Attn: I don't own the One Life to Live Characters. Though from the looks of the show no one seems to even know who they are anyway so it wouldn't matter if I did. I am getting no profit from the writing and distribution of this story other then the happy I get when people read my story and tell me so. (So all you readers keep that up!! LOL)

Chapter 10

Natalie sipped her beer and fiddled with her napkin as she waited for John to show up. Her ever present bodyguard sat two seats down from her trying to look inconspicuous but wasn't managing it too well. She tried not to think about the reason she had a bodyguard at all because she didn't want to remember what had happened. After she gave her statement to Bo she wanted to forget it ever happened and move on with her life but she knew that was impossible. Carlo Hesser was not a man that gave up easily and especially not when it came to the Buchanan's.

She checked her watch and noted that she had only been there for ten minutes and already she was thinking about what she had promised she would not think about. Sighing she got up and left the bar, bringing her half empty beer she drifted over to the pool table. Setting down the beer on the side of the table she racked up the balls then picked up a cue.

The break was bad and no balls went in irritating Natalie. She grunted then set up for bank shot. Again she missed.

"Hey. I thought you were good." Coming in as she broke John immediately made his way to the pool table. He saw both missed shots and her annoyance at not making them. He studied her stance, noting in the back of his mind that she looked damn good bent over that table.

"Bad day I guess," she leaned over and took another shot this time making it.

John couldn't help it; he came up behind her and put his hands over hers on the cue. "Your stance is a little off. Here let me show you." When she bent over he went with her adjusting her body with firm but gentle hands. "Like this," he rasped in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Natalie stiffened for a second when he touched her then relaxed into his hold. Heat coursed thru her body stunning her with its intensity. She wasn't used to having such a strong reaction to such a simple touch. "Like this?" she repeated even as she adjusted her body, bringing it into contact more firmly with his, her butt pressed snugly against him.

John bit back a groan at the contact and moved back a bit. He hadn't intended to get so close, to go so far. He really didn't know Natalie that well but he did know that she wasn't one to be sexually promiscuous not matter how attracted she might be to him. Not that he wasn't attracted to her, he was, a lot. But after all she had been thru recently now was definitely not the time for this. He needed to be her friend, not the guy trying to get in her pants.

Natalie was a little disappointed when he pulled back but swallowed it and took the shot. She made it and turned to face him, trying to forget the momentary attraction that had flared up between them. Obviously he didn't want to get involved with her, not that she could blame him. She was technically married after all and then there was the whole getting kidnapped all the time factor.

She stood straight and adjusted her shirt, "You ready to eat yet?"

He grinned when his stomach rumbled, "Yeah." He took her cue and put it away then followed her to a table. After giving his order to the waitress he asked, "You come here a lot?"

"Yeah, I used to work here. Mac, the owner, he's is great." She gave her order and then sat back. "How was your day?" she asked casually.

"Busy," He answered in a low voice. He asked about her day and soon they lost track of time as they talked about their lives. He found out a lot about her that wasn't in her file, but most of all he found that they had a lot in common. Both had grown up in Atlantic City, both loved Cheese Steak and just hanging out with a beer and playing pool. Even after spending almost all his free time at the hospital with her the week before he hadn't realized just how much there was to know about her. Even the smallest things fascinated him.

Natalie was also fascinated by John. He was such a puzzle to her. There was a sadness about him that lurked just beneath the surface. It drew her in, made her want to give him a hug like he had done so many times when she had been in the hospital. They hadn't really talked much while she had been recovering from her ordeal with Carlo but he had made her feel safe, like nothing could happen to her while he was around. It was a nice feeling.

She absently glanced at her watch and was stunned at how late it had gotten. "Oh my God. It's after 11. I have to get home. I was supposed to meet Jessica at 10:30. She came back from London to visit me!"

John too was surprised by the time. He went to the bar and paid the bill while Natalie gathered her things together. When he got back to the table he said, "I'll walk you to your car. Its not safe to be out alone this late."

Natalie just rolled her eyes and made a comment about protective men. But secretly she was relieved not to have to go out in the darkness alone. After all that happened she was a little afraid of the dark. She leaned into him when he took her bag and walked with her towards the door.

Suddenly Natalie felt something dig into her back and her arm was roughly grabbed, pulling her to a dead holt.

"Nobody move!" The speaker was a rather rough looking man clad in ratty jeans and a dirty pullover sweatshirt. His eyes were darting all over nervously as he pulled Natalie back against his chest and pressed the barrel of his gun to her neck.

John assessed the situation but did nothing. Any sudden moves might cost Natalie her life. Instead he tried to talk to the man. "Look we don't want no trouble. Anything you want, you got it, just don't hurt the girl."

The man looked at John, his eyes focusing on him. "I know you. You're that famous FBI guy that put away that serial killer killing those college girls."

John blinked at that. This man knew about that case? It must have been 10 years ago, one of his first as an agent. "Yeah that's me. Just let the girl go and we'll forget this whole thing."

Natalie followed the conversation but stayed perfectly still. She noticed John carefully studying the man and knew he was looking for an opening to take him down. When he met her eyes she could tell he was terrified that she would be hurt. She looked away from him and down at the gun that was pressing into her neck. She recognized the make, expensive piece for a scruffy robber. It was then she noticed it.

The safety.

It was ON!

She quickly looked back up, not wanting him to notice her looking at the gun. Glancing around quickly she took in the scene, John, her bodyguard, and everyone else was frozen in fear. She knew they couldn't see that the safety was on and that the gun was useless so they wouldn't make a move, it was up to her to disarm the man.

Quickly, like she learned in self-defense training she grabbed the guys wrist and twisted it back, forcing him to loosen his hold. Ignoring John's panicked yell she stomped on the guys foot twisted under is gun arm, the guy dropped the gun and tried to grab her again.

Anticipating this Natalie spun quickly and clocked him with a right to the jaw, knocking the man down. John was on him in an instant and had him cuffed in two seconds flat.

After reading the dirtbag his rights John rounded on Natalie, "What the hell were you thinking? He could have shot you!"

Natalie shrugged, still on an adrenaline high, "I saw the safety on the gun, it was on. I knew he couldn't shoot me."

John just scowled at her, "What if he had switched it on? What if he had a knife? Jeeze Natalie..." He trailed off and pulled her into his arms. "I can't stand the thought of you being hurt," he breathed into her hair. His emotions were in chaos but there was one thing he was sure of and that was Natalie was important to him. How that had happened in such a short period of time he didn't know but it was there, that need to protect her from all harm.

Natalie was starting to come down off her high and started to tremble in delayed fear. Reaction set in and suddenly she started sobbing, "Why do things like these happen to me. God, I'm cursed."

John held her till she stopped crying then pulled back. Using his thumbs to wipe her tears away he looked into her eyes, "You're not cursed. It's gonna be ok. Come on I'll take you home."

Natalie nodded whispering, "Thanks," to him.

John spoke to the uniform that had come to transport the robber and then ushered Natalie to his car to take her home.

To be continued...