This story is based upon characters created by J. Parriott and they are the property of Sony/TriStar. I am just borrowing them for awhile. The title is taken from the song 'She Misses Him' and I have included the lyrics to that song in this story. Tim Rushlow sings it and no infringement on any rights is intended. I'm in a melancholy sort of mood today... She Misses Him by KC Smith She shaves his face, she combs his hair She helps him find his rocking chair She cooks his meals, she wipes his mouth And the window that he's looking out... > Natalie started her day the same way she’d started it for the last six months. She got up and got herself dressed, before getting Nick up and dressing him, combing his hair and shaving him. When that was completed, she led him to the rocking chair beside the window and opened the blinds, allowing the bright morning sunlight to warm his skin. She went into the kitchen and prepared his breakfast and then took it out and helped him to eat. She noted that it was much like feeding one of the children when they were still babies; he would occasionally spit something out and vigorously shake his head. As soon as she was sure he was finished, she took a warm wet cloth and washed his face and hands. After placing the dishes in the kitchen, she came out and washed the window. She stood and silently watched him for several minutes, before heading back to the kitchen to wash the dishes. > She reads him books, she speaks his name Oh, everyday is much the same She sighs that sigh from deep within The one that says, she misses him... > After lunch, Natalie sat with Nick and read to him. When she’d finished reading, she’d talk to him about the news, the weather, their children and grandchildren~ anything she could think of. She wished that he could respond, but hoped that he at least understood her. As she looked at his now frail form sitting in his rocker and looking with unseeing eyes out the window, she sighed deeply. This all seemed so unfair. > She misses his gentle touch And the way he used to make her laugh She misses the man he was in all of those old photographs So strong, so kind So sweet, so smart The man who stole Her very heart She misses him... > After Nick was settled into bed, she pulled out her old photo albums and remembered their life together. She smiled at the photo taken on their wedding day and she traced a finger along the picture of the tall, strong, handsome man with blonde hair and a boyish smile that he had once been. When he had first awakened on her morgue table, she had no idea that the creature that stood before her would one day become the most important person in her life. She remembered the day she discovered the right combination of chemicals that changed him back to a mortal man. He would no longer need blood to survive; he was no longer a vampire. She stared silently at the photo that had been taken on that fateful day and a single tear fell from her eyes. > His children come On Saturday There at his feet His grandkids play It’s sad; they don't know him at all He's just the one they call Grandpa... > The next morning their son, Lucas, and his family came over and a bit later their daughter, Janie, came with her family. Natalie watched as their grandchildren played on the floor near Nick’s feet. He would be so proud of these beautiful children. They were a part of his dreams and he was missing out on their lives. She was glad that they had all been born before Nick’s stroke. At least he’d had the opportunity to see them before… She shook her head and pulled her youngest grandchild onto her lap. Nicky was the spitting image of his father at this age. “Nanny, can Papa see?” Her eldest granddaughter, Anna, asked. “Yes. But his brain doesn’t work the way ours does, anymore, so he doesn’t see things quite the same way as you and I do.” Natalie told her. “I am praying that Papa gets better, Nanny.” Anna told her. Natalie nodded, tears springing to her eyes. “We all are, sweetheart.” Nat whispered softly. > They take out his trash They mow his lawn Things he can't do, since he's been gone She's grateful that They're pitching in And like everyone She misses him... > Lucas mowed the grass and Janie’s husband, Gregory, took out all of the trash around the house. They worked together and did the repairs needed on the house. Lucas’ wife, Mara, did laundry, while Janie cleaned the bathrooms and vacuumed the floors. Natalie was usually too overwhelmed with caring for Nick and doing the simple things around the house, to really worry about the big stuff. She was grateful to her family for coming over every Saturday to help out. She silently watched Nick. The doctor’s said that with time and a lot of therapy, he may regain some of his capacities. But they didn’t know for sure how much of a recovery he would make, if any. > She misses his gentle touch And the way he used to make her laugh She misses the man he was in all of those old photographs So strong, so kind So sweet, so smart The man who stole Her very heart She misses him... > After the family had all left, Natalie led Nick to the bedroom and helped him to get ready for bed. Then she tucked him into bed and stroked his soft gray hair, until he finally fell asleep. She prepared herself for bed, brushing out her hair and washing her face. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. She had gotten so old. Everyone told her that she didn’t look anywhere near her seventy- three years, but she felt every one of them. Turning off the bathroom light, Natalie silently climbed into bed and turned onto her side, so that she could watch Nick sleeping. > And yes, they're still together After all these years But sometimes you can almost feel The sadness in her tears… > After several silent moments of watching Nick sleep, Natalie let her emotions loose and cried. She silently prayed that Nick would recover, at least enough to be aware of her. She couldn’t stand the ache in her heart that had been present since the day of his stroke. The day she discovered that he was no longer aware of his surroundings. No longer aware of her. They had survived so much together; the deaths of Schanke and Tracy. Both were Nick’s partners and both were good friends. The night that Nick had nearly killed her, when they’d tried Janette’s cure. LaCroix had tired of the whole situation and had left Toronto, shortly after Nat’s recovery. He told Nick to do as he wished; it no longer mattered to him. When Nick had regained his mortality, both of them had to go and face the Vampire Council. They had voted on whether or not to allow Nick and Natalie to live and it had been a close decision. Their lives had been spared by only one vote. Natalie reached for a tissue and wiped her eyes and nose. Then she curled up next to Nick and allowed the slow rhythm of his beating heart to lull her to sleep. > She misses his gentle touch And the way he used to make her laugh She misses the man he was in all of those old photographs So strong, so kind... So sweet, so smart... The man who stole... Her very heart... > She would face whatever obstacles they still needed to overcome. She loved him and nothing would ever change that fact. They had faced so many trials and they had come through each and every one of them; she knew that they just had to overcome this one, as well. Even if Nick never got any better, Natalie knew that they would one day be together again. She truly believed that their love was stronger than even death. But, until then… > She misses him... End