Killing Him Softly: Aftermath

by tarskeewee08

(Evangeline's POV)

Look at him sitting there looking at me expectantly, hoping that I will let go all the disappointments and betrayals of the past. Here I am my life in shambles. I've lost two fucking years off my life for loving him. For trying to do the right thing and correct the horrors his lies created.

I let that monster take over my body. I suffered agonizing torture at the hands of the devil who ravaged me whenever it suited him. My god to know the gravity of what and who I've become makes me want to vomit. Yes he saved me, and thank god he did. But I hate him. I hate him for being so weak and spineless that we ended up here. I hated him for dragging that redhead into our love and choosing her happiness over mine. She hasn't lost a damn thing. But me and Christian we lost it all. How can I not blame him for that! Why shouldn't I.

"Evangeline…say something sweetie!"
"Like what John? I mean its two years later and I've been a walking talking sex slave to a man that has scrambled my brain so bad I don't know if I will ever be healthy again. Exactly what am I supposed to say?"

He walks back over to me and sits down. I move away and I swear if he touches me I'll hit him. He sees my reaction and I can sense his heartache over it. Well it doesn't compare to mine. Nothing compares to mine.

"I know that a lot has happened. I know that you lost your life because of me. But you know that I never meant for it to turn out this way. You know that I tried to protect you and I always loved you."

I burst into laughter at that. "Loved me? I know that you loved me! Exactly how the hell do I know that!" I snapped and rose from the sofa. Turning with my hands on my hips I narrowed my eyes on him. "I called you that night I was on the road and left a message? When did you get it? Why did you even act on it?"

John shook his head "Baby that's not fair. I tried to reach you that day. I called everyone even the hospital to see if you were with Nora."

My heart stops "Oh god Nora…..John what happened to Nora?"
John smiled "She recovered and is doing well Van, she's doing real well."
Breathing a sigh of relief I settle the panic in my chest.

"Evangeline, I know I hurt you and we have pain between us. But I love you. I've searched every day since your disappearance for you. I left Llanview and joined the FBI. When Laredo left the states I joined the CIA. I have never stopped looking for you…please believe me."

I know he's telling the truth and he may even love me. But dear god how can I defend him now? How? "John, I can't deal with you and me. It's too exhausting. Besides I need to sort this all out. I'm overwhelmed right now."

He smiles and gets up to stand in front of me. "I understand. I'm just glad you know who you are. That you aren't controlled by that animal."

"We have to get to Christian. God this is a mess. He will kill you John on sight. How are we going to even get him to go through hypnosis?"

John rubbed his jaw. "I don't know that's tough Van, I can't risk them getting their hands on you again."

"John, he's protected me these past two years. He's been my sole support. I can't abandon him. I won't leave this island without him. He trusts me. You should let me go back to the Palace"

John eyes got big "What!"

I walk over to him and touch his arm gently. "They don't know my memory is back. I called Laredo so he thinks I'm still his Christina trying to get back to him. I can get in and convince Christian of the truth. John he doesn't trust Laredo and was very suspicious the whole time. I'm his only hope."

"Absolutely not! I won't risk it. I would never let you go back to him."
"Well it's not your decision. You have no say in what happens to me. We aren't even a couple."

He grabs my arms forcefully and shakes me "Don't you dare say that to me! I love you dammit and I have every say in what happens to you. We are more than a couple. We are soul mates! Do you hear me!"

I blink at him surprised by his outburst. I see the tears in his eyes and can hear the love in his voice. "I'm sorry…"

He pulls me to his chest and hugs me tightly. "God Van, I have missed you. I have dreamt about you. I never thought I would find you. I never gave up hope that you were alive but I thought god would punish me forever for leaving you."

Slowly I raise my arms and I hug him back. A great sense of relief mixed with sorrow takes a hold of me. The comfort of being in his arms makes all the pain of knowing what those people did to me lessen.

"John, I needed you…I was so scared and I fought them for so long but it was hard" I say crying now.

He holds me tighter "I know but you're strong Van, always have been and you survived it all. He didn't win. He hasn't changed who you are."

I smile and believe his words. I'm afraid to tell him that even now knowing the truth there is still some programming in me that makes me want Laredo. It makes me sick to think that I could want my captor….Satan himself. Closing my eyes I fight those feelings and focus on the feelings I have for him. We remain in each other arms for eternity, neither of us wanting to let go, but both of us desperate for some intimacy after all these years.

"John, there is something you should know."
He continues to hold me and says nothing.
"I slept with him without protection. I mean he was trying to get me pregnant."
"I know…" he says sadly
Frowning I pull away. "How do you know?"
He looks me in the eye "Do you remember the boutique when you tried on those…"
"Oh god! It was you…I knew there was something familiar about…I can't believe it."
He nodded. "It took everything in me not to grab you right then."

I smile at him. "You must have thought I was crazy in there talking a different language and gushing over a man that we know destroyed us."

"I love you…I knew it wasn't you."
I stop smiling and look at him confused. "Wait...if memory serves me correctly you weren't big on those words. Yet you seem to be tossing them around quite frequently lately."

John steps back. "I had a lot of time to reflect on those words and who I should share them with. Every night that you were gone I said them silently too you. Two years of repeating the same three words have made them effortless to say today."

"Impressive" I say looking him up and down.
He smiles. Then we both jump at hearing something outside. John instinctively covers my mouth to keep me quiet. Listening we hear the floorboards outside the cottage creek. He makes me lower to the floor by the sofa. The windows on either side are open and I can hear the person or persons walking around.

I'm not looking up but John is leading me by the hand to the back of the cottage still crouching. We enter the room in the back and he directs me to the side of the dresser. Pulling his gun he slips back out. I try to stop him before he leaves but he goes out anyway.

Oh god please don't make it be Christian, I think as the door closes leaving me locked away inside.

John goes out into the living room and keeps his body against the wall. He sees he knob turning and raises his gun. The knob shakes and rattles but the lock holds. Everything gets quiet and John moves to the left to get near the window. Peeking out he sees a man in fatigues advancing his way. They must be Laois men. Before he could position himself to shoot the man the door is kicked in and he raises his gun to fire.

"Wait Agent McBain….don't shoot!"
John sees Laois and two of his men with their guns drawn. He knows he could kill Laois instantly but he would be shot next and Evangeline would be left defenseless.

"Get out Laois!" he shouts
"We came to help!"
"Bullshit! Like last night?" John seethed.
"No…that was a miscalculation on my part. We figured we would have to take Wess out but it was not our intent to harm you or the Princess."

John studies his face still not lowering his gun "I don't believe you."
Laois looks at his men and speaks to them in Greek. They glare at John then both reluctantly leave closing the door behind them. Laois raises his gun to the air in surrender and then holsters it slowly.

John relaxes his grip on the gun and then lowers it to his side. He looks at Laois suspiciously. "Why are you here…really?"

"We need her help….and that's the truth."
"Who? Evangeline?" John asks confused.
"Princess Christina…she's our only hope to over throw Laredo"

The door opens and Evangeline comes out cautiously. John looks at her angrily. "Go back inside!" he snaps

She glares at him "No…I won't leave you alone with them!"
He shakes his head and she stares at Laois. Laois sees her and bows. "Princess Christina?"

Evangeline says something to him in Greek and John frowns. "What did you say to him?"
"I told him not to address me as princess but as Evangeline" she said smiling at Laois.

John frowned. "Van, I'm not sure if he's on the up and up. He says he needs your help."
Evangeline looks at Laois curious "How do you need my help?"
Laois sucks in his breath. "Princ..ummm…Evangeline we are trying to make Laredo Montego answer to crimes against his people. He has committed many atrocities on this island. We want to overthrow the monarchy."

"I don't know how I can help you…Laredo never brought me around his business. I don't know anything on what he's done to his people"

John moved over to her putting his gun behind his back. He took her hand in his protectively. He wasn't going to let her risk herself for anyone. Laois saw the way John went to her and knew what he was about to ask would be difficult. He'd hoped that he could get to John first to convince him and then have him convince the princess. But time was running short. Now he saw that Christina knew she was Evangeline and the odds were even slimmer she would cooperate.

"Laredo has a room called "The Panther" it's a secret room on the lower level of the Palace" Laois said looking at Evangeline.

Evangeline nodded. "Yes he and his associates play poker and relax in that room. It's his forbidden room and I wasn't allowed in it"

"But you know how to get into it. Marcela said she caught you on that level once." Laois said

Evangeline looked at him suspiciously "How do you know Marcela?"
Laois smiled "She's my sister"
"What?"
"She's been watching you closely princess….she says you're a good woman. She says you can be trusted. We are counting on that"

"Stop calling her princess!" John snapped.

Evangeline touched his arm. "I got curious and followed Laredo into that forbidden area. I never saw the inside of the room but I listened outside of the door. Marcela caught me and I fled. She was gracious never to speak of it. I don't know why I felt compelled to listen and follow him. And I was ashamed afterwards but I did it anyway"

John rubbed her back "You are strong and smart Van, even if you didn't know it consciously, subconsciously you were fighting back."

"Marcela has been inside to deliver drinks and other things to Laredo and his men. The room holds all their strategic planning to enter the conflict in the Middle East and turn the tables on some of the wealthy Arabs that are fueling fires to that war to obtain controlling interest in the oil. Mind control is his weapon of mass destruction."

"Again how does Evangeline fit into this?" John asked irritated

"Jake knows the code to that room. Evangeline can get him to let us in. It's our only hope."

Evangeline nodded "I will help you"
"NO!"
"John…I have too! I have to get back to Chris"
"I won't allow it Van! We can find another way."

Laois shook his head. 'The only way into that fortress is the front door."

"Bullshit me and Wess got in…Speaking of him what happened to Wess?" John asked looking at Laois suspiciously.

"He was killed by her cousin….Jake." Laois said pointing at Evangeline.
She gasped "My god..."
John shook his head "Van, its too dangerous. I can't protect you…"

Laois stepped up "If we do this right and work together we can get her in and out of there, with her cousin."

Evangeline looked at John who seemed desperate and touched his face "I can handle it. I swear."

"Listen guys. I have to move you from this cottage. Jake and his men will be here soon. I have a place that you can lay low for the day and then we will work out a plan. If you help me…I will make sure you get off this island alive. I'm the only true friend in this fight you have right now."

Evangeline squeezed John's hand "John, please….don't fight me on this. I want to fight back…..I've been treated like a slave for two years….give me my independence back"

John fought the urge to say no. "Lets go and talk some more. We need a plausible plan something we can all agree upon."

Evangeline softened toward him. She realized in that moment how much she missed him. Leaning over she kissed his lips gently. He grabbed her face and kissed her harder. She stiffened at first but the taste of him again made her melt. She could no longer deny her love for him. They embraced and she felt the passion that had gone from her life so long ago. Giving each other strength in this exchange then reluctantly pulled themselves apart and followed Laois out. They would fight together, and both vowed not leave the island unless the other was by their side.