#evelance

It wasn't Sunday just yet, but Evey didn't have to work on a Saturday for a change, which meant she had plenty of time to get her small home back in  working order. She wasn't the cleanest of people, but she tried her best when the moment arose. The good thing was that in a matter of a couple of hours, she'd been able to clean the baseboards and behind the bed, and with time to spare, the redhead found time to read in the park, feed the ducks, say hello to Dimitri and find a used backgammon case at a yard sale for just a penny.  

Daylight was diminishing, and although Evey thought of herself as an independent woman, she still didn't like being out in the evenings alone, so she headed home. There were moments when she wished home was a bit more alive, a bit more exciting to go to. Of course she enjoyed her freedom, but Evey was finding it difficult to be alone as of late. Boredom crept in rather quickly which made the woman restless; her restlessness turning into anxiety. 

It was his normal routine. Simple, ordinary, every Tuesday and Thursday. Those were the days the hospital didn't have visiting hours. So instead of going to see Evey, Vance went to her home, just to make sure it was still okay. He used to drive by at first, just making sure the door was still intact and everything was undisturbed, but when she asked him to actually check on it, it gave the mechanic permission to be a bit more curious, to really inspect the home, to make sure it was just the way she'd left it for when she'd return, because she would come back, she had to. 

So here he was, Tuesday morning before the shop opened, parked outside her trailer. Something wasn't right, no... no, not at all. A light at the corner of the trailer was illuminated. No one was allowed there except Evey. This was why he checked, because it was Evey's and whoever was in it now was going to be sorry. Vance pulled the pistol out of his dash and loaded 6 bullets into the chamber as he exited the vehicle quietly. His footsteps towards the house were quiet, almost silent as he approached the door. It wasn't much of a door, seeing as how it was a trailer and Vance was in no mood to alert the assailant squatting in his best friend's home. He slammed his shoulder hard into the wooden panel causing it to fly open. The mechanic was in the house, gun point in the direction of the light source before the criminal inside could even budge. 

Dinozzo,

I can't tell you how many times I read your letter. How many times I ran my fingers over the page, or smacked my hand over my lips, or giggled at the thought of you climbing pipe drains or using a rope ladder to find me. 

But mostly.... mostly more than anything I've cried. That sounds silly doesn't it? That I've cried over your letter more than the reason that I'm in this place? I'm a nut - a crazed loon that needed to be locked up. But I miss that little sliver of sanity that I had. 

You've been my rock, the one thing that keeps me level headed, grounded - even when I wasn't sure if anything was real anymore. I'm a mess, and I need to get better. I'm scared of myself, and the fact that my hands... my body is capable of doing things without asking me first, and I would never want you to have to witness that. No one should have to witness that. 

I miss you, Vance. So very much. 

Evelyn.

P.S.

Evey had a tendency to sneak up on Vance when he least expected. It wasn't that she always did it intentionally, but when she felt the need to see her friend, she never denied herself the opportunity. He was a gem that she wasn't willing to ever be apart from for more than a day or two, and today was one of the many. She wanted to see him, even if it was just a moment of his time before he had to get back to work. 

The shop was quiet as it usually was these days with the exception of what seemed to be a record playing in the background. Tommy always had errands to run, leaving Vance to deal with the brunt of the dirty work while Cecil went on the hunt for parts. She liked it that way in all honesty, especially since the other men had a tendency to make her feel like she was doing a dirty deed every time she came to visit. 

"Hello?" She called out, assuming that Vance or whoever was in the back could hear her over the sweet melodies that seemed to now fill the tiny shop. Biting on her lower lip, she crept around the corner, slightly concerned about what she may find on the other side. 

Her jaw dropped, her knees weakening at the sight before her. Never had Vance hinted at being a decent singer, let alone a skilled guitar player. His tone had her gripping the door frame, her heart racing as she attempted to listen to the words.