Bo sat on her usual stool at the Dal, but this was far from a usual night at the bar. They had just defeated the Garuda a few hours earlier, and reality was just starting to sink in. The bar was pretty empty, as most fae were still in hiding and had not yet heard that the world would not be ending tomorrow. Thanks to Bo and her team, the fae would live another day.

She took a swig of her beer and let out a big sigh. The adrenaline rush from their adventure was wearing off and she was finally starting to come down from her high. She hadn't quite processed just how close the world came to ending, and how close she came to losing even more of her friends and family. She thought of the people they had lost – Nadia, Ciara and Lachlan – and felt guilty that she could not have saved them all. Even if she didn't necessarily like all of them, they didn't deserve to die the painful deaths they had.

She thought of Trick. Her grandfather. Her family. She was so happy to have him in her life, and she was so scared for him when the Garuda took him. To lose him so soon after finding him would have broken her. He had gone to bed a short while ago, but not before kissing her on the forehead and telling her how proud of her he was. It made her so happy.

She took another swig and looked across the bar to where her friends were playing pool. Dyson, Hale and Kenzi. She smiled as she watched them, Kenzi and Hale doing their usual flirtatious dance while Dyson quietly watched. She wondered when they would just give up on their excuses and act on how they felt for each other. She was a succubus, she knew how much they were attracted to each other. Kenzi was her best friend and she wanted her to be happy and Hale was such a great guy and he would no doubt make Kenzi very happy.

Then there was Dyson. After everything, she still felt so fondly of him. He lost his love Ciara, yet he was still so strong and brave and fought by her side as he always had. She wondered how things would have turned out if he hadn't given up his love for her. Would they have ended up together? Would they have clashed so fiercely, two strong-willed people, that it never would have lasted? Sadly, she would never find out.

Dyson saw her watching them and smiled, his eyes a little cloudy from the alcohol. She smiled back, but sensed that there was something different in his smile...something she couldn't quite put her finger on, but with all the craziness of the past few days, she just shrugged it off and made a mental note to ask him about it later.

And then there was Lauren.

Lauren.

Lauren had left a few hours ago, she was so tired. Out of everyone, Lauren had probably suffered the most. To have her girlfriend, the love of her life, wake from her five year coma only to be possessed by the Garuda was enough to break anyone. But to have to beg her former lover kill her girlfriend...Bo didn't know how she did it. And to not blame Bo, well, Bo blamed herself. As much as she didn't want Nadia to be in Lauren's life, killing her wasn't how she wanted it to end, she just couldn't let Nadia hurt her. But still, she knew how much it hurt Lauren and that made it hurt her.

She never wanted Lauren to hurt. She wanted to love and protect Lauren so that she never had to be afraid again. As she sat at the bar, drinking the last of her beer, she realized how much she already missed Lauren, even though it had only been a few hours since she left. She looked at her watch – it was almost 1 am, but she had already made up her mind. She had to get out of here.

xxxxxx

It took her about 15 minutes to get to Lauren's and slip inside her quarters. She assumed Lauren would be asleep, having left the Dal several hours ago looking like she was ready to pass out. Bo had offered to take her home, but Lauren had insisted she stay to celebrate her victory. Bo didn't really have a plan when she got here, she mostly figured she would go up to Lauren's room and curl up in bed with her, somehow trying not to freak her out that she had just broke in to her house.

As soon as Bo let her eyes acclimate to the dark living room, she was shocked to see Lauren on the couch watching her closely. She was pressed up in the corner of the couch, her knees up under her chin and her eyes red from crying. Bo's heart broke seeing her like this.

'Oh, Lauren'. She walked quickly over to the couch and dropped to her knees in front of the blonde. Raising her hand to her cheek, she slowly wiped away the tears from her face, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her forehead. "Why aren't you asleep?"

Lauren kept her eyes on Bo..."I couldn't sleep. I couldn't go upstairs. I'm sorry, I keep seeing things...Nadia, the Garuda, images of you dying..." she whispered the last few words.

"Lauren...here, let me" Bo said as she took off her boots and moved behind Lauren on the couch, pulling her back in to her body once she was settled and wrapping her arms around her. "It's okay, it's over. You're safe, I'm safe. I promise I will not let anything hurt you."

At the sound of the comforting words from the succubus, and the feel of the strong arms surrounding her, Lauren broke down and started to cry. Not the slow shedding of tears she had been doing for the last few hours...no, for the first time in years Lauren broke down and cried. And the more she cried the tighter Bo held her, and rocked her and whispered comforting words in to her ear. She had known Lauren for two years now, knew how private and emotionally restrained the beautiful doctor was, so she knew how out of character crying was for Lauren. She also knew how much better Lauren would feel once she got it out of her system.

When Lauren's tears started to slow, Bo started to place gentle kisses in her hair and along her neck. She wasn't trying to turn Lauren on, but rather wanted her to feel surrounded by love, her love. Holding Lauren gave clarity to the swirl of emotions she had for the blonde. She loved her. She wanted to keep her safe and make sure she knew every day just how much she was loved. Lauren was the most beautiful creature Bo had ever met – kind, intelligent and sexy as hell. Bo wasn't sure she deserved someone as amazing as Lauren, especially after all she had done in her life, but she wanted to be the person worthy of her love.

"Lauren, it's okay. I am here for you. For whatever you need," Bo said before wrapping her arms around the blonde once more and resting her chin on Lauren's shoulder.

Lauren pulled away slightly to readjust herself in Bo's arms so she could more directly look in to her eyes. "Bo, what I need is you."

Bo's face lit up like Christmas. How long had she been waiting for Lauren to tell her she needed and wanted her in her life? "Lauren, you have me, you have always had me" she replied, holding Lauren's gaze and trying to make sure Lauren knew how strongly she felt.

"Bo, no, I don't think you understand. I don't need you as a friend. I need you as the woman who owns my heart and soul, as the woman I want to make love to every day. I loved Nadia, and it breaks my heart beyond belief how much I miss her, but I was deluding myself in thinking she and I would have lasted with you in my life. I know you can read auras, but you have no idea how bright you shine in my life. How just being in the same room as you makes my heart skip a beat, even after knowing you for two years. I know this probably isn't the best time to be blurting all this out, but I had to make sure you knew because who knows what will happen tomorrow."

"I know what will happen tomorrow. We will wake up in each others arms, remembering the passion and love from tonight, " Bo replied with a gentle smile before continuing on. "Lauren, I know things have been crazy between us, but I know with absolute certainty, that I love you. I want to be the person you trust with your heart, that warms your soul, that is lucky enough to make love to you everyday."

The tears that were flowing from Lauren's eyes had stopped and now were replaced with something entirely different – hope and awe. Without even speaking another word, she reached up and pulled Bo into a smoldering kiss. She didn't need words to convey what she was feeling anymore. She was pretty sure her aura was telling Bo everything she needed to know right now.

Bo, for her part, was slightly surprised by the intensity of Lauren's kiss, but was quick to return it with the same amount of passion. Even with her eyes shut she could see how brightly Lauren's aura was burning, the heat making her entire body flame with desire. She knew if she opened her eyes right now, they would be burning blue.

"Bed?" she managed to whisper as she pulled away from the kiss. God, the look of smoldering desire Lauren was giving her right now was almost enough to bring her to orgasm right there. Lauren nodded and that was all the confirmation she needed. She waited for Lauren to get off the couch, then pulled her into a close embrace, threading her hands through her hair and kissing her slowly as they backed up to the stairs. Just as they got to the bottom one, however, they were distracted from their mission by a loud knock on the door.

The two women looked at each other and Bo asked "Are you expecting someone?"

Lauren shook her head. "No, but with there being no Ash, anything could be happening. I should probably get it."

Bo looked at her skeptically. "It's two in the morning..."

"I know, the life of a slave to the Ash, even when there is no Ash. I am sure it is just something minor, I will send them away and then we can go upstairs and make good on your promises." Lauren said with a smirk.

Bo's eyes flashed and she grabbed Lauren and pulled her closer "Oh Doctor, you have no idea what I am going to do to you. I will wait in the kitchen just in case it is some stupid fae that thinks it can take advanage of the situation with no Ash."

Lauren smiled at Bo and went to open the door. She was shocked when she saw Dyson standing there, eyes a little unfocused and still wearing his bloody clothes from the battle. "Dyson, what are you doing here? It's 2 am, are you okay? Is someone hurt?"

"Define hurt for me doctor" the wolf slurred. He was clearly drunk, barely able to stand up straight, though he was trying his best to be intimidating.