A/N: Okay, here it is folks. The last chapter in this ride. We've had some laughs, some tears, and other things. Hope you have all enjoyed reading as much as I've enjoyed writing. Because I have had so much fun with this one.
Still got lots more stories to come, you ain't seen the back of me yet! Mwah xo
….
Chapter 23: This Is Your Life
Clubhouse (1 Month Later)
When she found out that her pregnancy was going to last only a month, Lauren didn't realise just how short of a time that actually was. Almost instantly, her body began to change. Everything got bigger, everything!
Including her appetite, which beat out Shay's by a mile. She always thought that her Daughter couldn't be beaten when it came to eating. She stopped thinking that when she started eating four to five meals a day.
Tamsin was there for all of it, much like last time. Accept she didn't actually witness Lauren carrying Shay, she was just there for the labour. The long, excruciating labour. Which Bo was going to learn all about when the time came.
The weeks went by, and Lauren just grew. To the point where she actually thought that she was going to explode. Also, she was super horny. Thanks to all of the left of chi inside of her, but she was dead set against having sex until after the birth.
In her pregnant state, she didn't feel like the hot sexy blonde doctor that she used to be. This happened when she was carrying Shay too, even though she was literally doing it alone last time.
Bo had a hard time accepting her Girlfriend's new rule. But at the end of the day, she was the one who wanted a new baby. And it wasn't fair that Lauren was the one that had to carry the child, but there was nothing that Bo could do about that.
Shay and Jamie were doing well in school, actually very well. Even though he'd never been to school, Jamie seemed to be adapting just like any other teenager. Shay was having the time of her life, with her new boyfriend.
When she first informed them of her new relationship, Bo wanted to kill Duke. But Lauren pointed out that it would be wrong and he hadn't done anything to deserve that. Bo didn't care, anyone who dated her little girl was a target.
For now.
Over the weeks, Bo and Lauren made sure to get everything that they needed for their new arrival. They'd bought the essentials, then the clothing, next came the toys and stuffed animals. Which Shay had helped with.
And even chose a rather huge stuffed snow leopard to keep for herself. You were never too old for stuffed animals.
It was the last Saturday of the month, and Lauren was set to give birth any day now. So, in honour of her last blow out meal, Bo and Shay had gone out to pick up Lauren's order of Chinese, Pizza, and Indian.
She wanted a buffet of choices.
Which left her in the house with Jamie, Lauren was starting to really care about him as if he was her own son. Bo too, they had a lot of things in common. And he helped with chores more than Shay did. In fact, she'd pawn them off on him all of the time.
Lauren was trying to teach Jamie how to say the word 'No'. She always felt a little bad for him, because she knew how his life had gone. They were both slaves to the Fae. But he wasn't a slave anymore. So he didn't need to act like one.
But Jamie always replied that due to him being turned by Shay, whenever she said something or told him to do something. He obeyed. It wasn't a choice, it was more of an instinct.
Lauren still didn't understand that, the need to obey Shay's every command. She figured that it had something to do with how her blood turned him, even though Shay's blood had a different ability to Bo and Trick.
It obviously still had the kind of effect that Bo's had on people. The need to obey her, to do everything that she said. To basically worship her. Accept, Jamie didn't love Shay. At least not in the way that Bo's thralls said.
Since becoming too big to move, Lauren decided to work from home for the rest of the remainder of her trimester. Hale had offered her as much Maternity leave as she wanted, because he cared about Lauren.
That, and Bo made him.
Lauren was on the couch, finishing some medical reports. She wanted everything done before the baby was born. She liked having everything out of the way, that way she could focus all of her time and energy on the baby.
Jamie walked over, handing her a nice glass of cold ice tea as she requested. "You sure are thirsty" he chuckled, this was her fourth glass already.
"Yeah well, it's important to stay hydrated. Especially in my condition…" She sat on the edge of the couch, taking the glass from his hands before he walked away. Suddenly, she felt something wet beneath her and heard a dripping noise. "… Uh oh"
He ran back, "Did you spill some?" Looking at her, Jamie noticed that the glass was fine and that the couch was the thing that was wet. "That's not tea is it?" He gulped nervously.
Lauren shook her head, "No, it's not tea. The baby's coming now. We've gotta get to the Clinic!" She stood from the couch with Jamie's help. "I'll call Bo on the way" she held his hand, walking out of the house.
Waiting time was over.
Light Fae Clinic (Later)
Again, it wasn't legal. But Bo used her Police siren to run through every traffic light on her way to the hospital. After getting Jamie's frantic phone call, they dumped the take out in the backseat and she and Shay hauled it for the hospital.
Once Bo had parked the car, in the restricted zone. But she didn't care, because there was somewhere that she needed to be. She and Shay ran through the hospital, going straight for the Maternity Ward.
"Where is she?!" Bo turned a corner, seeing her friends and family all huddled up outside of one of the rooms.
"In there, she keeps asking for you. Go!" Tamsin ushered her into the room, staying outside with the rest of their posse. "You know, I remember when this happened last time. And Lauren popped you out…" She wrapped an arm around Shay. "… Ah, good times" she smiled.
Shay rolled her eyes. "That was the grossest thing, I've ever heard" she didn't want to hear about her Mother, popping anything out.
Kenzi raised her hand. "I second that"
Delivery Room
The sheer volume of her Girlfriend screaming, made Bo want to cut her own ears off. But she should've seen this coming, even though Lauren herself wasn't expecting a rough labour. She thought that it would be the same as the first time.
But it wasn't, it was worse. Maybe it had something to do with how the baby had grown so fast. And right now, Bo was getting her hand broken in about four places, due to how tight Lauren was holding it. "Ow, we're crushing bones now!" She groaned.
"I'm so sorry for you!" Lauren shouted through gritted teeth, she couldn't believe that Bo was actually moaning about her hand when she was trying to push a person out of her body.
Bo realised that her choice of words was very poor. "You know what? Forget it, I'll live. Just focus okay, breathe. In and out, that's it" she breathed with her, helping her calm down.
Lauren pushed a few more times, and as soon as she felt the pressure life she knocked he head back. Taking a relieving breath. It was over, the hard part was done. As a surprise, Bo and Lauren didn't find out what they were having. It was more for Bo's benefit than Lauren's.
The Doctor cut the baby's umbilical cord, then swaddled it up after cleaning it. She walked to the bed, handing the crying baby to Lauren. "Congratulations, she's perfectly healthy" she smiled.
"We've got another girl?" Bo honestly didn't know what to expect. But here she was, a new baby girl for them to love. And this time Bo was here for all of it, to see her grow up, and be born. She looked at her small face, she was in awe. "She's perfect" she whimpered.
"She sure is" Lauren spoke quietly, she forgot how good this felt. Holding her creation in her arms. When Shay was born, she never wanted to put her down. And now that feeling and attachment was back in full force.
Once the Doctor had changed out her gown, she walked back over to Bo and Lauren. "Do we have a name for the little one?" She asked.
Lauren looked at Bo, that was the one thing that they couldn't decide on. Sometimes it had turned into an argument. But they weren't going to do that right now. "Uh, not yet. We don't have to decide right now do we?" Bo was new at this.
The Doctor shook her head. "No of course not, just let one of the nurses know when you're ready so that we can draw up the birth certificate. I'll leave you to have some privacy" she left with the other nurses.
Bo sat beside Lauren on the bed, "She's so small, was Shay this small when she was born?" She couldn't help but wonder.
"Pretty much, yeah. Speaking of who, you should probably get her in here. Or we can expect her to bust down the door any minute" Lauren knew how excited Shay was about all of this.
When Bo did bring the family inside, Shay was the first to jump on her Mother's bed. Careful not to hurt her of course. She noticed that the baby was wrapped in a pink blanket, that only meant one thing. "It's a girl! Yes!" She bumped her fist in the air. "Aunt Kenzi and I are fifty dollars richer!"
While outside, they all made a bet of what the sex of the baby would be. Shay and Kenzi said a Girl. Whereas everyone else said a Boy. Except for Jamie, he didn't have any money to bet with. And he wasn't really much of a gambler.
"So, what'd you think?" Bo asked her oldest. Listen to that, she had an oldest. Whoa!
Shay took in the features of her new baby sister. "She's cute, I mean not as cute as me. Obviously, I am the original after all. But still, she's adorable. What's her name?" She looked to her Parents for an answer.
"We haven't decided on one yet. If you guys have any ideas, we're open to anything right now" Lauren honestly didn't have a clue.
"Well you know, Tamsin is always a good name—" Tamsin went to step forward with a smile.
"No" Bo cut her off before she could finish. She and Tamsin were back on a friendly basis, but here was no way that she was naming her daughter after her. Never in a million years.
Dyson decided to put his two cents in. "How about Marla?" He suggested, and after he said it everyone had their eyes on him. But they were all frowning at him.
Shay just looked at him, sadly. "Marla? Oh Dude, I wish your future daughter all of the luck in the world. Looks like she's gonna need it if you name her something like that…" She turned her head with a laugh.
"Shay, cut it out…" Lauren scolded her, then turned to Dyson. "… What she meant to say Dyson, is while that's a lovely name. We just don't think it suits her, thanks though" she smiled.
"No problem. Babies aren't my thing anyway" Dyson waved her off, he wasn't offended.
Then Shay thought of a name. "Hey, how about Isabel? We can call her Izzy…" she stopped talking when she didn't hear a response from her Parents. "… Or not, whatever" she folded her arms.
Bo looked at Lauren, who just smiled. "We like it, I think it fits her nicely. Let's see what she thinks…" She picked her baby daughter up from Lauren's arms, this was the first time that she was holding a real life baby. It was weird, and it was even more weird that it was hers.
Shay stood by her Mother's side, jumping up on the bed to cuddle with her. She knew that this baby took importance, and she was fine with that. Honestly. But she would always be her Mother's baby girl. Shay knew that would never change.
Holding the baby gently, cradling her in her own arms. Bo rocked her gently, "… Welcome to the world Izzy" she kissed her tiny forehead. Earning a tired smile from the baby. Bo looked down to the newborn, smiling.
She couldn't wait for what came next.
Clubhouse (1 Week Later)
A day after Izzy's birth, Lauren was let go from the Hospital. She had a good labour, it hurt like hell and it was long. But she was recovering nicely. So she wanted to take her baby girl home already.
Since they now had a vulnerable newborn living with them, Bo decided to have the whole Clubhouse renovated. She'd started a decade ago, thinking that she would be more mature if she didn't live in a condemned shack.
It was going to take time, but they were going to finish it in two months. In the days after the birth, Shay never left her baby sister's side. She just couldn't get enough of her, it was like they were connected on another level. It was deeper than family.
Bo and Lauren weren't complaining, with Shay always watching Izzy they had time to do their own thing. And for themselves. But Bo was also having a hard time separating herself from her baby girl.
This was new to her, being around a baby that needed constant attention. Bo wanted to give her everything. She'd completely let it take over her work, anytime she would go into the station. She would show her colleagues pictures of their little bundle.
She couldn't help it, who wouldn't want to look at that adorable squishy face. Izzy was the cutest baby ever. Dyson offered to take over the work load if Bo wanted to take the time off to be with the baby.
But Bo didn't want to be super attached, this bond that she was feeling was strong. And she needed to get it under control. So she went to work two days out of the week. It was enough to keep her maternal need satiated.
Shay was sitting on the couch with her baby sister, feeding her a bottle. "Okay, now remember. You've gotta grow up to be an even bigger pain than your big sis. It'll take some of the heat off me" she whispered to her.
"I heard that Shay" Lauren spoke from where she stood in the kitchen.
"I was totally kidding…" Shay shouted to her Mother, then brought her face close to her sisters. "… I'm lying, us sisters gotta stick together" she smiled, continuing to feed her.
After Izzy had finished her bottle, Shay stood from the couch and joined her Mother in the kitchen making a face. "Uh, emergency!" She moaned, holding out her arms. "She's dropped one in her diaper and it's making me wanna puke" she didn't do the clean up.
Lauren had to laugh, she took the baby from her arms. "Can you say that in a nicer way?" She cradled the baby girl in her arms.
"Nope" Shay replied.
"Thanks, I'll be back in a minute…" Lauren went to walk off to go upstairs but ending up being called back by Shay. "… What is it?" She asked.
Shay stepped forward with a smile. "I know that I'm still on thin ice after what I did with the party and all. And then the fight in school. But I was wondering if maybe I could go out tonight?" She was hoping for a yes.
This was something that Lauren wanted to discuss with Bo first, but her Girlfriend wasn't here. And wouldn't be home for a while. So it was up to Lauren to give Shay an answer. "Out where?" She needed to know that.
"Just to the movies" Shay said.
"Is Jamie going with you?" Lauren asked. Shay rarely ever went anywhere without him, he was like her own personal bodyguard.
Shay stuttered. "Uh…" She forgot to mention that it was a date. "… Well, maybe not this time" she knew how her Mother got when she would talk about going on a date. Even though Duke was pretty much her Boyfriend right now.
Lauren raised her eyebrow. "Shay? Is it a date?"
"Yes, that's the whole point of being in a relationship isn't it? You go on dates, spend time together and make it into something more. I would've come out with that in the first place, but I know how weird you and Mom get" Shay sighed.
"Correction, your Mom gets weird. I'm weary, but I know that you'll be responsible because that's how I raised you. Even though you kind of spat on that when you decided to throw a party without our permission. But, you've done your time for that" Lauren was giving her credit.
Shay didn't know if that was a yes or a no. "So, does that mean I can go?" She asked, hopefully.
Against her better judgement, Lauren gave her the okay. Even though she knew that Bo wouldn't be happy that no one told her. "Be back before ten, not a second longer. Got it?" She made eyes at her.
"Got it Mom. Okay, I'm gonna get changed…" Shay ran up to her smiling, kissing her baby sister on her head. "… Catch you later baby" she went straight for the stairs.
Lauren looked down to the baby in her arms. "Do me a favour, and learn from your big sister's mistakes. Make good choices" she chuckled, earning a smile from the baby.
Later
Bo walked in from a long day in work, she's chased after three criminals today. And got grazed by a bullet. But it was barely a wound, it just looked like a scratch. So Dyson wrapped it up for her and they got on with their day.
Per Lauren's request, Bo had stopped off to get some dinner for them. Her Girlfriend didn't feel like cooking tonight, and Bo was hopeless when it came to frying an egg. So restraint takeout was the better option.
She placed the bag on the kitchen counter, "Lauren?" She called out, emptying the contents of the bag. She didn't see her Girlfriend in the lounge when she came in.
Just then, Lauren walked into the room from downstairs. "Right here, I had to change my shirt. Izzy spit up on me, naturally…" she chuckled, stepping into the kitchen. She watched Bo take her jacket off and then reach for their daughter. "… Wait a minute, what happened?" She looked at her bandaged arm.
"Oh, it's just a graze. Dyson looked at it, and it's fine" Bo assured her.
Lauren wasn't buying it. "Yeah right, Dyson can't eat a pack of peanuts with out spilling the bag. Like I would ever trust him with an actual injury. Let me see" she adjusted the way that she was holding Izzy.
"Lauren, listen to me. It's fine, you can look at it later. Can we just get Jamie and Shay down here so we can eat? Please?" Bo loved how concerned she was, but her wound was fine.
Rolling her eyes in defeat, Lauren decided to let it go. "Fine, but it's just us tonight. Jamie went out with some friends from his hockey team" she was glad that Jamie was doing so well, he joined the Hockey team two weeks after enrolling. And he was one the best players.
"And Shay?" Bo asked, knowing something was off.
"She's out" Lauren said, walking over to the living room with Izzy in tow.
Bo knew that was a vague response, because obviously Shay was out somewhere that Bo wouldn't approve of. She picked up two meals and took them over to the living room, sitting down to see Lauren settling Izzy into her little seat. "Lauren? Where is she?"
Lauren sat up with a sigh, "She's on a date with Duke…" She instantly saw Bo's eyes widen so she decided to try and diffuse the situation, "… And it's okay. She's a big girl Bo. You can't keep her away from everyone. Especially not her own Boyfriend" she heard Bo turn away with a groan at the mention of the term.
"Where's he taken her?" Bo asked.
"To the movies, and she promised to be back before ten. So will you relax now please?" Lauren loved that Bo was protective, it was one of the best things about her. But it was unnecessary sometimes.
Bo held her hands up, bowing out of the discussion. "Fine, I'll let it go. If you say it's okay, then it's okay. She's getting off easy you know, my Mom never allowed me to date when I was her age" she started tearing into her food.
That just made Lauren laugh, "That didn't stop you from dating Kyle. So let's not play this game okay? She's growing up Bo, you can't expect her to stay a kid forever"
"I know…" Bo sighed, now that she thought about it she was being a bit unreasonable. "… I need to ease off a bit. And I will, I promise. Besides, I've got a new little lady to be overbearing with" she looked over to Izzy who was just sitting there and smiling at them.
"Bo" Lauren looked at her.
"Kidding…" Bo chuckled, though she really wasn't. "… How's she been today?" She hadn't had the time to check in today. So she was curious to know what'd been going on.
Lauren turned her head, seeing Izzy already falling asleep in her seat. She remembered Shay doing this all of the time when she was born. "Quiet…" She said. "… She's doing good" she started eating her food.
Bo was glad, but she was still being attentive to Lauren. "And how's Mommy doing?" She sat a little closer to her Girlfriend with a smile. If it wasn't for Lauren then Izzy and Shay wouldn't be here, Bo loved her for that.
"Mommy is tired, still a little sore too. But all in all, I'm great" Lauren was happy to report that, she was loving life at the moment. She had everything, a partner that was the love of her life, two beautiful daughters, and an adoptive son that she was really starting to care for.
Everything was coming up Lauren.
After eating their dinner in peace, Bo was sitting on the couch with Izzy who had woken up from her little nap. And was all giggles and smiles as her Mother bounced her gently. Lauren was in the kitchen, cleaning up and putting the left overs in the fridge.
This seemed like a normal thing to do, having dinner, having time with their kids. It was so mundane of them. Living in the world that they did, they never thought that this was possible.
Lauren never thought that she would have this kind of life after everything that'd happened. The mistakes that she'd made, had given her an eye opening. She thought that taking Shay away from all things Fae, would protect her.
But she was dead wrong, because without Bo and the rest of their wacky family. Shay was unprotected, and by doing that Lauren had put her daughter in danger. For that, she would always carry guilt.
For Shay, and most of all for Bo.
Looking over to where her Girlfriend was playing with Izzy, just made her realise just how big of a mistake that she'd made. Bo had never expressed that she wanted children, ever. But that didn't mean that Lauren had the right to assume that she never would.
Because as she watched from afar, she could see the happiness and the pure joy in Bo's eyes, she could hear it in her laugh. Bo loved being a Mother, and she was cut out for it.
Lauren was glad that having Izzy could make up for some of the hurt that she'd caused Bo, not that Izzy was born for that purpose. Bo wouldn't love her any less than Shay, and she'd never pick a favourite. Lauren knew that.
But it was nice to see Bo this way, because Lauren never thought she would get the chance to. Especially if they'd stayed away like she had intended to years ago.
Her assumptions for her relationship with Bo had changed when she left, dramatically. But her feelings, never wavered. And they never would.
They were a family now, and a pretty kick ass one at that. With Trick's law in place, they were safe. Whoever came after them now, was either hard of hearing or just plain stupid.
Lauren wouldn't change anything.
Bo stood up with Izzy in her arms, "This one's pretty tired, and I sure could use some sleepy too. Care to join me blondie?" She gave an inviting smile.
"Thought you'd never ask Succubus" Lauren turned off the lights to the kitchen, it was only a little after 9 p.m. But they were both exhausted, and so was little Izzy. Shay and Jamie had their own keys, thanks to the little stunt that Tamsin pulled before.
Going to bed, and testing their tired eyes sounded like the perfect ending to their perfect night. And their were plenty of more perfect nights to come.
Everything was good.
….
A/N: Aww, how sweet! You're all probably a bit skeptical about that ending. But the truth is, I didn't want to rush it. I want it to feel natural, so I wasn't going to do just write in a time jump that would've taken me a while to write. Besides, I want to leave it open because I feel like I might want continue it in a sequel someday.
Thank you to everyone who favourited, followed and took the time to read this story. It had been one of my favourites, I'll be honest. But I've got lots more ideas bouncing around in my noggin! So rest assured I will be back.
Much love xoxox