Vincent sat quietly under his favorite tree in the park looking up into the cool night sky. The stars twinkled brightly warming his heart in spite of the chill of this cool February night. Jacob wiggled impatiently and Vincent looked down at the heavily bundled infant and thanked whatever gods may be for the miracle he had been given to protect and to nurture. He wrapped the child more tightly in his own cape and held him closer to his chest. The contact was more to fill the aching void in his own soul than for the child's warmth.

Once Jacob quieted, Vincent looked up into the now empty branches of the big tree. He remembered Catherine telling him about her adventure after her stay in the tunnels and it had become his connection to her in some way. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard the words, Don't worry, I won't fall and again his heart shattered. This particular tree on this particular night! He mentally kicked himself for coming here. His heartache was bad enough, why this added torture?

He breathed deeply, forcing himself to get on with why he had made this foolhardy journey. Reaching inside his vest just above Jacob's head, his hand closed around the pouch he wore over his heart. For a moment, he fumbled nervously as he tried to open the much worn handmade container. Soon he found the objects of his search and brought them out into the dim moonlight. The rose and the crystal, together for always.

A tear rolled down his cheek as he said softly, tightly . Yes Catherine, together for always. His fist around them as the stream of tears increased it's flow. Then he repeated the vow he had made every night since his precious Catherine had been taken from him. I'm waiting Catherine. I'l1 be right here waiting for you.

Moments passed before he could calm the storm of pain and despair raging inside him. Memories of past Valentine's Days flooded his mind and filled his heart. All the years before Catherine, he paid no heed to this special time for lovers. To such as he it was just another empty night spent in dreams of what could never be.

But after Catherine, what a difference! He remembered with a smile that first Valentine's night he crept shyly onto her balcony with a rose in his hand and fear in his heart. She had greeted him with that warm smile of hers and thanked him so sweetly. As fog lifts in the sunlight, he felt the veil of fear lift from his heart. For the first time, he dared to believe in what could be. He stayed until dawn reading to her and just talking. When dawn came, he left feeling giddy with joy.

That second year, he had returned with yet another rose and she greeted him this time with a fierce embrace that expressed the longing they both felt. To this day, he could remember her warmth and scent as he encircled her in his arms and prayed that it would never end. Again that night he stayed till dawn reading from Byron but the words were somehow more meaningful and more poignant now that they had discovered and accepted the love they felt for each other. When he started to go, she embraced him one more time and planted a light kiss on his cheek. He stumbled awkwardly away embarrassed but yet thrilled beyond belief.

He touched his cheek now and could almost feel the whisper softness of her lips as they touched him so gently, so briefly. Returning to his chamber that night, he was much more than giddy. His dreams on that special night went far beyond reading Byron.

Also that night, he began to look into their future and hope. He made a promise to himself that next year they would experience an entirely different kind of Valentine's Day.

There would be no more awkward stumbling away. By the next year, they would be living their happy life. There was no way he could have foreseen what the next year would hold for them. He had no idea of the miracles and the tragedies that would follow.

He opened his tightly clenched fist and looked down at the crystal and the rose entwined in his hand just as his and Catherine's hearts had been. In that moment of deep pain and remembrance, Jacob reached out his tiny hand and placed it on the rose. As Vincent lifted the tiny hand to his lips he marveled in the only viable proof he had that indeed with love, all things are possible.

Ever so carefully, he placed his treasures back into the pouch and worked them back into his vest close to his heart where they would be safe. Lifting Jacob up so that they could stare face to face, he assured him One day Jacob, I will give you your Mother's rose to comfort you and to forever remind you that she is with you and will be a part of you forever. As if Jacob understood, he gurgled loudly and Vincent lowered him back into his arms to again hold him close.

Just then a breeze moved through the tree branches and stirred the hair across Vincent's face. He caught his breath and closed his eyes savoring the freshness of it. The gentle caress of the wind was so much like Catherine's touch and for a moment, he allowed himself to remember the feel of her fingers lightly brushing the hair from his face. How he missed her! Now all those moments, all those memories were his most cherished possessions and his greatest agony and other than Jacob, they were his only connection to Catherine. If he could only remember their one night of love! He had tried so hard to recapture that time but other than fleeting images he could not see clearly, the memory of that night of passion had been cruelly denied him as was Catherine's presence in his and their son lives.

He sat there for a long time staring up into the stars enjoying his memories and becoming one with the night until a voice again spoke to him. It wasn't an echo of his own voice like before, but Catherine's clear and soft words that filled his senses. Her words tore at his heart and yet filled him with wondrous hope. You were my sweetest Valentine Vincent. Then in a soft whisper barely heard above the night's gentle breeze she added, I'll be home soon. . .soon.

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