Beauty & The Beast (Book 1)

44. Alex

Vincent barges into the loft, jacket hood up and tiredly sighing.

"Hey," JT says, concentrating on some paperwork, clicking his pen. "So, I've been thinking, maybe you're mutating DNA could be another evolutionary step...Like a new manimal ability breaking through." He is on his feet, still looking at the paperwork. "Anything physical changing?"

"I don't know man, I guess," Vincent throws his jacket onto the bed. "My eyes have been playing up on me."

"Probably just allergies, but who knows, we can't predict how you're evolve. Maybe you'll change genders like a clownfish." JT starts laughing at his own joke. When Vincent doesn't say anything, JT looks at him, still laughing. "That was a joke."

Vincent frowns at him, a faroff look in his eyes, then he chuckles. "Yeah."

"What?" JT frowns. Vincent looks extra dazed.

"I saw Alex today."

JT gapes at him. "Alex S-Salter?" he stammers.

"Yeah, I didn't talk to her, I just...I ran...You know, like I did ten years ago," Vincent scoffs.

"You have to stop beating yourself up man," JT shakes his head.

"I never got to say goodbye and - " Vincent looks out the window. "Never even reached out when I got back..."

"And you had damn good reason. Muirfield was hunting you. If they'd found you anywhere near her they'd - "

"You're right, you're right," Vincent stops his speech. "I never wanted her involved in any of this."

JT eyes him, then grins after a few minutes. "The return of reason?" he checks. Vincent nods. "My favorite part." He starts putting his books and papers into his bookbag. "I was actually on my way to campus to get some of my own. Sarah's an Earth Sciences professor, emphasis in Evolution," he grins at his brilliant new plan.

"Sarah?" Vincent smirks, crossing his arms.

"Thought I might hit her up with some veiled mutation questions."

"Good for you," Vincent nods proudly. "And just remember to make sure uh, I'm not turning into a female clown fish, okay?" Vincent's phone starts vibrating in his pocket.

JT chortles before he grabs his bag and leaves. Vincent takes out his phone and reads the message from Catherine: 'Don't come back to the hospital. Not safe.'

**********

"You should have seen Evan, he was like ripping his clothes off and I was all Meredith Grey, like holding a bloody compress for him..." Heather was babbling in Cat's ear the whole way down the hall, helping her to 'exercise'.

"Thanks for all the details," Cat says before she winces and frowns. "Wait, am I holding you up or are you holding me up?" She looks at Heather, who still looks a little tipsy. They must look comical, waddling from side to side.

"I am so sorry," Heather breathes close to her face.

"Or hungover," Cat chuckles.

"Can I just run to the pharmacy really quickly? A coffee plus aspirin and I'm good to go, I promise, I'll be right back."

"You go," Cat waves her off. "I'll just be...right here...I'll be holding this wall up." Cat laughs at her drunk sister and looks at the floor, then hitches her shoulder, grimacing.

She lifts her head again, opening her eyes, only to see Vincent barreling down the hallway, his face completely exposed. He takes her by the arm and ushers her into the room she's standing against. He pulls his hood down, staring at her like he's waiting.