This was my entry for the Crusader's conversion day fiction contest.
Alas, I did not win, so I am posting it here.  It will also be added to
my website.

Permission is granted to archive on fkfic2 and the ftp site.  All
others please ask first.

Questions, comments, angstridden blond vampires... or a all inclusive
trip to Pompeii can be sent to nicholas_debrabant1228@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: The characters of Nick, Lacroix, et all are not mine.  I am
just borrowing them for a little romp down memory lane.

I was inspired to write this story by Tara MacLean's song "Blinded".
The lyrics don't really fit into the story as I came to write it, but
the basic feeling of the song fits, so I took one of the lines and made
it the title of the story.

Fire on the Mountain 01/01
By Amanda Berendt
Copyright July 2004

Note: This story takes place the summer after the third season, and
Last Knight did not happen.

August 24, 1996
        Lacroix sat alone at the bar.  The Raven had closed several hours ago,
but still he sat.  Today was no ordinary day.  It would be exactly one
thousand nine hundred and seventeen years since he had been brought
across.  Although he was not ashamed or hateful of what he was, the
circumstances surrounding his conversion had always been a painful
memory - a memory that, until recent events, had been his alone to
bear.  He had never shared the story of that particular day with
anyone.
        Moments after the sun had broken past the horizon, he felt another
presence in the club.  He turned to see Nicholas crossing the empty
dance floor toward him.  The older vampire raised his eyebrow,
surprised at this unexpected visit from his son.
        "Good morning, Nicholas." He said. "What brings you here?  Official
police business?"
        Nick shook his head and smiled. "No, I was on my way home and noticed
the date."  He paused.  "After what happened, I thought maybe you
wouldn't want to spend today alone."  Without waiting for an
invitation, he sat on the barstool next to Lacroix.
        The two men sat in silence for a moment, then Lacroix took a sip from
his glass.  Without moving his gaze from the dark liquid, he began to
speak.
        "I had just returned from a campaign in Gaul.   After spending several
years in the wild lands, I was looking forward to the comforts of the
city.   I settled my affairs with the army, then went to the home of a
woman... Selene.  I had known her from childhood and cared for her very
deeply, but because of her class I could not take her as my wife.  So
with my family's money, I was able to establish her in a house and she
began a very profitable business.  We saw each other at every chance we
could and eventually she had a daughter" Lacroix paused, expecting a
comment from Nicholas.  When none came, he took another sip from the
glass and continued.
        "The child was a light in our world.  She gave me even more reason to
visit the house.  We taught her to read and write, and when she was old
enough, her mother began to teach her how the business was run.  I had
actually begun to think about leaving the army to settle in the city
and perhaps enter politics in order to stay close to them.  I was to
leave on one final campaign before making my decision.
        "There was a celebration on the evening of our return.  But instead of
tales of the long campaign, the conversations centered around the
recent strange happenings of the city - some local fisheries had
reported their stock dying suddenly, surrounding towns were unable to
receive water from the aqueduct, and now the city was considering
possibly rationing the water to prevent any problems here.  No one
could explain what had happened.
        "It was then that I heard of the child's illness.  Selene told me she
had been near death, but an ancient healer had come.  He had asked to
be alone with her for only a few moments.  Divia had risen from her bed
that very night.  Although, she appeared healed, she no longer played
in the sunlight.  Since her illness, she had only walked about after
dark.  It was thought that she was still weak and Selene refused to
speak of it any longer.  Knowing better than to persue the matter, I
spent the rest of the evening with my fellow soldiers discussing both
the strange events and the recent campaign.
        That evening as I slept.  Divia came to my chamber.  She was different
than I remembered her, no longer the little girl.  She asked me about
the army and what we did on the campaign.  It was more than a young
girl should want to know.
        The following day started out like any other.  The morning sun shined
brightly and a steady breeze was blowing in from the sea.  Divia was
nowhere to be found.  It was nearly midday when the first tremors were
felt.  Then the sky began to darken as the mountain erupted and ash
filled the sky.
        I stood firm as the citizens panicked around me.  I was furious that
this simple act of nature could destroy my villa and send the citizens
of a great city into a childish panic.  As I stood there cursing the
mountain, Divia emerged into the day-turned-night.  She was as calm as
I was angry.
        The ground began to shake causing be to fall to my knees.  In the
midst of the cries of the dying around me, I heard Divia's voice. 'Let
go your mortal bonds, General.  We must survive at any cost.  Life
cheats death.  It will always find a way.  Live or die?  What is your
decision?'"
        "She was right."  Nicholas, who had been silent all this time, spoke
up.
        "What do you mean?" the elder vampire asked, turing to face his son.
        Nick continued to stare at the surface of the bar, as if reluctant to
reveal his epiphany.  "Life does find a way."  He paused.  "We have
survived death to live as we are now."
        His son's calm explanation of his condition surprized him.  "And is
that a 'good' thing?"
        Nick took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh.  "I don't know.
I'm still working on it."  He smiled and turned to his master.
        "Thank you for being here, Nicholas."
        Nick's smile broadened as he put his hand on his master's shoulder.
"My pleasure."


~Fin~

Questions, comments, angst ridden blond vampires can be sent to
nicholas_debrabant1228@yahoo.com



=====
"Life after life, you won't need flowers on your grave
You won't need prayers, you have no mortal soul to save."
--- Dracula the Musical
http://www.darksideoftheglass.com