This chapter is for reviewer, SecretSapphire99. And it's Natan! (Or Danatalie, as some call it).

If anyone has anything they want me to add, just PM or review.

I must love you guys if I'm staying up past midnight to write ;)

Dan's P.O.V

"I can't believe they're going clubbing without us!" Reagan complained.

"I can't believe that Amy's going clubbing at all!" I exclaimed. "I mean, what's she going to do? Dance? Drink? Like Amy would ever do that!"

Natalie rolled her eyes. "She's 18 now, Daniel. Things are going to change. And she can legally drink in Australia. Why do you think Jonah picked this country?"

I growled.

I was still having trouble believing that Amy had actually gone. Jonah and Hamilton, I could understand. And maybe even Sinead. But Amy? The nerdy bookworm? Completely unexpected. Sure, I knew Amy could protect herself, and Jonah and Hamilton were there, too. But Amy was my sister. No matter how much older she was then me, I needed to make sure she was safe. And that the Cobra didn't try anything.

"If Ian lays a hand on her…" I growled, letting the threat hang in the air.

"Oh, please," Natalie sighed. "Ian would never hurt Amy. If I were you, Daniel – and believe me, that will never happen – then I'd be more worried about the poor guys who flirt with her. Ian's very… territorial."

I scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"If you haven't noticed the way he looks at her, then you really are as daft as you look. He loves her. He'd do anything for her."

I let that settle in, a little shocked. Amy and Ian had always had a thing for each other, even when Amy was dating Evan. But it had only ever been a childish crush, or mixed up feelings. If there's a thin line between love and hate, then it's obvious how Amy felt about him. She was a good actor, I'd give her that. No one would believe that she still hated his guts.

"Daniel," Natalie said softly. "Why don't you forget about it? They left an hour ago."

"Yeah. I don't want to sit around all night watching you mope," Madison said.

"Or listen," Ted added.

"Come on, Kiddos!" Nellie exclaimed. "Let's have some fun! There's an arcade around the corner," She suggested.

"Yeah!" Reagan and Madison pumped fists into the air and jumped to their feet, jogging out the door.

Ned shrugged. "Why not."

"I'm blind," Ted reminded them. "Do they have anything to listen to?"

"Probably," Nellie said. She turned her gaze to Dan, her eyes narrowed. "This is the part where you run around the room proclaiming that your supreme ninja powers will thwart anyone in every game."

I shrugged. "I'm going to call it in."

The room fell silent.

"What?" Nellie asked, incredulous.

"I'm not going," I muttered, lying back on my bed, my hands behind my head. "There's a cool ninja show on in an hour. I don't want to miss it."

Nellie stared at me in disbelief. When I made no move, she sighed, her shoulders sagging. "Okay. But don't order too much room service. And keep this room clean!"

I nodded, flipping through the channels on the TV. With one last, concerned glance in my direction, she left.

As soon as the door clicked shut, I sighed, turning the TV off and throwing the remote to the side, not caring where it landed.

"That could've hit me," a voice said. I looked over to see none other then Natalie Kabra, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed against her chest. "If you had given me so much as a scratch on this face, you would've been dead in a matter of seconds."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, Snake. What're you doing here?"

"I'm not playing some ridiculous video game in a filthy arcade! Disgusting!"

"Okay then. What should we do?"

She sat down beside me. "I don't know," she said, the contempt gone from her voice. She sounded almost… kind?

"Why did you throw that remote anyway?" she asked.

I smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of my neck. "Sorry about that. I was just… annoyed."

"Why?" she prodded.

I let out a long heavy breath of air, leaning back into the headboard. "No offense or anything, but I don't trust your brother around Amy. And I don't think she loves him, either. You may be a Lucian, but I know my sister better then you ever will. She doesn't love him."

I'm not saying this to convince myself, I coaxed. It's the truth.

"That's not all, though," she said, confident that she was right. And as much as it killed me to admit it, she was.

"No," I conceded. "I… I guess I just don't want Ian to hurt her again. Or anyone, for that matter. After Evan cheated on her I've been a little more… cautious. Trust no one. That was the best thing anyone ever told me, and I guess I kind of took it to heart."

Natalie nodded and shifted closer to me. "You're a boy, Dan. You don't know what it's like to be a girl. Believe it or not, someone cheated on me once, too. Ian was there for me, but only when I needed him. He didn't do anything brash. He didn't try to control my life. I need the independency that he gives me. Maybe you should do the same for Amy."

I looked up at her. Frankly, I was shocked that the Prada Princess and vicious Lucian who slept with a dart gun under her pillow, could be so wise. It felt like a dream. I never would have expected Natalie Kabra to be the one to help me.

"And besides," she continued. "Although you may think Amy doesn't love Ian-"

"I know she doesn't," I corrected her.

She smirked and ignored me. "-I know for certain that Ian has completely fallen for your sister. He'd never hurt her. When he found out what Evan did, I had to stop him from buying a ticket to Boston. Because there is no way I will ever bail him out of jail. Especially if it had anything to do with his infatuation with Amy."

I scoffed. "And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

"Of course it is. Ian would risk his reputation and Armani suits to protect Amy. Or in Evan's case, and I quote, 'beat up the scum that betrayed someone so kind and caring'. Ian's a lot of things, and not all of them may be admirable, but he has a good heart, and he knows the difference between right and wrong. Believe me when I say you can trust him with Amy's wellbeing."

I looked her in the eye. "You know," I said softly, "four years ago, I would never have believed a Cobra."

"Four years ago I would've pointed a gun at your temple," Natalie pointed out.

I chuckled. "You were pretty scary for a eleven-year-old wearing heels."

"You were extremely immature. And you still are," she laughed. "But despite that, you can be… an acceptable companion."

"Thanks… I think."

She gave me a small smile, and for a moment, our eyes locked. I felt my face relax and my breathing speed up as I stared intently into her amber orbs.

"You… You care about Amy as much as she cares about you," she whispered. "That's all she needs from you."

She stared at me a moment longer, a flash of what looked like pain in here eyes, before she sighed and looked down at her hands. I thought she looked adorable when she bit her lip and played with her fingers. But something was wrong. The Natalie I knew was confident and strong-willed. Who was the shy, nervous girl in her place?

"Are you okay, Nat?" I asked, turning her chin up to face me. She hesitated for a moment, froze to the spot, before she nodded. And without a word, she slipped off the bed and walked out the door.

When Nellie walked into the room, my eyes still lay on the door, the last place I had seen Natalie. Why? I didn't know. But I couldn't help it. The moment she'd stepped out of view, it felt like something had disappeared from my life, like I was suddenly empty. And I hated the feeling. Ninja Dan was tough, strong, and would never let anyone change that. But this Dan felt different. I didn't feel like a Cahill, just for a moment. I didn't feel like I was capable of keeping peace between the branches and keeping the dozens of daily threats at bay. As a Madrigal, strength and energy was in my blood, pumping through my veins. But my heart must've stopped working because I felt deflated.

"What's up, Kiddo?" Nellie asked, watching me cautiously.

I scratched my head. "I don't know."

She scrutinized me, her brow line scrunched, before grinning. "This has something to do with Natalie, doesn't it?"

My eyes widened. How did she know?

"Wow, Kiddo. I'm surprised it took you so long. Although you are Dan, of course."

I gave her a strange look. "What?"

"You like Natalie!"

"I do not!" I exclaimed. "She's just a friend!" As I said it, though, by stomach did excited somersaults.

Nellie laughed - a loud, hearty sound that echoed through the otherwise quiet room. "Yes, you do! You've liked each other for ages! Why else would she be sulking around by the pool?"

"We've liked each other?" I asked skeptically.

Nellie nodded, her lips stretching to their fullest extent. "We as in You and Natalie. You're nearly as clueless as Amy. Ha! See what I did there? Clueless?" She laughed at her own joke and slapped me on the back.

"Go on, Dan. Man up! Go talk to her!" She encouraged, albeit slightly forcefully.

I sighed. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Maybe tomorrow," she mimicked. "Like that'll happen." She shrugged and pivoted on her foot, heading towards the bathroom. "Your loss!"

The door closed with an enthusiastic SLAM and the spray of the shower sounded through the thin wood. I rolled my eyes. Good old crazy Nellie, I thought. Just as sane as always.

For a moment, I contemplated what she'd said. Should I go out and find Natalie? I mean, I knew there was absolutely no way I liked her, but she did seem a little confused when she left earlier. On the other hand, I wasn't exactly good at interpreting emotions, let alone a girl's feelings. I probably had it all wrong. On the bright side, I wasn't stressing about Amy and Ian anymore. Unfortunately, that anxiety had moved onto another topic – one that had yet to be breached.

Completely against my will and better judgment, I found myself walking down the halls, passing closed door after closed door. It took a while to navigate the building, but I eventually found myself in a quaint courtyard. In the centre was a sparkling blue swimming pool, surrounded by deck chairs with umbrellas sprouting above. A bar sat to the side, and a hut for towels, but there were no attendants or guests. The only sound was a light trickling of water from the features in each corner of the pool.

I glanced around, thinking that Nellie had her facts wrong and that Natalie was somewhere else, when I heard a TAP. Behind a garden of bright carnations sat Natalie. She was slipping off a shoe, her other foot already bare. She laid down her pump and closed her eyes, leaning back on her hands.

"Natalie?" I called.

She jumped to her feet, startled, ready in a fighting stance. When she saw me, she relaxed.

"Daniel? What are you doing here?" She asked quietly.

"What're you doing here?"

Natalie flicked her silky black hair over one shoulder, tucking it behind her ear. "I asked you first."

Without answering, I walked over, standing directly in front of her. For a moment, she did nothing but watch me curiously. She took a step forward and kicked a shoe.

"Ow!"

"I got it," I said, leaning down to pick it up. When I straightened and held out the pink heel for her, I swear she was closer.

She took the shoe from me and placed it gently on the bench behind her, next to it's partner.

"So…" I trailed off, not quite sure what to say. Luckily, Natalie spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Daniel," she sighed. "I should not have run off earlier."

I shrugged. "It's cool. I just don't know why."

She pursed her lips. "It doesn't matter," she mumbled.

"I think it does. You helped me. Now it's my turn to help you. Doctor Ninja at your service." I mock-bowed, pretending to take a hat off my head. Usually, this would've received a laugh, or at least a giggle. But she barely smiled through her tight lips. I eyed her carefully.

"What's wrong?" I asked gently, trying to keep the panic out of my voice. I held her face in my hands and made her look into my eyes, even though she tried to resist.

"What's wrong?" I repeated. "Jesus, Nat, you're freaking me out."

She seemed to choke back a sob as she pulled away. She walked backwards, but I followed. Behind her was a solid wall, and I quickly backed her up into it.

"Natalie," I coaxed. "I can't help if you don't talk."

As I watched, an internal battle raged in her eyes, and I once again wished I had paid more attention to Amy when she explained how to read other people's body language. I wanted to know what was bothering her, why she didn't trust me all of a sudden. We'd been close friends for at least a year. Why was she choosing now to hold back something I knew she was dying to say?

She opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. Speechless Natalie Kabra, I thought, shocked. Natalie was never quiet.

She mentally contemplated a moment longer before I saw something in her expression, clear as day. She'd decided on something, and whatever it was, it was something she wouldn't usually do. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine, for less then a second. Then she ducked around me and tried to run away. Again.

But I grabbed her arm and pulled her back

"Don't," I said, shaking my head. "Not again. You did this once before. You kissed me, then you pretended nothing ever happened. You're not doing it again. Not without an explanation."

"We can't be together, Dan," she said bitterly, shaking my hand off her arm. "Not only are we in completely different branches, but our siblings are the leaders. It's wrong."

"People have married into other branches. There's nothing wrong with it at all!"

She nodded fiercely. "Yes there is! We're too high up in the pyramid. Amy and Ian can't marry, no matter how they feel for each other, because they have a responsibility to their family. And so do we. We're their successors. If anything happens, we take over. A Lucian and a Madrigal would hardly work, anyway. It doesn't matter what I feel for you. I can't love you and still fulfill my role in my branch. I need to help Ian. I need to run the Kabra business. That's my future."

I was speechless. And not because she'd told me we couldn't be together.

"You… you love me?" I asked.

Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hands. "I didn't say that."

I nodded. "Yes you did. You love me, and you still can't put aside your responsibilities, even for just one minute while on vacation? You're fifteen, Nat. The only thing you should be worrying about is high school and normal teenager stuff. You don't take on that role as a Lucian leader for another six years – not until you're twenty-one. And no one – no one – can tell you what you can and can't do. There are no rules about this whole branch interaction thing. And we're not getting married anytime soon. It's just an excuse, Natalie, and you know it. I can love you and do what I need to do as a Madrigal." That was when I realised I'd been lying to myself for months. I really did love her.

She sighed. "God, this sounds so cliché."

I cracked a smile. "We're practically fiction anyway. I mean, look at us. Fifteen and we've been in more life-threatening situations than your average eighty-year-old."

"Why did you use that as an example?" she complained. Then she kissed me, wrapping her arms around my neck, tugging on my hair, and it was quite literally the best moment of my life.

"Nat?"

"Yes?"

"Do you still think we can't be together?"

Natalie looked up at me from her seat beside me. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "We'll have to wait and see."

I nodded, stretching my legs out on the bed. "And for now?"

She smiled. "For now, we can be whatever we want to be."

I gripped her hand tightly and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "That's good enough for me."

This may seem a little OOC in some places, but keep it in mind that this is set four years after the original 39 clues series. They're 15, not children, and they've been through a lot that hasn't been released in the last Cahills vs Vespers book (AND there's a third series coming out). I wrote this how I think Dan and Natalie would act. They haven't exactly been faced with this sort of situation in any actual book, so what's there to go off?

Okay. Rambling. Sorry.

Next chapter will probably be up in 2-3 weeks :( I hate school

Tell me what you think! (Do I always say this? Let's try something new).

Was it up to scratch?

~ bluester07