Part 1A

Vincent pulled the hood from his head as he stooped to walk through the tunnel entrance. Pausing to open the gate that led to his home, he stamped his feet on the tunnel floor to remove the light dusting of snow that had accumulated on his boots during his walk through the park.

As he began the trek through the tunnels he sighed and wondered for what seemed like the hundredth time why he continued this nightly excursion. It was a habit he had begun years ago when Devin had orchestrated a midnight expedition to the park. And although that night had turned out disastrously, he had soon felt the urgings that drew him from Below to explore the city that was foreign to him. He'd always looked forward to the night time when he could walk through the city under the shadow of the moon. He relished the sound of the orchestra that originated in the bandshell and echoed throughout the park. In the spring and summer months, the smell of the flowers and trees had always filled him with anticipation. An excitement for the wonders of the unknown had urged him through the streets of the city. But that was before Catherine.

The nightly visits Above no longer held the joy they once had and Vincent's shoulders slumped, his pace slowing as the tears welled up in his eyes. 'No, not now!' he thought as he unconsciously shook his head to throw off the somber thoughts that invaded his mind. He was almost to his destination, and he stopped for a moment to compose himself in an attempt to appear somewhat normal for his family and friends, knowing how much they worried about him.

As he soundlessly rounded the final corner, he heard Father recite the last phrases of the book the children had picked out for tonight's story hour. No one heard him approach and he stood at the top of the stairs scanning the occupants of the room unobserved. As usual for this time of night, they were all there: the family and friends he had grown up with and who had tried so desperately to help him throughout this past year as the grief and emptiness threatened to overtake him.

Mary sat in the front next to Father. Their love for Vincent and the events of the past year had brought the two of them closer together as nothing in the history of the tunnels ever had. Rebecca was there, holding a young newcomer in her arms, while Pascal sat next to her. Pascal, who, when finding no words of comfort, had been content to sit and read to his childhood friend during the long stretches of night when the sorrow was at its greatest, and sleep refused to overcome him. Sitting on the stairs on the far side sat Kanin, with his son Luke asleep on his lap. The two had been inseparable since Kanin's release from prison a few short months ago. Next to them, with her head resting sleepily on Kanin's shoulder, was Olivia, her slightly rounded stomach the evidence of a new pregnancy. In the middle of the room sat Mouse. Dear, sweet Mouse, who, despite Vincent's assurances that he was alright, felt that his constant companionship and endless chatter was the key to "making Vincent all better." Next to Mouse was Jamie, who had been Mouse's best friend since Vincent had brought him screaming and kicking to the tunnels years ago. And asleep in Jamie's arms was what had become his sole reason for living now...Jacob.

The sight of his son took Vincent's breath away, and for a moment his mind played tricks on him as he imagined Catherine in Jamie's place, holding their son. He blinked rapidly to chase away the vision that he achingly knew could never be.

Vincent began his descent down the study steps as the occupants began to stand up and head for their respective chambers. Mary was the first to spot him. She called out to him to join her and Father as they bade the children goodnight.

"We missed you for story hour," she said, looking up to smile at Vincent. All the love and compassion she felt for him was present in her gentle eyes.

"I know," he replied as he sat on the corner of Father's desk next to her. "I wanted to take my walk early tonight so I would be here to put Jacob to sleep, but it looks like Father's soothing voice has already done that for me."

At that moment Jamie walked up next to him with the object of his thoughts still sound asleep in her arms. "Would you like me to put Jacob to bed for you, Vincent?" she asked, trying to mask the hope she felt in her voice. The older girls were always more than willing to help with Jacob's care and often argued over whose turn it was. They had fallen in love with him the minute he and Father had brought the baby home, and it was Jamie and Mary who had taken care of Jacob while Vincent recovered physically from his ordeal Above. "I'm sorry, Jamie," he said quietly, hating to disappoint her. "I'd like to spend some quiet time alone with Jacob tonight. But I promise, the next time I need help, it's your turn."

Jamie smiled as she handed Jacob to his father. "Okay," she said, "but don't you dare forget!" With that she hurried off to join the remaining older children. Vincent grinned as she ran off, knowing full well that within minutes they would be standing in the kitchen, begging William for a late night snack.

The room was almost empty now and Father was deep in discussion with Kanin about a new project they wanted to start. Vincent decided not to disturb them and instead asked Mary to tell Father he had said goodnight. He gave Mary a hug and she in turn gave Jacob a soft kiss before he turned to walk to his chambers. After putting the still-sleeping baby in his crib, Vincent turned to pick up a lantern sitting by his chamber doorway and walked to set it several feet outside his chambers in the tunnel hallway. The signal for privacy was something he rarely used, but tonight he was feeling a desperate need to be alone and uninterrupted.

Vincent walked slowly back to his chamber and sat down on the edge of the bed. Jacob's crib sat just a few feet from the side of his bed to enable the child to always be in his sight, even when he was lying down. His eyes were drawn to his sleeping son now as he wondered anew at the beautiful sight before him. It still astonished him that Jacob was his, something he had never dared to dream possible. However, the unmistakable sight of his son, his face a perfect blend of all that was Catherine and himself, left no doubt. With that thought he shuddered and his breath caught in his throat. The emotions he had kept at bay all day suddenly washed over him and he was lost in his memories of what was, and would never be again.

He had known in the beginning that his life would change forever. The bond that would grow between them already evident the moment he found Catherine in the park. She had been beaten and her face slashed. Her wounds were covered with blood and he knew she had to have help immediately. Without a second thought had taken her to his chamber to care for her.

After she had begun to heal and gone back Above, he tried to forget her. Father had practically ordered Vincent to stay away from her, adamant in his belief that Catherine would only bring him unhappiness. But it had been useless. Everything inside of him was drawn to her with a force that defied all logic. Eight months after he had last seen her, Vincent found himself on her balcony. She had been genuinely pleased to see him, and although he told himself he would only go to her to make sure she was well and say a final good-bye, he knew the moment he saw her that he couldn't do it. And when she held out her hand and begged him to stay, their fate was sealed, their destinies entwined forever.

Vincent's mind wandered hazily over the months that followed. The first time Catherine had seen his dark side and all that it could do, he had been ashamed, certain she would be horrified and repulsed. Instead she gently took his hand and allowed him to lead her away from all that had happened.

Over and over again she had been there for him and for his family. No sacrifice was too great for her to make. His thoughts jumped from one event to the other as their bond began to grow and their love deepened; he and Father in the cave-in, rescued by Catherine's sheer determination not to lose him; the care she gave him when he was hurt and blinded Above; the lengths she went through to find him when he was captured and taken to the university, and her subsequent decision to stay in New York with him, forgoing a better job in another state; finding Father and saving him from spending the rest of his life in jail when he was framed for murder, despite knowing how Father felt about her; the kindness she showed Laura in taking her into her home and caring for her while she prepared to testify about a murder she had witnessed; her help in bringing Father and Devin together after he learned that Devin was Father's biological son, and then helping Devin again while he tried to bring some love to Charles.

The tears streamed unnoticed down Vincent's face as he thought of the lives Catherine had saved by thwarting Paracelsus' revenge attempt at Winterfest; the love she showed when she came to him while he was under the influence of Paracelsus' drug; the children she had saved by going against the odds and investigating the orphanage; the lullaby she had sung to Ellie when the plague had consumed her and then the tears she cried when she knew that Ellie was gone.

Vincent found himself clutching the pouch containing the rose Catherine had given him on their first anniversary, allowing himself to think of the total and unconditional love and courage she displayed by following him into the cave to fight for his life. He was still unclear about all that had happened that day, except for Jacob, of course. His son was living proof that something had happened between him and Catherine, but he was unable to remember any of it. And the bond. He had lost his side of the bond, and by losing that, he had eventually lost her, his beloved Catherine.

Vincent wrapped his arms around himself and pressed his forearms tight into his stomach. The emptiness in his heart had turned into an ache that went to the very core of his being. He began to rock forward and backward as the pain threatened to consume him. "Oh, Catherine," he cried, "I love you so much. How am I supposed to live without you?"

It was several long minutes later when his son's insistent crying broke into his thoughts. He realized with dismay that Jacob had probably been crying for quite some time. He picked him up, attempting to soothe his cries, holding him tight in his arms as they walked to the kitchen. Vincent knew from experience that his son had an appetite to match his own and would not be quieted until he had been fed.

Once in the kitchen, Vincent found the bottle of formula that Mary always prepared for him and left in the refrigerator before going to her own chambers for the night. He heated the bottle in a pan of water on the stove and paced the large kitchen. He bounced his son in his arms and hoped they had not wakened the other tunnel inhabitants. Back in their room, Vincent changed Jacob's diaper and idly chatted about nothing in particular in another attempt to quiet his son's cries. This time, the child succumbed to his father's familiar voice and was soon gazing into the deep blue eyes that were a mirror image of his own.

Vincent settled into the large rocking chair that Cullen had made for him after he'd brought Jacob home, almost five months ago. He rocked as his son sucked greedily on his bottle. Before long, the milk was gone and Jacob's eyelids grew heavy as he drifted off to sleep.

Vincent watched his son sleep with a look of love that defied all definition. The bond between them had been immediate, uniting them even before he had been allowed to hold him in an attempt to draw the child from the mysterious illness that had befallen him. The emotional turmoil of the night had left him exhausted, and Vincent soon joined his son in slumber as the soothing sway of the rocking chair slowly came to a stop.

Catherine idly kicked at a rock with her boots and watched it land in a puddle of water as she walked the last few steps that led to the small white house at the end of the road. It was a quiet country road, situated on the outskirts of the small town in which she now resided. She stopped long enough to take the mail from the small box on the post near the curb before proceeding to the front door. After fumbling a moment with the key in the lock, she stepped into the house that had been her home for the past five months.

"Home," she thought as she looked around the room at its sparse furnishings. If her college friends could only see her now! The debutante and socialite who'd had everything money could buy, living in a one bedroom house in a small seaside town with only the bare-necessities needed to survive, working in a used bookstore. But her friends couldn't see her now; they thought she was dead.

Cathy sighed as she hung her coat in the entryway closet and set her wet boots on the rug by the front door to dry. She walked into the kitchen and put the tea kettle on the stove to boil as she thought about her day. It had been a slow day, the rain outside keeping people home and in their warm, dry houses. She loved working in the bookstore. She didn't need the money, but she so enjoyed the old books, and she needed something to help fill in her endless free time. When she'd seen the help wanted sign in the window of the bookstore she'd jumped at the chance. However, today had been difficult. The quietness in the air allowed her thoughts to wander to places she preferred to keep buried, reminding her of the toll the last thirteen months had taken on her life.

When Joe had asked her to investigate his friend's black book and the criminal activities he said were detailed in it, she willingly agreed. Joe was more than just a good friend and she would do anything to help him. She was good at her job and she expected no problems.

When she had found out she was pregnant, she had been both stunned and ecstatic. More than anything, she wanted to have a life with Vincent and to bear his child. Her only concern at that point was how to tell Vincent. He remembered nothing and she hadn't told him all that had happened in the cave when she had almost lost him. He wasn't completely well yet, and she feared that to tell him of their intimacy and the child she was carrying would be more than he could handle. Not once had she feared for her life or her child's, and had continued on with the investigation while she contemplated how to deal with Vincent. But then she had gone to Joe with her suspicions about Moreno and everything went drastically wrong.

Gabriel's men abducted her and kept her locked up while they tried to force the location of the black book from her. After awhile they gave up and simply kept her prisoner in a small room. Vincent had no way to find her, having lost his side of their precious bond while he'd been sick. She tried to tap on some pipes in her room, hoping they led somewhere near the tunnel community. Once she thought Vincent might be near and had actually felt his presence close by. But then she was whisked away and the feeling was gone. She began to lose hope.

She was again kept locked in a room by herself, rarely seeing Gabriel and not knowing why he was still keeping her. It was clear that he no longer had any interest in the black book because he hadn't asked her about it in months. She was allowed to leave her room only once a week and then only long enough for Gabriel's doctor to check the child she was carrying. It was after one of these visits that she finally figured out what Gabriel wanted. He wanted her baby.

When she'd first felt the pains of labor she tried to hide them, fearing for her child and what Gabriel might do. The pain became unbearable, but still, she did not call out. She didn't want to alert anyone of the impending birth.

The nurse had found her huddled in a corner and after alerting Gabriel, she was taken to a make-shift delivery room. There was nothing she could do but deliver the baby as she cried for Vincent and the child they had conceived in total love. Gabriel had let her see her perfect baby boy before he nonchalantly ordered the doctor to "kill her."

She had laid there screaming for Vincent and begging the doctor not to do it. Although he had appeared surprised at Gabriel's order, he was totally under Gabriel's control. He jabbed a needle into her arm and pushed on the plunger, forcing the drug that was to take her away from the man and child she loved more than life itself into her system.

She was staggering out of the room, the drug already taking affect, when she felt it. Vincent's presence. She followed the feeling and it led her to the roof of the building. He was standing there, watching a helicopter as it took away the man that had destroyed their lives, and the child that she had carried and loved for almost nine months.

The shrill of the tea kettle broke into Catherine's thoughts as she stared into her empty cup. The tears she had held in check all day were streaming down her face and she made an attempt to wipe them away while she made her tea. It was a constant struggle for her to keep the bitter memories hidden, and she usually succeeded. But today they would have none of it, and as she sat on her couch to drink her tea and look at her mail, the mournful thoughts pushed through again.

"Vincent?" Catherine called out. Her throat was sore, making her voice hoarse and barely more than a whisper. She opened her eyes and then quickly closed them again, the bright light from the sun streaming in the window almost blinding her. When was the last time she had actually seen the sun?

She opened her eyes again, slowly this time, to adjust to the brightness. She was lying on a large bed, propped up by several pillows. She turned her head to take in her surround- ings, wincing as the pain shot through her neck at that slight movement. Her muscles were sore and she ached everywhere; her breasts felt heavy and tight. She tried to raise her hand towards her chest, but the weakness she felt caused her to let it fall limply back to the yellow flowered bedspread. She looked down and saw the IV attached to her hand, it's rubber tubing leading up to the bottle of fluid hanging on a pole next to the bed.

Nothing looked even vaguely familiar to her. Where was she? Catherine closed her eyes tight and tried to remember. There had to be something that would help her figure out where she was.

"Though lovers be lost love shall not; And death shall have no dominion."4 She heard his whispered voice and then her own, and as a warmth swept through her, she saw his face. Vincent. Vincent was holding her. They were reciting the verse he'd repeated so often during his illness. She'd told him about the baby. Their child. Gabriel. Catherine's eyes flew open again as her heart began to pound in her chest. Gabriel had her baby!

With every ounce of strength she possessed, Catherine pushed herself up on the bed. They had to go look for their son. "Vincent" she called, as loud as her hoarse voice would allow. "Vincent!" she called again. She heard footsteps running towards her room and breathed a sigh of relief. She slumped back down to lay her head on the pillow, her eyes closed once more.

She heard the door as it burst open. "Radcliffe. Radcliffe! Did you say something?"

Catherine's eyes flew open again as she stared at the face only inches from her own. "Joe? Is that you?" She turned her head to look around again, "But where is...." she clamped her mouth shut, the importance of the secret she'd kept for three-and-a-half years not escaping her, even now.

"Cathy, you don't know how glad I am to hear your voice!" Joe exclaimed as she finally brought her attention back to him. "How do you feel?"

With eyes opened wide she watched him steadily as a million questions ran through her mind. "Where am I Joe? How did I get here? I don't remem...Oh, God, Joe, where's my baby?" She struggled to sit up again, her intent on getting out of bed obvious. "He's got my baby, Joe! We've got to find him!" Catherine's voice grew louder as she asked the question several times, almost to the point of hysterics. She pushed at Joe's chest as he sat next to her on the bed. "Move, Joe. I have to get out of here. I've got to go find my baby! And get this thing out of my hand. I can't go anywhere with a tube attached to me."

"Cathy," Joe spoke quietly, while he tried to push her back down on the bed. As she started to speak again Joe repeated, sharply this time, "Cathy!"

Catherine stilled suddenly, the tears forming in her eyes as she looked to her boss and friend. "Joe?" she asked in a small voice that was once again a whisper.

"Shhh. It's okay, Cath. I'm sorry, but you have to stay in bed. The IV is to counteract the overdose affects of the drug you were given as well as to keep you from becoming dehydrated." Joe leaned forward to brush her hair from her face as he spoke, the tears gathering in his own eyes. "Look, I know I can't even begin to comprehend all you've gone through over the past several months, but you're safe now. Ah, Cathy, we were all so worried about you. We had no idea where to even look for you. I'm just so glad that somehow you're back, that you're going to be okay. I really missed you, Radcliffe." Joe wiped his eyes with the back of his hand as he tried to lighten his own mood. "Now, please, just lie there and be quiet and let me talk for awhile. You have a lot of recuperating to do and it will be easier if you do your best to stay calm." Joe turned to hook his foot around a chair against the wall and pulled it to him. He sat down and took Catherine's hand in both of his.

As he looked at her, Joe let out a small sigh. "Now that I have your attention, I'm not even sure where to begin."

Catherine's lips barely opened as she whispered "My baby, Joe."

Joe nodded and began. "I'm sorry, Cathy, I don't know where your baby is, but I have every possible man out there looking for him or her."

Catherine interrupted him with a quiet "Him" and he smiled, squeezing her hand.

Joe continued, "We've been looking for you for almost seven months. I tried to do most of the investigation myself, not sure who to trust after your hunch about Moreno. Two days ago I found you totally by accident. We'd long ago given up looking for clues at your apartment, but I needed some of your old notes to reopen the Stevens case." Joe's eyes took on a glazed look and Catherine knew he wasn't really seeing her but was lost in his thoughts.

"I couldn't find anything in your files in the living room and at the last minute decided to check the bedroom. I opened the doors and there you were, lying on your bed. I looked at you and...and I somehow knew that you were dead even before I checked for a heartbeat." Tears had begun to fall in earnest from Joe's eyes but he didn't stop. "While I waited for the police and the medical examiner I sat by your side and...well, I held your hand and...and cried. It was just that...well, anyway, at some point I thought I saw you breathe, just a small, shallow breath."

Joe pulled his attention back to Cathy as he smiled softly, "I knew it had to be just wishful thinking, but I checked for a pulse anyway and it was there. Just the tiniest hint of a beat, but there nonetheless. I didn't know what to do, though. I had no doubt that someone had tried to kill you and my instincts kept telling me that I didn't want that person to know that you'd survived."

Joe paused as he watched her, not wanting to tire her too much, "Are you sure you're up to this now, Cath? We can talk some more later, after you've rested."

Catherine shook her head slightly, "No, Joe. I want to hear it all now. I need to hear it all now. Please, go on."

"Okay, but can I get you something to drink first?" he offered.

"Yes, maybe just some water, please."

Joe left and returned moments later. After he lifted her shoulders to help her sip the water, he set the glass on the table next to the bed and once again sat in his chair. He took her hand in his again and collected his thoughts.

"The coroner arrived first and everything just seemed to fall into place. I had gone to college with his brother and had even worked with him on a very discrete case before. I knew that I could trust him. Mike and I talked before the police arrived and then I left and came back again, just to make it look legitimate. When he finally left, you were in the back of his car. Cathy..." Joe paused for a moment, not sure how she would take his next words, "Cathy, given the circumstances, I decided to make it appear that you...that you really had died. Between us we took care of "identifying the body," and Mike brought you here to his family's summer home." Joe paused again, letting the words sink in, wondering if she would understand the true meaning of those words.

"I was supposed to die, Joe. I heard him. Right after I delivered my baby, he took him and...." Catherine let out a small sob, but forced herself to continue, "and he told his doctor to kill me. I'm supposed to be dead Joe!"

Joe looked her and nodded, "I know. Mike has been in and out checking on you these past two days. He examined you as soon as he got you here. That's how we knew about your baby. He...." Joe paused and Catherine thought she saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks, "he's been taking care of your um.... special needs from delivering the baby and he wrapped your breasts with some long cotton pieces he got at the hospital. He said it would help with the pain when your milk came in. He couldn't find any obvious signs of physical trauma or internal injuries so he took some blood and rushed the results to see if that would tell him what you were suffering from. The lab work showed that you'd been given a large dose of morphine. Mike thinks that you were only given enough of the drug to put you out for a while, which is still a lot more than an acceptable dosage. And as long as you were found fairly soon and the antidote given, the prognosis would be very good. He's estimating that I found you within 24 hours of the injection."

Catherine looked at him, stunned, "But Joe, Gabriel told him to kill me, and he seemed to give me so much of it. How did I survive?"

Joe grinned, "Well, believe it or not, you probably survived because of the FBI." He continued on as Catherine gave him a puzzled look. "Gabriel's doctor is David Ancheta. He is an FBI agent who had been able to infiltrate Gabriel's empire, and has been with him for almost two years. He went to medical school and had gotten through his residency and internship before he decided to give it all up, and follow in his father's footsteps and join law enforcement. He had done this type of work before, and was eager to be involved this time. I didn't even know about him until about a week ago, when I finally went to the head of the FBI. I was at such a loss with my total lack of findings in your case, but I knew I couldn't go to Moreno because of what you'd told me."

"But Joe," Catherine interrupted him, "if this Dr. Ancheta was with the FBI, why weren't you able to find me? Surely he would have told you where I was."

"I wish it was that easy, Cathy, and if hindsight were foresight it would have been done differently." Joe shook his head as he thought of all that had happened, how close they had come to losing her. "There had been no contact with David at first, to reduce the chances of blowing his cover and losing everything they had gained, which had been very little. After awhile, they lost track of him and suspected that Gabriel had moved more than once. Despite the time already put into the case, until we surfaced with the black book, they had still been unable to obtain much hard evidence of Gabriel's dealings, and had considered pulling out in favor of a new strategy. We're not sure yet exactly why he didn't try to contact us during the time you were with Gabriel, although the probability is that his every move was being watched, either through surveillance cameras or by guards. David's superiors don't believe he had any idea that he would be ordered to kill you. He took a big chance by doing what he did."

"Whew!" Catherine exclaimed and let out a breath as she took it all in. "So, what do we do now? How are we going to find my son?"

"For now I need to know exactly what happened to you. Do you remember anything? Do you feel like talking about it yet? Can you...." Joe wondered if he even dared ask his question, "were you...did you know you were pregnant before you were kidnapped?"

Catherine smile and squeezed his hand in reassurance, "Yes, Joe, I was pregnant before Gabriel took me. For my own reasons I needed to wait awhile before telling anyone. And yes, I do feel up to talking about it, although there really isn't a lot to tell. It was all so totally unexpected. All he wanted was the black book. He...did everything in his power to make me divulge the information but I couldn't give in. After awhile he just let me be. I was kept...." Catherine paused, suddenly not sure she wanted to continue.

Joe recognized her inner struggle and rested his hand on her shoulder, "You don't have to say anymore right now, Cath. We can finish this later."

Catherine drew her strength from his words and continued on, "No, I'm fine. It's going to be difficult no matter when I talk about it so I may as well do it now, although it would be easier to leave out some of the details until later. I was kept in a small room the whole time. We did change locations once, right after I felt...um, I'm not sure when we moved. Gabriel never said anything in my presence to give me an indication of what he was involved in. I could sense his power, though. The people who worked for him obeyed his every command without question. I even tried...I begged his nurse several times to help me, to show me a way to leave but she wouldn't even look at me, much less speak to me. I wasn't even sure why Gabriel still held me until the last couple of months. Your Dr.Ancheta checked my baby often and it dawned on me after one of his visits that he wanted my child, that he was keeping me there until the baby was born."

"I don't understand, Cathy," Joe interrupted. "Why would Gabriel want your baby? What possible motive did he have for taking him?"

Catherine took her eyes from Joe, knowing she couldn't share her thoughts about her child and what Gabriel knew about her child's father. With tears welling up in her eyes, she tried to explain at least part of what she felt. "I'm not sure, Joe, I think he had a desire to make my son his, to possess him. Even then I didn't know...I had no idea that he would have me dead. After I was in labor for awhile, I was able to keep them oblivious to my pain for quite sometime, they took me to a delivery room where I had my son. Afterwards he...."

Catherine's voice trailed to a whisper as her tears ran freely down her face. "After my son was born Gabriel held him up so I could see him. He taunted me with how beautiful he was but he wouldn't let me hold him or even touch him. He just ordered the doctor to kill me and walked away. Dr. Ancheta looked...stunned, like he couldn't believe what he'd been told to do, but he never once acted like he wouldn't obey the command. I pleaded with him, begged him not to do it, but he gave me an injection and left."

Catherine paused again, amidst her tears, knowing she had to choose her words carefully. "After he left I managed to get off the delivery table and move around. I heard a noise and followed the sound to the roof. They were all in a helicopter, Gabriel, the nurse, Dr. Ancheta, and...and my baby. Then I blacked out. The next thing I knew I was here."

"And you don't remember anything after that? Like how you got back to your apartment?"

Catherine shook her head but deep inside she knew and her heart broke. There was no other way. Vincent. She'd died in his arms and he'd taken her back to her home. He'd left her there, thinking she was lost to him. And since he no longer felt the bond, he had no way of knowing that she was here, that she was alive, that they had endured once again. The sob that caught in her throat threatened to choke her, and she turned her head to face away from Joe.

Joe sighed as he watched the play of emotions on Catherine's face. He knew she'd had enough for now but he still had one more question he had to ask. "Cathy, I know you've led a very private life over the past few years, but I need to know. The father of your baby...is it possible that he had anything to do with this?"

"Absolutely not!" Joe looked into eyes that had turned on him, fierce in their determination. "He would never, ever have had anything to do with harming me or our child." Catherine's voice softened as she continued, "I'm sorry, Joe. You just don't know how impossible your suggestion really is. And please don't ask me who he is Joe, because I can't and I won't tell you. But I will tell you that he loves me and our child very much."

Joe smiled and patted her arm, "Okay, kiddo, I trust your judgment but I had to ask. You need to rest now. Mike will be here in a few hours to check on you. If he says it's okay, you can have something to eat then. But you stay in bed until after he gets here."

"I promise, Joe. Besides, I'm too tired to fight with you now, and I wouldn't want to pick a fight with you I couldn't win." Catherine grinned up at him.

Joe grinned back. "That's my girl," he said as he pulled the covers up to her chin and turned towards the door. As he closed it behind him, Catherine wondered if she really would be able to sleep. All she could think about was her son and getting to Vincent. She wished the doctor would get here so she could leave and go to them. But her body had gone through a lot over the past few days and it had a mind of its own. Before long her eyes drifted shut and she allowed sleep to overtake her.

Part 1B