A/N: Happy New Year everyone! I'm finally back in the saddle! Two chapters, enjoy! xo

"Who is this guy?" Tess asked Catherine, not expecting a response.

"The name is JT," he said.

"I know that." The look on her face read, duh.

"Then why did you ask?"

Tess's eyes narrowed. "It was rhetorical."

"Whatever." JT rolled his eyes; she pulled a face in return.

Catherine passed a puzzled look in Vincent's direction. They were dealing with kindergarteners.

"Alright, time out," Vincent said.

Catherine's friend frowned. "Seriously?"

"Tess!" Catherine said sharply.

"You said something about a drink, TJ?"

"Aren't you on duty? And it's JT."

"What are you, my boss?"

"More like a concerned citizen."

"Arrest me. Oh right, you can't. It might draw attention to you and… your friend."

"Tess!" Catherine's mouth formed a confused O.

Tess ran her hands through her hair, shutting her eyes tightly for a moment. Vincent was sure she was praying they would all disappear and she would wake up from a really bad dream.

"I'm sorry," she said eventually. "I'm sorry, ok? This is just…"

"Weird." JT supplied.

"Yeah. And…"

"Surreal."

"Totally. But…"

"Freaky."

"How about annoying! I can finish my own sentences!"

JT made a face. "Just helping out."

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Yeah, I'll bet."

"I don't think this was a good idea." Catherine said, already regretting her decision - not to tell Tess, but to bring her here.

"NOW she gets it," JT huffed.

"Hey, lay off her alright?"

Before JT could respond to Tess, Vincent stepped forward. His head hurt from the verbal sparring. It was distressing, amusing and confusing all in the same measure.

"Tess, you have a lot of questions... I'm sure. So… want to take a seat and we can talk…?"

"Maybe we should do this another time?" Catherine piped up, nervous. "When tensions aren't running quite so high," she whispered to Vincent alone.

"No. No. Let's… talk."

Vincent nodded and gestured to the little table. He walked past Catherine, resting a comforting hand on the small of her back. He wanted badly to lean down and place a reassuring kiss on her lips. His instincts told him it wouldn't be a good idea – mainly because of her suspicious best friend hovering.

Catherine read his thoughts and her eyes apologised. She did take his hand though, and squeezed briefly on her way past.

They were seated, but there was one space open at the little square table. It wasn't like JT to miss out on the action. But he came back.

"Drinks!" He deposited beers on the table. "You'll need it."

"What happened to your citizen's arrest?" Tess asked, already reaching for a beer.

"Planning on going back to the office?"

"No."

"Planning on getting drunk?"

"No," she said, and then reconsidered. "Well, maybe. Actually, it depends on what Robocop here has to say."

Catherine winced. Vincent displayed no visible emotion.

"Nope," JT said. "Too soon."

"Ah." Tess nodded. "Too soon for nicknames? I get it."

"Decent attempt though. Cheers."

"Riiight. Drunk it is then!" Catherine interjected, taking a gulp of her own drink. She missed it when Tess grinned and JT grinned back.

"She doesn't like me."

"No. She-"

"Doesn't like me."

Catherine sighed. "She doesn't know you."

"Doesn't want to know me."

"Vincent," she said, shifting on his chest. It was after 22.00. Tess had left a few hours before. Despite threatening to drink copious amounts of alcohol, she wanted to be very sober when she heard it all. She had listened - frowning most of the time - asked a lot of questions, looked shocked, horrified, eventually overwhelmed and angry. At that point, she drove herself home.

Catherine hadn't planned on staying over, but JT was snoring in his room, they were finally alone and it was Friday night. She lay in his arms, on top of the bedcovers, staring into the darkness. She rubbed his chest soothingly, knowing he was tense. She was worried about the state of her relationship with her best friend too.

"She just found out about all this supernatural stuff. Let's give her some time."

"She's badass though."

Catherine laughed. "Yes, that she is."

"She had JT going." Vincent caught her roving hand and linked their fingers.

Catherine frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't see the sparks?"

"I saw the mutual, barely veiled animosity."

Vincent mocked. "Come on, Detective."

"JT. And Tess? You're kidding?"

He shrugged. "You're the one who said you wanted to get JT a girlfriend."

"That, this afternoon, that wasn't unbridled passion. I've never seen Tess that way." She frowned.

"For what it's worth, JT can be pretty petulant. You know this. But this afternoon…"

"Stop!" She poked his ribs. "It's too weird."

It was Vincent's turn to laugh. "Agreed." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Are you mad about me telling her?"

"Honestly… I'm not comfortable," he admitted finally. "It's another person who knows."

"She would never tell anyone."

"I trust your judgement. But we didn't think Evan would tell anyone either, and now he wants to tell the world."

"Tess isn't Evan," she said defensively.

"But you all have complicated histories." He felt her shift uncomfortably and continued. "Another person who knows is another possible route which Muirfield could use to try and get to me, JT and you too."

"I couldn't lie to her anymore."

"I know." She felt him nod. "Let's make a deal. No more confessions, unless we agree it's the only way? It's dangerous. For me, but also for everyone who knows. JT signed up for this. Evan and Tess didn't. They have no idea what they're getting involved in. I can't let any more people get hurt because of me."

"I signed up for this too." Catherine lifted her head from his chest and leaned over, pressing her lips against his. "Deal," she whispered. "You think JT will ever forgive you for telling me where you live now?"

Vincent chuckled. "Eventually." His chest shook from suppressed laughter. "Maybe if you brought Tess around more often, he might relax, be in more of a… forgiving mood."

Giggles bubbled up inside of her. "Who's the matchmaker now?"

"You brought her here."

"Not as a possible girlfriend!"

Vincent shrugged, but his eyes danced with laughter. "I think…" He lifted Catherine onto his chest and her breath whooshed out. "That's enough talk about JT."

"What would you like to talk about then?" she asked, leaning close, their lips inches apart. Her hair fell forward, creating a cocoon. The smell of her shampoo was intoxicating.

His lips curved, mischief evident all over his face. Her heartbeat tripped as his one hand cupped her lower back, the other gripped her thigh before expertly exchanging positions. In an instant, she had a heaving man between her thighs.

"I don't think I want to do any talking right now."

Catherine's body flushed, her thighs parting, allowing him to settle. "Me either."