Always and Forever

By ChicagoTunnelKid

Vincent sat at his table, trying to figure out a gift for Catherine to honor their anniversary. It wasn’t easy, given her wealth and ability to get whatever she wanted. He wanted something that would be meaningful, that could speak the words he could not. He sighed. Maybe Mouse would have something among his “treasures."

“Mouse?” Vincent announced himself before walking into Mouse’s chamber. He thought he heard some commotion, and eventually received an explanation as Mouse crawled out from under a precariously stacked mound of collectibles. Mouse’s collectibles were things that might one day prove useful. Some were nearly as old as he was, as their day had yet to come.

“Vincent! No Catherine?” Mouse was curious, because often Catherine accompanied Vincent when visiting Mouse. He liked Catherine.

“No Catherine.” Vincent knew Mouse was disappointed. “But I am here on an errand concerning Catherine. I need your help."

“Okay, good! What does Catherine need?"

“It’s coming up on our anniversary. I want something special for her, but I have no idea what that might be. I thought perhaps you might have something neat that would give me an idea, or could be used for a gift for Catherine."

Mouse sat on a stool to ponder his collection.

“How big?How small?” Mouse needed some parameters to start.

“Probably smaller, something she could keep with her if she wanted."

Mouse got up and went toward one of the tables in his chamber. It was strewn with this and that, jumbled together, and everything was heaped on top of other stuff. He stood gazing at the jumble. Vincent suspected it wasn’t jumbled for Mouse, but some type of organization was in play that wasn’t obvious to him.

“What about this?” Mouse held up a small flashlight.

Vincent shook his head. “Something more personal, from me to her.” He wondered if this was a fool’s errand, given that Mouse was unencumbered with a love and might not understand what women found romantic and meaningful.

“Something like crystal necklace we gave her?"

Vincent nodded and hid a smile. “Yes, something more like that."

Mouse reached his hand into the pile and pulled out something metal.

“Have metal pieces. Could make something."

“But what could you make?” Vincent thought this was at least a more interesting direction.

“Saw it at a jewelry store Up Top. Pretty things.Words on them. What words you want?"

“Could you draw it for me, Mouse? I don’t know what you saw."

Mouse rummaged around for a scrap of paper and a pencil. He drew a circle, then lettered “Vincent and Catherine” on the inside of the circle. He held the paper out to Vincent.

He looked at the drawing, and thought it had potential. But he didn’t want their names as it might cause a problem for Catherine if others saw it.

He wanted to let her know how he felt, how much he loved her, which was never so clear to him as when he had snatched her from death when that psychotic watcher had kidnapped her and tried to drown her. She came within seconds of being lost to him. He shuddered just thinking about that time.

What are the words when someone is everything to you? He drew a circle and then wrote the words, and then drew the outline of a heart in the middle.

He handed the paper to Mouse.

“Would you be able to make this, Mouse?"

Mouse studied the drawing. “Very small work.Lots of turns and twists.” He looked at Vincent.“Won’t be easy."

“But can you do it?"

“Mouse can.” Mouse stood straighter and prouder as he proclaimed his ability. “But when?"

“April 12th is our anniversary. That’s about three weeks from now. Is that enough time?"

“Necklace or wrist thing?"

“Bracelet?” Vincent clarified. Mouse nodded. “Necklace, I think. I will find a chain for you to use. You concentrate on the charm."

“Charm?” Mouse cocked his head.

“That’s what they call what hangs from the chain, I believe,” Vincent explained.

Mouse stood up and headed for the tunnel.

“Where are you headed, Mouse?"

“Must get tool.Very delicate, needs very small."

“You won’t steal any tools, Mouse, right?” Vincent cautioned. “I don’t want it if it’s made with something you stole."

“Nope. Cullen has tool. Borrow, not steal.” He grinned and took off.

Vincent hoped this idea would work for he had no Plan B. And he had no idea what he would owe Mouse for the job. Whatever it was, he would pay it, but he might not like it very much.

Mouse sometimes came up with strange requests in trade.

Just as in the past two years, Catherine had the balcony lit with candles, and also several candles lit within her apartment. He had almost gone inside last year when she’d had someone knock on her door and he had to leave. He thought perhaps he would go inside this year - she seemed to want that so much and it was easy enough to give her that.

He stood looking at the vision before him - Catherine lit by candlelight. She was so lovely, so beautiful, his heart nearly burst at the sight of her.

“Happy Anniversary, Vincent.” She smiled, taking in his appearance. Was that a new cape he wore? And his shirt seemed different, perhaps new, as well. And those boots she loved - her very own pirate! Such beauty, such handsomeness. She loved him so much.

“Happy Anniversary, Catherine.” He approached her and held out his hand. She took it and he led her over to her small table, and waited for her to sit. He sat and reached under his cape for his gift. He brought it out and laid it on the table.

“I wanted to give you something to honor the occasion.” He looked directly at her, as if peering into her soul. “I know you wish for words that are difficult for me, yet I want you to know what you mean to me.” He paused, suddenly struck by the fear that she would find his gift wanting in some way. Before he lost all his nerve, he offered it to her.

She opened the paper surrounding a small box then opened the box. Inside was a necklace nestled in paper. She took it out and laid the charm in her hand to examine it more closely. It looked as if something was written on a flattened silver ring, with the shape of an outlined heart attached in the middle inner space of the ring. She gasped as she realized what the words said: “Always and Forever."

She smiled through the tears in her eyes. “Vincent, it’s beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Where did you find it?"

“Mouse made it for me. It was my design."

“Oh, sweet Mouse. I will thank him next time we meet.” She sat clutching the necklace to her heart. “And thank you, Vincent. It is so special that you designed it and chose those words.You know, you seem hesitant to say certain words. But not saying them doesn’t mean they aren’t true. You tell me in countless ways, large and small, how you feel. You feel as I do - I love you, always and forever. That’s what this necklace means to me - it speaks for both of us."

Vincent’s heart soared. Maybe the words weren’t so limiting as he thought. Maybe she was right in that he told her in many ways how he truly felt, so why not use the words? He grasped her hand, and together they stood up from the table.

He drew her in closer, and ran his fingers lightly down the side of her face that held the last remaining scar from her assault. “You are so beautiful, Catherine. I am so lucky to have found you, to have found my life."

He gazed at her, deciding his real gift was this: “I love you, Catherine. Always and forever."