Subject: 98-MoreThanFriends

aka: "Something Nice for Natalie"
 or  "A Little Distraction can be Good for the Soul"


     This was something I wrote to get it out of my system...  I
originally only shared it with a few friends because I thought
the theme had been done by quite a few others, however most of
them have encouraged me to post it anyway...  so here it is.
     Thanks to Sue for beta-reading, and to Sue, Cheryl, & Kil
for their initial encouragement, without which I'd probably not
have saved this story to edit/post now...
     Also to Cheryl for making title suggestions, which although
I didn't use, her suggestions directly inspired the ones I did
chose!

Mel & Michael: permission to archive at your respective archives.

Usual: ...not mine...wish they were...treated 'em better, etc.

This is a post NIQ alternative timeline story...

*********************
        "Knight!"

        Tracy looked up to see Reese standing in his office
doorway and glaring at her partner.  She looked at Nick and
realized he was once again 'zoning', pen held motionless in
mid-air, mentally a million miles away.  She looked back at Reese
and rolled her eyes, then pushed her desk hard enough to jar her
partners under his other arm.

        "Uh, what?"  Nick looked at Tracy who nodded toward
their captain.

        "Thank-you, Tracy.  Now again, Knight?  Are you with us
this time?"

        "Yes Captain.  Sorry.  I've got someone, er, something on
my mind."

        Tracy smiled.  It had been a couple of months ago that
Nick had been shot and Natalie had stayed with him until his
memory had returned.  Since then, however, Nick had seemed to be
having a lot harder time concentrating.  Natalie had told her on
several occasions that it was to be expected after his injury and
reminded her how lucky he was to have such a minor aftereffect as
that.
        Tracy saw how the two of them behaved around each other,
though.  ~Hell, in spite of their efforts to the contrary, I
think EVERY person who works with either one of them knows they
are more than the 'just friends' they both claim.~  Tracy
wondered if Nick's slip of the tongue might not in fact be more
truthful.

        "Knight, do you know where Dr. Lambert is?"  At Nick's
affirmative answer he added, "Good.  Then please join me in my
office and take a phone call."

***

        Reese entered and sat at his desk.  Nick followed,
closing the door, and took a seat in the chair opposite.  Reese
slid the phone across the desk towards Nick.  "Line 3.  It's
Natalie's supervisor."  He tried not to listen, but as there was
nothing else to distract him, it was pretty much impossible.

        "Nick Knight here." ...  "Oh, yes, she was planning on
coming in to work tonight.  But she was going to be late." ...
"Well, actually, she did.  She called and left a message for you.
About 3 this afternoon, I think it was." ...  "No, I know she
did.  She called from my home.  You just must not have been given
the message.  But look, she might stop here on her way.  If she
does I'll ask her to call you, okay?" ...  "Oh, nothing like
that.  She just had a medical appointment is all." ...  "Yes, if
I see her before you I'll remind her to call.  And no.  She
really is quite well." ...  "Okay then.  Goodbye."

        Nick hung up the phone and turned to face Reese.  "Sorry
about that, Captain.  Nat left a message for him this afternoon
but he never received it."

        "So I gathered.  Not too many doctors work this time of
night except in hospitals.  *Is* she okay, Nick?"

        "Yes."

        "Good.  But that also means you need to be focusing on
your work.  There have been a number of times recently that I've
noticed Tracy covering for you even though I could tell she was
annoyed herself.  You've been very... distracted.  *Don't* be..
It isn't fair to your partner and ..."

        Reese's lecture was interupted by a slight commotion out
in the main office.  They looked out and saw Natalie come running
in.  She stopped and said something to Tracy, who smiled and gave
her a big bearhug, then pointed towards the Captain's office.
Nick looked to Reese who smiled and nodded his okay.  Nick
quickly exited the office, but stopped an arm's length from
Natalie.

        "And?"

        Reese noted Nick looked very pale as he spoke, even for
the fair detective.

        Natalie nodded.  "And... yes..."  She spoke hesitantly,
sounding nervous.

        Nick shocked Reese with his response.  The normally
staid detective let out a whoop tha caused all in the area to
turn and watch.  Tracy was among them, grinning fiercely.

        "Really!  You're pregnant?!  We're going to have a baby?"
He enwrapped his arms tightly around the coroner and spun around,
lifting her off the floor in the process.  "WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A
BABY!"  Nick was yelling in his excitement.

        He finally stopped spinning with Natalie and set her feet
on the floor, bowing his head to kiss her deeply and
passionately.  After a moment Tracy and some others who knew them
both began applauding, causing Natalie to pull away, blushing
deeply.

        After a round of congratulations from various people
throughout the precinct, Reese finally spoke up.  Although his
voice was stern, he hadn't managed to wipe the smile from his
face.  "Okay people, we've got work to do here."

        He turned to Nick, who had his arm possessively around
Natalie's shoulder.  "You two go on.  Take the night off," Reese
continued.  "You'd be too distracted anyway.  Go out and
celebrate.  I'll call your supervisor, Natalie, and tell him I'm
sending you home and why.  Now go on, get outta here."

        Reese smiled, watching them leave hand in hand.  "Okay
people!  Show's over.  Back to work now."  He turned toward
Tracy.  "Vetter!"

        After Tracy shut the door behind herself, he gestured
for her to take the chair recently vacated by her partner and
sat down himself.  "I know you've been covering for your partner
for a while.  As far as I can tell he's still pulling his weight
around here in spite of obviously being distracted recently.
Though I guess we now know why."  He smiled as Tracy nodded
silently, and  continued, "Finish up whatever paperwork you're
doing, then you take off, too.  You're his partner.  Go make sure
he's doing something nice for Dr. Lambert.  Lord knows she's
earned it."

        Tracy stood "Okay, Cap."  Then a frown crossed her face,
and she added, "Hey, did you know about this?  I mean, doesn't
Nick talk to you occasionally?"

        "Did he *tell* me?  No.  But I did have my suspicions.  I
haven't assigned you two any more than I had to over the last
while, figuring Nick needed time to think about whatever he's
needed to."

        Tracy say back down.  "Why'd you suspect, Captain?  If
anything they've seemed more distant lately.  At least to me,
although they both seemed to be watching each other more."

        "Think about how they've always been at a crime scene -
really close proximity but always hands off, except maybe a pat
on the shoulder or something similar.  Friendly and close but not
intimate.  Since Nick's accident that changed.  See them together
whenever they know or expect anyone might notice and it's more
distance, professional doctor and detective instead of the
friends they've always been.  But watch them when they think no
one's watching, they stand so close to each other they
practically have to hang onto one another to keep from knocking
each other over.  Plus he's walking her to her car more than he
used to.  And when he does he usually gives her a kiss before she
leaves, but not on the forehead as he's been known to do in the
past."

        Captain Reese smiled.  "Besides for someone who's always
indicated no *personal* interest in young children,  for the last
3 weeks Natalie has been acting exactly like Denise was when she
was first pregnant, fawning over every little child she sees,
especially the really young ones.  Not everyone who does that is
pregnant.  Hell, you know that.  I've seen you curl your nose at
a baby then turn around and thoroughly enjoy looking after it for
as long as you needed until the authorities took over.  But
Natalie tried too hard before to harden herself against that.
The last 3 weeks or so she hasn't, she's let her own instincts
take over around them."

        Reese stood and indicated the door.  "I'd like you to
hurry and finish up, then go check on your partner and make sure
he's treating Natalie to a some sort of proper celebration.  Go
on."

***

        Because Tracy had called the Raven and left a message for
Vachon to drop by, she wasn't at all surprised to find her sofa
occupied and see her television turned to Muchmusic when she
finally got home.

        "What's up, Trace?"  Vachon watched her prepare a fresh
pot of coffee and wait til she could grab a cup before coming to
sit on the sofa beside him.

        "I'm so excited for Nick!  Natalie too!  It was so
exciting!  Nick was so ecstatic that he wasn't even caring if
anyone could hear what they said or see them.  Natalie's
pregnant!  They're going to have a baby!"

        Tracy did not notice Vachon's eyebrows crawl up his face.
She was too excited as she continued, "He kissed her in front of
everyone, and we're not talking a sweet little peck on the cheek
or even a brush of the lips.  We're talking they were trying to
swallow each other's tongues and didn't even notice there was a
world around them!  Well, at least until we started cheering and
clapping.  Then Natalie blushed."  Tracy took a swallow of her
coffee.

        "You know what, the guys at work are making bets as to
how long it'll be before they get married and whether they'll
just elope or have the big deal that most cop weddings are.  I
went and stopped by Nick's on my way home.  They had just gotten
back from some fancy restaurant.  Natalie was all excited because
Nick ate with her, though I don't get why that's so exciting.
Maybe it's just her way of coping with all the excitement.  I
mean it's not like Nick's like you."  She held her fingers in a
manner indicative if fangs, not noticing as Vachon supressed a
smile.

        "It was so great!  I really wish you could have seen
them!  They really make such a cute couple.  I know, Nick'd kill
me if he knew I thought that,  And Nat'd be even madder, but they
do!  They belong together."

        She leaned against Vachon and sipped her coffee as he
toyed with her hair. "Maybe they'll let me be 'Auntie' to it,
since both of them have no family or at least none locally.  I'll
have to ask when she get's further along.  Can you believe it?!"

        Vachon curled a strand of her blonde hair around his
finger and inhaled her apricot and calla lily scent, "Not
really."  ~But I am *definitely* going to have to have a talk
with Knight,~ he added mentally, then settled back to enjoy the
day at Tracy's since the sun was just beginning to rise.

***************************
Well, that's it...  hope you liked it.
Thanks for reading!