Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge 140)

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darkstarrising
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Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge 140)

Post by darkstarrising »

Hi all :wave:

Better late than never. This is the tenth and final chapter of 'Affairs of the Heart', an ML / H50 crossover story for challenge 140. In this story, Mick has finally agreed to turn Beth, but is stalling. Beth has traveled to Hawaii to spend a little time with Mary Ann McGarrett and to 'sort through' some issues. At the end of the end of the ninth chapter, Mick, Beth and Josef return to Kimiko's house where the traitor was exposed and while Chin learns more than he bargained for. Steve and Danny had a long talk about what makes a man a monster.

In this chapter, all the loose ends are (hopefully) tied up. As such, it's a little long. :blushing: Thank you all for reading.

As always, I don't own any of the characters, I just like to play with them.

Please, enjoy!

Affairs of the Heart

Chapter 10

Josef’s jet was fueled and ready to go when its passengers arrived. They also found an unexpected visitor waiting on the tarmac, one Josef greeted warily. “Detective Williams. I didn’t expect to see you again so soon. Is there a problem?”

“Problem? I got lots of them, Kostan, but only one is why I’m here.” Approaching Beth, Danny explained. “I owe Mrs. St. John an apology. I wasn’t myself earlier and I’m sorry for the things I said.”

“No apology necessary, Danny. It’s been a difficult day for all of us. Have you heard anything about Kylie?”

“Yeah, she seems OK, but the doctors are going to keep her overnight just to be safe. Even better, she doesn’t remember anything about being taken.”

Josef sensed there was more on Danny’s agenda than a simple apology. “Is there something else, Detective? Beth is quite tired and I’d like to get her home as soon as possible.”

“So Mick can turn her into whatever you are?” Seeing Mick tense, Danny held up his hand. “Sorry, that didn’t come out right, and really, it’s none of my business. I’m still trying to understand who you people are, so I’m not going to pretend to understand why you’re doing this.”

“Then let me help you.” Beth released Mick’s hand and approached the detective. “Danny, have you ever loved somebody so much that you can’t bear the thought of being without them? That’s how much I love Mick. That’s why I’m doing this.” Beth whispered conspiratorially in Danny’s ear. “If it makes you feel any better, it’s taken me forever to get him to agree.”

Beth then kissed the detective on the cheek before returning to Mick’s side.

For a moment, Danny just stood there, blushing. Beth’s explanation was a little too Romeo and Juliet for his taste, but at least now he was beginning to understand. People thought he was crazy for moving half-way around the world to be with his daughter, but it was something he knew he had to do. There was just no way Grace was going to grow up without her father to love and protect her.

Danny glanced at Mick. “Uh, there’s something I’d like to say to your husband in private, if you don’t mind.”

Josef escorted Beth into the jet while Mick remained on the tarmac. “Listen, I know you’re buddy Kostan can hear us, but this is definitely not for your wife’s ears.”

“OK, I’m listening.”

“I may not understand or agree with everything you people do, the whole blood sucking thing and all, but I do appreciate your help finding Kylie. Without you, we wouldn’t have gotten to her in time.” Danny reached out to shake Mick’s hand. “By the way, my partner told me what you did to that bastard, and for that, you have not only my thanks, but my whole-hearted approval, not that you need it or anything. Just one thing; despite what Steve thinks, I’d have cut them off and shoved them down his throat.”

Mick grinned as he took Danny’s hand in his. “Remind me never to piss you off, Danny.”

“I will. And Mick, take good care of your wife. Beth’s a classy lady and love like hers doesn’t happen very often. Hang on to it, whatever it takes.”

“I know, Danny. Believe me, I know.” Mick hesitated for a moment, then added. “And Danny –take care of McGarrett. He needs your help.”

“He needs a shrink, if that’s what you’re talking about.”

“No. He needs a friend, a good one. I’ve seen the doubt in his eyes, the fear. It’s like looking in a mirror, wondering if you can live with yourself because of what you’ve had to do. McGarrett is a good man, Danny. Don’t let him forget that.”

After his recent conversation with his partner, Danny understood. “I won’t.”

“And Danny? So are you.”

Danny watched as the jet taxied down the runway, then took off into the eastern sky. There was just one more stop he had to make on his way home.

The gate to the Edwards’ estate was open when he drove up, and Rachel was standing in the doorway. Things had become awkward between the two, but they tried to shelter their daughter from any of her parents’ animosity.

“Steve called and said you might be stopping by. He also said you had a rather trying day.”

“Not as bad as his.”

“I take it the story in the paper was false, not that I ever thought otherwise. He should sue.”

“Yeah, a sleazy guy with a camera tried to make a quick buck. Too bad he didn’t live to spend it.”

“Steve also said a little girl had been kidnapped and that you brought her safely back to her mother. You should be proud, Daniel.”

“I had help.” Danny’s eyes grew misty. “Rachel, I’ve seen a lot of things as a cop, a lot of really bad things. But nothing, nothing beats what almost happened to that little girl tonight.”

Rachel reached out and took her ex-husband’s hand, knowing he needed reassurance their daughter was safe. “Grace is asleep now, but if you want to come in and say good night….”

A few minutes later, Danny gazed at his little girl, sound asleep in her bed. As quietly as he could, he bent down and kissed her head, whispering “Remember Grace, Danno loves you.”

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

Josef looked up from his tablet as Mick joined him in the forward cabin. “How’s Beth?”

“Asleep, for now anyway. The last 24 hours have been pretty hard on her.”

“Only the last 24?”

“OK, before you start in on me….”

“Do I need to?”

“…you and I need to talk. Seriously.”

Josef put down the tablet and gave his friend his full attention. “OK. What’s on your mind?”

“We both know there aren’t many people who could have set up and executed this little drama.”

“I agree, which is why when we get home, I’m going to conduct the mother of all witch hunts, or in this case, vamp hunts. If there are traitors in my family, I’ll deal with them personally. Old world style.”

Mick eyed his friend suspiciously. “So you’re saying you didn’t set this up?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying and frankly I’m wounded you’d even think that.”

“Don’t play innocent with me, Josef. I know you. I know Beth called you from the airport. I know she wanted your help…”

“To set the record straight, yes, Beth called me, but only to vent. Believe it or not, Mick, you can be extremely frustrating on occasion, especially when you won’t tell people what’s bothering you. Besides, who else can she talk to?”

“OK, but c’mon, Josef, that last performance at Kimiko’s house? You both should get acting awards.”

Josef relented, knowing he’d been caught. “What gave us away?”

“The first time we were at Kimiko’s, only Tadashi was there. She wanted him confident that she didn’t suspect anything. The last time, she had what I guess were the most important vamps on the island present. She wanted an audience when she exerted her authority and exposed Tadashi’s betrayal. Besides, you’d have never allowed Beth to walk into a dangerous situation.”

“True.”

“So if you didn’t set this up, why all the innuendo about McGarrett and Beth? Why piss me off?”

“Even though Beth didn’t ask for help, I decided you needed a little encouragement before you drove your long suffering wife insane with your stalling. Honestly? I thought you just felt guilty about turning her, human mores and all. I didn’t know the real reason.”

“About that…”

Josef held up his hand, forestalling another apology from his friend. “You were right. Beth is your wife and I don’t have anything to say about what goes on between you two. That doesn’t mean I won’t butt in from time to time. One of the perks of being a head of the community.”

“And a friend.”

“That, too. When Kimiko sent me the tabloid story about McGarrett, I decided to take advantage of the situation, knowing damn well McGarrett is far too intelligent to ever try anything with Beth. Not that he’d get anywhere. If I could get your inner vamp to see the possibility of a threat, you might get motivated.”

“I hate to admit this, but it worked.”

“Don’t feel so bad. While I manipulated you, Kimiko manipulated us both. She had her own agenda in sending me those images, hoping we would come to the islands and help her expose Tadashi.”

“Which we did. Did you know about Tadashi?”

“No. I had no idea that she suspected him of anything until we landed in Honolulu and saw Kimiko’s text warning me to be cautious around him. Those dinner photos with Beth and McGarrett? They were never printed, but were in Kimiko’s possession. The only way that could have happened is if a blood demon took them, then gave them to someone close to Kimiko. Once we learned there was a blood demon responsible for the photographer’s murder, it became clear that Tadashi was pulling the blood demon’s strings and Kimiko was pulling mine.”

“OK, so why not give me a heads up before we went back to her place? If I had known…”

“You wouldn’t have reacted to the ‘threat’ as well as you did. We needed Tadashi focused on trying to piss you off and convincing his fellow blood demons to follow him otherwise he might have figured out Kimiko was on to him.”

“What if Tadashi had succeeded, Josef? Weren’t you still taking a risk?”

“Then you and I would likely be dust in the wind. As you said, though, I wouldn’t have let either Beth or you walk into a situation I didn’t think was under control. Besides, Kimiko is one of the shrewdest vamps I know; Tadashi never had a chance.” Josef glanced back, making sure Beth was still asleep. “My turn for questions; if Kimiko had provided the requisite privacy, would you have turned Beth?”

“Honestly? I don’t know how I could have avoided it. How could I back down in front of Kimiko and her family?”

“Lucky for you Kimiko was impressed by both you and Beth and didn’t force the issue. That little trinket she put around Beth’s neck? It’s a thousand years old and worth a small fortune. But it’s real value is the honor she bestowed upon you both.”

Mick grew solemn. “Listen, Josef, I know you want to personally deal with any traitors in LA, but before you do, I’d like a few minutes with them myself. Beth’s tough, but it bothers her that people will think she had an affair. Besides, I don’t appreciate someone using my wife like that to achieve their own agenda.”

“You’ll have as much time with them as you want, my friend, but I’ve already put Ryder to work to destroy as much electronic evidence as he can, including records that Beth was ever at that resort. He’ll even introduce a virus into the that tabloid’s systems destroying everything they have. They’ll be out of business in a few days.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’m buying the paper - a sort of ‘sorry I butted in’ present to you and Beth. Just one more question - if I had set this up…”

“You’d be swimming back to LA.”

“Difficult, but doable.”

“Then you’d have to face Beth.”

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

Catherine Rollins lay awake, studying the face of the man by her side. The sun was barely on the horizon and bathed in the weak morning light, the man who was an enigma to most, at long last slept peacefully.

Tonight had been a night of firsts. When he’d walked into the house, tired from what she knew had been a stressful day, the look on Steve’s face was something she’d only seen a few times before. Before the mask slipped back into place, Catherine knew he was in pain and that he needed her. At that time, she hadn’t understood just how much.

Despite what many thought, it was more than just sex with them. Both were from military families and had found their respective ways in the structure and order the military provided. They had just clicked when they first met, finding it easy to be in one another’s company. A strong and trusting friendship soon followed and over the years had developed into something Catherine couldn’t quite put a name to. Theirs wasn’t a typical girlfriend / boyfriend relationship, but each regarded the other as more than just ‘friends with benefits’.

Much to her surprise, they actually did eat something before going to bed, a sign that either Steve really was famished or that something really was wrong. As it turned out, both were true. Still, Catherine had learned a long time ago that Steve would eventually get around to talking to her without much prodding. Until tonight - another first.

After dinner, they found their way to bed, but Steve seemed even more withdrawn. Catherine couldn’t imagine what could have happened to make him so reticent. The Governor hadn’t fired him and he had to know that tabloid crap would blow over as soon as the next ‘scandal’ emerged.

And so she had drawn him into her arms and gently kissing him, drew him out of himself. After they’d made love, they both fell asleep, or so she thought. In early morning hours, Catherine woke when Steve stirred restlessly. When she asked what was wrong, he merely nuzzled her and told her to go back to sleep.

‘Not until you tell me why you’re wide awake at this hour. Is it about the case…’


For a few moments, Steve seemed to be struggling with what to say, as if he were afraid of her reaction. That’s when she’d put the screws to him.

‘Steve, either spit it out, or I’ll make you talk. I have ways, you know.’


She grinned mischievously at the memory of running her fingers up his ribcage and having Steve flinch, then laugh knowing the ‘ways’ she was talking about. It never ceased to amaze her how someone so tough could be so ticklish. Finally, her lover, her friend, opened up.

‘How long have we known each other, Cat? Five, maybe six years?’

‘Going on seven, actually.’

‘Really?’

‘Really. You were saying…’

‘What I was trying to say…. you know how I feel about you, right?’

‘Why do I sense there’s a ‘but’ coming?’

‘No buts, at least not in the sense you’re thinking….’

‘You’re stalling, Steve….’

‘I love you.’


The words were blurted out and seeing the fear on her lover’s face, Catherine knew she didn’t dare laugh. Steven J. McGarrett, decorated Navy SEAL, was utterly terrified that she didn’t love him in return.

‘Steve, I love you, too. Surely, you knew that.’

‘Yeah, I guess I did, but it’s nice to hear.’

‘Back at you, sailor.’

A moment passed as he gently pushed a tendril of hair off her face.

‘I guess I deserved that. It’s just been so long since I’ve been able to say those words and mean them.’


That was when Catherine knew just how badly he was hurting and how she’d made him feel worse.

‘I’m sorry, Steve, that was heartless of me. You and I, we’re different from most people. We’ve been trained to be self-sufficient and tough, but sometimes, that toughness keeps us from letting people know how much we love them. And despite what we think, we’re not invincible. We can’t stand alone. Please, tell me what’s wrong.’

‘Is what we have enough for you, Cat? I mean, we get to see each other only a few times a year…..’

‘Do you want more?’

‘Yeah, I guess I do…..but only if you do.’


And there it was again; fear, this time of losing someone precious. Catherine finally understood just how much Steve loved her; not only was she his close friend, she was his life-line.

‘Well, I wasn’t going to tell you until tomorrow, but like it or not, I’m going to be around a lot more. After the ENTERPRISE is decommissioned, I’ll be assigned to Pearl Harbor Naval Station.’


With that, fear vanished, relief taking its place. He’d kissed her then, deeply, but with a passion she’d never felt before, one that almost frightened her.

‘Steve…..can we take this a little slowly? It’s not like I’m going to move in or anything. You and I, we’re not so good at changing.’

‘We’ll take it however you want, Cat.’


They’d made love again, this time more gently and afterward, Steve had finally fallen asleep, his fears assuaged, for now. Catherine, however, was now wide awake and gazing at the man she loved, wondered what the future held for them.

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

As the night began its retreat before the dawn, Kimiko received a solitary visitor in her inner sanctum.

“Speak, Kiro.”

“The damage to the house of Noshimuri has been contained, Mistress.”

“Explain.”

“McGarrett has informed Adam that the photographer’s death will be blamed on a foolish man who sought to impress the Yakuza. Only McGarrett, Williams and the blood demons from the mainland know the true identity of our brother. They will not expose him.”

“What of the others who answer to McGarrett?”

“They know nothing of our kind, although one grows curious. I will watch him.”

“And Yoshi?”

Kiro bowed. “I beg forgiveness for my poor judgment, Mistress. I believed Yoshi worthy to join our family. Yet his greed overshadowed his responsibility to the house of Noshimuri. Yoshi has paid for his foolishness with his life. I now await punishment for my failure.”

“No, my brother. You have served the house of Noshimuri faithfully far too long to chastised for such an error. Learn from it, however, and choose your next candidate well, lest Tadashi’s fate befall you.” Kimiko stepped aside, allowing Kiro to see the severed head of her late shisha on the table behind her. “Where is Adam now?”

“He has returned to his home in the city. Others of our family now watch over him.”

“Excellent. The great-grandson of my grandson must be protected at all costs. The house of Noshimuri depends upon him to continue our lineage.” Kimiko paused as she gazed at Tadashi’s head. “Kiro, I wish you to perform yet another task….I sense there is someone who enticed Tadashi to betray us as he did. Watch and listen well, and report to me any hint of treachery.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

“Go now to your well deserved rest, my brother.”

After Kiro left, Kimiko gazed at Tadashi’s head. “You were foolish, my brother, to let your ambition blind you. It is honor and love that make us strong, not power. A powerful man without honor stands alone, and without love, he has no one to turn to, no one to guide him. That is the lesson you learned today, one my brother Josef learned a long time ago. I envy him, Tadashi, for the bond with his shisha is very strong. Yet I wonder, will it be made stronger when the shisha’s mate emerges or not? Only time will tell, Tadashi, only time will tell.”

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

Danny watched as a steady stream of people made their way in and out of Steve’s office the next morning, none of them looking very happy. Kono had been first, followed by her cousin who looked even worse than Danny felt, tired and wanting to be anywhere but where he was. Kono left Steve’s office with both of them looking happier, but Chin had the opposite effect on their boss.

Never one to let his curiosity go unsatisfied, Danny sauntered into his friend’s office to see what was going on. “Bless me father, for I have sinned.”

At Steve’s confusion, Danny continued. “I saw Kono and Chin in here earlier and they both looked guilty, like they were confessing something. Based on your relaxed body language and that goofy grin, my guess is that you probably have more need of confession than they do. Catherine, right?”

“Yeah, she was there when you dropped me off last night. We had dinner and talked.”

“Before or after…”

“Both. She let me know that she’s being assigned to Pearl after the ENTERPRISE is decommissioned. So, get used to the goofy grin, buddy.”

“Setting up house, huh?”

“No. We’re both kinda independent. But we’ll still be seeing a lot more of each other.”

“Which, by the way, may actually be a good thing for you. Maybe you won’t feel the need to blow people up if you get down more often.” Seeing his partner’s expression, Danny shifted gears. “Getting back to Kono and Chin…”

“Kono came in here, apologizing for her ‘association’ with Noshimuri and that she was going to cool it for a while. I told her she didn’t have anything to apologize for, but that I did. When you kicked me off the investigation, I knew how I made her feel – guilty, even though she hadn’t done anything wrong.”

“So that’s why she left here happy. What about Chin?”

Steve became serious. “Chin’s a smart man and a smart cop. Put yourself in his position – what would you do if you didn’t know anything about blood demons other than they were dangerous?”

“Do what I could to find out about them. Shit!! How much does he know?”

“Right now? Not much. He told me that he remembered a childhood story about islanders cursed to walk the night and drink the blood of the living. What he found on-line were similar stories.”

“So, what’s the problem? They’re stories, fairy tales, nothing more.”

“He also found descriptions of various markings blood demons use….including the ones I wear.”

“What did you tell him?”

“The truth or at least most of it. I told him that I’d been left for dead in the Philippines after a botched operation and that a blood demon found me and brought me back to health. That same blood demon honored me with the markings of his people. I also told him that like anybody else, there are blood demons who are peaceful and others that aren’t. Other than that, I told him I wasn’t at liberty to say any more.”

“Which will do nothing but encourage him to keep digging. What if he finds out the truth?”

“We’ll deal with that if we have to, but somehow, I don’t think Chin will betray a trust if he learns the truth.”

“One other thing – any word from the Governor?”

“Yeah. I sent him my report this morning and it wasn’t long before he got back to me. Apparently, Kostan called and thanked him for ‘putting his best people on an unfortunate situation involving a dear friend’. As far as the Governor is concerned, this case is closed. So, Danny, do you have anything to ‘confess’?”

“Not much. I apologized to Beth before the LA contingent left for home. I also expressed my gratitude to Mick for his help in finding Kylie.”

“So, you and Mr. Scary Face are on good terms?”

“Yeah, I guess you could say that. It’s still weird seeing you when I talk to him.”

Steve’s face darkened. “Apparently, we’re more alike than I care to think about.”

“I don’t know about Mick’s taste in music, but if it’s anything like yours…”

“That’s not what I meant, Danny.”

“I know. Listen, I’ve had a chance to think about what you and I talked about last night, the whole monsters and heroes thing. You’re right, some vampires are heroes, Mick being a good example, and some humans are monsters. You, my friend, are not a vampire, but you are a good man dealing with bad situations the best he can. In my book, that makes you a hero and I’m proud to be your friend.”

“Thanks, Danny.”

“Don’t mention it. Listen, do you know if Catherine has any female friends….”

***********************************************************************************
A note was slipped to the prisoner in Halawa’s solitary confinement:

‘Tadashi failed, McGarrett lives.’

Wo Fat sighed; another failure. McGarrett kept eluding the traps Wo Fat’s minions had laid for him. Shredding the note and flushing it, Wo Fat knew that it was time to leave his prison and put an end to McGarrett once and for all.

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

Epilogue

Sometimes, the best plan is to not have one.

Since their return from Hawaii, husband and wife had had some heart-to-heart discussions about Beth’s turning, along with a few other things. Mick promised to be more open and not keep things to himself, while Beth promised to not drag Josef or anyone else into their private affairs. For all their discussions, though, the timing of Beth’s turning had yet to be decided.

One evening, Mick rose a little later than normal. As was his custom, he listened for the sounds that let him know that Beth was with him, alive and well. Tonight, though, there was a subtle difference in the sonata that was his wife; her heartbeat was faster, her breathing just a little off. In a word, Beth was anxious.

Her heartbeat led him to the rooftop where Beth sat on a blanket, glass of wine in hand, gazing at the ever-darkening sky. For a few moments, Mick just watched his wife, trying to understand her anxiety. When he did, Mick approached Beth and laying down beside her, drew her into his arms. For the longest time, he just held her, feeling her fear, knowing that at last, she’d made up her mind. It was up to him now to ease it.

“Not so long ago, I asked you to stay with me. It took a lot of courage, but that night, you gave yourself to me as a sign of your love. Beth, it took us both a long time to get there, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I don’t know if it’s for the rest of your human life or for all eternity, but I have your love. That’s the greatest gift you could ever give me.”

He kissed her gently then, and felt his wife relax. “I can’t imagine living without you, but Mick, I can’t help it…I’m afraid. I’ve sat here staring at the sky wondering why all of a sudden I feel this way.”

“Being afraid to die is part of being human.” Raising her chin, Mick tried to soothe her. “Beth, look at me. This doesn’t have to happen tonight. It doesn’t have to happen at all. Whatever you want to do….”

“I want to be with you, forever – that hasn’t changed. It never will.” Her heartbeat became rapid then as she gazed into his eyes. “Let me see you …”

The vampire within emerged, fearing his mate was not yet ready to join him and might never be. “I’m here and always will be. Just for you, only for you.”

Stroking his face gently, Beth saw herself reflected in his silvered eyes. The woman she saw was sad and afraid, and that was a woman she never wanted to be. “The first time you made love to me is a night I’ll always cherish. You were so afraid of hurting me, but you overcame your fear. Now it’s time for me to overcome mine.”

“Beth…”

“You said my love was the greatest gift I've ever given you. Please, my love, give me the gift of forever with you.”

She kissed him deeply then, and man and vampire together felt the love of this woman as never before. Beth pulled away for a moment, then turned to face the moon rising in the night sky. Feeling Mick beside her, all fear vanished knowing that this night was not about ending, but rather of beginnings.

Bathed in full Moonlight, Mick gently swept the blonde tresses away from Beth’s neck. Murmuring his love for her, he pierced her delicate skin, tasting not fear, but love and longing. As her life ebbed away, Mick held her gently and with his blood, he once again gave of himself, this time, the most precious gift of all.

Stay with me….

The heartbeat he’d known so well, first slowed, then ceased. Soon afterward, Beth stirred and opened her eyes. Reflected in those of her mate, she saw the woman she wanted to be, loved and loving for all eternity.
darkstarrising
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r1015bill
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

Post by r1015bill »

...Sigh.... :hearts:

That was wonderful. What a loving turning scene.

I'm very glad that all the loose ends are tied.

But I'm even gladder that you've left Wo Fat out there - just in case another story comes to your mind that must be written. :snicker:

Great job!!!
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

Post by jen »

DSR

Wonderful conclusion!

Kimiko is very much like Josef (and an onion--keeps your busy peeling away the layers). Initially, I thought that she was sincerely threatened but she is far more sensitive to the occurrences in her 'family' than I gave her credit for.

Danny truly surprised me. He hasn't worked everything out, but he is getting there.

I haven't seen an episode of 5-0 this season, but am glad that Catherine will be more of a presence on Hawaii. That being said, sometimes relationships that work at a distance can't stand up when they are in close proximity. Time will tell.

The Turning scene at the end was absolutely beautiful.

In short, a wonderful ending and a fabulous beginning!

Thank you!

Jenna

:hearts: :flowers: :hearts: :flowers:
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

Post by aolver »

What a lovely final chapter. Thank you. :cloud9:
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allegrita
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

Post by allegrita »

Oh, now I'm all teary. :hankie: :cloud9: That was beautifully satisfying on so many levels. I loved Steve and Catherine; I loved that Danny made amends to Mick and Beth; I loved the hints about Kimiko's deep connection to Adam; I felt TOTALLY vindicated to have Josef admit that he WAS the culprit, darn it!!! :yahoo:

But mostly--oh dear, mostly I loved that beautiful turning scene, with its love and fear and reassurance, and its ties to that other conversation on the rooftop. What a wonderful gift you've given us, tying the old and the new together in this wonderful story. :hearts:
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

Post by darkstarrising »

r1015bill wrote:...Sigh.... :hearts:

That was wonderful. What a loving turning scene.

I'm very glad that all the loose ends are tied.

But I'm even gladder that you've left Wo Fat out there - just in case another story comes to your mind that must be written. :snicker:

Great job!!!
Thanks, Rhonda :hug: Glad you liked the turning scene....I've turned that poor woman at least five times now and was struggling to come up with something different.

And Wo Fat will always be out there :devil:
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

Post by darkstarrising »

jen wrote:DSR

Wonderful conclusion!

Kimiko is very much like Josef (and an onion--keeps your busy peeling away the layers). Initially, I thought that she was sincerely threatened but she is far more sensitive to the occurrences in her 'family' than I gave her credit for.

Danny truly surprised me. He hasn't worked everything out, but he is getting there.

I haven't seen an episode of 5-0 this season, but am glad that Catherine will be more of a presence on Hawaii. That being said, sometimes relationships that work at a distance can't stand up when they are in close proximity. Time will tell.

The Turning scene at the end was absolutely beautiful.

In short, a wonderful ending and a fabulous beginning!

Thank you!

Jenna

:hearts: :flowers: :hearts: :flowers:
Thanks, Jenna :hug: That's exactly how I saw Kimiko - as Hawaii's version of Josef. She's old, savvy and not above using her friends to ferret out her enemies

In Danny's world, there are good guys and bad guys....and now he's seeing that it's not always that clear. He knows McG has done some things he didn't really want to do but had to, but he still respects Steve. While he still can't wrap his brain around everything that vampires do, he's beginning to understand that even they have their heroes and villains.

Catherine's presence in H50 will be interesting to watch, but my view is reflected in this story. She's independent and being around Steve more than she's used to is going to cause a bit of consternation - for both of them.

As for the turning - this is the first time that I've had Beth actually be afraid now that she's faced with the actual process, but it's a fear she got over, just as Mick got over his fear of being intimate with her.
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

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aolver wrote:What a lovely final chapter. Thank you. :cloud9:
thanks, aolver :hug: and you're most welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed the story.
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

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allegrita wrote:Oh, now I'm all teary. :hankie: :cloud9: That was beautifully satisfying on so many levels. I loved Steve and Catherine; I loved that Danny made amends to Mick and Beth; I loved the hints about Kimiko's deep connection to Adam; I felt TOTALLY vindicated to have Josef admit that he WAS the culprit, darn it!!! :yahoo:

But mostly--oh dear, mostly I loved that beautiful turning scene, with its love and fear and reassurance, and its ties to that other conversation on the rooftop. What a wonderful gift you've given us, tying the old and the new together in this wonderful story. :hearts:

Thanks, alle :hug: Moonlight was all about relationships - primarily Mick's with Beth, Josef and Coraline - and about love. That aspect was depicted in this final chapter, but the H50 relationships are also represented. The relationship between Mick and Josef has been in place for more than 50 years with many layers. Sometimes it's almost a father-son or brotherly one, but sometimes it's just a buddy one. Or in this case, a conniving-best-friend-trying-to-manipulate-Mick-for-his-own-good relationship. Steve and Danny have more of a buddy relationship and it's still developing. But it's Steve's experiences that he shares with his partner that allow Danny to make amends with Mick and Beth, even though he's still not on board with the whole vampire thing.

I love that you love tying the end of this story with the rooftop scene in 'Fated to Pretend'. Mick and Beth have finally come full circle.
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

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I am such a bad Reader..... I have not been paying you the right attention that a beautiful story deserves. These were intense characters in play here.

This was a tapestry of drama in vivid dark and sunny colors with twists and turns (that still has the promise of drama ahead). Yes, you gave us the Epilogue but that was a portal for more of your magic to return.

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

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Lucy wrote:I am such a bad Reader..... I have not been paying you the right attention that a beautiful story deserves. These were intense characters in play here.

This was a tapestry of drama in vivid dark and sunny colors with twists and turns (that still has the promise of drama ahead). Yes, you gave us the Epilogue but that was a portal for more of your magic to return.

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
Thanks, Lucy :hug: and you have me blushing....I like how you describe the light and the dark in play here, both literally and figuratively. Each person has their dark side, and while some revel in it, others spend a lifetime trying to control it.
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

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darkstarrising wrote:
Lucy wrote:I am such a bad Reader..... I have not been paying you the right attention that a beautiful story deserves. These were intense characters in play here.

This was a tapestry of drama in vivid dark and sunny colors with twists and turns (that still has the promise of drama ahead). Yes, you gave us the Epilogue but that was a portal for more of your magic to return.

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
Thanks, Lucy :hug: and you have me blushing....I like how you describe the light and the dark in play here, both literally and figuratively. Each person has their dark side, and while some revel in it, others spend a lifetime trying to control it.

I am thankful for the "thinking woman's fanfic" that is here... we have authors who write involved, well-woven stories and a warm place to read and discuss them. What an intricate response to this challenge.
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

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Lucy wrote:
darkstarrising wrote:
Lucy wrote:I am such a bad Reader..... I have not been paying you the right attention that a beautiful story deserves. These were intense characters in play here.

This was a tapestry of drama in vivid dark and sunny colors with twists and turns (that still has the promise of drama ahead). Yes, you gave us the Epilogue but that was a portal for more of your magic to return.

:clapping: :clapping: :clapping:
Thanks, Lucy :hug: and you have me blushing....I like how you describe the light and the dark in play here, both literally and figuratively. Each person has their dark side, and while some revel in it, others spend a lifetime trying to control it.

I am thankful for the "thinking woman's fanfic" that is here... we have authors who write involved, well-woven stories and a warm place to read and discuss them. What an intricate response to this challenge.
Indeed, we have some incredibly talented authors here and a wonderful place to enjoy their works. :cloud9:
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

Post by BlueEyedMonster »

What can I say DSR I read all 10 chapters like a finely written novel. I was intrigue and happy and sad and all teared up at the end with the love between Mick & Beth. Just keep writing all the stories the muse shares with you because you have a wonderful gift.
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Re: Affairs of the Heart -Chapter 10 COMPLETE PG (Challenge

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BlueEyedMonster wrote:What can I say DSR I read all 10 chapters like a finely written novel. I was intrigue and happy and sad and all teared up at the end with the love between Mick & Beth. Just keep writing all the stories the muse shares with you because you have a wonderful gift.
Wow and thanks BlueEyedMonster :hug: Appreciate the compliment and I'm glad that you enjoyed this story.
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