Un-betaed

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

The JOVAN Saga – A Collection of One-Shots

Chapter 9    Why Can’t She See?

We arrive too late!  

“Stop the execution!  Manning is innocent!  He didn’t kill anybody!”

Panic breaks out and they rush to revive Todd.  I hold on to Margaret to make certain that she doesn’t escape.  Medical staff tends to Todd while Evangeline asks to speak with me out in the hall.  Christian leads her to me and I take her hand and walk with her to the hallway.  She wants to talk privately about this new evidence.  Margaret Cochran is alive.  Todd Manning is innocent of murder.

“You were right once again Counselor.  Your client didn’t do it.”

“I knew Todd was innocent but I never imagined this scenario.”

She asks if Margaret said anything about who helped pull off this charade but I had not answer for her because Margaret Cochran doesn’t seem to know what is happening. Evangeline’s concerned about Truman administering care to Todd at this critical time.  Evangeline and Todd believe that Truman masterminded this entire situation but as yet we have no proof unless Margaret can add something to the conversation.  I too want to know Truman’s part in all of this.  Finding Margaret proves that Todd didn’t kill her but we still don’t know who caused all of this turmoil.  

Our conversation finishes and Evangeline calls for Christian to walk her back in to the observation room.  I’m standing right here next to her why can’t I walk her back in?  As Christian leads her away I look after her longingly.  I went clear across the world to follow up a lead about my father’s murder and find Margaret Cochran.  This clenches Evangeline’s case that Todd is innocent.  I helped her, why can’t she see that?  I know that she is blind but why can’t she see that I did this for her?  

As Evangeline leaves with Christian, Natalie hobbles out to the hall to talk with me. How did I get myself into this mess?  Evangeline lost her eyesight because of me.  She found evidence about my father’s murder and instead of just waiting for another time to tell me she stayed around at the church after Michael’s wedding and the tornado hit and she was injured.  How many times does she get hurt because of me?  She gets attacked at a train station because she’s involved with me; the Killing Club Killer kidnaps her and sets a fire at her feet because she was involved with me.  The killers saw that  I couldn’t make up my mind between her and Natalie so the killers kidnapped both of them to force me to choose.  Unlike Indiana Jones in the Raiders of the Lost Ark the Last Crusade when the ancient knight who protects the Holy Grail tells Indy to ‘choose wisely’ I made the wrong choice and I regret it to this day.  Unfortunately I cannot change that choice for it is forever etched in my mind and in her heart. She translated that choice as my choosing Natalie as the one that I love and she was wrong.  I was wrong.  Even though Natalie is now like my shadow I don’t love her like I love Evangeline but it is too late to do anything about that.  

Other than the time that I stopped by to see Evangeline just before Hayes Barber’s arraignment she’s not said again that she loves me.  And now with her blindness I guess even blind she can see that I am not the one for her.  But why would she change her mind about me?  What have I done to make a difference?  For months she told me that Todd was innocent but we closed the case when he was convicted and look at that an innocent man was convicted. But I should have known better. She always said that he was innocent but me, Mr. Law Enforcement saw all the evidence pointing to him as the killer and not once did I ever question that he was innocent but I should have because she thought that he was.  Look at all that I did to prove Natalie’s innocence and I didn’t do anything to help Evangeline with Todd’s case.  The only reason that I found Margaret was because I was looking for David Vickers, the person who shot my father otherwise I would not have done anything to help her case.

Even still I wish that she knew that I care for her.  ‘Care for her’ what does that mean?  She’s better off without me and she’s not made any moves in my direction but why should she?  I have more to gain in a relationship with her than she has to gain in a relationship with me and plus Natalie is always around.  Just another sore spot to prevent any reconciliation between Evangeline and me.  Well I only have myself to blame.

Now Christian is always around her.  What is that about? Are they involved?  Although it is none of my business I don’t want her with anyone else.  How selfish can I be? I don’t care how selfish it sounds I want her with me and if not with me then not with anybody.  John you are ridiculous now.  How come you can be with Natalie but Evangeline can’t be with anyone but you?  That’s just the way that I feel but I know that she will find someone else. She has so much to offer a man and just because I could not appreciate her does not mean that someone else won’t.  It will hurt to see her out and about with someone else but I can’t prevent that.  She’s made it clear that we are over so I have to make the best of what I have.

But why can’t she see that I want her?  Why can’t she see that I was wrong to let her go?  I told her that I didn’t want our relationship to be over and that I didn’t want to lose her but my actions did not match my words.  As soon as I rescued Natalie I made no further advances toward Evangeline.  That sealed my fate.  I remember when she walked in to the police station and saw me kissing Natalie and I rushed after her and she told me that I don’t have to worry about her ever again and she shut me out ever since then.  I can’t blame her but I miss her.

Why can’t she see that I need her?