The Rest Is Silence by musingonsoaps

Chapter 9

John had been away on assignment for over two weeks and Evangeline was feeling the need for him. Their infrequent, increasingly risqué phone calls weren’t nearly enough to satisfy her. She was astonished because although used to being hungry for him she was feeling pangs of a real, deep-seated need for the man. It was beyond carnal, although there was plenty of that driving her to such distraction she drew on her store of sexual memories of John to keep her from hopping on a plane and showing up in Seattle. How would she explain knowing exactly where to find him? Plus she had been put in the position of playing dutiful hostess when his mom unexpectedly showed up in Llanview staying for what Evangeline assumed would be the longest three days of her life.

Amazingly, Eve had managed to put a strangle hold on a mother’s right to know and relaxed into getting better acquainted with Van. In a way, Van reflected, it had been a blessing that John wasn’t around; lacking his presence pushed both women into making their focus more on each other as individuals rather than their respective rolls in the life of the man they both adored.

Eve had even gone house-hunting with Evangeline, pleased that Evangeline included her and secretly thrilled to know her son was seriously settling down. The looking process indirectly giving Van insights into John’s early years. She found it hard to think of him as a boy; an overly responsible, always in caregiver mode child. Although she was pretty certain that even as a boy he dressed in black and Eve had confirmed that assumption. Seeing the photos Eve kept in her wallet of her boys suddenly made Evangeline queasy to think that her own parents had carried around an image of a little girl frozen in time. A girl they didn’t meet again until she was a woman fully grown. Surprisingly, Van found she still ached a bit for her missed growing up years with her family. For the first time she found herself waking up from dreams of a permanent home with John perhaps with dogs, horses and maybe a child, or even two.

Michael took Eve to the airport for a gig she had on a cruise ship leaving from LA so Van decided to meet with Chao-Li to see if he had anymore homes to show her. Chao-Li arrived at Capricorn and immediately spotted Evangeline in easy, flirty conversation with RJ Gannon and Kevin Buchanan. Pausing he watched her for a moment to see if he could discover a way in to turn an especially picky house hunter into a home owner. He had been disappointed when she phoned and turned Lion’s Heart down flat—but respected that she and Agent McBain were leery of the vibe of the house; a lot of awful things had happened on that property it was true. Happily, they were still in the market and even better McBain had put finding a home completely in her well-manicured, expressive hands. He had shown her other estates, some large country homes, a few lofts and a townhouse and nothing was clicking for Evangeline. That was okay, these things take time and he wanted her to be entranced when they finally came upon the perfect dwelling place; and referring him to everyone she knows.

Approaching the table where she sat Chao-Li could tell that although she was having fun neither of these men nor any other man in the restaurant had a chance with her. She was John McBain’s woman and flirt though she might, she knew whose bed she would sleep and wake in and she was content and then some with that and it showed. Her eyes looked beyond Kevin and saw him and a glad smile welcomed him, knocking him off balance and sending Chao-Li into the rush of a crush like he hadn’t felt since high school. He actually had to pull his collar a little away from his neck, he had sprouted a sweat and now his shirt was feeling a bit clammy. "If that’s even a portion of what she telegraphs to her guy, lucky, fortunate man."

"So, have you found me the house of my dreams, although I don’t really recall ever dreaming of such things?" Van asked as she twirled the spoon in her coffee, "Do you want anything or should we just get started?"

"I’ve had coffee and juice so we can get right to work. I have a special place to show you, if you have the time we can go right from here."

"How special? Remember, rolling hills isn’t a requirement for me or John. We just want…the right place, the one that says ‘welcome home John and Evangeline’ have you discovered that place?"

"I believe I have. Come with me."

"This, this is damn near perfection! Yes I’m feeling this, I could live here so could John, and happily."

Shafts of light were falling around Evangeline, seemingly following her as she slowly moved around the space of the living room alternately pacing then pausing in sections of the room. She had been through the house top to bottom two times since they had arrived and her smile and laughter were growing happier and more certain with each pass. Chao-Li was held by a sight he wasn’t aware was so rare, Evangeline with all of her guard down just reacting in the moment.

Suddenly, she started to twirl around the room, her arms were outstretched and she executed a near-perfect dancer’s twirl, twirl and leap that landed her across the room and right in front of John. Laughing she threw her arms around his neck and chanted "We have a home, and you’re gonna love it!" Taking his hands she danced him once around the spacious room, giggling and laughing all the way.

John was enchanted and immediately caught in the spell of her happiness. He had just arrived back in town and followed Evangeline’s message on his cell that when he came home she had someplace to show him. When she answered her cell she instructed him to come right over with peals of laughter, almost squeals of delight. John was tired from his assignment but found he wanted to see what had made Evangeline so carefree. When no one had answered his knock or the bell he opened the door and found his way to the living room. He recognized that for the moment Van’s secrets had lifted and she was…herself, herself in a way he really hadn’t seen or experienced before. Herself, the way he now understood her to be when she was on a boat out in the ocean. And she was happy, without her underlying reserve, without thought or hesitation and even better, she was sharing that happiness with him.

"So you more than like this place, we’ve moved to loving it? Show me." His lips were curved into an amused and surprised smile, Van knew John was astonished to see her this way, she was pretty incredulous herself. Hand and hand they wandered through the house with Van pointing out things she knew John would appreciate as well as items he probably wouldn’t notice until they’d lived there for years. Evangeline wondered if it was even a real possibility that it would be years and years that they would be together. And suddenly she didn’t want to let this relationship go without at least attempting to compromise, perhaps even strive to make fundamental changes if she could; worth fighting for.

Finding Chao-Li leaning on a table in the hall leading to the kitchen area John was enthused, "This IS great; I don’t understand how I never noticed this house before. I know it sits back and is sorta tucked away but still."

"And that’s the beauty of it," Chao-Li said heading into sell mode "it’s close to town but you feel nicely secluded with plenty of privacy. Once you know where the house is it’s easy to find but except for winter when the trees are bare you can’t really see the house from the roads." Touching his tie he continued, "It was part of a larger estate that I was recently given permission by the owner to sell as a whole or break it into smaller pieces for easier sale options. I thought Ms. Williamson would like this section if I ever had the opportunity to show it as a stand-alone. Especially once you told me about her affinity and need for water sounds nearby"

"Oh, Ms. Williamson loves it…" Van started then turned puzzled to John, "wait, you told him I needed water around me?"

"I suggested any future houses have at least a pond and the more you could hear and see water from as many rooms of the house and walk to on the grounds, the faster he’d make a sale."

Recalling their desire for privacy at Lion’s Heart Chao-Li dangled the keys in front of them, "Well, I’ll leave you two alone to explore and discuss this some more, you can lock up and connect with me later to return them." Chao-Li began stuffing papers back into his briefcase, picked up his cell and headed for the front door when John called to him, "Draw up the papers, we’ll sign…" John noticed the mischievous look in his lady’s eyes and amended his statement, "we’ll come by your office tomorrow and sign. We’re sold, we want it."

"We’re sold and it’s ours; don’t you dare show this to anyone else!" laughed Van as she walked him to the front door and locked it after he left, "Oh, McBain, McBain, are you thinking what I’m thinking?" she said in a sing-song voice.

"A rite of passage, perhaps a christening of the space? Bedroom? Barn? Jacuzzi? Pick your gratification, name your pleasurable spot."

Holding his gaze Evangeline laughed her softest and sexiest laugh, "I think you’re well acquainted with my most pleasurable spots, they all have the imprint from your tongue on them." Momentarily changing the direction of her thoughts Van asks, "John, you’re not just going along with this place because I became excited over it are you? You do really want this for our home? If not, it’s okay, just tell me now before I’m too far down the road with domestic bliss here."

"I want the house almost as much as I want you in this house, with me." John stated so simply that Evangeline felt the pull to him stronger than ever before. Could she really change the course of her life and all for the love of a man whom she wasn’t certain she’d ever truly be able to love back as he deserved?

Van had moved to stand by the large glass windows and door leading from the living room to a garden. The sun had found her again and John noticed that she had on a floaty pool blue summer dress which billowed around her legs when she walked or stood in a breeze creating tantalizing and intriguing shadows of what she was or wasn’t wearing beneath her dress. The bodice fit snug and John was fairly sure that she was naked underneath. She probably wasn’t when she started her day but Van had disappeared for a few moments while John spoke to the realtor and now he wondered what she’d being doing in those missing minutes.

"What are you thinking and why are you staring at me?"

"Well, I’m revisiting all those pleasurable locations all over your body. Oh, and I was wondering how naked are you under that dress?" his voice dipped, "Can I find out now, please?"

"Agent McBain I think you’ll have to really search me to get the answers you seek." She laughed walking backwards away from John.

"Hmm, yes, I’d say a strip search is definitely called for here. I’ve made my career on being extremely thorough. Let me show you how dedicated I am to the job." As he reached for her Van dodged his arms and skipped across the room from him, her skirt bouncing higher with each little hop. John gave chase and quickly had her pinned in his arms with her back in his chest as she pretended to lean away and reject his kisses. He half lifted her off the floor as one probing hand sought the hem of her dress and was under her skirt while the other tried not to rip the tiny buttons running down the sides of her top.

Touching the skin of her inner thigh John groaned with need and hunger and giving up on undoing her top he twisted her to him from the waist up, bending so that his lips had access to her breasts, sucking and licking through the cotton as his hands explored her and smiling inwardly that he was right, she was nude under her dress, and becoming very wet from needing him.

John lowered Evangeline to the floor while covering her hair, face and neck with searingly hot kisses. He was aware of her unbuttoning his shirt, undoing his pants and then he was floating somehow out of his body watching himself remove his shoes, kicking them away from their bodies, laughing as his socks came off all while his mouth and hands touched her skin over and over eliciting the most erotic sounds from the back of her throat. She had made him pause in his strip search and shown him a faster method to get her out of her top and her body was glistening from wanting him inside of her.

"McBain, you’ve been away too long," she whispered with spiraling desire "and I need all of you. I can’t, I can’t wait anymore…" her voice broke as John covered her with his body, her hands sought him between his legs, found the object of her desire and when it seemed he would prolong her agony she shifted her body down, grasped his rear and pushed him towards her and he was in her, moving inside her, satisfying them both and she could breath and almost think. Soon, soon, she’d be herself again.

John’s chin was resting in the small of Evangeline’s back as one hand ran lightly over her behind not quite making contact with the skin but causing the fine hairs to stand up electrified by his nearly touching. "Honey, unless you’re ready and wanting to entertain our first house guest tonight we need to shower and get back to town before 9 p.m."

Quivering under his explorations Van wasn’t sure she was ready to let him leave her side just yet, "Why? What’s so important that you have to deal with it tonight? A case?"

"Partly, but more importantly one of my mentor’s is working on the case from the prosecutor’s end and he’s coming into town to confer. He was working a sidebar to the Seattle case so we caught up briefly by phone. We haven’t seen each other in at least four years so we’re using these cases as an extra excuse for a face-to-face. I do want you to meet him, but I doubt you want to do that tonight. I’ll drop you at home and meet him for a drink. Actually, I need to call and double-check that we’re still on." Getting up John took in the clothing strewn room trying to recall if his cell was in his pants, jacket or still in the car. The soft chime of its ringing helped him to locate it, "Hey, I was just about to call you and see if you made it into town yet." Listening, John walked a little away from Van, getting closer to the windows so he could hear better.

Lolling on the floor Evangeline was enjoying the view of John in the moonlight and reflected back in the glass. Watching him she wondered if she could tempt him to wait until tomorrow to catch up with his friend. He had satisfied her repeatedly but she could always go for more—she had never been so insatiable before she met John.

"You’re where? Actually, you’re not that far from where I am right now; my girlfriend and I are looking at a house nearby. Thirty minutes?" John said looking at Van with raised eyebrows and gesturing for a meeting in their almost home.

This wasn’t quite how Van envisioned having their first guest to the house, but she could see John was excited to spend time with this person so she nodded agreement. When he finished his call he came and kneeled next to her, "I’m sorry, he’s not too far from here and I thought if he came here you can take my car and head home and I’ll just go with John."

"Another John?"

"Yeah, they called us the terror twins back in the day. I busted the perps and he got ironclad convictions."

"So, no long lingering shower? It’s get up and get decent right away, huh?"

"I’m afraid so love, but I intend to be very indecent with you later tonight right into tomorrow, if you’re willing."

Van was messing with her hair in the mirror when the doorbell rang and John went to let John in. She smiled to hear the mingled masculine laughter and decided to wait a few minutes to give them time without her. As she stepped onto the landing leading to the last set of steps into the living room she heard the other John’s voice teasing her John about being domesticated.

It just couldn’t be! Had John set her up, was he playing her all this time? Evangeline froze on the bottom step thinking about escape and murder. The desire for murder won out and she stepped aggressively into the living room physically prepared for the worst and to mete out the most grueling punishment she could think of to Agent John McBain and federal prosecutor John Durant.

"Honey, this is one of my mentors, John Durant, and John this is the woman that’s changed my life, Evangeline Williamson." With his arm around her waist, beaming between the two, John introduces them.

"Ms. Williamson," Durant says stepping towards Van with an outstretched hand, "a pleasure to meet you at long last." John didn’t see the predatory light take up residence in John Durant’s eyes, but Evangeline did. She stepped forward grasped Durant’s hand then kneed him in the groin. As he doubled over she grasped his shoulder and upper arm and tossed across the room making sure he hit the wall as hard as possible before he bounced and landed on the floor. Dashing quickly over to Durant balled up on the floor Van delivered a fast series of kicks to his head until he unfurled then pummeled his mid-section while John stood in stunned shock before he raced over to her and pulled her away from Durant. He tried to be gentle but she fought him all the way; she was silent in her attack and with his arms around her John could feel the level of her fury and was appalled by the viciousness of her assault. Trying to reach her with his voice wasn’t working, he couldn’t keep her arms pinned to her sides to stop her, in despair he finally flipped her onto the floor and buried her under his body grabbing her arms and holding them over her head. That they were almost in the exact spot and position from their earlier lovemaking wasn’t lost on either of them. But there was no welcome in her eyes, no tenderness, she was all hatred and fury. "Will you stay still so I can go check on him?" John asked, pleaded with her really. He waited for her to nod agreement but she turned her head and met his eyes and he was stunned anew by what he saw in their depths just past the anger, "Let me up and I’ll kill him." Her voice was calm and sure. Bending his head to her neck he whispered, "Evangeline, please."

"Get off of me, or I’ll seriously hurt you."

"You’re not giving me any leeway to work with; he’s bleeding, I need to see to him."

"Let him bleed, better still let him die."

"Jesus!! What is this about? How do you know John Durant?"

"Don’t pretend with me, John!"

"I’m not. I don’t know what just happened here. Please, Evangeline, no more. I’ll get up and I’ll call an ambulance for Durant."

Kneeling over Durant and checking for a pulse John was grateful that he was still breathing, barely. He heard a sound and glanced back to see Van in a crouched position watching with feral eyes. Then another sound and realized Durant was trying to speak and the breath was rattling in his chest, "No ambulance, no…"

"You’re badly hurt, John, you need to go to the hospital."

"Nooo…"

"Alright, I’ll call my brother, Michael; remember he’s a doctor but if he says hospital, then you’re going. I’ll see if I’ve got something in the car to deal with the wounds until he arrives." Getting up John looked at Evangeline who hadn’t changed her position nor had the dangerous look faded from her eyes and he knew he couldn’t leave them alone together; Durant would surely be dead when he returned.