Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 10:25:14 -0700 From: clark Subject: CHALLENGE: Holiday with the Vampire (01/01) To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu Happy holidays, all! Here's my own entry to the holiday challenge. It falls in first season, after "I Will Repay". Permission given to archive at fkfanfic website. No other permission is granted to repost/reprint/reuse. As always, feedback is welcomed. This story is based on characters and situations that aren't mine. Thanks to TPTB for their use. "Holiday with the Vampire" by S. Clark Natalie brushed the swab through the inside of Nick's cheek. "That tastes terrible." For a moment he almost considered taking a swig of the protein shake she'd left on the desk, just to remove the memory of the swab. "Even humans don't eat cotton, Nick." Nick jumped off the examination table. "So, what's the purpose of this test, Doctor?" "This? Standard DNA markers. You never know. Maybe we'll find some abnormalities. Perform some paternity tests." Natalie placed the swab in a vial and sealed it for delivery to the lab. "I'm sure it'll be of use someday." Nick smiled. He was growing more accustomed to her sense of humor, allowing himself to react to it more freely. In short, with some people, with Natalie at least, he was feeling more human. Nick found wasn't quite ready to leave her office, her presence. "You have plans for the rest of the week?" Natalie took a seat at her desk. "It's going to be an exciting one." "Care to enlighten me?" "Well, tomorrow and Wednesday I'm working." "And Thursday?" "I'm off. The current plan is to review crime scene protocol. Perhaps suggest improvements, find places where we can use updated techniques." She leaned back. "Then, Friday, maybe catch up with some exciting journals covering all aspects of the world of pathology." Nick sat at the chair next to the desk. "No holiday plans?" Natalie looked back towards her desk. She moved the paperwork around, trying to appear interested. "Sarah and Amy are going to be with Sarah's family. They invited me, but I just wouldn't feel right." Nick's beeper went off. He checked the number, then stood. "I need to get back." He placed a kiss on her temple. "See you later?" She nodded, still not meeting his gaze. After exiting, Nick stood just outside her office door. He could hear the soft sobs within. He knew he'd dredged up painful thoughts for this, the first holiday since Richard's death. It was an episode he certainly wasn't proud of, having played his part. Nick empathized with Natalie's pain, her sense of being alone. He knew those feelings all to well. He walked back in to the lab. "I hope I'm not interrupting, I forgot to mention something. Slipped my mind, I guess." Natalie dabbed at her nose then looked up. He showed no outward reaction to her reddened eyes and moist cheeks. "Schanke's practically forcing me to his place for Christmas Eve. It'll probably be awful, you know, garlic everywhere. Matchmaker Myra trying to fix me up with a girlfriend from bowling or a relative from Nova Scotia." Nick gave a look of feigned horror which made Natalie smile. "I know you have plans, but could you possibly make a little time that evening and accompany me? I could make it up to you by braving a restaurant for Christmas dinner." "What a sacrifice, Nick. Will you try to eat something?" "Let's not push it. It may be difficult enough with all those people around being festive, merry." He gave her the sad puppy look that he reserved for only the most necessary of occasions. "Think you can bail me out on this one?" "I don't know, Nick. I'm not feeling to much holiday cheer this year." Nick moved closer to her. "Consider it another experiment. Interaction in normal human rituals. It's something I really haven't been involved with for centuries." Natalie held up her hands in surrender. "You got me. I'll go. Now shoo!" She waved him away. "Aren't you supposed to be returning to work or something?" He leaned in for his second kiss of the evening, this one landing on her forehead. "Thanks, Nat. Pick your restaurant." "Just get out." "I hear Azure is very elegant, just opened. Or what about the restaurant atop the tower?" Natalie shook her head. "Anything. Just leave before I locate my common sense and change my mind." Nick nodded. "Ok, the tower it is." As soon as he left the lab Nick pulled the cel phone from his jacket and punched up a number on the speed dial. "Schanke?...Is that offer for Christmas Eve still open?...Yeah, I've changed my mind, I'll be there...No, you don't need to set me up...Listen, would you mind if Nat came? She's had a rough couple months...Schank, once again, we're just friends."