The wonderful shows Moonlight and Veronica Mars are owned by companies and people other than me. They are just places I go to play.

This is a Moonlight / Veronica Mars crossover. The series starts with Who Are You? This installment follows the last one The Fountain of Youth.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mick walks heavily down the stairs. Beth sees him and moves to stand next to him. She sees the worry in his eyes as he watches Veronica leaving the house. "What happened?" she asks.

Mick glances down at her and smiles wanly. "I got my wish. Logan and Veronica are through for the time being. I just hate that's it cost her so much."

Beth takes his hand. "Come on. Let's go see Shannon and then you can tell me about it."

He kisses her lightly knowing she's trying to help him. "I can't. Josef signaled me on the way out that he wants to talk to me. Given, that he did it when Gabriel was looking in on Logan, I can only guess he wants to speak to me alone."

Beth scowls at him. She knows Mick needs some time to talk to her about what happened upstairs. "Josef can wait." she says as she tugs on his arm. "You need some family time."

He smiles at her lovingly. "I do, but let me get Josef out of the way." He has a hunch Josef just wants to rant at him about the kids. Despite the fact that Logan sent Veronica away, Mick is sure that Josef blames Mick for some of the break up. "I think I know what he wants and I'd rather not relax with you, if I'm just to get angry all over again."

"I'm coming with you." she says her anger starting to escalate. "I don't know what happened up there but I'll be damned if I'm going to let Josef harangue when we've all been through so much."

Mick sighs inwardly wishing he'd kept his mouth shut. As much as he appreciates her desire to protect him, he really doesn't need her and Josef nose to nose, the anger escalating between the two of them. Just the thought gives him a headache. "Beth..." He takes one look at the set of her jaw and knows she's not going to take no for an answer. "Come on."

"No." she tugs on his arm again. "You are going to come with me first and feed. It's been too long and if you and Josef are going to argue, being hungry won't make it any better."

Mick smiles at her insistence. She's right of course and it will give him a few minutes to mull things over and decide what tack to take with Josef.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Josef takes out is ringing phone and sighs hoping for good news at least on this front. "Grant, what have you got for me?"

Grant smiles into the phone. "His blood is clear. He's as vampire as the rest of us."

Josef lets out a sigh of relief. "Thanks for calling. Before I let you go, I need to know if you made any headway on the drug the hunters were using to keep Bowden sedated."

"Yes, I know its basic components, what they used to make it. It's essentially a mix of a synthetic belladonna and Ketamine."

Josef frowns trying to remember what he knows about the drug. "Isn't Ketamine a tranquilizer used for animals?"

"Yes and in large enough doses they can even use it on large animals, horses that kind of thing. The belladonna is the only poison that actually effects a vampire. Small doses over a period of time won't kill us, but it will cripple. The Ketamine alone wouldn't do anything to one of us but combined it with small doses of belladonna and you have an effective way of keeping a vampire down, done right, even an old one. Until this came a long I didn't think there was anything besides the drug I used on Logan that would have any effect on a vampire and I can promise you very few vampires and no humans have access to that formula."

"Is there something that can be taken to keep its effects to a minimum?" Josef asks grimly. "Janice brought up the idea of the hunters putting it into tranquilizer darts."

Grant stops for a moment thinking about the prospect. "She's right. It's a real possibility. The right mix in a tranquilizer dart and any of us will drop. As I said, even old age and power can't overcome the initial effects and no, there isn't a damn thing that can be done about it. The only variable is how long the vamp will be down and that depends on the dosage to vampire age ratio. Too strong on a young one and you kill him, too small a dose on and old one and the vamp isn't down long. They probably tinkered quite awhile to get it just right to keep Bowden incapacitated. My guess is that, in this instance that they will go for pretty strong, not caring if they kill any of our young. They know Vanessa is here, so they'll want to put her and anymore old ones that might be around, out of the fight in a hurry."

Josef swears softly. "Alright, we'll have to take that into account when we decide how to defeat them." One more question suddenly occurs to Josef. "Grant, what's this stuff look like?"

"It's clear as water. It could be put in any liquid and not change a thing, not even the taste. Perfect for dealing with beings with our heightened senses. The only true way to know it's not being added to your drink is to always take all your blood direct from the source. This stuff would kill a human in a flash. I'm not even sure a turning would be able to save a human after just a sip."

Josef shakes his head not wanting to think about the ways this could be used against their people. One problem at a time. "Are you on your way back to collect Sydney?"

Grant is silent for a moment not wanting to get this wrong. "Then she hasn't spoken to you about staying?"

"No, she hasn't. If she's afraid to leave I can make arrangements for her to stay but this may not be the safest place, since our goal is to get the hunters to come to us. It could put her right in the line of fire." And I don't need another person vampire or human that can't fight.

"It's not that. Josef, Sydney called me a few minutes ago. She told me that she saw Veronica leave with Derrick." He pauses for a moment. "She believes and is most likely correctly that if Veronica is not there for Logan, he will need someone and she is willing to...be there for him. She told me she had offered herself to him when they were out on the terrace but he was fighting his needs, which she said was making everything worse."

Josef looks at the ceiling and pictures the look on Veronica's face if she were to hear about Logan with Sydney. He's tempted by Sydney's suggestion but only to see if he can get Veronica to come to her senses about how she feels about Logan. Despite what Gabriel says, Josef still believes she's in love with Logan. The problem with putting Sydney in the middle of the pair is it could be very bad for Sydney. He can't do that to the girl, especially after all the good things Grant has done for his family. If not for Grant, Sarah might still be in bed and Logan might be in another, both of them in a coma. "Grant, tell her thank you but I think it's safer for all concerned, especially Sydney if she stays very far away from Logan. I know that Veronica left with Derrick but that's not to say she's given up on him. I think it's better for everyone if we bring in someone who doesn't have any kind of history with either of them."

Grant nods his head. "Alright Josef I'll call her and tell her. Since all is well with Logan I will come by and get Sydney. We will leave town right away. Neither of us will be of any more use in this fight."

"Good idea. If you need anything or have any problems call me and, thank you again for all you've done. I'll call you and let you know when it's safe to return." Josef disconnects and turns when he hears Sarah enter the room. "Finally some good news. Logan's blood is clear."

She smiles, moving towards him. "That's wonderful news." She reaches up to loosen his tie. "Now come here and relax."

Josef grins down at her, his fangs extended. "I wish that I could." He'd like nothing better than a taste of her but the trouble with Gabriel over Serena nags at him. He sighs heavily. "Unfortunately Gabriel has some half assed idea to go after Serena so...it's either stand in his way, which would probably do more harm than good, and still not stop him or help."

Sarah traces her fingers across his jaw. "It's the right thing to do. You may not like it, but you can't blame him for finally take the responsibility for her."

Josef snorts. "Yes, well his timing is damn inconvenient." He kisses her finger tips. "Cross your fingers that if I help him set this in motion things around here will quiet long enough for us to have a few moments."

Sarah nods. "Let me know if I can do anything to help."

Josef kisses her lightly, knowing if he allows it to be more he won't leave her and there is still a lot to do. "Thank you for being here for me, making my life so much easier to live..."

She gently tugs in his tie a smile on her lips and her fangs showing. Unfortunately, before she has a chance to say what's on her mind there is a knock at the door. "Come on in Mick." Josef calls.

Sarah scowls at him good naturedly and heads for the door.

"Where are you going?" he asks.

"I'm going to keep Vanessa company while she sits with Logan."

"Be careful. If he wakes up don't take time to see what his frame of mind is, just get out of there." he tells her.

She shakes her head. "I'll be careful but Vanessa will drop him like a ton of bricks and she won't need any drugs to do it."

He nods. "Still, don't take any chances."

She waves, hi to Mick and Beth as she passes them in the doorway.

Josef watches Mick cross the room and then scowls when a steely eyed Beth enters in behind him. He wonders what's gotten into her.

Mick sits heavily on the couch and Josef sees the stress in Mick's face. He moves to the bar and pours both of them a half and half. He holds up a glass. "Beth, would you like something?"

Beth prepared for a fight, is taken off guard by Josef's ease. She nods stiffly. "Yes, a coke if you've got one."

Josef nods and grabs a coke out of the fridge. He walks across the room and hands both Mick and Beth their drinks. He looks at Beth questioningly. "What's got you so ticked off?"

Mick closes his eyes waiting for the explosion.

Beth eyes him. "If you think I'm going to let you lecture Mick about the kids you've got another thing coming."

Josef looks at her in surprise. "Why would I do that?"

Mick opens his eyes. "I figured that was why you asked me to come up here."

Josef waves his drink dismissively. "No, despite what Gabriel thinks, and you want, I don't think this separation is going to last long. I don't think it's going to take all that much time before they are back together." Josef smiles as he feels Beth's anger slide away.

She quietly laughs at him "Awe, Josef the eternal romantic."

He smiles back. "Of course, just ask Sarah."

Beth sighs. "What about Derrick? Have you thought about how he fits into all of this? What if she's in love with him?"

Josef shakes his head. "I think...he's been her respite from the trauma going on around her. Derrick is a nice guy who is old enough to have worked out most of the problems in his life. I don't blame her for needing some peace after the year she's had, but I think once she has some time to get her bearings again she'll be back where she belongs."

Mick smiles warily at Josef. "You might be right, and it might be sooner than you think."

Josef narrows his eyes at Mick. "What do you know that I don't?"

"Nothing, but I've been going over that scene in Logan's room...She's pretty stubborn..." Mick says with a smile

"No shit." Josef agrees. "But that's not what you're talking about."

"No but it's a factor. First off I do think she's a little confused, but if we hadn't ambushed her, if she'd had the time to figure things out on her own, it probably would have been a lot less painful for both of them. I shouldn't have let Gabriel pull me into my past...that was hard for her to hear. It's not like her to give up and leave so easily." He shakes his head. "That wasn't like her at all. She's never been afraid to fight for what she wants."

"What do you mean you ambushed her?" Beth asks tightly.

Josef looks on as Mick quickly gives Beth a rundown of what happened in Logan's room. When he's done Beth scowls at him. "It sounds like Gabriel had already made up his mind and pulled the rest of you in."

Mick shakes his head. "Not entirely. I've made no secret of the fact that I don't like the relationship." he smiles ruefully at Beth. "But I keep forgetting that it's not my decision. It was one thing when she was a fledgling and couldn't make those decisions rationally for herself, but now...I should have stayed out of it." He looks thoughtful for a moment. "But as I said she's stubborn. I think once she takes a few minutes to breath and think this over, Gabriel will find that he's got a real problem."

"What about Logan?" Beth asks. "He told her to go?"

Josef snorts. "He's never had any will power were she's concerned. If I hadn't stopped her when she made a move towards him he would have never been able to let her go. I think his problem is he's afraid of hurting her, which is the only reason I stopped her. Gabriel is right about one thing, if Logan hurts her, he will go into a spiral of self destruction that nobody will be able to pull him out of."

Beth looks between the two men shaking her head. Her eyes wide. "You said Logan has no blood bond?"

Mick nods, wondering what she sees that they don't.

"Did any of you stop to think that, aside from the mother that abandoned him, you've removed the strongest emotional bond he's ever had? You've taken away the one person that has anchored Logan a good portion of his life? So, now he has no blood bond and no emotional ties."

"He has family now. We can give him the support he needs." Josef tells her.

Beth shakes her head. "Sure he loves all of you, and support is a wonderful thing, but it's not the same. He would do anything for her." Beth smiles. "I suspect even find the will power to make love to her and not hurt her." She smiles tentatively at Mick. "How much of the pain from what happened to you would have been allied if you and Coraline had the kind of bond she must have thought you had."

Mick smiles, gently cupping her face. He kisses her softly. "You mean the kind of bond you and I have?"

Beth nods, smiling softly at him as he continues. "Quite a bit." He closes his eyes wishing for a moment that he had, had what she described. He opens his eyes and returns her smile, so grateful she's in his life. "I can see how it could have been much better but you don't understand the blood lust. It can be consuming."

Beth laughs and looks at the two men pointedly. "And where have I heard that argument before?"

"It's not the same." Mick tells her knowing she's talking about him.

"No, it's not. In this instance it's better, because if he does slip, Veronica's wounds will heal. There is no way I'll believe he will, or even can do permanent damage to her, let alone kill her. Not only that, but if she'd gotten some support," she looks at the two men pointedly again. "If someone could prepare her for what she might face with him, instead of all this negativity, then the probabilities of her being hurt go down." She waves her hand dismissively at the two men. "Can either of you tell me that those two are better apart than together."

Josef grins. "Gabriel isn't going to like it."

Beth snorts not needing to comment further on what she thinks about that.

Mick decides it's time to change the subject. "Then why did you want to see me?" Mick asks.

Josef smiles. "One more thing before we get to that. I got a call from Grant just before you came in and the news is good. Logan's blood is clear."

Mick smiles, takes out his phone and begins to text to Veronica. "That is good news. I know even with the way things are between them she'll want to know." Once he's done he looks at Josef. "Next?"

Josef shakes his head. He glances at Beth worried at her reaction. "I need you to go with Gabriel."

"To rescue Serena?" Mick asks somewhat surprised. He shakes his head. "Another thing Gabriel isn't going to like."

"I don't like it either." Beth says but she raises her hand. "But I trust the two of you to know what has to be done." she looks at Mick. "And you to stay safe."

Josef continues glad that he's not going to have to argue with both Beth and Gabriel. "I don't care what he likes. I need you to go along for two reasons. First because if he gets caught, somebody's going to have to be left free to warn the rest of us and help us bail his ass out."

Mick thinks about it for a minute and snorts. "As powerful as he is? How likely is it that they can contain him?"

Josef shrugs. "I would have said the same about Bowden."

Mick nods. "Point taken. And?"

"And while you're there it would be nice to have someone do a little recon and see if we can get an idea about what the hunters have planned. Even if all we learn is how they are armed, it would help." Josef says

Mick nods thoughtfully. "Not a bad idea. Has Gabriel discussed his plan with you at all?"

Josef shakes his head. "Not yet. I wanted to talk to you and get your ideas first."

"Well, I've given it some thought and I don't care how good his telepathy is, if they notice time loss due to his tinkering with their heads they are going to know something is amiss and either change their plans or scatter. Not only that but his telepathy won't do squat if they have that compound wired with cameras. We need a way to knock out the electricity and hope they don't have generators."

Josef smiles glad that he and Mick are as usual, on the same page. "My thoughts exactly."

xxxxxxxx

Vanessa looks up from her magazine, she smiles to herself as she feels the frost in the air between Sarah and Coraline. Both women are reading their own magazines, pretending not to notice the other. She wanted to laugh when Sarah came into the room and saw Coraline. Apparently she'd forgotten that Vanessa is keeping a very close eye on Coraline as long as Beth is living in the same house. Sarah being Sarah is far too polite to leave once she said she'd come to keep Vanessa company. Vanessa reaches out to Logan in the next room and frowns. Because this is a drug induced sleep, he's not sleeping dead to the world like a vampire normally would. She shakes her head as she feels the turmoil. Gabriel said Logan had been up earlier but only for a few minutes. Apparently whatever got him up the last time is still in his head. She can feel him fighting the drugs, trying to keep sleep at bay. She looks at her watch and decides if he doesn't quiet his mind in the next half hour she's going to do it for him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

One more bites the dust