"One Day" is a thing now =) Like a future canon universe where happy end has finally happened and the show has been finished with Catherine and Vincent "riding to a sunset holding hands". This universe is dedicated to what happens AFTER that sunset when Catherine and Vincent become family, JT and Sarah get married, Heather runs a successful event organising business combined with a string of bad love life choices, Tess finds somebody more badass than her to tame the Latina amazon and Evan ends up as well-acclaimed surgeon once again. Yep, I have the whole story figure out in my head =)
"One Day" chronological index: One day, First day, Another one day.
I'm not promising all the stories will come chronologically (because I fit them into my timeline as they come), but I promise to update One Dat index to show you where the new story fits in =)
As for this story... I can't tell you much about the idea behind this oneshot because it will spoil the plot. I will just tell you that when you will reach a point where you'll think "oh, one more of this kind of story" - read a little further... it is not.
Story note: even though it is a oneshot, story is divided to six chapters. No worries there - I'm posting them all at once!
Enjoy!
- Catherine… there's something I want to talk about…
His voice sounded restrained, worried… But being so happy as they were these few last weeks she could not understand what can be a reason behind his sour mood.
Catherine touched his forehead wrinkle trying to ease it with her fingers and asked softly:
- What is it, Vincent? I'm sure we can solve everything now…
Indeed, she felt undefeatable now, invincible, and capable of anything! Because of them, for them…
Vincent kept silent collecting his thoughts and she'd repeated her question:
- What's wrong, Vincent?
- You said "yes"…
Catherine's eyes beamed open in surprise because there could possibly be no reason for THAT to be a problem! There was more to it but Catherine was already dreading Vincent's further explanations….
- Well, didn't you want me to agree to your proposal? Want to take it back?
She was mocking him, prompting to speak some more… Catherine knew the ultimate truth, it was carved in her soul – they both fought to much and for too long for their right to be together, to be happy – there was no going back for both of them! But there were still so many issues to be solved… and apparently one was right ahead now.
- Vincent, you either talk or I will…
She wasn't sure what exactly to threaten him with but he spoke at last:
- Catherine, I'm sterile. As in "I can't have kids".
And the world around them dropped silent. No traffic sounds from the street beyond her window, no wind hushing through metal frames of house fire escape, no birds singing… it felt like life drained from the world or the world simply seized to exist… leaving her empty.
No children. Somebody he could pass on to his beautiful smile and incredible brains… somebody she could love beyond words just like she loved Vincent… somebody to complete their family… somebody to MAKE them a family.
Not gonna happen. No children.
- Are you sure? – Catherine managed to choke out. It was hard to breathe, hard to talk, hard to think…
- I could bore you with technical details but "yes, I'm sure". I always knew that those experiments did this to me but it wasn't relevant until… us. And then when we've managed to complete the mutation cycle and bring me back to… manageable normal… - Vincent voice dropped to a whisper, he spoke not raising his eyes, afraid of what he might see in Catherine's, - I guess I always hoped that this could be fixed too. But I ran some tests recently and results came back today and… and I'm still… this… not a man.
He said "this" with so much disgust Catherine shrugged. She looked over his slumped shoulders, his defeated posture, his trembling eyelids…
Catherine took Vincent's chin and raised his head to meet his sorrowful gaze. His face was an epitome of guilt and shame and she just could not stand this look on him…
- You are every bit of a man as you were five minutes ago. More so – you are MY man, the man I love and fully intend to marry!
He tried interjecting with something but she wouldn't let him:
- No, I talk, you listen. Vincent, - she took his hand in her little ones, caressing him with soft touches of her palms, - I know what you are trying to say. But I forbid you to say it. I forbid you to think it! Because I love you for what you are, I loved you not even hoping for normal life and see – now we have it! And did I want to have your kids – sure thing, I did, because I love you as much as I would love them! But… I believe that it will work out for us somehow.
She stopped to inhale deeply and continued:
- I don't know how but we will think of something... It's not the moment to discuss it lightly but we still have few options we can consider, Vincent... like adoption... But we WILL be a family, Vincent, I know it, and if you have your doubts only based on this issue - then don't! I will get married to you and I will be happy with you through bad and good times! And considering we've already had our share of bad times... I believe we only have good times ahead of us! Trust me!
"Trust me" rang a bell... It was something she always said to him when he doubted his right to live, his right to be happy... being the thing he was. But Catherine didn't ask him to trust her, she TOLD him to trust her as if he had no other option... And there was no other option indeed - Catherine has always been his ray of hope and now... And today when his results showed up on his screen... and the world darkened around him... when his broken DNA was about to corrupt his future again... came Catherine. And he was alive again...
- I love so much, Catherine! Marry me, please?
She chuckled under her breath:
- Are we going to make it a thing now? Will you ask me to marry you every week till the day we actually get married?
He kissed her adoringly only breaking away from her to answer:
- Maybe even after that, Catherine. Always.