Distribution: Anywhere, as long as I know the url.
Category: Romance/T&V/N&N/Drama
Rating: NC-17. My first attempt. Please be gentle. Author's Note: Renaissance takes place about 50 years after the events of Last Knight.
New Orleans
Tracy Vaughn sat waiting for her best friend Natalie Lombardi at an outdoor table in the Cajun
Spice, a popular New Orleans restaurant. The two women had known each other since they were
children, next door neighbors and fast friends since they were toddlers. Tracy was 25 and Nat was
33. As Tracy thought about her childhood antics, Natalie slipped into the chair across from her.
“Hey, Trace,” Nat greeted with a smile. She noticed Tracy's inattentiveness and decided to
confront it as she did everything. “What are you thinking about?”
“Old times,” Tracy replied with a small smile. Natalie knew she was probably recounting
some of their less than legal exploits.
Deciding to switch topics, Natalie asked, “So, how was your date with Kevin?” as she
arranged her napkin across her lap.
“Great! He was a gentleman. He was kind, sweet, gentle, attentive, sensitive, handsome in
a classical way, an incredible lawyer with a partnership looming in the near future...”
“And he's not what you want,” Natalie finished. Tracy shook her head. Just then the waiter
arrived. They ordered their lunch and when the young man left, they continued their conversation.
“I don't even know what I want anymore. No, that's not right. I do know what I want. I
want someone who isn't afraid of my Mayor father, someone who's a bad boy, to throw it in Dad's
face. I want a man that embodies that description dark and dangerous. I want a man who's sweet
and tender and at the same time, unpredictable. I don't want a dull boring life. I want a man that
screams sex with his body language,” Tracy said passionately, thinking of the man of her dreams.
“Problem is, he may not be out there.”
“Is this the same Tracy Vetter who told me to believe that wishes do come true? He's out
there Trace, and you'll find him, with a little help from Fate,” Natalie reassured her.
*******************
Gulf of Mexico
Javier Valesquez sat looking out the window as the plane neared its destination. Only twenty
more minutes, and I'll be on solid ground, he thought. He was visiting an old friend of his, and
that was the only reason he was on a plane bound for New Orleans right now. He was normally
scared of them. They made him nauseous, but fortunately he had taken his prescription.
Otherwise, Javier would have a commode all to himself for the past 12 hours. Javier was a US
citizen, but his current residence was Spain. Lost in his thoughts, Javier didn't register the
tremors until they were distinctly noticeable. “We're experiencing technical difficulties. Ladies and
gentlemen, please buckle your seatbelts for your safety,” the captain said over the loudspeaker.
Javier tightened his belt and gripped the sides of the chair as the turbulence grew in intensity.
Suddenly he felt an extreme pressure and had the sense of falling. Javier grasped the concept that
the plane was losing altitude and was spinning vastly out of control toward the deep, dark blue
waters of the Gulf. Just before the plane hit the water, Javier's life flashed before his eyes, and
with stunning clarity he foresaw his death.
*******************
“So, how's chasing murderers been?” Nat asked flippantly. Before Tracy could reply,
Natalie's beeper went off. She checked it, and swore. “There's been a plane crash. I need
to get back to the ER and prep,” Nat said as she grabbed her stuff.
“No prob. Here, I'll give you a ride.” The two women rushed to Tracy's car and sped back
to New Orleans General Hospital. When Nat pushed open the ER doors, she wasn't surprised to
find bodies lining the corridors, the ER packed with burn victims, the entire center in orderly
chaos. Tracy sat in the waiting room while Natalie began to work. Hours passed, and slowly, but
surely, Tracy uncovered what had occurred. Apparently, Flight 548 had encountered an air pocket
and nose dived into a flat spin, making contact with the Gulf. There had been 219 passengers and
12 crew members aboard. 180 were counted among the dead, 34 were in the hospital either in
surgery or ICU, and the remainder were unaccounted for. Three days later the hospital had its
share of patients from the plane crash, and the missing passengers were recovered. The
excitement had died down, and Natalie had gone back home to rest and now she was back, ready
and refreshed.
Tracy was back as well. She had stayed for Natalie, supporting her, getting food for the
doctors and running errands during the first day, but she had gone home and gotten some rest. As
Natalie made her rounds, Tracy walked with her. As they walked through the ICU, Natalie
checked on different patients. “Just one more room and we can take a break,” Nat said. When
they went into room 216, Tracy's gaze was drawn to the man in the bed. His face was pale, hair
black and long. Bruises marred his cheeks, and there were cuts above his eye and forehead.
“Who is he?” Tracy asked softly.
Natalie checked the clip. “Name's Javier D. Valesquez, according to his Spanish driver’s
license. He's in a coma, has been since he came in two days ago. Doesn't have any family that
we’ve been able to notify, so one's been by to visit.”
Tracy lightly touched his hand and a strong sense of deja vu overcame her. “Could I stay?”
“Sure, I don't see what it could hurt. He needs visitors.” Natalie left Tracy alone with
Javier.
Tracy took his hand into her own and held it. His skin was warm to the touch, and
something inside of her was warmed as well, something that she had never noticed was cold. She
stayed with the young man for an hour, but had to leave when she got paged. Tracy left the
hospital quickly, after calling the precinct and being informed of a murder down by the docks.
When she arrived, she gloved up and began police procedure, questioning witnesses, searching for
evidence. A young man had found a naked woman dead by the pier, and from the looks of her,
she'd been dead about a day or so. They discovered the weapon, a six inch long knife, dumped in
a garbage can not too far away. The girl had been stabbed repeatedly, and yet there was no blood,
indicating she had been killed elsewhere, and disposed of here.
Tracy spent a few hours at the crime scene and then went back to HQ to write up
paperwork. She hadn't had a partner for about two months, ever since Kyle had left the force, and
opened his own PI business, after his wife and child were threatened by a murderer out for
revenge. She was supposed to be getting a new partner, some guy with a French last name that
she couldn't pronounce, but he hadn't shown up. Captain Joe Randall came out from his office to
talk to his officer. “Vetter, come in my office,” he yelled from his office door. Tracy walked
quickly inside, initially wary because Randall normally kept his blinds open, and in this case, they
were closed. He closed the door firmly behind her and motioned for her to have a seat. Tracy
immediately noticed the man facing away from her on the other side of the room. “Detective
Tracy Vetter, meet your new partner, Detective Nicholas Renaud,” Randall said abruptly. Tracy
wasn't offended by his brusque manner. She was used to it by now, and she appreciated the
straightforwardness in which he regarded his detectives.
Just as Randall finished, Tracy's new partner turned around. Tracy sized him up. He was a
blond haired, blue eyed man, looked to be about 35. With one glance she assessed his personality.
Nicholas Renaud was a man of honor, gentle, but not soft. From the calluses on his hands, Tracy
could tell he was a hard worker. Self-confident, yet he wasn't arrogant. From the intelligent and
respectful light in his eyes, Tracy knew he was a gentleman, and had no problem working with
women the way some men do. Nick Renaud was an enigma waiting to be solved. “Good
morning, Detective Vetter,” he greeted formally, holding out his hand to be shaken. Tracy shook
it, noticing the strong grip and the way he met her eyes.
“Since we're going to be partners, there's no need to be formal. Call me Tracy.”
“Nick,” he assented, nodding his head slightly.
“Great, intros are done, so let's get to work people. Tracy will fill you in on your next
case.” Their cue to leave, Tracy and her new partner Nick walked out and Tracy showed him his
new desk. She updated him on their present cases and proceeded to show him the ropes so to
speak. She introduced him to many of their colleagues and around the precinct.
Later, after writing up some paperwork, they decided to go to Chinos for lunch. It was a
trendy restaurant located in the heart of New Orleans, close to the General Hospital where Natalie
worked. After calling Natalie and inviting her to dine with them, Tracy and Nick waited patiently
at their table for her to arrive. “You'll like Natalie. She's an ER physician and she's smart and nice.
I’ve been friends with Nat since we were children.”
“I'm sure I will. You're my partner, and I hardly know anything about you,” Nick said, his
mouth turning up in a smirk.
“Well, you probably know my father, Major Jason Vetter, and my mother Christine
Vetter. I have an older brother and sister, Ryan and Alexis.”
“What made you become a cop?”
“Dad is a retired VCU investigator turned Mayor and has always drilled it into me that I
had to become a cop, continue the family tradition. At least one person in each generation of my
family has become involved with law enforcement. Since my sister became a pediatrician, and
Ryan is an Assistant D.A. in California, that left me. While some would have resisted and rebelled,
I didn't because I knew it was what I wanted to do. What about you? Do you have any family?”
“I was raised in a foster home with my twin sister, Ursula. Urs and I have made it on our
own. Our parents adopted us when we were 10 and died when we turned 20.” For a long moment
there was silence, and then out of the blue, “Any boyfriends?”
Tracy flushed. “Look...”
Nick hurried to clarify his question. “No, no, it's nothing like that. I was just curious. I
mean, you look like the kind of woman who would have already found the man she wanted to be
with.”
“Nope. Hasn't happened yet. But I'm still looking. I haven't given up,” Tracy said softly as
she thought of young Javier Valesquez, fighting for his life in the hospital. She shook out of her
musings, and asked, “What about you? Leave any broken hearts behind?”
“Actually, I was married once. Janette. Lasted five years. She left me for a single father of
a young boy. She said he was there for her. Apparently, I wasn't.”
“I'm sorry,” Tracy murmured sympathetically.
“No hard feelings. She's happy and so I'm happy. I don't think I ever loved her though. We
wanted to, but we just couldn't. She found her soul mate. I haven't just yet.”
Just then Natalie walked up. Nick and Tracy both stood up and she introduced her friend
to her new partner. “Pleasure to meet you,” Nick said softly.
“Likewise,” Nat replied. They shook hands and Natalie gasped as electricity passed
between them as their hands brushed. She looked up into his eyes to see if he felt it, and indeed he
had, if the slightly stunned look on his face was any indication. There was a chemistry between the
two and Tracy was well aware of it. She smiled inwardly. It's about time, she thought. Natalie was
too lonely in her opinion.
The three of them ordered their food and when it arrived, ate it in a comfortable silence,
which was broken once in a while with conversation. “So, how is Javier?” Tracy asked after
taking a bite out of her sandwich.
“He's still comatose, and he hasn't responded. It's been four days since he came in. The
police have been thorough, trying to locate anyone who might know him, but they've had no luck
so far.”
Nick's body went tense, every muscle poised and ready. “What did you say his name
was?” Nick asked quietly.
“Javier Valesquez. He was on the plane that was bound for New Orleans when it crashed
in the Gulf.”
“Shoulder length black hair, brown eyes, 5'5''?”
“Yes, why? Do you think you know him?” Nat asked.
“He's a friend of mine,” Nick said even more quietly.
The trio left soon thereafter and went straight to the hospital. Natalie led them both
quickly through the ICU and into Javier's room. Nick confirmed what they thought. He knew
Javier Valesquez. “How do you know him?” Tracy asked when they went into a conference room.
“When we were children, the three of us, Urs, Jav, and I, were part of a foster family for
two years. Urs and I got adopted when we turned 10. By then Jav had already been a part of the
family for a year, but our parents couldn’t adopt him in addition to us. Instead, like a lot of
children in the system, he finally got fed up with everything and lived on the streets for a few
years. When he came of age, he split. He picked up, left the States, and went to Spain. Urs visited
him for a few months and then we didn't hear anything from him beyond letters. And now...” his
voice trailed off as a frown creased his brow.
Natalie and Tracy took it in stride. “I need to inform my superiors of this development. I'll
be back in a bit,” Nat said just before she ran off. Nick looked distractedly at Tracy.
“I should tell Urs...” he murmured. Tracy waved him away.
“Go. Don't mind me.” He too left and she was soon by herself. Tracy walked down to
Jav's room and walked slowly inside, watching his immobile form. She sat down gingerly on the
side of his bed. Irresistibly, Tracy was compelled to touch him. She couldn't understand her
compulsion, but it rendered her unable to disobey what her heart told her. She talked quietly
about herself. She told him of her controlling father, obsessive mother, and her older brother and
sister. She had just begun to talk about her childhood when Nat came back.
“Hey, keeping him company?”
“He needs someone...but I guess he has someone now,” Tracy said awkwardly.
“I'm sure Nick wouldn't mind. In fact I think he would like it. He can't be with him 24/7,
and it would be nice if someone were with Javier.” Natalie smiled reassuringly. Nick popped in.
“Urs will be here in a few minutes. She doesn't work far from here.” The three of them
waited patiently for Urs to come, with Natalie filling Nick in on Javier's condition and answering
any questions he had. Soon she was there and everyone rose to greet her. Nick hugged his sister
and introduced Natalie and Tracy. Urs was a blond, blue eyed 28 year old. Her hair came down in
curls to her shoulders, and she was slightly shorter than Tracy. They shook hands, and for some
reason she couldn't name, Tracy felt threatened and some irrational part of her wanted Urs to
leave immediately.
“How is he?” she asked worriedly. Natalie repeated what she had told Nick of Javier's
coma.
“He may come out of it in a few days, or it may take longer, maybe weeks, or even
months. In some cases, the patients never come out, but I don't believe that's the case here. Javier
sustained minimal injuries besides the head trauma, and I have no indication that he won't come
through,” Natalie said smoothly. When she was finished, Urs moved to his right side, while Tracy
was on his left. Only Nick and Natalie noticed the unconscious caress that Tracy gave Javier's
hand. Urs was almost in tears. She brushed his lips gently and with that gesture, a jealous rage
welled up in Tracy like she had never felt before. She overcame it quickly, but there was a
momentary flash of rage in her eyes before it was quelled.
“I'll stay with him,” Urs said softly, her eyes not leaving his face. Tracy opened her mouth
to protest, but promptly shut it. She had no reason or grounds to object. Ursula was the only one
out of the two of them that truly knew and understood the man in the bed. She didn't.
Natalie noticed the frown her friend gave when Urs spoke. Seems like someone's jealous...
she thought with an inward smile. Nick noticed too, and said, “Urs, let's go out. I want to talk to
you about a couple of things.”
“I want to stay with Jav,” she said, her gaze trained on Javier. Tracy glared at Urs' head
and as if she sensed it, Urs looked up. The two women stared at each other for a long minute.
Nick and Natalie wisely left the two women alone.
Tracy broke the ice. “So...how long have you known him?”
“Since we were kids.”
“That's nice,” she said awkwardly.
A long silence followed, neither woman knowing what to say. “And you?” Urs prompted.
“Natalie introduced me to him as her patient,” Tracy said awkwardly because Ursula could
see that she felt something for Javier that she shouldn't. She didn't know him. Urs knew him. She
loved him. Tracy didn't know the first thing about him.
“Oh,” Urs said in a condescending tone.
Just then Natalie came in and told both women they had to leave. It was time for the
doctor to check Valesquez out.
Over the next few weeks, both Tracy and Urs came by to check on their friend. Each were
wary of the other, mainly because they felt threatened. Someone else was in Javier's life now, and
neither woman liked it, Urs because she'd always had Jav to herself, and Tracy because this Ursula
seemed like an old flame, a rival. Everyday Tracy came by, she read aloud to Javier and talked to
him. She felt closer to him when she was by his side, and that comforted her. She couldn't explain
why she was so drawn to the young man in a coma, but she was. One night, after she'd read for
about an hour, Tracy noticed she was sleepy, and decided to rest her eyes before the drive home.
She laid her head on her hands on the bed, closed her eyes, and dreamed.
Flashes of dead people, bloody faces, twisted metal, and flames, the stench of death. The
sound of a baby's cry, and a faceless man lifting torn metal. Another flash and she was in a
church, dank, poorly lit with what appeared to be candles. As Tracy walked slowly through the
church, she noticed a stairwell, and went further down. She came to a bedroom with the bed
centered in the middle of the room. On its surface lay Javier Valesquez. Pale, lifeless, not
breathing. Tracy neared closer, her heart pounding. When she was close enough, she leaned
down and shook him, hoping to wake him. Javier awoke alright. Valesquez opened golden eyes,
and he opened his mouth, fangs protruding, in a wordless cry for blood, her blood, to feed the
endless hunger...
Tracy awoke suddenly, her heart racing, blood pumping furiously through her veins.
Gasping for breath, she pulled herself up on shaky arms and faced the comatose man on the bed.
A moment later, Tracy noticed a flutter of his eyelashes and an inaudible whispered word emerged
from lips long underused. Another flutter and Tracy found herself staring into the deepest brown
pair of eyes she'd ever seen. She felt as if she could drown in them. Shaking herself from her
trance, Tracy got up quickly and ran to find Natalie, to inform her of her patient's change in
condition. “Tracy...” Javier moaned once again, his eyes on the door, waiting for the blond angel
that had been by his bedside. A moment later, overcome by exhaustion and energy drained from
murmuring a single word, Javier Valesquez shut his eyes, unable to fight the sleepiness.