Saturn Returns
After spending a few hours with Kaitlynn, the two of them walking through downtown, talking about their pasts, Vincent found himself restless and unable to fall asleep. He tossed and turned, images of her smile flashing across his mind and the echo of her laugh ringing in his ears. He reached over and picked up the photograph on the end table, holding it up and just staring at her; the sunlight striking her milky brown hair, the white sundress against her olive-toned skin, her bright smile and soft brown eyes.
Vincent tried burning off the excess energy by working out, which ended up waking J.T. "What the hell's going on?" he asked, still rubbing sleep from his eyes. "You're putting grooves in the floor."
"I need to get some air." Vincent answered, sliding on a pair of boots.
"Open a window." J.T. said stoically. He watched as his friend rummaged through the dresser. "What's got you so amped up?" Vincent didn't answer, instead he walked over to the sink and grabbed his toothbrush. A realization then hit him, "Oh...you must've seen Kait. That's why you came home so late." he deduced. "You were with her."
Vincent spit out the toothpaste and nodded, "For a little bit, yeah." he confirmed, seeing a slightly disappointed look in his friend's eyes. "I know what you're gonna say, man, but...J.T., she makes me feel like...I have a life again." he admitted, going back to brushing his teeth.
"Awfully dangerous for a guy who's supposed to be dead." J.T. reminded. Vincent rolled his eyes and spit out water back into the sink before walking towards the dresser. "Seriously, where are you going?" J.T. asked again.
Vincent shrugged on a heavy, green jacket. "For a walk." he replied.
J.T. moved to block the exit, "Stick to rooftops where it's safe." he suggested.
"I'll be back soon." Vincent assured, moving to go around his friend, but was blocked yet again.
"If you're going out, I'm coming with." J.T. stated, grabbing a jacket and a baseball cap.
"So that's why you want to ask that Sara girl out, right?" Vincent questioned as he and J.T. walked down the sidewalk. "Delicate stomach?"
"That 'girl' is a woman who happens to be the Associate Chair of the Earth Sciences Department." J.T. corrected. "And I'm not asking her out because I live in an abandoned warehouse with a complicated roommate."
"You're afraid she's gonna say no." Vincent smirked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
J.T. shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe I'm misinterpreting our eye contact at department meetings I mean, I think she's..." His voice trailed off as he walked ahead while Vincent stopped in his tracks, picking up the sound of a gun being cocked and pleading shortly following.
Vincent tracked the sounds to a convenience store a few blocks away, where a man was holding the clerk at gunpoint. "Open up the register and hit the floor." he ordered, motioning with the gun.
"I...I have a family." the clerk stammered. "Please...don't shoot."
"Let's go!" the robber yelled, aiming the gun. The clerk shakily moved towards the register when suddenly the robber was tossed into one of the refrigerators at the back of the store.
Vincent stalked towards the unconscious robber, a low growl rumbling in his throat. The bell above the door jingled and J.T. leaned against it, "Come on, let's go!" he urged, and in a flash, Vincent ran out with his friend close behind. The clerk slowly walked around the counter, having ducked when he heard a growl, and looked around, seeing no one else there but himself and the robber.
Kaitlynn's alarm blared at 6:30 a.m., the brunette rolling over and slamming her hand down on the 'off' button, he hair slightly mussed from a night's sleep. With a low groan, she sat up and stretched her limbs, wearing an oversized Yankees t-shirt. She walked into her kitchen and started a pot of coffee before heading to the bathroom to take a morning shower.
Kaitlynn stood under the warm water, running her hands over her hair. She lathered up her loofah, spreading vanilla scented bodywash over her skin, before washing her hair with her coconut scented shampoo and conditioner. She shut the water off and grabbed her towel, stepping out of the shower and drying herself off.
She dressed for the day in a simple navy blue, long sleeved shirt and dark colored jeans, pulling her hair up into a high ponytail as she walked back into her kitchen to fill her tumbler with freshly made coffee.
"Make mine a double?" Heather asked as she walked in, scratching the back of her head, wearing a silky black tank top and matching shorts under a black and white silk robe.
Kaitlynn took one look at her sister and arched her brow, "How was your night?" she chuckled at her sister's obvious hangover. She added a sugar packet and some creamer to the cup before handing it to her sister.
"Ex-porn star karaoke sounds way more entertaining than it actually is." Heather sighed, taking a sip of her coffee. "And where were you?" she questioned with a smile and raised brows, "Because you were not in bed when I came home."
"Uh, yeah, I was on a case." Kaitlynn lied, pouring coffee into her tumbler, remembering hers and Vincent's talk the previous night while they walked downtown, the two of them sharing stories from their past and sharing some laughs.
"So..." the younger brunette drew out, "...why'd you leave your badge here?"
Kaitlynn turned around and looked to her sister, "Does being my roommate also involve tracking my every move?" she questioned, mixing in some coffee creamer before screwing on the tumbler lid.
"No, but being your curious little sister does." Heather giggled and flashed a smile. "I was hoping you had a pre B-Day hot date. Happy birthday."
Kaitlynn returned the smile, reaching for her ringing phone. "Thanks Heath." she checked the caller ID before answering, "Happy birthday big sis." she said with a smile.
"Happy birthday to you too, little sis." Catherine replied on the other line, along with a laugh.
"Hold on, I've got Heather here, let me put you on speaker." Kaitlynn enabled the speakerphone function so the three sisters could talk.
"Happy birthday Cat!" Heather giggled.
"Yeah sis, congrats on making it to thirty." Kaitlynn added with a chuckle.
"Oh, very funny Katie." Catherine chuckled sarcastically. "I just wanted to call ya before things got to busy at the office today. I might run by the precinct later."
"Okay, see ya then." Kaitlynn replied.
"Love you Cat." Heather added.
"Love you girls too. Bye." Catherine hung up and Kaitlynn slid her cell into her jean pockets.
"So about a party." Heather began to say, but Kait shot her a look. "Come on Katie, who doesn't want cake and Jell-O shots and eligible bachelors passing out in their bathtub?"
"Me." Kaitlynn replied, grabbing a Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tart from her cabinet. "I told you, I don't feel like having a party this year."
"I don't get it. I mean, what is so different about this year?" the youngest Chandler muttered, taking a sip of her coffee.
Kaitlynn wanted to reply with "A lot of things" but stopped herself from even muttering something, because she knew she couldn't tell Heather the real reason; because she had a new, special friend in her life that couldn't come to a party, no matter how bad she wished he could. She glanced down at her hand, remembering the night before how it was clasped in Vincent's as he told her about what was going through his mind on 9/11, the day his older brothers died in the line of duty, while they stood a few yards away from the memorial.
"Saturn returns." Heather chimed, snapping Kaitlynn from her memory. "Yeah, that's it. Saturn comes back into orbit where it was when you were born, and blah, blah, blah, your life goes bass-ackwards for the next seven years."
"Great." Kaitlynn chuckled, dryly. "'Cause it has been so smooth for the last seven." She walked over to her safe and turned the dial, grabbing her NYPD service weapon and holster. "Anyway, I've gotta head into work, but I will see you later. Maybe you, me, and Cat can grab dinner or something."
"Sure." the younger girl beamed, jumping off the barstool and wrapping her arms around her older sister's neck. "Love you, Katie."
Kaitlynn smiled and rubbed her back. "You too, Heather." she pulled back and pecked her sister's cheek before grabbing her purse and leather jacket and heading off to work.
As soon as Kaitlynn left, Heather grabbed pulled her cell phone from her robe pocket, unlocking it, revealing an e-mail draft that had a photograph of Catherine and Kaitlynn taken at their graduation party with the message saying 'You're Invited! Cat and Kait's Surprise Party!' and it had a time and Kaitlynn's apartment address.
Kaitlynn walked up to her desk, seeing her partner sitting in her chair with her legs crossed and reading the newspaper. "That slow, huh?" the olive-skinned detective arched her brow.
"It's the third Thursday of the month; that's when criminals have their staff meetings." Kimberly replied with a grin. "Happy birthday, partner." She jumped to her feet to hug her friend.
"Thanks KC." Kaitlynn returned the hug, the two females pulling apart. That's when Kait noticed the flowers on her desk. "You are not that sentimental."
Kim shook her head and plopped down back in her chair. "Nah, You'll get a six-pack and a drugstore card that I'll get at lunch and act like I picked out days ago." she laughed, watching her partner opened the card that came with the flowers. "Mystery boyfriend?" the African-American female asked, arching her brow, "'Cause that's the story I've been running to explain your mood swings over the past few weeks."
Kaitlynn shook her head, "No, they're from my dad and the soon-to-be step thingy." she rebuked, setting the card in front of the vase.
"Excuse me, Detectives?" a man questioned, walking into the bullpen. "The front desk directed me to you. I'm Michael Walters."
"How can we help, Michael?" Kaitlynn asked, moving to stand beside her partner as Michael took a seat by the desks.
"Uh...my fiancée, Amy, she was at the apartment and, uh...she's missing." he informed, sniffling and stammering as he pulled his phone from his scrub pocket. "This is her." He showed them a picture of the two of them.
"How long has she been gone for?" KC questioned, sitting on the edge of her desk.
"About three hours, I think." Michael answered. "I came home from an all night ER rotation, and I made her breakfast. Then I went to Café Vermeer to get our favorite coffee, and when I came back, maybe 20 minutes later, she was gone."
"When you got home, were there any suspicious circumstances?" KC prided. "Door kicked in?"
Michael shook his head, "I just found her engagement ring left on the table."
The two female detectives exchanged a glance before Kaitlynn asked more questions. "Was there anything else out of the ordinary? Maybe some stuff missing?"
"I don't know." he stammered. "The bedroom closet was open, but..."
"Look, hate to break it to you, but I think she left you." Kimberly admitted, bluntly.
"You don't know her." Michael looked up at her, his eyes red and puffy from crying. "We're about to get married. She would never leave me. It's not possible."
Kaitlynn rested her hands on her hips, "Michael, we have to wait 48 hours to open an official investigation." she informed, her tone soft and sympathetic.
The man let out a shuddering breath, trying to hold back more tears, grabbing his phone off the desk and getting up. "I see." he sniffled, turning to leave.
Kaitlynn sighed heavily, "Look, um..." she called after him, making him stop and turn back to face them "...maybe we can swing by the apartment, see if there's anything that catches our attention."
Kimberly glanced to her partner, raising her brow in slight confusion. Michael then reached out and took her hand, "Thank you so much." he gave her a smile before walking out.
Kimberly rolled her eyes, "Pathetic." she muttered, sitting back in her chair.
"Heartbreaking." Kaitlynn rebuffed, leaning against her partner's desk. She glanced down and saw an article on the newspaper page, the headline reading 'Vigilante Saves the Day' above a picture of someone Kaitlynn recognized as Vincent.
"That's you, isn't it?" Kaitlynn asked as she dropped the newspaper on the small table in the warehouse loft. "That's your jacket."
"No one could recognize me from that jacket." Vincent assured.
"Who knows what else is on that surveillance tape?" Kaitlynn rested her hand on her hip. "What the hell were you thinking?" she shook her head, her ponytail falling over her shoulder.
"What was I supposed to do, let the guy shoot the clerk?" Vincent argued.
"No, of course not." Kait sighed. "You guys just have to be more careful."
"Me, choir." J.T. agreed. "But seems that since he met you, Vincent feels alive." Vincent shot his friend a 'what the hell' type of look, but he didn't seem to notice. "He thinks he can have a normal life and walk on sidewalks and stuff." Kaitlynn quirked her brow but couldn't help but crack a small smile, "You know who can't do that?" J.T. directed the question towards his roommate. "Guys with death certificates. You know what we should do."
"Not we, me." Kaitlynn corrected. "I'll call the local precinct and make sure there's nothing else on that surveillance tape that could identify you."
"That would be great, but I think he's talking about Phase B." Vincent noted, glancing from Kait to J.T.
"Wait, you seriously have something called 'Phase B'?" the detective questioned, sliding her hands in her jean pockets.
"What if someone catches on to that photo? We've never taken the precautions we should around here." J.T. noted, crossing his arms over his chest. "And if you're gonna go for walks, we need better security, in case someone follows you home."
"Great." Vincent scoffed, leaning back in the chair. "As if my life isn't walled up enough already."
J.T. grabbed a large notepad and his briefcase. "I'll start the inventory of what we need to steal from campus." he said before heading out.
"I didn't hear that." Kaitlynn called after him.
"I didn't say it." J.T. muttered, the loft door closing behind him.
That just left Vincent and Kaitlynn alone in the loft. "Is it too late for 'happy birthday'?" Vincent questioned after a couple minutes of slightly awkward silence.
The young detective quirked her brow, "How'd you know today was..."
"I've been watching over you, remember?" Vincent reminded, getting up and grabbing a bottle of A&W Root Beer from the fridge. "Your birthday was just always a good marker each year to check in, make sure you're okay." he opened the bottle and handed it to her, "Here."
"Thanks." Kaitlynn took the drink and smiled, taking a small sip.
"You having a party?" he asked her, leaning against the table. "You always have a party."
"Not this year." Kaitlynn shook her head, swallowing another sip of soda. She leaned against a long desk with various lab equipment, "As I got older, I thought that I understood more about life. And now, it's like I've crossed this line, and the world just doesn't make sense anymore." She crossed her ankles and took another drink, her eyes meeting Vincent's. "My birthday used to be simple, sort of. You know Cat and I share a birthday right?"
"Yeah." Vincent answered, a small smile forming on his lips.
Kait tapped the bottle she held, taking another quick sip. "Mom would make us pancakes for dinner. Banana-Blueberry with a sprinkle of chocolate chips." they both shared a chuckle, "And she'd buy us a new pair of flannel pajamas, and we'd snuggle up on the couch and watch old movies." A smile formed on her lips as she remembered those memories, and moisture began welling in her eyes.
She wiped the moisture away and composed herself, "I guess, I'm not in the mood to play 'Truth or Dare' with my friends or have drinks with my sisters...when I spend most of my days lying to them." she admitted with a sigh, glancing up to meet Vincent's eyes. "About where I've been, who I've been with." Unknowingly, Kaitlynn had stepped forward and her and Vincent were now a couple inches apart, their eyes still locked.
Feeling heat rising to her cheeks, Kaitlynn broke off eye contact. "I should probably go, KC's waiting for me. I told her I left something at home." she grabbed the bottle cap and screwed it on. "I'll uh...I'll see ya later." She patted his shoulder before heading out, taking a few deep breaths to try and calm her racing heart.
"Thanks for coming by." Michael said as the two female detectives entered his apartment.
"Have you heard from Amy's family or friends at all?" Kaitlynn asked as she glanced around.
"Well, her parents died in a car accident years ago." Michael informed. "She doesn't have any siblings or close friends, really. She was kind of shy and quiet.
"She left her engagement ring on the table." Kimberly noted, seeing the ring on a serving tray on the table. "That seems pretty loud to me." A single red rose was in a vase next to a plate with of waffles and fruit that remained untouched.
Michael grabbed the newspaper article off the counter, "I sent the engagement announcement to the paper and wanted to surprise her with it, along with breakfast. Thought, she'd find it romantic." he admitted. "We planned a quiet wedding in Rockland County, just us and the justice."
Kaitlynn continued looking around the apartment, not seeing any sign Amy was ever even there. "How long has she lived with you?" the younger detective asked, turning to face him.
"Um..." Michael scratched the back of his neck. "She moved in with me about a year ago."
"Any photos of the two of you, or something with her name on it?" Kaitlynn pressed, her hands in her jean pockets. Michaele excused himself to go look, leaving the two detectives alone in the living room and dining area. "KC, you find it strange that there's absolutely no sign of a woman living here?" she asked her partner. "How could she pack up a year's worth of life in 20 minutes?"
Kimberly nodded in agreement. "I mean, it took me five weeks to pack up my studio apartment last time I moved." she muttered, biting her lip. "I'll check the bedroom for anything."
The two detectives split up, Kaitlynn walking around the back half of the apartment near the guest room and guest bathroom. She saw a bottle of bleach by the shower, and arched her eyebrow, and she didn't realize Michael was behind her until she turned around. "Sorry." he apologized. "I couldn't find anything with her name on it."
Kaitlynn gave a nod, "I usually keep my bleach by the laundry." she noted, reading the man's reaction.
"Amy must've been cleaning in here." Michael excused. "She does that a lot, but it didn't bother me."
"Yo, Kait, phone for you." KC called from the Master Bedroom, which was their code for 'There's something you need to see'. Kaitlynn walked past Michael and joined her partner by the bedroom entrance, "Closet." KC whispered to Kait on her way out.
Kaitlynn looked around the closet and all she saw were men's clothes. She glanced down and saw a dried, red substance on the light switch, and quickly scraped off a sample with her pen before capping it and slipping it into her jacket pocket. She walked out, seeing Kimberly and Michael standing in the bedroom, "Mind if I use your bathroom?" she asked, "Long drive back to the precinct."
Michael nodded and Kait walked into the bathroom while Kimberly led him back to the living room. Once she was alone, Kaitlynn put on a latex glove and snooped around the bathroom, unscrewing the drain and finding a single, brown hair and placed it in an evidence bag, pocketing it before joining her partner.
After walking through the apartment and their suspicion of fowl play, Kaitlynn and Kimberly discussed their theory with Lieutenant Bishop. "So, why would he report her missing if he's the one that killed her?" Joe asked, his two detectives walking on either side of him.
"Throw off suspicion with tears." KC answered.
"She sees the announcement, realizes she's making a mistake, and then gives the ring back." Kaitlynn added.
"He flips out, kills her, cleans it up and then realizes someone's gonna report her missing." KC finished up.
Joe sighed, turning to face the two females when they came to his office door, "Okay, I'll put undercovers on him." he said. "You two, pull warrants and start to dig quietly."
The female duo nodded and headed to the break room, "Let's see if we can find a friend, someone she complained about Michael to." Kaitlynn advised as her and KC poured some coffee into Styrofoam cups. "Someone she told everything to."
"Oh, is that what friends are for?" the dark-skinned detective arched her brow, stirring her coffee with a thin straw. "I wouldn't know."
The younger detective rolled her eyes, "The flowers are from my dad." she reiterated. "There's no secret guy. I swear."
The two made their way back to their desks, where they saw a small, stuffed black bear holding a single, red rose sitting on Kaitlynn's desk. "No secret guy, huh?" KC shot a glance to her best friend.
"Yes." Kait confirmed, taking the note off the rose and reading it, "From your Secret Admirer." she read off, quirking her brow. Seeing the look in her partner's eyes, Kaitlynn held her hands up in defense, "I swear, no secret guy." she repeated for the third time.
"Okay." Kimberly just shrugged her shoulders, taking a seat at her desk.
Kaitlynn sighed and set the note down. "Alright, I'm gonna go see Evan about those DNA results."
Once Kaitlynn left the bull pen area, Heather walked in and stood by Kimberly's desk, glancing around. "She's gone, you're clear." KC informed, resting her elbow on her desk.
Heather sighed in relief, "Okay, great." she grinned, taking a seat in the chair next to the desk. "Keep Katie out until 9:00. And could you pick up the margarita machine on the way over?"
The African-American woman arched her brow, "How do you expect me to explain picking up a margarita machine to Kait on the way to her apartment on her birthday, which supposedly you promised not to throw a party for?" she questioned.
The petite brunette bit her lip, "Good point." she muttered. "I'll ask Evan." Heather jumped to her feet and headed towards the morgue.
"Wait, Heather..." Kimberly called after her, but she was already gone. "...Kait's down there." she finished, leaning back in her chair.
Kaitlynn knocked on the open, morgue door before strolling in, greeting Evan with a smile. "You get results back on that DNA?" she asked, standing beside him at his computer.
"Of course, darling." Evan answered, pecking her cheek. "DNA of the hair and blood from a woman mid-to-late 20s."
"Sounds like Amy." Kait muttered, taking a seat at Evan's desk. "What about the prints from the newspaper?"
"I ran the prints through the system, but they're smudged." he informed. "I'll try and clean them up and run them through again."
Kaitlynn read over the DNA report, "Mind if I print this? We could need it in case we need a warrant."
"Go right ahead." Evan nodded.
Kaitlynn flashed another smile and went to access the printer, minimizing the window and saw another one open to a dating website. "Hold up. The most eligible bachelor with his 'I-can-bag-anyone-in-this- bar-because-I-have-a-sexy-accent' has reverted to online dating?" she questioned, glancing up at Evan with a raised brow.
Hearing her compliment his accent made the medical examiner smile, "I didn't know you thought my accent was sexy."
Kaitlynn rolled her eyes, "So..." she cleared her throat, "who's the buxomly bimbo you've stooped to?" she folded her arms on the desk and read over the profile, "Claire Sinclair?" she let out a chuckle and arched her brow, glancing to Evan before going back to reading the profile. "Let's see...likes hiking and reading. How original." she blinked when she read the next line, "A masters in Poli-Sci, and a PhD in economics. Climbed Mount Everest." her jaw fell slack.
"Maybe you should open yourself up to the possibilities of the World Wide Web, Kait." Evan encouraged, ushering her out of the chair before sitting down. "I'm not the one that's gone stag to the Police Ball three years running."
Kaitlynn flipped her ponytail off her shoulder and turned to leave, just as her little sister ran in. "Evan." Heather greeted.
"Heather?" Kaitlynn questioned.
Heather smiled at her sister, "Kaitlynn."
Evan blinked in slight confusion, "Now that everyone's met..."
"What are you doing here?" Kaitlynn asked, arching her brow.
"I... um, well..." Heather stammered, "Kim said you were down here. I.. locked myself out. Again." she chuckled dryly. "Could I borrow your spare?"
The detective cracked a small smile, "I need to get you a set of keys to wear as earrings." she noted. "It's at my desk, come on." Kaitlynn walked out of the morgue.
Heather took a few steps before glancing back to Evan, "Margarita machine." she whispered, giving the M.E. a thumbs up before catching up with her sister.
After Heather left with the spare key, Kaitlynn sat at her desk and was doing her own research into Michael Walters, when someone approached her desk and cleared his throat to get her attention. "Excuse me, Detective Chandler." he addressed.
"Huh?" Kait glanced up and saw Remy from I.T smiling down at her. "Oh, Remy, is there something I can do for you?"
"Oh, uh no." he cleared his throat again, handing her a small, manila envelope. "Another officer dropped this off for you. Something from Precinct 86."
"Oh, thank you." Kaitlynn smiled and took the package. She opened it and dumped out a small flash drive, and noticed that Remy was still standing at her desk. "Is there anything else?' she asked him.
"Oh." Remy chuckled, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "No. I just want to say, happy birthday." When Kaitlynn quirked her brow in confusion, he added, "I overheard Detective Cooper and a few other officers say that to you earlier. So, happy birthday, Kaitlynn."
Kait chuckled nervously and gave him a friendly smile, "Thank you." she replied. Remy nodded and walked off to another part of the precinct.
Once the coast was clear, Kaitlynn grabbed her laptop and snuck into an empty interrogation room. She plugged in the drive and reviewed the security footage of Vincent at the convenience store the previous night. She rewound and paused it, going frame by frame to make sure no one could see his face under the ball cap he wore. She let out a sigh in relief when she saw that he couldn't be identified.
"Good news." Kaitlynn announced as she walked into the loft, her ponytail swaying between her shoulder blades. "No frame of that video footage can clearly peg you. Your identity is safe." She walked over and stood next to Vincent, who was working on putting something together. Kaitlynn glanced down at a list on the table, "What's 'Blocking Analog'?" she questioned, glancing between Vincent and J.T.
"It shuts down any wireless devices in the perimeter." the professor answered, grabbing the list before heading out.
Kaitlynn walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, "Your isolated prison is starting to feel like my escape these days." she unscrewed the cap and took a drink.
"You're not spending your birthday on your own, are you?" Vincent asked her as he worked on the security system. "You at least need a pizza or a movie or something." He glanced up, seeing Kaitlynn leaning against the side of the table.
"You buying?" the brunette quirked her brow, sipping the water.
"Theoretically, yes." he answered. "Technically, no, that would be J.T. The one with the paycheck."
Kaitlynn watched as Vincent worked on the security system, resting one hand on the table, "You're offering me an entire night where I don't have to make up lies?" she questioned.
"Figured you could use a break from it." Vincent noted, glancing up to meet her eyes. "I'll see you at 8:00."
"It's a date." Kaitlynn confirmed, lifting the water bottle to her lips, "Not like...a 'date' date." she chuckled nervously, taking a quick sip of water. "Just a...two friends hanging out, sort-of date." She turned her back and chuckled dryly, "Alright Katie, you can shut up now." she muttered under her breath, taking another drink.
Of course due to his heightened hearing, Vincent heard what she muttered under her breath and couldn't help but smile just a little bit. Kaitlynn looked around the loft, and for the first time saw just how bland it appeared to her, "What is it with guys?" she asked, "You could put up a picture or something. It would make the place feel less like a prison."
"Why?" Vincent questioned, "There something wrong?"
Kaitlynn screwed the bottle cap back onto her water and set it aside, moving her bangs from her face, taking a closer look at the areas of the loft. "No pictures. Nothing personal." she noted, leaning against the edge of the table.
"It's part of the 'To Go Plan'." Vincent informed. "We can get everything out of here that links to us in 14 minutes and be on our way to the safe haven."
Kaitlynn nodded, walking around the table to where she was only a few inches from Vincent, "Right, because you're on the run, someone's after you. Did you say 'safe haven'?"
Vincent nodded, giving the detective a smile, "It's J.T.'s name. I think it's kind of goofy." he replied. "It's just a place we know how to get around in, but...where no one would ever think to look for us."
Kaitlynn bit her lip and tapped her fingers, remembering when she looked around Michael's apartment earlier. "She had everything packed up and gone in 20 minutes." she mumbled, licking her lips. "She's on the run too. Vincent, you're a genius."
He looked up at her when she said his name, arching his eyebrow in confusion. "You just helped me with my case. Something didn't feel right earlier, and now I know why. Thank you." Kaitlynn leaned over and kissed his cheek, making Vincent tense up and drop the screwdriver, his brown eyes wide. "I'll see ya at 8." she grinned, grabbing her water and running out, "I'll pick up a six-pack on the way over. Thanks again, V."
Vincent exhaled the breath he held the moment Kaitlynn's lips touched his skin, and it took him a minute or two to process what just happened. His hearing picked up on her car's engine roaring to life before fading into the everyday sounds of New York traffic. A light smile crossed his lips as he went back to what he was working on.
"What if no one was erasing Amy? What if she was erasing herself?" Kaitlynn brought up her new working theory to Kimberly back at the precinct.
"And she made herself disappear in less than 20 minutes?" KC arched her eyebrow.
"That might explain what the system kicked up when I reran the prints." Evan interrupted the two detectives, now wearing a nice suit and tie. "Her name's not Amy." He handed Kimberly the file he had printed off in his lab, "Amy's real name is Lily Carter. Besides this driver's license, there's no other record of Lily's existence before the age of 18." he informed. "No birth certificate, no Social Security number, no school records."
"Sorry if we're keeping you from your hot date." Kaitlynn apologized, standing next to Evan and looking up at him.
His blue eyes met her brown ones and he gave her a wide smile, "Not a problem." he replied. "She's waiting for me." he winked.
Joe stepped out of his office, with Catherine by his side, "Cooper, Chandler." he called out, motioning for the two detectives to join him in his office.
"Cat?" Kaitlynn questioned as she walked past her sister.
"All will be explained." Catherine replied, placing her hand on her sister's shoulder and walked her into the office
J.T. paced back and forth, a beer in hand, telling Vincent about his earlier encounter with Sara at the university and her asking him for coffee and he running off. "What was I supposed to say?" he questioned.
"Uh, how about 'yes'?" Vincent replied with an arched brow, tying a long strand of silver ribbon around a box wrapped in sparkling white wrapping paper.
"Wake up, Vincent." J.T. scoffed, taking another swig of beer.
"Finger." the other male asked, and J.T. put his index finger down on the ribbon so his friend could tie it into a bow. "Coffee leads to lunch, lunch leads to dinner, dinner leads to drinks, and...we all know where that leads." J.T. reminded, sitting on the armrest of the couch, shaking his head.
"Exactly. And you could do with some of that." Vincent agreed with a small grin.
"And what am I supposed to say after three months of dodging?" J.T. questioned. "She can't come see my house because...?"
Vincent shrugged, "Because...you live with your parents."
J.T. rolled his eyes, "Oh, that's studly." he scoffed. "That'll get me laid. Thanks."
"Okay, what if she was trustworthy?" Vincent asked, looking to his best friend. "If she was someone special that knew about us and understood."
"I did that. Remember?" J.T. reminded. "Lasted about a year." Vincent looked down at his boots. "I had roommates and a girlfriend. They start asking questions and you get caught lying to people you love about where you've been and what you've been doing. It's not a choice. You can never leave this secret behind. It's a lot easier to leave your life." J.T. went on, taking another swig of beer. He glanced down and saw the guilty look in Vincent's eyes. "I'm not trying to make you feel bad." he admitted. "But...bringing someone else in like Sara..." J.T. shook his head.
Vincent leaned back into the couch, resting his arm on the back of it, "She might understand." he pointed out, his mind wandering to Kaitlynn and her acceptance of him.
"First she'll tell the little lies, then she'll...start brushing off a friend here and there." J.T. sighed. "It's impossible to avoid. You know that. If we actually care about someone, we can't let them give up their world to live like this in ours."
Hearing what his friend was saying made sense to Vincent on some level as he stared at the wrapped box sitting on the coffee table. His mind, again, went to Kaitlynn, her bright smile and the way his heart sped up that quick moment when she kissed his cheek. Even though he liked having her in his life, Vincent knew she deserved more than what he could give her.
"Witness Protection?" Kimberly questioned, folding her arms over her chest as she leaned against the back wall of Joe's office.
"Amy witnessed the murder of her parents. The man who killed them got away but his accomplice was caught." the U.S. Marshall informed. "She testified and helped put him behind bars. Then she was assigned to WITSEC."
Kaitlynn nodded her head in understanding, "That's why she didn't leave any trace of herself at that apartment." she noted, glancing between KC and Catherine.
"Marshal Gibson set up Amy's identity." Joe informed.
"He's been her handler for the past three years." Catherine added.
"She saw the engagement photo in the paper and ran, afraid her identity had been compromised." Gibson informed them. "That's when she called us."
"Is she safe?" Kaitlynn asked. "Is she with you?"
"I'm not at liberty to say." Gibson answered, vaguely. "But we will have to touch base with anyone you contacted. Any person who gets onto her identity could put her in danger." he extended his hand towards the precinct lieutenant, "Thank you for your help." Joe shook his hand firmly and offered to escort him out of the precinct.
"Well, it's 8:00 and we're off the case." KC noted, her and Kait walking out together. "How about a birthday beer, huh?" she lightly nudged her best friend's side.
Kaitlynn shot her partner a 'really'-type look and arched her eyebrow, "Grade school pageants could act rings around you." she noted, folding her arms over her chest, "Please don't tell me it's a surprise party." Seeing the look her friend gave her made Kaitlynn sigh, "Heather promised that she wouldn't."
Catherine chuckled, "You really thought Heather would pass on an opportunity to throw a party?" she questioned.
Kaitlynn's head fell back with a groan, "What time?" she asked, running her hand over her ponytail.
"9:00." KC answered. "You two, act surprised." She walked to her desk and grabbed her jacket.
"Great." Kaitlynn muttered, pursing her lips together.
Catherine checked her phone before joining her sister, "Well, Byron told me he needs to do a few work things so...how 'bout we go to your place together?" she asked, adjusting the strap of her briefcase.
Kait glanced to her sister, "Yeah, I guess." she agreed, making her way to her desk and shrugged on her blue, leather jacket, taking her hair out of the ponytail. "I just, need to make a couple of stops first."
"Wait, Vincent invited you over for a date?" Catherine asked from the passenger seat of her sister's Impala.
"It's not a date, Cat." Kaitlynn corrected, pulling up to a liquor store. "It's just two friends hanging out, eating pizza and watching a movie." The girls shut the car doors and walked inside. "And I said I'd pick up a six-pack on the way...shit." she cursed, running her fingers through her hair, "...I forgot to ask what kind of beer he likes."
Catherine cracked a smile, "Right, for your 'not-a-date' date." she muttered, making her younger sister shoot her glare.
Kaitlynn looked over the beer selection and settled on a six-pack of Brooklyn Lager, and made her way to the register to pay. She pulled out a ten-dollar bill and her ID, paying for the beer before her and Catherine left.
Kaitlynn pulled up to the warehouse and parked her car, her and Cat stepping out. "You mind waiting downstairs while I talk to Vincent?" she asked, the sack of beer in hand as her and her sister headed in. "I won't be long, promise."
"Sure." Catherine nodded, opening the door for her younger sister.
"Okay." Kait smiled and made her way up the stairs and into the loft.
Vincent continued to work on the warehouse's security system, but halted when he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. "You're early." he noted, taking the small flashlight out of his mouth.
Kait blinked, "I'm barely in the door." she replied, walking over to the fridge, "I picked up some Brooklyn Lager, hope that's okay." she set the six-pack on the middle shelf and closed the fridge door, walking over to Vincent.
"Uh, Phillips head." he glanced over his shoulder to look at her.
Kaitlynn grabbed the screwdriver and handed it to him. "Okay so, I'm gonna be a little late tonight." she informed. "My sister Heather, against my wishes, is throwing me and Cat this surprise party, so I thought I could stop by after?" she hooked her thumbs through her belt loops. "I'll bring leftover cake, if there's any."
"Yeah." Vincent agreed, untangling some wires. "But, um, you don't have to."
"I know I don't have to, but I thought when the party was over, we could still hang out." Kaitlynn brushed her bangs aside. "There's no reason why I can't have one foot in both worlds." she shrugged her shoulders.
Vincent got to his feet, "You know, that's what J.T. said nine years ago." he sighed, turning to face the young detective. "Look, Kaitlynn. Keeping a secret like this...it really takes a toll on a life." he told her, leaning against the side of the table. "I mean, we didn't know what we were getting into back then, but, we really do now."
Kaitlynn took a step forward, placing her hand near his. "Vincent..."
"I didn't save you all those years ago for you to hide out in a dusty warehouse." he cut in, his moving on top of hers. "You know, J.T. and I haven't celebrated a birthday in ten years." his eyes met hers. "Go to your party. You're lucky to have one."
The younger brunette sighed, "Vincent, I just wish you could be there." she admitted, giving him a small smile.
Even though her smile made his heartbeat increase, Vincent fought the urge to return it. He moved his hand from hers and tucked some hair behind her left ear, his hand lingering on her cheek, "You have a life, Kait." he reminded, their brown eyes locked with one another's. "Go live it."
Vincent leaned forward and gently placed his lips against her forehead, his hearing picking up on the breath hitching in her throat and her heart fluttering against her ribs. He could feel the heat in her cheek against his palm, and he gently caressed it with his thumb.
Kaitlynn opened her eyes when Vincent pulled back, their eyes meeting one another's. "Okay." she breathed out, taking a step back, before turning on her heels and walking out, her heart still beating rapidly in her chest.
"I mean, he's the one who brought up the idea in the first place." Kaitlynn ranted, her and Catherine walking down the hall towards her apartment. "Then suddenly he's kissing my forehead and telling me to live my life. God, why are guys so flip-floppy?" She ran her hand through her hair and stopped by her front door, leaning against the wall.
"Wait, he kissed you?" Cat quirked her brow.
The younger Chandler shot her sister a look, "Just a peck on the forehead, Cat. Like how dad kisses us sometimes." she rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "I don't even know." she muttered, licking her lips.
Catherine took Kait's hand and squeezed it, "Well, if he can't see that you're an amazing woman that's worth a little risk, then he's an idiot." she stated, smiling at her sister. "So, push it out of your mind for now, and let's enjoy our birthday. Ready?"
Kaitlynn hugged her older sister, "Ready." she pulled back and they clasped their hands together, while Kait flipped through her key ring and unlocked the door.
As soon as she flicked on the lights, everyone in the apartment shouted, "Surprise!", and the two Chandler sisters put on their best surprised expressions.
"Happy birthday, big sisters!" Heather squealed, wrapping her arms around the two birthday girls. "Surprised, pissed, or both?" she asked, pulling back.
"Totally surprised." Catherine answered, her and Kaitlynn sharing a look.
Kaitlynn looked around at the decorations all over her apartment, "You shouldn't have done this, Heath, really." she admitted, giving her best friend a one armed hug.
Heather stood in between her older sisters and looped her arms through theirs, "It's you guys' Saturn Returns, what else would you have done?" she smiled at her sisters "Sat around and wished you had a party?"
"Happy birthday, Chandler." Joe greeted Kaitlynn with a light peck on the cheek. "Happy birthday, Counselor." he nodded to Catherine.
"Thanks, boss." Kaitlynn replied.
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Catherine added with a smile.
A tall male with dark brown hair walked up to them, taking Catherine's hand, "Happy birthday, beautiful." he smiled, kissing her on the lips.
Catherine returned the kiss and wrapped her arms around her boyfriend, "Thanks babe." she leaned into his side.
"And happy birthday to you too, Kait." Byron added, lightly pecking the younger birthday girl's cheek.
"Thank you, Byron." Kaitlynn flashed a smile.
Evan walked in on the conversation, with a tall, thin dark-blonde woman on his arm, "Kait, this is Claire." he introduced.
"Oh hi, nice to see you." Kaitlynn greeted.
Claire's brow arched slightly, "Have we met?" she questioned, holding a strawberry margarita in her hands.
The young detective chuckled nervously, "No." she answered, tucking some hair behind her ear. "I just feel like we have 'cause Evan's been talking about you a lot."
"Makes me sound like a stalker." the British male chuckled. "I've been appropriately conversant about you."
"Margaritas, anyone?" Byron asked, trying to alleviate some of the awkwardness.
"Good idea honey." Catherine agreed.
"And Tequila shots." KC added, her arm around Kaitlynn's shoulders.
"I'll help you with those." Evan volunteered, he and Byron heading into the kitchen, leaving the women alone.
"So, is it true that you climbed Everest?" Kaitlynn asked, trying to be friendly.
Claire nodded, "Twice, actually." she clarified. "But, I had to stop a lot to pee. In fact, I need to use the girls' room." she tapped the side of her glass.
"Oh, it's that way." KC directed down the hallway. "You need a Sherpa?"
"No, thanks." Claire shook her head. "I keep a spare in my bag." She shot the girls a wink before excusing herself.
The other four women chuckled dryly, watching as she left. "Gorgeous, a mountain climber, yet funny and down-to-earth." Kaitlynn observed, folding her arms over her chest.
"Obviously put on Earth to make all other women feel inferior." Catherine added, her hands on her hips.
"And those pumps." Heather sighed. "I'd kill for those pumps."
Kaitlynn cocked her head to the side. "Am I allowed to shoot her?" she arched her brow, glancing to her best friend. "It is my birthday after all."
"Our birthday." the eldest Chandler reminded. "Can we get drunk now?"
"Yes." the youngest sister agreed. "That's the spirit." She clapped her hands, facing her sisters, "You know, Kim helped decorate. Thanks again."
Kimberly shrugged her shoulders, "No problem. It is my bestie's B-Day after all." she nudged her friend's side and wrapped her arm around her shoulders.
"Thanks KC" Kaitlynn retuned her friend's hug, laying her head on her shoulder.
Heather pointed out the celestial themed decorations, "There's Saturn." she pointed to the aforementioned planet.
"Kinda figured that one, Heath." Catherine noted, smiling at her baby sister.
"And there's a Star, for Mom." Heather pointed to a large, silver-blue star hanging over the entryway. "I figured she should be here for your big party, too." Catherine and Kaitlynn both hugged their younger sister, the three girls sharing a collective breath as they remembered their late mother.
After they pulled away, Evan was the first to rejoin them. "Where's Claire?" he asked.
"Tightrope walking across rooftops?" the olive-skinned detective shrugged her shoulders, flipping her brunette locks off her shoulders.
"Here we go, drinks all around." Byron announced as Joe walked over with a tray full of shot glasses and different flavored margaritas.
"Lime, Strawberry, and Tequila shots." the Lieutenant elaborated.
Everyone took a shot and raised the glasses, "To Catherine and Kaitlynn." Evan toasted, his blue eyes landing on the middle Chandler sister. "Happy birthday." he told her with a smile.
"Cheers!" everyone clinked their glasses and downed the shots, and the birthday girls decided to enjoy their party.
As the party got underway, Catherine and Kaitlynn drank their fair share of alcohol. After sharing a couple shots with her friend, Kimberly pulled her down the hallway and showed her a photo booth had been set up in her bedroom. "Yes, let's do it." Kaitlynn giggled, her and KC running in.
They each did random poses as they took their pictures, laughing and having a good time. Kaitlynn climbed out and saw her boss, and practically shoved him into the booth with Kimberly. Later, the three Chandler sisters, piled in and took a bunch of pictures with funny faces and poses.
Kaitlynn exchanged polite 'hellos' with the party guests and munched on some finger foods that had been set out on her kitchen counter. Evan walked over with two shot glasses, "Since Saturn is returning, it's time to see stars." he joked, handing her one of the shots. "Tequila."
"Dangerous." Kaitlynn replied, already feeling drunk from the two margaritas and handful of shots she's already had. "I've made some bad decisions before after having too much." she giggled, brushing her bangs aside.
"Live on the edge." the blue eyed male encouraged, raising his glass. "Down the hatch. Cheers." He tapped his glass to hers and they both downed it.
"Oh...kay." Kaitlynn took a breath and exhaled. "I felt that one."
Claire walked up to the pair, placing her hand on Evan's arm, "Photo booth is free." she informed, looping her arm through his.
"Excellent." Evan smoothed out his suit jacket.. "I'd better get my mascara on."
Kaitlynn watched as they walked back towards the master bedroom and took another long sip of her strawberry margarita, then grabbing a spoonful of ground beef, some guacamole and a handful of cheese and chips, piling them on a paper plate and joined her sister on her couch.
"Having fun, Katie?" Cat asked, sipping her lime margarita.
"Yeah, although I'm sure to have a hangover tomorrow." Kaitlynn replied, tossing a chip with beef, cheese, and guacamole in her mouth.
Everyone gathered around in the living room while Heather lit the candles on the large birthday cake. The party guests sang 'Happy Birthday' as the youngest sister walked in, cake in hand.
"Make a wish." Heather grinned, setting the cake down on the coffee table. It had white '3' and '0' candles for Catherine's age and blue '2' and '7' candles for Kaitlynn's age, as well as multicolored candles that spelled out 'Happy Birthday'. "What do you want for your birthday?"
The two sisters exchanged a look before closing their eyes and blowing out the candles, all the guests cheering and applauding. Heather leaned over and wrapped her arms around both her sisters' shoulders, "Happy birthday to the two best big sisters in the world!" she pecked both their cheeks.
As the party died down and the guests were leaving, Cat and Kait thanked them for coming and started cleaning up the apartment. Kaitlynn tossed some empty cups and paper plates into a garbage bag as Evan walked up to her, "I'm gonna have to get going, sweetheart." he told her.
Kaitlynn ceased her cleaning, "No, we haven't even taken our picture yet." she replied, setting the trash bag down and taking Evan's hand. "Come on, it'll just take a few seconds. Let's go." she giggled, dragging Evan into her bedroom.
The two friends sat down in the photo booth, "Claire will be waiting." Evan reminded, glancing to the young detective.
"This'll just take a couple seconds." Kaitlynn reminded, flashing a cute smile towards the camera. Before Evan could say something or even smile, the camera flashed. "Too late." the brunette female giggled.
"It doesn't give you enough time." Evan's words slurred.
"You have to be ready." Kait noted, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and leaning in close, showing her teeth in a grin, while Evan blinked just as the camera flashed again.
"I missed it again." the medical examiner chuckled. "Okay, I'm drunk."
The camera flashed a third time as the two friends were looking at eachother. Unknown to Kaitlynn, Vincent was walking down her fire escape with his present for her under his arm. He could hear her giggles from inside the bedroom and peeked inside, setting the wrapped box on the windowsill.
"One more, let's do something spontaneous." Kaitlynn suggested. "Think fast." She angled her body to the side, her shoulder against Evan's and her hands raised like she was holding a gun. Evan's idea was different and he leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss, and in the moment, Kait returned it just as the camera flashed. They stayed like that for a few seconds longer, caught up in the moment.
When they broke the kiss they looked into eachother's eyes, the realization hitting them about what just happened. "I...I..." Evan stammered, rushing out of the photo booth.
Kaitlynn closed her eyes and followed after him, "Evan..." she grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. "it's just...I've had a little too much to drink...and you thought..."
"Just for the record." he cut her off. "You didn't push me away." He flashed her a smile and walked away.
Kait sighed heavily and ran her hand through her hair, biting her lip and feeling a sense of guilt wash over her. She closed her eyes, the faint memory of Vincent's hand on her cheek and his lips on her forehead coming to the forefront of her mind. "Katie." Cat's voice snapped her out of her daze.
"Yeah?" the younger sister questioned.
"Heather's got some champagne. She wants one more toast before Byron and I leave." Catherine took her sister's hand and led her into the kitchen.
Vincent sat on the fire escape stairs, leaning against the brick, hearing the clinking glasses in the kitchen, but his mind still focused on the sight of Kaitlynn kissing Evan.
Vincent walked into the loft, his hands in the pockets of his jacket, seeing J.T. on the couch watching the hockey game. "Where have you been?" the professor asked, "Or should I even ask?" he raised his brow when he saw his friend turn the corner.
"I stopped by Kaitlynn's to give her, her gift." Vincent answered, walking over and plopping down on the couch next to his best friend.
J.T. shook his head, "Your ability to leave me speechless is unparalleled." he noted, taking a swig of beer.
"No one saw me, J.T." Vincent assured, watching the hockey game on the flat-screen.
J.T. sighed and shook his head, "Did she like it?" he questioned, regarding the birthday gift.
Vincent shrugged, "I don't know, she never got to open it." he replied. "She was kissing some guy."
J.T. held his beer bottle to his lips, his eyes wide, "Really?"
Vincent just nodded, looking down at his boots. "I can't blame her, though. I mean, I told her to go live her life, and that is what she did." he shook his head, clasping his hands together. J.T. tried to say something, but was cut off when he added, "I don't really want to talk about it."
Not really feeling up for watching the game, Vincent got to his feet and was suddenly hit with a wave of dizziness. J.T. instantly noticed this and got up, "Vincent, you all right?" he questioned, carefully observing his friend.
Vincent pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a dull ache in his head. "Yeah, I'm okay." he replied, the dizziness passing. "It's nothing, I'm just tired. It's been a long night." He shrugged off his jacket and headed to his bed for the night.
The next morning, Kaitlynn was called to Michael Walters' apartment. She pulled up to the building and popped a couple of Ibuprofen pills to help her dull headache from a night of drinking and chased them down with her large coffee. She flashed her badge and was escorted inside. "Hey, I got your call." Kait walked up to her partner. "What happened here?"
"Neighbors called in a disturbance." Kimberly informed, her hands in the pockets of her camo-print jeans. "Signs of a violent struggle originates in the living room. Looks like Michael put up quite a struggle."
"Is this his blood or his attacker's?" Kaitlynn tucked her hair behind her ear, squatting down near a pool of blood on the floor.
"CSU's testing it." KC noted.
"Okay, so, when I touched base with WITSEC last night, I wasn't actually talking to WITSEC. My phone was wirelessly hijacked for 20 minutes." Joe informed his two detectives. "So when I called WITSEC to check Gibson's credentials, I was actually talking to somebody in Jersey."
Kaitlynn got to her feet, "If you were rerouted, then where's the real Marshal Gibson?"
"His body washed up on shore yesterday." Joe answered.
"Wait, then who the hell was in your office last night?" Kimberly raised her brow.
"James Mason." Joe handed the dark-skinned woman a tablet with Mason's picture pulled up on the screen. "Wanted for the murder of Amy's...aka Lily Carter's...parents."
Kaitlynn glanced at the mugshot. "Amy is the only one who can I.D. Mason as the killer and put him away for life."
"So, why take Michael?" Kim smoothed out her camo-print jacket.
Kaitlynn took a swig of her coffee before answering. "Well, he assumes Michael is so close to her, he knows all her secrets, like where she'd go. Mason will probably keep Michael alive until he finds Amy." she tapped the side of her coffee cup. "Question is, where is Amy's safe haven?"
"Safe haven?" Joe repeated, looking to the younger detective.
Kaitlynn nodded, "She lives her life on the run. There must be some familiar place for her to fall back on when she gets scared." she licked her lips.
Kimberly pulled up the U.S. Marshal's file on Amy, something familiar jumping out at her. "Didn't Michael say they were going on a honeymoon in Rockland County?" she glanced to her partner, who nodded in confirmation. "According to Amy's real file, she went to camp there in grade school."
"Rockland County?" another detective questioned, walking up to them. "When we tapped Michael's cell, there is a message from his credit card company saying some woman alerted them to a fraudulent charge. It was made from a Rockland County gas station."
"Amy was sending him a message." Kaitlynn deduced, flipping her hair off her shoulder. "When you can't call someone directly, you have to find another way to get to them. Amy was trying to tell Michael where to find her."
"Alright, Rockland's 30 away, we can't lose any more time. Let's get a full list of those hotels and split 'em up." Joe ordered and his detectives went straight to work, knowing time was of the essence.
Kaitlynn showed Amy's picture to a desk clerk at the third motel she went to, and finally got an answer that she had been seen. She thanked the clerk and walked to the designated room, pulling her cell from the pocket of her leather jacket, "Hey KC, I'm at the Belmont Hotel with a possible match." she informed. "Unknown young woman in room six, so, get here fast."
Kait stood in front of the door, and knocked a couple times. "Amy? My name's Kaitlynn Chandler, NYPD." she announced, listening for any sounds on the other side. "Look, I know you're scared, and I know about James Mason. Please open the door."
"I want to help you and Michael. I think he's in trouble." a woman's voice said on the other side of the door. It creaked open and Amy peered out. Kaitlynn unclipped her badge from her belt and showed it to Amy, proving she was, in fact, a real NYPD detective.
Kaitlynn sat on the edge of the bed, while Amy sat across from her with her knees pulled up to her chest. "This might be hard to understand, but for years, I was living with a secret identity, holed up in my apartment, just terrified that someone would come into my life." Amy admitted, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. "And when Michael did, I got scared, and I tried pushing him away. Does that sound silly?"
Kaitlynn shook her head, "No." she replied, remembering the time she first met Vincent in the warehouse almost a month ago.
"I couldn't help myself...I was drawn to him." Amy continued, and on some level, Kaitlynn related to her. "And then I moved in, and we got engaged, and I wanted that life so badly...that I forgot I'll always be on the run." she looked down at her feet. "When I saw our photo in the paper, I knew that I had to leave. Leave him."
"Maybe this time, Michael will run with you." Kaitlynn pointed out, placing her hand on Amy's arm in a reassuring manner.
"He could never be himself again." Amy replied. "Not a doctor. It's just too easy to track. I could never ask someone to make that sacrifice for me."
The more she heard Amy's story, the more Kaitlynn thought of Vincent and how he told her similar things. "You can't assume what's right for him." the detective told her. "He needs to make the decision on his own, no matter what."
About twenty minutes later, James Mason pulled up to the motel and went straight for Amy's room. He held a gun ready as he picked the lock, stepping inside and finding nobody. Kaitlynn jumped out from the side and kicked his gun away, a fight ensuing between them.
She blocked his punches while landing a few of her own. When Kait drew her gun, Mason smashed a lamp over her head, knocking the firearm out of her hands and shoving her into the wall. Kaitlynn spun on her heels and kicked Mason in the ribs, twice, before elbowing him in the nose.
Mason grabbed the detective by the hair and threw her onto the floor. Kaitlynn kicked her legs out, knocking him into the dresser, jumping to her feet effortlessly. She gained the upperhand in the fight, before landing a final blow by kicking him across the face. She grabbed her gun off the floor and held it on him, "James Mason, you're under arrest." she spit out blood that had pooled in her mouth, just as KC ran into the room with Michael behind her.
Amy stepped out of the bathroom, her body visibly relaxing once she saw Michael, who ran straight to her and embraced her. KC slapped the cuffs around Mason's wrists and she and Kait dragged him out of the motel room.
"So what will happen to them now?" Kimberly asked, her and Kaitlynn standing in the parking lot, watching Amy and Michael while the FBI threw James Mason into the back of an SUV.
"They get to come out of hiding." Kaitlynn answered. "They're lucky." She looked back to the couple, not noticing her older sister walking up to her.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Amy apologized, holding Michael's hand but not making eye contact. "It wouldn't have been fair for you."
Michael lifted her chin to meet her eyes, "That should've been my choice." he replied, wiping a stray tear from Amy's cheek. "I'd go anywhere with you. I love you."
A smile crossed Kaitlynn's lips when she saw them embrace eachother tightly. She felt a hand wipe away her own stray tear and met the warm, brown eyes of Catherine. "You alright, Katie?" Cat asked.
Kait nodded, giving her sister a smile. "Yeah, I am." she answered, shoving her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. She glanced back at Michael and Amy, and found herself thinking about Vincent yet again. "There's just someone I need to talk to."
Kaitlynn took a deep breath and exhaled before walking into the loft, seeing Vincent finishing up the warehouse's security system. "Thank you for the gift." she smiled, walking over to him. "I found it on my fire escape, but I wanted to wait and open it with you."
"How was your birthday?" Vincent asked, not turning around to face her, but he could feel her eyes on his back.
"Actually...it was horrible." Kait admitted, moving her hair out of her face. "I was standing there with my sisters and all of my friends and all of these people who supposedly know me, and they don't. Not anymore."
Vincent typed in a few more lines of code on the computer before turning around and facing Kaitlynn. "Your life isn't here, Kait." he told her.
"Half of it isn't." she corrected, her hands in the pockets of her blue leather jacket. "Because in the other half, I have to lie to everyone. Act like I'm doing things I'm not, watch every word I say." she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Put up walls and then remember where I put them." Kaitlynn stepped forward, walking around the work table, and standing a few inches from him. "I realized that what I wanted for my birthday was to sit across from someone that I don't have to pretend with. That's you, Vincent." she reached out and placed her hand on his arm.
He glanced down at her hand on his arm, shaking his head, "No, I can't ask..."
"You're not." Kait cut off. "Vincent, I want to have you over for dinner. Pull down the blinds, sit down, have a glass of wine or a beer, and not have to watch my every move. Just, be me." she chuckled lightly and smiled.
Vincent sighed, "The only reason you have to watch your every move is because of me." he reminded, meeting her eyes. "Besides, I'm not the guy for that. You need the, normal guy that can show up to the birthday party." he looked away.
"What makes you think I want a normal life?" the younger brunette questioned. "What I do, isn't up to you. It's my choice, not yours." She reached forward and cupped his cheek, turning his face to look at her. "Heather's going out. I'll have dinner ready by 8." she lightly caressed his cheek with her thumb, their eyes locked. "And unless there's something else holding you back, I hope to see you there."
Kaitlynn leaned forward and kissed the scar on the left side of his face, her lips lingering there for a few long seconds. Vincent closed his eyes and let himself feel, in that moment, her hand on his cheek and lips against his scarred skin, hearing her steady heartbeat. His eyes opened as she pulled back, "Hope you like chicken." she flashed a smile before walking out.
After Heather left the apartment, Kaitlynn jumped up from the couch and took off her white fox robe, revealing a dark blue sweater and dark colored jeans. She pulled a pair of black ankle boots from under her couch and slipped them on and ran into her kitchen to start dinner. She pulled out two large chicken breasts and set them aside while rinsing off some spinach leaves and a cullender full of vegetables, glancing at the open cookbook while sipping on a glass of white wine.
Vincent paced around his bed, staring at the wallet sized photograph of Kaitlynn she'd given him, staring at it for a few minutes before looking at his own reflection in a broken mirror. He closed his eyes, remembering how it felt when she kissed his cheek, and what he felt when he kissed her forehead. He cared about her, there was no denying it anymore.
J.T. sat in his office at the university, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, before he finally jumped to his feet and shrugged on his jacket, smoothing out his tie as he walked down the hallway. He stopped at the office of his colleague and crush, Sara, clearing his throat to get her attention. When she saw him, a smile crossed her lips.
While the chicken was baking in the oven, Kaitlynn touched up her makeup, looking over her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She grabbed some of her brunette locks and wrapped them around her curling iron, holding it there for thirty seconds before unraveling it, a loose ringlet framing her face. The white and silver wrapped box sat on Kait's bed.
Vincent shrugged on a red button-up shirt over a grey t-shirt, overlooking his reflection in the mirror one more time. He laced up a pair of grey combat boots and glanced down at the photo of Kait one more time, a smile crossing his lips at the thought of having a nice, normal dinner with her. He grabbed his dark green jacket from the back of the couch and slid his arms through the sleeves on his way out of the loft.
Kaitlynn set her gift from Vincent on the counter and grabbed two plates from her cabinet, setting them opposite eachother next to two wine glasses. She set the salad bowl aside and covered it with plastic wrap and turned her oven on low to keep the stuffed, baked chicken warm. Kait topped off her wine and grabbed the matches from a drawer in her kitchen, lighting two, tall red candles on either side of the plate settings. She set out the silverware and smiled to herself, her lips coated with red lipstick and her hair in loose curls with ringlets framing her face.
Vincent walked down the sidewalk near Kaitlynn's apartment, seeing a vendor cart with a selection of flowers, his eyes landing on a small bouquet of different colored roses. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his head and stumbled back, gripping a nearby fence for support as a wave of dizziness hit him next. He took deep, slow breaths, his ears starting to ring and the pain in his head increasing.
Kaitlynn sipped her wine and checked her watch, noting it was and hour and half past the time she said she'd be ready. The candles were burning and she glanced to the birthday gift on the counter top. She took her glass and leaned against the doorframe of her balcony, staring out at the city lights, waiting for Vincent to just appear like usual. After another hour had passed and the candles were almost burned out, Kaitlynn blew out the flames and turned her oven off, pulling out the chicken and putting it in two tupperware containers, putting them along with the salad in the fridge.
She sat on her couch and untied the silver ribbon around the white papered box, removing the lid and finding a note in Vincent's handwriting. She read over it, hearing his voice clearly as if he were reading it to her
"Kait,
I know it can't take the place of the memories with your mother, but I hope this gift makes you smile and remember the good times.
Happy Birthday.
-V."
Kaitlynn smiled as she pulled out a pair of white and blue checkered flannel pajamas and a black tank top with a smiling fox head in the center, running the material through her fingers. She cast one more glance to her open balcony, her smiling falling when she saw no one was standing there.
Vincent slowly came back to consciousness, the pain in his head was gone, but he felt groggy as if he were sleeping for hours. He looked around and realized he wasn't in the warehouse, but instead was laying on top of the Brooklyn Bridge, with no idea how he ended up there in the first place.
A/N: Another chapter down, but still so much more to go! I hope ya'll enjoyed this one. It looks like Vincent and Kaitlynn are growing just a bit closer. Tell me what you think about that. Special thanks to DemonGirl123 and MakiSakura for the constant reviews, and to tbrock623 for taking a chance and reading my Vincent/OC story, hope you'll stick with it to see how things play out.
Next chapter: Worth