Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended here (?). So basically, I own nothing. Don’t sue. K?
The Evil Lindsey Series continues with a Casablanca twist!  Highly recommended that you have read The Picture of Lindsey MacDonald first.

1939 Casablanca, Morocco
"You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss,
A sigh is just a sigh,
The fundamental things apply as time goes by.
And when two lovers woo,
They still say, ‘I love you,'
A fact you can't deny.
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by."

He sat alone at a table in Rick's Café Americain, sipping a brandy, watching the people. All the poor people stuck in Casablanca trying to get away from the coming war. All they needed was enough money for an exit visa. He had plenty of money, and an exit visa signed by Captain Renault himself, but he was enjoying the drama. MacDonald Grey saw the tall, slim figure of Rick Blaine approaching his table. "I thought you'd have left by now. I know you have your visa."

He knew better than to ask Rick to drink with him. Rick didn't drink with anyone. But Rick sat for a moment. "I'm enjoying the drama too much. Besides, I can always sell my exit visa and get another if I want. But there's just so much to enjoy. Why are you staying, Rick?"

"That's my business. Are you going to play tonight, Mac?"

"I never gamble. I only bet on sure things." He looked around the room. "Why don't I see if I can figure out whom you and Captain Renault will go home with tonight?"

"I'd never tell you if you were right or not." Rick left his table and went off to the piano to talk to Sam, who started playing a medley of upbeat tunes. Suddenly he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He turned toward the door. My God, it couldn't be! He started to rise but sat back down again, waiting to see what she would do.

Darla made her way to the bar and sat. After ordering a glass of wine, she turned and looked around the room. Did she see him? He wasn't sure. She was gorgeous, dressed in a red dress that made every other woman in the room look washed out. Then her eyes found his and she nodded but didn't get up. Captain Renault did and sat on the stool next to hers.

"Good evening and welcome to Casablanca. I know I've never seen you before. You are a most memorable woman. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Renault of the police. And you are?"

"Darla. Nice to meet you, Captain. Please excuse me, I have found the person I've come here to meet. I hope to speak with you again very soon." As she turned to pick up her wineglass, Renault took her hand and kissed it.

"I hope it will be soon, too."

As she came toward his table, he rose. She was more beautiful than ever. In her low, throaty voice, she purred, "Hello, Dorian."

"Darla," was all he could say. What was it about this woman, no, this vampire, that made him go all schoolboy whenever she was around? "What are you doing here? And where is. . ."

She cut him off. "Angelus? We aren't together any more. He was cursed."

He frowned in confusion. "Cursed? What do you mean? And I don't go by Dorian right now. I'm MacDonald Grey."

"You'll always be Dorian to me. After all, I knew you when. As to Angelus, I gave him a gypsy girl for his birthday one year. He loved it. He said she was the best present he ever had. But the tribe cursed him. They gave him a soul. Suddenly he wasn't any fun any more."

He laughed. "Angelus with a soul? You've got to be kidding me. Next thing you know, you'll tell me he's going around doing good. What is he now, a missionary in China or something?"

"Funny you should mention missionaries and China. That's the last place I saw him. He wouldn't help me drink the missionaries' little baby. He was disgusted. Unbelievable."

Somehow, though, he knew that Darla would take Angelus back in a heartbeat. But it didn't matter. "Where are you staying, Darla?"

"At the Royale, of course. I'll bet you are, too. You're the handsome, rich American I've heard them talking about."

"Why don't you and I go to my suite for a nightcap, Darla? We can catch up and talk about old times."

"Will you show me the portrait? I assume you have it with you."

"Of course I do. I'd never go anywhere without it. But I don't show it to anyone. It's not very—flattering."

Darla laughed. "I would imagine not! After all I've heard about you—not to mention your true age!"

He bristled a little. "What do you think yours would look like, Darla? Or Angelus'?"

"You are so cute when you frown, Dorian. Not the least bit scary."

"So, Darla, will you go back to my suite with me for a nightcap and whatever?"

"I think I'll pass, thank you."

"Why?" he asked, frowning.

"First of all, I'm quite thirsty, and I know you wouldn't let me drink you. You're wearing the same cross that you wore when we knew you in England, right?" He nodded. "I need to find someone who doesn't know what I am. And also I can't give you what you really want."

"You mean you won't."

"However you want to look at it. I know you think you're in love with me. But I'm not in love with you and I never will be. So I think I'll say goodnight now. If we see one another again, let's pretend we don't know each other."

He took hold of her wrist. "It's Angelus, isn't it?"

"Always and forever. Goodbye, Dorian."

You'll need me someday, Darla, he thought as he watched her walk away with that seductive walk she had perfected over four centuries of life. Maybe it was time for him to leave Casablanca. There was a flight leaving every night. He'd call and see if a seat was available.

As luck would have it, there was. He settled his bar account with Rick. On the way to the Royale to pick up his clothes and his portrait, which was in the vault, he stopped to say goodbye to Captain Renault.

"So you're leaving, Monsieur Grey. We'll miss you."

"Of course you will, especially now that Roxanne has no one to ‘protect' her."

"Rest assured that I'll see that she is well taken care of," the captain leered.

"One other thing. There may be a number of murders—primarily men—with their blood drained from their bodies. Be careful and make sure you always wear a cross."

"Are you talking about vampires? They are just a legend to frighten naughty children."

"Nevertheless, would it hurt to wear a cross? Goodbye, mon ami. Take good care of Roxanne."

After gathering his belongings, he headed for the airport. He arrived there just as the plane landed. Two couples alighted from the aircraft. He recognized one man as the famous Czech freedom fighter Viktor Lazlo, just recently escaped from a Nazi concentration camp. A beautiful woman who looked Scandinavian accompanied him. As they passed him, he heard Lazlo call her Ilsa.

The second couple was one he knew quite well. Drusilla and William, who he had heard was now calling himself Spike, hailed a taxi and headed into town.

Well, well, he thought, things would definitely be heating up in Casablanca. He was almost sorry that he was leaving. But his luggage and his portrait were loaded onto the plane and he got on, headed for Lisbon and from there eventually back to the United States.

I will see you again, Darla, and you'll need me. I promise you that. Dorian Grey said to himself as the plane took off and left Casablanca, and Darla, behind.

"It's still the same old story, a fight for love and glory,
A case of do or die.
The world will always welcome lovers,
As time goes by."

Background notes: the story includes characters from the classic movie Casablanca. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) owns Rick's Café Americain. Viktor Lazlo (Paul Henreid) and his wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) come to Casablanca as part of an escape route to the United States, but they cannot leave without exit visas. Ilsa and Rick were lovers in Paris when she believed that Viktor was dead, but she left Rick when she learned Viktor was alive.  'As Time Goes By' was their song. Contrary to popular belief, Rick does not say, "Play it again, Sam." He says, "You played it for her, now play it for me." Captain Renault (Claude Rains) is somewhat corrupt and quite lecherous, but in the end he turns out to be a true French patriot and a true friend of Rick's. His famous quote is "Round up the usual suspects."