A/N I do not own these characters. I am simply borrowing them for my own amusement, and hopefully that of my readers. I mean no harm and am gaining no profit from the use of these characters so please, please don't take me to court! Thanks Ya'll...

Chapter 5

John felt bad for his comments. He couldn't believe he had been so rude to the woman who had probably saved his life. He had wanted to call back his words the moment they left his mouth but before he had even gotten a chance to apologize she had gave him a lashing and stormed off.

Natalie was furious, both with John and also with herself. With John because he had judged her to be some pampered little heiress simply because she was a Buchanan, and with herself because she had gotten angry and blown up at him. She should be used to such assumptions by now and she was but...for some reason John voicing them had hurt.

After she had calmed down some she remembered that she had intended to check on John's wound. She sighed and headed back to the guest room. She knocked lightly and then went it. She briskly went to the bathroom and got the supplies she thought she would need, wishing she was a doctor.

John saw her come in and stalk straight into the bathroom... 'Ok...She was still angry,' he thought to himself. When she came back out he said, "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I didn't mean to offend you."

Natalie nodded at his apology and said, "It's ok. I over reacted." She set down the supplies and said, "I need to look at your side."

John nodded his approval, something in him really liking the fact that she was taking care of him.

Natalie took off the bandage she had rapped around his middle and peeled off the bloody bandage directly over the wound. "I don't see any infection," she told him, relief tingeing her voice.

John also felt relief, he would heal a lot more quickly if there was no infection. He watched as Natalie cleaned the blood off and then hissed as she dumped more alcohol on the wound. "Watch it!" he said in pain.

"Sorry!" Natalie said promptly. She finished cleaning the wound and then re-bandaged it. "So do you have any idea who thought your face was a punching bag?"

John smiled slightly at her tone and gingerly touched his bruised face, "Some." He muttered. His lack of memory still bothered him but he could make an educated guess as to who had worked him over. Fritz was a regular boxer when he wanted to be. He liked beating people up, for information or otherwise. He figured he had been found out and Fritz had worked him over for information.

Natalie nodded, her experience with Bo telling her that John wouldn't tell her who it was. Cops were notorious for not sharing information. "Do you want to call the FBI and tell them you are all right?"

John thought about it for a minute. He knew he should, it was policy, but he had a strong feeling that it wasn't a good idea. With his memory loss he had no idea what had gone on for the past week and if he had been ousted like he strongly suspected he had no idea who had done the ousting. "Not yet," he answered at length.

Natalie was surprised at his answer. She thought about it a minute and then realized the reason, "You don't trust them?"

John was impressed with her insight and nodded, "Somehow I think I was discovered. Until I get my memory back I don't trust anyone."

Natalie smiled, he was just like Bo. "You can trust me." She told him.

John yawned, suddenly tired. He smiled at her and reached out a hand, tucking a strand of her silky red hair behind her ear, "Yeah I can trust you." He murmured.

Natalie saw that he was exhausted and cleaned up her supplies. She went back to the bathroom and after putting everything away she came back with a glass of water and two aspirin. "Here, take these."

John took the aspirin and washed them down with the water. After Natalie took the glass from him he settled back down and was almost asleep before his head hit the pillow. "You are so beautiful..." he whispered to her as he drifted off to sleep.

Natalie stared at him in shock. He had just said she was beautiful! She sat there smiling with out realizing it. She recalled how he had touched her hair earlier and she got a fluttery feeling in her stomach. She was brought out of her daze by the ringing of her cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Natalie, its Bo." He said.

"Hi uncle Bo." Natalie told him smiling at his greeting. As if she could figure out who it was simply by the sound of his voice. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to warn you that there was a suspicious looking man here asking for a stranger. I want you to call me if you see anything suspicious."

"Come on Bo, I'm on the top of a mountain. It's not likely anyone would come up here even if they could make it up the mountain."

I know," Bo said with a smile in his voice. "I worry about you alone up there, you know that. On that track, when are you coming back? The roads are passable now."

Natalie had known he was going to ask that and had an answer ready for him, "Well...Actually... I got a call from Chris and it made me re think my decision to come back right away."

Bo was instantly on alert, "Did he threaten you sweetie? If he had I'll haul his ass in and lock him up," he offered.

Natalie was touched by his words but laughed them off so he wouldn't think that Cris was threatening her, "No, no nothing like that. He just made me think that maybe I need some time to my self. I was planning to be off all week anyway for my vacation so I thought that if you and Asa didn't mind that I could stay here..."

"Of course it is ok!" Bo said glad that she was finally seeing the light about Christian. He had always believe that he was no good for his favorite niece. "Make sure you check in with me occasionally though. You know how your mother and I worry about you!"

"I will uncle Bo. I promise!" She told him. "Look I'm on my cell and the battery is beeping so I have to go and charge it. I'll call you tomorrow.

"Ok sweetheart. I love you." Bo said.

"I love you to uncle Bo." Natalie replied then hung up. She checked her battery. It really was low... she put it on the charger and then just sat there watching John sleep. He was so peaceful this time. Last night he had been plagued by bad dreams but this morning he seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

After a little while she got bored. She got up and went in to the living room. Needing something to do she got out some cleaning supplies and began cleaning the cabin. It didn't look like it had been really cleaned in months. She turned on the stereo to a classic rock station and began to clean.

Three hours later she was still cleaning. She had been checking on John every hour or so and so far he had been asleep the entire time.

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John awoke with the urge to go to the bathroom. He glanced at the clock and saw that it was nearly noon. He didn't want to ask Natalie to help him to the bathroom, he pride chafing at the very idea, so he swung his legs slowly over the side of the bed. Careful not to jar is side he slowly stood, noting that he felt slightly stronger. Dizziness swept through him and he grabbed the bedpost to steady himself. Once the dizziness passed he began to make his way to the bathroom...slowly.

Once he was finished he contemplated the walk back out. He felt so weak; his legs actually trembled from exertion. Taking a deep breath he stood back up and forced himself to walk back to the bed. As he sat down Natalie's cell phone began to ring, "Natalie!" he called. "Natalie! Your phone is ringing!" He listened for a reply but all he heard was the vacuum cleaner, she hadn't heard him.

He sighed; what if it was important? Should he answer it? Odds were against anyone looking for him calling her... As it rang again he sighed again. Picking it up he answered, "Natalie Buchanan's phone."

"Who the hell is this?" Came Christian Vega's voice on the other end. "Where is Natalie?" he demanded, furious that a MAN had answered Natalie's personal cell phone.

To be continued...