To all my lovely followers who may be under flattering (to me) but very misguiding impression that I'm a real writer who writes seriously emotional and well thought-through stuff... spoiler alert - I'm not! I'm goofy and here's a proof to it - just a little doodle that popped up in my head last night and I had to take it out of my system =)
And just so you know - I'm not even sorry =) It worked out exactly the way I planned it (unless I will reread it now and find all the mistakes and typos... in this case look for me in the depth of despair!)
Note about time frame: this is no coincidence that this is called "Another one day". This story exists in pretty much the same universe as my oneshot "One day" but further in time. It saves me some explanations... which you won't need anyway even if you haven't read the first oneshot =)
Catherine closed the door behind her and literally fell down leaning against the door frame. She kicked off her boots trying to collect some strength to actually enter the house for real... Man, that was hard!
At some point Catherine started contemplating to camp right there, at their doorway, because that would imply she does not need to go anywhere...
Today was exhausting. Not physically because nothing physical even happen today... she got a new case but till CSU won't send her details on her evidence she had zero leads. Detective side of Catherine demanded to crack this open while the trace is still fresh… but there wasn't much of a trace to lead her. So she'd have to wait it out.
OK, enough with self-pity party! Time to get up and shake it off! Her family didn't deserve that wave of mental drag that was running through her body today for no apparent reason.
- Hey, I'm hooooome! – she hollered in the general direction of their living room knowing all too well that her husband is supposed to be over there in between numerous piles of research papers and science magazines…
- Don't you think I know that? I have heard your arrival when you pulled over to our drive lane… - said his low husky baritone that has never failed to send shivers down her spine… from the first time she'd heard it… till this day… always.
The owner of that voice showed up with his last words and smiled his mesmerizing smile making Catherine melt a little bit… and totally not helping her to stand up!
- Vincent, I'm a wreck today, I don't think I can get up… would you mind giving me a hand? – Catherine stretched out hers looking for support. Vincent's smile turned mischievous:
- Being particularly generous today I would give you two! – and with that he leaned over and got her up on his hands in one quick swift motion. That man has got some great physic and Catherine couldn't help but caress his bicep as she leaned to his chest… Now she was home…
Vincent set down on a couch and waited till Catherine got herself comfortable on his laps. Which wasn't that easy as she had to fight for the space with numerous piles of papers and heavy folders spread evenly across the table, windowsills, couch, armchairs, floor… and pretty much every horizontal surface in the room big enough to balance a stack of papers. Vincent was messy by default but this was a bit too much even for him!
- New research? – she inquired trying to make sense of this chaos.
Vincent reluctantly cut off nibbling her neck with soft little kisses and answered:
- No, old one, I just got a bunch of interns and they have devastatingly low level of scientific knowledge of my general areas which makes me feel like I'm explaining solar radiation to somebody who haven't even seen the sun. So I need to make some "101 in selective genetics" for them and these are my educational notes, - he made a wide hand gesture implying that all these papers were fundamental tools in his lecturing practice… and not an evidence of hidden compulsive hording. Which Catherine could not diagnose him with 'cause Vincent was "the doctor in the house"!
While looking around trying to figure out a way to organize these "notes" Catherine noticed two big brown grocery bags on a kitchen island. Vincent went shopping? That too with so much scientific stuff distracting him? That's odd…
- Vincent, what's with all the shopping? Have I been too busy and missed the sun eclipsing today? – Catherine sounded genuinely surprised.
- Oh, that… Nope, but eclipse is coming – Heather is on her way here now and I thought you wouldn't have a time to shop even if I tell you so I went by a mall to get some stuff to eat…
Catherine's brows furred – not enough information to get the full picture. Heather was coming earlier that they've agreed… but why did Vincent knew about that and she didn't?
- Wait, is it one of those surprise visits you tell me about so I can prepare to act surprised?
He smiled at her assessment – Heather was terrible with surprises and everybody knew that… but Heather. But they'd all played along…
- No, she told me to tell you… She called earlier telling that she'd come in few hours… and she brings Patrick.
Catherine swore under her breath – Heather was bringing her fiancée for the first time "to meet the family" and Catherine had absolutely no time to make this place look decent or cook anything that was not "out of the box"! Damn you, little sister, with your impromptu plan changing!
Catherine jumped up all hyper to do at least something before it was too late to even start… but Vincent yanked her back making her sit on a fuzzy carpet with her back to him. Catherine was about to scream her protests but that quickly changed when his strong but ever so gentle fingers started massaging her stiffed shoulders… unknotting her tensed muscles… sending numbing sensations all over her body. In few moments Catherine couldn't care less if the president of the country would waltz into her messed up living room… or worse – her farther with his wife and demon twins…
Nothing mattered but her husband and his skillful fingers… and his warm breath on her shoulders as he kissed her… and his scent that enveloped her in a cocoon of familiar longing and desire… so strong, so overwhelming.
- Sorry, Vincent, I'm just a bit cranky today… don't know why… - she tilted her head opening the nape of her neck to his intoxicating kisses… her exhaustion was dissolving with amazing speed as Vincent's touches filled her body with explosives waiting to be fired up…
His voice was barely audible as he whispered kissing a sensitive spot behind her ear… inhaling her scent deeply:
- I know EXACTLY why you are so cranky… and this drives me crazy ever since you walked in… not sure how much longer would I be able to contain myself and be civilized…
Something clicked in Catherine's clouded mind and she'd made a quick calculation to confirm the dates. Oh, right! THAT day was coming! Let the game begin then!
Every month or so came a day when nature felt a need to reassure Catherine that she was in her reproductive prime… but this time she'd missed her pregnancy train.
But what came before that? Right, the actual reproduction prime, few days before… when all of her body was attuned to mating and attracting the opposite sex…
Catherine couldn't help but smile remembering the first time this issue came up… She and Vincent were intimate for some time and JT did his best to ignore it… But one day Vincent became so irrationally… "sexually obsessed" with Catherine (that was JT's way of saying "horny") that it got JT to worry nuts expecting his best friend to beast out. Not that Catherine minded that specific change in the behavior (let's face it – she was as hungry for him as he was for her!) but she was a bit worried to… till it cooled to a normal (albeit still lava-like) temperature…
And then JT has had an epiphany! It had to do a lot with pheromones and the fact that Vincent was uniquely animalistic in this aspect – even though humans had lost the genes responsible for forming appropriate receptors to detect pheromones, Vincent's animal DNA had fixed that problem for him… And since he'd "recognized Catherine as his mate" it made Vincent very perceptive of her "reproduction cycle" and "very territorial and protective" of her during these few peak days.
Man, you should have seen JT blushing while trying to put it all in simple biological terms! Catherine was worried he would develop a permanent stammer because of that explanation…
But JT had survived the horror of "the talk" with two adult friends and fled the warehouse as quickly as he could murmuring something about "will go buy some icepacks… whole freezer of them!"
And that's how the first game of many more to come began…
Catherine turned around to face Vincent, her smile crooked, his eyes hungry. She untwisted her braid deliberately slowly, fully aware of how her actions affected him by the look on Vincent's burning gaze and steamy breathing. Catherine shook her head a little bit to let her hair fall down her back… and his super sense of smell caught a killing dose of pheromones that had made his vision to blur around ages. Vincent clenched his teeth trying to compose himself… trying to keep it cool… as if it was possible with this astonishing hot woman! Damn, he was dying of starvation here and she knew it! Why did she… but then again… that was their game.
Catherine's voice was lower, softer… caressing his highly-strung nerves… tightening them even more. Her voice was such a sweet torture… let alone things she was doing to him right now.
Catherine's hands went to his shoulders, tracing neck veins, touching his skin ever so lightly… Not a massage… a tease. Her fingernails dug into his flesh following the shape of his shirt band, opening one more button to get access to his bare chest… Vincent closed his eyes moaning with frustrations – his wife knew what she was doing!
- Vincent, - he opened his eyes to see Catherine reaching to him to kiss his shoulder blade and that made his eyes to roll back to his head, - Vincent, isn't it… too bad… - she marked every pause with one more kisses she spread across his neck, his earlobes, his shoulders, his nipples… - that you have this gaming tournament today with JT and, apparently, Patrick.
And she scooted back on a carpet with her smile victorious and her body all relaxed. While Vincent's gaze was shooting fireworks when he snapped his eyes open to this ridiculous idea! Sure thing he remember that this was their plan for today all along… but that was BEFORE his wife came back home oozing desire with every inch of her gorgeous body! No way he was gonna leave her now!
Vincent growled and advanced on Catherine making her lean backwards. Now she was half-laying on a floor with Vincent towering over her with predatory primitive instincts written on his face… but you have to understand him – the sight before him was absolutely mind-blowing! His wife, his "only-one-in-the-world" lady, his Catherine… with her face flared up with vivid bright desire for him… her heart pounding through her chest trying to get closer to him… her breath hitching and uneven… her chest raising and falling so seductively… Oh, man, he was losing it, again, and again… He could never win this game… he never tried.
- Vincent, we really need to stop this, - her voice was not convincing especially considering how she was grabbing his shirt trying to rip it off his body. Vincent chuckled at her impatiens that only matched his – he could not get close enough to her soon enough for him…
- No, we don't. Because I can't… - his voice was dripping with lust and he was NOT going to let go of her anytime soon!
Catherine pushed him a bit and he followed her command. That was ultimate rule of this and any other game they played – understanding his physical superiority (even more profound than among normal humans) Vincent always followed even the littlest of hints that Catherine was not OK with something. The protective side of him, the basic instinct not to hurt her overruled every other instinct – so Vincent backed away.
- Vincent, you do realize we have no time for this… - she was breathing heavily trying to calm herself, - I really would want us to continue on this but you know JT will be here any moment to take you back to their place and I don't want to be walked on like this, - Catherine gestured around them showing how their passionate actions turned his organized piled up mess into unorganized chaos of sheets and folders… yeah, they've brought quit a hurricane to their living room.
Vincent shook his head vigorously not accepting his defeat in racing time:
- Screw JT! – and he'd added in more peaceful note remembering he was talking about his best friend, - JT would understand…
- What would I understand and screw you, Keller! – came snarky voice that almost made Catherine and Vincent to jump up. They turned around to see JT leaning on a wall with understanding smirk on his face – the picture in front of him spoke for itself! He giggled on Catherine's expression as she looked past him trying to locate familiar dark-haired head:
- Relax, you have few minutes to get yourself decent. We have had a race and I won! All that to give you some heads up so you'd better use this time wisely!
Vincent and Catherine took to his advice and in few minutes of cartoon-like speedy movements they were seated on a couch more or less neatly. Not counting Catherine's hair but there was nothing they could do about it now…
- Hey, I'm hooooome! – familiar voice was quickly followed by little boy with chocolate brown hair and hazel-green eyes running into living room and almost colliding with Vincent's chest. Vincent caught the boy and raised him high above the ground making a boy laugh with joy:
- Dad, put me down! Now! And you tell him! Tell him, - said boy pointing at JT's giggling face, - that he cheated and it's not fair! Tell him!
- Shhhh, Michael, - Catherine's voice was soothing as she took her son to her lap, - I'm sure uncle JT , - she heard JT clenched his teeth on "uncle" part, he was not fond of this name, - won the race fare and square.
Michael wiggled, his eyes darting accusations to JT's side:
- Not the race, that one I'd LET him to win – dad says I need to let him win from time to time so JT won't be upset about losing to five-year-old…
A loud exhale was graced with silence… Vincent was trying to hide his face while whispering to Michael the reasons he should NOT tell this part of their agreement in front of JT himself… and JT trying to burn holes in Vincent's head using his speckles as magnifying glasses.
Catherine tried distracting her man from path of war:
- OK, Michael, so what was it that JT cheated on?
- Mom, it was biology riddle! What is in our food chain that does not start with a photosynthesizer?
Catherine gulped and looked at Vincent – it was his area of expertise and she felt so dumb right now… Vincent took his turn to save situation:
- Water and minerals… What was the cheating about?
Michael screamed feeling betrayed:
- Not you too, dad! Not fair! Water is not in our FOOD chain! We DRINK it! It's not FOOD!
Adults looked between one another – the problem was at hand. Both biochem professor and genetic scientist were right here… technically… But Catherine had a higher power to rule them all – the mother power. After some thinking she announced her verdict:
- Michael's logic is impeccable! Your riddle was not formed properly to rule out all the foul answers. Thus he's answer is deemed correct and yours are wrong. Case dismissed!
Michael clapped and jumped on Catherine's lap earning himself peck on a cheek. Michaels shied away:
- Mom, c'mon! Don't get all sentimental on me! At least, not in front of the guys, - he added graciously fully aware of how his mother couldn't get her hands off him when he was anywhere near… These women!
Catherine pleaded:
- Maybe, one more kiss to the winner?
Michael turned his check to meet the kiss and then ran to JT demanding riddle revanche. Vincent murmured something like "and he gets a kiss"… which nobody would heard… nobody but Micheal.
- What was it dad? – boy turned around puzzled as to why dad was speaking so hushed knowing that only two of them could hear it… because he was definitely not talking to Michael – that stuff about "kiss he miss" had nothing to do with biology riddles…
- Oh, shoot! – Vincent hurried up to cover his mouth before more revelations inappropriate for a five-year-old escaped his lips. But it was so easy to forget that Michael has inherited all of his super senses, he was so… normal! Granted, Vincent was normal too now… at least, he seemed normal and could easily fake being normal through anything that "interested parties" may test on him… But he struggled to be able to do this… and Michael was natural! Natural in concealing his powers, natural in adapting, in understanding the secrecy… Michael was perfect!
- OK, big boy, how about you go take your bag and we will be off to my place to see if we can blow off that laboratory once again? – JT came to Vincent's rescue regally nodding to Catherine's silent "Thank you!"
Michael exclaimed battle cry and ran to his room. If there was anything they knew about him… then he would also sneak into Vincent's lab and steal few reagents to spice up the experiment – how do you think JT's lab got that explosion on a first place? Luckily after that event they'd organized Vincent's open lab cabinets to hold only the chemicals that could not harm Michael… basically there were all colored water and colored chuck now… but Michael was still a five-year-old… they had few month till he would catch up to their fraud.
JT asked assessing the papers spread around:
- Man, I see you have new bunch of students? Bright ones to that…
- Oh, bite me! Weren't you the one who was calling all seven riders of apocalypses on the heads of your last bunch? – Vincent snapped back.
- Calm down, boys! – Catherine interjected and changed a subject, - JT, when would Sarah come here? 'Cause Heather will come shortly and we may have to reschedule for earlier… I mean, I have no idea of what's going on in that pretty little head of hers!
- Nuh, that's fine! Sarah is already home, you can call her anytime! Anyway, what are your plans for tonight while we will be saving Earth… again!
JT's nerd excitement shielded him from Vincent's displeased grunt. Because no matter how much he liked their "boys night outs"… but not tonight! Really not tonight! He looked at Catherine, his eyes pleading her to get him out of this, to make him stay, to make THEM stay home ALONE!
Catherine smiled with understanding… and continued her game:
- Oh, you know, girls night out was Heather's idea… so I'm pretty sure it will at some point involve karaoke, manicure and massage…
Her gaze went all dreamy like if she'd really wanted any of it. In reality she had no idea how diversified lot of university professor, detective and event organizer fitted into this pampering routine… but there was no way of getting out of it once Heather was in charge. Her lil sis would stop at nothing to bring them together "to relax". As if she knew what kind of "relaxing" Catherine craved right now!
Damn you, Tess, and your convenient honeymoon! I bet you got married only to rain check on this date!
Catherine's inner accusation monologue was interrupted by Vincent's growl:
- Massage? As in actual living man is going to touch you?!
JT's eyebrows went up and realization dawned on him:
- Oh, so THIS is happening! OK, wait a minute! Just a minute!
He turned around and reached an exit door in few wide strides. Opening the door he shouted:
- Michael, whoever is first to the car chooses the experiment components!
Dark blurry shadow ran past astonished JT with muffled "bye-mom-dad-love-you" – Michael was in it to win it! JT mouthed "One hour. And we will be back" and closed a door behind him.
Vincent turned around to face Catherine, his eyes glowing with passion and jealousy:
- So, about that "massage"… How exactly do you plan to sneak out of the house considering I have no plans to let you go?
She could've kept playing… This teasing game that drove him mad, heated them both up… when simple touches quickly escalated to fire burning through their skin… when world was so colorful and sensual and danced around them…
But Catherine has fallen to his arms. She'd circled his neck bringing him close for a passionate hungry kiss…
- I think… I will walk out of the front door. But by the time I will have to go… I will be so relaxed… Heather wouldn't dare to bring me in for massage. And not that I'd let anybody touch me… after you'd mark my body with your heat and tongue and lips and teeth. Claim me, Vincent. Now.
He roared finally letting his insanity to break through civilized façade… It was no longer a game. They've only had an hour. An hour to burn.
The end
Things you think in a middle of the night, right? Like "I wonder how does Vincent's super smell and animal instincts in general will act when even normal man get to be a little overboard "beasty"?
Oh, never mind me! I'm weird! Proudly so =)
End author's note: person whose creative opinion I value pointed out to me that seeing Catherine and Vincent being married and with a kid is "a bit weird".
I'd like to make a point that I see no other endgame situation for them than to form a family - they both are very much family people and I wanted to explore that part of their couple =) I guess it's is hard to imagine them in "happily-ever-after" land now but it is my "one-more-damn-hiatus" coping mechanism - writing happy silly stories =)
P.S. In this story Catherine is 36 and Vincent is 42. Michael is named after Vincent's farther. There are no coincidences in my stories =)
