Title: Unforgiven

Part 3 Title: Working Things Out

Recap: Cristian reveal is over and done with, Cris moved because he knows Nat loves John but John is in prison and refuses to see Natalie. But Kassie Cooke, his new lawyer, refuses to let him ruin his chances at happiness…

Natalie was halfheartedly getting dressed to go to the country club with Jessica and Antonio. They had been trying their best to take her mind off of John for the past few months and as grateful as she was, she couldn't help being annoyed at their intrusion. The country club just wasn't her scene and both of them knew that, but they had insisted she come along. She grumbled to herself as she smoothed the wrinkles out of her blue dress.

John always loved this dress. She pushed the thought away, telling herself silently to stop. John didn't want anything to do with her anymore, he had made that perfectly clear. She grabbed a brush and raked it roughly through her hair. As she stared at herself in the mirror she suddenly realized she needed a change. She bit her lip as she remembered the sensations of John tangling his hands in her hair.

Grabbing the scissors from her dresser she took a chunk of her hair into her hand and taking a deep breath, she cut. Once she started it was easy to continue. As the red locks fell to the ground around her she began to sob. Finally she lay the scissors back down and took a look in the mirror, nodding. She liked the look. She would have to visit a hairdresser—not Roxy, she would want to know what had happened—to get it evened out, but she liked the difference.

She grabbed her cell phone and dialed Antonio's number. "Yeah, I'm not going to be able to make it tonight. No, everything is just fine." As she smiled at herself in the mirror she wondered at how long it had been since she had been able to honestly say that. It's been too long, she silently answered herself. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast." She hung up the pone and grabbed her keys as she walked outside.

Two hours later she returned home to find the brunette from the prison waiting on her front porch. She sighed as she walked up to the cottage she had shared with Cristian. It had seemed appropriate for her to move back here after finding out the truth about Cristian, as if she was proving to herself that she could survive all the bad memories it contained. Shaking her head, she walked onto the front steps and paused, folding her arms over her chest. "What do you want?"

Kassie stood to her feet. "I think our meeting was handled rather badly. I'm Kassie Cooke, John's attorney." Natalie tried to ignore the rush of relief she felt at the words. "And?" Kassie smiled despite herself, she loved this girl already. She reminded her of herself, strong and defiant on the outside but oh too vulnerable where it really counted. "Well, I'm here to take you to see the man who loves you." Natalie smirked.

"If he loves me he would have seen me one of the dozen times I came to see him before. He's long over me, Ms. Cooke." She opened the door and moved to step inside before hearing Kassie's soft reply, "Natalie, he loves you. I've known there was someone ever since I first met him; I could see it in his eyes. He's a goner, and I think he has been for a long while."

Natalie gave her a cool appraising look. "Even if you're right why the hell do you care?" Kassie smiled. "I like John, and I think I would like you if you weren't so hell bent on hating me. I also hate seeing John rot in prison for something he could easily get off the hook for, but he has no reason to get out. I honestly think you would change that, Natalie." "And why the sudden epiphany, hmm? John hasn't wanted to see me in months so why did he change his mind now?"

Kassie hesitated. "I see," Natalie replied coldly. "Natalie, wait. John doesn't want to see you because he doesn't think he deserves to after he put you through whatever the hell he put you through. Do you agree?" Natalie hesitated, on the one hand she was ready to slam the door shut in Kassie's face but on the other hand—She sighed. "I'll be at the prison in five minutes." She shut the door and Kassie walked back to her car.

TO BE CONTINUED