"Natalie!" Jessica squealed with joy. She had missed Natalie so much but knew that if Natalie came back he would be in danger. Cris was really angry she left. Jess feared what he might do.

"Jess," Natalie said again smiling. "How are you, How is Mom?" Vicki had a heart problem and Natalie always worried about her.

"Mom's fine. She is doing so much better. I'm good. Antonio and I broke up but its on. I think it's for the best."

"You and Antonio broke up? Why?" Natalie asked, sad for Jess. She had really loved Antonio.

"He couldn't accept the fact that I hate Cris. He doesn't believe that Cris is abusive and that he is working with the Santi's. It's ok though. It happened 3 months ago. I meet someone new. His name is Nash. He is a great guy."

Natalie smiled, happy for her sister. "Actually that's what I am calling you. I kinda met someone. I'm not sure what to do about it. Or even if I will ever see him again." She said confused.

"Oh Nat, you met someone? What's his name? And what do you mean you don't know if you will ever see him again?"

Natalie sighed, "I just met him today. He flirted with me at the bar. I blew him off but I don't know Jess, there was something about him. It's like he could look right into me and know what I was thinking."

"You just met him today and you are this worked up about him? So what's his name. What does he look like?"

"His name is John McBain. He has blue eyes, dark.."

"John McBain?" Jessica said incredulously. "I know him. Longish dark brown hair? 6'2"? Looks great in a pair of jeans?"

"Yes." Natalie said in shock that Jess knew him. "How do you know him?"

"He is an FBI agent. He was here a while back, right after you left town, looking into the Santi's. Uncle Bo offered him a job but he turned it down. His brother is a doctor at the hospital. John is a great guy. He isn't very open though, doesn't talk much. Something happened a long time ago that really hurt him. I don't know what he wouldn't talk about it." Jessica said, amazed that he was there where ever Natalie was. "Oh yeah he plays pool. Maybe you could challenge him to a game if he comes back. And guess what?"

"What?" Natalie said, her head reeling with all this information.

"He grew up in AC too. Maybe if you see him again you can talk to him about AC." Jessica went on happy that Natalie had found a nice guy that she seemed to be into. Jessica didn't want Natalie to be alone for ever. "Just be careful Natalie. I know you are still dealing with what happened with Cris. I don't want you to do anything you don't want to."

"Oh Jess, I don't know what I want to do anymore." Natalie paused and then said, "2 weeks ago Cris found me. He did a real number on me. I got away."

"Oh no!" Jessica cried, forgetting about John completely. "Are you ok? How did you get away?"

"He was waiting for me at my apartment. Oh Jess he was like his old self again. He was so sweet, so apologetic. Jess I believed him." Natalie sighed heavily before continuing, "But when I refused to sleep with him he got mad and started hitting me again. He hit me till I passed out. I guess he figured that I was out for the night and he fell asleep. Well I woke up and saw him sleeping so I just ran. I didn't take anything with me. I just took off," Natalie said. "I did take his wallet though. He had 3000 dollars in it. Jess where would he get that kind of money?"

Jessica was extremely upset. "Natalie you have got to go to the police! Next time Cris might kill you!"

Natalie sighed again before saying, "I know Jess. I'm afraid. What if he hurts you or someone else I care about to get back at me. So far he has left you guys alone. I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."

"I know your scared, Natalie, but he would be in jail. He couldn't hurt anyone there." Jessica said encouragingly.

"I filed for divorce this morning. Lets see how that goes first. Ok? I don't want to put anyone at risk if I can solve this problem on my own. Maybe he is only trying to find me because I am still his wife. If I'm no longer his wife maybe he can find someone who makes him happy and gives him all he needs so he won't have to be upset all the time." Natalie said hopefully.

She was still very sad that it hadn't worked with Cris. She had loved him with all her heart. She knew she would never find love like that again. In her heart Natalie still believed that she had failed Cris and that it was her fault he was like this.

"You filed for divorce?" Jessica asked, happy that Natalie had taken the next step. But hearing the rest of what she said Jessica could tell Natalie still blamed herself for Cris's behavior. "Natalie its not your fault Cris is acting like this. He is a bastard. He isn't the same man that you married."

Natalie sighed, "I know, Jess. Look I'm tired. I am gonna go to be now. I'll call you again in a couple of weeks."

"Ok, Bye Natalie. Just think about what I said. Ok?"

"I will Jess, bye." Natalie said hanging up the phone. Jess had given her something to think about. Maybe it wasn't her fault about Cris. But if it wasn't her fault then that meant that Cris didn't love her. That he was hitting her for no reason. If Cris didn't love her and he was hitting her because he liked hitting what did that say about her. About her judgment?

Natalie sighed again. She seemed to be doing a lot of sighing lately, Natalie thought absently as she got ready for bed. When was her life going to be her own again? She had to make some choices about how she was going to live the rest of her life.

Still thinking about her conversation with Jessica, Natalie fell into a troubled sleep.