A/N: I've realized that this story has two parts—the part that was supposed to stop when we believed Melissa was leaving and the part that continues on because she's staying. Here is the end of part 1. Everyone enjoy! And if you can read this on the Jolie yahoo fanfic board, read this chapter there—you might get something a wee bit extra. ;) Until next time—ya'll are the best—PCGirl.

Natalie stopped taking shirts off the hangers and just stood there in the closet—tears forming again. Why was she crying? She'd never get finished if she kept having to stop every ten minutes to dry her tears.

"Natalie? You need help?" asked Jessica as she walked into her sister's room and took a look at the boxes packed and taped for the movers and the ones that were still only half filled.

"No, I'm fine," she said, the words choked out as she turned to give Jessica a half smile.

"Hey—what's wrong? I thought you were ok with this idea—in San Diego you were laughing and smiling about the thought of living there."

"I still am," she said as she wiped the tears away again. "I was just thinking about what I was like when I first came here. My thoughts—intentions—attitude towards everything Buchanan.

"I was so mad—at everything Buchanan. The money. The people. Mom. Mom especially—I couldn't understand how she didn't realize the baby given back to her wasn't me. How could she have a bond with a complete stranger's child? I'm sorry Jess."

Jessica gave Natalie a big hug, tears coming to her eyes also. "Why are you apologizing again for something completely irrelevant now?"

"I don't know—I just feel like I have to," she said as she thought about something else. "I need to run to the station and make sure Carly is all set for when she takes over on her own tomorrow. I'll be back in time for the party. Love you, Jess."

"Love you too," she smiled as she watched Natalie grab her purse and head out the door.

Natalie was enjoying herself at Llanfair—her family was all there supporting her decision and enjoying themselves. She almost hated the thought of leaving them, but she'd be back—whether for visits or moving back to Llanview, this is where she now knew she'd always be welcomed.

She'd gone to the station and double checked everything—including her cell phone number, in case something happened Natalie could walk her over the phone. Bo had suggested she tell John goodbye—and though she'd brushed the idea off at first she went by his office as she left and found out he'd gone home for the day. Oh well—she'd send him a postcard.

"Hate to leave this place, eh little missy?" grinned Asa as he walked up behind her.

"Yeah, but I'll be fine on my own," she smiled, tears forming at the thought of saying goodbye to most of them tonight for the last time for awhile.

"How much do I have to pay you to stay?" he asked, completely serious.

"Asa—," she smiled through the tears.

"This is no joke—I'm damn serious here. You've not been in this family long and I'll be damned if I let you just prance right on out of here like you pranced in before."

"Pa—back off," said Bo—coming in to save the day.

"Bo—talk to this girl, make her get some of that common sense she's used in the past," he huffed and walked off.

"Sorry about that, Nat," he said as he leaned in and gave her a wink, causing her to suppress a laugh.

"It's ok, I know he means well."

"Yeah, well meaning well and saying what's right are two different things."

"I know," she said as she watched Kevin and Jessica come towards her together. "Hey," she smiled at them, wiping the remaining tears away. "What's up?"

"Can we talk to you on the patio?" asked Jess—motioning towards it.

"Uhm sure—I'll see you later, Bo," she smiled and followed her siblings. "What's going on?"

"We have a going away present for you, and you don't have a choice on to accept it or not," smiled Jessica.

"Okay," she said, her eyes getting big as she looked at both of them.

"Read this," said Kevin, handing her a small binding of papers and watching her read what it said.

"I can't accept this—I'm not a charity case," she said with a stomp of her foot.

"That's not what you said when you first came here," grinned Jessica.

She just rolled her eyes, "This says there's a trust already set up for me in San Diego. How can that be?"

"I put it together the other day—it's all there waiting for you. There's a condition to it—both Jess and I want you to use it for something useful. There's a lot of good schools in that area—so promise us you'll go back and finish your degree."

Natalie sat down in the chair and stared at the paper for a minute before looking back up at them, tears flowing freely down her face, "Why are you doing this? I mean I was such a complete ass in the beginning—jumping into a family I have no right to have."

Kevin kneeled down to Natalie and took her hands in his, "But you do have the right Natalie. You are just as much of a Buchanan as me or Jess are. And we love you and want whatever you think is best for you. You didn't get the life us and Joey had growing up, and this is your chance and turn to get everything we got and more.

"The most important thing about being a Buchanan is that you have family and any resources you need right at your fingertips—whether you need them at that second or not. So this isn't a handout or a charity case—this is what you deserve in life."

"You put your trust away for your children because they deserve it Natalie, and thought you're used to helping others before yourself—this time you deserve it. So what do you say? Will you take it?" asked Jessica as she kneeled down next to Kevin.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and just nodded her head before she was finally able to smile at them both—the best idea she ever had was coming to Llanview, though her intentions might have been incorrect at the time, she knew it led her to having the best family she could have ever dreamt of.

Natalie bit her lip as she finished the walk up the stairs to John's room. She didn't know why she felt like she needed to say goodbye—or that he deserved a goodbye, but she wasn't going to turn back on doing this. She knocked on the door and stood there for what felt like forever before he opened the door, "Hey."

"Hey—what's going on?" he asked—not giving her room to pass inside yet.

"I went to say goodbye to you at work and you'd already called it a day."

"Yeah—I had something on my mind so I came here to try and figure it out. You want to come inside?" he asked and she nodded and entered. "When is your flight leaving?" he asked—then thought to himself, What type of question is that?

"In the morning—I'm not taking the Buchanan jet though, I was to be a regular person out there—not some sort of rich brat."

"I think that's what most of the people out in California strive to be," he laughed. "It's—it's going to be odd at the station without you there. I've started getting used to you being around—not that I didn't enjoy you being around before," he stuttered the correction. He was royally screwing this up and gave a big breath before speaking again, "I'm going to miss you Natalie—you're good for me."

"Yeah?" she smiled.

"Yeah. You keep me grounded," he spoke as he walked towards her and pushed her bangs out of her face. He kept his hand beside her face and then rubbed the edge of her jawline with her his thumb. They said nothing for the longest time—just looking at each other, both wondering if this would be the last chance for either of them to look at each other this way.

Neither John nor Natalie could say who took the step towards the other, or who initiated the kiss, but suddenly John was pulling the hem of Natalie's shirt over her head as she undid the buttons on his. He picked her up and she scissor locked her legs around his waist as he walked to the bed. This was their last chance—and neither was going to let this opportunity past them by.

Natalie forced herself to wake back up—she had no clue what time it was but she knew full well where she was—in John's bed, her leg draped over him and her head on his shoulder. She moved her leg slowly first—trying to keep herself relaxed and make him think she was still asleep. When she rolled over though to get out of the bed he grabbed her arm and kept her from moving. His voice was groggy and sounded more raspy than normal, "Stay."

"I can't," she whispered. "I've got a plane to catch."

"Don't go."

"John," she sighed.

"Please, Natalie."

"This wasn't supposed to happen—I was coming here to tell you goodbye because I still see you as a friend."

"You didn't stop it though," he said, a smirk appearing on his face as he let go of her arm.

"Neither did you and you have a girlfriend," she snarked back.

"I love you."

"Don't you dare, John. Don't you dare just start to throw words out at me to try and make me stay. You're this addiction to me John—as much as a try to walk away and not want you I always get pulled back to you. But this was the last time because in the morning I'm getting on a plane and I'm starting a new life for myself. I know I can do this—don't tell me you think I can't."

"I've learned to never think you can't do anything—you're a strong woman, one of the strongest I've met. Natalie—there's something else I need to tell you," he said, ready to spill the truth. Why he was ready to tell her this, less than an hour after they made love for part of the night, he didn't know, but he had to tell her about Cristian.

"No, please don't—I want—I want to remember us just like this, ok?" she said as tears filled her eyes. She finished getting dress quickly and grabbed her purse—not looking back as she walked out of the hotel room and left.

John sat there in his empty bed staring at the room before him as he wondered how he could have let her walk out of his life so easily.

Natalie stood there holding her sister tightly and whispered into her ear, "Can I back out now?"

"No—you don't want to do that," laughed Jessica as she pulled away and let the tears fall. "You're going to do great out there—make it big and before long we'll be able to say we knew her when."

"You make me sound like a star or something," she laughed as she wiped the tears away.

"You are, Natalie—you're our shooting star. You're here and then you're gone—and we're better for getting a chance to have you in our lives," said Vicki as she pushed Natalie's hair back out of her face.

"You make it sound like I'm never coming to visit."

"You better or else I'll send Roxy to visit you," winked Rex as he pulled her in for a hug. "You're my hero," he whispered.

"You are too," she said, biting her lip to keep from completely losing her composure. "I'll call when the plane lands. I love you all," she smiled as she turned and walked onto the plane and out of sight.