Sorry about the delay in updating this fic! I'm at a new job and working on three of these at the same time. Thank you to those who have enjoyed it so far! Please R & R.
Take The Long Way Home - Chapter 3
Vincent and Catherine lay in bed later that same night. All was hushed and no sounds came from the children's chamber. The clock on the bedside table read 11:30 pm. It was late and Vincent was slated to teach an elder children's class in the morning and then go help extend another tunnel.
"What do you think of Devin's children?" Catherine asked her husband.
"I think they are beautiful little girls. What' on your mind, Catherine? I can sense it. Your curiosity is overwhelming."
"I'm just wondering about Devin's wife. I hope she's ok and can cope being alone and not hurt herself. You know, without letting depression get the best of her. I wonder at Devin leaving her alone like that. I don't think it was the wisest choice. Maybe he was just tired of the routine. He did say that the girls were not being properly cared for."
Yes well was all that Vincent had to say then he fell asleep leaving his wife contemplating how she could help Devin and his children return to his wife. Devin was obviously crying for help because he always returned home when he needed something like when he returned home with Charles in tow or the first time that Devin had come home because he had felt he had run away without knowing who he was. His children needed him and his mother. Catherine felt she may be able to help. She fell asleep forming a plan in her mind.
The next day found Catherine teaching a new basic law class for some of the young adults who were ready to transfer to the world above. Devin sat in on the class because he knew Catherine wanted to speak to him and he in turn wanted to speak with her.
Before he entered Catherine's class he accompanied Vincent to the extension work being done. He even helped. Devin had a slew of questions himself as to how Vincent finally agreed for Catherine to live Below and how they came to be married. Devin always knew Father was severely against Vincent having any kind of normal life because Father did not think it could happen for Vincent. Devin thought otherwise and always thought otherwise.
At the break in the action Vincent and Devin sat on a bench to have a drink.
"Vincent, how did you ever convince Father to let Catherine stay Below and get married? I thought you and she would never be together."
"If you have the time, it's a long story," Vincent warned.
"I'm not going anywhere. I saw the girls off to their classes. They couldn't believe they still had to go to school," Devin said chuckling a little. "Mary was good enough to guide them to the appropriate classes. Before we get to your story, what's the deal with her and Father?"
"That's another tale for sure. About three years ago Father went Above and lived with an old love he had from Ireland. She had been a photographer and very sophisticated unlike Mary, of course. So, eventually, Father felt too compelled to return here and he and his Irish love broke up. Mary, who had not taken Father's departure well at all was happy to have him return. She decided to tell Father of her feelings when returned. Mary ready to back Above; however, Mary had been part of a protest march when she was younger and she fled from the violence down here. Anyway Father realized he could not do without her and they married."
"Oh, that explains Mary creeping out of Father's chamber in the middle of the night," Devin laughingly said.
Vincent laughed as well. "Now I suppose you want me to speak about Catherine and me. It's a bit more graphic and violent then Father's."
"Hey, no fear I've seen it all."
"About 10 years ago, I had a complete breakdown with my psyche. I finally was able to reconcile the primal part of me with the human, conscious part of me."
Devin nodded for Vincent to go on even though it seemed that Vincent could not explain it all or he did not want to.
"Catherine saved me. I was a roaring lunatic. Catherine came into that cave where I thought I would just die and she saved me. She gave me physical human love."
"You mean you finally had sex?" Devin asked indelicately.
Vincent smirked and said "Shh..Devin. Yes. That's correct. We made love. Then Catherine went missing. She was gone for six months. I finally found her after she'd given birth to our firstborn, Jacob. She was being held captive herself until the baby was born by a horrid man named Gabriel. She was near death when I found her because the plan was to kill her so Gabriel could have our son because he knew his specialness and how unique Jacob's father was. While Catherine recovered here for three months, I finally found Jacob and brought him home."
"Did you have outside help?" Devin asked. "You must have had help. You could not have done all that research yourself."
"No we had the help of the DA's office; however, we found that the DA himself was part of the problem," Vincent continued.
"John Moreno? The John Moreno?" Devin inquired with highly raised eyebrows. He could not believe the duplicitousness of John Moreno his brief one-time boss.
Anyhow, three months after Catherine had given birth, I had some help with a good woman detective named Diana Bennett and, of course, Catherine's good friend Joe Maxwell who became DA. They both became Helpers and we were able to find Jacob. Diana killed Gabriel and I took Jacob from him and brought him home to Catherine. You see, Jacob was not well and needed his family. Once he was home with us Catherine nursed him back to health. By the time we decided to get married, Catherine was already pregnant with Jonathan."
"You glossed over many of the details, you know. I'm sure it's still too painful to talk about even after nine years."
"You'll have to pump my wife for details if you so desire. I know she is burning with questions for you."
Devin then laughed and said, "I guess old habits die hard. She'll be an investigator until the end."
So with that Devin departed and looked for Catherine winding up sitting in the back of the cave waiting for her class to end.
"Class dismissed," Catherine said rubbing her protruding belly unthinkingly. "Devin, I'm so glad you're here so I don't have to chase you down. I wanted to talk to you about Angela."
"Well, Vincent warned me you were burning with questions, Chandler. I can still call you that, right?"
"Sure it's still part of my name. I do use my married name when I go Above."
"So, if I asked your name Above, you would say 'Catherine Wells'?"
"Yes."
"Girl, you got guts."
"It's not guts, Devin. I'm married and I take it very seriously."
"Did Mary take Father's name when they got married?"
Catherine looked at him curiously. "How do you know about them?"
"Let's just say I came upon an almost embarrassing scene last night only to find out from Vincent that it is perfectly legal now."
Catherine rolled her eyes. She took Devin's arm for support and they walked to the kitchen chambers for a snack. They both said hello to William and he made sure he gave Catherine a glass of milk and a banana for her and the babies' healths.
"Wow, I can't believe the changes around here in 10 years. You and Vincent, I always knew you loved one another but I never thought Father would relent and let you live here. Do you still go Above once in a while?"
"Sure do. However, my closest friends like Jenny and Joe are Helpers now and know I Iive here."
"Vincent told me your story of being kidnapped and giving birth while in captivity and then being left to die not knowing where they took your baby. It must have been brutal for you to live through that."
"Yes, it was horrible. But it made me stronger and it helped build our relationship stronger where we learned to really, really count on each other."
Catherine took a sip of her milk and said, "Enough about me. What about you? Where's your home?"
"We live in the Pocono Mountains. Once Charles was better, I got married and returned to the mountains because Angela and I are both cold weather people. Angela is a wonderful woman when she is not depressed.
"Do you love her very much?" Catherine asked.
"Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"
"I know this may be none of my business, but if you love her so much,why did you leave her and take her children? I realize she wasn't living up to her maternal duties,but that is not the time to bail on her."
"I know, Catherine. I felt really bad after I left with the girls, but I was hoping she would call or want to contact me."
"I have an idea, Devin. I still have about a month before the babies arrive, and Vincent can care for our children. Why don't I go back home with you with or without the girls and maybe I can talk to Angela?" Catherine suggested hoping that Devin would not think it too nosy of her.
"Why? Did you ever miscarry or suffer a trauma where you could not function?"
Catherine stared at him firmly. "Well, if Vincent has already told you what happened to me you wouldn't be asking that question."
"He told me that it was your tale to tell. He glossed over any details."
"Let's just say it took me a long time before I was able to accept kindness from people and to look at my child again without remembering captivity and coldness and the people whom I had seen in nightmares"!
Devin placed his hand on her arm and he stated he was sorry and how terrible it must have been.
"Ok, how do we get up there?" Devin asked.
"I do still have a car, you know. It's at Joe's house. I'll call him from Mr. Wong's. I have to go up there and pick up Vincent's favorite tea anyway."
"Vincent has a favorite tea now?"
Catherine chuckled. "Ever since he went through his personality clash he changed a tiny bit. He was not afraid to say he loved me or show me or stand tall when there was something he did not want to do. He found his voice for himself." Catherine was proud to say.
"Well, he has changed more than I thought he had. I am glad to know this. Thank you for telling me. When do you want to see my wife?"
"Tomorrow too soon?"
"Vincent is going to let you go without him that easily?"
"Vincent doesn't know what I have planned yet. He also knows I don't always do what I am told. Besides he trusts you. He'll know I'm in good hands."
The next day they set off in Catherine's 1990 Ford Taurus. She put on her Above maternity clothes and a comfortable pair of shoes. Devin was dressed in his usual jeans and turtleneck sweater. He had quite a time with his daughters when he told them he was leaving to see how their mother fared.
"Daddy, why can't you take us?" Heather Marie asked. "Why does Aunt Catherine get to go and we don't?"
"Because Aunt Catherine thinks she can help mommy and maybe we can bring mommy here so she can meet Grandpa, Uncle Vincent, and your cousins. I hope that happens."
"Well can we stay here? Can we stay here permanently?" Miranda asked.
"Maybe, I don't know," Devin answered truthfully. "Sometimes it's not as easy you think to live here. There are rules for the Tunnel people as well those who live Above, so we would have to see. Maybe." Devin threw up his hands until he finally spotted his eldest daughter, Angelica looking on as he said his goodbyes.
"What is your objection to my leaving Angelica Wells?" Devin asked.
"No objection. I just hope that you can bring mom here and we can live here permanently."
Devin smiled and said, "Ok, group hug!"
All three girls put their arms around each other as best they could. Then Devin kissed each one more time and told them to be good for their Uncle Vincent.
They left early Wednesday morning and arrived at Devin's house in the Poconos around 4:00 pm. They had taken their time and Devin had not received a phone call back. He assumed Angela would have answered the phone being alone in the house. After the third time calling and no one picked up, Devin became concerned.
"She knows we're coming although she didn't say anything to me earlier in the day. I could only hear her breathing. Now I am really worried." Devin then sighed heavily. "Well, we don't have far to go. We only have an hour left."
When they arrived that Wednesday night (for the sun had set already), Devin used his key to open the door to his cabin-like home. Devin turned on the light and called to his wife. He turned to look at Catherine when he received no answer from Angela.
They both hurried into the bedroom where Angela lay in the bed very still.
"Angie?" Devin called once and turned her over and kissed her forehead and shook her a little bit to emit some type of response.
"Angie, we're here. I'm home. Wake up, sweetheart."
Catherine took Angie's wrist and felt she was cold to the touch.
Devin then put his ear to her heart and detected a heartbeat but it was faint and very slow as if she were in a coma. Catherine had managed to squeeze her wide pregnant girth between the bed and Angie's nightstand. She saw a prescription bottle with only two pills in it and it was tipped over.
"Devin, are these the pills she took?"
"Probably, She would never let me see them."
Catherine thought she would try a hand at reviving her.
"Angela, I'm your sister-in-law, Catherine. I am very pleased to meet you. Come on, wake up, honey, I would love to get to know you." Catherine kept talking while Devin contacted Angela's psychiatrist friend who had prescribed the pills.
"Yes, Greg, I think she has been taking more than what you prescribed. She hasn't made it out of bed in three weeks. She's breathing but she won't wake up. I have my sister-in-law here to help."
"No, she's not a nurse, but she's a lawyer!" Devin hung up the phone soundly.
"Greg has called an ambulance for her. It is possible she's been overdosing the last three weeks.
"Why did you tell him I was a lawyer?"
"Well, aren't you?"
"Yes, in New York. I haven't taken the bar for PA."
"Well, he doesn't know that," Devin said.
"Ok, Gotcha!" Catherine responded.
Once the ambulance arrived. the paramedics put Angela on oxygen which seemed to help rouse her. She looked wildly around and being a nurse knew exactly what they were doing to her. She pulled at the oxygen mask and Devin helped to take it off.
"What are you doing here? Where am I going?"
"You've been sleeping for over three days. You were almost gone," Devin said.
"Yes, that's what I wanted," Angela started to cry.
It was an unusual ride to the hospital. The same hospital where she worked. So it was a horrible surprise when the paramedics carried in one of their own. Devin followed holding her hand. Catherine arrived a short time later. They almost mistook Catherine for the patient with her large pregnancy bump. The emergency staff hustled to make Angela comfortable and peaceful. They were able to find her a private room immediately and that's when Devin explained to her about everything and who Catherine was.
"Angela, I am so pleased to meet you. I have known Devin a long time now and I think you were probably the best thing that ever happened to him. I met your daughters and they are lovely and wonderful children. My kids are already attached to them. I am hoping you can come and visit when you're out of the hospital."
Angela just turned over and stared at the IV dripping into her arm.