Nov 2001
By: Patty Costantino
Notes to reader: This third installment to my Games series has been inspired by the characters from the Forever Knight T.V. series and it follows my previous two stories Games Coroners Play and Games Detectives Play.
Disclaimer and Characters: Nick, Natalie, Lacroix, Tracy and others don't belong to me. I am just borrowing them to have some fun.
Dedication: I would like to thank my beta-reader, Phylis Sullivan for her tremendous help with my grammar, spelling, punctuation and just getting the story to sound so much better. I couldn't have done it without her wonderful suggestions. Joyce Rauch, for helping me with the storyline, and being such an inspiration for me to continue this series. Hugs to both of you, ladies. :))
Extra Dedication: Goes to my husband and two children, who had to put up with me working long hours on this third installment. They were so supportive and patient while I wrote this part. Without their help, I couldn't have done it.
Content Warning: Adult for m/f mild sexual content (Nick/Natalie) & (Natalie/mysterious stranger), PG-13 violence and language.
Permission is granted to archive at FKfanfic2, FK FTP archive, N&N fic and adult sites, and Jadfe site. This story has been archived at my site at http:/www.expage.com/patty43. Please let me know what you thought about this third segment to the series. You can email me at psmoot43@hotmail.com. I would love to hear from you.
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Games Strangers Play
By: Patty Costantino/psmoot43@hotmail.com
Chapter 1a/10
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Sidney was rousted from a delightful dream by the clicking of a key, turning in the door. At the familiar sound, his gray and white striped ears rose in anticipation, the hairs of his fur standing on end. Jumping off the sofa, he scampered over to the front door, as it swung open. There, standing in the doorway, was his mistress and a frequent visitor of hers. The cat gazed at the twosome through curious, green eyes.
The friend, a woman, was the first to enter the apartment, carrying a suitcase and a brown paper bag resembling.... food? Instinctively, the feline ran his tongue over his sharp canines, imagining what delicious treats were contained in the bag. After dropping the suitcase on a chair, the woman headed for the kitchen. Could she have his next meal? Could there be some special treats hidden in that grocery bag? There was only one way to find out.
Sidney started to follow her, and he would have proceeded; however, a sight made him stop in his tracks. His mistress, who had been standing in the shadows of the hall, was now walking slowly across the room. With enormous effort and labored breaths, she reached the sofa, dropping heavily onto a soft cushion. From where he remained by the front door, he studied her wan, pale face. Something was wrong, terribly wrong; he could sense it.
The tabby approached her in a tentative manner, acutely aware of a tiredness emanating from her body. As he got closer, he also sensed an overwhelming grief, a sadness flowing from her. She was definitely not in a good mood. Resting on his hind legs in front of the sofa, Sidney peered at the auburn-haired woman through beseeching eyes, hoping to be granted permission to sit beside her on the couch.
As if a mind reader, she patted the empty spot beside her, addressing him in a soft, consoling voice. "Sidney, come to Mama."
He needed no other encouragement. In a flash, he was snuggling against her warm body. She leaned forward to nuzzle his ears with her face, and gather him into her arms, petting his soft fur. "There's a good boy. You only wanted some love, didn't you Sid?" she asked, then her eyes became remote, her voice bitter. "At least, you only strive for the basic things in this life; not like some men."
A long sigh escaped from her lips. "You know, fella. You have very simple tastes. To be loved. Cared for. And of course, a good tuna meal always helps. And.... you give so much love in return for those basic pleasures. You don't ask for too much; you don't expect everything to fall in your lap." Her voice remained resentful; her face distant. "You don't reach for the moon and stars."
Frowning, an image of a particular detective came to mind; a cop who after the events of the last two days did appear to want the moon and stars, the best of both worlds: mortality and vampirism. She sighed again, her frown deepening as her thoughts became more disturbing. Could it be that he desired to reclaim only his vampiric nature? Maybe, he didn't truly want his humanity any longer. Who could say at this point?
An oppressive silence descended on the room like a dark veil as the upsetting thoughts continued to assail her mind. Her reverie was then shattered by the sound of her friend's concerned voice floating into the living room. "Natalie, were you talking to me a second ago?"
Natalie turned her head towards the figure, standing behind the double doors from the kitchen. "What? No, Grace...I was talking to Sydney about silly, nonsensical stuff." She forced a smile, attempting to shake off her disturbing thoughts and gather her wits about her. "It was nothing. Really. I was just communicating with my feline buddy here. Wasn't I, Syd?" In order to justify her actions, she leaned over, whispering in his ear about a special treat in the grocery bag, and then hugged him for good measure.
Grace walked towards the sofa with a hot mug of tea, handed it to Natalie, and took a seat in the soft armchair next to the couch. She gazed at the frail-looking woman, who was sipping her hot cup of tea. An anxious look graced her brow. Since arriving at the hospital two hours ago to pick up her friend, Grace's concerns had escalated. She had been shocked to see Natalie, so pale and weak as a kitten, lying in the hospital bed. For five, interminable hours, the doctors had run a series of tests, finding nothing wrong with her. After discovering no medical problem, they 'd allowed Natalie to be released into the care of a friend, who would stay with her for a day or two to ensure her well-being. When she'd called Grace for help, her morgue partner had jumped in her car, and sped over to the emergency room so fast; one would have thought she'd flown.
During the car ride to her apartment, Grace had become worried again, not simply over Natalie's weakened, physical condition; but also the apparent decline in her mental state from two nights ago. At the time, Grace had thought she'd witnessed a miracle. Natalie had practically floated into the morgue, glowing like a neon sign. She'd suspected that Detective Knight had been the cause of her euphoric temperament as; unbeknownst to them, she'd happened to walk by Natalie's office, catching them in a not so 'just friends' embrace. Now, two nights later, when Grace had entered the hospital room, she'd beheld a different woman, a person devoid of spirit. It was apparent that something or someone had burst her bubble. And, she'd had a good idea who might have been the culprit since he wasn't in Natalie's hospital room to pick her up in that bright, green tank of his, the Caddy.
Taking a swallow of hot tea, Grace came out of her musings and sighed, peering at the vulnerable woman before her. "You were only talking to the cat about frivolous stuff?"
Natalie studied her friend, aware of her coworker's desire for personal information on her. However, she'd always prided herself in keeping secrets, and erecting barriers around her emotions. Grace could probe in earnest; Natalie would always be able to mask her feelings. 'Be on the offense.' That was her motto when confronted with uncomfortable questions about her personal life.
She smiled at Grace and said, "Of course. I'd know whom I was talking to, and what I was discussing, wouldn't I? I'm not that far gone!"
"I didn't mean you were crazy, honey. I thought.... It's just.... I overheard you musing aloud about 'some men striving for basic necessities.' And. It didn't sound like nonsense to me. On the contrary, it sounded quite serious and I thought you were referring to...ummm...I surmised you were referring to..." she stammered, feeling suddenly awkward.
"You thought...I was referring to Nick in my conversation with Sid." Natalie finished for her.
"Well.... Yes...as a matter of fact...I was." She admitted with complete honesty.
"Why would you think I was talking about him?" she inquired, fishing for information herself.
"Because.... He is one of the men in your life, Natalie. Whether you admit it or not!" Her voice was becoming exasperated.
"Perhaps, not any longer," she mumbled with regret. Her voice was so low; Grace couldn't hear her comment.
"What did you say?" she asked, a trace of gentleness in her voice.
Natalie blew out a frustrated breath. "Oh...it wasn't important," then changing the subject, she asked, "Why don't we play some Gin Rummy for old time's sake? The cards are in the top drawer of my desk over there." Her finger pointed to a dark, mahogany desk in the far corner of the room.
Grace shook her head and wagged a finger at her. "You think you're clever, changing the subject; but this discussion is not over by a long shot, missy!" Then her tone softened. "Are you really up for cards, dear or would you rather go to bed?"
Natalie smiled wanly. "I'm okay. I've been sleeping a lot for the last 48 hours. I don't think I need any more rest for the moment. In fact, since I got home, I've begun to feel a bit perkier. Besides, it's been awhile since someone kicked your butt in Rummy." She teased.
Grace laughed. "Watch out! You'll be sorry you ever challenged me to this game. Here comes the Gin Rummy Champ of the Coroner's Office to beat your tail."
She retrieved the cards and dealt them out. Since it was a losing battle to get Natalie to talk about Mr. 'GQ', she decided to change the subject and disclose some of the gossip mill. "Did you hear about Herman Muntz?"
"You mean the shy, Walter Mitty lab assistant we've had for the last three months. What about him?" She asked, curious.
"Yesterday, he was transferred to the new Coroner Medical Facility on Lawrence Avenue in York." Grace told her as she sorted her cards.
"Why did he have to transfer so quickly? Did someone force him to move?" Natalie picked up a card from the deck.
"I believe Herman requested the transfer himself; something about needing a fresh start," explained Grace.
"I thought he was happy, working at our Medical Building. He told me he could ride his bike to work; it was so close. York is miles away."
"I don't understand either. He packed up his belongings and moved there, tonight." Grace shrugged her shoulders.
"Too bad. Kerry should have tried harder to keep him on. He was an asset to the office. I liked his soft spoken demeanor, and dedication to the job," Natalie commented, discarding the two of diamonds.
"I'm not so sure he was devoted to the job. He seemed more interested in studying your legs than DNA samples." Grace giggled. "I would say he had a crush on you." She picked up a card from the deck and threw down the five of spades.
Natalie snickered. "Herman was sweet to everyone; he had that kind of disposition."
"Oh...come on, honey." She rolled her eyes. Natalie could be so blind at times. "It was so obvious he was smitten with you. He followed you around like a puppy dog." She drew from the deck and deposited the king of hearts in the discard pile.
Natalie persisted. "He was being friendly," She picked up Grace's discarded card, and giving her a wide grin, announced, "gin," as she fanned out her ten cards on the coffee table in front of her astonished buddy.
Grace smiled grudgingly. "That hand was luck!"
Natalie shuffled and dealt the cards, acknowledging her good fortune. "Yeah.... It was just luck," then frowning, she said, "How does that old saying go? Lucky at cards, unlucky at love. Maybe I'm destined for that fate."
Grace reached over and patted her hand. "There, there..." She soothed. "Natalie, everything will work out for the best. You'll see. Before the night is over, I'm going to ensure you are so unlucky at cards that men will be lining up in front of the morgue to win you over."
It was on the tip of her tongue to blurt out. 'I only want one man or, in this case, one vampire to win me over.' Instead, she squeezed Grace's hand and forced a smile. "In that case...I wish you the best of luck in this game."
They started to resume their play when Natalie's phone rang, interrupting them. Natalie began to reach for the receiver, but Grace was too quick.
Cradling the phone to her ear, she announced with a bright smile. "Hello, Natalie's other Bed and Breakfast, Grace speaking."
Natalie could detect an intermittent silence on the other end of the line, then a hesitant voice spoke, followed by Grace's announcement into the phone as she smiled at Natalie, "Detective Knight, what a pleasant surprise!"
At the mention of his name, every muscle in Natalie's body tensed as many emotions coursed through her: anger, disappointment, fear and longing (longing???). Reaching over in a futile attempt to catch her attention, she pinched Grace in the knee. However, she ignored Natalie, swatting at her hand.
After another series of questions from Nick, Grace spoke up, filling him in on the events of the last two hours; her pickup of Natalie at the hospital and stay with her for the next two days. Natalie could hear another flurry of words as Grace regarded her with uncertainty and echoed Nick's question, "You would like to speak with Nat?"
A wave of panic washed over Natalie at her words. She didn't have the strength to talk to him now! Couldn't he see that? She needed more time to think about everything. Didn't he understand? Hadn't she made herself perfectly clear at the hospital? They could have a discussion about his backsliding in a few days once she sorted this mess out in her own mind.
Natalie shook her head emphatically while Grace replied into the phone, "No....I'm afraid, Detective, Natalie's unavailable at the moment. She's...she's...ummmm." Grace threw up her other hand frantically, mouthing the words 'What do I tell him?'
She mouthed the words back to Grace, 'Tell him that I'm sleeping.' For clarity's sake, she mimicked slumber, placing her palms together against her cheek.
"She's sleeping," she said with abruptness into the receiver. "What message should I give her when she wakes up?"
Natalie could hear another torrent of words while Nick relayed his message. Grace nodded, and on occasion, repeated his remarks for Natalie's benefit. "You are very worried about her. You need to find out when you can return something of hers. Also, you are very anxious to continue that discussion from earlier at the hospital." The latter two requests caused Grace's eyebrows to rise an inch in surprise and curiosity.
When he murmured one final utterance into the phone, Grace's eyebrows shot up another inch in astonishment. Barely able to find her tongue, she replied, "Okay.... I’ll relate this to her, Detective. Thanks for calling...Bye."
After hanging up the phone, Grace broke into a wide grin. "I bet you are dying to know what Mr. Elusive just admitted to me about you. It shocked the living daylights out of me!"
"What did he say?" She inquired, curiosity getting the better of her.
"He wanted you to know how much he regretted everything, how much he missed you and; to top it off.... he almost...almost broke down that immobile facade of his to confess his true feelings about you! He said and I quote, 'Tell her I lov...' then he quickly rephrased his thoughts to, 'I care very much for her well being and if it's okay with her, I'll drop by her place tonight on my way into work'. Quote, unquote." Grace folded her arms across her chest, and with a complacent smile, waited with breathless anticipation for her response.
The mention of Nick's declaration sent Natalie's heart racing with excitement; her skin shivering with delight Damn him! In a split second, one call expressing his concerns and feelings could make her anger melt like an Arctic, summer thaw; he could have such a tremendous effect on her. But, she wasn't going to relent so easily this time. Oh! No! He deserved the silent treatment from her for a while longer. At least, until she contemplated her next move.
Natalie regarded Grace impassively as she brushed off Nick's confession. "Oh...you know Nick. He treats everyone the same because he cares about people. Empathy is second nature to him."
Grace pressed her hands together while rolling her eyes heavenward. "Oh...Lord, give me strength!" She then fixed Natalie with a stern look. "You weren't talking to him! I was! The stoic facade was completely gone. He sounded frantic with worry for your well being. Also, this was a man consumed with remorse; he kept apologizing over and over about something he'd obviously done to you. And, when he expressed his feelings about you, his voice was cracking with emotion." She chuckled. "When I heard the pain in his voice, I was almost tempted to break out in a rendition of 'Feelings'. It was quite touching!"
Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Natalie's lips curled into a broad grin at Grace's remark, then she became pensive. Maybe, it wouldn't hurt to reveal a little to her friend about her and Nick She couldn't divulge his secret, but talking about basic problems in their relationship wouldn't be detrimental. Besides, her relationship with him had grown into such an emotional roller coaster ride: his recent setbacks, then his brief recovery of promising mortality through her play of the virtual reality game, then another backslide through his play of the game. Not to mention, her ongoing fears of her inability to find a cure, triggering Nick's eventual, inevitable move to another life, LaCroix's interference, the constant worry of Enforcers beating down her door. The strain was becoming too much. She needed to unburden herself to someone before it was too late, before she had a mental and physical breakdown.
She met Grace's questioning look. "Okay. I'll admit Nick and I have let some of the barriers down; we are attempting to move from a friendship to a tentative relationship."
Grace slapped her hands together and smiled. "I knew it! No one can get this ol' gal up too early in the morning to fool her! "
"Don't I know it." Natalie teased.
All of a sudden, Grace's wide grin was replaced with a bewildered frown. "But.... You said a tentative relationship. What does that mean? In my experience, which isn't broad by any stretch of the imagination, I find you either have a solid relationship or none at all."
"It means that we have some problems to work out before we decide whether we can have a permanent relationship."
"What problems?" She gave her friend a baffling look. "You love and respect one another; that's the most important thing." With a wave of her hand, Grace dismissed Natalie's remark.
Natalie gazed at her in disbelief. "Love and respect are certainly essential, but so many more factors enter into creating a solid, long-lasting relationship."
"Oh...I suppose you mean the three C's of a great relationship: compatibility, communication and compromise." She acknowledged, her eyes teasing.
"Yes! Exactly!" Natalie cried out. "We've been attempting to improve communication although...." She paused. A sudden wave of guilt consumed her as memories of an earlier conversation with Nick at the hospital surfaced. At the time, he'd reluctantly confessed about his intake of her blood, that he'd been sipping on her while playing the game. Her immediate reaction to his disclosure had been anger and disappointment. It was such a crushing defeat, his progression towards mortality falling by the wayside. She couldn't find the strength to continue the discussion Instead, what had she done? In her typical Lambert style, she'd shut him out, firmly suggesting that he leave. They could discuss his setback later. When 'later' would be, she couldn't say. But, with a sense of contriteness, Natalie had to admit that Nick had been more communicative than she had been about this problem.
Grace noticed her abrupt silence. "Although...what, honey?"
Coming out of her ruminations, Natalie said, "Although... earlier this evening at the hospital, I was hesitant to discuss a problem we were having." She sighed. "You see, Grace. I've been attempting to help Nick make some changes in his life which he has wanted to make and I believe he still wants."
Grace gave her a baffled look. "What kind of changes?"
"It's complicated. I can't tell you because I've promised Nick I wouldn't mention them to anyone. I hope you understand." Her eyes carried a plea to Grace for no further questions. "This week, I thought we were finally making progress towards his goal. Unfortunately, three hours ago, he told me he'd had another setback. Normally, I would have given him encouragement, consolation and tender-loving care." She blushed. "However, this setback was different; he'd backslide of his own volition. In other words, he'd done it on purpose, Grace! On top of that, we were on the brink of a major breakthrough!" Natalie's eyes brimmed with tears and her face flushed with anger at the memory.
Grace placed a gentle hand on hers. "Did you ask him why he'd done whatever it was intentionally?"
"No...." she said, regretfully. "I guess I was so devastated by this latest setback that I couldn't bear to discuss the matter with him." She shrugged her shoulders. "I was sort of abrupt, and suggested he get out and leave me alone."
Grace shook her head. "One thing about you, Natalie. You can sure be direct when you want to be."
"Yeah.... In this case...I was so candid, it bordered on rudeness." She removed her hand from Grace's and folded her arms across her chest.
"Why don't you give him an opportunity to explain himself? Until you hear the whole story, you won't be able to come up with any solutions to your problem. Maybe, in the process of talking, you could find some way to reach a compromise." She volunteered.
"You sound like one of these goal-reaching managerial seminars for small businesses." Despite her melancholy mood, Natalie chuckled.
"I figured if Kerry ever let me go, I'd have another calling, After all, there's big money to be made in those seminars." She observed facetiously.
Natalie smiled, and then became serious. "I would love to discuss compromises with Nick, but he's not very pliable when it comes to certain solutions. In fact, one time, when I'd broached the subject of one possible solution, he made the decision for the both of us; I had no say in the matter. He wouldn't even talk about it; or give me any explanations."
All of a sudden, hurt, anger and embarrassment flashed across her features as she recalled the night in the morgue when she'd feared the world was coming to an end. With the announcement of a potential asteroid hitting the Earth in three months, she'd practically begged Nick to bring her across, to be together even for a brief time. Her undignified appeal got her only firm words of rejection with no explanation. Even though the asteroid proved to be a hoax, and Nick's choice the right one, Natalie had been bothered by his unwillingness to discuss or provide reasons for his decision. Also, he'd denied her choices in the matter. Crossing her was simply not a possibility. End of story.
She repeated in a voice, filled with anguish. "No, Grace. Nick is unwilling to make some concessions."
"Do you think he might be more agreeable today than before to meet you half way on this matter? Would the circumstances be more appropriate now?"
Yes, the circumstances would be more suitable today. The last time had been inappropriate. Although part of her motive had been to live forever with him, the other reason had been based on her fear of death. It was wrong. But, was it right to ask now? She couldn't say; she'd have to reflect on it more.
Natalie turned to her savvy friend, her eyes filled with admiration and gratefulness. In a matter of minutes, Grace had shown that, with better communication, compromises might be a possibility; their relationship might not be so hopeless or impossible. "I don't know," she said, then smiled, "but maybe it's time I find out."
"Good! I hope it works out. And, that I've been able to help in some small way."
"Oh...Grace. You don't realize how much you've done for me. Simply talking to you has cleared the cobwebs from my mind. I feel a tremendous relief being able to get these problems off my chest." She chuckled. "Even though you don't know what problems I'm talking about."
"Yes, it would have helped, knowing Nick's little secret, but I understand." She grinned, and then her eyes gleamed while another thought crossed her mind. "Natalie, speaking of secrets, just what does Detective Knight hold of yours in his possession?"
"Nothing of importance." She looked down at the floor.
"Nothing of importance, huh." Grace echoed. "Well.... By the tone in Knight's voice, I beg to differ. He made this item sound like one of the Crown Jewels as he wouldn't relinquish it to anyone, but you."
"It was something I let him borrow for a few days," she explained, still averting her eyes from Grace as she studied her hands in her lap.
Grace raised her eyebrows, her eyes dancing with merriment. "This object wouldn't be black, silky and