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Chapter 8

John and Natalie spent a few hours lying on top of the bar just staring at the ceiling, just enjoying the feeling of just being with each other, without words needed. After a Little more time passed John started to feel his back start to hurt more and more, it was hurting from the uncomfortable wood on the counter but he was ignoring it because he felt at peace holding Natalie and he didn't want to do anything to stop the wonderful feeling he was having, the feeling he hadn't have since she left, the content feeling he never had. Finally he just couldn't take it anymore.

"Ow! " John said as he sat up slowly holding his back, he saw Natalie laugh and he looked at her, he too Laughed.

"Why didn't you say something old man?" she asked him smiling.

"Old man Huh? I'll give you old man," he said as he grabbed her as she sat up and took her lips.

"Whoa! I think we better stop right there or you'll throw your back out" she told him playfully as he didn't stop continuing to take her lips

"Okay, okay, it's your call but just think about the rumors flying when I have to call a medic and you know how they talk. They talk more than Marcie" Natalie said and they both laughed.

"Alright, any idea where are clothes are?" John asked as she got up first and put her hand out to help him off the counter. They found their clothes and went back to John's room, home.

It was sometime around 1 am when they both finally feel asleep, they had arrived back around midnight, they were exhausted but decided to make love again, this time in their bed, Natalie was just about asleep when she felt his grip around her get tighter. She had her head resting on his chest and he was holding her so tight, almost to the point of her not being able to breathe.

"John, can you just loosen your grip, just a little" Natalie asked him softly as she felt him do so in his half a sleep state.

"Sorry, babe" he said as he fell completely and contently asleep. They both did.

Three months had passed and things were moving along well for John and Natalie, Natalie moved into John's room and she was working hard with getting the shelter or the safe haven, as she liked to call it open. In just a few more weeks it would be open, then Natalie knew she wouldn't be able to spend as much time with John as she was right now. Right now they were spending every free moment together, he worked and that was what she planned her schedule around. She worked around his schedule, which was alright, but once the shelter opened she would have to be there more, even spend a few nights a week there, and it wasn't possible for him to stay with her. She knew it would be hard but she knew he understood the same way she understood about him being a cop.

Another Month had passed and John was waiting at a table at Rodi's for Michael, the safe haven had opened a few weeks ago and Natalie was spending the night there tonight, it was her night, every Wed and Thursday nights was her shift. John was having dinner with Michael tonight, he wanted to speak to him, and well actually he wanted some advice from his married younger brother. John had been thinking about what he had told Natalie a few months ago when they trusted each other with the truth. Truth that John loved her and had always, and she trusted him with the truth about what she had been thru while she was away. He was thinking about how he told her he wanted it all with her, and that was what he had to talk to Michael about. He wanted to ask Michael's advice on how to ask her, he knew it seemed silly to be asking his younger brother but he was clueless, he managed to pick out a ring, he thought it was beautiful, the salesperson thought it was beautiful, but he wanted it to be special for her. Michael walked in and John smiled when he saw him, a nervous I can't believe I'm asking my little brother for help smile.

"What's going on Johnny?" Michael asked as he saw his face.

"I'm...I.. I want to marry Natalie" John told him and stopped

"Yeah, I kinda figured that might be coming soon" Michael told him with a smirk

"You did?" John asked confused

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure the whole town figured it was going to happen for the two of you this time around." Michael added still smiling

"What? Never mind, what I need is.. Well.. A little help with how to?" John asked shyly

"you mean how to ask her?" Michael blurted out again smirking, thinking it was cute how shy his brother was acting about all of this. John nodded his head yes.

"I don't know what to tell you John just do it. I mean just ask her, it doesn't have to be anything major, and I know Nat well enough to know she'll just be happy that you asked." John took the little advice that Michael gave him and looked at his watch, it was still fairly early and he knew she would still be up at the shelter doing paperwork. He said Goodbye to Mikey and headed over there to ask her. He was surprised when he got there and no one was at the desk when he first walked in, there was suppose to be someone there at all times. There also was usually some large guard type man sweeping or cleaning to make sure things were Okay, he wasn't around either. John got suspicious so he walked upstairs, he walked thru the hallway up towards the rooms that was there and he noticed the guard on the ground, he was bleeding and unconscious, he called the station for back up.

John listened and then heard voices coming from one of the rooms, it was Natalie's voice, her tried to Gage her tone and listen what she was saying but he couldn't. Then it got real silent and he heard a man.

"Tell me where my wife is or I'll shoot " John heard the man say from out in the hallway. Then he heard Natalie tell the man no, that she wouldn't. He got panicky, all of a sudden he couldn't breathe, he felt ill and he stood frozen for a moment till he heard a gun shot. He freaked and grabbed his gun and ran inside the room to see Natalie kneeling over a mans bloody body. She was putting pressure to his head with a piece of her shirt. John ran over to her and couldn't speak for a few minutes; he had just started breathing again.

"John, call for an ambulance he shot himself" Natalie told him and John was unresponsive, Natalie called him a few more times and John just looked at her scared face and walked away, he walked out of the house, a few officers walked into the house as he walked out and he pointed upstairs.

A few hours later Natalie walked into their apartment. She had given her statement and got things at the safe haven settled when she saw him sitting on the couch waiting for her.

"John, what happened? Why did you just leave?" Natalie asked him as she approached him

"Natalie, I don't think I can do this" John said as he got up off the couch and walked by the window

"Do what John?" Natalie asked as she walked up behind him

"Watch you put yourself in danger at that place. I couldn't handle it if anything was to happen to you, I'm not sure I can survive it again. You need to decide," He told her, as he didn't look at her

"John this is stupid, I'm not in danger at that place, that man was just a one time thing, this never happened in Florida and I'll have better security next time. You really couldn't be asking me to decide between you and that place could you?" Natalie asked him not really taking him seriously

"That's exactly what I'm asking you to do," He said as he turned around to look at her

"That's just ridiculous John, your scared and your being ridiculous. Lets go to bed things will look different in the morning" Natalie told him as she tried to take his hand but he pulled it back from hers

"No Natalie they won't, decide" John demanded

"I'm not deciding and it's not fair for you to even be asking, your work is dangerous yet I don't ask you to give it up for me, I'm scared all the time but I know you love what you're doing and that you love making a difference so I love that about you to, I put my own issues aside why can't you?" Natalie told him back a bit angrily

"I can't watch you die in front of me Natalie, I won't" John told her as he walked towards the door.

"Are you just going to leave, leave me and things like this cause you're afraid?" Natalie asked him as he opened the door

"I have to" John said as he started to walk out the door

"Get out then! Go, don't look back, I thought you worked out your demons, your issues but I guess we were both wrong" Natalie screamed at him as he walked away

Natalie cried herself to sleep that night when she woke in the morning it was late, around ten am when she quickly got dressed, she decided she wasn't going to let him do this, she wasn't going to just let him leave her and things, they loved each other and she would make him realize that life was full of gambles and risks. She went to the station and saw her uncle as she walked in.

"Uncle Bo is John around?" she asked him

"No, he's gone Natalie, he handed in his resignation" Bo told her