Here's another of the DP "Nightwatch song request" challenge fics. Hope
it measures up!
Disclaimers: I don't own Forever Knight, it's characters, or Pink
Floyd, for that matter. They're just very inspiring works of art that I
admire greatly and need to borrow for a few minutes.
Permission to archive granted for www.fanfic.com as well as any DP
pages.
One Slip 01/01
By Laura K. Griffin
(c) July 25, 1999
Tracy waited patiently in the caddy while Nick went inside the coroner's
office to pick up a report they needed for the case they'd been working
on for several weeks. Actually, patience wasn't one of Tracy's virtues,
and soon she was looking around the front seat for something interesting
to read. She flipped through the various police reports sitting beside
her, and discovered a CD buried at the bottom of the stack. Picking it
up, she raised both eyebrows in surprise. She just never figured Nick to
be a fan of Pink Floyd. She opened the case to find the disc missing,
but the insert was still there...and a note was handwritten across the
cover:
"To Nicholas -- Thinking of you. And Lacroix. Love for eternity,
Janette"
One of the song titles on the insert was circled in red. Tracy thought
for a moment but couldn't recall the words to the song. And she knew
that Nick's old car didn't have a CD player. Suddenly she smiled
wickedly to herself: The CD might be missing, but she had an idea about
where she could hear the mystery song...and maybe get some insight into
her mysterious partner! She grabbed her cell phone from her jacket
pocket and pushed the code for speed dial. The line on the other end
connected and rang twice before being answered by a velvet voice.
"Good evening, this is the NightCrawler. How can I be of assistance to
you, dear listener?"
"Do you play requests?" Tracy asked sweetly.
"One some occasions, I do just that...if I feel the situation merits
it." There was a slight pause and then, "What would you like to hear?"
"It's a Pink Floyd song from the CD 'Momentary Lapse of Reason.' It the
cut called 'One Slip.' Any chance you have that hanging around the
studio somewhere?"
There was a brief moment of silence and then the sultry voice purred,
"As a matter of fact, I do. Is there a dedication to go along with
this...a specific reason I should grant your request?"
"Uh...yeah. It's to Nicholas and Lacroix. From Janette," Tracy said
rather softly. "I'm actually calling this in for...a friend."
The voice on the other end chuckled. Lacroix was now quite certain the
person phoning in this request was Nick's new young female partner.
"Would you care to let them know who so kindly called it in for them?"
Tracy hesitated for a moment before saying with a nervous laugh, "Sure.
It's from the paper pushing nightshift detective." And she hung up, just
as Nick was opening the door to the green dinosaur he called a car. "Oh
hi! You're back!"
Nick handed her a manilla envelope as he started up the car. "Here it
is: nothing. Again. Dry run. Back to the drawing board." As usual, he
flipped on the radio as he pulled the vehicle into traffic; and, as
usual, it was already tuned into CERK. Tracy covered her mouth to hide
the slight smile and waited to see if her scheme would be put into play.
She didn't have wait to long.
"Good evening, gentle listeners. You're privileged to have tuned into
NightWatch with the NightCrawler on CERK, and tonight we'll start off
with a little change in our usual programming. How about a bit of music
to turn back time...even if it only is for a few years time...or is it?"
Lacroix pushed a small button to start the song and whispered over it's
intro: "This was called in by 'the paper pushing nightshift detective,'
and the dedication is this -- 'For Nicholas -- Thinking of you. And of
Lacroix. Love for eternity, Janette.' The microphone clicked off as the
lyrics started pouring out of Nick's car speakers. NIck emitted a soft
gasp of surprise, but continued driving, cursing under his breath about
an invisible (to Tracy!) squirrel that had darted in front of the car.
Tracy looked over at Nick who seemed both annoyed (with her?!) yet also
strangely intrigued. He drove the car slowly towards the precinct, but
it was obvious he was listening to the song:
:::A restless eye across a weary room
A glazed look and I was on the road to ruin
The music played and played as we whirled without end
No hint, no word her honour to defend
Nick sighed, and Tracy began to wonder if this had been a wise move.
:::I will, I will she sighed to my request
And then she tossed her mane while my resolve was put to the test
Then drowned in desire, our souls on fire
I lead the way to the funeral pyre
And without a thought of the consequence
I gave in to my decadence
Tracy looked over at Nick...trying very hard to be unobtrusive, but
dying to know what was going on behind the blue eyes that seemed
vacant...or rather...detached. He was zoning again. She was getting used
to it, but she had an insatiable curiosity to know what went on inside
Nick Knight's head. He was *not* the easiest person in the world to get
to know...even though they spent many long hours together on the night
shift.
:::One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life
A small regret, you won't forget,
There'll be no sleep in here tonight
The song was very appealing to Tracy...but then, she'd been a Pink Floyd
fan for many years...though her favorite album was "Dark Side of the
Moon." She even had it in vinyl! She vaguely remembered this song,
though it wasn't one she'd ever felt "connected to." It was just
an...unusual song. Kind of romantic...kind of jaded. Definitely
passionate.
:::Was it love, or was it the idea of being in love?
Or was it the hand of fate, that seemed to fit just like a glove?
The moment slipped by and soon the seeds were sown
The year grew late and neither one wanted to remain alone
Kind of melancholy! She glanced over at Nick as she felt the car pull
over to the side of the deserted road. Putting the car into park, he
turned up the volume on the radio.
:::One slip, and down the hole we fall
It seems to take no time at all
A momentary lapse of reason
That binds a life for life
A small regret, you won't forget,
There'll be no sleep in here tonight
One slip ... one slip
The song faded out as the NightCrawler's voice returned to the airwaves.
"So, children of the *nightshift,*" he said delicately, the thin smile
becoming broader as he entertained the memories of a certain night in
the year 1228. "An interesting beginning to tonight's show. Special
thanks to our mysterious female Nightshift detective for calling this
in. And so listeners, have you had a 'momentary lapse of reason' that
has changed your life...forever? And what of love? Perhaps it is just
the hand of fate...for better or for worse. Agree? Disagree? Discuss!"
The microphone went dead as another Pink Floyd faded up. This one Tracy
recognized immediately as coming from 'Dark Side of the Moon,' her most
favorite CD in the world. This time, the song playing was 'Brain
Damage.' Intersting choice.
Tracy and Nick sat in silence after Nick restarted the caddy and drove
the short distance to the precinct. Both were wondering was going on
inside the other's thoughts, but neither seemed ready to discuss it.
Tracy broke the silence before getting out of the car. "Interesting
songs, don't you think, Nick?"
But Nick just looked at her with a vacant stare but finally uttered,
"One slip..." And he shook his head solemnly and walked into the
princinct without a backward glance.
Across town, Lacroix poured a class of vintage "burgundy," and allowed
his mind to wander through the memories of Paris. And then his thoughts
turned to the female caller. Perhaps it was time to get to know
Detective Vetter...and perhaps it was also time for a late night visit
to Nick's loft.
~~end~~
Comments, questions, and inspiring words of praise gratefully accepted.
Flames will be used to light a cigerette out of rejection-based stress.
--
Cousin Laura
http://www.oocities.com/Area51/Portal/6866/Laura.htm
"Even though you're refracted,
you're still you." -- 'Picasso at the Lapin Agile'
(
geocities.com/area51/hollow/1228) (
geocities.com/area51/hollow) (
geocities.com/area51)