Subject: 97-Patriarch


(98/07/19 - ADDENDUM: This story may be archived by Mel or at the FTP
site, or by any member of the T+Vpack or DP's.  Anyone else, please ask)
************************************************************************

                             PATRIARCH
                     a story by Lynn McCormick

(with a special thanks to Tammy J Morrison who helped out with a part of
this story when I got stalled... I knew where I wanted to take this but
wasn't quite sure HOW to get there!  THANKS, Tam!!!)
************************************************************************
************************************************************************

LaCroix sat in his office overlooking the club, a letter in hand, with a
determined set to his face.  The Raven was quiet as he sat thinking,
pondering exactly how he could best help.  One of his children was having
problems; He had done all he could from here.  Now the only avenue he
could see was to leave for a while, facing the problem head-on.  He would
have, until recently, left the city of Toronto to his elder child,
Janette, as he knew that looking after the community was something that
she not only did well, but actually enjoyed.  Since she had left so
abruptly after once again finding herself 'cursed', though this time by
Nicholas, LaCroix had no way of contacting her, meaning that he would have
to leave care of the community and the younglings to Nicholas.  LaCroix
smiled, sourly.  'Yes', he thought to himself, 'it is about time that
Nicholas is made to take his responsibilities to the community and place
them where they ought to be, ahead of his own dreary desires.' He was,
since Janette had left, the second eldest active in the vampire community,
and needed to be made to act accordingly.  LaCroix emptied his glass, and
poured himself another.  No, everything would work out fine.  Nick would
do what needed doing, and by the time he returned, in probably four to six
weeks, he wouldn't have to worry about <any> of his children.  LaCroix
emptied his glass once more, then took the letter he was holding, read
over it one final time, then crumpled it up and placed it into an ashtray.
He took a matchbook with the Raven's logo on it, striking one match from
it, placed the rest in the ashtray with the crumpled paper, and lit the
little pile on fire.  Sitting across the table from the mini bonfire, he
poured a final glass of "wine" as he watched the flames slow til there
were only tiny glowing embers, then til the only thing left was ashes,
smiling to himself.

************************************************************************

Natalie sat on a chair in the office of the Raven, feeling very awkward
and uncomfortable, and sure that she looked even more out of place than
she felt.  It had been her idea to come down for a while before she had to
go to work.  Since LaCroix had needed to leave Toronto for a while and had
left Nick running things, she had hardly seen him except at work, and she
was beginning to feel lonely.  It had been almost a week, but it felt more
like nearly a year, and so she had chosen to come down and spend her
evening here, so she could be near him at least.  She supposed <that>
meant that she had grown more fond of him than she had previously ever
admitted to herself - a week feeling like a year!  Aghhh... 'Hell', she
thought to herself, 'I might as well admit it.  I <really> do love him.'

She was shaking her head as Nick walked back in.  He looked at her and
grinned.  "What's that about, Nat?  You looked a million miles away."

"I was..." She smiled back at him.  "So, you get things all straightened
up with watzizname?"  Her smile looked somehow different than usual to
Nick, and he couldn't imagine why, but he liked it.

"Yes, it's all sorted out and all those 'ruffled feathers' have now been
smoothed over.  There shouldn't be any more problems now til well after
LaCroix gets back."  He reached out and touched the wood door frame
quickly.  "You're probably hungry.  All's fine here for now.  You wanna go
out for a quick dinner before we go to work?  My treat.  I haven't exactly
had much time available in the past week to spend with you, Nat."

"Sure!"  She reached out for her coat that he was holding out to her, but
took his hand instead.  "Where are we going to?" she smiled brightly,
starting to take the coat finally, but instead, Nick hung on to it, and
shook his own head at Nat's confused expression.

"Allow me."  He helped Natalie into her coat, much to her surprise.  "I
should treat you like the lady you are, at least once in a while."  He
kissed her cheek, then they left LaCroix's office, which Nick made certain
to lock behind himself.  He excused himself briefly, and returned less
than a minute later with a trio of roses framed by baby's breath, and
handed them to Nat.  "I know how uncomfortable this place makes you feel.
I thought those might help."  Nick placed his hand on her shoulder and
began to usher her out, steering her across the semi-crowded dance floor
and up the stairs out into the city night.

************************************************************************

Last night had been perfect.  He and Trace had gotten a lead that had
actually panned out, and when they went to arrest the suspect in the 2
month old case, not only did the suspect not resist, he was actually glad
to be caught, preferring to cooperate fully and clear his conscious in the
doing.  And this was after he'd taken Nat out for dinner on their way to
work.  It was nothing fancy, but Nat had seemed very appreciative, and
she got really excited when Nick ate part of a steak sandwich, even if he
did eat it rare.  He smiled, thinking of Natalie.  On the darkest of days,
just her thought could make him happy.  He really didn't feel like he
deserved someone like her.  And after work, they'd stopped at a video
store and rented a movie, watching it at his place.  She'd even asked if
he minded if she crashed on his sofa ('dumb question', he interrupted his
own thoughts, 'like I'd mind'), so she had even stayed the day.

She was still asleep on his sofa when he had sneaked out quietly to leave
for the Raven, so he'd left a note for her that he'd swing back to pick
her up in time for them to get to work.  His mind wandered to Janette, and
he thought absently to himself that there was a time she would have found
this 'domesticness' annoyingly amusing.  And later a time she would have
been happy to see him in the domestic role.  But now...  he wondered what
she would think if she could see it.  Even if it was difficult for her,
LaCroix or Nat to understand, he did still love her.  Just not in any way
that could placate any of them.  He did miss her though...

When he got to the Raven, there was a man there waiting for him.  Nick led
the man into LaCroix's office.  He could tell from the man's scent that he
was also a vampire, so he poured a glass for each of them from one of the
"wine" bottles.  The fellow accepted, but during their entire conversation
he barely touched his glass.  Nick supposed that he wasn't mixing business
with pleasure.  It turned out there had been an anonymous letter sent out
to the enforcers, complaining of the fact that he had two human friends
who knew about the vampire community, and so far as the writer could tell,
there seemed to be no intentions of correcting this oversight of the
breach of the code.  Nick tried to explain to him that in regards to
Natalie, he was planning on bringing her across, but that he wanted it to
be the right time for both of them.  And that with regards to Tracy, it
wasn't he who had broken the code, it was mearly coincidence that she was
his partner on the police force.  "Besides," he argued, "she only knew
two.  Screed had died, and the other she believed had died."  Nick was
told that although that made things a little less trouble one way, it
also made her more dangerous to the community in that if the only two she
knew were dead or believed dead, there was now no reason for her to
protect the community.  As long as there had not been concern from the
local community, these infringements were not serious enough to bring down
enforcement.  But now with the complaint...  Nick could either bring the
two ladies across, or he as well as they would have to be killed.  It was
the middle of the week.  Nick was able to convince the enforcer to give
him to the end of next week, so 12 days, to arrange for the two ladies...
It wasn't a good situation, but it at least gave him some time to make
arrangements.

After how wonderful yesterday had gone, Nick mused to himself, how could
today have turned out SO rotten...

************************************************************************

Natalie sat on Nick's sofa, watching worriedly as he paced back and forth
across the room.  "Come on, Nick, TALK..." Natalie shifted her position to
keep her leg from going to sleep.  "Pacing isn't going to do anything,
except perhaps wear a track into your flooring."  Nat smiled reassuringly
at him.  "Maybe I can help..."

"Oh, I'll have to talk to you about this...  I just don't know exactly
what to say, or how, and by the time I figure it out we'd probably both be
late for work."  Nick sighed, stalked over to the fridge and grabbed a
bottle.  "Sorry, Nat."  Nick opened it and took a long pull straight
from the bottle.  "I guess I'll think about this when I can at work
tonight, and then I'll come pick you up afterwards.  We'll <have> to talk.
Besides, maybe by then I'll have thought of something..."  He smiled at
Natalie, hoping she could not tell that it was a painted on smile.

Nat frowned as Nick drank his cow's blood.  She didn't know if his apology
was because of that, or because he wasn't going to talk to her about the
problem yet.  But if he was upset enough about it that he was willing to
drink in front of her, then it had to be bad.  She decided not to say
anything about his drinking, as it was probably the last thing that he
would need or could handle right now..  She smiled at Nick, the concern
showing through it.  "Just wait a minute." She got up and walked over to
Nick's phone.  She dialed the precinct and asked if Tracy was there yet.
She was put through.  "Hi Trace, it's Nat.  Listen, I'm over at Nick's
right now.  He just got some really bad news, and I don't think that he
should come in to work.  He's ok, but in the state of mind that he's in,
If something dangerous were to happen, I don't think you could count on
him right now.  I'm worried enough that I'm going to call in too, and stay
here with him.  I don't think he should be left alone.  You think you can
talk to Reese for us?  I'll be here if he wants to talk to me, but Nick is
too stressed to even be able to handle a simple phone call for now...",
Nick was watching Natalie with a far away look in his eyes.  She seemed
able to cope with <anything>, no matter how bad. "Thanks Trace.  I really
appreciate this.  Call me after work ok?  I expect I'll be here or maybe
my place.  Bye."  Then she pressed the button in the cradle where the
phone handset rested, and dialed anew.  She spoke to someone there, saying
that she couldn't come in because she was looking after a sick family
member, and her scent told him that she wasn't uncomfortable with that
lie; 'She must really think of me that way', he mused.  Then she hung up
and walked over to him.

Taking his hand, Natalie led Nick over to the sofa and sat him down.  Then
she sat down beside him, placing her arm over his shoulder, telling him
that she would do anything she could to help out.  Nick looked at her,
tears trying to form in the corners of his eyes, "What I have to say is
going to be really tough.  At least some of it is.  And I can't think of
any way to, umm, 'soften the blow'."  He took her, pulled her close, and
just held her for a few minutes.

Natalie thought to herself 'oh great, he's been told that he has to move
on, and I'm going to get left behind', but despite her own fears, she
didn't let them show.  Nick needed her to be strong right now.

"There was a man waiting to speak with me when I got to the Raven this
evening;" Nick said softly, "He was an enforcer..."  Nick proceeded to
tell Natalie what had transpired earlier in the evening:  How he had tried
to explain things to the enforcer, but had been given an ultimatum; How he
was left with trying to bring both of them across, or have both of them
and himself killed; And that he really was not looking forward to
explaining things to Tracy.

"That's not as bad as it could have been.  You've got almost 2 weeks to
set things up." Natalie smiled. "Besides, I'll still be able to look for a
cure as a vampire.  For both of us..."  She held him tightly, just happy
that <they> were going to get a chance after all.

"Don't get too happy yet, Nat.  I still haven't told you the difficult
part..."  Nick squirmed awkwardly, turning to look Natalie straight on,
and took her hands in his.  "You know that I've been around a while, a
long while...  Do you know how old I really am?"  Natalie nodded slowly,
unsure where <this> discussion was going.  "In that time, you're not the
only human woman that I've, umm...," Nick took a deep breath, and let it
out slowly before continuing, "fallen in love with..."  Nick told her
about how he had been married to a human woman a number of centuries
before.  "This is the hard part to talk about," Nick sighed, looking now
at the floor, "I tried to bring her across, but I wasn't able to.  I lost
control, completely, and drank too much.  I killed my own wife, Nat."  He
sighed, still avoiding looking at Natalie.  How could he <ever> look her
in the eyes again, with her knowing <this> about him.  She'd never trust
him again, he thought.  "LaCroix told me at the time that it was probably
because I'd never brought anyone across before... he kept telling me that
I'd get better with a little practice.  Well, after that there were a few
people that I did bring across successfully, and I didn't outright kill
anyone by losing control.  In the 1860's I met another human woman that I
grew to love.  We got married.  She knew what I was, and wanted to be with
me forever.  Because of the first time, I had figured I'd let her decide
when or if she wanted to join me.  When she decided, I spoke to LaCroix,
asking him to be present, but hidden, and ready to stop me from drinking
too much if I lost control.  He agreed.  When I lost control, which I did,
LaCroix didn't stop me, deciding that it would be more entertaining
instead to allow me to kill my second wife, just as I had my first." Nick
couldn't face looking at Natalie yet, so took another deep breath before
continuing on.  "Natalie, I <do> love you, at least as much as I loved
either of them, if not more.  But it's because of what I end up doing to
the people I love that I've tried not to admit my feelings, to either of
us.  If I have to bring Tracy across, I shouldn't have any trouble,
because I don't love her.  If I try to bring you across, I know what will
happen, and I don't want to lose you.  And if I don't try, we'll all end
up dead.  And I can't make that choice for you or Tracy.  Even if we were
to make that choice for us, we still couldn't because of Tracy.  So that
means that my only choice now is to try to find a way of not losing
control, despite my feelings towards you.  And pray that it works so I
don't lose you..."

Natalie now understood Nick's reluctance, why he was more comfortable with
giving his blood to her when he wasn't sure if she was dying after the
incident with the organ-leggers.  She had never, in her entire life, felt
so mixed emotionally.  She was ecstatic that Nick had actually admitted to
her how he really felt about her.  She also felt a little, jealousy
perhaps?  Or was it bitterness..., that Nick had had other human loves
before her. 'Don't be stupid - there is no way that you can expect a guy
to be true to someone that he's never even met, and he sure as hell had
not met you <that> long ago!' the logical part of her mind screamed at
her, 'What is the difference between that and a human guy who happened to
kill his wife accidentally by flipping the car or something - It's not
like premeditated murder.  He's a widower!' Now the emotional part of her
brain was giving in to the logical;  Did it really matter to her that she
wasn't his first love?

"Nick, look at it this way," she spoke aloud, squeezing his hand, "the
fact that you were able to get them to give you extra time gives us time
to think, time to prepare... so let's put it to good use.  Let's
brainstorm and come up with a good plan that will keep the enforcers happy
and let us be together."  She smiled, now beginning to enjoy the
challenge.  "And if you're worrying about how I'll take the fact that you
were married before, you can relax.  Truthfully, I'd have been more
shocked if I found out you had never loved anyone else in all that time.
800 years is an awfully long time to be alone.  It doesn't bother me that
you're a widower, Nick; although I think it would have been nicer to have
found out under other circumstances.  But I can definitely see why it
would be hard for you to talk about, with anyone."  She slid over next to
him for a moment, resting her head on his shoulder, thinking.  When she
pulled away, she had a gleam in her eyes that said that she was up to
something.  "I think I may just have a plan, Nick!"

*******************************************************************

"So that's what we'll do then.  Nick's ok now, so I'll come and meet you
for coffee at the donut shop near his place.  I'll tell you what I can
then... Ok Trace, see ya shortly.  Bye."  A wide smile started to creep
it's way onto Natalie's face.

She hung up the phone, then turned back to face Nick. "Don't worry about
Tracy.  You convince Vachon to come, and I'll convince Trace.  Once we all
get there, he can explain it to her.  She'll probably be a little miffed
that you didn't tell her about yourself before this, but I know her, Nick.
She'll be really angry for a bit, but she'll get over it quick.  She
always does.  And when she realizes that <we> know about Vachon, well, she
might be annoyed, but even if she is, she still won't be as annoyed as
Vachon would be if YOU brought her across, or as she'd be later when she
found out we knew and that <you> had brought her across instead of him."
Natalie grinned.  "Just get him there and he can look after Tracy.  I'll
make sure that she gets there."  Natalie took Nick's hand.  "So, do you
want to talk to Vachon about getting him to do for u what LaCroix agreed
to for you once, but failed on?  Or would you be more comfortable if,
after we're all there, I talk to Trace and get her to talk to him for us?
Either way, he seems so much more trustworthy than LaCroix ever did."  She
sat back down on the sofa and pulled at Nick's hand until he sat next to
her, then she cuddled against his shoulder for a few minutes, until it was
time to leave to meet Tracy.

As Natalie was putting on her shoes, Nick spoke. "Soon as you leave, I'll
go talk to Vachon.  And I think it best if I talk to him about <that>."
He handed Natalie's coat to her.  "Listen, you're more than welcome to
crash here again if you want.  But depending on how long it takes chatting
with Vachon, I may not make it back here before sun-up.  I may end up
stuck at his place for the day."  He leaned over and kissed the top of her
head, inhaling the sweet fragrance her shampoo had left on her hair. It
suited her perfectly.

"Actually, I better head home today.  I need to feed Sydney, and I'll need
to get fresh clothes for work tonight.  So it's probably best I just go
home.  But I'll make arrangements with Trace to meet us both at the coffee
shop by the precinct an hour before work.  That way we can all confirm
dates and stuff so there are no mix ups with travel plans or anything.
I'll look after those arrangements today."  Natalie grinned at the irony
of what she was about to say, and continued, "Oh, although I <never> would
have expected to hear myself saying this, especially now that it's a
touchy subject, I think you ought to try to get in touch with Janette.
You've got to leave someone running things while you're gone, and Janette,
as I understand, enjoys that sort of thing.  Maybe I could get her to look
after Sid for me."  She gave Nick a kiss on the cheek, bent to pet Sidney
who was now rubbing against her leg, then turned herback and walked
quickly to the elevator.  She did not see the mixed emotions etching their
way onto Nick's face: the excitement, the fear, and the regrets.

*************************************************************************

Natalie sat in the donut shop with Tracy.  "Yeah, I know this sounds
pretty weird.  But that is all that I'm at liberty to say right now."
Natalie sipped her coffee, it was still quite hot.  "Trust me on this, ok.
Although I can't tell you anything further, I <know> what is happening,
and this is the best course of action.  This is part of Nick's 'bad news'
that he got last evening, and we need you to help, ummm, 'solve' the
problem.  We can explain things to you after we get there, but not before.
Sorry." She grinned at Tracy and shrugged.  "Please, Trace.  Look, I'm
saying too much already when I tell you this, but if you don't agree, all
our lives are in danger.  Besides, I know that you've got time off coming
to you.  A week in the mountains would be good for you."  She reached
across the table and squeezed Tracy's hand, pleadingly.  "Please..."

"I don't know if I can, Nat.  I'm supposed to go to my grandmother's
birthday party.  She'll be 80.  And my dad will be really disappointed if
I don't show up."

"How will your dad, or grandmother, feel if you along with your partner
and his girlfriend all turn up dead?  You think your grandmother will
<ever> have another <happy> birthday celebration?"  Natalie's words cut
deeply.  She had to convince Tracy.  "I'm NOT joking or exaggerating when
I say ALL our lives are in danger.  How do you think your Dad would feel
when he had to go down to the morgue to ID your body, Trace?"  Natalie
gulped the rest of her coffee, searing her throat.  This was turning out
to be more of a challenge than she had anticipated.

"You really believe that, Nat?"  When Natalie nodded, Tracy sighed.
"Okay.  I know my dad and his mother will be VERY upset, but if you really
believe this...  I guess I'll go and talk to my Mom.  She won't be pleased
about me missing Gran's party, but at least she won't kill me herself for
'spoiling it'.  You won't want me telling her what you told me though.
I'll have to come up with a story for her."

"If you want something good to tell her, tell her your partner & I are
getting married and you're the bridesmaid.  But she can't tell your dad
because your partner doesn't want it public knowledge yet.  Make her
promise not to tell.  Sooner or later it'll happen, so it's not a total
lie..."  Natalie smiled <very> mischievously at Tracy, who slowly started
grinning back.  "Tell her that later on, once we don't care if people
know, we'll have a more public ceremony, but for now she <has> to keep it
a secret.  If your parents are getting along as poorly since their divorce
as Nick has led me to believe, your Mom will probably <love> to keep a
secret like <that> from him." Natalie's grin broadened into a very big
smile.

"Okay.  You've got yourselves a companion for this little camping trip.  I
didn't know you could be so cunning, Nat."  Tracy grinned.  "So, what do I
need to know?"

*************************************************************************

Tracy was already at the coffee shop when Nick and Natalie pulled into a
parking spot.  She waved at them jovially as they got out of the car.
When they got inside, she started gesturing for them to come over.  "I
talked to my mom, Nat.  You were right.  She'll make my excuses to my dad
<after> we've left, and she'll make up something.  I told her what you
suggested, and it worked.  You were right.  She is <happy> that I'm going
up to the mountains with you two, and so what if I miss Gran's party."
She looked Nat square in the face.  "You had better be right about how
serious this is.  And when I finally hear it, the explanation as to why
I'm being kept in the dark for now had <better> be good.  I feel bad about
missing her celebration, Natalie."

Natalie filled them in on the arrangements that she had made during the
day.  They would book off from Friday night (tomorrow) through the
following Saturday night.  They'd all be ready to return to work on Sunday
night.  They'd meet at the airport tomorrow night for a late flight to
Edmonton International, cab in to Edmonton Municipal airport, where there
would be a small chartered plane waiting to take them to the airstrip
outside the National Park, between Jasper and Hinton.  Then they would cab
in to Jasper, where they would arrive at the rented cabin.  Because of
arriving that late at night, or that early, before dawn, They would have
to hold the cabin an extra day.  In order to do that they had wanted a
credit card number.  Natalie grinned at Nick as she told them both that
since she still had Nick's mastercard, she had given the number to them.
Both she and Nick got an amused look from Trace on that one.

"So how come the arrangements are for nighttime, Nat?  It's not like we're
vampires or anything..."  Tracy grinned as she drank her coffee.

Natalie flashed a <quick> look at Nick, then answered.  "Well, the travel
agent that I like to deal with, in order to make the arrangements on that
short of notice, had to book according to where she had room.  If we all
want to travel together it has to be a night trip.  So that's what I
arranged."  Natalie sipped her coffee.  "I hope that this isn't a
problem..."

It wasn't, Tracy assured her.  The three of them sat, talking, until it
was time to go to work.  Natalie called in, said she was on her way, but
had to stop at the precinct for a minute on her way in, so would be a few
minutes late actually arriving.  When Natalie got back from the payphone,
they paid their bill and left.

*************************************************************************

Natalie sighed.  She had been up for over 24 hours now.  She was tired,
and it showed up as being grumpy.  Captain Reese had been quite annoyed at
Nick and Tracy <both> asking for a week off on that short of notice.
Natalie had been the one to explain to him, without really saying
anything, that it was still because of the bad news that Nick had gotten
yesterday.  She was also going to be taking the time off, she told Reese.
Even though it was a family problem, Nick needed both her and Trace to
help get it solved.  Reese was reluctant, but the determined set to her
face told him that she would not give in, so he reluctantly agreed,
grumbling at them under his breath as they left his office, something
about common sense and courtesy she thought.  She cabbed over to the
Coroner's building, arriving less than half an hour late.  When she
arrived she spoke with her supervisor, to arrange for her week off.  He
wasn't as easy to convince as Reese had been, and at one point Natalie
threatened to quit if she couldn't get the time off.  She reminded him
that she didn't normally pull this sort of thing.  Told him <again> that
it was virtually an emergency situation that she had only just found out
about last night, and that it involved her family.  He finally relented,
not wanting to risk having the only person he'd ever known to like the
night shift quit on him.  Replacing a coroner wouldn't be too difficult,
but replacing the night shift coroner?  That would be damn near
impossible.

Natalie ordered out for chinese food when she got hungry.  She was making
the coffee double strong now to help herself stay awake. Well, once this
night was over she could sleep.  Nick was coming to pick her up, so she
could even sleep in the car if she was that tired.  At least he had gotten
to sleep today.  It was because she hadn't that he had insisted on picking
her up this evening, giving her cab money for the ride from the precinct,
and was going to pick her up when her shift was over.  She sometimes
wished he'd stop worrying about her so much.  But occasionally, and
tonight was one of those nights, she was glad he did.  Even if he had a
hard time <saying> how he felt, his actions often showed how he felt.
'Better get back to work before you fall asleep at your desk,' she told
herself, 'And focus on your work.  How do you expect to do it properly if
you go and get all mush-brained over Nick!' She chided herself.

*************************************************************************

Natalie was packing her suitcase, figuring out what she needed and what
she didn't.  Nick had picked her up after work, and was waiting for her to
take her back to his place.  They were going to leave from there.  She
could hear the sounds of a ball of tin foil being scooted across her
kitchen floor.  Knowing Sidney, that meant it was most probable that Nick
was crawling about on hands and knees tossing it about, trying vainly to
capture the cat's attention.  Natalie decided to go take a peek.  She was
right.  "Are you sure that she's going to come, Nick?  With how ticked she
was because of last time...," Natalie raised an eyebrow at Nick, "If I'm
going to make arrangements for boarding Sid, I've got to do them today."

"Don't worry about it, Nat.  I'm sure she'll show up.  Listen, why don't
we take Sidney back to my place, and all his junk,"  Nick got up off the
floor brushing off his knees, "Even if she hasn't shown up by the time we
leave, he'd be okay for a day or so.  I can always get detective Johnson
to go over each day and give him food.  He likes cats, and he owes me a
favour.  I'm sure Janette will show up, but if she hasn't by the time we
go to leave, we can put out extra food for him, and call from there to
check.  If she hasn't gotten here by the end of Saturday night, I'll call
Johnson and ask him to look after Sid, Okay?"  Natalie nodded as Nick
pulled her close and just held her, tightly, for a few minutes.

Even without a vampiric sense of smell, Natalie could smell fear on Nick.
"What's the matter, Nick?  I can tell you're scared."

Nick held her very tightly for a moment.  "I believe Vachon <is>
trustworthy... But then when I asked LaCroix, I believed he would honour
his word too.  I wouldn't have asked him otherwise...  I just don't think
I could handle it if I lost you, Nat..."  He sighed, kissed her cheek,
then pushed her away reluctantly.  "It'll be daylight soon, Nat.  Want me
to start collecting Sydney's litter, food, and stuff while you finish
packing?"

Natalie nodded, "Oh, and don't forget to grab his scratching post, unless
you want to return to a houseful of canvas and furniture shreds..."  She
walked back to her bedroom, to finish her packing, deep in her own
thoughts.

*******************************************************************

Nick went to the Raven as soon as dusk hit.  He talked to one of his other
vampire friends and asked him to look after things until either Janette
showed up or he returned.  Then he went and spoke to the enforcer.  Nick
had to be certain that the man knew that he wasn't running, or they'd all
end up dead anyways.  He even told the enforcer where they had booked the
cabin, and when they'd be returning, as well as that Vashon was coming
too.  "After all, Tracy is <his> responsibility," Nick quipped.  Then Nick
went back to speak once more with his friend.  "As soon as Janette shows
up, ask her to call.  Apparently this number here," Nick wrote a phone
number out on the back of one of the Raven's napkins, "is the number for
where we'll be staying."  Nick thanked his friend, then left to go back
home to Natalie.  Nick smile broadly to himself as that thought entered
his mind.  As he drove back, he mused to himself that once Nat had become
like him, he hoped she would choose to move in with him.  He really
enjoyed having her around, and it gave him great pleasure when he thought
things like <back home to Natalie>.  He hoped she loved him enough to want
to stay.

When he got back, Natalie had her suitcase, a couple of day bags, a
cooler, and a few other assorted odds and ends.  She had her hair pulled
back into a braid, and was wearing a pair of faded jeans, and one of
Nick's denim shirts.  "That looks better on you than it does on me..."
Nick grinned as he saw his shirt on her.  She had it buttoned except for
the bottom two buttons, and had pulled it together to tie at her waist,
which made the shirt blouse out on her.  "You look fabulous.  But you
know, we're only going a week.  You really need <all> this stuff?" He
gestured to all of Nat's baggage.

She grinned at him.  "I come prepared...," she unlocked the cooler, and
opened it, showing it's contents to Nick. "I brought blood enough I think
for first feed for both me and Trace.  I brought it from the morgue last
night, and threw it in your fridge when we got back here.  Those two bags
are just things that didn't fit into my little suitcase.  If you've got
room for my stuff in yours, we can put the stuff into it if you'd prefer."

Nick nodded, looking at Natalie's suitcase.  It really wasn't very roomy.
"Sure," he said happily, then looked quizzically at Natalie as she emptied
her two day bags onto the floor beside Nick's suitcase.  One had negligee
and underwear, the other held make-up.  "You know Nat, anyone seeing this
will think we're already married." He grinned at her, then heard a
familiar voice behind them both.

"You know, doctor, Nichola is right.  With <that> in his suitcase, one
<would> think you married."  Janette had just come in through the
skylight.  "This had better be important, Nichola.  I am not happy at
being called back here."

Nick explained about the visit with the enforcer, and told Janette about
the plan.  He asked her to look after the city and the Raven, and asked
her if she would stay at his place and look after Natalie's cat.  As if to
try to persuade her, Sidney walked over to her, rubbed against her legs,
purring, and then flumped at her feet.  Janette glared at Nick, her face
still full of anger at him.  Then it softened as she looked down at Sid,
and bent to pick him up.  "Now how could I possibly resist such an
invitation as this one has given me?"  She smiled at Natalie, ignoring
Nick. "Yes, I will look after him for you, Doctor.  I think I shall enjoy
it.  And I wish <you> the best of luck."  She offered to go with them to
the airport so that she could bring Nick's car back to put in the garage
rather than leaving it parked there for a week.  Nick agreed, and so they
were dropped off at the door to the airport, and Janette left, not waiting
around any longer than needed.

As they were going inside, they heard Vachon behind them.  They waited for
him to join them, then went inside to the lobby.  Nick and Vachon played a
video game while Natalie went to pick up the tickets for the group.  Just
as she got back to where the guys were, she saw Tracy, and waved at her.
As Tracy was walking over towards them, Natalie spoke under her breath.
"<This> ought to be interesting, guys.  Don't look now, Vachon, but here
comes Tracy."

*************************************************************************

As Tracy got closer to the group, she realized there were three people
waiting for her instead of two.  Then she realized who the third one
was...  "Vachon!"  Tracy ran up to him, excitedly.  She held him tightly
for a moment, until the realization hit her.  "Wait a minute.  If he's
here," she turned on Natalie, "that means that you know!  <He's> why were
flying out at night!"  Then another realization hit.  That they had to
<all> know, and for some petty reason of their own, they hadn't trusted
her enought to let her know that they also knew about vampires.  Tracy was
livid now, and her anger was definitely showing on her face.

Before this could get any worse for them, or for 'public consumption',
Natalie decided to try to change the subject.  "Nice outfit, Trace. You
look like you just walked off a military base."

Tracy just stared at her, fuming.  Nick tried to help, "So why <are> you
wearing your military reserve unit clothes, Trace?  This is going to be
cabin camping."

"You guys...  are <all> jerks!  Don't even talk to me!"  Tracy stalked
angrily over to a chair and sat down.  Nick and Natalie exchanged glances,
as Vachon tried, vainly, to talk to Tracy.  When he sat down beside her
and took her hand, she pulled it away, stiffly.  She got up and walked
away from him, over to Nick and Natalie.  "Okay, Nat.  Were you telling me
the <truth> when you said that all our lives were in danger if I didn't
come on this miserable trip?"  When Natalie said that was true, and Nick
was nodding in agreement, Tracy continued, "Fine.  I'll go along.  Just
don't bother talking to me, or expect me to talk to you.  I want ANSWERS,
and I obviously can't get them here or now.  So don't bother me til I
<can> get them!"  She stormed over to another seat, near the others but
far enough away as to be alone, sort of.

When they went through security, Nick was panicking slightly about the
cooler and it's contents.  But Natalie had thought of this possible
difficulty, too.  She told the guard that as well as being a coroner, she
had a small private practice, and that she was the personal physician of
this man (gesturing to Vachon), who had a severe case of Pernicious
Anaemia, requiring treatment with blood.  Then she produced the
documentation to back up her claim.  Nick was very impressed, and more
than a little amused.  He wondered what else he had overlooked that
Natalie hadn't.

Once they got on the plane, things began to settle down, slightly.  Tracy
was seated next to the window, with Natalie next to her, and Nick had the
aisle seat.  Across the aisle was Vachon, with an empty seat next to him
which would have had a view out the window had anyone been in it.  Tracy
wasn't quite as angry as she had been, but she still felt really
embarrassed.  She knew them well enough to know that there must have been
a good reason for them to do what they had, but it didn't make it <feel>
any easier.  It still felt like her three closest friends had pulled the
world's rottenest practical joke on her.  She was trying to make herself
stay angry; If she couldn't keep up <that> facade she would probably end
up bursting into tears, and she would be damned if she was going to let
<any> of them see her cry right now!

Natalie looked over at her and asked her if she was ok.  "I'm fine.  Leave
me alone, I'm going to read." Tracy snapped back.  She then began fumbling
in the little pocket on the back of the seat in front of her for the
in-flight magazine most airlines provide.  It was missing.  She finally
grabbed the 'emergency landing procedures' booklet from the pocket and
began reading it intently.

Vachon was leaning as far forward as he could, now that the sign for
keeping your seat belt fastened during take-off was out, and watching this
interplay.  He could hardly keep the grin off of his face.  After Tracy
had read the manual for about the tenth time, Natalie opened her purse and
pulled out a book, which she sat on the tray in front of Tracy.  "Here.
You must have that nearly memorized by now.  If you're going to do much
more reading in order to ignore us, maybe reading a <book> might help."
Tracy just glared at her, but after a moment her hand snaked out and
grabbed it quickly.  She then dove into the book.

Nick was watching, amused as well.  "That looks like one of those romance
novels, Nat.  One of those wild ones.  What are they calling them now?
'Bodice Rippers' or something like that?  You having one of those books in
your purse surprises me."  He smiled at Natalie, who just stared at him
for a moment.

Natalie finally answered him, "Well, Nick, it isn't like I've exactly had
much else to keep myself occupied with, romantically, over the past few
years..."

Nick winced.  That comment had been well edged.  "yeah... well..." was all
he said, but Natalie was looking up at him, so he took her hand and raised
his eyebrows in such a way as to tell her that wouldn't be the case much
longer.  She continued to stare hard at him for another moment.  Then she
began to laugh, tipping up the armrest that was between them.  She crawled
under his arm so that it was over her shoulder with her leaning against
his chest.  It wasn't long until the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest
told him she had fallen asleep.  'Not much wonder, either,' he thought to
himself. After all, she only had about four and a half hours sleep today,
and that was after being up for over 30, maybe even closer to 40.  He
moved Natalie carefully so that he could remove the old duster he was
wearing, and cover her with it.  She cuddled against him tighter then,
still asleep.

By the time they got to Edmonton International, Tracy had quit her fuming.
She was still annoyed, but the wound didn't feel quite so fresh.  She had
even leaned forward once, to speak softly to Vachon who had moved up into
the empty seat in front of the other three.  She had managed to ask him if
there was a reason for letting her think she was the only one who knew he
was a vampire.  When he told her there was, she nodded, asking him to tell
her later, if he could.  For now, just that there was a reason was enough.
He was kneeling up, looking over the back of the seat at her.  He nodded
in the direction of Nick and Natalie.  She was still asleep against his
chest, and he had fallen asleep too, with his cheek on top of her hair.
Nick was gently caressing her cheek with his hand while he was sleeping.
"Just look at those two," he whispered to Tracy, "pretty sappy, aren't
they?"

She looked at him and nodded, "I think it's sweet," she whispered back,
then the seatbelt sign came back on.

Before Vachon moved back to his own seat to comply, he saw Tracy reach
over gently and shake Natalie's shoulder.  "We're starting the approach
now, Natalie.  You wanna wake up Nick.  You both need to put on your
seatbelts now."  She smiled at Vachon, as they both watched Nick and
Natalie groggily comply.

*******************************************************************

The rest of the trip went well.  They had no problems making their
charter, or getting to the cabin in Jasper. Although by the time they
arrived, it was less than an hour til dawn.  Natalie opened her suitcase
as soon as they arrived, and pulled out a roll of tin foil and some tape.
"For the windows..." she explained when the others looked at her funny.
"Come on, we don't want <any> sunlight to come through, right.  This is
the best non-permanent way of blocking it that I could think of."

Tracy helped Natalie cover <every> window in the cabin with foil.  When
they came back to the main room, she spoke up.  "So, can I finally get
some answers now?"

The two guys started a quiet discussion themselves on which one of them
should tell Tracy what was happening.  Natalie looked up at Tracy, then
over at the guys.  Loud enough to distract them back to the group, Natalie
started, "Well Trace, first thing you need to know is this:  Nick is like
Vachon."  When Tracy looked puzzled, Natalie continued, "You know, a
vampire."  She also gestured with her hand making her fingers represent
fangs.

Tracy sat down on the sofa, hard.  "What?  No way!"  She started thinking.
She had never seen Nick in daylight, except once, and he'd kept himself so
bundled up as to be totally covered.  She also could not think of <ever>
having seen Nick eat.  Maybe he was...  By then the guys had looked up,
surprised.  "Really Nick?  You're ... a vampire too?"  Then she thought of
something else.  "So if you knew I already knew about vampires being real,
how come you never told me you were one?  I'm your partner Nick.  You
should've known that you could trust me."  She sounded a little cross
again, but nothing like earlier.

"I don't know how much of this you know.  I'll tell you in summary, and if
you want more info then talk to one of the guys.  Otherwise they'll spend
the whole week here trying to figure out what to say instead of just
saying it."  She gave Nick and Vachon a look that said 'MEN!', and
continued.  "Nick's sire is the one who runs the community in Toronto.
He's a jerk, but that's not important right now.  Nick's been running
things while he's away, and an enforcer showed up about a complaint, so
Nick had to deal with it.  Enforcers are kinda like the cops of their
community, enforcing their own codes.  The complaint was about us, Trace,
you and me.  We're not supposed to know about the community, because we're
not part of it.  That's the part of the code that was broken.  Normally
the enforcers would just kill the vampire or vampires who endangered the
community, which is what us knowing about it is considered, and the humans
involved.  That's why I told you we were ALL in danger.  But because of
who Nick's sire is, they were lenient.  By the end of this week if you and
I have both 'joined the community', then they will let us all live.  If
not..." Natalie waited for what she had said to Tracy to sink in.  It was
bound to be a big shock, there was no way around it.

When Tracy finally spoke, it was very slowly, very quiet.  "Natalie, you
mean that the reason we all came up here is because you and I are both
going to be made into vampires?"  When Natalie nodded, Tracy asked, "So
why here?  Why not just turn us in Toronto?"

Natalie looked over at Nick, smiling apologetically.  "Because I want
people around whom I trust when Nick brings me across.  Nick has a problem
with losing control, and killing people important to him instead of being
able to bring them across.  Most vampires don't, and so far as I know
Vachon doesn't.  But Nick does, and I want you both to be ready to
intervene and stop Nick from taking <too much> blood from me when he tries
to bring me across.  I don't want to die, she took a very deep breath,
looking at Nick as tears formed in her eyes, "not like both of his
previous wives did." She went and sat beside Nick, grabbing his hand
tightly.  "Sorry.  But I need to be honest here, totally.  After tonight,
Tracy <needs> the honest truth, and under the circumstances, I think I
want her to be around too.  I know it might be embarrassing, but better
embarrassed than dead."  She leaned against him.  "Sorry, Nick."

*************************************************************************

It was after 8 pm when Natalie awoke.  She was the last to rise.  She had
been so tired, that she slept for over 13 hours.  She had insisted they
figure out the sleeping arrangements before she passed out from
exhaustion.  That had been fun, but they finally settled on Natalie in the
bed in one room, with Nick on the floor in the same room.  Vachon had
slept in the other bedroom, and Tracy had started out on the sofa, but
sometime during the day she had taken her bedding and placed it on the
floor next to Vachon's bed, which was where he found her when he woke up.
Her explanation had been that it was noisier in the living room, but no
one really believed it.  Tracy had never been a very good liar.

When Natalie awoke, it was to the smell of eggs cooking and bread baking.
This really surprised her as she had never thought of Tracy as the
homemaker type.  After she had showered and dressed, Natalie wandered into
the main room of the cabin.  Nick and Tracy were sitting on the sofa, and
Tracy was teaching him some sort of card game while she ate.  Vachon was
in the kitchen, taking bread out of the oven.  Natalie walked into the
kitchen and saw him after seeing Nick playing cards, and decided she was
still dreaming.  She got a glass of water, and started back towards the
bedroom.  When Tracy intercepted her, Natalie explained "I used to walk in
my sleep when I was a kid.  It doesn't make any sense for a vampire to be
baking or for Nick to play cards.  It's gotta be the stress.  I've got to
be sleepwalking like I did when I was little."  She took a drink of the
water.  "I think I ought to go back to bed."  They let her go, and she
slept another hour and a half, before Nick came in to check on her.  "So,
how are you feeling now?"  Nick bent down and kissed her forehead.  "Feel
like getting up yet?"  She looked up into his bright blue eyes, and felt
like melting.  She shrugged, then sat up slowly.

"I suppose I should.  I think I overslept."  She pulled at a tangle in her
hair.  "So, was I dreaming when I thought you and Trace were playing cards
and Vachon was cooking?  I think I musta been."  Natalie stretched, as
Nick grabbed her robe from where she had thrown it onto a chair, and
handed it to her.

"Apparently Vachon used to be a cook in <one> of his lives," Nick told
her.  "He was first up, and left a note that Trace found when she got up.
Soon as the sun went down he had gone to the store to get stuff for you
two.  He figured with how tired you were and the shock poor Trace suffered
yesterday, that you two could use a nice meal prepared for you.  Tracy
said it was delicious.  He's keeping yours warm for you in the oven.  Nick
smiled and thought to himself, 'She looks like a vision of an angel.
Especially when she's just woken up.' He held out his hand to her and
helped her out of bed. " You might as well throw your robe on.  At least
for now.  I don't expect we're going to do certain things tonight, and I
know none of us has much energy.  I doubt we'll do much more than watch TV
tonight."

"My robe is pretty useless," Natalie told him as she reached for a black
denim shirt of Nick's that she had packed.  She turned her back to him
before changing from her nightgown into his shirt.  "This is practically a
dress on me, and you can't see anything through <it>.  With Vachon here
too, I think I'm more comfortable in this."  She hugged Nick, then walked
out with him to join the others.  Once she sat down, Nick went out to the
kitchen and brought out a plate, warm from the oven.  Vachon had made
crepes and some scrambled eggs type dish served on bread with hollandaise
sauce, and a couple of sausages.  Tracy was right, it was excellent.

They watched some movies on pay-per-view, and basically took it easy
Saturday night.  Natalie and Tracy both dozed off a couple of times, but
they didn't mind.  They had decided to go out during the day and do some
daytime things.  This was going to be their last chance.  They had decided
that they'd 'get down to business' on Monday night, so they had Sunday and
Monday left for daytime stuff.

*************************************************************************

Sunday saw Natalie and Tracy head up to the plateau above the townsite,
where they could hire horses and go out trail riding for a few hours.
After they got back, they stopped at A & W for lunch, then decided to go
buy swimsuits so they could go spend the rest of the afternoon sitting in
the pools at Miette Hot Springs.  It was dusk when they decided to leave.
When they came out to where their rented scooters were parked, there was a
herd of mountain goats in the lot, and one of them was busily chewing
unsuccessfully on the handlebar of one of the scooters.  After Natalie and
Tracy chased them off, they hopped onto the scooters and headed back to
the townsite.

It was well after dark when they finally returned back to the cabin and
the guys.  Nick looked at Natalie and Tracy as they came in, "So, what
were you two lobsters up to all day?" he asked, as he picked up Natalie's
baby lotion, walked over, and handed it to her.

"Horses and hot tubs.  You can't get it any better than that."  Tracy said
then grinned at Natalie. "So can I use some of that after you finish with
it?  My sunburn <hurts> and I bet I can convince Vachon to do my back for
me..." Tracy walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't
you think..."

After the guys had tended to their sun-baked ladies, they all went to the
twin theatre to the late showing.  After that, at Vachon's prompting, they
went into a bar that featured live music.  "I know this place looks a
little rough," he told them, "but I used to play in a band for a while,
and we actually played here once."  He smiled at the memories.  Tracy and
Natalie ordered cheeseburgers and onion rings while they were there.  The
burgers were good, but the rings were to die for.  They stayed long enough
to listen to one full set, before returning to the cabin.  Then they
watched a movie before the ladies decided to turn in for the rest of the
night.

It was about 9 am when they got up on Monday.  Vachon had left a note for
them that after they had gone to sleep, he had prepared breakfast for
them, all they had to do was throw it in the microwave to heat it.  There
were belgian waffles, a ham and pineapple omelette that was surprisingly
good, and back bacon.  It was all homemade, including the mixed berry
syrup for the waffles, and there was freshly whipped cream in the fridge
as well.  "I think it's a good thing we're getting turned tonight, Nat,"
Tracy said through a mouth full of whipped cream, syrup, and waffle, "You
know, I could really get used to this..."  She looked up and smiled at
Natalie, who burst out laughing as a dribble of syrup ran down Tracy's
chin.  Tracy wiped her face, than started laughing too.  By the time they
finally stopped laughing, both their faces ached.

Today they were hiking along some of the trails in Maligne Canyon.  It was
overcast today, so their skin wouldn't suffer the way it had the day
before.  They ate a light lunch at the restaurant by Maligne Lake, then
drove back down into town.  They wandered into the arcade briefly, and
Natalie beat Tracy at one of the driving games.  Then they wandered around
town, cruising the gift shops, picking up little trinkets for family and
friends back in Toronto.  Tracy found a poster that she was <certain>
Vachon just <had> to have, and she bought it for him.  Their burns weren't
hurting now, so when they walked past the hair salon that advertised
having sunbeds, they decided to go in.  It was almost dusk when they got
back to the cabin, redder than yesterday, and found the guys just starting
to get mobile.

Natalie phoned a pizza place and ordered a steak sandwich for herself and
an interesting sounding Egyptian meal for Tracy.  When they arrived, they
had both come with a side of poutine.

Once they had finished eating, the fun would begin.

*************************************************************************

After dinner, Natalie and Tracy were laughing and telling each other bawdy
jokes.  Nick and Vachon were just watching them, quietly amused, waiting
to take their cues from the ladies.  All of a sudden the room fell into
total silence, as Tracy and Natalie realized what would soon happen.  They
walked to the sofa and sat down.  After several minutes of awkward silence
and flitting glances, Nick suggested they all go for a stroll around
nearby Lake Edith.  The other all readily agreed.

Natalie and Nick were walking together, hand in hand, when Natalie thought
of another joke she wanted to tell Tracy.  She turned around to tell her
and realized that she and Nick had gotten a long way ahead of the other
two.  She ended up telling the joke to Nick instead, while they sat on the
beach watching the stars reflect in the mirror-like surface of the lake.
Eventually Tracy and Vachon found their way to the beach as well, and
Natalie laughed quietly to herself when she saw them.  Typical of someone
Tracy's age, she and Vachon were walking slowly because they were too busy
necking, as they followed the path, to walk at anything even remotely
close to a normal walking pace.  Vachon looked up briefly, making eye
contact with Nick, who gave him some subtle prearranged signal.  Vachon
continued to neck with Tracy as they walked further on down the beach,
beyond where Nick and Natalie sat cuddling.  After they got to the other
end of the beach, Vachon sat down and pulled Tracy down beside him.  "As
much as I'm enjoying this, Trace," he whispered to her, "<we> have to slow
things down a little."  He took her hand.  "I made a promise to Nick that
I'd help him if necessary.  You know what I mean.  Natalie told you about
Nick's, ummm, 'problem'."  He smiled at her, and kissed her hand.  "I
never break a promise if I can help it," he told her, "and this is one
that I <can't> let myself get distracted enough to break."  Vachon sighed,
and pulled Tracy close, "Just sit here close to me.  I think at this
distance you can't really see what they are up to, but with my heightened
senses, well, I'll be able to tell whn we're needed.  If we're needed."
Tracy just nodded, and snuggled up closer.  She was glad that she wasn't
going to have to <watch>.

Natalie noticed that Tracy and Vachon had walked on past, seemingly
ignoring her and Nick, but that they were still on the beach.  She could
only see them because of the way the moon was reflecting at them.  She
could only assume that meant <it was time>, and that Vachon would be able
to tell when he'd be needed.  She certainly hoped he could at that
distance.  She took a deep breath, then started necking with Nick.  He was
leaning back on his elbow, and when she snuggled up close to him, she
realized that vampire men weren't immune to human male physiological
reactions.  Natalie was surprised, and pleased.  A shiver of thrilled
apprehension crawled over her, and she pressed herself closer to Nick.

Nick was barely in control, and it was a constant battle to remain that
way.  He was determined to make this enjoyable for Natalie.  He knew that
she had been faithful to him since she realized her feelings towards him;
before he could admit his feelings for her.

As Natalie began to slowly unbutton his shirt, trembling slightly as she
did, Nick was surprised to realize that the desires he was feeling went
beyond the vampire, that <he> wanted to be with her.

Nick and Natalie followed the path that their <human> desires lead them
down, Nick with control that surprised even himself, until it's inevitable
conclusion.  As Natalie's body arched toward Nick's in pleasure, he could
finally control himself no longer, and his fangs pierced her neck, her
blood filling his mouth and tasting like sweet nectar to him.  When
Natalie whispered "Nick, yes, bring me over." into his ear, he lost the
feelings of guilt that had been plaguing him since he'd first met her.
But as she spoke he became aware that both her speech and her heart were
slowing.  Feeling her body go limp, he took a final taste of her essence,
then with <ALL> of his will, he managed to pull himself from her.  "I
can't let myself KILL <her>," he spoke under his breath, ripping open his
own wrist and placing it over her mouth, letting his blood flow into her.

Tracy sat next to Vachon, almost facing him.  After he had assured her
that he could tell when, or if, they'd be needed, she had turned her back,
preferring not to think about what was happening.  Anything to do with
vampires aside, Nick was her partner and Natalie was like a sister,
almost.  Tracy didn't want to even think about her "big sister" doing
<that> normally, and especially when she knew she was liable to have to
intervene.  At one point she began to hear sounds from them, so she
started telling jokes to Vachon.  She was sitting cross-legged, drawing
pictures in the sand while she did.

As she sat looking at the sand, she began to fidget because of her own
thoughts.  If she had been looking at Vachon instead of the sand, she
would have noticed when he moved over to be nearer Nick, ready to 'assist'
his friend.  But Tracy was, at the moment, oblivious, preoccupied with her
own thoughts, and wouldn't look up because of the flush she felt on her
own face.  Thinking Vachon still with her, she spoke.  "I know this is
going to sound corny, Vachon, especially since we've known each other such
a short time.  And I hate to admit it 'cause I'm sure you probably don't
feel the same way, but I think I'm falling for you."  She sighed, drawing
a happy face in the sand.  "I mean, it's hard to know for sure 'cause I've
never been in love with anyone, <really>, but I feel different about you
than I've ever felt about any other guy in my entire life.  I mean, I
don't want you to think you're stuck with me forever or anything.  I don't
mean this <that> way.  It's just that the way I do feel, if you wanted me
to be with you for a while, I wouldn't mind, you know."  Tracy sighed.  "I
hope that by telling you this I'm not, like, pressuring you or anything.
I just thought that I ought to tell you how I feel.  You know what I
mean?"

Just as she got the courage to look over to where Vachon should have been
sitting, she felt a rush of air and looked up to see him standing over
her.  "Who are you talking to, Trace?" he asked, a gleam in his eyes.
He'd actually heard what she had to say but knew how embarrassed she was
feeling, and thought it best to play it down, ignoring it for now.  If her
feelings were being triggered by fear, then she'd regret having voiced
them.  If they weren't, he smiled to himself hopefully, 'we'll find that
out together' he thought.  He really enjoyed her company, and his own
feelings for her went beyond friendship.  He wouldn't mind if what she'd
voiced were her true feelings.  And if he had to be "stuck" with someone
forever, well, she'd be his first choice.

Tracy looked up at him and sighed, an edge in her voice again.  "No one
<important>" she lied.

"Good."  Vachon sat down beside her, putting his arm around her shoulder
as he spoke.  "I'd hate to think I was important.  Goes totally against my
nature."  He looked at herwith a deadpan expression, the sparkle in his
dark eyes the only hint of his humor.  After a moment he felt Tracy's
tensed muscles relax, and they both burst out laughing.

Vachon waited to take his cues from Tracy, to go as slow or as fast as she
was comfortable with.  At first she just sat there cuddling him, watching
the stars and the nearly full moon reflect on the slight ripples caused by
the soft breeze on the lake's surface.  After about 15 minutes of this, he
began to gently caress her far cheek with the thumb of his hand that was
over her shoulder.  Tracy turned to look at him then with an <odd> smile
playing on her face, a seeming mixture of nervousness, aprehension,
excitement, regrets, and longing.  "This is it, isn't it?" she asked.  "I
mean, there's no going back.  It's this or" she drew her index finger in a
line across her throat.  Vachon nodded, waiting patiently (or so one would
think) for Tracy to be ready.  He was pleased when she smiled a broad
smile and said "Okay, So let's make the best of it then.  Let's make
things 'happen'...  We might as well enjoy what we're doing!"  And with
that she leaned in and grabbed Vachon's collar, pulling him into a deep,
passionate kiss.

As their passion took control, and desires took the place of 'shoulds' for
Tracy, she began to remove their clothing, none to gingerly.  When she got
to Vachon's blue jeans, she got a mischievious grin.  "I've always wanted
to do this..." she said, then bent down and bit the top button off of the
button fly.

"How am I supposed to keep my jeans on now?" Vachon asked as he watched
Tracy spitthe button into the lake.

"You're not!"

By the time they were done, and she lay sleeping craddled in Vachon's
gentle embrace, neither one had any clothing that was completely intact.
Their lovemaking had been a lot more agressive and vigorous than the other
two, primarily due to Tracy.  "When I decide to do something, I do it.  I
don't hold back." she had breathlessly told Vachon at one point during
their frenzy when she'd had to slow down to catch her ragged breath.

"So I've noticed," he responded past his decended fangs.  It was only a
few minutes later when as their pace had picked back up, Tracy moaned his
name again, and Vachon pierced her neck with his fangs and began to drink
of her.


*************************************************************************

It was around 2 am when the guys returned to the cabin, carrying their
female companions.  Natalie and Tracy would sleep now until well into
tomorrow evening.  Then they'd awaken, HUNGRY.  Nick and Vachon put the
ladies to bed, then took stock of the blood supply that Natalie had
brought.  It wouldn't quite be enough, they thought.  Vachon headed out to
the local hospital, and returned in short order with a few more bags of
blood.  Nick didn't know, didn't <want> to know, how Vachon had managed
it.

The two men stayed up during the night, talking.  Vachon asked Nick what
the difference was, why he'd been able to do things properly and bring
Natalie across on his own, without losing control.  "I did lose control,"
Nick told him, "but I <had> to make myself regain it.  I just couldn't do
that to Nat."  He sighed.  "I suppose the difference, as a friend of mine
once explained it, would be that while I was <in love> with the other two,
I <do love> Natalie.  I <had> to get control back because I wouldn't have
been able to live with myself if I hadn't, if I had done that to <her>."

Vachon smiled at Nick, understanding, and went over to turn on the TV.
"Whatever you did, it worked.  I'm proud of you Nick.  That must have been
really tough.  But you did it.  And I'm glad that I <wasn't> necessary."
They sat watching TV til almost dawn, then Nick crawled in beside Natalie
while Vachon climbed in with Tracy.

************************************************************************

Nick was the first one up.  He went and double checked the blood.  Yes,
there was enough there.  No, it hadn't gone bad or anything.  That was
good.  He was pacing back and forth in the livingroom a few minutes later
when Vachon came out.  According to Vachon, Nick was acting like an
expectant father waiting for <the news>, and told Nick as much.  Nick,
only half in jest, threatened to slug Vachon for the comment then they
both started to laugh.  Tracy came out from her bedroom first, the HUNGER
in her was <very strong>; She was almost like a feral animal.  She
practically stalked the fridge, pouncing on the blood bags it contained.
"Havv?"  she asked, awkwardly, around fangs she was not yet used to.
There was little change from her normal eye colour even though she was
very hungry.  They were just a little more intense, Nick noted as Vachon
went over to be with her while she fed;  Right now she was running on
instinct alone.

Natalie came out a little later.  When she did she was wearing jeans and
one of Nick's t-shirts.  She also had on his sunglasses.  She headed to
the fridge and grabbed a bag, then began to drink.  She stopped after the
first bag, taking time to throw away her empty into the garbage.  "I don'
bind the fangs as buch as I exbected, Nick," Natalie lisped, "Although
i's going to bean I havv to loan to talk again."  She smiled.  "But I
don' like looking at these when I look in the birrow."  She raised the
sunglasses so that Nick could see her eyes.  They were practically
glowing, and were a very bright shade of almost emerald green.  She
grabbed a couple more bags of blood and wandered into the livingroom,
sitting down on the sofa.  When she had finished her second bag, she spoke
again.  "You know, Nick, this is weally gwoss, but wha's weally upsetting
me is that wight now I'm hungwy enough that I don' even care if i's
gwoss or not.  I'm jus enjoying it in spite of it being gwoss."  She
sighed, then drank back the third bag.  "So how much am I subbosed to
drink, Nick?" Natalie asked him.  "I don' want to drink any more than I
havv to."  Her new lisp was already improving, and while not yet gone, it
was definitely easier to understand her as she was getting more accustomed
to speaking around her fangs.

Nick and Vachon exchanged glances.  Natalie's calm behaviour was
<extremely unusual> for one in first hunger.  "Drink til you're not
hungry, Nat." Nick said as he went out to get another bag for her.

"Well, I'm almos not hungry now," she told him cheerfully, "I think one
more should do me."  She smiled at Nick as he brought out a bag, and
handed it to her.  "So, is there any particular reason to not eat food if
you enjoy it?" She asked them.  "Wemember that girl with the M.P.D.?  When
she thought she was human she could go out in the sun and eat normal food.
Is there any reason I can't?"  She drank about 3/4 of the bag, then handed
it to Nick.  "Finish it, if you want.  I'm done."

Nick looked amused, and perhaps a little shocked.  Vachon answered her, "I
suppose it all depends on what you believe in, Natalie.  Nick's very
religious.  Don't forget that he used to be a crusader, a holy warrior.  I
guess that's why crosses and stuff give Nick a hard time.  Most of us
believe it, too; At least to some degree.  What do <you> believe,
Doctor?"

"Science, Vachon.  If it isn't provable by measurable and documentable
scientific means, then I don't believe it."  She walked over to her purse,
and took out a little pouch.  "This was my Nanna's," she told them both as
she poured out a small crucifix on a pendant into her hand.  "Is this
supposed to hurt?"

*************************************************************************

The rest of the week was spent learning skills.  Natalie and Tracy were
both most thrilled with learning to fly.  Natalie said she wouldn't kill a
person if it was avoidable, even if she were hungry; So when she was being
taught to hunt, Nick allowed her to hunt animals.  Tracy had a harder time
of things, but both of them were ready to face the city by the time they
were supposed to return.  Natalie had enjoyed freaking the others out one
night by eating, and enjoying, a small plate of garlicky lasagna in front
of them.  They had all nearly gagged, and Tracy had to leave the room when
when Natalie offered her some of it.

*************************************************************************

Their return to Toronto on Saturday night held no surprises for them.
During their lay-over at the Edmonton International, Nick phoned Janette
at the Raven, telling her what time they were due to arrive and asking her
if she thought she would be able to get his car and come pick them up.
"Oh, I suppose I shall." Janette replied sarcastically, "<Anything> for my
father."  Nick got off the phone, sighing as he did.

"Well, I spoke with Janette.  She's going to meet us at the airport with
my car,"  Nick announced as he walked back to the group and put his hand
possessively around Natalie's waist, "I think it'll be best if we all head
to my place.  We'll have less that an hour til sun-up, and I know that my
place is safe for <us>; totally safe.  You guys can stay there for a few
days til we get other things settled and organized."  He pulled Natalie
really close, and placed his other hand on Tracy's shoulder, as he grinned
like a cheshire cat at Vachon, "Us three have <jobs> to return to
tomorrow, Vachon, so it'll make it difficult to make plans unless you guys
<do> crash over for a few days..."

It was raining slightly when they got back to Toronto.  Janette was
already waiting for them.  While they were getting their luggage from the
conveyer belt, Janette mused under her breath "I must remember to get Nick
to show me how to put the roof up."  She loved the panicked look that
flashed across his face when he thought that his car interior was getting
rained on.  "Of course, I'll also have to get him to show me how to put it
down first."

Nick told her that people who act like children get treated like children,
and that much more of that and he'd give her a 'royal spanking', at which
point Natalie walked over to Nick, grabbing him  possessively around the
waist, "Just ignore her Nick.  Don't forget she's been around LaCroix
longer than you have.  Some of his behaviours are bound to have rubbed
off.  She's just playing with you to get even."  She didn't want Nick to
do something like that to Janette.  With her, you never knew.  She seemed
to Natalie like the kind who just might enjoy it.  "And you," she spoke
directly to Janette, "leave him alone.  I'm not saying he was right to
do what he did, but it's done, and it can't be changed, <yet>.  Have
you <never> made any mistakes you've regretted afterwards?"

When they all got their belongings loaded into the car, There was still a
little room left over in the trunk. As they were all climbing into the
car, Nick turned to Vachon, "Now you see why I like the trunk space..." he
grinned.  Vachon replied that while it was a nice bonus, he still thought
the car looked more predatory.

Tracy and Vachon were cuddling in the back, while Nick and Natalie were in
the front seat.  Janette looked at Tracy, then at Natalie, and sighed.
She climbed in the front, pushing Nat a little closer to Nick.  "I guess
we are going to have to learn to tolerate each other, hmmm Doctor..."  she
smiled resignedly, "I mean, we are, after all, <sisters> now."  Then she
started to grin.  "I may stick around for a little while myself.  There
are <some> things us girls in the community do that are a little different
from the way the men do them.  I'll have to give you some training in that
regards."  Tracy leaned forward, curious. "Oh, I'll teach you, too." she
told her.

Natalie was as curious as Tracy, although she practically hated to think
of herself learning <anything> from that woman.  "Like what... I can't
think of <anything> that I should learn from <you>, Janette."  She would
have probably liked the woman okay, if it weren't for the fact that she
was Nick's ex; and Natalie felt that despite her resentment of what he had
done, if Janette thought she could get Nick back, then Natalie would
likely have a fight on her hands.

A slight smile played across Janette's face, "You'll learn soon enough,
mon petite enfants."

*************************************************************************

Nick, Natalie, and Tracy returned to work on Sunday night.  They left
early so that they would have time to go meet with Captain Reese for
coffee since he'd phoned that afternoon, wanting to talk.  Natalie and
Tracy were wearing sunglasses as they were still having occasional
difficulty with controlling their eyes.  Natalie and Joe were drinking
coffee, while Tracy "sipped" at an apple juice, and Nick just sat.  When
Natalie started on her second cup after coming back with a refill and a
pie slice, the captain could restrain himself no more.  "Why in the hell
are you two," he gestured at Nat and Trace, "wearing sunglasses?  We all
know Nick's a little quirky.  It wouldn't surprise me of him; But you
two?"  Joe got up from the table, and when he returned he had a slice
also.

"Trace and I were petting something.  One of those mountain goats, wasn't
it, Trace?  Anyway, we managed to both pick up an eye infection.  It's
only contagious through direct contact..  So just don't touch our eyes."
Natalie grinned, "But the drops that we have to take are making our eyes
<very> photosensitive.  Even artificial light is hard."  Natalie sighed.
"Anyways, it should only be for another few days at most."  She looked at
her watch.  "You guys are closer to where you need to be, but me, well,
I'd better go now if I'm going to get there in time."  She smiled evilly
at Nick and Tracy, "Otherwise I'd have to be able to fly to make it."

Natalie beamed brightly as Nick stood up, pulled her close and kissed her
passionately.  Even though everyone had "known" they were together, Nick
had still always tried to play it down in front of anyone.  He'd kiss her
on the cheek or such, but nothing like this.  "We'll come pick you up
after work, Nat."

After Natalie left, Joe Reese leaned forward across the table,
conspiratorially.  "Okay, Knight, what's up?  Just after you three left,
Kelly, you know my friend who just retired from I.A., came over to chat.
She told me she was in McDonald's with her son and his family, and saw
your partner here," he gestured at Tracy who was now leaning in as well,
having joined 'the huddle' so to speak, "sitting with her mom.  So, was
she correct in thinking she overheard Tracy saying you were going up to
the mountains for you and Dr. Lambert to get married?"  He smiled at Nick.
"That would explain your change of behaviour.  You two were acting like a
pair of lovebirds or something."

When Nick didn't say anything, Joe started to grin.  Then Nick spoke,
"You're jumping to conclusions, Captain.  I didn't say she was right."

He laughed aloud then, and looked over at a <very> fidgety Tracy, "Okay,
Nick, fine.  For whatever your reasons are that you're hiding this, I'll
let it go."  Joe grinned.  "I won't go and change your personnel files or
anything.  But I did notice you're avoiding saying she was wrong."
Captain Reese shook his head wishing Nick would be honest with him for
once, "Come o, you two.  It wouldn't look too good if we were all late
for work now, would it."

*************************************************************************

Nick and Tracy had just gotten to the morgue when Natalie's shift should
end.  Just as they were getting out of the car to go in an look for her,
she came wandering out.  Tracy got into the back seat so that Natalie
could ride up front with Nick.  Once they were moving, Nat opened up her
purse, pulling out a full blood bag.  "Anyone thirsty?  I brought home
'sipsacks'..."

"I thought you were grossed out by that, Nat."  Nick was amused by her
attitude.  She said that she was, but the blood she could bring home from
the morgue was stuff that would otherwise be being disposed of as
'biological waste', and therefore a 'biohazard'.

"I know that it won't hurt <us> though."  Natalie grinned, "If it's going
to get thrown out anyways," she said, "we might as well put it to use."
She snuggled up close to Nick in the car, and they listened to Tracy
apologise (for Nick this was the umpteenth time tonight) because of not
being careful enough about telling her mom.  Then she went full force into
telling Natalie what the Captain had said after Natalie had left.

"You know Trace, I don't think that it's all bad.  In fact it might
actually work to our advantage by him thinking that."  Natalie smiled,
cunningly.  "That gives him an answer, even if it's a wrong answer, about
<why> we had to go; And that will keep him from asking what could be
potentially uncomfortable questions of us."

Nick looked at Natalie, a little surprised.  'She <is> right' he admitted
to himself, but sometimes when she came up with something like this, she
reminded him a little too much of LaCroix.

*************************************************************************

Nick and Natalie were sitting cuddling on the sofa, with Tracy and Vachon
sitting together on the floor, facing them.  "First things first," Nick
said, smiling at the others.  "I've seen your place, Trace.  It would be
nearly impossible to make it safe for our kind at the best of times, and
with you <renting>, there's just no way.  You're going to need to move.
And somehow I doubt that your dad would approve if you moved into Vachon's
place."  He arched his eyebrows at them in a way that implied <all> the
reasons her father would be upset.  "I think the best thing will be to get
you set up in a loft like mine.  I can get it in Janette's name, and then
you can tell your parents, or anyone else who asks, that a friend of your
partner's is moving away from the city but doesn't want to leave her
place empty.  In order to have it looked after and lived in, she'll let
you rent it for the same amount as what you were paying on your apartment.
I'll cover the penalty charged to you for breaking your lease.  We can get
it fixed up something like mine so that it's a safe haven for you."  He
smiled at Vachon and Tracy, and gave Nat a squeeze.  "I know you're trying
to make it <only> on your pay, Trace.  I'll also set you up a small fund
so that you've got something to fall back on if you have to move on
unexpectedly.  It'll let you get set up wherever you move to.  But you
don't want to use it except for that kind of emergency, otherwise I.A.
will be on you in an instant, breathing down your neck.  Anything else you
need I'm certain Vachon will help you take care of."

Just then Janette made her typical entrance through Nick's skylight.  "I
heard your plans for the young ones, Nichola.  You never avail yourself of
the resources the community has to offer."  She walked over to Nick's
fridge, opening it, and was pleasantly surprised that there was blood
other than cow's blood in it.  She reached in and acquired one of the
bags.  "I see that the good doctor has a better taste in 'vintage' than do
you, Nichola."  She took a drink from the bag.  "I can take you two over
to see Aristotle immediately as I had the foresight to make an appointment
with him.  While I agree that it would be wise for you to put the place in
my name, a lot of time and money can be saved by finding out what other
locations in the city have been outfitted to suit our needs by others who
have since had to move on.  I expect that he'll know of a suitable place,
where Javier and Tracy can set up.  He'll probably have it all arranged
within a couple of days." As Janette finished the bag, she watched Tracy
give Vachon an odd look that told her Tracy <hadn't> realized that Vachon
was expected to stay with her for the first century or two.  The girl
didn't know what usually happened to "orphans", or that she would be
considered such if he didn't look after her.  "Come, now.  We have an
appointment to keep."  Janette left, without another word, the same way
that she had entered.

Tracy looked first at Vachon, then at Nick and Natalie, wincing.  She
waved, then left in the same fashion, although with far less grace yet in
her takeoff.  Vachon stood, stretching.  He grinned at both of them.
"Later." he said, saluting Nick as he followed Tracy out.

After the others had left, Natalie walked over to the remote and turned on
the fireplace.  "You know, Nick, I had never really 'appreciated' the fact
that your fireplace is a gas one.  Now I do."  She grinned at Nick as she
sat down on the floor in front of the fire, and watched Nick get up to
join her.  Natalie was thinking how much she was going to enjoy living
with Nick.  And who knew, maybe someday he would actually marry her.

When Nick sat down, he wrapped his arm over Nat's shoulder.  "Now we need
to start thinking about arrangements for you, Nat."  Natalie's face fell.
She refused to show it, but she was on the verge of tears.  Nick was going
to kick her out!  How could she possibly face Nick's teaching her what she
needed to learn over the next century if he felt like that?  How could he
face it, she wondered.  'If this is how he feels, then maybe I should see
if Janette, or even LaCroix, would take me in as <an orphan>... That would
have to be better for both of us than <this>...'  she couldn't stop
herself from crying now.  She got up and ran for the bathroom, so that
Nick wouldn't see her cry.  As she stared at herself in the bathroom
mirror, seeing the tears of blood forming in the corners of her eyes, and
running down her cheeks, she thought that it must have changed for Nick
once he had actually <truly> registered that he had had to turn her into,
as he perceived things, a monster like himself.  With how much Nick wanted
to be human, how could she have thought that he'd still want her around
after <that> had happened?  It would only serve to remind him of his own
curse.

Nick watched Natalie run for the bathroom.  As Sydney came over and rubbed
against Nick's knee, Nick thought that Natalie mustn't feel towards him as
he did towards her, as he had thought she did towards him.  'How could she
possibly love you now?' his inner voice said to him, 'After all, you went
and took away her mortality from her, cursed her to your eternal darkness.
Made her like the evil monster you are.  How could she <ever> want to have
anything to do with you now?  Or ever?'  Nick thought to himself that if
it weren't for Tracy, it probably would have been better for both he and
Natalie if they had chosen to face the enforcers justice.  After another
few minutes had passed, he walked to the bathroom door.  He knocked
lightly on it.  "Nat...  I know you're upset and unhappy.  but one way or
another, we need to talk this through.  We need to make some decisions."

When Natalie opened the door, Nick saw the stains left from where her
tears had been wiped away.  He took her gently by the elbow, not wanting
to make things any more difficult for her by taking her hand, and lead her
back to the livingroom, where he sat her down in the overstuffed black
leather armchair, knowing this was where she felt the most safe in their
house. 'in <my> house', Nick corrected himself, regretfully.

As Nick started talking about how he'd help her find a place, and get it
set up, Natalie started to change from feeling hurt and sorry for Nick to
feeling angry.  Just because it hadn't been <his> choice to have to bring
her across, that didn't mean it had been <her> choice either.  "...and
I'll set you up the same way I told Tracy I help her financially..."  As
she heard this Natalie got practically livid.  'How dare he try to kick me
out when I need him most?  He's got his responsibilities to the community,
which I <am> now a part of, and he had damn well better do what he's
supposed to.  Besides which', she thought angrily, 'Nick told me he loved
me.  He made me think we'd be together, forever.  This isn't right for him
to do this to me, especially now!'

"NICK, YOU BASTARD, JUST STOP IT! RIGHT THERE!" Natalie took a very deep
breath, more because it was necessary for how much she'd be saying than
out of any other need, then continued, "You've got <no> right to do this
to me!  I've spent the last 6 years of my life trying desperately to find
your stupid cure so that we could be together.  Now that we have a chance
for <us> to happen, you're going to throw it away because it isn't your
way, with us both human?"  Natalie stood, her clenched fist slamming down
hard on the arm of the chair, cracking it with her new strength,  "THAT
ISN'T VERY DAMN FAIR NICK!  It isn't very damn fair at all!  How can you
do this to me, throwing me out like this?  I told you before that I would
still look for a cure.  I'm willing to do that.  That would have let us
have however much time we <needed> or possibly <wanted> together, and when
we had found the cure and were both ready to take it, we could have done
that.  Then we could have been together for the rest of our <natural>
lives.  Now you want to throw it ALL away!"  She took another deep breath.
"How can you throw away our chance for happiness, Nick?  Our chance for a
family?  The way you talked before I thought that was something you
wanted.  Someday when I've found the cure for <us> to have a family.  And
now because we were forced to make a choice that we would rather not have
made, you're not only throwing me out, but you're throwing out our future?
Why, Nick?  I thought that your dreams meant more to you than that!"
Natalie was crying again.  "I thought <I> meant more to you than that..."

Nick was sitting on the sofa, dumbfounded, with a 'deer in headlights'
look on his face, listening to Natalie's tirade;  She still loved him,
wanted to stay with him, forever by the sounds of it...  All of a sudden
he realized that she was crying, having finally stopped ranting.  He got
up, slowly, and moved towards her, still in awe that she could still love
him, that she still believed in the cure, in them.  As he started to wipe
away her tears, he began to laugh.  "We've gotten too good at keeping
secrets from each other Nat."  He leaned down, kissing her cheek,  "I just
assumed that you <wouldn't> want to stay here."  He paused for effect, to
draw focus on what he was about to say.  "Nat, If you want to stay with
me, I'd be a <very> happy man.  I love you."  Now it was Natalie's face
that looked like a deer caught in headlights.  "You don't believe me, do
you Nat?" He looked down into her big, teary eyes.  "I can think of two
things that'll prove it to you.  First, I think I did things the wrong way
around before.  I married them first and tried to bring them across after.
I think this time I'll try it the other way around."  He pulled Natalie
close, and kissed her on her forehead.  When she didn't respond, he
stepped back slightly, just enough to be able to look at her, and went
down on bended knee. "So, Dr. Lambert, will you give me that honour?  Will
you marry me?"

Natalie started to cry again, the flood of emotions were just too strong
to control.  But now her tears were ones of joy and relief.  She had
misunderstood.  He wasn't kicking her out, abandoning her.  For whatever
his reasons, he had thought that was what <she> had wanted.  He'd probably
been feeling as heartbroken as she had.  Then she realized what <exactly>
he had said, that he had proposed to her, and was now waiting for an
answer.  She hugged him as tightly as she could, nearly breaking ribs with
a strength she was not yet used to.  "Yes," Natalie squeaked at him, her
voice was wreckage from how hard she had been crying and also from how
loudly she had been yelling.  "Yes.  I'll definitely marry you."  She
clung to him like a drowning rat to a piece of driftwood.

*************************************************************************

They were sitting on a blanket cuddling in front of the fireplace.  Nick
pulled the quilt up more, wrapping it around the both of them.  As they
sat watching the fire, Nick spoke up, "We still need to make arrangements,
Nat.  Are you going to move in here with me?  Or are we going to look for
a nicer place?  And how much of your stuff are you going to want to bring?
All of it, or just some stuff?  We have to consider that, too, when we
decide where we're going to live."

Natalie thought for a few minutes, before she answered him.  "I'll move in
here with you Nick.  There's not really any <need> to move elsewhere.
It's been your home for quite a while, and," Natalie grinned a little
embarrassedly, "I have thought of it as home for a while now, too."  she
looked at Nick with a sheepish expression on her face.  "I've got some
books, and things like that.  But the stuff that I have that really
matters," she began to caress the old crucifix pendant that had been her
grandmothers, that she was wearing, " things like this, are all little.
Jewellery and other little trinkets.  Most of my stuff can go into
storage.  Or just plain go."  She smiled at Nick, very happily, "But I'll
have to do something with the plants.  Maybe I can take them to work.
They'd still get light during the day, and I'd still be able to be around
them at night.  I'd have to put them into one of the front offices, but
still...  Also your place, <our> place, could use a little greenery.  I
know some plants thrive on indirect or artificial light.  We can get
some of them in here.  Maybe that one kind of air fern to start.  We can
check out other kinds and add some of them later.  A friend once said
something about 'night blooming hoya', I think she called it.  From what
she said I bet that would be good, too.  We can check out stuff like that
with a greenhouse."  Natalie looked around, grinning.  "Oh, and a nice
thick rug here in front of the fire would be good.  But I don't have
anything like that.  It's something we'll have to buy."

"Maybe not, Nat."  Nick started to grin from ear to ear, resembling
nothing if not a cheshire cat.  "Maybe I can find my old bearskin rug and
pull it out of storage."  Natalie looked a little surprised at that,
knowing what they'd likely end up doing on it, and asked him if he knew
what kind of pictures had classically been taken on bearskin  rugs in the
30's and 40's, especially during wartime.  Nick raised his eyebrows at
her.  "Why do you think I suggested it, Nat?"

"Why, You..."  Natalie playfully cuffed Nick, then started trying to
tickle him.  He resisted for a minute, then started to react.  He was
<very> ticklish.  Then Natalie stopped, realizing something.  "Wait a
minute, Nick.  You only crack a joke like that before you start talking
about something awkward or serious.  What is it, Nick?"

"I know you're not going to want to hear this, Nat.  But I'm going to have
to go back to human blood.  I still want the cure, but it's going to have
to be something purely medical."  He reached out his hand and gently
touched her lips.  "Just listen for a minute." Nick said quietly.  "I need
to teach you now.  And I can't do that effectively unless my own abilities
aren't being crippled by my dietary choices."  Nick sighed, sadly.  "Even
at my age, Nat, drinking cows blood practically starves me.  If my first
feeding had been from cows blood I wouldn't have a problem.  But it was
human.  And so was yours.  With how young you are there is no way that you
can sustain yourself on cows blood, nor can I if I want my abilities and
strengths to be at their peak, which I need if I am to teach you.  This
doesn't mean that we're going to have to be like rabid hunters or
anything, though.  If you continue to bring home, I think <you> called
them 'sipsacks', that'll be more than sufficient.  It'll just mean that
you need to get really good at faking the paperwork so that <everyone>
thinks the contaminated blood has been properly disposed of.  There will
come a time you <have> to learn how to hunt <properly>, so that if
something happens and I'm not around for some reason and you don't have
access to any blood supply, you won't starve.  But we can cover that
later."  Seeing the discomfort that showed itself in Natalie's expression
at that thought, he added, "Probably much later."

"Nick, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to cause you to have to... regress."
Natalie looked ready to cry, but was succeeding in blinking back the
tears.  "I feel really bad, Nick.  Like it's all my fault."

"Don't feel like that, Nat."  He kissed her gently.  "I'd rather have to
drink human blood again so I can teach you than to not have you with me."
He held her close.  "I <really> do love you, Nat."  Nick felt a little
astonished at his own admission.  He knew he loved her, but he hadn't
really realized exactly how much.

They sat for a while longer, staring at the fire and cuddling.  Then
Natalie spoke up.  "You said there were two things, Nick..."  Natalie
looked up at him quizzically.  "So, what's the second thing?"

"I would have told you about this sooner or later, Nat.  Probably sooner,"
Nick grinned at her, "We can share, Nat."  He kissed her on top of her
head, as Natalie asked him what he meant by that.  Nick explained to her
about how vampires can share blood with each other, and the effect that
it would have on their bond.  "You watched Star Trek, right Nat?  Well,
it's sort of similar to the Vulcan mind meld.  It would let you know what
I'm thinking, and me know what you're thinking."  He explained the
difference between a regular bond, where you can basically get general
emotions or if they are close by, and a bond temporarily enhanced by
sharing, where you actually can feel each others thoughts and memories,
almost as if they were your own.  "It's very intimate, Nat.  In nearly 800
years I've only done it with a handful of others, probably partly because
until now, there hasn't been anyone that I've really <wanted> to share my
innermost feelings with.  And my innermost secrets."  Nick pulled her
closer, kissing her.

Natalie asked Nick a few 'technical questions', partly out of wanting to
know so she'd know what to expect, and partly the doctor in her wanted to
look at it analytically.  Once she had stopped asking questions for a few
minutes, Nick looked down at Nat.  She was 'vamped out', her fangs
descended and her eyes practically glowing.  "So are we going to do this
sharing thing or not?"  Nick looked at her, his concern for her showing
through.  Then he relaxed and smiled, his own fangs descending as he did.

*************************************************************************

Janette sat in LaCroix's office at the Raven.  The enforcer was there
talking with her. "Nichola and his 'charges' should be along soon," she
told the man.  "I have seen them since their return, and they have joined
the community, as requested."  She smiled reassuringly at the enforcer,
who stood there sullenly.  "As soon as they arrive, I will leave the use
of this office for you, so that you can 'interview' them at your leisure
and with privacy."  Janette sipped at her 'wine' waiting for the 'troupe'
to arrive.  It was about 15 minutes later when Nick and Vachon showed up
with Natalie and Tracy in tow.  She spoke quietly to Nick, and then left
to go help out behind the bar, leaving them to the 'interrogation' that
the enforcer was about to provide.

The enforcer stood in the now crowded office, asking Nick if he had done
what was required.  Nick then explained that while he had brought Natalie
across, he had arranged with Vachon for him to bring across Tracy.  This
enforcer was apologetic about some of the formalities he had to put the
fledglings through, but explained that although he felt that he could
'sense' them, he knew of one who had managed to fake even that to another
enforcer.  He then insisted that the two women display to him their new
vampiric nature. He checked inside their mouths first to prevent the
possibility of fang caps or of fanged dentures.  Then he examined their
eyes closely for any sign of contacts.  The colour of Natalie's eyes made
him  very suspicious.  That wasn't a <normal> colour for a vampire's eyes.
He went so far as to pull back her eyelids to see if she had the full eye
contacts.  She didn't.  And, as she was getting angrier at him and his
suspicions, her eyes seemed to grow an even brighter shade of green.  When
he realized that this wasn't a hoax, he seemed placated, and got down to
asking them how they knew about the code, and ensuring that they weren't
going to inadvertantly draw attention to the community.  Once he was
satisfied that the situation was resolved, he wished them well, and headed
out, speaking briefly to Janette before leaving the premises.

*******************************************************************

Janette was sitting in the Raven.  It was after hours, and one of the
'strays' who had been staying there previously when Janette had left
Toronto had stayed to chat with her.  Janette was catching up on all the
news.  The girl had actually managed to make it in the community despite
being 'an orphan'.  It was nearing dawn when the girl decided to leave.
LaCroix entered just as the girl was leaving.  "Hello Janette.  It is a
pleasant surprise to see you here.  Especially since I had left Nicholas
with care of things in my absence."  He smiled at her, taking her hand and
kissing it.  He would always treat Janette like a lady...

"I don't expect to be here too long, LaCroix.  I just came back briefly to
help out my <father>."  Janette went behind the bar and took two glasses
and a bottle from the 'special' stock.  She poured some for each of them,
and handed one to LaCroix.

"So tell me, my dear, have you been well?  I seem to have lost track of
you recently."  LaCroix had his typical sneer on his face as Janette
fidgeted.

"I have been well.  But I expect you don't really want to hear about me.
Not with the excitement that Nichola has so recently had."  Janette
smiled, absently.  As much as she hated having become a vampire again
after having had her humanity for so brief a time, she still felt loyalty
to LaCroix.  He had to be told about Nichola.

Janette told him about the anonymous letter, the enforcer, and the choice
that Nichola had been forced to make.  She told him also about the plans
that Nichola and Natalie had made, how they had all gone up to the
mountains to do what they had to, and that she had been 'summoned' back to
look after things in Nichola's absence. After they had returned, she said
that she had promised 'the girls' that she would stay for a while to help
with their teachings; 'le mysteries le femme', as it were.  That would
also be better for Nichola as he didn't exactly enjoy looking out for the
community the way she did.  It was something that she had really missed
since she had left.

LaCroix sat amicably chatting with and listening to Janette.  By now the
sun was up.  "It's daylight now, Janette.  I would assume that you have
been staying here while you are back in this city?"

Janette nodded, "Since their return, Oui."

"Stay," he told her, "there is plenty of room for strays here.  And I
suppose that you could class yourself as such, technically speaking at
least."  He smiled at her, the sneer almost gone.  "Besides, I don't mind
the company.  Nicholas has been something of a bore in the last few
decades.  There will always be room for <you> by my side."

*************************************************************************

Natalie was putting the finishing touches on the new decor.  She had
talked Nick into getting new wallpaper for the bathroom, bedroom, and
kitchen areas.  They had just gotten it put up yesterday.  She was hanging
up trinkets, paintings, and such.  It was really giving the place a 'homey
feel'.  Vachon had said last night that it showed off the presence of 'a
lady's touch'.  And Nick had even managed to find his bearskin rug.  It
had been a little dusty, but Nick had taken it to a qualified cleaner, and
it was now on the hardwood floor before the fireplace.  It was <very>
soft, cosy and warm.  Natalie hated to admit it, but she did like the
thing.

Natalie woke up Nick, then headed in to shower.  When she came out she was
dripping wet and was wrapped in a towel, and LaCroix had 'stopped by for a
visit', to let Nick know that he had returned from his six week trip.
"Why hello, Doctor.  I thought that I could detect a woman's touch in the
decor."  He smiled, almost sneering,  "But I must admit that finding you
here <does> come as a surprise."  He turned back to Nick.  "So tell me,
Nicholas, whatever has happened during my absence that has brought <this>
about?  It would seem that the Doctor has moved in with you.  Is that so?
And if true, then am I to assume that she is now my <granddaughter>?  Oh,
Nicholas, it would seem that you have so much news.  Please, do tell."

Nick walked over to the kitchen, bringing out a 'sipsack' for LaCroix.
"Here." Nick handed the bag to LaCroix, then sat down in the black
armchair, carefully.  They hadn't yet had it fixed, and Nat wanted to keep
it rather than get a new one. LaCroix sat down on the sofa, turning to
face Nick.  "You had been gone about a week when an enforcer showed up.
It appears that someone complained to them about me."  Nick sighed.  "They
had been told about Natalie, whom I was intending on bringing across
eventually, but whoever complained also knew about my police partner
knowing about the community, even though she didn't know about me being
part of it, and complained about me having 2 humans who knew, with no
intentions they thought, of either being brought across.  So I ended up
talking him into giving me some time so that I could make arrangements.  I
got Janette to come back.  She's been looking after things around the
Raven.  You should find her there when you get back.  And I explained
things to Nat and Vachon, who was the one who Tracy knew, and we planned a
trip to the mountains.  Nat got Tracy there under false pretences, but she
got her there.  Once we were up there we <all> sat and discussed the
situation, and both ladies made the choice to be brought across."

Nick smiled at Natalie as she came down the stairs from their bedroom,
having dressed in her jeans and his black denim shirt.  He doubted that
he'd ever get it back with how much she liked it.  Natalie walked over,
and sat on the floor by his feet, leaning back against Nick's legs.  She
sat listening to the guys talking for a few minutes.  Then she got up.
"I'm hungry, Nick.  I'm going to eat.  Want anything?"  Nick shook his
head.  She came out, having poured a blood bag into a glass, drinking it
slowly, and once again settled at Nick's feet.  LaCroix left soon after
for the Raven.

*************************************************************************

It was a little later that night, which was one of Nick and Natalie's
regular nights off, when Lacroix looked up from the computer in his
office.  Looking out the window into the club, he was surprised to see
Nick and Natalie were in, and walking towards the door to meet someone.
It was Vachon with someone that he could only assume was Nick's partner,
Tracy.  He knew he had seen her in the Raven before.  She was wearing the
same outfit that she had been wearing when she had been on suspension and
had gone missing from his club.  It was a very attractive little number
that he thought suited her rather well.  Vachon was wearing his motorcycle
leathers, of course.  He hardly ever wore anything but that.  And Nick was
wearing new black jeans and a red silk shirt.  His attire was the perfect
compliment for what Natalie was wearing.  While it suited the style of the
Raven, it was also very elegant, and would not look at all out of place in
some posh 5-star restaurant.  It was a floor length, sleeveless, simply
styled, low scoop necked cocktail dress of black leather, that had a
single slit up one side, to upper thigh.  Under the dress was a
high collared, sheer, red blouse of antiquarian design with <very> pooffy
long sleeves; And if one looked <closely> at the slit in the skirt, you
could see the top of her silk stockings, and just detect the straps from a
garter-belt that was holding them up.  'Nicholas certainly had good taste
when he chose this one' LaCroix thought to himself, wryly, 'I would not
have though she could look so beautiful.'  He shut off his computer, and
went out to look for Nick and his companions.

LaCroix found them, about to sit at one of the tables.  He requested they
all join him at his reserved table.  They were chatting sociably and
drinking from a bottle of his private stock, which made Natalie want to
gag.  She got up and walked over to the bar briefly.  It was only a few
minutes until her coffee arrived, and a few minutes later when her caesar
salad (complete with garlic toast) arrived.  The others were used to her
doing this by now, but LaCroix was nearly ill.  He looked over at Nick.
"I <thought> you said you had brought her across, Nicholas."  He glared at
Natalie and her food.

"Oh, He did."  Natalie spoke up.  "It tends to gross him out to that I
still enjoy eating real food.  In fact"  Natalie grinned, "with my senses
enhanced since he brought me across, I actually enjoy it just that much
more."  She watched LaCroix fidget uncomfortably.

*************************************************************************

LaCroix sat in his office at the Raven, thinking.  He had a pre-recorded
tape of the nightcrawler playing in the background.  Natalie might be
stubborn, aggressive sometimes, and hold a little too much faith in
science, but she was also intelligent, kind, compassionate (despite
herself, he guessed), and patient. All characteristics that he could
admire and respect, if he chose to.  He sighed.  'Yes, Nicholas, you made
a good choice, I think.' he thought to himself, as he prepared to take
over once the recording was finished.  He was glad to have his family
together again.  Janette was staying at the Raven for a while, she told
him she would likely stick around for a few years to help out with Natalie
and Tracy.  This pleased him, as she had always enjoyed looking after the
young ones.  It was nice to see her coming back to her old self.  And
having to teach Natalie had brought Nicholas back to the fold.  He was
drinking human blood again, for the first time in over a century.  And
working on improving his own abilities.  And Natalie, well, she was
something else.  He thought that she would perhaps be a better 'pupil'
than Nicholas was.  Nicholas didn't like to play games.  He had become
rather boring.  But his <granddaughter>, Natalie?  He suspected that she
would perhaps even outdo himself at the games.  Her ordering a salad and
garlic toast, of all things.  He grinned to himself.  'Yes, I think I
shall enjoy having her in the family.  I might even learn something from
that one.'

When LaCroix was no longer on the air, he started thinking about the
situation once more.  He poured himself a glass of blood, and sat down in
the now quiet club.  He really hadn't <needed> to go look after his other
child's problem in person.  But it had provided the perfect solution.  His
absence had forced Nick to act responsibly, and that anonymous letter he
had written had made Nicholas <have> to take his personal responsibilities
seriously.  Now none of his children were having problems.  They were
living as vampires should, drinking <human> blood, and Nick summoning
Janette had brought his family back together.  He sipped at his glass
happily, and applauded himself.  'Life could not be any more satisfying',
he thought.

*************************************************************************
Well, that's it, folks!  I certainly hope you've enjoyed it!  
Thanks for reading!
   --Micki