Author's Note: Hey guys, here is another chapter! Originally, this chapter and the next chapter were written as two chapters. However, it was pretty long (over 6,000 words) and I decided to cut the long chapter in half. So, I am very sorry for the awkward ending for this chapter as it directly leads into the next one.

Thank you for the lovely reviews and new subscribers! I love you all! 3

Enjoy! :D

Previously on "Indomitable Hope"

Tess pondered as she began to collect her stuff. As she turned to walk out, a voice coming from behind stopped her in her tracks.

"Detective Vargas, would I like a word with you alone?"

Holy shit, what did he want with her this time.

Tess fumed silently as she turned to face the well-to-do man standing behind a big oak desk. She displayed a slightly angry look on her face as the others filed out from the room. Tess didn't want to spend any more time with this guy as her time was currently occupied on the other secret, on-the-side investigation. She wasn't hoping that he was going to question her about that or the fact that her reporting on today's investigation was inadequate compared to the others.

Whatever methods he would try to use in order to coax the truth from her, she wouldn't falter. She couldn't trust him completely yet.

Gabe circled around his desk as the big-shot ADA came close to her, staring into her eyes to see if the sassy detective was hiding something. As the tall woman felt frightened and intimidated from the good-looking ADA, Gabe headed towards the front section of his office to close the door. During the process, he began to speak, "Thank you for staying behind, I need to chat with you. You might be wondering why I didn't ask the others on your team to stay back. They don't really know the ins and outs of these beasts like you and your friends do. That is why I am displeased that you didn't have a lot to say about the case today. However, as you were concluding your report on the case, I began to wonder if you were leaving out any other evidence. Like, you saw something but you didn't want to speak about it because it was too confidential to report to complete strangers. However, it's just you and me now. You can tell me anything. Please trust me. I know it is hard to do since I haven't acted gracious towards you, Cat, and Vincent. But, I really want to prove that I am a changed man."

His words seemed sincere as if he was talking from his heart. The ADA wanted to tell everyone that he is a changed man and didn't want to be the villain of story anymore. If Tess could be the first person to trust him, then maybe he would be on Cat's good side. And hopefully one day, he would earn the respect and be accepted from by J.T..

Gabe remembered encountering the man several times before, first meeting him when J.T. held Gabe's now dead girlfriend for hostage so Gabe could release the nerdy professor's best friend. However, that deal didn't come into fruition as now both parties' hostages are either dead or missing.

However, Gabe remembered the last encounter with the almost bald-headed university professor. It wasn't the best memory in recent history.

The petite brunette pulled up to an apartment building. While they were "enjoying" their car trip to the place, Catherine declared that he was her prisoner for a short time until when she could believe or disbelieve his story, if he wasn't a beast anymore. The now helpless ADA nodded silently as he stared through the passenger's window to look at the changing scenery. He noticed the sun was coming up, making it easier to determine where they were at.

He wanted to tell her that he wasn't crazy, that he was really telling the truth. But, he knew that Catherine wouldn't believe him so easily, It was best to keep quiet about the situation for the the time being.

The black-haired man remembered a quote that he read when he was held in captivity when he was younger. It was from the book "Emily's Quest" by L.M. Montgomery, which went: ""Never be silent with persons you love and distrust... Silence betrays."" He thought back to the quote and sighed, maybe making some small talk right now might help to restore the broken relationship.

"Hey, I want to say thanks again for saving my life," Gabe started off, not sure on what he wanted to really say, "I know we had a rocky relationship before but let's try to restart, shall we? Let's see, I don't know much about you. What is your favorite TV show?" He turned his head a little and smirked in her direction, hoping that she would pick up on his hope for a chat. But of course, being as stubborn as she was, Catherine just kept her eyes glued on the road in front of them with an emotionless face. The only thing she said was, "I am still not talking to you. I don't know when I can. You simply can't be trusted. If I was you, you should be quiet." He took her advice; he stayed quiet for the rest of the trip.

Cat was the first one to leave the car after the engine was turned off. She went around the front part of the car to let the petite man out. But, Gabe didn't think twice to try to escape. In fact, his hands were far away from the door's handle and he decided that they were going to stay like that until she said so.

He feared Catherine now. He never really feared anyone before as he was the one who had the power as an ADA. He also had the upperhand when he had all his abilities as a beast. However, the handsome ADA was powerless now; he wasn't at his office where he could bark orders at anyone, including Catherine, and now he was a normal human being. The gorgeous woman standing next to the door held the authority now.

Catherine unlocked his side of the door with the automatic lock button on her keys. The long-haired woman opened it slowly and put her hand infront him silently to signal not to move. He obeyed as he looked up at the woman, waiting patiently for the next command. She started to instruct him with a strict, pissed off tone, "Since I don't know what you are capable of, I am going to handcuff you to me so you can stay by my side until we reach J.T.'s apartment. You better not beast out or I WILL find you and recapture you. You may be an ADA and a beast. But, you are my prisoner now and you going to adhere to my commands at ALL times. Do you understand?" He nodded numbly as she began to put on one of the cuffs on his left wrist. He had to comply with her every wish until he was set free. Until then...

Catherine placed the other cuff on her right wrist, using the other hand to signal in a few motions to stand up, close the door, and follow closely behind her. He did what she asked as Gabe kept close to the woman and began walking to the entrance. It didn't take long to wait for an elevator car nor the ride up. Before he knew it, they were in front of the scientist's apartment. Catherine pulled out her copy of the apartment key and slowly unlocked the door.

"J.T.! J.T.! Where are you?" Catherine shouted while entering with Gabe through an apartment sparsely decorated with furniture and personal things. The ruthless assistant district attorney winced as he took a glance at his surrounding. Gabe was reminded of how they got into this predicament in the first place. It was his fault as the ADA ordered a special squad of police officers to destroy the abandoned warehouse that J.T. and Vincent used to occupy.

However, he did feel guilty about it now but not wholeheartedly. He wasn't too selfish and too evil. He did what he needed to get done. He stuck by one of his many philosophies: If people were getting in the way, he had to get rid of them somehow.

The woman whom he was handcuffed to was continuing to search for Vincent's best friend. They moved around the apartment until the curly-haired man felt something hard blocking his feet's quest to move forward. He peered down and noticed that it was J.T. who was passed out. He turned to Catherine with shock in his eyes, uttering, "I think I found J.T. Look down towards my way." Catherine did so as she gasped when she saw the pudgy man unconscious.

"Oh my god, J.T.! What happened to you?" she frantically asked as the long-haired woman bent down to check J.T.'s pulse, yanking the man she was handcuffed to with her. "Ow, I wish you would be a little more gentle next time," Gabe responded as his wrist was throbbing with pain. The petite woman ignored him as she tried waking up the unconscious man by shaking and hitting him gently, "Come on J.T., wake up. I need you. Something happened to Vincent."

Catherine almost gave up as she stopped her attempts and tilted her head down, thinking about the next step and worrying about J.T. at the same time. Her face was scrunched up as a bunch of feelings ran through her mind and body. Grief. Anger. Confusion. The detective couldn't take it anymore.

As she was trying to focus her incoherent thoughts, a soft groan came out from the man lying on the floor. The black-haired assistant district attorney used his free hand to tap the disheartened woman's shoulders softly, whispering, "Hey Catherine, look." He pointed with his index finger at J.T. at the same height as her eye level, hoping that she could take the hint.

And, she did.

Catherine lifted her head to see what was going on at the same when J.T.'s eyes fluttered open. She gasped, "J.T. you are alive! Oh my god, what happened? Are you alright?"

J.T. moaned in response, trying to keep his eyes open for a long period of time. Vincent's best friend quickly adjusted his eyes to the light, replying to Cat's questions, "I think I am ok. I just got knocked out by that bitch named Tyler. Where is she?"

"She is gone, J.T. Actually, she is now dead. There is a lot to talk about since you were unconscious for a good part of the action. Can you sit up?" the brunette questioned as she offered a hand to help him. J.T. looked over at Cat's hand and placed one in hers, using it as a support as he tried to sit up. Once he was successful, he blinked several times to get rid of the dizziness and lightheaded feeling that overwhelmed him for a moment. He slipped his hand out from the detective's and looked down at her other arm. He noticed that she was handcuffed to something as his eyes followed the chains to another arm that didn't belong to the lovely woman next to him. The pudgy science professor looked up and gasped, it was Gabe Lowen, that son of a bitch who tried to capture Vincent.

"What the hell is he doing here? What happened to Vincent?" He angrily asked in a harsh tone. Catherine soothed his anger by recounting her earlier words, "Like I said, it's a difficult story. How about before I tell you, I get you on the couch and get you something to eat and drink. You must be starving." J.T nodded silently; she was right as he was pretty hungry. Catherine glanced at Gabe's hand and back to her hand, telling him to stick his hand out like hers. "I know you don't have one ounce of trust towards this guy. But, don't worry, I have him under my control. Just take his hand as we can help guide you to the sofa. Gabe, no funny stuff or else." The handcuffed man just nodded quietly with a slightly bowed head as J.T. watched the interaction between the two.

J.T wasn't sure if he could trust this guy. What happens if Gabe decided to beast out right in front of them? What could he possible do? Nevertheless, it looks like Catherine had Gabe under her thumb as the assistant district attorney seemed intimidated by the detective's words. The science professor decided to trust Catherine, since she was somewhat right most of the time, and placed a hand each on the two palms sticking out. He grabbed onto the hands, signalling that he was ready to stand up. Gabe and Catherine helped him up slowly and guided him to the lush white couch. Once they stood next to the cushions, they gently sat together.

"Is there anything you like to eat or drink? I would advise you not to drink any beer due to your condition," Cat stated as she took out a set of small keys from the left pocket of her lightweight fall jacket. She then unlocked her the handcuffs for a brief moment, staring at Gabe to warn him wordlessly to not to escape as she placed her cuff on J.T.'s right wrist. Once on, she re-locked the cuffs and gingerly put the keys back in the same jacket. "Not particularly. Hey wait, why did you handcuff him to me? I don't want anything to do with this guy. Catherine, what happens if he beasts out?" J.T. asked in a worried tone as he had his eyes repeatedly go back and forth from the handcuffs to Catherine. Catherine just playfully laughed at his anxiety. "Don't worry, J.T. He wouldn't be to beast out if he is telling me the truth," Catherine spoke with a bitter tone at the end of the statement, "Besides, I am just going to be not even a yard away from you in the kitchen. I still can watch you and see if something really does happen." At that, the midsize woman left to fix something up for J.T..

I wonder if I will get any food, Gabe mused as he stared at his new partner. "Hey J.T., nice to see you again. I hope you are feeling better. You seem to be fine on the outside. How you are feeling inside?" The pudgy man just gruffed at the other man's willingness to try to communicate despite their differences. J.T. just displayed the "I don't want to talk to you right now, don't bother me" look.

The two man sat in silence, watching the long-haired woman fixing up some food.