A/N: Here's this weeks' installation... I thought about holding back for an update on any other fics that are in the works on this site right now... but I decided I'm not that petty and I probably won't be able to update next week so... I hope you enjoy this! For anyone that was wondering I chose 9:00 PM as an Easter egg of sorts... because that's when I used to watch OLTL on Soapnet (remember Soapnet?) and I've been very nostalgic for that time in my life lately.
"Hello?" he heard over the line.
"Hey, it's me" he said, "You okay to talk for a few minutes"
"Yeah, I'm alone" Blair said.
"What's been going on today?"
"Nothing really, Spencer had to go to work"
"And nothing's been off?"
"No" she said, "John, why are you so worried about this now?"
"I got a message this morning. 9 tonight, either he gets what he wants or Natalie dies"
"I'm sorry, John"
"Just want to make sure you haven't noticed anything"
"No, nothing out of the ordinary" she said.
"Okay" he said, "Listen, I'm turning in my badge at 9' he said.
"You are?" Blair said.
"Unless we can arrest him between now and then" he said, "It's just – it's something I have to do"
"You don't have to justify your feelings to me, trust me" Blair said.
"Yeah, so listen" he said, "with me and Bo out, you need to get yourself out of this situation"
"No" she said, "I'm in this til he goes down"
"Trust me" he said, "He's going down tonight, one way or another" he paused, "just- head to Dorian's tonight, get out of there. Make sure you're far away from him and wait for the dust to settle"
"Yeah, I suppose I can do that for the night" she said, "but I'm in this as long as you're in this"
"I appreciate it Blair, but I promise, this is ending tonight"
"Okay" she paused, "Good luck, John"
He hung up, and he turned to his computer. The GPS had him still at the hospital. He wondered if he could prove he was getting the drugs from the hospital. He wondered what the drugs even were, if they were legal, and what they were doing to her long term.
"So, you're just going to sit there and watch him for a few hours?" he heard his dad, and when he looked up, he saw him seated on the couch in his office.
"You got a better idea?" he asked.
"How do you think this is going to play out?"
John sat back in his chair, "One way. She comes home"
"And that's worth your badge and your career"
"Yes"
"Easy as that?"
"There'll be other jobs. There's only one Natalie. So it is easy as that"
"Seems like your choice is made"
"it's been made since I saw that note this morning"
"Well, I'm proud of you"
"Now I just gotta figure out where he's going to make his move" his eyes drifted back to the computer.
"You don't want to hear this"
"You don't have to say it"
"What if he does kill her?"
His heart stopped. He knew it was a possibility. He also knew he'd do just about anything that would stop that.
"Not an option" he said.
"That's not for you decide" he said, "You know that. I wouldn't have died if you got to choose"
"that's true" John said, "but I'm not a kid anymore"
"That doesn't mean you have control over this"
"Maybe not" he said, "but I know a lot more. I know how to find him. I know how to be in a hostage situation and walk away with everyone in tact" he paused, "and I know I will do everything in my power before I let her die"
"so you get her back" he said, "then what"
"then" he said, "If I have my way, we're going to go away"
"You're going to take a vacation?" he asked.
"Well, it's not like I have a job, and she's going to have to finish her classes next semester anyway"
"Where you wanna go?"
"I was thinking AC"
"AC?"
"Well, she's from AC, too"
"You fell for an AC girl after all?"
"yeah" he said, "and I just think it would be nice, a hotel room, the boardwalk, the beach-"
"Sounds nice" he said, "I bet she'd like it"
"I hope so"
"I can't help but wonder" he paused, "you wanna take her to AC to marry her?"
"Marry her?" he asked, and he tried to be taken aback, but truthfully after this many days without her, the idea of never being without her didn't seem nearly so scary.
"Cuz I think it would be just like you to do that. Elope, I mean"
"we've only been dating a few months, I couldn't-"
"It hasn't been just a few months" he said, "You've been falling for her for years"
"Yeah, but-"
"But what? You afraid of the Buchanan name? or the money?"
"No, she doesn't care about any of that" he said, "you know, she put all the Buchanan money in a trust for our, for her kids, if she has any" he paused, "I don't want her to think I'm doing it for the wrong reason"
"Why'd she think that?"
"I just think she would"
"You should give her your mother's ring" he said.
"Mom's ring? I don't want to-"
"doesn't she like Natalie?"
"Yeah, she does"
"You should give her your mother's ring" he said, "You know, I was so afraid to ask my old man for the ring when I asked your mother to marry me"
"You?"
"Yeah" he said, "she was still in school, and I was so new on the force. Barely been on the job six months. But I knew. I couldn't see life without her anymore. Like- something just clicked and I had all the clarity I needed. She was it for me. And he- he asked me all these questions, like I had answers. How were we going to live on my paycheck, when were kids going to happen. But none of that mattered to me" he paused, "I just- I saw the love of my life, and I knew I had to keep her for as long as she'd let me"
"I don't know if I could even ask her for that" he said, "It's one of the only things she held on to, you know?"
"She held onto it for you" he said, "she knew one day you'd meet someone and you'd want it"
"That doesn't seem fair"
"That ring has been in the family for generations. I'm willing to bet if you asked your mom for it, and you told her it was for Natalie- she'd be over the moon"
"You're probably right"
"So do it"
"Gotta find her first"
He was awoken out of his daydream when the computer beeped. He was moving. Towards Llantano Mountain as he'd suspected.
"C'mon you bastard" he whispered, "give me something to go off of"