This was an idea that popped into my head once so I decided to write about it.

Disclaimer:

I DO NOT OWN THE WONDERFUL CW SERIES, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST!

Though, I do have it on iTunes!

:^]

NOTE: THIS FANFICTION WAS ORIGINALLY IN THIRD PERSON BUT I CHANGED IT TO FIRST PERSON! SORRY IF YOU FIND ANY POV RELATED TO THIRD PERSON!

Anyhoo…

~This will be an attempted one-shot! ~

Keep Me Safe

Keiko Fujiwara

~Catherine's POV~

I sighed. It was a long day at work and I have gotten nowhere with the Abigail Truscott case. She was the fifth victim found with similar lacerations to her body after being raped. This killer is meticulous; never leaving any clue to his identity—only a trademark. Jack the Ripper, as the precinct calls him, always carves an 'R' on the victim's stomach—proving that he plans on mimicking the murders done by Jack the Ripper many years ago in England.

"I'm home." I said.

No one answered.

'Heather must be on a date or something…' I thought as I slung my jacket onto the couch. I walked to the fridge and took out a beer. Only the Lord knew how much I needed one.

After swallowing five or so sips of the alcoholic beverage, I walked to my bedroom and kicked off my shoes. I took another sip of beer before feeling a cool draft kiss my skin.

As I walked over to the window, I noticed Vincent sitting on the fire escape. I smiled casually and crawled out of my apartment to sit next to him.

"Rough day at work?" he asked.

"I think that would be an understatement." I replied with a laugh.

"How is the case going?"

"Not so well. We can't find any traces to the killer or any connections to the victims. Everything seems random yet careful. He has time to plan his murders perfectly yet his victims are chosen by chance. Every precinct in New York is working on this case and all of us are coming up empty."

"Eventually this guy will screw up…They always do." Vincent stated. "You shouldn't stress over it though. You need your sleep because baggy eyes aren't very attractive in a woman."

"Oh? Is that so?" I asked in a joking manner.

"It's the die hard truth." He smirked.

As I playfully bumped my arm against his, I said, "Well, it's a good thing make-up was invented then."

We laughed at our little conversation until Vincent said, "You're sister is on her way to the apartment."

"Okay…stay here? I'll just let her know I'm home and then I'll be back. Okay?"

"Alright." He replied. I swore I could feel him staring at me as I climbed through the window.

I walked towards the kitchen, hearing my sister knocking on the door. "Catherine, it's me! Open up!"

I went over the door and opened it, saying, "Lost your keys again?"

"As a matter of fact, I didn't. I just…kinda forgot to bring them when I went out earlier. I figured it wouldn't be too much of a problem since you'd be home when I returned anyway."

"Oh? And what makes you think I wouldn't be out and about?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.

"Cat, if you haven't noticed, you don't really have a life outside of work. You're normally always home at this late hour unless you stay late at the precinct. By the way, is it possible Josh can come over tonight? He works on this side of New York and doesn't really feel like going all the way home."

"Sure…I'll just go stay with a friend for the night."

"Or you could use that time to find yourself a man!" Heather smiled but frowned after seeing my expression. "Or not because obviously you value your boring life more than your sexuality."

"Heather, if it will make you drop the subject, I'll have you know that I'm seeing someone…well kind of seeing someone…actually, I'm not sure what we are right now but I can see there's promise." I replied, forgetting that a certain super-being was listening to the entire conversation.

"Really!? When do I get to meet him?! Is he sexy? Cute? Strong? Tall? Short? Brunette? Blonde? Dark and mysterious? Overly confident? Shy? Does he have a nice bod? Is he smart? Have you two had s—"

"Heather, you need to breathe." I said, "And no, you cannot meet him…at least not for a very long while."

"But why not?!"

"Because…it's a bit complicated right now. I don't want anyone meeting him until we've figured out who we are to each other…and who knows…maybe I find the idea of having a secret boyfriend sexier than a guy who wants to be known by my friends. For now, keep a lid on it, Heather. I don't need my entire precinct bombarding me with avoidable questions."

"Who're you staying with tonight? Him?"

"Maybe…maybe not."

"You better not be lying to me just so I keep quiet about your nonexistent sexual life."

"Trust me, Heather, I'm not kidding. I'm going back to my room to pack for a night's getaway. You and Josh have fun but please keep your recreational activities within your room. I don't want to come home tomorrow and find a random pair of boxers lying in the middle of the living room."

"Okay…I'll keep that in mind. Now, go pack while I call Josh." Heather ordered as I walked back to my room.

I pulled out my duffel bag and began packing for the night.

"Where're you going to stay?" I heard Vincent speak as he hopped into the room.

"I don't know yet. I'll probably call Tess or someone…Maybe I'll suck it up for a night and call Brook, my father's bride-to-be."

"If you want to, I have a place you can stay for the night. It may not be the warehouse but at least it wouldn't be a box." Vincent offered.

"Really? You have a place?"

"Yeah…it's about thirty minutes away from here, though."

"That's fine. We can use my car." I replied.

"Okay. I'll drive." Vincent stated as he helped me finish my packing for the night.

~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~

"So, when you told your sister you were kind of in a relationship, were you just saying that to get her off your back? Or were you serious?" Vincent questioned. I bet he couldn't help himself.

"Y-you heard that?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah…I heard the entire conversation." He smirked, probably remembering the comment about my sex life.

"I was serious." I said with a straight face.

"Must be one lucky guy." He replied.

"I'd say he's the luckiest man in the world." I said, giving him a sincere look.

"Correction: He's the luckiest man in the universe." He smirked before pulling into a driveway. "We're here."

I stepped out of the car while Vincent grabbed my duffel. I couldn't believe my eyes. I was staring at a beautiful, rustic, homey cottage. "Vincent, this place looks beautiful."

"I thought you'd like it." he said before taking my hand.

"Is it yours?"

"Yes and no. It was the house I lived in before enlisting. When I started living with JT after fleeing from duty, he bought the cottage so, when I can come out of hiding, I can re-buy it from him."

"Do you come here often?"

"Only when I need to think." Vincent replied. He walked to the front door and unlocked it as he placed my duffel down on the ground but never released my hand.

We walked in and I found the inside of the house as beautiful as the outside.

"I'd have to say, compared to the warehouse, this is a step-up!" I laughed as he gave me a small tour of the cottage.

"Well, you can stay here the night if you want." He said.

"Will you stay with me?"

"Only if you want me to." He replied.

"Then stay." I smirked. A chance to spend some time with Vincent? Yes, please!

We both sat down on the couch and I leaned my head against his shoulder. "I meant what I said, Vincent, although I don't know what we are to each other, I do see a future for us."

Vincent turned to look at me and said, "Future?"

"Yeah…"

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him. "You know, before I met you, I never considered life outside of the warehouse possible for me…for what I am. But then you came and changed everything. I may have said this before but you were the first to ever see my dark side and yet not run away."

"Vincent, I don't have a reason to fear you. Sure, when you turn, it can be a little freaky but I know you would never hurt me. I trust you more than I trust anyone—even my partner, Tess."

"Catherine, there might be a day when you may change your mind about me."

I cupped his face with my hands and said, "Vincent Keller, you could transform a million times in front of me and I still wouldn't change my mind about you. You didn't choose this life but if it weren't for your super abilities, you probably wouldn't have been there to save me the night my mother was murdered."

"If we had met under different circumstances and I was human, would you still feel the same?"

"Of course, Vincent! Appearances shouldn't matter. What matters is what's in here." I said as I pointed at his heart. "You are in control of your heart; not the beast."

He laced his fingers with mine and briefly kissed my knuckles. "What if I never find a cure? I'll be in hiding for the rest of my life, Catherine. Would you be willing to share a life with me even when I'm in hiding?"

"Whatever life you live, I'll gladly share mine with you." I smiled before wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him in for a gentle kiss.

What was supposed to be innocent transformed into fiery passion. Not long afterwards, I was twisting my fingers through his hair as his hands were gripping my butt cheeks for support.

Suddenly, Vincent drew back and leaped from the couch—afraid he would transform.

"I…a…sorry." He said.

"No…I understand." I smiled. "It may be better if we take things very slow."

"Yeah…good idea." Vincent replied.

Suddenly, my phone rang. I pulled it out and said, "It's Tess."

"Okay."

I answered it, saying, "Chandler."

"Cat, where are you?"

"About thirty minutes from home, why?"

"Heather was attacked."

"What?!" I swear, my heart skipped a beat.

"She said she was waiting for her boyfriend, Josh, to come but it was someone else."

"Where is Josh?"

"We found him shot in three places in the trunk of his car. The perp must have gotten to him before he walked up to the apartment."

"I-it wasn't Jack the Ripper, was it?!" my heart sank as I prayed Tess would disconfirm my suspicions.

"No…Thankfully it wasn't. Cat, don't worry. Your sister has several bruises and a few cuts but nothing too major. Though, she was taken to the hospital for a few stitches and an MRI scan. How fast can you get over to the hospital?"

"I can get there in thirty if I speed. I have to get gas before I come, though."

"Okay…just make it fast."

"Which hospital?"

"The New York Downtown Hospital." Tess replied.

"Okay. I'm leaving as we speak." I said before ending the call.

"Do you want me to drive?" Vincent asked.

"N-no…It's probably best if I do the driving…I'll drop you off at the warehouse before I go to the hospital."

"Do you want me to check out your apartment and see if I can find anything?"

"Maybe when I return…I reckon there are officers there surveying the scene. I'm sorry the night was ruined."

"That doesn't matter now, Catherine. Let's go." Vincent said as he pulled me to the car.

~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Vincent asked as I pulled up to the warehouse.

"Vincent, cops will probably be searching the perimeter of my apartment building as well as guarding the hospital. I wish you could come but we would be risking everything." I replied.

"Okay…but call me the moment you find out anything. Alright?"

"I will."

"Stay safe Catherine." he whispered before pressing his lips against my cheek.

Before I could respond, he hopped out of the car and was out of sight.

It took me twenty minutes to get to the hospital.

"Where have you been?" Tess asked.

"Sorry…long line at the station. I got here as soon as I could, though. Which room is she in?"

"Room 430 B." Tess replied.

"Okay, thanks." I stated before running towards the hospital's elevator.

As quickly as possible, I found Heather's room and opened the door. "Heather?"

"C-cat?! Oh thank goodness you're safe!"

"What happened?" I asked as I noticed all the bruises and swelling on her face. Not to mention the cuts along her arms.

"There was a man….I don't know who he was or anything…but he was asking for you. I told him you weren't home. He asked me where you were and I told him I didn't know. He didn't believe me and began threatening me. I told him to get lost or I was going to call the cops. That's when he first punched me in the eye…and every time I tried to tell him I didn't know where you were, he kept beating me up. Thankfully, Tess was on her way to the apartment to talk to you. When he heard her knocking, he immediately ran out and down the fire escape."

"Did you notice anything that could help us identify him?" I asked.

"I saw a tattoo on his wrist…I can't describe it, but I can draw it for you."

"Thanks, Heather. Take your time for now. Get better and then, if we haven't caught the SOB by then, we'll seek out your art skills." I said.

"Okay…Cat, be careful. This guy had a weird look in his eyes—like he was obsessed with you."

"I'll keep that in mind." I replied. "I'm going to let you have some rest for now. Okay?"

"Alright. Be safe."

"I will." I said before disappearing from her room and back to Tess.

"Did she say anything?"

"Nothing definitive yet. She did see a tattoo though. She offered to draw it for us but she has too black eyes right now…probably hard to see through them with how swollen they look. I told her to get well and then give us the drawing if we haven't caught him by then."

"Okay…well CSU swept your apartment and found nothing. We are sending men with you so you will be safe."

"Tess, I'm fine. I can take care of myself."

"You sure?"

"Yes. No bodyguards are necessary."

"Alright…I'll tell Joe to call it off. If anything happens, you call us right away."

"Will do." I replied before heading back towards my apartment building. Shortly after I got home, I called Vincent and told him to meet me. About ten minutes later, he was sitting on the fire escape.

I opened my window and he crawled through the space. "What happened?"

"From what my sister told me, a man came looking for me. She was beaten when she denied his questions because he didn't believe her. The only reason she was probably kept alive was because my partner, Tess, had ruined his plans."

"Did she get a chance to look at him?"

"No. She didn't say why but I guess he was wearing a mask to hide his identity. She did see a tattoo though and, when she's able, she will be drawing us a picture of it." I replied.

"Did your sister say what the guy wanted from you?"

"No…she didn't…I don't think it was Muirfield though."

"Why not?"

"Muirfield has trained soldiers and most likely, spies. They wouldn't just send a novice into my apartment. Besides, Muirfield wouldn't attack someone who wasn't aware of them, would they?"

"They might as to send a message."

"But why would Muirfield attack my sister if they were initially looking for me? I feel like Muirfield would be more mysterious than just a casual drop-in. They'd probably follow me and then kidnap me from a dark alley if they really wanted me." I stated.

"You do have a point but, just because you don't think it is Muirfield, doesn't mean we should completely rule out that possibility." Vincent replied.

"Of course not. I told Tess I would sweep for more evidence."

"Okay…do you want help?"

I smiled. "What better ways to sweep for evidence than to have a trained bloodhound do half the work for you?"

"You've been talking to JT, haven't you?" he said in an "I can't believe she took that route" voice.

"Maybe a little." I smirked.

For almost an hour, we scoured the apartment, trying to find anything that could remotely be considered as evidence. Unfortunately, we found nothing.

"Maybe we should contemplate other options—like if the man wasn't from Muirfield, than who was he?" Vincent asked.

"I don't know." I replied.

I sat down on the couch and he sat right next to me, pulling me into an embrace. "There's no way I'm leaving you alone tonight, Catherine. If there's even a slight chance he might return, I won't allow him to get to you."

"Vincent, we'll need him alive for interrogation." I stated. "Unless we find out he's from Muirfield."

"Still, I think knocking him unconscious qualifies as legal punishment." He smirked.

He laced his fingers with mine and kissed my temple before whispering, "Venture per un mondo di sforzi / E ricevere bacio vero amore / Lasciate con lui e amore per sempre / Ed contrare bateatitdine eterna."

"That's beautiful. Was it Latin?"

"Italian." He corrected.

"What does it mean?" I asked, intrigued by his beautiful poem.

"Venture to a world of endeavors/And receive true love's kiss/ Leave with him and love forever/And enter eternal bliss."

"Where did you hear that from?" I asked as I looked at him.

"I wrote it...sometime years ago...let's just say that living like a prisoner for ten years can put you into perspective."

Before anything else was said, I wrapped my arms around his neck and closed the gap between us. Once again, our simplicity transformed into intensity. Soon enough, Vincent's eyes started glowing—indicating that we should stop before he could lose control. Part of me was a little disappointed but, I eventually plan on testing Vincent's beastly limits.

After a few minute breather, I kissed him again. This kiss blossomed very much like the previous kiss. While our lips were in full contact, I felt Vincent's fingers playing with the buttons of my blouse. I moaned slightly before his lips traveled to my neck and then to the top of my chest where the recently unbuttoned part of the blouse exposed.

We had managed to kiss carefully and passionately for nearly three hours before Vincent started having his glowing eye-episodes again.

"Whatever happened to taking things slow?" he smirked as he calmed himself down.

"I think that idea was crumpled up and thrown out the window quite sometime ago." I replied, buttoning up the top of my shirt.

"Suits me." He stated before picking me up and carrying me to my bed.

I felt his lips finding their way back to mine as his fingers began to unbutton my blouse again. I felt the material split open and slide to both sides of my body. Vincent trailed his lips from my mouth to my jaw line, to my neck, my cleavage and then my stomach before re-gluing his lips back to mine. I managed to shimmy my blouse off of me, flinging it elsewhere before helping him slip off his shirt.

I ran my fingers against his broad chest and absorbed his warmth. Just as he was about to unclasp my bra, my cellphone rang. Vincent slumped his head in aggravation before rolling onto his back beside me. I slid off the bed in disappointment as I walked to the family room to answer my phone.

"Chandler."

"Looks like the boss won't let this one slide. He told me to get my butt up to your apartment or we're both riding the desk for the month. So...guess it's a girl's night, bud." Tess said sarcastically.

"Seriously? Joe owes me a favor for cracking that Judge Hanson case!"

"And I repeat, the boss won't let this one slide. Hate to break it to ya, Cat, but until this douche is put behind bars, you're stuck with me."

"How long do I have?"

"Are you going to mentally prepare yourself for my arrival?" Tess asked.

"No...I just have...a bit of clean-up to do." I replied, lying to my partner.

"CSU swept your apartment clean. What other damage could you do in four hours?"

"Which, by the way, how did it take four hours for Joe to finally tell you to babysit me?" I asked, curious.

"The boss was busy...I kind of put the asking thing off until about ten minutes ago. Maybe I should have waited until he was in a better mood."

"Or you could have not asked him at all?" I said, hoping she would take it more as a joke than anything else.

"No way! I was lucky enough I didn't receive desk duty for telling him your request so late! Besides, why do you sound flustered? Do you have a guy over there?"

"No." I said, lying again.

"Alright, well I'll be at your place in ten."

"Okay...drive slowly." I muttered, hoping she wouldn't catch my last sentence.

I clicked the end button before returning to Vincent. "Sorry...My boss is being an A-hole right now so he's sending my partner over as we speak. She'll be here in less than ten minutes."

"It's okay...at least you'll be safer than if you were by yourself." He stated.

"But I wouldn't have been by myself, Vincent. You would have been here with me." I replied.

He pressed his lips against mine once more before whispering, "Rain check?"

"Absolutely." I blushed, knowing what he was insinuating.

He picked up my blouse and handed it to me. I slipped it back on and buttoned it up. "Are you going back to the warehouse?" I asked.

"Yeah...unless I get bored and decide to sit on your fire escape for the rest of the night."

"You would really do that?" I asked with surprise.

"Yes...knowing you are safe would help me sleep." He replied before kissing me one more time. He picked up his shirt and tossed it to me. "Keep it...it may help you sleep." He winked. With that, he was gone. And Tess was knocking on my door.

I placed his shirt underneath my pillow before going towards the door. "Come on in."

"I smell a slight cologn...you DID have a man over here didn't you! You have that glow all over your face! Now, don't deny it! Were you having sex?" Tess suddenly asked.

I rolled my eyes. I couldn't get anything passed her! "Fine Tess. Yes, there was a guy here but no, we didn't have sex."

"But you two were about to, weren't you?" she smirked, knowing she was right.

"If things weren't interrupted, then, yes, there was a big possibility that THAT could have happened." I stated, blushing.

"I knew it!" she grinned. "Cat, who is this guy?"

"Sorry...not giving anything out! Let's just say he's Mr. Complicated."

"Ahhhh...so the guy competing with Evan?"

"They're not competing! I told Evan that he and I were just friends. Okay?" I said sternly.

"Sure...sure...Well, anyways, we have all night, what do you want to do?" Tess asked.

"Well, to be honest, I really want to sleep." I replied.

"Fine...suits me...I'll crash the couch." She said.

"Okay. Sounds like a plan." I said before going into my room.

When I opened my room door, Vincent was there.

"What're you doing here?" I whispered.

"I got bored." He smirked. "We don't have to do anything, Catherine. I can tell you're tired. Get some sleep. I'll be right here until I hear something."

I nodded and crawled into his arms, feeling safe for the first time in a long time.

~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~

I woke up around four in the morning to find out that Vincent had left. He probably heard Tess or something and needed to head out. Whatever his reason, I didn't care. I was only glad that Tess wouldn't accidentally stumble upon us sleeping together.

I heard my cell ring and I answered it, "Chandler."

"Cat?"

"Heather?"

"Yeah...I was wondering if you could pick me up at Central Park? You see, the doctors said I could go home so I'm out here waiting." She said.

"Okay. I'll be right there." I replied.

I grabbed my coat and wrote a quick note, saying:

Heather called. Went to pick her up. Be back ASAP.

I knew Tess was going to kill me, but hey. I'd rather leave the apartment anyways. Getting too cooped up in one place is exhausting.

While walking to Central Park, a part of me felt like Heather's release was too soon. Even though her injuries weren't too serious, the doctors wanted to monitor her for a few days to make sure she doesn't have a concussion or anything to cause panic.

As I neared the park, my paranoia started kicking in. I turned around. No one was there. I turned back around and continued until I heard a pair of footsteps following me. I increased my pace ever so slightly and reached for my gun. A sweat dropped from my forehead as I realized I left my gun and badge at my apartment. Damn. This won't end well.

With nothing to defend myself, I did the one thing I could do to stall time—I ran. As my feet picked up their pace, I could hear the following footsteps increase pattern as well.

Suddenly, I whipped around and kicked the perpetrator in the chest. I wasn't going down without a fight.

"You need to be more careful, Catherine." the perp said.

"Who are you?" I demanded.

"Names are not important—well, except for yours." He replied as he stood back up. I put my fists up, ready to attack again.

"Who sent you?!"

"The divine goddess of love sent me of course." He snickered. "Now, you will be coming with me, Catherine Chandler."

"Fat chance." I spat.

Before I could attempt another attack, I felt a sting against my leg. I managed to get a glimpse of a tranquilizer gun hidden between his coat and his shirt. "Son of a bi—" I started to say before a deep sleep overcame my consciousness.

~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~

I groaned while opening my eyes. What happened? As I looked at my surroundings, I knew where I was.

"It's a good thing you're awake! I didn't want to have to start torturing you while you were sleeping."

"You have no right bringing me here!" I stated with hatred. I could see the Salty Dawg restaurant in the distance. We were in the tree-lines behind my mother's murder.

"Oh? But I do! You see, I feel that it is very appropriate for you to die at the very place your mother was gunned down. The look on your face is too priceless!" he grinned evilly.

My wrists were uncomfortably tied with a rope to a branch of a tree as my feet dangled, searching for ground.

"Why me?" I asked, hoping to stall his motives.

"When I saw your picture in the newspaper nine years ago, I instantly fell in love and knew I wanted to pierce your body with my knife. My best friend, Steven, was the one who broke into your apartment, asking for you. He was doing me a favor since I didn't want to be there. Steven has convulsive issues when he doesn't get his way. That's why he hurt your sister." He said as he stroked my cheek.

I felt my body shiver with Goosebumps as his cold skin slides across mine.

"Get your filthy hand off of me!" I shouted before earning a slap on the very cheek he caressed.

"STOP TALKING!" he yelled at me with an entire different tone to his voice.

Suddenly, his voice calmed again and said assertively, "Steven, I told you I will handle this! Catherine is my prize, not yours!"

"THEN KILL HER ALREADY!" he shouted again before punching me in the eye.

"Steven! Let me kill her how I want!" his tone changed again.

As his internal conversation continued, I couldn't help but give him a look of confusion. Was he seriously talking to himself?

"Catherine." The softer voice said, "I'm sorry for Steven's violence. Are you okay?"

I spat in his face before receiving another blow to the bottom lip.

"I TOLD YOU THAT YOU NEED TO KILL HER!"

"But I don't want to, at least not yet. I want to enjoy carving my knife into her flesh, Steven."

"IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET IT OVER WITH, THEN I WILL RIGHT NOW!" the man before me shouted as he jabbed the knife into my leg, causing me to scream in agony.

He pulled it out and then rammed it into my shoulder.

I begged him to stop but I felt him rip out the knife and thrashed it against my arm—leaving a deep gash.

Suddenly, the lunatic stopped whipping his blade at my body and his voice changed its tone again. "Steven! I told you I will handle it!"

He punched himself in the face and then shook it off. "I'm sorry, Cat, Steven won't be making an appearance anymore."

I shivered when I felt the crimson blade sliding against my cheek.

"Now, my sweet, the real fun begins." He smirked before slashing a cut on my cheek. The only person I could think of at the moment was Vincent, praying that he'll find me soon.

~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~

~Vincent's POV~

"Where're you going?" JT asked as I slipped my arm into my coat.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Let me guess, Catherine's?"

"I'll be back later." I stated before leaving the warehouse.

Part of me knew I shouldn't be so reckless when it came to seeing Catherine but I couldn't help myself. Every moment I spend with her makes me feel like a normal person again. I guess JT will never understand how much Catherine means to me. She has provided me with hopes for my future—beast or no beast. Today was the first time I actually saw myself having a life with her.

I knew I was falling for her…Hell, I have fallen for her. She's in my every step. No matter where I walk, I always find my way to her. Carefully, I jumped to her fire escape but hearing Tess's voice caused alarm.

"I don't know, Boss! All I'm telling you is what I found!"

I focused on her conversation and heard Tess and Catherine's boss, Joe, I think, say, "You better get your ass over to the hospital, Vargas. She has to be somewhere."

"Yeah…what's weird is that the note says Heather called but when I called the hospital, Heather's doctor told me she wasn't ready for release quite yet."

"Like I said, Vargas, get your ass over to the hospital. If Heather was forced to call her sister, she would have seen the perp's face. The team will meet you there ASAP."

"On it!" Tess stated before running out of the apartment. I opened the window and slid inside. I noticed Catherine's gun and badge were lying on the counter with a crumpled note.

The police could take hours before finding anything out. I had a better plan.

As soon as I thought the coast was clear, I walked out of her apartment building (through the main entrance, I might add) and followed her scent. If anything, it'll lead me right to her. I kept my face concealed from the public eye as I found myself walking towards Central Park.

I stopped dead in my tracks….Catherine's scent doesn't go any further…I wonder if someone knapped her and forced her into a car…That would be the only logical explanation for her scent to suddenly disappear. Out of nowhere, I could smell blood. There was a fight here…

Suddenly, I heard the mechanics of a cell phone working. I walked around the area and found the phone. I pulled out my handkerchief and picked up the small device to look for any identification.

I flipped the phone over and there was a label on the back:

Property of Everett Jones

775 Park Avenue

Without further ado, I placed the phone back where it was before making my way to 775 Park Avenue. If Catherine wasn't there, it would at least show me some leads.

~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~

As quietly as I could, I forced the window open and slid though the opening. Before I did anything, I slipped on a pair of gloves. If there was anything that could lead me to Catherine, I was going to find it. I would have at least an hour before the police find this place.

After thirty minutes of searching, I almost gave up until I opened two cabinets which turned out to be a collage...of Catherine... There were several pictures of her...and there were bottles of her favorite perfume as well as shampoo and conditioner. As my eyes scrolled down the collage, I noticed three pictures of Catherine and me.

To protect my identity, I removed the pictures as gently as possible. Suddenly, one picture caught my eye.

At the far right corner of the left door, there was a picture of the Salty Dawg restaurant where Catherine's mother was killed 9 years ago. Why would he have a picture of just the restaurant?

I noticed a notebook or a journal of some kind hidden within the cabinet. I pulled it out and opened it to the most recent entry.

November 7th, 2012

Today marks the day I'm going to kill Catherine Chandler. I am clear of what I need to do and have prepared for this moment for several months. Catherine is my angel—my savior and light. Today, I'll make it known to her how much I desire her blood and how much I want to kill her. The gods have graced me with this remarkable beauty and I plan to make every cut count. The plan is in action. I've watched her for several years now, especially after seeing her photo in the newspaper nine years ago. Even Steven agrees to how perfect she is. Because of her beauty and perfection, she must die. I know I can't have her because she belongs to another man and that's why I must sully my hands with her blood. She's the woman of my dreams and since my dreams will never be, I must kill her so no other can have her. She will die by my hands tonight and I'm going to kill her at the very place her mother died. I find it poetic. A mother and a daughter, murdered at the same place, nine years apart.

I placed the book back and closed the cabinet doors. The police would undoubtably be here soon. I didn't need to stick around anymore because I knew where Catherine was.

Wait for me, Catherine! I'm coming!

~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~

~Catherine's POV~

"Please stop!" I begged, feeling the running of the blade against my stomach.

"I can't do that, Catherine. You see, I have planned this night for the longest time. My accomplice and I both have. We both love the taste of your blood and soon enough, Steven will wake up and he'll be more ruthless than me. Unlike me, Steven loves torturing his victims. We hadn't killed in nine years because we were constantly planning on the perfect night to soak our bodies in your blood."

"W-why now? Why wait nine years when you could have killed me sooner?" I asked, wanting a straight answer.

"Every killer has his secrets, Catherine." He whispered before suddenly forcing his lips against mine. With every ounce of strength I had, I kicked him in the stomach, knocking him away from me. "Feisty one, aren't you?" he said, but the voice was different...it sounded like the other mental case, Steven.

"You stay the hell away from me!" I screamed, hoping someone would hear me.

He grabbed ahold of my hair and yanked on it, causing me to yelp.

"Don't worry, I have no intention of gaining your affections like my accomplice, Everett. You see, he's a bit of a lover-boy. I normally come in for the better fun.

He picked up his knife off of the leaves and sliced my blouse down the front, revealing my bra.

"You want to know what the fun part is?"

"Not unless it involves you stabbing your eye with your knife." I spat, trying to stay strong.

"Cute." He replied. "No...my best part is watching my victim die as I slowly tear her apart."

Without warning, he spun me around and said, "You have no idea what I have in store for you tonight."

I heard him pick up something and then what sounded like the snapping of a band. Suddenly, I felt an arrow pierce my arm, binding me to the tree. I screamed in agony. I felt another one stab my other arm.

"That's right, Catherine. Scream your lungs out." He said.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I felt three nails drive into my skin, slicing my back.

"STOP! PLEASE!" I screamed as I thought only of Vincent. Part of me realized how stupid it was for me to think he would be able to save me. He's not Batman and he wouldn't even know where to look for me. If only I told him how much I loved him.

I felt the whip lash my back about five more times before ripping the arrows from my arms and turning me around.

Just as he was about to lash the front of my body, he was rammed in the head with a branch, knocking him unconscious.

"Catherine..." I heard him whisper my name as he walked towards me.

He untied the rope around my hands before catching me. I grimaced as he touched my body. There were so many opened wounds...I'm surprised I didn't black out.

"What did he do to you?" Vincent gravely asked.

As much as I wanted to tell him, I couldn't form the words. I didn't want to remember thinking I would never see him again.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He stated, suddenly realizing my discomfort.

"T-thank you for not killing him, Vincent..."

"Believe me, Catherine, it took everything in my power not to rip him into shreds." He replied. Suddenly, he froze, as if alarmed.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The police...your precinct...They're on their way here..." he said.

"Go, Vincent! Go!"

"I'm not leaving you here! Who knows when he could wake up!"

"Vincent, they're probably bringing a K9 unit! There's no way you'd be able to hide from their sense of smell. Now go! I'll be fine!"

"I'm not leaving!" he said assertively.

"Vincent, go to the Salty Dawg. Wait there for me, okay? I'll be fine until they get here. I'm not going to let you waste all of your years of hiding on my account. Now go!"

Without another word, he heaved a great sigh before disappearing into the darkness. Now, if I don't black out from now and until the time my precinct gets here, I need to think of a cover story...and fast.

~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~

"What on earth happened here, Cat?" Tess asked as she walked towards me.

"He kidnapped me and then beat me up. Luckily, after struggling and struggling, I eventually was able to loosen the rope from around my wrists. When he turned around, I staggered over there," I pointed to my left, "and grabbed that branch before knocking him out. It was a matter of time before you guys arrived."

"Don't have to worry anymore, Chandler, he'll be locked behind bars for life as far as I'm concerned." Joe said.

"Despite the creepy guy and all, you look like you could use a hospital Cat. I see tons of cuts, bruises and who knows what else." Tess stated.

"I'm fine." I lied. "I just need to go home."

"Fine. I'll give you a r—"

"No! I mean no, Tess. It's alright. I want to go to the Salty Dawg and pay my respects...my mother was shot there, you know? I'll just call a cab. Just do me a favor and not say anything to Heather. The last thing she needs to know is that her sister was almost brutally murdered tonight." I replied.

"Chandler, you're in no condition to call a cab. Who knows what they might think when they see you." Joe reprimanded.

"Please! Just let me do what I want to do! I almost died tonight, guys! Now, if you don't mind, I would like to pay my respects towards the site of where my mother was killed." I said assertively as I started walking away from the group. Then I added, "Alone," to make sure no one would follow me.

All I wanted was to go to Vincent. At this point, I only trusted him to fix me. Not to mention that I didn't want my sister knowing about this.

There was only one thought on my mind as I walked towards the restaurant. I needed to tell him how I feel before I never get the chance to.

~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~

Alright, like I said, this was supposed to be a one-shot but it looks like it won't be that way.

Unlike my other BATB fanfiction, this one won't be updated as periodically due to the length of its current and future chapter(s).

I just wanted to give you a taste of my next fanfiction that's in the works. Tell me what you think! Should I continue?

Here's a preview to next chapter if you want me to continue:

~Vincent's POV~

I waited patiently for her...I could hear every word that escaped from her mouth as she was talking to her co-workers. I blame myself for what happened. If only I didn't leave her when I did. No matter how much I want Catherine to live a normal life...as normal as she can...she still gets caught up with traumatic experiences...and it is all because of me.

I saw her walking towards the restaurant where I was hiding. I didn't go inside because I didn't want Catherine to go into a restaurant full of people only to be stared down by a bunch of gawkers. That would be pure torture for her.

I walked to her, meeting her halfway, and said, "Are you okay?"

"Before I answer that question, can you do something for me?" she asked, tears about to fall from her eyes.

"Anything." I whispered.

"Kiss me, Vincent." She said as clear as night and day. My heart shattered when she asked for my touch. I could tell that she was broken inside and was reaching out to me. As carefully as possible, I gently pressed my lips against hers to let her know that I wasn't running anywhere.

I am as stuck to her as she is to me.

There is no way I could ever abandon her now. I was smitten...and not even Muirfield could drive me away from her. It is now clear to me that I love Catherine Chandler.