A/N: Nice long chapter to start our weekend off. Hope everyone is still enjoying this one. Until next time-PCGirl.
Natalie walked down the hallway and knocked on the closed door, "Hey," she said as he opened it and let her into the small office he was apparently using at the station. "You are the talk of the water cooler this morning," she laughed and glanced at the board he'd already started making.
"Yeah, I tried to get in without too much fanfare, but you know," he shrugged.
"Thought you were done with the FBI. Was this your last case?"
"Yeah, it's still ongoing."
"That's not like you, John," she said and turned to look at him. He always worked a case til the end. "But then you obviously aren't stopping working on it if you are here and making a board on a case you have no jurisdiction on."
"Yeah, well-maybe I can help the guys," he said, wanting to take the attention off the case. "How is Liam?"
"Good. I told him you were in town last night. That you want to see him."
"Yeah? How'd that go."
"Just like his dad," she said and laughed when he tilted his head, confused at the comment. "Didn't say much to me in person."
"I hear a but in there."
"I went upstairs to tell him goodnight later, he had pulled out the box I keep mementos from our relationship in. Fell asleep holding the St Jude medal."
John gave her a half grin, "Still making the impossible possible?"
Natalie nodded and feeling an uneasy silence between the two of them looked back at the board. "So this case-you want to tell me about it?"
John gave a nod and walked up beside her studying the board, and what he wanted to tell her, "Three murders, all women. All in the Albany area."
"What else do they have in common?"
John sighed, he knew this was going to start an argument, "All are single mom's with a son between the age of six to eight."
The sound that came out was a strangled laugh, "And there we have it."
"Excuse me?"
"The reason you came back-it's not just for Liam. Damn it, John. I'm not one of your ghosts."
"Let's get some things straight here. First off, you've been a ghost since Hayes left you in the bottom of that pit. Nothing has changed, you are just the only one I was able to save. Second, excuse me for wanting to keep it that way."
"I can protect myself. I'll have you know I haven't had as much as a papercut since you left. And how do you even know he's going to come after me?"
Walking over to the board he pointed to the third picture, "This is Brett's niece. Brett did a news conference and then she ended up dead. Same M.O. as the first two."
"So, it's personal now," she said softly and felt a chill go down her spine. Half because she thought about how he lost Caitlyn because of a news conference he did, and the other because he hadn't mentioned what happened to the three boys that were now without their mothers. "What about the boys?"
"From what they've told us is he gives them a drink which must be laced with some sort of sedative. After killing the mom he takes the boys to their dad's house and leaves them there, asleep on the front steps. In one case he had access to a back yard and put them on a lawn chair to sleep it off.
"So please understand when I say I'd rather be here, watching out for you than Liam randomly showing up at my front door."
Natalie had to smile at him. There were moments you couldn't read him at all, and then there were times like this-with his eyes pleading with her to cooperate so she nodded, "Ok. How is he coming into contact with them?"
"Afterschool activities. Karate for one. Soccer practice for another."
"Liam's STEM group," she said and looked back at the board.
John nodded, "We're pretty sure he only gets custody of the kid during weekends and school holiday's. Each initial meet up has been during a school holiday, where his kid joins the group and the boys become friends. Then our suspect suggests to the mom they should have some sort of playdate. They get to the house he's rented through a third party, and the boy isn't there-but our suspect says he should be there soon. Offers the kid a drink, and well-that's it."
"So what can I do?"
John laughed, "You-Miss Head of Forensics-can go to work. I'm sure your squints down there are needing some assistance."
"Fine, but you aren't getting rid of me that easy, McBain," she said with a smile as she left and closed the door behind.
"I'm counting on it," he said to himself, smiling back at the closed door.
Natalie was surprised to see the office door open when she finished for the day. Walking in John was nowhere to be seen, but she noticed he'd added to the board-and a few comments with Aaron's or Craig's names beside them were to the side.
"Hey," he said and watched her jump as he walked up behind her. "Sorry-you done for the day?"
"Yeah, and I think you need to be as well. Learn to put it away at the end of day, McBain. You've got a son now."
"Yeah, I do," he said with a smile.
"How about we meet you for dinner? Rodi's for some burgers and pool—like old times?"
"Sounds great. See you in an hour," he said as she left and smiled at how easy they seemed to be sliding back into the same old rhythm.
John stood against the bar—he felt completely nervous and had no clue why. Well, he did—he hadn't seen his son in six years and was going to in a few minutes. Looking around he wondered if they should have met somewhere else the first time instead of in a public setting, but then seeing Natalie walk in the door he knew it was too late, "Hey," he said as he walked forward and saw her and Liam come in.
"Where is everyone? It's dinner time and the place is empty."
"I—I closed up shop for half an hour. Private party."
"Cool," said Liam with a smile. "I'm going to play something on the jukebox," he said and ran off.
"Well, he's easy to please."
"Like I said—just like his dad," said Natalie as she stood back and watched Liam make his choice and suddenly a jazz song came on and she started laughing.
"Let me go check on dinner," he said as he went back into the kitchen. Coming back a few minutes later he saw they had gotten a table, "You have any questions for me, Liam?"
"I—I guess where have you been."
"Working. But I'm back now, and I'm not going anywhere."
"Did you miss me when you were gone?"
"Every day, kid. You and your mom both," he said as he locked eyes with Natalie. "I'm sorry I wasn't here. Your mom told me you've been going to a STEM group though. Are you enjoying it?"
"Yeah," he said as his eyes lit up. "Yesterday we made this robot and then used a tablet to make it go through an obstacle course. Oh, mom—there was a new kid yesterday."
"Really," she said and gave John a side eye while dipping her fries in mustard.
"Yeah, he just moved here with his dad. It was weird—he told us his name was Nathan, but then his dad called him Ben," he said and then got back to questioning John. "Where are you living at?"
"I'm staying at Angel Square Hotel."
"I like that place. Sometimes I go there afterschool and Grandma Roxy lets me go up to the roof to do my homework. Have you ever been up there? You can see the whole city."
"Yeah, you can," he said as they continued to eat and Liam would ask questions every so often. When they finished up John nodded over to the pool table, "Can you play any?"
"Yeah. Mom always has to break though," he said as he jumped up and started racking the balls up.
When John came back from putting put their dishes he saw Natalie had started the game. He watched as Liam lined up the shot and suddenly heard a voice in his head from a forgotten memory
What do you think, Daddy? Side pocket.
Shaking his head he coughed-it had been a memory, and knew nothing would ever come of it. Mainly because she should be here already-just a few years younger than Liam. His red haired daughter who would probably have his whole heart at this point.
Natalie watched John, something had washed over him just then and she wondered exactly what it was. "Hey, you ok?"
"Yeah," he said with a smile as he watched Liam attempt to hit another ball.
"Hey bud, why don't you go in the back-I think there might be some ice cream," she said and watched Liam run into the kitchen. "Where'd you go just then?" she asked, turning her attention back to John.
"It doesn't matter, Natalie."
"I saw it just then-you were watching Liam play, and then you went somewhere in that head of yours. Where was it?"
"It doesn't matter," he repeated as he heard the kitchen door reopen and Liam come back out.
Staring John down wasn't going to work with a very observant seven year old around, so she dropped it, "Let's finish this game, Liam—it's a school night."
"Really? I was having fun."
"There will be other nights for fun, I promise."
"Fine, he said and aimed to hit the eight ball and sunk it in.
"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" asked John with a grin.
"Mom, obviously," he said with a smile that matched his mom's.
John walked out onto the roof of the hotel and took in the evening air. It felt great to be back here-back in Llanview, where his family was.
Him and Natalie might not be together, but he wondered if maybe they still could have been. She'd been right the other night. If he'd just come home before they would have a few rocky months and work it out. And now-though tonight was great and felt almost normal, he wasn't sure if that's a road she wanted to go back down.
Hearing his phone ring snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked down to see her name pop up on the screen, "Hey,"
"Hey-are you busy?"
"No, just sitting on the roof watching the stars."
"Funny thing. So am I-well, on the back patio at the house. But still—watching the stars."
"You know—I wondered if you'd sell the house after I left. Didn't want to be in it anymore."
Natalie nodded, "I thought about it. I did move out for a few months after everything happened. But then-I realized this was the home we had talked about for Liam to grow up in. And it still was. So you want to tell me now what that look was earlier?"
"You aren't going to let this go, are you?"
"Nope."
John settled down on the brick wall, "When the accident happened I had this vision-or dream I guess. It was us playing pool at Rodi's with our kids. There was a boy about Liam's age. But there was a little girl there too, just a couple years younger, with red hair that looked just like her mom.
"Tonight I was watching Liam play and suddenly I heard that little girl's voice from the dream. Clear as day. I guess-it just caught me off guard. I always thought Liam was going to have a little sister."
"Yeah, me too," she said softly. "Anyways-I was calling you because I have a plan."
"For what?"
"To get this Ben or Nathan's picture. I figured we get one and sent it to Brett's nephew or one of the other boys so they can identify him."
"I don't think his dad will be all sure-take a picture of my son, Natalie."
"It doesn't have to be a close up shot. Besides, I think the Lord Foundation might want to make a donation to the Community Center STEM program tomorrow. And photo ops are always welcomed with the donor and the kids."
"Smooth, Banks."
"Thank you. I'm pretty resourceful when I need to be."
"Not going to argue that. If you do it-just be careful, ok? I can't be there—if he sees me he might realize he's been made. So this has to be all on you. Think you can handle it?"
"Definitely," she said. "I like this John—us working together again to bring down the bad guy. We work well together."
"Yeah, we do," he said and they let the silence between them go on for a few minutes before he finally broke it, "I'll let you go-see you at work tomorrow?"
"Yeah, goodnight John."
"Goodnight, Natalie."
