A/N I do not own these characters. Oh wait I do own Shelly, Jerry, Mr. and Mrs. Falk, and any other character I might make up on a whim, and all the mob guys except Walter Balsom. I am getting no profit off the use of ABC characters so please refrain from suing me. I have no money anyway.
Chapter 7
The drive to Atlantic City was one of silence. Neither felt the need for idle conversation. John was deep in thought about Natalie and his reaction to her. He knew it was bad timing and that now wasn't the time for having thoughts about a woman but his brain just couldn't seem to grasp that fact. After knowing Natalie only a day he found that she seemed to occupy all his waking thoughts and had even invaded his dreams. His dreams...he couldn't remember ever having such erotic dreams about someone he just met. The fact that he felt such a strong bond with her scared him, made him wary. Because he knew if he let Natalie into his heart she would never leave and the thought should have terrified him...yet it didn't and that's what scared him the most.
Natalie looked at John again, for the hundredth time in their drive. He seemed so serious and for that she was glad. She wanted to get there and get her daughter back. Her hopes were high that she would be finding her child today. After all, this woman had been there when they had taken her child, her Alex. Then maybe after that, her and John could... "No! Don't think like that!" she told herself sternly. She was going to have her hands full with taking care of a baby and wouldn't have time for a relationship, even if the man did make her want to forget all her problems and jump into bed with him.
"How much further?" Natalie asked, impatient to get her daughter back.
"Soon," John said. "It won't be long now."
Natalie gasped in shock as his words stirred something in her head... a memory. She remembered someone saying those exact words to her when she had been trying to push her daughter into the world.
Flashback
"Push Natalie!" said the doctor. He was standing between her legs holding her baby's head as she made her way into the world.
Natalie screamed in pain and fear. It hurt so much! It felt like she was being ripped in two. She clenched her hands in the metal sides of the bed and bore down with all her might, screaming again as she felt the baby slide even further out of her body.
"It won't be long now! One more good push and you will be holding your beautiful baby girl in your hands." The doctor said encouragingly through his surgical mask.
Natalie panted a curse at the doctor. She knew he worked for them! Even through the pain of labor she never forgot that he was the enemy and would destroy her if she trusted him. When she felt another contraction hit her full force she pushed with all her might. "AHHHHHH!" She screamed out in pain as her baby slipped out of her body and into the doctors waiting hands. As the contraction ceased she panted for breath and reached for her baby. "Alexandra," She murmured, the name she had chosen for her daughter, Alex for short. When the doctor made no move to hand her the child Natalie began to scream, "Give me my baby, Give me my Alex!"
End flashback
"Alex," Natalie muttered to herself. "Give me my Alex."
"What?" John asked, hearing her mumble but not what she had said.
Natalie turned to look at him with wide eyes, "I remember! I remember Alex!"
John tensed, at first thinking she was talking about a man, then he remembered that she had named her baby Alexandra. Alex must be a nickname. "What do you remember?" he asked, excited that she was remembering things.
"Not much but what you said. When you said 'it wouldn't be long now' it triggered a memory!" Natalie told him. Remembering her memory she frowned and said, "But they wouldn't let me hold her... Why wouldn't they let me hold her?" she teared up a little and then pushed them back. She had cried enough. Now was the time to take back her daughter and reclaim her life!
John was confused, "What exactly did you remember?"
"I remember being in a small room. It was darkish. I couldn't see much and everyone wore surgical masks. My feet were propped up and I was in labor. I could feel her as she came out of my body. I could feel her, John!" She sat back in her chair thinking about the memory, trying to see things she might have missed the first time she remembered it. Suddenly something stood out in her memory and she jumped in her seat in excitement. "The doctor that delivered her only had 4 fingers on his left hand, John. He had no pinky finger!"
John smiled at her exuberance and turned into Josie Anderson's driveway. He turned to her and said, "That's good. There can't be too many doctors running around missing a pinky finger." He put the car in park and shut off the engine. "We're here. It's time to get some answers." He told her and reached for the door handle.
Natalie put a hand on his arm to stop him. "John," she said and he looked at her questioningly, "I just wanted to thank you for helping me. No one besides Rex has ever helped me before. At least and not expected anything in return. So thank you." She leaned over and kissed his cheek in gratitude.
John froze at the feel of her lips on his cheek then before he could think better of it he turned his head and captured her lips in his. He moved his mouth over hers in an almost searching manor, moaning when she opened her lips and allowed him entry. Heat flared through him as he thrust his tongue inside and learned the contours of her mouth. After a moment he pulled back, abruptly ending the kiss. Mumbling a hasty, "I'm sorry," he jerked open the door and hastily exited the car, wondering what the hell he had just done.
Natalie sat there stunned; she brought a hand to her lips and touched them in shock. That had been by far the best kiss she had ever gotten! Her body was aching for his and her mouth burned from the feel of his lips on hers. She knew her face was flushed with arousal and was embarrassed by that fact. It made her feel only slightly better to know that he had been just as affected by the kiss as she was. But he had said he was sorry...Sorry for kissing her or sorry about the timing? Looking out the car window she saw him just standing next to the car with his hands in his pockets.
She took a moment to regain herself then opened the door. Walking over to him and opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.
"Look I am really sorry I kissed you like that. I didn't mean to take advantage of you. I don't usually go around kissing women I just met but I...with you...I..." John struggled to express himself. He took a deep breath and then said, "Look, It won't happen again. I promise." He told her then looked away, up at the house they were parked in front of. "Lets go ring the bell and get some answers." He suggested.
Natalie nodded and started towards the front of the house, in front of him. She got a few steps a head then turned and stopped. "For the record, I'm not sorry about the kiss. It was wonderful. The timing sucks and you know this..." she gestured from him to herself then back to him again, "This connection we seem to have...it can't go anywhere. I have to concentrate on finding my daughter and you need to find your bad guys."
John was shocked at how disappointed her words made him. He nodded to her and then pushing it out of his mind he concentrated on the task at hand. After they found her daughter then they could talk about what was between them. They walked up to the door and the hairs at the back of his neck stood up. Something was wrong; something was off. He grabbed Natalie's hand as she brought it down to know on the door. "No, something isn't right."
He drew his gun and looked around. Reaching for the door handle he tried it; the door was unlocked. Opening the door a crack he brought his free hand back to his gun and got a more secure hold on it. Pushing the door all the way open with the tip of the gun he looked inside. The house was trashed; there had obviously been a struggle. The bad feeling he had intensified and he whispered to Natalie, "Get behind me."
Just as he said that a shot rang out and struck the door frame just left of his head. John pushed Natalie to the side of the house, into the hedges and then dived for cover himself. Rolling onto his stomach he returned fire and was rewarded with a scream of pain and a loud crashing as the assailant went down.
John waited a minute but heard nothing. He cautiously got to his feet. Looking at Natalie he said, "Stay here!" Then he entered the house slowly.
To be continued...
