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It was, of course, for a car chase. Finally, after a while, the cops got him. Natalie looked relieved when she saw that he was being lead into a police truck.

"He's been caught, that's great!"Dad exclaimed and put his arm aroundNatalie's shoulders.

"Between this and what he did to you, he's going to be in jail for a while"I remarked.

"That's wonderful!" she said, while stroking her dog. It seemed like what had happened hadn't sunk in yet. I kinda reacted the same way the first time I was shot. Good thing she had Dad for support, though given how much anxiety, and stressthis whole thing had caused him made me glad that he didn't know about any but one of the times I've gotten shot.

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The doorbell rang again; Alan got up to answer it.

"Hey Alan!" I heard Carl's voice. "I thought I'd pop in to see how Nat was doing"

"She's doing fine." he said, and my partner came to the living room.

"Carl, you remember my son, Don?" Alan said. As far as he was concerned, they had met at the house warming.

"Hey!" Carl said neutrally. He was aware of my issues with Don, as well as our disagreements.

"Hey!" Don said back.

"Can I get you something?" Alan offered.

"No thanks" He sat where Alan had been.

Carl asked "How are ya?"

"Good...resting." I said. "How's Allison?"

He relaxed on the chair and replied."With her sister"

"Was it busy today?"

"Not more than usual. Fred and I took as many of your appointments as we could, and had the receptionist rescedule the rest."

"Thanks!"

"At the least we can do, Who covered when the two of us had births, recitals, school functions, doctor's appointments? You!..." He grinned, and continued. "I saw the funniest thing today."

"Really what?"

"A parrot that makes all the sounds a cat makes.. See, she and the owner's other pet, a cat, grew up together."

"How sweet!"

"I swear, it was almost like listening to a cat in a bird suit!"

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The phone rang, and I went to answer it.

"How's Natalie?" Hannah, her mother demanded. "A friend of mine who was visiting her grandchildren here, called me to give her support and to see if Nat was okay. She said that she heard about someone getting shot near Nat's clinic by some nut who caused a car chase?

I knew that Nat wouldn't want her parents to know because they lived so far away and she didn't want to worry them. However, the parent in me decided to answer her question.

"Nat's doing fine, but she did get shot."

"Oh my God! I'm getting tickets right now!"

"I'm taking very good care of her, Hannah, I promise. She's here at home, right now." I tried to assure her, but I knew that wasn't enough. It wouldn't be for me.

"Can I speak to her?"

"Of course." I covered the mouth piece.

"It's your mother. She knows you got shot." I whispered to Nat.

"Who told her? I doubt they'd broadcast that in Miami!" she asked.

"I did.." I admitted.

"Why?" she groaned, and sighed. "Must be some parent code?"

I handed her the phone.

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"Baby, what happened?" she asked me with worry.

"It was some pet owner who I testified against" I explained calmly. "Doctors were able to take care of everything right away. It was a minor wound, mom.Alan's taking great care of me."

"Nothing can compare to the care of a mother" she said gently. "I'm going to fly out there."

"Mom! It's fine."

"I wont' stop worring until I see you" she insisted.

"Don't I sound fine on the phone?"

"If you had your own kids, you'd understand." she used the same old argument.

We went back and forth a few more times, and she told me that she'd call once a flight was booked. She told me that Dad would also come.With that, we said our goodbyes.

"My parents are coming" I said.

"Not that I blame them" Alan asented.

"There is no need for them to fly accross country! I'm recovering!" I argued.

"I would have done the same thing" Carl also agreed with my parents. With a sigh he got up. "I gotta go I've got a late appointment with the dentist."

"My condolences!" I told him.

"It was nice seeing you Carl" Alan smiled.

"Thanks, Alan."

"Bye Carl" Don said, and my partner left, and Alan went to the kitchen to prepare some snacks.

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I had kinda understood Natalie when she indicated that she didn't want her parents to know. In fact, I agree. She was just being a considerate daughter. I could tell that she was close to her mother and really cared about her. So, it bugged me that she couldn't understand my concerns when it came to Dad. Maybe it was because she was a youngest, and not an oldest. The fact that she still had both ofher parents could also be a factor.

Two days passed, and I got to meet Natalie's parents as they were there, when I came.

"Hannah, Zack, I'd like you to meet Don" Dad introduced us.

"Your father has told us a lot about you" Hannah said. She looked like an older version of Natalie. I shook both of their hands, though I was wary, given their having doubts about Dad.

"I was just about to make Natalie one of her favorite dishes. Would you like some?"

"Hannah! You just arrived a few hours ago. Rest a couple of days" Dad advised.

"We came here to take care of our princess!" Zack said. He was watching T.V with Natalie.

"I'll stay for dinner,thanks" I agreed. I had come to give Dad my support. Natalie's mom was a pretty good cook.

"It's a good thing Alan can cook, or else the two of them would starve" Hannah teased. "I tried to teach her,but she, when not studying was busy with her many pets, volunteering at the humane society, or working part time at a vet's office."

"Nat always wanted to be a Vet huh?" I asked.

"Since she was little." her dad said. "When did you decide to become an F.B.I agent?"

"After a few years out of college" I said.

"Alan mentioned that you work long hours" he remarked.

"I sure do."

"Nat used to, but thanks to there being more animal hospitals and the fact that she's in her ownaprivate practice, her schedule isn't that bad."

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Dinner was pleasant. Right after, Don got called and had to go back to work. As Alan, picked up the dishes, despite protests,mom and I talked in the living room.

She asked. "Things seemed strained between you and Don. Does he have issues with your relationship?"

"It just that uh...Alan gave me power of attorney and he's kinda ticked" I admitted.

"That's a uh..big step" Dad remarked and looked at mom.

"Wouldn't you be mad if your father or I decided to give power of attorney to someone outside the family?" she asked me wisly, This got me to thinking.

"Come to think of it, yeah..." I began to understand Don's point of view on this.

."Honey..if you had met Don..first" my mother began to ask

"Mom! Don isn't my type!" I groaned in a low voice.

"I take it you've had other problems with him?" Dad asked.

"It took him and his brother a while to get used to me" I said neutrally. "They had in mind a middle aged widow with grown kids of her own not a vet in her forties"

"The Beatles did say, you can't always get what you want" Dad seemed annoyed at Alan's sons.

"That was the Stones, Dad" I told him.

"So how serious are things with Alan? Is marriage in the works?" Mom asked. They both wanted to know.

"Mom! We haven't discussed it!" I groaned.

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The next day, I got a call from, of all people,Natalie.

"Hey Don! I uh...just wanted to apologize for not understanding why you were upset about the whole power of attorney thing. I was talking to my parents last night and began to realize that I would also be upset in your position."

" Oh..I see. Apology accepted." I said. It sounded very sincere she seemed to be making more of an effort to understand.

"I'd come in person, but I'm not quite up to it"

"This is fine." I said. We talked a bit more about this and that, then hung up.

While, I still wasn't quite okay with the relationship, I was glad to see that she had made some effort. Before I could think about it too much, Megan told me we had a major lead and I went to work.

TBC