What's for Breakfast?
by Sandra Gray
Place: The loft
Time: Monday, July 9, 2001, dawn, right after
"Schanke-Panky, or...In the Nick of Time" 02/02
Everyone used with permission


"Problem!" said Nickbody, looking around at all the women of
various ages, shapes, and sizes in Nick's loft.  He poked an
elbow into his partner's side and leaned closer to add in a low
voice, "And here I was worried about your love life."

"Schanke!" hissed Schankebody.  Then he continued in a similar
low voice, "This is not what you think."

Nickbody winked and smiled wickedly.  "Yeah, right, you sly
dog."  He turned his gaze back to the women.  Those Knighties
who had been awakened by Nickbody's initial greeting struggled
up, most of them clad in black silk pajamas.  "And what lovely
jammies," he continued and waggled his eyebrows at Nick.

"Schanke!" said Schankebody.

"Schanke?" asked Eowyn, drawing closer.  Other Knighties
approached the pair, their mouths falling open.

Schankebody looked at his followers.  "I'm afraid so," he
said.

"But how, when--" started Eowyn.

"It happened last night after I picked Schanke up," said
Schankebody.

"And you didn't tell us?"

"I--I was hoping we'd switch back to ourselves before now."

"Oh, Nick."

Nickbody, meanwhile, was still eyeing the women, a rather
glazed look starting to come over his face.  He frowned and
slapped his right ear.  "Man, oh man, how do you stand all
this thumping?"

Eowyn's eyes widened.  "He doesn't?"  Her voice trailed off.

Schankebody shook his head almost imperceptibly no.  He then
grabbed Nickbody by the arm and started pulling him to the
stairs.  "You need to rest, Schanke."

"But I'm hungry!" Nickbody protested.  He pulled away from
Nick with a confused expression.  "Don't tell me you go to
sleep without eating!"

Schankebody swallowed, not sure what to say.  Then he got an
idea.  "I forgot to get my shakes from Nat."

"Great!" said Nickbody.  He looked crestfallen.  Then he
brightened. "But with all these women here, there's gotta be
plenty of food in the fridge!"  He headed for the kitchen.

Eowyn, meanwhile, had been quietly herding her fellow
Knighties away from the pair and over by the fireplace.  By
this time most of them had realized that Schanke didn't know
that Nick was a vampire.

"Schanke, wait!" said Schankebody.  He caught up to his
partner as he opened the fridge.  "Remember Rule Two!"

"Oh, yeah.  Bummer."

Schankebody closed the refrigerator.  Nickbody sat down at
the table.

Eowyn had a sudden thought.  Katrinka was sleeping upstairs
in Nick's bedroom.  If Nickbody went up there and found
her there...  She gulped.  "Somebody get Katrinka," she
choked out.

Brooksie dashed over to the stairs behind the television and
ran quietly up them.

Schankebody cast a desperate look in the direction of his
followers.  At that moment, Katrinka appeared at the top of
the stairs, Brooksie behind her.  Eowyn watched with wide
eyes as Katrinka walked blithely down the stairs, a smile on
her face.  "Hi, Nick.  Hi, Schanke."  Schankebody watched
her with equally wide eyes.  "Don't sweat it, Nick," she
said.  "I can fix Schanke something."

"You can?  That'd be great!" said Nickbody.

"Katrinka," started Schankebody in a warning tone.

"I can make him some blood sausages," she said and walked
past them into the kitchen.

"I thought you couldn't eat real food," said Nickbody.

"It's a special recipe," improvised Schankebody.  He put his
hands on Nickbody's shoulders and leaned down.  "While she's
doing that, why don't you go upstairs and change?"

Nickbody looked over at the women, then down at his rumpled
clothes.  "Yeah, I could use a shower," he said.  He stood
and headed for the stairs.  Brooksie hurried over to the
other staircase.  Nickbody suddenly turned and added, "You're
not gonna leave yet, are you?"

"No, Schanke."

Nickbody walked upstairs.  As soon as he disappeared,
Schankebody accosted Katrinka.  "What the hell were you
thinking?  Blood sausages?"

"He's got to eat something besides us!" said Katrinka.  The
rest of the Knighties gathered around.  "Brooksie said he
doesn't know what he is."

"And I'd rather he didn't find out."

"Well, what do you expect him to exist on...air?"  She
started taking things from the refrigerator.

Schankebody's angry look subsided.  "No."  He looked
around at his followers.  "All of you have to leave."

"How can we do that?  If he's left alone, who knows what he
might do?" said Katrinka.

"You want to be vampire lunch?" asked Schankebody.

"Once he has some blood sausages, he'll be okay," Katrinka
insisted.

"We've got to at least give this idea a shot," said Nancy.
"Otherwise, he finds out what you are for sure."

"Okay," said Schankebody.  "But just to be on the safe side, I
want the rest of you out of here."

Eowyn looked at the others.  "And what about you?"

"I'll be fine."

"Nick, you're mortal too.  Just as vulnerable as we are,"
pointed out Sandra.

Schankebody gave an exasperated sigh.  "Please."

"Maybe some of us should at least go down into the garage,"
said Nancy.  "The less warm bodies, the less temptation."

"And someone can go get some protein shakes from Nat," said
Eowyn.

"Good idea," said Sandra.  Knighties divided, those undressed
quickly dressed, and soon the loft was devoid of all but "the
bodies", Katrinka, and a few other Knighties.  Schankebody
dug out Joan's cross and stuffed it under a dishtowel on the
table, determined to defend his followers if need be.

A little while later Nickbody appeared at the head of the
stairs, his hair wet and a smile on his face.  He was clad
in a pair of Nick's black silk pajamas and his red brocade
robe.  "Something smells good!" he said.  He walked down the
stairs, running his hand over Nick's robe.  "Y'know, partner,
I could really get to like this," he said.

Schankebody glowered at him.

"Breakfast is ready!" said Katrinka.  She set a plate with blood
sausages on the table.  Nickbody rubbed his hands together and
sat down.  Schankebody seated himself in the chair opposite him,
the dishtowel before him.  Nickbody took a bite of sausage.

"This tastes great!" said Nickbody.  He started wolfing down the
food.

"Yeah, hard to believe there's no meat products in them, isn't
it?" said Katrinka.

"No kidding!  No meat?"

"Yeah, it's a new product," said Schankebody.  He watched
Nickbody carefully.  Despite his enthusiasm for the sausage,
Nickbody had a strained look that Schankebody knew was a sign
of hunger.

"Well, it sure hits the spot.  You want some?"

"No."  He was too tense to eat.

"Hey, pal!  I just got a great idea!  Since you're me, you don't
have to worry about a special diet!  You can go over to the FoD
deli and pig out!"

"I don't know, Schank."

"They got great food, Nick.  You'd enjoy it."  Nickbody continued
to eat and Schankebody noticed his face was looking much less
strained.  Maybe Katrinka's idea was working.  He relaxed a
little.

Schanke finished all the sausages and burped loudly.  "Man, that
was great food.  Thanks, umm..."

"Katrinka," said Katrinka.

"Thanks, Katrinka." Nickbody yawned.  "Boy, I am beat."

"You need to get some sleep, Schank."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."  He got up and started up the
stairs.  He stopped suddenly and said, "Don't forget my rules
one and three!"

"I won't forget.  Don't you forget my rules!"

"No problemo," yawned Nickbody.  He continued up the stairs and
disappeared into Nick's bedroom.

Schankebody sighed.  "I think it worked," he said.

Katrinka smiled.  "I thought it would."  She laid a hand on
Schankebody's shoulder.  "And you should take his advice and go
to the FoD's deli for breakfast.  Besides, his faction's going
to wonder what's happened to him.  Not to mention Myra." She
grinned.

"She's off limits.  Rules one and three,"  Schankebody said with
a smile.

"Seriously, Nick.  I think we can handle Schanke.  He didn't
seem to be as affected by your condition as--"

Schankebody's face took on a serious expression.  "Nat?"

Katrinka wished she'd kept her mouth shut.  "She drained a
couple bottles of blood right away."  She squeezed his shoulders.
"At least she's got a better perspective of what it's like for
you."  She released him. "Anyway, Schanke didn't do anything
like that so I think he'll be okay."

Schankebody's stomach growled loudly.  Maybe Katrinka was right.
Schanke was probably going to sleep all day and the FoDs *could*
cook.  "Call the FoDs," he said.


--Sandra Gray, forever Knightie
--sandragray@rica.net