Digging (M/B, PG-13 - Champagne Challenge #103)

[susieb]

(I'm really tickled at your comments, diane 31 and susieb.)

I'm thrilled that you could accept this take on the story. I know that a lot of people have felt it was too much, that there's no way Beth could have seen what she saw, done what she did in my story and then gone to Mick and said her lines in the beginning of Ep. 3... but to me, it's all about that pending file in her head. She doesn't deal with her traumas very well, she just shoves 'em down and goes on with her life. But eventually, curiosity gets the better of her... which is why she's such a good reporter.

Thanks again!

ITA. In Ep 3 when Josh brings her food, he refers to how they haven't discussed ANY of this...almost being murdered by the grad student, shooting Spaulding, etc and she plays it off. She's talked to no one about any of it. And when she wakes up in bed with Josh - from the dream - she's not talking to him about ANY of that with him. Period. She appears to shove it all back and carry on. We see no introspection; no analysing of what she's experienced, other than trying to gather facts. Not with Josh, not with herself. Plus, there's none of that with Mick either. The one person who could explain so much... and could support any feelings she might have about killing Spaulding, as well. I think you know what I mean

I think by the time she arrives at Mick's, she's her true self... hoping she imagined it all, knowing she didn't, and being afraid of the truth.

Anyway, I keep thinking about your story this morning. And how it really sets up how she and Mick deal (or don't deal) with each other.

Again... thank you for a great take on my favorite scene in ML.

[jen]

Fabulous reread.

It has always bothered me that Beth could have left Mick alone, hurt and afraid.

Granted, Beth had just been through a pretty horrific ordeal herself but still...

I tend to see Beth as someone who acts first and then considers the prudence of her actions afterwards. One of the unsung benefits of vampirism is it prevents attractive, but overtaxed guardian angels from going prematurely grey.

Thanks, Alle

Jenna

[allegrita]

Belated thanks to susieb for your wonderful follow-up comment. That's a great way of putting it.

And thanks to Jenna for stopping by to reread. I agree about Beth. Not only does she act first and think later, but she copes with mental issues by acting, not thinking. And yeah, it gets her into trouble quite a bit, doesn't it? Lucky Mick that he doesn't go gray, or develop worry lines.

[maggatha3]

I could have never thought that Beth would have seen -let alone done-so much after finding out Mick's dreadful secret..the first lines, where she was waiting, were somehow familiar to me and I was actually thankful she cared enough not to immediately leave and abandon him.

But going back in, and clear him of the bullets...in the beginning, I thought it was too much. I said ''come on, alle...'' Then again,this girl's curiosity to learn, to dig about everything she could find, to get answers from sealed lips came to my mind. It was just like her to react exacly like that..Ha, ha, allegrita, got you. If digging is what she likes, then give the girl the tools, right?

[allegrita]

Thanks so much, maggatha3. That's it exactly. Our Beth is a digger. And thank goodness Mick had the tools to help her dig OUT the silver, so she could start to dig for information the next time they met. Thanks for suspending disbelief and going with this story. I get that it goes too far for a lot of people. But it worked for me because it let Beth cope with one shock (shooting Lee Jay) by DOING something about another shock (finding out what Mick was). It worked better for me than having her leave Mick there, when he was so sick. That doesn't seem likely, knowing what kind of person Beth is. And I can't see her just going home, either. So I made up a scenario where she could help herself and help Mick, and still have all those unanswered questions buzzing in her head when she went back to see Mick later on.

[jen]

This was the scene when I fell in love with Moonlight.

Lock, stock and barrel--whatever that means.

The pilot episode created a bit of infatuation, but this was the real deal. I was hooked.

That being said, it bothered me that she would leave Mick in that condition--whether he begged her to or not. This was someone who had saved her life recently, and Josh or no Josh, she was intrigued, fascinated and a bit charmed.

Maybe that is one of the reasons Moonlight was so darned special. We really did feel what Beth felt.

Thank you!

Jenna

[Marigold]

Allegrita: Thank you for "fixing" this story line for me. I've always been bothered that Beth left Mick alone and hurt in his apartment. Beth is strong, inquisitive, and brave. Even though she is no doubt scared of what she just learned, I thought it was out of character for her to run away.

This part of the episode was completely surreal. Beth killed a man, found out the truth about Mick, learned that vampires exist, and then helped to heal one. You made Beth's reactions and thoughts very realistic and believable.

Nicely done!

[allegrita]

Jenna and Marigold, thanks so much for your comments! I think that Beth might use the act of caring for Mick's injuries as a way to cope with the trauma of having killed Lee Jay. She's a person who shoves her reactions into a box in her head, and hey--dealing with a crisis is a great way to avoid freaking out about a different crisis. I see Beth as being a little like me in an emergency. I turn off my emotional reaction and just deal with the situation. Then when it's all over, I fall apart completely. Beth avoided falling apart over Lee Jay by coping with Mick's terrible injuries, and helping him. Maybe she went home and shivered for hours, just trying to take it all in. Or maybe she had a hot shower and fell asleep. Once the immediate catastrophe is over, Beth seems to be pretty good at locking away her emotions when she doesn't want to deal with them...

[cassysj]

Revisiting stories. This was one of the stories that really made me change my opinion on Beth. I was never really a fan of her when I saw the series and for the most part it was your stories that let me include Beth at least in a minor role in the doll universe. You helped me understand Beth so that I could write her a little bit.

I love Beth digging the bullets out of Mick. Each one had to be even more surreal.

[allegrita]

Thank you so much for coming back to this story, Carol, and for your comment that this story helped to change your mind about Beth. That is one of the nicest things anyone has ever said about my writing. I do love Beth, warts and all. And believe me, I know Beth is imperfect as heck. But she's so gallant--so unflaggingly curious about everything. Considering her past, I love that she is as courageous as she is. She could have been a "nervous Nellie," but instead she's like Nellie Bly. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellie_Bly

[BlueEyedMonster]

I love this story and so glad I found it. While I know the whole end of OOTP was for dramatic effect and the confines of a 43-44 minute show I also felt Beth would never leave him there hurting. This is the man who saved her twice that and her strange attraction to him (not to mention her natural curiosity) would have overcome any fear.

[allegrita]

Thanks, BEM. This is one of the biggest holes that Moonlight left open, and it was lots of fun to close it. And this particular Challenge inspired some of my favorite stories, each one different and each one so beautifully thought out If you haven't yet checked it out, I'd highly recommend it. Back then we had two separate threads, one for comments on the challenge, and one for the links.
Story challenge thread: http://www.moonlightaholics.com/viewtop ... 137&t=2367
Links thread: http://www.moonlightaholics.com/viewtop ... 137&t=2368

[choccyterri]

Alle, after watching Out of the Past just recently I was SO happy to read this and fill in the little questions that it left unanswered... What happened when the titles rolled...? How could they move past that night...? It's the perfect foil for the next episode. Leaving Beth her always determined self, but with opened eyes. In no doubt of what she was dealing with. It's a wonderful story, babes... I can see each of Mick's movements in my head. Hear the tension in Beth's voice as she's trying to help him. I'm so glad I found it, and thank you for sharing...

[allegrita]

Thanks so much, Terri! I would highly recommend that you check out all of the stories inspired by this Challenge. (See my previous reply to BlueEyedMonster for the links.) There are some fabulous stories, and it amazes me how differently people approached the subject. That tells me how incredibly inspiring Moonlight really was. It opened up whole worlds of interpretation.

[Lucy]

As visceral as her actual prodding for lead.....
it satisfied my curiosity that CANON sparked.
Took me right back to that night....all his pain....all her shock....all her naivete.
WOW