Moonlightaholics

Episode: Loosely based after Episode 1.12 hopefully, also following the events of Moonshadow’s “Holidays” (with permission)
Pairing: Mick and Beth
Rating: PG13 Occasional language
Spoilers: None really! pure fiction
Beta Thank You: Moonshadow, VASusieQ18
Summary: Nothing happens by chance

A/N: An oldie, but a goodie...and hopefully a nice Valentine for the Mick/Beth shippers out there.


A Delicate Balance

Chapter 3

Right on time, Beth thought when she heard the knock on her door. Her heart beat a little faster, and she imagined that he knew that already. She liked the way he knocked—no hesitation, firmly but not too hard. Oh, good grief, how goofed up am I, if I’m thinking about the way the man knocks on a door? she thought, laughing at herself.

She gave a last smooth to her dress. She’d spent some time shopping for it, and it had cost more than she could really afford. She was thinking that if it got her that look from Mick, the one where his eyes went dark and smoky, it was money well spent. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she opened the door.

Mick stood in the hallway, sunglasses in his hand. Deep within him, in their shared blood, he’d felt Beth’s heart begin to beat faster, even before she answered. Then the door swung open, and he stopped, struck to stillness at the sight. Beth wore a knee-length sheath dress in electric blue, topped by a matching short jacket spangled with starburst patterns of sequins. Her hair was up in an elegant chignon, with a few carefully curled tendrils of hair loosely framing her face.

He had never seen her look more lovely. It was heart-stopping, heart-breaking. He knew that no matter what, he would remember this shining moment forever.

Beth smiled at him as she turned to pick up her purse, and the small package wrapped in white that lay next to it. If the heat in his gaze were any more intense, she thought, he might just spontaneously combust.

“Beth,” he said, and there was a dark hoarseness in his voice that told her almost as much as his eyes had, “you look—you look—beautiful.”

“Thank you.” Beth smiled. Worth every single penny, she thought, and moved forward to walk with him down to where his car stood gleaming in the slanting light of the evening sun.

They spoke only of inconsequential matters during the ride, and she enjoyed watching his expressive eyebrows as he reacted to whatever she said. Definitely goofed up, she thought. Beth, Beth, when you start thinking about how adorable his eyebrows are--seriously goofed up.

Mick couldn’t have told anyone, later, how he got from her place to the church, or what they talked about on the way. He was completely overwhelmed by her presence, her scent, her heartbeat. Just her.

As Mick guided her into the church, with his usual light touch on the small of her back, Beth spotted several old college friends, and greeted them, enjoying the appreciative and speculative looks being thrown in their direction. Yeah, girls, she thought, hottest guy here, and he’s with me. She put on her sweetest smile.

Mick watched the scene around him with some bemusement. He felt out of place, a raven in his black coat among a gaudy crowd of robins and bluebirds. And Beth, he thought, she seemed to move so naturally among the throng of people in the vestibule of the church, taking her present to the table piled with packages and envelopes. There were children, uncomfortably dressed up and excited, running everywhere. He could see Beth smiling at them, indulgently catching a little girl who tripped and bumped against her.

That sight tore a hole in his heart. Beth would make such a great mom, she must want children. She must know that with him, there was no chance of it. How could he allow her to cut herself off from that part of life? She had stepped away from him to share a few words with someone who must have been an old friend, but she looked back at him frequently, and always with a smile. He tried to respond in kind, but he wasn’t sure it was entirely successful.

At last, it was time to enter the sanctuary, and Mick felt an irrational annoyance when the usher took Beth’s arm to lead her forward to a seat. He stifled a short bitter laugh to himself. So much for all my noble thoughts of renunciation, if I can’t even stand to see her take someone else’s arm for a few seconds.

The ceremony was mercifully brief, and it was a respite just to sit silently, side by side, lost each in their own thoughts. Beth was enjoying the spectacle of it all. Jenny looked beautiful, radiant as any bride, and she’d even picked out decent looking bridesmaid dresses, strapless midnight blue satin gowns with a thin row of rhinestones at the bottom of the fitted bodice. Beth allowed herself a brief fantasy, picturing herself in a flawlessly beautiful gown, standing at the altar promising to love and honor the tall dark man currently seated beside her. Maybe it would never be reality, but she could dream…and after all, what was a wedding, as long as they were together? A very expensive way of proclaiming publicly a private commitment.

Mick also allowed himself a brief flash, imagining Beth as a bride, but never allowed himself to see the face of the phantom groom. He had vague memories of what it felt like to stand awkwardly awaiting his bride, the eager anticipation of what would come later. Someday, some man, some fortunate mortal, would be standing somewhere, waiting for Beth’s approach with those same feelings in his head, and his gut. But he couldn’t stand the thought for long. He turned his attention to the immediate moment, to his quiet perceptions of the woman beside him.

It's been a while since I've read a story that touched on the conflict of the early feelings between Mick & Beth. Such a joy to revisit

Loving this story!!!!

mitzie

Wow! Loved this chapter. And that last bit about Mick not allowing himself to see the face of the groom...so sad, but so touching!

Yeah, girls, she thought, hottest guy here, and he’s with me.

Ain't it the truth!

Beth's internal monologue here is perfect Lucky. Those moments of falling in love when every look, every touch, every word is thrilling and significant.

But poor, sad, Mick. I have such a terrible weakness for sad Mick - he breaks my heart. The section where he imagines Beth marrying another, well, so beautiful and genuinely moving.

This is touching and true. I loved it.

Red

Beautiful writing!

God, Lucky--for a Josef gal, you sure do get Mick. I love this chapter. What torture this wedding is for him, bringing up all of the problems he foresees for himself and Beth if he dares to make the commitment. And then you view Beth's honest, completely understandable reaction to the same day--she's high on love, tickled to show off her sweetheart to her old friends, thrilled that her ridiculously expensive dress was such a hit...and imagining herself standing at the altar with Mick someday. While Mick sees her as a bride, but won't put a face on the groom.

Somebody's got to tell that guy that love will find a way! Quick, before I start crying!

(edited to fix typos)

So true. So beautiful and sad.

He felt out of place, a raven in his black coat among a gaudy crowd of robins and bluebirds.

What a perfect and unusual metaphor!

Someday, some man, some fortunate mortal, would be standing somewhere, waiting for Beth’s approach with those same feelings in his head, and his gut. But he couldn’t stand the thought for long.

Classic Mick. And so poignant.

Lovely.

“Thank you.” Beth smiled. Worth every single penny, she thought, and moved forward to walk with him down to where his car stood gleaming in the slanting light of the evening sun.

I see this as a "YES!" moment just like when Mick asks her out in FtP. If Mick hadn't been looking she would have done the fist and slash thing.

Mick's got himself in a bit of a pickle. He wants Beth to have the whole kit and kaboodle - wedding, home, kids - but he can't stand the thought of it being without him. If he would only put away his self-loathing for a little bit he could see that it's all there for the asking.

Mick's beginning to cave....

Someday, some man, some fortunate mortal, would be standing somewhere, waiting for Beth’s approach with those same feelings in his head, and his gut. But he couldn’t stand the thought for long. He turned his attention to the immediate moment, to his quiet perceptions of the woman beside him.

He's just beginning to understand how much she means to him.....truly lovely story.

this is wonderful Lucky. Amongst all the activity of the wedding, this piece has a stillness for me. Each of them lost in their thoughts of the future.

Poor Mick. His conditioned response is to deny himself even the possibility of happiness. This is the biggest difference for me between the pre- and post- re-turned Mick. Pre: Always consumed by the past, it completely dictating all that is impossible in the present and future. Post: Rethinking the vampire thing, no regrets, and willing to at least try to live in the Now.

It's so interesting to read this story, to see how dead-on it is, while also knowing all that is yet to happen.

Loving it.

You, a fellow Josef-slave, are helping me recapture some of the magic that was Mickbeth and the enjoyment it brought me. The scene were Mick is thinking about how it will be some mortal to walk down the isle with Beth (but can't picture anyone) is poignant and painful. Her walking into the church with him was fun -- yes if it had been Josh with her the girls would have been thinking, "yeah, he's nice, a good catch." With Mick it would be, "holy crap, I hate her!"

Oh, Librarian7, this is wonderful!

There she is Mick, your happily ever after, but this is going to take some serious work.

And, there he is Beth, standing there tall, dark and terribly unsure of himself: he's your perfect match, but remember the difficult, dangerous and complicated part. So worth it, though, don't you think?