Thank you to all my reviews! You guys are the reason I write fan fiction (okay enough of the I just won a Grammy speech lol) Anyway the reviews are greatly appreciated!
Disclaimer-One Life to live is neither mine nor will it ever be mine ever (and if this is Dena Higley which I highly doubt it is reading thank you for Jolie! But don't break them up please!)
Okay enough chit chat, on with the story!
Story-Brotherhood
Pairings- NxJ NxM
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Chapter 4 "What is this?"
Michael McBain was just finishing his rounds at Llanview Hospital when his cell phone rang. When he was expecting his old flame Marcie's number to show up his heart skipped a beat at the all too familiar digits that actually appeared.
"Hello Doctor McBain speaking." He said almost jokingly hoping for a response and to his amusement; he received a giggle from the other line.
"Michael you know it's me. Why do you always have to answer so formally?"
He smiled and tried to keep his breathing level when he heard Natalie's voice again.
"Hey listen Mac needs me to cover for him for a few hours. And since I owe him for a lot of favors from when I worked at Rodies (A/N spelling?) I thought I'd help him out."
Trying to hide his disappointment he tried to pitifully ask if she could tell him she was busy.
"Michael Mac is my friend and he asked me for a favor and I'm going to help him out ok? So I guess I'll see ya tomorrow… But just as she was about to hang up he stopped her.
"Natalie wait... Uh can we meet later you know at my place. Before he could say another word she said," of course I'll see you after bye."
When Michael heard her say yes he looked at the clock 'Okay I have maybe about 4 hours let's get to work McBain.' He thought confidently and strolled out the emergency room doors.
When Natalie walked into Rodies she was surprisingly happy. Even though she had been in there dozens of times since she started working at the police station it still felt so natural. It felt so natural to her to just walk in with her old uniform on and getting ready to tend to the bar.
As she was going toward the kitchen she noticed that it was really slow tonight. Except the occasional hopeless drunken fool that stumbled in every hour not much happened.
When the clock struck 9:30 she heard the phone ring and she picked it up and answered," Roadies."
"Hi honey are you done pedal pushing at the bar because big boy Mickey is rearing and waiting for ya here. Hey ya gonna knock some boots together tonight or should I say some scrubs? Do you want me to turn on the fan so no one can hear you and the doctor getting busy-. Before she could answer Natalie interrupted in a stern tone, "Roxy thank you for the tip, but don't talk like that because you're going to make me tell Michael to move out of that hotel."
The next voice on the phone was Roxy again clearly hung on her latest round of liquor she must have just swigged. "Awe Natty I was just playing you have fun with el doctereo tonight I won't bother ya I swear on my last bottle of the captain's treasure."
A little agitated and worn out Natalie replied, "Thank you Roxy I'll talk to you in the morning and I'll be in your room most likely giving you a bottle of Advil good night."
After that she put down the phone and glanced at her watch. When she realized her shift was over by now she went to the cash register to go count the earnings of that night.
The counting only took her ten minutes since that night had been slow.
When she closed the register and locked the cash inside the small safe under the counter she heard the door open.
At first she just stayed down slowly reaching for the crowbar behind the wines but was secretly preparing for a confrontation.
She heard footsteps coming towards the bar as she positioned herself ready to strike the unknown intruder with all her might.
In a split second she sprang up and whacked whoever was in front of her right off their feet and he landed with a loud thump on the wooden floor.
When her adrenaline slowed down she peered down at her victim. To her horror though she saw the last person she wanted to knock out cold with a crowbar.
John Mcbain tried to gather his wits but all he kept feeling was a splitting headache at where someone cracked a crowbar over his head.
When he tried to sit up he was then gently pushed back down by a pair of well manicured nails which he could vaguely recognize. Even in his blurred vision he could see who it really was who was instantly beside him.
He could hear her pleading with him frantically. "John! Oh my god! John are you okay? I'm so sorry come on please answer me."
After blinking a few times his vision was restored to normal as he looked up at her almost tear strained face.
Even with his splitting headache he replied gruffly, "Yeah? I'm okay. Jeez now I know what others had to endure from you back in A.C."
He finished trying to lighten the mood.
"John Oh thank god you're alright. I am so sorry I thought you were some burglar or random jackass trying to get some…. I'm just glad that you didn't pass out- She suddenly stopped and held up her right hand. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
He looked at her hand and saw three. In a light monotone he replied, "I'm gonna go with three."
Before he knew it she had her arms around him hugging him so tight that his head throbbed harder but he didn't care.
When she let go she smoothed his hair down and looked into his eyes which were reassuring her that he really was okay.
When he tried to stand she was right next to him holding on to his arm and pulling him upward before he could protest.
When he was back on his own two front feet again he rubbed the back of his head while she disappeared in the back to get some antiseptic.
"You got a pretty good swing there Natalie remind me to not to ever sneak up on you again."
When she came back she held open the bottle and poured the liquid onto a towel and wrapped it around her hand.
She walked to the stool John had seated himself at and held the towel against his bruised head.
"Ow!" He yelped when he was about to take her hand off she held his head firmly and would not let him take it off.
After 10 minutes, and she was satisfied that his wound was pretty much clean she let go and walked to the back of the counter and pulled out a bottle of beer. After cracking open the cap she pushed it over to his side and said, "Drink this that head must hurt like hell, and don't worry about the payment I owe you one." She replied briskly.
Without much objection he made the bottoms up signal and pressed the bottle to his lips letting the numbing sensation override his pulsing headache.
When he looked up she was getting her coat on and turned the lights down. "I have to go meet Michael." At the mention of his younger brother's name he couldn't help but feel jealous as their kissing scene in Angel Square flashed across his mind.
"You can leave when you want I'm sure Mac won't mind since you're a cop he shouldn't suspect any theft." She paused than added, "Although I'll tell him to check the register tomorrow." With a twinkle in her eye she walked toward him and hugged him one last time, but this time He hugged her back just as hard perhaps harder.
They stayed like that for a while until she broke the contact, making John feel unusually cold. "I'll see you at work in the morning, I'm sure when you wake up you'll feel like you have a hangover Bye John."
Without another word she pulled the door toward her as the door opened, and she stepped outside into the slightly cool air leaving John to his thoughts which were racing a mile a minute.
Michael sat on the couch at the Angle Square Hotel looking at some cheap car magazine trying to focus on something other than Natalie who he saw walk into the lobby.
Trying to keep his voice level he said, "Uh hi how was everything down at Roadies?"(A/N again sp?)
Thinking instantly to her incident with John she debated wether to tell him or not. She made a split second decision to just leave it be, "No nothing that eventful." She finally said.
Walking away from the desk she circled the couch so that she was facing him directly. She then took hold of his hands and lifted him to his feet.
When they were just inches from each other he held onto her hand and started to lead them upstairs.
When they came to the second step Natalie asked quizzically with a hint of flirting in her voice, "Michael where are we going?"
By the 5th step he turned around with a slight answer of, "Oh you will see but I'm gonna have to have you close your eyes when we get at the top, but don't worry I'll hold your hand you won't run into anything I promise."
As his hand intertwined even more so around her hand he walked up to his door and stepped inside.
"Okay you can open your eyes now." With his permission she opened her eyes and was blown away by what was in front of her.
She stayed where she was as she gazed around his room and how beautiful it had become.
Ever where she could see nearly a dozen candles scattered at random parts of the room with their flames dancing around the room and gave the room a homily feeling. Witch she could tell were of vanilla and soft lavender.
Taking one step closer she saw a small table in the middle of the floor with Chinese food displayed on plates with a single dark rose sitting in a vase in the center.
When she realized that Michael was still there she turned around and suddenly seeing him in a whole new light.
She was almost breathless when she tried to talk, "Michael this is absolutely gorgeous I can't believe you did all of this it is so beautiful I-"
He cut her off by placing his finger on her lips silencing her. Feeling a chill run up her spine when he touched her she listened intently at his next words.
"I did this because Natalie I think you are so beautiful and I wanted to show you just how much I care about you and for some reason you are the most important person in my life right now."
Leaving her lips his hand reached down and held onto hers. Still speechless she saw him gesturing for them to sit down.
Sitting down across from him she slowly reached for an egg roll placing it on her plate, but not feeling all that hungry.
Looking into each other's eyes still he still had to say something first. "Natalie-"When he went to say why he did this entire scene he remembered the small box practically burning a hole in his pocket.
Much to her disappointment he let her go and reached in and pulled her gift out.
At seeing the small box in his hand a million thoughts raced through her head.
Oh my god he's going to propose what do I do I can't break his heart what am I gonna do?
Before she could protest he handed it to her saying, "Open it." With excitement evident on his face he eagerly was encouraging her to open it.
Doing as he asked she opened it and gasped at what she found inside. Suddenly finding her voice she said, "Michael what is this?"
Ha! Left a cliff hanger for ya. Hope you like this chapter it took me over two days to write. I'm so sorry I have not updated I have just been so busy, and I had serious writer's block, and that's why I haven't updated Demons either but that is in the works I promise.
Please review!
JustAnotherRegret
Formally known as GoIn-CrAzY
Formally known as Selene14