"My dear, I don’t hate mortals at all. I love them dearly... they taste so divinely."

Natalie shook her head. "I meant, Why do you kill them without even a thought about there life? To throw it away as if it and them meant nothing? Surely if you could think back you would have wanted your own mother and father to be alive?"

LaCroix almost laughed but thought against it. He simply shrugged.

"My dear, I am a vampire it is our way. We can only live with your deaths. You are our substance. Our need to live. Would you condemn a family who go out and kill a deer so they won’t starve to death?"

"Animals don’t have a soul. Humans do."

"Do they my dear? Or is that humanity’s own ego trying to push its way out to make itself so much more important then it is. A mere food chain. You eat chicken, and Cow meat and don’t give it a thought. But, if someone should eat a human, it’s monstrous! Cannibalistic. But is it really? If one does it to survive?"

Natalie thought about that and realized he answered her question but not the way she wanted.

LaCroix seeing the distress in her eyes decided to lighten the game for a moment.

"What is your favorite movie?"

"An Affair To Remember."

LaCroix almost gagged.

Natalie grinned at his disgust.

"What’s your favorite color?"

"Black. Yours?"

"Blue and white. What’s your favorite time of the season?"

"Winter. Yours?"

"Autumn, I love the colors. Who’s your favorite poet?"

"Edgar Allen Poe. Yours?"

"Robert Frost. What’s your favorite tv program?"

"I don’t have one."

"Really? neither do I."

"What is your favorite flower?"

"White Roses. Yours?"

"The same actually."

Natalie smiled and the questions went on like that for a time. Not too personal, but not painful or intimate. Each learning differences and a few similarities. They soon seemed to become more comfortable with one another. Later, Natalie made some popcorn and though LaCroix hid his grimace he continued to drink from the bottle of blood ignoring the cat that had finally come out of Natalie’s bedroom and made itself comfortable on LaCroix’s lap.

"What’s your favorite artist?"

"Monet."

"Really mine too! Of all the world you traveled what is your favorite place?"

"Rome, I suppose. Being born there I am always drawn back to it. Yes, as Janette loves Paris, I love Rome. You?"

"I have never been to many places but I went to Florida once and I know for sure I don’t want to live there in the middle of June. Too hot!"

LaCroix agreed. "And too sunny."

They both smiled. Finally Natalie ventured into more dangerous waters.

"What is the one thing you regret most in the world?"

LaCroix shrugged and looked away. "Making Fleur one of us and making her my wife."

Natalie paused and shrugged. "Why didn’t you?"

"Because, I loved Nicholas more."

Silence filled the room, then finally, LaCroix continued the game.

"Tell me truly do you expect to find Nicholas a cure and that when he becomes human you and he will become man and wife and have children...to live happily ever after?"

Natalie bit her lip and shrugged. "I don’t know. I wish it was so. Nick would love to have children. He would make a great father. But I don’t know. Sometimes, I wonder if Nick is really looking for his mortality? As if he has mistaken that for forgiveness of his crimes?"

LaCroix nodded, he glanced at his watch and realized it was getting late. "Well, this has been fun, but it is time for me to leave. I should let you get some rest."

Natalie touched his arm. He paused and looked down at her. For a moment there eyes met and this time there was no hatred. In fact their was something else. Just for a brief second LaCroix wanted to bend down and kiss the mortal. Hard and on the lips. Possessively. To dive into that mouth and taste the hotness of it. How ludicrous.

"One last question, please?"

He paused at the door and waited.

"Why won’t you let Nick go?"

"I already answered that question, Doctor. Because I love him."

"As a son, or as a slave?" She asked softly.

He glanced down at her and met her blue eyes. She was quite lovely in this lighting. He could see what Nicholas saw in her. He reached out and touched her hair, and she shivered slightly.

"Why my dear, both and more." Then he turned and left, closing the door behind him.

Frozen in place, she remained standing there for a long time, then finally she went to her bedroom and lying down she drifted off into a deep sleep and in that sleep she had strange dreams. Dreams of two lovers, two vampire lovers entwined around her body. When she awoke in the late morning she hurried to take a cold, cold shower. ***

Part three

Natalie sat quietly at the bedside. She felt LaCroix enter the room, but didn’t look up. Sadly she stared down at the sleeping man before her. Tears fell from her cheeks and before she could wipe them away, a handkerchief was handed to her. She took it and wiped them away. Looking up, she shook her head at LaCroix.

"Why won’t he wake up? Why won’t he come back to us?"

LaCroix froze for a moment, shocked at the word come back to Us instead of Me? He smiled and shook his head.

"He will. He must." He looked down at his child and mentally sent a message to his son. COME BACK!

Rising from her chair, Natalie fled from the room.

She arrived back at her apartment still crying and shedding tears. She was just through the door when something got in her way. She felt the cold hands enfold her and Natalie surrendered and wept in LaCroix’s arms.

When she opened her eyes she found herself cradled in the ancient’s arms. He was seated on her couch, how she got there she didn’t know. She only knew that her world was shattering around her.

"I hate you!" She replied softly.

He nodded.

"I hate you, too."

"You want to take Nick away from me." She sobbed.

"And you want to take Nicholas away from me!" He returned, just as angry as her.

Then they both stopped. She looked up and met his eyes and he looked back at her.

Time seemed to have stood still. One moment Natalie was crying and the next minute she was being kissed by LaCroix. His lips pressed tightly against her own, his arms tightening around her. She felt suffocated, as if she was being possessed. She wanted to fight and she brought up her arms to hit him and instead her arms wrapped around his shoulders. Holding him as tightly as he held her.

What seemed like centuries, Natalie broke the kiss, breathless. Her eyes fluttered open and Lacroix met her eyes and found himself drowning in them. LaCroix released her and rising to his feet, he turned and fled the room. ***

(Two nights later)

Natalie arrived home to find a surprise; a dozen white roses on her doorstep. She picked them up and smiled, knowing exactly who had sent them. ***

That same night Natalie arrived at the Raven clutching a small box in her hand. Giving direct orders to the bartender to give the gift to LaCroix, Natalie hastily left the club. An hour later, the ancient vampire arrived at the bar to be presented the gift. A bit weary, LaCroix opened the gift from Lambert to find it was the Special Edition Star Wars trilogy set. ***

(Three nights later)

Natalie met him on the pier. He was dressed in a long dark cloak. Natalie bundled herself in her own fur coat and waited. He joined her side and after a moment they turned and started the long walk under the full moon. They never touched but walked side by side, step by step.

***

He took her out to the theater, and Natalie took him Ice skating-Once. She took him bowling and LaCroix took her to museums and art galleries. Natalie took him to a Britney Spears concert. LaCroix took her to hear the Boston Pops.

She ate ice cream and pizza, and he sipped quietly on champagne and blood wine. When she laughed, LaCroix found himself laughing, too. When she cried, he found himself emotional, feeling helpless and morose. When she teased he teased her back and though they were totally different, she the day and he the night, they found the boundary lines slowly fading. Not realizing, that they were no longer enemies and were slowly becoming friends.

They still argued and they often played the game Truth or penalty, but somewhere along the way they both began to lose sight of each other’s faults. It was then, one night, that LaCroix walked with Natalie towards to the hospital he asked her to become one of them.

"You would be young forever. You would never age, never grow old."

"I would never see the sunlight, never be able to eat pizza, or go to church."

"You would watch kingdoms being built and kingdoms crumble into dust. You would see nations rise and fall. You would see the world change, while you remained the same."

"I would stop caring and loving and wanting?"

"No, You would learn to love only immortals. It would fine tune you to another world and boundaries."

"Nick would be angry."

"He would get over it given time."

"He would be hurt?"

"He is a fool."

"I couldn’t kill."

"You don’t have to."

"I would have to leave everything behind?"

"All that would matter, wouldn’t be."

"I love Nick."

"I love Nicholas, and you love Nicholas, and Nicholas loves us both."

LaCroix stopped and turned to Natalie, his eyes for the first time dawning to a realization.

"He loves us both?"

Natalie nodded and smiled. "Yes. He must have been so torn. I never realized just how much I...we hurt him."

LaCroix nodded and reached for her. Natalie didn’t stop him when he drew her into his arms and kissed her on the lips.

When he released her, she asked, unable to help herself.

"Did you...were you and Nick lovers?"

LaCroix shrugged. "Yes, once, twice. When he wasn’t busy trying to save the world or redeem his soul."

"It must have been wonderful to love him?"

The Ancient vampire nodded. "Yes it was. "

Holding out her hand, LaCroix paused only for a moment and then he took it and continued the long walk down the dark street. ***

(Three months)

Natalie didn’t feel well. She coughed and stared at the mirror and saw she really looked pale. She also couldn’t hold much food down. Just in case, she checked her neck and held the crucifix in her hand. Nothing. Phew. Must be coming down with the damn flu. She then went to the doctor’s on her way to see Nick and had her annual check up. Sure enough she was coming down with the stomach flu.

After the tests, she hurried to the waiting room to check on Nick. Natalie was frightened when she entered an empty room.

Finding the nurse, Natalie’s heart rate returned to normal when she informed her that Nick Knight had been sent home with his father to be cared for by a private medical staff.

Calling a cab, Natalie went directly to the Raven.

Banging on the door, Natalie entered the empty bar to see LaCroix behind the bar making himself a drink. She was about to scream and yell at him, when she noticed how pale and withdrawn he had become. He almost looked the two thousands years he was.

She swallowed down her anger and walked over to him.

"Why did you take Nick from the hospital?"

"He is no longer safe there."

Natalie waited for him to explain.

"The Enforcers, the ones that keep our secret have learned of his...state and tried to take his life last night."

Natalie swallowed.

"He is safe, Janette managed to divert their attention, and I got Nicholas away."

"Why would they want to kill Nick?"

"Because he wants to be human again, because he stands against their laws and refuses to keep there rules, because he is in love with a mortal woman that loves him and knows what he is? Because he is weak and unable to defend himself. The reasons do not matter, they want to kill him, and I will not permit that to happen."

He paused and looked at her quietly. "I am leaving at dusk. I must take Nicholas into hiding."

Natalie had to fight from screaming.

"But what about me?"

LaCroix smiled down at her sadly. "You have a choice. You can either come, or stay. But if you stay. They will hunt you down, and kill you."

"But what if you remove my memories?"

LaCroix nodded. "Then you would be safe. But do you want that?"

Natalie thought it over. The memories of the four years she had spent with Nick came to the surface and a second later she shook her head. "No! No, I want to remember him, and you."

LaCroix smiled, warmed by her declaration. "You cannot stay as you are if you wish to join us."

Natalie turned away as his words sunk in.

He reached out to her, his arms enfolding around her waist. He moved closer reaching and took in a deep smell of her scent. So beautiful, so pure. This woman was grand and would make his family complete. Why hadn’t he seen it before? Unable to help himself he planted gentle kisses along her lovely white neck.

"I don’t want to be your slave." Natalie found herself once more charmed by the ancient vampire. Why had she never seen how strong and handsome he was? How just one look in her direction and she felt herself floating on air.

"You will be my lover, my wife, my daughter."

"I don’t want to be discarded like your other children."

"You won’t be."

"I want to love Nick."

"As he has room to love us both, we can make room to love and share with one another."

"I don‘t even like you." She whispered, her eyes closing as he kissed her slowly along her jaw line.

"But you do love me? Want me? All of me, every inch? Don’t you?"

She fought to say no, she tried to say no, her mouth opened preparing to deny it. Instead she muttered.

"Yes, I love you."

"Then join us? Forever is forever. Let go of your mortal bonds Natalie. You can be so much more."

"To love you both-?" She whispered, lost in his embrace.

"For eternity." He finished for her.

"Yes."

She turned and looked into his eyes, They were blue one moment and then they were shining like gold, she glanced down and saw the sharp fangs lengthen in front of her, she wanted to scream and run, but only for a moment and then she surrendered and closed her eyes, waiting.

She started to cry. Two tears slid from her closed eyelids.

"With every ending Natalie, there is always a beginning." He promised her.

He moved in slowly and descended in one fluid movement, penetrating her skin with his teeth and slowly began to drink of her lifeblood. ***

(Two years later) Approaching 1999

Natalie entered the bedroom, only intending to bid Nick good night, then planned to join LaCroix and Janette down stairs. They were all preparing to attend a French play. She paused and found herself drawn to him.

Even after two years, Nick looked as if he was only in a deep sleep. It had been hard adjusting to all the changes of her body and her needs, but LaCroix was a patient teacher. She had come to understand the desires and needs of a vampire and realized now just how foolish Nick was about wanting to be mortal. She herself never wanted to go back, and in time with LaCroix she would convince Nick, if he ever awoke, to give up this foolishness of trying to become mortal. Gazing down at him, she felt the love for her crusader wash over her once more.

She still loved him, even more so then before. She finally understood why LaCroix could never let his golden child go. Without thinking, she bent down and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"See you later sleeping beauty! I love you!"

Turning to leave, a noise from behind caused her to turn back and what she saw caused her to scream!

Hearing the scream, they flew into the room, just in time to see Natalie fling her arms around the vampire in bed, who was struggling to sit up and found he had no strength to do so.

"Nick! Oh Nick, you’re awake, you’re awake! All I did was kiss you, and you woke up!" She smiled and laughed at the absurdity. Just like a fairy tale.

LaCroix and Janette smiled and looked down at him.

Looking up in confusion, Nick stared at the three of them.

"Ahm, what’s going on? Where are we? Where am I? And ah, Natalie why are your eyes glowing?" Natalie only laughed and hugged him tightly.

Nick broke the hug and continued to stare at the three people in the room, confused.

"Did I miss something?"

LaCroix moved forward and sitting beside Natalie he reached out and took his son’s hand into his own while briefly giving Natalie a peck on the cheek.

"Why Nicholas, of course not. Why, don’t you know that the world revolves completely and utterly around you."

Still mystified, Nick slightly frowned and then stared at Natalie.

"You’re a vampire?"

She nodded.

He looked at LaCroix, frowning in displeasure. LaCroix shrugged. "Her choice."

Natalie nodded. "What is done is done....and everything is alright now. You’ve been in a coma for three years. But, you’re back where you belong. With us."

Nick frowned. "Three years?" He shook his head, hoping to take out the cobwebs with it. "What have all of you been doing for three years?"

LaCroix laughed and pulled Nicholas into his arms, kissing him fully on the lips. Stunned by this display of affection from his Master, Nick could only mutely stare back at him.

"What else, waiting for sleeping beauty to awaken. Welcome back, Nicholas, I hope you are ready to face the New Millenium!"

The end!