Disclaimer: I do not own Moonlight. But I now have two Moonlight worlds and I love it.

Thank you everyone who has let me know what you think of this storyline. I appreciate all of you.

Chapter 5

2007

Beth felt a small thrill of pleasure run through her at his words. Selfishly she was happy that he wasn't interested in Kira that way. And she was embarrassed by that pleasure.

Mick smiled slightly, not sure how to read her reaction but enjoying how cute she looked when confused. The woman who sat across from him had been an important part of his undead life for twenty two years. He saw the memory of the night he rescued her from Coraline tug at her from time to time. It was just beyond her grasp but sooner or later her mind would unlock that final barrier and she would complete the puzzle. How would she see him then? He wasn't sure he was ready to face her rejection. How could she not hate him once she knew his wife was responsible for her kidnapping?

Beth stifled a yawn and grinned sheepishly.

"I'm sorry Mick, I'm not bored. I think the late hours are catching up with me," she apologized.

"It's okay Beth," Mick said getting to his feet. "I forget you aren't on the same clock that I am." He went to her and held out his hand. She took it quickly and let him assist her to her feet. She squeezed his fingers lightly as she smiled up at him.

"Thank you for letting me pry into your life. I'm sorry I'm so curious," she blushed.

"I told you that I trusted you," Mick reminded her. "You wouldn't be who you are if you didn't have questions."

"I don't want to abuse the friendship," Beth said and self-consciously withdrew her hand from his.

He escorted her to the door and watched her walk to the elevator after saying good night. She waved slightly and stepped into the elevator. Mick closed the door and went to pour himself the scotch he had wanted earlier. He let the fiery liquid burn down his throat.

Taking the heavy glass, he returned to his chair. With a sigh he laid his head back against the chair back. Kira, Coraline and Beth; they formed a triangle of women in his dead existence. And one fateful night they had all converged and everything had changed forever.

1985

Mick had stumbled out of the burning building with the trembling four year old in his arms. The blonde girl clung to his neck; her trusting eyes had closed as she burrowed against him.

He delivered her home, the grateful cries of her mother ringing in his ears after he got in his car. Little Beth was safe, returned to her family and he had killed his wife to do it.

Coraline was dead. He had staked and burned her. It left a bitter taste in his mouth and he did not feel good about what he had done. She had been his wife, he had loved her, but he could not stomach the thought of an innocent child being turned into a monster just to create a family. What Coraline had planned was intolerable and he had protected the child. It left him feeling empty.

He drove aimlessly for ten minutes and then suddenly knew where he needed to go. Seeing Josef and his cynical view of things was not an option right now. His friend would only tell him he did the right thing and to be glad that he was free of Coraline. Mick couldn't face that tonight.

The car stopped outside Dusk to Dawn, Mick knew that Kira would know what to say and understand what he felt. He needed her.

Inside he ran into Eli Wolfe, the human manager that Kira had hired eight years earlier. Eli made handling the daytime business of the nightclub much easier for Kira. He had won her trust and become her friend and right hand man. Concern was etched on Eli's face as he got a good look at Mick. He could see the vampire appeared devastated.

"Mick, are you okay?"

"Is Kira here?" Mick asked dully.

"Have a seat at the bar, I'll see if she's busy," Eli said kindly. He hurried to Kira's office and entered quickly after knocking.

"Kira, Mick is out front, something's wrong."

Kira got to her feet and followed Eli out to the bar. Having spoken to Josef earlier in the evening she knew that Mick had suspected Coraline of abducting a child and had gone after her. Now she became concerned at the lost, hurt look on Mick's face. She took his hand and led him back to her office. He followed her without protest but pulled his hand free once inside the room. Standing in the center of the room, he ran his hand over his face and then through his hair.

"Mick?" Kira prompted gently.

"She's dead," he said dully.

"The child? Oh Mick, no," Kira said in shock, a hand to her mouth.

"No, the girl is safe. I took her back to her mother," Mick said shaking his head. With eyes full of pain he looked at Kira and she knew instantly what he meant.

"Coraline."

"I killed her. I staked her and started a fire………" he choked out. "I couldn't let her turn a child. She wanted to make us a family," he added in revulsion.

Kira took his arm and steered him to the couch. Firmly she pushed him down. He obeyed stiffly and pressed his fists to his eyes. Kira sat next to him, not touching him.

"She didn't give you much choice," she said softly. "You saved the child."

"She was crazy. She believed I would come back to her if she gave me a child."

"She was desperate," Kira agreed. "Desperate women do desperate things."

"How could she even think of doing that to an innocent?" he asked looking at Kira in bewilderment.

"I don't know."

"I couldn't accept that. I couldn't……." Mick stammered and Kira opened her arms and he grasped her desperately. Holding her tight, he buried his face against her neck and she stroked his hair and murmured words of comfort.

Kira's heart twisted in pain for Mick and what he was feeling. She felt no sadness at the thought of Coraline's death but she knew what this was doing to Mick and the responsibility he felt for what he had done. Coraline had been a fool.

Mick drew out of her embrace, his face desolate. Kira stroked his cheek, wishing she could chase away the bleak look in his eyes.

"You made the only choice you could have made Mick," she said gently. "She was out of control."

Kira rose and went to pour him a glass of blood. She brought it back and pressed the glass into his hand.

"Drink," she instructed. He obeyed as if he had no will. Kira watched in concern. "Mick, go use my freezer upstairs. You are exhausted," she urged.

"I can't. I'll be fine," he protested.

"You aren't fine."

He shook his head but made no attempt to get to his feet.

"I'm sorry Kira. I shouldn't have come here," he said sadly.

"Mick, we are friends," Kira said firmly. "I know you too well. You have been through a lot tonight, let me help."

"I've used you……"

"No you haven't, I've always known what I was doing," Kira said honestly. "I care about you and right now you need freezer time."

Lurching to his feet, Mick would have headed for the door but Kira grabbed him by the arm.

"Do not do this to yourself. Don't let Coraline drag you down one more time," she scolded, shaking him. Mick looked startled as if coming out of a daze.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just do as I say…..go upstairs," she insisted.

Mick obeyed and Kira watched him go. The phone rang as she heard the upstairs door close. She knew who would be on the other end.

"Yes?" she said with a hint of a smile.

"Kira, is Mick there?" Josef demanded tersely.

"He is."

"How is he?" Josef asked, his voice becoming concerned.

Kira sighed.

"He's devastated Josef. He killed Coraline to save the child. He's so lost, I gave him some blood and sent him to my freezer," she said with a catch in her voice.

"He went to the right person," Josef told her. "Take care of him."

"I will, but Josef, I don't know if he'll ever be able to forgive himself."

"That's what he has us for. We'll get him through this. He's better off without her," Josef growled.

"I'm not sure he'll see it that way," Kira answered.

"Call me when he's up and about," Josef told her.

"Will do. Thank you for calling Josef."

"I'm glad he came to you, my girl," he said and hung up.

Kira went to make sure Mick hadn't gone out her window and found him asleep in her freezer. She laid a hand on the glass above his head.

"It will be better when you wake," she promised quietly, but she felt an ache inside her. She knew with complete certainty that it would never be the same with Mick again. Coraline had managed to destroy any happiness she and Mick might have had together. That knowledge that they could only be friends pained Kira.

The next evening Mick found Kira in her office working at her desk. He came up to her and kissed her cheek as she worked.

"Thank you Kira," he said in a subdued voice.

"You look better," she observed and smiled.

"Shock has worn off," he said with a weak smile. He sat on the edge of the desk. "I guess I really broke with her this time."

"It's not your fault Mick. Coraline put you in an impossible situation," Kira said reaching out to touch his leg briefly. "At least the child is safe."

"Poor little girl, she was so frightened. Coraline had her for a couple days," Mick said with a shake of his head. "Her name is Beth."

"She is a lucky girl, to have you save her," Kira commented.

Mick nodded, lost in his thoughts.

"Josef called last night, he was worried."

"Now that has to be a first. Josef worried about me," Mick laughed sharply.

"He is your friend Mick. You aren't alone, you have Josef and me," Kira said rising to her feet and kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Friends stick together."

2007

A low sigh escaped Mick as he sat there remembering. He still felt a sense of sadness at how his relationship with Kira had changed. But he had told the truth when he told Beth that it couldn't be revisited. He and Kira had changed too much but they had developed a deep caring friendship.

And Beth; for twenty two years he had watched her grow up. He had never intended to let her know he was there. When he had seen her on BuzzWire, grown up and so beautiful, Mick had been unable to keep his distance. Slowly he had made a connection with her and then suddenly Lee Jay Spaulding had forced the matter and Beth had saved his life. And she had learned what he was and saved him once more with her blood in the desert. The knowledge of what he was had not sent her running but had brought her closer. He knew now that he was falling in love with her.

Morgan's appearance had shaken him to the core. Not that he wanted his wife back but if Morgan had turned out to have been Coraline it would have meant she had found a way to be human. And the possibility of being human would have meant a chance to share a life with Beth. For that Mick would have welcomed his wife back from the dead.

Mick finished his drink and set the glass down. Wishing would get him nowhere in this world. Beth had her boyfriend, Josh and Mick was still a vampire. He couldn't change either fact and that depressed him. But then again, he had always believed he had no claim on happiness. Monsters didn't get happily ever after, or so he always told himself.

He got up and headed up to his freezer room. It didn't do to dwell on what he couldn't have. He was grateful that Kira was back in town and their friendship was still intact. And Beth had begun to make him hope in spite of himself that maybe happiness was not out of reach.

End story

Thank you to those who have followed this story. I have enjoyed this experiment with jumping between years. Please let me know if you like Kira and would like to see me continue this Moonlight universe. I would like to weave Kira into the final 9 shows and see what could happen. Press the button and tell me what you think. Thank you.