Author's Note: Hey! I know this chapter took a while to come out but I really like this chapter. It shows us Gabrielle and Mick's past together.
Also special shout outs to silverdragon-023, jameni and artemidoula.

Disclaimer: I don't own Moonlight, sad I know but if I did Moonlight wouldnt have ended and I would have somehow kept Mick and Josef all to myself. :)

1984

Gabrielle Sawyers looked across the bar to Mick St. John who was grinning over at her. They've been travelling together for almost ten years now and finally decided to settle down in the quiet town of Dublin, Georgia. After having each other as the only companion on the road for so long, the two have grown some feelings for each other.

"Mmm, you're not going to have a drink?" Mick asked pressing his lips to her head while holding her close to him. Gabrielle giggled in his arms and twisted her body around to face him, her long lashes fluttering against her pale cheeks.

"No, I'll leave that to you. Has old Gary began retelling his war stories?" she teased gesturing her head over to the old man who was mumbling drunken words to his drunken friends at the table. Mick laughed and nodded sipping his cold beer with an arm around her shoulders. "That's cute," she commented relaxing against his body.

"You ready to call it a night?" Mick asked placing the empty body onto the bar. Gabrielle nodded and took Mick's offered hand. He was always such a gentleman to her. His actions and affections always made her weak in the knees and grin so hopelessly. "Come on sweetheart," he flashed a smile.

The night was humid as the couple walked home with their hands entwined and wide smiles on their faces showing how content they were with each other. Mick didn't know when it had happened but it was during their period of friendship that he had forgotten his love for his first wife and loved the woman beside him. She was easily loved with her sweet smiles and kind nature. There wasn't anyone on their block that had a negative opinion towards Gabrielle.

Behind the walls of their home, Gabrielle pivot around on her heels and pressed her lips to Mick's in a fierce kiss. Mick smiled against her lips and slipped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to his excited body. With his enhanced hearing, he heard her moan as his hands ran up and down her back. Gabrielle pulled away from his lips to wrap her legs around his waist, on instinct, Mick's hands came to cup her bottom giving each cheek and squeeze as they continued to kiss like two hormonal teenagers as Mick carried her up the stairs to their bedroom.

Gabrielle threw her head back in a moan feeling Mick's lips suck on a weak spot on her neck, she felt the familiar tingles between her legs as Mick settle himself between them. She thrust her hips upwards against Mick's straining erection. Mick moaned giving an inhuman growl before throwing the covers over them electing a squeal from Gabrielle before she felt her clothes being ripped.

1986

It was their anniversary today, Mick fingered the small box in his pocket as he watched Gabrielle water the plants in her small garden. She had been working on their new house all day. They had moved to Albany, Georgia where it wasn't the safest but everyone kept to themselves as close as possible.

"Gabrielle," Mick sang out as he unlocked their white picket fence that she had always dreamed to have. Gabrielle grinned up at him from her position on the dirty ground. He smiled widely seeing her dirt streaked face as she had been wiping the sweat from her face with her dirt covered hands and forearms. "You're an absolute mess sweetheart," he commented after kissing her quickly.

"But doesn't the garden look so much better?" she asked swinging her arms behind her to emphasise on her hard work. Mick nodded not having much care for the plants but her, "I'll go shower then get dinner ready while you wash up ok?" she asked tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she kissed him quickly before darting into the house.

Mick laughed hearing her singing to herself in the shower albeit it was slightly off tune in some places but he didn't mind in fact, he loved this quirk about her. The day had been ungodly hot, you could see the heat waves radiating off the grey roads, Mick sighed after having a refreshing glass of animal blood that he had prepared. It had been Gabrielle's suggestion for Mick to kill animals and drain their blood to store them in their fridge when Mick needed instead of always going out to feed where he would be more likely to be expulsed. His throat still felt dry after just a glassful of dogs blood, he decided to grab the jug and lifted it to his lips about to toss his head back to drink mouthfuls straight from the jug when Gabrielle shrieked startling him almost dropping the jug.

"Mick! Don't drink all that! Save your stomach for when I'm eating dinner!" she chastised him. Mick pouted but obeyed her placing the blood back into the fridge. Gabrielle smiled nodding and kissed his cheek now dressed in a yellow summer dress. "Go wash up and then we can have our early dinner," she ordered picking out some pots and food from the fridge for herself since Mick couldn't digest food.

Humming to herself, Gabrielle cooked a quick meal for one person. They never interacted with their neighbours like they had back in Dublin. She knew Mick had a few acquaintances from work but she hadn't met them and wasn't sure if she would. "Have you been working on the garden all day?" she heard Mick ask from behind her and jumped slightly from the sudden voice but did not falter in her cooking.

"Yeah, there wasn't much to do. I know you don't like me working and something about the town is dangerous so I preoccupied my time with the garden. How was work?" she asked changing subjects. Mick grunted not wanting to comment to her how tiring or ignorant some people at the factory were. "That bad?" she asked softly placing her dish onto the round table as Mick reheated the jug of blood.

Mick cupped Gabrielle's hands on the table seeing her saddened expression. It made him unhappy and chest tightened when Gabrielle was sad because of him, "It's alright. We've only been here for a few months, I'll get used to it love," he assured her before the microwave signalled off. "Come on, let's have dinner. I have a surprise for you," Gabrielle giggled and nodded as she ate with Mick watching her chew and swallow. The conversation flowed again as they discussed her garden, Gabrielle knew Mick didn't know anything about plants but it made her knees weak to know he cared for her enough to endure her rant.

After their early dinner, Mick sat at the kitchen table watching Gabrielle wash the dishes in their sink. This image was what he had dreamed about with his first wife but she didn't matter anymore, now he had Gabrielle. His fingers clenched tightly around the box resting in his pants pocket. "Gabrielle?" he asked standing beside her and slipping the box out from. She turned to face him her hands still running under the warm water.

Mick knelt down on one knee the customary action of asking a woman to be a wife, his hands opened the box to reveal a decent sized diamond ring that glittered against the dying rays of the sun. Gabrielle gasped dropping the plate with a clatter in the sink but not breaking it, "Gabrielle, we've been through so much and I love you so much." His eyes met her and he could see them filling with tears already, "Will you Gabrielle Swayers give me the honour and become my wife?"

1987

Gabrielle didn't know how it happened but she felt different towards Mick. Every time he kissed her or showed her affections between a man and a woman who were not related, she felt uneasy, she felt her stomach clench in horror and she just wanted to throw up. Gabrielle didn't have the heart to tell Mick who seemed to love her so much, he had been there for her when she was so lost and lonely and loved her with all his might. She couldn't do that to him to leave him like that.

She looked at the glittering diamond on her finger and sighed almost sadly. This wasn't how it supposed to be. She had loved Mick. She had loved him with all her heart but what had changed? Why was she such a selfish bitch? Gabrielle wanted to scream and cry for hurting such a wonderful man but she didn't know why she couldn't.

Heartless bitch. She cursed herself.

"Gabrielle?" Mick's voice startled her as she was so deep in her worries. He had noticed her acting different but did not question further. "Is something the matter?" Mick watched as the tears streaked down her face. He quickly wiped them away but no matter how he tried the tears continued to fall and somehow he knew this was it. This was the end of their love.

"I'm...I'm so sorry Mick." She apologised looking into his sad eyes and sobbed loudly. Mick nodded and held her close as she cried against his shoulder. There was nothing he could do but hold her and admit that this was the end of their relationship as man and woman. "I-I-I did love you Mick," she sobbed to him pulling away from his shoulder. Mick nodded smiling sadly. "I don't know how it happened Mick. I'm so heartless, I'm the worst person on earth," she cried again.

Mick just smiles at her and stroke her hair resting his cheek against her hair. "It's ok Gabrielle," he whispered but his voice didn't come out strong it wavered and Gabrielle cried harder knowing how she was breaking him apart. "Shhh, it's ok," he whispered to assure her and himself. His closed his eyes tightly not wanting the memories how her smiling and their bodies pressed against each other late at night to disappear. "I'll live," he tried to joke.

"You hate me don't you Mick?" she asked quietly after her sobs were controlled. Mick shook his head whispering to her that he never could hate her. He loved her too much, "I love you too Mick but not the same as before," he nodded knowing it was the best he could get now, "I-I-I know you'll find somewhere so much better than me," she assured him giving a weak smile before wiping her cheeks and kissed his cheek.

Mick felt like it was the last time they would be able to hold each other like this. He felt as if he had lost her forever.

Her fingers played with the ring, she slowly slipped it from her fingers but Mick shook his head his hand stopping her from taking it off her finger. "Keep it," he said slipping the ring back onto her finger where he knew it belonged. "As a memory of me," he flashed her a strain smile as she nodded slowly eyes watering again, "Don't cry," he pleaded knowing he couldn't take it anymore.

Mick stood up wanting to run away for a while from this hurtful place, "Mick?" her voice broken and hoarse from crying. Mick turned around as his fingers lingered on the door, "where are you going?" she asked voice on the borderline of hysteria. Call her selfish but Gabrielle wasn't perfect, she was afraid people would abandon her. Even if she just broke Mick's heart with a quick slash of a knife she didn't want Mick to leave her sitting along in the house. "Don't go, please," she pleaded.

Mick smiled down at her appearing before her with his vampiric speed, "I'm not going anywhere I just need to do something," he answered kissing her head before disappearing into the night.

Gabrielle sat alone in the empty dark house; with Mick gone it felt like her soul had left. She didn't love him like a lover anymore but Mick was someone special to her heart. She loved him on a different level not of a lover but as a best friend as her other half.

1988

That night in 1987 had been many of the nights where Mick and Gabrielle for the first time in 7 years to sleep in separate rooms. Their relationship became strain. Mick couldn't handle with the fact that they were now friends that he could feel her lips against his or how her body became jelly in his arms. He missed it; he missed just being able to hold her close.

They ate or in Mick's case drank their meal at separate time of the day, when Mick returned home from work; Gabrielle was asleep in her room. Mick sighed, he had taken the day off and was secretly watching Gabrielle play with the puppy he had bought her a few months back in an attempt to pretend things were ok. Gabrielle had loved the white ball of fluff like it was her own child. Mick turned away from the scene and went to hunt for blood.

That night, Gabrielle waited for Mick to come back home. She sat in the darkness of the house only being lit by the moon but knew Mick would be able to see her. The door opened and she snapped her eyes over there; making eye contact with Mick who looked away unable to meet her gaze because it brought back too many memories he only wished were happening.

"Mick, we need to talk," she said seriously throwing newspaper clippings at his feet. Mick looked down at it and sighed closing his eyes in shame. He hadn't been able to handle the ache in his chest and the thirst that seemed to burn so much in his throat. "Why?" she asked tears feeling her eyes.

"I can't help it. You left me!" he finally exploded as Gabrielle jumped back in fright never having Mick's anger directed to her. "You told me you don't love me anymore and expect everything to just be the same between us!" he shouted at her startling the puppy awake that barked and growled at Mick for making his master sad ad frightened. "Shut up!" he hissed at the dog who whined and hid behind Gabrielle's legs.

"That doesn't mean you go and kill all those people!" Gabrielle screamed back at him feeling angry at Pongo who was only trying to protect her. "You murdered innocent people Mick! You gave Albany front page headlines! Murder Capital of America!" she screamed at him wanting to throw furniture at the man before her. Tears streaked down her face in anger.

Mick growled at her but said nothing else and left her behind crying alone in the house where Mick proposed to her, where Gabrielle broke his heart.

That night in 1988, Gabrielle and Mick didn't see each other for five years, Gabrielle sold the house and everything she owned saved for some clothes and Pongo. She moved away and began to make money. It wasn't until 1994 when Gabrielle and Mick bumped into each other and decided to mend their broken friendship. It was awkward and often hurt both parties to stare at each other but time helped healed that wound to some extent.

Review Response:

artemidoula: Oh I love you, :) thank you for the long review. I try my best to play the characters as close as the series. And I know this chapter has no Gabrielle and Josef fluff or them together but I wanted readers to know more about Gabrielle and Mick - at least a bit more about their past. I'm glad you love the relation with Gabrielle and Josef that I have created. :)

jameni: Holy Cow Poo! That is such a long review! Wow! It made me smile reading it! Thanks so much! :) Yeah I know Mick and Gabrielle are both dancing around each other but I hope it's clearer on how Gabrielle feels towards Mick in this chapter. Mick does love Gabrielle, he fell in love with her but he isn't sure if he loves Beth because she remind him of Gabrielle or because he is in love with Beth. As for Beth, she will have a bigger role in the story but I just wanted to make clearer of the relationship with Mick and Gabrielle and Gabrielle and Josef before going to Beth and the friendship that will happen with Beth and Gabrielle.

Reviews = Love