Date: Sat, 25 May 1996 22:27:27 EDT From: Lynne Levine Subject: Afterlife, a Last Knight Continuation (1/1) Yeah, it's yet another story to correct that silly thing TPTB tried to feed us... Spoilers ahead for Last Knight so if you haven't seen the episode yet and don't want to be "spoiled" you should stop reading this now!! OK, I hope that's enough spoiler space. I've got to say that I've gotten to like the episode much more now that I've read such great fanfic fixing the episode! And it's inspired me to actually write something for the first time in ages...So here goes. Comments, praise, virtual hugs. etc. can be sent to me at: llevine@mit.edu Lynne ---------------- Afterlife a _Last Knight_ continuation by Lynne Levine Natalie gasped as Nick's sharp fangs pierced her neck. Horrific images swirled through her mind--images of Nick's past bloodlust. There was no time to think, barely time to feel, all she could do was trust that he would just take a little. There was no way to stop him now, for his strength far exceeded hers especially now as he consumed her blood. All she could do was relax into his embrace.... And then she was walking down a long corridor, toward a bright light. No, it was more like she was floating, such a sense of utter serenity, utter calm had come over her. A familiar voice called her name and suddenly her brother Richard was standing in front of her, smiling. "Oh my god, I can't believe it," Natalie exclaimed as she hugged him. "It's so good to see you." She stepped back from him slightly. "But are you glad to see me? Can you ever forgive me for what I did to you? Or rather, what I had Nick do to you?" "Of course you're forgiven," Richard told her. "All that power...it just came too quickly...I didn't know how to control it properly. I would never blame you for that, little sister." "Natasha!" It was another familiar voice, and she saw her grandmother hurrying toward her. Natalie's little godchild was there too, bouncing up and down with excitement. Natalie blinked back tears, seeing the little girl alive and well. But then suddenly it dawned on her. None of these people were alive and well. And if she was with them it could only mean one thing... "I'm dead," she said aloud. "No, Natasha, you're not dead yet...but you are dying." She was dying? Nick was killing her? Natalie stumbled, and her brother reached for her, holding her up. How could Nick have done this to her? She never should have trusted him! "Oh Richard, how could I have been so stupid?" she wailed. "Shhh...it'll be all right," Richard reassured her. "You're with family now." The others drew her close to them too, and they walked a few paces down the corridor together. But then Natalie's grandmother stopped. "You can still go back if you like. You have a choice. You can go into the light with us, or turn back." "But it will be back into darkness," her brother warned her. "You will not live as you did before." Natalie looked at her loved ones, looked toward the light, then back in the direction from which she had just come. She wasn't ready to die yet! However, she couldn't sense Nick's presence anywhere. What to do? She had to decide! And then the light was gone. It was dark. She was very weak, and very thirsty. She focused as best she could, and gazed into a pair of icy blue eyes. "LaCroix?" she whispered in disbelief. She tried to lift her head but didn't get very far. He was on the floor with her, and she realized that her head was in his lap. "Drink this." LaCroix placed a bottle to her lips, and she drank, gratefully, greedily downing up every drop. "More," said hoarsely, and LaCroix replaced the bottle with a fresh one. She drank that one quickly too, but when she asked for more, he refused. "That's enough, Doctor." He sighed, then muttered under his breath, "The things I do for you, Nicholas..." Natalie heard a faint moan. "Oh, stop complaining, Nicholas. I'll remove that stake as soon as the good doctor is strong enough." "How could you, LaCroix!" Nick's voice was a weak snarl. "Suit yourself, Nicholas. Wear the stake a while longer. I don't have to listen to this!" Natalie heard more moans as she felt LaCroix scoop her up into his arms. A quick whoosh of air, and then she was placed on Nick's bed upstairs in the loft. LaCroix settled down beside her. "You brought me across," Natalie stated, propping herself up on one elbow to face him. "Yes...and you want to know why. Believe me, Doctor, the last thing I want right now is to be saddled with a new child just as I'm trying to move on. But it was the only way to keep from losing Nicholas. And I will *not* lose Nicholas." Natalie wondered if that last comment was a threat, a way of acknowledging her past attempts at helping Nick find a cure. "Your potions would never have cured him, Doctor," he said, and she gasped, realizing he'd just read her thoughts. He paused for a moment, perhaps to allow her time to realize the extent of his power, and then continued. "But if I had to make a new vampire, you were actually a reasonable choice. You were an asset to our kind even as a mortal, and I believe you will continue to be a valuable member of our community now that you are one of us." "But will Nick ever forgive you for bringing me across?" "Will you ever forgive him for leaving you to die?" Natalie remember the rage she'd felt as she'd realized Nick was killing her. "Yes," she said slowly, "I guess I will eventually forgive him." "Just as I will eventually forgive him for asking me to kill him. Yes, Doctor, he wanted to join you in death. The noble knight, wanting to die for love!" LaCroix sneered. So, Nick had asked to die. That helped her let go of a little of her anger. "But you loved him too much to let go of him," she said. LaCroix looked away from her, as if the pain in that simple statement was too much to bear. "Then you and I have something in common, LaCroix." She took his face in her hands then, forcing him to look at her. "We both love Nick. And I think that's pretty special." She leaned toward him and kissed him gently on the lips. Seeing a look of surprise on his face, she laughed and pulled him toward her, hugging him. "Guess you didn't read my mind that time, LaCroix!" LaCroix didn't answer, but she felt an arm go around her, returning the embrace, so she knew she'd done the right thing. Natalie suspected that the master vampire didn't receive many hugs. A loud moan emanated from downstairs, interrupting her thoughts. "Is he going to be okay?" "Don't worry...the stake has not pierced him anywhere near the heart. He is in pain, but he'll be fine. It was necessary to immobilize him in order to save you." "We really should do something about it, don't you think?" Natalie said, grinning. "Oh, I suppose," LaCroix agreed, the barest of a smile in his eyes. "He will be such a bother though, for the next few hours at the very least." "Well, we're in this together." LaCroix took her hand and helped her to her feet. Then, still holding her hand, he gave Natalie her first flying lesson. From the top of the loft, they glided down to join their beloved Nick.