The characters in this story belong to Sony and Columbia/Tri-Star. I'm
just grateful I'm allowed to play with them every so often.

   Permission granted to archive this story on Mel's FK fanfic site and
Michael's ftp site. If anyone else would like it, please ask.

   This one's dedicated to my friend, Tina, because she's had a bit of a
rough week and because she asked me to write it. Hope you enjoy ...



Another Valentine's Day
By Cindy Ingram

   Natalie Lambert glanced up as the doors to the morgue swung open,  a
slight smile quirking her lips at the strange sight of a walking floral
bouquet.

   Correction. Make that one overburdened delivery boy struggling under the
weight of the most massive array of flowers she'd ever seen.

   Her smile grew wider.

   "I don't know, Grace," she called out, directing an amused look toward
the supply closet where her assistant was busy taking inventory. "You
complain about Sam not being romantic enough, but I think you *might* be in
for a surprise."

   "Surprise? What are you --?" Grace poked her head out, a puzzled frown
on her face, then froze as she caught sight of the stunning floral
arrangement. "Oh ... my ... God!" she breathed, clearly in awe. "I think I
just died and went to Valentine's Day heaven!"

   "And here you were, ready to strangle him because he had to go out of
town on Valentine's Day," Natalie scolded, then grinned. "I'd say he's
properly remorseful, wouldn't you?"

   "Excuse me." The voice, muffled and slightly strained, originated from
behind the flowers. "Is there some place I could put these?"

   "Oh. Sorry." Natalie jumped up, glancing around the room. "Here. You can
put them over here," she said, pointing to an empty examining table. Then
realizing that the delivery boy probably couldn't see where she had
pointed, Natalie crossed to where he stood, took hold of one arm and guided
him to the appropriate spot.

   "Whew! Thanks," he said, carefully easing his burden onto the metal
table. "That's the biggest one yet. A record, I'd say." He turned and
smiled, regarding the two women with an expectant air. "They told me out
front that I could find a Dr. Natalie Lambert here?"

   The question took a moment to register, but when it did Natalie's jaw
dropped, and she stared in stunned amazement at the young man in front of
her. From what seemed like a great distance, she heard Grace sigh, then
mutter, "I *knew* it was too good to be true."

   'Someone's made a mistake,' Natalie thought, though for some reason, she
couldn't say it out loud. 'They've got the wrong Natalie Lambert.'

   Frozen speechless, she started slightly at the gentle nudge she received
from Grace, but merely regarded her friend and co-worker with a helplessly
bewildered gaze.

   Now it was Grace's turn to be amused. Shaking her head, the lab
technician turned back to the delivery boy. "She's Dr. Lambert," she said,
reaching out to take the clipboard he had pulled from his jacket. Grace
then turned and thrust it in to Natalie's hands.

   "Natalie, honey," she said, much as a patient mother would speak to a
four-year-old child. "You have to sign for the flowers. He can't leave
until you do."

   "Wha--? Oh." Natalie started to sign, then stopped. "Are you *sure*
those are for me?"

   "Yes, ma'am. Unless there's another Dr. Natalie Lambert who works for
the coroner's office."

   "No," she replied faintly. "I'm the only one."

   "Well, then. There you go." Taking the clipboard from her outstretched
hand, the young man smiled and headed for the door.

   "Wait a minute," called Grace, who had already moved in for a closer
inspection of what was obviously the granddaddy of all floral arrangements.
"Where's the card?"

   He halted briefly and shrugged his shoulders. "There isn't one. I guess
he plans to deliver the message in person." Casting a final glance at the
spectacular bouquet, he grinned at Natalie. "Whoever he is, I'd say he
thinks pretty highly of you, ma'am." Then, with a nod of his head, he
walked out the door.

   Natalie slowly approached the examining table, a slight frown furrowing
her brow. It was a familiar expression to those who knew her, appearing
each time she encountered a puzzle in need of solving.

   "Well. All *I* can say is ... at last!" Beaming with vicarious
satisfaction, Grace folded her arms across her ample bosom. "Looks like
he's set on making up for lost time, hmm?"

   As the full significance of Grace's words sank in, Natalie emerged from
her mental fog. She knew instantly what her friend must be thinking.

   "Grace, trust me, it wasn't Nick who sent these flowers," she assured
her. "He would *never* do something like that."

   Grace looked at her with feigned innocence. "Who said anything about
Det. Knight? *I* certainly didn't mention his name. Is there some reason in
particular you assumed I was talking about him?"

   Natalie sighed. "Don't play innocent, Grace. For over three years now
you've been trying to cook up a romance between the two of us, no matter
how many times I tell you we're just friends. I know *exactly* what you
were thinking, and you're wrong!"

   "Okay," Grace agreed, although her tone implied she thought otherwise.
"Well, if he didn't send them, who did?" Pinning Natalie with a hard stare,
she examined her much as she would a specimen placed under a microscope.
"Have you been holding out on me, girl?"

   Natalie was all set to deny the charge but never got the chance. She had
barely opened her mouth to speak when Nick breezed through the swinging
doors.

   "Hi, Nat. Hello, Grace. I was in the neighborhood and --" He broke off
as he noticed the bouquet of fragrant flowers dominating the room, then
grinned, aiming a speculative glance at Grace. "I see Sam is trying to get
out of the doghouse. Has he succeeded?"

   At Nick's teasing words, Grace's smug look wavered. "They're not mine,"
she responded hesitantly. "They're Natalie's."

   Nick's grin vanished. He turned to look at Natalie, who had, as yet,
said nothing. "Oh?" Though he had instantly assumed an expression of polite
detachment, the unspoken question hung in the air.

   Which was where Natalie was content to leave it. When it became obvious
she wasn't going to respond, Nick cleared his throat. "I, uh, came by to
see if the results were back on the Miller autopsy. You said you were
expecting them today?"

   He had addressed Natalie, who was once again staring at the mysterious
bouquet with a preoccupied frown. When she didn't reply, Grace spoke up.

   "I'm sorry, Detective, but I haven't seen them. Why don't I go make a
few phone calls and see what I can find out?"

   Without waiting for a response, Grace turned and beat a hasty retreat.
For several seconds, the low-pitched hum of the refrigeration unit was the
only sound in the room.

   "Nat?"

   For the first time since his arrival, Natalie looked Nick in the eyes. "Hmm?"

   "I ... I didn't realize you were seeing anyone. You haven't mentioned it."

   "I'm not," she replied quietly.

   Nick looked confused. "Then who --?"

   "I don't know," she interrupted. "There wasn't a card. For one crazy
second, I thought maybe you had sent them."

   At his surprised expression, she gave a short laugh. "Yeah, I know. But
I couldn't think who else it might be. Frankly, I don't know all that many
people who could afford something like that. It's a pretty extravagant
gesture, ya gotta admit." She smiled with momentary pleasure, then her eyes
grew puzzled again. "Now I don't know what to think."

   Nick regarded her intently. "You're not worried, are you? I mean, about
who might have sent them?"

   Natalie snorted softly. "Me? Nah! I mean, let's face it. I'm not exactly
the type of woman who inspires lovesick fanaticism." She crossed to her
desk and sat down. Nick followed, settling himself on the edge of the desk.

   "But, naturally, I *am* curious," she added, then leaned forward to rest
her chin in her hand. "You know," she said slowly, "there *is* this one guy
in forensics ... " Her voice faded as a far-off look appeared in her eyes.
"I've had the feeling once or twice that he might be interested, but he's
*very* shy ... " Again her voice trailed away.

   A slight noise caught her attention, and she looked up to find Nick
staring at her with a strange expression. It was somewhat akin to the
somewhat disgruntled look he got whenever she said something he'd rather
not hear.

   "Not that it would do him any good," she continued, smiling up at him.
"I'm afraid I don't return his interest."

   Nick's face softened and a familiar warmth appeared in his eyes. "I
could check it out for you," he offered tentatively. "The name of the
florist's shop is on the arrangement. I could stop by and ask a few
questions."

   Natalie nodded her agreement. "If you wouldn't mind. But it's not like
any crime has been committed, and if he wants to remain anonymous, I don't
imagine they'll tell you much of anything."

   A mischievous gleam appeared in Nick's eyes, and Natalie pinned him with
a hard glare. "Don't even *think* it!" she warned. He grinned, wordlessly
raising his hands in mock surrender.

   "Besides," she added, a slow smile curving her lips. "I think I'm
warming up to the idea of having a secret admirer. It's kind of ...
romantic."

   Nick's grin wavered a moment, but he quickly recovered. Reaching out, he
took her hand gently in his own. "Just promise me something, Nat. If you
get any more unexplained gifts, you'll let me know. And if you need
anything, you'll call, okay?"

   "Promise," she agreed.

   He leaned over, planting a swift kiss on her forehead, then rose to
leave. At the door, he stopped and turned back.

   "Nat?"

   She looked at him in silent inquiry.

   "Happy Valentine's Day."

   She smiled and nodded as the doors swung shut behind him.

+++++++

   Out in the hallway, Nick paused, heaving a deep sigh as he stared at the
floor. What madness had possessed him to send those flowers? After the
events of last Valentine's Day, when Natalie's life had hung in the balance
as he and LaCroix had battled over her fate ...

   How could he have risked triggering her carefully suppressed memories of
that night? And what on earth would she think when he failed to come up
with the name of the "admirer" who had sent the flowers? The last thing
he'd wanted to do was to cause her any uneasiness.

   But something inside of Nick had refused to let this day pass without
some form of acknowledgement, no matter how ambiguous and round-about it
might be. A brief smile touched his face when he remembered the warm glow
in her eyes as she'd gazed at the flowers.

   'Secret admirer,' he thought, with a wry twist of his lips. Yes, he was
certainly that.

   He didn't know how, but someday he would find a way to step out of the
shadows and claim his rightful place in her heart. Someday, she would know
once again how he truly felt about her.

   Casting a longing look at the closed doors that separated him from
Natalie, Nick straightened his shoulders and walked off down the hall.

+++++++

   Back inside the morgue, Natalie rose from her chair and slowly crossed
to the massive bouquet. Reaching out, she lightly fingered one of the
colorful flowers.

   With a tender smile, she contemplated Nick's Oscar-caliber performance.
She shouldn't be surprised. He had, after all, assumed any number of
identities over countless lifetimes. You wouldn't survive long that way if
you couldn't be convincing.

   She wasn't half bad at it herself.

   She understood why he'd sent the flowers, and she understood why he
couldn't admit it. It was the same reason she had kept quiet all this time,
never revealing that her memories of that fateful Valentine's Day had
resurfaced long ago. She couldn't let him know. There was too much at stake
for both of them.

   But someday ...

   Natalie hid her face in the fragrant blossoms.

   "Happy Valentine's Day, Nick," she whispered.

-------
FIN

Comments eagerly welcomed at cgi271@airmail.net
Cindy Ingram
What's another word for thesaurus? ("Say good Knight, Gracie." - G. Burns)