Lost Souls

by tarskeewee

Todd Manning is a man facing the electric chair, Evangeline Williamson is the attorney struggling to save his life. John McBain is the tortured cop fighting his own demons. All three are tortured souls and through a chain of events their lives will never

1. Chapter 1

Lost Souls

Chapter 1: Lost Souls

Todd shuffled down the dark gray corridor in a tangerine orange jumpsuit, his hands and feet shackled with a long chain connecting them both, made his approach sluggish. He kept his head down as the guard pulled him along giving everyone the sad impression of him being a lost soul

A man with no home, family or honor to make him feel as if his life was worth saving. She stared at him and her heart broke all over again. He was an innocent man and she would fight for him even if he wouldn't fight for himself.

"Ms. Williamson, we can give you five minutes then he will need to be escorted to the bus transport for his flight."

"Oh I have more time than that warden" she said passing the court order to accompany her client the maximum security prison for his execution. Todd being physically attacked by the inmates while the guards watched gave her the ammunition she needed to get a judges signature. She planned to use every minute on this flight to convince Todd to fight and let her petition for an appeal.

The warden looked over the court order and then back at her. She stood before him confident and determined. Wearing a black wrap dress with matching black knee boots, her three quarter inch coat stopped at the hem of her dress and she wore her hair shiny, parted down the middle, scooped behind her left ear show cased the gleam from her diamond stud. He always thought she should be a runway model as oppose to defender of creeps like this.

"Ms. Williamson, I don't think you understand what you're asking…"

Evangeline looked past him at Todd. His blonde bang hanging over into his face shielded the bruises and despair he wore. "Oh I know what I'm doing, I'm also calling the governors office about the treatment of the prisoners here, I hold you responsible warden for the abuse my client suffered on your watch." She said flashing the warden a challenging smile.

Before Warden Glenn could respond his cell phone buzzed on his hip. "Excuse me.." he said reaching for it, angered by her threat. Evangeline watched holding her briefcase as he took the call. She wanted to get this over with.

"McBain….where are you?" he said frowning.

Evangeline's heart went to her throat. She hadn't spoken to John in days and she sure as hell didn't know he was supposed to be flying with Todd. She thought he was suspended. Confused she listened closely to the Warden.

Warden Glenn looked over to Todd and his guard "Well, that can't be helped. I'll have Pete fly with him. Yes, it's fine. Good luck, sounds like a long night." Attaching the phone back to his hip, the warden called out to the other officer standing off to the left of the room. "Pete, you will be going with Mr. Manning and…" he turned and looked at Evangeline "Ms. Williamson on this one. McBain is a no show."

Evangeline raised an eyebrow confused "John McBain was supposed to be an escort?"

"Yes, but appears there's been some type of major pile up on Hwy 92 because of the snow storm, he won't be making it."

"So he has his badge back" she mumbled looking away. She was happy for him. Maybe this meant that he was actually getting the help that he needed. She hoped so, no matter what she loved him and wanted him whole.

"Well, you need to be going if you're going to fly out before the storm blows in." The warden said walking toward Todd. Evangeline followed him looking at her friend whom she desperately wanted to save. Todd kept his head bowed barely acknowledging their approach. He was digesting the fact that the woman he'd die for, never have the faith in the love they shared. It broke his heart, what was left of it.

"Take them out back to the transport. Make sure he remains shackled at all times. Also make sure Ms. Williamson has everything she needs" he said shooting her a sideways glance that warmed her cheeks. She never got used to the open flirtation of the men in this prison. It was actually quite creepy. Ignoring his sly grin she walked over to Todd.

"Hey, you okay?"

Todd looked up his green eyes dark and distant "Hey you.." he said softly

Evangeline smiled "I'm coming along for the ride."

"Lucky you…" he said smirking, then looked away.

The guard pulled his arm roughly making him stumble backward. He recovered and shuffled along. Evangeline started to follow, but before she did she turned back and looked at the warden. "He's innocent!" she said to smug look he was flashing her.

The warden gave her a crooked smile "Sure he is! Too bad old sparky will fry his ass anyway."

"We'll see about that!" she hissed turning and leave.

The warden watched her breeze out her long hair and open coat flowing behind her. He had to shake his head in wonder at the devotion she showed for her clients, first that Vega looser now this. He wondered how far her passions really flowed and how many men actually had the pleasure of touching that flame. "McBain's an idiot" he chuckled turning to leave.

John got out of the squad car to see one of his officers lighting flares laying them in the street. The snow was falling harder and he pulled his London Fog trench tighter to him walking toward the four car pile up. A firemen approached him, dressed in a tan and reflective yellow uniform with a large helmet. "Lt. McBain"

John stood with his gloved hands in his pockets, staring at the other firemen using the jaws of life to ply what looked to be a teenage Asian girl from the folded up Maxima, jammed under the hood of a black SUV. The snow was falling harder now and he knew this was a bad sign.

"Any casualties?" he asked hoping the girl was okay.

"Yes sir, two so far." The fireman said shaking his head.

"Damn…"

"It's the Noreaster blowing in, this storm is supposed to be the worst this season. I think its going to be a long night"

John nodded "Yeah….a long night" he said with a sullen look on his face. He thought getting his badge back would quell what plagued him. But he felt just as empty inside today as any other. He was just lost.

Evangeline sat in the front of the police van next to the officer, driving her friend and client to meet his fate. She looked back through the gated cover at Todd who was staring off blankly into space, seated next to an officer as well. Todd feeling her eyes on him looked over at her and winked. She smiled weakly then turned back around.

The snow was just starting to fall, watching the crystallized flakes flying past as the sped up the highway, it occurred to her that today was Valentines Day. Last year this time she was sitting in the warmth of Rhodi's, trying to convince the man that she loved that he needed to let her in.

"All is fair in Love…" she mumbled under her breath shaking her head sadly. Oh how things had changed. She now filled the emptiness by helping someone that was even more desperate than she was. It kept her from feeling so lost.

Smiling lightly hearing the song she sang a year ago playing softly in her head she looked out the window at the dark starless sky and wondered where he was. Would he spend the night with Natalie tonight? Sighing she pushed back into the leather of her passenger seat and forced his crooked sly smile with sparkling gemmed eyes from her mind. They weren't lovers and barely friends. She needed to focus on someone that needed her, that's why she was here after all.

Arriving at the landing strip she could see the white Cessna 550 state issued plane with the black wing tips sitting on the tarmac waiting for them. A chill went through her body at the sight of the plane and she looked at it confused by her reaction. She wasn't afraid of flying. Why did she feel a sense of foreboding now? Shaking it off she figured her dread was actually because of Todd. There was a chance that she may not save his life, this could be his last flight.

The officer pulled the van up along side of it and threw it in park. Evangeline grabbed her purse and briefcase sucking in a deep breath before stepping out into the snow. She looked at who she assumed was the pilot standing on the outside of it, dressed in a puffy black jacket with a cap pulled down over the front of his face.

Todd looked up at the snow falling "Are we going to fly in this?" he asked confused.
Evangeline walked over closer to him. "The news said the blizzard shouldn't be here until tomorrow" she said reaching and touching his back despite the fact that contact between the two of them wasn't allowed.

Todd looked over at her, her head crowned with the fallen snowflakes and smiled. "Why are you here Evangeline?"

"To talk some sense into you of course" she said smiling sassily. He chuckled shaking his head "You don't give up do you?"

"No….and before this flight is over, neither will you!"

The officer came back over "Okay we got clearance let's go" he said to the officer standing next to Todd.

Evangeline nodded following him to the small plane. Stepping up the tiny ladder she climbed in. Todd struggled to get up the steps with his chains. Officer Pete pushed to hurry him along and he finally got up through the hatch making it to the seats across from Evangeline.

The pilot climbed in, pulling up the ladder and closing the hatch. He looked back at his passengers and smiled from under the cape pulled down his face. "It's a two hour flight, boys and girls. There is a bathroom in the back of the plane but you are to remain seated when the seatbelt light is on" he said grinning looking at Todd who he could tell wouldn't be going anywhere.

"Anyway there are drinks over in the side compartment here and here" he pointed for Evangeline. Tipping his cap he went back to the front of the plane.

Evangeline rolled her eyes then looked over to Todd who was on the other side of the officer. "Is it possible I could sit next to him?" she asked

Officer Pete looked at her and frowned "No"

"Look we're going to be 30,000.00 feet in the air with you at our sides. I'm his attorney, I need to speak with him."

"I said NO!" the officer snapped again then leaned back in his chair.

Todd looked over "Don't worry Van, Deputy Doodie here's terrified that we will take over and throw his cranky butt out when he least expects it, ain't that right sheriff?"

"Watch it Manning, not in the mood for your sarcasm and I won't listen to it on this flight!" Pete snapped throwing his arm back and forcing Todd back into his seat with a swift blow to the chest.

Evangeline sucked in her breath shaking her head as she felt the airplane race down the runway. His life did matter and she would prove it.

The nurse for the trauma unit sat at her desk going through her emails. She wasn't allowed books or magazines for the evening shift, so to pass the time so she normally just surfed the internet. Her floor was the wing for the comatose patients; she was position in the middle of the circular desk surrounded by all kinds of monitoring equipment for each room.

Signing onto her soap opera message board she heard a soft ringing chime behind her. Turning around she saw the light blinking for patient in room 453 C. Nurse Bailey stared at it confused. That was Nora Buchanan's room.

John got back in to his car and radioed in the additional officers he would need to deal with the traffic jam on the interstate, the pile up was causing major congestion issues and the storm coming down upon them meant people would be trapped on the highway for hours.

Dispatch Mavis came on taking the information. John sat back in the driver seat listening to her repeat what he said. Once confirmed he signed off and reached to start his car to move it off the road, they needed to clear some of the way. The radio came blaring on.

Hey there lovers, that's right you know what tonight is. It's the night for romance, giving you lovebirds the chance to show the one you love how special they are to you. It's Valentines Night and this is DJ Magic Man on your dial bringing you tunes to make you swoon. So grab that special lady fellas and hold her close this one's for you….

All is fair in love…..Love's a crazy game…..Two people vow to stay…..In love as one they say……But all is changed with time……The future no one can see……The road you leave behind……Ahead lies mystery……..But all is fair in love…….I had to go away….A writer takes his pen……To write the words again…..That all in love is fair….

John looked down at the illuminated dials of the radio feeling his heart accelerate. Gripping the steering wheel he saw her face, singing to him a year ago tonight. He'd all but forgot it was Valentines Day.

Now she was out there somewhere, alone thinking he didn't care. Reaching for the dial he turned off the song and freed himself from the desperate need to reach out to her. She was better off wherever she was tonight, away from him.

Evangeline went through the folder on her lap checking out the case's she compiled to try to find a precedent that Todd could use. She'd hadn't found anything in his case to challenge the verdict on. Someone was setting him up and the only person she could think capable of it was dead. "Jesus" she moaned shaking her head.

Leaning back she closed her eyes and rotated her neck from side to side to work out the cramping she was beginning to feel. Suddenly her eyes popped open in shock as the plane dropped at least a 1000 feet. Her stomach leaped into her throat and she let go of the folder gripping both arms of her seat.

Her body shook violently, and she looked up to see everything vibrating as if the turbulence was going tear the airplane apart. Hearing a grinding noise off the right side of the wing, she turned to look out the tiny window next to her. To her horror she saw sparks flying out into the snowing night from the engine under the wing.

"What the hell is going on!" Todd exclaimed.

Evangeline stared in disbelief, the plane's engine looked to be malfunctioning, how on earth could that be? Just then the pilot came on "We're experiencing some difficulties right now and will be turning around to head back to the airp…."

Before he could finished the plane shook again violently and Evangeline's hair was tossed over her face as her body flew forward. If she wasn't wearing a seatbelt she would have been propelled across the plane. The officer on the side of Todd screamed out in shock.

She was too terrified to speak. To afraid to open her eyes, feeling the plane dip as if going into a nose dive. "Oh jesus…" she whimpered letting tears of terror trail down her face.

Todd unable to move his hands much because of the cuffs, looked to his right to see her bent over, her long black hair covering her face blocking it from his view "Evangeline! Put your head between you knees sweetie" he called out wanting to protect her from what he knew could ultimately mean the death of them both.

The plane continued in the nose dive and all of them were tossed forward again as the pressure in the cabin was lost and they struggled to breathe.

"EVANGELINE! Put your head between your knees now!" Todd shouted at her over the loud sound of the malfunctioning engine. Evangeline turned her head to look over at him, and he could see the tears mixed with fright in her eyes, between the long strands blocking her face.

She put her head between her knees and the officer undid his seatbelt. "Fuck this!" he snapped rushing to the cockpit, being tossed to the left and right as the plane still shook spinning downward. He had to find out what was going on.

To his horror the last turbulent drop caused the pilot to hit his head, knocking him out. Officer Pete ran to the front, grabbing the steering wheel to pull the plane back up from the nose dive.

The pilot's heavy unconscious body was bent over the controls making it difficult to maneuver. Pete could see they were headed directly into Lantana Mountain. Pulling the pilot loose of his constraints he climbed in and pulled the steering gear upward. The plane struggling began to come up some, but not enough and Pete screamed as he saw that they were headed into a dense forested side of the mountain.

Evangeline heard Pete's screams and began to cry. She heard Todd calling out to her but all she could do was pray. She was going to die, the realization of that made her paralyzed with fear. Todd knelt over trying to brace himself for impact, he asked god that he spare her, she didn't deserve to die because she wanted to help him.

The plane crashed through large redwood trees breaking off both wings. Both Todd and Evangeline were hurled back into their seats as a loud thunderous boom alerted them that the undercarriage of the plane was being pealed away.

Evangeline was tossed violently from side to side and she opened her eyes to see the seat in front of her ripping off, as the right side of the plane imploded with the long branches of a large trees crashing through sending sparks, debris and snow flying all around her. Her hair blowing back away from her face, revealed the sure terror of the moment. Screaming as loud as she could, something she didn't see clearly now airborne in the plane, smacked her on the side of her head forcing her into darkness. She blacked out immediately.

Nurse Bailey rushed down the hall to hear screams from a patient that barely moved in over five months. Coming to the room she pushed the door open to see Nora sitting up screaming to the top of her lungs.

Shocked by the sight of her she stood there frozen at first, not sure what she was witnessing. Nora screaming started to snatch out the tubes in her arms and head. The nurse fearing she would hurt herself found her legs and rushed inside trying to restrain her, as two other orderlies came rushing in.

"It's okay…calm down, you're safe!"
"No!" Nora screamed crying out loudly in a hoarse voice. Her auburn hair now longer to her shoulder flew wildly around her face.

The nurse forced her back down to the bed "It's okay really….please, calm down!" she looked up at a nurse who appeared in the door. "Page Dr. Miller, now!" she shouted at her.

Nora fought them trying to get loose. "No! Evangeline! You have to help her! Oh god Evangeline!" she shouted.

The nurse looked at her confused not understanding what she meant. Nora screams turned to whimpers as she squirmed crying, while the orderlies tied her down to the bed for her own protection. She opened her eyes and they immediately rolled into her head as her body convulsed into seizures. Dr. Truman and Miller ran into the room.

Paige barked off an order of a dosage to combat the seizure to a nurse nearby who ran out to get it. Nora's body stiffened and shook violently under her seizure and Dr Truman tilted her head back inserting a cotton bit into her mouth to keep her from biting down on her tongue. The nurse returned within seconds passing Dr. Miller the requested dosage in a syringe.

"Get the restraints off her and roll her over to her side" Paige snapped after plunging the syringe into Nora's veins.

The two orderlies did as she instructed and Nora violent shakes began to subside. Nurse Bailey wiped the sweat from her brow exhausted by the episode. Dr. Truman looked at her confused. "What happened?"

"She woke up!"

Dr. Miller gasped at the implication "She what?"

"I'm telling you she sat up in bed and screamed. Said something about save Evangeline, before the seizure. I swear."

Paige looked at Nora who was sweating breathing shallowly with her eyes closed from the medicine. "Dear god…she woke up?"

Todd opened his eyes to the smell of sulfur and the screams of the officer that guarded him earlier now trapped in the cockpit. Todd was thrown in his seat to the back of the plane still strapped down but lying on his side. The roof of the plane was half off and snow was falling inside.

"Evangeline!" he called out, unable to see clearly from the blood running into his eyes. He had a pain above his brow indicating he must be cut. "Evangeline!"

"Help Me!" the officer up front screamed, in response to Todd's yelling for her.

Todd reached for the lock on his seatbelt struggling to push the button to free him. He didn't hear or see her and his panic had his hands shaking. Finding the release finally he undid it letting out a sigh of relief. "Evangeline!" he called out again desperate to make sense of all the wreckage around him.

He scanned the over turned passenger seats and blocks of plane now covered in show from the storm falling inside the gaping holes in the plane. He didn't see her anywhere. Where the hell was she?

Falling over to his side still shackled between his hands and feet he coughed as the pungent order of sulfur and smoke filled his lungs. His eyes began to burn with tears as the black smoke assaulted his senses. He began to inch across the floor staying low, searching everything he passed. "Evangeline, baby say something" he moaned

Straining he looked forward to see the heel of a black boot, sticking out awkwardly from underneath two overturned seats.

It was her leg and the only thing he could see from the debris she was buried under. "Sweet Jesus no! EVANGELINE!" he screamed crawling desperate to get to her.

"Lt. McBain…" The fireman called out walking toward John in the snow who was helping the other officers get the cars past the accident.

John turned and looked at him. "What is it?"

"LPD on the radio sir, they need to speak to you."

John nodded turning on his heel going to his squad car. Opening the door he got inside with his legs still hanging out of the door into the snow.

"McBain here over…."

"Lt, the commissioner needs you here immediately…over"

John frowned "Got a situation here, tell Bo I…"

"John, its Bo. Get back to the station now! That's an order. We…we ummm got a situation"

John frowned "What's going on Bo?"

"Just get here…over!"

John hung up. Dr. C had been busting his chops and Bo was allowing it. Now they were pulling him back in. He was sick to death of the games this damn doctor played with his life. "Damn!" he grimaced climbing into his squad car all the way and closing the door. Starting it he sped up the emergency exit, driving past the accident. Swiftly and expertly on the icy road he made a u-turn flashing his lights, as he crossed over the snowy medium jumping in traffic that flowed in the opposite direction.

"This better be damn good!" he mumbled!

written by tarskeewee08

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Chapter 2: Lost Souls

Bo paced the bull pen of the police station his heart racing and his palms sweating. When the call came in from the tower that the transport plane had let out a may day call and then went silent his heart sank. This would crush Evangeline for some reason she still thought that Todd was innocent and learning that his plane had been in trouble would crush her. Then the other call came in about who all was on the plane. As soon as he heard her name his face became drenched in sweat and he was sure his face was flushed.

"How the hell did she end up on the plane?" Bo mumbled as he walked back and forth waiting for John to arrive. There was no way he could tell him this over the police radio he would have flipped. Getting him into the office was the best place to break this to him.

Bo saw the other officers milling around mumbling something about the supposed plane crash and he put his hands on his hips. Looking up he heard the click of John's shoes on the hard linoleum floor.

John walked up to Bo shaking the snow from his hair and pulling his jacket off. Bo stared him dead in the eyes, afraid how he was going to tell his friend and his best cop regardless of him being on suspension that Evangeline was on a plane with Manning that went down.

John saw the other officers staring at him with sad expressions on their faces and shaking their heads as they walked past him. One officer even reached out and touched John on the shoulder but didn't speak. Walking up he saw Bo pacing back and forth in front of his office white as a ghost and sweating bullets. This was serious he knew from the expression on his face, this was deadly serious.

Todd's tears and the trickle of blood clouded his vision as he crawled on hands and knees toward her leg. She couldn't be dead, not like this all because she believed in him. Screaming her name over and over again over the loud pops and crackles of the debris from the plane Todd made his way to her. Looking at the over turned seat and down at his hands and legs still shackled he had to get out of these damn handcuffs if he was going to save her. "I'll be right back, don't you die on me!" he yelled as he crawled closer to the cockpit.

Hearing Pete yell and scream for help Todd pushed himself up onto his legs and shuffled closer to the cockpit door. The snow and wind whipped threw him as the front of the plane was gone as well and they were teetering over the side of the cliff. He looked down to see Officer Pete pinned under the co pilot seat.

Todd careful not to rock the plane and send them all over the edge moved closer to Pete and knelt down wiping his hair from his eyes. He looked down at Pete and stared at the officer that not only gave him shit but Evangeline shit as well.

Pete was on his back with the seat crushing his legs. Todd looked down and saw Pete struggling to push the seat from off of him. His right broken in a compound fracture the bone jutting out from the skin caused Todd to wince at the site. He shuffled forward and leaned over sticking his hand under the seat. "Help me…" Pete cried.

"Shut up!" Todd hissed.
"HELP ME MANNING!" Pete yelled in his ear.
"Evangeline first." He said narrowing his eyes on the guard as he felt for his keys.
"What are you doing!"
"I need your keys." Todd hissed.
"Let me up Manning."
"The keys were are the damn keys." Todd said ignoring the officer's cries. Hearing the soft jingle of the keys Todd unhooked them from Pete's belt and fell back on the floor out of breath.

The plane rocked back and forth and slid a few feet down the cliff. Bracing himself on the sides of the cock pits walls Todd held his breath praying that the plane would stop moving, just long enough for him to get back to her. Pete screamed as the plane slid, "Shut up! You're going to kill us!" Todd yelled.
"Listen, I'll let you go if you save me."
Todd looked at him and then back at Evangeline. Shaking his head he fingered the keys and slid them into the lock of the hand cuffs.

He looked back as he tried desperately to free himself so he could then free Evangeline. Hearing the plane creak and wobble again he unshackled himself throwing the keys to the ground and stood up slowly. He walked back holding the sides of the plane as he moved back to Evangeline's side. Wiping his eyes from the tears of the sulfur Todd pushed at the seat that pinned her to the bottom of the plane. It wouldn't budge. Closing his eyes and pushing with all he could he freed the seat that rested on top of her.

Todd looked down at her limp body still seat belted to her seat he fell to the floor of the plan sticking his hand under her to try and free her. Breathing harder than he thought possible the blood now falling faster down his eyes and the smell of sulfur even stronger he had to get them out before the plane either blew up or they fell over steep cliff.

Sitting down on the ground Todd rolled onto his stomach as he shoved his hand under her seat feeling for the seat belt. He could barely feel her chest rising and falling and he knew she was in even more trouble than he first thought.

Seeing Dr. Crosby walk around the corner John rolled his eyes he knew this was about IA. But why in the hell would Bo pull him of a huge pile up on the highway for more IA crap? "In my office John." Bo said softly as he stood holding the door open for him. John nodded at Bo pushing his hair out of his face as Dr. Crosby followed him in.

Looking over his shoulder at Dr. Crosby John blew out a heated breath, "What is this about Bo? I was in the middle of handling a multi car accident. Don't tell me that fool made you call me in." He snarled cutting his eyes at Dr. Crosby.

Bo shook his head hanging it low as he crossed in front of John and Dr. Crosby, "We had a more important incident John."
"What?" he said clearly irritated.
"The transport plane that Todd was on, air traffic control lost radio contact with it."
Running his fingers threw his hair he looked at Bo shaking his head, "He was on his way to die Bo, so what's the big deal?"

John saw Dr. Crosby take a step forward as Bo opened his mouth to speak again, "Someone else was on the plane and went with Todd."
"Who?" he asked clearly agitated.
"Evangeline."

John stared at Bo wide eyed. He thought he just said that Evangeline was on the transport with Todd. But why would she do that, she had no reason to be on the plane. She was supposed to be at home safe and sound. Todd didn't want to appeal, what the hell was she doing on the plane. His head spinning as he heard Bo's voice a distant sound saying his name over and over again. His stomach dropped and his heart raced as he began to sweat profusely. "No she wasn't…" he chocked out.

"John listen she was on the plane, she got a court order to accompany Manning on the flight."
He didn't hear anything that Bo was saying. Fishing in his pocket for his cell phone John hit the speed dial calling her cell phone, it went straight to her voicemail. Calling her house her answering machine picked up. Calling her office her voicemail answered. The sweat dripped down his face into his eyes as his heart pounded so hard in his ears he couldn't hear anything anyone was saying. All he knew was that she wasn't on that plane, she couldn't be on that plane.

Looking up at Bo he rushed him slamming Bo down on to the desk in a fit of rage. His eyes welling with tears he grabbed roughly at Bo's collar glaring down at him, "Why are you lying to me!" He hissed his face turning beet red.

He felt his arms being pried from around Bo's neck as two officers rushed into the office pulling John away. He panted heavily as his hands shook with fear and desperation. Bo stood up coughing and pulling at his collar as he waved the guards off. John fell back against the wall his hair hanging down in his eyes his head was swimming with the idea that she was gone, lost to him and he never got to tell her the truth, the truth of how he really felt.

Todd clenched his jaw as he ripped at the seatbelt finally freeing her. Her body fell limp to the bottom of the plane. He wiped his brow getting blood on the back of his hand as he reached for her arm. Pulling her free of the seat Todd fell to the side completely out of breath. Her head turned to look at him she was still unconscious and he could see a trickle of blood trailing down the side of her face. Todd lowered his face to hers to check for her breathing. She wasn't… "The hell you don't!" Todd yelled as he turned her body over.

Pushing her hair out of her face he pinched her nose as he tilted her head back and administered a few quick breathes into her lungs. They rose and fell with each breath but she still wasn't breathing on her own. Doing it again and again until he heard her cough and then pass out again Todd fell back relieved that she was at least breathing even if she was still unconscious. He looked around at the carnage of the plane and then felt the plane slide from under him.

All the seats that weren't still attached to the bottom of the plane went sliding forward as he reached for Evangeline and a seat that was still attached to the ground of the plane. Pulling her under him Todd felt the plane stop moving. He stood up and scooped her up into his arms and hobbled out of the plane as it moved and wiggled beneath him.

Dropping to his knees he held her limp body in his arms as the plane creaked and slide down the side of the cliff. The loud explosion and shock wave from the plane tumbling down the side of the cliff busted in to flames knocked Todd forward causing him to drop Evangeline's unconscious body.

Falling over her into the snow covered mountain his body lying vertically over hers. Todd looked over at her face her hair sticking to her face from the blood and her breathing shallow, he was grateful that she was till breathing. Todd wiped the snow from her face and scooped her up again as he stumbled away from the reminder of the wreckage. He walked as far as he could the snow blowing hard against his face and through his hair as he struggled to carry her threw the snow and wind.

She wasn't heavy in the least but since she was unconscious she was dead body weight and the cold caused his heart to pump fiercely as he stumbled threw the forest. Pushing past trees that wiped at him leaving small slash marks on his face. His chest was on fire from the cold air that filled his lungs as he moved slowly through the forest. Dropping to his knees out of breath from carrying the both of them both up the side of the mountain Todd prayed that there was someone looking for the both of them, he didn't care who the hell it was he just wanted to make sure she was okay.

Reaching down and touching her face tenderly he pushed the blood covered hair out of her face and then grunted as he stood back up and trudged up the side of the mountain. There had to be a cabin some where around here.

John sat in the chair in Bo's office his head in his hands stifling the tears that he wanted to spill and the blood curdling scream he had wanted to release since Bo said those horrific words to him. Evangeline was on the plane, Evangeline was on the plane with Manning when it went down. That was all he could think about.

Her face flashed in his mind as he saw her crying and screaming as the plane slammed into the side of the mountain or worst burst into flames. He shut his eyes tight trying to force the image away as well as the need to throw up as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up pale as a ghost he stared at Dr. Crosby. "What…" he cracked out his voice hoarse with regret, guilt for not making the flight, with pain for losing her.

"Are you okay?"
John forced a self deprecating grin as he stared at Dr. Crosby in his eyes, "You're going to stand there and ask me if I'm alright?" he seethed threw a clenched jaw.
"John I know how much…"

John rose from his seat with force shocking Dr. Crosby as he stumbled backwards against Bo's filing cabinet, "You know nothing about me you know nothing about her. So don't you dare stand there and tell me that you know how I feel." He forced out threw his clenched jaw.
"I was just trying to help…"
"What and tell me the woman that I…" he stopped speaking looking away as he ran a hand through is hair and back down his face. He stuck his hands in his pockets and stormed out of the office.

Running smack in to Natalie he looked down at her, "Hey John what's up!" she said smiling brightly at him.
"I can't talk." He hissed pushing past her. Natalie reached out and grabbed his arm, "What's going on with you." She said flipping her hair.
"Let go of me!" he snapped shaking her free.
"John wait!" She called after him. Natalie felt someone grab her from behind stopping her retreat after John and turned around to stare at Dr. Crosby, "What do you want!" she snapped.

"Let him be." He said letting go of her shoulder.
"Don't tell me what to do." She hissed pushing away from him.
"Natalie!" Dr. Crosby called after her.
"What!" she said turning around with face scrunched up rolling her eyes.
"Todd's plane went down."
"Soo…." She said rolling her neck.
"Evangeline was on the plane." He said softly.

Natalie turned her back as a small smile crept across her lips and she walked after John. Picking up her pace she came around the corner to see John and her Uncle Bo standing in the hallway talking. Bo had his hand on John's shoulder and John's head was down as he stared at his shoes.

"I need to find her Bo."
"They don't even know where the plane went down John. They lost radio contact with them."
"I don't care if they lost radio contact with the plane I have to find her!" he snapped.
"I can't have you out there looking for her John, you aren't apart of the department any more." Bo said sadly.

John looked up at Bo with heat in his eyes, "You've got to be kidding me Bo! She's out there alone, scared, cold, and probably hurt and you're asking me to sit here and do nothing!"
"No I'm telling you that you can't be in the search for either of them John. I'm sorry." Bo patted John on the back as he walked away.

Punching the wall in front of him hard John lowered his hand not caring that his knuckles were scratched and bleeding. Grabbing his chest he fell against the wall as his heart slowly broke into pieces again. He had to find her and no one and nothing would stop him.

Natalie smiled softly at Bo as he passed her and walked over to John. "John, I heard…" she said softly touching his face.
He pushed her hand away sick of people's sympathy he didn't understand why no one was out looking for her. "I don't need your sympathy Natalie I need to find Evangeline."
"Well what did Uncle Bo say?"
"That I can't help."
"He's right you should let the other guys find the plane. I don't want you to see that stuff and all the wreckage of the plane."
"She's not dead!" He snapped walking away from her.
Natalie watched as John walked away from her for a second time her bottom lip quivering as she tried to hold back the tears. Why was he being so mean to her, what was it about her!

Exhausted from his trek Todd rested against a strong tree sliding down it. The longer they stayed outside in the snow and the longer she stayed unconscious the more he worried about her. His orange jump suit drenched from his sweat and the snow he shook her trying to wake her up, "Evangeline…" he said softly. "Evangeline I need you to wake up, I don't know if I can carry you the rest of the way." He said panting.

"Please Evangeline, I need you to wake up!" he said desperately. Todd looked up in the sky hoping to see a helicopter flying over head or something. The density of the trees and the heavy snow fall prevented him from seeing anything. Shit if he couldn't see anything then no one could see them either. He needed to find a cabin and now. Her body was shivering trying to warm it's self and so was his.

Finding the strength deep down in side Todd climbed to his feet and continued his trek. The snow blowing around him he was afraid he would get lost or turned around and end up heading in the wrong direction. All he could do was pray that someone was watching out for them and get them some place safe and sound.

Ready to give up and just let the mountain take them Todd looked up and saw the outline of something hidden behind some trees. A surge of adrenaline pushed him through the woods and he stumbled across the most amazing sight that he ever laid his eyes on.

"Someone's looking out for us Evangeline." He said staring down at her. Todd stumbled to the door kicking it a few times he almost fell backwards as the wood door flew in. He looked into the dark house and set Evangeline down on the ground and went back to the door. Falling against it he reached for a chair to keep the door shut and the wind and snow from blowing into the small cabin.

His chest was burning and his face was blistered from the intense snow storm not to mention his head was pounding from the head wound he had. Walking over to her Todd collapsed next to her out of sheer exhaustion.

By: Oltlfantimes10

Back to Index

Chapter 3: Lost Souls

"He's a loose cannon.." Dr. Crosby said pacing Bo's office, his hands shoved down in his pockets.

"Cut him some slack, the man very well may have lost the woman he loves…." Bo said sitting down sighing. He wanted John on this detail; John was the most driven committed cop he had. But how could he use him, when it was Evangeline that was missing? John was a walking time bomb and since the prison riot he's been barely been able to keep it together. Refusing therapy and growing increasingly combative, he just didn't know what this latest tragedy would do to him.

"I understand that Bo, which is why you can't let him anywhere near this one. His compulsive personality will make him take this on as his own private search and rescue mission. If he fails at finding her, or worse she's found dead it'll finally do him in."

Bo felt as if his head would explode from the pressure rising in his temples. Sucking in his breath he massaged his temples and thought of Evangeline. He always liked her and right now he felt John's pain. She didn't deserve this. Hearing his phone ring next to him he jumped and Dr. Crosby stopped to look at the ringing phone. Bo stomach dropped as reached for it with a shaky hand. It was probably word on where the plane went down, if they got any type of signal from the little black box.

"Bo Buchanan here…."
"Bo its Paige…."
Sitting up in his chair he smiled faintly. He was a drowning man, hearing her voice was the lifeline he needed. "Hey you…"

Paige moved around the nurse's desk with the long cord to the phone preventing her from going further, to get out ear shot of Spencer. She hated being anywhere near him knowing now that he killed two people and what he forced her to do. "Bo, its Nora…"

"What's wrong with Nora?" Bo asked quickly brow creasing into a serious frown. It's been months and there was no change in her condition. He prayed for a change, but nothing happened. The news that their might be something going on with her had him on the edge of his seat.

"She's coming out of the coma and I think you need to get here"

"I'm on my way" he said slamming the phone down before she could say more.

Dr. Crosby looked at Bo confused "What's going on Commissioner…"

"I have to go to the hospital…" He said rising putting on his jacket. Dr. Crosby watched him trying to make sense of the urgency. Bo saw him staring at him expecting further clarification. "My ex wife just came out of her coma."

"Oh, okay…well that's great news. "

"Yeah, I'll have my cell on, call me when we hear from the FAA…" he said barely hearing his response as he raced out of his office. He couldn't believe it, she was awake. He had to get to her side now.

Todd shivered as the cold gripped him shaking him back awake. Rolling over he felt the numbing pain of his bruised forehead. His body ached and hands felt numb, the exposure for that time in the snow coupled by the cold floor he lay on made it painful to breathe let alone open his eyes. Moaning he licked his chapped lips turning his head painfully slow to look at her.

She lay next to him, her head turned away and her hair fanned out behind her. Even from his reclined position he could see the bruise on her forehead. Rolling over his side he lifted himself painfully up on his bent arm to peer down on her. She looked like a princess, a fallen princess, but a princess all the same. Trying to stop his teeth from chattering he reached for her chin and turned her face slowly to his.

"Evangeline..." he croaked out afraid over how long she'd been out, especially since she stopped breathing earlier.

She didn't stir and Todd feared that she was again seriously wounded internally, somewhere he couldn't see. Lowering his face to hers he felt her breath on his cheek. "Thank god..." he sighed.

Sitting up he surveyed the cabin. It became immediately clear that this was no cabin at all. It was a Rangers Station; one of many posted around the mountain to police poaching and maintain some type of police control for hikers and campers around these parks.

He glanced behind him to see a full-size cot with a thin mattress covered in a grayish worn looking blanket. It was pushed up against the left corner of the small cabin and being wet from the snow, shivering through icy coldness of the cabin, it appeared heavenly.

Scooping her up into his arms, his body still weak from the trek up to this place he struggled to get his bearings as he stood. She remained limp in his arms, her head hanging back causing her hair to sweep downward.

He carried her over to the cot, laying her carefully on it. Immediately he grabbed the extra blanket on top and covered her with it trying to warm her. She was wearing a black wrap dressed the clung to her body which was wet from the melted snow. Moving the wet long strands from her face he tapped her cheek lightly.

"Evangeline, you're going to have come out of it, I need to know if you're hurt" he said softly. His coaxing at first having no affect left him feeling more desperate. Breathing his icy breath out he blew into his hands to heat them, then reached to her face and tried to warm her cheeks. Tapping her face again hoping she'd respond, he was shocked when he witnessed her suck in a deep breath and then let go through her nostrils. He saw her chest heave under the blanket and he wanted to cry out for the wonderful sight. She was going to be okay. Evangeline attempted to turn her head, her eyes remaining close as she did.

"Hey you okay?" he asked stroking her cheek.

Evangeline moaned in a low voice, then began to cough up the smoke she still carried in her lungs from the crash. Todd watched her closely relieved to hear anything escaping her.

Slowly her heavy lids raised, focusing on his wounded face with old and new bruises staring down into hers. "What…"

"Are you okay?" he asked for the hundredth time feeling a greater since of relief wash over him.

Trying to lift her right arm a searing pain cut through the joint of her wrist making her cry out in agony. The pain excruciating now brought tears to her eyes. "Oh god!" she gasped trying to wait through the agony she was experiencing. He looked down at her swollen wrist she cradled with her free hand above the blanket. Reaching for it she moved it quickly away. "It hurts" she whimpered.

"It looks broken, or sprung…any thing else hurt?"
Evangeline swallowed and nodded but a sharp pain shot through her temples when she moved her head kept her from speaking. Letting go of a deep sigh he opened her eyes again and looked at him. "My foot it hurts really bad…." She said in a low strained voice.

Todd looked down at the end of the bed. Pulling the blanket from over her he saw the black stiletto knee boots she wore. "Which one?"

"The left" she said sucking in more air and trying to regulate her breathing. So much was hurting right now she was growing numb to it all. Todd slid his hand under her leg gently lifting it and causing her dress to fall back revealing more of her thighs.

He fingered the zipper on the side of the boot and gently slid it down. As he neared her ankle he heard her cry out. "Wait….wait Todd..don't it hurts, please!" she said trying to lift up, bracing herself with her good hand. The pain on the side of her head throbbed and she blinked away more tears.

Todd looked back at her. "Stay still Van, your ankle is swelling we have to get this boot off."

Evangeline began to shiver, the cabin was as cold as it was outside. She didn't understand why she was wet. "I….I….I'm cold" she said her teeth chattering.

Todd realized he needed to hurry so he could warm her. Throwing the blanket back over the top of her, he looked around the cabin at the shelves and boxes for something additional to cover her with. She was lying on top of a blanket but he didn't want to pull that free since it was covering the mattress. Moving back from the cot he looked under the bed to see a large metal chest. Todd pulled it out further to inspect it, immediately noticing the metal lock hanging from it. "I swear we can't win!" he grunted.

Evangeline breathing shallowly through her pain looked over at him. "What is it?"

"First thing, first we need to get this boot off." He said going back to the zipper. "Listen to me, its going to hurt."

"No, Todd don't!" she moaned trying to move back up against the bed.

"Evangeline, come on sweetie we have to do this. If I do it quick it saves you a lot of pain in the end. Let me try okay"

Evangeline wanted to be brave but struggled with idea of more pain on top of the constant throbbing in her ankle. "Okay…" she said weakly.

Todd yanked the zipper down and she grunted but didn't holler or give into what he imagined had to be torturous. Pealing back the flap of her leather boot he saw her ankle bulging inside. She wore black knee high socks underneath, making it difficult to see any discoloring, bruising or cuts to clue him in to how badly she was hurt.

Looking back at her he saw her large almond shaped eyes glistening with fear. She seemed on this rare occasion vulnerable, helping her is something he needed to do. He was desperate for redemption since the world deemed him unredeemable. "You're doing great princess…" he said loving her strength.

Evangeline smiled weakly at him. "Is it broke?"

"I don't know yet. I'm going to remove it now, you ready?"

Evangeline looked at him in the dark cabin. "I think so…"

"On the count of three" he said grabbing the heel and pointy tip of her boot.

"One..two…three!" he yelled snatching it off. Evangeline let go a loud scream that echoed through the small cabin. She burst into tears from the pain and he looked back at her alarmed. Tossing the boot he went to her, climbing on bed behind her, he pulled her into his lap as she cried even louder. "Its okay…its okay princess it's over." he said stroking her hair that was now flat to her head.

She reached for him clinging tightly, Todd continue to hold her bracing his back against the wall of the cabin pulling her more into his lap. He listened to her sobs as she buried her face in his chest. He knew that her tears weren't from the pain of her wounded foot. She was scared, they came really close to dying and the trauma of it all was coming down on her at once. Kissing the top of her head he held her and let her cry. "Let it go, you're safe now. I'll protect you don't worry."

John pounded on the door ready to break it in. "Antonio open up!" he screamed

Christian flung the door open enraged by the intrusion. Luckily Jamie was with RJ for the night and she didn't have to witness it. "Are you crazy!" he snapped glaring at John who still had snow on the shoulders of his coat.

John pushed past him "Antonio!" he shouted going through the apartment. He first went to Llanfair in search of him, and was told he wasn't there. He tried calling but got no answer. He was desperate now and his fear, guilt and grief had him behaving like a maniac.

Christian slammed the door "What the hell is wrong with you! Stop yelling!"

Turning on him John glared, his eyes swollen from crying while driving through the storm to get there. "Don't you tell me what to do!" he yell at Christian clenching his fist ready to swing, desperate to take it out on someone, anyone.

Antonio came out of his back room. "John!"

John stopped whirling around relieved to see Antonio. He was his only hope of finding her and finding her soon. Antonio looked him up and down "What the hell is going on?"

"McBain was about to make a move, a foolish one!" Christian said challengingly wanting to finish what John was about to start..

John chose to ignore him. "You have to help me bro…" he said swiping at his hair wet from snow and sweat.

"Help you with what?" Christian said irritated. He didn't understand why his brother could even remain friends with him. He barely had two words of either of them unless it was too brood or make some snarky comment. Now he shows up in the middle of the night wanting help. "Bro let me toss him out!" Chris said taking a step toward John.

"Chris….back off!" Antonio said throwing up his hand. "John calm down, tell me what's going on."

John nodded opening his mouth and feeling his throat closing on him at the same time, as he struggled to swallow the bile rising up, threatening to make him expel his lunch. If she died he wouldn't survive it, not her, he just couldn't lose her it would be worse than loosing Caitlyn.

Antonio stared at him confused as he watched his face go from pale to green "Hey you okay?"

Christian looked him up and down seeing him sway as if he would collapse. John blinked several times before racing past them both to the bathroom, making it just in time before the contents of his stomach exploded out of him mouth. Antonio and Christian stood in the living room completely dumb founded. They'd never seen him loose control like this.

John flushed the toilet and then went to the sink turning on the water. Splashing water on his face and rinsing his mouth out he burst into tears. He was loosing control. God help him, he had to find the strength, just enough to make it through. She needed him.

Antonio came to the bathroom and looked inside. "John…it's time to start talking brother, you are really worrying me. What has you so damn spooked?" he asked alarmed.

John rose shakily and looked up at him in the mirror. "Its Evangeline, she was on the plane to transport Todd Manning this evening, it went down in the storm near the mountain."

Christian hearing the tale came charging toward the bathroom "Evangeline was in a plane crash!" he asked alarmed feeling his chest tighten.

John turned around facing them both, wiping his hand across his face, he struggled with the war that raged inside of him. Loosing control was not an option. "Yes, she was in a plane crash and if you two don't help me, she may die" he said his words rocking both men to the core.

Bo stepped off the elevator looking from left to right. He saw Paige in the hall talking to a nurse. Seeing her was a relief, he was so tightly wound up over the news that Nora was awake. "Paige!"

She turned to look at him "Bo" she said moving into his arms, hugging him tightly. "She's up now…"
"Is she okay….I mean is she conscious and aware?"
"She's awake, we're running tests. The nurse that found her initially said she spoke but she hasn't since."
"Can I see her?"
"Come with me" she said grabbing his hand, leading him to her. Bo walked with her down the hall. He had hoped since her collapse she would come back. The pain he felt for the stress he caused her up until her meltdown haunted him constantly. He could still remember her cries and pleas as she came undone.

Walking through the door he looked to see her lying on the bed staring blankly in space. Her auburn hair now longer she looked as she did ten years ago, he stopped at the sight of her searching for his voice. Paige came in behind him rubbing his back. "She's been like this since she woke up. We should have to results of her MRI soon."

Bo walked to the bed "Nora…its me"
Nora turned and looked at him. She focused her eyes on him and Paige stared in disbelief as she saw the unmistakable recognition in her eyes. "Bo…" she croaked out.

Bo moved at first cautiously then quickly to her bed, instinctively pulling her in his arms "Nora, thank god. Thank god!" he said cradling her head to his chest.

Lifting her arms she hugged him back. "Bo…." Is all she could say through a voice that struggled to be heard after being silent for so many months?

Paige watched and though it warmed her heart to see them reunite she had to swallow on the sense on envy at the love she watched them express. Bo cupped Nora's face and kissed both her eyes "We thought we lost you" he said softly.

"Bo…Eva…Evangee…Evangeline" she croaked out.

Bo frowned at her "What?"

"Find…Evangeline" she said her eyes tearing.

Bo looked back at Paige. "Did you tell her about the crash? Why would you do that?"

Paige shook her head "I didn't….she hasn't spoken to us. The nurse said she woke up screaming Evangeline's name. What crash?"

Bo looked back at Nora who had tears running down her face "I don't understand., how else would you know?"

Todd held Evangeline as her tears finally ceased and morphed into soft whimpering. He had to get her warm and tend to her ankle and wrist. "Evangeline, Can you sit up for me"

Nodding she sat up from his lap with his help, he eased off the bed with her, positioning her up against the wall. Pulling the blankets from underneath her he quickly covered her with them. Evangeline watched as he went and dragged the large metal chest from under the bed. Looking down at her wrist she saw it was turning purple. "Todd, what happened to us? What is this place?"

Todd looked up his blonde hair in his face blood still on his forehead "We crashed and the plane exploded, I had to find us shelter. I think this is a Ranger Station."

Evangeline looked around "Have you found a radio?"

"Not yet princess, working on it. First we need to get a medical kit" he said walking over to the desk and pulling open the drawers. Finding paper, pens and an assortment of office supplies he grew frustrated. Pulling out the large bottom drawer he dumped it's contents on the desk spilling them everywhere.

Evangeline watched him rummage through things, trying to steady her vision which kept blurring from her head injury. She figured she had a concussion from the painful headache that plagued her since she woke. "Todd, the pilot, the guard….where are they?"

"Dead"
"What?"
"Dead…we are the only survivors."

"Oh god…" she moaned. Closing her eyes she shook her head "What are we going to do?"

Todd finding a set of keys smiled. He went to the chest and fell to his knees. Trying the first two in the lock he grunted when neither worked. Finally the third being the charm the metal lock came undone. Opening the chest he smiled to find more blankets inside, finally he felt less helpless. He also found emergency nightstick/flares that he could snap to illuminate the cabin with. There was a ranger uniform and gloves inside as well.

"What is it?" she asked leaning forward.

"Blankets, thick ones…." He said never so happy to actually see them. Pulling out the flare sticks that didn't require a fuse, he hit them together making them cast an immediate warm yellowish glow through the cabin. Tossing each to the opposite side of the room, he felt warmer just by the dispelling of the shadows that hung over them since they found the place.

Standing he turned around and looked at the shelves. "There has to be first a first aid kit here, it's a ranger station for Christ sake" he said walking over and pulling at boxes.

"Thank you Todd" Evangeline mumbled, cradling her arm
"For what?" he asked not bothering to look up from his pilfering.

"For saving my life" she said smiling weakly.

He stopped, looking back over his shoulder at her. "It's what you've been trying to do for me princess, just returning the favor." He said winking at her.

She nodded not saying anything. The pain in her head was subsiding some, though her ankle throbbed intensely.

"Found it!" Todd exclaimed shuffling back to the bed excited over his discovery.

Evangeline saw how he moved stiffly and looked at him concerned. "Are you hurt?"

"Old bruises mostly, from the beating I took in jail. What? You don't like my jailhouse walk?" he asked chucking.

Evangeline smiled at his joke "I'm so sorry they did that to you…"

"Not your fault…now let's see this ankle." he said pulling back to blanket covering her feet. He sat down on the edge of the cot reaching for it tenderly then rolling down her sock slowly. Evangeline flinched as it neared the swelling but she relaxed under his careful touch.

Looking in the dark at her ankle he saw the purple and red bruising, but no bone protrusions. "It's a bad sprang princess….I don't think it's broken."
Evangeline nodded relieved. The idea of being trapped in a snowstorm with a broke ankle was less than appealing.
.
"I'm going to wrap it and that wrist of yours to get some of the pressure on the swelling to go down."

"Okay…"

She watched him as he worked on her, her eyes traveled over his solid frame showcased in that hideous orange prison jumpsuit on the front and back. "Guess you didn't think we'd end up here hunh?"

Todd shook his head "Nope, I kinda envisioned it would end a little differently." He chuckled.

"That's not funny Todd, it hurts me when you joke about your death that way. Life's not a joke, especially yours. You have too much to live for."

Todd looked up at her confused "It hurts you?"

"Of course it does…I care about you, so does Blaire. You need to believe in your self again. This attitude of yours is heart breaking."

"Evangeline, I love that you care, but Blaire doesn't and I've accepted that."

"How could you say that, you two are soul mates!" Evangeline said wincing as he wrapped the bandage tightly across her ankle under her foot.

"Like you and John are soul mates?" he asked looking up at her studying her face.

"Not the same thing"

"Why not?"

"John doesn't love me, never did" she said looking away hurt to have to say it out loud.

"Then he's a fool, because you have a lot to offer princess. Any man that walks away from your love is a fool, plain and simple." he said sincerely

Evangeline smiled "Since when did I become princess?"

"Since I came so close to loosing you." He said stopping to stare at her with a sly smile.

She couldn't understand how to take the open flirtatious undertone of that comment. She stared at him curiously, knowing he was always one to say exactly what was on his mind, she registered the sincerity. She wouldn't entertain the comment any further, though. She was tired of men that loved other women giving her sideways glances.

He took her wrist gently and ran his thumb across it softly. The light massage of his finger soothed the pain and sent a soft electric current through her arm warming her intimately. "Does it still hurt?" he asked in a low voice looking into her eyes.

"Only when I laugh" she said smiling, looking away to avoid what she was sure was desire.

Todd looked at how her face lit up when she smiled. It enhanced her beauty greatly. He smiled back, while wrapping her wrist, not ignoring the need he was feeling to be closer to her.

Evangeline looked around taking in everything. "We can't stay here long"

"Well you can't walk…and that Noreaster you mentioned earlier is here. We won't be going anywhere"

"Can we start a fire?"

"I don't think so" he said tightening her bandages, making her suck in her breath wincing.

"There, how does that feel?"

She looked down at it "Fine, how did you know how to do this?"

"Been on the run before, had to improvise at times" he shrugged

She nodded "I see"

Todd moved closer lifting her chin with his hand to look at the bruise on the side of her face. Moving her hair from her face he saw a cut and was relieved that it wasn't deep. Turning he reached for the antiseptic and large band aids "Do you think they're looking for us Todd?" she asked as he cleaned her head wound.

"Of course, Llanview's prettiest attorney, savior of lost souls is missing. That hero cop of yours is probably putting on his cape scaling the tallest building to leap from into the night and find his damsel in distress."

She looked down "I'm not Natalie, I'm sure he'll look but I doubt he'll employ his super hero methods to rescue us."

Todd stopped dressing her head wound "You sure aren't Natalie, if you were I would have let that plane go down with you inside." He said laughing and she did as well. He saw her pain was real, as her laughter subsided and the wounded heart she know wore on her sleeve was open to his inspection. "Why do you do that, Evangeline?"

"What?"
"Sell yourself short"
"Trust me I'm not. I know my worth, I also know when a man doesn't value it. John could care less."

Todd shook his head "You know I'm not a fan of his. All the way back to me showing up with Walkers face we've been less than cordial, but Evangeline the man does care for you."

"Care maybe, love no…" she said wincing as he scraped at the scar on her forehead with a q-tip

Todd looked into her face. Her eyes vibrant and full of passion fixed onto his, her hair long and lying flat on both sides gave her a Pocahontas kind of appeal. She was such a gem and he hated that she'd been hurt so badly by that idiot cop. He wished Blaire had the belief and commitment Evangeline offered to those she loved or believed in.

"What are you thinking?" she asked noticing how he was kept giving her penetrating stares.

"I'm thinking how glad I am that you're my friend." he said touching her cheek.

She smiled "You've been through a lot"
"I'm okay…"

"She does love you Todd"

Todd put the bandages back in the kit. "Nope, she's Spencer girl now" he said rising from the bed and going back to the shelves.

Evangeline watched him confused "Do you really believe that? What is it with this Spencer thing?"

"He set me up Van, I'm telling you he did it to get to Blaire and I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't in the bed with him right now."

"Are they sure? Are you sure!" Christian barked off at John.

John put his hand to his forehead leaning against the sink "The plane went down shortly after take off. The tower got a mayday before it dropped off radar"

Christian felt as if he'd been punched in the chest. Sucking in several deep breaths before breathing again, he felt a deep sense of panic rise in him. "Dammit!"

Antonio looked at John, his brow creased in disbelief. "It doesn't mean she's dead bro…"

"I know man, I know….I would feel it if she was. She's out there in that storm and I have to get to her." John said finally feeling as if he was in control again.

Antonio nodded "What do you need me to do?"

"We have to get to the mountain. I need a helicopter that will fly in this storm"
Christian looked back toward the bathroom as he paced "Do you even know where she went down?" he ask his voice tight with tension.

John's phone began to vibrate on his hip. Reaching for it he saw it was the station. He opened it immediately.

"Hello"
"John, it's Bo…"
"What's the word Bo?"
"I just wanted you to know that the FAA has located the signal of the black box on the plane….we are sending two teams out now to search for survivors."

"Bo, I need to be a part of this"
"John….I'm sorry. I really am but the storm is bad as it is. I had to pull some strings to get an emergency airlift out there. I can't pull you in just as yet. You wouldn't be of any help now anyway."

John walked out of the bathroom passed Antonio "What part of the mountain….where was the signal?"

"I don't know that John, besides I'm on my way back to the hospital now. I just came back to the station to make sure that a search team was in place."

John frowned "The hospital?"

"Oh, yeah it's the night of the unexplainable. Nora's awake."

John eyes grew wide "She's what?"

"She's awake John, and the weirdest thing happened."

"What?"

"She knew about Evangeline, she's been asking for her repeatedly. I don't know how to explain it but she came out of the coma screaming Evangeline's name."

John stood still frowning while Antonio and Christian watched him. He didn't know what to make of that and really had no time to digest it further. "Bo as soon as they've found the wreckage I need you to call me!"

"I promise." Bo said hanging up.

John put the phone back on his hip and Christian looked at him hopeful moving closer into his space. "Where is she? What did they find?"

"They got a signal from the plane, their sending teams out now to look for her."

"I want to go.." Christian said "She's my friend and she needs my help."

"I don't need you tagging along I can protect her!" John snapped.

"Yeah right, as if you care!" Chris said rolling his eyes walking away.

"What he hell does that mean?" John shouted coming toward him.

"You two stop it! We don't have time for this right now!" Antonio said stepping in between them

Christian turned around and smirked "It means that you've never put her first, and she needs someone that really cares about her well being. Since you aren't man enough to do it I'll step up!"

John lost it rushing toward Christian. Antonio tried to stop him but he shoved him away punching Christian in the jaw sending him to the ground. Christian touched the blood on lips and jumped to his feet charging at John bent taking him in the gut, sending him crashing to the floor. The men began to swing and Antonio had to jump on his brothers back to pull them apart "Stop it!" he shouted throwing Christian off John.

He turned on them both. "She's missing and we may be her only hope. Stop this now!"
John sat up his hair in his face. He was so tired of people assuming what his feelings were. He loved her more than his own life and when he found her he would tell her that.
Antonio stuck out his hand and John grabbed it coming up off the ground. He went to Christian extending his hand, but he refused it, standing on his own.

Cutting his eyes at them both he went over to the breakfast bar and sat on the stool. Antonio ignored him wanting to get back to Evangeline, every minute counted. "What do you want to do now bro? Even if I get you a copter tonight, there is zero visibility. We should wait until the morning, that's if the storm breaks."

"She may not have that long, and the snow could cover everything by then" John said shaking his head sadly

"Then what? Lantana Mountain is too big to cover in one night, especially in a blizzard."

John shoved his hands in his pockets parting his trench behind his arms. "I'll call my boy at the FBI and get a read on where the FAA says it went down. That will give us a lead"

Antonio nodded "Cool let me try to get us a helicopter" he said walking away.

John looked over at Christian glaring at him. Sighing, and recognizing that many would view his concern the same way after the way he treated her, he approached him. "Look, we both care about her man, I love her and I want to find her to tell her that. I don't need you to believe me, I just ask that you stop fighting me. I'm not the enemy"

Christian stared into his nemesis blue eyes "She deserves better than you, but I will do anything to help her. She was the only person that never gave up on me, so neither of us will give up on her. Deal?"

"Deal…" John said extending his hand
Christian accepted his hand and shook it reluctantly.
Blair picked up Jack's action figure from the middle of the floor walking across the carpet in his room. Going to his bed she quietly placed the little warrior on the shelf above his bed and then pulled the covers over him. Looking down at his blonde bang in his face she thought of his father in that moment. Jack looked more and more like his dad.

Her chest tightened and she forced the image of his Todd's face from her mind. He was dead to her. Leaning over she kissed her son lightly on the forehead and then turned exiting the room.

Closing the door silently she looked at Starr's door. Sighing she walked over trying the knob to find it locked. Blair rolled her eyes, not wanting to fight with her child anymore but terrified she was loosing her. What was she going to do when they executed him? How would she keep her family together then? Just then she heard the doorbell downstairs.

Blair let go of the door and headed to the stairs. Coming down the winding stairs in her cream robe with floor length matching nightgown underneath she tightened the sash. Heading for the door she silently hoped it wasn't Spencer, she should have never slept with him. She just wasn't ready for anything complicated.

"Who is it?"
"LPD mam, open up"

Blaire blinked surprise and undid the latch to the door. "Is it Todd?" she asked her heart pounding in her chest. A visit in the middle of the night from the police had to be about Todd.

The officers looked at her "Are you Ms. Manning?"
Blaire held her robe closed and looked at them alarmed "Yes, what is it?"
"I'm sorry Ms. Manning there's been an accident can we come in"

Blair backed up from the door her hands trembling, she shook her head no confused by their appearance and dreading the news "No…please!" she lied she did care what happened to him. The look on the officer's face had her terrified.

The officer closed the door as the other looked at her sadly. "The plane transporting your husband this evening is suspected to have been a crashed near Lantana Mountain"

Blaire screamed waking the entire floor on her penthouse level falling back into the desk behind her "NOOOO!" she screamed even louder.

"Hush little baby don't say a word….momma's going to buy you a mocking bird….and when daddy gets out of jail…Everything for us will be just swell….Daddy loves his baby a lot….Blaire and her kids can just go rot….Mmmm hmmmm…."

Margaret rocked in the rocking chair holding Todd Jr close to her bosom. Spencer told her he had to move her to a new location for Todd to find them. He said he would be coming soon. Looking at the TV screen she saw an image of Todd and his attorney come up side by side. She grabbed the remote turning the TV up.

This just in. The convicted baby killer Todd Manning and renowned attorney Evangeline Williamson are currently reported missing. The flight transport they boarded this evening lost contact with the radio tower around 9pm tonight. At this time there is no word on any survivors….

Margaret stopped rocking in her chair and glared at the TV screen struggling to digest the new bulletin. "Not my Todd!" she hissed through clench teeth. "NOT MY TODD!" she screamed in a loud shrill that made the baby burst into tears and the neighbors all around turn on their lights to the maniacal howling that chilled them through the night.

Todd inventoried all that they had. Blankets, two flashlights, a book of matches, an old bag of Chex Mix and a half eaten candy bar that was in the back of the drawer, he hadn't located any radio equipment yet, and the chill of the cabin accompanied by the head wound he had made him weak with exhaustion.

Looking over to Evangeline who was watching him pace he stopped and smiled "I don't know princess….things look rough"

"Leave it Todd, we can't do anything more tonight. You look tired."

Todd nodded "I'll make a pallet on the floor"'

Evangeline shook her head "It's below twenty degrees outside so I know it has to be even cooler in here. We sleep together; our body heat can keep us warm, besides we need every blanket we can find to cover us, in order for us to survive."

Todd looked at her surprised "You sure?"

Evangeline laughed "Oh cut it out, we're just sleeping Todd. I think we can handle it."

Todd nodded flashing her a devilish grin that made her blush "Oh yeah, that's right just sleep, although there are other way to generate body heat." He said innocently going to the trunk and pulling out the three other blankets.

Evangeline shook her head smiling. "Wow, you're such a charmer, Todd Manning" she chuckled as she unzipped her other boot and tossed it over the side of the bed. Todd climbed on the cot and got behind her so his back would be against the wall. Throwing the covers over them, he reached around her to make sure she was covered. Lying his head on the pillow next to her he smelled her fragrant shampoo as his face came into contact with the silky strands of her hair.

Evangeline scooted back into him finally feeling warm and safe. Todd slipped his strong arm around her waist and pulled her into his chest. "You okay, princess?"

"Yes…" she said making sure she laid her wrist in a way it didn't hurt and her ankle was positioned comfortably.

Todd lay next to her pushing his face into her hair that was sprawled on the pillow. She wasn't aware of it but a small smile widen on his face as he enjoyed the comfort of her curves pressed against him. She made him feel safe.

written by tarskeewee08

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Chapter 4: Lost Souls

"I'll kill him! I'll do it myself, with my bare hands." Margaret said threw a clenched jaw. She paced back and forth in front of Todd Jr's crib wringing her hands her hair flying behind her. Her eyes were wide as she stopped at Todd's crib, "You're daddy's not dead, I know it I would feel it TJ." She said softly.

Looking down at the sleeping baby she had to figure out what to do next, "This is all Spencer's fault!" she snapped. "This whole damn plan was just stupid, I just should have taken your daddy with us so that we could be a family. You know that's what he wants right for us to be a family; you and me Todd Jr." She stroked the baby's stomach as it rose and fell trying to figure out her next move.

Taking a step back she sat back down in the rocking chair and moved slowly back and forth, "Spencer said that he would bring daddy to us Todd Junior. Now that daddy was in a plane crash with that lawyer of his. I don't know what we're going to do. Spencer has to pay though…" she mumbled as she continued to rock back and forth.

Her head swimming with ideas of how to make Spencer pay, this was all his fault. He put them in this position he wanted Blair for himself, "Damn Blair! What is about that tramp that gets the guys all hot and bothered! She has nothing on you're momma Todd Junior. Nothing, crazy woman, and they call me crazy! She's the one with mental instability in her whole family. I'm not crazy, right? Didn't think so… That's my boy…" Margaret said softly as she slowed the rocker down. Walking over to the night stand she pulled out the prepaid cell phone that Spencer had given her in case Todd Junior needed anything they didn't already have.

"Dr. Truman…" He mumbled as he looked at the unknown number on his caller id.
"We need to talk."
"Who is this?"
"Margaret! Damnit Spencer, we need to talk. Something bad has happened to Todd Junior's father and it's your fault."
"What?"
"His plane crashed damn it. How do you not know these things."
Spencer sat on the phone quietly as a sinister smiled spread across his lips, "Blair…" he mumbled.
"No not Blair! Me! Get over here right now!"
"I have to see about Blair." Spencer snapped the phone shut and slipped it into his pocket.

He walked past the nurses' station and let them know he was stepping out for a bit. "Page me if you need anything, otherwise I'll be back later."
"Yes Doctor…" She called after him as Spencer stepped into the elevator.

Sitting on her chaise lounge rocking back and forth as she held her robe closed the two officers stared at each other not knowing what to do. She was mumbling something that neither of them understood, "Do something!" the younger officer said pushing his partner.

He looked at her and then back at his partner then back at Blair that seemed to be in a complete state of shock. He knelt down in front of her and she looked up at him as he placed his hand over hers. "Ms. Manning, the commissioner wanted us to bring you down to the station."
"He's not dead… " she mumbled. Shaking her head back and forth her soft brown locks flew in her face, "He wasn't supposed to die he was supposed to fight." She said staring at him.

Starr came down the stairs holding Jacks hand as they stared at their mother, "Mom… what's going on?" Starr said as she approached her mother and the two officers.
Blair looked up at her daughter and over at her son and only saw Todd's face staring back at her. She broke out in hysterical tears and Starr rushed to her mother's side. Blair opened her arms to her daughter and son hugging them close as she sobbed against Starr's face. "What did you say to her!" Starr snapped at one of the officers.

They both looked at each other confused, not sure if they should tell her what was going on or not. "Ma'am we really need to get back to the station." The younger officers said staring down at the family.
"Mom what's going on? Is it about Dad, what happened!" Starr said panicking.
Pulling out of the embrace Blair placed her hands over Starr's "You're daddy is fine, I just need to go to the police station with these officers. Stay here I'll call Dorian to come and watch you two."
"I'm going with you!" Starr snapped pushing her mom's hands away.
"You are staying her young lady." Blair said standing in front of Starr.

Jack backed away holding is frog tight to his chest and watched as his mother and sister glare at each other, "You either take me with you now or I sneak out on Aunt Dorian." Starr seethed folding her arms across her chest.
"Don't test me young lady."
"I don't know why you care, I know this is about dad. You can't hide that from me. You don't believe he's innocent anyway, so just let me go. I'm the only one in this family that believes in him anyways!"
"You're staying here!"
"I'm going!" Starr yelled and turned to run up the stairs.
"Starr Manning get back here right now! We aren't finished." Blair called after her. Running after Starr her robe flying behind her Jack sat down on the couch and looked at the two officers, "Is my daddy okay?" he said softly.

The two officers smiled politely and sat down next to him. "I don't know son…" the older one said patting Jack on the head, "I don't know…."

Antonio walked back in to the living room to see both John and Cristian pacing back and forth. John saw him first and looked up with some semblance of hope in his eyes, "What did they say bro?"
"I got us one but the pilot won't fly in this storm man."
"I don't care about a damn storm, she is out there scared and with Manning of all people!"
"John there was nothing I could do. I have one chartered for when this storm clears but who knows when that will be." Antonio looked at John and then back at Cristian. "What do we do now?" Cris said walking up.
"We find her, that's what we do!" John snapped. "Get that pilot back on the phone, I'll convince him to get us up in the air."
"How?"
"I don't know how. I do know that I have to though. She is all that matters right now." John snatched Antonio's phone from him and redialed the last number in his cell phone.

Cristian stared at John with a raised eyebrow as he walked back and forth across the apartment. "He's desperate man." Cris mumbled to Antonio.
"I've never seen him like this Cris, never. Not even the first time she went missing."
"The first time, you mean with Barber?"
"Yeah, he was freaking out then too, but nothing like this." They both watched as John paced back and forth on the cell phone.

"I don't think you understand! She is out there with a convicted criminal, lord knows what he is doing to her!" John shouted into the phone.
"I'm sorry like I told Antonio there is no way the tower will let anyone up tonight. They've grounded everything across the whole eastern seaboard. I'm sorry."
"How much…" John said softly as he ran his hand over his face.

Antonio and Cris looked at him confused as they approached John. "Excuse me?" the pilot asked.
"How much do you want? I'll pay whatever it is to get me in the air right now to look for that plane."
"I'm sorry sir but there isn't a dollar figure that would make me fly in this weather. I told Antonio as soon as the tower clears people to start flying again I would give him a call, but until then my hands are tide."
"Bull shit!" John snapped and ended the call. Throwing the phone back at Antonio he walked to the door and opened it and shut it without another word.

"I don't think that went the way he was planning on it…" Cris said staring at the closed door.
Antonio shook his head, "He needs her man, never realized how much till now. I don't even think he did."

"What do you have for me?" Bo said standing behind his desk. His face was worn from only the few hours that had gone by since finding out about the crash and Evangeline. His face haggard his tie undone and the first few buttons of his shirt unbuttoned.

His world had been turned upside down in a matter of minutes, first Evangeline then Nora, what was next? At least for the time being John was letting him do his job and not interfering but he knew that it was only a matter of time before John showed back up here trying to get any information about the plane and what happened to it.

"Yeah I'm still here." He said as the official from the FAA came on the line.
"We have men at the site right now, and they are looking for the black box. It doesn't look good though…"
Bo blew out a deep breath, "Any survivors?"
"They haven't reported that back yet, they just arrived at the site, but it's a ball of flames from the pictures they are sending back. There is no way that anyone survived this."

Bo lowered his head into his hands fighting back the tears that welled in his eyes. His voice shaking he thanked the officer and told him to keep him in contact about whatever it is they find. Setting the phone back in the cradle Bo stared at his computer screen as a few emails from the FAA official came across his screen. He looked at the emails and the pictures of the crash from a telephoto lens. The images made his stomach churn and he could feel his dinner trying to make its way back up.

He closed his eyes and closed the emails out. A knocking at the door startled him, "Come in!" he yelled.
Officer Perry walked in, "Franks and Wallace just called in they have Blair Manning on the way in sir."
"Thanks…" Bo mumbled looking up at him.
"No problem sir, is there anything else we can do? We all want to help, Ms. Williamson was like one of us." He said softly.
Thinking about his next step and how John was going to handle the news and how he was going to tell Evangeline's family not to mention Blair and the kids he smiled weakly, "Get someone over to Capricorn and bring in Layla Williamson." He said almost forgetting about Evangeline's sister.
"Sir, we'll get right on that." The door closed softly and Bo turned his chair around. This was not what was supposed to happen, she couldn't be dead.

"Welcome to Capricorn… What can I get you guys tonight?" Layla said smiling her tray tucked under her arm, her hair pulled back behind her ears. She wore a bright smile as she waited on a group of what looked like out of towners. They eyed her up and down and she gave them a seductive smile, anything to get the tips.

"I'll take you…" The guy on the end said grabbing her hand.
"I'm not on the menu." She said sweetly and snatched her hand back.
He let his eyes roam over her body looking at the curve of her butt and then back at her, "Well give me a beer whatever's on tap." He said licking his lips.
Layla nodded and then smiled at the other two guys, "A Manhattan." Said the guy in the middle.
"And for you?" She said softly leaning her arm against the edge of the both.
He smiled and fingered the list of beers, "Whatever's on tap for me too."
"I'll be right back. My name's Layla if you need anything." She said before she sashayed away back to the bar.

Dropping her tray on bar she nodded to Jake the bartender and put in her order. She gripped the bar as her stomach tightened in fierce knots. "You okay?" He asked setting the beers on her tray.
She smiled and shook her head, "I don't know… My stomach is killing me." She said wincing from the tight pain
"It might be that stomach bug that's been going around."
Layla shook her head no, "It's something worse. I don't know what it is, but it's bad." She said pulling the tray from the bar. "Thanks."

Walking back over she set the guys drinks down in front of them and looked up in time to see an officer talking with another waitress. They pointed in Layla's direction and she felt her stomach cramp tighter. Holding it she smiled at the guys and moved away toward the officer that was slowly advancing on her.
"Are you Layla Williamson?"
"Yes, what's going on?" She asked concerned.
"Commissioner Buchanan asked that you be brought to the station."
"What's going on!" she asked again more panicky this time.
"Ma'am if you please would just come with me. I rather let the Commissioner explain." Officer Andrews knew and liked Evangeline, there was no way he was going to tell her baby sister that her sister was in a plane crash and might be dead. Layla snatched her arm from him, "Tell me what is going on now!" She yelled causing all the customers to turn and look at her.

Officer Andrews shook his head. His orders were to bring her in, not cause her to flip out on him because of the news. "Please ma'am…" he said softly placing his hand over hers.

Layla took a step back and stared into the officer's eyes. They were sad, not scared, not worried, not angry, or hopeful but sad. Feeling her stomach cramping tighter she set her tray down and walked back to the back of the bar. She came out a few moments later with her coat on and followed the officer out without a word. It was bad and she could feel it deep down, something had happened and it wasn't good, in fact it was terrible.

She sat next to Officer Andrews in the front seat of the police cruiser her hands in tight fists the whole way there. He had turned down the police radio and the regular radio so the ride from Capricorn to the station was silent. She caught his side ways glances out the corner of her eye and felt as if he was hiding something major from her. All she wanted to do was slam on the brakes of the car and force him to tell her what was going on.

Spencer rang the doorbell to the penthouse and waited for Blair to answer. "Coming!" he heard someone yell that wasn't Blair.
Raising his eyebrow he looked at the door curiously as it flung open. "Ahh Dorian…" He said smiling at her.
"Spencer, what are you doing here at this time of night?" She questioned as he pushed his way into the penthouse.
"I just heard the news on Todd and I was concerned. Is Blair here?"

Dorian turned as she closed the door and walked over to him. "No she's not, she went to the police station with Starr to find out what happened. How did you know?"
"Like I said I was watching the news in the lounge at the hospital when the report came on." He said turning to face her.

Dorian smiled politely and offered him a seat, "No, no thank you…" Spencer said walking to the door. "You said they were at the police station?" He said looking over his shoulder at her.
"Yes but she is there with Bo, she won't need you."
"She will thanks for the information Dorian." Spencer closed the door tightly as he left the penthouse.

Staring at the closed door Dorian wondered how and why Spencer would even care about Todd and Blair in the first place.

Todd Junior slept in silently in the crib as his mother paced back and forth around him. She wrung her hands and then shook them out as a knock came at the back door to the house that Spencer had her hiding out in. Walking over to it she opened it hoping it was him. "Good you're here perfect." She said opening the door.
"Well when my favorite customer calls I come a running. "He said smiling at her.

Margaret took a step back as the young Hispanic guy came into the small basement apartment, "I thought you were dead lady."
"Everyone did…" she mumbled as she closed the door behind him, "Listen Miguel I don't have time to deal with you right now, did you bring what I asked for?"
"Yeah sure did. Just like the last one I sold you. Hey what ever happened to that, that was a good piece?"
"Yeah I know… I had to get rid of it. I can't pay you in full right now, All I've got is fifty on me. But you know I'm good for it right?" she questioned holding the money up in front of him.
"Yeah I do, and thanks to you lady my business has tripled." He said smiling as he snatched the money out of her hand.

Margaret smiled at the young Hispanic guy who stood five foot six. His jet black hair slicked away from his face filled with acne. How he ever got into the gun dealing business she would never know. She took the brown bag from him and smiled into it. "We're going to get you're daddy back if it's the last thing we do…" She said smiling over at a sleeping TJ.

"What you had a baby!" he snapped smile, "No shit!"
"Watch your language!" Margaret snapped glaring at him.
"Oh sorry lady. Thanks for the repeat business and keep it coming, you know where to find me."
"Yeah thanks." She pushed him out of the door and threw the brown paper bag back on the bed. She watched as his feet ran passed the window that sat above her and smiled to her self. "Now all we need is that mean nasty man…." She said wide eyed.

John stormed into the police station dead set on getting some answers from anyone. No one kept him out of the loop when it came to Evangeline. Pushing open the door to Bo's office without knocking he saw Bo with his back to him. "What did the FAA say!" John said heated.

Bo turned around staring at him. He rose from his desk and walked around it, "I don't have to tell you anything John, you're not on this case." He said firmly.
John smiled a self deprecating smile, "You have to tell me Bo. I need to know!" he said softly.
"I can't let you in on this John, you're too close."
"You let me in when she was kidnapped."
"Yeah and you about lost your lid there too. I saw the way you handled Roxie at the Women of the Year Banquet."
"She was kidnapped Bo! What was I supposed to do? And that drunk woman knew what happened to her!"

Bo sat on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms, "I need you to stay out of this, all the way out of it John. You are a good cop but this is way to close for you to handle, I mean you were supposed to be on that flight too."
"I should have been, then I could have taken care of her." He mumbled looking down at his shoes.

"John don't blame your self for this…" Bo said as his phone started to ring. John sprung from his seat and watched as Bo reached across the desk for the phone.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on now!" Starr snapped as her and Blair walked into the Police station.
"I brought you here so that I could keep an eye out on you. Now sit and stay put." Blair snapped pushing Starr into a chair.
"Just tell me what's going on Mom, I deserve to know." Starr yelled.
"Fine, you're father and Evangeline were in a plane crash you happy!" she yelled storming off to Bo's office.

Pushing open the door she slammed it shut, "What do you know!" she said glaring at Bo.
John looked up from the corner of the room at Blair. Bo held up his hand to signal her one moment, "No I want you to tell me what the hell is going on! How did Todd and Evangeline end up in a plane crash? What did he do? What are you guys doing to figure this out? I want to know and I want to know now!" Blair snapped.

"Count me in too!" Starr said pushing open Bo's office.
Bo hung up the phone and stared at the two of them. John came walking back over to Bo as his arms folded across his chest, "What did the FAA say?" he said sadly.
"They recovered the black box and they are taking it back to their lab to have it analyzed, but there were no survivors John, Blair I'm sorry." He said sadly.

Blair felt her chest rise and fall quicker than it had the first time she heard the news. Her head spinning her heart racing she saw his face flash before her eyes over and over again as the plane crashed he called for her, begging that he believe in him.

John gripped the chair in front of him. She wasn't dead, he would feel it if she was dead. He would know it, he knew what it's like for someone that you love to die and this isn't the feeling, "She's not dead…" he mumbled holding back the tears of fear and desperation he was sure Evangeline was feeling, "I'm telling you right now that she's not dead!" he snapped glaring at Bo.
"John I'm sorry… The plane was in complete flames from the crash there was no way that she survived the crash. Todd either."

Star walked up and looked at Bo, "My dad's not dead! Don't say that! He can't be dead. You're lying!" she yelled. "You're lying! You're lying!" she screamed over and over again.

Blair stood watching her daughter yell and scream that her father wasn't dead, she didn't believe it either. Why was Bo standing there telling her that Todd was dead, this was some cruel trick that he was playing on her because she slept with Spencer. Feeling the room spinning Blair gripped the chair in front of her to steady herself.

Bo swallowed hard, closing his eyes images of Evangeline's beautiful face popped into his mind, she was gone and there was nothing that he could do about it.

Layla walked into the police station behind Officer Andrews. The whole ride was silent. Slipping her hands in her coat pocket her head down she ran into someone, "Watch it!" Natalie snapped.
"Watch it yourself." Layla said back her eyes narrowing on the girl in front of her.
"Layla I'm sorry…" Natalie said softly.
"Yeah I'm sure you are!"
"I am. I'm sorry about Evangeline I heard."

Layla looked at her confused and shook her head, "What are you talking about what happened with Evangeline?"
Natalie looked back at Bo's closed door and then back at Layla, "No one told you?"
"Told me what!" Layla said getting anxious.
"I'm sorry but…"

"Stop it Natalie!" John snapped coming out of Bo's office.
"John I was trying to help…" she said looking up at him.
"No you weren't. You don't know what it means to help." He said heated as he glared at her.
"Now you wait just a damn minute. Is it my fault that no one's told her that her sister's dead!" Natalie said rolling her eyes.
"She's what?" Layla said putting her hand over her mouth.

John turned from Natalie and to Layla. Layla stared at John tears welling in her eyes as they started to roll down her cheeks at a fast pace. John reached out to touch her and Layla flinched pulling her hand back and backing away from John, "Layla she's not dead."
"But John… that's not…" Natalie started to say.
John turned around fire brimming in his eyes, "Stay out of this now Natalie, she's not dead. I know you would like to think that but she's not dead!" John snapped.
"I don't…" Natalie shook her head.

Layla glared at Natalie as Natalie tried to conjure up fake tears, "Don't you even start." Layla hissed rushing Natalie. "If you even start crying because he yelled at you I'll be sure to give you something that will really make you cry!" Layla said heated as she got in her face. "You really should keep your nose out of other peoples business before something bad happens to you!" Layla snapped.

Natalie fixed her face and halted the fake tears she was trying to muster, "Are you going to stand there and let her talk to me that way?" She questioned looking at John.
"I don't care about what you're feeling right now Natalie, my plate is too full worrying about Evangeline."
Layla wiped her eyes and turned to look at John who had his head down, "My sister's not dead is she?" She said shaking John.
"No…" he mumbled.
"Then what is she talking about, why am I just now hearing about this. Why are you keeping stuff from me?" Layla said pushing John in the chest.

John looked up at her unable to answer any of her questions. He was so wrapped up in what he was feeling, the idea of loosing Evangeline before she truly knew how much he loved and cared about her ate at him second by second, minute by minute. All of his energy was spent on trying to keep himself together he completely forgot about Layla. All he knew was that he had to get her back, if not for himself then for Layla.

Taking Layla's arm John took her to his old office to explain everything. Natalie watched them go and shook her head at the site. Since when did John become all about Evangeline?

Blair sat in the chair in Bo's office rocking back and forth as she held herself. She looked up to see Starr crying and then the side door open. In walked Spencer and she rushed into his arms. He stroked the back of her hair and smiled sweetly at Starr. Starr glared at the man trying desperately to take her father's place and then back down at the floor.

"How did you know?" Blair mumbled against Spencer's chest.
"I heard it on the news, then I went by your Penthouse to see what I could do. Dorian told me I could find you two here. What did you learn? Is Todd okay?"
"They say he's dead!" Starr snapped, "I bet you're happy about that aren't you…" she said disgusted.

"Starr!" Blair said pulling from Spencer's hug.
"What mom! He comes here and the first thing you do is rush into his stupid arms! I mean we just found out that they think Daddy's dead and there you are taking up with another man."
"I'm not doing that Starr and you know it. Spencer is just friend."
Wiping her eyes on her long sleeve she stared at her mother, "Please… I'll be outside I'm not going to watch you salivate all over my mother."

Storming out of Bo's office Starr walked out to the bull pen and sat at an empty desk.
Blair watched her daughter go and then turned back to Spencer. Finding solace in his arms she buried her head in his chest and let him hug her. "Let me take you two home, there isn't anything you guys can do here tonight." He said softly as he rocked her back and forth.
Blair nodded into his chest. Spencer put his hand on the door to open it and pulled Blair out. Walking around the corner he called to Starr, "What!" she snapped.
"Quit it now young lady! I don't have time to deal with your attitude right now." Blair said narrowing her eyes on Starr. "Now come on, there is nothing we can do here."
"What we're leaving!" she said panicking.
"Yes, Spencer has offered to take us home, now let's go."

Starr held her ground, "You're just going to give up just like that! No fight no nothing. Daddy isn't dead and I don't know how you can believe that."
"I don't but Bo said the FAA didn't find any survivors."
"That doesn't mean that he and Ms. Williamson didn't escape. Come on mom you know dad he has like a hundred lives!"
"That maybe true but there is nothing we can do. The FAA and the police are looking for him if he is still alive."
"It's not if mom! He is alive!" she snapped walking past her. Blair rolled her eyes and turned on her heels. Walking out after her daughter Spencer slipped his hands into his coat pocket and followed the two ladies out.

"I don't understand John…" Layla said holding in her tears, her voice shaky with fear and sadness.
John shook his head back and forth, "Some how your sister got on Manning's flight. The plane went down that's all I know. But I'm going to find her." He said staring her dead in the eyes.

Layla stared back reading the expression on his face. It was honest, sincere but mostly desperate, desperate to find her sister, "Promise me…"
John held up his hand, "I promise you that I will bring her back safe and sound if it's the last thing I do Layla." He said softly.

Reaching out to touch his face Layla let the tears roll down her cheeks. John closed his eyes at the touch, so much like her sisters, soft and innocent but filled with hope. "I have to bring her back." He said softly removing her hand from his face.
"How? They don't believe she's alive?"
"I don't know Layla. I know she's not dead." He grabbed his stomach, "I would know… some how I would know."
"Me too." She said hugging her body and sliding down in to the chair behind her.

John sat on the edge of the desk in front of her his hands on the desk he stared at Layla. He never noticed how much they did look alike. His phone buzzing in his pocket startling him, "McBain." He said standing up straight.
"John bro why didn't you call and tell me!" Michael said quickly.
"Mike, I can't talk now. Evangeline is missing."
"The news said she's dead man."
"She's not dead." He snapped.
"Hey chill bro. I'm just saying what the news is reporting. Now why didn't you call me? You know I love E too!"

John shook his head and let out a deep sigh, "I'm sorry Michael. I'm kinda dealing with my own stuff right now and the fact that Bo won't let me help look for her and Manning."
"Figured." Michael said rolling his eyes, "Listen did Bo tell you that Nora's awake."
"She's what!" Johns asked shocked.
Michael fell back against the nurse's station sticking his hand into his white doctor's lab coat. "Yeah she woke up screaming something about Evangeline, Bo didn't tell you?"
"No…" John looked past Layla and out into the hallway. Why wouldn't Bo tell him that Nora woke up and screamed Evangeline's name?
"Can you get me in to see her?"
"I don' t know man…I mean she's still pretty bad off, she's been in a coma for months."

"Listen Michael everyone around here thinks that Evangeline is dead, I need to talk to Nora."
"Why?"
"I don't know Michael, she is Evangeline's best friend. I just need to know that believing that she's not dead is what I should be doing…." John said sadly.
"I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks Michael."
"I'm doing this for E not you."
"Whatever." John snapped his phone shut putting it back into his pocket.

"Nora's awake?"
"Looks like it, I'm going to go talk to her."
"Why, she's been in a coma for months John." Layla said rising from her seat.
"I don't know… Michael said she woke up screaming your Evangeline's name. There has to be something there." John said walking to the door.
"Find her please…" Layla called out after John before she slid into the chair.

"Where are you!" Margaret snapped into the phone.
"I'm with Blair, what is it."
"Todd Junior isn't feeling well. He's crying and screaming and he's warm and I don't know what to do. You're a doctor!"
"I'll be right there."
"Good." Margaret ended the call and held the gun tightly in her hand. She smiled her sinister smile as she sat on the bed and kicked her feet back. She had moved Todd Junior out of the small bedroom and into the small living room in the basement of the abandoned house.

Twenty minutes later

Margaret slid the gun under her pillow as heard Spencer's heels clicking on the concrete above her. Hearing him descend the steps in the back of the house to the separate basement entrance she flung the door open.
"Where's the baby."
"I moved him the screaming was getting louder and louder." She said moving to back to allow him into the basement.
"I don't hear anything?"
"Yeah he just stopped a few moments ago. I was going to go see about him when I heard you coming."
"Let me." Spencer walked to the door and tried to push it open. Feeling something sticking in his back he froze with his hand on the door, "You said that we were going to be together Todd and I. He's dead because of your plan." Margaret said cocking the gun.

"What are you doing?" Spencer said looking over his shoulder.
"Getting revenge for the love of my life, you killed him by sending him to death row and now I'm going to kill you."

John stepped off the hospital elevator and saw Michael waiting for him at the nurse's station. Following him down the long corridor the lights low and flickering on and off, he hated hospitals everything about them and especially at night. He never understood why Michael wanted to be a doctor.

Michael looked back at John, "You only have a few moments okay." He said softly.
John nodded and looked into Nora' room. Taking a few steps in Michael closed the door behind him and Nora turned to look at him, "She's not dead…" she croaked out holding her throat from the pain still in it from the tubes in her mouth.

written by oltlfantimes10

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Chapter 5: Lost Souls

"I'm really glad to see that you are up Nora…" John said stepping toward the bed.
Nora swallowed before speaking "You have to find her, I'm telling you…." She said her voice growing hoarse. Closing her eyes she sucked in a deep breath trying to pace herself. Opening them she pointed to the pitcher and cup on the dresser near her bed.

John understood what she needed, walking over to the dresser he poured her a cup. Putting the straw in it he handed it to her. Nora accepted the water swallowing the cool liquid. Her throat wasn't the main source of her struggles. Her head felt heavy and the drugs they had to make sure she didn't have any more seizures were having a dizzying affect on her. Yet she had to tell John what she'd seen. Evangeline desperately needed their help.

John watched her closely. He didn't know why he'd come and time was slipping away. He was desperate for any word on her. "Nora, I can come back"

Her hand shot out from the bed with tubing attached to the top of it and around her wrist. "Wait!" she said quickly.

John felt the desperation in her grip, it forced him to look back into her eyes. She had a pleading look that stopped his heart. Nodding he pulled the chair next to him close and took a seat. "What is it?"

"I saw it, I saw the plane crash" she said in a whisper, finding it easier to speak that way.
"You saw the crash? How?"

Shaking her head, long auburn strands fell into her face. She sucked in another deep breath then exhaled trying to gain some clarity at what she experienced in her coma. She knows it made little sense.

"While in a coma I saw Evangeline in a plane. She was crying and saying she didn't want to die, she was terrified. It may seem crazy but I felt her fear, it was so overwhelmingly strong it forced me awake." Her voice began to crack again but this time it was due to the emotions running through her.

"John, I keep getting flashes since then. On of them I saw her in the snow. Somebody was trying to make her wake up. I swear it John. It makes no sense, but I knew she was in a crash and I know she's alive in that storm" she said pointing to the falling snow outside her window.

John stared at her. "How? How did you…."

"Don't! Stop with the questions because I can't explain it any better than that. Just find her, she needs you….find our girl now!" Nora said glaring at him. If Bo hadn't confirmed that Evangeline was in a plane crash, she would have thought it was delusions from her unconscious mind. Somehow she felt her friend and she wasn't going to waste time on dissecting the how's and why's. She felt in her bones that Evangeline needed them and John had to find her.

He nodded wanting desperately to believe. "I can't get out in the storm, I don't even know the crash site"
"Find her!" she said in a loud croaking voice that resonated through him.
John felt his cell buzzing and reached for it immediately.

"McBain…"
"What's up man…"
"Wess?"
"Yeah I got some info…"
"Give it to me" he said walking away from the bed. Nora sat up watching him closely.
"The plane went down over by Muskogee Lake on the Northwest side of Lantana Mountain."

John went back to the dresser, snatching the hospital pad and pen. "What about the condition of the plane, any bodies found?"

"Checked the facts and the plane broke apart on descent through that forested area, looks like it came down on the edge of the mountain, then fell over. It was found at the bottom of part of the mountain that had a 100ft drop."

"That means she could have been pulled out…"
"Looks like it. But the FAA is saying no go because of the loss of cabin pressure indicates she most likely may have passed out before it touched down. Besides if she was, there is no shelter and that blizzard is relentless."

John fought off his panic. Wess was right about the storm, and if by some miracle she escaped the plane she could not survive those elements. Not in weather like this. "Is there any cabins or anything near this lake?"

"Checked out the basic land maps of that region….a couple of ranger stations for hikers but that's about it."
"Ranger Stations?"
"Yeah, their posted all over the mountains, you know to avoid forest fires and poaching…"
"Are they populated?"
"Not during the winter months. Most of them would be abandoned…you think she could held up in one?"
"Maybe, can you get me a list of them around this lake….the ones within walking distance?"
"Will do bro, can't before the morning…"
"What!"
"It'll take some extra work on my part, we just don't keep that information in the bureau, you guys are snowbound and I can't get anything tonight, nothing like that"
"Dammit Wess! She's out there!"
"And if she's in a Ranger Station she's got time, I will be on it as soon as possibl.e"

"Fine!" he said closing the phone. Turning he looked at Nora who stared at him hopeful "We might have a lead. I definitely know where the plane went down so it's a start"
"Are you going now?" Nora asked
"I can't…." he said sucking in his breath. "I can't get up in the air yet. No one will fly in the storm."

"John, she could be hurt, dying for that matter!" Nora snapped in a whisper

"Dammit I know!" he shouted. Nora blinked at him surprised and he regretted yelling immediately. "Nora, I am just as scared as you are…I don't want to loose her"

Nora cut her eyes "You sure about that?"

John looked at her confused "What?"

"You sure haven't been big on saving her before" Nora said not disguising her lack of faith in him. John felt as if she punched him in his chest. He knew he'd failed at other times to show her his love but he never failed in trying to keep her safe. He gave her up to keep her safe. "I deserve that."

"Yes you do!" Nora said

"Nora, you've been gone from us for a long time things have changed."

"Really?" she asked amused "You dumped the redhead?"

John sighed "We aren't together…"

"So you're with Evangeline?"

"No, it's just…."

"Enough, I'm tired and weak and I don't care. I will use you and your guilt or whatever motivates you now to find my friend. She communicated with me somehow and I won't fail her, I may be all she has."

John went back to her bedside and reached for Nora's hand. She immediately tried to pull it away, but he held it tightly forcing her to look at him. "Nora, look at me…"
She looked at him and tried to remain focused. The drugs making her lids heavy, made her vision somewhat blurred. She still saw the pain and fear on his face.

"I never told her, I rarely showed her, and I should be saying this to her. But I need you and this whole town to know. I love her. I will fight whatever is out there keeping her from us and bring her home safe, and I plan to spend a lifetime making up for every tear or moment of pain she felt from loving me."

Nora looked at him stunned by the confession. She saw the intense determination in his blue eyes and believed every word. Her friend deserved to hear this for herself. "I believe you John."

John kissed her hand. "Get some sleep"

She nodded and watched as he let go of her hand turning to leave. Before he walked out she called out to him "John!"

Turning he looked at her "Yes"

"You tell her exactly that, the moment you lay eyes on her!" she said hoarsely.

He smiled at her renewed faith him then winked "Will do…"

The next morning

Evangeline let out a painful sigh. Her head was again throbbing from the bruise on the side of her face her ankle hurt ten times worse. Wincing as she moved it she opened her eyes to the pain.

"You okay over there princess?"

She looked over to see Todd at the desk in the cabin with a cb radio. Her eyes brightened with excitement "Oh my god is that what I think it is?"

Todd smiled slyly "Depends…what do you think it is?" he said pulling up the antenna and turning with the dials.

"Does it work Todd, please say it works?" she asked pulling herself up on her good hand sliding her foot gently with her.

"I've been messing with it all morning, it's battery operated and the power light is yellow"
"Yellow?" she frowned

"Yep, yellow means its low princess, just not sure how low."

She shook her head causing her limp hair to fall across her shoulders. "We have to get out of here, we can't stay here." she said weakly. Her body aches were partly from the cold. Though she was layered under four blankets the below zero weather had her shivering fighting to hold onto the warmth. With no food, drink or fire she didn't know how long they would last through the storm. She didn't want to die.

Todd looked over and saw she was coming undone. "It's okay, I will come up with something." Just then the static popped on the radio giving blurbs of a weak transmission trying to break through. Todd smiled and Evangeline looked at him excited "It's working she said excitedly."

Todd turned the dials trying to hone in on the signal getting nothing but static. He picked up the cb receiver and pressed the button on the side "Hello, this is a distress call…Hello any one out there" he said letting go of the button to hear nothing but in static.

"Mayday….mayday…this is a distress call….mayday!" Todd said again hoping for a response.

Evangeline watched holding her breath. He got nothing in return and she was really feeling hopeless from it all. She just couldn't imagine she'd end up here, with her ankle banged up the way it was she was incapable of saving herself and she was almost positive that no one was looking for them. They probably think they were dead.

Todd slammed the receiver down on the table "Damn!" he snapped

Evangeline looked over at him confused "I'm really surprised at you…"

His down due to his growing frustration, caused his long blonde bang to fall in his eyes. Lifting his head slowly he looked over at her "What? Why?"

"Well, if they find us you go to death row Todd. I just would think…"

"That I'd leave you here and try to save my own skin?"

"No I didn't mean…"

Rising from his seat he walked over toward her. "Its okay princess, there is a part of me capable of doing just that. But there's also another part of me…."

Evangeline watched him approach her "Another part?"

Sitting on the bed with her avoiding her foot he reached up and moved her hair from her face "There's another part of me, which protects the people I care about. That will fight to save them with my dying breath" he said in a low whisper.

She stared at him seeing something in his eyes that confused her. His hand stroked the side of her face and then moved down to her neck. She let a breath escape her as his fingers tenderly massaged the back of her neck alleviating some of the pressure from her headache. Evangeline reached and grabbed his wrist to stop the massage, feeling she was enjoying it too much "Todd…"

"You are a remarkable woman…" he said under his breath, his eyes sweeping downward at the voluptuous curves of her breasts defined by the wrap dress she wore.

"I don't…"

"Listen to me, I know you've been through a lot Evangeline. I may not have acknowledged it before due to my own life crises but I saw it all. Your love affair with a man that ran around town chasing that twit can barely recognize her colors without flash cards. I saw you selflessly try to defend her and then help him help her through one crisis after another." He said inching closer staring directly into her eyes that were beginning to pool with tears revealing her pain.

"Worst of all we all witnessed on they day that was supposed to be your day. The day the entire town wanted to say thank you, for all that you do selflessly for us, you get kidnapped. Only to suffer the humiliation of watching as your life slip away the man you love choose another woman all over again…"

"Stop it dammit!" she shouted at him bursting into tears turning her head.

"Evangeline"

"NO! Stop, I don't need you to tell me my life….I lived it!" she said crying, her fear of dying out here alone and the knowledge that he's probably out there not caring if she did took over her. The tears she kept inside gripped her, making the pain so raw she struggled to breathe. Turning her head from him she felt embarrassed at her loss of control and wanted desperately for him to just go away so she could deal the way she always has.

Todd pulled her face back to his forcing her to look at him. "I said all that to say that you have never had a man to stand at your side with the intent of protecting you and only you. At least you never had that in John McBain."

"Todd, I don't want…"
"You don't want a savior….I know, but princess you so desperately need one." He said smiling at her sweetly.

Evangeline looked at him and her tears stopped. She was so tired of it all. She almost lost her life and now she was stranded with a man sentenced to the fate they avoided. She knew it was their desperation that created the electrical charge in the air drawing them into each other. She knew it and she wouldn't give into it. "I don't know what you want from me…"

"You know what I really want" Todd said moving closer to her.
Staring in his eyes afraid of what was to come next and weakened by her need for comfort, she shook her head no nervously. He smiled sweetly at her "I want you to lean on me. I want you to believe that we'll survive this because for once there is someone determined to make sure you're okay. I need you to hold on and believe that I'll protect you…"

"Why Todd? Why are you doing this?"

"Because right now I need hope to Evangeline, I need to think of something more than the fact that we are stuck and if we're found, my life is still over. I feel it too…"

"Feel what?" she said weakly

"I feel lost. Together we are just a couple of lost souls. We've loved and committed ourselves to people that were just incapable of doing the same in return. It hurts, and I know that pain you carry. It's like a cancer and it eats away at you slow. At first you don't know the disease is in you and you try to just get on with living, or dying which in my case is why I fought the appeal. But then the cancer spreads and it takes away your hope, your faith that you'll be happy. By the time you know you have it, it's terminal and there's no cure. Am I right?"

Evangeline began to cry and nod. "I love him Todd, I've never stopped and he could never love me. No matter how much I tried to show him my love, he could never love me. Why is that" she asked her body heaving with tears and the pain of her wounds making her tremble.

Todd lifted her chin, bringing his face to hers he kissed her softly on her lips. Evangeline blinked through her tears at him surprised and before she could stop the kiss he lifted his head.

"I don't know why he let you go, just like I don't know why Blaire couldn't believe in us any longer. All I know is that you deserve devotion Princess. It's the only way to be loved…."

John walked out of his bathroom wiping his face with his hand towel. Last night he dreamed of her crash and her screams were with him even now that he was awake. Todd Manning was murdering rapist and if her life depended on him she was in even greater peril than that blizzard could cause.

Images of them being held up in a Ranger Station came to him and his hands began to ball up into fists. If he laid a hand on her or hurt her in anyway, he'd kill him slow. Trying to settle the irrational fear and rage that had a grip on him he finally was able to hear the persistent knocking at his door.

Tossing the hand towel to his bed he grabbed his shirt that lay on the dresser and pulled it over his bare chest heading to answer it. Opening the door without asking who it was he was surprised to see Antonio and Christian. Christian shouldered past him coming inside and John stepped back frowning as Antonio followed.

"The news says that she's dead? The papers say she's dead! What the hell is going on!" Chris said turning around with a mixture of disbelief and grief.
"She's not" John said dryly closing the door
"Then you heard differently?" Antonio asked

"Yeah you can say that, she's held up out there and we have to get to her. I don't know how bad she's hurt, but I do know her life may depend on Todd Manning's help and if that's the case the storm isn't the only thing we should be worried about."

"Held where? Todd? Do you think he would hurt her?" Christian snapped frowning.

Before John could speak the phone rang, turning he went to answer it. "Hello"
"John…." a soft voice came through on the line.
"Yes, Layla? Is that you?"

"John they keep saying on the news she's dead….when are you going to go look for my sister?" she said crying. Her fears had a hold of her and she'd been unable to sleep all night. Talking to her mom who was now in worse shape than she was, she felt helpless and a sense of dread plagued her thoughts. She needed someone to confirm that her sister would be okay.

John's heart raced at the sound of her tears "Layla, you will have to be strong for me okay"
"Have they found anything more yet?"
"Not yet sweetie, but I think I know where she is. I'm going to be heading out soon. I promise you we will find her."

Antonio watched him pacing trying to calm Layla. Christian came up along side of him. "Hey can you call the pilot again bro, I mean we got to get out there, how long do you think she can survive this?"
"Yeah okay" he said walking away pulling out his phone.

John hung up the phone with Layla and turned around to see Christian watching him. The lack of sleep and his growing anxiety at her being alone with Manning probably had him coming unhinged. Christian saw the dark circles forming under his eyes and the clammy pale look of his skin. "So do you said you knew where she was being held"

John nodded "I think they got out of the plane before it went over the cliff"
"Wait…what cliff?"
Shaking his head he headed to his kitchen to pour some coffee to calm his nerves. "I spoke to my contact at the FBI and they said the plane crash landed then went over a cliff. He thinks it's possible she got out before it did so."

"Okay so she's been in this storm?"

John poured the coffee into a cup and turned to look at Christian as he sipped it relishing the strength it gave him. "I don't think so, I think she's found shelter. I have to believe she has. And knowing Manning with the nine lives he has….he's at her side trying to figure out a way to benefit from this situation. He won't protect her in the end. He'll save his own neck so we have to get to her and fast."

Christian let go of a deep sigh. "Evangeline, savior of lost souls." He said sadly. Looking down he thought about how hard she fought for him. How hard she fought for Todd, to have her in your corner touches you deeply. There's no way a man that's had her belief in him would harm her. "Todd won't hurt her"

John slammed the cup on the counter "He's a baby killer!" he hissed
"Maybe not, do you think she would defend a man that was a baby killer!" Christian snapped.

"She doesn't see it, she believes…."
"She believes is people that no one believes in" Christian said glaring at him. "She helps those lost, and she gives them hope. Todd won't hurt her, I know it because I've been on the recipient end of that. You claim to love her, you should know this too"

John shook his head, he'd really messed everything up. He just had to find her first and then he could fix it. He would tell her he loved her and they would just move on with their lives. He knew it. Inside he knew she would come back to him. "Maybe, you're right, but on the slightest chance you're not do you want to risk her life?" he said matching Christian's glare.

Antonio who wrapped up his call walked over noticing the tension. John dropped the heated stare with Christian to look at his friend. "What's the word?"

"The pilot says air traffic control will not allow a flight out today. The storm won't break according to them until tonight some time."
"What! We can't search for a cabin at night!" Christian said shocked
John looked down at the sink and shook his head "Look man, I would never do this or ask this of you, but I'm desperate."

Antonio shook his head "I have tried John….money won't get us in that sky, nobody will risk their life flying in this, no one but us of course."

John stared at him "You sure about that? You telling me there is nothing you can do? No one else that you call in a favor from?"
Antonio sucked in his breath "I'll call Jackie, but to deal with him John makes you indebted to people you really don't want to mess with."

"Make the call!" John said staring into Antonio eyes. Antonio saw something in that blue stare that let him know that at this moment he'd sell his soul to the devil for her.

The phone rang again and John went to it feeling a greater sense of relief now that Antonio was employing all tactics to get them in the air.

"McBain here.."
"John its Bo"
"Hey Bo, any word on the crash site?" he asked hoping that the rescue teams found something more.

"No they had to come out of the mountains the storm is getting worse. Listen we got another problem"
"What?"
"A homicide…"
"Bo, I don't have time for this…I can't do anything right now but concentrate on Evangeline."
"This affects her, the person murdered was Spencer Truman."
John stopped pacing and frowned "Truman?"
"He was shot to death and I have a witness that says it Margaret Cochran…you need to get to the station now!"

John hung up stunned. Christian walked over to him confused "What now?"
"I have to go to the station."
"Is it Evangeline?"
"I don't know it's like we're in the twilight zone or something!" he said dazed
Antonio hung up. "Jackie's saying he can get us in the air with a medical helicopter, but he'll need a couple of hours."

John and Christian looked at him relieved. They were finally going to get somewhere. "I'll call my boy back at the bureau, and find out where those stations are, on my way to the police station" he said going to his room to get his shoes and finish dressing.

"The station? Something else with Evangeline?" Antonio asked hopeful
"Spencer Truman is dead and Bo says Margaret did it, apparently Todd may not have been lying after all." he said turning to get dressed.

Christian and Antonio looked at each other in shocked silence. John was right they were all in the twilight zone, and it was getting worse by the minute.

"Don't worry baby, mommy has a plan" Margaret said looking up into the rearview mirror at the back of the infant seat that was turned facing the backseat. She heard Todd Jr crying and she knew he was tired of the drive.

She had to get to shelter for them, to wait out the storm until its time to go find daddy. She fixed ole Spencer Truman's wagon. Shooting him was fun, if only she could pop a cap in that blonde haired Barbie doll all would be right in the world.

She looked up to see an exit approaching and decided to take it to get out of the storm. The snow was falling harder and she feared getting stuck in it. Turning off the road she drove up to the small Motel 6 that just 20 miles outside of Llanview. Grabbing a hat and a pair of shades she got out locking the baby inside, rushing into the lobby.

She'd taken Spencer's wallet which had roughly $350 inside. The room was $45 and she was grateful for that much. It wasn't long before she was carrying the baby and their things into their new home.

Todd was out there depending on them. They had to be ready to find him when the storm broke. She sat down on the bed and picked up the baby to smile down into his cherub face.

"Mommy, is going to figure this out. We are going to have daddy and the family we all want. I promise you."

Evangeline closed her eyes to the kisses he was applying to the inside of her neck. He pulled her gently down on the bed and moved on top of her carefully as to not hurt her ankle. She felt his hands massaging her breasts and his whispers of how much he wanted her. But it was a lie. He, like John wanted someone else and once again she was allowing a man inside that could never love her just for her.

"Stop…" she moaned as his hand traveled down her hips and his light kisses seared her skin with each gentle passionate kiss. His tongue made contact with her flesh, traveling down to the crease of her breasts and she felt his hand on the tie that held her wrap dress together.

"Todd, please stop!" she said crying

Todd lifted his head and looked into her face. She was so tired she couldn't push him away but her heart just couldn't take anymore. "Please…" she said crying more."

"Shhhh…princess don't cry, I don't want to cause you more pain, I'm sorry."

"I can't…I can't do this again" she whimpered, opening her eyes to look into his. The cut still on his forehead and the bruises fading now in his face didn't conceal his angelic like features and the desire he had in his eyes for her. "I understand…I want you Evangeline, but you need more than this. You need to believe again that someone wants to give you their heart."

She nodded stopping her tears. "You love Blaire, no matter what you two have gone through, you love her. I won't give myself to another man that can't say those words to me"

"I feel…" he said trying to explain

"No! Todd its not me you want, if I give into you where does that leave me? How does that make you any different from John?" she said looking in his eyes angrily.

He kissed her nose and wiped away her tears on her face "I guess it doesn't princess, though I will say that I love Blaire just as you love him, but I no longer want her. I no longer believe that we are soul mates."

Evangeline closed her eyes and shook her head "I'm so tired. I just can't keep doing this. Do you know when I was a little girl I won a spelling bee."

Todd chucked "No kidding?" he said confused by the statement.
She looked up and smiled "You don't understand, I was 7 and I won the national spelling bee. Spelling words that scholars struggled with."

Todd stared at her not understanding what she was trying to tell him. "That's amazing, but not surprising. Everyone knows of your brilliance princess."

"My dad thought so too. You should have seen the way he celebrated. How he loved me, because I made him proud. The fights between him and my mom stopped. I was able to make them happy because of my accomplishment. I was able to make him love me even more. I can remember being so happy that I made a vow right then and there. I'd do everything above and beyond what was expected of me so he could always look at me that way always."

"That's a heavy burden for a child to carry…"

"Sometimes Todd, in life I feel like that seven year old girl trying to spell the final word that will make him proud. I feel like if I just do what's right and do my very best, I'll be loved. I tried to do my best, for John, Christian, and even you….but I still…" she said her voice cracking.

"Evangeline, you have to know that being a winning attorney and selfless to fault is not the way to win the love you seek. It's not even required, don't you know that?" He asked alarmed by the truth she was revealing but finally understanding her relentless commitment to others.

"Then how? Because my dad's dead, John's gone, Christian can't find a place in the world and you are facing death row. After all of that, I've failed you all…."

"Listen to me, I know a little bit about father's and we love our little girls regardless. Do I hope that Starr turns into the woman you are, of course I do. But will it make me love her more? Not possible. I'm sure that he's as proud of you as he was the day of the spelling bee, its just how daddies are." He said stroking her head.

She nodded listening feeling a sense of relief at his analogy, wanting to believe the words he was saying. Needing some peace from the scars she kept hidden from the world.

Todd looked at her seriously "John McBain, has no love for himself, take it from a man that knows that kind of darkness. He's incapable of the love you seek. So you can keep giving him space and time and he'll keep taking it but he'll never appreciate you princess. He doesn't see you. Not the way I do."

She didn't like his version of John, but she couldn't argue with it. She'd spent the last months watching the man in a relationship with a woman that he kept in between them during the course of their relationship. He took her to bed for Christ sake, while knowing her husband was in prison. She just couldn't deny the fact that she could win a million spelling bee's and John would never love her.

Todd saw her digesting his words and continued to share his wisdom. "Christian Vega is a free man to live and die on his terms because of you. Not only did you save him but you gave him hope."

"What about you?" she asked looking up into his face.

Todd smiled "Me? C'mon princess, you know that I always land on my feet. My guess is right now they are uncovering evidence that will exonerate me!" he said laughing causing her to laugh softly with him.

Leaning down he kissed her again, but it was more than intimacy. It was a kiss of gratitude for just being her, for believing and investing so much of herself in someone as lost as him. Evangeline raised her hand touching his face kissing him back, feeling safe in his arms. She'd shared with him a part of herself she never revealed to anyone and she felt unburdened because of it.

Stopping the kiss he looked at her and smiled "Now, how about I just hold you. We can try the radio again later."

"Okay"
Todd climbed back in bed under the covers behind her. Kissing the back of her forehead he pulled her back under him. "You're wrong, about not being loved Evangeline….I couldn't love you more than I do now"

She smiled and closed her eyes. His friendship was more than enough. She felt the power of his devotion and finally believed in its sincerity. "Thank you Todd" she whispered relaxing into his arms.

written by tarskeewee08

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Chapter 6: Lost Souls

Bo walked back and forth behind his desk staring at the sketch artists rendering of the woman that called about hearing gun shots. He looked up and smiled at the older woman in her late fifties. The soft gray and brown hair framed the woman's face her glasses sat on the tip of her nose and she was anxiously bouncing her knee and rubbing her hands together, "Who are we waiting for commissioner?" She asked politely looking up at him.

Bo smiled sweetly and took a seat behind his desk, "One of the lieutenants that worked on the murder case of this woman."
"Murder!" she said shocked.
"Yes, I'm sure you've heard about the Margaret Cochran murder trial Ms. Tinsley?"
"Oh yes…" she said nodding her head as the name became more familiar and the specifics of the case became more evident to her.

They both looked up at the knock at the door, "Come in!" Bo called rising from his seat.
Hugh Hughes walked in his dark pinstriped suit freshly cleaned and his hair slicked back from his face. He looked down at the older woman and then back over at Bo, "What is this about Commissioner. My office got a call from you this morning about a homicide."
"Yes, excuse us Ms. Tinsley." Bo said as he walked over to the woman and showed her to a small chair where she could wait.

Walking back into his office Bo closed the door and walked around his desk. He picked up the sketch and held it out to Hugh, "Who does this look like to you?" He said staring at him.
Hugh snatched the sketch and narrowed his eyes onto it. His brow furrowed as he held his breath at the sight before him, "This isn't possible!" Hugh snapped shoving the picture back into Bo's chest. "This is some kind of trick Bo."

Bo shook his head and sat on the edge of his desk. This would never happen with Nora at the helm. He stared at the young acting district attorney looking him up and down, the man was all about justice at no cost and it might have just cost Todd and Evangeline their lives. "It is, and no it isn't some joke. It's Margaret."
Hugh shook his head and pulled off his glasses. Pinching the bridge of his nose he sat down in the chair and dropped his briefcase onto the floor, "She's dead! We had a damn autopsy and DNA test run dammit!" Hugh snapped.

Bo looked at him and smiled, "Apparently DNA lies, Margaret Cochran is still alive. And your office convicted an innocent man."
"It may have not been Margaret and her baby he killed but it was some one Bo! Todd maybe innocent of killing Margaret but someone killed that woman and her baby, and my money is still on Todd."
"You're money and conviction may have sent Todd and Evangeline to their graves."
"I heard about that on the news this morning I don't understand what happened. How the hell did she get on that plane in the first place?"
"Court order. You know Evangeline she'll fight for anyone that wants to fight for themselves, and she was determined to get Todd off."

"Was it that lady that gave you that sketch Bo?" He said looking over his shoulder to where Ms. Tinsley sat.
"Yeah why?"
Hugh chuckled and slipped his glasses back on, "I can poke all kinds of holes into her testimony Bo and you know that. There is no way Todd can get released based on her id!"

John walked into the police station with Cris and Antonio hot on his heels. He held up his hand as he turned around to stop Cris and Antonio from following him any further, "Let me handle this."
"What!" They both snapped.
"You heard me let me handle this. This isn't about Evangeline, it's about Margaret."
"Margaret! What! She's dead." Cris said staring at John confused.

John shook his head as he placed his hand on Bo's office door, "Apparently she isn't…" he said not convinced of the latest news.

Knocking on the door he heard Bo yell come in and saw Hugh sitting in the chair facing Bo. "Finally John, we've got a problem."
"You said that. What is this about Margaret being alive?"
Bo reached behind him and handed John the sketch, he stared at it and started laughing, "What is this!"
"Someone called in about hearing shots late last night. Because of the crash we were just able to get someone out there early this morning."
"Okay, so shots fired and what? What am I missing here how did Margaret get involved." John said shaking the picture.

"The officers pounded on the door where the neighbor heard the shots and they didn't get an answer. When they went around to the back of the house and still got no answer the officers were on their way out when one stepped in blood."
"Spencer's?" John questioned sitting on the edge of the file cabinet.
"You got that right they broke down the door and found his body sprawled out on the floor, dead. So of course we brought the neighbor in and she gave us that id. She looked out her back window when she heard the shots and saw Margaret leaving."
"What time was this?"
"She says around midnight or so why?"
"Who is this witness Bo?" John questioned walking closer to him.

Hugh looked up at John and smiled, "He's having the same thought as me Bo. There is no way that it's Margaret, no way!"
Bo walked to the window and pointed to Ms. Tinsley, "Sally Tinsley." He said pointing to the older woman.
"Hugh could poke all kinds of holes in that Id. She probably couldn't spot an elephant ten feet away Bo!"
"Are you two serious! Spencer Truman is dead and in some basement where there was baby furniture!" Bo snapped.

John paced the office back and forth. He couldn't handle this right now, his mind was with Evangeline. He needed to find her, not worry about Spencer Truman and Margaret Cochran.

"John look at me! The CSU team found hairs on him, read hairs! They are running DNA right now. If it is indeed Margaret that killed Truman then we sent Manning away to jail for no reason! That means he went to death row for no reason, that means Evangeline was on that flight fighting for Todd when she didn't have to!"

The reality of the situation finally sank in, Bo was right. If Margaret was indeed alive that meant that Todd didn't kill her and his child and Evangeline was right. His stomach tightened at the reality that yet again she was right and because of the job he wouldn't believe her. She never fought a loosing battle unless it was with him. Running a hand over his face John blew out a deep breath and set the sketch on the desk next to him. He grabbed the door and opened it pushing past Antonio and Cristian.

"Excuse me ma'am." He said squatting in front of Ms. Tinsley.
"Yes sir?" She said looking down at him.
"Lieutenant John McBain, Ms. Tinsley?"
"Yes, Sally Tinsley. What can I help you with Lieutenant?"
John looked back over his shoulder at Cris, Bo, Hugh, and Antonio and back at the woman in front of him, "The description you gave of the woman to the sketch artist how sure of it are you?"
"Oh one hundred percent Lieutenant, and she had a baby with her. The baby was crying so that was another reason I paid so close attention."
"But Ms. Tinsley it was dark, it was midnight correct?"
"Oh yes, but we've had prowlers in the neighborhood so I have flood lights on the back of my house. I saw her clearly when she stepped into that car and put the baby in the backseat."
"Are you sure, this is crucially ma'am."
"Yes I'm sure Lieutenant. I have no doubt in my mind, that the description I gave is who I saw." She said annoyed by his persistent questioning of something she knew to be fact.

John stood up and extended his hand, "Thank you ma'am. You have done this city a great service. "he said shaking her hand softly.
"You're quiet welcome, is that all, am I free to go?" she asked softly through a yawn.

Bo walked up and touched her hand lightly, "Yes you've been a big help thank you Ms. Tinsley."
"You're quiet welcome." She responded smiling politely.
"I'll get someone to take you home okay?"
"That would be nice…"

Bo turned back to John who had his hands on his hips as he paced back and forth in the bull pen. He nodded at one of the officers to take Ms. Tinsley back home and then nodded at John and Hugh to follow him back into his office, "Are you two satisfied now?" Bo said closing the door.
Hugh and John looked at each other then back at Bo, "I want the DNA results before I even consider asking the court to overturn his conviction."
"Understandable Hughes, but with this new evidence it's going to be a done deal." Bo said staring at Hugh.
"It won't do him any good if he's dead."

John turned and glared at Hugh, "She's not dead!" he snapped.
"I said he, not she… Chill out McBain."
"John…" Bo said softly as he touched John's back, "Calm down. They will find her."
"I'll find her!" he yelled walking out the office and slamming the door.

Hugh looked at Bo and then back at the door that was still rattling, "What was that all about? I thought they were over."
"Not to him they aren't. He's on the edge of the cliff with this whole plane crash thing and what you said and the idea that Todd is dead meaning that so is Evangeline might push him right over."
"He still cares?"
"More than I think anyone knows." Bo said shaking his head back and forth.

Starr walked down the hall still in her pajamas last night was one of the worst of her life, hearing about the possibility that her father could be dead rocked her to the core. She cried herself to sleep last night as she replayed over and over again the last time she saw Todd in the jail right before the verdict was announced. She needed her father as much as he needed her and now her mother didn't believe that Todd was still alive.

Stopping at the door to her parent's bed room she rested against the door jam and looked at her mom's shaking body, shaking from her sobs and the devastation that her father could be gone. Shaking her head Starr pulled at her hair as she walked into the room, "He'll come back to us mom." She said crawling into the bed next to her.

Blair turned over and wiped at her eyes, smiling softly at her daughter she saw so much of Todd in her, she really was his daughter thru and thru. Blair threw her arms around Starr holding her close as both girls cried against each other, "He'll come back to us…" Starr said through her sobs.

Blair tried to believe in her words, to believe that Todd wouldn't leave like that, not without knowing that she did in fact love him and could and would never want to stop. She wanted desperately for him to walk through that door, to get a phone call that they found Todd alive and well and he was going to fight the conviction in appeal.

Todd looked down at a sleeping Evangeline and kissed the side of her face as he ran his hand along the soft curve of her hips. Sliding out of the bed from behind her he moved slowly through the small ranger station and to the desk where the radio sat. He had to figure out a way to get in contact with someone. They weren't going to last much longer out here alone, cold, wet, and hungry.

Sitting down he pushed his hair out of his face and winced at the pain in his head and from the dimming bruises on his face and body. He was sore all over and just wanted a hot bath to soothe away all the aches, pains and images from the past few days.

He looked over at his sleeping princess, and vowed again that he would get them out of their safe and sound and protect her from anyone that wanted to hurt her, including McBain. She would fight for the both of them to get out of prison and back home to his children. They were the only ones that mattered right now, Spencer could have Blair she didn't believe in him and he couldn't be with anyone that didn't believe in him.

Turning he smiled softly at Evangeline careful of his cuts, now she was someone he could fall for. Beautiful, intelligent, kind, caring and forceful, a force to be reckoned with, but all at the same time so innocent and vulnerable. She tried to hide that side of herself from the rest of the world but from him, she let it out. McBain had messed up and there was no way he would let John back in, to just break her heart again. That damn "niece" of his, more like a child actually. Shaking his head Todd turned back to the radio and began messing with it.

"If MacGyver can do this, then I sure as hell can!" Todd snapped trying to concentrate on the radio.

Evangeline moaned and groaned in her sleep. The rocking of the plane became more forceful and all she could do was scream Todd's name over and over again in her sleep. Her body shook with the same fear she had the night of the crash and she cried out in her sleep. Todd dropped the radio and rushed to her side, "It's okay princes… I'm right here." He said stroking the side of her face.

Evangeline blinked and opened her teary eyes, "Oh god…" she moaned coming out of the dream.
"You okay?" he asked smiling.
Looking down at his smiling face Evangeline nodded, "I'm good, you're here so I'm good." She said closing her eyes again. "Stay with me…"
"Always." He said crawling back behind her. The radio could wait, not for much longer but it could wait. Right now she needed him and he promised to always be there when she needed him, because she was always there when he needed her.

Todd wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close as Evangeline turned around in his hold and moved down to rest her head on his chest. Todd maneuvered so that she was on top careful of her wrist and ankle and pulled the covers tighter around them. Her body shook trying to stay warm and he held her tighter as he inhaled the soft scent of her hair. Amazingly so it still smelled of the lavender shampoo she used. Todd's eyes fluttered close as he felt her relax in his embrace. Someone had to find them and soon.

Antonio and Cris followed John to the diner afraid to say anything. John lost in thought pulled out his cell phone when it started to ring, "McBain." He said sitting in a booth solemn.
"Hey man it's Wess."
John perked up at hearing his voice, "Tell me you know something man!"
"I know something. Listen I got a list and map of the ranger stations. The closest one that is still manned right now is about fifteen miles from the crash site. There are about twenty other stations that they could have disappeared into."
"Twenty what! You've got to be kidding me man…" John slouched into the booth and shook his head at both Antonio and Cris.

"If you guys get up there now you should be able to find them by night fall. Most of the stations are pretty close to each other, it's a matter of miles in between them."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, if you have access to a computer I can send you the map of them and you can get started. But you have to keep this under wraps man, if my superiors find out that I'm helping you and interfering in their investigation they will have my hide." Wess said frowning into the phone.
John nodded and looked at Antonio, "You got it man. Send it to my email I'll pull it up and print them out. I owe you man. I owe you her life…" he said in all honesty.
"Hey you were desperate man."
"More than you know Wess, more than you know…" snapping the phone shut he set it on the table.

"Well, what's going on bro!" Antonio said anxiously.
"We need access to a computer. That was my contact he sent us the list and location of the ranger stations near where the plane crashed. It's our only hope in finding them."

The boys jumped out of their seats and raced back over to Antonio's place. As they pushed open the door John jumped right on to the computer. Cris and Antonio paced back and forth waiting for John to log on and check his email. Sitting right there was the way to bring Evangeline back to him.

"So Evangeline might be in one of those stations huh?" Cris said looking over John's shoulder.
"That's what my contact says."
"He better be right or I'll hunt him down and teach him a little lesson." Cris said with a clenched jaw.
"You'll have to get through me first." John said looking up at Cris.
Cris smiled and shook his head, "You really do care about her don't you?"
"I do…"
"What took you so long to realize this McBain, I mean no offense but you dumped her for Natalie."
"She dumped me, trust me I would never have dumped her but she was sick and tired of me not telling her how I felt."
"Why is that man?"
John shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, "I don't know. It's not like I didn't love her, I just hate being shoved into a corner."
"Evangeline doesn't seem like the type to shove McBain."
"That's how I felt man… I can't explain it, but now that I can say it, I plan on telling her that over and over again."

Cris took a step back and leaned against the couch, "So let me get this straight, you actually think that telling her that you love her is going to wipe the slate clean?"
"Yeah, why not?"
Cris shook his head and lowered it laughing to himself, "Okay man… whatever."
John looked up at him confused. Of course she would take him back like that, all she wanted was the words and now he could say them and more.

"Really!" Antonio said with the cell pressed to his ear.
Cris looked up at him confused. "We can get in the air. "Antonio said in a whisper pulling the phone from his ear.
"What!"
"You heard me…" he said rolling his eyes and putting the phone back to his ear.
"Yeah, thanks man. We'll be right there." Snapping his phone shut Antonio's face lit up and he hugged Cristian, "We're going to bring her home man." He said hugging Cristian.

John came walking out staring at the maps trying to figure out the best place to start looking for her when they could get up in the air, "I think we should start going west from the plane crash. I don't know why, I just have this feeling that Manning took her west." John said shaking his head.

"Bro!" Antonio said excitedly.
"Yeah man…" he said staring down at the maps.
"We can get in the air."
"What!"
"We can get in the air man. We can bring her home." Cris said smiling.

He felt his heart start to beat again. Just the idea that they could get in the air now and officially start looking for her was overwhelming. John's heart raced as he grabbed his jacket and followed Antonio and Cristian out of the apartment hopeful that they would find them safe and sound.

Lantana Mountain

The helicopter that Jackie had gotten for Antonio, Cris and John landed swiftly in the clearing next to one of the main ranger stations. They all looked out the window seeing a Forest ranger standing outside in his deep green down coat holding his hand onto his head. John was the first one out of the helicopter as he walked up to the Ranger extending his hand, "John McBain…" he said shaking his hand.

The ranger looked at his extended hand and placed his hand into Johns, "Ranger Douglas…" he said eyeing Antonio and Cris as they came off the helicopter. "And who are you two." He said narrowing his eyes.
"Antonio Vega, my brother Cristian." Antonio said eyeing the ranger.

"You guys don't look like no cops." He said looking back over at John
"I'm a cop…"
"Where's your badge!" he snapped. No one came into his forest with a helicopter searching his woods for some convicted criminal and a pretty lady lawyer. If they were really cops they would have come in a police helicopter not a medical one. Taking John's badge he looked at it and back at John. Ranger Douglas shoved the badge back at John and then looked at Antonio and Cristian from under the brim of his cap, "You two, who are you?"

"They're with me Ranger Douglas. Listen I'm not here to play games with you. There are two people someone on this mountain and I have no idea what kind of condition they are in! Either help us or move out of the way." John snapped.

His face beet red from embarrassment Ranger Douglas turned back and headed into the main station. "We have a map of stations that are abandoned this time of year, can you point us toward this one." John said looking down at the maps.

Ranger Douglas slipped off his coat and set his hat on his desk, "You don't wanna go there." He said looking at the place John was pointing to on the map.
"Why the hell not!" Cris snapped. " I think this guy is playing some game McBain. Let's just go sure ourselves."
John looked up at Cris and back at Ranger Douglas who had a smug look on his face, "Antonio what do you think?"
"Ranger what can you tell us. We need to find them."
"Well I can tell ya they aint there." He said leaning back in his chair and rocking back and forth.
"Then where the hell are they!" John snapped getting short with him.

Ranger Douglas took John's map and looked them over, "We got some transmission or something from some where in this area." He said running his fingers around a few of the stations.
"You what!" John snapped.
"Yeah, didn't think much of it, we didn't hear anything just some static and pinpointed the signal to this area."

John grabbed the maps and glared at the Ranger. He pushed past Antonio and Cris and out into the world. He nodded at the pilot and pulled his coat tight as they headed out in the direction that the ranger pointed out on the map.
"Can you believe that guy!" Antonio said as they hiked threw the forest.
"I know, what the hell was his problem?" Cris asked as they came up on the first station.

John prayed silently and pushed the door open only to be completely devastated from her or Todd not being there. They went through each of the stations on the map in the area that Ranger Douglas.

Out of breath and exhausted from their hike they all slid down a few of the trees pushing his hair out of his face. Sitting with his knees bent against his chest John panted as he stared at Antonio and Cris doing the same thing. He couldn't bare this any more they were out there for what felt like hours on end and they were still no closer to finding her.

Time was running short and John could see the sun setting behind the trees. He hit his head on the tree and stared at the ceiling of trees hovering above him. All he wanted was to find her, bring her home and show her how much he loved her. He needed that now, he needed her now. Lowering his head he saw the outline of another station a few hundred feet away.

Pushing up with all of everything left in him John trudged through the brush toward it with Antonio and Cris panting heavily behind him. Falling against the door with a thud he took a deep breath and prayed that she was in there safe and sound.

As John pushed the door open his heart sank, it shattered into a million pieces. "Shit…" Cris mumbled coming up behind him.
Antonio stood on the other side of John staring at the scene in front of him. He looked at John's face bright red and just missed him as he ran into the station yanking Todd off the bed.

The site of him holding onto Evangeline like he was her lover tore him up inside. No one put their hands on her like that. Todd yelled as he felt his body being pulled from the cot. "What the hell!" He screamed as he felt his head hit the concrete ground beneath him.
Evangeline sat up staring at Antonio and Cris standing at the door as John pounced on Todd losing control over his rage at seeing Todd's hands all over her.

"JOHN!" She screamed. He didn't respond as Antonio and Cris finally jumped into action and pulled John off of Todd. His face tight with rage and red with anger John grunted loudly fighting to get out of Antonio's and Cris's hold.

Evangeline fell to the ground touching Todd's face as he looked up at John, heated. "What the hell is your problem!" she snapped as she cradled Todd in her lap weary of her wrist and ankle that still seared with pain.

"He had his hands were all over you." John said fighting to get free of Antonio and Cris.
"Chill man!" Cris snapped.
"Yeah come on we found them…"
"He had his hands were all over you…" John seethed as he finally calmed down some.

Antonio and Cris let John go as he bent over panting and glaring at Todd, "I was keeping her warm man, not that I need to explain myself to you." Todd said heated.
"Todd Manning you're under arrest." John said breathing heavily.
"For what!" Evangeline snapped glaring at John. She tried to stand put fell back from the pain that shot through her leg. Howling in pain Evangeline collapsed to the ground and John rushed to her side, "What's wrong…" he said staring down at her.

"My leg dammit…" she cried holding in her tears. She wasn't going to let him see her cry again. Todd looked over at Evangeline and crawled over to her, "You okay princess?"
"I need a doctor…" she said looking up at him with a small smile on her lips.
"You heard the woman McBain, quit your pussy footing and get the woman to a doctor." He hissed.
John stared at Todd and then back at Evangeline. He watched as Manning rose and then reached down to help Evangeline from the floor. She pushed from John's hands and held onto Todd's hand as he scooped her up into his arms. John looked at them shocked and unable to speak.

"Hey boys, thanks for coming to find us." Todd said passing Antonio and Cris.
They stood motionless as Todd stepped out into the cold weather, "Are we just going to stand around or get us home."
"She's going home, you're going back to prison."
"He didn't do it!" Evangeline hissed glaring at John.
He shook his head and rose from the floor and followed Antonio and Cris out of the station. They stepped in front of Todd and led them out of the forest.

John looked at the small cot that they had slept on and felt his heart break and his mind race, "She wouldn't…" he said shaking his head. "She loves me…"

The media circled the bottom of the hospital as the helicopter landed and Michael came out with a gurney for Evangeline. She rolled her eyes as they placed her own it and raced her back down stairs into the hospital. Todd followed in a pair of John's hand cuffs with John holding him by the arm. She hadn't spoken to him the whole ride back to Llanview but she talked with Cris, Antonio and Todd as they flew through the sky. Even after a plane crash she was magnificent. He wanted to reach out and touch her, feel her skin on his, her hair flow through his fingers but he kept his hands to himself.

It ate away at him with the idea that she might have slept with Manning. After all this time, she gives up just like that. John gripped his chest as they rode down in the elevator together with Evangeline and she held on to Todd's hand. He swallowed the lump in his throat as Todd leaned over and kissed her lightly on the forehead pushing her hair from her face as they came to the prison ward floor.

Michael watched the scene unfold and saw how tight his brothers hands were in fists and how tightly clenched his jaw was, "I'll be back to see about you okay. We need to talk." He said finally touching her hand.
"Sure…" Evangeline said softly looking away.

Michael took her down a few more floors and pushed her out of the elevator to awaiting nurses and they got her hooked up and checked over. A few X-rays on her ankle and wrist showed a sprained ankle and a fractured wrist. It had to have a cast put on and they wanted to keep her for observation for a few nights to keep an eye on her mild concussion and mild hypothermia.

Finally warming up from the feeling of being cold for the past night Evangeline settled into the bed as waiting for someone to come and set her wrist. The pain medicine was a godsend and she stared out the window wondering what they were doing to Todd. The door opened and Michael smiled coming in, "You gave us quite a scare there E." He said smiling.
She smiled and shifted uncomfortable in the bed, "Is Todd okay?"
"He's fine, a few minor cuts and bruises as well as a mild case of hypothermia, but all in all he's okay."
"Good." She said blowing a sigh of relief.
"How are you handling things?"
"Nervous, scared, relieved to be home, thankful that I didn't give up. Grateful that Todd was around to keep me sane."
"You two seem to have gotten closer, he asked about you while I was checking up on him."
"Yeah I guess…"
"Okay, well there are some people here to see you, you up for it?"
Nodding she smiled and pulled the coves up with her free hand. Michael turned and opened the door to Layla, Bo, Antonio, and Cris. She smiled at her sister as she came rushing into her side and hugged her tightly tears pouring down both of their faces.

John stood outside of her room waiting for his turn to talk to her. He wanted his time alone to tell her how he'd felt for so long and hoping that they could get back together and work through their problems. When he had left Todd's room Todd said to tell his princess that he was okay, and he was ready to fight. Little did Todd or Evangeline know that they wouldn't have to fight very hard, if the DNA test came back the way that he guessed Todd would be a free man in no time.

As the people filed out of the room John looked up anxious to go inside. He walked over to Layla slowly and she smiled at him, "Thank you for bringing my sister home." She said smiling at John as she hugged her body.
He shook his head and smiled at her, "I promised you Layla that I would bring her home."
"Thank you so much…. We both owe you so much."
"You owe me nothing." He said shaking her head. "Can I see her?"
"She said she was tired and just wanted some sleep."
"Oh okay…" he mumbled.
"I'm sure she'll want to thank you, just give her some time to rest and recuperate,"
"I can do that…" he said smiling at her. John watched her go and stood outside of Evangeline's door debating whether to go in or not. He looked at her sleeping peacefully and went in to keep her company incase she needed him.

Blair had gotten the news that Todd was alive as soon as they helicopter hit the hospital. She told Starr to stay home and she for once agreed with out much debate. Standing outside his door Blair's hand shook as it hovered over his hospital door.

She pushed it open to see Todd hooked up to monitors and asleep. Looking down at the man she would always love she smiled as she crossed the room to him. Touching his face softly Blair pushed his hair out of his face and heard him moan, "Princess…"

Blair looked at him curiously he had never called her princess before. She sat on the edge of the bed and lightly kissed his lips. He was home and they would fight together to clear his name, and get them back to being a family.

Todd turned over and let his eyes flutter open, "Blair…" he choked out.
"Hey you…" she said softly holding his hand that was handcuffed to the bed.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to see about you. I knew it." She said leaning in to kiss him again.
Todd turned his head and stared out the window, "Get out." He snapped.

John watched as she turned in the bed almost thrashing. He heard her whimper and rushed to her side, "Hey… It's okay I've got you." He said softly holding her.
"Todd…" She cried burying her head into his chest.
The pain ripped through him and his stomach tightened at the mention of his name. Evangeline pulled back and brushed her hair out of her face, "John…." She said looking up at him.
"Hey you…"
"What are you doing here!" she said nervously and pushing away from him.

John watched her retreat and it hurt just as much as her saying another man's name in her sleep. "I need to tell you something." He said softly touching her face.
Evangeline turned her head and John turned it back to him, "First are you okay?"
"What?"
"I asked if you were okay… I need to know that you are okay first."
"I'm fine John thanks to Todd. He saved my life."
"Good…." He said ignoring the Todd comment, "There has been something I've need to say for the longest time Evangeline." He said reaching for her hand.

She tried to pull away but he held it tightly, "Don't push me away, we've both done that enough for a life time. I need you in my life, I want you in my life."
"Excuse me." She said shocked still trying to pry her hand from his.
He smiled softly, "I know this is weird right, but…." He looked around the room and took a deep breath, "You said you needed the words."
"What words?" she asked confused, even though she knew where this was leading but she didn't want it this way.
"I love you, I know I never said it when we were together when you need the words, you need me to say the words. I tried to show you in so many ways but… god this is so hard." He said pulling away and walking the room. John turned to look at her, "I love you and I want you back, I want to make things right between us. Can you give me another chance?" he said begging now.

Evangeline stared at him in shock. The words, the ones she had dreamed to hear for years had just came out of his mouth and he was begging for another chance for them. She shook her head sadly and held her left hand to her chest as the tears began to fall. John watched her reaction for a glimmer of hope but all he saw in her eyes was….

By: oltlfantimes10

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Chapter 7: Lost Souls

Evangeline stared at him in shock. The words, the ones she had dreamed to hear for years had just came out of his mouth and he was begging for another chance for them. She shook her head sadly and held her left hand to her chest as the tears began to fall. John watched her reaction for a glimmer of hope but all he saw in her eyes was…disbelief.

"I don't believe you." she said shaking her head slowly battling the heartache that was beginning to resurface.

"Baby, listen.." he said reaching for her hand.

"No!" she said snatching away. "You have done so many things over the past eight months. Enough to make it painfully clear that you aren't the man I thought I fell in love with. I won't let you hurt me again!"

John sat back stunned. He always had her faith in him. She believed in him when he didn't believe in himself. Something about her had changed. "What happened with you and Todd in that cabin?" he asked in an angrily.

Evangeline looked back into his eyes confused "What?"

"You heard me, I saw you two. He took advantage of you, didn't he? What did he do?"

"That's what this is about isn't it? You're jealous of a man comforting me, so you figure you'd say what you think I need to hear and I'll just fall in line!" she said her eyes brimming with tears.

John shook his head "Let me tell you something about feelings…." He said rising and coming to the bed sitting on the edge so he could be close to her. She moved over painfully and he leaned in putting his hands on either side of her.

"The day I knew I loved Evangeline Marie Williamson, started as a normal uneventful day. You see, I'd been waiting on a phone call from you all day long. You were off on a case and I was milling around my ratty hotel room trying to find something to occupy my time. So I went to get a movie and ran into Natalie. That's right I ran into her and offered for her to come upstairs and watch the movie with me…."

"I don't want to hear this" Evangeline said sucking her teeth.

"Too bad sweetness because you're going to hear it." He snapped. "That day Natalie and I played a little truth and dare game. She was to tell me something I didn't know. You want to know what she told me?"

Evangeline smirked "Let me guess, she told you she was still in love with you?"

John smiled at her sarcasm. "Close, actually I forget her words exactly, but it was about that. You see we weren't official Van, there was no strings or commitments between us. I was free to act and do whatever I pleased. This was before I knew that Christian was alive. This was before I knew that you were on your way upstairs with a bottle of champagne for us. When you arrived and saw her in my room and fled from me, I felt a sense of desperation and fear that I'd never felt before. You left my side and I couldn't take it, not for a moment."

Evangeline couldn't look at him. His words cut into her chest and weakened her resolve. Todd said he was incapable of the love she needed. She believed that, but she also believed he was incapable of intentionally hurting her, if he was saying all of this it had to mean something.

"When I got back to my room and heard that message from you stating you needed more, than a causal affair I knew it then. I had fallen and fallen hard. Strings wasn't about making it exclusive, Strings was just my attempt to tie you to my heart."

John reached and touched her face bringing it back to his. "When I say I love you I mean it. And here's another thing for you to mill over, it's far from over between us. I'll never let you go…"

She pushed his hand away. "Do you know what it's like to see your life flash before your eyes?"" she asked glaring at him.

"No, baby I've been in peril but nothing as traumatic as what you experienced." He said softly searching her face wanting to touch her again. She was alive and right before him and he needed to feel her.

"The first time I thought I was going to die, there was a blazing fire at my feet and the man that I loved risked my life to save another. To save the life of a woman he flaunted around town in my face with no care for how much it hurt me."

John swallowed at her bringing up the KC case. She said she forgave him for that, forgiven him for it all. "You said you understood."

"I thought I did John, truth be told all this time I thought you loved me, but chose Natalie because you were afraid and in denial of that love."

He nodded "That's right Van, I was…."

"Not true, see I was once again thrown in peril and another man showed me what devotion is. Todd could have left me to die. He could have escaped and saved himself. Instead he freed me and walked for miles in a blinding snow storm just to keep me safe."

It was impossible for him to listen to her speak of another man doing what he wanted to do. He heard something in her voice that indicated that she'd let Todd in, she'd given him access to her heart and that was his dammit! "I'm grateful to Todd Van, I really am…"

"Let me finish!" she snapped "It wasn't the rescue that showed me devotion. It was his genuine efforts to listen to me, to see me, to comfort me, to hold me, to talk to me, to just be there for me. I'd forgotten that a man could or would do those things. I forgot what it was like to have a man concerned with only me…"

"You're kidding right?" John stood angry at what she was saying. Heartbroken to hear her say it. "You're talking about Todd Manning! Even if he did sacrifice to save you, he'd never be devoted to you. He's maniacal when it comes to Blaire. You could never be first with him!" he snapped at her. She was killing him saying that Todd Manning of all people was a better man than him.

Evangeline wiped at her tears with her good hand "Then that's really sad, because even though he loves another, he treated me in 24 hours better than you did in a year! Now get the hell out!"

"What?" he asked hurt turning around to look at her shocked.

"You heard me. It's not enough. I believe that in your own way you love me, but it's the love that you offer on your terms. The love that I can have for a moment until that bimbo stumps her toe and you have to run to her rescue. I won't let you back in on those three words and you are an arrogant asshole to think that, that's all it takes!" she said rolling over putting her back to him.

"Evangeline, baby please….listen to me! No matter what happened between you and Todd, nothing can compare to what we share. I know you feel it and you want it. I will prove to you that you need it. Because we're under each other skin, we're apart of each other. We're soul mates." He said softly to her back

Evangeline looking at the window to the side of her bed cried saying nothing. She so desperately wanted him back. But she no longer believed in them. This was just him being jealous and marking his territory. He was breaking her heart by just being here.

John turned to leave. Before reaching the door he looked back at her "I do love you, and I know you know that. I mean it when I say I'm not going anywhere."

Stepping out in the lobby he saw Natalie standing next to the nurses station. Frowning he walked over to her immediately. "What the hell are you doing here?" he said grabbing her arm and dragging her to the elevator.

"Evangeline was found, I was worried." she said weakly her blue eyes watering.
John let her go. "She's fine Natalie, just go."
"Are you okay?" she asked touching his face.
He pushed her hand away. "No, don't do that. You have no place here and I want you to leave now."

"John my place is with you. I see that now. I was wrong to push you away." She said reaching up and running her finger across the necklace she gave him for Christmas. He'd forgotten that he still wore it. Evangeline must have seen it on his neck earlier, making him the biggest hypocrite in her eyes.

Reaching behind his neck he undid the clasp and pulled the silver chain, holding the dime shaped medal, away. Taking her hand he turned it over and lowered the necklace inside her palm. "I was wrong to hide the information about your husband. I was wrong to sleep with you, and I was wrong to make you think that what we have was love. Because it never was, not even close."

Natalie sucked a breath and shook her head back and forth sadly "We've loved each other for over three years. From the moment you put a pool stick in my hand. We've been in the most dangerous of predicaments and survived it all. It was always about love John."

John sighed "'Natalie it wasn't. I'm going to find out what it was though. I'm going to find out why I purposefully hurt the people that care for me. And when I find out I'm going to go back to her and throw myself at her feet. Because she is my yesterday, today and tomorrow." He said kissing Natalie on the forehead, then turning to walk away.

Natalie burst into tears. "John! Do you love her!" she asked her voice cracking under the weight of his words.

John stopped at Natalie's question. Looking back over his shoulder, he saw a woman he genuinely did care for crying as they ended whatever codependent bond they shared. "I love her with everything in me Natalie." He said and smiled apologetically, before walking away.

Natalie covered her mouth shaking her head. "No…."

"Goodbye…." He said leaving

"John no! You don't mean it! No!" she shouted loudly.

Todd turned over and let his eyes flutter open, "Blair…" he choked out.
"Hey you…" she said softly holding his hand that was handcuffed to the bed.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to see about you. I knew it." She said leaning in to kiss him again.
Todd turned his head and stared out the window, "Get out." He snapped.

Blaire sat up straight. "What?"

Todd looked at her "I don't want you here, and since you're famous for walking away. Do me a favor and fast forward to that part now!"

"Todd, I believe in you…."
"Do you really? What do you believe Blaire?" Todd asked looking into her face.
Blaire's bottom lip began to quiver. "I believe that you're innocent and I want to help you prove it…."

"What does Spencer think about this? You know this epiphany you had?" he said sitting up some his arm clanking in the handcuffs that kept him locked to the sides of the bed.

"Todd don't"
"Did you sleep with him?" Todd asked not able to disguise his hurt behind the question.
Blaire moved away from the bed nervously "No, of course not…" she said in a weak voice avoiding his eyes.

"You did sleep with him didn't you? I was facing death row and you were screwing the man that put me there!" he hissed

She turned around shocked "That's a lie! Spencer has been nothing but a friend to me. He testified for you for Christ sake."

Todd snickered "And I bet your panties got wet after that!"

"Todd please….."

"Get out! Go back to being the whore that you've mastered so well. I no longer believe in the lie we share!" he said looking away.

"Lie? What is wrong with you? You love me! You love me dammit!"

John pushed open the door to hear Blaire screaming at Todd. Todd looked at him then turned on Blaire "I am no longer in love with you. Loving you is too damn hard. You don't give the type of devotion and commitment you expect in return. Not like…."

"Like Evangeline would" John asked heatedly moving to the bed. "Funny you chose the words, devotion and commitment, she used them too."

Blaire looked at John through her tears, confused "Evangeline?"

"Tell her Todd, tell her how devoted you were to her when you and Evangeline were trapped together! How committed you now claim to be to my lady." John said his hands in his pockets balled into fists as he tried to steady his breathing.

Todd smiled "How is my princess, she asking for me?"
John stopped at the way he taunted him and resisted the urge to snap his neck.

Blaire looked down at Todd confused. He said the word princess in his sleep, she thought it was in reference to her or Starr. Not Evangeline. "What's going on with you and Evangeline?" she asked her heart beating frantically in her chest.

"What the hell do you care!" he shouted at Blaire.
"Todd I love you!" Blaire said going to the side of the bed reaching for his hand.

Todd shot up in the bed screaming through his tears, yanking with both hands locked in handcuffs, almost ripping the side bars off the edges of his bed "GET OUT! GET THE HELL OUT NOW!"

Blaire saw rage and disgust on his face. She also an extreme amount of pain, and she couldn't take it any longer. Grabbing her purse and coat she fled the room.

John remained rooted in the same spot struggling to breathe through this own anger, trying to get his emotions under control. Todd Manning was a disgusting animal and he took advantage of her when she was most vulnerable. Part of him wanted to draw his gun and pump him full of holes.

Todd saw the angry jealous look on John's face and laughed even though tears rolled down his face, from the pain of Blaire's betrayal. Her sleeping with Spencer was the last straw. He could smell him on her. "Let me guess, you ran to her side and she told you to get lost!"

"What did you do to her!" he said through his teeth taking his hands out of his pockets. Each step he took toward him fueled his need to finish what he started, when they were in the cabin.

"What happened between me and Evangeline, is between me and Evangeline. I will tell you this. I plan to protect her from you. Gone are the days of you sandwiched between a child and a woman. You couldn't make a choice McBain? That's cool, I made it for you."

That was it John rushed his bed and forced Todd back down holding him by the throat. "I thought she may have slept with you, but I see now she'd never let you touch her like that. I also see your pathetic attempts to manipulate and control her, like you do Blaire. Look in my eyes Todd, look closely….."

Todd looked up into his blue eyes that began to darken to a deep sapphire blue and sparkle with malice and fierce fiery determination. He struggled to breathe under the choke hold, yanking at his constraints.

The side of John's mouth curled up into a crooked sly smile "You paying attention Manning, because I'm going to say this once. I'll never let you hurt her, and you'll never replace me in her heart. So while you're bunk mates with some man named Bubba, you reflect on this moment and understand your place. Because I'll kill you with my bare hands before you take her away from me!"

"John!" Bo said coming in the room.

John let go of Todd's throat and looked back. Bo and Hugh came into the room shocked at the scene they stumbled on.

"Police harassment!" Todd coughed out. "Arrest him, you saw it! I feel like Rodney King!"

John stood up not sure of what came over him. "Bo, Hugh what are you two doing here?"

Hugh walked over to John "I saw that McBain and you were way out of line!"

John smirked raising his eyebrow. "Me and Manning were just catching up"

"That's not what it looked like to me." Hugh snapped.

"Since when did you care? Didn't you send him to death row?"

Bo came in and stepped up between the men. "Cool it now!"

Todd looked at Bo and Hugh confused "What the hell do all of you want? Get out!"
Hugh chuckled "I think you'd like to hear what we have to say."
"I don't think so…besides anything you need to say you can say to my attorney."
"Evangeline won't be representing him anymore!" John snapped
Todd looked at John as if he was on fire "Are you nuts!"

"Everybody cool it!" Bo shouted.

Hugh walked over closer to the bed. "Some things have come to the attention of my office since your accident."

"What things?"
"Margaret Cochran for starters."
Todd smirk faded and he looked at the ADA with pure hatred in his eyes. "I didn't kill her dammit! I wish you back off! You got your damn conviction what the hell else do you want!"

"We know, Margaret is alive."

John looked at Hugh shocked and Todd was stunned into silence. Bo walked over to Todd. "She's not only alive, she killed Spencer Truman."

"Truman's dead?" Todd asked surprised. "Margaret's alive and she killed Truman?" the gravity of his words rocked Todd to the core. In his wildest nightmares he never imagined that Margaret was alive.

"Yeah…" Hugh said. "Apparently he had her held up somewhere and my guess is when she thought you died in that plane crash she went nuts and killed him."

John shook his head in disbelief "What evidence do you have to support this?"
Hugh laughed "I understand your distrust John, trust me I'm in shock myself. I mean I almost sent a innocent man to the electric chair."

"WHAT EVIDENCE DAMMIT!" John shouted, angry that Todd could actually walk away again.

"DNA, hair samples, blood, even fingerprints all over that basement apartment. But more conclusively she's been spotted again at a Motel 6 twenty miles outside of town, our boys got there too late so she's out there alright."

Todd shook his head. He knew Spencer set him up but he always thought that Margaret was dead. "What about the baby?" Todd asked

"She has the baby with her…." Hugh said

Todd closed his eyes as the weight of the news sunk in.
John ran his hand through his hair nervously. "This is unbelievable…."

Bo nodded "Yeah, it may be, but its true. Todd Manning a motion has been filed for a reversal of your conviction. Soon you will be a free man. However, you and everyone you love is at risk now. It's in your best interest to work with the LPD to capture her. Are we clear?"

Todd smiled and looked over at John. John saw him wink and wanted to punch him in his face. Todd then turned and looked at Bo his smile even wider "Yes sir!"

Evangeline heard her door push open. Still crying she shook her head "John please go!"

"It's not John sweetie"

Turning around she saw Nora in a wheel chair. Her heart exploded with joy. "NORA!" she screamed in amazement.

Nora smiled at her "Hey you…"
"What? When?"

"Long story, how are you feeling?" she asked wheeling herself over closer to the bed.

Evangeline sat up. The new cast on her wrist helped her be more agile and the medication all but killed the pain in her ankle. She had a bandage on the side of her face where the bruise was but she was lucky to be alive

Tears came down her face "Nora, I've missed you so much" she said unable to stop her tears. Nora reached for her hand and squeezed it. "I felt it Van, you and Matthew constantly pulling at me. It was you that brought me back."

Evangeline shook her head through her tears "I don't understand."
"The crash…I saw it while in my coma. I saw you sweetie and I felt your fear."
"How is that possible Nora?"
"I don't know, but it's possible and I'm glad for it, because I was able to help in bringing you back to us"

"It was awful, I thought we were going to die"
"We?" Nora asked confused
"Me and Todd, he saved my life."

Nora let go of her hand and sat back in her wheel chair frowning at the way Evangeline smiled at the mention of Todd Manning's name. Nora despised Todd and thought him to be a very dangerous man. She didn't know she was trapped with him. "Did he hurt you?"

Evangeline shook her head "God no…He saved me Nora, he pulled me from that wreckage and carried me to shelter. He nursed my wounds and held me through the night."

"Held you?" she said disgusted
Evangeline smiled "Not like that, but yes it was intimate. It was loving, and it was caring. It was all the things I've missed for so long. I was able to finally feel safe and protected again."

Nora listened to the whimsical, romantic way her friend spoke of the lying rapist she knew Todd Manning to be. "Sweetie…"

"Nora, I know you don't like the man. But he's innocent…"
"He raped Marty…."
"No innocent of killing Margaret."

Nora blinked at her shocked "Killing Margaret?"
Evangeline realized that Nora didn't know why she and Todd were on that plane. She explained that Todd was sentenced to death row and Nora shook her head in disgust.

"Evangeline, near death experiences bring people close, but Todd Manning is no ones hero sweetie. You have to be careful."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. Tell me how you feel? Have you seen Mathew yet? He missed you so much Nora." she asked not wanting to fight with her friend who she missed for so long.

"I haven't seen my baby and I can't wait! I feel confused most of the time, I mean the last time I saw you speak of someone with that kind of sparkle in your eye his name was John McBain."

Evangeline's smile faded and she looked away.
"What was that comment when I came in here about?"
Evangeline refused to answer and Nora shook her head "Have you spoken to him?"
"Yes…" she said softly
"Then you know?"

"What, that he can say those three words? Yeah I caught the show."

"Show?"

"Nora, please….a lot has happened. You don't understand."

"I can imagine, but he's still John."

"Exactly, he's still John and John wants what he wants when he wants it. It's always on his terms and it's always about his needs!" she said shaking her head.

"No sweetie, you didn't see him when you went missing. He was grounded you know. The FAA had declared you dead, but John didn't believe it. He launched his own search and rescue mission for you."

Evangeline looked at her shocked "He did?"

"Yes, he did…."

"He did arrive with Christian and Antonio."

"In the middle of a blizzard right?"

Evangeline smiled and nodded slowly "Yea, in the middle of a blizzard."

Nora rolled her wheel chair closer and touched her arm. "He loves you so much, and I saw it first hand. You can believe in it."

"No, I can't Nora. Not now, not from him just saying so. His actions spoke differently for a long time. I lost myself in him once and I won't do that again. No matter how much I love and want him back. I don't trust him anymore, not sure if I ever really did."

"I understand…"

Evangeline smiled "Thank you, thank you for not forcing me to believe again. I'm tired of relying on faith when it comes to loving that man."

"So take these handcuffs off me now!" Todd barked at John.

Bo looked at John "Take them off John, he doesn't really need them now."

"He's not free yet! There's still due process."

Hugh nodded "It's all a formality. He's not a flight risk and by the time he's released I'll have him out of the system." Hugh looked back at Todd "My department wants to extend its apologies for falsely accusing you."

Todd chucked "I plan to sue your ass to the hilt! You're an idiot and so is that ragtag police force you run. Shove your damn apology!" Todd said nastily.

John shook his head "Are you two sure of this!"

"Take these damn handcuffs off me now McBain!" Todd shouted at him.

John glared at him. Reaching in his pocket he grabbed the keys and pushed them into Bo's chest. "You do it!" he said before storming out.

"Hey John!" Todd called out after him.

John holding the door open looked back

"Ever win a spelling bee?" Todd asked smiling slyly his eyes sparkling with something John didn't understand.

John stared at him confused "What?"

"I'll tell you more about it sometime….see you around." Todd chuckled rolling his eyes. John glared a few more seconds before stepping out. Todd smiled to himself. He'd never let him near her again.

That Morning

Margaret sat inside the La Quinta Inn back in Llanview. She'd dyed her hair jet black and switched license plates on the back of Spencer's car. She was desperate to come up with a plan. Thank god she left the Motel 6 when she did. Her face was all over the news now.

Even more remarkable was the news of Todd's rescue, they were going to release him from death row, because they knew she was alive. Though it made her plans more difficult in the execution, she still had a greater chance at having everything she wanted.

Picking up TJ she kissed his tiny face "Mommy's doing all she can pumpkin to bring daddy to us." she said cradling him.

Her eyes wide with her delusions she looked around the room. "Maybe we can dress up and visit him in the hospital? Nah, that's too risky" she said rocking him and staring at the TV.

"I know maybe we can go and kill Blaire, then we get daddy all riled up and he'll come after us again!" she said grinning

TJ began to cry and Margaret frowned "Okay, okay….but killing Blaire would be fun, you have to admit that."

Opening her shirt she removed her breast, helping TJ latch on she silenced his cries. As he suckled she looked at the TV screen to see Todd's face in a side portrait next to Evangeline's.

"You know TJ, maybe we can use daddy's attorney to bring him to us. The news said they survived it together, so he trusts her I see. I think its time we learned more about this Evangeline Williamson"

"How's my Patient?" Michael asked smiling at seeing Evangeline in fresh clothes sitting on the bed with Layla sitting across from her. Layla was there first thing in the morning to help her with her release and bring her home.

"I'm great"
"Yes you are, and you're also free to go home."

"That's wonderful news…." John said coming in the door. Evangeline looked up at him shocked and he winked at her. He had spoken to Layla and set this up.

Layla stood getting her purse. "Van, sweetie, Duke called and I have to go into the office. John said he'd give you a ride home."

Evangeline shook her head "Can't you just drop me off on your way to the office, I am free to go now right Mike?"

Michael nodded "All clear…" he said handing her the crutches he brought in.

Layla shook her head "I'm sorry sweetie, but I'm late. Plus John's more than capable." She said walking over to him and kissing him on the cheek. She saw how he fought to get her sister back and she finally believed that he loved her the way she should be loved.

Evangeline saw the exchange between them and knew it was a setup. She was confused that they were so close all of a sudden. "What's going on with you two?"

"Love you! I'll call you this afternoon" Layla said dodging the question and stepping out.
Evangeline looked up to see John staring at her longingly and looked away.

"Well, stay off your feet. I want to see you in three weeks unless you experience swelling or any other pains."

"Thanks Michael"
"No problem, glad you are alive sweetie." He said walking over and kissing her cheek.
Evangeline smiled watching him leave out of the door as Todd came walking in. John looked at Todd and frowned.

Todd ignored John and headed straight for Evangeline "How are you today Princess?"
"Todd!" she said smiling. "I'm good, they're releasing me…"
"I heard…"
"What are you doing up and around?" she asked frowning noticing that he wasn't wearing handcuffs.

Todd looked back over at John who didn't mask the glare of hatred he fixed on him. "John didn't tell you?"

She looked over at John who seemed like he was going to explode "Tell me what?"

"Margaret Cochran's alive! She killed Spencer Truman" he said

Evangeline exclaimed and reached for Todd excitedly. They embraced and John looked away, the pain of seeing her in his arms overwhelming him.

"Oh my god! What happened, how is this possible, what does Spencer Truman have to do with this?" she asked in disbelief.

Todd let go of her and kissed her forehead. Before he could speak he heard the door open and Starr exclaim his name "Daddy!"

Turning around in time for her to rush into his arms he hugged her and then reached for Jack who came running inside. Blaire came in and shot Evangeline an ugly look of jealously. "I figured when you weren't in your room, you'd be up here in hers!"

Todd looked up from hugging his children locking eyes with her.
"Daddy I knew you were alive, I told mom! I never thought for a minute you'd leave us!" she said hugging him tightly.

Todd kissed her cheek and stroked her silky hair "That's right baby, I wouldn't leave you or Jack."

"Or mom right?" she said smiling looking back at Blaire then to her father.

Todd said nothing standing.

John looked at Evangeline who seemed to be uncomfortable by the hateful looks Blaire kept shooting at her. "Van, you ready?"

She looked at John and smiled weakly "I guess.."

Todd turned around "Where are you going?"

Evangeline tried to stand and John went to her to help her up then passed her, her crutches. "Home, you go ahead with your family."

Todd glared at John "Maybe you should get Layla to bring you home"

Blaire walked in closer "I think John can take care of her. Besides we need to talk….the news says a lot of things this morning….."

Todd turned and looked at her and saw her fear and guilt over Spencer Truman being connected to Margaret. He figured that's why she rushed over here with the kids. Her hands shook as she tried to remain calm in front of everyone.

Blaire knew what they were all thinking. Everyone saw her with Spencer and the whole town now knew how big a fool she really was. Worse of all, she'd slept with the man that almost killed her one true love. How on earth she could ever forgive herself after this was beyond her. First order of business was to get his forgiveness.

Evangeline understanding what Blaire was going through didn't want to cause more tension. The kids clung to Todd and she looked at Jacks face full of joy over the return of his father. She was happy he had his family back.

John watched her intensely and she looked up into his blue questioning eyes. "Let's go"
Todd reached and touched her hand "I'll call you as soon as I'm free to work all this stuff out. You know there are some legal matters to attend too."

"Give it a day or two Manning, she needs to recover!" John interrupted and moved Evangeline away from him. Evangeline eyes locked with Todd's and she smiled "Call me…"

She walked out with John at her side. Leaning on her crutch she kept her head bowed. He said very little as he led her to the elevator. And the tension between them grew even thicker on the drive to her place. When they arrived in her apartment he closed the door unable to stand it anymore.

"What is going on with you and Todd?"
Evangeline let go of one crutch and turned around with her foot raised to sit on the sofa. "Thanks for the ride home but you can go….."

"No Van it doesn't work that way." He said coming over to her and removing the crutches, preventing her from making an quick escape. Sitting down next to her he looked her over. "We have always been able to talk to each other"

"Really? If memory serves me correctly you weren't one big on talking." she said cutting her eyes.

John laughed "Okay I deserve that…."

"Yeah you do…"

"Van do you understand Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?"

"Don't go there John"

John reached for her hand and she allowed his touch. Turning over her palm, he kissed the inside of her wrist. "You've been through a lot…."

Pulling her hand away she looked at him shaking her head "So therefore my friendship with Todd is due to PTSD?"

"That's not what I'm saying, I'm not a doctor"

"That's right, you aren't and the last time some one tried to psychoanalyze you, you freaked!"

John sighed "I noticed the way you two are with each other and its natural Van, you both went through a lot. But you have to be careful, I don't want you to be hurt…."

"You don't want me to be friends with Todd…"

"Damn right! Why would I want the woman I love to cling to another man! I'm the man you should be reaching for!"

"Aren't your arms already filled with keeping Natalie close to your bosom?" she asked bitterly.

"It's over between me and Natalie Van…"

"It should have never started you selfish bastard!" she shouted at him.

John saw how much he hurt her. "Please…listen to me!"

"No! You want to know why I cling to Todd?"

"You told me, because he listens…" he said sarcastically leaning back into the sofa and looking up the ceiling.

"That's right he listens, but he did something you never did!" she snapped. He looked over at her confused "What? What did Todd Manning do for you that I never could?"

"I never said you couldn't do it, only that you didn't do it!" she shot back. "He asked me about my pain….he wanted me to lean on him…."

"You never wanted me to rescue you!" John said sitting up not understanding what she meant

Evangeline eyes watered. "Because John for you, it's a matter of rescue not support? I wanted your support. I wanted you to see that you aren't the only person with deep pain and fears. I wanted you to be invested in knowing more about me, not the lawyer and bedmate you made me, but me!"

"Sweetie, no…." he said reaching for her.

"Stop! I'm not confused, I know you care, I even believe that you love me…..but you still don't know me. You haven't made any attempt to really know me!"

Her words hit hard and he felt a greater sense of failure at hearing them. She was right, he loved her strength but he never inquired about what made her strong. He loved her heart, but he never inquired about what paths she took to have such a caring one. He loved all the things about her, but could only give you surface reasons as to who she really was.

"I never knew how to….I've been so messed up for so long…I just never knew…" he said his voice straining. She looked at him to see his eyes water with tears. Reaching for his face with a shaky hand she stopped herself. She couldn't comfort him, not when he didn't know how to comfort her in return.

"I think you should go" she said sadly

John looked over at her desperately. Without warning he grabbed her face and kissed her. She pushed at him with her strong hand but his tongue on her lips weakened her resistance. She kissed him back as he pulled her close, causing her to melt into him.

He felt her love for him still within that kiss and enjoyed it immensely. Letting her go he put his forehead to hers. "I will prove it to you, I'll do everything in my power to prove myself to you. Because your love is all I ever wanted. Because I want to know what makes you the woman that you are, so I can be the man that you need."

She touched his face sliding her hands through his silky hair "I love you with all my heart John, but I no longer believe in that love. I need you to let me go, because what we had is over. I no longer trust you and being next to you still hurts. Please just let me go."

"No deal baby, I won't let you run from me like I ran from you. I'm here and I'm staying." he said releasing her. Evangeline looked up at him surprised by his resolve. She didn't know how to respond to it. John rose from the couch and looked down at her. "I have a session with Dr. C, today. I will call you afterwards."

Evangeline touched her lips where his kiss still lingered unable to speak. He smiled at her. "Neither Todd or you will stop us from finding each other again. We'll have our happy ending."

With that said he walked away and out of the door. Evangeline shook her head trying to make sense of all that happened. She remembered Nora saying that he was committed to bringing her home, she also remembered Todd saying he's incapable of love. Lying down on her sofa she closed her eyes. One thing she knew for certain, was she loved him still. This time it just wasn't enough.

Christian stood at his easel mixing red and blue paints to come up with the royal color of purple. Purple reminded him of her. He decided to do another portrait for Evangeline as a welcome back gift. Hearing a soft knock at the door he turned to look at it confused. It was pretty early for a visitor.

Going over he slid the door open to see Natalie. She rushed into his arms throwing hers around his neck "Chris help me….god help me please!" she said crying.

Hugging her back he frowned by her unexpected need for him. Holding her in the doorway it all became clear to him. "So you found out that your hero cop has retired his cape when it comes to you?" he said pushing her out of his arms. "And then you have the nerve to run to me for comfort!" he shouted in her face.

Natalie blinked at him surprised by his anger and confused as to how to respond to it. Especially since his accusations were true.

Todd came into the apartment listening to Starr talk a mile a minute, Jack held his hand smiling up at him asking him to come to his room. All he could think about was Evangeline and if she was okay. Blaire closed the door asking Starr to take Jack upstairs so she and Todd could talk.

Starr happy to have her parents back gladly did so. Todd turned and looked at Blaire who stared back with tears in her eyes. "You want anything? Something to drink maybe?" she asked cautiously.

"Did you screw him in our bed?" Todd asked immediately.

Blaire shook her head sadly letting tears come down "No of course not!"

Todd smirked at her. "So tell me Blaire, how does it feel to know that you were sleeping with the man conspiring to kill your husband with Margaret Cochran of all people. I'm dying to know!" he said narrowing his eyes on her.

Blaire ran her hand through her long blonde curls and shook her head sadly. She didn't know where to begin.

Dr. Crosby sat at his desk signing off on some current psyche reviews he'd completed. He heard the door open and close thinking it was Peter Davis, the officer whose gunfire with a drug addict resulted in the death of a six year old.

"Have a seat Peter.."

"Its not Peter" John said coming in and taking off his coat.

Dr. Crosby looked up at him shocked. "John?"

"Here's the thing. I need you to help me get my life back before I loose the one thing that keeps me living."

Dr. Crosby nodded "Of course your job"

"No! Evangeline Williamson…."

written by tarskeewee08

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