Title: "A Reunion, Sort of?" (Last Knight spoiler and Ashes to Ashes spoiler) By: Arletta Asbury g4akl@charm.net I'm a relative newbie at Fanfic, so please, remember that and try to be kind. It was inspired by my hatred of the ending of "Last Knight". I hate it, hate it, hate it! So in a complete state of denial, I offer you this. This story follows my earlier stories 'Another Ending', 'Transitions',"The End or Not?" , and 'The Apartment and What Happens Next'. However, if you haven't read them and would like to, you may request copies from me at the email address given above. DISCLAIMER: The characters of Nick, Natalie, Lacroix, etc. are characters of the Forever Knight show and as such are the property of TPTB. They are not mine I am just borrowing them for a little while. ******************************************************************** Nick was strolling along a Parisian street early one evening when he heard, "Knight is that you?" He turned at the sound, instinctively, and then heard, "I thought that was you. It's good to see you again. What are you doing in Paris?" Nick saw Captain Reese coming towards him, too late. Nick greeted his old boss. "Hi Cap, it's good to see you too. What are *you* doing in Paris?" Reese shrugged and said, "I was sent for a big extradition, only when I got here the paperwork was all fouled up and now I've got a couple of days to kill at the taxpayers expense. What are you doing here? It's good to see you buddy", And he jabbed Nick lightly. "Ah, well, I'm living in Paris now." Just then Natalie emerged from the shop they were standing before and Nick added, "We're living in Paris. Nat and I are married now." Nat held up her left hand displaying her wedding ring as if to prove Nick's words. "That's great. I always thought you two were an item. Married huh. Looks like it agrees with you", and Reese smiled broadly. "Say, let's sit down and talk if you have the time?" Nick looked at his watch and nodded. They sat down at one of the nearby tables of an outdoor cafe, "What bring you to Paris", Natalie asked. "He's here on an extradition assignment", Nick offered, surreptitiously squeezing Nat's right hand as if to warn her to be careful about what she said. "So what are you doing these day? Not a coroner here, I suppose?" "No, I'm writing a book? My first. I find I like writing a lot. Too bad I never had much chance to do it before", Natalie answered. The waiter came and Nick ordered, "Cafe, trois", as he held up three fingers. "And you", Reese asked Nick. "Oh, I'm teaching now. Not as exciting as being a cop but it has its rewards." "Teaching? Where?" Reese asked. "At a small University near here." "A University?" Reese was clearly puzzled. "I guess I never mentioned that I have an advanced degree. I got it before deciding that I wanted to be a cop. It turned out good to have something to fall back on. I mean with a wife to support and all", Nick lied. The waiter brought the coffee as Reese nodded, "Oh". Nick quietly paid for the coffee and dismissed the waiter. The outdoor cafe was nearly deserted. Its only other patrons were seated several tables away. "Is it a branch of a Canadian or an American college? With classes in English I mean", Reese was still puzzled. "No, my mother was French, I'm fluent in the language." This at least was not technically a lie. His mother *had* been French and his father and him........ Natalie shot Nick a warning glance. Clearly she thought he was saying too much. "How's the old gang back at the station?" Nick asked, changing the subject. "Oh, I've been transferred." "After the investigation into Tracy's death and all." Reese winced inwardly Nick pounced on the opening. "Wasn't there some fuss about Tracy's body disappearing?" "Yes, from the hospital morgue. It was never found.", Reese was uncomfortable with the whole topic but Nick pressed on. "Weren't there any suspects? Someone hanging around the hospital?" Natalie began to see where this was leading. "Well there was one report. The description fitted that snitch of her's. What was his name?" "Vachon" "Yeah, Vachon. But we never tracked him down." "Maybe he was just paying his last respects", Nick offered. "Yeah maybe." "With snitches you never know. You just can't tell where they're coming from." <16th century Spain in this case.> "Yeah, Tracy always did seen to think he was something special. Treated him that way too, sometimes. I tried to tell her it wasn't good getting too close to your snitch." Reese has *no* idea how close Tracy had gotten to this 'snitch'. Satisfied, Nick looked at his watch and said, "I'm going to be late for my class. I have to make a stop first. I'd better get going." Nick rose to go and Natalie followed suit. Everything would have ended just fine, if Lacroix hadn't rounded the corner just then. "Ah, Nicholas, I......." Just then he saw Reese and he stopped mid-sentence. "Mr. Lacroix, isn't it?" Reese said, wondering about Nicholas? Nick? "Yes, Lucian Lacroix. I believe we've met before, in Toronto." He gave Nicholas a murderous look. "A body in my beer fridge, as I recall. Certainly *not* an everyday occurrence." "You know Nick?" Reese asked. Lacroix hesitated a moment but saw no reason to lie about it. "Yes.....Nicholas is.........my son." Natalie closed her eyes as if in pain, then opened them at Reese's next words. "Your son?" Reese cast his gaze at Nick who now looked faintly uncomfortable himself. "My foster father actually", commented Nick. "You arrested your own father? Nick......... That violates every conduct rule in the book!" Reese shook his head before continuing. "You never reported your relationship. You should have been taken off the case immediately. Your father!" Reese looked at Lacroix again. He had never liked the man. He had always sensed something about him. Evil, perhaps. He just *knew* Lacroix was guilty of something. And now to learn that he was Nick's father. This cast a whole new light on the whole business and on Nick's sudden departure not long afterwards. "Really Nicholas, such sentimentality. Will you *never* learn." Lacroix raised his right hand to within inches of Reese's face while saying, "Listen to me. You have been sitting alone drinking coffee at this cafe." "Alone, at this cafe," Reese repeated staring blankly off in the distance. Satisfied that Reese had been successfully hypnotized into forgetting the meeting, Nicholas, Natalie, and Lacroix left Reese sitting there after first moving their coffee cups to an adjacent empty table. "I learned that Vachon was seen at the hospital shortly before Tracy disappeared. They're *definitely* together." Nick offered by way of apology. "*I* never doubted it", Lacroix remarked before continuing, "Urse is waiting for us at an empty warehouse one block over. It is unfortunate, perhaps, that I asked you to meet me here but I wanted your opinion. She thinks it would be an ideal location for a new nightclub. A new Raven, if you will." The End ************************************************************** Send any comments to: g4akl@charm.net Nick & Nat Packer, Light Cousin