Okay, readers, I've decided to indulge my Evangeline hate a bit in this chapter. Usually, I ignore her in my stories…but what the heck. I HATE the passive aggressive, phony wench. I think I'm also going to make this a bit of a mocking on the litany of tragedies and violence that happen on this show. Well, basically, I'm making a mish mash and Natalie is going to rock.

From Chapter 6 -

"You don't know that. I just don't understand why these things keep happening to me. What did I do to deserve this life?" Natalie looked up; there were tears in her eyes.

"Ah, Honey. You didn't do anything." Bo sat down on the edge of the bed and took her into his arms. "I guess life just knows that you're strong enough to take anything that's thrown at you."

"I don't feel strong." Natalie began to cry.

Neither heard John McBain enter the room with a bunch of hospital gift shop flowers in his hand. His lips parted in surprise at the sight of Natalie breaking down. Torn between giving her privacy and his need to comfort her himself, he just stood there until his brother Michael came and put his hand on his shoulder and pulled him out of the room.

"What are you doing, John?" Michael asked.

John looked at his brother, his face pale with shock.

"John?" Michael thumped his brother on the chest. "Hello?"

"I…I..." John closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"John, you're freaking me out, here."

"I'm freaking myself out here." John opened his eyes. "I love her, Michael. I love Natalie."

Michael looked grim at the news, but not surprised.

Neither saw Evangeline Williamson standing just a few feet away

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Chapter 7
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Evangeline had obviously heard, her tongue pressed against her bottom lip and her eyes widened as she watched the brothers take in John's confession. She steeled her spine, stuck out her chest and walked determinedly towards them. She loved the feel of her well-formed thighs brushing against each other under her short skirt.

"Excuse me, Michael. But I'd like to speak with John." Evangeline put a hand on Michael's arm and smiled flirtatiously up at him.

"Uh, sure." Michael glanced around and beat a hasty retreat.

"Evangeline…" John began to speak, sliding the flowers to his side and out of her sight.

"John. I'm glad I found you. I wanted to ask you about the Paul Cramer case." Evangeline tilted her head, her eyes bugging out a little as she pretended to have not heard.

"Evangeline, I, uh. You heard what I said, didn't you?" John stepped back a small step.

"I wasn't eavesdropping on your conversation with your brother. I wouldn't do that." Evangeline put a hand on John's chest and leaned her breast against his arm.

John let the lie pass. "I'm sorry, Evangeline. I know you heard. That's not how I wanted either of us to find out." He cleared his throat and put his hand over hers and pulled it back a little as her nails dug into his skin through his shirt.

"You were just being sarcastic, like the last time you said that. I understand." She licked her lips and smiled seductively up at him.

""That's not…I meant it." John felt really bad, and just a little turned on. God help him.

"Like you didn't know you want that two bit piece of trash?" Evangeline snarled at him.

John's hand tightened on her hand and pulled it completely away from him. He kept his face impassive, but inside he was seething at the cut to Natalie.

"All these months I've been and done everything for you and you go and say you love her when you can't say it to me!" Evangeline pulled her hand from his grasp. "Tell me you didn't mean it!"

"I'm sorry, Evangeline. I never meant to hurt you, but I never lied."

"You son of a bitch!" She pulled his mother's pearls from her neck and tossed them at him, not caring that most of the pearls were rolling across the floor of the hospital. "I don't know I wasted my time with you. You're a loser and I deserve better."

"Yes, you do deserve better." John said, his face still impassive.

"Enjoy your tramp in your flea motel!" she raised her chin and stalked away.

John didn't bother to bite back his laugh as she slid and almost fell over one of the pearls.

"What the hell happened here?" Bo came walking out of Natalie's room. "What's on the floor?" Bo looked around with a curious look on his face.

"My mother's pearls." John ran a hand over his face. Then he looked at Bo and started to laugh. Mostly in relief.

"Shouldn't you pick them up?" Bo asked, laughing, though he wasn't sure why.

"Yeah, I should."

Bo saw the flowers and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"I love your niece." John looked at Bo, mindful of the warning he had received earlier that morning.

"About time you admitted it. You go see her, she needs cheering up. I'll find some help to clear up the mess."

"I just cleared up a big mess, already." John laughed and turned to go into Natalie's room.

End...for now