An Unexpected Love: Madness

by tarskeewee08

Sitting in my office I think of her leaving me. I can feel her slipping away from my grasp and my office still carry's her scent. She wants me to get counseling in order to move on with her. I can't do that. I don't need counseling, I need her. Sighing I close my eyes and lean back in my chair trying to soothe the pain in my heart

"Hey bro!" Mike says opening my door cautiously
I open my eyes and see Michael and smile "Hey…what are you doing here in the middle of the day?"

He comes in and closes the door. "We need to talk"
I chuckle realizing Van's pregnant must be weighing heavily on his mind. Well I know the feeling its all I can think about since I found out. "Okay Mike come in lets talk"

Mike sits down and stares at me. I know how he feels, in a matter of days everything has changed. "How are you John?"
"Not good Mike"
"You look bad"
"I do?"
"Yes" he says searching my face.
"Well I guess you've seen Evangeline"
"John how did this happen? When did it happen?"
"It was a moment between us right before she left. I thought it was the reason she left but I had no idea she was pregnant."
"Obviously" Mike says sadly
"Don't get me wrong bro, I couldn't be more happier about this." I say proudly
"John, she was trying to keep it from you. I think she's still is trying to exclude you."
"She doesn't trust me and I understand that, but Van knows me she won't keep me from my child."
"Bro she lives in another state."

I shake my head "That's temporary Mike she's coming home we just have to work some things out."

"John….earth to John…she's here because her sister is in a coma man. I saw her after your run in at the hospital, she's in a lot of pain. I can't imagine that you will be able to get through to her easily."

"I love her and she loves me that's all we need" I say confidently.

Mike looks at me confused ready to speak when Officer Vaughn comes racing in. We both look at him confused. "What is it?" I ask seeing the wild panicked look in his face.

"Sir, I'm sorry but there's been a horrible accident."
I sit up in my chair and look at him alarmed "Is it Evangeline!" I shout. The look on his face indicates that something is wrong terribly wrong.

Mike turns around alarmed and the officer voice cracks. "It's Natalie, she's been hit by a car. I just heard it come across on dispatch, its in front of your place."

My body goes numb. I don't realize it but I've jumped from my seat running out of the office with Mike on my heels. We get to the squad car and Mike is saying something. He's yelling something but I don't hear him, I peal out of the station at break neck speed trying to get to my place. I'm driving down the street swerving around cars and running all lights. All I can think of is Natalie's hurt and I have to help her. It's my job to help her.

Turning onto my street the lights flashing make my heart stop. Its true there was an accident. Stopping in the street we both jump out of the car before its in park. I look around at the officers a couple crying and my breath quickens, looking in the street I see a sheet stained in blood covering something. Oh my sweet jesus it covering her.

Mike grabs me and at first I don't know why. I don't understand why I'm being restrained but then I get clarity. Looking down at my body I see me screaming shaking him off of me. I run over and pull the sheet back from the body grabbing what used to be Natalie into my arms.

Mike and officers try to restrain me but I'm fighting them all screaming. I can hear myself and I now realize what I'm screaming. I thought I was yelling Natalie but I'm screaming Katie! And then everything comes up around me and I feel like I'm drowning. Slipping back into my body I loose all sense of reality and continue to scream drifting into darkness.

The Hospital

(Evangeline's POV)

Walking off the elevator I see Rex in the lobby. He looks up at me and smile. "Hey, Rex how are you?"

"Did you hear?" he asks walking to me excitedly
I frown "No what is it?"

"Layla's fever broke and she's awake. Your mom and uncle are with her now. Do you think you could get me in Van, I know she can't have many visitors but I haven't seen her since the accident and I need to see her."

I touch his shoulder and rub it "You love her don't you?"
"I do"

Taking his hand and smiling I walk with him hand in hand to my sister's room. We push the door open and I see my mom standing next to her bed and uncle clay on the other side. But the sight that warms my heart is my sister sitting up looking at me shocked.

Me and Rex walk in still holding hands "Van?" she says shocked.
I smile "Hey Lay"
Rex walks over and mom moves to the side, he leans over on her bed and kisses her lightly on the lips. "Hey you, I've been worried sick."
"Hey Rex" she says smiling up at him.

Uncle Clay comes over to me. "I owe you an apology sweetie. I had no right to say those things to you. I love you and you are right about this new addition to our family. She's a blessing. Say you will forgive an old stubborn fool."

"Of course" I say happily hugging him and kissing his cheek "I love you too Uncle Clay." He smiles releasing me. Touching my belly I can see that we're going to be just fine. "I need to make some phone calls to the office, excuse me" he says kissing my cheek again and leaving.

Layla moves slightly and looks at me again. "Mom said I was in a coma but how long was out? When did you get pregnant?" she asked weakly.

We all laugh. Walking to her bed I touch her foot. "It's a long story but you're going to be an auntie"
"Who's the father?"
Rex and mom look at me an I shake my head "It's John's now can we talk about you? I'm so happy you are up how do you feel?"
"I feel thirsty and it's hard to swallow, my head hurts and my visions fades. With all of that going on it doesn't compare to you standing before me pregnant."

Before I can say anything Rex phone rings and he steps to the side to answer it. I walk over instead and kiss my sister. She still feels a little warm but she's alive. Mom rubs my back and looks at Layla lovingly "I'm so happy to have my babies together and both of you okay."

Just then Rex screams and we turn to look at him.
"NOO! NOT NATTY!" he screams
I walk over to him my heart in my throat. He drops the phone and before I can reach him he runs out of the room. Layla yells after him and mom tries to calm her as she struggles in the bed to go after him.

I struggle and kneel to pick up the phone. "Hello"
"Who's this?" a hoarse voice choked in tears says.
"I'm sorry but this is Evangeline, Rex ran out of her did something happen?"
"Oh god Van…it's Mike where are you?" he says crying
"I'm at the hospital Mike what is it?"
"It's Natalie she's dead and John….something….something's wrong with John…."

My heart stops. "Where's John?" I say panicky while his words squeeze the life from me. "What's going on?"

"We're taking him to St. Anne's meet us there" Mike says hanging up.

"Evangeline what is it?" Layla says behind me crying. I look back at them confused.
"Natalie's dead" I say racing out. Seeing Uncle Clay in the lobby I go to him. He closes phone looking at me worried by the tears on my face. "Uncle Clay you have to take me to St. Anne's"

Clay touches my face and my fear for John over what this will do to him has me irrational with desperation" NOW!" I scream holding my stomach fighting the urge to vomit.

Clay grabs me "Okay calm down lets go" he says half carrying me out. I work to control myself for fear of what it will do to me but I need to get to him. This may be it and I may loose him forever. I hoped he would get help and we would find a way to love each other again the way we both deserved now this. God help me don't take him from me.

(John's POV)

I can't breathe all I do is see Caitlyn's eyes staring up at me lifeless, her blood all over me. Then I see Natalie's eyes cold and dead looking into mine. I shake my head and I realize that I'm restrained. Oh god I'm tied down. My eyes focus and I'm being wheeled down a corridor and I can see Mikey leaning over me.

"What's going on…let me go!" I scream
"John, you had to be retrained you drew your gun on us. You're having some kind of breakdown" Michael says crying over me.

"No, Mikey I'm fine let me go!" I scream back, I got it under control. I don't need a doctor. Oh god what is going on?

Michael shakes his head looking into my face as they continue to wheel me down the hall. "We have to get you some help. Please John just calm down."

I shake my head screaming fighting harder I'm able to snap free of one of my restraints and I swing at Michael grabbing him by his throat and pulling him over me. People are all over me trying to pry him out of my fingers and my voice grows hoarse as I continue to yell.

A redhead female doctor comes over with a needle and looks at me. I swear its Natalie. I shake my head no telling her I'm sorry, it was all my fault. The orderlies hold me down as Natalie sticks the needle in my arm and the burning hot liquid spills into my bloodstream. I scream and dream….I remember when it all began. I remember the day my dad died.

Atlantic City, New Jersey 1977

Where was his dad's back up? This looked serious. He had to help. John raced up the stairs into the house. He had to help his dad!

"Let her go man….you don't want to hurt her"
Officer McBain said while he assessed the situation further "We can work this out"

Clarence wasn't going to work anything out. He had enough of this BITCH back talking him and he was going to show her who the man was in this house!

"Look cop I don't want any trouble…this is between me and my wife" Clarence said this as he backed up to the dresser. Outside of the cops view on the dresser was Clarence's .38 caliber gun. He needed to get to it to level the playing field.

Officer McBain had been in this situation many times before. He had to make the perp think he was in charge to avoid any further violence.

"Look my name is McBain what's yours?" he said with both hands up in attempt to win his trust.

"My name is Clarence cop.. now get out of my FUCKING house!"

"Okay Clarence...stay cool...stay cool…are those two little sweet boys outside yours?" McBain could tell that this question had an effect. He saw him loosen his grip on his wife's throat. He couldn't see if she was still conscious her flaming red hair hung all over her face.

"Yeah man those my boys….what of it?" Why was this cop talking about his boys? What the hell was he trying to pull?

"Clarence…I have two sons too….and I would never want to hurt them…or even worse deprive them of their mother…you follow me? This here…we need to work this out…so that your boys don't suffer needlessly."

Clarence was at the dresser now and he was assessing the situation. If he let's the bitch go she will try to keep him from his sons and he couldn't let that happen.

Just then he noticed a small boy standing behind the cop. Who the hell was that kid? He saw the cop see his gaze shift and turn to see who entered the room..

"Johnny what are you doing up here…I told you to go home" McBain felt panic, why was Johnny in the room?

Just then Clarence threw his wife to the floor and grabbed the .38. He heard the boy yell

"Dad look out he's got a gun!" John had to let his dad know the man was aiming at them. His dad was in danger!

McBain turned and saw the perp point the gun at him and his son, there was no time to loose he pushed John out of the way and took the bullet in his chest.

All this happened so slow…John watched his father fall…He saw that the man was going to shoot the red haired lady.

What happened next changed everything………………….Without thinking he grabbed his fathers gun out of its holster………………….It was heavier than he imagined so he held it with both hands and fired. The recoil from the shot knocked him off his feet...he saw blood splatter out of the back of the mans head……………………….he heard the lady scream…he heard the kid from downstairs scream…………………….somehow he was in the room now…………………..He heard his father say "John! NOOO!"

John's entire world started to spin

Present

Michael walked out of the room where is brother now lay sedated and unconscious. All hell broke loose, when they pulled him off Natalie's lifeless body he screamed something about their father. He yelled Caitlyn's name and at first Mike thought it was just grief, but when he looked into his brother's eyes he saw a madness, complete madness.

John caught up in rage and grief shook the officers off him and drew his gun screaming he would save his dad. That's when Michael knew his brother had finally snapped. Years of burying his feelings and his demons had pushed him over the edge. God help him but he didn't know what to do. Bursting into tears his used the wall to hold him up keeping him from falling to floor.

"Michael!" Evangeline screamed racing down the hall.

Michael saw Evangeline and opened his arms for her to come into. She clung to him crying and he held onto her. Both now crying in fear at what this all meant. Clay stood back and observed extremely concern about his niece and her pregnancy, she seemed to be swimming in chaos. He now understood why Seattle was a good place for her.

Lifting her head she looked in his face "I want to see him!"
Michael shook his head sadly "No you don't…..no you don't."