What Are You, Mick St. John? [ch. 17] PG13

[NocturneInCMoll]

Author’s note: Some dialogue is borrowed/paraphrased directly from episodes.

Beta: As usual, much thanks goes to the ever-awesome Barb, Bank1115—she’s fantastic.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


What Are You, Mick St. John?—Chapter 17

The look on the Cleaner’s face temporarily stopped Carl’s heart. He could almost feel her shock and terror as she fell to her knees, then crumpled over backwards, the stake protruding from her chest.

“NO!” he shouted. He ran over to her, caressing her cheek and fumbling for a pulse for a moment before he realized that it was a wasted effort on someone undead. But her eyes were closed and she wasn’t moving. He felt a crushing weight on his chest and struggled to breathe for a moment before he remembered that her murderer was still standing over her feet, looking down at her.

He stood, glaring fiercely at Josh. “What have you done?!” he demanded.

“I killed a monster. It was self-defence. She was going to kill me. Surely you can understand,” Josh said bitterly.

“You threatened her first!” Carl yelled.

Josh ignored that. “You were flirting with her. It was disgusting. How could you flirt with someone like her?”

Are we still talking about me and the Cleaner? “She’s not a monster,” Carl clenched his fists.

“Are you kidding? She’d probably eat you for breakfast after the first of your demon-spawn were born.”

Carl drew back his fist and punched his former friend in the head so hard that Josh’s body arched up and back before he fell to the ground, unconscious.

He stood over him for a moment, rubbing his hand, then turned and fell to his knees over the Cleaner. I didn’t even know her name…Then his heart almost stopped when her eyes fluttered open. She’s alive?!

“Take—it—out,” she whispered haltingly.

She’s alive! “You’re alive!” he gasped. “—Wait, what’d you say?”

“The—stake…take—it—out,” she whispered louder.

“Oh, um…okay… Maybe it’s like a piece of glass or something, you’re supposed to wait until—”

“TAKE—IT—OUT,” she whispered more urgently.

“Okay…” Carl took a deep breath and wrapped his hands around the stake. Then he pulled.

The stake came out with a loud slurping noise and the Cleaner rolled over, gasping. “Ugh,” she groaned, shuddering. Then she looked over at him. “Thanks,” she said weakly.

Carl looked at her worriedly and took off his jacket.

“What are you doing?” the Cleaner asked hoarsely.

Carl started unbuttoning his shirt at the collar. “I don’t know how to do this, but I know you need it, so—” he tilted his head and angled his neck towards her.

“Oh,” the Cleaner breathed. “Oh, you’re sweet—but I’m fine. I had a pint of blood in the car on my way over. I should heal soon.”

“Oh.” Carl said. He started buttoning his shirt back up to cover his surprising disappointment. “I thought stakes were supposed to kill vampires…”

“No, they only paralyze us,” the Cleaner explained. “It does hurt, but mostly it’s terrifying, not being able to move.”

“Oh,” Carl sighed. “Well…I’m glad you’re okay now.”

The Cleaner was eyeing him with a look Carl didn’t dare to try to interpret for fear he’d be wrong and embarrass himself. “Me too,” she said.

They were lost in each other’s eyes for a moment before she spoke again. “Guess you’re my knight in shining armour now.”

Carl grinned. “I think you’re a far better-looking damsel than I ever was, anyway.”

“Oh, you aren’t so bad,” the Cleaner replied playfully. “Maybe I’ll take a rain check on your offer.”

Carl’s heart started beating a little faster, and she smiled knowingly at him. Then she finally noticed Josh sprawled unconscious on the floor and broke into a wicked grin. “Did you do that—for me?”

“Yeah,” Carl flushed lightly.

“You’re blushing again...” she said silkily. “What did I tell you about that?”

Carl wasn’t sure who moved first, but he soon found himself very agreeably engaged with a vampiress. It was unbelievably exciting.

Suddenly a loud male voice cut into his consciousness.

“What the hell is going on in here?!”

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

“What the hell is going on in here?!” Josef repeated, staring darkly at them. He looked down at the unconscious and bleeding Josh sprawled on the floor, then back at Carl and the Cleaner, who scrambled to their feet and smoothed their rumpled clothing.

Carl felt like a naughty schoolboy. Wow…this is way worse than the time at the police academy. “Um…we were just…she…that is, I…um…”

Josef surveyed the room. “I thought you had things under control?!” He demanded of Carl, who hung his head. Then he turned to the Cleaner, “And you—you definitely should have had things under control. I ask again, what the hell is going on here?!” Suddenly he noticed the hole and dark stain on the breast of her uniform. “Did you get staked?!”

The Cleaner remained stoic. She cleared her throat. “Mr. Lindsey apparently had hidden one on his person, and, uh, caught me unawares.”

“Uh-huh,” Josef nodded knowingly then turned to Carl. “Do you even know her name?”

Carl’s mouth went dry. “Ms.…um…Ms.…Cleaner?”

“Nice, very nice.” Josef smirked condescendingly at him, then turned back to the Cleaner. “I think I’m going to have the council review your uniforms. They seem to be…detracting…from your purpose.”

The Cleaner put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Need I remind you they were your suggestion?”

“Yeah, well, they seemed like a good idea at the time,” Josef said defensively. “Very clean, and…aerodynamic.”

The Cleaner drew her perfectly manicured eyebrows together with an incredulous frown.

“Oh, never mind,” Josef grumbled. “Anyway, Mr. Lindsay just signed his death warrant,” he growled at Josh, who at just that moment was coming to—only to find himself faced with another angry vampire.

Josef was still glowering at a visibly terrified Josh when he addressed Carl, “Lieutenant Davis, would you mind peeling yourself away from ‘Ms. Cleaner’ for a moment and securing the entrances to the warehouse?”

“You’re kicking me out?!” Carl pouted. “After all this?”

Josef threw him an exasperated look. “No, I just want you to lock all the doors from the inside.”

“Oh. Yeah, I can do that.”

When he returned from bolting the doors, he found Josef pacing back and forth in front of Josh, whose terrified eyes followed the vampire. Carl only felt a little sorry for Josh. He brought this on himself. Then he thought of what “this” might entail, and shuddered.

Carl nearly jumped out of his skin when someone started pounding on the warehouse door. He turned, wide-eyed, to Josef.

“Ah, our guests have arrived.” Josef said, but made no move to let them in. The pounding continued.

Carl looked questioningly at him.

“Ignore it,” Josef waved him off, “It’s just Mick. He’ll find another way in.”

Sure enough, thirty seconds later, Mick jumped down from the rafters. He landed in a fighting stance, fangs bared. After glancing suspiciously around the room, he let his eyes rest on Josef.

“What’s going on, Josef?! You call me, all mysterious, and tell me to get over here ASAP with Beth, then hang up. And when we get here, the door’s locked. I thought you were in trouble!”

“Didn’t you look before you leapt, Mick? —Oh, no, wait—of course you didn’t. You were jumping to conclusions, and nobody ever looks before they do that.” He waved his arm around the room. “Does it look like I’m in trouble? Does it look like the assistant district attorney got the jump on me?”

Mick took one look at the bruised and groggy Josh and glared at Josef. “Why’d you lock the door, Josef?” he asked suspiciously.

“I didn’t!” Josef protested innocently.

Mick’s expression indicated he did not believe him.

“What, I didn’t!” Josef smirked.

“I locked the door,” Carl broke in. “At his request,” he added, jerking a thumb in Josef’s direction.

Mick acknowledged Carl with a nod, then turned back with a glare to Josef. “What did you do to Josh?” he demanded.

“Uh, all me again,” Carl interrupted once more, raising his hand slightly.

Mick looked askance at Carl. “Carl, what’s happened to you overnight?”

“You should ask him what’s happened to him this afternoon,” Josef smirked, earning him a dark glance from Carl.

Mick looked from Josef, to Carl, to the Cleaner, to Josh. “Okay. I’m gonna go open the door for Beth, and when we come back, somebody’s going to explain what the heck is going on here.”

“Let me get her,” Carl volunteered and headed for the door. I should be the one to tell her.

He unbolted the door and opened it to a surprised and worried Beth.

“Carl! What are you doing here? Is Mick okay?” At Carl’s startled expression, she asked quickly, “What’s going on?!”

Mick isn’t the one she should be worried about—then again, maybe he is. Josh isn’t worthy of her concern anymore. Carl felt a moment of sadness for his former friend, until he remembered how he treated the Cleaner and hardened. “Mick’s fine, Beth. It’s…it’s Josh…I’m sorry things have to end this way.”

Carl suddenly found his arm caught in a death-grip.

“What do you mean, Carl?! What happened to Josh?—is he…?”

“He’s alive, Beth—but the situation’s not good. He…well, I’m going to explain to everyone what happened all at once. They’re waiting for us.”

Beth kept clutching his arm until they entered the large room. As soon as she saw Josh, she ran to his side. “Josh!” she grabbed his hand. “You’re hurt! What happened?!”

Josh forced himself to sit up so he could half-embrace her. Then he pulled her ear to his mouth and whispered, “Mick St. John tried to kill me.”


To be continued…

[darkstarrising]

ooooh bad Josh....up until the last line I still had just a little bit of sympathy for him. He's losing Beth, and now his possibly life.....but not any more!! What a weasel!!!! Lying to Beth like that!! Do your worst, Josef!!

[kpyle]

I also was feeling a little sorry for Josh until he told Beth that Mick tried to kill him! Hopefully Beth will see through his lie immediately!!!! He is on his own Now!!! Great update!!

[NocturneInCMoll]

Thanks, Karen & Kelly!

Yeah, Josh thought he'd make one last-ditch effort to turn Beth against Mick...he didn't think it through very well, but he was desperate...

[mitzie]

I hope Beth isn't going to fall for that one??!! Josh is definately one of the low-life in this story! He deserves anything Josef chooses to do to him!!!! Love this story and can't wait for the next chapter...

mitzie

[wollstonecraft61]

Well. she oughta know Mick was with her, and they went over together! Plus, when Carl tells the story, how could she doubt that? Wow, Josh turned out to be Chicken Josh, all right...Chicken Sh-- Josh! I had problems getting on this board, but the thought of forever losing my fanfic made me work desperately, with Redwinter's help. Whew, I hope that doesn't happen again. Being a fanfic wh--- is tough!!!!

[NocturneInCMoll]

Thanks so much, Mitz & Woll!

I think Josh is thinking of those few minutes when Beth was still outside the warehouse and Mick was inside. I didn't say he thought his quickie plan through...he's just making one last-ditch effort to turn Beth against Mick. Will it work? Well, wait and see.

[RangerCM]

“What are you doing?” the Cleaner asked hoarsely.

Carl started unbuttoning his shirt at the collar. “I don’t know how to do this, but I know you need it, so—” he tilted his head and angled his neck towards her.

Oh, My!!

Loved this!

[redwinter101]

When are people going to learn that whispering really doesn't work around vampires? But, as you say, Julie, desperation makes one do foolish things.

Loved Carl and the Cleaner - just super!

And I have to say, Josh is freaking out, which seems like a pretty normal reaction under the circumstances. And he would be totally shocked to see his friend turn against him (as he saw it). But, yeah, I lost all sympathy for him with that final line....

Red

[coco]

Loved the Carl/Cleaner exchange again especially with the stake dialogue

Bad, bad Josh lying to Beth like that. I'm hoping Beth's a smart girl and doesn't fall for it

[NocturneInCMoll]

Thanks so much, Ranger, Red, & Coco!

Tee hee, glad you guys liked the stake incident. I had fun with that. Poor Carl, though--his "donation" was rejected...and then Josef walked in on them making out. You can be sure they won't live that down for a while...

Yeah, Josh isn't behaving very well, but he is desperate. We'll see if Beth believes him, or the three vamps and Carl...

[wpgrace]

Ok... funniest dialogue ever... the whole scene, just hilarious...

And I was feeling a little in sympathy with Josh before... but sooooo not now. Is Beth gonna buy it? Or will Mick save Josh in his self-sacrificial mode?

And this makes me even more sorry they did not make more use of Carl...

[NocturneInCMoll]

Tee hee, thank you so much, WP! Glad you had fun. I admit, I had fun writing this chapter. And glad you're liking Carl...poor Josh kinda ended up going off the deep end, thanks to my muse. I'm still working on the next chapter...

[PNWgal]

Julie, this is just so much fun to read!

Josh really is throwing a monkey wrench into things, isn't he? Although, I got a giggle out of Carl and the Cleaner caught like horny teenagers by Josef.

And BAD Josh, accusing Mick of trying to kill him! I hope Beth doesn't believe him.

[NocturneInCMoll]

Thanks so much, PNW! Glad you're having fun reading my little tale.

I think Josef got a kick out of catching Carl and the Cleaner making out too. You can bet they won't hear the end of that for a while.

Josh is desperate--and a lawyer. He's trying to create reasonable doubt of Mick in Beth....did that make sense? Anyway, he is hoping this will cause Beth's trust in Mick to waver--even just a little, and whether he's still around to see it or not.