========================= LOVE'S DREAM By "Micki" Lynn McCormick Sept. `99 ========================= This story is a post LK fix. At least for N+N. I want to thank the people in #N&NNUTS who have let me bounce ideas off of them, who have suggested titles (I'm horrid at naming stories!), and generally encouraged me. Also "Jenny #2" for the same! You guys are all great! {{{{{{NUTS}}}}}} {{{{{{Jenny}}}}}} Marci offered me the title I finally went with, as well as having beta-read for me. She did a great job! There were some places where something she had sent a correction for was done with intention for one reason or another. So if you see mistakes, they are my own fault and not that no one caught them. I really appreciate her taking the time to beta this for me because with changes in RL, she has been VERY BUSY of late! {{{{{{{Marci}}}}}}} Of course, the FK characters are not mine. I wish they were, I'd have let them have more fun than TPTB did. Archiving permission is given to the main archive (Mel's), the ftp site and jadfe if you want it. Also if any N&Nnut, T+Vpacker or DP want it you guys are welcome, too. Anyone else, please ask. =+=+=+=+=+=+=+ LOVE'S DREAM Chapter 1 Nick walked through his loft making certain that it looked so perfect that he could have brought a perspective buyer through it if he had chosen to. Not that he was selling his home, of course, but he had decided that it was essential that he have it as immaculate and as ideal as if he were. He moved a cushion on the sofa ever so slightly, and decided it looked better as it had been. Finally deciding he wasn't accomplishing anything now, Nick took himself upstairs and picked out a pair of new black jeans, and a silk shirt. He peeled off the clothing he had been wearing, and strode quickly into the bathroom and into his shower, rinsing his body clean as a myriad of thoughts concerning the past two weeks tumbled through his brain... ----{---'--{@ FLASHBACK @}--,---'---- "Damn You Nicholas!" LaCroix roared, bringing down the sharpened staff his son had presented him with and slamming it into his son. Nick felt the pain of it entering his back, but was stunned when the force stopped with just the pressure of a touch against his heart. Nick looked up into his master's eyes, pleadingly. "LaCroix...?" As the elder vampire pulled the stake out of Nick's pain and grief-wracked body, he snarled, "I will NOT see you destroyed! Yet." He tossed the bloody staff into the fireplace, scooped up Natalie into his arms, and took off into the cool night air before Nick realized what was happening. Nick was too weak to do anything until he began to heal, and too distraught to care. Still, some small part of his mind reminded him that he needed to know what his father was doing to Natalie's body, and he began to tune into the bond he had with his father. Nick became aware of the sights and sounds of a hospital below them and realized with a start that somehow, beyond all hope or expectation, Natalie was still living. Nick reached further into his bond, and felt a little tugging that let him know that LaCroix was aware of his presence as well, an acknowledgement of sorts. Then it strengthened somehow, as if his master was aiding and strengthening it, and Nick could actually see what his mentor was seeing and doing. He saw from above where an ambulance had pulled up to the emergency doors, and saw them wheel their patient in on a stretcher. They suddenly dropped straight down next to some trees just around the corner from the vehicle. LaCroix quickly made a cut on Natalie's neck to cover the wounds Nick had caused, although there was so little blood in her system that she barely bled now. He quickly rounded the corner, pulled out the ambulance's second stretcher and laid her on it. As they got close enough to the building for the sensors to trigger the automated doors to open, he pushed the gurney quickly through towards the nurses station just inside. Rising straight up into the air, LaCroix listened to the frantic confusion within and the shouts of those giving immediate care to their new patient, while someone called for security to attempt to locate whomever had dropped her off and then vanished. A voice which Nick recognized identified himself as Captain Reese and told the medical personnel who their unknown patient was. The voices faded as LaCroix, returning to the loft, was too far away from the hospital for even his vampiric hearing. It was only a moment later that Nick watched as his master dropped back into the loft. LaCroix stood before his errant son, with an expression on his face that was growing darker and angrier by the moment, until it left a palpable energy in the air itself. Finally he spoke, but not with the lecture that Nick had been expecting from his father. "YOU are a WEAKLING and a COWARD!" he spat, but then the killing rage seemed to disperse itself and LaCroix regained his outward composure as his angry visage was replaced by a rather disappointed one. "We HAD an agreement, Nicholas, which SHOULD have been paid with your precious doctor." LaCroix did not pace, but Nick thought his father was as close to that action as he ever came. "I KNOW now, however, that you would only destroy yourself if I were to CLAIM my right." He looked down on his son and shook his head. "I am NOT ready to forfeit you, Nicholas, so I RELEASE YOU from your debt. I am not YET ready to lose you in spite of your cowardly ways. Your good doctor is in the care of others at the General Hospital, and I THINK she will live. Whether or not she will EVER wish see YOU again, however, shall remain to be seen." LaCroix did not bother to stay long enough to even give Nick a chance to say anything, and was gone out the skylight in an instant. Nick dragged himself over to his sofa and pulled himself up into it, reaching for a bottle beside it and drinking the last few mouthfuls from it. Nick knew he should get another bottle or two in order to satiate the hunger caused by his healing, but he was still in too much of a shock from his master's words. Nick was unaware if it had been an hour or mere moments since LaCroix had left when he suddenly felt the presence of another. He gathered all of his reserves and took himself to the elevator, only to discover that the other had let himself in and had brought a crate of bottles. "I... I... I was told... yyyou wouldn't be able to... to let me in..." the very young vampire stammered. "I was told you were bbbadly injured." His speech became a little stronger as he got his reason for letting himself in voiced. Nick suspected this was one the very young ones whom Miklos, in spite of his own thoughts on Nick, had once enjoyed fostering the idea that as a cop, Nick was apt to turn them over to the Enforcers for the least infraction of Code. As if to confirm this the young vampire before him hastily added, "You know I wouldn't have ever come in without your invitation otherwise. I... I'm sorry." Suddenly remembering the crate, he set it down and slid it across the floor toward Nick, then retreated back into the elevator. "It's to speed your recovery," he spoke quickly, and closed the lift doors, taking himself down and back out into whatever was left of the night. Nick took a bottle and drained it, then threw the bottle across the room to shatter against the wall. He was too exhausted by the strange turn of events of this night to think, or to even want to think. He took the crate over to his fridge and placed most of the bottles in it, keeping out two. These he took with him as he made his way upstairs to his bedroom. He drank them and then lie down to sleep and allow his body to finish healing during the day. ---- Nick called the precinct to ask for time off only to find that Captain Reese had put him on an extended leave of absence and left a message for him that he was "...not to come in until Dr. Lambert has recovered enough to need neither hospitalization nor any assistance at home after." With a surprised and grateful sigh, he hung up, then took off into the night sky to find a florist, then on to the hospital. Nick spent the next eight nights at the hospital with Natalie waiting for her to regain consciousness. The nursing staff had been reluctant to admit him after hours until Natalie's supervisor, who had also stopped by, told them that on her work records she had filled in the next of kin info in her file with "none surviving - Nick Knight (friend)" After that Nick had been allowed total freedom to visit her bedside regardless of when normal visiting hours had ended. Finally, on the ninth day, Nick heard a message being left on his answering machine. Natalie had finally regained consciousness and, since they now considered him her next of kin, he was being duly notified. Nick was, of course, overjoyed and was so looking forward to seeing her again, awake and able to speak with him. All those nights he had feared he'd lost her had been very hard on him. Since he was now unable to sleep, he ordered a huge bouquet of a dozen long-stemmed red roses to be delivered to the loft for him to take to her than evening. As he waited for dusk to finally arrive, he finally drifted back into a restless nap on the sofa. His dreams began to keep replaying the scene with his master over in his mind, and kept hearing him say "Whether or not she will EVER wish see YOU again, however, shall remain to be seen." Nick woke with a start and realized that it was finally past sundown. He showered and changed, then loaded up his caddy with the large bundle of flowers, and drove quickly to the hospital. But he'd lost his nerve over the course of the day, the certainty in his father's words replaying until he just **knew** she would not **want** to see him. Nick walked into the little hospital gift shop, and bought a small card. He wrote inside the card, then sealed it into the envelope, and returned to his car. He wrote Natalie's room number and name onto the envelope and secured it among the flowers. Nick returned to the hospital and looked about the waiting room until he found a young teenage girl who was sitting looking very bored. He caught her attention and asked if she was waiting for someone. She said that her mother was visiting her father in the ICU unit and she was unable to see him, and that her mom had just gone up a few minutes ago. Nick smiled, and kept her gaze; ready to ensure she agreed if she seemed reluctant to his offer. "I wonder if you'll take these up to... my girlfriend for me." Nick sensed she would likely accept but the girl seemed very puzzled, and he thought to provide her with a reason of sorts for himself before she asked anything he didn't want to answer truthfully. "We had an argument before she got hurt, and while I want her to have them, I'm not sure how she'll react to seeing me right now." Nick handed the girl a $20 bill, and added, "This would be for your troubles." She smiled and took the roses after pocketing the cash. "Sure," she had said before heading off to the elevators. Nick had been gone from the hospital before Natalie had a chance to open the card that simply stated, "I'm sorry Nat" in Nick's handwriting. Nick arrived at the loft and proceded to rampage through his own home trying to destroy the anger he felt at himself. ~Why in God's name did I ever even think she'd want to see me after that?~ ~What a stupid idiot I am.~ Nick picked up a lamp and threw it against the far wall. ~You nearly killed her, there's no way she'd ever want to even hear your name again let alone ever possibly be able to have any feelings for you now! You've ruined everything, again, especially for her.~ Nick looked at the wreckage of his loft. He didn't remember overturning the tables or throwing his telephone at his TV, although miraculously the television has survived with only a slight scratch on the screen. His phone, however, was now in a hundred little pieces. Nick only shook his head. Tears formed up in his eyes and streaked red tracks down his face as he turned and strode through the debris of his life to the fridge where he grabbed a couple of bottles, not caring if they were bovine or his master's gift. He pulled the cork out with his teeth, spit it across the room, and collapsed down onto the sofa. He drained both bottles then threw them both at a shuttered window and sank into the oblivion of a very depressed sleep. Nick spent the next week within his loft, not bothering to go anywhere, too depressed to care. The only time he pulled himself out from the mental state he'd worked himself into was for his morning and evening calls on his cellphone to the hospital to enquire as to Natalie's condition. When the supply of blood that Nick had within his home ran out, the part of him that was the beast was upset while the very depressed man was glad that it had. Nick would not bother to go out for food because he felt as if this was all he deserved for hurting Nat. ~I deserve to die,~ Nick would chide himself whenever he'd feel his hunger, and with those thoughts he would roll over on the sofa amid the growing debris of his life, and force himself back into a fitful sleep. - - - - Chapter 2 Nick woke to his mother's voice, or rather to the sounds of her humming an old tune he'd long since forgotten as she puttered around the loft tidying up some of the wreckage therein. Nick sat up slowly. ~What an odd dream I am having,~ Nick thought as he rubbed his eyes and drew his hands across the near-beard stubble he'd not bothered to do anything about. ~I haven't thought of my mother for such a very long time.~ His mother turned from righting an overturned table and saw him sitting up. Seeing that he'd awakened, she smiled and looked at the shuttered window, and Nick watched in awe as the motor responded to her very thought, opening up to the night. She walked over and opened the window, letting the cool night breeze in to air the place out, then turned her attention back to her son and walked toward him. "I wish you would go and visit her, child," she spoke in the old French of his long ago youth, and continued, "for I would truly like to meet my future daughter-in-law." Nick's jaw dropped open as he gaped in stunned silence at the vision before him. When he finally managed to get his mouth and mind working again, he merely managed to mutter, "I **MUST** be dreaming!" Nick's mother sat herself beside him and put her arm around his shoulder. "No, child. You simply need to see farther than what you have been. That is why I am here." She brushed his unkempt hair out of his eyes. "Mama? I am going mad. There is no other explanation." Nick took a pull from a bottle beside the sofa, without registering the fact that he'd drained all of his own supply several days ago or wondering where it had come from. He didn't bother to try and hide his tears as he looked up with shining eyes. "Go away, Mama. You are not real." A stinging slap to his cheek startled him, since she looked so ephemeral. "Now child, I need your attention, for I am only here for a brief... visit. Why do you stay away from your beloved, son?" "Because she would be better of if I had never been... or if I had died in Jerusalem..." Nick replied bitterly. "Then let us see what would have been if that had happened, child." She slid closer beside her son and held him to her, as a series of images began to form and play over the cold television screen. Fleur, his beloved sister, was sitting in her bedroom, looking at a letter she had just received. Nick was somehow privy to her thoughts as well as to her voice, and although he heard only her weeping, he knew that she would not marry the man whom her family had arranged for her to wed when they knew her brother was gone. He watched in fascinated horror as she took her small knife and drew it up first one wrist than the other, before holding the dagger to her breast and flopping down onto her bed, on top of it, plunging it deeply into her heart. He knew that he and his sister would have been the last of his line. Suddenly the image faded only to be replaced with another. Janette would never have seen him, of course. Instead of how things had been, he watched fascinating bits of her life with LaCroix for the next few centuries. Then in what Nick knew to be 1529 although he didn't know HOW he knew, she came across a young Spaniard whom she fancied, and under her father's watchful eye and careful instruction, she successfully brought the lad across. Vachon never ended up in the new world as a conquistador, but rather a slightly younger Vachon who had Janette for a master became fast friends with LaCroix. The three of them playing and encouraging the others in the games of their choice, each slowly becoming more and more evil in the leisurely guise of one-upping each other's vices. By the time that Tracy met Vachon, he was much more evil than anything Nick could imagine of him, with a younger and more innocent face. Nick watched in horror as Vachon took great pleasure in the slow process of playing with her mind without vampiric enhancement, until she herself was convinced that she wanted only to be his plaything, without regard for what it would cost her personally. Then he watched with a lump in his throat as Vachon took Tracy to meet a friend, and the two vampires both took her together, mixing their blood into a cup to bring her across with, so that she would be the pawn- slave-child of both of them. Nick watched as Tracy began to resent then hate both of them far more fiercely than anything he had ever felt, and within a couple of years Tracy left them to try and find her own quest for humanity, one that more than rivaled Nick's own. Once again the image on the powerless screen faded and was replaced by another. Nick somehow knew that this was the same night he has walked past her on the street and discovered Nat was a resistor. But since he had never met her in the reality he was glimpsing, things were entirely different. He watched Natalie pick up the phone only to realize that it was her brother, and arrange to go out for dinner with him and his family. Then the day of the dinner date arrived and Natalie was surprised to find that there was a fellow she didn't know there as well. Her brother introduced James to her as a friend of his from work. Then the scenes flashed through Richard's death, and on to Natalie sitting on her bed contemplating James proposal. Nick somehow knew that even though she was ambivalent about her feelings for James, her decision to accept his proposal stemmed from a sense that it was something Richard would have wanted. More of a last gift to her brother than because she actually loved him. He watched Natalie smile sadly, slide the ring onto her finger, and pick up the phone to tell James she had accepted. Then it flickered forward, again, to watch him uninsure Natalie's car since she was on a leave of absence from work so wouldn't need it. A most definitely pregnant Natalie seemed to be stuck on a small farm with no friends or family to talk to, and bored out of her mind. Then the images flickered again, to Nat with a tiny newborn babe and her husband not giving her time to heal up so that she was pregnant again far too quickly. He watched as the scene changed to one of the nurse handing her second child to her, and commenting that she needed to rest this time because 10 months between babies will wear her down too much if she continues. Nick watched with pain in his heart when it changed again to his beloved being hit by her husband because she couldn't get a colicky infant to settle, and then after that the abuse began to build until he was beating her frequently for any number of so-called reasons, until Natalie was too frightened to even try and leave him because she was certain he would torture their children if she did. Finally when her husband had hit the elder child, now almost four, Natalie finally found her courage and wrote to an old university friend explaining she needed help to leave her husband and to protect the children from him. Natalie was unaware that the letter was returned and that James opened and read it. Natalie watched in mind-blinding horror as her younger child stumbled in front of a harrow and fell, and before she could get to the child, her older child ran out to try and help her little brother, only to both get caught by the machine. Nick watched, with tears trailing his cheeks, as Natalie reached for the phone to call for an ambulance, only to find that the phone was disconnected. The neighbour, who's harrow the children had fallen under, was trying to comfort the mortally injured children while she tried to summon help. When Natalie couldn't find any of the phones within working, she came out and asked him to go for help. The other farmer took his tractor onto the road and aimed for his own home, but by the time he had gotten there and summoned help, it was too late. A heart-broken Natalie had already tried to hold her broken children together as best as she could with no supplies or equipment, and held them both as they died in her arms. Natalie began walking down the road, and never looked back. Once her children were dead, she knew there was nothing to keep her tied there any more. It flickered again, and Nick saw a drunken Natalie sitting in a skid-row bar as a beautiful woman approached. Natalie finally looked up, and Nick gasped to see that the out-of-place woman was Janette. Nick watched as Janette coaxed a slurry statement from Natalie, "My hushban mighta shwell ha' kilt me too. He cut off da phone so's my babies died in my armsh when I couldun' get help when they got hurt. I held them dyin' in my armsh. I wish shomebody would make him pay." He watched as Natalie choked back the entire drink before her without a thought, and looked up as Janette offered to take her to someone who could help her make him pay. Janette took Natalie to her master, and LaCroix could feel her bitterness and hatred of her husband smoldering within her. Lacroix offered her the same choice he had made to Janette so long ago. To seek suitable revenge on her 'poor bereving husband' since she has heard James believes she must have killed herself somewhere and is waiting for her body to show up someplace, Natalie willingly accepted in order to gain the ability to make him pay. By the time Nat has gained her vengeance, however, she is the newest toy for LC and company. Nick watched with heartbreak as the image faded down to nothing, and then sat silently on the sofa beside his mother. After a time when the silence became too much to bear, he spoke. "So she would have been worse off if I hadn't survived this long. But what of now? I can't give her what she wants and needs without turning her into what I am. She would be better off if I just left now then, without ever seeing her again." "The future holds many possibilities, child." And with that, the cold screen began to again fill with images. This time it looked like someone was watching bits of a movie then changing the channel, rather than the image fading and flickering between images or bits of images... Nick watched himself on the screen slowly dying of loneliness, and it wasn't too very long until he eventually put his affairs in order, and transferred all of his holdings to Natalie. Nick wrote a brief note, which he left on his table. "I love you, Natalie, forever." Nick watched himself open his window and walk into the bright sunlight. Natalie received word of her serious financial gain and raced toward the loft to try and get there before Nick could do whatever he was planning. She raced a changing light, and collided with the side of a delivery truck that was jumping the gun, killing herself instantly as she went flying through the windshield and hitting the side of the truck head first. Nick did not see his mother look sideways at him, wishing she could offer him comfort, but knowing she could not until he had seen all. The channel seemed to change, and this heart- wrenching sight was replaced with another. The new vision showed a very drunk Natalie hanging out around the newest vampire hangout. She seemed to be a regular there and eventually found one of the young ones who seemed to be a little more involved with the community than the rest. She told him that she knew what he was, and asked if he happened to know if Nick was still around. When the young man said he didn't, she informed him she thought he was dead, and couldn't bear to go on without him. "I want to make an offer to you, is there some place we can talk?" Nick watched with a lump of fear for her growing in his heart and throat as they walked into a back office, where Nat finally voiced her offer. "I can't go on living the way I have been, not knowing if he's alive or dead. I think he is dead or I would not be suggesting this. I want one of you to drain me, in such a way that will allow a bottle of my blood to be taken and saved in case Nick isn't dead, saved for only him. I think he is dead, but if I am wrong and he ever does return, I want him to know how much I loved him, and the only way he will ever believe it is if it's in my blood." Nick watched with growing anger as the other vampire worked out details with Natalie, and they finally agreed... "No..." Nick murmured under his breath, his voice ragged from his maelstrom of emotions. The `channel' changed at that point, for which Nick would be forever grateful. There were a couple of children who looked to be about eight years old playing with a dog in a large yard, while Natalie lay on a blanket in the shade of a tree reading and sipping a beverage as she kept a watchful eye on the children. Soon a man who looked to be about 35 came walking up into the yard, and Natalie smiled. "Ruven, your dad's here," she called. Both children came running up, one obviously happy, the other disappointed. As the child's father reached out a hand to help a very pregnant Natalie to stand up, he spoke. "The council has accepted your proposal, Mrs. de Brabant. Your husband is currently going over details with them now, but said he would be home shortly and asked me to drop off the news disk when I picked Ruven up." He handed her a small plastic envelope. "Mommy, can Ruven and his dad stay for supper? Do they have to go?" Natalie looked at her pouting daughter's face, then quirked an eyebrow at the boy's father, who answered Natalie's daughter. "Sorry, Tracy, but Ruven's mom will be waiting for us at our house. Another time maybe," He gave Natalie's tall blonde daughter a hug, then took his son's hand and they turned down toward the road. Natalie took her daughter's hand, and as the child waved over her shoulder at her friend, they walked inside. "Let's get some dinner ready. You know Daddy will want to get home in time to enjoy the sunshine and play with you in it, so I think he'll be home soon. You go wash up while I put the news disk by the computer, and I'll be right there." Nick saw the date printed on the other side of the envelope as Natalie tossed it down to the desk: April 20, 2238. Then the vision stopped. Nick looked up at his mother with shining eyes, only to discover that she was beginning to fade. "Mama?" Nick called into the thinning air beside him. His mother was gone, but then he heard her voice calling faintly, as if carried on some great wind for a long distance. "The future is what you make of it, child. I love you son, as I always have. Follow your heart." Nick reached out blindly for the bottle beside the sofa, then leaned back to think about the events of this night, and quickly fell asleep, with his mind totally overwhelmed by tonight's revelations. - - - - Chapter 3 Nick woke in the morning and discovered that although his body and mind were fatigued from sleeping in an uncomfortable position on the sofa and mulling over the nights events, he'd still managed the most peaceful sleep he had known since he had begun his quest. Then he realized consciously what he had figured out in his sleep: That his mother had called Natalie her daughter-in-law and that if he and Nat were to make it to be mortal together and have a family in about 250 years time, that there was only one way. He'd have to bring her across! And for the first time in his immortal existence, it didn't feel like he'd be cursing her, it felt more like he'd be giving her a gift, assuming she still felt as strongly about him as he did for her! It would be a means of getting them both to where they wanted to be! Nick was glad he was sitting down, because he wasn't at all certain he could have stood at that moment. Nick called the hospital on his cellphone to find out how Natalie was doing, and was told that they were planning on releasing her that afternoon. Nick spoke to the doctor, and with only the slightest focusing on the man's heartbeat, he persuaded the doctor to release her in the evening after the sun had gone down. Nick hung up the phone, and began making other phone calls to make sure that his plans would be completed by sundown. As he listened to the phone ringing at the other end, he glanced around and saw that his apartment was not nearly the mess he had left it. It really hadn't been his imagination that his mother had been picking up behind him. He was just about to hang up when he heard a voice answer, "Good Morning, Lickedy-Split maid service. How can we help you?" "Um, sorry, I misdialed." Nick said, still not quite believing he wouldn't need their help. "That's quite all right, Sir," the cheery girl on the other end said. "It happens to all of us. Have a good day." Then she hung up. It wasn't until she had hung up that he realized how much the girl's voice had sounded like Fleur's had so long ago. But instead of depressing him as it would have until recently, he knew that somehow this was yet another sign that he was finally doing the right thing. Nick smiled to himself and began to clean up, and wait for the deliveries he had ordered. ----{---'--{@ END FLASHBACK @}--,---'---- Nick stepped out of the shower and toweled off, placing the towel into the new clothes hamper that was in the bathroom, one among many little things he'd had delivered during the day. Nick finished with his other toiletries, and ran a hand over his smooth chin. He walked back into his bedroom, and dressed in the jeans and silk he'd laid out, then picked up his grungy clothing from the floor and took it into the bath to drop in the hamper. Nick straightened up his room once more, and laid out incense and candles around the room, then running his hands through his hair once more, he turned and went downstairs. Nick selected a few cd's with quiet relaxing and romantic music which he placed in his new cd changer to replace the previous one he had destroyed. He programmed it to play randomly through the five cd's and their tracks, then went about lighting several lightly fragranced candles carefully placed about the loft in places where they would be safe left unattended, and grabbed his keys and hurried down to his caddy. Nick found a parking place, and went in through admitting, stopping only long enough to buy a large teddy bear from the gift shop. The clerk watched, smiling, as Nick took out a small jewellery box and took out a delicate gold chain with a pendant. Nick had to wrap the chain around the bear's neck twice for the pendant to sit properly, but when he was finished, the clerk gasped at the beautiful antique pendant suspended on the bear, in what looked to be a family crest. "Think she'll like it?" Nick asked the wide-eyed clerk? The girl smiled shyly at Nick, seeming to actually notice him for the first time. "She's a fool if she doesn't." Then to cover her own embarrassment she added, "Gee, I didn't realize the time. I need to close up. Goodnight sir; I hope your girlfriend likes it." Nick grinned as he walked out to the elevators. Natalie was sitting in a wheelchair by the nursing station, with the few things she had acquired during her stay placed into a sports bag one of the doctors loaned her. The ensignia on it, although Nick didn't know this, was that of the medical college they had attended together, with their graduation class on the side of it. As Nick walked towards her, he saw the young doctor lean over and give her a kiss, and his heart sank, until he heard Natalie's still-weak voice speak. "I'd love to come over and meet your wife and little one sometime, Randy. And thanks for letting me borrow this. I'll get it back to you as soon as I can." "No prob, Nat. It was good to see you again, although I do wish it had been under better circumstances." He looked over and saw Nick standing a little ways down the hall. "I think your ride is here for you. Take care, Nat." As the young doctor walked past, he smiled at Nick. "Take care of her, she's a very special lady," he eyed the bear in Nick's hands and winked, "But it looks like you already know that." Natalie looked up at Nick, a sad smile on her face. "Why didn't you come to visit?" The nurse who was organizing her release forms looked up. "Hi Nick. He was here every night until you regained consciousness, Natalie, and has called often after that. Are you feeling better, Nick?" Natalie knew quite well that his being sick was an excuse he'd given the staff for not visiting. What she wanted was the truth, and she knew she wouldn't get it here. She heard Nick answer "Much, thanks," before he turned to focus on her. "I brought this for you, Nat. I hope... I wanted to apologise for not being able to make it over the last while." Nick waited for the forms to be completed, then helped Natalie out to the car. He was rather glad he had parked so near the building, because had he known how weak she still was, he would have wheeled her out to the car despite her protests of being fine. As it was, she carried her bag looped over the same arm that she used to clasp the teddy bear tightly to her. Nick, on the opposite side, walked slowly beside her; supporting her with one arm around her waist while the other clasped her free hand. Nick stopped at a donut shop's drive through and got a cup of coffee for Nat, then drove down to a little spot near the waterfront where they could watch the lights shimmering and reflecting on the water. "Why are you here Nick? You never even came to visit once I was awake. Not once..." Natalie looked pale and perhaps a little frightened. As hard as it was going to be, he knew that his only hope of making things right was in giving her full honesty. "I sat with you every night until you regained consciousness, Nat. But after that? I thought you would be better off without me... Or so I thought at the time. Now... I don't know. I think that maybe I was afraid. Afraid you would feel like you'd be better off alone, so was trying to cut my ties so it wouldn't hurt so much when you left. I've always run in the past and convinced myself it was for the best for those I was leaving behind. Now I think I was wrong. But it took me almost 800 years to realize what I was doing before was wrong. I'm sorry Nat." "What made you change your mind?" Natalie recalled going to him in the past and convincing him to stay when he was ready to flee. She knew staying wasn't a decision Nick would make by himself. "Who..." "That's a ghost story, Nat, and one I promise you I will tell you when... when it's not so fresh. But I have realized something, Nat. I was wrong when I thought that it would be better for us to part company. I love you, Natalie," Nick reached across and took her hand. "I think my fear of hurting you was making it harder on me than it needed to be. I hope you can accept that." Natalie looked at Nick, still very curious about what had changed his mind for him, and felt that she should be more than a little angry that he hadn't visited before, but she didn't feel like it right now. Perhaps it was because she was a little weaker since she had nearly lost her life, or perhaps being that close to death had changed her perspective. Certainly all the talks with that young psychology student, Flora, had enlightened her to many of the reasons Nick might have been avoiding her BECAUSE of loving her. And so many of them seemed to be perfectly tailored to suit Nick! It was almost as if she knew him or something, and yet she swore she didn't. Flora had finally hazarded a guess that perhaps Nat's Nick was much like the way her elder brother was, which was why she had such an interest in psychology now. But as she began thinking about the experience, she wondered about the fact that Flora never managed to be around when her doctors or anyone else would come in. She would always leave or go to the cafeteria, or find some errand to occupy her just before anyone arrived. Natalie shuddered as a chill crept up her spine, and wondered if perhaps Nick's ghost story was something similar. She smiled, and slid quietly over to sit closer to him. "I think I understand, Nick, more than I expected to." Nick felt Nat shiver, so popped the caddy back into gear, and aimed for the loft, driving one-handed since his right arm was wrapped around Natalie beside him. At least now he didn't think she'd kill him for taking her to the loft, and he headed directly home. Nick pulled his car into the garage and dropped the door behind him. As he came around to assist Natalie he glanced at his watch. He had half an hour, which should be about perfect. He opened the door for Natalie and took her arm as he carried her bag. "Nat, when I had thought I was going to leave, before I got some sense knocked into me, I arranged for Grace to look after Sydney. She's been picking up your mail and such for you too, you know. So if you've been worried about Syd, don't be. She's taking good care of him for you." "That much I knew, Nick. Grace has been stopping by on her way to and from work." Nick guided her into the lift, then from it into the loft. As he settled her onto the sofa, the first thing she noticed was how the place was lit with the soft glow of many candles, several of which seemed to be giving off relaxing and soothing scents. Then the soft music playing drew her attention to the new entertainment unit. She realized everything within it was new, except for the television, and she noticed the scratch. Her eyes darted around the room, taking in the scent of recent heavy cleaning underneath the fragrances of the candles, the new piano and tables. Natalie thought at first that the television and sofa were the only things unchanged, until she realized that the sofa had the distinctive scent of new leather, and that it was indeed, marginally different from the one he'd had before. Nick picked up the remote, starting the fireplace with it, and turned to walk back towards her. Nick smiled as he saw Natalie looking around, and caught the twinkle in her eyes. "Trashed the place, Nick?" She asked. When he nodded at her, Natalie chuckled under her breath. "Well, it looks wonderful, Nick. I'm sure there are *better* ways to incite yourself to cleaning, but you did a really good job." Nick knelt on the floor beside Natalie, and leaned his head against her knees. "I've really missed you, Nat. I was being particularly stupid. I'm sorry." Natalie didn't say anything but placed her hand on the side of his face, and stroked his face and hair. Little gestures that meant so much to him in the way of comfort and more to her because she knew Nick was finally opening up to her. Neither one really wanted to lose the moment. Finally after several minutes, Nick sat up, and slid up onto the sofa beside her, but turned so he could face her. Nick pulled a small box from his pocket, and pressed it in into her hands. He began to speak just as she opened the box to reveal its contents to her. "Natalie, I love you, and I think I was wrong to try and make love to you without hurting you. It simply isn't possible. I should have realized that. I should have asked you to join me until the time we can find a cure for both of us. Then we could still be together for a mortal lifetime after that. I now know what we tried before won't work for us, but this would. Natalie Lambert, I love you with all of my heart and soul, and I ask you to marry me." Natalie's hands were shaking as she reached out for Nick's hands and it was only in a small part due to her weakened condition. She looked hard at him, deep into his eyes, and felt the confidence and faith in him that he had been so lacking in before. Whatever had happened to him while she was in hospital, it had finally made him accept himself, and that made him whole. The confidence and love she saw in his eyes shone brightly. She looked down at the ring and saw it had an inscription in it. She pulled one hand away from Nick's and picked up the ring to examine it. She read the inscription inside the band, . Natalie began to sob and pulled Nick closer where she could hold him tightly. "Yes," she finally whispered hoarsely, "I love you too, and I will marry you." - - - - Chapter 4 They sat that way, holding each other for a good 10 minutes, until the intercom buzzed. Nick pulled himself away, and buzzed the person up after confirming it was whom he'd expected. "Who is that, Nick?" The lift motor engaged as he looked back and grinned. "I know how you, and every other mortal I know, complain about hospital food. So I called that restaurant you like and spoke to Sam." As if on cue, the door opened and Sam himself walked out with a very large box that seemed to be steaming. "Hello Natalie," the owner of her favourite restaurant said as he carried the box over to the coffee table near her. "This ok here?" He addressed Nick briefly, but seeing him nod, he turned his attention back to Natalie. "He told me you just get out of the hospital tonight and you were in a long time. You going to be ok, Natalie?" He began speaking to her as he pulled out all kinds of food, more than she could ever eat in one sitting no matter how hungry she was. Hearing her affirmative, he asked, "What happen anyway? How come you were in hospital so long?" Natalie glanced at Nick who smiled encouragingly at her. "Nick and I were assaulted," she said, sticking to the same story she had been telling people at the hospital. She figured it would also tell Nick what she had been saying, so that he could be willing to verify it if anyone who actually needed it verified asked. "He was hit over the head and knocked out, and I... they did this," she lifted her chin so that a thin red scar on her neck was visible. "I think they thought Nick was dead, or I think they'd have done the same to him. If Nick's friend hadn't been expected right away, I would have died. But he got medical aid for me, then looked after Nick." "I am glad his friend was here. You're our favourite customer, Natalie." He leaned over to place a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "I know my family and staff wish you well, too." Before he could pull his hand away to stand back up, Natalie placed her hand on his. "Wait." She beckoned to Nick to come over. "Sam, you know Nick and I have been friends a long time right? Well, look what he gave me today..." Natalie held her other hand up where Sam could see the beautiful diamond ring. Sam looked at the ring, surprised, then up to Nick. "It took almost losing her to teach you how you feel, eh? Good thing for you that she's ok! Now you look after her! She's a very special lady. I'm glad you finally learned that!" Sam looked back at Natalie, "If he doesn't treat you right, Natalie, you tell me. You are like family to us. Don't forget!" He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then stood up. "I have to get back. Congratulations Natalie, from all of us." Nick sat beside Natalie, watching her dig in to enjoy a sampling of all of her favourites. After she had eaten her fill, Nick took all of the many Styrofoam containers, in four armloads, and placed them all in the fridge so Natalie would have food available for her as she wanted it over the next few days. Nick poured himself a glass of bloodwine, and returned to sit beside Natalie on the sofa. Natalie slid over next to Nick to snuggle. After several minutes, Natalie ran her hand underneath Nick's shirt, delighting in the feel of his cool flesh against her hand. "Nick?" "Uh-uh, Nat. We ARE going to do this, but we're going to do it right. That includes waiting until you are stronger among other things." Nick kissed her forehead. "But that doesn't mean we've nothing to occupy us. We can think about or plan our wedding, if you like." "I don't want a splashy wedding, Nick. I want something nice but simple. I really don't have anyone but co-workers to invite, just Sarah and Amy. Oh, and a few friends from elsewhere, like Sam and his family." Nick looked at Nat, whose eyes were sparkling. Nick decided it must be something universal in women planning a wedding they wanted. "I think that would be a good idea, Nat. I think they'd like that." Nat and Nick decided on a date in six weeks, and then Nick suddenly jumped up quickly. He grinned mischievously and disappeared into the room he used for storage. He returned a few minutes later with a wrapped bundle containing Joan's cross which Natalie recognized from when Nick had previously shown it to her. She watched in puzzled curiosity as Nick carefully unwrapped the item, then fear as he reached for it to hold it... but it didn't seem to burn him, although his hand did redden slightly. "Nick? Your hand!" She pulled it closer to examine it. "But you couldn't hold it like that before. What's happened?" "Faith, Nat. I not only understand it now, Nat, but I have it, too." Nick set the cross down and rewrapped it in its protective cloth. "It's been a long time for me, but... How would you feel about a church wedding, Nat?" ---- The next evening Nick pulled the caddy into the lot at the precinct, and helped Natalie out. One of the officers must have seen them and sent out word, because the whole precinct it seemed, was there to greet them. Finally, they made their way through to Captain Reese's office. Reese saw how dependant Natalie seemed to be on Nick, saw how pale she was, and realized that she must still be incredibly weak. He pulled out a chair for her and closed the door behind them as Nick guided her into the chair, then pulled one up right next to her. Once he'd seated himself, the captain looked over at the both of them. "Natalie, we are so glad you made it through. I was at the hospital when you were brought in. You're still looking awfully pale, but then I wasn't even sure you were going to make it." Natalie smiled, and Reese noted that she reached for Nick's hand as she spoke. "I'm still pretty weak, Captain. But that's not why we're here..." Reese saw her glance at Nick who nodded almost imperceptibly, then Natalie continued. "We're requesting a continued leave of absence for Nick, and then going and doing the same for me." She placed her hand on the desk so that he could see the diamond ring sparkling as she added, "We have a lot to organize in the next six weeks." Captain Reese grinned as he clasped her hand and squeezed it gently. "Congratulations! Both of you! You're not giving yourselves a lot of time to plan, though. Are you going to be up to getting married that quickly when you're this weak, Natalie?" "Oh, I'll manage. Nick's a big help on things. But we'll want time for a longer honeymoon too, if we can." "Oh? Any plans yet where you're going for your honeymoon?" Nick answered, "Possibly Europe. I've got property, inheritances really, over there that I've never visited. It's a possibility." They talked for a few more minutes, then took their leave of Captain Reese and went over to see Natalie's supervisor for an almost identical conversation. ---- Natalie stood in the loft, perfectly still as the tailor took all of her measurements for her wedding dress. Nick had shown her a photograph of his mother's wedding gown that was on display in a museum in London, and asked her if she would mind having a dress made for her that was a replica of it. "Is there really going to be enough time to get this done before the wedding? We didn't give ourselves much time," Natalie asked. Francois Desjardin looked up from his task and smiled. "Oui. I have worked for Nichola on occasion before. He knows what we can do, non?" He looked across at Nick standing over in the kitchen and smiled. "Really?" Natalie smiled at the tailor then gave Nick a curious, puzzled glance. "How long have you known Nick?" She saw him glance over at Nick who nodded before he answered. "I have worked primarily for the community since I became a part of it. I have known Nichola all of that time, around 500 years, although not so well as others. It was during the time of the Black Death, and it was rather difficult times. A cultured gentleman finally found me, a tailor whose work was estimable enough for him, and feared to lose me to the plague." He shrugged. "And so I joined the community. I do much work for all of the community now, and still often see him, except when he has a fascination for some current mortal designer such as Armani, his current interest." He looked up at Natalie. "Over the next few weeks I will be here often for small adjustments and alterations until the fit is perfect. Sometimes I will have some of my team with me. There are not many mortals who know of us, as you know. This includes my staff, whom I change frequently. You understand, oui?" About a week later Francois returned with a few others for the first fitting of the dress, and much to Natalie's surprise, it was not white. "I thought the photo of the one in the museum looked yellow either from the dress's age or from the kind of lighting. I didn't realize it really was." Natalie came out with the saffron coloured fine linen dress over the long white silk chemise. "I need help here. I know zippers and buttons, not lacings this intricate." Francois walked over and showed Natalie how to do the lacings on the dress bodice and sleeves of the chemise, then helped her lace the dress sleeves onto the bodice properly so that bits of the chemise sleeves were pulled through it and puffed up. "In truth this type of chemise is a little out of time for this dress, but I spoke with Nichola and he agreed that you should not have a linen tunic under it. And it is unlikely that anyone today would know the difference," he said. Francois also measured the length of the sleeve for adjustment, so that it would be the right length. It needed to have the funnel shaped opening sit against one side of each wrist and extend several inches below her fingertips on the other side. He noted a few other minor adjustments that needed to be made. Then as one of his assistants began to note the placement for the tiny pearls to decorate it, he explained to Natalie that until the middle ages a wedding gown was traditionally yellow and after -for a few centuries- the colour didn't matter. It wasn't until the 16th century that some began to try and get the gowns to be white to reflect the bride's purity, and the priests didn't like it because they didn't think that the bride's purity needed to be advertised when it was already a marriage prerequisite. So the notion of white for the bride's dress didn't gain widespread acceptance until the Victorian era when white was at the height of fashion for women's clothing. "That's interesting." Then Natalie realized the degree of ornamentation that was going to be going into the dress. Changing subject, she asked "How much is all this going to cost?" Francois reached out and patted her hand. "Do not worry on that, my dear. Your Nichola is doing quite well enough for cost not to be a consideration. Think naught of it." He turned back to his work. - - - - Chapter 5 The evening of the ceremony arrived in short order, and found Amy -Natalie's niece- and Grace as bridesmaids. A lot of the excitement from the police department, however, stemmed from the fact that not only were both Captains Reese and Stonetree Nick's groomsmen, but that they had found a way of including both of his deceased partners in the event. A small pillow carried by Grace who was acting as Nat's maid of honour on Tracy's behalf held her badge and a single rose that matched with Nat's bouquet. Captain Stonetree carried Schanke's pillow, which held his battered but well-cleaned badge and his old cap from his uniform days, under which was a box with the rings. He also acted as best man in Schanke's place. It was Grace and Stonetree that were their witnesses. Nick and Natalie Knight finally ran from the church where Nick had once heard Schanke's confession, amid flying rice and cheering, out to the well decorated caddy. Natalie noticed the large sign mounted on the back of it that read in large letters: "Just Married", and in smaller but brighter lettering below: "& damn well about time!" Of course someone had tied a whole lot of old shoes to the back of the car too. They were now on their way to the reception hall that was being catered by Sam's staff, although he and his family were also among the guests. Other guests included not on Myra and Jenny Schanke, but most of the cops that Nick had ever worked with and nearly all of Natalie's co-workers. This put the precincts and morgue on skeleton staffing or switching shifts with those who didn't know them so those who did could be there. And it wasn't the quiet event Natalie had hoped for - as with most cop weddings it had seemed to more resemble a three ring circus at times! During the dinner Nick picked a few bits that he could manage, and was much aided by Nat's nibbling from both of their plates. The dance followed, during which the bouquet and garter were thrown. Jenny Schanke caught Natalie's bouquet and a young rookie Nat didn't know caught the garter. Finally after things began to slow down they were able to head for home - their home. Nick and Nat entered their loft, hand in hand, and they changed into much more comfortable clothing for travelling. Natalie still hadn't mastered the myriad of lacings so Nick had to help her with them, not that he minded at all of course. Then they picked up their luggage and ran downstairs to the waiting limo that Tracy's father had insisted on providing them for their ride out to the airport. The private jet of the De Brabant Foundation was waiting for them and they were very quickly in the air and speeding towards France. They arrived in Paris and, after clearing customs, were taken directly to a hotel that Nick had arranged. Nick whispered to Natalie as they registered that the community had used this hotel since it was built. It's original owners knew and ensured that all of their kind would always have a safe place here in exchange for them never preying on the other patrons or the staff. A little well- placed cash had ensured subsequent generations of owners and management continued the traditions set by the founder, even if some of those traditions seemed a little odd. Their suite had heavy velvet draperies on every window and the housekeeping staff knew they were to be left alone until such times as they requested room service. Natalie prowled the large suite. It might have been `just a hotel suite' to someone, but to her it was quite large enough to have contained her whole apartment back home, with plenty of room to spare! Nick went out briefly to arrange for the supplies of blood and bloodwine that they would need, and returned again in fairly short order. When he let himself into the suite, Nick remembered to hang out the `do not disturb' sign. Then he looked around for Natalie; a little puzzled until he saw a piece of discarded clothing in a doorway. Beginning to shed his own clothing he followed the trail her clothes provided, until he found a room with a little Jacuzzi in it, lit by a selection of candles, with a stereo playing soft music in the corner. Natalie looked up in time to see Nick stop in the doorway, and she smiled in deep appreciation of the way the candlelight flickered over his naked body. Grinning shyly, she slowly stood up in the hot tub, and held her hand out towards him. Nick smiled as he watched the water on her breasts reflect the flickering candlelight. He quickly stepped over to the edge of the steaming tub and slipped quickly into the water beside his beautiful bride. As he pulled her into a tight embrace, he also slid over to the bench so that when he sat he pulled her onto his lap. Natalie shifted so that she could turn her face to his and hungrily sought his mouth. Natalie was still half expecting Nick to refuse her as he had since she'd come from the hospital, so was being more aggressive in her actions now than she had ever been before. To her pleasant surprise, however, Nick responded to her overtures as if he were just as eager as she! Soon their tongues were dancing intimately as his explored her mouth and she teased his fangs down with hers. Natalie began to stroke Nick's back then let her hands begin exploring every part of him they could reach. Nick still had one hand behind her, which he gently caressed her with, but his other hand roamed freely over her front, exploring and teasing as it went. He slid his hand down over her breasts, lightly and teasingly, sending little shivers of anticipation over her body in spite of the warmth of the bubbling water. Nick leaned forward, and took one of her nipples into his mouth and began to suck and tease it with his tongue while he paid similar attention to her other breast with his hand. Natalie realized that she could feel his hardened shaft pressing tight against her, so she pulled away from Nick long enough to change positions and returned to him facing him, her knees on the bench to either side of him, straddling him. Nat leaned forward and brushed her peaked nipples across his chest in an invitation Nick didn't need to get twice. He continued with one hand and his mouth, but this left him a free hand now with which he began to explore her lower body. In spite of the wonderful distractions that Nick was providing her, Natalie began to stroke his shaft and alternately squeeze his balls very gently, which made him gasp in pleasure. Nick's hand slid over Nat's abdomen, and stopped only when it reached it's goal and had begun to work on her clit. He stroked and teased it, lightly pinched and squeezed, and ran his fingers in little circles right around it, stimulating her in many little ways. Suddenly Nick slid further down into the water, and Natalie had to grab the edge to keep from getting dunked under along with him. Then she felt him again, his tongue parting her folds and sliding further into her than she would have imagined possible. Then her hands were clasped behind her back and she couldn't do anything except let him continue his work on her. Natalie quickly discovered that one advantage of having a vampire lover was that they needed to breath far less often than a mortal, and that made such pleasures as he was currently giving her possible, whereas they would be difficult at best for a mortal. Nick finally released Nat after he'd felt and tasted her release and surfaced, breathing deeply and laughing. They sat; cuddling each other in the hot steamy water until Natalie reluctantly slid up onto the edge. Nick saw that the flush covering her was more widespread than what he'd been responsible for and seemed to coincide more closely with the areas of her that were submerged. Nick stood and scooped Natalie up, and carried her into their bedroom, and laid her gently onto the large circular bed. "Wait for me," he said, grinning, and hurried out of the room. A moment later Nick returned with a large chilled bottle of champagne in an ice bucket and a warmed bottle of his own. Nick poured a glass for Natalie, then one for himself, and sat down beside her. Nick leaned back, and took Natalie's free hand and guided it to his still painfully unrelieved and solid member. Natalie began to stroke him as she had been in the hot tub and in a few strokes Nick knew he was ready. He held back as long as he could, enjoying the feel of her hand against him, but it still wasn't long before he needed his own release. Nick tipped his wineglass and swallowed its contents quickly, and Natalie's hand and arm were immediately gifted with the results. Nat decided that since blood would be her staple for however long it took them to find a cure together, she might as well get used to the taste of him now. Since there was a good measure of blood in what was on her hand and arm, she rolled lazily across him and brought her arm to her mouth. She watched Nick as she began to slowly and erotically lick his cum from herself, and was surprised by her own response to it. She had always avoided giving head because the idea of having `that' in her mouth had always made her feel a little green. So she didn't know if it was because of being so in love with Nick or what, but she found herself actually enjoying the experience. Nick watched Natalie for a few moments then pulled her close, his eyes searching hers. He was afraid perhaps it was the vampire and its power she wanted, but he found only love shining in her face and relaxed into the embrace with her. He rolled Natalie onto the bed beside him, then rolled her over to lie face down. He quickly straddled her so that he was sitting on her hips and began to massage her. Natalie quickly found herself the surprise recipient of a massage, and a very skillful one at that. Nick was working muscles loose she hadn't even realized were tense! Nat was practically purring from enjoyment when Nick kissed her ear and whispered "roll over." When she did she found as skillful a massage awaited her front as well. Nick was just finishing Natalie's massage when she reached up and pulled him down on top of her. She took his hardened shaft and guided him into her. Once she had him completely within, Natalie locked her ankles together behind Nick's hips. She began to push against him and to gyrate her hips some as she did, delivering some intriguing sensations to her husband. Natalie tried to roll, and Nick rolled with her, which placed Nat atop of him. Natalie rode Nick, leaning down to allow their mouths to seek each other, until she felt the first pulse of her orgasm wash over her. "I love you, Nick," she gasped as she bared her throat to her eternal lover. "I love you too, Nat." Then he quickly sunk his fangs into her tender throat and began to drink of her as his own ecstasy washed over him and he pumped himself into his beloved. A wash of her thoughts and memories flooded his mind, and through it all he felt only her overwhelming love for him, in spite of his mistake that nearly cost her life last time. He drank until he felt her heart fluttering, trying frantically to pump the blood it no longer held. He looked at her cooling form as he held her limp body cradled to him, and looked deeply into her eyes. Nick laid her gently onto the bed beside him and bit his own wrist, holding the wound too her pale lips. "Come back to me Nat. Come back, Love." Nick whispered to her. "We have a future together. Some day we'll both make it to the light, and we'll be together in it. Just come back to me, Nat, because I won't make it there without you." Nick was sure she wasn't going to come back, and tears had begun to form and fall unbidden when he suddenly felt Natalie's weak sucking on his arm and felt a presence in the room. Nick looked up, and again saw the ethereal vision of his mother. Leaving his one arm at Natalie's mouth where she was beginning to drink, he awkwardly used his other to pull some of the bedding up over the two of them, to maintain some modicum of dignity. A gentle chuckle met his actions, as his mother spoke, once again in the old French of his long ago youth. "Do not be embarrassed, child. I already know what you were doing, and I am happy for you. It wasn't until a little after my time that the more earthy needs were widely believed sinful. I only came back to assure you that although your love is coming back to you, she is being allowed to speak with us: to make her `goodbye for now's, since all of her family and many of her friends are on this side. She has already chosen to return to you. She is a wonderful woman, Nichola. You could not have chosen someone better had you sought to. Remember, my son. Faith." And she quickly faded from the room. ---- It seemed far too long to Nick, and without his mother's assurance he would have thought something had gone wrong and she wasn't able to come back. But eventually Natalie opened her eyes and looked about her with strange new senses enhancing her own. Nick had left long enough to retrieve some bottled human blood, which he had ready for her. He gave Natalie several bottles before she seemed to come to herself. Finally Nat's eyes were back to their human colour and her own fangs had mostly receded, and she spoke. "Nick? I had the strangest dream... I was someplace I'd never been before, and all of my family and friends were there... There was someone I didn't know who told me she was your mother. She was very nice. And Schank and Trace were there too. They both said to tell you they understand, now. And Schanke said it was about time we got our act together." Nick took Natalie into his arms and held her tightly. "We've got six weeks now to get you under control for going back. Do you still want to go back to our lives in Toronto? We will have to move on eventually." Nick began placing kisses all over Natalie's face and shoulders. "And if we're going back to that life, you will need to be in control. That will be hard. Remember how hard a time I've had at some of the scenes, Nat." "Yes. But don't forget you were going into it cold. That was your first time as a homicide officer, right? I've already got the advantage of going to a job I already have the background and experience in. Granted, it'll be a different kind of control I'll need than what I've had, but I'll bet that some of that experience will transfer and help." Natalie curled up beside Nick and pulled the covers up over them both. She leaned over and kissed his nose. "Now, I want to know what happened while I was in the hospital that made you change so much. I want to know everything..." =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= END Chapter 5 of LOVE'S DREAM & END of STORY. Thank-you for reading my story; I hope you enjoyed it. Comments are welcome at mickilyn@home.com, or by clicking the link on my page.