Rating: T
Summary: Sophie's thoughts as she leaves Nate behind.
Spoilers: Maltese Falcon Job
Disclaimer: Leverage and all its components are owned by Dean Devlin, et al. This is for fun, not profit.
He waited, of course, until we were surrounded by Feds. Nathan always did like to make a dramatic impact. And they call me the actress. Still, I was surprised. I had waited for so long yet I wasn't prepared.
I didn't quite know what to do with my hands. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair and pull him closer, damn the spectators. At the same time, it should have been just the two of us. Maybe the team, since I had made a point of dragging our connection up in front of them for so bloody long. But never should it have been in front of Sterling. And not when Nate was giving himself up for us. Damn the man.
So I pushed him away. But I couldn't quite let him go as I asked what the point of it all was. He'd called me and told me he needed me. And now he was running away again. He could dress it up all he wanted as a sacrifice for the team, but he was still hiding from me.
I tried to read his eyes, but for a woman who makes her way through life by reading people, he has always been a closed book when he wishes. At other times, when we're at our most connected, he's like a child's primer. So I slapped him.
I could say it was so that FBI bitch wouldn't have anything to hold over him, so Sterling wouldn't be able to gloat. Those would be lies and I went away so I could learn not to lie to myself, at least. I was being selfish. I didn't want our first real kiss to be tainted by this. It shouldn't be before he was led away by Sterling, barely remaining on his feet as he bled in front of me. I read people, after all. I knew he was hurt from the moment he was hit. I always know when Nathan is hurt because my heart skips a beat each time.
I walked away to join Eliot, Parker, and Hardison, barely noticing as Eliot threatened Sterling. Jim Sterling's time would come. There was a reason people feared me once upon a time. As we lifted off, I didn't need to look to know that Nate was collapsing to the ground. There was anger mixed with pride as I heard him tell the FBI that he was a thief and fear as I heard him laugh. The man had better survive until we could figure out to rescue him. He owes me much more than this. After all, a girl's price goes up when she waits for ten years and has to rescue the man of her dreams before getting her first date.