This story is based an characters created by J. Parriott and B. Cohen
for the TV series Forever Knight.


Lacroix watched Nick with great interest. Nick stared intently at the
television and the one show that hooked him every time, Sesame Street.
Suddenly a commercial for the new Tickle Me Elmo dolls came on . Nicks
eyes lit up and Lacroix could swear he heard Nicks heart speed up.
Through the length of the commercial the world could have ended and Nick
wouldnt have noticed. Lacroix wasnt sure what to make of the whole
situation, after all Nick was almost 800 years old, surely he couldnt
want one of those dreadful toys. As the commercial ended Nick sighed
lovingly and mumbled all I want for Christmas is a Tickle Me Elmo Doll.
At that moment Lacroix knew what he had to do.

Lacroix excused himself and headed out the door. It was 2am on December
24 and time was running out. Within minutes he was at his destination,
the Coroners Building. Silently he made his way to where he knew he
would find the dedicated Doctor Natalie Lambert. Soon he was standing
behind her watching her work. He smiled with anticipation. Within
seconds Natalie turned and walked right into him. Lacroix smiled
devilishly as Natalie stepped back.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.
"Why Doctor Lambert is that any way to greet a guest?"
"What do you want?"
"Ah right to the point. Well then, I need a favor from you, Dr.
Lambert"
"A favor? What kind of favor?"
" I need to you go and pick up a Christmas gift for me tomorrow."
"And just why would I do that?"
"Because my dear Doctor, the gift is for Nicholas."
"So?"
"It is something that Nicholas really wants."
"To be mortal?"
"Certainly not. It is something that means much more to him then his
idiotic dream of mortality."
"What?"
"Do Not laugh when I tell you this."
"Okay"
"A Tickle Me Elmo Doll."

Natalie burst out laughing. Surely Lacroix couldnt be serious. Then she
realized  he was completely serious.
"You are serious arent you?"
"I most certainly am. Will you do this for me or not?"
"Umyes."
"Thank you."

With that Lacroix was gone. Natalie stood in the morgue trying to decide
if she was in some demented dream or if Lacroix had simply lost it. 

The next morning at 10:00am Natalie went on what would be a tiring hunt
for the most sought after Christmas toy in Toronto. Every store she
visited were out of the Tickle Me Elmo dolls. She finally came across
one store that was expecting a shipment of the dolls at 7:00pm. There
was one problem, she had to be at work at 6:00pm so it would be
impossible to be there to fight the crowds of parents for the doll.
Grudgingly she called Lacroix and informed him of the situation.

Lacroix arrived in front of the store shortly before 7:00pm and was
shocked to find a huge crowd huddled outside the store. Then he realized
that they were all waiting for the shipment of Elmo dolls. As he made
his way through the crowd to the store entrance, the delivery truck
drove up and was immediately surrounded by the mob. Lacroix made his way
through the dreadfully cheerful toy store to the check out counter. He
approached the wary looking woman  at the counter.
"May I help you, Sir?"
"Yes, you may. I wish to purchase a toy for my son."
"How old is your son?"
"He is old enough."
"What toy were you looking for" 
"A Tickle Me Elmo Doll"
"Youll have to wait with the other parents for the new shipment to be
brought in and then it is first come, first serve."

Lacroix watched with horror as the armed guards escorted the delivery
personnel through the store. They were followed closely by a swarm of
people eager to get their hands on the dolls before they were all gone.

"I do not think you understand. I *need* a Tickle Me Elmo Doll"
"You will have to wait like everyone else."
"I certainly will not"

Lacroix listened to the beat of her heart and stared deeply into her
eyes. A blank look came over the face of the clerk. "You will go and get
me a Tickle Me Elmo Doll and you will do it now." With that the clerk
was gone. Minutes later the clerk came back carrying the doll. Lacroix
smiled, left the appropriate funds on the counter, took the doll and
left quickly.

12 am Christmas Morning

Nick sat in a booth at the Raven with Natalie sipping a special mix of
Christmas cows blood. Lacroix eased his way over to the booth wearing a
satisfied smile. Once he reached the booth he slipped into a seat next
to Natalie and handed Nick his present. Natalie surpressed a giggle and
smiled knowingly. Nick ripped the wrapping paper off . A look of pure
and utter joy crossed Nicks face as he stared at his present. Nick
careful removed his Elmo doll from the packaging. Once his doll was
freed, Nick placed it on the table and began the test. Nick reached out
and tickled Elmo.a giggle erupted from the doll, Nick smiled. Nick
tickled Elmo again, this time the doll spoke "Ooh, that tickles", Nicks
smiled widened. Nick tickled Elmo again, this time the doll let out a
loud laugh and began to vibrate, Nick hugged the doll to his chest began
to laugh joyously. Natalie could take no more, she burst out in laughter
at the sight of Nick and beloved toy.
Lacroix stared at Nicholas trying to decide if his son had gone mad.

Finally Nick stopped laughing and took Natalies hand in his and then
looked up at Lacroix.
"Thank you, Lacroix".

The End

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