A/N: I was worried that this fic wouldn't happen--the muse has been so finicky lately that she'll let me write for a bit and then stop for a week or more. But it's here for you all to enjoy. Merry Christmas to all my Jolie's! May we have our couple under the tree next year. Until next time--you all are the best--PCGirl.
John looked at his watch—he hadn't had a customer for over an hour and thought about closing up for the night. It was Christmas Eve and he figured everyone was with their families. He'd planned on being with his own—going out to Seattle to be with Michael, Marcie, and Gabe—but that was before Natalie had stabbed Mitch.
He couldn't leave now—not with the possibility of her going to jail for all this, or Mitch getting the charges dropped and going after her. He knew she'd be safe for the couple days—that Brody was in the house and would protect her, but he couldn't chance it.
He'd lied by omission to Mike as to the reason for not being able to make it out there. Said there was a big case he was dealing with—didn't feel like he could leave it. He could hear his brother now if he knew Natalie was the reason he was staying here.
What are you doing John? You are throwing away what you have with Marty for what—to help pick up the pieces of Natalie again? She has family for that John. I thought you were over her.
He wondered if he ever was. The night she stayed at his place—watching her sleep in what was once their bed. Her crying in her dreams—it nearly broke his heart. Is that what had happened when he'd died? Had she totally fallen apart and there was no one to pick up the pieces?
Sighing he decided to call it a night and began cleaning up until he heard someone come in and knock on the doorway.
"Sorry, we're closing up," he said as he turned and saw Natalie standing there. "Hey—yeah, no. We're open. You ok?" he asked as she thought for a moment and nodded softly.
"Yeah—just wanted a change of scenery. Too much family Christmas cheer for one night. I'm sorry—if you were planning on doing something with Marty tonight—," she said as she stopped short of sitting down at the bar.
"No—we're not doing anything—that I know of, " he said as he scratched his head. He'd been so preoccupied with Natalie he didn't think he would remember if Marty had asked him to be somewhere.
He pulled out two beers, one for him and one for Natalie and they sat there quietly in each others presence. It had been times like this that he'd enjoyed his relationship the best—when they said nothing, just let the silence pass between them with ease. He could tell she was thinking of saying something, but was scared to. "What's going on?"
Natalie stared at the bottle before speaking, "John—if it comes down to you going to jail or me for all of this—I want it to be me."
"Natalie—."
"No, listen. I—I can't lose you, ok?"
"You haven't yet, have you?" he said as he took her chin and made her eyes meet his. "No one is losing anyone and neither of us are going to jail—I promise."
She just nodded, "So what's next?"
John shook his head in uncertainty and saw the pool table behind Natalie. He wasn't sure why he the memory came over him just then—probably just what today was. It wasn't unusual for the sight of the pool table to bring back a memory—it was usually this time of night, after he'd closed down Rodi's and was standing there figuring out the books, a glimpse of the green felt would remind him of some moment the table carried of their relationship, "You remember the first Christmas—the one where you were on this side of the bar?"
"Yeah—why?" she asked, a smile appearing on her face. It had been a turning point—one where she stopped mourning Cristian and started living with his memory inside of her. Now she wondered how she could to that when it came to Jared.
"Go rack up the balls—I'll be right back," he said as he slipped back into the kitchen to get something.
Natalie looked confused as she did as he said and set the table up for a game. When he came out a few minutes later carrying a plate of fruitcake she started laughing, "Please tell me that's not from then."
John laughed, "No. One of the vendors dropped it off with their delivery."
As he took his pool stick from her and the two began to play they slipped back into something simple, something that felt so good and easy that neither one needed to speak to keep the game going. It was into the forth game and Natalie was trying to figure out her next shot when she heard the sound—the faint ringing of bells outside.
Looking at her watch she realized it was midnight, "Do you hear them?" she asked as she placed her stick down and walked outside.
"Isn't it beautiful?" asked Natalie as John walked out behind her and into the snow that was falling lightly.
"Yeah, it is," he said as his eyes stayed on the back of her head, watching the white flakes turn into water droplets when they landed in her hair.
"Merry Christmas, John," she said as she realized how right this felt—sharing a moment of Christmas with him.
"Merry Christmas, Natalie," he said, not knowing they were both thinking the same thing.