Moonlightaholics

My thanks to PNWgal for beta-ing for me and being such a wonderful source of encouragement.

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. They are not mine, never have been, never will be. Bummer, I know.


note: I am in NO way pushing my fics but my stories, Just Right, Wolf in Sheep's Clothing and the Per Diem series are all a running set. There may be comments that will make more sense if you have read through them. It's not totally necessary, I just thought I'd put that out there.


Baby Talk


Beth rushed through the door, cursing at her watch. She hadn't expected Ben to need her at a crime scene this afternoon. Now she was going to be late for the shower the office was throwing for the receptionist. And, damn-it, she still had to wrap her present.

Dropping her purse and keys on the couch, she collected the Gymboree and Hallmark bags sagging against the side of the counter and brought them over to the coffee table before searching for the tape and scissors. It didn't turn out to be much of a search; Mick was one of the most organized males she'd ever met. With a smile on her lips she settled herself on the floor in front of the table and emptied the bags.

In her haste, the box containing the small white and pink outfit and accessories opened and spilled into Beth's lap. With a huff she scooped them up and laid them out to be refolded.

Slender fingers smoothed the soft cotton, straightening the dark pink edging along the cuffs. Her lips twitched into a smile as she took in the tiny ladybugs on the one-piece and its matching beanie. The blond head tilted as her fingers slipped into the cap, holding it up and turning it slowly, enjoying the downy feel and precious print. She placed the tiny hat down into the tissue and spied the little plush ladybug rattle sticking out from under the box. Remembering that it was this adorable confection that first caught her eye and had her buying the set, she plucked it up and ran her thumbs over the fleecy wing, her nail tracing the stitched pink on pink dots.

I'll never have a little girl to wear something like this.

An image of a chubby toddler with chocolate curls and shining hazel eyes assaulted her mind, stealing her breath.

The smile withered and her teeth pulled at her lower lip. Her fingers slowed their adoring caress. Beth gently laid the rattle in the box and closed the tissue over it reverently. Sitting back on her haunches, her hands gripped her thighs and she bowed her head. Slow, even breaths cleared the burning in her throat.

It only took a few minutes for the feeling to pass.

What the hell is wrong with me? I've never even thought about having a baby. There's plenty of time to deal with that later.

Is there? I want to be Turned. Once I'm Turned I can never have a baby. And it could never be Mick's baby.

Then I don't. I don't have to give birth for us to be parents. It's not about DNA, right? This is silliness.

Giving her lap a slap, Beth took a deep breath and shook off the momentary despondence. She didn't have time for it anyway. It was going to take her at least 20 minutes to get downtown in rush hour traffic.

Her hands smoothed the wrinkles one last time before closing the box. As her gaze followed the lid down, she caught a slight movement out of the corner of her eye. Mick was standing in his office doorway, watching her.

Beth smiled. "Hey." She'd cut the paper, wrapped it over the box while holding it in place with her elbow and measuring off a piece of tape before she realized he hadn't answered.

"Mick?" He still didn't answer. Worried, Beth stopped to look at him. Really look at him.

He wasn't looking at her at all. His eyes were riveted on the table in front of her. Ever so slowly, his gaze rose until it rested on her. And she knew.

Beth swallowed. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough." Mick edged towards her as if each step were more painful than the last. Finally, he stopped just short of the table and looked down at her. With a nod towards the package he asked, "What's that?"

After sealing the last of the folds, Beth flipped the box back over and placed her hands on either side, fingers tattooing the edges.

"If you've been standing there as long as I think you have, you know what it is." There was heat in her response, annoyance that she'd been caught. Her moment of weakness would have been just that, a flitting moment of 'what if' easily forgotten. But now, witnessed by Mick, it was going to be an issue.

"I saw you."

"It was nothing, Mick. It was just..." Her hand waved back and forth as she searched for a word that could sum up the minor fissure in her otherwise solid world.

"Regret." A heavy hand wiped at his face. "Something I never wanted to cause you."

Yup. It's become an issue. One she didn't want to deal with right now. For one thing, it hurt him. For another, there was the slight possibility that fissure might widen if she inspected it too closely.

"It wasn't re....." The perfunctory response was cut short by the disbelief that clouded the vampire's face. His brows raised and his body tensed, bracing itself to thwart her attempt to make light of what he'd just seen.

"Okay." Beth rose from the floor and slid backward onto the couch. "Yes, for a few minutes I thought about never having children."

Mick stood, hands on hip, staring off into another direction. One. Two. Three. Beth counted each clenching of his jaw. At five she sighed and went to him.

"You're making a big deal out of nothing."

His head snapped back to her. "Nothing?" Mick inhaled again the lingering tang of grief that had brought him looking for her. It was not the smell of 'nothing'. His brows furrowed as he frowned down at her. "You were upset."

"Yes. Yes I was." Tender fingers brushed his cheek. "But many things are going upset me, Mick. That's life."

"I don't like it." He closed his eyes, shook his head. "I hate not being able to give you something you want." There was pain in his eyes when he reopened them and his palm flattened over her belly, telling her what he couldn't voice.

Beth covered his hand with her own and squeezed as she rested her head at his shoulder. "Mick, you give me more than I ever dreamed possible. You make me happy."

Mick's hand slid around her waist, pulling her against him. The vampire let out a heavy sigh, finally releasing some of the fear that had bloomed at finding Beth pining over what she'd be missing.

"I love you, Beth. I don't want you to ever regret being with me." His hand inched under her hair, his fingers massaging her neck. "I've told you before, I'd understand if this was a deal-breaker."

"You're not getting off that easy." Rubbing her cheek against his chest she turned her head and looked up at him. "We could always adopt."

"You'd want to adopt?" Surprise slackened his jaw.

"Yes. No." She cocked her head and smiled. "Maybe." Mick's lips twitched. "Hold on there, big guy - I'm not ready for this. We're not even married yet." Beth rolled her eyes and swatted his arm before turning and sweeping her gift into a bag. "Which is kind of my point. I'm not ready to decide any of this right now." She checked her watch and groaned. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Hefting her purse onto her shoulder, Beth turned to scan Mick's expression and was relieved to find him thoughtful but no longer upset. She reached up and gave him a quick kiss. She found herself leaning in for another when his hand slid up her back.

"You'll make a really good mother."

Beth wrinkled her nose "You think?"

"I know."

Balancing bags and car keys, Beth gave her vampire one last kiss. The smile on his face gave her pause. He was far too chipper. Narrowing her eyes she asked, "What?"

"Nothing." Mick palmed the edge of the door, ushering her out. "You're going to be late."

She studied his butter-wouldn't-melt expression but time was pulling at her. With a wave she was gone.

Beth would make a really good mother. A really good human mother. One edge of his mouth pulled at his lips until a full smile graced his face. Mick rubbed his chin. A newly Turned vampire couldn't be trusted in the same house with a small child. Not for quite a while anyway.

He had just found his ace in his argument against her Turning.

Oh GA!!!! I'm beyond excited to see this. I do so love the Per Diem's.

That last line was killer.

This was always going to be one of those subjects for these two and it is and you handled it beautifully.

I can see Beth protesting over that last line though.

So good. Poor Beth has no idea she just gave Mick the amo he needed to shoot down her turning.
I hope she has a good rebuttle. Well done.

Great story, starting sad and ending funny. They are like me, regret never lasts long with me.

Oh this is good. Really good. F**king good, GA. I had a sharp intake of breath at the ending - following on from such a lovely slice of bittersweet.

Beth is marvellous - and so realistic. Nothing stopping her having children if that's what she wants - she just needs to go and find herself another man. Her choice, her decision and in spite of her regret, she realises that. But Mick won't let himself off the hook for being unable to be everything to her - because that's what he wants more than anything.

Red

I love this! The last line really got me!! They really need to learn to talk to each other not at each other! Mick and his ammo, as if it's a war not a relationship!!!! Very well-done!!!!


mitzie

GA,

this is wonderful...Beth's reactions to everything (getting an assignment she wasn't expecting, being late) were very realistic, but her ones to the baby presents as you've portrayed them are especially so, and telling. At first, the gift was cute, then it brought her to think about a child she'd never have, but never really thought of before....yet true to her character, she dismisses it for now...she'll deal with it later....

The way you have the reader feel the shift in emotion from annoyed, to wistful, to sad was flawless. Same is true with Mick's reactions -watchful, sad, resigned - but his finding the silver lining in the momentary dark cloud around Beth was just perfect

Love your peeks very much!!
This one started so bittersweet... Beth smiling at baby stuff, then thinking she'd never have her own, then actually imagining a chubby toddler with chocolate curls and shining hazel eyes... and realizing she couldn't have him from Mick... so sad...
The issue isn't funny at all, how they are going to raise a child?
It is difficult and complicated, but it would suit Mick, to be a daddy!
And Beth, indeed, would make a wonderful mother...
Artificial insemination or adoption?
But kudos to you for ending it on a funny, humorous note...

Perfection. This is classic Mick and Beth--I could see their reactions, hear their voices as plain as day. Not one false note. This is both of them in the show--sounds exactly like them. Unreal in it's realism.

The ending---wonderful. Just wonderful.
to you, doll. You did real good!

Ohhhhh this is brilliant!

The whole conversation... and the torn and regretful feelings... part of the difficult and complicated business...

And I LOVE how he's all triumphant at the end. Still complicated, isn't it????

You know how much I love this, GA. This one's got a bit of humor and seriousness and just a whole lot of great Mick and Beth.

A gift that at first is sweet and cute soon makes Beth realize what she will never have with Mick:

I'll never have a little girl to wear something like this.

An image of a chubby toddler with chocolate curls and shining hazel eyes assaulted her mind, stealing her breath.

This made me sniffle the first time I read it.

And even though she's ready to dismiss it, Mick makes it an issue. I loved this:

There was pain in his eyes when he reopened them and his palm flattened over her belly, telling her what he couldn't voice.

Such a powerful visual. He knows he can't give Beth everything, no matter how much he wants to. But...all Beth wants is Mick. I like how she's very realistic and lets him know he can't fix EVERYTHING that might upset her.

And - when Mick realizes he's got a good strong excuse for NOT Turning Beth:

Beth would make a really good mother. A really good human mother. One edge of his mouth pulled at his lips until a full smile graced his face. Mick rubbed his chin. A newly Turned vampire couldn't be trusted in the same house with a small child. Not for quite a while anyway.

All in all, just a wonderful piece. Well done, my friend...VERY well done.

coco: And I'm beyond excited that you always come back to read more. Yes, the baby issue was bound to come up again and it's a touchy subject. As for the last line - no Beth would not be happy. But he just might have her there.

lorig: Yeah, Beth's clueless as to what he's thinking. We'll just have to see.

francis: Regret usually doesn't last long with me either. If you're really unhappy, then do something about it.

Red: F**cking good?! Well, damn, I'm liking that! Beth copes with these things much better than Mick. She's the more realistic of the two in this case. She knows she can't have everything - that sometimes you have to compromise. But you're right, Mick can't stand the thought of her giving something up for him.

Mitzie: LOL. No, not really a war. But Mick (being his arrogant self) thinks he knows what Beth wants and needs better than she does. Especially when it comes to her Turning. Bottom line - he wants her human and thinks she'll eventually regret Turning.

dsr: I'm glad you found it to be realistic. I really try to keep it that way and have their reactions ring true. There is nothing like the temptation of something we can't have but Beth isn't going to dwell on it. She has her eye on the prize that she wants right now - which would be Mick.

Liana: No, it's not a funny subject, but humor is sometimes the best way to handle a hard situation. I think Mick would make a fantastic father and I'd really like to see him with a child. As for the how - I've put a lot of thought into it and have my ideas.

Fleur: You spoil me. "sounds exactly like them". That is music to thine ears. This is how I hear and see them hashing this out - I'm thrilled that you can see and hear it too.

grace: Very complicated, yes. But isn't everything with these two? I think the issue of a child is huge for Mick - which is why it's come up several times on the show. Coraline trying to give him one, realizing he can't have one with Beth and it might be a 'dealbreaker' and hoping that the father of the kidnapped boy might actually be his son. It's like it's held just out of reach and makes me so sad for him - especially since I think he'd make a great Dad.

Pgal: *hugs* Of course Beth would imagine a miniature Mick as her child. What a beautiful child that would be! And yes, Mick and Beth would handle this totally different. She's the kind of woman who knows that she'll figure out a way to get what she wants, she's not going to waste a lot of time being upset over it. That image of Mick with his hand on her belly? I loved it too. Made me all tingly. As for the triumphant ending, Mick's a P.I. He's used to mulling over and pulling apart facts. It wouldn't take him long to figure out that there was something useful to come out of this.

Bumpity, bump, bump.


Bump.

This was so Beth and so Mick! Just loved this! Beth is a very strong person, and lets things go much easier that Mick! But he did manage to find the light at the end of the tunnel in his mind! Great addition to the series and can't wait for the time Mick tells her of his little plan!

Kelly

This was another amazing chapter, GA. It was very visual - I could picture it all just like a movie in my mind. Beth has a bit of Scarlett O'Hara about her, doesn't she? "Fiddle dee dee, I'll worry about that tomorrow." And Mick's "ace" at the end...well, I can't wait to see how you play this out!

Now I'm all caught up on your fantastic Per Diems! So glad I found them!