Disclaimer: Nothing about Moonlight is owned by me. But my greatest appreciation to the people who gave us such a wonderful story to expand on!
My thanks to NeteleJala for reviewing this story and offering her wise advice to a novice writer.
The story takes up after Josh's funeral. So we have a very battered, human Mick to deal with.
DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES
Chapter One-Sunrise
It was magnificent. He had almost forgotten the beauty of an impending sunrise. He smiled slightly and shook his head. No..that wasn't right. He had forgotten the beauty even though he would never have admitted it over the years. It had simply faded and lost its luster. Like many other memories he brought out from time to time to ruminate on from his human past. Memories that were growing hazy and pale as the years wore on.
He stood at the ledge of his rooftop facing the east. He'd risen early to climb the stairs to the roof. His injured hip and knee had protested at the added weight of lifting his body up each step but he wanted to view this event as a human. He didn't know how many chances he might have. This was day two of his rebirth into humanity. There might not be many more and he wanted to make the most of the time he'd been given.
The colors in the sky were still pastel and soft. Creamy yellows blending with silky blues were streaking the sky low on the horizon. The buildings in the distance were silhouetted by the approaching day.
He stretched his hands over the concrete edging as if to brace himself and watched for the first rays of true light to penetrate into the morning. Moment by moment the sky changed from the soft colors ending the night to the brighter, sharper hues that would begin the new day. And then, finally, the white piercing light of the sun exploded over the city.
He inhaled sharply and held his breath as the sun struck him. Lifting his battered face to the sky he closed his eyes and watched the warm glow through his lowered lids. He exhaled and surprised himself as a laugh escaped from his lips. The sensation was amazing. And now he remembered. Remembered other sunrises from long ago. The memories flooding his mind as the sun cascaded across the rooftops. How could I have forgotten this? What else has quietly disappeared from my life without me being aware that it was even gone?
His mind came to rest on Beth. Is she gone as well? She seemed responsive to him while they talked at Josh's graveside services. He would really like to share this time with her. If she would put aside her anger at him and her own guilt about her feelings for Josh then maybe he'd have a chance.
He had stood with her on this rooftop just weeks earlier. Her hands and body trying to shield him from the morning sunlight that was burning his skin and drawing his strength away after only minutes of exposure. Not even her closeness or her kiss could keep the pain at bay for long. The growing daylight had forced him to move into the shadows of the building for protection. But he had looked back at her before leaving the roof to see her standing in the sun. The rays of light reflected in her blond tresses and her face showed a radiance that could only come from a mortal. It had made him sick to think how far removed he was from what she was. She looked like an angel. And he knew what that made him.
But now he had an opportunity to show her who Mick St. John really was. Not some kind of killing monster but a man who could show real love and compassion. Who liked music and jokes and reading the comics in bed on Sunday mornings. And yes….sunrises. The man he was back in 1952.
He'd never felt the pressure of time slipping away before. He'd been a young man when he was turned. Still with plenty of life left to do with as he wanted. After his turning there was nothing but time. A never ending supply of days and weeks and years stretched before him. No, time was not a precious commodity to a vampire. But it was to a human.
He needed to make the most of this time he'd been granted. To savor and enjoy every moment of this gift. He would need the strength of these days to bolster himself to go on living after he reverted. A frown creased his face at the thought. It was not something he wanted to dwell on.I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. But not yet…not yet.
He glanced down at the streets below him. Traffic was picking up. More people and cars were moving through the city now. It was odd that he was transfixed by such mundane activity. It reminded him of when he was first turned. He would stare at something for the fascination the colors and textures held without ever appreciating the item itself. He could have done this for hours on end had not Coraline forced him to move on. Her patience would only be pushed so far and she'd had much to teach him. All of which he'd found appalling.
He reluctantly turned from the morning skyline and headed across the roof to the door leading into the stairwell. His leg was not as painful as yesterday but it would be several days before he would be walking without a limp. He had taken the beating of his life as a mortal and was aware of how lucky he was to have survived at all. Besides, the pain was a validation to him that, for the moment, he was no longer a vampire.
As he negotiated the steps he leaned heavily on the handrail to help reduce the pressure on his injured hip and knee. He chuckled. Oh, if Josef could see me now. He had a good idea that his best friend would have little sympathy for him in his current frail condition.
He did need to speak with Josef though. He was still formulating how to go about meeting with his best friend. He wasn't sure if walking boldly as a human into Josef's domain would be advisable. There could be other vamps around and his human scent would be at odds with what they were seeing. They would instantly be put on their guard. And Mick would be the first to admit that he was more than a little off his game as far as doing hand to fang combat with a vampire. Perhaps asking Josef over for a drink at his place would be a better idea.
First things first though. His stomach was calling for food. He still had a refrigerator full of leftovers from the buffet of delivery food he ordered two nights ago. And after Josh's funeral he had stopped at a local grocery to pick up some basics.
He'd spent over an hour in the store and come out with only one small bag. He hadn't been grocery shopping in 55 years and had been overwhelmed with the choices. He'd strolled down one aisle after another occasionally placing an item in the plastic basket he held in one hand until the smells from the bakery drew his attention. He'd picked up dozens of packages of breads and sweet-rolls from the shelves for examination before settling on a loaf of potato bread and a jelly filled Danish from the display case. He'd eaten the Danish in his car before he left the parking lot because he could no longer stand the enticing smell of it.
Wishing now that he'd bought two he poured himself a glass of milk and drank half of it immediately. Had blood ever tasted as good as this? It must have because he'd drunk plenty of it from this very glass. That thought stopped him in mid-swallow. His eyes traveled to the hidden door at the back of the refrigerator. There were at least six bags of blood lying behind that door. He finished swallowing the milk and lowered his glass to the counter. The idea of drinking from those bags made his lips curl in disgust.
Grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl he ambled over to the living room and sat in one of the cushioned chairs. He bit into the fruit and started to consider what to do with his day.
He had several things on his mental 'to do' list. One was to contact Josef. He also had a couple of cases that just needed some paperwork done in order to close the files on them. That would leave him with a clear schedule because he wasn't going to take anything new until his human vacation was over. He had also decided to buy a bed.
He'd already spent two nights too many sleeping on the couch and wasn't about to spend the rest of his nights as a human trying to get comfortable on it. He longed for cool sheets and warm blankets and something a little more forgiving to his aching body than that damnable sofa. And pillows! Soft, plump pillows to lay his head on! He took another bite of the apple and leaned forward with his hands between his knees to look at the suddenly offensive piece of furniture. Now, in the light of day, it didn't appear to be the torture chamber it had felt like last night.
Josef wouldn't be up until much later so he could put off that confrontation until after he'd bought the bed. If he purchased it early enough today and gave an extra hefty tip for delivery he might be sleeping in his own bed tonight. The thought propelled him to his desk computer to seek out the nearest store where the current object of his desire might be waiting. Several listings came up on the screen. He chose three he thought might be the closest and jotted the addresses down on some note paper.
He leaned back in his chair, finished off the apple and smiled. Yes! It was going to be a good day! And, with any luck at all, a good night!