Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 23:15:43 -0400 From: Heather Williams This story is an alternitive reality verson of Ashes To Ashes. It is based on the song "Sanctified" by Nine Inch Nails. Helene is my alter ego. Some background on her: she is a 5000-year-old vampyre from Ancient Egypt. For the purposes of our story, I have invented some connections between her and the FK "family". Forever Knight characters are property of Sony Pictures Inc. "Sactified" is property of Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails. Helene is me (sort of). I will return the characters when finished (although I'm tempted to keep Lacroix). The lyrics to "Sanctified" are written without caps because Trent would want them that way. it's still getting worse after everything i tried. what if i found a way to wash it all aside. what id she touches with her fingertips. as the words spill out like fire from her lips. if she says come inside i'll come inside for her. if she says give it all i'll give everything for her. i am justified. i am purified. i am sancified. inside you. Heaven's just a rumor she'll dispel. As she walks me throught the nicest parts of hell. i still dream of lips i never should have kissed. well she knows exactly what i can't resist. if she says come inside i'll come inside for her. if she says give it all i'll give everything to her. i am justified. i am purified. i am sancified. inside you. i'm just caught up in another her spells. she's turning me into something else. everyday i hope and prey that this will end. but when i can i'll do it all again. if she says come inside i'll come inside for her. and if she says give it all i'll give everything to her. i am justified. i am purified. i am sanctified. inside you. as surely as the blade's course is run. maybe my kingdom's finally come. bises, cousine helene sole (?) ratpacker and one crazy punk ################## Sanctified Reasoning Part the First Helene layed the brush on her dressing table. She walked towards the bathroom, pulling off her clothes and dropping them on the floor as she went. Once under the hot shower stream, she sighed and relaxed. Her night had been hectic to say the least. The last thing she wanted was another hassel. Unfourtunately, a hassel was exactly what she got. She has an inking of disaster when a slight noise from the bedroom caught her ear. Even her vampyric hearing couldn't hear well over the falling water. It wasn't until a tall shadow appeared on her shower curtain that she knew her peaceful evening was over. From the height and profile of the person, she could guess who it was. "Lucius? Is that you?" she was annoyed. "I'm happy you're glad to see me Calpurnica." his voice was flat. "That *has* to be you, Lucius. No one ever calls me Calpurnica anymore. It isn't like you to be so. . ." she poked her head out of the curtain and couldn't finish the sentance. "I didn't realize you had brought a friend." "This is Divia. We've come for advice." Helene withdrew back into the stream of water. She sighed again, feeling her calm evaporate. The shadow of a girl added itself to the rapidly growing collection on her curtain. "It has truly been a long time since you have sought my advice." He opened his mouth to speak but she would not permit it. "Let me finish here and get dressed. Then you can tell me all about it. In the mean time, you have better go and fetch me something to eat." He crossed his arms indignantly. "I do *not* take kindly to being ordered about, Calpurnica." "Lucius go! I will not ask you twice." A rush of air and a swirl of black signified his departure. Divia sat on the toilet lid. Helene poured out a blob of shampoo. Divia's voice was cold and even. "What gives you the authority to "order him about" when I cannot?" Helene chose to ignore the animosity that the child radiated and answered simply. "I knew your father when he was a little boy. I was his. . . what is it in English? Nursemaid?" ######################### I know, I know, but the song comes in later! comments, questions, and harmony to: Heather Joan Williams (AKA cousine helene) Hele56299@AOL.com sole (?) ratpacker and one cool punk Sanctified Reasoning Part the Second Dislaimers in Part Zero Divia's radiant anger changed to suprise. But she refrained from asking the obvous question. Instead she said "What was the *great* general like as a child?" "Much like he is as a man." Helene replied. "He was forever catching toads and holding them over flames to watch them die solwly. Otherwise he was burning up ants with a lens placed to refract the sun. He wasn't a very nice little boy." Divia smiled. "It seems strange that Lucius should still obey a nursemaid after all this time." Switching off the water, Helene said "He may be a cruel person, but he is capable of great devotion." "None that I have ever seen." Divia snorted. "What have you done to evoke it?" No answer could be found so the girl remained silent. Helene, having learned that it doesn't pay to be modest when you're 5417, stepped out onto the bath mat. Divia's suprise returned. "What? Have you never seen a woman before?" Helene mocked. The flint returned to Divia's glare. "I did not expect you to be so young." And this was true, for Helene was only a few years older than Divia herself. However, in those few short years before her death, Helene had grown to be a woman while Divia remaind a child forever. Helene wrapped herself in a towel and refused to be fazed by the girl's malevolance. "When I was alive, 15 was middle age. 30 was a very old man. And now? Now I am a child, incapable of indepentant thought. In five milenia, I have grown younger. We should all be so lucky. . ." Following Helene out into the main room of the appartment, Divia settled primly on the piano stool. Helene disapeared behind a dressing screen. The girls did not speak as Helene changed. The relative silence was broken by Lacroix's return. He uncerimoniously depositied an armful of bottles on the coffee table and marched behind the screen. Suspicous, Divia peered around the edge. She was enraged to find her father kissing Helene violently. With a small, childish scream, she tossed the nearest object at hand across the room at him. What happened to be a small carrage clock cracked Lacroix squarely on the back of the head and smashed on the marble floor. He swilveled upon his daughter, holding his skull. Helene cried "Lucius sit down. You're bleeding!" she glanced down. "My clock! Do you realize where that clock came from?" Shoving Lacroix down into a chair, she advanced upon Divia. "Wench! How dare you come into my home and break my furniture!" Divia smiled and pulled over a small table. Talcum powder went everywhere. Surrounded by a thick white cloud, Divia began to cough. Helene struck her hard upon the face, knocking the child to the floor. A general scuffle took place inside that cloud of powder. When the proverbial dust had settled, Lacroix restrained Helene from hurting Divia any more. "Calpurnica. . ." he protested. "That's not my name anymore! Release me." Helene composed herself somewhat. "No. Let us sit snd talk. At least let me tell the child the reasons for my hating her." Lacroix pulled Helene down onto a couch, keeping his arm around her, just in case. Divia sat crosslegged on the floor. "After Lucius became a man and went to war, I was released from his parents' service. We did not meet again for sevral hundered years. He told me the events of his crossing over and of your death. We spoke of your master, whom you killed. Tell me what you knew of your maker." Divia stood and began to pace, leaving a trail of white powder on the carpet. "We are not here to talk about me. This is about you, *Father*." she spat. "Very well," Helene sighed. "I will tell you. He was a very powerful man. He saw you dying and felt your potential as indescriminate killer. He sought to hone your skills in his own image. He loved you and you took that love to be obsession. You killed him in cold blood and felt no remorse then and feel none now." Divia launched herself at Helene's neck. "What do you know of my maker?" "He was my husband!" Divia stood frozen in time. Even Lacroix was stunned. "Cal. . . uh, Helene why did you not tell me this?" "It wasn't important then." Divia screamed again. "Nor is it now. This does not concern you! Why did you bring us here, Lucius? To talk? That is what you do best, isn't it? Candy-coating your words, twisting the truth. I refuse to listen anymore. There is busness elsewhere." In a flurry of white powder, she was gone. Lacroix rose to follow her but Helene restrained him. "Stay. And explain to me." ************************************************* comments, questions, and harmony to: Heather Joan Williams (AKA cousine helene) Hele56299@AOL.com sole (?) ratpacker, ballet punk, and owner of Spike, the psudo-goldfish "blood is like wine, unconscience all the time. if i had it all again i'd change it all." bush machine head Sanctified Reasoning Part the Third Lacroix touched the back of his head. It has ceaced to bleed but still caused him pain. Helene stood and took a bottle from the table. She drank from it slowly, gazing sadly at the ruins of her livingroom. [it's still getting worse after everything i tried.] [what if i found a way to wash it all aside.] "She controls me. Your husband recognized that quality in her." Helene folded herself into and armchair, "We were not married. We were lovers and companions for many centuries; to me that is reason enough to claim marrage. I had thought that old wound was healed. But to see this child child and feel her strengh. . .I know not." [what if she touches with those fingertips.] [as the words spill out like fire from her lips.] "It is the same for me." Lacroix's voice was tired. "She was dead and forgotten to the world. I fought to control my thoughts for so long but she returns and snaches them away in a second." Helene smiled half-heartedly. "Do you now know how young Nicolas' feels?" "It is not the same!" Lacroix smashed his fist down onto his knee. Helene merly shruged, confidant in her position. [if she says come inside, i'll come inside for her.] [if she says give it all, i'll give everything to her.] [i am justified. i am purified. i am sanctified. inside you.] "I cannot help but to be ruled by her. Out souls are bound so tightly together. . .but it baffles me why she is so strong." Helene considered. "Her soul is dark. She has had many years to consider that darkness, alone as you left her. THe concentration of that blackened soul has become what you see." [Heaven's just a rumor she'll dispell.] [as she walks me through the nicest parts of hell.] [everyday i hope and pray that this will end.] [but when i can, i do it all again.] "And despite everything, I love her." His head was in his hands. This was Lacroix at his most vulnerable. Helene slipped easily back into the proffered role of this boy's nursemaid but did not speak her thoughts. //"Can he not see himself reflected in Nicolas? Surely this will bring him closer together."// Lacroix stood. "I am resolved to speak with her." "You cannot reason with Divia." Helene cautioned. "But neither can I remain here." He walked out onto the balcony, trailing Helene. Floating in the air, he seemed to stand on the opposite side of the railing. SHe reached out and kissed him quickly. "May this be out goodbye: simple and quiet. If we do not meet again, know that I love you still." He kissed her again, longer, more tender, before backing away slowly. Standing in the sky, 60 feet above the sidewalk, he blew a kiss to Helene and was gone. He thought about Divia's death: a slice of the Scythe. How could that not end everything?" [as sure as the blade's course is run.] [maybe my kingdom's finaly come.] The descion was simple. The action was difficult. But what else could be done? [i am justifed. i am purified. i am sanctified. inside you.] - - -here follows the rest of the events in Ashes to Ashes- - - FIN comments, questions, and harmony to: Heather Joan Williams (AKA cousine Helene) Hele56299@AOL.com ratpacker, ballet punk, and owner of Spike the psudo-goldfish