Chapter 14

It took Catherine weeks to recuperate. Every night while she slept, Vincent was by her bedside. More mornings than they could count, JT and Tess would find him sleeping in the chair beside her bed. He would always leave before she woke up.

Sometime Catherine would dream that Vincent was at her bedside. She could feel him close, but every morning when she woke up, there was no evidence that he had been there.

JT and Tess watched as both of their friends grew more miserable. Cat was healed physically, but emotionally she was a wreck. She refused to talk about Vincent. Both JT and Tess had tried, but she always shot them down. Today however, Cat was being released from the hospital and JT was going to give it one more try.

"Ready to go?" He asked.

"More than ready JT. Thank You for coming to pick me up."

"I am not so sure you will think so, by the time I am done." Nervously he pushed forward. "Look I know you don't want to talk about Vincent, but you have to hear a few things."

"JT…" Cat says ominously.

"Nope, not this time Cat, it's too important. I know you're mad at him and I don't blame you, leaving you like he did was a crap thing to do. But try to remember that Vincent is a victim of trauma. He was kidnapped and brainwashed and then had to come to terms with all the things he did while brainwashed, after getting his memories back. Now, we were all thrilled that he was back, and we didn't really think about how he was handling things. Being angry at Reynolds, gave him a focus, a place to put all that blame and rage. It wasn't healthy, but it was how he coped. Then he found out that Reynolds did all that to essentially save him. So then he is dealing with that rug being pulled out from under him on top of realizing all the hurt he put you through because of it. You know that Vincent has always had issues with self-loathing. Is it really any surprise that his go to reaction to everything is to run? Especially given his instinct to protect you. Are you really going to hate him forever for that?"

Catherine didn't say anything, she just looked down at her hands.

JT wasn't finished.

"He has been here, every night Cat. Every single god damn night."

Catherine quickly looked up at him.

"Every night?"

JT nodded his head.

Catherine's eyes welled up.

"I thought I was dreaming, JT."

"Well you weren't dreaming. I don't know if anyone else has told you, but Vincent is the one who found you. He was tracking you and believe me he is racked with guilt that he did not get there fast enough to save you and Tori. He was never very far from you Cat. Never…"

Catherine lets the tears fall.

"I'm afraid JT, I miss him so much, but I am not sure I can trust him."

JT didn't push any more, this was more that she had talked about Vincent in weeks. The rest was up to Vincent.

Vincent watched from the hospital roof as Catherine left with JT. As they drove away, he turned back into the city, following along, determined to see her home safe.

Catherine was quiet on the ride back to her apartment. Her body was healed, but her emotions were all over the place. JT might not realize it, but his words resonated with Catherine. She could admit she had not thought about how Vincent was handling everything he had gone through. He always seemed so strong, so in control. She had not understood how finding out that Reynolds had protected him was a problem for Vincent. She thought that made Reynolds a potential ally, worthy of trying to save. But it had freaked Vincent out. She was also worried about Tori and the beast who must have taken her. They clearly couldn't find her or rescue her without Vincent.

"Oh crap JT!"

Catherine shouted so loud that JT almost side swiped a double parked car.

"What!"

"I am sorry, I just remembered, I forgot all about the beast skeleton!"

"Beast skeleton?"

Catherine explained to him what she and Tori had found in the antique shop.

"I doubt anyone has been there since….JT we have to go there and you have to see it. Someone had a beast chained to a slab."

JT is wondering if Catherine's injury actually caused brain damage. He has seen a lot over the past 10 years, but this is crazy. Still Catherine would not be placated. So they headed to the antique store.

Vincent noticed that JT was not headed to Catherine's apartment, but to Chelsea. So he followed along. He chuckled to himself, knowing it had to be Catherine's doing. Tori was still missing and now that she was out of the hospital, Catherine would be determined to find her. No rest for his warrior.

Catherine led JT into the back room, fortunately the door had not been closed after Tori had been taken. She watched JT's face as he realized what he was looking at.

Vincent could hear both Catherine and JT's heartbeats accelerate. Not caring that Catherine didn't want to see him, he raced inside the shop and tracked them.

Catherine was so entertained on watching JT's expression turn from confusion, to interest, to the realization that this was a big deal. That she did not immediately sense Vincent. It was JT who tore his gaze away from the skeleton and noticed Vincent standing in the shadows.

"Vincent!"

Catherine inhaled sharply and turned to look at him. He still took her breath away. He was standing, legs slightly apart, hands by his side, ready to take on any threat to those he loved. His eyes were glowing and roaming over every inch of her. She could feel the heat in his gaze as he checked to make sure she was unhurt. Without taking his eyes off of her, he spoke to JT."

"Everything ok? I could sense both of your heartbeats accelerate."

JT is watching Catherine and Vincent stare at each other. He feels like an intruder.

"We are fine, Vincent. But it's a good thing you are here. You need to see this."

JT gestures to the concrete slab. Vincent finally tears his gaze from Catherine and walks over to JT. He stands there confused.

"What is it?'

Catherine walks up to him.

"I think it's a beast. I don't know if it's female or male, but it looks like someone chained it up."

"It's male." Says JT.

Vincent is confused.

"But what is it doing here?"

"I don't know, Vincent… I can take it back to my place. I can do a much more in depth examination."

The three of them, load the beast skeleton and chain into JT's car. After it's loaded, JT heads to the driver's side of the car. He looks back and Catherine and Vincent are standing there awkwardly.

"Um…Catherine are you coming with me?"

Catherine looks at JT and then back a Vincent.

"Actually JT, I will take a cab home, I need a minute with Vincent."

Both JT and Vincent exchange surprised looks. JT just smiles and thinks to himself as he drives away. It's going to take more than a minute….

As JT drove away, Catherine turned to Vincent.

"Do you have a minute to talk?"

Vincent nodded his head and followed Catherine back into the shop. She locked the door behind her. She wanted no surprises coming through the door this time. Catherine stood there, nervously, rubbing her hands together. Vincent smiled and moved toward her, placing his hands over her own.

"You don't have to be nervous of me. Go ahead and say whatever you need to. I am sure I deserve it."

Catherine looked deep into Vincent's eyes. She was not sure what she is looking for, but the way he looks at her, is overwhelming. She shook her head and took a step backward away from his touch.

"I'm not sure….I mean I don't know..."

She lifted her chin, trying to maintain her dignity.

"JT explained some things to me, and I realize that I have not been fair. I have not taken what you have been through into account."

Vincent raised his eyebrow.

"What did JT say?"

Catherine pushed forward.

"He reminded me that you have been a victim in all of this. That you have not dealt with the trauma of everything that happened to you last year. That you have always been self-loathing and that it should not have surprised me that you would take it all on yourself and think that leaving me was the only way to protect me….to love me."

Vincent closed his eyes. JT was right of course, but he was going to kill him for laying all of it on Catherine.

"Catherine."

But Catherine interrupted.

"Wait, let me finish…I know you have been at the hospital every night. That you never really left me. That you have been watching over me."

Catherine looked at Vincent, she had made a statement, but her eyes asked the question. He nodded his head, confirm what JT said. He had been watching over her.

"I am sorry, I pushed you away. I was just so angry. I wanted to blame you for me being hurt, but in reality. I was the one being reckless. And my reactions were not from anger, but from hurt. I wanted to hurt you, like you hurt me. I did not realize that hearing that Reynolds had saved you, would unravel you. I didn't think about how you were holding everything together, I was just so happy that you remembered me, remembered us, I selfishly put everything else aside. And that was not fair to you…I am so sorry Vincent. I am sorry that my family, including me, has hurt you so much."

Catherine and Vincent stared at each other. Each of them afraid to take the next step, to make the first move. The tension between them is palpable. Vincent is the first one to break. He takes a step toward her.

"Catherine, I am sorry I hurt you. Once my head cleared from the shock of it all, I knew I had made a mistake. I couldn't leave you, but I'd convinced myself that you would be better off without me. It killed me to see the pain I caused you, but I didn't know how to come back. I felt like I had broken something valuable and fragile and I didn't know how to fix it. So I reverted back to before, watching you from the shadows. I thought I could keep you safe and give you time to get over me. Clearly I was wrong. You ended up hurt and Tori is still missing."

Catherine spoke softly, tears in her eyes.

"Vincent, I will never be over you."

Vincent inhales sharply. Catherine continues.

"But I am not sure if I trust you."

Vincent took a step backward. Her words cut deep. He looked down at the floor. She is right. When he wanted to leave last year in order to keep her safe, she told him that was never an option. She had said they were partners. She was right, but would she forgive him now? He had lost everything that was important to him, when he left her. He had nothing to lose anymore.

"I will never leave you again. I need you, like I need oxygen. All those nights I sat outside your apartment, watching over you. All I wanted to do was to come back. All those nights in the hospital, watching you, I would have given anything to trade places with you. To take your pain away and bear it myself. I screwed up. Maybe your right, maybe I haven't dealt with all the trauma from the last year, hell even the last 10 years. And yes, I left, but I didn't go far, you were never alone. Please give me another shot to earn your trust back. I love you and not having you in my life is….well it's not living."

Vincent stood there with his arms open, wordlessly inviting her in.

Catherine stared at him, standing there, opening up to her. She aches for him. Taking a deep breath she walks into his arms.

Vincent crushes her to him, burying his face in her neck. Catherine holds on to him tightly. For a moment time stands still. Then Vincent's shoulders start to shake. Catherine holds on to him even tighter as his knees buckle and they both go to the floor. They don't speak, words are unnecessary between them. They hold tight to each other. After a few moments, Catherine takes Vincent's face in her hands. She runs her hands over his face, and kisses his tears away. Pouring her love into him, warming him and healing him.