Either/Or (Mick/Beth) --PG-13

[librarian_7]

The characters from Moonlight are copyrighted by CBS, and no infringement is intended.

Get out your tissues, maybe—this one is pretty sad.

Two takes on the same scene…


EITHER/OR


EITHER

The late afternoon sun slanted through the blinds in a warm honey gold, highlighting dust-motes dancing on the faint current of air in the room. Beth plucked peevishly at the bedclothes, trying to adjust them more to her liking. She regarded her hand with more than a little dismay. She barely recognized it, and she wasn’t sure when the smooth, strong, capable fingers had transformed into the wrinkled, weak, parchment-skinned parodies she saw now. She supposed it had been gradual, but it seemed like only a few days ago, she’d been young.

Weak. That seemed to be an apt description for her whole being. It was a struggle just to draw in each breath, and she was so tired. She knew that soon, very soon, she would have to rest. But not just yet.

“Mick?” she said, her voice barely audible even in the hushed atmosphere. “Are you there?”

He moved out of the shadows, slowly. “Of course. I’m here. I’ve always been here.”

Beth tried to smile at him. “I think…I think it’s going to be over very soon now.”

“I know.”

She turned her head with an effort, wanting to look at him again. She’d always loved to look at him. “Was it worth it?” she whispered. “Was everything worth it?”

Mick smiled at her. “You asked me once, why I went on living. It was for you. It was always for you. So yes, I’d say it was worth it.”

Beth felt the tears gathering in her eyes. “I always loved you,” she said.

He nodded in response. “We love each other, Beth. Forever.”

“Hold my hand, Mick.”

He took her hand, and she lapsed into silence. As the sun set, her breathing slowed, and finally stopped.

Mick sat with her for a long time. When at last he stood, fumbling for the cane he had needed, these last few years, he looked down at her hand, still in his. She had thought her hands unbeautiful, as they aged, and he’d once joked that his wrinkles and hers fit together perfectly. He put her hand gently beside her, and looked at her one last time. “My Beth,” he said.


OR

The room had that still quiet that only seems to come at the very tag end of the night. Beth plucked peevishly at the bedclothes, trying to adjust them more to her liking. She regarded her hand in the dim light with more than a little dismay. She barely recognized it, and she wasn’t sure when the smooth, strong, capable fingers had transformed into the wrinkled, weak, parchment-skinned parodies she saw now. She supposed it had been gradual, but it seemed like only a few days ago, she’d been young.

Weak. That seemed to be an apt description for her whole being. It was a struggle just to draw in each breath, and she was so tired. She knew that soon, very soon, she would have to rest. But not just yet.

“Mick?” she said, her voice barely audible even in the hushed atmosphere. “Are you there?”

He moved out of the shadows, slowly. “Of course. I’m here. I’ve always been here.”

Beth tried to smile at him. “I think…I think it’s going to be over very soon now.”

“I know.”

She turned her head with an effort, wanting to look at him again. She’d always loved to look at him. “Was it worth it?” she whispered. “Was everything worth it?”

Mick smiled at her. “You asked me once, why I went on living. It was for you. It was always for you. So yes, I’d say it was worth it.”

Beth felt the tears gathering in her eyes. “I always loved you,” she said.

He nodded in response. “We love each other, Beth. Forever.”

“Hold my hand, Mick.”

He took her hand, and she lapsed into silence. As the sun rose, her breathing slowed, and finally stopped.

Mick sat with her for a long time. When at last he stood, with the smooth youthful grace he’d always had, he looked down at her hand, still in his. She had thought her hands unbeautiful, as they aged, and he’d once joked that if he could have wrinkles, his would be far worse than hers. He put her hand gently beside her, and looked at her one last time. “My beautiful Beth,” he said, his voice breaking. “My Beth.”

[GuardianAngel]

I've read this before so I should have been prepared. But it still made me weepy. And, you know what, I can't choose. The first scenario is sweeter with them growing old together. Mick won't have long to live without his Beth. The second would be pure selfishness on my part. I don't want to see Mick age. But how will he go on without her?

[coco]

Oh this made me cry the first time I read it and it's happened all over again
I don't know which one I prefer

[Fleur de Lisa]

This still has the ability to bring tears to my eyes with each new reading. It is so beautifully sparse and just plain lovely. Each one is filled with such love, that they both fill my heart--each for different reasons. You hit the mark so well with these, you really, really did, because it doesn't matter the choice, the love was always there.

[Luxe de Luxe]

aahh.... I hadn't read the other scenario before. I love the idea of alternate endings. For mine, the second is how it would have turned out. But either way, they're both heartbreakers.

[wpgrace]

Ah! This one is such a classic, Lucky! It was one of the first fanfics I ever read, and by far one of the most memorable... so cool to see it being read again...

[Fleur de Lisa]

Decided to flit through your office and choose a few fics. Went to this one immediately. I've read this at least 3 times, and it still holds me rapt each time. Their love doesn't waver--no matter the either or the or. Beautiful lucky.

[coco]

I'm so pleased to see this bumped to active topics.

I can't read this without crying. Still as stunning and beautiful as ever Lucky.

[Moonlighter]

Can I choose neither/nor? They are both so heartbreaking, I wouldn't be able to choose which I prefer, but I do believe in either scenario, Mick will not last much longer without Beth.

[allegrita]

Thanks for bumping this up to the top, Moonlighter.

Lucky, I remember these stories from another site, and they still make me cry--both of them. Each one is special and poignant in its own way. I love the idea of them growing old together. I honestly believe that it's Mick's deepest desire--to live, and grow old, and die with Beth. I agree that he won't live long without her in the first scenario.

In the second one, I'm not sure I agree with Moonlighter. Of course he'll be devastated by grief; but having lived a full life with Beth, and (I hope) having learned to be more at peace with his vampire self by then, I think maybe he would go on--partly because that's what Beth would want him to do. Not get over her--never that. But move on, because I think that's the best lesson Mick can learn from Beth. To accept what exists, and go on from there.

These two scenes are both so sad, but they are just alight with love and sweetness.

[ash]

I do remember reading these before. A beautiful moment between to people no matter how what the circumstances. It still makes you weepy.

[helloeeze]

Very touching both ways.

[janicevictoria]

This is one of your best ever, Lucky...a true classic

[jen]

I, too, had read this before and I know why I didn't leave a note. I was too busy crying and hunting for tissues.

Heartbreaking, yet they stayed together.

I'd ike another choice, though. I know, I know--you're the writer and a very good one you are but how about a third alternative--where Beth doesn't die and Mick is left alone.

Just sayin'

[librarian_7]

Well, I'm always open to story ideas! Thanks for the comment, jen!

Lucky