From: AriadneBU@aol.com 
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 16:46:30 EST 
To: fkarchiver@fkfanfic.com 


*Please archive on FKFIC site.  Story was written and published on FKFIC-L in
August 1998

"Mercy Killings" by Alicia B. Erlich
Copywright 1998

Disclaimer: This story takes place at the end of Season 2 when Schanke
and Cohen are still alive.  One quote of Tennyson from 'In Memoriam, XXVII' is
included in one of the Nightcrawler's broadcasts.   Permission to post on
FKFIC-L, the FTP site, and Mel's Fanfic site.  Forever Knight Characters
belong to Sony, TriStar, TPTB, etc and I am only borrowing them.  This fanfic
discusses events from Dark Knight, Blood Money, Be My Valentine, A More
Permanent Hell, Partners of the Month, The Code, Close Call, and Dead of
Night.  The thoughts of the characters are represented with the single
quotation marks.  

Beta readers:  GypsySOL@aol.com (Kelly)  
		   BMTHESPIAN@aol.com (Brandi)
--------------------
Mercy Killings (1/5)

	Slowly, the stranger makes his way through Toronto's Mercy hospital.  Each
step echoes through the vacant hallway as he heads toward the room on the
right.  He notices a middle-aged woman and her young son leaving one of the
hospital rooms and he hides behind the corner wall.  When the two people have
disappeared from sight, he emerges from hiding and continues.  
	He enters the room and carefully scans the vicinity for eyewitnesses.
Satisfied that there are none, he slowly closes the door so as not to make a
sound.  He swiftly moves towards the bed.  The heart monitor beeps in a
constant rhythm in sequence with the lung machine that helps keep the elderly
woman alive as she lay still in the bed.  As far as the rest of the world was
concerned she looked as if she were asleep.  The man picked up the silver
chart that lay at the foot of the bed and scans the contents.  "Patient is
unresponsive to medication and in a coma.  Predicted diagnosis is prolonged
illness until death" whispered the stranger "Let's see if we can't step up the
process, shall we."    	
	The stranger replaces the chart and moves to the chair adjacent to the bed
and places a small black bag on it. Slipping his gloved hand into the bag, he
emerges with a syringe needle and a small vile. Removing the safety cap from
the needle, he places it into the vile.  Holding it at an angle, the plunger
was slowly pulled back until the desired dosage is reached.  The needle
removed, the stranger moves the plunger so that a few droplets of liquid could
be seen leaking from the tip.  Finding the IV, he inserts the syringe and
injects its contents into the clear tube.  
	His task complete, the stranger replaces the contents of the black bag and
stealthily leaves the room.  No sooner had he done this than the woman's body
goes into wild convulsions.  While her body thumps and pounds on the bed, the
life support machines buzz with emergency warnings and alert sounds.  As fast
as the convulsions started they immediately stopped and the body lay still.
The machines keeping her alive were silent.  The only sound to be heard was
the flatline on the heart monitor.
*   *   *
 	The Toronto police department was in desperate need of renovations, but that
didn't stop its employees from working.  As a matter of fact, tonight was one
of its busier nights.  It was filled with the usual suspects that could
normally be found wandering the streets of Toronto: prostitutes, burglars,
rapists and the occasional purse-snatcher. 
	Schanke and Knight walked into the station and made their way through the
crowd toward their desks.  Nick was wearing his usual long black overcoat
while Don preferred his stylish dark blue one.  Even though their tastes
differed, the two were the best partners around, which earned them the
Partners of the Month plaque.  
	"Nick what do you have against this idea, it could make us a small fortune.
And you know how hard it is to live on what we make.  Come on, can't you go
50/50 with me?  We are partners right?" said Schanke.  He was offering Nick to
join him in one of his latest get rich quick investments through his cousin.
Schanke had made it a point to always try to involve his partner in all of
these "guaranteed" deals, but Nick never acquiesced.  Schanke never gave up
because he believed that through sheer persistence, Nick would finally see
things his way.  Even if they didn't see eye to eye when it came to detective
work, he vowed that at least they might with business ventures.
	Nick took off his overcoat and placed it on the rack by his desk.  He was
wearing a white shirt covered by a black vest that accentuated his pale skin
and blue eyes.  "Schanke, we all know how these deals end up.  The deal always
falls through or if you do make money it's never enough.  Sorry, but I'm going
to have to pass on this one Schanke.  You do understand don't you?"  Nick said
as he sat down.  Nick could see the disappointment in his partner's eyes as he
looked at the items on tonight's blotter.  He wasn't comfortable when he hurt
Schanke's feelings, but there was nothing he could do.  How could he tell his
partner that he had no need of money?  That he had accumulated so much because
of what he was...a vampire.  He shook his head; Schanke could never know his
dark secret.  The blood money he had gathered over the past 800 years was
enough to keep him well off for a few lifetimes and the last thing he needed
was more.  The best thing he could do was keep putting Schanke's offers off
and hoped that his partner never learned of how rich he truly was.  
	There was one instance where Schanke almost learned the truth.  Schanke was
chasing a suspect into a deserted alley who was cornering him first.  Nick
seemed to have flown onto the scene, saving Schanke's life.  In the process,
Schanke murdered the suspect and increased his awareness of what his partner
might be, even reading books about vampires.  If it weren't for LaCroix's
quick thinking and a little psychology, Don Schanke would have discovered the
deadly truth.  The truth...what was that anyway, it was just a word.  But it
brought fear to Nick's eyes.  No one could ever learn the truth that he needed
blood to live or that he could never watch a sunrise.  That is why he never
let anyone close to him.  Business was one thing, he couldn't avoid Schanke or
Captain Cohen, but personally he could.  Many of his associates thought he was
unsociable, but it the fear of intimacy that restrained him.  
	Letting someone close meant risking being found out for who he was.  And that
meant putting the person in danger also.  There was a group of vampires, known
as the Enforcers that spent their time concealing the discovery of their kind.
However, they didn't pose the only threat to humanity.  Human blood satiated
the blood lust that coursed through every vampire's veins.  All mortals who
were close to these creatures risked death.  In Nicholas, the urge to feed was
uncontrollable no matter how hard he tried.  So he decided a long time ago to
retreat from the humanity he so desperately clinged to to spare the lives of
his friends.  But there was still one mortal he was slowly letting close to
him, and that was Dr. Natalie Lambert.  The forensic pathologist who had been
his friend and confidante for years was the 
one person he would risk everything for.  But, the constant fear that he might
hurt her prevented from ever expanding on their relationship.  So, the bond
between them remained in limbo.  
	Captain Amanda Cohen emerges from her office and stands before her two most
valuable detectives.  Her shoulder length dark hair had been neatly combed and
never seemed to be out of place.  As one of the rare female police captains
she tried to maintain strict rules over her department and that meant keeping
her detectives in line.  Schanke was harmless and the most harm he could do
was show up to work late.  Knight, on the other hand, she wanted to keep a
leash on because of his tendency to go out on his own.  But his "hunches" as
he called them usually proved to be true so she let them slide most of the
time.
	"I need you two to go down to the Coroner's office.  There's been a homicide
over at the hospital.  Dr. Lambert has all the details for you.  I want this
case solved quickly; you know the scandal that could come out of a hospital
murder.  Toronto doesn't need another medical related panic do they?" she
said.  She was referring to an incident that occurred only a few months ago.
Schanke's childhood friend had been involved in a plot to kill patients whose
implants had been defective.  The company was a reliable medical source and a
scandal like this would have put them out of business for good.  His friend
had tried to include Schanke in the business deal, citing their relationship
as "Dog's stick together," but Schanke had refused and the entire plot had
been uncovered.
	Toronto was not ready for another medical scare, especially if the homicide
occurred while the patient underwent treatment. Nick foresaw all of the
possible lawsuits that could be brought against the hospital.  If he had
anything to do about it, this case would be solved.  After all, his job was to
serve and protect.  Another thought came into his head, almost a memory.
'What about the 700 years I spent killing innocent victims, how was I serving
and protecting them?'  He pushed the memory out of his mind and focused back
on the present.  He wasn't that heartless vampire anymore.  He was a cop, or
had been for many years, and had sworn to stop killing people over a century
ago.  He spent numerous lifetimes atoning for his sins.  No he wouldn't think
about his guilt, at least not now, he had a job to do; a job that entailed
using his special vampiric skills.  He wished there was a way to solve a case
as a human, but it was pointless.  The only way he would help mankind was to
rely on the darkness within him.  It was ironic in a way, using the dark to
help the light.  
*   *   *
	Dr. Natalie Lambert ties her chestnut hair with a scrunchie and continues
with the autopsy.  She had just telephoned the police station to let them know
that the death of the elderly woman had indeed been a murder and not the
result of illness as had been believed.  All that was left to do was prepare
the body for the funeral home and wait for her two favorite detectives to
arrive.  She removes her plastic gloves just as the duo enters the room.
	"Hello Natalie, so what have you got for us tonight?" said Schanke.  Natalie
opened her mouth to answer but he cut her short.  "No wait, let me guess.  A
stabbing?  No wait that's too obvious for a hospital.  How about the victim
was smothered in her sleep with a pillow?"  Natalie shook her head.  "Oh come
on, give me a break will you.  In this business you sometimes have to keep a
sense of humor on things."
	"You know, I don't know why you've put up with him all these years Nick.
He's such a strange character isn't he?" 
	"Maybe it's the old Schanke charm, it's irresistible you know."  Nick smiled
as Natalie forced back a tiny chuckle.  
	"Ha ha, you guys.  The better question to ask is why I put up with the two of
you." retorted Schanke.
	"Because we're your friends and you can't live without us" answered Natalie
with a slight grin on her face.  "Anyway, moving right along.  I didn't just
call you guys down here for a house call."  She paused and reached for the
file folder at the end of the gurney.  "Madeline Smith, age 68.  Diagnosed
with diabetes ten years ago.  She suffered a massive diabetic stroke two
months ago that resulted in a coma.  Doctors predicted she wouldn't live out
the year."
	"Well, if she died from illness then why were we brought on board.  We handle
homicides, remember?" said Schanke sarcastically.  
	"Don't start cutting me to the chase Schanke, I wasn't finished yet.  What I
was trying to say before you so rudely cut me off, was that if circumstances
had run their course she still might be alive."
	"What are you saying?" asked Nick who was casually leaning up against the
sink.
	"Ms. Smith died of a heart attack gentleman.  Ordinarily, heart attacks are
not uncommon among diabetics, but I ran a blood work on her.  The tox
screening indicates traces of Potassium Chloride in her system." She carefully
closed the folder, giving it over to Nick.  Little wisps of red hair fell
around her eyes, and she raised her hand to push them away.  Nick could see
just how delicate those tender, white hands were.  
'If only there was a way' he thought to himself.  He desperately wanted to be
close to her, but the consequences were too high for both of them.
	"Are you sure this is murder and not suicide?  I mean, isn't this the sort of
case Dr. Kavorkian would love to get his hands on?" retorted Schanke.  "I
mean, the lady was already one foot in the grave.  Couldn't she have wanted to
die?"
	Natalie opened her mouth for a reply when Nick interceded; "I think what
Natalie and Cohen are trying to tell us is that we have to rule that factor
out.  And that means interviewing friends and family of the victim." Nick said
while staring directly into Natalie's eyes, to calm her down.   He hesitated
and browsed through the file.  "But, if she wanted to die, how could she do it
in a coma.  According to these records, time of death was after visiting
hours.  There's no way a comatose woman could arrange for someone to kill
her," he added shoving the autopsy report against Schanke's chest.
	"I don't know what to tell you, but this case gives me the creeps.  I'm going
to meet you outside, okay Nick?  Bye Nat" said Schanke as he walked out the
door.
	Nick stares at the corpse lying on the table.  While Natalie cleans up her
workstation, he pulls back the sheet.  To his surprise, it was not the elderly
woman he saw but the image of a young woman instead.  Appearing to be in her
early twenties, she had long brown hair, white skin, and blue marks around her
eyes and mouth.  The memory of the dead girl consumed his being.  How long
after Vietnam?
	"Nick are you alright?" Nat's voice brought him back, concern evident in her
eyes.
	"Yeah, I'm fine.  Something familiar that's all."  He frowns and heads toward
the door.  Pausing briefly, he turns around back to Natalie.  Gently, Nick
leans forward and kisses her forehead.  "I'll see you later Nat.  Don't worry,
okay?"  
	"Oh, like I spend all my time worrying about you?"  She couldn't conceal the
worry in her eyes, but she hoped Nick accepted this tiny white lie.  Of
course, he probably wouldn't, but that had been the unique bond the two of
them shared.  They just knew each other too well to be fooled.
	As he walked out of the Coroner's Office, Natalie fumbled around the room
pretending to clean.  Throwing down her fists in frustration she thought 'be
careful Nick'. 

----------------------
Disclaimer: in part 1
Mercy Killings (2/5)

	At night, Toronto lay as awake as day.  Lights, people, and sounds filled the
streets as the Caddie drove silently.  Nick and Schanke were on their way to
meet the victim's family.  The report stated that Madeline's only living
relatives were her daughter and grandson.  Maybe they could shed some light on
it.  Perhaps it was even possible for this to be a simple open and shut case,
but Nick doubted it.
	"You know Nick, I just don't understand people?" said Schanke.
	"What do you mean?" Nick replied.
	"As a homicide detective, we both see death every night.  Well, this job made
me rethink how important life is and how short it can be." He hesitated,
remembering the recent comet scare that had made everyone believe they would
be dead in less than a year.  That case had made him realize how precious life
was.  
	"How could anyone commit suicide when they could spend what little time they
have left with friends and family" he continued.  Don Schanke was a family man
first and Nick could tell his partner's thoughts were on his wife Myra and
daughter Jenny.  They were his entire world and Nick didn't know what would
happen if his partner ever lost them.  Leaving Myra for a day had been one
thing, but gone forever was a different story.  Forever means forever and they
would be no time for second chances, to tell the people you hold dear just how
much they mean to you.  His thoughts were elsewhere and once again, Nick sees
the dead woman in his mind.  The sight of her lying dead on the hospital
gurney made his blood boil.  
	"Well Schanke, some people can't live with the pain, or the thought of
suffering before death" Nick replies.  He sighs and remembers his endless
nights of killing innocent people.  They would be forever denied the chance to
feel because of him.  'I stole their chance of ever feeling anything.' 
	The figures sat silently for a moment as they traveled.  Schanke stares out
the window, still pondering over his latest dilemma.  Nick concentrates on
driving, but there was something in the back of his mind, pushing its way
forward.  He tries blocking it with the radio but to no avail. He hears
LaCroix's voice on the radio.  As the nightcrawler, LaCroix delivers his own
special vampire words of wisdom to his numerous listeners, or children as he
calls them.  Since his master returned from the dead, so to speak, Nick found
himself listening to each broadcast.  
	"Intimacy and death my children is tonight's subject" LaCroix begins.  "They
are a rare pair indeed are they not?  But I'm not here to question what they
are.  Merely to tell you how intimacy can lead to death.  Yes, it possible my
friends and a simple concept.  When two people are intimate they each
surrender a part of their being, their eternal soul.  A spiritual death if you
will.  Sort of makes you wonder why one bothers to be intimate at all.  But,
as a wise poet once wrote 'I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when i
sorrow most; Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at
all'.  I don't agree do you?  For all of us creatures of the night intimacy
and love, whatever you may call it leads to death.  Isn't that right Nicholas?
You can never be intimate with those around you no matter how hard you try to
fit in.  You will only repeat mistakes of the past..."
	Nick quickly switches stations to avoid any further quibbling from his
master.  Moonlight Sonata pounds into his brain giving momentum to the force
edging it's way out.  The familiar melody lingers in his mind, bringing him
back...
*    *    *
	"...back to the beginning.  I want to hear the opening again but this time
with more feeling like when you play the violin?" There was an excitement in
his voice.  "This part has to be strong and full of emotion." Nick Davis stood
next to the piano giving directions to his student.  But this was no ordinary
student.  Nick considered 26 year-old Katherine Myers more than just a
student, she was a friend. Her golden brown hair fell lightly across her
shoulders, bringing out the beauty of 
her full, round brown eyes.  
	As a vampire he vowed never to be close to a mortal but he found himself
drawn to her.  How many times had he tried to intimate with someone?  Too many
to remember and the outcome would always be the same: death or move on.
Vampirism gave him the ability to remember each and every one of his loves
throughout the centuries.  All of his previous attempts resulted in failure so
why should he try now?  What made this 
lifetime any different?  
	The answer was simple.  There was something within her that fascinated him.
Her enduring will, her strength, and even the sparkle in her eyes became a
magnet to parts of his soul. Not since his beloved bride Alyssa had he felt as
much passion as he did for Kathy.  Over the centuries, he never purged himself
of the guilt he carried about his bride or the countless others he murdered.
He tries to convince himself that the lifetimes he spends without killing
mends his ways perhaps even bringing him one step closer to humanity and to
regaining his soul.  
	Nick's guilt follows him wherever he goes, torturing what should be his soul.
'That's if there still is one in me' he thought.  How many times has LaCroix
and Janette said that vampires cannot have a one?  Creatures such as us cannot
possess a soul because we kill without remorse.  However, Nick refuses to
believe this is possible and part of him believes that Kathy may be the answer
he's been searching for.     
	The woman before him now could be dominant as well as passive, masculine as
well as feminine.  To him Kathy represents the merging of vampire and mortal,
of Janette and Alyssa, especially with the deep fire burning in her eyes.
Strange, Nicholas thought, how a force so dominant in vampire eyes should be
in one so mortal.  If the eyes were the windows to the soul, then she was the
purest person he had ever known, for they practically pierced through his
body.  Around her, he felt as helpless as he had around Janette all those
centuries ago.  
	"Nick why do you persist in pushing me so hard.  It's not like I'm going to
be performing for the London Philharmonic" she said rising from the seat.
"I'm the violinist remember.  You're the pianist."  She was referring to their
first encounter two years ago.  Returning from Vietnam, Nick needed to return
to police work.  He knew it would be too soon to be back in Chicago, so he
opted for a night shift position at the 5th precinct in New York.  It wasn't
much, but at least it would provide valuable experience.  Kathy worked part
time as the captain's secretary while auditioning during the day.  Originally
moving to New York as a student, she opted to stay after her college years and
start a new life.  One night, after stumbling into the station, he tripped
over the violin case by her desk.  They had been friends ever since.
	She drew closer to him, her heart beating faster with each movement.  Her
breathing intensified as she stared into his blue eyes for what seemed like
forever.  She believes they possess the power to tear into her being right
down to the very depths of her soul.  'What are you waiting for Kathy you only
live once and life is too short to waste.  There's nothing to lose...or is
there?'  
	With a burst of confidence, she approaches her friend and her love.  Nick
peruses through the pile of papers on the piano with his chin propped up in
his hands.  'They are lovely hands aren't they?  Strong and masculine, yet
gentle.  Oh he is so handsome tonight.  I was right not to wait any longer for
this moment.  If only I could stop time and freeze us together, suspended in
eternal bliss'.
	"Nick can I speak to you seriously for a second, it's important" her voice is
calm and seducing but with an underlying nervousness.  
	"Sure, what's on your mind?"
	"I've been thinking a lot lately about things.  Failed auditions and my
brother being shot in Vietnam a year ago has given me a new perspective on
life.  I can't let my life go to waste anymore, I feel there has to be a
change."
	"Things have been rough I know, but you can get through this" he said
cradling her in his arms.  Kathy's pulse quickening even more at is touch.
Shivers ran up and down her spine but at the same time she felt a deep passion
swelling in her heart.  It's intensity burned all over her body. 'He's unlike
any other man I've ever known'.
	Nick on the other hand trembled.  Listening to the pounding of her heart he
realized what a delicate flower she is no matter how strong she appeared to
be.  The strength in the beat overpowered him for an instant.  He could see
the blood coursing through the veins in her neck.  'So tempting...'
	Kathy pulls away in time, relieving him of the sudden blood lust within.  His
vampire eyes and teeth were already visible ready for the kill.  As she turns
around to face him, they quickly vanish. She stands right in front of him,
their eyes locking in one stare.  
	"That's why I've been rethinking our relationship" she pauses.  Taking a deep
breath she continues "When I first came here, I was alone without a friend in
the world.  There were a million possible jobs for me to take, but somehow I
wound up at the station.  I don't know what drove me there.  It was as if an
outside force was leading me there.  
Now, I've never been one to believe in fate, but there was something here in
New York that made me feel safe and alive for the first time in my life.  A
feeling that was reinforced when I met you" she said as she caresses his cheek
with the palm of her hand.  The coolness in her touch invigorated his senses,
driving him to the point of insanity.  Grabbing her hand, he brings those
delicate fingers to his lips, smothering them in kisses.  Kathy shudders in
response, her senses being blurred by his touch.  
	Nick stares into her eyes and sees all of her passion, love, and naivete.
His feelings for her were definitely not one sided, they certainly gave that
away.  But, if this were true, what was he going to do?  Had fate been working
her magic touch, bringing them together?  Was he finally being given the
happiness he desperately searched for?  The only answer he gave was another
question.  'Will my love embrace her or destroy her?'
	"I'm in love with you Nick and you don't know how much I want you.  How long
I've been waiting to have you" she said.  She brushes up against his chest
placing her arms around his neck, drawing him closer to her.  They fall into a
passionate embrace.  The words he had been waiting to hear for so long shot
through his brain.  Her lips were soft and gently, willingly inviting his
touch.  It was the most pleasant experience he had known since becoming a
vampire.  Spinning around so that her back is to him, he puts his arms around
her waist.  He gently kisses her cheek and moves down to her tender neck.
Kathy squeals in ecstasy.  He feels her body giving itself over to him
completely.    'Young and innocent she yearns to be with me, without knowing
my 
true nature.  An innocent.  So young and helpless, how can I selfishly ruin
her life like this.  But is this too good to be true for she doesn't seem to
realize there is an overshadowing darkness in my being.'
	"No, this cannot continue" he says pulling her away.  Grief swells in her
eyes from the confusion.  The passion within her dissipates, flowing out of
her body as fast as the warm blood pulsing in her.  The silence lasts for only
a few minutes, but it seems like an eternity.  Kathy stares at the floor and
sits down at the piano.  He sees her hands shake and tremble as she rubs them
against her arms.  He had been smitten with her from that first night so very
long ago.  He realizes how he must keep his true nature a secret from her
while sudden pain tears his heart.  If you truly love someone you let him or
her go.  This had been his advice to LaCroix when his master fell for his
sister Fleur.  Kathy resembles her in a way, their innocence being their main
attribute.  He could not let her tenderness, her innocence, be destroyed by
what he was.  'She must never know.  I must let her go, for she cannot survive
in my world or I in hers for she is too pure in heart and soul.'
	Her brown hair, with its traces of blond and red highlights, fell across her
teary eyes.  He stood there, transfixed by her beauty and youth.  'I would
hurt her in the end for history is bound to repeat itself.  The real question
here is am I too late?  Have I already damaged her precious heart and
innocence?'  
	Kathy, on the other hand, sat shocked and stunned by his response, the pain
swelling in her chest and brain.  Her soul and heart were aching in misery
from what occurred.  She felt feverishly hot and her lungs were ready to
explode from the pressure and the lightheadedness.  She stares into Nick's
eyes searching for an answer but sees emptiness that she never noticed before.
	Nick decides the only way to end this nightmare is by making her forget about
her feelings.  'I must set her free the way LaCroix did Fleur.  We must be
friends again and nothing more.'  He beckons for her to come closer, using his
mental abilities.  The sound of her heartbeat fills his ears once more.
"Kathy, you must forget..."
	A sharp shooting pain fills her head, breaking Nick's telepathy before he
could hypnotize her.  The pain pierces her skull and she falls from the seat,
wincing in agony.  She reaches out for him calling his name.  She manages to
squeeze out "help me" as she collapses into his arms unconscious.  He wipes
her tousled hair from her face aware of her fading heartbeat.  'She's still
alive.  There's time to bring her to a hospital.  For a moment he caresses
her, gently kissing her cheeks and forehead.  What have I done?  You must come
back to the living...you must come back...'
	"Nick are you there.  Earth to Nick.  Hey, come back to me pal," said Schanke
as he snaps his fingers in front of Nick's eyes.  "Thought I'd lost you there
for a minute.  Now were you concentrating on the road, or just trying to scare
the living daylights out of me?"
	"Just the case, that's all" he answered.  
-------------------------
Disclaimer: in part 1
Mercy Killings (3/5)

	The hallways of Mercy hospital fell silent as visiting ceased for the night.
Nurses and doctors finished their rounds and were awaiting their night shift
counterparts to replace them.  A few of the medical staff enjoyed the free
time to explore some extracurricular activities of their own.  A young nurse
lures one of the new interns into a broom closet next to the nurses' station
while someone in the shadow overlooks.
	Sensing the coast is clear, the killer strolls down the hall towards his next
destination, his next victim.  The urge to kill pulses through his veins,
intoxicating his brain.  In the beginning, the killings were mercy killings,
curing the ill of their pain and grief.  But now, the control he holds over
life consumes him and instead of going to those who asked for it, he became
the judge and jury for them all.  He would be their answer, their own private
cure. And so what if they didn't ask for it outright.  In the end they all beg
for it.  When 
the pain is unbearable and the thought of how their families witness their
slow demise seeped into their mind they all came to him eventually.  Did it
matter if it was sooner or later?  No, because they all died in the end
anyway.  Besides the death he grants is painless and guiltless, who would dare
stop him.
	He spots an open door to his left and slips in unnoticed.  He is surprised to
see his next victim wide-awake in bed reading a newspaper.  Nevertheless, he
has a job to do and it would be finished whether the elderly man was awake or
not.  They would all be asleep in the end, wouldn't they?  He slowly
approaches the bed and lets the adrenaline rush through his body.  
	The elderly man looks up from his paper and stares at the person before him.
"Who are you?"
	With a devilish grin and an evil stare, the murderer makes his way to the
frightened man.  In response, the elderly man hastily searches for the call
nurse button but his hands turn up empty.  The two are now face to face as the
one standing grabs the medical chart.  Once again the strange devilish grin
appears as he puts down his medical bag.    "I'm the answer to your prayers.
I can take the pain away from the cancer worming it's way inside you.  Call me
your savior."
*   *   *
	The Caddie slowly pulls into the driveway of the Riley house crunching gravel
under its tires.  Nick and Schanke leave the car and head towards the door
ringing the doorbell.  A woman answers the door.  She is middle-aged and has
bags under her eyes, probably from crying over her mother.  Her long
strawberry blond hair hangs loosely down to her waist.
	"Mrs. Riley?" Schanke asks.  She nods.  "I'm Detective Schanke and this is
Detective Knight.  We have some questions regarding your mother's death.  May
we come in?"  
	"Yes please do" she whispers in a weak and worn out voice.  She leads them
inside, closing the door.
	Jennifer Riley's house is small but comfortable for her family to live in.
The hallway leads to a staircase to the upper floor, a living room on the left
and a kitchen further up.  Pictures of family members fill the empty spaces of
the hall.  Nick walks over to admire then and recognizes the deceased in some
of the photos.  In one, she is a young woman with her husband and children and
in another her grandson is sitting on her lap.  Nick and Schanke look at each
other, thinking the same thing.  'How could the murderer deprive this family
of their loved one?'  
	"I...I was notified earlier that there was something wrong with how my mother
died.  Can you explain this?" she asks with tears beginning to appear in her
eyes.  Jennifer is clutching the sides of her spring dress.  If she were
holding it any tighter it would rip in her hands.
	They are interrupted by the sound of her son running down the stairs with his
backpack.  Mrs. Riley rushes to her son and says "Tommy, do me a favor honey.
Can you finish do your homework in your room tonight?"  The son focuses his
attention on the visitors and then on his mother.  "Yes mom", he shrugs and
goes back upstairs.
	"Cute kid" says Schanke.  
	"Tommy's going to take this the hardest.  He was so close to his grandmother,
one would think they were inseparable.  My husband and I still haven't told
him what happened.  We feel it's better to wait until tomorrow.  And, judging
by your presence,it reinforces that belief.  Detectives, I want to protect my
son from the pain..." her voice trails off.  She places her face in her hands
sobbing.  
	"Take a deep breath Mrs. Riley, we're not here to pressure you" Schanke says.
They wait until she sits down on the couch before continuing.  "Your mother
didn't die from natural causes."
	"What are you talking about?" she replies.
"The autopsy reveals your mother died from being injected with potassium
chloride.  We think your mother was murdered and that's why we're here.  Did
your mother ever say she wanted to die, maybe have a living will or some kind
of special arrangement to commit suicide?" Nick says politely. 
	The anguish in her eyes speaks volumes to the two detectives as they
patiently wait for her to speak.  "No, not that I know of" she answers.
	"Think carefully.  Did your mother ever mention before lapsing into a coma
that she had a desire to die?" says Schanke.  Mrs. Riley rose from her seat
and moves to the fireplace in the corner of the room.  On top of the mantle is
a portrait of her parents on their wedding day.  She lifts it off and places
it against her chest, lowering her head to cry.  
	Turning around she explains, "Detective, my mother valued life. She would
never even think of doing what you suggest," she said defensively.  She pauses
to wipe the tears from her eyes.  "My mother treasured every day she was on
this earth because it meant being with her family.  Do either of you have a
family?"  Schanke nods but Nick shakes his head.  It's been 800 years since
he's had his mortal relatives surrounding him.  LaCroix and Janette were the
only ones he considered family.  
	"Then," she continues, "you understand how important it is to spend as much
time with them as possible.  Even one more minute we share with the ones we
love means one more memory to cherish.  We were hoping she would recover from
the coma."
	"We're sorry for you loss Mrs. Riley.  There's just one more question.  Your
mother was in a great deal of pain.  The doctors predicted she wouldn't live
very long.  Is it possible you had something to do with your mother's murder
or at least know what may have happened?" asks Nick. 
	Anger fills her grief stricken eyes.  "How dare you even insinuate such a
thing.  I wanted her to live detective, more than anything I wanted to see her
open her eyes again.  If there was a remote chance of her waking up then I was
willing to wait for it, for my son's sake and mine.  But..." sobs choke her
words.  "It's not like we haven't considered it.  I'm her medical guardian and
the doctors did suggest it if she didn't wake up soon...it's terrifying to be
given that kind of a choice.  How can you let someone you love die in misery?"
	Mrs. Riley motions to continue but a phone ring, stopping her.  It is Nick's
cellular phone.  He pulls it out and snaps it open.  "Knight here."
	The voice on the other end blares into his ear.  Captain Cohen struggles to
speak over the other noises in the station.  "Knight, there's been another
murder at the hospital.  I'm officially declaring a state of emergency in the
terminally ill wards.  This doesn't seem to be turning into a suicide case any
longer.  You and Schanke should go check out the hospital to make sure the
perp doesn't have another chance to strike again.  I want you this case solved
soon detective."
	"We'll be right on it Captain" Nick answers hearing a click on the other end.
"Schanke, there's been another murder.  I'm going to check it out.  Do me a
favor will you?  Go back to the station and check up on any priors that might
be related to this case."
	Nick leaves before Schanke has a chance to reply.  He's disappointed and has
a huge feeling that he's just been cheated.  'Just like my partner to be the
first one on the scene', he thinks.  'When will I ever get to play hotshot
detective for once?  What do I have to do, die my hair blond?'
	Nick drives the Caddie through the busy streets of Toronto, oblivious to his
surroundings.  He listens to LaCroix once again on the radio.  The topic
remains on intimacy and death but this time his master adds a strange twist.  
	"Killing is extremely intimate my friends isn't it?  Or is it a game of
control.  How is intimacy different from death?  They are both a form of
control in one way or another and somehow we surrender a part of ourselves to
the one in control.  When you are intimate you surrender yourself over to
love, but in murder you surrender yourself to the passion within you, the true
nature of the beast within.  There are so many obstacles to overcome so many
lessons to be learned.  When will you 
ever realize that you can never hide from what you are Nicholas, no matter how
many mortals' lives you try to save?  Because death is a part of life, is it
not?"  Nick remembers Mrs. Riley's words from earlier "How can you let someone
you love die in misery?"  The memory returns...
*   *   *
	Slowly Kathy opens her eyes.  Blinking, she tries to focus her eyes in the
dim light.  She's in her apartment and away from the sterile atmosphere of the
hospital.  "Nick" she says in a weak voice.  He enters the room with a food
tray on which there is a plate of eggs and a pitcher of water.  
	Kathy rises and he rushes to her side.  It has been three months since the
incident and Nick is constantly pampering and protecting her.  "Not so fast
now.  You don't have all your strength," he says putting his hands around her
shoulders, easing her body up.
	"Hand me the cane, I need to walk."  From the look in her eyes it was more of
an order than a suggestion so he quietly obeys, gently lifting her body off
the bed.  Carefully moving one foot in front of the other, like a child
learning how to walk, she goes over to the vanity opposite the bed and
inspects herself in the mirror.  Her illness has caused subtle differences in
her appearance, the true extent of which Nick is unaware.  She is thinner than
before and could easily be mistaken for an anorexic.  Her eyes, a feature she
was most proud of, were sunken in with puffy blue circles underneath.  'What
am I,' she thinks.  'Where is the life that used to show in my eyes?'  She
touches her right cheek as a single tear falls down the other side.  Horrified
she turns away and faces Nick.
	Her tears become choked sobs as she stands there leaning on the cane.  "Nick,
I haven't been completely honest with you about the doctor's diagnosis.  I'm
afraid..." She pauses and loses her balance.  In an instant Nick is by her
side, catching her just before she hits the floor.  He gazes at her face with
concern.  As if understanding what he wants she nods in acquiescence and
returns to her bed.    
	"It wasn't a stroke.  Doctor Levinson called this afternoon to confirm his
suspicions.  Nick..." she says lowering her head in shame."
	"Whatever it is you can tell me" he retorts while kissing her and tenderly
brushing his hand over her soft fine hair.  
	Tears swell in her eyes making it harder for her to speak.  What she has to
say is almost unbearable and she hopes that he will be able to handle it.
"I'm dying Nick."  Nick turns away in disbelief.  He is shocked by the news
and runs to the window, unable to look at her. 
	"Are they sure?"
	"Yes.  The tests confirmed the presence of an inoperable malignant brain
tumor.  They say it's too late to do anything but let nature take its course"
she laughs sarcastically.  "Its size is relatively larger than a golf ball and
is still growing at an alarming rate and they predict I'll be dead within six
months.  I still can't believe it, but I'm scared of dying Nick.  What am I
going to do?  There's no one here 
to help me."
	"You're wrong."  Nick moves away from the window to Kathy's side.  Staring
down into her pain stricken eyes he tries to reassure her.  "I'll be here for
you."
	"But Nick, I don't want you to see me die.  It's not fair."
	Death itself is not fair, he thinks.  Holding her close he realizes that
there is a way out of this, a solution to both problems.  'I could bring her
across, turn her into what I've been desperately trying to protect her from.
Is it better for her 
to die as a mortal or live as a vampire?'  He didn't quite have an answer to
that one.  He hopes that maybe before this is all over he can.  'I have
brought death to so many people who didn't want it and have watched them die
in my arms.  Now I am faced with a mortal who either wants to die or is
fighting to live.  Either way, she too will die 
in my arms.  Am I ready to face that when the time comes?  Can I trust myself
to make the right decision?'
	"Look at me Nick, what kind of human being am I going to become?"  She sighs.
"If it weren't for you I don't think I could face this.  Being alone while my
body wastes away would drive me insane, maybe even commit suicide.  I guess
that's the only other option I have left isn't it?" her voice trails off.  
	"You are still the beautiful woman I met two years ago and always will be."
Nick reconsiders his role in all of this as a vampire.  
	For a moment she distances herself from him, as if in a daydream.  "There are
so many things I haven't done yet.  Before I leave this world I want to live
Nick and you can help me.  Stay with me please.  Let me die knowing I spent my
last days on earth with the only man I love" she pleads as she tugs on his
shirtsleeve.  
	Nick sees something change in her eyes.  It is as if the fire and passion he
fell for so long ago was fading fast.  'How can I refuse a dying woman's plea?
But this is no ordinary woman is she?  Nonetheless I will not leave her side
for she deserves to die comfortably with as little pain as possible.  I may
not have been able to grant peace to the numerous souls I killed mercilessly
but maybe I can give it to her.  Perhaps I will regain a portion of my
humanity and my soul.  I just hope I can refrain from certain measures that
might endanger her.'
---------------------
Disclaimer: in part 1
Mercy Killings (4/5)

	Nick arrives at the hospital and notices how sunrise isn't that far away.
'Let's hope they don't keep me too long because that would mean spending a day
in the trunk.'
	He enters the crime scene just as the forensic crew finishes with the victim.
Natalie is over by the bed, removing the plastic gloves from her hand with a
large snap.  
	"Is it our guy?" he asks her.
	"I'm afraid so but there was something different this time.  You see that wet
spot right here next to the bed?"  She points down and he sees the liquid
glittering on the white marble floor.  "It should be potassium chloride, but
we won't get back the results until later.  The guys slipping Nick.  The man
he tried to kill didn't want to die.  As a matter of fact the man was in
remission for prostate cancer."
	He shivers when she mentions the cancer.  Too many ghosts, too many memories.
"Must have been a struggle.  It would explain the potassium chloride on the
floor."  
	"Uh Nick."  She moves closer to him and speaks to him in a whisper.  "You do
know the sun in coming up.  You should go home Nick, Schanke can handle the
case until tonight."
	"Doctors orders?" he says with a smirk.
	"Now don't you try pulling that one on me.  I don't need another raid on the
emergency blood supply thank you very much.  Go, get out of here already."
	Nick leaves the room and watches the victim being bagged and wheeled out.  He
stares as they move the gurney down the hall into the elevator.  Lowering his
head, he rubs the flesh in-between his eyes.  'The killer must be stopped.
This nightmare must end.  Maybe I just need a rest and some blood to replenish
my strength.'  Departing from the hospital, Nick awaits the familiar
surroundings of his bed and 
how good it will feel to sleep, to escape from his harsh reality into the land
of dreams.  
*   *   *
	"I want...this...end."  Kathy tries desperately to speak but to no avail.
The inoperable tumor has spread like a disease throughout her body causing
damage to parts of her brain.  She is deathly pale and parts of her face and
body has been paralyzed.
	Nick reluctantly helps her back into bed, wincing with every move.  He cannot
believe how the cancer has eaten her from the inside out.  For a moment he
almost wants to say how cancer may be worse than vampirism but quickly
displaces the thought.  'How can it be worse than what I am?  At least she has
the option to die.'  As he stares at what is left of his friend he sees all
that she has lost in these last few months.  'She is deprived of her vitality,
her beauty, and even her will to live.  The same will that I never knew a
mortal could possess.  All that seems to keep her alive now is I.  Can I let
this charade continue or do I leave her alone and let her make up her mind
without my influence?  Her decision to die is hers alone and it is not right
for her to put me into the equation.'  
	Her body is almost weightless as he sets her down.  It's as if she were only
a bag of bones and nothing more.  What remains is only a shadow of the woman
he once knew.  The loss of weight has left her eyes sunken in with black and
blue puffy bags underneath.  He is saddened by what has happened to her eyes
and the loss that reflect in them now instead of strength.  'How could such
powerful eyes lose their spark, lose what brought me to her in the first
place.  Death is not fair and it never will be, no matter how long I live I am
surrounded by it.'
	"Nick" she says.  Her eyes strain to see into his as she struggles to speak.
"Go...to table.  Something there for you...must read."  Listening carefully to
her words he goes over to the table and finds a small envelope with the words
'To Nick' sprawled across with choppy handwriting, Kathy's handwriting.
"Wrote it...before hand paralyzed.  It's for you to read when I..." she stops
herself as a tear runs 
down her face.  "When I die."
	Nick wipes the tear from her face and caresses her hand in his.  They feel
dead against his skin.  "You didn't have to do this Kathy."
	"Had to tell everything...owe you."  He couldn't bring himself to say that
she didn't owe him anything but that he owed her.  'I owe her a life without
pain where she could be everything she dreamed of; a life where I am not a
vampire and cannot ruin her life in one moment of love.'  He recalls a dream
he had earlier about that first night a long time ago when she became ill.
They were together and Kathy was aware of what he was.  No longer fearful of
the vampire within him she stood before him undressing, waiting patiently to
be with him.  She sympathizes with the monster in him and accepts it
completely without hesitation, a miracle in his eyes. 
	'It's only a dream,' he thought.  'If only there was a way for us to be
together.  For centuries I have believed that I could be with a mortal woman.
I tried with Alyssa but that too failed.  Why do I go on thinking that my
lovers have to be vampires to be around me?  Can't I put the vampire aside in
the name of love?  If I truly love a woman can't I stop myself from hurting
her?'  Pausing, the answer becomes clear in his head.  'The blood lust is too
strong, the desire for it is too overwhelming.  That is how I hurt them all,
isn't it?  How long can I suppress the need around them before the urge
returns?  A week?  A month?  I have prevented myself from drinking human blood
but being around her all the time intimately would be too much.'
	He sits as best he can on the bed beside her.  He gently holds her in his
arms with her head on his chest so that her throat is clearly visible.  'This
is the time. I can sense her heart failing with every breath.  She will be
dead soon unless I do something.'  With anguish in his eyes, a single tear of
blood falls down his cheek for the first time during this entire ordeal.  
	"I promise you this will end tonight Kathy," he says stroking the remnants of
her golden brown hair.  
	Kathy turns her heard towards his and then back into a resting position.  She
whispers "I love you Nick...thank you."  After a few moments she falls asleep
in his arms as he debates what to do next.  He remembers the few instances
where she tried to commit suicide because there was no possible cure in sight.
These attempts had been made during the day so that he couldn't be there to
stop her.  But to his relief all of her tries had failed for she was too weak.
	The pain is too much as he struggles to make a decision.   'I can return her
life, give back her vitality, her independence, and everything else about her
that was special.  But is it right?  Is it wrong of me to condemn her to the
same existence I have spent years to banish?  Can I accept the guilt from
bringing her across?  No, I cannot damn her to this kind of life but I can
make her death more pleasant.  I should have done this a long time ago, but I
didn't want to interfere.' Nick's eyes turn yellowish-green as the vampire
within him emerges.  Fangs emerge and he can feel them going into his bottom
lip.  "I will take your pain away.  You will be in peace soon" he tells her.
Slowly, he closes his eyes and descends upon her throat.  Before he can
puncture the skin he senses another presence in the room.  "LaCroix."  The
sight of his master is surprising if not perfect timing.  
	Master and son remain quite for awhile as they stare into each other's
vampire eyes.  "What do you want?"
	"Oh Nicholas it is not what I want but what you want.  How many times are we
going to debate over mortality?  So many times I've quite lost count."
LaCroix smirks and continues.  "I thought you valued human life above
everything else and yet I find you here ready to kill a mortal.  Or are you
thinking of bringing her across?"
	"It's not the same.  She is dying" he hisses.
	"Ah yes.  You want to bring an end to her suffering.  How gallant of you
Nicholas.  Always a knight in shining armor to maidens in distress.  Sorry to
tell you this but chivalry went out with the middle ages.  But, I find your
pity and sympathy to this poor girl amusing.  But Nicholas by killing her you
make yourself a hypocrite don't you?  You have sworn off killing, yet you
would gladly put your morals aside for one person."
	"I owe it to her.  When you brought me across you said mortals die, does it
really matter if it's sooner or later.  Go away LaCroix and let me do this."
Nick kisses her throat listening to the weak heartbeat.
	"My Nicholas, you surprise me.  Here I thought you never listened to a word I
said.  I'm shocked that you should be spouting them back at me now.  You don't
know how long I've waited to see you like this again.  I rather enjoy it. Your
search for mortality is useless.  Let me give you some words of wisdom
Nicholas.  We are a part of this earth are we not?  There is a purpose for our
kind or we wouldn't exist.  Humans must die and we kill them.  We kill them
for the hunt and to survive.  Now, 
how are we any different than the predatory animals in the wild?  They too
kill to survive do they not?  There are species of creatures out there that
are blood drinkers.  Do you condemn them too Nicholas?   Beasts do not mope
around and doom themselves to drown in their own guilt as you do."
	"I am not an animal."
	"Are you sure?  Vampires are all animals in one way or another.  
I remember when you were by my side as we hunted.  Don't deny that you were
not an animal then?  Now tell me Nicholas have I regained my son?  Take her if
you will.  It is the human thing to do?  Either way I will have my answer."
LaCroix's words struck a nerve in Nicholas and he lowers his head in shame
recalling all the lives he stole.
	LaCroix circles the bed the way a buzzard circles its dying prey.  He
continues "Vampires do not kill humanity outright Nicholas which is why I
don't understand your strange obsession with them.  They are a weak race,
prone to all sorts of illnesses, diseases, and the like.  Perhaps you don't
recall that humans also kill humans more than we do nowadays.  Mortals amuse
themselves with their silly games of war and death.  Some of them, I might
add, do more horrors than our kind.  You yourself participated in the farce
they call war.  And here you are spending your eternity, a precious gift,
trying to preserve what even they themselves cannot.  That is foolish my son.
Humanity's purpose is to live and die.  It is as common as you or I passing
from one lifetime to the next.  When are you ever going to realize what you
are?"
	Nick shivers from the struggle going on inside him.  He cherishes life and
what it has to offer.  But can he help her do what she cannot.  Can he help
her to die?  Finally, he bends down to her throat and strokes her skin with
the points of his vampire teeth.  He takes one last look at LaCroix and bites,
but there is nothing left.  The sound of her heart has stopped and all while
he argued with his master.  He jerks his head up masking the vampire from his
face as he lowers it in shame.  
'I'm too late.  She is dead.'  The loss of Kathy makes him speechless, as he
understands he was wrong to interfere.  
	"Too late?" LaCroix smirks from his apparent amusement.  "Your friend is dead
Nicholas.  You must leave this death infested room and move on."
	'Yes,' he thought as he clings to Kathy's dead body.   'I should have done
that a long time ago but it was because of her I stayed.  Perhaps it is time
Nick Davis no longer exists and that I return to Chicago.  I could finally
start the police career I yearned for since I began there.  There' s nothing
left for me here now.  It is all gone.  It died with her.'  
	Just before LaCroix leaves the room he goes over to the bed and says "Besides
Nicholas at least I got my answer."
	Nick remains in the hospital room listening to the silence in her heart and
sees the emptiness in her eyes.  He kisses her forehead and gently moves her
body against the soft sheets and pillows.  Nick feels her letter in his jacket
pocket and leaves it there.  "I don't think I can open it now.  Goodbye Kathy
and someday I will read your last words." He takes one last look at her with
blood tears swelling up in his eyes.  As he leaves, the last thing he hears is
the sound of the life support monitors buzzing...

Alicia Erlich - AriadneBU@aol.com
-------------------------
Disclaimer: in part 1
Mercy Killings (5/5)

	Nick is awakened by the sound of his downstairs phone ringing.  There is
blood sweat on his brow and his silk pajamas are rumpled.  Rubbing his face
with both hands he rolls off the bed and makes his way downstairs to answer
the phone.
	"Hello?" 
	"Hey partner it's your ol' buddy Schanke here."
	"What's up?"
	"While you were sleping I was busting my butt here going through case files.
You know Nick, you owe me for this, big time.  I've stayed up late going
through endless piles of paperwork too many times while you were chasing your
hunches," he says sarcastically.
	"Hunches that proved to be true I might add.  But I do owe you Schanke. Now
what have you got?"
	"Okay, for starters our perp is not new to, how do you put it, mercy killing
business.  He has a record a mile long in Montreal, Quebec, and even some
cases in the good ol' US of A.  Guess Doctor Kavorkian has a rival now huh?"
Silence is heard at the other end and Schanke thinks his little joke hasn't
hit its mark.  'Boy the guy 
should lighten up.  It was only a joke.'   "Anyway," he explains, "Name's
Michael Jenkins, age 35 and was a pharmacist.  That would explain the
potassium chloride used to kill the victims.  He started murdering elderly
victims of terminal diseases but recently his MO changed in Montreal."
	"How so?" Nick replies.
	"The victims weren't dying.  As a matter of fact they were in remission.
Seems our guy killed people regardless of whether they were undergoing
treatment or not, just as long as they were exposed to life threatening
conditions such as cancer, heart disease, HIV, etc.  Sounds to me like the
guys nuts."
	"Listen Schanke, give me a few minutes and I'll meet you at the hospital."
	"Righty-o partner and remember you owe me big time Knight.  And you'll be
sure I'll be coming round to collect.  When Don Schanke comes a knocking you
better get rocking here me."
	"I hear you.  And Schanke, thanks."  Nick puts smiles as he puts down the
receiver.  While dressing, he realizes how bizarre his partner's sense of
humor was and how vital itis to Schanke's charm.  One couldn't help to like
the big guy, even if he was eccentric at times and even if a certain Toronto
detective didn't want to be paired with him.  'That was at first.  I gave him
less credit than he deserved.  He really is a good cop even if he does stray
from time to time.'    
	Rather than taking the caddie he decides on a more convenient form of
transportation, suited perfectly for a vampire.  He leaps into the air feeling
the wind in his hair.  No matter how convenient driving a car may be it still
cannot compare with flying over the city of Toronto.	
*   *   *
	The hospital is silent adding to the increasing tension felt by all its
inhabitants.  A dark presence penetrates the sterile environment while the
fluorescent lighting gives off an eerie glow making the hallways unnatural in
appearance.  Jenkins moves swiftly through the halls making sure not to alert
the arriving police officers.  He understands their mission is to find him but
he too has his own mission.  'I'm going to go out with a bang and there's
nothing they can do to stop me.  They're not taking me alive' he thinks
vanishing into the laundry room.  
*   *   *
	Cohen and Schanke discuss their plans with the backup officers as Nick
arrives.  They turn to him and are somewhat surprised by his immediate arrival
but quickly pass over any suspicions. 
	"Knight, Schanke and I have made a list of possible targets for our guy.
We've gone over medical records of all the terminally ill patients, including
those just recently diagnosed.  I want you guys to split up with the other
cops and check things out.  Schanke, you take the 5th floor left wing.  Knight
you take the right wing.  I'll handle the rest with the squad team."
	The two partners turn and head towards their respective destinations when the
Captain stops them. "Oh and detectives.  Catch this guy tonight.  I don't want
another death on my hands."
	Schanke and Nick nod is agreement and move along the corridor, entering the
elevator.  
	"So do you think he's going to strike again tonight?  I mean this place is
swarming with cops and would he be so stupid as to stick around?" asks
Schanke.  
	"Stranger things have happened."  Viewing the empty corridors of the fifth
floor the vampire senses something wrong on the floor.  
	"Listen Schanke why don't we just split up.  You take the left and I the
right, remember?" He is nervous and his guilt reemerges.  He must not allow
another person to die tonight.  He owes it to himself, to Schanke, and most of
all to Katherine.  His partner reluctantly obeys though Nick could tell
Schanke was not thrilled with the idea.  'Sorry partner, you have a family to
take care of and I don't want Myra or Jenny to be without you.'
	Removing his gun from the holster he slowly makes his way down to the
corridor passing each room.  He peeks inside each one of them using his
vampiric senses to scan for any unwanted visitors.  Finding none he moves
further along the narrow passageway contemplating the killer's next move.  He
looks down at the target sheet and finds a case similar to the other victims.
The patient is Daniel Williams who is newly admitted and undergoing treatment
for leukemia.  Seems like the perfect choice for Jenkins he thinks while
briskly walking to Williams's room.  Standing outside the room he is overcome
by the familiar sensation of danger inside.  The silence and danger confirms
his suspicions.  Carefully listening to the silence he detects someone
whispering.  
	Jenkins is inside preparing his new patient for the ultimate treatment,
death.  Radiation and drug therapy have left Williams unconscious, the perfect
victim in Jenkins eyes.  "Guess you won't be awake to protest like your
predecessor.  Unlike you, he didn't realize how important my work is," Jenkins
explains.  "I'm here to help but they don't understand anymore.  My purpose is
to take away your pain forever and I know that's what you want Daniel."
Jenkins measures the amount of 
potassium chloride into the syringe and strides over to the IV.  
	Before the poisonous liquid is injected Nick bursts into the room shouting,
"Freeze."  But Jenkins merely laughs at him, he face twisting with insanity
and evil while gripping onto the needle.  Nick looks at Williams and for a
second sees Katherine in his place.  He shakes his head to clear his mind and
bring him back to reality and to the deranged man standing in front of him
with the needle.
	"Listen cop, you have no business here.  I'm here to help this dying man
before it's too late."
	"You're not helping them but murdering them," Nick says aiming his gun making
sure the patient is not in the line of fire.  
	"I offer these people a way to die without pain, without suffering, and
without the agony of having the ones they love see how they deteriorate.   A
chance for them to die before they wither away to nothing but a shell of
humanity.  I take away the isolation and I set them free from the diseases
that run rampant in their bodies.  I give them an end."
	Nick's mind floods with memories of Katherine and her suffering during those
six months.  The flashbacks consume him showing too many images to him at
once, rendering him frozen.  He sees her wasting away, the many suicide
attempts, and the time she begged him for an end to everything.  Nick recalls
his wish to set her free himself either by killing her or by bringing her
across and realizes that Katherine, like all of Jenkins's victims, have a
choice between life of death.  Neither he nor the killer should make that
choice for them.
	"How do you know they want an end?" he replies snapping back from his dreams.
"You've taken their ability to choose death from them.  You are not their
savior but their destruction."
	Jenkins grins devilishly and returns to Williams.  He reinserts in the needle
and starts to push the plunger. 
	"No!" Nick screams.  With lightning flash speed he lunges at Jenkins to
prevent another death.  He grabs a hold of Jenkins while throwing the needle
onto the floor just as Schanke rushes into the room. 
	"Nick you okay?" Schanke says gasping for breath.  
	"Yeah, I'm fine.  But I'm not so sure about Jenkins here. Come on, you're
going to a place where the only suffering you'll see is your own."
	Knight and Schanke drag the suspect out of the room relieved that this case
is finally over for everyone.  
*   *   *
	Natalie sits on the couch at Nick's loft finishing her soda and listens to
the piano playing softly in the background.  Getting up from the couch she
goes over to Nick and puts her hand on his shoulder distracting him from the
melody.
	"Beautiful piece.  What is it?" she inquires.
	"Moonlight Sonata.  Last time I played it was for a student of mine."
	"A student?  Let me guess, a she?"
	He smiles and glances over at a portrait on the piano.  Katherine's face
peers out at him with a young and vibrant glow.  Underneath the frame is an
untouched envelope.  'This is how I'll always remember her' he thought.
Natalie rolls her eyes upon seeing this.
	"Oh don't tell me your jealous?"
	"Jealous.  Now why would I be jealous of a good-looking vampire that's
probably had hundreds of women throw themselves at his feet," she says
smiling.  
	"She wasn't like that Nat.  Like Jenkins's victims she was diagnosed with
terminal cancer and I'm afraid she didn't live long thereafter."
	"Nick, you weren't tempted weren't you?"
	"Sort of, but then LaCroix arrived and somehow he stopped me."
	"Can't imagine him doing that?" she says with a questioning look on her face.
	"I don't think he intended for that to happen but it did."  Nick stretches
his arm out to the frame and removes the letter.  "She gave me this letter
before dying.  I've never read it probably out of fear or not wanting to get
too close.  It's hard for a me as a vampire to become too immersed in the
lives of others'."
	"Well that's what I'm here for.  But Nick, I think it's time you read it.
For your sake and most of all for hers."  Natalie rubs his back for a moment
and then backs away slowly leaving Nick with the letter.  Putting on her
jacket she takes one last look at him and leaves.  As she shuts the loft's
door she thinks to herself 'Sometimes it's not so bad to be close to people
Nick.'
	Nick stares at the letter while walking to the fridge.  He takes out a bottle
of cow blood and takes a long swig before returning to the piano.  Tearing
open the fragile envelope he removes the yellow letter inside.  He recognizes
Kathy's handwriting and begins reading.
	'Dear Nicholas.  I don't know how to start this but I'm going to try.  You
have just left me and I am sitting here alone contemplating my life and
analyzing it.  I guess dying does that to a person.  Maybe it's the loneliness
or the environment of the hospital but there are so many things I regret and
so much guilt I have been carrying on my shoulders that consumes my thoughts.
But I am spending this time trying to make peace with my demons to try and get
over this persistent guilt and regret.  That is the reason I am writing this
final farewell to you because of everything I have done I regret us the most.
I love you Nicholas more than you can ever imagine and I regret so much. I
know it is pointless to mention but I must at least for me anyway.   I can't
let myself think about this now but I wanted to let you know that I'm sorry
for getting sick and I'm sorry for hurting you this way.  You are the one
person I have loved more than anything in this world and you don't know how
much I am in your debt.  
	I don't know what it is but since that night I became ill I noticed emptiness
or darkness in your eyes.  Don't ask me what it means for that is something
only you know.  I guess I've always seen it, but it was more prominent then.
For awhile I believed it was what I was going through but then I realized it
must have been there for a long time.  Nicholas I wish I had been the one to
take away your pain, but fate has a strange way of working doesn't it.  I'm so
afraid of dying and what will happen to me.  I fear losing who I am and what I
was in life.  I know it's strange to think that way, but when I die everything
I am will go with it.  It will be as if I never existed at all and all my
experiences were for nothing.  The only consolation is that maybe I've left
some impression on the people I knew for that means part of me meant
something.  That maybe part of us lives on in the memories of those we leave
behind.  I hope you remember me Nick just as I will always remember you and
the time we had together.  Goodbye, Kathy.'
	Nick replaces the letter in its protective envelope and puts it back by the
portrait.  He sits for awhile absorbing her words and what they mean to him.
Then, he gently lowers his fingers to the ivory keys and begins to play the
familiar melody that was her favorite, Moonlight Sonata.  

Alicia Erlich - AriadneBU@aol.com