Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 01:51:24 -0500 Reply-To: rednight@bayou.com Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: "Mrs. LaCroix" Organization: Bayou Internet Subject: The Wizard of Toronto To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu Status: WARNINGS:rated PG-13 due to language.A bit of humiliation is done to Nick, but it is all done in good fun, so no offense to anyone. I love and care for ALL FK characters and just like to play every once in a while *G*. This is my first fanfic to ever post publicly, so you've been warned!! *weg* DISCLAIMERS: I don't own any of these characters and am not sure exactly who does. I'm only borrowing them for a short while, and I promise to put them back, safe and sound, where I found them after they finish 'playing'. Some references were used towards 'The Wizard of Oz' and I don't own anything to do with that either.No profit is being made from either of these.Permission given to archive at Mel's fiction site. One last thing and I'll finally be quiet long enough for you to read the actual story. I would like to thank Sheila T. *waves* for all the help and encouragement that was sent to me. If not for her, I wouldn't have posted anything to the list.Questions, comments, and/or flames can be sent to me at ******************************************************************************** ******** Nick slumped back into his chair, trying desperately to make himself become part of the furniture. How did he ever get himself into this mess!? He looked around the night-club to see if there were any windows or doors or SOMETHING were he might sneak out. Good! He found one! Nick was about to rise and "excuse" himself, when he felt Nat's hand on his shoulder and push him forcefully down. "Don't EVEN think you're going anywhere buster!," Nat snapped without even looking at him. "But Nat, I..." "NO!" By the tone of her voice Nick knew that that was the end of the discussion. No matter how he begged or pleaded, he was stuck. Suddenly, there was a vibration in the "link". Nick groaned, "Great! Of all people of all the time, and of all the places, YOU have to show up HERE, TONIGHT!" LaCroix couldn't help but to allow his amusement travel across the link. "Oh, mais, mon fils, I wouldn't miss this for the world!" LaCroix' deep-throated chuckle rang through Nick's ears, making him even more humiliated than he already was. His mind raced back to try to find the exact moment he messed up with Nat. ****FLASHBACK**** Monday: "Nat," Nick whined," I promise I won't forget!" Nat only half-turned to look at Nick and gave him her "bull-shit" look. She sat her scalpel down beside the body she was working on, and sat on the slab beside it. "Nick," she sighed, "You WILL forget, you always do. Oh! Just don't worry about it! I'm used to your convenient 'forgetting' by now!" "What can I do to prove to you that I won't forget Nat? What? Tell me.Anything!" Nat started to turn away and storm off, but then a mischievous thought crossed her mind. She narrowed her eyes and grinned evily at Nick. "Weeeellllll, there IS a way to teach you a lesson if you forget, but reward you if you remember. "What? I'll do anything, just tell me!" "I propose a game of 'Let's make a deal'" Now it was Nick's turn to make a face. He eyed her suspiciously, but was desperate enough to do anything at this point. "Allright," he sighed, "I'm game, what do you propose?" "If you forget.....I get to decide something for you to do and you have to do it no matter what..." "And if I win?" "IF you win, you get to escort me to the opera this Friday, and to dinner. Maybe, if you're a good boy, you might get to accompany me to my place...sound fair?" "Um, Nat, I....," "What? Are you chicken?! See, I told you you would forget!" "Dang it Nat! I'm not going to forget! ALLRIGHT! Agreed! What time should I pick you up Friday?" Nat just laughed and walked out of the morgue, leaving Nick to just stare after her. Wednesday: "Hey Nat! How's it going?" Nat jumped, nearly cutting an extra gash in the dead male that lay before her on the slab. "Nick, how many times do I have to tell you? QUIT SNEAKING UP ON PEOPLE!!!" Nick backed up a bit, trying to get away from the mad doctor who was practically swinging the scalpel at him."Alright! I'm sorry!" Nick grinned and pulled out a handful of red roses from behind his back,along with a bottle of champagne. "How about we celebrate?" Nat's face lightened as she took the roses and held them lovingly in her hands. "Aw! Nick! That's so sweet!" "See? I told you I wouldn't forget!" Nat could see right through Nick's little charade and directly into what he was up to. "So...um..Nick. WHAT exactly was it that you didn't forget?" "It was....um....heh heh,...um" Nick looked at Nat with his best "puppy-dog" look, hoping that would get him off the hook......it didn't work. "Nat threw the roses at Nick and hit him in the face. "IT'S OUR ANNIVERSARY!!!TODAY IS THE DATE THAT THEY FIRST BROUGHT YOU IN AND WE FIRST MET!!!" The realisation of the fact hit Nick like a ton of bricks. His mouth fell open and his mind raced to find anything that could possibly help his situation. He couldn't believe he had forgotten their anniversary! *uh oh,* Nick thought, *Along with the anniversary was.....Nat's birthday!!* He lowered his head to the floor, completely, at a loss for words. Even though she was angry and a bit hurt that Nick would forget such a momentous event, she was also happy. Now was the chance for her to teach him a lesson and she fully planned to use it! She told Nick exactly what he was to do and bring and where to go. She ignored all of his silent pleas to allow him to squiggle out of it. After Nick realized that there was nothing he could say or do to dissuade her, he left and Nat picked up the phone. Miklos knocked on the door to LaCroix' bedroom quietly and waited to be admitted. He knew better than just walk in! "Yes? What is it Miklos?" "Sir, there's a call for you." "From....?" "A Dr. Lambert sir." "Fine. I'll take it in here. That will be all." LaCroix' bad mood turned a good bit after Nat explained to him what was to happen. *****END FLASHBACK***** "Well, Nick," Nat chided, "don't you think it's about time to get ready?" Nat please...," Nat turned away from Nick and found something more amusing to watch until he got the point. "Now Nicholas, you don't want to keep the lady waiting now do you?" LaCroix laughed A voice spoke up from nowhere, "He's right Nichola. You DO remember at least a fraction of what I taught you on how to treat a lady don't you? Nick's face fell even more. Janette! It was bad enough that Nat and LaCroix, plus countless others were here, but now Janette!Even if he were to fly, he would now not be able to escape this. Either Janette or LaCroix....or perhaps BOTH would just catch him and drag him back. Nick stood up sluggishly and headed backstage to the dressing rooms. He had a long night ahead of him. Nat, Janette, and LaCroix were all out laughing and talking amongst themselves about the upcoming event. LaCroix couldn't help but to congratulate Nat on her devious little plot. It seemed to take forever, but FINALLY, the announcer came out. The small trio stopped their conversation and turned their full attention toward the stage. "Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, we have a slight....er....switch in entertainment. Tonight, we will have 'Nicky-pooty, the wubbleous wonder'..... performinnnnngggggg... um....er....just performing." The audience broke out in a hesitant applause, covered only by the quiet snickering that seemed to be escalating to obnoxious laughter,coming from Nat's table. Finally, the curtains opened to reveal a Nick in red pigtails on either side of his head, a 'country-girl' skirt,white hose, two black shoes and holding a little black dog in his hand. Nick glanced up to see his 'family' laughing and snickering at him. Nat was just barely able to stand up and grab the mike that was set up for her, so she could announce what was going on on-stage. Obviously, she was the 'choreographer' for this little 'set'. "*snicker snicker* Here, *ggl, snicker* we have a Dorothy Knight. *snicker* SHE will be performing 'Over the rainbow' Dorothy?" Nick eyed Nat evily under his 'girly' make-up. He was a man of his word, so he couldn't 80>back down on stage, no matter how humiliating, so he grinned and bore it. His mouth opened and he started into 'Over the Rainbow', totally mutilating the entire song. He was only slightly relieved when that part was over because he still had more to go. The curtains opened not long afterwards to reveal a 'Nicky-pooty' with a silver oil can on his head and his nose. A burst of loud laughter came from all around, turning the little 'Tin man' a bright red. Giggling, and still snickering, Nat picked up the mike and made her announcement. "Here we have the tin-brained and tin-hearted. It seems our little Tin-pooty has no heart. Tin-pooty....if you will..." Again, complete humiliation.Nick started in on 'If I had a heart' and made himself get lost in the motions of acting like a Tin-man, so that it wouldn't last as long. There was little lasting laughter after this one, which made Nick sigh in relief. "If they only thought this one wasn't that funny, " he rationalized, "maybe the rest won't be as funny." When the curtains opened again, we see Nick with a outlandishly loud, orange mane around his head, and a tail attached to his butt. This time, Nat was a little more composed when she went to introduce the 'entertainer' again. " Here, we have the cowardly and forgetful lion.I don't need much of an introduction for this one. I think it speaks for itself. Now, if you will Forgetful." The crowd was now roaring (no pun intended) while 'Forgetful was roaring and pouncing on things on stage while singing the chorus of if 'I had courage' Any other time, he would have been more than happy to see Nat, LaCroix and Janette, all having a good time, and enjoying themselves, but not at his expense! When he squinted his eyes and looked past the bright lights, he could even see LaCroix' face as red as embers and laughing so hard he was crying. Nick lowered his head and sighed,...only a few more left and he would be able to leave. When the curtain opened last, we see a Nick in overalls, a straw hat and straw poking out of every hole and crevice possible. There was a loud roar that came......as usual....from Nat's table. They were laughing so hard, Nat couldn't get anything out to announce Nick. There was a signal Nat was supposed to use for the second announcer in case something like this happened, but she was laughing so hard she couldn't even move. Luckily, the announcer knew this and moved in to simply announce the song.....'If I only had a brain' This title set off another round of laughter from Nat's table. The three were laughing so hard, no-one could hear Nick's awful singing over them! Nick FINALLY managed to get the song over with and practically ran backstage. He sat back there for a long while. He was trying to figure out how to get out without anyone seeing him. After three hours, he finally got his courage up and was about to walk out, when he was stopped by LaCroix who was standing in the doorway and still giggling madly at Nick. "Haven't you seen enough LaCroix! Let me go! I've had enough humiliation for at least five centuries!" "Not quite," came a voice from behind LaCroix, "You still have one more task before i let you off the hook buster!" "Nat, please, I'm begging you!" "Hah! I COULD do so much more....but...okay, enough for now. But, you still have this one last thing and your punishment will be over." Nick groaned again, "What now?" Nat stepped from behind LaCroix and held out a huge, bright, pink bunny suit. "Here, you get to wear this for the rest of the night, and since you're off tomorrow....you get to wear it then to.You don't get to walk either, you have to hop since you're a bunny and all.You need a name though...hmmmm, since you're a knight, I guess I could give you a little slack......Um....let's see.how about 'Sir Hops-Alot'!" Nat.....I," Nick whined LaCroix giggled, "I would quit while I was ahead if I were you, she did have more and worse things planned for you. You should take this last humiliation and get it over with." "Oh, it can't be that bad! Nothing can be worse than this!!" Janette poked her head in and walked to Nick. "Well, you have a choice of this..or....," She whispered everything that Nat had planned to him. "Now, you decide." Outside the nightclub, we see a huge pink, bunny hopping down the sidewalk towards Nick's loft. **END**