(Chapter 5)
After leaving Catherine, Vincent went through the hall, trying to get Alex and Connor's sense. For a moment, he looked up at the lights overhead, and his eyes started to bother him. What the hell is going on with him? It was happening again, and his eyes were bothering like they were when he was at the hospital visiting Catherine. As soon as he looked away, they went back to normal. Hopefully, nothing serious was going on with him, especially after the talk of his DNA possibly changing. He was about to continue down the hallway when he heard the gunshot and Catherine screaming in pain. Then the nightmare happened again, the one that he had feared; he knew he shouldn't have left her. Vincent made his way over to where her scent was, watching her nurse the injured shoulder while trying to get herself up off the floor. With that bastard Connor, he stood over her pointing a gun. He didn't like the idea that she was hurt again by the same jerk that had stalked Alex.
"Catherine!" Vincent yelled while approaching Connor and quickly ducked behind some of the pipes as he fired shots. Luckily the bullets missed him and he noticed him reloading his gun.
"Come to save the cop friend of yours, huh?" Connor taunted, grabbed Catherine while she was getting up and dragged her towards another hospital door.
"They're just using you, Mr. Sorvino." Catherine said, trying to reason with him as she continued to struggle, but it was useless with the shoulder being injured as it was.
"Shut up!" Connor yelled as he pushed the muzzle of the gun against her temple. He started to drag her to where the electric circuit breaks were, shutting the steel door and locking it.
Vincent followed Connor as he took Catherine through the double doors; hearing her screaming in pain was enough for the change to take place and transform into the beast and let out a growl. He listened to her heart beating rapidly and started pounding on the steel door to try to get it open. He wasn't about to let Connor do something to hurt her more severely.
"You don't want to be known as a cop killer. Do you, Mr. Sorvino?"
"I said, shut up," Connor with a sharp tone in his voice. He pushed the gun harder against her forehead, causing her head to move more, and her shoulder started hurting her again.
Vincent used all his beast strength to burst open the door and started following her scent. He wanted to hurt Connor like he was hurting Catherine. He let out another ferocious growl and slowly made his way, stalking over to where Connor was holding her.
"Let me guess, soldier boy, come to rescue your sweetheart," Connor said, holding Catherine as he slowly started to make his way over to where Vincent was.
"You willing to die for your fiancée or the sexy cop? Which will it be?" Connor taunted again while spotting Vincent running in another direction. He started to fire at him but hit one of the pipes instead again. "Your fiancée is obviously in love with you, still."
Vincent took cover behind the pipes and began leaning against one of them. He shielded his eyes as they started to bother him again. He thought about how he would keep Catherine safe, and he needed to get Connor away from her by directing his attention elsewhere.
"Looks like you're still in love with her." Connor started to wander around and saw Vincent standing by another set of pipes.
Vincent stepped away from the pipes long enough so Connor could see him. He then heard the shot coming from where Connor was and could tell his shooting skills were not great. As the bullet missed him, hitting the electric panel box, causing the building's lights to shut off and blackness occurred, and his eyes started to adjust to the darkness and took this opportunity to stalk Connor again.
"Great! I can't see you. But if you don't come out…" Connor started waving his gun around again before placing it against Catherine's temple. Not aware of Vincent stalking towards him still. "how will you ever save her from me? Meaning you don't need this one then."
"No?" Connor inquired while taking out the lighter he had in his pocket. "Okay. But you just remember..." He flipped it open, letting out a gasp when he turned around and saw the flame from the lighter illuminate off Vincent's grotesque face.
Catherine knew even if her shoulder now was killing her. She had to take this opportunity to use one of her legs and kicked Connor's shin, causing him to let her go.
"Why, you little Bit..." Connor let go of her while grabbing his left shin for a second. He watched as Catherine fell against a nearby wall and painfully slid down, holding her injured shoulder. He was about to shoot her.
"What the hell!" Connor yelled as Vincent quickly grabbed hold, growling low and throwing him through the double doors. He dropped both his lighter and gun as he slid through them.
"Vincent, Wait!" Catherine cried out while trying to get herself off the floor again. She feared that he might do something rash as she watched him slowly stalk towards Connor, growling low. Before spotting her, trying to reach for the gun that Connor had and kicked it in her direction.
"How'd you do that?" Connor puzzled, scooting himself back up against the wall. He was beside himself as he couldn't believe what had just happened. Never saw anybody with much strength through him like that. He watched as this 'thing' started stalking towards him again. He pulled out the extra gun that hid in his shoe, aiming, and shot at it.
It took Catherine all the strength in her right shoulder to painfully raise it just enough to shoot Connor in the chest as he was about to kill Vincent and vice versa. She was glad that Vincent moved out of the way, and she was able to save him.
"You okay?" Vincent asked, coming back from his 'normal' state and check her wound. It wasn't bleeding yet, thankfully.
"Yeah, I'm fine; go help, Alex." Catherine responded quickly, she was a bit surprised by him. Shouldn't he be looking for Alex instead?
"Alex! Alex!" Vincent yelled as he headed back in the direction of smelling her scent. He came across the pounding on the door and saw the folded up chair shoved under the door handle. He kicked it out of the way and jerked the door open.
"Help! Vincent!" Alex cried, relieved as she heard him calling for her on the other side of the door. She started pounding on the door more, trying to get his attention. She was beyond relieved, nearly throwing herself at him as soon as he opened the door. Alex continued as she touched his face making sure he was okay. "I thought I'd lost you again."
"You okay?" Vincent asked with concern while pulling back a little.
"Yeah." Alex nodded her head, relieved not only of being alive but that Vincent saved her. He must still have feelings for her.
Vincent quickly embraced her for a second before pulling back and was about to let go of her. When Alex unexpectedly kissed him, he started pushing her away just as he sensed Catherine approaching them, stating. "Alex, don't."
Catherine knew it was too good to be true that Vincent would pick his fiancée over her. She felt her eyes moist as she saw him kissing his fiancée right in front of her. As she was about to check on Mr. Sorvino's body again, she noticed Vincent making his way over to her and backed away from him as he got close to her. She had to get herself together and not let him see her cry. So she blinked her eyes a couple of times and swallowed her pride and mumbling to him that he should leave before the police arrive. Catherine watched Vincent hesitate before leaving her or his ex.
"Night vision? Freakin' night vision? That is so cool. And way better than a sex change." JT exclaimed with excitement while playfully shaking Vincent's shoulder before walking over to the fridge. He still couldn't believe the outcome of what his best friend explained to him after last night. He took out a jar of jelly while jokingly saying, "Man, you'd be an ugly chick."
"Yeah, and sending you out to buy bras would've been awkward," Vincent mocked, with his smart-ass comment. While playfully picking his cereal out of the bowl, he started eating it with his fingers. He could just see it now, JT trying to go to a lingerie store for women bras. He was just relieved that it wasn't anything more physically changing; he wouldn't know how to handle it.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better," JT placed the jar on the kitchen table before going back to the counter to grab a spoon from one of the cups. He joked while he handed him a spoon. "I don't think gender reassignment is on the mutation menu."
Vincent thanked JT as he took the spoon from him, and started to eat his cereal again, wondering. "So, why is it happening now, then?"
"I think it's been happening for a while; we just missed the symptoms. You, roaming around on autopilot- there's a physical toll to evolving so fast." JT explained while pouring himself some coffee.
"So, what, they're basically growing pains?"
"Think about it: what you developed in a week, most species would take a million years to pull off," JT informed him.
"Yeah, well, I'm just glad it happened when it did," Vincent remarked as he smiled, thinking proudly to himself how it helped save Catherine from Connor.
"Must have felt pretty good saving Cat the way that you did," JT commented as he started fishing out the jam from the jar with the knife.
"Yeah. Yeah, it did." Vincent replied, smiling again before taking another bite of cereal.
"How is Cat?"
"She's still a bit sore. I just wish uh; she wouldn't put herself in danger like that, you know." Vincent commented to JT with concern.
"As I said before, with you, she likes to be involved," JT mentioned while spreading his toast with jam.
"I know, but she just got out of surgery." Vincent commented looking at him with concern again.
"Cat will do anything to protect you, man, you know that."
"Yeah, and that scares me. I don't want to lose her, JT." Vincent said while remembering the nightmare and what happened last night at the hospital.
"I know V, but you can't protect her forever."
"Yeah, I know," Vincent agreed, while continuing to eat breakfast. He knew his instincts were to be protecting her, even more now since that car accident.
"So, how is Alex doing?"
"A little shaking up, but uh, better." Vincent paused for a moment. He knew that kiss Alex gave him shouldn't be bothering him, but it did. He saw the hurt look on Catherine's face and she must have got the impression that the feeling was mutual. That wasn't the case after he saved her many times. The feelings for his ex faded and were slowly replaced with feelings for her. "She kissed me, man, right in front of Catherine."
"Vincent," JT warned him, he couldn't believe Vincent was letting it go that far.
"She was just relieved that I was okay and that I, uh, saved her."
"You know she's not going to let that go now, especially after finding out you're still alive," JT told him after drinking some of his coffee.
"Yeah, I know," Vincent sighed, annoyed by the fact that JT was right but didn't want to continue any further with the conversation. So he decided to change the subject. "Anyway, aren't you late for office hours?"
After taking care of Connor's body, Catherine had to help Alex come up with a cover story to what happened without giving away Vincent's identity. She needed to make it like Mr. Sovino was going after Alex from the beginning, and she stayed to help her catch the prep. Luckily, one of her fellow cops found her gun and brought it to her before her boss noticed. When she went back to the precinct for questioning, Joe needed to see her in his office. It seems he wasn't pleased with Catherine's decision to check out of the hospital by herself. Besides taking both her badge and gun, he had to put her on restricted duty until she is physically and emotionally up to par. Thanks to Vincent, who took it upon himself of risking exposure again. What the hell was he thinking? Calling her precinct to tell them she left the hospital without her doctor's okay. She went over to get the picture she snatched from Alex's place and took it out of the coat pocket. Looking at the picture she ran her hand over the glossy image of a much younger Vincent. He was smiling and shirtless as he stood by the beach. She was too engrossed to notice him standing out on the balcony watching her.
"I can help you with that. The, uh... the dressing part." Vincent offered as he stood in the doorway of the balcony door. He didn't like seeing her uncomfortable as Catherine winced in pain when she slightly moved her arm.
"No, I got it." Catherine stated, clearing her throat while quickly turning around to hide the picture behind her.
"Here, let me take a look." Vincent offered again as he entered her living room and came closer to her. He reached for the button of her gray sweater to unbutton it and started to pull back the top part of her blue shirt, but was stopped by her hand.
"I'm okay."
"No, you're not." Vincent clenched his jaw as his attention went back to her wound and started to pull back the shirt again. He always dreamt of doing this undressing, touching her, but now wasn't the time. He was about to continue with what he was doing before noticing she was trying to hide something behind her. So he asked. "What do you got there? What? What is it? Show me."
Catherine let out a sigh and unwillingly showed him the picture.
"You took this?" Vincent questioned, surprised to see her with one of his old vacation pictures. He had to smile.
"I didn't mean to. It really... it was an accident. Um…" Catherine laughed as she looked at the picture again, embarrassed that she took someone else's stuff. She couldn't help it. "I don't know." She looked up at him. "I guess I, uh... I wanted to know him."
"Hey, that guy isn't completely gone, okay?"
"Not when you're with her," Catherine said with jealousy in her voice. "You and I... we came together out of some pretty dark places."
"I know, and it doesn't mean that this isn't real."
"It doesn't mean that it's good." Catherine knew with his fiancee showing up, and it wasn't going to go well.
Vincent licked his lips and continued. "Is this your way of dodging you and me? Think about it. You know, why are we still stuck here? You know, why don't you and me move forward?" Vincent needed to know after the talk they had at the hospital and his feelings for her.
"It…" Catherine laughed. She couldn't believe he suggested that after what happened earlier with his fiancée. "it's complicated."
"No, I think it's convenient that it's complicated. Remember that I've watched over you for years. I know your patterns, and you like to pick bad boys. Yeah, so you don't have to get serious. You can keep your distance. And I guess, in a way, I am the ultimate bad boy. Because I'm not really an option for you, am I?" Vincent didn't mean to sound cocky, but it was the truth. Especially being what he was.
"You want me to believe that your ex showing up doesn't change everything?" She asked him.
"It-it doesn't change us." He wanted to assure her.
"You're right. I don't remember how to be close with somebody." Catherine looked down for a moment and hesitated before continuing. "But can you look me in the eye and tell me that you don't still have feelings for..." Catherine sighed as she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. "She still loves you, Vincent. Maybe you need to find out if you still love her."
Vincent clenched his jaw again; why was Catherine trying to be complicated about this? He can't believe she would think that he would have the same feelings for his ex like he used to when his emotions have always been for her. Why is she trying to push him away now? Especially after the talk that they had at the hospital. He came closer to her, looking down. "I don't have feelings for her, not like I used to."
"Vincent, I don't want to be a third wheel," Catherine complained, stepping back from him. "Or your second choice."
"You're not." He replied quickly without a second thought about it.
"Are you sure after that kiss last night?" Catherine wished she didn't sound jealous, but she was. After seeing Alex kissing him and holding each other.
"Alex kissed me..." Vincent claimed, trying to defend himself before he was cut off.
"You know what. It's fine; I-I mean she's your fiancée, right?" Catherine interrupted as she turned around upset and started to head back inside.
"She was, but not anymore." Vincent followed her inside. He remembered the kiss Evan gave her on her birthday. He took advantage of the situation, figuring since Catherine was drunk, he could use that to make a move on her. "What about your birthday party?"
"That was different; I was drunk, remember." She reminded him.
"Okay, what about your dad's wedding, then?" Vincent asked, following her into the kitchen, commenting, upset. "You know, I show up, we had one dance, you tell me to leave."
"I had just found out you were mutating." She turned to face him with an attitude.
"No, my DNA was mutating, not me," Vincent countered and then asked. "Why are you so difficult about this?"
"Difficult?"
"Yes." Vincent answered, taking a step closer again, and he thought since they were on the subject. He needed to know. "Didn't we, uh, go through this already. You told me that even though my DNA was changing, it doesn't have to change things between us."
"That was before I found out you had a fiancée," Catherine complained.
"Ex fiancée." Vincent corrected her. Is she upset because his ex showed up? He then told her. "And I told you I don't have feelings for her anymore."
"You should probably go; JT must be worried about you." Catherine mentioned, she didn't want to discus this right now with him. She needed time to think about the sisutation.
"Catherine."
"Not now, Vincent," Catherine mumbled while slowly turning her back to him. "I need some time to think." she heard him replied okay in a soft voice before she felt him leave and left out a sigh.
To be continued…..
Author's Note: Still in the process of continuing, it's probably going to take a while for the next upcoming chapters, trying to figure out the direction of this story. Thanks for the reviews again it really means alot to me.
