Ok - I have decided to take my hand to the "art of prose".  That said  I
humbly present this short scene for your consideration.  I am now going
to hold my breath, close my eyes tightly, press SEND and hope for the best
<g> Please send any/all comments, complaints, and kudos to
mmadonna@erols.com

_____________________

 After the Rain (N/LC, implied)
 by: Megan Madonna

 Disclaimer: The following characters are the property of Sony/Tristar
and James Parriott.

 *WARNING: Really big Natalie fans may not wish to read any further.  If
you do--  well, don't blame me (or lynch me <g>), remember: I warned ya'!!

  Permission given to archive at JADFE -- how do you do that anyhow??
_____________________

Detective Nick Knight stood silently on the roof of his loft, unseeing eyes turned toward the
moonrise.  Despite the claims of the old cliche, time had not even begun to dull the pain of
loss.  'Nat,' he thought, 'My sweet,  precious Nat'.  Blood tears welled in his eyes but, as he
had for the last  five months, he refused to let them fall.

 ****5 mos earlier****

That night had been particularly gruesome one and he had an almost overwhelming hunger.
He had left Natalie at the morgue, at her insistence,  finishing up with the last of the night's
"customers", and gone to the Raven  in search of LaCroix.  To his surprise, the bartender
told him that LaCroix had left the previous evening.  No one knew exactly where the ancient
vampire had gone, only that he had said he would return in a few months.  Armed with this
sudden fortune, Nick spent the drive home revising plans for himself and Nat, now that they
were sans LaCroix for a while.  He had just arrived home, grabbed a bottle from the
refrigerator, and was preparing to take a nice hot shower when the call came.

"Nick?  Nick, if you're there, please pick up the phone."

The urgency and sorrow in Captain Reese's voice was unmistakable.  Nick picked up the
phone from its cradle and proceeded to listen as his Captain,  and friend, broke the news
that would change his unlife forever.

"Nick...Oh God, I don't know how to tell you this.  Natalie has been in an accident.  She
was driving home this morning when her car was hit head on.  The other guy...the driver...was
very drunk.  I'm sorry Nick, there was no  chance.  She died on impact."

The next few weeks were nothing but a blur of emotion.  He remembered attending her
memorial service and funeral, both held after sunset as per  her request, but nothing else had
mattered after that.

 ****back to the present****

Rain had begun to fall, a gentle patter echoing sorrowfully on the rooftop.  Nick came back
to the present with a sigh of resignation.  Loss was  painfully familiar to him and he knew that
it was time to let himself begin to heal once more.  He was not sure how to do that this time.
Never before had he had to face the loss alone.  Although Tracy and Reese could certainly
sympathize, and had been wonderful when it came to offering support, neither could truly
understand his feelings.  He knew of only one other person who could, but had no way to get
in touch with him.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Nick suddenly felt the familiar presence near by.  He turned,
hesitantly, as he felt his master land softly behind him on the roof.  Surprise registered briefly in
the back of his mind as he met LaCroix' ice blue gaze.  The iron scorn he had expected from his
sire was nowhere to be seen.  In its place was unconditional compassion.  LaCroix silently
regarded his son for a moment before simply holding out his arms.  No words were necessary.
Nick fell desperately into the welcome solace of his sire's embrace.  Pressing himself ever closer
to the firm chest and greedily grasping at the unexpected support, he finally allowed his tears
release.  He felt LaCroix' hand reach up and begin to stroke his hair, a timeless gesture of
parental comfort that had never yet failed to ease his pain.

LaCroix held his son tightly, desperately wishing he could absorb his child's pain.  He had
sensed his son's loss for months now, although had not  been able to pinpoint exactly who had
been taken from Nicholas' life.  Knowing Nicholas as he did, it did not seem wise to rush home,
as he had desperately wished to do.  LaCroix knew that Nicholas needed time to come to terms
with this newest loss, and that his sire's presence would only make things more difficult. Still, it
was never easy to sit back and watch his children suffer alone.  It had taken all of his
considerable control to wait even as relatively a short time as he had.  But now the waiting was
over.  Nicholas had finally accepted the need to move on, figuratively if not literally, and so
LaCroix could now offer the healing comfort he knew his son craved.

Nick pulled back slightly, but remained wrapped in the security of his father's embrace. He
tilted his head to meet the other's gaze and flashed a ghost of a smile.   The rain had increased
in intensity and was now pounding urgently down.  Neither vampire seemed to notice.  Tear-
shaped droplets of water quietly washed the blood from his son's sweet face.  LaCroix reached
up, brushing his fingers against the deceptively soft lips.  Nick blinked in  surprise but did not
object.  He knew well what he needed, what he wanted.  He took his hands from around his
sire's waist and ran them down the rock solid chest before him.  LaCroix smiled serenely as he
brought his lips down to meet his child's.  Thunder cracked violently above them, sharp flashes
of lightning providing brief moments of illumination, as the two eternal lovers  willingly let the
storm over take and engulf them.

 **Finis**