PG 17
Mick/Beth/Josef
As usual, I don't own any of the original characters or story of Moonlight. I just love writing about them and the possibilities that could have happened in subsequent Seasons. Envisions Mick and Beth as having two children: Elliott, hybrid human; and Collie, hybrid vampire. Josef and Simone have also had a child, Charles "Spike" Kostan, hybrid vampire.
Brothers in Arms and Somewhere in Time are two entwined stories but are under separate titles. If you're familiar with any of my other stories, you'll know that they are all connected to each other. I just write them in the wrong chronological order. Sorry about that but somehow everything always works out. Don't ask me how. They just do.
It will help to read the other stories, Two Weddings and a Vampire Funeral, its companion Standing Stones; and also particularly Christmas in Aspen 2018, because many of the characters introduced in those stories such as Thor the Nordic caveman are here. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
We were falling, swept end over end out of the ship, like so much froth being licked off the sky's mouth. Mick and Josef were on the bow of the great flying Ship, Valhalla. Just moments before, Beth saw them point towards a great swirling mass of green lightning and purple clouds before they were engulfed. And then she could see nothing. They were gone. Before she could react, the cloud enveloped all in a charged burst, sending her screaming over the edge. Literally.
She had no time to say goodbye.
The children! The grandchildren! Mick, oh, my love!
Beth's first thoughts were not for herself. They never were. She had been tied up more times than she could count, about to be snacked on by some monster or another, and her first thoughts would always be on someone else's peril or problem. She shook her head. Looking around, maybe it was time to concentrate a little harder on herself. But as she sat, trying to get her bearings, all she could do was remember the past and how all this had started.
It was all because of Thor. No, not the Norse God with the Hammer. Although, come to think of it, that could be where that green lightning had come from. The real Thor. Beth laughed. Maybe they were one and the same.
Actually, it was Thor's mother in law, Penelope's idea. She's the one insisted that we all go take a ride on the amazing flying ship. But it was Thor who had found it. He, Mick and Elliott, plus Elliott's boy, the gap toothed Mikey, and Collie's Wolfie. Nothing seemed to stop those intrepid adventurers. And who could blame them now because there it was: innocently lying there under the hot springs vapor cave in the Colorado River bluff. Tucked under its own protective sails that oddly had not aged, torn nor shredded. Not even a spider's web. And it had to be thousands of years old. Yet it was pristine and even glistened. Elliott seemed to believe that it was actually some kind of alien metal twisted and made to look like wood.
But there it was: the most beautiful Viking ship ever.
Now when she had time to remember, Beth realized they had all treated it like a summer's picnic. Sure, let's get in and take it for a spin. Err, spinning was the wrong thing to think of, just as the nausea from the fall was abating.
Beth smiled, thinking happy thoughts of seeing her grandsons so proudly at the rudder, being shown how to guide their ship into the night by the two Peter Pans: Mick and Josef. Quarreling about how to navigate the stars, until Elliott had to stop it before it came to blows. And the two youngsters, one sandy haired with the other one dark and both of them probably more mature than their grandsires, laughed til they held their sides.
The girls didn't come along, thank goodness, although she could have really used Collie's help right now. But Collie had finally found her niche in life. She's an actress and playwright. What a wonderful imagination she has but even Collie couldn't have imagined this one. Yeah, Turner, you're in a pickle and for once, Mick's not going to be able to save you.
So where to start when you've just gone down the Rabbit Hole? Spotting a cottage with some music coming from it, why, of course, go to the tea party, Alice, and find out.
"They're gone, Daddy. Grans all gone."
"Yesth, Unk Ellott. I thaw grandma go off the plank! And me and Mikey seen this big purple an green wind take 'em. It wath magic. Whoosh."
"Wolfie, you've told some big ones before. Are you sure the grandpas haven't just gone to the hold? You remember me telling you about the other parts of the boat, right?" Elliott St. John watches the boys closely. They are both pale, not too hard for hybrids to accomplish, but still, this had the ring of truth. At least six year olds' versions.
Turning to Thor, he says "Did you see or hear anything when that wind gusted a while ago?"
"Me see nothing. No sign Beth, Mick, Josef. Legends tell of time swirler, Loki, the jokester, like to send wind and swoop up men. Take them on journeys."
"Journeys? What did you call him, a time swirler?"
"Drop 'em wherever look like fun to Loki."
"How do we get them back? How do we even know where they've gone and what if my mother isn't with them?"
"Thor feel bad. Miss Grandma Beth. She tell great stories. Ah, stories about going to stones in Scotland. Go back in time."
"Thor, you're a genius. But we're gonna have to go back home first, drop the kiddoes off and bring my sister along. Flat face can find them. She has the "nose" just like our dog, Faith. Better than a bloodhound."
"Come in, Mrs. St. John – Beth! We've been expecting you."
This was Not what she had been expecting, though. Not even close. In fact, if she were admitting anything to herself, she had actually hoped for a large and quite mad march-hare. But no, inside was unbelievably different from the outside illusion. No small, cozy cottage but rather an incredibly huge something: castle, maybe a cavern since there seemed to be an echo to the voice but totally devoid of furniture or the comforts of home. Indeed, thought Beth, it was almost as if when she had stepped over the doorway, she had been whisked to another place; one of myth for it had cunningly been changed into a heavenly atmosphere with what she supposed were Norse Gods and Goddesses.
At least she supposed that's what they were since she expected the men to all look like Stein Erickson, you know, the skiing champion from the 60's: all Nordic, big toothy smiles, tall blondes. But these beings looked more like that episode of the original tv show, StarTrek. The one with Apollo. It was actually a lot more Greek than Nordic.
The women had been murmuring to themselves while some of the men had been sparring with each other yet all sounds stopped when she walked through the door. And the Voice spoke to her again, now with delight at her bemusement. "Mrs. St. John?"
"So this is Valhalla, where one goes to die. Am I dead?"
Colleen St. John was at the playhouse when she got the call. Faith the 5th looked up at the sound of the voice on the other end of the speakerphone.
"Flat-face, we need you."
She grinned. "You never could handle a crisis, Ell! What's the latest? Mikey lose another tooth; Bethie wants to be in a beauty pageant?"
"Hah, hah. Very funny. I'll have you know Bethie wants to be like you. An actress. As a matter of fact, if she knew I was calling, she'd be wrangling a plane ticket to her aunt's Collywood. Bethie says she'll start with commercials and acting gigs but really wants to direct."
"Don't we all. Not a chance until she's at least eight. But Collywood, huh. Kinda has a ring to it, doesn't it? Okay, big brother. What's the deal?"
"You remember how we were all looking for Thor's flying ship years ago?"
"Yeah, we were like the Goonies. Geeks and misfits searching for lost treasure. So?"
"Well, we, ah, sort of followed some new clues and guess what? We found it."
"Get out! And you didn't even tell me. Did Spike know? I'll bet he did, that scum sucking vampire."
"Don't get your color up, Red. He's innocent. We – none of us -- thought it was real and then when we found it, no one really believed it would fly."
"It does! Holy crap, Ell. So what went wrong? It's not Wolfie, is it? He begged me to stay in Aspen with you."
"No, it's not Wolfie. He's fine. It's just that we've sort of lost Mom, Dad and Uncle Josef."
"What sort of lost? As in …?"
"They fell out of the ship during a weird storm and we can't find them. And the worst part is, I don't think they're together."
"I'll be there in less than three hours. Try not to lose any one else, will ya?" A man/God stepped forward and in front of the first, younger speaker. "No, madam, you're not dead. Just in what you might call, limbo."
"A place where I am neither dead nor alive? Err, don't take this wrong, but you seem to know who I am but who are you, all of you?" Beth, always the intrepid investigator, found her curiosity bubbling up.
"Who do you think we are?" He said with a lofty smile.
Games, thought Beth. They're gaming her.
"Aliens?"
The entire room seemed to stand still in shock and then they started laughing.
A breathtakingly beautiful woman came up to look at Beth. They were of the same height but that's where the resemblance ended as this Goddess shimmered as if gold sparkles surrounded her being. "Actually, my dear, you are technically correct. We are not originally of this planet but we've helped it a time or two when it needed correction."
"What kind of correction?" Beth was fascinated. Oh, she wished Collie were here with her. She would love it. All except the part about not being dead or alive.
"Your thoughts are very diverting, Beth. You have a daughter?"
"I do. What kind of corrections?"
"Oh, you know. Extinction events. Helping along the survivors, evolutionary kinds of things. (Singing the old jingle for G.E.) We bring good things to life." She smiled brilliantly.
"Enough." Roared yet another Voice but Beth could not see this one. He could have shown himself but chose not to for its effect. Curiously unafraid, Beth waited courteously for someone to speak. It was the original voice, the greeter.
"We've made a slight technical mistake."
Sarah St. John and Brigit Lundgren kept their fears to themselves around the children. But to themselves, they were extremely worried.
Children live in the moment and so their needs are ever present. Bethie had a cold but still insisted she be in a play at school, Mikey wanted to go find the Grands, and Wolfie's tooth came out and they had to scramble to find where Josef kept his special tooth fairy coins.
Thank goodness Brigit's boys, Lars and Kirk were almost grown and off on a half year dig . Brigit knew it would just take a phone call to have them here, too. But so far there was nothing to be done that hadn't already been done.
Thor and Elliott had gone out several more times in the flying ship but had gotten little more than a slight uptick in the instruments to indicate where they might have lost everyone. Ell had finally come to the last resort and made the call.
A sudden burst of commotion, dogs barking, children squealing and they knew help was here. But at what price to their quiet, comfortable lives?
Nevertheless, Collie was home.
"What do you mean a slight technical mistake? How slight? And how technical? And pardon for me saying this, but aren't you Gods and Goddesses? How do you make mistakes?"
The beautiful Goddess Freya answered. "All valid questions, Beth. Let me answer the last one first. We do have special powers. When we came to this planet eons ago, it was realized that we could manipulate the very atoms to our bidding. We experimented and I think you know we had our successes and failures."
"Like the duckbilled platypus?"
"Yes, dear Beth, although if we hadn't helped the small mammals survive and evolve somewhat unnaturally, the planet would have been much less diverse. As it is, during your recent climate "adjustment", species are rapidly changing or disappearing. Totally without our help."
"So what was the mistake? Man? Is this one of those oops, we've goofed and zap, all of mankind is wiped off the earth? Because if it is, I … I. I'm speechless."
The Disembodied Voice was still there. "Apparently not. But no, the slight technical mistake was not mankind. Although we did have to do a bit of creative evolution – such as mixing it up vis a vis Cro-Magnons, Vikings and such. But what the young jokester Loki meant to say was, HE made a slight, technical mistake."
"Oh." said Beth quietly. "And I take it that was me?"
The whirlwind around her subsided and with the entire entourage of dogs, children, brothers, mothers in law and staff, Colleen headed towards the women. She dearly loved Sarah, who must surely be the best and most patient of mothers. Next to mine, that is. And Sarah had been very accommodating when she and Spike had decided to let Wolfie stay here. Of course, he had begged, pleaded and cajoled, giving an Oscar-caliber performance which Spike always fell for.
Little did he know how many times she had given that same performance. And it always worked. Where was that man anyway? She had called his cell, tried to find him at the Foundation. But no one had heard from him. He must have needed to go native for a couple of days. Maybe off with another woman. Collie reminded herself he was free anytime he wanted it, but still her body temperature starting rising with her jealousy. Shake it off and help find Mom and Dad. After all, she was a professional actress so act.
"So, Ell, no luck with the electronic gizmos, huh? Why do you think you need the nose again? It's not like I can sniff a body that has fallen through the air? And what do you mean, they're not together? Let's hear the story from the beginning. That's what Uncle Lance taught me. The boys first. Okay, Mikey and Wolfie, tell me a story."
"I was just having a bit of fun with your husband and his friend." Loki admitted.
"Mick and Josef! Are they here?" Beth felt for the first time some real hope. But then felt despair. No, if they were here, that means they're be in limbo, too.
"I mean, the wind that pitched you off the ship wasn't meant for you."
"Not meant for me? Oh, I am the slight technical problem. You've accidentally killed me but you're sorry?" Beth's anger was starting to boil over. "A mea culpa? Why bother?"
The lovely Goddess intervened. "Yes, he is sorry, aren't you, Loki? And he has to fix this, right now. We all insist."
There was murmured assent.
"So, when do I leave?" She looked around but all were looking at Loki. He seemed to be in the doghouse. There must be something else that had gone wrong. Another technical problem? "What?"
"It's just that you no longer have a physical body. The old one – not that you were old – but the previously used one is no more."
"Then you have to find me a new one. Pronto, buster!"
"So by what everyone's said, Dad and Uncle Josef were in the front of the boat – yes, I know, ship – Elliott and Thor were at the steering wheel. Oh, that's right. Viking ships had rudders in the back. Okay, so the boys were heading out to see what the Granpas were doing when they saw this huge purple cloud with green flashing lights come from nowhere. Is that right? And Mom – where was she when the wind came up? Oh, that's right, Mikey. So she was sort of bounced off the side after the Granpas had vanished. Like magic. Whoosh!"
The boys giggled then straightened up. After all, they were playing an important part in this investigation. Auntie Collie is so cool, thought Mikey.
"Well, there's only one thing for us to do."
Elliott had been letting his sister handle this for too long. He'd be damned if she came up with the answer that easily.
"And that would be?"
"Well, we could sit and wait until they called us. How would that be, Ell?"
"Listen, flat-face, it's been over a month. Don't you think we have thought of that. I don't think you're getting the picture. They're not around anywhere they can just make a phone call."
Collie laughed. "And what about Scotland?"
"We checked. Nothing happening there either. After Thor remembered Mom's story of going through the Standing Stones, we immediately went there. We've tried everything."
"Well, since they can't call us, we'll just have to call them. But you have to have the right connection. That'll be me. I got through to Mom twice before, remember? Once in Scotland, I heard them talking. And then in Palermo, when I called them through to us there. Let's see. I guess Palermo is out since those Mafioso pals of Uncle Josef's disappeared, so we wouldn't exactly be welcomed there. So I guess its Scotland. Who's coming?"
There was a clamor. Elliott just smiled. Always has to have a crowd adoring her. Oh, well, she will ever be a star. "I'll get the Valhalla ready for this evening. Sarah, it's been a while since you've been on a ship. This will be a lot smoother than our last voyage when the twins were born."
Sarah smiles, remembering their 'Joe vs. the Volcano' raft . "But not nearly as romantic."
"So, it's agreed. We'll just bring her back to her family after we've found her a new body."
The Goddess giggled. "What would you like, my dear? Blonde again? Or maybe brunette. I know. A red-head like your daughter?"
"And I bet you'd like to be built differently, right? Maybe a little taller, more statuesque? I hear taller women are "in" this era."
"Oh, no." said Beth. "I want to look as closely as possible like my old self. But maybe a little more red in my hair would be nice. Can you really make me to order? What have you got, a human factory here?"
Loki looked up. "No, we're just going to pluck you into an already existing body. Much easier."
"What'll happen to that girl's soul. Her essence?" Beth didn't want to be responsible for another's death. "You can't just take another's life away. That wouldn't be fair!"
The Voice answered. "Then we will find a body about to pass and make the switch then. Will that be acceptable?"
"Er, I guess so. And when I switch, will I get a few moments to decide? I mean what if it's some horrible woman about to be electrocuted or is about to die of cancer? I have to have a healthy body just like I had before. And once I do agree, will I remember everything? Will I be able to rejoin Mick? He and Josef are still alive, right?"
"Come, come, Beth. It can't all be perfect." Loki was looking mutinous.
"Tell me they are still alive, Loki, and that I can resume my life just as it was before you took it." Beth was adamant.
"This does present a bit more difficulty, doesn't it?" The Goddess mused. "But yes, it will be as you wish. And they are still alive although not in this current time period."
"Where are they then? Loki?"
"Inverness. Scotland. They survived Culloden and made it to Inverness."
"Can you take me there and put me in a new body?"
"Yes, he can. But, my dear, that's centuries ago."
Beth smiled broadly, finally something was going to work out to her satisfaction. "That'll do. Believe me, that'll do." Beth moaned. Someone was hurting her. She passed out.
When she woke again, she groggily said, "I guess I should have been more specific about the pain entering a new body, Loki."
"What was that, Holly?" Mick looked to Josef. "She just call me Loki?"
"She's delirious. Listen, what do I do now, Mick? You've cut the chord ages ago and still the screaming. What else can I do to get this kid to settle down?"
"Put her right at her mother's breast where she can keep warm and maybe the colostrom – pre breast milk – will start to flow. Poor girl, she's all tuckered out from the great journey out of the womb. She'll sleep now."
"And Holly?"
"I thought I lost her. For a couple of minutes, I could have sworn she was dead. Then all of a sudden, she pinked up and started talking. Amazing."
"Well, that was quite a trick. And speaking of tricks, how'd you do it, man?"
"Do what?"
"You mean you can't smell them? I've noticed it ever since the baby was born. You really didn't notice it?"
And sure enough, Mick caught the smell. In a room that should have smelled of burning oil and blood, instead it was like the blooms of a thousand English tea roses.
"This is amazing." Collie didn't think she would be – could be – impressed by anything anymore. Not after having been a Hollywood actress, a Pulitzer prize winning playwright, a supposed Egyptian Goddess and a secret hybrid vampire. No, sirree, you get pretty jaded after a while. You know, that old 'Is that all there is?' ennui. But this was truly, amazingly wonderful. And she said so, which made the twins, Mikey and Bethie, giggle.
"We told you so, Auntie! Isn't it magic?" Their faces were shining with delight. Collie looked over to see her own son's face with that same delight but a tinge of sadness marred the young face. What was Wolfie's problem? He looked well. In fact, he glowed. Aspen was agreeing with him. He had shot up in height since she had last seen him and that missing tooth made him look just adorable. So why the sadness?
Just then, he looked at her. Oh, my God, he looks so much like his father. The long, lean body and the cowlicks in the sandy hair. She ached for her son and for herself. What will we do if Josef – if Spike – if Mom and Dad – if none of them -- don't ever come home?
Elliott was there. He grabbed up Wolfie and brought him over. He put his arm around her shoulder and hugged them both. "Don't worry, Red. Everything will be alright. Wolfie, did I ever tell you the story of why your mom is called flat-face?"
The other children heard the question and yes, that had been on their minds, too. "Tell us, too, Daddy."
"Well, you've heard from Grandma Beth that our Collie was no angel even in her tummy?"
"Granma got punched inside her tummy a lot by Momma!" Wolfie was delighted to help with this story.
"That's right. Baby Collie moved around a lot. Grandma said it was like having a boxing match in there."
"Sort of like a kangaroo pouch, right, poppa? With the baby kanga punching from inside." Bethie was very knowledgeable about such things.
"That's right. Until the night Auntie was born. I was there and I remember seeing her face. She had knocked herself around so much that when she was born, her face was all red and really hard to make out her features. And I said, "Look, mommy, the baby's got a flat face!"
Wolfie knew the ending, too. "Granma said, 'It'll pop itself out again soon and then you'll see how beautiful she is.' "And you are, Momma! Look, we're here. We're here."
Collie looked up the hillside and there he was. Waiting for her, adoring her with his eyes, while still having that wicked smirk on his face. Spike.
How could she have ever doubted him? She loved him with all her being. Even if he had cheated on her which she fervently hoped was not the truth for she knew herself to seek revenge if that were the case. But for right now, Collie was happy. Giddy as a schoolgirl with her first crush. Actually he was her first crush. And best friend always.
She reached the top, near the biggest Monolith. He grinned. "We can't keep meeting here like this. People will talk." And he pulled her into his arms. "I couldn't stop thinking about you. Marry me. Finally and forever."
"What about your girlfriend? Won't she mind?"
He laughed. "She'll just have to get over it. I can't live without you."
There have been many kisses over the years – some sweeter – some longer. But there was never one as deeply felt as this one.
"Daddy!" Wolfie was suddenly crawling up Spike's pants. "We're gonna go get the Grans through the stones."
"We are?"
"This is a really bad idea, Red. At least wait until you can hear that buzzing noise I remember from Palermo."
"But its nearly sunrise, Ell. It'll be happening soon."
"Is Spike at least going with you?"
She nodded her head. "If he hears it, too, then we'll go together."
"And Wolfie?"
"I already told him that I need him to stay here so that he can call out to us if we get lost, too."
"You know he won't leave here without you? What if you don't come back?"
"Then raise him as your son, just like you've always done. And think of me fondly as you and Sarah tell the family stories."
A thumping of heavy boots drew their attention. Thor.
"Me go. My God, Loki, caused this. Thor will bring back safe."
"Oh, what a lovely gesture, Thor." Collie meant what she said. "But I seriously doubt Mom would recognize your voice. She'll know mine and will draw me to wherever she is. Will you stay and protect the family?"
Thor threw back his shoulders, proud to be asked. "Ja, just like always, Miss Collie. What that noise?"
"Oh, you hear it, too? It's the Stones. Spike?"
"Man, my ears are buzzing already but I'm ready to go."
Collie smiled at her brother and her son. "I love you, both." With that, she and Spike turned into the opening. "Mom, Dad. We're here. Help us come to you."
Freya the Goddess was extremely angry with Loki. "Now look at what you've done. The son and daughter have gone through the traveling stones but have no idea where they're bound. They'll die soon, too, and be here on our doorstep, no doubt. When will this game of yours end, jokester?"
The Voice thundered, "I command that this end now. Send them to their parents and then let them all go home. These are good people and they've suffered enough at our hands."
"You heard Odin. Do it now before it's too late."
"My liege, my Lady, I am truly sorry."
"Make your apologies to them, Loki. And no more tomfoolery. See to it."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Beth woke up with a start. The baby also woke up and was softly mewing like a kitten. But Beth had no time to tend to the baby. "Collie! Collie, I'm here, honey."
She quickly got up and dressed, putting on warm clothing for the chilly morning air and grabbed the baby, quietly slipping out of the house. Softly, she said "Goodbye, my love. Maybe we'll meet again … somewhere in time."
They woke slowly and painfully. Spike sat there at the opening, wondering if the world would ever stop spinning. When he was finally able to focus, he saw Collie was lying next to him, blood coming out of her ears and mouth. She moaned.
He should get her to a hospital but seriously doubted anything existed wherever they were. He looked around, seeing only rocks on the hillside with abundant foliage. No signs of people anywhere.
Great. Just great. He knew it was a gamble, made even more so by that fact that they were hybrids, but still here he was. Caught up in another adventure. With his madcap wife who was starting to rouse, mumbling something that sounded like …
"Did you hear her?"
"What's that? Did I hear who?"
Now her voice was stronger and much more clear.
"Mom. I heard her say my name and that she was … I guess here. Wherever here is."
"I heard you say something just as we were passing out but I couldn't tell you what that was. So, where is she?"
She glared at him, desperately wanting to chew him out for something … anything … just to vent her temper … when her mood changed abruptly. "We'll just wait for her."
"Here?"
"Yes."
"She's not coming."
"Why would you say that?"
"Dunno."
"Maybe she's just late."
"I don't think so."
"We'll just wait for her here."
Collie looked into the horizon and saw a woman approaching. A red-head like herself, carrying a very tiny bundle. The bundle started squalling. "Oh, have you just given birth?" No response. "Your newborn is hungry!"
The woman stared at Collie until Spike finally had to say, "Look here. You'd better nurse that baby. Anything we can do to help?"
The woman seemed to shake herself and then finally realized the baby's predicament. Immediately, she sat down and opened her bodice. The baby latched on and sucked greedily.
Collie stared at the baby. Impossible but she could swear she was looking at a replica of her own baby pictures. The face, the coloring. Even the distinctive shape of eyes, nose and chin. Who was this woman?
"I'm Holly." And she smiled.
It was Spike's turn to be surprised. That smile was unique. It was exactly like the one Beth had given to her daughter. Which Collie used to her advantage every chance she wanted her way with him.
Collie had to know. "Who are you?"
"I just said. Me name's Holly. I'm Mick's woman."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Loki!"
Innocently, he replied: "Yes?"
"Didn't we promise Beth she would remember everything?"
"Well, now, I don't remember the exact wording."
"Restore her memory so that she can be reunited with her family."
"But it's so much more fun this way. Oh, alright. I bow to your command."
"My father has a doxy?"
Spike could see both red-heads' color rising. He was afraid if he didn't get this under control soon, there'd be a catfight.
"Collie. Holly. Enough. No need for harsh words."
"You're taking her side, Spike? My father's unfaithful with this --- this person – she's even given birth to his bastard – and you're on her side?"
"Ere now, I ain't no whore. I mean I was before I met Mick but never since. An' Amber ain't no bastard. Fact is, he marrit me. See?"
And there was the coup de grace: a wedding ring!
Holy Mother, Spike thought. Now it'll be war. He could see no way out. Christ, red-heads! Except …
"Alright, if you're who you say you are, why are you here and not with Mick and Josef?"
Red-head number two warily looked at Spike and cocked her head. "Who wants to know?"
"Josef's son, Charles."
"He be the Boss."
Collie's no longer mad. She's intrigued. "Yes, that would be Uncle Josef. Boss of what?"
"Why, the best Tavern n' Scotland. I can see you be Outlanders so youse wouldn't have heard of the Crock an Bull. Boss and Mick own the place. Come on, I'll takes you to 'em. Her, too."
Collie coolly replies, "Yes, I'd like to see my – er, Mick. I have one or two things to discuss with him!"
They were almost to the Tavern when a man came up to them. He stood out – even more than Collie and Spike in their 21st Century clothes. He had an unearthly quality about him.
He laughed and they all laughed back although afterward no one could remember why. But it all seemed so funny.
Holly smiled, too, although she had a terrible headache. Maybe it was because of the voice in her head screaming at her, "I'm Beth." And Holly somehow knew that this Beth was getting stronger.
The stranger addressed her. "Holly, it's time to go. Thank you, darling, now be a good girl and let Mrs. St. John, … Beth come back. Beth, you are in there, aren't you? Oh, good. Freya will be so pleased."
Turning to Spike, he says: "Go to the house next to the tavern and get your Dad and Mick. I've got something to say to all of you."
At Spike's incredulity and slowness to move, the Man snaps his fingers and points to Collie. "You, too, gorgeous. Hurry, or you'll miss all the fun."
So there they were, at the doorway, when it opened. Collie and Spike both said it. "Hi, Dad."
They faced each other. Mick marveling at how beautiful Beth was in her new body. It took his breath away. He loved the red-hair flowing down her back and her 18 year old body. His reaction was becoming obvious to her.
Beth smiled the secret smile. She knew just what he was feeling as she was starting to get pretty warm, too. But there was the little matter of time and place. And with a glance that said later, she turned their attention back to the others.
Who had been avidly watching their reunion. Mick could have cared less, he had her back and he was never letting her go ever again. When they got back, she wouldn't see the light of day for months, maybe years.
Once again, laughter and then the strange man spoke.
"Greetings from Valhalla, where the bravest of the brave come for their final rest and honours. I am Loki." And he grinned. But no one else was laughing this time.
"Ah, yes. Beth, Goddess Freya sends you her love and hopes that you are enjoying your new body." It was not a question but a statement.
"I have been sent here by the generous allfather, Odin, who also sends you his greetings."
The Voice startles them all with its interjection. "You try our patience once too often, Loki."
And now there was a giant of a man standing there wearing a hat to cover his missing eye. Loki bowed.
"Mick and Josef. Brothers in Arms. Come forward."
WRITER'S NOTE:
You'll find the same ending to both stories here and on Brothers in Arms.
Mick and Josef came forward, and with a gesture from Odin, went onto bended knee. "Brave men, you have been sorely tried lately by this pup, Loki, yet you persevered, protecting each other without regard to life or limb. You have shown great valor. Indeed, equal to a Norseman. We will welcome you in Valhalla on your final journey, if you so choose.
And for your troubles, I offer to this: When you go back to your families, you may remain human; to live out your lives as you see fit. Or, with the exception of Beth's body, all will be restored as it was before these unfortunate events ever happened.
What is your choice, Josef Kostan?"
"I must admit that, despite almost dying from a chest wound, I've enjoyed being human again but when it comes down to it, I choose to be vampire."
"It shall be so. Mick St. John?"
Now I get the choice, Mick thought. Where were you when Coraline put her fangs down? He heard Loki laugh. They read minds, too.
"Of course." Loki was serious again. "Choose wisely. Everlasting life or a finite one with your true love."
"No question. I choose Beth." He looked over at Collie, who seemed about to protest but Spike pulled her into his arms. "I choose life for as long we both shall live."
Suddenly they were all back in Scotland, present day.
Elliott, Sarah, Thor and Brigit, Simone, Penelope and all the children had been camping out beside the Stones.
Wolfie started howling. "They're back! Momma! Daddy! The Grans, too! I think. Granma Beth?"
"Yes, Wolfie."
"How come you look so funny?"
"I've just had a baby. See? Her name's Holly Amber St. John. Amber for short. Isn't she pretty?"
He breathed "She's bootiful … cause she looks just like you and Momma."