Touch 11
Natalie was startled as he pulled her into his lap in the dark crawl space. Then she began to fight.
A big grin broke out across his face. She was definitely alive. And kicking. He'd never felt such a profound sense of relief.
"Hey. It's me, John. You're safe."
She stopped struggling against his hold.
"John?" Natalie tried to see his face in the dark, but all she could see were his eyes sparkling. She reached a hand up to feel his face, to confirm it was him.
"You haven't shaved in a while."
John laughed and put his head down on top of hers, his body shaking with laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"That's the first thing you say to me after I." John broke off and took a shuddering breath.
Natalie moved her hand up his face.
"Are you crying?" she asked.
John took a deep breath and it was then she noticed him trembling against her.
"John?"
"Give me a moment, all right?" his raspy voice in her ear sent shivers down her spine. "Less than four hours ago I thought you were dead."
'I guess it bothered you?"
"Bothered me? Bothered me?" Oh, god!" John laughed and put his hands on her face and tilted her head up so that her lips were just beneath his. "Bothered me!"
He pressed his lips against her, just a touch, a slide. A taste. Then they melted against each other. Lips parted, arms held fast, breathing quickened.
"Natalie! Natalie!"
Rex's yell penetrated the dark cocoon in which they were temporarily separated from the rest of the world.
Natalie pushed John away and scrambled of his lap.
"Are you all right?" John asked, his breathing heavy. He smoothed down his rumpled hair instead of reaching out to grab Natalie like he wanted to.
"Yeah. Let's get out of here."
"I thought I heard you whimper. Are you hurt?"
"Whimper? Oh, that was our friendly FBI mouse."
"A mouse? And that didn't scare you?" John sounded amused.
"Mice came with the territory in the places Roxy and I lived. If I had stayed afraid I would have expired a long time ago."
John felt a pang that she had to learn to live with mice.
"Natalie!" Bo's voice joined Rex.
"Come on. Let's go." Natalie crawled past him, the phone in her hand.
>>>>>>>
Rex helped Natalie climb down and then he trapped her in a death grip of a hug.
Natalie held him back and smiled at Uncle Bo who was looking relieved behind him.
John hopped down behind them.
"Where's Cristian?" Natalie asked.
"We haven't found him." Bo sounded uncomfortable.
"Let's go downstairs. He must be here." Natalie pulled out of Rex's embrace and took Bo's hand. She squeezed back as she limped, just a little, past him.
"Are you hurt, Natty?" Rex asked.
"My ankle is a bit sore. From before. Come on." Natalie rushed out of the room.
"Was he?" John asked Bo cryptically.
Bo shook his head and went to follow Natalie.
"You okay, man?" Rex asked John, noticing the red eyes.
"Yeah. Let's get downstairs."
"Are you going to tell her?"
"Tell her what?" John tried to pass Rex.
"That you love her." Rex put his hand on John's arm.
"She's looking for her husband." John's voice was hard.
"Yeah, but she loves you."
John just looked at Rex, but didn't say anything. Then he shook off Rex's grip and walked out of the room.
Rex just sighed and followed.
>>>>>>>>
"Don't go in there." Bo stopped Natalie from going into the kitchen.
"Why? Is he...hurt?"
"He's not in there. We haven't found him anywhere in the house."
Natalie looked around worriedly as she followed Bo into the living room, which appeared to be the only room without signs of a gun and other kinds of battle.
John, Rex and two suited agents followed them into the living and closed the door.
"We can't stay here much longer," John said as soon as Natalie and Rex were seated.
"Where's Cristian?" This she directed at the agents. They didn't respond. She scowled and looked at her Uncle.
"They don't know, honey." Bo sat down on the arm of the couch next to her and put his hand on her shoulder.
"Did they take him?" Natalie asked worriedly.
"We don't know that yet."
"What about that profiler woman?"
"What profiler?" John asked, looking at the agents.
"Agent Kelly. We haven't found her easier. Her car is gone."
John cursed under his breath.
"So they might have left together?" Natalie asked, hopefully.
"When was the last time you saw her?" one of the agents asked.
"Before I spoke to my mother. I left her and Cristian down here talkiing. Then he came upstairs. He was with me when John called."
Rex's brows lifted and looked at John, but he uncharacteristically didn't say anything.
"So she may have left before they got here," Bo surmised.
"Wouldn't they have found her on the way out? There's only one road here that I've seen," Natalie said. "We need to find them."
"We need to get out of here. Did you get the package?" John asked the agents. One of them nodded and handed John a bulky envelope.
"What is that?" Natalie asked.
"Cash. We keep it in all safe houses, just in case."
"In case of what? How could they have found us here? It's supposed to be a safe house isn't it?"
"Yes. And only a few people in the Bureau know about it." John looked at the agents for confirmation. At their nod he turned back to the Llanview contingent. "We might have a mole."
"Then it's not safe to stay with the Bureau." Natalie stood up. "I want to go home."
"No. We're not going to do that," John said.