Hey, fellow Moonlight fans. I'm heading for my second story for this show. I don't this glorious series, naturally. I'm thinking of adding to this story, so if you want more, let me know.

Everything

Beth lay down on Mick's couch, rubbing her cheek absently against the soft material. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd blown it, if she should have just kept her mouth shut, pretended that she didn't know. Was she in for another round of avoidance, or was he just going to shut her out? Sometimes Mick St. John required more patience than she was known for.

Beth could admit she was spoiled with men. Usually, she set the terms, and if they didn't like 'em, they could lump 'em. If things got messy, she'd always been prepared to cut her losses, send them packing with an apologetic smile, a few glib words, and not a second thought. Not that she'd had a lot of relationships by today's standards, especially since a vibrator and naughty fanfiction could get a girl through a sexual drought, and men were more trouble than they were worth as often as not.

Josh was probably the most serious she'd ever gotten over a guy, the farthest she'd ever let a man come in. Of course, that was because he played by the rules, and gave her unconditional support. But she didn't love him. Hell, the bloom was already off the rose, and their relationship was barely a year old. The early days of honeymoon-like bliss seemed like a vague dream, only wisps remaining in Beth's memory.

She knew Josh blamed Mick for the sudden distance between them, the withering of their relationship. There was some truth to that. Mick's appearance had been distracting, brought on feelings that should be against the law, because they were really starting to affect her sleeping patterns. If it wasn't for make-up, eight glasses of water a day, she'd probably look like death warmed over by now thanks to Mick. All the nights she'd spent tossing and turning for hours, filled with guilt over emotionally cheating on Josh, worried about what would happen ten years from now, suffering through sexual frustration over what almost happened the one night she was high off black crystal…well, it was embarrassing.

But this bond with Mick, well, maybe was accelerating the disease of tedium where her boyfriend was concerned, but sooner or later, whatever she had with Josh would have died, because that's what always happened. She always got bored, or dissatisfied, or subconsciously sabotaged her romances. Commitment was a word that had never sat comfortably with her when it came to men.

"Beth Suzanne Turner, you keep burning your bridges with relationships, you'll end up like great-aunt Lucy," her sister was always warning her. "Up to your ass in cats and paperwork, over the hill, and nothing to show for it. You ain't gonna be 26 forever, honey." Since her sister couldn't function without a man, Beth guessed she'd feel that way.

There was a part of Beth that wanted to revert back to form, and cut her losses with Mick, make a clean break. He'd respect that, and honor it, because Mick was all about the right thing. He had a monster complex the size of LA, and was always ready to fall on his own sword to drive the point home. That's why she'd avoided him for a week after the rogue vamp, hoping that they surge of intensity between them that freaked her out would die quietly, leaving her with her sterile, but peaceful life. She'd just missed him, and kept at Josh until he agreed to hire Mick to find his witness even though Josh made it sound like he'd twisted her arm, and not the other way around. Mick seemed to buy her story that she'd just needed space to process, but it was bullshit, plain and simple. She'd been scared.

Beth hadn't liked it so well when Mick turned the tables, and started avoiding her after her little blood donation in the desert, and she vowed never to tempt karma again. Even though she knew game playing wasn't his style, if he'd been out to teach her a lesson, she got it the first time. Of course, it was just Mick being Mick, noble to the extreme.

It all made sense now. A part of her must have always remembered him, always knew it was Mick that was her guardian angel. She'd known that night she drifted back from her black haze, the night he saved her life from the TA from hell, but he'd thrown her off. Maybe that was why she never let anyone too close, had been so reluctant to give up her virginity in the first place. It wasn't until a crazy romance in college she'd finally given it up and that had been a disaster twenty ways even, so she wasn't even going there again. A part of her had always been waiting for Mick to come, waiting for him to come with that part of her always missing.

Did she love Mick? Yes. She'd loved him that night 22 years ago, with the innocent impulse that children often give their love, but in her case, it was definitely warranted. She couldn't remember the actual kidnapping itself, couldn't remember 'the scary lady' except in bits and pieces. Still, Beth remembered the terror, the kind the closes your throat, that makes your insides cold, and your stomach ache. Her guardian angel had whisked her away, made her safe again.

The pictures she found in that file showed her that he'd always been there, the photos ranging from when she was four, to the time two days after she'd first met him…again. "Do I know you?" she'd innocently asked. "You tell me," he'd countered. Oh, Mick. If only she'd known.

Did the love she feel for him go beyond what was rooted in childhood innocence? Oh, hell yeah. There was nothing child-like about the way she ached for Mick St. John. Fortunately, Josh had never been in bed next to her during one of her less than PG-13 friendly dreams, only the occasional nightmare, because Beth had woke up frustrated and moaning more than once over the last two months. But did raging hormones and childhood love come together for something deeper?

She squeezed her eyes shut. Like she even had to ask herself. The answer was a huge 'duh.'

"Beth?" A voice she'd know anywhere had her jerking into a sitting position. Mick was standing at the foot of the stairs, staring at with those eyes that always saw too much for her own good.

"Isn't this bedtime for you?" During any other time, she would have been wondering if he slept in a coffin, but right now, that was the last thing on her mind. She just wanted to start out light, ease into the dangerous territory.

"My beauty sleep can wait." The quip had all the humor of midterms. He wasn't even trying. Still, Mick had a right to be off his game. So was she. It had been a rough night. "How's the arm?"

"It's felt better, but since it's not broken, I got off easy. Mick…" she was suddenly running on empty, her mind blank. Tears filled her eyes, and all she wanted was her arms around her.

"I'm sorry," his voice was low and rough. "I screwed up more than I can say, and I know-"

"Oh, just shut up," she snapped, to her feet in a second. "If you beat yourself up one more time, I'm shoving you off the balcony, got it?" She stalked forward, never taking her eyes off his shocked face. "You took me out of a nightmare, made it okay again, fit in keeping me safe into your crazy schedule for 22 years, and been the best friend I ever had!" She was speaking in a yelled whisper inches from his face, letting her breath wash against him. "You called yourself a monster, but that's a cop-out. I've seen monsters."

"Beth, you don't know-" Oh, hell no.

Beth didn't even let him finish. "Is Josef a monster?"

"Josef?" Caught off guard, Mick was quiet for a moment. "His morals hang a little loose, sure, but he's a long ways off from that."

"So, Josef, in all morally loose glory isn't a monster, but you are. Have you ever heard of logic, because I don't hear any." She grinned. Checkmate.

"Beth-"

"Shh," she placed a finger on his lips, deliberately mirroring her actions that night she'd came over, riding on black crystal. This time, she allowed her fingers to caress the sensitive surface completely. "We all fall occasionally, Mick, but all that matters is getting up." She leaned in, her lips brushing his. Delicious sensation filled her, making her shiver. "I love you."

In less than a heartbeat, she was yanked up flush against him, their mouths merged, and devouring. Lust was surging through her body, making her burn and ache in all the right ways. If the bulge against her stomach was any indication, he was right there with her.

He was lifting her, her legs wrapping around his waist as their frenzied tongues dueled, her hips moving in quick, uneven movements. He was thrusting back against her, the friction sublime, but not enough. She yanked her mouth away to breathe, biting his ear roughly. It was crazy how things got so hot so fast. It usually took her a while to get warmed up, and she'd gotten to be an expert at faking it. She was yanking at his arms. "Touch me already," she choked out.

"Be careful what you wish for." The sound of fabric ripping filled her ears; her shirt was falling in pieces to the ground. Her bra quickly followed, and his hands were sliding up her sides to her breasts. Oh, yes-

"Beth?" Her eyes flew open, her system confused and bereft. She was alone on the couch, the throbbing between her legs verging on agony. Audrey was looking down at her, face worried. Oh, shit, had she been moaning or screaming Mick's name?

"Yeah?" She almost winced. She sounded like a porn star, getting ready for her close up.

"Were you having a nightmare? You were thrashing around, and then you screamed."

"Nightmare?" Inspiration hit, and she lied right through her teeth with desperation. "Yeah! Wow, it was a doozy. I was being chased by…" she almost played the Shepherd card, but would have felt too guilty, considering Audrey's history. "…dog. A really big…dog."

"Yeah, that sounds pretty scary." Was there a glint in Audrey's eye? No, no, it was just the light.

"You seen Mick?"

"He left twenty minutes ago. He told me he was going to some guy named Josef…oh, something or other's house." A hint of a smile played on the young girl's mouth. "He checked on you, by the way. Don't worry, you weren't thrashing yet."

Beth wasn't stupid, and she knew how to read people. Audrey didn't buy her lame story, but Beth was too embarrassed to drop the pretense. Besides, she was still hooked on the first part. "He did?"

"I was heading upstairs, and happened to look." The young woman shrugged. "It was really sweet, you know, just as good as anything in Pride and Prejudice. He looked at you like you were…well, like you were…everything." Audrey placed a hand over her heart, sighing wistfully.

He's everything to me, Beth thought, and kept thinking it for a long time.