Moonlight – Virtual Season 2
Episode Ten – A Matter of Blood
Rating: R
Writer: Misfit
Beta'd: Writers Group

VS2 Writers Group includes PhotoSue, CIChen, Sunny, Misfit, Evilous, mxwwmickd, Night Owl, PhantomPhoenix and Candomom.

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.

The doctor on duty and several attendants ran for the ambulance as it came to a skidding halt near the emergency entrance of Versailles Hospital. Jerking the doors of the ambulance open, they pulled the gurney out with a thump, jarring its occupant. The young blond screamed in agony, her bloody clawed fingers clutching frantically at her swollen belly. Running alongside the gurney, the doctor lifted the sodden mess of the girl's skirt. Blood, bright and copious puddled between the white thighs and he cursed, shoving a nurse toward the phone. "Call Duvall now! Go!"

The blond gulps, trying to raise her head to look at her belly and he curses silently as a bloody froth foams from her lips. Anxious to soothe her terror, he touched her cheek briefly as the gurney was shoved into the exam room. "You'll be fine, chere'. I do not want to die."

The clock on the wall marks the minutes…

"She's dead." The doctor trembled, heart pounding in his chest as he refused to look at the vampires.

"And the child?" Lance's voice was deceptively soft. "It survives?"

"No." The doctor's chin dropped to his chest. "I'm sorry. I did everything I could. It was too late."

"And the blood?" Lance glanced at his servant, Edward, before he turned back to the dark, rain-streaked window. "I trust you kept the child's blood?"

"Yes, yes, of course." The doctor groveled, eager to regain favor. "We retained all of the AO-."

"That's very fortunate for you, doctor." Lance lifted his shoulders, adjusting the lapel of his fine woolen suit jacket. "Your forward thinking will let you live. This time." The doctor broke into relieved tears and Edward smirked as he followed Lance's long strides down the hall. Lance slapped his gloves against his leg. "Have the plane readied for the States. We need to visit my dear sister and the very lovely Miss Turner."

MLMLML

Well, it's a marvelous night for a moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes.
A fantabulous night to make romance
Neath the cover of October skies.

Beth twisted the towel around her head, smiling as Mick sang softly at the sink. Wrapping another large, fluffy towel securely around herself, she pushed the glass door open, meeting Mick's smile in the mirror.

All the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow.
And I'm trying to please to the calling
Of your heart-strings that play soft and low.

Mick rinsed the razor in the sink, his eyes never leaving her face as he continued to sing softly, the razor moving in long, smooth strokes.

And the nights magic seems to whisper and hush
And the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush.
Can I just have one more moondance with you, my love?
Can I just make some more romance with-a you, my love?

Beth giggled, raising herself on tiptoe to rest her chin on his shoulder as he rinsed the razor for the final time. "Are you going to lead on this moondance?"

"Maybe." Mick toweled the remaining traces of shaving cream from his face and glanced up at her reflection with a flash of desire. "A few more lessons and I might be ready." Turning from the sink, he drew her close, kissing her smile. "You're quite the dancer, Miss Turner."

"I'm glad you noticed." Beth's hand slid along the low-slung waist of his pajama bottoms and she rested her forehead against his chin. "It was nice, wasn't it?"

"It was more than nice." Mick gave her a little squeeze and kissed her forehead before releasing her to turn back to the sink. "And I need to stop thinking about it, so you can go to work."

Beth's mouth opened and closed in mild frustration. "Yeah, you're probably right." She pulled the towel from her hair and shook it out around her shoulders. "I can hardly wait for Ben's vampire questions this morning."

Mick straightened, running his hands through his hair. "You need to stall him, Beth. Avoid any details until we figure out where he stands." The small worry lines creased between his brows and his eyes locked with hers in the mirror. "You think you can do that?"

"Well, I guess I don't have any choice, do I?" Beth pulled off the towel and tossed it at the shower door. "I'll be ready in about 30 minutes."

Mick bit his lip as her naked bottom marched from the room and he shook his head as he met his own reflection in the mirror.

Mick VO: Ever catch yourself with a stupid grin on your face...I keep seeing myself in the mirror and I can't say I recognize myself...shaving while Beth takes a shower, an ordinary morning after a night...what a night...where the monsters stayed away and kept themselves in the shadows of the past where they belong.

MLMLMLML

Beth jumped, startled as Ben's voice spoke from the intercom. "Beth? Can you come to my office, please?" Setting her cup down, she wiped the dribble of coffee from her chin, glancing at Oscar as he shifted casually to alertness in his chair.

"Sure, be right there." Grabbing a notebook, Beth took a deep breath and pasted a smile on as she entered Talbot's office. "What's up?"

"Shut the door." Ben waited until she closed the door before tossing an envelope on the desk in front of her. "What is this?"

"An envelope." Beth picked it up, looking curiously at the spidery script. "Mr. Benjamin Talbot, Esquire? Have you opened it?"

"Of course I opened it." Ben pursed his lips and leaned back in the chair. "I'm just not sure what it's supposed to mean."

Beth pulled the single folded sheet from the envelope and opened it carefully. Scanning the page quickly, she gave Ben a skeptical look. "It's an invitation to a Halloween Ball, Ben. That's pretty plain."

Ben's eyes narrowed. "Why would Kostan invite me to," he gestured for her to hand him the invitation, "The Blood is Life Ball?" Ben snorted and dropped the invite on the desk. "A vampire saying Blood is Life? He's kidding, right?"

"No, I think he's serious." Beth picked up the invite again. "He's very involved in charitable organizations and causes. It says right here," Beth tapped the page, "all proceeds are donated to the American Red Cross."

Ben was still skeptical. "So I'm not being invited as a 'treat' then? It's a legitimate function?"

"I'm sure it is." Beth folded the invitation and put it back in the envelope. "I'm sure Mick and I've received an invitation, too." Beth smiled, trying to reassure him. "Ben, they're not monsters. They have normal lives just like we do. Well, almost normal lives."

"Normal?" Ben snorted. "You just accept drinking blood and living forever as normal, Beth?"

"No, I'm not saying I accept everything about them as normal, because I don't." Beth took a deep breath and dropped the invitation back on his desk. "I know you have a lot of question but you'll just have to ask Josef or Mick. I can't give you any answers." Beth could still see the need to ask questions written all over his face and she sought to change the subject. "Sooo…do you have any new cases I could be working on?"

Ben gave a tight smile of resignation. "No, nothing new, but you could follow up on the bombing case. The coroner should have some of the preliminary reports completed on the victims and we need to get them in the system. Why don't you check?"

"I'll get right on it." Beth opened the office door, pausing for a moment as Ben picked up the invitation to study again. "Bring a date, Ben. It's for a good cause."

MLMLMLML

Mick grinned mischievously as Josef stood in undershirt and tux slacks in his office while the tailor marked for alterations. "You're really getting into this civic minded thing, aren't you?"

"You'd do well to follow my example." Josef turned in front of the mirror to judge the fit of the slacks, brushing a trace of lint from the pleats. "Word of mouth goes a long way in your line of work. You could establish contacts on all levels of the business world." Satisfied with the slacks, Josef stripped them off and handed them to the tailor. "The Halloween Gala would be a perfect place to start."

"I don't know, Josef." Mick leaned back in the chair, resting his chin on his hand. "Costume parties just aren't my thing. I wouldn't know what to wear."

Josef smirked. "Well I'm sure Beth would have some ideas. Let her dress you up," he sniffed slightly, "or undress you again. You haven't…?"

"No, we haven't, Dad. We're…working our way up to it." Mick's glance slewed away as Josef started to dress. "I don't want to rush it."

"The Dad thing's getting old, Mick. Just do it and get it over with. This is 'My Beth' we're talking about, it won't be like Coraline, trust me." Josef pulled on his dress shirt and made quick work of the buttons. "At least she's not asking you to turn her."

"She wouldn't." Mick's hand moved slowly over his mouth as he thought about Beth's tear streaked face on the night Emma and Jackson died. What about when I start to get old?" "And I don't know if I could if she did."

"Well, I've been asked." Josef snapped his suspenders in place and knelt to put on his shoes. "And Simone won't leave it alone. She refuses to take no for an answer." Josef stood and moved behind the desk to flop in the chair. "I'm don't need this right now."

Mick chuckled. "We're really making progress on our commitment issues, huh?"

Josef snorted. "I wouldn't call it progress. We've got aggressive women on one hand and the Legion culling the tribe on the other. I'd rather face a torch-bearing mob."

Mick sobered and pushed from his chair. "You may get that chance if we don't find out who's feeding Talbot information."

"I'm way ahead of you." Josef stood, too, and moved to the bar to pour a much needed drink for both of them. "ADA Talbot's not making a move that I'm not aware of." He gave a tight smile as he raised the glass in mock salute. "The Legion's recruitment methods are nothing compared to mine. He'll come to understand what it means to get an offer he can't refuse."