This is a PG-rated epilogue to my adult story "The Ayes Have It".  It's a thoroughly silly little thing that I hope can stand on its own.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Anyone who wants a copy of the original story is welcome to send me a request *with* an age statement, and I'll be happy to give them a copy.

Permission granted to archive to Mel's fkfanfic website, the FK ftp site, the Mortal Love website, and (if they let me post) the JADFE site.  All others ask me.

As usual, Nick, Nat and Forever Knight belong to Jim Parriott and Sony/Tristar, not to me.  I claim no rights over them whatsoever (other than having fun!).  Peter Stewart *is* mine, though, and I'm going to have some fun with him, too...
 

TAHI - The Epilogue
by Jan Wiles
**********************

Rookie officer Peter Stewart sang happily to himself as he headed back to the 96th precinct on his motorbike.  Granted, it was his first time on the night shift, and he'd spent it on glorified courier duty, but he'd been out on his own.  It  felt good not to be hovered over and chivvied around like a not-too-bright gradeschooler.

Like last week, for instance.  His face burned at the memory of the demonstration at the morgue.  He'd really made a fool of himself during the autopsy, although at least he managed to hit the trash can when he got sick.  And he *did* recover enough to ask that attractive lady coroner an intelligent question or two.  Still, he felt that he'd hardly covered himself with glory there...

As he made a left turn, he noticed a large green ragtop - a Cadillac - parked at curbside.  He was surprised, as this was a main drag and there were no other parked cars this time of night.  As he paid more attention, he noted that the car was rocking and the windows were fogged up.

Stewart laughed to himself, remembering his teenage sessions of making out in the back seat of his own car.  He also had no trouble recalling the inevitable denouement of these
incidents, as campus security would shine their lights in the windows and ask him to move on.  On a whim, he decided he'd better keep up the tradition, and pulled over.

Smiling, he got off his bike and walked back towards the Caddy.  The grin began to fade from his face, though, as he noticed that the car was rocking wildly, and the people inside were really flailing away at each other.  It looked far more like
a fight than anything else.

The rookie stopped to think.  Procedure called for him to  request backup in this situation, but he was afraid that the delay would cause someone to get hurt.  Summoning up as much authority as he could muster, he strode up to the Caddy's door, and rapped sharply on the window.  There was a pause, and then the window inched down enough so he could see the two people inside.

Stewart tried to look severe.  "Might I ask what's going on?" he demanded.  "There looks like there might be a problem - Dr. Lambert!"  It was, indeed, that sympathetic lady coroner.  He could not help but feel protective as he glared at the man, and asked, "Are you all right, Doctor?"

"Everything's fine, Officer, really."  Dr. Lambert's answer sounded a little choked.

Stewart's suspicions rose.  He recalled the class on domestic disputes, especially the part about how abused women often tried to protect their abusers.  "I'm going to have to ask you to step out of the car."  He stepped back and gestured for the door to be opened.

Dr. Lambert shook her head and grinned.  "Officer Stewart, if you try to arrest Detective Knight--"

Stewart froze.  Him?  *He's* the cop they call the Knightmare?  Oh, man, now I feel like ten different kinds of fool!

"--for the terrible crime of having a ticklefight with me--"

OK, make that *twenty* kinds of fool...

"--Captain Reese will eat you alive, and you'll be the laughingstock of the precinct."  The coroner seemed to be trying for the understanding expression she'd worn the day
of the autopsy, but it was badly spoiled by the giggles she couldn't quite suppress.

Stewart darted a glance at the man, who didn't look much like a Knightmare.  Indeed, he seemed to be fighting off helpless laughter - and was losing the battle.  Now Stewart saw what he'd missed before; the intimate body language, the loving glances and gentle touches.  There was truly no danger here.  He wanted to crawl under a rock and die.

Instead, he stuttered off a few apologetic words, and stumbled back to his bike.  Even through the now-closed window, he could hear them laughing.  At least they didn't do it in my face, he thought miserably.  As he mounted his bike, he heard the Caddy start, then saw it pull around him and drive off.

Stewart sat for a while with his head in his hands.  He reflected that embarrassment didn't kill you, but for a while you wished that it would.  Now he could remember the locker-room gossip about Detective Knight and Dr. Lambert.  The pair claimed to be just friends, but everyone laughed at that.  There were even bets going on as to when they'd finally come out of the closet, and even one bet (a very quiet one) as to when they'd finally jump in the sack together.

He brightened as he realized he could finally get in on this discussion.  With a little judicious pruning, this would be the locker-room story of the week!

So he headed back to the precinct to make his report.
 

The End