An Unexpected Love: Fate

by tarskeewee08

(Layla's POV)

"Rex, meet me at my place we need to talk!"
"Lay sweetie, I got a lot going on right now. I'll get up with you later" Rex says leaning on the bar sipping a beer at Rhodi's. His latest case had him casing a biker gang that has been terrorizing and raping young women. He followed the leader to Rhodi's tonight but his partner in crime hasn't shown up yet. Rex was grateful for that because the creep threatened him last week while he was at Ultraviolet with Layla.

The family of the latest victim wants him to locate her. They believe she's been brainwashed and living in their compound. He hasn't seen a trace of her in weeks.

Swiping at my long band hanging in my eyes I sigh. I can't believe he's blowing me off! We're going to speak about this thing with Adrianna. I'm sick to death over her interference in my relationship. She's becoming obsessed and if he doesn't check her I will.

Looking up my rearview mirror as someone high beams flash on I frown. "Go around you idiot!"
"What?" Rex asks confused.
"Not you! I want to talk to you tonight and it's important!"
"I don't feel like fighting Lay, unless we can start with the makeup first."

Squinting at the headlights beaming down on me I try slowing down so the idiot will pass me. Why the hell is he riding on my bumper like this? "This asshole is taking this too far!" I shout in the phone.
"Layla what's wrong?"

Before I can respond the car behind me slams into my rear end causing me to swerve. There's ice on the road tonight from the afternoon sleet storm. I drop the phone and scream. I can hear Rex screaming my name but all I can do is put my hands on the steering wheel and speed up.

Wrong move.

The person behind me races up and I can barely see in front of me due to the high beams blaring through my back window. The car hits me again and this time at this speed my car starts to spin. Screaming I turn the wheel frantically and slam on the breaks.

The car then flips and rolls over in the street. I scream louder as I'm bounced around in the car like a rag doll and the force of the airbag shields me some but I feel suffocated. The car is rolling and my head hits the roof because I don't have on my seat belt and the last thing I think before slipping into blackness is "Van is going to kill me for wrecking her car."

Back at the station
(John's POV)

John sits at his desk facing Michael. He's been grilling him on what happened between him and Natalie. He ran into her the other day and she was hysterical. Rolling his eyes he leans back in his chair and sighs.

"I don't want to discuss Natalie…" I say angrily.
"John, you keep the girl on a rollercoaster. You've kicked her out and moved her back in three times since Evangeline left. It's no wonder she's an emotional wreck." Michael says frowning at me.

He's right I take all my frustrations out on Natalie. After the incident in the evidence room I told Natalie I needed space. I called Evangeline night and day and she wouldn't accept my calls. I showed up to her office and the guard told me I wasn't allowed access to her floor. I showed up at her place and she refused to open the door. After several weeks of this I got the hint and decided to back off and give her some space

Natalie was constantly in my face for reassurance and I hid behind her as an excuse to punish Evangeline for spurning me. I mean I know I should have spoken up in the evidence room but the way she avoided me made me angrier than I'd been in a long time.

I was a complete ass.

Then one day Layla came into my office over a month later screaming at me to stay away from her sister. I thought she was angry because she knew about the incident between us. Turns out I was wrong. Evangeline had left. Layla blamed me for her packing up and moving away.

My chest burned with pain and I panicked. No one told me she was leaving. She left two days earlier and I had no idea. I begged Layla for information on where she went and she clucked her tongue and rolled her neck. "It'll be a cold day in Hades before I tell you any damn thing! Just keep away from her!" she snapped and stormed out.

Nora told me after several emotional outbursts in her office that she accepted a job on the other side of the country but wouldn't tell me where. Whatever fabric that held me and Natalie together unwove right then and there. I didn't know why I continued to fail Evangeline, but I knew that I loved her and wanted her back desperately.

Natalie at first celebrated her leaving and I threw her out again. Then she showed up one night when I'd been drinking away my pain. I slept with her and for her that was confirmation that I wanted us. Well I didn't. When I was sober I through her out again. But true to form she waited in the shadows for my dark lonely moments and pounced.

Don't get me wrong this isn't Natalie's fault. But she's easy and when I'm with her I feel numb to it all. The pain of loosing my Vangie lessens and I slip into the dark despair that I carry with me like luggage.

Natalie knew what she was doing and she what she was getting. I wasn't about to sit here and muster up any sympathy for her. She is what she is. "Mike I have work to do" I say picking up my pen and opening my folder.

"Have you spoken to her?" he asked
I look up confused. "Who?"
"You know who! Have you tried John? I mean its obvious you and Natalie are going nowhere and if all this brooding is because she left you then just find her tell her the truth and move on!"

I glare at him. "She left me! She walked out without saying goodbye. Evidently she has moved on!" I snap
Michael shakes his head. "So you use Natalie as an emotional punching bag because you don't have the balls to drop your pride and go get the woman you love!"
"It's over!" I say looking back down.

Before he can respond Rex Balsom comes rushing into my office. Me and Mike look up surprised. He's red in the face and looks like he's been crying.

"McBain oh god it's Layla!" Rex says breathing heavily coming to my desk
I frown at him "What about Layla?"
"I don't know! We were on the phone and she screamed about some crazy driver. I think she's been in accident but I don't know where!"

I jump up and grab my trench putting it on over my navy suit jacket. Picking up my shield I clip it to my hip thinking a mile a minute. God I hope he's wrong.

"Oh god!" Mike says horrified.
"How long ago Balsom?" I shout
"20 minutes" he says panicked.
I rush out past them and head to the bullpen. Grabbing the first officer I see. "Any calls on an accident!"
I turn and look back at him. "Where was she headed?"
"She said her place. Evangeline's old condo."
"Cater Street?" I say looking at the officer who shrugs.
I push past him and head to dispatch. Natalie looks up at me expectantly and I ignore her. Mike and Rex run after me and that's enough for her to jump up and come too.

Reaching the dispatch operator I ask for any recent accident reporting. She looks up and says with the storm today there have been plenty. The last was a silver Mercedes coupe off Cater Street ten minutes ago. Officers in route.

"Oh god!" Rex yells.
Natalie looks at him confused. "Rex what is it?"
He turns with tears in his eyes "It's Layla that's her car!"

That's the last I heard because I'm running now out of the station. My heart is pounding in my chest. I can't stop thinking the worst. I think of Layla and her saucy defiance. She's everything to my Evangeline and I have to protect her for her. "Evangeline baby where are you?" I think to myself jumping in a squad car. I hit the lights and race out of the station. Listening to the radio I hear that the firemen are using the jaws of life to cut her free. "Oh god no…."

My tires skid twice as I drive recklessly through the streets heading to the accident. I even feel the car lift from the ground once but I drive even faster. This can't be happening.

Arriving in time to see them pulling her out her face is covered in blood, I jump out of the car and rush over to the scene.

The paramedic checks her vitals and I can see her gaping head wound, my stomach tightens. "Is she alive?" I ask
The paramedic looks up. "Barely got a pulse. We got to get her to the hospital right now."
I nod and step back. Just then I see Rex black SUV pull up and he and Michael get out. Rex screaming runs to the gurney and several of my officers restrain him. "Layla! Layla!" he shouts.

Michael comes over and speaks with the paramedic as they are wheeling her into the ambulance. He looks back at me "John I will go with her and try to keep her stabilized!"

I nod and turn ignoring Rex's screams heading back to the wrecked car. I see the wheels still spinning and frown. Looking in the street at the dark skid marks for several feet I can tell she had to be going extremely fast.

"Sir you have to see this!" Officer Bryant says staring at the back of her car.

I walk over with my hands in my pockets. The night air blowing my trench behind me and misty remnants of a beginning snow is about to fall. Looking at the back of the car I see the deep indention from a collision. The tag is bent in from the impact.

Looking closer I can see what looks like blue paint from another car. I turn around searching the street "Where's the other car?"
The officer shrugs "There was no other car."
"Who called in the accident?" I ask confused.
"Don't know you will have to speak to dispatch. There were no cars on the road when we arrived. No witnesses."

I run my hands through my hair frustrated. Was this an accident or something more sinister?

Nora's Place

Nora jumps from bed at the pounding on her front door. It was almost 11 at night. Mathew was asleep. Who on earth would be coming to her place this late. Grabbing her robe she slipped her feet in her fluffy pink matching slippers and rushed out of the room down the stairs. Hearing the pounding intensify she frowned and undid the locks to see John standing outside. His hair wet from the snow and face red with pain Nora looked at him in complete shocked.

"John! What is it? Why are you here so late?" She asked holding the door open for him.
"I need Evangeline's number!" I said pushing in nervous and emotionally wrecked by what has happened.
Nora closes the door and I feel her eyes on me. "No..." she says sternly.

I turn and glare at her. "It's not for my own personal use Nora! Layla's been hurt, hurt badly!"
Nora puts her hand to her mouth. "What! How? When?"
"Tonight, she's at the hospital and I just spoke to Michael they are moving her to surgery now. He says it's serious Nora"
"Nora rushes to the phone and I watch her pick it up and dial the number I've wanted for months.

Standing back I listened and envision her on the other line.

"Van baby its Nora"
"I have some bad news…."
"Layla has been in accident and its' bad. John's here and he says she's been taken to surgery" Nora says looking at me. "Yes, I will go to the hospital too find out more how soon can you get here? Van its Layla sweetie you have to get here now!"

I frown that Evangeline would even hesitate for a minute. Does she hate me that much? What the hell is wrong with her this is her sister!

Nora looks at me and turns away so I can't here her. She whispers something in the phone and I put my hands in my pockets glaring. We don't have time for the shit. Layla's in trouble who cares about the tension between us. "Nora! Let me speak to her!" I say walking over. Before Nora can respond I snatch the phone from her hands.

"Evangeline"
"Yes John…" she says dryly
"You are coming right? Tonight as soon as you can get here!"
She gets silent on the phone. "I need to call my mom and get her and my uncle Clay there. They can get there sooner than I can."
"What! Look this is serious I know you hate me but Layla needs you."
She sucks her teeth. "It's not always about you! Of course I will be there for my sister! I can't exactly sprout wings and fly. I'm not as mobile…"
I frown at her response and the way she stops herself. "What is going on with you?"
Nora snatches the phone from me and rolls her eyes. "Call me with your flight information and I will pick you up from the airport. Be careful out there sweetie I know it must be snowing and it is too here." Nora nods and says yes several times then hangs up.

I look at Nora and recall the funny comment Evangeline made. "What's going on with her?"

Nora shakes her head. "I will get dressed. We need to get to the hospital!"

Nora runs pass me up the stairs. Turning I look back at the phone on the wall. What did she mean she isn't mobile? Shaking my head sadly I think of her voice. It's been almost 6 months since we spoke and her voice was as wonderfully erotic as it was in the past. I can see her tongue move in her mouth as she speaks. I think about holding her, laughing with her, feeding her, spooning her, making love to her and my heart beat slows down with the profound sadness of my loss.

Fate was bringing her back to town but I was the same ole asshole I was when she left. How can I even reach her? Mike was right she was the woman I wanted. But dammit she ran from me. She didn't stay and fight it out with me. Part of me was angry as hell at her for that.

Nora comes down the stairs to hear the doorbell. She hops on one foot to the door putting on her other shoe. A older white woman comes in wearing rain coat over her flowered night gown. "Thanks Ms. Sigmon, he's upstairs asleep and I shouldn't be gone for no longer that two hours."

The lady smiles and Nora grabs her purse. I walk out behind her just as worried and concerned about Layla. But I'm also curious to see Van again, part of me can't wait.

The Hospital

Mike comes into the lobby where Rex, Nora, Bo and John wait impatiently for word. Rex jumps up immediately and rushes Mike"Well what's going on? How is she?"
Mike looks at him sadly. "There was some swelling on the brain. We operated and reduced it considerably. She's in a coma now and that's not uncommon after brain surgery."

Nora stands up gasping. "Oh god brain surgery!"
Mike looks at her and nods "When she comes out of the coma we can tell more if there will be any permanent brain damage. Right now are major concern is infection."
Rex has tears running down his face "Can I see her?"
Mike shakes his head "No, sorry but she's in intensive care and for the time being only immediate family can have access to her."

Mike looks over at me. "John have you called her family?"
Nora speaks before I can "I spoke to Evangeline, she will be here tomorrow and her mom and uncle clay should be on their way now."

I get up and go over to my brother "What are her chances of coming through this Mike?"
Mike sighs deeply. "Right now at this moment she has a 60 chance of waking from the coma…I can't gage anything from that point."

The elevator door opens and Natalie walks off. I look over at her and my stomach tightens. I don't want her here tomorrow when Evangeline comes. I don't want her around the Williamson sisters at all. Besides she and Layla hate each other, even more so when she started dating Rex.

Rex runs over to her and pulls her into a hug. Crying on her shoulder she rubs his back and looks at me. Nora watches the exchange between the two of us. When I look at her she rolls her eyes.

Mike touches my back. "I will keep you posted." He said walking away.
"Thanks bro" I say
Nora walks over to me her hands in her jean pockets her short cropped auburn hair limp and in her face from the snow outside. "I will have Bo take me home. When Evangeline arrives I will bring her straight to the hospital."

I nod "Can you call me when she gets here. I want to talk to her."
"John…."
"Nora this may not have been an accident. I need to know what was going on with Layla"
Rex looks up at that "What do you mean this may not have been an accident?"
Natalie is glaring at me because of my request for Evangeline and I ignore her. "Rex I don't know anything now. Come to the station tomorrow morning after I have all the facts and we can talk."

"No McBain you know something! Why would someone want to hurt Lay!" he shouts at me his face red and contorted with pain.
Natalie grabs his arm pulling him back "Rex calm down. John is right, let's go home and we can talk to him in the morning."

Rex shakes his head. "I'm not leaving!"
Nora touches my shoulder "John I will tell Evangeline you need to see her and that Layla may have been attacked. She will call you."
I nod and she smiles. She stares in my face as if she wants to say more but stops herself. I look at her frowning. "What is it Nora?"
She touches my face. "I just wish you two could get past this" she says shaking her head sadly and walking away. Bo puts her jacket on her shoulders and walks her to the elevator.

Natalie lets go of Rex and comes into my face. "What's going on with you? Are you really going to use this tragedy to get close to Evangeline? I mean my god John the woman left town. She doesn't want you!"

Her words cut at my pain of her walking away and I suck my teeth "Stay away from this hospital. I don't want the Williamson family upset any further."
"You mean you don't want her upset!"
"Stay away!" I snap and walk toward the elevator. Not looking back I think of what Nora said. God I wish we could get past this too.