OK, this chapter was meant to be longer but it didn't fit that way so I split it up in two. So now it's again three-four chapters till the end (should've been three but someone asked nicely for a lot of fluff so I have a whole fluffy fluff planned out in the end) except if I will split any more chapters ahead =)

And about the previous chapter. Sona wrote "I don't want to ship it but I do" =) I guess... mission accomplished =) I don't want to ship it either but how lame would it be if the only decent man around was Vincent, right? Where the challenge in that?

And I love to torture characters with challenges they are totally equipped to overcome! C'mon, Vincent, we're cheering up for you!

Everybody said they were dating...

Tess was giddy with joy because her friend was finally "on a right path" and so she kept demanding details after details after details... This was getting annoying, really!

Heather was even worse - blabbering something about "desi hot" and "dreamy cheekbones" and fangirling to the max with every word Gabriel uttered. She nicknamed him Angel (which she pronounces in hushed voice) and kept winking on Catherine every time Gabriel turned away. Catherine was contemplating adding laxative to Heather's coffee so she would get off her back for at least one day.

Evan was cautious but since Heather kept insisting that Catherine has found her "perfect soul mate" he kept his critics to himself.

JT was... awkward. She met him a couple of times in the next few weeks to discuss the findings in Evan's research and Gabriel dropped her off to the campus so there was no way of hiding... it... whatever it was... and why should she hide it? It's not like she's cheating or something! She and Vincent wasn't a couple to begin with! Because he was a couple with somebody else!

But it still felt awkward seeing JT eying Gabriel with murderous squint and rejecting his handshake. JT was polite with Catherine but nothing more. Civil. Cold. Distant.

The only person whose attitude Catherine appreciated was Gabriel himself. He was so nonchalant and casual about it as if they weren't crowned as new official IT couple of the precinct and people weren't expecting them to produce royal babies right away. Gabriel dropped her to the station, he met her in the evenings, they went for dinners, movies, long park walks... and that was it! At one point Catherine herself wondered how exactly he himself categorizes their relationship considering how... platonic they were.

- Oh, Cathy, really! Do I look like some hormones-driven horny teenager? Do I have to jump you at any suitable occasion to prove I'm serious about us?

- Well, when you put it this way...

He took her hands in his and brought them to his mouth to warm with his breath - it was a late spring but this particular evening was way to cold for Catherine.

- Cathy, I can see you have your own pace in these things and I'm not going to hurry you up just because everybody else think we're "doing it". I will wait till and if you decide you are ready for anything more specific about us...

She mouthed "Thank you" and freed her warmed palms from his hands. He nodded... and couldn't keep it serious any longer:

- Even though you are missing out A LOT! I am glorious! In the uni people called me Casanova for a reason! Even though Casanova has nothing on me since I operate on much more ancient and developed technics of my ancestors, also known as Kama Sutra, The Great Book of Looooove...

His semi-formal tone and prolonged "loooooove" got a hysterical giggle out of Catherine that immediately erupted into full-fledged laughter.

- Oh you, little pompous... dickhead! Precious present to the womenkind! Let me get to that bow of yours!

She thrown her hand trying to grab his scarf but he dodged and ran free, mocking her "feeble attempts to get a hold of THAT body"...

And a little down the road... conceal in the darkness of evening shadows... was standing a lonely figure. Watching two people playing "catch me if you can"... laughing... being happy.

She made it. She moved on.

- JT, shut down that damn TV or I will rip it apart! I have a headache, I told you, no need to add that blasting bullshit of yours!

JT's answer was epitome of calm and complete dzen:

- We both know that a) Metallica is no bullshit, it's beyond classic, it's epic! and b) your genetically enhanced head can have no headache unless it's self-inflicted which is totally the case since you can't get over the fact that our little Miss Badass Sunshine had found herself a mancandy to play with.

Vincent roared and JT heard screeching sound. Something metal over something concrete. Probably, a chair. Oh, well... Nothing else matters...

- By the way, Vinnie, I'll be late tonight, behave, will you?

A big shadow loomed over JT and Vincent's rage distorted face filled JT's view:

- Do I look like a fucking teddy bear to call me Vinnie?! Aren't you just a little bit afraid I will beast out on you for driving me crazy?

Something hard pressed against Vincent's chest and he saw a tranquillizer gun pointed at him. JT's gaze was firm, unblinking, and dead serious. But then he deliberately and very slowly (show off!) placed it down on the chair's armrest.

- I was. Any moment from the day of that stupid date I was expecting your blackout. I have a few of these, - he motioned towards the gun with his chin, - hidden all over this place cause I didn't want to upset you with having one on me at all times. I though you will eventually act it out... but now I don't think you have what it takes to do it.

Vincent backed away trying to analyze what he'd heard. Truth. He didn't beast out even once during these few dreadful weeks... when every Catherine's smile shared with that guy, every time he called her "Cathy", every innuendo Vincent overheard that got Catherine to blush... it was torturing him, stripping him of the will to live, killing him...

But he didn't beast out.

- What is it I don't have that keeps me normal?

JT snorted:

- Male gonads. And I wouldn't call it normal!

Medical education kicked in:

- What? I don't have... what?

- You've heard me! You don't have testicles! I said you don't have balls to act!

- What?! - Vincent jumped out from the chair and JT did the same. He pushed Vincent back to the chair and yelled at him:

- How is it normal? This... this existence! None of it is you! Bro, please, for the love of God, man up! Stop throwing lame excuses on me like "she's happy with him" and "I owe her this" and "I've blown my chances"! She is, you do and you did - so what?! Earn another chance, make her even happier - do something! Anything! Ugrh!

JT has thrown up his hands in distress and walked away. He then came back shouting accusations:

- You once locked yourself to keep her safe! You've given yourself up to keep her safe! You've risked your life every second day to keep her safe! If that's not love than I give up on this world! But! But if this kind of love does not deserve fighting for - then I totally give up on this world!

He turned around, grabbed his jacket and walked to the door. His last words to mind-frozen Vincent were:

- I'm out! Stay safe! Live long and prosper!

Door slammed leaving Vincent to process...

JT was his best friend for a reason!