WriterFreak001:

Keiko Fujiwara was my old penname in case you are confused. I changed it to match my penname for basically everything Social Media. All right, in my final update for "A Matter of Time," I noted that there would be about 1-2 chapters left for this story. I spent the past two days re-reading "Always" simply because I couldn't be too sure of everything that happened. Now that I am up to speed, I believe this will be the final chapter.

All right, and now, for the final chapter of "Always."

Title | Always

Fandom | Beauty and the Beast (CW)

Description | JT is pissed of what Catherine did to try to save Vincent from making the worst decision of his life, and he gives her a drunken piece of his mind. His words destroy her faith in her relationship with Vincent, and she's determined to forget him. Vincent finally wakes up and finds out what JT had said to Catherine, so he rushes over to make things right. She tells him she needs a break from the relationship. Can Vincent and Catherine's love for one another be salvaged before the holiday or is everything too late? Find out!

Rating| This fanfiction will be rated M for adult themes in the sixth chapter. If anything, read at your own discretion.

POV | Third Person Omniscient

Disclaimer | While CW owns Beauty & the Beast, I am the owner of this Masterpiece.

Claimer | I am human; there are bound to be mistakes. If you feel like something should be changed, you have the power to send me a review/private message. I can't guarantee if I'll change it every time but I do read all of my reviews and all of my private messages!

Always

~Part Fifteen~

Written by: WriterFreak001

~Beauty & the Beast~

Catherine heard voices, but she couldn't make out words—just globs of sounds. She heard beeps and noises she was all too familiar with—hospital. She was at a hospital. But how did she get there? Why was she there? Was it because she lost the baby? Were there more complications? She couldn't remember much. Everything swirled around in her mind, but she couldn't make sense of it. She remembered being in a cabin with Vincent. She remembered losing their baby and going after Vincent. But…after that…it was all a blank.

The moment she remembered about Vincent's fight with Gabe, her eyes flickered open from panic. She couldn't help but call out his name, wondering where he was. Suddenly, warm hands cupped her face, thumbs wiping tears from her eyes. His voice soothed her. His lips kissed her forehead. Then her nose. And her lips. She wasn't afraid anymore. He was okay. Everything was all right. She could breathe again. "Shhh…" he muttered into her ear. "I'm right here." He circled around her hospital bed and slid into the sheets, draping his arm around her. She turned into his warmth but winced in pain. She looked down at the source and found a bandage and gauze taped against her chest—close to where she was shot the last time. She was confused. He sensed her confusion. "What do you remember?"

"Bits and pieces…" Catherine continued examining her bandage. "The last thing I remember was leaving to help you kill Gabe." Catherine looked at Vincent. "Speaking of…."

"He won't be a problem anymore." Vincent's lips curled to a soft smile. Never again will Gabriel Lowan ever try to harm him or Catherine. He made sure of that.

"Then…how did I get this?" Catherine pointed to her wound.

"Two days ago…at the same time he pointed his gun towards you guys in the trees, you fired one on him. As usual, your aim was perfect. However, his the bullet pierced your chest." Vincent took her hands in his and kissed them. "I couldn't risk losing you so I blurred you away to the nearest hospital. Tess and JT took care of Gabe's body." Vincent kissed her neck and she closed her eyes.

Catherine tried sitting up. "Why is it that," she released a sharp breath as Vincent helped her sit forward and scoot backward, "every time I get shot, they aim for my chest?"

"I keep asking the same thing when it comes to my gut." Vincent chuckled. "How about this," he combed his fingers through her hair and breathed in her scent, "we try not to make getting shot an annual thing. Yeah?"

"Fine by me." Catherine smiled and welcomed his lips as he kissed her. Suddenly, she pulled back and bit her lip.

"What's wrong?"

She stared out of the hospital room and saw a family of four being escorted out of the hospital. A woman with a newborn baby sleeping in her arms was being pushed down the hallway with her husband walking beside her as he held onto their little daughter's hand while she ran her fingers along the wall and examined every person walking by them. A perfect family snapshot. Vincent turned when he heard the little girl uttering the word, 'Daddy' and discovered what had stolen Catherine's attention.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Vincent turned his attention back to Catherine; tears stained her cheeks. Vincent couldn't blame her; she never really had time to cope with the loss of their baby. It was only natural for her to cry after such a loss. When she snapped herself back to reality, she apologized and dabbed her cheeks, wiping away any evidence of her broken heart.

"Sorry…. I don't know what came over me." She forced a laugh. The more she wiped away her tears, the more they fell.

"You don't need to apologize for crying, Catherine." Vincent whispered into her ear. "Sometimes, in order for the heart to heal, you need to grieve." He kissed her cheek and carefully pulled her into his arms. She turned her head towards his, and it pained him to see her eyes filled with so much regret and anguish. She sank into his warmth as he kissed her forehead. He felt tears drop onto his dark green shirt; there was little she could do to hold onto him because of her injury so he consoled her the best he could by holding her and kissing her. Not once did she emit a sound; she silently cried against him and all he could do was love her with all of his mind, heart, soul and being. Occasionally, she would mutter things like "it's all my fault" or "I'm so sorry." In turn, he would tell her how it wasn't her fault, that he didn't blame her for anything. She needed to know she had no reason to apologize for something outside of her control.

In truth? He too ached over their loss, but he ached over her anguish even more. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't stop his own tears from falling down his cheeks. For minutes upon minutes, they grieved. In these moments, time is immeasurable. For these moments of anguish return, and grief renews the cycle; no one ever truly copes from loss. Not even a strong and determined detective or an all-powerful beast.

"I loved our baby," she muttered softly as Vincent ran his fingers through her unkempt hair.

"I know," he muttered and kissed the top of her head. "I know."

"No," Catherine shook her head and finally looked into his eyes, "you don't." She waited for him to respond, but he remained silent, urging her to explain her response. "Remember that time we fantasized about having three kids and owning a dog?" He nodded so she continued. "Well, ever since that moment, I already loved the kids I thought I would never have. When I figured out I was pregnant, I was scared—at first—but inwardly thrilled about that fantasy becoming an eventual possibility. I was barely pregnant, Vincent, but I already loved our baby." Her lips trembled as tears fell from her eyes, "How is it possible to unconditionally love someone you've never met…and never will?"

Vincent's heart shattered.

What could he say to put her heart to ease?

He cupped her face and leaned his forehead against hers. "I don't know the answer to that one, love." He inhaled her scent and continued. "All I know is that things happen for reasons we can't explain. I was turned into a beast; I believe it wholeheartedly that the reason my DNA was changed was so I could save you the night of your mother's murder, Catherine. Perhaps, the reason, we lost the baby was because we're not ready to bring children into the world yet. There are still people hunting me."

Catherine pressed her lips together and remembered the family from earlier. "Do you think we will ever that? A family?"

"Someday." Vincent nodded. "Just not today." He kissed her forehead and then her lips. "When either I'm not being hunted anymore or if we ever decide to leave New York City and lead somewhat normal lives, we can try again." He held her close.

"What if…" she swallowed a lump in her throat, "What if I'm physically incapable of carrying to full-term?"

"Day by day, remember?" Vincent smiled, cupping her face. "If…for some reason…we can't conceive, I'll still love you, Catherine."

She nodded and felt him kiss her temple. Vincent heard footsteps making their way to the hospital room so slipped out of Catherine's hospital bed, immediately missing her warmth. He took her hands in his and sat down next to the bed. He quickly dabbed her cheeks with his fingers and kissed her nose, muttering, "Someone's coming."

Taking the hint, Catherine turned her head towards the door and a man in a white robe walked in, carrying a clipboard. "Miss Chandler?"

"Yes?"

"My name is Dr. Steve Roberson; I'm the OB/GYN on call." He walked into the room and closed the door. "Your boyfriend informed the surgeon that you recently experienced a miscarriage within the last few days. If you don't mind, when was the fetus conceived?"

"Around Christmas time." Vincent replied; it had to be around then. He and Catherine weren't romantically involved since Thanksgiving.

"Do you mind if we have a look? It's protocol to ensure the miscarriage wasn't caused by something internal." It wasn't really a question. The doctor was already putting on his gloves. "Before considering on using a transvaginal ultrasound, I'm going to start with a regular ultrasound; if I see something worrisome, I'll switch ultrasounds."

Catherine nodded and Vincent squeezed her hand. "Okay."

Instead of letting the doctor lift Catherine's hospital gown, he did it for him. He pulled the blankets down to her waist and tugged on the gown until it revealed her stomach. Doctor Roberson squeezed light blue gel onto Catherine's abdomen and turned on a monitor. He moved the ultrasound probe along her lower belly and stared at the screen. "Hmmm…" he hummed.

"What does 'Hmmm' mean?" Catherine asked. Vincent stared at the screen as well. He might not have been an OB/GYN when he was practicing medicine, but he knew a fetus when he saw one. And he definitely saw one.

Doctor Roberson swiveled his chair around and looked at Catherine and Vincent. "It would seem Miss Chandler experienced a tragic phenomenon known as Vanishing Twin Syndrome. Apparently, you were pregnant with twins, Miss Chandler." He clapped his hands together awkwardly.

"Were?" Catherine choked.

"Yes, unfortunately, one of the fetuses miscarried while the other one remains strong and healthy." He smiled at the last note.

"So…I am pregnant? Still?"

"Yes." He nodded.

Catherine's nose started to burn and tears puddled around her eyes. Vincent squeezed her hand, also shocked with such bittersweet news.

"Also," Dr. Roberson continued, "you are more than three weeks along."

This information caught Vincent's attention. "How far is she?" He asked, curiously.

"Approximately seven weeks…which would date the fetus's conception closer to Thanksgiving than Christmas." He confirmed Vincent's other conception date alternative. "Have you had any prior appointments to this one?"

Catherine shook her head. "No…. I didn't know I was pregnant until a few days ago…Or, rather, I suspected I was pregnant."

"If possible, I'd like to see you back in a few more weeks once you're wound has healed to check on the progress of your baby. Would that be possible?"

Vincent shook his head. "We live in New York City; we'll arrange an appointment with a local OB/GYN." He couldn't very well have a child with his DNA observed by someone who doesn't know about beasts. He could brush up on some medical books and have JT purchase an ultrasound kit. They would make it work somehow. "I mean, if that's okay with you, Catherine." He turned to look at his misty-eyed girlfriend. She was still in shock.

She simply nodded as she wiped her eyes.

"Very well then. Would you like me to print these images off?"

"Please." Vincent nodded. Without another word, the OB/GYN disappeared from sight. Catherine immediately burst into a combination of crying and laughing; he couldn't tell if she was thrilled over the pleasant news or disheartened by the fact that they did in fact lose a child. And the moment he looked into her eyes, he didn't care anymore. He leaned over her and kissed her hard on the mouth. He gently pulled away from her and rubbed his nose against hers. They didn't even notice Doctor Roberson walking in and placing the printed image on the counter. Vincent kissed Catherine all over her face; he was tempted to allow his hands to roam her body but stopped short when he did hear two pairs of feet shuffling towards their room. No doubt it was JT and Tess. Vincent grabbed a paper towel, cleaned off Catherine's belly and slid her gown down before covering her with the blankets again. He also noticed the print0ff so he picked it up and handed it to Catherine. She gazed at their perfect glob of love within the picture and traced its outline as the dynamic duo made their way into the room.

"Why didn't you call us when she was awake!?" JT complained, throwing his hands into the air. "Most normal people call!"

"JT stop complaining." Tess snapped. "At least she's awake, right?"

"I guess." JT sighed. "So…. After Catherine is cleared to go home, are you…going home?"

Vincent shrugged. "I guess we'll have to for a while." Vincent kissed Catherine's temple and rubbed her belly. She giggled at his touch. That simple action and reaction did not go unmissed by Tess. In fact, her eyebrows raised in response.

"You two seem awful cheery today." Tess commented, but the two weren't paying any attention to her. They were staring at some piece of paper with a dark image on it. She couldn't make it out through the translucent material, but she had a faint idea of what it could be. She definitely didn't miss the surprisingly happy toothy grin Vincent flashed as Catherine muttered things to him. It was like she and JT didn't even exist. Vincent and Catherine were in their own little world.

JT walked over to her. "What's with them?"

"Not sure. But I'm going to find out." She walked up to them and snatched the photo from their hands. "Now that I've got your attention," she crossed her arms as the lovers balked at her actions, "Can you please tell us why you're freakishly happy this morning? I was expecting blubbering faces on my way over here."

Vincent took the printout from Tess's grip and turned it around to show her.

"Wait," JT's eyes widened, "She's pregnant? Again?! How fast does your beastly sperm work its charm?"

Vincent ignored that third question. He explained everything to their best friends and their reactions were certainly one of a kind. JT patted Vincent's shoulder and said, "If you think I'm going to be paying for Tiny Mutant Number Uno for the next eighteen years, you've got another thing come to you, big guy. Might I suggest unkilling yourself and finding a job?"

Vincent laughed; he wasn't going to let JT's insults—no matter how heartfelt they sound—ruin his day.

Tess, to both Vincent and JT's surprise, ran up to Catherine and hugged her. Catherine obviously groaned in pain, causing Tess to jump back in fear. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't thinking."

"No. It's all right. I'm okay." Catherine smiled. She, too, wasn't going to allow physical pain ruin her day.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Catherine nodded; Vincent slid next to her in her bed and held her like he did before. "I am perfectly fine."

"Good, then you'll be even more ecstatic to find out you've been exonerated, Catherine." Tess grinned. Both Vincent and Catherine looked at her. "We showed the evidence JT found to my brother and told him how Gabe shot you as a hit and run. We kind of made everyone believe Gabe's still at large, but that's beside the point. The point is, you can actually go home-home once you're cleared to leave this cruddy clinic."

Tess expected Catherine to exclaim or even thank her for the message, but to her surprise, Vincent kissed her hard on the mouth. Something she definitely wasn't ever planning on seeing. The moment she saw tongues touching, she backed up and grabbed JT's arm. "Come on. We're obviously not needed here right now. Let them celebrate in whatever way they want."

Minutes after JT and Tess left, Vincent pulled away from Catherine and smiled, "See? Things do work out some way or another."

"Don't get cocky," Catherine laughed and pulled his chin down before kissing him again. Feeling a bit naughty, his hand slipped under the covers and intimately touched her as he kissed her lovingly. She moaned against his neck, pleading for more. "Sorry," he muttered against her lips. "This is all I've got to offer for now." He found her lips once more. He kissed her once. Then twice before flashing a smile. "I think we need to tackle the next phase in our relationship, Catherine."

"Oh? And what's that?" Catherine raised her eyebrow.

"Living together." He answered simply. "Since I don't own a lot anyway, I could move into your place."

Catherine kissed him and muttered, "My home is your home, Vincent. Always."

"Are you sure about that?"

Catherine smacked him lightly in the arm. "Yes."

"Okay," He grinned and helplessly laughed. "I believe you." As he lowered his lips down to kiss Catherine once more, he made a promise to always be the man Catherine would love and the father their child would adore. No matter what happened in the future, whether or not she loses their baby or maintains the pregnancy, he would always love her.

For now.

Forever.

And Always.

Fin.

~Beauty & the Beast~

WF001: And that concludes "Always." What did you think? Not what you expected?