AN: Just a couple of comments/spoilers in response to some of the reviews on the story (thanks for them by the way it's given me some ideas on how to change a couple of directions and/or draw things out a little more to make certain people- Clint/Jess/John have to fight harder to get pass Nat's shell and new protector's)
I know it's taking a long time for me to update and I'm sorry, but I'm in the middle of a Master's class with 2-5 mini papers due a week depending how many readings we're doing a week (usually over a hundred pages) and a major power point presentation of 20-30 slides plus commentary every 3 weeks and an additional 30 page paper at the end of the course which happens to coincide with state testing for my students, whom I'm trying to get ready for the test.
I do have chapters for Explosive Legacies (OLTL, Y&R, WTR, Dallas, AMC, GH, and possibly others); Winner Takes All (OLTL), and The Last Name Verse (NCIS/OLTL /AMC eventually Y&R- Nat and Gibbs with Abby having a connection to the Buchs).
*I know that Michael/Natalie isn't a typical pairing and I did that purposely. There is a reason for it that will be revealed later on in the story.
Nina and Chloe will be at least civil, if not more so, as you'll see, Natalie is a connecting force in this story.
*Heather won't be a B/hoe in this story because she's the HV version and will be Kevin's love interest—Joey's will be someone from another show and will throw Aubrey for a loop or two along with Chloe.
*Clint will step up in a new way- the reason why will be partially shown in this chapter, and I'm also going with the original change in direction for his character. Rex is NOT his son.
*John won't be a hero nor a villain—but he will have to work to get THIS Natalie back (she does still love him) and it won't be the Buchs that he has to go through and get on his side now that she has Jack, Billy, Kevin, Paul, Neil, Tucker, Jill, Phyllis, Chloe, and Sofia in her life not to mention RJ, Antonio, and Vincent who have already seen the damage he's done to her for him to go through.)
*The Crammer women will go down hard with a couple of exceptions that will test loyalties- Kelly will definitely be one who goes down hard, along with Dorian.
*Victor and Vicki get what's coming to them.
*Both Vickies have to deal with Nat and Jill as a combo; they both will try to get Katherine to help, but can she?
*Nora gets put in her place alongside Christine via The Sun and Restless Style and two attorneys.
*Marty won't have many people, if anyone, to count on if Nat and Co. can help it. Cole will be involved in a surprising way, but not around for more than a chapter or two- Marty might end up in a padded room next to Patty, Ash, and a surprising someone else….
*In this story, Jess is going to be more sympathetic (sorry) but that's because she's being written more like ET's. For hypocritical Messica getting her just desserts along with Nora, Marty, Brody, and most of the Buchs I recommend Explosive Legacies; for seeing John getting his payback, plus being seen as a playa with women playing mind games on him try my Last Name Verse.

Now on with the story….

Chapter 4
Grow Up and Deal

Ashley stormed into Neil's living room: "and a Happy New Year's to you too…" he half laughed as he balanced his sleeping son on his shoulder.

"G-d, I hate those women!" she complained as he shut the door while trying to comfort the now crying baby.

"What happened now?"

"The meeting of the Hen and Peck Let's Complain and Compare Notes on Loosing Children Like It Will Bring Them Back Club! And they had that man stealing whore with them."

Neil smirked at her last words, even though he knew she hadn't intended them to be funny, as they sat down on his couch: "care to narrow that list down? There are a lot of those running around this town."

Ashley glared at him: "Jill," she spit out the name with venom.

Shifting his wiggling son around, Neil couldn't help but roll his eyes: "honey, are you really in any place to throw stones?"

"What? How dare you!"

"Ashley, you slept with Tucker before we were officially over," Neil pointed out.

"You're really going to throw that in my face?"

"Ash, it wasn't the first time you cheated with someone."

"You sound like Billy," she pouted.

"Now there's a sounding endorsement," he sighed. "Look, that group seems to help its members.
They support each other.
Care about each other.
Lily's gone a few times. They've gotten her through when none of us could."

"You know so much, Neil, why the hell is Natalie Baldwin a member?" Ashley huffed. "That girl was hard as nail, one step up from a street walker and…"

"Girlfriend, you should watch who you talk about," Sofia said as she breezed in with her daughter in her arms.

"Puh-lease. What you know something?"

"Know something? Blondie, I know lots of things. You ever use your head to get more than men or knocked up and maybe you would too," she shot out caustically.

"Sofia…" Neil chided, trying to keep the peace.

"Oh, hell to the no! I've been good the last few months, Neil. I looked the other way when you missed doctor's appointments for Vikki's crisis and divorce from Billy. Thank G-d Olivia would hold off on the sonograms as long as possible so you could be there for them! But she was just a friend.
Ok, so a friend with undercurrents, but she knew where the line was and I never had to clue her in or draw it for her. But ever since Tucker went back to Jill because he was tired of this one over here and her endless supply of drama and the world revolves around me, you missed Lamaze classes- hell Lily, Devon and even Malcolm were at more of them then you were! I was shocked you actually made it to the babies' births! But then again, that was waiting in the waiting room needing your shoulder to cry on so you couldn't focus on your family!"

Neil carefully rose to his feet, balancing his son and ignoring the huffs and puffs and mutters from an outraged Ashley: "why didn't you say something?"

"Why would I?" Sofia wondered. "I'm strong enough in myself not to worry about Ashley- well most of the time," she replied. "Hell, she wants all of us to cry about her and her great loses and how they put her in a mental ward and how she'd be the better mother to Faith just because Sharon married Adam after she was too stupid to realize what he was doing to her, even though she would've kidnapped that sweet little girl if she wasn't stopped by Tucker.
But, oh, yeah- that we're supposed to forget because ONLY Adam is the twisted kidnapper in that caper!
Damnit, Neil, she aborted her child," Sofia continued, now on a roll she was nowhere near getting off of as she turned her gaze to Ashley who she looked up and down with an expression that clearly let the white woman know she came up lacking: "well, not everyone has that option."

"You mean…" Ashley started to ask.

"I mean you need to get your scrawny behind out of my house," Sofia responded evenly. "My family and I have plans today. Ones that don't include you."

"Neil…" Ashley pleaded.

Taking in the look his wife shot him, he sighed: "Ash, we did have plans…"

"I need…"

"I learned from previous mistakes to put what's right for my family first. We can do lunch later this week."

"First my family. Now my friends!" she huffed as she gathered up her stuff and stormed to the door opening it as then paused, looking back, sure that with a glance Neil would change his mind.

"Don't let the door hit ya," Sofia said as she turned her back on the woman and sat down, earning a curse and the slamming of the door: "Now that was unladylike, wasn't it?" she said as she cuddled her daughter close to her chest.

"Sofia…" Neil sighed.

"You're too good hearted for your own good," his wife sighed as she leaned her head on the back of the couch and looked over at him.
"Now was I a little harsh?
Maybe.
But Ashley shouldn't have said those things.
Not about any of them; and especially not about someone she knows nothing about!"

"So she really lost…"

"A little boy.
About a week old if I remember correctly.
Most people didn't make the connection.
She didn't have a high profile in her family's business. Worked more for her uncle at the local police station and then went into forensics just like she said.
I just knew because I handled a deal she worked on with her grandfather before he died and Tucker. I knew for sure when I saw a necklace she was wearing- her grandfather had given it to her for closing the deal.
She wanted me to pretend I didn't know who she used to be, so I went along with it," Sofia explained. "It's not like she was hurting anyone.
She didn't lie about her past, just omitted some parts.
I mean, you saw how hard she worked when she first got to town, right? The AC Club, Gloworm, Fenmores, then for Paul and Michael while still at Fenmores and Gloworm while still keeping a 3.8 in Law School, that's not exactly an easy feat.
Personally, I think she wanted to forget what had happened.
She didn't have to work all those jobs, not with the money her family has. But, then again they always said she never counted on their money only on what she earned herself.
She might have self-destructed a little bit when she first got here, but she never hurt anyone but herself if you think about it. She didn't hurt go around interfering in other people's lives or try to ruin a marriage."

"You know some people say…"

"You really don't think Lauren was pushing her and Michael together before the accident? That she didn't have some sort of plan in play? Wanted to make sure she had some control over who had access to Fen after she did what she was planning to do?" Sofia queried.

Neil nodded: "if it were me- that's what I would've done."

"Honey, just don't say anything, OK? I don't think she wants anyone other than those she chooses to to know. I mean, I think only Tucker and I know whose granddaughter she is and the only people who know about the baby are that group…."

"Got it. None of my business anyway," he said pulling his wife closer to his side.

Ashley glided into Fenmores with no other place to go. "We're closed," Kim Andrews said from behind the counter.

"Certainly looks like it," Ashley cracked as she slid out of her coat, expecting a salesgirl to run over and take it, instead it fell to the floor. Angrily, Ashley bent and picked it up.

"Mom, didn't expect to see you here," Abby said as she carried a pile of clothes to the counter and handed it to one of the salesgirls.

"Explain to me how- this- " she said with a sweeping motion of her hand, "isn't opened."

"Oh, this is a charity event for- what charities again, Kim?" Abby asked bubbly, trying to ignore her mother's mood.

Looking up from her paperwork the dark haired woman sighed and came around the counter to cross to the entrance of the store: "Dressed for Success, the Miranda Centers, and various children's hospital, including the pediatric wing at GCM, and other for children in poverty," she explained as if indulging a spoiled, ignorant, child.

"You're kidding me!" Ashley gasped.

"No. Old and discontinued stock, as well as some new, designer donated clothing is being offered either free or at a huge discounted rate.
The women, families, and parents have specific timeframes today to get items. This is our second year doing it- New Year/New Start," Kim finished, "now, if you'll excuse me I have a ton of clients to get back to, as well as paperwork to keep up with."

As soon as the other woman was out of hearing range, Ashley turned on her daughter: "really, Abby, using other people's misfortune to further your personal agenda? I thought you were above that!"

Abby rolled her eyes at her mother: "the only thing the 'Naked Heiress' has to do with this is the check I wrote out to help underwrite the costs of the event."

Scanning the room, Ashley huffed: "you'd think Jill would…"

"Mom, she spent six hours here this morning. So did Chloe. She just left with Lily for lunch at Uncle Jack's for lunch. I only just got here and dropped off the twins and Staci."

"And DD?"

Abby threw back her blonde hair with impatience: "was with Kevin and Kathleen," she told her mother impatiently. "Look, instead of standing here, questioning all of us, why don't you help? It might even make you feel better."

"Abby we need more help," Vicki called from the dressing room area.

"I wouldn't do anything to help Jill!"

"This isn't about Jill or publicity for Fenmore's. It's about the charities and the people they help," Abby said reasonably.

"Believe whatever you want, but Jill and her new BFF always have and angle," Ashley warned before storming out.

Exhaling, Abby put a smile back on her face turns. "OK, who's next? You?" she said smiling at a little girl in a blonde wig and a princess dress: "OK, then let's do some power shopping!"