Disclaimer:
All characters herein were borrowed, abused, and put back. Characters are
owned and copyrighted by Sony Pictures/Tristar Corp and were created by
James Parriott and Barney Cohen. I'm just borrowing them for awhile, I
promise to put them back in relatively good condition. No copyright
infringement is intended. Any similarity to any real persons, living, dead
or undead, or any other fan fiction, is purely coincidental. Also, nothing
in this story is intended to offend anyone. If I screw something up, please
let me know.
Permission to archive by Mel on fkfanfic given.
Carry on Dancing
By Cousin Raven (raven@naturesong.com)
Sequel to "To the Moon and Back"
===================================
Tracy stared at the report and tried to fight back a laugh. Nick had been
practically staring at her all night from his desk, watching her pour
through paperwork and fill out the forms. He'd been looking for any break
in her normal demeanor, any hint of flinching at the thought of what she had
become. He saw none.
She was back at work then, as promised. LaCroix had wanted her to stay, had
wanted her to get used to the idea of mortals before going back to work with
them, but she'd shrugged him off. She'd be okay, she promised.
Looking at her, Nick was inclinded to agree, but she hadn't visited a
crimescene yet. Somehow he figured that might affect her just a bit. He
sighed and finished his own part in the paperwork.
Tracy, smiling outright now, started to watch Nick. He felt her eyes on him
but didn't flinch. She tried to force the glee out of her voice, seeing him
uncomfortable like this, and whispered just below the range of anyone else's
hearing, "Why didn't you tell me?"
He fixed a blank expression on her. "What do you mean?" he said.
Tracy wanted to laugh, she wanted to laugh really badly, but instead she
held it in. She looked down to better hide it. "About you...and you know?"
she said
"'you know'?" he asked. "You mean Nat?"
She fixed him in a 'you sound pretty stupid, you know what I'm talking
about' expression.
The reality that would not be changed was finally accepted by Nick. He
sighed. "You were too close to us...with Vachon and all."
Tracy's face dropped. She'd forgotten about Vachon in her zeal to get to
LaCroix. She hadn't seen him for almost a week. She wondered if he knew of
her current undead state. How would he feel about her now that she had
joined his ranks...gotten the 'evil' inside her? As she thought about it,
she figured they weren't really evil. It was a condition, a chronic
condition and as long as you follow the rules you were in for a very, very
long stay. This vampire thing was certainly an enlightening experience.
As she gaped, considering the implications, Nick picked up the phone. He
dialed a number and started to talk. She recognized the other voice as
Vachon.
"Yeah, Tracy's got some things to talk to you about..." Nick said and
waited.
"And she's there now?" Vachon seemed incredulous. Nick didn't want Tracy to
know they knew each other.
"Yes," Nick's tone was flat and controlled.
"What happened?" Vachon's voice seemed rather worried for an instant.
Nick fought the urge to laugh. After all, she was far from damaged. "She's
joined the community."
There was dead silence on the other end. Complete and utter. Nick wondered
if he should say anything else at all.
Finally, Vachon said, "Why? Why did you do it?"
Nick realized the problem, "What? I didn't..."
"Yeah, right. The brave crusader come to rescue the maiden. I've heard it
a million times..."
Nick smiled. "Actually, it was more like the Roman General rescuing the
maiden..."
There was again a dead silence on the other end. Finally, Vachon almost
whispered, "You're serious aren't you?"
"Deadly," Nick responded. At her desk, Tracy tried to heave a sigh of
relief. She thought for a minute there that two of her closest friends were
about to have a horrible misunderstanding.
--------------------------
The moonlight...
Shines down interstellar beams
And the groove tonight
Is something more than you've ever seen
The stars and planets taking shape
A stolen kiss has come too late
-----------------------------
Vachon looked around the precinct parking lot. He told Tracy he'd meet her
here but she didn't appear to be where he normally found her. He believed
Nick, that she was okay, but couldn't help worrying that something had
happened, something no one wanted to tell him about.
Relishing her new form, she carefully tried to sneak up on Vachon as he'd
done to her so many times. Unfortunately, the vampire factor was now in
effect.
"I can feel you, you know," Vachon said carefully.
She gave up and walked up to him. He stared at her as if she were the most
exquisite diamond. It seems the vampirism had given her something akin to a
glow, something that made her even more appealing than before.
"I missed you," he said.
She smiled and held him in a warm embrace, something she'd dare not do
before. He held her but seemed reserved. She looked at him questioningly.
He hesitated. "You're not mine anymore..." he said by way of explanation.
Now she was riled. "I don't belong to anyone, you hear me, not you, not
nick, not Lucien..."
Vachon raised an eyebrow. "See...you call him Lucien."
She swallowed the tears that almost fell. "But I love you all..."
Vachon smiled. "That's good, but remember who made you. He doesn't take
lightly to intrusions."
Tracy contemplated this for a moment. They felt a presence coming slowly
into the parking lot. They looked at the same time and saw Nick. He waved
to them and continued looking around the parking lot.
Tracy sighed and gave Vachon a quick kiss on the cheek. "No matter who made
me, Vachon, I still need you..." and she walked off to find Nick who'd
disappeared between some cars.
Vachon watched her go whistfully. At least he had time to love her
now...all the time in the world.
-----------------------
In the moonlight
Carry on, keep romancing
Carry on, carry on dancing
-----------------------
The black late model Nissan pulled out of the police lot, Nick driving and
Tracy in the passenger seat.
"So," Tracy said, "Where are we going?"
Nick shook himself out of his memories. "Vice has a stakeout going on in a
rather ritzy part of town. We're shorthanded so Reese sent us. I thought
the caddy would look out of place."
"Good thought..." Tracy said, "So why are we going there?"
"Um," Nick said, shaking himself again, "They need a lunch break. We're
going to relieve them for just a bit so they can get something to eat.
They've been there most of the day."
"Ah," Tracy said. "Guess we'll get to talk then."
Nick gave her a dark look. "Yeah," he said.
----------------------------
Carry on, carry on dancing
---------------------------
"So, I guess now we're related," Tracy was saying. They'd been sitting at
the stake out point for about half an hour now, and she had already talked
his ear off. He was almost glad he hadn't told her before. At least now
she had a common frame of reference.
"You could say that," he said as he reached over and turned the radio on.
He fiddled with the switch for awhile and finally got it on CERK. He
figured maybe LaCroix might have some advice for both of them at this
juncture.
The Nightcrawler's soothing voice came out of the car's radio like velvet.
"So, my children, have we found new friends to play with?
Discovered old ones? Have we seen the advantages in such a friendship?
One could work with one's friend...for mutual benefit...
for now you are on equal ground. Truly, a beneficial friendship."
Nick muttered to himself, "Yeah, but only if she doesn't freak out at the
next crimescene."
"Hey!" she said indignantly.
The Nightcrawler continuted his monologue:
"Now, now, let's not squabble like little children...we must learn to get
along
So many criminals...so little time..."
Nick sighed. LaCroix was right, there were some advantages to having a
vampire partnered with him. He wouldn't have to worry about her getting
shot at, she'd overlook anything unusual...like catching the bad guy in mid
flight. She could cover his back on her reports...it was really starting to
appeal to him.
"But, children," the Nightcrawler intoned, "Remember who is attached to
whom...get your own. This one's mine."
Nick smiled to himself. That one was for Vachon. Nick almost laughed
picturing the Roman General chasing after the Spanish Conquistador. He just
hoped no stakes were involved, he genuinely liked Vachon. Truth is, he knew
Tracy well enough to know she'd go to who she damn well pleased when she
damn well pleased. LaCroix or no.
Vice returned then and resumed their shift with many thanks. They even gave
them each a large order of fries that they tried really hard to refuse. In
the end, the bag ended up in the seat between them, Tracy holding her nose.
"God, that stuff smells awful. How can they eat that stuff?" Tracy said,
her nose pinched.
"You used to eat 'that stuff' not long ago."
"Yeah, well, my tastes changed," She said.
"I'll say," Nick smiled.
They pulled up to a light and Nick spotted a homeless man sitting on the
corner, sleeping. He put the car in park and got out with the bag. The
smell woke the man almost immediately and Nick smiled and gave him the bag.
The man gave Nick a big, toothless grin and thanked him over and over. Nick
smiled back and kept repeating, "No problem, really."
Finally, he got back in the car and Tracy smiled at him. "Always knew you
had a lion's heart."
"Actually," Nick said, "It's more a crusader's heart."
Their laughter echoed through the streets as they made their way back to the
precinct.
(Disclaimers in Part 1)
If you missed the first part it will be archived at
http://www.naturesong.com/raven/myfkfan.htm
--------------------------------
The moonlight...
Shines down interstellar beams
And the groove tonight
Is something more than you've ever seen
--------------------------------
Back at their desks, talk over, paperwork was getting done quickly. Nat
stopped by, a thick report in her hand to add to their pile. Tracy tried to
act normal, but it wasn't easy.
Nat smiled at Nick and gave some idle chitchat, then turned to Tracy. "Hey,
I'm going to take a break and get some cappicino, want some?"
Tracy almost stuttered but the words sounded calm enough. "No thanks."
Natalie knew something was very, very wrong. Tracy never refused cappicino.
She looked in Tracy's eyes, suspecting...looking for something, anything, a
glint of gold in the wrong place. Tracy kept calm and did nothing.
Natalie knew a bit too much about the physiology though, and reached out
with a finger. She touched Tracy's face, just above her lips, where the two
tiny nubs the fangs came out were located. She ran her finger over them
slowly, causing Tracy's eyes to widen in horror.
Nat turned back to Nick. "Hurmp," she said, "At least somebody met your
stringent requirements," and she started to walk away.
Nick caught her and smiled, whispering, "Why does everybody think it was me.
It was LaCroix."
Nat's eyes widened. "Oh, well then...speaking of stringent
requirements...just what *do* you look for?"
Nick rolled his eyes.
"Maybe LaCroix has lower standards...maybe I should go see him," Nat said.
It was all funny until she said that. Nick's eyes widened and he said, "You
wouldn't!"
Natalie laughed. "No, I wouldn't, I just wanted you to remember I was here.
You all seemed just a bit too comfortable together. It was the first thing
that gave you away."
Tracy looked at Nat piercingly. Nat half smiled and said, "I feel like I
should congratulate you or something."
Tracy smiled back. "At least next time I *will* be able to get my dad to
stop bugging me."
Nat nodded, "I bet you will."
-----------------------------
There's a magic only two can tell
In the dark night
Ultraviolet is a wicked spell
The stars and planets taking shape
A stolen kiss has come too late
------------------------------
Carry on Dancing By Savage Garden
Sony Music 1997
Cousin Raven (raven@naturesong.com)
Enforcements, NA, Unholy Trinity, DP
GWDFC, NBFC, *Love that Nigel*
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