Catherine sat close to Vincent, far below ground in the catacombs, where shafts of dancing light fell on the jagged rocks. The distant rainbow added a kaleidoscope of colour and only the gentle flowing water broke the tranquil silence of the stream, weaving its way to underground pools.

This special place had come to mean everything to them, since that terrible night when their paths had crossed over a year ago. If offered them what they most desired - the chance to enjoy time alone together, and rare moments away from the perils and urgency of the time they shared. It seemed enchanted; a magical place, a place of safety.

"What are you thinking, Catherine?"

"How lucky we are that our paths crossed that night."

"Yes. It's brought me great joy. I never believed it possible."

"I used to come here as as child. It's always been a magical place to me, a place that accepted me without question."

Catherine smiled lovingly at Vincent. But then a sadness crept across her face. It was just for a moment, but Vincent had sensed it, and put his head to one side, as if to ask why.

"I wish I didn't live in two worlds, Vincent."

"I know," he said gently.

"You don't know, how can you? You have only ever known the one, but I'm torn between both."

He turned his body to face her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I truly know how you feel."

His hand sent the shudder through her body that she experienced every time Vincent held her closely or touched her. She pulled away, not wanting him to sense her heartache and longing. Vincent put his protecting arm around her as she snuggled close to him. There was no need for words.

"I'm sorry. It's because I love you so much, forgive me, Vincent .."

He sighed. "Catherine, there's nothing I would like more, but you know it's impossible. These are rules we must abide by."

"Whose rules do we live by, Vincent? Those of the world Above, or those of our hearts? The choice is ours, we must listen to our hearts. You taught me that, Vincent."

"It's not impossible, Catherine. This is our destiny. We must endure the pain, and savour every moment of the joy."

"Now Catherine, it's time for you to leave, I'll guide you out."

"Why must I go?"

"Because of what I am feeling."

"No, Vincent."

"You must."

Tears sprang to her eyes, spilling over, and ran down her face. He held out his hand to her, and together they walked in silence to the world Above. At that now familiar place, by the end of the tunnel, Catherine and Vincent held each other close, as if never to pull apart. Each felt the other's pain.

"I wish I didn't have to leave you here."

"I wish I didn't have to return to Below"

"I need you so much."

They stared longingly at one another.

"'Til tomorrow Catherine. Be well."

"And you, Vincent."

Back in his chamber, all the hate and loathing he felt for himself, over spilt to anger. He crashed around, knocking chairs and candles over. Voices of past conversations echoed around his head. Beads of perspiration lined his brow, growling filled the air.

Father entered the chamber, carrying books. He leaned heavily on his carved walking stick.

"Which shall we use today, for the children's reading? Are you all right, Vincent?"

"Yes, Father."

"You look awful."

"Don't worry yourself about me, Father."

"How can I help not worrying? If you are troubled, so am I. Tell me, what is it?"

Vincent smiled sadly.

"As if I had to ask..."

"If only I was as other men, Father, I could be with her. We could have a life together. But this is denied us, and it gives us great pain and sadness. The burden we bear threatens everything."

"Vincent, the pain you feel now, will pass, as you both learn to accept..."

"Words Father, empty words."

He stormed out, crashing into the tunnel walls as he disappeared from view. Father was left yet again, with a feeling of complete helplessness.

Catherine sadly climbed the steps from Below, and closed the cellar door. She quickly made her way to the lift, so as to avoid the people in her building seeing her tear stained face. The lift quickly climbed the 18 floors to her apartment.

For the last three years this had been her home, a haven, a place to return to after her work day ended. She unlocked the door and entered, relieved to be back within its safe walls. She needed to collect her thoughts, to try to work out what both of them could do. The situation was becoming more and more hopeless each day. Why was life so unfair?

She showered and dressed for bed, in a flimsy, expensive white and pink lace nightgown. It was one of the many luxury items that being wealthy allowed. But this problem wouldn't be measured in money. This was a problem of the heart; no money on earth could buy her what her heart so desperately wanted.

Sleep didn't come easily. She tossed and turned, dreaming hopeless dreams. She woke in tears. Pulling back on the bedclothes, she climbed out of bed and wiped away the tears with her hands. Catherine made her way toward the balcony. The doors were already slightly open; the air was heavy with blossom from the trees below in the park. Only a breath of wind disturbed the net curtains.

The skyscrapers lit up the sky before her, their familiar shapes silhouetted against the night sky. They always gave her hope, but not tonight. Again the tears rolled down her cheeks. She sobbed and whispered:

"Vincent."

"I'm here ... I felt your sadness."

She turned and felt his reassuring arms. How safe she fell against Vincent's magnificent and powerful body!

"Why dd you come? You know what I'm feeling, what I'm thinking and longing for. My heart is so sad, yet you came, why?"

She put her arms around his neck and whispered:

"What are we going to do?"

Vincent look Catherine's face between his strong hands. He stared lovingly at her as he slowly brought his head down close to hers, placing a kiss on her hair. Catherine, taken by surprise at this sudden show of emotion, looked up at Vincent. Tenderly he kissed her cheek; his grip tightened around her. Catherine could feel his warm breath on her face; emotion welled up inside her as she put her arms tighter around his neck.

Their lips met, very lightly, melting away the barriers of Ionging that until now had kept them apart. After what seemed an eternity, they pulled apart and looked into each other's eyes, both shaken by this turn of events.

"Come inside, Vincent, please." Cathy turned and entered the doorway, with her arms held out for Vincent to follow. "Please, just for a moment."

Vincent entered cautiously, but once inside, he saw a vision of loveliness beckoning him, inviting him...

Suddenly they were locked in each other's arms. There was no turning back.

The early morning light case shadows across the room; gently the light caught Catherine's face. She stirred, turned over and smiled dreamily. But she realised she was not alone.

Pulling herself up on one arm, she looked down at this huge handsome stranger lying beside her. Who was he?

He stirred and rolled over. Their faces came close as his eyes opened. In that unmistakably gentle voice, he whispered:

"Catherine."

"Oh my God, what have I done?"

"What is it? Tell me, please."

Catherine couldn't find the words, yet Vincent sensed her fear. He put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her ... it was then that he saw his hand. He stared at it in disbelief, then the other hand. Next he felt his face. Utter wonder crossed his face.

"How can this be?"

'Oh no Vincent, forgive me, I am to blame, I should never..."

"I've always dreamt that one day this would be possible; but it was only ever a dream. Something to hold on to, to see me through each day; it gave me hope. I wanted you to accept me. I wanted to give you everything, yet was unable to fulfill even your slightest wish. That caused me the greatest pain of all. I always dreaded you finding someone else to share your life with. But now, don't you see, I'm free of all that.

We can truly be together - always."

"Oh Vincent, I didn't want you to change. I never hoped you would. Never once did I ever want you to be different. I love you for yourself alone, you must believe that. I am so sorry this has happened, Vincent. If you stay like you are now you won't fit in Below, or Above in my world. Don't you see, we have got to get what happened to you reversed. To me, you are everything. I will love only you, 'til the day I die."

Catherine got out of bed and started to put in motion the wheels that set the pattern for the day that lay ahead. First, she rang the office and told them she wouldn't be in that day, as she was feeling a bit off colour; maybe someone could call by with a few documents, she could then work on at home. That task done, she got ready and descended Below, into Vincent's world. Tapping a message on the pipes to Father, she toId him that Vincent was well but wouldn't be returning Below until later.

When Catherine returned to the apartment, she found Vincent staring at himself in the mirror. He studied his face with a look of wonder; the unexpected texture of his skin, the fineness of his hair.

Closing the door she removed her coat, throwing it down as she rushed up to Vincent. He embraced her and stroked her hair.

"I'll have a shower and change, then we'll go and see Narcissa, Vincent."

"Catherine, before we go, are you really sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Aren't you, Vincent?"

"You know I'm sure."

They smiled, they kissed and Cathy ran from the room into the bathroom and closed the door. Vincent could hear the shower, as he settled down to listen to the music which now filled the apartment. A contented smile crossed his face.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Vincent didn't know what to do. He went out on the balcony, but the knocking continued. Catherine couldn't hear it or answer it, so Vincent strode over to the door and opened it. He looked down at a man, holding papers in his hand. He had a very surprised look on his face.

"Hi. I'm Joe - Cathy's boss. She wanted someone to drop these papers by and as I was in the neighbourhood..."

Vincent held out his hand for them.

"Thank you."

Vincent took them from him and Joe realised what a fine figure of a man Cathy's friend was. Radcliffe had certainly kept this hunk quiet. Wait 'til he saw her next, he'd would enjoy teasing her over this.

Just then, Catherine came out of the shower humming a tune, wrapped only in a small, pale blue towel and looking very sweet. She saw Vincent at the open door and peeked from behind him at who was there.

"Hi, Joe."

"Hi, Cathy. How you doing?"

Joe, feeling very uncomfortable at this unaccustomed domestic scene, shuffled away and muttered something about seeing her tomorrow at the office.

Closing the door, a playful look on his face now, head to one side, "So that's Joe. I didn't realise I had a rival."

"Don't be silly, Vincent," she leased back and was gone.

Narcissa was asleep in her darkened chamber as Catherine and Vincent approached. The candles alight at one end of the far wall lit up shelves of potions and precious powders, that formed an all important part of her life. She had lived Below since her birth, over 70 years ago. She had led a lonely life below because of her near blindness and became both friend and confidante to Father. When he came Below to live 35 years ago, he had left the world he loved and his work; his home; his wife. He was devastated and came Below to heal. Slowly, his life took on a new meaning and he began to live again. Narcissa helped him through this dark period in his life and anyone else who needed her wisdom and help knew she was always there, just like Vincent and Catherine, now.

"Narcissa," called Catherine softly.

"Oh, you gave me a fright child, are you alone? Where's Vincent?"

"I'm here, Narcissa."

Vincent leaned nearer to her so she could see him clearly.

"Ok! Am I dreaming? I know the voice but not the face."

Catherine put a hand on her arm and bent towards her.

"We need your help, Vincent needs your wisdom, now, more than ever."

"What can a silly old woman do to help you this time?"

Catherine's voice was unsteady with emotion.

"Can what's happened to Vincent be ... reversed, can he go back to what he was?"

"Vincent, is this one of your jokes? You always liked your jokes as a boy, I remember ..."

"This is no joke. We truly need your help."

Vincent held out his arms to Catherine and lovingly held her close, as Narcissa pondered what to do.

Catherine and Vincent now sat closely together, his hand held hers as they watched Narcissa, mixing potions and muttering to herself. The aroma of different powders heating up in dishes and tubes, drifted across the chamber, making Catherine's head spin. After what seemed an eternally, Narcissa came towards them with a small arbour of black dust in a glass bottle.

"Take this child, mix it with water and see your Vincent drinks it. You will need to be strong - this will give your Vincent a heavy fever, he will go to hell and back before this night is out. Be warned."

"I'll do whatever I takes. Thank you."

"Go now, child. Waste no time."

So together they left her chamber and the sweet smelling potions lingered behind them as they made their way back to Vincent's chamber. Along ill lit tunnels and the noise of tappings on the pipes, they made a handsome couple as they walked along, hand in hand. She, so pretty in her red coat and blonde hair; he so tall and broad with handsome looks and flashing smile.

Vincent's large bed creaked as his weight bore down on it. He settled himself among the many cushions and pillows. His fine features made Catherine feel uneasy. She added water to the effervescent potion which crackled and thickened as she stirred it. She walked across to him.

"Drink this, Vincent."

He held her hand. "Catherine, you really sure? It's not too late."

She put her fingers on his lips. "Sssh ..."

He took the glass to his lips and swallowed the foul tasting liquid. Their eyes met. Catherine held Vincent's large hands in hers and he soon fell into a deep and troubled sleep. She felt each of his pains too, as his body twisted, and moaned as his body suffered. Sweat came and went on his face; his Iong hair was dripping wet from the fever which enveloped km. Now his growling became so loud as to disturb Father, who dashed over to the chamber, worried by the sounds.

"Isn't it a little late for you to be here still, Catherine?"

"Vincent wasn't feeling to well. I said I'd stay with him so as not to disturb you,

"You should have called me, could have given him something. What's wrong?"

"Oh, he'll be fine. He just needs to rest."

"Very well, but tell me if you need me."

"Don't worry, I will.

Vincent's bouts of pain finally subsided after many hours. The fever now broken, troubled sleep gave way to restless sleep. Eventually, peaceful sleep.

Catherine awoke with a start. She looked around her in bewilderment at the unfamiliar surroundings. Vincent had disturbed her. He was waking, tossing and turning. He broke the chains that had bound him to the fever which had claimed his body for so lone.

"Catherine. Catherine."

She covered his hands with hers.

"I'm here."

She looked down. The hands she clasped were furry, with claws. She glanced at his face. Oh! That heavenly face had been returned to her. Vincent opened his blue eyes.

"Catherine."

"It's alright, Vincent, I'm here. It has worked, thank God, it has worked."

Vincent eased himself upon one arm and Catherine moved even closer to him -both looked into each other's eyes. Vincent held out his arms to her and she hugged him, snuggling up close.

"Oh Vincent, I thought I'd never see that heavenly face of yours again.

"I have never been so afraid as I was last night; it was an awful pain we bore."

"I know."

Catherine pulled away from him to look up into his face; that face she loved so much and thought was lost forever.

"I love you so much, Vincent."

He lowered his head to kiss away all the pain and heartache. Now there was HOPE - the promise of a perfect life was theirs.

Both were unaware of Father's presence in the doorway; nodding in approval with a smile on his Iips. He silently turned and left them alone.