From: Charles S Randolph Population 000002 A brand spanking new Forever Knight Fiction by Julie Randolph Notes, FYI--The term "animator" is this story refers to an underground group of persons capable of raising the dead. I stole it from Laurell K. Hamilton's book Guilty Pleasures (which I highly recommend if you like vampire fiction) That is all-- Nick sat bolt upright in his chair as the music came blaring out of the speakers in his living room. He moved around his table to see what station she had it on. He was sure he had just been listening to LaCroix do his "Nightcrawler" show, when this obnoxious grunge shit had just started up out of nowhere. He listened sort of subconsciously to the words of the song. Man, this band really sucked (no pun intended). If you don't walk with me, I will walk alone Hard enough to believe in myself When I know they don't believe in me Unwilling to change for society I'll be who I wanna be I wanna tear it up, tear it out get my aggression out. This is what we're here for, control the dance floor This is why we're here, I said, this is why we're here. So when will it end, when will it end? When will they comprehend, comprehend? that we will overcome this system I said this is why we're here. They keep on kicking me down, kicking me down tryin' to keep me underground, underground, but did I mention that we're paving the way for the new breed of bad seed? We'll never let up until we hear every voice scream screamin' these words, screamin' these words calling from the underground. I can feel it in the air I breathe! I can see we all agree unwilling to change for society we'll all be who we wanna be We are the underground We are the underground. "Underground" by Life of Agony (I swear this is a real song) Nick smirked. Why did he have the vague impression that the song was meant specifically for him? with the half-smile still on his face he walk to his coat rack and grabbed his jacket. Maybe LaCroix needed some company...., hell, if he was in low enough spirits to play that, he must need some awfully badly. He started his car and turned on the radio. The song was still playing on CERK, so he flipped to another station. Nick slammed on the brakes, coming to a dead (still no pun intended) stop in the middle of the road. For his efforts he received several rude gestures and about as many truly unkind words from drivers who were now having to go around him. He turned up the volume of his radio and changed the station again, and then again, and then finally got the sound of a persons voice. The DJ sounded monotone, stoic. "And that was "Underground" by Life of Agony. Let's hear it again." With that the DJ turned off and the song began again. Nick sighed, he did not understand the popularity of music. If it was written after the 19th century, it was probably lost on him. When he flipped back to CERK the song was still playing. LaCroix must have let someone take over for a moment while he "stepped out." he was going to be unamused by this trash playing. Nick shrugged and started his car again, turning off his radio and heading for CERK. It was then that he heard it, in the silence of the night. It was so faint that even he had to strain to hear it. It sounded as if hundreds or thousands of voices were all trying to speak at once. He listened closer, and realized that what he heard was not voices. It was the song...and it was playing out of every radio in the city. Trial Number One When Nick arrived at CERK there were a million questions roaming through his mind. Somehow, he just knew that the every depressed LaCroix would know the answer already (because he had probably read the script, something Nick had forgotten to do). To his shock and amazement, LaCroix was not at his usual place. Sitting behind his microphone, that never-ending green light flashing on half his face, trying to look dangerous and desirable at once and succeeding amazingly well, he was (of all things) on top of his table dancing the twist with what looked to Nick to be some sort of overgrown monkey. "Nicholas, please, join us." LaCroix's voice tinged with a somewhat inebriated sound and Nick raised an eyebrow. LaCroix's technical assistant, the "monkey" in question, dipped him and the old vampire laughed happily, "Oh, Nick, you must try this." "LaCroix, what is going on?" "What do you mean..what is going on? We're dancing." The old vampire moved around again, and was actually fairly graceful for someone his age. "LaCroix, you don't dance?" "How could you not want to dance to this song?" It was then that Nick noticed it. The same song, he had already heard it so many times this evening that he was beginning to think he was going insane. "This isn't that guilt thing again is it?" "Guilt? Who's guilty? You?" LaCroix laughed hysterically, burped, and fell off the table onto the floor. By the time Nick reached his side he had gotten to his knees and was holding his stomach to keep from laughing harder. Nick repressed a snicker, knowing that laughter was contagious and he was in danger of being sucked into whatever was happening. LaCroix finally gave up and fell back onto the floor, the "monkey" lay sideways across the table, covering the microphone with his body, laughing as well. Nick shook his head, perhaps this was not a good place to be. Trial Number Two Nick stepped into the Raven hoping for the best and getting...well, not exactly and orgy, but pretty damn close. Janette spotted him immediately and floated across the room to greet him. "Nicholas, how are you this evening? (In French with those neat little English subtitles)." "Janette..._What_ is going on?" (In English with cool little French subtitles) She looked around innocently, "What?" "Look at those people..their...their...well..." "Come now, Nicholas, surely you have seen people have fun before." Nick thought about that...looked like they were having a lot more than simply "fun" to him. "What is that song?" Janette looked surprised, "You haven't heard it?" He nodded, "Oh yes...I've heard it about as much as I care to, thanks." "But Nicholas..." He looked at her again, "What?" She moved closer, rubbing her body against his like a cat, "You don't car to stay and have fun with us?" One large guffaw escaped him, which he immediately clamped...still snickering, he pushed her away from him. Yes he did want to stay, but he couldn't. He kissed her softly, "To protect and serve and all that crap, Janette." "Sometimes you do take your job much to seriously." He turned and left. Somehow he had the feeling that "his job" was going to be in dire necessity on this night. Hopefully, the people at the station had been spared the obviously intoxication effects of the song. Trial Number Three Nick walked into the police station, hesitant. everyone was milling around...well, to say everyone was a bit of an understatement, "everyone" being a grand total of one person. She looked a bit frazzled, but from the looks of it, she was not laughing. The precinct was amazingly quite, the song had not penetrated them. "Who are you?" the question seemed to be relevant since he didn't have a clue who this girl was or why she was standing in an empty police station. She looked up, her eyes taking him in quizzically, "You don't seem effected by the song." "Is that a problem for you?" "Oh...no...I just didn't realize anyone else had avoided it." "Isn't that why you came here? To find someone else?" "To try." Nick stepped closer, he could hear her heat as it beat in his ears, "You know what's going on out there don't you?" She stood there motionless for a moment and then burst into laughter,"Oh...hang on...you were trying to hypnotize me, right? Okay...okay...wait, what was the question?" "You did say the song had not effected you?" She shrugged, "Sorry...your hypnosis will have no effect on me, it doesn't matter how old you are." He looked vaguely stunned, "Old? I'm 35." "Yeah?" she looked amused ,"So what were you when you came across, like -700?" Nick stuttered, his face turned pale (if that is possible) and still she looked at him without a hint of surprise or fear, "What are you talking about?" She sighed and reached out her hand, "Names Jasper. And you are?" Nick tried not to laugh, "Jasper?" She kicked him,"Yeah...problem with that Mr. walking Dead Man?" He gave up, "Nick." "A pleasure. You a cop?" He nodded, "Yep. What do you do?" "I'm an animator." She said it simply, almost as if he was somehow supposed to know what it meant. That damn script again, he just knew he should have read it. "You're a what?" "I raise people from the dead...okay, so it's not a great career choice, but it's a natural gift and it pays well." "You raise people from the dead?" "Yup...but down in Michigan." "So, what are you doing here?" "I'm on vacation." "Isn't that what the main character in the last story said?" jasper shrugged, "How should I know...look all I know is that I heard the dead calling me, took some time off and here I am." Nick swallowed...twice..."You heard the dead calling you?" Jasper brushed a lock of hair out of her face, "Like radar, buddy." Nick shook his head,"I don't understand." "Let me clear it up for you then. That song you keep hearing is calling to every night creature, crawler, and animal that walks this planet. Whether they are part of human nightmares, or reality, they are there, and they are coming. In a city of about 100,000 people, we are they only 2 who have not been effected." "Why? Why us?" Jasper laughed, "How should I know...I'm just the guest star." Nick sighed, this was going no where fast, "where is everyone else?" "Oh..they are down in the coroners office having a party." Nick sank into his chair, "What _KIND_ of a party?" "A pretty damn fun one from what I could hear." " I suppose I'm going to have to go down there." Jasper clapped him on the shoulder, "Yup, I don't suppose they would recognize me yet." Nick grimaces, "Oh joy." All he heard as he headed out the door was Jasper's laughter. Trial Number Four The music was blaring out of speakers someone had set on top of the most recent corpse. Schanke was standing among a group of other cops telling them some of his bad jokes, and they were laughing. Cohen had somehow managed to handcuff herself to the radiator and was singing at the top of her lungs while pulling fervently at them. Nat had to have been the worst of all, for she was standing atop her desk surrounded by a group of men...all Nick saw was a nylon stocking go up in the air and all the men laughed and cheered. Nick forced his way through the crowd and pulled her down. He looked at her with half appreciation...no no what was he thinking, "Nat...what are you doing?" She tittered and Nick grabbed her, pulling her into his arms, "Awwww....Nick...and I thought you didn't care." "Nat?" "That's my name, don't wear it out." Apparently she thought this hysterical because she started laughing, throwing her arms around him trying not to fall. Nick looked at the drunken woman in his arms and the party going on around him and sighed, everyone was having fun except for him, "Oh sheesh, I'm in Hell." Trial Number Four Attempt at Conversation One "Nat? Can you hear me?" His voice seemed to be bouncing off the walls of the building since he had pulled her kicking and screaming something about being the champion at "twister" and needing to defend her championship out of the room. She looked up...and up...and up, Why was she lying on the floor? "Nick?" "Nat? Are you okay?" "Sure I am, why wouldn't I be?" "We have a really big problem." "What problem?" "That song." "What song?" "The one you're playing the the coroners office." Why did he feel like he was talking to a 3 year old? She giggled," Oh...up...that reminds me...hang on one minute." She reached out and placed a hand in the middle of his chest bracing herself to lean back inside the door," HEY! Play it again Schanke!" That brought hoots of laughter from inside and Nick pulled at her again,"_NAT?_" "Look, Nick, if you wanted to be alone with me, then why don't you just ask." 'NO, look I don't want..." Her face fell, "You don't?" "No, nat..I don..I just...I mean..." Her face brightened, "You do!" He sighed, a beaten and overworked man, "Not right now, we have more important problems than _us_" A smile shimmered on her lips, "OOOOO...there's an _US_?" "Nat..are you hearing me at all?" "Does thins mean you're my boyfriend? Are we going steady?" Finally he gave us, "Yes we're going steady...okay? I'm just going to leave you to your party now." "You don't want to announce out steadiness?" "Ummmmm...Nat..listen...I'm gonna tell you a secret, okay?" He shrugged, well, it had worked on a friends 4 year-old...what's the difference. She leaned closer, and planted a huge kiss on his mouth. Nick started to kiss her back and then realized the "state" she was currently in and gently extracted himself from her,"This is going to be a secret...okay? Just between you an me...like spies." "Oh cool, spies..." was all he heard as she staggered her way back into the party. Trial Number Two Attempt at Conversation Two Back at the Raven, Nick was sure he had to be losing his mind. People were dancing, not only in the club, but on the streets, on the bridges, just pretty much anywhere. He had not had the chance to tell Jasper that he was coming back here, but hey, he was dead and if the dead did indeed "call" to her, then she'd be able to find him...right? well, it sounded logical to him. He grabbed a "special" from the bar and proceeded to drag Janette back into the rooms where the sounds of the song could not filter through. "Drink this." "What is it?" She looked at him quizzically, turning up her nose. "It's blood, Janette, the same thing you drink every night." Her face brightened too, "Oh Goodie...who's blood is it...tell me you kill whats-her-name and brought her to me on a platter." Nick frowned, he _really_ didn't want this absolute honesty, "No, Janette, Natalie is alive and well, but suffering from the same effects as you." "And what effects are those?" "You're drunk Janette." She started to laugh, rolled off her couch with an omph, and lay on the floor staring up at him. Nick was beginning to tire of women always looking up at him from the floor," Oh Nicholas, lighten up!" As she said that her body lifted up off the ground to its own accord and she floated her way back to the couch, and then proceeded to laugh until she came down with an enormous case of the hiccups. "Nicholas *hick* you *hick* have to *hick* lea *hick* rn to rel *hick* ax." Nick gave up, and wandered outside. Was there anything at all he could do besides join them in their obvious Utopia? Trial Number Three Attempt at Conversation (Three or Four I forgot) When he had finally weeded his way through streets that were jam packed with people, he felt like a cop at Mardi Gras. Jasper was still standing in the station, waiting patiently, her feet propped on Schanke's desk. "So?" "So what?" "You know I'm right." "I know something is happening, Jasper, but what you said is so far fetched I have a hard time even contemplating it." "This is a fantasy show isn't it?" He pondered, "You do have a point." "Think about this for a second Nick, if you were going to take over the world and kill everyone...what would be the best way? To have everyone subservient to your every whim, right?" "That would probably do it." She looked at him sternly. "You know I'm right." "Yes, you probably are...God knows I've never been right on this show." She patted him with understanding, 'That's what guest stars are for, junior." "Okay, fine, we'll figure this out in a minute...I'll be right back." He grabbed the key and several pairs of handcuffs from his desk and headed for the door. 'What are you doing?" 'You do not want to know..." Trial Number Four Attempt at Conversation One (failed) Attempt to "Protect and Serve" One With a determined look set on his handsome features, Nick went back to the coroner's office. When he walked in, he was immediately accosted by Natalie who threw her arms around his shoulders and allowed her feet to drag the floor. She then pulled him around to face her, put her feet on his and ordered him to dance. Nick shook his head, trying not to laugh. "Nat, do you mind?" She snuggled closer to him, leaning up in the general vicinity of his ear and spit out,"No, I don't mind at all." Nick used his finger to clear the slobber out of his ear and then once again extracted himself from the hold of the chief medical examiner. this was, however, not as easy a task as it sounded, as her hands seemed to be everywhere at once. Nick's mind strayed 'I'm going to have to examine some of these moves more closely at a future date.' The thought caused his face to turn beet red and Natalie laughed and spit in his ear once again,"I don't even want to _KNOW_ what you were thinking just now." Nick pulled out one set of handcuffs and ignored the look of delight that crossed Nat's face as he, as casually as possible, handcuffed her to his own wrist. He then proceeded, whilst dragging Nat behind him, to make his was to Schanke. 'Schank?" "Nick...buddy...join us," Nick shook his head, "Why don't you come over here and join us." Schanke nodded at the men who surrounded him and walked over to his partner. In a matter of moments, he too was safely secured to Nick's wrist. nick sighed, one more person to go. Cohen had finally managed to stand up, however wobbly she might have been and had amused herself by striking up a chorus of "The Hills are Alive: with the rest of the party patrons who were now singing as well. IN the background, the song played on. Nick used his key to uncuff her from the radiator, and secured her to Schanke before dragging all three of them bodily toward the door. "Awww...man, do we have to leave?" Nick decided he had had quite enough and took on the tone of an angry parent. "Yes, Donald, it is time to go home now." Schanke shuffled his feet, looked at Nick and then allowed him to lead them out of the party and back towards the station. Nick had this sudden feeling that he was in Egypt leading a chain gang, but allowed the flashback to pass knowing it would not be nearly a funny as the rest of this story. Jasper looked, to say the least, amused when he wandered in with the "group." She gestured toward them, "What are you going to do with them?" Nick answered by stuffing all of them in the captains office and using his vampratic strength to break the lock so they could not get out. Jasper looked skeptical,"Think they'll break the windows." He grimaced,"can we get a little optimism here, please?" Jasper started, and in a trance-like state walked toward the window. She shook her head and pointed,"I think optimism would be pretty useless at this point." Nick joined her and almost laughed at the comical element of what he was seeing...it couldn't be real, how was that possible. Walking down the streets, passing by all the partying people were a bunch of dead people. Okay, so technically, he was dead too, but seriously, this was ridiculous. They looked like rejects from the "Thriller" cast call. They were moaning, and groaning with their arms out, decaying body parts falling off at leisure. Somehow, this whole scenario struck Nick as incredibility funny and he started laughing. His body shook, his mind clouded over with a pleasant sensation and he barely reached his desk before falling as gusts of laughter came roaring out. he tried to take a breath and failed. jasper stared at him in disgust. Nick looked toward the door of the captains office...now why had he locked them in there. they were still chatting and laughing amicably amongst themselves. Jasper stepped into his line of vision and that just made him laugh harder, until she slapped him. "Nick..damnit! Get a grip, I need you." her voice held an edge of humor, whatever it was that was holding this city, neither she, nor Nick were immune. He snapped out of it, for then moment, although the laughter still glowed in his deep blue eyes and she sighed,"You have to fight it. I can't do this alone." "And what is it that you propose to do?" "I'm an animator, I can raise em, and I can also lay them to rest." He snickered,"Your going to *laugh* lay to rest and entire *laugh* CITY of zombies?" She did not look amused, "Yes." "Fine, so what do I do?" "Stay out of my way?" "Then what do you need me for?" She gestured over to the group of people that were now on the floor at something Schanke had said and were trying to coax a bird into the building from an open window,"Try to keep your friends alive." "That could be a challenge." "I know...oh, and see if you can get through to LaCroix, I might be able to use him." Nick found that oddly funny,"You're going to _USE_ LaCroix?" It did not occur to him to ask this woman how she even know who LaCroix was. She shrugged,"Just try." "I'll do what I can." Trial Number One Attempt at Conversation One (in progress) Attempt to "Protect and Serve" two LaCroix had not moved from his spot on the floor. Somehow, he had come to the conclusion that the dots that made up the CERK tile were unevenly spaced, and was now using a pencil eraser to try and fix them. Nick sighed. The "monkey" had since left, or gone on to better partying, or was dead, Nick knew not which and LaCroix had been left on his own. Fortunately, in this state, it obviously did not take much to amuse him. "LaCroix." He looked up, "Nicholas." "I need your help." "What kind of help." Nick was not quite sure how to put this,"There are...erm...zombies trying to take over the city." LaCroix giggled,"Zombies? Zombies you say? How cool." "_LACROIX_" "_NICHOLAS_" Nick sighed, this was going no where. he grabbed the man by the arm and pulled him to his feet,"Can you hear me?" "Certainly, I have excellent hearing." "Something terrible is happening?" Nick thought for a moment that he might be coming out of it,"Nicholas," he said placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, "There is always something terrible happening to you." This was going no where fast, so Nick decided on the last recourse that he could think of. He reared back and knocked LaCroix across the room with a punch that would have killed a normal person. the older vampire landed against the wall denting it with his head,"Now, was that really necessary?" "Are you listening to me?" "Yes, Nicholas," he sighed, "You have managed to _knock_ all the fun out of my evening." "I'm sorry, LaCroix, but it seems to be the only thing that works." "Yes well...I own you one, son." "I'm gonna owe you big if Jasper really thinks you are as big a help as she does." "what in heavens name did that mean?" "I'll explain on the way." "I'm right behind you." The pair exited CERK and Nick had this horrible thought 'What if I have to slug everyone I know to bring them back to reality?' the question did not sit well in his mind. Trial Number Three Attempt at Conversation Three (successful) Attempt to "Protect and Serve" Three (unnecessary) Dealing with Dead People (besides themselves) One When LaCroix and Nick finally managed to stumble into the station, Jasper was waiting for them, still standing at the window. "Looks like you guys had an adventure." Nick shook his head, "Maniacal women trying to rip my clothes off...not to mention maniacal men...did you know that those dead people are talking?" LaCroix cleared his voice, Nick stepped in, "Oh, sorry...Lucien LaCroix...ermmm...Jasper." "I am honored," he said in his sexiest, most "oozing with charm and charisma" voice, and kissed her hand gently. Jasper stared at him in awe for a moment and then rolled her eyes. "Oh, I've got another one." Lacroix looked, to say the least, confused. Jasper looked to Nick, who shrugged, and then back to LaCroix, "I know who, what, where, when and how you are. I know how old you are, your power capability, and for the first and last time, I do not care. Take a hint, I need to use you." LaCroix raised an eyebrow, "Indeed?" Nick sighed and walked over to the office to check on his friends. Well...they were all still dressed, that was a good sign. when Nat saw him she shrieked in joy and pressed her face up against the window, making a mooing noise. The mooing noise caused Cohen to forget what she was doing and pick up on the "Bell the Cow" tune from the Brenham Ice Cream commercials. Schanke had, thank God, since passed out and was lying across Cohen's desk snoring loudly. 'He's loud enough to wake the dead.' Nick thought, and then discarded that line as a horrible pun. Nick tried to speak through the window,"How are you feeling Nat?" "What?" "How are you feeling?" "What?" He raised the pitch of his voice to a screaming level that caused even Jasper and LaCroix to look at him like he was a lunatic. "How are you feeling?" She laughed hysterically, "Okay, okay...you don't have to shout, I can hear you." "Nat..." "What?" She had replaced her face on the glass so the question came out more like "wfraaaant?" "I hope you don't remember any of this when it is over." He walked back over to LaCroix and Jasper. "So, what's the verdict." "We have to go out there." She pointed toward the street below,"But, on the up side, LaCroix has agreed to help me." "Help you what." LaCroix looked at Jasper and then at Nick,"You don't want to know." "So what happens when we go out there?" "We become susceptible to the song." Nick sighed, "Oh fabulous...and what about the Zombies?" Jasper paused,"Well, they won't try to eat you guys, because you're already dead. They're naturally afraid of me....we need bait." "Something like 'The Children of Hamlin?'" Jasper looked over to Cohen's office, where Nat was now tactfully applying white-out to Schanke's eyebrows. Nick shook his head, "Oh no...I'll do anything...I'll dress in drag and do the hula...but we are not using them as bait." LaCroix smirked,"While the thought does hold some interest for me, Nicholas, Jasper is correct, we need them. Do you doubt that you can protect them?" "What am I up against?" He looked to Jasper. "Well, basically zombies are like sheep, except dumber. Why anyone would want to call them out is completely beyond me." "Then what are they doing here?" She shrugged,"They come in, eat some people who don't care anyway because they're too drunk and whomever is behind them just walks in and takes over the airwaves, hence taking over the city." "I thought they had control of the airwaves." Jasper shakes her head,"Nope, just the people...see, this song is the intoxicant and therefore everyone is playing it. If it were to wear off, or they were to stop listening for several days..." "They would recover?" She nods,"Yup...hence, the zombies are here to keep everyone in line if plan A fails." "But if you can lay them all to rest..." "Then there is no backup." The detective in Nick was beginning to see the light,"then after that, what?" jasper shrugged, "We turn off the song...somehow." "Okay...Miss Brilliance...how do we manage that?" "Power failure," she shook her head as if this was completely obvious (which it was). "Okay...LaCroix, I swear if you help me protect my friends without complaining or talking about having them as a late night snack, I will do anything you want." "Anything?" LaCroix was suddenly very interested. "That does not have to do with vampires." LaCroix nodded,"You have a deal Nicholas...shall we go?" Nick walked to the office and opened the door. He woke Schanke and securely cuffed him to LaCroix's wrist with utter delight, gave Cohen to Jasper and took the "problem child" for himself. LaCroix was unamused by the dispersement of "bait" but used it to his own accord, leaning into Schanke's ear,"You know what, Don?" Schanke looked interested, his eyes glazed over,"What?" "I'm a vampire...so is Nicholas...and Jasper over there, she raises the dead for a living. What do you think of that?" Schanke smiled,"Do you play poker?" "LaCroix you're impossible." He bowed slightly at the waist, "I know. shall I take the lead Jasper." "You know where we're going?" "The largest cemetery in the city...with zombies in tow, yes?" She nodded. "Then lets be on our way." Nat had decided she would prefer a piggyback ride for this, so Nick was now carrying her as the 6 people moved to the door. "Time to face the music." Trial Number Three Attempt at Conversation Three (9 successful) Attempt to "Protect and Serve" Three (unnecessary) Dealing with Dead People (besides themselves) One Facing the Music One The stepped into the street, watching both ways before crossing. Not that they were afraid they might get hit by a car, but simply out of generally habit and because there were zombies milling around at random. Jasper looked around her, the zombie closest shrieked and ran, losing a leg as it did so, and then hopping until it reached what it must have assumed was safety. LaCroix, for his part, looked impressed. "They have not started eating yet." Nick looked at Jasper, he could feel the music reverberating through his mind and an irrepressible tickle has started at the base of his brain. he would assume it was something like the "tipsy" feeling of being drunk, but he couldn't be sure. He shook his head and tried to focus. "Is that significant?" the question was directed at Jasper. "Yes, it means that whomever is giving the orders has not arrived yet." "YET?" LaCroix and Nick spoke at once. This caused their three burdens to look up from their respective amusements and look at them quizzically. "You didn't think we wouldn't have to face something other than..." she pointed to a zombie who was casually gnawing on his toe, whilst people huddled around and laughed, 'that...did you?" Nick nodded, the movement caused his head to spin and he set it without thinking on Nat's shoulder as he had done so many times in the past. Nat found this oddly soothing and started petting him like a dog, murmuring things like, "It's okay poochie, I'll take care of ya." Nick snickered and looked up at Nat,"Don't you have a cat?" Nat's face brightened..."Hey! You guys, come 'ere, this poochie talks." Nick was surrounded, then, by Cohen, Schanke, LaCroix (who looked all too pleased at this new humiliation) and Jasper. Schanke lifted his chin, looked in his eyes and smirked," I dunno Nat, looks like a mutt to me." With that LaCroix could no longer contain himself, burst into laughter, and spun Schanke around by his handcuffs, almost pulling his arm out of the socket in the process. Jasper giggled,"Would YOU GUYS get a grip?" Nick looked at her, leaning heavenly on Nat as he did so, draping one arm around her, playing with the ends of her hair, "So...what do we do now?" He turned and looked around himself, the sight of the zombies was too much for him so he pulled Nat along with him over to LaCroix and whispered something in his ear. "What a splendid idea, Nicholas." LaCroix stepped over to Jasper and smiled,"Ste aside, Nicholas and I have a solution to this dilemma." "Do you?" "Certainly." LaCroix took a deep breath and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Here Zombie, Zombie, Zombie..." Jasper grabbed him by the arm, looking into his eyes, which had begun once again to glaze over with intoxication,"LaCroix...please, I need you." The words seemed to penetrate whatever had happened and he straightened, "I guess my idea was not a success, hm?" Jasper laughed and shook her head,"to say no would be a mild understatement. We need to head for the cemetery." LaCroix pulled Schanke with him and indicated the now inebriated Nicholas,"What about him?" Nick and Nat had struck up a game of hopscotch, and Nat was screaming something about Nick cheating by flying over the lines. he was retaliating with lame excuses like,"I don't fly, I float." and he stuck his tongue out at her. Finally, the handcuffs caught them both and they went down onto the pavement in a roar of laughter, with Nick on top. he looked into her face and brushed away some of her hair,"You know how real pretty you are, don't cha?" Nat didn't much care for the attention,"Get off me, you buffoon, you weigh a ton." LaCroix pulled Nick up by the sleeves of his coat, Natalie dangling after him. LaCroix looked at Jasper, and then at Nick, smiling evilly, a malicious intent in his eye. With that he proceeded to punch Nick so hard that he was sure they could hear his teeth rattling in Montreal. Nick was unamused. "Feeling better now, Nicholas? I am not opposed to doing that again." Nick rubbed his head,"I'll just bet your not." "May we go now, gentlemen?" LaCroix and Schanke took the lead, with Jasper and Cohen in the middle and Nick, still rubbing his jaw, and Natalie still trying to whisper sweet nothings in his ears but only managing to spit, bringing up the rear. "Don't we need the zombies to follow?" "Don't worry, Nicholas, they will come to us." "How damn polite of them." Jasper shook her head, laughing softly and together they went to the cemetery. It was the largest cemetery in Toronto, obviously named with a great deal of thought an effort, it was called the Toronto Cemetery. Jasper walked through the gates and almost immediately, Nick and LaCroix both could sense her power. She was incredible, waves of electricity built up around her as she wandered the grounds, as if searching. Every now and then, a hand would shoot up out of one of the graves, causing even a vampire to jump, but Jasper was unconcerned, and ignored it. She had walked about for perhaps 20 minutes when she finally rejoined them. "There will be enough room for about 1,000. Anymore than that and we have a problem." "Do you think there will be that many?" Jasper looked at LaCroix, "Probably not." The pair looked at one another, an electricity Nick had not noticed before built up between them and Jasper smiled,"Are you ready, Lucien?" "Oh suuuuuure...you get to call him Lucien, but his own son can't." Nick staggered slightly and then fell onto the ground with nat, slamming his head up against a tombstone. "Son...shut-up." He opened his mouth to say something else, but was caught by surprise when Jasper pulled out what must have been the biggest knife he had ever seen. She stepped forward, facing LaCroix and drew it down her arm. Blood welled up and Nick, from a distance, wet his lips, watching as it shimmered in the moonlight and down her arm. She handed the knife to LaCroix, who did the same, allowing his own blood (or whomever he had ingested recently) to flow openly down his arm. The pair locked arms, allowing their blood to join and mix. Nick and the others simply sat in awe filled disgust. "Oh yuck...they're bleeding," Nat said and Nick clamped a hand over her mouth. whatever was going on, needed to be done in silence. Jasper moved away from LaCroix and Nick was shocked to watch her wound heal almost as quickly as his did," Hear me, the dead must walk, the moon is full, the food is here. I am your master now, hear me. Join me, join us, and lay to rest where you are at peace. Join me." She fell to her knees as a spasm hit her body, mumbling "join me" over and over and over. Nick stood, with Nat and looked around himself,"Well, that was a wasted effort, wasn't it?" the horizon was still empty. Jasper suddenly stood and drew a circle with her foot, "Join me in this circle....all of you, NOW!" There was not a moment for hesitation and as the last person stepped inside the circle they appeared. Out of the shadows, some crawling with no legs, some walking, but losing legs, some had all their parts, they came from everywhere and no where, a realm of nightmares that only animators understood, or would ever care to be a part of. Jasper stood silent, letting them come, until they had completely surrounded the circle in which the group stood. The zombies did not move, the stared at Jasper, waiting, waiting for another command, the command to eat the prey she had promised. "Okay," she announced, laughing at the horrified look on all their faces, "Throw the fat guy out there." Nick looked at her in horror. "Oh sheesh, Nick, I'm just trying to lighten the mood." Coincidentally, it was Schanke who managed to lighten things up as he looked at LaCroix,"Do you think THEY play poker?" Trial Number Three Attempt at Conversation Three (Successful) Attempt to Protect and Serve (unnecessary) Dealing with Dead People (besides themselves) One Facing the Music One Facing the Zombies One Nick looked around himself, although there really wasn't that much to see. Zombies to the left, zombies to the right, zombies to the north, zombies to the south...he snickered, looked around again, spun and started laughing. 'Time to tease the zombies" went through his somewhat muddled mind and he stuck one finger out of the line of the circle, as if sticking it through the bars of a cage. A zombie looked at him skeptically, sniffed and then turned it's nose up. This just caused Nick to laugh some more, and he stumbled and fell, pulling Nat out of the circle with him. The zombies went for her immediately, and this knowledge that his girl was about to get eaten snapped him awake. He stood there for a moment, carelessly throwing zombie body parts into the farthest reaches of the cemetery until he tired of it. He looked at jasper,"What do I do?" She sighed,"get back inside the circle, you moron." "Oh." he stepped back into the circle," So....this is fun, I'm handcuffed to a human minnow." Jasper looked at LaCroix, he nodded and she raised her arms once again, stepping out of the circle," You people stay here or you die...understand?" She unhandcuffed Cohen, who had decided that LaCroix looked very much like her ex husband and was cuddling her head under his chin. He sighed..."Nicholas..." "I know." Cohen safely secured, Jasper walked into the massive group of zombies. they simply let her pass, following like puppies waiting for their treat. Nat leaned back against Nick's torso and screamed,"If you're waiting for a Scooby snack, boys...forget it." Fortunately, the zombies could only focus on one thing at a time and this was their current master, Jasper. She moved into a clearing, surrounding herself on all sides with graves that were either decayed or empty and began to speak in low, soft tones,"Lay to rest, fall to bed, time to sleep." While the chant did wonders for the zombies, who systematically began to disappear into the ground, Schanke had decided it would make a great song and started singing "Lay to rest, fall to bed, time to sleep. little zombies" to the tune of "Go to sleep, little one". Jasper turned and hissed,"Someone shut him UP!" :LaCroix, who had been waiting for this moment for over an hour, clamped a hand firmly over don's mouth. Schanke licked him. LaCroix looked at Nicholas with this 'You are so dead, it's not even funny.' stare and was forced to release Schanke to wipe off his hand. LaCroix grinned,"Oh, Amanda." Cohen looked up at him, her eyes adoring,'Yes my love?" "Would you please put your hand over Schanke's mouth and do not remove it until I say to do so?" She beamed,"Certainly, darling." Nick rolled his eyes, this was even too gushy for _HIM_. Cohen grabbed Schanke, covering his mouth and whispering in his ear,"Don't worry, Donny. Just lean back and enjoy it." As the last zombie fell into the ground, Schanke was beginning to turn blue from lack of air. LaCroix jumped,"Oh, Amanda dear, you may release him now." Schanke staggered back, gasped for air and triumphantly declared that he was the winner of the hold your breath contest. Jasper, Nick and Lacroix were forced to stand there while Cohen, Schanke and Nat held another contest, considering that no one else got to participate and they didn't think that was fair. "LaCroix, think you can black out the city and watch over the power generators for the next few days?" LaCroix smiled,"Not a problem." Nick had wandered over to the trio and was insisting that he could definitely hold his breath the longest since it was really unnecessary for him to breath anyway. Jasper smiled, "Thank you for helping me." LaCroix took her hand in his," It was indeed a pleasure to meet you Jasper, I thank you for being a part of my life." A sudden move on her part brought their lips together, and the now completely wasted foresome howled, cheered and yelled out rating numbers from a distance. LaCroix smiled one last time and flew off into the night. What seemed like moments later, the entire city went dark. Nick looked around, but Jasper was gone. whatever, or whomever she was, left with the nightcrawlers (yes, that pun was intended). Nick pointed,"You guys follow me, I can see anything." Schanke became interested,"really? what color underwear does Nat have on?" Nick rolled his eyes,"Not like superman, you dork, night vision." He gestured towards what looked like it was probably buildings,"Walk this way." The trio of Cohen, Nat and Schanke got into step behind Nick and attempted to simulate his walk. They finally gave up after falling several times from laughing too hard. Nick looked at the sleeping woman in his arms. Everything was still dark, but the dawn was beginning to peak above the skyline. He had somehow managed to deposit both Schanke and Cohen at their respective homes, but Nat had fallen asleep and he did not have the time to take her to her own house. He ran a hand through her hair, his look loving and gentle. When he placed her on the couch, she grumbled, grabbed him and pulled him down with her, and together they slept that way. When they finally woke, they both had searing, pounding hangovers. Nick would bet the whole city had called in sick on this day. Nat declared that she must go home and get ready for work and suggested he do the same. He pulled her into his arms,"You have no idea how much fun this has been." They kissed and she smiled,"I don't remember a thing." 'Probably just as well." After she had gone, LaCroix appeared, in that way he has, in his living room. "What do you want?" "Oh Nicholas, don't tell me you've forgotten so soon." Nick's face went about 22 shades of white. Oh God, he had promised LaCroix a favor," remember, no vampire stuff." "That was not what I had in mind,"LaCroix said, pulling something out from behind his back. Nick looked at it, first with skepticism, then with fear and then with horror as LaCroix began to laugh. "Now...Nicholas, this is what I want you to do" ***Warning--the characters in this story will probably conflict with the characters on the tv show, but I don't care so sit back, relax and enjoy. Due to some adult content, this epilogue is not highly recommended for children.*** Epilogue LaCroix drove Nick to work that night. Nick sat in the passengers seat trying to decide between fidgeting and sighing loudly. the older vampire simply smiled and let the wind blow in his face. Nick had been amazed at first that he could drive at all, but LaCroix assured him that he was quite sufficient and he was going to be sure Nick did not back out on their "agreement." Nick sighed again, trying to move into a more comfortable position,"I'm going to get fired." LaCroix shook his head,"Now, now, now...Nicholas, we've gone over this before. You will not get fired as you are doing this as a gift. Do you have the words I wrote for you?" Nick searched his jacket and came up with a crumpled piece of paper that his "father" the one who claimed to love him, had hurriedly written down on a scrap of paper. Actually, it was quite amazing how poetic LaCroix could be on such short notice. even if this really didn't count as a "poem" per se. "Yes, I have it." "Good, then do remember to read it, won't you?" "Really, LaCroix, don't you think this is a bit much." "Actually, Nicholas, it is quite striking...once you get used to it." Nick gave up, he was not going to get off the hook. The promise had been for anything that did not have to do with vampires, and as LaCroix had made good on his promise, this had absolutely _NOTHING_ at all to do with vampires. They pulled up to the station and Nick got out, looking around himself nervously. LaCroix followed at a distance as he closed his eyes briefly and the headed for the door. He took a deep breath, perhaps the last one of his life if he died of embarrassment, and walked into the precinct. He walked past the front desk, around the corner and Schanke saw him, "Hey bud...." his words trailed off as he did a double take. His mouth feel open, his jaw his the ground and Nick tried to act as casual as possible,"Where is Natalie." "She's erm...ummm...she's...you know....ummmm..down there." Nick smiled then, he was going to get out of it, she was at the corners office...not here. Just as he thought the words she came in through the door. She had her eyes pinned on Schanke as if she were mad for something,"Schanke...You are..." she looked up, "Oh, hi Nick..." she stopped dead in her tracks. She looked him up....and then she looked him down, her eyes filling with not just a little female appreciation. "Nick?" Behind her, Schanke quelched a snicker as he watched his partner squirm. Nat's eyes came to rest on his shoes, they were black leather combat boots that were laced up around the tight fitting black leather pants she had ever seen. They had a nice looking police pin stripe down the side to make them look quasi official, she moved her eyes up his muscular legs, past his waist to rest on the white chest that was barely exposed through yet another black leather jacket and what looked to her to be a fishnet shirt. Around his neck was some sort of leather studded collar and to top off the look, he had a "police hat" that was made of leather as well. All in all, Nat thought, he looked really good. In one hand he carried with him a small tape player. the women around the precinct had come to gape openly at the detective, and even Cohen had emerged from her office to see what the commotion was about. Nick set the tape player on his desk and went down on one knee, taking off his hat and putting it under one arm. He reached in his pocket and pulled out the words that Lacroix had insisted would keep him from being fired. He said them with as much flavor as he could muster: Natalie: I bring to you a gift of sorts I know will bring you joy For everything that I could do Seemed to pale by choice I could have brought you flowers but my mind would not be clear I could have sent you candy but your laugh I need to hear. So this, my love, is what I bring A special birthday treat For what I give to you this year this gift I give is me. Lacroix had been right, although Natalie was looking at him as if her were a crazed lunatic (which he might agree to at this moment) Cohen simply smiled and returned to her office to watch the show in private. Nick sighed again and turned on the tape player. Loud rock and roll came spewing out of the speakers and Nick forced a smile onto his face and handed Nat the hat he was holding. The music hit a chord and Nick started dancing, he moved gracefully around both Nat and his desk, shaking his body in time to the music. Nat was going to call a stop to it all, when she caught the edge of a gleam in his eyes as he started to unzip the jacket he was wearing. She laughed and seated herself on the edge of his desk, determined not to be totally humiliated. Fortunately the other women in the room and surrounded him as he pulled the jacket off and threw it at her, and were all cheering loudly,"Go...go...go...go...go." Nat had no way to know that the gleam in his eye was pure, undefiled rage at LaCroix and complete and utter humiliation that he was going to have to live forever with this hanging over his head. When he pulled off the fishnet, Nat was completely lost in the moment. She joined in the cheering, while he continued to dance and make goofy faces at her. He unsnapped the collar and moved fluidly, seemingly to float, across the room and put it around her neck. She looked at his bare chest, bit her lip and tried standing casually, which was not actually working. Probably might have worked a little if he hadn't started removing his boots, one lace at a time. His gentle, soft fingers moved across the laces until he could pull it off, and then the other one. For his part, Schanke looked like he was going to need treatment for a mild stroke. Nick turned and exposed way too much of his gorgeous behind, which was covered now only by a pair of black leather briefs that LaCroix had been so kind to buy for him earlier that day. As he finally removed the pants altogether, the women cheered and Natalie started to drool. She had never seen his like this before, in fact, she wasn't sure anyone had seen him like this before. His entire body was uncommonly pale, but beautiful, his soft blue eyes glinted gently and his golden hair made him look somewhat like a pagan god. The song ended and Natalie moved closer to the practically naked man standing in the precinct. She could hear women commenting as they moved away, "My boyfriend NEVER does things like that for me on my birthday." As Nat finally came eye to eye with him the applause was beginning to die down, and the hoots, hollers and assorted Oh, Baby, Baby's were taking on a softer tone. "Nick...it's not my birthday." her voice was as soft as she could make it. "Let me explain this later, huh?" She nodded, trying not to look anywhere other than his eyes and failing. Nick tried to catch her attention again,"Nat?" She still wasn't moving, he reached out and touched her,"NAT!" "Huh?" she looked up,"Oh, sorry, just appreciating the...." He cut her off,"Nat...could you PLEASE get me a towel." THE END Okay, so it was tasteless---*sigh* oh well.