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Natalie.
He was at her apartment. LaCroix was
gone. He didn't remember driving here, so deep in thought. The lights
were on. He knocked, but no one answered. He quietly let himself
in with the extra key she had given him for emergencies.
The sight on the couch did little to appease
the needs stirring within him- both human and vampire. They intensified
as he looked at her.
Leather and Lace. She must have come
in, fed Sidney and then collapsed onto the couch. She looked absolutely
exhausted and irresistible. Nick kneeled on the floor in front of the couch.
He reached up to brush a strand of hair away from her forehead. She
opened one eye. She didn't look surprised to see him.
"Tomorrow night- I'm drinking," she joked.
"Natalie, that's not even a little bit funny. Do you have any conception of how worried I was? How can you even consider doing this again? And again and again."
"Whoa, for a minute there I was afraid you were going to use my full name, Dad, then I'd have been in real trouble," she said sitting up.
She wouldn't be able to share Tony's latest info with Nick. He was worried enough, any news like that and she was likely to find herself permanently chained in his loft. She contemplated it for a moment....
"Nat," Nick held her lightly. "I've already begged Reese to take you off this, then I begged him to put me on it. Neither one worked, but you can change that, Natalie. All you have to do is tell him you want out. Grace would be happy, I would be happy and...."
"And someone will be dead. Someone I have the power to save."
"You don't know that."
"I'll never know, if I don't try."
She walked to the window and looked out:
"You weren't there 6 years ago, Nick.;
when the bodies of those women came in one by one, like clockwork, on the
full moon." She shivered. "Those women... If I can do something
to keep that from happening again, then how can I say no?"
"Nat, I understand. I really do, that's why
I decided to become a cop, in part. But that's just the point.
I'm a cop, you're a
pathologist. What experience has made you ready to do this?"
"Oh, I don't know Nick.," she said angry now.
"How about lying to cover up for you for the past 3 years? Falsifying
documents, autopsies completed on victims who manage to walk away.
Full time professional liar. Doesn't that qualify me?"
She sighed. "Nick, I'm sorry," Natalie
said, looking ashamed of her outburst. "You're right. I don't
have any experience. I'm just trying to do the right thing."
It was Nick's turn for remorse.
"I know, and I'm sorry you have to cover up for
me so often, Natalie." I often think about how your life would be different
if I had ended up on another coroner's examining table that night."
"So do I, and you know what I came up with?"
Nat asked
"Tell me."
"Loneliness. I would be all alone without
you, Nicholas Knight."
Nick pulled her into his arms for a string of kisses. "Have I told you, I really, really, like your new look?"
She punched him.
"Ouch. Okay, I get the hint. I don't
have to take this abuse," he joked.
He readied to leave.
"Nat, just be careful, okay?"
"I will," she promised.
She shut the door behind him and decided to
open a window . It was hot in here. Maybe if she took off some of
this leather, she laughed, realizing the source of her discomfort.
She slipped off the jacket and hung it on the back of the chair. She knew
she
should eat something, but she was so tired. Tomorrow, she promised
herself, even though, technically it was tomorrow.
"Here, Chris, catch."
Billy threw his cellmate a pack of Camels and the book he wanted.
"Man, I didn't think you
were gonna make it back this time. I didn't want to rat out Phillips
here"- he motioned toward the prison guard half asleep at the cell door.
"No problem," Billy said. "I told
you."
"So, what did you learn about
what's going on outside?"
"They're using another decoy to
catch him, just like they used Susannah. But this one has no idea
what she's getting into. She's not even a cop. She's the coroner.
She's great actually," Billy smiled. A real smile. The last time
he had smiled when was Susannah was still alive. She lingered still, alive
in his memory. Here, he sat for 6 years while the real murderer ran
free. But now, the killer had returned and was making the same mistakes
he had last time around. He would pay for them, Billy vowed. He would
pay dearly.
Natalie unlocked the door and went in.
"Home early, tonight, Sydney." She felt the cat rub against her legs.
She picked him up. "Grace volunteered to come in early and finish up the
Harris autopsy," she told the cat. "That means tuna for you and a bubble
bath for me."
"And what about me?"
"LaCroix!! When someone is undercover trying to
catch a killer, you don't sneak into their house while they're away and
surprise them."
"I'll make a note of that. Doctor, I'm afraid
there was no other way. There really isn't much time, I'm afraid."
"LaCroix, I'm really tired, and for the first
time in weeks I have a chance to have a little dinner, a nice bubble bath
before bedtime, instead of coming home totally exhausted to fall asleep
in my working girl clothes. Most of the time, I don't even make it
into the bedroom."
"Pity."
Natalie glared at him. She wasn't paying attention
to the can opener as she took the lid off Sydney's tuna. Her finger
began to bleed immediately and made a nice little pool before she could
bandage it up properly. It left a little trail from the counter across
the floor to the sink. She looked at LaCroix for a moment with amusement
at the thought of him cleaning it up in the way that Sydney might lick
up spilled milk.
"Do I amuse you, Doctor?" he asked.
"Not usually," was the honest answer.
"Good- then you won't have to ask me if I am joking when
I tell you pick up that beast and let's get out of here, right now."
"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me-"
"Why do you insist on doing this the hard
way? " LaCroix asked.
He grabbed her around the waist with one hand and *Fluffy* by the scruff
of the neck with the other and flew off.
LaCroix released her and the cat when they
were at his apartment.
"You mind telling me what this is all about?"
Natalie asked.
"Tonight in your efforts to attract
the murderer you seek, you picked up an additional admirer as well.
Your typical run of the mill psycho, hell bent on raping you, maybe worse.
I watched him as he made an imprint of your apartment key from your purse
while you were in the girl's room. Follows you with his eyes. For
the past 2 nights now."
"Had we stayed, I would have been forced
to kill him and I didn't think you'd really want to explain to your captain,
Nick's partner, and everyone who I was and how I fit into the swing of
things. Bringing you here was easiest."
He went off to another room. Natalie
heard water running. She began to look around. Nice place.
Funny, she felt safer here, than she probably should. Everything was tastefully
decorated, very elegant, even if it was a bit stark. Natalie was disappointed.
"You were expecting maybe a dungeon
or a torture chamber?" he said. She shook her head."Ah, a history
museum, then? he asked.
"Yes, or at least some insight into
what makes you---you," she finished lamely.
"Isn't the mere absence of such trinkets measure
enough? I am history, a living legacy if you will."
"You saved my life," Natalie said. Why?"
"Please, sit down, Doctor, you said you were
looking forward to a rest."
"I'm afraid I don't have much to offer you
in the way of refreshment," LaCroix said. He brought her a glass
of water. She drank it gratefully.
"Now then, why I saved you. Need you
ask? For my son, for Nicholas of course. Despite his foolish tendencies
if you were to die then..."
"No, No... not buying it," Natalie said. "This
would have given you the perfect opportunity to be rid of me once and for
all, possibly even guilt free. What about all the cat talk? Just
words?" Natalie asked.
"LaCroix?"
He hesitated. Tell her the truth? Why
not?
"The reason is Nicholas believes that I have
less than honorable intentions for you."
"What," Natalie sputtered. "You mean
as in you and me?"
She laughed a little too long.
"Well, I'm glad this is all so amusing to
you, Doctor. You know, I used to be quite a catch back in my day."
He stood up.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Natalie wiped her eyes. "I'm..
I know you are, it's just that the idea of *you* and me is so funny."
"Yes. Well, I'm hoping this will dispel any
thoughts of wrongdoing for the future where you're concerned."
"So you've accepted the fact I may be around
a while?" Natalie asked.
He didn't answer except to say:
"I'm suddenly tired as well, I find.
I've drawn your bath. You may sleep on either the couch or bed, it's
of no consequence to me."
"The couch will be fine." Natalie said finding
herself touched at the vampire's thoughtfulness. Had he really drawn her
a bath? No one had done that for her since she was about eight.
"Thank you LaCroix."
"You are welcome."
He began to go downstairs. "Doctor Lambert?"
"It's Natalie," she responded.
He stopped mid-stride
"I left an anonymous tip at the station. They're
going to find a deviant there, you missing and your blood. Nicholas
will undoubtedly be-"
"It's okay, I will head into the station after a
quick bath and a little nap."
Only as Natalie soaked in the bath, did she realize the enormity of what had taken place. LaCroix actually cared for Nick more than he did for himself.
Tracy and Nick were on their way home from the prison when they heard the call for back up to Natalie's address. They were still a good thirty miles from Toronto. They made it there in twenty minutes.
End of Chapter 6.
Back to Part Five! / Onto Part Seven!
