Hello again! This is part two of Love Almost Lost. I hope you enjoyed
part one.   As always, Nick/Nat and the crew belong to Sony/TriStar,
etc., etc... I am just borrowing them. (Someone has to keep them
alive!)  This is an ADULT story, so please post it on the JADFE list,
Nick/Nat heading, and on the fanfic site, under an adult heading.
Some of you asked why Schanke is in the story with Reese and Tracy. I
hated when they killed him off, so I decided to make it so that Cohen
got transferred and Schanke went on a year-long personal leave. (Hey,
it's fiction! Isn't it?) I did like Tracy, so I kept her, too.  Enjoy!

*  *  *

One Soul
                                                                      

     *Nick sat in the leather chair near the large screen TV, reading
a forensics report. He looked up when he heard the door to Natalie's
room open.  He had fixed up the downstairs room, to accomadate Nat,
while she recuperated. He had insisted that she stay with him, to let
him take care of her.  Now, six weeks since the explosion, Nick was
feeling a bit like screaming in frustration. Natalie refused to talk
to anyone about the explosion, or the rape that had taken place three
weeks prior to that. She had totally closed in on herself, not really
talking to anyone, and sleeping for ten to twelve hours at a time. Dr.
Carpenter had told Nick that she was suffering from Post Traumatic
Stress Syndrome. He said it was very common, just be patient. 

The first few days after the explosion had been at once frightening
and wonderful. He was overjoyed that Nat was alive. Nat spent the
first two days under heavy sedation, caused by the pain medication. By
the third day, they were easing her off of it, so she was more alert.
By the fifth day, she was ready to go home (or so she said). Dr.
Carpenter had kept her for three more days, just to be safe.  Nick had
convinced Nat to come and stay with him, so Grace had gone to Nat's
place and gotten together everything Nat would need (including
Sydney).  Nat's stay had been uneventful. She had stayed in bed, or on
the sofa, for most of the time. She read, watched television, or
embroidered (he hadn't known she knew how to embroider). Nat had been
quiet, rarely asking for anything.  Nick had talked to Captain Reese
about the fax on Nat's attack. Captain Reese said that it had been
extremely brutal, and if not for the intervention of a friend of
Nat's, she would have died. Nick wondered who the friend was, but he
didn't want to press Nat. Everytime he brought up the subject, she
withdrew and changed the subject. Nick decided to let her take her own
time to talk about it.

But that was weeks ago. He needed answers, he needed to know.

Natalie saw Nick look up and smile at her as she came out of the guest
room. She managed a smile back. He was being so good to her. She felt
bad that she wasn't being a very good house guest. She shifted the
crutches, so that she could sit down on the sofa. In an instant, Nick
was there to help her.

"Here, Nat, let me help you. Can I get you anything?" Nick asked her.

"No. Thank you. I just needed a change of scenery. Did Dr. Carpenter
call?" She looked into his blue eyes for a moment. She saw the love
shining in them, and she looked away. How could he love her? If only
he knew.

"Nat? Are you okay?" Nick asked in concern. He saw the love in her
eyes for just a moment, before she looked away, a pained expression on
her face. 

Nat looked back at him. "Yeah. Just tired of being cooped up. Even
with all of the visitor's I've had, I still feel kind of isolated."
She mentally kicked herself. How could she have said that? He was
doing so much for her.

Nick smiled in triumph. It was the first time she had even hinted at
how she was feeling since the explosion.

"How about a ride down to the waterfront? We wouldn't have to walk,
just sit in the Caddie with the top down, enjoy the fresh air. What do
you say?"

Nat saw the smile on his face, the eager expression he wore. It would
be nice to get out...and how could she refuse him anything? He had
done so much for her these past few weeks. At last, she smiled back.
"Okay. Yeah. Let's go."

Nick grinned. "Wait here."  He came back a few minutes later, sweater
in hand. "Ready?" He asked, as he helped her up and then helped her
into the sweater.

Nat nodded, her mood lifting a bit. She smiled at him. "Yeah." She
took the crutches from him. "Okay. Let's go."

*  *  *

     *The night was incredibly beautiful. They sat overlooking Lake
Ontario, the top to the Caddie down, a warm summer breeze blowing
softly.  Nat looked up at the sky and sighed.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Nick asked her. He noticed how gorgeous she
looked by the light of the full moon.

Nat looked at Nick, the look of wonder and love on his face. He had
been patiently trying to get her to talk to him for weeks. She wanted
to tell him everything, but was afraid of his reaction. Maybe she
should start with something easy, like the explosion at her lab.
(EASY?) "Nick, I want to tell you how much I appreciate all that
you've done for me the last few weeks. You have been really great."

Nick gently stroked her hair. "My pleasure. You have done so much for
me in the time that I've known you. The very least I can do is help
you, now. I love you, Nat. I didn't tell you and I should have. When I
thought you were dead, all I could think of was how much I love you,
and how angry I was with myself for not telling you."

Nat looked at Nick, then smiled sadly. "I'm afraid you wouldn't feel
that way, if you knew everything about me."

Nick looked at her in amazement. How many times had he thought the
very same thing, in reverse? "Nat, it doesn't matter. Nothing matters,
but us." He frowned as he saw tears well up in her eyes. "Nat? What is
it?"

Nat froze suddenly and looked at the water's edge. Two figures were
approaching the Caddie.

Nick saw the look on Nat's face and followed her gaze. He saw the two
figures approaching, then put an arm protectively around Nat. 

Nat watched the men as they came closer. She frowned as she felt
something stir inside of her. "They're vampires." She whispered.

Nick looked sharply at Nat. "How do you know that?" He asked, knowing
that she was right.

"I don't know. They don't feel like mortals do. It's hard to explain."
The words were out before they registered. How the hell did she know
the difference in the way mortals and vampire's felt? She began to
shiver.

Before Nick could decipher the meaning of her words, the two vampires
were there. 

"Dr. Lambert. Nicholas. Please do not panic. We are not here to harm
you." One of them said. He looked to be about fiftyish, but Nick could
tell he was *much* older. 

"What is it you want?" Nick asked, feeling a little tense.

"I am here to check on Dr. Lambert. It has been some weeks since her
attack. I thought it best to give her some time. But she hasn't been
seen about, so I became concerned. How *are* you, Natalie?" He asked.

Nat looked at the vampire before her. She could tell he was very old,
older than Nick. His concern seemed genuine, but she was afraid that
he might say something to Nick about her attack. He couldn't hear it
like this.

"I'm fine, thank you. May I ask, who are you?" She had to be polite.

The vampire smiled at her. "I am called Shiloh. Of the tribe Imaras."

Nick's eyes widened in surprise. "May I ask, why is a member of the
high council concerned about the attack on Natalie?"

Shiloh looked at Nat. "You have not told him, my dear? May I ask you,
why?"

Nat looked at the Elder vampire, then at Nick. "I don't want to hurt
him. It hurts me enough."

Shiloh nodded. "May I suggest to you, however, that *not* telling him
is hurting him more? He needs to know. I am sending someone to talk to
you. She is a very good listener and she must tell you some things
about what will happen to you, as a result of your attack. You may
want to discuss this with him, first. I will leave you, now. Think
about it." With a sudden rush of air, they were gone.

Nick turned to look at Natalie.  "Nat? You want to tell me what's
going on?" He had a sinking feeling.

Nat looked up at the sky, in the direction the two vampires had flown
off. "I think maybe, I'd better."

*  *  *

     *Nick sat in stunned silence, holding Nat as she sobbed. So that
was it, a vampire. Nat had been raped by a vampire. Not just raped,
but horribly brutalized and bitten. And Janette and two other vampires
had stepped in and saved her. He tightened his embrace a bit, burying
his face in her hair and fighting back his own tears.  No wonder she
hadn't wanted to talk about it.   "Nat, listen to me. This wasn't your
fault. You didn't do anything wrong. He did this to you, and he paid
with his life. Nat, you didn't deserve that. No one does."

Nat looked up at Nick. "Didn't I? Nick, you don't know. I must deserve
something really terrible, because I've been punished my whole life. I
thought for once, when I met you, that something good was going to
happen to me. But we've been unable to find a cure, so we're kept
apart. God is punishing me, and I don't know why."

Nick looked at her and frowned in puzzlement. "Nat, what are you
talking about? You are the sweetest, most wonderful person I've ever
met. No one is more loving or compassionate than you."

Nat took a deep breath, then looked at the floor. "You already know
that my grandmother abused me. You already know that I've lost
everyone I ever loved, except you, in the last few years. First my
dad, then Richie, then Cynthia and my mom.  But you don't know the
rest."

Nick wiped the tears from her face. "Then tell me, Nat. Tell me what
makes you believe you're being punished. Tell me, my love. I'm here to
listen."

Nat sniffled a bit, then looked at Nick and nodded. "This isn't the
first time I've been raped, Nick. It happened once before, when I was
sixteen. I was a junior in high school, he was a senior. He thought
'no' meant 'yes', that I was just playing games. So he raped and beat
me. He threatened me and my family, told me not to tell anyone. Of
course, everyone knew I had been raped, I just was too afraid to tell
them by whom. Later, I found out that I was pregnant. I was
devastated. I tried to hide it, and did, until around my sixth month.
He found out and got really angry. He raped and beat me again. I woke
up in the hospital, to find out that I had miscarried, a baby boy. I
can't have kids, now, Nick. Ever. He took my virginity, then my
ability to have children." She wiped away the tears on her cheeks.
"I've only been with two men in my life, and both times I didn't have
a choice. Maybe I'm not meant to know the joy of true lovemaking." She
was crying again. "Even if I found a way to make you mortal, we
couldn't be together. I can't give you what you want. I can't give you
a family." She whispered the last few words, turning away from him. 

Nick's heart was breaking in two at the words she spoke. No wonder Nat
was so wary of men. No wonder the incident with Roger shook her up so
much. How had she endured so much, by herself? Nick softly stroked her
hair.

Never again would he allow her to suffer alone. He pulled her closer,
then began to gently wipe away the tears from her face. He kissed her
cheeks, tasting the salt of her tears.  "Nat, mortal or not, as long
as I have you, I'm happy. I love you. If I become mortal, we can
always adopt. If I don't..." He hesitated a moment. "I'd like to bring
you across. It has to be your choice, though."

Natalie pulled back slightly and looked at him. "What made you change
your mind? A few months ago, you wouldn't even consider it." 

Nick gently touched her face. "I realized that I can't go on without
you. If I remain a vampire and you remain mortal, eventually we'd be
seperated. I couldn't bear to lose you. Not now, not ever. At least if
you were a vampire, we could continue to search for a cure, together.
I hate the idea of condemning you to this hell, but if it means never
losing you... As I said, it has to be your choice. If it's not what
you want, I won't force it on you. I'd rather lose you, than have you
hate me for eternity."

Natalie smiled at him. She loved him so much, sometimes it hurt. "I
could never hate you, Nick. I--" She jumped at the sound of the
telephone. Reaching around Nick, she answered the phone.

Nick listened to both ends of the conversation, frowning slightly at
what he heard. 

"Dr. Lambert? This is Dr. Carpenter. I've got your x-ray results and
your blood work here, and I think we need to talk. Could you come into
my office, now?"

Natalie frowned. "Yes, of course. I'll have Nick drive me down right
away."

Nick looked at Nat as she hung up the phone. "What's going on?" He
asked. 

Nat looked at him. "I don't know. Let's go find out, shall we?"

*  *  *

     *Nat sat in Dr. Carpenter's office, looking at the x-ray results.
She looked back and forth at Nick and Dr. Carpenter as she spoke. "I
really don't understand it, either.  I have no idea how my ankle could
be completely healed in only six weeks. As for the blood anomaly's...
well, you're guess is as good as mine." She glanced at Nick, then
surrepticiously nodded her head toward Dr. Carpenter. 

Nick caught the movement, and the look she gave him. He moved closer
to the Dr.'s desk. As he caught the other man's gaze, he focused on
the sound of his heartbeat. "Dr., perhaps you made a mistake. Since
the initial x-rays were misplaced--" he said, as Nat began removing
things from her file, "perhaps her ankle was just sprained, not
broken."

Dr. Carpenter looked at Nick, spellbound. "Not broken..." He said
softly.

Nick smiled and nodded. "Yes. As for her blood tests, everything is
fine. Nat is perfectly healthy. In fact, she can go back to work in--"
Nick smiled as Nat held up seven fingers, "one week. She just needs
you to remove her cast, then she can go home."

Natalie quickly placed the stolen documents from her file into her
purse, then sat back in her chair. She looked at Nick, then nodded.

Dr. Carpenter shook his head and wiped his face with a hand. "Um, I'm
sorry. These late nights... Where was I? Oh, yes. I just need to
remove the cast and you can go home. I'm sorry to have made such a
mistake, but I suppose it is better to be safe, than sorry, eh?" He
smiled at Nat. "If you'll come with me?" 

*  *  *

     *Nat sat on the sofa, rubbing her ankle and foot.  "Oh, that is
*so* much better." She sighed. 

Nick smiled as he sat next to her, handing her a cup of coffee. "I'm
glad to hear it." He looked at her more seriously. "Nat, we really
need to talk about your blood test results. Something is happening to
you. Something that is a result of your attack."

Nat pulled the paper from her purse and looked at it. She frowned in
concentration. "I don't know, Nick. I can't make heads or tails of
this. I guess I could go to my lab at work--" She broke off as she
remembered that she no longer *had* a lab at work. "Well, I don't
know. I'll have to find some way of figuring it out." 

Nick watched the play of emotions on her beautiful face. He could see
the confusion and concern in her eyes. "Nat? Are you okay?" He set his
glass on the coffee table and leaned closer to her. He gently rubbed
her back, trying to ease some of the tension he felt there. 

"Yeah." She sighed, leaning into his hands. "I just don't know what to
do. Things are a little up in the air right now, and I hate that. I
don't know what to expect." She leaned her head to one side as Nick
began to massage her neck. "Ohhh, that feels sooo good. Did you remind
Schanke to thank Myra for the brownies? She really saved my life,
sending those over."  She sighed again, as Nick moved to her
shoulders. 

Nick laughed. "Yes. I think Schank was a little upset, though. He
thought she had made them for him." He leaned forward and kissed her
neck. He pulled away when he felt Nat stiffen. "Nat? Do you want me to
stop?" He asked her. 

Nat looked at him a moment. "No. I'm sorry. I guess it was just a knee
jerk reaction. Please, don't stop." She smiled encouragingly at him. 

Nick relaxed a bit, as he moved to continue massaging her back,
shoulders and neck. "Okay. But tell me if you want me to stop, and I
will." He smiled at Nat's slight nod.  For several minutes, he sat
rubbing the soreness out of Nat's muscles. He leaned forward and
kissed her neck again, being careful not to frighten her.  He
continued kissing her neck, moving up her jaw to her mouth. 

Nat turned in Nick's embrace, falling into the onslaught of kisses he
rained on her mouth, eyes, cheeks, nose and neck. When he came back,
his mouth searching for hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck and
pulled him closer. She was lost in the sensations his lips and hands
created within her. She barely noticed as his hands moved along the
front of her body, until she felt the coolness of his hand against the
warm flesh of her breast. Her eyes opened wide in astonishment, and
she gasped.  She pulled back slightly, noticing for the first time
that he had undone the buttons on her blouse and unhooked the front
clasp of her bra. 

Nick looked into Nat's eyes, silently asking her permission to
continue. He saw her beautiful smile, as she pulled his hands to her
breasts and leaned forward to kiss him.  Nick moved his hands up to
her shoulders, gently pushing away her blouse and bra. He kissed along
her jawline, down her neck. He moved lower, placing light, soft kisses
on her breasts, before pulling the tip of one into his mouth. 

Natalie shivered in delight and trepidation. She knew Nick would never
hurt her, but the memory of what had been done to her made her
apprehensive. She was determined not to let it stop her. How long had
she longed for this? No. She would not let the memories keep her from
being happy; from making love to the man she loved. 

Nick eased up a bit, unsure as to whether or not to continue. He felt
Nat's hand on the back of his neck, pulling him back to his
ministrations. He smiled at her strength and spirit. She wouldn't let
this break her. She moaned softly as he continued to suckle on first
one breast, then the other. As he moved his feather light kisses back
up her neck to capture her mouth again, he felt her remove his shirt
and rub his chest through the t-shirt. 

Nat pulled back long enough to pull the t-shirt over his head. She had
wanted to see and feel him for so long. As she carefully ran the palm
of her hands across his smooth, pale skin, she smiled. He was so
beautiful, like one of the  statues of the ancient Greek gods she had
admired at the museum. She leaned forward and began to kiss his finely
muscled chest, then moving her lips to lightly brush across one of his
nipples. 

Nick leaned his head back and moaned in pleasure as Nat continued to
kiss his chest and neck, occasionally licking one of the nipples. He
closed his eyes, concentrating on the feel of her soft skin beneath
his hands. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and lifted Nat into his arms.
He kissed her as he carried her into her bedroom, gently laying her on
the soft bed. He stretched out next to her, lightly resting part of
his weight on her, as he renewed his oral exploration of her soft lips
and porcelain skin.

Natalie laughed lightly, as Nick found a ticklish spot on her ribs.
She looked at him, noticing the evil grin that spread across his face.
"No-- don't you dare!!" But it was too late. Nick used the light
stubble on his chin to tickle her, then his tongue. Natalie was
squealing and squirming, trying to get away. "Nick!" She laughed.
"Nick, please!"

"Please, what?" Nick asked, a mischievous look in his eye. He brushed
his fingertips along her ribs, as he pulled one of her nipples into
his mouth. 

Nat's reaction was immediate. She jumped and shivered slightly, then
moaned his name. "Nick, please, stop torturing me. I need you, I love
you." 

Nick smiled again, as he ran his hand down her abdomen to the
waistband of the jeans she wore. He undid the snap, then the zipper,
blazing a trail of cool fire down her stomach to her pelvis with his
lips. He helped her remove her jeans, sending the satiny wisp of her
underwear with them to the floor. Nick pulled back slightly, admiring
her exquisite body. 

Natalie looked up at Nick's face, her own coloring slightly, as he
devoured her body with his eyes. As he began to caress her skin with
the palm of his hand, she closed her eyes. She didn't want to admit
that she was nervous, but she was. As he gently stroked every inch of
her skin, she tried to relax, to give him free reign. She knew he
would never hurt her. She felt him urging her to turn over onto her
stomach, and willingly complied. And immediately wished that she
hadn't.

Nick carefully watched Nat's face as he stroked her soft skin, for any
sign that she was hurt or frightened. He felt her tremble slightly,
and the realization that this was, by all accounts, her first
experience in lovemaking, made him slow down a bit. He wanted this to
be so good for her. He silently urged her to turn onto her stomach,
smiling as she complied. But when he saw the scars on her back, he
stopped and looked in anger and horror. "My God, Nat. Why didn't you
tell me how bad it was?" He barely managed to get out.  He saw Nat try
to turn back over, and gently stopped her. "No. Please don't. Let me
touch you, love you. Let me show you how wonderful this experience can
be." As he spoke softly, he leaned forward to kiss the back of her
neck. 

Natalie fought back the rush of tears that threatened to ruin
everything. She tried to turn back over, but felt Nick's hand gently
preventing her from doing so. His softly spoken words touched her, and
she relaxed again into the careful exploration of Nick's hands and
mouth. He gently rubbed her back, trailing light kisses along the path
that his hands blazed. Each time, he moved lower until he reached her
feet. Then he began his journey back to her neck, with agonizing
slowness. She sighed in contentment, then turned over onto her back
again, at his gentle urgings.

Nick smiled at Nat's willingness to comply. When she had turned over
onto her back, he found her lips, gently exploring the warm depth of
her mouth. When he moved his tongue over her lips, her own darted out
to search his mouth. She was so sweet. The kiss increased in strength
and passion, fueling them on to a higher level of arousal.

Nat never wanted this experience to end. She used her hands to touch
and caress Nick, as he used his lips to caress her. She gasped in
pleasure, as he again pulled one of her hardened nipples into his
mouth and began suckling. She ran her fingers through his hair, and
arched her back. Nat felt his hand moving down her abdomen, until he
reached the auburn triangle of hair at her pelvis. He continued to
move lower, until he found the spot that would give her the most
pleasure, and Natalie's heart rate and breathing skyrocketed. 

Nick smiled at Nat's reaction. She was so vibrant, so responsive. He
continued sucking on first one breast, then the other, as he used his
fingers to move her up to new heights of pleasure. He moved his
forefinger into the warm cave of her vaginal opening, using his thumb
to continue the gentle pressure on her clit. As he began to thrust his
finger in and out, he heard Nat's moans of delight. He moved up to
capture her mouth once again, as the moans turned to gasps. His
erection was straining against his jeans, and he rubbed up against her
thigh, seeking to ease some of the discomfort. 

Natalie was riding a tidal wave of sensous pleasure. Each thrust of
Nick's finger, or movement of his thumb, caused her to spiral higher
into the realm of ecstasy. She suddenly felt every muscle in her lower
body tighten and contract, and she called out his name. It felt so
good, it almost hurt. She never wanted this to end. Something deep
within her stirred, and she silently beckoned to Nick to come and take
her. 

Nick felt Nat's vaginal muscles spasm as she reached her climax, and
he continued pushing her above and beyond her limits. He thought he
heard her calling to him, begging him to take her, and he quickly
moved to comply. With vampire speed, his jeans and underwear were
discarded, and he was laying atop Natalie. He leaned close to her ear.


"Nat, tell me you need me, you want me. Beg me to take you, Nat." His
voice was harsh, rough. He needed her complete surrender. 

Nat, still in the throes of her orgasm, only nodded. She moved her
hips closer to his, seeking out his hardened member and the release it
would give them both.

Nick moved so that his penis was against her clit, grinding lightly,
to keep her at the height of passion. But he wouldn't give her what
she wanted. She had to ask, she had to beg. "Tell me!" He said again. 

Nat was nearly mindless with need. She looked deep into his now golden
eyes, she wasn't afraid. Strangely, she felt something stir in her.
Something that she had never felt before. "Take me, Nick. Take me,
now." It wasn't a request.

Nick saw the look of steel in Nat's eyes, the lack of fear. She would
not beg him. When she spoke, her words were soft, but hard. It wasn't
a plea. It was an order. And Nick felt at that moment, something
strange. Something he had never felt before.  It was a compulsion to
do anything she wanted. She could order him into the sun and he would
go. He smiled devilishly, as he thrust himself into her. 

Nat saw the evil look Nick gave her, and gasped as he thrust himself
into her. Her breathing increased, she no longer cared if she survived
this experience. Tears of joy ran down her cheeks, as Nick began to
thrust gently in and out of her. She was spiraling upward again,
towards another explosive orgasm. She breathlessly called his name,
again and again. She felt the moment he was ready for his release, and
knew that this time, she wouldn't reach hers, unless he reached his.
She turned her head to the side, baring her neck.

Nick could feel his need for release. He could also feel Natalie's
need. He saw her turn her head to the side, saw the creamy skin of her
neck exposed to his longing, hungry gaze. And he sank his fangs into
the snowy skin of her neck.  

The feelings that washed through both of them were intense and
incredible. They achieved release at the exact same moment, savoring
the feel of one another. The bonding between them was immediate and
unbreakable, and neither one could decipher where one of them stopped,
and the other began. 

Nick saw and felt all of Natalie. Her pain and sorrow, her joy and
love. And the memories they shared.

Natalie saw and felt all of Nick. The bloodlust, the sorrow of what he
had been, the pain at what he was, his love for her and the joy and
hope she brought to him. And the memories they shared. 

Nick released Natalie. He felt an unspoken nudge, something that told
him to stop now, before it was too late. The moment he released her,
he felt an intense warmth spread through him, to touch his very soul.

Nat felt Nick release her. The moment he released her, she felt the
most intense feelings she had ever encountered.

She felt a warmth and sense of security that she had never known
before. It touched every part of her, down to her very soul, and she
looked up into Nick's eyes, in silent wonder.

Nick looked into Natalie's eyes, and knew that the sense of wonder and
astonishment he now felt, was shared by her. There were a lot of
unanswered questions. A lot of things that had happened, that needed
explanation.  But the questions and answers could wait. For now, Nick
was content to hold the woman he loved. The woman he now belonged to
heart and soul. 

As Nick rained kisses on Natalie's face, they both smiled in joy and
contentment. For at that moment, they both knew that they were no
longer two seperate souls. They were now, and would forever remain,
one.  Their faith had brought them through the impossible. Their love
would give them forever. 

<>The End (?) ;)
    KC