Chapter Five

John wasn't prepared for the inferno that swallowed him whole. A taunt to a school yard bully ended with his lips crashing against hers, her tongue winding it way into his mouth as he breathed her in, drank every drop. Her body was pulled flesh against him and he couldn't remember if he did or she did and he didn't care. Fingers tangled in the spun fire of her hair, melting into one another, searing, smoldering, and then reality crashed. With a thunder like crack, Natalie ripped herself from him.

She stood slightly panting, fingertips playing against her slightly bruised and swollen lips. Her eyes darted from John to Jeremy and back, finally settling on John, disgust written across her face, before darting out of the room

Jeremy couldn't help the grin that broke out across his face. "Way to go, Romeo."

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John found her standing a block down from the back entrance, arms wrapped around herself as she scanned the street for non existence traffic. It was evident she was waiting for something, someone. "You, cold?" He offered, shrugging out of his leather jacket and placing it around her shoulders.

The leather was soft against her skin and John's scent clung to it but she quickly pulled it off, balled it up, and threw it at him. "No thank you." It was the polite thing to say, her voice was anything but. The icy bite made John cringe.

"Natalie, about back there…" He gestured, wordlessly. God, he wasn't very good at this sorta thing. What did she want from him? On second thought he didn't want to know.

"You wanna talk about what just happened back there?" She asked eagerly.

"Natalie.. I just-"

"You just used me in your pissing contest with that trainer." Her directness shocked him, but it shouldn't have. That was Natalie, all bold and brass, she fit in with the bright neon signs of A.C., subtly be damned. There was fury evident in her face and hurt hiding in her voice, an annoying prompt that though she did not show it, she was easily wounded.

John ran a hand through his hair, mentally kicking himself. "Natalie…" He reached out to her.

She pulled back; it was normally his line, draw away. "Would you just stop it already?" she shut her eyes with a wince.

"Stop what?"

Her cobalt eyes flew open, aghast at his ignorance. "Stop saying my name like that."

"Like what?" He asked, generally interested.

"Like by saying it, it will fix everything!" John didn't know what to say to that. Mentally he rolled the name around on his tongue; it tasted like honey, sticky sweet. "Ya know what? Why don't you just go?"

"I'm not gonna just leave you here, Nat-"He caught himself with one irate glare sent from her. "This isn't the best part of town."

Natalie snorted. "I can take care of myself. It's not like I have anyone else I can count on."

John knew that her words were a sharpened arrow meant to cut deep, but it didn't lessen the blow. How could she think that? He would do anything for her; he would lay down his own life. "Oh so that wasn't you I just saved from the Killing Club Killer? It must not have been your head that arrow barely missed because, you, you can take care of yourself!"

"Oh now you want to talk about that night, John?" She challenged, invading his space, lighting crackling between them. "Want to tell me again how what you said didn't mean anything? Want to tell me again how we are just- friends?" The word danced in front of them, a thinly veiled cover of what they truly were.

The moment stood suspended in between them, blue eyes each daring the other to make a move. This is what is always boiled down to; they were trapped here, more than friends but less than lovers. So easily it could all be changed, it could be different. He knew he should just walk away, save them both the heartache but being near her was the sweetest kind of pain. Natalie drove him crazy, drove him wild, and breathed existence into the dead man he had been, cracked open his shell and showed him life.

John approached her; his movements were slows and deliberate, as if she were a deer in headlights about to bolt. Bringing a hand to her face, the pad of his thumb caressed her cheek brushing away a single tear that fell. "Shhhh."

She fell into his open embrace, the stress of the day, pouring into his strong arms. She wanted to ask him why, why couldn't it just be them. Why couldn't they just stay like that forever? He kissed the top of her head in a protective move that broke her heart; Roxy never tucked her in with goodnight kisses and hugs. She was learning how to be loved late, maybe too late for him.

When she uncoiled herself from his embrace, he placed two strong hands on her shoulders. "Hey. You okay?"

"You mean besides making a fool of myself again?"

He shook his head. "You're not a fool, Natalie. And this thing, with us?" He took a deep breath, scanning the skies for a second before resting his gaze on hope-filled eyes. "Who says we have to define it? Why can't it just be?"

Natalie nodded. It was something. It was small, but it was something A token, a word, a look- it was all so little but it was all they had; moments, tiny moments, to just be them. She raised her hand to his swollen face. "I think it's going to leave a mark." She apologized sheepishly.

Of course it would, John mused, everything Natalie did left a mark; her fingerprints were all over his heart. "I'll survive." He forced a smile that she returned. "I have to say that is one good right hook you have there."

"Really?" Natalie asked, a smile teasing at the corner of her lips.

"Too good." He admitted and a giggle escaped her lips, and he felt a sense of contentment rush through him. "Come on." He said, grabbing a hold of her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers. "Let's get you home."

Together they walked towards his car and John mentally added reason number 72 to the list of reasons they should never be together, she throws a nasty punch, but it didn't matter. He would never make it past number one, loving him could get her killed. Still he let himself soak in this moment; this was all they had, all they could have.

The End.

A/N: I know not a very fluffy ending but I wanted it to fit into the old cannon storyline. I hope everyone enjoyed it and I am sorry it took me so long to finish it. I am currently working on a bit of an epic Jolie fic which I hope to post shortly. Thanks all! –Becca-