John sat in his office going over the file Vince had waiting on his desk at his arrival.

"Baker. Johnson. Check in," John said into his radio. It had been almost a half hour since he’d left Evangeline and he needed to know that everything was okay.

Static answered him.

"Baker. Johnson. Check in," John repeated. When no answer came, John stepped out of his office.

"Vince, have Baker and Johnson checked in?"

"No boss. They’re watching Ms. Williamson."

"I know. I can’t raise them on the radio."

"They checked in as soon as you left Ms. Williamson. The radio was fine."

"I got a bad feeling about this. I’m heading over there. Keep trying to raise them and have a couple black and whites meet me there," John said grabbing his jacket on his way out the door.

---------------

Evangeline had just sat down in her bedroom to plow through a file, for which she was going to court the following week, when she heard the front door open. John had only been gone half an hour. What was he doing back so soon? After his confession, she really didn’t care about the reason, she was just glad he was home. Evangeline walked into the living room smiling.

"John, I didn’t think you’d be back so…"

"Hey, pretty lady," said the tall stranger standing in Evangeline’s living room holding a gun.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Evangeline asked evaluating her possibilities for escape.

"I want you, of course. I’ve wanted you for a while, ever since my sister died."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about." The young man was in his early twenties and looked scared, if she went by the shaking of his right hand that held his gun. Scared people did crazy things and Evangeline reminded herself of that.

"Melissa Jones," the young man said.

"Oh, you’re Melissa’s brother."

"She had just found out about me when she was killed and now I’ll never know her. I can’t even enjoy the fact that her killer is in jail. That’s your fault." The shaking of his hand got worse and he took the gun in his left.

"What are you saying?"

"You got Jason Stuart off. He killed my sister."

"The evidence didn’t prove that."

"I don’t care about that. Someone has to pay for what happened to my sister. If Jason won’t, you will."

"What’s your name?" Evangeline asked, even though John had told her earlier. She had to call him something and she didn’t want to tip her hand that John was on his trail.

"Why do you care?"

"I just like knowing first names. If you’re going to kill me anyway, it shouldn’t be a problem," Evangeline said. She knew that she had to keep him talking. He was just a kid and a handsome one at that. While he was scared and a little shaky, Evangeline didn’t feel that he really wanted to hurt her.

"Ray."

"Ray, that’s a nice name. You don’t really want to kill me. What would your dad do?"

"Don’t bring him into this. He has nothing to do with it." Ray’s voice rose to a high pitch. Obviously, his father was a sore subject. Tiptoe around that one, she told herself.

"Don’t you think he’s going to find out? There are police outside."

"I know. I took care of them. Besides, my dad doesn’t care about me." The sudden sadness in Ray’s voice and eyes caught Evangeline off guard.

"You didn’t kill the officers, did you?" she inquired concerned. He didn’t appear to be a bad kid, even with the current circumstances, but if he’d killed those cops, there would be no helping him.

"No, I just stunned them. They’ll be fine."

"See, you’re not a killer. You don’t want to do this."

"Don’t tell me what I want. I want my sister back. I want to know what it’s like to have one," Ray shouted. His boy like features hardened and for a moment Evangeline saw the man he would become if he wasn’t stopped; a hard man always wanting what he couldn’t have.

"What happened that you didn’t get to know her?" Evangeline asked in a low voice to defuse some of the tension in the room.

"My dad and my mom weren’t married. I didn’t even know who he was when I was younger. My mom died and I was all alone. Then I found out his name and that I had a sister. She was wonderful to me, but I got arrested and went to jail for a few months. I got out and I was going to move in with her for awhile so we could be a family, but then she got killed. My life is already over."

---------------

"Baker, Johnson, are you guys alright?" John asked as soon as he saw the officers on the ground. He rushed from his car in a run. They looked like they were just coming to.

"Lieutenant, I think I’m okay. Somebody got me from behind," answered Johnson.

"Do you know who it was? Or where they went? Were they after Evangeline?" The urgency of the questions demanded immediate answers. The officers looked at each other momentarily before either spoke.

"I don’t know, sir. Whoever it is got us both from behind," added Baker. Stokes hopped out of the police car that had just rolled to a stop.

"What happened?" asked Stokes running to the officers.

"Looks like someone stunned Baker and Johnson. I think that someone could be after Evangeline. I’m going up to her apartment. Stokes, you get somebody here to check Baker and Johnson out. Then you come up there, but if I haven’t checked in with you, don’t come busting in there unless you hear gunshots." John was already heading to the door as he spoke.

"I got it, lieutenant."

John unholstered his weapon and headed to the elevator, his mind set on getting to 35H.

---------------

"Ray, you life is not over. You’re young. You can do anything with it. Don’t do this," Evangeline pleaded.

"What can I do? I’m an ex-con. I’m going back to jail." Ray was pacing back and forth still holding the gun, but no longer had it pointed at her.

"You don’t have to, at least not for long. If you stop this, I’ll help you."

"Why would you help me, after I’ve pulled a gun on you?" Skepticism covered Ray’s features darkness covered the earth at dusk.

"Because that’s who she is," John said from behind the boy. While Evangeline didn’t really feel threatened by Ray, she was relieved to see John. She hadn’t noticed him until he spoke.

"You’re that cop. Don’t move. I’ll kill her." Ray’s hand was shaking again as he pointed the gun in her direction. Evangeline was afraid he might shoot John.

"No, you won’t," John insisted. "If you wanted to kill her, you could have already done it."

As John was talking, he was slowly moving between Evangeline and Ray. Ray didn’t react to what John was doing. When John was directly between the two, he said, "Ray, give me the gun."

"You’re just going to take me to jail if I give you the gun." Ray was holding the gun with both hands and shaking like a leaf in the middle of a wind storm. How long would it be before he flew apart?

"Ray, I’ll have to arrest you for what you did to Alexander King, but I’ll help you as much as I can."

"What are you talking about? I didn’t do anything to Alex. He’s my best friend. He’s out of town right now." The look on Ray’s face was one of confusion.

"Who told you that?" asked John.

"My father. Alex left me a message with him."

"Your father knows Alex?" John said it more as a statement than a question.

"Sure, I was staying with my dad when I first got out of jail. Alex crashed there a few times." The gun wasn’t held as tightly as Ray was distracted by John’s questions.

"Ray, give me the gun. We might be able to help you so that you don’t do any jail time."

"What about the cops downstairs? Are they okay? I didn’t really want to hurt them."

"I think, they’ll be fine, Ray," John answered. "Now, help us help you."

"You’d really help me?" Disbelief and hope were evident in Ray Jr’s voice, warring with each other.

"Yes, Ray," Evangeline interjected stepping out from behind John. Ray looked at Evangeline for a long time before he broke down into genuine sobs.

"You’re a lot like my sister," he choked out between sobbing breaths as he crumbled to his knees.

John took the gun and Evangeline enveloped Ray in an embrace. She couldn’t help the despair she felt that a young man’s life had almost been destroyed because he wanted to be loved. John ran a hand over her head where she sat in the floor with Ray, probably assuring himself she was alright. She smiled up at him confirming that she was.

The sobs finally ceased and Evangeline got Ray seated on the sofa. Brooking no opportunity for argument, Evangeline said, "Ray, you sit right here, okay? I’m going to get you a soda."

---------------

Evangeline went into the kitchen. After inviting Stokes into the apartment to keep an eye on Ray, John followed her. He didn’t believe Ray, Jr. would run, but he didn’t want to take any chances. John needed to ask Ray some questions about his father and he had a feeling he would need Evangeline’s help to get the answers.

"Evangeline?"

"Yeah?" she asked getting a glass from the cabinet.

"I need to question Ray."

"John, can it wait? He’s emotional and he’s still grieving his sister…"

"I know all of that, but it looks like his father might be responsible for King’s death. Ray might have the information I need to get him."

"John, just promise me you’ll go easy on him."

"I can’t, but I promise to go as easy as possible."

"Great, that gives me a lot of assurance," she dead-panned, rolling her eyes. John had to chuckle at the look on her face; she knew him too well. Then the previous scene replayed in his head – walking into the apartment; seeing her held at gunpoint; the immediate fear that she would be killed. As Evangeline passed him, he pulled her to him and held on tight. He felt himself shudder.

"John, I’m fine," Evangeline said. She must have read his mind.

"I know, but I just need to hold you for a moment."

"Hold away," she said and he felt her smile into his neck. He tilted his head and kissed her. As the kiss continued, John silently made a promise to Evangeline – to love, protect and honor her.

When they pulled apart, Evangeline said, "Let’s get this over with."

---------------

John and Evangeline walked back into the living room where Stokes and Ray were exactly where they’d left them. Ray looked completely lost and Evangeline lost her heart to him. She saw a little kid who needed someone. Evangeline could remember times when Layla had looked the same way. Well, her plan was to be that someone for Ray, just as she had been for Layla.

"Ray, Lieutenant McBain has some questions to ask you. Do you think you can answer them?" Evangeline asked, handing Ray his soda. He looked between the two and finally nodded his response.

John took a seat facing the young man, while Evangeline sat beside him and placed her arm around his shoulders. Ray looked at her with a look of relief, as if he realized for the first time he wasn’t alone. Evangeline’s heart went out to him again.

"Ray, when did your father tell you that Alex was out of town?" John asked.

"A few days ago. I was surprised because unless it’s about Michelle or Ms. Williamson, my dad doesn’t talk to me."

"What do you mean?"

"He doesn’t…like me. In fact, he hates me. The only thing he ever talked to me or Alex about is how wonderful Michelle was and how it’s all Ms. Williamson’s fault that she’s dead."

"Did you know Evangeline had been shot by Alex?"

"Yeah, I knew," he said looking down. He then looked at Evangeline, tears filling his eyes, and said, "I’m sorry. Alex didn’t want to do it, but my dad kept pushing. He was so pissed when he found out that Alex didn’t kill you. He’s going to be so mad at me, too."

"Ray, Alex was found dead a couple of days ago."

"That can’t be right. I told you he’s out of town."

"He’s not out of town, Ray, he’s dead and when we found him he had a picture of your sister and what we believed was your father’s lighter."

"The silver one with his initials?"

"Yeah, that one. Do you know anything about it?"

"Only that my dad would never let me touch it – Michelle gave it to him as a birthday present and he would play with it while he talked about her."

"Ray, I’m afraid your father may have killed Alex," John said in a soft voice. John waited expecting the boy to jump in denial, but instead tears rolled down the boy’s cheeks.

"Alex was my only friend. I just moved out a couple of weeks ago," Ray whispered. Evangeline glanced at John as her eyes filled with tears as well. She pulled Ray to her and rocked him. While John believed the boy had been manipulated by his father, no way was he leaving Ray, Jr. alone with Evangeline while he picked Ray, Sr. up for questioning.

"Stokes, I want you to take Ray, Jr. in to make a statement and take this gun in as well. I’ll call Bo and let him know you’re bringing him in. I don’t know how long I’ll be," John said to the officer standing right inside the apartment door.

"Sure, Lieutenant."

"John, I’m going with him. He needs somebody there."

"Evangeline…"

"I’m going. I’ll be fine. After, I’ll bring Ray, Jr. back here with me and we’ll wait for you to get here."

John pulled Evangeline to the side and whispered, "Evangeline, I don’t want you alone with him."

"John, he’s a kid. If he wanted me dead, I would be. We’ll be fine."

"Stokes," John called, still holding Evangeline’s arm, "after Ray gives his statement, Evangeline has decided to bring him back here. I want you to come with them. Don’t leave until I come back."

"Yes, sir," Stokes answered. John’s officers knew how he felt about Evangeline and John knew Stokes would make sure she was protected.

"John, you don’t have to do that," Evangeline said.

"I know I don’t have," he replied with eyebrows raised, "but I’m going to anyway. I need you safe."

"Okay." Evangeline nodded. John knew that she might not like it, but he didn’t care. He was going to keep her as safe as he possibly could.