Discovery

by Melody

Authors Note: This idea came to me kind of by surprise. And I wasn't going to write it, however supernatural occurrences convinced me otherwise. This story is a crossover between Dawson's Creek, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and Forever Knight. If you haven't seen the other two, I'll try to add in enough details so you understand the story anyway. This story takes place after Guardian Angel. The inspiration for this story came from the Forever Knight soundtrack.

Credit: Dawson's Creek belongs to Kevin Williamson, Buffy The Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, and Forever Knight belongs to James Parriot and Barney Cohen.

FYI: If you want to catch Forever Knight, it can now be seen on the Sci-Fi channel. Check your local listings.

Brief Summary of BTVS: Angel is around 250 years old. He is a vampire with a soul. Buffy is, of course, the vampire slayer who's destiny is to kill all vampires. Since Angel has a soul, and Buffy is in love with him, Angel gets to live. Angel helps Buffy whenever possible.

Brief Summary of FK: Nick was brought across in 1228. He is a different type of vampire than Angel. His maker, LaCroix (said LaQua) hovers over him, maybe protecting, maybe tormenting, we never know. His ex-girlfriend/sister, Janette, fellow vampire, is usually his companion and his confidant. In a way Nick has a soul. He is a vampire that has vowed to never kill again, and searches for any way possible to become mortal again. Unlike Angel, Nick dwells among mortals, works for a police department on the midnight shift, and drinks cow blood instead of human blood.

~*~*~*~*~*~
CAPESIDE, MASSACHUSETTS

Dawson was surprised with Joey when she requested an all vampire movie night. After the last time, he didn't think she would want to. "So what changed your mind? Believe in vampires now?"
"I don't know Dawson. In a way I guess I do. Don't you think it would be neat to be a vampire? Hang out all night, not really have a care in the world. Live forever, I think it would be cool."
"Joey, have you gone crazy on me? I don't see how being a vampire would be cool. They have to kill people to live. They can never see the sun. They can never have families, because they would outlive them."
"They could have vampire families."
"Oh great. So if you have a family dispute, they get to hate you for eternity. Joey, you're starting to scare me."
"Dawson, relax. It was just a suggestion." But to Joey it wasn't. After meeting Angel, vampires have been the only thing on her mind. And all she could think about was the letter she had mailed Angel a week ago asking him these questions. "Besides, I don't think they exist. And if they did, I'd be scared to approach one. 'Excuse me, but can you bite me? I want to be a vampire.' I don't see that conversation lasting very long."
Dawson laughed. "I guess it might last...long enough for him to kill you."
Joey got a strange tingle sensation in her neck. "It would probably hurt too. But think about it? You could kill rich people, steal all their money. You wouldn't have to worry about going to jail, you'd just kill the cops too. Kill the judge, then move. I read that some vampires can fly. And some of them don't have any emotion. So you wouldn't care if you killed people. You wouldn't care about anything."
Dawson looked really concerned. "Joey, have you been reading about vampires? Now I'm really worried."
Joey smiled. "Just turn on the movie Dawson."
Dawson did as told, but not without watching Joey's expression. "You're not gonna bite me are you?"
Joey laughed out loud. "Give me your neck Dawson...I'm hungry."

~*~*~*~*~*~
TORONTO, CANADA Nick was in his apartment getting read for work when the phone rang. "Nick Knight," he answered.
"Nicola, I need to see you."
"Janette? What is it?"
"Can you meet me at the Raven when you get a chance?"
"Will you tell me what this is about?"
"When you get here." She hung up the phone.
Nick was curious. Janette never called him unless something important was happening. He put a call into work and informed them he would be late. Then he got in his Cadillac and headed for the Raven, the nightclub for vampires that Janette owned. He walked past the crowd of vampires towards the bar. Miklos, the bartender, offered Nick a drink, which he turned down. "I'm here to see Janette."
"She's in the back."
Nick went to the backroom. Janette was sitting on the couch, a glass of "wine" in her hand. "Nicola, please sit down."
Nick sat down next to her. "I came as soon as I could. What is it?"
"Would you like something to drink?"
"You know I don't. What was so urgent you couldn't tell me over the phone?"
Janette sighed. "Nicola, always right to the point." She took a sip of her drink. "Our friend LaCroix is up to something. He had a visitor this morning. Someone I've never seen before. They were in here for hours talking; no one was allowed near them. When LaCroix serves his own drinks, I know something's up."
"What did this man look like?"
"Typical man I guess. He wasn't one of us. Walked right in from the daylight. He was about thirty I guess. LaCroix's height, your weight, strong jawbone, big muscles. Blond hair, nice tan. Pretty cute actually."
"What did they talk about?"
She took another sip of her drink. "Small talk really. Then the man said he had information that would interest LaCroix. They went up to the sound room and I could no longer hear them."
"Did you ask LaCroix who he was?"
"Of course I did. He said it didn't concern me. But he said it would interest you."
Nick thought for a moment. He did not recall knowing a mortal with that description. "Can you think of anything they said that would help me figure out who he was?"
Janette thought for a moment. She finished her drink and thought some more. "I believe he did say he was from California."

~*~*~*~*~*~
SUNNYDALE, CALIFORNIA Angel stepped out of the post office and absorbed the moonlight for a few moments. It had been several days since he'd gotten his mail, since he hardly ever gets any, and was glad he went. A letter from Joey Potter was waiting for him.
He went back to his apartment before reading the letter. He made a quick call to Buffy, letting her know he'd be over soon, and opened the letter:
Angel,
Just wanted to let you know I've been thinking about you. I was hoping you would answer a few questions for me. My curiosity has gotten the best of me yet again, and I was wondering what it was like to be a vampire. I only know what you've told me before. But I don't know the true details. I want to know if you could choose to become mortal again, would you? Do you, or did you ever, enjoy your life now? It might sound weird, but I've been looking into this whole vampire thing. And now that I know they are real, I think I want to be one. So anything you had to offer would be great.
Joey
Angel folded the letter in frustration. "Why would someone willingly want to be a vampire?" He said out loud.

Buffy was waiting up for Angel in her bedroom. He quietly entered and kissed her. "So," she said, "what took you so long?"
"Let's not talk about it. How have you been?"
"Angel. You just saw me yesterday. What's with the small talk? What were you doing?"
Angel looked away. "I got a letter from Joey today."
"Joey? That girl from Mass? What does she want? I thought you were done with her."
"Buffy, calm down. I am done with her. At least I thought I was. Buffy, I need to go back there."
Buffy gave Angel an evil look. "No, you don't. You have nothing there. Your life is here. With me."
"I'm not saying I'm leaving you. But Joey needs me."
"How about I need you? I need you here. You can't go."
"What do you mean I can't go? Are you forbidding me?"
Buffy looked away. "If you want to go, then fine. Go. But don't think you're gonna come back here to me. I'm not playing this game with you."
"What game? I just need to talk to her. I'd be back within two weeks."
"Can't you call her? I'm sure in a small town like Capeside they have phones. Reach out and touch someone Angel."
Angel was getting slightly annoyed with Buffy's attitude. "Look. She didn't ask me to go. But I think I should." Angel handed Buffy the letter.
Buffy looked at him curiously. "You want me to read this?"
"I want you to see why I have to go."
Buffy opened the letter and read it. When she was done she returned the letter to Angel. "What, is she crazy? She actually wants to be a vampire? Okay. I see you're point. I don't see why you have to go there though."
"We both know there are other vampires besides me. If I don't go and talk her out of this, there will be others that will gladly do it for her. You can come if you want."
Buffy laughed. "Yeah right. And miss more school? What do I tell my mom this time? I can't Angel. As much as I'd love to, I can't. But I'm glad you asked me."

~*~*~*~*~*~
CAPESIDE

Joey could hardly pay attention in her classes. After last nights movies, and random dreams she had, and a phone call from Angel saying he was coming back out, she couldn't get the vampires out of her mind. She didn't bring it up to Dawson again, because she was worried he'd figure out what she was up to. So she tried to act like nothing was going on when she saw him at school. "Hey Joey, have any nightmares last night? I know I did. I think I'm done with blood sucking flicks for a while."
"Yeah, I think I'm done. It was fun though, thanks Dawson." Joey started to walk away. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Sure Joey." Dawson watched Joey walk away. He was so deep in thought he didn't hear Jen walk up behind him.
"Dawson . . . .Dawson, are you okay?"
He snapped out of his trance and turned around. "Jen, how are you?"
"Dawson, what's going on with you? I called you four times. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm a little worried about Joey though."
"Joey can take care of herself. You'd better get to class. Come on, we're late."

Joey's English class was assigned to do a report on anything that interested them. So she decided to do her report on Vampires. The class went to the library. She picked out some vampire books and began reading them. She opened her notebook and took some notes:
According to different legends, there are several types of vampires. Type "A" has demonic souls. Their senses are slightly more enhanced than humans. Garlic has an effect on them. Crosses have an effect on them. They have to be invited into someone's house before they can actually enter. They can't go out during the daylight. If they are staked through the heart, they disappear into dust. They can not see their reflection in a mirror. They do not sleep in coffins.
Type "B" have regular souls. Their senses are extremely more enhanced than humans. Garlic has an effect. Crosses have an effect. They do not need to be invited into a home. They can't go out during the daylight. They can fly. If they are staked, their body does not turn to dust. They can see their reflection in a mirror. They do not sleep in coffins.
Type "C" feel no emotion. Their senses are more enhanced than humans. Garlic and Crosses have no effect. They do not need to be invited into a home. They can't go out during the daylight. They can fly. They must be burned to be killed. They can see their reflection in a mirror. They have to sleep in coffins.
Joey reread her notes. With the three types of vampires, the only things they had in common were the enhanced senses and the daylight theory. Everything else was different. Which made Joey even more confused. Which is true? How do I know which one Angel is?

~*~*~*~*~*~
TORONTO

Nick waited for LaCroix to finish with his nightly radio show.
"And so my children, as we ponder the thoughts of the evenings conversations, let us not forget the lesson of the evening. And let us look upon tomorrow as a new conquest. One filled with hopes and dreams that we may shatter whenever we wish. Goodnight." He signed off and waved Nick to enter. "And to what do I owe the honor of this visit from my poor suffering immortal son?"
"You know why I'm here LaCroix. The visitor. I've heard about him. Who is he?"
"So your sister has been talking again? Annoying habit that one has. I should do something to correct that."
Nick grew more impatient by the minute. "Why is it you can never answer a simple question?"
"My dear Nicholas, there are no simple questions in this world. You of all people should know this."
Nick sighed. "LaCroix, please. Explain to me what is going on."
"The man that came to visit me, he's a mortal friend of mine."
"You don't have mortal friends."
"I don't? Of course I do. He comes from California with news of interest to you. There is a vampire there much like yourself. Searching for the better side of himself. I thought you'd want to know."
Nick was confused. LaCroix never offered information without a purpose. "Why would I care about this?"
"You should probably go talk to him. At least get in contact with him. You might find him useful."
"Why? Has he found an answer I haven't?"
"Nicholas, you know me better than that. Why would I ask you to speak with him if he held the answers to the mortality you so hardly seek? No, he has not. But I was hoping if you spoke with him you would give up this pathetic quest of yours."
"It is hardly pathetic to me LaCroix. But then again you never cared how I felt."
"Quite the contrary my son. I care deeply about your feelings." LaCroix handed him a piece of paper. "Here is the information you need to contact him."
Nick took the paper cautiously. "I still don't understand why you are doing this?"
"So full of questions. Go and seek Nicholas."

~*~*~*~*~*~
SUNNYDALE

Buffy and Angel were sitting in his apartment. He was preparing to leave that evening, against all of Buffy's begging. Buffy finally decided to stop with the guilt trip. "Will you come back as soon as you can?"
"I promise."
Angel's phone rang and Buffy answered it. "Hold on... Some guy named Nick?"
Angel looked curiously at the phone and took it from Buffy. "Hello. . . .What? . . . .I don't understand. . . . .it might take me some time . . . . .no, I don't fly. . . . . .okay, see you there . . . .bye." He hung up the phone.
Buffy spoke, "now what?"
"I'm not sure. He said he was a vampire. Wants to talk to me."
"Could be a trap. Don't go."
"He's in Canada. Asked me if I could fly. Weird guy."
"You're not going, are you?"
"Buffy...."
"Angel, I'm serious. This guy calls you up, says 'hey, I'm a fellow vamp, why don't you come over?' And you're going to do it?"
"I'm sure it will be okay. I'll just stop over on the way to Mass."
"Angel, Canada isn't exactly on the way to Mass. You're talking several more days on the road."
"Buffy, please. He said we share a common interest. I have to go. Please understand."
"I understand you know nothing about this guy. But you're going to see him anyway. Let me come with you."
"I already said you could. You said you couldn't."
Buffy thought for a minute. "I guess I can't. Besides, I'd hate to have to clean up Canada too."
Angel laughed. "So you understand? You're okay with this?"
"Just hurry up and get back."

To Be Continued...

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