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Chapter 9

John hugged Connor for a few minutes before he let go of the boy.

"You need to get some sleep. I'm going to check on your sisters and then I'm going back to the station," John told him realizing it was now way past midnight.

"No, I can't sleep" Connor told his dad. John just ignored the boy's words. He knew once his head hit the pillow he'd be asleep.

John started to walk towards the stairs. Connor followed him and they walked up them.

"Is your aunt Jess and Uncle Nash asleep already?" John asked

"Not sure if they're asleep yet, but in their room... Dad?"

John heard Connors tone, his questioning tone. JOhn turned and looked at him mid way up the stairs.

"What buddy?" John asked quietly and softly.

"Morgan... Madi... we didn't tell them but... well they seem to sense something." Connor told John. John shook his head a bit.

"Yeah, I thought maybe they would"

"Maybe we should tell them... the truth," Connor suggested and John looked at him. His nine year old was so mature for his age. John shook his head, he wondered if he got it from Natalie. His early maturity, since she had to mature at such a young age.

"No, I still don't want them to know... they aren't old enough to take it well"

"But there gonna ask for mommy tomorrow. They asked tonight but ... I was able to cover" Connor told him a bit upset again.

"I'll speak to your aunt and uncle in the Morning, we'll figure out whats best for them" John told him as they started walking back up the stairs.

"Mommy's whats best for them " Connor said softly as he took the stairs behind his dad.

"I know Buddy... I know... Mommy's whats best for all of us"

Natalie lay in bed waiting for Travis to come back. It was after Midnight and she was awake this whole time, just waiting to see what would happen. She had made herself as comfortable as possible in this place, this prison. She had rummaged around the place looking for clues, for anything that would help her to either escape or to find out where she was.

Natalie searched the whole place thoroughly, nothing. She came up with nothing and she got a bit frustrated at that fact. She didn't even have a clue as to where she was. All Natalie did know was that she was in some type of warehouse or factory. She remembered he said something about Print work before he went downstairs. She also remembered he said something about him being a print shop owners boy earlier when he grabbed her.

Natalie heard the door to the room open with a key. She pretended to be asleep as she could sense he took a seat in the chair across from the bed. She felt as if she was being watched and she was pretty sure that was what he was doing. She was also pretty sure that was what he planned on doing the rest of the night, sitting in the chair watching her sleep.

John tucked Connor into bed. He told him how much he loved him and then John went to the room his girls were sleeping in. He opened the door slowly as he just looked in on them for a minute. They looked so peaceful, he thought. John went over to Madison first... Madi, he pushed her strawberry blonde locks off her face. He leaned in and kissed her forehead gently not to wake her.

"Sleep well my angel," he told her softly and he walked over to Morgan. John leaned down to her; he pushed her darker red hair off her forehead. He kissed her forehead, and repeated his words.

"Sleep well my angel," He told her also and he started to walk away when he stopped by the door. John turned around and looked at his girls. Their girls. They looked so much like her, like Natalie. He sighed out loud as he continued to stare at them for a few minutes.

"Forever and ever" he said softly to himself as he closed the door to the room.

John arrived at the station thirty minutes later; he drove slow as he went over everything in his mind. All of yesterdays events, all of the confusion and the chaos. It was nearing One am; it wasn't there anniversary any longer. He walked thru the station and over towards the lab. John walked into her office and took a seat in her chair, he laid his head on her desk and drifted off a bit. Off to a sleepy state and a happier time in their lives.

Flash Back

"Mcbain... what? Slow down Bruce... what do you mean she's going into labor? No need to be a smart ass! Where are the two of you? What! What the heck was she thinking going towards city limits to gather evidence when she knows she's so close to her due date...Was that her? Of course it's a stupid question, is she alright...? What... wait for the professionals... I'll...I'll...I'll call Mikey... what? No! I don't want you looking down there on my wife!"

John rushed to Crossroads. It seemed that was the closest place to where they were at. Natalie was being Natalie and she decided she wasn't in labor yet... so she'd continue to do her job.

"Babe" John called out as he rushed in. John paid no mind to Bruce who was sort of sitting in between Nat's legs watching to see if the baby was crowning.

"John" Natalie said and a wave of pain came over her face. She let out a loud scream and Bruce shook his head back and forth.

"Bruce?" JOhn yelled at him in a confused state.

"The baby is on its way that's for sure" was all Bruce said as he looked at JOhn. JOhn was starting to breath heavy, he was starting to hyperventilate.

"John... John...John!" Natalie screamed over and over for a few minutes as the next contraction came on her. John wasn't answering her as she called him. He was starting to fade till he heard the wonderful sound of his brother's voice from the door.

"Move aside Detective Sanders, let a real Doctor take a look" Mikey said and he smiled up at Nat, as he took a position to deliver the baby.

"John...John" Bruce called to JOhn as he stood in some sort of shock. Bruce smacked him across the face and John snapped out of it.

"So glad you're back boss, you're wife here is having your baby" Bruce told JOhn chuckling.

John heard the cries first, the babies cry's.

"Its a boy" Michael said smiling as only a proud uncle smiled. John moved closer to Natalie, he looked into her eyes. He smiled shyly even, almost like he couldn't believe it, his eyes, and his ears.

"It's a boy... did you know it was going to be a boy? I mean... I know we wanted to be surprised by it... but did you know?" John asked still in amazement of how this perfect little thing came of their love, of their union.

"I knew... but not by being told by the doctors but... I felt it... I knew in my heart and in my soul our baby was a boy," she told him and he smiled wider this time.

Michael swaddled his nephew in a blanket he had in his Doctors bag. He handed him over to John so he and Natalie could see him.

John took a hold of his son, his perfect son. He looked over to Natalie who was just watching him. She had on the biggest smile he had ever seen. She should be exhausted, in pain... but she wasn't. Her and his son, they were the most beautiful sights he had ever seen.

"We never decided on a name? You pick it what ever you want" John told her and she had already known what she wanted to name him.

"Connor was your fathers middle name wasn't it?" Natalie asked and John nodded yes.

"I think Connor John... Connor so a part of your dad will always be connected with our son, and JOhn for you of course." She told him and he handed her Connor. He placed him gently in her arms.

'Connor meet your mom, She'll take the good care of you always and be the best mom around... and I can promise you It'll be forever and ever" He said as he stared into her eye's.

JOhn watched as she studied Connors face so intently, as she stared into his eyes. She touched Connor soft face with a finger.

"Forever and ever" She said as she looked up from her baby and into John's teary eye's.

Sometime around eight JOhn finally started to stir. He had slept the last few hours at her desk, as if... as if somehow it gave him strength... hope. He looked up when he heard someone speak.

"Chief... John... we got all the information on Travis Johnson... I... I'm going to head over to his old house and check things out." Bruce told him and he saw JOhn get up from her desk.

John walked over towards him.

"Wait till I tell her you messed up her desk... she's gonna be pissed, you know how she hates anyone at her desk" Bruce told him and he weakly smiled, he looked at John.

"Yeah... well... she can't be to pissed at me I'm the boss... and... More importantly... I Love her," he told him and they walked out of the room.