Time Will Tell
The Beast meets his match
By Thomas Mc
Chapter 4: Life And Love And Destiny
Catherine glanced at Charles and could see a hint of worry creeping into his expression as he contemplated what she had just said. She then looked at Vincent. He was looking back at her with a curious expression. She sighed and gathered her wits as her gaze swept the group that currently occupied Peter's living room. Well, the statement was out there, and now it required an explanation.
She sighed again. "OK . . ." She took another breath. "I know that this may sound a bit farfetched, but the truth is . . . Vincent is a true empath. He can directly sense the emotions of anyone in the same room as him. He really has very little choice in this. The only way for him to avoid this is by actively blocking that ability . . . and even then, there is often some leakage past the block." She glanced around gauging everyone's reaction. She noticed that Vincent was almost as surprised as everyone else. Before anyone else could speak, she jumped in to head off the first question that she was expecting. "Before you ask, No, Vincent cannot read minds. He can only sense your emotions. He could, for instance know that you were angry, but he would not know whether you were angry at him or angry at your boss from work or angry about the morning paper's headlines. All he would know is that you were angry about something." She smiled to herself. "The best part for me is that my Vincent knows when I need his comfort, whether because of a bad day at work or bad traffic coming home, and he is always there for me." She shrugged. "The rest of what his empathic ability might mean, you will have to discover for yourself."
There was a long stretch of silence as each person contemplated this newest revelation. Charles was looking at Vincent with an expression of uncertainty. Cathy had a look of deep contemplation with a hint of a blush as she gazed at Vincent. Vincent wore as look o f surprised recognition on his face as he looked first at Catherine then shifted his gaze to Cathy. Then his smile became almost shy.
Peter had a look of wide-eyed discovery as he looked at Vincent then glanced over at Charles. "That actually explains a lot." Peter remarked. "Ever since he was a young child, Vincent has always been very sensitive to the moods of those around him and always managed to be there when help or comfort was needed." He glanced at Vincent and smiled. "And he is always considerate of others' feelings."
Cathy was the next to speak, a bit hesitantly, as she looked directly at Vincent. "So, you know, exactly, how I'm feeling right now?" There was a hint of a blush staining her cheeks.
Vincent nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on her face. "Yes, I do." He remarked with a hint of shy wonder.
Cathy's blush turned a deeper crimson as she shyly looked away from Vincent. At the same moment Vincent also looked away. The look of shy wonder, however, persisted on both of their faces.
Everyone else in the room stared silently at Cathy and Vincent, unable to think of anything to say.
When Cathy regained her composure, she dragged her attention from Vincent trying to think of something to change the topic. Then she turned to Peter. "So, Peter, Just how did you cross paths with Vincent?"
Peter looked at her for a moment in surprise before he shifted gears and began speaking. "It all began when I was contacted by an old friend that I hadn't seen for several years . . . And frankly I thought he was dead. His name was Jacob Wells and he had disappeared shortly after his life was totally ruined by those jackals on the House Un-American Activities Committee. . ."
Charles looked over at Peter in surprise. "I remember hearing about that. Jacob Wells was a medical researcher that objected openly to the government testing the effects of radiation on American troops. His very public statements ruffled some very important feathers. The committee responded by labeling him a Commie Sympathizer and practically crucified him. They destroyed his life, and then he just disappeared. The wide spread belief at the time was that the committee was responsible for his disappearance. It was one of the major pieces that helped bring the whole Un-American Activities Committee crashing down around their ears. A friend of mine was Jacob's attorney back then." He glanced momentarily at Vincent then back at Peter. "But you say he was still alive a couple of years later."
"Yes, and he is still is alive today. I just talked to him very recently." Peter responded. "Anyway, back to how I first encountered Vincent." Peter went on to tell of how his long-lost friend had come to him for help with the sickly infant Vincent that had been found in the alley behind Saint Vincent Hospital. He described his surprise at his first sight of the infant and the first days spent fighting for the strange infant's life and the relief felt by everyone when it became apparent that the infant was going to survive. Peter then began telling them a little bit about Vincent's infancy and early childhood.
Meanwhile Cathy was surprised by the realization that the attraction that she had felt within less than a minute of meeting this incredible lion-man was continuing to grow steadily stronger. It wasn't rational but it was very real. As Peter came to a natural pause in his stories Cathy spoke up, trying to keep the subject going while she contemplated what was happening to her. "Vincent, why don't you tell us what it was like for you when you were growing up?"
After a moment's consideration Vincent began to tell his story, beginning when at five years old he first began to realize just how very different he was from the other children around him. He talked about being raised by Jacob Wells. He also talked a lot about his surrogate big brother Devin and the adventures they went on together. Some of those adventures drew laughter from Cathy and Charles. Occasionally, Catherine would jump in and add a few details that even Vincent was, as yet, unaware of. All the while Vincent's voice wove a magical spell as Cathy slipped from attraction to infatuation and finally to the beginnings of real love. For his part Vincent could easily sense the shifting emotions within this beautiful woman before him and was, most definitely, falling for her.
During all this Charles wrestled with his feelings about Vincent. The stories that produced laughter also made Vincent seem more human … less frightful. As the stories continued Charles became more accepting of the strange lion-man. But there were still things about him that bothered Charles. He had noticed the looks of growing attraction between Cathy and Vincent and despite the reason for this meeting, he was very unsure about the idea of Cathy and Vincent together. He was also aware that the connection between them was quickly taking on the aspect of a force of nature and he realized that it was already too late. The situation was already out of his hands and this made Charles more uneasy.
Charles glanced over at Catherine. She had been right when she had believed that the connection between the lion-man and his daughter was inevitable once they met. He felt a sense of chagrin as he thought, 'Who would know better, what would happen, than someone that had already been through it?'
Catherine was watching Cathy and Vincent with a self-satisfied grin on her face. So far, the relationship between Cathy and Vincent was developing faster and more smoothly than she had dared hope. She glanced over at Charles who was looking back at her. The worried look on his face bothered her. Catherine's father had never met Vincent, so she had no reference points to help her anticipate his reactions. She was flying blind here. A few minutes ago, she had seen his frown deepen as he realized what was happening between His daughter and Vincent. She looked back at Vincent and Cathy. Her input was not needed there. She again turned her attention back to Charles, taking in the uncertainty and worry that now clouded his face, as he was again watching his daughter. Maybe this was where her interference would be most useful.
She shifted over beside Charles and placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, startled by the unexpected contact. She cocked her head to the side, indicating that he should follow her. Charles glanced quickly back at Cathy and Vincent then stood up to follow his daughter's doppelganger. He was very curious about what she wanted.
As they moved away from the others, he considered how odd it was. He knew that she wasn't, really, his daughter but that was not how it felt. It felt like he had just found his daughter's long-lost identical twin. The kinship felt real to him.
Catherine led him through the parlor door into the dining room. She indicated that he should have a seat at the dining table. He glanced back worriedly at his daughter then a bit reluctantly took the seat that she had indicated. Once he sat down, he realized that he could still see his daughter and Vincent through the doorway.
Then Catherine began talking. "I can see by the expressions on your face how unsure you feel about all that." Catherine gestured through the door toward Cathy and Vincent. Her attention remained on the couple as she continued speaking. "I understand how Vincent must appear to someone that has never known him. He scared me half to death the first time I saw him, then I heard his voice and realized that he was the one that had been taking care of me for those ten days that I spent blinded by all the bandages wrapped around my face." Her gaze shifted back to Charles. "I realized that he was the one that I had already been falling in love with, and I took a, long, hard, second look at him. There is a lot more to him than fangs and claws and a shaggy mane."
"She's right about that." Remarked Peter as he stepped through the doorway. "He is also a scholar of classical literature and poetry, a major fan of Shakespeare, a beloved teacher among the children of his community, and a good friend to all who know him." His gaze shifted to rest on Catherine. "There has always been one problem for which we were unable to find a remedy. He was lonely. He was the only one of his kind. No one thought he would ever be able to have a love life or a family." He smiled at Catherine. "Then a beautiful stranger from another reality that was totally unafraid of him showed up and practically leaped into his arms. She talked about love, a marriage, and children. Suddenly there was hope . . . something we, who know Vincent, can never thank her enough for."
Catherine smiled back at Peter then ducked her head a bit. "Thank you, Peter, but, you know, my motives are not all together altruistic."
"We all know your motives." He grinned with a gleam of humor in his eyes. "But that does not diminish the wonderful impact you have had on Vincent . . . or the rest of us who care about him."
Catherine smiled her acknowledgement at Peter then continued looking off into space as she spoke. "Before I met Vincent, my life was without meaning or direction. I was just another rich society scion drifting along, living off my trust fund, with no goals or plans for my future." She looked directly at Charles. "I know how hard you tried to be there for me after mother died but you were just as lost in your own grief as I was in mine." She glanced wistfully through the doorway at Cathy and Vincent, already deep in their own world. "Then Vincent found me, dying in the park, and saved my life. From the moment I first heard his voice I felt safe and cared for. I knew that everything would turn out OK."
Catherine paused, glancing over at Cathy and Vincent in the other room, then smiled and turned her attention back to Peter and her father. "Vincent soon turned my life into one continuous, beautiful, magical, adventure. We married on the third anniversary of the day I was attacked because that was the day that I truly began to live again. The few difficulties his appearance caused have been nothing more than an occasional insignificantly minor annoyance at most. We have a son that is the image of Vincent and a daughter that looks more than anything like the way I remember mom. We named our son Jacob, after the man that raised Vincent. Our daughter is named Jennifer, after Vincent's mother. Soon we will be welcoming our third child into the family. I truly have lived a happy life since I met Vincent and it just keeps getting better." She seemed momentarily lost in her own world, and then she turned her attention back to Charles. "One of my greatest regrets in my life is that my father never got to meet Vincent and see how happy he made me." Her gaze moved from Charles to Peter and back then she gave a small shrug. "As much as I want to get back to my own life, I also want to give them . . ." She nodded toward the couple in the other room. ". . . the same gift that I have with my Vincent."
For several silent moments Charles stared at Catherine, mulling over what she had said. He had been aware for a while now about his daughter's lack of drive and direction. He suspected that it related back to her mother's death. That had just been confirmed by this other version of his daughter. The reason that Cathy currently worked at his firm was because it had been the path of least resistance. He kept hoping that something would come along to break her out of her general apathy.
For a short time, he had hoped that Tom Gunther would be the catalyst he was praying for, but Tom had been less that worthless as a boyfriend. Then that damn mugging attack had happened, and she had sunk even deeper into her apathy and the relationship with Gunther had inevitably fallen apart.
He was really beginning to fear that she would continue to go downhill. He glanced through the door at his daughter talking to the lion-man. He hadn't seen her face this animated since before her mother died. She was, actually, displaying a genuine smile that reached all the way to her eyes. He looked back at Peter and Catherine. "Okay, I'll do my best to keep an open mind about him . . ." He shook his head ruefully then sighed. ". . . and hope my brain doesn't fall out."
Suddenly Peter came out of his reverie with a start. "Wait, you said something about Vincent's mother." He shook his head. "We've never known who his mother was. All we know is that he was abandoned in the alley behind Saint Vincent Hospital." He stared at Catherine for an explanation.
Catherine ducked her head. "Ooops . . . I probably shouldn't have mentioned that." She shook her head and sighed. "If that part of things happened the same here as in my world, then a couple of years from now, my friend Jenny will know about Vincent. She will come across some pages torn from a diary. It is a first-hand account of how Vincent came to be born in that alley. She was on the run from some very bad people and she thought her baby died seconds after he was born. We were able to track her down and convince her to move back to New York. She lived with us for a short time and her room is always there whenever she wants to use it. The point is that she is alive and a part of our lives."
~ o ~
Cathy noticed the exit of her father and Catherine a few minutes ago and she glanced over at Peter's dining room where she saw her father, and her other self, sitting at the table, deep in conversation. No doubt they were discussing Vincent. And now Peter was heading in the same direction. Cathy returned her attention to Vincent and that incredible voice of his. Just listening to his voice made her feel warm and safe inside. Most importantly, for the first time in a very long time, she felt alive and excited about what was happening.
The subject had shifted to the confusion that Catherine's first appearance had created in Vincent's community. His description of his feelings and reactions to Catherine's first appearance was both moving and humorous. She couldn't help but smile at his words. "It's so strange." His expression became contemplative as he stared into the distance. "I immediately felt such a strong unexplainable attraction to this beautiful stranger that literally leapt into my arms the moment she saw me . . ." His expression shifted to a soft warm smile as he looked directly into Cathy's eyes. ". . . But that all seems to pale next to the powerful attraction that I felt the moment I saw you for the first time. I don't know how you father will feel about it, but I find myself desperately hoping that everything your double says about us is true."
As Vincent spoke of his hope, Cathy became aware of the strength of the growing 'love' that she was developing for him. It was already stronger than anything she had ever felt before. It was ridiculous, impossible, yet there it was. She could not deny her feelings. She was most definitely falling for him.
~ o ~
Charles glanced over at Vincent and Cathy, and then returned his attention back to Catherine. "You and Peter have given me a lot to think about, but, for now, I think we should rejoin Cathy and . . . Vincent." For the first time since seeing him, Charles had managed to think of him as 'Vincent' rather than 'the lion-man'. He supposed that it was progress of sorts but he was reluctant to leave Cathy alone with him for too long.
Catherine would have preferred to give Cathy and Vincent a little bit more time, but she could see that Charles was not yet totally sold on her ideas. "I suppose you're right." She admitted regretfully. Then her stomach growled as she and Charles stood up, and she gave an embarrassed shrug. "Besides, It's about dinner time and I'm getting hungry."
Peter nodded. "It is getting late. Maybe we can have something delivered."
Catherine smiled. "My Vincent has developed quite a fondness for supreme pizza with extra cheese and mushrooms."
Charles and Peter both looked at her with raised eyebrows. She shrugged, smiling back at them.
~ o ~
Charles looked around the table at the meager remains of three pizzas. It had been so strange seeing something as outlandish looking as Vincent enjoying something as mundane as pizza. The incongruent sight had emphasized Vincent's other-worldliness while at the same time it made Vincent seem, oddly, more human.
Charles glanced at his watch. "It's getting late." He stood up and looked pointedly at Cathy, who was currently looking at Vincent, then continued. "We really should be going."
Everyone else stood up. Cathy dragged her attention away from Vincent and looked over at Catherine. "Do you have a place to stay?"
Catherine nodded. "The people of Vincent's community have arranged to take me in for a while." She smiled conspiratorially at Cathy. "Hopefully I'll be gone before I can wear out my welcome." After a pause she stepped forward and hugged Charles tightly the released him. There was a hint of extra moisture in her eyes. "It was wonderful seeing you again." She cleared her throat. "You take care of yourself . . . OK?" She released him and quickly backed away and turned her attention to Cathy. "You make sure he gets that problem in his head taken care of."
Cathy looked at Catherine with concern. "You sound like you are going away."
Catherine replied. "I have no idea if or when I will be returned to my own world. I've introduced you and Vincent to each other so . . ." She ended with a shrug.
Peter escorted Charles and Cathy to the front door then returned to see Vincent and Catherine looking quietly at each other. His first comments were addressed mostly to Catherine. "Well, that went better than I expected, though I can tell that Charles still has his doubts but in time I think he will come around." His focus shifted to Vincent. "I would definitely say that you and Cathy sure hit it off this evening."
Vincent smiled. "She is the most fascinating person I have ever met." He glanced over at Catherine. "With the possible exception of you."
Catherine chuckled. "I would say that you found her much more interesting than me. Which is the way it should be." Her voice softened as she continued speaking mostly to herself. "I just hope it's enough to get me back home."
After a few words of goodbye, Vincent escorted Catherine below and dropped her off at the chamber that they had set aside for her. With a shock Catherine recognized the chamber.
Vincent sensed her sudden bout of melancholy and paused at the chamber entrance. He frowned at her. "Why are you so somber?" He inquired.
Catherine looked up at him and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry, you all have been so kind, and I don't want to burden you with my foolish problems."
Vincent stepped back into the room. "You will never be a burden to any of us. Tell me what is bothering you." Catherine hesitated and Vincent stepped closer. "Please, if there is anything that I can do, just tell me."
After another long pause Catherine responded. "It's not really anything you can do." She took a deep breath to steady herself. "When my father died I felt so lost. Without really thinking about it, I ran to the tunnels . . . I ran to you. This is the chamber that you put me in for those few days it took me to pull myself back together."
Vincent took her hand. "I will find you another chamber."
Catherine shook her head. "No this is fine." She squeezed his hand. "I really miss my family and this chamber has a feeling of familiarity to me." She released his hand. "I will be fine." He hesitated, radiating uncertainty. "Really, I will be just fine." She assured him. "And unless you want to stand there watching me sleep, you should be going." She grinned at him, daring him to respond.
He blushed then sensed the mixture of amusement and mischief that she was giving off. He smiled and exited.
~ o ~
Catherine woke up with a vague feeling of familiarity. Then she recognized the chamber. She searched her feelings for Vincent and her heart sank. "Still here." She grumbled sadly to herself.
She groaned and pulled the covers over her head, but sleep would not return. Finally, in disappointed resignation, she threw off the covers and dragged herself out of bed. A half hour later she walked into the community dining hall. She spotted Vincent sitting off by himself and looking a bit pensive.
Catherine grabbed some breakfast and went over to join Vincent. "Morning Vincent, why such a serious look?"
Vincent looked up at Catherine. "I'm not sure. I've never experienced anything like this before." He glanced around. "I've always been able to feel the emotions of others in the same room as me and occasionally in the chambers next to me . . . but that was the limit." He looked upward and developed a blank long-distance stare. "But I can still sense her, even though she is somewhere outside of the park." He pointed in the direction that he was staring. ". . . in that direction."
Catherine chuckled. "That is the bond."
His gaze shifted to her. "What is that?"
"It's like a permanent link between you and her. From now on you will always know where she is and how she is feeling, even if she is on the other side of the city or the other side of the world. We call it The Bond." Her eyes became dreamy and unfocused for a moment. "Once you get used to it, it will tend to fade into the background, like a radio turned down till you can barely hear it. However, any time one of you is thinking about the other, the emotions will come in loud and clear again. Also, extremely strong emotions also come in very . . . loud . . ." She shrugged.
Vincent became very still as he thought about Cathy and suddenly her emotions were coming through crystal clear and he could tell exactly which direction and how far away she was. The next instant his face turned bright red where his fur was thinnest. He quickly threw up the mental wall that he had developed as a child when all the emotions around him became too much to handle. He looked at her grinning face. "How do you stand it?"
Her grin got wider. "I love the fact that he is always aware of me." She paused a moment to savor the thought then continued. "Over time, the bond became two-way. It tied our souls together. Now, I am always aware of how he feels and he is always aware of how I feel . . ." She stopped speaking and her expression fell as her head drooped. Her next words were very soft and carried great sorrow. "At least it used to be that way. Now I'm stuck here in this strange world and there is a hole in my soul where I used to carry my little piece of him." She went quiet as a tear slid down her cheek.
At that moment the pipes announced that Cathy had been spotted wondering in the upper tunnels. Catherine looked up at Vincent with a watery half smile. "You had better go to her before she becomes hopelessly lost." She stood up. "I'll see you later." She turned and made her way back to her chamber. She had lost her appetite anyway.
~ o ~
Shortly after Catherine had returned to her chamber, Mary showed up carrying a tray of food. Catherine wiped the tears from her eyes. "Mary? . . ."
"I noticed that you forgot to take your breakfast with you when you left." Mary remarked while apparently ignoring Catherine's tears. "So, I thought I would bring it to you." She set the battered tray on the low table beside the bed. Then she sat on the bed beside Catherine and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Is there anything that I can do for you?"
Catherine shook her head. "No . . . not really." Then she paused as the memory of a dream drifted back to her awareness. In it she had warned Vincent about the reappearance of Paracelsus. She looked up at Mary. "On second thought, I wonder if you could bring me a stack of blank paper and a pen." Although she didn't think there was any way that they could help her with her problem, maybe there was something that she could do for them. "I would really appreciate it."
"Sure dear." Mary responded. "I think I can do that." She stood up and, after one last touch on Catherine's shoulder, left the chamber.
~ o ~
Several hours later Catherine had a couple of dozen folded and sealed pieces of paper in her hand. Most of them had a reference to a name or a place or an event. A few of them were also addressed to a specific person. She entered Father's study and found him at his desk. She called his name softly as she approached him.
Jacob looked up at her. "Is there something I can do for you my dear?"
She handed him the stack of sealed papers as she responded. "I don't know how closely events will mirror what happened in my world, but I thought these might help everyone avoid some unpleasant and occasionally dangerous problems." She pointed to the name on the top paper. If whatever is written on the outside comes to your attention, open and read what happened in my world."
Jacob looked up at her. "Predictions of the future?"
Catherine shook her head. "More like helpful information if certain events happen like they did in my world." She shrugged. "Just in case I somehow make it back to my own world."
Continued in Part 5
( 190228 )
Disclaimer: The 1988 TV show 'Beauty and the Beast' and its characters are owned by Witt-Thomas Productions and Republic Pictures. No infringement on copyrights is intended. This story is presented merely for the enjoyment of fans. Original concepts and story elements may be used by other authors as long as appropriate credit is given.