New Directions (1/2) PG 13 by Jeannie Ecklund Gersknightlady@yahoo.com

This is a Val piece. No infringement of anyone's rights intended. I
am just borrowing these characters purely for my and other fans
enjoyment. My two betas', Desiree Collins and Lisa Harvey did an
excellent job. I loved all your suggestions so have left them in.
Permission for anyone to archive on any Forever Knight fanfic site.
Just let me know. Thanks so very much. Feed back is desired.


New Directions

Natalie checked herself in the mirror one more time. She nodded
approvingly as her eyes ran over her dress and makeup. She was
dressed to kill. A body hugging blood red strapless gown of red
velvet fit her body like a glove. Ruby red heels and thick waves of
hair layered about her shoulders completed her look. She was quite
pleased. All those baggy sweaters had hid the results of her new diet
well.

She was going to make an impression on Nick at the office ball
tonight. She got into her car and drove to the ball. She'd made him
promise to be there.

She arrived at the same time that Capt. Reese and his wife, Denise,
did. Reese's eyes widened as he glanced over her. He said, "Dr.
Lambert, you look wonderful tonight." But he thought, "Dressed to
kill. If this doesn't work on Knight I have no idea what will."

"Doctor, would you like to accompany Denise and myself into the hall?"

She smiled gratefully. "That would be nice. Nick's not arriving till
later." They made their entrance and spent time making the rounds
visiting with colleagues and friends. After a time Natalie began to
watch the entrance for Nick. He told her he had to take care of
something and wouldn't be able to take her. She'd been disappointed
but decided nothing was going to spoil her evening. She was surprised
when Tracy came through the door on Vachon's arm. She watched the
young looking vampire very closely. He was impeccably dressed in a
tux and had his hair drawn back. He looked very handsome, and Natalie
envied Tracy. At least he was attentive and seemed to have eyes only
for her.

She loved Nick so much, and she knew he cared deeply for her. Yet
she always was left wanting, and he never slipped. She knew he vowed
not to complicate her life. But she wanted some assurance that he
really loved her. Knowing he loved her might make the emptiness
better. She frowned and thrust the thoughts to the back of her mind.

Natalie stood at the edge of the group she was with and watched them
move from group to group as Tracy introduced her friend. Vachon
sipped from the glass of red wine in his hand. He seemed at home in
this party atmosphere, and Natalie began to wonder how many young
beautiful women had lost their lives over the centuries by succumbing
to the charms of the vampire Vachon.

She heard Tracy's phone ring and saw her dig into the tiny clutch
she carried. She saw the young woman's face frown as she spoke
angrily into the phone, snapped it shut, and quickly looked around
the room. Tracy started toward her, causing her heart to sink.

Tracy stood before her the frown still deep in her forehead. She
cursed under her breath at her partner. "Why couldn't Nick be a man?"
"Natalie, hi. You look fantastic."

Natalie said, "Thanks."

Natalie smiled at Vachon. "Hello."

Tracy quickly introduced her, thankful for the brief distraction.

After there was nothing else to say she stammered, "Huh, Natalie, I
got a call from Nick..." Her voice trailed off.

"He's not coming, is he?" Natalie stated flatly.

"He said he had a family obligation that came up. Did you know that
he had family here?"

The blonde detective saw tears well up in Natalie's eyes, but she
blinked them away and anger took their place. She had turned half
away from them, "Well, I guess that's my cue to call it a night."

"Stay. Join us. I can spare Vachon for a few dances." She offered.
"You're the most beautiful woman here tonight, men will line up..."

Natalie cut her off with a weak smile. "Thanks, Trace. Guess Nick
will never know what he missed," she said quietly as she moved away.

"Oh, he'll know," she called after the doctor. Then she said to
Vachon, "I'll make damn sure he hears, rather loudly."

Vachon grimaced. He sure wouldn't want to be in Nick's shoes when
Tracy got a hold of him. Knight was a fool.

Natalie was fuming by the time she got to the car. "Family
obligations, LaCroix, damn him. How would he know I was trying to
dazzle Nick tonight? He must have someone watching me." She got into
the car and started to drive. She got madder and madder and finally
found herself across the street from the Raven.

She watched for a while as strange people came and went. She finally
got out of her car took a deep breath and headed across the street.

The bouncer was turning people away but when he saw Natalie, he
waved her on through. She saw that his eyes followed her as she went
through the door. Was it her outfit or did he recognize her and have
orders to let her in? She paused inside the dim smoky room and
surveyed the crowed below. The music was loud and jarring and the
lighting was very dim.

There seemed to be a commotion in one place as a large group of
people pressed around in a circle. Fearing someone was hurt, she
hurried down the ramp to help.

As she got near, she realized they were watching a couple dance. She
pushed her way into the crowd and stood transfixed and horrified.
There was Nick and Janette. Wrapped around each other. Their bodies
were moving to the music in perfect sync. Their hands slid over each
other in the most sensuous manner, and their lips stole kisses as
they moved. It was obvious that they neither saw nor heard anyone
around them. They were only seeing and feeling each other. Natalie's
heartbeat so hard in her chest she was sure she was a human beacon
for all the other vampires in the club. When had Janette returned?
Was this the family obligation€¦... she saw Nick take Janette's hand
and the crowd parted as they moved away toward the back room of the
Raven. The light caught his face a moment, and Natalie saw amber in
his eyes.

She turned blinded by tears, attempting to push away the crowd that
seemed to collapse in on her. Panicked, she attempted to scream as a
hand grabbed her, literally extracting her from the crowd. She was
propelled away from the crowd and into a small office, face to face
with LaCroix.

She screamed at him, "Why did you bring me back here? Why can't you
let Nick and I alone?"

Doctor, I assure you I did not ask Janette to come here. This was
her choice. She and Nicholas belong together. They are one in a way
you can never be. They will go through the centuries together. Nick
can be happy. Don't you want him to be happy? He will never be human.
As long as he strives for that goal pain will follow."

"Nick will never love you like he does Janette. You must accept
this. He cannot love you. You have made a choice not to join him as
he is. This leaves no room for choices. Please give this up, Dr.
Lambert."

She was out of her mind with grief and came at him striking him in
the face and chest. He pinned her arms to her sides and held her in a
vice grip against his chest. She cried and cried, and he stood
restraining her for sometime.

She finally slumped against his chest. He released her and was
surprised when her arms went around him and she held onto him. "I
cannot lose him, LaCroix, what am I to do without him?"

LaCroix put an arm around her to steady her and found the sensation
rather enjoyable. She smelled so good. The fragrance of jasmine
brought back a memory of his mother. He pressed his lips to her
forehead. "You can not have what was truly never yours to have."

Natalie drew back and saw in his eyes that he was somehow saying it
to himself as he said it to her. She saw the shock in his face as,
finally after 800 years with Nick, he was realizing it too. He pushed
her gently away and turned away himself. He seemed to sway, and
Natalie came to his side, supported him, and pushed him into the
chair at the desk.

"I have been a fool," he said. "I have hounded Nicholas for
centuries to give what he cannot."

Natalie was so surprised by this sudden unexpected change in this
2000-year-old vampire that she could do nothing but stare at him as
if he had grown two heads, then she got angry.

"You're full of it. You can't tell me you are just coming to this
conclusion after all this time, after the many words you and Nick
must have exchanged. Why would this moment change anything in that
thick, monstrous head of yours...you...."

LaCroix turned, the pain in his eyes stopped Natalie short. "Go
home, Dr. Lambert." he said; his eyes were amber, and his fangs
extended. "GO home."

Natalie turned and fled the Raven and her hope of ever loving Nick
again. Natalie booked off for the next week and refused all of Nick's
calls. After a few days, he stopped calling. That told her more than
she wanted to know.

She headed down to the corner store one night that week to get some
groceries. She was just turning the corner when she noticed a figure
across the street. It was LaCroix. Her heart entered her throat, and
she was going to turn away and run for the light of the store when he
motioned her over. "Please." His voice whispered over the wind.

She took a deep breath and crossed the street. "What do you want?"
she asked, as she got closer.

"I only wanted to know how you were."

"Really."

"Yes, would you walk with me?" he asked.

"I'm not so sure going for a walk with a vampire is the best of
ideas. Especially one who has never had much to do with me."

LaCroix smiled that thin evil smile, "I assure you, Doctor, I will
not harm you. I am well fed."

Natalie looked at him curiously. Was he actually smiling genuinely
at her and making some sort of joke. She found him oddly handsome
tonight.

"Please," he said again, motioning in a direction toward the park.

"All right. A short walk."

He seemed to relax a bit and turned toward the park.

Natalie stepped in at his side. She found she had to look up at him;
he was a good deal taller. She realized as they walked in silence for
a bit that he smelled of fine men's cologne, and his suit was finely
tailored. He even reached out to place his finger at her elbow to
help guide her.

"Why do you want to see me, LaCroix? What could possibly have
brought you here?"

"That's a good question. I did want to be reassured that you were
okay. I have felt an emptiness, this week. One not felt in centuries.
I knew you must feel similarly."

"Yes," she said.

"Nicholas and Janette have decided to move on." He stated slowly. "I
am going to remain here for a while longer."

"Nick's leaving." Natalie felt her emotions tumble, and she took a
shaky breath. She felt lost and stumbled.

LaCroix placed an arm around her waist to steady her. She found it
somewhat comforting." You haven't talked to him."

"No." She said angrily. "He stopped calling. He knows where I live.
If he really wanted to talk to me."

"Yes, I agree. I have spoken very little to him as well."

"Why, LaCroix? Why are you suddenly letting go?"

"Lucien, please." He looked down at her.

"Lucien," she repeated.

"I have what I wanted. Nick is who he was meant to be. With Janette
at his side, he will stay that way. There is no need for my
interference anymore."

"Why come to me? I am the last person you should want to talk to.'

"You might look at it that way, but you loved Nicholas. There is no
one else I can talk to about him."

Natalie looked up at him. "I don't really want to talk about him.
Not now. It's too raw; it hurts too much."

"Yes." He nodded. They were in the park now and he turned to her and
drew her against him. She started to push away but leaned in against
him and felt his arms hold her.

She cried against him and somehow she knew in her heart he cried
with her. LaCroix surprised her. He held her close and gently stroked
her hair.

Her hair was wonderfully soft, she was so warm and alive. Yet he did
not feel the need to feed. That astonished him.

The scent of Natalie's perfume wafted up to him. It seemed to calm
the Beast. After a time he felt Natalie stiffen and pull away. Yet he
held her close even as he gave her enough space to look up into his
face.

He saw another face looking up at him, eyes brimming with tears. The
scent of white roses seem to fill the air.

Natalie saw LaCroix gaze at her. Was that compassion and confusion,
then some sort of shock? She also smelled the roses. She thought it
odd but she didn't try to move away or look around; she studied his
face. She wanted to touch his face suddenly. She reached trembling
fingers up and touched his face. This was Lucien LaCroix, not the
vampire. For the first time she realized she was looking at the man.
He was vulnerable and confused.

Her body trembled, because she suddenly realized he was going to
kiss her. Not only that, but she wanted him to kiss her.

LaCroix stared into Natalie's face and heard Fleur. "It's time
Lucien. It's time for you to let me go. You can be happy again. It's
all right to love another, my love. I free you from our Bond."
LaCroix felt a freedom and a lightness he had not felt in 800 years.

He leaned and captured Natalie's lips. Warm alive, so sweet. The icy
coldness in his heart thawed, and he realized she was kissing him
back. It surprised and pleased him.

Her arm came around him and held him close. He felt her fingers slid
up his neck to brush against his soft short hair.

He picked her up against him deepening the kiss. The moment was
magical. When the kiss ended, they stood clinging to each other. The
gentle night breeze caressed them. They were two very unlikely people
discovering Nicholas was no longer the center of their world. They
could go on with out Nicholas. Natalie finally whispered, "What just
happened, LaCroix?"

"Lucien," she said.

"Lucien," she repeated, liking the sound of his first name.

"I believe a spirit visited us. It was someone from my past. I was
released from a bond formed centuries ago. Released to look to the
future. "

She looked up, puzzled. "I will explain later. Come, let me walk you
back to your apartment."

For the next couple weeks, LaCroix would appear on the street after
dark and Natalie would see him waiting for her from her apartment
window. They walked and talked and came to know one another.

One night he held out his arm, and Natalie smiled and wrapped her
arm through his. She brought her other hand up and interlaced it
through his cool fingers. He seemed pleased. She realized suddenly
that she was no longer so devastated or alone. Let Nick be happy.
Could she possibly find happiness elsewhere? The fact that she
amazingly discovered that she had feeling for another vampire did not
bother her. It made her feel powerful.

When they got to the steps of her apartment she held on and pulled
at him, "Please come up, Lucien, Please."

"It's late, and I need to feed," he said softly, not really wanting
to call attention to his vampiric needs.

She smiled, "I can accommodate your needs."

She saw his eyebrow rise.

She laughed, "I have some bottled..."

"Not Nicholas' preferred stock, I fear."

"No, I can give you a fine vintage bloodwine. I promise you it's not
cow."

Intrigued, he let her pull him up the stairs and into the entryway.
They took the elevator up to her apartment. 

The first room was nauseatingly bright, but the second room was
cool, calm, and relaxing. "Make yourself at home. I'll go get the
bottle."

LaCroix wandered around the room, looked at her knickknacks, and
studied some of the titles of her books that filled some of the
shelves along the walls. There was a numerous amount of medical
books, but also novels. There was Moby Dick, Tale of Two Cities,
Great Expectations, and other classic novels.

Natalie swept back into the room and handed him a warm mug. "This is
a fine vintage, I was saving it for a very special occasion. This may
not be the original plan, but I'd very much like you to have it."

LaCroix brought the mug up to his nose and a wonderful bouquet
touched his senses.

It was definitely, human. He sipped at it and was overwhelmed with
love. Love had some how been bottled. He took a big swallow and
closed his eyes. Not only love but overwhelming desire. Desire for a
physical union and an overwhelming desire for an endless future.

He went to his knees with a moan of pleasure.

"Lucien!" Natalie cried out, going down on her knees before him.

"Nicholas was a fool," he gasped finally, "A fool."

Natalie sat back on her heels, "Yes, he was, Lucien. I gave him so
much, and he gave nothing back. I offer this all to you. As amazing
as this seems, it feels right."

"You want to be brought across? You really want that?" he asked
amazed, "Why did you work so hard to change Nicholas?"

She smiled sadly, "Because he wanted it, and I fancied myself in
love with him." She took his hand, "Lucien, I want to see the far
future. I want to live in it. I can't do that as a mortal."

They stood now. "Nicholas might tell you that I am not the best of
masters."

She took the mug away from him and set it aside, "I think it will be
different for us. It's a different age. Blood is donated, and I won't
have to kill." Her eyes held that determined look. A look he loved to
see on her face.

Lucien's eyes flared a minute, then he pushed her away and sighed.
"You are right. You will not have to kill. Nicholas would have never
given up human blood if it had not been part of the package. I will
not make the same mistake with you, Natalie."

He walked away, and she followed, placing her hand on his back, "I
know you won't. Let me be a wife to you, Lucien."

"You want to be a wife, not a daughter?"

Stepping around to face him, she took his hand kissing the back of
it and placing it against her cheek. "Most definitely a wife. You are
an amazing creature. As your partner and wife we can do whatever we
want."

Lucien stared down at her, amazed. He put his hands on her face. His
eyes became amber. "If this is what you wish, my dear."

Natalie's heart beat faster; he did not smell fear on her, only
excitement.

"Do you want to wait a few days to get your life in order here?"

Natalie laughed a sad laugh, "I already have, I was planning on
gifting Nick with the bloodwine after the Ball. I had hoped it would
convince him once and for all that I wanted him anyway I could get
him. If it meant me being brought across, so be it." She caressed his
face, "I am glad it worked out this way."

"You really want me and not Nicholas?"

"Yes, Lucien," she slipped her arms around his neck, urging him to
bend down, and then she kissed him quite thoroughly. "You already
care deeply for me; I can tell." She smiled confidently up at him, "I
want someone who will put me first. I know that I will put you first.
You need me."

For the first time in 800 years LaCroix felt hope. He felt the
intense loneliness in his heart recede. Here was a woman who would
love him. She already cared deeply. He would know for sure when he
tasted her blood from the source.

"Come, my dear, if we are to do this let us do it right."

He led her to the bedroom. He kissed her deeply and slowly, and they
carefully and slowly removed each other's clothes.

Lucien looked down at her peach colored body glowing with life and
warmth. "I will regret ending this life of yours. You are so
beautiful." His fingers caressed her body. He was as gentle as he
could be, afraid she would break.

Natalie ran her fingers over his body, hard muscles, and fine
alabaster skin. He was cool, as if carved from marble. Yet the
finally chiseled skin yielded to her touch.

Lucien picked her up and laid her on the bed. He covered her warm
body with his cool one. She moaned under the expertise of his gentle
fingers and mouth.

Their bodies joined in a blending as if they had been made for each
other. He made love to her as a man. At the moment of climax the
vampire appeared, his fangs sinking gently into the soft flesh of her
neck.

She clung to him, seeing what he was and what he had been. He'd
changed so much in the last few weeks that they had gotten to know
each other. His longing for love and acceptance matched her own. Her
blood took the darkness away from his soul. Yet as he drained her, he
knew it would not change her. He drew back and studied her pale face.
It was the face of Love. He tore open his wrist and his blood flowed
past her lips.

Natalie felt his love flow into her, and she grabbed his wrist and
suckled it down. He finally pulled away and laid her back against the
pillows, and she slipped into the final death of her mortal body. He
went to the kitchen to feed on the bottles of blood wine she had
bottled for Nick. When she woke he would make her his wife, and they
would live side by side. The future no longer seemed so lonely and
bleak.

He got on the phone and ordered a case of the best un-cut blood to
be sent to her apartment. It wasn't 20 minutes later before a
delivery boy brought the case. LaCroix took the heavy box from the
sweating boy and handed him a large bill.

The boy gave a whoop of excitement, thanked him, and ran down the
stairs two at a time.

LaCroix noted, pleased, that Natalie already had blackout drapes.
For Nicholas' benefit no doubt. His son had been a fool not to see
this woman's worth.

Changes being as they were over the centuries, LaCroix had little
doubt that he and Nicholas would one day fight over Natalie. Even
vampires tired of one another. Their relationships often went in
cycles. Many times returning to each other as Nicholas and Janette
where doing right now.

LaCroix intended to enjoy being with Natalie to the fullest. Maybe
she was right, and she would love him enough to remain with him for
all eternity.

He threw his robe off and climbed back into the bed pulling Natalie
against him. He regretted only one thing. She was no longer warm. Her
skin was now taking on that pale pallor of death.

Toward evening of the next night, Natalie stirred. LaCroix was up
and ready thrusting bottle after bottle into her hands. When she was
nearly sated, he allowed her to feed from him.

Her cries of pleasure, as she fed from him, made him want her body.
Their eyes turned amber and their fangs extended as they nipped at
each other, increasing the ferocity of their love and need for one
another.

LaCroix took her and in their climax bit into her shoulder. He only
took a mouthful of her altered blood, pleased that the taste had only
been enhanced.

They laid wrapped in each other's arms and legs. Natalie was more
content than she'd been in her life. She smiled at that thought and a
laugh escaped her lips.

"My dear, what gives you such pleasure?" he asked in his soft
sensual voice.

"Pleasure, pure pleasure, my love for you and my heightened senses.
It can't get better than this."

"I felt your love for me, Natalie. How can you love me so soon? We
hardly know each other."

"It's never been hard for me to love. You gave freely to me. Your
tenderness and devotion are what I have searched for. I cannot help
but love you."

"And Nicholas?" he asked.

"He always withheld his love. I have no doubt he loves me, but not
as a man loves a woman. Not enough for him to defy you. If he had,
would you have killed me?"

"Perhaps that night at Azure, I would have taken you. Brought you
across, but never destroyed you, my dear. It was never my intention."

Natalie turned to face him. She kissed him gently and snuggled
against him. "What now? We move on?"

"Yes, will you regret leaving your life here?"

"No, there is nothing for me here, not since Sidney died a few
months ago. I have nothing to tie me down."

"We will leave tomorrow night then. You'd better call in sick
tonight and fax a resignation. We will leave as soon as it gets dark
tomorrow night; I have a private jet."

Natalie smiled at him, caressing his cheek with her cool fingers, "I
will enjoy my life with you, Lucien, my love."

The end