Just Us Chapter 48

The difficult, dangerous and complicated was never just going to go away.

Here is the next chapter.

Enjoy penni :)


"Patrick, when I want something done I expect to get what I ask for. Are you sure that it was an accident?"

Josef looked him over closely. Patrick Doyle was no Mick St John but he was thorough, loyal and had proved himself over the years. It probably helped that the vamp standing before him in his office was well aware that he would have his head if he failed to carry out his orders. Everything possible had been done to ensure that the human had been protected just as Mick had requested. There could be no room for error.

"Yes, Josef, I'm sure. We have been in constant contact and there has been absolutely no evidence of anyone else tailing the subject. She wasn't supposed to have late classes, they were rescheduled at the last minute. There is no way that this was set up."

"Okay then, do what you have to do."

"Yes Josef. Do you want me to call St John?"

"No, I'll do it. Mick and Beth have a vested interest in this and it's better if they hear it from me rather than see it on the late news."

Josef was pissed. It was the last thing he needed tonight. It was a loose end and he hated loose ends. He was expecting some guests at the house in the next hour and he didn't appreciate the fact that he had been held up by this latest drama. These guests were very particular with their requirements and he had to get things ready for their arrival. He knew that Mick and Beth were out for the evening. Why spoil their fun? He'd go home and prepare for his guests then call the couple with the news that they would not be at all happy to hear.

If it was anyone else he would have let Patrick handle it but Mick and Beth were family. He felt like driving himself home tonight so he dismissed the waiting driver and headed down to his private parking garage and his beloved Ferrari. The drive home with the top down would clear his head.

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Mick had insisted on waiting with Beth in the car outside the restaurant until her friends arrived despite Beth's assurances that she would be fine and that she could do without him for the five, ten or even fifteen minutes it would take for someone to turn up.

"It's not the best neighbourhood Beth, I'm not going to let you stand on the street by yourself at this time of night."

Beth rolled her eyes. "Who needs pepper spray, maybe I can keep a can of tuna fish in my bag to keep you from hovering over me all the time." Her tone was serious but she was smiling looking out the side window at the entrance to the restaurant.

Mick laughed. "Yeah, that would definitely work." He pulled out his phone and dialled a number looking over at Beth with a grin on his face. "I don't hover over you…all the time."

"Ah, yes you do sweetheart." Beth responded giving him a loving pat on the thigh.

He waited for a moment, cursing under his breath when the call he was making went straight to voicemail.

"He's not even picking up my calls now?" Mick couldn't believe that Logan Griffin was being such a girl about this whole thing and giving him to silent treatment. "I'm calling him about work not to set up a date to play one of his stupid online games for god's sake." He dumped his phone in the console between the seats of the Benz in disgust.

"Let me call him. You've been a bit of a grouch with him lately."

Mick gave her a look and waited for her call to connect. When Logan answered in record time, a low growl escaped from deep within his chest.

"Logan, hi it's Beth. I'm fine, thanks for asking." Beth looked over at Mick again playfully poking out her tongue at him.

"Yes it was very upsetting…."

Mick rolled his eyes and grumbled something about doing Logan an injury if he didn't start minding his own business.

"I appreciate your concern but we sat down and talked things over and, well Mick realises that he did the wrong thing…uh huh…. Logan, you know that he isn't that kind of guy. I think we can give him the benefit of the doubt this time, don't you?"

"What kind of guy?" Mick tried to take the phone from her so he could say few choice words to Logan but Beth smacked his hand away as she listened to what Logan was saying.

"Okay, well thanks for that. I understand your position and I'm sure that Mick appreciates your help with his case…I'll tell him… I hope to see you soon too Logan, bye now."

Beth turned to Mick with a satisfied smile on her face. "He will email everything you asked for within the next half hour and he wanted me to tell you he is charging you double to make up for the money that Josef is not paying him while he works for you."

"The son of a…" Mick bristled shaking his head. "Do you know how much cash he has gotten out of me over the years?"

Beth shrugged her shoulders. "You want the best you have to pay for it and Logan is the best. You said so yourself."

"Yeah, I did say that." He was starting to think it wasn't worth all the petty drama that went along with it. Still, it was hard to find and nurture new contacts. He was resigned to the fact that Logan could be difficult and that he would have to get used to it.

"You know he looks up to you, he's a little disappointed in you right now but he'll come around. It's nice to know that I have some friends in the vamp community that are willing to stand up for me, besides you I mean."

Beth leaned over and kissed him but was soon interrupted by someone tapping on the window of the passenger side door. Steve Balfour had arrived and was looking in on them with a goofy grin on his face.

"I'll see you at Oscars?" Beth asked making sure that he hadn't forgotten the deal that they made earlier.

Mick nodded and kissed her goodbye. Beth got out of the car and joined her friends on the sidewalk at the entrance to the restaurant. She looked back at Mick waiting for her to go inside. She waved to him feeling the separation in the pit of her stomach and chided herself for letting her emotions get the better of her. Did Mick marking her really affect her that much or was it just the normal separation anxiety that all people madly in love felt when away from their partners? She wasn't sure. As all her friends greeted her warmly, she reminded herself that she had been looking forward to a couple of hours of good food, wine, company and conversations that had nothing to do with anything much at all. Still, she had to admit that she couldn't wait for dinner to be over so that she could be with him again.

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They had been at Oscars for nearly and hour when she saw him walk in. Her heart leapt when he smiled at her and nodded towards the bar asking her to join him.

"You made it." She smiled when he kissed her.

"Yeah, sorry I'm late."

"That's okay. How did you go, with the surveillance? Did you find out anything?"

"Only that they live in an interesting neighbourhood. A house down the street from them is being used as a meth lab." He smiled amused as he watched Beth's eyes light up at that bit of information. It looked like she was there at the scene with a camera crew working out what she was going to say when the camera rolled for her live report. "I'm thinking that the missing son is involved in that somehow."

"Are you serious? Maybe you should call Carl." Beth knew that the cops had already been tipped off about drug labs in residential areas but they didn't have specifics on any of the locations.

"I did call Carl, that's why I'm late. He came by and I stuck around for a bit to help him get what they needed for a search warrant." That and he had had to explain to Carl what he was doing there at that time of night and how he had managed to pick up what was going on.

"Again, nice work detective. Sounds like you could use a drink and your timing couldn't be better, it's our shout." Beth chuckled as she held out her hand for some cash which Mick handed over without question.

While Beth gave the order to the bar tender Mick looked over at the group of friends that she had gathered together to spend the evening with. He knew some of them but not all. Beth picked up his apprehension knowing that it was hard for him.

"I know this is an uncomfortable situation for you. I already told them that you were working tonight, they weren't expecting you, you don't have to stay."

"No it's fine, come on." He took the tray of drinks from her and walked over to the table. He didn't want her friends to think he was bailing on her again. He made his way around the table, shaking hands with Steve and Tyler, greeting the other people he knew and waiting for Beth to introduce him to the couple that he didn't. Mick seemed to fit right in soon joining the debate about the best ever Lakers team. It was a subject he knew a lot about after having followed them for so many years. Beth kept looking over at him but he didn't seem to be having the worst time of his life. Mick winked at her when he caught her looking at him to let her know that that he was okay. Beth relaxed a little then, enjoying the company of her friends and happy that he was able to share it with her. After another hour or so, Beth decided it was time they called it a night. Mick had kept his promise and paid his penance.

On the way back to Beth's apartment they got a call from Josef.

"Hey, where are you two?" Josef asked tersely.

"We've been out Josef. I'm just taking Beth back to her place."

"No, you need to bring her here, to the house."

"Can't we come over tomorrow, it's late…." Mick wanted to get Beth home, she was already starting to drift off to sleep as it was.

"No, something has happened and it's better if I tell you both at the same time."

"Josef?" Mick called out wanting more information. The line went dead.

"What is it?" Beth asked sleepily trying to make herself wake up a bit.

"He wants us to go to his place, wants to talk to both of us, says it can't wait."

Mick turned the car around and headed for Josef's compound in the hills.

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"Glad you could make it." Josef barked as Mick led Beth into the study.

"We're here now so do you want to tell us what the hell is going on?" Mick barked back. The tension just made Beth more nervous about what Josef had asked them there to say.

"There has been an accident. Chelsea Nolan was killed on her way home from college tonight." he announced bluntly seeing no need to sugar coat.

Mick and Beth sat there on the couch stunned at the news. Of all the things that Josef could have told them this was the last thing they expected to hear.

Mick looked at Beth, putting his arm around her shoulders. "How? I mean was it Brooks?"

Beth looked at Mick then Josef. "Why would he do that? She didn't know anything about vampires!"

Mick was waiting for an explanation of what happened. He drew Beth closer to him sensing that there was more bad news. He nodded for Josef to go on.

"It wasn't Brooks. I've had Patrick and George tailing her to make sure she wasn't being followed. She wasn't. Chelsea was on her way home when a commercial van lost control on a bend and crossed the road running into her head on."

"Oh my god." Beth covered her eyes with her hands as if to stop the visualisation of what Josef was telling them that was forming in her mind. She buried her head in Mick's chest trying to keep control of her emotions.

Mick looked over the top of her head at Josef guessing what was coming next. "What else?"

"Patrick told me that George tried to get the girl free of the wreckage even though she was probably already dead. He waited too long to get out and the car burst into flames. I'm sorry Beth …"

George was also dead, incinerated in the flames along with Chelsea. One short gut-wrenching sob escaped from Beth as she held on to Mick for dear life. Josef left the room momentarily to give them some privacy. When he returned to the room Beth was standing out by the pool looking over the lights of the city.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, it's been a pretty big day, she's exhausted." It had been a long emotional day for both of them.

"You better take her home then, get her out of here. I'm expecting company any minute, the kind that will appreciate the fact that she smells particularly delicious tonight." There was no hint of the usual sarcasm in Josef's voice just genuine concern. "Take care of her Mick, I'll call you tomorrow." Josef patted Mick on the shoulder as he left.

Mick frowned and went out to the patio. He walked up to Beth and put his arms around her waist and his chin on her shoulder. "You okay baby?"

Beth didn't turn around she just nodded saying nothing.

"Sweetheart, I know you said you wanted to stay at your apartment tonight but will you come stay with me, at the loft?"

Beth nodded again and let him lead her back to the car so they could go home.

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Beth had been quiet all the way home, too quiet for Mick's liking. She didn't talk, she didn't cry, she just sat silently looking out the window. She didn't even object when he carried her all the way upstairs from the car.

Carl Davis called them to give them the sad news after an eyewitness was able to give police at the scene details of the vehicles involved in the crash. It was only a preliminary identification but there was little doubt from the witness statements and registration details that the victims were Chelsea Nolan and an unknown passer-by who had gone to her rescue.

"Why don't you go to bed sweetheart, you're exhausted." Mick kissed the top of her head then watched her walk slowly up the stairs.

Mick sat on the couch in front of the fire, drinking some blood while he waited for Beth to finish up in the bathroom. He listened to the silent sobs that wracked her body as she went through the motions of getting ready for bed, wondering if he should go to her or wait for her to come to him in her own time. He busied himself taking off his ring, watch and necklace. If she didn't want him to share a bed tonight, he would go to his freezer but he had a feeling that she would want him close by.

When Beth came downstairs her face was free of make up, her eyes red, puffy and still shiny with tears. Her hair was tied back loosely in a ponytail and she was dressed in comfortable flannel pants and a tank top. She looked barely out of her teens. At twenty-seven, she had already seen so much, been through so much because she knew about vampires. His heart overflowed with the need to protect her and keep her safe, always. Beth settled down in her usual spot, her legs tucked under her and using Mick's shoulder as a pillow.

Mick wrapped his arms around her. "Aren't you tired sweetheart? It's been a very long day."

"Is it always going to be like this?" Beth asked after a few minutes of just lying there saying nothing. Her voice low and sombre.

"Not all the time but yes, sometimes it is." There was no use telling her any different.

Josef's words came back to her. "For better or worse." she mumbled into his chest.

"What did you say?" Mick asked as Beth shifted position so that she was leaning into him more, lifting her face so that it was snuggled into his neck. Of course he heard her but it was an odd thing for her to say.

"Nothing, how do you cope with it? All the death and…everything." she couldn't find the words to finish that sentence.

"I don't, not all the time. I used to lock myself up in the loft and isolate myself from everything and everyone for weeks at a time and stare at the walls, or the fire. Now I have you to make me realise that I have things, someone, in my life that makes it worth…ah... easier to focus on the good things instead of the bad." He knew that Beth had realised what he had just said when he felt her lips form a smile against his neck and it made him smile as well. He kissed the top of her head acknowledging the truth of what he hadn't been able to say out loud to her that awful night after Josh had been killed.

"All that death because Brooks couldn't let a freshie, that he didn't even care about, go. Do you think that it was really an accident?"

"Yes I do and even if it wasn't, we would never be able to prove that he was behind it." He could do his own investigation but there was no need. He was confident that Patrick would have uncovered any plot by Brooks to get to Chelsea. Josef only used the best.

"Mick, I'm going to ask you something and I want you to tell me the truth, not want you think that I want to hear."

"Sounds a bit ominous, but okay."

Beth sat up a bit so that she could see his face. "Would you let me go, I mean if things didn't work out for us?"

"Why are you asking that question? It's nothing like our situation."

"No, it isn't but Josef had Simone followed around when they spilt and…"

"I don't think that Josef and Simone were ever actually together….wait, how do you know that?"

"I remembered where I had seen Patrick before. He was Simone's date at the DA's charity dinner."

Mick puffed out a breath not really surprised at the news. It was exactly what he would expect Josef would do. Simone knew a lot about him and his business and he was paranoid enough to make sure that his interests were protected no matter what his personal feelings for her were.

"Mick? I want to know, would you let me go?" Beth insisted, wanting an answer from her over protective vampire.

"It depends Beth."

"Depends on what?"

"If it was because you were scared or upset about something that was happening I would fight for you, for us. Like you did at the beginning when I was scared to tell you how I felt, what I wanted. But, if it was because you didn't love me anymore, then yes, I would let you go." He brushed his hand lovingly down the side of her face. It would nearly kill him but if he was certain that was what she wanted, then he would do it.

Mick held his breath as she thought about what he had just said. He felt so exposed, so vulnerable for the second time that day.

"Good answer, let's go to bed." Beth stood up from the couch, pulled him up by the hands, and steered him towards the stairs and up to their room.

A cloud of sadness hung over them and they would both be happy to see an end to this arduous day that been full of ups and downs. They were there together and that was the main thing. Together they could get through anything.

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AN: It's time to start tying up some loose ends and get this story finished...more coming soon. penni :)