The Scene of the Crime (PG-13) (Challenge #131)

[librarian_7]

AN: No copyright infringement intended. Just a bit of homage to a much-loved story. Recently, Allegrita posted a few pics of the fountain we all remember from “No Such Thing as Vampires,” (viewtopic.php?p=230834#p230834) and that, combined with the anniversary, inspired this…

The Scene of the Crime

Water jetted up from the shallow bowl of the fountain at the Pacific Design Center, reflecting the colored lights below. It made a striking contrast against the deeply tinted walls of the Center, a vibrant splash of color in the Los Angeles night.

Standing back from the fountain in a nearby line of trees, Mick thought it was good to see it in operation again. It was hard to believe that it had been four years since he’d stood here, looking down at a crowd of police and forensic techs clustered around a girl’s body swathed in yards of pink fabric, while reporters and cameramen jockeyed for position behind a length of yellow crime scene tape.

He hadn’t really cared about the body, though. That girl was dead, and beyond his help. In the normal course of things, he had no business here.

But there’d been another girl.

Walking across the cold water of that fountain, jeans rolled up and shoes in hand, looking for a close-up of the victim, Beth had drawn him out. He’d never intended to speak to her, never intended to establish any kind of face to face relationship with her. He smiled a little to himself, remembering. He’d seen her on the web, and decided it might be a good idea to get a little closer, just in case. Sure, the Design Center was in a pretty good neighborhood, but arguably tonight it was dangerous. After all, one girl was lying dead a few yards in front of him, a couple of bizarre puncture wounds in her neck.

Yeah, that was how you justified it to yourself, he thought, but what was the truth? The truth, or closer to it, was that all these years he’d felt the pull of her. He’d been lurking on the outskirts of her life, and hearing her voice on Buzzwire that night, making her first live webcast, he wanted to hear her speak again. He wanted her to look into his face, to see him, and speak to him.

Not to know who he was. And for sure never to know what he was. He hadn’t completely lost his mind, after all. He just wanted not to feel so alone, for a moment.

He caught a distant sound of laughter, as a group of tourists walked over from the parking lot to the fountain, and faded back a little deeper into the shadows, the way he should have done that night with Beth.

He wondered, sometimes, if talking to her that first time had been a mistake. Sometimes? Yeah, like every night of her life. Every time he caught her looking wistfully at women with babies, or smiling that special, sad smile at a pregnant woman on the street. Every time he thought about how with him, she’d never had the children she craved, that he’d never see her sweetly gravid with his child.

He thought about the wisdom of his choice every time they made love, and he had to hold back his impulse to bite, to taste the unique essence of her blood. Again. And he winced to himself at all the times he’d succumbed, had given her even a tiny nip, a sharp enough graze of his fangs to catch just the shining edge of her mortality.

She said she didn’t mind, she even said it heightened her pleasure, but later, he could never see the marks he’d left behind, the tiny wounds, the scars, and not hate himself for it.

The tourists were leaving, now. He heard a flurry of opening and closing car doors from the parking area, followed by a welcome cessation of their intrusive chatter.

Maybe it wasn’t too late to undo what he had done. Maybe if he simply faded out of her life, she could get on with it. Find the man who could complete her desire for family.

He could do it. Josef would facilitate a relocation, and probably, with a little persuasion, throw his protection, unseen, dispassionate, over the woman Mick left behind. Josef had grown fond of Beth, he knew, over the years, treating her like a sort of mascot, showing her a sort of grandfatherly, beneficent indulgence that sat oddly on his usual sharp impatience with what he considered the foolishness of mortality.

Mick had decided years ago that Josef was someone he’d never fully understand; knowing that no matter how deep their friendship ran, he’d never know all the facets of the other vampire’s character, and that he might as well accept that.

It might be best to leave. To take a new identity and travel the world. He might not be as rich as Josef, but he was doing all right, and he could afford to wander. He’d have his memories of Beth to sustain him, and maybe in ten years, twenty, he could come back, slip into his role of unseen guardian once again, watch over the precious mortal life she’d been meant to live.

That was the right thing to do, he thought. The honorable thing. He could do that, and he’d never again be faced with the burning shame of wanting to bite down when his mouth was against her skin, never feel the cold, implacable anger at himself as someone who had dared to hurt Beth. His Beth.

His Beth.

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t realize anyone was near, until her arms slipped around his waist, a shock of warmth enfolding him. For a moment, he was surprised, then realized, of course, there was only one being who could slip inside his guard like that. He looked down at the blonde head pressed to his chest,, and put his arms around her.

“Beth, what are you doing here?”

“I came to find you.”

“But—how did you know—”

She laughed, and tilted her chin up to look into his face. “It’s September 28. You come here every year, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“I figured it out two years ago, Mick.”

“Oh.” He couldn’t think of anything to say to that. He’d been caught, returning to the scene of the crime.

Maybe there were a lot more words that needed to be spoken between them, maybe there were still a lot of questions about the future that needed to be discussed, settled.

And maybe that could wait for another night, because the next words she spoke drove everything out of his head but the raw need to hold her forever.

“Mick,” she said, “come home.”

[allegrita]

Oh, Lucky.

I think you and I have been on the same wavelength. But this is just so perfectly, beautifully Mick and Beth. So much the essence of their relationship... and Mick's relationship with Josef, too. I love this. What a perfect anniversary gift.

[librarian_7]

It's all your fault, Alle...it was that fountain pic! (And thank you for that.)

I just see him as continuing to angst a bit over the relationship. Silly vamp.

Lucky

[Lilly]

Sometimes that vampire needs a good smack in the head. Like with a vase or something.

Yes, I can absolutely see this. Even when he's gotten more comfortable in his own perpetually cool skin, there's still that doubt that nags at him. Did he do the right thing? Is he doing the right thing? Is he being too selfish? He may not be able to turn into a bat, but I swear he's as blind as one sometimes.

And still he manages to break our hearts.

This is lovely, Lucky.

[librarian_7]

Thanks, Lilly, and Yes, sometimes you do just want to whap him. Vase, hmm, a vase sounds about right. I'm sure Beth keeps a supply handy--if only to see that adorable look on his face after she hits him, and he says "Ouch."

He's had 60 years to perfect being angsty, so it's not surprising he gets a bit thoughtful about the relationship. And I think his doubts and fears are reasonable, considering the situation...

Lucky

[francis]

Ah, yes, this is the essence of Mick, brooding, doubting himself, questioning if Beth is happy with him, planning to escape and let her go, knowing full well that he couldn't really do it. And then Beth comes and is just her usual self, and she brings him home, in every sense of the word. Love this!

[librarian_7]

Thanks, francis! I aim to please.

Lucky

[NightAir]

Lucky!
This is the Mick I love. He doesn't know how to be any other way. But Beth's love will always pull him back to her.

[librarian_7]

Thanks, Nightair. I think Mick is terribly invested in Beth...too much so to walk away from her, even if he might sometimes think it would be the best thing for her.

Lucky

[seamus3333]

Ah, the real Mick, brought back to us through your talent, Even after four years, he's still pensive with self doubt and a touch ashamed at what he is, not worthy of her love...Along comes Beth, who has no doubt, and says the perfect expression of her love, "Come home." Beautifully done, Lucky.

[librarian_7]

Ah, thanks, Seamus! It did seem like what he needed to hear most.

[MickLifeCrisis]

Very nice, Lucky! I would like to think that Mick had gotten over his brooding angst about his relationship with Beth by this point, but apparently the anniversary wears heavy on him. Thankfully Beth knows how to reach him.

Mick was almost channeling Scarlett O'Hara there at the end; fortunately he didn't say "fiddle dee dee".

[librarian_7]

Well, you know...he's a broody one. Probably always will be.

After all... "Tomorrow...is another night."

Thanks, MLC!

Lucky

[Lucy]

You have caught the horrid pain he holds and shared it with us.....

YET, how can he think of leaving her? The ache would be too grand....knowing Mick there is NO one who could fill that void.

That void would be more horrid that missing a "normal" life. Having Mick leave, that would be the crime.....

[Luxe de Luxe]

Love it, Lucky. This beautifully captures the melancholy that I think sits at the heart of Mick. Of course he'd think about slipping away to allow her to experience the joys of mortality.

... with him, she’d never had the children she craved, that he’d never see her sweetly gravid with his child.

Love the last few words of that quote.

Happily, you leave us with a little hope that they can get past their difficulties.

Maybe there were a lot more words that needed to be spoken between them, maybe there were still a lot of questions about the future that needed to be discussed, settled.

And maybe that could wait for another night, because the next words she spoke drove everything out of his head but the raw need to hold her forever.

A worthy tribute to our favourite show.