A/N: For the record--I cried as I wrote this and I NEVER cry at my own stories--so go grab kleenex. Lots and lots of Kleenex. I do hope people out there enjoyed the story. PCGirl.
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Melinda tossed in the bed trying to sleep while her husband slept soundly next to her. Leave it to him to be able to fall asleep immediately wherever they were.
They'd decided to stay in Llanview over night—she wanted to try one more time with Natalie—knew she could get her to believe. She opened her eyes as she suddenly began to hear the sound of Jazz music being played from down below. As she walked to the window she looked down at the street below and at the Angel statue reaching up to the stars.
In a flash he was standing beside the statue, staring at the stars also and then he looked directly at her, his blue eyes looking into her with force, yet she could tell he was asking for help.
She took a look at Jim—still asleep—before grabbing a jacket and going to meet him.
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"Did you see her? How did she look?" asked John before Melinda made her way all the way across the square.
"Lost—confused—unsure she could trust me."
"Trust doesn't come easy for her," he said with a half grin as he sat down in front of the statue. "She's been hurt a lot—more times by me than I care to admit. On one more than one occasion we met here and I thought I'd lost her for good. Truth is—you don't lose your soulmate."
"You really were that close?" she asked as she sat down next to him.
"Yeah, there were a few times people thought one or the other of us was dead—and yet we knew in our heart it wasn't the case. I wish this time had been different—that I was alive somewhere in a hospital trying to call for her—we had finally gotten it right and were where we needed to be. Ironic, isn't it?"
"Yeah—ironic. There's something I need to tell you—something you need to know," said Melinda as she looked up to the sky and then to John. "Natalie—when I saw her—she was holding a baby boy. Her brother Rex, he said it was yours."
"I—I have a son?" he said as his eyes welled up with tears. "The hits just keep coming—I spent my whole life trying to solve my father's death and when I do I lose mine and miss out on my own son's life."
"I'm sorry."
"It's ok," he said as he rubbed his eyes. "The roller coaster stops now—I won't let Natalie and our son spend their lives trying to avenge my death. One life wasted is enough for a family—I won't let the rest of my family waste theirs," he said as he stood up and suddenly disappeared.
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She looked beautiful and full of peace—a peace he was sure didn't mirror in her eyes or her soul. She was hurt—unsure of what to do next—but he knew he had to get through to her. She said he always got through to her—and as John leaned down to her ear in hopes she could hear him he had to make her get through to him this time. "Natalie," he said softly and a smile started on his face as he saw a grin appear on hers—as if she could hear his voice.
"Hey—it's me. I want you to believe Melinda—every word she'll tell you is mine. Meet me on the roof tomorrow morning, ok? We can watch the sun rise one last time—and bring our son," he said as he gulped before he spoke his last words, "I love you, beautiful."
And with that he was gone again. Natalie stirred and opened her eyes, glancing at the clock for a moment before falling back asleep, "Ok John—love you too."
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"Maybe she's not coming," said John as he kept pacing the roof of the hotel while Melinda sat there watching him.
"Give her time," said Melinda as the door opened and Natalie walked out onto the roof carrying a car seat. "You're here."
"Yeah—I don't know why—I had this dream of John telling me to come up here and listen to what you had to say."
"You can trust me—I promise. Is there something you want him to tell you? Something only you two would know?"
"At Asa's cabin—when we ate Mac and Cheese and talked—how did he help his mom get through their first Christmas alone?"
John grinned, "Tell her I pretended to be both me and Mike—two place settings and two chairs—I kept jumping between the chairs and having an argument with him."
Melinda smiled at the picture, "He says he pretended to be both himself and Mike—something about jumping between chairs and having an imaginary argument with him."
"John," she said softly as she looked around trying to figure out where he was.
Melinda watched John walk directly in front of her and try to move a strand of her hair, "He's right in front of you—he was trying to move your hair."
"I know—it's like I could feel his touch just then," she said as she wiped the tears away. "You—have a son, John," she said as she leaned down and picked up the baby, holding him so John could get a good look at him.
"He has her smile," he spoke softly. "What's his name?"
"He asked what his name is—and that he has your smile."
"John Patrick. I actually didn't realize until after I'd named him—St Patrick's Day—."
"Our first kiss."
"He says it was your first kiss."
Natalie nodded as she looked down at him, "I'm going to tell him all about you John—make him so proud of you. He'll never go without knowing what type of hero his dad was."
"I'm already proud of him—and of you too," he said as he looked at Melinda and knew he had to hurry and say what he needed to say before he lost his courage.
"He says he's proud of both of you."
John gave a gulp before he spoke, "Tell her to not let my death take over either of their lives. I let my old man's death take over mine and I missed out on so much—and I'm going to miss even more," he said as he tried to touch baby John's face and the baby squirmed for a moment—as if sensing him then relaxed in his mother's arms.
"He said don't let his death take of your life—or your son's. He doesn't want either of you to miss out on life—and that he already knows how much he's going to miss in the future."
"I'm scared John—I don't know if I can raise him by myself. What if I screw up his life? What if I'm just like Roxy and a horrible mother?" she said as she finally let the tears flow.
"You won't—I've always known you'd be a great mother. Right before I died—I had a vision—I saw us with our children playing pool. You were amazing Natalie—and you still will be—I just wish I could be with you."
"He says he's always known you would be a great mother—he had a vision with you two and your children playing pool—even in the vision you were an amazing mother, Natalie."
"You always did know how to get through to me, John," she said as she laughed a moment and looked down at baby John. "I love you, John—I think we'll be ok. No, I know we'll be ok."
John smiled as tears filled his eyes at knowing this was the last time he'd ever see her, "Tell her two more things—that she doesn't always have to play the tough guy card. It's ok to ask for help—nobody will think lesser of her. And to know I'm so grateful she never gave up on me."
Melinda's eyes filled with tears at hearing the love and gratitude in his voice for a woman she knew he'd have to leave soon, "He says to remember you don't always have to be use the tough guy card—and he's so grateful that you never gave up on him."
Natalie tried to say something but her voice was stuck in her throat, "We'll love you forever John—until we see you again."
"I know you will," he said as he turned towards the sunrise and it was taken over by a beautiful white light. As he looked into it he saw his dad standing there waiting for him, "Dad," he said softly as he took a step forward and then back at Natalie, "Goodbye, Natalie. Goodbye, my son."
Melinda watched him continue to walk towards the light and then was gone. As she turned to Natalie she saw something that wasn't there before, some sort of peace. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I will be—we just need to be alone for a moment," she said as she went and sat down on the bench and watched the sunrise with her son. She looked down at him, he was beginning to wake up and as he stared back at her with those ocean blue eyes for the first time in months Natalie truly smiled at the glorious miracle her and John had created and knew he was never that far away.
