Welcome back to my work here, I am still blown away by all your sweet words. Finally Alex had said her goodbyes, so I can go back on their struggles with each other, which is way more fun! As always I hope you enjoy this as much as I am...

Catherine : Go down the back stairs, outside the door and around the corner.

Catherine:

Vincent maybe trusts her but I didn't and so earlier this day I had checked her credit card. Just what I had imagined. She used it to pay food. God, was she even listening? So I got some cash and one of the phones the two stashed at the warehouse. I had found her hiding place way to easy and so I called Alex and met her in my car at the middle of the night. It's the safest way for her and me, and these are things, she need to learn fast. I tried to give her another lecture about how to stay under the radar, hoping she understands this time. After we were finished, she asked me quietly how I can risk so much for him though I know what he is. I chose my answer carefully, because what I wanted to say is that he is one of the gentlest persons I have ever met and if she can't see his inner strength than she doesn't deserve him. But I don't. Instead, I tell her that he saved me, and that he wanted to protect her too, what should have been enough, but not for her. She is so blinded by his weakness that she will never see his courage. Just for a moment on my way home, I felt sorry for her, if she would had seen past the things he can't change, maybe they would have had a chance.

I dream of Vincent again that night. And my mind creates these perfect scene were he really showed up for my dinner invitation. Where we talked and laughed while our hands caressing each other over the tablecloth. I feel safe and loved and notice how the warm light reflects in his eyes as the time passes and the candles burn down. The scene shifts to our breathtaking dance at my fathers wedding and this time he leans closer, much closer and I feel his breath wash over my lips. He is going to kiss me. But in the second I feel should our lips touch for the first time the feeling vanishes, like the rest of him and I wake up, feeling sad and lonely again, like the nights before. I lay in my bed, to restless to go back to sleep and wait for the dawn.

This morning was the day I had dreaded to come the whole week. Valentines Day, a whole 24 Hours dedicated to Love. This day is hard to stand if you're single but if you just got your heart broken it becomes one of the seven circles of hell. And finding his note in my bedroom, when I not even had one drop of coffee, isn't improving my mood. But before I had a chance to read it, my sister stands in the door. She is in full Valentines-mode, perfectly matching with chocolate and a lovely red dress, talking about her dinner reservation. I love her endlessly but I was also very thankful for her departure. I just can't take this day and her hopeful spirit on top. Alone, I look at his note which only says 'roof'. No, he can wait a few minutes I tell myself while I take a few sips from my freshly brewed coffee. When I have enough caffeine in my bloodstream to think clearly I make my way upstairs. Preparing myself for the man my heart just can't let go.

With the crisp, fresh air around us, I tell him that I dealt with Alex for which he thanks me. I don't tell him what she asked me. Even if I'm beyond disappointed with him, I would never hurt him on purpose. And I knew that her words would only fuel his self loath. So I just keep quiet. He plans on giving her time which sounds like I could need too. So much happened in the last days and it drained me, emotionally and physically. Just a few days without him, to overcome this feeling of hurt, a few days in which I could build up my wall again, thicker this time. But to my surprise, he is actually asking for my plans on this evening, like especially this evening saying he don't wants to wait another year. I'm honestly doubting, I would say yes next year. Can't he see how desperately I need some air, some space. Him being everywhere I look isn't helping. So I made clear fronts and this time he gets it, I can see it in his posture. He always looks away if something hurts him, I think because he knows that his eyes are a mirror of his emotions. I try one last time to explain him my reasons and he conquers with his wanting for a better life. That it was never about Alex and that his feelings for me never changed. I heard it all before, we are running in circles, it all goes down on Trust. And that he lost mine. I readjust his focus away from me and back to Alex, she is the weak spot for us now and has to be watched.

Catherine : Speaking of Valentines. I can't accept them, at what better way to keep your secret admirer at his toes. Trust me, it does take a lot more than roses.

Vincent:

When I saw and heard her giving over the roses to Tess I was only mildly hurt. I had seen something like that coming, even when I had hoped for a different reaction. When J.T. tried to give me directions this morning I didn't took him serious but after he left I realized, that he was out to meet his Girlfriend while I was sitting here alone. So I started the Computer and took on my friends advice, I googled. First 'romance' and than 'ways to get her back'. It was nice to discover that I wasn't the only one who needed help, it seemed to be a common problem of my overall gender. I needed a plan, I had never been in a situation like that before, mostly because I hadn't want to win a woman's heart in over 16 Years. And writing notes about meeting after school wouldn't help me this time.

When she came to the warehouse, telling me about the dead Journalist she also asks about those roses. It was obvious that the came from me and she was not impressed, not even slightly so the candy were probably a shot in the dark too. It's obvious that she doesn't care about gifts and it's making me feel stupid. What had I been thinking, that she would be falling back in my arms over those cliché presents? I needed something special, something that made her smile. And there was my problem, I had no idea how to 'woo' a woman, I felt totally overwhelmed. That she wanted me to stay home while she was protecting Alex wasn't helping me feeling more in control. So I started the PC again, hoping I would find something unique that showed her my Love.

I did and it was good, they had kindly promised to tape it for me. Her face so full of wonder was one of the sweetest things I had ever seen. I felt almost proud, I had made her smile. She was clearly uncomfortable the whole time but that didn't matter because I, Vincent had made this gorgeous Woman smile. As I was spellbound by her face, my phone started ringing. Alex's afraid voice brought me back to the ground, immediately jumping to action. I felt horrible breaking my promise to Catherine but Alex needed me. She was in this position because of me and now, when she asked desperately for help I just couldn't say no. I just hoped Catherine would understand. But all my thoughts of rescuing Alex went out the window when she threw her arms around me, when I felt that needle pierce my skin. She had betrayed me...

Catherine:

Even after our conversation at the warehouse I was aware of the damage that she had done and a few pretty words won't make them disappear. How she could do that to him, I would never understand. How she could not see that they had lied to her, used her until it was almost too late. After all we had told her she still had believed the things they said. They had manipulated her so easy into handing him over, drugging him for the promise of being healed, to become normal again. Normal. He was already feeling like a monster so could she just please stop encouraging him on that? I saw it in his eyes, he believed her, believed that he was somehow wrong, abnormal.

Seeing them say goodbye is hard to watch. She apologizes to me too but I'm just glad she finally understands the Danger she put us all in. If I had come a few minutes later to that hotel I could have lost him forever. It's scared me half to death finding him in this state, weakened by whatever she had injected him, barely strong enough to stand. He had trusted her with his life. And she really had thought I was the threat? She had even the nerve to point a gun at me while I tried to rescue her from getting killed. Because they would never let her leave alive after they got Vincent. I had learned that Muirfield never leaves witnesses behind. Carefully watching her every move I had desperately tried to make her understand what my mother had done, how they killed her and what Muirfield would do to him, if they ever get him back. That they would hurt him beyond her imagination. She couldn't grasp the thought. Didn't understand that I accept him as the man he is either. When she finally comes to her mind and lets us go, he has to go back, rescuing her again, this time from the Killers she so trusted to help her. It showed her his true character, that even after her betrayal he came back and saved her life. I think it opened her eyes.

There is one last thing I needed to do and so I sneaked my way down to destroy the last pieces of evidence what could someone lead to him. I had quickly found the cellphone and the notebook in one of the last shelves. When I had let the last traces vanish, I was caught by Tess. And this time, she was more than just upset. It felt awful to see the last threads of trust in me finally rip. She even thought about charging me but knew she had no real proof of my wrong doings. That let us left with her desperately asked question. Why? I knew, if I would have had a reasonable answer she may would have overlooked this. But there was nothing I could say for my defence. I wished so badly that I could tell her, tell her all of it but it just would've make her life as dangerous as mine. So I let her Anger and Disappointed wash over me in that dark room, tried to breath through it because I knew that his Protection was more important than all this. But that doesn't made loosing one of my best friends easier. And I knew it would stay this way, it's was unavoidable. With a new day I would need to lie to the next partner or the next friend, knowing it will never become easier. But Vincent, even when he doesn't see it himself, was worth it.

I just want a glass of wine when I come home, wine and a hot shower. Just some rest from these constant fears for life, his or mine, not to mention all this crippling emotions he stirs in me. But he is already there, standing in the door of my bedroom with his hands in his pockets. A clear sign that he is nervous, he always tries to hide his shaking hands, I noticed. He thanks me and than it's all getting a little out of hand. We talk and I'm just to exhausted to keep my wall up. As much as I tried to conceal them, he knows my feelings and it feels like he is about to force me to be honest with myself. For the first time he is taking control. All while taking step by step towards me, never taking his eyes off of me. Does he realize he's encircling me like a Panther with his prey? We're speaking about heartbeats and I make last efforts to to talk myself out of this situation while realising it is hopeless. My heart had long made a decision when my brain couldn't. And so I watched him leaning in, as his eyes slowly fell shut...

Heather : Oh my god, I so knew it!