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Now is always the time

(Goodness gracious this makes the second time that someone has tried to kill Evangeline!  Our girl needs some peace and happiness.  Now that she and John have professed their love for each other let's hope they can enjoy it before something else happens.)

Chapter 15

Evangeline is at the hospital visiting with John when they hear news of the arrests.  They are both utterly surprised that both women would shoot John but not at all surprised that they would shoot Evangeline.  It was sad that both women would go to such lengths to eliminate a rival but neither realized that Evangeline was never their rival.  The men that these two women loved just didn't love them and Evangeline had nothing to do with that.

Evangeline's phone rings and it's Todd asking where she is and if she's alone.  Todd doesn't trust either Natalie or Blair not to try again since they are already charged with attempted murder why not go for the full count of murder.  Todd tells Evangeline that she will have a guard with her at all times and he will send one to the hospital before she leaves.  He warns her not to try to dodge the guard otherwise he will have to put her under lock and key.  She teases him, "Oh my, that's sounds kind of kinky Todd.  I love you but I don't love you like that."  Todd chokes on the coffee that he is drinking.  After finally getting air back in his lungs he replies, "I am not kidding Evangeline.  I can't lose you again."  Evangeline realizes that Todd is afraid and not wanting to cause him any additional worry she assures him that she will abide by his request.  

"So I take it that you will have a guard," John says after Evangeline ends her call with Todd.  "For once I agree with Todd.  Both women have it in for you and we can't allow them to have any access to you.  It is too dangerous.  And before you say that you are a big girl and can take care of yourself you've already agreed to have a guard so let's leave it at that.  I have to hurry up and get out of here so that I can guard you myself."

"John you won't be able to take care of yourself so how will you guard me.  Speaking of which how will you take care of yourself when you leave the hospital?  You don't have full range of your arms with that back wound," Evangeline says as she puts her phone in her purse.

"The insurance will have someone to come in and help with things and I will manage.  Now that I know that I was not the intended victim that changes things but I am more worried about your safety at this moment.  Promise me that you will be careful," John asks as he reaches his hand out to her.

Evangeline takes his hand and puts it over her heart and curtly says, "John, I promise that I will be careful.  I will not try to lose the guard.  I will take all precautions to stay out of the line of fire of Natalie and Blair.  Does that make you feel better?"

"Yes it does," John says.  "See that big box over in the corner?  Can you bring it to me please?"

Evangeline stands to retrieve the box and lays in on the bed. "Someone sent you a present.  That's so nice.  Do you want me to open it for you?"

"Yes if you don't mind."  John doesn't tell her that the present is really for her.  He had it in his car when he met her at Cassidy's and had planned to give it to her after dinner if things went the way that he wanted them to go.  In that things didn't work out that way, one of the officers retrieved it from his car after they dropped his car off at his apartment building garage.

Evangeline is like a little girl at Christmas time snatching the wrappings off in a hurry as if the gift is hers and when she opens the box she stops and just stares at the item laying there in the box.  She looks at the item, then looks at John, then looks back at the item and puts her hand over her mouth, once again speechless.  To have made Evangeline speechless twice in the course of a few days is something not seldom done but John McBain has done just that.  

John asks her to remove the item from the box, she holds it up in front of him and with pleading in his eyes he asks, "Evangeline Williamson, will you wear my jacket?  Will you be my girl?"  It is a custom-made letterman/varsity jacket* in classic navy blue with white piping with the name ‘McBain' embroidered on the back.  John figures that she can wear it with so many different things if it is in a simple color.

Evangeline slowly pulls off her suit jacket and replaces it with the varsity jacket then walks over to the mirror in the bathroom and admires herself.  John can see her from his bed.  She turns with her back to the mirror and looks over her shoulder to see the wording on the back of the jacket.  Turning back around to face the mirror she smiles.  All this time she does not say a word.  Walking back out to John's bedside she looks at him and sees that he is patiently awaiting a response from her. Not to keep him waiting a minute more she softly answers his questioning eyes, "does this mean we're going steady?"  Without hesitation John eagerly replies looking into her loving eyes, "yes it does".  They seal their declarations with a kiss.

A knock is heard on the door and the police officer guarding John enters to tell John that the station has been informed that a bodyguard has been assigned for Ms. Williamson.  John thanks the officer for informing him and then the officer leaves the room.

"Well I take that as my cue to leave.  I do have some work to do before I call it a night.  Thank you for the gift and I will proudly wear it for all to see."  Evangeline says that as she stands to leave.  She keeps on the varsity jacket instead of removing it and replacing it with her suit jacket.  "I won't see you tomorrow because I'm in court all day.  This should tide you over until I see you again," she says as she kisses him giving him a taste of what's to come and all that he has missed since they parted.  John doesn't want it to end but he must and so he does.  She leaves and he settles in for a quiet evening.

When Evangeline enters the hospital lobby camera lights flash up in front of her.  Reporters stick microphones in her face asking for comments on the McBain shooting and her being targeted.  Evangeline's bodyguard rushes in front of her to make a path to the exit.  As she leaves the building she hears someone say something about her jacket.  Now Evangeline knows what will appear tomorrow on the front page of the newspapers.

She makes it home and locks up while the guard makes himself comfortable in his car parked in her driveway.

A/N: *reference to the episode aired on 10/6/04 in which John attaches string around Evangeline's wrist, indicating an advancement in their relationship after her return from a trip to San Francisco.  Enter on YouTube ‘hzhxG36fKgy'