Ave Maria

Summary: The argument Bo had with Lauren earlier that day stays on Bo's mind during a run-in while on a case. Bo/Lauren. Rated T.

A/N: I started writing this before I watched the last few episodes of season 3, so we'll just say that this takes place sometime before they [spoiler!] break up.

I worry about you, Bo.

Lauren's words from early that evening echoed through Bo's mind. The millisecond of distraction was enough to catch her off guard and receive a boot to the gut. She let out a guttural groan as she slammed into the brick building behind her. It winded her, but she forced herself to focus in enough time to duck the swing of limbs to her face.

She dropped into a crouch, wincing as her stomach bent, and rolled out of the way before jumping back up into a fighting position, fists ready. Her opponent, a vanir and suspected fae murderer, was already on her.

The human lore on vanir was that they were lesser Norse gods, unwelcome in Asgard, home of the aesir, greater gods, like Odin and Thor. They were believed to require sacrifice for their blessing of fertility and good harvests, but in Bo's experience, they were punks that loved nothing more than to exploit humans.

The other vanir Bo had come in contact with, a pack of three, were inexperienced and destructive and picked off the homeless that ventured into the abandoned building they lived in.

This one though, this one was different. It was quick, trained, and Bo was beginning to think that he was a hired assassin. It would make sense. The dead fae were all semi-important within the Dark, nowhere near the upper echelons, but with enough profile that their deaths warranted investigation. There was also the fact that the cause of death for each of the dead had yet to be determined, which implied great skill.

Bo took a deep breath and squared off.

Every time you leave me, I shake because I'm terrified it's going to be the last time I ever see you. It's hard to live like that, Bo, always being scared. Especially being the one that's left behind waiting.

The vanir picked up an old piece of rebar from the ground and advanced. "You're in way over your head, succubus," he hissed before advancing. His accent was a decent imitation of Canadian, but Bo could detect a hint of an English accent in the vowels. Trick could have told her where he was from.

"Is that a confession I hear?" Bo taunted, preparing herself.

"You'll never live long enough to find that out, you unaligned filth," he scoffed arrogantly.

The rebar was in the vanir's right hand but all the punches had come from the left. Ambidexterity could pose a problem because Bo couldn't anticipate which side he would attack from.

She tried to clear her mind. What had Trick told her to do when she couldn't anticipate where an attack would come from? Stare at their middle. Watch for the twitch of thigh muscle that would precede an attack. Unfortunately, the vanir had loose pants on, making it difficult for her to see any sort of musculature through the fabric.

Hell, she was just going to have to wing it again.

After a split-second decision, Bo advanced on the vanir, meeting him. He raised the rebar to bring it down on her. For her half-assed plan to work, she was going to have to let it hit her so she could get in close enough during the brief second he relaxed after contact. This was going to really fucking hurt.

I know helping people, fighting for those weaker than you, fighting for me, for us, is something you have to do, and I admire you so much for that. I couldn't be more proud of you.

With Lauren in her thoughts, Bo gritted her teeth and let the rebar smack her across her upper arm. The thwack of it filled the narrow alley, and the pain was so great she almost went straight to her knees. She was sure it was broken, and hoped her plan worked because she was down an arm and was unlikely to get another chance.

Bo didn't have the time to speculate, and instead wrapped her fingers around the rebar and yanked it toward her as hard as she could. Off balance, she slammed the vanir into the wall. The jolt caused him to drop his weapon and she relished in the wheeze that was forced from his chest upon impact.

But it doesn't stop me from worrying, Bo. Sometimes I feel like all I do is worry about you.

She slammed her good forearm into his throat. He tensed up like he knew what was coming, and he knew his guess was right as he stared into her vividly blue eyes.

Bo opened her mouth and began to inhale, a stream of sapphire chi streaming between her lips. Moments later, the vanir was falling to the ground. Her arm was virtually healed, but still throbbed uncomfortably.

Righting her jacket and smoothing down her hair, Bo reached down and hauled the vanir to his feet. Wrapping her arm around him and slinging one of his over her shoulders, she began walking him out of the alley.

His feet were sluggish and dragged more often than not. "Work with me here, buddy," Bo said, admonishingly slapping him in the stomach, not hard, but with enough impact that he felt it even in his daze.

"Yes," he said vaguely and began putting a bit more effort into his steps.

Kenzi was leaning against the car when Bo approached. She pretended not to notice Bo until she was practically on top of her, before then leaping up. "Oh, let me help you out there."

Opening the trunk, Kenzi helped Bo fit the vanir inside and slammed the lid.

After they both slid into the car, Bo turned to her friend and said, "You watched the whole fight, didn't you?"

"You know me, Bobo. I can't just sit around."

Bo started the engine and sighed. "He was dangerous, Kenzi. He killed fae without anyone even knowing how."

Kenzi pursed her lips but didn't say anything. It was bad enough Bo had practically commanded her to stay behind in the car, but now she was being chastised. Bo was more family to Kenzi than her real one and she was damned if she was going to let Bo walk into a fight without back up if she needed it.

They were quiet for most of the way to the Morrigan's office before Kenzi, wanting a truce, said, "That whack to the arm looked like it hurt."

Bo laughed and glanced over at her. "You have no idea. I almost puked on him right then and there."

Kenzi laughed. "Well, that certainly would have stopped him right in his tracks."

Bo smiled. She hated fighting with Kenzi, but she worried about her best friend. Kenzi had been the only consistent person in her life the last few years, but Bo would always be grateful for that. She'd be damned if anything happened to Kenzi.

Growing serious, Kenzi frowned and asked, "Are you and Lauren okay?" It had been hard to miss the argument with their lack of actual walls.

Kenzi had initially had some, albeit founded, reservations about Lauren when she first became a part of Bo's life, but things between Kenzi and Lauren were considerably better. Bo cared about Lauren and that was what really mattered.

Bo thought about the heated exchange between her and Lauren earlier, how Bo had said a few stupid things after Lauren was honest about her concerns. But it had been Lauren's words that had actually gotten Bo through the fight with the vanir.

"All I know is that as soon as I see her, I'm going to apologize and kiss her like my life depends on it."

Kenzi reached over, patted Bo's knee, and said, "That's the Bo I know and love."

Once they reached the Morrigan's office, they tried to enlist a few of her goons to carry the vanir upstairs, but they'd just stared at Bo and Kenzi blankly. Sighing, they carried him to the elevator and road it up.

"And what do we have here?" the Morrigan asked as the dropped him on the ground.

"We've got your dark fae assassin right here. Still don't know how he was killing them or why, but that's not what you asked me to figure out," Bo said, putting her hands on her hips. "You just wanted to know who was doing it."

The Morrigan stood and walked to the front of her desk and leaned against it. "Right you are. Haven't seen this one for a while," she said conversationally. "Last I knew, he requested to move back to England."

After a few minutes of double entendres and disguised barbs about fraternizing with humans, Bo and Kenzi took their payment and their leave.

Lauren was waiting when they go home. When the front door opened, she immediately stood and enveloped herself into Bo's arms.

"I'll just be…anywhere else," Kenzi said, heading to her room with a laugh.

"You're okay," Lauren said, more to herself than Bo.

"In one piece too," Bo said, squeezing her girlfriend gently.

Pulling back, Lauren stared at Bo earnestly. "I'm sorry I picked a fight with you right before you left to work a case. When you were gone, I got scared that the fight might distract you in the field."

"Actually, just the opposite," Bo admitted.

Cocking her head to the side, Lauren said, "I don't understand."

"Well, there was a point during the fight – yes there was a fight – where I was down and I thought about what you said before I left. It got me through, Lauren, you being honest and telling me that you were scared for me and admired me."

Lauren's frown curled up into a smile. They kissed quickly before Bo, her eyes earnest, said, "But most of all, what got me through, was when you said-"

I love you so much, Bo. I love you.

End.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed, please come again! :P