Dinner and Dancing By KC Smith October 2003 This is the next installment (#4) of my Nick/Nat Romantic Rendezvous series. Mush and fluff ahead: you have been warned! This one is longer than usual. Enjoy! Standard Disclaimers: The characters from Forever Knight do not belong to me, but to James Parriott and Sony/TriStar. No copyright infringement is intended in any way. All original characters belong to me. Permission is given to archive on Mel's www.fkfanfic.com site, the fkfanfic2 site, the FTP site and, for the adult stories, the JADFE archives. All others please ask before archiving or linking any stories to your website. Questions, comments and critiques can be sent to: tigrlady2u@juno.com Saturday evening Natalie was ready to go promptly at sunset, as per Nick's instructions. When she'd opened the box Nick had given her last weekend, she had found that Nick had bought her a dress, including matching shoes, for their night out. Nick had finally given in on Thursday and allowed her to open the box, since she was so upset over not being able to find an appropriate dress for their night out. Now, she pulled them out of the box and put them on, pleased with Nick's taste in clothing. Standing in front of the mirror, she gazed nervously at her reflection as she smoothed the silk of the deep blue dress. It had a princess cut bodice with thin straps that crisscrossed along the back, and it came down to just above her knees. Curiously, she opened the smaller box that had an attached note to not open it until she was dressed, and found the most exquisite diamond and sapphire necklace and earrings she'd ever seen (Nick had refused to allow her to open this box until tonight), and put them on. They, of course, complimented the outfit perfectly. She had left her hair hanging down, since Nick had told her recently that he preferred it that way. The doorbell rang and she took a deep breath before opening it. Nick stood before her in a black silk suit, his tie an exact match to the color of her dress, and he was holding a beautiful bouquet of red roses for her. Smiling, he took in her appearance. "Natalie... you look breathtaking." Natalie smiled shyly. "Thank you. For everything," she said, standing on tiptoe to kiss him. Nick smiled again and handed her the roses, waiting while she filled a vase with water and put them in it. "You're more than welcome. Only the best for my lady." When she finished, he took her hand. "Are you ready?" Natalie nodded. "Let me get my purse and shawl." Nick watched as she walked down the hall and into her bedroom, and emerged a few moments later with a small white handbag and a beautiful lace shawl. He helped her into the shawl and kissed her lightly on the cheek, before indicating that she should precede him out the door. When Natalie had closed and locked the door behind them, she took Nick's proffered arm and they walked down the steps to the front door. Nick led her to a waiting limousine, and the driver opened the door for them. Once they were safely inside, Nick placed his arm around Natalie and carefully caressed her cheek with his index finger. "You are so beautiful," he murmured softly. Natalie blushed and smiled. "Thank you." She looked into his eyes for a moment, before leaning forward to kiss him lightly on the lips. "You look very nice tonight, too." Natalie looked out the window. "So, where are we headed?" "You'll see soon enough." He told her with a mysterious smile. Natalie raised an eyebrow, but instead of commenting, she relaxed into his arms. A short time later, they arrived at their destination and took the elevator up to the topmost floor. When Natalie realized where they were going, she looked at Nick with wide eyes. "The Azure?" Nick smiled and kissed her knuckles. "Yes. I hope you like the food here." "Um, actually, I've never eaten here. But I've heard the food is wonderful," she told him. Nick met the Maitre 'd and spoke softly to him. "Reservations for deBrabant." The Maitre 'd nodded and grabbed two menus. "Yes, of course. Right this way, Monsieur." He seated them in a quiet room, separated from the main dining area. "Someone will be right with you," he informed them, before slipping quietly out the door. Natalie glanced around at the fancy decor, before opening her menu. She noticed that none of the meal selections had prices beside them and tried not to think about what this was costing. She knew that Nick could afford it, but she wasn't the type of person to fawn over someone because of his bankroll. In fact, she was generally a very frugal sort of person. Nick watched the play of emotions on Natalie's face and smiled. He could tell what was going through her head, just by the expressions on her lovely face. She'd never once questioned him about his financial resources, or asked him for any kind of compensation for the work she was doing for him. It was a refreshing change, and one of the many reasons he loved her so much. The Wine Steward brought the wine list and Nick looked over the selection, carefully choosing a bottle for the evening. A few moments later, the Wine Steward returned with the bottle and opened the wine, pouring a bit into the crystal goblet in front of Nick, and waited for Nick's approval. Nick tasted the wine and smiled at the Steward. "Excellent. Thank you." The Wine Steward bowed and left silently. Natalie had watched the exchange in silence, still trying to decide what she should order for dinner. Nick poured a glass of wine for Natalie and set it in front of her. "I hope I have chosen well," he said, smiling. Natalie lifted her glass and took a sip. It was wonderful, though she doubted she'd have been able to tell the difference between this wine, and the stuff you bought in a box at the local liquor store. Smiling, she nodded at Nick. "It's very good." Nick stifled a grin, as he watched Natalie return to her menu. He hadn't intended to overwhelm her, but it appeared that he'd done exactly that. For all of her grace, beauty and charm, Natalie was a very simple woman at heart. The waiter arrived and took their orders, returning a few minutes later with their salads and a dark brown bread, leaving as quietly as he'd come. Natalie ate her salad, smiling at Nick and trying to make small talk. She was oddly nervous about this 'date' of theirs. "So, how are you and Schanke getting along?" Nick winced, as he moved his salad around with his fork and gingerly took a very small bite. "Well... I guess we're making progress. I didn't want to kill him last night." Natalie chuckled at that. She knew that Nick and Schanke didn't care much for each other's company, but Captain Stonetree insisted that they work together. At least on the part of their shifts that overlapped. "Don's a nice guy, once you get to know him. He's a good cop." Nick gave her a quirky smile. "How long have you known him?" "Since I first started in the Coroner's Office. My first case was his and his old partner's. Husband slit his wife's throat, left the baby in the crib and split town. Very sad." She sipped at her wine before continuing. "I was a nervous wreck; I wanted to prove myself... prove I could handle the job. I was terrified of making a mistake, or doing something wrong. Schanke came into the morgue, and I guess he sensed how I was feeling. He kept telling me what a good job I was doing, how the things I'd found were helping the case. That helped me to relax, and then I was fine." She smiled at the memory. "How'd that case turn out?" Nick asked, curiously. Natalie sighed. "The baby went into the foster care system and the father disappeared. Another one for the 'unsolved' files, I'm afraid." Nick nodded. There were far too many of those, unfortunately. "Have you ever met Myra and Jenny?" Natalie smiled again. "Yes. At the precinct picnic; we should go this year. I think I was about four months into my job when Schanke came waltzing in and announced that he was taking sign-ups for 'Schanke's Scorchers'. When I asked him about it, he told me that at the annual picnic, they have a game of softball. So of course, I joined his team." Nick looked interested, as the bus boy removed their dishes and the waiter brought them a bowl of soup, and more of the dark brown bread and butter. "Who won?" Nat made a pouty face. "Captain Stonetree's team. Of course, we've veaten them every year since," she said, grinning. Nick chuckled. This was a part of Natalie that he knew little about. The part he wanted to know better. "So when did you meet Myra and Jenny?" "I arrived at the picnic and Schanke saw me. He called me over and introduced me to them. He had apparently told Myra all about me, because she asked me all sorts of questions about my job and how I liked working with the detectives. She insisted that I eat with them so we could talk. It was a lot of fun." "It sounds like it. Maybe we will go." Nick said, reaching across the table and taking her hand. "I'd like to meet Myra and Jenny, too." He kissed her knuckles before releasing her hand and allowing her to return to her meal. Shortly after Natalie had finished her soup, the waiter brought Natalie a glass of water and a tiny crystal goblet with two small scoops of orange sherbet. As soon as the waiter left, Natalie looked at Nick in confusion. "At the risk of sounding completely like an idiot... what's this for?" she asked, indicating the sherbet. Nick smiled. "To 'cleanse the palette' so that you may more thoroughly appreciate the flavor of your meal." Natalie looked surprised. "Okay..." She sipped at her water before tentatively eating the sherbet, and then took another drink of water. "All cleansed." She grinned. Nick chuckled and again reached for her hand, kissing the knuckles. "I love you." The waiter brought the main course of their meal. Nick had ordered a steak~ very rare~ with steamed vegetables and rice. Natalie had ordered a vegetable pasta with a seafood sauce and steamed vegetables. ~~~~~ Natalie finally began to relax, so they continued to chat comfortably as they ate their meal. The food was exquisite and the atmosphere was very romantic. Once they finished eating, Nick moved his chair closer to Natalie's so that he could more easily hold her hand and kiss her. In the middle of a particularly passionate kiss, Natalie jumped and blushed. The bus boy had just come to take their dishes away. Nick smiled at her. "Have I told you how much I love you today?" Natalie smiled at him. "Yes, but you're welcome to tell me again." Nick kissed her lips softly. "I love you," he said quietly. He kissed her eyelid. "I love you," he said again. He repeated this action, covering her entire face with soft kisses and each time whispering that he loved her. Natalie smiled dreamily. She looked embarrassed again, when the waiter arrived and cleared his throat. "Can I interest you in dessert?" he asked, indicating the dessert cart that had just been rolled in. Natalie looked at Nick. He grinned at her and nodded. "I'll have that one," she said, indicating a delicious looking chocolate dessert. The waiter placed it before her. "And for you, Monsieur?" he asked Nick. Nick waved his hand. "Nothing, thank you." Natalie waited until the waiter was gone, before taking a tentative bite of her dessert. She closed her eyes in ecstasy and sighed. "Mmmm..." Nick chuckled. "Good?" Natalie nodded. "Wonderful," she replied, taking a larger bite this time. Nick watched in both awe and amusement, as Natalie enjoyed every last bite of her dessert, before finishing off her wine. Natalie finished her wine and looked at Nick sheepishly. "Sorry." Nick shook his head, smiling. "Don't be. I'm glad that you enjoyed it." He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers, one by one. Natalie's eyes shone with her love, as she gazed at Nick. He pulled her close for another deep kiss, and when they parted, she caressed his cheek with her palm. "I love you, Nicholas de Brabant Knight," she breathed. Nick smiled at her lovingly. "Are you ready to go?" "Yes. But first, I need to use the ladies' room," Nat said, rising and gathering her things. "I'll wait in the foyer for you," Nick told her, kissing her lips. "I won't be long," Nat promised. While Nat was in the ladies' room, Nick took care of their bill and then waited in the foyer. As she promised, it didn't take her long. Nick took her hand and felt the slight dampness that still remained on her skin from her washing her hands. He lifted her hand and kissed it again. Natalie allowed Nick to help her with her shawl, before they headed into the elevator. When they reached the ground floor, the limousine was waiting out front for them, the driver holding the door open for them. "How did you do that?" Nat inquired, once they were settled into their seat. Nick grinned at her, waggling his finger and shaking his head. "Uh- uh-uh... trade secret." Natalie shook her head and laughed. "Okay." Nick wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the temple, as the car pulled out into traffic. "Are you tired?" "No, not at all." "Good. I still have other plans for us tonight," Nick said. Natalie looked at him in surprise. "What?" "I thought we might go somewhere we can dance," Nick told her. "Not the Raven?" Nat asked, apprehensively. "No. The Raven is a little too... loud, for what I have in mind. It's a smaller place; quiet. I think you'll enjoy it." He kissed her again. Natalie smiled lovingly at him. "As long as I'm with you, we can go anywhere you want to. Even the Raven." Nick chuckled and brushed her nose with his finger. They'd arrived at their destination, and the car had just come to a stop. "Here we are." The chauffeur stepped out of the car and opened the door for them. Nick climbed out first and then reached for Natalie's hand, helping her out. Natalie glanced up at the building before them and read the sign. 'Enchanted' was written in fancy blue neon letters. Nick led her up the low steps and through the door, speaking softly to a woman behind a podium. When she nodded at him, he led Natalie through another door where soft music could be heard playing. "Let's find a table first, hmm?" Natalie nodded and followed him through the dark club to a table in the back, her arm protectively held in his. Nick seated her first, before going around to the other chair to take his own seat. "Would you like something to drink?" "Yes, please. Rum and cola." "I'll be right back," Nick told her, standing and moving through the crowd towards the bar. Natalie watched the dancers out on the dance floor. Everyone was dressed very elegantly, and they were swaying to the soft, slow music being played by the band. She smiled at Nick when he brought her drink and sat down again. "This is a lovely place." Nick nodded, sipping from his glass. "I thought you'd enjoy it." Natalie looked a little closer at Nick's glass of 'red wine'. "Nick... is that- ?" Nick gave her an apologetic smile. "Yes." Natalie looked around them, before leaning a little closer to him. "Is this place like the Raven?" "Yes. The clientele here is a lot different, however," he told her. "Don't worry, you're perfectly safe here with me." Natalie smiled at him and nodded. "Shall we dance?" Nick asked her, holding his hand out to her. "Absolutely," Natalie said, accepting his hand and following him to the dance floor. ~~~~~ They danced for several hours, taking small breaks to enjoy their drinks and one another's company. Around three in the morning, Nick suggested that they leave. "The crowd is beginning to shift," he told her quietly, as he helped her with her shawl. Natalie was about to ask what he meant, when it suddenly occurred to her. She accepted his arm and followed him wordlessly out the door, noting that many times he nodded to certain people as they left. "Did you know many of them?" she asked, once they were safely ensconced within the limousine. Nick shrugged. "A few. Mostly, just by acquaintance." He wrapped his arms around her again. Natalie laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "This has been a wonderful night. Thank you, so much, for everything," she sighed. Nick smiled at her, tilting her face up so that he could kiss her deeply. "I'm glad that you enjoyed it," he said, once he'd released her lips. They arrived at her apartment complex and Nick again helped her out before escorting her upstairs. He waited until Natalie had unlocked her door before caressing her face in his palm, moving his hand up to twine his fingers in her soft hair. He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately, wrapping his arms around her. When they parted, Natalie looked into his eyes. "Nick? Would you... would you like to stay the day with me?" she asked, hesitantly. Nick smiled sadly at her. "I'd love to, Nat, but I don't think it's a good idea just yet. I have to be sure of my control, first. I won't risk your life." Natalie nodded, averting her eyes. "I understand." Nick again pulled her to him, kissing her deeply. "Never think for a moment that I don't want you, Natalie, because I do. More than I could ever express with words. I love you," he whispered, as he held her close. Natalie smiled at him, nodding again. "I love you, too. I'll see you tomorrow?" Nick smiled, nodding. "Tomorrow." He waited until he heard the click of the locks behind her, before turning and heading back into the night. Soon, he promised himself. Very soon. * End KC Smith Nick/Natpacker with Dark tendencies. "I've never met a chocolate I didn't like."