Chapter Three

Catherine arrived at the hospital only minutes after receiving the urgent call. She ran up to Joe's doctor and asked what had happened.

"Your friend has been in a horrible accident. There was an explosion that was meant to kill him, but he's alive," explained the doctor.

"Can I see him?"

"No, he's being taken into surgery soon."

"Is there anything I can do?" Catherine asked pleadingly.

"Yes, he's going to need blood. Let me show you where to go," the doctor replied.

~*~o~*~

An hour and a half later, Joe was brought back to his hospital room. He had a huge bandage covering the top of his dark head and ugly burns all over his body, but he was alive. Catherine went to him, and to her surprise, he opened up his blackened eyes and smiled up at her.

"Cathy," he murmured in a choked voice.

"It's okay. I am here. Get some rest now," she assured him, afraid to touch him due to the many burns and abrasions upon his body.

"Cathy, please. A book..." he said, his voice a dry crack.

"Don't try to talk, Joe."

"A book. Hanlan gave me a book before- before... the explosion," he managed to say urgently.

"Okay, Joe. I'll find the book," Catherine promised. "Just sleep now."

~*~o~*~

A nurse took Catherine to a locker room where they had placed Joe's belongings. Inside the locker was a large plastic bag which contained Joe's possessions. Within a pocket of Joe's scorched jacket, Catherine discovered a small black book which miraculously hadn't been harmed in the explosion. The book was about 3/4 of an inch thick and appeared to be some kind of an appointment book. *It's contents must be very important if someone would kill for it,* Catherine thought. Hastily, she stuffed the book in her purse and turned to exit the locker room.

At the door, she was met by the same lab technician who had taken the blood from her earlier. "Catherine? Catherine Chandler? I'm glad I caught you," the nurse said.

"Why? Is there something wrong with Joe?" Catherine asked uneasily.

"No, Joe's doing fine," the lab technician said with a smile. "I just wanted to tell you- you shouldn't have given blood."

"Why not?" Catherine asked in confusion.

"Because you are pregnant."

The words echoed in Catherine's brain as she stared at the young woman in shock. "Hey, I'm sorry," the lab tech said gently when she realized that Catherine hadn't known of her pregnancy. "It's just standard procedure that we test the blood before giving the transfusion. When we tested yours, we discovered you were pregnant. I can have your test results transferred to your regular doctor... if you would like."

Catherine wasn't listening. She walked passed the young woman and down the hallway as the words she spoke kept echoing again and again in her head. *Because you are pregnant.* As Catherine disappeared down the nearest corridor, the shocked expression remained upon her face.

~*~o~*~

Before leaving the hospital, Catherine visited the maternity ward on the second floor. She gazed at the tiny infants behind the glass for several minutes, taking in the sight of their pink skin and their precious faces. Those words echoed again, this time louder than ever before.

*Because you are pregnant. Because you are pregnant.*

Catherine turned away and finally went home. She was exhausted.

~*~o~*~

Catherine found it difficult to concentrate at work the following day. She kept dozing off at her desk. She had barely had two hours of sleep the night before.

Once she dozed off and dreamt of Vincent. She had a dream that she was with him in his chambers. "Vincent, there is something I must tell you," she said as she gave him a smile of happiness. "There is a child."

She saw a gloomy look upon his face. Her joy instantly faded. "Vincent?" she asked uneasily.

"A child? What kind of a child?" he asked coldly.

The dream abruptly came to an end when Michelle plopped another pile of documents onto Catherine's already cluttered desk. "Are you okay, Cathy?" Michelle asked with concern. "You don't look so well."

"I'm fine," Catherine replied. "Just worried about Joe."

~*~o~*~

The rest of the day, Catherine attempted to send a mental message out to Vincent. In the past, it had worked, for Vincent had possessed the ability to read her private thoughts, feel her emotions, and sense any coming danger that might befall her. Ever since the night of Vincent's rage, that unique ability had been severed. When Catherine returned to her apartment, she stepped out onto her balcony, hoping greatly that Vincent had picked up on her telepathy. To her disappointment, she found that he was not there. For about an hour, she stared down at the city below, and then at last she made the decision to go to him.

~*~o~*~

When she entered his chamber, he turned to look at her. "Hello, Vincent," she said. "I need to talk to you." The gravity of the situation showed deeply within her eyes.

"I can see that you do," he said, his voice devoid of any sign of emotion.

"What do you mean?" Catherine asked, her eyes filling with moisture. She bit her lower lip as she tried not to shed those stinging tears.

"There was a time when I would have come to you - would have known the feelings you are experiencing. But tonight I could only wait for word from a Messenger that you had come Below. It's gone, Catherine - our bond. It is gone."

"No, Vincent. It will be back. Believe me, it will come again," she promised.

"I can't feel it now. I search for your feelings, but they are gone."

"The bond has nothing to do with you and me - what we feel for each other- that will never change. It was a gift, Vincent. A beautiful gift... and perhaps you don't need it now."

"It saved your life... more than once," he reminded.

"Yes, I know. It was a wonderful gift and you used it, but perhaps now, it isn't needed like it was before. Or perhaps... it will come again, Vincent."

"No, it is the price. The price for this new contentment."

"There will be other gifts. Just open your arms. There are other gifts- just as beautiful," Catherine whispered. "Just open your arms."

He opened his arms to her and she ran to him. He crushed her in his embrace. "Catherine,' he whispered, pressing his cheek against hers. She reveled in his warmth and his scent. His touch was all she needed.

"There are other gifts," she repeated. "Perhaps there will be another gift that will take it's place.'

"Tell me now," he insisted. "Tell me what troubles you."

"Another time," Catherine said as she pressed herself against Vincent's strong chest. For the moment, she'd just be content being held in his arms. There would be time later. There was always time... or so she thought...

~*~o~*~

Later that evening, Vincent opened the present that Catherine had given him. He unwrapped a flat, rectangular box to disclose a small black book. The book was about 2 inches thick.

"It's a journal," Catherine told him. "I thought it was appropriate."

"Yes, it is," he agreed. "Very appropriate." He opened the cover to find words written in Catherine's lovely handwriting on the opening page. It read-

With love, all things are possible.

Forever,
Catherine

Vincent read the words aloud and then he whispered, "Forever?"

"Yes, Vincent," she replied. "Forever."

Before Catherine returned Above, she asked Vincent if his memory was returning. "There are some things yet that I have no memory of. There are things that are unfamiliar."

"And me? I am unfamiliar?"

"No, not you. You are the woman I love."

"Good. I am glad, Vincent. So glad."