Renewals and new beginnings Karen Gunther December 1999 Disclaimers: The characters and situations in this little tale are the property of Sony/ Columbia/ Tri-Star... and a lot of people with a lot more money than I. I am just having a bit of fun since TPTB have left them alone.... I promise to leave them happier than when we last saw them! Permission granted to be posted on the 'ravenawards' list and to be archived at fkfanfic.com/ the ftp site/ DarkNN page.... timeline: two years after 'Last Knight' CHAPTER ONE Late afternoon sunshine filtered through the partially closed blinds lightening the stark coldness of the forensic science lab. A lone figure sat at the desk pushed into the far corner, the glow of the computer screen the only illumination. Hunched over the keyboard, her auburn curls framing a thin, pale face, she typed furiously. The reports and lectures filling her day while she periodically glanced at the thin rays of sunshine. The sunshine which kept her a captive in her office, too afraid to go home, to travel the well-lit halls of the coroner's building. And yet, the reports were a comfort, something familiar, distracting. She could lose her mind in the latest puzzle that the criminals of the Canadian capital city had to offer. None even approached the puzzle that had left her life so abruptly that cold November night two years past- the puzzle that had captured her heart when he came back to life and sat up on the cold metal table of another forensics lab, in another life... and then left her six years later ... left her alone to pick up the pieces of a shattered life. The events of that night still haunted her with a clarity that was frightening. And had forced her to make major life changes. A month in the hospital and rehabilitation followed by the emotional breakdown on her first night back on the job that forced another hospital stay, one which she forced short by secrets she could not reveal, dare not say aloud, changes that she could not permit others to discover. And so she had accepted a transfer... a new life. A life that she had only recently began to live again, accepting the limitations of the darkness, and allowing few individuals to come a little closer... as close as her secrets would allow. Her co-workers all believed the transfer and her depression was from a lost love. Well, they were partially correct. And she would leave it at that. So lost in her thoughts, she did not notice the silent entrance of her assistant. "Natalie? What are you doing here? You pull another double?" the concern in her voice was obvious as the younger woman came over to the corner where Natalie sat at her desk. "And in the dark? You are going to ruin your eyes, and on this gorgeous sunny day, too." "Ah, Teresa... you are in early." Natalie replied, glancing up briefly with surprise. She was not often surprised anymore... ever since that night... "And you are here late. Did you go home at all?" Teresa said quietly, leaning on the autopsy table. "No. I had a late call. Double homicide. By the time I had finished the case and the paperwork, I was not tired... so I stayed. Caught up on paperwork." "Lordy, Nat." she eyed her friend, annoyance reflected in her posture and voice. "I don't know why you bother to pay rent . You never go home." Natalie shrugged. "You are exaggerating, Teresa." "Am I?" she asked softly. "You do twice as many cases as any other pathologist here. If it was not for that incident in Toronto, you'd be Chief Coroner for the province." "And deal with the day shift politics? No, thanks!" she laughed bitterly, knowing it was true. She had been the youngest coroner in the province when she'd been appointed to the post in Toronto. But now, her need to work nights added to the very recent history of 'mental breakdown'... well, she was not considered the most stable person in the office. "Hey, you would do better than Pete. And I don't care what happened to you in Toronto... you are the best I have ever seen." She approached Natalie cautiously. She only knew what was in the published reports. That the transfer was forced. What was in the past had never been discussed. "But if you ever want to talk about it, I'll listen." "I know, Teresa. I know." Natalie said softly, standing and pulling her purse out of the desk. "And maybe someday, I will want to talk about it... but not now. I am going to go home, take a nap and eat supper. Page me if there are any new cases." She grabbed her coat from the hook by the door and with a wave, walked out into the dusk of another night. Pulling her coat tighter, she cast a cautious glance at the waning sunlight. It was only after the sun went down that she felt alive, energized... safe going outside. It was a secret she dare not reveal. Indeed, it had taken her a long time to accept that it wasn't getting better. Would not get better. While her last night with Nick did not end as she'd hoped or dreamed, she was changed. She was a survivor. Her life had gone on . A survivor... that was the term she preferred over the label she knew the vampire community would attach to her condition... hunter. Even at that time, she could not bring herself to wish harm upon Nick. The anger had passed over time. But even at its worst, her anger focused on his decision to leave without her, without a word. ***** (flashback) Cold.. dark... silent... she could feel her heart beating slower. Her temperature dropping, her breathing shallow. Her consciousness fading.... But her last thoughts were of a future with Nick... somewhere.... The sensation of being lifted, moved... and then nothing.... Waking to bright lights, painful lights... loud voices, worried voices. She glanced around, wincing at the soreness of her neck, opening her eyes wider. "Natalie? Natalie? Oh, it is so good to see you awake." she followed the voice and saw her assistant, her friend. "Can you hear me? Blink if you can hear me." With sudden clarity, she realized that the hospital room was an intensive care room and she was full life support. Raising her hand stiffly, she felt her neck. Heavy gauze bandages encircled both her wrists and her neck. "Natalie, oh, Natalie... don't pull at your dressings." Grace exclaimed, pushing the call light and exclaiming "Dr. Lambert is awake!" To her dismay, the room was filled with a dizzying array of people, doctors, nurses... and a lone policeman, the captain of the 96th precinct, Joe Reese.... Her ventilator tube was removed, blood pressure checked... and with an admonishment not to talk too much, they left her alone with Joe. "Natalie." He said quietly, sitting next to her, a pad of paper in hand. "Why?" "Why what?" she whispered. Her voice was hoarse from disuse and sore from the tubes. Talking was painful, but talking *about* it was even more painful. "Why this?" he gestured to the room, to her arms. "Why kill yourself?" Natalie stared at him, shocked at the statement... and then remembering what really happened, she was silent. And she knew that whoever had brought her to the hospital had disguised the vampire bite as a suicide attempt. She shrugged and then whispered "Where's Nick?" "Missing.. he did not come to Tracy's funeral. Never showed up to see the shooting review board. And then you were brought in, more dead than alive. And he has not been to see you. I know, I have been waiting." He sighed, taking her hands gently. "I am just trying to make sense of what happened to my best team. All in one night." "Could not face... without Nick" she gasped softly, the tears beginning to flow. "What happened to Nick? Do you know?" he asked forcefully. He knew that their relationship went beyond friendship. If anyone knew where the detective was, she would. "Gone." she said softly, her voice barely a whisper. "Gone where? Natalie... did he kill himself?" Joe asked quietly. He did not like the expression she wore. Resigned sorrow. "Maybe... I don't know. Probably." She had a vague memory of another voice in the shadowy darkness... one that she could not discuss with the police. "But you don't know for sure?" he pressed. "No. I don't. But he is gone. I know it. He is far away." Her words came out in short breaths, her voice low, barely audible. "Natalie... either he is dead, or he isn't." "Well, I don't know which." She whispered and looked away. "How long has he been missing?" "Two weeks. And you were probably the last to see him. Your car was still at his place. We suspect he brought you into the emergency room... his writing was on your admission papers." She looked at Joe sharply. Joe saw her expression change. "Did you do this at his place?" She nodded silently. She could not say it... "Why?" he probed again. She turned away, silently. Tuned him out. Some things could not be discussed. Would not be discussed. "Natalie... when you are ready to talk, let me know. You know we can't just leave it." she thought watching him leave her room with a long backwards glance. CHAPTER TWO Walking to her apartment, Natalie became aware of a tingling sensation... a buzzing in her ears... something or someone approaching. Fitting the key into the door of her apartment, she whirled. And saw nothing... but felt a presence. "Who is there?" she whispered. "So... c'est vraie." a soft, accented voice sounded and a tall, slender, raven haired woman appeared from the shadows. "Janette?" she questioned, the surprise evident. "Mais oui, ma chere." Janette said confidently, approaching Natalie. "May I come in? We have much to discuss." Natalie quietly opened the door and nodded. "Sorry, I have nothing to offer you. I left all that behind me in Toronto." "With a piece of your heart as well?" Janette asked sympathetically. As much as she had disapproved of Nick's search for mortality, she liked his most recent mortal friend. And did not like the way he had treated her. "You need not say anything that you do not wish.... I can sense enough.." "Sense enough?" Natalie questioned, pouring herself a glass of wine. "Oh, come now... I can see your scars as well. At least the physical ones. Do not be shy. Nicholas finally lost control and fed from you, but did not bring you across. Let me guess. Hmmm, you appeared in the emergency department as a suicide attempt." She merely smiled at Natalie's shocked look. "My dear, there are not very many ways of hiding that degree of blood loss and allowing your victim to survive." "Did LaCroix tell you that? Or have you seen Nick?" Natalie asked suspiciously. Dressing quickly, she went to her car, briefcase and medical bag in hand. The crime scene was in a public park... and had a lot of spectators. She pushed her way through the crowd, flashing her ID at the uniformed officer. It still seemed odd to be the unknown... the one who needed the ID card. And despite her 10 years as a pathologist, she felt as if she was proving herself all over again. There were times that she longed to go back to Toronto... but then again, the memories were suffocating. Overwhelming. "OK, Eric. What do you have for me?" she called out to one of the homicide detectives, a very friendly 35 year old red haired green eyed man that seemed to come to the morgue a little more often than necessary. In a lot of ways he reminded her of another homicide detective, in another life, another time. Seeing her approach, he grinned broadly. "Hey there.. if it isn't our night owl ME..." he gestured for her to follow. "Jane Doe... mid 20s, found here with a slashed throat. No blood at the scene, so we think she was moved." Natalie nodded and slid on her protective gloves before crouching next to the body. Quickly, methodically, she examined the body, the scene.... And knew.... This was a test for her. They knew it would be her case. She stood and walked over to Eric and his partner Jim. "TOD about 13 hours... and not much blood left in her. Looks like she bled to death somewhere. I'll do some analysis for a likely murder weapon... but it was very sharp, whatever it was." "Any speculation?" Jim probed. He was just getting used to having a woman as ME...he had, at first been resistant to working with her but quickly learned Natalie was very intuitive. He could see how she got so many commendations in Toronto... and like many, wondered why she had chosen to leave. "Not at present. I'll do the work up and get it to you by the end of the shift. You look for someone strong, with a sharp knife." She flashed a smile to them both and headed to her car. Driving back to the morgue, she had a definite sense of being followed. And was even more sure that it was a test. Well, this was a test she could handle easily. ***** Changed into her scrubs, Natalie walked into the lab, pulling her long curls into a loose braid. She saw a black envelope on her desk. Opening it, she pulled out a silver card, with a list of four clubs on it with the note 'It would be bad for your heath to come to any of these clubs unless you take my offer. And should you need to talk, call the Owl's Nest and identify yourself as Tasha' The note was unsigned but she knew its author. And she put it into the desk drawer, locking it. Opening the door part way, Teresa leaned around the corner, "Ready, Natalie? I'm all set up in suite B.." Natalie smiled and took a sip of her tea. "Be there in a minute." This was one thing different in the Ottawa Coroner's office... capital cases were done in a large, observation suite. Usually with the detectives present. Not that she had not worked with Nick watching... but it would make her keep certain observations silent. Striding into the room, she saw Eric and his captain seated in the observation deck. She had noticed that Jim tended to beg off the autopsies, but Eric never missed a chance to visit her office... "Ready everyone?" she laughed and signaled for Teresa to start the tape and the voice activated computer dictation. She had done so many cases over the past decade, that the audience and the tape did not bother her. Working quickly, she completed both the external and internal examinations. And confirmed her suspicions.. although the fang marks were carefully hidden, she could tell. She made no mention of them, and kept Teresa's gaze away from the neck wound. The vague tingling sensation she felt when touching the would told her as much as the small punctures over the carotid artery. Pulling off her gloves, she walked over to the counter where the tape was running "Cause of death, massive blood and tissue loss secondary to knife wound severing carotid and jugular arteries. List as homicide." She flipped off the tape and hit the print key on the computer and signed the bottom of the last page. Eric had walked down from the observation area and stood quietly next to her. "OK, officer, here is your official preliminary.. I'll analyze those tissue samples and get you more details on the knife." "And?" he prompted. "And what? I'll finish the blood panels and get a final to you by the end of the shift. OK?" "No, what about lunch? Remember? At that double case on Tuesday? I asked you to lunch on Wednesday... and you worked over and took call from home. So, how about tonight?" he asked quietly. "Eric... come back to my office." she whispered. There were just too many ears in that suite. And she had dealt with being the object of gossip and speculation before. He smiled and followed her. When she had closed the door behind them, he took a step closer. "Eric. What are your intentions?" she asked slowly, taking a step backwards. "Well... I'm single, you're single." he said hesitantly, noticing her backing away. "I don't know what happened in Toronto, and I am not asking. But I value you as more than a colleague. And I know you have no friends in Ottawa. I would like to be your friend... and then, we'll see..." his voice trailed off. She sighed and motioned for him to sit. "It is because of what happened in Toronto that I am not jumping at the invitation. Yes, I have no friends here and I would like to get to know you better. But before you get any ideas of anything, you need to know what happened in Toronto." She took a deliberate sip from her tea. "Natalie, it's okay... you don't have to do this." He said softly watching her sad eyes. "Whatever it is, I know that you have not discussed it with anyone here. And I don't want to make you uncomfortable." "Yes, I do have to do this. I have not talked about this with anyone here and I don't know what the gossip is.. but this is the truth." She pushed the cuffs of her cover gown up to the elbows and turned over her wrists so he could see the scars... even two years later, they were ugly. She'd often wondered who had inflicted the wounds... and with what... the scars never healed like they should have. She heard Eric's quick intake of breath as he stared. "Yes, I tried to kill myself." She said softly. "Why?" he whispered. "Sometimes I wonder myself.." she laughed. "I was in a relationship with a man... a homicide detective." She smiled at his surprised gaze. "Yeah, I must have a thing for cops... actually we met in my lab... he walked in on one of my cases." she shook herself out of her reverie. The truth that Nick *had* been one of her cases was something that she had never and would never reveal. "Anyway, we had been seeing each other for six years. So I am really familiar with being the focus of the department grape vine. And don't particularly want to do that again.. Everything changed when his partner was killed in a plane crash. He almost left town then, but I talked him into staying... and then less than a year later, his new partner was shot and died. He again said he was leaving... well, that night I slit my wrists and before I woke up from the coma, he was gone." "Where did he go?" "Don't know..." she shrugged casually. While she still held intense feelings for Nick, it was something she could not admit. If he had truly moved on, she would not betray him. "no one knows... he disappeared. I am not sure if he is even alive. He found me, took me to the hospital and no one has seen him since." "That is pretty cold, Natalie. You deserve better." He scowled and pushed his chair closer. "Eric. There is a lot more to the story that I cannot and will not discuss. Not yet at least. Maybe never. Don't judge Nick. You did not know him." She said flatly. "There are a lot of things about you that remind me of Nick. And I loved Nick with an intensity that you will never know. But I am not ready to put him behind me. Can you accept that?" "Even though he has dropped off the face of the earth? Oh, Natalie." he stood, shaking his head. "Yes... we had a very complex relationship." She took a deep breath remembering the intensity of their blood link... the love she felt, experienced.. Shaking her head, she looked at Eric and smiled shyly. "And we started as friends, colleagues. So, I won't make any promises for the future... but I will have lunch with you. But you are not paying. This is not a date. This is lunch with a colleague." She stood and moved over to the table and picked up a specimen. "OK... I'll come by around 3... there's a diner over on Fourth that is halfway decent." He grinned and waved as he passed Teresa in the doorway. "So, you finally said yes?" she smiled, sliding up to the counter where Natalie was staring into the microscope. "What?" she looked up, pushing her hair behind her ear. "He was smiling bright enough to dim the Northern Lights." Teresa laughed. "And the only reason he comes to all those autopsies is to see you.... he doesn't go when it's Fred's case." "Oh, Teresa, don't be funny." She scolded. If there was anything that she did not want, it was another assistant reading into her relationship with a man. "I'm not. He is interested in you. Has been ever since you arrived. That sense of mystery...." "Well. I'll see how interested he is now." she looked down in the microscope, not meeting Teresa's eyes. "Oh?" Teresa pulled up a stool. "And what exactly did you tell him?" "The truth." She said quietly. "About what?" Teresa probed. She had long wondered about Natalie. Maybe at last, she'd get some answers. "Why I left Toronto." she responded with a shrug. "Lost loves and all that." "So. Natalie, as long as you are talking about it. Why DID you transfer? I read your record before I was assigned to you. You had an amazing record in Toronto... were headed for major promotions." "And what was written in the file? I've never looked." "Just that there is a closed psychiatric file on record and that you were placed on a medical leave for a month with supervision for a year. That the transfer was mandated because of some incident after a longer medical leave." "This is what happened..." she said quietly, exposing her wrists and turning to face Teresa's steady gaze. "I tried to kill myself. The reasons don't matter any more but suffice to say, I am not ready to get into a relationship again. Especially not with a homicide detective." "You were seeing a homicide cop?" Teresa asked in surprise. Natalie had never spoken of any previous relationship. "What was his name?" "Nick Knight." Natalie responded, pulling a small frame from her desk drawer. It was a picture taken at a precinct picnic before Don Schanke had been killed. They were happy, smiling... and standing very close... "Hmmm... good looking. What happened?" Natalie shrugged. "Its complicated. I don't want to talk about it. And I don't know where he is..." "But you still love him.." Teresa stated clearly. It was not a question. "Yes." Natalie answered, standing and turning away. "So, Eric might be wasting his time... but he has been very persistent." "Well... for both of your sakes... I hope you can at least become friends. You are both very special people. And wherever this Nick is... I hope he regrets the pain he has caused you." "Teresa, I said that I don't want to talk about it. I have work to do." Natalie turned, looking away. Some topics were not open for discussion "OK, OK." She shrugged. " But please, give Eric a chance Natalie. He is really a nice guy." Natalie moved away and bent over the microscope again. With a disappointed sigh, Teresa left the room Once alone, Natalie stood quickly and moved to the door, clicking the lock closed. Pulling out the silver note card, she dialed the phone and waited for an answer. Using her best Russian-accented voice, she spoke softly into the phone. "Janette please... tell her it is Tasha." When Janette answered, she returned to her normal voice, speaking softly. "We need to talk privately. I am at my office.... Till 5 am... well, I have a case which might be of interest." She hesitated at Janette's probing silence. "Either a bit of carelessness or a test of my loyalties. That is your department... but I want to reassure you of my continued silence..." she clicked off the phone and began to add notes to the preliminary report. Pausing to review notes, the microscopic information and lab tests being faxed to her office, she added notations and began to write the final report, almost mechanically. How often had she done this over the years? Covered for the vampire community... it compromised her professional ethics and yet, she could rationalize it. She felt a strange loyalty. It was not fear that led her to omit facts that many coroners would emphasize but the simple realization that the case would not be solved, so why cause unnecessary anxiety? The tingling sensation and displaced air warned her of Janette's presence before she spoke. She turned, trying not to act surprised or frightened. Silently, she handed her the report. Skimming the report, Janette looked at her puzzled. "There is nothing here to concern me." Her voice had a hint of annoyance. "Exactly." Natalie replied, walking over to the cooler, pulling open a drawer and flipping back the sheet. "Now, look." Janette walked over and studied the body, a slow smile crossing her face. "Ah... I see... A small problem. But your report is incomplete, doctor." "Its as complete as the department can handle." Natalie shrugged. "You realize that I have been doing this for years. But Nick was always the one I called." "And he is not here... so you called me." she stated with a smile. "Well, yes." Natalie looked at her with a frown. "I know my life depends on my discretion. I need you to tell the others that I will not betray your trust." Janette stepped closer, and took Natalie's hand. "I wish you would let me help you... I trust you." "Help me?" Natalie asked suspiciously. "Bring you across properly. You already have the limitations of our existence... but not the benefits... and you would be safer." "Not yet... Maybe some day." she sighed. "I've just gotten used to this life." "Do you want to find Nicholas?" she questioned. "Make amends? Or try to convince him to do it?" Natalie looked at her startled "I suppose you could say that. But yes, I do wish to see him again... be with him." "And you would accept eternity if only to be with him?" Janette asked quietly. She knew the answer, but wanted to hear it. Wanted Natalie to admit it to herself. Natalie nodded and turned and sat at her desk. "I'm just being foolish though. He made his choice." Janette moved closer. "I'm not so sure of that, Natalie." She looked at Janette sharply. "What do you mean?" "Just that. I am not sure. He lives... I know that much. I can sense him only vaguely. But I do not know where he is, nor with whom.." "Not with LaCroix?" "Perhaps." She shrugged. "Do you want me to make inquiries?" "Yes." Natalie whispered, making eye contact at last. "Very well, I will be in touch" Janette smiled and squeezed Natalie's hand before leaving the lab in a rush of wind. CHAPTER FOUR Despite Natalie's reluctance, the lunch with Eric had gone well. And became a regular event. If nothing else, he was persistent. And caring. But after only two weeks, he was moving toward romance. Flowers began to adorn her desk with an alarming regularity. Bouquets of colorful wildflowers, reminiscent of Nick. It was spooky. Especially after her conversation with Janette. It would be just like Nick to send her flowers anonymously. The mystery was solved when she found an email from Grace. Her assistant from Toronto was the incurable romantic and had tried to get Natalie and Nick together for years. She had supported her through all the ups and downs of their relationship. Had stood by her that disastrous night, her first case after supposedly attempting suicide, her first case since her best friend disappeared. They had not been in touch since she'd moved to Ottawa. She'd severed ties almost as cleanly as Nick. Clicking on the message, she read quickly with a sigh Natalie hit reply and typed quickly she clicked the send button and stood up, walking quickly to the door. Leaning into the break room, she saw Teresa. "Teresa? Have you been feeding the grapevine again?" Teresa approached her with an embarrassed smile. "Sort of, I guess..." she hesitated, following Natalie into the lab. "I went to the provincial meeting last week." she admitted, almost embarrassed. "And I met some of the staff from Toronto. Grace Balthazar asked about you." "Uh huh, and you could not resist telling her that Eric Webber is wooing me." "And you still want me to believe that it is not mutual?" Teresa teased, looking pointedly at the flowers. "Eric may want more, but I do not. Not yet. Maybe never." Natalie said sharply. "Did Grace tell you much about Nick?" "Yes." she said quietly. "And I guess I understand a little more." She looked at Natalie, hopeful. "But I still think you and Eric would do well together." "Maybe." Natalie sighed. "I'm just a little cautious." She hesitated briefly before meeting Teresa's steady gaze from across the desk. "Nick disappeared. He did not die. I have not given up on him." "I don't mean to criticize, Natalie. The Toronto police department closed his case. How long has it been? Do you even know that he IS alive?" Natalie returned her gaze with a dark, angry look. "OK, OK... I'll back off." She stepped back quickly, watching Natalie's expression tighten fiercely as she pulled a stack of papers closer. There were times that Natalie could be very scary- her mood swings and temper... she could go from fun loving, teasing to furious in a heart beat. And that was the original purpose of seeking contact with Grace. Was this an after-effect of the suicide attempt? But Grace wanted reassurance that her friend was past the depression that had driven her out of town. While Teresa tried to be upbeat, she still walked on eggshells and really wanted some old friends to re-enter Natalie's life. There was a mysterious side to her... almost as if she led a secret life. The chime of her computer alerted Natalie to an incoming message. She smiled and hitting reply, typed pushing the send key, she looked up to see Eric leaning over her desk. "Who is Grace?" he asked, reading the screen quickly. "My former assistant in Toronto." She replied simply, moving away from the computer. "And when can I meet her?" "Any time you go to TO, I guess" she shrugged. "Why?" He slid closer to her, leaning against the autopsy table. "Because she is a friend of yours. She would help me to better understand you." Stepping closer to her he perched on the corner of her desk. "Natalie, I am not making a secret of my desire to get to know you. And whenever you are ready, I would like to take this relationship further." "Relationship?" she asked, suspicious. "You and me....?" He looked at her hopeful. "Eric, we are friends." She said firmly. "Don't push me.." "I think we are more than friends." "We aren't. At least, not yet.." she turned and walked away, pacing the lab and not making eye contact. In another life, she might have been happy with Eric, but not now, not as she was. "I asked you not to push." He sighed, walking up behind her, touching her shoulders gently, she whirled and said sharply. "No, Eric.." He stepped back, surprised at the anger in her voice. "OK, Natalie." He moved toward the door. "I was just going to see if you wanted to meet for breakfast after our shifts. I am doing a stakeout so can't break away for lunch." She hesitated, regretting the way she'd revealed the temper she fought to control. "It gets light too early and I would not be able to sleep." She caught his disappointed look and continued. "How about before shift tonight?" Grinning broadly he replied "Sounds good... Say, 8 pm at the Tim Horton's on Sixth?" and smiling, he left her alone. Alone to ponder the changes in her life.. *** Returning home at the end of her shift, Natalie put on the tea kettle and played back the messages on her machine. Janette's lightly accented voice came across softly 'Tasha. I have news. Call me.' Natalie stared at the phone and with shaking hands dialed Janette's private number. "Janette?" she said softly. "Yes, I am at home." She hung up the phone and sat down to wait. It was only a few minutes before she felt the tingling sensation that preceded Janette's arrival. "Greetings." She said quietly, twisting the blinds tight and closing the heavy drapes. "Don't worry, my apartment is safe for you. I may have a little better tolerance than you, but the pain is not worth it." she sighed and nodded toward the kitchen. "I have some refreshments thawing, if you care to indulge." Janette looked at her in surprise, pulling the donor bag from the pan of warm water. Pouring it into the goblet that sat on the counter, she walked over to the couch where Natalie sat waiting. "You are quite the hostess." Natalie shrugged casually. "Well, since I have renewed ties to the Community, or at least to you, I merely thought it prudent. You could say that I am just too accustomed to straddling that line." She watched Janette take a sip. "So? What news?" Sitting down next to Natalie, she said without preamble. "Your recent assistance has been made known." "And?" Natalie asked softly. "It was a test. The one who had felt you, did not believe me. So he was determined to check your loyalty. I hope you do not mind that I shared your report and the case photographs." "Did I pass? Or should I start carrying a stake and garlic?" Natalie said with a relieved smile. "You passed with flying colors. You are a surprising woman, doctor." She said firmly. "But yes, you are safe. I would still avoid the clubs though." "Of course." Natalie agreed. "And I have found LaCroix." She said softly, watching Natalie's expression, a mix of fear and anticipation. "And Nick?" she whispered. "No." Janette replied. Seeing Natalie's look of disappointment, she continued, "Well, make that I don't know. He might be there as well but no one has actually seen him in several years. But my source only knew that LaCroix was living in New York. Do you want me to send a message?" "I don't know." Natalie said slowly, standing and moving restlessly around the room. "I don't know what to say to him." She had never considered LaCroix a friend, and was not sure she wanted to see him again. At least not alone. "How about this? I will tell him that our paths have crossed. That you want Nick to know that you bear him no ill will. That you would like to see him." "Yes. Simple truth..." Natalie smiled, relaxed for the first time since Janette had come into the room. "But you must be prepared to face LaCroix. He may demand to see you first... read your blood... before he tells you where Nicholas is living." "Why not?' she laughed. "Nick was my pincushion for years... I suppose it is my turn to be the blood donor now." "Natalie, you still have not answered the basic question. What will you do if Nicholas refuses to see you?" "Nothing. I won't push him." She said with a shrug. "If he has truly moved on, I cannot fight it. But I will ask you to talk to him, find out why. Surely he won't refuse to see both of us." "And if he does want to see you?" she probed, ignoring Natalie's previous statement. "I don't know. I still love him." She answered, tears beginning to flow silently. "I would let him bring me across, but I don't know if he would do it." "What if he wants someone else to do it?" she asked quietly. "His control has never been good. After what happened before, he might not trust himself." "I would consider it.... but I would want him present." Their eyes met in understanding. They both new that it was inevitable. If Natalie renewed her ties with Nick... she *would* be joining the vampire community. It was merely a question of who would be her sire and when it would occur. CHAPTER FIVE (New York) The gallery was off an alley in SoHo. It was a simple four story storefront gallery, open only evenings, but had a growing popularity among the eclectic residents of lower Manhattan. The area, once dark and dangerous, was now a stylish, popular area. The paintings reflected a variety of styles, but all revealed intense emotion, suppressed passions. The artist was said to live in a studio above the gallery but he was seldom seen- even at his own openings. His business manager, a tall, pale gentleman, kept the gallery profitable. The show openings were a much sought invitation.. and quite entertaining. The grand piano that graced the upper gallery was the focus of classical music on par with symphony performers. It was at an opening that he was spotted first. Finding the stray vampires had been a difficult task as they had not identified themselves to others in the community. And suppliers were notoriously closed mouthed about their customers. The messenger stayed in the fringes of the crowd, waiting. Were they both here, or just LaCroix? It was unusual for him to stay out of community politics. As one of the oldest of his kind, it was in his nature to want to run things.... But perhaps, his family meant more... Standing in the corner, near the refreshment table, she waited for him to approach. As a string quartet began to play, he strode over to the bar and poured himself a glass of a dark red liquid. She moved closer and let her eyes meet his. "You are in need of refreshment?" he asked softly, sensing her for what she was. Pouring another glass, he handed it to her. "I have something for you." she said quietly, her voice pitched for him alone, holding out a thin black envelope. He quirked an eyebrow. She did not look familiar.. "Indeed?" he put out his hand and took the black envelope. He recognized the silver inked handwriting... and looked up in surprise. "You came from where?" "A northern city." she shrugged. "It has taken a while to find you. I am instructed to await an answer. I can be reached at this number." She handed him a card with a hotel room number on it. Nodding quietly, she backed away. Taking the envelope, LaCroix moved quickly to his private quarters in the back of the second floor. Trembling slightly he slit the envelope and pulled out the silver card and read quickly. LaCroix took a deep breath and re-read the note. She had been very cautious in what had been written but he had a lot of questions. And was not sure whether to tell Nick. They had come to an agreement, a truce of sorts. No mention was ever made of their time in Toronto, especially that last night. They'd had minimal contact with the community since arriving in New York. LaCroix would go out occasionally, but Nick stayed at the gallery and painted... and painted. And tried to forget. It was only the reassurance that his Natalie had survived that had kept him from walking into the sun two years ago. But he'd not thought to ever hear of her again. "LaCroix?" Nick called into the room It was not like LaCroix to disappear during an opening. After two years, he was beginning to enjoy them. He'd started playing the piano last month and now, his music was as popular as his painting. The solitude was a welcome break. Allowed him to reflect on his last incarnation. And whether he dared involving himself with mortals again. The pain was too great. He saw his master lost in thought, a letter on his table. He walked over and picked up the card and had skimmed it before LaCroix reached out to snatch it from his hand. "When did you get this?" he asked darkly. "Tonight. An hour ago." he responded flatly. "So you know as much as I." "So what are you going to do?" LaCroix turned to his protégé and shrugged. "I was going to ask you if you wanted Natalie to know where you were..." he turned toward the dark skies out the window. "I was not sure how wise it would be, but better that you make the decision." "Well, that's a change." He said sarcastically. "Yes. Perhaps, even I can learn something on occasion." He turned to look at Nick. "So? What shall we tell this messenger?" "Tell her to come..." he said quietly. "You realize she has probably changed... no one escapes completely unscathed. I believe that Janette read her blood. Else she would not be so confident in our safety." "You think Natalie is a hunter?" "There is that risk. She must have tasted a little of your blood to have survived. But if she does not wish you harm... You will need to think about what you want from the relationship. Do you want to renew ties?" "I still love her, LaCroix... and if the past two years are any indication of the hell that you have experienced since leaving Fleur, I beg you... what penance must I do to fulfill my debt?" He stood and paced for a few minutes. "Let me bring her across." He spoke quietly. His long pact with Nicholas was not worth the pain they had both experienced over the past two years. But to have Nicholas's love as his eternal daughter. To deny him the bond of the master... that would be enough. "And you will let us be together?" "With me... as family." he smiled as Nick came over and kissed his ring in a gesture of fealty. "It shall be as you require, mon maitre." CHAPTER SIX Natalie had begun to despair of ever hearing from Janette again. She went on with her life, as if the vampire community did not exist, had never existed. Work was as busy as ever. She had allowed Eric to take her to dinner, to the theater. She enjoyed his company but he was not Nick. And he was trying just a bit too hard. The gossips in the coroners office watched the flower deliveries and lunch dates with interest. And as the holiday season approached, began to watch her hand with interest... they were sure that a ring would adorn it soon. She tried her best to deflect the romantic tone in the relationship. She had never invited him into her apartment, nor had she gone to his. That would make it just a little too risky. There were still things she could not discuss with him. Much to his dismay. An early morning discussion at their favorite diner sparked a familiar argument.. one that was becoming harder for her deflect. It started innocently enough, with a discussion of food. "I still say that it is weird to want a burger at 6 am, Natalie.." he said shaking his head at the plates that had just been set in front of them. "Oh come on.. how long have you worked nights?" she teased. "A couple of years. And I would rather have pancakes and sausage." "Suit yourself, but I am having a burger... with all the trimmings... rare." she grinned, feeling more light hearted than she'd been in a long time. "I've worked nights for the past ten years... and have adjusted my dietary habits." "Rare burger? Oh Natalie, that is just too gross. It is almost like it's bloody.." he shook his head, seeing the juice run across the plate. "Yeah, what of it? Maybe I like it that way.." she knew it looked like blood. That was why she always ordered her meat rare. Took care of the cravings she could not admit... even to herself. "I just won't look." He shuddered, and took her hand lightly. "So, when do you go to days?" "I don't." she said flatly. "You turned them down?" he looked at her, disappointed. "I heard that you were up for day shift supervisor." "News to me." She said flatly. "Besides, I am a natural night person. I would never take a day supervisory job . Too much politics. I would not even take a junior position on days." "Oh." He let the frustration show in his voice. "What about when you have kids?" "Who said anything about children? Aren't you getting a bit ahead of things, Eric?" she chided gently. "I'm just thinking ahead." He said defensively. He knew that she had discouraged this line of thinking when they had first started seeing each other. But that was 4 months ago... surely she was changing.. "Ahead to what?" she sighed. "Eric, I told you before that we are friends... I am not ready for anything else. And if you are in a hurry for a wife and children, then I guess you will need to look elsewhere." "I was just hoping. I mean, I really like being with you Natalie. I would like to do more with you... maybe take a vacation." He looked at her hopeful, his voice rising in pitch as he became more excited. "A cruise.. or a week on a beach." Natalie sighed. "Eric. There is a reason I work nights. And why I would not go to a beach.... Unless you want to spend the entire trip in the hospital." "What?" he looked at her confused. "My skin does not tan... it burns... easily. I have had sun poisoning so many times that I cannot count it. And I have learned. I just do not go into sunlight, ever.." the lie came out smoothly. It was something that was believable... if not the complete truth. "What about sunscreens?" he asked. He had never heard that she was so sensitive. He could swear that he'd seen some pictures of Natalie at a picnic when Grace had come to visit last month. And he'd really hoped to get her somewhere in a bikini, and see where things went from there. "I would still be miserable. No, Eric. If you are thinking of doing a vacation where I would have fun, think night life... theater, concerts, clubs. No beaches." She said firmly. "And I am still not sure that I am ready for that." "Come on, we've been dating for four months. When will you be ready?" his voice rose impatiently. "Oh, are we getting impatient?" she looked at him, dark and menacing. "May I remind you that you were warned? Push me too hard, and I will push you away. I never said that I needed more from this relationship. I enjoy your friendship, Eric, but four months does not make a lasting love. Love takes time. And while I do see you as my friend, I do not love you. And I do not believe in one night stands." she stood and looked at him carefully. "I'm sorry, Natalie. I just don't know how to read you." he sighed. "And I guess, the locker room talk is getting to me." "Locker room talk?" she asked suspiciously. "Yeah, the guys keep asking if I spent the day at your place." he looked at her. "And I am too embarrassed to say that I have never seen your place. Don't even know where it is..." "Well, change the subject. Ask about their sex life." she rolled her eyes. At least in Toronto, Nick did not put up with the trash talk. No one would have dared question him about their relationship. "You dated a cop before... you dealt with this sort of thing... the locker room talk and all that." he started. "How long did you know him before you, umm... you know. Uh, spent the day together?" "Ah, but you did not know Nick..." she glinted her eyes. "His nickname was the Knightmare of the nightwatch ... trust me, no one would ever even risk his temper... One would not trash talk about either of us. And to answer the question, it's truly none of your business. If you can't accept that I am not ready for that type of relationship.." "Hot tempered?" "Oh yeah.... he had a generous, loving spirit. His temper was directed at the perps but the guys had seen him too often to risk it." her eyes developed that far away misted look that Eric had become familiar with. And wondered what memories she was reliving. "Natalie... can I come over before shift tonight?" he asked, grasping her hand lightly. "I'll bring supper." "I ate supper. Before shift, I eat breakfast... and I have an early meeting." she said shaking her head and standing. "So I'll see you at lunch.." she waved and walked out to her car, glancing at the lightening skies. She walked into the front door as the sun was rising. To her surprise, the blinds were already drawn. Stepping inside, she felt the tingling that said vampire. "Janette?" she called out. "Yes... it is I. And you are cutting it a bit close." she gestured to the windows, now warm from the rising sun. "Well, I had a date." she sighed. "Oh? Replace Nichola already?" Janette grinned, sipping her bloodwine. "No." she answered flatly. "There is a guy in the department who has been hitting on me for the past six months. I finally agreed to meet him for lunch a few months back. And now it is a regular event." "And what do you feel toward this man?" "He's a nice guy." Natalie shrugged, pouring herself a glass of orange juice. "But he is too aggressive. He is pushing me toward marriage and children.. and I barely know him." "And he knows you not at all, I suspect. You are a difficult person to get to know." "Comes from years of hanging around Nick. I am just cautious that's all." she said defensively. "I only tell him what he needs to know." "Yes, you would do well as one of us." Janette murmured. "Well.. since I am sure that you did not come here to learn of my romantic life... what can I do for you?" she sighed, sitting on the couch. "My messenger finally made contact with LaCroix. He was more difficult to find than I'd thought." Janette stated calmly, noting the rise in Natalie's heart rate. "And?" she asked softly. "Nicholas is with him." She answered. "And would like to see you." "When?" she whispered. "Whenever you say... I will take you to them." She answered. "But I will warn you, do not leave too many loose ends here. You may not be back." Natalie looked at her with surprise. "Packing your belongings can be done by someone else. Resigning your job can be done by mail... but if things are unsettled with this colleague, he might try to follow you. And we cannot have that." "I understand. Tomorrow. I can leave tomorrow. I was supposed to be off for next week anyway." She replied quickly. "Very well. Get some rest. I will make some phone calls to arrange our travel." She nodded in agreement. ***** Natalie barely slept, her mind churning... what would she say to Nick? And why would she not come back? She suspected that returning to Nick would mean taking that final step to join him in the darkness. Truthfully, she did not fear it. Would not fight it. And while, at one time she would have resisted anyone but him, she now did not care which of his 'family' he chose. She had made amends with the past and was ready to move on. Her alarm sounded at 4. She arose to find a note from Janette on the usual silver note paper. Arriving at the office, she found a case waiting... and her meeting had been postponed. Oh well, if things happened as she thought, she would not need a performance review. She found it hard to contain the smile. Even Teresa noticed that she seemed more cheerful than usual. "You are awfully chipper today, Nat." she began, watching her move swiftly around the lab. "I thought Eric said you two had a fight this morning." Natalie sighed and looked at Teresa's puzzled face. "Fight? I would hardly say that. I told both of you that I was not ready for a committed relationship back when we first started seeing each other. I regret his misunderstanding... I tried not to lead him on, but I have not changed my mind." "He is not happy. He was ready to propose..." "Propose? Oh, Teresa... we have only known each other for a year... dated for four months. Do you know how long I dated Nick before we felt ready to start that discussion?" "No." she said quietly, thinking that this was the first time Natalie had discussed her lost love. "Five years. I know Eric is concerned about biological clocks and children but I do not love him in that sense. Give me time and I may learn. But I wish he would not force it, and I resent that he is pushing me so he can satisfy some macho urge to brag." "He said that?" Teresa asked, dismayed. "Not exactly, but he did say that the guys have been asking him a lot of questions." she sighed, looking again at her work. "And if he thinks I would ever go to bed with him now" "I would never say anything about it, Natalie." She looked up, startled, to see Eric standing in the doorway. "I don't know if I believe you." she replied, looking back at the stained slide. Teresa silently slipped out of the room. Some conversations did not need witnesses.... "Natalie, please.." he pleaded, moving closer to her. "Don't shut me out. Can we be friends?" "That is all I have ever wanted." She sighed. "To be a friend." "So would you still take a vacation with me? As a friend... I know you are off next week... I can get a few days. Go to Montreal, or Vancouver." "Eric. I have plans that I made a long time ago. I am going to the states to see a friend from residency. We'll talk shop a lot... eat too much chocolate... and help me figure out what I want from life." "What you want from life? Does this mean I still have a chance?" "Perhaps. I make no promises. There are some things that I need to do... alone." She looked at him, willing him to understand. "Call me?" he asked, his voice tentative... almost pleading. "When I get back.." she smiled inwardly, knowing that if she came back, she would move on with her life... and let Eric in. But that seemed less likely. CHAPTER SEVEN Natalie had packed everything essential in a hanging bag and one suitcase. She boxed her most precious heirlooms, photo albums and diplomas and set them by the dresser. She'd packed a variety of clothes... enough for any occasion. Coming out of her bedroom attired in jeans and a warm sweater, her dress coat over her arm, she looked at Janette's overnight bag. "I guess you have packing light down to a science." "You have done well, Natalie." she smiled, seeing the bags set by the door. "I am more likely to be coming back." "You keep saying that. What are they planning?" she let her fears come out in her voice. "Oh, Natalie, do not be afraid. I merely mean that, if Nicholas has chosen to share his life with you, he will not want you to leave him... even for a moment. I know him too well. He can be rather possessive." "But he let me go once.." she said quietly. "And you have every right to ask him why. I think he was unsure then. Now he is not." Their eyes met, unspoken were the memories and dreams. ***** The flight was not full, and Janette respected Natalie's desire for solitude, and sat on the opposite side of the plane. They had cleared customs and were strolling toward the taxi stand when Natalie felt the vibrations... not as strong as Janette, but vampire none the less. She looked at her with fear. The community in Ottawa knew of her intentions, but in New York... Janette moved closer, as if sensing Natalie's fears and then stopped, and waved... "Henri?" She squealed in delight pulling the man into a tight embrace. "Miss Janette... It is so good to see you. Welcome to our new home." He bowed slightly to Natalie. "and this is Miss Lambert?" "Yes... she is a friend." Janette said firmly. "I thought as much, or the General would not permit her to come to his home. Come, I have the limo waiting." He took Natalie's suitcases and led them to a long black limousine. As they settled into the back seat, Janette pulled a bottle of reserve out of the bar and poured herself a glass. She handed a glass of wine to Natalie and leaned back. "Ah, my father knows how to travel in style... I had forgotten." "So who is Henri?" "LaCroix's valet, driver.. you name it. He can do it all. He has been with LaCroix for close to a century. The other person you will meet is Thomas, LaCroix's day time servant. He is mortal... but a thrall." "A thrall?" she responded hesitantly. "A mortal under control of a vampire... as a servant or sometimes as a concubine." She shrugged. Natalie did a double take. "And how is this done? Should I fear this?" "Oh, no, not at all... if Nicholas had intended to make you his thrall, he would have done it years ago. I don't think he has ever made one." she lowered her voice. "This is something that only members of the community know... so do not reveal this knowledge. To bring someone over, they must be drained to the point of near death, and then fed their master's blood. To make a thrall, the vampire merely takes a pint or so ... and then feeds the mortal an equal amount. They are still mortal, but have a bond with the vampire. It is as strong as if they had come across, but they do not have the power to resist the will of their master. The effect is temporary.. sometimes it lasts a year, sometimes more. Generally, it is reinforced regularly." "So the vampire will have complete control..?" "Oh, no... merely that LaCroix knows his thoughts... it is a safety measure when a mortal learns our existence. Had the enforcers found you early on, they would have insisted that Nick do it." "Oh?" she looked at Janette shocked. "But by the time they found out about you, you had done so many favors to the community that you were declared untouchable." Janette explained. "But I thought I was endangered when I was in Ottawa.." she asked in confusion. "That is because we knew not your intentions. Your status changed when Nicholas fed from you. We did not know why he did not bring you over, or at least make you his thrall. The amount of blood that you received in the exchange saved you life, but was not enough to do anything more, except risk you becoming a hunter." She looked at Natalie more closely. "Are you all right with all this? I meant no harm in keeping this knowledge from you." "I know, I know. You did not think I could possibly understand." Her eyes met Janette's steady gaze. "I understand more than you think. And I know you mean me well. I would ask you, though, as long as we are here... please be honest with me. I am still unsure of my purpose here." "Besides seeing Nicholas?" she teased. "Yes." she said simply watching the Manhattan skyline looming closer. "Shall we just take things as they come?" Janette murmured and felt Natalie's hand squeeze hers in a silent gesture of agreement. The limo pulled up in the alley next to the gallery. It was early enough in the evening that traffic was heavy and crowds were still going between the trendy galleries in SoHo. Midnight Sun had become a very much sought after label, with its blend of gothic and modern artwork. Natalie took in the area with great interest. She could feel an occasional twinge that signaled a vampire in the area. But mainly, a young, mortal crowd watched her get out of the limo with Janette close behind. "Come, my dear. Henri will get the bags.." Janette murmured and strode to the door of the gallery confidently. Natalie followed, nervously. A tall, pale blond woman approached them as they entered the main room. "Can I help you?" she asked, gazing up and down the two women. "Mais oui, mademoiselle... we have an appointment..." she said smoothly, gazing about the gallery. "I have an eleven o'clock listed with a Ms. DuCharme..." she said hesitantly... and at Janette's nod, she pushed an intercom button. "I have notified Mr. LaCroix... please take a look around. He will be out shortly." "Ah, my dear Janette..." LaCroix's smooth voice sounded from the balcony above. He glided down the circular stairs quickly and embraced Janette tightly. "It has been too long..." he chided, looking toward her companion. "Welcome to New York, Ms. Lambert.." Natalie looked at him, a shocked expression fixed on her face. "Uh, hello, LaCroix." "Come, come... Henri will bring your bags upstairs... I have some refreshments prepared for you both." He led them up the stairs and through a sliding doorway. The room was elegant, if simply furnished. A music stand and Nick's piano graced one side with a comfortable couch and set of overstuffed chairs. A small kitchen area was visible in the doorway behind the couch. Tall oak bookcases lines the walls. Some of the artifacts looked familiar... and many of the books. He motioned to the couch and Natalie sat, shrugging off her coat. A thin, dark man appeared from the rear, with a tray which he set on the table in front of them. "So, where is Nick?" Natalie asked quietly. She'd recognized many of the objects as belonging to him... but had not seen him yet. "All in good time, doctor... all in good time." he said smoothly pouring a goblet for Janette and himself. "A fine vintage... for your enjoyment." He breathed deeply and then handed Natalie a goblet of red liquid. She sniffed it carefully before sipping it. "And the unadorned version for you..." "Thank you." she said quietly. "So.. doctor. What brings this sudden desire to renew acquaintances?" he studied her closely, sensing how she had indeed changed. "I would not exactly say it is sudden, LaCroix. When you left Toronto, you did not specifically leave a forwarding address. And I was sort in a coma. Until I found Janette, which I might add was more her doing than mine, I had no way of finding you, even had I tried." "What are your intentions toward Nicholas?" he asked sharply, his voice tinged with authority. "As I am sure you can tell... I am not exactly the same woman as I was before we met." She smiled at his slow chuckle. "I know how he blames himself for everything. I am sure that he has been perfectly miserable to live with for the past two years." "Yes, that is true..." his mouth curled in a tight smile. "He would not likely believe that I was all right... that I have come to terms with living in the darkness... unless he saw me directly." She shrugged, avoiding his penetrating gaze. "You say you have come to terms with your life. But are you happy?" he probed. "Happiness has nothing to do with it..." she looked at him directly, their eyes meeting for a brief instant. An unspoken question and answer was there. "Ah, but Nicholas won't be happy, unless you are happy as well." "Then he should not have left me." She said firmly, her eyes flashing strong emotion. "You want to be with him once more?" he pushed the question. What, indeed was her purpose? "Yes." she breathed quietly. "In whatever form that takes." She looked at LaCroix directly. " he promised not to leave me... that we would be together... forever." "He said that?" LaCroix asked in surprise. "Yes... just before he bit me." she looked away... remembering, the pain, the ecstasy.. LaCroix had moved closer and turned her face to meet his gaze. "You are serious?" at her silent nod, he took her hand. "I do not mean to doubt you but I am very protective of my offspring. I believe that Janette already did this, but I need proof." "I know." She said simply and unbuttoned the cuff of her blouse, rolling it up the elbow. "Go ahead." She looked away but felt the sting of his fangs entering her wrist and the softness of his tongue as he swallowed the welling blood. If anything, it was erotic... she enjoyed his touch... "So... that is how it is..." he leaned back, sorting through the memories and emotions that he had read from her blood. Her blood was filled with passion, and fire... and a deep, unwavering love for his son... "Come, let me show you to your room. The gallery closes at midnight, and we will then gather privately in the second floor music room..." he led her to an elevator and pushed the fourth floor. The elevator opened into a fully furnished apartment. Living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom... all decorated in simple understated muted colors. The paintings on the walls were Nick's... and reflected a happier time. She recognized some from his Toronto loft. "Make yourself comfortable, my dear... there is food in the kitchen. If it is not to your liking, Thomas can go to the market if needed. Janette will be in the apartment in the middle of the building. You can reach it through the kitchen. The public areas of the building are in front. There is a separate elevator. And a lot of unprotected windows..." She smiled at his warning... and his way of telling her that he knew of the changes that she'd experienced since their last encounter. "OK.. thank you. If I may ask, why are you being so nice to me?" she looked at his uncomfortable stance. "We have not exactly been the best of friends." "Because, as you say... Nicholas has been perfectly miserable for the past two years... I have no desire to live eternity with his angsting over what could have been. If you both want it, I will not stand in the way of your togetherness. Now, I must go downstairs and close for the evening." She watched him leave her... alone... **** Janette had wandered back into LaCroix's private sitting room and was waiting his return. "So... what did you read from her?" she asked without preface. "Passion, intense love... a desire to be with him." "Yes... that and?" "She is angry that he did not bring her across, but does not seek to harm him." "I almost had her convinced to let me bring her over, but she fears his rejection. I think if he says he would accept her as a vampire, she will readily agree." "He has already agreed to my doing it." LaCroix said with a slow smile. "As long as he can watch." "As I watched you bring him over..." Janette returned his smile. "Perfect." CHAPTER EIGHT Natalie had unpacked and showered and changed her clothes, three times. It was hard for her to accept it, but she was almost afraid to face Nick. Not that she was afraid *of* him... but rather, of the passage of time. Would he be angry that she had looked for him? Would he send her away? She was so lost in thought, focusing on the darkness out the window that she did not hear the elevator door slide open and the sharp intake of air of another. "Nat?" he breathed, barely audible and before she could turn had come up behind her, encircling her in a tight embrace. "Oh, God, I thought I'd lost you..." She turned in his arms and twined her arms around his neck, drawing his face closer to hers. "And I thought you dead." Her lips met his with a tentative kiss. "Dead? I very nearly was..." he dropped his arms and moved away. "After I thought you were dead... I had LaCroix stake me." She looked at him in horror. "Of course, his aim was off." "Nick? You really wanted to end it all?" "I promised you forever. I gave you my word." His voice dropped lower. "LaCroix sensed first that you were not dead. He took you to the hospital but he made me promise to come with him." "His retribution..." she said slowly. "You remember that?" he looked at her sharply. "Yes. It took a few years to make sense of all the images. But after you bit me, it all came back to me. What I felt from you made everything a lot clearer." She walked up to him, taking his hand. "It's OK, Nick. I understand your desires, your needs so much more." He looked away, feeling the grasp of her hand. She was not as warm as he'd remembered. And since he had given up the quest for mortality, he was much more sensitive. "You've changed.." he said quietly. "Well, I survived. But yes, I changed." She laughed bitterly. "The community thought I was a hunter and sent Janette to check me out." "You?" he looked at her intently. Yes, that was the sensation he was feeling. "So, you were still in Toronto?" "No." she sat on the couch and motioned for him to join her. "I moved to Ottawa two years ago." "Why?" She turned over her wrists for him to see. "This is how my visit to the ER was explained. And then, my first case when I came back to work six months later, was a vampire kill.... I lost it. They thought I had cracked up. Especially when I would not tell anyone why I was so paranoid. So they chalked it up to delayed stress from losing you and Tracy. And I was transferred. And demoted." "Demoted?" "Umm hmmm. Started all over as the junior night coroner. Doing drownings, suicides and homeless, abandoned drunks... Proving myself again. Working doubles, overtime... but within six months I was back to chief night coroner and was up for supervisor last month." Her voice reflected the pain and stress of the past two years. "Oh, Nat.... I am so sorry... I put you through so much." "Just tell me that I did not waste my time, Nick." she pleaded. "What do you mean?" "I don't want to go back to that life, Nick. Lonely existence.... Fighting office politics, prying eyes that don't understand why I can't work days. Pushing away friends." She sighed. "I miss you. I want to be with you." "And I want you to be with me." He breathed quietly "So, am I forgiven?" "For what?" she looked at him mystified. "For two years ago.." "Nick, I asked you, no, begged you to take me and as for the rest, as long as you don't send me away, yes, you are forgiven." He reached up and twirled her long curls around his hands. They met in a slow, tender kiss. And did not notice the opening of the kitchen door. "Ah, there you are... since you got the reunion scene in private, you are both requested downstairs.." Janette called out from the doorway. She could see them embracing, and was glad that LaCroix had thought to send Nicholas to see her alone first. It would make the rest of the night so much easier. Nick pulled away and took Natalie's hand. "Come... join us.." he said softly as he led her to the elevator. The tone of his voice rang a warning sound in the back of her mind. As if this evening was proceeding along a tightly written script. And she was the only one who had not rehearsed.. The elevator opened into a small corridor that separated a closed door, much like hers, from the large music room where they had sat earlier. LaCroix was seated in one of the chairs, sipping from a crystal goblet. Several goblets sat on the table, along with the familiar green glass bottles. A single bottle of wine sat on a separate tray. Seeing her, he uncorked it and poured a glass. She saw that her glass differed from theirs... it was as if he wanted the differences made clear. "Ah, so good of you both to join us... care for some refreshment, Natalie? I hope you don't mind the use of your first name." "No, of course not... thank you, LaCroix." She sipped her wine and saw Nick take a deep swallow of his beverage. If she did not know better, she'd think him nervous. Nervous of what, she wondered.. "May I assume that the two of you have come to terms with the events of the past?" he said smoothly and smiled as they both nodded. Nick wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they sat a bit closer. Janette watched silently from the corner of the room. "And Natalie, are you prepared to move on with your life?" "Uh, what do you mean?" she asked cautiously. "Do you plan to stay in New York with us? Or do you wish to return to Canada?" Gazing directly into her eyes, he paused to sip from his goblet. "Of course, if you do so, you would then need to relinquish your ties to the community and Nicholas. Forever..." he said smoothly. Even Janette had to admit that he was good... Spinning his web... "I would prefer to stay with Nick." She said simply, watching him closely. From his tone of voice and the way Nick was holding onto her, she had a feeling she knew where the conversation was leading. Taking a deep swallow of her wine, she looked at him and sighed. "OK, LaCroix... who gets to do it?" "Do IT?" he asked in surprise. Even Nick looked shocked at the question. "Bring me across. Isn't that where this conversation is leading?" she looked between the three vampires. Nick started laughing. "You have been hanging around detectives way too long, Nat." "Am I wrong?" "No, my dear... but I thought I would be a bit more subtle." LaCroix answered. "Do you object?" "No. I almost assumed that you would offer... if not insist on it..." she said quietly. "I was prepared when I got on the plane." "And considering that Nicholas nearly killed you once already, I called my rights as patriarch." LaCroix said calmly, standing and moving closer. She felt Nick holding her tighter, smoothing her hair away from her neck. With a start, she realized that it was going to happen... now... before she had a chance to think about it, or change her mind. LaCroix sat on the couch next to her and turned her to face him. "Just relax, my child..." he murmured as the change washed over him and he leaned over her. Very gently he planted his fangs into her neck and began to drink of her blood, her essence. She could feel Nick's arms around her waist and as she began to lose consciousness, she leaned back against his chest. The last thing she remembered was his quiet reassurances. Feeling her to be at the brink, LaCroix pulled away. She was unconscious, her head resting in Nick's lap and he stroked her forehead gently, watching his sire intently. With a smile, LaCroix sliced his wrist and began to drip the blood into Natalie's mouth. "Natalie... I know you can hear me... come, join us... turn away from the light... Nicholas is waiting, I am waiting... your destiny is with us... it has always been with us.." his voice was hypnotic.. compelling. And both Nick and Janette could not help but remember when he'd brought each of them over... As they all watched closely, Natalie began to suck from the flowing wound and then reached up and grabbed his arm, drinking deeply... opening her eyes, now glowing amber as LaCroix pulled his arm back and stepped back from the couch. Nick leaned over and kissed her deeply, with the passion they'd held in check for years. His eyes matched hers, and with a gasp she felt her fangs descend for the first time. "Nick, am I?" "Yes, you are..." he smiled. "Welcome back, my child.." LaCroix handed her a goblet, this time from his bottle. "Drink..." she obeyed his request, as if he'd compelled her. The vibrations, the sensations she felt in her mind were telling her... He smiled as he felt her confusion. "It is all right. You will be fine." He stood and took her hand, leading her to the elevator. She stood awkwardly, feeling a vague cramping. "Yes, you hunger... Come..." She was barely aware that Nick and Janette had stayed behind as she got on the elevator with him. The door opened into a large, empty room. Empty except for a table pushed against the wall... and the sound of beating drums... or was that something else? He led her closer and she could see a man laying on the table, sleeping.. or was he drugged? "What? What is this?" she whispered, feeling the cramping grow worse. She could feel the intense hunger, the overwhelming desires. "This is first hunger, Natalie." He said simply. "Satisfy it properly and we will then work on control... leave it to fester and your immortal life will be shortened." "What do I do?" her voice was small, confused. She did not like this feeling... "It is simple." He led her to the side of the table. "Take him." She looked at LaCroix in shock. "As in, kill him?" "Yes, my child... that is what you need to do. He will calm your hunger... nourish you." He took her hands and ran them along the man's neck, chest. "Can you sense him? Smell his blood? Hear his heart beating?" she nodded. With each question she wavered. Her qualms were becoming weaker. "It is calling to you... take him... drink out..." her hunger was becoming stronger, until she felt her fangs descend. And she leaned over and struck. Felt the warm blood pour down her throat as she swallowed, drinking deeply until the blood was just a trickle and the booming heart beat was a soft flutter... and then felt LaCroix pull her away. Like an indulgent father, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her chin. "Very good, my dear. Very good." Walking her back to the elevator, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and murmured. "You did well..." She leaned into his arm, feeling numb. The sensations were so vivid... her senses were overloaded. The memory of her first kill running through her mind... but she felt no guilt... something she barely understood. All she felt was a matter-of-fact acceptance of her new life. The elevator opened again at her fourth floor apartment, and Nick was waiting alone... peering out the window. Much as she'd been when he came to see her. When the door opened, he turned and watched her walk toward him. LaCroix stood back and silently watched. "So, you are past first hunger?" he whispered as he gathered her into his arms. "Yes." she answered. It was not said, but he knew what had transpired. And eventually he would ask her about it... but not tonight. And not with their master watching. He looked up at LaCroix. "What else is planned?" "Nothing. I will see you both after sunset. See to her needs, Nicholas." He responded and went to the stairwell. They watched LaCroix depart silently, moving ever closer to each other until Natalie was encircled in Nick's arms, gazing up at him calmly. Her senses were overwhelming... but she felt safe with him. "Nick..." she said softly. "I know... I know... everything is very intense right now. You can see and hear so much... it will get easier, Nat." he kissed her temple and led her to the couch. The room was lit only by candles. He knew that the artificial lights would be too painful for her newly awakened senses. "Are you really okay with all this?" she looked up and caressed his face, feeling the roughness of his unshaven chin... the softness of his skin.. "You never wanted to bring me across." "Yes, my love. I have spent the past two years missing you... wanting you." he sighed and pulled her tighter against him. "And are you okay with LaCroix being your master?" he gazed into her soft blue eyes. "I know we did not discuss it with you." "Yes. I am fine. As long as we are together." she sighed, feeling his hands moving along her arms in delicate circles. "He is a better teacher than I am..." he murmured, leaning over to kiss her, feeling her lips part slightly and her soft tongue meeting his. Passions inflamed, his caresses became bolder. Reaching up to unbutton her blouse, she laid her hands on his. "Nick... lets move this somewhere more comfortable..." she stood and pulled him up. "Are you sure?" he whispered. "I seem to remember a promise to make love to me and you never finished." she grinned seductively. "Only now, you don't need to worry about biting me because I intend to bite you first." With a laugh, he followed her into the bedroom. **** Sipping a goblet of reserve, LaCroix sat in his apartment, sorting through the sensations he felt from both of his progeny. He had spent many a pleasant evening 'listening' to Janette and Nicholas and with his bond to Natalie at its strongest... the passions were delectable. She was fiery, passionate.... And her desire to be one with Nicholas overrode any knowledge of his presence. Nicholas would, of course, know that he was experiencing their lovemaking. But he never blocked it, never said anything. It was almost an expectation that his master knew... and approved. **** In the aftermath of their passions, Natalie slept cradled on Nick's chest. Her newly converted senses overwhelmed her, and the intensity of the blood sharing had left her speechless. With unfocused eyes, she'd murmured simply "love you Nick..." and fallen into a deep sleep. Nick knew that she would not wake until well past sunset. And would be very hungry. But he did not wish to leave the comfort of her bed. He awoke late in the afternoon, sensing his father's presence. Looking up, he saw LaCroix seated next to the bed, several bottles were on the nightstand. Reaching over, he accepted LaCroix's offering and pulled the cork out, drinking deeply. "So.." he began, looking over the couple that still lie entwined, blankets rumpled. He watched as Nick pulled the blanket over them, covering Natalie's bare shoulder. "You know what happened here." Nick's eyes roamed over Natalie. "I did not block you... and she does not know that you feel her so well." "Yes. That is true... and I felt both of your pleasure. Any regrets, my son?" "No. You know I will not kill, but I will not say or do anything to hinder your instruction of her." Their eyes met briefly. "Do you want me to talk to her of the bond... the link? She might be angry." "Better that she be angry at me. I can deal with her anger and focus it on something productive." He stood and motioned to the bottles. "That should be enough to calm her hunger when she awakens." **** It was well after sunset when Natalie awoke. Nick had remained at her side, gently caressing her soft shoulders, feeling the twinge of awareness as her senses tingled until she opened her eyes.. glowing amber eyes. "Nick...?" her voice was slightly panicked as she looked around, feeling his comforting presence but also the cramping. It was not as severe as the hunger that had greeted her the evening before... but none the less was uncomfortable. "Its okay, my love.." he soothed, handing her an uncorked bottle and laughing as she drank it in one steady long gulp. "Feel better?" "Uh, yeah..." her eyes, now blue, met his twinkling expression. "Is it always like that?" "No." he kissed her forehead gently. "But I am not sure that your hunger was completely satisfied before we, uh..." "Worked out?" she inserted. Her canines ached with the thought and she kissed his hand. "That's one way of describing it." he smiled, moving his caresses down her arms. "Do you understand everything that happened last night?" "LaCroix brought me across... we made love.. am I missing anything?" "That is the shortened version. I guess the best way to put it is that you joined my family. For eternity. Just as LaCroix could always find me through our bond. He can now find you. He can feel you, you can feel him. You will feel any of us somewhat, but those with whom you have exchanged blood, you will feel more intensely." "I remember seeing images... of your past, I think." She looked at him, moving closer into his embrace, resting her head on his chest. "And I yours... yours of the past two years especially." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "And I am sorry for the pain that I have caused you.." "Nick. I thought we already went over that. You have an eternity to make it up to me." She sighed and looked over at the night table, seeing another bottle. "You can start by handing me that bottle. I am still hungry." He handed her the bottle and rose, pulling on a robe. "And we'd best get dressed. I am sure that LaCroix has plans for you. And most of them will require clothing... at least most that you would want to do with him" "Like fly?" she looked up at him eagerly. "I have always envied your ability to fly.." "And that is one of my favorite things... I think you could persuade him to work on that." he smiled and moved to the stairwell. "And we will have to consider whether we want to keep separate apartments." She looked at him in surprise... that was something that she had not thought about. **** She had barely showered and dressed when she felt the summons. It was an odd sensation, a buzzing in her mind that called to her... told her to come. Find the source... And it got louder when she entered the elevator. Entering the second floor music room, she saw LaCroix sitting on the couch. Much as he had the previous evening. And then she felt the buzzing clear. Shaking her head slightly, she looked at him curiously. She could feel the tingling on her neck that she had come to associate with vampires, but now it was a pleasant feeling. A comfort. "Good evening, my daughter." He said quietly... willing her to use her enhanced hearing. The room was lit only by candles but the illumination was comfortable for her, and to her surprise, every detail was sharp. "You slept well." it was a statement, not a question and she approached him and accepted the goblet that he held out. "Umm, yes." she sipped her beverage and glanced around the room. "Is the gallery open yet?" "The lower ones, but you are not yet ready to be around humans. You have much to learn." He paused and watched her expressions. He could feel the twinge of disappointment that she felt. "It won't be long... and then you and Nicholas can explore New York together." She looked at him in surprise. "How do you know that I wanted to do that?" "Ah, so Nicholas never spoke of our bond?" he asked smoothly, enjoying the way that she was going right into his desired topic. "Sort of... but what do you mean by that?" "When you arose tonight, did you not hear me calling you?" "So that's what that was? I felt an urge... a sensation.. a need to follow the buzzing.." "Yes. The link... our bond as master to child. We will be forever linked through our blood. I can feel you, find you, sense you. Know you." "And that is how you always followed Nick?" she sipped her drink and studied his expression. "He mentioned a little when we woke up." she blushed slightly, not wanting to reveal that Nick had spent the day with her. "Natalie. Right now, our bond is at its strongest. In time it will be less intense, but will always be there to some degree. It will be blunted by distances, but as long as we are both alive, it will be there to some degree. It means that I can feel you fully.... Every emotion, every desire..." his voice trailed off and he waited for the explosion that he was sure was to come. "And you can feel Nick as well?" she looked at him, the embarrassment rising at his nod. "So you know where he slept today?" "And what he was doing." LaCroix smiled at her discomfort. "And that you both enjoyed it." "And he knew?" "Of course. He has always known." "And he didn't tell me? That you were... peaking?" her voice rose, tinged in anger. "Natalie... when you chose to join us, you joined all of us. There is very little privacy within the family. I have listened to Nicholas and Janette many a night... and I can tell you that what I felt this morning was unlike anything that I have ever felt before." He took her hand and willed her to sit and listen. "He feared your anger... he knew that you would not understand my intentions." "That you are a voyeur?" she said sharply, her eyes tinged with gold. "No. That I am concerned about your happiness. And his. I want you to be happy with us, with Nicholas. And the physical relationship is important to you both." He felt some of her anger dissolving "There are certain desires that are normal for the vampire." He paused, pulling her attention fully. "The hunger, or desire for sustenance... human blood. And then there is passion... the desire to be with others of our kind. If you ignore one, the other will become stronger until you lose control. And if you lose control, you become a target for the enforcers." "How did Nick maintain himself all those years when he was trying to cross back?" her mind had gone away from her anger and was now focused on learning. "He is old enough to have very strong control. But even he would slip... and he would seek out Janette." She looked up, a flash of pain clearly visible in her expression. "You knew that, my dear." he smiled sarcastically, knowing that she was very observant and had probably learned much about the community over the years, more than was truly safe for her. "But you are young... you do not have his control. So you cannot ignore your needs. To maintain enough control to live among and around mortals, as I believe you wish to do, you need to attend to your other desires. And if Nicholas does not see to them, I will." "You would, umm... have sex with me?" she asked softly, a mix a fear and desire in her voice. "I would exchange blood with you... as far as the physical aspect, I am certainly capable, but I am not sure that is really what you want. The exchange of blood is more important to us than the carnal desires of a man and woman. If you want to exchange blood at any time, I am most willing to accommodate." he smiled seductively, leaning across to kiss her forehead. "And Nicholas won't say anything... monogamy has a different connotation in our world." The idea seemed strange to her, but right now, a lot of things seemed strange. Her anger toward Nick had dissolved. And her desire to learn was growing. "So where is everyone? They both knew, didn't they?" "That I would have this discussion with you? Yes. And they respected my desire for privacy. I will involve both Nicholas and Janette in your tutorial when I deem it appropriate. But there will always be times when it is just the two of us." His voice had taken on the serious, but affectionate tone of a parent. Something that Natalie had never pictured herself hearing. But then everything in her life was unlike anything that she had pictured. "And Natalie, these lessons will continue for a long time. There are things which I never taught Nicholas... and should have. I do not make the same mistake twice." CHAPTER NINE Time passed very quickly, or so it seemed to Natalie. She had much to learn, to control, and through it all, she felt the love and support of Nick... and surprisingly from LaCroix as well. A rhythm developed in their lives and she settled into the gallery and New York. It was a Saturday, they were preparing to go to another gallery opening. It would be Natalie's first exposure to others since her conversion just a week earlier. Coming down to the music room where they tended to gather in the early evening, she saw Janette's suitcase, packed. "Are you leaving?" Natalie looked at her, alarmed. It had been so good to have another woman to buffer the tempers of the two men. "Yes, my dear... I told you, it was likely that I would be going back. And without you." she took Natalie's hand and led her to the table in the corner. "You need to close that incarnation." she said gently. "What do you mean?" she looked at the elder vampire in confusion. "There is a computer downstairs in the office. You need to write a letter of resignation. Or they will start looking for you. And we cannot have that. I will take it with me and get it to Aristotle. He will arrange for your possessions to be stored or shipped, your apartment sold. A new identity developed." Natalie looked at her in confusion and glanced at Nick who had walked in on the conversation. "Janette is right. When we move on, we disappear completely. Didn't you ever wonder why the Toronto police never found me?" He pulled out his wallet and showed her the New York drivers license. With the name of 'Nicholas Donaldson'. "Nick Knight ceased to exist two years ago. You will have many names and identities. You do not need to decide what you want to do... but we need to make Natalie Lambert disappear." He kissed her temple and took her hand in his. "Would you consider being Natalie Donaldson?" "Are you asking me to marry you?" she looked at him, the love reflected in her eyes. "Yes... would you be my wife?" he leaned over and trailed the kisses down her face, her neck and finally meeting her lips in a slow, tender kiss. "Yes..." she breathed quietly, melting into his embrace. "Enough.." Janette said impatiently. "All right, so I now know what name to tell Aristotle to put on her papers. But I have a 5 am flight... and we have work to do before Henri takes me to the airport." "All right." Natalie answered, breaking away from Nick with obvious reluctance. "show me where the office is... I will write my resignation." ***** The letter arrived by messenger on Monday morning. And the news spread through the Ottawa Coroner's office quickly, by phone to those off duty. No one were more surprised than Teresa Dupree, the night shift assistant. She'd had the most contact with the elusive night coroner than anyone and this even took her by surprise. She quickly called the precinct to find Eric Webber. They had spoken the night before, and she knew that he was anxiously awaiting Natalie's return to work that night. He seemed to think that this vacation was to banish the memories of lost loves so she could go on with her life... a life with him. "Eric, she is gone." Teresa said swiftly as soon as she was connected . Dispatch had found him at home. "Who? Teresa, who is gone?" he sat up in bed with alarm. "Natalie. She quit. Resigned, effective immediately." "No... she wouldn't.." "She did. And her phone has been disconnected. I went over to her apartment, and the manager said she moved everything out yesterday. Her forwarding address is a box in Toronto. A private one." "No... she promised..." his voice was cracking with emotion. "What did she promise, Eric?" Teresa asked sharply. She had a feeling that he had been misinterpreting Natalie's words all along. Somehow, she did not picture her former boss leading him on. "That she would call... when she got back.." he said softly. "Maybe SHE did not come back. No one actually saw her. Everything has been through messengers. Are you sure she intended to come back at all? And where did she go?" "She said the states..." he said quietly. "I'll go... find her. I have to talk to her." "I would not suggest that. I thought the whole thing seemed funny, so I checked the airport passenger logs. She went to New York. Good luck finding her there... No hotel had any record of her." "I have to try. I love her..." "Eric. Don't. She did not love you. Her heart still belonged to Nick. I think she found him." "Oh, and you believe in the fairy tale?" his voice flashed with anger. "I won't give up. I WILL find her." "As a friend, Eric... I hope you find your true love, and that she loves you back. But I don't think this is it.. and I don't want to see you hurt." Her voice trailed off, as she could tell that Eric was not listening. CHAPTER TEN A messenger brought the thick packet the following week. The evening receptionist signed for it and brought it to the music room, handing it silently to LaCroix. The hierarchy of the threesome was very apparent. No matter how kind he tried to be to both Nick and Natalie, it was clear that LaCroix was in charge... and would tolerate no disobedience. Nick was old enough that he passed off LaCroix's moods and tempers, but Natalie still feared his anger. Although she had yet to fully experience his displeasure... Their existence was simple. Nick painted, LaCroix ran the business, and Natalie relaxed and adapted to her new life. She had gained enough control that she would serve as the gallery's receptionist. Her lessons usually began after the gallery's midnight closing time. Under LaCroix's supervision, she had learned to fly, to hide herself in the shadows, to use her new powers to her advantage... and to select a prey, stalk and strike. Hunting was her least favorite lesson. Somehow the randomness of the kill bothered her still. She knew better to refuse, though.... Nick had warned her of some of the punishments that he'd endured when provoking LaCroix's wrath. They had discussed the guilt that Nick still felt at times. He had a hard time believing that Natalie, a physician, did not feel the same... but she attributed it to having a better knowledge of what she was getting into when first crossing over. She was lost in thought when LaCroix dropped the packet of papers on the table in front of her. "Well, Natalie... you are official. Your first set of papers courtesy of Aristotle." She looked at him in puzzlement. "Official?" "Yes, your original identity is entered in Aristotle's database, so all you need do to move on is to contact him, and tell him where you would like to go. His fees are quite reasonable. Of course if you need something in a hurry, the surcharges can add up quickly." "So, the community knows that I have crossed over?" she asked quietly. They had not ventured into New York's vampire clubs yet... although from the number of vampires that came to the gallery, she thought there were probably quite a few clubs. "Yes. When Nicholas requested your papers, I had to sign the request as well. And Aristotle contacted me to verify the information." He sat down next to her. "Natalie. We are a very cautious group. We have good reason. For at the least the next century you will need to stay with me... until you are known well enough in the community. It must be known who your family line is... for your own safety." "I understand. Nick sort of hinted as much... at least that I would get used to being with both of you." she looked up at him. "He seems so much more relaxed around you, that it doesn't seem bad." "Yes, he is much more at ease since you joined us." He agreed and with a gentle kiss to her temple left her to study the packet. She opened the envelope and poured the contents onto the table. She found a sealed envelope with Nick's name on it and picking up her pile of papers, went up to his third floor apartment. He was already in the studio adjacent to his apartment, painting with a joy and passion that was a sharp contrast to the moodiness reflected in some of his earlier works. "Yes, my love... what do you have there?" he called out, seeing her hesitate at the studio doorway. "A packet came from Aristotle today." She said simply and handed him the envelope. He wiped his hands on his jeans and slit the envelope and withdrew a letter and a marriage certificate... from a small town in Ontario... listing the marriage of Natalie Lambert and Nicholas deBrabant Knight. He showed it to her and read the letter aloud. "As you requested... in case anyone tries to look for either of you... a happy ending to that incarnation. I hope you are as happy in your current life. As I just completed the papers for your new bride... I assume that you are using regular resources to make it legal... otherwise, I would be happy to supply you with the documentation." She looked at him, smiling. "Well, are we?" "Are we what?" "Going to make it officially legal and all that." She showed him the papers with her new name. "He made me a bit younger." "Yeah, safety measure. I can stay in one place between 8 and 15 years, depending how many mortals I am in contact with. So he usually starts me at 28 years old... so when I move on, I am at most supposedly 43... but look young. Anything more than that draws attention." He sighed. "but I am seldom in one place more than a decade... now this time, we might be able to do it. Especially if I stay with the gallery for a while. I may go back to being a cop at some point. Or teach..." he looked at her intently. "Have you thought about what you want to do?" "No... I didn't know when that would come up. LaCroix seems to fill my time completely." "That's because you are learning our ways. Give it a year and you will want to do something. Go back to university. Take up music or art or find a job in the mortal world." "Pathology is out?" she asked with a disappointed tone. "Well, if you want to do some research, we can find a way to do it privately. But there are a couple reasons that it would be better for you not to do pathology yet." "OK, lets hear them." she demanded. Medicine, particularly forensic pathology had been her life for so long... she had no desire to do anything else. "First, you are too well known. You presented at a number of international conferences. Were you not the youngest coroner in Canada? And a woman, at that. Revealing yourself would reveal us... and that is unacceptable. In ten or twenty years you could go back, but not in Canada until all whom you worked with have retired. Or died." He looked at her thoughtful glance. Such matter-of-factness about their long lives was new to her. "Second, you are young in this life. Your control, while better than the average convert, is not up to murder scenes or autopsies. Trust me on that..." he gave her a knowing look and she thought back to some of the cases they'd done and his reaction. Always on the edge... "You're right. I never thought of that." She paced across the room, staring out the window... past the steel shutters that allowed him to work during the day, to the bustling activity below. "But could I not simply work in a clinic? Do general medicine, perhaps in a shelter... with the impoverished. Very anonymous. Not much blood there. Nick, medicine has been my life. I don't want to give it up completely." He pulled her in a tight embrace. "That is a splendid idea and I think the Foundation could even fund it. I will have Larry Merlin see about getting you a New York medical license." CHAPTER ELEVEN The plane from Toronto was full for an early morning flight. Clearing customs took him longer than usual for a Saturday morning. Eventually, he was off to the taxi stand and a drive into downtown New York. He had never been to New York, but he knew she was here. The rumor of a marriage certificate issued in Sarnia did not fool him. He'd found it in the records office. He knew she was not even in Canada on the date listed. Someone was covering up her disappearance. No one else in the office thought it odd that the trail ended with a single piece of paper. If they really had gotten married, there would be bank activity, utilities... something.... It was a fools mission that Eric was on... or so he had been told. But he was a detective and a persistent one. He registered at the hotel and immediately pulled the phone books, looking for her name, his name. It was a long shot, and one that proved futile. He knew that the state of New York had no record of either of them, other than her entry through the airport four months prior.... And no departure.... Nor had she left the states from other points in New York... Since no one in Ottawa thought anything was odd about her departure, his investigation was considered personal, and therefore unofficial. So using police sources here in New York was not possible. Much to his frustration. He had a month leave and personal funds.... All to find a single person in a teeming metropolis. ***** "Natalie, I think it is time you went about town. " LaCroix said with a smile at their early evening meeting. Indeed, in the four months since her conversion, she had developed amazing control. And peace of mind. Her calm presence buffered the two men. "Really?" her enthusiastic smile was contagious. "Theater?" "But of course. You have done well at our small gallery openings, so museums and the theater are perfect next steps... and I do believe that Nicholas would very eagerly show you about." He caressed her hand gently as he spoke, a gesture that spoke of the kinship they both felt. Her happiness had brought his wayward son back into the fold more securely than he had dreamed possible. For the first time in 800 years, Nicholas's guilt did not sway his back, did not beckon his dreams daily. "But first, ma chere, you must eat..." he nodded to the goblet that sat before her untouched. "Oh, yes... of course.." she said quickly, taking a sip before looking around for Nick. "Have you spoken to Nick yet?" He smiled broadly as Nick entered the room waving a small envelope. "We spoke before retiring this morning and I was able to get tickets to the symphony and then I thought we'd go dancing. I know a great club in the village." He swept her up into a tight embrace. "What do you say?" "I say-great!" **** Eric had spent the first week in New York in futility. He had trudged through numerous hotels, showing her picture. No one had seen her, of course and then sitting in a diner eating a greasy hamburger, he recalled the conversation they'd last had. Night life... that's what she had mentioned, clubs, dancing, theater. Maybe hotels were not the place to start. If she'd come here to be with a friend, she would not have stayed in a hotel. He should check out night clubs. ***** A symphony concert was such a normal thing.. something they had done several times in Toronto. Something they both enjoyed. Natalie was just beginning to appreciate the idea of having all the time in the world. LaCroix had started teaching her to play the violin so she had a new appreciation for the classics. And a chance to dress up.. well, that appealed to her as well. Since Henri would drive them in the limo, she wore her tallest heels. The ones that matched the slim fitting red silk dress... Nick's black silk suit contrasted sharply, but together they made an elegant couple. Her appearance drew appreciative stares from the moment they got out of the limo. Nick held his arm loosely about her waist. A silent gesture of possession.. She seemed outwardly calm, confident, but he could sense her fears. "Nat, you're doing fine..." he murmured. "If I need something?" she whispered and smiled as he patted his suit pocket. She could hear the multitude of heart beats but they did not call to her. She pushed the sensation aside and took Nick's hand as they walked into the concert hall. ***** It was midnight when Eric trudged into his fourth club of the evening. He would stay just long enough to nurse a beer and check out the crowd. It was subjective, but he had yet to find the atmosphere that he thought would appeal to Natalie. Until he got to the Moonlight Club. The combination of well dressed clientele and live music seemed right. He would stay here for a while... ***** The beauty of the symphonic music was more intense than anything Natalie had experience. Her enhanced senses made every nuance, every emotion more apparent... swept away in the music, she leaned on Nick "this is wonderful..." she murmured as they concluded the last piece. "I thought you'd like it." he leaned over and kissed her gently. He pulled out his phone and called for Henri to pick them up. "And now, would milady like to dance?" "Milady would love to dance, but she is feeling a bit famished..." Natalie said quietly. Her appetites seemed greater than did Nick's. And while she had good control for her 'age', it was not nearly that of Nick. "The limo will be stocked for us and the club can provide our needs." he assured her, leading her out to the lobby. ***** As the evening wore on, Eric was up to his fifth beer of the night. He never drank this much... but for the first time since coming to New York, he had found somewhere that he could picture coming to with her... he watched every new arrival with interest. ***** "The Moonlight Club?" Natalie murmured as they walked up to the bouncer. Like many New York clubs, the line was long but Nick bypassed it, gazing intently at the guards, who, after barely a pause, motioned them inside. "How'd you do that?" "Easy... I am about 600 years older than him... he could sense it. The community's clubs may be restrictive of the mortal clientele, but members are never kept out." he shrugged and walked up to the bar. "Two, sir?" the bartender asked quietly, pulling out a green bottle and two goblets at Nick's nod. "I've not seen you here before. New in town?" "Not exactly. I've been here two years. But it has been a while since I was out socializing." He handed the glass to Natalie and gazed over the crowd. "I have a gallery in SoHo... Midnight Sun." "Really? I have some of your work, then.." he said excitedly, gesturing to the area behind the bar, where booths lined the walls in two tiers. "Samual Girard..." he held out a hand. "I own the place." "Nicholas Donaldson." He shook his hand and motioned to Natalie. "And my wife, Natalie" Samual looked at him curiously and then smiled "Ah, LaCroix's son. I have had dealings with your sire." He reached over and took Natalie's hand. "And I am very pleased to meet you, madam." He kissed her hand gently. "And you are LaCroix's as well?" She looked at Nick questioning. "Umm, yes... how do you know that?" "You radiate his presence. You are young, no?" at her nod, he smiled. "It's all right, my dear. When you get to be as old as I, you pick up things like that... I may not be as old as your husband, but I have a good memory. And your sire is well known in the community." He glanced around the club. "We have a quiet table over there, if you would like... the band is on a break, but they are quite good. Enjoy yourselves. It is an honor to meet you Nicholas and Natalie..." he motioned to a corner booth that faced the dance floor. ******* Eric rubbed his eyes, it could not be... the couple that had just entered and now stood at the bar... Her flowing auburn curls and bright smile... he could swear that it was Natalie. Could he possibly be so lucky? He watched them get their drinks and move to a booth on the other side of the club... ******* "What do you think?" Nick murmured, watching the crowd moving about the club, the couples swaying to the music. He snaked his arm around her shoulder and sat closely. "This is delightful. Not that I was bored or anything, but it is so nice to get out.." "I'm glad... I spoke to LaCroix about your clinic idea. He thinks it is a good thought. We are scouting locations. It might be better to start off as a private investor or donator to an existing shelter and then we ease you in as the physician." "What about the medical license?" she responded. She was not sure just how good the vampire document network would go. Drivers licenses were one thing, but a medical license was sure to be more complex. "We'll need to see Larry Merlin for that. What would you say to a trip to Toronto?" "Wouldn't that be dangerous? We might be recognized." "We both still have our Canadian passports and the marriage certificate and I still own the loft. We can make a surprise visit. Let everyone see us together and say goodbye" he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "And how do you propose explaining the past two years?" she asked doubtfully. "Temporary insanity?" he laughed. "I'll just say that your suicide attempt forced me to reexamine my life. And that I was with my father in France." "France?" she laughed. "Well, I am sure they did a trace in the states." he smiled, and took a sip of his drink. "And, now, I think I remember promising someone a dance." he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. The slow, jazzy tunes were perfect... he slid his arms around her waist and pulled her close, sighing in delight as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning against his chest. They swayed gently in time to the steady beat of the music. ****** Leaning back into his chair, Eric watched the couple on the dance floor. IT WAS HER... his eyes burned in fury as he watched the man caress her back, and saw her lean against his chest... he could not watch this... taking a deep breath.. well no one ever accused Eric Webber of cowardice, he strode onto the dance floor and tapped her shoulder. "Natalie? May I cut in?" She glanced at Nick, who clearly was suppressing the green monster that always emerged when other men paid her attention. "Eric. What are you doing here?" "Looking for you.." he stood next to her, ignoring the tall blond man who radiated anger. "I guess I am a better detective than you gave me credit." he reached out to grasp her hand. "How about that dance?" She dropped her arms and nodded toward the side of the dance floor. "No dance, but we can talk." She walked back over to the booth and sat down, motioning to the bench on the other side of the table. Nick held back. He was not sure who this man was, but obviously it was a chapter that she needed to close. "Who's the blond guy?" Eric asked, sliding into the bench, studying her expression. "My husband." She said with a defiant expression, holding out her hand so that he could see the wedding ring she now wore proudly. "Why did you come? What did you expect to find?" "Natalie, I love you.... I could not go on not knowing if I had a chance and you promised to call when you got back." He reached out and cradled the hand gently. "Well, I have not gone back to Ottawa yet... I hired someone to pack me, and move me. Once I found Nick, I was not about to leave him, even for a minute." Her voice was firm, decisive. She looked at Eric through cold, dark eyes. He'd never seen her like this. "After all that he did to you? What's to say he won't walk out on you again.. leave you alone in a coma.." he rolled her wrist over as if to emphasize the angry looking scars that she'd shown him once. And all he saw was smooth, flawless skin. Lifting his eyes, questioning, he noticed that her pallor was more pronounced than he'd remembered... and she was so cold.... "What happened to the scars?" "What scars?" she tried to bluff. "Oh, come on, Natalie. You had some really ugly looking scars on your wrists... I find it hard to believe that they healed more in the past four months than they had over the two years since your suicide attempt.." "You must be imagining things, Eric." She took a slow, deliberate drink and looked him straight in the eye, his heart beat booming in her ears. "There is nothing for you here, Eric. I am happy in my marriage with Nick." She took a deep breath and captured his thoughts, his heart beat. "Go back to Ottawa. Do not look for me again. You are happy for me. You said your good-byes to me and wished me a long happy marriage. You will find someone to love who loves you in return. Now, you can go back to your hotel, and make plans to go back home." She released her hold as Nick walked up to the table, a questioning look on his face. "And who is this, my love?" he asked, sliding into the seat next to her. Their eyes met, and she knew that he was fully aware of what she had done. "Eric Webber." Eric shook his head, he must have had too much to drink. "You must be Nick. I just wanted to congratulate Natalie on her marriage. You are a lucky man... she is a remarkable woman." "yes, she is.." Nick agreed, squeezing her hand. "How did you know Nat?" "Through work. I'm a detective with Ottawa Civic Police. Homicide division." "What a coincidence... I used to be a homicide detective in Toronto." "Yes, she spoke of you often. What do you do now?" "I run an art gallery with my father. Little less stress than being a cop." "Yes, that is the truth." He yawned, and turned to Natalie. "I am happy for you. I am going to head home tomorrow, but please, keep in touch. You have a lot of friends who were distressed that they did not get a chance to say good-bye." He stood and walked away without a backward glance. As soon as he was out of hearing range, Nick turned to her. "Who is he?" "Just who he said he was. Only what he did not say was that he was madly in love with me.. and pushing me for more of a relationship than I wanted." She sighed. "Do you think it worked? He was more drunk than I've ever seen ." "Was that your first try?" he asked softly, signaling the waitress for refills. "Unless you count the times that I practiced on Thomas or Elaine.. and then it was with LaCroix watching. And all I did was see if I could capture their thoughts. We hadn't gotten any further... I guess I've watched you too often." she shrugged "Well you did great and even if things come back to him later, it's okay. If he comes back, I'll take care of it and I won't be as gentle." He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss. "Any one else that I should know about?" "Nick" she playfully swatted his shoulder. "Seriously, my memories are yours... you know everything in my past." "There wasn't anything in your memories about Eric." He responded, sipping his drink and watching her expression. Had she already learned to block him? "That's because I saw him as a colleague, a friend. Nothing more, my heart was already taken. He just wouldn't take NO for an answer." "Did he ever try to force you?" the question went unfinished but the intent was clear. Nick was not about to ignore any transgressions upon his wife. "No. I never invited him to my apartment and never went to his. Much to his chagrin. He kept telling me that the locker room talk was getting to him and wouldn't I go further... and how did I handle it with you?" "Oh? And how did you handle it with me?" he asked softly, kissing her temple. "I told him that no one would dare trash talk about the Knightmare of the nightwatch... and that it was not his business anyway." "And what would you have done if I had refused to see you?" he murmured, wrapping an arm loosely around her shoulders. "I probably would have allowed Eric to marry me. I did not love him, perhaps I would have learned in time, but he is a good man. He will be a good husband to someone... just not me." she looked up at Nick and pulled him closer. "I have the only man that I have ever wanted." She said softly, kissing him. CHAPTER TWELVE Their private jet landed at midnight. Another advantage to the wealth and connections... They went through customs, having switched to their Canadian passports. Natalie looked around the familiar concourse of Pearson International Airport... hoping yet fearing recognition. Nick was seemingly unconcerned as he strode to the parking structure. "Nick, don't we need a rental car?" Natalie exclaimed as they exited the terminal. "Nope... I arranged for the caddy to be serviced, cleaned and dropped off. If we are here as the Knights... I want to reclaim my favorite car. And then we'll drive it back to New York." "But, umm. Nick... you haven't driven it in two years. What about the plates being expired? Or the fact that there is probably an APB on that car?" "The plates are taken care of.. and since my case was closed a year ago, I doubt the APB will be a problem." he leaned over and gently kissed her forehead. "Relax... even if the police pick us up, I think we can talk our way out of it." He looked up and down the row of cars, and then saw it. Just as promised. Level G, space 101... His classic green Cadillac convertible was freshly washed and waxed... He opened the trunk and put in their bags, and took out a bottle from the wooden crate that was waiting inside. He unlocked the door and handed the bottle to Natalie. "I guess I am just not used to such service." She grinned, taking a swallow directly from the bottle before handing it to Nick. "Well, you should. I said I would take care of you. Always." His look of passion and desire was unmistakable. He finished the rest of the bottle and then slid the empty under his seat, finding his police light still there. The police radio was still mounted under the dash. "Hmmm, I forgot I still had these. Want to listen in, for old time sake?" "You are morbid... but sure... see if we hear any familiar voices." She clicked the police radio on as they pulled out of the structure and headed toward the once- familiar Toronto highways. The static- filled voices and comments brought her back to a not-so-distant past. They were both lost in their own memories, and rode in silence. Punctuated only by the voices on the radio. The traffic around them was heavy for a late night. And they both noticed the erratic driving of a small black sports car, weaving between lanes. "Jeez... Nick you want to flash the lights at him before he hurts someone?" Natalie muttered. And watched in horror as the black car went left of center and promptly hit an oncoming car, spun around and hit another car... "Natalie... we have to report this." Nick pulled over and picked up the radio. She nodded swiftly, moving to open the door. Some things were instinct. She was a physician... "And I have to assess them..." she opened the door, and found her arm in Nick's firm grip. "Nat.. you are too young." He said firmly. "Nick, I am a doctor. If I start to lose it, I will fly off to the loft..." she looked at him with determination as he picked up the microphone. Nodding to her in agreement, he thumbed on the radio. "Dispatch, MVA in progress, send officers and ambulances. Eglinton, near Bathurst. " Natalie sprinted across the highway, moving swiftly between the cars... looking for injuries, survivors. She had no instruments, but had her enhanced senses. And found, in one car, a woman and two young children, unconscious but alive. The driver who caused it all was alive, slumped over the wheel of his car, the smell of alcohol pungent... The third car had flipped over, and the driver, still strapped in, was awake, and fearful. "Hi, I'm Natalie. I'm a doctor. Help is on the way." She said in her most soothing, hypnotic voice. "Can you talk?" "I'm Mike. I can't move. My legs are trapped" "Does it hurt?" "No... do you smell gas?" he asked, panic rising in his voice. "It's not coming from your car." She said firmly. "There are others hurt worse than you... I am going to help them now. Just don't try to move. We will get you out of there as quickly as we can. We have already called for paramedics. You will be okay." she caught his thoughts, the sound of his heart beating. "Will be okay.." he echoed. Natalie smiled grimly and went back to the woman and children. The children were both in safety seats. Their heart beats were strong and regular... but their mother was breathing shallow, her heart beat slowing. "Nick.." she called out. "Help me get her out..." Hearing sirens approaching, he walked over. "Let the paramedics put a collar on her first." An ambulance and two police cruisers pulled up and the officers jumped out. "Who called this in?" "I did." Nick called out. Natalie grabbed the paramedic. "I'm a physician... we have one critical, two adults and two children stable. Come on..." She picked up his bag and ran over to the woman's car. "Wait, hold on a minute.." he protested. Having bystanders grab his equipment was not exactly procedure. "She doesn't have just a minute..." Natalie said with annoyance. "Just put on the collar, and Nick'll help us get her out. Pulse is thready, resps shallow..." "OK, OK.. who are you?" he said, putting on the neck brace and watched, as Natalie flung open the car door and gently eased the woman to the stretcher. "Natalie Lambert Knight... formerly county coroner... now a tourist... that's my husband over there. We witnessed the accident." She said swiftly and opened his bag, pulling out IV equipment. "Put her on the monitor." The paramedic looked at her curiously as he complied. "Yeah, you look familiar." He murmured, breathing a sigh of relief that he would not get a reprimand over unauthorized use of county equipment. He recalled seeing her in many other worse situations as he watched her start an IV line with ease and hook up an oxygen mask. The woman's heart beat had stabilized but she was still unconscious. Natalie gently probed her abdomen, and with a frown looked at him. "Any more of you guys en route? She's bleeding internally and needs to go to a trauma center now." "I'm not supposed to leave the scene until everyone is stabilized." He protested. "You do that and she's dead. She's got two babies over there that need their mother alive. I'll take the heat. You are leaving under physician order. OK?" "OK. I'll radio for a backup. Will you be all right with the others until they get here?" "Yeah... leave me a BP cuff and a stethoscope and I'll check everyone thoroughly." He nodded and motioned for his assistant to help move the woman. "She's got two kids here. Radio the units here with where you take her, I'll stay with them." As the ambulance pulled away, the uniformed officers walked up to Natalie. "They leaving already?" "We had one critical, needs immediate surgery. I've assessed the others. They can wait for the backup EMT" she shrugged and moved over to the driver's car. "Hey... I know you. You used to be coroner..." one of the officers said loudly. Nick had managed to avoid revealing his identity, and had not reported his use of the police radio to call it in. "Isn't this a little out of your league, Doc? Your patients aren't usually breathing." "Ah, but I was first on the scene. And I did not know whether you'd need a coroner... or a trauma surgeon." she grinned. "I thought you looked familiar. You were a rookie when I transferred, weren't you? I remember you doing your orientation to the morgue." "Yeah... I watched you work." he responded, watching her gently pull the drunk driver out of his car, laying him on the stretcher that they'd left for her. "And you need specimens on this one..." she said sharply. "He smells like a distillery." She pointed toward the black car. "Check it for substances, too." "No problem... thanks for the tip, Doc." It was nearly four hours later when the last ambulance pulled away... and the squad car with the two young children who had slept through it all, sped away to the hospital where their mother was fighting for her life. "Umm. Thanks for all of your help here... but, umm. I need you both to come in and make a statement. Shouldn't take too long." The officer said almost apologetically. "I figured as much.." Nick sighed. He had stayed in the background, watching Natalie. And was amazed at her control. "What precinct?" "We're from the 96th... I'll radio Captain Reese and let him know that you are coming. You need directions?" "Uh, no... we know how to get there." Nick said with a grin, leading Natalie back to the car. "Well, so much for being semi-anonymous here." "Well, we DID want to see people." She shrugged as he pulled the car back into traffic and followed the once familiar streets to the station. "Although I would prefer seeing people in something a little cleaner." She wiped her hands on her jeans... which were already stained with blood, dirt, grass and oils from the street surface. Parking in the lot behind the station, he handed her a flask. "Have a drink first... you were doing well, but your energies are being pushed." Exiting the car, he caught the stare of an officer in the doorway. "Brace yourself... either they called it in that you were there, or someone saw the car." "OK, OK." She grinned, taking his arm and walking up to the station door. Work had ceased and Nick and Natalie entered the station to the stares of the officers. As they approached the desk, Captain Reese strode out. He was grayer and a little more worn looking. "Well, well, well. The prodigal son returns... shall we slay the fatted calf?" "Umm, that won't be necessary. It's good to see you, Joe." He extended his hand to shake his former boss's hand firmly. "So what brings you in tonight?" he asked, looking at Nick curiously. It had been close to three years since his detective had disappeared... without a trace. And here he was, as if nothing had happened. "MVA on Eglinton. We're your witnesses. First responder... whatever you want to call it." Nick responded, holding Natalie closer. "Officer said to come over and make a statement." "OK. He did radio that he was sending some witnesses over to be interviewed. Didn't say it was an officer." Reese responded, eyeing the couple suspiciously. "Well, he didn't know that. I did not say anything about my previous employment. I figured we needed to sort that out." "Yes, we do have some unfinished business in that regard. And a case that was never closed." He motioned to his office. "You too, Natalie. I know you resigned in Ottawa.... The rumor is that you got married." Closing the door behind them, he motioned for them to sit. "Yes, we did. Three months ago." She responded, taking Nick's hand. "OK, Knight. Where have you been for the past three years?" "All over..." he started, and seeing Reese frown, he leaned back in the chair. "OK, I'll start with the night Tracy was shot. First, I apologize for never meeting with IA... but after coming home and finding Nat in my bathtub with slit wrists... I think I went catatonic... I don't really know. I remember my father coming into the loft and finding me holding the bloody towel that I'd used to stop the bleeding when I drove her into the hospital." "Why didn't you call for paramedics?" "I don't know. Really I don't. The next thing I remember, I was in France... my father's house in Paris. And it was several months later. He said I was barely coherent for weeks, unaware of anything. He got me intensive psychotherapy for the year that I lived with him." "I thought you had no family." Joe responded in a suspicious tone. The story was plausible enough but did not jive with what little he knew of Knight's background. "None in Canada. Or the states. My father lives in Paris most of the time. I stayed with him for a couple of years and then moved to New York. We both have been in New York for the last year." "Why didn't you call?" "Joe... that is a hard one for me. I'd called Nat at home, got a recording that her phone was disconnected. And when I tried her at the lab, they said she didn't work there anymore. I thought she was dead. And I could not face coming back here without her." He sighed, squeezing Natalie's hand tighter. "OK, so it was the cowards way out, and I apologize to you especially." "And she thought you were dead..." Joe murmured, remembering the conversation he'd had when Natalie first woke from her coma. "I still need a statement to close Tracy's death. It won't make her father any happier, but it will give us all some degree of closure." "I'm surprised there was not a warrant for my arrest on Interpol." Nick said dryly, knowing the wrath of Commissioner Vetter. "If he'd known you were in France, he'd have sent the cops after you." Joe agreed. "But it is almost five. I'll let you make your statement tonight. I presume you'll be at the loft." "Yes. Here is my cell phone. I don't think the regular one will be working. We'd intended just a short visit." "Umm, I hate to do this, but where is your gun?" "Locked in my desk at the loft unless you came and searched my apartment and took it." "No. We did search your place but only peripherally. To make sure YOU weren't in the bathtub. I will need your badge and gun." "Tonight." Nick promised. It had the air of finality. They both knew that coming back to the force was not an option. Vetter might let it slide that he'd delayed the investigation for so long. But only if he turned in his resignation. "And Natalie... you will come as well?" Joe asked. "You saved that woman's life tonight." "I was only doing what I could... I hope it was enough.. Any word on the woman?" "Last we heard, she was out of surgery... but we have officers at the hospital with the driver. You were right, his blood alcohol was a point two. And they found cocaine in the glove box.. how did you know?" "I'm a doctor... and I can smell. He reeked, and his pupils looked strange." she shrugged. "You know, Joe. It might help to have the Crown Prosecutor here tonight if you think this will go to court. We'll be going back to New York in a couple of weeks. I'd like to give him a preliminary statement." "Good thinking Natalie. I'll expect you both around eight tonight." he said, standing and moving toward the door. CHAPTER THIRTEEN The loft was little changed. Tarps covered the couch and video system. The piano and many of the paintings had gone to the townhouse in New York. Set up on the opposite side of the room where the piano once sat, were the couch and chairs from Natalie's apartment. And boxes.... "Well. I guess we know where Aristotle stored your things..." Nick laughed. That was one thing she'd never asked. Her clothing, jewelry and the box of diplomas that she'd set out prior to leaving, all had arrived several months prior. But what had happened to her car, her furniture... "Yeah, I never did say what to do with everything." She sighed. "Figure out what you want shipped, and we can take care of it. If you want to get rid of anything, we'll find somewhere to donate it." he strode over to the refrigerator. Sure enough, it was fully stocked. Pulling out a bottle, he handed it to her and took one for himself. "And we both need to feed really well before trying to testify tonight." "I know, I know." she sighed, grabbing a goblet from the hanging rack and filling it before taking a deep swallow. "Ah... that is good." she looked at the label. "Raven... I wonder who is running the show now." "We can find out later, my love... it is almost dawn." he pulled the remote out of the desk and flicked it toward the mechanical shutters. With a groan and creak from lack of use, they slid into place, sheltering them in the blessed darkness once more. "And now...something that I have wanted to do since I met you." he grinned at her seductively, sweeping her into his arms. Kissing her passionately, he flew up to the second floor. The black satin sheets were new, and candles had been set at the bedside... everything was set for a seduction. Obviously, Aristotle had a sense of humor about preparing Nick's apartment for his visit... *********** A morning of lovemaking after the stress of the night previous and they both slept soundly, entwined on the satin sheets... as they both had dreamed of... The phone ringing woke them as the shutters opened automatically at sunset. "Yeah... Knight..." he growled. Natalie rolled over and watched him curiously. He was not getting in more than a syllable here and there. "I got it... yes, we will be at the precinct in an hour..." "What is it?" "Joe, lining up my appointments. Starting with the Crown Prosecutor, then IA, then Vetter..." "Oooh.. scared?" she teased. "What's he going to do?" Nick grinned. "Make me quit the force? If they want proof of my story, between Aristotle and LaCroix, we have it covered." "They won't be happy to hear Lucien is your father... I seem to recall you investigating him." "So IA can bring me up on ethics charges.... When we leave here, these identities will cease to exist." "Unless we have to come back for a trial." She said dryly. "Yeah... forgot about that." "And should we be so honest about where we really are?" "New York is a big city... we can give them my box number. I'll add these names to it." he shrugged. "If we tell them where we are, they are less likely to look. I seem to recall someone looking for YOU because you disappeared." "OK. I guess that makes some sense. I am just not used to this multiple identity thing." She shrugged, pulling on a robe. "You'll adjust." He sighed, kissing her forehead. "I'll go down and get some food. Go ahead and shower first. I need to call Larry Merlin and set something up." **** Cleaned and dressed in a simple beige suit, Natalie sat at the kitchen table sipping her breakfast, reading the newspaper. It seemed strange being back in the loft. Staring at the carved fireplace brought back memories of that fateful night three years previous. "Regrets?" Nick asked, seeing her gazing at the fireplace. He knew what she was remembering. "No. None." She said firmly. "Not in the outcome, just the years we were apart." "Never fear. I will not leave you. Ever." He whispered, kissing her temple. "Now, are you ready to go back?" "Yes. Let's get this over with." She took his hand and squeezed it. "I want to close that chapter." **** Captain Reese met them at the door of the precinct and led Natalie to an interview room. "Nick, wait in my office." Noting Nick's frown, he sighed. "Nick, you know procedure. You'll get your turn. Witnesses are interviewed separately. You are not suspects... you are witnesses. Don't be worried." "I'm not worried." Nick said quickly, following Reese to the office. "So grab some coffee. Unless you want to start with IA... but that could take a while." "What time is Vetter coming over?" "I reminded him of your allergies, so he's coming in early. He'll be here at four." He sat down heavily and looked at his former detective. "And as long as we have an official resignation, there will be no charges filed." "I figured as much." Nick said, pulling out his badge and laying it on the desk, along with the gun that had for so long been a regular part of his wardrobe. "I apologize to you especially for all of this Joe. I know it had to have been rough. I wish things had turned out better." "I do too, Nick. I do too." Joe said, fingering the leather case and shield. "Tell me this, last I knew, Natalie was working up in Ottawa. How'd you two get together again if you're in New York?" "Call it fate I guess. She ran into a mutual friend in a club in Ottawa. Our friend figured out that we both were mourning the other, thinking we'd died... and she brought Natalie to New York to surprise me... and we got married a month later." "Didn't waste any time, eh, Nick?" "Actually I wasted a lot of time, Joe. All those years of saying we were just friends... I knew I loved her a long time ago, but was afraid to say it." "We all knew you were more than friends, Nick. I'm just glad that you finally did something about it." Joe responded, finally smiling. "We're ready for you, Nick." an officer leaned into the room. "Room 2" Nick rose and turned to the captain. "Joe... thanks for everything. It was a pleasure serving under you." he exited the office, following the officer. Joe shook his head in puzzlement. he thought. ***** Natalie had finished with the prosecutor by ten pm, but Nick was just starting with IA. Knowing he'd likely be busy for a while, she walked over to the information desk. "Hey, Vera," she called over to the officer manning the phones. "What can I do for you, Natalie?" she asked with a smile. She was a sucker for romance, and the story of how the two had found each other was already circulating the department gossip lines. "Who's working at the ME's office tonight?" "Let me pull up the roster." Vera said, tapping in a few keys. "Lets see. Coroner on duty is Sam Wang. Assistant is Grace Balthazar. Attendants are Ed Phelps and Mike James.... Anyone you know?" "You bet. I'm going to go over and see Grace. Nick's got appointments until 5 am. If he gets done sooner, tell him to call me on the cellular." "Got it... have fun." she smiled, watching Natalie stroll out into the darkness, marveling how fearless she seemed. Not too many women would saunter out alone all night... Parking at the coroner's office gave her a brief chill, but after swallowing half a bottle of reserve, Natalie strode up to the front door. As expected, the halls were dark and quiet. Not too many people frequented a morgue at midnight. Not much had changed in three years and Natalie moved with silent ease to the basement office that had been her home. Pushing open the door, the memories flooded her mind... "Natalie? Is that you? What are you doing here?" the surprise overshadowed the joy in Grace's voice. Her closest friend in the office, her support during her hospitalization, Grace was the one person that she felt a need to see once more. "Yep.. It's me. Thought I'd surprise you." she turned and gave her friend a hug. "Oh Nat, it is so good to see you. I heard you quit." she said sternly. "Now, what is going on, girl?" "Um... I got married." Natalie said with shining eyes, holding out her left hand. "Oh, that is great!" Grace gushed, taking the hand and studying the rings. "Eric?" she asked quietly. "No." Natalie responded, waiting for Grace to look up. "Nick." Grace paled and grabbed the steel table. "I thought he was, ummm, dead. He's been missing for three years... are you sure about this, Nat?" "We both thought the other was dead and we were mourning. Luckily a friend who knew where Nick was, found me and got us together. We got married a month later." "Where was he?" "With his father in Paris and then in New York. He had a nervous breakdown when I tried to kill myself. I guess he tried also." "Jeez, you two make quite a pair" Grace laughed. "The radio shrinks would have a field day." "Or we could go on the 'Jerry Show'... it took suicide to get us together or some such rot.." Natalie giggled. It was so good to have a friend to laugh with. "So, what brings you in here at midnight? Shouldn't you be off with your lover-boy?" "Nick is at the precinct, meeting with IA and then with Vetter." She replied with a shrug. "I figured that will take all night and I was not going to waste the time that I am in town." "Why is he meeting with IA? You two coming back?" Grace looked at her friend puzzled. "Unfinished business from Tracy's death. And no, we are only here to take care of some business. Nick will officially resign from the force, or they will file charges against him." "And then?" she looked at Natalie expectantly. "What are you up to?" "Well, we are living in New York. I am looking into what I'll need to do for a medical license in the states, but right now I am enjoying the freedom. I have learned to play the violin. And I am brushing up on my French. We are planning a trip to Paris in the spring" "Any sign of a little Knight?" Grace teased. "No. Grace, we have only been married three months.." she protested. "Well, it doesn't take that long to make a baby... so was he worth the wait?" she asked leering. "Grace!" Natalie exclaimed, her face heating in embarrassment. It was all in fun, and if anyone knew about her previous relationship with Nick, it was Grace. "Well, I had to ask. I wasn't sure if you would say anything, but I had to ask." Grace pulled her into the lounge. "Sit, sit, let Auntie Grace fill you in on the news of the coroner's office." "And I thought you were working days now.." Natalie began, sitting on the couch, taking the mug of coffee that Grace handed to her, pretending to drink slowly. "Ah, yes. I was. I am.. I'm just filling in tonight. Jill is on vacation. She will be so upset that she missed you." Grace sighed, sipping her coffee. They had reminisced over past cases, friends and dreams. It was almost as if nothing had changed. Nothing except the fact that Natalie was now a vampire with a chapter to close. She tried her best to be evasive, giving out only the cellular phone number and their post office box, claiming that they'd just moved and she could not remember the numbers but promising to write. Soon. But all the while knowing that she wouldn't. That this was truly a farewell. That she was not aging would soon become apparent... and Grace could only be a voice on the phone or words on a computer screen. It was a painful fact of her new life. Leaving friends behind. Seeing that it was almost 5 am, she said her goodbyes and drove back to the precinct. Nick was standing at the desk, chatting with the duty officers when she arrived. "Should have known that you'd head over to the ME's office." he teased. "Well, I knew you'd be busy for a while. All set?" she asked, looking around. Captain Reese was in his office, flipping through a file. "Yep." He waved to the officers and took her hand. "Hungry?" he whispered. "I had a snack on my way over here. You?" "Famished. Come on, I will make you a delectable meal." he said softly, but just loud enough for the officers that followed them to hear. She could sense the amusement and smothered giggles. Frowning at Nick she whispered "don't tease." "I'm not." He stated, opening the car door. When they were both inside, he turned to her, and nodded at the bottle she held out. Pouring some into the travel mug that she'd left on the floor, he took a deep swallow. "Ah. That is good. Any longer and I would be flying to escape enforcers." he sighed, starting the engine and starting toward the loft. "Oh? A little unpleasant?" "You could call it that. I think Vetter studied under LaCroix." He sighed. "Gave me new sympathy for Tracy." "He is still blaming you for her death?" she asked sympathetically. "Absolutely. But he does have a point, Nat. If she'd known what I was, she would not have gone in there. She'd have known that I did not need back-up." "Nicholas... you are NOT going to do this!" Natalie said emphatically, eyes flashing amber. "Do what?" he asked, giving her his best 'innocent' look. "Beat yourself up over something that you cannot change. OK, so if you could do it over, you'd handle it differently. Next time, you will." "Next time?" he asked quietly. "Oh, come on, Nick.. you have gone through the ages changing identities and jobs. Someday you will be a cop again. And maybe you will have a partner whom you can trust with your secret. And maybe this time, you will." He took her hand and gently lifted it to his mouth. "What did I do to deserve you?" he whispered. "You speak to me in ways that no one has ever done before. You understand me as no one ever has..." "Nick, I love you. I have loved you..." she responded simply. "And I will love you... for all eternity..." ***fin****