Here is a little bit of fluff to brighten everyone's day! I
know it isn't Halloween, but I wasn't on the list in Oct.,
though I didn't write it
then either. Anyway I like Halloween! I'm in the middle of
two stories that are getting just a tad depressing, and my
finals that are
even more depressing so this is to make me happy again!

Legal stuff, I don't own FK, if you do please forgive the
scribbling of a deranged fan, as I'm not making any money
but -am- losing
sleep writing these. <g> If you want to archive this go
right ahead, just keep my name on it and tell me so I admire
it! <g>

                          Send all comments and double
mochas to anteros@juno.com

Little Tracy Hood and The Big Bad Lacroix

By: Mary Jenkins

Dec. 1997

Nick didn't know how it happened exactly, he suspected
Natalie had volunteered him, but the precinct Halloween
Party was being
held in his loft! He looked around in disgust there were
jack-o-lanterns on every step of his staircase. A huge
buffet lay across his
counter top. Paper-mache bats hung from the ceiling and the
'Monster Mash' played loudly from a scratchy record off his
$20,000
home entertainment centre. Dozens of his co-workers danced
all over his home. He growled under his breath, at least
he'd had
enough warning to clear out all the blood from the fridge!

Just then Tracy and Natalie walked in. Tracy looked like
some bizarre picnicker. His partner had on white peasant
blouse and a knee
length full blue skirt. Over it all she wore a bright red
cape with a hood, she carried a picnic basket. She looked
ridiculous.

Natalie on the other hand...looked amazing. She'd come as a
vampire, 'she has a sick sense of humor,' he chuckled. She
was
wearing a long tight black dress, with a plunging neckline
and very high heels; she looked sort of like Morticia
Addams. Her hair was
loose the way he liked it, and strangely endearing little
fangs peaked out of her red painted lips. Nick approached
then both.

"Hi Trace," He smiled at his partner, "Hi Nat, you look
great!" He said in a husky voice. Natalie giggled.

"You like it, huh?" She purred, "I wasn't sure..."

Nick, who was dressed as Dracula himself, grinned at her. "I
love it, we make quite the pair." He eyed her hungrily,
"Let's dance."

Tracy piped up, "Hey, what about me? Do you like my
costume?"

Nick answered, "Uh, yeah...Dorothy...Wizard of Oz, right?" He
guessed.

"No, I'm Little Red Riding Hood!" Tracy made an annoyed
noise. "Forget it." She stomped off toward the kitchen.

Nick looked back at Nat, who was trying not to laugh at
Nick's confused look, "I guessed wrong too...she is not in a
good mood."

Nick sighed, "Oh, well...I'll talk to her later, see if
something else is bothering her...For now, how about that
dance?"

As Nick and Nat cut a rug, Tracy sulked in the kitchen,
chewing on a gooey bit of taffy. No one knew who she was,
and worse yet,
Vachon had refused to come to the party with her! He'd said
it was because he didn't want to be around so many cops, but
Tracy
wasn't so sure. He'd been kind of distant lately and hell,
why should it always be about what -he- wants? You think he
could suffer
one night for her. Well, she didn't need him to have a good
time!

Tracy looked around the room, mischief sparkling in her
eyes. In the corner she spotted an elegantly dressed man she
didn't know.
He was all in black and looking at the assembled partygoers
with distaste. He was handsome and, Tracy noticed, 'no
wedding ring.'
Needing no further encouragement Tracy started towards the
stranger. He was near the corner, so Tracy marched up and
leaned
against the wall perpendicular to him. He glanced at her,
with some annoyance.

She ignored the look, "Hello, I'm Tracy,"

"Lacroix," He said.

"You a friend of Nick's?" She asked.

"In a manner of speaking, yes." He said, warming up a bit at
the chance to complicate his son's life. He looked at the
woman next to
him, really seeing her for the first time. She was a
fetching little thing; he eyed her costume with a little
puzzlement.

"I'm Little Red Riding Hood," she said in an outrageously
flirtatious manner. "Wanna peak in my basket?"

Lacroix stared at her. Now this was interesting. "You work
with my....ah, You work with Nicholas?" He asked, his voice
slightly
strained as Tracy pressed herself against him.

"Yep, I'm his new partner." She smiled up at him. She'd been
staring at his neck; she had a great view from where she
was, no
pulse. He was a vampire, and she was more than a little
intrigued. How did Nick know him?

The ancient vampire was a bit taken aback, the lovely woman,
overtly flirting with him, was a -homicide- detective? And
his son's
partner? It was all just a bit much. He started to laugh,
and wrapped an arm around the girl at his side.

"So what do you do?" She asked sweetly.

Lacroix looked down at her considering, "I do a radio show
on CERK, Nightwatch with the Nightcrawler," she shook her
head, she'd
never heard it. "I also own a club downtown, the Raven, have
you ever been there?" When she shook her head, he had the
urge to
show it to her. He was having it redecorated and wanted to
show it off a bit. And this sweet young sprite seemed like
excellent
company. He asked her if she'd accompany him there now.

Tracy wasn't sure; she was interested, but not stupid. She
wasn't just going to go off to a club with a strange
vampire! But she
-really- wanted to go! "You're not going to hurt me are
you?" She heard herself whisper.

Lacroix started. What did she know? Could she possibly...? He
looked down into her eyes looking for answers, and saw only
attraction and a small amount of fear. Without really
knowing why he leaned down and gently kissed her. "No, I
won't" He told her,
and was surprised to realise he meant it. Minutes later they
left the party.

Nick had just finished his fourth dance with Natalie, the
last one being a particularly slow one. He needed to cool
down a bit before
she was in his arms again. He decided to go have that talk
with Tracy now. He saw her basket sitting on the corner
table and went
over to it. He was confused; he didn't see his new partner
anywhere.

"Hey, Davidson. You seen my partner?" Nick asked, not overly
concerned.

"Yeah, she left with that tall, pale dude." The cop
answered.

"What?" Nick asked. He couldn't mean...? He didn't dare finish
the thought. "What did he look like?" He tried to keep his
voice light.

"Ah, tall, white spiky hair, all in black...kinda scary
lookin'. Your partner's got weird taste." Davidson told him.

Nick was silent. He knew she was a resister, so she wasn't
forced.

"But she seemed to like him, they were back here smoochin'
up a storm." The cop continued.

Natalie walked up and heard Davidson's last comment. "Who
was making out in the corner?" She asked laughingly.

        Nick was in shock.  "Tracy and Lacroix?"  It came
out in a strangled gasp.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
hehehe!
I am of the firm belief that Tracy has a dark side. She made
several sarcastic and biting comments during the show.  But
also the fact that she chose -homicide- as her area, and the
fact that she was so fascinated by vampires points to a
serious dark side.  Be warned in my stories Tracy tends to
have a major attitude! For I am the Dark Perkulator! <g>
Send all comments and virtual offerings to anteros@juno.com