Authors Note: My version of what happened in Heart of Darkness between Vincent and Catherine's escape, and Catherine going to see Gabe the next day, as told from Vincent's point of view. This is my very first fanfiction. I just had to get these thoughts out of my head. I was planning to have this be a one-shot, but after all the kind reviews (thank you), I may try to continue it for another chapter. I just updated chapter 1 to fix some typos, and change Heather's absence from one night to a few to give me some more options.
All the usual disclaimers: these are not my characters and I mean no infringement to the fabulous BATB writers.
Push, slam, roar, shove, slam, roar, push. The Beast fought to open the door.
Finally the door shifted slightly. Yes! I thought, that's it. Push! Just a little bit more. Suddenly as I gave the door one last shove, I heard Catherine call out, "Evan, no!" Gunshots rang out.
I grabbed Catherine and pulled her toward the door. I pushed her through and looked back to see Evan lying motionless on the ground and the strike force taking aim at me. As they fired, I slid through the opening. Using all my super strength, I pushed the door shut and looked at Catherine. She was crying, tears rolling down her face. I calmed down and shifted out of Beast form. As I tried to put my arms around Catherine, she shook her head no. She took a deep breath, wiped her eyes, and with an iron will pulled herself together within moments. "We have to get out of here," she said, "Follow me." As she started down the corridor, I stared after her for a moment and then followed. I was amazed by her strength. I have been with soldiers in combat who would not have been able to pull themselves together like she did.
Catherine continued down the corridor, and when it split, turned left. She had done an amazing job memorizing the plans for this building. After a short time we came to what appeared to be an exterior door. "Can you hear anything?" she asked me. I extended my hearing and all I could hear were JT and Tess making snarky comments to each other in the car. "It's clear," I replied as I slowly opened the door.
Catherine and I moved quickly to the car. Tess was in the driver seat so Catherine got in next to her. I climbed in the back with JT and said "Go, go, go" as I shut the door. JT looked at me and mouthed "Evan'? I shook my head no. Tess was looking at us in the mirror and saw me shake my head. She swallowed hard and drove off. Catherine didn't say a word, she just looked out the window still on alert for danger. She had her gun in one hand, and her other hand was clenched tightly in her lap. As much as I wanted to comfort her, I had to stay on alert to make sure Muirfield wasn't following us.
After driving for about 15 minutes, I said "OK, I am pretty sure we haven't been followed. Now what?"
After a short moment of silence, Tess looked at Catherine and asked, "How about Uncle Phil's?" As a reply Catherine simply nodded yes and put her gun back in its holster.
"Uncle Phil's?" JT asked.
"Yeah, my uncle owns a motel over on B Street. I'm sure he'll have a room we can use."
A few moments later, we were pulling into the parking lot of an older, but well-maintained motel. Tess and Catherine hopped out and went into the office. A few moments later, Catherine came back out with a key. JT and I got out of the car and followed her to the room on the end of the building. Catherine handed the key to JT, who opened the door and went in, leaving Catherine and I alone to talk. "Catherine, I don't.." but she stopped me. "Vincent, you can't go back to the tunnels and you and JT both deserve to have at least one night in a bed. I need to go home and get changed so I can head to the precinct in a few hours. I have to explain to Gabe that Evan.." again she visibly pulled herself together. "I have to come up with something to tell Gabe about Evan and figure out how to make him believe that I am not the mole. I will call you on JT's phone when I get back from the precinct." Her voice was flat and without emotion. I could tell that she was trying so hard to stay calm so I just nodded.
Tess chose that moment to walk up to where we were standing. "Catherine, why don't you meet me in the car, I just need to give JT and Vincent some details about their temporary housing." Catherine nodded and walked back to the car. Tess quietly said to me, "She's trying to be tough, but don't let her push you away. This is going to hit her really hard as soon as she lets it."
"I know. She won't be alone when it does," I assured her.
"Good," she said. "You should also know that when I texted Heather earlier she told me that she won't be home for a few days. She is going up to the Adirondacks with some friends. By the way, the motel room is yours for a week if you need it."
"Thanks, Tess."
After I watched them drive away, I went in the room to tell JT all that happened since I last spoke to him on campus. He was sitting on the bed closest to the window with his laptop in front of him. As I came in, he closed the laptop. I quickly filled him in on what happened on the subway, what the agent had said, what Evan said about the next generation of experiments, and finally about what happened to Evan in the tunnel. Finally he said, "I assume that you are going to go check on Catherine? I can't imagine that even she can keep up that tough exterior forever."
"Actually," I said; "I'm afraid that she will try to do just that."
After I quickly checked the perimeter of the motel for any danger, I started off towards Catherine's apartment. As soon as I could, I got up on a roof top and made good time going from roof to roof, actually beating Tess and Catherine back to the apartment. From my vantage point on the roof next door, I saw Tess drop Catherine off and heard her tell Catherine that she would get her car back to her tomorrow.
From Catherine's fire escape, I listened as Catherine entered the apartment and made her way to her room. I heard her gather together some clothes and walk into her bathroom presumably to change and get ready for bed. I respectfully turned my attention to the neighboring buildings checking for any danger as well as giving Catherine some privacy. After a short time, I heard Catherine return to her room. I stepped down onto the landing of her fire escape and looked in the window. Catherine was sitting on the foot of her bed just staring straight ahead. I tapped softly on the window, but she just barely acknowledged my presence with a small nod of her head. I took that as permission to enter, opened the window and quietly stepped into her room.
As I sat down next to her she spoke without looking up, "Didn't I just drop you off at a motel with your roommate?"
"JT didn't need me tonight, but I thought you might."
Instead of replying, she just looked up at me. Her eyes were so full of pain that my heart broke for her. I put my arm around her and pulled her close. She didn't resist. I could feel her shaking, but she still refused to let her emotions free. "Catherine, it's ok. You don't have to be the strong one right now. I'm here. Let me be strong for you. You can let it out."
Her response was to quietly whisper, "I'm afraid if I start ... that I won't be able to stop."
"Well, if that happens," I replied, "I guess I'll just have to hold you like this forever."
At that, a quiet sob escaped from her throat, and her tears began to fall. I kissed the top of her head and a dam seemed to break loose. She started sobbing into my shoulder. I just held her close and murmured to her that things would be ok, that I was here, and that I loved her. I lost track of time as I held her. I would have held her forever if I needed to, but eventually she quieted in my arms. I slowly stood up and gently pulled her up and helped her into bed.
I turned off all of the lights but one, kicked off my boots, stripped off my coat and jeans and crawled into bed next to her wearing my shirt and boxers. I lay on my back and pulled her towards me. She rested her head on my chest as I wrapped my arms around her. She sniffed once or twice, and her eyes still leaked tears into the fabric of my shirt, but eventually her breathing slowed and she drifted off into an exhausted sleep.
Eventually, sleep claimed me as well.