Author's Note: Well, I guess that if losing the Net is good for anything at least it makes me write more! Hope you enjoy!

A/N2: Okay, this Seth exchange has been in my head for months—so glad I finally found a place to put it!

Title: Unexpected Complications 8/?

"Peter Gallagher in the flesh," John said sarcastically but his tone was not without affection as his friend walked over to him from the baggage claim.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" Peter asked with a grin. "It's been what, a year?"

"At least," John replied. "You look good. How are Kathy and the kids?"

"They're good. And how is this Natalie of yours? Any chance I might finally get to meet the woman who can make you smile like that just by mentioning her name?"

John chuckled; he had smiled as soon as Peter had spoken Natalie's name and hadn't even noticed until he had pointed it out. "Yeah, but she can't know anything about this test."

Peter nodded. "I know, it's very hush-hush."

"More than you know," John replied darkly.

Raising an eyebrow in surprise and interest, Peter looked at John and waited for the explanation he knew was coming.

"The subject is one John Doe—he masqueraded as Cristian Vega, Natalie's husband, for several months and was found out around nine months ago. Not too long before he went to Statesville Prison for murder the DNA test I had done on him came back—they said he really was Cristian. I told him—"

"And he chose to let Natalie and all of Llanview believe that he was really dead instead of a murder?" Peter guessed.

John nodded, not surprised by Peter's intuition. He had always been one of the best at figuring out what motivated people, yet another reason why he had shocked so many people when he had chosen to go into his field of work rather than criminal justice.

"And there's more… Natalie found out she was pregnant the day after he went to Statesville."

Peter whistled. "Damn you have dug yourself in deep… So if this test does confirm that this is Cristian Vega you're what, going to tell Natalie the whole sordid truth?"

"Yeah, I've got to."

"And if it's negative?"

John sighed. "I think I'm still going to tell her everything."

"Way to make the right decision Johnny," Peter said, grinning as he clapped John on the back. "Now what do you say we start for the car? These bags aren't exactly light."

"Natalie, this is Peter Gallagher, an old friend of mine."

Natalie smiled as she took in Peter's appearance. He was built tall and lean; his short black hair and emerald green eyes enhancing the handsome ruggedness of his face. And he had a killer smile, one of the best she'd seen.

This was what was running through Natalie's brain as she extended her hand and shook his firmly. She noted with happiness that he didn't hold back on his handshake just because of her sex like so many men did. "It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to finally meet the woman who was able to get through to this blockhead and put that smile back in his eyes," Peter replied with a wink.

"Yeah well he didn't make it easy," Natalie said with a wink in John's direction. "But it was definitely worth the effort," she tacked on fondly.

"So how long have you and John known each other?" Natalie asked later that night over dinner.

"Since second grade—do I have some stories I could tell you!" Peter replied, grinning wickedly.

John began to choke at Peter's words. After a moment he finally cleared his throat and glared at him. "You won't be telling her anything," he said firmly, trying to be threatening.

"You know Johnny, intimidation works better when you lose the scratchy weak voice," Peter pointed out with a grin.

Natalie laughed. "Okay, now I have to hear these stories."

"No, you really don't," John replied firmly.

"Oh come on Johnny, be a sport!" He turned to Natalie without waiting for a reply. "Okay, I've got one. Back when we were freshman in high school there was this girl named Suzanne Finnerman—the most beautiful girl in our school…"

"Hey, anyone else hear Cristina crying?" John asked loudly.

"No, I think that's just you honey. Okay, so what were you saying about this Suzanne?"

"Well I'm going to check." John slid his chair backward and stood up, kissing the top of Natalie's head on his way out of the room and trying to ignore her laughter as Peter continued his story.

"Hey, you never came back," Natalie said softly from the doorway of Cristina's nursery watching John rock in the rocking chair and watch Cristina sleep.

"I've just been watching her sleep," he replied, his eyes never leaving the baby. "She's so beautiful, so innocent."

Natalie stepped into the room and walked over to her daughter's crib, joining John in watching her sleep. "I know," she whispered finally.

"Peter go to bed?"

"Yeah, half an hour ago. I was waiting for you to come up but you never did." Her voice was soft but he could hear the slight hurt she tried to hide.

"I'm sorry," he replied, looking away from Cristina and directly at her for the first time. "I just—I don't like talking about the past."

Natalie reached down and took his hand into hers, squeezing it gently. "I know how that can be. I've got a lot of my own skeletons you know."

"You? Nah," John said, smiling slightly as he winked at her.

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Natalie replied, settling herself on John's lap and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"This I have to hear. How about one for each story Peter told you?"

She considered for a moment and then smiled, nodding in agreement. "I think that's fair. But this could take a while—want to move it upstairs?"

John glanced at the clock and noted that Cristina wouldn't need to be fed again for another two hours or so. "Yeah, I think that'd be good," he said, leaning in and brushing a soft kiss across her lips.

"So, how do you want to do this?" Natalie asked as she settled herself on the bed. John was sitting up with his legs crossed and her head was resting on his knee. "You want to answer a question or should I just go?"

"Either way," John said softly, absentmindedly stroking her hair. "Whatever makes you feel the most comfortable."

"Okay," she replied uncertainly. "I think that you'd better just ask questions—I have no idea where I would even begin."

"All right—why did you come to Llanview?"

"Because Allison Perkins came knocking on my door and told me that I was the long-lost Buchanan princess and that everything I deserved was being stolen by some two-bit piece of trash who deserved to be knocked off her pedestal. Of course Allison conveniently left out the fact that the 'two-bit piece of trash' was in reality my twin sister and that the Buchanans had no idea I even existed."

"And then?" John gently pressed.

With a sigh Natalie continued. "I'm not proud of what I did next—I came to Llanview with my boyfriend Seth Anderson hell-bent on destroying Jessica Buchanan and claiming what was mine."

"Seth Anderson? I thought that was one of Jess's boyfriends?"

"Oh he was—see, I had him pretend to fall for Jessica while I played the sweet best friend so that we could gather evidence to get a DNA test done. Too bad Seth was a little too good at his part."

"You're saying he fell for Jessica while he was with you?" John asked incredulously.

"Yeah, that's the short of it."

"What, was he stupid?"

Natalie let out a giggle and turned so that she could look up at him. "You're sweet," she said affectionately.

"I mean it—how could someone go from you to Jess?" he asked, gently cupping her cheek with his hand. "No offense to your sister but she can't hold a candle to your beauty, your fire—"

"John?" Natalie interrupted breathlessly.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

"With pleasure," he murmured, leaning down and taking her lips in a soft but heated kiss.

TO BE CONTINUED