A/N: You didn't have to wait long for this chapter, did ya? Hehehe—I had most of it written and I must have had a inspiration fairy sitting on my shoulder and wrote the rest real quick.

I've been thinking—am I the only one that when you see the beginning of a Jovan love scene you keep waiting to hear "TROJAN MAN!" be yelled out of nowhere? LOL.

I see two more chapters in the future for this story—it might only be one, depends on the length and content. Until next time—PCGirl.

"Where are we off to first?" asked John as he slipped into the passenger seat and put his seat belt on.

"I'm going to drop you off of at the hospital and I'm going to the station—there's something I need to do," she said as she pulled out of the spot and started heading towards the exit of the parking lot.

John looked at the car clock and thought a moment before speaking, "You know what—visiting hours are over for the night so why don't I just tag along with you. I'm sure Antonio is probably still burning the midnight oil."

"Are you sure? Because I know you want to see Michael."

"Michael will be there in the morning—besides, you probably could use a good friend for what's about to happen."

"And what do you think is about to happen?" she snapped

"I'm sorry—I put that wrong. Natalie—you are about to go talk to your estranged husband that just shot somebody out of pure spite for his brother. You could use a good friend to remind you it's not your fault that he did that. So what do you say—we go to the Station and do what we have to do and then go find your brother, my cousin, and Jess and Antonio and have dinner together?"

"I guess—if I feel like it after talking to Cris," she said as she made a u-turn to go towards the Station.

"Go on, I'll be right here," said John as he whispered into Natalie's ear from behind her while rubbing her shoulders.

"I know," she said as she took a deep breath and nodded to the guard to open the door. She turned one last time to look at John and continued on. He was asleep on the bottom bunk, his body facing the wall. She wasn't sure what else to do so she just gave a slight cough to let him know someone was there. "Cristian?"

Cris turned over to see Natalie standing there and got up, walking slowly to the bars that stood between them, "Well if it isn't the prodigal wife."

"Cris—please don't."

"So this is what it takes to get you to come home? For me to shoot a man?"

"Michael in innocent in this whole thing. He isn't the reason I left before—the reason I left is because I was so confused about everything has happened in the past year that I needed time to take everything in."

"That's what you keep saying, but I don't believe you. He's down there isn't it—McBain is standing there at the cell door. Come out and face me like a man, McBain!" yelled Cristian.

"Cris," said Natalie—about to burst into sobs. She looked over to see John about to walk through the gate and shook her head and looked back at Cristian, "I love you Cristian—I always will, but I have to say this and it's going to kill me to say so. We've changed in the past year—both of us. You were put through hell on that ship and I know if there had been any belief that you were still alive we would have all been searching for you."

"Yeah right, " huffed Cristian.

Natalie looked over to see John was completely out of sight now, "Believe what you want to Cris. I changed also."

"Yeah—before you weren't a slut."

Natalie took a deep breath in before speaking, "I have not done anything since you returned—you are my husband and maybe one day you will believe me. I never thought I'd say this to you Cris, but I'm going to get the ball rolling on a divorce. I—I need to go."

Natalie didn't give him a chance to respond to her but ran up the stairs and directly into John. He put his arms around her as she finally let herself breakdown, "Hey—let it out. Just let it out."

"I'm sorry about that," said Natalie as she came back into Antonio's office from the bathroom, a tissue in hand.

"Don't be—you have a right to cry. What you said down there wasn't easy. The way he was treating you—accusing you of things that never happened—it's not right."

"I can take care of myself John," she said as she wiped her nose and sat down. "Sorry—I know you're being a good friend right now and I'm snapping at you for something you had no control over."

"I wish you'd let me tell him that—neither of us knew the other was going to London, but he's going to believe what he wants to believe." John stared at the ground for a moment and then back to Natalie, "I can think of two things we can do now—find everyone and go to Ultra Violet or Rodi's or we can find a 24-hour liquor store and head over to the hotel and just avoid everyone."

Natalie smiled at how he read her mind, "The hotel it is."

"I win again, McBain," smiled Natalie as they sat on the floor of the hotel room they'd gotten playing poker—John had walked in and got the room key from Roxy, Natalie sneaking upstairs after him so Roxy wouldn't give them both the third degree on what was going on.

"I see that, and I'm all out of money," he said as he looked at his watch and rubbed his eyes while thinking how long it'd been since he'd slept. "I think it's time to call it a night Natalie—we're both on London time."

"Yeah, I am getting kind of sleepy myself," she said with one huge yawn.

"You take the bed—I'll be fine on the couch," he said as he got up and went to the bathroom. When he returned she was under the covers and sound asleep. John sat on the couch but before he could lay down his phone began ringing, "McBain?" he said with an unexpected yawn.

"John—it's Jessica. Have you seen Natalie? Nobody seems to know where she is."

"She's here with me—she already fell asleep and I hate to wake her again."

"Ok. Goodnight John."

"Goodnight," he said as he hung the phone up and laid down—he was almost asleep when he heard her voice calling his name. "Natalie, did you say something?"

"There's plenty of room in this bed for the two of us—you don't have to sleep on the couch."

John gave a smile at her thoughtfulness though he knew she wouldn't remember saying it in the morning and moved over to the bed—soon both were oblivious to the world and too tired to care.

Natalie opened her eyes slowly and fear and embarrassment swallowed her whole—sometime during the night her and John had moved closer to the bed and she was now using his shoulder for a pillow and his arm was wrapped around her. God—he probably thinks he's sleeping with Evangeline, she thought to herself as she tried to move his arm off of hers and slip out before waking him. As she moved his arm he pulled out of her grasp and then held her tighter, pull her closer to him. "John," she said quietly.

"Hmmm?"

"John—do you realize where you are?"

"Yeah, I'm asleep in the bed holding you," he said as he opened his eyes and smiled down at her. "Why?"

"I just thought—it's nothing," she laughed to herself.

"Tell me, Natalie. What was it you were thinking?"

"You were so tired last night I figured you didn't know where you were and maybe you thought I was Evangeline," she shrugged off, as if it were nothing big.

John wasn't sure to laugh at her insecurity or be completely insulted by what she just said. He moved her bangs out of her face and kissed her forehead, "I wasn't lying in London when I said I loved you."

"I didn't think you were."

"Then why would you think that? Evangeline and I have been through for months now—and besides, there's always been someone else on my mind when I'm with her."

"Oh really?" she grinned as he rolled on top of her and kissed her.

John walked off the elevator and towards Michael's room—he and Natalie had barely kissed when the phone rang—Jessica asking her sister if she was coming over to Llanfair today. So they were off doing their own thing for the day, and said they would talk later about dinner plans.

He touched his lips, remembering the kiss he'd given her as he left the hotel room while she took a quick shower. She was definitely not going to be out of his system any time soon.

He smiled as he walked in and saw Michael in the bed just looking all around, "What made you think I was worth taking a bullet for, man?"

Michael laughed at his brother's words and could see John's shoulders relax at seeing him being in one piece, "I don't know—thought for once I'd be the cop in the game Cops and Robbers. You never let me be the cop—did you know that Shan?" he asked as he looked at his cousin.

"That's because you always wanted to be the doctor, and there is no doctor in Cops and Robbers," he laughed. "Sorry I didn't come by last night—we got in late."

"It's fine—I was pretty much zonked out on pain meds most of the night. But hey—we've got our own battle scars now," he grinned and saw Shannon start to become uncomfortable, "Shannon—can you get me some water?"

"Sure," she said as she gave John a quick hug and was gone.

John was quiet for a moment, taking in the words his brother had just said, "I didn't ever want you to have a battle scar, Michael—not like that."

"I know—but I'm fine John, and between you and me I you better not let go of Natalie now—not after I took a bullet for your relationship."

"Ok, enough with the wise cracks—though I'm glad it didn't change your outlook on anything. Has Marcie been by?"

"Yeah—Shannon and I made her go home and get some sleep early this morning. I wanted them to both go home, but Shannon wouldn't leave my side. The idea of losing another person in her life—it hit her hard."

"I know, but now—maybe if you drop the death and getting shot jokes she'll be better," he grinned as Shannon walked back in.

Shannon's eyes were sparkling with happiness as she walked in, but held the door open, "Look who I found at the nurses desk."

Michael realized why she was smiling so big as Eve walked in and over to him, giving him tons of kisses, "Hey mom."

"I swear—you two are going to be the death of me," she said as she pulled back and her eyes were filled with tears and then she walked over and hugged John.

"It's ok—we're both ok, right Mikey?"

"Right," he smiled.