A/N: Not much to say today. Hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th! Until next time--PCGirl.
Natalie gritted her teeth at the sound of the knock on the door—she'd gone to class this morning and then holed herself up in the apartment—not ready to talk to anybody about what was bothering her. She went to open the door and tell Marissa she didn't feel like company, "Marrisa—I—." She stopped in mid sentence—what was he doing here? What right did he have now—after knowing what he did for months—to come here to her new home?
"I need to talk to you," spoke John—quietly and his head down—if he looked in her eyes he'd never be able to get the words out.
"John—."
"Please, Natalie. Let me say this and then I'll be out of your life for good. I promise."
"Fine," she sighed—ready to give him an earful when he was done.
"When I said I love you I meant it, but I don't deserve to love you at all. And the reason—the reason is because I've kept a secret from you. The DNA results on the imposter—they showed that it really was Cristian. He's alive and I know 'I'm sorry' doesn't cut it. I want you to have happiness Natalie—I know, the man that's kept you from happiness for nearly two years, says he wants you to have happiness—ironic, isn't it?"
"John," she said, the tears coming out again. "Why now? Why are you telling the truth now?"
"That day—in Angel Square you said you thought I'd understand you leaving your old life behind because I lost Caitlyn like you lost Cris. Caitlyn always knew the right thing for me to say or do—she was the person I counted on when something important was happening. And I was missing her yesterday and realized something—if she were out there somewhere, still alive today, I'd want to know—I'd want to see if I could get back the part of me that was lost when she died.
"You deserve to know if you can get back that love with Cris before you move on with anyone. I just—I understand why you want to breakaway from everything in Llanview—I never had the nerve to do that when I lost Caitlyn, but for you to completely breakaway you need to know about Cris," he said, as he turned to walk out the door.
"Stop—wait," she spoke, watching him turn slowly—seemingly ready for him to duck from flying objects. "I know about Cris—he sent me annulment papers last night. And a letter—saying he made you not tell me. Neither of you had the right to keep something this important from me, but thank you for still coming here and telling me, John."
John just gave her a half grin and winked, "Just doing my job, ma'am." And with that he turned and left Natalie alone to sort through the spinning room before her.
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John hung up the hotel telephone and sighed—he'd missed the last flight for the day and was going to have to wait until morning. He'd accomplished what he came to San Diego to do—to let Natalie be completely free of him and Cristian, and to make her own decision what to do from here—so why'd he feel like something was still missing.
The knock on the door surprised him and he opened the door without checking who it was first and suddenly felt the sting of being slapped across the face.
"That was for earlier—I forgot to give it to you," said Natalie as she walked into the room.
"Thanks—I needed it," he said, touching his face but a slight grin on his lips. "What can I do you for?"
Natalie breathed deeply before sitting on the bed and standing up—"I don't know—I don't know anything anymore."
"Excuse me?"
"I should be furious with you and Cristian—and I was yesterday. But now—I'm not—I feel free."
"That's a good thing, Natalie," he smiled.
"No, it's not. John—be honest with me—who do you want to be with? Me or Evangeline?"
"You. I want to be with you."
"Ok," she said—still unsure as to why she came here. "If what you are saying is the truth will you jump through a few hoops to get me?"
"Like what," he laughed.
"I'm serious here. I want you to tell Antonio the truth about Cris. And take whatever he gives you—."
"I kinda like the shape and position my nose is in at the moment, but I'll do it. I should. I kept the truth from him also.
"And Carlotta."
"And Carlotta too. Anything else?"
Natalie had something else but she suddenly had the urge to make him squirm, "Say it again."
"Say what?"
"Say that you love me."
John was pleased at her request and took two small steps to her, his hands covering her face and his eyes glistening with tears as he spoke softly again, "I love you, Natalie."
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"I should go home. I've got class tomorrow," yawned Natalie as she sat on one end of the couch in the hotel room, her legs bent underneath her as she faced John who was sitting in front of her, pushing a stray hair out of her face at the moment.
It was late, they'd been talking for hours and she'd just realized the time.
"Stay."
She grinned at hearing the word again and wanting to obey it this time, "Ok."
"Wow. If it was always this easy," he grinned as he leaned in and pinned her against the couch before kissing her.
Later, after they'd made love and made their way over to the bed as Natalie fell asleep she whispered, "The picture."
"What is that, sweetheart?" he asked.
"The picture—at the airport—you were there—why?" she mumbled.
"Because I didn't want to let you go," he said softly and saw her finish falling to sleep. "And I'm not letting you go now, either," he finished as he let himself go to sleep.
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John sighed as he walked back into the Angel Square Hotel. He hadn't wanted to leave Natalie so soon, but when he'd called to check in at the station Bo said he needed him back. Him and Natalie had wasted so much time already and now there was a continent separating them, but they'd get through it and past that—he was confident they would because they always got past whatever it was between them.
His happiness of the events of the previous night and this morning faded though as he realized his hotel room door was unlocked and walked in to see Evangeline staring at a picture of his mother that was sitting on the dresser, "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you—I know what you did, and telling Natalie the truth—it was noble of you to fly all that way so she and Cris can be together again."
"Excuse me?" he questioned. How'd she know where he'd gone or that Cristian was alive?
"The DNA test—I found it. That's the explanation as to why you went to San Diego."
She was lying—he was too smart of a cop to leave the DNA test just lying about—he'd thrown it out months ago, ripping it up into bits so nobody would know the truth. But she knew the truth—how?
What was it Carly had said on the phone earlier? That she'd seen Evangeline walking out of his office yesterday with a smug look on her face. Cristian must have sent him a letter also—warning him that Natalie was about to know the truth—and Evangeline, the snoop that she was, had read what wasn't hers to begin with.
How hadn't he seen this in her before? He'd known she'd do anything to prove a clients innocence—would she also do anything to hang onto a relationship that never existed? Probably, and that made it easier for what he had to do next.
"I did go to San Diego, and it was to tell Natalie the truth," he told her honestly. "But she forgave me."
"That's good, right?"
"Yes, and then we made love all night," he said, trying to keep himself from smiling.
"Wha—What did you say?"
"I'm in love with Natalie. I always have been and I've never loved you. I'm sorry that I strung you along for a year for nothing—and I'm sorry to end what we have this way."
"End? There's no reason for us to end. Cristian is alive—him and Natalie are going to be together again. She'll be happy—why do we have to end?"
"Cristian is alive—and he wants Natalie to be happy, but he knows the truth—he knows that him and Natalie have changed over the past two years. He's stepping to the side for me and her, and I think you should do the same."
He figured Evangeline would run out of here in tears but John was puzzled when she started laughing, "Something funny?"
"Natalie went all the way to San Diego to break us up. She's so desperate and you're buying into it like some school boy."
"You're the one that's desperate Evangeline. First to think that and second to want to hang onto a man that never loved you. I'll say it again—I'm sorry—I need to change and get to the station," he said as he walked past her and over to the dresser—finding something to wear and going to change in the bathroom. He stayed in there until he heard a key clink onto the table and the front door close.
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Natalie hadn't even made it all the way up the stairs of the lecture hall before she had her cell phone out and ready to dial the station. She heard her name behind her and turned to see Marissa taking the steps two at a time to catch her, "Hey."
"Hey yourself," she grinned. "You barely made it to the other class this morning and were then gone before I had a chance to catch you."
"Yeah," she smiled and then looked at Marissa who was still grinning. "What?"
"I saw a guy that resembled your friend John yesterday—he was coming into the complex as I was leaving. And when I got back your car was gone—all night, Natalie."
"Who are you? My sister?" she laughed. "Yes, John was here—and we're more than friends," she said, imitating the way she'd said it to Evangeline once. "So?"
"Just asking. I gotta get my next class. We still on for dinner tonight?"
"Yeah," smiled Natalie as she walked out of the building and around the corner to find a place to sit and call. The phone rang twice before he picked up. "How'd I know you'd already be at work?"
"How'd I know it was going to be you on the other end?" he laughed.
"Lucky guess. How's the nose?"
"Mikey says it's not broken," he said as he touched it slightly.
"How'd Michael already know? I mean you've only been back there for a few hours."
"Evangeline went running to him when I ended things with her."
"Oh God. Talk about desperate."
"What is with that word today?" he laughed.
"It's good to hear you laugh, McBain."
"It's good to hear you smile—what are you now? You're not Vega anymore. Buchanan? Balsom?"
"I'm your's."