Standard Disclaimer: I don t own them, and I ll put them back when I m
finished playing with them.  Quotage belongs to Robert Burns and Alfred, Lord
Tennyson (respectively).

Non-Standard Disclaimer:  N&Npackers, Immortal Beloveds   this is (again) a
Nanette story   you have been warned.  Believe it or not, this was written
before the recent FORKIN thread about Janette s return in THF.

This is the sequel to "The Best Laid Plans " & starts after the tag in THF,
with spoilers for the episode.  If you haven t read "Plans" this won't make
much sense.  If you need a copy of "Plans" email me offlist and I ll send you
one.

Permission to archive at Mel s site granted   anyone else please ask.

"Voices in the Night" (1/1)
by Robyn Hankins

Part the First   Natalie

I still can t believe it.  All our plans, all our efforts    When Nick brought
her to see me in the morgue I was paralyzed; so many emotions   fear
overwhelming joy because I had missed her *so* much   then anger.  I don t
know what made me angrier, that she was mortal, that she had taken another
lover in Montreal, or that she hadn t come to me in the first place.  Oh, now
I realize the danger she was in at the time, but still   a call would have
been nice.  Who am I kidding?  I wouldn t   I won t   be satisfied until I see
her again.  And she *will* come, that much I do know.

I wonder   Nick brought her back across; he thinks I don t know but I do   no
one else would have made those kills and left them to be found like that.
She s sending him a clear message   I wonder if he realizes what that message
is?  Surely now he knows of our plans, of our relationship.  He s said so
little since the fire   I wonder if Lacroix knows?  He probably does since he
and Nick have gotten closer recently, which is not a bad thing.  But still, as
I sit here waiting, I wonder


Part the Second   Janette

So many things happen without warning.  Lacroix saving me from Daviau (sp.?),
wanting Nicolas, falling in love with Natalie   and Robert.  I do not even
know why I loved him; perhaps it was simply the longings for  ma Nathalie
that I projected onto Robert.  I truly hope this is not what happened, for I
would have, after a fashion, betrayed them both.  I m not even sure I
understand myself these days, but I *do* know what I feel.  When I saw her
again I was scared, and then overwhelmed.  I knew she was angry and happy and
frustrated   the conflicting emotions were so clear on her face that I m
suprised Nicolas did not notice.  How I missed my beloved

And now Nicolas knows, though he said nothing.  I wonder if he has told
Lacroix yet?  He will, I know; they ve grown closer since I left.  As for
killing those so-called men   not only was I *extremely hungry* but   la
meilleure revanche, c est la revanche.   Nicolas must realize that my words of
the other night were exactly that, words.  I did *not* wish to remain mortal,
or to die; I would have gone back to Lacroix, given time.  I wanted human
justice to clear Robert s name, for his son if nothing else.  Mmm   the time.
I must go see her; we have new plans to make.


Part the Third   The Meeting

They sat facing each other, a thousand things unsaid, almost bursting but
still holding back.

"You have questions cherie   ask them."

"What happened in Montreal?  Was what you told us in the morgue true?  And
why did you  " Natalie s voice trailed off.

"Has Nicolas told you the story I told him?"  At her affirmative nod, Janette
continued, "It was true for the most part.  Why Robert I do not know.  It may
have been the effects of our separation, or something else; there was genuine
affection for him.  Not as much as I have for you, but more than anything I ve
ever felt for Nicolas.  And as to what I told you earlier   yes, it was true
and no, it was not.  I could control my hunger, yes, but that did not make me
mortal.  And Nicolas knows the truth of it now  "

"What happened?"

"When the fire broke out, I was scared, but I was also relieved.  The thought
of losing you terrified me," Janette confessed.  "And again when Robert was
shot, the thing that passed through my mind as he fell was what if it had been
you?  Even as I held him and promised to care for Patrick, all I could see was
you in his place.  When I failed to save Robert, I began to realize what it
would be like to lose you.  When he died it was as if I d lost you both.  I
can explain it no other way."

Natalie sat back, absorbing this.  Finally she said, "But why go to Nick??  I
*know* you never wanted to be mortal."

"I went to Nicolas because I had been seen when I killed Mario LaRouche, and
because Lacroix would not care to see me "mothering" Patrick.  I wanted to
clear Robert s name, if only for his son; Lacroix would not have tolerated
that."

"I think I begin to see; only human justice could clear Robert, so you chose
to go to someone who would help you do so.  I m sorry about the way I acted,
but I didn t know what to think, much less do or say   especially in front of
Nick," Natalie finished.

"What about *you* cherie?  What kept you for joining me as planned?" Janette
asked.

Janette listened as Natalie spoke of Schanke and Cohen s deaths; of Tracy and
Vachon and Vudu and the Inca; of Nick s amnesia and later "possession"; the
fever, ghostly visitations, and the vampire game.

"It was like you said, too many loose ends.  And then there was Lacroix; I get
the feeling that if I d left he would have just found me and brought me back,
simply so Nick wouldn t fall even farther into the depression that started
when he learned you had departed for "parts unknown."  It took him a month to
figure it out, by the way," Natalie finished.

"A whole month?  I should feel insulted.  But you may be correct in you
supposition cherie.  Lacroix is unpredictable sometimes, especially where
Nicolas is concerned."

"So," Natalie asked, "what do we do now?"

"Aristotle has arranged a new identity for me.  The papers I gave you before
are no longer valid, as they pertained to Montreal."

"Where are we going?"

"To another city of French influence   under *this* name."

"Delacroix!?!" Natalie laughed.

"The best place to hide is in plain sight cherie."

Natalie leaned towards Janette.  They held each other then, while whispering
new plans, and rejoicing at their reunion.


Part the Fourth   The Voice of the Night

"And so I conclude this evening by asking you, gentle listeners, how safe are
your plans?  An old Scotsman of my acquaintance once wrote that "the best laid
schemes o  mice an  men gang aft a-gley, an  lea e us naught but grief an
pain, for promised joy."  Not very articulate, but to the point none the less.
Your plans, my children, will bring you nothing but pain.  Surely recent
events have taught you this?  Or do you foolishly think history will not
repeat itself?  Perhaps you feel safe in the knowledge that lightening never
strikes twice in the same place.  This type of thinking is pure folly.  But,
as always, I am the Nightcrawler and *I* *love* *you* *all*."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting together in the dark, Janette and Natalie heard the words spoken
softly from CERK.  Natalie looked at Janette, who nodded and whispered, "He
knows."

"Doesn t matter, not now."

"I know cherie, but still   "

Natalie took Janette s hand, inclined her head toward the table and whispered,
"I was never fond of the poem itself, but somehow the last six lines seem
appropriate just now."

Janette turned her head.  After a moment she smiled and said, "How very true
cherie, how very true."

As the lovers returned to their planning, the fire continued to illuminate the
pages of the book that lay open on the table, and the words on the page
reverberated around the room

"Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

--- The Beginning ---

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