We're Getting There By Chris Rosmini Before,around and after the Knighties leave in Tofu Of My Dreams The Loft Knighties by permission, and Nick Slacker by Brooksie Roz was trying to think how she was going to explain spending all this perfectly good War time writing a story about LaCroix. All the other Knighties were ferreting out horrid fanfic or looking for other clues to the strange exchange, or getting ready to leave for the Schanke's Anniversary Party. She however, was hunched over her laptop in the permamess of Nick's dining table writing a story about LaCroix; a story that couldn't even be nasty about him; a story where he was the (gulp) hero. All because the loft had been too weird with Nick/Not-Nick ... because she had hung around the Hive a little too long ... because of Kathy's crack-brained idea. Because she couldn't think of any better way to work on getting their Nick back in proper nick. She sat back and rubbed her eyes as a bunch of her fellow Knighties crowded down the stairs in their new finery, a jingling squeaking mass of silk and leather. *They look like a full set of Biker Barbies* she thought in amazement. She was still pondering the hidden quirks of fantasy lives made manifest and admiring their garb when Harley Ken sat down on the chair next to her. Leather pants, boots, unbuttoned henley shirt; the blue eyes weren't so vague this time. "You said something about fun, but you're not coming to the party? What're you doing there that won't wait?" The vampire took a swig of the bovine beverage he was stoking up on before going out among mortals (Even a slacker PI knows only the mortals get to eat at this kind of party.), and glared at the bottle. "If Knight doesn't show up, I'm not gonna keep drinking this stuff forever." he said petulantly. "If we don't get Nick back, we won't care what you drink." Roz replied, a bit miffed. "At least as long as it's consumption with consent." "I'm working on something that might help put you all back where you belong." 'Well you can do that tomorrow" said the vampire, gesturing vaguely at the screen. "Tonight you need to party! To cut loose, enjoy yourself, go a little wild ... "Let my hair down?" Roz offered. "Exactly!" he agreed. "It'll do wonders for you! And besides, we need another driver; Ms Katrinka has all this Xeroxed stuff she wants to pass out." Roz demurred, she argued the need to finish her project, to stay and protect the Loft, her advanced age and unsociable nature, and finally conceded that she could enjoy herself for the evening if he would do a couple of teensy favors for her. "Anything!" he said so expansively that Roz had to rescue a small Pre-Columbian artefact on a nearby table. "Fire away" "Well," Roz said, "it must be strange and rather exciting to live in someone else's body. I'd like you to tell me if you see anything differently as a result." He blinked then stared at her so steadily she began to wonder if Vampires could sleep with their eyes open. "I'll have to get back to you on that." he said finally. "OK," she nodded and then produced the real point of her negotiations: "Will you please comb Nicks hair? He did the staring thing again, then nodded. "Deal!" The Knightie watched him saunter across the room, pluck a comb out of somebody's pile of odds and ends and, after furtively looking around him, disappear into the downstairs loo. Mission accomplished. Tearing herself away from the dazzling memory of the rear view of Nick Knight (and it's Nick's rear, whoever is wearing it at the moment) in leather pants, Roz looked down at the last few lines on her screen. Taking a deep breath, she pushed "send". There, the measure of her shame would soon be sitting on hard drives all over the fanly world. "That was wicked" Beth said from behind (nearly sending the co-leader into guilt arrest ... could her little indiscretion have been discovered that fast?). "You were going to the party anyhow." "Yeah, but when Fate hands you a little free moxie, you don't want to spit in it's eye" Roz babbled with relief. "You've been talking to the Slacker too long, snap out of it" Beth said callously, "we've a Party to get to." And indeed a small group of Knighties stood behind her, resplendent in party gear. Beth and Brooksie continued the Hell's Angels-meet-Christian Lacroix theme in velvet and leather, but Sue had taken a more practical approach in Riding Leathers so covered with studs and sequins as to be worthy of Nudie himself. Only Sandra remained unseduced by flashy fads in a long skirt and gorgeous embroidered sweater, which made Roz feel a little better about sticking with her long black coat and frothy skirt. There was a bustling over by the elevator door as the Knighties leaving in the Caddy with The Slacker departed. "The stuff for you to take is down by your car" Katrinka called as the doors were closing. I"I guess we'd better get our stuff together." Roz said, and they began to gather up sequined purses and pashmina shawls and the occasional studded leather object, and say goodbye to the non-party types who would be watching over the Loft. "Brooksie, did you remember your player and the 'Good Fanfic' CD?" Sandra asked. "Sue has it." Brooksie answered as she shifted her grip on their own little present for the Schankes (a cactus, one of the ever-increasing progeny of Nick's original, and symbolic of numerous things), and they finally trundled down to the garage. Where they discovered the "little pile of xeroxed stuff" in about fifteen cartons and a stack of old fanzines. "They're complete workbooks, indexes and all" Sue said, thumbing through one of the open boxes, with teacher to teacher professional admiration, "These are really good!" "And there are really a lot of them", said Roz as she started fitting them in the trunk, which was clearly inadequate. It would hold a vampire in a pinch, but had it's limits. "We're just not going to get all this and five of us and a cactus in this vehicle" Beth said finally, "something has to go over the side." There was a momentary pause as they struggled for inspiration, a scarce commodity at this stage of the War. Then Sue spoke up. "You guys go on ahead without me, I just remembered something I wanted to do!, I'll take a cab or something in a few minutes." There was discussion but no better option surfaced, other than leaving their secret weapon behind. Eventually the rest reluctantly piled aboard, had boxes and cactus passed to them and were on their way with a regretful wave. Sue stood in the garage door opening and watched her friends drive off, and she smiled a secret little smile. She had been hoping and planning to do something and here was a better chance than she could ever have imagined. She went to a cupboard at the back of the Garage and removed a helmet she had hidden there, and a key, and walked to where Vachon had left Nick's motorcycle. *I haven't done this in years* she thought, as she uncovered the gleaming machine, *but they say you don't forget.* She ran her hand along the smooth metal. *Or is that _bicycles_?* She climbed aboard a steed that was really a little large for such a petite lady and vroomed the engine to life. Just to make it perfect experience even better she started up the CD Player and tucked the headset inside her helmet, then she eased the great beast into motion, did a triumphant circle around the parking lot and growled off into the night. finis Chris Rosmini AKA Roz