A/N I do not own these characters. If I did I would be fabulously wealthy and wouldn't need to post my fan fiction here. I would be writing for the show and dining regularly with Michael Easton (snicker perks of the job. LOL) and I wouldn't let that hack Higley near them.

Chapter 8

Still reeling from the kiss Natalie struggled to find the right answer. Should she just explain to him what had happened? Did he really care? Should she just ignore the burning passion between them? She didn't believe in love but she did believe in lust. And she was definitely in lust with him. Deciding that she should just tell him and get it over with, after all she would have to tell him sometime unless she got away again, she said on a sigh, "Fine, I'll tell you everything. But you probably won't believe me."

John just about shouted with joy, she was going to tell him! Maybe it was a bad idea but he needed to know. Somehow, somewhere, he had started to care for Natalie. He cared a lot more then he should but he couldn't help it. He prayed she had a good reason for shooting Victor Grossman because he was very much afraid he was in love with her and if she had killed someone in cold blood... Well he didn't know how he would react.

Standing up to put some distance between them Natalie began to pace the floor, playing with her hair. She was silent for a minute then said, "It was an accident you know. I didn't mean to kill him."

"Just tell me the whole story Natalie." John said gently positioning himself on the side of the bed, his feet touching the floor. He could see this was hard for her that she was wracked with guilt over what she had done. He believed her when she said it was an accident, all he had to do was look in her eyes and see the anguish in them to know that she hadn't meant to do it. But he still needed to know what exactly had happened.

"I worked at the liquor store that night," she began, "everything was normal until Victor came in. He knew Gloria, the girl I was working with that night. I was helping someone and he slipped into the back without me noticing." She said, starting to tear up. "I heard yelling and then Gloria ran out of the back room and he was chasing her. I didn't think," beginning to sob Natalie struggled to continue, "I didn't think about it I just tripped him."

John sat there listening as she told her story and he believed her. His gut was telling him that she was genuine and he trusted his gut and for some reason he couldn't grasp he trusted Natalie. She paused to get a hold of herself and after a minute he said softly, "Then what happened?

Natalie was quiet for another minute and then continued, more in control, "He went down. The gun went flying and it landed at my feet. I picked it up as he was getting up. He...he...he rushed me and we struggled for the gun. It went off and he fell to the floor. He was dead; there wasn't anything I could do. Gloria and I dumped the body in front of his house and took off hoping no one would know who we were." She finished her story and sat down, staring blankly into space.

John was stunned, he didn't quite know what to say, what to do. He didn't understand why she hadn't just called the cops and told them what had happened. By dumping the body and running it had made her look like a murderer. He decided to just ask the question rather then pondering it to death, "Why didn't you just report it to the cops? I'm sure they would have understood. Dumping the body and running away just made you look guilty of a murder," he said.

She looked at him and shook her head, "They wouldn't have believed me. I'm a Balsom; I'm trash in their eyes, nothing. My brother was arrested for something he didn't do not to long ago. No one cared that he didn't do it. They thought it was him simply cause someone with more social standing said so! Like I was going to turn my self in. It wouldn't have mattered that it was an accident. If I had told them what happened I would be on death row right now waiting for the needle!" she said caustically.

John nodded, he knew that sometimes things like that happened. After all he had been an AC cop first, he had seen it. How one of his fellow officers would automatically assume someone was guilty simply because of where they lived or what family they belonged to, so he understood. The fact that he had feelings for Natalie wouldn't make convincing his bosses of her innocence any easier. But he knew he couldn't take her back to Atlantic City until she was off the hook. If she went into lock up someone would cash in on that contract, he was sure of it. No way was he gonna let that happen.

"We have to get you a good lawyer," he said. Thinking about how to get her off he missed the look of disbelief on her face.

"You believe me?" She asked incredulously. She couldn't believe that he believed her. It was so unexpected. She had prepared herself for his stinging denial. The fact that he believed her threw her for a loop. "You really believe me? She asked again.

"I believe you." John said simply. He wasn't big on words but he needed her to know that. He needed her to know he was on her side. He opened his mouth to say something else when his cell rang. He knew it was his boss. No one else had the number for it. It was encrypted so any calls incoming or outgoing was completely untraceable. "Hang on a sec." He said and answered his phone. "McBain." He said into the receiver.

"John," said his boss, "you still have the girl?"

John rolled his eyes at the implied meaning. His boss was making fun of him because Natalie had gotten away the first time. "Yes," he said simply and waited.

"There is something you need to know."

"What?" he asked wishing the other man would get to the point already.

"Miss. Balsom's brother was badly beaten this morning. He is in the hospital in critical condition. These guy are getting serious now John. You need to watch your back." There was a pause then, "Has she told you anything yet? I know you, you could charm a bear out of his honey, this little girl shouldn't be much of a challenge for you."

John was silent for a second while he digested his boss's news. Rex was in the hospital badly beaten, this was not good news at all. Deciding to play dumb he said, "Nope. She hasn't told me a thing." After saying that he would keep in contact and report in the minute Natalie told him something he hung up the phone.

Natalie looked at him strangely trying to figure him out. He wasn't like any other cop she had ever met. He believed her and hadn't ratted her out to his boss when clearly the other man was really pushing for John to do anything and everything in his power to break her. "Why?"

"Why?" John repeated, not understanding what she was asking at first.

"Why didn't you rat me out?" She asked again.

John looked at her and said, "Because I said I wouldn't. I gave my word."

Natalie was shocked, for the first time in her life she had met a cop that kept his word. She didn't know how to respond to it. Before she could say anything else John spoke, "There is something you need to know. Its about your brother."

Natalie was instantly worried. John's tone was grave and his face was grim. Something had happened to Rex! "What about Rex? What happened to him? Is he ok? Oh god! He isn't dead is he?" She asked hysterically turning white as a ghost. She couldn't lose Rex! Not him!

John took a deep breath, knowing this was gonna hurt her to hear, "No he isn't dead but he has been injured. Rex is in the hospital. He is in critical condition."

"Critical condition!" She exclaimed, "What happened to him? I have to go to him? What hospital?"

"Someone beat him up, they worked him over real good. He is in Llanview hospital in PA." John told her wanting nothing more then to go over to her and take her in his arms. She looked so broken, so shattered. She really loved her brother. 'What would it be like to have her love him like that?' he wondered absently before pushing the thought aside.

"Llanview Pennsylvania? What the hell is he doing there?" She questioned before saying, "I have to go to him!"

John nodded and began to pack their things. "I know," he said. He knew it was a bad idea, the worst idea actually but he also knew that if Rex died and he had prevented Natalie from seeing him one last time he would never forgive himself. So together they gathered up their things and headed to Pennsylvania.

To be continued...