Glad you are all enjoying this. There's a little more humor in here (anyone who knows me won't be surprised at all!) and I ask all of you to remember these last few chapters as the story moves along. Its going to get bumpy, it wouldn't be a Jolie fic if we didn't have some bumpy roads. The tide is changing and the current is rough. Now having said that please remember this is a Jolie fic! LOL And I do love Jolie! Just hang in there and go along for the ride! Heeheehee.

This chapter is for a friend, Sharon. I am trying to suck up here, lol. Seems I might have had a little fun last week and she is now plotting her revenge.

Also I hope to keep updating about 3 times a week but it might be a little difficult, I have a few things that are important that I have to concentrate on. But I will try. I need to keep well ahead in the writing so that when things get chaotic I don't fall behind and get rushed! I suck when I'm rushed! LOL

NOTE TO ALL Friends of Sharon: Do not piss her off, she knows things and knows just how to use those things against you! And she will too, have no doubt! LMAO

Chapter 10

Natalie spent the rest of the day looking for Allison but couldn't find a clue as to where she had disappeared to. As the day went on and it was getting closer to the time for the Go Red Ball, Natalie found herself at Rodi's to grab a quick bite to eat.

As she sat there, she tried to think of where Allison would go and who she would go to for help but she kept coming up empty. She didn't know of anyone in all of Llanview that would help hide Allison or who would even want to.

Sighing hard she popped another french fry into her mouth.

"Well well, I didn't expect to run into you tonight."

Swallowing hard she looked up into a pair of deep blue eyes that held more than a hint of humor. Was it only her imagination that he had emphasized the word tonight?

"John. Grabbing a bite to eat?" Trying to act casual and not like she had anything to hide was hard. Hell, it was almost impossible but she was going to give it her best shot.

"Yes, just like you I guess. You know it's kind of funny actually seeing you here. Ever since last night I've been thinking of you."

Unfortunately when John had dropped that little comment Natalie had been taking a sip of her beer, which in turn went down the wrong way.

Coughing and choking with tears welling up in her eyes, Natalie tried to control her breathing as she gasped for air. Moving quickly, John started to pound on her back trying to help.

"Damn! You ok, Natalie?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine. Just fine" she croaked out trying to catch her breath without looking more the fool than she already did. Grabbing her beer she again tried taking a sip while John stood there watching with a lopsided smirk on his face.

"Better now?" John was trying very hard not to laugh outright at Natalie's reaction to his oh so innocent comment. But seeing her try to act like nothing was up was definitely bringing back a lot of memories for him. How every time she had gotten herself into some kind of trouble and then how she would always try and hide it from him. She would never change. And thank Gawd for that! He thought to himself.

"So John what brings you in here other than the need for a greasy burger and fries? You aren't working tonight?" Natalie was going to do whatever she could to keep the conversation on safe subjects, but knowing John if he wanted to know something he wouldn't let that stop him.

"I could ask you the same thing. Aren't you going to that fancy shmancy party tonight? Get Red or something like that?"

Giving him back a smirk she rolled her eyes and corrected him, "You mean the Go Red Ball?"

Pulling out the other chair, John decided to make himself comfortable.

"I prefer to Get Red actually." This time he gave a wink along with a small chuckle.

Ignoring his comment as best as she could though she could feel a slight flush creep up her neck she answered him back. "Yes, I am going to the Ball tonight, Mom is hosting it after all so if I didn't show and support her I'd be a pretty pathetic daughter."

"So what, they not going to have any food at this shin dig? You need to get stuffed before going? Doesn't sound like it will be that fun a time if that's the case."

"There will be food but nothing you would find interesting I'm sure, all finger foods. And the reason I'm here is that I've been running around all day and didn't have time for lunch or dinner and thought I had better grab something before going tonight."

Taking a minute to watch her reaction he continued to tease her. He just couldn't resist!

"Well now I enjoy a good finger licking as much as the next guy but I like to have a bit more than just an appetizer to snack on."

For a moment Natalie couldn't think, she couldn't have strung three words together to save her life! She could feel her face getting hotter as the flush that had just tinged her cheeks became a full on wave of red, and cursed herself for letting him get to her. And more so for letting him know he had! Looking up and finally meeting his gaze again she tried to stiffen her spine in preparation of the look she knew would be in his eyes.

John met her gaze with a full blown smirk and another wink. This was just too damn easy. And now for the kicker.

"So just for curiosity's sake, when did you decide to become a nun?"

With those words Natalie lost the entire breath she had just taken. Oh my Gawd!! He did see me! He knew it was her last night! Oh shit, oh shit!! Trying to come up with something anything to say she bought time by taking another gulp of her beer, this time trying her best to not choke on it.

"John? A nun? I have no idea as to what you're talking about. I admit I had contemplated becoming one when we first broke up but if I remember correctly you also mentioned joining the monastery. So how is being a monk working out for you?" She kept an innocent smile on her face all the while trying to not fully meet his eyes. The eyes did tell the truth and right now she was damn sure if he saw hers he would sure as hell know she was lying out her ass!

"Funny you mention that. I had a conversation with Bo earlier today when I ran into him at the diner. Seems that an Allison Perkins manage to somehow escape from St. Anne's last night with the help of two women dressed as nuns. Now you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"Nope, not a thing. Why would I? And why would I help anyone get out of St. Anne's? Especially someone who should definitely be locked away? Sorry John, you'll just have to ask someone who would have a reason to do that." Trying to appear nonchalant about the conversation that was causing her heart to almost beat out of her chest, she delicately patted at her mouth with the napkin.

"Hmmmmmm. I was wondering myself why anyone would do something like that too. Sounds like this woman was in need of some big time psychological help too. The way Bo spoke your family has a history with this woman, that true?" Bo hadn't told him the entire story but John got the feeling it was pretty bad. And now watching her closely John knew that Natalie was definitely not telling him everything. She was holding back and as comical as it was to see her fidget, knowing that she keeping secrets from him bothered him more than he wanted to let on. To her or himself.

"There is a past but its just that. The past, and actually I've decided to stop looking back and only concentrate on moving forward John. Living in the past only ends up hurting and frankly I've had enough hurt to last a lifetime. Why would I want to intentionally go to a place in time that would do that?" Finally meeting his eyes so he could see that the words she spoke were the truth and straight from the heart. This time the words were not lies but instead held so much truth and he would know without any doubt exactly what part of her past she was talking about.

For a moment John couldn't speak. He knew a little of Natalie's past with Allison Perkins but that wasn't what she was talking about right now. No, this was about them, their past. And how she had been hurt by him. Suddenly his good mood from teasing her was gone and in its place was a mix of feelings in the pit of his stomach that he hated. Fear and guilt. Two emotions that he hated more than anything. Yet he knew that he deserved to feel them, and a hell of a lot more too.

Trying to find a way through this he began, "Natalie, I uh look I know that what I ..."

"Don't John. Like I said I am not living in the past any longer. What's the point? It doesn't change it, nothing will. So we move on. Deal with the present and live there." Natalie started to gather up her purse and coat to leave. "Now if you don't have any more questions for me Detective McBain, I have to go home and get ready for tonight." And not giving him a chance to argue she turned and walked out of Rodi's.

Watching her as she left, John absentmindedly ran his hand down his face. Dammit, that hadn't gone the way he had wanted it to at all. Sighing hard he sat there at the table with the remainder of the meal that Natalie hadn't finished. She definitely wasn't going to make this easy for him but then why should she? After all he had put her through he didn't deserve easy. But he also wasn't going to give up either. He had done that before and lived to regret it. And frankly he didn't think he could live with any more regrets when it came to Natalie. That he had let her down so much and so often was a black mark on his soul, one he needed redemption from. And the only way he could ever have that was to make it up to Natalie. To make her believe in him again, to trust him again. To love him again. Because he had spent too many nights remembering what he did have and what he had let walk out the door. So this time instead of her fighting for a chance for them it was up to him to be the one to step up. And he'd do it.

Some how, some way he would find a way to convince her to give him one last chance. To show her that this time he wasn't going to just stand there and do nothing but instead prove to her what they had had, what they still had, was real. And it wasn't going anywhere this time. And neither was he.

Natalie arrived back at Llanfair only to discover that everyone had already left for the Ball. Going up to her room she quickly took a shower and prepared for the fund raiser, all the while trying to keep John and their conversation from taking over her thoughts. What she had told him was the truth. It was time to move on. And this time she meant it. No matter what she still might have felt for him it was time she made herself believe once and for all that it was all in the past. Hell, he had moved on. And everyone sure as hell knew that! Gawd, every time she ran into Mike, Marcie or even Jess, she had to endure the pimping of his relationship with Marty! Before and after she had died in that accident in Ireland. Now it seemed every where she went she had to hear about how torn up John was over losing Marty. That he had loved her so much and was so heartbroken over her loss.

She had never wished Marty dead, yes she had wished her far far away from Llanview a hell of a lot of the time she had known her, but never dead. And that only days after her death that he and Natalie had fallen back into old habits really didn't sit well with her. Even though John had said the next morning that he had needed her and was glad she, Natalie, had been there for him, that night well it still almost felt like she had been a stand in. She had lied that morning too to John, when she had agreed with him about having no regrets. She did, she couldn't help it. To feel like she was just a replacement or as Jared had said a few days later in John's apartment just "a warm body" left her feeling like nothing they had ever shared was what she thought it was.

But now wasn't the time to start beating herself up over past mistakes. Especially ones to do with John. Hell, if she started she would be here the next eight months dealing with the fall out. She had bigger and more pressing ones that needed her attention. Like Allison and how to regain control of this situation that was so totally out of hand now.

Walking over to her closet after finishing her make up and hair, she looked for the dress that she and Jess had gone shopping for back when things were normal and calm. Grabbing the red gown off the hanger she put it on and took a moment to glance in the full length mirror.

Ok, looks decent. But Natalie wasn't seeing the spectacle that everyone else would that night. The red dress draped down her body as if it were made for her especially. Accenting her bust and skimming down over her curves it was the kind that would grab any red blooded male's attention. And the deep v-neck gave a glimpse of her breasts that would make a monk stand at attention and drool. But she saw none of this. Just as always Natalie didn't recognize her own beauty, although anyone who had ever caught just a quick look at her would see it plain and simple.

Checking her watch for the time she saw that she was now definitely running late, and she still had a few places that she wanted to check out concerning Allison. Grabbing her small clutch purse and a long black dress coat, after stepping into her red matching high heels, she charged for the door.

If she didn't find Allison soon things would for sure get worse for Jess and herself. And for her mother too. Natalie wasn't going to let anyone hurt her family if she could help it, and since she was part of the reason that Allison was out this meant she had to fix it.

With those thoughts running through her head she left Llanfair to continue the search and to show her family the support they deserved.