"Shadows in the Night: The Long Awaited Return"
Based on "Forever Knight"
Nick Knight sighed as he settled into his couch, turning on the radio. Some classical music started floating throughout the room. He closed his eyes, letting the magic of the music overwhelm him, letting the music bring back his memories.
It was that time of year again. The time of year when one memory was prominent in his mind. The memory of someone who was once very close and dear to him. Someone who, he realized, he had a hard time living without.
Janette and LaCroix had, too, been affected by her disappearance. Janette was heartbroken, like Nick had been. LaCroix, though he would never admit it, was heartbroken as well.
What made the situation worse was that she never told him that she was leaving. One night, she just disappeared and he never heard from her again. It was the worst day of his life.
His eyes filled with tears when he realized what day it was. July 22. Her birthday. The anniversary of the day that she first came into his life so many centuries before. The anniversary of the happiest day of his life.
He knew that he wouldn't be able to make it through work. He figured that he would have to go home early. He hoped that Natalie and Schanke would understand his behavior. After all, it was the first time that he would be spending this day at work with them. Last year, he took the day off and kept to himself. When asked where he was, he just claimed that he was sick.
Nick looked up when he felt Janette's presence enter the loft. He slowly turned and saw Janette standing on the second floor balcony.
"What are you doing here, Janette?" Nick asked "Usually, I have to go to you"
"I know what today is, Nicolai" Janette DuCharme said "I've taken the liberty of calling the police station for you. You know as well as I do that you'll not be of any use for them today"
Nick opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He knew that Janette was right. He didn't say anything as she walked down the stairs and sat down next to him on the couch.
"How are you doing this time, Nicolai?" Janette asked "Is it getting any easier for you?"
"It will never be easy for me, Janette" Nick said, not looking at her "If anything, its getting harder"
Janette nodded. "It's hard for me too, Nicolai" she said "It's hard for everyone"
"She didn't tell anyone!" Nick suddenly exclaimed, standing "She didn't tell me, you, LaCroix. She just up and left!"
"She must have had a good reason, Nicolai" Janette said, remaining seated "Alexandria always did what she thought was best for everyone"
There was a pause.
"How is Valeria dealing with this?" Janette asked "I haven't spoken with her since Alexandria disappeared"
"She's fine, Janette" Nick said, angrily "This hasn't affected her in the least. I doubt that anything involving Alex would affect her, not after what happened"
"That's understandable" Janette said "Have you tried to talk to anyone else in the family? What about Renata and Damian?"
"No, I haven't" Nick said "I'm sure that they wouldn't want to talk about it as well. No one wants to talk about it. But, in a way, I feel like the family needs to. I feel like we should talk about what happened, that that's the only way we might be able to move on"
"Words of pure wisdom" said a voice "Maybe you have learned something after all"
Janette and Nick looked up to find Lucien LaCroix standing in front of the elevator to Nick's loft.
"Getting the family together to talk about Alexandria's passing is a very good idea" LaCroix said "Maybe the family will finally get out of this state of mourning"
"No one said Alex was dead, LaCroix!" Nick said "We probably would have heard if she died!"
"Not that she could have died, anyway" Janette added "Let's not forget that"
"Of course I haven't forgotten that" LaCroix said "But, let's think about this logically. No one in the community has heard from her in almost 100 years! No one in the community has seen her in almost 100 years! What else are we supposed to think?"
"That's she's hiding somewhere" Nick said
"Why would Alexandria of all people be hiding somewhere?" LaCroix said "If anything, people should be hiding from Alexandria"
Nick rolled his eyes. "Is this all you came over here for, LaCroix?" he asked "To make me feel even worse about what today is?"
"You weren't the only one affected by her disappearance, Nicholas" LaCroix said "I knew that Janette was going to be over here. So, I decided to come to see if we could finally talk about what happened and move on."
"I don't want to talk about it" Nick said, sitting down again "Not right now. Not yet"
"You have to talk about it, Nicholas!" LaCroix said "It's the only way you're going to be able to move on!"
Nick didn't say anything. Janette looked down at the floor. LaCroix looked between his "son" and "daughter" and resisted rolling his eyes.
"It's time to move on, Nicholas" LaCroix said "You might want to tell that to Renata and Damian the next time you talk to them"
Nick and Janette didn't say anything as LaCroix left the loft. Janette kissed Nick on the cheek and quietly left soon after. After he was alone, Nick broke down into tears.
&&&&&
The next night, at the station, Nick was still unsure if he was going to be able to make it through the night. What LaCroix had said had really stuck in his mind. Was it really time to move on?
What he had said to Janette he wasn't expecting to happen for a long time. The chances that Valeria would even speak to him again were slim. The chances that Valeria would even care that much about Alex ever again were slim. Renata and Damian would try to do their best to talk their sister into doing what Nick needed, but that never promised anything.
He tried to keep telling himself that LaCroix was wrong. Alex couldn't be dead. She just couldn't. It was impossible for her to be killed.
But, what if someone had figured it out? What if another vampire had figured out how to kill her and did the deed?
No, that doesn't make sense! Nick thought Alex had virtually no enemies. She got along with practically everybody and if there was anyone she didn't get along with, their dislike for each other wouldn't have been lethal.
Nick sighed as he sat down at his desk. His partner hadn't gotten there yet. Nick put his head in his hands, trying desperately not to revert back to his memories. He knew that those would only bring him more pain.
"Something wrong, Nick?" asked a familiar voice
Nick looked up into the eyes of Dr. Natalie Lambert.
"Yesterday was a rough day, Nat" Nick replied "A very rough day"
"I heard you took a sick day" Natalie said "Were you really sick or do I know better?"
"You know better" Nick said, with a smile
Natalie chuckled. "So, what really happened?"
"Remembering someone who was once very dear to me" Nick said "Yesterday was her birthday"
Natalie noticed the tears forming in Nick's eyes. "Someone who, I assume, is gone?"
Nick nodded. "We're not exactly sure if she's dead or not"
"How can you not be sure?" Natalie asked "Is your friend a…?"
Nick nodded. "One day, almost 100 years ago, this…friend of mine disappeared" he said "No one has seen or heard from her since then"
"I'm so sorry" Natalie said, pulling Schanke's desk chair over beside Nick and sitting down "That must be horrible"
"It is"
Natalie paused before she spoke. "Why do I get the feeling that this person was more than just a friend?"
Nick let out a chuckle. "You're good"
Natalie smiled. "I do try"
Nick paused. "You're right. She was more than just a friend" he said "She was…"
Natalie waited for Nick to respond.
"She was my daughter, Nat" Nick said, turning to look at Natalie "She was my beautiful daughter"
Hope that you like it so far!!
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!! I need to make sure that I am doing a good job and am keeping the characters as close to in character as possible!
