A/N: Thanks so much for all of your reviews! I never expected this story to go where it did, but I'm really pretty happy with it. Hope you guys are too. I figured now would be a good time to end things with a new Moonlight coming on this Friday night (YAY!), so without further blabbering…

the final installment

A small machine beeped quietly but steadily. Beth opened her eyes and found herself in a small hospital room, her neck bandaged and an IV in her arm. For a moment she was disoriented, but then the memories of Versailles came back to her. Mick! Pushing herself up, Beth tried to get out of bed.

"Hey," the voice was accompanied by a hand gently pushing her back down, "Don't try to move yet."

"Mick!" Beth couldn't control the emotion that cracked in her voice. She had assumed the worst after waking up in here.

"You didn't think I'd let something as minor as a fight with one of the most dangerous vampires in the world get me down did you?"

She smiled and allowed herself to relax slightly into the pillow, "So what happened after I passed out?"

Mick explains as best he could the events that had taken place in the gardens. The more detail he went into with Coraline, the more he started to wonder why she'd let Beth, and more specifically him, off the hook so easily.

"What are you thinking about?" Beth's voice dragged him out of his thoughts and he realized he had stopped talking.

"It's just, what Coraline did doesn't make much sense. She's never cared before if she did wrong by me. I don't understand why she would save you…"

Beth was silent for a moment, but suddenly an idea came to her.

"Our blood type," she said, "We both have the same blood type. Maybe she was saving me so in case she ever needed me –"

"If she ever so much as lays a hand on you again I swear she won't survive it."

Mick got up and started pacing around, looking concerned. Of course Beth was right – and a promise that Coraline would stay out of his life didn't exactly count for much. But for now at least, she was gone.

"What about The Cure?" Beth asked tentatively, "What do you want to do?"

Heaving a sigh, Mick sat down on her bed, "I don't know," he replied, "We're so damn close to finding it, but look at what happened to you," he eyed her neck with concern, "I can't risk that Beth."

"So you're telling me you want me to go back to LA?"

"Yeah," he replied, looking at her with sad eyes, "I'm not putting you in any more danger."

"But I chose to be here," Beth said, immediately on the defense, "I came because I wanted to Mick, not because you made me. It's my choice."

"Beth I won't let you stay."

She was quiet. Of course she should've been expecting something like this – she gets hurt, Mick pulls out the chivalry card. Couldn't have her getting hurt, blah blah blah. Didn't he understand how much more it would hurt to be without him, to not know where he was?

"I can't let you go off on your own Mick," she said finally, her voice thick with tears, "I can't just walk away and hope you end up okay."

"Lance is dead," Mick said, "There isn't anything for you to be worried about anymore. I think I can take care of myself."

"I don't care," she replied, "You're not talking me out of this one."

Mick looked at the small blonde woman lying in the hospital bed, still weak from what had happened to her – happened because of him.

"I know what you're thinking," she said quietly, "Somewhere along the line Mick, you'll have to stop blaming yourself any time something bad happens to someone close to you."

"It doesn't change what happened Beth, what could happen."

"I DON'T CARE," Beth all but yelled, getting herself up again, "Damn it Mick I'll follow you wherever you go whether you want me there or not! I want to spend the rest of my life with you wherever the hell the rest of your life is happening. Here, LA, Egypt, Moscow, I don't care! I love you."

She was shaking slightly by the end, and quickly lowered herself back down, closing her eyes and breathing raggedly. Mick watched her in silence, taking in everything she had just said.

"You really want to spend the rest of your life with me?" he asked finally.

"Yes," she whispered, turning and looking at him.

"Even though it might be hell to keep going?"

"My life is more of a hell without you and safe than with you and in danger."

Mick took a deep breath, wondering if what he was about to say was entirely out of line. It probably was, but he couldn't help it.

"Marry me then."

Beth's eyes widened, "Are you really asking me that?"

"Yes," he got down on one knee for lack of anything else and took hold of one of her hands on the bed, "I want you to marry me Beth. I know there's no reason you should and I know there's no way I could ever deserve you. But... will you?"

"Of course," she said, starting to cry and laugh at the same time, "Of course of course of course."

His face broke out into a smile as he stood up – "God I love you," he said quietly, leaning in to kiss her. "And you're sure you want to do this?" he asked.

"Mick St. John," Beth said, taking his face in her hands, "If you don't stop second-guessing and kiss me again, I might just change my mind."

Mick happily obliged. The next few months – or however long it took them to find The Cure – might be absolute hell. But if Beth really meant what she said, he knew they could get through it. And eventually, somehow, he would be human again.

The End…is it?

A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who has read and reviewed – I really appreciate it!