The Gamble – Part 8

Summary: John was in prison undercover, but only Bo and Michael know it. John was beaten up severely and brought to Llanview Hospital. Natalie came to see him and got very upset, John doesn't know that she's pregnant. Hesser escape from prison and forced his way into Cristian's apartment. Cristian moved out of his mother's house because she was nasty about his helping Natalie. Antonio showed up at Cristian's, not knowing that Hesser is there.

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"What are you doing here?" Cristian's monotone sounded in Antonio's ear.

"Hey, brother. I wanted to talk to you."

"I got nothing to say."

"You just get back from the gym?" Antonio asked, eyeing the gym bag Cristian was holding. "Hmmm, dinner smells good. Got enough for two?"

"Not for you."

"Man, listen, I know you've been avoiding me. I don't blame you for trying to kill me. I want to put it in the past."

"Fine. It's in the past. You need to leave now."

"How long are you going to be like this? And Mami, she misses you."

"She should have thought of that before she bad mouthed Natalie."

"It's how she is, fiercely protective of her son. This has been hard on her, man."

"Then she should be mad at me, not Natalie. Natalie didn't do anything wrong except fall in love with McBain."

"You really okay with that?" Antonio tilted his head.

"I'm not thrilled about it, but you know, she moved on. I wanted her to." Cristian shifted the bag of take out he was carrying.

"Let me take that." Antonio reached out to take the bag.

"No!" Cristian yelled and took a step back.

"If you ever want to talk, you know where to find me." Antonio held up his hands and then walked away.

Cristian sighed and dropped the gym bag and dug in his jeans pocket for his keys. The door was pulled open.

"You should have invited your brother in, it would have been an eventful reunion."

"Shut up." Cristian picked up the gym bag and pushed past Carlo. "Aren't you supposed to be hiding? I heard on the news that you escaped. They're looking for you. They'll find you here."

"Then you'll get arrested for harboring a fugitive. Did you also hear that your wife's lover was seriously beaten?"

"She's not my wife." Cristian slammed the bag of food onto the counter.

"Details. Details."

"I'm not going to do what you want." Cristian suddenly felt the blade of a kitchen knife pressing against his throat.

"You'll do exactly that, Vega. Exactly what I want." Carlo dug the tip of the blade into Cristian's neck drawing a spot of blood.

Cristian swallowed and his hands shook as he unpacked the bag.

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Bo walked into the waiting room. Natalie was sitting with her back to him in the corner, her shoulders shaking with sobs. He walked over and sat down on the couch and pulled her into his arms. He pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it into her hands.

"Hey, shhh," Bo made soothing noises.

"I hate crying," Natalie said between sobs as she mopped at her face.

"You're tough. But you don't need to be tough all the time. What you do need to do is take better care of yourself and the baby."

Natalie nodded and leaned further into Bo's embrace.

"John's worried about you. He wants to know what's wrong."

"He would." Natalie shook her head and laughed through her tears.

"I told him you were exhausted and I was going to make sure you got some sleep."

"I don't want to leave John."

"He's sleeping himself. He won't be up again for hours. Why don't you go to my room at the hotel and get some sleep. I'll get you in after visiting hours to see him," Michael offered.

"You need it, honey," Bo said.

"I'm outnumbered. Fine. I'll get some sleep. Then I'm coming back to see, John."

"We know," Michael said.

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Natalie lay down in Michael's bed and pressed a hand to her stomach. She so badly wished John was lying here with her safe and healthy. She closed her eyes and thought back to earlier times in this very same room.

Like the time she had brought over the paint. When she had taken a look at the photos and evidence he had stapled to the wall, when she had learned just how dark and dangerous the things he dealt with on a daily basis were. It had frightened her a bit, but it also gave her an insight into the man he was. It made her want to soothe him, to give him some laughter.

Or more scary, the time when she had woken up after Haver had strangled her. John had held her so tight. She had felt his fear seeping into her bones as he rocked her back and forth mumbling words of comfort. He managed to do what no one else could have done in that moment, he made her feel safe. And he was still trying to do that later when he called and asked her to stay away from him. As if that had ever been possible.

She shifted the pillow under her head and thought back to the time they were playing emotional strip poker. She had wondered for a long time what would have happened if she hadn't left after seeing him chase at Evangeline. He had said something cryptic to her the next day to intimate he had come back to the room alone and was surprised she was gone. To her surprise, he seemed hurt and a bit pissed she was gone. Then he had rushed off to meet Evangeline at the Palace where, she heard from one of Renee's employees, that he had given the other woman a string.

"A string, only you John," Natalie said into the empty room. She shifted her position and let out a sigh. Exhaustion was dragging her body down, but her mind wouldn't stop spinning.

A smile tilted her lips as she thought back to St. Patrick's Day. That had been their first kiss, which of course she initiated. John did his level best to resist her when she chased him and chased her when she tried to avoid him. Tripolar she had once called him. She had loved the challenging and sarcastic glint in his eyes that night, but she wasn't just going to fold to his taunts anymore.

"We've had a challenging relationship, John McBain." She wasn't going to let anyone take him back to prison. No matter what she had to do.

"Sleep first," she ordered herself and dropped into sleep.

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Cristian stood outside the cottage where he and Natalie had so happily planned their life together. A life that had never happened. Thanks to John McBain. He felt a familiar, comforting rage at the bitter thought. It was easier to just give in a distant part of his mind whispered. Cristian fondled the cold gun he held in his pocket.

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"You've only had a few hours sleep. You need a lot more," Michael lectured the mother of his niece or nephew.

"I couldn't fall back asleep. I need to see him. You promised."

"If I got you a cot in his room, would you sleep there?"

"Just let me see him, Michael. I don't want him to be alone. He's been alone too long."

Touched by Natalie's earnest words, Michael nodded and went to speak to a nurse. When he came back he held a blanket and walked her to John's room. The guard had already been given orders to let Ms. Buchanan sit with the prisoner and let them pass with a minimum of fuss.

"I don't need a blanket," Natalie said under her breath.

"Don't argue with me. Sit." He pushed her into the chair at John's bedside and wrapped the blanket around her legs. He went to the closet and got down a pillow, which he arranged behind her back.

"She loves to argue," John said.

"You should be sleeping," Michael said.

"We both should. How about letting Natalie hop up here and we'll both sleep," John cajoled.

"You're battered, Bro. Might not feel as good as you think." Michael had his hands on his hips.

"I don't want to hurt you, John."

"Come on, aren't you supposed to humor the patient? And how am I supposed to rest with the nurses from drawing my blood every two hours and waking me up? Come on, Doc."

"There's not much room." Michael held his palms up in a sign of surrender.

"We don't need it." John smiled at Natalie, disturbed by the dark circles under her eyes that remained even though her color was marginally better. "Crawl in." John lifted the blanket.

Natalie stood up and helped John, who manfully bit back groans of pain, move over and slid in next to him.

"I feel better already." John pressed Natalie's head against his shoulder. Her warmth was better than all the painkillers.

"Watch the ribs." Michael sighed.

"Get out and let us sleep," John said.

"Fine. I'm gonna catch hell for this," Michael mumbled as he walked out of the room.

"I couldn't sleep without you," Natalie whispered.

"I missed you, Natalie." He tilted her head back and pressed his lips gently on hers. He gasped at the pain on his swollen lips and laughed.

"Geez. Don't hurt yourself. Let's sleep."

"I finally get you in bed again and I can't do anything about it."

Natalie laughed and let him settle her hand on his chest where it wouldn't hurt, too much.