Words Unspoken

By Schroederplayspiano

Chapter 7: If A Great Wave Shall Fall…

"Vincent," Cat demanded his attention after being ignored twice. "Look at me."

Look at her? How could he possibly look at her now, after ruining what was supposed to be the best moment of his life?

"Look at me." Cat demanded again, gluing her palm to his cheek in a way that even he couldn't brush it aside.

Once she touched him – in his half beast state, he had no choice but to meet her demands. When he did, Vincent's own facial features started to return. He hated her power over him, even when it was beneficial.

Cat smiled when Vincent returned. Her thumb caressed his skin, waiting for him to return her smile. When he didn't, she resorted to words. "It's okay, Vincent." Still, she didn't receive a response. Whatever hopes had arisen upon witnessing his smooth transformation were dashed when he broke contact with her.

No words were needed between them. Cat forgot about her disappointed hopes and lost herself in concern for him. She knew all his embarrassments and regrets without him speaking a word.

Before long, she soon felt his desire to leave to recover by himself. "I should probably head to work," she whispered for him.

Vincent stood when she did and headed towards the window, the opposite direction from where she was busy gathering her belongings for the day. Touching the window, he remembered the one specific reason he came to her before she went to work. "I meant to tell you," He turned back to her. "JT's working with Evan today, so if you see him don't be alarmed."

"Oh," Cat exclaimed, shocked. "Wow. I didn't know they had already started."

"Yeah. JT found him a couple of days ago and cornered him in the coffee shop again."

"Why didn't you tell me that?" She whispered.

"I didn't want you to worry any more than you do." His words, his soft tone, propelled them to stare at each other from across her room. Not able to torture himself anymore, Vincent leaned down into the window.

"Hey," Cat called him back. She saw a mixture of impatience and longing. "I promised you we would figure this out and we will. You're - we're - worth every risk for me."

Her confession stopped his plan to leave. Vincent wished he could repeat her words back to her, but found he couldn't. His head filling with so many contradicting thoughts that it prevented him from uttering a word.

Vincent tore himself out of their looks of longing and climbed out of her window. Once apart, Cat and Vincent both leaned against a wall for support, forgetting everything else but the overwhelming feeling of their lips touching.


"Cat!" Tess' yell disturbed the entire precinct. "You're back!"

When Cat came close enough, Tess reached out and wrapped her arms around her friend. "You saw me yesterday." Cat said, still trapped in her embrace. "And when did you become such a hugger?"

Tess released Cat with an annoyed playfulness. "I missed you."

Cat dropped her belongings on her desk and shook her head in disapproval. "Right."

"So," Tess fell to her chair. "How are you?"

"Fine…" Cat replied.

"Really?" Tess smirked. "Because the blush on your cheeks combined with that contemplative look on your face tells me otherwise."

"Well, the whole room is staring at us. Maybe that explains it."

"I doubt it."

Cat crossed her arms. Standing over Tess, she forced Tess to exchange her current expression for a more serious one. "Do we have a case yet?"

"Not yet, but I'm sure our phones will ring the second we're in the middle of a deep conversation." Not picking up on Tess' hint for a desire to talk, Cat smiled and sat down, opening her email on instinct. "Cat," Tess peaked from behind her monitor. "I have a surprise for you."

Cat kept her focus on her screen. "I don't like surprises."

"That's why I'm giving you a head's up."

After a deep breath, Cat gave in, meeting Tess' partially hidden face at the side of her own monitor. "A head's up about what?"

"Evan found that sketch guy, he's in the morgue." She waited for Cat's response, but received none. "Coffee guy," Tess reminded her.

"What coffee guy?" Cat was sure to hold Tess' gaze. "There was no coffee guy."

"Right…" Tess answered slowly, nodding. For a long minute, the women stared at each other, trying to communicate. "Just like there was no hot guy at your bedside."

"I am not fortunate enough to have hot guys visit me at the hospital, no."

Tess' smile grew wider and wider with each moment that passed. Cat couldn't help mirroring the smile. Once she was conscious of her reaction, Cat snapped her attention back to her work. She was able to glance at her inbox, before feeling Tess' stares.

"Okay!" Cat let go of her mouse. Tess' victorious smile greeted her when Cat returned her focus on her friend. Cat could swear Tess jumped in her seat after her surrender was given. Leaning forward, Cat whispered, "While we're on the subject, I know I owe you big time for not saying anything to Evan. So, um, thanks."

"So, um, thanks?" Tess raised her voice. "That's not much of a repayment – especially when Evan introduced the guy to me as JT Forbes. Huh, he must be the guy that sent you the flowers"

"Shhh!" Cat raised her hands, panicked.

Tess leaned forward, whispering, "That's not a thank you either."

"Then what is?" Cat retorted.

"Details," Tess suggested. Amused, Cat smiled. When Tess raised her eyebrows in question, Cat shook her head. "Oh, come on!"

"Cat!" Evan was the second person to yell her name across the room within ten minutes. When the women turned, they saw a nervous JT in tow. Cat tried not to laugh at his awkwardness in his new environment. Approaching her desk, Evan told her. "Welcome back."

"Thanks."

Tess' phone rang. Just like she predicted, her call had the worst timing. Determined to hear both conversations, Tess only walked a foot away and kept her sights on JT and Cat the whole time.

"I wanted to introduce you to my new assistant," Evan motioned to JT. "Cat, JT. JT, this is my good friend, Cat."

JT reached out to Cat. "Hello."

Cat put on a distant smile when she took his hand. "Hi."

"He's going to be helping me with my DNA research."

"Great," Cat smiled at Evan.

"Really?" Evan asked, surprise evident in his face. "I thought you didn't support my research."

"I wasn't interested in helping you, but I never said you shouldn't do it." Cat was grateful she could be honest. Evan searched her face, attempting to find the anxiety that was usually on her face when they talked about the subject and was perplexed when he couldn't.

Tess hung up her phone but chose to wait to interrupt the gathering at her desk. Other than looking uncomfortable there was no way someone could guess JT and Cat knew each other. She had hoped to see them interact again, but when they didn't, she caught her partner's attention. "We have a case."

"Oh! Great." Cat instantly moved from her visitors and grabbed her coat. "Let's go."

In parting, Evan pleaded, "Bring me back something good."

Cat laughed it off, halting when she found JT in her path. When their gazes collided, they both felt pressure to speak. "Good luck with your research."

"Thanks." JT stood still. "Hopefully we'll have more luck than this morning."

Cat froze mid-step; his words repeating in her head. She looked back at him.

From his expression, she realized he already talked to Vincent; JT knew everything.

Aware of her deepening blush, Cat turned from him and grabbed the keys from Tess. "I'm driving," she announced, already halfway to the door.

"You are not!" Tess ran after her.

Cat and Tess argued all the way to the car. Once in sight, Cat sprinted ahead and opened the driver's door before Tess could catch up with her.

"Alright." Tess said, buckling her seatbelt. "I'll let you drive-"

"Let me drive? I won fair and square."

Tess reemphasized her words. "I will let you drive, but you have to give me details."

"Where are we going?" Cat asked, pulling out of the parking space.

"Flooding at Joseph's Gelato."

"As in ice cream?"

Tess sighed, choosing to ignore Cat's obvious question. "The daughter of the family who owns the parlor was found unconscious from an concussion. Apparently, she discovered the damage by slipping on the floor. She fell on her back and hit her head."

Cat looked at Tess briefly. "And this is special crimes because?"

"I guess we'll find out."

The rest of the car ride was silent. Cat could feel Tess' desire to gossip seeping out of her, but she resisted any hint of it. Instead, Cat found herself replaying memories of her kiss with Vincent over and over…and over again.

Cat was still replaying their kiss when she walked up to the crime scene. Joseph's Gelato parlor was a wreak. Water coated their boots the instant they stepped through the door. Cat noticed every photo on the wall was cracked. The rest of the photos already fallen down; ruined by the floodwater. Cat searched up the wall to the ceiling. The florescent lights looking like they could detach at any second –

"Cat!" Tess screamed.

But she was too late. Cat could only watch the light fall from the ceiling in her direction. She thought she had raised her hands to protect her head, only to discover her real shield when she heard the noise of impact.

Once recovered from shock, Cat looked up to find herself eye to eye with her savior.

"Apparently, your infamous hospital visitor does exist." Tess beamed. "Though I can't understand why – since he just came out of nowhere and seems to be fine despite Mercury spilling all over him."


A/N: More romance to come! I promise. But who doesn't love Tess? Especially after her new discovery...