Timeline: After 6/30/2010 episode where Natalie has just become a forensic tech and helps John as he tries to find Cole and Hannah.


She could feel his eyes on her as they drove. She always could-it had been one of those things where they always knew when the other was in the room-time apart had not changed any of that. Glancing up from her notes she looked over to see his eyes dart back to the road, "You know-if you don't keep your eyes on the road, you're going to have an accident."

"What are you talking about?" asked John, a smirk appearing on his face from being caught.

"You've had your eyes on me more than the road, McBain. If there's something you want to say, then just say it."

John sighed and thought over his words before speaking. This relationship was so new and they both wanted it to work so badly this time that he was scared to treat it like anything but a newborn baby, "I'm just glad you are doing this again-being a forensic tech. It's going to be nice seeing you every day again. And I always knew you'd be a great forensic tech."

Natalie smiled at his words, "I'm glad I get to do this finally. I mean I enjoyed working at BE and doing what I was doing. But this-this is my passion."

She was quiet for a few moments as she stared out at the passing landscape, "You understand why I had to walk away before, right? I'd lost you and I'd lost what I thought was going to be my career. If I had stayed, we would have made our way back to each other before we were ready."

John nodded, "That's why I let you-because I knew I couldn't give you what you deserved back then. So, I figured you'd find yourself and eventually come back to me. Never saw Banks coming into the picture until it was too late," he said and got quiet. "You know-I never liked the guy."

"I didn't notice," she said with a side eye and then smiled.

"But he made you happy again. That's all I've ever wanted for you, Natalie."

"I wonder if he'd lived where we would be now. Mitch coming back threw you and me back into each other's orbits. Whether we were ready for it at the time or not. And it always seems like once we're in each other's orbits-."

"We find our way back to each other," he finished what she was thinking. "What I said at the airport was true-you belong with me. Would we have made it back to each other yet? Probably not-but we're here now-together," he said as he reached over and grabbed her hand. "Things happen for a reason-we can't see the reason until after it's all said and done. So why don't we just sit back and enjoy the ride?"