A/N: Muse is still rolling and I'm still trying to get this thing put together. Giving ya'll a little more of a backstory on what's been going on for the past six years, and maybe a bit of a cliff hanger. ;) Until next time-PCGirl.


Bo walked into Rodi's and looked around—if there was one place John would be it was probably here. Not seeing him at the bar he thought he was wrong until he glanced over to see him sitting at a table in the back corner, seeming lost in thoughts as he stared at the pool table, "How was the rest of your day?" he asked taking a seat and shaking his head at the waitress when she asked him if he wanted anything.

"About to be as expected. Only good part of it was not running into Clint with a shotgun," he said as he pushed away the memories he'd been reliving before Bo joined him. "I—I don't know why I came back."

"Well, apparently someone does. After you left I got an interesting call. Guy from the FBI by the name of Craig."

John laughed and took a sip off the beer he'd been nursing, "There's a reason we call him Mouth. It's because he can't keep it shut. What'd he say?"

"Not much—that'd he'd been working on a case with you and said to ask you why you were really back."

John stared at the wording on the bottle for a moment before beginning to speak, "When I went back into the FBI it was undercover—that lasted around eighteen months, and then I had the choice to either leave or be reassigned to a permanent field office. There was a spot open at the field office in Albany where my old partner Aaron works. I've been there ever since.

"Six months ago there was a murder—young single mom with a boy. The mom was killed, the boy is drugged and ends up at his dad's house. Then three months later it happens again—same thing, mom is killed, boy ends up at his dad's. Local police department asks us for assistance."

Bo nodded, he was seeing a connection now, "Made you think of Natalie and Liam."

"Definitely, but I knew they were safe. That this wasn't personal. The profiler says they believe the guy has lost custody of his son, other than weekends and holiday visits. Because it seems to be right after those that the attacks happen."

"Has their been a third?"

John nodded slowly and finished off the beer, before getting the waitress' attention for another, "Craig's partner is Brett—Brett does a press conference with the local PD asking for the public's input. And cautioning any single moms on new people they meet as we've realized he's finding them at events like soccer practice and karate meets. His kid is with him—so he seems harmless.

"Next thing we know we get a call—it's Brett's niece. His niece who is a single mom."

"Damn."

"That's the understatement of the year," he said and took a big swallow. "That was last month. I've tried to keep it professional—tried my hardest to help the guys with the case, but I couldn't. Brett took a personal leave, and yesterday I left Craig and Aaron to work on it—because I'll be damned if Liam shows up at my door because I wasn't here to protect her."

"Craig wasn't happy that you left, was he?"

"You could say that," laughed John.

"So that's it huh? Suddenly this case gets a bit too personal and you quit? The John McBain that I knew before wasn't like this."

"You wouldn't get it Craig. It's more than just a case."

"Brett's coming back—and when he finds out you gave up on him—"

"That's between me and him. And after all he's gone through I think he'll understand. You think this is a fluke? That Brett does a press conference and suddenly the guy goes after our families."

"Then call your old boss—hell, call her and tell her yourself."

"And say what exactly? Hey—I know I've been out of touch for six years, but if you can put yourselves in a bubble til we catch this guy that'd be great. You don't know Natalie—you tell her not to do something—."

"And she'll do it," inserted Aaron who had been silent the whole time. He'd heard enough bits and pieces from John over the years and a couple bottles to have an idea of what she was like.

"So what are you going to do? Stalk her?"

"I don't know."

"So what are you going to do John?"

"I don't want my job back, Bo. Hell, I don't deserve it for the way I left. But if I could use some resources. Not a lot. Maybe just a room with a tack board."

Bo nodded in thought, "You have no proof that he's headed this way—they've all been up around Albany. What makes you think he'll come down here and go after Natalie?"

"I don't know—but I can't chance it, Bo."

"And after he's caught? By you or whoever. Where are you going after that?"

"I know it's awkward right now—but I can't leave Llanview again. And I still own this place—so if I'm never a cop again I'm ok with that. As long as they are safe—and I can finally start having a relationship with Liam. Then that'll be enough."

"What about Natalie?"

"I know that's over—I had to let her go a long time ago, Bo. Do I still love her? If I'm honest I have for fifteen years, time away and other relationships has never changed that. You know that.

"I—I just can't hurt her again, or Liam by us trying and it falling apart like it has in the past. It's not fair to her—and it's not fair to him."


Natalie took the steps slowly, she'd gone around and around with Gigi on what to do while Liam was in his group. The how and what to tell her son and she still wasn't sure of the best way.

All she could think of was his safety—protecting his heart from being hurt. That if John was here for just a few months and was going to take off again then she couldn't do that to him.

Yes he had plenty of uncles and other male role models in his life, but it was dad that he wanted. So the first step was to find out exactly what John was doing here, and then figure out the next step from there.

She knocked on the door and was greeted by silence. Hearing footsteps on the landing she looked over to see John standing there.

"Hey—is everything ok?"

"I'm not sure—we need to talk first."