Rescuing Julia - Twists of Fate 4 1/2 (PG-13)

[francis]

This story is a scene from OOTP from Beth’s POV. It fits into the story „Twists of Fate“ in between chapter 4 and 5, but stands on its own.
Betaed by the wonderful redwinter101.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Moonlight, but I make no money from this. It’s just for fun.

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link from chapter 4: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=542&p=2709#p2709
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It’s a pity that you don’t see those turning points coming, the turning points after which your life will never be the same. Or maybe it’s a blessing. Anyway, this night would be one of those moments that separated the before from the after. I had had one of those nights when I was a child, separating my life before the kidnapping and my life after. What happened back then had changed me, but not as much as tonight would. Tonight was the beginning of a whole new me.

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We drove in Mick’s Mercedes, but instead of just enjoying a drive with the top down, I was preoccupied with the wheels turning in my head.

Mick’s behaviour was odd. No, more than that. It was so strange that I wasn’t sure if I knew him at all. I tried to get him to answer just one of my questions, but he evaded, again and again. He pretended to be caught up with finding Julia, but other than reading the GPS and driving through empty streets there was nothing to do.

I wondered why he was acting like that. He had been accused of shooting LeeJay, but he said he hadn’t, and LeeJay’s actions had proved his innocence. I didn’t understand Spaulding, either. Why would he kidnap Julia only to get Mick behind bars? Revenge? Spaulding had to know that Mick would get out within a day or two. None of it made any sense.

As we closed on Julia’s location, I couldn’t stop thinking about Mick. It was out of character for me not to be more panicked about my friend being kidnapped and I wondered why. Maybe I was jaded, maybe the riddle that was Mick was just way more interesting to me than any other crime scene at the moment and occupied all my thoughts.

Here I was, sitting next to a brooding man who kept his secrets close. He happened to jump into my life at that crime scene at two in the morning, yet he felt strangely familiar to me. I still hadn’t figured it out, but I felt safe and protected when he was around, and I was thrilled that he came to me for help today. This was my chance to give something back for what he had done for me last week. I hoped Josh would be successful with the press release.

When we got to the warehouse where Julia’s car was parked, he told me to stay in the car. I wasn’t happy about it, but it made sense. We didn’t know what to expect inside. He left me his gun. I knew how to shoot, but I was still uncomfortable sitting there in plain sight. We didn’t know how many henchmen Spaulding had at his command, or if they were keeping watch in the street. I had promised to wait at least ten minutes, and then call the police, but then I heard a gunshot and Julia ran out of the door. I headed towards her, gun in hand. She was in such a state, I don’t think she even recognized me at first. I tried to calm her but she struggled against me.

„Julia, stop. Julia, it’s me, Beth. What happened?“

She shook her head, then stared at me, regaining enough of her composure to answer.

„Mick cut me loose and told me to run. But then LeeJay shot him.“

„He shot him?“

„Yeah, with a rifle.“

Her whole body shook. She was clearly in shock.

„Call the police. Wait here for me. Hide behind the car.“ I didn’t hesitate. I ran into the building, gun cocked, without a thought for my own safety. Mick was in danger and he didn’t have his gun.

I followed the dim light flowing beneath a door. I opened it as quietly as I could and surveyed the room. LeeJay was standing over Mick, threatening to burn him with an acetylene torch. Mick was huddled in a corner, struggling, groaning in pain, unable to escape the arc of the torch.

I was hit by a flashback of the day I was rescued as a child. There were flames all around, the cabin was burning, the scary woman trapped inside, and a dark-haired man was carrying me out. I saw Mick’s face for a moment.

LeeJay was taunting Mick once again, bringing the flame nearer to his face. Without any further hesitation, I cocked the gun and shot.

LeeJay let the torch go and grimaced, clutching his neck.. He stood still for a moment, then he fell.

Mick tried to sit up; he was holding his shoulder. He was clearly hurt. Even in pain, he tried to make a joke, to put me at ease, „I thought I told you to stay in the car.“

I wanted to rush to him, to see if he was okay. But he stopped me with a harsh „No!“

He watched me intently. „Get out, it’s not safe here. The torch is still leaking gas. Go! I’ll meet you outside.“

He sat up, straining with the effort, smiling a crooked grin at me, trying to pretend he wasn’t hurt. I was rooted to the spot.

„Go, Beth. Make sure Julia is all right and call the police.“

Julia. She needed me. I turned and hurried back outside. I found Julia hunkered against her car. „The keys are somewhere inside.“ she whispered. „He took them from me.“

I could understand that she wanted to just get away, but we needed to wait. „It’s gonna be okay, Julia. Did you call the police?“

„Yeah.“

I crouched to get nearer and hugged her. „It’s gonna be okay, Julia.“ I repeated. „LeeJay is dead.“

„He is?“ She looked up with an unreadable expression, a mix of fear, confusion and triumph.

By now I was cold, exhausted and numb. But we didn’t have to wait long. Five minutes or so later police lights flickered and Carl turned up, giving instructions to his underlings. I stood and helped Julia up.

„Beth, what happened?“

I told him. „Mick is still in there somewhere.“

An ambulance pulled up in the dimly lit street. The medics would care for Julia. I had something else to do first.

I made my way back into the warehouse. I had to see for myself that Mick was okay. He was probably giving a statement to the police. But when I got there, they were putting LeeJay and his cronies into body bags and there was no sign of Mick.

„Where is he?“ I asked the first officer I could see.

„Who?“

„Mick. He was shot, but he didn’t come out.“

„There was no-one here when we came in, just the three corpses.“

I was confused. Slowly I walked back out, looked along the street and saw that Mick’s car was gone. He must have taken off just before the police came. Why didn’t I hear the engine? I was sitting there with Julia, exhausted, I must have missed it. What confused me the most was that he was clearly hurt, and that he still ran from the police. The thought of him in pain and alone made my heart hurt. I had to make sure he was okay.

Carl was talking to Julia, still trying to get a picture of what had happened. He asked who shot LeeJay, so I told him that I did. But I didn’t stop. I needed to get away. I had just killed a man, but I felt no guilt or remorse. It was the right thing to do to save Mick. Now I had to see why he ran, and what happened to him. I would start at his apartment.

As soon as I was clear of the blinking lights of the police cars, I called a taxi. Less than twenty minutes later, I was at Mick’s stylish high-rise on Pershing Square.

Stepping out of the elevator on the top floor, I was struck by images flashing behind my eyes; bits and pieces, today’s events merging with past traumas, a mess of fire and pain. And Mick. Why did I always see Mick in my dreams?

His door was open.

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link to chapter 5: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=544

[Raven]

This un-chapter is wonderful. Took me till just now to realize...no Josh, no chapter. <!-- slol -->[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif[/img]<!-- slol --> You inserted such delightful little gems that are in synch with the scenes we watched on TV. When Beth gets to Mick's apartment, she'll say, I dream about you...why?

I was hit by a flashback of the day I was rescued as a child. There were flames all around, the cabin was burning, the scary woman trapped inside, and a dark-haired man was carrying me out. I saw Mick’s face for a moment.

And, perfectly, her thought as she reaches Mick's apartment...

Why did I always see Mick in my dreams?
His door was open.

This reminded me of the bathtub scene in Fever when Mick forcefully tells Leni... Call Beth, GO! ...

He watched me intently. „Get out, it’s not safe here. The torch is still leaking gas. Go! I’ll meet you outside.“

He's helpless in both instances but the urgency with which he speaks spurs them to do exactly as he says...

„Go, Beth. Make sure Julia is all right and call the police.“

It also gives a perfectly good explanation as to how Mick got away and sending her to comfort Julia, knowing Julia would not be near his car was another great touch.
This was an extremely visualistic story for me, loved it, francis!

[jen]

It’s a pity that you don’t see those turning points coming, the turning points after which your life will never be the same. Or maybe it’s a blessing. Anyway, this night would be one of those moments that separated the before from the after. I had had one of those nights when I was a child, separating my life before the kidnapping and my life after. What happened back then had changed me, but not as much as tonight would. Tonight was the beginning of a whole new me.

Fabulous, Francis! That sums up this snapshot beautifully.

[jen]

Ack!!!!!

You stopped just when it was getting good!!!

Still, I don't see how even you could improve on that scene.

They pulled out all the stops with that one. A total reversal of power: Mick, the wounded vampire, afraid of discovery, sitting on the floor, vulnerable and out of control and Beth, standing above him, pressing her advantage to learn why this enigmatic figure haunted her dreams and had even begun to appear in her childhood memories. Mick's voice sounded for all the world like a lost little boy who was sure that no one would ever find him and keep him safe.

I think I fell in love with this couple here.