When Day Breaks
A Forever Knight Crossover (to say more would be spoiling)
The morgue needed a window. That's all there was to it. Who cares that they were in the sub-basement of the coroner's building, and that the most exciting thing to see would be the occasional worm twisting by? Grace pondered her nails again, and sighed. Watching the grass grow would be more interesting than trying to find that last nonexistent hangnail, which was what she'd been doing for the last half-hour. If they didn't get some business soon, she was going to crack up, and that was a promise. But at least she wouldn't be alone, from the look of things. Natalie sat at her desk across the room and fiddled endlessly with her keys, seemingly transfixed by the play of light along the chain. Back and forth, back and forth, the keys glittered and jangled in the fluorescent light. Finally, enough was enough. Grace put her head in her hands and took a deep breath. "Go!"
Natalie was so far gone, she didn't even look up at the outburst, but continued to stare forlornly at her keys. "Grace, we've got another hour left to work..." she responded halfheartedly.
"Well, that'll be an hour less that I have to listen to your blessed keys while you watch the seconds tick away!" Grace tried hard to look annoyed, she really did. But she couldn't help but laugh, as the concept of freedom ever so slowly wormed its way into Natalie's mind, and her smile got brighter, and brighter...
Still chuckling, she repeated, "Go on. Get out of here. I can hold the fort till quitting time."
Natalie looked for all the world like a five-year-old getting out of school. She leaped out of her chair and ran for her coat, smiling from ear to ear. "Grace, you're a saint! What would I do without you?"
"Besides go blind staring at your key chain?" And she almost burst out laughing again as Nat darted over and gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. "You drive safe, now, you hear me?"
Nat was already through the first set of doors as she called out, "I will! I'll see you tomorrow!"
Grace rubbed her eyes, still smiling, and sighed. "Kids."
***
Natalie sat shivering in the parking lot, waiting for her engine to warm up before she went home. She blew warm air on her mittened hands, and idly wondered where her hat had run off to. Probably left it in the office in her rush to get out of there. But, smiling, she knew she wouldn't go back in there for all the world. And give Grace a chance to change her mind? Not a chance. "So get warm, already!" She could already see it: the fireplace burning, a warm kitty on her lap, and a good, long book in her hands. And any disturbing vampires could take two bottles and call her in the morning. She reached out to see if the engine was warm enough to start. All she had to do was get the damn car warmed up, and she was gone...
She didn't know how they got in. She didn't even see them coming. All of a sudden, they were just there. Three laughing, roughhousing teenagers in her back seat, the same as any other group of teenagers you pass by on the street corner, and don't give a second thought to. The very same.
It was only when one leaned in close that she saw the knife in his hand. Only when he reached for her neck that his sleeve slipped a little, and she saw the needle scars running up and down his arm, like pox. And it was only when he whispered in her ear that she smelled the alcohol on his breath. She felt a wave of cold wash over her as the metal touched her neck, and he repeated his soft whisper in her ear. "Shut the door. It's cold outside."
She didn't want to know why he was laughing.
***
Grace dived for the phone on its first ring. "Whoever this is, I hope you like long chats, because you're the most interesting thing to happen to me in a good half an hour, and I'm not putting down this phone until my shift ends."
"Hi, Grace. Another busy day at the office?"
Her smile widened slightly as she registered the voice. "Detective, why don't they give you guys more vacation? You're driving us right out of business!"
Grace could just see Nick's smile, as he replied dryly, "I'll try to keep that in mind."
"Well you'd just better. They work you folks too hard." She heard his intake of breath. "And before you ask, no, she's not here. Her Laziness took off a few minutes ago. I might be able to still catch her..." Pause. "Nope, her car's already gone." Grace snorted haughtily. "She's probably well on her way to bubble bath heaven by now. The snake. Tomorrow, *I* get to leave an hour early." She heard Nick trying valiantly not to laugh. "But don't you tell her I said so! She might not even come in at all!"
"I won't. I'll talk to you later, Grace."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Grace scrambled for conversation. "You haven't told me the new gossip in the precinct, yet. You're not allowed to hang up till you give."
"You want the latest?" Nick was grinning like a two year old. He was always the last person to hear *everything*, till he picked up this little morsel this morning, and he couldn't wait to hear the reaction.
"Mmm-hmm. Come on, now, don't be shy."
"You know Trix and Hawthorne?" He paused for dramatic emphasis. "They're getting married."
Pause. "Nick, you know that gossip is two months old, don't you?"
Even longer pause. "You're kidding."
"Nope. Better luck next time, Detective."
Grace stayed on just long enough to hear the soft thump of the receiver hitting Nick's forehead in defeat before she quietly hung up.
***
The trees flew past, row by row by row, like black and white walls across her headlights, the snow darting all around her like a cloud of shooting stars. In another time, another circumstance, she might have even considered it beautiful.
They must have driven twenty miles or more out of the city. The houses had long since petered out. No more hotels, no gas stations, nothing. It really was amazing how fast one could get so far from help. She hadn't been driving more than half an hour, and already there were few options left for escape. Even if she did manage to get away from them after they had gotten to wherever they were going, she would never make it back to the car. They'd be expecting that. She wouldn't make it ten feet. No, her only hope was to do something they couldn't anticipate. Inwardly, she sighed. It would have to be by foot, or nothing. She grimly reviewed her clothes without looking down. Business suit, knee high skirt, long wool overcoat. Mittens, but not very good ones. No hat. No boots. She risked a glance of despair at her heeled shoes. Not only would they do her no good, but they would actually slow her down. She'd have to dump them.
God. Virtually barefoot, and her thick hair would only keep her ears warm for so long. By her count, the last side road was about three miles back, and the last definite house was another four. She couldn't even rely on anyone passing by. The nearest town along this road was another fifty miles from Toronto, and it was far too small to have many commuters. Seven miles in the snow till she could get to help. Best walking speed being four miles an hour, she'd be exposed to the cold for at least an hour and a half.
With clinical detachment, she reviewed her fate. Two hours in the cold, with no shoes and no hat. If she made it to safety without succumbing to hypothermia, which was a big if, she was looking at frostbite on both feet, ears, and nose. Possibly fingers, as well, but that would depend on how much of the time she kept her hands in her pockets. The hospitals in Toronto were well equipped to deal with frostbite patients, so she might even be able to keep her toes from being amputated. But there were no guarantees.
And this was her most laughably optimistic case, if she stopped now, got away immediately, and stuck to the plowed road. Realistically? She wouldn't be able to stay on the road for long, lest they catch her by simply getting in the car and driving back the way they came. It would be necessary at first, to keep them from following her trail of footprints. But traveling barefoot through seven miles of deep snow in the woods at night? Natalie breathed deeply, and closed her eyes a moment in self pity. But the bite of the knife at her neck snapped them open again as she gasped.
"Now now, sweet-um. No sleeping yet. The party's just started." That set them off to giggling again. She was really beginning to despise the sound.
She cleared her throat softly to make sure her voice didn't crack when she spoke. "Where are we going?"
"Second star on the right, Mr. Sulu, and straight on till morning." He was still snickering softly as she felt the knife drift down her chest, slicing buttons as it went. "Mmm hmm. Very nice. I think we may have fun with you yet..." Natalie was calmly amazed that the steering wheel was neither bending in two beneath her hands, nor were her teeth grinding themselves into powder, as the knife brushed very slowly, very gently across her bare skin.
"Hey, Luke, no fair! You can't play now! You got to go first last time!" was the protest from behind her. She heard a little scuffling.
"Oh, piss off, Greg. You'll get your turn. Keep a leash on it."
The other snorted. "Yeah, that's what you said last time, and look how that turned out. The chick got offed before the rest of us got our turn."
"Look, will you two shut up? We'll all get a turn this time. Right?" the third cut in, with an edge to his voice.
"Yeah, yeah. We'll all get a turn this time." The first said in a mocking voice to the second, who kicked him.
Another knife shot out from the back seat, right next to Natalie's eye, and she jerked violently. Her reaction went unnoticed as the knife waggled in a general forward direction. "It's the next left after this. Be ready."
She took a few more deep breaths, and glared at the road ahead of her, already starting to consciously change fear to anger. Oh, don't worry, she thought silently to herself. I will be.
A Forever Knight Crossover (to say more would be spoiling)
The morgue needed a window. That's all there was to it. Who cares that they were in the sub-basement of the coroner's building, and that the most exciting thing to see would be the occasional worm twisting by? Grace pondered her nails again, and sighed. Watching the grass grow would be more interesting than trying to find that last nonexistent hangnail, which was what she'd been doing for the last half-hour. If they didn't get some business soon, she was going to crack up, and that was a promise. But at least she wouldn't be alone, from the look of things. Natalie sat at her desk across the room and fiddled endlessly with her keys, seemingly transfixed by the play of light along the chain. Back and forth, back and forth, the keys glittered and jangled in the fluorescent light. Finally, enough was enough. Grace put her head in her hands and took a deep breath. "Go!"
Natalie was so far gone, she didn't even look up at the outburst, but continued to stare forlornly at her keys. "Grace, we've got another hour left to work..." she responded halfheartedly.
"Well, that'll be an hour less that I have to listen to your blessed keys while you watch the seconds tick away!" Grace tried hard to look annoyed, she really did. But she couldn't help but laugh, as the concept of freedom ever so slowly wormed its way into Natalie's mind, and her smile got brighter, and brighter...
Still chuckling, she repeated, "Go on. Get out of here. I can hold the fort till quitting time."
Natalie looked for all the world like a five-year-old getting out of school. She leaped out of her chair and ran for her coat, smiling from ear to ear. "Grace, you're a saint! What would I do without you?"
"Besides go blind staring at your key chain?" And she almost burst out laughing again as Nat darted over and gave her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. "You drive safe, now, you hear me?"
Nat was already through the first set of doors as she called out, "I will! I'll see you tomorrow!"
Grace rubbed her eyes, still smiling, and sighed. "Kids."
***
Natalie sat shivering in the parking lot, waiting for her engine to warm up before she went home. She blew warm air on her mittened hands, and idly wondered where her hat had run off to. Probably left it in the office in her rush to get out of there. But, smiling, she knew she wouldn't go back in there for all the world. And give Grace a chance to change her mind? Not a chance. "So get warm, already!" She could already see it: the fireplace burning, a warm kitty on her lap, and a good, long book in her hands. And any disturbing vampires could take two bottles and call her in the morning. She reached out to see if the engine was warm enough to start. All she had to do was get the damn car warmed up, and she was gone...
She didn't know how they got in. She didn't even see them coming. All of a sudden, they were just there. Three laughing, roughhousing teenagers in her back seat, the same as any other group of teenagers you pass by on the street corner, and don't give a second thought to. The very same.
It was only when one leaned in close that she saw the knife in his hand. Only when he reached for her neck that his sleeve slipped a little, and she saw the needle scars running up and down his arm, like pox. And it was only when he whispered in her ear that she smelled the alcohol on his breath. She felt a wave of cold wash over her as the metal touched her neck, and he repeated his soft whisper in her ear. "Shut the door. It's cold outside."
She didn't want to know why he was laughing.
***
Grace dived for the phone on its first ring. "Whoever this is, I hope you like long chats, because you're the most interesting thing to happen to me in a good half an hour, and I'm not putting down this phone until my shift ends."
"Hi, Grace. Another busy day at the office?"
Her smile widened slightly as she registered the voice. "Detective, why don't they give you guys more vacation? You're driving us right out of business!"
Grace could just see Nick's smile, as he replied dryly, "I'll try to keep that in mind."
"Well you'd just better. They work you folks too hard." She heard his intake of breath. "And before you ask, no, she's not here. Her Laziness took off a few minutes ago. I might be able to still catch her..." Pause. "Nope, her car's already gone." Grace snorted haughtily. "She's probably well on her way to bubble bath heaven by now. The snake. Tomorrow, *I* get to leave an hour early." She heard Nick trying valiantly not to laugh. "But don't you tell her I said so! She might not even come in at all!"
"I won't. I'll talk to you later, Grace."
"Hey, wait a minute!" Grace scrambled for conversation. "You haven't told me the new gossip in the precinct, yet. You're not allowed to hang up till you give."
"You want the latest?" Nick was grinning like a two year old. He was always the last person to hear *everything*, till he picked up this little morsel this morning, and he couldn't wait to hear the reaction.
"Mmm-hmm. Come on, now, don't be shy."
"You know Trix and Hawthorne?" He paused for dramatic emphasis. "They're getting married."
Pause. "Nick, you know that gossip is two months old, don't you?"
Even longer pause. "You're kidding."
"Nope. Better luck next time, Detective."
Grace stayed on just long enough to hear the soft thump of the receiver hitting Nick's forehead in defeat before she quietly hung up.
***
The trees flew past, row by row by row, like black and white walls across her headlights, the snow darting all around her like a cloud of shooting stars. In another time, another circumstance, she might have even considered it beautiful.
They must have driven twenty miles or more out of the city. The houses had long since petered out. No more hotels, no gas stations, nothing. It really was amazing how fast one could get so far from help. She hadn't been driving more than half an hour, and already there were few options left for escape. Even if she did manage to get away from them after they had gotten to wherever they were going, she would never make it back to the car. They'd be expecting that. She wouldn't make it ten feet. No, her only hope was to do something they couldn't anticipate. Inwardly, she sighed. It would have to be by foot, or nothing. She grimly reviewed her clothes without looking down. Business suit, knee high skirt, long wool overcoat. Mittens, but not very good ones. No hat. No boots. She risked a glance of despair at her heeled shoes. Not only would they do her no good, but they would actually slow her down. She'd have to dump them.
God. Virtually barefoot, and her thick hair would only keep her ears warm for so long. By her count, the last side road was about three miles back, and the last definite house was another four. She couldn't even rely on anyone passing by. The nearest town along this road was another fifty miles from Toronto, and it was far too small to have many commuters. Seven miles in the snow till she could get to help. Best walking speed being four miles an hour, she'd be exposed to the cold for at least an hour and a half.
With clinical detachment, she reviewed her fate. Two hours in the cold, with no shoes and no hat. If she made it to safety without succumbing to hypothermia, which was a big if, she was looking at frostbite on both feet, ears, and nose. Possibly fingers, as well, but that would depend on how much of the time she kept her hands in her pockets. The hospitals in Toronto were well equipped to deal with frostbite patients, so she might even be able to keep her toes from being amputated. But there were no guarantees.
And this was her most laughably optimistic case, if she stopped now, got away immediately, and stuck to the plowed road. Realistically? She wouldn't be able to stay on the road for long, lest they catch her by simply getting in the car and driving back the way they came. It would be necessary at first, to keep them from following her trail of footprints. But traveling barefoot through seven miles of deep snow in the woods at night? Natalie breathed deeply, and closed her eyes a moment in self pity. But the bite of the knife at her neck snapped them open again as she gasped.
"Now now, sweet-um. No sleeping yet. The party's just started." That set them off to giggling again. She was really beginning to despise the sound.
She cleared her throat softly to make sure her voice didn't crack when she spoke. "Where are we going?"
"Second star on the right, Mr. Sulu, and straight on till morning." He was still snickering softly as she felt the knife drift down her chest, slicing buttons as it went. "Mmm hmm. Very nice. I think we may have fun with you yet..." Natalie was calmly amazed that the steering wheel was neither bending in two beneath her hands, nor were her teeth grinding themselves into powder, as the knife brushed very slowly, very gently across her bare skin.
"Hey, Luke, no fair! You can't play now! You got to go first last time!" was the protest from behind her. She heard a little scuffling.
"Oh, piss off, Greg. You'll get your turn. Keep a leash on it."
The other snorted. "Yeah, that's what you said last time, and look how that turned out. The chick got offed before the rest of us got our turn."
"Look, will you two shut up? We'll all get a turn this time. Right?" the third cut in, with an edge to his voice.
"Yeah, yeah. We'll all get a turn this time." The first said in a mocking voice to the second, who kicked him.
Another knife shot out from the back seat, right next to Natalie's eye, and she jerked violently. Her reaction went unnoticed as the knife waggled in a general forward direction. "It's the next left after this. Be ready."
She took a few more deep breaths, and glared at the road ahead of her, already starting to consciously change fear to anger. Oh, don't worry, she thought silently to herself. I will be.