Catherine awoke before Matt and got out of bed slowly, so as not to wake him. She looked at his tear-stained cheeks and wished that she could help him.

She went into the kitchen and began to get stuff out to make breakfast when there was a knock on the door. "Come in," she called.

Carlos stepped in. "You said you'd explain everything."

Catherine sighed. "Sit down." She told him the entire occurrences of the previous night.

"That's some heavy stuff," Carlos said, trying to read his cousin's expression.

"I just don't know how to help him," Catherine moaned. "There's nothing I can say, nothing I can do, to convince him that Josh is innocent."

"Honestly? Just be there for him. That's the best thing that you can do now," Carlos advised. "I'm going to go and let you to be. Call me if anything happens."

"Alright. Thanks, Carlos," Catherine smiled, kissing her cousin on the cheek.

Carlos left and Catherine went back to cooking. Not liking the silence, she began to sing softly, "Think of me. Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye..."

Once she finished and set the food aside, she went back into the bedroom. She gently put a hand on Matt's arm and kissed his cheek.

Matt moaned and slowly opened one eye. "How long was I out?"

"All night," Catherine smiled. "I made breakfast. Come on."

Matt sat up with a wince, putting a hand to his head, his eyes red and raw from crying. "You didn't have to. I should have made it-"

Catherine sat down on the bed next to him and held his other hand. "It's alright. I was awake and I wanted to. How do you feel?"

"I feel like I got hit with a bus," Matt said honestly.

"Do you want to sleep a bit longer?"

"No," Matt said, resting a hand gently on her wrist, "It's better I'm awake. No nightmares."

"Alright," Catherine smiled. "You hungry?"

Matt petted her wrist gently before giving a severe frown. "What happened?"

"I bashed it into the refrigerator door," she lied. "Carlos says that I shouldn't be allowed in a kitchen. There have been too many accidents."

"I'll get you some ice then," Matt nodded.

Catherine laughed. "It's fine. I promise."

Matt planted a kiss to her cheek and removed the blankets. He gave a small laugh. "I haven't slept in everyday clothes since I met Mel." He stretched his arms and groaned as his shoulder gave a loud pop. "A night on a park bench wasn't the most ideal sleeping situation I ever had in my life."

"A park bench?" Catherine smirked.

"We met in South park," Matt smiled sadly. "Haven't I told you about this before?"

Catherine shook her head. "Tell me over breakfast."

"Alright." Matt entered the kitchen and the wonderful smell of well prepared food enveloped him. "Cath, really this is too much for me. I don't deserve any of this."

"Yes, you do," Catherine smiled. "You deserve the world, but unfortunately, that wasn't quite possible to accomplish this morning. Maybe tomorrow."

"I-I love you," Matt stammered with a laugh.

"I love you too," Catherine replied, kissing Matt's cheek.

"Right then," he said, rubbing his hands together. "What now?"

"We eat," Catherine laughed. "Plates are in the cupboard."

"Right," Matt nodded, pulling them down. He gave a sad shake of his head. "I don't know where to start...I can't believe we've never talked about this before."

Catherine shrugged. "Start from the beginning."

"Well, I was never too social. Popular yes, social no. So, I had been reading and she asked if she could sit next to me. I wasn't in the mood to argue, so I said yes."

"Sounds like you," Cath laughed, popping something chocolate into her mouth. "Go on."

"Well, I finally worked up the courage to ask her what her name was." Matt shook his head with a chuckle as he sat down. "She said I didn't really need to know unless we were regularizing our connection. And that's when I just kinda knew. I finally looked up at her, and- well, she was eighteen, reckless and unprepared. She started interrogating me on my books and my job, raindrops clinging to auburn hair...I think there are moments that define us, moments that change us. When we ran into each other at the theater later that day, it seemed like fate. They took down the bench last summer. It's gone. Of course, now she's gone too and I can't seem to really get over that either."

Catherine put a hand on his shoulder. "She sounds like she was a great person."

Matt looked at her fondly. "She would have loved you."

"Doesn't everybody?" Cath joked with a laugh.

"All I want in life is some answers," Matt sighed. "Just some explanations so I can move on."

"They'll find the person behind her accident," Catherine said, putting a reassuring hand on his. "I'm sure of it....Moving to a happier topic, what should we do today? I was thinking we could go for a walk by the Seine after."

"Maybe at night," Matt suggested, cringing at the thought of so many security officers.

"Or we could just skip the walk, have dinner here, and watch a movie. How does that sound?"

"No," Matt smiled, taking a bite of food. "I want to taste the air, get away from anything that can remind me of...him."

"And on that note," Catherine laughed, getting up to put her plate in the sink. She quickly grabbed a pen and scribbled something on a piece of paper.

"What are you up to?" Matt asked with interest.

"Hold on," Catherine muttered as a small smile crept onto her lips.

"Alright," Matt chuckled, shaking his head.

The things she got up to sometimes...

"Done," she said finally, wiping her brow. She handed Matt the paper. "What do you think?" She asked eagerly.

"Have I mentioned how much I love you?" Matt smiled softly, tackling her into a hug.

"You like it?" Catherine asked with a smile. "I know I'm not much of poet."

"It's from you," Matt gaped. "I'll cherish it for the rest of forever."

Catherine kissed him gently. "I love you so much. I don't think I've told you that enough."

Cath's phone buzzed fervently.

"Josh isn't answering his phone." Mari texted.

"Uh oh," Catherine frowned, reading the message.

"Hm?" Matt hummed

Cath thought it best not to tell Matt about Josh. He would just use it as more "evidence" that he was behind Mel's death. "It's nothing," she lied. "Just a little girl problem. That's all."

"Oh," Matt shrugged.

"Please," Mariah typed, "What if he's dead? What if he hates me?"

Catherine texted back, "What do you need me to do?"

"I don't know. Help?"

Catherine sighed and called Mari. "Have you called the airline?"

"No," she said slowly.

Catherine made a face. "Do you ever use your head?"

Mari gritted her teeth. "When's the last time you used yours?"

"If you were here, I would have slapped you for that. Do you want my help or not?" Cath asked, growing agitated. "If you do, you might want to watch what you say."

Mari hung up, her eyes brimming with tears. Josh had been right. Everything he said about not being wanted, about things being different-

And now he was gone.

"Josh?" She texted him again, "Josh, please answer. I need you."

—————

"My god, she's annoying," Catherine sighed. "I love her to death, but ugh."

"Who?"

"Mariah. She texted me in a panic because...somebody isn't answering her and she's worried."

Matt frowned. "Did they give notice of a prior engagement? Do they usually answer on time?"

Cath sighed. Against her better judgment, she said, "It's Josh."

"Oh."

"Just forget about it. I'm sure it's nothing," Cath said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Hm."

"Matt, what's wrong?" Catherine asked worriedly.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Matt shrugged.

"You sure?"

"I won't lie," Matt laughed, "I could die for a milkshake."

"With breakfast? You really are the one for me," Catherine laughed. "I'll make some now."

Matt gently pushed her back into her chair. "You made me this beautiful breakfast. It's my turn."

Catherine sighed. "You can barely scramble eggs. Let me help you at least. Please...at least let me stand next to you to make sure you don't hurt yourself."

"I can cook!" Matt laughed.

"Sure you can, Sweetie," Catherine smirked, patting him on the back and moving to get the blender out of the cupboard. She set it on the counter and cringed slightly.

"What's wrong?" Matt asked urgently.

"Nothing. It's um...it's stupid, really," Catherine laughed.

"Nothing you can say will ever be stupid," Matt chided. "What's up?"

"When I was five, I nearly got my finger cut off by one of these things. Didn't go near one again until I was eleven," Catherine smiled. "Carlos says it's a wonder I'm still alive after everything that's happened to me."

"You bring a whole new meaning to accident prone," Matt chuckled.

Catherine laughed. "You're telling me! You weren't there when I burnt my hand on the stove. Five shades of purple."

"Josh nearly fell off the roof once," Matt said softly.

"How did that happen?" Catherine snorted.

"Honestly," Matt shrugged feeling a bit of guilt, "I don't even remember."

"I know you miss him," Cath said, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind. "I hope that I can help ease any pain you're feeling once I move in...You think that you'll be able to adjust to living with a girl?"

"It'll be nice to have a full fridge for once,"Matt laughed.

Cath nodded. "How are the milkshakes coming?"

"You like sprinkles?"

"Of course."

"Peanut butter?"

"In a chocolate milkshake? Is that even a question? Heck, yeah," Catherine laughed.

"We're soulmates," Matt grinned.

"You're just noticing?" Catherine chuckled. She cinched her arms tighter around him. "I love you. I have no idea what I'd do without you. I'd be a lot worse off, I can tell you that."

"Let's not even talk about that," Matt shivered.

What if he had to leave two behind?

How could he support them without insurance after his death?

"Forget it, Matt," he scolded himself. "Don't even think about it."

"Matt," Cath said slowly, "if you ever hurt me, would you want to know? I mean, I'm not saying that you have or ever would, but if you did, would you want to know?"

"Yes," Matt nodded, "so I could fix it."

Cath nodded. "I didn't really bash my wrist into the fridge door...Remember how you grabbed my wrist last night?"

Matt stared blankly. "No."

"Yeah, you did," Catherine frowned. She added quickly, "It wasn't very hard, I just...am weak. That's all. I'm okay. See?"

"No, I couldn't have, I wouldn't," Matt said in a hoarse voice.

"You weren't thinking straight," Catherine justified.

"I need some air," Matt said softly.

"Do you want to go out on the terrace?"

"No," Matt said, "I just need some time. To think."

"What are you saying?" Catherine asked, tensing up.

"I'm gonna go for a walk home and get some stuff," Matt sighed heavily. "I'll be back by dinner."

"Alright. Be careful, okay? I don't want anything to happen to you," Cath sighed.

"I love you."

"I love you too," Catherine smiled, kissing Matt gently. "More than anything."

Author's Note: To read the poem Catherine wrote for Matt, see my book Poems under A Message For My Angel.