A/N:  I was out of town the beginning of the week and while there I finished this story—aren't you proud of me? YAY!!!  And let me say that I'm glad I missed John kissing Robocop—he needs to kiss Natalie again instead.  LOL.  Hope you like the end of the story.  PCGirl.

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Natalie walked in the Police station and didn't see John—well that was good, right?  Sure it was.  She walked over to the desk outside of Bo's office where an officer sat holding up a paper that hew as reading, "Hey—is my uncle in?"

"Uh uh," said the voice behind the paper.

"Well, do you when he will be in?"

"Nope," said the man through a cough.

"Wait—I know you.  John," she groaned as she pulled down the paper to see him sitting there.

"Hey—I was reading that," he said through a slight laugh.

"Well why don't you do your job and help me—I need to talk to Bo and I need to talk to him now," she said as she leaned across the desk and yelled in his face.

"Well, I might not want to help you sweetheart.  So just turn around and come back later when he's actually here and I'm not," he yelled back at her.

Natalie's mouth dropped open at his reaction, "You want to act like that then FINE!  This town is definitely not big enough for the both of us John McBain."  She then turned and ran right into Eve as she came around the corner.

Eve stood there in shock watching Natalie stomping away, "Jonathan Cale McBain—what in the hell did you just say to her?" she said looking at him as he tried to not pay attention to his mom. 

It was at that moment John realized how quiet the station had gotten since him and Natalie's yelling match just then, "Hey, don't we all have some work to do?" he said to the other officers as the noise of a normal workday returned.  He looked at his mom, and then turned to go in Bo's office, closing the door behind him.  The door opened a few seconds later and Eve came in, "I'm busy Mom."

"I can see that—but I asked you a question just now—so why don't you answer me?"

"It's nothing—we're just having a friendly shouting match," he laughed.

"I didn't see or hear anything friendly—and don't try and give me that fake laugh of yours.  I've known you your whole life John—I know you better than yourself.  I realized months ago something about you and Natalie—open your eyes and see it yourself, ok sweetie?"

"She told me last night her feelings—so if I were to have feelings—well they don't matter.  I really am busy Mom," he said giving her a smile.

"Ok, but maybe you should tell her about those possible feelings," she said giving him a kiss on the cheek and leaving John sitting against the edge of Bo's desk with a grin on his face.

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John pulled up to the cottage to see the trunk of Natalie's car open, "Oh great," he groaned.  He had heard her before—known what she meant when she said the town wasn't big enough for the both of them, but he didn't think she would actually be packing up and moving out.  He slammed his car door and walked in to see her coming down with a box in her hands, "Here, let me help you," he said trying to grab it from her.

"I can manage.  Why are you here anyways—come up with some better insults to throw at me?"

"I never insulted you—I wanted to apologize for the way I've been acting this past week.  It's just I've had a lot of stuff on my plate."

"Oh yeah?  Like what?"

"First I was shot, then I was reminded again that I will never see Caitlin.  So I leave town, and am told to stop running, which I do but the whole reason I came back has decided to treat me like the ass that I am.  And if you would have just let me explain this last night, instead of throwing me out like some dog—nevermind," he said turning.

"Wait. John—stop.  Did you just say in some odd way that I'm the reason you came back to town?"

"Yeah I guess I did."


"Why would you say that?  Why would you play with my emotions like that?"

"I'm sorry, but it's the truth.  The past six months we are constantly being pulled together, and no matter how hard we tried to get away from each other it didn't work because usually either my mom or another relative seemed to see something that we've been trying to ignore.  I wanted to tell you I wanted to stop ignoring what's blatantly obvious last night, and now—you are willing to leave town because of me—I don't want that, so let me leave instead—I'm used to running, I've been doing it for five years already, Nat," he said as he turned and left the cottage.

She ran to the door, "You thought I was leaving town?"

"Yeah, you've got a box in your hands afterall."

"This?" she said as she moved it to get a better grip on it.  "This is stuff I was going to take over to the church for the rummage sale they are having soon."

"Oh—boy do I feel like an idiot.  Ignore everything I just said a minute ago, ok?" he laughed.

Natalie put down the box on the sidewalk, "I don't want to John.  I'm sorry you had a bad week, and I'm sorry I seemed to be the cause of all of it," she laughed nervously.  "But you are right—it does seem like we've been pushed together more than two normal friends would—hasn't it?  So why don't we just stop fighting whatever it is inside us and let it happen?"

"No, I'm not sure I can let that happen Natalie.  You—you need more time to get over Cristian.  I don't want to push you into anything you don't want to do, ok?"

"Who said anything about pushing me into doing something I don't want to do?" she said as she walked over to him and pulled his mouth down to hers.