Moonlight – Virtual Season 2
Short 8.1 – Why not?
Rating: PG13/T

Writer: ClChen and Mx wwmickd

Beta'd: Writers Group

VS2 Writers Group includes Candomom, ClChen, Conni4, Evilous, Misfit, Mx wwmickd, Night Owl, Phantom Phoenix, Photosue and Sunny.

Disclaimer: Moonlight and its characters are owned by CBS and Warner Brothers. All use of Moonlight and its characters in this venue are for entertainment purposes and completed solely for the pleasure of Moonlight lovers. The original storylines and episodes have been created by the VS2 Writers and Discussion Group. We hope you enjoy.

This short takes place between virtual episodes 8 and 9.

Flashback: Mick looks out over a darkening LA from outside the house he shares with Coraline. Maybe this can work. The world's a lot crazier than it was when I was human... but we haven't killed anyone lately now that I'm feeding more at Josef's place...

"Hey, babe," Mick says to Coraline as she walks out under the night sky, "You look beautiful tonight." He pulls her into a tight embrace twining her hair around his fingers, kissing her slowly and sensuously. I won't be jealous about her recent absence. Coraline tilts her head up, eyes silvering, and nips his jaw. Pinpricks really, the blood beading on the surface of his skin... she inhales.

"Really? You want me again?"

"I always want you... I want us to be good together."

"Why didn't you try and stop me from leaving, then?"

"Let's not look back... I don't want to be jealous." Mick whispers into her neck and gently pulls her skin with his mouth, biting and tenderly sucking. "You're here now." Coraline is always so desirable and Mick is hot and hard for her... Then when Coraline slides out of his arms.

"Come get me, Mick..." She'll tease him and deny him until she provokes the beast and he's fighting for her... and the downward spiral begins, Coraline demanding submission, hunting, feeding and killing together.

Beth swiped the tear away from her cheek as she sat on the bed watching Mick pace around the bedroom floor, his gray silk shirt open, his slacks unbuttoned, belt buckle hanging. He was rubbing his face trying to get his need for Beth to an acceptable level, his passion for her threatening to rage beyond controlled levels. His feelings for her were stronger than Coraline, but he feared what would happen, he feared if he lost what tiny shred of control he had… He stopped and turned toward Beth. She was still crying, her peach silk blouse ripped in two, her panties gone somewhere… She wasn't afraid, but he was.

"Why won't you, Mick... WHY?!" Beth yelled the last of her words in frustration.

"It isn't the reason you think… I won't hurt you." Mick fought his own emotions, he hated that she was crying, hated that she felt that he didn't want her… It was far from the truth, he needed her, loved her beyond sanity. But he wouldn't let things be as they were with Coraline. She was human, that kind of passion could kill.

"But you could with Coraline... I remember what you said, Mick... It was a fever that consumed you. I don't…" Her voice broke as the tears fell unchecked. Her body trembling, a mixture of desire and pain. Mick bit at his lower lip, his hands falling to his waist, almost defeated. He slowly walked to her, placing a knee on the bed, his hands touching her shoulder, her pain rolling off of her and washing over him, breaking his heart.

"What I feel for you goes beyond Coraline, what I tasted the second time I took your blood, when you… gave it to me. That's why I have to be careful, Beth." Mick touched her cheek, her blue eyes riddled with confusion, need, want. Mick gave into a heavy sigh and pulled Beth tight into his arms, willing her pain to go away.

Beth held tight to Mick's waist, her head tight against his chest. She felt every kiss he placed against her forehead, felt the gentle strokes of his hands on her back, his soft words telling her over and over it would be alright. But she wanted more, she wanted Mick. She had felt the exquisite pleasure that he brought her when he fed from her breast, knew what heights he could bring her, but she wanted more. She wanted to make love to him.

She took a shaky breath and pushed from his chest. "Go downstairs and feed or something, allow us both to calm down."

She didn't look into his eyes as he walked away. Once from the room she eased herself onto the bed, pulling her knees to her chest and sobbing. She felt rejected, unwanted. She knew he loved her, she new that deep in her bones. But why wouldn't he show her just how much, why did Coraline always come up and take from her what she had always wanted, Mick.

She rolled to her back, looking at the ceiling, her gut was telling her nothing would come of this night. What started off as romantic, gentle and sweet, to kisses and touches, to him carrying her up the stairs, her heart thrilling at the hope that tonight was the night… His hands touching and caressing her, his fangs gently scraping along the column of her neck and soft growling and purring he made. And then…

Beth catches her breath at the memory; they had pulled apart to look at each other. Mick's eyes silver, his mouth slightly open, fangs showing... he was hungry for her and she was hungry for him. She pulled him back to her yanking his shirt open... buttons popping, sucking at his mouth, nipping, dragging open his belt, unzipping his pants while his hands assaulted her clothing. Then Mick had pushed her away from him roughly.

"Coraline…" She inhaled ragged gulps of air. Will I ever... Will he ever... or will she always come between us. The hateful things that Coraline had said echoed in her mind. Beth rose from the bed, getting dressed. There was no need for her to remain.

Mick leaned against the counter as he drank his dinner, hoping to calm his nerves. He could hear Beth upstairs and then looked toward the stairs as he heard her hurried footsteps. He immediately put down his glass and walked to her. She was dressed in her clothes she had come in with the exception of the Henley she borrowed.

"Beth, wait."

"Not tonight Mick, I can't talk about this tonight," She said looking away quickly, her eyes still stained with tears, her heart still aching. She opened the door and briskly walked down the hall to the elevator. Oscar looked from Beth to Mick, he raised an eyebrow and then followed Beth to the elevator. Mick leaned his arm against the door frame, then his head against his arm. He was now fighting his own tears as he heard the elevator door close and head to the main floor. Mick pushed off and closed his door heading to his couch where he sat with a heavy breath. He leaned forward resting his arms on his knees and his head in his hands.

Beth walked to Oscar's jeep opening the back door and climbing in. She slammed the door behind her and pulled her legs to her chest, resting her head on her knees where she started to sob again. Oscar released a heavy sigh as he stepped to the driver's side door, only pausing for a moment to look at Beth as she continued to cry. He climbed in and started the jeep heading it toward Beth's apartment.

Mick hadn't left the couch, his mind racing with every conceivable possibility of what could possibly happen if he made love to Beth, the good and the bad. He wanted her so much and tonight he came close, he cursed under his breath at his own fears and said a silent prayer that he wouldn't drive her away completely and forever. As his thoughts continued, he heard the click of the door. He didn't have to raise up to know who it was. A few moments later, he felt a glass being pressed to his forehead. He raised to see Josef with a bottle and a glass, both filled with the heady scent of AB- blood.

"Let me guess…" Josef said. Mick looked at Josef, and Josef's words suddenly faded. Mick's eyes were filled with tears, iced over, fangs extended. "Drink that… Then we'll talk."

Mick sat back wiping his nose with his thumb, tears still falling as he downed the glass. He kept his head back, resting it against the soft comfort. His heart was heavy, he felt out of control since New York , since Coraline, since feeding from Beth.

"So what started this mess?" Mick gave a slow chuckle.

"Oh, come on, Josef, you should know. I love her…" his voice broke again as his tears fell harder. "I want her, no… I need her, Josef, more than air, blood. I can't loose her over this, not after everything. But I won't hurt her, I refuse to hurt her!" He raised his head up, looking at Josef, who sat across from him. His legs crossed and he looked relaxed, but Mick knew Josef was concerned.

"You're afraid this will be like Coraline… That this, what you and Beth have, will become, violent, ugly." Josef said as he watched Mick try and pull himself together. Mick nodded his head as he sat the glass on the table in front of him. Josef gave a quick nod and took in a slow breath. Trying to think of a way to ease Mick's anxieties. Josef knew Mick and Beth's relationship would never be like Coraline, but the catch was convincing Mick.

"When Coraline and I…" Mick paused as the painful and passion filled images of he and Coraline rushed his senses, biting, clawing, dominance, lust… "It was savage, brutal. I had a fever for Coraline, it was consuming. In some ways, so is Beth. Especially after I fed from her again. I felt everything Josef, every emotion she had at that moment. And I suddenly felt like I wanted to drown in it."
Josef could hear the pain and longing in Mick's voice. He knew Mick hadn't fed from Beth since that moment. The over powering sensation shook Mick to his very foundation. Much like Sarah did for Josef.

"Mick, yours and Beth's relationship will never be like what you had with Coraline."

Mick looked away and huffed out a breath. Josef grinned slightly and then rubbed at his jaw.

"Coraline pushed things to the edge, first you were played and then you played along. It's always been that way with Coraline... if you want love to feel like death... then some times sometimes you have to pay for clean up."

"You had sex with Coraline?"

"Mick, what do you think? Of course we've hooked up a number of times in the last 100 years."

"You could have told me..."

Josef looks at Mick and then smiles, as he swirls his drink around in his glass.

"When you two were an item... well, I wasn't the one with a death wish... and later I didn't want a walk-on role in your obsession." Josef was staring off into oblivion.

"You and Coraline's need for blood and violence, was the way you tried to control each other. Even the way you killed her... was just getting in the last word. Besides it was only a matter of time before you killed her or she killed you. You lasted longer than most vamps she sired."

"What do you mean?"

"Coraline likes being chased, she likes being caught, and then she likes turn the table on her pursuer and drag them to the edge... humiliation... danger... death... you know, all the fun stuff."

Mick sits silently remembering how Coraline dragged them both to the edge of sanity.

"Is this your relationship with Beth, do you have to chase her, or control her?" Mick shook his head no. "Do you feel that Beth is trying to control you?" Mick shook his head no again. Josef nodded his head again and sat forward, his soft brown eyes settling on Mick. "I think you can let this fear go. Coraline is childish, Beth isn't. Mick, you have a natural instinct to protect Beth, its caring, nurturing. Don't you think when you two make love it would be the same?"

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