The Same Last Name

A/N Enjoy! Kinda short, but necessary. Next chapter will be longer!

Chapter 12

When Catherine woke up a short while later, she was still pressed into Vincent's side. He was breathing deeply and evenly. His hand was wrapped around her waist.

Trying to be as stealthy as possible, she shimmied out from under his arm, and rolled over, sitting on the edge of the bed. Vincent didn't move, only sighed and slept on. Catherine got up, and made her way into the bathroom. Closing the door gently, she looked at herself in the mirror.

She looked very sexually satisfied. Her hair was a mess, and she had faint whisker burns on her face, neck and breasts. Splashing cold water on her face, she stared harder.

New York City? Why did he want her to go back with him? She knew if he loved her, she would follow him anywhere he lived. But, he didn't love her. He wanted her, he said as much, but that wasn't love. She had already had one relationship like that. She couldn't go through another one. So, why did he ask her? Did he just want her for sex? No, he said he didn't.

No, as much as she wanted to be with him, she couldn't go back. She was staying right here. Besides, they were just starting to get to know each other again. It was too soon to be thinking on those terms. It's not like they were back in a relationship. It was just sex.

A gentle knock sounded on the door. "Catherine, you in there?" she heard Vincent ask.

"Yeah, gimme a second," she said, composing herself before she opened the door. Vincent stood on the other side. He had pulled his boxer briefs back on, but nothing else. He gave her a worried look.

"You okay?" he said, taking her in. She nodded and walked past him. Grabbing fresh panties from the drawer, she slipped them on. She grabbed some comfortable jeans and a t-shirt and slipped them on. Vincent followed suit, pulling his clothes back on.

They sat on the couch, and faced each other. Catherine sighed, and took his hand.

"Vincent, I can't go back with you. We don't know each other anymore. That is a huge step that neither of us is ready for. I don't even know anything about what you've done the last 5 years."

Vincent sighed. "Not much to tell. I work in the same hospital, I live in the same house, I drive the same car. Nothing has changed," he told her woodenly.

"You still live in the house? I thought you would have moved out. You know, to get away from the memories," Catherine said, shocked.

"How could I move out? Stupidly, I held out hope that maybe you would come back," Vincent said, his confession shocking her even farther.

"Vincent..."Catherine breathed out. He met her eyes, and Catherine noticed a slight flush to his skin. Was he embarrassed about what he gave away? What did his confession even mean?

He stood up, and thrust his hands through his hair. "I know, I know! Why would you come back? It's not like I ever gave you a reason to want to stay. I couldn't tell you," he gritted out.

Catherine stood up. Walking toward him, she grabbed his hands. "Couldn't tell me what?" she asked softly. He stared at her. Then, he wilted to the floor. Catherine followed him down, and pulled him against her.

He started shaking, and Catherine realized Vincent was crying. She hushed him and asked again, "Couldn't tell me what?"

"That even though I made you miserable, I still wanted you to stay my wife. I didn't want to lose you. I didn't want to let you go..."

"Why? Vincent...tell me why..." Catherine urged.

Vincent looked her in the eyes. His were haunted, and she knew he was looking into the past. "Because...after you left...I realized..."

"Realized what?" Catherine said, her voice barely a whisper.

"I realized...I couldn't let you go."

"Vincent..."

"Catherine, I haven't had a relationship with any other woman in 5 years. You ruined me to other woman. Every woman I met, I compared her to you. Everytime I saw a petite woman with dark brown hair, I chased after her, thinking it was you. Everytime the phone rang, I hoped it was you."

"I wanted to contact you, so many times. I picked up the phone more times than I can count. Hell, I even dialed the number a few dozen times. It would ring once, and then I would chicken out and hang up."

Vincent blinked rapidly. "Guess we were more affected by each other than we knew..."

"Seems so..."

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