Stones

Chapter I

Steppingstones

A/N: This is my first time posting for this show… Inspiration struck after reading Blue by Anyadoll (whose Mentalist fanfic I'm madly in love with). This presents itself in three parts and is just a little something that would follow Toxic/Defective if I had my way… I hope you enjoy:)

Obligatory Disclaimer: Not mine, not ever.

"Let me get this straight;" Natalie begins as she settles into the corner of his couch, relaxed and completely prepared for the conflict that's about to come bubbling to the forefront of their conversation. "You told her to cut him some slack?" Her voice is incredulous; it carries the tone of accusation and an air of disbelief.

Daniel continues to pace before her, hair hand-tossed, and eyes shut tight against her words.

"What would you have me do? Huh?" he demands without looking at her. "He shows up, unannounced- three times in one week I might add- the first time with a case, the second to wallow and the third to make amends. "What was I supposed to do? She loved him at one point, you know, how terrible could he be?"

Natalie's eyes widen as she lets out a breathe laced in aggravation, "I know I don't have to remind you of this but, this is the same man who, two weeks ago, accused you of leading her on and then advised you on how best to define your relationship when you denied your feelings." He turns to find her standing before him now, hands on hips and eyes like fire. "May I also remind that he's the same man who cheated on her; your partner, your dearest friend, your most favorite student?"

She starts toward him and leaves him with no choice but to back away. "He made a fool of her, in front of all her friends, broke her heart and tossed her trust aside and you want her to cut him some slack?" Her annunciation of the last half dozen words confirms her mounting displeasure.

"She's not my student anymore, hasn't been for years." He defaults angrily. Finds he can't say more or less of anything. It instantly makes him feel childish and foolish and worthless all at once.

Natalie turns away, annoyance and disappointment radiating off her in waves. The silence is thick. It's loaded down with emotions to heavy to put into words.

"She's more than all those things to me." He says it to the floor, all the haughty defiance gone with a single breath. "Donnie's an ass; I don't need you to remind me of that. And as much as the thought of what he did to her makes my blood boil, having him around makes keeping her at arm's length easier." Natalie watches him stare off and knows he isn't seeing anything that's there.

"Donnie was right." He says wistfully. "But, that doesn't make it ok. There will never be room enough for her in any greater capacity in my world and I'd take up too much of hers. It would never be fair to her."

The flames die in Natalie's eyes, and they soften and fill as she takes two steady steps towards him. "You're sweet Daniel. But your intentions, no matter how pure, are tainted in self pity."

Now he's the one with the gaze set aflame, he lifts off the desk and his anger demands her retreat.

"I know I don't have to remind you that we've had this conversation before." She can hear the sadness laced in the anger, understands the inner conflict and the need to prove himself. "She's worth so much more than anything I could offer her. She deserves the chance to have a future and a family, to be able to get as much as she gives."

He's defeated by the time he's finished his rant. When he meets her eyes he looks lost and exhausted.

"And what I want can't matter. Not when it will conflict with what she needs. And my intentions have nothing to do with pity." He adds almost sullenly.

Natalie retreats back to the couch, settles with an act of defeat but the posture of conquest. "How could you possibly know what she needs? Have you asked her? Do you even know how she feels? For all you know, she doesn't want anything to do with you romantically, just like she originally said. I have to say, she looked pretty serious to me when she told you you'd never have to ask if she was coming on to you"

He huffs out a breath, shoves at his hair again before settling his chin in his palms. "It was more than painfully obvious she had a crush in-"

"-Crushes are for children, Daniel." She interrupts with exasperation. "You can't possibly mean to tell me you still see a child when you look at her."

"She was never a child to me!" He states, words coated in conviction. "She's always been a bright, eager and-"

"-beautiful?" Natalie interjects once more, this time with an impish grin.

He can tell she's enjoying herself now, now that the rock is snugly placed beside the hard place with him in between. She lifts her brows to emphasize that she's indeed waiting on an answer when he gives in.

"I was going to go with dedicated but, yes beautiful. She was, has always been, will always be." He sighs in defeat, "but that doesn't matter, it can't matter."

"She's a big girl Daniel, an adult as you've agreed. I think you're doing both of you a disservice by making assumptions based on your own singular opinion." She stands again, stops beside him where he's come to rest along the ledge of his desk. "

"Hey doc, you okay?" Daniel turns to find Lewicki framed in the archway toting a large bag of what can only be Chinese and the groceries he intentionally left for. When Daniel doesn't answer he continues with another question.

"Where's Kate?" His perplexity mirrors Daniel's as both men regard the now empty room, each looking for a different woman, neither of them there.

"What do you mean, where's Kate?" Daniel demands after a moment, eyes shifting from anger to panic.

Max's face goes from confused to concerned in seconds. "I passed her on my way out, asked her if she'd like to stay for dinner since I know how she feels about Chinese. She agreed and I let her in as I left."

He gestures towards the headphones still settled around Daniel's neck, "Guess you didn't hear us." Daniel nods and notices for the first time that the music is still playing. Lewicki sets his packages aside and takes a few steps further into the room. "So you didn't see her at all?"

Daniel shakes his head slowly, still thrown off guard by the fact that Kate had been there and he hadn't known. It takes him an extra moment but, when he fully understands what's just happened he looks up quickly, passed a still concerned Lewicki to find Natalie standing pointedly by the door.

"You need to go after her, Daniel." She tells him softly. He nods and turns his eyes back to Lewicki,

"Dinner's gonna have to wait, I need a ride."