Disclaimer: All characters are property of ABC/Disney, unless they are my own creation (Brett, Craig, and Aaron), then they belong to me.

A/N: Tap. Tap tap. Is this thing on? Wow. I really didn't think I had any more Jolie left in me. But apparently never say never. I know where I'm going with this story, I just hope the muse can stay awake long enough to let me finish this. Until next time-ya'll are the best. PC Girl.

John pulled open the drawer and began stuffing clothes into his duffle. It was the right thing—the best thing to do. Hearing steps coming down the hall he stopped and sighed, waiting for round two to begin, but instead glanced over to see his FBI partner since Quantico standing in the doorway, "You haven't said much."

"I get it, I think," said Aaron. This assignment had gotten to John in a way he hadn't seen in a very long time. It worried him, but he knew that it was better for him to walk away than to keep trying to help with the case while obviously distracted.

"You could just talk to the department shrink," he suggested.

John laughed, "I don't do shrinks. Or talking. You know that."

He laughed back, "Yep. John McBain—the quietest, broodiest guy I know. Along with the best partner I've ever had."

"Same here—well, the partner part, definitely not quiet or broody," he smiled as he glanced around the room one more time. "Is he still here?"

"Told him to go take a walk," he said, speaking of the other person on their team. "What are you expecting to happen when you get there?"

"Other than world war three? I'm not really sure. I just—I have a feeling and I've got to take care of this."

"So is it an obligation or something more?"

John paused at the question while standing at the door. He really wasn't sure—six years was a long time to suddenly reappear in a person's life, no matter how close you were before. "Honestly, I'm not sure—maybe both. Maybe none. If something happens though and I'm not there," he stopped his words. "Take care, Aaron—and let's pray we don't see each other any time soon."

"Same here, Irish," he said as he watched him walk out the door.

John walked into the bullpen and realized how much if felt like home again—it was probably the only easy part of being back in Llanview. Six years. It was crazy to think how much had changed in his life. It was supposed to be just chasing a ghost—but that was what brought him to this point , he chased it when it didn't need to be, and the result was losing his whole family, losing what he'd dreamt of for so long.

Knocking on the door he heard a call to come in and braced himself, Bo might have been a friend all those years ago, but he was also Natalie's uncle—a man who saw her as his own daughter at times, "Uhm, hi. You busy?"

Bo had to do a double take at seeing the man standing in his doorway, "I don't know. Depends on why you are here," he said and tossed the folder he'd been looking at on his desk.

John wasn't sure where to start exactly, "I'm back in town, thought I'd stop by and check out the old stomping grounds. How are you doing Bo? Thought you'd be retired by now."

"I am—was," he corrected himself. "The previous commissioner had to step down so I agreed to fill in for a bit while a new one was found. Now answer my question, John."

John bit his lip, trying to figure out the best way, "First off—I know I screwed up. And I—I just—."

"What? Thought you'd walk back in after all these years and would be able to fit back in just as easily. It's not going to work that way, John." He stopped at hearing a knock on the door and cursed under his breath. Before he could tell them to wait the door opened and Natalie walked in.

"Hey—you have time to go over that report?" she asked and froze at seeing who was in the office. She'd noticed some of the guys—the ones that had been around forever had gotten quiet when she walked in. But hadn't been expecting to see John in her uncle's office. "What the hell?"

"Hi, Natalie," he said, looking at her for just a moment before putting his head down. "I—I better go. We can talk later, Bo," he said and let himself out quickly.

Natalie looked back at the door as it closed, this wasn't happening, "Uncle Bo—please tell me you aren't hiring him back."

"No," he responded with a shake of his head. "Forget about him—let's go over this report," he said, trying to steer both their thoughts off of why John would be back in town and onto work.

His mind was still reeling at seeing Natalie. Maybe they'd been right—maybe this was stupid, and he should just tell Bo what was going on and let him take it from there. He'd given up on being with Natalie and Liam years ago, knowing they were better off without him.

Instead though he found himself still walking into Angel Square hotel. Ringing the bell at the front desk he braced himself as he heard her steps coming to greet him, "Oh—it's you, Natalie sent me a message saying you might be by. Was hoping she was wrong."

"That's it? No hi."

"You hurt my baby girl bad, Johnny. You can't just walk in here and back into her heart—or my heart. So yeah, that's it. And no vacancies," she said as she slammed a sign on the counter and walked off.

John tapped the desk and looked over at the beaver that still sat there, "I get it, Rox. I screwed up."

"You sure as hell did," she yelled, rushing back at him. "But my Nattie—she's a hell of a strong woman. And that boy—he's the greatest. That's all without any help from you."

"I'm not going to argue that. I'm sorry I hurt her and Liam."

"And me too. You know I was your number one fan. I vouched for you. I kept saying there was no way you'd walk away from them. But you did—you never came back and made me look like a damn liar."

John sighed, "I'm sorry. Can I have a room please?"

"I guess, but John that Natalie boat has sailed away like the Titanic," she said as she pulled a key off the wall and tossed it on the desk.

"Guess I'm the iceberg then," he said quietly before going to find his room.

John nodded at couple of officers as he went down the hall and got to her door. He'd got his stuff settled in his room and made a few calls, giving Natalie time before coming to see her.

A smile appearing on his face at seeing the name Natalie Banks, Head of Forensics. Pride swelled up at what she'd been able to accomplish. Doing that was one thing, but as a single mom was something else. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door, hearing papers shuffle before a call on the other side to enter.

Natalie had been on edge since this morning, knowing and waiting for him to show up. So at hearing the knock she figured she was as ready as ever. At him opening the door she just nodded "Surprised the FBI hasn't called you back yet."

"Not going back," he said with a head shake and tilted a picture of her and Liam a bit so he could look at it.

"Yet, anyways," she chimed in and readjusted the picture.

"Head of Forensics, that's great. I knew you could do it."

"Thanks," she said and looked back at her paperwork. "I'm sorry John—I'm not up for pleasantries today. I need to finish this and get Liam to his STEM group.

"Stem?"

"Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics," she said and watched as he stared back at her as if she had two heads. "It's—it's hard to explain. It's something I could see Michael being interested in when he was a kid. If they had it back then."

John nodded, "Sounds interesting. Can I come?"

"No," she said strongly. "I still have to figure out how to tell my son why his dad decided to randomly show up. Though, I really don't know or care. So one thing at a time, please," she said as she pushed past him and into the hallway. "Goodbye, John."