1. Vigil (midnight) - PG

[redwinter101]

*loves Grace*

I know this will come as a huge surprise.

Red

[jen]

Red

This was absolutely beautiful. Vivid. And so very true to the characters we love.

I loved the final four in that they were unabashedly romantic and some of the obstacles to Mick and Beth's romance were no longer a factor, but in the process they omitted some important things that made the characters who they were. Of course Mick would have to go after Coraline. It is who he is and I don't think he would have been able not to.

I could never express as eloquently as others have how rich and wonderful this piece was, so I won't even try except to say that you have outdone yourself. Again.

[redwinter101]

Thank you, jen - that's lovely.

Red

[mitzie]

This has completely blown me away! I agree with all the comments others have made here. This is truly a masterpiece!!!!

I'm really looking forward to more stories from this "Divine" series!!!!


mitzie

[redwinter101]

Thanks, mitzie.

More soon...

Red

[wollstonecraft61]

Wow, her punishers really knew the one thing Coraline feared, death as a human! Oh, my. And Mick offered to change her back, even though it would go against all he held dear, he still loved Coraline enough to do that for her! However, something makes me think he will now try to find that cure himself...Great job, Red!!!

[redwinter101]

Thanks, Woll. I think Mick offering to turn Coraline is just about the most heroic thing I've ever written for him (and I've made him a hero quite a lot... )

Red

[wpgrace]

I agree, Red... it would be, for Mick, an heroic act to turn someone...

But I love how he waits for her to return to consciousness... he is willing to do it, it will hurt inside, but he'll do it... but he INSISTS that she tell him. Even during their conversation, as she implies that the answer is obvious, he wants the words. There is to be no shade of grey here...

Tho this story does bring to mind that moment in Sonata when Beth asks him has he turned anyone and he pauses that one beat, before being mercifully rescued by the appearance of Jackson... Sure looked like he'd done it, didn't it? Was that a mercy turning, the choice of the turned, or was it an unintentional act of passion, or a messy mistake??

One of the irksome things we'll never know about the creators' intent... Even here in your story, he seems pretty clear he knows how to do it, when the time comes... tho here the time does not come after all...

[redwinter101]

Grace, I agree - that Sonata look definitely said, "I've turned someone." Lucky wrote a wonderful story (with coco) "From the Case Files of Mick St. John" that was about Mick turning someone. If you haven't read it, I'd recommend (or if you have, it's definitely worth a re-read).

Re turning Coraline, in this story, while there was still hope that human Coraline would recover, I think Mick wanted just that; she would recover and he wouldn't have to do anything. I also think somewhere, no matter how unlikely, he was hoping she would have an epiphany about the joys of humanity and be happy to have another brief chance at living as a human.

But once it became clear that turning was her only hope of survival, or so Mick thought, there was no way he was going to do so without her specific request. Not just for his own sake, but also to prove a point to her about the importance of self-determination - not necessarily in a callous way, but to try to make her see why it's so important to him.

Red

[redwinter101]

And here's a link to Lucky's story: viewtopic.php?f=696&t=3592

Red

[wpgrace]

Soooooo delighted that you reminded me of that one! Perfect, after reading yours here!

[librarian_7]

Many thanks for the nod, Red. It's much appreciated, and like all the writers here, I just love hearing someone remembers a story of mine!

Lucky

[MoonlitRose]

Red,

Somehow with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I missed this opening story in your The Divine Office series. I happened to read Lauds first, and then followed the link here to Vigil .

I have to say that I'm just blown away be the power and irony of this story! I too thought Mick would try to rescue Coraline, because of her self sacrifice to save him from Lance. The irony of Coraline being made mortal, wanting to be turned back, and then to have Mick actually be willing to give her that option, only to find that it was no longer possible, is in so many ways, a perfect ending for their torrid relationship.

Outstanding !

[redwinter101]

MoonlitRose, that's so very kind of you - both to seek out this story and then to leave me such a wonderful comment. I'd always believed Mick would have gone after Coraline but it took me a while to come up with an ending that seemed fitting to me. I'm delighted you found it fitting too.

Red

[jen]

Just stopped by for a reread of this lovely piece and was once again astounded at the depth and power of this story. In my time as a Moonlight fan, I have pretty uniformly viewed Coraline as the antagonist of the story. This carries her story forward in a more positive light and it is wonderful.

I am just very sad that this Coraline's journey has come to an end. What an ally she would have made! What a different story their future could have been! (Now that sounds strange coming from a MickBether).

There is such symmetry here--Mick and Coraline both make major changes in the lives of the other.

Fabulous. Even more so on the reread! No reply needed. I will be stopping in to reread these marveious stories often! Thank you!