Silent Years

Chatper 9

Catherine walked on the beach and the full moon lit up her face. She looked up and saw a shadow that gradually got closer to e didn´t expect to meet anyone at that time of the night but when she saw who it was, she smiled. She smiled like a teenager in love and that was exactly how she felt in that moment.

Vincent had wanted to clear his mind and reorganize his feelings – he had feelings for Erika .. but they were nothing compared to what he felt for Catherine - he loved her.

He thought that letting Catherine go had been the biggest mistake of his life but he felt like now he was making an even bigger one: marrying Erika.

Catherines skin was glowing under the light of the moon and she looked beautiful in the white summer dress she wore.

He smiled at her:" Hey, what are you doing out here, alone?" He couldn´t help a nervous chuckle. They were facing each other and Vincent could easily listen to the pounding of Catherines heart.

"I needed time to think and you know how often a New Yorker gets to see the ocean"

Catherine continued to walk through the sand, that was still warm from the previous day and Vincent followed quietly. At some point their hands would involuntarily touch lightly but neither of them minded or said something about it.

„How about you?" - she asked. They walked at the same pace and while Catherine looked ahead, Vincent watched the waves where a light breeze played with the water.

"I couldn´t sleep, wanted to go for a walk "- he answered quietly.

Catherine noted that something was wrong, she needed to know if she could do something to help him.

"Penny for your thoughts?" - She asked.

Suddently he stoped dead in his tracks and sat down – Catherine imitated his movements but decidet to stay silent to give him the time he needed.

"I feel a little weird lately..." - he said.

"Something about ... the beast?"

"No, I'm just worried about JT" – Not what he actually wanted to say – he covered his face with his hands for seconds and then in a sudden movement looked at her:" Look, I lied, OK? I can´t do this anymore Catherine. I do still have feelings for you and I don´t want to have to lie about it anymore.

I thought they would fade away but – they don´t!"

Catherine was shocked and couldn´t think of an appropriarte reaction, all she could do was stare at him and listen to her own heartbeat that sounded louder than ever before in her ears.

She wanted to kiss him, tell him she loved him but that was her old self. The new Catherine was much stronger.

"Vincent, please! We, our relationship is in the past and we should leave it there. We have moved on, Vincent, you have moved on!" She said but her gaze shifted from his eyes to his lips and back.

"Catherine ..." - he sighed, regretted that he had told her how he felt for her.

„I know that I betrayed you a lot and maybe if I hadn´t, we would be the ones to marry, but now – "

„Now nothing, Vincent! I don´t love you, not anymore. When you broke my heart... I never thought I would ever let anyone in anymore and the one time I do ..." her voice faded away into the darkness.

"I know and I understand that, but – " he was going to say it, tell her what she ment to him – I love you –

„But what, Vincent" She got frustrated. She was trying so hard to push him away, to save her relationship with Noah, to save herself from him and he was just not getting it.

„You love me? After six years without a single phone call, a single meeting, you´re gonna say you love me?

No, Vincent, you are engaged and I am happy with Noah! You better go now"

She stood up quickly before he could:„Good night, Vincent."

Vincent was angry with himself, for telling her, for letting her go again.

He hated that he couldn´t move on from Catherine, not even after all those years, and that he

couldn´t give Erika a chance.

"Why?" - He said out loud, nearly screamed it into the clear air that now suddently felt chilly, uncomfortable.

Catherine opened the door of her room and saw Noah sleeping, like she had expected.

Carefully she opened the door to the balcony and sat down.

She missed the noises of New York, here it was just too quiet to think.

Quiet tears streamed down her face and she didn´t bother to wipe them away.

She hated everything about this situation, her situation.

How she had to lie to Noah about Vincent, to Vincent about Noah and most importantly that Vincent was ripping those scars open again, rubbing salt into them.

Slowly she fell asleep in the beach chair and she couldn´t do anything to prevent this form reminding her of the time with Vincent when being with him had made her feel good.

He woke up and found her close to him.

The first thing he heard was the alarm clock on her side of the bed and no matter how much he loved to watch her sleep, the noise was unnerving.

Carefully he reached over her and turned the alarm off before he tenderly kissed her cheek once, twice, until she slowly murmered his name and turned in his arms.

"Happy anniversary" – he whispered. She had opened her eyes now and looked up at him.

He smiled before he leaned down to kiss her.

That day had always been special to them, she had lost her mother but also met the love of her live on that very day, who made her forget about the tragedy that was her past.

„Happy anniversary" – she answered.

She snuggled closer into his armes and laid down her head onto his chest. Listening to his heartbeat calmed her down although she couldn´t listen to his as easily as he listened to hers. But just being so close to him made her smile of happiness.

„I love you!" she whispered and he didn´t need her to say it again to understaind exactly what she meant.

Hi guys. I'm sorry for my tardiness. I'm sorry. A lot has happened in my life ... and I have not had time. I hope you like the chapter and please review.