I can read your mind and I know your story
I see what you're going through (Yeah)
it's an uphill climb and I'm feelin sorry
But I know it will come to you
***
Two weeks, it had been two weeks and still there was no information where LaCroix had gone or if he would be back. Just a year ago and Nicholas would be rejoicing, thinking he was finally free of him. Instead Nicholas felt empty and cold. Halved.
He stood just outside the door of the Raven and stared up at the full moon. His thoughts often straying on one thing. LaCroix where are you?
"Drink?"
Nick turned at the sound of Vachon's voice. He stood holding a glass of blood. Not on shift tonight and with Natalie hip deep in work he found himself unable to sit in his loft for a moment longer. So he came to the Raven for some company and hopefully to hear some word of when LaCroix would be coming back. Nick was not surprised that the Raven was still closed for renovations after Divia turned the bar into a battle zone.
Vachon smiled and sat down at an empty table. "It's cow, Nick, LaCroix left a few bottles in the back...just for you." Smiling lightly, Nick sat down closing the door behind him and now stared at the bar.
Miklos present washing up glasses and doing a bit of cleaning.
"No word yet Nick? Hey, don't worry, he said he would come back. He'll be back."
Vachon shook his head when Nick refused to answer him.
"A few months ago you wouldn't even have given LaCroix�s departure a second thought. What's going on in that head of yours?"
"I don't know. I just feel...lost."
He took a sip from his glass and glanced back at Vachon.
"So, you're alive? Any ideas how that happened?"
"I went to Doctor Lambert like you told me and she ran some tests. She doesn't understand it herself. She thinks Divia might have had some kind of poison in her fingernails and when they entered my blood stream...result madness."
"She did the same to me, I didn't have any symptoms or side effects?"
"I don't know, maybe its all those protein drinks The Doc has been givin' you. The important thing is we are alive-ah well in the after life."
"How's Tracy handling it?"
"She won't leave me alone for a second. As soon as she gets off shift she comes to my place or comes here to the Raven. I think I scared her."
"She's in love with you." Nick shot back.
Vachon froze at the words then shook his head.
"She likes me Nick, but she is not in love with me...I'm a Vampire, a rebel, a..."
"A killer and she still loves you."
Now staring into his drink Vachon sighed. "She loves me? Damn. That's not good."
"Why?"
"Cause, I think I'm in love with her too."
Smiling widely, Nick nodded at the Spanish Vampire. Returning that smile they clicked there glasses together. Then after taking a sip they both chorused.
"Cheers!"
Then glancing up they chuckled softly.
"It won't work Nick, she's mortal. You know that, between you and Doctor Lambert."
"I know. Rats, LaCroix was right....Love is damning!"
Chuckling again, Nick rose to his feet. "I better go, I'll talk to you later. I think I'll stop in and check on Nat and then head home."
Vachon nodded and watched him depart. Rising to his feet he was about to make himself another drink when a familiar smell caught his attention. He turned to see Tracy enter the bar.
*Phew, that was close timing.*
Tracy still didn't know that her own partner Nick Knight was a vampire. Secrecy can be such a bitch.
"Hi Babe."
Tracy moved towards him and before he could react she threw her arms around him. Miklos seeing this gave Vachon a knowing grin and then hurriedly made his departure so the two could be alone.
Holding her tightly, Vachon softly tried to comfort her but all Tracy did was sob against his chest. "Oh Tracy! Baby please don't cry...I'm here hey...I'm here baby."
***
Don't surrender
Cause you can win
In this thing called Love
***
Nick was just about to sneak up behind Natalie when the medical examiner, without looking up replied.
"Hi Nick, bring me anything to eat?"
Nick scowled and sat down on the near by empty table.
"I hate it when you do that! You would make a great Vampire!"
Natalie only smiled and finished her report then turned to face the man or rather Vampire she was in love with.
"I saw Tracy today, she looked pretty good. Shaken though."
"Yeah, Vachon's dying and then rising from the grave really put her through the mill."
"She'll be okay. Give her a few weeks to see that Vachon is all right, then she'll be back to normal."
Nick didn't reply, he looked down at his shoes.
"Still no word on LaCroix?"
"None."
"I'm sorry Nick."
"So am I....For over two centuries I have been fighting to be on my own. To be free of him and now...Now I'm scared, Nat."
She nodded slowly.
"LaCroix has been a big part of your life for eight hundred years. Even when you were running you always knew he would find you. Now, well things are different. He said he would be back, Nick. The letter said so."
"I know, its just that...he was so hurt after Divia was killed. I can't even feel his vibration, Natalie. The connection between us feels severed."
Moving towards him, Natalie gently rubbed his back.
"You want to find him?"
"Yes. But I can't. I can't just up and leave. Reese would go ballistic."
Moving away, Natalie paused and decided to change the subject.
"Nick...I've been thinking about what you said."
Looking up in confusion, he waited for her explanation.
"About wanting children and I was wondering if you would mind giving me some more samples...blood and ah, other things?"
Nick looked at her now, completely lost. "Other things?"
She blushed. unable to help it, and nodded to below his waist. Can a vampire blush because if Natalie didn't know better Nick looked like a ripe tomato.
"Nat- I don't think this would be a really good idea."
"Come on, can't hurt. Besides, it will help keep your mind off of LaCroix? At least for a few hours."
Not sure if he was ready for more scientific experiments, Nick trusted Natalie and after several hours of tests near dawn, Nick left the Morgue and headed for home.
Arriving at the loft, Nick spotted the flashing red light and his answering machine hoping against hope he would hear LaCroix�s voice. All he received were two calls from someplace trying to sell carpets, a publishing company trying to sell magazines and a wrong number. Lying back against his couch, Nick sadly closed his eyes and tried to reach out for his Master. Beckoning at first and then begging. But he received no call back. No feelings, not even a push to stop his link.
Turning over on to his side Nick took in several breaths and tried to sleep. Sleep however never came and for the rest of the day Nick paced the loft.
***
When you want it the most
There's no easy way out
when you're ready to go
and your heart's left in doubt
Don't give up on your faith
Love comes to those who believe it
and that's the way it is
***
"It's getting late Tracy, why don't you go home and get some rest?"
Tracy laid in Vachon's arms and refused to be budged. He had taken her to the back room and finding a small couch had laid her down to try to convince her to sleep instead he found himself trapped underneath her and she wouldn't move an inch. Silence. He tried again. "Trace?"
"Turn me into a Vampire." She replied softly.
"What?"
"That's what's keeping us apart, right?"
Vachon stared down into her blue eyes and shook his head.
"Tracy, please."
"Do you love me?"
"You know I do."
"Then make me a vampire. Then we can be together."
"You don't know what you're asking."
"I know what I am asking, I work the night shift, its not like I can't deal with being a night person. I never liked garlic and I am not a church-going person. I also know that thanks to modern technology I don't have to kill. I can drink from a bottle...its an easy solution."
All Vachon could picture at that moment is Nick breaking his neck for even considering doing that to his mortal partner. The Commissioner's daughter no less. Nick had been entrusted with her safety while on missions and off Vachon himself was obligated to look after her.
To take her life and make her a vampire.
Oh yeah, Nick would be mad as a hornet.
One fried shish ka bob Vachon on a wooden stake here we come.
"No Tracy. No way!"
He finally wriggled free and stood up and stared down at the beautiful blond haired woman.
"What? I am not Vampire material...is it that I am too perky? I can tone it down?"
"It's not that, Tracy...you would never NEVER see another sunrise again."
"I think I just said that was okay didn't I?"
"You're the commissioner's daughter!"
"Old news. I hardly see my dad as it is. Only on Thanksgiving and Christmas and even then its two hours of talking over my career choices. I can skip it and just make a phone call saying I had to work."
Vachon refused to give up and grasped at straws.
"Your partner would kill me."
Oh yeah and pain, there would be a lot of pain involved with his death. It would be easier just walking out into the sunlight then facing an enraged Knight.
"Nick is my partner not my keeper. What he doesn't know won't kill him."
If Vachon hadn't been in such a state he probably would have laughed at that statement. Oh, he would know darling and I would be toast!
"It's my decision. I've made it. The only question now is...do you love me and do you want me...for eternity?"
She stood and stared up at him. Vachon looked away unable to meet those eyes, those beautiful eyes that he had grown to adore.
"Don't do this to me Trace..."
"Please."
He sighed and looked back at her and had to catch his breath. She was so beautiful and he did love her. More then anything. More then he had ever loved. He did want her, for eternity.
"Okay, look. One week. Give it one week. Take yourself to the beach, in broad daylight and eat pizza and chocolate and all the things you would normally do. All the things if you become a vampire you will NEVER do again. Think this over, really hard and then come back and tell me your decision."
Tracy smiled and reached for him. He pulled away. "It's not going to change my mind, Vachon. I love you. The sunlight means nothing to me if I can't have you with it. So I will take the night if it means you will be there."
Vachon only shook his head. "One week."
She took in a breath and nodded. "One week."
***
When you questions me for a simple answer
I don't know what to say (no)
But it's plain to see
If you stick together
You're gonna find the way
***
Natalie stared into the microscope and smiled. Just what she thought. With a little coaxing she managed to separate the sperm just. Their were a great many cells but with some DNA structure she was able to find several cells that weren't contaminated. So what this meant was Vampires could have children. Problem is they can only mate with a mortal to produce an off spring. Course the reason why they never were able to produce is because in the mating ritual the mortal either died or was crossed over.
Hence the reason why none conceived. She laughed. Now thanks to artificial insemination the impossible was possible. She paused and thought about calling Nick and telling him the good news. She stopped. No, Nick has had enough with false hopes. What he needed was a good shot of something real. She would need a host.
What better host then herself. She didn't even have to think twice. Nick's baby. Nick and her baby. Smiling, she took up her specimens and made for the door. Time she made a call to her Gynecologist.
***
So don't surrender
Cause you can win
in this thing called Love
***
The sun was setting and Nick washed and dressed and was just at the elevator doors when the phone rang. Nick thought about letting the answering machine take it but in the end he picked it up.
"Nick Knight."
"Nicolas!"
Nick paused at the familiar but frantic voice at the other end of the line. "Janette?"
"Nicolas, I am frightened please, please you must come right away before it is too late."
"Too late? Janette slow down, too late for what?"
"They are going to kill LaCroix."
Eyes widening, Nick stood straight. "Who is going to kill LaCroix?"
"The Enforcers. Please hurry. Come to New York right away. They plan to execute him tonight."
"What? Why?"
"Oh Nicolas, please! I beg of you! Come! No!"
The sudden change in Janette's tone told Nick someone had grabbed her. Then the line went dead.
"Janette? Janette!"
Putting the phone down, Nick paced the room not sure what to do. Then making up his mind he called the precinct. Reese was more then upset at his call in and informed Knight that this was it, he made anymore grand stands about needing a night off he was going to be suspended for three days.
"Then suspend me!"
Nick hung up the phone and hurried to the nearest airport. Collecting a ticket he boarded the next flight. It wasn't until he was sitting down by the window that he realized he hadn't even called Natalie to let her know where he was going.
***
When Life is empty
With no tomorrow
And loneliness starts to call
Baby don't you worry
Forget your sorrow
Cause love's gonna conquer it all
And that's the way it is!
***
End of Part two