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Chapter10

Natalie woke up out of a deep sleep, she hadn't even realized she feel asleep. She had tried so hard to stay awake, she had to, to make sure he didn't try anything but she guessed the exhaustion set in.

Natalie got out of bed. She walked over to a still asleep Travis in the chair. She looked over his sleeping body for something, anything. Maybe the key to the room. She saw him open and close the room up yesterday with it, she had observed him putting it in his pocket when he left the room.

Natalie had to make a decision... should she try quietly and gently to get the key from his shirt pocket or should she just wait this out a bit. She knew if she tried and he caught her... he would get mad and maybe even hurt her. She rubbed her stomach, her growing baby inside of her. She knew she couldn't take that chance; the life inside of her was too precious. The life she had at home with John and the kids... that was so precious.

Natalie slowly backed up from a sleeping Travis as she remembered.

Flash Back

"Mommy... are boys yucky?" Morgan asked Natalie as they sat on a checkered blanket on the grass. It was Fourth of July; they were picnicking on the grass at The Buchanan mansion. It was Asa's annual Independence Day shindig.

"Morgan Victoria... how old are you?" Natalie asked jokingly as she continued to braid Morgan's red locks as they sat on the blanket.

"I'm almost four remember" Morgan answered her and Natalie laughed out loud.

"Yeah, I remember... so why do you want to know if boys are yucky?"

"There's a boy in my class... Billy... he want to kiss me," Morgan told Natalie and Natalie started chuckling to her. She felt something go wizzing by her head and land almost on top of a napping Madison. Connor and John were playing Frisbee when John misjudged it and it landed on the blanket next to Madison as she slept.

"Hey, babe... throw it over here" John told her as he smiled, Natalie just shook her head no. JOhn slowly walked over to Nat and the girls. JOhn approached the blanket.

"Why couldn't you throw it back to me?" JOhn asked as he saw Natalie's face, her chuckling even.

" Your little girl wants to know if boys are yucky... says Billy from Nursery school wants to kiss her... do you want to answer this one or should I?" Natalie asked him grinning more. She knew his answer before he even opened up his mouth.

"Morgan... Boys are yuck... really, really yucky. Don't ever let anyone of them kiss you... not ever... not even when you're older, never" JOhn said as he smiled at her. He leaned in and kissed Nat on the lips.

Hours later they sat on the blanket, kids curled up sleeping all around as they sat looking at the stars, the fireworks had just finished and the kids barely made it thru them before falling asleep.

"I think we may need a bigger blanket next year" John told her and she knew what he was getting at. Nat gave him a sideways glance.

"Why in the world would we need a bigger blanket?" she asked as he took her hand and held it. They just gazed out into the sky.

"Cause we wont be able to fit not another boy on this one" he said as he looked into her blue eyes.

"Another boy... there won't be any more boys. You said boys were yucky" she told him being a smart ass, she smiled at him. He smiled back.

"Not any of my boys" he said and he took her lips hungrily

End Flash back

Natalie walked into the Kitchen area, she knew she wouldn't be able to take that many chances. She knew in her condition and everything she had to lose, she needed to be smart and patient, wait for John to find her. She would pretend to be Sheryl, be a dobbing wife to Travis Johnson. She started to make him breakfast as she again rubbed her stomach.

"Daddy will find us, he'll fight to find us, to keep his Mcbain family together, we've been thru so much together, this won't get to us, it won't pull us apart."

There's nothing here" JOhn said a bit discouraged. He and Bruce were at Travis home, the place was boarded up. They went in thru a window and looked around. They looked for anything, anything to help to tell them where he might have her.

John was so frustrated now, all the files that he read. All the things that he thought might give them a lead, lead them to her. All those things were dead ends. His Phone started to ring and he answered it.

"Mcbain"

"Daddy"

"Morgan honey whats wrong?" John asked as he heard Morgan's upset state.

"I want mommy... I got a cut on my knee... Aunt Jess doesn't know how I like my Band-Aids, she don't have the special ones that make the cut feel better"

"Morgan... M-M-... Mommy won't be around for a few days, she had to go away on Business" John told her a bit hesitant at first about the lie

"Like the tech business from last time?"

"Yup, exactly"

"She didn't tell me or Madi or Connor even," Morgan said

"I know she told me to tell you and I got real busy on a case at work, that's why you're staying at Aunt Jess'"

"But I don't wanna stay at Aunt Jess' no more, I hurt my knee and I want to be home"

"Morgan honey put your aunt Jess on the phone please sweet pea, okay... I'll be by later to see you and we can discuss things then" JOhn told her as he started to get a bit overwhelmed. It was hard enough to try and keep things together to look for Natalie, for his wife. But to have to deal with keeping the kids in check too, to try and keep them from not being upset. This was one of his hardest tasks of a father yet.

"But what about my knee, the special stuff?" Morgan demanded

" I'll bring it by later, I love you angel"

"Love you too Daddy"

John spoke to Jess for a few minutes and decided it was for everyone best interest if the kids were back in there home. John made a few calls. He spoke to his mom and asked her if she would mind keeping the kids for him at his house. Eve had moved to Llanview a few years ago after Madison was born. Eve had agreed and she would meet him at the house a little later.

"Sheryl darling that was the best breakfast I've had in so long, I thing your cooking skills have improved some." Travis told Natalie as he left the table. Natalie watched him walk over to the nearby table. He picked up a lunch box and walked over to her, he handed it to her.

Natalie took his lunch box a bit confused but caught on quickly.

"You're usual lunch dear? Ham and Swiss on rye?" she asked playing along to this nuts charade of her being Sheryl, his wife. She shook her head knowing she was really selling this today, the act. She was good at clues and my some of the clues in his refrige she could just about tell what his favorite foods were. It was packed with Ham and Swiss... leading her to believe that was his favorite Lunchtime meal.