Incarnations of Immortality
By The Bear!
Disclaimer: See Prologue
LaCroix had just completed his monologue for the night and was looking out
at the crowd in the Raven when he saw a face in the shadows of a back booth that
struck him. He left the broadcast
booth and walked out into the cacophony that was Wednesday night at the Raven.
He wandered over to the bar where he could get a better look at the man
in the back.
As he drank his bloodwine and observed the man he suddenly remembered,
“I know where I’ve seen him before!”
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
Roman might and discipline had, once again, won the day.
General Lucius looked out over the aftermath of the battle with
satisfaction. The broken bodies of
nearly one hundred score of barbarian vermin who had sought to defy
This scum had harried his legion for weeks as they marched.
They would attack in small groups and at night, striking and retreating
like a cowardly dog nipping at the heels of its master.
At last they had captured two of their scouts and tortured the location
of their village from them. His
legion had swept over them like the tide, burning and killing every living thing
until only the leader of this pitiful band remained.
Lucius had had him crucified on the apex of the hill so he could see what
his rebellion had wrought. He turned
and looked up at this barbarian chieftain, memorizing his face so that he could
remember this small, but sweet, victory. He
had to admit that there was something to admire in the way this enemy stoically
accepted his pain, and stared his hatred towards the Roman General.
“We will meet again,” the crucified man gasped out.
“In hell perhaps,” the General said, spurring his horse down the hill
toward his troops.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
The
Raven
Methos was hunting. He rarely
participated in ‘The Game’ any more, 5000 years of life, most of it spent in
violent times, had taught him that the sidelines were a much safer and happier
place to be. There were, however,
exceptions.
He had come to
Unfortunately he arrived here just in time to find out that the reason
Scott had relocated, a headhunter with the unlikely name of Phineas Froag, had
followed. Methos had used his Watcher connections to find out about him.
Froag lived for the Quickening. He was like a junkie and once he latched
onto a target, he followed until he got what he wanted.
Methos knew that this was just the type of club Froag was likely to hang
out at. He would spend his nights
here, and at the two or three other similar clubs until he caught sight of him-
or until he got word that he had been spotted by a watcher in another city.
He liked Scott, and wanted to make sure that his killer wasn’t allowed
to keep his Quickening.
Gazing around the bar was silly, he knew.
He would know it the moment another immortal entered the front door, but
he did it anyway. “It’s not like
I have anything else to look at,” he thought.
Suddenly he noticed a man at the bar staring directly at him.
At first he didn’t recognize him- tall, imposing even, blond crew cut,
black Armani suit. “Where do I
know you from, hmm?” he thought.
Then he remembered.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
“Damned Romans,” Methos thought as he looked out over the aftermath of
the slaughter. The broken bodies of
nearly 800 of his warriors, along with their wives and children, lay about the
base of the hill on which he stood.
He had settled in this village 10 years ago as he was wandering the world.
He had met a fine woman and had decided to stay a while- he had nothing
else to do, no obligations or interests to interfere, so why not.
He and his men had harried the legion for weeks as they marched, hoping to
divert them from overrunning the area they called home.
They would attack in small groups and at night, striking hard, killing 20
or 30 and then pulling back, while another group would attack from another
front. In this manner they killed
hundreds at first, but the Roman General swiftly countered.
He would cease his march earlier in the day, giving up distance for the
time it took to dig in and make a fortified camp.
Suddenly Methos began loosing more men than they were killing.
He had pulled back to their village to plan their next course of action.
He never knew how they had found him.
One day he woke up to the sounds of the Roman charge.
The legion had swept over them like the tide, burning and killing every
living thing they could get their hands on and their swords into.
He had been killed twice before waking up to find himself being nailed to
a hastily constructed cross on the watch-post hill overlooking the remains of
his village.
He looked down at the face of the General whose troops had done this to
his villagers and gasped out through his agony, “We will meet again,”
“In hell perhaps,” the General had said, while riding away.
“Maybe sooner than that” was Methos’ final thought before he died,
again.
Some of his villagers had escaped into the woods and returned to burn the
dead. They pulled him down from the
cross and threw his body into a pile with the others.
Fortunately he woke up while they were gathering fuel for the fire and
fled into the woods himself.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
The
Raven
Methos remembered that he had sworn vengeance on the General who had
crucified him, but as the years wore on, he had stopped thinking about the
matter. By the time
He remembered that in 1453 he had been toasting the death of Emperor
Constantine XI and the end of the last vestiges of the
But
surely that couldn’t be the same man; he hadn’t felt any Quickening…
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
He certainly wasn’t a vampire. LaCroix
could see his pulse beating in his neck from here.
In fact, his pulse rate seemed to have significantly increased several
moments after noticing LaCroix’s attention on him.
He might have dismissed it as patently impossible except for two things;
first, LaCroix could see recognition on the man’s face, and second, his son
had just this evening described a man who survived gunshots and a forty-foot
fall, seemingly unscathed. “Perhaps
such a man could live for two thousand years,” he mused.
He turned to the bartender, “Miklos.”
“Yes, General.”
“The man by himself in the back booth…”
“Yes, I see him.” Miklos said, barely glancing back for a moment.
“If he leaves, I want him followed,” LaCroix locked gazes with Miklos
and continued, “Very discretely, Miklos. He
is absolutely not to know that he is being followed.
Choose someone reliable. I
want to know where he goes.”
“Certainly, General.”
LaCroix pondered for a moment and then decided, “Put his tab on the
house as well, Miklos.”
“Anything else, sir?” Miklos
asked.
“That will do for now. I
expect my son will be here soon. Please
have him and whomever he has accompanying him join me directly.
And send in 2 bottles of the House Special and two of the plain
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
One thing had led to another; the conversation had transitioned from
speculation about the swordsman to a variety of topics.
Anecdotes and stories about strange and unusual cases led to personal
stories as similar experiences were shared.
Each of them was surprised during the evening not only by what they
learned about their new friends, but also by what they learned about their
respective partners. It was obvious
that none of them were normally very talkative about themselves, but somehow
this evening, which began with such a startling revelation, turned into
something none of them had ever experienced before; a couple’s night out.
Dinner was ordered and eaten (and drank), beverages were consumed, and
fun was had.
Nick excused himself as the phone rang.
Natalie was still laughing at Scully’s story about Mulder singing the
theme from shaft to her as he lay on the floor of the hotel after a near miss
with a vampire pizza delivery guy. Mulder,
of course, vehemently denied that any such incident had occurred, but even he
was laughing about it.
Natalie said, “I have to say that I have not had this much fun in years.
I am already going to miss you guys when you leave this weekend,” as
she wiped away the tears of laughter that were running down her face.
Nick smiled indulgently at his betrothed, overjoyed to see her so happy.
He picked up the phone and answered “Knight.”
“Nicolas.”
“LaCroix, I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon, is something
wrong?”
“Not at all Nicolas. However,
there is something I think you need to see.
Why don’t you come to the Raven now?”
“Of course. I will be right
over.”
“Oh, Nicolas, you are entertaining guests,” LaCroix said, hearing the
conversation in the background. “Is
that the two FBI agents you mentioned that I hear?”
Nicolas was suddenly worried, “Yes…”
“Bring them with you. And
Natalie of course.”
Nick was now very worried, but he knew that he couldn’t really refuse,
and he didn’t think that now was the time to jeopardize his fragile
reconciliation with his father. “Of
course, father,” he whispered.
“Do not fret so, Nicolas,” LaCroix said.
“There need not be any permanent, life altering decisions made this
night. I merely wish to meet these
strangers with whom you have decided to share our secret.”
LaCroix said.
“Very well. We shall be
there, LaCroix.” Nick said,
hanging up the phone.
Natalie had caught the whisper and the look of trepidation on her fiancée’s
face and her expression suddenly sobered. Mulder
and Scully caught the change and turned to face Nick as he hung up the phone.
“LaCroix has requested that we join him.
He has something he wants me to see.”
Nick said quietly.
Natalie’s eyes widened slightly and she said, “We as in you and I,
Nick?”
Nick turned to Mulder and Scully. “He
wants to meet you two as well.”
Natalie’s hands flew to her mouth involuntarily.
Despite what Nick had said about the changes in his master, LaCroix was
still her own personal boogey-man; he had been ever since the events at the
Azure several years ago.
“Mulder looked back and forth between Nick and Natalie, waiting for
further explanation. Finally he
asked, “Who is LaCroix?”
Scully added, “Is he one of these ‘enforcers’ you mentioned?”
Natalie snapped out of her thoughts and said, “No, it’s not that bad.
LaCroix is, well, you remember that Nick is the second oldest in the
“LaCroix is the eldest, I take it,” Scully answered.
Natalie nodded her head.
“How much older?” Scully
asked. “Nine hundred?
A thousand?” she asked, still incredulous at Nick’s incredible age
Nick was lost in thought, but responded “LaCroix watched Vesuvius
swallow his home in
Scully was shocked again, her mouth just hung open.
Mulder had been watching Nick during the entire conversation.
“There is more, isn’t there. What
is it, Nick?” Mulder asked,
concerned.
“LaCroix is my Father.”
Scully looked at Natalie, “That’s bad news?”
she asked.
Natalie and Nick said simultaneously, “It’s complicated.”
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
Freddie was kicking back at the bar, checking out the crowd.
“This Raven ain’t a bad place,” he thought.
“Plenty of likely victims on the dance floor, and enough vamps around
if I want my own for company.” Freddie
had rolled into
“Good thing we don’t feel the cold!” he laughed to himself.
He had found this place a couple of nights ago and was presently in the
process of selecting his next ‘meal’ from the dancers on the floor.
Bottled blood had never really satisfied him- he preferred it ‘straight
from the tap’ as it were.
None of the writhing dancers had really stood out to him and he was about
to resort to enie, meanie, minie, moe; when he saw one vamp and three mortals
walk into the club. “Oh man!
That little red-head looks delicious!” he whispered to himself.
He watched as they walked across the club and straight to a door near the
end of the bar. “I may wait a
little longer,” he thought. “Better
to sharpen the appetite,” he thought, smiling to himself.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
Nick led the others directly to LaCroix’s office, ignoring the
surreptitious glances from the vampires all around.
He felt slightly uncomfortable. Even
though he had long ago ceased caring about The Community’s opinion of him, his
recent change of heart about himself and his kind had began to rekindle a desire
for ties to The Community. However,
he still didn’t think that it was OK to treat mortals as cattle- nothing more
than food. He wasn’t sure how he
was going to reconcile his desire for atonement with his burgeoning desire to
belong once again to The Community he had despised for so long.
“Better to concentrate on the present, and worry about that later,”
he decided.
Natalie was worried about her new friends.
She still didn’t really trust LaCroix- not 100% any way.
Scully’s thoughts were chaotic and whirling with the stunning impact
that tonight’s revelations had struck upon her.
Not even 12 hours ago, she would have sworn under oath that there were no
such things as vampires- they were a myth and whatever Mulder had seen, it
wasn’t supernatural. Science would
be able to explain it, somehow. Now,
she not only accepted their existence, she had made friends with an 800 year old
vampire and was about to meet one who had been alive when the New Testament was
written. “Oh yeah, and he might
just kill us tonight, too.” she added. The
impact of that thought suddenly centered her and allowed her to focus on this
encounter, which just might be her last.
Mulder was thinking how cool it was that he was walking into a bar full of
vampires for a meeting with a guy who was about 2000 years old, to talk about
guys who only died when you cut off their heads.
It was all he could do not to laugh out loud.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
LaCroix could feel his son’s trepidation as he entered the club.
He smiled and thought of how he would have, not long ago, used this to
torment Nicolas. He thought of the
two mortals his son was bringing in with him and his smile was replaced with a
slight frown. If he felt it was
necessary, he would erase these agents knowledge, or kill them.
He knew that doing so would erase the tentative reconciliation he had
found with his son, and he hoped that it would not become necessary.
He would have to see if Nicolas had, for once, chosen wisely with his
trust.
Nick stopped outside the door to the office and reminded Mulder and Scully
one last time, “Remember- don’t lose your temper.
Your reactions will decide all of our lives tonight.”
He knocked on the door and heard his master bid him enter.
He then opened the door and led them into the office.
LaCroix had decided on playing the master vampire.
He hoped his son’s estimation of the agent’s concern for each other
was accurate. If so, he thought he
could use their fear of the other’s safety to guaranty their silence.
He allowed his not inconsiderable power and presence to flow outward from
him like the tide- washing over these puny mortals like the surf against the
rocks.
Scully remembered the power she felt from Nick this afternoon.
At the time she thought it was the most impressive thing she could ever
have conceived. What she felt now
snuffed that thought like a candle. She
felt as though this man seated behind the massive antique desk could crush her
with a thought. It took every ounce
of willpower she had just to stand upright, and she couldn’t have met his gaze
if her life depended on it.
Mulder’s cavalier attitude about this meeting was erased in an instant.
He was suddenly worried for Scully’s life.
His own he would gladly forfeit to spare his beloved from the wrath of
this vampire. He would have offered
to do just that but he couldn’t breathe, let alone speak.
Natalie was stunned. She was
reminded about how much she didn’t know about The Community she was planning
on joining. She could tell that this
display was not for her benefit, but still found that she was silently
chastising herself for defying this creature, and endangering Nick in the
process, for the last six years. Her
sympathy for the years Nick had had to endure this man’s domination nearly
overwhelmed her. If this was the
changed LaCroix, she couldn’t imagine what hell Nick had gone through before.
Nick understood what his father was trying to do, but felt that much more
and his newfound friends would break. “Father,
please. I am certain that they
understand your point,” he said, respectfully.
He dropped his barriers on the bloodlink to let LaCroix know that he
wasn’t challenging him; he was just concerned for his friends.
LaCroix was satisfied that these mortals had been properly cowed.
He slowly reeled in his power, not withdrawing entirely, but reducing it
to less intimidating proportions. He
gestured for Nicolas to make introductions.
“Father, these are Special Agents Dana Scully, and Fox Mulder of the
United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Agents, this is Lucien LaCroix, my maker.”
“Agents, I understand that my son has shared with you the knowledge of
our community.” LaCroix said.
“Yes Sir.” Mulder and Scully said in unison.
“And he has told you the consequences of such knowledge.”
Mulder and Scully glanced at each other briefly, and softly said “Yes
Sir.”
“We will discuss that later.” He
turned to Nicolas, “I saw someone tonight that might be the person you
encountered last night.” LaCroix
turned and opened the armoire behind his desk, revealing a CCTV monitor and
control system. He pushed the
playback on the recorder they saw a man sitting alone at a booth in the club.
Mulder and Nick both leaned forward and simultaneously said, “That’s
not him.”
LaCroix looked surprised.
Nick said, “Why did you think that was the man?”
LaCroix leaned back in his chair and steepled his hands thoughtfully.
“I met this man a long time ago.”
“He isn’t a vampire?” Mulder
asked.
“I could clearly see his pulse and hear his heartbeat.”
LaCroix answered.
“How do you know him?” Nick
asked.
“I killed him once, a long time ago” LaCroix answered softly.
“Did you… drink from him, I guess?
Is he a hybrid of some kind, perhaps?” Mulder asked.
“No, agent Mulder, I didn’t *drain* him.”
LaCroix mused.
“Can you tell us about it?” Scully
asked.
“Are you sure you want to hear about it?
It was quite barbaric, I assure you.”
LaCroix sneered slightly at the diminutive redhead.
“How long ago, LaCroix?” Natalie
asked. “Are you sure it is the
same man?”
LaCroix didn’t really want to go into details with these strangers.
He said, “He was a chieftain of a tribe in
Mulder’s photographic memory kicked in and he remembered studying Roman
history. Actually he had been more
interested in impressing the devastatingly beautiful grad student who helped the
professor teach the course. In an
attempt to impress her, he had memorized just about every text in the library
dealing with Roman Military Conquest- that being the subject of her doctoral
thesis. In the end, he found out she
was doing the professor, and had no interest in him, but he did learn a lot
about Roman History. “Lucian
LaCroix. You were General Lucius the
Crucifier?” he asked, entirely forgetting the threat this man posed to him and
Scully. “Wow!” he said, amazed
at the thought of a piece of living history sitting before him.
LaCroix was startled momentarily. “It
has been a very long time since I heard that particular description.”
A slow smile grew on his face and he continued, “You must have a
fascination with arcane historical trivia to know that name.”
He changed the subject and said, “In any case, I am quite certain that
this is indeed the same man I crucified in 74 AD.
He survived crucifixion and lived another 1,926 years, and he is
definitely not a vampire. I would
say that that puts him squarely in the camp of the man you and my son met on the
rooftop last night.”
“Where is he now, Father?” Nick
asked.
“He left. However, he is
being followed. We shall find out
where he is going and perhaps tomorrow night you might visit him in your
capacity of a homicide detective investigating a rather unusual death.”
“That is an excellent idea, father.”
Nick said with a smile.
“Doctor Lambert, you and I need to have a conversation.”
LaCroix said. He felt his
son’s sudden rush of concern through their bloodlink.
He turned to Nicolas and in a very decisive tone of voice suggested,
“Why don’t you and your friends go out and have a drink while you wait.
This shouldn’t take too long.
Nick wanted to protest, but caught the tone in LaCroix’s voice and knew
he would only make things worse for Natalie if he reacted.
He leaned in to Natalie and whispered in her ear, “It’ll be alright.
I love you. I’ll be right
outside.” He then opened the door
and indicated to Mulder and Scully that they should precede him.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
Freddie was still sitting at the bar when the three exited the office.
He watched as the vampire led them to a booth overlooking the bar and the
office. He wasn’t going to do
anything until he could get the redhead alone.
He wasn’t afraid of the other vampire, after all he was 250 years old,
and he didn’t think anyone else in here could match that.
He just didn’t want to make a scene; that’s all.
He ordered another bloodwine and sat back to wait for his opportunity.
Nick was distracted by the thought of Natalie in there alone with LaCroix
and didn’t notice the vamp at the bar who watched as they left the office and
took a booth to wait.
Mulder and Scully exchanged glances, concerned for their new friends.
“Will she be alright, Nick?” Scully
asked.
“What is going to happen?” Mulder added.
“He won’t hurt her,” Nick said- almost 90% sure he was speaking the
truth. “I think he wants to test
her resolve. She has spent the last
6 years trying to ‘cure’ me after all,” Nick said quietly.
“He probably wants to make sure she is really willing to give that
up.”
“Is she?” Scully asked.
“There was a time when she wanted me to be mortal, almost as much as I
wanted it. She thought of marriage,
family, that sort of thing.” He
sighed. “I really didn’t want
her to have to give up the sun, the daylight.
However, she wants me more than she wants the sun.
And, even though I know I am being thoroughly selfish, I’m glad.
I want her to be with me forever- no matter what.
I would rather have her as a vampire than to lose her to old age and
death.”
Mulder understood exactly how Nick felt.
“But you feel guilty about what she is giving up, don’t you,”
Mulder said. It was a statement, not
a question.
“Yes.” Nick sighed.
Scully got mad, she knew that Mulder was speaking for himself, thinking
that he was bad for her, that she deserved ‘better’ than him.
“What is it that makes you guys think that we are unable to decide what
is best for us?” She shot them
both a withering glare. “You put
us on a pedestal and think you’re looking out for our best interests; but
don’t you see? It’s lonely up on
that pedestal!” She was almost
overcome with emotion and actually had to choke back a sob, “I want you, not
some idealized man, 2.5 kids and a white picket fence,” she said directly to
Mulder and then turned to Nick and continued, “and I imagine that Natalie
feels the same way!” She abruptly
stood up and said, “Now, where is the restroom?”
Nick silently pointed toward the back of the club, his eyes wide at her
outburst.
Scully looked back where he had pointed and said, “When I get back I
don’t want to hear any more ‘I’m not worthy’ crap out of either of you,
Ok?” She looked back and forth
between the two men, both sitting slack-jawed and looking up at her with wide
eyes. “Otherwise I am going to
find a nice chair leg for you,” she said- pointing at Nick, “And you, I’m
going to shoot. *Again*” she said-
pointing at Mulder. She then walked
off, head held high.
Mulder and Nick sat silently for a moment before they both began to smile.
“Again?” Nick asked with
a slight smirk.
“Long Story” Mulder replied with a teeth-baring smile of his own.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
Scully dried her hands and checked her makeup.
The tears that had threatened to flow she dabbed at lightly with a paper
towel. She took a couple of deep
breaths to calm herself as she marveled at the stupidity of men in general and
her man specifically. She idolized
Mulder. There was no one else on the
planet she could possibly want to be with. He
had totally ruined her for other men ever- and that was before last night’s
mind-blowing sex- yet he felt inadequate. She
was the one who was inadequate- Mulder could have any woman he wanted at the
drop of a hat. She was sure that
that little blond waitress was out there even now chatting him up.
She was glad that she knew her man well enough to know he wouldn’t even
notice. She might feel inadequate,
but also knew her partner. Though
she wasn’t sure that she deserved it, she knew he loved her and only her.
As long as he knew that she wanted him, he wouldn’t even look at
another woman.
She was walking out the door thinking of exactly how she was going to
demonstrate just how much she wanted him when she got him back to the hotel this
morning. It was at that moment that
she felt herself grabbed from behind- one hand around her waist, the other over
her mouth as she was swiftly pulled out of the club through the back door and
into the alley.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
Natalie stood before LaCroix. She
was nervous and cursed her heart for giving it away.
She determined that she would not outwardly show her fear, even though
she knew he would detect it from her heart rate.
LaCroix observed her for a moment. He
heard the fear that her heart betrayed, but admired her poise, as she outwardly
gave no indication of her feelings. He
briefly considered toying with her for a bit, to see how far he could push
before she would give, but decided against it.
He would test her resolve, no doubt about it, but he would avoid doing
anything to anger his son. So long
as Nicolas was content to return to the fold, LaCroix would not be the one to
break the peace.
“May I call you Natalie?” he started with.
“Doctor Lambert seems so formal.”
“Yes Sir” Natalie said stiffly. She
remembered the power emanating from him earlier.
She did not want to do anything to provoke him if she could avoid it.
“Sit down, Natalie,” LaCroix chuckled lightly.
“Relax. I am no longer a
general, and this is no army. You
need not stand at attention.”
Natalie took a seat across from him and tried to relax.
It didn’t work. She was
worried about Dana and Mulder… and Nick… and herself… and Nick and
herself… and…
LaCroix broke her reverie. “Do
you not feel as though you have been betrayed, Natalie?
Nicolas has decided to throw away 6 years of your work as though it was
nothing.”
Natalie decided that the only way she would make it through this was by
being brutally honest, both with LaCroix and with herself.
“Nick wanted to be human. I
wanted Nick, any way I could have him. So,
no, I don’t feel betrayed. As long
as he is satisfied with the way he is, so am I.”
“Truly? You would not prefer
him as a human?” LaCroix pressed.
“You do not long for children? To
see the sun rise, to feel its warmth on your face?”
“To grow old, to break down and die?” she countered.
“Each state of being has advantages and limitations, sir.
Either one would be satisfactory so long as I could be with Nick.
Neither one is acceptable without him.”
“You care for him that much?” LaCroix
asked, somewhat surprised, doubtful that this mortal could love Nicolas as much
as Nicolas did her.
“He is my life. My heart.”
She replied.
“Easy to say, but you have no real concept of forever, child.
How do I know that you won’t tire of my son after a few decades or a
century and leave him?”
Natalie had an epiphany. Right
there and then she finally understood Lucien LaCroix.
She had always thought him to be evil and full of hatred toward Nick.
Suddenly she realized that it wasn’t hatred, but rather desperation.
LaCroix loved Nick, needed him powerfully and when he couldn’t have him
he lashed out at whatever he perceived as separating him from his beloved son.
“Ohhh,” she said, sympathizing with LaCroix’s need to have Nick in
his life. She felt exactly the same
way. Wordlessly she stood up and
offered this master vampire her wrist.
LaCroix was taken aback by her offer.
“Why?” he asked.
“You need to know, I need for you to know,” she said simply.
LaCroix took her wrist and brought it to his mouth, looking into
Natalie’s eyes for any indecision. He
saw that she was afraid, but resolute. He
bit down and tasted the hot, spiced wine that ran through the veins of his
son’s lover. He felt her devotion
and love. He saw her conviction.
He knew her understanding of not only his son, but of his own need for
Nicolas.
She spoke to him through the link and with her voice simultaneously, “So
long as you don’t hurt him or me, I will make sure he never leaves you
again.”
He immediately withdrew from her and broke the link.
“Why would you do that?” he asked, confused.
“Because he needs you too. As
much as you need him. He just
doesn’t know it,” she replied.
“For once in his life, my son has chosen wisely.”
LaCroix said. “I will
gladly have you for a grand-daughter, Natalie.”
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
Freddie dragged his catch out into the alley, thinking about how much he
was going to enjoy this when he felt her stamp on his instep.
It surprised him more than it hurt him but he loosened his grip enough
for her to spin around in his grasp and ram her knee into his groin with a great
deal of force. “What a little
firebrand,” he thought just as she snap-kicked him in the nose, breaking it
and causing blood to flow momentarily as it healed.
Scully figured out that she was dealing with a vampire and hoped that she
could hurt him enough quickly enough to get back inside and…
Interrupting her thought process was the back of his hand across her face,
sending her flying down the alley and into a stack of pallets next to the
dumpster. She was almost unconscious
when she felt the bite on her neck. She
reached out beside her trying to find something to hit him with.
Freddie was enjoying the wonderful flavor of this delectable morsel,
reveling in the images of her life and the fear he tasted in her blood.
Her heart was slowing almost to a stop when he felt an incredible pain in
his neck. He reared back was
horrified as the slender shard of wood she had stabbed into his neck, tore his
throat out as he pulled away. His
blood, mingled with hers sprayed out of his near fatal wounds and poured down on
her face, and into her mouth. Her
last act before she blacked out was to convulsively swallow.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
Natalie came out of the office walked over to where Nick and Mulder where
sitting in comfortable silence. They
both got sheepish looks on their faces when she approached and she wondered what
was going on. “Where’s Dana?”
she asked. Mulder answered, “She
had to go powder her nose.”
Natalie snorted at the thought and Nick said, “Yeah, she worked up a
sweat explaining to Mulder that he was an idiot and that I should pull my head
out of my…”
“Nice visual, Nick.” Natalie
interrupted. “I’ll go check on
her.” Natalie went back to the
restroom, but couldn’t find Dana there. She
walked out and across to the alley door just in case Dana had stepped out for a
breather. She opened the door and
looked out just as Freddie was taking a bite on Dana’s neck.
She screamed, “NICK!”
Mulder heard the echo of Natalie’s scream and when he looked over, Nick
was already there by Natalie’s side. He
felt the blood leave his face and got up and ran through the crowd on the dance
floor to the alley door. By the time
he got there, and into the alley, Nick and Natalie were crouched over the broken
body of a petite redheaded woman. There
was blood all over the woman’s face. LaCroix
was standing over the body of a large man who looked like his throat had been
ripped out. “Where the hell did he
come from?” Mulder thought.
His brain was rejecting the image of the woman on the ground.
He couldn’t even notice her. He
just stared at the body of the man with the torn throat- watching in horrified
fascination as the flesh slowly re-knit it self.
It wasn’t until Natalie sobbed his name that his mind grasped the fact
that the bloodied and broken body lying in the alley was his Scully.
He went into shock. He fell
to his knees, his eyes locked onto the face of his beloved Scully.
It felt as if his heart had stopped beating.
LaCroix quickly assessed the situation.
“Nicolas, she has ingested his blood, you must take her quickly to my
quarters. Natalie, go tell Miklos
about this,” he kicked the slowly regenerating body of the vampire that had
assaulted Scully. “Tell him to
have it chained in the caves, but not killed yet.
Then tell him to deliver a case of uncut blood to my quarters at once.”
Natalie reacted instantly to his command, racing into the club to get
Miklos.
“Come Nicolas, I will bring Agent Mulder,” he said, picking up the
silent man and flying him up to the roof. Nick
scooped Dana up and followed.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
“It must be you, Nicolas. I
doubt that she would come back for me, and certainly not for that creature that
did this to her.” LaCroix
explained.
Nick took one look at Natalie, who had raced up the stairs and was panting
heavily. She just nodded her head.
She was unwilling to give up on her friend so soon.
Besides it might be fun having a sister.
Nick bit his wrist open and held it to Dana’s mouth waiting, praying
even that she would drink.
LaCroix turned to the other agent, who was still in shock.
He captured Mulder’s eyes with his own gaze and explained to him that
Dana might yet live, but that Mulder would have to call her back.
Mulder was wrapped in a cocoon of agony.
Every breath hurt and all he could think was “She’s gone.
She’s gone.” over and over. When
LaCroix’s words of hope broke through, it was as though a switch had been
thrown, shocking him out of his stupor. “What
do I do?! Tell me how to bring her
back!”
“Go. Hold her and call her
back to you. She stands at the
doorway and must choose either to go into the light, or come back across to you.
Mulder stood up and unsteadily crossed the room to Scully’s side where
Nick was drizzling blood into her mouth. He
swallowed his fear and agony and started to stroke her forehead.
He took her hand in his own and began calling her, “Scully. Scully,
please come back to me. I love you.
I *need* you.” He repeated
that over and over, tears pouring down his face and dripping onto hers.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
She looked around her. She was
standing on an arid plain. It was
dry, flat and featureless in all directions.
“Where am I?” she whispered to herself.
“WHERE AM I?” she screamed out.
“Where do you think you are?” a
voice said behind her.
Scully whirled around to see a doorway standing in the open plain.
The door was open and a bright light silhouetted a figure from behind.
She just stared at it for a moment before walking up to the figure.
“Am I dead?” she asked, suddenly remembering the attack.
The figure laughed melodiously, “Not quite yet, little sister.”
Then Scully could make out the face. “Missy?”
she asked in a whisper. She ran up
and hugged her, “Oh Missy. I’m
so glad to see you.” Suddenly she
broke off the hug and stepped back. “Oh
Missy. I’m so sorry.”
“For what, Dana?” Melissa
asked.
“You died in my place. It’s
my fault.” Scully cried.
“Don’t you mean Fox’s fault?”
Melissa asked.
“Oh, no Missy! It isn’t
Mulder’s fault, he couldn’t have known…”
“And you could have?” Melissa
asked her sister with a frown.
“I should have!” Scully
cried.
“Dana, the only one to blame for my death is the man who killed me, and
the man who sent him to kill you.” Melissa
said firmly. “If you take any
blame for it, you have to share it with Fox.
I don’t think either of you’re to blame.”
Scully realized how surreal this conversation was.
“Missy, where are we? You’re
dead, but you said I wasn’t. What
did you mean?” Scully was
confused.
“You must choose, Dana. You
can come in to the light, with me. Or,
you can go back.”
“What do you mean, I can go back?”
Scully asked. She thought of
Mulder, of how much she loved him and it was almost as if she could hear him,
calling her. Telling her he loved
and needed her.
“You can go back to your beloved Mulder, Dana.
However, I must warn you- you won’t be the same.”
Melissa said.
“You mean I’ll be a…” Scully began.
“Vampire, Dana. Say it with
me- Vam-pi-er,” Melissa teased. “You
will give up the sun, you will have to drink blood to live, and you will have to
face the hunger. The desire to kill
for food is difficult to overcome.” The
light in the doorway seemed to dim.
Scully’s choice was already made, however.
“I can’t leave him, Missy. I
love him.” Her voice was full of
longing, and she heard Mulder’s call more strongly.
The light on the plain in general seemed to dim, as though night were
falling.
“I know, little sister. Take
care of him. He needs you.”
Melissa said as the light, the doorway and the plain around Scully went
dark entirely.
========== X-FILES ========== FOREVER KNIGHT ========== HIGHLANDER ==========
Mulder was sobbing out Scully’s name, and the blood Nick was giving her
was about to run out the sides of her mouth when she finally swallowed.
She instinctively latched on to Nick’s wrist and began to suck
furiously. Nick was so happy that
she had come back that he made no move to pull away.
Finally it was LaCroix who had to come over and yank him arm away from
her.
Nick stood up, dizzy from the blood loss as Scully dropped her head back
down to the floor and slept.
LaCroix was angry with his son. He
grabbed a bottle of blood and shoved it into his hands.
“Were you going to let her drain you?”
He demanded.
“Nick, are you alright?” Natalie asked; her concern clear in her
voice.
“Yes. I’m all right.
No. I wasn’t planning on
letting her drain me, I was just happy and relieved that she came back, and
wasn’t really paying attention.” Nick
said, somewhat chagrined.
LaCroix looked sternly at his son, and then said to Natalie, “My dear,
it would be in your best interests if you allowed me to supervise when my
‘inattentive’ son brings you across.”
Suddenly Mulder broke in, “Uh, Nick, is she going to be ok?” he said,
gesturing at Scully, lying on the floor, not breathing, no pulse.
Mulder was still a little shocky. His
joy at her response was tempered by how she responded.
On the whole, however, he would take Scully any way he could get her.
Nick was abashed at his insensitivity.
“Sorry, Mulder. Yes she is
going to be ok.” He was suddenly
struck with a thought, “You do realize, Mulder that she is now a vampire,
don’t you?”
Mulder chuckled a little at that, “Yeah, Nick. I think I had that figured when she started sucking you dry.” He sobered and looked at her, covered in blood and laying dead- “Ok, Unde