Date: Sun, 2 May 1999 21:35:04 EDT From: Jennifer Lee Subject: "A Modest Proposal" (01/?) To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu This is a little something I came up with about three weeks ago. I decided to go ahead and write it for my dearest, bestest buddy. ::waves to Karen:: It combines our two obsessions, "Buffy" and "Forever Knight." And, while I'm thinking of it, Happy Birthday, Karen!!!! P.S. for Ren and Mary: Just to let you know, it's purely coincidence that this is coming out so close to you "Twin Karma" story. Hope you don't mind. I wanted to get it out right after prom and before Karen's B-day. BTW, I loved your story. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------= -- ------------------------------------- A Modest Proposal" Part 1: Oh What a Night Karen sat in her den, doing homework for her Advanced Placement Environmental Science (aka APES) class. It wasn't due for another week, but prom was that weekend, and she certainly wanted plenty of time to party. It was going to be wonderful. She and her best friend (who went to a different school) would go together. Jennifer hadn't gone to her own prom because she'd been out of state at an academic competition. Karen, determined that her friend WOULD have a senoir prom, had invited her long ago. It had all been planned to perfection. Karen would snare two of her junoir friends to take them, All the boys had to do was show up at the door in suits. She and Jennifer would cover the cost of the tickets. They could live without flowers. But no, the little twirps had told her they weren't going. They wanted to take their ACT's in the city, and then eat at the Olive Garden!!! Jerks. <> well, she thought. She and Jen could go alone. They'd have plenty of fun. She smiled as she thought of her long lost twin (no, this isn't Sister, Sister. We're just really alike). The two girls had only know each other for about a year, but that was more than enough. Both of them adored many of the same things: horses, vampires, cats, Anne Rice, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt. The list went on and on. Their personalities were similar, too. They could finish each other's sentences and almost read each other's minds. Karen was the wilder one, Jen was quiet (sometimes). Both were smart. But, while Karen had naturally blond hair and hazel eyes, Jen had dark brown, sometimes brunette hair, and brown eyes. At times, they joked about looking like Buffy and Drusilla, and often contemplated chasing each other around the house in those roles. Her thoughts wandered briefly to the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer" that had been post-poned that week. She'd wanted to see it! Watching Buffy pound the villians - <>, she thought, staring slack-jawed into space - would have lifted her spirits just a tad. The ringing of the phone brought her out of her reverie. She jumped up and ran back to her room. Hello?" she said into the cordless unit. "Kaw-en!" the voice on the other end exclaimed. "Is me!" "Jen-fer!" she replied in the same baby voice. "Is you!" "Karen's twin (only slightly evil) laughed. "Whatcha doin'?" "Not much. Why?" "I have a modest proposal for you. Can we get together tonight?" "Oh, gee, let me check my schedule. Frankenstein, calculas - finished. Tell guys about the prom, ah, yeah right. Okay, I'm free." "Great," Jen said. See you about eight?" "Otay. My place?" "'tay. See yah soon." "Buh-bye!" "Buh-bye!" "<>, Karen thought. She shrugged. Jen didn't come over on a school night without a REALLY good reason. Maybe she'd flayed the guys. Her friend could pull a Drusilla" on you in an eyeblink. Not that Karen couldn't. Oh, no, she had the eyes for it, but Jen could let loose with some pretty nasty growls at the most appropriate moments. "Karen looked around her room. The bed wasn't made and the closet was a little messy. Food still sat out in the den, and papers were scattered on the table. As for herself, she was in her light gray sweats and a T-shirt. She didn't need to worry too much about Jen seeing her house in a little disarray, she decided. Karen looked at the clock. It was ten minutes =91til eight. Jen was usually on time. Her house was a little over a block away, definitely NOT a long drive. Karen grabbed the food and went downstairs. She'd check her e-mail while she waited. "There wasn't much. A few forwards from some friends, a short note from Damien, and a message from Jennifer telling about one of her internet friend's (Adam, such an interesting gent) latest crazy exploits. Karen signed off and turned to the small TV. Not much was on. She channel surfed for awhile until she landed on MTV. Good enough. Before she had a chance to really get into it, her doorbell rang. Karen moved quickly. Her mom was almost at the door. "I've got it," she said, smiling. "It's Jen." Sure enough, there her friend was. "Jen!" she cried. "'ello, dearheart," Jen said in her best Drusilla accent. She was in one of her favorite outfits: a black tank top with black flowers embroidered across a deep neck, a black ankle length skirt with dark red flowers on it, and black sandals. She also had her silver cross earings and necklace, and her claddaugh ring. Karen smiled wickedly as joined the fun. "Hello, pet. Shall we go upstairs?" "Let's." "You've got all your pretties, love." Jen shrugged. "I didn't feel like changing when I got home from school." "That said, the two Buffy" addicts fairly bounced up the steps. Jen deposited her purse on the den's coffee table, and the two girls slouched down on the pale leather couch. "So, what are our plans for prom?" Jen asked, back to her normal self (that is, if I have one). "Seeing as we have no DATES," Karen silently cursed Chris and Robert again, I guess it's a very expensive girls' night out." "Are you so sure about that?" Jen asked, smiling. Karen wasn't sure she liked that look. It was the same one Jen got every time her super genius came up with some incredibly wicked, strange plot. "Jen..." Karen said slowly. Is there something you're not telling me?" "Jen only smiled wider, showing her lovely pearly whites (okay, so my teeth are that pretty...). "Did you get a friend to agree to come? That cute guy we met at Hastings, maybe?" "Nope," Jen said. "Karen shook her head. Her friend was nuts! Jen..." she said, almost dangerously, as she stood up. Spill it," she commanded, leaning down and putting her hands on the couch on either side of her friend. By now, Jen was laughing hysterically. "Really, my dear, you might try another method. Though, I must say, you are quite intimidating." Karen spun around to see a man with close-cropped, white-blond hair and glacier blue eyes. He was dressed entirely in black and standing in the short hall that led back to her room. Her jaw dropped, and she glanced back at her friend. Jennifer sat compsed on the couch, legs crossed and hands clasped around her knees. She smiled slightly, amusement still twinkling in her eyes. Karen turned back to the stranger. Who are you, and how did you get in?" "The stranger met her gaze, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly in what was almost a smile. Karen knew she should have been scared out of her wits, but she wasn't. He didn't LOOK incredibly dangerous (but there are many people who'd disagree, I'm sure). He was impeccably dressed in a silk shirt, slacks, and dress shoes. "Well? Aren't y-" Karen stopped in mid-sentence. Her jaw dropped even further. A man was poking his head out from behind the black-clad stranger. He had short, bleach-blond hair and dark eyes. "Can we get on wi' it, already?" he asked, almost sarcastically. He was British. "Y-you... J-james..." Karen stammered, trying to speak past the drool (sorry, lovey. Artistic liscense, you know). "James?" the man asked. Is there a James here that I don't know about?" Karen turned and stared at her friend again. Jen stood up, took Karen's hand, and led her to the two men. "Spike, Karen. Karen, Spike." "Hey there," Spike said, smiling genially. "H-hi," Karen managed before she fainted. Jen and Spike caught her before she hit the floor. They glanced at each other. "She took that rather well, didn't she?" Spike said. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------= Comments? Send to ldyofsable@aol.com Jennifer, aka Drusilla (can you Buffy-lovers tell why?) Nunkies Addict--- Oh, what a beautiful thing a British voice is... "Love isn't brains, children. It's blood, blood screamin' inside you to wor= k its will." Writings of the Slayer http://members.aol.com/ldyofsable/BtVSMain.html Equines Online http://hometown.aol.com/femangelus/horses1.html This is a little something I came up with about three weeks ago. I decided to go ahead and write it for my dearest, bestest buddy. ::waves to Karen again:: It combines our two obsessions, "Buffy" and "Forever Knight." And, while I'm thinking of it, Happy Birthday (again), Karen!!!! The last part came our all numbered-like and messy. If you want a cleaner version, e-mail me. I hope this one works better. Permission to archive is granted to Mel, of www.fkfanfic.com If you want to archive this, e-mail me at ldyofsable@aol.com with the subject "Archive" I don't own LaCroix and Spike, and am not associated in any official way with "Forever Knight" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." "Forever Knight" belongs to Tri-Star and Parriott, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" belongs to Joss Whedon and the WB. I am making no money. Similarity to events or people in real life (with the exception of the lives of Karen and myself) are coincidental. Blah, blah, blah... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------- "A Modest Proposal" Part 2: The Proposition It didn't take long for Karen to wake up. When she did, she nearly panicked at the sight of the two men standing behind Jen. "Hey, chill," Jen said. "Jen," Karen said slowly, "what is Spike doing in my house, and who is this other guy?" "You fainted before I finished introducing you. This is Lucien LaCroix." The tall, icy man nodded. "Bonjour, ma chere," he said, his French perfect. Jen almost fainted at the fluid notes of his voice. Karen held a hand under her friend's chin. "Jen. Drool," she said. "Huh? Oh." Jen quickly wiped the spittle from her chin. "Great to meet you two," Karen said as she stood, "but I still don't know why you're here." "You mean she didn't tell you?" Spike asked, trying hard not to laugh. "Jen..." Karen said for the twentieth time that night. (Okay, maybe more like third. Artistic license!) "Well, you know those guys who said no to prom, our dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (inside joke), the confused ones? These are their replacements." "What?! They're grown men, and we don't have enough tickets!" LaCroix reached into his pockets and produced two pieces of heavy paper. "You mean these?" "How'd you get those?!" "I am a man of many talents." "Let me get this straight, Jen. I'm going to prom with a two hundred year old vampire, and you're taking a grown man?!" "No," Jen said. "I'm taking a two <> year old vampire and former Roman general." "And your parents think?" "Another benefit of my talents," LaCroix said, smiling. Karen could have sworn his eyes turned gold for the briefest moment. "C'mon, love," Spike said. "It'll be fun." "What about Dru?" Karen asked. (Dru would be Spike's girlfriend, but they've had a lover's quarrel) "That chaos demon can 'ave 'er. I always 'ad a thing for blondes." Karen laughed. "What the hell. I'm in." The two vampires stayed for an hour, talking with the girls. Karen found herself liking LaCroix, even if he didn't fit her description of Prince Charming. His slightly husky, silken voice was almost seductive, and he was obviously a man of learning and refined tastes. Spike she'd been familiar with from television, but she found his company even more delightful in real life. He was a little reckless and very clever. The open red silk shirt over a black T-shirt, the tall black boots, and the black duster draped over his lean frame were almost enough to make her drool. As nine o' clock came near, the conversation died down a little. The girls needed to get ready for school the next day, and the vampires needed to feed. "I believe that we should take our leave, William," LaCroix said. Karen couldn't get over the fact that Spike let the older vampire get away with calling him that. (For anyone who doesn't know, Spike's real name is William the Bloody. He was nicknamed Spike for torturing people with railroad spikes. Nice, huh?) "Right," Spike answered. For her part, Jennifer was somewhat surprised that Spike was respectful, to a degree, to LaCroix. (For the other end of the spectrum who aren't familiar with "Forever Knight," ::waves happily at Karen:: LaCroix brooks no insolence. Except maybe from me, that is. "I'll just pretend I didn't hear that." LaCroix. ::smiles nervously:: I didn't realize that you were reading this... "I see." Well, uh, I'll get on with it. ::laughs nervously:: "Please, do.") "Well, love," Spike said, slapping his hands on his thighs as he rose from the couch. Karen stood, as well. "It's been fun and all, but my stomach's growlin'." Karen smiled. "Gotcha. But, how exactly are you getting past my parents?" "Your window, pet." "Okay," Karen said. "Sure, why not? It's not like a fall will kill you. Unless, of course, you land just right on some wood." "Show me to the exit, my pet," Spike said, grinning as though he'd just outsmarted the devil himself. "Love to," Karen said. Spike draped his arm around her shoulders, and together they walked to her room. (and the window. No other reason, folks! "I'm sure." LaCroix, please...) LaCroix stood and offered Jennifer his hand. She took it and allowed him to help her up. He didn't let go. "Shall we, cherie?" Jennifer smiled graciously. (Okay, more like foolishly as I made googly eyes at him, ::glares at LaCroix:: and don't say it! "I wouldn't dream of it, my dear.") The patriarch led her back to Karen's room (and the window, I might reiterate!). The window was already open. "Bye, dearheart," Spike said. He gave Karen a quick kiss on the cheek, then swung out the window. Karen wandered to her bed and sat, dazed. LaCroix gazed at Jennifer for a moment. "Au revoir, ma chere. Jusqu'au le lendemain." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. Then, he disappeared out the window faster than the girls could see. Jennifer slumped down against the wall and sighed. ("Really, Jennifer...") It took the girls a few minutes to recover. Karen was the first to speak. "What just happened?" She still sounded a little dazed. "You tell me," Jen said, no better off than her friend. "Unless I'm mistaken, Spike and some guy you call LaCroix, Uncle, and Nunkies, among other things-" Karen wasn't quite sure what to make of Jen's nicknames for the ancient vampire "-were just here and more than willing to take us to the prom." "Uh huh." "Which begs the question, and don't think I'm not glad to have a date, but how are we supposed to get two older men in and why are they going with us?" (And now, I curse myself for thinking of these logical impediments to this fantasy. Know what, let's just forget about that. Assume we'll all get in just fine. Nunkies can whammy an entire crowd, can't he? "I am beginning to lose patience, my dear..." I'm writing, I'm writing. Sheesh). "You know that "Forever Knight" mailing list I'm on? The one for people who love LaCroix? (::waves to Nunkies Addicts::) Well, I happened to mention our lack of dates in one of my messages. I got a response from someone. He said "what terrible manners" is was for R and G to "allow two young ladies to attend such a function unaccompanied." Next thing I know, I find LaCroix waiting in my room. Apparently, he was the one who replied, and, since he was in the area ("Oklahoma?!"), he offered to accompany me and asked if there was any particular human or vampire you wanted to go with. I was going to suggest Oz, but I didn't think he'd be a good date in his furry form. (Oz is a werewolf, and prom happens to be on one of the three nights a month that he's his wolfish self.) I asked Uncle if he could get a hold of Spike." "When was this?" Karen asked. "Monday night. LaCroix came back on Wednesday, dragging a none-too-happy, sputtering Spike (Ooh! Alliteration! "Please, Jennifer, contain your excitement. It almost makes me ill.") along with him. One look at your senior picture (a very beautiful one, I might add!), and he was hooked. Apparently, he was having a harder time getting Dru back than he expected." "Why didn't you tell me you were bringing members of the opposite sex over?! Look at this room, at the den! It's a mess! <> a mess! You could have warned me! At least <> that <> I should have put on some nice clothes!" "Calm down, Karen. I didn't want to ruin the surprise," Jen said. "Oh yeah, sure you didn't." "Hey, you were surprised." "Gee, yah think? Two TV characters-vampires, no less-walk into my house, apparently got in through my bedroom window, and I'm surprised? That's the least of it." "Don't tell me you're not looking forward to going to your senior prom with Spike. He even bought a black tux with tails, just for you." "He did? He actually <> it? You're sure he didn't just steal it?" --------------------------------------------------------------------- That's it for this part. Part three is coming soon. Send comments to ldyofsable@aol.com I'm new to this form of fanfiction (dramatic "Buffy," Angel-centered fanfic is more my realm of expertise) so be kind! This is for my dearest, bestest buddy. ::waves to Karen yet again:: It combines two of our obsessions, "Buffy" and "Forever Knight." Part one came our all numbered-like and messy. If you want a cleaner version, e-mail me. I hope this one works better. Permission to archive is granted to Mel, of www.fkfanfic.com If you want to archive this, e-mail me at ldyofsable@aol.com with the subject "Archive" I don't own LaCroix and Spike, and am not associated in any official way with "Forever Knight" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." "Forever Knight" belongs to Tri-Star/Sony and James Parriott. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" belongs to Joss Whedon and the WB. I am making no money. Blah, blah, blah... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------- "A Modest Proposal" Part 3: Soon Jennifer and Karen had a terrible time trying to keep their mouths shut about the true identities of their "escorts." Their parents thought that they were nice young men from Karen's school that Jennifer had known in junior high. Hen was fairly certain that LaCroix had made rather extensive use of his talents when she wasn't looking. Jennifer and Karen reveled in the prom preparations. Jen went to the hairdresser's with Karen and helped her choose a style. Jen's hair was already done. It had been curled into ringlets and then pulled in a tight twist so the curls sat atop her head. One lock had been left out of the twist and pinned behind her ear with a pewter clip, decorated by a pale butterfly. Jennifer watched as the hairdresser clipped and curled her friend's hair. The end result was voluminous waves shaped to her friend's face in an elegant yet youthful manner. "It's of the good," Jen said, smiling. "It's of the big, you mean," Karen retorted as she regarded her hair in the mirror. "It'll lose some body by tonight, Karen. Trust me." "You'd better be right." "Aren't I always?" Jen said sweetly (::ducking, hoping to avoid the inevitable glares and possible slaps::) "Yah right," Karen said, slapping her friend lightly across the arm. (Doh! Didn't work.) Around five o' clock that evening, the girls went out to dinner with some friends and had a delightful time tormenting the only male there. The waiter had a terrible time keeping a straight face as he watched the girls berate the lone ranger. Soon, the teenagers went their ways. It was time to begin the painstaking process of pulling on dresses and applying make-up. The clock read seven twenty, and the sun went down. (Okay, so I pushed the sunset up a *little*. We can't have smoking dates, now can we? "How considerate of you.") Karen's parents dropped her off at Jennifer's house, and the two girls did their requisite calling of names. "Kaw-en!" "Jen-fer!" ("Is that really necessary?") Then, Jennifer's mother began the cooing, and her father got a start on his photography. The girls looked great (::grins mischievously::). Karen wore a light lavender gown with a deep neckline and spaghetti straps. The top fabric was a sort of cloth netting, while the under-layer was sequined. The fitted dress shimmered with Karen's every move, and her silver accessories and nails complimented it well. Jennifer wore a black, sleeveless gown. The black, flowered lace began at her neck and went down to cover the black cloth at the chest. Behind, it ended at the small of her back, where the solid cloth began and swept out into a full skirt. Jennifer's accessories, including evening gloves, were also black. Jennifer's father finished the photo session just as the doorbell rang. He set the camera aside and went to answer the door. Jennifer's mother moved to his side and smiled. "You must be Luke and William. We're Jennifer's parents. Please, come in." (If you people think Tracy Vetter's perky, you've obviously never met my mother). LaCroix entered, smiling graciously. Spike followed. They shook the hands of Jen's happy parents. "Here, let me take those for you. Jennifer's father will want to take pictures." Jennifer's mother took the vampires' long black coats and top hats, and LaCroix's silver-topped walking stick (What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic). The girls swooned at the sight of their idols of affection in the stylish black tails. ("One would think you were Victorian courtiers with all of the fainting you and your companion engage in." I am the English Queen. ::low growl:: Get it? I really like English? Victoria was an English queen... ::deeper growl, green-gold light reflects off the page::) The two vampires approached the girls. Each held a clear package containing a corsage. "You're a vision, dearheart," Spike said as he took Karen's hand. He slipped the corsage onto her slender wrist. It was made of two white carnations and small clusters of baby's breath, four pearlescent leaves, and gauzy silver ribbon. "Au chante," LaCroix purred as he lifted Jennifer's hand and put her corsage on. It was similar to Karen's, but the leaves and ribbon were black to match her dress. The two girls gazed happily at their dates for a moment. "Oh!" Jen cried. "Boutonnieres!" She and Karen fairly rushed (hard to do in three inch heels) to the fridge and pulled out the carnations. The boutonnieres matched the corsages, but had only one flower each. Karen and Jennifer carefully pinned them onto the lapels of the vampires' coats. "I never thought I'd see you in a tux," Karen said to Spike. "Life's full of surprises," he responded. "Unlife, too, come to think of it." "Try not to talk too much, Uncle," Jennifer admonished LaCroix. "A meltdown on prom night wouldn't be a good thing. I'm having a hard enough time dealing with that gorgeous tux." "My apologies," LaCroix said. Something about his eyes made Jennifer doubt that he'd try to avoid a Nunklear Meltdown. ("I do hope that you don't expect me to clean you up off of the floor in this tale." I wouldn't dream of it.) Jennifer's father took several photos of the girls with their dates, and of LaCroix and Spike alone (assuming cameras work on both of them. Artistic license is a wonderful thing). "Oh, look at the time," Jennifer's mother said. "You'd better get going if you want to get there at the beginning." She grabbed the vampires' belongings and gave them to them. She pulled the girls' coats out of the closet, and LaCroix and Spike helped then into them. "We'll take good care of 'em, Ma'am," Spike said to the now anxious mother. "Just get them home on time, William," she said. "You enjoy yourselves." "You needn't worry about a thing, Madame," LaCroix said smoothly, smiling. --------------------------------------------------------------------- That's it for this part. Part four is coming soon. It's taking longer to develop than I'd like. Send comments to ldyofsable@aol.com I'm new to this form of fanfiction (dramatic "Buffy," Angel-centered fanfic is more my realm of expertise) so be kind! This is for my dearest, bestest buddy. ::waves to Karen yet *again*:: It combines two of our obsessions, "Buffy" and "Forever Knight." Part one came our all numbered-like and messy. If you want a cleaner version, e-mail me. I hope this one works better. Sorry it's taking so long to get this out. Permission to archive is granted to Mel, of www.fkfanfic.com If you want to archive this, e-mail me at ldyofsable@aol.com with the subject "Archive" I don't own LaCroix and Spike, and am not associated in any official way with "Forever Knight" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." "Forever Knight" belongs to Tri-Star/Sony and James Parriott. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" belongs to Joss Whedon and the WB. I am making no money. Blah, blah, blah... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "A Modest Proposal" Part 4: Arrival LaCroix and Spike helped the girls out of the lino at the doors. The night was warm, and the light breeze carried the promise of rain. The moon hung round and pale in the sky. Electric lights hung from the canopy at the door, and a few chaperones stood along the red carpet, watching as the students began to arrive. Jennifer and Karen took the vampires' arms and the four entered the building. The juniors had done a wonderful job with the decorations. Sparkling golden lights, glittering stars, and gauzey canopies filled with flower petals hung from the ceiling. Tall white columns, supporting still more flower-filled gauze, surrounded the dance floor. A miniaure castle stood against the back wall, spotlit and bright. The rest of the room was dimly lit with muted electric lights and flickering candle flames. Karen made the rounds of her friends, eager to introduce her companions. Then, the four of them found a table off to the side, but not too far from the dance floor. It was covered with a white table cloth. and a purple candle stood in a glass holder at the center of the table. Rose petals in soft reds, pinks, and creamy whites were sprinkled around it. The girls set their purses on the table and the vampires helped them out of their coats before removing their own cloaks. As they waited for more people to arrive and the music to begin, the two vampires listened as the girls discussed their horses. "Oh, she was wonderful, you should have seen her..." "She's a wonderful mare..." LaCroix and Spike exchanged glances. It was odd to odd to hear young women talking about horses as Karen and Jennifer did. When they were mortal, it wasn't common for young ladies to train horses. Luckily for them, the girls left off the horsey conversation after a minute (come on, you guys don't really want to hear all the details in horsey jargon. It's more fun to actually see of be on the horse.) and engaged their male companions in conversation. Karen and Jen were soon locked in a debate with Spike and LaCroix over the merits of a recent movie involving a certain young playwright and his forbidden love with a noblewoman. "I don't see how people could possibly believe-" "But it's not *supposed* to be accurate or probable, LaCroix," Jen said. "It's a movie," Karen chimed in. "Don't tell me you've been around nearly two *thousand* years and you still can't deal with movies," Spike added. LaCroix sighed. They were baiting him, and he knew it. Before he could utter a sufficeintly scathing remark, however, the music began. The girls dragged the two vampires out on the floor. --------------------------------------------------------------------- That's it for this part. Part five is finished, but it'll take a little time to type. Send comments to ldyofsable@aol.com I'm new to this form of fanfiction (dramatic "Buffy," Angel-centered fanfic is more my realm of expertise) so be kind! This is for my dearest, bestest buddy. ::still waving:: It combines two of our obsessions, "Buffy" and "Forever Knight." Part one came our all numbered-like and messy. If you want a cleaner version, e-mail me. I hope this one works better. Sorry it's taking so long to get this out. Permission to archive is granted to Mel, of www.fkfanfic.com If you want to archive this, e-mail me at ldyofsable@aol.com with the subject "Archive" I don't own LaCroix and Spike, and am not associated in any official way with "Forever Knight" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." "Forever Knight" belongs to Tri-Star/Sony and James Parriott. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" belongs to Joss Whedon and the WB. I am making no money. Blah, blah, blah... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "A Modest Proposal" Part 5: Get Over It Thanks to LaCroix and his "talents," no one noticed that the two girls' dates were rather pale, and that one in particular looked just old enough to be their father. Spike was, understandably, more willing to dance than LaCroix. However, it didn't take the General long to remember his days as a mortal. He found the loose abandon of the young mortals around him refreshing, and decided that he coulkd indeed join in their revelry, if only for the sake of his young addict. The four companions were thoroughly enjoying themselves when the music changed. All of the girls, including Jennifer and Karen, cheered, as the gentlemen (and in some cases, I use that term *very* loosely) made a mass exodus from the dance floor. The two campanions exchanged glances, first with each other, then with their dates. Karen laughed. Jennifer shrugged, and both smiled mischievously. <> Spike immediately left the floor, and LaCroix followed. He follwed him all the way into the parking lot, as a matter of fact. There, the other vampire found an incredibly old and thick tree (especially considering he was in southwestern Oklahoma) and began punching it. "That *****!!! We were happy together! We 'ad it all, and she left me!" LaCroix let the younger vampire take his frustrations out on the tree a little longer before pulling him away. When Spike began pounding on the ancient's chest, LaCroix only sighed and glanced up at the sky. At least Nicholas didn't get this physical when he was upset. Then again, he had been known to do it before... When Spike's outburst had gone on quite long enough for the General's taste, he shook the younger vampire hard until he got a hold of himself. Spike looked ashamed. "I'm sorry, but it's just hard, ya know? Over a century together, and then she just, just... *dumps* me!" "My dear boy," LaCroix said, "You'll find that betrayal is not such a difficult thing to live with. You have plenty of time to get her back, if you must, but right now there is a lovely young woman is more than willing to accept you and your affections waiting inside that building." "You're right, I suppose," Spike said. "I don't know what got into me. My dinner must 'ave 'ad somethin' in it." When they returned, the two vampires found the girls sitting at their table, bobbing their heads to the beat of a Latin song. "Mes cheres," LaCroix purred. Jen looked up and smiled. "Where'd you two run off to?" "We were... taking some air." Spike sat down beside Karen. "Sorry to disappear like that, love," he said. "I 'ope you weren't too lonely." "Lonely? Me? With my scheming twin?" Karen said. "You're joking, right?" Just then, the first notes of "YMCA" began to play. Spike grabbed Karen, and, ignoring her vehement protests, dragged her onto the dance floor. Jennifer and LaCroix laughed as they watched. (See what happens when I have story control, Karen? ::innocent smile:: You should know better than to ask why I include certain songs... "How very droll." LaCroix, come one. Relax. It's just a story. "Careful, Jennifer...") Karen couldn't believe her eyes. Spike was actually dancing to YMCA! Strange thing was, she wasn't embarassed. He was good, and before she knew it, a crowd had formed around them. A few more fast-paced songs followed. Karen was breathless by the time the pace slowed, but didn't even have a chance to gasp before Spike asked, as gentlemanly as could be, "May I have this dance?" Karen nodded, and he slipped his arms around her waist and placed his hands on the small of her back. Karen reached up and draped her arms around his neck as she listened to the music. <> "Well, love," Spike said, a little awkwardly, " 'ow does this suit you?" "Just fine," Karen said, smiling. She siddled a little closer to the vampire, but he carefully moved away. She tried again, with the same results. When he did it a third time, she dug a fair number of her rather long fingernails into the back of his neck. "Get over it and dance," she ordered. Spike suddenly smiled, and moved closer to her. He liked this side of her nature. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Still more to come. It's almost over... I think. Send comments to ldyofsable@aol.com This is for my dearest, bestest buddy. (Yes, I'm *still* waving) It combines two of our obsessions, "Buffy" and "Forever Knight." Permission to archive is granted to Mel, of www.fkfanfic.com If you want to archive this, e-mail me at ldyofsable@aol.com with the subject "Archive" I don't own LaCroix and Spike, and am not associated in any official way with "Forever Knight" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." "Forever Knight" belongs to Tri-Star/Sony and James Parriott. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" belongs to Joss Whedon and the WB. I also do NOT own any of the songs (I Don't Want to Miss a Thing, Take My Breath Away, La Vida Loca, No Scrubs, YMCA, Summer Lovin', Everthing I Do I Do It for You) featured in this story and am in no way officially associated with them. I am making no money. La, la, la... Warning!!! This may get sappy!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "A Modest Proposal" Part 6: Last Dance Meanwhile, Jen was in the powder room, fixing her make-up and making certain that her hair was still right. (No need to worry there. Took eight shampooings with baking soda added to get that hair spray out at my actual prom. I kid you not. Now, LaCroix would certainly have an easier time with prom hair. Nice little buzz cut- "You really should be more careful of what you are saying, *my dear*." Uh oh...) A girl Jen recognized from her days in junoir high approached her. "Hey, Jen, who're the guys?" "Oh, just some good friends," Jen replied nonchalantly. "Good is right. That one is absolutely gorgeous, and that other guy! What a voice!" Jen smiled. *Score one for his Nunkieness. I wonder if she can be converted...* By the time Jen got back to the main room, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" had finished. She found the others, and they danced to almost every song that followed. When "Summer Lovin'" from <> came on, everyone cheered and Jen and Karen geared up their singing voices. By this time, they had gathered quite an entourage. Even LaCroix decided to get into the spirit, singing the male parts ad Jen pelted out her well-practiced notes. ("You are treading on *very* thin *ice*.") Jen sucked in a deep breath for the last, long note, then gave it all she had, only to launch into "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" a few seconds later. Meanwhile, Karen was dancing up a storm with Spike. The dance floor was in danger of becoming a head-banging haven, but the DJ announced the second to last slow dance of the night, "Take My Breath Away." Karen pulled Spike to her, and he held her in silence as they both listened to the music and gazed at each other. Jen managed to catch LaCroix before he disappeared from the floor. "No you don't, General," she said. "Really, Jennifer, I don't think we should-" "Shut up and dance," she said. LaCroix sputtered for a few seconds. One of his addicts, one of *his* addicts, had dared to give him an order! "Just do it, LaCroix. Please," Jennifer said softly. There was no mistaking the devotion in her eyes. LaCroix gave in. ("Just wait, *ma chere*. Just wait...") <> "Spike," Karen said softly. "Hmmm?" "Thank you, for coming. It means a lot to me." Spike smiled and kissed her forehead, then held her a little closer. The music faded slowly away, and the lights brightened just a little. A strobe light flashed, and a distinct Latin beat was heard. Another loud cheer filled the room as couples prepared to live "La Vida Loca." "Jennifer, I really must-" "All right. I understand," she cut LaCroix off. She smiled. He nodded, and returned to their table to watch, but not before making certain that she had a partner. A tall, dark-haired man took a place across from her. "Angel," Jennifer said. "Mind if I dance with you just this once?" "Not at all." ("Why couldn't you take *him* to prom?" ::quivering voice:: He was spoken for when I started this...) Karen had had no idea that Spike was this good. *Ricky Martin, meet your match,* she thought. Angel wasn't too bad either, she noted, glancing at her friend and her new partner. Jen was actually getting into it, a lot. She *never* got into it. <> ::Angst! Angst! Angst!:: Nick watched from the darkest corner with the chaperones. *Bullet... Brain...* ::glazed eyes... flashback:: ("Nicholas, get out of this story before you angst us all into oblivion." "Darn you LaCroix!" <-- departing angst) Jennifer and Karen were out of breath by the time the country music came on. Angel disappeared as silently as he had come, and without being noticed by Spike. While Spike was gone from their reality, he could steal Dru... The girls sipped a little water as they waited out the last of the country music. "Okay, ladies and gentlemen, grab a partner for the last dance of the evening," the DJ announced as the lights dimmed for the last time. (Steel yourself, LaCroix.) "Dance with me?" Spike asked, holding his hand out to Karen. "Of course," she said as she took it and rose. Spike led her to the center of the floor, right in front of the castle. "May I have this dance?" LaCroix said to Jennifer, bowing slightly from the waist. "It would be my pleasure," she answered as he, too, led her in front of the castle. <> Two pairs of human eyes gazed into two pairs of vampire eyes, and two pairs of human hands held two vampires as if they were a dream that might end at any moment. <> The unlikely couples drew closer, and the girls laid their heads on the vampires' chests and closed their eyes. <> The vampires' eyes became flecked with gold. They put their chins against the girls' hair, breathing in their scents. <> They closed their eyes, pushing back the hunger, and held their mortal charges a little closer, a little more protectively. <> For a moment, time was frozen as the vampires held their treasures. Spike held his equal, a girl of stunning beauty, fire, and intelligence: a mortal he cared for too much to make a vampire. And LaCroix held to him a mortal daughter. He felt protective emotions stir in him that he thought had died long ago. Slowly, the couples drew apart. The girls never noticed how close they had come to danger, and the vampires never told them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ That wasn't too painful, was it? Send comments (no nasty-grams, if you please) to LdyofSable@aol.com Hah hah!!! You thought you'd escaped, didn't you?! Huh? Huh?! Well, you didn't, 'cause I still have to write the epilogue!!! Mu hahahahahahahaha!!!! This is for my dearest, bestest buddy. (Yes, I'm *still* waving) It combines two of our obsessions, "Buffy" and "Forever Knight." Permission to archive is granted to Mel, of www.fkfanfic.com If you want to archive this, e-mail me at ldyofsable@aol.com with the subject "Archive" I don't own LaCroix and Spike, and am not associated in any official way with "Forever Knight" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." "Forever Knight" belongs to Tri-Star/Sony and James Parriott. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" belongs to Joss Whedon and the WB. I am making no money. La, la, la... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "A Modest Proposal" Epilogue Karen and Jennifer laughed as they walked arm in arm with their vampire escorts. It was such a beautiful night that they'd decided to walk home. Well, actually, they were going to fly Roman Air part of the way... At Karen's urging, they were passing by the house of a certain young man. This young man was one of the unfortunates who had *not* gone with her and Jen to the prom. Karen led the way to his front door and knocked. He answered it, groggy with sleep and clad in jeans and a tank top. "Karen? What the heck are you doing here? I thought you were at prom. Who are these guys?" LaCroix stepped forward. He caught the other's heart beat. *tha-thump* *tha-thump* "You will come with us. Now," he ordered. "Come. Now." The teenager said. He was staring vacantly into the air, and he stepped out of the door. "Close and lock the door." The teenager complied. "Now come." LaCroix gathered the others around him, then whisked them off to the home of the other unfortunate. Once there, the same scene was played out. Only then did they return to Karen's home, hypnotized boys and all. "Now, my dear," LaCroix said to Karen, "what would you like them to do?" Karen giggled. "Well, they are actors. Let's see them act like monkeys." LaCroix raised his eyebrows, but did as she asked. It was late when the hypnotized boys finally stood perfectly still in the middle of Karen's den. They'd played every part the girls could think of, and then some (Use your imagination, Karen). "Okay, okay," Karen said, "I suppose that's enough. We should get them home." Jen was smiling. "I'm glad mother let me 'stay the night'," she said, straightening her tank top. They'd all changed clothes (yes, the changes of clothes miraculously appeared, unless you really, *really* have this *burning* desire to explain it), except for LaCroix, who'd only removed his jacket. Jennifer glanced at LaCroix. "Should we fly, or drive?" "Drive," he said. He'd had quite enough of hauling hypnotized boys and gleeful girls around. They clamoured downstairs, and then piled into a waiting car (Boy, does LaCroix get good service). They dropped the boys off at their houses, and then returned to Karen's, where the vampires said goodbye. "It's been an amazing night, Karen," Spike said. "I wish I could bring you back to Sunnydale wi' me." Karen smiled. "Well, I don't know. You seem to get a lot of bug people there." "Well, ma chere, I do hope that you had a pleasant evening." "Of course I did, Uncle. Thank you so much." "You are quite welcome. I'll keep an eye on you, perhaps drop by from time to time." "I'd like that. Just, don't do it when my parents are around." "Well, pet," Spike went on, " this is goodbye, an' I 'ave to say never in my life 'ave I been afraid of missin' a 'uman bein' so much." "I never thought I'd have a vampire miss me," Karen responded. "Visit sometimes?" "Course, love." Spike hugged her, and kissed her again. "G'bye." He climbed into the car. LaCroix raised Jennifer's fingers to his lips, as if to brush a kiss on her knuckles, but, on an impulse, he hugged her and kissed her hair. "Au revoir," he said when he released her, then turned and joined Spike in the car. It drove off, leaving the girls to their memories and dreams. (Oh, wait a minute. There's one more thing I have to deal with!) As the sun rose, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern found themselves sitting in the middle of their front lawns, soaked with dew. They reached up to rub the sleep from their eyes... and got a face-full of shaving cream. (It's an oldie but a goodie) The cream, they saw when they lowered their hands, was dyed red. Wondering how the heck they'd gotten in their lawns in the first place, they stood up to walk to their front doors... and promptly fell flat on their backs. Their shoelaces had been tied together. They finally released themselves from that restraint, and made it to their doors. They were, of course, locked, and the thespians, of course, had no keys. They pounded and rang bells and shouted and did everything conceivable to attract the notice of their parents. When they finally got in, they certainly had a *lot* of explaining to do. ("Jennifer... I want to talk to you. Alone. Now. I am *not* amused." ::mutters:: Oh, crap... ::aloud:: I'm coming, Sir. ::follows LaCroix with her head bent as he stalks off to the Shrine::) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Okay, that's it. I promise. I swear. Sorry to R&G about the pranks. Nothing personal, you realize. :-) Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go fullfill my sentence, and no, it's not grout duty. It's more like 24 hour exposure to every angsting vampire ever conceived. Yes, all of them at once. Help? Comments (no nasties, if you please) should be directed to LdyofSable@aol.com