Disclaimer: All characters are property of ABC/Disney. I'm just using them for my own personal fun-no harm, no foul.

A/N: I began this story back in 2013. And I really never believed I was going to continue it, but I woke the muse back up and she wants to keep it going. Who am I to tell her no? The first 3 chapters are 99% done. And I know where the rest of the story is headed. There's someone out there who has read part of this chapter and the next. Hope you are glad to see it continue on. Until next time-ya'll are the best-PCGirl.


Dallas, Texas: Spring 2016

Natalie walked into the diner and smiled at the waitress that she had gotten to know. Two years of living here it felt almost like home. After the last incident with Allison Perkins going after her dad she'd been recruited by the FBI to be one of their forensic techs. She remembered the conversation her and Bo had about it,

"Bo-do you have a minute?" asked Natalie as she caught him going towards his office.

"Sure. Come in. Everything ok?"

"I'm not sure-I just got a call from the FBI. They would like me to come in and do an interview for a Forensic Tech position. Do you know anything about that?"

Bo smiled as he walked over and sat on the corner of his desk, "Yes. After the case they helped us on they reached out to me. They wanted to know if I thought you would be a good asset to their forensic program and I told them absolutely. No doubt in my mind."

"Really?" she said, shocked that he would think that.

"Sweetheart-you are amazing. I've known it forever-and now they see it too. Please think about it. I know it's a big step- that you'll be away from your friends and family while being a single mom. If anyone can juggle it it's you, Nat. And you'll always have a spot here at the LPD when you feel like you need to come home."

Natalie smiled and wiped away a stray tear, "Thanks Uncle Bo. It means a lot coming from you."

So she'd moved herself and Liam to outside of DC while she spent the next six months studying their courses and techniques at Quantico before going to her first assignment. Jessica had moved to Texas after the loss of Ford and made a name for herself at a local newspaper without using the Buchanan influence so Natalie requested to be transferred here, close enough to Jessica but still far enough where she could gain her own independence as a single mom.

The sisters would meet at the ranch once a month to let the kids see each other while the two of them would catch up and enjoy being under the same roof again.

But she was ready for a new start-she'd miss her sister, but felt like her and Liam needed something new, but still familiar. So today after finishing her lab work she'd looked over the Bureau's job openings around the country to see where she might go to next. There was one that popped out of her and it felt right.

Natalie shifted some in the diner seat as she pulled her phone out and made the call. They talked-occasionally, but it usually stayed pretty short. She wasn't really sure how he would feel about her request.

"Nat-hey. How's my favorite nephew doing? And his wonderful mom who still hasn't come out for a visit? The FBI keeping you too busy in Texas?" smiled Michael McBain, surprised that she was calling.

"We're great. And that's why I was calling-I was thinking of making a trip to see you soon."

"Yeah? That's great. How long are you thinking of staying?"

"Well, that's the thing-there's a Forensic Tech Supervisor position open in the FBI field office there-."

"Do it," he interrupted, knowing she was about to start babbling until she talked herself out of it.

Natalie laughed at his abrupt response, "Tell me why. Plus, I have to interview first and I'm pretty low on the totem pole right now."

"Because Liam's family is here-Me, Marcie, Gabe, Ginny, Mom. And you are part of our family too-even if my brother screwed up. Mom would love to get to know her other grandson. I'm sure once the Seattle field office sees how great you are they'd be crazy not to give you the job."

"And what happens when John comes for Thanksgiving dinner?"

"He won't," he said, his voice sounding hurt.

"He doesn't call you any?"

Michael shrugged, "He will on holidays and birthdays. Remember those walls you tore down? They are all back up-and made out of titanium this time. Nothing is getting through."

Natalie nodded, she had expected them to cross paths-but it hadn't happened. She'd attempted to reach out to him while still at Quantico-gave him a heads up, but never heard anything back. "I remember when you came to town-you had some pretty high walls too."

"Yeah, but finding Marcie changed that," he smiled. "When will you come for an interview?"

"I'm not sure. I'll let you know though. Give Gabe and Ginny a hug for me. Ok?"

"Will do. See ya, kid," he said as he hung up the phone and chuckled at himself at the thought of her and Liam being close by.


Six Months Later

Natalie put her CSU bag in the back of her car and pulled out her cell phone to check her messages.

Hey, I've got an emergency case and will have to stay late tonight. Give the kids a kiss for me and tell them I'm off tomorrow so to be ready for pancakes.

She smiled at the message—when she'd taken the job and moved out here she hadn't been expecting any of this. A month after getting here Marcie had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. Natalie and Eve had jumped in with no reservations and immediately started taking care of the kids, letting Michael spend as much time and energy as he could to help Marcie. But nothing worked-she'd been gone a month now.

Towards the end Marcie had told Natalie her fear-that Michael would be like his brother after loss and close up those McBain walls tight. Pushing everyone away-the kids included. She'd seen it start, was ready to stay true to her promise with Marcie and fight him on it, but then they came back down and he focused on all of them, Liam included. It warmed her heart to know even at his darkest moment Michael was able to be a male role model for his nephew.

When John hadn't shown up for his sister-in-law's funeral she was half surprised and half wasn't. It wasn't brought up between her, Michael, or Eve, but all three of them were ready to give him an earful if and when he did show up.

They just kept pushing along doing what needed to be done in order to keep everything as normal as possible. There had been a few bumps in the road, but they were making it work. It was nothing physical—they had agreed to that in the beginning, for Marcie's memory and the fact that she was connected to his brother before. It was just two friends helping each other out while trying to navigate suddenly being single parents.

Driving the rest of the way in silence she reached the house and pulled in, going through the lower door of the house first. She had her own apartment closer to work, but this in law suite was a second home for her and Liam, a place for them to stay when Michael had a late night, or they'd stayed late and didn't feel like going home.

After showering and changing into something comfortable she went upstairs to see the kids sitting in front of the television watching a cartoon, "Hey guys."

She smiled as all three jumped up and ran to hug her. "Were ya'll good for grandma?"

"Always," smiled Eve as she came from the kitchen.

"Michael sent me a text—he'll be home late. Do you want to stay for dinner? I mean, unless you have something to do tonight."

"No, I'd enjoy it. Thank you for asking, Natalie. Why don't you relax and spend time with the kids? I'll start dinner."

"You sure?" she said uneasily.

"We're family, Natalie. Even if my son was stupid enough to walk away you are helping my other son and his kids through a tough time. That makes you family," she smiled as she took her hand and held it tightly before walking into the kitchen.


Michael came into the house and was greeted with silence—walking upstairs he checked on the kids and kissed them both goodnight. Coming back down he steered himself to the fridge and got a beer—sitting down in the darkened living room. Looking at the fireplace mantle he smiled at Marcie's picture, "I miss you, babe. Wish you could get to watch our kids grow up."

"She will—just not from here," said Natalie quietly as she walked up the steps from her quasi-apartment. "Sorry—if you want to be alone."

"No, get yourself a beer and join me," he said as he patted the couch.

They sat there in the quiet for a few minutes before Natalie talked, "Years ago I never would have imagined this. John having decided to walk away from his family, and Marcie—."

"Not having a choice. You can say it, Natalie. I'm a doctor, remember? I looked at those scans over and over again—the cancer, it was just too far progressed when we caught it. I keep thinking if I'd done something different—a stronger treatment done sooner."

"It's not your fault, Michael. And what John did isn't my fault either," she said and paused before speaking again. "I think tomorrow—after we have your world famous pancakes I'm going to take Liam out for a bit. So you can spend time with your kids."

"You don't have to be a stranger just cause I'm home. You are family, Natalie."

"That's the second time I've heard that today," she laughed and took a sip as he looked at her. "Your mom. And I'm not being a stranger—I just, I feel like I need to spend some time to focus on just Liam. And your kids need you—Ginny brought up Marcie again tonight."

"Ok. It's good having you here-I wouldn't have made it these past few months without you."

"I guess we should thank John then," she laughed and sipped her beer some more.