Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: This little scene dictated itself to me today, so I wrote it down. It's a response to Champagne Challenge #152, Giving Thanks, but it was inspired as well by HotMicks' amazing comic book adventure, Moonlight Comics: Paris, which everyone must go read, right now!! Don't worry, I'll wait.
I want to thank Lilly for giving me really excellent advice, and helping me improve this greatly from the original draft I sent her today.
Warning--this may seem like the beginning of a multichapter, but it's not. I'm not saying it will never be continued, but I have no plans at this point to continue it, and no idea how it might turn out if I do continue it. So if you don't like open-ended stories, you might not find this one very satisfying.
Thanksgiving, 2008
Beth sighed and pushed the turkey and dressing around on her plate, then looked up at Mick. “I’ve been thinking.”
Mick had been staring at the fire, cradling a glass of whiskey. He blinked and focused on Beth. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Beth put her fork down and picked up her wineglass, looking into its ruby depths. Without raising her eyes, she said, “You have to go.”
Mick frowned. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Coraline. You have to try to help her, Mick.”
Mick’s eyebrows shot up. “Coraline? The woman who stalked you, kidnapped you? The woman you staked? What brings this on?”
“Look, Mick…I know it’s been eating away at you for months. Wondering what happened to her. Feeling guilty, because she sacrificed herself to save you. Well, she may be the evil ex, but she’s your sire too. And she gave you the cure…”
Mick took a big swallow of scotch and set the glass down on the table. “It has not been eating away at me.”
Beth rolled her eyes. “Yes, it has. And it’s time for you to do something about it.”
Mick got up and walked over to the window. He stood there, silently, for a long time, and Beth could see his eyes glistening in the stripes of city light that came through the blinds. He took a breath, started to speak, and then let out a long sigh, shaking his head.
Beth pushed back her chair and stood up. “I know you, Mick. You’re not the kind of guy to just let them take her away. If you were, I wouldn’t love you so much.” She put her hand up to her mouth. “You need to go. At least find out what happened to her.”
Mick turned toward her, his face stricken. “I don’t mean to dwell on it, Beth. It’s just that—”
She shook her head. “I know. I know. We’ve both been trying for six months to have a real life together, Mick. But she’s always there, in the background. If you’re not thinking about her, I am. How can we celebrate Thanksgiving in comfort here, when she could be…” Beth’s voice trailed off, and she turned away.
Mick walked to her, enveloping her from behind in a tight hug. He bent his head and inhaled the scent of her, and Beth leaned against him, turning her head slightly. Nuzzling the soft skin of her neck, he whispered, his voice very low and rough, “Beth, if I go… I don’t know what I’ll find.”
She nodded, hugging his arms tightly against her body. “I know that. And I was thinking… maybe I could come with you. Help you somehow.”
Mick kissed her hair. “I wouldn’t put you in that kind of danger.”
Beth turned around in his arms and looked up into his face. “I’d rather be there with you, know what you were up against, than stay here. And after all, they broke into your place before. What makes you think I’d be any safer here, without your protection, than doing research in France?” She pulled his head down and pressed her forehead to his. “And we do make a good team, you know.”
Mick smiled into her blue eyes. “Yeah, we do. But I don’t know, Beth. This could be suicide.”
Beth tilted her head and kissed him tenderly. “I’d rather die with you than live without you, Mick.”
Mick closed his eyes, his lips moving softly on hers. His hands came up to cup her cheeks as they kissed silently, comforting each other without words.
He gave her one last, long kiss and then hugged her tightly again, cradling her face against his chest. “I’m not gonna say no. But I won’t say yes, either. And I think the first step, either way, is to call Josef. He knows more about Coraline’s family than he let on. And if we’re going to go on a fact-finding mission, it’s time to get him to talk.”
Beth hugged him hard around the waist, and then let go, stepping away from him, suddenly all business. “Okay. Then let’s give him a call and see what he has to say.”
Mick looked at her, a slightly bemused smile on his face. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
Beth wrinkled her nose at him. “I’ve gotta be, to keep up with you. So call, already.” She picked up her wineglass and took a sip.
Grinning, Mick picked up his glass and clinked it with hers, and then reached for his phone. “Josef’s never gonna believe this,” he said.
<>
I could picture it all in my mind. And who knows? Maybe Josef will decide to go with them!
Oh Alle, I cannot wait for Josef to pick up that phone. I can completely see this scene happening. It's such a perfect glimpse into something that most definitely would have happened. Thank you for sharing ( and storing it away) babes. 
Each of them is acutely aware of how much they have to be grateful for -- and that it is at least in some part due to Coraline. I love the image of them trying -- but Mick is distracted and Beth is busy just pushing food around on her plate. It's a small moment that is symbolic of what their life will be like until they resolve the unfinished business that neither of them has talked about until now.
I will definitely keep the possibility open! I think it could be a pretty exciting adventure. 
But I'm so glad to be made aware of this little gem! 
And so glad my silly comic inspired you to write it. 
). Love me some MickBeth emotional growth. 
No pressure or anything. 
You love their romance like I do. 
