OUR PUPPETS

by Susan Bennett
freestyle@idirect.com

April 3, 1996




Natalie staggered into Nick's loft, her clothes tattered, her hair matted,
her face bloodied and bruised.

Nick rushed to her.  "What happened, Nat?"

"What do you think?" she replied angrily.

"Again?" Nick asked.

"Yes.  Again.  Thank God they're finally asleep.  Damn that FKFIC list!
In the past two months, I've been abandoned, beaten, kidnapped, kidnapped
and beaten, beaten and raped, pregnant, suffered at least one
life-threatening illness, murdered, almost murdered and committed murder.
My God, Nick, some of these people even try to pair me off with LaCroix!"

"No!" gasped Nick, instinctively licking his lips at the sight of the
blood trickling down her cheek.

"Well, I've had it!" Natalie shouted.  "I'm going to self-defense classes.
I'm going to get mace.  I'm going to get a gun.  I'm going to . . . uh . .
. Nick, why do you always look so good?"

"Uh . . . I'm a vampire, Nat, remember?"  Nick asked, slowly running his
fingers through his hair.  "They can do anything they want to me.  I
always look good."

Natalie smacked him in the side of the head.  "It's your fault, you know.
They use me to get to you."

"Now," Nick admonished.  "Don't make me blame myself."

Suddenly Nick got a blank [Vachon] look on his face and headed upstairs.

"Oh, shit, someone's awake," said Natalie.  "I guess I'm not in this
script yet."

Natalie started running through all those factions in her mind.  It was
very confusing, sometimes.  Hmmm . . . if LaCroix gets here when Nick
comes down, the writer is a Cousin; if LaCroix gets here and Nick doesn't
come down, it's a Valentine; if Nick comes down fully dressed, it's a
Knightie; if he comes down fully dressed and I yell at him, it's a
Natpacker . . . .

Nick came down wearing his black jammies.

Natalie smiled.  It was one of those Nick&Natpackers this time.



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END