I'm so, so sorry...my muse kinda...deserted me I guess. I had this idea about an Augest Rush x-over w/ PotO...tried it and it didn't get rid of my block, so I just stopped. Yeah, there's really no excuse for it, but I'm back now, I promise I will NOT leave a story unfinished...unless I absolutly have to and I will tell you the reason if that is the case...unless I'm dead, and then it's Eve's job to inform you why (he, he). So yeah, you finally get an update.

Chapter 25

Mick pushed Beth behind him, and unlocked the door. Ethan came in, and looked surprised to see Beth there.

"Ah, I wasn't expecting you to have…ah…'company'."

"Just shut up and tell us what you're doing here." Beth said.

Ethan looked surprised. "Fine." He looked at Mick. "Why is she here?"

"I don't see why that is any of your business."

"Mick you know that's not what I meant, why is she even alive, she knows what we are, she must be disposed of."

"Mr. LaFont, I'm a reporter, I know how to twist words to my liking, and I can keep secrets."

Ethan's eyes flashed silver and he stepped forward. "You may have that ability, but you are mortal, and as such can be easily disposed of." Mick reacted instantly. Ethan was pressed up against the door, and Mick's fangs were sharpened and bared.

"Mick no, stop!" Beth wedged herself in between them, and took Mick's face in her hands, and forced him to meet her eyes. "Mick, please just stop, I'm fine, he won't be able to touch me, you won't let him, I know that. He won't hurt me." Her words seemed break through to him, and he backed off. Ethan straitened his jacket, and sneered at them.

"So pitiful, any real vampire would have torn out my throat for insulting them or even their freshie."

"For one thing, I am not a freshie, and for another, get out now." Beth moved to stand half behind Mick, half next to him.

He sneered at them again, and Beth was reminded slightly of someone…she just couldn't think who. "I don't take orders from freshies, much less simple mortals who just got lucky enough to find out about us."

"You know, Coraline thought I would make a good vampire." Shock rose in Ethan's eyes before he could hide it.

"And how did you know her?"

"She kidnapped me to try and convince Mick that the three of us could be a family together." Anger shone in his eyes, although it did not seem to be directed at them this time. Then he sneered again.

"But that was when you were a child, not an adult."

"Natasha seems to think I'd make a good one."

"Yes, well Natasha always's had a strange way of looking at things."

A voice from behind Ethan said. "Oh she has, has she?" Josef stepped out of the shadows, completely vamped. Ethan turned to face him. "I thought I told you to stay away from us."

"You did, but then I never did take orders from you, did it?" Josef grabbed him and threw him out into the hall.

"Never, but if you know what's best for you, you may decide to start soon."

Ethan laughed. "Keep thinking that brother, you know you'll never be able to bring yourself to kill me. Wouldn't want to get you hand dirty."

"I may not do the deed myself, but I can arrange for you car to suddenly explode. And besides, Natasha isn't so restricted. Now get out!" Ethan turned and walked away.

Josef stared after him then turned to look at Mick. "Sorry about him."

"No problem. Come on in." Josef walked in, and sat down in a chair. "So what are you doing here so late?"

"Natasha had a rather interesting story to tell me last night."

Mick sighed. "I'm sure she told you all you need to know."

"All I need to know yes, but not all I want to know." He turned to Beth. "I have to congratulate you, both on bringing Mick somewhat out of his shell, and for not backing down to Ethan."

"Ethan wasn't hard, I'd met him before, Mick was a bit, well he's Mick."

Josef nodded. "So am I going to have to worry about becoming an extinct species any time soon?"

"I can't answer that, but I can tell you that if you do, it will not be because of me."

"I suppose that's fair enough."

"All right, are you done interrogating her now?"

"Now Mick, when am I ever done interrogating people?"

"Never."

"Exactly." He turned back to Beth. "Now, my sister said something about you calling her to tell her that Mick had been shot, and that you apparently didn't listen when she told you to stay away from Mick."

Beth frowned; she would have to talk to Natasha about that. "Of course I didn't listen, Mick was hurt and if there was anyway for me to help then I was going to." Josef raised an eyebrow.

"Even if it meant feeding from you?"

Beth frowned and held up her hand, the cut from the night before obvious on her palm. "Does that answer your question?" Josef shook his head.

"But would you have let him feed from you, if it was necessary?"

Beth walked over to him, and stared down at him. She just stood there, then Josef stood up, towering over her, their eyes locked. Then Beth turned and walked to Mick, who looked slightly bewildered at what was happening. "Mick."

"Yes." He said somewhat warily.

"Would you bite me?"

Mick looked horrified. "What, why-no!"

Beth's eyes glazed over, remembering her dream. "Not even if you were dying?"

"No!"

"Would you be able to stop yourself?" Josef asked.

Shaking, Mick whispered. "I don't know."

Josef walked over to them. "Mick, you know dam well that if you were dying you wouldn't be able to control yourself."

Mick looked Josef in the eye. "I've never been in a situation like that so I don't know…and neither do you."

"Mick, we're vampires, we need blood to survive, end of story."

"Don't you think I know that, Josef?"

Josef was about to reply, when Beth broke in. "Guys, can we get back to my original question please?"

"Fine." Josef turned back to Mick. "So, would you?"

"I already answered. No." Beth walked away, feeling the tears starting up again; she walked over to the window, staring out at the city. Mick walked over to her. "Look, I know you didn't like my answer, but would you have rather I lied to you?" Beth didn't say anything, and Mick gave a groan of frustration. "Will you quit being so damn stubborn?!" Beth whirled to face him, glaring.

"Well if it isn't the kettle calling the pot black."

"What, you are, and I'm not being stubborn, I'm just trying to keep you safe."

"I'll decide what's best for me, and that includes what's safe for me and what isn't!"

"Well you don't seem to be deciding very well seeing as you're still here!"

Beth threw her hands up in the air. "Mick, I trust you! You saved me when I was a child! How can I not feel safe around you?!"

"Beth I'm a-" A slight cough from the other side of the room made them both jump. Josef was smirking slightly, although he hadn't moved since they'd started on this tirade.

"Am I going to have to break up a relationship fight already?" Both Mick and Beth blushed, though Beth more so. He continued. "Although I have to say, the end result after the fighting is always worth the fight in the first place." Mick glared at him, but Josef only smirked.

"Sorry." Beth mumbled, knowing he could hear her as well as if she'd shouted. Mick said nothing. "I just…let myself get carried away."

"Understandable, now how long have you known Mick for what he is?"

"Um…about a week, maybe a week and a half." There was no need to show that she'd been counting the minutes…although she was certain he'd guessed it from the look on his face. "And I've known about vampires, like everything you can know without either being one or knowing one personally, for about 5, maybe 7 years."

"Ok, Mick I think we can trust her to think for herself…seeing as she hasn't gone to the press yet…although being the press, she doesn't exactly have to go anywhere. Anyway, if she wants to do something then you have to authority to stop her…unless it's a matter of security then you have my full permission, but other than that, no."

"I've been taking care of her for 22 years, I-"

"Exactly, and now it is time to let her stand on her own 2 feet, let the fledgling leave the nest…although that's probably not the best terms for this occasion, maybe in a year or so perhaps." He raised his eyebrows and Beth.

It was Mick who answered "No."

Josef sighed. "Ok, fine, I give up, have it your way. You can duke it out with her on your own, but don't come complaining to me when you loose every single fight worth winning."

He stood up and walked to the door, he paused just before opening it, and turned to look at Beth. "Oh, and Beth, I was told to inform you that you would be getting pay back from Natasha…something about you and Mick having her thinking you two were still fighting or some such thing." He was gone, and the door closed before Beth could even blink.

She turned back to Mick. "Look, we're not going to agree on this, so can we at least agree to disagree?"

"And just which dilemma are we talking about?"

"My last name, dolt." Mick frowned for a moment, then seemed to get it.

"Fine, but I am not turning you."

"Not right now, no."

"Not ever."

"Two words; Tasha, and Josef." Mick closed his eyes.

"Ok, technically that's three words, not two, and can we figure this out some other time when we are not completely stressed out, please?"

Beth nodded. "Just one more thing; if you'd never been a vampire, how would I have met you?"

Mick seemed to have nothing with which to reply to that statement with so he changed the subject. "So what are we doing?"

"We are going over to my house, for a date, and I am going to again try and cure you of your monster complex, sound good?

Mick sighed. "Do I have a choice?" Beth grinned.

"Do I 'really' have to answer that?"

Mick shook his head. "Fine, let's go." Beth grabbed her things, and was about to walk out, when she realized Mick wasn't following.

"Mick, come on." When he didn't move, she walked over, grabbed his hand, and started to drag him towards the door…or at least she tried to. Mick dug his heals in, and wouldn't budge.

"Beth…" He sighed. "Don't…don't you think you're doing this a little…to fast?"

"Doing what?"

He gestured between the two of them. "You and me."

"First of all, it's an 'us', and no I don't think we're going to fast."

"But-"

"If you don't want to talk about the last name subject now, you will stop fighting."

Mick sighed. "Fine." He went forward without complaint.

Again I am very sorry that it took so long to update, hopefully getting this chapter up will help.

PP