Title: And A Child Shall Lead them

Author: longlostnite

Rating: M

Pairing: Vicki/Henry

Archive: None

Summary: Where's Dr. Phil when you really need him?

Time: After Changes

A Good Kind of Crazy

When she woke up in Henry's bed, it was just before dawn and Henry was lying on his side watching her. The smile on his face said, this is perfect. It had been too long since he had felt the emptiness fall away from his soul.

He said, "Good morning," then leaned in and whispered, "I still love you."

Vicky responded with a very polite, "Thank you."

That made Henry laugh out loud and that made Vicki laugh.

"You just cannot deal with anything remotely resembling emotions, can you?"

Vicki shook her head slowly and responded, "No, not really, no."

He wanted to talk because he knew Vicki, and knew her almost guy-like first instinct would be to run to the nearest exit after last night. He also knew he couldn't chase after her because he could feel the sun coming up, so he looked at Vicki, touched her face and said, "We're going to talk tonight, but not to worry, it won't hurt." As Henry closed his eyes and started to fall asleep, he heard Vicki say, "Yeah, Lookin' forward to that."

She watched over him for a while, then got up and pulled her clothes on. Vicki pulled the beautiful duvet spread up over him, kissed him on the forehead and then fled the apartment like her hair was on fire and the only water was outside.

Henry had told her once he'd only said 'I love you' twice in almost 500 years.

Well, Vicki had never said it. Out loud, at least. Never truly thought she would, either, until she met the Prince.

She had issues.

The elevator ride to the lobby was an interesting conversation between Vicki, practical 21st century woman and Vicki, 21st century woman seriously in love with a vampire who had been born in the 16th century and still wouldprobably alwaysbe more liberated that she was about some things.

I was caught up in the moment, that's all. Henry and I could never work.

I'm almost blind, he's a vampire.

I'm 32, He's 488.

I look 32, he looks 23.

I'll look 90, he'll look 23.

I know he'll love me, no matter what happens. That's enough isn't it?

This is the kind of tragic romance that has been written about for centuries.

Romeo & Juliet.

Hubble & Katie.

Nick and Jessica.

Henry will stay Henry, and I'll go blind, deaf and wrinkly. What happens then?

What am I, nuts? Vicki snorted, "Well clearly." Henry said we could beat the odds and I believe him. Right? What about kids? Do I want kids? Does he? Could he?

She waited in the cold winter morning for her cab and this internal/external conversation kept up after she finally caught one. The driver kept checking the rear view mirror, seeing Vicki's lips moving and trying to decide if she was just crazy or about to rob him and planning an insanity defense. At least she wasn't threatening him with a weapon. So far. Just talking like a crazy person.

Vicki caught the look on the driver's face and thought, Oh my God, I'm scaring the cab driver. Nothing scares them. When he let her off in front of her office, she over tipped him, said sorry and went upstairs. Coreen wasn't there, and had left a voice mail saying she couldn't come in until around 3 pm. Thank God. Vicki stripped down and got in the shower. It felt like the beat of the water on her skin was beating a cadence in time with the thoughts running through her head. It seemed to be saying Why yes you are crazy, but it's okay, it's a good kind of crazy. She tried to lay down and get some sleep, but the voice in her head just would not stop yapping. She got up, got dressed and started the pacing. Three steps, turn, four steps turn, three steps turn.

What's the worst that could happen?

I'd get to spend 20 or 30 years with a vampire who would die to protect me and I will never have better sex than I've had the last couple of days. He doesn't patronize me unless he goes into the whole I am Royalty thing, or treat me like an invalid because my eyes are going. He would never feel sorry for me because I couldn't see. On the other hand, can he stay just with me? Will I be enough? He can't drink just my blood, he'll need other resources. And that means, what? Blood bank? Do we keep some frozen in the fridge like champagne for special occasions? Other women? Other men?

This internal conversation went on and on, Vicki see-sawing back and forth between don't be an idiot, it'll be great and

don't be an idiot, how can this possibly work until she realized she was starving. She hadn't had anything since the Chinese food last night and it was almost 2 in the afternoon. She scribbled a note for Coreen, grabbed her bag and headed for the deli down the street.

A little after 3, Coreen walked into the office and saw the note. What she didn't see was Vicki. Knowing Vicki though, she didn't really think about it until a couple of hours later when she looked up from the computer.

Part 2

Wondering where she was, Coreen dialed Vicki's cell phone and it went directly to voice mail. An hour later, her call hadn't been returned and she still didn't pick up when Coreen called. The sun was completely gone and she decided maybe she'd call Henry.

Vicki's probably just gone there instead of coming back here. Coreen's hand was reaching for the phone, when the door opened and Henry walked in.

"Talk about timing."

"Whose, yours or mine?"

"Yours. I was just calling to see if Vicki was with you."

"She's not here." It was a statement of fact, not a question.

"No, I got here at 3 and found a note, but she hasn't been back."

He took the note and read it, told Coreen to wait at the office, turned and walked out of the building toward the deli.

Henry could just barely catch her scent in the air and the closer he got to the deli, the fainter it became. By the time he got there, it was almost gone and he tried not to let the worry show as he went to the cashier to ask if he'd seen Vicki today. He knew the guy knew her, she always made up the strangest combos instead of just ordering off the menu. His name was what? David, Duncan, Douglas. Daniel!

"Hi, Daniel, was Vicki in here earlier?"

"You bet, she came in a little after 3, ordered, if you can believe it, pastrami and peanut butter with a bunch of other stuff."

"Did you see which way she went when she left?"

"Yeah, she headed back to the office. Why? Is everything okay?"

"Probably. Her cell phone's off and we're just trying to touch base."

"If I see her, I'll tell her to call you."

"Thank you, Daniel. I would appreciate that."

Out the door, he headed back the way he came, but now he had something he could track.

Pastrami & peanut butter? My God, was there nothing this woman wouldn't eat? At least it made the hunt easier. That was a combination that would leave a trail all its own.

Henry walked slowly, sniffing the air around him, listening for anything that would tell him where she was. When he got back to the steps leading up to Vicki's office, the smell of the sandwich became stronger. He headed up the stairs, thinking she was back, but the further away from the front the got, the fainter it became. He went back down and turned away from the deli and the scent came back, faint at first, then becoming stronger. Almost four blocks down the smell was growing stronger and Henry knew it was nearby, he just had to find it. Heading down an alley, his pace slowed and he searched with his eyes and his nose and found what he was looking for. Almost. He saw a door and then the bag from the deli. Saw a spilled cup of coffee and something that made him stop stone cold. Vicki's baton, opened to its full length.

Part 3

Henry Fitzroy was not someone given to panic. He'd lived too long, seen too much, to be thrown by the unexpected. Seeing the baton, however, was about to do just that. Victoria would never willingly leave food behind, much less her baton. It had taken the place of her gun when her vision started to go and had become a part of her. He picked it up, smelled something not Vicki and began to pace the alley, listening, scenting the air, looking for something to lead him to where she would be. He could smell her, faintly, and he made ever widening circles looking for where it was the strongest. He found it on the stairs that led to the roof and flew up them, reaching the top and sniffing the air. She had been here, and not too long ago. He searched the roof top, reaching out again, trying to feel where she was, knew he was getting closer to her.

Victoria, where are you?

"Henry?"

He spun.

Vicki was standing in the door of the roof, her small flashlight in her hand and he was standing in front of her before she finished saying his name. The relief that he had found her showed on his face as he hugged her to him.

"Are you all right? What happened? Who took you? Where are they? This building has been on fire, it's dangerous to be up here."

"I'm fine. One question at a time. I'll explain everything, but you've got to loosen your grip, breathing's becoming an issue here."

"Oh, God." and let her go. "Sorry. What happened? I found your sandwich, if you want to call it that, and your baton down in the alley. I thought someone had taken you from me."

"Not exactly." She couldn't help but smile, taken me from him. "Well sort of. But they didn't mean any harm."

"Who didn't mean any harm?"

He sensed them then. And turned to see two children standing in the doorway where Vicki had been. He growled, eyes going black.

"What are they? They're not children."

"No, they're not, they're spirits, ghosts. I was coming back from the deli and I kept thinking I was hearing something, I just didn't know what. When I got to the front of the alley, I looked down there and I could see them. They were shining, Henry! It was so cool, nothing like creepy Magnus. I spoke to them, and Lainey, that's the little girl, stopped crying. The little boy's name is Kevin. They didn't know I could see them until I said something. They led me up here, said they were somewhere in this building, they just couldn't tell where, it was too dark for them to see."

Henry huffed, "It's too dark for you to see! Vicki, why didn't you come get me?"

"I wasn't sure they'd still be here if I left and came back. And since when do I need your help to find anything?" She paused, "Never mind."

"Why is your baton down in the alley?"

"Oh, I dropped it over the side when I tripped over a piece of concrete. Is my sandwich okay?"

"It wasn't okay to begin with - pastrami & peanut butter?"

"Hey, I don't bitch about your diet, don't bitch about mine."

That remark got her Henry's royal eyebrow look, "Excuse me, you bitch about my diet all the time." Ignoring him, Vicki asked, "Will you help me find them, Henry? Their family deserves to know what happened to them."

"I thought my life was interesting before we met, love, but you have certainly raised the bar," he just sighed resignedly, "in 488 years, you're the only person I've ever met who could go out for food and find something like this."

"Hey, you brought me into this world, so you've got no right to gripe when this kind of thing happens."

"True enough. How can we help them?"

"We need to find their bodies first, and work from there."

"Then what?"

"Then we let their family know."

"Then what?"

"Then we figure out what happened. If it was an accident or something else."

"Something else?"

"You know, m-u-r-d-e-r."

He looked at her like she'd started speaking in tongues, "Why are you spelling?"

"Because even though they're spirits, they can't be more than five or six years old."

"Fine. You wait here. I'm going back to your office and get some bigger lights so we can see what we're doing."

"Great!" She patted his arm, "I'll be right here."

"No, you won't," He smiled, "but I'll find you."

"I know." She smiled back.

Henry headed towards the stairs and as he reached them, he turned and called her name, "Vicki?"

"Yes?"

"I will always find you."

She walked back over to Henry and whispered in his ear, "If the sound of your voice didn't make me so hot, I'd be thinkin' stalker."

Part 4

Henry raced to Vicki's office and found Coreen pacing around the room.

"Henry! Where-?"

"Don't worry, I found her."

"Where?"

"About 4 blocks down, in an abandoned building, hanging out with two ghostly children. Where are the flashlights?"

"Cool."

"No, not cool. She wants to go inside the building to find their bodies."

"Again cool."

"Again, not cool. She can't see, remember? And that building has been set on fire, so who knows how safe it is? Where are the damn flashlights?"

"Then why did you leave her?"

"I came for lights, Coreen! Jesu, what is it with you women?"

"You women?"

"Yes, you women! You sometimes almost listen to her, but she never listens, to me or anybody else. It drives me crazy."

"Yeah, but it turns you on too. Vicki's the first woman in how many lifetimes? who didn't fall all over herself trying to make you happy. It's classic. You want what you can't have, and she's afraid to give in, becoming just another conquest of the great Henry Fitzroy."

"Thank you Dr. Phil, but I truly do not have time for this right now. I need the lights and I need to get back to Vicki."

"Fine, here they are. They're the industrial size, so they should give you a lot of light. Can I come with?"

"No, stay here and start looking into missing children. They're a boy and a girl, probably around 5,6 years old, first names Lainey and Kevin. The old Fox building. It's boarded up, so we'll probably need the information on that too." Henry headed for the door, "I've got my phone. I'll call if we need you."

"Cool!"

Henry just rolled his eyes and headed out the door and back to the building.

When he got back to roof, of course Vicki had already gone inside. Henry turned on the light (even a vampire needs a little help with pitch black). He moved inside, calling Vicki's name, smelling the air. His senses led him straight to her, using the tiny pen light, and not making much progress. And no sign of the children.

"Henry, can you smell anything?"

"I've told you before, I'm a vampire, not a blood hound, but yes, I can smell the decay. They're close." He moved forward, taking Vicki's hand, and let his vampire senses lead them. He came upon two small lumps lying against a wall in a hidden alcove on the top floor. If he hadn't known before, he knew when he saw them. When he reached toward the two small lumps, Vicki stopped him with one word, "evidence"

Vicki shined the light on the mound. It was what she expected, but didn't want to find. The bodies of two children, arms wrapped around each other, each trying to protect one another, even in death.

Part 5

"Jesu, who could do this?"

"The world is full of evil, Henry, you should know that."

"I do. It's just that children should never be exposed to this. They died trying to take care of each other, but they shouldn't have died at all."

"No, they shouldn't. Now it's up to us to speak for them."

"Just tell me what you need me to do."

"Do you have your phone?"

"Yes."

"Call Mike."

Half an hour later Mike and Kate showed up, with Kate not looking particularly happy. They were both dressed for something other than police work, and even though Vicki knew she and Mike would never be more than friends now, a little pang of jealousy cut through her.

I'll deal with that later, she thought. Right now, it's about these kids.

Mike had the look of man resigned to his fate . "Vicki, what's going on?"

"Mike, can I speak with you alone for a minute?"

"Oh, God, this is going to be one of those cases, isn't it?"

"'Fraid so. I was coming back from the deli earlier and… She went on to explain what had happened, and when she finished explaining, all Mike could say was "Vicki!"with a whine in his voice.

"Don't Vicki me. You think I went out of my way to find this? I didn't! They were standing right in front of me. What was I supposed to do? Call ghost busters?"

"I honestly don't know, Vicki." Mike sighed and said, "Where is Fitzroy? I know he's close. I can't believe I'm asking this, but what does he think?" Like magic, Henry appeared next to Vicki.

"He thinks we have to speak for these children, Detective. There may not be anyone else."

Henry's phone rang. Coreen was on the other end, calling to let them know, that as usual, she had done her exceptionally hard job quite well. The children were brother and sister. Last name Sheehan. They'd gone missing two years ago at the same time the Fox building had caught fire. No one had ever been arrested for it, even though investigators believed it to be arson, and until now no one had known about the bodies.

Vicki was not looking forward to the next step. Informing parents their children were dead was a part of her old job she had never learned to do well, and for the first time was thankful that it wasn't her job anymore. Her job would be to see the children's spirits to rest and help gather evidence that would put the son of a bitch who murdered them behind bars for eternity. There were times Vicki wished that Canada had the death penalty.

Part 6

After the children's bodies were bagged and taken to Dr. M, Henry and Vicki waited quietly on the roof for the ghosts of two murdered children to show themselves. Their patience was rewarded. They'd shimmered into existence, looking happy, and yet the sadness that surrounded them remained. They were holding hands, and a smiling Lainey said, "Thank you Vicki. And you too Henry. We know where we need to be now. Please tell mama and daddy we're okay-gramma's waiting for us and she says where we're going is a beautiful place." She turned like she was listening to someone, "She says to tell mama that even Lennie is here. That's how she'll know it's us. We know you'll find who did this. Like you said, you speak for us."

As she spoke, Kevin, who had never said anything before now, tugged on Lainey's hand, and was pointing behind them, "Look, Lainey, gramma's calling."

Lainey turned back from where Kevin had pointed and smiled at Vicki and Henry, "Gramma says to tell you not to worry so much, Vicki, it's your destiny and one day you'll understand why everything's happened the way it has."

No sound came from Vicki, but the tears ran down here cheeks like they hadn't since her father had left when she was ten. Henry, who said he had not cried in centuries, could no longer make that claim. When the light that was two small children faded, he took Vicki's hand in his and led her down the stairs from the 3rd floor roof top. When they got back to the office, Coreen was about to burst with questions, but when she saw their faces, they died before they reached air. Henry and Vicki just told her the children's bodies had been found and taken to the morgue. Their spirits were headed home to a better place than existed on this earth and Mike and Kate were on the case.

"Does that mean we're done with this?" an incredulous Coreen was looking at them like she wouldn't believe it if they said yes.

"Oh, we are so not done with this." Vicki's eyes took on that determined look she got that scared Coreen and amused Henry. He claimed to be above all of the "human" emotions, but the sight of those two children, holding hands, waiting to go to what he sincerely believed to be heaven had touched him like nothing had, except Vicki, in centuries. He wanted nothing more than to find who had done this and make sure that if "justice" could not see to them, he would.

Part 7

It was almost 11 pm by the time Coreen left Henry and Vicki in the office alone. Vicki was hunched over the computer screen, researching the Fox building fire and Henry was reading over her shoulder. It should bother me that he does that. If Mike had done that, I've had elbowed him someplace sensitive. She smiled.

"What are you smiling about? Think of something?" Henry said in her ear. Nothing I'd tell you, what with your low self esteem and all.

"Nothing special, really." Her right hand reached up behind her, cupped his face. "Just thinking I'm glad you're here."

He took her hand away from his face and brought it to his lips. They brushed across her knuckles, barely touching them, yet little volts of electricity shot from her knuckles down to the space between her legs.

"Thank God." Henry smirked, "The look on your face this morning before I fell asleep all but screamed, 'Eject! Eject, uncensored emotions are coming.'"

She couldn't help but laugh. Maybe that's why this thing between them might work. Henry knew she was terrified of emotional displays, especially her own. Mike had always had to push it until she pushed back so hard she pushed him away. Henry knew she would come to the realization in her own time, and he could wait, he was ageless after all. She turned around in the chair to face him. He was still leaning over her, his hand still holding on to hers. She laid her other hand on his upper thigh, just rubbing the thumb back and forth. "Thank you for what you did tonight, Henry. Those children can be at peace now because of us."

"No, because of you, love. I just helped."

I can't believe I'm going to say this out loud, "I couldn't have done it without you." She hesitated, opening her mouth to say something, practically having to push the words up out of her throat, and meaning each one. "I love you, Henry."

Henry thought the tales of vampires being able to fly might be true after all. He felt like he could lift off from this world and circle the clouds. She said she loves me. I didn't prompt it, I didn't say it first and she hasn't taken a blow to the head. Shelovesme.

Later, neither could decide who moved first. They just knew that they sort of crashed into each other. Henry picking her up, trying for the romantic flourish, and Vicki laughing from deep in her throat, "Fitzroy, put me down, you goof! I said I love you, not I can't walk!"

"Oh, no, milady, I insist. Just this once, let me have my way."

"Oh, I think you have your way plenty. Usually with me."

"Not nearly enough, not nearly, enough!"

Henry carried her into her make shift bedroom, smiling into her hair, laughter coming up from deep inside him. When he got to the bed, he laid her down, took off her boots, her socks and laid next to her, wrapping them up in the comforter that was half on half off the bed.

"Henry, it's usually easier to make love if we're not wearing all our winter clothes."

"We'll make love, but just for a minute I want to enjoy this, us, doing something completely everyday normal. No demons, ghosts, zombies, just us."

"That'll work."

They just stayed in each others arms for a while, neither of them speaking, just breathing, quietly in synch. He woke slowly, feeling her hands gently combing his hair with her fingers. He smiled in the dark, and his hand moved up and down her arm. She smiled, remembering the first time he did that, when she went to him for help with her missing brother case. He had stood in his apartment, listening to her, but grazing her arm with his knuckles. She knew he'd wanted her then, and she had wanted him right back, but the thought of giving over control to anyone, let alone a vampire, had put the brakes on any action she might have taken. Now it felt like it was the only way it could be. The conversation she'd been having with herself this morning seemed like it had happened a long time ago. Even though she still had doubts, she and Henry wrapped them up and put them away when they were like this. She sat up then, pulling her favorite gray sweater over her head, revealing her t shirt and bra. Henry followed suit, and they undressed in comfortable silence. This wasn't the frenzied lovemaking of the night before. It was two people who knew there would be time for this again and again. Henry spoke first, "You're beautiful."

She grinned at him, "So are you."

She reached out to touch him, everywhere she could. He returned the favor, his fingers skipping lightly over her skin, the hair on her arms rising with the electricity of his touch. His lips reached hers, gliding over them, his tongue reaching inside her mouth to explore deeply what he had craved for so long, had finally gotten, and could not now get enough. Her tongue danced with his, her teeth grazed it. While lips were together, their hands had begun exploring again as well. His, feathering her skin from her arm to her breasts, teasing them. Vicki gasped, her nipples standing up, reaching for his touch. She wanted to make him gasp too, and used her hands with equal skill. Her fingers traced the hair on his chest, skimming over his nipples, traveling downward. She wasn't surprised to find him ready, she just wanted to see how long he could take it. Her thumb skimmed, and she smiled as Henry gasped. His hands mirrored hers and traveled down, using his fingers, he spread her lips apart and then moved his second finger right to the spot he knew would send Vicki almost to the edge. He hovered there, barely making contact, wanting the feeling to build until she could no longer be still, would have to move. And she did. She climbed on top of him, guiding him home. He began to move. She placed a hand on either side of him, bending down to kiss him, softly and then their kisses became more potent as she rocked slowly, building on the feeling that had started when they had first kissed. One hand reached up to Vicki's waist, the other reached down to the place that was bursting as she moved. His thumb found it, began to rub in small tight circles. Hard, then soft pressure. Her rocking became faster, his underneath her more demanding. Faster, harder they moved together. Henry could feel the blood rushing through Vicki, could feel the pulse of her on top of him reaching orgasm. He sat up, reached her breast with his mouth, pulled her into him, laving, and when he knew Vicki was almost there, bit quickly into her, releasing her orgasm, releasing his while her blood flowed hotly into him. He joined her then, and he could hear them both making sounds that were a symphony. The rocking slowed, he released her breast after licking away at the small wounds, and Vicki collapsed on top of him, breathed in the smell of him and smiling. He was smiling too, into her neck, the scent of her body after such a release gave him a feeling of power. He grabbed her waist with both hands, and spun her off of him, throwing a leg over her, and threaded her fingers through his. "We're a part of each other now, Vicki. This is our destiny."

Part 8

They lay like that until a half hour before sunrise. Henry got up quietly, touched Vicki's hair, smiled, got dressed and left her a note that said simply,

I'll be back at sundown, love. Then we'll finish what

we started last night. Justice for the children.

Henry

Vicki woke alone around noon and found she didn't like it much, but smiled when she saw the note propped up next to her glasses. This is going to take some getting used to, but I guess there are worse things. She rolled over and went back to sleep. When she next looked at the alarm clock with the ginormous numbers, it showed about 2 pm. Shit. She got up and showered, dressed and sat back down in front of the computer. She found Lainey and Kevin's parents and wasn't surprised to find they not only hadn't moved, they were still close by. Parents whose children were taken from them and didn't know if they were dead often stayed in the same house for years. They waited for the knock on the door that would answer the questions they had been asking themselves since the day their children disappeared. Vicki put in a call to Mike, hoping for an update on the fire that had killed the children, but got his voice mail. She was waiting for him to call her back when he walked through the door of her office, bearing the ultimate cop gift, coffee and doughnuts. He sat down in the chair across from her, putting them down on the desk and said without preamble, "We've begun our investigation into the Fox building fire, and pulled all the files from arson cold case, now that it's murder."

"How'd you explain about the bodies?"

"I told them you received an anonymous tip and followed up on it." That bought a nod of approval. "You're getting good at this, Mike." Celluci snorted, "A little too good. I don't like it, Vic."

Vicki gave him her sympathy face, "I know, but let's face it, telling Crowley, 'we found the bodies of those two kids because their ghosts told us where to look', probably wouldn't fly, would it?"

Mike kind of smiled, "I think we both know the answer to that."

"When are you going to talk to the parents?"

"Not until Dr. Mohadaven is done with the autopsies, so it could be a couple of days."

"Mike," Vicki threw down her pen, "those parents have the right to know about their kids now!"

"Not without forensic proof they don't. Why set them up for more pain? Come on, you know the drill, Vicki."

"Well, you might have to wait, but I don't."

"Vicki, do not go over there today and tell those people we found their children until we have poof."

"I have proof! Those kids told me they were there and they asked me to go give their parents some peace. I have a message to deliver for them."

"A message?"

"Yes, a message."

"From ghosts?"

"Yes, from ghosts! God, why are you being such an ass? After everything you've seen over the last year, how can you not believe this?" Vicki huffed with frustration, "You've seen demons, zombies, reanimated corpses, a woman who can turn people to stone, not to mention Magnus O'Connor, but you still don't believe in ghosts?"

"I didn't say I didn't believe in them. I just said, let's wait for the report."

"I tell you what, I'll wait until sundown. If I don't hear from you by then, I'm going to the Sheehans, and as hard as it will be for me to tell them their kids are dead, murdered, I will. They need some closure, Mike."

"I'm not saying they don't Vic. I'm just saying instead of rushing in without proof, wait for it. I'll even go with you." He frowned, "Unless you don't want me to." He waited for her Vicki to say something, and when she didn't, he rolled his eyes and said, "You'd rather go with Fitzroy, is that it?"

"Henry has nothing to do with me wanting to go there. He did see the children, though."

"Of course he did." Mike didn't even try to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

"Can we please not get into this? Oh, hey, why don't you tell me how your date with Kate went last night instead? I bet she loved coming out in her party dress to a crime scene."

"Leave Kate out of this, all right? We were having dinner with a bunch of other cops when we got the call."

"So, you and Dave aren't working together anymore?"

"We are, but he's been out sick with the flu for the last week."

"Uh-huh."

"What?" Exasperation showed in the question.

"Nothing."

"Considering you hang out with a vampire, I really don't think you have any room to be uh-huhing me."

"I'm not uh-huhing you. I'm just watching you twist in the wind."

Coreen came in, saw Mike and said "Hey, hear about our ghosts?"

"Yeah, and I was just leaving." Celluci barely managed to not slam the door on his way out.

Coreen's puzzled look was aimed at Vicki, "Something I said?"

"Nope," Vicki sighed, "Just the usual. Something I said."

"Oh."

"Hey, I went by the library on my way in and dug some stuff out of the archives about the fire."

"Oh, God. You didn't steal anything, did you?"

"Jeez, steal one book on how to resurrect the dead and you're branded for life!"

"Coreen!"

"No, I didn't." Coreen gave Vicki her best I'm insulted you'd think that look, "These are copies I made and by the way, you owe me six pounds. Turns out it wasn't the only one that the cops thought was arson but couldn't prove. The building, along with two others, belonged to a man named Anthony Grimm. He had them insured for over 20 million a piece and according to the tax records, they were only worth about 10! The first one to burn was down in the warehouse district, it supposedly was a store house for coffee. The second one was an office building in the financial district and the third was our building. Well, not our building. The Fox building. After the Fox burned down, Grimm took the insurance money and retired. He bought a mini-estate on Valecrest that cost over five million, and now he's just living the good life. Fancies himself a philanthropist. Found a picture of him too." Coreen turned over one of the last sheets of paper. "Now there's a face made for radio. Think he's dating anybody?" When she saw the look on Vicki's face, she cringed, "Just kidding!" She handed over the last sheet of paper, "The day after the Fox burned down, this story was on page six of the news. Are these the kids?"

"Yeah." A heavy sigh escaped from Vicki. "Lainey and Kevin Sheehan. Coreen, I wish you could have seen them."

"I wanted to! Henry wouldn't let me come. Was it cool?"

"In a depressing, I wish I'd never seen it, kind of way. Standing right in front of me were two children, and yes they were all glowey and shiny, but they were also dead. And they shouldn't have been. For the first 30 seconds, all I could think was, 'I'm talking to ghosts. Not evil demons wanting to rip out my heart or feed my soul to Astaroth, just ghosts who want to talk to me. Then it hit me. They knew they were dead and all they wanted was to go home. And they couldn't. It broke my heart."

"But," Coreen said quietly, "You and Henry fixed it so they could go home. Kinda."

"Yeah. But the home they should've gone to was where their folks were, not where their dead grandmother and whoever Lennie is."

"Lennie?"

"Yeah. Lainey told me to tell her mother that even Lennie was there. That her mom would know what it meant."

Coreen's eyes welled up. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." The words were sharper than Vicki intended. "Just help me find the bastard who did this to them, make sure he never gets out of prison and we'll call it even."

"Done. What do I do?"

"You got the Sheehan's address?"

"Right here."

"Okay. We'll work until Henry gets here, then he and I will go over there and let them know about their children. After that, we find out who did this and nail them to a really big cross."

Part 9

The sun was barely down when Henry showed up at the office. He looked at Coreen and then Vicki and pulled two bags from the deli from behind his back. "I re-ordered your food from yesterday, Vicki, and Coreen, I got you something a little more normal than Pastrami & peanut butter, but Daniel tells me its good nonetheless."

"Ooh, thanks, Henry, I'm starving."

He leaned over Vicki, kissed her, handed her the bag and as he pulled away he said, "After you eat this, you're brushing your teeth before you kiss me."

Vicki couldn't help it, the guffaw filled the room. "Deal."

Coreen muttered under her breath, "It's about time." Vicki and Henry turned to look at her. "Well, it is! All that longing was making me horny, and I have a love life." Henry smirked, and Vicki just looked uncomfortable, "Okay! Stop right there. We have work to do and a decision to make." She looked up at Henry and said, "Mike came by earlier."

"Surprise." He couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice either. Men. Can't live without 'em, can't tie 'em up in the yard.

"I know. But he came by for a reason. He doesn't want us to go to the Sheehan's and tell them about the kids."

"Did he say why?"

"He wants to wait until they finish the autopsy to prove it's them before we go tearing over there."

Henry snorted, in a very un-royal way, "We do know it's them. They were standing right in front of us."

"I know. I was there. But what about the Sheehans? Do we tell them how we know? I mean, we have to think about this, don't we? They may not want to hear that their children are dead from a couple of strangers without any proof to back us up. Do we say the reason we know this is because their ghosts appeared to me in an alley? When you say it out loud, it sounds pretty ridiculous. Cruel, even."

"But they deserve to know, Vicki. Isn't it more cruel to let them wonder even one more day when we can give them some peace? And we do have proof. We have Lennie."

"Yeah. We have Lennie. We need to decide how we're going to tell them without sounding like we're nuts and …hey! We could just use your mojo on them!" That brought back the royal eyebrow. "I mean, your charm. Charisma, if you will."

Part 10

Vicki rubbed the bridge of her nose, "Sorry about that, I'm just trying to find a way around breaking the Sheehan's hearts and I know it's not possible."

Henry looked at her with just the smallest smile on his face, "Maybe not entirely, but you are right, my 'charm' might be helpful. I can keep them calm while we explain what happened. Maybe it will make them receptive enough to hear the truth. Unless they're hard headed like you, and won't be 'persuaded'."

That made Vicki smile, "I prefer strong willed."

"If you insist." His smile got a little bigger.

"I do."

"Fine. Why don't you eat your," Henry shuddered, "sandwich, and then we'll go speak with them."

"I'm not sure I should eat before we go." Vicki pushed the bag away from her.

"It'll be okay." His hand reached for hers, "Maybe not right away, but it will be. At least they'll have peace of mind and be able to give Lainey and Kevin a proper burial."

She sighed, "You know Mike's going to have a massive fit when he finds out we did this, right?"

That brought the smirk back to Henry's face, "I must admit, it is part of the appeal, but it's mostly just needing to see that those children's bodies are properly taken care of now that their spirits are safe."

"I thought their bodies were just 'corporeal husks', like Diesel."

"I know that's not true now."

"I know." Vicki reached for her bag, "Coreen, we'll be back later. Keep looking into our new friend Mr. Grimm."

As they walked out the door, they heard her say, "I'm on it."

When they reached the bottom step of Vicki's office building, Henry reached for her hand and twined his fingers in hers. Instead of shaking off his hand, like he thought she would, she just clasped it tighter, each of them becoming wrapped in their own thoughts. They walked in silence, not really wanting to talk about what they were going to say, just trying to steel themselves for what they knew was coming. When she was a cop, more than once she'd had to inform a husband, wife, parent that a person they loved was gone. It had made her throw up the first time, and the second. She stopped after that, but the sick feeling never went away. As much as she and her mother were at loggerheads most of the time, Vicki knew that hearing her mother had died would be like a body blow. Marjery was no Harriet Nelson, but she was her mother, and her daughter knew she had done the best she could with what she had to work with. Vicki for a daughter.

Henry's thoughts were on his father like Vicki's were on her mother. What had his father felt when he was told his son, and only male heir, the future king of England was dead? Henry thought he knew, because of where he woke up. Instead of the family crypt, he opened his eyes as a newborn in an unmarked grave in a potter's field, buried in a wooden box. His father may have sometimes played the randy fool, but he was neither. The rumors about him and Christina had reached his ears and he had listened to them. If not for Norfolk, he wouldn't have awakened anywhere, much less in a coffin. And he wouldn't be walking next to this hard-headed, beautiful woman. That brought a little smile to his face and he turned to look at Vicki. It was too dark for her to see him, so he just squeezed her hand a little bit and she said, "What?"

Henry Fitzroy, Prince of the Realm, was smooth. Women and men had told him that through the years, and he knew it to be a true thing, but this time, the only thing he could think to say, was "I love you," and smile that megawatt smile of his.

She smiled back, "I know. Too bad that charm of yours doesn't work on me. I could use a little calming down right about now."

He spoke softly, "It'll be okay."

How?

He stopped. "We're here." Vicki knew it wouldn't be a long walk, but it seemed like it had only lasted a minute. When she looked up at the house lights, she thought, Oh, crap, maybe Henry could just kill me instead.

Part 11

The house they stood in front of was simple. It was a red brick brownstone, with an old fashioned front porch, and from the sidewalk Vicki could see bay windows covered on the inside with the ever popular mini blinds and lights shining through. Like they were waiting for someone to come home. Slowly they walked up the stairs and Vicki felt like her blood was weighted with lead. The only thing that kept her moving was Henry, the palm of his hand flat in the small of her back. They reached the door, and Vicki took a deep breath. "I hate this."

"I know."

Henry rang the doorbell and as they waited, they could hear footsteps coming down the hall, padded, but heavy. The door opened, and a man in his late thirties with black hair and wearing work clothes was standing there, looking at them with dark eyes holding a pain that would never go away until some things were settled. Henry spoke first, "Mr. Sheehan? Gerald Sheehan?"

"Yes. You are?" Sheehan's voice carried a trace of the highlands in it. Hearing him speak broke Vicki's spell of silence, "Vicki Nelson, sir. This is my associate Henry Fitzroy. We're here to speak with you about your children, Lainey and Kevin."

Sheehan took a step back as if she'd shoved him and said, "If you're another one of those quack psychics my wife hired to find them, I'll give you one chance to get off the porch and get gone before I call the cops and have your arse arrested."

"I'm not a psychic, sir. I'm a private investigator. We're here because," she hesitated,

"Mr. Sheehan, would you mind if we came in for a minute. I promise, we're not trying to peddle any services, we just want to share some information. Is your wife around? We'd like to speak with you both at the same time."

The suspicion in his eyes didn't go away, but he said, "Wait here." He headed down the hall to the last door on the left. Vicki couldn't hear what he was saying, but Henry could.

He spoke quietly into Vicki's ear, "He's telling her who we are, why we're here. He wants to know if she hired us behind his back. He sounds angry, but controlled. She's telling him she didn't hire us. I can hear her getting dressed, her heartbeat is speeding up. She wants to hear what we have to say, but I don't think Mr. Sheehan is quite as open."

"Then I guess when they come back, it'll be time for a little of that Fitzroy charm."

Part 12

Katherine Sheehan came down the hall buttoning her sweater, and trying to smooth her pale blonde hair while Gerald was right behind her, disbelief fighting for dominance with hope on his face. Mrs. Sheehan gestured toward the living room, and they followed, sitting across from the couple, waiting for everyone to settle in.

When they did, Henry leaned forward, looking at both of them. His eyes went black, and his voice took on the echo that said you will listen to me.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sheehan, we are here to tell you about your children. We found them last night and we've notified the police. They've been taken to a Dr. Mohadaven at the coroner's office to determine their cause of death. You will listen to Victoria as she explains what happened and you will believe her. When she is finished, ask your questions, and as you do, you will feel a calmness that comes from knowing that you can soon put your children to rest."

With that, Henry sat back, and Gerry and Katherine Sheehan listened as Vicki told them everything. She barely took a breath until she reached the end when she said, "And Lainey asked me to tell you that it's ok, she and Kevin are with their grandmother. That's it's a beautiful place and even Lennie is there. I don't know what that part means, but she was very specific about me telling you that.

Tears that had been quietly falling down Katherine Sheehan's face stopped when the name was mentioned, a gasp escaped her. "Lennie was her uncle. He died in a construction accident just before Elaine was born. He was 34 when he fell from some scaffolding, but we never talked about him because they said he was a drunk, and a shame on the family." She turned to look at her husband, "I guess that shows what we know, eh, Gerry?"

Gerry had sat there in silence, looking at Henry and listening to Vicki. Although his face was set in stone, Henry could hear his heart beating at such a pace, he was almost afraid for the man. When he finally spoke, it was to ask, "Where are they now? We have to bring them home to give them a proper burial."

"They're at the coroner's office." Vicki emphasized, "We're sure it's them, but the police want to run tests before they confirm anything. I'll give you a name and contact number for the police, a Detective Sergeant Mike Celluci, he's a friend of mine and he can give you any other information you need."

Katherine Sheehan's haunted face looked at them both, "Will he find who killed them?"

"He's good at his job, ma'am." This came from Henry and a quietly shocked Vicki just looked at him.

Gerald and Katherine looked at each other, and when Katherine nodded, Gerald turned back to them, "We think you should find whoever did this, Ms. Nelson. We can pay you."

"I couldn't take anything from you, Mr. Sheehan. They asked me for help, and I needed to do this. They deserved it. However, Henry and I are looking into it and we'll give anything we find to the police." Vicki paused, "I wish I could promise you this will all work out like it should, but I can't. The only promise I can make is that we'll do everything possible to see whoever did this is properly punished."

Henry noticed she didn't say humanly possible. In his mind, that gave him permission to deal with a murderer of children in his own unique way. He held out his hand to them, "You will have justice for your children. I can promise you that." Vicki elbowed him discreetly, but didn't say anything. The Sheehans walked them to the door, and as they reached it, Vicki turned to them and said, "Call Detective Celluci, he can tell you for sure where the children are, and how to make the proper arrangements. Again, I'm so sorry for your loss. If you need anything, you have my card, all my numbers are on that. Call anytime."

"Thank you Ms. Nelson, Mr. Fitzroy. This is the most hope we've had since they disappeared. We're grateful." Mrs. Sheehan started to quietly cry again, and her husband just wrapped his arms around her, slowly moving her back. He nodded at the pair, and closed the door.

They turned and headed off the porch, Henry reaching for Victoria's hand, squeezing it. "That was the most horrible thing I've ever had to sit through," he said, and the sadness in his voice overwhelmed Vicki. She responded quietly, "Guess not all vampires are above human emotion, huh?"

"Not this one. Not since I met you." Still holding hands, they headed back to the office.


They walked, not talking, until Henry abruptly asked, "Do you want kids, Vicki?"

The question startled Vicki out of her own morose thoughts, "I don't know. I used to think so, but the time spent as a cop made me think maybe it's better not to bring a child into this world. How can you possibly protect them from what's out there? You can't. And you probably haven't noticed, but I can be a little obsessive compulsive."

He knew she couldn't see him, so the eyebrow was more for him than her, "You? I find that hard to believe!"

She knew he'd done it though, "Lower that eyebrow, your highness. Mock if you will, but I'm afraid I'd be one of those women who never let their child out of their sight so the kid grows up to be some kind of psycho. Or worse, never leaves home."

There was no smirk in his voice as he said, "You'd be a great mother. I know it."

"How?"

"Trust me."

"What about you?"

Deflection is an art form.

"Is it something you feel like you miss?"

He started. Hadn't he just said that to Coreen, not too long ago? "I feel like I do. I've known others of my kind who've taken in mortal children and raised them. They speak of it in a different way than "normal parents", but how do you raise a child when you're unconscious from sunrise to sundown?"

"Hey, from what I've seen," Vicki laughed ironically, "it's done everyday."

"Perhaps," he laughed.

"If you could give up being a vampire, raise some kids, would you?"

He thought for a minute, "I don't know. I am a vampire. It's what I've been for a long time."

That made her smile, "You said that when we first met, right before we had our first run in with the demon."

"You remember?" She did pay attention when he talked. "You're always surprising me."

Vicki answered him quietly, "I remember everything you've ever said to me, good, bad or otherwise."

"Should that scare me?"

"Probably." That brought a small laugh from both of them.

They reached Vicki's office building but instead of going inside, they sat down on the steps, just leaning into each other until Henry spoke again.

"The other night, before I fell asleep, you remember we said we'd talk. And I told you that it wouldn't hurt?" His voice was quiet, but Vicki heard every word.

"You remember I said lookin' forward to that?"

"Yeah." He said softly, "What do you say we go ahead, get it out of the way. I'll go first." Henry continued before she could mount a protest, "I love you. I want to be with you. Not since Elizabeth was queen have I known anyone who is more alive, more powerful in their emotions than you. You take life and make it work, Vicki, whether it wants to or not. I want your nights to be mine, and if I could, I'd have the days too. Be with me. I promise I will be here for the rest of your life, no matter how crabby you are, no matter how much we argue, no matter how much I want to throw up my hands in frustration at your hard headedness."

"It's probably better you write graphic novels and not romance novels. Not helping the cause here, babe."

"I mean it," he continued quietly, yet the forcefulness in his voice shone through. "Everything that happened over the last couple of days has proved to me we can beat the odds. I love you and if you think you could stand to be around a man who will pay no attention to you before sundown, but all attention to you after, will never ask you to cook, leave up the toilet seat, or drop wet towels on the floor of the bathroom and wants to be with you for the rest of your life, all you have to do is say the word.

One simple word. "Yes." All of that came out of his mouth in a rush. He just couldn't seem to slow them down.

She was quiet for so long, Henry started to worry. As much as she teased him about his ego, he was always unsure when it came to Vicki. Maybe she was unsure, maybe she didn't want what he wanted after all, but didn't know how to say it. Had he misread her so completely? Was she in love with Celluci? Did she fear what would become of her? All these questions and more kept racing through his mind like some kind of whirlwind. Her heart was beating so fast and he could feel the blood rushing through her veins, but still she didn't speak. He could smell the desire she had for him, but he could also smell the fear. He didn't think he could stand the silence much longer, and he was a man who had brought the act of patience to a fine art. He was opening his mouth to say never mind, I'll take what I can get, when he heard her whisper, "yes."

"What?" He heard her, but couldn't believe it.

"Yes." The word seemed to come out of her mouth of its own volition.

"Really?" Henry swore his heart stopped.

"Yes! Okay? And if you make me say it again, I take it all back!"

And her heart beat even faster.

Part 13

Henry just sat there with a smile on his face. Not the smirk, not the "I am Henry, Duke of Richmond" etc. Just the smile. He couldn't speak, didn't want to, he just wanted to replay "Yes" over and over in is head. Less than half an hour ago, his heart was breaking while he was talking to the parents of the dead children. Now it was whole, and she was the reason.

"Well, great! now that I've said it out loud, you're dumbstruck." Vicki was smiling too. "See, the way it works is, I say yes and you respond accordingly. So respond already." And she punched him in the arm, thinking, Great, I'm back in the fifth grade with Darrel McCormack.

Henry rubbed his arm, even though it didn't really hurt, "I apologize, my lady. I am dumbstruck. I was afraid you'd say no, thought you would, so I was prepared for the worst."

"And they call me a pessimist."

"Not pessimist, a pragmatist. Now that the best has happened, I have no words, except," Henry jumped up and raised his arms and said, "Sweet Jesu, thank you!"

She knew Henry was religious, and although she didn't not believe in God, she wasn't sure she did either. "Don't you think you're thanking the wrong person?"

"No. Because a miracle has occurred, and the appropriate thanks should be given. It's a miracle. Victoria Nelson, private investigator, loves me."

"I wouldn't call it a miracle, Henry. I've been in love before."

"I would. For the past year, I've been trying to convince you we could beat the odds, that we could work. And you've said no, again and again. I knew you wanted me as much as I wanted you, but you resisted everything. I'd almost given up, until we vanquished Norman and I knew you really did want to be with me. Even after we made love the other night, I wasn't sure."

"Wait. You almost gave up?"

"Well, yes."

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Stop the parrot act." She was beginning to be a little annoyed. "Yes, why? Am I that hard to live with?"

"No. I just thought maybe I was wrong, that no matter how much I wanted us to be, that you didn't. Even though I could scent your desire for me, I could've been wrong. It would have been the first time in centuries, but it has happened."

"Henry, you should know by now, I have to make the decision. It has to be my choice, otherwise I second guess everything I think after. I could've given into you that first night, God knows I wanted to. I felt the electricity between us, but can you blame me for having doubts? Remember, half blind mortal pi, immortal vampire. I'll die, you'll live forever. Maybe we will beat the odds, maybe we won't. But I have enough faith in us, in you, to believe that we can. I want to try Henry. That's all I can promise. To try."

"That's all I ask. We will beat the odds, Victoria. Even if my powers of persuasion don't work on you, I know you'll see that. You are Victoria Nelson, Private Investigator, after all."

She laughed, "Yes, I am, aren't I."

Henry leaned in, sliding his arm around her waist, pulling her into him. As his lips reached hers, he said, "Yes, you are. You are my private investigator. So investigate all you want." They were kissing, both wondering if Coreen was still upstairs and how hard it would be to get rid of her, when they heard a car come around the corner. They turned to see it pulling up to the front of the building, barely slowing down before they heard the brakes squeal. Henry said quietly, "Celluci." Vicki wasn't so quiet. "Oh, shit. That didn't take long." The door on the driver's side flew open and Mike got out of the car. The anger flowed off of him with such force it displaced the air. He started speaking in a tone that left no doubt how he felt, but at least he wasn't yelling. "What the fuck do the two of you think you are doing? I told you not to go to the Sheehan's and not five minutes ago I get a call. From Them. About the kids. Now they want to see them. Why would you do that? Do you care that little for my opinion, about me that you would go behind my back and do something I specifically asked you not to? Dammit, Vicki." Mike had never raised his voice, but the calm, quiet tone was worse than if he had been yelling. "If you do anything else on this case without my prior approval, I swear to you, I will have you both thrown in a jail cell with a nice easterly view." They knew that last part was directed at Henry, and he approached Mike with a look on his face that stopped Mike in his quiet tirade. "We did what needed to be done, Michael. I'm sorry if that puts a crimp in your plans, but those people deserved to know. They'll be at peace now, no matter what happens next. You need to focus on proving who did this, and not on being a jealous ass who's just made a spectacle of himself on a public street. Now, do you want to know what we've found out about the owner of the building, or do you want to continue to make a fool of yourself for everyone to see."

Henry wasn't using his vampire voice, just the royal one, something for which Vicki was grateful. She was angry at being spoken to like a recalcitrant child, but she let him do the talking, afraid if she opened her mouth, it would just make things worse. Wow, Vicki Nelson thinking before she opened her mouth. That's a first. And once Mike found out about Henry and her, worse wouldn't even come close to an adjective that would cover it.

tbc