Permission given to archive at fkfanfic website and the FTP site. No other permission is granted to repost/reprint/reuse. As always, feedback is welcomed. If you want to see earlier "Fangs" stories, check out the fanfic website or http://www.best.com/~sclark/fk. This story is based on characters and situations that aren't mine. Thanks to TPTB for their use. "Fang You Very Much" by S. Clark Natalie Lambert dropped the folder onto Nick's desk. It was her last delivery for the precinct. She'd hoped he be around, but she hadn't seen him this evening. She turned, and ran smack into the bulk of Don Schanke. "Hey, Nat." Natalie gave him a slight smack on the arm. "Don't sneak up on me. I hate that." Schanke smiled. "Oops." "No harm." She gave him a smile. "Catch ya later, Schank." With that, Natalie was off for the door. Schanke followed her out into the parking lot. "By the way, Nat, I think you have a visitor." "Excuse me?" "Back in your office. My partner. You know, mister tall, blond and eccentric." "What's he done this time, Schank?" "Ok, we're driving along, and he pulls out a hankie and puts it over his mouth." Natalie raised an eyebrow. "A hankie, Schanke?" Schanke chuckled. "Hey, that rhymes. Oh, my hidden talents." Natalie just smiled and shook her head. "Anyway, we're driving along a he just keeps this hankie over his mouth. At first I thought he had a bloody nose or bit his lip or something." "But, you hadn't been doing anything? Hadn't been in any fights?" "Nah, we'd just driven by that club his friend runs. You know, The Raven." Natalie nodded. "One second I'm making a couple comments, polite comments, about his friend Janette. The next minute he's pulling out the hankie." "And that's it?" "Actually, then it gets weird." Natalie gave Schanke a skeptical look. "Ok, weird is pretty normal with Nick. At this point it gets weirder, with emphasis on the 'er.'" "Weirder how?" "Weirder in that he was talking all strange." "Strange?" "One second we're just talking about Janette, the next, I don't know." Schanke ran a hand through his hair. "It was like a whole lisping thing." "Excuse me?" "You know. Thpeaking like thith." "Nick? Lisping?" "Yeah. All of a sudden I get 'Leth go back to the thathon, Thanke.'" Schanke grinned. "Only, I can barely hear him, with him talking through the hankie and all." "And that was it?" "What? My partner starts doing a Sylvester imitation it the middle of a shift, and that ain't enough?" "I mean, did he say anything else?" "Well, and a few other things." Schanke smiled. "Thut up, Thanke. Thop that, Thanke." Schanke started chuckling. "No polkath, Thanke." By this point Schanke was laughing. Natalie smiled in return. "I get the idea. Maybe it's time to give a check on my patient." "Thee ya later, Natalie." ### Nick was, as expected, sitting on the exam table in her office when she entered. Natalie had taken a long trip back, stopping by her favorite coffee shop on the way. She had a feeling she'd need chocolate and caffeine before this encounter and went for a double mocha. When she entered Nick gave her a wan smile. She ignored him and sat down before her computer, checking for any new messages. "Naht?" His voice was low, barely within the human range of hearing. She kept typing. "Naht?" This time he spoke louder. "Hmmm?" "Cahn ya halp me?" "Excuse me?" He stood and walked over to her. "I thaid, cahn ya halp me?" "With what, Nick?" He flashed her some fang. "Oh, that. Again." She returned to her typing. "Nahalie. Thith ith impahtaht." "To you, maybe." "Baht yahr mah dahktah." Natalie shrugged. "What do you expect of me, Nick?" "Ehthuthe me?" "With this," she indicated his mouth. "How can I help?" "I fighared ya cahld think ohf thomethin." Natalie smiled. "I could think of a lot of things. So can you, apparently." "Whath tha mean?" Natalie realized he was trying to look suitably indignant, but it was hard to take him serious when his words came out sounding as they did. "I mean, how did you get yourself into this state, Nick?" "I'hd watha noht thay." "I thought so. But it happened, let's see, somewhere near the Raven perhaps?" "Perhapth," said Nick, looking a bit sheepish. "And you were thinking of Janette perhaps?" He nodded. "Perhapth." "And then you come to me. How do you think that makes me feel, Nick?" "Wahntad?" She shook her head. "Try used." She turned back to her computer screen. "I nevah meahnt tha, Nahalie." His voice was again quiet. Natalie glanced over at him. "Maybe you should just call in sick." He could look so innocent, it was hard to keep up a stern demeanor. "Sleep it off?" It sounded lame, but she was tired of guessing what might help him out during these episodes. "Ahn yah'll cahm ovah too?" "Nick!" "Wah?" "I do not want to be thought of as an antidote to this," she indicated his teeth, "this problem." Nick thought back to earlier in the evening. They'd passed The Raven. Schanke was going on about Janette, how she always dressed in the latest fashions, and how he'd love to be able to get some of her castoffs for Myra. This had caused Nick thought of how Janette had looked at their last meeting. She'd worn a strapless blue dress. Then he tried to think of Natalie in the same dress. And he realized Janette's dress wasn't a good style for Natalie. This, logically, left him to think of Natalie without a dress. It was at that point that his fangs descended. He was just glad his eyes hadn't also turned. But how was he supposed to explain all of this to Natalie? And there was no telling what Schanke must think by this point. "I thuppoth yah wight." Nick lowered his head and walked from the room. Natalie went back to typing. She told her self, once again, that there was nothing but a friendship between she and Nick. She only wished she could convince her heart that this was true. ### Natalie was stopped by a delivery person just as she was leaving for the day. The box contained a single, perfect, yellow rose and a plain, white card. She opened the card and found an inscription in Nick's handwriting. 'I wasn't at my best earlier. I realize I'd never explained that you were the cause of my symptoms. Please, help.' Natalie mulled it over. Was she really the cause of his pherthanal pwablam? But she did have to admit, it was an issue she'd long wanted to tackle. And there could be other benefits. Perhaps even progress towards Nick's goal of mortality. Natalie found the scientist within her required a further investigation on this subject. After all, it could get interesting. Natalie allowed herself a smile and drove off for the loft. If things went her way, it could get very interesting.