Four Leaf Clover
Athena13

A/N: this is a response to the challenge below. I'm being liberal with the show's timeline for this period – it begins March 2005 – and you might recognize some actual J & N dialogue. I'm also being a bit snarky, hope you enjoy!

Trinitytrp's Challenge: John is with Vang, claiming to be committed to her, but in one of the numerous battles our fabulous couple seem to get in to they end up tearing at each other's clothes and going at it.. they say it was a mistake, but inexplicably, it keeps happening, until they are eventually start a relationship behind Vang's back... I would prefer it be a little dark, but how dark or lighthearted, or how or if Evangaline finds out, if Chris plays into it, etc. is totally up to you.

>>>>>

"It's about her!" Evangeline Williamson spit out between her clenched teeth.

John McBain, her lover for the past nine months looked impassively at her as she stood at the foot of the bed naked and arms akimbo and ranted about the cell phone call he had just answered.

"Answer me!" she shouted.

"It's work."

"And you work with her! I heard her voice!"

"She's Bo's assistant. He needs me to come in." John sighed and pushed the comforter aside and walked over to the dresser to grab some clean clothes. He had enough time for a quick shower, but not enough time – or energy – to deal with a fit of jealousy.

"She calls and you go running."

"It's business." John walked to the bathroom.

"Don't walk away from me!"

"I need to shower and get to the station. Why don't you get some sleep? I'm sure you had a long day in court."

"I wasn't in court today! Don't you ever listen to a word I say?" She clenched her lips and tilted her head when she heard the shower come on. Enraged she went to stand in front of the mirror. She ran her hands from breastbone to thigh. She turned and studied herself. Her angry look turned into a baffled look, which looked pretty much the same but with a different degree of tilt to her head.

"How could he walk away from this and to her?" She huffed at her reflection. "I'm amazing, beautiful, educated and have more class than that Vega woman." She cupped her breasts and scowled a bit. Maybe she should consider that boob job her sister Layla had written about from Los Angeles?

>>>>

"Hey." John came up behind Natalie who was pulling a bunch of files from the cabinet behind her desk.

"Hi." Natalie turned her head and smiled at him. "Bo is talking to Mario, he'll be done in a few minutes. Want some coffee?"

"Nah. I can get it myself. How come you're working so late?" John leaned back against the cabinet and crossed his arms.

"I decided to go back to school this quarter and finish my degree. Bo is letting me fit work into my school schedule."

"I didn't know that. Good for you." He looked bothered that he hadn't known.

"It's good to keep busy. Bo's free." Natalie glanced past him. "Get a cup in Bo's office, it's fresher."

"Thanks." John reached out his hand to touch her, but pulled back at the last moment. He awkwardly turned it into a wave and then shoved it into the pocket of his zippered Mr. Roger's sweater.

Natalie watched him walk away and wondered what had happened to the black leather jacket he always looked so hot in.

>>>>>

When John came out of Bo's office he noticed Natalie was nowhere to be seen. He wondered if she had gotten off duty since it was almost ten at night. Feeling a bit let down he headed for his office to work on the Killing Club case.

>>>>>

Natalie put a steaming mug of coffee down on John's desk and turned to walk out seeing John was engrossed in the file he was reading.

"I didn't know you were still here." He looked up at her, a smile breaking out across his face.

Natalie turned around. "I didn't mean to interrupt you. Sorry."

"Nah. I needed to take a break. It's almost midnight, what are you doing here?" He put the file down and leaned forward.

"I was just leaving. I have off tomorrow and I wanted to make sure you and Bo were set up for the task force meeting." Natalie ran her finger over the top of John's desk.

"That's at eight, isn't it?" John sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah. You should probably get some sleep first."

John unconsciously frowned as he remembered that Evangeline was probably still in his room. She would have forgotten about her earlier tirade and try to sex him up thinking he had forgotten as well. He was simply too tired and annoyed to deal with it.

"What's wrong?" Natalie asked, picking up on his mood.

"Let me take you home, it's late and there's a killer on the loose." John stood up and grabbed for his sweater, then with an impatient toss he threw it towards the couch and reached behind his office door for the leather jacket hanging on the coat rack next to the file cabinet. "Unless you want shoot a game of pool with me first? Have a beer, maybe a burger?" He asked impulsively.

"You have to be back here before eight."

"I'm too wired to sleep yet." The tiredness of earlier suddenly lifting. "Unless you have to be up early?"

"No. My first class isn't until eleven."

"What do you say? You owe me a rematch."

"Sure, why not." Natalie didn't bother to hide the smile that lit her face at the prospect of a night with John.

>>>>>

"I don't know how, but you definitely cheated." John tossed his stick on the table that Natalie had ruled three games running.

"No. I'm just that good. You've always loved that about me." Natalie grinned, high on her victory and John's company.

"Hmmm." John winked and put his hand around her shoulders. "Let's go eat those burgers before they get cold."

They sat companionably and ate their food and drank their beer. Not much was said between them other than "pass the ketchup" and comments on the value of late night grease and a shared memory or two on greasy spoons in AC they had in common. It was pure bliss for John who was used to Evangeline nattering at him non-stop at meals and every other time for that matter.

"Are you still doing criminal justice?" John asked.

"Yeah." Natalie looked up in surprise at John's question.

"What do you plan to do after your degree is done?"

"I'll be done in June, but I don't know. I was thinking about law school or becoming a cop before. I don't know what I want now. I just want to finish something."

John narrowed his eyes and studied her.

"What?"

"Trying to picture you as a cop." He grin broadened into a full-fledged smile.

"You think I couldn't do it?" Natalie raised her eyebrows and looked at him challengingly.

"You got the street smarts and you're tough, but no. Not really." He crinkled his nose.

"I don't know whether to kick your ass or laugh at your ridiculous expression, which I suspect was part of your strategy."

"Busted. Let's get you home." John and Natalie smiled at each other for a moment before getting themselves ready to leave.