After viewing the episode "12:04 AM", I felt like there was something missing. So here we go !

I definitely don't own those characters, they are the property of those wonderful writers, out there on the street, fighting for their rights and CBS.

20071205 : To Sylvanef, I just love the color 'red'. This story is a collaboration between Sylvanef and myself.

This story begins right after the last scene of episode "12:04 AM", with Beth still on the balcony and Mick going back inside...

A little explanation well overdue…

"Mick, wait!"

I began to walk towards him. He had stopped by the door inside his apartment. I went to him and positioned myself inches away from his body. I looked up in his eyes and saw the resolve in them… I just hoped I wasn't too late to make him understand my point of view.

"You have to understand something here… That day in the desert when I… fed you! I was with Josh in his office when the report came in of a stolen police car. Josh told me the cruiser had exploded in the desert, with you and Leni in it. I was there when the news of your death arrived…

Do you know what 'I' - yes, 'I' - felt that day? I felt like my life was over, that there was nothing important anymore. I felt like my job, my life, Josh, my friends were nothing compared to the feeling of knowing I would never see you again…"

At that point, I couldn't help myself. I had to touch his face. With a feathery touch, I stroke his bottom lip, "Knowing I would never be able to see the way you twitch your mouth from time to time…"

My hand move up to the side of his eye and stroked his eyebrow "Knowing I would never get to see your eyes again… or this eyebrow going up when you have a question on your mind, or when you are waiting for more information from someone… I felt numb Mick… I FELT LIKE I WAS DYING! I FELT LIKE MY LIFE WAS DONE! I went to my apartment and I couldn't stop crying."

I removed my hand from his face and let it fall by my side. Still looking at him, I went on, "So, when Leni called and told me that both of you were alive, but that you were in bad shape, I didn't even need to think. I went straight to you… Seeing you in that tub, still alive - not kicking - but alive... There were no questions to be asked. There was only action to be taken. And if that action meant you needed to feed on me, then so be it! Nothing else mattered!

You have to understand that! That day in the desert, I made the most important choice of my life! I allowed myself to trust, completely, someone else. That's something I've had a lot of trouble with since the kidnapping. I did exactly what I wanted. I didn't feet trapped! And I definitely didn't loath you for what you had to do!

What I hated, on the other hand, is that you didn't talk to me afterwards… You decided all alone, without informing me, that you didn't want to see me anymore… You decided all alone, in your big (and by the way, beautiful) apartment, that you were a monster and that you were too dangerous for me, the little human girl. Well, you know what?!?! That little human girl can take care of herself. She can decide what is, and what is not important for her, or dangerous for her. And she can definitely decide what she really wants!!!

And what I want, and I will fight for it with all my might, not with power - because that is your thing, being a vampire and all - but with persuasion and stubbornness. I want to be able to go through life with you at my side, to discover the man and, oh yes, the vampire in you! To share with you everything that life can offer us.

If human life is so important to you, Mick. Please understand. Every time you push me away, we lose a moment together that we will never be able to cherish again… Me being human and all, you have to understand that I have a lot less time than you to loose."

Mick looked at me with those incredible eyes, a half smile on his mouth. "Hum, big speech... long speech I should say…"

"Well, you know, being a journalist an' all... it's a professional deformation!" that I answered him, with a little smile.

"And what about Josh?"

"You are asking me about Josh, right now?" He was incredulous! "There's nothing happening between me and Josh since…" I began to think about this and that's when it hit me, "Well… since you fed on me, to tell the truth. I' can't concentrate on Josh and me, when all I do is think of YOU and me.

When I kissed you that night in the parking lot at Buzz Wire, or when I came to you, high on black cristal, and even just now, tonight… each time, I was the one making the first move. But all of those times, your body, your heart - not the actual organ because, you know, your 'dead' and all - react to me. It's more like your soul reacts to me. Against your better judgment, or logic, you would say… but you do react to me. I'm sure as hell you enjoy these moments as much as I have.

But aren't you tired always having to be on guard? Having to fight what your soul is searching for? Don't you want a companion with whom you can let down your guard and just be yourself? Don't you want to be able to and just enjoy life, without constantly brooding about everything ? I sure do. My companion is you, Mick.

So, prepare yourself Mick St.John, because whatever you do, I will always, A – L – W – A – Y – S, come back and do anything to keep you in my life. It's not a little fling that I'm talking about here,... it's more than that. I really -"

I didn't have time to finish my sentence. Mick's mouth was on mine. At first he only brushed his lips against mine… but then, at some point, my hands were on his arms, grasping them, pulling them around my body… Our mouths were pressing against each other with more passion, but he was still restraining himself. I could feel it.

I moved my hands up to his shoulders. One of my hands continues its course, beginning to caress the base of his neck... My other hand went through his hair and pulled his head towards me… At one point, I felt the tension in his shoulders finally disappear and I felt both of his arms encircling my body, with more passion, and pressing himself tight against me. His lips parted, and his tongue began a "peek-a-boo" dance with my lips, until I opened to him. Our tongues began a dance of their own... but he still wasn't releasing his control.

During that kiss, I brushed my tongue against his teeth and there they were, those fangs, growing little by little… Mick tried to push my tongue away from them, but I surprise both of us when I slid my bottom lip under his fangs and just cut it a little to give him some blood. His reaction was instantaneous. His control was gone, and the vampire in him began sucking on my lip... not with ferocity, but with playfulness. He pushed me against the wall, still sucking on that lip, caressing my body. He pressed his lips harder and harder on mine.

That was the moment when he allowed the vampire in him to come out of hiding and have fun. As much fun as the man in him was having… That was the moment when he accepted the fact that he had two personalities in him. One wild, powerful, dangerous and the other sensuous, sensitive and human!

"I love you too, Beth Turner…" he said, only centimeters away from my mouth. His eyes looked right into mine. I could see in them the intensity of this man, his complete surrender to me. The seriousness in him didn't scare me. I knew this moment was important for him, because he had just acknowledged his feelings for me, and accepted the challenge to make it work between us.

"There's a lot of 'buts and unknowns' involved here and they will be haunting us for the rest of our lives together, I can guarantee you that… We will have to work with the fact that my monster side - Okay! Okay! Don't look at me that way! My vampire side, is that better?" he asks me that little smile of his that I love.

"So, as I was saying, my 'vampire' side will be a big part of the challenge, you know that, don't you?" I acknowledged it with my eyes. I didn't say a word, my eyes were enough…

Mick continued "But I can guarantee you that I will be there. I will be your guardian angel."

To seal that promise, he resumed his passionate kissing, still gazing tenderly at me and letting me see how much he was invested in this relationship. That was when I knew. I had won over my argument and the man I loved.