Disclaimer: All characters are property of ABC/Disney and their subsidiaries. Not myself. I'm just using them to give my readers a story.
A/N: Ok, Jess--you really don't HAVE to post within the next three days, but I'd like it a lot. Hope you all--whether you've read it at the yahoo board, or been sent a personal e-mail, or this is the first time you've read it--enjoy the story. :) Until next time--PCGirl.
---------------------
Natalie stood and watched the other passengers walk on by—a grin appearing on her face when she saw the top of red hair walking slowly. Oh what a couple of months would do to a mother. She hadn't even seen Meghan's face but she couldn't wait to hug her baby girl and best friend—not that Meghan was a baby anymore. She was eighteen and away at college—it had hurt Natalie's heart to think of letting her leave the nest but Thomas had just moved into an apartment nearby, though he almost always came home with his dad.
She couldn't picture her life without her two children—or John. She remembered a time when she thought she'd lost it all.
"Excuse me? What did you just say?" asked Natalie as she and John ate breakfast at the Palace. Her eyes were set on Layla—not noticing the color in John's face had drained out moments before when Layla dropped the bomb of a lifetime.
"Do you want me to speak slowly and use smaller words? Christian is alive and John's known the whole time."
"How dare you stand here in front of me and try to soil both my late husband and John's good name," she said as she stood up shakily—John was silent and as she looked over she realized something wasn't quiet right.
"Ask him," she said defiantly.
"John—tell her she's wrong. Tell her she has no clue what she's talking about," she said as she turned to him and he couldn't look her in the eye. "Look at me—damn it—look at me!" she screamed, but he didn't and wouldn't.
She wouldn't let Layla see her break—she wouldn't let anyone see her break as her world came crashing down. A world that for months made her feel like she was on cloud nine. Well, now the cloud had evaporated and she was headed back to Earth without a parachute.
She didn't even think of grabbing her purse as she turned and ran—running into Jessica who didn't say a word—just took her twin's shoulder and lead her out of the Palace and staring eyes at the scene that just had unfolded.
Tomorrow was her and John's twentieth wedding anniversary—on that day if someone had told her she'd even be with John another day she would have laughed at them, but it was the truth and she couldn't see herself happier than when she was with him.
Natalie stood there and watched her daughter's eyes meet hers and Meghan came running to her, "Hey sweetheart," she said as she hugged her tight. "How was the flight?"
"It was good," she smiled as they turned and began to walk to wait on the luggage to arrive. "I did some reading for school on the plane and listened to music—can I borrow the car later tonight? I wanted to see if maybe Lauren wants to go to a movie or something."
"Sure," she smiled—Lauren was Jess and Nash's daughter—just a year older than Meghan herself, but they had become joined at the hip when Meghan was just a baby. Her and Jess had laughed at how they seemed to mirror their mother's—in both looks and personality.
-----------------------
"Anyone home?" yelled Thomas as he lead the way into the house he'd grown up in—his father coming behind him, taking his leather jacket off and hanging it up, while Thomas just threw his jacket over the side of the couch.
John was proud of his son—he was a month away from graduating from the Academy and was going to be the top recruit in his class. He heard laughter from the kitchen and walked in to see Meghan helping out cooking, "Hey."
"Dad!" she shouted as she ran and threw her arms around him. "We didn't hear you come in."
"That's cause they were too busy gossiping," laughed Thomas as he walked in and received a hug also. "How's college life, sis?"
"It's great," she said as Thomas grabbed a bundle of grapes and sat down at the kitchen table with his twin and catch up on life.
"Don't eat too many—dinner's almost ready," said Natalie absently as she finished making the garlic bread and putting it in the oven.
"Yes, Mom," he laughed as he glanced out of the corner of his eye and watched his dad come walk behind her and slip his hands around her waist and then went back to talking with Meghan.
"How was work?" asked Natalie to John.
"It was—well, work," he shrugged, nuzzling his face into her hair and breathing deep. "I love you, Natalie."
"I love you too," she said as she turned around and he held her tighter and pulled her into a kiss.
"John—the kids—are at—the table."
He laughed, "I know—I just missed you. I'm used to seeing you at lunchtime."
She smiled, "Yeah—I know, but I had to finish doing some things for the party tomorrow and then I picked Meghan up and we've just spent the day talking."
"You got your girl back home. Happy now?" he smirked, knowing how lonely she'd felt without her nearby to talk to.
"Yeah," she said as tears started to well up for no reason.
"Hey—what's wrong?"
"I'm just glad our family is back together for just a few days—it sounds so crazy, but you know how I've always been—Family is the most important thing John, and I'm so glad I chose to have mine with you."