No Boundaries - part seven (PG13)

[Shadow]

Disclaimer: Moonlight is not mine and no copyright infringement is intended.








IN BETWEEN
sixteen and . . . .






No Boundaries
part seven





It was so good to be home. Beth smiled at the thought, as she followed Mick up the stairs. Mick’s apartment did feel like home, especially compared to the safe house where they’d spent the night, waiting for Josef and Marguerite to deal with Olivia. And now we know it’s safe to stay here after all. Under the drug, Olivia had confirmed what Ben had told them – she’d generated the list herself and had sent it to no one but Ben. No other Cleaners had been involved, except for Olivia’s two assistants, now dead. Mick really was safe now.

And human. Mick was moving slowly, a little painfully, and he was obviously exhausted. Beth felt as tired as he looked - neither of them had gotten a bit of sleep last night, and the day was nearly over.

“So what is this surprise?” she asked, as they reached the second floor.

“You’ll see. In just a second.”

Mick stopped at the door of the freezer room and looked in, and Beth peered over his shoulder. She blinked, startled by what she saw. When Mick had first shown her his freezer, and when she’d sneaked up later to watch him sleeping in it, the room had been almost empty, the walls bare save for the hooks where his clothes had hung. Now, the walls were piled high with boxes and clutter, leaving only a little space in the middle of the floor for the freezer. Logan was sitting in a clear place, leaning back on a box with his laptop on the floor in front of him.

“Is Elaine all set?” Mick asked.

“Yeah, she’s okay. I thought I’d, um, sit here with her for a while, if that’s all right.”

“No problem. As long as you stay on this side of the hall.”

Logan looked up in confusion as Mick pulled the door shut, but he didn’t ask for explanations. And Beth was too tired to even wonder what he meant. As long as Elaine was safe, lying secure in Mick’s freezer while she recovered, any other questions could wait.

The door clicked shut and Mick turned to her with a nervous smile. “It’s over here,” he said. He opened the door across the hall from the freezer room, and stepped back.

Previously this had been a storage room, piled with boxes, about as untidy as she could imagine a room that belonged to Mick. So this is where all those boxes in the freezer room came from, she thought, walking into the room in a daze. It wasn’t even recognizable as the same room – all the storage was gone, and the room had been transformed. There was a bed in it now, covered with a pretty quilt, and there were soft white curtains at the window, tied back with ribbons. On one side of the window stood a wooden dresser, and on the other side, a little table with a mirror and a chair. Opposite the bed, Mick’s guitar leaned against a small couch. Had he started playing it again? He must have, or else he means to. Why else would it be here? She smiled and lifted her gaze to the walls. Mick had put up artwork here, softer than what he kept downstairs: botanical prints, landscapes, a little painting of a duck pond.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, staring at it, and then she turned in a slow circle, to look at everything again. “I can’t believe it.”

“I thought you ought to have a place where you’d be comfortable, if you wanted to sleep over. And it’s always good to have a bed. For – lots of reasons.” Mick sat down on the edge of the bed, watching her, obviously pleased with her reaction.

Beth smiled. If only she weren’t so damned tired, if only Mick weren’t so desperately in need of rest . . . but even though they were both on the verge of collapse, there was something extraordinary they could do in this bed tonight.

“Mick, I love this,” she said. “I can’t even tell you how much. I remember you talked about maybe getting a bed, but I never imagined anything like this.” She dropped her bag on the floor and climbed into the bed beside him, then lay back blissfully against the pillows. “Oh, this feels so good.”

Mick lay down beside her, settling himself carefully, but Beth saw him wince with pain as he moved. She glanced down at his bandaged arm, hoping the burn still looked all right beneath the wraps. Well, of course it did; the doctor Josef had brought to the safe house had changed the bandage only two hours ago, and everything had been fine then. She was just nervous about having the burn covered; she couldn’t help wanting to constantly reassure herself that it looked normal, that it hadn’t turned to ash again. While Mick had still been a vampire, she’d been so afraid that he was going to vanish in front of her eyes, the way the man she’d shot had vanished, drifting to the floor as nothing more than charred embers.

But that wouldn’t happen, not as long as Mick stayed human. And he will. He has to. Beth pushed back her fears and took his hand in hers, snuggling closer to him, treasuring the astonishing warmth of his body, the swifter beat of his pulse. “You did take those antibiotics, didn’t you?” she asked, in sudden worry that he might be too warm, from infection.

“Yeah, I took them.”

She hoped he’d taken the painkillers too. “You really do hate doctors, don’t you? Even as a human.”

“I like doctors just fine,” he contradicted her. “Just as long as they aren’t treating me.”

She laughed at that, but she couldn’t help remembering the story he’d told her about the time he’d been wounded in the war. After enduring something like that, it was no wonder he had such an aversion to medical treatment; he’d had enough of it to last even a vampire lifetime. “So,” she said curiously, “why does Josef have a human doctor on call, anyway?”

Mick looked uncomfortable. “Well . . . for the freshies. Just in case.”

“Oh.” For those accidents that sometimes happened with vampires, he meant. But that wasn’t something she would need to worry about, not even after the burn healed and Mick turned back.

“I’m sorry you got dragged into all this . . . vampire business,” Mick said softly.

“I wasn’t dragged in. I put myself there, remember?” She leaned a little closer to kiss him, and curled up with her head against his shoulder. “Thank you for this room, Mick.”

“I’m glad I got the chance to show it to you.”

“Me too. And it’s just in time, isn’t it? Who knew that we’d get a chance to use it for something like this.”

“Something like what?” His voice was barely audible now.

“Actually sleeping together. All night.” It was nearly dark now, and she didn’t imagine that either of them would be awake again before dawn.

He smiled a little. “Without even any ice packs.”

“Or hot water bottles.” Or even undressing, she thought fuzzily, or getting under the covers. They really ought to, before sleeping, but she was far too tired to consider it, and she was pretty sure Mick was already asleep. She opened her eyes one last time . . . to look at the room, to look at Mick in her arms . . . and as soon as she closed them again, she was asleep too.














The woman was wearing white, a flowing nightdress and high-heeled slippers, and she had a confident, knowing smile on her face. She carried Beth into a dark room, put her down on the floor, and lit a lantern. Beth crept into a corner, trembling. She was so little, and the woman was so strong, so terrifying – so seductive. Beth looked down at her hands, and they were now an adult’s hands, not a child’s. Her hands held a stake, but she’d tried that before, and Coraline was still there, still haunting her. Still haunting Mick. What could Beth do? How could she fight an immortal creature who would never, ever give up?

She had to do something – she braced herself to attack. But Coraline was no longer standing over her. Mick was there instead, kneeling beside her, holding out his hand. How had he gotten past Coraline without her even noticing? “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Come with me.” She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet, leading her quickly to the door. They slipped out into the hall, closing the door behind them – but the hall led nowhere. There were blank walls all around them, with no windows or doors, and Mick let go of her hand, spinning in a dismayed circle. There was nowhere to go, no way to escape, and Beth could only feel despair. But then Mick reached for her hand again, meeting her gaze steadily, and slowly, hesitantly, she held it out to him. The touch of his fingers on hers was cold, then warm, then cold again, and when she finally looked up, the walls were gone.

Beth woke with a start, the dream lingering for only an instant in her mind. What had she seen, instead of the walls? I can’t remember. Not even whether it was night or day. It was almost dawn now, and a very faint gray light glowed beyond the window, but the room Mick had made for her was cool and dark, a sanctuary. Mick’s warm body beside her was a comforting presence, reassuring her that he was still human, still alive, and she lay for a time just listening to his soft breathing, watching his calm face.

What had woken her? She finally realized she’d heard a sound, and she leaned over the edge of her bed to fumble in her bag for her phone. Was there a message from Josef, something about Olivia or the Cleaners? No. She did have a text message – but it was from Benjamin Talbot.












Beth hurried down the stairs in the dark, clutching her bag and trying not to make a sound. She’d get her car from the garage and drive to her apartment first, she decided, to clean up and change clothes; she’d have enough time, and it would be easier for her to face down Ben Talbot if she wasn’t a crumpled mess. There were no disturbances above her, so apparently she’d made it to the stairs without awakening Mick. She hoped Logan hadn’t heard her either. As she reached the last step, she suddenly stumbled and grabbed the rail - there was a dark shape in front of her, moving in the dark kitchen. She caught her breath, fears cascading through her mind, and reached into her bag for her gun. Maybe it was just Josef, or Logan, but wouldn’t they have said something by now? She crept silently to the floor lamp and turned the switch.

In the kitchen Elaine spun to face her, her pale eyes wide and frightened. Beth froze, then hastily pushed the gun back into her bag. Elaine’s eyes quickly darkened again, the fear leaving her face, and she stepped shakily back against the counter, where Beth saw a bottle of blood and a half-filled glass. Why didn’t I think? Of course Elaine’s down here; she still needs a lot of blood. Frequently. “I’m so sorry, Elaine,” she said awkwardly. “I didn’t think anyone would be down here, and . . . and I’m a little jumpy.”

“Yeah, me too.” Elaine unobtrusively pushed the bottle of blood out of sight behind her, rubbed at her mouth, and looked down. It’s hard for me not to hide this, Mick had said, the first time he’d drunk blood in front of her. He’d been so ashamed, so unnerved by her presence - just as Elaine was now.

“Elaine . . . you don’t have to hide that from me,” Beth said. “I’m used to Mick drinking blood. It doesn’t bother me at all.” Was that the only issue, though? Maybe Elaine was also afraid of losing control again. She hadn’t fully recovered yet, after all. “Is it okay for me to be here?” Beth asked cautiously. “Will it be too hard for you if I’m close by?” Suddenly she wanted to stay, if she could – she wanted this chance to talk to Elaine alone. And as long as she didn’t bother to go by her apartment before her meeting with Ben, she’d have enough time for it.

“It’s okay,” Elaine said. “Well, as long as I have access to blood, anyway.” She pulled up a stool and sat down at the counter, arranging her glass and bottle in front of her. She sat stiffly, her head bowed, her face half hidden by her long hair.

“Where’s Logan?” Beth asked. “I thought he’d be looking after you.” To give Elaine a little space, she turned away and opened the big refrigerator, and her eyes widened when she saw that it was full of food. This must be part of my surprise, she thought with pleasure, and realized that she was hungry. There had been plenty of food at Josef’s place, but she hadn’t really been up to eating while she was there.

“He went to help the Cleaners with some computer stuff,” Elaine said. “He didn’t want to go, but I told him I was okay.”

Elaine didn’t really look okay, but Beth felt sure she would be safe with the girl. Elaine had bitten Beth, after all, and had held back from drinking her blood, when she was in far worse shape than this. Beth made a hasty sandwich and joined Elaine at the counter, putting her stool at the far end. She wasn’t afraid, but she didn’t want to make Elaine any more nervous than she was already. She reminds me of Audrey. So quiet and shy, almost flinching from the world, but so strong underneath. Elaine’s whole life had been turned upside down by a terrible trauma, just as Audrey’s had been, and yet they’d both endured.

“Did you hear the news from Josef?” Beth asked. “About Olivia? It’ll be safe for us to stay in L.A.”

“Logan told me.” Elaine was still hunched over her blood, not looking up. She didn’t seem especially interested in the news.

“Aren’t you glad you’ll be able to stay?”

“No. I’m never going back to that house.”

Where she’d been caught and held in chains, where she’d almost been burned to death . . . are there still vampire ashes there, or have the Cleaners been there to take care of things? . . . it was no wonder Elaine wasn’t going back. “I can see why. But – aren’t you going to stay in L.A.?” Beth asked.

“I don’t know. I don’t want to stay here. I want to leave this city, and never look back. Logan doesn’t want to leave, and Mick won’t want to either, but . . . I don’t know.”

Beth bit her lip unhappily, wondering what would happen. It didn’t sound very likely that Elaine would stay, and it would be so hard for Mick if she left . . .

“Beth,” Elaine said, “I want to apologize.”

“Apologize? For what?”

“For the first time we met.” Elaine finally looked up at Beth, meeting her gaze. She said, “It was totally a coincidence that I saw you at Saint John’s – I wasn’t following you or anything, honest – but I did know who you were. Mick had told me about you, so I’d watched some of your Buzzwire reports. But I knew he hadn’t told you about me, so I didn’t know what to say.”

“What – what did Mick tell you about me?”

“That he was falling in love with you. Even though it was impossible and could never be. You can imagine.”

“Difficult, dangerous, complicated?” Beth couldn’t keep from smiling, but for some reason she also felt near tears.

“Yeah, that’s Mick.”

“He only told me about you right before it all happened. On our way to your house.”

“Well, I only found out about you because I asked. I’d been away for a while – well, twelve years or so – and I’d kind of forgotten how long it had been. I asked him if he was still watching over that little girl, and he said yes, except she wasn’t so little any more.” She hesitated, then said, “He wanted to tell you about me, Beth. More than anything. But at first he was afraid to admit he’d ever turned anyone, because you seemed so interested in it. And then he was afraid it would hurt you to know.”

Of course, after she’d taken the black crystal, after she’d begged Mick to turn her in the shower, he wouldn’t have wanted to admit that he’d ever done such a thing himself. And after he’d refused to turn Josh . . . yes, it would have hurt her to hear about Elaine. It hurt even now, even though she understood.

“It’s hard for us to share our secrets, Beth,” Elaine said quietly. “It’s not just Mick. It’s a vampire thing.”

And no wonder, with hunters out there in every city, relentlessly searching for and killing vampires. Mick had told her long ago that there were people who hunted vampires, that they never stopped hunting, but somehow she had never quite realized the horror of it before. And she had never imagined that someone she liked and respected could ever have been such a hunter. Beth swallowed and said, “Elaine, is it okay with you that nothing’s going to happen to Ben Talbot? After what he did to you?”

Elaine shifted uncomfortably. “It wasn’t really him. It was Olivia. Talbot wasn’t ever cruel to me, and he did save us in the end. As long as Olivia pays for what she did, I’m okay with that.”

“She’ll pay,” Beth said. Questioning, sentencing, and execution. It would all be over soon, if it wasn’t already. She had to admit, vampire justice did have its merits. “Josef will let us know soon.”

“Is Mick – is he really all right?”

“Of course he is.” As long as he stays human. He just has to stay human for long enough. According to Josef’s doctor, he would need three weeks, or perhaps a month, to heal completely. As long as Mick didn’t change back deliberately again, surely the cure would give him plenty of time. “Can’t you tell? I mean, with your vampire senses?”

Elaine looked down at the table, at her hands. “No. The drug’s not all gone yet, and my senses are pretty messed up.”

“Oh.” No wonder Elaine had been so startled when Beth came down the stairs; she probably hadn’t even seen her until the light came on. “Well, he really is doing fine. He’s just sleeping right now.”

“But he almost died. So did you. And it’s my fault.”

“How can you say that? It wasn’t your fault!”

“It only happened because Mick was trying to help me. If I hadn’t let myself be caught -- ”

“Elaine, you can’t blame yourself for that!”

She shook her head stubbornly. “Mick always begged me to be more careful, but I never listened to him. It’s no wonder I was caught.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered whether you were careful or not. You were taken because you had a connection to Mick. They were after him. It isn’t your fault at all.”

Beth got up and went to Elaine’s side, sitting down on the stool beside the girl.

“Is that really true?” Elaine whispered.

“Yes,” Beth said firmly.

“And Mick’s going to heal?”

“Yes, he is.”

Elaine still looked shaky and guilt-ridden. Beth hesitated, then gently put her arms around the girl and gave her a hug. Elaine stiffened and flinched, almost pulling away, but then very hesitantly held her in turn, quickly letting go again. It reminded Beth almost painfully of Mick, of the first time she’d embraced him. I think I’d really like to get to know this girl. I hope I get the chance.

She stepped away and picked up her bag, glancing at her watch. “I have to go,” she said. “If Mick wakes up while I’m gone, will you tell him I’ll be back pretty soon? I’m not sure exactly how long this will take, but I’ll definitely be back in time to go with him to the Fordhams’ - if he feels up to it.” And even if he didn’t well enough, there would be other opportunities for him to visit them. Lots of other opportunities.

“Where are you going?” Elaine asked.

“My place. I’m planning to stay over here for a few days, so I need to go pick up some clothes and things.”

Elaine looked doubtful, and she looked past Beth, raising her eyebrows. What was she looking at? Guiltily Beth turned around, expecting to see Mick behind her – but it wasn’t Mick. It was Josef.

“Josef. What – what happened to Olivia?” she asked him, stammering a little in her surprise. How long had he been standing there, listening?

“She’s dead,” Josef said shortly. “We still have some more work to do, figuring out how the Cleaners made the mistake of letting her in, but Marguerite’s getting started on that.” He eyed her, taking in the bag slung over her shoulder, and said, “Where did you say you were going?”

Beth flushed, sure that he’d heard her the first time. She repeated, “To my place, to pick up a few things.”

“Right. And where else?”

She sighed. Damned vampires, they could always tell when a human was lying. “And I’m going to meet Ben Talbot so I can pick up Mick’s file from him.”

“Glad to hear it,” Josef said. “I have to say, it’s kind of nice not to have to take care of these little loose ends myself. But I’ll come with you.”

She considered him for a moment, tempted to refuse, just to assert herself. But she really would be glad of his company, and she had even more questions for him than she’d had for Elaine. She tossed her head, adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder, and said, “Good. Let’s go.”














The sky was beginning to lighten as Beth pulled her car out of Mick’s parking garage, but it was still early enough that traffic wasn’t bad on the surface streets. Josef settled into the seat beside her, holding a pair of sunglasses ready to put on. He was an uncomfortable presence beside her, somehow radiating danger and nervous energy, but even so, she was glad he was with her. She’d been a little nervous about meeting Ben alone, but she absolutely hadn’t wanted Mick to be involved.

“So, Josef,” she said, clearing her throat. “Are you planning to stay in L.A.?”

“Hey, I’ve got a business here. Why would I leave?”

“I don’t think Elaine will stay.”

“Yeah. She probably won’t.” Josef sighed, seeming to deflate a little. “Most of the vamps on the list are leaving, if they haven’t already left. I can’t really blame them. Once you’ve found out you’re on a hunters’ list, it’s a little hard to take someone’s word that you’re safe after all.”

Beth could understand that. “About Elaine,” she said. “What happened when Mick turned her? What went so wrong?”

“What happened was, Mick didn’t know what the hell he was doing. He’d always said he’d never turn anyone, ever, and he didn’t bother to learn how.”

“So if he’d known more, it would have worked out better?”

“Well, up to a point.” Josef gave her a curious look. “What are you asking, Beth?”

“I just wondered if it always had to be that way. If it was always such a terrible thing, being turned.”

“Of course it isn’t always that way. It’s almost never that bad. Otherwise, would I have let Sarah try it?” At that, Josef sighed. “Still, no matter how careful you are or how much you know, things don’t always work out. Turning is not an exact science.”

Beth nodded, thinking sadly of the woman in the bed, the woman who had been lying there for so very long. Seeing Sarah had frightened her badly, and the memory of it still frightened her. So did all the things Mick had told her about the horrors of being a fledgling. But even so . . .

“Beth, are you actually thinking about leaving the mortal coil?” Josef asked. “It’s an odd time for it, while Mick is human.”

“Mick’s human, but he isn’t going to stay that way. He’s going to turn back, sooner or later.” She took a deep breath and shot a glance at Josef. “What else did you find out from Coraline?”

He looked at her innocently. “What do you mean, what else?”

She smiled a little. Vampires might be good at detecting lies, but they definitely weren’t good liars themselves, and turnabout was fair play. “You went after her, as soon as Mick turned human. Are you telling me you didn’t catch up with her?”

He grinned, apparently pleased at being caught out. “Of course I caught up with her.”

“And what did you find out? Mick said the cure she gave us wasn’t in the same box he saw before, and the box he saw was nearly full.”

Josef nodded. “The box Mick saw before is in Europe now. Lance has it – he took it from Coraline.”

“So what exactly did she give us? It will work properly, won’t it?” She tried to ask the question calmly, but she knew her nervousness would be patently obvious to Josef. If Mick turned back too soon, if he turned into a vampire again before he healed . . .

“It’ll work. You can relax, Beth. If anything, it’ll work better than what Mick took before.”

“Why?”

“Because Coraline was doing experiments on it. Trying to find a way to make the cure permanent.”

“Permanent?” Beth stared at him, hardly able to take in the thought of it. “Why would she want to do that?”

“Hell if I know. She told Mick something about wanting to be mortal again, to truly experience life.”

“Coraline?” Beth said skeptically.

“Yeah, I know.” Josef gave her a sideways grin. “Maybe she was trying to compete with you.”

Beth shook her head, and then asked hesitantly, “Did her experiments succeed?”

“No. But she did manage to make some enhancements. The old cure wasn’t really repeatable. If you took it again immediately when the first dose wore off, it would work, but only for a short time, and if you kept using it continually, pretty soon it wouldn’t work at all. The new stuff, she says, can be taken over and over again.”

“Before it wears off? How would you know when to take the next dose?”

“It wears off slowly - you can tell the changes are starting a couple of days ahead of time.”

“But – if that’s possible – then this cure really could be permanent.” Mick, human forever?

“Maybe,” Josef said doubtfully. “If there was a whole lot more of it. She never managed to make very much.”

Of course, the box was nearly empty. There was only one dose left, or maybe two – a long way from forever, even if each dose of the cure really did last six months. Beth glanced back at Josef, who had put on his sunglasses and was staring out at the road, seeming to be in deep thought.

“Okay, not permanent then,” she said, “but – enough to get Mick through this? To give him time to heal?”

“I’m sure of it, Beth,” Josef said gently, turning his attention back to her.

Beth finally relaxed, trusting him in this. Maybe she’d stop having visions of Mick’s burn turning to ash again, in front of her eyes . . . and maybe she’d stop having nightmares about Coraline, too. She’d just had a dream about Coraline last night, and it hadn’t been terrible at all. She and Mick had gotten away from her. Somehow, after all that had happened, the thought of Coraline didn’t seem to be haunting her the way it once had. The woman didn’t seem as dangerous as she had before, and she didn’t seem to have the same power over Mick. At the Cleaners’ station, she’d even looked lost and confused as she walked away – leaving Beth with Mick. And when Mick was dying, and we were both with him, he called out for me. Not for her. I don’t have to be afraid, any more, that Mick would ever leave me to go back to her.

She drove in silence for several minutes, and then said, “Josef, you told me once that Coraline came back for Mick – and I’m sure you were right. So why did she walk away, after she gave us the cure? Is she just lying in wait for another chance at Mick?”

“I don’t think so,” Josef said slowly. “I think something’s changed in Coraline.”

“What has?”

“I don’t know,” Josef said, with a slow shake of his head. “I truly don’t know.”















The sun was bright, beating down gently on Mick as he walked barefoot along the beach, his shirt open, his face turned up to the light. Beth was beside him, her hand in his, and they were all alone. “Over here,” Beth said mischievously, and then they were sitting on a blanket, a picnic basket pushed to the side, staring into each other’s eyes. When she kissed him he felt the sensation rush through his whole body, and even more than his response to the sunlight, this told him he was human. He could feel her every touch, however slight, against his skin . . . against his lips . . . She pulled him down to the blanket beside her, pushing his shirt off his shoulders, reaching to unfasten his belt, and he slipped off her clothes in turn, his hands moving in wonder over her body, feeling her soft, warm skin, running through her wind-tangled hair. He kissed her mouth deeply, then moved slowly down her body, kissing her throat, her shoulders, her breasts. She touched him in turn, her hands exploring him, and he fell back against the blanket, overwhelmed . . . he hadn’t felt anything like this for over fifty years . . . he had never felt anything like this before, because this was Beth. He was so aroused he couldn’t hold back a second longer, but he was human, and it was safe. He could let go. He didn’t have to hold back . . .

And then they were lying on the beach in a wash of moonlight, all alone on the same blanket, and in a rush he could feel Beth’s sensations, even as his own became faint and muted. His mouth was at her throat and she’d thrown her head back, waiting . . . and he knew exactly how much she longed for his bite, how good it made her feel. Their connection ran through him, the bond of blood that had given them this closeness. He felt his fangs extend, his eyes change, and he froze for an instant – but only for an instant. His fangs slid through her skin, puncturing her vein smoothly and gently, and her warm blood filled his mouth. He drank without hesitation, knowing how sensual his mouth felt against her throat, knowing he didn’t have to be afraid of taking too much. He was connected to her, more closely than ever before, and it was the most extraordinary thing he'd ever experienced. He could feel what she felt, and it was safe. He could let go. He didn’t have to hold back . . .

What am I? Vampire or human?

There was sunlight again, and then moonlight, interchanging without notice as the same waves broke against the same shore, over and over again.













Mick woke from vivid dreams into a room that seemed like a dream – the room he’d made for Beth. He knew she’d been sleeping beside him; she’d been there at his side all through the night, comforting him, body and soul. But she was gone now. He pushed himself up in the bed, looking around the room as his blurred vision began to clear. It only cleared so far, which seemed to imply that he was human. He put his hand into the beam of sunlight that washed in from the window, and the warmth felt good. He smiled. Definitely he was human.

He saw movement at the doorway and then Elaine was there, smiling at him shyly. Relief flooded over him. He’d known that she was getting better, steadily recovering in the safe house freezer and then in his own, but he hadn’t been able to keep from worrying. It was good to see her up and around, so good. “Elaine,” he breathed, reaching out a hand to her, and she crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. He shifted closer to her and pushed back her hair with his good hand, looking worriedly at her pale face. “Elaine, are you okay?”

She managed a nod. “I still get dizzy sometimes, and I need an awful lot of blood, but I think I’ll be fine in a couple of days. How about you?”

Mick looked down at his arm, tried moving it, and realized that was still a bad idea. He winced and said, “I’m a lot better than I was, believe me.”

“It’s so strange seeing you human again,” Elaine said. “It was hard for me before, seeing you that way. Really hard. But this time I’m just glad it worked. I thought I was watching you die, Mick. When your arm caught fire -- ”

Her terror was what he remembered most about that moment, the desperate way she’d tried to reach him, to help him. “It’s okay. It’s all over now.” With one hand he pulled her toward him and she leaned into his embrace, holding him tightly, and he felt the sheer wonder of it. Holding her like this felt so amazing, and it was such a miracle. How had they ever managed this? How had they gotten close enough to hold each other, after all their long years apart? I learned from Beth, he thought, and somehow Elaine learned from me.

“Thanks to Beth,” Elaine murmured, sitting up straight again. “I couldn’t believe it when she got the fire out, and you were still there.”

“I couldn’t believe it either,” Mick said, and glanced toward the hall. “Beth . . . where is she?”

“She went to meet with Talbot. Something about a file she wanted to get from him.”

“What, alone?” Why hadn’t she waited for him? Anything could happen . . . Mick tried to push past Elaine to get out of bed, but she caught him and easily held him back.

“It’s okay. Josef went with her.”

Mick stopped struggling and leaned back against the headboard, knowing he couldn’t get past Elaine as a human, but he didn’t feel much better about the new information. Josef was too volatile to be Beth’s escort for something like this, and he couldn’t help imagining the worst, one awful scenario after another. “I’m not sure that’s an improvement,” he muttered. “When did they leave?”

“Too long ago for you to catch up with them,” Elaine said mildly. “Mick, don’t worry. Beth has everything under control. She can handle Talbot. And she can handle Josef, too.”

Mick frowned a little, thinking about that. He had to admit it was true; Beth could handle pretty much anything. And right now, Josef was far better protection for her than Mick could possibly be. Mick wasn’t even halfway up to human strength, not now, and he remembered how easily Pierce Anders had taken him down as a human, how he’d woken up on that glass-strewn floor to find Beth gone. No question about it; Beth had done the right thing. But he still didn’t like it.

“Okay,” he said at last, taking a deep breath. “Do you know when she’ll be back?”

“She was going to go by her apartment too, but she said she’d be back here in time for you to keep your appointment. Just in case you woke up in time and felt like going.”

“Appointment?” Mick didn’t have any idea what she was talking about. He didn’t have anything scheduled, except for . . . for . . . He swallowed, glancing at his wrist, but he wasn’t wearing his watch. “Elaine, what day is it?”

“Saturday.”

“Saturday?” He shook his head, dazed. He’d completely lost track of time. “What time is it?”

“It’s about ten-thirty.”

A lifetime ago, he’d promised Jacob that he would come visit at three o’clock on Saturday. When the list had surfaced, he’d given up on that completely, knowing he’d never be able to see the Fordhams again. And yet now, somehow, that had been given back to him.

“We can still make it,” he said wonderingly. “It seems so unbelievable. I thought I’d never see Jacob or Robert again.”

“You really do think they’re your family, don’t you?” Elaine said softly. He’d told her that he didn’t know, that the DNA test they’d done on Robert’s hair had actually been meaningless. He hadn’t told her anything else, nothing at all about what he felt in his heart about the Fordhams. But she knew him better than that.

“One way or the other, they are,” he said, and then, impulsively, “You should meet them, Elaine. You could come with us today.”

For once, it was easy to read her mood - her eyes lit up with pleasure. “Are you serious?”

“Of course I am.”

She looked hopeful, but after a moment she shook her head. “I really want to, Mick,” she said, “but I’m not quite myself yet. It’s no time for me to be around a kid.”

He nodded, understanding. “Maybe next time?”

“Maybe.” She sounded doubtful, and she turned a little away from him, her hair falling over her face.

“Are you gonna stay here? In L.A.?” He was tense, afraid of what her answer might be. After what had happened to her in this city, in her own home, he’d halfway expected her to be gone by the time he woke up. She’d never liked Los Angeles anyway – she’d grown up here, as he had, but she had no nostalgic childhood memories that bound her here. Not like he did. Mick had longed to be back with his family, after he’d lost them with his turning, but Elaine had been glad to escape from hers.

“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I don’t know if I can do that.”

“I want you to stay, you know that. But if you have to go, if you have to get away from here . . . I’ll understand.” Just don’t let it be for another twelve years, please. I don’t know if I could endure that. I don’t know if you could, either . . . “And I don’t think you’d have to go alone. I think Logan would go with you.”

“He probably would. But I don’t want him to.” Elaine sighed. “He loves it here. Like you do. And I’m not ready for that, anyway.”

Mick nodded uncomfortably. “Where is he now? Getting some sleep?”

“No, he’s with the Cleaners. He’s helping them work out a new protocol for background checks.”

That certainly made sense – anyone who was so good at hiding vampires’ pasts ought to be able to find their hidden ones, too. Mick glanced back at Elaine, who looked dispirited, sad and tired.

“Hey,” he said. “How long have you been up? I think maybe you ought to hit the freezer again.”

“I think you’re right.” She managed a smile, and got up and left the room, crossing the hall to the freezer room.

Mick lay back against the pillows for a long time, thinking. I almost lost her to fire, and not for the first time. As long as she’s alive, as long as she’s safe, it doesn’t matter where she is. It doesn’t matter if she’s far away, or even if I don’t know where to find her. It doesn’t matter. But somehow, no matter how he tried, he couldn’t quite make himself believe it.













Getting ready took Mick a lot longer than it usually did, and when he made his way downstairs to the kitchen, Josef was there, casually pulling a bottle of blood from the hidden fridge. Mick looked quickly around the apartment, but there was no sign of Beth.

Josef glanced up at Mick as he came down the stairs, and raised his bottle in a salute. “Finally. It’s good to see you back on your feet. But aren’t humans supposed to get up at dawn or something?”

Mick ignored this. “Is Beth okay?” he demanded.

“Of course Beth is okay. She dropped me off and went by her apartment to pick up some of her things. So, what’ll it be today? Blood or juice?” He didn’t wait for an answer, but turned to the regular fridge to get out a jug of orange juice. Mick had put it there for Beth, and had never imagined he’d be able to drink it himself. Josef poured, and Mick sat down on a stool beside him, thinking about the last time they’d had a drink together. It had been more than a little different then – both of them with glasses of blood, Josef musing about turning Simone, Mick not able to completely prevent himself from having similar thoughts about Beth.

There was a thick file on the counter beside Josef’s elbow, neatly labeled Mick St. John. Beth had vividly described what was inside it, and Mick didn’t really feel like looking himself.

“So everything went okay with the meeting?” Mick said, nodding toward the file.

“No problems. I didn’t even have to come face to face with the man, which was probably just as well. Beth handled it.”

“What, she left you out in the hall?” Mick grinned.

“I monitored the situation from outside the room,” Josef said, with dignity.

“And?”

“Talbot’s not staying on. He’s wrapping up his cases and moving back to New York. I’m gonna ask Marguerite to keep an eye on him, just in case.”

Josef spoke the name Marguerite calmly, so apparently he’d come to terms with the whole New York issue. “Glad you’re getting along with Marguerite,” Mick said.

“Well, you were pretty explicit about how I needed to,” Josef muttered. “And there’s nothing like a crisis for getting things into perspective. Do you know, I didn’t think once about Simone during the whole mess? I thought about Sarah, but not about her. I guess maybe that should tell me something.” Without waiting for Mick to say anything to that, he went on, “So how is it, being human again? I must be getting used to you this way; it’s not freaking me out nearly as much as it did before.”

It wasn’t affecting Mick quite the way it had before, either; somehow it wasn’t quite as overwhelming, quite as much of a change. Was that because he’d experienced it before, not long ago? Or was it because it really wasn’t as much of a change for him now as it had been then? Beth never really saw the difference, and she accepted me so completely as a vampire, I started to accept myself. It wasn’t going to be as wrenching, this time, when he finally did turn back. Which would be – when? Back at the Cleaners’ station he’d heard Coraline and Josef talking about the range of possibilities, and he didn’t think he’d hallucinated that. She’d said it ought to last at least six months, but that in his case, she wasn’t really sure. Her voice had been worried. And while Josef and Coraline had been talking about the cure, he’d realized something else . . . he froze and set his glass down carefully on the counter, suddenly remembering the insight that had come to him. Sarah.

“Mick?” Josef looked at him quizzically.

“Josef, I’ve thought of something.”

“Hold on, I’ve got to tell you something first. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now.” He took the little silver box out of his pocket and set it on the counter between them, gazing intently at it. “I keep up pretty well with medical research these days, in case something turns up that could help Sarah.”

“That’s what I want to -- ”

“Wait, let me finish.” He tapped the box with his finger. “This is the stuff Coraline was working on. That’s why she had it hidden. She says it’s enhanced, that you can actually keep repeating it, and it stays effective. If you had enough, this cure could be downright permanent.”

It’s repeatable? Mick swallowed and said, “You can’t believe everything Coraline says.”

“Truer words were never spoken. But I know her pretty well, and I have reason to believe her on this. Esme believes her too, and somehow I think she knows. Scary woman, your Esme.”

“Yeah, she can be.”

“What’s this debt she owes Coraline, anyway?”

“Coraline helped me take out Tyler’s killers, remember? And the vamps who killed Tyler were Esme’s sire and blood brothers.”

“And Esme’s, ah . . . happy about this?”

“Yeah. They tormented her all her life . . . they killed everyone she ever cared about. Coraline and I freed her from that.” Mick opened the little silver box, staring down at the fragments of cure clinging to the bottom. “Coraline doesn’t know that you turned me back, does she?”

“Nope.”

She must think the cure only lasted me a week, last time. Now he understood why Coraline had given him all she had left. This cure was repeatable, and she’d thought he might need all of it. But if each dose actually lasted six months . . . he could potentially stay human for over a year, just with what he was holding in his hand.

The cure is mortal itself. It’s temporary, Coraline had said. But she had been trying to make it permanent. Had this enhancement been her first step in that process? “This enhanced cure must have been made directly from Lance’s cure,” he said slowly. “Coraline said something about how with every try, they had to use up more of the original.”

“And we don’t have access to the original,” Josef said. “But we have this. Maybe it could be replicated.”

“I don’t know, Josef. Coraline had a guy trying to do that, but he never succeeded.” Not only that, the man was dead, and if he’d had any notes in that laboratory, they’d burned up in the fire. “Some of the plants used in this stuff are extinct now.”

“Well, as I understand it, that’s what cloning is for.”

“Coraline’s guy tried that. It didn’t work.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s impossible. There’s been a lot of progress lately, in DNA research and cloning.”

Something in Josef’s voice finally caught Mick’s attention, and he looked up at his friend in confusion. “Josef, what are you saying?”

“I’ve kept an eye on the field, and I know some people. If you’d be willing to give up a little of this cure – after you’ve healed up, that is - I could try to make it happen.”

“You’d really do that?”

Josef shrugged, looking extremely awkward. “Well, it probably won’t work. But I can throw more money at it than Coraline ever could - and she’s made sure you’ll be protected from the family – so why not try?”

Mick could only stare at him in disbelief. Josef didn’t have the slightest interest in the cure; he didn’t want it for himself and he didn’t want it for Mick, either. But he knew it was what Mick wanted. “That’s – that is an amazing offer, Josef. And I would love to accept it. But I can think of a better use for what’s in here.” He carefully closed the little box and put it gently back on the counter.

“Well, of course, it probably makes sense just to use it yourself, and get some definite good out of it. Research would be a long shot,” Josef muttered, turning away from Mick and picking up his glass of blood to take another gulp of it.

“That’s not what I mean,” Mick said impatiently. “I’m talking about Sarah.”

“What?” Josef put his glass back on the counter, looking confused.

“Sarah. She’s in a kind of limbo, right? Halfway between being human and being a vampire. And for some reason she can’t turn all the way into a vampire. But what if she could be pushed back into being a human, with the cure? Couldn’t that bring her back to life?”

Josef looked dazed, and Mick could almost feel his shock. “I never thought of that,” Josef whispered. “All the time I’ve known the cure existed, and I never thought . . .”

“Do you think it would work?”

“I don’t know.” Josef tentatively reached out and picked up the box, cradling it in his palm. “But I can’t think of any reason not to try it.”

“If it did work, I don’t know what would happen when it wore off,” Mick said cautiously. “I mean, she might just go back to where she was.”

“Or she might go on to turn into a vampire,” Josef said, very quietly. “Like we wanted all along.”

And there was no reason for Coraline’s – for his – family to trouble Sarah over using the cure, because they were only concerned with vampires who turned human. Sarah had never been a vampire.

“It really could work, Josef,” Mick breathed. “You’ve got to try it. Take some of it and go to her.”

Josef hesitated, looking poised to run out of the apartment at that very instant, but after a moment he pushed the little box toward Mick and shook his head.

“Not yet. You might need it yourself, if that burn doesn’t heal as fast as it should.”

“It’ll heal fast enough. There’s plenty, Josef.”

“Probably there’s plenty. Sarah’s waited for over fifty years; she can wait a few more weeks. I’m not going to trade your life for a chance at hers.”

“Josef -- ”

“Mick, I’m not touching this stuff until that damn burn is healed. Then – if there’s any left – I will gladly take some for Sarah. And for the research.”

Josef clasped Mick’s hand, then lowered his eyes and quickly moved away to rinse his glass in the sink. Mick could see that he was actually shaking a little. With hope.













On the way to the Fordhams’ house, as they drove through the bright day with the car's top down, he told Beth about Sarah, and about Josef’s offer. Beth was at the wheel of the Mercedes, and Mick hadn’t argued very much about that – it was hard enough re-adjusting to normal human reflexes, and he was a little lightheaded from the medications he’d been taking. He sat back and enjoyed the ride, basking in the sun, while Beth drove in silence for a time, taking in what he’d told her.

“I thought it was incredible that you were human again temporarily,” she said at last. “But if there’s really a chance it could be permanent . . .”

“There’s not much of one,” he cautioned her.

“It’s still more than I ever thought would be possible,” she said, turning onto the Fordhams’ street. She glanced at him, smiling, and said, “How does it feel this time?”

“Still amazing.” The car hit a bump in the road, jarring his arm, and he winced. “Painful, too. Definitely painful. But still amazing.”

“You really should try being human sometime without a major injury. It feels so much better that way, believe me.”

That was definitely a good plan. And it ought to happen; he should heal from this burn long before he ran out of cure, even taking into account what Josef would need. He could almost remember what it felt like to be human and healthy . . . what it had felt like when he was a kid, playing ball with Ray out in this very street . . . Beth pulled up to the curb in front of the gray Victorian, and he gazed at the old house. Seen through human eyes, it felt more familiar than ever, and memories flooded over him of all the times he’d come to this house – as Ray’s friend, as Lilah’s lover . . .

“What is it?” Beth asked.

“I was just thinking of how many times I’ve been to this house before. I must have spent half my life here when I was a kid.”

“Did you live far from here, growing up?”

“Not far. Just the next street over.” He got out of the car, wondering if his old house was even still there. He hadn’t ever gone back, not since the night he’d attacked Rosie – not even when Jacob’s case had drawn him back to the neighborhood. He'd been tempted, then, but in the end he hadn't been able to face it.

Beth came to his side, and Mick turned to her, his gaze falling to her wrist. A simple plastic bandage covered the bite marks Elaine had left there, and Beth must have put makeup on her throat again, because he couldn’t see the marks there. They couldn’t have healed already – it might seem as if weeks had passed since their night together, but it had only been a couple of days. Mick took her hand, lifted her wrist, and kissed it gently. “My guardian angel,” he said very softly. Still holding her hand, he leaned in to kiss her throat, just where he’d bitten her that night. She shivered, even in the warm sun, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. Her body felt incredible against his, and he was almost overcome by a great rush of desire; he longed to take her home, now, and make love to her while he was still human – just as his first impulse, on turning human, had been to kiss her. For now, he would have to settle for another kiss . . . he moved from her throat to her mouth, feeling her lips against his, so warm and soft. He could feel everything now, every sensation, for himself. It was exquisite, but he found himself missing the way he’d felt things through Beth before, the deep insight he’d had into her feelings . . . even though at this moment it was not at all difficult for him to tell what those feelings were. She returned his kiss passionately, holding him tightly, and when she finally pulled away from him, it was with obvious reluctance.

“We should – we should probably stop now. Or we’ll never make it to the door,” she said breathlessly.

“Yeah.” They stayed where they were, staring at each other, for another breathless moment. Then they clasped hands and slowly made their way up the Fordhams' front walk, side by side.










-

[wpgrace]

Arrrrgh! I am off to an all day meeting! Have to come back later! N

And I think I might have missed a chapter!

See you soon...

[jen]

Shadow

This is wonderful.

So rich and detailed that it merits another reading but I can't do it now. I will do it tomorrow.

Glad to see the acknowledgement that Coraline had changed. Josef has known her for a very long time (he met her in New York. Lincoln was president). If Josef believes that the change is genuine, that gives me a lot of confidence. Doubt that Mick would believe, at least yet.

Thank you!

Jenna

[susieb]

Love this chapter. Find myself hoping Elaine won't leave LA. I've grown to really like her. Still very curious re: the cure and Sarah... And finding it hard to believe Coraline has truly changed... surely, we haven't heard the last from her!

[wpgrace]

Brava.

And I found myself over Beth driving. McG makes such a big deal about driving on 5-0, and then I realized in ML Mick did always drive! Except the once w/ Tierney, and he hated that...

[Shadow]

This is wonderful.

So rich and detailed that it merits another reading but I can't do it now. I will do it tomorrow.

Glad to see the acknowledgement that Coraline had changed. Josef has known her for a very long time (he met her in New York. Lincoln was president). If Josef believes that the change is genuine, that gives me a lot of confidence. Doubt that Mick would believe, at least yet.

Jenna, how great to know that you'll be giving this another read! Loved getting reminded about Josef's comment to Beth . . . I'd almost forgotten that little detail.
Thanks so much!!

[Shadow]

Love this chapter. Find myself hoping Elaine won't leave LA. I've grown to really like her. Still very curious re: the cure and Sarah... And finding it hard to believe Coraline has truly changed... surely, we haven't heard the last from her!

How great to know that you've gotten fond of Elaine, Susie. The next part of this should have her decision, plus a lot more of what's going on with Coraline . . .
Thanks so much, it's so great you're reading this!

[Shadow]

Brava.

And I found myself over Beth driving. McG makes such a big deal about driving on 5-0, and then I realized in ML Mick did always drive! Except the once w/ Tierney, and he hated that...

And here I hadn't realized that McG and Mick had anything in common . . .
but that's so true! Beth ended up driving that one time in LLF too, but Mick didn't seem too thrilled that time either . . .

Thanks so much, Grace.

[maggatha3]

Is it because we are reaching a happy ending, or is it just me? This chapter seemed so hopeful for everyone in the story. Josef, considering his priorities, may have a new chance with Sarah and doing research with the cure. Mick and Beth have a little taste of normalcy while he is still human, and who knows what that will bring along for them. And I really don't believe Logan will let Elaine go away alone, now that she has pulled him out of his basement. They are so good for each other. Well ,that is just me and my wishful thinking, who knows what your Muses have in the back of their mind..

Now that was unexpected,

It was exquisite, but he found himself missing the way he’d felt things through Beth before, the deep insight he’d had into her feelings . . . -

but maybe not that much. It is amazing how through your InBetweens and No Boundaries Mick got so accustomed with his vampire side!

Cannot wait for more!!My Sire

[Shadow]

It is amazing how through your InBetweens and No Boundaries Mick got so accustomed with his vampire side!

It was so interesting to see Mick's attitude change so much on the show after he'd been human for that week . . . as if that bit of reality was enough to make him see the advantages of his vampire side, no matter how much he missed being human. Seemed like that insight would carry on at least a bit, afterwards . . .

Is it because we are reaching a happy ending, or is it just me?

Hopefully that ending will be reached pretty soon now! Thanks sooo much.

[allegrita]

Oh, he made her a room... And now it can be their room, at least for a while.

I'm so glad that Elaine apologized to Beth, and helped her see that Mick wasn't deliberately hiding Elaine's existence from her. And what she said about secrecy being a vampire thing? That was so important for Beth to understand. Beth managed to get through to Elaine in a pretty amazing way, too. I think they could really learn to love each other, given a chance. But poor Elaine is so desperately unhappy... I don't know how she will find peace, but I hope she can.

Hmm... I wonder if she could work with Esme...

The more we learn about Coraline and her work on enhancing the Cure, the more intrigued I get. I am one of those who believe she had changed, maybe as a result of taking the cure in order to be Morgan. The gift of humanity that she gave to Mick, and the sacrifice she made to protect him from her family, are signs of that. I still want to know what Mick's hallucination meant when he was in the Cleaner cell with Beth and Elaine... and I really want to know what Esme's connection is to her.

I agree that Logan deserves a shot at real happiness, but I honestly don't know if he's going to get it with Elaine. There is just so much for her to deal with. But if he can be patient, maybe she will come back to him one day... or he'll get tired of LA and go to wherever she is. I'll go with that, because it's comforting.

And Josef's reaction to Mick's theory about the effect the cure could have on Sarah just made me because he's not gonna use it until he knows for sure that his friend will heal completely. And that is such a wonderful illustration of the importance and the depth of their friendship. I really hope it works out so that there's enough for everything they want to do.

[Shadow]

Thanks so much, Alle! I'm glad you liked that room . . . . It was about time Mick got to show off his surprise to Beth.

I'm so glad you liked Elaine's explanations to Beth, too . . . Mick had kept her secret for an awfully long time, and commitment or not, Beth really needed to understand why. It was really good to be able to give Beth and Elaine a chance to start to get to know each other.

Hmm... I wonder if she could work with Esme...

What a great idea!! I like to think that that might happen in the future . . .

[Marigold]

It's wonderful that Mick set up a bedroom for Beth. It's even more wonderful that he is able to fully enjoy it himself.

Both of the dreams in this chapter were very interesting. Although, I was a bit disappointed that Mick and Beth weren't actually at the beach...

I love the idea of Josef giving Sarah the cure, and the possibility of him conducting more research on it.

I really enjoyed the conversation between Elaine and Beth in the kitchen, and the conversation between Elaine and Mick in the new bedroom. It's so sweet that Logan was sitting outside of the freezer that Elaine was recuperating in.

Thank you, Shadow! This was fantastic!

[Shadow]

Mick would never have thought that he would be able to make such good use of that room. It seemed about time he got a nice surprise!

I'm really glad you liked the dreams of both Beth and Mick in this part. (Even though they didn't actually make it back to the beach . . . yet!)

Elaine may still be undecided about her future, but Logan is definitely smitten . . . much to my surprise, actually . . .

Thanks ever so much, Marigold!!