Tintinabulation
by E. McCann
circa July 1997

They sat there a while, on the couch in Nick's loft. Natalie hadn't gotten
over the happy shock she felt, and wasn't sure she wanted to.

Nick held her in his arms, first out of concern, then of love. What few
words passed between them were trivial compared to what they were saying
with their eyes, their hearts, and their lips. He would hold her, drawing
her scent into him, feeling the warmth of her body permeate the coolness of
his.

She wanted to feel these few moments forever, to spend an eternity feeling
her head against his chest, his cool stillness a wonderful counterpoint to
the warmth of their emotions.

She snaked her arm up around his neck, pulling him closer to him, ensnaring
his lips in a kiss with more passion than she knew she was capable of.
Nick returned it, and more. "Nick..." she said, after a little time.

Nick looked down, reading her eyes, feeling her heat. "Are you sure,
Natalie?"

"I love you, Nick. I love you, and have faith in you. In us."

With that, Nick picked her up, and floated them up to the bedroom.

=-=-=-=

Hours later, Nick awoke, a hunger gnawing at him. He looked down at
Natalie - *his* Natalie, so peaceful in her sleep, so trusting. The warmth
of her body, and the love that radiated from her slowly-breathing form,
made him smile. He slid slowly out of bed, eliciting a disappointed moan
from Natalie. He looked down at her, smiled to himself again, covered
himself and went down to the kitchen. He partially drained a bottle of blood,
and heard Natalie stir, and head to the shower. A while later, she came
down to warm pancakes and a warm embrace.

=-=-=-=
Word spread around the station and around the coroner's office quickly.
The couple found themselves beset with congratulations all 'round. Captain
Reese (with a little string-pulling by Tracy) managed to arrange a full
"honor guard" for their wedding over their inital protests. The next three
months went by in a blur as arrangements were made, finery purchased,
invitations sent and received.

Finally the day arrived.

Nick stood there in the early evening moonlight, surrounded in the garden
by Vachon, Tracy, Grace, and their other mutual friends from the
departments who had agreed to stand for their wedding. Even LaCroix had
deigned to come, and Nick felt no intention of breaking the peace coming
from his master. After several long moments, the march started, and Captain
Reese led a resplendant Natalie down the aisle.

"Do you, Nicholas du Chvalier de Brabant Knight (eliciting a gasp from many
of the attendees who had never heard his full name) take this woman,
Natalie Lambert, to be your lawful wedded wife?"

Nick looked deeply into her eyes. "I do."

"Do you, Natalie Lambert, take this man, Nicholas Knight, to be your
lawfully wedded husband?"

She smiled as she looked up at him. "I do."

"Then by the power vested in me by this province, I pronounce you husband
and wife. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mister and Misses Knight."

They went down the aisle, under the raised arms of the Toronto police, who
lowered their arms and started clapping as they passed from their old life
into the dawning of a new one.


*for those who care, it means "the sound of bells ringing."

The End