"Natalie, none of this is right. I mean, I know you were mad but...how could you let it get this far", Jessica said, not unkindly but, certainly bewildered.

"I don't know, it just happened and now, I have to tell him...tonight, I can't let this go on another day."

Jessica looked at her twin, she could see the anguish in her eyes, "No you can't", she said gently, "Life is too short for secrets and grudges."

"He was cheating on me Jess...was I not entitled to be mad about that?" Natalie said getting defensive.

"No honey, I'm not saying that at all. What was his excuse?"

"Oh well, he was drunk and lonely, how 'bout that."

"What else did he say?" Jessica asked.

"What do you mean, I just told." Natalie got up and walked to the window.

"Natalie, there has to be more to it than that." Jessica said following her, "And shouldn't you sit down?"

"I'm ok, I didn't give him the chance to say anything else, I just...bailed." Natalie stared out the window.

"Oh God Natalie..."

"I know, ok but, I wasn't thinking clearly." Natalie turned and walked back across the library.

Kelly walked in with Natalie's cell phone, "its John, I'm gonna take Liam up and start his bath for you." She smiled sympathetically at Natalie.

She had told everyone at dinner her plan to tell John tonight, reactions were mixed. The women, Jess, Gigi, Kelly & Tina, along with Cord supported her decision whole heartedly. Rex didn't really say much but, Clint, Kevin and Joey thought it was a mistake. It surprised her how much they thought she should just move to London permanently and forget all about John McBain. Jessica followed Kelly out.

"Hey", she said feeling so awkward.

"Hey, what's up?" He asked, he sounded distracted.

"Well, I thought maybe we could talk. Are you busy?"

"Yeah, actually, I am. Is this important or can it wait?"

"I thought you wanted to talk about things?" Natalie was hurt by his seemingly

uninterested tone.

"I do Natalie, I've wanted to talk to you for almost three months but, I've got a call I have to take. I'm working, you remember work don't you?" He said frustrated, he sighed changing his tone, "I do want to talk, I do but, they've just found a body at the docks. They think it might be Cutter Wentworth. I don't have any details yet. I've got a team headed out there now but, without you I need to get out there and make sure the scene is processed correctly. I didn't want to miss my chance to talk to Liam first though."

"Oh, yeah, I understand...ok maybe tomorrow then." Another damn day, she thought.

"Definitely, tomorrow...I promise", he said softly. The baby had been kicking constantly as though she knew Natalie was talking to her daddy.

"Goodnight, Natalie."

"John!"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful..."

"I will."

John didn't call the next night, the first one he'd missed since they'd left. So, she tried first thing the next morning and his cell went straight to voice mail. She called the station and was told he was out except no one could tell her where he was. She'd asked for Bo but, was told he was in a meeting with the mayor but, Gail, her uncle's assistant said she would tell him she called as soon as he returned.

Natalie sat in the window seat in her bedroom praying he was safe. Surely someone would have called if he'd been hurt. After deciding to head down for lunch and promptly being shown to the couch as Neville would bring her her lunch, Natalie heard the doorbell. Her father's lawyer was here again. Her father was changing his will he said, to include, Rex, Gigi, Shane, Ryder and Liam. She, Rex and Jess had to sign some papers the other day as the guardians of minor children. Rex was a great father, who would have thought, she laughed.

She thought of Bree and Ryder who didn't have fathers anymore. Nash and Ford would never know their children, and that was so sad. Hopefully John will call today. She can't let Liam or this baby grow up with out their father.

John had been through hell the last forty-eight hours. A security guard found the body of Cutter Wentworth down at the docks. All the evidence pointed to a drug deal gone bad. They finally had a suspect in custody, a local low life that was found with a weapon in his possession that matched the bullet in Wentworth's body. He missed calling Liam yesterday. He needed to make time to call him tonight he thought, as he looked at the clock.

"Damn it!" He swore, it was already after midnight in London. Setting the alarm on his phone, he decided when it went off he would drop everything and call him tomorrow. No matter what.

Sitting in his office, John hung up the phone. He had gotten his passport and his bags were packed, his flight was booked. There was a knock on his office door,

"Yeah", he hollered out. In walked, a man in a suit he'd never seen before.

"John McBain?" the man asked.

"Yeah, who are you?"

"You've been served", the man said and walked out. What the hell was this, he

wondered. As he opened the envelope, he couldn't believe what he was seeing, there is no way, he thought.

"Restraining Order?" he whispered out loud. At that moment, he saw Tea walking past his office.

"Tea, wait up!" He hollered to get her attention and hurried to his door to catch her.

"Hey John, what's up?" Tea asked as she came in and took the seat he offered with his hand as he shut the door.

Shoving the papers into her "Is this legit?"

He watched her closely, seeing the surprise on her face as she read through the paperwork.

"Uh, yes, yes this is….wow", she looked up at him. "I know I haven't seen you in a while, I've been so busy with the baby but, I wasn't aware you two where having any problems. What is this all about John?"

"Unbelievable." John mumbled rubbing a hand across his face.

"This is from Buchanan Enterprises….Clint couldn't have secured this on his own…John…Natalie signed this." Tea said gently, still completely shocked.

"Well, you know what, if she's that mad that she doesn't want to see me right now, that's fine but, Liam is my son, she can't just keep him from me." Standing and facing the window, John closed his eyes. He saw her again the way she looked that day.

"You're Natalie?"

"Yeah, why?"

She was mad and she had every right but, how could she do this?

"John, you and Natalie aren't married yet, it's not that simple. If his birth certificate wasn't altered to reflex you instead of Brody as his father, and paternity wasn't established yet, you won't automatically get custodial rights." Tea was still reading over the papers. He turned around quickly.

"We did, months ago. We had another paternity test ran in Harrisburg the week before we closed on the house. Just….to be sure, you know. The three of us went out of town to do it, we didn't tell anyone but, we still have his original birth certificate with my name, Brody never changed it. I don't know why but, he didn't." John said hopefully.

Tea sighed and smiled at him, "Then, they don't have a leg to stand on with this, and you don't pose a threat to her or Liam, unless there is something I don't know about?" She questioned and looked at him strangely.

"Tea, you know I have never and would never lay a hand on either of them." John couldn't believe she would even imply that.

"You know I had to ask…John, what is this all about."

"Are you going to help me fight this?" He asked her, knowing she would.

"Of course but, you have to tell me what is going on, what would drive Natalie to do something like this. You have to tell me the truth if I am going to be able to help you", she stood up and leaned over his desk. "Please tell me this has nothing to do with that woman in Port Charles."

John looked her in the eye, "I wish I could", he said flatly. Tea sighed deeply, and sat back down.

"This is just….doesn't seem like something Natalie would do. This just…isn't her style. Where is this coming from?"

"I don't know. Normally I would agree with you but, so much has happened in the last few months and it's like I don't know her anymore." John said sadly. "But, I hurt her….I've hurt her a lot actually over the years maybe…maybe she just decided she was going to hurt me back this time. I have to talk to her. I was on my way to see her…"

"No, no John you need to stay away until we figure this out and get a hearing date", Tea said knowing deep down John McBain would let a piece of paper stand in the way of him seeing his son.

Tea looked at him sadly, then her expression changed to determination.

"Let me call Dani real quick, she is watching the baby this afternoon. I'll let her know I will be a little late. We can work thru this." Tea felt for him but, damn it she tried to warn him to stay away from that woman.