Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:20:11 -0400 Reply-To: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Subject: Your Truth or Mine? 01/08 To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu usual disclaimers. permission to mel moser to archive, thanks mel. comments to author at vampwrtr@innocent.com FOREVER KNIGHT "Your Truth or Mine?" ACT ONE FADE IN: INT. LOFT CRIME SCENE NIGHT A very dark living room loft - similar to Nick Knight's but obviously not his - a tall wooden mantle, leather couch, and a rug in the center of the room. On the rug are two people; a woman, 30, chestnut coloured curly hair, a wound on her neck the only apparent cause of death; and a man, 38ish, blonde curly hair, medium build, dressed in black, stabbed with a rather large knife in the back. His body is lying across the top of hers. If we didn't know better, we'd think this was a cheesy remake of Last Knight...... DETECTIVE NICK KNIGHT is bent over the two bodies, checking them out. DETECTIVE JEFFREY PLATT is standing nearby, *watching* Nick check them out. PLATT Man, this place is creepy. KNIGHT Hadn't noticed. PLATT Of course not, it sort of looks like your loft. Nick looks around; yeah, a little maybe. He turns his attention back to the bodies. KNIGHT Where is Natalie? REESE (O.C.) Coroner's office called, she was held up a bit at the office, but she's on her way. CAPTAIN JOE REESE steps into frame. REESE (CONT) What do you think, Nick? KNIGHT Well, I'd say that he might have killed her, but then she couldn't have stabbed him in the back... PLATT And he couldn't have done it himself. DR. NATALIE LAMBERT enters, and we CLOSE on Natalie, as the scene hits her. She frowns. There's something incredibly familiar, but what? She doesn't move. It's as if she is transfixed by the dead lovers before her. Nick, Reese and Platt exchange looks. KNIGHT (concerned) Nat? You okay? She snaps out of it, sorta. NATALIE Uh...yeah, yeah, I'm fine, sorry. Reese and Platt move off, and Nat comes over to Nick, to examine the bodies. KNIGHT You seem....a little unsure. What is it? NATALIE I don't know, Nick. I was fine, but when I walked in here.... I don't know. I can't explain it. I just got the oddest feeling of deja vu. Does it seem that way to you? ANGLE Nick; uh-oh. He puts his arm around her, protectively. KNIGHT I'm sure it's nothing. You're probably just tired. NATALIE Yeah, I'm sure that's it. She bends down to examine the bodies. We CLOSE on Knight, as he zones out. CUT TO FLASHBACK: INT. NICK'S LOFT 1996 NIGHT Natalie is unconscious on the rug. LaCroix is standing in front of Nick, and Nick is holding a large staff. Nick's face is filled with tears, and LaCroix' eyes are close to brimming over. KNIGHT You are my closest friend... Nick hands the staff to LaCroix and kneels over Natalie with his back to LaCroix. LaCroix raises the stake high over his head, about to drive it through Nick's heart. LACROIX Damn you, Nicholas! LaCroix brings the staff down with all his force, and aborts his target at the last moment, staking the nearby couch with all his might. He can't do it. How could he kill the son he has loved so much for so long? LaCroix drops to his knees, still holding the staff, which is stuck quite deeply into the couch. Nick does not move, he does not turn. His voice, when he finally speaks, is barely a whisper. KNIGHT LaCroix.....please. LaCroix, his own face streaked with tears of sadness and pain, shakes his head. LACROIX I cannot. Nick's head drops to his chest, as he heaves a sigh. KNIGHT And I cannot live with what I have done. Please.... We hear a slow, faint HEARTBEAT. It's there, but it sounds very weak. ANGLE LaCroix; did he hear that, or didn't he? He frowns, as he slowly looks up, then over at Natalie. He gets up and goes to her, lifting her torso up into his lap. He listens. KNIGHT (CONT) What are you doing? You're not going to bring her across.... LACROIX Shh. Listen. There it is again, a faint HEARTBEAT. Off Nick's astonished face, we, CUT BACK TO: INT. LOFT CRIME SCENE CONTINUOUS Nick shakes his head, and he looks at Nat. He's worried. What if she starts to remember? On Nick, we, SMASH CUT TO: MAIN TITLES INT. LOFT CRIME SCENE CONTINUOUS Nat is still taking care of business and Nick is watching her. She keeps frowning, as if she's fighting within herself. She stops, and puts her hand to her forehead. KNIGHT Nat? NATALIE I'm fine....listen, there had to have been a third person here, because the angle of the wound in this man's back, could only have been inflicted by someone taller than either one of these two. ANGLE Nat; three people? There's something oddly familiar about that as well. Nick is watching her and becoming more concerned by the second. Nat looks up, to find Nick staring at her. She's frowning again. NATALIE Are you sure this doesn't seem familiar to you? MATCH CUT TO: CLOSE on the outraged face of LUCIEN LACROIX. LACROIX No, no, no. Absolutely not. This is positively out of the question. And I'm shocked that you would even suggest such an absurd event take place here, Maurice. WIDEN to REVEAL: INT. RAVEN NIGHT LaCroix and MAURICE are at the bar; the club hasn't opened yet, and Maurice is preparing his wares. ANGLE Maurice; shrugs, well, it was just a thought... MAURICE It obviously wouldn't be....religious... (beat) Nancy has worked here for two years; she's a good lass, and very dear to me. Her beau, Thomas is a bit of a rogue, but they're a lovely couple. LACROIX They're vampires who want to desecrate this establishment with a meaningless, barbaric mortal ceremony. I'll have none of it. MAURICE But LaCroix-- LACROIX --No buts, Maurice. We're not holding a wedding ceremony at the Raven, and that's final. MAURICE But boss-- LACROIX What part of the word no don't you understand? The 'n' or the 'o'? MAURICE But-- LaCroix stands up, his eyes glowing orbs of fury. LACROIX I will hear no more of this, do you understand? LaCroix starts to walk away; for some reason this is an incredibly sore subject.... MAURICE I'm afraid I sort of already promised them they could do it. LaCroix stops on a dime, and his back straightens in irritation. Slowly, dangerously, he turns back to face his troublesome bartender. LACROIX What in the name of Nero made you do that? MAURICE (unsure) They caught me at a weak moment? LACROIX Oh, Maurice... at least you didn't promise them anything else... ANGLE Maurice; well, that's not quite the entire story... REVERSE ANGLE; LaCroix' reaction: Oh, man, what else? LACROIX (CONT) You didn't promise them anything else, did you? Maurice? (off his look) You did. (off his look) *What* *else*? MAURICE (sighs) I sort of indicated that you would give away the bride. ANGLE LaCroix; you told them what? Are you nuts? LACROIX Give away the bride, my Roman a-- MATCH CUT TO: CLOSE on Platt. PLATT --Ask me a question I can answer, Nick, and then maybe we'll get somewhere. REVEAL; INT. PRECINCT NIGHT Nick and Jeffrey are going at it... KNIGHT We've got two dead bodies, no motives, no notes, no clues of any kind. PLATT That's not entirely true. We know that Lou Williams killed his girlfriend with an ice pick to her throat. We found him still clutching the weapon in his hand. We know from the neighbours that there had been an argument brewing all night between them about their relationship. (beat) She wanted to get married, he didn't; and yet the bozo promised he'd stay with her no matter what, thick or thin. He didn't seem to see the need for adding an actual commitment to their relationship. On Nick, we, CUT TO FLASHBACK: INT. NICK'S LOFT 1996 NIGHT Natalie is standing before Nick, trying to convince him that they're ready to give it a try; that she trusts him, that they can be together. KNIGHT It's too dangerous. NATALIE I trust you. KNIGHT What if I can't stop? NATALIE Just promise me that we'll be together. Off this, we, CUT BACK TO: INT. PRECINCT CONTINUOUS Nick slams his eyes shut; he can't control the memories of that night, they keep flooding his mind. Jeffrey is still babbling, blissfully unaware of Nick's wandering mind. PLATT What we don't know, is who put the knife in Lou Williams' back. Natalie is pretty sure that it was someone taller than Williams, but how did the guy get in and out? No signs of a break in. Did they know him? Why was he there interfering in their affairs in the first place? On Nick, we, CUT TO FLASHBACK: INT. NICK'S LOFT 1996 NIGHT Natalie is lying on the floor, close to death. LaCroix is trying to convince Nick that he should just leave her and move on. Life is too precious to let it go..... LACROIX All that remains now is to lock the doors and turn out the lights. Unless, of course, you have decided to add her to our entourage. (off Nick's look) Oh Nicholas, you have thought this through, haven't you? CUT BACK TO: INT. PRECINCT CONTINUOUS Platt is on a filibuster... PLATT Maybe it was a relative or something. But that doesn't give us a motive, now does it? Platt finally notices that Knight has completely and utterly zoned out on him. He snaps his fingers in front of Nick's face, and Nick snaps back. PLATT (CONT) Hello Mr. Knight....time to join the detection party. KNIGHT Sorry. PLATT Guess the first thing is for us to notify next of kin. Platt picks up a paper from his desk. PLATT (CONT) The girlfriend, Susie Conklin was from Toronto. Her mother lives here. KNIGHT That's a place to start, anyway... Off their exit, we, CUT TO: end part 01 vampwrtr@innocent.com Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:20:29 -0400 Reply-To: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Subject: Your Truth or Mine? 02/08 To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU INT. MORGUE NIGHT Natalie is working on the two victims from the crime scene. As she leans over to examine the ice pick wounds in Conklin's neck, she stops dead. On Natalie, we, CUT TO FLASHES: MONTAGE A. Williams/Conklin crime scene, the two lovers dead on the rug. B. Nick's loft, 1996; Nat is lying on the rug, Nick is kneeling over her, though the picture is a little out of focus. C. LaCroix' slightly cloudy figure standing in the loft, talking, though the words are not quite intelligible. D. Back to Williams and Conklin in their loft, both dead.... CUT BACK TO: INT. MORGUE CONTINUOUS Natalie drops her scalpel, and it brings her back to the present. She feels as though she might faint. What are all of these strange images in her mind? Is she seeing the future, or the past? And who's past? She and Nick were never dead in his loft.... Off a very confused Natalie, we, CUT TO: INT. RAVEN NIGHT Maurice is standing at the bar, looking a little bit nervous. THOMAS and NANCY stand nearby. Nancy is working, and holding her tray. They look as though they're waiting for something or somebody. THOMAS (worried) Exactly how angry was he? MAURICE On a scale of one to ten? About a twelve. NANCY Great. He'll probably fire me for a wedding present. LACROIX (O.C.) Now, now, my dear.... how little you trust me. ANGLE Nancy as she closes her eyes. Of course he heard her... NANCY I didn't mean that quite the way it came out. LACROIX (uh-huh) No, of course not. THOMAS It's, um, nice to actually meet you...finally. LACROIX Really? And why is that? ANGLE Thomas; oh man, this guy is just as scary as everyone in the community has said. THOMAS Well, because...because-- MAURICE --He's a fan or your show, boss. LACROIX Really? How nice. (beat) I know I don't really want to know the answer to this question, but what, prey tell, ever possessed the two of you to want to participate in some inconsequential mortal travesty? NANCY Marriage isn't inconsequential. Not if two people love each other, and we will be together forever. LaCroix makes a noise that can only be compared to something resembling a snort of disgust. LACROIX You're vampires, not mortals. (beat) I do not believe that any kind of mortal ritual has a place within our Community. NANCY How sad....have you never been in love, never wanted to spend eternity with anyone? On LaCroix' more than you'll ever know look, we, CUT TO FLASHBACK: EXT. 13TH CENTURY GARDEN NIGHT LaCroix says good bye to Fleur, cups her cheek with his hand, and kisses her forehead. It is more painful than even he can beare...off this, we, CUT BACK TO: INT. RAVEN CONTINUOUS LaCroix positively glares icicles at her. She has clearly struck a large nerve. LACROIX (icy cold) My....love life, my dear, is positively none of your affair, and certainly not up for discussion. LaCroix turns on his heel and disappears. Maurice, Thomas and Nancy breathe a collective sigh of relief. MAURICE That went well. Off Thomas and Nancy glaring at Maurice, we, CUT TO: INT. MRS. CONKLIN'S HOUSE NIGHT MRS. CONKLIN, late 60's, retired, Nick and Platt are in the living room of a modest house. Mrs. Conklin is clearly upset, Platt and Knight having already told her the worst of it: Her daughter is dead. KNIGHT Are you sure there is no one we can call for you? CONKLIN I'm sure, thank you. (beat) You believe that Lou killed her? PLATT That's the way it looked Ma'am, yes. KNIGHT The coroner's report hasn't come in yet, but it certainly looked as though Lou Williams did it, yes. I'm sorry. CONKLIN They've been together for almost seven years. They had their quarrels, but I can't believe that Lou would have-- Mrs. Conklin breaks down in tears. Platt and Knight exchange a glance. Conklin pulls herself back together. CONKLIN (CONT) I'm sorry, please, you'll have to forgive me. KNIGHT It's all right, Mrs. Conklin, we understand. (gentle) Can you think of any reason, any reason at all why this might have happened? CONKLIN No, I'm sorry... Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. RAVEN NIGHT LaCroix, clearly enraged, pushes through the gyrating bodies on the dance floor. Most of them just get out of his way, sensing the danger. The few who do not, are more or less shoved out of the way, and not gently. LaCroix gets to the bar, and just glares at Maurice, who quickly and quietly places a glass in front of the ancient. LaCroix grabs the glass and up ends it, slamming it back down on the bar. Without so much as a funny look, Maurice refills it. LaCroix downs half of it, then looks a bit calmer. Maurice still says nothing, he just waits. Finally, LaCroix looks less like a wild beast on the loose and more like the owner of a club. MAURICE Boss, I'm sorry. I didn't realize this would make you so ......upset. LACROIX You know I hold mortal frivolities in disdain. I cannot possibly comprehend what you were thinking. MAURICE Apparently I wasn't. Thinking, I mean. LACROIX Indeed. MAURICE I guess it's off then... They hold a long look. Maurice silently questions the hard face of LaCroix; couldn't they make an exception just this once? LACROIX Don't look at me like that, Maurice. You knew that I would never agree to such a pathetic occurrence taking place in this club. MAURICE I know. (beat) Would you do me one favour? LACROIX (smiling) If you want to owe me.... MAURICE I can't tell them no. (off his look) Please, could you tell them? ANGLE LaCroix frowning; why should I solve this mess for you? LACROIX (sighs) Very well. Really Maurice, I am very disappointed in you.... Maurice just looks at LaCroix. Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. NATALIE'S BEDROOM DAY The sun is peeking in slightly, and Natalie is asleep. Not a fitful sleep, as she is tossing and turning, but sleep nonetheless. On Nat, we, CUT TO FLASHES: NAT'S DREAM IMAGES A. Nick biting her and not letting go. B. LaCroix, out of focus, talking; but it's not completely intelligible. Something about peaches.... C. Nick kneeling over a body. HER body. D. LaCroix talking to her, but she can't understand what he's saying. CUT BACK TO: INT. NATALIE'S BEDROOM CONTINUOUS Nat is still tossing and turning. She's starting to remember.... Off this, we, FADE OUT: END ACT ONE end part 02 vampwrtr@innocent.com Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:20:58 -0400 Reply-To: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Subject: Your Truth or Mine? 03/08 To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu ACT TWO FADE IN: EXT. TORONTO STREET/CADDY NIGHT Nick and Jeffrey are zooming along. KNIGHT What did you say the address was? PLATT 65 Thackett Street. Lou Williams Sr, has lived there for some thirty years, according to the records. KNIGHT Maybe we'll get some kind of clue as to a motive. PLATT Anything's gotta be more helpful than poor Mrs. Conklin. Jeffrey leans over and turns the radio on. Nick is a little surprised. KNIGHT You're tuning into the Nightcrawler? I thought you hated him... PLATT Maybe I'm expanding my horizons. That is what you've been trying to teach me, isn't it, oh great master of the spiritual guides? KNIGHT Yes Grasshopper.... Nick and Platt laugh at each other. The car is filled with the velvety smooth tones of the Nightcrawler. LACROIX (O.C.) A simple truth. It can turn itself into so many things at the mercy of man. Drawing the line at what is prudent and what is hurtful to those we love can be a most unpleasant experience. (beat) We try to spare our lover's feelings when we must cover up the truth of our deceit. ANGLE Nick; LaCroix is hitting a little too close to home. As usual. LACROIX (O.C., CONT) And deceit it is; even if it is a ruse of omission. All deception in the course of life, is indeed nothing but a lie reduced to practice, and falsehood passing from words into reality. Nick switches the radio off. Platt just looks at his partner, but says nothing. Off the silence, we, CUT TO: INT. MORGUE NIGHT Natalie is at her desk, doing paperwork. She looks a bit worse for the wear; tired, and drawn. A portable radio is next to her, and it's tuned to CERK.... LACROIX (O.C.) And what, gentle listener, happens when our deception becomes like an unraveling yarn? When the illusion is passing away into clarity? (beat) We all wish that we could continue putting patches on the quilt work of our lives, but sometimes we have to let it go. There comes a moment in every being's existence when he must face his worst fear. And what is your worst fear, boys and girls? To be left alone? To be betrayed by a lover perhaps? (beat) Nothing is more sad than the death of an illusion. ANGLE Nat; he was making sense. Something in what he was saying touched her on some level. Nat switches off the radio. She frowns as she tries to hold onto it; this truth that has been nagging at her for two days. But she can't. On Nat frowning, thinking, we, CUT TO FLASHES: MONTAGE OF FRAGMENTS: A. A barely conscious Nat being carried by LaCroix. B. An unidentified man, giving her a blood transfusion, while she is lying sorta conscious, in Nick's bed. C. Nick taking care of her. D. LaCroix doing.....what? He is talking to Natalie, but the image is fuzzy and the words are not intelligible. CUT BACK TO: INT. MORGUE CONTINUOUS Nat shakes her head. It's getting worse, this constant barrage of images that can't possibly be hers. What is happening to her? Is she going crazy? She reaches into her desk and yanks out a bottle of aspirin, and quickly downs a couple of them. Off Nat, a little more than concerned, we, CUT TO: INT. WILLIAMS SR.'S HOUSE NIGHT MR. LOU WILLIAMS SR., mid 50's, strong looking, tall, is standing in his living room. Platt and Knight have just delivered the news from hell, and Williams' back is to them. After a few beats, the man turns around. WILLIAMS So that's it? You walk in here and tell me my son is dead? PLATT We're very sorry, sir. WILLIAMS And that's all she wrote. (beat) Do you have any idea what it's like to lose a child, Detective? No? It's pure hell. KNIGHT (gentle) Mr. Williams, I'm sorry, but we do need to ask you a few questions. (off his look) Did your son have any enemies? Anyone you can think of who might have done this? WILLIAMS Isn't that your job, Detective Knight? PLATT This is how we do our job, Mr. Williams. Nick holds out a restraining hand on Platt's arm: Gentle might be better with this grieving father. WILLIAMS I can't help you. (long beat) My son and I have been....estranged for some time. I haven't seen or spoken to him in three years. On Knight and Platt, another dead end, we, CUT TO: INT. RAVEN/LC'S OFFICE NIGHT LaCroix is pacing in his office. He actually looks slightly....uncomfortable. He looks as though he's practicing something in his mind. We hear a KNOCK on his door. He plasters a smile on his face. LACROIX Come in. Nancy enters; she's clearly working a shift, given her mode of dress. NANCY You wanted to see me? LACROIX Yes, I did indeed. (beat) Please, take a seat. Nancy takes a seat, but it's obvious that it's not going to be good news. He sits in the chair next to hers. LACROIX (CONT) Miss Davis....Nancy.... may I call you Nancy? (off her nod) I'm afraid that a... ...ceremony such as you desire is quite out of the question. Her eyes fill up with tears. ANGLE LaCroix; he's going to ignore it and plow right on through. LACROIX (CONT) You see, I simply do not wish to start an unseemly precedent. You understand, don't you, my dear? Nancy's face is streaked with tears, but she nods. LaCroix continues to ignore the tears. LACROIX (CONT) Good, I thought you might be able-- She starts sobbing. ANGLE LaCroix as an eyebrow shoots up. What is he supposed to do now? He frowns, and he looks slightly lost, not to mention, disgusted. Begrudgingly he reaches into his pocket and produces a handkerchief - naturally it is very expensive and monogrammed; silently he hands it to her. She takes it and wipes her tears away. ANGLE LaCroix; Great..... Nancy then proceeds to blow her nose into his beautiful handkerchief. ANGLE LaCroix as he frowns; oh, dear. She starts to hand it back to him, he quickly holds a hand up and offers a faint smile. LACROIX (CONT) No, please, my dear, do keep it.... They hold a long look. He doesn't know what to do with her, and he is becoming more uncomfortable by the moment. She just stares at him with the saddest eyes in creation. Big pink elephant in the room. LACROIX (CONT) This really isn't a tragedy my dear, I'm sure you can arrange to follow through with this travesty elsewhere.... Oh that is just *not* helpful. Nancy begins sobbing even harder. LaCroix looks away, and sighs slightly. The whole idea of a wedding...A WEDDING at the Raven is positively repulsive to him. However, the remark she made about him never having been in love is still ricocheting through his mind. The nickel drops for him; he resents the entire idea of two beings spending eternity together, because it was denied to him. He closes his eyes for a moment, then looks at her. LACROIX (CONT) (whispering) I've no doubt that I'm going to regret this.... but if it will put a stop to this never ending river's rampage of a flood in my office, you may proceed with this farce of a gala; however, I want to make it clear that I will have absolutely nothing to do with it. And I mean, nothing. I intend to be far away on the night of the cursed event. NANCY So I guess giving away the bride's out? Off LaCroix' unbelievably irritated face, we, CUT TO: end part 03 vampwrtr@innocent.com Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:21:14 -0400 Reply-To: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Subject: Your Truth or Mine? 04/08 To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu INT. PRECINCT NIGHT Platt and Knight are at their desks, tromping through the case. PLATT We've got a big, fat nothing, Nick. Nick is in the Knight Zone.... PLATT (CONT) Hey, Knight....man, why is it you always get to check out into the Zone? KNIGHT What? PLATT Nevermind... KNIGHT Sorry. I was just thinking about Nat. (beat) I'm worried about her, she didn't seem...herself. PLATT No, she hasn't for the past few days. KNIGHT Listen, Jeffrey, I'm going to go check on her. (beat) Cover for me? PLATT Yeah, why not....I'm gonna play out a little hunch I've got. Off Nick's exit, we, CUT TO: INT. MORGUE NIGHT Natalie's head is on her desk, and she has dozed off. On Nat, we, CUT TO DREAM SEQUENCE: INT. NICK'S BEDROOM (1996) NIGHT Natalie is in Nick's bed, and she looks very pale, but she is slightly conscious. Nick and LaCroix are having some kind of argument, but through Nat's haze, we can't make out what they're saying. Nat tries to speak, but she can't make herself heard. DR. ROBERT SAMUELSON enters the room, carrying a black bag. Natalie focuses more closely and she can hear them now... KNIGHT Thank you for coming. SAMUELSON Don't thank me, I owed Aristotle a favour. LACROIX Just get on with it. SAMUELSON One of you forget how to bring a mortal across, or what? KNIGHT Just help her, please. Samuelson pulls out several packets of blood, a tube and a needle from his bag. He moves to Nat to put it into her, and realizes that she is sort of conscious. SAMUELSON She's awake. Nick sits on the edge of the bed, and takes her hand. LaCroix continues pacing on the other side of the room. KNIGHT Nat, it's Nick.... are you okay? NATALIE (barely there) Don't feel good... KNIGHT I know, it'll be okay. On this, we, DISSOLVE INTO: INT. NICK'S LOFT 1996 NIGHT Nat is on the couch, and LaCroix is sitting on the coffee table directly in front of her. Natalie looks as though she's not all there; as though she is being held in some kind of trance. Nick is pacing behind the couch. LACROIX (to Nick) You are sure this is what you want? KNIGHT Just do it. (beat) Please. LACROIX Very well. (beat) Dr. Lambert, you are to listen to me very carefully....do you understand? NATALIE Very carefully... LACROIX Good... On Natalie, we CUT BACK TO: INT. MORGUE CONTINUOUS Nick enters to find Natalie asleep on her desk. He touches her shoulder, and she snaps awake. He sits on her desk, and looks her in the eyes. KNIGHT Nat...I'm worried about you. NATALIE Nothing to worry about, Nick. I'm fine. KNIGHT Why don't I believe that? NATALIE Really.... Nat gets up and starts to do busywork around the lab. Anything to avoid Nick, though she isn't entirely sure why she needs to. KNIGHT Nat, what's going on? NATALIE Shouldn't you be with your partner, working on the Williams case? KNIGHT Natalie, don't avoid my questions by asking me one - I get enough of that from LaCroix. She gives him a dirty look for comparing her with LaCroix. He goes to her and makes her face him. KNIGHT (CONT) You've seemed very distracted lately. What's wrong? NATALIE Nothing. (off his look) I've not been sleeping well, that's all. KNIGHT Why? (nothing from her) Why, Nat? NATALIE (beat) Dreams. KNIGHT What kind of dreams? NATALIE Weird ones, Nick. I keep seeing myself, you and LaCroix in your loft. It's as if I'm sick or something, because the two of you are taking care of me...and there's another man there as well, I don't know him though. (beat) It's weird....what is happening to me? KNIGHT I, um, don't know. NATALIE I feel as though I'm dreaming the past, but I know that the images in my dreams haven't happened to me. At least I think I know that. (beat, testing) They haven't happened to me, have they Nick? ANGLE Nick; what now? Lie, yeah, that's it... KNIGHT I don't know what you could be dreaming about Nat....maybe you're just stressed from work or something. NATALIE It all started at the murder scene the other night. KNIGHT Mentioning that....I hate to ask, but is the report ready yet? NATALIE I'm sorry, Nick...no... Natalie grabs at her head, as another headache begins. Nick takes a hold of her, to steady her. KNIGHT Nat? NATALIE Another damn headache. I keep having them.... On Nick, we, CUT TO FLASHBACK: INT. NICK'S LOFT 1996 NIGHT LaCroix is sitting on the coffee table in front of Nat who's on the couch. Nick is pacing in the BG. LACROIX (to Nick) You are sure this is what you want? KNIGHT Just do it. (beat) Please. LACROIX Very well. (beat) Dr. Lambert, you are to listen to me very carefully....do you understand? NATALIE Very carefully... LACROIX Good... You were tired, and in need of a vacation. The death of your friend took a huge toll on you, and you needed to get away for awhile. You took a sabbatical from your job as coroner for one month. You feel much better now, and you are happy that you took this time off. NATALIE I'm happy now..... LACROIX Everything is as it was. Detective Vetter was shot and killed at the police station, and Detective Knight took some time off, before going back to work, to meet his new partner. (beat) You and Detective Knight are....friends. The events that you remember from the past month, are your travels in Europe, on your vacation. You went to Paris, Rome, Cologne and London, and you had a wonderful time. NATALIE A wonderful time. Nick and I are....are.... LACROIX Friends, Doctor Lambert. You and Detective Knight are good friends, nothing more. ANGLE Nick; it's killing him to watch this.... NATALIE We're friends... LACROIX Good. You're going to go to sleep Natalie, and when you awake, you will be home, in your own bed. Your trip to Europe ended yesterday, and you must go back to work tomorrow. NATALIE Back to work.... LACROIX You have no recollection of anything else but your trip to Europe. After the death of your good friend, you went to Europe, and that is all you remember. NATALIE Europe.... LACROIX Good. Sleep... Natalie passes out on the couch. LaCroix lets out a sigh of air. He and Nick exchange a long look, off this, we, CUT BACK TO: INT. MORGUE CONTINUOUS Nick is staring at Nat, who is holding her aching head. He knows why she's having the headaches and the dreams; the whammy didn't stick.... KNIGHT Come on, Nat...let me take you home. NATALIE But-- KNIGHT --No buts. Home. Off Nat looking at him, trusting him, we, FADE OUT: END ACT TWO end part 04 vampwrtr@innocent.com Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:21:40 -0400 Reply-To: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Subject: Your Truth or Mine? 05/08 To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU ACT THREE FADE IN: EXT. TORONTO SKYLINE DUSK The sun sinks into the skyline of Toronto. Off this, we, CUT TO: INT PRECINCT NIGHT Platt is at his desk. Nick comes in, obviously late. PLATT Where have you been? I've been trying to call you. KNIGHT I was at Nat's. PLATT (uh-huh) Oh? KNIGHT (not even) No. PLATT (damn) Oh. KNIGHT She's been a little under the weather, and I'm worried. (beat) Why were you trying to call me? PLATT Because I dug up some rather interesting news. (off his look) For a man who has supposedly been estranged from his son, the neighbours distinctly remember seeing Lou Williams Senior show up on Sunday's for dinner with the two love birds. KNIGHT Perhaps we should have another conversation with Mr. Williams. PLATT You're readin' my mind, partner... Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. RAVEN NIGHT There is much action taking place in the Raven. People everywhere; some are hanging decorations, some are placing flowers, others are setting out glasses and bottles; still others are polishing or cleaning the area. In the middle of all of it, we, CLOSE on the irritated face of LaCroix. LACROIX Maurice....MAURICE! The bartender, who is stacking something under the bar, peers out over the top, very carefully. MAURICE Uh..over here, boss. LACROIX What is the meaning of this? MAURICE You said we could go ahead with the-- LACROIX --I said you may have this debacle of a pagan ceremony; I did not indicate that the redecoration of my club was in order. A rather burly immortal is moving an ancient statue, and not carefully. LACROIX (CONT) Hey...HEY, what do you think you are doing? (off the man's look) Put that down, *now*. The vampire lifts an eyebrow at LaCroix, which is then met with an icy stare and a higher lift of a brow. They hold a look. LACROIX (CONT) (emphatic) Let go of it. The vampire drops the statue where he's standing, and of course, it chips into a zillion pieces. LaCroix slams his eyes shut as his normally full lips fold into a tight line, due to his gritting teeth. Without warning, LaCroix vamps out, snarling for all he's worth. The younger vampire disappears quickly, terror filling him. Maurice gently touches LaCroix' arm, which only causes the snarling beast to glare at him. MAURICE Easy, boss. It's just for one night, and it means the world to Tom and Nancy.... LACROIX (growling) One night indeed.... LaCroix heads off in a huff. MAURICE Boss, aren't you staying for the wedding? LaCroix turns around, and in his barely contained rage, manages only to growl at Maurice. LaCroix exits. MAURICE (CONT) Guess I'll be takin' that as a no... Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. MORGUE NIGHT Natalie is sitting at her desk, staring at nothing. Reese enters, she doesn't seem to notice him until he speaks to her. Throughout the scene, Natalie seems distracted, not all there, and Reese is watching her closely. REESE Natalie? Are you all right? NATALIE (snaps to) Oh...Captain Reese, sorry... REESE Are you all right? NATALIE I'm fine, yes. REESE (gentle) Look, Natalie, I need that report on the Williams/Conklin case... NATALIE I'm sorry. I haven't finished it yet. REESE I don't want to push you, but-- NATALIE --I'll finish it. I'm sorry... REESE You sure you're okay? NATALIE Yeah, fine. Off Reese, not so sure, we, CUT TO: EXT. WILLIAMS SR.'S HOUSE NIGHT The Caddy pulls up to the curb, and Nick and Jeffrey get out. PLATT Lights are on... KNIGHT Guess that means somebody's home. They walk up to the front door and KNOCK. Nothing. They exchange a glance. PLATT Mr. Williams, open up it's Detectives Platt and Knight. Official business sir... Platt KNOCKS again. Still nothing. On Nick, as he listens with more than human ears. We hear the sound of the back door SLAMMING shut. KNIGHT I'm going around back. PLATT Around-- Nick's gone already. On Platt... PLATT (CONT) How does he do that? We, CUT TO: EXT. WILLIAMS' BACKYARD NIGHT We're looking through Nick's POV; infrared vision searching through the bushes and backyard furniture, reveals nothing..... Nick listens carefully for anything that might lead him to Mr. William's. We hear a HEARTBEAT. Nick heads toward the fence. Nick's POV; we see movement behind a tree. Nick grabs something and pulls. REVEAL BIG CAT! Nick pulls a large, hissing feline from under the bushes. The cat scratches Nick, who promptly drops the offending animal, as it growls and runs away. A hand grips Knight's shoulder from behind, and Nick almost jumps. REVEAL Platt, smiling. PLATT Little jumpy, aren't we Knight? KNIGHT Hah, hah. PLATT Any sign of Williams? KNIGHT No. You? PLATT House was clear. He was there though, and left in one helluva hurry. (off Nick's look) Left his dinner still heating in the microwave. Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. REESE'S OFFICE NIGHT PLATT Suspect fled when we came to the door... it's enough for a warrant. REESE Get on it... Platt nods, and he and Knight start to exit. REESE (CONT) Nick, hang on a minute. Platt exits, Nick turns back. KNIGHT Yeah? REESE You're.....close to Natalie... (off his frown) Do you know what's going on with her? KNIGHT What are you talking about? REESE She still hasn't turned her report in, Nick, and that's not like her. When I went over to the morgue to see what the hold up was, I found her sitting at her desk, just staring into space. KNIGHT Staring into space? REESE Yeah, at nothing. The report still isn't done. Is there something going on, something you can tell me? KNIGHT I, um, don't know. REESE Nick, I can't let this go. We need the report, and-- KNIGHT --Captain, let me talk to her. REESE (beat) I was hoping you'd volunteer. Nick starts out. REESE (CONT) Nick-- (off his look) See that she's okay. I'm, well, I'm... KNIGHT I know you're fond of her, Cap. Don't worry. Off Nick's exit, we, CUT TO: end part 05 vampwrtr@innocent.com Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:21:59 -0400 Reply-To: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Subject: Your Truth or Mine? 06/08 To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU INT. MORGUE NIGHT Natalie is at her computer terminal, attempting to type in a report, but she's having a hard time concentrating. She reaches for her head; another headache. She grabs the aspirin yet again. On Nat as her memory is starting to jar, we, CUT TO FLASHBACK: INT. NICK'S LOFT 1996 NIGHT LaCroix has Natalie cradled in his lap on the floor; she is hanging somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness. Nick is on his knees a foot away, staring at LaCroix with disbelief in his eyes. KNIGHT What are you doing? You're not going to bring her across.... LACROIX You're not listening... Together with Nick, we hear a HEARTBEAT. KNIGHT But I thought...we both thought she was... ANGLE LaCroix; just when he thought he was rid of this mortal. However, if saving her will save his son, then so be it. LACROIX It's not too late, Nicholas. She can be saved if you wish; but we must act quickly. On Nick's face, we, CUT BACK TO: INT. MORGUE CONTINUOUS Natalie frowns and shakes her head. What is going on? On Nat, we, CUT TO: INT. PRECINCT NIGHT Platt is at his desk. Reese enters. REESE They just found your boy, Jeffrey. He's on his way in for questioning. PLATT Where the hell is Nick? REESE He should be back by now....I don't know what's keeping him, unless something was wrong. On Reese, we, CUT TO: INT. RAVEN NIGHT Maurice, Tom, Nancy and many others are in the Raven; and it's one helluva wedding reception. Loud music, tons of bottles of 'wine'. We PAN the room; Everyone is having a most excellent time. Well, almost everyone..... We PICK-UP a girl and FOLLOW her through the Raven and to the back hallway. She splits off to the right, but the camera continues through the hallway, up a staircase, landing in front of a door, where LaCroix is just entering into, INT. RAVEN/LC'S LIVING ROOM CONTINUOUS LaCroix goes and sits in a chair, the boom of the music cutting through the walls. He brings his hands to a steeple at his lips, his elbows leaning on the armrests of the chair. He seems to be concentrating very hard on something. His brow furrows into a frown, and his eyes suddenly grow wide with.......fear? LACROIX Nicholas? On LaCroix, we, CUT TO: INT. MORGUE NIGHT Natalie is lying on the floor of the morgue, unconscious. Nick is leaning over her body, trying to rouse her. KNIGHT Nat? Natalie? Nat....oh god... On Nick holding Natalie's unconscious form, we, CUT TO: EXT. HOSPITAL NIGHT Establishing stock of a hospital at night. Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. NATALIE'S HOSPITAL ROOM NIGHT Natalie is unconscious in a bed; Nick is sitting in a chair right next to her. He knows. He knows she is there because of what they did. What *he* did. On Nick, we, CUT TO FLASHBACK: INT. NICK'S LOFT 1996 NIGHT Nick and LaCroix are in the kitchen, going at it. KNIGHT So you're just going to wipe out all her memories, just like that? LACROIX What would you have me do, Nicholas? KNIGHT I... Nick can't finish the statement. LaCroix has been his salvation, and now he will be his only hope. Their only hope. Nick looks away. LACROIX Nicholas, between keeping a mortal's mind at bay for a month, and watching you mope around, I am what is most commonly referred to as fed up. (beat) Now, either we hypnotize her and plant new memories in her mind to make up for the lost time, or we let her remember the truth. KNIGHT The truth? I'm not even sure I know what that is anymore. Your truth? My truth? LACROIX (more gentle) How did you handle her absence from her job? KNIGHT I called them some time ago, and told them that she decided to take a sabbatical for a month. She had plenty of time coming her way, so it wasn't really a problem. A little 'suggestion' here and there didn't hurt. LACROIX Very well. Then it is settled. Do you know exactly what it is you'd like her to remember? KNIGHT I....don't know... Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. NATALIE'S ROOM CONTINUOUS On Nick as he comes back to the present, his guilt rising to meet him like a bad penny. He watches her breathing; there's nothing he can do. He doesn't notice the door to the room open, and a pair of black trousers make their way over to him. A hand grips his shoulder from behind; but it is gentle and caring. Nick doesn't need to turn to look, to know that it is LaCroix. LACROIX (O.C.) Nicholas, what happened? KNIGHT It's finally caught up with us, LaCroix. LACROIX That's impossible. I was most careful. KNIGHT I know. It's not your fault. It just didn't stick, and it has caused some kind of seizure in her brain. ANGLE LaCroix; he did not wish for this harm to come to Lambert; though if his Nicholas had not been so self-destructive, LaCroix would have let nature take its course. LACROIX Nicholas, neither of us could have known it would come to this... KNIGHT Couldn't we have? LACROIX Nicholas-- KNIGHT --I'm sorry...I'm... LaCroix tightens his grip on his son's shoulder. LACROIX I know. It's all right. KNIGHT How did you....? LACROIX You still have to ask? (beat) I could sense your distress quite clearly. KNIGHT (accusing) Why are you here? LACROIX (long beat) To see if you.... needed me. Nick finally turns to look his father in the eyes. To his slight surprise, he finds comfort in them. KNIGHT Mercy, LaCroix? That's hardly your long suit. LACROIX Let's just say I felt I owed it to you, and leave it at that, shall we? KNIGHT (beat) Can you help her? LACROIX Perhaps it would be best to leave nature to its own journey this time. (off his look) I don't know if I can help her, but I can try. (beat) The only way to stop her pain is to restore the missing memories, as that is most certainly what is causing the good doctor such distress. KNIGHT What can I do? LACROIX See that I am not disturbed. They hold a long look; Nick is thankful, and LaCroix isn't sure why he keeps becoming embroiled in his son's world of mortal insanities. Nick gets up and goes to the door, to make sure no one interrupts them. LaCroix sits down gently on one side of the bed. His eyes close momentarily as he concentrates. Then slowly his eyes open, and he zeros in on Nat's heartbeat. We hear a steady HEARTBEAT. LACROIX Dr. Lambert? Natalie, can you hear me? No reaction from the still form. LaCroix frowns. LACROIX (CONT) Natalie, I want you to concentrate on my voice and nod your head if you can hear me. Still nothing. KNIGHT LaCroix? LACROIX Patience, Nicholas. This may take some time. Off this, we, FADE OUT: END ACT THREE end part 06 vampwrtr@innocent.com Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:22:17 -0400 Reply-To: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Subject: Your Truth or Mine? 07/08 To: FKFIC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU ACT FOUR FADE IN: INT. PRECINCT NIGHT Platt and Reese have Lou Williams Sr. in the interrogation room. PLATT Why did you run? WILLIAMS What exactly do you think happened, Detective? PLATT I don't know, I'm asking you. REESE Where were you on the night of the murder, Mr. Williams? WILLIAMS I was at home. PLATT Alone? WILLIAMS Yes. REESE And you were there all night? WILLIAMS No. PLATT Where did you go? Williams doesn't answer. REESE Mr. Williams? PLATT Mr. Williams, I might as well tell you that we know you had dinner frequently at your son's house on Sundays. This was confirmed by several people who live in your son's building. WILLIAMS So, what does that prove? PLATT It proves that you've already lied... REESE Mr. Williams, somebody killed your son. Don't you want to help us find out who? WILLIAMS (matter-of-fact) It was me. Off Reese and Platt exchanging a look, we, CUT TO: INT. NATALIE'S HOSPITAL ROOM NIGHT Nick is still standing like a statue by the door to the room. LaCroix is still sitting on the edge of Nat's bed, and Natalie is still unconscious. LaCroix looks tired; Nick impatient. KNIGHT LaCroix? LaCroix sighs and stands up, walking over to his son. LACROIX She is not rousing, Nicholas. I cannot restore the memories of an unconscious mortal. KNIGHT Why is she still unconscious? LACROIX I do not know. (gently) Perhaps there was brain damage. ANGLE Nick; No, this is unacceptable. KNIGHT You're giving up? LACROIX (weary) What would you have me do? Nick looks at LaCroix; he does look tired. Nick squeezes LaCroix' shoulder. KNIGHT I'm sorry. You must be exhausted. I just.... Nick's voice trails off as he looks at the body lying on the bed. LaCroix follows Nick's gaze behind him; he can plainly see that Nick is in love with her, and that he is desperate. LaCroix heaves a sigh. He can never deny Nicholas anything. Ever. LACROIX I will try again, though I cannot promise it will make any difference. (beat) Nicholas, you do realize the consequences of restoring her memory? KNIGHT Yes. They hold a look. So be it then. LaCroix returns to Lambert's bedside. He closes his eyes, concentrating on her HEARTBEAT. After a few moments, Natalie's eyes flutter open, and she stares into LaCroix' ice blue ones. She is clearly not 'awake' by consciousness standards. She appears to be in a trance-like state. LACROIX Dr. Lambert, I want you to concentrate on my voice, do you understand? NATALIE Yes... LACROIX Good. I want you to think back to a night two years ago. To a night in Nicholas' loft. To the night you almost died... Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. PRECINCT NIGHT Reese and Platt are just walking out of the interrogation room. Their look is grim. PLATT What a bizarre tale. REESE I guess you can never underestimate the love of a parent, no matter how misguided that love might be. PLATT Where's Nick? REESE While you were in there, I got a call.... (beat) Jeffrey, Nick's at the hospital with Natalie Lambert. She collapsed tonight. Some unidentified seizure. PLATT Seizure? As in a brain seizure? REESE Uh-huh. PLATT Oh my god.... Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. NAT'S HOSPITAL ROOM LaCroix looks wiped out. LACROIX You will sleep now, Natalie. Sleep. NATALIE Sleep.... Natalie is asleep now, and Nick is standing a few feet away, looking frightened. LaCroix stands up and he and Nick hold a look. Too late to go back now. LACROIX It is done. She has her memory. KNIGHT Thank you. LACROIX Do not thank me, Nicholas. When she wakes up, it will be knowing that you almost killed her, and that the past two years has been a lie. KNIGHT I know. LaCroix looks like he might drop from exhaustion. KNIGHT (CONT) Get some rest, LaCroix. LaCroix nods, and heads past Nick; as he does he stops right by his son's shoulder and whispers to him. LACROIX If you need me for anything, you know where to find me. Nick is emotionally distraught, and can only nod at his father. LaCroix exits. Off Nick, staring at Nat, wondering what the future will hold, we, CUT TO: end part 07 vampwrtr@innocent.com Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1998 11:22:32 -0400 Reply-To: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Sender: Forever Knight TV show stories From: vampwrtr@INNOCENT.COM Subject: Your Truth or Mine? 08/08 To: FKFIC-L@lists.psu.edu INT. RAVEN NIGHT The party's over, and Maurice is cleaning up. Several others are in the BG cleaning up as well. LaCroix enters, dragging a bit. Maurice looks up and pours the ancient a glass and sets it on the bar. LaCroix stands at the bar and picks up the glass. LACROIX (re; 'wine') Thank you, Maurice. MAURICE You're welcome. As LaCroix takes a sip, he notices a lone white rose sitting on the bar next to him. He picks it up and smells it. LACROIX When did the festivities end? MAURICE A little while ago. (beat) You look....a little... LACROIX Disheveled? (off his nod) Yes, well, it's been a difficult evening. MAURICE Nancy was sorry that you didn't attend the wedding. LACROIX Such a parody of human tradition is a mockery of our way of life, Maurice. MAURICE (beat) Nick all right? LaCroix glares, how did Maurice know? MAURICE (CONT) It's the only reason you'd come back here looking as though you'd spent the evening at a social for some church charity. This elicits another harsh look from LaCroix. MAURICE (CONT) Everything turn out okay? LACROIX On my end, yes. For Nicholas, I do not know. LaCroix stands up with his glass, about to leave. MAURICE Boss? Can I ask you something personal? LACROIX (smiling) Are you sure that's, wise Maurice? MAURICE Never said I was that, boss... LACROIX Mmm. MAURICE Who was she? LACROIX What? MAURICE When Nancy asked you if you had ever been in love, I saw a flicker of-- LACROIX --Maurice, you know better than to pry. (beat) I shall forget that you ever asked me. MAURICE Very well. LaCroix exits, angry. We FOLLOW him as he winds his way through the club, and ends up at his soundbooth. We FOLLOW him into, INT. SOUNDBOOTH CONTINUOUS He sets his glass down on the console and flicks the switch to go on air. He holds the rose in front of him as he speaks. LACROIX The age old question of love. Songs and epics have been written on the subject; volumes of analytical tomes exist. And yet, what do any of us really know of love? A man loves a woman and he asks her to spend an eternity with him; a father loves his son, and he can deny him nothing. But at the end of the night, gentle listeners, all we really have is the reality of our painful memories, living in the truth of a shattered heart. Off this, we, CUT TO: INT. NATALIE'S HOSPITAL ROOM NIGHT Nick is standing at one end of the room, Nat is asleep. Platt enters. PLATT How is she? KNIGHT Holding her own. PLATT What happened? KNIGHT I don't know exactly, but the doctor thinks she'll be all right. PLATT If she's going to be all right, why do you look like death warmed up? KNIGHT I'm just tired. Any news on the Williams case? PLATT Yeah, outside of checking on Natalie, that's why I came over here. It was Williams, senior. KNIGHT What? PLATT According to the old man, his son called him that night, in a panic. Apparently, in the heat of an argument, junior killed his girlfriend with the ice pick. When he realized what he had done, he asked the old man to help him join her forever in the after life, or something weird like that.... ANGLE Nick; isn't that familiar? KNIGHT So the old man killed his son? PLATT Yeah, he did. What kind of father kills his son? KNIGHT Given that circumstance; one that loved him enough to put him out of his misery. Platt stares at Nick; for a moment it sounded almost personal. PLATT Well Nick, I'm calling it a night. KNIGHT Thanks Jeffrey. PLATT See ya. KNIGHT Yeah. Platt exits and Nick is still standing there, staring at Nat. Her eyelids flutter and he takes a step forward, but then thinks better of it, and stays where he is. Nat's eyes open, and as she focuses on Nick, she frowns. KNIGHT (CONT) How do you feel? NATALIE Like I have been living someone else's life. ANGLE Nick; ouch. KNIGHT Nat, I'm-- NATALIE --Don't. Don't you stand there and tell me you're sorry, Nick. (beat) How could you? KNIGHT I...don't know. NATALIE I trusted you, and you almost killed me. If LaCroix hadn't been there, I would be dead; though he only saved me to save you. KNIGHT Nat, that's not the-- NATALIE --Truth? Who's truth Nick? Yours, or mine? (beat) LaCroix only saved me, because he knew that you couldn't live with the knowledge that you'd killed me. KNIGHT I asked him to kill me, Nat. I thought you were dead, and it was the only way to keep my promise to you. NATALIE But instead, the two of you filled my head full of lies that I have been living for two years. For *two* *years*, Nick. How could you do this to me? You betrayed my trust. KNIGHT Nat, please-- NATALIE --No. No, there is no explaining this one, Detective Knight. I might, *might* have been able to live with the fact that you almost killed me. But to remove my memories and allow me to live a lie for two years? How could anyone forgive that? KNIGHT What are you going to do? NATALIE I don't know. ANGLE Nick; Tennyson didn't know what he was talking about when he coined the better to have loved and lost bit... KNIGHT For what it's worth Nat, I never meant for things to turn out like this... NATALIE When are you going to learn that actions have consequences? How could you be 800 years old, and still not understand that intention and action are two different entities? (beat) You know, the worst part is, I feel more sorry for you, than I do for myself. You're a pathetic excuse for a human being-- They hold a look. NATALIE (CONT) But then, that's the whole problem isn't it? You're not human. ANGLE Nick; her words are destroying him. NATALIE (CONT) I think you'd better leave. KNIGHT All right, if that's what you want. NATALIE It has never been about what I want Nick. It's always been about you and your quest for a cure.....please go. Without another word, Nick exits. CLOSE on Natalie; as the power of the truth hits her, she begins to cry. This escalates into sobbing, which in turn moves into hysteria. Off Nat with her face buried into her pillow, we, CUT TO: INT. RAVEN/LC'S LIVING ROOM PREDAWN LaCroix never made it to his bed: He's sound asleep in a chair, an open book in his lap. The white rose is sitting on a table next to him. We hear a displaced WHOOSH of air, and Nick enters. Nick walks over to LaCroix, sees the rose, picks it up and smells it. He sets it back down on the table. He gently picks up the book LaCroix was reading. Nick's POV: a well worn copy of Romeo and Juliet. Nick's face takes on a sad countenance as he quietly sets the book down on the table with the rose. He picks up a throw blanket from the couch and, even though it's moot really, covers LaCroix with it. As dawn begins to seep through the windows, Nick closes the heavy drapes, sealing the room in darkness. Sealing himself in darkness. Nick is not completely sure why he has come; a need to be near family, some longing need for comfort.... does it really even matter? He takes a long look at LaCroix; only now is Nick beginning to understand what it must have cost LaCroix to leave Fleur behind. Only now is he beginning to understand the courage it takes to walk away not because you want to, but because you must. Only now does he realize how much LaCroix loves him. Nick bends down and kisses LaCroix' forehead lightly. Then he walks over to LaCroix' desk, pulls out the rolodex and quickly flips through to the "J's". Nick's POV: Janette's card with a number penciled in. It's a 212 area code; her number in New York. Nick glances back over to LaCroix: Holding out on him again! Nick picks up the phone, but then puts it back in its cradle. Janette deserves to have her own life, separate from Nick and all of his mortal improprieties. For now, maybe it is enough for him to just be near LaCroix. Nick walks over to the couch and stretches out on it. The future has never been so unsure, nor seemed so bleak. Did LaCroix know that eventually this would happen? He glances over at his father; how does one survive the heartache of life within a mortal world, without the trappings of mortal existence? On Nick thinking about the future, we, FADE OUT: THE END end part 08 vampwrtr@innocent.com