A few more days went by making almost three weeks since John was gone. Natalie hadn't heard from him since their phone encounter and she was yet again wondering when he'd be back. She had been working so much. Trying to be busy so she wouldn't think about him. It was near impossible. She walked into Rodi's to meet Rex for Dinner as she saw him. Simon sitting in a table near the back of the bar.
Natalie sighed out in frustration. Simon was everywhere these past weeks. At the station. Here at Rodi's. He did keep his distance some. She hated it. He should be the one away on the case. John should be the one here ... and with her. She walked to the pool table. She picked up a stick and started to play as she waited for her brother to show.
Her back was to him but she knew he was standing there. " Wanna play?" Simon asked and she ignored him at first. " Natalie... I know you think I'm up to something.. but I'm not.. It's been a few years.. I've changed some… matured too. A game of pool isn't going to hurt anything." He told her and she looked at him.
They were silent for a few minutes. " I'm not up to anything… and… I get your with Mcbain… I know you won't believe this but… I wouldn't do anything… nothing like I did in the past... nothing to get between the two of you" He told her.
"All I'm asking is if we can be civil to each other… maybe play a game of pool" He told her. She took a deep breath. As much as she wasn't sure she believed him… she did think about how he didn't pressure her these last weeks with John gone. He had kept his distance for the most part and didn't try anything with her. She shook her head yes reluctantly.
Simon got a pool stick off the rack and started playing pool with her. He even saw her smile a few times. They weren't having such a bad time together. They played a few more games as they heard her phone start to ring.
Natalie quickly grabbed her phone out of her pocket. She smiled as she hoped it was him. " Hey..." She said Beaming " Hey... how's things?" She asked, " Better now that I hear your voice" he said shyly and she blushed some. " What are ya doing?" He asked "At rodi's playing pool. Was waiting for r--"
"Hey Nat… you want another beer?" Simon called out to Nat when he saw her wide smile on her face. He knew he was loud enough for John, who he was pretty sure was on the phone to hear. Natalie nodded her head no. As Simon acted like he was unaware she was on the phone.
"Oh, I'm sorry… didn't know you were on the phone" Simon said.
John heard his voice. His words and he was steaming. " Natalie" John said trying not to sound mad or angry "John… I was waiting for Rex who I think stood me up...thats all"
"Hey Nat if you want we can finish this game of pool tomorrow" Simon said in the background and Natalie closed her eye's knowing this wasn't going to go over well with John. Not while he was hundreds of miles away and not with the way he was somewhat insecure about Simon.
"The two of you are playing pool?" John questioned not harshly but the jealousy, the insecurities was in his voice.
"Yes... John... but its nothing babe… nothing.. Please don't read into this... I don't want this call to be about Simon Ferrar or anything else. I want it to be about you and me and how much we miss each other and how much I'm looking forward to you coming back soon." she told him and she could tell he relaxed some.
"You're right" " I know I am" She told him and he chuckled. " Actually... we caught a bit of a break… we may be back in a few weeks... if it all pans out..."
"a few weeks?" Natalie questioned not wanting to hear weeks... days... Hours maybe... Weeks... no.
"Natalie... I know your disappointed its not sooner but... when its all done... I'll be there and I'm not leaving again… not ever. You're my something... remember and it will all be perfect." He told her now putting her at ease. They spoke for a few more minutes and then he had to go. They exchanged I Love you's and she ended the call to see Simon still sitting in the bar.
Simon walked over to her when her call ended. " I take it Mcbain didn't like the fact that we were playing pool" He asked her and she nodded her head yes.
" How's the case? Did he say?" Simon asked her and she was confused by his questions. " You should know yourself… you're a part of it aren't you?" She asked him suspicious again. " Yeah... I'm part of it but... we have no real contact with them... he's really not suppose to be even calling you" Simon told her and she felt bad for a minute. "Sorry... I didn't mean to be harsh," she told him and he smiled inside. "He was breaking down her wall"
"That's fine.. I know it must be hard ... hard for you to feel so helpless in this.. I remember how you like to feel like you can help." he told her knowing exactly what he was doing... planting into her head. He knew her a little to well.
Natalie was silent for a few minutes. " Simom... do you think Pauly Santoria would still be willing to give up his brother? " She asked him.
"Probably but.. Natalie.. No! I know what you're thinking and not sure its a good idea… your uncle... he and John would have a real problem with it." Simon told her and she looked at him with hope in her eyes. If she could get the info from Pauly about his brothers where a bouts… then John would be coming home sooner.
"You would have my back right?? You said you wouldn't let anything happen to me " She asked him " yeah… but they made it pretty clear you weren't to be used like that"
"But I'm a big girl... Help me Simon… Set it up..." She told him and he looked at her.
" You really want him back here that bad huh? You miss him that much?" he asked her " Yeah.. I do" She said and he got out his phone to make a few phone calls and set it up.
The next day came fast for Natalie. Simon had set up a meeting at Statesville for her to speak with Pauly Santoria. Natalie was nervous and excited at the same time. She was to meet Simon at the prison.
Simon set it up so he would observe the conversation between Natalie and Pauly on the closed TV circuit. It was perfect. Paul would be reluctant and not give her any info. She would feel like she failed John, be upset... impatient... and turn to him.
Simon was just walking to meet her at the prison when his phone rang.
"Hey... what's up Billy? What do you mean you've got Petey... You're on your way to headquarters?? Okay... okay… thanks for the heads up... what? Mcbain figures he'll be back in Llanview by the morning. All right. Thanks… good work"
Simon met Natalie by one of the prisons interagation rooms. He knew he had to act fast. He was hoping to have more time to win her back. To show her he could be all things to her but… but Damn it!! Mcbain caught his guy!! He thought to himself as he heard her sweet voice talk to him.
"All set? I want this over with… I want John back with me" She told him and he nodded his head. Led her into the interagation room. Simon Left her alone with a chained and seated Paul. he went into the other room to watch .
"So gorgeous... I see you want to make things up to me... You could've worn something a bit.. A bit...trashier than that... but then… if you lose a few buttons… that top It'll work" He told her and she was instantly repulsed by him.
"I'm not losing anything… you're gonna redeem yourself and help put your brother away... help the feds find him and then… then… you won't be wearing those chains and that warm color orange. " She told him as she got close to him some. She was breathing warm air on his body. Playing his game. She was getting closer to try and persuade him some. Not real close.
Simon watched in the other room. It was getting to him, as much as he thought this was the best plan of action. To play hero when Pauly made advances. To be there for her when she failed. He just couldn't. He went to the room.
"Now red... lets talk about undoing buttons and then... we'---" Paul was saying as Simon walked into the room. He noted Pauly was to close to Natalie. He pushed Pauly to the wall in his chair.
"Its over" He told a dumbfounded Natalie and he took her arm gently and guided her out the door,
"What's going on?" Natalie asked him. She was a bit mad. " This wasn't such a great idea.. He would just string you along... I've changed my train of thinking.. Pauly Santoria would never rat out his brother… its not in him." Simon told her. She was still a bit pissed and she walked away from him feeling frustrated.
Natalie really wanted to help. To do what she had to, to get info for John. She wouldn't have gone that far with Pauly… just lead him on and although she wasn't fond to of Simon still… She.. She trusted he wouldn't let anything happen to her. She drove back to Llanview.
Natalie ended up going to Rodi's. She needed to clear her head. She was Lonely, and now tense. She still couldn't understand what had gotten into Simon.
Simon had a feeling she'd be going to Rodi's after the whole interrogation fiasco. He shook his head as he tried to come up with something... anything quick to try and prolong John coming back. He hadn't had enough time to win her over. He was driving thru Llanview when he saw something out his car window. An idea came to him. It might work… similar worked last time and he had to try something. She was all he thought about for the last years. He pulled his car over to the side of the road and got out. He approached a young punk.
To be continued...