Chapter 2

Natalie sat at her desk staring at a DNA report for one of Bo's cases. She couldn't help but think about the DNA report that changed her life forever.

Flashback

Natalie paced her bedroom floor deep in thought. How could that man not be Cristian? He smelled like

him he breathed like him and that Christmas present, how would an imposter know to give her that? This

just couldn't be right. But why would this man say he was an imposter is he was not, it just made no

sense." She thought. Then it hit her. "He can't remember who he is! How does he know he is not Cristian

if he can't remember his own name!" Natalie ran for the phone, she needed to see those DNA results! She

would call John and ask him for them. Maybe he would give them to her. She picked up the phone and

dialed John's number.

"Hello?"

"Hi John, its Natalie I need a huge favor" Natalie said

"What's the favor Natalie?" John replied hoping it was something he could help with.

"I need to see the DNA results from the Cristian imposter."

"Why."

"My lawyer says I need them to make sure I am not legally married to that freak." She lied.

"Ok Natalie, but I haven't even opened the envelope yet." John said

"Perfect I'll come over and get them right now" she said hanging up the phone and running for her car keys.

Natalie rushed over to John's apt to get the papers. "Oh god" she thought "please say what I hope you

say. Let Cris really be Cris." She knocked on John's door and waited. John opened the door and handed

her the envelope "I really can't talk right now" he said "Evangeline is here and we are getting ready to

go out."

"That's ok" said Natalie "I just want to get these over to my lawyer and have her do the necessary

paperwork to get this all legally tied up."

"If you need someone to talk to I'm here for you Natalie" John said with a smile. "She was really holding

up well through all this. Just this afternoon she was wishing the guy dead and now she is moving on with

her life" he marveled.

"Thanks John" she said "well I leave you to your plans now" and turned around and went back to her car.

John shook his head and went back into his room. "She really was something special," he thought with a

smile on his face.

As she sat in the car Natalie reached for the envelope and prayed. She opened the DNA report and

started reading. She got as far as Positive match before she started crying. He really was Cristian. "I

knew it." She thought. "I need to get to Statesville and tell him." Natalie started the car and drove to

Statesville to shear the good news.

How was she gonna tell John that she lied and that Cris was really alive and in prison. He would think she

was a terrible person for leaving Cris there and for lying to him for months. He would leave her. She couldn't

handle John leaving her too, Cris already had. Maybe that was to be her fate, that every man she loved

would leave her and she would be alone forever Natalie thought dejectedly.

Flashback

Statesville Prison

"You really are Cristian Vega" Natalie stated to the man sitting across from her beyond the bars,

showing him the DNA results. Cris sat there for an hour not saying anything just staring at the DNA

report.

Cris was stunned. He had a family, a wife! He really was Cristian Vega! He had never felt so happy.

Suddenly it all came rushing back to him, His childhood, Natalie, everything. "Natalie I remember! I

remember everything," Cris said. Then he remembered what happened on the ship, all the torture and

brainwashing it all came rushing back. "NO!" he thought " If they find out I am alive my family and I will

never be safe and neither will Natalie."

"Natalie, you can't tell anyone I am alive," Cris said softly.

"What! Why not!" Natalie practically shouted

"Natalie, that doesn't change the fact that I killed a man. I am in here for life and I am not getting out.

Hell I don't even know if I should." Cris said heatedly.

"But how can you say that? Don't you want to get out of jail and be with me?" Natalie asked shocked.

"Natalie you know I love you but I was tortured and brainwashed. I killed Tico! Hell, I even tried to kill

my own brother for god sake! I shouldn't be around anyone especially you or my family. I need to pay for

my crimes. I deserve to be here." Cris yelled.

"Cris" Natalie said gently "It wasn't your fault, you need help not prison."

"Natalie have you ever though that maybe the people who did this to be are still out there? That maybe If

they knew I was alive that they would try to kill me or kill my family? I may be in prison but at least I am

alive and you and my family are safe." Cris said pleading with her. "You have to move on with your life. I

want you to promise me that you won't tell anyone that I am alive. Not even my mom and Antonio."

"Cris I can't do that! I love you. I won't let you rot in here."

"Natalie if you love me please do this for me. Besides you and I both know that even if I did get out we

wouldn't stay together. We aren't the same people we were a year ago. We are too different now, plus you

have feelings for McBain. No, don't deny it," Cris said when Natalie went to protest "I could see it every

time you were together. The fact is that everyone, including myself, is safer if I stay here."

"But Cris," Natalie started to say

"No Natalie this is the way I want it please respect that."

Natalie let out a sigh and said "ok I will respect your wishes, for now. But I will be back."

Natalie left felling very sad and confused. She came back every week for 3 months but Cris still didn't

change his mind. At the end of the third month, realizing that he was indeed right, Natalie brought

annulment papers with her for Cris to sign. The spark they had had before was gone. They were too

different now. She still loved him but not the way a wife should. In the meantime Cris had gotten a new

lawyer and gave her the DNA report and he had gotten transferred secretly to a minimum-security prison

to finish out his term. He actually liked it there. His lawyer was hopeful that if he behaved well she could

get him out and into the witness protection program soon. Natalie wasn't happy about any of this

especially lying to his family but this was this was he wanted it.