When there was a knock on the front door Michael was surprised—he hadn't been sure if Natalie was coming back here or going to her apartment for the rest of the day. Either way he knew she had a key so it wasn't her. Opening the door he was shocked at seeing his brother, "John."
"Hey Mike—Mom didn't tell you I was coming?" he said, noticing the look of surprise on his face.
"No, it must have slipped her mind—come in."
"Listen, I want to start off and apologize for not being here for the funeral. It wasn't right."
Michael wanted to yell at him, punch him, not just for that, but for what he put Natalie through as well, but lied instead, "Yeah—I get it. Sometimes work gets in the way of the stuff that really matters. So how long are you staying?"
"Not sure. Can I drop my bag in the spare room?"
"Sure—upstairs, second door on the right," he said, wondering exactly how he was going to tell Natalie. Going for his phone he practically jumped when he heard Natalie's car pull up. Looking upstairs he ran down the steps and was in the apartment before Natalie had made it in with Liam.
"Hey," he said quietly and stopped Liam before he had a chance to run up the steps to be with his cousins. "Buddy—can you go to your room for a minute? Your mom and I need to talk."
Natalie watched as her son obeyed and then stared back at Michael, "What's going on?"
"I—," but he was stopped as a voice called out from him on the top of the steps.
"Mike—where'd you go?" called John as he made his way down the steps and walked into the doorway to see his brother and Natalie standing there with a shocked looks on their faces.
Natalie let out a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a groan, "Nice of you to show up for your brother's well being finally."
John took her in, it'd been four years since he'd seen her last, and she was as gorgeous as ever, "I'm sorry-I didn't know you were visiting."
"I'm not. I live here. Well not here-but Seattle," she stopped as she heard Liam come out of the room at hearing the voices. "Liam, honey, why don't you go show Gabe and Ginny what you got at the zoo earlier," she asked and watched as he went past John and up the stairs. Turning to Michael she attempted a smile, "I was thinking we could grill out tonight. How about I go to the store to get the stuff for burgers? You two can catch up," she said as she grabbed Michael's arm for moral support and walked out the door.
John turned and looked at the door and the steps-not sure which way to go before sitting down on the couch, "Wow. You two? Really Mike?"
"What? Seriously, John-you think we're sleeping together? I-I just lost Marcie, and I see Natalie more like a sister than anything else. You think we think that little of our relationship with you two do go down that road? Ever."
"I'm sorry-I just."
"Why are you here?" he asked as he sat down beside him, his voice filled with anger at his brother at the moment. "Why didn't you show up a month ago when I called you and told you Marcie was gone? Because I could have really used you those first few days. Natalie and mom were here-Natalie's been here six months, but they were focused on the kids. It was what Marcie asked of them-to help Gabe and Ginny have as easy of a transition as possible. But where were you?"
"I chickened out. I wasn't sure who all from Llanview was going to be here for the funeral and I wasn't ready to face it. So I figured maybe if I just laid low for a month-then I could show up later and be there for you then. The pain doesn't go away that quickly, but the people do-I know that from experience, Mike."
"No, it doesn't. And yes-some people from Llanview came. Rex and Gigi. Roxy. Jessica. But they all went home-Natalie lives here. She took a job in the Seattle field office a month before Marcie's diagnosis. If you think you can avoid her you are wrong. Plus there's a boy upstairs that I'm pretty sure is wanting to see his dad."
John looked towards the doorway before hanging his head, "I wasn't sure he knew who I was-the way he walked past me without saying a word."
"He was reading off of Natalie's body language. That if she wanted him to acknowledge you she would have done it. But she didn't so he didn't ask questions-just followed her lead. He's good at that. Like someone else I know," he said as he cracked a smile and shoved his weight against his brother. "Come on-let's go see if I'm right."
As they made it up the stairs John saw his son sitting on the couch alone, holding the ACPD patrolman's hat in his hands that Thomas McBain had meant to give John all those Christmas' ago. Sitting down he studied it for a few moments before speaking, "Your grandfather bought that for me years ago-did you know that?"
Liam nodded, "Yeah. It's Gabe's now-but I like playing with it too. When I put it on Grandma Eve says she sees you from when you were a kid. Are you staying here?"
John looked around to see if Michael was there for guidance, but he had left the two of them alone for a long overdue heart to heart, "Liam, I came to Seattle to help your Uncle and cousins out. I'll be here for them as long as they need me-and I'll be here for you as long as you'll let me. I'm sorry I haven't been around."
Liam looked up at John and John saw his eyes were filled with tears, "Did you miss me?"
At the question John's eyes began to mirror Liam's, pulling him in a side hug he kissed the top of his brown hair, "Every single day, son. Every single day."
Natalie stood at the kitchen window watching John and Michael play football with Liam and Gabe. It was nice-seemed normal almost. You would never have guessed one of those father-son pairs hadn't been around each other for four years.
Seeing Eve she handed her a plate to dry as she kept washing the dishes. They were quiet for a moment before Eve spoke up, "I owe you an apology."
Natalie turned to look at the woman she'd been so close to having for a mother-in-law, "For what?"
"I knew John was coming a few days ago and I didn't tell you. Or Michael. But especially you. My son got onto me earlier for it-that it wasn't right for it to be suddenly sprung on you like that. I guess I was just scared."
Natalie gave a soft laugh, the woman was as strong as she was, if not more. Without ever meeting Thomas McBain she knew it was John and Michael's mother that they got their strength from, and just like them the only thing she was afraid of was the loss of a loved one, "Of what exactly?"
"That you'd run and hide from us while he was in town. Or decide maybe this area wasn't for you and Liam afterall. I don't want to lose the relationship I've started with my grandson, and I know Michael really values your support and friendship."
She looked back out at the window and saw John was looking this way, "When John came in I wasn't here, but I arrived just after. Michael came downstairs to warn me, and John-well, he thought for some reason me and his brother were having an affair of sorts. Please tell me you don't think that's why I'm here, Eve."
"Never. And I'm shocked my son would even think that. I'll have to have a talk with him later. Now why don't you, me, and Ginny go find something us ladies can do? Leave the boys to play their game."
John sat at the kitchen table in quiet. Natalie had taken her and Liam back to her apartment. And his mom had just left, but not before chastising him for what he thought was going on between Michael and Natalie. He should have known better-and he did. It was more the shock value of her being here. Seeing his brother come in the room he nodded before he got a beer and sat down across from him, "You had to tell Mom what I thought was up before? Really Mike?"
Michael shook his head, "Wasn't me, bro. Natalie though-I wouldn't put it past her. There are times I see the scared AC girl I hear about from when she first became a Buchanan-the one that feels like an outsider and imposter. Even when Mom and I tell her she's family she doesn't 100% believe it because her last name isn't McBain.
"Marce-she planned her own funeral. The songs, the flowers. All of it. She made sure that Nat and Liam were to walk with us and the Walsh's for the family procession. Natalie and Marcie always had a rocky relationship because of Jenn. But in the end it didn't matter-she's been there for mine and Marcie's kids these past five months when neither of us could do much at all."
John smiled, remembering how she always loved and protected those around her, "That's her. I-I've missed that. Missed a lot."
"Yeah. You have," he said quietly to himself. "You still with the FBI?"
"Nope," he said as he rotated the bottle in his hands some. "I put in my notice last week. Knew I needed to be closer to my family."
"Which one?"
He laughed at the question. He'd meant Michael and the kids, but now seeing Natalie and Liam tonight he wasn't sure which, "She didn't really say much to me tonight."
"Give her time. One thing I've learned is you never put Natalie in a corner. Unless you want a black eye."