Chapter 4 - Family reunion?

Suddenly Natalie stumbles to the ground, this makes him happy as he thinks that even though he was dying he could see that it looked like that he may have succeeded in killing his daughter. That's when everything go dark for him and he takes his last breath. It was over even though his life had ended, and by the looks of it his daughters life was over as well, but was it….

…

It's was early the next morning when Ashley is woken up by her phone ringing, she answers it without checking who was calling,

"Hello?"

"Ashley it's me I'm ok, can you meet me at the airport I'll explain more when you guys get here."

"Mom, it's so good to hear your voice I was so worried."

"I know I'm sorry I didn't tell you before I left, but the sooner you get here the sooner we can go home."

"Alright sure, we'll be there in half an hour."

With that she hears the phone go dead, she knows that her mom just hung up on her but after hearing her voice and knowing she was going to see her soon she let it go for now. She go to get the boys up so that they could get their things together so they could make their way to the airport. While in the car Henry goes to Ashley,

"So she's good? What about Natalie did she say anything about her?"

"Yes she said that she was ok, but she didn't mentioned anything about Nat and I didn't get the chance to ask either before she hung up on me."

"She hung up on you?"

"Yeah she did, but seeing as that she told me where she was and we are going to see her soon I'm letting it go for now."

"Ok, fair enough."

They arrive at the airport and head to the private hanger that they were sure that Helen was going to meet them at, as that would be where she had left her plane when she arrived in Atlanta. Pulling up to the hanger they see that Magnus had already got her plane out and ready to go, she was just waiting for them to arrive before taking off. Ashley, Will and Henry get out out of the car, grab their things and make their way into the plane where they see Magnus waiting for them. As soon as they see her they see the number of bruises that are developing of her face and can only assume that there are plenty more where they can't see. Ashley runs up and hugs her mother,

"Mom, you had us all worried."

"I know Ashley, but I couldn't tell you what was going on or who knows what would of happened to you as well." Ashley lets go of Helen but no sooner had she let go she was pulled into another hug from Henry.

"Hey doc, it's so good to see that your alright."

"It's good to see you to Henry." Henry lets go of his hug but still has a lingering question,

"Doc? What about Natalie is she ok."

Helen takes a quick look over at Will, she wasn't sure if she was ready for him to know the truth about who Natalie was but she knew that he would want answers about who she was and how she could possibly have any part in what happened.

"She's fine Henry, she dropped me off here before heading back home."

Helen was so thankful that during their escape from the warehouse earlier that morning they had somehow managed to stumble across a first aid kit, they were able to use the contents of the kit to stabilise Natalie enough that they would be able to get somewhere to fix her wounds properly. After stabilising Nat Helen was able to take out the remaining men with ease and she found the keys to the van they had brought them to the warehouse in. Once getting back into the city the made their way to Natalie's house where the supplies to fix the wound in her abdomen would be, in wouldn't be perfect but it would do well enough that Natalie would be able to fix it up at a later date without having to deal with too many question if she was to go to the hospital for treatment.

With Natalie's wound now stable, they both quickly grab something to eat out of her Kitchen neither of them had eaten anything since the day before so they needed the energy. Finishing their food they made their way out the front, they needed to get rid of the van so they got in and made their way to the hospital where Natalie worked. They needed to pick up Nat's car so they she could follow Helen in her car to wherever they were going to dump the van, after finding a suitable place to leave the van Helen got out of the van left the keys in the ignition and then hope into Natalie's car. Now that the van was dealt with the only thing left was for them to head to the airport, Helen needed to get home. Once they arrived at the airport they discussed what was going to happen now,

"So what are you going to tell the others?" Natalie asked her mom.

"To be honest I'm not entirely sure just yet." Helen said while beginning to think of how she was going to explain this especially to Will, she still wasn't ready for others to know the truth about Natalie. She knew that Natalie couldn't come back with them if she wanted this, but she wasn't ready to have her leave her sights so soon after all the had transpired the previous night.

"Ok look, I'm fine with whatever you decide is best to tell them just let me know."

"Thank you Natalie."

"I also know that you want me to come with you, but we both know that isn't possible right now so how about we make a deal."

"A deal?" Helen asks.

"Yes I will need to get some things sorted out at work first but lucky for you I had already planned to have a week off this week. I just have a few things to finalise there, but then I can make my way to your place where I'm sure your going to want to have a more proper look at this." She said while pointing to her abdomen.

"Does that sound ok to you?" She asked her mother. This made Helen relieved even though she knew her daughter wasn't coming home with her she knew she would see her very soon anyway.

"Yes that sounds like we have a deal, but I do expect to see you no later than tomorrow night ok?"

"Ok, so I guess I better go, to make sure I don't miss my deadline." Natalie laughed while hugging her mother goodbye, even though they knew that they were going to see each other very soon neither was ready to let go of the other.

"See you tomorrow mom." Natalie whispered, she let go of her mother and made her way back to her car before getting it and driving away. It hurt to see her daughter driving off, but Helen knew the it was needed for her to have any chance at keeping her secret. Now that Natalie was gone she got out the phone that she had found in the van, she then made a call to her other daughter telling her where she was and for them to meet her so that they could go home. After ending her call to Ashley she set herself to get her plane ready to leave as her team would be here in half and hour.

"Ok, I've kept my mouth shut long enough." Will says to Magnus.

"Please will someone explain to me who the hell is Natalie and how does she have anything to do with what's happened over the last 24 hours?" He sees the ever so slightly frighten look on Magnus's face. That's when Ashley jumps in and says,

"Look mom has a promise with Natalie that no one finds out how she is connected to mom's work, so we just say that she is a family friend." Ashley looks over to her mom telling her not to worry as she could she that her mom was not comfortable with Will knowing the truth just yet.

"If you must know more you will have to ask Natalie herself, but she herself will not make it easy for you to find her and ask her. So for now that is all that you can know ok." Ashley looks at Will to make sure that he understands that this is all he is going to get for now, and that if he dares to try and force it out of her mother he wasn't going to like what she was going to do to him. He glances to Magnus to see that she is relived that Ashley had step in for her, he could see that that there was still definitely more to the story but knew he was going to anymore details right now.

"Alright if i can't know about her connection to you, can I at least know how she was able to help with finding you." He looks between the three of them hoping to at least get some sort of answer.

"When i saw the photos that had been sent to mom, i knew the location that the had to of been taken in." Ashley answers him trying to leave out details that could give away the real reason.

"Knowing that they had to of been taken here in Atlanta I knew that Natalie would of had to of know what mom was doing at the time. With that she would have more of a clue as to who could have taken the photos." Ashley look at her mother again, confirming with her what she was saying was ok.

"When we got here and I went and met up with Nat, my suspicions were correct. As soon as Nat saw the photos she instantly knew who was behind moms sudden disappearance."

"How was she able to work that out so quickly?" Will asked.

"For that you would would have to ask Nat, but what i can say is that if you ever meet her you will fully understand how she could put the pieces together so quickly." Ashley replied.

"After showing her the photos she told me she knew what she could do to help and that i needed to go back to the hotel and she would sort it from there, apart from her being kidnapped I say that she was right even though i have know idea what happened after that and before receiving mom's call." Ashley could see that everyone was tired after the events that had transpired so she asks everyone,

"Look I know we all have more questions that we want to ask mom, but i don't think she is quite ready to relive whatever happened so can we get this plane moving and head home, i believe that we all could use some rest and maybe after that we can discuss this issue further."

With nods all around Helen goes up to the pilot to tell them that they are ready to leave and then they all make their way to their seats and begin their journey home.