A/N: And another one is done. This was a fun story-I loved the idea of John going head to head with a 20-something year old Liam, and Jolie making their way back to each other. Also, I obviously love the idea of Liam and Charlotte. Thank you for the reviews and reads. Until next time-ya'll are the best-PCGirl.


Walking across the parking lot of Rodi's, John thought about how he'd been doing this trip for months now. He didn't mind the drive from DC to Llanview on Friday afternoons-it gave him time to wind down from the work week. By the time he saw the Welcome to Llanview sign everything related to the bureau was done for the weekend and he could focus solely on Natalie and Liam. But the drive back seemed longer each week and there were moments when it would drag until Friday when he could leave again.

Natalie had come down to DC too-but for the most part he could be found here from Friday evening until sometime Sunday. When he had to travel he would fly in and out of Llanview instead of Reagan or Dulles-he was determined to take advantage of every minute he could spend with Natalie. Hopefully in a few weeks the commuting would come to an end.

Walking through the door he watched as Liam and Ethan finished a game of pool, "You definitely learned from your mom," he said with a chuckle.

Liam smirked at his comment, "I've been told you were one of the only ones that could beat her."

"If she was having a bad day or distracted," he shrugged and turned to Ethan, "I thought you'd be on the road with Carter already." He remembered Natalie mentioning that Ethan had a Science thing going on this weekend at a nearby college and that Carter was going to take him.

"He had something at the office he had to stay late for so we agreed to just meet here. Mom's in the back."

"Thanks," he said and felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Looking down at the number he inwardly groaned, the news was out and now he had a feeling he was going to be fielding these calls for the weekend. "Excuse me, I have to take this," he said as he walked back outside.

Liam watched him walk away, hearing John answer the phone with McBain before going out the door. That was the first time he watched John take a work call while he was here and he wondered what it was about.

"Have you noticed how much more at peace Mom has been since he's been around?" spoke Ethan to his brother and then realized he wasn't listening. "Liam," he said loudly and watched him get startled.

"What?"

"I said, have you noticed how much more at peace mom has been since John's been back in her life. And maybe you have been too-just a little bit," he laughed.

"Yeah, maybe," he said and then saw Carter walk in. "Hi," he said with a smile.

"Hi," he said with a nod towards Liam and then looked at Ethan, "You ready?"

"Yeah, I left my bag in the office. I'll be right back," he said and went off to retrieve it.

Liam stood there in an awkward silence and wondered when it became this way-when did the man that had raised him suddenly start treating him like an outsider, "What's going on with us, dad? You don't even seem to want to look at me."

"Nothing," he shrugged. "Though I am surprised you still are willing to call me that."

He scoffed at the comment, "Well, you still are. I still know it was you that read me bedtime stories and helped me not be afraid of the dark. You took me to my first Eagles game-hell, it was you that was there for me in every moment I can remember until now. I don't want it to end just because I'm having a relationship with my actual father. I thought you'd be happy for me that he's back in my life."

"You're right-I'm sorry. But I want you to be careful, ok?"

"Careful of John McBain?" he said with a half laugh.

"Yeah, I've just heard stories," he shrugged.

Liam wondered where those stories came from and how much truth was in them. "Sure-whatever," he said and turned to see Ethan coming back out from the back with his bag. "Have fun, dork," he teased.

"Thanks," he said, flashing his brother a smile. Liam watched as Carter put his arm around Ethan and led him out without another word to him.

John nodded to Ethan as he and Carter walked out of the bar. Making his way back to the table he could see Liam was deep in thought and he almost wanted to let him be.

"Everything ok?" he asked instead.

"Yeah-just-," he shrugged, unsure of how to continue.

John felt the same way and decided to change the subject, "How is the station going? Anything you need to talk through?"

"No, pretty quiet," he said as he put up the pool cue and then turned back to John. "I was thinking of maybe joining the FBI."

John shook his head as he moved his hand onto a pool ball and spun it on the felt, "I think that's an awful idea."

"I'm a little too old for you to be telling me what I can and can't do. Do you think I'm not good enough?"

"Oh, no-you are good enough-I've seen the scores on your detective exam. They were better than mine," admitted John, not taking Liam's attitude towards him to heart. He had a feeling it wasn't him he was mad with at the moment

"Then why not? You were close to my age when you joined."

John nodded, "You're right. I was close to the same age as you when I joined the Bureau. But I didn't have the relationships you have. Not with my mom, not with my brother, and I didn't have anything close to what you have with Charlotte. I went in because I thought I wanted something more exciting. I thought I could use the Bureau's resources to finally bring my father's killer to justice. It wasn't the Bureau that helped me solve the case-it was your mom."

"Really? Do you want to share with me how that happened?" he said, his eyes twinkling like Natalie's did when she was excited about a case.

John smirked, "Sure. Let's grab a couple beers and a back table."


Natalie finished the order to call in on Monday and then picked up the ledger book to look over. She'd stayed back here for the most part tonight-getting caught up so she could spend the rest of the weekend with John. She had followed Ethan out earlier and watched John and Liam talking-smiling to herself when she saw their body language was identical.

Without looking up she could suddenly feel him watching her-how was it possible all these years later he could still do that? Looking up at him she saw him leaning on the door frame and smiled, "Everything good out there?"

He nodded, "Trash is taken out, tables are all cleaned and I went ahead and stocked the bar up for tomorrow."

Natalie smiled at him, "You are really enjoying doing this again, aren't you?"

"Yeah, it's nostalgic. Did I tell you I'd thought about buying a bar before? Or opening one up."

"No. Why didn't you?"

John shrugged, "Never found one that was just right. Nothing has ever replaced the atmosphere here."

"Yeah," she smiled, thinking back to the memories this place contained. Getting up she walked over to him and let him pull her into a hug and then a deep kiss.

Pulling out of the kiss he brushed her hair back, feeling nervous about what he was going to tell her, "So, I did something today."

"What is that?" she wondered, picking up on his nerves.

"I put in my retirement paperwork with the Bureau. I will officially be unemployed in a month."

"You did? Are you sure this is what you want? Liam and I are fine with you being in DC."

"I know, but my first undercover gig was being a pool scout. And I met this girl-fiery red hair," he said as he ran his hand along her hair, "With a personality to match. What I would tell my agents now is when they get into that situation is to talk with their handler and demand going another route. But even if I had been told that I wouldn't have listened. I was so sure that I could charm her to see things my way. I was so wrong," he laughed.

"You see-I ruined her life pretty bad right off the bat and she hated me for it. Which she had every right to. After a few months things began to change and we became friends. And a whole bunch of other stuff happened-some good and some bad-but in the end we were a lot more than just friends.

"I left town-we aren't going to go over the stupid reasons why-but I left and recently we've gotten back into contact with each other. Years apart haven't changed my feelings for her-and these last few months have made me remember every single little thing I love about her.

"I've really enjoyed this time with her-getting to acquaint myself with her, but also getting to know her kids. Life is short, and we've spent so much time apart already. I don't want to waste anymore time, Natalie."

Natalie's eyes had started misting halfway through his speech. When he was finished she blinked them back a few times so she could see his face clearly. "So you are finally coming home?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm coming home," he smiled before pulling her into a kiss, knowing that what he said was the truth and this time would be forever.


Three Years Later

Natalie stood there to the side watching the bride and groom dancing in the middle of the floor. Today had been perfect-and they both looked so happy.

She felt him come up behind her and she leaned back, letting him hold her and they began to sway side to side as they watched their son dance with his new wife. "They look so happy," she said as she felt her eyes fill with tears.

"They are."

"Where'd you go just now?" she whispered.

"Catching up with Antonio," he said as he felt her sigh against him. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I just look at them and think of how lucky they are to make it to this moment. It took us so long to be Mr and Mrs John McBain," she said as touched her left hand and the simple band she wore. Though she'd only had the ring back for a few years when Liam came to them and said he wanted to marry Charlotte she'd immediately handed it over, passing the ring from one McBain daughter-in-law to the next, just like Eve had done for her.

"We can't look backward, Natalie-only forward. Isn't that what we've been saying-don't dwell on the past, just enjoy whatever we have left in this life?"

"I know. We just had all these plans."

"Plans change," he shrugged.

She smiled at his words and turned around in his arms, "You really have an answer for everything, don't you?"

"I try," he said with a smirk and put his head down to kiss her. "So, I know today is about them-but I got you something. Let's call it a mother of the groom gift," he said as he released her and reached into his pocket.

"John," she said with suspicion as he stepped back and pulled out an identical ring to her engagement ring. Looking back at Charlotte she saw the sparkle on her hand and knew the original was still there.

"I had this one made-it's a replica of the original," he said as he slipped it back on her finger. "It wasn't on your's long enough-but it's there now, and will continue to hold whatever hopes and dreams we may have," he finished with a kiss.