Beauty & The Beast (Book 1)

11. All In

(A/N: Season 1 Episode 3 - "All In")

Cat was running. It was her morning jog that she's been doing for ages, only today, she took a bit of a different route. The University grounds to be exact.
She was looking for JT and it was her third time that morning circling the quad. She slowed down when she saw the time and walked past the doors.

JT came out, talking to a student.

"Hey," she smiles at him.

He had been smiling but he stops when he sees her. He starts walking the other way. She keeps up. "Do you not have a job? What are you doing here?" JT looks around them.

"I know it's risky I just - I have no other way to reach him. I can't go to the warehouse, he doesn't have a phone, no email," she lists on her fingers.

"Yeah, no twitter either," JT quips. "You know why? Because he can't have any followers," he looks at her outfit. He knows she's been following him to get to Vincent. She sighs. "Everyone needs to think he's dead or he will be. For real."

"Just...We said that we'd be in touch and I haven't heard from him in like a week so - " She looks at JT.

He blinks. "He hasn't called? You know what they say, if you haven't heard from him in three days he's just not that into you. I'd move on - "

"JT - "

"Do you not understand what's going on here?" JT stops walking and turns to face Cat. "He is a genetically altered killing machine," he says and lowers his voice.

"That is why I am here. You're not the only one who worries about him okay?" She shrugs. "I haven't heard from him I just wanted to make sure that he's okay."

JT looks at her for a moment. She did seem worried. He sighs. "He's fine."

"Okay," she lets out a breath, smiling.

He waits for her to leave, she doesn't.
"Why are you still standing here?" he asks. She eyes his jacket pocket and then takes out the small notebook and pen he carries with him, invading his space. She scribbles something then gives his pen and notebook back.

"Can you just give this to him?" she asks hopefully.

JT reads the note. "'Hi, how are you?' You'd risk this for 'how are you'?" She lifts her shoulders, already starting to jog away. He watches her go, shaking his head in irriration. "Just sign all of our death certificates," he mumbles as he walks the way he was supposed to be going before Cat interrupted. "How are you?"

********************

Feeling good about herself, Cat is still pretty upbeat when she gets home to change for work. She stops to get a bottle of water first at the fridge, but said item is already being used.
A young man is leaning against the open door, drinking straight from her milk carton, in nothing but his boxers. She stares at him, looking around for a camera or something proving it's a prank.

Heather comes trippling out, wrapped in her bedsheet. "Maybe I should be the one in the kitchen - "

"Heather," Cat looks at her. She realizes what is going on and turns. "And you are not Brian..."

"Josh."

"Josh? Josh," she turns to Heather again.

"Great digs," Josh nods at Cat. Heather just sheepishly giggles. Josh picks up how awkward it is and puts the milk back, closing the door. "Uh, yeah..." He walks past Cat and as he passes Heather, he slaps her bum and she giggles.

"What are you doing home?" Heather asks, clutching the sheet.

"Uh," Cat laughs. "We are low on the assignment rotation so I thought I'd get a workout in, which," Cat points at Heather's closed bedroom door down the hall, "you clearly did."