"A Final Goodbye" (part 1a/6)
by Mids
c. 23 June, 1997 (posted 10 March, 1998)

When I went in search of some LC/Fleur fic, I found nothing. I figured that no
one had written anything, so I decided to change that and write a LC/Fleur fic
. 
Story Note: This takes place soon after Dead of Night.
Remember, I do not own any of the used characters, as much as I would like
to... They will be returned for others to use in their wonderful fictions
after I am done with them.

And, if you have any comments, respond to MDNTRS@aol.com 

NOTE: Posted with NunkMommy's permission! 
Starts in part 1b
*************************
"A Final Goodbye" (part 1b/6)
by Mids
c. June 1997 (posted 10 March, 1998)
(see part 1a for disclaimers)

Nick sat on the black leather couch with a glass of his special choice drink
and thought about the past few nights. He had seen his mortal wife, Alyssa, as
a ghost. He thought back to when they were married and the night he had tried
to bring her across, but had failed and had killed her instead. His guilt
remained with him throughout the many long centuries, but now that he had seen
she had forgiven him and still loved him, he let go of most of the guilt. He
missed her terribly and would always love her, but had to move on with his
life or un-life. He thought of Natalie and how much he loved her now and
promised to never bring her across unless it was a desperate last resort. His
thoughts were broken by the telephone ringing.

Picking up the phone he answered, "Knight."

"Hi. I didn't wake you did I?" Tracy said in a slightly uneasy tone, but still
with her trademark perkyness.

"No, you didn't. Something on your mind?" Nick asked.

"It's nothing, it's just nerves."

"The house?"

"Yeah, but like I said, it's just nerves. Though, I am glad they're knocking
it down next week. It needs to be put to rest with all of it's ghosts," Tracy
babbled. "But the reason I called was to let you know we have some paper work
waiting for us when we get to the precinct tomorrow." 

"How much paper work?" he cringed.

"Not a lot. I'll take care of it if you want. You can take care of the hands
on stuff," she said. The thought of seeing the bodies and remembering about
her friend Susan was too much for her stomach and right now, she couldn't
handle it at all. She was still too upset about seeing her childhood friend's
ghost and nearly getting hit by a car because of the revenge-craving child.
(Hmmm...you think she might know Divia? )

Nick laughed slightly, he knew how she hated the "hands on" work. Besides, it
would give him some time to talk to Nat alone. He knew seeing her grandmother
had upset her and also made her relax in it's own way. She had made her peace
with her and was grateful for it. Her grandmother could rest peacefully now.
Having finally told her grandmother the real reason she never visited her
while she was dying in the hospital, Nat could at last relax. 
***********************

"A Final Goodbye" (part 2/6)
by Mids
c. June 1997 (posted 10 March, 1998)
(see part 1a for disclaimers)
Note: AOL doesn't like long emails, so this is broken-up into small parts.
-----------------------

Nick was about to walk up the stairs when the phone rang again. He let the
answering machine pick it up. 

"Yeah, Knight. I'm either in bed or incommunicado. So, if you want to leave
your name and number, go ahead.'Beep'," it said in his recorded voice. 

"Nick? It's Nat. Pick up please," Nat's voice came over the speaker of the
answering machine. Nick landed by the phone with a 'whoosh' and picked up the
line before she hung up.

"Yeah hi, Nat. What's up?" Nick said into the phone.

"Hi. Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering something."

"That's okay. I seem pretty popular tonight between you and Tracy and the
ghosts. I feel special now," he joked. "So, what is it you're wondering?"

"Have you told anyone else about the house and the spirits?"

"No, I don't plan to either," he said in a rather icy tone.

"Sorry, Nick. I was only wondering."

"Why?"

"You didn't think anyone else would want to see someone they haven't seen for
years?" she inquired.

"I'm figuring Vachon wouldn't have a need of knowing, Janette is who knows
where, and LaCroix has no one..." Nick's voice trailed off.
*************************

"A Final Goodbye" (part 3/6)
by Mids
c. June 1997 (posted 10 March, 1998)
(see part 1a for disclaimers)

"What, Nick?"

"He has no one to say goodbye to or whatever. There's no one I could tell if I
wanted to," he said quickly. "Listen, I'll talk about things later with you. I
need to get some sleep. See you at work," he said.

"Okay," she said back, "Sleep well. Goodnight, er morning."  Nat thought to herself as she hung up the phone. Noticing Sydney was
rubbing around her ankles, she scooped him up into her arms and rubbed his
head. "So, Syd, you gonna ba a foot warmer for me again tonight?" she laughed
as she headed to her room for sleep.
---------------
Nick hung up the phone and turned to leave. Having the idea that the phone
would ring again, he turned around and looked at it one last time, giving it
an 'I-dare-you-to-ring' look. When it didn't ring, he smiled and turned
towards the stairs to go get some sleep, but knew that it wouldn't be a
restful one ~ he had too much on his mind to think about...
**********************************

"A Final Goodbye" (part 4/6)
by Mids
c. June 1997 (posted 10 March, 1998)


As the sun set, Nick woke up. He thought back to last night's conversation
with Nat and thought about what she had said to him. As he picked up the phone
and dialed the number to the precinct, he made up his mind of what he was
going to do about something he had been thinking about.
--------------

"Capt? Have you seen Nick yet?" Tracy wondered.

"He called in and said he was going to be late for some odd reason. Get
started with the paperwork and then he can help you when he gets here."

"He hiding from the paperwork. I *knew* I should have kept my mouth closed
about the paperwork..." Tracy grumbled under her breath as she walked to her
desk.

"What was that Vetter?" Reese demanded.

"Uh, nothing, Capt!" she said hurrying to her desk chair and getting started
on the paperwork.
-------------

Nick walked into the Raven and looked around. People were still arriving since
it had just opened about a half hour before Nick had arrived. When he saw
LaCroix, Nick pushed his way through the crowd and stopped in front of him.

"Yes, Nicholas? What brings you here tonight?" LaCroix greeted him with a smug
look.

"Fleur," Nick said bluntly. LaCroix's eye nearly widened and his jaw just
about dropped, but he kept himself together with his usual calm and cool
composure.

"What of my precious little flower?" He asked calmly.

Nick attempted not to cringe too badly. He hated it when LaCroix refered to
Fleur belonging to him. "There is a case I'm just finishing up dealing with a
haunted house. It can bring the ghosts of past loved ones with unfinished
business back. I *saw* Alyssa, LaCroix. I *talked* with her."

"And there is a reason for telling me this?"

Nick sucked in his breath and spat out the words that he was hesitant to tell
LaCroix. "You can go see Fleur again. Say a final goodbye to her."

"Nicholas, please," LaCroix said in his mocking tone, "I'm not in the mood for
your dilusions. Espescially ones that involve Fleur."

"I wasn't seeing things! I *saw* Alyssa." Nick defended himself.

"Fine, fine. You saw Alyssa, but what does that have to do with me and/or
Fleur?" LaCroix asked, getting annoyed.

"If I could see Alyssa, then there's the chance you could see Fleur. It's up
to you," Nick said as he stood up from his seat on the bar stool. "But don't
stay too long. There are past... aquantances who will want to say hi as well,
but they won't be friendly hellos," he warned as he passed a piece of paper
with an address written on it towards LaCroix. Before he turned to leave he
added, "If you see her, tell her I miss her and love her very much please. And
that I'm eternally sorry for keeping the two of you apart. Please?"

LaCroix nodded silently. His face held no expression. All he knew was that he
wanted to see Fleur. It had been too long and he missed her.
********************************

"A Final Goodbye" (part 5/6)
by Mids
c. July 1997 (posted 10 March, 1998)

As LaCroix stood in front of the house, he looked it over. It was a nice dark,
quiet place except for the fact that it was occupied by ghosts. As he made his
way up the stairs, he hesitated before forcing open the door. He rushed inside
at the gust of wind that threatened to slam the door closed.  he thought sarcastically.

He found his way to the stairs and climbed up them; found the room that Nick
had described where he found Alyssa and then looked around.  he wondered. He turned sadly and started to
leave when a strange glowing appeared behind him. He turned quickly, his fangs
bared and his eyes blazing.

"My love, after all these many centuries without eachother, this is how you
greet me?" Fleur's sweet voice said. She stood there, in the same beautiful
dress she was wearing the night he almost brought her across. She looked as
she did that night he said goodbye to her, their love, and any possibilities
of them sharing the centuries together. 

"Fleur..." his voice trailed as his eyes and fangs regained their normal look.
He put out a hand to her as a single crimson tear fell down his cheek. "I
loved you more than anything. I miss you more than anything. I want you back
here with me more than anything. I'd give up this life as it is to be with you
~ any life," he whispered in a voice that no one but she ever heard. A voice
of warmth, caring, and love that was meant only for her and no one else would
ever hear that voice. No one.

"Lucien, please don't hurt yourself like this because of me. I know that your
words are true and only for me. I know that you love only me and no one else.
I know of your faithfulness for me and our love and that no one else has
touched your heart since me. I wish more than anything that we could be
together and again have the love that we shared for eachother," she said. Her
voice was as he remembered it ~ sweet and young with simple innocence. She
still had the yearning to know things in her voice. She hadn't changed at all
from how he remembered her.

"There are no words to describe how I feel right now seeing you, talking to
you," LaCroix's told the image of Fleur. She smiled her soft smile that had
made his still heart feel like it jumped. He smiled back. She suddenly ran
towards him and tried to hug him, but could not. He could only feel a cool
breeze over him as she pasted over him each time. She lost the smile and
looked ready to cry.

"I cannot embrace you one last time!" she cried.

"How is this one last time?" he asked with a hurt tone.

"Nichola told you of the others. They will come for you as they did with
Nichola. Leave before they do. Please, Lucien," she said, her voice was
worried as was the expression her face held. 

He nodded sadly. "I will for you, Fleur. Nicholas sends his love to you. He
says he is sorry that he kept us apart," LaCroix choked out. He brushed a hand
over her cheek in a way of saying goodbye and then left for the balcony door.

"I love you, Lucien. I always have and always will. I'll be watching over you
until the day comes when we can be reunited," Fleur whispered. He image
disapeared from sight, but he heard her voice one last time, "I love you."

"Je t'aime, Fleur. Nothing will change that. Ever. That is my promise to you."
he said as he opened the door and stepped onto the balcony. He closed the door
and then took to the night sky.
********************************

"A Final Goodbye" (part 6/6)
by Mids
c. July 1997 (posted 10 March, 1998)
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LaCroix sat in his radio booth the next night. He lost himself in his thoughts
and Nick walking in was the reason he came back to his surroundings.

"You saw her?"

"Yes, Nicholas. I saw Fleur."

"And?"

"And what? I saw her and said a final goodbye."

Nick nodded and left. LaCroix waited until Nick had shut the door to say,
"Thank you, Nicholas." Nick heard him though, and smiled. Not only had LaCroix
made a peace with Fleur, but he and LaCroix had made some sort of a peace as
well.
--------------------
(A Week Later)


As the wreaking ball smashed into the side of the house, LaCroix watched from
across the street with Nick. It took both of them every ounce of strength not
to stop the destruction of the house. 

"We got to say our goodbyes. That's what's important. We got to see them one
last time, which is what matters," Nick said sadly. LaCroix nodded in a silent
agreement. 

Something caught both vampires' attention. The looked and realized it was 
both Fleur and Alyssa. They stood next to eachother and were waved to Nick 
and LaCroix, then vanished and were gone.

"Our final goodbyes," LaCroix offered.

"Our final goodbyes." Nick agreed before they took to the night sky.
***************************

the end
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