(CPOV)

When I began to wake up I remained silent and still. Trying to prolong and enjoy the feel of Vincent so close to me. I'd fallen asleep so quickly I hadn't really had the presence of mind to appreciate how I felt.

I felt cocooned. I felt safe. I felt cherished. It had been a while since I'd allowed another person into my bed –even if this was my hospital bed- but I'd forgotten how great it felt just to be held.

My mind kicks me; reminds me that if it wasn't Vincent I was wrapped up in it probably wouldn't feel as good. Almost as if to prove the point my mind went back to the kiss with Evan. A kiss that felt good in the moment, but so wrong in retrospect. Sure I'd flirted with Evan. I'd have even contemplated Evan as a potential boyfriend before I had meet Vincent.

My musings are circumvented when I feel Vincent lower his head and run his lips gently across the top of my head. Back and forth it almost felt like he was testing the texture of my hair.

I hear him inhale deeply before he whispers "Morning".

I'd thought I was doing a descent job of hiding the fact that I was awake… It was probably really dumb to think I could hide from Vincent.

"No. Shhh still sleeping." I mumble and do the best I can to snuggle deeper into Vincent's warmth. I feel him sigh and tighten his hold on me momentarily before beginning to pull away.

Without thinking I reach for him with my bad arm and feel a sharp sting in my shoulder. The pain running through my arm causes me to shut my eyes and moan lowly. Instantly upon hearing my moan Vincent is restraining my arm.

With my eyes still squeezed tightly I feel him run his hand gently over my upper arm and shoulder assessing if I did any further damage. I open my eyes and his face is millimeters from mine. His eyes are flicking from my face to my arm and back repeatedly.

"Catherine." He rebukes me. For a second I can imagine what he must have been like as a doctor, commanding but compassionate.

Now that he's no longer trapping my good arm I take a hold of his shirt and pull. My intentions were to bring his lips to mine. To feel them on mine if only for a split second, but he must have anticipated this because pull as I might he doesn't budge. In fact he eased away from me.

"It's 6. The nurses should be coming to take your vitals any second. I've already been caught here once …"

I understand what he's saying and that he has to leave. I understand what I did last night exposing him to my sister. I know what the risks are to any further exposure. I don't want to hurt him.

"I know it's been forever but usually if I share a bed with a guy, I at least get a kiss good morning – a kiss goodbye?" This is as dirty a ploy as all my others in the last 6 hours, but the part of my brain that filters what comes out of my mouth must have been damaged in the accident. I don't have any other excuse.

He stares at me. I can't comprehend what his face is trying to convey, but he isn't leaning in to kiss me. I can't read his eye's like I normally can and this makes the silence stretching between us deafening. I am trying to understand the look he is giving me, but suddenly I feel this wave of rejection crash against me stopping me from doing any thinking.

VPOV)

My brain is having a hard time processing the range of emotions flitting through me at the moment.

I'm ecstatic to know that she wants a kiss from me. I'm ecstatic to know it's been a while since anyone has shared her bed. I'm terrified that if I kiss her I'll black out. I'm terrified that if I kiss her I won't want to stop.

So basically I'm terrified/ecstatic I'll –how did she put it – swan dive so far off the cliff …?

I lean down and place my lips on both her checks, both her eye lids the center of her forehead and finally the top of her head. All my kisses are ghosts of a caress. The pressure so light that only the tears' welling in her eyes assures me she felt them.

I put my hand on her check and let my thumb wander over her bottom lip. "If I truly do lose control just thinking of you, or being near you I don't want to test fate. We've been lucky I made it through these last few hours."

She looks like she wants to argue, but this is one thing I won't cave on. "Please, Catherine. One thing we are certain of is when my heart rate increases I lose control. My heart has already pushed super soldier speeds tonight … I've managed to stay in control!"

She nods, but looks so dejected I can't help myself. "It's not a no- never Catherine. It's a no- not now, not like this, not with all these risks."

I see her nod and mouth I know, but I never hear the words. I try one last time to erase the rejection I recognize on her face. I'm terrified of admitting how deep my affection for her runs but she has placed herself out there asking for a kiss. I can't leave her out there by her self.

"Besides, I've thought about kissing you for a long time. Probably longer then I'd like to admit. Some days my dreams of you were the only good parts. And in all those dreams I was able to take you in my arms. I can't do that here and now. Please Catherine – I don't have much to look forward to in my life."

She smiles softly in response. I take that to mean I won't get anymore arguments and disappear quickly.

(CPOV)

I blink and he is gone but despite his exit I'm content. I'd had doubts, nagging suspicions that I was alone in my feelings - in my hopes for something more then friendship with Vincent.

I'd always assumed that his fear of the beast had killed any thoughts of physical interaction. Sure he had danced around the fact that he had more than 'friendly' feelings for me. He worried about his worthiness, my ability to live a life outside of the warehouse, he was even jealous of Evan.

Still I'd always had doubts because I was always the one to touch him. He had always been so utilitarian with any contact he initiated. Unless a subway train was barreling down on me or he was pulling me into the shadows to discuss a case he didn't touch me. Unlike me – who touched him to comfort him, or me, or both of us. He had stopped shying away from my touch a while back, but before tonight he'd never been so liberal with his own.

I closed my eyes and started to drift back to sleep. There was a lot left to worry about. Between the black out's, Heather's exposure to Vincent, and the ever present Murfield I should –like JT- be developing an ulcer. But instead I decided to hold on to the warmth Vincent's actions and words had brought me.

I committed to leaving the stress and the worrying for later - when Heather came back and drifted off into a pleasant slumber.

(V POV)

I lay in my bed listening to JT get ready for work. I know I should be terrified. Heather saw me last night. I gave her my name. She suspected I had a relationship with Catherine. Well, of course she did she caught me sitting at her bed side gripping her hand and crying for Pete's sake. I just couldn't work up the anxiety or fear I knew should be gripping me.

This is why I'm not in the cage like I should be I tell myself. This is why I'm avoiding talking to JT. I need to work up the right emotions. If I go to JT with the smile I know I'm wearing and tell him I've put us in more danger he will traq my ass again and being in that cage won't be my choice anymore.

"Vincent!"

I debate briefly pretending not to hear him, but quickly dismiss that idea. He'd never buy it, and he's too good a friend to lie to so blatantly.

I get up and make my way down the stairs. I can tell by the look on JT's face as I reach the bottom that as hard as I tried I failed at wiping the smile off of my face.

I walk toward the cage without saying a word to JT. I start chaining myself in, but keep my mouth shut. I know he's dying to know what's been going on the last 9 hours. I'll tell him when he gets home, but for now I just want to keep this to myself. Savor the happiness while I can.