FOREVER KNIGHT- THE DIRECTOR'S CUT
by James Kythe Walkswithwind
Nick-Lacroix
implicit
guest starring Maureen the Mad


	Nick stared at the vampire standing in his loft; the rage that 
tinged every thought he had about this.. creature, urged him to stop this 
now before he no longer had the chance.  
	Lacroix smiled.  "And when ever did you have the chance, 
Nicholas?" He walked closer, until he was almost within arm's reach.  His 
smile became a sneer.
	"You've never realised, have you?" Nick said it sharply, as if in 
attack but he felt only a slight astonishment.  If in fact Lacroix 
believed the words he spoke..  was his master so deluded that he could 
not see?  Or did he interpret what he saw and believe it showed him only 
what he wanted.. needed to see?  It was almost enough to make a man feel 
sorry for him.  Almost.  Nick turned away without saying anything more.
	A hand on his arm, just above the elbow, pulled him back.  "I'm 
not through with you yet."
	Nick just glanced over his shoulder.  "Probably not.  But I am 
through with you."  He said it without rancor.  He watched for Lacroix' 
reaction, wondering if his temerity would be met with disdain or 
realisation that he spoke the truth.  He almost wished Lacroix *would* 
realise that Nick spoke the truth.  It would make things so much easier.. 
certainly it would be the only way the elder vampire would ever be happy- 
by first realising he could not have what he thought he wanted.
	Lacroix' expression showed nothing, then he shook his head 
slowly.  "Nicholas, Nicholas.. you still don't understand, do you? I 
allow you this.. preception of freedom because it makes you happy.  Keeps 
you under my control- and under my control you most certainly are," his 
voice hardened, and the hand on Nick's arm tightened.  "Don't make the 
mistake of thinking otherwise."
	The pressure on his arm was barely noticable- only enough to 
bruise, not to break.  He could have pulled his arm free but didn't, not 
just yet.  It would be better if he could resolve this quietly.  Fighting 
with Lacroix never got neither of them anywhere.. except Lacroix deeper 
into his delusions.  "Lacroix.."
	"Don't!"  Lacroix suddenly pulled him closer.  "I don't want to 
hear it and you, my young friend, don't need to say it."  The words 
threatened, or were meant to.  With every uttered phrase Nick became more 
convinced that he was right, that Lacroix had no idea what was truly 
going on around him.  For a moment he wondered what had made him that 
way, then he took his arm from the other's grasp.
	"I'm sorry you feel that way, Lacroix.  Because I think I have a 
lot of things to say which you might have found most enlightening."
	They simply stared at each other, one calm and one incensed.  
Lacroix made no move to reclaim his grip.

	"Cut! Ok, that's great!"
	Lacroix and Nick looked over, startled.  Nick's mouth dropped 
open and Lacroix mouthed something vaguely and anciently latin. Neither 
moved as the woman walked over to them, measuring them and the room 
around them with a glance.
	"Ok, that one's in the can.  Let's move on to the good stuff, 
ok?" She waved towards the shadows, and the lighting in the loft 
changed.  Nick looked up towards his ceiling, and saw instead of his 
usual track lighting, long rows of lekos.  
	At a loss, he turned to Lacroix.  "What is--"
	"I haven't a clue," Lacroix' bemused tone was in striking contrast 
to his earlier menace.
	"Excuse me, miss..?"  Nick tried to get the attention of the lady 
who was busy rearranging the lights and furniture, and shouting out 
commands to unseen personnel.  Nick tried to step over to her, but she 
kept changing directions.  Finally he caught ahold of her sleeve.
	"What? Why are you two just standing there?  We're filming scene 
four next- you need to get changed!"
	A puzzled glance to Lacroix indicated the other didn't have any 
better idea what that meant than did he.  He looked back to the strange 
woman. "I'm sorry.. you what?  Who are you?"
	The woman sighed, and shook her head.  "They never tell the ones 
involved," she muttered it under her breath.  Then she smiled and stuck 
out her hand, shaking first Nick's then Lacroix'.  "Hi, I'm Maureen and 
I'm your director today.  I'm sure you were meant to be informed, but you 
know these production heads.. always something else going on at the same 
time.  Look, don't worry, just go through the scenes like normal."  She 
smiled at them.
	Nick simply stared at her, still somewhat at a loss.  Lacroix 
cleared his throat then asked carefully, "What did you mean by 'scene 
four'?"
	She grinned.  "Oh, you know.  *The* scene.  The good stuff.  We 
can do the rest of the thickening plot later, when the regular director 
gets back."
	"Uh.. I don't think..that is, I'm not sure what.."  Lacroix shook 
his head, and tried again.  "Where *is* James?"
	Maureen shrugged.  "Who knows? Skipping class, probably.  Now, go 
get changed, we're almost ready!"
	Nick slowly shook his head.  "I don't think I can go right into 
scene four from this one.."
	Lacroix grinned at him, looking more like a predator than ever.  
"I'm sure we could get you in the right mood."
	With a glare, Nick ignored him.  He turned to Maureen.  "It's 
just that I'm used to doing these in sequence."
	Maureen gave him a flat look.  "In James' stories? You have *got* 
to be kidding!"
	"Well what I mean is.."
	"What he means is that he's not sure he can get it up in front of 
strangers."  Lacroix stage-whispered.  This earned him another glare as 
well as a punch to the arm.  
	"Oh, don't worry.  We can cover for that.  Just keep your leg up 
and moan a lot."
	Nick hoped it was true that vampires didn't blush.  Lacroix was walking 
off with Maureen, asking her if she thought they'd get around to scene 
twelve that day.  Nick heard him gleefully anticipating getting make an 
appearance at the precinct; Lacroix always thought it unfortunate-- and 
complained loudly and often, that he didn't get more scenes with Schanke.  
Deciding that discretion- or humility, was the better part of valour, 
Nick followed them, letting the wardrobe gopher take his clothes as he 
shed them for scene four.
	He glared again at Lacroix' back- now bare, and wondered not for 
the first time if Lacroix wouldn't rather do these scenes with Don.



James Kythe Walkswithwind     
jkw@u.arizona.edu	                        Practise Humility      
gila@jbx.com