Chapter 3: Make it Work

As soon as JT dropped Vincent off and he walked in the front door, he saw that Alex had waited up for him. He just knew he had some explaining to do, but didn't know exactly what to tell her. This was going to be a long night he thought to himself.

"Where have you been?" Alex says standing up and walking towards Vincent.

"I was with JT, sorry I am so late," Vincent says hoping to end this conversation.

"Vince what is going on why are you acting so strange, first you wake up saying all these strange things, and then you avoid a kiss from your own wife and now you come into the house late. What is going on with you?"

"Alex do we have to talk about this now I am kind of tired"

"Vincent, yes I want to talk about it now I don't want to go to sleep angry and worried about you," Alex says with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You don't have to worry about me everything is fine now I just had an off day" Vincent turned away from her to make his way upstairs but she grabbed his arm.

"Wait," she says coming close to him she kissed his lips only he didn't return the kiss. Vincent had kissed Tori before and it broke Catherine's heart he wasn't about to do it again even if this was some alternate universe and Alex was his wife. Vincent had no feelings for Alex she would always be his first love and that was it nothing more. Catherine Chandler was the one he loved the one he adored and the one he planned to spend the rest of his life with once he figures out how to get back to reality.

Once Vincent made his way upstairs after walking away from the stunned again Alex he got undressed and put on some night clothes and went to bed. Vincent hoped again he would wake up where he was supposed to be after tonight, he couldn't stand this awkward situation.

Alex sat downstairs on the sofa after Vincent went upstairs near tears, again she was turned down by yet another kiss from her husband. Vincent did not look at her the same and didn't treat her as he always once had. Just a few days ago everything was fine, they were happy he kissed her all the time even playful slapped her on the butt and told her how beautiful she was. Now it just seems like he looks at her as more of someone in the way than his wife. She was so confused and so hurt she didn't what to think other than that he didn't love her anymore or worse he was having an affair. She thought if that was the case she was going to find out and there wasn't any way she was going to lose her family without a fight.

The next morning Vincent woke still in the same place again to the same alarm clock, he sighed in disappointment pushing the dismiss button. Alex didn't have to go in early so she still lay beside him on the bed. He looked over at her slightly feeling bad for how he is treating her but he didn't know what else to do he wasn't the type to pretend to love someone. He also wasn't going to repeat the past and end up losing Catherine again.

As much as Vincent wanted to go back and be with Catherine today he knew she had to work and that he did as well. Vincent has not practiced medicine in years but in this world, he does it daily. Hopefully, he remembers everything he learned and makes no mistakes.

A funny thing happened to Vincent that morning after getting dressed and putting on his white coat he found car keys in his pocket all this time Vincent didn't know he had his own car parked in the garage. Expecting it to be a hot fully restored classic car of some kind he was surprised to see it was a Porsche. Vincent was a muscle car kind of guy a Camaro or Mustang was what he preferred so for him to have a Porsche had to be Alex's idea no way would he choose that. He laughed and called JT to validate he didn't pick out this car.

"What's up V," JT says

"Please tell me I didn't pick out this Porsche?"

JT chuckled and says "No it was your wife".

Vincent laughed too "I just realized I have a car I took a cab for nothing yesterday"

"Oh I could have told you that, I actually like your Porsche by the way you can give it to me if you don't want it"

"Take it. I would rather have a Ca…"

"Camaro yea, yea I know," JT says finishing his sentence.

"How did Alex convince me to get this car any way?"

"She told you is what all the doctors drive" JT laughed

"And I believed her, wow," Vincent says laughing at himself

"This amnesia thing is weird, you should know all this stuff," JT says.

"I don't have amnesia this just isn't my life," Vincent says making his way to the hospital.

"So if you are the Vincent from a different world, where is the Vincent from this world?"

"I don't know I never thought about it" Vincent did like the idea of the other Vincent being with his Catherine. How can he be jealous of himself? This is getting weird he thought.

"I will talk to you later JT" Vincent says hanging up his cell.

Most of the morning at the hospital started out slow nothing major, Stitching up a cut hand, a sick older man, a couple of non-life threatening car accident victims with a couple of scrapes and bruises, and a pregnant woman with Braxton hicks so far. It wasn't until Vincent had 30 minutes left before he could get a break that a gunshot victim came in and he was brought in by none other than Cat and Tess of all people. Vincent couldn't hide the smile on his face when he saw her, but she was surprised to see him.

"Vincent what are… wait you're a doctor" she says holding the guys arm. He was in handcuffs being held by both Cat and Tess he was shot in the arm.

"Yes I thought I mentioned to you I am a doctor" Vincent says signaling nurses to get the victim a room.

"Wait so you do know him?" Tess asks confused. Catherine hadn't told Tess about the talk her, JT, and Vincent had last night.

"It's a long story I will tell you later," Catherine says looking back at Vincent. "He needs to stay cuffed after he is done we need to take him down to booking"

Vincent went into action accessing the damage the bullet had on his arm, he told the nurses to take him down for a CT scan. He needed to know how much damage the bullet caused internally. A nurse walked up to him with a chart on another patient being brought in with a concussion. As he walked out the room headed to the other patient he overheard Tess and Catherine talking in the hallway. He stopped in his tracks to listen.

"Cat are you trying to get fired, what you did was not proper protocol," Tess says frustrated

"Yeah well I wasn't about to let him get away"

"But he was unarmed you didn't need to shoot him, this might be a lawsuit"

"I know he wasn't unarmed and that's why I shot him in the arm but I was not about to let another criminal getaway"

"oh god not this again," Tess says getting even more frustrated with Cat "when are you going to stop using what happened to you and mother on every case"

"A criminal is a criminal" Cat says coldly.

A pissed-off Tess walked away from Catherine before she said something she regretted, every week Tess thought about putting in for a new partner. Although Cat was her best friend she was slipping becoming colder and it was affecting her judgment.

Vincent was in shock to hear and see this side of Cat, she was not the shoot first ask questions later kind of woman. She always knew there was a better way to handle it without losing lives, but not this Cat. The other Cat knew where to draw the line. Vincent walked over to her as Tess walked off.

"So he is going down for CT Scans and I am supposed to be going on break soon but looks like I am stuck here for a little longer" Vincent couldn't help feeling like he needed to help her out of this funk. He could see the frustration the all over her face.

Catherine did not really respond to what he said she just nodded.

"Catherine are you ok?" he asks

"Yes I am fine" she wouldn't look at him. Even without his super senses he could tell she was lying. He grabs her hand bringing it up to his lips and kisses it. Catherine's cheeks turn bright red and she can't hide her smile.

"What are you doing?" she says feeling put on the spot.

"Can I take you out tonight?" he asks forcing her to look at him.

"I can't… I..." Vincent cut her off.

"I will see you at 8" he says brushing his hand across her cheek and walking away. He wasn't taking no for answer nor was going to give her the chance to. It took Catherine a few seconds to get her composer back. The touch on her cheek that Vincent gave her made her shiver with delight yet she played it off like it didn't. Five minutes later Tess came walking around the corner with the nurses wheeling our criminal back into the room. She still had the same attitude as before. Catherine took it upon herself to apologies something she hasn't done in a long time but after the short conversation with Vincent suddenly it seemed like the right thing to do.

"Tess I am sorry" Cat says, Tess's jaw drops but she lets Cat continue "I've been taking out my personal problems on you and everyone around me that's not fair to you or anyone else. I promise no more"

Tess slowly smirks and says "I forgive you, I just want my best friend back" Tess gave Cat a hug for the first time in a long time. Cat started feeling a lot better then she has felt in a long time and all this because of a conversation with Vincent. What is this guy doing to me Catherine thought to herself?

Vincent was started to realize this version of Cat only responded to a confident somewhat cocky Vincent. The shuttle respectable approach he took to win Cat over before wouldn't work this time. He had to go about it completely differently because this Cat had a dark side that had unresolved issues. He also could tell she didn't want to stay that way which gave him hope on bring her back to her normal side.

Vincent still continued to let it slip through his mind he is a married man, not being used it he constantly forgot. When he got home after work he planned on taking a shower and getting ready to meet up with Catherine instead he was greeted by his son and wife with dinner ready and waiting for him.

"Dad we got your favorite Steak!" Ryan says from the table in there dining room.

Vincent was at a loss for words, how was he going to get out of this situation so he can go meet up with Cat. Alex looked at him waiting on him to respond, she just knew he had to be having an affair everything about him has been so different lately. Usually, Vincent would jump at the chance to eat her steak. It was his favorite thing especially when she made it but he was acting as if he didn't want it. That was Alex's last straw she was definitely going to do some investigating.

Vincent reluctantly walked over to the table and joined them. He slowly ate his food had to admit Alex steak and potatoes where great everything tasted wonderful yet he could barely eat. He could feel Alex eyeing him, while Ryan oblivious to his parent's tension ate without a care in the world. Alex finally spoke even though it took everything in her not to yell at Vincent for the way he is acting.

"How was work today, you get busy?' she asked Vincent

"No not too busy it was pretty uneventful" Vincent says sliding the food around his plate.

"Dad are you helping me with my homework tonight, right?" Ryan says

"Yep sure am" Vincent says with fake enthusiasm he sighed realizing he was going to have to cancel his date with Catherine.

"I have to make a phone call," Vincent says excusing himself from the table. He walked down the hall and out onto the back patio out of earshot he called Catherine.

"Chandler" he heard her sweet voice say

"You didn't save my number in your phone did you?" Vincent says smiling.

"No I forgot, are you on your way?" She asks

"Actually Catherine I have to cancel, I really wanted to hang with you but something came up"

"It's ok, I understand" she says sounding slightly disappointed.

"Catherine I really am sorry, I want to make it up to you tomorrow. When do you get off?" he asks looking back at the house to make sure Alex wasn't trying to listen.

"I am off tomorrow actually," she says

"That's perfect me too," Vincent says lying, he wasn't off for another couple of days but he didn't care he was going to just call off just so he could spend the day with Catherine.

"So we can spend the day together if you would like," Vincent says

"Sure, but not too early I like to sleep in on my off days"

"Great I will see you tomorrow then," Vincent says

"Yes, good night," Catherine says.

"Good night," Vincent says disappointed. He wanted to go on the date, help her out of the funk she has been in, and just spend time with her but his unexpected home life is in the way. He also didn't understand why he suddenly felt guilty slipping out to talk to Catherine like he is a cheating husband. Technically he was but technically this wasn't his real life so he felt like it almost doesn't count. Yet he still felt guilty anyway.

Vincent went back to the table to finish dinner, Alex's whole attitude had changed dramatically she looked pissed. Ryan finished his food first and went upstairs to get started on his homework leaving him and Alex.

"Vince you take phone calls outside now. Who you trying hide your family from?" she asked in a harsh low tone.

"Alex, stop over reacting I just needed to make a private call" Vincent replies

"To who?"

"It was a friend of mines"

"Oh really must have been a female for you to be that secretive"

Vincent shook his head about to respond but Alex's phone rang and she answered. Vincent sighed in relief as he cleared the table. He didn't know how he was going to respond to her questions but he was glad for the interruption because she was trying to push his buttons and who knows what he might have said. He hurried up to Ryan's room to help him with his homework, he choose to just avoid Alex. That was the only way he could stop himself from lying and having to come up with excuses as to why he is doing what he is doing. Vincent stayed in Ryan's room the rest of the night he fell asleep while reading Ryan some kids' scary stories book. Vincent and Ryan were bonding more and more making him think a lot about how this is supposed to work. He wants Ryan in his life as well as Catherine, he felt like eventually, he was going to have to choose between to two.

The next morning after Alex went into work early after being on call, Vincent called off from work. He showered got dressed and tried to wait around before he went over to Catherine but he wanted to see her so bad she just went over anyways. It was about 10 am when he arrived, he knew Catherine was probably still asleep so he climbed her fire escape to check on her. She was still sleep laying peacefully and he watched her, taking in her beauty wishing he could hold her and lay next to her like he use to. It was so hard for him to not be able to touch her like he use to. While he sat there on the fire escaped he daydreamed about the last night he and her where together before he ending up in this other life. He reminisced about how they kissed how they made love how she touched him and he caressed her. Vincent was missing that a lot.

Vincent snapped out of his trance when he realized Catherine was moving she tossed and turned roughly as if she was having a nightmare. She suddenly popped up holding her chest and gasping. Vincent didn't wait to go knock on the door as he intended to. Instead, he knocked on the window to get her attention, which actually scared her again. She looked at him strangely and got out of bed and walked over to the window unlocking it and opening it.

"Do you ever use a front door?" she says

"Not really" Vincent admits getting a look at her long lean legs. She had on boy shorts and a T-shirt and he still thought she was sexy.

"You are strange you know that right," she says suddenly starting to realize she probably looked horrible since she just woke up.

"I didn't mean to scare you" Vincent says "Since I am a beast in the other life I am so use to the fire escape. I keep forgetting you are not used to it. I planned on knocking but then I saw you having what seemed like a nightmare I wanted to see if you where alright".

"I am fine, I am used to it," she says shrugging it off and walking into her bathroom.

Vincent climbed into the window and sat on her bed, hadn't noticed last time he came but noticed now that her room was decorated slightly different then before everything was dark walls were dark purple, her décor was either black or dark purple as well. He was use to her room having brighter colors her room was nowhere near cheery.

"So you want to talk about it," Vincent asks

"No, it is not a big deal," Catherine says from the bathroom she was washing her face and brushing her teeth.

"I think it is if you having the same nightmare repeatedly" Vincent replies.

Catherine comes out of the bathroom but doesn't respond she walks out of the room and down the hallway. Vincent gets up and follows her. Catherine starts making a small pot of coffee. She then turns walks towards Vincent who is sitting at the kitchen island watching her every move. He was at a crossroads part of him was looking at her because he was worried about her and the other half was just sexually attracted to her. The worried about her half was winning.

"So what are we doing today," she says noticing him staring at her.

"I want to take you to all the places I know will make you happy," Vincent says

She raised her brow "like where?"

"It's a surprise, Catherine just trust me. You will like every place I take you"

"And how do you know that," she says smiling

"Because I know you, even when you aren't yourself"

Catherine poured the coffee into two cups and handed one to Vincent "I am always myself Vincent"

"Not in this world, but I can and will change that"

"So you think you have me all figured out don't you" Catherine says smirking.

"To an extent, yes but we can talk about that later, why don't you go get dressed so we can get our day started"

Catherine hurried to drink the last of her coffee and then hurried to shower and get dressed. For the first time in a long time, she was actually excited to be going on a date. It was just something about Vincent that she really liked, maybe it was the way he looked at her she didn't know but she was drawn to him. She just had this feeling that Vincent would be the one to change her whole life.

Another Note: Thanks for reading and reviewing so far...