Slipping Through the Cracks
Chapter 10: Reassurances
See Part 1 for disclaimers
Author's Note: This was supposed to have another chapter to it, but since the muse told me to stop I stopped.
Dedication: To Bethany for the identity of the person who was shot! Thanks!
John was at Natalie's side in an instant. "Natalie, baby can you hear me?" She opened her eyes. "John? Who got shot?" John pressed his forehead to hers as he shook with silent sobs. "God, I thought it was you." They looked over to where Evangeline was being handcuffed. There was also a crowd in the center of the church, and that was where John headed after kissing Natalie, reassuring himself that she was all right. "Who was shot?"
Bo moved aside to reveal Michael lying still on the plush red carpeting. John felt his knees give way as he fell to the ground beside his brother. "Michael?" Just then the paramedics came pushing through. "Excuse me sir." John was pushed back to observe helplessly. Gentle arms slipped around his waist as his hot tears continued to fall. He heard Natalie's soft intake of breath as she saw who was being put on the stretcher. "Michael…" John turned and buried his face in her hair. They followed the stretcher outside and clung to each other like a lifeline until one of the EMT's called out, "Who's riding?" John pulled back from Natalie. "Baby—" She smiled and kissed his tears away. "Go. I'm right behind you."
John touched her cheek softly in thanks before going to get in the ambulance. Natalie held her tears back until the ambulance turned the corner, then she gave them free reign as she embraced herself. "Natalie—" She turned and threw herself into her mother's arms as she trembled. Viki stroked Natalie's hair as she tried to comfort her to the best of her ability. A moment later Natalie pulled back. "Can you take me to the hospital?" she asked waveringly. Viki nodded and kissed her cheek. "Of course I will baby."
Natalie wiped her smeared makeup off as best she could before going to the waiting room. She knew that she had to be strong for John, he needed her. He was the first person she saw when she walked into the room, he was sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. She knelt on the floor in front of him and gently moved his hands, kissing him softly before moving his head to her breast. His arms wrapped around her as he drew comfort from her small gesture of love.
John slid to the ground, needing to be as close to Natalie as possible. He tangled his hands in her hair as he moved back, touching his forehead to hers softly. "Thank you," he whispered. She smiled sadly as she kissed him. "You've picked me up enough times, John. It's my turn." He placed his hand on her stomach and smiled as the baby kicked under his touch.
" Thank you for not going after Evangeline yourself," he said. "I don't know if I could have survived losing you two." Natalie put her hand over John's, cupping his cheek with her other hand. "Baby, I wasn't going to put our son in danger. Otherwise you know I would have been kicking her ass." They laughed.
Just then Spencer Truman came out of the OR. Natalie and John stood as quickly as they could. "Is he going to be okay?" John asked, voice breaking. Natalie took his hand and squeezed it tightly. He gave her a grateful look as Spencer replied, "Initially we didn't think he was going to make it, but your little brother is quite the fighter." John's shoulders visibly relaxed at the news. "Yeah, he is. So he's going to be okay?" "He's going to be very sore for a long while and might have some problems during recovery, but I think he's going to be just fine. Now if you'll excuse me I need to check on my other patients." He walked away.
Natalie threw her arms around John's middle and hugged him tightly. "He's going to be okay," she murmured. "God, I don't know what either of us would do without him." John kissed the top of her head. "I don't either." He shook his head and chuckled. Natalie looked up at him smiling. "What?" "Nothing." At her look he relented. "Fine. It's just kind of funny—he was the one who wanted you to leave me alone because he thought Evangeline was the woman for me, and now she shot him." John shrugged as Natalie stared at him for a minute, then her laughter rang throughout the waiting room.
" Only you would look at it that way," she giggled, shaking her head and standing up on her tiptoes to give him a quick kiss. She led him back to the chairs and they sat. "What are we doing?" John asked. Natalie raised her eyebrow. "I know you're not going to leave until you see your brother, thought we might as well be comfortable through the wait." She pulled a take-out bag from Rodi's from her tote and grinned as John's eyes lit up. "I love you, Natalie Vega." She smiled and kissed him. "I know, but I'll never get tired of hearing you say it."
THE END