A week passed since they first met in the darkened tunnel and a part of her also wanted it to be the last. Each night she had dreamt of him, Beast. His piercing blue eyes always beckoned her and no matter how hard she tried to fight it she always gave in to his command. He haunted her mind and she didn't even know who he was or what he truly was.
Catherine didn't have work the next day so she didn't mind staying up all night especially when it meant not dreaming or having a nightmare but it also meant staying awake and thinking about Vincent. Sometimes it felt like she was handling a double edge sword and she didn't know which end would hurt more, holding on or letting go and move on. It felt like she had been in this position before but that felt like lifetimes ago.
Catherine still hoped for Vincent to be alive but it was foolish to hold on to an unrealistic dream and the only other person she felt a connection with wasn't really a person. It was worse that she didn't have someone to talk to that would understand her situation, that wouldn't judge her and wouldn't call her crazy. Hell, she even thought that she was crazy for believing that such a being existed. It could have been someone in a custom playing a prank on random people but there was nothing on the news about a couple of people running around the city wearing a lion mask.
She turned to her alarm clock and her eyes burned as she stared at the numbers that flashed brightly, 2:14. "February 14. Valentine's Day. Roses. Letter. Vincent," she whispered in the dark room. It always led to him no matter what it was. She closes her eyes and quickly drifted to sleep as her exhausted mind won the battle. Just like always she began to dream.
The subway station was filled with people. Some were entering the train as others were getting off. Soon the station was abandoned except for her and another person lying on the other side of the platform.
Catherine slowly approached the body. "Hello, I'm Detective Chandler."
The body remained still and fear quickly kicked in as she heard no response from the person. They could simply be asleep and didn't hear her she thought to herself.
"Are you okay?" She asked as she walked closer. "Do you need any help?"
There was no answer and a part of her expected it. By the clothing and physique she could tell that the person was male. He was wearing a navy blue peacoat with gold trim and pants to match. He was tall about six feet, give or take. His torso was bulky, and slightly moving. She can hear his faint breathing as she stood over him. She knelt behind him and turned him over.
"Help me," he raised his bloody hand as he fought for each breath.
Her heart stopped for a second as she recognized him. His scarred cheek was covered in the pool of blood that he was lying on.
"Vincent," she moved aside the jacket and his white shirt was soaked in blood as well. She lifted his shirt up and saw the gunshot wound close to his heart. She applied pressure on his wound, covering it with both hands. "Stay with me, Vincent. Don't leave me."
His breathing became more faint and the color of his face was pale. "You have pretty eyes," he took one final breath and her eyes were the last thing he saw before he died.
Her vision blurred then turned dark as her head fell on his chest. "Please don't leave me. I love you."
Catherine opened her eyes and gasped for air as she woke up from her nightmare. She quickly sat up in bed. Her face was covered in sweat and her hands were clammy. She turned and checked the time. It was now 5:30. She wiped the tears that burned her eyes and sobbed uncontrollably. She hated to think that he was dead but every sign kept pointing to that conclusion. A year had already passed and he was still missing. There was just no escape for her.
What hurt her the most was that there was no closure. There was no body, dead or alive. What she thought was a perfect start to their budding romance quickly became her worse nightmare. As a detective she knew better than to keep hoping but the girl that fell in love didn't want to lose herself in the darkness like she had done before.
BATB
Catherine gave up on her sleep and decided to go for an early run to try and clear her mind. The weather was still cool after the morning sunrise. She put her headphones on, turned on the music on her phone and ran towards Central Park but didn't dare enter. She still wasn't able to go in without thinking about what happened to Vincent. During the first few weeks after he went missing she had panic attacks every time she walked near the park. It was difficult to avoid since she lived so close.
She ran along the sidewalk of Central Park. It was as close as she could get without having to go in. She slowly started to jog when the sidewalk started to fill with people as they commuted to work and began their day. Her impatience started to wear thin as more people crowded around her and she came to a halt with the rest of the people waiting for the street light to turn green.
She jogged around the crowd and fell to the ground when someone bumped into her. His metro card fell on her lap and the guy gave her a cold stare instead of apologizing. He definitely wasn't going to get it back as she returned the harden stare. He went on his way without getting his card back and continued running to his destination.
"Asshole," she mumbled under her breath as she picked up the metro card and got up. She walked with the rest of the crowd as her legs started to ache from the fall. So much for a morning run. She removed her headphones and let it hang around her neck the stared at the metro card in her hand. She thought for a moment and quickly made up her to go to the nearest station.
BATB
Catherine was crazy for even trying but she had to do something instead of just dreaming or in her case, having nightmares. Besides she didn't believe for a second that she would find Vincent down on a platform.
She waited for the crowd to disperse and empty out the platform but it was the morning commute and there were several trains on this stop. A few people were still there but they were all busy staring at their phones. She walked back and forth scanning the area hoping that she wouldn't find a body like she did in her nightmares. To her relief there was no body but her breath got stuck in her throat and her heart skipped a beat when two glowing blue eyes staring at her from the shadows.
A few seconds passed before she finally came to her senses. "Wait," she managed to find her voice. She wasn't sure how long they both stared at one another.
Not sure what came over her, Catherine jumped off the platform and into the tracks. He quickly backed away as she ran towards him but he turned around and ran. The other people on the platform simply looked up from their phone but it happened too quickly for them to react or record as they disappeared view.
Catherine chased after him and they both ran with clear intent. He took the chance of hoping to see her and now that she was here he wasn't exactly quite sure why he was running away from her. Since they first met all he could do was think think about her and her green eyes that were mesmerizing. He wasn't really sure why or what but deep down he knew that there was something special about her.
She wasn't afraid of him and that surprised him at first. Most people he met always stared at him, some even backed away but as they got to know him they knew he wasn't going to hurt them. There was something about her that made him feel more human than Beast, as they all called him.
She constantly haunted his dreams and he didn't know why. At first he thought that it was just the fever but as he started to feel better the dreams about her never stopped. They continued and it progressed to something more. Once he woke up to a tent in his pants and he didn't know what had caused it.
"Stop," Catherine tries to call out after him but he continues to run away from her. "SHIT," she yelled when she saw the light from the train that was heading towards them.
They quickly turned around and ran back towards the platform that was too far ahead. Just like in her dream she was carried by him, thrown gently against the wall and trapped her against his body to keep her safe from the train. He placed his paws flat on the wall beside both of her arms to keep her still. "I won't hurt you."
Catherine knew that she was safe without having to head those panted from all the running, beside her ear, as the train passed behind him. His breath was hot against her shoulder and neck but it still caused her to shiver. He could hear her heart beating fast and he didn't know what it meant.
She tried to control her heart but the harder she tried the faster it went. She tried to calm her breathing but all it did was cause his heart to race as he felt her breath on his neck. He listened to her heart carefully and realized it was beating along with his.
He waited for the train to stop at the platform before pulling away from her while keeping his hands on the wall. He looked down at her eyes and she stared back at him. She raised her hand and brought it up to his cheek. His fur was soft as she stroked it.
"You're not afraid of me," he said as his blue eyes glimmered in the dark.
His voice was just how it sounded like in her dreams. It was soothing yet gruff and made him sound more human.
"You saved my life, twice," she continued to stroke his cheek and he closed his eyes. No one had ever done that to him and he liked the feeling.
"It was my fault. I couldn't let you to die. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself," Beast opened his eyes as sadness filled it. "You should go before another train comes," he stepped back from her and lowered his arms.
"Wait," she grabbed his hand, no paw. "How did you know that I would be here?"
He pulled his hand away from hers. "I didn't. All I know is that I wanted to see you again," he confessed, his mouth opened before his mind could think.
Her heart started to race once more. "I'm here now."
Beast nodded his head and smiled. There was a noise coming from afar. He closed his eyes and covered his ears. "There's another train coming," he opened his eyes and looked up at her. "Do you have any plans today?"
"No," Catherine quickly answered.
He offered his hand to her and she placed hers in it without hesitation. "We better hurry."
Beast took her through the maze of tunnels, going around and sometimes doubling back so that she wouldn't know where they were. He stopped at a spot they passed by a couple of times and turned to her. "I heard them call you Detective Chandler when we first met."
"Catherine," she replied.
"They call me Beast. No one here has a name. They left that up above. Can I trust you?"
Catherine nodded her head and squeezed the soft pad of his paw. "Where are we going?"
"My home," Beast answered.
BATB
The tunnels were dimly lit and she held on to his hand much tighter than she should have. His paw was soft and warm, making her feel comfortable in the dark and narrow space they walked through. He felt her nervousness through their hands and he tried hard not to think about why she would be. He closed his eyes but his sensitive hearing kicked in and the nervous beating of her heart was deafening. He suddenly stopped without warning causing her to crash Into him, not realizing that he had stopped walking in front of her.
"Sorry," she told him as she tried to search for his eyes in the darkness of the tunnels.
He opened his eyes and his bright blue hues looked deep into her jade eyes. "Would you like to leave?"
Catherine shook her head as she kept her eyes on his. She wasn't sure why he would ask when she hardly said a word or protested against being with him.
"Did I do something wrong?" He asked as he kept hearing her nervous heartbeat.
Her nails nails dug through his paw as she gripped his hand tighter when he worried about her. The tone of his voice and the sincerity behind it reminded her so much of him, of Vincent. They were similar in some ways.
"Catherine, are you okay?"
"I..." she began but couldn't find the remind me of someone I still love even though he's been missing for over a year, she thought to herself. "I'm okay. Let's keep going."
"We don't have to do this now. I can wait. It's not like I have other places to go to," he looked around them and his lips formed a smile.
His words, his tone, the playfulness, he sounded so much like, "Vincent," she whispered unknowingly and unwillingly.
Beast loosened his hand around hers and stepped back. How could he be so foolish to think that someone as beautiful as her wouldn't have someone waiting for her at him. After all the tunnels and its people was all he had. "I'm sorry. I didn't know there was someone else. This is a bad idea, Catherine. You should go and be with him." His eyes saddened and the playful smile on his face disappeared. "I'll walk you back."
"No. I'm the one who should be sorry," she stooped back and leaned against the wall. "There's no one else," she admitted to herself more than him. "It's just a past. We all have them right?"
"You don't have to lie to me, Catherine. I get it. I'm not exactly the best looking guy or best looking anything for that matter. C'mon I'll take you back," Beast said sadly. For some reason he felt a twinge in his heart, a sharp, stinging pain that he couldn't hide. His facial expression changed and so did the colors of his eyes. For a moment they flashed brown and his head hurt as an image came to his mind. He saw the metal stairs of a fire escape as he climbs up then image suddenly stopped. He pressed his palms to his temple and closes his eyes.
Catherine walked closer to him and minimized the gap that he placed between them. She placed her hands over his and the warmth of her palms calmed the throbbing in his head. "Are you okay?"
Her voice brought him back and he opened his eyes, the blue hues once again stared into her.
"It's nothing. It's just a headache," Beast took a huge step back causing her hands to fall.
"There's no one else, I promise," she tried to convince him and herself.
"You still love him, Catherine. Anyone can see that. Even here in the dark."
She sighed. "Am I really that transparent? I'm sorry. I just thought, I don't know what I was thinking to be perfectly honest."
"Maybe we can be friends? It's always nice to see someone new around here. We don't exactly get a lot of visitors," he said with a smile on his face. A friend was better than no one. The spark in his eyes returned and the lightheartedness in his voice came back. "Especially someone as beautiful as you," he confessed.
Catherine was thankful that the tunnels were dark or he would have seen how red her cheeks had turned as she blushed. "Thank you," she said. It was all she could think of.
"If you want, I can still show you around."
She nodded her head and smiled. Beast offered his hand, paw, it was all the same, to her once again and she gladly placed her hand in his. He led her through more darken tunnels until they hear the sound of voice and laughter.
"Wait here," he told her before walking ahead.
Catherine watched him walk away and disappear around the corner. She heard the greetings between him and the others. By the sound of their voice she knew that they respected him.
Their voice lowered and then stopped. She heard him, explaining, almost begging but never once did he raise his voice as they interrupted him. They all spoke up at once and it seemed no one agreed with him. Another voice spoke up and he immediately quieted the room.
"Beast has always given you what you wanted and he asks of only one thing. Surely we can find it within ourselves to grant him this one favor. You have families and each other. Who does he have?"
Catherine heard murmurs but couldn't quite make them out. She was sure that bringing an outsider was definitely not highly regarded amongst them.
"Raise your hand for yay. Go back to your chamber for nay. We will not force you to see or talk to her. Beast is going to bring her in here. Go get her."
"Thank you Doc."
BATB
Half of the room has stayed to see her while the other went to their chambers and closed the curtains. They all looked normal except Beast.
"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," Catherine looked inside once more and hesitated by the arc entrance. "I don't want to cause any problems between you and them.
"You won't," a familiar voice answered but he was out of her view. Then he suddenly appeared in front of the entrance, of them. "I'm Doc."
"I'm Catherine," she replied.
"No names are allowed here," Doc answered back. "It's just one of the rules."
They both turned to Beast who only shrugged his shoulders. He didn't even come up with his own name. Doc had given it to him and another had given Doc his name.
"Detective?" She said but was unsure.
"That's worse than using your name. No one here is very trusting of authoritative figure especially cops." Doc immediately turned it down and replaced it with his own. "Beauty."
Catherine looked down as she blushed again.
"Beast, what do you think?" Doc asked.
"As long as she's fine with it. Beauty?"
Catherine looked at Doc who had a huge grin on his face then she turned to Beast who had a shy smile. She bit her bottom lip as she tried to think of another name. "Cat?"
"Short for Catherine," Doc turned her down again.
Beast smiled as he watched the two interact and banter. Her presence made Doc more lively instead of the usual worrisome person since he was the only one who had any medical knowledge and helped everyone when they were sick. Of all the things he remembered about his past life it was that he was in the medical field.
"Beauty," Doc stated.
"Fine," she finally gave into the name.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Beauty," Doc took her hand and raised it to his lips, lightly kissing the back of her hand like he saw in movies.
Beast made a low grumbling sound and his pointed fangs peeked out of his mouth. She quickly pulled her hand away from Doc and they both stared at Beast. His eyes had turned a deep green color and the feeling subsided when she meets his eyes.
"Sorry Doc. I don't know what happened," Beast looked apologetically at the both of them.
Catherine bit her lips to keep herself from laughing. She saw how jealous guys could be and it usually annoyed her but she found his reaction to be funny and cute.
"It's quite alright, Beast."
She turned to Doc who had the same laughter gleaming in his eyes. "It was nice to meet you, Doc."
"I'll leave the two of you alone."
Doc entered the large room first and disappeared once again. Beast placed a hand on the small of her back and they entered together. He introduced her as Beauty, to those who was willing to meet her. Others just stared as they passed.
Catherine looked around the big room which was lit by candles everywhere. She stared in amazement at how cozy and homely it felt. Chambers or bedrooms were separated by curtains, most closed as they chose not to meet her.
"C'mere, mine is at the end. It's nothing fancy or anything."
She stopped in her tracks and her eyes quickly shot up at him. More and more, he was starting to sound like Vincent.
Beast had a very puzzled look on his face. "I don't have a curtain," he replied quickly. "I just wanted to show you my chamber but you don't have to if you don't want."
"Sorry," she sighed. What the hell was wrong with her? He only wanted to show her his chamber. "Perhaps next time," she said.
"Sure. I'll walk you back," Beast said softly. He had to admit that he was a little hurt by her rejection and hesitancy.
BATB
Catherine held his paw as they walked through the dim tunnels. She still wasn't use to the darkness and enclosed space and he didn't mind. He liked the feeling of having her hand in his, it made him feel normal.
"Is it okay if I call you Catherine when we're alone?"
"Of course. Beauty is just a bit much but I understand the rules."
Beast paused and turned to her. "Where do you live?"
She looks at him with a puzzling look on her face. "Why?"
"There are many ways to get in and out of these tunnels and not just through the subway stations. It isn't safe for us to go through there."
"My apartment is close to Central Park."
"Central Park it is. What part?" Beast asked.
She squeezed his hand hard and closed her eyes. The last time she was there was with Vincent and the last Vincent was there was when he was still alive.
"What's wrong?"
"I haven't been there since," she paused and let the tears falls from her eyes.
"I can take you somewhere else."
"No it's fine. Sorry again," she let go of his hand and wiped her tears. "My apartment is closer to the pond."
"That isn't far from here. You'll come out by the skating rink. I hope that's okay."
Catherine bit her lip but this time it was to keep herself from sobbing. She nodded her head and took his hand. They walked quietly the rest of the way as he was unsure what to say to her. He was usually good with resolving problems between the residents of the tunnel but he was clueless about this.
After a few minutes of silence and walking through the darkened tunnel they arrived at their destination. "We're here."
From where they stood she could hear the noise and laughter from the skate rink. "Thank you," she let go of his hand and walked to the narrow metal ladder.
"Catherine," his voice was low and without the excitement of earlier.
She slowly turned around to face him but wasn't sure what to say.
"Will I ever see you again?" Beast asked.
Catherine nodded her head but couldn't speak. She was trying her best not to let the tears flow down her cheeks.
"How long?"
She shrugged her shoulders.
"Whatever it is I did wrong, I'm sorry."
Catherine shook her head. "You didn't do anything wrong."
"Okay. Promise you'll come back," he spoke in a low tone.
"How will I find you?" She asked.
"Dog whistle."
The answer peaked her interest. "Dog whistle."
"I can hear them. Just enter through here or any entrance except the subway and blow the whistle. I'll come get you."
"Stay away from the subway. I got it. Thank you, again," she started to climb up the ladder without another word and he walked away.
"Wait," she jumped off the ladder and ran to him.
Beast turned around and she wrapped her arms around him, giving him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and returned the hug. It felt natural to be in his arms. It was a familiar feeling. She pulled away and kissed his cheek. Not sure what came over her but she was glad ahead took the chance.
"Bye Beast."
"Bye Catherine," he smiled. This time he waited until she closed the grate before walking away.