Afterglow, part one (M/B/J, PG-13)

[redwinter101]

Title: Afterglow
Author: redwinter101
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own Moonlight or any of its characters
Note: This is set some time post-Sonata. The only warning is for unashamed sentimentality

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


--- Afterglow ---

He made a dash for freedom, across the expanse of living room, towards the sanctuary of his office.

He almost made it.

But Beth could be fast too when she set her mind to it and Mick was hindered by his attempts to clutch on to the towel that was barely preserving his modesty. She caught him just as he reached the door and resumed her onslaught. Never had one man fallen prey to such a vicious assault; she was relentless and didn't let up until he was helpless on the floor, writhing and screaming for mercy.

"Stop, Beth, please! I can't take any more. Stop!"

He desperately tried to fend off her renewed attack but his efforts were hindered by a constant stream of giggles and twitches as she found each new tender spot to tickle.

"I've got you now, St. John. Just submit and save yourself the torture. You know I'll win. Sensitive vampire nerves. Who knew the benefits?"

"No, no, not the knees, Beth. Please, not the knees."

Too late. As she lunged for his left knee, Mick gave up on the towel completely and grappled for supremacy. "You'll win, huh? Let's see about that." Now he meant business and in an instant he had flipped her, pinning her hands above her head. Her flush deepened, her heart pounding out a staccato rhythm.

"Well now that you're lying naked on top of me, aren't there better things we could be doing?" In the briefest moment her voice passed from play to lust.

"Later. For now, I just want my revenge."

Their shrieks and giggles, his low and throaty, hers rich and delicate, were finally broken by the ring of Mick's 'phone.

He heaved himself upright, leaving Beth panting and red-faced on the floor and bounded over to answer the call. "Josef. Whatever it is, can it wait? I have a rather pressing matter to attend to."

Josef heard the soprano giggle in the background, the lightness in Mick's voice and flinched. "Mick. There's trouble. You need to get over here."

"Not today, Josef. Please not today. Can't it..."

"I'll expect you in an hour." Josef hung up and walked over to the poolside window, wondering why it always seemed to fall to him to be the herald of misery.


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


Beth knew. She knew instantly that something was wrong as she watched the joy drain from his face. “What? Tell me.”

“Oh, it’s just Josef. Being Josef. You know. Trouble, apparently.” His forced smile wasn’t going to fool anyone, least of all her.

“Did he say what kind of trouble?”

“No. Just trouble.”

“But…?”

“But nothing. I’ll head over there and find out what’s going on.”

“Nice try. Come on. Spill. I can see you’re worried.”

“It’s probably nothing, but there was something in his voice… I don’t know. He sounded… afraid. I haven’t heard him like that in a long time.” He started to pace, mulling the implications, his face a furrow of concentration.

His contemplations were finally interrupted by an inelegant snort, which Beth had tried in vain to smother. "Sorry, Mick. I know you're worried but it'd be so much easier to take you seriously if you weren't so wonderfully naked. Not that I'm complaining." Her laugh was deliberately light; whatever news Josef had, they'd find out soon enough. "Well if we're heading to Josef's office, you'd better take your revenge and take it quick while you've still got the chance." She stripped off her sweater and pants. Her underwear soon followed. "Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?" And she raced off towards the stairs, squealing as she got her wish and Mick caught up to her before she'd even made it halfway, sweeping her up in his arms and depositing her unceremoniously on the couch.

"You sure know how to take a guy's mind off his worries. You are trouble, Turner. Nothing but trouble."

"Definitely a bad influence. Now what do you suggest we do about that?"

That throaty laugh that reached in and grabbed his heart, his guts, his soul. Josef could wait. "I'm sure I'll think of something." His body pinned hers, his hands gliding and teasing, his mouth caressing.

She felt his smile against her throat and stroked her hand across his hip. He was hard and urgent beneath her touch. "Mmm, well it looks like quick revenge won't be a problem."

He laughed. A sound of such beauty that Beth's breath caught and she felt tears welling. She wriggled round until she was straddling him, their arms wrapped tightly around each other, her soft cheek rasping against stubble; she stroked his hair back from his face, trailing the lightest of kisses across his smooth skin as their bodies joined. It was gentle, close, perfect. Making love in the soft light of the afternoon, in the home that was no longer his, but was now theirs, with joy and wonder at their good fortune in finally finding each other. The rest of the world could go to hell. This was how it was supposed to be.


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


"Are you sure you want to come? I don't think Josef's expecting both of us."

"If you mean 'You're not invited, Beth' why don't you just say so?" Her voice rang out from the bedroom where she was struggling to force her mussed hair into some kind of order while Mick hovered by the front door, repeatedly checking his watch. Some traditions were universal.

"Okay. You're not invited, Beth." She arrived at the top of the stairs to see him grinning at the bottom.

"I know. That's why I'm going to call Simone on the way and we can go for cocktails while you boys set the world to rights or whatever it is the two of you get up to." She stuck her tongue out at him as she flounced past and out the door. "Well, come on then. What are you waiting for?" As always, she led and he followed.

She tried Simone's cell without success as they headed downtown. "That's strange. I'm getting a 'This number is no longer in service' message. I'll try her office."

Mick was focused on negotiating his way through the traffic but Beth could see the frown deepen behind his sunglasses.

She got through to Simone's secretary and Mick could hear her explaining that Simone had quit unexpectedly the night before, apparently to take a dream job in New York and as far as she knew, she had already left town. Yes, she agreed it was very sudden. No, she didn't know the name of the firm nor did she have any new contact details. Beth thanked her and hung up. "Okay, now I'm worried too. What the hell is going on?"

They drove the rest of the way in silence, finally arriving at Josef's office two hours after his call, to find him pacing even more vigorously than usual. "Have you lost the ability to tell time, Mick? An hour, I said. One hour."

"Nice to see you too, Josef. Forgive me for not being on twenty-four hour call. We got here as soon as we could."

"Oh really? So that's why you both reek of sex is it? Had to stop for a quickie on the way? And Beth, lovely to see you as always, but I need to talk to Mick. Alone." He glared at her.

She hated Josef when he was serious; he unnerved her more than she liked to admit. But she held her ground. "Josef, something is obviously going on. Simone's disappeared. You're even more uptight than usual. Whatever's going on, if it affects Mick, it affects me so I think I'll stay, if it's all the same to you." She planted herself firmly in the nearest chair and returned his glare.

Josef took a deep breath. He could see that if he pushed, she was just going to dig her heels in and he really needed Mick alone; fighting with Beth was only likely to eat up more of what little time he had. "I'm sorry to be so abrupt. I forget my manners at times. My mother would be ashamed. Please, Beth, I need to talk to Mick alone. It's personal. So if you wouldn't mind waiting in the bar downstairs, I'll make sure you are made very welcome and Mick will join you shortly and, I'm sure, explain everything. Okay?"

Beth looked to Mick; he nodded, with a slight shrug. She rose, determined at least to retain her dignity and not be dismissed like a child. "Fine." She moved between the two men and kissed Mick, hard and deep, before turning back to Josef. "I'll be downstairs."

As the door slammed behind her, Mick could finally focus on Josef. He sensed tension, anger, nervous energy and a definite undertone of fear. And he'd been drinking; a fog of Scotch hung in the air and lingered on his breath.

"Okay. So now I really am worried, Josef. Tell me."

"Well it seems that the truce is under threat. The Legion's back in town and they aren't here for the sunshine."

"What do you mean the truce is under threat? We've had three months of peace and quiet. What fool's broken the terms?"

"You. Apparently. Oh, and me. So I guess we're fools together. And the consequences would seem to be rather dire for both of us."

[coco]

Ah Red, I just adore the first section of this so very much with the tickling and the laughter but reading it this time also gave me a lump in my throat as I know what's to come and how it's all going to change in an instant

As I mentioned before, this is my new favourite and I'm really going to enjoy this re-read

[mitzie]

Just re-read this first chapter and I'm hooked all over again!! Love this story!!!! *clap* *clap*

mitzie

[redwinter101]

mitzie, thanks so much

coco, ah the Mick-tickle... I had such high hopes of keeping this all light and fluffy when I started out. But no, sigh, I had to start torturing them....

Red

[bank1115]

Making love in the soft light of the afternoon, in the home that was no longer his, but was now theirs, with joy and wonder at their good fortune in finally finding each other. The rest of the world could go to hell. This was how it was supposed to be.


And this is how it better get back to! Geez Red, already so many emotions floating around and it's only the first chapter. I swear to God though, I feel like a fly on the wall watching everything as it unfolds; from the tickle to the pacing. You make the reader feel like they are right in the middle of everything. kays

[redwinter101]

How lovely, kays! Thank you so much

Red

[Luxe de Luxe]

Love this already Red. Your writing is deceptively good.... it just flows so well. Am keen to find out what the boys have done. On to part deux.

[redwinter101]

:curtesy:

Thank you kindly!

Red

[greenleaf9]

well, red, you can blame (or thank ) the coffee house for re-introducing me to your lovely writing. I always meant to check out more of your stories after reading "Anniversary" but somehow never found the time.

Now I am having the distinct pleasure of sifting through your rich offerings, tasting, savoring, and enjoying. Your writing is just so good. Totally gripping, totally enthralling. Suspenseful, honest, brutal, terrifying, beautiful, just downright mind blowing.

I'm gushing, but your writing deserves to be gushed over.

I have found me another fantastic Moonlight fanfic writer it seems. I am definitely reading on.

[redwinter101]

*loves greenleaf's gushing*

Thank you, sweetie.

Red

[Albra]

I finished my "first reading" all this story yesterday. I must admit that your warning about "unshamed sentimentality" coused me to refrain from reading for some time - now I know that it was wasted time.
Now it's time for me to re-read it slowly , savoring part by part ...
Thanks for such great feast for my soul.

[librarian_7]

Hey, Red...I hadn't gotten around to this one, but after one chapter (and yes, I have heard rumblings about the ending...) I do believe I'll be going forward.

Somehow, even if one had no idea of the plot, which for the most part, I don't...just the sheer happiness of the first section somehow tells me everything is about to fall to pieces. If for no other reason, seeing them this happy for chapter on chapter might be pleasant, but wouldn't give us much of a plot, now, would it?

Lucky

[redwinter101]

Albra, thank you, sweetie. I'm delighted you came back!!

Lucky, I'm sorry about the rumblings (as it will spoil it a bit...) and I hope you don't hate me by the time you get to the end. And I agree happiness doesn't really leave much room for drama, especially as I seem incapable of just letting Mick and Beth be happy anyway. Delighted you've taken the plunge.

Red

[fairytoes]

Red, this is a brilliant first chapter! I actually can "feel" the love between Mick and Beth! Perfect! But now the Legion is back. Oh- oh, this can't be good!

[redwinter101]

Thanks, fairytoes. It starts off so happy - but that doesn't last long I'm afraid...

Red