"Will you please let me go!" shouted Nora as the officer held her arm tightly while she was escorted into the Police Station. "Bo—Daniel—tell your guard dog to back off."

"Officer Rodney—you can go—we'll take it from here," said Bo as he motioned towards his office.

"What was that all about? I mean I was running with Evangeline, minding my own business when two brutes came up to us and forced myself here and took Evangeline back to her house."

"It was a security measure. We had put cops on both of you, and this morning when they couldn't get an answer at the house we put a search out for you."

"I went running—is that a crime?"

"When Stephen Haver is running around it is," spoke Daniel.

"Fine. If you don't mind I'll go lock myself in my house now."

"This was for your own safety," said Bo and Daniel at the same time.

"Well, I'm so happy you take my safety into consideration, but I'm a big girl and I can watch my own back," she shouted as she walked out of Bo's office before slamming the door behind her.

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Natalie closed the door and sighed, "I thought we'd never get rid of him."

"I heard that," said John in the hallway outside of Adrienne's office.

"Ten minutes, McBain!" she hollered then began laughing. She had talked John into having her come to the Center so she and Adrienne could discuss the interviews from yesterday.

"Is he ok? He looked tired."

Natalie shook her head, "He didn't sleep any last night—I could feel him lying there trying not to wake me, but it didn't work. He got up a few times and I could see him standing at the window looking outside."

"He's anxious to catch this guy finally?"

"It's—it's more than that. I'm not sure he wants me to explain to others, but let's just say John and Stephen Haver knew each other before they both came to Llanview," she said as Adrienne's mouth went into an 'O' shape before they began discussing who should be given the new counselor position.

--------------

Nora gave a sigh before walking into Daniel's office to see him sitting in his chair with his back to her, "Daniel—I wanted to apologize before. I mean I know what you and Bo were doing—you are on the edge right now, everyone is—I hate to think what is going through John's mind right now. Will you please turn around so I can finish groveling before John does get here?" she asked as the chair swung around and she saw Stephen Haver sitting in the chair, "Haver."

"Hello, dear Nora. It's so wonderful to see you once again," he said as he got out of the chair and Nora froze in place, unsure whether to scream or reach for something to hit him with. "And it's even more wonderful to know dear Johnny Boy is coming home just for me. I take it that he and Mrs. Vega finally ended up tying the knot while I was gone—I was saddened to know that I didn't receive an invitation, but then I didn't leave a forwarding address the last time I left."

"How—how are you alive?" she was finally able to squeak out.

"It's funny that you should ask that question," he said as he took a seat on the edge of Colson's desk before continuing, "Rae asked me that same exact question when I walked into her office two days ago—but if I told you, well then I'd have to kill you," he said with a slight chuckle.

"What do you want from us?"

"What do I want? Well, that's a simple question—I want to see John McBain lose the love of his life all over again," said Stephen as he walked closer to Nora but suddenly the office door opened and in walked Daniel.

"Daniel!" yelled Nora as Haver suddenly spun around and punched Daniel before running out. Nora ran to Daniel's side as she heard the commotion begin outside. Daniel's eyes opened and Nora was able to laugh slightly, "I guess I do need you to watch my back after all."

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Adrienne pulled out the paper and began dialing as she sat at her desk, "Hi—Cairyn?"

"Oh, hello," said Cairyn on the other end as she sat with a shoebox on her lap in a small apartment living room somewhere in the city.

"I just wanted to let you know that Natalie and I both decided to offer the position to you."

"Why thank you very much," she said as she ran her hand over the box as if it were holding something valuable inside.

"Can you come by today and fill out some paperwork for me?"

"Certainly. Will Natalie be there in case you are out?"

"Actually, Natalie had an emergency at home and had to leave for her vacation early, but I should be here all day."

"Well, I'll try and make it by, but I was planning on going out of town this weekend myself. Could we do the paperwork on Monday instead?"

"That'll work too—I'll see you early afternoon then," said Adrienne as she hung up the phone and a second later there was a knock at the door, "It's open."

"Hi Adrienne," said Adam.

"Hey—what's up?"

"Is Miss Natalie here today?"

"No, she ended up having to start vacation a day early. I'm not as good of a pool player as she is, but if you want me to play a game I can try and win," she said laughing which brought a smile to his face.

"No, I don't want to play pool. I wanted to talk to her about her slashed tires yesterday."

"Adam, do you know who did that? You know it's completely confidential—was it Sam's brother Will?"

"No ma'am—it wasn't one of us kids at all. It was an older woman."

"An older woman?" she asked as her attention perked up, "When did you see this woman?"

"Yesterday, after Miss Natalie and I played pool while she was having lunch with John. John had offered to drive me back here also, but I said I'd walk. I was on the other side of the street walking over to my Aunt's house—my mom had given me something to give to her. John gave Miss Natalie a kiss goodbye and then drove off. Then after she'd gone inside a woman pulled up in a car right next to hers. I couldn't tell what the woman had in her hands, but then I realized the tires were going flat."

"What did she look like?"

"Like I said—it was hard to see, but she had short blonde hair—Miss Natalie hasn't done anything wrong to anyone from what I can tell. I had to get to my Aunt's house, and when I finally came back I saw Miss Natalie's car being towed away."

"Adam—I want to thank you for coming and telling me this. I'll call and tell Natalie and John what you saw in a bit, but for now let's go play a game of pool," she said as she got up from her desk and reached back to grab her personal pool cue.

----------------

"Well, at least she wasn't hurt. Thanks Bo," said John as he hung up the cell phone and threw it in the cup holder of the truck.

"What's wrong?"

John gave a short sigh, "Haver paid Nora a visit this morning. Luckily Colson came in before anything happened, but then they lost Haver in the chase," finished John with a yawn.

"You want me to drive?" she asked as a sudden yawn came over her.

"No—I'm fine. Are you ok? Did you get enough sleep last night?"

"I should be asking you that question—I know you didn't sleep at all last night."

"I'm sorry I kept you up—I should have gone into the living room."

"Yeah, because that would have helped me a lot."

"You—you need to get your rest right now, Babe—I just don't want you to worry about me. It's just—you know," he shrugged.

"Yeah, I know what it is, and I know I can't force you to sleep—unless I slip something into your beer tonight," she winked at him, causing a smile to finally crack on his rough exterior expression. "There's that smile I love."

"Yeah, you have that effect on me," he said with a chuckle.

"That was part of my vows to you—don't you remember?"

John thought hard for a second then grinned, "No, I don't think I remember that part."

"Oh, it must have slipped because I meant to say something about always getting you to lighten up a bit—even when you don't want to."

"Are you saying I'm edgy right now?"

Natalie laughed, "John—you've had your hands at 'ten and two' since we pulled out of the Center parking lot."

John gave a shrug as he thought of a viable excuse, "I'm got precious cargo on board," he said as he moved his hand and placed it on her stomach before turning his head for a moment and giving her a wink and a smile.