AN: Hope you enjoy reading this one shot as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.
Tears spilled freely from Catherine's emerald eyes. The Christmas lights illuminating the normally quiet suburban street invaded her vision. Cheers, laughter, carol singers. All of these sounds meshed together to create a nasty buzzing in her ears.
"So Catherine, how long do you think you'll be in a job this time? Hope you have a tolerant boss. Although I've heard jewelers can be very particular about how they like things done."
"Shut up Heather. It's not like the sun shines out of your butt any more than it does mine."
"Catherine, that's quite enough. We'd like to enjoy Christmas for once without you bickering with your sister."
"How about I just leave you all in peace."
Silence…
"You're free to do as you wish dear."
Her mother's words pierced through her like a sharp knife. She had no choice but to leave. That's what they really wanted after all. She power walked down the street to her car, almost tripping over her tipsy two left feet more than a few times. Her beige reindeer sweater and well-worn Levi's did hardly a thing to shield her against the frosty breeze. She'd never regretted her decision to come home for Christmas more than she did tonight.
"Catherine," Vincent called out from behind.
She didn't want to hear his voice, his infuriatingly hypnotic voice. She quickened her pace, knowing full well that it would increase her risk of falling flat on her face by about 20%. She shouldn't have had that last cup of eggnog.
"Catherine wait."
His voice projected from closer. Damn his nimble legs. He grabbed her petite shoulders and put an end to her escape.
"Please, Just let me go."
Her chin quivered, trying to steady her trembling voice.
"Catherine, don't just leave. Please try to see their point of view. Your family haven't seen you in almost a year and the only thing you could manage to do was criticize everyone at the table."
"Criticize everyone? How am I supposed to behave when all my mom and sister do is pick apart everything I do?"
Vincent looked on at Catherine, unwilling to interject.
"Do you think I don't know when people are passive aggressively judging me?" her tears were rapidly morphing into anger.
"I get it, believe me. But you know how they are." Vincent swiped the snowflakes off his face, appearing agitated.
"Do you though? Do you get it? You think we're all a little crazy, right? Isn't that why you chose a nice respectable normal girl like Alex?"
"What?" He blinked slowly, as if taking a little extra time to process what Catherine was saying.
"Nothing... doesn't matter." She looked away from him.
Catherine took a few more steps toward her car and dropped into the drivers seat. Vincent wasted no time, joining her in the passenger seat. She sighed in defeat. Any effort to deter him was futile. They sat in silence. She rubbed her icy hands together to generate some warmth. He took them into his large encompassing hands and blew on them. She watched him. His tender gaze calmed her.
"Why didn't you ever tell me how you felt?" Vincent sounded thwarted. He released her hands, letting them fall onto her lap.
"Would it have made a difference?" Her question was rhetorical. She required no answer. Expected no further comment.
"I don't know Catherine, you never gave me a chance to find out." Vincent shot a glance toward the snow-paved street.
She studied a small nick in her worn steering wheel, not paying much heed to his response.
"I remember last Christmas. You were telling me about Alex. You listed all her great qualities. You told me she reminded you of me, minus the 'cute quirks'. I never understood whether that was a good or bad thing. Then I saw her with those long legs, bright eyes and gorgeous crazy red hair. Wow did I feel small, with my short legs and boring straight black hair…"
Vincent's gaze returned to Catherine. His large eyes narrowed and their whites became tinted pink, waiting for her to continue.
"You asked me what I thought about taking her out on a date. How I felt about you and her. I told you to go for it, that she sounded like a great catch, and gorgeous to boot. You just nodded and smiled." Catherine's head nodded subtly as she reminisced. " I finally knew what you felt, for me."
Vincent shifted his body to face Catherine front on.
"But you didn't look into my eyes that day. You didn't really hear what I was asking you. You never let yourself believe you were worthy of what you wanted."
Catherine looked at him, lips parted in disbelief. Could she have been so wrong?
"I don't communicate in codes Vincent, I see black and white. You didn't give me black and white."
He exhaled, watching his hand while he ran it through her hair.
"If only life were as simple as black and white," he declared.
A sad realization washed over her and it made her sick to her stomach. She'd missed it. Or she was too afraid to see it back then. Damn him for not trying harder.
"Never mind all this now." Vincent broke eye contact. "Catherine, Your family loves you. Let's go back. We'll fix this. There's a solution to every problem. Isn't that what you always say? They just don't always know how to handle your no holds barred approach. Not like I do," he smiled.
Vincent was quick to compose himself. His eyes were now back to their usual sparkling hue. He stepped out of Catherine's car and opened her door, keeping it open until she got her stubborn backside up off the seat.
Catherine was exhausted. She slumped in her chair and meditated on the sound emanating from the staff fridge, savouring the final seconds of her lunch break. She dragged her feet back over to her tinsel and snowflake clad station and awaited the next influx of jewel hunters. Catherine rolled her eyes and sighed indignantly. It was all about engagement rings this time of year.
"Hello Doll Face." Vincent rested his palms against the corner of the glass display table in front of her.
Catherine's stomach leaped into her chest. Her shoulders rolled up to mimic some form of poise.
"Vincent! What brings you an hour and a half out of your way?" She grimaced and cleared her throat. It was too soon after lunch for this kind of excitement. Thai noodle salad didn't taste so great on it's way back up. Vincent smiled, no doubt expecting such an odd greeting.
He towered over Catherine. Her eyes followed the outline of his broad shoulders clothed in a dark grey bomber jacket and a crisp white tee beneath. It brought her comfort. She knew his silhouette well.
"What brings you here Vincent?" she tried again.
"I'm looking for a ring and I figured you'd be the best person to come to. I mean you know so much about this stuff."
"So you've decided then… You're proposing." Catherine's smile faded. Alex. Her stomach sank back down, bringing more nausea along with it.
"That's the plan."
Vincent's plan shouldn't have involved her. It was unlike him to be insensitive. She had made her feelings quite clear on Christmas Eve. Maybe he wanted to make his feelings just as clear. As hard as her heart tried, she couldn't resent him. She was on talking terms with Heather again because of him.
"Good for you. She's the one then?"
"We'll see I guess. I'd hate to look like a fool."
"Well there's always a risk of rejection. In fact about a quarter of women reject proposals. Over half of them admit they turned it down because it wasn't a good enough attempt." Vincent blinked slowly. He moved his lips as though wanting to speak. Catherine scratched her arm. There was no itch, just a piercing discomfort. "Um, but I'm sure that won't be the case for you Vincent. Who could say no to a guy like you?" She saved face. Or at least she hoped.
"I damn well hope not," he said rubbing his neck.
"So… Do you have a cut in mind?"
"A cut? Aren't all diamonds cut? Make this easy for me Catherine. What do you recommend? I don't doubt your taste when it comes to the finer points in life." Vincent was never much for details. He was a bigger picture kind of guy. Catherine was the one who always filled in the blanks.
Catherine crept over to the shop-front display case. She pulled out a 1.5carat oval diamond ring set in a delicate white and rose gold halo band. Her favourite. It was colourless, fiery and completely eye clean. If she couldn't have it, her best friend would, even if it meant an after work meltdown in the car on the way home.
"This one. For a woman who appreciates the timeless class of a round cut, but with a bit of flair." She handed him the ring.
"It's beautiful," Vincent remarked. Catherine kept her eyes on the ring.
"It's also 15K. But we could work on the price. It's actually really good value for money if you consider the carat weight." She waited for a gasp, a protest or a compromise.
"I'd like to see how it looks on a finger first."
Catherine placed it on her finger, as she'd done so many times before. She'd probably be the only one to ever 'put a ring on it'. She resigned herself to becoming the next crazy cat lady in her neighborhood. Thank goodness her landlord didn't allow pets.
"Well it looks great under the fluorescents, but what about over there, where it's not so bright?" Vincent gestured over to the centre of the store.
Catherine cocked an eyebrow. She studied Vincent's face, attempting to understand what his wide-eyed half grin was all about. She didn't recognise the expression.
"Sure..." Catherine walked over to Vincent and extended her hand.
He drew it in closer to his face.
"Mhmm. This is definitely the one," except he wasn't inspecting the ring. He was looking directly into her eyes.
Catherine swallowed hard. Her breath quickened. Curious customers stood still watching them, haunting her peripheral vision.
"I left Alex." His voice was soft, lacking its innate confidence.
"Vincent, what are you doing?"
"I'm skipping a lot of steps here, and you know I'm not one for taking big risks. But three days ago you reminded me that you needed black and white. I couldn't think of anything more black and white than this."
All Catherine could hear was the sound of her heart pounding against her chest. She felt heat igniting the redness in her cheeks.
"Vincent, what are you doing?"
"Catherine. Baby. I'm in love with you. I always have been. With all your cute quirks and your beautiful, beautiful boring black hair." Vincent chuckled and tucked her silky locks behind her ear. Tears welled up in Catherine's eyes, making it impossible to see clearly.
"I've lost out on so many years from not kissing your lips, not touching you the way you deserve to be touched." Vincent brushed her bottom lip with his thumb. He lowered himself onto one knee, steadying Catherine's trembling hand.
"Say something Doll Face. You're making me nervous."
She pulled her hand away and covered her eyes, letting the tears flow freely.
"Catherine," he whispered in urgency.
She nodded her head.
"Yes."
Vincent smiled wide as he stood to his feet and pulled her in. She fell into him and wrapped herself around him as completely as she could. Witnesses erupted into applause.
"I love… I love you," she choked.
"Well, good. Because I don't know what I would've done otherwise."
He cupped her head into his hands, with thumbs resting on her flushed cheeks. His lips melted into hers and it felt like home. Catherine felt like she was finally home. And home was heavenly.
AN: Please, oh please drop me a line and tell me what you thought. I love hearing (reading) from you all!