Chapter Four

John sat behind his desk trying desperately to concentrate on work but to no avail, all he kept replaying was the conversation him and Marty had a month ago, a conversation that changed everything..

"Im not going to sit her and fight with you over every little thing" John yelled as he began grabbing his clothes in a fit as he moved around Marty's apartment..

"If you would just listen to me john, just once" she began to yell with tears and for the first time he didn't stop and console her, he continued to grab his things.

They had been fighting non stop since he fixed Natalie's sprinklers and now he was done, it was over, he couldn't take anymore, he had made up his mind..

"Listen to you? Listen? All you do is yell, im not your little bitch!" John spatted out angrily, taking Marty by surprise as she stood there, covering her mouth as she began to cry hysterically…

"You….cant….do….this…..john" she sobbed loudly as he grabbed his things …

"I cant do this anymore" he finally said as he got to the bedroom door, clothes in hand..

"Im pregnant, you bastard" she yelled as she covered her face and cried..

John stood frozen in time, he must of heard her wrong, a look of confusion covered his face as he couldn't move..

"what?" was all he could muster as she kept her face covered..

"I was trying to find….to find the time to tell you…and….and" she sobbed uncontrollably now and he felt his heart race…

John ran his hand through his hair as he sat at his desk, that was almost a month ago that she gave him the news and he was still as shocked now as he was then, pregnant, she was pregnant, he was going to be a dad?

"I don't understand how this happened" his words rolled out and she finally looked at him…

"oh great, this is just great" she cried some more and he finally moved towards her, this was unreal…

"Are you,…..are you sure" he could barely get the words out as she looked at him with tears..

"Positive" she cried and he slumped next to her on the bed in shock..

John rubbed his tired face, he wasn't getting any sleep these days, the reality of what was happening to him was insane.. He wasn't ready to be a dad, he could barely take care of himself at 36 years old, and now Marty, his world was crashing around him, for most men it would be welcoming news but for John it was a nightmare…

So he never left, he promised to stand by her, he had to right?, this was going to be his child, she was pregnant with his child and he couldn't even tell anyone, he couldn't talk to anyone about it, Marty promised him to keep things quiet for now so she could figure out how they could tell everyone, she seemed to be happy as can be now, his feelings were apparently irrelevant..

So he began to do the right thing, the grown up thing which also meant staying away from the one person he wanted to talk to so bad, Natalie..

Natalie glanced at the file before her but she couldn't even concentrate, John was acting weird, she felt uncomfortable and she had no idea what was going on. Apparently him and Marty were moving full steam ahead, not that she even talked to Marty these days, maybe a quick hello in the hall, if that and she should be happy, Marty and John were together, they had been together, then why did she feel so bad because of John's behavior..

Natalie stood at the coffee pot in the break room, watching as it brewed, the smell of Johns cologne caught her attention and she smiled as she turned to face him, wanting to let him know how well the sprinklers worked and how wonderful her garden was growing..

"Hey John, so I wanted to say thanks again for everything you did" she began but immediately she noticed a difference in him, first his appearance which said he wasn't sleeping, possibly drinking all night and then his stance, stiff like a board, he looked like he wanted to run, but why?

"Your welcome" his voice seemed cold, agitated as he grabbed a cup of coffee..

"so…..you doing ok, I mean you kind of look like shit" she tried to make things light but it only got her an even harsher look..

"Yeah thanks" he spun around and confusion hit her as she stood there..

"John?" she called out and he kept walking…

"Im busy Natalie" he snapped as he walked out…

Natalie sighed deep as she sat in the chair, it was no use, her fun times were over, she was alone again and that made her sad, life was unfair, her and John had so many fun times together, he was her friend and now she felt like she lost him…

Sadness quickly turned to anger as she sat there, why couldn't they be friends anymore, had she done something wrong? The thought drove her crazy and she had to find out why, so she quickly got up and headed out of her office..

John looked wide eyed at the pregnancy books and a small pair of blue booties sitting on his desk as Marty beamed..

"Ok so the booties may be much but I just have a feeling it's a boy" she smiled big and John stared at the items, how could she be so happy, he was in no shape ready to be a dad…

"are you…am i….." he picked up the book then looked at her…"you want me to read this" he said with confusion, how the hell did all of this happen, one minute they were breaking up, the next his desk was covered in baby things..

"No silly…I know you wont read it John" Marty rolled her eyes playfully…"I just thought maybe you would want to prepare yourself for next week"

"Huh" he felt like he couldn't even talk, where was the scotch when you needed it…

"You forgot, didn't you" Marty sighed loud.."The doctors appointment,…John you promised"

"Oh….yeah" he put the book down and rubbed his face….

Natalie stood outside John's office, her heart racing, they were friends, that was all, good friends, she could do this, she could, with one more deep breath she knocked on his door but it opened slightly and she pushed it open some more only to stop as she saw Marty spinning around as John sat at his desk…

"Nat! its been so long" Marty seemed oddly bouncy and happy as she practically ran over to Natalie, hugging her tight…

"Hey?" Natalie spoke, trying not to act shocked but she was and the look on Johns face spoke volumes as he looked away…

"God ive been wanting to get in touch with you but ive been so busy" Marty smiled as she pulled back from Natalie…

"Yeah me too" Natalie lied as she glanced at John and her eyes drifted down to the items on his desk, mainly the baby booties and apparently Marty noticed too as she spun around…"Ohhhhh, we can tell her John, right, lets tell her"

Natalie already knew that whatever they needed to tell her, she didn't want to hear, she wanted to run, why all the items on the desk, the books, the booties, her eyes grew wide..

John couldn't even speak as Marty smiled big…"Oh fine, I will tell her,…..Natalie…. John and I,….me and John, were…..were having a baby" she nearly squealed with excitement as Natalie felt her chest tighten..

"Oh…wow" Natalie finally managed to say, apparently everything made sense now, the way John was behaving, the tension, he was having a baby, John was having a baby with Marty, the thought made her sick and riddled with guilt all at the same time.

Two days had passed since the Surprise were pregnant talk, that day was unbelievably uncomfortable and awkward, the only thing Natalie could think about was running out of the room screaming.

Its not like she thought anything would happen between her and John, they were friends, he helped her cope during a horrific time, so they grew close and had spent a lot of time together, that's what friends do but he was going to be a dad..

Natalie sat back at the bar sucking back another beer…

"Hey there Red" a voice said from behind her as a hand touched her shoulder and she sighed deep…

"Hands off buddy" she gritted her teeth, now was not the time for some drunken idiot to hit on her, she was way too angry and had way too many beers in her…

"Bitch" the voice said and she lost it as she spun around, staring at the drunken stranger before her..

"Excuse me, im a bitch? IM A BITCH, why? Cause you're a strange drunken asshole who put his hands on me!" she yelled as she jumped off the bar stool…

"Nat its not worth it" one of the bartenders Bill said as he began to walk over.."buddy im gonna have to ask you to leave"

"leave? Why cause of this bitch" the guy began to yell as Natalie balled up her fist and took all of her angry she had built up and slammed him right in the face …

"You piece of shit, fuck you, asshole!" Natalie screamed as her body was lifted off the ground from behind as the drunken guy grabbed his bloodied nose…"let go of me, let me down!" Natalie yelled frantically as she kicked and wailed her arms…

"Natalie, calm down" a familiar voice called against her face and it was then that she noticed that the man holding her was none other then John McBain..

John had made his way into Rodi's just in time to see Natalie taking a leap, fists balled as she punch some guy right in the nose, and he didn't even have time to think as he grabbed her quick, pulling her from doing any more harm…

"Let go of me" she yelled again as John began to drag her across the bar as Bill threw the drunken man outside as he yelled obscenities.."John I mean it"

"Ok ok, just calm down ok…the guy is gone" John began and the adrenaline running through Natalies body as well as the alcohol had an instant effect on her cause John let go of her and she began to cry.."are you hurt" John began to panic, maybe she was hurt, maybe he came in before he saw the whole thing..

"Im fine….god" Natalie turned her back from John and she quickly wiped her eyes, she was not about to breakdown in front of him, not like this..

"did he hurt you" John began and Natalie let out a sarcastic laugh as she finished wiping her eyes and finally turned to face John, she wanted to scream that John had hurt her, not that idiot..

"No…..he was just an idiot, that's all" she began to make her way back to the bar, as much as she had been hoping for days to see John, to talk to him, now that he was there all she wanted to do was run away..