A/N – Thanks for the comments! I see you are all skeptical of John. JamieTurner – There are lots of twists in this one.

Chapter 9 – Pieces of a Puzzle

About three hours later, Evangeline woke up startled. "Jason," she yelled.

He touched her back. "I'm right here."

She dove into him and he hugged her tightly. "I hate feeling like this."

"You're going to be okay."

"Feel better now."

He rubbed her back. "Go to sleep baby. I'm right here."

Evangeline closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. After a few minutes, Jason let himself fall back asleep too.

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Carly rushed into the penthouse. "Hey. How are you?"

Evangeline looked up from the book she is reading. "I'm fine." Jason had doted on her all morning, making sure that she was fed and happy. "How are you?"

"I'm good. I was just worried about you."

"It was scary, but luckily John stepped in before the man could rape me."

"I can't believe that he was stalking you, but at the same time I'm glad." Jason would have been a mess to deal with if that had happened.

Eva isn't sure how she feels about John at the moment. The fact that he had followed her around truly gave her pause. It was so not like him that she wondered what was going on in his head. "I'll have a talk with him and try to get a read on him, just not today."

"How is Jason behaving?"

"He has barely left my side. He got a phone call a few minutes before you showed up."

"Maybe he's gotten a lead on who kidnapped us."

Eva nodded, hoping it was true. "What happened to our shopping bags?"

Carly grinned. "I would have never have guessed that you'd care."

"Well, since I already spent hours shopping with you, I'd hate to have to start over again," Eva said. Jason had already updated her about Max. Luckily, he is going to be okay. Jason had insisted that he wore a vest.

"I went to see Max. He's sore, but fine."

"We got lucky," Eva said softly.

Jason entered the room, surprised to see Carly. "Hey."

She smiled. "I came to check up on the patient, but I see you are taking good care of her."

"Definitely."

She got up and gave him a hug which Jason returned warmly.

"I won't stay long."

"You can stay as long as you want," Eva said.

Carly chuckled because of the look on Jason's face. "I think Jason wants you all to himself."

"I have a feeling that I'm going to be on house arrest for a while."

"I just need you to be safe," he said.

"Actually, I'm glad that you're here. I need help with the wedding plans."

Carly's eyes lit up. "You phoned the right friend."

She went over to Jason's desk and grabbed some paper and a pen. "Let's get this ball rolling."

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Jason watched Eva sleep. Her hand is clutching his t-shirt and from time to time she'd murmur something incoherent. They have been through so much in such short period of time. Fate had brought them together and he is still shocked that he has felt so much for her so fast. They still didn't have any answers to who had taken them. No one had claimed responsibility and they didn't have much to go on. John McBain is a wildcard. Jason isn't threatened by him in any way because Eva had made it clear that she is not into him anymore. The fact that he had been following her is a big red flag in his mind. When things bugged him like this, he knew to dig further and trust his instincts. While John had no history of stalking, Evangeline is a remarkable woman and Jason gets why John would have a hard time reconciling the fact that he had royally screwed up and gave up a good woman. The question is what did he think he is going to gain in all of this? What is his goal?

Evangeline's eyes fluttered open and she studied Jason who is deep in thought. He is such a beautiful man. She shuddered when she suddenly flashed back to getting attacked and he kissed the top of her head. "What are you thinking about so seriously?"

"John McBain," he said not wanting to lie.

She isn't sure what to say. John showing up had totally thrown her for a loop. "I need to talk to him. Are you going to have a problem with it?"

Jason's jaw clenched. His primal instinct is to protect her and letting someone he didn't want around her makes his skin crawl.

"Jason?"

He gazed down at her. "Honestly, I don't trust him and I don't want him anywhere near you, but I don't want to take your choices away." Right now, Eva needed to feel like she had some control over her life and he gets that.

She broke their staring match and snuggled into him more. "He did save me. I need to understand his motivation." Feeling Jason's body tense she moved her arm so she could lay it across his waist. "You are the only man I want, Jason. You know that right?"

Closing his eyes, he licked his lips and sighed. "Yes."

"I don't want this to change us, but I think it already has."

"How?"

"You've pulled back a little and I'm a little scared of intimacy. All I know is that I need you near me so badly to make me feel safe and I hate being needy. I just—please hold me tighter." She craved for his warmth and calmness as if just the act of holding her could give her inner strength.

He turned so they could more fully connected and his body surrounded her like a cocoon. He needed something too; to know that she felt safe and loved—wanting reassurance that she is okay. God, he needs her to be okay. The guilt he feels is taking a toll on his resolve. He had failed to protect the most precious thing in his life. His eyes clamped shut. For so long he had shut himself off and it took the woman he was holding to rescue him from the demons in his head. Some of them were still there, but he isn't going to let anything stop him from loving her. She will be his wife no matter what else happens because there is no way in hell he is going to let her go.

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Johnny slipped into the chair across from John at Kelly's. "Why were you following Evangeline?"

John rolled his eyes and took a deep a deep breath. "That's none of your business."

"I've made it my business because something stinks. You need to give up any notion of being with her and go back to Llanview."

John smirked. "It's a free world and you have no right to tell me what to do."

Johnny leaned in closer, looking very menacing. "Oh, but I do and if you keep sniffing around my boss's fiancé, I really don't think you'll the outcome."

John leaned closer. "Is that a threat?"

"No. It's a promise." Johnny got up and stared him down for a moment and then left. It is bugging him that he can't turn up any evidence against the man. He is itching to torture the truth out of the smug cop, but since he is law enforcement, they are going to have to use a different way to motivate him. He stopped in his tracks and ducked into the alley next to Kelly's. A woman is standing at the window looking at John and he realizes who she is from his background check. "Shit," he muttered. This isn't good. The woman is a sworn enemy of Evangeline and from what he read, she seemed to be mentally unstable. So the stalker is being stalked. Very interesting…

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Frank Smith laid down a file and looked at his second lieutenant. "Do you think we could attack and blame it on him?"

"Yes."

"You would have to make sure that it couldn't be traced back to us." He has no problem not being straightforward which Corinthos and Co. would not expect. Usually, he made grand overtures and took credit for his machinations. This time it is different because love is involved. Love makes people lose focus and do stupid things. It makes you reactive and that is what Frank is counting on. He wants to take Jason out of the equation. If Jason attacks a cop, he will go to jail and then there is no one stopping him from grabbing Evangeline and putting the bitch down painfully. While he had nothing to do with Eva and Carly's kidnapping—it was sloppy, something he is not known for—it would be a great catalyst for Jason not trusting John.

Carlos looked down at his phone. "There's a woman following John. She could be a problem."

"Find out who she is and if she is an asset or liability."

"And if she's a liability?"

Frank moved forward and rested his forearms on his desk. "Kill her."

Carlos smirked. "You got it."

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Natalie followed John to the seedy motel he was staying in. It didn't surprise her, he was always cheap, but he is hers and she wants it to stay that way. She could convince him to take her back, she is sure of it. Unfortunately, he is stuck on freaking Evangeline again and she can't have that. There is no way in hell that woman is going to take her man back. She had seen the engagement announcement. Jason Morgan is gorgeous. There has to be something going on there because she couldn't even see why he'd want Evangeline. Clearly her enemy is using Jason to make John jealous. There is no other explanation. She is just not all that. Starting to turn, she gasped when someone shoved her up against the wall and held her to it. "Get off of me you asshole," she said as she struggled.

"Shut the fuck up and listen. You are not welcome in this town. If you come anywhere near Evangeline, no one will ever see or hear from you again."

"I'm not here for her. I'm here for John."

"I don't give a shit what you do with that stalker. But let me be crystal clear, you fuck with Evangeline and Jason then I fuck with you."

Natalie swallowed hard. "I get it." The man is gorgeous, but she has no doubt that he'll follow through on his promise.

Johnny O. lethally glared at her before walking away. He didn't have time for this high school bullshit.

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Evangeline stole a look at Jason who is working at his desk and then back down at her phone. Taking a deep breath she dialed a number and waited.

"McBain."

"I need to see you."

John's breath hitched in his throat. "When and where?"

"Can you come here?"

"I don't think Jason will be okay with that."

"He's fine. Can you be here in an hour?" She needs time to prepare and Jason will have to inform the guards.

"Of course. I'll see you then."

She ended the call and then Jason looked over at her. "I'm fine."

"Okay."

She is far from fine, but she figured if she kept saying it, maybe it will stick.

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John went outside to his car and on the way, he thought he saw a movement from the side of the building. Pulling out his gun, he quickly made his way over there and leaned against the wall with both hands on his firearm, aiming towards the ground. He sucked in a deep breath and yelled, "Freeze," as he lifted his arms.

Natalie held her hands up.

"What the fuck?" John asked before lowering it.

"John, um, I needed to talk to you, but I wasn't sure if you would be up for that."

He put his gun away. "So you thought sneaking around following me was more appropriate?"

She hated the tone in his voice and couldn't understand why John wouldn't give in to their connection. "No—I was trying to get up the courage to knock."

He ran his hand over his hair. "Go back to Llanview, Natalie. There is nothing for you here."

"And why are you here? Evangeline has moved on and looks very happy."

John bristled and took a step forward. "Evangeline is none of your business and if you would have just respected my wishes, we'd still be together."

Natalie rolled her eyes. "She actually understands that you want me more than her and that is why she broke up with you. What I don't get is why you are running from it. I know you have feelings for me."

"The feeling I had towards you back then was guilt."

"Then why didn't you fight for her instead of coming to me?"

"Because I was an idiot. Because you were easy and didn't require me to man up and be a better person."

"What?"

"There were times I purposely treated you like dirt and you didn't even care. I pushed you away constantly and if you didn't notice, I was miserable. Do you even realize that I had no problem with PDA with Evangeline, but you I didn't even want to touch? You kissed my ass and opened your legs willingly and the only reason I went there is because I was trying to forget a person that I didn't feel I deserved—a woman that I had lost forever because of my demons."

Natalie smacked him across the face.

John rubbed his jaw. "Don't ever touch me again," he said before walking away.

She burst out in tears and leaned against the building. This is unacceptable. What she needs is a plan to make this right.

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Carlos approached a distraught Natalie. "Hi. Are you okay miss?"

Natalie wiped her face. "I'm fine."

He smiled and moved closer. "You look like you could use a drink."

She sighed. "That does sound good."

"I'm Miguel," he said, lying about his name.

"Natalie."

He held out his hand and she shook it. "Come on, there's a place right around the corner." They started to walk.

"Do you know Jason Morgan?"

"Yeah, I hate him."

She stopped. "Why?"

"He killed my brother."

Natalie's mind is running a mile a minute. "From what I've read, he's pretty ruthless. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thanks," Carlos said reeling her in.

"Are you going to try and get revenge?"

He momentarily looked away, perusing the area around them. "Are you a cop?"

"What? No! I just kind of want revenge against his girlfriend."

Now they are getting somewhere.

"Well, maybe the both of us could work together and we could get revenge at the same time."

Natalie saw a sucker and she smiled sweetly. "That sounds divine." Looping her arm around his, they chatted as they strolled towards the docks.