The next evening there was a council meeting. "So does anyone have any new business?" Father asked toward the end of the meeting. Vincent and Catherine both rose from their seats. "We recognize Vincent and Catherine." He told everyone. Vincent took her hand in his and began to speak. "Last night I asked Catherine to be my wife and she consented to do so." After the announcement everyone was momentarily quiet. Devin who was standing near the chamber entrance was the first one to react to the news. He walked over to the couple that he loved very much and hugged them both firmly. "I could not be happier for the both of you." He told them as he moved back to look at them. By this time the room had exploded into a chorus of cheers. And everyone moved forward to congratulate this very special couple. "Oh Vincent I am truly happy for the both of you." Father said as he embraced them both. By this time Catherine was crying once again. She could not get over how happy she was. Vincent sensed this and squeezed her hand gently. She looked into the deep blue eyes of the man that she loved and smiled.
The wedding date was set for April 12th the anniversary of the day that Vincent found her in the park. Everyone gleefully went about the wedding plans. Catherine asked Peter to act as father of the bride and give her away. And Devin was of course asked to be the best man. Both men were overjoyed to do this for this wonderful couple. Catherine asked Jamie to be her maid of honor. Since she had met her Jamie had become the little sister that Catherine never had.
About a month before the wedding Vincent and Catherine were with Father in his chamber. A message came over the pipes that Diana Bennett was at the park entrance. Catherine looked up at Vincent as he rose to meet her. "Diana is a friend of mine who found our son and returned him to me." He told her as he prepared to leave. "Well then I will go with you to meet her." Catherine told him rising from her chair. They both looked at Father who had a very disturbed look on his face. "Do not worry Father Catherine is with me now." Vincent told him as they left to meet her.
On their way Catherine had to ask Vincent a question that was on her mind. "Darling why did father react that way to her name?" Vincent stopped in mid stride and turned to her. "He does not trust her." He told her. "But she returned our son." Catherine remarked. "Yes but then she began to feel stronger feelings about me." Catherine looked down at her feet. "You mean she fell in love with you." She said quietly. He placed a hand under her chin and raised her eyes to meet his. "Catherine she had strong feelings for me but my heart could never allow me to love anyone else but you." He then bent his head to capture her lips in a very passionate kiss. "I believe you honey now I would like to meet her and thank her for everything she did to find our son." Catherine told him as they began to walk again. "Catherine Chandler you are truly an amazingly wonderful woman." Vincent told her as the walked. "That is why you love me so much." She told him happily. "Not the only reason." He told her huskily. "And I will show you the other reasons later tonight." She could feel the passion behind those words through the bond.
When they reached the park entrance Vincent opened the secret door and stepped through. They had agreed that he would prepare Diana first before she saw Catherine. "Oh Vincent I have missed you these last two months Diana told him as she embraced him. When he felt her arms around him his body stiffened. "We are friends Diana and friend miss one another." He told her as he moved away from her. She was confused at his actions. "Vincent is something wrong?" "Is OUR Jacob alright?" she asked. When she stopped speaking Vincent looked toward the entrance. He could tell that these words affected Catherine greatly. Before he could speak her name Catherine was running tearfully down the tunnel. This angered Vincent very much. "Diana, Jacob is my son he is not our son!" he exclaimed in anguish and anger. Diana looked up at him with surprise on her face. "Sweetheart I only meant that since he does not have his mother I feel a certain closeness to him." Vincent was now pacing nervously trying to control himself. "Diana there is something that you must know two days ago I had a very special gift given back to me." Diana looked at him confused what could he mean by that? She thought to herself. "I discovered that Catherine is alive." He told her. She looked at him disbelieving. Surely he was joking. "Vincent that is not possible." She told him. "I saw her casket buried she is definitely dead." Diana continued. Vincent was having a harder time controlling his anger. She was not listening to him. She was fighting the truth.
Just then Father emerged from the tunnel. This surprised both Vincent and Diana because he hardly ever left the tunnels. "Vincent I wanted to see what was going on I just saw Catherine running down the tunnel crying with Devin and Jamie running after her. "Why was she so upset?" he asked looking at Diana accusingly. Diana was now even more confused. She could not understand why they were talking about Catherine being alive. "Father I was just trying to understand what is going on Catherine Chandler cannot possibly be alive there is no way." Diana told the tunnel patriarch. Father was now getting angry himself. "Miss Bennett I assure you that our beloved Catherine has been given back to us!" Father shot coldly. Vincent was surprised but warmed by the loving way that Father referred to her as "their beloved Catherine."
Vincent moved behind Father and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "Diana I assure you that Catherine has been given back to me." Vincent told Diana. Diana could not believe that they were continuing that argument. "Diana I do believe that we are finished now I would appreciate it if you would not come down here anymore." Vincent told her firmly. "But Vincent we must be allowed to spend some time together." She pleaded. "Miss Bennett my son has asked you not to come down here again he is much to busy with his and Catherine's wedding plans to spend any free time with anyone else." Diana was taken aback by this statement. "Diana I am in fact getting married to Catherine and I am not spending time with anyone other than her and our son." Vincent told her trying to finally convince her.
When Catherine reached their chamber she collapsed in tears on the bed. As she was crying she heard Devin and Jamie enter. "Cathy what on earth is wrong with you?" Devin asked as he and Jamie took a seat on either side of her on the bed. "I overheard Diana Bennett refer to Jacob as her and Vincent's child." Catherine sobbed as Jamie took her into her arms. "Oh that woman has always been crazy." Jamie spat angrily. "Cathy I met this woman when I came back for you "funeral." Devin told her. "I agree with Jamie I never trusted her." He continued. "She was to possessive over Vincent and Jacob from the start." Jamie told her. "It was clear that she wanted more than a friendship with Vincent." Jamie told her as she comforted Catherine. "She even tried to convince him that he could move above into her apartment with Jacob so that they could be a family." These words made Catherine shake uncontrollably. Catherine could not imagine Vincent living as a family with another woman and Jacob. "Cathy, Vincent is totally dedicated to you he has not been alive until you came home to him and Jacob." Devin assured her.
When Catherine had calmed down she was suddenly angry. She rose and began to pace the floor. "Cathy please calm down." Devin told her. She stopped and stood there for a moment. Then turning to face Devin and Jamie she told them. "I have to go talk to Diana myself." Jamie was suddenly worried. "Catherine are you sure that is a good idea?" Catherine looked at her and nodded. Then without another word Catherine left the chamber. Devin and Jamie looked at one another for a moment. Then decided that Catherine knew what she was doing. "Shall we wait for them here?" Devin asked Jamie. She nodded and they waited.
As she approached the park entrance Catherine could hear their argument. "Diana there is no future for us." Vincent told her. Catherine could see Diana who was angry. "Vincent you must stop this now Catherine is not alive and I will not allow you to throw me away for a memory!" She shot back. Vincent was about to respond when Catherine opened the gate and stepped out.
Catherine came up beside Vincent and took his hand in hers. "Miss Bennett I am Catherine Chandler." She said in a steady voice. But Vincent could feel her anger through the bond. He tried to calm her as best he could through the bond. "You can't be Catherine Chandler she is dead." Diana said quietly. Catherine looked to Vincent who was staring at the exchange. "I assure you that I am who I claim to be." Catherine told her. Father was also watching the exchange and silently applauded the strength that Catherine was displaying. "You and I have some things that we have to discuss." Catherine told Diana. "Vincent, would you and father go inside I will join you when we are done." Vincent was not sure at all whether he should leave them alone. "Catherine are you sure about this?" he asked. She smiled up at him to assure him and nodded. With those words Vincent and Father walked back into the tunnels.
"Now that the two of us are alone I think that we can be quite frank with one another." Catherine told Diana. "I am here with Vincent and our son and I do not appreciate any interference from you." Catherine continued. Diana was angry now. "What gave you the right to walk right back into this life as if you never left?" Diana asked. Catherine could not believe that Diana had just asked her that question. "Miss Bennett I was kidnapped if you remember so I did not leave willingly." Catherine told her coldly. "Miss Bennett Vincent and Jacob are my family." Catherine pointed out. "Vincent and I have been in love since the night we met." Catherine looked at her dead in the face to drive this second point home. "And I am Jacob's mother no one will raise him except his father and myself." Diana looked as if she had been struck in the stomach. "I am not convinced that you will end up staying here sooner or later Vincent will tire of you and ask you to leave." Diana told her.
They were so engulfed in the conversation that neither noticed that the secret door had slid open. And that Vincent was standing there. When Vincent heard the last comment that Diana made to Catherine he came out of the tunnel. "Diana that is enough!" he snarled. Catherine moved back beside him and began stroking his back to calm him. "Vincent I was just telling her that you will not want her when you realize that she stayed away this long on purpose."
Neither Catherine nor Vincent could believe that she had said this. "Miss Bennett you need to leave now." Catherine told her. "You cannot tell me to leave the tunnels." Diana retorted. Vincent had calmed down enough to speak steadily. "Diana this is over you are not welcome here anymore." Vincent told her. "Please Vincent." She begged. Vincent only shook his head and embraced Catherine in one arm. "Alright I will leave but I will be back." She told them as she left.
When Diana was gone Vincent embraced Catherine fully and kissed her. "I am so proud of you Catherine." He told her. She looked up at him and smiled. "Can we go see our son now Vincent?" she asked as she touched his face. "Yes Catherine we can." And they entered the tunnels. As they walked toward the hub Vincent stopped and embraced her once again. "Catherine I want to be alone with you again tonight." He told her as he strengthened his grip around her. She snuggled closer to him as he continued to speak. "Do you want to go to our secret place at the falls again?" Vincent released her slightly and shook his head. "I have a surprise for you that I was saving for our wedding night but I want to show you now."
"We will go get Jacob and take him to Mary then leave. He told her. She smiled and took his arms and they headed for their chamber. When they entered their chamber they found Devin and Jamie waiting for them. "What are the two of you still doing here?" Catherine asked confused. Jamie was the first one to speak. "We were so worried about the two of you that we wanted to make sure that you were alright after Diana left." Catherine moved over to their young friend and Devin and embraced them both. "Thank you both for being concerned about us we are fine now." Vincent told them. When Jamie and Devin were sure that they were okay they departed.
As Vincent and Catherine gathered their things for their trip Vincent noticed that Catherine was smiling. "What makes you smile my dear Catherine?" Vincent asked as he sat down on their bed. Catherine stopped packing and came and sat down next to him. "I was just thinking that this was the first time that I have really gotten that angry since you were captured by Dr. Hughes. She had never told Vincent that she had gotten angry with that. "What do you mean Catherine?" Vincent asked looking down at her hand that he was holding.
"Vincent when I discovered that Dr. Hughes was holding you and wanted to experiment with you I got very angry." Vincent looked up at her puzzled. "Vincent I told Dr. Hughes that he had no right to make you suffer." She continued. "I told him that I did not know how to explain thing but that we were connected." She looked up at this wonderful man that she loved and saw tears in his eyes. " Vincent I told him that if he took your freedom away from that he was taking away the part of you that was the most human." When Catherine had finished speaking she took Vincent into her arms. "I love you so much." She told him as she soothed him. When he could speak again Vincent had to ask her a question that was burning in his mind. "Catherine we were not lovers then and you were leaving New York why did you do that for me?" Catherine sat back stunned. "Vincent, you are right we were not lovers at that time but I was falling in love with you that is why I did not leave I could not go."
After he heard this Vincent felt more pride and love for this beautiful woman than ever before. "My beloved Catherine I love you more than anything, I am so thankful that we never let go of our dreams." Catherine smiled and nodded. Vincent began to trail light kisses over her face and then down her neck. Catherine was beginning to get lost in her passion. "Vincent if we continue this I will soon not be able to stop." He looked up at her mischievously and smiled. "I thought that you were going to show me that surprise." She reminded him. Vincent straightened up and took a deep breath. "You are right Catherine I do want to show you that surprise tonight." He was about to stand up when she smiled and put her arms around him. "There is no reason we cannot take this up later is there?" she asked. "No my beloved one there is no reason that we cannot take this up later." They finished packing and picked up Jacob to take him to Mary.
After they had dropped Jacob off with Mary they headed down the familiar path toward the threshold. "Vincent where are we going?" Catherine asked confused. He stopped in front of the familiar entrance to the tunnels. "When you disappeared I asked Peter if he could hold on to your old apartment I went there after the furniture in the bedroom where I left you was replaced." Catherine looked up into his eyes and was amazed. "You actually wanted to keep going there?" she asked. "It was the one place I felt you more clearly I needed to be near the place where we first became lovers." He told her. "Oh baby I love you more every minute of the day." She cried in joy as she threw her arms around him. "As I love you my Catherine." He told her as their lips met. "I want to spend the night with you there we can regain our entire life." He told her. "But I am supposed to be dead if my former neighbors see me there could be trouble." She told him gravely. "Catherine, Peter told me that none of your former neighbors live there anymore." Vincent assured her. "In fact he said that the eighteenth floor is not occupied by anyone that knew you." She was astonished. She kissed him and headed for the ladder. "I will meet you on the balcony." She told him as she entered the secret door.
When she emerged from the elevator she found Peter at the front door. "Jacob told me that you two needed the key to the apartment tonight." He told her as she hugged him. "Yes we had a very trying night and wanted to get away." She told him. Peter looked at her confused for a moment. "Don't tell me that Diana is trying things again." Peter told her astonished. Catherine nodded her head slowly. "Oh Cathy I am so sorry Joe and I tried to get her to leave town but she refused." Peter continued. "It is alright Peter I am not letting her ruin what Vincent and I have recaptured." She told him as she took the key.
As she moved to unlock the door she turned and told Peter. "I will return the key tomorrow." Peter turned and smiled at her. "Honey the apartment is for you and your family it is only in my name." She turned and kissed him goodbye as she went inside. When she reached the bedroom she opened the closet and found her clothes in boxes. She looked through the boxes and took out a negligee and Vincent's favorite of her robes. She wanted to look just right for the man she loved.
When she finished changing she waited on the balcony. She was deep in her memories when she felt his arms slowly enclosing her. "I was waiting for you." He told her in her ear. "Peter wanted to know what happened tonight." She told Vincent as she leaned back against his chest. "He told me that he and Joe tried to discourage Diana's feeling for you." She continued. Vincent turned her around to face him and nodded. "They knew that I would never give my heart to anyone again." Vincent told her as he bent to kiss her. The kiss was just as passionate as they had ever been. Catherine was lost in his love for her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and began to run her fingers through his mane. "I love you Vincent." She said breathlessly as he kissed her neck. "As I love you my beloved beautiful Catherine." He gasped into her neck. As they were becoming lost in one another it began to softly rain. "Catherine we better go inside now." Vincent told her as he ushered her to the French doors. He opened the door and led her inside the dining room. "Peter redecorated the whole apartment?" Vincent asked as he looked around in amazement. "Yes isn't it simply beautiful." Catherine beamed. Vincent smiled at her and nodded.
"Would you like something to drink Vincent?" she asked as she turned toward the kitchen. "Some tea would be wonderful for us just like we used to drink when I came to see you." He told her. When his words sunk in he was visibly shaken. "Vincent do not be sad about the past we are back together now and the past is forgotten." Vincent looked down at her in amazement. "You are one amazing woman Catherine Chandler." He remarked. "Hey I know that we are not married yet but would you please start referring to me as Catherine Wells?" she asked with love in her voice. "That sounds wonderful my love Catherine Wells." She moved to walk into the kitchen but he grabbed her and pulled her to him. "And where are you going you little vixen?" he growled huskily. "I thought that you wanted some tea." She giggled. "Later, all I want right now is you." He told her seductively. "Since when do you use words like vixen?" she teased playfully. He smiled the smile that she always loved and quickly brought her into his arms. "Since you came back into my life and you are so hypnotic to me that I cannot help but use the word vixen." He told her as he kissed her once again.
Vincent picked her up and was across the room in moments. He easily laid Catherine down on the new bed. "We need to break this new bed in and make it our own." He told her as he began to undo her robe. "I love this robe but you will definitely not be needing it tonight." He told her as he pulled it off her shoulders. "By the way where did you find it?" he asked. She hesitated telling him. "I found it in the closet where all my other clothes are boxed up and marked for Good Will and other places." She told him quietly. Vincent suddenly stopped. Catherine saw an immense sadness fill his eyes. "Vincent do not look that way I am here and we are together." She begged as she rose to her feet to embrace him. "I just never thought about where your belongings would end up." He told her. She embraced him very tightly as she felt him shudder with fear. "Honey I am sure Peter never meant for them to still be here those places are very slow in picking things up." She whispered as she held him tightly.
He moved back and looked down into her face. "I am sure you are right I just hate to think about that time that you were not here and I was alone." He remarked. She placed a gentle hand on his face and looked into his beautiful blue eyes and told him, "Vincent there are things that will always remind us about that time. But when it does all we need to do is remind ourselves that we are back together and our dream is coming true finally." He was so relieved when she said those words. "You are correct Catherine I love you." She nodded and moved back toward the bed. "Now where were we exactly?" she asked seductively as she lay back down. Vincent resumed his disrobing of her. He caressed every part of her body as he looked down at her. "You are so beautiful my darling love." He said as he touched her.
When she was completely naked she rose up on her knees and began to untie his vest. "Now I think that it is your turn." She told him as she opened his shirt and ran her finger through the fur on his chest. Vincent leaned his head back and closed his eyes as she did this. "Oh Catherine I am totally madly in love with you." He said through a raspy voice. "As I feel the same about you my beautiful love." She told him as she gently kissed his chest. He moaned at the feel of her lips on his skin. She them undid his jeans and they fell to the floor. "Oh Vincent you have the most beautiful body." She told him as she kissed him. He encircled her in his strong arms and they moved onto the bed. "Oh Catherine how did I ever live all those months without you?" he asked as she kissed him. She moved down his face smothering him with very delicate kisses. "You lived like I did only half alive you had to go on because you had our beautiful Jacob to care for." She told him. They kissed once again. "Vincent I want you to get me pregnant again." She told him. He was momentarily stunned. "Catherine are you sure that you want to have another child?" he asked tentatively. She rose onto one elbow and looked down into his beautiful face. "Vincent the most wonderful part of our ordeal was when I gave birth to Jacob." "I want to experience that once again but this time with you and the rest of our family." He smiled at the thought of witnessing her give birth. "I thought that you would try to talk me out of going through it again." She told him as tears filled her eyes.
"Catherine I now know that I could never hurt you by loving you and that our child would never harm you even if it looks like me." Catherine was overjoyed by his revelation. "Oh Vincent does that mean that we can give Jacob a little brother or sister?" she asked excitedly. He smiled up at her and replied. "Yes Catherine but I hope that we are married before I get you pregnant again." She knew that this must mean a lot to him so she told him that if it did not happen until then she could wait. "I am a very patient woman as you know Vincent." She chuckled. Vincent made a face of disbelief when she said this. "If there is one thing that you will never be Catherine Wells it is a patient woman but I love that about you." Catherine could not believe how it felt to hear the name that she would have in exactly a month. "Now getting back to what we were doing before." Vincent remarked as he moved over top of her. "I think it is time that we make this night one to remember." She smiled and encircled her arms around his shoulders.
"Oh Vincent I love you!" She moaned as he kissed her body. He was very attentive to her breasts. He played with each nipple as she writhed and moaned with pleasure. "Catherine I want you so much." he told her as he kissed her. She was losing herself in his passion very quickly.
"Take me now Vincent I have to have you now!" she begged as he moved to enter her. When they finally joined the passion that passed through the bond was even stronger than either had anticipated. They were riding a very high wave of passion. "Oh Catherine you feel better every time we are together this way." He moaned as he was losing himself in the feel of her. Finally they could not stand anymore they both moaned heartily as their climax came and took hold of them.
Later that night as they lie together Vincent could not take his eyes off his beautiful lady. She was sleeping so peacefully in his arms. He could hear the gentle rain still falling outside. He smiled to himself as he thought of the wedding that would bind them together for the rest of their lives. Soon he was sleeping and dreaming of the woman that meant the world to him.
