Four Leaf Clover – 25

Summary: Started from Trinity's challenge of J/N engaging in an affair behind the Evangeline's back (she's, thankfully, dead now). John and Natalie have bought a condo together, Natalie has graduated college, she and Rex are going to start an as-yet-unnamed PI business together. James Moretti from Atlantic City shows up in Llanview to start a turf battle within the organized crime world. He has ties to both John and Natalie. Natalie was about to tell John what happened with James when she was sixteen when he was called away on a case. Natalie was kidnapped from the LPD.

A/N: Thanks for the really great feedback! I got hooked on Chlark fanfic for the Smallville fandom, so my head is totally there right now, but I wanted to get this part done. Next parts will be something you all like.

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Natalie's warning distracted James and John was able to get in a punch that knocked the man out. John turned his attention to the thugs only to discover they were gone.

Natalie leapt out of her chair and ran towards John. Rex followed behind her.

"Where did they go?" Natalie asked.

"They have some kind of truck outside, they went that way. And we really should get out of this fire." Rex stressed the last word.

"Get your sister out of here, I'll go get Moretti."

"You're a real hero, McBain. Come on Natty."

"I want to wait." Natalie refused to move.

"Don't do this. Don't make me worry about you! Go. I'll be right behind you."

Natalie and John's eyes locked for a moment and then she nodded and let Rex take her hand and drag her out. Rex pulled the front door open and pushed Natalie out. "I'll make sure they get out." Rex ran back inside before she could argue and before she could follow she was grabbed by Officer Denton and pulled away.

>>>>

"McBain!" Rex called out as he moved by memory through the smoky room. "Where the hell are you? If I lose you my sister is going to kill me and you!"

"Jesus!" Rex swore as he tripped over a chair and almost fell into a flaming table. He straightened himself out and saw John. He was about to call out to him when he was a flash. Without thinking first he pulled out John's gun and rushed forward and fired.

>>>>>>

Everyone outside heard the shot including Natalie, who turned to run back inside the builder. Officer Denton wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back behind the perimeter of police cars as a group of officers ran towards the building. Before they could get inside, however, there was a loud crack and the roof of the building collapsed and flames engulfed the entire building.

>>>>>

"Are you all right?"

Natalie didn't even have the energy to muster up annoyance at the twenty-third rendition of the question she'd heard in the last three hours.

Three hours since the sound of a gun shot and the night club had gone up in flames with, as far as she knew, Rex and John still inside.

The far off sirens of the fire trucks were sounded in the distance as she watched and waited for something. Some movement. Tears were streaming down her face from the ash and smoke. That's what she told herself. Because it wasn't for her brother and her lover. They were fine. She would feel it if they weren't. That she had said those words when told of Cristian's death she conveniently didn't remember.

Finally. Minutes. But maybe only seconds. But it could have been hours two figures came walking from around the right side of the building. Through the haze of the smoke they couldn't tell who it was. Who were the two who got out when there were five men in there to start with?

"Are you all right?"

"Stop asking me that." Natalie stood up and walked over to the coffee pot. It was empty. With mechanical movements she started to prepare a fresh pot.

"We don't need anymore coffee. You don't need anymore coffee."

"When did you get so bossy?" Natalie slammed the plastic filter down on the table and spun to face him.

"Pretty much around the time my baby brother was born."

At the words Natalie's shoulders drooped and a wave of emotion finally rolled through her body.

"About freakin' time." She heard the mumble as if from a distance, even as the strong arms that the voice belonged to wrapped themselves around her and pulled her in.

"He's going to be all right."

Natalie nodded against John's chest and closed her eyes. Of course Rex was going to be fine, but she still insisted on waiting through his medical examination and questioning.

"I'm all right."

Natalie nodded again.

"So, now will you tell me if you're all right?"

Natalie laughed, the sound muffled by unshed tears, and wrapped her arms around him.

"They didn't find Moretti's body. Or any sign of the truck that Rex reported seeing behind the building." Bo walked into his office, not commenting on the sight of his Chief of Detectives and his Assistant slash niece holding onto each other for dear life.

Natalie tried to jump out of John's embrace at the sound of her uncle's voice, but he didn't let her get away. It was the first time she'd let him touch her since after the initial embrace she had given him out on Route 94. After that she had stepped away to let him be examined by the EMT's, to direct his men and then they went their separate ways for questioning. She had refused to wait until the next day, telling him in an eerily blank voice that she wanted to get it over with. They had been sitting in Bo's office waiting for Rex for almost half an hour and she would barely look at him. He wasn't letting her go now.

"He's still out there," Natalie said, her voice hollow.

"If he survives Rex's shot and the fire, he's likely picked up a new identity. The fire was staged."

Now, John let Natalie go so she could face her uncle. But he kept her close with a hand on her shoulder.

"I saw the fire start with the candles."

"Coincidence or a distraction I can't say, but the building was set to burn," Bo said.

"With our without us in it?" Natalie asked. No one bothered to answer. "So, Rex saved your life." Natalie turned to face John, smiling at the sour look on John's face.

"Balsom did good," Bo said proudly.

"I did, didn't I?" Rex came walking in the door, preening a bit, despite the smudges of soot marring his appearance. "Does this mean the department is going to buy me a new shirt?"

"No, Balsom, it doesn't." Bo rolled his eyes.

"Damn, this was an expensive shirt. No expense allowance?"

Natalie grabbed her brother's hand and squeezed. He turned on his sister and gave her a cocky grin.

"So, McBain. I saved your life. According to this grad student in Eastern Philosophy I dated that means your life is mine now." He rubbed his hands together and rocked on his heels.

John rubbed his eyes and shook his head. Natalie took pity on him and told everyone they were going home.

>>>>

Silence reigned in the car on the way home. They walked into the split level condo and wordlessly went into the kitchen. John got out two beers and Natalie looked around for something to make for dinner. John picked up the phone and ordered a pizza. Natalie made a salad.

After they had eaten their fill, they sat across the half-empty pizza box looking at each other.

"I'm all right, John."

John sighed and closed the pizza box.