In Her Arms

Bo's boots thudded softly against the polished floors, the sound echoing off the clinically white walls as she maneuvered her way towards Lauren's lab. It was eerily quiet especially after the chaos of the afternoon where doctors, interns and various staff ran amok, carting in wounded Elders and medical equipment. Now, however, it was silent as a tomb. Too silent; the kind that spoke of a haunting sadness and lingering pain. Worry filled Bo, wrapping its tendrils around her heart and squeezing unkindly. She quickened her pace.

Reaching the lab doors, Bo found one ajar and she silently slipped in, unwilling to disturb the palpable hush that saturated the place. Her molten chocolate eyes immediately found Lauren; it was hard not to be drawn toward the blonde despite Bo's mutinous attitude toward the doctor over the past few weeks.

The blonde in question was sequestered by the side of The Ash's bed, one hand cradling the unconscious man's heavily bandaged hand. Lauren's thumb was brushing back and forth intermittently across the bandages and it struck Bo that the action had no conscious thought behind it. It was a blatant gesture of love and caring and Bo realized, with a guilty jolt, that there was more to Lauren and The Ash's relationship than Lauren simply belonging to him. The fact that the blonde was here in the middle of the night, sitting sentinel by his bed was ample proof of that revelation.

'I don't know you at all, do I?' Bo thought ruefully. "Lauren," was what she said aloud. The name fell unbidden from her lips, tumbling over her tongue like a small whispered prayer.

Lauren did not flinch at the sound of her name. Though she had not heard Bo come in, she immediately felt the succubus' presence the moment the brunette entered the room. Bo had a commanding presence what with her being Fae and a penchant for attention grabbing leather outfits but there was something else about her, something within that set Lauren's internal radar on alert every time she walked into the room. However, right now, she did not want to face Bo. Lauren was tired, too tired. Today probably rivaled the event that occurred in Lauren's past and she was still on edge from all the pandemonium that had occurred when Bo's mother sent a suicide bomber to kill off the Higher Light Fae Elders.

Therefore, when she heard her name being called again, she heaved a great sigh and turned her head, revealing bloodshot eyes and gaunt cheeks damp with tears. Her face was pallid and the blonde's hair, normally meticulously styled, was now in slight disarray as though agitated fingers had been carding through them with vicious intent.

Lauren's physical appearance combined with the haunted look she bore had Bo all but running toward the doctor. Dropping to her knees in front of the blonde, Bo grasped Lauren's free hand. "Lauren," she repeated, her voice breaking slightly at the sight of the doctor looking so uncharacteristically vulnerable and lost.

"I know I promised you that talk, Bo, but please," Lauren's voice was a mere whisper, her voice raspy from hours of crying. "Please. Not now."

"I didn't come here for that." It was the truth. Bo did not come to have that talk with Lauren; she came simply because her instincts told her this was where she needed to be.

Lauren heard the ring of sincerity, the note of truth in Bo's voice. She nodded once and returned her gaze back to The Ash, unable, unwilling to look into dark liquid brown eyes that shone with sympathy. She knew if she kept looking at Bo, it would break her resolve and the blonde was already emotionally tapped out. Wanting a distraction, she allowed her gaze to flicker up to the life support machine, which bleeped softly and proclaimed stable but unchanging vitals. Doe like eyes tracked its way back to The Ash, who lay on the bed, a stark white bandage on his forehead, with various cuts, bruises and burns scattered across his face like mismatched jigsaw puzzle pieces. A lump lodged itself in Lauren's throat and she fought hard not to fall apart at the seams.

Bo could feel the sorrow emanating off the blonde; it radiated off her in waves, pushing at Bo with a relentless force that was almost tangible. The succubus could see from the tautness of Lauren's shoulders and the way she kept swallowing that the doctor was fighting tooth and nail not to just break down and cry again.

"Lauren," Bo whispered again. Saying the doctor's name was fast becoming a soothing mantra for her as much as Lauren. She clasped the blonde's hand tighter, tangling their fingers together and still kneeling beside Lauren, she reached up with her other hand to cup the doctor's cheek, forcing her to look at Bo. The pain swirling in Lauren's milk chocolate eyes tore at Bo's heart and for the second time that night, another huge surge of guilt bombarded the succubus. It was patently obvious that Bo has gravely misinterpreted what The Ash meant to Lauren and possibly vice versa.

"Lauren." The name came out as a tremulous murmur.

The doctor felt a tremor shudder throughout her already exhausted body. She felt the sting of tears prick her eyes, burning her pupils but valiantly held them in. Tears were useless at this point. Again, she tried to turn away from Bo but the succubus refused, coercing Lauren to look into eyes that had been her undoing when they first encountered each other.

"Go home, Bo." The blonde's voice was as flat and mechanical as Bo had ever heard it. "You don't belong here." It was obvious that Bo was not going to leave so Lauren changed tack, hoping the jab at the succubus' non-allegiance would send the succubus away.

Bo tried not to let that last part hurt; she knew Lauren was hurting and simply trying to remain strong. She did not want to appear weak in front of Bo but when would the doctor realize that she did not always need to hide behind that cool exterior she wore so well?

"I'm not leaving," Bo said stubbornly, her voice brooking no argument. "You need me," she continued, hoping that that did not sound as conceited to Lauren as it did to Bo's own ears. "Let me help you, Lauren," Bo finished, her voice crackling with emotion. She gazed deep into the other woman's eyes, eyes that swam with tears yet to fall and Bo wanted to cry herself for she had never seen Lauren looking so…broken.

When Lauren felt Bo's thumb caress away the few smatterings of tears that resolutely rolled down her cheeks, the thin veneer of control she had been clinging onto with sheer desperation slipped from her grasp.

Bo was there to catch her when Lauren's dam of emotions crumbled. The ragged sob that clawed its way out of Lauren's throat ripped at Bo's soul as she scrambled to her feet, lifted Lauren off the chair and spun them both around so that Bo was now seated and Lauren was cradled preciously in her lap.

For how long they sat, Bo did not know. She did not care. She would have sat here all night and all day if she had to, if it meant that Lauren knew that she was not alone, that Bo was there for her. The succubus found herself crying along with Lauren as the blonde buried her face in the crook of Bo's neck, wetting her skin and collar with her torrent of tears. Bo cried for Lauren, for the gauntlet of pain Lauren was being put through though she did not know the extent of Lauren's pain. She cried for herself, for the mess that had become her life; for her mother, who had some sordid past with people who she thought were her friends but only to find out that they held secrets from her; for Lauren, whom she had greatly underestimated and hurt. Bo cried because, like the woman in her arms, she was left asunder, torn apart and scattered to the four winds and she did not know if she would ever be whole again.

"It's ok, I've got you," Bo murmured through her tears. Her voice was thick and choked but she made no effort to mask her own hurt or the way she clung onto Lauren almost as tightly as Lauren clung onto her. "Let it go." This was said for Bo's benefit as much as Lauren's.

Time passed, slowly or quickly, neither woman knew nor cared. Lauren's gut wrenching sobs had quelled to the occasional sniffle and hiccup and all the while Bo held her, anchored her, soothed her. She felt the brunette's hand in her hair, sifting deceptively strong yet supple fingers through the soft silky strands. She felt Bo's other hand on the small of her back, rubbing slow circles through the material of her shirt. But most of all, she felt Bo's protective presence; it blanketed her like a warm summer breeze and coaxed tensed muscles into relaxing.

"Bo." Lauren's voice was low, hoarse and her throat ached from the simple act of uttering that one word.

"I'm right here." Bo looked down at the doctor's blotted face, red from crying, her eyes rimmed with dark circles, lashes glistening with the remnants of tears. She had no doubt that her own face mirrored Lauren's but to Bo the doctor had never looked more beautiful. This was the side of Lauren that Bo rarely got to see; the true Lauren, the one that allowed her emotions free reign. Not the Lauren that hid behind the façade of the cold clinical doctor.

Lauren's heart ached at the twin streaks of tears that tracked down Bo's cheeks. She reached up and smoothed away a clinging tear, a smile ghosting her lips as Bo closed her eyes at her touch.

Her cheek still tingling from where Lauren's finger touched her, Bo returned the gesture by tucking an errant blonde lock that had tumbled down the doctor's forehead behind her ear. Then on an impulse, she leaned down to gently brush her lips gently across Lauren's. There was nothing erotic about the kiss; it was simply a gesture of comfort and a way to convey to Lauren that she was here for her.

Lauren nodded, understanding. She picked up one of Bo's hands, kissed the brunette's knuckles before returning it back to where it had taken residence, draped across the doctor's waist. "Thank you."

Bo responded by dropping another kiss, this time on the top of Lauren's head. No more words needed to be said. She was here, in Lauren's arms and Lauren in hers because it was right. This was where she needed to be and seated tangled together in a tight embrace was all that mattered right now. What tomorrow would bring could wait.

THE END

A/N – Ok, first, wow! The finale was stunning. It had action, it had drama, it had tragedy and of course, with Kenzi, it had some comedic relief. I thought I'd do a one shot piece of the aftermath of all the chaos that occurred after The Ash and the other High Elders were almost blown to smithereens and Bo and her (crazy, psychotic, insane) mother's succubus smackdown. It's just my interpretation of Lauren's relationship with The Ash; she seemed so undone when they brought the guy in all unconscious and at death's door. It's a one shot for now, but maybe if I'm inspired I might make it into a proper story.