Catherine Chandler was sitting on a bench inside the subway station where everything had started. What time it was, she didn't know. Probably late at night already, she had lost track of time somehow. She had discharged herself out of the hospital against medical advice. She couldn't spend another night there. She had waited until the visitor hours were over so her friends wouldn't freak out and restrain her to her hospital bed. At least she had taken some medicine the doctor prescribed her for the pain and she was wearing a shoulder immobilizer. She loved her friends for caring about her, especially after Vincent left, but it was all too much. She just wanted to be alone for a while. She'll call Tess in the morning to let her know that she was out. Until then, she didn't really know what to do. She didn't want to go home, it didn't felt like home anymore anyway. Her instincts led her to the subway station. She needed to see him again. Knowing he was there, that he was so close to her, it made her happy and sad at the same time. She was beyond exhaustion and her shoulder hurt like crazy but her mind was focused on him. She knew that he could make all her pain go away, make her feel better, loved and strong again. She longed to feel content and safe in his arms.

She's been sitting on the bench for a long time now, waiting for him, hoping his senses would pick up the fact that she was here but he didn't show up.

"Vincent." She whispered his name, trying to get his attention. It was stupid, she nearly laughed to herself, maybe he wasn't even here. Knowing he was exposed, he would have chosen another hiding place. Yet Catherine's feeling told her that he was near.

"You wanted me to go on without you but I can't." She said a little louder. She took a long breath and continued: "There is this emptiness inside of me ever since you left and I can't make this feeling go away."

She brushed a tear from her cheek and said: "I need to talk to you Vincent. Please show yourself."

She closed her eyes and waited. She tried to calm herself and control her breathing. The quick movements of her chest were amplifying the pain of her wound. She just hoped that maybe if they talked, they could make things better. Maybe after three months, the anger and the pain would have diminished and they would be able to forgive each other.

"Please." She repeated many times like a prayer. She waited what seemed to her like forever and still, no sign of Vincent. Why wasn't he here when she needed? She didn't want him to save her life and just be a stranger or pretend to be a doctor, it was unfair. Suddenly, it hit her. She knew what she had to do. Put her life in danger. It seemed crazy but she was desperate and she knew without any doubt that he would save her. She felt like she was losing her mind but it was the right thing to do. She got up slowly and made her way down to the rails, she walked into the tunnel hoping to find him. She heard the train behind her but she wasn't scared because she had faith in him. He would save her. The train quickly arrived towards her and just as she expected, she was pushed against the wall, his strong body protecting her as a shield.

She moaned at the pain the impact against the wall added to her shoulder and when the train was gone, she looked up at him with a smile and whispered: "Hey."

He looked deep into her eyes during some long minutes, his eyes glowing yellow and his breathing uneven and fast. They both were transfixed until Vincent broke their link and took her hand. Without saying a word he led her back to the bench where she previously sat. He gestured her to sit and stood before her.

"Go back to the hospital." He ordered her sternly.

"No." She replied simply. His eyes glowed yellow and she thought she had heard him growl but she wasn't really sure. She studied him attentively, he looked different, not only his hair and beard had grown but he looked more… animalistic, more dangerous. His jaw was clenched and he was frowning, his eyes piercing her.

Slowly she got up in front of him. Her right hand slowly rose to meet his face but he made a step back. She released a small sigh and let her hand drop to her side.

"I miss you Vincent." She told him.

"I'm a beast." He replied, taking another step away from her.

"No, you're not. You are the Good Samaritan who helps people in the subway every day. You are the man who saved Tess' life and mine too." She told him.

"Leave." He ordered her.

"No." She replied quickly, leaving no doubt about her determination. She made another step towards him and felt lightheaded. She knew she was supposed to put so much stress on her body but the need to see him was stronger than her reason. She shook away the feeling and concentrated on Vincent. He almost looked like a stranger and he surely was acting like one. She just wanted to call a timeout from the sadness, the anger, the pain and the exhaustion and let him kiss and hold her just like he used to. She wanted to feel the way she did when they laid in bed the next morning when they first made love. The way he looked at her made her never wanted to leave his bed. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

She closed her eyes and went back to reality. She inhaled slowly before looking at him again. She spotted him looking at the tunnel, most likely considering leaving her.

"Don't think about it." She told him. "I'll go back on the rails if I need to."

Once again his eyes glowed and she sighed. He obviously wanted to be elsewhere, not wanting to see her. That's why he didn't show up when she called for him. He probably had saved her life because he felt obligated.

She finally gave up and told him: "I just wanted to thank you for what you did and…"

She felt lightheaded again and rubbed her forehead with her hand. She made a few steps back until she was able to sit.

Vincent turned his attention to her and she looked up at him and said: "It's been a long day."

She took a deep breath and said: "I should probably go home. You don't want me here anyway."

She got up and almost lost her balance before Vincent caught her valid arm to stabilize her. Their bodies were pressed against each other and slowly Catherine looked up in his eyes.

"Thank you." She whispered before making a step away from him. She stumbled and this time Vincent picked her up in his strong arms and without saying a word, he took her home.

*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*o*

"You can put me down now." She told him gently when they reached the door of her apartment. Vincent slowly let her down on her feet and stood next to her in case she didn't feel good again. He had enjoyed carrying her home in his arms. He enjoyed the way she could tease his senses, from the smoothness of her skin to the way she smelt that was slightly different than before. She had let her head rest in the crock of his neck, awakening emotions he had fought to burry during those three months away from her. He didn't really want to let her go, not now, not back then, but he didn't have a choice.

She reached for her keys on her purse and opened her front door. Vincent picked her up again, careful not to hurt her shoulder and she let out a surprised squeal. He carried her to her bedroom and cautiously laid her on the bed. She immediately missed his arms.

"Thanks." She told him, trying to get comfortable.

"Sleep." He told her as he made his way to the window.

"No! Stay." She stopped him urgently.

He stopped but did not turn to look at her. She knew she had to make an excuse for him to stay with her, so she said what came to her mind: "Can you get me some water please?"

That would buy her some time to think, unfortunately he came back with a glass of water too soon. Catherine reached for her purse on the bed next to her and took the box of pain killer the hospital had given her. She realized that she couldn't open it with one hand and she looked at Vincent. He opened it for her and she thanked him. He watched her as she took her pills. Once she was done, he grabbed her glass and put it on her night stand and then to her surprised, he removed her shoes.

"Phone." He said as he reached out with his hand, waiting for her to give him her phone.

Catherine got her phone out of her purse and handed it to him willingly. She didn't know what he was about to do but she didn't care if it meant that he would stay a little longer with her.

Vincent texted to Tess, telling her that Catherine was safe at home and that he would keep an eye on her through the night but that he'll be gone in the morning.

He put the phone on the night stand and walked to her window.

Catherine was about to protest but he turned to look at her and said: "Fire escape. You sleep."

She let out a sigh, at least he was not going away. She closed her eyes, exhaustion taking the best of her.

Vincent sat on the fire escape, listening to her heart. He wanted to crawl in bed with her and hold her. To feel the comfort of a real bed and the heat of her body was a luxury he had longed over the last months. He wasn't part of this world anymore, he belonged in the tunnels, not in her life, let alone in her bed. Every day since he left her, he had thought about her and the pain he caused her. He helped people in the subway in a futile attempt to make amends, but he wouldn't have enough of a life time to make up for everything he's done. How could she forgive him? Would he be able to forgive himself? She had managed to me him feel like the beast didn't matter, like he was a good person, like getting up in the morning in sweatpants and cleaning was the normal thing to do. He had almost believed it, it must be what they call a fairytale, it was good, it was perfect but it didn't last long. No happy ever after, just pain and misery.

He noticed her heartbeat was slower now, she was falling asleep. She looked so exhausted and so fragile, it broke his heart even more. He wished he could have stopped that man from shooting her, another one of his failures. Hopefully, morning would come soon and he would leave her again. It was too much being around her. Everything he sought was to beg for her forgiveness and give him another chance. He couldn't talk to her, barely look at her. He was trying to look and sound detached but it was killing him. He was afraid that if he talked, he would tell her how much he loved her and how much he missed her but he was the reason why she had lost their child and he had lost the right to love her.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered, shaking his head slightly. "I'm so in love with you Catherine."

Her heart picked up again and he held his breath. Did she hear him? He rested his head against the wall of her building and waited, listening carefully to everything that was happening inside her room.

"Are you still here?" He heard her asked with a tired and anxious voice. Vincent finally released the breath he was holding, exhaling slowly.

"Sleep Catherine." He ordered her from outside.

"Do you ever think about it? I-I mean, our… baby?" She asked him. She waited for him to answer and when he didn't, she continued: "I know it sounds stupid because, it was just a fetus when I lost it… but I can't help but wonder about it."

She sniffled as tears streamed down her face at the thought of the baby she had lost. She waited again for him to say something but she interpreted his silence as if he didn't care. It was probably stupid anyway, mourning someone who wasn't even born. Maybe she was just losing her mind. Maybe Vincent was just a hallucination after all. She dried her tears, closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her.

Vincent stood outside on the fire escape, looking blankly at the street below him as tears wetted his face. Not a day had gone by when he didn't think about their baby.

Tell me what you think! Is it too much? Not enough? Please leave a review to let me know what you think, if this is worth writting for!