Beth's apartment held a lot of uneasy memories for Mick. He'd been busted before as an intruder, standing near the couch. Currently he was sitting on the same couch, trying very hard to look slightly more dainty. How the hell did Josh fit in this feminine decor? He chuckled internally, pleased with the less-than-salutary conclusions that could be drawn from that thought...oh goody, Mick. You're going to get petty about his masculinity now? How about that cosy corner in the kitchen where you vamped out and tried to kiss her. Tried to because he stopped himself, not that Beth could have done anything to prevent him.

Beth came in carrying a cup of coffee and a huge muffin, probably about half the size of her face. You should tell her that, that's a winning compliment.

She was frowning. "Why did you say that at the door?"

He was assiduously studying the painting of two ducks on the wall opposite. "Say what?"

There was a chink as she slammed the coffee down. "Bad liars, Mick. We've already been over this."

"You're cute when you're mad."

Beth was silent. She started nervously, "Mick, look, Josh and I..."

"It was a joke, Beth."

He was nervous and angry and it was making him vicious. Mick shifted slightly on the couch - this is like quicksand - and tried again, "There are some things I need to tell you." He stopped, startled by the sudden acceleration in her heartbeat. "Beth are you alright?"

She glared at him in frustration. "How many times are you going to start telling me about this case?"

"It's not really a case." He held up a hand to stall her, "The hospital called while I was in New York. They're not sure how it happened but...Coraline's disappeared."

Beth dropped half the muffin.

OK, now it looks edible...not like a football with blueberries.

"Disappeared?" she echoed.

"Yes."

"How is that possible?"

This was the part Mick hated the most. He paused to force the words out, "They're not sure. She flatlined. When the nurses went to revive her a few seconds later, they found the bed empty."

She was silent while she processed it. "Oh my God. I killed her." She's dead? She was dying and I didn't even go...didn't care to ask about...I stabbed a woman and then forgot she existed? I murdered her.

He moved quickly to the armchair. "No, Beth. You didn't. I think a vampire came to get her. I smelled vamp when I went into the room and the trail ends in an adjoining alley. I haven't had a chance to check it out properly yet, OK?"

"Are you sure?" she asked clasping her arms round herself tightly.

He frowned. I have no idea..."Yeah."

"But what happened to the body?" She kept her voice even. I refuse to cry anymore, I will not cry!

"When I said a vampire came to get her I meant it literally."

She was looking at him sympathetically. She was looking at him sympathetically!

"I'm so sorry, Mick. I know you still...cared about her."

He moved back to the couch. The distance between them seemed forced now, the natural comraderie stretched thin. Beth watched him, conscious of a sudden sense of wild fury. Surely Mick could face this conversation without running away! Was he that much of a coward? She stood up and moved to the couch, following pointedly. "What about the cure?" she asked bluntly.

He shifted again, discomforted by her nearness. "I have some blood."

Beth looked confused. "What blood?" He still wasn't looking at her. She glanced over at the ducks.

"I took some blood from her when I was last there."

"They gave you -"

"No. I took some blood. Hypodermic needle, found a vein, extracted, OK?" This was all wrong. There was nothing to tell her. He was just a fool, playing games to kill the time. This was nothing. He turned, half relieved, to her and stopped short. Oh Christ, this was not nothing.

"I should go," he said abruptly, getting to his feet slightly more awkwardly than usual. Goddamned couch!

She rose too. "Do you want me to help you find Coraline?"

"No," incredulously. "I just wanted to tell you so that you knew."

"And that's it, Mick? That's all you came to tell me?"

Tell her, Mick. A woman deserves to know when she has your heart, now. Maybe it will be you that has hers, lad. "No."

She looked hopeful.

"Josef called. He says 'thank you' specially." Neither of them was going to talk about it. You are such a coward, St John. Tell her. What's the worst that could happen? Oh god, no, stop that thought! It was diabolical as one of Josef's parties. Spun all hell out of control...Tell her! "About New York..." his voice trailed off. He was half-expecting to see her dismiss the words instantly. Half-hoping, actually.

She fixed him with her clear gaze.

"I'm sorry about what happened. With Martan. The killing. Seeing Sarah...everything." He ran a hand through his hair distractedly. He couldn't say the words. So he said he next best thing. "I'm glad you and Josh were able to work things out."

Beth looked away. She responded shakily a moment later, "I guess we've been drifting apart recently and we decided that we'd try properly this time."

Mick smiled. "Relationships are hard." Especially with a wife like mine.

Evidently the same thought had occurred to Beth because she looked up at him and smiled and it was like walking into a blood bank running a two-for-one special. "Yeah, they are. Although Coraline and Josh are quite different." She giggled.

He nodded supercilliously. "Coraline's hotter."

Beth's face was a study. She looked half-shocked, half-amused, as if she couldn't

make up her mind. Finally she settled on poking him again. "She may be hotter but he can cook."

Mick raised an eyebrow. "Coraline's French. Did I never mention that she could cook? She just couldn't eat."

"No," Beth muttered, turning away slightly.

"So, no come back to that?" he quizzed lightly.

"Try not kidnapping little children in the middle of the night to salvage a dead marriage," she retorted. Beth felt her fists clench and her cheeks grow hot.

"Hey." Mick took hold of her shoulders and looked at her with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I'm fine. It just seems disrespectful."

He could smell her pain. "You're not fine," he said. And then he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

She flowed into him, holding on tight. No, she wasn't OK. She wasn't OK because as much as she felt for Josh, she felt something for Mick too. It killed her that even though Mick had carefully and politely put her aside every time, she couldn't give herself to Josh completely. It killed her that she caught herself wishing Mick was human...

He held her till he felt her muscles relax. Then he stepped out to arm's length quickly.

"Drink?" he asked smiling.

Beth nodded. "Stay here, I'll find it."

She finished three-quarters of a bottle of wine, he tossed down a quarter bottle of scotch. He said it was too sacrilegious to drink the way she was demolishing the wine. Josh called to say he was working late and would go back to his own apartment eventually. He'd see her tomorrow. It was a really big case!

That had really incensed Beth. "So, if he needs to vanish, then it's OK? I can't vanish. Oh no. Especially not with you," she said pointing at Mick.

He looked at the floor trying to hide the grin. "Beth, you're drunk. You should probably watch what you're saying."

She sighed. "I am a little drunk. But not that drunk."

"Oh good," he replied, "there's levels."

They both laughed. He told her about LA in the thirties, she listened avidly and asked questions. Eventually at 3 a.m he figured he should leave. Beth was dozing on the couch by then.

"Beth." He leaned over to touch her shoulder gently. "It's late, you should go to bed. I'm going to head home."

She groaned. "OK."

"Do you want me to get you anything?"

She groaned again. "Blankets, bed and water."

He chuckled. "I can get you blankets and water. I could bring the bed too but I'm not sure you want that."

"Water."

She sounded like a sulky child. She sounded adorable. "OK, water."

When she finished the glassful, she looked a lot better. "I suppose I should go to bed," she moaned, eyeing the distance to the bedroom.

He rolled his eyes. "Beth?" She turned to face him and he swept her up into his arms. She gasped and linked her arms round his neck. And suddenly he realised that it was a very long walk to the bedroom with her body shifting in his hands and her face inches away...

He laid her down on the bed carefully, one knee balancing their weight on the mattress. Beth opened her eyes and he saw that she wasn't drunk. Tired and worn out, but not drunk. And still holding on to him. "You need to let go," he said softly. She let go. He didn't move. She was lying on her back, staring up at him, and he watched the rise and fall of her chest.

Tell her!

"Mick." It was just a whisper. But it was enough.

He bent his head to hers, close enough that she could see what he was doing and stop him if she wanted. Oh, Christ. What was he doing? She didn't move. Then, he heard her heartbeat speed up and that was all the encouragement Mick needed.

He kissed her till she was raw with need, gasping against him. The iron control he'd had when she came to him high on Black Crystal had vanished. He couldn't find the words to tell her, but he could show her. "Do you want me to stay?" he asked huskily, his heart in his eyes. It was an aeon before she nodded, once, and then pulled him back down to her.