Detective Nick Knight stood silently on the roof of his loft, unseeing eyes turned toward the moonrise. Despite the claims of the old cliche, time had not even begun to dull the pain of loss. 'Nat,' he thought, 'My sweet, precious Nat'. Blood tears welled in his eyes but, as he had for the last five months, he refused to let them fall.
****5 mos earlier****
That night had been particularly gruesome one and he had an almost overwhelming hunger. He had left Natalie at the morgue, at her insistence, finishing up with the last of the night's "customers", and gone to the Raven in search of LaCroix. To his surprise, the bartender told him that LaCroix had left the previous evening. No one knew exactly where the ancient vampire had gone, only that he had said he would return in a few months.
Armed with this sudden fortune, Nick spent the drive home revising plans for himself and Nat, now that they were sans LaCroix for a while. He had just arrived home, grabbed a bottle from the refrigerator, and was preparing to take a nice hot shower when the call came.
"Nick? Nick, if you're there, please pick up the phone."
The urgency and sorrow in Captain Reese's voice was unmistakable. Nick picked up the phone from its cradle and proceeded to listen as his Captain, and friend, broke the news that would change his unlife forever.
"Nick...Oh God, I don't know how to tell you this. Natalie has been in an accident. She was driving home this morning when her car was hit head on. The other guy...the driver...was very drunk. I'm sorry Nick, there was no chance. She died on impact."
The next few weeks were nothing but a blur of emotion. He remembered attending her memorial service and funeral, both held after sunset as per her request, but nothing else had mattered after that.
****back to the present****
Rain had begun to fall, a gentle patter echoing sorrowfully on the rooftop. Nick came back to the present with a sigh of resignation. Loss was painfully familiar to him and he knew that it was time to let himself begin to heal once more. He was not sure how to do that this time. Never before had he had to face the loss alone. Although Tracy and Reese could certainly sympathize, and had been wonderful when it came to offering support, neither could truly understand his feelings. He knew of only one other person who could, but had no way to get in touch with him.
As if summoned by his thoughts, Nick suddenly felt the familiar presence near by. He turned, hesitantly, as he felt his master land softly behind him on the roof. Surprise registered briefly in the back of his mind as he met LaCroix' ice blue gaze. The iron scorn he had expected from his sire was nowhere to be seen. In its place was unconditional compassion.
LaCroix silently regarded his son for a moment before simply holding out his arms. No words were necessary. Nick fell desperately into the welcome solace of his sire's embrace. Pressing himself ever closer to the firm chest and greedily grasping at the unexpected support, he finally allowed his tears release. He felt LaCroix' hand reach up and begin to stroke his hair, a timeless gesture of parental comfort that had never yet failed to ease his pain.
LaCroix held his son tightly, desperately wishing he could absorb his child's pain. He had sensed his son's loss for months now, although had not been able to pinpoint exactly who had been taken from Nicholas' life. Knowing Nicholas as he did, it did not seem wise to rush home, as he had desperately wished to do. LaCroix knew that Nicholas needed time to come to terms with this newest loss, and that his sire's presence would only make things more difficult. Still, it was never easy to sit back and watch his children suffer alone. It had taken all of his considerable control to wait even as relatively a short time as he had. But now the waiting was over. Nicholas had finally accepted the need to move on, figuratively if not literally, and so LaCroix could now offer the healing comfort he knew his son craved.
Nick pulled back slightly, but remained wrapped in the security of his father's embrace. He tilted his head to meet the other's gaze and flashed a ghost of a smile. The rain had increased in intensity and was now pounding urgently down. Neither vampire seemed to notice. Tear-shaped droplets of water quietly washed the blood from his son's sweet face. LaCroix reached up, brushing his fingers against the deceptively soft lips. Nick blinked in surprise but did not object. He knew well what he needed, what he wanted. He took his hands from around his sire's waist and ran them down the rock solid chest before him. LaCroix smiled serenely as he brought his lips down to meet his child's. Thunder cracked violently above them, sharp flashes of lightning providing brief moments of illumination, as the two eternal lovers willingly let the storm over take and engulf them.
Finis
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