“Some girls will…la la la, some girls won’t…la la la…some girls need a lot of lovin’ and some girls don’t…la la la….I know I’ve got the fever and I know why…but when Vincent says no…I just wanna cry…” Whizzing round the apartment with duster in hand, Catherine sang along and made up her own lyrics to the song blasting from the stereo as she worked. She smiled as she changed the tune with words of her own, “Some guys will…some guys won’t…some guys need a lot of coaxing and some guys don’t, and if he thinks he’s safe then he’ll soon find he’s not ‘cos one day soon I’ll have the lot.”

Flopping down onto one of her sofas, Catherine’s collapsed in a heap of giggles. She was in a playful mood. Joe had given her four whole days off and she planned to recuperate from an endless stream of depositions she had undertaken over the past two weeks, by spring cleaning her apartment first and then heading for the tunnels for the rest of her time off.

Last night when she had mentioned this to Vincent, she had met with a solid wall of uncertainty about the whole idea. Four days in Catherine’s undivided company, was a little more than Vincent could tolerate, yet how could he refuse her when she had been so obviously ecstatic about the idea? Catherine knew his misgivings but she felt that they had toyed around with one another and side stepped a major issue for far too long. She wanted to be with him, enjoyed being with him, missed him during the time they were forced to be apart, and with having so little time to actually spend together, these next four days could be savoured and enjoyed at a leisurely pace but at a leisurely pace together.

Her eyes bright with happiness Catherine imagined what they might do during her stay below. Read together, that would be at the top of the list of course. Maybe they’d take in a concert, the thought of that brought about a flush of delight to Catherine’s skin. She had always enjoyed sharing a concert with Vincent. Tucked in their special place beneath the bandstand of the park, sometimes it had seemed that there was only the two of them together in the whole wide world.

‘Mmm’ Catherine murmured as that delicious thought presented itself. ‘the only two people in the whole wide world…the only two people upon whom rested the future of the next generation and generations to come…mmm…interesting.’ Yet even so, Catherine knew the realisation of that dream in any concept was highly unlikely.

No for now, she would settle upon more time with Vincent. More time wrapped in the folds of his cloak, near to him, close to him, held tight in his embrace. Yes she would settle for those things, for those things made her feel like the most treasured and best loved woman in the world.

With the tune still playing in her mind Catherine hummed as she dreamed, her mind altering the lyrics as she went.

‘Some men don’t some men do, some cats need a lot of petting and some cats don’t…’

It saddened her in many ways that Vincent looked catlike, in others it thrilled her. His differences kept them apart in ways that meant he was unable to walk freely in her world, yet they were such an intricate and special part of him that Catherine knew she wanted him no other way. He was her cat man and she adored him.

She smiled, imagining what he would say if she told him these things, imagining his answer would come swiftly, Vincent did not like any reference made to his other self as he put it.

Shame. His other self was very appealing, and Catherine could just imagine stroking that glossy coat…’Stop it Chandler!’ Catherine brought herself up sharp, and with a sigh stood to resume her cleaning. Still as she worked she sang, and she dreamed and she sang some more.

‘Cat man do, ooooo, Cat man won’t… Cat man do and I’ll…” Catherine stopped abruptly, her face breaking into a full-fledged grin before she collapsed into another heap of the giggles.

“Ha ha! Kathmandu! Kath man do? Yeah, right, Kath's man should do!' Catherine laughed out loud. It was so silly, meant nothing, but just like those expressions as ‘cat got your tongue’ that she had wanted to say to Vincent on occasions and had almost bitten off her tongue to stop herself in the nick of time, this expression left her quite breathless with laughter. Almost the same as the day when Jenny told her about going to a fashion show and spoke of the cat walk.
Catherine had immediately thought of Vincent’s long strides as he walked in front of her, the way his slim hips moved, the sway of his adorable backside…

‘Chandler! Pull yourself together.’ Another sharp reminder had Catherine working hard again and finally the apartment shone like a new pin and all there was left to do was take her previously packed suitcase down to the threshold and then…

Catherine smiled, imagining the next four days, imagining what they might do together…it was a lovely dream that Catherine dwelled inside.

A bit later found Catherine swinging down her heavy bag as she stepped carefully from rung to rung of the ladder leading down from the threshold into Vincent’s world, and she delighted in the expected touch of Vincent’s large hands on either side of her waist helping her down…

She paused breathless, before turning to face him, savouring the joy of feasting her eyes on his unique face once again…was it only a few short hours ago that they’d said goodnight? It seemed a lifetime ago.

Catherine turned, and even though she expected it, she could not prevent a gasp from escaping as her eyes met the stunning blue of his. They welcomed her, despite his misgivings, they welcomed her to his world and Catherine felt that she had come home as his arms enclosed her firmly against him.

For long moments they stood just so, and Catherine imagined all sorts of things, all sorts of wild and wonderful things and remembered her earlier dreams with a slight grin that Vincent felt through their connection.

He drew her away from him to look down into her eyes, caught upon her mood, knowing that she had been happy all day, in fact so much so that the sunshine of her happiness had brightened his own day.

“Tell me?” He wanted to know.

Yet she could tell him nothing. Those dreams and secrets were hers to keep until such a day when she could share them, until then she would keep them locked tightly away, where she could feast on them from time to time.

When she did not reply, Vincent knew not to press her further, instead he looked down wryly at her bulging suitcase, wondering if she had brought enough clothes for a month rather than just four days. Catherine followed his gaze and grinned.

“You said I might find it cold…I brought my thickest sweaters…”

Arh that would account for it Vincent mused. “I have no idea what we will find to do over the next four days Catherine, I hope that you do not regret your decision to spend all of your time off below with us. You might find it boring.”

“No I don’t think so Vincent. I am looking forward to it. I’ve got it all planned.”

Afraid to ask what they consisted of, Vincent endeavoured to change the subject “But first you need to rest, you are tired I can feel that in you. Tomorrow will come soon enough and you can begin your plans then. Come the guest chamber is all ready for you.”

As they walked side by side toward the home chambers Catherine cast sideways glances up at Vincent, feeling light-hearted and coddled with one of his arms around her shoulders as the other carried her case. And she sang, or rather she hummed a tune as they walked along happy just at being together and she chuckled as she wondered what he’d say if he knew what it was she was thinking as she sang quietly to herself;
‘Some guys will…some guys won’t…some guys may take forever…but some guys don’t…I know I’ve got the fever and I know why, Cath man do please, don’t be shy…”