A/N: So this was set during the whole Caleb/John fiasco on GH, my happy way of exiting the character of John. And since we now know John won't be coming back to us in any medium for awhile (unless recast?), I firmly hold this was how his exit should have gone. If you are a Sam fan, don't be offended at my insincerity towards her, but I'm a Jolie through and through. Enjoy, and R&R!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All the (sometimes idiotic) characters from Port Charles belong to ABC, and the citizens of Llanview belong to Prospect Parks...and I guess right now John McBain is owned and operated by the FBI.
"Anna, you know me. I didn't kill her" John pleaded.
"John, I want to believe you, but we have evidence, your face getting Rafe out. Your fingerprints on the weapon"
"It wasn't me" John said, "Tell forensics to look at it again, look at the face again. There has to be something off here. I didn't do it"
"I'll look into it" she said, "but John, don't do anything stupid"
"Who? Me? Never" he joked.
"Glad to see you haven't lost your wit" she commented, "Alright, I'm going to go give forensics hell"
"Did he say anything?" Dante asked.
"He's sticking to his story" she said, thinking.
"You believe him" It wasn't a question, he knew the look on her face.
"You should, too. He's your partner"
"That I've known for all of five minutes"
"Who got you out when you were in his shoes?" she threw at him, "I know John. He wouldn't kill someone in cold blood, not ever"
"The evidence"
"Yes, I know" she said, and then she sat at a computer.
"What are you doing?"
"Isn't John always saying that our FTs don't know jack? They must have missed something"
"But his face-"
"Yes, well there was an Erica Kane look-alike, so forgive me if I don't exactly doubt the ability of plastic surgeons" she snapped at him.
"I still don't see what you're going to do"
"Ask for a favor" she said, and then she sat back, "Wow"
"What?"
"I have an idea, but you're not going to like it" she said, turning the computer screen so he could see it.
"She's the top FT in the northeast? Anna, I don't know, John'll flip when he finds out"
"He doesn't have to know. He's not on the case"
"You don't think this might be bad? Haven't you known John for a while? You know-"
"I've known him for years, and so I don't find any issue with going behind his back" she said, taking out her phone.
"Buchanan" Bo answered the phone, his day already going to hell.
"Commissioner Buchanan, this is Commissioner Anna DeVane from the Port Charles Police Department"
"I can only assume why you'd be calling" Bo answered, a little bemused as he peaked out his office window at his niece working in the squad room, "what did John do?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" she said, "Long story short, he's being held for something he didn't do, and I'd like to ask for a favor"
"I don't know how I can be of help, but John's a close friend, at one point he was almost family, I'd be happy-"
"yes, well actually it kind of relates" she said, "he's being held because of a forensics issue, and after a bit of research I found out that you have the best FT in the region at your department"
"Anna DeVane, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were playing matchmaker"
"From what I've heard, you've done your fair share of pushing those two together as well"
"Natalie doesn't like doing consults. She hates to leave her son, especially with John-"
"I'm sure she'd be able to figure it our quickly, one day tops, and I'm sure you'd like to watch your grandnephew for a day"
"She's not going to buy it"
"Has it dawned on you that she wouldn't have to know?"
"I'm just supposed to put her on a plane without her knowing where she's going? Have you met my niece?"
"I've heard stories" she said, "and I see the way John talks about her. I know it's going to be no easy task. But imagine what I'm going to deal with when John figures out I'm doing this behind his back"
"You make a valid point. You're going to be the one to deal with it when it all comes out. If you're willing-"
"Neither of us, nor Natalie, wants to see him go to jail for ten to twenty"
"Alright. I'll let you know when she's coming"
"Thanks, Bo"
"I still don't know how you managed to talk me into this" Natalie said.
"Cuz you'd do anything for your favorite uncle" he said, "Besides, it's the weekend, Me and Nora won't be working, Matthew and Destiny can handle Drew, I can't wait to spend a weekend with this little guy" Bo said, tickling Liam in his arms, "And it'll do you good to get away for a while, even if you're working"
"I still don't get why I'm the one who's doing the consult. I've only been back at work a few weeks"
"A friend of mine needs a favor, and they asked for the best. They asked for you"
"You haven't even told me where I'm going yet. Which friend needs help that much?"
As if he knew, Liam started clapping as Bo held him. He sure is John's son Bo thought. "That's right, buddy. Your mom should just trust her favorite uncle"
"I do" she said, "unless there's a reason not to"
"Well, we should let you get to your flight soon"
"I might need the tickets to do that"
Bo took the tickets out of his pocket, "before you look, I want you to remember how much you love your favorite uncle and how great he was to you and your son after the accident"
"I could never forget that" she said.
Reluctantly, Bo gave her the tickets. Natalie opened the envelope. A direct flight to Port Charles, New York.
"Uncle Bo, what-"
"Natalie, don't make a scene"
"You know I can't do this. John-"
"Natalie, listen to me. It is an actual consult. Anna had to arrest John, because of what she thinks is a forensics mistake. She hates it at as much as you or I do, and regardless of what's happened, I know you don't want to put him jail"
"what's he up against?"
"Aiding and abetting and two counts of murder"
"John?"
"That's why Anna needs the best. And, John's in lockup, you won't even have to see him"
"Is that why there's two tickets back?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Something about frequent flyer miles expiring" he shrugged, "but I thought, if you happen to run into one of my close friends, and decide to bring him back home-"
"You're right. I can't not do it. He's helped me before. I owe him that much"
"You'll do the right thing" he said.
"Alright, Liam. Be good for Uncle Bo, I'll miss you. I love you sweetie" she said, kissing his head.
"I'll see you on Monday" Bo said, and they kissed on the cheek.
"Survey the PCU campus, they couldn't have gotten far" Anna said, slamming the phone down.
When she turned, she saw a young redhead enter the station, she was confident in every step and had an air of excitement to her. It was no wonder John and her had fallen so hard for each other.
"You must be Natalie" she said, extending a hand to shake, "Anna DeVane"
"I've heard stories" Natalie said, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you"
"Oh, I think the pleasure is mine" she said, "John keeps a picture of you and your son on his desk and on his phone, and every time he talks about you his eyes light up. I've known him for years, and I've never seen him talk that way about anyone"
"Thanks, but I'm sure you know-its complicated"
"Are you seeing someone?"
"No"
"Well, neither is he. So I guess the only people who seem to think its complicated are the two of you"
"regardless of any of that, I came because John's helped me escape legal issues before, and I owe it to him to do that same"
"Yes, well, Bo told me you wouldn't want to see him, and now you really won't. He's fled custody"
"Well, it's not the first time. But he always has a reason" Natalie said.
"You know that, and I know that, but the legal system does not have a John McBain loophole"
"Can I see the evidence?"
"Of course, I'll show you to the lab. You'll technically have to work with our FTs"
"technically?"
"You know, John rants and raves about how great you are, and he also complains about awful our FTs are. So-"
"Ignore them?"
"You didn't hear it from me"
As Natalie entered the lab, she surveyed the equipment, deciding that it should be enough for what she had to do. She was the only one there.
"Perfect" she said, "I'll let you know if I need anything"
It took nearly all day, and involved starting at the evidence from scratch, but Natalie was finally able to prove the fingerprint wasn't John's, just scary similar. Even scarier was when she found a DNA sample, saliva, on the weapon. She shuddered to think that someone had licked blood off of the murder weapon. She also ran that, and compared it to John's. In the database, it came up as a match, so then she had to analyze it herself, and again, she found it was not the same, but way too close to not scare her.
"Excuse me?" a man said, entering lab.
"yes?"
"Where are our FTs?"
"I told them to go home" she said, "they were slowing me down. Great talent you've got in here, by the way. Taking a smudge, not enhancing it, and still running it through the databases. Smart" she said, not entirely thrilled that this unaspirational place was where John deemed was more right for him to work.
"You must be Natalie"
"And you are?"
"Dante Falconarie. I'm John's partner"
"You know at home, he didn't need one"
"You miss him, don't you?"
"That's none of your business. I just proved your partner was innocent. You should be thanking me"
"You did it?"
"That's what I came here for, wasn't it?"
"John said you were the best. We thought he was just proud"
"Well, John doesn't lie, not unless he's protecting someone he cares about"
"Personal experience?"
"You have no idea" she said, "Have you found them yet?"
"No"
"Then why aren't you looking?"
"Touche" he said, leaving.
"Dead weight" Natalie muttered. She printed out her analysis, and then headed upstairs.
"You have almost no talent in here, you know that right?" Natalie told Anna as she came back to the squad room.
"You have no idea" she said, "Did you do it?"
"Yup, took a bit of effort, but it wasn't a problem. I sent the rest of your FTs home, they were slowing me down"
Anna laughed a little, "You know John, right? Could you do me a favor?"
"Sure" she said.
"This is who let our prisoner out, and who broke into the evidence room" she pulled up the screen, "We think that its John. Could you-"
Natalie sat, taking a good look at it, "It's not John" she said, decisively, after only a minute.
"how are you so sure"
"First off" Natalie said, enlarging the image so it was more obvious, "John doesn't do anything to his hair, except get God awful hair cuts. This guy not only doesn't cut his hair, but he straightened it"
"Huh" Anna said.
"Also, and maybe I'm the only one who would notice it. But those aren't John's eyes. They're too hard, too cold. They don't have that light to them" she said, "I would know if it was John"
"Thanks. Now if only he hadn't escaped, we could let him go"
"I'm sure he's out solving the case for the rest of the department" Natalie said.
Just then, Anna's phone rang.
"Alright, I'll send a unit to pick you up" she hung up, then turned to Natalie, "That was John. His look-alike is dead, they're on their way back now"
"They?"
"Yeah, that's besides the point. I hate to ask, but since you're here, and- could you process the scene? We're not looking for evidence, it was self-defense, we just need to prove he's dead"
"Yeah, give a few and I'll be out"
"Have you all been checked out at the hospital?" Anna asked, surprised to see the posse of survivors at the station already.
"No" Sam said, "I want to give my statement while it's still in my head"
"Are those bite marks?" Anna asked, surprised, "John?"
"Yes, they are, and Sam, you are sitting down" he told her, helping her into a chair.
"I'm fine" she said.
"Fine, give all your statements and then you're all going to the hospital" she demanded.
"Anna, I told you it wasn't me"
"I know that now. We've actually just spent the past few hours proving your innocence"
"How?"
"A friend lent me a good FT"
"Anna, I don't blame you for thinking it was John" she said, quietly to herself. She kneeled over the body, and actually got shudders from how close it looked like John. Except of course, he smelled different. This guy smelt of blood and leather, nothing like the perfect mix of Old Spice, LPD office space, and coffee that reminded her of John.
She analyzed the scene, bagging and tagging the murder weapon, and took a sufficient amount of DNA. She also took a blood sample from what looked to be a maridle bed. She shuddered, this was no normal criminal, he was definitely insane.
"I'm done here" she told the coroner as she packed up her evidence.
She headed out of the tunnels, zipping her Llanview CSU jacket up. This place gives me the creeps she thought, And this is where John almost died. I hope he's okay. She touched the St. Dwynwen medal she always kept in her pocket. Somewhere in the move, she had lost track of her St. Jude medal, well the one she had given John that he'd given back to her, but had somehow come across the true love medal that she'd given him. He hadn't asked about it, and so she had kept it. It did her good to know that someone was looking out for her true love, even if she'd never admit that out loud.
John sat at the station, his hands and head had been given the okay by a doctor, and now he just waited. Somehow, with his near death experience, he didn't feel like sleeping or eating, and he definitely didn't feel like returning to the hotel room he had been staying at. No, just like after every brush with death, all he wanted was to hold Natalie close to him and be reminded that was a reason that he hadn't died yet.
He took out the St. Jude medal that he always carried with him, at least, since he lost the St. Dwynwen one when the three of them moved to their new house. He supposed it was a kind of fate, that soon after he found it, he became a lost cause again. He had almost smiled when Lucy gave Rafe a medal of St. Michael to protect him.
"It's St. Jude"
"How'd you know about St. Jude?"
"Cris"
"Well, I guess he was" John said, and saw her confusion, "It s a joke"
"They say he's supposed to look out for cops"
"Actually, St. Michael is the patron saint of policemen. St. Jude is for lost causes"
"Really?"
"He's supposed to make the impossible possible"
"Big job"
So St. Michael looked after Rafe and Danny and St. Jude looked out for him. Backwards, maybe, but he wouldn't have wanted it the other way around. After all, St. Jude had looked out for him for many years, and all thing considered, he was still okay. Still lost, but at least he knew where, or rather who, was home.
St. Jude, God, if either of you are listening, thanks, again. I should be dead a few time over, but I guess there's a reason you keep me around. And, please keep Natalie and Liam safe. Even I can't see them, keep an eye out for them. And maybe someday, I'll get to see them again.
For what was possibly the millionth time, John took out his phone and called Natalie. Normally, he didn't leave her a message, he had run out of thing to say. But if for no other reason than to hear her voice on her voicemail, he had to call her. As he could have expected, she didn't pick up.
"Hey, Natalie, it's me" he said, "sorry for calling again. I know its complicated, and I know you hate me, and that's fine. its just- something just happened to me, and I had to hear your voice. I didn't expect you to pick up, I knew you wouldn't. Maybe you don't believe me, I wouldn't either in your shoes. But I just wanted to tell you I love you. And tell Liam I love him too" John hung up, still feeling defeated.
Natalie heard her phone go off, but was too into the lab work to care about it. John had taught her that; that if she needed to disconnect from reality for a while, all she had to do was completely throw herself in her work.
The DNA from the body came up as inconclusive, which when she thought about it, didn't surprise her. Nothing about this case made any sense. She filed the reports and the evidence, and went up to tell Anna everything.
Unable to find Anna in her office, she entered the squad room, crossing it to where Anna sat reading over statements. She felt his presence, but instinctively knew he wasn't looking at her, that he hadn't yet noticed she was in the room. She ignored it,and went straight to Anna.
John felt the energy in the room change instantly. The teenage butterflies in his stomach usually only meant one thing, but he knew that was impossible. First, he checked his phone to see, if by some miracle, she was calling him back. When he found that she wasn't, he finally looked up.
There she was. Talking cop with Anna.
"A friend lent me an FT"
His heart swelled. In an instant, he was across the room. It took every ounce of strength in his being not to touch her and make sure she was real, but he knew if he did, she'd probably just hit him. So he did the next best thing. He said her name.
"Natalie"
His presence this close to her gave her goose bumps as it was, but when he said her name, the hair on the back of her neck stood up straight, her heart lurched, and shivers went down her spine. That was not how he used to say her name in the station at home, no, that was how he said her name when they were alone and quiet, as she rested her head on his chest and he soothingly caressed her hair. She was confused about why he was saying it like that now.
"Hello John" she said.
"Would you look at that?" Anna said, "I'm needed downstairs" she said, leaving the squad room, and on her way, motioning that all the officers do the same. She stayed conveniently outside the door where she could listen and watch, though.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Proving your innocence. Anna called Bo and asked for a favor. She didn't want to put you away"
"Natalie, I didn't know, I wouldn't have-" he started, "But you came"
"I didn't know where the consult was until I was on the plane"
"Where's Liam?"
"He's with Bo for the weekend"
"Bo?"
"yeah, well, Jess is still in London, and I would've asked my mom, but my dad's still there, you know, since they're married, and he and I are not on speaking terms now. Besides, Bo loves Liam"
"I miss him. I miss you, too. How have you been? Why haven't you returned any of my calls?"
"There's a lot you don't know"
"I know about the guy, Natalie. But after everything we've been through, don't you think I at least merit a phone conversation to tell me it was over?"
"I could say the same thing. I came home from London expecting to see you, instead I see a picture of you making out with a mob princess. And that's not all either, let's see what else have I missed? You save this whole town from a water crisis, detonate a bomb, almost die in the process, get stabbed in the heart, get arrested, break out, kill a vampire, all while conveniently saving your latest damsel in distress"
"Natalie, that's not fair, I couldn't come home. I would rather have been with you than doing any of those things"
"No you could have if you wanted to"
"There's a restraining order out against me. You wrote me saying you had moved on"
"All of that happened while I was in a coma"
"You were in a coma?"
"yes, well. You would've known that if you had returned any of Bo's calls"
"I thought he was-"
"He knew I would've wanted you there, he was the only one. My dad, he did all of that, including forging my signature, without my knowing it. Without anyone knowing it, except you and the people on his payroll"
"Are you okay"
"I suffered some bumps to the head during the accident"
"Accident? Are you okay? Was Liam with you?"
"No, I had actually just gotten Todd's little note for me, dropped Liam off with my parents, and was on my way here to kick your ass"
"I would have expected that"
"Well, this is where the story gets confusing. My dad claims that I was driving emotionally, and lost control of the car, so he was completely justified in making my legal decisions for me. Evidence proves that because of the drastic weather changes and the lack of driving my car had done the brakes weren't working right and steering fluid was too low for me to avoid the car swerving towards me"
"But you're okay now?"
"I mean other than waking up on October 1 and thinking it was this great coincidence only to find out you didn't come to see me"
"October 1, that's when I got your letter. I was heartbroken, but you didn't- there's no other guy"
"No, and when I found out what happened while I was out, I silently withdrew the restraining order"
"Alexis-"
"is clearly not that up on her paperwork"
Suddenly, the Davis girls were in the squad room.
"John" Sam shouted, gleefully, until she realized what was going on, "What-"
"She's in a wedding dress?" Natalie exclaimed, "You bastard" she turned to leave.
"John?" Sam cried out again.
Ignoring Sam's whining, John grabbed Natalie's arm, bringing her flush against him, and kissed her. The kiss was immediately passionate, he couldn't stop himself from kissing her as deeply as he could.
God, he felt so good. She hadn't felt this alive since she woke up from the coma, but that's just what he did to her. She knew that her heart was only going to break again when he left the kiss to pursue the woman he was apparently marrying, but now, she didn't care.
Sam, whether because of the blood loss or because she had never seen so much passion in her life, fainted at the sight of their kiss.
John and Natalie separated because of the commotion going on around them in response to Sam fainting.
"Your latest damsel in distress is in trouble. Aren't you going to go save her?"
"Yeah, there have been a lot of those. But the only woman I ever came home to was you"
"Until you didn't"
"She doesn't mean anything to me"
"Why is she in a wedding dress?"
"The guy that looked like me- he thought she was his wife"
"So you escaped jail and risked your life for her?"
"I'm a cop. that's my job. If think I wouldn't do that for you, maybe you could use a reminder of everything we've been through"
"Then what are you doing?"
"Natalie, I would do just about anything to make sure I never had to say goodbye to you again"
She looked down, tears threatening to fall.
"Hey" he said, "it's okay" he said, putting a thumb under her chin, making her look at him, "You look pretty" he smiled.
She smiled, and her tears fell, "God I've missed you. I miss my best friend"
"Natalie, if I had known any of this, believe me, I would've been there. I missed you so much"
She fell into his chest, crying a little, but mostly just relishing the familiar, welcoming, and perfect smell of Old Spice, his LPD office, and coffee. As he wrapped his arms around her, and cradled her head in one hand, caressing her hair, she finally felt at home.
John finally felt as though his life had a purpose again. He felt as though for the first time in months, he could actually breathe, because she was in his arms. He finally felt as though he were grounded, like he was sane, because he could run his fingers though her hair. He turned his head into her hair, smelling the wonderful combination of vanilla, strawberry, and lavender that was uniquely Natalie, and he felt at home. He kissed the top of her head.
"I love you" he whispered.
"I love you, too" she whispered back, but she wasn't about to move from her favorite spot in the world for anything now.
Unfortunately, Sam came through just then, "What? What happened?"
"Sweetie, you fainted" Alexis told her.
"Why?"
"You lost a lot of blood"
"Caleb-"
"He's dead" Molly said, "John killed him"
"John, is he okay? He was hit really hard, and Caleb knocked him out" Sam said, still in her usual state of confusion.
"Sam, I'm better now. Better than I have been in a while" he said, finally letting Natalie go, though he kept one arm around her waist.
"Who's that? She wasn't there"
"No, thank God" he said, "Sam, this is Natalie. The love of my life"
"You're Natalie?"
"That's right. And I know all about you" she said.
"But, John, you were so emotional, scared, when you found me. I thought-"
"You thought wrong. No one deserves to be in the place you were in, that was all you saw" he said, "You and I, it was never more than a kiss, Sam. And that kiss ruined everything for me"
"It was more than a kiss"
"You're right, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a mistake. But that's all that it was"
"But-" Sam was still really confused.
"As John's attorney, I would like to point out that you were the one to break the terms of the outlines of the restraining order. This encounter cannot be held against him when the court date rolls around"
"There won't be a court date" Natalie spewed at her, "If you half a good a lawyer as you're made out to be, you would know that the restraining order was withdrawn months ago"
"Care to comment on that, Alexis?"
"Admittedly, I haven't been on top of everything. I've had a large case load, a lot of things have happened" she covered herself.
"Uh huh" Natalie said, "I suppose that's what happens when you're in the mob's pocket"
"Don't be expecting my check any time soon" John told her.
"John, but you and me, we- and Danny-" Sam was still trying.
"Oh, bitch no" Natalie said, "First off, need I remind you that while you were putting the moves onto my very taken man, your husband was still in the picture. That's all on you" she said, "And you know, as a mother how do you condone yourself running around after taken men all the time? Personally, I find it hard to balance being a mom and working, oh wait, you don't do that either" Natalie was about to continue, but John cut her off.
"Sam, there was never anything but hurt between you and me. A couple of heartbroken and drunk kisses, but that's all"
"But, the connection"
"Weird, yeah. But nothing compared to when I see Natalie"
Anna finally took it as time to intervene where Sam was concerned, she came out of her hiding spot, "Sam, I thought I told you to get to the hospital"
"Anna, you know. Me and John-"
"See, you've lost so much blood you're delusional. Alexis, why don't you get your daughter out of here. That's an order from the Police Commissioner"
"Yes, Anna"
As mother and daughter left with their tails between their legs, Anna went up to the happy couple.
"So everything's worked out?"
"Why ask when you already know?" John asked.
"Bo will happy to know our plan worked" she said.
"I should have known you two would try something sooner or later" John said.
"Hey, be nice. They did us a favor" Natalie told John, "and Anna, thank you for specifically asking for me. Turns out Bo was right, I did need a change"
"Well, we needed you, too. No one else could have done what you did" Anna said, "You should be very proud of her, John"
"There's not a moment I'm not" he said.
"Did you get checked out?" Natalie asked.
"yeah, just a bump to the head. No big deal" he said.
"So now what?" Natalie asked.
"Anna, I hate to do this. But I quit"
"Oh really?" she asked, bemused.
"Yeah. Got a better offer" John told her, kissing Natalie's head.
"I'm very happy for you, John. Don't be a stranger" Anna told him.
"Speaking of a better offer-"
"I know the position at the LPD is gone, Natalie. There's still Rodi's. We'll make it work"
"Actually, Bo's going to announce his retirement soon. there's only ever been one option for a replacement"
"How are you going home?"
"I'm here on the LPD dime" she reminded him, "I have a plane ticket"
"I wonder if there are seats left on the flight?"
"You don't have to worry about that. Bo, by some accident, gave me two tickets to come home"
"did he now?" he joked, "I'll have to thank him later"
"Mmm" she said, "so we pack up our stuff, get some sleep, and in the morning we go home"
"To our son" he said, "how's he been?"
"He's so big" she said, "He'll be so happy to see you"
"You think-"
"He asks me about you every night. He remembers"
"Looks like St. Jude came through for me again"
"St. Jude?"
"I found it when we moved to the new house. Talk about coming full circle, huh? It's helped me out a lot, being away from you"
"I found the St. Dwynwen medal in the move. That's helped me, knowing someone was looking after you"
"Just proof, I guess" he said, quietly.
"Of what?"
"We belong together"
"I've waited to hear you say that again"
"I love you, Natalie"
"I love you, too, John"
"I was just thinking-" he shook his head.
"What?"
"That every time I brush with death, there you are. The only reason I'm alive"
"That coma, that was the first time I'd ever opened my eyes from the dark to have you not be there"
"First and only" he said, "That's a promise"
"You're the reason I'm alive, too. That's how I woke up. I thought about the day we met, and when I woke up it was the anniversary. Even when you're not there, pulling me out of the dark"
"If I had known-"
"It's over now" she said, "Care to go celebrate our anniversary?" she smiled.
"Well, better late than never" he agreed.
