A/N: Another chapter just like I promised. Thank you to everyone who added my story onto your Favorites and Alerts list. Here's some Josef in this chapter. A little heads up: If you review my chapter, I will send you a preview for the next chapter ASAP. So if you want an exclusive, you have to review. Remember, reviews are Awesome! : )
Mick closed and locked the door, placing his balled fist and forehead against its cold surface. He took a deep breath and reluctantly returned to his kitchen, fixing himself a drink. After gulping down his scotch, he walked over to the couch that Beth and he sat on, discovering the old photo album open to his potty picture. A smile lit up his face when he remembered Beth laughing at the much younger Mick. Thanks Mom.
But his smile faded when he turned to the photo of Catherine. Those cute little cheeks and identical hazel eyes stared joyfully into the camera, but pierced his heart. Why does everyone get to pass on and leave me here alone?
Despite his return to the human world, he'd been feeling really lonely lately and he wasn't quite sure why. Maybe it was because he was surrounded by lonely people; Josef without Sarah, and Beth without Josh (which in a twisted sort of way he was glad of). And of course Coraline's disappearance wasn't helping his mood either.
Coraline. Why does she continue to torment me when I no longer—or at least I hope—want her anymore? Mick shook his head in hopes of releasing the confusing thoughts that inhabited it lately. Here I am thinking about my own messed up life when my best friend is suffering even worse than me, and about what dare I ask?
Album in hand, he stood up from the couch and returned it to its place, stopping for a moment as he faintly heard the sound of the elevator. He went to check when the door opened, then closed quickly. Faulting a moment, he heard a dark chuckle from the vampire lounging in his armchair. Mick noticed the man's irritated eyes and knew his friend had been crying.
His first thought was 'How very shocking and downright pitiful that this 400-year-old multi-billionaire had been crying and over what?' However, Mick ignored this thought as soon as it entered his mind because the look on Josef's face was a like a hurricane; unpredictable, dangerous, and devastating.
Mick ran over to his counter, picking up the large glass and handed it to his friend, who snatched the glass from his hand. Mick cautiously backed away to the couch and sat down, watching Josef down the blood, his gulping and slurping sounded terribly disgusting to Mick, even though he remembered very clearly the taste of the red liquid. He silently thanked himself for listening to his friend about keeping extra 'fresh' supplements around, just in case the situation permitted it. And today, it did.
Josef set the empty glass down on the side table and wiped his bloodstained face with the sleeve of his $2000 suit jacket. He rubbed his face, trying to hide his red-rimmed eyes that brought out the ice blue further. Mick shuddered a bit. Wow, we do look scary. He would've laughed if the moment permitted it, but right now, he needed to focus.
"So, um, may I ask what happened?" Mick began after a long moment. He glanced at his old friend whose Marilyn Manson like eyes stared violently at him. Mick felt his newly revived heart pounding frantically, as if searching for a way out. He tried a different breathing rhythm to calm himself down. Josef's my friend. Stop acting like he's going to attack you.
Sensing fear from his left, Josef stopped his animalistic behavior, realizing his best and only friend was nearly cowering away from him. Maybe it was a bad idea to come here. "I already told you," he sighed and stared off at the empty glass on the table, "the whole world fucking ended." His voice was not angry as Mick had expected. It was impatient and—did he sense a bit of remorse?
Mick just shook his head. "C'mon buddy I don't understand. Does th—does this have to do with Sarah?" Mick wasn't just stuttering because of his fear, but also his emotions. His friend meant so much to him; not only did he consider Josef family, but as a brother. His mishap with Sarah not only hurt Josef whenever the subject came up, but it affected Mick too. Seeing his friend in so much guilt and sorrow made Mick feel helpless, and ironically, lucky, because unlike Josef, his human familiar was still alive and well.
Josef turned his head so fast, Mick didn't see the movement. His eyes were slowly returning to their regular color. "Mick I—I don't know what to do anymore. I really don't feel like going on any longer." He stared into the eyes of his friend, searching for some kind of response, comment—anything.
The younger man never seen his friend so down. It was so unlike him and despite his radical heart rate, he knew he must find a way to sort this out, make Josef forgive himself and move on; if that was even possible.
"What do you mean you can't 'go on anymore'? Josef, you've lived over four-hundred years, and you're going to give up now? What happened? I need to know now!" He raised his voice a little more. He knew he was being brave, for Josef certainly could become violent at any moment, but he had to know.
Josef rose quickly from his seat, gliding to the counter and pouring himself more blood, but O- this time. He needed something strong. "It's a long story." He replied, and then, took a long gulp.
Reading his body language, Mick knew this was all he was going to say, and realizing he was just as stubborn as Beth. If he thinks I'm going to let him off that easily, he's crazy. "I've got time." He challenged.
The four-century man returned to his seat in a slow, human like manner, throwing himself onto the armchair. "I returned home after I left you're apartment to grab my bags. My driver drove me to LAX and while waiting for my private jet, my assistant informed me that the pilot refused to fly me to New York because of some severe storm. I was pissed and to top it all off, when I was arguing with the idiot, I received a call…"
He stopped a moment staring into Mick's fireplace, watching the flames dance in front of him. The mix of scarlet and crimson red was mocking him—tempting him. That color, always the symbol for blood and sin and sex, suddenly brought a new meaning to him: Life. For it surrounded him in every way possible. O how he hated that color because it brought back painful memories—the shade of her vivacious, soft curls, the dark stain of lipstick upon her perfectly shaped lips, and the crude desire for the sweet liquid that ran beneath her skin. Gone. All gone. Never to tempt him any longer. And it was all because of him.
Noting the strange change of Josef's demeanor, the human watched his friend stare deeply into the fire, analyzing every spark, burn and crackle. Obviously lost in thought, and Mick wondered what went into Josef's mind when he stared into the fire. He himself only saw the death and destruction it could bring, trying to ignore the heat and passion he knew Beth would see. Why would she dare play with fire? It was only a matter of time before she got burned.
He sighed loudly, bringing Josef out of his daze. The vampire directed his attention to Mick, holding his gaze. "The call was from Paula, Sarah's caretaker. She—she told me that due to the storm there, all the electricity in the surrounding area went out. The blackout affected Sarah's machinery, even with the back-up generators. That damned machine Mick! It was the only thing that kept her alive all these years. And now—" Josef stopped abruptly, unable to speak another word. He bit back his lip, trying everything possible to not cry out in agony. No matter how much he and Mick went through, he did not want to seem so vulnerable, so hopeless, in his friend's eyes.
Mick didn't need to hear anymore. He was right, but he didn't want to be right about this. Poor Josef. After all these years, I thought he would have made amends with death long before. Accepting Sarah's death was just too much for him. "Josef, it's not your fault."
Josef stared back at Mick as if he didn't hear his friend correctly. " 'Wasn't my fault?' Mick, I did that to her! I'm the only one to blame! Not this storm, not the blackout, ME!" Josef yelled, pointing a finger to his chest, and baring his fangs.
Light eyes pierced Mick's and he could not control his fear any longer. He jumped from his seat, falling to the ground off the couch, hitting his head on the coffee table with a loud thud. "Ow! Shit! Josef, calm down!" Mick rubbed his head, while slowly rising from the carpet, and retuning cautiously to his seat. "Josef, I know you feel responsible for all of this, but—um," He stopped for a moment unsure how to make his friend feel okay. "It was Sarah's decision. You of all people know how turnings are. Not all of them work out. But she loved you. She died knowing that."
Mick's words hit Josef like a 120mph train. She loved me. I knew that. But I was the last thing she ever saw. I spoke her name as the last word she ever heard. I was the last person she dreamed about. A continuous, never-ending dream—or nightmare?
Unable to speak, he stared back into the fire. For some reason, he was strangely attracted to it. Ironically, it was death for a vampire, yet everything about it, so similar to Sarah, drew him near. Comforted by the dancing flames, he had a feeling that she was there. And he couldn't explain it. But whenever he looked into the fire, He felt her—her lips, hands, and even heart, beating against his hand as he laid it across her bare chest; just like the first time they made love. "I missed you Sarah." Josef said unemotionally as he gazed into the fire. He could have sworn she was there with him.
Mick looked amazed at his friend. Josef gazed into the fire, and moved suddenly near the flames, making Mick nervous. If he got too close, his hand that drew near might turn to ash. Too stunned to move, Mick heard Josef's strange words. Sarah was clearly not there, but he stared into the fire as if he was staring into her eyes. Mick knew his friend was seriously in need of help. Something caught his outside the window. The sun began to peek from behind the towering skyscrapers; it must have been 5 O'clock at least. Maybe some sleep will ease Josef's pain.
"Josef" Mick called once. His friend declined to answer, still gazing into the fire. "Josef" Mick called louder. He touched Josef's shoulder, causing the vampire to turn sharply behind him. His terrifying eyes vanished, replaced by tear-filled brown ones. He wiped his face again with his sleeve, and rose quickly to the door. "I'm going to leave now. It's best." And before Mick could say anymore, he left.
Mick let out a loud sigh, hoping his friend would soon return to normal. It was not just for business purposes he wished this, but for his sanity to stay intact. Mick walked over to the coffee table and took the bloodstained glasses to the sink. Too sleepy to actually wash them, Mick walked tiredly up to his newly furnished bedroom to get some sleep. He undressed quickly, forgetting his nightly shower, and hopped into his burgundy-black covers. The softness of his new and old blankets comforted him. And just like every night for the last six months, his mind wandered to thoughts of a certain blonde reporter and that he owed an explanation.
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