I’ve never written a fan-fic before, so be gentle! Send any comments
to me at anteros@juno.com


I don’t own any of the FK character’s they belong to TPTB, I would,
however, _really_ like to own Lacroix, at least for a little while,
maybe a Friday? <g>....Any character that ends up in the story no
recognizable as a FK member is mine, I don’t think there’ll be any in
here. The story is mine too, but if you want to archive it, go ahead,
just keep my name on it and tell me so I can go admire it. <g> I give
permission for this to be archived at the ftp site.


Next Valentines (1/5)

By: Mary Jenkins (12-97)

It arrived on Thursday, February 12th, two dozen white roses and a
note: "Meet me at the Azure at eight o’clock on Valentine’s if you
remember me." It wasn’t signed, but Natalie knew who it was from.
Lacroix. What game was he playing? She remembered last year’s little
debacle well enough, Nick didn’t realize she did, and she’d hoped
Lacroix believed she’d forgotten everything too. She’s been drugged,
hypnotized and nearly killed...so why wasn’t she calling Nick right
now? Why wasn’t she on the phone to the police station, quickly
telling Nick to come and protect her from the evil 2000-year old
master vampire? Maybe it was because if Lacroix really wanted to hurt
her she realized Nick wouldn’t be able to stop him, at least that’s
how she rationalized her actions for a moment, it made sense. Then she
admitted to herself that she actually wanted to see Lacroix again, and
without Nick. And in an arranged place like this, not him popping up
behind her in an empty morgue when she was up to her elbows in a
dissection. 

Lacroix was darkly fascinating, he’d been in her thoughts more and
more of late, and not always as the inhuman monster and sadistic
tormenter Nick portrayed him as. And recently he’d begun to show up in
her dreams too, even more so than Nick used too, ‘and definitely not
as a monster!’ She thought, blushing...and that’s how Grace found her,
staring at the card and blushing like a schoolgirl. 

"Oooo! Roses! Who are they from? A certain blonde homicide detective?
Hmm?" Grace teased her friend, snatching the card away from a startled
Natalie.

"Ah, no they’re from someone else, and not something a certain blonde
detective needs to know about, okay?" Natalie answered back, instantly
feeling guilty, as Grace gave her a surprised look. ‘Hey, I could be
protecting him!’ she thought quickly, then dismissed that thought; no,
she was definitely_not_ protecting Nick!

"Okay." Grace said, sounding rather uncertain about that. "So who is
this mystery man?"

"It’s no one in particular, it’ll be our first date, if I go," but she
had already decided to go, "I just don’t want Nick to get weird about
it, not that he’s shown much interest lately." Natalie ended.

"He hasn’t been around much recently," Grace agreed, deciding to go
along with her friend, she deserved better, not some guy who in her
opinion, was stringing Natalie along. "Well, I hope you have fun, and
I do want details on Monday!"

"Okay, let’s start on the Murphy autopsy," Natalie said changing the
topic away from her love life, slightly amused by the idea that
finally her love life wasn’t as dead as her customers, ‘even if both
of the men in my life were.’ She chuckled to herself over that...then
froze, Lacroix? A man in her life? Maybe not, what -was- she getting
herself into?

Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea, she thought. Then she looked to her
desk where a valentine’s gift from Nick sat. A beautiful silver letter
opener shaped like a dagger, her name and various flowers were etched
on one side. It was lovely, but it spoke more of friendship than of
love, and the card, though it had a wonderful verse on the front was
sighed, "sincerely, Nick," never Love! She steeled herself against the
onslaught of emotions. She would not cry! She’d never been one of
those weepy women, waiting for some man to give her a crumb of
affection. He’d even called earlier, before she’s received the flowers
from Lacroix, and asked her if she wanted to come over and watch
videos on Saturday, on Valentine’s Day! Videos and popcorn! On the
most romantic day of the year! She’d politely refused, making up some
excuse about college friends being in town. Natalie wasn’t sad any
more; she was beginning to get mad...mad enough to go to Azure with
Lacroix...again! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...I don’t own FK....blah,blah...see part one

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next Valentines (2/5)

By: Mary Jenkins 

Natalie had Saturday off, and decided if she was going to this, she
was going to do it right, dammit!! She was feeling this giddy
euphoria, the kind of feeling that she remembered getting during
midterms in college, when the dread was long gone, and you’d gleefully
march into an exam, knowing your not going to pass, but not caring
anymore. Natalie decided to make all of Valentine’s a day to be
remembered. So she called up Grace and the two of them went shopping.
Natalie was looking for a dress to ‘wow’ her date, she told Grace. And
Grace was delighted to help; she refused to let Natalie pick out
anything. Because in her opinion she was always "Way too practical,"
always getting something that worked well in an office, but was way
too modest and business-like to ever be called a ‘wow’ dress.

As they entered their third boutique, Natalie again considered what
Lacroix could be up to. If he wanted to warn her away from Nick,
taking her out for the evening was hardly necessary. Showing up
unexpectedly was much more effective if that was his reason. As for
last Valentine’s Day... Nick was spending a lot less time around her
than before, maybe some of that was to keep Lacroix away from her, but
she doubted that was the only reason, he cared about her, she knew
that, ‘but he might not love me,’ she thought with a frown. Her
thoughts turned away from Nick’s feelings for her and returned to
Lacroix. What was he up to? ‘Maybe he’s planning to seduce me away
from Nick,’ she thought, and instead of being upset by that she became
just a little more giddy, and decided to buy new shoes too, after
Grace and her stopped for frozen yoghurt, of course, a girl had to
have priorities. 

At seven that night Natalie stood in front of her mirror, her courage
had abandoned her an hour ago. She looked in the mirror in
bewilderment. She took in the tight black and silver dress that the
sales girl and Grace had assured her she looked "gorgeous" in. It was
black velvet with a silver satin design, cut low in front; it hung to
her knees but was there was a mid-thigh slit up the left side. It was
definitely a ‘wow’ dress. It wasn’t trashy or cheap looking, it was,
however, very seductive. Combined with black silk hose and high heels,
she definitely would make an impression. She’d put her hair up, and
artfully placed a black silk rose in her upswept hair. Onyx earrings
dangled from her ears and a matching necklace rested along her
collarbone. She’d gone with darker, dramatic colours on her make-up
too. With a start she realised she looked almost as glamorous as
Jeanette! Almost anyway...’well this should get a reaction from
Lacroix,’ she thought, ‘if only I knew what that reaction is going to
be.’ 

She briefly wondered if she should tell Nick where she was going, in
case Lacroix did try something, it would be better if –someone- knew
where she was, in case she didn’t come back! But, ‘no, Grace knows I’m
going to the Azure and if I don’t come back, Nick will figure out what
happened, I’ll be dead, but he’ll know who did it.’ There was an odd
comfort in that...she wondered if Nick would avenge her? 

Maybe she shouldn’t go at all, but she was too curious..."Curiosity
killed the cat." She mumbled under her breath. Sidney answered that
with a meow...startled out of her inner dialogue by her cat, she took
one last look in the mirror, scooped up her coat and beaded hand bag
(that had been –way- too expensive) and rummaged about for her car
keys. ‘Too late to turn back now.’ She straightened her shoulders,
marched out of her apartment and drove to the Azure.

...I don’t own FK....yada, yada ...see part one.

(( If I can’t have him Natalie does!!!)

Next Valentines (3/5)

By: Mary Jenkins

As Natalie drove up to the Azure she noticed the near empty parking
lot...’he bought out the entire restaurant again,’ she realised. Pure
feminine satisfaction coursed through her for a moment...it was very
gratifying that he’d gone through that much trouble, she knew he could
easily afford it...but still, so could Nick and all she usually got
from him was pizza and movies at his place! She pulled over and
allowed the valet to park her car. She braced herself and walked into
the restaurant. 

"I’m supposed to meet someone here." Natalie told the dignified
maitre’d as she walked in. 

"Of course madam," he answered her with a very strong French accent.

A waiter helped he off with her coat and she received a quick once
over from both men, the young waiter’s gaze took on a look of pure awe
and the oh-so-dignified maitre’d very nearly leered at her, like a
starving man looks at a seven course dinner! ‘I am so glad I let Grace
and that sales girl talk me into this dress!’ She thought, as she
smiled with triumph. It’d been a long time since she’d received such
openly appreciative looks from anyone! What Natalie didn’t realise was
that it wasn’t just the dress, it was the pure feminine confidence
that she was projecting that held both men’s attention. 

"This way madam." Directed the Maitre’d, indicating the wide double
doors on their right. Natalie noticed him give the waiter a sharp look
for staring at a guest, even thought he’d been doing the same thing!
So it was strait from this ego boosting experience that Natalie
entered the main dining room. And she needed it, because there in the
middle of the room, at an intimate table for two sat Lucien Lacroix,
in all his glory. 

Again Natalie thought about running, there he sat, dressed in a very
elegant black silk suit. Drinking from a crystal wineglass, something
she hoped was wine. Some of her newly acquired confidence abandoned
her, but not all of it. She was frightened, but kept her face calm and
actually managed to smile at Lacroix. 

What actually came up on her face was more of a smirk. The look
Lacroix was giving her was one of surprise, mixed with a great deal of
appreciation. 

"My dear Doctor Lambert, you look...lovely." Lacroix raised his glass
in salute as Natalie walked across the room and sat across from him. 

"Call me Natalie." She said giving him a dazzling smile, he seemed
almost as confused as she felt, ‘might as well try to keep him
guessing.’ She thought.

Lacroix took in that smile and drank down the remainder of his wine in
a single gulp, nearly choking. 

‘Boy, I think I shocked him.’ Natalie thought with glee. She was
having a wonderful time so far this evening, all day in fact, normally
she’d be much more apprehensive, after all he –was- a killer, but for
some reason, she wasn’t frightened at all. She took a moment to look
around the Azure; it was again decorated with white roses and candles.
She could hear the restaurant staff in the distance, but didn’t worry
that they could over hear any of their conversation, Lacroix would
have already thought of that, it was nice to let him be the one to
worry about such details. Sometimes with Nick it was as if she were
the older one, even though he was 800 years old, he’d give her that
lost-little-boy look and she’d feel the urge to take care of and
protect him, with Lacroix she’d never be in that role.

...I don’t own FK...see part one.

((If I can’t have him, Natalie should!!!))

Next Valentines (4/5)

By: Mary Jenkins

Lacroix watched Natalie look around the Azure. She really did look
lovely. He had grown to appreciate the good doctor, at first he’d
resented her ambition to help Nicholas find his precious cure, but
now... He could easily see what his son saw in her, she was beautiful,
intelligent and brave...she had come to face him again. He knew she
remembered last Valentine’s Day, she’d come knowing full well who’d be
here to meet her. He also knew that Nicholas did not love her, his son
cared for her, he might have even convinced himself that he loved her,
but he did not –truly- love her, in the depths of his soul...’Perhaps
Nicholas is not capable of feeling that deeply’ Lacroix thought. He
knew well Nicholas’s faults, and one of the largest was that he did
not fully appreciate the jewel he’d found in this woman.

His goal in inviting her here had been to find out if she remember
their encounter last year, and maybe to gently remind her with the
card and flowers if she did not. Now that she was here...he wasn’t
quite sure what to do with her. He knew she had not told Nicholas that
she was going to meet him tonight, his son was currently with
Jeanette, ‘probably in the back rooms of the Raven by now,’ he thought
with a smirk...’Nicholas always was a bit of a hypocrite.’ Then his
thoughts and eyes returned to the woman in front of him.

‘I wonder what he’s thinking about?’ Natalie thought, hoping it wasn’t
of her as dinner, she looked him in his eyes and asked, "So Lacroix,
to what do I owe this delightful invitation?" ‘Might as well be
direct,’ she thought, she was curious to hear his answer.

He raised an eyebrow, "You think this is ‘delightful?’
And...please...call me Lucien." He said the last with a smile.

‘It’s better than being alone with Sidney, or worse yet videos with
Nick,’ she thought. It was strange to see him smile, ‘I don’t think
I’ve ever seen him actually smile,’ she thought, smirk, yes, even a
few cruel chuckles from time to time, but an actual smile...it was
strange, but nice. "Yes, I’d say this was delightful." She said, and
was startled as she did by the fact that it was true.

They began to talk then, slowly and about insignificant things at
first, but as they warmed to each other they began to get more
personal. He told her about himself, and asked her questions about
herself. He talked about being in the Great Roman Army and about being
a vampire. She told him about her life and asked about his. She asked
every questioned she thought of, never having to censor herself as she
sometimes had to with Nick. Lacroix didn’t get upset or begin to brood
about his past, even though there were things she could tell he
regretted, though killing mortals wasn’t one of them.

He was enjoying her questions, they were well worded and intelligent,
he even gave answers to some that he’d refused answer for his
children. She asked about his life in Rome, about his life before
bringing either Nicholas or Jeanette across, and he told her, all she
asked and more. He told her why he’d chosen each of his children, and
how much he liked his immortality. Her comments and observations were
intelligent, and in some cases funny! She had a delightful sense of
humour, and a marvellous wit. 

Natalie was having a wonderful time and dinner was excellent, she
barely even noticed she was the only one eating. Lacroix was a
fascinating and charming man. She’d never realised how pleasant he
could be, all the times Nick had told her about him; he’s always taken
on the role of the epitome of evil and cruelty. And though some of the
stories he told her were disturbing, from what he’d told her of his
years in the Great Roman Army and his reasoning behind his actions,
the things he did tended to make some sense. She thought back to her
grandfather’s old war stories, things he’d done had been disturbing
too, but understandable. Not that Lacroix wasn’t a lot worse than her
grandfather, but if she put herself in a ruthless, merciless
mindset...She was beginning to understand this man before her...’maybe
it’s the wine,’ she thought. 

By the fourth course, Lacroix and Natalie were laughing and telling
stories. Blood tears were running down Lacroix’s cheeks as Natalie
told him about the time as a freshman in collage she’d given a Biology
presentation on protozoa, and, because of a slight spelling mistake,
had said ‘orgasm’ instead of ‘organism’ over two dozen times. 

By dessert, a rich chocolate cheesecake, Natalie had silently declared
this the ‘best date I ever had!’ She was having a wonderful time. And
so was Lacroix. It had taken a long time to finish the gourmet meal,
mostly because she kept stopping to talk, it was almost two in the
morning by the time she finished her cake, but as if on cue, ‘and it
probably was’ she thought wryly, a string quartet started playing.
Natalie was briefly embarrassed when she realised they’d been waiting
for her to finish, but then again, she was having too good of a time
to worry about it.

...I don’t own FK...see part one.

((If I can’t have him, Natalie gets him!!))

.....I actually did that in a biology speech.....So embarrassing! J 

***warning, part of the next bit gets a little sappy***

Next Valentines (5/5)

By: Mary Jenkins


Lacroix then stood up and offered her his arm. "Care to dance, my
dear?" He asked, with a raise of the eyebrow, that she was secretly
beginning to like.

"Of course, kind sir," she answered back with a grin.

As they moved to the centre of the dance floor, she belatedly realised
dancing would mean being in his arms. They reached the centre of the
floor and he pulled her into his arms, and she went willingly. He was
a wonderful dancer. And they continued to talk as they danced. By the
third song, Natalie was pressed against him. They weren’t talking
anymore. 

Lacroix ran his hand down her back and gently stroked the small of her
back.

A shiver ran through Natalie, and Lacroix chuckled quietly at her
reaction. 

‘Two can play it that game,’ she thought wryly, resenting his power
over her. She pressed herself closer to him and reached up and gently
kissed the side of his throat. A shiver ran through him. But Natalie
did not laugh; things had just taken an interesting twist.

They continue to dance in silence for a moment more. A Natalie
anxiously waited for him to react. Then he suddenly pulled away from
her, and looked down into her eyes. Whatever he saw there must have
pleased him, because he smiled and pulled her back into his arms. And
they continued to dance in silence, just enjoying the feel of each
other’s arms and the sounds of the music. 

It was almost five in the morning when the music stopped. Lacroix gave
the musicians a sharp look, but they were all yawning and too tired to
be intimidated anymore. Suddenly realising how late it was, the pair
returned to their table. Natalie gathered up her purse and they walked
to the entrance. ‘He must have paid in advance,’ she thought as he
helped he on with her coat at the entrance. Their whole leave-taking
was very tense; neither said anything as they left the restaurant. 

They met each other’s eyes for the first time since after she’d kissed
his throat then. For a moment they just gazed at each other. Natalie
was the first to break the silence. "I had a wonderful time," she said
quietly, almost whispering. A light snow had began to fall moments
earlier and snowflakes began to collect on her curls. The entire area
had taken on an enchanted feel.

Lacroix gazed down at her, silent still. But a searching, almost
fearful look was on his face. ‘Gods, I hope she isn’t in love with
Nicholas,’ was the thought that passed through his mind, whether he’d
admit it or not. "I’m glad you enjoyed it, I also found this
evening...most diverting." He said, he took up her hand and was about
to kiss the back, when he changed his mind, turning it over he pressed
his lips onto her wrist and kissed it gently. "Thank-you for your
company, Natalie."

She stared in fascination as he kissed her wrist. Then, keeping her
hand in his, he walked her to her car. She got in and started it up,
she wondered briefly where the valet had gone, but decided he was
probably asleep by now, and that it didn’t matter. ‘He waiting to make
sure her car would start,’ she realised. Amazed about how considerate
he was, ‘definitely not the epitome of evil!’

He was about to leave, when she stopped him. "Lucien," he froze.
Despite his earlier insistence that she call him by his first name,
she hadn’t all through the evening, it had always been ‘you’ or a
playful ‘kind sir’ or even ‘General’ the entire night. Hearing his
name from her lips stopped him cold. He turned to look at her; she’d
gotten out of her car and stood before him.

"Lucien," she repeated, "let’s not wait until next Valentine’s, okay?"
she said this in a joking voice, but he could hear some fear behind
it. ‘She wanted to see him again!’ He smiled. 

Natalie watched as his smile, turned into a smirk. Then...he slowly
raised one eyebrow at her. And flew up, not saying anything!!! He’d
come to see her again, she was almost certain. "What have I gotten
myself into?" she asked the empty parking lot. She didn’t know, but
it’d be interesting. And with a sigh she got into her car and drove
home, a smile hovering on her lips as she remembered her evening. 

Okay, okay, so some of it got a little sappy, and no one ever has a
date _that- good, but the ending was all right? Right? ...I liked
it...tell me what you thought...send me your comments, virtual
chocolate and term papers on David Hume’s "Idea of Self" to
anteros@juno.com