From: Nancy Taylor Subject: Permission to Archive "Innocent Blood" Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 16:59:35 -0800 This story is set approximately six years after "For All Eternity". You don't need to have read that story to understand this one, but you may need a little background information. In my previous series Nick became mortal for a short time during which he married Natalie and fathered a child. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, Nick was brought back across. Because Laurene is still young enough to need supervision, Natalie accepted a promotion to the day shift at the Coroner's Office. Nick, having turned down several promotion offers of his own, still works the night shift as a detective. The third season, as we know it, never happened. Disclaimer: The characters of Nick and Co. are not mine. They were created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen. No copyright infringement was intended. The character of Laurene, however, is my creation. Innocent Blood by Nancy Taylor c 1997 Part 1 of 6 Nick walked into the precinct a half hour later than usual. Tracy watched his progress over to their adjoining desks, frowning and wrinkling her nose at him as he approached. "I sure hope you have a good excuse for being late," she said. "Captain Reese has been on me already wanting to know where you were. He wants to see you in his office." Nick hung his coat over the back of his chair and made to sit down. "I was reading Laurene a story," he began, just before he was interrupted by Reese. "Knight, in my office, NOW!" Nick smiled sheepishly at Tracy, "That's my cue." She gave him her best 'I'm with you, you can do it' smile as he strode across the room and entered the Captain's office. "Come on in Nick, have a seat," Reese gestured to the chair opposite his desk. "What's your excuse for being late tonight?" "Laurene has a book report due tomorrow and I was helping her with it. We were discussing the finer points of 'Green Eggs and Ham'," Nick grinned. He was not the least bit repentant for his tardiness. In his book his family came first. Fortunately for Nick, Reese had a soft spot in his heart for children and families. He recognized the fact that Nick always managed to do his job, and that he still maintained the highest arrest record of any cop in the precinct. Reese was inclined to cut him a little slack in the area of punctuality once in a while. "Okay then. Here's the deal, Nick. You're up for promotion to watch commander again. Don't you think, for the family's sake, you ought to consider taking it? It would mean more regular hours and be less dangerous for you than being out on the street." Reese settled back in his chair, folding his hands over his chest, and waited for the inevitable. "Natalie and Laurene know the risks. They're behind me all the way when it comes to my wanting to stay active. I just couldn't handle a desk job, Cap, and we don't need the money...." Nick tried his hardest to convince Reese. How easy it would be to just use a little vampire 'persuasion', he thought, but he refused to use his powers on his captain. There were places where the line had to be drawn, and this was one of them. This was the fifth promotion he had turned down in the last four years. One of these days someone was going to insist and he would no longer have a choice but to pull up roots and move the family to another city. Time was against him now; he wouldn't be able to stay in Toronto much longer as it was anyway. Reese shook his head, he had known that was coming. "Look Nick, it's getting harder and harder to convince the Commissioner not to promote you despite your protests. I really don't understand your reasoning sometimes. This is a great opportunity for you." "It just isn't right for me, Cap; not right now at least." Nick spread his arms in front of him, palms up in supplication. "I can't explain it any better than that; it just isn't what I want right now." Reese shook his head and mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. "Okay, Nick," he sighed. "Have it your way. But don't think that you're not going to hear more on this sometime in the near future." Nick bounced up out of the chair and was headed for the door before the Captain had a chance to change his mind. "Thanks, Cap," he threw over his shoulder as he exited the office in a rush. He breezed over to his desk and grabbed his coat. "Come on, Trace, let's get out of here and get some fresh air." He headed toward the exit with Tracy trailing behind, desperately trying to catch up. She finally caught him as he was folding himself behind the wheel of the Caddy. She climbed in the passenger side and turned to Nick with a bemused look on her face. "What was that all about?" she asked. "Whatever it was, you sure were in a hurry to get out of there." She gave Nick a quizzical look. "Promotion time again," Nick sighed. "And you turned them down ... again." Tracy looked over at Nick for confirmation. Nick turned the key in the ignition, gave the Caddy a little gas and pulled out into the traffic. He glanced over at Tracy. "You know how it is, Trace. I've been here in Toronto for nearly twelve years now...." His voice trailed off. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "One of these days, not too long from now in my time frame, people are going to notice that Natalie will look as though she robbed the cradle and Laurene will be as old as I look. We can't stay here forever. Actually, we may have to leave within the next year or two. I can't afford to take a promotion that would tie me to the job and this place. I need to be free to move on." Nick concentrated hard on the traffic. He hated the thought of moving on, he always hated the moving on.... >>>>> 1393, outside Florence, Italy "Nicholas, why aren't you packing?" An annoyed LaCroix strode into Nicholas' sleeping chamber to find him standing at the window, staring out into the night in the direction of the city. "Must we leave, LaCroix?" Nick turned from the window to face his master. There was sadness and longing in his eyes. "I was just beginning to enjoy myself here; to learn the arts, to study my music...." He paused, looking into the cold depths of his master's eyes. "We have overstayed our welcome here as it is, Nicholas. It becomes dangerous for us to linger here for any longer. You are young, you will learn. We must move on ... we must always be moving on...." * * * * * 1519, a farm in the English countryside "Nicola, wake up! We must hurry!" A frantic Janette shook Nicholas rudely from his sleep. "Whaa..." he groggily shook the sleep from his head. "What ... Janette, it's midday!" "Hurry, Nicola! We must flee, now!" Janette pulled Nick off the blanket he had spread over the sweet-smelling hay. He turned to grab his satchel, but Janette was dragging him toward the barn door. "We don't have time for that ... they've found us! We must leave ... now!" Nicholas had time only to grab the blanket to throw over himself to shelter him from the noonday sun. * * * * * 1920, Paris, France Janette opened the French doors to admit an agitated Nicholas. "Nicola...." Janette turned to him as he walked into the room. "Did LaCroix find you? He was so angry." "Yes, he found me. I have to leave.... He'll never let me live as long as I'm searching for a cure." "But you can never find one," Janette spoke with the passion of desperation. "Forget about it ... stay." Nick shook his head in denial. "No ... I can't. I can't LIVE as we do anymore! I'll leave Paris tonight, before he can find me again. Come with me." "And do what?" Janette whispered. "This is my HOME." "I'm sorry," Nicholas replied, turning his back to her. "You will go to Don Constantine," Janette decided, "in America." She walked over and opened a large steamer trunk that was to be Nicholas' passage out of France. "He knows about us, about our kind," she said as she picked a diamond necklace from a nearby table. "He helps us when we need to travel. He can help you disappear. I'll make the arrangements immediately and you'll sail within the hour." She kissed him passionately then, wishing that he wouldn't leave, that he would choose to stay with her, yet knowing he could not. "You'll need this," she stated, as she handed him the necklace. Nick hated moving on, but this time he must ... to escape the fury of LaCroix.... <<<<< "Nick? Helloooo.... Are you there? Earth calling Nick." Tracy tapped him on the shoulder. "Huh? Oh, sorry...." He turned to her with a sheepish grin. "You know how it is." "Yeah. Well.... At least I know WHAT it is now. You and Vachon ... I swear.... You two space out more than anybody else I know." She was grinning now, trying hard to contain her tendency toward girlish giggles. Ever since Nick had come clean to her about his being a vampire, she had understood much more of what made her rather eccentric partner tick. She could live with the flashbacks, as long as he didn't wreck the car. She couldn't think of a better partner to have at her side. They cruised the streets of Toronto in amiable silence. The convenience store was quiet, there were not many customers at three in the morning. The clerk looked up from behind the counter as a single customer entered the store. The man looked furtively around, alerting the clerk to possible trouble. He noted the man's torn jeans, dirty sneakers and the scruffy coat that hid one of the man's hands and something he was holding. Before the clerk could react, he found a sawed-off shotgun in his face and the man demanding all the cash in the register. The clerk hurried to comply, but not fast enough for the gunman. He grabbed a handful of cash from the till and shot the clerk, point blank, in the face. Ten minutes later, the gunman was five blocks away buying his nightly hit of cocaine from a local dealer. The call of the silent alarm from the convenience store reached the 39th Precinct at 3:10 AM. Captain Schanke sent a team of detectives to the scene. They arrived at 3:18 AM to find what was left of the corpse on the floor behind the counter. A canvass of the area revealed no witnesses to the crime. Checking the store's security camera, they found they had a reasonable picture of the assailant. An APB went out immediately, and the picture was sent to local television stations to air on their morning news reports. After an uneventful night, Nick returned Tracy to the precinct to pick up her car, and he drove the hour drive back out to his home and his family. He smiled thinking of his two girls waiting at home for his return. He couldn't remember a time in his life when he was more content with who he was and what he was doing. Innocent Blood Part 2 of 6 Laurene bustled about the kitchen grabbing her lunchbox and gulping down a glass of milk. As she whizzed past her mother, Natalie reached out and caught the sleeve of her sweater. "And just where do you think you're going, young lady?" she asked with an indulgent smile on her face. Laurene glanced back with a sheepish smile. "Today's the field trip to the Royal Ontario Museum, Mom." "Yes, I realize that, dear, but that doesn't excuse you from eating a good breakfast." Laurene made a face as Natalie sat her down at the kitchen table and placed a toaster waffle in front of her. Just then Nick walked in. "Daddy!" Laurene launched herself out of the kitchen chair and straight into Nick's arms. Her charming blue eyes were dancing and her curly blonde pigtails bounced with her enthusiasm. Laurene was very much a "daddy's girl". Nick swept her up in his strong arms and held her high over his head causing Laurene to shriek with pleasure. Cradling Laurene in his arms, Nick walked across the kitchen to Natalie and gave her a peck on the cheek. "So, how are my two best girls this morning?" "I'm going on a field trip today, Daddy," Laurene chattered. She squirmed in his arms until he had to put her down. She ran around the kitchen, too full of energy to be contained for long. "Yeah, Mommy told me you're going to the museum. Don't touch the exhibits, and be sure to do whatever your teacher tells you to do." Nick grinned indulgently at her energy. Did I EVER have that much vitality? he wondered to himself. Raising Laurene had certainly been, and continued to be, an education. "Ah, Daddy, I know better than THAT," Laurene stated emphatically. "I won't touch nothing." "Anything," Nick corrected absentmindedly. Laurene grabbed her plate with the waffle and headed into the living room to watch some morning cartoons before school. Nick glanced over his shoulder at her, then gathered Natalie up in a warm and passionate embrace. "Did I remember to tell you how terrific you look this morning?" he asked her. Before she could answer him, she found herself drowning in one of those lustful kisses that only Nick could give. "Well, good morning to you too," she chuckled when he finally let her up for air. "Were you a good boy last night?" she asked playfully. Nick turned serious. "If you call turning down another promotion being 'good'." "Oh no, not again," Natalie sighed. "Nick, how much longer can you get away with turning those down? We're going to have to move soon, aren't we?" Natalie looked wistfully around the kitchen. She had really become attached to their little cottage in the suburbs. "Not any sooner than we absolutely have to," Nick replied, trying to comfort her. "They won't ask again for at least another year. We have that long, at least." Natalie sighed and laid her cheek on Nick's broad chest. He ran his fingers through her chestnut curls, then pulled her tight to him in a hug that promised they'd be together, no matter what. Their tender moment was shattered as Laurene came bounding up and tugged on Nick's arm. "Daddy, Daddy, come see," she insisted as she dragged Nick from the kitchen to watch a favorite cartoon with her. Natalie watched them as they snuggled together on the sofa. Nick was laughing along with Laurene at the antics of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Natalie smiled and shook her head as she marveled again at the changes in Nick since Laurene's arrival. Knowing he must be starved, she went to the kitchen to retrieve a blood bag from the refrigerator. Pouring the contents into a large coffee mug, she took Nick his dinner. "Thanks, Nat." Nick took the proffered mug and took a sip. That one taste awoke the hunger he had suppressed the whole night. He downed the mug in one long draught and, apologizing to Laurene for the interruption, got up to get a refill. He cornered Natalie in the kitchen. "Are you going to have any spare time before you have to leave for work this morning?" he asked in that deep husky voice of his that always portended delightful pleasures. With great regret, Natalie slipped out from under his arm and stood in the middle of the kitchen. "I'm afraid not, Nick. I got a call earlier that there was a messy homicide over in the 39th. They saved the body for me.... Lucky me," she grimaced. "Schanke's beat? Man, I haven't seen him for weeks. I wonder how things are going over there?" "Not too good from the sounds of it. The gunman who shot the store clerk is still on the loose. They've got his picture all over the morning news." She handed Nick the newspaper. Nick skimmed the article and shook his head. "Poor Schank. Sure wish there was something I could do to help." "Well ... you can't. It's outside your jurisdiction, so just try to forget about it and go up and get some sleep." Natalie gently pushed Nick toward the stairs. "I'll be up to tuck you in right after I see that Laurene gets safely on the bus." Nick smiled at Natalie with his 'little boy' grin. "Yes, Mom," he said and hurried to dodge her before she could slap him on the rump. "Come on, Laurene, get your coat. It's time to leave for the bus." Natalie gathered up Laurene's lunchbox and notebook and stuffed them in her backpack. Laurene pulled on her coat and followed her mom out the front door. They walked the block to the bus stop, chattering away about the field trip and all the fun Laurene was going to have that day. Once she was safely aboard the bus, Natalie turned for home. Natalie walked upstairs to find Nick in his pajamas brushing his teeth. She turned down the bed for him and waited for him to come out of the bathroom. His eyes lit up when he saw her sitting on the bed. Ever since LaCroix had brought Nick back across, he had been drinking donated human blood as he had promised the master vampire. Thanks to that, he was able to have a nearly normal relationship with this lovely vision who now sat seductively on the edge of his bed. As he approached her, she rose. He gathered her in his arms and she could feel his readiness through the thin silk. "I can't Nick. I really do have to get to work." Natalie was nearly as disappointed as Nick to have to turn him down. She patted the satin sheets and Nick sat on the bed, laying back seductively in one last attempt to lure her into bed. With a practicality born of practice and will power, Natalie pulled the blankets up to his chin and gave Nick a motherly kiss on the forehead. "Later," she promised, as she reluctantly headed downstairs and out the door to work. Innocent Blood Part 3 of 6 Laurene was fairly bouncing as she stood in line to enter the school bus that would take her and her classmates to the Royal Ontario Museum. It was her very first field trip as a first grader and she could barely contain herself. Her best friend, Maggie, who was ahead of her in line, got on the bus and called for Laurene to come sit with her. The girls giggled and chatted excitedly. Finally, the last of the kids were loaded on the bus and the driver started to close the doors.... Bussard was still high from the cocaine he had purchased earlier that morning with the money from the convenience store robbery. The cops had been chasing him since before daybreak. He was tired and running out of places hide. Passing an elementary school, he noticed a busload of kids getting ready to leave. The driver was just entering the bus.... A wild looking man with a sawed-off shotgun shoved his way through the doors of the school bus just as the driver was shutting them. He pointed the gun at the driver, then swung it toward the kids in the bus causing many of the children to scream in terror. "Drive!" he ordered the bus driver. Mr. Eggers put the bus in gear and pulled away from the curb. "Out of the city!" came the order from Bussard. Mr. Eggers turned the bus onto the busy city street headed for the highway and the countryside surrounding Toronto. Behind them, the police, who had been chasing Bussard on foot, radioed that he had hijacked a school bus full of kids. Almost immediately there was a swarm of police vehicles in pursuit, including one containing Captain Donald Schanke. Nobody, but nobody, was going to hurt any kids if Don Schanke had anything to say about it.... Nick climbed out of bed around three in the afternoon. He'd slept longer than he had intended to, and he knew that Laurene's bus would have her home soon. He headed to the bathroom for a quick shower, then headed downstairs to get himself some breakfast. As he poured himself a mug of blood from the refrigerator Natalie came bursting in the front door. "Nick! Nick! Are you up? Nick?" She sounded absolutely frantic. Putting his mug down and stepping from the kitchen, Nick walked toward the front room and Natalie. "What is it, Nat?" he asked, taking her in his arms and trying to calm her down. "What are you doing home so early? You're shift doesn't end for another four hours." "Nick? Thank God!" She collapsed into his arms. "Laurene's been taken hostage!" Nick pushed Natalie away from him just enough so that he could look into her face. Giving her a gentle shake to help bring her to her senses, he asked, "What do you mean, Laurene's been taken hostage?" Natalie looked up into Nick's concerned face, tears falling down her cheeks in a steady stream. "That gunman that robbed the convenience store this morning ... he hijacked Laurene's bus!" She collapsed, sobbing, against Nick's chest. As he held Natalie close, trying to calm her down, Nick felt his anger rise and with it the vampire. As his rage built inside he pushed Natalie aside and lunged for the front door. Out on the porch he found himself repelled by the bright afternoon sun. Smoking from the exposure, he backed through the open door and back into the living room. "I've got to get to her ... help her!" Nick hissed. It was Natalie's turn to gather Nick into HER arms. She was no longer afraid of the beast. Her fear now was FOR Nick, not OF him. "You can't. You can't go out now, Nick. You have to wait until dark." She stroked his hair, his cheek, trying to calm him down. "It's Schanke's jurisdiction, Nick. He's on it. He's the one who called me." She led Nick over to the couch. He was still agitated, but the fangs had receded and his eyes were blue again. Taking a deep breath to try and calm himself, Nick turned to Natalie. "Tell me ... what did Schank have to say? Is Laurene all right? Where are they?" "He said that they're somewhere north of town, out in the country. So far, everyone is fine. They have the bus surrounded and they've sent for a hostage negotiator." Natalie sighed and closed her eyes letting her chin drop to her chest. She was exhausted. The news, the drive back home and telling Nick had used up all the energy she had had left. Nick stood up and began nervously pacing back and forth in front of the couch like a caged animal. He wouldn't be content until he could go after this S.O.B. himself. Natalie knew exactly what he was feeling. As she watched him pace she felt the terror grow in her heart. What would they do if anything, ANYTHING, happened to their only child ... the only child they could ever have?.... Innocent Blood Part 4 of 6 It seemed to take forever for the sun to set. Nick and Natalie alternately fought and consoled each other as they waited. Their complete helplessness in a situation that involved the life of their only daughter put a strain on them that they had never felt before. When the sunlight had finally faded to a tolerable level, Nick launched himself out the front door. "Nick!" Natalie called after him as he flew off into the evening. "You should have fed first," she continued lamely to herself. Nick was well out of sight and hearing now. Natalie was concerned. Nick hadn't fed fully since the previous morning. His mug sat, still nearly full, where he had left it when she had come home that afternoon with the bad news. From what Schanke had told her when he called that afternoon, Nick would have a long flight to get to the scene. She knew he would be traveling at top speed and she knew what that kind of expenditure of energy cost him. She prayed he would be able to handle the situation when he arrived. The ground sped by beneath Nick as he flew away from the sleepy suburbs he called home to the site of the kidnapping of his precious daughter. When he could see the bus and the mass of police surrounding it, he landed quietly and ran into the area. He spotted Schanke immediately and hurried to his side. "Schank! Tell me what's going on." Nick was a little breathless from his flight and run but, nevertheless, anxious for any news. Capt. Schanke turned and looked at Nick in total surprise. "Nick! Where did you come from? What are you doing here?" "My daughter's on that bus," Nick stated in a rush. He hated standing around, he needed to be in on the action. "Hey, I'm really sorry to hear that, partner, but you've got to let us handle this. We've got the situation under control." Schanke tried, quite unsuccessfully, to placate Nick. "Is that son of a bitch still on the bus?" Nick queried. Schanke nodded. "Are all the children still on the bus? Has ANYBODY been released?" Nick fired off his questions like an automatic weapon. Schanke was forced to admit that no one had as yet been released. "Then what the hell do you mean that you have this under control?" Nick was absolutely livid. He could feel the beast rising within him and made an enormous effort to keep control of the vampire. Now was not the time to wig out and get his butt arrested for interfering with police procedures. This was not, unfortunately, his jurisdiction and without Schanke's approval he really had no say in how this situation would be handled. Schanke placed a hand on Nick's shoulder, partly in sympathy for his plight, partly to keep Nick in check. His hot-headed ex-partner had a knack for running headlong into situations where angels feared to tread. He smiled a sad smile at Nick. "Sorry, partner. You're too close to this one. You don't have any business being here. Why don't you just go back to wherever you parked that boat you call a car and go home and take care of Natalie. We'll deal with this. I promise, we'll get Laurene home to you safe and sound." Nick hadn't heard a word Schanke had said. He had cast his senses out toward the bus and touched the mind of his daughter. 'Daddy's here, Laurene. Just stay calm. Everything is going to be okay.' On the bus the children were all huddled in the back, as far away from Bussard as they could manage in the crowded space. The two teachers and Mr. Eggers bravely sat between the children and the crazed gunman. Laurene got a glazed look in her eyes for a few brief moments, then turned to Maggie and whispered, "My Daddy's here. Everything's gonna be okay now." Maggie was crying, but she sniffed and looked up at Laurene at the news. "Quiet back there!" Bussard shouted at the children. He waved the gun in the air, then pointed it at one of the teachers, who promptly broke out in nervous tears. "Don't hurt us, please," she begged. "Don't hurt the children." "I said QUIET!" Bussard's face was red with rage. He was beginning to feel the awful pangs of withdrawal from the cocaine as well and wasn't in the mood for noise of any kind. The negotiations had stalled as Bussard had asked for a million dollars and safe passage out of Canada's jurisdiction in exchange for the busload of hostages. Schanke didn't want to admit it, especially to Nick, but he was temporarily stumped. They were waiting for confirmation of the money, but he didn't expect that they would be able to get it. Without Schanke's knowledge, and when he had his back turned, Nick had started to slowly walk toward the school bus. His hands were raised above his head, palms forward, to show that he was unarmed. Schanke turned and gazed in surprise and horror at Nick advancing on the bus. "Nick!" he shouted, but it was too late. Bussard stuck his head out of the bus. "Stop where you are! Don't come any closer," he told Nick. Nick stopped, his hands still in the air. "I'm unarmed. See? I can't hurt you. I just want to talk. Just talk, okay?" As he spoke, Nick began to slowly inch forward toward the bus. "I said STOP!" Bussard shouted. He sent a bullet whizzing past Nick's left ear. Nick didn't even flinch, but he did temporarily halt his forward progression. "Why not let the hostages go?" Nick suggested. "I'm a cop, take me instead. I won't give you any trouble. Just let the children go." He began his slow inching forward again. Bussard was not convinced. He shot, point blank, right into Nick's chest and abdomen. Nick flinched and slowed, but didn't stop his forward progress. From Schanke's viewpoint, it looked as though Bussard surely must have hit Nick with at least five rounds from the shotgun. Nick was still on his feet and moving forward though, so he decided that his eyes must have been deceiving him. His men had jumped into action at the sound of the shots, but Schanke held them off. He had seen Nick work before, he had worked with him for a little over three years, and he knew enough to wait and see what Nick was going to do. It was far too late to stop him now. Nick finally reached the door of the bus and put his foot on the first step. Still talking softly, soothingly, to the gunman, Nick made his way inside. Bussard backed away and allowed him to enter. Once he was inside, Nick scanned the faces of the frightened hostages for the one he loved the most. Laurene stood up in the crowd and smiled at her daddy. Nick motioned for her to sit back down and not attract attention to herself. Mrs. Rogers, one of the teachers supervising the field trip, got braver once Nick was on the bus. She stood up and faced Bussard. "Please let us go. We can't do anything to hurt you. The bus is surrounded by police. Why don't you just give up." Her little speech had come out all in a rush, before Nick could do anything to stop her. Bussard turned in one fluid motion and let off a shot while screaming, "I TOLD you to be QUIET!" Mrs. Rogers fell to the floor and all the children erupted into frantic screams. Once again the police tried to move in, but Nick stuck his head out of the bus and stopped them. "If you guys interfere, children are going to die!" he hissed. "Back off!" It went against all his instincts, but Schanke made his men back off. He knew Nick well enough to trust that he had things under control. He sure the hell HOPED Nick had things under control.... Innocent Blood Part 5 of 6 Inside the bus, Nick moved over to where Mrs. Rogers had fallen to check on her wounds. She had been hit in the thigh and, with the exception of the bleeding, was in no real danger of dying. Nick turned to Bussard. "Let them go," he pleaded. "This woman needs medical attention. The kids will only become more of a problem as time goes on. Keep me. I'll stay. You'll still have a hostage to negotiate with." Bussard mulled over the argument, then, making his decision, motioned for Eggers and the other teacher to get Rogers off the bus. The children began to follow. When Laurene reached Nick, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his coat. "So, this one's yours, eh?" Bussard got a manic gleam in his eyes. "She stays ... and that one," he said, pointing at Maggie. Maggie stifled a scream behind her hands. When everyone else was off the bus, Bussard hustled Nick and the children to the far end and made them sit on the floor. Outside, the ambulance and paramedics who had been waiting to treat the hostages tended to Mrs. Rogers' wounds, while others checked the children and treated them for shock and dehydration. Schanke was pleased that so many had been released but, after performing a head count, he realized that Laurene and another child were still on the bus with Nick. Bussard sat in the driver's seat. He was sweating and his head felt like someone was banging huge timpani drums inside it. He was so miserable that he paid only minimal attention to his remaining hostages. "You're hurt, Daddy," Laurene whispered. "I'll be okay, honey," Nick reassured her. He ran his hand through her curls and down her cheek. "Who's your friend here?" "That's Maggie. She's my best friend," Laurene replied. She smiled hesitantly and reached over to pat Maggie, who had stopped her crying for the time being. "It's going to be okay, Maggie. My Daddy can take care of anything. He's special." She grinned again. Maggie wasn't so sure. She felt the same way about her own daddy, but she wasn't sure even he could get her out of this mess. Just then Nick moaned and slumped against Laurene. "Daddy? Daddy, are you okay?" Laurene tried to push Nick back to a sitting position, but he was too heavy for her. He stirred slightly, and lifted his weight from her. "I've lost a lot of blood, sweetie," he told her. "But I'll be okay." "When was the last time you fed, Daddy?" Laurene was concerned. She knew full well what her daddy was and what his limitations were. "Huh? Oh ... yesterday, I guess." "You need to feed soon, Daddy." Laurene looked at him, then shoved her wrist in front of his face. "No hun, Daddy can't do that," and he pushed her away. Nick closed his eyes and tried to rest and recoup some of his dwindling strength. The hours dragged past and, in the shorter late spring nights, the sun was about to rise. Laurene could sense that dawn was near. She woke from a light doze and nudged Maggie. Whispering, she told her friend, "My Daddy has a really bad sun allergy. Would you please help me cover him with our coats?" Maggie reluctantly shed her coat and shivered in the predawn chill. Laurene draped their coats over Nick's head and hands then bent and kissed him on the cheek. "Is he going to be okay?" Maggie asked. She wasn't even sure if Laurene's daddy was still alive. He was so quiet and still. "He got shot," Laurene informed her, "but he'll be okay." Laurene had seen this before ... many times before in her short life. She actually envied her daddy's supernatural powers, not even realizing that she possessed a few of them herself. She knew with a certainty that her daddy would be all right as long as she could keep him out of the sun and get him fed soon. As the sun rose, Bussard got drowsy. He had been awake for almost thirty-six hours straight now and desperately needed to sleep, but his fear and his addiction prevented it. When Maggie began to cry and whine about being hungry, Bussard came back and backhanded her so hard that she cracked her head on one of the seats and slumped unconscious. "Let that be a lesson to you, too," Bussard growled at Laurene. Laurene looked up at him with defiance in her eyes, but she remained silent. When Bussard left to go back to the front of the bus, Laurene crawled over to check on her friend. She cradled Maggie's head in her lap, stroking her and crooning quietly to reassure her friend. She checked on the coats covering Nick and adjusted them from time to time as the sun passed overhead. When dusk finally began to fall again, Nick stirred and sat up. He looked like death. Laurene left Maggie, who had recovered somewhat, and crawled back over to check on her daddy. "You need to feed," she whispered in his ear. "If you're going to get us out of here you need to be strong." Laurene argued her case in a manner far beyond her years. Nick knew he needed blood, but he couldn't possibly take it from the children, and if he fed off Bussard, how would he ever explain things to Schanke and his men? Nick moaned again and wondered how he ever managed to get himself into these things. One way or another, he was determined to get his daughter and her friend out of this mess. Laurene quietly dug around in her backpack. She found her wooden ruler with the metal drawing edge. She pulled it out and held it in her hands. First she looked to Maggie, who was sleeping again, then to Nick who was on the verge of passing out. She took the sharp, pointed corner of the ruler and, gritting her teeth, dragged it across her wrist. She winced at the pain, but she refused to cry out. The blood welled up from the wound and she place her wrist to Nick's mouth. The sweet smell of the blood awoke a ravening bloodlust in Nick who, injured and exhausted, could not resist the siren call of the life-giving sustenance. He grabbed Laurene's wrist and began to drink with a vengeance. Only when he felt her begin to slump against him did he come to his senses enough to stop. Laurene smiled up at him, recovering far more rapidly than any mortal had a right to. "Feeling better, Daddy?" she asked. Her eyes danced with love and trust. Nick smiled back at her. "Yeah, lots better sweetie. Thank you." He leaned over to check on Maggie. "What happened here?" He noted that she had a rather large lump on the side of her head. "The bad man hit her and she bumped her head on the seat. She's had a hard time staying awake since. Is she going to be okay Daddy?" "Yes, honey, she'll be okay, but I think she might have a concussion." Nick gathered Laurene in his arms and held her close. He knew from her blood what a brave, kind and loving soul she was and, if it were possible, he loved her even more. He looked toward the front of the bus and saw Bussard pointing the shotgun in their direction. Gathering all his newfound strength and speed, Nick literally flew to the front of the bus and tackled Bussard, knocking the gun from his grasp before he could get a shot off. The police outside, hearing the noise and seeing the action, finally stormed the bus and took Bussard into custody. Nick carried Maggie out of the bus and handed her over to the waiting paramedics. Laurene followed, holding on to the tail of Nick's coat. Nick turned and picked Laurene up, holding her up over his head and spinning her around until she screamed and giggled to be put down. Nick gathered her up in a huge bear hug. He had his daughter back safe and sound. There wasn't a happier man on earth at that moment. Innocent Blood Part 6 of 6 Schanke walked over to the father-daughter hero-of-the-hour pair and slapped Nick on the back. "Good work, partner! I didn't think you were going to pull it off there for a while." "What, Schank? You doubted me?" Nick gave Schanke his innocent hurt look, turning those big blue eyes on his friend. "Oh, never for a minute," Schanke laughed. "You did have me a little worried there for a while though." He picked Laurene up and held her in his arms. "My, but you sure have grown since I saw you last," he commented to her. "Yeah, right, Schank.... You saw me just last month." Laurene scowled at Schanke until he had to laugh and put her down again. Just then Natalie showed up, running up to Nick and Laurene and gathering them together in a big family hug. "Oh Nick! I got the call a half hour ago that you and Laurene were okay. I think I broke all the speed limits getting here." "Hey, Nat. How're you holding up?" Nick lifted her chin with a finger so that he could gaze into her lovely wide blue eyes. "I'm just fine now, and that's what counts," she answered. Nick wrapped his arms around her and smothered her with a passionate kiss, releasing all his pent up tension into that one act of love. Laurene stood back next to Schanke and shook her head. "They do that all the time when they think I'm not looking," she smirked. Schanke laughed and patted her on the back in acknowledgment of her observation. Nick and his family reached home just before sunrise. Natalie fixed some breakfast for Laurene then bathed her and put her to bed for some well-deserved rest. Nick showered and dressed in his pajamas, grabbed his mug and a couple blood packs, and settled in the living room to wait for Natalie. Once Laurene was properly tucked in, Natalie came and settled next to Nick. "Did all those bullets just go right through you?" she asked, wondering if she'd need to dig any out before they headed to bed. "Yep, straight through, every one of them," Nick answered. "But I lost a lot of blood before the wounds the healed. That shouldn't have happened." "But you hadn't fed in so long and you used up a lot of energy getting there," Natalie noted. "Yeah, I suppose," Nick conceded. He took a long drink from his mug and refilled it. He took another sip, then set the mug down and turned to Natalie. He took a deep breath, not knowing exactly how start what it was he wanted to say. Natalie looked deeply into his troubled eyes. "What is it, Nick?" "I ... I fed from Laurene." Nick dropped his head and studiously examined his fingernails. "You what?" Natalie asked in amazement. Nick looked up into Natalie's unbelieving face. "I was weak from blood loss and spending the day out in the open," he began. "Laurene offered herself to me, but I refused.... Nat, she slit her own wrist and put it to my mouth. I'm sorry ... I just couldn't control myself...." Natalie shook her head sadly. Nick looked so forlorn and guilty. She hadn't seen him look this bad in over six years. "She looked fine when I put her to bed. I didn't see any scarring on her wrist." Nick looked up in surprise. "But I fed from her, Nat! There had to be some sign...." "Nope. Nothing," Natalie replied. "What did you read in her blood? Do you remember?" "Only that she loved me and wanted to help. It was the only way she knew to help me.... Nat, she's special. I always knew she was, but I thought that was just a father's pride. She's different." Nick looked up at Natalie then and an excited animation crossed his features. "Could she have somehow inherited some of the vampire virus ... gene ... whatever?" Natalie gave him a strange look. "You were mortal when she was conceived, Nick. I don't know how that could be possible...." "Laurene's mortal too.... I've never sensed anything different about her until last night. Nat, she could read me, she could feel me as one vampire senses another. And her blood.... I couldn't take too much, but it nourished me far more than that small amount should have." Nick was practically bouncing in his excitement as the memories flooded back. "And there was no sign of the wound on her wrist tonight," Natalie mused. "I promise I'll take a blood sample and check it out Nick, but right now I need to get you to bed too." Nick reached over to the table for his mug and downed the remaining contents then he took Natalie's hand and led her upstairs. In their bedroom, Natalie once again noticed Nick's readiness for her through the thin silk of his pajamas. This time she was in absolutely no mood to refuse him. This was most definately a time for celebration. Their clothes lay scattered on the floor of the bedroom, forgotten by the lovers in their passion. Down the hall in her bedroom, Laurene giggled. THE END Comments and virtual roses may be sent to: Nancy * * Knightie with N&NPack tendencies * * Original Adoptive Bat Mom ^^v^^ * * Proud Harbourlight of the Lobster Yacht Lot * * FK-XStitcher -- "So many pictures ... so little thread" :)