NAT'S POV

Two hours after the cops let me go Sam storms into my apartment, a woman on a mission, closing the distance in three long strides, engulfing me in a painfully tight hug.

I inhale the familiar scent of her coconut shampoo and Chanel perfume, finally relaxing.

Christ I'm grateful for my best friend.

I've never met a woman like her. She's drop dead gorgeous with long blonde hair normally done in large, soft curls and light green eyes that never hide emotions. When she's attracted to a man she lets him know. She doesn't play, waiting for him to make the first move. She goes after what she wants and she normally gets it. Her small, straight nose is on the verge of being button cute, her cheekbones are to die for, and her lips are naturally full. She usually paints them a deep pink, like today. She's a C cup, and unlike the bitch at the gallery hers are real. Small waist, curved hips, giving her the hourglass shape most woman would kill for, and long legs that look longer with the heels she always wears. She's raunchy, ballsy and blunt. She doesn't mince her words or pull her punches, and I love her for it. She's the straightest person I know. If she tells me something, i'm going to believe that that's what she thinks, nothing more and nothing less.

"While this is lovely and all.. do you mind telling me what's wrong?" I drawl playfully.

She pulls away just enough to glare at me with nothing but worry.

"Don't act so innocent. You were shot at."

"How did you know that?" I ask in confusion. I didn't call anyone. I didn't tell anyone. In fact I haven't so much as muttered a syllable since I left the scene this morning.

"It was on the news."

Huh. I didn't even notice the news vans, which is completely unlike me. I notice everything.

I let her check me over, feeling the small smile that tugs at the corner of my lips as she takes my hands in hers to inspect the scrapes on my palms from when I tackled Andy to the ground. Probably isn't super important to tell her that my jeans are covering more cuts.

"What happened?" She asks so softly my heart aches.

I let out a long breath as I retake my place at the kitchen table.

"First of all.. when I snuck out of the gallery last night I met someone" I start, fully aware of the fact that i'm stalling. I don't want to vocalize the horror of this morning.

Sam got the invitation to the art opening from her boss, who just so happens to also be her boyfriend, and I was her plus one. I didn't want to go. It's not really my scene. But she convinced me, and remembering the look in his eyes when I laughed I'm glad she did.

She perks up instantly, interest chasing away some of the worry. Sam's been trying to set me up for years. She has an obsession with getting me laid.

"We.. we danced in the rain" I admit, laughing at her expression. "I know it should have been cheesy, but it wasn't. It was beautiful and perfect, and he was about to kiss me, but instead he.. he left" I damn near whisper, belatedly realizing that I hadn't been ready to vocalize the truth of that either.

I pick my pencil back up and continue to sketch as an excuse not to look at her.

"I went back to the gallery this morning to see if anyone remembered him or if there was a guestbook. I got his first name, but as I was leaving a car drove by and shot up the building. A woman was hit. A bullet to the shoulder and another to her stomach. These-" I say, motioning to my palms, ignoring the way my hands shake. "Are from saving her eight year old daughter who then watched her mom die."

Tears lighten her already light green eyes.

I swallow thickly, staring at the sketch until it's no longer blurry with my own tears.

"Before she died I promised her i'd find the little girls father" I confess grimly.

Her smile is watery and full of fondness.

"Of course you did" she teases, knowing me all too well. "Who's that?" She asks, pointing to the sketch, wiping away the single tear that fell.

"The man that killed her."

Her voice is caring and the question comes out hesitant.

"Nat.. what are you going to do?"

That's a damn good question.