8. Compline (nine p.m.) - PG

[redwinter101]

Title: Compline
Author: redwinter101
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own Moonlight or any of its characters
Note: this is the eighth and final story in The Divine Office series. I've covered a lot of different themes and characters but it was always my intention to end on a high note. Because, as I keep reminding people, no matter what terrible trials I inflict on these poor characters, I'm a romantic to my very core. This story takes place at 9pm and is unrelated to any other Mick/Beth stories (so this is at the FoS).

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--- Compline ---


"You will not fear the terror of the night
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the plague that prowls in the darkness
nor the scourge that lays waste at noon."


"You need a maid, not a lover." Mick flicked off the light in the office and leaned against the door jamb, eyeing the trail of discarded shoes, jacket and purse, as Beth stomped from the front door toward the kitchen.

"What I need is wine. Lots of it." The cupboard door banged shut as she slapped a glass on the counter and reached for the nearest bottle. Sweat-sticky palms fumbled with the corkscrew and Mick glided to her, arms wrapping round to ease it from her fingers.

"Let me."

"I can do it," she snapped.

"I know."

She succumbed with a fretful humph and Mick rested his lips against her neck as he slid the cork from the bottle and poured. He could feel the heat pounding from her skin, the pressure beneath, taut, hot, compelling. A trail of soothing kisses along the top of her shoulder as he handed her the glass, "Bad day?"

She shrugged him off, even his cool touch too much, picking up the glass and heading for the sofa, "What gave it away?"

Mick hid a grin behind his fist, "Where do you want me to start?"

She glared, then paused, sniffing, "Did you make dinner?" For the first time since she'd barged through the door, she stopped to look around the room, spotting the table laid for two, candles, fresh flowers.

Her head snapped round, "I forgot something, didn't I?"

"It's nothing special. And dinner will keep." Mick eased her down on the sofa, "Tell me what happened."

"It's nothing, really. Just…" She paused at a distant rumble of thunder, a flicker of lightning out over the ocean.

"Just?"

"Just a crappy day, you know? They happen." He waited. "And then I get home, late, and you've gone to a load of trouble, which is freaking me out a little. And making me feel like a bitch…" her voice trailed off.

"Just tell me."

"It's nothing really. Lots of little things - nothing earth-shattering." She glared at him, hoping, waiting for a response that would justify releasing her anger at the world on the vampire by her side. Mick's silence spoke of lessons learned, "Fine. If you really want to know-"

"I do."

"I had a row with Talbot about a case he wouldn't take seriously. He accused me of being 'emotional' whatever the hell that meant-"

"I can't imagine."

That earned him a slap on the arm, but the wine and the balm of home were beginning to work their magic, her rage dying as sharply as it had flared. "She's just a girl, no-one important, no-one powerful and he didn't seem concerned that her entire life is ruined because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. 'Let the police handle it', he said, like they're going to pull out all the stops for a random assault."

Mick's amusement dissolved, "I'm sorry. What can you do? Can I help?"

"No. I don't know. Maybe." A gulp of wine, another, a sigh of release, "And this goddamned humidity is gonna be the end of me," she tugged at stray strands of hair, mussed and tangled. Mick reached out, coiling a damp tendril around his finger. "I need a shower. Thank God I'm not at Buzzwire any more. No-one would put me in front of a camera looking like this." For the first time, she cracked a smile, "I'm well aware that I'm ranting, by the way. It's good to be home. With wine. And you."

"Why this girl?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why has she got to you so badly?"

Beth stopped mid-gulp, setting the glass on the table, "So it's not bad enough that she was brutally assaulted? For her to be worth my time there has to be something more to it? Something supernatural, I suppose." Her blood was up again, a distraction Mick was eager not to have to avoid for too long.

"That's not what I said - and it's not what I meant, either." His fingers brushed the delicate skin of her wrist, drawing a shiver.

"All she did was turn the wrong corner and it changed everything. Everything, Mick. She's seventeen, her whole life ahead of her, all her plans. It's not just senseless, it's so random, so unfair. It just got me thinking."

"About?"

The bite of her bottom lip; her downcast eyes; she wanted to ask, but she knew the delicacy of the landscape she was tramping through, "If you could go back…" She drew in a deep breath, "No, I'm sorry, forget it. You don't have to-" She turned away.

"It's okay." Mick reached out, pulling her back to him, "If I could go back and not meet Coraline, would I?"

She nodded, a flush of guilt heightening the livid tinge of her skin. Mick pulled her close, tilting her face, so close she could feel his breath, steady and cool against her cheek. She wanted to stretch out, hold that moment, make the rest of the world go away, un-ask the question.

"For most of the last sixty years, I would have said yes. In a heartbeat. I could have lived the life I thought I deserved."

"And now?"

The quickening of her pulse made him stumble, "N-now there is no answer. How I got here - how we got here - doesn't matter. All that matters is that we're here, together and we choose what we do now."

She turned in his arms, pressing over him, filling the space between, "When did you get so smart?"

"Well I've got this investigator friend who's been teaching me all about living for the moment. I kinda like it."

She motioned to the table. "So that's what this is about?"

Mick nodded, his smile a little shy, "Today's an ordinary day. Just an ordinary day. You have no idea how precious that is to me." He grinned, "Even if it was a crappy day for you. We worked, slept, talked, got stuck in traffic, complained about the weather, some things went well and some things still hurt but we're where we choose to be." His fingers strayed, stroking her neck, pulling her into a deep, slow kiss, "And I chose to make you a fabulous dinner, which I'm gonna go heat up, while you take a shower. Okay?"

She nodded, relieved, knowing she would revel in the joy in his answer once she had food in her belly and clean clothes on her back. Her route to the stairs was halted by a massive clap of thunder.

"Beth. Wait. Listen."

"What-"

"Shhh! Wait," his hand stretched out in supplication, urging patience as he cast his eyes skyward.

Silence.

Head cocked to one side, he waited, entranced.

A beat.

Another.

A light patter against the skylight gave way to the rush of a torrential downpour, beating, bouncing off glass and concrete, washing the city clean. Mick grinned, closing on Beth in an instant, grabbing her hand and dragging her to the stairs, "Come on."

Taking the stairs two at a time, they tumbled out on to the roof, breathless, giggling, out into the downpour, the rain dense, heavy, cool. Both barefoot, soaked to the skin in seconds. Hand in hand they paused, surveying the city, shrouded in the storm, her lights dimmed, edges softened, blaring horns and clamouring voices dulled and calmed beneath the blanket of sound.

In the pulsing thrum the world beyond the roof, beyond them, receded, blocked out. Isolated, all they could hear was heart, breath, body.

Mick tilted his face up to the sky, eyes closed, arms stretched wide, twirling a circle, his smile deep and warm. Cooled by the rain, cares forgotten, Beth stared as he moved, lost in his own rhythm. Her breath caught in the surging ache at the back of her throat and she moved to him, hands reaching, halting his dance of delight, pulling him to her, resting her head against his chest.

The rain continued to fall, a rare moment of tranquility for them, for the city. They didn't care, their peace assured amid the storm as they held each other.

As suddenly as it had broken free, the rain ceased, giving way to the briefest flash of silence before the city resumed her relentless beat. Sweeping Beth into his arms, Mick headed for the door, kissing his way from collarbone to throat to jaw, her skin fragrant, intoxicating, "Hungry?"

"Hell, yeah. But dinner can wait."

[jen]

Red

This is truly lovely. Yes, Mick has learned how to deal with an irritated woman over the long years, and has been wise enough to use it now.

Beth is wise enough to respond to his understanding and see her own unreasonableness.

In time, the oppressive heat broke, dinner would be reheated, and most importantly, they were together.

Wonderful.

Jenna

[ash]

beautiful sweetieand i don't know about london, but given the weather in the uk today...this is fitting

[darkstarrising]

Brava, red, a perfect ending to a wonderful series.

You've given us a full spectrum of emotions, from the beginning 'Vigil' with Mick finding what remained of the woman / wife who took his life, then saved it with her own....through Mick's soul-cleansing return home to those he loves in 'Lauds' and now this. 'Compline' is the last service of the divine office, the 'completion' of the day. Here, Beth returns home at the end of her work day, thoroughly out of sorts, wrapped up in all that has gone wrong that day.

Yet what does she come home to? A man who loves her, who helps her understand that despite everything, there is joy in life.

Mick nodded, his smile a little shy, "Today's an ordinary day. Just an ordinary day. You have no idea how precious that is to me."

In the end, as the rain cleanses the day from them both, she understands.

Thank you so much for this insightful series

[redwinter101]

jen, thanks so much. That's lovely.

ash, yep - it's chucked it down all day here. And no Mick to make it all better.

dsr, and thank you for your insightful (and delightfully kind) comments throughout. It's lovely to have readers from the beginning of a series right through to the end.

Red

[wpgrace]

Mick tilted his face up to the sky, eyes closed, arms stretched wide, twirling a circle, his smile deep and warm. Cooled by the rain, cares forgotten, Beth stared as he moved, lost in his own rhythm. Her breath caught in the surging ache at the back of her throat and she moved to him, hands reaching, halting his dance of delight, pulling him to her, resting her head against his chest.

OHHHHH! I wish that I could SEE THIS!!!! I can in my mind, but how I would love to see Alex really DO this!!!!!
MY breath caught, just reading it...
Happiest Mick moment ever...

I am conflicted about this story. I love the story. But it's the last one.
Congratulations on another wonderful series...

[ash]

ash, yep - it's chucked it down all day here. And no Mick to make it all better.

It did and i happened to be on a shift at Lego that was outside for 6 hours

[GuardianAngel]

Oh, Red, what a whay to end the series. You did my romantic heart good. I could see this for them down the road a little bit.

I like Mick's answer to Beth's question about Coraline. He has to have mixed emotions. On the one hand, he can never say that he would choose to be a vampire. On the other, if he weren't, there'd be no Beth. So he chose well.

He grinned, "Even if it was a crappy day for you. We worked, slept, talked, got stuck in traffic, complained about the weather, some things went well and some things still hurt but we're where we choose to be."

We should all strive for this attitude but I'm thinking it comes easier for a vampire. Our days are numbered - we want them all to go well. When you have infinite time, it's easier to be accepting.

[PNWgal]

I'm running out the door, but could not resist giving this a read before I do.

I'll be back to give this the lauding it deserves, but I can quickly say - this is so beautiful and such a fabulous end to this series.

More later!

[redwinter101]

OHHHHH! I wish that I could SEE THIS!!!! I can in my mind, but how I would love to see Alex really DO this!!!!!
MY breath caught, just reading it...
Happiest Mick moment ever...

Oh how lovely. You got me grinning ('cos it looked awesome in my head, too.)

It did and i happened to be on a shift at Lego that was outside for 6 hours

Ouch. Hoping for better tomorrow... the joys of living in England.

GA, I think Mick's struggled to accept things for a long, long time and it's only now he realises that if you unpick one thread, everything unravels. That was the change I saw after he got Josef to turn him back - that was his choice, no longer just a victim of circumstance. And hard as it was, he didn't hesitate.

PNWgal, thank you, sweetie. I'll leave the light on.

Red

[Luxe de Luxe]

Red, this is really beautiful.

It has a delicacy about it, a lightness despite Beth's bad mood. It is at heart a joyful piece, giving thanks for all those small things that make up the fabric of two lives twined together. The image of the

torrential downpour

toward the end literally took my breath away. That easing of the tension between the two of them allowed us, the readers, to breathe a sigh of relief and experience the release the both of them felt.

Masterful.

[seamus3333]

The joy of an ordinary day, lived with someone you love. He's yearned for that for years. Divine office indeed. Beautiful.

[PNWgal]

Ok...back for another (and slower) reread.

Yup. Still beautiful.

What I loved the most about this is that it's so normal, a day any of us can have. I kept thinking while I was reading, "How often have I barged through the door breathing fire and Mr. PNW's been there so I can vent?" I just want to smile. It's taken Mick awhile, but he's finally discovered the life he thought he lost when he was Turned. A home, someone who loves him.

Yet there's an underlying tension for Beth, a wondering if Mick would change what happened to him if he could. And he gives such a perfect answer...

"For most of the last sixty years, I would have said yes. In a heartbeat. I could have lived the life I thought I deserved."

"And now?"

The quickening of her pulse made him stumble, "N-now there is no answer. How I got here - how we got here - doesn't matter. All that matters is that we're here, together and we choose what we do now."

It really doesn't matter to him, the past...not really. What matters is NOW, what he has NOW.

Mick nodded, his smile a little shy, "Today's an ordinary day. Just an ordinary day. You have no idea how precious that is to me." He grinned, "Even if it was a crappy day for you. We worked, slept, talked, got stuck in traffic, complained about the weather, some things went well and some things still hurt but we're where we choose to be." His fingers strayed, stroking her neck, pulling her into a deep, slow kiss, "And I chose to make you a fabulous dinner, which I'm gonna go heat up, while you take a shower. Okay?"

This made me sniffle, just a little. Just an ordinary day, but so wonderful and precious to someone who never thought he would ever have ordinary.

And then the rain...and OMG, how much did I LOVE this:

Mick tilted his face up to the sky, eyes closed, arms stretched wide, twirling a circle, his smile deep and warm. Cooled by the rain, cares forgotten, Beth stared as he moved, lost in his own rhythm. Her breath caught in the surging ache at the back of her throat and she moved to him, hands reaching, halting his dance of delight, pulling him to her, resting her head against his chest.

And now I'm sniffling in earnest, because I can SEE this. I can see Mick, barefoot, soaking wet, dancing in the rain to a song only he can hear...and I can see Beth's wonder at how completely Mick can celebrate something as simple as a rainstorm, and how content he can be with a crappy day, the rain, and the woman he loves.

I'm a little sad this series is over, but I couldn't have asked for a better ending.

[toria1521]

I so needed that! Thank you for this story, on this day, and all of the others in this series.



toria

[francis]

I start to think that I'm some kind of allergic to your stories, because they all make me sniffle and wipe my eyes. Not in a bad way, mind you.

This is exactly how I would have wanted the show to end, in its fourth or fifth season. Mick content with being in the moment, his love of life going through every pore, in a secure relationship with Beth. Beth having him as her anchor to get through the ups and downs of life. Understanding on a deep level, intimacy, tenderness. You convey this so well in this story, without any additional words of explanation.

"Well I've got this investigator friend who's been teaching me all about living for the moment. I kinda like it."

They came full circle with this. I chuckled a bit about this twist of quote.

Thank you for this. I might need to read this story when I'm having a crappy day.