Date: Tue, 19 Dec 1995 11:42:18 -0600 From: Julie Randolph ** I have recently been challenged by a person who shall remain nameless to write an "Immortal Beloved" story with sap included because all my sap stories are about Nick and Nat. Fine, here you go, stop sulking. :) ** JCR Tell Me it Won't Last Take One/One Julie Randolph Janette stood outside the quarter in the Rue De Masse just ourside of Paris. Her mind strayed absently, as it generally did, to Nicholas, whom she had left behind what seemed to her like only hours ago, and the pain lingered. Would it ever again be gone? Would she ever know the warmth of his touch and the gentle kiss that made her heart beat faster. Soft hands that played on the edges of her mind until she found herself walking, along a bridge, by She La Fie, staring into the depths of the shadowy waters. Waters that were night, as black as the sky above, and in accordance with her mood. Around her, the beauty of Paris could no longer hold any romance, for somewhere inside of her she had hoped, no...she had known that he would follow her here, to this city of lights and a love that began 800 years ago would blossom once again under the starry skies of France. She sighed, were she mortal, she might jump into those black waters, but no, that was not who she was. She almost laughed at the concept, a woman who had spurrned death so long ago, looking for some sort of peace away from the consistant pain and longing. Certainly, she could go back and yet, something, pride, prevented her from going. She was eternal and had forever to wait, and suddenly, forever seemed like a very long time for their paths to cross once again. She smiled, reaching out with her mind, and feeling the soft touch of his, knowing he was there, alive, still in a desperate search for a cure with his mortal love at his side. Janette shook her head, she could not even blame Natalie Lambert, certainly no mortal could resist Nicholas, love was, if nothing else, something one is unable to thrust aside, even LaCroix himself had found that out rather harshly, promising he would never love again, but Janette knew...he would. And unfortunatly for her, the legends of their people, the ones that said there was one who completed your soul and made you whole. Those infintile legends who said you could never be one unless you had that person at your side, forever, eternally. Legends she had scoffed at when shetoo had promised to never love again and left Nicholas and his mortal love to be together. And yet, they were true, and she now knew it, for over the months she had tried so very often to find someone else, but he would not have Nicholas' sparkling blue eyes, or soft blonde hair, he would not look at her with that passion borne only of lovers of the greatest magnitued. It simply could not be, he owned her heart, and so, he owned her. But was she going to admit that, certainly not, and so she went on, as she always did, but this time, alone. If was on that night, the day before Christmas, as she stared into the water that she felt it. A presence she had not felt this close to her in many months. She sighed, her thoughts of him, her dreams were making their connection stronger, and she did not need the added pain. She turned away, walking down the other side of the bridge to the park off the Masse by the Tower. It was a lovely place at night, lovers sat on benches in the darkness holding one another, at peace with the world around them and some would walk, hand in hand. Little trails of dirt and cement led through a thickened wood and she simply wallked with little else to do. The pine was overwhelming to her senses, but somehow beautiful in all of its natural beauty, and then she felt it again. She sighed, trying to stray away from thoughts of him, trying to break the hold, but could not. She pushed onward into a clearing that led to a meadow, the sky twinkeled with stars, mingling with the waving grass below and she stared in awestruck wonder at the beauty. A pain washed through her heart, wishing Nicholas could share this moment with her. And it was there again, the familiar scent, the sound of his heart, and it was so utterly close she couldhave sworn he was there, behind her, watching the wind blow around her hair, watching that inexplicable beauty that always caught him off guard. Janette turned, staring absently into the darkened forest and saw nothing, alughing to herself for her foolishness, but a cool wind whisteled behind her and she felt him. She did not turn, she had no need to, their bond, as strong as ever it had been. His arms slipped around her waist as he cradeled her gently against his chest. "You knew I would come." She turned finally to lay eyes upon the face that had plagued her memories,"No. I hoped." He reached behind him, into the pocket of a jacket and pulled out a small box, kissing her gently, "Merry Christmas, Janette." She smiled, and that luster that was her smiled melted his heart, he wanted so much to reach out to her, to be once again whole and one with her, and yet...part of him now belonged to Natalie, that he could not deny. She opened the box to find a heart shaped pendant made of rubies, he took it and put it on her,"You didn't think I would let you spend Christmas alone, did you?" He thought he saw it, he could have sworn he saw one crimson tear slip down her cheek,"Yes, I did." He finally pulled her into his arms, the emotions of 800 years swirling back around his head, coursing through his body in waves of want and desire,"Janette..." he was losing his grasp on everything he knew, he was slipping and somewhere inside of him, he wanted to fall. She grasped onto him, knowing that it couldn't last, but this one time, this moment, suspended in time until they met again would have to be enough. His soft lips pressed against hers for an instant before he pulled her closer and the tentative kiss burst into fire of blazing passion. "Stay with me, Nicholas?" He looked into her eyes, nodding silently and his eyes fell on the pendant, it was denstined to be this way, for he had, so very long ago, giver her his heart as well. ***************************************************************** response, flames, oreos, letters of recommendation, definitions of "irony", and/or Geriant Wyn Davies home address to randolph@tenet.edu "I do hope this wave of altruism passes quickly, it is quite...distressing."-- LaCroix, Night in Question Trivia--the word "flattering" (or any derivitive thereof) is very popular on FK...name the two episodes and the *three* times it is used, in what context, said by whom, to whom? Merry Christmas *****************************************************************