Dealing

Part 4: Spreading Her Wings

See part 1 for disclaimers

Well guys, I just keep suprising myself! I never thought I'd be able to make it to part four without revealing where she's moving, but I've done it! Unfortunately, she has to actually arrive somewhere in the next part, so the decision about her final destination must be made quickly if you want an update... So PLEASE! Review or email me with your ideas and opinions. You guys are the best readers a writer could ever ask for… Thank you! Manda

Natalie awake the next morning with a deep sadness in her heart as she lay in bed listening to the sounds of Llanfair. She couldn't believe that in less than three hours she would be on a plane out of Llanview and on her way to a new life. As she stretched, her phone rang, so she answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey, Natalie!" Natalie frowned as her still waking up mind tried to place the unfamiliar male voice. "You don't know who this is, do you?" His tone held an undertone of laughter. "Nope, sorry. I just woke up." "It's Joey. I just heard that you're leaving Llanview, so I just wanted to call and wish you luck." She laughed. "Thank you. I can't believe I didn't recognize your voice!" "Well, it's not like we've talked very much, which is something I really regret." She agreed.

She looked around her room. "Well, want to know a secret?" "Sure!" "I'm feeling homesick already," she confided. "I know what you mean, but it'll get better once you're settled in your new place. Natalie sighed. "I hope you're right." "I always am." "Oh oh oh, somebody is sure of himself," she giggled.

Half an hour later, Natalie reluctantly got off the phone so that she could go shower and start loading the car up. Right after she was dressed, someone knocked on her bedroom door. "Come in." Much to her surprise, Michael McBain entered her room. "Hey," she said. "I just wanted to come say good-bye. I was supposed to be at the party last night, but I got called in to work, so Jess told me to come by today." He shrugged, and Natalie smiled, touched despite herself.

"That was very sweet of you, thanks. So, I was about to load up the car, would you like to help?" "Of course." Over the next hour they loaded up the car, talking all the while, and they were sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee and having french fries (with mustard of course) when Viki walked in.

"Oh, hello." Michael smiled at her, not knowing he had a drop of mustard on his upper lip. "Hello, Mrs. Davidson. How are you doing?" "Well, I haven't had another heart attack yet." She laughed, and Natalie gave her an admonishing look. "Mom, don't joke like that around me. You promised you wouldn't." "Of course, darling. I'm sorry. Well, I am going to go wake Jessie up so that she can get ready." Viki walked out of the room.

Michael turned to look at Natalie and she giggled. "What?" "You have some mustard—" She gestured to his lip, and he tried to wipe it away, completely missing the spot. "Oh, give me that napkin!" She grabbed it and wiped the mustard off. Her movements became slower as she realized that her bare hand was grazing his cheek. Their eyes locked as she dropped the napkin and withdrew her hand.

"I—I probably should go make sure I didn't leave anything," she whispered, standing and quickly exiting the room. Michael stared after her and placed his hand where hers had been only moments before. "I really screwed up this time," he said aloud. "Falling for a girl who's leaving town is never a good thing." "No, it's not." He jumped, startled as Viki walked into the kitchen. "But maybe it's the best thing for you… and for her." She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"I don't understand, Mrs. Davidson. What are you trying to tell me?" "Just let her go spread her wings, and when she returns she will most likely be ready to face her feelings for you." Michael looked totally confused. "She has feelings for me?" "She hasn't said anything to me, but I saw the way you two were looking at each other just now. There is something there, but this is not the correct time to find out what."

"I know. I mean, she's trying to get over John right now, and she needs her space." Viki smiled at him as she nodded. "Exactly. She went from Cristian to John, so I think what she really needs is some time to be by herself. But when she's ready, I can't think of anyone I'd rather see her with than you."

Michael opened his mouth to reply, but then Jessica and Natalie entered the room. He and Viki exchanged a glance of silent understanding, and then he allowed himself to be drawn into the girls' idle chatter until Viki announced it was time to leave.

At the airport, Natalie was filled with fear and sadness, but more than anything she felt a strong hope within her as she boarded the plane. Her face was tearstained from the emotional good-byes everyone had given her. Several people had shown up to see her off, which had rather surprised her. She had always thought that no one in Llanview really cared for her and that most of them would be glad to see her leave, but almost everyone she had had contact with since becoming a Buchanan were there, with the exception of Todd… and of course, John.

She took the window seat and stared out as the plane taxied down the runway, carrying her to the start of a new life. Her destination was clear, but her destiny? That was a bigger puzzle than she ever thought she'd be able to solve…

TO BE CONTINUED