"Ready?" Catherine said to Vincent as he got in her car. "Yup." He nodded and placed his bag in the backseat. "Well get comfortable, it would be roughly another two hours til we get there."
"Ok" he adjusted his seat back and closed his eyes. "Wake me up when we get there."
Catherine gasped at him with her mouth open.He can't be serious. She sighed and left him alone.
Vincent peeked out of his eyes at Catherine and started laughing. "Just Kidding" He reached out for her hand and intertwined it with his. "Although after last night, I really couldn't fall asleep." He said as he gently squeezed her hand. She smiled. Heart fluttering and flushed cheeks, she asked, "and why is that?" He smirked, "Oh you know, a certain girl got me thinking about her all night." She grinned at him. "Lucky girl."
They spent the rest of the ride with friendly banter and Catherine basically pointing out to Vincent the different places that they drove through.
"We're close" she said as she nodded to a hwy sign.
"Oh Ok. Umm …" he paused not really sure on how to ask her, "umm. Is there enough room for all of us?" Catherine eyes widened as she looked at Vincent. "You don't mind sleeping outside do you? The cabin only has two bedrooms and I'm afraid both of them are taken. I did pack a tent for you to sleep in." She waited to see his reaction as she was sure he thought she was serious. He looked back and he saw what seem to be a packed tent in the back seat of her car. Then, she took it a step further, "Yeah I mean there really isn't a couch to sleep in either."
Catherine tried to hold back her laughter as she pulled off the road and turned in the shoveled driveway. As she drove down, snow covered the either side of the road and decorated the bare trees. There, nestled into a clearing in the middle of the woods, stood a two story log cabin that can easily house a family of 10. It was covered in snow and there were small icicles hanging from the roof. It had a big chimney on top of it and a simple wrap abound porch that had 2 white wooden rockers and a coffee table by the front door. It looked like something you would see in a fairy tale. She parked the car and couldn't hold it in anymore and she started giggling looking over at Vincent.
Realizing that she was messing with his mind, Vincent grabbed her face and kissed her gently on the lips, "You're going to pay for that."
They both got out and Catherine waited as Vincent grabbed their bags. As a cold breeze brushed through the woods around them, the smell of pine and wood smoke filled the air. They both shivered making them want to go straight into the cabin and warm by the fire inside. Catherine reached for her key as they head for the door and opened it. Gabe was nice enough to give her and Tess a set of keys just in case they ever came without him.
"Wow." Vincent said admiring the interior.
Although the outside was simple, the interior was a different story. The floor was a patchwork of different stones and the walls were warm wood. The fireplace in the back wall in the middle of the room held a slow flickering fire. The furniture were several different eclectic pieces, none of them matching another, but seem to work together. On the wooden table Catherine noticed a note held down by a ceramic turtle paperweight.
Gone for a walk. Be back soon. JTnT
"C'mon lets go upstairs." She pulled his hand and led him up the wooden staircase. Her heart thudded against her chest, and her breath seemed to get stuck in her throat. "Here's our room."
Vincent walked in and set their bags by the door. The bed was huge that took up most of the room. It was a wooden four post bed with a white canopy that flowed down to the floor. The walls were that almost-white and the back wall had big glass doors that opened into a private balcony. "Oh" was all he could say. Did she just say our room? Vincent looked at Catherine confused. "Our room?"
She giggled. "This house only has 3 bedrooms and I was serious about the other two rooms being taken. As you know JT and Tess has one and my sister and her bf is coming during the end of the week." She explained. "You can have their room until they get here, and we can share the room then."
"Are you ok with that?" He asked her considering the conversation the night before.
Just as Catherine was about to answer, "CAT. VINCE. You guys in here?" Tess and JT said in unison.
Suddenly they heard footsteps coming towards them.
Tess ran over to Catherine and gave her a hug while JT walked over to Vincent and gave him a half hug with a back pat.
"So ..." Tess said playfully pointing at the two, "you kissed and made up yet?"
Vincent laughed, "You could say that." He winked at Catherine.
The foursome headed down stairs and each one of them settled into a seat in the living room. The rest of the morning was filled with stories about their college days and the present. JT and Vincent explained how they had come into their business as the two ladies listen intently. Then Tess and Catherine told stories about how they met and work.
After a couple of hours catching up, Vincent got up off the chair, "Well taking this trip down memory lane got me starving, you guys want to go get some food?"
"There's groceries in the fridge. The nearest town is about 30 minutes and the way the roads were on the way here it could take us longer. I can make us some sandwiches." Catherine stood up and started walking towards the kitchen.
"No I got it. You drove here so you can relax. I think I can handle making sandwiches."
"Hmm. What a gentleman!" Tess teased. "Well since you offered, you might as well make me one too."
"Ok what kind would you like? Although I don't know what's in the fridge."
"Turkey and Avocado!" Catherine and Tess said in unison.
"Great sandwich! Four coming right up."
Vincent headed into the kitchen and started rummaging through the fridge. As he backed away from the fridge it gave him vertigo. He looked around the room and it suddenly seem to be fading to grey while his heart sped up. He shook his head hoping that would help stop what he is feeling as he tried to hold himself up by leaning on the kitchen counter with his arms. He suddenly felt his knees go weak and his vision became hazy. His knees finally gave out and before he can say anything fell on the ground.
A loud thud was heard from the kitchen. "Vincent?" Catherine called out to him. "Everything ok?" She looked over at Tess who just shrugged her shoulders.
"Vincent?" JT called out this time.
When they didn't hear a response, they all ran towards and kitchen and there they found Vincent on the floor where he laid unconscious. His face was limp and his lips were split assuming when he fell and there were drops of blood on the floor next to him. One of his arms were crookedly under him causing him to curve onto his left side.
"Vincent wake up!" Catherine commanded. "Please open your eyes." She felt tears running down her face not knowing if he was going to wake up. Tess grabbed a dish cloth off the counter and ran it under cold water in the sink. JT hovered over Catherine as she tried to shake Vincent gently in hopes to wake him up. Tess ran over to Vincent and put the damp cloth over his forehead.
Oh no. This can't be happening again. It's been two years. This shouldn't be happening again. I thought we cured … JT's thoughts were interrupted when Vincent stared to open his eyes.
"Uh ... what happened? ... Ow .. my head." Vincent said groggily as Catherine and Tess tried to help him sit up.
"Slowly big guy." Tess gently pushed him forward so he can lean on the cabinet of the kitchen counter.
"What happened? All I remember was everything went black." Vincent asked staring at JT looking very alarmed.
"We don't exactly know. You went in here going to make us sandwiches and we heard a thud and found you unconscious on the floor." JT explained.
"You don't think it has anything to do with …", Vincent paused and stared at JT hoping for some validation.
"Uh hello? What are you guys talking about?" Tess inquired nervously.
"Nothing." Vincent shook his head, then suddenly grabbed the back of it. "Ow!"
"That's it. We will talk about this later. I'm taking you to the hospital. JT can you help me take him to the car." Catherine slowly helped Vincent stand up. She put her left arm around his waist while JT stood on the other side of him.
Once they reached the driveway, "Careful. There might be …" But before Catherine could finish, JT slipped on a sheet of ice and all 3 of them fell on the ground. "TESS!" She screamed for her best friend.
Vincent is now on his behind and shaking his head, Catherine laid out on the snow and JT wincing in pain. "Ugh perfect. I sprained my ankle."
Tess ran to the door and when she found them couldn't help but giggle. It contagious enough that all four of them were laughing that themselves.
"What did you expect? There isn't any snow or ice in LA!" JT said in between his laughter.
"Can you please help me get these two in my car so we can take them to the ER?" Catherine looked over at Tess as she patted the snow off her clothes and opened her car door.
"What a way to start our vacation huh?" Tess teased.
As Catherine begin the drive to the nearest ER, she couldn't help but think back to the conversation that Vincent and JT had in the kitchen. What's wrong with him? I hope he's ok. She looked over at him as he weakly smiled at her.
I know its short. I've been busy planning my daugther's birthday party. Hope you guys still enjoy this chapter.
Again thanks for all the comments and review. You guys help me more than you know!
** and soo excited to hear about the possible engagement of VINCAT in season 3. Can't wait! **