Beth Turner looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her head throbbed, her skin was pale and her eyes were a little bloodshot. She had showered, brushed her teeth and combed her hair hoping that it would make her feel better and it did. She dressed quickly in yoga pants and a camisole and went back to sit down on the floor in the entry to the bathroom because the cold tiles felt wonderful.

She sat there for a while resting her head on her knees, a cold wet hand towel pressed to her forehead. It must have been some party at Josef's last night; too bad that she couldn't remember all of it. It was the first time that Mick had taken her to party where almost all of the guests were vampires.

"Feeling better?" Mick asked from the doorway.

"Mmmmm," was the only sound that she could get out. If only she could get to her bag for some pain medication. Where was her bag?

"Here, drink this." Beth took the bottled water gratefully and gulped down the contents. She must have been dehydrated from the alcohol in her system and the resulting purging of it over the last hour or so.

"This is why I love you." she said smiling to herself at using the term that her old boss Maureen had used frequently, usually when she had a hot lead on a story.

Mick sat down next to Beth, his bare back resting against the cold tile wall, chuckling. "You love me for bringing you water?"

"No, for sitting with me even when I was throwing up."

"What are guardian angels for? Besides, I was getting lonely waiting for you to come back to bed."

"I'm sorry. Hey, why didn't my guardian angel stop me from drinking so much champagne on an empty stomach?" she looked at him accusingly.

"Beth, do the words 'I'm fine, stop telling me what to do' ring any bells?"

"No, but it sounds like me," they both laughed. "Oww my head hurts." She rested her head back down on her knees while Mick gently rubbed her back.

"Do you remember anything from last night?" he was teasing her now. It wasn't like she couldn't remember anything; just the last part was a little fuzzy. She did remember Mick trying to coax her to drink some water before putting her to bed but not leaving Josef's or the ride home. God she hoped she hadn't disgraced herself in front of Mick's friends.

"Please tell me I didn't do anything embarrassing." She pleaded, hiding her face from him not wanting to look at him in case she had.

"Dancing on the table was probably the worst thing." Beth thought that Mick was enjoying this a little too much. She punched him on the arm.

"I did not do that," she said looking at him rather indignantly.

"You did, but don't worry everyone had left by then. Josef enjoyed it though." Mick winked at her and watched as she blushed profusely holding her hands over her face.

"Josef..." Beth groaned loudly. It just had to be him didn't it, she would never hear the end of it.

Just then, as if by magic, Josef appeared in the doorway.

"Hi Beth," just when she thought that he was going to be kind and not say anything more he continued "You would have been sensational at Studio 54."

Beth blushed again and wished that the floor would open up and swallow her. The salacious look that Josef was giving her made her move into the safety of Mick's lap. He put his arms around her and she welcomed the protective gesture.

"It was the highlight of the party for me. That and you two making out on the dance floor all night. Every vamp in LA is going to know about it by twilight. That reminds me I'll have to confiscate the security footage."

Beth looked up at Mick who was smiling down at her wriggling his eyebrows confirming what Josef was saying.

"Oh, I think I remember that part." Oh yes, she definitely remembered that part.

"Yeah?"

Beth nodded.

"Good."

They kissed, not caring that Josef was still standing there. They didn't stop until he cleared his throat.

"Hey, a few vamps wanted to know if you two were exclusive." Mick let out a low possessive growl from somewhere deep in his chest and Beth instinctively snuggled closer to him. "Guess that answers that question."

"A few vamps, Josef?" Mick's eyes narrowed menacingly.

Josef looked away uncomfortably for a moment then changed the subject.

"Not that I'm passing judgement but you two have way too many clothes on to be enjoying post sex cuddling. Why the hell are you sitting on the bathroom floor?"

"I'm feeling the effects of a whopper of a hangover. Seems vampires don't have to worry about that. The cold tiles are helping."

"I don't want to point out the obvious but there is a perfectly good freezer in the other room going to waste if it's the cold that you want." Josef's snicker told her that he didn't really expect her to climb in Mick's freezer.

"Funny."

Wishing Josef would make himself scarce Mick asked, "What are you doing here anyway?" He let the fact that Josef had just let himself into the apartment go for the moment. Too bad if he and Beth had been doing anything he thought. He would have to talk to Josef about that later.

Beth hadn't noticed that Josef was carrying her bag and the coat and shoes that she had been wearing at the party. He was also waving around a little bag that had what looked suspiciously like her scarlet satin and lace bra peeking out over the top.

She just didn't want to know why she had taken her bra off at the party. She couldn't look at either of them.

"I thought Beth might like these back. You two left quite suddenly and these got left behind."

"Oh my god!" Beth buried her face into Mick's shoulder horrified, thinking that she had never been more embarrassed in her whole life.

"Josef, you could have sent one of your staff over later with those instead of bringing them yourself." Mick knew that his friend would have not wasted such a good opportunity to pay out on them. It was Josef's way of showing affection. He was used to it but Beth wasn't.

"Yes, I could have but where's the fun in that?"

Beth finally emerged from her sanctuary of Mick's shoulder and Josef couldn't help but get a final dig in. These two were such easy marks. "Don't worry Beth, I noticed the other part of the set on the stairs with your dress on the way up."

Beth's humiliation was now complete.

"Josef, that's enough." Mick growled making it clear that it was time to go.

"I'll leave you two kids alone then. Beth, you have nothing to be embarrassed about my dear, nothing at all" Josef turned to leave.

Mick heard him muttering down the hall on his way out.

"St John, you are one lucky vamp my friend."