Date: Tue, 3 Dec 1996 20:44:47 -0500 (EST)
From: Susan Bennett <cd397@freenet.toronto.on.ca>
Subject: Baby Doe (1/5)

--------------
BABY DOE (1/5)
by Susan B.
for Nick&Natpackers
Nov.30/96
based on characters from Forever Knight, etc.
-----------------------

Natalie was sitting up in her hospital bed, a tiny newborn wrapped
in a pale yellow blanket slept soundly in her arms. Nick, standing
next to the bed, reached over and stroked the child's pale cheek
before transferring his affection to Nat. He grinned widely as he
gently caressed her hair, then leaned over to kiss her forehead.
Nat gazed up into his blue eyes and smiled. He looked so proud, so
happy, so ...human.

Suddenly the infant cried out for Nat's attention. Her joy suddenly
turned to terror as the child opened his eyes for the first time -
they were golden, and glowing. Nat reached out in panic for Nick,
but grasped only air. He was gone. Nat's heart started to pound. As
she scanned the empty room, the stark white walls seemed to close
in on her. Just as she felt herself slipping into unconsciousness,
the baby screamed again. Nat stared down at her son in horror. Two
trickles of blood ran from his lower lip, where it had been
punctured by his own fully extended fangs.

Natalie woke from her dream startled and visibly shaking. She
rubbed her eyes, and was surprised to find her face full of tears.
The clock on the nightstand next to the bed read four a.m., and the
room was black and still. Consoling herself that it was only a bad
dream, Nat lay back down; but a moment later a real cry shattered
the silence. Nat jumped out of bed and scampered into the living
room, flicking the lightswitch on the way. The crying grew louder,
it seemed to be coming from the hallway. Nat unlocked the door and
opened it cautiously. At her feet lay a tiny infant, wriggling and
naked, in a plain cardboard box.

                          * * * * * * 

Nick was driving home after finishing an early shift. Nat was off
on a week's vacation and work just wasn't the same without her
around. He missed her terribly. It wouldn't have been so bad if he
could have seen her at home, but she had asked him not to come
around for a few days - said she needed some time to "think",
whatever the hell that meant. Nick was depressed and lonely, and
the pouring rain and thick fog he was driving through only
heightened his sense of isolation.

Not really wanting to hear LaCroix, but wanting to feel less alone,
Nick turned on the radio. LaCroix's velvety voice filled the air,
"...abandonment. What can be more cruel than being outcast by those
we love, or by those who should love us?  How many gentle hearts
are lost when lovers flee? How many emerge from the warmth of a
mother's womb only to be discarded to a cold concrete slab. We ask,
'why am I rejected'? It is a question with many answers, but only
one solution, a motto if you will, ...though others shall reject
me, I shall not reject myself."

Now feeling even worse, Nick shut off the car radio. Immediately a
loud crackling came over the police band, followed by a clear
announcement of Nat's address. Nick pulled out his cell phone and
quickly dialed her number. The car swerved on the wet pavement as
he made a hard left turn.

Nat answered on the third ring, "hello".

"Nat - are you okay!"

"I'm fine, Nick, just a little unexpected company. Nothing
dangerous."

Nick turned onto her street, "I'm coming over." He clicked off the
line before she had a chance to reply, or refuse. Nick parked on
the street in front of her building and noticed there were no
police on the scene yet. He hopped out of the caddy and ran up to
her apartment. When Nat opened the door Nick was standing there
fumbling through his keys looking for the one to her apartment.
During these last few days he had missed her dreadfully, but he
never understood just how much until he saw her standing there
before him.

Nat reached out and put her arms around Nick, fully realizing at
that moment just how much *she* missed him. She tugged him inside
and closed the door, "You should have come by earlier!"

Nick gave her a quick kiss on the lips and smiled, "You said you
wanted some time alone. Remember?"

"I'm sorry I said that now. But *you* could have been a little more
persistent." Nat felt so giddy and warm in Nick's arms that she
forgot all about Baby Doe, until he let out another wail.

"What on earth..." Nick mumbled as he eyed the room.

Releasing Nick from her embrace, Nat led him over to the couch
where
the baby lay, wrapped snugly in her green wool sweater. She bent
over and picked up the child, and rocked it soothingly in her arms.
Nat grinned, "I told you I had a *little* unexpected company. He
was left on my doorstep." She nodded her head in the direction of
the cardboard box sitting on the coffee table, "I found him in that
about fifteen minutes ago, just outside my door. I washed him off,
wrapped him up, and called it in. He looks full-term and healthy,
but I do believe he's hungry."

Nick smiled as he watched Nat cheerfully rocking the baby and
making silly baby-talk, but his smile quickly faded as his heart
grew heavy. This was a side of Nat he had seldom seen, and truly
did not want to think about. Another thing in a list of things he
could never give her ...a daylight stroll through the park, a walk
along a sunny beach, his love, a child.

Nick's bleak thoughts were interrupted by a loud rapping on the
door. He went over and opened it to two plainclothes detectives.
Nick recognized the tall dark-haired man with the grey eyes, his
name was Craig. Nick met him once, and he didn't like him. The
feeling was mutual.

Craig recognized Nick and sneered, "Abandoned babies are a little
out of your jurisdiction aren't they, Knight? That is, when they're
still breathing anyway."

"Not funny," Nick growled.

As the officers made their way into the room, Nat strolled over
with the baby.

"Ms. Lambert!," Craig beamed at Nat. 

Nick glanced at Nat and then at Craig, "you know Natalie?" he asked
suspiciously.

"Yes, we've met on a ...couple of occasions," Craig replied. "You
haven't met my new partner though. Detective Knight - this is Paul.
Paul - this is Detective Knight."

Nick and Paul shook hands as Craig pulled out his notebook. He
looked around the room and headed for the out-of-place box. "Is
that what you found it in?"

Nat followed Craig over to the coffee table, "Yes. And *he* is all
I found in it - no note, no bottle, nothing. Not even a blanket."

"Nothing to trace," Craig sighed. "We'll have to ask around the
building, the neighbourhood, put out the standard plea to the
public."

Natalie cooed at the baby, "The poor little guy was just lying
there in his birthday suit, and I'd say his birthday was only a few
hours ago, if that." She carried Baby Doe back over to the couch.

"How long until Social Services gets here?" Nick asked.

"Fifteen or twenty minutes." Paul responded. "We'll just have to
wait here until they come."

Nat grinned slyly, "Nick, why don't you come here and hold the baby
while I put the coffee on." 

Nick walked hesitatingly over to the couch and sat down. Amused,
Nat gently placed the infant in his arms. Nick was noticeably
uncomfortable, and grew even more uneasy as he watched Craig follow
Nat into the kitchen. He could hear some giggling, but their voices
were so muffled even his keen sense of hearing could not pick up
the actual words. After a few minutes of that Nick had had enough
and stood up. He carried the child over to Paul and dropped it
firmly into Paul's arms, "here, you take him."

Stepping into the kitchen Nick asked, "Need any help?". Craig was
holding a tray while Natalie was busy filling it with mugs of hot
coffee, spoons, cream and sugar. 

"I think we've got it under control," Nat replied. Nick stood there
quietly until Craig left with the tray, "what was so funny, Nat?"

"Huh?"

"I heard you laughing," Nick grumbled as he walked over to her,
"just how well do you know him anyway?"

"You sound jealous," Nat teased.

"Should I be?"

Nat glanced towards the window, "don't you think you should get
going? It *is* almost dawn. You won't have enough time to get home
if you don't leave now."

"I think I'll stay." Nick abruptly turned around and headed for the
living room. Nat followed behind him with a wicked grin on her
face, secretly relishing his jealously.

Natalie sat next to Nick on the couch. Craig and Paul, who was
still holding the baby, sat down in the two chairs opposite the
couch. Craig took a long sip from his mug before starting his
interrogation. Turning to a fresh page in his notebook he
scrutinized Natalie, "start at the beginning."

"Well I woke up when I heard the baby crying." Natalie shuddered as
she recalled her dream, not honestly knowing whether it was the
haunting image of the vampire child, or Nick's disappearance that
frightened her the most. Nick was puzzled by her fleeting chill of
fear and put his arm around her. Nat continued, "I checked the
time, it was around four."

Nat just finished telling her story when there was another knock on
the door. Nick rose and answered the door. A short, green-eyed
redhead greeted him cheerfully, "Hello. I'm Karen Mantt, Social
Services."

Paul and Craig stood up as Karen walked into the room. She headed
straight for Paul who immediately handed the baby over to her.
Karen removed the wool sweater and wrapped him in a receiving
blanket.

"Where does he go from here?" Nat asked as she recovered her
sweater.

"Well, the hospital for a few days to make sure he's okay, and then
into emergency foster care until a more permanent space is
available."

"What if the mother shows up?" Nat asked.

Karen sighed, "it's unlikely, unless we get a tip that leads us to
her." Karen turned around and left with the infant. Paul picked up
the cardboard box and followed her out.

"I don't suppose you've seen any noticeably pregnant women around
here?" Craig asked Nat on his way out the door.

"I'm afraid I can't help you there." As Nat closed the door behind
him she noticed glimmers of sunlight filtering through the sides of
the blinds. She turned to Nick, "You better sleep in my room. Just
let me get in there and change the sheets."

Nick stepped towards her and smiled, "I think you're probably
right, but don't worry about the bedding." He put his arms around
her, "by the way, what was it that frightened you? I felt you
shivering when you were telling Craig about hearing the baby cry."

Again Nat shivered involuntarily, "Just a bad dream. It was
nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing. Do you want to talk about it?"

Nat kissed his cheek and grinned, "No, Nick. I really don't want to
talk about it." She slipped from his embrace and went into her
room, emerging a moment later with Sydney. "He'll sleep out here
with me."

BABY DOE (2/5)
by Susan B.
for Nick&Natpackers
based on characters from Forever Knight, etc.
-----------------------

Thanks to the black-out curtains, Natalie's bedroom was as dark as
Nick's loft was during the day. Being on the night shift, her need
to sleep during the day made them a necessity.

Nick undressed and slipped into Nat's bed, thick and sweet with her
scent. He clutched her pillow under his bare chest, imagining her
there, and felt the vampire begin to stir. Surrounded by her as he
was, Nick ached with desire, and was fighting to keep the vampire
at bay. /Perhaps he should have let her change the sheets/ He
moaned in frustration as he pulled the pillow out from under his
chest, turned it over, and buried his face in it. He felt cool
dampness on his cheek, and inhaled the scent of Nat's recent tears.
Nick's human love for Nat then overwhelmed him, and crushed the
vampire's burning lust.

With the vampire firmly under control, and his eyes a steady blue,
Nick envisioned Nat holding that baby in her arms and again thought
of the things he could never give her. He struggled to hold back
his own tears, but he knew it was a futile struggle ...it always
was. Nick's tears came freely now, mingling with those on Nat's
pillow. He knew at that moment that if they ever cried together,
they would become hopelessly lost in each other, and hopelessly
lost in eternal darkness. Nick fell asleep, and dreamed of making
love to Nat.
                          * * * * * * 

Natalie woke up late in the afternoon and went to Nick's loft to
pick up a bottle of blood for him. She arrived back at her
apartment just as the sun began to set. As she reached her door she
heard someone call out her name. Nat turned her head to see Craig
running up the stairs towards her.

"What are you doing here?" Nat asked.

When he reached the door Craig staggered for a moment to catch his
breath, "I'm just following up on the Baby Doe case, canvassing the
neighbours and such."

"I see," uttered Nat as she turned the key in the lock.

"Do you mind if I come in and ask a few more questions?"

Nat pushed the door open, "There's nothing else to tell. I told you
everything last night."

Craig flashed a coy smile, "Caught me ...how about a cup of coffee
then?"

Nat blushed slightly at his vain attempt to flirt with her yet
again. She had bumped into him many times in the cafeteria at work,
and he never failed to ask her out. She never failed to decline.
Nat smiled, "Okay. Come in."

Craig made himself comfortable in a chair while Nat went into the
kitchen. She pulled the bottle out of her shopping bag and slipped
it into the fridge, before making coffee.

                          * * * * * * 

Half-awake, Nick thought he heard Craig's voice in the other room.
It reminded him of when he first met Craig, about six months ago in
the Coroner's building. Craig was standing covertly outside Nat's
office peeking through the doorway. Nick had snuck up behind him
and grabbed him by the shoulder, "You seem to have an unusual
interest in the Coroner."

"There's nothing unusual about a man having an interest in a
beautiful woman," Craig snickered as he broke away from Nick's
grasp.

"There is when he hides in the hallway and spies on her," Nick
growled. He was tempted to clobber Craig then and there, "I think
you better leave." That was the last Nick saw of him, until last
night.

Nick fully awoke and quickly slipped on his jeans when he heard Nat
shout those very same words, "I think you better leave!" He rushed
into the living room to see Craig with his hands on Nat's
shoulders, almost pinning her against the wall. Craig spun around
just as Nick's fist slammed into his face. Craig stumbled backwards
and held his hand to his nose, blood oozing out between his
fingers.

"What's this idiot doing here, Nat?" Nick demanded as he pulled
Craig to his feet and shoved him out the door.

"I'm sorry Nick. I really didn't think he'd be like that. He's a
cop for God's sake. He just asked to come in for coffee." Nat
paused for a second and added, "I guess I won't have to worry about
him bothering me at work again."

"He bothered you at work?" Nick asked with some concern.

"Well, he was a little persistent in trying to get me to go out
with him."

Nick almost snarled at her, "So inviting him into your apartment is
supposed to discourage him?"

Nat crossed her arms defiantly, "I knew you were here, Nick. I
figured he'd discover you were here all night and *finally* get the
message."

Before Nick had a chance to counter, his cell phone rang. Nat went
to the kitchen for the blood and a glass while Nick took the call.
When she walked back into the living room, Nick was putting away
his phone. "They think they've found Baby Doe's mother."

"Who is she?" Nat asked curiously.

"The question is 'who *was* she', Nat. They found her body a few
hours ago under the Gardiner near Bathurst."

"Murdered?" Nat gasped.

"That's not entirely ruled out, but the preliminary results
indicate severe blood loss due to haemorrhage associated with
childbirth complications. No overt sign of foul play."

Nat sighed, "So this is one instance where the standard police plea
was accurate. The mother who abandoned her newborn really did need
medical assistance."

"You're half-right Nat," Nick replied. "She did need medical
attention, but she didn't abandon her baby. The preliminary report
also states the child was born where the body was found, and the
mother never left that spot."

"Then how the hell did he end up outside my door?"

"That's what I'm going to find out." Nick hurriedly downed two
glasses of blood while he finished getting dressed. He gave Nat a
hug and kissed her cheek, "Lock the door behind me. I'll stop by
later."

Nick arrived outside at the caddy to discover both his passenger
window and headlamp smashed in. It was a none-too-subtle message
from Craig ...a message that things weren't quite over yet.

                          * * * * * * 

After a twenty minute drive, Nick arrived at the Gardiner/Bathurst
site. He was tempted to go talk to LaCroix first about his timely
monologue, but that would have to wait, as would the other thing he
had to take care of. The area was still cordoned off, but only one
officer, Les Greene, remained on the scene.

Les had just finished packing up his things and was heading over
towards Nick's car. Noting the smashed window and headlight he
bellowed out in a loud voice that suited his burly physique, "Hey
-
Knight!" "What the hell happened to your car?"

"Don't even ask," Nick groaned as he got out of the caddy.

"Yeah, I know that feeling," Les muttered as he got in his own car
and drove off.

Nick walked around the area, but the only visible sign that
anything at all had happened here was a large blood stain on the
concrete where the body had been. Nick climbed back into the caddy
and he too drove off.

About ten minutes later Nick arrived at the police station. Tracy
was nowhere to be found so he popped into Reese's office. As Nick
walked in, Reese looked up, "Tracy's not in tonight, Nick. She
booked off sick."

"Anything new on the Baby Doe case?"

"Only that murder's been all but ruled out, so there's no need for
homicide to be involved for the time being." Reese tapped the end
of his pencil on the desk, "However, I'm sure you have a personal
interest in investigating the mystery of his arrival at Dr.
Lambert's."

"If you don't mind Captain. I do have a couple of things I'd like
to check out tonight."

"I don't have a free officer to pair you with, Nick. It's this flu
going around - again. It's like a damn ghost town in here."

"These are things I can check out myself."

Reese leaned back in his chair, "Fine, go ahead. But if we get any
real murder and mayhem tonight, you're off this case pronto."

Nick nodded his understanding and left Reese's office. He stepped
over to a free desk, sat down in front of the computer and started
pounding on the keys. It only took a few minutes for Craig's
personnel file to pop up. Finding out what he needed to know, Nick
left his car at the station and took to the air. He materialized on
Craig's front porch and banged on the door. A few minutes later
Craig, with a heavily bandaged nose, appeared. "What the hell do
you want Knight?"

"The question is, what the hell do you want?" Nick barked. "What do
you want with Natalie."

"Stupid question, Knight. And you call yourself a detective? I want
exactly what you think I want - to get laid."

Nick wanted to smash Craig's face in again, and it took every bit
of his resolve to resist. He locked eyes with Craig for the whammy,
"Remember this. If you ever touch her again, I *will* kill you."
Not wanting to look at Craig's face for an instant longer than
necessary, Nick turned and left. He flew back to his car and then
drove to the Raven.

It was one of those rare occasions when the music in the Raven was
not deafening. In fact, as well as being at a much lower volume
than normal, it was unusually soft and soothing. The club was also
strangely empty. LaCroix sensed Nick's arrival and strolled out
from his booth, glass in hand, to meet him.

"So, Nicholas," LaCroix chuckled, "I gather from your presence you
were listening to my broadcast this morning." LaCroix led Nick over
to a table near his booth. They sat down and LaCroix offered, "it
was sheer coincidence that I happened upon the area and heard the
baby's cries."

Nick was somewhat startled, "*You* took him to Nat's?"

"Does that surprise you Nicholas?" LaCroix crooned. "I should think
it is a most logical place. She is a doctor after all, and
connected to the police department."

"I'm not surprised that you took him *there*. I am surprised that
you took him at all." Nick waited for a response from LaCroix, but
none was forthcoming. Understanding the conversation was over, he
rose to leave, "One other thing - about your broadcast - how did
you know the mother planned to abandon the baby? Was she alive when
you found her?"

"No, Nicholas," LaCroix sighed, "she was not alive when I found
her. I was not talking about the child. I was referring to the
mother."


BABY DOE (3/5)
by Susan B.
for Nick&Natpackers
based on characters from Forever Knight, etc.
-----------------------

It wasn't quite ten o'clock by the time Nick finished with LaCroix.
Under the circumstances, his work on this case was finished. Nick
headed back to the station, knowing that Baby Doe's expedition to
Nat's apartment would end up as an unsolved mystery. He spent the
next few hours going over paperwork, packing it in around two-
thirty.
                          * * * * * * 

Nick arrived back at Nat's place shortly before three and let
himself in. Nat had left a table lamp on, but was in her bed
asleep. Nick listened to her muttering in her sleep as he crept
into the room. He couldn't resist yet another stolen moment, laying
down next to her and feeling the warmth of her body against his. As
always, the experience ended as soon as it started, when the
vampire began to appear. Nick bolted upright, and his commotion
woke Nat. When she saw him there on her bed, she pulled him back
down. He closed his golden eyes so as not to frighten her. Nat
nuzzled his ear and whispered a sleepy, "I love you".

Nick kissed her lips gently and whispered back, "I love you". They
clung to each other for a precious moment, but both knew
instinctively that another minute of this and there would be no
turning back. They had too much experience in separation. Nick
pulled himself away from her and left the room.

Nat emerged from her room a few minutes later, dressed in jeans and
a loose sweater. "So, did you find out how Baby Doe came to be at
my doorstep?"

"Nothing I can write up in a report," Nick grinned.

"Oh?"

"It was LaCroix, Nat. It was sheer coincidence that he was in that
area and heard the crying. To him you were the most logical person
to take the baby to."

"Are you serious?" Nat asked in disbelief. She was stunned that
LaCroix would have bothered himself over the child. He had shown
his disdain of humanity countless times. "Somehow I just can't
picture LaCroix doing anything so ...benevolent."

"Well, Nat, lately I've come to believe that the thing LaCroix
despises most about humans is what he perceives as their utter
disregard for each other."

"So what are you saying Nick? He *had* to do something or he would
consider himself as apathetic as a human?"

"Something like that I suppose," Nick smiled, "ironic, isn't it?"

Nat just shook her head in confusion.

"Why don't you grab your coat and we'll go visit Baby Doe before
the sun comes up."

Nat hesitated, "I'm not really sure I want to."

Nick picked up her coat and helped her into it. Standing behind her
he quipped, "It's just a baby Nat. It doesn't have golden eyes and
fangs." He bent down and added in a whisper, "and I'm not going
anywhere."

Nat spun around in amazement, "What made you say that! How did you
know! That was *my* dream!"

"I'm a detective, Nat, remember?" Nick took Nat in his arms, "and
I have dreams too."

Nat hugged him tightly, infinitely relieved that he seemed more
amused by her dream than repulsed by it. She kissed him
passionately before whispering in his ear, "I still don't know how
you figured that out, Detective Knight."

Nick opened the door for her and whispered back, "You talk in your
sleep, Dr. Lambert."

Nat smacked Nick's shoulder playfully before looping her arm
through his, and they took the stairway down to the lobby. A blast
of cold air rushed at them as Nick opened the door. The sky was
finally clear after three nights of rain and fog. As they neared
the caddy, Nat noticed the broken headlamp. She didn't say anything
until she noticed the window had also been smashed. "What happened
to the car, Nick?"

Nick opened the passenger side door for her. "Repayment for a
broken nose, I believe." He wondered what she would have thought of
his post-hypnotic suggestion to Craig, and decided it best not to
try to find out.

Nick went around the car and climbed into the driver's seat. They
set off to visit Baby Doe at the hospital.

After parking in the half-empty lot, Nick and Nat entered the
hospital and walked over to the front desk. A young blonde
receptionist in a green dress greeted them with a smile. "Who are
you here for?," she chirped.

"A Baby Doe brought in very early yesterday morning," Nick replied
eagerly.

The receptionist shook her head and frowned. "I'm sorry. At this
hour only family are allowed visiting privileges, and Baby Doe has
no family."

Nick pulled out his badge and held it up. The young woman checked
it and waved them towards the elevators. "I'll call upstairs, you
can go on up."

In the elevator Nat checked her watch and calculated the time until
sunrise. "We can only stay for thirty minutes, Nick." She tried to
remember just exactly when she started measuring her own life
according to the sun, but she couldn't recall.

A few seconds later the elevator doors opened at the third floor
and Nick and Nat stepped out. Directly in front of them was a
nursing station. Hallway corridors ran down either side of it. An
elderly nurse manning the station had just hung up the telephone
receiver and poked up her head. "Take the corridor to the right,
third door down on the left."

Nick and Nat made their way down the hallway and stopped outside
the nursery window. Most of the lights inside had been shut off,
but Baby Doe was quite visible in the first row. He had probably
been there all day for the benefit of media photographers. Nick
tapped lightly on the window and caught the attention of a young
nurse on the other side of the glass. He pointed out Baby Doe and
the nurse signalled them to go into the sitting room next to the
nursery. In the sitting room were a few rocking chairs, a coffee
table, and a large grey couch. Nick and Nat sat together on the
couch and waited for the baby to be brought out.

Moments later the nurse arrived with a tiny blue bundle and a
bottle of warm milk. She looked quizzically at Nat, then Nick.
"He's due for a feeding, anyone interested?"

Nat glanced at Nick and chuckled, then held her arms out. "I think
*I* better do that."

The nurse carefully handed the baby and bottle to Nat. Then she
disappeared back into the dimly lit nursery, leaving Nick and Nat
alone in the sitting room with Baby Doe.

Nick watched with interest as Nat fed the baby. After a few minutes
of silence he reached down and played with the tiny hand. "He is
kind of cute, isn't he."

"He's adorable," Nat beamed, not taking her eyes off Baby Doe. "I
can't believe how attached to him I am already. I guess partly
because I found him on my doorstep."

Nat freed her pinky finger from under the bottle and tickled Baby
Doe's cheek. "Do you believe in love at first sight little fellow?
Do you? Do you?"

Nick let go of the baby's hand and touched Nat's cheek. He gently
turned her face towards him and grinned, "I do." Nick couldn't
remember ever seeing Nat look as content as she did at that very
moment.

Nat gently removed the bottle from Baby Doe's mouth. She looked
slyly at Nick. "Time for a burp I think. Do you want to do it?"

Nick tried to refuse, but before he got the words out, Nat had
placed Baby Doe on his shoulder. "Just pat his back softly until he
burps," she grinned.

"I *have* seen it done before, Nat," Nick groaned. His uneasiness
quickly diminished as he started patting and rubbing the tiny back.
Nick seemed to be growing quite fond of the little thing.

"Are you okay, Nick?"

"I'm fine Nat. But I think we should give him a name - just between
us, of course. I don't like calling him Baby Doe."

"Well then, hmmm ...Snookums, Puddles, Pumpkin..."

"None of the above," Nick sighed.

Nat smiled. "So, how do you feel?"

"I'm here, with you, burping a baby." Nick lowered Baby Doe from
his shoulder and put him back into Nat's arms. "How do I feel? ...I
feel something I haven't felt for a very long time, Nat." Nick
kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I *feel* human," he whispered.

Nat kissed his cheek and whispered back, "someday".

Nat carefully stood up and crossed the room to take the baby back
into the nursery. She suddenly stopped by the exterior window and
peered out.

"What is it, Nat?" Nick asked.

Nat just smiled and resumed her jaunt to the nursery. "Nothing. I
thought I saw something outside the window, but there's nothing
there."
                         * * * * *

After leaving the nursery, Nick and Nat headed downstairs. The
newspaper box outside the front doors was crammed with the morning
papers, and Baby Doe's face was splashed across the front page.
Nick waited as Nat quickly dug through her wallet for some change.
She scooped a paper from the box. They continued their walk to the
parking lot and got into Nick's caddy.

"What are you going to do about the car?" Nat asked. "You can't
drive it around like this when you're working."

"I guess you're right." Nick thought about it for a moment, "can
you take it in for me later on this morning?"

"Of course," Nat answered brightly. Nat was feeling so blissful
after their visit with Baby Doe, that Nick could have asked her to
scrub his floors and she would have cheerfully agreed.

Nick and Nat were silent during the ten minute drive back to Nat's
place. Both of them were basking in the special contentment they
had experienced in the hospital, both with themselves, and with
each other.

Nick pulled up to the curb and parked the car. He opened the door
for Nat and took her hand, holding it tightly as he escorted her to
her apartment. Nick opened the door and kissed Nat's forehead.
"This is one night I wish would never end."

Nat stared lovingly into his blue eyes. "The night doesn't have to
end now. You can stay over again if you want."

"Of course I *want* to stay, Nat," Nick smiled, "but I don't think
it's a good idea." He leaned over to kiss her cheek, but Nat moved
her face quickly enough to catch his kiss on her lips. Nick hugged
her firmly. As he turned to leave he chuckled, "my, how you love to
tempt fate."
                         * * * * *

After sunset that evening, Nat stood waiting outside by Nick's car.
He finally arrived with her car shortly after 7:00. Nick walked
around the caddy and checked the newly replaced window and
headlight. He stopped next to Nat. "You look like you're going out.
What's the occasion?"

"I have a date," Nat teased. She paused for effect. "With Baby...
you never did pick out a name."

"I'll think of something," Nick laughed.

Nat's voice took on a touch of sadness. "Do you want to meet me at
the hospital for a few minutes on your way to work? I called Karen
Mantt at Social Services today and she told me he would be
discharged to foster care tomorrow morning."

"Sorry Nat. Tracy's already at the station waiting for me. We have
an interview tonight with a witness. I'll stop by here after work
and we can go say goodbye to him together."

"Done deal," Nat blurted out. She kissed Nick's cheek and smiled.
"Oh, by the way Nick, can you pick up my laptop and bring it with
you? It's in the cold room, under the sink."

"You're *supposed* to be on vacation, Nat."

"I know. I know. I just want to check out some things," Nat
whimpered.

Nick withdrew into his car and headed off to work, while Nat went
upstairs to grab a bite to eat before her trip to visit Baby Doe.

BABY DOE (4/5)
by Susan B.
for Nick&Natpackers
based on characters from Forever Knight, etc.
-----------------------

Arriving in the squad room at 7:45, Nick noticed Tracy waiting
impatiently for him at her desk. When she saw Nick, she ran towards
him excitedly. "Fill me on this Baby Doe case! I just found out
about it! The baby was left on Nat's doorstep? Why on earth didn't
you call me!"

Nick grinned. "It sounds like you already have all the facts."

"Still," Tracy paused to catch her breath. "You should have called
me, Nick. How often does something like that happen? And the mother
- they don't even know who she is. No ID, no prints on record, no
missing person match. No one has recognized the photograph of her
the department put out. All we know is she was about eighteen years
old."

"I don't think you need any 'filling in', Tracy," Nick quipped.
"That about sums up the case."

"I just can't believe no one has seen the girl," Tracy complained,
"especially when her pregnancy must have made her *extremely*
visible."

"I'm sure plenty of people have seen her, but whether anyone steps
forward with information is something else altogether." Nick
studied his watch and glanced back at Tracy. "Anyway, it's not our
case, and we have that Caleb interview in about forty minutes."

"I'll just get my coat," Tracy said as she skipped over to her desk
and picked up her jean jacket.

Nick decided he was going to stop off at the morgue on their way to
the interview. He reached into his pocket for his cell phone to
call Caleb and let him know they would be a few minutes late. It
was then that he noticed his phone was missing. He had left it in
Nat's car.
                         * * * * *

Nat arrived at the Hospital at 8:00. She made her way to the third
floor and was surprised to meet Karen Mantt in the hallway leading
to the nursery. Karen had told her earlier that the baby wouldn't
be discharged until the following day. A twinge of panic swept
through Nat. She and Nick had a very special connection to Baby
Doe, and she was distressed at the possibility that they would not
be able to say goodbye to him together.

"Karen!" Nat shouted. "What are you doing here! You told me Baby
Doe wasn't being discharged until tomorrow!" 

Karen smiled at Nat. "Relax, Natalie. He's not going anywhere until
tomorrow. I just stopped by on my way home from the office to take
a peek at him."

Nat was relieved and grinned. "He is a little bit contagious, isn't
he."

Karen flashed another warm smile. "Yes, and the mysterious facts
surrounding his birth, and his arrival at your doorstep, only
contribute further to his charm."

It was a bit of a jolt for Nat to think of LaCroix and the word
"charm" at the same time.

Karen and Nat continued down the hall to the nursery window. Nat
noticed a very different atmosphere at this time of the day. The
lights were up full and three nurses were busy tending to the
babies. Happy grandparents and nervous fathers maneuvered for
position in front of the window. The power these little things had
over adults, reducing them to babbling simpletons, was incredible
to Nat. The power Baby Doe had over a certain vampire was
irresistible to her. Lost happily in her thoughts of Nick, Nat
stepped over to the nursery door with Karen.

Karen called into the room for attention, and a gaunt, grey-haired
nurse sauntered over. Karen scanned the nurses's nameplate and said
authoritatively, "Nurse Ellen. I would like to see Baby Doe."

The nurse shook her head. "You're too late. He's not here. Someone
from Social Services picked him up twenty minutes ago."

Karen shoved the nurse aside and barged into the nursery. "*I* am
Social Services, and he is not supposed to be discharged until
tomorrow!"

Nurse Ellen huffed and crossed her arms. "Well he's already been
picked up." Pointing down the corridor she added curtly, "there's
a pay phone down in the lounge, why don't you just go and call your
office!" Karen hurriedly left the nursery and marched down the
corridor.

Having heard the exchange between Karen and the nurse, Nat strolled
into the nursery and started checking the bassinets. Baby Doe was
nowhere to be found. She returned to the hallway and grew worried
when she saw Karen returning with a stunned expression on her face.
As Karen approached her, Nat asked, "what is it?"

Karen wrapped her arms around her own chest and shook her head. "It
wasn't anyone from our office. The police are being advised as we
speak."

Nat flew down the hall towards the lounge, her stomach twisting
into knots, and dialed Nick's cell phone number. Each ring seemed
to last an eternity. There was, alas, no answer.

                         * * * * *

At about the same time that Nat had arrived at the Hospital, Nick
and Tracy had arrived at the morgue. Nick felt strange being there
at night and finding a darkened room, but Nat's temporary
replacement was on a call-in basis. Obviously there was no work for
him tonight.

Tracy stood outside the door while Nick entered the room and
flicked on the light switch. He headed for the cupboards across
from where he stood.

Tracy then gingerly stepped inside. "Where is Baby Doe's mother?"

"I don't know," Nick replied. He waved towards the cold lockers at
the far end of the room. "Go take a look if you want." Nick started
searching through the cupboards for Nat's computer.

Tracy cringed at the thought of opening those drawers, but her
curiosity got the better of her. She walked down to the bank of
compartments and creaked one open - it was empty. She tried the
next one - it wasn't empty. Tracy slid the shelf out, and noticed
a patch of auburn hair sticking out from under the white sheet. She
slowly folded over the corner of the sheet to reveal Mother Doe's
face. Tracy turned deathly pale and let out a blood curdling
scream. "My God, Nick!! It's my cousin!!" Tracy fell to the floor
in a heap.

Nick stopped his foraging through the cupboards and dashed over to
Tracy. He knelt beside her and slightly lifted her head, "Tracy!
Tracy!"

Tracy immediately regained consciousness and opened her eyes. It's
my cousin Nick," she sobbed. "I haven't seen her for four years,
but I know it's her, Melissa Louise Vetter, my cousin."

Nick was dumbfounded. "How could it be your cousin? Surely someone
would have noticed her missing. And with your family's connections
to the police department, she would have certainly been found."

Tracy dragged herself to her feet, avoiding making eye contact with
the corpse on the slab. She kept her eyes on the floor. "Melissa
ran away from home two years ago, on her sixteenth birthday. She
had been having problems with her parents for a couple of years
before that. From what my uncle told me, she just stormed out the
front door one day and said she was never coming back. She never
did."

Nick pushed the shelf back into the cooler. "How on earth could
they have overlooked *that* in the missing persons records?"

Tracy wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket and let out a
mournful sob. "She was never reported missing, Nick. Her parents
didn't want to find her."

Nick took Tracy by the arm and led her out of the morgue, and into
his car.

On his way to the station, Nick pulled out the police radio and
called for Reese. After getting Reese on the other end, he said,
"Tracy's going to need some help, she's just identified Mother Doe
...as her cousin. You better cancel the Caleb interview too."

"What?" Reese asked a little astonished.

"I'll be there in a couple of minutes, Captain. I'll fill you in on
the details." Nick tucked the radio away and concentrated on
getting Tracy, upset and shaken, to the station.

They arrived at the police station a few minutes later. Reese was
waiting at the front doors and met Nick and Tracy there. He took
Tracy's arm and guided her in. "I'll look after Tracy, Nick.
Natalie's looking for you. She wants you to get to the hospital
right away."

Nick was puzzled. "What's going on?"

"Baby Doe's been kidnapped," Reese grunted in disgust. 


BABY DOE (5/5)
by Susan B.
for Nick&Natpackers
based on characters from Forever Knight, etc.
-----------------------

Nick drove quickly to the hospital. He got out of the elevator on
the third floor and rushed down the hallway. There were six
uniformed officers scattered about, interviewing various hospital
staff. Natalie was standing with her back to the nursery wall. Next
to her stood an officer who was interviewing Nurse Ellen, the nurse
who had handed Baby Doe over to the imposter.

Nick finally reached Natalie, her face awash in tears. She
collapsed into his arms and wailed, "my God, Nick, our baby's been
taken!" Nick held her in his arms. He understood perfectly what Nat
meant by "our baby". It symbolized the intimacy shared between them
that morning in the nursery.

Nurse Ellen wrung her hands nervously as she gave her description
of the culprit. "He was a tall man, white, blonde, close cropped
hair. He did seem a little odd, all dressed in black as he was, but
he had the proper papers."

Nick reeled with utter, heart-wrenching dread. He should have
known. Nat *did* see something in the window of the nursery that
morning. It was a shadow. It was a dark shadow. It was LaCroix.

The description was not lost on Natalie either, as she gasped and
started screaming at the nurse. "How could you! How could you! How
could you give the baby to *him*!" Vivid images of her dream of the
vampire baby came thundering into Nat's mind.

Nurse Ellen glared at Natalie and then at the officer who was
questioning her. "It's not *my* fault," she said brazenly. "He had
all the proper papers."

Nick continued holding Nat in an effort to comfort her, but nothing
could ebb the flow of tears. He staggered with her down the hallway
to the stairwell, and down the back stairs. Once outside, Nick
swept Natalie up into his arms, and flew to the Raven.

                         * * * * *

The Raven was dark and quiet when Nick arrived there with Nat still
in his arms. Her tears had stopped, but her expression was numb
with hurt and fear. Nick gently set her on her feet and tried the
door. It was locked, and Nick kicked it open. It was cold, dark,
and quiet inside. Nick tucked Nat safely behind him as they stepped
into the club.

LaCroix slithered out from the shadows with an amused look on his
face. "Nicholas ...Dr. Lambert," he crooned, "I've been expecting
you."

"Where is the child?" Nick demanded.

"Quite safe, Nicholas, I assure you."

"And what do you want with it?"

LaCroix chuckled. "You and Ms. Lambert have taken an unusual
interest in the child, have you not?"

"What of it," Nick snarled.

LaCroix took another step towards Nick. "Surely you must know by
now, Nicholas, that your interests inevitably become my interests."

Nick's eyes began to glow.

LaCroix took another step forward. "Don't be a fool, Nicholas. It
would be a fight you could not win." He eyed Nat peering out from
behind Nick's shoulder, and added menacingly, "and you would not go
down alone."

A sense of impending doom inspired Natalie to summon up her
courage. She took a deep breath and stepped out from behind Nick.
She clutched his hand tightly. Nat tried to sound strong and
unafraid, but her voice trembled as she spoke. "You've had your
fun, LaCroix. Give us the baby."

"Indeed," LaCroix grinned wickedly. "It has been rather
...amusing." LaCroix retreated back into the shadows for a moment
and returned with a basket. He walked towards Nick and Nat and
stopped about ten feet in front of them. He glared at Natalie, "Dr.
Lambert..."

LaCroix held the basket as Natalie cautiously approached him. Nick
started to follow, but LaCroix held out his arm as a signal for
Nick to stop. LaCroix vaguely licked his lips as Nat peered into
the basket at Baby Doe.

The baby was sound, moving his lips as though suckling in his
sleep. Nat exhaled a loud sigh of relief. "He's okay, Nick!" She
reached into the basket, but LaCroix seized her arm and growled
"No!"

Natalie looked to Nick for help and Nick charged to her side. "Let
her take the child, LaCroix."

"I will return him myself, later tonight." LaCroix suddenly rose
into the air with the basket.

"No!!!!", Nat screamed, as LaCroix disappeared from the room with
Baby Doe. She was wildly thrashing her arms when Nick grabbed hold
of her from behind. He held her snugly in his arms. "Don't worry,
Nat. LaCroix won't harm the baby. If he was going to do anything,
he would have already done it."

Nick's steady embrace and positive words consoled Nat. She gazed
sadly into his eyes and implored, "why did he do it, Nick? Why?"

"For the same reason he always does it," Nick groaned, "to teach me
a lesson. To remind me that I am not human, and that I will never
be human."

And Natalie understood, finally and completely, the hell that
LaCroix had subjected Nick to for centuries. She was more
determined than ever to release him from his bondage.

                         * * * * *

Nick and Nat walked in silence back to the hospital to pick up
Nick's car. They remained quiet during the drive to Nick's loft,
both calming themselves after LaCroix's cruel joke.

"I feel so numb inside," Natalie moaned as she entered the loft and
kicked off her shoes.

Nick followed behind her and helped her out of her coat. He lightly
kissed her cheek. "Why don't you go upstairs and lie down. I'll
bring you some tea."

Nat trudged exhausted up the stairs and into Nick's room. Nick's
pyjamas were laying on the bed. Natalie stripped off her clothes
and slipped into his silk pyjama top. Then she climbed into his
bed.

Nick had just turned off the stove when he heard the muffled sounds
of Nat's sobs. He could not bear it, and he feared the moment he
dreaded was at hand; the moment they would indeed cry together,
become lost in each other, and lost in eternal darkness. He tried
to shut the sound out, but it would not be silenced. Nick went
upstairs to comfort Nat.

Stepping into his bedroom, Nick saw Nat cuddling and crying into
his pillow, just as he had done with hers. He crept over to the
bed, sat down, and stroked her hair.

Nat rolled over and slowly sat up. She pulled Nick to her and
moaned, "hold me."

Nick took Nat in his arms and she buried her face in his chest. He
felt her warm tears seeping through his shirt, and he rested his
head down on hers. How many times had she cried alone in the night
longing for him? How many times had he done the same for her? It
was more than his heart could stand. Nick started to cry.

Nat had never seen Nick's tears before, but the last two days had
been an emotional roller coaster for both of them. She lifted her
face and found his mouth. Nat delicately kissed his cool lips. She
soothingly wiped the tears from his face with her hand, and softly
kissed his eyelids. Nick's tears stopped flowing as he regained his
composure, "I'm sorry, Nat. I came up here to comfort you, and
things have gotten turned around."

Again Nat kissed his mouth softly. She started unbuttoning his
shirt. "Words won't be enough tonight, Nick. I need your love. I
need you. I need you to make love to me."

"Nat," Nick moaned, "please ...don't. You had a taste of my hell
tonight. I love you too much to envelop you in it for eternity."

Natalie opened Nick's shirt and slid her hands across his bare
chest and shoulders. She kissed his neck gently and whispered
sweetly, "love is a gift from God, Nick, not the devil. I have
faith in God, faith in love, and faith that good *will* overcome
evil. Give me your love, Nick; and I ...will give you ...my faith."

Nick had ached for this moment for so long, just as Nat did. He
drew strength from her words and felt no fear. He was inspired by
Nat's faith, and he had faith in her. Nick kissed Nat passionately
on the lips and whispered, "I love you."

Nat slid the pyjama top over her head. She ached to feel Nick's
skin against her breast. One glimpse of her and Nick's eyes began
to change. He lowered her down into the bed, planting soft touches
and gentle kisses all over her bare skin. He soon found her neck.

Nat moaned in the ecstasy of love fulfilled as Nick's fangs sank
deep into her flesh. He felt her pouring into him and was
overwhelmed with love, his love for her, and her love for him. And
with her love came a bright light, the bright light of her faith,
the bright light of her soul. A blazing light that penetrated deep
into his darkness. A light that found his lost faith and pulled it
to the surface. A light the vampire had no refuge from. The vampire
was enveloped and consumed by it, burned from existence for all
eternity.

The change was shocking and sudden, just as it had been when he was
first brought across. Nick still clenched Nat's throat in his
teeth, but his fangs were no more. He let go of her throat and
looked at her face, the face he loved. Nick felt his blood stir,
his heart throbbing in his chest. Nick felt ...alive.

Nat felt Nick's heart beating rapidly next to hers. She felt his
skin grow warm. Nat opened her eyes, "Nick?"

Nick stroked Nat's face and whispered the three words that meant
the world to them, "I *am* human."

                            * * * * * 

LaCroix landed soundlessly on the roof of the hospital. He stared
almost lovingly into the basket at Baby Doe and cooed, "for
everything that is lost, something is found." LaCroix then flew
down to the third floor and hovered outside the nursery window,
waiting for the opportunity to slip inside unnoticed. When the
chance arose, LaCroix returned Baby Doe to his bassinet. He gently
glided his fingers down Baby Doe's neck and whispered softly, "it
matters not that I have lost him, for I shall, one day, have you."

--- The End --