Saving Him: Demons

by tarskeewee08

Evangeline turned the key in the door and gently reached for the knob. Her coach bag on her shoulder and briefcase under her arm she pushed the door bringing it open.
She was tired.
Tired of fighting.
Tired of crying.
Tired of being disappointed.
She just wanted a hot shower and a opportunity to forget her pain even if it was for one night. Closing the door behind her she surveyed the dark apartment. Falling back against the door she let the briefcase escape from under her arm to the floor. Bracing herself against her door she kicked off her shoes one at a time and then dropped her purse from her shoulder. Normally this routine would happen in her bedroom but she dreaded going to that empty room again alone. Sighing she bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes. In the still of the apartment she could hear the busy street outside her window with car horns, loud music blasting from stereos, strangers on the sidewalk laughing, and the whipping sounds of a helicopter flying over head. Moving to the warehouse district downtown for the sheik loft gave her front row seats to the nightlife of Llanview. In all the noises of the night she didn't hear the one she longed to.

His voice.

Opening her eyes she walked through her dark loft toward the window. Pulling off her suit jacket, she then hiked her skirt and rolled down her panty hose. Stepping out of them her legs felt airy and free of confinement. Her window led to a gated railing with had a stairwell that reached up to the lofts above and downward to the lofts below. Using her manicured hands she unclipped the lock to the top of the window and then grabbed the base pushing it upward.

The autumn air blew in whipping her hair from her face. She was assaulted by the smells of fresh mozzarella and thick garlic homemade tomato sauce from the Italian restaurant below. Climbing out the window she gripped the iron railing and pulled her body through. Standing on the meshed metal patio in her bare feet she looked up into the sky and saw no stars. Her hair blowing wildly and freely behind her she looked down and saw the cars parked along the street. Not paying much attention her eyes noticed a black vintage 64 mustang parallel parked across the street.

"My god" she said breathlessly.
It was John.
She stood on the balcony looking down as the roar of his tuned restored engine purred to a stop and the car shut off. The door open and she saw his leg step out. The black on black mustang coupled with his black attire made it difficult to see him clearly, even though he was parked only a few feet from the street light. She did notice the hesitation and her breath caught with anticipation. Finally he swiftly and smoothly exited his car. Closing and locking the door she peered down at him as he stood there in a black suit and Kenneth Cole black shoes. He put his keys in his pocket and then both of his hands. Evangeline couldn't believe her was here. They'd spoke about the fact he kept Christian Vega's identity secret. Well actually they fought a vicious painfully draining emotionally crippling fight about his lying to her to have Natalie. She hated him almost as intensely as she loved him.

He leaned against the car and looked at the door to her lofts. She was on the sixth floor watching him and at any minute he could look up and see her. Still she remained paralyzed confused by his presence and desperate for him to make the pain of his latest betrayal dissipate.

Paralyzed she felt the wind licking her face stealing the tears as they escaped separately. She was so weak from her own pain she couldn't move. Not if she wanted too.

John ran his hand nervously through his hair and turned as if to leave then stopped. Pounding his fist on the roof his car she saw him shake his head and lean against it with both arms folded on the roof. He felt it too. He felt the longing and the pain…and mostly the distance that grew with every minute that pass between them. He had no idea to reach her and it saddened her to realize that. Part of her always held on to the slimmer of hope that he would know how to find her heart even if she continued to bury it deep within her. Parting her lips she heard a soft whisper of his name escape her "John" surprised that she was able to say it after what he did to her today.

Without realizing it she gripped the railing so tightly her knuckles whitened. Why was he here? Would he even bother to come up? As if he her question telepathically escaped her mind to his he pushed himself off the car and crossed the street. The tail of his jacket flapped behind him as he desperately raced toward the door to her loft. Evangeline shook with anticipation.

Part of her nervous, part of her frightened and mostly part of her angry that he would come to her now. Turning she went back to the window and climbed into her apartment as she heard the buzz of her intercom. Going to it as if in a trance she pressed the tiny button labeled TALK with her French manicured index finger.

"Yes" she said weakly
"I need to see you" he said softly

She moved her finger to the OPEN button and buzzed him in. Unlocking the door she backed away from it as if Draculahimself was about to walk through it. The door opened slowly without knocking and she saw him. He knew she would open it for him. He knew she would buzz him in.
She hated his arrogance.
She hated her weakness.
Standing there frozen she saw his face illuminated by the lit hallway behind him. His bang hanging loosely above his right eye, she absorbed every piece of him. Even they way he clenched his jaw from anxiety.

John looked at her. She stood before him vulnerable and beautiful. Her gray silk blouse clinging to the outline of her chest and tucked neatly in her gray polyester blend skirt. Her hair scooped behind her ears he saw her diamond studs sparkling from the light cast by the neon signs outside the window. The loft dark her face was hidden in shadows but he knew the pain he caused her was deeply etched into it. Cautiously he walked in and closed the door.

"What do you want?" she asked with a trembling voice
"I hurt you..." he said putting his hands nervously back in his pockets.
"So…you've done it so much it…"
"I know" he said taking a step toward her

Evangeline saw the pain on his face from the little light that shone through and wanted to slap him. She wanted to punch him and break his face. She wanted to scratch his eyes out. When she confronted him earlier about his betrayal. He told her it was none of her business and that the secret wasn't his to keep. IT was Christian's. He claimed it was never about him wanting Natalie, although when she walked in on them he turned and admitted that she was the woman he needed. In front of that skanky bitch he'd tossed her heart that she'd given to him so freely onto the floor and grinded it to dust with his boot heel. It was the final assault. The last betrayal. Nothing left to say between them. She wanted him gone.

"Why are you here?"
"To explain…"
"You shouldn't be here" she said wringing her hands. In spite her rage and the bile she felt rising in her throat from the way her stomach flipped churned and burned at seeing him again. She wasn't finding the words to tell him to piss off. The short sentences she put together took considerable effort. Right now she was lost and confused. He'd won, he'd ruined her faith in him and men.

John had closed the gap between them considerably. He was close enough to reach her, but far enough for her step away from his grasp. Looking into her face he saw the disconnect in her eyes. What he'd done to her in his office in front of Natalie was inexcusable.

When she fled he wanted to pull his revolver right then and there and end his miserable existence. What she didn't know was 10 minutes after she left he could take it no more. Natalie clinging to him and whining about a public declaration of his affections being warranted he snapped. Outside his office in front of Office Lewinsky and Bo and Nora he lost all control. There and then he told Natalie that he never loved her. That his heart belonged to Evangeline. That she was easy and he needed easy to escape a real commitment. One that fostered mutual respect as well as encouraged a healthy sense of support. He would find her and explain it. He was in love with Evangeline Williamson. Natalie shrieked and swung viciously slapping him in the face. He took the slap and the blows she delivered shrieking the entire time. He welcomed it. He deserved much worse for destroying Evangeline's faith and trust in him. Bo grabbed Natalie and true to her trailer park form she spit on John. Nora snatched Natalie from Bo's arms and delivered an excruciatingly loud slap across the face driving her backward. Everyone gasped at the assault.

"You nasty hefa! Don't you dare spit on him! He told your pathetic weak sorry behind the truth….now deal with it." She hissed.

Bo grabbed Nora and dragged her backward angrily "Have you lost your mind!" he shouted. John felt numb to the whole scene. Walking over to the desk he grabbed a Kleenex and wiped his face. As the screaming and shouting of Bo, Nora and Natalie continued he walked out of the station.

Looking into her face now he sighed heavily, he didn't know what to say.

Evangeline broke the standoff and hit him. At first the blow she delivered was a weak one. It barely moved him He stood in front of her and took her assault saying nothing. Something in her snapped and closing her eyes she started screaming and swinging wildly some of her blows landed and others hit nothing in particular. She couldn't tell what he was doing to protect himself or if he was even trying too, because her tears and shut eyes blinded her. She kept screaming and swinging until she felt the force of his arms enclose around her. He pressed her forcefully against his chest and she screamed in his arms. The blood rushed to her head and she felt dizzy from her screams. She felt the room go dark as she opened her eyes and collapsed in his arms from the breakdown.

Evangeline opened her eyes and saw nothing. Soon they focused in the darkness of her loft. She felt cold dampness against her forehead and raised her hand to touch the rag. Slowly she pulled it off her head confused. Sitting up on the couch a piercing flash of pain shot through her temple and she bit her tongue from the surprise assault. Grimacing she slowly rose. What happened? Looking up she saw John staring out the window with his back to her. He didn't know she was awake. She looked at his outline in the darkness and tried to recall how she ended up here. John turned and caught her staring at him. He had both hands in his pockets and he smiled gently at her.

Evangeline didn't return the sentiment as she stared into his eyes. Even in the dark the crystal blue sparkle they had shown through.

Walking to her slowly he watched her face for any sign of hope. Sitting on the edge of the couch Evangeline pulled her feet back away from him distrustfully "What happened?" she asked confused

"You blacked out"
"I did what?"
"You passed out"
"Oh god…" Evangeline sat up placing her feet on the ground. Putting her hand to her head she tried to recall what provoked such reaction. Her head still numb from the pain in her temples she fought the urge to cry. Why was her life like this? Why was he here?

Turning and glaring at him "Why are you here?"
"I'm lost Evangeline"
"What?"
"Lost"

Evangeline watched him. He sat next to her head bowed and hair covering his face from her view. Both arms resting on his knees his hands clenched into a fist. She didn't understand what 'Lost' meant. And she was tired of his trashing her feelings and running to her to lick his wounds.

"Get out" she said dismissively
John looked at her confused "What?"
Evangeline glared back into his face "Get out!"
John shook his head "I want to talk…"
"Then who the hell is going to do the translating for you? Because I swear every time you flap your gums nothing but dribble escapes you. Talk? You can barely stutter. I am sick to death of your half admissions and continued avoidance. You wanted Natalie….then go to her…you too can sit and do that childish banter you've mastered. I don't have the energy to fix or care about whatever the hell is wrong with you!" she hissed rising

John grabbed her wrist tightly preventing her retreat. She flinched under his grip and pulled angrily away. He tighten his hold on her an glared back. "I won't let you go. I want to talk tonight and dammit you're going to listen" he growled.

Evangeline stopped struggling and laughed "I'm going to listen? As if listening was all that was needed for you to get over your issues and deal with the real world. As if listening was never offered to you before this moment. You are such a fucking coward! You are such a weak pathetic crippled coward!"

John squeezed her wrist tighter as her words cut through him and he fought the urge to yank her back to him. He was breaking, coming apart right here right now and she had no idea. He steadied his breathing and felt as his nostrils flare. The sweat that dripped from his brow fell into his eyes. Evangeline winced again at the hold he had on her wrist but refused to give him the pleasure of knowing he was hurting her. She moved closer to him so he wouldn't hold her as tightly. Something was happening. He'd never physically hurt her. The grip he had on her was one of desperation and as she felt her hand go numb from the pressure. She fought the urge to strike at him so he would release her.

"I never felt I should be loved"

Evangeline returned to sit next to him not listening just trying to make him take his attention off his hold of her so she could escape. She wanted to be free of him. She didn't care to hear his story now. She was done.

"When I was nine I made a bargain with the devil" he said his voice cracking and he squeezed her wrist tighter. This time the pain became to much "John…you're hurting me"