the cure. Treated her just like any other patient I have had before. I shut my emotions off and rammed myself into my work. Every book. Every microscope. Every document. I had to be doing something. Something to get my mind off of my relationship to focus on curing her. After years of failure, she became just another patient. The Ash didn't seem to believe that I still loved her but he still used her to keep me committed to him." She turned around and came face to face with Bo.
The succubus looked down and extended her hand. She pulled the blonde slowly around the room as Lauren went on and on about everything she had been through. Degradation and humiliation at its worst.
"Lauren, I know you are an amazing woman. She probably just needs time to decide on what she wants to do. That's a long time to not be living like the rest of us have been." Bo squeezed her hand.
"So, you're leaving me, too?." Lauren gently dropped Bo's hand.
"I didn't say that, Lauren. I'm just trying to be your friend and be objective. Yes, I chose you. But that didn't immediately mean that you had to choose me. I just wanted to get you out of there. Those idiots only understand one language, control. This isn't about that. It is about being a friend. Do I want more? Hell yes. But you aren't ready and honestly, I wouldn't want you like that. Like this." Bo gently replied and slowly kept walking with the doctor.
"Ladies, your table is ready." A man bowed from the door.
"Let's go eat." Bo whispered and gently nudged the woman to go first.
The women walked in and as told, they were seated at their table. Bo let Lauren sit first and then took her seat. "Damn it." She said.
"What?." Lauren turned around. Placing her napkin on the table, she stood up.
"I don't want to talk to you. I want to talk to her." Nadia pointed towards Bo.
"I have nothing to say to you." Bo spoke as softly as her angered throat would allow her to.
"Bo, please." Lauren pleaded.
"Fine. Outside." Bo stood and walked out. "Make this quick. Lauren hasn't eaten in hours."
"I don't know what I have missed all of these years. But the one thing that I do remember is Lauren was always a good woman. Now, like I told her myself, I don't know if I still love her. I can't make that promise that I ever will. I didn't follow you two here. I was already here. Lauren rarely sits to eat. The fact that she's sitting or even remotely entertaining you proves that you must mean something to her. I don't know the extent of your relationship. It is not my business to know. Make her happy, that's all I came to say." And with that, Nadia walked away. Bo watched her for a few seconds and she never looked back.
"Let me guess. Take care of the little woman?." Lauren set her drink down as Bo took her seat.
"No. Nothing like that. She just wants the best for you. That's all. She's a lost girl right now. That is understandable." Bo lifted her own glass and took a drink. Lauren laughed. "No. Lauren. Don't do that."
"What? Not sit here like I'm not the last choice? Trashed so easily?." Lauren shook her head.
"Lauren? Did you not see the chaos we caused back there? Amongst people not known to humans. You are not a nobody. You are not a last choice. Not to Nadia and certainly not to me. She was just being honest by telling me that she isn't sure if she could love you again but didn't want you wasting more years of your life by waiting to find out." Bo leaned forward and took Lauren's hand. "It will get better. That's my pledge. My pledge, not my claim. That sounds more like owning someone and that I would never do to you."
Lauren took both hands and pulled Bo forward. They locked eyes and looked at each other's lips. "Time to eat." Lauren let go and Bo laughed at the thud she made when her back hit her chair.
Hours later.
"Are you ok?." Bo asked. Lauren shook her head. "You need to get out, Lauren. Get far, far away from this colony. I should have booked those airline tickets. We could both be somewhere else by now and before you fight me on this, you are not going alone. We don't know who's watching us. I don't know every Fae and they don't know who they are truly screwing with." Lauren noticed Bo's body glow and faded back to her regular tone. "How do you do that? The doctor asked.
"I don't quite know. It just happens when I get riled up about something. You, namely." Bo shrugged gently. "It started when Dyson had me handcuffed and was trying to take me to the Ash. I didn't lie when I said I could promise you things, because I can, Lauren. It is not about sex. It's about taking care of you and getting to know you goes along with that."
"Wow." Lauren looked at Bo and looked away.
"It's ok, Lauren." Bo shook her own head. The Fae have screwed the doctor's relaxing know how. Bo walked over and stood behind the doctor just as closely as before. "Cry."
"What? There's no need for that." Lauren shook her head.
"Lauren, don't make me make you." Bo squeezed the woman and instantly felt her tears through her body shaking. When the shaking stopped Bo pulled her outside. "Scream."
Lauren walked away from Bo, spun around and let out the loudest scream that Bo never expected to come out of her. The succubus walked over. "Swing."
"No. I am not a violent person." Lauren backed up.
"I know you are not. You won't actually land a punch because I will move. But just swinging will get it out of you just as much as landing a punch would." Bo stayed ready for the doctor to swing. For as much as her succubus is a part of her, Lauren has another side of herself too. One that has been bottled up for years. Under the doctor. Under the woman. Just as suspected the blonde started to swing and Bo dodged every punch. "Rest." The blonde fell in a chair and she was soon asleep. Bo smiled and gently hung a blanket over her. She sat in a chair and made sure not to make anything screech. A doctor actually sleeping is an accomplishment for just about anyone.
She looked around the room. Not even two hours in, Lauren was awake again. "Freshen up and we can go out to eat." Bo smiled softly. Lauren looked at her. Her hair was wet, obviously she had showered, too. She had to smile at take charge, Bo. An hour later, they were driving down the street. Not knowing what they wanted to eat, yet. "Something simple will work for me." The doctor smiled.
Bo nodded and slowed to turn. "This looks simple."
Lauren moaned after sipping on her glass of wine. "Why?." She asked when setting the glass down.
"Why not?." Bo smiled. "But to ease your ever thinking mind, it's you. The way you care when you shouldn't. The way you helped me when it was dangerous for you to do so. I know you were supposed to only examine me. But you told me what I was when you didn't have to. It is just you being you, Lauren. And what I know about you so far, I love." The succubus answered and watched the woman blush.
"Thank you. That's a nice touch to be thought of like that." Lauren smiled.
"I meant every word, Lauren. I am not like them. There is no hidden agenda here." Bo leaned back when her plate was placed in front of her. "Steak sauce, please."
Lauren sat with a pale face. "You thought about all of that. Blindly doing all of that?."
"When you were away I thought about a lot of things. That one stayed with me for a long time. As you can see, I remember it down to every detail." Bo drank some water and set the glass down.
"Bo." Lauren shook her head.
"You were my choice, Lauren. The rest just got in the way because I allowed it to. I allowed you to stay behind by yourself. I allowed them to think we were done. That one of them had a shot with me." Bo leaned forward. She wanted the blonde's attention and for her to have Bo's.
"I'm not going back, Bo. I am happy now. I have a purpose now. People care. Aife cares. She will protect me from the same bullshit that left me to die. I wasn't just her doctor. She saved my life too." Lauren looked at Bo with the most serious voice the succubus had ever heard come out of her.
"I know. She told me. I would have come Lauren. I should have come to look. But I assumed you didn't want to be found when you never called me. But, I understand why you didn't. You weren't going to betray your patient. Calling me would have made you feel awkward and assuredly broken your oath. Don't do that. Don't ever do that for me or anyone else. You're a doctor. We all know that. Had you not figured out what Taft was going to do, we all would have died or be subjected to something awful." Bo leaned back in her seat.
"Well, I listened to you. I really need to get home and bathe." Lauren stood and Bo stood with her.
"See you tomorrow?." Bo looked at the blonde with hopeful eyes.
"I have a few appointments in the morning but I am free for a quick lunch. But that doesn't mean I'm coming to see Dyson, Kenzi or any of them. You didn't come and neither did they." Lauren threw her medical bag on her shoulder and waited for the succubus to move so she could get into a limo that was waiting for her. "Home." Bo heard her tell the driver. She's going home, alone. "I'll keep trying." Bo spoke softly.
TBC.