A/N I do not own John McBain or any of the other OLTL characters. All others are my own creation. Please don't sue cause I am broke and have nothing to be sued for anyway.

Chapter 12

"What the hell do you mean your name isn't Herbie?" Shelly demanded. More confused then scared now she stared at the man that she had thought she had known. It turned out that she hadn't known him at all, not even his name.

Getting impatient and knowing that John would be back soon Herbie, or whoever he was, paced back and forth and demanded, "I'll explain everything later but for right now do you promise not to try to get away the minute I lower the gun?"

Shelly was even more confused by his continued pleas. These weren't the actions of a hardened killer. She didn't know what to make of this, but it seemed like he wasn't going to kill her. Deciding to hear him out, for the moment, she nodded, "I promise."

He slowly lowered the gun and stuck it in the back of his pants. Sitting on the bench he motioned for Shelly to sit as well, smiling sadly when she sat as far away from him as possible. He had come to care for her a great deal over the past few months and had actually come here to warn her. But he knew she needed to know the whole story before she would believe him. This wasn't a decision he made lightly but he knew he couldn't live with himself if something should happen to her and he could have prevented it.

"My name isn't Herbie, it's Rex Balsom." He began slowly relieved to finally use his real name for the first time in 6 months. "I'm using a fake name because it's the only way I could get close to the Carpelli family."

Shelly started at him in shock, her mind reeling at this information. Trying to process this new information she asked the only question she could think of at the moment, "Why were you dating me? I had nothing to do with the Carpelli Family until you came along." Feeling betrayed and her voice bitter she looked at him with assessing eyes, trying to determine if he was lying to her.

"Because they told me to." Rex said honestly. The Carpelli's had told him to stick close to her and find out all there was to know about her. It wasn't until later that he had become emotionally involved with Shelly and he hated that he had hurt her but some things were more important.

"OK Rex, if that is your name," she said sarcastically, "Why are you trying to get close to the Carpelli's and why did they want you to date me?"

"It is," Rex said, " Look can I start from the beginning? Its kind of a long story."

Shelly nodded and waited for him to continue, feeling more and more at ease with him.

"About 8 months ago my sister was abducted. For over a month no one knew anything but then the police got a tip that she was being held against her will by a member of the Carpelli family. They couldn't do anything about it since it was an anonymous tip. I studied the Carpelli's and learned as much as I could about them. I needed to know enough about them to look good but not enough to look suspicious. Then I went undercover to get close to them, to save my sister."

"I saw you kill a man, that didn't look like just gathering information."

Rex looked at her sharply, "How did you know that?"

"I saw you! You already know that." Waving a hand dismissively she said, "It doesn't matter, what matters is that you killed a man. How could you kill a man?"

"You have to understand that I love my sister more then anyone else in the world. We had a rotten childhood and she took care of me when there was no one else. She believed in me and loved me when I didn't even believe in myself and I would do anything for her. I didn't want to kill that guy but the boss wanted me to do it. I couldn't refuse and if I had they would have killed me. I have to save my sister! You would do the same for your brothers, I know you would."

Shelly nodded surprised by the passion in his voice. In the 2 months they had been together he hadn't once show the depth of feeling he was showing now. Realizing exactly how much he loved his sister she looked at him in a new light. And he was right she would do anything for her brothers, all 4 of them. "Yes I would." She confirmed.

"If I'm gonna find my sister I need to have their trust. But I couldn't just let you disappear with out telling you. Not with out you knowing about the danger you are in." Rex said.

"I know about the hit. I suppose you did that so they would think you were one of them, "she said caustically.

"That's what I'm here to tell you. I didn't do it. The Carpelli family is doing it for someone else. Someone close to you."

"Who?" Shelly wanted to know.

"I don't know. They wouldn't tell me. Everything I know, I learned from eavesdropping. It seems they think I am too emotionally involved with you to know all the details." Rex said softly. Glancing at his watch he noted that they had been talking for 15 minute. He knew the man Shelly was with would be back soon.

"Are you?" Shelly asked softly, hopefully.

"Am I what?" Rex asked a tad confused. Being this near to Shelly again was making thinking straight a little difficult.

"Are you too emotionally involved?" She said a little less shyly.

Rex blushed a bit and looked away. Looking back at her he said, "I'm no good for you. I'm just a guy trying to find his sister. I've done terrible things; you should be with a nice guy, a decent guy. Like the one you are staying at the motel with." Rex finished a bit jealously.

Shelly smiled a bit at his tone despite the circumstances. This was all so much to take in but she believed him, believed that he didn't want to hurt her that he was doing this to find his sister. And she admired him for that. "Herbie... I mean Rex don't you think I should be the one to decide what I want, what I deserve?"

"But what about that guy? Aren't you with him now?" Rex asked again, needing to know but hoping that there was a chance. He was stunned when she moved closer put her hand on the back of his head and kissed him softly.

Pulling back from the gentle kiss she said, " He's my brother Rex." Then kissed him again this time with a bit more force.

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Natalie Balsom stared out through the bars on the window of the room she was in. She had been held in this compound for almost 6 months and still no one would tell her why. The bars had been put up after her 3rd escape attempt.

After a while she had accepted that she would be here a while but never did she give up the idea of escape nor the idea of someone coming to rescue her. She didn't have anyone but her brother Rex and her mother Roxy (who was a gambling addict). But still she hoped. She waited for the chance to escape because if there was one thing people said about Natalie it was that she never gave up.

She heard the door open but didn't turn around. No one had touched her sexually but she harbored the secret fear that one day that would change. Hoping that by ignoring them they would simply go away but that wasn't the case today.

"Hello Natalie," A smooth cultured voice said from behind her. Startled by the sound of the voice, having never heard that person before, she spun around and was startled at the person who stood before her. It was Walter Balsom! He father, he was supposed to be dead!

"You, but you are supposed to be dead. Roxy told us you were dead. Why are you here?" Natalie stammered out. "You're my father aren't you, you're Walter Balsom."

Walter smiled smugly and said in a confidential tone, "Yes I am Walter Balsom but I am not your father."

Natalie let out a shocked gasp and sat down on the window ledge, "You're not my father? But.. but. Why are you here then? How is it that you're alive? Why have I been kidnapped?"

Walter smiled even wider and said, "All in do time dear. I just came to tell you that you will be going home soon…. One way or another." With that he turned around and left. Leaving behind Natalie completely shocked and scared.