Bo and Lauren's.
Bo rubbed the back of her neck. It had been an intense night again in their house and again it was centered around Charlotte. She and Aife had talked for hours about what to do with the Dal and Charlotte kept interrupting them with her roars and antics whenever Aife said something she didn't like.
Bo didn't much care what she did with it, it was just a bar to her now. Trick's treachery had tainted most of her memories there. The only ones she still held dear were of Bo and Lauren's moments there.
They had decided Aife would shut it down for remodeling. A lot of upgrading namely. This would also allow Aife a lot of free time to regroup since she had woken up from her medically induced coma that had been done under Trick and Dyson's instructions.
Bo knew what it all meant. They had always wanted Aife away from Bo. Trick's reasoning was because he didn't trust her around Bo. Dyson's reasoning was because he wanted Bo all to himself and Kenzi especially since Lauren had stayed with the Dark.
Over the past year Bo and Lauren had talked a lot about everything. When they talked about the Garuda, Lauren finally admitted that Dyson had advised her to run. Bo bristled in the present as she thought of it. So him wanting Lauren to run and to keep Aife from her again wasn't lost on her anymore. She knew how much he loved Kenzi but despised Lauren. He wanted them to be a happy threesome leaving Lauren out there in the Fae world with her then human life on the line.
He was better off dead because if he were still alive Aife would certainly kill him, but not before she tortured him in some crazed ass fashion. But he's dead. Trick's dead. They can all move on.
The Dal would keep the same name because they wanted it to be a reminder to the Fae of what it once was and what it would become in the future. They wanted to give it to the kids when they were old enough to decide if they wanted it or not.
Bo had always suspected that Aife was alive and still out there, she just never knew where she was and when she was coming back. Sensing that would happen one day she and Lauren had agreed if they were to ever have children nothing she would do or could do would rob them of anything. Now if they didn't want it, she was welcome to it but for the present time, they would be allowed to just be kids.
Bo needed it. She needed to be a mother. The mother she never had. The mother that never taunted her child as being a monster. The mother that didn't kick her out onto the streets when she didn't even know she was a Succubus. The mother that never thought their child was a freak. The mother that never humiliated her child in public.
Bo was ready for a family. She was ready to grow and learn to know who her kids would be. To grow and learn about Aife. She and Lauren were fine but they could always grow in their relationship too.
As far was who would rule the Fae, they had agreed that it would be Aife but Bo was to be immediately kept in the loop on every move or laws she wanted to implement and she was never to allow humans to be killed or harmed. There was still plenty of Fae left for her to feed from if and when she needed to.
Aife didn't necessarily like all of their agreements but understood them and retreated to her bedroom. Bo had stayed behind to unwind from their talks and to make sure everything was cleaned up and the house was locked up. When she checked every door and window she noticed it had already been taken care of. She cringed thinking Lauren did it and had gone to bed angry with her for taking up so much time with Aife instead of her. She laughed as she walked up the stairs hoping Lauren was still awake so she could make it up to her.
Bo checked on the kids and when she was done headed to their bedroom. She hung her head when she saw a negligee resting on her side of the bed. She determined that Lauren wanted to see her in it since it was brand new. She felt a bit guilty for allowing the meeting to go on for so long but showered and put it on. She snuck into the bed and cuddled up to Lauren. She sighed into Lauren's hair when she felt the Doctor pull her arm around her to spoon.
The next morning.
Bo yawned, stretched and smiled as she turned over to snuggle up to Lauren again. She frowned when her arm landed on nothing but Lauren's side of the bed. She slammed her head into the pillows. She groaned from the embarrassment that Lauren had woken up and gotten out of bed before her again
She jumped up and pulled her blade from the nightstand drawer when she heard Lauren roar. She pulled on her Kimono and ran downstairs ready to attack.
"Down. Calm down Succubus". Kenzi laughed.
"Kenzi? What the hell is going on? Bo asked tightening the strings around her robe.
"Lauren's outside with Charly". Kenzi said pointing towards the backyard.
"Oh". Bo sighed in relief.
"To answer your next question Ethan and Dilly Dilly are watching cartoons with headsets on". Kenzi said pointing towards the tv.
"Don't call our son that". Bo said.
"Well you and Lauren are just no fun". Kenzi playfully pouted. She would still call Dillon that though but hopefully when she was far away from Lauren's ears.
"What are they doing? Bo asked pointing towards the window.
"Lauren thought it would be good to get Charlotte out of the house and get her flexing shifter muscles". Kenzi said.
Bo walked over to the window to watch them. Kenzi checked the boys once before following her.
"Cheer up. This way she will go to bed a lot faster". Kenzi laughed.
"True". Bo said raising an eyebrow noticing how high Charlotte could jump. They had only seen her jump from the couch, chairs or beds but never that high into the air.
"Damn! Kenzi said when Charlotte nearly jumped over the fence.
It made Bo worry though, if she could jump that high she just might up over the whole thing and run off. "We need to get a taller fence".
"Either that or spank that ass", Kenzi said.
"Kenzi we will not spank her, she doens't know that's wrong to do. Speaking of which. Where is mom? Bo asked looking around.
"She went to the Dal. She wanted to get a jump start on what you guys talked about last night". Kenzi said drinking some coffee.
Bo was back to thinking about the Dal but was absolute about her decision to allow Aife to run it. She really didn't have time to run it and didn't want to at the moment. She did know how popular it had become over the years and knew it would bring in lots of money. She laughed thinking Aife wouldn't really run it because that sounded like work but knew she would hire only the best she found qualified to do so.
"Look! Look Bo! Kenzi said excitedly. A bird had flown down into their gate and Charlotte was minutes away from pouncing all over it.
"What? Bo asked turning around.
"Charlotte's about to reenact another scene from The Lion King". Kenzi laughed clapping her hands in glee.
"And that would be? Bo asked.
"Dude you can't be serious! The scene where Mufasa teaches Simba how to pounce". Kenzi laughed. She wondered how Bo could not have seen that movie. She would buy it soon though. The kids would think it's just a new cartoon.
Outside
"No. No Charlotte. Put him down". Lauren roared and smiled as the young shifter dropped the bird from her mouth. She sighed in relief when it flew away on it's own steam.
"What the hell? She never obeys me like that". Bo laughed.
"Umm did you hear Lauren? If you talk to Charlotte like that as your Succubus, you will scare her". Kenzi laughed nearly choking on her coffee.
Outside again.
Lauren walked over to Charlotte who was turning around and around watching the bird as if she was waiting for it to fly back down.
"Charlotte come here baby". Lauren said as she stretched out into the grass lying down on her stomach.
Charlotte laughed and walked over to Lauren mimicking her movements.
"Charly you're a shifter. I know you are too young to understand any of this now and there will come a time where any animal could be a meal to you and you will need to eat them to survive. But for now we have plenty of food in the house for you, me, Ethan and Dillon to satisfy our respective hungers". Lauren said softly. She could see Charlotte thinking and knew she was trying to understand or she was plotting something else to do.
The weather was nice that morning. That's why Lauren had elected to go outside with Charlotte. So she could watch her interact with the smallest of creatures but not eat them. They had seen a lot of butterflies, ants and other bugs on the concrete and in the grass. Charlotte hadn't attacked any of them.
That was starting to make Lauren think that perhaps Charly was protecting the small creatures from the bird and that she had stopped her daughter for nothing.
Lauren hung her head. She hoped she wasn't too hard on Charlotte that it shamed her in any way and needed to make up for that immediately. But how could she know what Charlotte actually wanted to do? She can't speak in full sentences yet. She could only say words as far as they knew.
Charlotte's eyes flashed when she saw the bird circling in the air again. "Bad bird". She roared never taking her eyes off of it.
That was it. Lauren had her answer. She was trying to protect the tiny creatures. She shouldn't be surprised. They were hers and Bo's. Neither of them believed in killing any innocent for any reason. Bo was not the average Fae when Lauren met her. She didn't see the need to feed off of anyone for purposes of killing them. It was one of many things that made Lauren fall for the Succubus. Lauren was so proud of Charlotte that she buried her head in her paws on the grass.
Bo was worried and opened the sliding glass door. "Lauren? Are you ok?
"She...she saved them". Lauren said with tears rolling down her face.
"What? Bo asked stepping outside not even caring about the small chill in the air.
"Charlotte shift". Lauren said and followed her own request. Once they were both back in human form, Lauren scooped Charlotte up into her arms and hurried inside.
Watching them run towards the door, Bo pulled a blanket from the table by the door. They always kept them there for times like these.
"What's wrong? Bo asked softly taking Charlotte from Lauren so she could grab her own blanket. By now Lauren's face was soaked with tears.
Lauren walked over and took a seat on the nearest chair. Bo set Charlotte down in the chair next to her. "Now can you tell me what's wrong or what you meant? Bo asked. She hadn't seen all that happened with them as she and Kenzi had walked into the living room to check on the boys.
"She saved their lives. The ants and other crawling creatures out there". Lauren whispered but loud enough for Bo to understand.
"What happened sweetie? Bo asked. She could always check the cameras but wanted to hear it from Lauren's point of view.
"This bird flew down into the yard and Charlotte was about to eat him or I thought she was about to eat him. I told her to put him down and he flew away. She kept watching him. When he started circling over the yard again she said it was bad bird. So I deduced she must have been protecting them because she had not eaten any of them. Not even an ant". Lauren explained.
"But we saw her eat a bird before. Remember? I had to clean up that gross...ass...mess. I had to clean up that mess". Bo said correcting herself after forgetting Charlotte was next to them.
"She must have been protecting them Bo". Lauren said.
"But she was pulling it's chi too". Bo said.
"She must have been practicing her Succubus abilities then". Lauren said.
Bo sat back looking back and forth between Charlotte and Lauren. Charly did have knowledge of her abilities and was definitely using her Succubus powers that day. She had learned to kill and bring her victim back to life.
Noticing Bo's bewilderment Lauren softly said "She's ours Bo".
"Yes she is. They all are". Bo smiled softly.
"No Bo that's not what I meant. She's ours. Yours and mine. You have always been Fae. I am still new to the life. But Charlotte knows to value life. She knows not to allow any big creatures to attack the smaller ones. She does it on instincts and love of others". Lauren said.
"That's true". Bo smiled again.
"Bo you know the Fae has never wanted us together. We were never to be. Not as a human/Fae couple but even my human traits and intelligence are inside of our babies. They will all grow up knowing right from wrong and will stand up for and with each other against bullies. She's ours..they are ours". Lauren cried softly covering her cheeks with her hands.
Bo sat back in her chair. Lauren was right. How many Fae had been in their ears and lives over the years telling them their relationship was wrong and that they were wrong for each other. Hell Dyson nearly waved a big banner in his disapproval. Even the present day Fae didn't want them together.
Shifter Lauren in human form made them remember that she was once a human under their control and she was but a blink away from being Bo's respective Queen on the Fae thrones. They hated her then. They hate her now. But since she was a powerful shifter and given the many bodies that had fallen at her feet or been eaten alive by her in self-defense they knew not to screw around with them.
Bo was just as proud as Lauren was. Charlotte was not even two yet but already knew things she shouldn't even know yet. It was them. Both of them. Even during her running days Bo knew what she was doing was wrong but didn't know how to stop it. Charlotte already learned that. The twins will learn that too if they haven't already.
Their kids were set. They would protect themselves and each other. Charlotte was already on the job of protecting her brothers. She didn't trust Aife. But not too many did. Bo laughed at the thought. If Charly so much as smells treachery on you, you will be in between her teeth quicker than a dentist pulling a bad tooth.
The Fae were going to have their collective hands full with this family. Bo and Lauren would take care of the bigger problems of protecting their shifters but wouldn't try and stunt their physical and mental growth in doing so.
The Dal
"Next". Aife said waving for the next applicant to step forward towards her makeshift desk in the center of the Dal.
Tamsin turned over her next page and read off the current Fae's police record. They had been doing this all morning. Aife had already turned down about ten of them when she learned they didn't like Lauren or had issues with Bo. Tamsin even thought most of them were asses and had gall to even apply to work at the Dal.
Aife wanted to know everything about every applicant down to infectious pimples on their asses. She really wanted to know who had light fingers. That was a big no no and don't even step in the bar again or it would be the last step you ever take.
"This is Cassie. She's an Oracle. Nasty attitude. She's an old friend of Trick's but would do anything for money". Tamsin said.
"Next". Aife said. Any friend of Trick's was an enemy of hers.
"Sorry sista". Tamsin laughed as Cassie turned to leave.
Aife sighed in annoyance after they had dispatched of twenty applicants. "We are never going to find anyone suitable to work here".
"Well there aren't too many Fae left on the list. Bo and Lauren have pissed off a lot of people in this town". Tamsin laughed. They had either killed them or pissed them off. With Bo, it was probably both and that tickled the Valkyrie more.
"Then see who or what you can find on the outskirts of town. Remember if they are shady don't even bother bringing them to me". Aife said.
Tamsin nodded. She couldn't say it wasn't her job because in a way it was. She could find fugitives on the run that they hadn't caught yet or had been long forgotten about. Plus she was given free liquor so that was great too. If she could find and nab enough of them, she would likely make Lieutenant or Captain. Less work she hoped.
The duo stood up from their chairs and walked to the bar. Tamsin had seen enough of the Dal and grabbed a bottle of Whiskey to go. Aife's day was not over yet. She still needed to hire a construction company that would be able to abide by Bo's and her wishes on how to upgrade the Dal. Most of the interior would remain the same but the outside was definitely going to be fixed.
Bo and Lauren
The gang had all taken baths and showers. It took them awhile to get Charlotte bathed because she never liked the soap. Kenzi hung out with Ethan and Dillon while Bo and Lauren tended to her. Once they were done, Kenzi showered then the Succubus and shifter followed after her. Bo wanted to take adjoining showers but Lauren knew if they started that up again, they would be in there for hours.
Kenzi had taken all three kids to the little play area outside in the late evening. They had plenty of light to play with their toys and she had plenty of beer and music to keep her attention. Lauren and Bo were inside preparing to cook dinner. Lauren wanted a meal made from scratch and Bo agreed since she hadn't cleaned up the grill since she used it last. She decided to leave Lauren with what she was doing since the Doctor had been specific about how and when to add ingredients. Bo could never argue because the end result was always mouth watering delicious, even the desserts.
Grabbing what she needed she went out to start cleaning the grill. The weather hadn't been too hot lately in the mornings but she thought it better to clean it now when the sun was going down so she wouldn't soak doing it in the morning
Kenzi adjusted the boys in their swings and sat down beside Charlotte. She was playing with her blocks and throwing them into the grass. Kenzi laughed knowing how Lauren was going clean them up later that night. Bo was working quickly. Lauren had told her dinner was almost ready and she wanted to get the kids situated so they could all sit down to eat. She was just about to close the top of the grill when she heard a roar but not like the one that had beckoned her out of bed that morning.
"Kenzi what happened? Bo asked looking at the scene in front of her.
"I had turned my head to refill my drink and when I turned around Charlotte pounced". Kenzi said.
"Dinner is ready". Lauren said running out after she heard the commotion. She thought of the camera in the kitchen and stepped back inside to check it. The bird had flown down in the direction of the boys when Ethan had lifted his little head and roared after it was almost in his face. Charlotte heard him and immediately shifted making her way over to them from the new spot Kenzi had placed her in to play.
Ethan and Dillon were angrily bouncing in their swings. The bird turned out to be the bird from earlier and Charlotte had it by it's neck and was pulling it's chi.
"Get the boys in the house! Bo called out to Lauren and Kenzi. She had never seen Charlotte like this. Not even with the first bird she killed. There was nothing she could do, the thing minutes away from going limp and the chi coming from it's mouth was thick.
The hair on Bo's neck was standing up as she heard Ethan and Dillon constantly roaring. "Shit. I won't be getting that long shower with Lauren tonight". Bo sighed. She was just waiting for Charlotte to be done so she could clean up the mangled mess she was about to leave.
TBC
Aife discovers a new threat and alerts Bo and Lauren.