Disclaimer: Nicholas, LaCroix and Nathalie do not belong to me. I am just borrowing them for the time being, but I promise to give them back when I am done. :)


No More Darkness
By Kimberly Warner


"Damn you, Nicholas!"

LaCroix's words echoed in Nick's head for the briefest moment before the wooden stake was plunged through his heart. The pain was immense, but he looked up at LaCroix, his father and closest friend, and gave him a grateful smile. Nick knew that this was the end of his earthly existance, but he had hope that it would be the beginning of something more. A new afterlife with his love, Nathalie. He had to have hope, for her. Nathalie had believed in him and whatever future they might have together. Her faith was what he held on to as his sight dimmed and the pain started to fade.

Weakly, Nick moved his hand toward Nathalie and laid his palm on her now pale cheek. How beautiful she was even in this death. He fought the pangs of guilt that tried to work their way into his semi-conciousness; she had wanted them to be together no matter what, and now, with luck, they would be.

Again his vision dimmed and his body went numb throughout. He could no longer feel his hand touching Nathalie's cheek and his head felt light and airy. Nick's vision rolled in LaCroix's direction and he looked at him with half lidded eyes. He thought he could see something trailing down LaCroix's cheek, something wet and sparkling. A tear? *No*, Nick thought incoherently, *it must be my mind playing tricks on me, so close to death*. Not long now...

Nick's eyes drifted shut and he felt a darkness edging over his mind. It tugged at his life, begging him to let go. For a moment Nick became afraid. He didn't want to go into the darkness. Not again. But yet, he hadn't dared hope. He hadn't really believed that his acts of repentance would be enough to save him in the end. *This must be the beginning of my damnation*, he thought. This truly would be an eternal darkness.

*I'm sorry Nat...I've failed you again...* Nick said to the on coming darkness.

*No, Nick, you never failed me,* came a voice from the abyss. A voice that held for Nick all his hopes, his dreams, his sunlight. And with that voice came a light driving away the dark. It glowed brighter with each moment and suddenly Nick was standing on the brink of something beyond anything he had ever known. A tunnel of light that was brighter than any sun he could have ever hoped to see and was radiating hope. From within this tunnel stepped Nathalie.

She smiled as she stepped up to Nick and wrapped her arms around him. And he held her, letting her warmth and love surround him in it's healing embrace.

Nick thought back to LaCroix's final words to him as he looked into the light and held onto Nathalie. He had been so wrong, LaCroix hadn't damned him at all. This was his salvation. Nathalie's light had triumphed over his darkness. This was how it was always meant to be.

He looked down at Nat's face and realized they both were crying. Not mournful tears though, but tears of joy. They would finally have their life together, and it had all been worth it. Nick touched her face and then took her hand and held it tight. *I love you,* he said to her.

She smiled, *I love you too...*

Together they turned around to walk into the light and Nick said goodbye forever to his darkness.