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Chapter 10

John watched as her face hardened and turned to stone. She started to tell her story with, no emotion what so ever in her voice or features, she didn't even flinch as the harsh, cold words came out of her mouth and he wondered if she became like this became because of the FBI and all there questions, all their involvement in her life.

"Christian Vega and I were engaged when I started to play pool in some tournaments. Chris was an artist and I was still in school. We went to Vegas for the Vegas tournament two days after our wedding. The night before the big tournament Chris came to me and asked me to throw the match. I was mad but he told me he was in danger if I didn't. So I decided I would, he was so desperate and... and.., never mind" Natalie started to lose it at the end, her rough all the facts edge that she was holding together, she almost told him some personal stuff that didn't pertain to the case.

"And what Natalie?" he asked

"No, its not important to your case Agent Mcbain" She said coldly, once more in control of her emotions.

" I was going to throw the match but when it came down to it I just couldn't do it," she said reminding her self yet again that he was here as FBI and not as the man she once loved.

"After I won Chris and I were escorted quickly to a back room. There were three or four tough looking guys there with guns. Chris talked with a man who, I didn't know at the time, was Flynn Laurence. I Flynn get angry with Chris and point to me a few times when there was a ruckus in the hall. A few men, Feds, came barging in. Before they could do anything Flynn grabbed Chris from behind and put the gun to his head. He told the feds that he was taking Chris and if they followed he would kill him. They let him go. That was the last time I ever saw my husband." she said flatly, not a trace of emotion left in her voice.

"That is all I know, Agent McBain. Nothing has changed since the last time you Feds came here demanding answers months ago. I don't know anything about Chris's involvement with Flynn nor did he ever tell me anything of his involvement with you people. " She told him caustically walking into the kitchen quickly. He didn't follow knowing she needed this time to regain her composure.

John thought about what she had told him, the facts that she had told him, nothing more than that, how bitter she was towards him. After a few minutes she returned from the kitchen, she looked at him and he could tell she had been crying, her face was stained and her eyes red. She looked at him and in a voice the sound of a whisper she spoke.

"I'm done for tonight Agent Mcbain" he looked at her, her voice sounded soft but her tone was just as harsh when she said his name.

"No, I have a few more questions" he told her back softly but a bit stern, she gave him a stunned look and he started to speak.

"Why? Why are you calling me Agent Mcbain as if you don't know me or know who I am, why are you acting so cold "

"Because I know who you are. You're one of them, one of those people who helped to ruin my life. One of them who turned my life upside down. For the first time since I let you go, since you left for Quantico I had someone in my life who cared about me and they took him away, or at least helped to take him away from me, leaving me and my son alone. "

"But Nat... I didn't take him away or help to"

"That doesn't matter, you're one of them. You work for them and I can't, I won't, let my guard down around you. You'll just use it against me, just like the rest of them." she said as she felt the tears on their way back she turned herself towards the window so he couldn't see her.

"Natalie, you know who I am. You've always known who I was. You knew then and I'm pretty sure you know who I am now. I may be a Federal Agent but I'm so much more than that to you, remember...remember we were friends a long time ago. Actually a lot more than friends, we talked and could tell each other everything, and at times it seemed we did. I wish you could look at me and see that... see I'm that same person, the same person I was back then when I loved you so much" he told her and she turned suddenly and looked at him, and for a brief second she was beginning to unravel and was ready to throw herself into his arms but she stopped herself as she walked a bit closer and spoke softly again.

"What is it you want from me John? What?" she asked him as she looked into his face

"I want you to see me for that person I am and not just what I do and who I work for. Not as a fed, not as the enemy, but as me, I want you to let me help you, to let me in. Maybe... maybe together we can make it better" he told her as his eyes looked as if they were going to shed tears. She looked back into his eyes

"It's going to be difficult John, real difficult for you to be my friend on this and also be a Fed"

"You let me worry about that. I've missed you Natalie, we have so much to talk about, to catch up on, please let me in?" he told her as his eyes begged for her to let down her walls if just for him, if just for one night. A single tear down her cheek, he moved closer with his hand and wiped it away with his thumb, he saw he body start to move slowly closing the few inches between them when he opened his arms and let her into his embrace, and he held her in silence for what seemed like hours.