A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! Here's a new chapter- I hope you enjoy it!
Elizabeth didn't know John's new address therefore asking Evan seemed to be the best option. She had called him first thing after she had left the comfort of her bed, dragging Julie along, but he hadn't answered the telephone.
It was a few minutes after two pm when she pulled the key out of the ignition of her car and stared across the parking lot of the air field. It was drizzling slightly and the area behind the high fence looked grey and deserted. With a sigh she got out of the car and started towards the first of the big hangars. The great doors were wide open. If she was lucky she would find John in there, if not, Evan probably would gladly tell her how to find him.
There was the sound of something clattering when she drew nearer to the entrance. She spotted Evan picking up lengthy objects at the other end of the hall. As if sensing her presence he turned around, pointing several brushes in her direction.
"I haven't seen him" he said before he walked over to a metal cabinet to put the brushes away. Elizabeth smiled and stepped further into the hangar.
"What makes you think I'm here because of John?" she asked.
"Oh, it was just a wild guess. I don't think you're here to invite me to lunch" he said and grabbed himself a cloth to wipe his hands.
"Well, no, but we certainly can arrange that" she said and he laughed.
"Don't make promises you don't intend to keep" he said and started picking up cans with paint. It was then that Elizabeth realized that she was standing in the hangar where she and John had painted the plane - among other things. The writing on the plane was now finished. "I really haven't seen him. He didn't appear at Richard's barbecue last night. You disappeared pretty quickly as well" he said and raised an eyebrow at her.
"Sorry about that. It's a long story"
"Well, anyway, I think I heard John leave a message on the answering machine this morning. I didn't have time to actually listen to it. I suppose you still know where the office is?" he said and disappeared behind the plane. Elizabeth shook her head slightly, still smiling. She then turned around and left the hangar in the direction of the small junk room called office.
She could hear Evan swearing in the distance before she let herself fall into the chair behind the desk. Her eyes darted over the mess of papers in front of her and landed on the blinking button of the answering machine. She pressed it and leaned back in the chair, taking the first sheet of paper she could reach with her. It was a list of names.
"Evan, it's Laura. Your sister in case you've forgotten you have one. Call me or I'll swear to God I'll get on the next plane and teach you a lesson of how to use a telephone" a mildly angry voice said. There was a beep. Elizabeth put the list with the names for the summer course aside. "Uh, Mr. Sheppard?" It was Mia's voice. "I couldn't reach you at home or on your cell phone. Your father instructed me to call you. He wants to see you as soon as possible. Sorry for disturbing you. I hope you are well. Bye" There was another beep. "Evan, it's John. I don't have much time. I've been ordered to Namibia. I'm already on the way. Don't know when I'll be back. In case you see Elizabeth, tell her I'm sorry - again. Keep an eye on her for me, will you? I'll see you soon. Bye" There were two beeps and then there was silence.
Elizabeth sat up straight in the chair, her eyes pinned to the telephone. She hadn't expected that. John was gone. Ordered to Namibia in the middle of the night so it seemed. Namibia of all countries.
"Hey, you ok?" Evan asked and she spotted him in the doorway, a big smeary black stain on the front of his shirt. She pressed the button of the answering machine again to let it replay its messages. Evan grimaced when he heard the voice of his sister. When John's message was replayed his face became unreadable, an expression he and John were very good at showing. "Namibia is not good" he said with a sigh.
"I know" Elizabeth said, remembering her captivation.
"He'll be ok" Evan said and sat down on the corner of the desk. Elizabeth nodded slowly, still looking at the telephone. She knew he would be ok, but she was still worried. Despite what had happened between them, she needed him back home safe and sound. "What did John do?" he then asked and her gaze snapped to him.
"What?" she asked, shaking off her thoughts. Evan raised an eyebrow at her.
"He said he is sorry. What did he do now?"
"Nothing" Elizabeth sighed.
"He really must have a bad conscience when he already starts apologizing for nothing" Evan said and studied her with scrutiny. Elizabeth knew that look.
"You two do have an awful lot in common. Did anyone ever tell you that?" she said and cocked an eyebrow at him. Evan didn't answer. "He really didn't do anything" she then continued. "You're wrong about one thing. He was at his father's barbecue party last night. I left with him" she explained and her gaze wandered over Evan's shoulder to the door, hers and John's encounter playing before her eyes.
"You celebrated reconciliation?" Evan asked almost sheepishly. Elizabeth gave him a mild glare and then smiled bitterly.
"That part I haven't figured out yet. That's why I wanted to talk to him. Every time I need to talk to him he leaves the country" she said and Evan chuckled slightly.
"It's his job. But I was right. I knew you're not here to invite me to lunch" he grinned.
"As I said before, we certainly can arrange that, but I'm not taking you anywhere with that messy t-shirt" she said and pointed to the piece of clothing that had probably once been white. Evan laughed and slid from the corner of the desk.
"I'll change and you'll talk to John once he's back" Evan said with an encouraging nod and disappeared through the door. Elizabeth slumped back against the backrest of the chair.
"Yeah, once he's back" she mumbled, but couldn't shake the feeling that it might take longer than expected.