You may have noticed the change in my fic's name (back to the original title). This is because I have been given a new inspiration. I have decided to go through with a companion piece to this one (something I have been toying with for awhile) and I will be using the second title (Together) for that piece. I will post more after the epilogue, but the names actually work better. This fic is setting up the relationships that will appear there.

Now, with that in mind, I look to get a hold of my life again. So I will not be posting on the regular basis that I have, it will probably move to once or twice a week, but I am really excited to start working on this new story.

A little about Josef's mirror... The whole thing is not silver, just the backing on the mirror face. (The face is only about an inch and a half in diameter) For those who don't know mirrors are made from glass with a shinny, reflexive, metal on the back. Modern mirror are made with aluminum or tin, but before modern chemical processing silver was the only metal that could be molded thin enough to make mirror.

What happened when Beth hit the female vamp, was that the mirror face (the glass and silver) part popped out and broke. The sharp edges of the glass allowed her to the pieces as a knife and the silver acted as a poisoning/paralyzing agent to the vamps.

Remember, Josef is still human. He was cured by the vampire essence, but not turned. He was working off adrenaline in the last post, but now that the excitement has died down and he got back to his house, he's energy has left him. The events of the evening are starting to take their toll on him.

I need to address this, since people seem to have forgotten. In my fic Mick has embraced his inner vampire. He wants to spend eternity with Beth. I am reposting a section of Chapter 23-Trapped to recapture this feeling…

Together... Together… Together…

It had become his mantra, warding off the evil feelings inside him. She loved him and he loved her. It was that simple. It looked like Adriana held the cure. He could become human, and then he and Beth could be together. Forever.

Together…Together… Together…

Mick stopped breathing. He couldn't be with her forever. Only a lifetime. Before he met Coraline, a lifetime had been forever. But now… now that he knew forever to be a reality, he wasn't sure he could settle for only a lifetime.

Together…Together… Together…

Mick chuckled to himself. I've spent my entire undead life running from what I am and now that I have the chance to give it up, it's all I want. Mick's breath caught in his throat. I can't pretend that I want only this life with her. She is my reason for living. She is the reason I am what I am. Mick remembered the first time he saw her in, scared, but trusting.

Together…Together… Together…

He had cared for her for so many years he couldn't remember when he first realized he loved her. If I hadn't have been turned, I wouldn't have been there to save and protect her. She saved me from myself, she reminded me of my humanity. If I wasn't a vampire I wouldn't have been here to be with her. My life isn't a curse. It's a blessing. I was blessed with the chance to spend this moment with her…

Together…Together… Together…

Silent tears streamed down Mick's face. Could I tell her this? Could I admit that I want more than a lifetime? Questions swam through his mind. Most importantly, what do I do if she doesn't want to spend eternity with me?

Together…Together… Together…

Mick pushed these questions from his mind. She was willing to give me her blood and her mortal life time, why not eternity? He knew he couldn't go on living once she was gone. He would fade away into nothingness after her death. He lived for her…

Together…Together… Together…

Now that we cleared that up, back to the story…

Enjoy!!!!

Aftermath

"Don't look at me like that," Beth pleaded. "I know you think you're a monster, but you're not. And right now you are making me feel like a monster because I'm choosing to be with you." Beth had pushed herself out of Mick's grip and scooted to the far side of the bed.

"Beth-" Mick wanted to tell her everything.

"No! Don't say it. I wanted it to happen, then you couldn't take it back or blame yourself. Don't you understand…I want to spend eternity with you," Beth was near tears.

Mick paused. He was trying to find the best way to tell her. He slid across the bed and wrapped her in his arms. She tried to push him away again, but he didn't let her go this time. "Beth, listen to me," he started.

"Why? You're just going to tell me no."

"No. I'm not." Beth stopped struggling. Slowly, she looked up at him.

"You're not?"

"No, Beth. I'm not." Mick took a large breath and sighed. "I've been wanting to tell you, but I couldn't figure out how. I wanted to ask…" Mick's throat became thick. He swallowed. She had basically said 'Yes' already, but he was still nervous. "I wanted to ask you if you would consider being turned to be with me?"

Beth threw her arms around him. "Yes, yes, yes! Oh, Mick, I'd thought you'd never ask!"

Mick embraced her, then rolled to his back, taking her with him. He kissed her, showing his joy at her answer. She kissed him back, enjoying the feeling of his warm body.

She sat up, looking down at the beautiful sight that was to be hers for all eternity. "What changed your mind?" she asked, drawing lazy circles across his abs.

"You," Mick replied.

"Me?" Beth stopped and looked at him.

Mick took the opportunity to flip her to her back. He pressed his whole body against hers and sucked at the wound on her neck. "Yes, you, Beth. I have loved you forever. You have been the reason I kept living. And yesterday, after…" he ran his fingers down her body and into her wet folds to make his point, "I realized that wanting to spend a lifetime with you wasn't enough. Even eternity won't be enough. I love you Beth Turner, with all my heart."

After that, there was noting more that needed to be said. Instead he showed her just how much he worshiped her. Beth was swept away in a furry of passion that she never cared to return from.

Josef climbed the stairs wearily. He had left Mick and Beth to sort out their differences. He didn't want to be part of the argument that was to follow. The car ride back had been excruciating enough. He wasn't sure if he was going to make it up the stairs. The adrenaline rush from the vampire essence was wearing of, and he was so tired, he couldn't see straight.

When he opened his bedroom door, Adriana looked up. She had been sitting on the bed, against the headboard with her knees tucked up to her chest. She eyed Josef as he stumbled into the room. He was a mess. His shirt was missing, his pants were soaked, there was mud in his hair and… Is that blood on his chest?

"Josef," Adriana uncurled herself and moved towards the end of the bed, "What happened?"

Josef looked at her. His heart ached, not from the bullet, still lodged somewhere in his body, but from the look in Adriana's eyes. They shone with concern and love. No selfish emotions, demanding answers or saying, 'I told you so,' just pure, unadulterated, love.

Josef didn't know what to say. All he wanted to do was change and sleep. Adriana seemed to read his thoughts because she got up from the bed and helped guide him into the bathroom. There she set to work, gathering towels, shampoo, rubbing alcohol and clean cloths.

"Adriana, I…" Josef started, trying to explain.

"Shhh," Adriana held her finger to his lips. "You can tell me later, when you're ready."

She sat him on the counter as she cleaned the bloodstains off him. Josef sat there, letting her run her soothing hands over his tired body. He didn't even protest, when she stripped him and led him to the shower.

After a warm shower (with a lot of shampoo) she toweled him off and then herself. She dressed him in a warm pair of PJ bottoms. Josef leaned on her as she walked him back to bed. He flumped down on the mattress and she climbed in delicately after him. She wrapped her arms around him. Josef curled against her warm body and sighed, drifting off to sleep instantly.

Adriana continued to caress his back in soothing circles as he slept. She fell asleep holding him, glad that he was back, glad that he was okay and glad that he was with her.

The long hall in front of him seemed to stretch for eternity. The vamp walked slowly, already knowing his fate. He was dead. He had interviewed that Beth Turner, or Konstan… whatever.

She was his undoing.

He should have known; should have been able to tell who she was. Why didn't he smell it in her blood? It didn't matter now. He had to face the boss. The vamps in charge of ridding the Agency of Mrs. Konstan had been found, burned in their car. He would bare the blunt of the boss's wrath. The thought made him tremor.

He entered the office. The room's furnishings always reminded him of a turn-of-the-century parlor. The rich deep rug, grand fireplace, and large wood desk gave an aura of elegance and style. A large, winged-backed chair sat behind the desk facing the fireplace. A classical villain's lair, all she needed was to be stroking a cat. But he knew that wouldn't be happening, vampires couldn't be trusted with pets.

"What news?" Came a voice from behind the chair.

She doesn't have the audacity to turn around and face me. "It doesn't look good miss. Your henchmen were found, burned to death in their car in the middle of the desert."

"And the woman?"

"We're not sure. Her body was not found, but we did find a gun with one round expended, perhaps they were able to kill her and whoever killed them, took her body away."

"Perhaps, Perhaps! Don't give me perhaps! I want to know what happened to her!"

The man cowered. "I'm sorry, but our men are having trouble tracking her because of the rain."

"No excuses! Bring me her body!"

"But-"

"Find her!!"

Josef awoke, still in Adriana's arms. Sun shone through the window. Josef, tentatively, stuck his arm into the light beam, Damn, still human. He barely remembered anything that happened after he walked into the room. He watched Adriana as she slept. She looked peaceful, content with the world. It'd been a long time since he had felt like that, but that's what age does to you. It makes you cynical.

But he couldn't help thinking that this girl, this amazing young woman, had as dark a past as himself. In her 25 years she must had seen things as a child that he hadn't witnessed until he was centuries old. Growing up with vampires couldn't have been easy, yet here she lay, smiling as she slept, like she didn't have a care in the world.

Josef realized, I'm putting her in danger, setting her up to get hurt… Is this how Mick feels around Beth? Does the guilt overwhelm him? How can he live with it? With himself? Josef didn't know how to deal with his feelings for Adriana. He wanted to hide her away from the world, in an ivory tower, where nothing and no one could ever get to her, where she couldn't be hurt, and where nothing could take away her childish innocence.

She stirred next to him and he was roused from his thoughts. He ran his hand down her arm, taking in the silky complexion of her skin. Her beauty was undeniable, but her smile was priceless. Josef loved her personality, her audacity, her enjoyment of life, even her recklessness. He loved her. Josef hadn't admited this to himself until now. How? I haven't known her for more then two days. How could she have come to mean this much to me? It took me years to let Mick in…

But Josef couldn't reason his way through it. Love is like that, reason has nothing to do with it. It felt as if Adriana had been created for him, she was everything he had lost over the years, innocence, spunk, spontaneity, and enjoyment.

"Hey," Adriana had woken up. She looked at Josef, her chest tightened at the emotions she saw in his face. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much," Josef said. "Thank you."

"For what?" Adriana asked.

"For everything, for taking care of me, for not asking questions, for staying with me…"

Adriana smiled. Josef realized would have given his entire savings to see that smile everyday. His throat choked up. "Adriana…"

"Yes."

"Don't leave."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Beth had drifted off to sleep and Mick was playing absently with her hair. She wants to be turned… She wants to be turned and spend eternity with me.

Mick's rejoicing was cut short, by his conscience. Am I really worthy of her?

"Of course you are," Beth answered his question, even though he didn't voice it out loud.

"W-what…" When did she wake up?

"You were staring at me, brooding. You had that look of, 'I'm not worthy' written all over you. But I'm here to tell you… you are worthy. You are the most worthy man I know. You deserve all the happiness you can get."

Mick grunted. There were things in his past that he wasn't proud of.

"No one is perfect, Mick. But, if you can't accept that, except this… I choose you, so in my eyes, you are the most worthy."

Mick smiled. God, I don't deserve her. He pulled her to his chest and kissed her forehead. "I love you," he whispered.

"Mmmm," Beth sighed as she snuggled against him. She could get used to this for eternity. "So when are you going to turn me?" she asked.

Mick stiffened. They had talked about this, but he wasn't sure she was ready to go through all the emotional issues that accompany a turning right now. "Beth," she had started to drift back off to sleep, "Beth," he said more forcefully. "We need to talk about this."

"I thought we did," she said somewhere from dream world.

"I mean really talk. You can't jump into this. There is going to be a lot of loose ends to tie up, your job, your family, your friends… We're going to have to plan this all out."

"Don't you do anything on a whim?" she asked still half asleep.

"Beth, this is serious. You are going to have to die." This roused Beth out of her stupor.

"Why? Can't I stay for awhile? I will have few years at least, then I could…"

"No, Beth. It is easier for it to be all at once. Besides, the transition process takes awhile. You wouldn't be able to explain your absence from society for a couple months."

"Couple of months!" Beth got the feeling, there was more to this turning thing than she realized.

"Yeah, Beth. Turning is a process. You have to adjust to your new senses. The bloodlust is particularly hard to curve. Most new vamps can't be alone with humans for months after they are turned."

Mick was glad to see the seriousness of the situation cross Beth's face. She needs to know… needs to understand…

Beth was quite for a minute, and then remembering earlier in the car with Josef, "You implied turnings can go wrong under good circumstances, what did you mean by that?"

"Well, some turns don't work. The people get lost on the way and never wake up, or the vamp takes too much blood and kills them. Either way, it's a fine line."

"Is there anyway to be sure?" Beth hoped her voice didn't betray her nervousness.

"There are things that can help-"

"Like a blood test." Josef said as he walked through the door. "It looks like you two got over whatever that was in the car. Talking about turning… interesting subject. Has Blondie convinced you vampires are cool?"

"Actually… yes." Mick soaked in the look of surprise on Josef's face. He didn't see that one coming.

"Really? Let me get this straight. Mick, you want to be a vampire?" Josef was astounded.

"Yeah, I do. Beth too. We've decided to spend eternity together." Mick smiled. He pulled Beth closer to him and watched as Josef took in this news.

Josef stumbled for words. "M-g-mm-wow-great… great, that's really great. So when will the deed be done?"

"That's what we were just talking about. Mick was explaining the dangers of turning to me and then you walked in," Beth explained.

"Josef's right, Beth. Blood work can help. It can help determine if there will be complications." Mick meant to continue, but Josef cut him off.

"And it just so happens I am on my way to the courthouse, now, to have some blood work done, would you care to join me?"

Beth smiled, she had almost forgotten about the blood work for their 'marriage.' "Let me get dressed, Josef. Then I will be right out." As if on cue, her stomach growled. Mick and Josef laughed. Beth just smiled. "After that, could we possible get something to eat…"

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