Title: The Other Side of Morning
Fandom: Moonlight
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rating: T to M
Pairings: Mick/Beth, Josef/Sarah
Spoilers: through 1X10 "Sleeping Beauty"
Summery: AU after 1X10. Beth heads to the bank not knowing she was about to walk into a hostage situation that would forever change her life.
Disclaimer: all I own is a stuffed unicorn…please don't sue and take my unicorn away…/sniffle/
AN: Sorry, sorry, sorry for the late update! I got pulled away on a spur-of-the-moment road trip and school kept me busy until now! hope you accept my humble offering of an update!
Chapter 5: Shadow's Dawn
"Love isn't a decision. It's a feeling. If we could decide who we love it would be much simpler, but much less magical." --Matt Stone and Trey Parker
The first thing Beth was aware of was a deep, masculine scent. It was familiar to her and somehow connected to the tang of metal that followed her into wakefulness. She wrinkled her nose and inhaled again, letting a barrage of smells her brain couldn't start to process assault her senses. Startled and slightly pained, she opened her eyes.
Mick's tear-streaked face filled her vision. Immediately the panic that had been creeping up abated and Beth smiled. Mick – she was safe, she had made it. Or, judging by the heightened smells and sounds, he had made sure she made it. She didn't know how long she'd been out. An hour? More? Mick looked too worried and haggard for it to have been any less.
"Sorry," she whispered, her voice perfectly clear even in the barest breath of sound she gave it.
Mick frowned. "Sorry for what?" His voice was also kept purposefully soft.
"I didn't mean to go away like that," she replied, trying to sort through her most recent memories for some semblance of order.
Mick gave her a pained smile as he gently ran a finger down her cheek. "You're here now."
She nodded carefully, every sensation of movement magnified. It wasn't painful so much as unnerving, but it was easier to keep the movements small. She licked at her lips slightly, careful not to catch her tongue on the elongated canines, and focused on the powerful hunger that was beginning to override every other sensation.
"Hungry," she whimpered. She knew what she was hungry for but she wasn't sure she was ready to say it out loud. There was still a remembered ick-factor to the idea.
"Here," Josef's voice caused her to turn her head sharply. The movement was a lot faster then she expected and she tensed in surprise. That would take some getting used to.
Mick gently shifted Beth into a sitting position in his arms before accepting the glass Josef had brought over. He raised it to her lips in silent encouragement.
Beth reached up to cup the glass as well, her fingers resting on Mick's, and drank. The blood was cold and thick and she could taste the bitter undercurrents of the anti-coagulants under the spicy metallic tang but she was too thirsty to care. She drained the first glass in short order and five more in quick succession after.
Her hunger had abated enough that she didn't protest when Mick told her "No more."
She shifted off of Mick's lap onto the couch cushion next to him before curling into his shoulder and trying to organize her thoughts.
"So what happens now?" she asked, looking between Mick and Josef.
"Now you learn to be a vampire," Josef replied, amusement and relief breaking through the stoic expression. "You gave us quite a scare."
Beth's brow furrowed. "How long was I…?"
"Two days; it's Saturday night," Mick answered quietly. "I thought I'd lost you."
Beth tried to reconcile the time-gap in her mind and wondered at the agony Mick must have gone through, never sure if she was going to wake up. "You can't get rid of me that easily, Mick St. John," Beth said confidently, coaxing another pained-looking smile from Mick.
"I guess not," he replied. Then his look turned serious. "Beth, about what happened…"
"I've been declared dead, haven't I?" she stated bluntly.
Josef snorted. "The official statement is 'missing' but I believe the DA's office is under that impression, yes," he said pointedly.
"Josh," Beth sighed, her boyfriend entering her thoughts for the first time. "I was supposed to meet him for lunch," she remembered.
"Beth, I'm so sorry," Mick's guilt was achingly clear. Time to deal with that.
Beth shook her head. "I'm not," she said firmly. "Although it is going to make a difficult conversation I was going to have with him even more awkward."
Mick looked confused. Beth smiled and touched his face, only dimly aware of Josef quietly moving off.
"I was going to break up with him. I didn't love him anymore," Beth explained. "I'm in love with someone else." Her gaze on Mick was steady and pointed.
Mick swallowed but found he was unable to get any words out. Beth was awake and Beth was looking at him with more love in her eyes then he would ever feel he deserved. He licked at lips gone dry.
"Beth, I…." He swallowed again around the lump in his throat. "God, Beth, I love you," he whispered fervently, gathering her back into his arms. "Don't ever leave me."
Beth buried her face in his shoulder. "Not ever," she promised. "You have me for good."
Mick gently pulled her back enough to get a good look at her face. "It's going to be rough for a while, Beth, but I promise you I'll be there every step of the way."
Beth nodded. "I never doubted it." Her expression turned stern. "Now kiss me already," she ordered.
"Pushy," Mick grinned before pressing his lips to hers.
Like every other sensation now, Beth could feel the contact in every fiber of her being. Mick's lips were salty with tears he hadn't cared enough to wipe away. Every soft brush sent hot shivers down to the soles of her feet. The kiss was tame and chaste compared to others she'd had but never before had a kiss conveyed such a sense of complete love and devotion, and when Mick pulled back Beth was trembling in his arms.
The moment was broken by the shrill ringing of Josef's cell phone. Beth winced slightly at the sharp noise. The older vampire, who had moved into the kitchen to give the two some semblance of privacy, pulled the phone out with an extremely annoyed expression.
"What?" he snapped, his tone carrying a definite threat to whomever was on the other end.
Beth and Mick turned just in time to see anger immediately melt into shock.
"What?" The tone was now desperately quiet. "How long?"
Josef closed his eyes briefly. "Try and keep her calm, I'm on my way." He clicked the phone shut.
"Josef?" Mick asked hesitantly. His friend seemed frozen in place.
Josef turned to look at them with a shell-shocked expression. "I have to go to New York. Sarah's awake."
"What?" Mick blinked.
"That's wonderful, Josef!" Beth exclaimed, jumping up excitedly only to have to wait for her mind to catch up to the disturbingly fast movement and try not to over balance. Apparently moving like a normal person was a skill she was going to have to re-master.
"She's awake," Josef repeated bemusedly.
Beth smiled happily, but didn't try to move again. "Well, you'd better get going! She's going to want you there," Beth said gently.
Josef visibly shook himself. "Right. Mick, I'm sorry to run out like this…."
"Josef! Go. We'll be fine," Mick said firmly.
Josef nodded and moved rapidly towards the front of the apartment. The door shut behind him with a resounding click as the two people left struggled to process what had just happened.
"Well, today has been interesting – or tonight, I guess," Beth said finally as Mick moved to stand behind her.
"It certainly has," he replied.
Beth turned to face him, the movement jerky and awkward.
"I feel drugged," she complained. "I can't move right."
Mick smiled. "I know, but you'll adjust soon enough."
"Good. I don't want to look like I'm seizuring forever," Beth said, twining her arms around his neck.
Mick chuckled softly. "You don't, trust me."
"I trust you," she responded.
He was looking at her with something close to awe. "This all feels like a dream," he said, resting his hands on her waist.
Beth fought back a yawn. "I don't think you can feel sleepy in dreams," she pointed out.
"No, I suppose not," Mick agreed. "You need to rest."
"I feel too warm," Beth confided.
"I figured as much," Mick replied. "C'mon, let's get you to the freezer."
Beth giggled but let Mick guide her to the stairs. "Freezer. Do I get a bag of frozen peas as a pillow?"
Mick look amused. "You could if you really wanted to," he replied, "but it's not a food-type freezer."
Beth concentrated on getting up the stairs without trying to outrun herself. "So it's a Mick-type freezer?" she asked cheekily.
Mick laughed. "Right now, it's going to be a Beth-type freezer," he said as they reached the grey door upstairs.
Mick pushed it open and Beth followed him inside. She regarded the frosted glass skeptically.
"We won't both fit in that," she said.
Mick sighed. "No, I'm going to have to get a new one, but for now it will do for you."
Beth panicked slightly and clung to Mick. "Don't leave me alone," she begged, not at all comfortable with sleeping alone in a cold box.
Mick frowned. "I'll be right downstairs," he promised.
Beth bit her lip. "I don't want to be alone. Please."
Mick nodded and opened the lid. It really was too small for both of them. "I won't leave the room, how's that?" he asked.
Beth loosened her strangle-hold on his arm and nodded. Mick felt the damage from the bruising grip repair itself but knew better then to let Beth know she'd hurt him. Hesitantly she walked over to the freezer and climbed inside, sitting gingerly. The cold was instantly relaxing and Beth felt the exhaustion creep up on her.
"Arms up," Mick ordered softly.
Beth looked confused. "Huh?"
Mick smiled. "The shirt. Frozen clothes are not comfortable, believe me," he explained.
"Oh," Beth realized for the first time that she wasn't wearing anything except for one of Mick's baggy shirts.
Slowly she raised her arms. "You know, it's hardly fair that you get to see me naked and I don't get the same privilege," she remarked sleepily, far too tired to be shy or nervous.
Mick grinned and eased the shirt over her head, setting her blond curls in further disarray. "You'll have plenty of opportunities to see me naked when you're not half asleep," he replied, eyes lovingly sweeping her form.
"I'm going to hold you to that," she said, lying back until she was stretched out in the soothing cold of the freezer, Mick's gaze making her feel safe rather than embarrassed. How could she be when she could see the awe and love so clearly in his eyes?
"I know you will. Close your eyes," Mick said.
Beth tensed again. "Please don't leave."
Mick gently caressed her face. "I won't. I'll be right here when you wake up."
Beth relaxed and slowly closed her eyes, sleep claiming her instantly.
Mick waited a few moments before softly closing the lid and moving back to sit against the wall. Everything had changed, and Mick was well aware of how rough the next few weeks were going to be. He had hoped to lean on Josef's experience, but with Sarah awake, his friend would have his hands full. Mick knew in theory what to expect, of course, but theory and reality often differed, and he could only hope that he didn't screw up. Not when Beth was counting on him to keep her in one piece through this.
He closed his eyes, letting the cool interior of the room lull him into a light sleep, only to be awoken by Beth's terrified scream two hours later.
AN: I know, I'm a horrible person. But reviews would still be very much appreciated….