1. Vigil (midnight) - PG

[jmc]

Moving aside tubes and drips, he lifted her, feather-light in his arms and crossed to the window, settling them into the armchair as the moonlight rippled over the water. The gentle ebb and flow matched his soft strokes, cool and soothing against her skin.

It was there, rocking gently, his lips pressed to her brow, that the nurse found them, the monotone alarms finally silenced, no heartbeat, no pulse, no sound, no fanfare, just the distant wash of the retreating tide.

*****************************
She had made him and now she was gone. Who would he be without that connection, a blood bond, sealed in love, passion, destruction, redemption?

I could have quoted the entire story but this is the image that stays with me. This is what we coulda, shoulda had from season two and beyond but I doubt they would have been able to do within the constraints of what Silver or CBS wanted. Stories like this are why Moonlight still lives and why I'm convinced our writers are better than theirs.


Thank you so much!

[redwinter101]

jen, I agree with you about Coraline being the antagonist. It was definitely her major role and the lack of any development beyond episode 11 disposed of a hugely valuable dramatic asset - as well as leaving Mick acting totally out of character. I just had to try to fix that somehow. And I now have the dubious honour of having killed off each of the four main characters in one story or another. Not sure what that says about me...

jmc, bless you, sweetie. Moonlight certainly does live on and I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

Red

[JJRose]

Oh. Oh my. I am coming late but gratefully to these. I could never have imagined this ending for the two of them - now that I've read it, I can't imagine any other end. It's just too beautiful for words.

"Her repose was strange and unsettling, the reimposition of mortality altering the light within, even as it guttered and failed."

I cannot get this sentence out of my head. Just a stunning, stunning image.

[redwinter101]

JJRose, not late at all, honey - the series is still in progress and I'm delighted you're catching up. And also I'm delighted that you found this beautiful (there is nothing more wonderful to hear). Thank you so much.



Red

[Moonlighter]

Yep. You've done it again, Red. Wrote a fic where I, Moonlighter, actually feel pity for Coraline. Pity, I tells ya! Her fear of abandonment trumping her fear of death just got me. Sheesh!

Because I believe Mick would never totally leave Coraline in the hands of her crazy-ass family, I can totally buy this happening. It's just a shame he was too late and didn't realize what they'd done to her. And his ability to let the past go and actually offer her a choice of being turned or not is an indication of a grown-up Mick, and I really like it.

I'm working my way through the Divine Office, and just like the title suggests, these have been simply divine!

Thanks Red, and please keep them coming!

[redwinter101]

My work is done.

Thanks, Moonlighter. I like grown-up Mick, too.

Red

[jen]

One of the ways you can tell that the story you are reading is extraordinary is that you see new depths in it every time you revisit it.

There are some things about the final four episodes that I love, but Coraline's absence is not one of them. Her role in the story was too pivotal, and made Mick the man that he is. Here, we see him being the vampire she made him, as well.

This was pain and redemption, loss and rebirth, and ultimately healing.

Thank you, Red

Jenna

[redwinter101]

Thanks so much, jen. ITA on Coraline's absence in the final four - she added so many layers to everyone else's stories and I really felt that loss.

Red

[diane31]

WOW! This is simply amazing Red! I never would have thought I could cry for Coraline, but, this does it! What an incredibly powerful, ironic end to such an incredibly powerful, ironic relationship. It feels like Coraline didn't deserve to die like this, it is such a tragic death for her, which in turn, ironically, is fitting, as she is such a tragic character... And of course you write so incredibly well , as always.

[redwinter101]

:curtesy:

Many thanks, Diane - that's a super comment. I really wanted to give Coraline a fitting send-off, since the show singularly failed to do so.

Red

[jen]

For some reason, on previous reads I never caught that Mick crushed a cigarette under his feet.

That is so symbolic on many levels.

Thanks

Jenna

[redwinter101]

Thanks, jen. I love that final image - the extinguishing of the light - there's a finality to it that fits the story, I think. Plus it's a wonderful visual (for me, anyway).

Red

[maggatha3]

Oh, red, this story is incredible, unbelievably sensitive, it is poetic and descriptive at the same time...I don't know, I really cannot describe and would have never thought of feeling for Coraline just so much...when things are inevitable, when you are given no choise, it feels as if even the sky is a burdeon, doesn't it. Such a heavy moment on both of them, on all of us...Yet, there are so many details, meaningful ones in that story..l have to read it some more...Thank you red, the way you write is so impecable, I always have the feeling that I am going to be awestruck even before reading...

[redwinter101]

and

Thank YOU, maggatha - that's so lovely.

Red

[jen]

Exquisite. Just exquisite.

Sometimes, the less said the better so I will just bump this up, get out of the way and let the quality of this piece speak for itself. It so so far better than I could.

Thank you!