TITLE: So Beautiful

AUTHOR: Clairisant

FEEDBACK: Would love to hear both good and bad feedback but please try to be kind and constructive. Clairisant

CREDITS: A special thank you to my beta readers Qupeydoll and Joan.

"You Are So Beautiful" is a song written by Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher in 1974.

Chapter 1

The last three months of Catherine's life had been the strangest and most wonderful of her life, all at the same time. Three months ago to the day, Vincent had rescued her from the men that had been holding her captive and questioning her non-stop about the book that Joe Maxwell had gotten from Patrick Hanlin.

Someone had heard her message frantically tapped out on the pipes in the room they had kept her in, and Vincent had come to save her. When he'd breached the building, they had tried to get her away, but Vincent had seen them shoving her into a car, and he'd leapt from the window to pull her to safety. She had only enough strength to gasp his name when she saw him before passing out in his arms.

He had found the nearest tunnel access and raced as quickly as he dared with her in his arms towards help. At the first sentry outpost Vincent called out for them to alert Father that he had found Catherine and to meet them in his chamber. Word spread like wild fire or rather at the speed of tapping on the pipes. Catherine was told about it later, but as the word spread, the tunnels along the path to Vincent's chamber became lined with well-wishers, eager to get a glimpse of the person they had all been helping to search for over the past six weeks. Even though it was the middle of the night, everyone wanted to see for themselves that Catherine had been found.

Vincent was barely aware of the sensation he'd caused; his only concern was Catherine and what might be wrong with her. Entering his chamber, he found Mary already there, and as he was gently placing Catherine on his bed, Father hobbled in with his medical bag.

Catherine's arm had fallen limply off the side of the bed as she'd been laid down, and Mary gasped to see all the needle marks there. She quickly pointed them out to Father. Leaning over her, Father repeatedly tapped her cheeks calling her name insistently. Her eyelids fluttered and he demanded, "Catherine! Do you know what you were drugged with?"

Weakly she answered, "They wanted me to talk," before passing out again.

"It's probably sodium pentothal then, and if that is the case, she just needs to sleep it off," Father said as he gave her a general exam.

Vincent was watching his every move and noticed instantly when Father went still. He saw him try and motion Mary over to check something out, hoping that his son hadn't seen, but he had, and after Mary nodded silently in agreement, Vincent asked, "What is it Father?"

"Vincent," even his tone said that Father didn't want to answer.

"Just tell me, Father! I need to know!"

Hesitantly Father said, "It appears that Catherine is pregnant."

"Oh, my poor Catherine!" Vincent exclaimed, falling to his knees next to the bed and taking her hand in his. As Jacob moved to comfort his son, Vincent demanded, "Please leave us! I'll watch over her and call if there is any need."

Father was going to protest when Mary shook her head and motioned for him to follow her from the chamber. Out in the hall she said, "Vincent thinks this happened to her while she was captured, but she's further along than that."

"Yes and that will hurt him even more when he finds out," Father said sadly.

Hours later when most of the community was at breakfast questioning Father about Catherine's condition, she finally opened her eyes to find Vincent next to her still holding her hand.

"Vincent," she said softly.

He smiled tenderly at her and held a glass of water to her lips for her to take a drink. Once she was settled back on the pillows he asked, "How do you feel?"

"Better now that you've found me." She hesitated before asking, but just had to know, "Did Father examine me?"

"Yes, Catherine, he did, and he discovered that you are pregnant."

"Is the baby alright? I know the doctor giving me the drugs said more could harm the baby!"

"You knew?" he asked, startled at the discovery.

To be continued….