Hi, you, guys! I'm honestly amazed with all your responses and it means so-so much to me, you have no idea!

About this one here... This fanfiction was meant to be a oneshot made as a present to my Tumblr friend, Sona. I just couldn't write it down in one go so I broke it down a little so I could start posting it early enough for her to see... And then you came, and you liked it, and it's so thrilling for me, really!

But as far as story goes... I don't want to stretch out it just for the sake of length, I still want to keep it to my original idea. That is why it's not gonna be long - like 3 more chapters after this one... and maybe one more additional fluff/smut chapter in the end if my muse will cooperate =)

Hope I have not disappointed you, guys, that's it's not gonna be a badass long fanfiction. It's gonna be what it is - a story.

Enjoy the chapter six =)

- Say what again?

- You've heard me, JT, no need to play dumb...

- Oh no, man, I am not playing dumb - emphasis on "I"! It's you who's acting all kinds of "WTF where you thinking?!" - JT kept throwing pencils and crumbled paper balls on the floor, almost screaming on Vincent even though it were wee hours of the night and he was supposed to be fast asleep by now. Probably Vincent came with his story just in time to spike JT's nerves after baseball match...

Vincent contemplated not telling JT anything on that account... but he needed to share it with someone and his best friend was more than willing to help usually... except for now he was ridiculing Vincent non-stop:

- OK, to sum up - you went to Catherine to tell her that you and Alex broke up for good and you want to be with her... saw some jerk hugging her... made a full-blown Othello party at Catherine's place... got back to apologize... and set her up on a date with aforementioned jerk? Am I missing something here?

Vincent retorted through gritted teeth:

- Yes, that's pretty much how it went...

Another angry paper ball hit the wall to the right side of Vincent - JT's aim was no good.

- Man, have you had a busy night! But that was not my question! What am I missing here? What's the plan? How bringing her a date with some other dude will help your case? And did I mention that this dude is reportedly handsome, charming, smart and well sorted in socio-economic terms? And - most importantly - officially alive! I.e. he can get her flowers and nice jewelry, get her to the opera, dinner at the restaurant, he can walk her home and meet her farther!

Vincent's lips cracked to form a sarcastic smile. No, his Catherine was not up for expensive jewelry or posh ballrooms... but he dreamed of the possibility to walk by her at a busy New York street in a broad daylight, to meet her friends, to get introduced as her... anything... to her father and sister. He dreamed to be a part of her world - not dragging her into dark dungeon of his existence.

But he couldn't give it to her. And she deserved it so much... Maybe somebody else would be better for her...

- You said it yourself, JT. This guy is ten points ahead of me even if I was "officially alive", which I'm not! So get off my back!

- And let you sulk in a noble solitude, right? And what ten points?! What the hell are you even saying, mate?! It's not a game, not a horse race; this is Catherine we're talking about!

- I know it damn well, JT! - Vincent roared at him making JT flinch and step back. Something about Vincent's look made him to stretch his hand to grab a tranq gun but he didn't after careful examination of Vincent's face.

Vincent dropped his head digging his fingers through disheveled hair. His whisper was barely audible:

- I took my chance at normal life. Not with her even though I felt she was willing to try too. She thinks she owes me something so she'd let me. Now if I come to her saying I wanna try it with her now... I'm just afraid she will agree of the same stupid idea of her debt. I don't want her to owe me anything - much less THIS! But... she deserves a chance to move on too. And I owe her that chance...

JT kept looking at him at disbelief... and pity. His friend was hurting and it wasn't something all of JT's scientific degrees could help. Vincent needed time... and miracle.

- I get it, man. It's weird nobility, if you ask me, but I get it. But... if this new guy wouldn't work out for her, how would she know you two have a chance if she doesn't even know you're single again?

Vincent sighted:

- I'll tell her. Eventually. Not now...