Disclaimer: All characters are property of ABC/Disney--I just use them when I don't like what's happening on my screen.

A/N: Wrote this awhile ago--the muse is kinda irritable right now and doesn't want to write anything new so I figured I'd post something old. Was originally a song fic, the song being by Kenny Chesney. And yes, I know--I ended it at a bad spot but let your imagination run wild. ;) PCGirl

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The way Michael had shuffled the picture into the drawer he wasn't supposed to have seen it, but he'd caught long enough of a glance to tell it was of Natalie. He opened the drawer and pulled it out—she was walking on the beach, wearing a breezy sundress as she stared off into the ocean. The way the sun and ocean breeze played with her hair it looked like streaks of fire.

John gave a soft sigh—it had been a year since she'd walked off the roof and out of his life—and she still held his heart. Time didn't make him forget what happened—or how he'd broken her heart again.

"Hey—what are you doing up here?" asked John as he walked out onto the roof to see Natalie standing at the edge and looking up to the clear night sky.

"Looking for shooting stars," she said as she tried to quickly wipe away the tear stains that had formed a few minutes ago—she was hoping she'd get more time before he thought to look up here for her. More time for her to call herself crazy and selfish and then go back to what she now called normal, but time was up—for both of them.

"What are you wishing for?" he asked as he came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders and felt her tense up for a moment.

"Wishing that I had more strength—wishing that I knew where we would be a year from now."

John laughed at the silly notion, "You're the strongest person I know. And as for where we'll be in a year—I hope were still together spending our nights on this roof," he smiled as he turned her towards him and he realized something was wrong. "What is it?"

"But where will be in our relationship? Will I still be second to whatever case you are working on?" she questioned, immediately wishing the ground would swallow her whole. "I'm sorry—I—."

"You don't say what you don't mean. And you are never second."

"It feels like that—and I'm sorry if that makes you upset, but we wasted so much time before—so much time—and we were blessed with another chance, but we didn't take it when it was in front of us and now it's gone."

"You don't think it's gone, do you?"

"I think I do—I think it's time to stop playing this little game that's us and just move on," she said as she moved past him. He didn't fight her—didn't argue, just stood there in disbelief as she calmly walked to the door and out of his life without looking back.

She'd taken some time off from the station and then the next thing he learned she was taking a trip through Europe—to get away and find herself was what he'd heard through the grapevine.

He heard a cough behind him and saw Michael standing there, "Sorry—I was looking for the spatula—is the grill ready?"

Michael shook his head at the pitiful excuse his brother made up, "Yeah—it's ready."

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"Why don't you just get it over and ask me John?" asked Michael as they sat out on the patio after dinner was over. Marcie had gone upstairs to get Tommy ready for bed and the two brothers were just sitting and talking.

"Excuse me?"

"Natalie. You saw the picture of Natalie—don't you want to at least know how she is?"

He shook his head as he took a long sip of beer, "As long as she's happy—that's all that matters. Is she?"

Michael wasn't sure whether to laugh or scream at the question—how stubborn and hard headed these two were being. Natalie had only called twice—but he knew the answer by just hearing her voice.

He got up from his seat and went back into the house, reappearing a few minutes later with two postcards, a letter, and the picture John had seen earlier, "Read these and find out for yourself."

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John sat on the rooftop looking at the letter in his hand, trying to understand exactly what the words meant.

Michael,

Hello, first of all. It was so good to talk to you the other night and there was so much more I wanted to tell you, but I think you knew all what I was going to say anyways. It's good to know I've got a great friend like you. Tell Marcie hi for me and give that Godson of mine a big kiss—hopefully you all will get to come down for a visit this summer.

Aaron smiled for the first time today—I have to say he has his uncle's smile, that's for sure. Yeah, I know—John would say that's a bad thing, but I don't think it's that bad really. As for his eyes—I still think they are going to be just like his father's—yes, I also know babies are always born with blue eyes, but still—they are his.

To answer your question—I don't know when we'll come for a visit, but it will be soon—I promise you won't have to keep this secret that much longer. I don't know what will happen after he finds out—but I can't keep the truth from him, not after all he's been through with your father's death.

I'll send a picture of the two of us in the next letter.

Love,

Natalie and Aaron

John folded the letter and put it in his shirt pocket and was about to walk off the roof when the door opened and Michael walked out of the door, "I was about to find you."

"I figured that much. You figured it out, huh?"

"I didn't get my detective skills out of a Cracker Jack box," said John with a half smirk. "How long have you known?"

"Since the first time she called me—the baby crying in the background kinda gave it away," smirked Michael. "And to answer your second question he's four months old."

He watched his brother get a goofy grin on his face and it made Michael laugh—he handed the envelope to John that the letter came in, "Don't screw it up this time, Johnny."

"I'll try not," said John as his brother left him alone on the roof as he stared at the address in his hands.

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John smiled again as he pulled into the small town while the day began to break on the ocean—he'd driven the whole night and all he could think of was seeing Natalie—getting to make up for every word and mistake he'd ever made and praying she'd take him back.

He wanted to get it right this time—for both of them—not just for their son, but for each other. No matter how far apart they were she still had his heart.

He paused at the driveway of a small beach house, checking the address with the envelope before pulling in. As he got out of the car he saw a flash of red on the beach and could see her sitting there watching the sun rise and he began walking over the sandy white dunes to join her.