Death Becomes Her - Chapter 9/Epilogue (PG) Posted: 2/21/18

Post Reply
User avatar
darkstarrising
100% Moonlightaholic
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:25 am

Death Becomes Her - Chapter 9/Epilogue (PG) Posted: 2/21/18

Post by darkstarrising »

Hi all!! :wave:

Here is the final chapter and epilogue of this Moonlight /H50 crossover story. I hoped you've enjoyed reading this story as much as I had writing it.

As always, I don’t own these characters, but dearly love to play with them, nor do I profit in any way from this story.

In memory of our own dear Librarian 7, aka Lucky :rose:

Please, enjoy!!

Chapter 9


McGarrett’s house - night


Nahele left after a rather strange dinner, hoping the fireworks between Steve and Danny were over. A short time later, four visitors showed up on McGarrett’s doorstep. The LA vamps wanted to make sure all was well with both the investigation and McGarrett before returning to the mainland.

“I’m sooo glad to see you looking better.” Beth whispered as she hugged Steve. “You could have asked, but I think I know why you didn’t.”

Simone was struck by the resemblance between Mick and Steve. “The first time I saw Steve’s picture in the paper, I did a double take. I couldn’t believe how much he looked like Mick. Seeing both men together, it’s even stronger than I thought. You’re sure you’re not related somehow?”

Mick shrugged. “Pretty sure.” Turning to his Hawaiian twin, he asked. “How’s Samantha Miller doing?”

Steve looked confused. “Facing a life sentence for murder and conspiracy? Probably not so good.”

“Ah, I don’t think that’s what Mick’s referring to.” Turning to Danny, Josef’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t tell him, did you?”

Steve didn’t like the look in Josef’s eyes. “Tell me what?”

“How your partner ‘helped’ get Samantha Miller to confess. A bit part, although well played. Planting the seed of doubt the way he did went a long way in convincing Miller she was seeing Simone’s ghost.”

Steve feared Danny had been either corrupted or coerced by Josef, not knowing which was worse. “What did you do, Danny?”

“Nothing illegal or dangerous, unlike some people I know. I just mentioned to the lady that guilt sometimes drives people crazy, that’s all. What happened after that is all on her.”

Simone disagreed. “O, I think your partner is being modest. You should have seen him - his timing was impeccable. One minute Samantha was quietly gloating over her husband’s arrest, giving Danny all manner of reasons why Ted would have it in for me. After Danny let slip that Ted tried to flee to Singapore with his fortune, she nearly choked. She was terrified Ted had caught on to her scheme and was leaving her broke. The bit about guilt was the icing on the cake.”

Josef smirked. “Columbo would have been proud.”

Danny blushed, but forestalled any further praise. “To answer Mick’s question, Samantha Miller has been transferred to a psychiatric ward for evaluation. The docs will decide if she’s sane enough to stand trial or nutty as a fruitcake. Either way, she’ll never be free again.”

Mick was curious. “You guys initially pegged her husband as the killer. What changed your mind?”

“Something Ted told us that didn’t show up in any of our background searches. Remember how he gave Mariner that pricey golf membership after Mariner’s wife died? Turns out, he wasn’t just being generous. When Ted read Meredith Mariner’s obituary, he found out she was from the same town as his mom. Out of curiosity, he asked his mom if she knew Meredith.”

Now Beth was curious. “Did she?”

“O yeah, but that’s not all. Turns out she knew both Meredith and Greg. Next thing Ted knows, he gets a letter from mom, telling him, among other things, that Greg Mariner is his father.”

Beth was stunned. “She told him that in a letter?”

“Go figure, right? She said she was too embarrassed to tell him in person. It seems she loved Mariner, who was poor, but ended up marrying Miller, who wasn’t. It didn’t take long for her to realize she’d traded true love for the proverbial gilded cage. A few years later, she runs into Mariner, they talk, meet a few times, then ‘re-connect’, if you know what I mean. When she found out she was pregnant, she cozied up to her husband for a while letting him think the kid was his, all of which, sadly, I can relate to.” Danny waved away the inquisitive stares. “Anyway, she broke things off with Mariner to ensure the kid’s inheritance. A couple of years later, Greg marries Meredith and they move to Hawaii.”

“So Ted’s friendship with Greg was…”

“A son trying to connect with a father he never knew.”

Simone sighed. “Knowing Greg, finding out he has a son will make him very, very happy. Do you think Ted will tell him? What about his mother? Do you think she’ll want to see Greg again?”

Danny checked his watch. “Unless he got cold feet, Ted told him a couple of hours ago, just before the 18th hole. As for what his mother wants or does, no idea.”

“I remember Greg talking fondly about Ted and how he was there for him after Meredith died. Ted sounds like a good man.”

“Good? He’s a saint. He’s footing the bill for Samantha’s care and for her defense. Don’t ask me why, but he feels responsible for what happened.”

Steve shifted the conversation back to Meredith. “What about Meredith’s death? Was it an accident or was she another one of Samantha’s victims?”

Danny shrugged. “No way of knowing for sure, but since we couldn’t find any ties between the two women, I’m going with accident. Meredith was on a dark, winding road on a rainy night, hit by a stupid, reckless driver whose continued stupidity and recklessness cost him his own life, something you, my friend, can relate to.”

Josef stood, indicating it was time to go. “So, in the words of the Bard, all’s well that ends well. If you don’t mind, I’d like to get Simone home before either one of us melts in this hellish climate.”

“Or someone sees her and wonders why a dead woman is walking around.”

“That, too. Besides, we have a lot of catching up to do.”

Mick shook Danny’s hand, then Steve’s. “Glad to see you’re still among the living. Try and stay that way, OK?”

“I will.”

“By the way, Jerry, the guy looking into us? He knows, or at least he thinks he does.”

Danny was dumbfounded. “Why would you tell him anything, huh? The man’s a certified conspiracy nut. He’ll be blabbing about this to everyone.”

“He tried to blackmail me.”

Now it was Steve’s turn. “Damn, I told him to stay out of this. You didn’t hurt him, did you?”

“Nah, just pulled a disappearing act in return for his fixing a few images. Seems your ME noticed the scratches on Simone’s neck were fading. I figured we owed him one.”

Josef didn’t look as amused as Mick was. “Based on the Detective’s assessment of the man, do you think it was wise telling him about us?”

“I didn’t tell him, exactly. Just gave him something to think about. I also told him that the guy who blocked his searches would know if he betrays us. That’s the kind of threat I knew he’d understand.”

Simone was the next to take her leave. “I’m glad to have finally met both of you, although I wish it had been under better circumstances. Thank you for helping me get justice.”

When it came time for Beth to say good-bye, a handshake wouldn’t do. She hugged both Danny and Steve, trying to put a brave face on their leaving. “I’ll echo what Simone said. Thank you both for everything you’ve done for us. I’m glad we had the chance to get to know each other.”

Danny smiled; Beth was the one vampire he’d known before she was turned and the one he felt most comfortable with. “Hey, you’re welcome. Until next time, just don’t make it a habit, OK?”

There was a noticeable change in the room, as all four vampires grew somber. Mick finally broke the silence. “There probably won’t be a next time. We’ll be leaving LA soon, before someone notices things we can’t explain.”

Seeing the humans’ confusion, Josef picked up the explanation. “One of the few, and I mean very few, drawbacks of being an immortal living among mortals is that we have to change who we are every so often. We leave places we’ve called home, people we care about. It isn’t easy, but it’s what we have to do to survive.”

Simone linked her arm through Josef’s. “The upside of being immortal is that you get to spend eternity with the person you love. Offhand, I’d say that outweighs everything else.”

After the four left, Steve went to the kitchen, then returned with two beers and proposed a toast. “Here’s to soon-to-be absent friends.”

Danny clinked his bottle with Steve’s. “Agreed. I never thought I’d say this, and I’ll deny it if you ever tell, but I’m going to miss those bloodsuckers.”

“Me, too, buddy. Me, too.”

************************************************************************************

Josef’s jet - Somewhere over the Pacific

The flight back to LA was a much happier journey than the one to Oahu a few days earlier. Josef sipped his crimson cocktail, quietly assessing the people around him.

These people are my family, one I’ll be damned if I’ll lose. I don’t know where we’ll all end up or who we’ll be, but these three will always be a part of me. Maybe we’ll actually get our happily ever after. God knows we deserve one.

Mick sat across from Josef, his eyes closed, appearing to be asleep. Beth and Simone, on the other hand, were sitting side-by-side, amiably catching up after 10 years apart. Josef felt a rare sense of contentment, something that had eluded him for over four centuries. Now that he had it, he was determined to keep it.

When Simone had finally risen, Josef had fallen to his knees, not just in shock, but in gratitude. He’d not been on the best of terms with the Almighty for centuries, but being given a second chance with Simone was something he knew he should be grateful for.

And he was.

So much so that he’d given Simone her way in dealing with the woman who murdered her. Taking a fledgling across the Pacific and back wasn’t exactly wise, but Simone was as stubborn as she was strong. Josef would have dealt with Samantha Miller in a more direct and bloody fashion, but he did appreciate Simone’s rather creative approach. While he would have preferred Samantha being scared to death, scaring her to confess was the next best thing, which appealed to Simone’s legal sensibilities.

The tone of the women’s conversations suddenly became more somber, causing Josef to pay closer attention.

Something about McGarrett.

Beth sounded incensed. “Steve said Catherine’s leaving hurt, but that he’s moving on. I could see the pain in his eyes when he said, and this is a direct quote, that ‘his mother decided the CIA was more important than her kids, again, but this time, she managed to rope Catherine into her operations’. Can you imagine? Putting the CIA ahead of your own family?”

Simone rolled her eyes. “O, I can imagine. I’ve have the dubious pleasure of dealing with lawyers who would happily lie through their teeth or sell their children to get their client off the hook or to get their part of a huge settlement. Slimy, conniving, self-centered bastards doesn’t begin to describe them. Sounds like that might describe Steve’s mother.”

“Doris? I never met her, but she does sound self-centered and heartless…”

Josef stopped listening; he’d heard more than enough.

Mick’s eyes opened half-way, focused on his friend whose looked part embarrassed, part angry, never a good combination based on past experience. “Wanna tell me what’s wrong, Josef?”

“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong. Just remembered I have to do something once we get back to LA, that’s all.”

“Something to do with McGarrett?”

“Not exactly.”

“Meaning?”

“It’s time for me to take my pound of flesh, this time, literally.”

“Want help?”

Josef started to say no, but then his eyes gleamed in anticipation. “As a matter of fact, I would.”

************************************************************************************

Josef’s compound – night, a few weeks later


Josef was alone in his study when his guest arrived. Their meeting had been delayed, ostensibly due to circumstances beyond the guest’s control, but Josef knew better. It was a stalling tactic, one typically used by people who sensed trouble. Outwardly, his guest showed nothing but confidence, but the whiff of fear brought a slight smile to Josef’s face.

You should be afraid. I told you that you were making a deal with the devil. You broke the intent of our deal and now you’ll pay the price for the pain you’ve caused.

Josef motioned his guest to sit. “In case you have any ideas of bolting, two of my associates are on the other side of the door. You wouldn’t get far.”

Taking a seat, the guest nodded an acknowledgement. “Duly noted, though why you’d think I’d bolt…”

“Why? Because after you and I talk for a bit, you’ll want to get as far away from me as possible.”

“And then you’ll just let me walk out the door?”

“Of course. You’ll be free to go wherever you wish, once we’ve finished our little tète-a-tète.”

As expected, a bit of confidence returned to the guest. “OK, I’m here and you’ve got my attention. What do you want?”

Josef knew that the surly, confident tone was meant to put him at a disadvantage, but he’d been at this game far longer than his guest had. “We had an agreement, you and I. You would make yourself available to assist me when I needed your… talents. In return, Steve McGarrett would never know that you’d seen the brutality he suffered at the hands of certain enemies, nor that you could have prevented at least some of it.”

“You’re mistaken, on both counts. What happened to Steve was beyond my control and I have kept my part of the bargain. I’m assuming you’ve kept yours.”

“I have, but as I said, you haven’t.”

The guest froze momentarily, puzzled, then recovered. “Of course I have. I’ve made myself available whenever you needed me, with no small degree of difficulty on my part.”

“You mean keeping your erstwhile employer from finding out why you’d gone off-grid from time to time?”

“Yes. But I’ve handled that. They have no idea what I’ve been doing for you, or that I even know you.”

Josef smirked. “There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, one you’ve clearly crossed.”

As hoped, his guest was getting testy. “Like I said, I’m here. What do you want?”

“I want you to see something.” Josef opened a hidden door to his study and gestured for his guest to follow. “It will only take a moment.”

Josef led his guest down a hallway, then opened a door to a dimly lit room. Once he and his guest were inside, Josef closed the door, then turned on more lights.

Sitting on a catafalque in the center of the room was a closed coffin. Josef approached it, gesturing for his guest to come closer. “Want to see what, or rather, who, is inside?”

“Not really, but I’m guessing I don’t have a choice.”

“No, you don’t.”

The guest approached the coffin slowly, only partially succeeding in hiding their growing trepidation.

Josef prodded. “Go ahead. Open it. He won’t bite.”

After a moment of hesitation, the coffin lid was raised. The guest moaned and backed away seeing the body of Steve McGarrett laying within. “O God, no! It can’t be!”

Josef pushed his guest back closer to the coffin, forcing them to look at the body within. “O, but it is. He died trying to protect people he loved, which is more than you’ve ever done.”

“What…what happened to him?”

“Radiation poisoning. Killed him, slowly, painfully. McGarrett was a fighter, I’ll give him that. But there are some battles you just can’t win.”

“Believe me, I know that…now.”

Josef rounded on his guest. “Believe you? Not a chance in hell. You’ve lied your way through life, Doris, leaving nothing but heartache in your wake.” Josef turned his guest to face him. “We had a deal. McGarrett’s debt for finding and returning Catherine Rollins to him became your debt. While you may have abided by the letter of our agreement, you certainly didn’t abide by the spirit of it.”

“I don’t… I don’t know what you mean.”

“I’m sure you don’t and that’s what makes you so… pathetic. Catherine was returned to your son, at great expense, for a reason. You took her away from him, for your own selfish purposes. You couldn’t stand that your son could love and be loved in a way that you couldn’t.” Josef closed the coffin lid. “I’ve been called a monster, with good reason. I’ve done horrific things you can’t even imagine and never lost a moment of sleep over any of them.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I want you to know that of the two of us, you’re the greater monster, Doris. Catherine was returned to McGarrett so that they could be happy, if only for a brief lifetime. For all the hell they’ve been through, they deserved it. You took her away from your son, and with it, his happiness. As far as I’m concerned, you broke our agreement and now you have to pay for that betrayal.”

Doris said nothing as she stared at the body before her.

“What, no tears for your only son? O, wait. He’s the one you abandoned so long ago. And for what?”

“You wouldn’t understand…”

“Try me.”

“I left him for love.”

That brought Josef up short, but only momentarily. “You don’t know the meaning of the word, let alone be capable of it.”

“I did…once.”

As Doris turned away from the coffin, Josef thrust her back. “Before you leave, take a good, hard look at your son. You saw the pictures of the brutality inflicted on him, some inflicted by people you professed to love. Yet that agony was nothing compared to the emotional pain you inflicted on him.”

Josef flipped another switch illuminating a second coffin. “I’m giving you a choice, Doris, which is more than you deserve. Release Catherine Rollins from whatever hold you have over her. Break all contact with her, forever. Let her find happiness where she can in her remaining years. As for you, you’re never to go near her or Hawaii again. If you don’t do exactly as I say, I’ll find you, wherever you are on this planet and place you in that coffin. I’ll bury you next to your son, but unlike him, you’ll still be alive when I put you in the ground and I’ll keep you that way for as long as possible.”

Any remaining bravado on Doris’ part evaporated into resignation. She was no stranger to brutal men and while warned that Kostan was ruthless, this was far beyond anything she’d imagined. If Kostan wasn’t the devil incarnate, he was the next best thing. “You’re right. Maybe I am a monster. Or maybe I had my own reasons for doing what I did, reasons you could never understand. But I’m something else as well.”

“And what would that be?”

“A spy.” A sly smile crept over Doris’ face. “And spies always have a way out.”

A slight crunching sound heralded the end of Doris McGarrett’s life.

Josef swore as the woman collapsed in a heap. “Damn. Cyanide capsule. Should have seen that coming.”

Seconds later, Mick climbed out of the first coffin, running his hand through abnormally short locks. “Yeah, you should have and something tells me you did.”

“You wound me, Mick. Why would you think…”

“Not think. I’m pretty damn sure you knew Doris might kill herself. Living with the threat of you hanging over her head? Not worth it.”

“You give me far too much credit.”

“I doubt it.” Mick checked for a pulse on the motionless body, grateful to find none. “OK, she’s dead.”

“Cyanide usually has that effect.”

Mick’s eyes narrowed. “On Doris, I wouldn’t be so sure. As you said, she lied her way through life. What’s another lie?”

“Point taken.”

“What do we tell McGarrett?”

We tell him nothing. In due course, word will reach him of Doris’ demise. Whether or not he believes it….” Josef shrugged. “Even if he does, I don’t think he’ll shed any tears over someone to whom he meant so little.”

“OK, so what do we do with her body?”

“Pick a coffin, any coffin…”

*************************************************************************************

Somewhere in an Eastern European capital

The text message was brief.

‘We’re done. You’re free. Go home.’

Catherine Rollins just stared at the text. It had to be from Doris as only she could contact her this way. But why now, without any warning? Doris had left her more than a week ago, saying there was urgent business in LA, business she couldn’t put off. The name ‘Kostan’ was muttered as part of that business preceded by a colorful expletive. Did Doris know what Kostan was? If so, she better not piss him off. If not, Catherine wasn’t inclined to enlighten her.

Catherine thought back to the time when her life’s path diverged onto her current one. The CIA came calling, or so she thought, only to find out that it was Doris who recruited her to help find and free Yao Fat, a man Doris loved. That little operation went sideways fast and had it not been for Steve and members of 5-0, it would have failed altogether with Doris and Catherine being imprisoned, if not shot outright.

Working with Steve’s mother had been educational, and not in a good way. It didn’t take long before Catherine realized that while the woman had wicked skills, she was damaged, if not in body, then in mind and soul. Once her singular focus of freeing Yao Fat had been achieved, Doris should have been able to disappear with her lover for good. Sadly, the reunion with Yao Fat was short-lived, as the man died suddenly mere weeks after being freed from his prison. Doris was convinced the CIA was somehow responsible for his death, and that hers would soon follow. Paranoia replaced reason with Doris seeing danger where there was none.

Catherine read the text once again, hoping their partnership, if that’s what you could call it, was truly at an end. If it was over, then Catherine could finally emerge from Doris’ dark shadow and start living her life again. She was tired of long, fruitless days and cold, endless nights longing for the simple pleasures of life. Basking in the Hawaiian sun, cold beer in hand, hot sand beneath her feet would be heaven on earth, and she would do anything to enjoy them once again.

But Doris had taken all of that and Steve away from her, probably for good.

Steve had asked her two questions before they parted over a year ago; whether she was happy with what she was doing and what her answer would have been if he’d asked her to marry him. She told him yes to both, but lied about the first; Doris’ grip on her prevented telling Steve the truth.

Even so, after everything she’d done to Steve, Catherine didn’t dare hope for any kind of future with him. Three strikes and you’re out, right? Still, she dreamt of his gentle touch, the warmth of his muscular body next to hers, the joy his love-making brought her. They were two of a kind, she and Steve, and were it not for Doris’ interference, they’d have been married by now.

Catherine sighed; there was no point in lamenting what might have been. She had to look forward to a future without Steve. Lynn had taken her place in his life and wasn’t likely to break Steve’s heart the way she had. Even if she did go back to Hawaii, Danny would likely shoot her before she got anywhere near Steve. Still…

Catherine decided that even if the message wasn’t legit, she wasn’t going to squander what could be her last shot at happiness. Steve might not want anything to do with her, but there was only one way to find out. If Doris should come looking for her, she’d tell the bitch to go to hell and how to get there.

Another text suddenly appeared.

‘Airport, now. Flight in 2 hours. JK’

JK. That could only mean one person and if he had Doris’ phone…

A wicked smile crept over Catherine’s face; perhaps the devil had already claimed his own.

*************************************************************************************

Oahu – McGarrett’s home a few days later

Steve McGarrett sat in a beach chair behind his house, beer in hand, admiring the sunset. In the last few months, he’d come to appreciate the simple pleasures life offered. He’d also come to realize that he wasn’t 25 anymore and that maybe it was time for him to dial back the risk-taking just a little, or maybe even a lot. Maybe it was time to be less impulsive and to share 5-0’s burden with some new, younger blood. No one could ever replace Chin and Kono in his eyes, but it was time to fill the void their departure had created.

The greatest risk he’d ever taken? It wasn’t the radiation bomb, although it was high on the list for sheer stupidity, if nothing else. No, taking Sato’s blood was the biggest risk of all, for the consequences would have been eternal.

Still, things had turned out fairly well. He’d fully recovered from the radiation induced cancer, which none of the doctors could explain, despite their best efforts. A very few were quietly willing to accept that some form of divine intervention had resulted in his recovery, as they could find no other explanation. Miracle it was, just not in the conventional sense of the word. Sato’s blood had also healed some old wounds he’d acquired over the years, yet there was one wound that it couldn’t heal.

Loneliness.

Steve’s world was changing, and there was little he could do about it. Chin finally left for San Francisco and Steve wished him the best of luck with his new job and his marriage to Abby. Kono? The longer she stayed away, the more Steve feared she wasn’t coming back. Adam left to join her on the mainland and the two of them would have to find their own way, hopefully together. Regardless of the paths chosen by Chin and Abby, Kono and Adam, Hawaii would always be their home and Steve would welcome them with open arms should they ever return.

Danny and Grover were still here, but they, too, had something Steve didn’t - family - people that they came home to every night. An empty house greeted Steve, although he wasn’t always alone at night. He loved Lynn, was grateful that they found each other, and hoped maybe someday they’d have more than what they had now. If past history was any indication, that wasn’t a given.

The older he got, the more Steve yearned for the love and companionship his colleagues enjoyed. He thought he had that once with Catherine, but the universe had other plans for her, or at least Doris did.

Steve placed the empty bottle next to him on the sand. He’d really like another beer, but the thought of stirring from this little bit of paradise to get one didn’t really appeal. Sighing in the pleasure that nature was providing, Steve closed his eyes and listened to the surf’s rhythmic pounding of the shore. The sun had dipped below the horizon and soon the stars would decorate the night sky.

After a while, he drifted off, wrapped in the warm embrace of the Hawaiian evening. He dreamt a little, mostly of nonsensical things, the bits and pieces his subconscious tossed together for its amusement. After a while, he stirred, feeling chilled. Waking, Steve found a new bottle of beer on his chest, on top of a handwritten note.

Steve,

You looked so peaceful that I didn’t want to disturb you. Maybe I’m a coward, no, I am a coward, but I wanted to give you some time to think about your answer. I’m free of your mother and the CIA, forever. I know you have a life with Lynn now and understand if you never want to see me again. Even if it’s just as friends, I’d like to talk to you and explain why I had to leave. I know it might not make any difference, but you should know there’s more to it than what I told you before.

My number’s below. Call me, even if it’s to say good-bye. We both need closure one way or the other.

Love,

Catherine


The ocean breeze tugged at the note in his hands, and for a moment, Steve was tempted to let go, in more ways than one. In the end, he sipped his beer then put the note in his pocket, leaving that decision for another day.

********************************************************************************

LA – the Rooftop of Mick and Beth’s Loft


The stars shone brilliantly on an unusually clear night in LA. Mick lay on a blanket holding Beth close to him, the two bathed in gentle Moonlight. In a few weeks, this view would be lost to him for decades, but not forever. In the grand scheme of things, as long as Beth was with him, the view didn’t matter. While they hadn’t decided exactly where they were going, they both knew it had to be somewhere far from LA and from anyone who knew them. The one thing they had agreed on was that Josef and Simone would always be in their lives.

In the months since Simone’s return, Josef had mellowed, although he’d never admit it. What he didn’t dispute was that life with Simone was going to be exciting. While she was compassionate and caring, as a lawyer, she had her own ruthless streak, something Josef had always admired.

Beth stirred in Mick’s arms. “Have you thought any more about where you’d like to live?”

“I’d like to live in LA, but Josef’s right; it’s not safe to stay here any longer.”

“So…”

“So, anywhere you want to go is fine by me. I’m guessing you’ve got a short list.”

“I do.” Beth hesitated, before continuing. “Short of Siberia, which is not on my list, is anywhere really safe?”

Mick sighed; this was a conversation he really didn’t want to have, but knew he should. “Short answer? Not for long. Technology is making it impossible to hide in plain sight anymore. Eventually, we’re going to be exposed.”

“Then what?”

“Then, either humans will accept us or reject us.”

Beth shuddered. “And rejection means persecution. I’ve heard Josef talk about what happened in the past…. the torture and executions.”

Mick turned Beth to face him. “Hey, that doesn’t mean it will be like that again. Besides, there are things we can do now to protect ourselves.”

“Like what?”

“Remember what I said about technology? There are vamps working to counter that threat, developing technology that lets us hide, at least for a little while longer.”

“Fighting fire with fire in a sense.”

“Not words I’d have used, but yeah.”

“But you still think we’ll be discovered…”

Mick nodded, then kissed his wife. The two were quiet for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Beth sat up and spoke. “Maybe we should learn from the past, turn that to our advantage.”

“Meaning?”

“In the past, vamps were feared…”

Mick snorted. “With good reason.”

“True, they hunted and slaughtered humans. But most vamps today are more civilized. They don’t kill humans to survive, they contract with humans to supply what they need.”

“OK, but a lot of humans won’t want any part of that. Some will find it ‘evil’ or ‘unnatural’ to provide human blood to ‘monsters’. They’ll do everything in their power to keep it from happening.”

“But what if vamps could offer something other than money, something humans would want?”

Mick finally understood where Beth was going. “You mean provide our blood to cure human disease? You know it doesn’t always work like that.”

“Cure.” Beth grew silent as an idea came to mind. “What if we developed a cure, not for humans, but for ourselves?” Before Mick could answer, she continued. “I know you’re going to say any cure we know of is temporary, but what if we can make it permanent?”

“Coraline spent centuries trying to do that…”

“But she worked in isolation. Think about the drugs that Kimiko’s people developed. They augmented the knowledge of their ancestors with modern science. What would happen if vamps everywhere worked together?”

Mick didn’t want to dampen his mate’s excitement in, but one thing at a time. “Beth, right now, we have to focus on where we want to go and who we want to be. If we don’t decide soon, Josef will stake us both and send us to Siberia.”

Beth kissed her mate deeply. “As long as we’re together, I don’t really care.”

********************************************************************************

Epilogue

LA – Josef’s compound


Josef stared at the vial of blood in his hands, wondering whether he should leave well enough alone. A wiser part of him thought he should, while the more curious one demanded answers. There really wasn’t any need to know as Simone was with him for eternity now. That should have been enough.

But it wasn’t.

What is it about my blood that sends people I love to limbo? Sarah never emerged, and by the grace of God or the devil himself, Simone did. Why? I love Mick like a brother, and I turned him, or rather, re-turned him, but that was different. His cure was temporary, so Mick never really shed his vampiric coil.


Since he return from Oahu, Josef had turned Ryder loose on finding cases where fledglings never rose. Were all of these fledglings women? Even if they weren’t, were they sired by people in love with them?

There’s only so much that Ryder can do. Googling ‘failed turnings’ doesn’t yield much, as one doesn’t expect to find that kind of information on the internet. But there were folk tales, legends and myths that shrouded uncomfortable truth in magic and fairy tales. Sleeping Beauty, anyone?

Josef had done his own research, reaching out to vamps older than he for what they knew. Some would share, others wouldn’t, their own experiences too painful even centuries later. What results he did obtain provided more questions than answers.

Many failed turnings seemed to be as I feared…the sire loved whoever he or she was trying to turn. But I know of hundreds of vamps who have turned their lovers successfully. Mick turned Beth, although I thought I’d never live long enough to see it. So what is it about my blood? If it is what I think it is….

Josef turned the vial over in his hand, then made a decision.

It was time to find out.
darkstarrising
Love – the universal language, the story of Moonlight
View My Fanfic Index

Image

Thanks to the talented and generous Phoenix for my beautiful banner!
User avatar
allegrita
Moonlightaholic Admin
Posts: 45960
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:22 am
Location: Snuggled under the brown afghan, watching the fire

Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 9/Epilogue (PG) Posted: 2/21

Post by allegrita »

Well, first-- OOH!!!!! :hyper2: :hyper2: Josef's on the hunt for answers, and Beth is thinking along a similar line! I hope this means lots more stories from you, DSR! :hug: I agree that the time is coming when vampires won't be able to hide. I would love to know how you think that transition would go. :chin:

As for the story, you have done such a great job of tying up all the loose ends! I am not going to shed one tear for Doris. She was what she was, more's the pity, and the world won't miss her one bit. Frankly, I wonder if she wasn't a bit relieved to end things, once her beloved died. (Too bad she couldn't give any of that love to her husband and kids! :madface: )

The one semi-loose end is, in my opinion, a good one. Catherine wouldn't be able to move right back into her life in Hawaii. It's not entirely her fault, but she left Steve, more than once, and she is responsible for the consequences. Frankly, I don't see Steve and Lynn ever moving past the casual sweethearts stage. She doesn't have enough knowledge or experience to really understand why he is the man he is. But you never know. And Steve will have a lot of thinking to do about his future before he makes any big decisions.

And we know he's about to meet Eddie, so he won't be quite so lonely after that. :hearts: :dog: I kinda hope Steve does call Cath, though. They really were a fabulous couple, and I'd love for them to work things out. :heart:

If I were Mick, I would be very sad about leaving my home, but I'm glad he has realized that it really is time to go. And he won't be alone now. He'll always have Beth, Josef, and Simone. :ghug:

Thank you for this wonderful story, and I really hope that last line means your muse is beginning to go "tick tick tick" and work on some new Moonlight adventures! :hug: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
Image
Moonlightsonata
Rogue vampire
Posts: 1760
Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 5:43 am
Location: Outside Philadelphia Pa.

Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 9/Epilogue (PG) Posted: 2/21

Post by Moonlightsonata »

Wow this was such a great ending. I love that you brought Doris into it and gave her what she deserves. Having Mick be Steve in the coffin was a great idea. I do hope that Catherine comes back into Steve's life. I said on another thread that bringing Catherine back is the only thing that will make me watch the show again.

I just loved this story and I can't thank you enough.
Image
Thank you Coco for the lovely banner.
User avatar
darkstarrising
100% Moonlightaholic
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:25 am

Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 9/Epilogue (PG) Posted: 2/21

Post by darkstarrising »

allegrita wrote:Well, first-- OOH!!!!! :hyper2: :hyper2: Josef's on the hunt for answers, and Beth is thinking along a similar line! I hope this means lots more stories from you, DSR! :hug: I agree that the time is coming when vampires won't be able to hide. I would love to know how you think that transition would go. :chin:

As for the story, you have done such a great job of tying up all the loose ends! I am not going to shed one tear for Doris. She was what she was, more's the pity, and the world won't miss her one bit. Frankly, I wonder if she wasn't a bit relieved to end things, once her beloved died. (Too bad she couldn't give any of that love to her husband and kids! :madface: )

The one semi-loose end is, in my opinion, a good one. Catherine wouldn't be able to move right back into her life in Hawaii. It's not entirely her fault, but she left Steve, more than once, and she is responsible for the consequences. Frankly, I don't see Steve and Lynn ever moving past the casual sweethearts stage. She doesn't have enough knowledge or experience to really understand why he is the man he is. But you never know. And Steve will have a lot of thinking to do about his future before he makes any big decisions.

And we know he's about to meet Eddie, so he won't be quite so lonely after that. :hearts: :dog: I kinda hope Steve does call Cath, though. They really were a fabulous couple, and I'd love for them to work things out. :heart:

If I were Mick, I would be very sad about leaving my home, but I'm glad he has realized that it really is time to go. And he won't be alone now. He'll always have Beth, Josef, and Simone. :ghug:

Thank you for this wonderful story, and I really hope that last line means your muse is beginning to go "tick tick tick" and work on some new Moonlight adventures! :hug: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
Thanks, alle :hug: I had some fun with this story, driven in part by how certain H50 storylines and characters weren't handled as well as they could have been (that's just my opinion, not gospel). The whole radiation exposure storyline seems to have vanished from the series, which is unfortunate as it could have humanized McGarrett somewhat. He's not invincible, as his partner keeps telling him, and a struggle to recover from radiation poisoning would have added a better dimension to the series than the :beep: restaurant one. It would also given Alex a chance to spread his wings a little bit playing a weakened McGarrett.

My other disappointment was how Catherine Rollins' character was treated. She disappeared from Steve's life, even after telling him that she would have accepted his marriage proposal. I think Steve's relationship with Lynn was an attempt to move past Catherine, but in the end, I agree with you, it just isn't very satisfying. As for Doris, she was damaged, probably beyond repair, and I couldn't think of a better way for her to end her life than in fear of Josef :devil:

As for the semi-loose end about Catherine and Steve, my initial intent was to have them get back together, but with Catherine's multiple backing away from their relationship, an immediate happily ever after just wasn't realistic. If they get back together (and I personally hope they do), there's going to be a lot of talking first until each of them trusts the other again. I'll put some additional speculation in the H50 thread, so as not to spoil anything for anybody.

As for happily ever afters, Josef certainly deserved one. If Sara had awakened after 50 years in limbo, I wonder whether she could have adapted to the times and to the man her Charles had become. Simone knew and loved Josef in his current incarnation before her fear drove her away. Their ten years apart seemed far less of a barrier than 50.

Still, even with Simone his eternal partner, Josef doesn't seem to be willing to let well enough alone. Will his curiosity get him in trouble? Where the LA vamps end up? Only the muse knows for sure :quill:
darkstarrising
Love – the universal language, the story of Moonlight
View My Fanfic Index

Image

Thanks to the talented and generous Phoenix for my beautiful banner!
User avatar
darkstarrising
100% Moonlightaholic
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:25 am

Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 9/Epilogue (PG) Posted: 2/21

Post by darkstarrising »

Moonlightsonata wrote:Wow this was such a great ending. I love that you brought Doris into it and gave her what she deserves. Having Mick be Steve in the coffin was a great idea. I do hope that Catherine comes back into Steve's life. I said on another thread that bringing Catherine back is the only thing that will make me watch the show again.

I just loved this story and I can't thank you enough.
Thanks, Moonlightsonata :hug: You're so very welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I couldn't resist scaring the blazes out of Doris by having her see what she thought was the body of her son in a coffin. Josef was the perfect means to Doris' end.

Will Catherine get back with Steve? I hope so, but wouldn't be surprised if they don't.
darkstarrising
Love – the universal language, the story of Moonlight
View My Fanfic Index

Image

Thanks to the talented and generous Phoenix for my beautiful banner!
User avatar
Lucy
Ancient
Posts: 4823
Joined: Mon Jan 19, 2009 9:07 pm
Location: polishing Mick's Mercedes hood ornament

Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 9/Epilogue (PG) Posted: 2/21

Post by Lucy »

Oh, my Gentle Author-
Epilogue? Or jumping off point for the next leg of Josef's journey?
Thank you for your tale, thank you for sharing your talent for mystery and romance.
Nothing like having more well written fanfiction.
Moonlight Love,
Lucy
User avatar
darkstarrising
100% Moonlightaholic
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:25 am

Re: Death Becomes Her - Chapter 9/Epilogue (PG) Posted: 2/21

Post by darkstarrising »

Lucy wrote:Oh, my Gentle Author-
Epilogue? Or jumping off point for the next leg of Josef's journey?
Thank you for your tale, thank you for sharing your talent for mystery and romance.
Nothing like having more well written fanfiction.
Moonlight Love,
Lucy
Thanks so much, Lucy :hug: You're so very welcome and I do appreciate the compliment :smooch:

Epilogue? Maybe. It all depends on what the muse conjures up. I'm just her scribe :quill:
darkstarrising
Love – the universal language, the story of Moonlight
View My Fanfic Index

Image

Thanks to the talented and generous Phoenix for my beautiful banner!
Post Reply

Return to “Death Becomes Her”