Date: Thu, 8 Jul 1999 15:52:18 EDT From: Medea Sleep Subject: Western Moon (01/02) To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU ****************************************************************************** ******************** This story is set after "Last Knight." It's sort of but not really a virtual fourth season story, it's kind of my fantasy of LK as a two parter leading into a fourth season. These characters are the property of Forever Knight and not of my creation. I give permission for the story to be archived on the fan-fic site. ****************************************************************************= ** *********** The brown splintered wood of the porch yielded and creaked beneath her boots. She took in a lung full of the dry, early evening air. The last of the setting rays of the sun filtered through the thin veil of dust just beginning to settle after the storm. The soft rustle of the tumbleweed provided the only soundtrack to her thoughts. The anxious gnawing that set in her gut seemed to project onto the atmosphere charging it with fear and uneasiness. "I've made it this far," she consoled herself. At same time a voice in her head spoke to her clearly "I will find you." Natalie shook her head hard to silence the voice. He had found her before, what makes this time any different? Her time was divided between running from him and waiting for him to find her. It soon dawned on her that she was following the rules to his game perfectly, but he allowed her just enough autonomy to believe that she had some agency. She felt like a marionette without enough sense to know that the strings had not been cut. Though she knew the game always ended the same way, she continued to run and he continued to chase. He never tired of the game, the more she fought to win the more he enjoyed playing. She knew the game would never end unless she ended her own eternity=85=85. =09 =09She was slowly fading -surviving on a diet that would barely satisfy a Carouche. Slow being the precise speed with which she meant to meet her end. Play her own game within his game. She collapsed onto the cane chair. He could not force her to feed. Her refusal to eat the only weapon against him at her disposal and she constantly fought the urge to kill surging through her like the heat of fever. Each time he found her, in a state more wretched than the last. The fight against the pull of what she had become was more arduous than her will to die. Each night she forced the need down as it rose like bile in her throat. She swooned again and fell forward onto the porch a splinter pierced the skin of her palm. The blood. She began to suck the blood from her hand ferociously. She picked herself from the ground and struggled back into the house. There on the table was a bottle filled with the blood of her subterranean neighbors. She drank deeply from the bottle. She knew he tortured her because he gave her the "gift" she begged him for. By the time she realized it was not what she wanted, the candle lit room went black. "Follow me," he said "Let me welcome you to the new life I have given you." =09The full moon was at its apex when she awoke. The sky glittered with stars. She reached for the bottle and made her way to the porch. The coyotes howled lustily at the moon. How could things have gone so terribly wrong? Natalie drank deeply from the bottle. Sometimes she felt just like him. Bloody tears coursed down her cheeks. She was a long way from Toronto, from the M.E. lab, the station, her life, Nick.............. Oh god how could it have come to this? Suddenly she felt a gentle gust of wind on her cheek. He had found her again. Please send me feedback medeasleep@aol.com **************************************** Okay here it is my first work of fan-fic completed! Thanks to all who waited patiently for the conclusion! All of the disclaimers from Part One stand for Part Two. Mel please feel free to put both parts in the archives. Enjoy!!!!! ***************************************** She squeezed her eyes shut; as if to wish him away "Open your eyes, Dr. Lambert. You know that I will not, he hesitated, go away." Natalie's eyes flew open and locked onto his icy blue ones. "Lacroix, leave me alone," she pleaded as she wiped the crimson tears from her eyes. "I don't want to go on like this, this was not the plan-our plan." She began to cry again. In an undetectable motion he was at her side. "I suppose you believe he would not want you to live this way so you honor his memory by slowly killing yourself!" Natalie winced at the ferocity of his tone. "Don't you understand Lacroix? There is no point in my going on without Nick, he meant everything to me!" He grabbed her hand and squeezed it with an almost unbearable force. "I did not save you to allow you to die! You will do as Nicholas could not. You will accept who you are! You are, you are, he trailed off, releasing his grip on her hand, " the only bond I have left to my son." Lacroix stood up and regained himself. "Lacroix I didn't realize", she attempted to stand and fell forward in his arms. "You must drink Dr. Lambert." Lacroix carried her into the house and laid her gently across the bed. He took off his dark leather coat and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt. "Drink," he commanded her. She was too weak to protest. His arm looked dazzling white in the dimly lit room; it gave off a milky luminescence. He raised her head to his arm. Lacroix watched Natalie's eyes as they suddenly burned like yellow fire and her teeth set into his flesh. He let out and audible moan. Natalie felt centuries flowing through her veins. Her life and his life coalesced in the mixing of their blood. She ripped her mouth away from his arm, his power was overwhelming. They both lay back on the bed panting. "Lacroix, Lucien I'm sorry if I took too much," she said surprised at the tenderness in her own voice. He waved his hand in protest. "We will make a new start as you regain your strength," he said turning his back to her and rolling down his sleeve. He rose, turning to face her. "The town will grow suspicious as our need for sustenance grows," he smirked. "I don't know if I can actually kill someone," she said in feeble protest. "Then you will learn cherie." He came back toward the bed and raised the covers around her. "You must rest, it is almost sunrise." Before she could say anything else he was gone. He paced the small room. These feelings which had come over him since that night he did not know how to fight them. He was weak-again. His love for Nicholas, for her had opened the flood-gates. All these emotions-human emotions! "Damn you Nicholas.!" He kept pacing. When he slowed down, he found himself back in front of the bedroom door. He walked into the room and circled Natalie's bed. He sat on the edge of her bed and watched her sleep. Natalie's face seemed to waver like bad reception on a television set. Then her face was not there, instead it was her! "Fleur!" Yes it was clear now. Lacroix moved along the bed closer to her face and reached out. Her eyes fluttered. "Fleur, my darling how can this be?," he exclaimed leaning in closer and stroking her cheek. "Lucien, I have been waiting for you for so long!" she said as she reached for him. Natalie reached up and ran her fingers through Nick's hair. "Nick I knew he was lying! I knew you couldn't be dead!" She pulled his head to her and kissed him deeply. His lips were soft and-warm. "Natalie, my darling how can this be?" Natalie put a finger to his lips. Lacroix pressed Fleur's finger to his lips. He parted his lips and took her fingertip into his mouth. Her hands were warm as they ran across his chest. She began unbuttoning his shirt. Natalie raised her hips toward Nick. He ripped the covers back, pushed up her dress, and wrapped her legs around him. "Take me Nick, please," she panted as she felt his hands rub her inner thigh. Lacroix could feel Fleur moving against him, he felt his teeth graze her lips. Natalie cried out as Nick's teeth pierced her neck. "Take me Lucien, please!" His teeth sank into her neck. "Lacroix, hey I've never seen you sleep on the job my friend." "What! Fleur!" he exclaimed as he jumped up from the floor. "Lacroix it's Vachon, is everything okay?" Lacroix stood up straight like an arrow. He was in the CERK studios. He looked up at Vachon, who looked puzzled indeed. "Hey you'd better pull yourself together before Knight gets here." "What are you talking about?" Now he was utterly confused. Where had Fleur gone, Dr. Lambert, the desert? Lacroix looked down at himself, his clothes. "Come on buddy, grab that broom and clear those buckets out of here. Screed is ready for you in the toilets. Don't let the Nightcrawler find out your're back on the sauce. He watched Vachon pick up a small garbage can and walk out of the room humming-he was wearing the same hideous green uniform. Lacroix heard the echo of his footsteps fading away. He dashed out of the room after him and slammed into a tall darkly clad figure. "Lacroix can't you watch what you're doing dammit!" It couldn't be. "Nicholas, what on earth!" He couldn't believe it, Nicholas was dressed-like him. Down to the black cowboy boots. His blonde hair seemed to glow in contrast to the dark leather he was covered in from head to to toe. "Beat it Lacroix before I fire you and your gin bottle!" Nicholas shoved past him into the studio door. Lacroix stood outside the window to the room and watched transfixed. "Good evening my loved ones. This is the Nightcrawler hoping that all of his children are enjoying the full moon this evening. The night is my home and I hope you all feel welcome there. Let me know how you intend to enjoy the night. Call the Nightcrawler. I want to hear from you all." Natalie couldn't believe her ears. It sounded like Nick not Lacroix. What the hell was going on? She started as Sidney jumped into her lap. She reached down and rubbed his soft fur. He was real. She looked at the phone sitting next to her. She picked it up and her hands began to shake as she dialed. "Yes dear caller? Who are you and what are you doing on this ripe evening?" I'm Natalie and I don't know what's going on." "Dear Natalie whatever do you mean?" "The man I love is dead or at least I thought he was until the desert, we- never mind. He was alive and his master, our master......" "Natalie you do seem to be a flutter, I have a feeling this song may ease your confusion." Lacroix watched as Nicholas pressed the play button, all the while looking directly into his eyes and grinning. He knew that song. So did Natalie. "One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small. And the ones that mother gives you don't do anything at all. Go ask Alice........................."