DISCLAMER, i do not own Beauty and the Beast of course, this is just a work of fiction based on the characters and the show.


"I think with all that happened the last few weeks, you know with the trust issues, we should take things slow" she said slowly walking back.
"Totally" he exhale in a voice full of desire for her.
"... Let things unfold naturally" she finished, she was now stuck against the kitchen island. "Right". So much desire in his voice, that was irresistible, she wanted to make a statement, to be strong and to push him away, to make him understand he had not proved himself yet, but her heart, her body wanted him so much. And he was so close. He approached her lips slowly but with determination. He knows it now, he was sure she still loved him, despite the beast, despite him being an ass toward her lately, she was still emotionally attached to him. And he loved her, so much, he had loved her for so long, ever since he had laid eyes on her nine years ago. He could not hold his love and his desire for her anymore not now, not knowing how she felt, not hearing her heart beating so fast as he was about to kiss her.
Their lips were so close, they even touched, brushed slightly, for an instant. Catherine at the very last second turned away from him, burying her face in his chest, avoiding his gaze. Without even thinking about it Vincent's arms enlaced her tenderly and he whispered in her ear : "I'm sorry, ... I didn't mean to push ... I-"
"No, no ... it .., I ... , it's just that so much happened today, it might not be the right time" but as she said those words her arms were enlacing his waist, her face still buried in his chest. The tenderness of her gesture was in total contradiction with the fact she refused herself to him. That was confusing, he did not know what to think, her heart was beating some fast and he had imagine it was because she was actually aroused at the fact he was getting so close. Maybe he was wrong, maybe his attraction and his love for her was interfering with his super-senses, blinding him, pushing him to sense what he wanted to sense. Maybe his instincts were wrong. Yet she was in his arms, she had her arms around him, her head pressed on his chest.
She was not looking at him. She could not. "You're right" he added brushing her silky hair with his left hand, "We need to think this through, ... I don't want you to regret anything". He tried to hide it, but he was hurt that she avoided his lips, he felt stupid for thinking that she could want to be with him now that Muirfield was getting close, after he had been so close to abandon her. How foolish of him, sure she still had feelings, but that did not mean he was worth it. Silence filled the room has he tightened his embrace. Catherine had closed her eyes and her heartbeat had slowed down, she was calm and he could hear it. With her head resting on his chest she could also hear his heart, and the sound was reassuring, she did not know why but it was like a melody, a sweet music calming her down.
"Tess caught me destroying evidence" she finally said breaking the silence and pulling out of his arms. In a second his face changed, she could read how guilty he felt. "I'm sorry, it's my fault ... I ..." he started, but she cut him "Don't be. She is not going to report me, i did not lose my job. She ... she just won't be my partner anymore. But, I'll find a way to make it up to her. It's going to be ok. I'm sure." Rubbing his right hand on her arm, he was trying to comfort her and to believe her, it's going to be ok ... hopefully. "This time" he started his eyes fixed on the floor as if he could not look at her, "this time you didn't lose your job ... but ever since I'm in your life ..." he stopped talking and looked straight in her eyes, oh how much courage it took him to look at her to say what he had to say. "I shouldn't have made a move, I should not be here, all I'm doing is putting you at risk, making everything so ... complicate, and dangerous". She heard him, but she was not listening, she did not need to, she could read the guilt in his eyes, she knew what he would say before the words came out of his mouth. She titled her head slightly and cupped his face with her right hand, caressing his cheek as if it would make his guilt and the pain go away. His eyes closed the instant her soft skin touched his cold face. He looked as if he was bearing the weight of the world on his shoulder.
"We will figure a way. I still want to be with you Vincent, don't get me wrong, I do. I just think tonight is not a right time for all this. I need a bit more time to digest everything that happened." she sight, "but please, don't leave me ... " He was touched at the sight of her pleading eyes. "I couldn't live with you walking away from me" she said in a whisper. Somehow he felt reassured, she still was willing to fight for them. "Catherine ... my heart belongs to you, I'm yours. If you want me to go", this though felt like a knife piercing his heart and twisting, "If you say you want me to go ... as much as it would hurt me ... I would go. But if you want me to stay, I will stay. There is nothing I want more than to be in your life ... expect maybe to make sure you are safe." She smiled at him, or at least her eyes seemed to smile and she came closer to him, enlacing her arms around in neck and resting her chin on his shoulder. "There is no place I feel safer than in your arms." Only him could have heard those words, they were just a whisper, a beautiful whisper that filled his heart with joy. Vincent had forgotten what it felt to be happy, it had been so long. But as far as he remembered, he never felt such bliss in his life.
He kissed her cheek tenderly and his eyes closed as he was breathing in her scent and savouring the amazing feeling of being as important to her as she was to him.


A/N : I'm really new at writing, so I hope my "one shots" are ok. Please review, I need comments (negative as well, don't hesitate, i won't take it the wrong way) to get better.