Picking up the Pieces - PG
Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 2:12 am
First time I ever met a challenge. 
Usual disclaimers apply.
Picking up the Pieces
She ran out of reasons to stay inside. It was way too early but she couldn’t contain her excitement anymore. Putting a stray strand of hair back into the clasp she pushed the sliding doors to the garden open and carefully stepped barefoot over the rough tiles of the patio.
Even though the day had barely started, preparations were in full swing - Josef was going all out, in his usual ostentatious manner. A three-man crew was busily setting up the arbor, winding fresh ivy through the wrought-iron frame. Behind her, she could hear the caterer barking orders at her two assistants, who seemed to be doing a less that satisfactory job setting up tables and chairs for the dinner reception. A long white runner sat rolled up near the doorway where she stood and dreamily watched the sun rise. Later, when the sun would just begin to set, she would be walking down that runner on Josef's arm, to forever be joined with the man she loved.
That there had been bumps along the path to this day was the understatement of the century. The eighteen months since she met Mick had changed her life forever. She had found out monsters really did exist and didn't just live under the bed. She had lost a good man, but gained a better one. He had given up his humanity to save her; a price she could never repay in her lifetime. She had almost turned him away when she discovered the darker side of vampirism, but he had broken through that wall and claimed her as his own. She'd known the minute he'd remembered what she'd been wearing the first night they met that she was going to spend the rest of her life with him, first as a human and later as a vampire.
She hugged herself and shivered, wishing she had thought to grab a robe before running outside. Suddenly a cup of coffee appeared in front of her. She recognized the ring on the finger that was slipped through the handle of the mug and she smiled.
"You know, it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride on their wedding day," she said.
"Then don't turn around," Mick replied and she laughed softly. After she accepted the steaming cup from him, he slid his hands around her waist and bent his head to nuzzle at her neck. When she tilted her head to the side to give him better access, he nipped at her with blunt teeth.
"Why don't you come back inside and we can get in some practice for the honeymoon?" he whispered in her ear and she shook her head, feeling completely wanted and thoroughly loved.
"Didn't you get enough practice in last night?" she teased and he chuckled.
"I can never get enough of you." His voice took on a sobering note. "Beth, are you sure you want to do this? It's not too late to change your mind."
"And ruin Josef's big moment? No way."
"I'm serious, Beth."
Screw tradition and bad luck. Beth set the thick ceramic mug on the small table beside her and turned in Mick's arms. She laid a light hand on his cheek and reached up on tiptoe to press her lips to his.
"I've never wanted anything more in my life than I want to be your wife. I love you."
"But you're giving up so much for me. You'll be giving up your life when I Turn you."
"I'm giving up nothing. My life is with you now, Mick. I have no family, since Mom passed away. You're my family now--you and Josef. I can't imagine my life without you in it and I refuse to stay human and condemn you to an existence where you waste away when I'm gone. You've got me forever, St. John, and you better get used to it."
Mick pulled Beth close to him, overcome with emotion. His life had shattered into a million pieces when Coraline had stolen his life and made him a vampire. He had spent over fifty years trying to put the pieces back together again, most of the time failing miserably. When Josef had taken him under his wing, he'd been locked in a cycle of self-flagellation and redemption with no clue how to break out of it. Josef had made his existence tolerable.
Beth had turned his existence into a life worth living.
His life truly hadn't begun to heal until he'd rescued a little blonde girl with freckles and appointed himself her guardian angel. Watching her from the fringes of her life as she grew from a small girl with skinned knees and Kool-Aid moustaches to a gawky teenager with braces and bad perms to an intelligent and beautifully elegant young woman. After he'd let her see him that first time at that fountain, the pieces began to come together in a blur of love.
He was humbled enough to thank the God he'd never believed in for giving him the gift of Beth.
He pressed his hips into hers, feeling his body stirring to life against her warm softness. He pulled the clasp loose that she had used to hastily pull her hair back and buried his face in its golden length. Beth pushed herself back enough to gaze up into Mick's face and was relieved to see his expression was peaceful. Loving. Happy.
"Nuh uh, mister." She shook her finger sternly at him. "You need some freezer time and I have a million things to do before tonight." She kissed him quickly.
"Get going!" She shooed him inside and turned once more to sweep a gaze over the gardens and the bustle of activity. She was in love and about to be married; the whole world seemed ablaze with color. She picked up her now-cold coffee and headed back inside.
Mick watched from the shadows as she darted back into the house and headed for the kitchen, smiling as she was waylaid by the caterer.
After all these years, Beth was the last piece he needed to make his life complete.
Usual disclaimers apply.
Picking up the Pieces
She ran out of reasons to stay inside. It was way too early but she couldn’t contain her excitement anymore. Putting a stray strand of hair back into the clasp she pushed the sliding doors to the garden open and carefully stepped barefoot over the rough tiles of the patio.
Even though the day had barely started, preparations were in full swing - Josef was going all out, in his usual ostentatious manner. A three-man crew was busily setting up the arbor, winding fresh ivy through the wrought-iron frame. Behind her, she could hear the caterer barking orders at her two assistants, who seemed to be doing a less that satisfactory job setting up tables and chairs for the dinner reception. A long white runner sat rolled up near the doorway where she stood and dreamily watched the sun rise. Later, when the sun would just begin to set, she would be walking down that runner on Josef's arm, to forever be joined with the man she loved.
That there had been bumps along the path to this day was the understatement of the century. The eighteen months since she met Mick had changed her life forever. She had found out monsters really did exist and didn't just live under the bed. She had lost a good man, but gained a better one. He had given up his humanity to save her; a price she could never repay in her lifetime. She had almost turned him away when she discovered the darker side of vampirism, but he had broken through that wall and claimed her as his own. She'd known the minute he'd remembered what she'd been wearing the first night they met that she was going to spend the rest of her life with him, first as a human and later as a vampire.
She hugged herself and shivered, wishing she had thought to grab a robe before running outside. Suddenly a cup of coffee appeared in front of her. She recognized the ring on the finger that was slipped through the handle of the mug and she smiled.
"You know, it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride on their wedding day," she said.
"Then don't turn around," Mick replied and she laughed softly. After she accepted the steaming cup from him, he slid his hands around her waist and bent his head to nuzzle at her neck. When she tilted her head to the side to give him better access, he nipped at her with blunt teeth.
"Why don't you come back inside and we can get in some practice for the honeymoon?" he whispered in her ear and she shook her head, feeling completely wanted and thoroughly loved.
"Didn't you get enough practice in last night?" she teased and he chuckled.
"I can never get enough of you." His voice took on a sobering note. "Beth, are you sure you want to do this? It's not too late to change your mind."
"And ruin Josef's big moment? No way."
"I'm serious, Beth."
Screw tradition and bad luck. Beth set the thick ceramic mug on the small table beside her and turned in Mick's arms. She laid a light hand on his cheek and reached up on tiptoe to press her lips to his.
"I've never wanted anything more in my life than I want to be your wife. I love you."
"But you're giving up so much for me. You'll be giving up your life when I Turn you."
"I'm giving up nothing. My life is with you now, Mick. I have no family, since Mom passed away. You're my family now--you and Josef. I can't imagine my life without you in it and I refuse to stay human and condemn you to an existence where you waste away when I'm gone. You've got me forever, St. John, and you better get used to it."
Mick pulled Beth close to him, overcome with emotion. His life had shattered into a million pieces when Coraline had stolen his life and made him a vampire. He had spent over fifty years trying to put the pieces back together again, most of the time failing miserably. When Josef had taken him under his wing, he'd been locked in a cycle of self-flagellation and redemption with no clue how to break out of it. Josef had made his existence tolerable.
Beth had turned his existence into a life worth living.
His life truly hadn't begun to heal until he'd rescued a little blonde girl with freckles and appointed himself her guardian angel. Watching her from the fringes of her life as she grew from a small girl with skinned knees and Kool-Aid moustaches to a gawky teenager with braces and bad perms to an intelligent and beautifully elegant young woman. After he'd let her see him that first time at that fountain, the pieces began to come together in a blur of love.
He was humbled enough to thank the God he'd never believed in for giving him the gift of Beth.
He pressed his hips into hers, feeling his body stirring to life against her warm softness. He pulled the clasp loose that she had used to hastily pull her hair back and buried his face in its golden length. Beth pushed herself back enough to gaze up into Mick's face and was relieved to see his expression was peaceful. Loving. Happy.
"Nuh uh, mister." She shook her finger sternly at him. "You need some freezer time and I have a million things to do before tonight." She kissed him quickly.
"Get going!" She shooed him inside and turned once more to sweep a gaze over the gardens and the bustle of activity. She was in love and about to be married; the whole world seemed ablaze with color. She picked up her now-cold coffee and headed back inside.
Mick watched from the shadows as she darted back into the house and headed for the kitchen, smiling as she was waylaid by the caterer.
After all these years, Beth was the last piece he needed to make his life complete.
My apologies for the omission, because I love this story lots. It makes me happy in that deep, satisfying, "forever" way... so my apologies for not commenting until now. Rereading this wonderful story was the perfect remedy for a dreary Monday morning. 