The moon cast an eerie glow over the pavement, shimmering and slick in the aftermath of an evening rain. Exhaling sharply, Natalie Martin tugged her sweater tighter around herself for warmth and protection. It was a very short walk from the lake house to a dingy bar far enough out of town where she wouldn't be recognized. Natalie knew that her mascara had run, leaving a dark tinge beneath her crystal blue eyes. On any other day, she wouldn't be caught dead looking so disheveled but tonight sent her over the edge. Why bother dolling up? What was the point? She didn't have anyone to impress.

Divorce was pleasant for no one. It didn't help anything that the man who had promised to love, honor, and protect for as long as they both shall live was shacked up with a twenty year old stripper he met in Los Angeles. Natalie wasn't sure what bothered her more: the fact that Jeff had picked up with a woman who was only two years older than their daughter or that Natalie felt like less of a woman because of it. Her body bore the badges of honor that she'd earned having a child. She had scars that told the story of a woman who boldly embraced the world around her and learned her lessons well.

Natalie shrugged off the tightness of emotion in her throat. She was still strong; no one could ever take that away from her. Maybe her melancholy stemmed from the anger she swallowed back. Jeff was enjoying wine country this weekend while she was in Beacon County preparing his dead mother's house to be placed on the market. She'd scrubbed, painted, and decorated until her body was weak with exhaustion. And on her birthday, no less…

What Natalie craved right now was a moment away from the oppressive house and the eerie silence. She really needed was a drink...or six. She slowed her pace as the even sidewalk bled into the parking lot with its uneven gravel littered with cigarette butts. Stepping up onto the porch, the rotted wood moaned beneath her. The rank smell of smoke, motor oil, and body odor mingled painfully and Natalie considered turning around and walking out. She would have, if she hadn't caught sight of a familiar form hunched over a booth in the back. His left hand sat flat on the table while the right was fisted in the pocket of his jean jacket. He remained tense and angry as he engaged in a staring contest with the beer in front of him.

Easing through the crowd, Natalie cleared her throat to get his attention. "Is this seat taken?"

"Natalie?" Bobby Finstock startled. He immediately sat up straighter and ran a hand through his dark, spiky hair to smooth it. "Yes…I mean no!" He cried, "Please, sit down…" Embarrassment flushed his features as she hurriedly pushed the beer aside, nearly spilling it as he did so. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Natalie replied softly. Gazing over at the beer that sat at the edge of the table getting warm, she cleared her throat. "There's really only one reason that recovering alcoholics come to a bar way out of town." Her eyes shimmered with empathy. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Anger flashed in Bobby's features as he folded his arms tightly over his chest, "No, I don't want to talk about it. I've been going to meetings and trying so hard to ignore the urge. It's not helping!" He growled, "I don't want to talk about it. I just want to drink about it."

Natalie narrowed her eyes. "Well don't let me stop you then…" She picked up the beer and set it in front of him again. "If you want to piss away fifteen years of sobriety, I'm not going to say a word. As a matter of fact, let me get a drink of my own and we can toast to you throwing your life away!" Stomping toward the bar, she was trying to figure out the drink specials when she sensed his presence behind her.

"Hey," Bobby groused, resting his hand gently on her arm, "Come sit down." He ordered them two waters, taking a hesitant sip as if he expected it to be alcohol. Thankfully, it was not. "You're right…"

"I'm what?" Natalie pressed, cheekily, "I didn't quite hear you."

Chuckling softly, Bobby shook his head, "Natalie…" Her name tumbled from his lips as a throaty whisper. Swirling the water in the glass around with his straw, he sighed, "I don't want to be the person I was when I was drinking." This time, he refused to meet her gaze, "I hurt people. People I loved. But worse of all I lost a testicle because I was so drunk I fell asleep while trying to pee in an alley! I went dick first into a snow bank and nobody found me until the morning!" Both of Natalie's hands slapped over her mouth as she tried to hide her laugh. Bobby let out an exasperated noise, "Oh, just get it over with!"

Natalie's mirthful laughter filled the bar. Tears burned in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks. "Oh Bobby, I'm sorry …" She rested her hand on top of his, the other dabbing her eyes, "You always made me laugh. You have this way about you." Taking a sip of water to help compose herself, she felt better that he was smiling too. "So is that why you're having a tough time?"

"I've had fifteen years to come to terms with that," Bobby replied coolly. Natalie was always the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. It seemed like a lifetime ago that they were in school together. Everyone knew that he wanted her…but he was the shy, nerdy kid with braces and acne. Jeff Martin was the suave, rich, handsome captain of the lacrosse team; he'd staked his claim on Natalie in their freshman year. There was never any question that after high school they got engaged and were married that very summer. The Martins bought a little house with a white picket fence while Bobby drank himself into oblivion. "I don't want to talk about me. What brings you here? I never expected to see you a filthy hole like this."

"I've had it with closing up Jeff's mother's house…" Natalie exhaled sharply. "I've taken a long term substitute teaching position at the elementary school while one of the teachers is out on maternity leave. I work all day, come home to deal with my daughter's erratic behavior, and then go to the lake house. We have to sell it to pay off the crushing debts that I've managed to accrue over the years." Between student loans, mortgage payments, two car payments, and the exorbitant taxes in this town, Natalie was drowning financially. "It's not even my mother…but Jeff will have nothing to do with the place. It's all on me."

Bobby's expression darkened angrily. Natalie didn't deserve this. She was a goddess among peasants and it burned in his chest that she wasn't being treated like one. "If you need me to take a look at your finances, I have my CPA. It might surprise you but being an economics teacher wasn't my dream."

Natalie smirked, "And being a CPA was?" They shared a laugh, both feeling at ease with one another. "I appreciate the offer but it'll be alright. I'm just overwhelmed. Jeff is…well, you know Jeff."

"He's a jackass," Bobby blurted without thinking.

Natalie laughed again in spite of herself, "Yeah, he is…" She took another drink of her water, leaning against the cool fabric of the booth's seat. "He had a very unhealthy relationship with his mother. I understand that he doesn't want to be involved with the house but ever since the divorce, he's been completely absent. I'm raising our daughter, paying all the bills, and trying to stay afloat while he's off sipping wine with his twenty year old whore." She scoffed, fighting against the tears that threatened to fall again, "I must sound so bitter…I'm sorry, Bobby."

The anger was back and this time Bobby didn't swallow it down. "If he was here right now, I would beat his face in with a lacrosse stick!" He slammed his fist down at the table, causing both their glasses to rattle. "If I had someone as sweet and beautiful and smart as you, I would never ever let you go." Dragging a hand through his messy dark hair, he sighed, "You want to know the real reason I'm in this bar?" He couldn't bear to see the tears in her eyes, "I turned forty last week and I have absolutely nothing to show for it. I'm the economics teacher at a high school that no one cares about, I coach a lacrosse team of boys that can't find their own asses with both hands and a flashlight most of the time, and I haven't been on a date in two years. I'm a miserable failure in every aspect of my life…so why not drink it away?"

"Oh Bobby…" Natalie's voice was thick with emotion, "Is that really what you think?" She shook her head, grasping his hand again. "You are an inspiration to those kids. You won the state championship last year, remember? Plus, you're a very good, if not extremely enthusiastic, teacher. You managed yet another year without killing Greenberg…"

"I can't stand that little bastard! I swear he was put on this earth to be my own personal tormentor!" Bobby replied hotly.

Natalie's thumb stroked gently over the back of Bobby's hand to soothe him, "And…if it makes you feel better, I haven't been on a date in way more than two years." She shook her head. "I guess that's part of the reason I came here tonight. It's my birthday and I couldn't imagine spending it alone in that awful house."

"You're in this craphole on your birthday?" Cursing under his breath, Bobby shook his head. "No. That's it, we're getting out of here." He slipped out of the booth, extending his hand to her. "There is no way in hell that I'm letting you waste your special day in a place like this."

Without hesitation, Natalie slipped her hand into his and allowed him to escort her out of the bar. The crowd parted for them as they stepped out into the cool evening air. He must have noticed her shiver because he wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. "Thank you," She smiled, her expression noticeably softened.

Tossing several lacrosse sticks into the back seat, Bobby opened the passenger side door for her. "Milady," He gave a mock bow and reveled in the sound of her laughter. Hurrying around to the driver's side, he eased out of the parking lot, careful to avoid drunks stumbling around the area.

"So, where are we going?" Natalie asked as they headed out onto the main road. There wasn't much open at this time of night but Bobby drove with a purpose. She smiled to herself as he pulled into the parking lot of the local diner. "Oh man, this brings back memories."

Beaming, Bobby grabbed his wallet from the glove compartment. "I'm getting us two loaded burgers, fries, and a couple of milkshakes then we're going up to Lookout Point. I don't want to hear anything about calories or points or whatever it is you ladies are always counting. You're gorgeous." Bobby paused, "What kind of shake do you want?"

It had been years since she'd eaten greasy diner food in a car overlooking the city…but the prospect filled her with gleeful anticipation. She found herself blushing like a schoolgirl when Bobby said she was gorgeous. Mulling over her choice for a moment, she finally decided: "Strawberry." He moved toward the diner and she called out to him, "Bobby?" She smirked, "I want onion rings."

"That's my girl!" Bobby hooted, jogging into the diner. It was mostly deserted this time of night and the short order cook put everything together in a flash. He returned to the car with a bag and two cups. Handing her the pink cup, he took a sip of his own, "Come on, kid, let's have some fun."

Natalie was having fun…more fun than she'd had in years. "Let's do it." The drive to Lookout Point seemed incredibly short. There were a few cars parked around the perimeter but Bobby got them a prime spot. She leaned back in the seat, sighing softly. "It's a beautiful night." The rain that had fallen earlier in the evening had cleared, leaving the world fresh and clean. The sky was brilliantly blue and illuminated by twinkling stars and the waxing gibbous moon. She gazed over at Bobby who was mowing down his burger. Chewing her onion ring thoughtfully, she shook her head, "I really can't believe that some lucky girl hasn't snapped you up yet."

"Believe it," Bobby replied through a mouthful of burger. "I can't even get a phone number." Laughing softly, Natalie grabbed a napkin and gently wiped away some ketchup from his cheek. He stilled. Natalie's crystal blue eyes were soft and kind; he couldn't look into them without remembering the girl from high school that was nice to everyone—even a nerd like him. "I don't want to date some vapid, shallow airhead who talks about nothing but her perfume and tiny dogs or nail art. What the hell is nail art anyway?" He scoffed derisively, "I feel like all the good ones are taken…or have no interest in me at all." He peered at Natalie out of the corner of his eye. "I also think it's a tragedy you're not dating. I'm sure there's no shortage of handsome, rich men out there who would marry you in a heartbeat…"

"I'm not looking to get married for money or a pretty face," Natalie sighed. "If I ever get married again, it'll be because I'm in love. And I don't mean the way stupid girls in high school think they're in love." Natalie peered into the darkness. "I want to know what it's like to wake up in the arms of a man who thinks I'm beautiful even though I don't have any makeup on. I want a man who will make me soup when I'm sick and kiss my forehead, even though he risks getting infected too. I want him to buy roses on Valentine's Day even though it's a stupid marketing scam that the card industry made up to extort us for money." She laughed shakily, "I don't want to ever worry that he's cheating on me when he comes home from a business trip with lipstick all over his dress shirts…" Tears built in her eyes again and she swiped at them angrily.

Bobby remained silent as she spoke. His heart twisted in his chest and he brushed a strand of her ashy blonde hair from her shoulder. "I would love you like that…"

"What?" Natalie shifted in her seat, facing Bobby again. She must have misheard him.

"I think you're beautiful no matter what you look like…because it isn't what you look like that matters to me. I would love you because you're kind and you're smart and you see me when no one else does." Wiping the tear from her cheek, he drew in a ragged breath. "If you were sick I would make you the world's worst soup from scratch and eventually go to the store to pick up chicken noodle so I didn't poison you accidentally. I'd buy you roses on Valentine's Day. I would get chocolate too because I secretly really love coconut crèmes and they put so many in those stupid drugstore candy boxes during the Valentine season." Bobby exhaled sharply, "I don't know why you walked into that bar tonight when I needed you the most. I don't know why you agreed to come out here with me but…I believe in fate. And there's no way that this is a coincidence." He reached out and cupped her cheek. He was ready and waiting to be shot down. Natalie was way out of his league…

Natalie's heart slammed against her ribs when Bobby touched her. She never considered the possibility that there was a man sitting right in front of her that could make her feel like she was the only woman in the universe. "Oh Bobby…" Shifting forward, her lips crashed over his.

Fast food went tumbling all over the floor but Bobby didn't care at all. Dragging Natalie into his arms, he twisted awkwardly over the seat. They were being kept too far apart by the armrest. Reaching for the lever at the side of his seat, he tugged it and reclined all the way back. Lifting Natalie by the hips, he pulled her into his lap. There were no more barriers between them. His fingertips grazed over the zipper at the back of her dress. "I'm not trying to rush you, Natalie. I—"

"Shut up and take my clothes off," Natalie demanded. Pushing his shirt up, she kissed down his chest as her fingertips tugged at the waistband of his jeans. With expert skill, she eased his jeans down over his hips, pausing to gaze at his turgid length.

Bobby groaned as he caught sight of her staring at his missing testicle, "Don't look at it, Natalie." His fingertips slid up her hips. He was still waiting for him to push him away and tell him that she made a mistake. It was just taking longer than he expected…"We can stop any time you want. You don't have to have sex with me just because you feel bad…"

"I don't feel bad," Natalie scolded. "I was just thinking it looks like it's winking at me. It's kind of cute." Bending down again, she kissed him fervently. "I want you…all of you." Bobby needed no further urging as he pushed her dress up her hips and dragged her panties down her hips. Making love in a car could have been awkward and unromantic but Natalie was on fire. He poised himself at her entrance, his rough fingertips cupping her heavy breasts. Seating herself over him, she cried out as she took the length of him inside of her, "Bobby!"

A curse tumbled from his lips as Natalie rocked against his hips. "I like to be called Coach in bed…" He grunted. Kissing her again, ardently, he felt her smile against his lips. She was so much more beautiful that he could ever have imagined. Staring up at her, he watched every emotion flicker over her face as she was lost in ecstatic bliss.

Dragging her fingers through his dark hair, she felt lost in his passionate embrace. Natalie was fearful that she might've forgotten how to enjoy sex…until she realized that she'd never felt like this before. Bobby's ministrations and gentle touches sent shivers down her spine that amalgamated in her core. The first tremor took her by surprise and she let out a cry, "Oh, Coach!"

When Natalie called his name and tightened around him, Bobby was lost. He unleashed himself into her core as he held her in his arms. Bobby pressed soft kisses to her lips and her neck as they came down off the high of their lovemaking. Brushing away a strand of hair from her face, he felt such incredible power in how thoroughly loved Natalie looked. Mentally, he high fived the seventeen-year-old version of himself who desired only her…now that he had her, he wasn't going to let her go. "I don't know about you but I want to do that a lot more...and very often."

Natalie dissolved into giggles as she kissed Bobby again, "I think that can be arranged." Somehow, he simultaneously made her feel like she was back in high school and an experienced lover. It was clear that he wanted her just because of who she was…she wasn't going to let a man like that slip away. Resting her head against his chest, Natalie smiled.

The moon passed its apex, beginning its descent. Bobby and Natalie remained entangled, glowing in the aftermath of their confessions and their happy lovemaking. Suddenly there was a harsh knock on the window. "Alright you kids! It's a school night. Get home before I have to call your parents."

Before Natalie could stop him, Bobby rolled the window halfway down, revealing the both of them looking crumpled and thoroughly fucked.

Sheriff Stilinski spluttered and coughed at the sight of Natalie and Bobby in the car. "Oh…Jesus…" He cleared his throat several times. "Carry on…" Taking a step back, he hurried back to the police cruiser and fled the scene.

"Was that entirely necessary?" Natalie smirked as she shimmied her panties back up her thighs and turned so Bobby could redo her zipper. She settled back in her seat, watching the smile on his face broaden. She couldn't be mad…not when Bobby made that face. Chuckling, she leaned in and kissed him again, "Alright, Coach, how about you take me home?"

"Yes ma'am," Bobby beamed as he headed back toward the lights of the town. "After all, we don't want the Sheriff calling our parents." They both dissolved into laughter again as the moon set behind them. It wasn't the fairytale Bobby expected, but the one thing he knew for sure is they would definitely live happily ever after.

I've been shipping Coach/Natalie since the PSAT scene in Season 4. I'm going to put it out there that I think they would be adorable! This little scene has been stuck in my head and I took a SHORT break from writing Worlds May Fall for it. I really hope you like it. Please let me know! Your reviews and feedback are all I have to determine if this was good or not. Remember, I don't get paid for this! My reward comes from your amazing reviews, tumblr likes, tweets, and PMs. I love you all and I really hope you enjoyed this.

As always, my beta is fantastic. She helped me come up with this title YAY! Go check out her work for the 100 because it is FANTASTIC.