I DO NOT OWN THESE CHARACTERS. THEY BELONG TO THE CW NETWORK. THIS IS A WORK OF FANFICTION BY OMEGAPWHITE.

Evening had come and gone, but Catherine didn't budge from the sofa. Vagues shadows from the street lights invaded the windows, as she sat in silence for hours.

Catherine's phone rang in the distance, but she sat still. She suspected Vincent was calling to invite her to dinner, but she had decided she couldn't go. How would she face him? What would she say? After all, he didn't want her to know who he really was. Facing him, without being able to extend her gratitude would be unbearable. No, she would stay away from Vincent. It was probably for the best anyway.

THE NEXT DAY

JACKSON REGENCY HOSPITAL

The long winding hallway seemed to go on forever as Catherine rushed to avoid being late for her doctor's appointment.

Ten minutes later she sat in the waiting room, waiting on her name to be called.

"Catherine Chandler."

"Finally."

Catherine hurried to the door, where a nurse in teal scrubs was standing.

She was ushered to an exam room while she waited on the doctor.

A few minutes later a tall older man in a white lab coat entered the room.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Chandler. How are you feeling today?"

" Good afternoon, Dr. Warren. I feel great. Actually, I feel better than I have in years."

"Well, that's what I want to talk to you about. I went over your lab results and I did find an anomaly, which is probably nothing, but the most shocking is your body's acceptance of your new kidney. The pills I gave you to take, which were close to twelve a day, were immunosuppressants. They help to lessen the chances of your body rejecting the new organ. Unfortunately by taking the pills, your immune system is weakened. Fortunately, since you were in the hospital a month after your transplant, you weren't at risk of being exposed to any germs, right after the transplant, when your body is most susceptible.

I said that to say, you don't need the pills anymore. Your body has accepted the organ as if it was your original kidney. We have conducted studies in the past on how to reduce the dosage, but I have never had a patient to stop taking the medication completely, without experiencing a rejection episode, but it seems you are a medical miracle. Of course, I will still need to monitor your progress, so I will schedule you to come back in three months, unless you experience any abnormalities before then."

Catherine drove home in complete silence, which had become a regular routine for her. So many thoughts in her head. So many questions, and the only person who could possibly shed some light on it all was Vincent.

She couldn't go against his wishes. The questions would have to wait. Besides, she had resolved to stay away from Vincent. Suddenly, she felt the urge to hear his voice, so she checked her voicemail. Sure enough, he'd left a message.

"Hi Catherine, this is Vincent. I was calling to see if you're free Friday night. Give me a call back at your leisure. I can be reached at (601) 555-"

Catherine hung up the call. Her stomach was in knots from the sound of his voice. Warm sensations coursed throughout her body. What was it about him? Her feelings intensified in his presence. Did a kidney do that? Catherine get a grip. You're reading too much into it.

She decided to go for a walk in the park to clear her head. Moments later she parked and headed for the trail.

The weather was beautiful and the park wasn't so crowded. She began to relax as she navigated the trail. The sounds of nature and her thoughts kept her company as she walked at a slow pace.

Her life was changing and it seemed she had no control over it, plus she hadn't decided if she would be returning to work. Everything was contingent on her condition, which wasn't so bad at the moment. At some point she needed to face her friends, but she didn't see that happening anytime soon.

After thirty minutes, she decided it was time to head home. Heading toward the parking lot, she saw him. Her heartbeat sped up. Her stomach felt queasy. She turned around quickly, hoping he didn't see her.

"Hi Catherine." Vincent said.

"Darn it. Why couldn't I hide somewhere?"

"Hi Vincent," Catherine said, nervously.

"Are you okay?" Vincent asked.

"Yes. I'm fine."

A lie. Truth was, she wasn't fine. As she looked up into his hazel eyes, everything started spinning. Her knees buckled and she felt herself going down.

All of sudden, she felt a pair of strong hands catch her. His touch sparked a fire within her. A warm, tingling sensation washed over her body. Something was happening, but she couldn't control it or stop it.

"Catherine, can you hear me?"

His question took her back to that horrible night four months ago. He'd leaned over her then and tried to comfort her. She had only seen his face for a few minutes, before she passed out, but it was one she remembered very well now.

Vincent guided her to a bench and she took a seat. His eyes showed great concern as he took a seat beside her.

"Has this happened before?" Vincent asked.

"No, this is the first time."

"Do you have someone you can call? I can take you to an emergency room if you would prefer." Vincent said.

"No. It will pass in a minute."

"Do you live close by? I can at least make sure you get home safely."

"I live in Astor Place Condos, but I drove here."

"That's really close. I'll drive you home in your car and I can walk back and get my car. Is that okay with you?"

"It seems I have no other choice."

"It's settled then. Can you walk?"

"I think so."

Catherine stood up and tried to walk, but she still felt a little lightheaded. Within seconds, Vincent picked her up and proceeded toward the parking lot.

Catherine could smell the glorious scent of his cologne, as she relaxed her head against his chest. The hardness of his body gave her chills. Being so close to him, sent a sudden surge of desire throughout her body. It was something about this man that affected her drastically when he was around.

"Which car is yours?"

"The BMW. Here are the keys."

He carefully placed her in the car. He had seen her turn around when she saw him. Unbeknownst to her, he'd heard her heart racing too. She was nervous around him. Was she trying to avoid him? She hadn't returned his call. Did she know who he really was? She couldn't. Surely, she would have said something by now.

He drove the short distance to her condo and once there, he walked around to the other side of the car and picked her up.

He balanced her in his arms, as he opened the door to her condo. As he entered he took in the grandeur and splendor of his surroundings. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought he was in one of the celebrity homes from MTV Cribs. Every picture and piece of furniture looked ridiculously expensive. Vincent wasn't a stranger to nice things and he could probably afford some of the items in the room, but his taste was more simple.

"Are you sure you're okay, Catherine?"

"Yes, I'll be just fine"

He still had her in his arms and he was reluctant to put her down. Her body was so soft and she smelled so good. He wanted to savor the last few moments of her in his arms.

If on cue, their eyes met and they held the gaze. Captivated. Mesmerized. Drawn to each other. Their hearts beating in sync. Breathing in each other's scent. And slowly the distance started to close between their lips. Only inches away and suddenly Vincent raised his head up, breaking the connection.

I'm sorry, Catherine. I don't know what came over me."

" It's okay. I felt drawn to you too, as if I was in a trance."

Vincent's heart dropped, because he knew what was happening. What could he do now? He did what he thought was best. He would not feel guilty.

"Vincent, did you hear me? You can put me down now."

"Oh, sure...sorry."

Vincent placed her on the sofa, as he took in her beauty. He loved the way she tucked her hair behind her ears and he could get lost in those beautiful hazel eyes.

"Vincent, would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you. I should probably be going. Can you stand up to see if you're still feeling lightheaded? I want to make sure you're okay before I leave." Vincent said.

Catherine stood up and she seemed to be back to normal.

"I'm good," Catherine said.

"Well, I'll call and check on you later, if that's okay," Vincent said.

"That's fine."

Catherine walked Vincent to the door. He turned around and looked at her. His eyes connected with hers. He could feel her heartbeat. A desire to kiss her, overwhelmed him. The pull was too strong this time. He couldn't fight it, so he surrendered to the urge. His lips found hers and united in a fiery kiss. The heat rose throughout their bodies. Pleasure intensified as he pulled her closer. She felt so good. Her lips were so soft. The remnants of something citrusy lingered on her tongue. The smell of gardenias infiltrated his nose. His senses magnified and he drank of her aroma. Her tongue sent his body into a frenzy and he couldn't stop kissing her. Finally he regained a little control and stepped away. Their eyes met once more.

"Catherine, this was a mistake. I should have never kissed you. I need to go."

"I agree. It should have never happened. I think it's best if we stay away from each other. I am still recovering from a break-up, so I'm not looking to date anyone right now."

"Wait. What," Vincent said, with a shocked look on his face.

"Vincent, obviously we have a connection, but it's just not the right time."

Vincent heard the words and he knew he should walk right out the door and never look back, but he couldn't. As he looked into her eyes, the pull became stronger. He knew he couldn't stay away from her.

He sensed there was something more. She wasn't being completely honest. Her eyes gave away what her mouth wouldn't.

"Catherine, I get the feeling you're not telling me everything. I know we've just met, and we haven't even been on a date, but I want to get to know you better. How can you just end it like this?"

"I'm sorry, Vincent. I wish I could tell you more, but I can't. Please don't make this harder than it already is."

Tears ran down Catherine's face as she looked at Vincent. She barely knew him but her heart seemed to disagree. She could feel the hurt building inside. The thought of never seeing him again was achingly painful. But she knew she had to let him go. She couldn't date him without telling him she knew the truth.

"Alright. I will respect your wishes. Have a nice life," Vincent said.

Catherine watched Vincent grab the doorknob. She let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. The last thing she wanted was for him to leave. What could she do? He was giving her what she wanted.

"Vincent, wait."

Vincent stopped, but he didn't turn around. It was taking everything in him to walk out the door. He couldn't look at her. He didn't understand why his feelings were so strong. Why their connection was even stronger? Surely, this wasn't a result of the transplant. In the back of his mind, he knew the answer, but he couldn't accept it. It wasn't possible.

"Catherine...please let me go."

"I know...I know that you're my donor!" Catherine exclaimed.

And there it was. He knew she wasn't telling him everything, but he never imagined that she knew who he really was.

THANK YOU FOR READING MY STORY. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED. LEAVE ME SOME FEEDBACK AND LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS.

SPECIAL THANKS TO DEBBIE GREEN FOR INSPIRING AND SUPPORTING ME, AS WELL AS LETTING ME BOUNCE IDEAS OFF YOU.