Title:    Lost & Found (01/01)
Authors:  Cousin Shelley & Arletta Asbury
With Help from: Cousin Bob

Time:   After "LC Has a Drink" and before "The Care and Feeding of
        a Vampire"


Shelley rushed into the fourteenth bar for that night, and looked
around at the patrons frantically.  'He's *got* to be here!' she
thought, on the verge of panic.

"I never should have left him alone!" she said to no one in
particular, completely exasperated.  Just then, she caught sight
of that all too familiar blond head standing over at the bar.
Pushing the other patrons out of her way, she made her way over
to him.

"Nick!  What in the WORLD are you DOING here???" she asked him,
finally losing her temper.

"Ish jusht gettin a little drinksy" he slurred back.

Shelley sighed heavily.  "Don't you think you've had enough?"

"Nope" he smiled that little boy smile that would melt even LaCroix.

"C'mon, we've missed you at CERK," she said as persuasively as she
could manage under the circumstances.  Getting such a lush like Nick
away from a bar was not going to be easy but Shelley was determined.
She knew that it was dangerous for him to be wandering about
unescorted.  "I was going to stop by a liquor store on my way
back there.  Wouldn't you like to come along and help me pick
your favorite brand?"

"Shounds good" he said, nearly falling to the floor as he spun
around.

Shelley inwardly groaned as she recalled what had happened at the
last liquor store she had visited with Nick.  But her offer had
tempted him and he began to follow her out to her van.

When his attention wavered at the sight of a round being
poured for other patrons, Shelley thought, 'Maybe I should get
a leash?'  Then she laughed at the idea.

"Whatsh sho funny?" he asked.

"Never mind, Nick, let's just get you back to CERK, okay?"

"Bsut soo promisssed a <hiccup> sshtop firsst."

Shelley nodded in agreement.  She just feverently hoped that
between Arletta and herself that they could control him long
enough to stock up at the liquor store this time.

With that, she propelled him through the door and towards the
van where Arletta was waiting. Taking a backward glance at the
establishment they had just left, she let out a burst of laughter.
There, in neon letters 4 feet high, was the name of the place...
"The Lost & Found Pub and Grill".