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Chapter 19

I did it all for you. Now you are the best." Natalie said out loud as she turned herself and brought her head in close to John's chest so he could hold her tight.

Natalie held on to John as he kissed the top of her head, she closed her eye's and continued to feel the warmth from his chest on her face, she sighed a sigh of relief and knew it was over, the case and the fact that she was the best. She wasn't the best, she could never be, she was too emotional to be, she couldn't even save Dougie Finney's life, although he was a killer and awful man who was stalking her and killing woman and men for her, she still felt like a failure by not realizing he would do this, this felt like her fault and she felt as ...as if...as a failure. John knew she was to silent, knew she was going to a place she shouldn't be going to, he knew she was what kept them alive, her strength and her willingness not to give up or crumble.

"Hey" he said as he pulled his chest off her face, he placed his hand under his chin and made her look into his eyes.

"You did good day Kid, really good, don't go there okay?...Don't go to that place of second guessing yourself, you really are the best...You saved me" He told her and she found what she needed in his eye's, his love for her and his reassurance of his faith in her.

"I did, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did, this was your turn to save me from a serial killer and a bomb" he told her in a slightly joking tone when she smirked a little as her eyes remained glassy. He smiled at her, as he saw her attitude changing a bit

"You were so much better than me, you even saved Jake, not really sure he was worth saving but you did" John said as they both saw Jake walking around the scene examining things as a few officers came on to the scene including Mattie.

"I heard that Mcbain, next time I'll leave you tied up and I'll get the girl" Jake told john back as he passed them, Jake smiled at Natalie and then looked at John when he spoke.

"There ain't no way you were getting this girl from me, at least not without a fight" John told Jake as he focused his attention on Nat's lips, Jake continued to walk away watching them as John leaned in and kissed her softly but deeply on the lips.

"Can we get out of here?" he asked her

"Yeah, let someone else analyze this mess, I'm the best remember?" she said smiling as they walked away with his arm around her. Natalie stopped by Jake. She smiled, he smiled back.

"Do you want to talk now before I go or tomorrow when things are more calm?" she asked him, as Jake knew what was coming. John took his arm off of Nat and she walked quietly over a few feet away with Jake

"Now is fine, I already know what you are going to say, and I get it, I may not like it but I'll live with it, it will be hard, I've learned to care about you so much over these months but... but I think I will miss you more at work, I love to watch you work" he said and he smiled as he started to walk them towards John.

"Be happy Nat, be safe, and if he... if he.. If he won't give you those babies someday, come and see me babe, cause I'll give them to you" he said all of this as they approached John who wasn't quite sure if he should be mad, he just stood with confusion evident on his face. Then he saw Jake lean in and give her a soft goodbye kiss on her lips, John watched it and was about to get mad when he realized, realized he got the girl and he didn't even have to save her to do it.

John and Natalie left the warehouse on Foley street, they didn't even look back, they made there way to Nat's apartment, they walked in and without words she went to the closet and grabbed a few boxes she had stored in there.

"What's going on?" John asked her as he already suspected what she was doing.

"I'm going home John, where I belong"

"That's Good, then what?"

"Not sure.. I .. just know I don't want to be here, I was miserable away from my family,... I need to be back in Llanview and it's not just because of this case and the tolls it will take on me, I just want to be there, maybe start fresh sort of, does that make any sense, I feel like I'm not making any sense tonight." she told him and he walked closer to her, he removed the box that was in her hand and threw it to the ground.

"It makes perfect sense to me, maybe..maybe we could have a fresh start together, ...Maybe as husband and wife even" he told her and she looked at him teary eyes.

"What?" she asked him almost afraid for a minute that he would take what he said back, he didn't answer for a minute but then he did, he pulled her by her waist close to him, he looked straight into her blues as his shined back at hers. He answered her with his eyes.

"Yes" was all she said as he kissed her deeply and then picked her up and placed her on the couch, he started to nib on her neck as Natalie leaned her head back on the throw pillows and they made love.

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John and Natalie went back to Llanview the next day. As they drove back from Philly they planned there wedding, the wedding they wanted to have as soon as possible.

"Okay, we agree then, something small, maybe twenty people at the most" Natalie said as she started writing names in on a note pad as he drove them to Llanfair to tell her family she was home and that she would be staying home.

She looked over at him for a minute and she saw him get a bit serious all of a sudden.

"What's going on in that brain of yours Mcbain?" she asked as he hesitated at first.

"Nothing really but.. but.. do you thing you would mind if we... if we didn't tell them about the wedding yet, I mean.. We will soon but.. with everything that has been going on, I never got you a ring, it kinda makes me feel bad"

"What? You mean its bothering you cause you didn't give me a engagement ring, that's ridiculous"

"Yet, I haven't given you and engagement ring yet"

"Pull over" she told him and he got confused

"What?"

"Pull over John, the car, over to the side" Natalie told him and he did, then he turned to look at her

"I don't need a ring John, I don't even want a ring other than a wedding ring from you, that's it, okay, I want you and us to get married and that is all that matters, concentrate on getting me a wedding ring and showing up to the church on time and that's all I want and that's all I need" she told him as she smiled at him, he smiled back after a few minutes and leaned in and kissed her.

"I Love You Natalie Balsom, soon to be Natalie Mcbain"

"I Love you John Mcbain, soon to be Boss," she said and she smiled at him

"Are you hinting around for a Job Balsom? Cause you know I don't do the hiring, you'd have to see the other male at the LPD that isn't immune to your charms" he said and he kissed her again.

"You could at least put in a good word for me, right?" she asked him, he winked at her, put the car in drive and started back to Llanfair before he spoke

"We'll see how nice you are to me," he said smiling as they approached Llanfair.