Reclaiming Love written by tarskeewee08 and oltlfantimes10

Chapter 3

A Gut FEELING

Story told by oltlfantimes10

 Llanview~

John walked into the station with a sullen look on his face. Something was nagging him, his stomach was tight and cramping and he couldn’t figure out why. Since the Killing Club case had been solved the station was pretty quiet. The common thefts, breaking and entering, and bar room brawls. Nothing major was happening in Llanview so why did this feeling of dread come over his body. He sat at his desk closed his eyes and rolled his shoulders as he tired to shake the feeling. Knocking on the door made his eyes pop open, "Come in!" he called from his desk.

"Hey bro!" Michael walked in with a bright smile.

John rolled his eyes and started shuffling papers on his desk trying to make it look as if he was busy, "It’s not a good time Michael." He said concentrating on the case files all over his desk.

"I can see that Johnny, but take some time out for your brother would you?" he said placing a hand over John’s. "You look like crap, what’s going on?"

John looked up at Michael and leaned back in his chair, "I’m fine Michael." He said staring at him.

"Oh, Please, John I can tell when you’re not fine, and right now you’re not fine." He said glaring at his brother. Something was definitely wrong, anyone looking at the man could tell that, "You don’t need a medical degree to see that you aren’t getting any sleep. When was the last time you got some rest?"

John took a long blink and a deep sigh before getting up from his desk to get some coffee. Michael was right between this nagging feeling in his stomach and Natalie’s loud snoring at night, he wasn’t getting much sleep. His thoughts drifted to Evangeline and the way he always slept peacefully with her next to him. Her soft snoring lulled him to sleep nothing like the lumber Natalie cut each night. John turned and leaned against the file cabinet rubbing his eyes with one hand as he held his coffee in the other, "Michael, I’m fine, just a little tired that’s all."

"That’s all, John I don’t think so." Michael got up and walked over to him, "I think something is seriously bothering you, you need to figure it out so Natalie will stop bothering me with questions about you."

John looked up at Michael shocked, "What did she say Mikey?" he questioned.

"She is just worried about you that’s all."

"Well she shouldn’t be. I’m fine. If you see her tell her that okay!" he hissed going back to his desk.

"Fine Johnny, but don’t screw this up with Natalie like you did Evangeline." Michael said before leaving the office.

John watched Michael leave his office and slam the door behind him. John sighed and grabbed his stomach. Something definitely wasn’t right and the pain was intensifying. He picked up the mini eagles football that sat on his death and gave it a tight squeeze. Staring out the window he wondered how Evangeline’s mini vacation was going. He hoped she was having a good time.


Log Cabin~

He walked over to her with a bright smile as he sat down on the bed and took more of the thick salve out and started to spread it over her head.

"I asked you a question, who are you." She said grabbing his hand wincing at the pain from moving to quickly.

He looked down at her hand wrapped around his wrist, "My name is Elu, now please let me do this." He said staring at her with intensity in his eyes.

She released his hand and slowly brought it back to her side, holding the blanket that covered her. She watched him apply the salve to her forehead; the cool temperature of the mixture rattled her slightly. "What, what is this?" she questioned.

"It’s mixture of sage and bear fat, now let me finish. It will help the concussion I suspect you have."

"A concussion, what, what happened?" she said falling back on the bed as he finished.

"You don’t remember?"

She shook her head slowly no, "I don’t I’m sorry." She mumbled.

"It’s okay; you were in a car accident. Now please get some rest, your body needs to heal itself okay? We can talk later."

She smiled at him and closed her eyes as the smell of the mixture caused her eyes to become heavy. Sleep came again and none to soon.

Elu stood over her and watched her sleep. After cleaning the blood from her hair and face when he brought her to the cabin he realized she was even more beautiful than his first impression of her in the store several days ago. He remembered helping her with her grocery bags and the touch of her skin against his as he handed back her change. He swept some of her hair out of her eyes before heading back to the kitchen.

He patted Champ on the head as he stepped over the dog that was lying in the middle of the floor. He rinsed the bowl clean of the mixture and fixed himself some tea. As the water heated on the stove he went back into the room where Evangeline lay and stoked the fire. Their pile of wood was getting low; he made a mental note to cut some once she was feeling a little better.

The tea kettle hissed as the water boiled, making his way back into the kitchen he poured the water into the mug with the small green tea bag sitting inside. Letting the tea steep he walked into the room where she lay sleeping. He watched her chest rise and fall with much tension, she was having trouble breathing, "Must be the ribs. She will need some Mullen tea," he said softly.

Elu finished his tea and cleaned up the kitchen. He walked out to the back of the cabin and stood in the noon sun. It beat down on his skin and warmed his body. The wind blew threw the trees and his hair making it fly behind him. Taking a deep breath the sweet mountain filled his lungs and he let it out. Elu stood outside for a while taking in the peacefulness of his land, the mountain air the shimmer of the lake the birds soaring in the air. This is what he lived for each and every day.

Later that afternoon

Evangeline rolled over and winced from the pain in her ribs, "How is your side?" Elu asked seeing that she had woke.

She looked over at him and blinked a couple of times before she was able to focus on his face; "Sore…" she mumbled and rubbed her side.

"They will be that way for a while. I made you some tea." He said sitting on the edge of the bed holding the mug in his hands. Evangeline started to reach for and pulled back in pain, "Let me help you." He said with a warm smile. "Its Mullen tea, it will help you breathe better."

She nodded and accepted his help. The tea tasted funny and she had to choke it down, "I know, not the best tasting stuff is it?" he said with a smirk on his face. The tea had a bitter taste to it and he felt bad for not warning her.

She shook her head as the tea traveled down her throat. "Can I ask you something?" she said looking at him with innocence and pain in her eyes.

"Of course,"

"What is my name?" she said lowering her eyes from his intense gaze.

"You don’t remember?" he asked helping her drink more of the tea.

Evangeline choked it down again and shook her head, "No I don’t." she said as tears started to well in her eyes, from the pain in her side, her head and not knowing where or who she was.

Elu looked at her and felt for this young woman. She had no memory of who she was or what happened to her. Of course he had no knowledge of her either, what was he going to say. How was he going to explain to her who she was if he didn’t know? The tears in her eyes brought pain to his heart, he couldn’t bare hurting her even more than she apparently was, "Your name is Leotie." He said smiling down at her and helping her finish the tea.


Llanview~

"Michael, Michael what did he say?" Natalie said jumping up and grabbing Michael’s arm.

Michael looked down at her hand on his and smiled, "He’s fine Natalie just let it alone okay?"

"I can’t just let it alone Michael. I wake up in the morning and he isn’t in bed with me. He is staring out the window, just standing there staring."

"He is probably just thinking that’s all."

Natalie pouted and looked up at Michael, "About her." She stomped back over to her desk and took a seat.

"You don’t know that Natalie. Evangeline broke up with him, he is with you now."

"I know that Michael, I’m not stupid. But I also see him just staring out into space at times and I know he is thinking of her." She said sticking her bottom lip out.

Michael sat on the edge of the desk, "It will be okay kid," he said patting her on the head, "Have fun at work, I have to get going to the hospital."

"Bye Michael."

Michael waved bye as he walked out of the station. Natalie picked up some files and made her way into John’s office. She pushed the door open and saw him sitting there staring out the window squeezing the mini eagles football in his hand while her stress ball that she got him sat untouched on his desk. "John…" she mumbled as she walked further into his office.