Disclaimer: The characters, locations, and similarities to current storylinesare property of ABC/Disney, and I do not believe I own them.

A/N: This story came to me over a week ago on a drive home from work one day and has slowly made it's way onto paper. I'm stuck on the ending of Good Intentions at the moment, but I'll get that final sweet/sappy chapter out eventually.

I'm really not sure what the ending of this story will be--it all depends on one thing, what Melissa Archer decides. I'm going to write it up until the end, and then--depending on what she decides--I'll know the ending that this story is meant to have. I want her choice to be HER choice--and whatever it is, I'll support her.

Enough babbling--everyone enjoy this--if MA makes the decision to go out to LA then this might just be the last story pertaining to Natalie that I ever write. Until next time--PCGirl.

Middle of June

Natalie gave Jessica another hug as tears rolled down her face—she knew the decision was the best one, but she still wondered what would happen if she stayed. She reminded herself that she wasn't cutting all ties with her family—she just needed to be her own person for awhile—allow herself to breakaway from those that loved her and let her make her own decisions.

As she turned and went on the plane she thought about all that had happened in the past month—the good, the bad, and the reasons she felt like getting on this plane and getting out of Llanview was a good idea.

One Month Before

"Here's the file you wanted, Sir," said Natalie as she walked into John's office, dropped the file and turned as quickly as she'd walked in. It'd been a few days since she kissed him and he told her he was committed to Evangeline. She had said fine and then asked him to leave—not letting him see her break, and she wasn't going to let him see her now.

"Natalie—wait. Can we talk?"

"Sure—you need another file?" she asked—keeping her direction towards the door.

"No. Close the door—it's personal and the entire department doesn't have to hear about it."

She didn't want to argue with him now but despite her best judgment closed the door, "John—I'm fine. I understand it—you feel like you want to be with Evangeline now and I'm not going to try and stop you from being a sellout."

"I'm a sellout?" he said with a half laugh.

She was mortified that she'd said that out loud, but it'd been on her mind for a past few days and she needed to speak, "Yes, because you aren't the John I met in the beginning. That John seemed to know who he was and remembered where he came from. You—you are now acting all preppy boy trying to impress Evangeline.

"Is she worth it? Are you going to start listening to classical instead of Jazz music? And pool—is the pool stick finally hung up for the tennis racket? Because seriously John—if you're changing your entire persona to make Evangeline think you are exactly what she needs then I was right—you are a sell out.

"Have I ever even met the real Johnny Mac or did Caitlyn get another version of him too? And the girl before her, and the one before her—are there a hundred different versions out there about one man? Because if there are then you don't get women at all, John," she said as she turned and stormed out.

Michael walked into Rodi's and slid into the stool next to Natalie, "Hey tough guy."

"Hey," she said with a half smile, focusing on the drink in front of her.

"Uh oh—I know that face—it's the 'I did something or said something stupid to your brother' face. What's up?"

"Nothing much," she shrugged. "Just told him he was a sellout."

"Ouch," he said with a half smile. "What was he reaction?"

"Denial. I went too far though—I said that not only was the John I knew originally a sellout, but I questioned whether he was faking his love and interests with Caitlyn also. I know that's not the truth at all—and I'm trying to drink my way into going back to the station and apologize tonight."

"Good luck—it takes a lot to eat warm crow," he smiled as his pager went off. "Sigh. A doctor's work is never done. Enjoy your beer and crow—if you get around to it tonight. If not, I'm sure it'll be there for you in the morning."

"Very funny, McBain," she said with a glare and went back to finishing her drink.

Natalie walked out of Rodi's and made a right and towards the parking lot her car was in—it was late and she had to work in the morning—and find some way of apologizing to John for what she'd said. Her thoughts stopped as she tripped over something sticking out of her car tire and was able to catch herself before falling all the way to the ground.

She paused before kneeling down and touching it—realizing it was a crossbow arrow. She'd read Marcie's book and fear crept over her as she stood up slowly and looked around. She heard footsteps suddenly coming towards her and walked the opposite way of them, slipping behind a corner and dialing quickly—praying he was his normal self and working late tonight, "John?"

"What is it, Natalie? I thought you didn't want to deal with sellouts," he grumbled as he looked at a file again.

"Someone—they—shot an arrow into my tire," she whispered as she tried to keep an ear out for the footsteps.

"Where are you?" he asked, getting up immediately and grabbing his jacket.

"I was leaving Rodi's—I can't walk back there without being an easy target. What do I do?"

"The abandoned warehouse near there—can you see the front door from where you are?"

"I think so—what do you want me to do?"

"Go in there and hide behind some boxes—be as quiet as possible. I'll be there in a few minutes—don't even let your location be known if you think it's just me there—do you understand, Natalie?"

"Yeah," she said uneasily.

"It's going to be ok—I'm not going to let anything happen to you—I promise," he said as he hung up the phone and went to find someone else to come with him for backup.

She sat there in the dark—trying to hear something—a noise or movement in the building. Maybe she was imagining things—maybe it hadn't been an arrow in her tire at all. Suddenly she heard movement near her and she jumped—had whoever it had been heard her jump? Were they about to shoot at her and she had no clue? Her mind raced and she jumped again as an arm went around her mouth and kept her from screaming.

"It's just me," whispered John into her ear. "Start moving quietly to the door," he said as he put one hand on the small of her back and made her begin to walk, his other hand holding his gun, ready to shoot. He paused at thinking he'd heard something but kept on moving her towards the door. A few seconds later he heard the noise again and pushed Natalie out of the way of the arrow.

John didn't duck but began shooting in the direction of the shot—feeling it was futile and that the killer probably escaped somehow.

"He's gone—you can get up Natalie," he spoke as he realized she was holding her arm and he kneeled beside her. "Are you ok?"

"I think—I think he hit my arm," she said softly as she pulled her hand away and realized there was something warm on her palm now.

"Ok," he sighed as he tried to figure out what was the best way to do this. He touched the wound and could feel the hole in her jacket and shirt, and trickle of blood that had began to come out. He took undid his tie quickly and double tied it around her arm to put pressure on the wound, laughing to himself to calm his nerves, "Michael will probably laugh when he sees my idea on medical care."

"That's why he's the doctor and you're not," she said, trying to laugh herself but unable to do so.

"You think you can walk out of here?" he asked and felt her shake her head no. "We need to get you to a hospital," he said as he got one arm under her legs and her good arm hooked around his neck. "It's going to be ok, Natalie," he said softly as he carried her outside.

"I wish you'd believe me when I say I'm fine," said Natalie as she flinched as Michael finished stitching up her wound.

"You blacked out on the drive over here," spoke John, his hands gripping the footboard of the hospital bed.

"I did not," she retorted.

"Ok—then what was the song on the radio as we drove over?" he asked as she shrugged. "You blacked out Natalie—so just let my brother here run some tests."

"Michael--."

"I have to agree with Johnny on this one," said Michael as he put a clean patch over the wound and took off his gloves. "Don't move your arm too much—though I think one shot of pain through your whole body should teach you a lesson," he said with a grin. "John—can we talk outside?"

"Yeah—I'll be right outside."

"Ok," she sighed as she rested herself back into the pillows.

"She fainted Mikey—despite what she says. I put her in the passenger side of my truck, went around to my side and by the time I got in she was out cold. She says she was just resting her eyes, but I'm wondering if this psycho put something on the tip of the arrow."

"I don't think it was that at all—her adrenaline was pumping so hard through the ordeal that when she had a chance to take a breath she passed out from it all. I'll run tests and keep her for overnight observation. Have you thought about getting her a bodyguard? I mean this guy probably already knows she lived."

"There's a cop on the way—I'm going to go back to the scene and see how it's going, but I want to come back afterwards. She could have easily died tonight, Michael."

"I know, but she's fine—you saved her, like always," he grinned as John just rolled his eyes before answering his phone.

"McBain. What? Where? Are you sure it's her? Yeah—yeah, don't touch anything until I get there," he said as he hung up his phone and was quiet for a moment.

"Who was that?"

"Someone found Jenn Rapaport dead a little while ago—strangled outside of her car. They say it looks like it was setup to be a suicide."

"Marcie," said Michael as his face dropped. "I need to be the one to tell her John."

"Yeah—I need to go to the crime scene myself, but I can't leave her alone," he said as he looked into Natalie's room to see it looked like she was sleeping.

"Can't or won't?"

"Don't start, Mikey—not at a time like this. Let me call the cop—see how far he is at getting here," said John as he went around the corner—thinking of how this uneventful night had ended up with two women's lives in peril and how luckily at least one of their lives had been saved.