If you wouldn't mind, please do review. I always enjoy feedback and suggestions. Also, someone questioned as to why I picked the title of Wildflower for the story. It's a reference to the song of the same title by Sheryl Crow. I definitely suggest downloading it or buying her new cd to hear it. It, to me, sums up not only Natalie as an individual but represents how I see Jack and Nat in my mind. Enjoy this chapter. I'll update again before Sunday :)

Chapter Three

Bobby took a sip from his cup and eyed her from his slouch against the doorframe. "Do you ever go home?"

She shook her head clutching her folders against her chest. "I took a double shift."

"I don't see how you do it, be on your feet for hours on end while rushing around helping people with their problems. Now, the standing I could do, but the problems? No thanks."

"When they start to look like family, you think differently about them."

Bobby shook his head. "Nothing beats your real family."

"No offense Mr. Mercer, but Angel and Jeremiah obviously aren't your real family. They've simply taken the place of an old idea, a lost image that you've replaced with a better one that means more to you. One that you love more than you could ever love real blood because of what they mean to you, not because of what they are." She paused as she realized he wore an amused look on his face at her tirade and Natalie blushed, brushing away a lock of stray hair from her eyes. "If you'll excuse me, I think I need to get some coffee."

"Wait." He started after her. "I'll come with you."

Natalie slowed her pace but kept her gaze forward as Bobby walked beside her towards the elevators. They were silent as they got inside the car and she punched the number for the cafeteria floor. Natalie glanced out of the corner of her eyes to find him sipping quietly at his coffee and leaning against the elevator wall as he watched her.

"Something on your mind Mr. Mercer?"

"You seem a little young to be taking on all this responsibility."

"Age does not denote wisdom."

"I'm not the literary type Natalie," Bobby smirked. "Don't ask me to name the speaker of the quote or anything like that."

She flashed him an amused smile. "It's an old Jewish proverb actually Mr. Mercer." She stepped out, Bobby following, as the elevators dinged open.

"How many times do I need to tell you to call me Bobby? I haven't been called Mr. Mercer this many times since I got a speech the day they kicked me out of high school." He chuckled at her sideways glance. "I told you I wasn't the literary type."

Natalie laughed as well, nodding. "What type are you then?"

Bobby shrugged as they turned towards the cafeteria. "I'm a simple kind of guy really, I take care of my family and I watch my back, it's the only two things I worry about."

"When you put it like that, you sound more like the complex type of man to me Bobby."

"I hear women usually go for that kind."

"I have no doubt in my mind you have no trouble with women despite any side you choose to show them."

"I'm flattered you think of me that way."

She sent him a teasing smile as she snatched a cup from the dispenser and turned towards the coffee machine. "Are you trying to flirt with me Bobby?"

"I'd say I was actually flirting then trying to Natalie."

"Well, then…" Natalie filled her cup, taking a lid and she popped back the small plastic tab before snapping the lid into place. "I'd say I'm flattered that you think of me that way but I don't usually fall for smooth lines."

"You said usually. Women who say that typically mean they're open to change in their lives."

"Well aren't you the expert on women and their thinking patterns?" She moved away and began to pay the cashier when Bobby leaned over handing the woman a dollar. He smiled, winking at Natalie as he accepted his change and put it into his pocket. Natalie shook her head as she turned to return to the elevators.

"Perhaps knowing this hidden secret about you would cause your brothers to call you Fairy instead of Jack?

Bobby barked in laughter, wide grin on his face. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"Sarcasm and quick repartee inspire a rise in your hormone and sexual levels?" Natalie flashed him a teasing look and acted shocked. "I must put a bulletin out and warn a majority of the hospital staff, men included."

"Well, since you put it that way," Bobby was still laughing as they climbed back into the elevator, "It might be best to leave it at a beautiful face and an intelligent mind."

Natalie was silent until they arrived back on her floor. "That still can include men." She sipped at her coffee and looked up as they exited at a nurse calling her name. Natalie rushed off, leaving him standing there watching her with an amused expression on his face.

He cursed as the doors shut in on him.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

If it were possible for limbs to fall off from exhaustion, Natalie was positive she'd be up to her kneecaps with no arms by this point. She glanced at the hospital clock above the nurses' station, it was almost 9 am and the hospital had yet to slow down. Not that it ever did. She wasn't sure she'd love it the same if it ever were to grow completely quiet. Something about the hustle and bustle made her come alive.

Sighing, Natalie picked up a folder and headed to the nearest waiting patient.

She had her head bent, taking a sample of blood from a patient when there was a tap on the door. "Just a minute."

"Natalie."

She looked over to see Dr. Stewart. "Dr. Stewart, what can I do for you?"

He smiled comfortingly at the patient, a young boy of 12, and then nudged his head outside at the hallway. "When you get a moment, your mother is here to see you."

Natalie's back stiffened and she bit at her bottom lip, finishing her sample as gently as she could. She held down the cotton ball, handing the syringe to a waiting nurse, and quickly placed a band-aid over the ball. Natalie smiled and bent the boy's arm up towards his chest. "Hold your arm just like that Timmy, it'll help stop the blood flow. You can lower it back down in five minutes okay?"

"Okay Ms. Hamilton."

She smiled patting him on the shoulder. "You did a great job." Natalie collected her papers, stepping out into the hallway with Dr. Stewart and she allowed him to pull her towards a sheltered part of the hallway. She rubbed at her forehead. "I don't think I can handle her right now Dr. Stewart."

"I'm afraid you have no choice Natalie. She's been on every floor of this hospital demanding to speak to you and she says she's not leaving until she does. I'm not sure why but she even brought a long a slightly large fellow, looks like a bodyguard or something."

Natalie let out a dry chuckle. "That'd be Bruno. Trust me, he's like a big puppy dog, follows her everywhere for show." She shook her head. "Okay, I'll get rid of her as soon as possible, don't worry."

"I'm not worried about her; I'm worried about you." Dr. Stewart shook his head. "You've been here for almost 12 hours straight. If you continue to push yourself like this and add on a stressful conversation to the mix, I'm afraid you might burn yourself out and I don't mean in a calm, sit down and recharge kind of way."

"I understand what you mean." She patted him calmly on the arm. "You don't have to explain it in simpleton's terms to me. I'll be fine."

"I mean it Natalie, don't overexert yourself. You're too important to us to lose due to a bad judgment call." He shook his finger at her. "I'll be around watching over your patients while you take a break and talk to her. If you need me, just call."

"Thanks Dr. Stewart."

"Thomas." He rolled his eyes. "You'd think by now you'd call me Thomas."

"You'd think." She flashed him a warm smile then turned, making her way towards the nurses' station. She could already smell her mother's horrible perfume and she couldn't even see the woman yet. What, had she mastered invisibility along with the undying ability to repel all things human?

Natalie stiffened her shoulders, raising her chin as she came up behind her mother and watched as Bruno pointed, muttering something to the woman he towered over. Her mother turned, dark red painted lips already compressed together in a flat line of annoyance.

"I have been all over this damn hospital looking for you!"

Veronica Hamilton had once been a beautiful, vibrant woman to behold but years of smoking, drinking and an evil heart had tainted her. She was tall, almost 5'9, with long dark black hair and flashing green eyes. Years of the best cosmetic surgery and enhancement had made her skin almost marble. Her lips were usually pressed flat, a straight line of disgust evident, but whenever she smiled, it always made Natalie shiver, the look predatory and snakelike in nature. She was the snake that always-smiled right before she ate her prey whole.

True, she was still breathtaking to most men, but the cold chill that came off her in waves was enough to make even the strongest man hesitate when he encountered her. She didn't know why her father stayed with her mother. Perhaps at this point, he was so cold inside himself that he barely even noticed anything about Veronica anymore.

"What can I do for you Mother?"

"I told you not to hang up on me. Now I've had to drag myself down to this…" Veronica glanced around, shifting the fox fur scarf closer around her neck, "wretched place. I'll simply have no choice but to take yet another bath just to get the stink off me."

"Mother!" Natalie paused to collect herself. "Why are you here?"

"To take you home of course. There's simply no reason why you should be here any longer. Amelia will be most delighted that you've decided to come to her engagement party. Perhaps you'll even buy something nice to wear and a gift before we go, yes?"

Natalie studied her mother, taking in the black business suit, scarf and matching knee length jacket. Her mother's make up was a startling mix of dark red lipstick, black eyeliner, and strokes of evident blush. Some things never changed.

"I already told you I can't make it to her party Mother and there's no way I'm leaving the hospital. I have patients, I just can't leave them."

"And why in the blazes not? It's not like it's any concern to you when they die."

Natalie flinched as several nurses glanced up at the station, Melissa hovering her hand over the phone. "You have no right to say that and I'd be most appreciative if you never said anything like that again."

"Or what Natalie? You're still a child. Don't you dare try to order me around! I am your mother!"

"Well, you're not my mother." Melissa hissed as she stood up from her desk chair. "If you can't control your emotions ma'am, I'm going to have to have someone escort you out."

Bruno made a grunting noise but Melissa refused to sit back down and she placed her hands on her hips, chin up. She lifted the phone and Veronica simply rolled her eyes before focusing back in on Natalie.

"See? You hang with such low-status people Natalie, it's dragging you down and turning you against me. After all I've done for you, bringing you into this world and making you into the woman you are today, this is the thanks I get?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Natalie exploded. "I had a nanny from the day I got home until the day I moved off to college!" She narrowed her eyes, the wave of confidence coming off Melissa and those around her giving her the strength to place her hands on her hips as well. "Patricia was the only mother I ever knew growing up, she was only one who ever gave a damn about me, and don't you ever dishonor her memory like that again!"

"Natalie, you will-"

"I'll do nothing of the sort. I think it's about time you leave."

Veronica's mouth fell open as she stared at her daughter. "You better think wisely about the choices you're making my dear." She hissed. "If you ever want to show your face in this town again with any sort of dignity, you'll stop this nonsense this instant and come with me."

"I think she said she wanted you to leave."

Veronica's green eyes flashed angrily over Natalie's shoulder, narrowing as they landed on the man who had spoken. "And what concern is it of yours?"

"I'm her boyfriend." Bobby stated firmly as he took a stand beside Natalie. "And I don't take to kindly to people harassing my girlfriend."

Veronica gazed between them, amused look on her face. "And just when I thought you couldn't sink any lower." She snarled. "You manage to find a street rat of our own. No wonder you're afraid to come home and show your face." She smirked at Bobby. "Let me guess, you got her pregnant and now she has no choice but to work in this dump just to support the both of you?"

"That's enough." Natalie spat. "If you insult Bobby one more time, I'll throw you out of here myself. He's a wonderful man, and he's definitely a better man then your horrible excuse for a husband will ever be!" She slipped her hand into Bobby's, holding back her surprise when she felt him return the gesture and squeeze her fingers in a supportive motion. "I think you know the direction of the exit."

Veronica snorted but threw the scarf over her shoulder once again in a dismissive manner. She flicked her fingers at Bruno. "Let's go Bruno. The contaminated air in this place is beginning to dry out my hair." She leaned forward as she passed Natalie. "Don't even think about trying to crawl back to us when this falls in your lap Natalie. From this point on, you don't have a family anymore."

"That's where you're wrong." Natalie answered meeting her mother's gaze. "The only family I need is right here."

Natalie remained standing where she was until the elevator doors slid shut behind Veronica and Bruno. The tension immediately slipped out of her and she let out a rush of air, blushing as the staff around her began to clap. Melissa shot her a thumbs up as she sat back down and Natalie shook her head.

She glanced down at her hand still in Bobby's.

"Oh, sorry." He grinned and pulled away.

She blushed again but nodded. "I guess I should thank you… No one's ever stood up to my mother like that before."

"From the looks of it that included you."

"Afraid so." She glanced past him to see Dr. Stewart and Natalie waved with two fingers. He returned to the signal then disappeared into the elevator. Natalie refocused back on Bobby. "My boyfriend huh? That's certainly news to me."

"It was to your mother too." Bobby laughed. "I think I enjoyed that part the most… Well, second behind you telling her where she could stick it."

"I don't know what came over me, I'm… That wasn't me." Natalie shook her head. "I've never been that… rude or mean before. I don't really like how it makes me feel."

"There's nothing wrong with standing up for yourself Natalie. If you don't do it, no one else will either."

"You and Melissa helped me…"

"You stood up to her first. Remember that."

She nodded. "How is your brother doing? I was just about to check on him but seeing as how things his way were quiet, I figured Reba had him covered and he was doing okay."

Bobby studied her and it made her fidget.

"What?"

"After what just happened, you still have your mind on someone other than yourself."

Natalie blushed cursing herself. She hadn't blushed this much in one day since she developed a crush on Mark Chevitz in Freshman year Biology and ended up his lab partner. "It's my-"

"Job." He grinned. "I know. Jack's fine, he's resting and Angel's with him. Sofi went home to get some things and to shower. We've decided to stay with him on shifts until he gets better."

"You plan on doing that for almost a month?"

"It won't take Jackie that long to recover trust me, he's a Mercer." Bobby shook his head.

Natalie shifted her folders in her arms. "I hope you're right Bobby. Jack has quite a long road ahead of him. So far though despite the bumps, he's doing excellently."

"Like I said, he's a Mercer."

She began to say something else when she spotted Reba out of the corner of her eye. Natalie turned towards the nurse. "Yes Reba?"

"It's time for your last break Natalie."

"No, I just took one to…"

"That wasn't a break." Reba took the papers and folders from Natalie despite her protests. "Dr. Stewart says you're due to end your double in a couple hours anyway so you're to just go ahead and clock out now."

"But I-"

"Your next shift is at 10 o'clock on Friday so he instructed you to use your day off wisely." Reba pivoted on her heels, smile on her face as she left Natalie standing there and Natalie could do nothing but watch her go.

Fatigue suddenly caught up with her making her too tired to argue and she simply nodded. "Fine, you guys win."

"Go home." Melissa muttered. "Go rest those big brass ones, I bet they're sore from all the beatings they gave today."

"Melissa!"

The nurses laughed as they began to work again, the phones ringing and papers exchanging.

"Come on." Bobby nudged his head. "I'm headed home. I'll give you a ride."

"Thanks." She smiled back, "But I drove here."

"Damn, a golden opportunity missed."

"Thank you again Bobby, for … what you did."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It was nothing Natalie. You're taking care of my baby brother. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. My family owes you, we won't forget your kindness."

Natalie nodded. "Anytime Bobby. I wish nothing more than a speedy recover for your brother."

"Me too." Bobby whispered as she disappeared towards the employee lounge.

&&&&&&&&&&&

Natalie immediately began stretching as she stepped out of her warm apartment and into the cool morning air. Steam was still coming off her breathe as she placed her feet out wide on the concrete steps and reached down to touch her toes. She came back up after a few minutes, raising her arms over her head.

"If I was young again, I'd still be asleep."

Natalie shot a grin over at her neighbor, an elderly old woman that had lived there long before she had moved in to the complex. "What are you doing out so early Mrs. Thompson?"

"Grocery shopping." The woman smiled and slightly lifted the two bags in her hands. "They had a sale on tomatoes and rutabagas down at the market. I couldn't help myself."

Natalie quickly hopped down the steps, moving to taking one of the bags. "Here let me help you."

"Thank you Ms. Natalie, you sure are a sweet woman."

She smiled her thanks following Mrs. Thompson up the steps. "How have you been lately? Been on any dates?"

"Me? Dates?" Mrs. Thompson giggled. "Heavens no!"

"Attractive woman like you, surely the men are banging down the door."

Mrs. Thompson opened her door and motioned for Natalie to follow. "I think I should be asking that Nat. Girl like you should be going on dates, not working all the time as you do. Any new men in your life? You know I love the gossip."

Natalie shook her head and placed the paper bag down on the kitchen counter. "Afraid not Mrs. Thompson. Hospital life doesn't leave much room for dating."

The elderly woman sent her a look and patted her on the shoulder. "Don't spend the rest of your life alone darling because you're afraid it might not work out. I never would have met Mr. Thompson, god rest his soul, if I hadn't gone out and caught him."

"I'll keep that in mind." She nodded. "I hate to disappear on you but if I don't go running now I never will."

"You young people and the need to exercise when you're already thin." Mrs. Thompson shook her head, following Natalie back to the door. "I'll never understand it."

"I think it is something that still puzzles us as well." Natalie waved over her shoulder as she bound down the steps. "Have a great day Mrs. Thompson."

"You too sweetheart. Be careful out there and remember what I said!"

Natalie waved again as she began to jog down the sidewalk. She pressed play on the iPod attached to her hip, plugging her earphones in and the energizing song by Kelly Clarkson flooding into her ears. She waved as she past neighbors, sneakers pounding the pavement in a steady rhythm.

Natalie ran around the block several times before she turned off her iPod, breathing hard as she wiped the sweat from her forehead and climbed the steps to her apartment. She paused as she heard the masculine cough and looked up, eyes wide, to see Bobby Mercer leaning against the wall beside her door.