This is the next episode in my Nicky Series after 'Oh Boy.' The next story is in the works but unfortunately will be a while in coming. Thanks to my beta-reader extrordanaries, Heather-Anne and Julie Stafford!;) All rights etc for characters pertaining to Forever Knight belong to Sony/Tristar et al. Daddy Dearest By Knightraven copyright 2000 He sat staring through the fogged windscreen of his car, a predator intently watching the continuous stream of people coming and going from the gothic night-club. Taking his cigarettes from the dashboard, he tapped the box and pulled one out with his lips. With equal emotional restraint, he took a silver lighter from his shirt pocket and flicked it open, commanding the flame to life. Cupping the .cigarette with his hand, he thrust it into the heat and dragged long and hard. He exhaled the smoke from his lungs and returned his gaze to the main doors once again. Recognising the owner as he stepped outside, he narrowed his eyes. He was a big mother, he thought to himself. "Well, you know what they say.the bigger they are 'n all that." he muttered aloud. "Hollis, man, you sure you want to do this?" a greasy, wiry man sitting beside him piped up. He, too, had recognized the man heading toward the main street on foot. The driver spoke quietly as he kept his eyes firmly attached to the tall form strolling in his tailored suit. 'Just 'cause he wears fancy duds doesn't mean he owns the world,' Hollis sneered silently as he watched his target move further away. "If you want out, Jack, just say the word." His voice was soft, low and dangerous, completely void of emotion, but still, the threat was heavily implied. Jack swallowed as he glanced nervously toward his 'friend.' "Na, na, man, everything's cool," he said quickly. He knew that if he wanted out, it would be on a permanent basis. "What's the fat cat's name?" Hollis asked, pleased as the man squirmed beside him. "Ah, um, Lacroix. Lucien Lacroix. He's that Nightcrawler guy on the radio. He owns the Raven. Got himself a bitch, too," Jack rattled off all he knew. "That's all I got. The 'cats a real spook, man. He don't show up nowhere." Hollis took another drag from his cigarette. "It's enough," he said, then abruptly leant forward and started the car. They pulled away from the curb with a squeal, and raced off into he night. Jordan's class ended in about half an hour, and he had decided to walk over to the high school to meet her. It had turned into something of a weekly ritual. Every Tuesday night Jordan taught an assorted group of wannabe artists the finer points of oil and water-based painting. He had yet to witness any particular talent within the three groups she had taken since the beginning of this little venture of hers. He had suggested on more than one occasion that she should give this up and paint full-time, exhibit her work and revel in her success. She, however, would just shake her head and smile, that smile which suggested she knew something he wasn't privy to. Though truth be told, he did understand her reasons for teaching her art, it just didn't give him cause to agree. Jordan glanced up toward the doorway of the classroom moments before he came into view. He leaned against the woodwork, waiting patiently as she circled her students as they worked. Forcing her attention away from him, she turned her attention to the young man's work before her. In a class of mostly retired women, Mike Haskle was the only male under thirty. "That's looking good, Mike. You really captured the light well." "Thanks, Jordan," he said, blushing slightly as he smiled and raised his dark eyes to hers, glowing in her approval. That was until he caught the eye of her husband standing in the doorway. The dark, pale man seemed to stare right into his soul. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and quickly turned away from his tutor. Lacroix smirked as he watched the young mortal drop his brush and nearly topple his easel as he hurriedly redirected his attention. The smirk turned into a pursed pout when he caught his lover's glare. She slowly stalked her way over to him, idly checking her students' work as she passed them by. "Don't do that," she growled quietly, coming close to his side. He smirked again. Her posture may have been defiant, but the amusement sparkling in her eyes told him another story. "I was just marking my territory, so to say, ma couer," he told her quietly, remaining in his relaxed position against the doorframe. She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips at him. He was about to pull her out into the hall for a quick kiss, when she suddenly turned back to her students. "Okay, folks! That's it for tonight! Next week we'll be studying the human form." She smiled sweetly, and with a mischievous glance at her husband, added, ".And my charming and handsome husband has kindly volunteered to be our model." He glared. Why, the little shrew! "Jordan." he began to reject his services but she cut him off, causing him to narrow his eyes with increasing annoyance. "Please remember your sketchbooks. I shall provide the charcoal. See you next Tuesday," she finished, and everyone rose to clean and put away their supplies. Lacroix took this moment to come alongside her as she collected her own brushes. "I will not parade naked before these pensioners," Lacroix snarled quietly. She turned to him in mock surprise. "Lucien, I had know idea you were so modest," she said innocently. She loved these little battle of wills they had every now and then. "I am hardly modest," he responded snidely. "And I know you have nothing to be ashamed of," Jordan purred, running her fingers up his chest, only to glide back down and rest on his hips. She smiled as a shudder passed under her touch. His reply was thwarted when she turned away again to bid farewell to her students who were filing out of the room. She turned back to her lover, watching him lean against the front desk. "Why do you enjoy doing this to me?" He smirked at her. "The same reason you enjoy doing it to Nick," she quickly replied. His eyes widened as he pushed himself from the desk, his arms still folded over his chest. "I do not react predictably!" he argued vehemently. She smiled, and he glared as he realised he had said exactly what she had known he would. "Infuriating woman!" he growled and headed for the door. Jordan giggled, then realised the price of her teasing, and him leaving without her. "Lucien! Wait!" She made a grab for her paintbox and a stack of folders. "I can't carry this all the way!" she whined. Flicking off the lights with an elbow while clutching her possessions, she managed to bend down and pick up her folded easel, hoisting the paperwork under an arm. "Lucien!" she growled, hurrying down the corridor. He was nowhere in sight. She was walking briskly toward the main doors of the building, when halfway, the wad of paper under her arm fell and sprawled all over the floor. "Damn it!" She came to a halt and growled. She put everything down onto the floor and began picking up the loose paper. Reaching for her paintbox once more, it was suddenly taken from her grasp by a pair of familiar pale hands. "Do not think for one moment that I have forgiven you," he told her firmly, shoving the box under an arm to help her to her feet. She smirked. "I would never be so presumptuous." He obviously wasn't that mad or he would have just flown off without her. In fact, she suspected he was a bit of an exhibitionist at heart and didn't mind whatsoever showing his sculptured Roman form off to her class. They left the building together and began to walk. They walked quietly for a few minutes before Jordan asked, "Was Liam okay with Vachon?" "Quite. It seems young Nicholas has become something of an advisor, and if he deems Vachon agreeable, then Liam appears to be happy. I also believe it has much to do with the fact the Spaniard is more in touch with his inner child than most." They smiled as they shared the humour. Vachon did seem more to be the boy's big brother than a babysitter. But most importantly was that Jordan was more than happy knowing the vampire would keeping the boys safe. "Good. I was a little worried about him being left with someone he doesn't really know. But when my phone was quiet all evening, I figured all was well." Lacroix chuckled. "Indeed. We did managed to survive the night without you, my dear." Jordan smiled, tucked her spare arm through his and leant against him as they continued to stroll home. When Lacroix casually turned to glance around them for the third time in as many minutes, she frowned. "What is it?" She watched his brow furrow in concentration as they kept on walking. "I am uncertain." He glanced around again. Yes, the same car was there, parked several dozen metres behind them. He recalled seeing it outside the Raven several times during the past few nights. "We are being observed," he announced. He stopped her when she moved to look behind them. "No, don't look. Just keep your pace casual," he gently told her. Jordan didn't like this one bit. Her heartrate rose and her grip on her lover's arm tightened. "Do not fear, my love." He patted her hand as he guided her into a nearby alley. At the darkened dead-end, he quickly turned her toward him. He glanced about for curious eyes, before saying, "Take hold." Jordan wrapped herself and her possessions around his body and hung on tight. Lacroix then lifted them quickly into the air. Hollis started the engine and pulled up to the mouth of the alley. "Where the hell did they go?" the fidgety man beside him asked as he leaned forward, trying to sight the pair. "Where else?" Hollis said calmly. He knew where they lived. They would have to come home sometime. Throwing the car into drive, he headed back toward the night-club. "Who do you think it was?" Jordan asked him the moment her feet touched the ground and they entered the back door of the club. Shrugging out of his coat, Lacroix answered, "I do not know. However, they are not of the Community. Of that, I am certain." "Hunters?" Jordan asked, a cold chill making its way up her spine. "Perhaps. We shall take the necessary precautions regardless," he told her. The tension in his tone did nothing to belay her fears at all. "How we gonna get in?" Jack asked the man beside him. Hollis kept his gaze to the outside of the Raven as he lifted a brass key for his sidekick to see. "A master?" the weedy man said in awe. "How'd you get that?" "Friend of a friend," the stout man replied evenly. After a moment of silence, Hollis announced, "Get ready, we're going in." Jack took a deep breath then turned to reach over into the back seat for a bag. Pulling it onto his lap, he unzipped it and withdrew a 9mm bereta, a small crossbow and 4 hand- grenades. He handed the gun and explosives to his partner, then loaded the crossbow for himself. It was Hollis' idea, quick and quiet. It was almost dawn, and the club was closing. Hollis stepped from the car. He shoved the grenades into various pockets in his green army jacket and turned to his partner as he rounded the car to join him. "Let's rock and roll," he said, then stepped toward the rear entrance to the Raven. End part 1 Part 2 "Liam wants to say goodnight." Jordan smiled as she slid into bed beside her husband. Lacroix sighed and put down his book. He then threw back the covers and headed toward the child's room. Jordan smiled as she watched his performance. As valiant as Lucien's fight against becoming too attached to this child was, she was only too aware it was a losing one. She was sure he was relishing the attentions the child had for him. Pushing open the door, Lacroix was greeted by a pair of smiling eyes peeking over the top of the bedclothes. The boy had been with them for almost eight weeks. Slowly, but surely, with a little help from his granddaughter, Anna, who took him for counselling twice a week, the true nature of the child was becoming prevelant and stronger. Even from the small glimpse he had, thus far, of the child's personality, he has yet to be dissapointed. "You wish to say goodnight?" Lacroix asked him with a small smirk as he sat down on the edge of the bed. Liam nodded and pushed back the covers, giving Lacroix a broad smile. "Goodnight." Lacroix leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Liam wrapped his small arms around the vampire's neck and gave him a hug. Lacroix pulled back a little and smiled. Liam let him go. The Ancient suddenly looked up toward the doorway, a frown creasing his brow. Rising, he turned back to his charge and ordered, "Whatever you hear, stay in your bed." He then left the room and hurried to his own. Liam sat up on the bed, wide-eyed and fearful. He thought for a moment, then threw back his covers and slid from his bed and crawled under it, curling up into a tight ball. He started violently and began to whimper and cry when a load bang shuddered his bed. Lacroix ran to his room and slammed open the door. Jordan was sitting up in bed. "Lucien! What's wrong?!" "There is someone in the club," he growled. "Do you think.?" "Yes." He pulled her from the bed and passed her a robe. "Quickly put this on. We must be ready to leave." "Lucien, it's almost dawn!" she cried, fear and worry as to who could be invading their home threatening to turn into unbridaled panic. "Yes. Now go get the boy and take him up to the roof!" He could hear the intruders in the club below. A moment later, an explosion vibrated through the floor and rattled the fixtures. "Lucien!" Jordan cried. He grabbed her arms and looked into her eyes. "Get Liam, and go to the roof!" he ordered. Jordan nodded and they moved to the door. He listened for a moment, then at his gesture, he opened it and they both stepped into her corridor. They were met by two men. "Stay right where you are!" the taller shouted. Lacroix paused as he caught sight of the crossbow and hand gun. They were of no consequence to him, but they were to Jordan. He stood in front of her, shielding her with his body. "What do you want?" he asked calmly. "I want what's mine!" the darker, stockier man shouted angrily. He halted about ten feet from the vampire. "I do not have anything that is yours," Lacroix continued calmly. He tried to focus on the greasy one with the crossbow, but the man's gaze kept jumping from them to his partner. "Oh, I know that you do." The taller smiled malevolently. Lacroix refocused his attention to the more dangerous of the pair. "And that is?" "The boy." "Ah. But you see he is no longer yours." Lacroix took a step toward the men. "He will ALWAYS be MINE!!" Hollis screamed, and before Lacroix could act, he threw a live grenade at the couple's feet. Lacroix moved toward Jordan and threw her down onto the ground, covering her with his body. The explosion buffeted against him and ruthlessly sent shards of burning shrapnel into his back. He heard Jordan scream beneath him, but the impact of the grenade had stunned him and he couldn't move. He could smell blood, and it wasn't just his. He then heard another scream. Liam. Hollis watched gleefully as the man who had stolen his son was pelted with metal. He laughed as he pulled his stunned companion toward the first door along the passage and kicked it open. Nothing. He moved on to the next. This one was more fruitful. A child's room. He scanned about, then smiled before dropping to look under the bed. "There you are, boy. Thought I'd lost you." His manner almost friendly had it not been for the twisted smile upon his face. Liam screamed. He couldn't move. It was his worst nightmare. Large hands pulled him from his hiding place and threw him over a shoulder. He kept screaming, but fell silent as they passed the still and bloody bodies lying in the hall. "Papa?" he called, reaching his hands out to Lacroix's still form. "Papa!!" Lacroix managed to move as he head the boy cry out. Hollis slapped his face. "He is not your daddy!! I am! And nothing will ever change that, you hear?!! Liam froze and closed his eyes. "Liam," Lacroix groaned. He pushed himself away from Jordan. Her blood was calling for him to feed, to heal his wounds, but he could not. He scuttled further away from her, then with his eyes a feral red and his fangs glistening, he pushed himself to his feet and stumbled toward the sound of running feet. He lunged down the stairs, every one of his senses focused on the fleeing mortals. The rear door slammed shut as he rounded the corner into the small corridor leading to the service area. He reached out a bloody hand to wrench open the metal door, only to snarl and fling himself back inside as the morning rays slammed into his skin. The door closed on its own and the world went black. Jordan woke. She could feel the wetness of her injury before the pain. She cried out and rolled onto her stomach. Looking down at her leg, she winced at the small but deep wound in her thigh and another lower down on her left calf. The pain died down to a sickening ache, and she began to look about for her husband. There was a lot of blood on the floor, with a trail leading toward the stairs. With a hand pressed against the wound in her thigh, Jordan managed to push herself to her feet and stumble into the bedroom. Reaching the phone, she called the loft. There was no answer, but a few minutes later, she heard Natalie's voice calling out from downstairs. "Jordan?" Natalie called as they came through the front door. Nick quickly scanned the destruction of the bar and headed to the cellar entrance. Patrick was sitting on the top step, guzzling hungrily from a bottle. His arm had all but been blown off, but it looked to be healing quickly. "You okay?" he asked the bartender. "Aye. I'll be fine, laddy. Go see to the others," he said, nodding toward the upper apartment. Nick gave him a nod and quickly left. As he passed the hall leading to the rear exit, he came to a halt, then quickly moved to the prone form lying just inside the door. "Lacroix?" Nick called out his name. The vampire moved and groaned. Lacroix raised his head and turned to look at his son kneeling over him. His eyes widened suddenly. "Jordan!" He lunged forward, trying to get to his feet, wincing as he shifted the shrapnel still embedded brutally in his back. Nick grabbed his arm and helped him. Together they climbed the stairs to find Natalie ripping a bandage open with her teeth while applying pressure to a nasty wound on Jordan's leg. She quickly wrapped the injury and moved on to the next source of blood. "Nicholas," Lacroix gasped as he restrained himself from moving any closer with a hand against the doorjamb. Nick turned and saw the telltale glow of hunger in his sire's eyes. "Okay, let me get you something," he told him as he moved quickly from the room and into the living room to the wet bar. Grabbing two bottles, he went back to the bedroom and handed one to Lacroix, who shoved it to his lips the moment his hand made contact. Nick glanced around suddenly. "Where's Liam?" he asked, worried. About to search the boy's room, Lacroix stopped him with a word. "Gone." He looked into his wife's tearful gaze. " He was taken." "What do they want with him?" Nick asked. They were sitting down at the bar after having come down to the larger blood supply, and to where Nick could call dispatch and put an APB out on Liam, along with a description of the men who took him. Natalie had manoeuvred Jordan up onto one of the booth tables and was calmly injecting a local anaesthetic into her leg in preparation for giving her a few stitches to close the worst of the wounds. Lacroix had moved behind his lover and was holding her protectively against his chest. "One of them proclaimed Liam was his. I suspect it is his father." "Hell," Nick exclaimed. "Hollis Gates has a rapsheet longer than my arm, and none of it's petty stuff. Rape, manslaughter, theft, dealing. He's spent more time inside than out." "They know where he lives?" Lacroix asked his son. "Let me give Tracy a call and find out. I contacted her when I called dispatch and she volunteered to help out." Lacroix nodded and looked back down at his wife as she closed her eyes, not wanting to see Natalie sew up her leg. He brushed her hair aside and kissed her temple. "We shall find him." "I know you will, Lucien, but I'm afraid. He was just coming out of his shell, becoming more confidant and less afraid. Now, I'm afraid he is going to be worse than before." In the backseat of the car, Liam stared at the man sitting beside him. He knew Jack. He used to give him candy sometimes when Hollis wasn't looking. He then glanced to the man himself as they drove silently. He was scared. Hollis was his dad. He always made him call him daddy, but in his mind, Liam always called him Hollis. It was about the only defiance he could perform without threat of death or pain. "What you lookin' at, boy?" Hollis growled as he glared at him through the rear-view mirror. Liam quickly ducked his head and looked to the floor. He shivered. He was only in his pyjamas and it was snowing outside, but neither man gave him any extra clothing to wear. "You been spoiled by that high an' mighty livin'. Well forget it. You're mine an' I ain't gonna give you to no one. 'Ya hear?" Liam remained silent. "I said, 'ya hear?!" Hollis repeated loudly. Both Liam and the man next to him jumped, and Liam rapidly nodded his head as he looked into the eyes reflected in the mirror. "Good. Now don't you forget that." Liam tried not to cry, but the memory of the bloodied bodies of his foster parents was fresh in his mind, and without them he had no one.no one but Hollis. Tears fell silently down his face, and he quickly wiped them away before Hollis saw them. He would be punished for crying like a baby. They soon arrived at a house. There were other rundown houses next door. One had a battered and rusted car in the front yard. Liam remembered this place. He and Hollis had stayed here when the cops had been looking for his daddy a while ago. They never found him, of course. He was dragged from the car and made to walk barefoot through the snow to the house. Once inside he was led down a hallway and thrust toward a small door under the staircase at the rear of the house. Hollis opened the door and shoved the child inside, closing and locking the door behind him. It was dark. Liam felt a mattress on the floor under his feet. It had a couple of old, musty smelling blankets and a pillow on it. He immediately wrapped himself in the blankets and huddled into a corner. The room wasn't very big, but it was better than being out with them. This was where he had lived before, and he preferred to be here in the dark. Lying down, he could hear the footsteps of the others moving around on the creaky floorboards. He was pretty sure they were going to bed. Liam sighed and snuggled further into his blankets. Closing his eyes, he quietly cried until he fell asleep. Lacroix closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. He winced, and it did not get by the attention of the others present. He felt helpless. He could do nothing until the sun had set, by which time, any amount of damage could have been inflicted on the boy. He opened his eyes a crack at the close presence of his son. "Come on, lie down. Let Nat have a look at your back," Nick gently ordered with a slight smile. Jordan was still sitting against him and he was reluctant to move. She moved from his arms and turned to look at him. "Are you still injured?" she asked, her tone scolding. He huffed. "I am fine. It will work its way out by itself," he told them. Jordan frowned and shuffled further away until she was able to slide off the table. "Lie down," she commanded. It had none of the asking of Nick's request. Nick was surprised when Lacroix just sighed and moved to do as he was told. Grimacing as he moved to lie front down on the table, he waited for Natalie to gather her bag up again and come and remove the remains of his pyjama top. She cut it away, then with a glance at his back, looked up to Jordan and rolled her eyes. "Men," she mouthed. The gouges and pieces of shrapnel still embedded in the vampire's skin were still seeping blood. Jordan shook her head and silently agreed. Nick wisely remained unaffiliated. Jordan then leaned down and kissed the top of Lacroix's head as Natalie went to work pulling shards of metal from his back. Natalie had almost finished when Nick's cellphone trilled to life. "Knight." "Nick, we have a last known on Gates' address," Tracy told him. She was at the precinct working on the computers, trying to track down Gates. "Where?" Nick asked. "11 Hopetown Road in East York." "Thanks, Trace." "Sorry, Nick. It's all we have at the moment. We're running a check on accomplices now. It should be ready in about three hours." "Okay. Get back to me as soon as you have anything." They hung up and Nick turned back to his patiently waiting family. "We have an address." Natalie put a restraining hand on Lacroix's back before he even moved. "Stay. Just one more piece," she told him in full doctor mode. He expelled a snort of air, but remained in place for the 2 or 3 minutes it took to pull the last remaining shard from his back. "Okay. You're done." Lacroix pushed himself up and took the bottle his son held out for him. Drinking it quickly, he rose and moved to the bar. "Where?" he asked Nick, taking a seat on a bar stool. "York." "It is being checked?" "As we speak." "He will not be there." "I know. Tracy is working on it. She'll get back to us before sundown." Lacroix nodded. Waiting. They knew this game well. Liam was woken by the slamming of a door. He crawled across his mattress, covering the entire floor of the cupboard, to try and see out the cracks in the door. He could see down the hallway to the front door, and to a door about halfway down, which lead into the lounge. He saw Hollis, wearing nothing but his jeans and a dirty undershirt, pad across the hall from the front door and disappear behind the stairs into the kitchen. He came back into the hallway and Liam shuffled quickly as far back into the darkness as he could. Sure enough, the door was unbolted and wrenched open. "Get out here, boy," Hollis ordered calmly. Liam hesitated for a moment. "I said.GET OUT HERE!!" Liam scrambled toward the opening and out into the hall. In a frighteningly calm tone, Hollis said, "Good, you're learning. We'll have all that garbage those fatcats have been teaching ya out of ya head soon enough." Liam stood as still as he could, knowing that any wrong move could set the man off. Hollis stood and stared at him without saying a word for several moments then said, "Go make me breakfast." Liam quickly headed toward the kitchen, praying there was enough food to comply with Hollis' wishes. Thankfully there was a whole loaf of bread and some beer and eggs in the fridge. Liam pulled out the items and began his morning ritual, one he had hoped to never have to do again. Tracy entered the front door of the apartment hot on the heels of the armed SWAT team preceding her. "Clear!" came a chorus from the officers scattered around the small living space. Tracy sighed and rubbed a hand against her brow. "Damn it," she muttered. She was disappointed, but not surprised. Hollis Gates had been on the run for almost a year now in relation to the homicide of an armoured courier driver. He had gone to ground, and it was going to take a miracle to find him. The kidnapping had been all over the midday news in the hope that someone might have seen them and come forward with any information. But it had been four hours and they still had nothing concrete. "Okay, let's get outta here," she called to the team. Turning on her heel, she quickly left. They had four more premises to search, and none of them seemed very promising. Nick was pacing near the front door. Lacroix, however, was his usual composed self, sitting at the bar. His demeanor completely belied his inner agitation. It was about an hour until dark, but even once the sun had fallen, they would be at a loss. They still had no idea as to where to even start looking for Liam. "There must be someone who knows where that bastard took him!" Jordan exclaimed suddenly, her fear and anger getting the better of her. Lacroix rose from his perch and crossed to where she was sitting at a table. He wrapped himself around her from behind and she immediately calmed down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell," she said quietly. "We shall find him," he told her adamantly. Jordan just gave him a weary smile and grasped his arms around her. End part 2 Part 3 Standing at the coffee table, Tracy absently saw the elderly lady enter the station and move toward the front desk. The woman looked to be in her late seventies and had put on her Sunday best to come visit the police station. Tracy sipped from her coffee and watched as the old lady approached the desk sergeant. "Yes, ma'am. Can I help you?" Sergeant Humphries asked. The woman seemed a little uneasy about where she was. "Ah, yes, young man. I came about that little boy on the news earlier today. The one that was taken." "Yes, ma'am. Can you help us?" Humphries immediately gave his full attention to the woman. "Yes, I believe I can. You see, I just happened to be looking outside my front window, and I saw a car pull up across the street from my house. Albert and I have lived there for almost forty-five years." "Yes, ma'am. What did you see?" Bill moved the woman along before she got too side-tracked. "Oh, yes, and I saw two men, scruffy, no-good looking, they were, get out of the car, and then pulled a little boy out with them. And my! They made the poor wee thing walk into the house with nothing but his bare feet and a pair of pyjamas on! The poor mite must have been half frozen to death! I thought how terrible they had been, then I saw the news item on the television and came right down here!" "Ma'am, where do you live?" the officer asked urgently. "52 West Jervois, in Scarborough." "Do you think you would recognize these men if you saw them again?" "Oh, yes," the old woman replied confidently. Humphries shoved a mug shot of Gates under her nose. "Is this one of the men you saw?" The woman took a good look, then with conviction said, "Yes, that's the short one." "Thank you, ma'am!" "Vetter!" Humphries shouted to her and waved the piece of paper he had scribbled the address down on. But Tracy had been listening and was already on the phone to gather a SWAT team together. Her next call was to Nick. When he picked up after the first ring, she immediately began to speak. "Confirmed sighting! Residence opposite 52 West Jervois, Scarborough!" she told him. Nick hung up after a brief, "Thanks, Trace." Lacroix was on his feet and standing at Nick's shoulder when he turned back to the pass on the information to the others. "We have a confirmed sighting out in Scarborough," Nick said for the mortals' benefit. "Well, come on! Let's go!" Jordan said, rising and limping toward the door. "It is still too light," Lacroix gently informed her. "Well, not for us!" Jordan kept up her forward motion toward the door. Natalie sat for a minute, seemingly weighing the options, then leapt from her stool and ran to join her friend as she disappeared out the door. "You guys catch up when you can!" she called over her shoulder at the two stunned vampires still standing at the bar. Nick turned to his sire. "They left without us," he exclaimed softly, hardly able to believe what had happened. "So it seems," Lacroix replied, though he, too, seemed to be miffed about being abandoned. "But they are women. We can't just let them go out there by themselves!" Nick retorted angrily. "We hardly have a choice now, do we, Nicholas? And really, Nicholas, I expected more liberal thinking from you. After all, this is the 20th century," Lacroix scolded with a hint of amusement, remaining calm, though still seething inside at his inability to act as champion to his wife and child. "But." Nick trailed off as he accepted the reality of the situation. He sat heavily on the stool behind him and huffed. He looked at his watch. Ten minutes. The women would be halfway there by now. Lacroix placed his glass on the bar and moved to stand before the front door. He cracked the door open and tested the light. He winced but did not close the door as the fading light touched his exposed skin. "I am able to leave," he told his son who had moved anxiously beside him, the door keeping the rays from his younger sensibilities. "Follow as soon as you are able." Lacroix then opened the door and dashed out into the late-evening sunset. "Damn it!" Nick swore. He glanced around him. He was the only one there. For the next eleven minutes he stood just inside the door, and the moment he knew it to be dark enough, he dashed out and took to the sky. Natalie drove as Jordan navigated them through the suburban areas. They were breaking every road rule and speed limit, desperate in their need to get to the child as fast as humanly possible. "Turn right here!" Jordan called as they came to a street. Tires squealed as they took the corner faster than was recommended. "How much further?" Natalie asked, as they dodged trough late rush-hour traffic. "Eight blocks! We are just past halfway," Jordan replied. "Do you think the guys are on their way yet?" she asked. Natalie looked up at the rapidly darkening, purple sky. "Maybe." Lacroix flew through the air, wincing as his altitude rose and the sun's rays intensified. He had to be very careful at this time of day. It was light enough for mortals to catch a glimpse of him. So he flew fast and as high as possible. But the sun quickly fell and he was soon passing over his lover and daughter-in-law driving madly below him. He cringed as he watched them take a corner at high speed, momentarily losing control of the vehicle before racing off. But he sped past and headed to where he knew his charge to be. Liam had been pushed ungracefully into the lounge room to sit with Hollis in front of the TV. Jack had left that afternoon, leaving them to themselves. Hollis pulled Liam onto his lap and held him to his chest, softly stroking his thigh. Liam sat stiffly, his breathing increasing as his father touched him in ways that made him feel nauseous at the thought of what was to come. He clutched the chair arms tightly as he felt revulsion, and surprisingly, anger toward the man holding him. He could feel him against his back, and he didn't like it. He hated this man, he hated him with every fibre of his body. He remembered how he used to hurt his mom. He had been little, but he remembered. She went away one day and didn't come back. That was when the beatings began. Sometimes Hollis would leave him home alone for days. He liked it then. But he would always come back. It had been one of those times when he had run away and found Jordan and Mr Lacroix. He shuddered when Hollis brought his free hand up to caress his other leg. The man chuckled. "Yeah, you wanna show me how much you love me, boy, don't ya?" Hollis purred into his ear. Liam closed his eyes, then opened them to the sight of Hollis' gun lying on the coffee table where the man had placed it after meticulously cleaning it. Hollis saw what he was looking at and smiled. "You like that, hmm?" Liam just nodded. "Maybe when you're a bit older I'll show you how to use it. You like that?" Liam nodded again. They were quiet for a minute, then Hollis pushed him off his lap. "Undo me, boy," he commanded, turning Liam to face his groin. Liam just stood there, not wanting to do it. "Boy," Hollis said dangerously, "what are you waiting for? You know what to do." Liam shook his head. Hollis backhanded him across the face. Liam fell to the floor and held his cheek as the pain exploded through his head. Hollis hauled him to his feet again and forced his small hand to his zipper. "Do it," he said firmly, his tone level. Liam shook his head again. Hollis hit him again. This time he drew blood. Liam wiped it from his nose and stood up by himself. He was standing beside the table now, and when Hollis turned from him to reach for his beer, Liam grabbed at the gun sitting behind him. He pointed it at his father. Hollis turned back with the bottle to his lips and saw the gun in the small boy's hands. He smiled as it shook and wavered, the young child struggling with its weight. "You gonna shoot me, boy?" he taunted. Liam nodded, his eye steadily trained on the man before him. He drew the gun higher as the man took a step toward him. Hollis halted. He knew the gun was loaded and ready to fire. One look told him the safety was off. He put his hands up and smiled again. "Hey, now, you don't want to do that, now, do ya?" Liam squeezed the trigger and the gun exploded in his hands. "Holy shit, boy!!" Hollis ducked and covered his head before lunging at the boy, but he halted once again as Liam, blinking furiously, quickly pointed the gun at him again. The bullet had missed as the gun had bucked in the child's hands, burying the bullet in the wall by the lounge room door. Liam held the gun more confidently now, knowing how it would react if he shot again. "Give me the gun, boy," Hollis demanded. Liam shook his head and held his ground. He was going to kill him, he knew. He had killed Lacroix and Jordan and made his mom go away. If he shot him, it would all go away, it would all be better. Hollis saw the change in the boy's eyes and began to panic. He had moved closer to the boy and it had proven to be a great error on his part. He would most likely be shot whether the boy was aiming at him or not. "Liam," a voice behind him called his name from the door. Liam kept the gun lined on Hollis. He was going to kill him. "Liam," Lacroix moved from the doorway and walked to stand beside the child holding the large gun on his father. He then gently placed a hand over the gun, and the child finally looked up to him and, after a moment, reluctantly released it. Lacroix then trained the gun back to the putrid man cowering before him. Hollis Gates. Lacroix looked the man up and down, completely unimpressed with what he saw. "How.? You're dead! I killed you!" Hollis exclaimed as he recognized Lacroix. "Hardly," Lacroix snorted. When Gates attempted to move toward him, he waggled the gun and cocked an eyebrow. "Just to keep you informed. If the boy were not here, I would have killed you the moment I entered the room." The chilling tone of the man's voice told Hollis he meant what he said. He was beat and he knew it. Wisely, he began to back away. "But I believe I shall leave you to my wife." Lacroix smiled as he heard Natalie's car pull up outside. He could also hear sirens moving closer. Jordan burst through the front door a moment later. Lacroix smiled as he felt her rage flow across their bond. "In here," he called her. The second she entered the room, Liam ran to her and threw himself into her arms. Jordan picked him up and hugged him tightly. She then looked to Hollis trembling in the corner of the room. "If you ever come near our son again.I will kill you!" she told him. Hollis' eyes widened at her vehemence. She gave the disgusting man no further thought and turned her attention back to the boy in her arms. He was what was important now. Natalie burst into the house and met Jordan and Liam in the foyer. She led them into the kitchen to look at Liam's injuries. Nick came running into the house and went straight into the kitchen. "Is he all right?" he asked, concerned at the scent of fresh blood. Brushing a hand against Liam's head, Natalie nodded. "Yeah, he's going to be just fine." Nick nodded and turned to the door. "I think Lacroix has everything under control in the next room," she told him. Walking into the lounge, Nick raised an eyebrow at the sight of his father sitting calmly in an armchair with a gun trained absently on a man cowering in the far corner of the room. He was incredibly surprised to see the man still alive. "Do not think I am getting soft in my old age, Nicholas. I had no wish to sully the boy at such a young age with the sight of his father's death." Lacroix never shifted his stare from Gates. Nick nodded and moved to pull his cuffs from his back pocket. They both paused a moment as a multitude of police cars roared to a halt outside. "Turn around and place your hands on your head," Nick commanded. Gates did as he was told, and as Tracy burst into the room, Nick clicked the prisoner's hands behind his back. He pushed him towards his partner. "Read him his rights, Trace. Get him out of my sight before I do something I would later regret." Without a word, Tracy took the man by an arm and roughly led him outside, reading the man his rights as she went. Uniforms filled the room and began searching for evidence and preparing the scene for Forensics to comb through. Nick took charge of the scene until Reese walked in and made him leave, using his relationship to the victim to force him to return to the precinct with the boy and his foster parents. Reese shook his head as he watched the party file outside and get into Natalie's car. Lacroix took Liam from Jordan's arms and carried him outside and into the car. They sat in the back, riding silently to the stationhouse, where they would have to go through the rigmarole of interviews and form filling. As tedious as it was, it was still easier than having to whammy every other person and fake documents. Photos were taken of Liam's injuries and they attempted to pry a statement from the child, but he remained determinedly silent, clutching tightly to his foster father. When Lacroix had to be interviewed alone, he handed the child to his son who took him to sit at his desk while they waited. Liam had slowly grown to trust Nick, and happily rested against his shoulder. Nick absently stroked his back as he read through the report so far. It mostly contained Gates' rap sheet and the investigation up until they were given the tip leading to where they found him. Detective York approached his desk and sat on the corner, smiling. "So...who's this?" he asked gently, indicating the child huddled on Nick's lap. Nick smiled and looked to the boy in his arms before replying to his friend and sometimes partner. "This.is my little brother, Liam," he said, realizing it was true. There was no way Jordan or Lacroix were going to give this child away. York smiled as he saw the boy's eyes light up and a small smile creep across his lips. Liam looked up at Nick, and Nick leaned back to look at him and smile. Liam then reached up and wrapped his arms around Nick's neck. "Well, looks like you're a favourite big brother, Nick," York quipped, grinning, before leaving them be. Lacroix and Jordan were interviewed for almost an hour before they finally emerged and Nick was able to hand Liam back over to his sire's protective embrace. "You're next, Knight," the investigating officer told him and Nick nodded as he moved toward the interview room. "We'll come by after work," Nick said as the pair gathered jackets and headed toward the door. Lacroix nodded and led them outside and back to the Raven. End part 3 Part 4 Returning to the bomb-ravaged apartment, Lacroix glanced around, frowning at the damage. Not only had the woodwork been split and gouged and the windows smashed, but there was also a heavy helping of blood on the floor, most of it his. His wife limped beside him and into their room. "We can't stay here," she stated. "No, I agree. Gather together a suitcase and we shall go to a hotel until repairs can be made." Jordan nodded and headed to the wardrobe to reach in for a suitcase. Lacroix took Liam down the hall to his own bedroom, and with the boy still resting in his arms, began to gather the child's clothing and a few toys together. He whispered to the boy and Liam instructed him, pointing to the toys that he wanted to take with him. Soon they were packed up and ready to depart. Downstairs Lacroix parked his charge on a barstool and placed his hands on his hips as he surveyed the damage to his bar. It was impossible to open, and would be for several days, if not weeks. Patrick took that moment to come through the space where the basement door used to be. The bartender had been the first alerted to the intruder's presence, and they had tossed him a few grenades for his trouble before going upstairs. He observed the younger vampire favour his right arm as he began to sweep up the glass. "Leave it, Patrick. I shall hire someone to clean and renovate," Lacroix told him. Patrick nodded and thankfully leaned the broom against the wall. He smiled at Liam who smiled back. "So you found your way home then?" he told the boy good-naturedly, obviously happy to see the lad again. Liam nodded and smiled shyly. Lacroix smirked at the interplay. "No permanent injuries?" Lacroix asked. Patrick shook his head. "Nay. But me nerves is another thing entirely!" he complained heartily. Lacroix nodded as he acknowledged the risk the vampire had taken defending them all. He could easily have been killed in the permanent sense of the word. "How many others are residing downstairs?" he asked. "Four, including meself," Patrick told him. Lacroix nodded. "Make reservations at La Rosa for you all. You may stay there until the club has been refurbished," Lacroix offered. Patrick stared at him for a moment, then rewarded the ancient with a broad grin. "Aye, that I will!" he exclaimed happily and returned to the basement to pass on the good news. "We can't stay here," Jordan told him again as he returned alone to pack a few particular items he wished to take with him. "No, we will go to the Four Seasons until the repairs have been made." "No. I mean, now that we have Liam, we can't live above a night-club. It's not a respectable place for a child to be living." Lacroix stopped what he was doing and looked over to her. She was right. He hadn't even thought twice about living here. It had become as much a home as he'd ever had in the past two centuries. "If it is what you wish, ma coeur. I shall begin inquires this afternoon." Jordan moved behind him and pulled him around to face her and give him a kiss and a hug. They stood silently in each other's arms as the night's events slowly sunk in. "We almost lost him today, Lucien," Jordan whispered. Lacroix sighed and stroked her hair. "It is over. Liam's so-called father will not be interfering in our lives again." Jordan tightened her hold and sighed heavily. "I can make that a permanent arrangement if you wish," he offered quietly into her ear. Jordan looked up at him for a moment, hesitating as the vicious thought appealed to her. Sighing, she rested her head against his chest once more. "No. Let him rot in prison." They stood in silence for a while longer, each in their own thoughts. "When can we go house hunting?" she asked him. "We can begin tomorrow if you so desire," he smiled. "I desire," Jordan replied with a breath of relieved air. Lacroix pulled away and turned her toward the waiting suitcase. Jordan finished packing her things as her husband quickly packed a bag of his own. Together they returned to the bar. "Nicholas. Doctor," Lacroix greeted the pair as he exited the hall into the club. Nick rose from his stool and faced his sire. "Where are you going?" he asked, noting the packed bags. "The Four Seasons for now, then into new accommodations," Lacroix told him. "The club is not an appropriate home for a young child," he added. Nick gave him a crooked smile. "No, I guess it's not." His sire really was taking the whole "father thing" seriously. "Any area in particular?" Natalie asked them. "Close by. We will spend much of our time here, regardless, and we do not wish to spend all our time travelling to and fro," Lacroix told them. "House or apartment?" The pair answered as one. "House," Jordan stated. "Apartment," Lacroix asserted. Lacroix and Jordan glanced toward each other. "A house would require much upkeep. I believe a penthouse apartment would be more suited," Lacroix told her calmly. "But a house would have more space and a yard to play in," Jordan argued in the same deceptively calm tone. Nick and Natalie looked to each other and raised their eyebrows at the clear signs of the up and coming battle beginning before their very eyes. They took a large step back. "Come on, Liam. Why don't we go and put the bags in the car?" Nick suggested, taking the boy's hand in one of his while picking up a couple of bags with the other. Natalie grabbed the remaining suitcase and quickly followed them out. The door banged closed to the obvious tones of an argument. "We will need the room with Liam." "We will purchase a large apartment." "Lucien.!" Nick and Natalie slowly packed the car and stood outside for a few minutes making idle chit-chat, buying themselves some time. "It's been awfully quiet in there for a while," Nick finally said after a few minutes of silence from within the club. "You think they killed each other?" Nat asked. "Maybe we should have a look?" Nick said walking toward the door. He wrenched open the door, took one look inside then quickly shut it again then leaned against it to prevent anyone else from looking, or going, inside. "Maybe we should give them a few more minutes," he said with a smile. Natalie's eyes boggled. "They're not?!!" she exclaimed in disbelief. Nick nodded. Nat smiled and leaned against the door next to him. They watched as Liam sat in the driver's seat of the car, making brrrming noises as he pretended to drive. "He's going to walk in on them one day, you know," she told him. "I know. Maybe I should have a word to Lacroix about it?" he somewhat asked his wife. "You? Give Lacroix a "talk"?" she grinned banefully. "Boy, would I love to be there for that one," she breathed. "Nat!" Nick laughed and Natalie joined him as they drowned out the sounds of moaning and a muffled growl coming from within the night-club. Finis. Comments please.please?