========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 05:08:25 -1000 Reply-To: kevinm@PIXI.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Kevin Matsumoto Subject: XOVER: Companionship a FK/HL Crossover pt 6/? repost! Apparently either my Mailserver is messing up or this got sent to the wrong place but I have been told by people that they never got this part so I am resending it. Author's notes: OK well, the inspiration for this story (or the blame for giving me the idea :>) can go to Perri Smith for her excellent (IMHO) stories "What's Past is Prologue and House of the Rising Sun" which go me thinking _Why_ would a Vampire and an Immortal stay together? Especially when each tends to drift apart from their own kind easily enough. Also to the writers of the Niamh series written by Tara O'shea, The Forever Not story Revelations (The original inspiration for part of this story.). Disclaimer: in chapters 1 thru four. Companionship by Kevin Matsumoto kevinm@pixi.com A Highlander/Forever Knight Crossover story Chapter 6 Farmer Estate Late Evening Nick went over the grounds again as he mulled over the pieces of this puzzle. Something _just_ didn't fit. The forensics team had just finished with the body so Nick walked over to ask a few questions. "So... Preliminary cause of death." "Take your pick" Natalie said with a long sigh. "If the bullets to the heart, lung and spine didn't kill him then the decapitation surely did." "Gunshots, It just doesn't fit the MO" Natalie shrugged "Maybe this was a copycat." "Great" Nick said sarcastically "Just what we need in this city 2 psychopaths." "Another thing." "More good news?" "Depends on your definition of good, I guess." Natalie pointed to the door. "The killer shot the victim at point blank range like this" She moved Nick in front of the door and stepped behind him about 5 feet away. "The victim then fell against the door in a kneeling position." She placed her hand right about where Farmer's head would have been. Just below a large gash in the wood. "Then he stepped up and while the victim was still sliding down the door. He swung straight into the victims neck with the edge of the blade and buried the blade into the door." She mimed a chopping motion with her hand. "You can tell by the blood spatter." Nick leaned in to take a closer look at the cut. Sure enough would was compressed along the grain evenly, become shallower in a symmetrical pattern. "Nat, a sword can't make a cut like that in flat piece of wood that wide. Besides to cut a head off with a sword, you'd usually use an left to right stroke with the point of the blade." Natalie nodded "But an axe would make just about that kind of cut and with an axe a straight in cut is more efficient." Nick looked disgusted. "That means this probably wasn't the same killer right?" Natalie shrugged "Most serial killers are pretty monogamous, one style of killing. That's how they're caught. Eventually someone puts their pattern together." "Nick over here!" sounded from behind them. While Natalie and Nick were going over the body and the area around the body, Tracy had been slowly following the footsteps backwards into the garden. At her excited shout, Nick and Natalie hurried over to where Tracy was standing. "Guess what I found?" She said smiling. "Let me guess..." Nick said, though he had a pretty good idea what was there. "A sword? right!?" "Give the man a prize!" Tracy exclaimed as she pointed her flashlight at the shiny piece of metal on the ground. As she did so Nick noticed the large gash less than 2 feet from the hilt. "Tracy, move your flashlight to the right a bit." As Tracy did so, Nick pointed his own flashlight at the spot. Kneeling down he looked carefully at the cut in the grass. Next to it he could still see small dark drops of something. His vampire senses told him it was blood. "Nat, you might want to take a few samples of that." he said pointing to the drops. Carefully avoiding the spots, Nick continued to move away from the house in a line with the body and the sword. Another 5 feet away he found the shell casings from the gun. Putting the casings in an evidence bag, Nick walked back over to the two women. "Nat, I think you'll find that Mr. Farmer was killed by a 9mm NATO round." Natalie took the bag from Nick's hand. Nick continued "My best guess is Farmer and his killer must have been fighting. Farmer managed to cut his killer and the killer dropped his weapon. The killer then pulled out a 9mm pistol and Farmer ran. The killer probably chased Farmer back to the door, shot him and then cut his head off." "But why cut his head off?" Tracy asked turning to Natalie "You said that the bullets wounds would have been fatal right?" Natalie nodded, her own face showed her confusion. Nick intervened "If we can answer that, we'll be on step closer to finding the killer." Both women nodded and all three went back to searching for evidence. Coroner's office just before the end of shift. Natalie Lambert sighed and stretched trying to relieve aching muscles caused by tension. She had been going over the latest victims autopsy with a finer toothed than usual comb, hoping to find something that would help break this case. Suddenly she felt a hand touch her shoulder, startling her. Whirling she cried out "Dammit! Nic..." Her voice died away as she saw the stern almost patriarchal features of Nick's Vampiric Sire. "LaCroix..." Holding up a hand LaCroix said "_Don't_ be alarmed my dear Doctor Lambert. This is strictly a professional visit. A consultation as it were." "Whose profession" Natalie asked flatly, her voice betraying only the slight tremor. "yours or mine?" "Why yours, of course Doctor. I have no profession, I simply am." "Get on with it, LaCroix." "Of course." LaCroix said with his usual quiet menace. "Certain member of _our_ community have become alarmed at the recent rash of beheadings to plague the city lately. Nicholas has told you that one of the surest ways to kill us is to remove the head from the neck. Has he not?" Natalie nodded "He did mention that once, I think." There was no doubt in her mind that the _our_ that LaCroix was referring to was the vampiric community in general and the Enforcers, specifically. "Then you can understand why I am here." Natalie puzzled "Why not ask Nick?" "Oh I intend to. Once I have the complete story from you. That way I can be sure that Nicholas will not be lying to protect these silly _Mortals_ and their laws that he has grown so fond of." "What makes you think that I will tell you the truth?" "Why to protect yourself and Nicholas too, of course. My Dear Doctor, you don't think that even Nicholas and I could protect you if the Enforcer's start to believe that a vampire hunter has entered Toronto do you?" "You? Protect me?" Natalie said with disbelief. "Who else? Between Nicholas and I, we have enough status in the community to keep you safe." "You don't even _like_ me, LaCroix..." Natalie stated in a flat tone. "Ahh.. But you see Doctor, I don't dislike you either. I admit that your predilection for believing that science holds all the answers does annoy me. But. You. Are. A. Challenge." The final words were accompanied by LaCroix stepping far too close to Natalie than she would have liked. "A challenge?" Natalie said far more calmly than she felt. "Not a threat?" She was startled by LaCroix's laughter. It sounded to her like genuine amusement. "You see." LaCroix said with a smile. "Do you know, My dear Doctor. That there are _vampires_ that would have bolted and run when faced by me like that. But you, you barely even flinch. Despite the fact that your heart is beating like a drum." He held up his forefinger to silence her retort. "Don't bother to deny I could hear that from across the room." "Do you have any idea how _dull_ life can be without any challenges? Especially for an immortal? You are part of my game with Nicholas." "Not as a pawn." he said when he saw her bristle. "As an adversary. One to be savored." "I make a move against Nicholas, either physical or mental and you help to counter it. It has been stimulating to say the least. You are courageous, insightful, resourceful and wise. Far beyond any of the sheep that you live amongst. If it were not for the fact that it would drive Nicholas away from me forever, I might even have brought you across by now." That thought terrified Natalie. LaCroix noted the fear in her eyes and his smile grew a little triumphant. It was very rarely that he managed to unravel the Doctor's composure without resorting to force. "But, I think not." LaCroix regarded Natalie, his fingers steepled in front of his lips. "You see, in this game I have eternity, as does Nicholas. You do not." "But..." Natalie began only to be cut off by LaCroix holding his hand up. "What if you succeed in helping Nicholas to cross back?" Natalie could only nod. "Why I would simply bring him across again." LaCroix's smile did not quite reach his face. "He is my child and I will not allow anyone to interfere in that relationship." "If all this is true, then why did you threaten me on Valentine's day?" Natalie asked, wanting to wipe the smug look off of LaCroix's face. "YOU REMEMBER THAT!?!?" LaCroix shouted incredulously his eyes turning gold. "Of course." It was Natalie's turn to look smug. "Surely Nick told you that I am a _resistor_?" LaCroix had calmed down. "Then why...?" "Allow you and Nick to believe I had forgotten?" It was Natalie's turn to play mindreader as well. "Because if Nick believed that I still remembered he would have blamed himself. He would have become frightened that I would do something to convince you that he did love me and you would hurt me." "He would have gone away." She whispered the last line. LaCroix was silent for a moment. Then he whispered in voice that Natalie could barely hear. "And you love him." It was not a question, Natalie realized, it was statement of fact. "And that is why you help him, that is why you forgave him Janette." All Natalie could do was nod. "Then you have my sympathies." Natalie's head shot up like a rocket. She stared at LaCroix in pure shock. "You forget, I have had to deal with Nicholas's predilection for self-guilt for 800 years now. I am quite aware of how annoying it can be." "But at the Azure?" Natalie stammered. "I wasn't testing Nicholas's feelings for you, Doctor, but yours for him. If all you were interested in Nicholas for was the chance to investigate a unknown phenomenon. If you were just stringing him along, I think you call it. Then I would have been forced to deal with you as a threat to all of us. If you truly cared for Nicholas then I could go back to playing our game without fear of interference from the Enforcers. I had noted Nicholas's feelings for you quite well. But that was the first chance to see how you felt about him. It was... Illuminating." LaCroix continued "Now I am aware of your full feelings and can adjust my _play_ accordingly." He looked over Natalie's shoulder to the door. "And now so does Nicholas." (WARNING: Blatantly Mushy scene ahead. All nonromantics take the next cutoff please :) Natalie spun to see Nick standing there. Fear and Hope warred for final dominance of his expression. "Natalie..." Nick's voice was choked with emotion. "Its alright Nick." Natalie's voice was almost as choked. "Its alright." Nick moved over and gently took Natalie in his arms. "I hate to break up such a _tender_ scene. But you still haven't answered my question." LaCroix announced sardonically. Nick and Natalie pulled apart. Nicholas shielding Natalie behind his body. "I'll tell you what you want to know, LaCroix." "That's quite alright Nicholas, I'm sure that the good Doctor is willing to give me the full story." When Nick didn't move, LaCroix grew annoyed. "OH, do grow up, Nicholas! I have already given the Doctor my word. Isn't that enough?" Nick nodded, stepping so that Natalie was at his side. "You always keep your word. LaCroix." "Thank you." LaCroix intoned. Natalie gave LaCroix the details of the crimes. Speaking as though she were giving a verbal report to the Chief, she specified times of death, the location of the bodies and finally she told LaCroix the slight absurd theory that She, Tracy and Nick had come up with. Instead of laughing at the theory or heaping it with scorn as she would have expected LaCroix to do, he simply nodded as though the theory explained everything. "Yes, yes that makes sense. Of course. Very well. Nicholas. Doctor Lambert. I will inform those concerned that this is nothing to worry about and that it has nothing to do with our community." With those words he began to leave the room. Before he left he turned to Nick. "Oh yes. Nicholas, I hope you have noted that our relationship of late has become somewhat less strained?" Nick nodded. Since Janette's departure LaCroix had made an effort to be more accommodating. He still sniped and made cutting comments but he seemed to be trying to reopen, if not the friendship, at least the companionship that had been there before. "I make you one last promise then, Nicholas. A gift so to speak." "I will do nothing against the Good Doctor here, Unless of course she should somehow manage to bring you across or otherwise hurt you. Then, well, let's just say we'll burn that bridge when we come to it." At those words LaCroix left the room and allowed Nick and Natalie their privacy. The two stood in awkward silence for several moments until Nick finally spoke. "Natalie I'm sorry... I wanted to tell.." Natalie held a finger to Nick's mouth to silence him. Then she kissed him, softly, lightly. No passion, just a loving caress. "It's alright Nick, we'll work it out. Just as long as you love me." "You know I do Natalie." Then he shook his head. "No, I haven't said those words since that night. Have I?" Natalie shook her head. "I love you, Natalie Lambert. More than my own live. You have been the warmth in this cold existence of mine. The first real warmth in a very long time. If the day should come when you are taken from me by death. Wait for me, because I won't be more than the first sunrise behind you." Natalie's eyes filled with tears and the two just held each other for the longest time. End chapter 6 Author's notes: God I really hope this chapter works. If it doesn't let me know ok? It got a bit longer than I expected. By the way, what do you readers think of my take on LaCroix? I really want to know because I tried to get the feel of the character and the way he speaks. I didn't even intend to write him into this script but he appeared anyway. :) As before comments to kevinm@pixi.com