This is the first Round Robin that was originally posted to the FK Vals list.
Standard disclaimers apply.

Janette's private office, sometime early morning

Natalie sat staring owlishly at the door. Blinking, she looked around and realized she was in the back of the Raven. Closing her eyes, she cradled her head in her hands as she tried to think through everything that had happened tonight.

Being more than a little drunk made coherent thought difficult, but at least one thought was clear to her; For humans, at least, the world was coming to an end, and Nick didn't love her enough to give her a chance to survive.

A sudden burst of fiery rage coursed through her and she leapt up, intending to go back outside and find her former dance partner, to try to ensure her survival. Unfortunately, because of the amount of alcohol in her system, Natalie stumbled, falling flat on her face.

This final humiliation too much for her alcohol sodden brain to handle, she burst into hysterical, drunken sobs.

===============

Lucien LaCroix strode angrily through the surging crowd of revelers on the dance floor, heading towards the Raven's back rooms. He was disgusted with the excesses of both the mortals and the vampires. 'The world as they know it was coming to an end, and they'll be too drunk to notice!' As he stormed into the back, he once again thought of Nicholas.

Playing mortal, trying to solve a case that shortly wouldn't matter, instead of standing with his family. He scowled as he thought of his son, traipsing all over Toronto with that Schanke person, or perhaps he was spending the world's final few hours with that meddlesome coroner, he fumed to himself.

The sound of sobbing broke through his musings and he paused. He could hear a mortal in Janette's private office, where the sobs were coming from. He raised an eyebrow in surprise as he recognized the heartbeat.

Cautiously opening the door, he stopped in amazement at the sight of an obviously drunk Natalie Lambert sobbing and mumbling to herself on the floor. Flabbergasted, he just stared, listening to her ramble. Slowly he got the gist of what was wrong.

When he had first met Natalie Lambert at the Azure, his only thoughts were of revenge for Fleur. However, it didn't take long for him to begin to admire her strength and commitment to his son.

Listening to her, he realized that the good doctor had asked his son to bring her across so she might survive, so that they might be together, and that Nicholas had refused.

Anger and a feeling he couldn't name filled him and he knelt quietly next to Natalie. Hesitantly, LaCroix touched her shoulder and Natalie blearily looked up at him. Her large, expressive tear-filled eyes stared at him. An old, almost forgotten feeling stirred in his heart and he spoke.

"My dear Natalie, Nicholas is a fool and a boor. Do not be afraid, I will do for you what my idiot son isn't brave enough to do." A slightly puzzled frown crossed Natalie's face as LaCroix swiftly swept her up and vanished.

NEXT!