the Beast inside the Beauty

by DarkSigyn

This is a somewhat alternative storyline set a season two. All events up to episode 1x14 have also happened here. An ongoing novel with 21 planned chapters. As published on Tumblr. All characters of the shows are appearing, as well as new original characters. Adult content! [violence,sexuality,blood, trigger warning]. every chapter has a different rating.

21. Redemption

∴ Chapter 21 ∴ Redemption ∴ PG-13

The air was filled the odor of germicides, cleaning agents and more than clean sheets. Although haven been here for quite some time Catherine never would get used to it. She didn't feel comfortable around here, not even when she was allowed to leave and putting her jacket back on. The only good thing was that when she left the examination room Tess and Vincent were waiting for her. And that made her smile, even though she felt obliged to walk carefully.
"The doctor said that I am okay", she opened up the conversation with a shrug like this wasn't surprising at all, because she literally could feel how she became better and better all the way to the hospital. "And I am fine."
Vincent slid his arms beneath hers to place his hands on her hips and pull her close and she answered with turning that gesture into a full embrace, placing her head against his chest and closing her eyes.
"The ultrasound almost showed nothing", she murmured against the fabric of his shirt. "You should take a shower and get fresh …", she pushed herself away, as she sniffed and realized that he smelled different.
"Thank you", Vincent distorted his mouth into a crooked smirk.
"Even I could smell that", Tess pointed at him. "That's why he looks like a doctor now."
In fact he was wearing hospital clothes now.
"It suits you", Catherine smiled approvingly, taking his hands into her.
"I know", Vincent teased back, but their expression faded almost simultaneously.
"It seems like", she started reluctantly, with her gaze dropping to the ground, "if we want to pull this through", and cautiously she glanced back up at him.
"We will need more of that serum", Vincent ended her thought, agreeing with her.
They exchanged long looks like they were trying to communicate without speaking, hoping to find out the other one's thought.
"Well it's not like you'd be the first couple injecting the mother-to-be stuff just for the wellbeing of … their child", Tess joined the conversation with actually using words. "The only odd thing about all of this is that I always thought that Heather would be the first."
"You make it sound so simple", Cat wasn't sure if she should laugh or not.
"Well it is"; Tess shrugged. "The serum will actually make sure that your kid will be healthy. So what's the deal? I'm pretty sure the both of you want to keep it, right? So can we go see Evan now? I'm kind-a worried."
It was Vincent now, who chuckled.
"I like her", he said and tucked at Catherine's hands to make her step closer again.
"What a relief that this is mutual", Tess pursed her lips smugly, before she made a turn and started walking, since she already knew the way.
Catherine took her hands out of his to place them onto his chest.
"You're really in?" she played with the ending of his V-collar.
His answer was enfolding her face with his fingers to kiss her and that kiss turned out to be much longer than originally intended.

They caught up quickly, not only because Tess had told Vincent where to go, but because he could follow her scent and he knew this hospital, which should have been something to worry about. Yet more than ten years had passed and no one would expect to see him here.
The only one who would have was Alex and apart from that she had caused some chaos last year everything was different now. Most certainly she was different now.
"He's still in surgery?" Catherine asked worriedly and a nurse who had heard her came over to them: "Next of kin?" she asked.
"Not on paper", was Cat's reply before anyone could think about it and Tess pulled out her badge: "Detective Vargas. This is Detective Chandler. He's our colleague."
"Well he lost very much blood and the bullets stuck in deep", the nurse answered, "but as far as I know from the scans your colleague was very lucky. His organs seemed to be intact, one bullet grazed a vein, but our surgeon is the best."
Vincent gave her a nod, while still having his arm around Cat and the woman left.
"He's going to make it", Tess spoke out their thoughts in relief.
"That's not what she said", her best friend gave back.
"Because it's bad luck if you do", Vincent came to defense. "There can always be complications.
So they sat down and waited. Eventually J.T. joined them and when asked about Connor he told them that he had left to join Alex who wouldn't come to the hospital, because someone would definitely recognize her.
"Kara?" Vincent asked, but his best friend had no answer to that: "Connor didn't say anything about her, just that Alex said she would need him."
"Evan definitely doesn't want to hear that for an answer", Tess sighed and got up. "I'm going to get some coffee."
"I need to talk to Heather about our father", Cat said, just when her best friend was about to leave.
"She knows, Alex told her", Tess frowned slightly. "Well at least not the things she found out herself or your mother told her."
"Wait, Heather saw her?" Catherine was pale again all of the sudden.
"She wouldn't give up investigating", J.T. joined in explaining.
"And your mother was fine with it", Tess added.
All that Vincent could do in that moment was placing his arm around his girlfriend who rubbed her face with both hands, trying to cope with another bomb being dropped on her: her little sister pulled into this world that had cost her already so much, and all the others who she cared about. And now Heather.
"She's been working at your father's office since two weeks now", J.T. continued.
"Heather's been spying on our father?" Cat's eyes grew in disbelief.
"Well Tom couldn't find much, but your step-mother seems to be not involved at all", was the answer.

After Tess left the nurse came back telling them that it might take longer since they just had started the surgery an hour ago and there would be much more in need to get fixed. Of course they could just wait there, but Catherine couldn't.
"Right now Muirfield is in a weakened state, with possibly two branches out and we don't know how many there are unless we get my mother's notes", she explained to Vincent.
"Shouldn't you take it more slowly from now on?" he responded to that..
"I can slow down when I know that we are safe", she answered, knowing that there was a chance that they never would or that it at least would take much time.
"And I need to talk to my father", Catherine added.
Vincent tensed just a moment after, like his instinct was telling him to turn around, when he didn't want to: "I believe that he needs to as well", he said and frowned. "Or that Heather had the same idea."
They looked at each other while J.T. already was on his feet, realizing that Catherine was holding Vincent's hands.
"Okay this is going to be really complicated", was his comment on that and he gestured with his thumbs first on him and then to the next exit. "I think I'd better head out? Since Tom's apprentice is here now."
"You don't have to, you know", Catherine answered to that.
"Well, this feels like a family reunion and I'm not a part of that", J.T. responded.
"You're becoming a godfather, so you kind of are", Vincent spoke with a crooked smile that rather seemed to hide a silent plea.
"Wait…. what?" his best friend faltered slightly.
"Seems like no one has told him", Catherine stated.
Unfortunately or luckily it hadn't taken long until her family came around the corner.
"Thank God you are okay!" her little sister leaped the final steps to hug her tightly, but carefully.
Vincent did his very best to get onto his feet slowly and calmly.
"So who is this?" Mr. Chandler asked politely, though there was concern slumbering in his voice.
Heather let go of her sister and allowed Catherine to get up herself. This wasn't planned like that. Not that she had ever planned out how to actually introduce Vincent to her father, but knowing that just the other day it was hinted to him that she was expecting a child with Evan made this situation even more awkward. And Cat let the moment pass in that could have avoided this emotion to take over everyone.
"J.T. Forbes", Vincent's best friend jumped in and reached out his hand for Mr. Chandler to take. "I'm…"
"The future Godfather", Cat helped out now pushing up the corners of her mouth, while she tried to figure out the best offense strategy.
Stunning her father probably was not the best one, however it gave her a little time.
"Oh this is so exciting", Heather made little jumps, patting J.T.'s arm, making him dodge and Catherine chuckle.

So this was her sister and for the first time she could see why she was always so cheerful: it took the edginess and severity out of a situation that was hard to handle. It made everything easier even though everyone would his shake her head over her.
"I love you, sis", Cat suddenly said and pulled Heather into another embrace, just to take her by the shoulders and put her at arm's length in the same moment that Brooke joined the group.
"Oh, J.T. Forbes", the future godfather shook her hand too know. "I'm going to leave now I have some … uh … errands to take care of."
Though he could see Vincent's insisting glance he chose to ignore it.
"So Dad", Catherine inhaled deeply. "Brooke", and now she exhaled. "This is Vincent", she gestured towards him pressing her lips together while trying to force her mind to put a sentence together that would make all of this easier.
"He's her boyfriend, not Evan", Heather jumped in and everyone looked at her in surprise. "Evan and Cat are friends and nothing more. I knew you'd be worried if I told you that the father is someone you don't know, so I lied. I'm sorry."
"Oh", Brooke lifted her eyebrows and stretched out her hand. "Nice to meet you, Vincent", she smiled at him and gave Catherine a brief, and most of all knowing glance.
"Nice to meet you too", Vincent managed to answer.
It was Heather who placed her hand onto her step-mother's lower arm, telling her that her sister looked like she could need a coffee and she gave her father a strange glance, giving Catherine and Vincent a sense of suspicion.
The space between the three remaining persons close to the ER where Evan was in surgery was filled with silence. Mr. Chandler was waiting for his daughter to continue while she and her boyfriend were searching for the right words. But words never could be absolutely right.
"So", Cat started, still searching for the right thing to say, but in the end she chose her sister's strategy. "Dad. I know everything. In fact we", she gestured at Vincent and then back at herself, "know everything. The reason why I was in the hospital and in a coma for almost a month was Muirfield, Doctor Donovan. I think you know whom I am talking about right now. So let's just skip the pretending and arguing."
Instinctively Vincent moved closer to her, placing his hand on her lower back, to show her that he got that exactly: her back. Catherine's father glanced at her blankly, not saying anything to what he just had heard. And in fact there wasn't much to say when it came to her. Mr. Chandler was perfectly aware of that because she grew up with him and was her mother's daughter.
"Vincent knew Mom," she continued after granting him a pause to breathe. "He was in Afghanistan with her. She treated him. And you know what I mean with that. Just like Heather knows what I mean with that. Until three weeks ago", her voice turned husky. "She was still alive."

Catherine's father's eyes moved to Vincent and the way his pupils dilated and fixed told her that he knew; she didn't need her boyfriend's skills for that.
"How?" she asked calmly. "How can you work for them, Dad? How could you let us believe that Mom was dead? You even remarried!"
"I didn't know", Mr. Chandler eventually said and his answer felt like a punch into the stomach. His face turned pale and he blinked, looking up and turning his face slightly away, when he repeated. "I didn't know."
There was no need to ask what he hadn't know because the tears in his eyes and that he sat down onto the next chair made it obvious. Catherine swallowed her own tears and took the seat next to him, letting Vincent's hand slide to her shoulder, while she took one of her father's.
"They came to me afterwards, when I was in the morgue", her Dad looked into her eyes. "They told me that she had been betraying them for years and that they were suspecting me of aiding her, which was true. The only thing I could think of to keep Heather and you safe was continuing to work with them, to give them everything they wanted and to stop trying to help their test subjects and to close my eyes on what Muirfield did", he squeezed her hand and looked up to Vincent again. "I believed that if they were willing to kill someone of their most important scientists, they wouldn't stop from killing to teenagers and me."
"Dad, do you know about the New York branch?", Cat drew her father's attention back to her and he replied with a nod: "Yes, here is one of their headquarters, actually", he explained. "There's mobile force, I don't know much about them though, only the payment goes through one of the shadow companies I manage, just like a facility at the harbor" - now Vincent and Catherine gave each other a knowing glance, this had been the building where they had kept Vincent and Kara - "and then my office building."
"That belongs to them?" Cat almost burst out in disbelief.
"No, it actually belongs to me", Mr. Chandler answered, "but I lease different levels to different shadow companies of Muirfield, even though there aren't any real offices."
His glances jumped back and forth between his daughter and her boyfriend, not losing a thought about the fact that he was one of Vanessa's subjects.
"If there are no offices in there, what occupies the rooms? I mean, every time I have visited you at work there were technicians and people leaving the elevators, lights and everything", Catherine frowned.
"Their servers", Mr. Chandler answered. "One of their data warehouses."
It was her now who blinked and stared at Vincent who gave her back the same expression.
"Dad", Cat got up. "We … I mean the New York police just stormed that warehouse and arrested everyone who wasn't killed. There are no Muirfield agents in New York right now, we can take them down, now!" she looked at Vincent again: "I have to tell Joe."
"No", her Dad still held her hands and stood up as well, "there are still the others on call plus the guards."

Again Catherine and Vincent exchanged glances, but this time they were optimistic.
"I think a part of them died in the same explosion we were in", she said towards her father. "And the FBI is here, I guess it's worth a shot."
"I don't want Heather or you to be in danger, Cat, I couldn't live with something happened to the both of you", Mr. Chandler shook his head.
"That's not you decision to make anymore, Dad", Heather said and made all of them turn around towards her; she was alone.
"You know too?" he simply wanted to know in worried astonishment.
"Yes, although Cat did her best to keep me out of this", she shrugged, "And I want them to be stopped."
"Where's Brooke?" was his next question.
"With Tess", Heather answered. "I know she's not involved, but I guess she will be, so you should talk to her."
"Catherine", Vincent placed his hand back on her shoulder. "You all will be in danger, you are aware of that?"
"It's already too late", she shook her head. "They know that I know and they will soon find out that I'm pregnant with your child. Do you really think that I ever will be safe? No", she shook her head, "not until Muirfield is down."
"I will talk to Brooke and then I guess I should talk to the FBI and give them all the intelligence I have", Catherine's father suggested. "Maybe we should keep pretending that this conversation never happened."
"But if they find out and you are not protected…", Cat disagreed.
"The servers have security systems", Mr. Chandler responded. "Automatic deletion and if that fails the fire alarm will be triggered. If the FBI wants that information on these servers, Muirfield has to believe that the office isn't compromised. So I have to get back to work. Also so that I can encrypt and secure the bank accounts so that no one can use them but me and my new personal assistant."
Mr. Chandler looked at his younger daughter now and the eyes of Catherine and Vincent followed. Cat smiled approvingly.
"And I guess it's time you meet my boyfriend", Heather suddenly said and seesawed on her tiptoes grinningly, "he's quite good with computers."
"Okay", their father nodded, not sharing his younger daughter's bright expression.
"Dad, we'll be fine", Catherine squeezed his hand and stretched up to give him a kiss on his cheek. "You're not going to lose us."
"Yes", Heather joined in. "In fact you are gaining a few", she wiggled her eyebrows and made her sister and Vincent look anywhere else in embarrassment.

As Evan woke up he knew exactly how Cat must have felt like almost two days ago. There was just one difference: someone was holding his hand; he felt it even before he opened his eyes. Yet it was a strange sensation to look at the person who was with him right now and feel the pinch of disappointment, knowing that it would have been absolutely different a month ago. He scolded himself silently, because it was impossible for Kara to be here and sit at his side, smiling at him warmly.
"Hey", he replied Cat's mine weakly.
Evan felt almost ungrateful for wishing that Kara would be at her place, but somehow it also was kind of redeeming for him to know that he had been able to let her go, to look at his friend without yearning for more, to appreciate her for what she was: his best friend.
"Hey", Catherine gently placed her second hand on his. "You're going to be okay. They will keep you here for a few more days and then you are free to go."
"Any word about Kara?" he wanted to know and although her smile remained, her eyes failed to follow.
"No, I'm sorry. At least not that kind of what you want to hear", Cat shook her head slightly. "I just know that they … I mean the FBI … moved her as well as Alex and Connor. They will go under witness protection now; that is all I know."
"There's more than that, right?" Evan read the minimal changes in her expression.
"They won't tell me or anyone where they are now, that includes the whereabouts and the condition of Kara", Cat continued. "You have the choice to do so as well, or stay with us here in New York and continue to fight Muirfield."
"Is this was you will do?" Evan wanted to know and his friend nodded slowly: "They offered me a job. They already did before yesterday and I think of accepting the offer."
"I will have to think about that", he answered and received a laugh: "First you need to rest. I'll tell you everything afterwards."
"Just like you", Evan gave back and tried to smile at least a little.
"I can rest after we have hacked the Muirfield servers here in New York", Cat responded. "If we get all the files they have stored there it will be difficult for them to harm us. We are taking them down, Evan and then we all will be free."
There was nothing he could add to her words. It was a good thing, but then again it seemed to be too late for others. As a good friend as she was, Cat knew that he wasn't fine even though the doctor had told her he was doing good.
"I wish I could tell you something", she said.
"I guess I wouldn't want to know if Kara's dead", Evan looked straight at her, "regardless of the redemption."

J.T. and Tom were sitting in what seemed to be a van of the public services and along with him was Vincent standing and looking like if he had the chance he would be pacing up and down. Since that was impossible he kept standing there, trying to keep his muscles from tensing and ended up gripping around a bar of the metal rack next to him.
"I've never done this serving the government", Tom said enthusiastically while he was torturing the keyboard of his notebook. "This is really exciting!"
"Would you just keep on overwriting the security systems so that we can start?" J.T. gave back nervously and looked up at his best friend.
Heather and her father had returned to work and she kept texting Tom information, cloaking them in trivial phrases, just like a freshly in love girl would do. The office building was relatively quiet and everything seemed to be as usual, so her messages told. Yet sooner or later Muirfield would definitely contact Mr. Chandler due to the loss of an entire branch of their enterprise. Right now he was giving his younger daughter full power over all the accounts and companies he had set up and managed for Muirfield, which had to be down before Tom would cut off the system from any possible intrusion
"Another message", J.T. reported as he took his friends mobile into his hands after it had rung. "Ugh, Dad's making me help dissolving a company which has lost its facility lately", he quoted.
"Does she mean the harbor building?" Vincent pondered.
"I'm pretty sure about that", J.T. gave back. "I'm calling Special Agent Scully."
"You mean Finch", his best friend corrected him.
"Yeah, whatever", he grumbled. "They are starting to cut off everything leading towards them. Hopefully M is oblivious to what happened."
"Well there are no orders heading in from the outside and I am finished with changing the codes", Tom stretched out his arms and flexed his fingers. "I'm isolating the servers now and then we have to get in to secure the system from the inside."
"I'll tell them to be ready then", J.T. rather sighed than affirmed, but both of his friends knew that this was due to his always existent anxiety.
He made his call and Vincent flinched as he realized that he had crushed the bar he had been holding. Cautiously he looked at the two men sitting behind him being ignorant about what had happened. So he tried to reverse the damage he had done. Not really because he needed to cover his tracks - because there was no need for it anymore - and not really because he felt bad about it. It wasn't something that important, yet a very good distraction from waiting. J.T.'s anxiety was catching, knowing that there was a chance running into Muirfield agents again and being aware of his friend's doubts concerning the FBI agents. Just because you want to trust someone since it makes many things so much easier, doesn't mean you can actually trust them. They both had too much experience on that account.

Catherine knew that as about now they were going in. The FBI agents with their reinforcements, as well as Joe and Tess with at least two teams - and much to her disappointment without her - and Vincent with J.T. and Tom. Knowing that all of her family, apart from Brooke, namely her father and her sister were also there in that building, made it absolutely impossible to remain calm.
"Are you okay?" Evan asked now, because she hadn't left him as she obviously originally had planned to do, but instead she was still sitting there clinging to his hands like they were her only straw.
"No", she smiled at him briefly. "They are going in without me. They all are there and all I can do is sit and pray that Muirfield isn't more powerful than we have anticipated."
Evan knew that her father was involved in the whole affair, and of course he knew about Heather's investment as well.
"What could they possibly do?" he heard himself ask, yet it left like the question of a stranger.
"Bring down the building?" Cat's answer had been that quick that she doubtlessly already had asked herself the same question. "Stage a terror attack? There's nothing I would put past them."
"We took down their facility", Evan tried to reassure her but he sounded weary. "I doubt that they have any more reinforcements here."
"Yes, but they could have flown in. It has been hours", Cat gave back staring in the white sheets that were covering his body.
"If they had been able to send a message. If we're lucky, the only reported that Kara, Vincent and I were on the run, and the others had waited for them to respond before getting into it, who knows?" he pondered.
"Shouldn't I be the one distracting you?" Cat tried to smile at him.
"You cannot distract me", Evan responded to instantly regret it.
His friend's eyes returned to him filled with empathy and compassion.
"Does your instinct tell you that she's gone?" she asked gently, warmly, scooting closer with her chair, holding his hands merely tighter.
Evan inhaled deeply and sighed: "I really don't know. Out of experience the injuries she suffered from were lethal. I know I have seen Vincent come back from the dead but that was because you were there. And…", she shook his head looking up to the ceiling, "… even if we had … that kind of connection…", she shrugged his shoulders once and glanced back at her, "I wasn't there. I trust into the serum of your mother, in science, yet science tells he that knowing how long it must have taken you to get to her, that it was too late."
"There's more than science in the world, Evan", Catherine responded. "More than numbers and facts. Vincent taught me that."
"I don't even know why she means that much to me", he gave back and breathed deeply, closing his eyes.

It was a weird sensation to be part of an official squad again, even though they hadn't given him any weapon and for the police he was part of a special FBI unit they wouldn't met. Still it felt strange, yet good. Vincent was the first to go while Finch and Smith were securing them from behind. Although Tom had put the surveillance cameras on a look in the stairwell because Mr. Chandler had told them that the signal would be monitored from somewhere else in the States as well, they couldn't exclude meeting some of the guards right here. That was where Vincent was of use.
It was almost too easy to go up through the sewers that was directly connected to the basement because for the water cooling of the two levels of servers. And as they reached they reached the first level of those who unofficially belonged to Muirfield, there seemed to be no one in the hall. However they had to get further upstairs. Vincent was relieved that J.T. didn't come with them, because him being nervous would have made him even more tensed up. Tom on the contrary seemed to have fun, being in a threatening situation like this. Of course the fact that he did smell of pot might be an explanation for that behavior. Vincent hadn't said anything and the agents hadn't asked but something told him that Tom knew exactly that his colleague's friend gave him a knowing glance, which he commented with an amused grin. At least someone he apparently didn't have to worry about.
Proceeding further Vincent had a bad feeling because of them having to stay radio silent. Right now he would have wanted to know what was going on in Mr. Chandler's office. Although they were in the advantage, because surprise was on their side, he didn't trust in that. So many things had happened, that he wasn't positive until all of this was over.
As he opened the door to the lower on of the two server levels he knew that he should have triggered an alarm, but Tom had disabled it. Also there was no one guarding the door to the stair well, which made him hesitate to step out into the corridor. Was this just coincident? Did the guards feel too safe? Or had they been warned?
Vincent's eyes flashed golden yellow and he froze for a second, scanning the surroundings, harking into that what was silence for a human ear, but not for his. He could hear the servers still running, the power humming, the vents wheezing and persons walking. He relaxed a little as he noticed that the steps were slow, almost like strolling. They were on their round. Two men talking to each other.
From what Mr. Chandler had told that wasn't supposed to be. The guards should go on single rounds, but apparently boredom had made them break this order.
Vincent gestured a fist behind him, telling Finch and Smith to stop and from what he heard one of them grabbed Tom so that he would wait as well. Then he slid through the opening, cautiously placing his hands that were already warping onto the door so that it closed soundlessly

Despite his shoes Vincent didn't make any sound as he sneaked stealthily towards the corner behind with the both men were moving towards him. Not until then as he pressed himself right next to it against the wall he noticed that he was in perfect symbiosis with his beast-self. He was fully changed now and yet in absolute control over his body. Why this was so easy all of the sudden he couldn't explain, but somehow he didn't care. Concentrating on the steps approaching, Vincent breathed calmly yet lowly, waiting for the exact moment when the two men - one smaller, slightly overweight and one taller than him and muscular - would come around that corner.
The Beast swung around simultaneously to the pace of the guards, smacking the smaller one against the wall and taking him out, gripping the bigger ones throat, which instinctively brought his hands up, trying to pull away the claws that tried to suffocated him. The difficulty was not to kill them, because it would have been so much easier and so much safer. Vincent advantage was that he scared the hell out of them, but he had been too gentle, because the smaller one got up, dazed but conscious. Knowing that he had to be quick the Beast went for a head-butt against the big one, not taking him out but dazing him as well. Just in that moment when the small one realized what he just saw and wanted to run off terrified. Vincent was quicker blocking the way as the guy had round his balance and turned. He snarled at him, making the poor man squeal, turn around and spurt right against the wall, knocking himself out.
Now he had to get to be big one who was blinking away the stars he definitely did see, but also he could see Vincent coming and swung a punch. Luckily he hadn't thought of calling in this incident, still there were steps coming from down the corridor where the stairwell was. The Beast countered the hit like he had been waiting on it for hours, digging his claws into the man's forearm as he pushed open his defense and dug the claws of his right hand into the guy's side, making him gasp.
Not to kill him was so difficult and the Agents were coming along with Tom, who wouldn't be prepared on seeing Vincent in full beast mode. There was no other choice than to smack the big guy's head against the wall and try not to be too harsh about it. So when he pulled back both his hands, the man followed his first instinct to protect his injury, giving Vincent the chance to follow his plan and his opponent sunk to the ground with a concussion, but without broken bones, like a shattered spine. Breathing steadily, just like his pulse.
Vincent inhaled deeply composing himself, looking at both the man he more or less had taken down without harming them too much. Still inhaling the air he was slowly changing back as the both Agents and Tom came closer. His eyes were still yellow when he looked at them and of course there was blood on the fingers of his right hand.
The three arrivals stared back at him and Vincent exhaled calmly, gesturing that both knock-outs should be restrained. Smith nodded and followed his suggestion.

Vincent could sense it, how he fully went back into his human form, even his eyes. It was this stinging, prickling feeling, like ants crawling beneath his skin, and now they went back to sleep. This time without him being scared, worried, or tense. This time he felt fine. He had been in control. Right from the beginning. He had been able to restrain the Beast and compose him when the logical thread had been over. Honestly Vincent felt more than fine, more than relieved. What he felt came close to redemption.
"I should do less pot", Tom stated, still staring at him as if he had seen a comic hero jump into the real world.
"You probably should", Vincent simply nodded and turned around, harking into the corridor, because there were still two other guards making their round.
However these weren't their targets, because their group's task was to retrieve and save the data that was slumbering on these servers. Again Vincent was going ahead to get secure the area close to the door that led inside. Tom was directly behind him, starting to hack the electronic lock.
Hopefully the other squat would take out the remaining guards before they noticed anything or came here. From what his ears told Vincent everything went according to plan. And when Smith and Finch closed up, Tom already had decoded the door. As he wanted to enter, he found Vincent's hand on his chest, shoving him backwards. It would be him opening that door and stepping inside first, because if there was someone or something waiting he would be the one with the best chances to dodge.
His senses told him that there was nothing but the servers. The air behind that door was slightly warmer and smelled of electricity, metal and plastic. There was no sign of a life form behind this door, but that didn't mean that there was a security system they weren't aware of. Vincent crouched slightly as his hand gripped the knob. A little twitch of his wrist and the door opened into his direction. Nothing happened and all he saw was a large dark room full of blinking blue, red and green lights. Quickly his eyes adapted and in fact there was nothing more than racks full of computers.
Cautiously he took a step, listening, looking. Vincent knew that he could trust his instinct blindly and he straightened up.
"Clear", he said calmly. "But check the switch for the lights first. It sounds strange."
Smith whose hand automatically had aimed for the switch directly next to the door froze in his movement. Vincent turned around.
"It's the one next to your right foot", he pointed and the young agent looked down, his face pale.
He moved his foot and light flooded the hall.
"A booby-trap?" Finch commented in surprise and took her partner's hand to push it down and away from the switch. "How did you know?"
Vincent simply tipped at his nose and his ear.
"No electricity and C4", was his answer. "And in case nothing helps a manual bomb still does."
"Fucking Muirfield", Tom gave his five cent and stepped next to him. "Okay Superman, go forth. I don't want to walk into a tripping hazard."

There were no more other traps in this level and from the sounds around him Vincent could tell that everything went exactly as planned. He wasn't used to this at all. Every time when he was involved in something as important and life changing as this there had been at least disturbances. Not this time. So he left Tom where he was: working eagerly on getting all the data downloaded - and Vincent knew that J.T.'s friend would copy the data to a second server as well on which only they would have access on - just in case.
Finch and Smith waited for him at the elevator and the three of them got further up, to meet Catherine's father and sister for a second time today. Silently Vincent only wanted to get back to her, but if they were lucky they might have much more time when things here were settled.
With a well-known Bing the doors of the elevator opened and everything was absolutely not as expected, because it was normal. There had been no Muirfield attack, no chaos, nor blood, no dead people. In fact the corridor which lead to the glass double portal which was the foyer of Mr. Chandler's office was close to the description "untouched". The woman sitting at the desk gestured to the right and the both agent followed instantly. Vincent looked at her and apart from the fact that her pulse slightly heightened as she saw and smiled at him there was nothing suspicious about that.
Could this really be it? Could it possibly be that easy? Had they been so quick and lucky to pull this stunt without Muirfield even knowing? Vincent heightened his senses, well aware that doing this his eyes would change their color, but he needed to be sure, he couldn't risk and incident now. Catherine needed her family and he needed his. He expected everything: a helicopter appearing out of nowhere and opening fire, to smell more explosives, anything. He couldn't believe that this was just it.
"The emitter to disturb any wireless connection is perfectly setup", a cop reported to Bishop. "If there is any explosive left he haven't found hey it cannot detonate by remote."
"Good job", Catherine's boss nodded and the man left, passing the FBI agents and Vincent.
Before their eyes met Vincent focused and breathed out. Again nothing suspicious. He tried to compose himself, but there was no way for him to relax. All heartbeats seemed were lightly heightened which was absolutely normal being in a situation like this.
Bishop lifted his hand as he stood there alone with Tess and the two agents stopped as did Vincent. He was too alerted to give them the privacy the Captain had asked for and there was no way shutting only the two of them out.
"What is so important that it can't wait until later?" he wanted to know and in his voice resonated worry as well as a pinch of annoyance.
"I'm handing in my resignation tomorrow", she said calmly, though her heart was speeding up quickly. "I just wanted you to know that, because I expect you to accept it without any discussion."

Vincent swallowed dryly and he tried not to listen and further to this conversation. Turning around he focused on harking into the other rooms to the air around the building, the other levels, as far as his hearing could reach.
"And that is why you tell me this right now and right here?" Bishop was more than appalled now; this was personal.
"Because you cannot make a scene her, I'm sorry", Tess gave back and she really was, Vincent could literally sense it. "The FBI made me an offer, the same offer as Cat and I know that she's going to take it because she wants to take these people down like nothing else. She's my partner. Where she goes I'll go."
The pause between her words and him not responding was a little bit too long, and told Vincent too much. They probably were having or had an affair.
"I mean it's the best for us too, right?" Tess continued and shook her head. "You won't be my boss anymore. We won't see each other every day. So you can finally decide what you want. I just know that I have to … redeem myself."
His answer was nothing but a nod, pressing his lips shut and Tess obviously knew that there would be no words coming from him. So she breathed deeply and left.
The agents waited for Bishop to call them over and understandably - at least for Vincent - he needed a moment to compose himself.
"Vincent", Heather whispered almost inaudibly, not so much for him.
She was standing at the end of the corridor and gestured towards him to come over and he did. Still his senses were tense, still there was nothing that he could possibly be worrying over, apart from the fact that there was nothing to worry about.
"Everything okay?" Vincent asked as Heather closed the door behind him, and he caught himself hoping for a second that she would pull a knife on him or something because this peace was just disturbing.
Then of course he noticed Mr. Chandler and he almost expected the man to threaten him with either words or weapons.
"Mr. Keller", Catherine's father said, making him feel like he was the defendant at court. "You know as much as me that this moment of … victory won't last long. Maybe our war with Muirfield just has started and even I don't know what they will be willing to do to swipe their dash clean of this."
"Dad", Heather wanted to either calm him or herself down as she stepped next to her father, placing her hand on his upper arm.
"Heather told me that my … late wife has asked you to protect Cat", the man continued after giving a brief assuring glance to her. "And now I have to ask you to expand this request on my whole family, as you are now a part of it."
Vincent had no idea where this was heading, but he damn sure didn't feel any good about it, even though the last words were again too good to be true even though they had a strange pulling weight on them.

There was something about Mr. Chandler's choice of words that made Vincent worry, like this man would become the ugly surprise he was waiting for the whole time.
"Because I have offered the FBI my full cooperation, hoping that Muirfield will go for me first and not my daughters, even though the likelihood is low", the man wrapped his arm around Heather and pulled her close. "And I know that my girls will not allow me to put myself in the line of fire. But somehow I need to redeem myself for all of this."
"Mr. Chandler, I would suggest that you step away from the window, just in case", Vincent spoke and Heather became instantly nervous, shoving her Dad away from the outer lines of the building.
"Can I call you Vincent?" Mr. Chandler asked. "It seems more appropriate."
The answer was an insecure nod.
"I know you want to get back to your daughter", he continued. "I must admit that it's quite a thought to get used to that I'm becoming a grandfather. However I know that she probably already had chosen to work with the FBI, maybe even because she can tell that I will offer myself as pawn for Muirfield. They will put me in protective custody and then in witness protection and Brooke will come with me. But that will make it very difficult for my daughters to reach me. So now you will understand why I am asking you this, Vincent."
"Sir," Catherine's boyfriend answered and straightened up a bit, "know that I will do everything to keep Catherine"- he looked at her sister - "and Heather safe."
"I know", Mr. Chandler answered and smiled slightly. "And I know that you already have. More than one time."
Then he breathed in deeply, just to say, "Let's just hope that we will find a way to bring down Muirfield quickly so that we can…."
There was a sound of glass cracking and suddenly the wind wined through the building, like someone had opened a window. Followed by another more blunt hitting sound. The only problem there was: in a height like this buildings had no windows one could open.
It was beyond reflex, maybe even beyond instinct, the word that could fit it was rather precognition. Despite the situation he had been in, something inside him still had been wide awake and just acted even before he consciously had been aware of the noise that bullet created when it sliced through the air. The sound of the actual shot followed later, typical like a high speed marksman rifle. Yet that was unimportant, because that moment when the bullet pierced through that glass the target already had been down and the second sound was the bullet getting stuck in the office door. Vincent had grabbed them both not really knowing what he was doing when he pulled Heather and her father down to the ground. He was that fast that both weren't even shrieking, simply found themselves on the floor.
As a cop ripped open the door there wasn't another shot and soon after the room was filled with police officers and FBI. An ambulance was called.

Three days later there was a burial and right next to Vanessa Chandler's unofficially empty grave there was let down another coffin. There were many mourners attending Mr. Chandler's funeral, even though there had been no big obituary in the papers. Catherine and Heather sided her step-mother who hid her face behind a black veil that was hanging down from her large head that shielded her from the sun and drowned her in shadow. Not so much the Chandler sisters who were mourning openly.
Directly behind them were Tess and Evan standing, the latter still had his arm in a strap. Further down the graveyard police cars stopping some journalists from disturbing the mourners. There were no interruptions.
Of course the three women had to attempt the dinner later on the day but no one was having bad thoughts about them leaving early. No one was frowning when they were told that Brooke would be leaving New York, without any further information to where to. No one was wondering about Heather founding an own company, because they figured that this was what she was trying to distract herself from the loss with her father's heritage and no one was really surprised as they learned that Catherine was leaving the NYPD to join the FBI.
What they didn't know was where Brooke, Catherine and Heather were headed to after they left the funeral feast, or that the car which brought them back home officially was empty apart from the driver. No one suspected the three of them to sit on the back seat of Tess's car, with Evan on the shotgun, who drove in a strange route to an old building that once had been a restaurant. She steered the car into the back court of the building right into its delivery space and the gate was rolled down by no one else but J.T.
"Right about time", he commented as Heather stormed out of the car and right into Tom's arms who was standing next to her.
"Indeed", Mr. Chandler smiled, who looked really strange wearing something else than a suit - namely a jeans and a pullover, and stepped towards the car to give his wife a hand with getting out of that car.
Brooke smiled radiantly at him and her make-up - to no surprise - wasn't smeared at all. She had to cover the fact that she couldn't mourn about something that hadn't happened. That bullet came quite too handy to let that opportunity go.
"Hey", Vincent said softly, already standing at the other side of the car and opening its door for Catherine and all she did was replying in the same way: "Hey."
"So who's in for a farewell party?" Tom asked out loud and Heather jumped making happy noises, with her father and Brooke following them into the building.
Vincent wrapped his arm around Catherine as they both crossed the space more slowly, while Tess caught up to J.T. whispering something towards him, that Cat didn't catch and Vincent chose not to. Evan however didn't move, which made them stop.
"I think I'm going to head home, I'm not really in the right mood"; he said.

Catherine peeled herself out of Vincent's arm and stepped towards her friend to take the hand that wasn't strapped up.
"You don't have to stay", she said smiling sympathetically. "I know we haven't heard from Kara, but we haven't heard from Connor and Alex either. I know that they are fine. Are you going to be okay? How are you getting home?"
Evan exhaled and reached behind his neck to open the strap.
"Didn't the doctor say…", she wanted to protest.
"I am a doctor, Cat", he smiled back at her. "I'll walk further down the road and get a cab. I just … want to continue packing things up."
"You know that this is your farewell party as well", Vincent made a step towards them and received a smile and nod as an answer: "Yes. I know that you want to say goodbye to me as well, but I don't know when I am leaving, so there will be some time for that."
Catherine got on her tiptoes and placed one hand on Evan's cheek to give him a kiss on the other one.
"Take care", she said to him, "and don't you dare leaving without saying goodbye. I'm with the FBI. I'll hunt you down and make you regret it."
"Yes, Ma'am", Evans weary smile almost turned into a grin and then he looked at Vincent once more: "I know that you will protect her, so I will not tell you to do that."
"Hey, I thought this wasn't a goodbye", Cat punched him gently against his uninjured arm and made Evan's smile more real.
"She needs to smile more", he continued talking to Vincent.
"I agree", was his answer.
"See you around", Evan responded and brushed his thumb across Cat's cheek before he kissed her forehead.
Although she had expected it, there wasn't another word coming from him as he turned around and headed for the door next to the gate. Vincent and her watched him leave silently and he waited for Evan to be further away, until he spoke, wrapping his arms around her.
"Why did you lie to him?" he wanted to know as his chin met her temple and she leaned backwards. "About that we haven't heard of Connor and Alex."
"Because sometimes the truth we know isn't the actual truth", she answered cryptically. "Just because we know that Connor and Alex are fine, being somewhere in witness protection, doesn't meant that Kara isn't."
"How can you be so sure?" Vincent asked her.
"I knew you weren't gone", Catherine answered and turned around to face him. "I felt that you still were with me. If I hadn't I … I couldn't have breathed, couldn't have lived. I knew you were still alive because my own heart was still beating."
She could tell by his glance that he didn't understand. He wasn't able to connect this with Kara and Evan and apart from that her words were blowing his thoughts away like a storm fallen leaves.

Vincent's hands framed her face as his eyes sunk into hers just one moment before he kissed her and her mouth melted into his. Time faded around them and they felt free and weightless like every time. He pulled her closer the moment she moved towards him, bringing up her own hands that loved to touch his face so much.
"Are you guys coming?" Heather shouted from the inside and they broke their kiss with a smile.
It really was different now. Everything was different now. Before the funeral they had been going to the Salty Dawg with still was opened. Not so much at night. Going back there, where everything had begun had created an odd, almost eerily feeling. Vincent had sensed something beneath the gravel or the parking lot. Right there where Vanessa officially had died. The earth had been moved. So they had returned the following night and dug up a big chest that they had opened instantly. And there they were: all her notes, her computer, discs, hard drives everything. Including the cure for Vincent.
They had brought everything back with them and Tom had brought everything onto their own server, which was hidden in the warehouse of this place, before they gave the intelligence to the FBI. Alongside with the information that Mr. Chandler had provided they now were able to put all the remaining pieces together. Sooner or later they would be able to see a pattern and to find more of the branches. And now with Muirfield believing that Catherine's father had gone and their intelligence was protected, they were now working on retrieving their accounts. Little did they know that some of the accounts had been emptied by Tom, who had created new untraceable one's providing Catherine's family - as in whole family - with enough money for them to vanish into thin air and yet to survive. Which was what her father and Brooke were about to do.
Sooner or later Muirfield would realize that they couldn't retrieve their money and had to accept that they had lost a huge amount of their finances. Muirfield was much weaker now and the FBI was on their trail without them realizing. They would bring them down and Catherine and Vincent would be a part of them responsible for this.
She pulled his face back towards hers, kissing him more passionately now and he had nothing against that. He only stopped smiling as she dragged her hands down his chest.
"We have guests, you know", he whispered against her mouth.
"Yes, I am aware of that", Catherine chuckled, playing with the rim of his shirt. "There's just a whole month to catch up."
Vincent pressed his lips together and nodded.
"Well your Dad is leaving tonight, so…", he answered.
"So, let's go", she suddenly took his hand and dragged him along with her through the door that lead inside.

Joining the others in the biggest room of this place which once had been the serving and dining area of the restaurant the men who couldn't have joined them on the fake funeral had done their best to create an celebratory atmosphere under Sarah's supervision. Apart from the pizza boxes and the beer bottles and the fact that the beamer still was showing baseball. It was a male paradise. They clunk glasses with non-alcoholic drinks - because two of them weren't allowed to, one had to drive and two others would get onto a plane later on - and smiled at each other.
This was it. This was what redemption felt like the disintegration of the tension they had to handle. Some of them only weeks, others months and of course those who had lived for years like that. Of course all of them Catherine, Vincent, Tess, J.T., Sarah, Tom, Heather, Brooke and Mr. Chandler knew that this wouldn't be over until the last member of Muirfield was either dead or imprisoned. Yet the odds at least to seemed more balanced as before.
Still they hadn't gathered to celebrate this, but to say goodbye to Mr. Chandler and his wife, who would fly to an Caribbean island where their new identities would own a little hotel, which was perfect for the Chandler sisters to spend their holidays, and of course a lot of FBI agents who needed some relaxing time.
As for Catherine J.T. had managed to recreate the serum that she needed to inject herself every day so that her body wouldn't reject the fetus. They had decided to keep it and silently she prayed that everything would be okay with him or her, that her child actually could be normal. She looked down as Vincent placed his hand above hers which had unconsciously had moved to her stomach again.
"Do you already have a name?" Heather blurted out in excitement and made Vincent smirk in embarrassment.
"Well, we haven't talked about it yet", Cat smiled in a way that didn't only lighten up his face. "But I thought that if it's a girl, we might call her Vanessa", she looked at Vincent and he smiled softly in agreement.
Catherine continued to look at him, because she needed to know what he thought of what she just said. "And it it's a boy I'd like William Michael."
"I can live with that", Vincent answered and his voice was more than hoarse and she quickly kissed him.
The cure that Vanessa had worked on for some time actually could work. J.T. didn't see himself as an expert on that, but Cat's mother had been. However Vincent had chosen against it. At least until now. There was no need for him to be cured at the moment. If their child would be born with corrupted DNA he would have the possibility to help him or her. And apart from that: this was who he was now. He had accepted that and this was his own personal redemption, because since in that the beast and him were not only a team: they were one.

As he had gotten the text it had been in the middle of the night and it had been an unknown sender. The content of that message had been nothing more than an address. Somewhere in New Jersey. Without a name. Yet, since there was nothing that was keeping him back Evan had gotten in his car and started driving, leaving half of the boxes in his apartment unfilled and despite his arching arm. There had been no reason for him to hope, and he still did, all the way driving to that unknown place. Catherine's voice and words were his solely entourage.
Driving down that road without knowing what to expect was actually just the same he felt when waking up each morning after his release from the hospital.
Evan had no idea where he was heading to. Not just right now, but in general as well. He had an idea what to expect from life, what he should expect, but no idea what he really wanted from it. All he knew was that he couldn't stay in New York, although he was aware of that Cat needed him as a friend. Yet right now he couldn't cope with the memories. Evan was perfectly aware that he allowed history to repeat itself, that he was running away once again. Maybe someday he would return, and join Cat and Tess with the FBI. He didn't actually believe this.
As he steered his car down the highway onto a country lane Evan doubted that he was going into the right direction, but his GPS was sending him down this road. There were barely lights siding the lane and only in die distance the night sky seemed to be lit up by a huge property.
"It's not her, it's not her", he murmured repeatedly, nervously drumming his thumbs against the wheel, and did his best to drive slowly.
Approaching the building Evan was able to see a big wall surrounding what seemed to be a manor with some side buildings; and the lights came from the spotlights all around. Still there was no shield or sign to tell him were exactly he was heading to, apart from the double portal to which the gravel road lead. And right there he saw something: a figure dressed in dark clothes, standing in front of the double portal, apparently freezing.
Evan stopped the car and got out, without turning off the engine or switching out the headlight, trying to be sure about what his eyes showed him. Right then as he made his first step towards that person, she turned around.
"Kara?" he heard his own voice ask hoarsely and though this woman looked like her he still didn't dare to trust this picture.
Not even when she walked up to him.
"I heard you have decided to run", she said, before she made the last two steps that closed the distance between them. "Let me run with you", Kara added with a much weaker voice and all Evan did for answering to her was enfolding her face with his hands and give her a glimpse of a smile before he kissed her and pulled her close.

End.