The Choice
Disclaimer: Beauty and the Beast is owned by CBS, CW Network and the
Producers of the show. No copyright infringement is meant. I am using the
characters for enjoyment purposes only.
#-------
Chapter 2
Vincent stood outside Alex's apartment, glancing left to right nervously. He
was still uncomfortable standing at her front door. Years of hiding away was
kicking in his "flight" reflex. Every little noise and creak was making him
edgy.
"Open the door already…" he thought to himself. Finally, he heard her
footsteps approaching. The door swung open, and he was greeted by Alex's smiling
face.
"Vincent! I'm so happy you're here. Come in," she said, stepping aside.
Vincent hurried inside the apartment. Turning around, he was almost felled by
the force of Alex colliding with him. He reached up his hands to steady her,
unconsciously thinking how much taller than Catherine she was.
…Catherine…
She was the reason that he was in Alex's apartment tonight. Since the night
that Catherine had told him to follow his heart and make his choice, he had been
spending all his time with Alex. They had done things he never thought he would
do again. They had reconnected and he was happy about that. But…
She wasn't Catherine…
He realized that he still had a hold of Alex. Stepping back, he cleared his
throat. She looked at him curiously, before gesturing toward the couch. They
took a seat, and Vincent began fidgeting nervously.
"Do you want a drink or something?" Alex asked him, picking up on his body
language. Years of being a doctor told her that he had something on his mind.
Something that was seriously bothering him.
Vincent couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him at her question. How
often had he asked Catherine that exact same question? Running a hand through
his hair, he shook his head at Alex. She continued to stare at him, openly
curious now.
"Alex….this time that we have spent together had been great. I'm so happy
that we have been able to…reconnect," Vincent started. Alex smiled.
"I feel the same way. Knowing that you are alive, that you didn't die all
those years ago, has been such a balm for me. I love that we found each other
again," Alex said, excitement permeating her words. Vincent looked down, a
feeling of guilt beginning to come over him.
"I want you to understand…something. I'm not who I was before. I can never be
the Vincent Keller that you fell in love with again. Too much has happened since
then. I'm just not…him anymore."
Alex reached for his hand. Her eyes showed confusion. "Vincent…I don't
understand. What are you trying to tell me, exactly?"
Vincent suddenly stood, and began pacing. This was harder than he thought it
was going to be. He didn't want to hurt Alex, but he had to make her understand…
"Nine years ago….I saved a girl from being murdered. I've watched over her
ever since. There was just…something that drew me toward her. Like a moth to a
flame. Several months ago, we met again…"
Alex visibly stiffened. He heard her heart speed up. Pushing on, he
continued…
"She…accepts me for all I am. She understands me, better than I sometimes
understand myself. She…completes me, in ways I never thought would ever be
possible for me."
"You….you love her?" Alex asked, her voice quiet.
Vincent looked her in the eye. "Yes, I love her. More than my own life. She
deserves so much more than me, but…"
"And…is she also in love with you?" Alex asked, tears starting to form.
"We've never really talked about our feelings, but…yes, I believe she does.
In fact, I'm sure she does."
"Do I know her?"
Vincent took a deep breath. "You treated her after a car accident. Recently."
Alex's breath caught. Recognition flared in her eyes. "You….you were the one
who pulled her from the car? You saved her. I knew she couldn't have gotten out
on her own. Not with her injuries," she muttered to herself.
"Yes, I pulled her out of the car. She was dying…." Vincent said, answering
her, even though she hadn't poised the question to him.
"Catherine Chandler…."
"Yes…"
Alex stood up, facing Vincent. "This is goodbye, isn't it?"
"Catherine told me to follow my heart. She….is my heart. Without her,
I wouldn't want to continue living," he said instead. Alex nodded, and sighed
deeply.
"Thank you, Vincent. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to see you
again. To know that you are okay. I wish you all the best in your future. You
and Catherine."
Vincent walked toward the door, feeling a huge weight lifted off of him.
Turning, he faced Alex for the last time. "Find love again, Alex. Find someone
worthy of you. You deserve that, and more."
Her voice was so soft, a normal man would have missed it. "I already have…"
"Goodbye, Alex," Vincent said softly, before opening the door and slipping
out. He heard her quiet sobs. Straightening his shoulders, he walked away from
his past….
And walked toward his future.
#-----------
Disclaimer: Beauty and the Beast is owned by CBS, CW Network and the
Producers of the show. No copyright infringement is meant. I am using the
characters for enjoyment purposes only.
#-------
Chapter 2
Vincent stood outside Alex's apartment, glancing left to right nervously. He
was still uncomfortable standing at her front door. Years of hiding away was
kicking in his "flight" reflex. Every little noise and creak was making him
edgy.
"Open the door already…" he thought to himself. Finally, he heard her
footsteps approaching. The door swung open, and he was greeted by Alex's smiling
face.
"Vincent! I'm so happy you're here. Come in," she said, stepping aside.
Vincent hurried inside the apartment. Turning around, he was almost felled by
the force of Alex colliding with him. He reached up his hands to steady her,
unconsciously thinking how much taller than Catherine she was.
…Catherine…
She was the reason that he was in Alex's apartment tonight. Since the night
that Catherine had told him to follow his heart and make his choice, he had been
spending all his time with Alex. They had done things he never thought he would
do again. They had reconnected and he was happy about that. But…
She wasn't Catherine…
He realized that he still had a hold of Alex. Stepping back, he cleared his
throat. She looked at him curiously, before gesturing toward the couch. They
took a seat, and Vincent began fidgeting nervously.
"Do you want a drink or something?" Alex asked him, picking up on his body
language. Years of being a doctor told her that he had something on his mind.
Something that was seriously bothering him.
Vincent couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him at her question. How
often had he asked Catherine that exact same question? Running a hand through
his hair, he shook his head at Alex. She continued to stare at him, openly
curious now.
"Alex….this time that we have spent together had been great. I'm so happy
that we have been able to…reconnect," Vincent started. Alex smiled.
"I feel the same way. Knowing that you are alive, that you didn't die all
those years ago, has been such a balm for me. I love that we found each other
again," Alex said, excitement permeating her words. Vincent looked down, a
feeling of guilt beginning to come over him.
"I want you to understand…something. I'm not who I was before. I can never be
the Vincent Keller that you fell in love with again. Too much has happened since
then. I'm just not…him anymore."
Alex reached for his hand. Her eyes showed confusion. "Vincent…I don't
understand. What are you trying to tell me, exactly?"
Vincent suddenly stood, and began pacing. This was harder than he thought it
was going to be. He didn't want to hurt Alex, but he had to make her understand…
"Nine years ago….I saved a girl from being murdered. I've watched over her
ever since. There was just…something that drew me toward her. Like a moth to a
flame. Several months ago, we met again…"
Alex visibly stiffened. He heard her heart speed up. Pushing on, he
continued…
"She…accepts me for all I am. She understands me, better than I sometimes
understand myself. She…completes me, in ways I never thought would ever be
possible for me."
"You….you love her?" Alex asked, her voice quiet.
Vincent looked her in the eye. "Yes, I love her. More than my own life. She
deserves so much more than me, but…"
"And…is she also in love with you?" Alex asked, tears starting to form.
"We've never really talked about our feelings, but…yes, I believe she does.
In fact, I'm sure she does."
"Do I know her?"
Vincent took a deep breath. "You treated her after a car accident. Recently."
Alex's breath caught. Recognition flared in her eyes. "You….you were the one
who pulled her from the car? You saved her. I knew she couldn't have gotten out
on her own. Not with her injuries," she muttered to herself.
"Yes, I pulled her out of the car. She was dying…." Vincent said, answering
her, even though she hadn't poised the question to him.
"Catherine Chandler…."
"Yes…"
Alex stood up, facing Vincent. "This is goodbye, isn't it?"
"Catherine told me to follow my heart. She….is my heart. Without her,
I wouldn't want to continue living," he said instead. Alex nodded, and sighed
deeply.
"Thank you, Vincent. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to see you
again. To know that you are okay. I wish you all the best in your future. You
and Catherine."
Vincent walked toward the door, feeling a huge weight lifted off of him.
Turning, he faced Alex for the last time. "Find love again, Alex. Find someone
worthy of you. You deserve that, and more."
Her voice was so soft, a normal man would have missed it. "I already have…"
"Goodbye, Alex," Vincent said softly, before opening the door and slipping
out. He heard her quiet sobs. Straightening his shoulders, he walked away from
his past….
And walked toward his future.
#-----------