Despite the similarity of the name, this story is *not* a 
sequel to "Nashville Knights," nor is it a Laurene story.
It is <taking a deep breath> a *post* *war* story.  I hope
to have written this in such a way as to make it interesting
and fun even for those who have not participated in, or read,
War 8.

Basically, the premise of War 8 (for those of you who haven't
paid attention <g>) is that a rift opened in the space/time
continuum on the night of Friday, June 13, 1997, stopping
time and allowing FK characters from alternate universes
to converge on Toronto.  Each player in the war was allowed
to create one alternate universe character.  Mine was
Nashville Nick.  This is a piece of his story; before, during,
and after the war.  I hope you enjoy it.

DISCLAIMER:  While my characters are my own, they are based
on characters created by James Parriott and Barney Cohen and
are owned by Sony/TriStar.  Permission has been obtained from
all real people used in the war segments of this story.  All
permission slips are on file with me.


Nashville Knightmare
-or- Sometimes Miracles Happen
by Nancy Taylor 
with assistance from Bonnie Pardoe
(c) July 1997

Part 1 of 7

	The almost-full moon was beginning its descent across the
sky as the night waned and morning beckoned.  The club was
empty; the owner was putting the chairs on the tables and
sweeping the floor.
	Nick expelled a weary sigh as he packed his precious old
acoustic guitar in its custom designed case.  The rest of the
band had packed up and left earlier, but Nick had stayed to
strum and sing to himself in the quiet bar.  He loved this time
of the night.  It was quiet ... peaceful.  It was about the only
peace and quiet he ever got anymore these days.  The Nashville
Knights had become a popular band in west Nashville, and as lead
guitarist and founder of the group, Nick had had his hands full
the last few months.
	"G'night, Rick!" Nick called out to the owner of the club
as he picked up his guitar case and turned to leave.
	"Take care!" Rick called back, waving to the singer as he
left.
	Out behind the club, Nick opened the trunk of his metallic
turquoise 1962 Cadillac, and carefully placed the guitar inside.
As he slammed the trunk lid down, a familiar voice floated to
him on the early morning breeze.
	"Hey, Cowboy!  I didn't think you were comin' out
tonight!"  The lead singer of the Nashville Knights sat in the
passenger seat of Nick's Caddy.
	The weariness dropped from Nick's face like a mask, to be
replaced by a smile that lit his eyes with obvious love.
Natalie Lambert was a vision in black satin and silver, her
costume for the night.  Chestnut curls cascaded over her
shoulders, framing a soft, round face and huge blue eyes.  Nick
could hardly believe his good fortune, that such a beauty had
chosen to love him, of all people.
	"We gotta get you home before y'all start smokin',"
Natalie chuckled as Nick, vampire cowboy country singer, climbed
in behind the wheel of the Cadillac.
	Nick maneuvered the Caddy through the early morning
traffic to Nashville's warehouse district.  Pulling up in front
of a run-down building, he put the car in park and climbed out.
Walking around to the passenger side, he opened the door and,
taking Natalie's hand, helped her out of the vehicle.
  	While Nick retrieved his guitar from the trunk, Natalie
punched in the security code to open the door of the warehouse
loft.  They climbed the stairs together and entered the room.
Nick picked up the ever-present remote control from the table by
the door and closed the heavy blinds against the coming dawn.
Another button brought the fireplace to life and yet another
turned the lights on, low and soft.
	Natalie headed straight for the fridge.  Pulling out a
tall pitcher and pouring a thick, white liquid into a glass, she
handed the concoction to Nick.
	Nick grimaced as he took the offering, but he downed the
protein shake without protest. 
	"Old Doc Schanke would be mighty proud of you, seeing you
drink that stuff."  Natalie smiled encouragingly at Nick.
	"Yeah, but I shore wish he would find a way to make it a
tad tastier," Nick answered her, choking a bit on the last of
the drink.
	Having had his nourishment for the evening, Nick was now
interested in more pleasant pursuits.  He gathered Natalie in
his arms and kissed her soundly.  As their kiss deepened,
Natalie melted into Nick's embrace, her heart beat faster, and
her breathing, such as it was, became shallow.  
	Well aware of the physical changes taking place in his
mortal love, Nick felt his fangs drop ... felt the overpowering
urge to taste the life of this woman who was so willingly giving
herself to him.  Pulling himself away with difficulty, Nick
stroked Natalie's silken chestnut curls and wiped at a tear that
threatened to fall from her large blue eyes.
	His promise to her was left unspoken, known so well by
both that no words needed to pass between them.  There could be
no more to this relationship until the day that Nick found a way
to become mortal again.  Until that day, Natalie would do her
best to see that Nick followed Doc Schanke's orders and pray
that a miracle would happen.  
	Natalie watched wistfully as Nick climbed the stairs to
his bedroom, alone, as always.  Turning, she let herself out of
the loft.

	The next evening, the full moon began rising as the sun
set a bloody red in the west.  Nick rose from bed and glanced at
the calendar on the nightstand.  Friday the 13th ... oh great!
Not that Nick was superstitious, but bad things DID seem to
happen to him whenever the 13th and a Friday coincided.
	Cautiously, Nick stripped the black silk pajamas from his
cool body and stepped into the steaming shower.  It was the
band's night off, thank goodness.  Nick let the hot water
cascade over his body, luxuriating in the warmth, imagining the
heat to be Natalie instead of the impersonal water.  Finding
himself all too aroused at these thoughts, Nick quickly climbed
out of the shower, dried and dressed.
	He put on his favorite black denims, an embroidered deep
blue silk shirt that Natalie had given him, and his black cowboy
boots with the silver studs.  Grabbing his hat and guitar case
on the way out the door, Nick headed out for a mind-clearing
stroll.  What he got instead was a waking nightmare ...

Nashville Knightmare
by Nancy Taylor

Part 2 of 7

<flashback to War 8>

	Nancy finished typing up her war report, hit the "send"
button, then turned off and closed her laptop with a sigh.  She
looked over to where Vickie was sitting, a very forlorn look on
her face.  Ever since her Dalmatian, Hope, had disappeared when
that mysterious horn had sounded, Vickie had been despondent.
	"Hey, Vickie!  How about we get out of the loft for a
change and take a walk?" Nancy asked her best friend.
	Vickie, who was attending a war for the very first time,
and who had just lost the pet more precious to her than her own
children (well, almost), looked up from the corner where she had
ensconced herself in order to hide away from it all.  Vickie was
very shy, and hadn't joined in the general fray very much.  She
had kept a watchful eye on all the Nicks coming and going, but
had been too fearful to speak to any of them.  "Sure, why not?"
Vickie answered with a sigh.  "Maybe we can look for Hope."
	"You bet!" Nancy assured her friend as she ushered Vickie
toward the lift.
	Nancy was more than ready to get out of the loft for a
while.  Ever since she had consented to "babysit" for KiloNyte's
Perky Nick, she had been pestered by the bouncy vampire.  It
seems that in Kil's absence, Perky Nick had taken a liking to
the motherly Knightie and now accosted her at every opportunity.
Nancy needed a break -- badly.
	Finally out in the cool night air, Nancy and Vickie hailed
a cab to take them downtown where they could stroll and window
shop.  Walking along the street, admiring the shops as they
went, Nancy turned to her friend.
	"Why haven't you been getting into the war a bit more?"
she asked.
	"I don't know," Vickie replied.  "I just don't know what
I'd be good at."
	"You could help me write the war reports," Nancy
suggested.
	"I'm no good at writing," Vickie insisted, trying to
ignore her persistent friend by eyeing some collectibles in a
shop window.
	"Hey, you did great helping me co-write "Nashville
Knights," Nancy reminded her.
	"That was different ... way different!" Vickie exclaimed.
She really wanted nothing to do with writing for the war.
	"Excuse me?" a voice from behind the pair of Knighties
interrupted.
	Turning, Vickie and Nancy were astonished to be confronted
by ... "Nick?" Nancy asked tentatively.
	"'Evening, little ladies," Nick drawled in a charming
southern accent.  Vickie and Nancy smiled at each other.
Neither had been considered *little* ladies in quite some time,
and the smooth talking compliment was not lost on them.  They
decided that perhaps they were going to like this Nick.  He was
dressed in tight black denim jeans with an embroidered blue silk
shirt with pearl buttons down the front, black tooled leather
cowboy boots and a black western hat.  In his hands he carried a
guitar case, hugging it as though it were his last friend in the
world.
	Despite his charm, Nick was looking rather lost and
confused.  Turning to the women, he asked, "Would you be so kind
as to tell me where the heck I am?"
	"Downtown Toronto," Vickie answered so quietly only a
vampire could hear.
	"Toronto? This ain't Nashville?" Nick looked around.  "By
golly, I do believe you might be right little lady.  Could
y'all tell me how I got here?"
	Nancy looked up at the full moon hanging in the sky and
sighed, not for the first time that night.  "It seems there's
been a rift in space-time and people are just appearing out of
nowhere," Nancy told him.  "By the way, my name is Nancy,
although some folks call me Nat...." she paused when she saw the
look of startled confusion on Nick's face.  "There is more than
one Nancy staying at the loft," she amended.  Turning to Vickie
she added, "And this is my best friend, Vickie."
	"Nice to meet ya," Nick nodded and held out his hand for a
friendly handshake.  His skin was just as cool to the touch as
Nancy remembered.  This Nick was definitely a vampire.
	"You know," Nancy said thoughtfully, "maybe we ought to
get you back to the loft with the rest of the Knighties and the
other Nicks.  Best we keep you all together until we figure out
what's going on."
	Hailing another cab, the trio piled in and headed back to
the loft.


Nashville Knightmare
by Nancy Taylor

Part 3 of 7

	Nash, as he was getting used to being called, didn't feel
comfortable in the loft full of duplicate Nicks and LaCroixes.
Retreating to a quiet corner of the upper portion of the loft,
away from the bustle of the large room downstairs, he pulled his
guitar from its case and began to strum, singing softly to
himself.  He found his mind wandering to Natalie, wondering
where she was and what she thought of this whole mess.  Was she
worried?  Did she even realize he was gone?

	Nancy heard the soft strains of "Red River Valley" coming
from somewhere on the second floor of the loft.  Looking around,
she realized that Nash was no longer with the congregation of
Nicks and Knighties in the main room.  Getting up, she slowly
climbed the stairs, listening to the sweet mournful sound of
Nash quietly singing.  She made her way to a corner of the
landing where Nash was sitting, pressed up against the wall.
	"Nash?" Nancy quietly interrupted his singing.
	"Hi, little darlin'."  Nash looked up at Nancy and smiled.
It was a sad smile, full of longing and loneliness.
	"Whatcha doing up here all by yourself?" Nancy asked,
sitting down beside her Nick clone.
	"Just thinkin'.  Tryin' ta get away from all the hubbub
downstairs." Nash looked down at his old guitar and softly
strummed the strings.
	"That was beautiful, you know," Nancy commented.  Nash
looked up at her, his melancholy blue eyes searching her green
ones.  "Red River Valley," Nancy continued.  "You know, that's
one of the first pieces I learned when I was learning to play
guitar."
	"You play?" Nash's eyes lit up with a spark of warmth.
"Here," he said, pulling the strap over his head and handing her
the guitar.  "Play something for me."
	"Oh no ... no, I couldn't," Nancy stammered, trying to
hand the instrument back.  "I haven't played guitar in *years*!
I just couldn't.  No."  She pushed the guitar back toward Nash,
but he just as persistently pushed it back toward her.
	"Just one?" he pleaded softly.  "Sing 'Red River Valley'
for me?"
	He looked so sweet and sad that Nancy fairly melted
inside.  She knew that Nash didn't like it here.  She knew how
badly he wanted to go home to his own reality, to his own
Natalie.  Ducking her head under the guitar strap, Nancy settled
the guitar in her lap and strummed an experimental chord.  Soon
she found herself lost in the music as she sang the old ballad.
Slowly she became aware of Nash singing with her and the fact
that the noise level in the loft had dropped by a few decibels.
Looking up, Nancy was horrified to find a small knot of
Knighties staring up at them.  When the song was done, the group
clapped their approval and slowly dispersed.
	"You have a lovely voice, Nat," Nash complimented Nancy,
using the diminutive of her name because it felt so good to say
it.  Nancy was blushing furiously as she handed the instrument
back to Nash.  Trying to minimize her embarrassment by changing
the subject, Nash asked, "What do y'all suppose caused all
this?"
	"The rift?" Nancy looked up into Nash's questioning eyes.
	"Yeah.  Whatdaya think caused me and all the others," he
made a sweeping gesture with his arm to encompass all the other
Nicks in the loft, "to appear here now?"
	"I don't really know...." Nancy thought a minute,
remembering a war post she had recently read.  "Cinderella, the
WarMistress, posted a story saying the rift was caused by the
changing of the list names from PSUVM.psu.edu to LISTS.psu.edu."
Nash looked hopeful.  "But I haven't the faintest idea what to
do about it," Nancy sighed.  Nash's look of hope died on his
face.  "I guess, for now at least, reality is N.C.I.P."
	"N - C - I - P?" Nash asked, confused.
	Smiling, Nancy explained.  "It means 'Not Currently In
Production.' It's a term we use for the show, Forever Knight,
right now.  We refuse, of course, to believe it won't be back."
Nancy smiled at Nash, hoping he wouldn't think she was too far
gone.
	Nash smiled again, this time looking a shade less forlorn.
He strummed a few chords and murmured, almost to himself, "Not
currently in production...."  Then, seeming to drift off into a
world of his own again, Nash began another ballad.  Nancy laid
her head on his shoulder and smiled, content for the moment.

	Some indeterminate time later, the phone rang.  That
wasn't so unusual, but the message was.  Katrinka picked up the
phone and had a brief conversation with the caller.  Looking a
little stunned, she nestled the phone back in its cradle and
turned to a curious group of Knighties, Nicks and LaCroixs who
had gathered around.
	"That was Bonnie Pardoe, the former Vaquero...." Katrinka
paused, then continued.  "She says her boyfriend has found a
possible cure for Nick."  There was an audible gasp from the
crowd; then Knighties turned to Nicks and LaCroixes and the buzz
of conjectures rose to an almost deafening pitch.  Motioning
with her hands for everyone to quiet down, Katrinka looked into
the excited group and asked, "Does anyone want to volunteer?"
	Nash stepped forward, trailing Nancy and Vickie close
behind.  "I'd like ta give it a shot," he whispered.  "I've got
Nat waitin' for me back home, if'n I ever get back there....
Yeah, I want ta try."
	Vickie turned to Nash questioningly.  "Don't you think you
ought to find out what this cure is first?" she asked, alarmed.
	"Don't matter none," Nash told her.  "Wouldn't be the
first time I've tried somethin' kinda unusual."
	"Did Bonnie say what the cure entailed?" Nancy asked
Katrinka.
	"No," Katrinka answered, "but she did say that if anyone
was interested, they should meet her at the physics building of
the University of Toronto, in the basement -- last lab on the
left."
	"I'm goin'," Nash stated, looking Vickie and Nancy
directly in the eyes.


Nashville Knightmare
by Bonnie Pardoe (altered slightly, with permission, by Nancy
Taylor)

Part 4 of 7

Place: a basement physics lab at U of T

	After Bonnie had finished making her phone calls, Alan
proceeded to show his girlfriend how his invention worked.
Despite the lengths of cables and wires and odd bits of
scrounged parts, the machine was rather easy to operate.  "But
how does it work?" Bonnie finally asked.
	"Good question."  Alan paused and Bonnie was not sure he
even had an answer, good or otherwise.  "Well ...," he finally
began.  "From what I can figure -- and I've been talking to my
physics buddies all over the world -- whatever is causing this
narcolepsy in time and space seems to be centered over Toronto."
	Physicists, she sighed.  "Yeah, but how does the machine
work?"
	"It focuses the, ah ... quantum energy which has been
building over the city since this all started.  There is an
excess amount of time just sort of floating about in the ozone
overhead.  I've redirected and converted it into a form of
energy this machine can utilize to regress, or progress, through
time whatever matter is placed into the energy stream."
	"So, if this hiccup in time and space ever rights itself
then this thing won't work anymore?"
	"Good question."  Alan paused and made a face; Bonnie was
sure he did *not* have an answer this time, good or otherwise.
	Just then, the couple was interrupted.  "Excuse me, I,
ah...."
	Bonnie walked to the door of the lab, wondering if this
was the result of the important phone calls she had made not
long ago.  She smiled at the woman standing in the doorway.
	"Hi.  Ummm, we're Knighties" -- the woman indicated
herself and another woman standing behind her in the dark
hallway -- "and we heard that you've discovered a ... 'cure.'"

	Alan stepped in and greeted the newcomers.  "Please come
in.  I'm Alan, and you are?"
	"Howdy!  Call me 'Nash.'"  The blond vampire walked right
up to Alan and shook his hand rather enthusiastically.
	"Our vampire friend would very much like to become mortal
again.  Can you help him?" Nancy asked.
	Alan led the group over to his invention and began to
explain: "This machine can progress or regress matter backwards
or forwards in time -- though only the matter itself changes,
the surroundings do not."
	"Wait," Vickie said, really trying to understand what the
red-headed physicist was saying.  "You mean that the person
inside gets older or younger?  And everyone outside stays the
same?"
	"Exactly," Alan confirmed.  "I can take your friend back
to before he was, ah...."
	"Brought across," Nancy helpfully finished for him.  "But,
is it safe?!"
	"Theoretically," the physicist replied, causing the
visitors' eyebrows to all shoot through the roof.  This was
definitely not the answer they were hoping for.  "Realistically,
we know it works on living organic-matter, but I haven't tested
it on a person ... or a vampire.  So, I'll need a volunteer."
	"Wait just one minute.  You want Nash to get inside that
thing so you can play Dr. Frankenstein?  I don't think so!"
Nancy grabbed Nash's arm and began to drag him out of the room.
	"Whoa there, little lady."  Nash dug his heels into the
floor and would not budge an inch.  "I'd like to hear what the
professor has to say."
	"Basically," Alan continued, "my machine will convert the
cells in your body to whatever age specified.  Now,
theoretically--"
	"There's that word again," Nancy grumbled under her
breath.
	"Theoretically, your brain cells should convert as well;
which means if I take you back in time you should forget
everything you've learned since you were that age.  But, in
practice, I just don't know.  We haven't tried this out on
anything that can talk.  Are you willing?"
	"Shore am," Nick Knight's double proclaimed.
	"No, Nash, you can't.  It's too dangerous!" Nancy
protested.
	"I have to try.  Just promise me one thing, darlin'.  If'n
I do forget everything, promise to tell me about my Nat.  I
shouldn't like to forget about 'er even if I cain't get back to
'er."  Nancy agreed.
	Bonnie took Nash to the chamber and directed him to stand
still, in the very center.  She closed and latched the door, then
moved away.
	Alan began inputting data into the computer, including the
approximate height and weight of Nash.  He then set the machine
to regress the vampire seven-hundred and seventy years -- one
year younger than when he was 'brought across.'  With the flip
of one last switch, Alan started the procedure.
	The lights in the room dimmed -- only the light above the
chamber remained lit.  Nash winced and grimaced as the procedure
progressed, but he stood still as he had been instructed.  All
eyes in the room were on him.  His new friends wrung their hands
in worry and anticipation.
	Finally, the light in the room came back up and Bonnie
barely beat Nancy to the chamber.  She unlocked the door and
helped a trembling Nash out and into a nearby chair.  Bonnie
took his wrist and felt for a pulse, then asked, "Can you tell
me what year it is?"
	"Nineteen ninety-seven?"
	"Give the man a cigar.  Congratulations, Nash -- you're
mortal."
	Bonnie was practically knocked to the floor as the former
vampire leapt to his feet.  He scooped Nancy up in his arms and
swung her around until she thought she would lose her dinner.

Bonnie Pardoe <callalily@lanminds.com>


Nashville Knightmare
by Nancy Taylor

Part 5 of 7

	Something was happening.  Vickie looked around the loft
and noticed that it seemed less crowded than it had a few short
moments before.  This war had been a strange one, all right.  It
was still the night of Friday the 13th, but Vickie could have
sworn that the night was at LEAST two weeks long!  As her eyes
swept over the crowd, she saw one of the alternate universe
Nicks wink out of existence.  Stunned, she quickly went looking
for Nancy, cornering her in the kitchen area where she was
making herself a sandwich.
	"Nancy!" Vickie stage-whispered, grabbing her friend by
the arm.  "The Nicks are disappearing!  Have you seen Nash
lately?"
	"Disappearing?!" Nancy was aghast.  "Oh my gosh!" she
exclaimed, turning in circles and scanning the room.  "The rift
must be closing!  We have to find Nash, quickly!"  Grabbing
Vickie by the forearm, she dragged her friend out into the melee
that was the main floor of the loft.

	Vickie and Nancy finally found Nash in one of those rare
quiet corners in the upper level of the loft.  Nash was quietly
strumming on his guitar, a thoughtful look on his face.
	"Penny for your thoughts," Nancy whispered as she sat down
beside the newly-made mortal.
	Nash looked up and smiled.  "Just thinkin'."
	"About what?" asked Vickie.  The pair of Knighties were
feeling rather depressed about Nash having to leave soon.  The
rift was closing and the alternate universe characters were
winking out one by one.
	"Oh, about being mortal ... about going home ... about
seeing Nat again," Nash smiled up at his friends.  "I can't
thank y'all enough for what you've done for me since I
arrived."
	"We haven't done anything so special," Nancy protested.
	"You've been my friends ... and helped to give me the most
precious gift -- my mortality.  I can't begin to thank you both
enough."
	"Most of that wasn't our doing at all," Nancy continued to
protest.
	"But without you, I never would have had the opportunity.
This rift has been a godsend to me." Nash laid a warm, mortal
hand against both Nancy's and Vickie's cheeks.  "I want you to
have something before I go."  Reaching into his guitar case,
Nash pulled out two white roses from the bouquet his alternate
universe sister, Fleur, had sent.  He handed one each to Vickie and
Nancy.  Each gift was accompanied by a warm, mortal kiss.  
	As Nash's lips brushed Nancy's one last time, he began to
fade, then winked out of their lives as though he had never
existed.  A lone tear fell on the white rose in Nancy's lap.

<end of War 8 flashbacks>


Nashville Knightmare
by Nancy Taylor

Part 6 of 7

	Time had stopped, or so it seemed.  The sun had set and
the moon had risen, but nothing had happened since.  Although it
still appeared to be the night of Friday, June 13, 1997, it felt
as though nearly two weeks had passed.
	Natalie had called Nick numerous times.  Getting no
answer, she finally decided to pay the absentee vampire a visit.
Now Natalie found herself pacing the empty loft.  She looked at
her watch for the nth time, but it had stopped.  Time to get a
new battery, Natalie thought, tapping at the watch face trying
to get it started again.  The full moon hung in the night sky,
and continued to hang there, for what seemed an interminable
period.  This night seemed to go on forever.
	The worst of it was Nick ... or the lack of Nick, as the
case may be.  It had been the band's night off, and Natalie had
come by the loft to see if Nick was in the mood for some videos.
When she had arrived, she had found the loft empty and still.  
	Natalie was well aware of Nick's penchant for taking his
guitar and finding a quiet place down by the water to be alone.
She ached for him; he was so unhappy as a vampire.  Nick had
almost given up hope of ever finding his humanity, when a
"fatal" accident had landed him on Doc Schanke's autopsy table.
The rest was history ... of a sort.  It had been six long years
of protein shakes and blood deprivation with little progress to
show for it all.  Natalie still couldn't do more than kiss Nick
without the vampire rearing his ugly fangs to spoil the moment.
	Sighing, Natalie picked up her purse and, turning on a
boot heel, clip-clopped her way down the loft stairs.  Walking
out into the warm Nashville night, Natalie drew in a deep
breath, savoring the smells of the early summer evening.
Determined to find Nick and give him a good chewing out for
disappearing on her, Natalie hitched up her jeans and took a few
purposeful strides toward the river.  She was brought up short
by a familiar voice behind her.
	"Where y'all off to, little lady?"  
	Spinning on her heel, Natalie turned to see Nick standing
behind her, grinning like an idiot.
	"Nick!"  Natalie's first reaction was to throw herself
into his waiting arms and melt into his hungry kisses, but after
a short while, she pushed herself back to look Nick squarely in
the eyes.  "I oughta thwap you upside the haid," she exclaimed,
slapping Nick just over the left ear with the flat of her right
hand, "for scaring the pants off'n me!  Where HAVE you been,
Nicholas Knight?!?"
	Nick uncrossed his eyes and put a hand up to his aching
temple.  "Is that any way to say 'welcome home'?" he pouted.
	He was doing it to her again.  Damn him, anyway!  Those
darn puppy-dog eyes could melt her most determined mindset.
Natalie sighed and looked up at the full moon setting ... wait!
Setting??  Natalie turned to the east to see the first rays of
the morning sun begin to peek over the horizon.  Grabbing Nick's
hand, she began hauling him back toward the recently vacated
warehouse.
	"Nick!  Get a move on!" Natalie panted, pulling hard at
the reluctant cowboy.  "We have to get you inside before you're
fried crisper than a side of bacon!  Now get!"  Natalie tugged
harder.
	With an ease that made Natalie even angrier, Nick drew her
into his side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  Turning
her to the east and raising his face to the early morning sun,
Nick told Natalie, "I don't have to worry about that anymore."  
	The morning sun burst over the horizon and shone down on
the couple, bathing them in its warming light.  Natalie's large
eyes grew twice their normal size as she stared in awe and
wonder at the man standing next to her.  "You're MORTAL!" she
breathed.  Trying, without much success, to gather her frazzled
wits about her, Natalie continued, "How? When? Where? What the
h...hay have you been up to, mister?"
	Nick steered Natalie toward the loft.  "It was the
weirdest thing...." he started, as they climbed the stairs.


Nashville Knightmare
by Nancy Taylor

Part 7 of 7

	Snuggled on the couch together, Nick related the whole,
long, unbelievable tale of the space-time rift, his journey to
another dimension and his cure.  Natalie listened with rapt
attention, for once not interrupting Nick's explanation.
	When Nick's story was told, Natalie shook her head.  "You
sure somebody didn't slip some bad LSD into your blood-whiskey?"
	Nick chuckled.  "Does it matter?" he asked her.  "Whatever
the reason, however it happened, I'm mortal now.  Isn't that
what counts?"  Nick stood up and, bending over, scooped Natalie
up in his still-strong arms.
	"There's something I've been wanting to show you for an
awful long time, little lady."  Nick had a deliciously wicked
grin on his handsome face.  He lowered his head to give Natalie
a quick kiss, then began carrying her upstairs, where only two
rooms existed; a bathroom, and a bedroom....

	Nick carefully lowered Natalie to the silken sheets of the
bed and stretched out beside her, stroking her cheek gently,
then cupping her chin in the palm of his hand, raising her head
slightly for a passionate kiss.  
	"And just what was it that y'all wanted to show me,
Cowboy?", Natalie whispered in a low, sultry voice once she had
come up for air.
	Nick only chuckled and bent to kiss her again, undoing the
buttons of Natalie's blouse at the same time.  Natalie reached
for the silver belt buckle at Nick's waist, undoing the clasp
and pulling down the zipper on his jeans.  Soon their clothes
were in a heap on the floor and Natalie was experiencing the
literal heat of passion from her very mortal lover.  She reveled
in the sensation of being completely filled by Nick, of being
one with him.  Their bodies bucked in unison, like a cowboy
riding a wild mare, until their mutual climaxes exhausted them
both.
	Turning to gaze upon her lover, Natalie smiled.  "You can
show me that anytime you dang well please, Cowboy," she chuckled.
Then, noticing that Nick's eyes were closed, Natalie fell silent a
moment and heard the soft snoring coming from beside her.  "Men!"
she harrumphed, rolling over in the tangled sheets and closing her
own eyes.

	The next evening, Natalie awoke alone in bed to the smells
of hot coffee and bacon.  She slipped into the bathroom for a
quick shower and, donning one of Nick's silk dressing gowns,
padded barefoot down the stairs.
	Nick smiled as Natalie entered the kitchen.  "Hungry,
darlin'?"
	"Famished!" Natalie exclaimed with enthusiasm.  Pouring
herself a cup of coffee, she leaned against the counter and
watched as Nick expertly folded an omelet and turned the frying
bacon.  "And just where did you learn to cook?"  Natalie looked
with skepticism at the frying pan, then up into her lover's
face.
	"Even vampires have to put on the appearance of being
normal, of eating."  Nick smiled at Natalie.  "Besides, I was a
short order cook at a roadside cafe before I got the band
together."
	Natalie accepted the plate Nick handed her and walked over
to the dining table.  Nick followed with a plate of his own.
Natalie watched in fascination as he downed the food with
obvious enthusiasm.  Picking up a bite of omelet with her fork,
Natalie cautiously tasted the scrambled egg concoction.
	"Hey, this is really good!" Natalie mumbled around the
food in her mouth.  She dived into the rest of her breakfast
with enthusiasm of her own.  Dabbing at her mouth with a napkin,
Natalie sighed contentedly over her empty plate.  She looked up
to see that Nick was watching her intently.
	"What is it?" Natalie queried.  "Do I have some bacon
stuck in my teeth or something?"
	Nick chuckled and his face relaxed some.  "I've just been
a-thinkin'," he began.  "How'd you like me to fix you breakfast
everyday ... for the rest of our lives?"
	Natalie stared at Nick blankly.  "Breakfast?..."  Then the
realization of the roundabout proposal hit her.  "Are you asking
me to marry you?"
	"Yep, little darlin'."  Nick's face was shining, his eyes
lit with love for her.  "I've wanted to be askin' you for the
last six years.  Now, I finally can.  Will you be my everlovin'
bride?"
	Natalie nearly flew from her place at the table, and threw
herself into Nick's lap.  "Yes!  Oh, yes!" Natalie cried, as she
smothered Nick with her kisses.

	The wedding was small, mostly friends, as neither Nick nor
Natalie had much family in the vicinity.  Rick had offered to host
the wedding at his bar and grill where the Nashville Knights
performed.  The band provided the music for the occasion, despite
the fact that it was their lead guitarist and lead singer getting
married.  Old Doc Schanke was there to give away the bride.
	After the brief civil ceremony, a good old country hoedown
ensued.  The music was wild and loud, the dancing carefree and
lively.  Natalie took the stage to sing while Doc Schanke pulled
Nick off to one side.
	"And how is it you get away with becoming mortal without
tellin' me about it?" whined Schanke, his look of wounded pride
causing Nick to smile despite himself.
	"Well now, Doc, y'all just know I'da told ya if'n I'd
known it myself."  Nick wrapped an arm around Doc Schanke's
shoulders and patted him reassuringly.  "It's a dang long and
confusin' story, but I'd be more'n willing to tell it to ya
sometime."
	"I'll hold ya to that."  Doc Schanke picked up a sandwich
from the buffet and began to eat.  "So, where y'all planning
your honeymoon?" he asked around a mouthful of roast beef and
bread.
	"Toronto," Nick replied with a smile.

FADE OUT