People don't cry because they are weak.

It's because they've been strong for too long.

Jonny Depp


The situation felt… tense. And weird. And it was getting harder to breath…


First, Alex came back. Well, technically he came back and not just now but long time ago. But Alex had found him. She recognized him. Eleven years later she'd still remembered him. She saw him…


He felt guilty.

For running out on her when his world came crushing down with those towers and his brothers in those ruins. For not going to her for comfort and consolation… even though he knew he should go. For going into "making world a better place" mission while understanding that he'd probably destroy her world with his actions.

They had plans. They had future. They were about to have a life together.

He took it all from her. And it was taken away from him too. He saw some sort of twisted life justice in it… in the beginning. Before he met Catherine. Before he wanted his life back.


And his life came back indeed. In a form of Alex. And he took it.


It was so easy - to fall down to their old pattern. It's like those years between them never happened. Because it was all still there - the spark of passion, great laughter, old dating spots… He felt so young, so real, so… free.

Yes, he still remembered the looming threat of his nemesis. It was there between them when they touched each other, when they glanced at each other… But he gave her some sort of explanation and she believed him… or acted as if she'd believed him. Because she probably wanted it to be truth as much as he did. They both wanted it to be… normal again.

She was warm. And he knew her. They have had history together… But then again… there was Catherine.


She went blank on him. As if nothing ever happened. Or nothing was about to happened.

Catherine has left the hospital quietly… and made her best effort to leave his life as smoothly as possible too.

At first it was easier this way. He knew it was a weak way to deal with it but he took this option nonetheless. It was his much needed rest from being genetic freak, his usual half-beast self… and being just Vincent.

Because with Catherine… she understood him, she never blamed him for it… but she knew. She knew his inner demons and saw him for what he really was. And sometimes he really hated it. Hated that she felt sorry for his broken life, that she justified things he could not forgive himself…

Because he wanted her to see him only for Vincent. Not for the Vincent and the beast.

Alex only knew Vincent. She loved Vincent. She was never afraid of him. She only thought best of him. And he needed it. He craved for warmth and normality of their human relations.


He caved.


And it worked for a while. For a little short while.

Before Muirfield came hunting him down again… and Catherine interfered to help. She came to their getaway cabin to tell him to get out… no cell reception, really far away from civilization… she had to come in person to deliver the warning.

He fled. But first he'd heard her.


One thing is to hear her voice during her casual "too busy", "sorry, will come some other time", "switched shifts to help a friend", "tough case" - her voice wavered, and he knew none of it was truth… but he knew why she'd done it.

She spoke to JT more than she spoke to him. Something about that Evan guy closing up on Vincent's DNA case. She even met JT few times… in campus. She never came to the warehouse anymore.

And now he knew why. She was in pain. Because of him. Because now he has heard her.

She came to the cabin, she spoke in a serious and composed tone, she gave instructions, she made them switch cars… and her heartbeat was hushed… skipping a bit now and then… her voice was uneven… hissed…

Catherine was in pain. Because of him… and Alex.


He escaped this time.

He explained some things to Alex. Not all of it but enough for her to realize the immediate danger.

And Alex said "We will fix you". Fix him. Because he was broken. And he knew that… but there was more.

Those little slips of character… New features he'd developed over the past eleven years… Stories that was precious to him but felt flat when he'd told them to her.

She thought that she can fix all of it just by fixing him. As if it will bring back the old Vincent, the one who was carefree and fun and joyful… the guy he has long forgotten about…

Not only because of the beast. But because he grew up too. And met Catherine. All of this combined made him into man that was no longer Alex's Vincent. And it wasn't something she could "fix".


That meant the end of them. This time - for good. This time he didn't run. This time he spoke to her…

He left feeling empty… and relieved. Because at some level he felt that Alex needed this closure too. Because she knew that some things they would not be able to fix anymore. And now she could go on living her life not missing him but remembering him.


Now there was only one person he needed to speak with. Catherine.