Chapter 26 : - Heartbreak.

DISCLAMER, i do not own Beauty and the Beast of course, this is just a work of fiction based on the characters and the show.

A/N :I see you guys were surprised to see Heather "accept" Vincent … she didn't really, she made a compromise. She realise disproving of him is only forcing Cat to close herself, so as not to lose her sister she agreed to not speak up against Vincent in exchange for Cat not lying anymore.

Now Evan … Tess … that's another story ! Ahah !

And thank you all so much for your compliments, really made my day =}

BTW … this is quite long of a chapter ...

Previously in ATW: So we still have Evan more or less double agent but lately … we haven't seen him :( . (and yeah I know I had written that for the previous chapter) Now Heather knows that Cat is still seing V, but just that. And Tess noticed the sex-glow on Cat's face, and here we go peeps, fasten your sit belt (well … I think this is going to be nice of a chapter expect if you are in love with Evan like me ! Oops ...)

Vincent was finishing the dishes while JT was typing on his computer, probably working on something for the university.

"Don't you have classes this morning ?" Vincent asked.

"Yeah … at 10 … I still have time" he closed his computer and turned his attention back to Vincent who was wiping his hands.

"So tell me more … what happened ?" JT asked trying to keep a straight face.

"Well … I'm sure you guessed …" but seeing his friend insisting stare he felt like there was something. "What … do you mean ? Why do you ask ?" as he was trying to make sense out of his uncomfortable friend's behaviour he recalled the previous night phone call and the concern in JT's voice when he asked if everything was ok.

JT closed his computer and stood a bit awkwardly. "I was just curious, wondering if anything bad might have happen … I mean … I …" he was searching for his words and sweat started to form on his forehead.

His pulse racing, the sweat, his awkward and hesitant tone; JT was hiding something. It didn't take long for Vincent to put the pieces together. The phone call the night before was the key to the mystery : "You knew" he simply said in a low voice look straight at JT. "That's why you asked if everything was ok, … last night ..."

"I … uh …" he adjusted his glasses. It was useless to try to lie : "She needed to talk to a friend, and … I'm the only one that knows about the whole …" he gestured with his hand imitating the beast.

Vincent's gaze fell back to his hands still nervously gripping the towel. He did not really know what to feel. Guilt was growing inside him : Catherine had had to deal with the discovery of the marks on her body and could not talk with her friends. He realised how emotionally difficult he was making things for her. Yet he couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed that his best friend had known about that before him. He shook his head trying to push away that feeling, knowing it was wrong. He had no right to be mad at Catherine for telling JT, or at his friend for keeping it from him once he knew.

Yet something worried him. "Did you see the marks on her back ?" he asked looking back at his friend.

"No, but … she said it was not that bad. She was just scared you'd run from her for fear of hurting her more. … I don't know what happened but … I really hope you don't plan on leaving her. She really is in love with you man" JT said his voice calm now that he had told everything to his friend.

"Thing is … I saw the marks. It's not that light. I … I really hurt her bad." He sighed and sat down at the table. JT's expression changed instantly hearing those words and he quickly came to join him seated.

"How bad was it then … cause … I mean this morning you guys seemed so … Everything seemed perfect !"

"It … I am in control now. I guess … I mean I love her, and it was the first time we were together, I get I got lost in the moment, you know ? But … When I saw the marks last night, I felt … I felt so guilty and …" he paused trying to find the words to explain.

JT wanted to tell him it was ok, but he knew it was not. What to say ?

"I think somehow … I felt the beast's guilt as well, and … since … well I was much more in control when we … well …"

"Yeah Yeah ! I don't need the mental image." JT said gesturing him to stop.

"So … It shouldn't happen again. But I'm worried about Catherine. She … she really seemed like she thought she only had a few scratches but … it's more than that. I … " Vincent buried his face in his hand.

"Will that heal ?" his best friend dared to ask.

"Yeah, … but … "

"If so then you need to put that behind you. Focus on making sure it doesn't happen again. And … if she needs to talk … no matter how awkward that conversation was … I'm her friend too"

Vincent smiled, "Thanks man …" but inside his head he couldn't help but think she probably needed someone else to be able to talk to. JT was his best friend, that must have felt weird for Catherine to share with him instead of Tess or her sister.

"What if she told Tess ?" he asked shyly after a short silence, knowing this would make JT panic.

"What ? Another cop … no no no no no, not a good idea !" he almost yelled standing up suddenly.

"But … she's Catherine's best friend, I'm sure she'd understand !" Vincent tried to be convincing but even he had doubts.

JT tilled his head and looked at him frowning. "Alright … I know … it's not my best idea but … I feel guilty that Catherine has to go through that on her own."

He understood, but he had no solution for his friend. They just stared at each-other a bit, until JT realised he had to go work.

"We'll talk later ok ? Don't do anything stupid" he told Vincent on a mocking tone as he walked out.

Back at the precinct while Tess and Cat were talking about their new case Evan walked to their desks with some preliminary results for the autopsy.

Though Evan was remaining as professional as possible everyone could read on Cat's face that she was uncomfortable, yet they ignore it. He explained a few stuffs he had found and she did not even hear what he was saying. Her mind was racing.

She suddenly felt guilty. Since she had introduced him to Vincent carefully hiding the true nature of their relationship, she had not spend much time with Evan. The poor man was in constant danger working for Muirfield and had even slipped them false information to protect her and Vincent, and here she was happy that she finally had taken her relationship to the next level while Evan was probably still struggling with everything that had happened recently, not to mention his feelings for her. Yes, because he loves her and she knows it, she noticed the signs, and she felt to guilty for using him to protect the man she loved.

"Cat ? You with us ? "Tess suddenly woke her from her thoughts clapping in front of her eyes.

She blinked and realised that Evan was walking away.

"Sorry … I … uhm … I just need to talk to Evan …" she said already walking toward the morgue without even looking at Tess, who surprised was staring at her partner her mouth wide open. "Is that … ?" she started but thought better than to ask so loud in the middle of the precinct if Evan and Cat had spend the night together.

Standing in front the morgue Catherine took a deep breath before knocking. As her hand was tapping lightly on the door she still had no idea what she was going to say.

Was she here to tell him the truth about her and Vincent ? Or maybe just to make sure he was ok ? Or even would she dare ask for news about Muirfield ?

"Yes ?" she heard his voice. She entered and just stood there staring at his back that was facing her while he was focused on a microscope.

When he turned around and noticed who had just entered he froze. The silence said a lot. Neither was comfortable.

Evan did not know what to think of her being there. They hadn't talk much since he had given Muirfield information on Vincent's DNA – fake information – and she had checked on him to see if he was ok.

"What do you need ?" he asked very calmly, almost no emotion showing in his voice.

Need, he said need … He didn't ask why she was here, he asked what she needed, as if she was only here when she needed something from him. Her eyes turned sad at the realisation that it might be a bit true. She was ashamed.

Catherine was shifting her weigh from one foot to the other trying to figure out what to say next, but she couldn't find anything.

"This might not be the right time to talk … you have a lot of work" Evan broke the silence.

"Yeah but … " she wanted to say that she cared about him, that he was important to her , that she wanted him to be safe, that she still hoped that one day he'll understand completely her choice of protecting Vincent, that she was sorry she didn't love him the way he seemed to. Maybe even be honest about Vincent being her boyfriend, even though she would hate herself if she was hurting him. But the words were stuck, she did not know how to express herself.

He had not move, he was hurt that she had not really been taking any news from him but at the same time he could not be mad at her.

"Sorry" she said looking at her shoes. There was so much in this word. Sorry I forgot to check if you were ok, sorry that you are in danger because of me, sorry that I'm hurting you so much …

"I don't know what to tell you, but … I … hope you're ok … " her voice was so low.

"I know" he whispered back walking to her to stroke her arms.

She smiled sadly at him.

"Yesterday afternoon was a little low here. So … I did some personal research." She was confused and that read all over her face. So he continued : "When you tried to convince me to meet … him", he could not say his name out loud, "You asked me if I wondered if he would want to be cured."

Catherine's eyes widen, both with hope and surprise. "What are you saying ?"

"You're right, I'm not ok with you protecting this … thing … " she swallowed loudly at his use of that term. "But you were also right when you said he is a victim." He took a deep breath. "I am willing to try to help him. I think he is dangerous, and you know it. "

They both stared at each-other. Evan was waiting for a reaction from her and she was unsure of what to say or do.

"All I did was to protect you Cat, I care about you". She looked down again, ashamed, flashes of her night with Vincent in her mind. "If I can help cure him, or at least help him have more control then I will be protecting you."

She felt a strange tickle in her back, right where her skin had been ruptured by Vincent. Evan had said that as if he knew about the claw-marks in her back, as if he knew they were a couple and that made her feel even worse. Yet she couldn't help but hope he would find something to help Vincent. She knew that the past decade JT and him and been looking for a cure, but maybe with access to Muirfield Evan would succeed.

"I can't ask you that, it's risky to work on that while you are probably watched by … M …" Catherine finally said trying to be reasonable. It felt so wrong to let him risk so much.

"You're not asking …" he simply said.

A tear fell silently on her left cheek, she looked down.

"I have to be honest with you. I can't let you risk so much without at least telling you who you are helping" she said turning her back to him and running both her hands in her hair. She exhaled loudly and looked back at him.

"Vincent … I …. we are together." As the words came out she tried her best not to look away from Evan. She witnessed the change in his expression, not matter how light and it was as if she could hear his heart breaking. The sound echoing in her ears as his face became pale.

"I have to admit I had my suspicions " he said trying his best to keep composed, a forced smile on his face.

Deep down he knew : the way she had taken the creature's hand when they met, the way Vincent had looked at him while Catherine was stroking his arms reassuringly, the way she would get offended each time he would spoke of Vincent unable to say his name or worse, calling him a thing; he knew that she liked that guy more than just a friend. Yet he had tried to convince himself otherwise, tried to hang onto some hope that he was wrong and that he still stood a chance. It had been useless, he had just being delaying the moment his heart would break. Evan still loved her though, and he was still ready to do everything he could to protect her.

He swallowed and closed his eyes a moment taking a deep breath.

"But … if you are that close … it's even more of a reason for me to find that cure … I don't want you to get hurt" he continued opening his eyes again.

"I'm so sorry you got caught up in all that, sorry I didn't tell you anything when you asked me what was going on … sorry I didn't tell you about what Vincent and I are … I just … I truly am. I don't know what else to say, I have no words. I just wish I could go back and make sure you don't get involved" tears were now pouring on her face and it was hard for her to speak.

"I'm not going to lie, I wish things were different. And yes I'm hurt but … I hope you are happy … And I'll do anything I can to make sure you are safe" he told her wiping her tears with his thumbs and trying not to shed some himself. The pain in his heart was more than he had ever felt, and there was nothing he could do to heal. Only time would make it fade away and given how much he loved her, he would probably need a lot of it.

"Me too … I'll do anything to protect you, I hope you know that" she said talking his hands from her face and squeezing them gently. "I do" he simply whispered.

A knock on the door interrupted them.

"We better both get back to work" Evan said taking a deep breath.

"Yeah" she answered wiping her tears.

They smiled sadly at each-other and both went back to their busy day.

That evening when Evan closed the door of his apartment behind him he took off the mask. He didn't even hang his jacket he let it fall to the ground, right next to the door.

He walked to the kitchen counter and used both hands to support himself. His legs were giving up on him, his body was shaking and his heart was aching, more and more. Breathing had become difficult, he was almost choking. At some point tears started to fall on the kitchen counter.

He took a deep breath, grabbed a towel and wiped the counter clean. He then walked to his living room and grabbed a crystal glass and the bottle of whisky, the same one he had open with JT that night he had told him he was working for Muirfield. Pouring himself a large glass, much larger than he should, he stared blankly at the brown liquid. A few more tears fell to mix themselves in the glass and he simply wiped his face with the back of his hand.

He drank almost all of the glass content in one big sip but that was not enough. He could still feel that pain in his heart. His hand tightened around the glass and out of the blue he just threw it on the opposite wall, the remaining alcohol splashing on the wallpaper and staining it.

How could she have chosen that … thing over him … after all he did for her ?

Losing his balance he fell on the arm chair behind him.

But he still loved her, with all his heart, and everything he had told her he meant it. He would do anything to make sure she would be safe and happy, anything. Even if it meant helping that … man.

He wanted to scream, to get the pain out of his chest but he couldn't, he couldn't because the neighbour would hear. So he just sat there sobbing until he had no tears left to shed, until his body was too tired to feel anything.

Evan didn't even have dinner, he didn't clean the broken glass, or the stain of whisky on the wall, he had no strength to do any of it. So he decided to go to bed, no matter how early it was. He stopped by the bathroom and took a long shower, the water so hot it almost burned his skin, but he didn't feel that.

Sitting on his bed he took a deep breath. The next morning he would have to see her, work with her … and he would also have to start working on that cure. And he would have to hide how broken he was to the eyes of all of his colleagues, especially hers.

As his body was lying on his bed, his eyes starring at the ceiling, his cell rang. He let it rang, unwilling to talk to anyone. But the person was insistent and tried calling three more time, until he finally picked up.

"Dr Marks ?" a trembling female voice asked on the other end of the line. He recognized the receptionist from Muirfield, but was surprised she'd still be working at such an hour. Though this was an unusual company.

He cleared his throat and answered in a hoarse voice : "Yes, that's me."

"Sorry to disturb you so late, but I just had a phone call from my boss, and apparently it's urgent." she sounded relieved he had picked up.

"He wants to see you tomorrow, at 2 pm same address as last time." she continued.

"I have work, I can't just …" he tried to argue his voice still sounding hoarse but she cut him short.

"It's about your research that you gave one of the agent." She did not seem to know much about the details. "And it's urgent, he said he wanted to introduced you to someone. I'm sure you can find a way to sneak out ?" she said trying her best to speak with a light tone.

"Alright, I'll be there" he thought it was better not to make anyone at Muifield mad.

"Perfect, have a nice evening Doctor."

He wished her one too and hang up. He let his phone fall on the bed and just pushed it aside.

Closing his eyes he tried to push away any thought about the big M, about Catherine … about Vincent. He took him a while, but eventually sleep took over when he was physically too tired to stay awake, his heart still aching.

Evan's heartbreak would take a while to heal, and yet he had something else to worry about : what did Muirfield want from him ? What was so urgent ?

A/N : Ok so … I cried writing that, and now I'm super sad and everything hurt. I just want to hug Evan so tight …

*back to Evil Queen mode*

Are you worried ? Cause you should … *evil laugh* … *fades to black*