7/23/09: Edited for original upload errors caused by text editor.
Touched By An Angel was about angels helping people.
Forever Knight was about a vampire family--one of whom sought redemption.
I wrote the crossover, but don't own either property.
A/N: This part contains a confusing bit where you enter a rather confused mind. To help keep you from getting too lost: Sentences bracketed with four periods{....} are from memories (mostly direct quotes from Forever Knight). Plain sentences are the vampire's and another(?) voice talking to him. Interspersed sentences with quotes are 'real' characters talking outside of the troubled vampire's mind.
Clear as mud?
Good!
We now continue with your regularly scheduled fic.
Chapter 6: The Son
Darkness and etchings of shadows flowing on the darkness of eternity;
iridescent creatures emerging and submerging without direction within nocturnal gases.
Raindrops glistening with silver tears as they cascaded to their fate upon the waiting surface,
their individuality consumed by the ebony leviathan waiting for them.
Eager for them... hungry.
The shadows of the fallen reached out to embrace him,
to share with him their pain...
he screamed.
Nicholas de Brabant awoke with a start, panic filling his cobalt-blue eyes. Bloodsweat welling from his pores gave his skin a reddish sheen. Robotically, he took out a black handkerchief to wipe it away, a subconscious act borne of centuries of hiding his true nature from the unsuspecting humans he walked amidst. The dark cloth hid bloodstains admirably well. He tucked it back into a pocket.
When--exactly--had he nodded off? A shudder ran through him as he inhaled deeply of the night air of the park, thankful that the surrounding area was deserted. Breathing was unnecessary, but the crisp coldness helped to center him back into reality.
Just a nightmare--- a horribly unnerving one, but a dream nevertheless. Having mentally decided that it was time to get up and head home, the solitary figure found himself loathe to actually follow through with the necessary actions required for attaining that goal. So he stayed sitting on the worn bench, contemplating the ebony black surface of night-time Lake Ontario.
There was plenty of time yet, he reasoned. Autumn had already started and thus the nights were longer. Lots of time with which to fly home before the weakening sun struggled up again to send him into hiding just as it always did; because no matter how many centuries of endurance he accumulated, no matter how low the winter sun was forced to acknowledge Jack Frost's temporary reign---ultimately the fiery ball would send him scurrying for shelter like all the other nocturnal vermin.
I miss the sun.
Wrenching his thoughts away from that depressing arena, Nicholas once more let his attention wander to the lake's surface: the dark siren that had sung to him so eloquently that he had felt forced to come.
Why did he have to? He'd forgotten why. But the call had been very insistent. The vampire sighed and ran his fingers through the wavy mass of blonde hair now slightly damp from his perspiration, his attention struck by the way the water moved.
The water lapping easily against the boundary of the shore, seemingly neither bothered by nor concerned about the restrictions placed upon it. But then, it was hardly a prisoner, was it? It eventually made its way to the Atlantic where it was free to merge with any of the seven seas; the lake itself constantly renewed by the lakes above...and the doomed raindrops that fed it.
How very like the vampire, Nicholas thought. Eternal and powerful---yet not ALL powerful, as it was bound by land as the vampire was bound by the waxing and waning of the night. Nor yet immortal was the lake for its life was tied to the existence of the Earth itself. Continuously feeding from the hapless individuals--the raindrops--that encountered it, as well as the weaker that flowed to its...gravity of power; by that same force bound to relinquish itself to the hunger of a mightier....ocean......ancient...
And the nightmarish visions swept him up again, aided by memories he so wanted to forget...
Memories...like raindrops screaming.
Currents dragging forward against the will.
Jonah and the Whale: the hungry mouth opened and waiting to swallow...
I have faith in us.
....You've more than made up for what you've done in the past....
....It's not enough. It's never enough....
....Just take a little at a time....
....It's a lot more complicated than that....
....I'll take my chances....
"There yo.. ..re! Nic.. talk w...me.."
....Does Lacroix ever talk to you about faith?....
....Faith in what?....
....In yourself...In...I don't know. In who loves us no matter who we are or what we do....
....Faith is a mortal folly, Nat.....
....Is that you speaking? Or Lacroix?....
Folly. Foolish knight. You're lost, you know.
....You have faith, Nick....
You failed. A failure.
....And if that's a mortal folly, then you are the most mortal man I know...
....I MADE you!....
....What you made was a mistake!....
....I'm not you, Lacroix....
....We are each other ...You ARE me....
....Then I am a monster....
Monster... Beast... Murderer. What godly command not broken? How many times?
....I believe in you. I trust in you. Make love to me, Nick....
....I'm afraid of what might happen....
....I trust you....
....I won't leave you. Whatever happens, Nat, we'll be together...
Liar
No!
Yes.
I tried!
Failed.
Leave me alone!
Give in.
I can't.
You will...
No!
Eventually.
"Lac...anette...erlin..Every...ne ..looki...or..you. ..ought you.."
....Oh, Nicholas... You've thought this through... haven't you?....
....I took too much...
....Lacroix... is it possible for a vampire to have faith?....
....I've seen too much....
....Well then, maybe I haven't seen enough....
....We must move on. You cannot deny what you are....
.....She had faith in me-- in what lies beyond. That we could have a life together....
Foolish Nicholas.
Shut up!
....Don't be foolish, Nicholas.
Life is a gift.
As sweet as the freshest peach.
As precious as the gilded jewel.
I have never understood the logic,
of willfully surrendering such a treasure.
What is there to gain?
How dark can your existence be
when compared to an eternal void?
Or do you have faith?
That there is something beyond?
What do you see from where you are?
A bright light at the end of the tunnel?
Is it a ray of hope?
A glimmer of something better?
Or will it burn you like the morning sun?
Are the sounds you hear the trumpeting of Peter's angels?
Or the screams of men's lost, tortured souls?
You can't answer that, can you?
Because you will never know the answer,
Till after the deed is done.
And is your faith really that strong?
Father? But you killed him.
...Via de Diablo!...
No! Lacroix!
...Really, Nicholas. Did you think I would be that easy to kill? I'm far too old and powerful for that...
"Yes, Ja.. He...dreaming , De Bra..nt.. come on ..op your eyes...i..me.. Feliks."
....And so in yours eyes I'm the devil....
....No....Not the devil, Lacroix....
....What then?....
....You... are my closest friend....
....Damn you, Nicholas!....
"De Brabant...can you hea.."
PAAAAIIIIIINNNN!!!!! FIERY... WHITE HOT... AGONY! GET. IT. OUT!!! GET IT OUT!!!
He really liked flying, Andrew decided as he followed Lacroix's dark form through the sky. It was definitely the best part of being a vampire. He was almost disappointed when the elder dropped down upon a park that bordered the icy waters of the Great Lake, practically free-falling in his rush to get down. Then Andrew heard the terrible screams, and likewise pushed to get down as fast as possible.
Near the edge of the water a figure with black hair that hung well past his shoulders had draped his own body around that of another, blond-haired man, clinging to him desperately as the latter spasmatically thrashed about. He looked up as Lacroix alighted nearly in their laps, face pained as his captive continued to wail in the vampire's sensitive ears.
"AAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"
"NICK! Lacroix---thank goodness you're here! I can't get him to calm down!"
The Elder gestured with his chin, and they swiftly exchanged places, his greater strength better able to control the afflicted male's unconscious actions.
Dark eyes considered the camouflaged angel as he took a position between the familial pair and Andrew.
"May I help you, Sir Ancient?"
"No," Andrew told him, unable to take his eyes off the troubled vampire that Lacroix was rocking and murmuring softly to. He looked about 35 years of age, but his aura was more like several centuries. 'Perhaps a bit younger than Janette?' He also seemed vaguely familiar.. "I only came in case I coul--"
"Thank you for finding him, Feliks," Lacroix rudely broke in. "There will be a case of my finest waiting for you at the Raven."
Not a fool, Feliks glanced between the two powerful beings and decided it was best not to ask questions---and better yet not to stick around at all when the Roman was in this mood and clearly wanted you gone.
"Thank you, Elder, you are most generous, he bowed low. "However, if I may take a raincheck? I was in the middle of tending my orchids when Bridgette called---some mortal hoodlums broke a glass panel during the day, and I have much work to do to save what I can. I really must return to them," he added anxiously, hoping the other would make no more demands on his time.
Lacroix offered him an indulgent smile by way of acceptance. He would have preferred the financial wizard to stay as he was a good friend to his son, but Feliks, a devout flora enthusiast, had his mind on his own 'children'. He would not be happy until his plants were taken care of.
"Thank you, sir," Feliks bowed low. "And when he feels better, tell Nicholas that I have made sure all the Brabant Foundations charitable contributions are up to date, the monies sent where he wanted before... well, before," he stammered, seeing that the Elder was preoccupied with his own problems. He gave the sobbing vampire a wan smile.
"Farewell, Nicholas."
Feliks then left, giving Andrew a wary eye as he lifted up and left the trio alone.