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 6

John sighed, knowing immediately that it had been a mistake to answer the phone. He was about to answer when Natalie herself came into the room. "A friend," he answered with a leer, something in him making him do it.

Natalie went to looking on John and saw that he was on her phone. She frowned at him when he handed it to her, "Who is it?" she asked quietly, covering the mouthpiece.

"A man," John told her feeling slightly jealous though he didn't have a right to. "He sounded really angry."

"Chris..." she sighed, knowing immediately who it was. She took another breath and then uncovered the mouthpiece. "Hello?"

"Who the hell was that answering your phone?" he demanded with angry jealousy. "You are cheating on me aren't you? You slut!"

Natalie was enraged at his attack. If she hadn't wanted to end it with him before she certainly did now! "Listen you asshole. How dare you talk to me that way! You would still be painting watercolors for tourists if it weren't for me! We're through! And for your information I am not nor have I EVER cheated on you! You on the other hand I know have cheated on me! Don't you ever call me again, don't talk to me, don't even come near me!" she spat at him and then snapped the phone shut with an angry click. "Asshole!" she muttered under her breath.

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP

Natalie spun around to see John clapping and grinning at her. She blushed in embarrassment and looked away; in her anger she had forgotten he was there.

"Wow!" John said, "I'm glad I wasn't him!" he swung back on the bed gingerly and winced as he pulled the covers back over him. "That was impressive... Boyfriend?" he questioned casually though he far from a casual interest. For some reason he REALLY wanted her to be single. Or maybe not for 'some reason' he knew exactly why he wanted her to be single and it had nothing to do with the jerk on the phone and everything to do with his own reaction to her.

Natalie snorted, "Not anymore!"

"I'm sorry," he lied, "I didn't mean to cause problems for you." Even though he was sorry that he had caused her grief he couldn't say he was at all sorry that she had just dumped 'Chris'.

Natalie sighed and looked at him again, "Don't be. It has been coming for a while now. It's actually the reason I am on this mountain to begin with." She meant it too. Far from feeling bad that she had ended things with Chris she actually felt good...free. Until that moment she hadn't realized how much he had been controlling her.

Shaking off her thoughts she glanced at the clock she saw it was almost noon. "You hungry?"

Surprisingly he was. "Yeah, actually I am."

Natalie nodded and said, "I'll go make us something to eat." She paused then said with a rueful laugh, "But if my phone rings again don't answer it."

"Gotcha!" John replied and saluted with his hand. He sat back on the bed, careful of his wound. He was strangely at peace. Even with his face sore and a bullet wound he felt better then he had in years. The very thought making him wonder what kind of life he had been living before this.

He frowned, since Caitlyn died five years ago he had thrown himself into his work, taking one assignment after another. Usually they were dangerous undercover missions. But just these few hours with Natalie made him feel more alive then any of those assignments. When he got back home he would have to take a long look at his life and figure out what it was he really wanted. Caitlyn wouldn't have wanted him to be so unhappy, so lonely.

"Lunch is served!" Natalie said, startling John as she came back in the room with a tray of food. He looked her over yet again and simply admired her looks. He loved her beautiful red hair and her sparkling blue eyes. Every time he looked at her it was like a jolt of awareness shot through him. It frustrated him because in his current condition, even if she was receptive, he couldn't do anything about the attraction he felt for her.

Natalie was doing some admiring of her own as she set down the tray. Her eyes roamed all over his body, taking in his masculine beauty. The sight of his naked chest causing her stomach to clench. She looked into his eyes and flushed at the knowing look in his eyes. Suddenly ashamed at her actions; she was practically was molesting him with her eyes! She averted her eyes and handed him a bowl of soup.

They ate in silence, both sneaking glances at the other when the thought the other wasn't looking. Finally John couldn't stand the silence anymore. "So you said you grew up in AC?"

Natalie smiled, grateful for the distraction. "Yeah. Even though my childhood sucked I loved Atlantic City."

Finishing his soup he set down the bowl, "So how come you grew up in AC instead of here with your family?"

Natalie smiled, even though most of the memories were painful some of them were good. She began her story at the beginning when Alison Perkins first came to her and told her she was a Buchanan. She was surprised when John didn't say anything when she told him about how she had come to town. She was used to getting looks and disapproval when she revealed her actions. Somehow his reaction made her bolder and she continued, telling him about Mitch, and Haver and finally Hayes. The compassion and understanding in his eyes moved her, made her glad she had told him.

After she finished there was silence for a minute. Then John said quietly, "I'm sorry you had to go through all that." He admired her courage, her strength. She had told her story and had not once complained or cried. She didn't take any credit or pride in herself for surviving all she had survived and that made him admire her all the more.

"I'm not." Natalie told him, meaning it.

John looked at her quizzically and said, "Why?"

"Because if I hadn't I wouldn't be the person I am now. I probably would have come up here this weekend. If I hadn't come up here I couldn't have helped you and you would have died. I wouldn't want that." She said truthfully. She already cared for John a lot, so much that is scared her. She knew she shouldn't care so much for a man she had just met but it felt like there was something between them...a connection of sorts.

John smiled at her and said, "I wouldn't want that either." During the long conversation his side had stared throbbing viciously and he winced.

Natalie saw him wince and went for more aspirin. After making sure he took it she said, "Get some sleep."

"I've slept too much already," he complained, even though he was tired. He balked at the idea sleeping the day away.

"Sleep is the best thing for you right now. You need to heal." She told him as she left the room.

John shifted in the bed trying to find a comfortable position. He lay there thinking about Natalie and all she had went through in her life. She truly was an amazing woman. He was still thinking about her as he fell asleep once again.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Back in Llanview Chris was furious at Natalie. He was enraged and convinced that, no matter what she had said, she was cheating on him. He brought his paintbrush to the black again and again as he swirled it on the canvas. Adding some red he took out all his anger on the painting. When he was finished it was an angry painting with red and black slashes.

He was calm, his mind determined to see that Natalie and who ever that mystery man was paid for betraying him. She was his until he let HER go! Didn't she understand that? He looked at the painting and became furious again. Taking it by the side he flung it across the room. Following it he then took it in his hands and began slamming the frame into the wall, smashing it into little pieces. As the canvas came free he, still in his rage, grabbed it and began to rip it to shreds. When it was completely destroyed he sat down on a bench, panting. "No one dumped Christian Vega!" He thought. "NO ONE!"

To be continued...