Title: Shake Your Head, Raise Your Fist
Fandom: Leverage
Pairing: Nate/Sophie
Summary: With all the luck you've had, why are your songs so sad? NSR angst.
Notes: I have some kind of impairment - I cannot do happy fluff. It's not written in my DNA. This did take an unexpected turn into the semi-hopeful though. It didn't end like I had originally planned. Hope you'll enjoy it anyway. Props go to Tilly and the Wall, and their song the "The Freest Man" - which inspired the title.
***
It only takes a second for the gun to go off. She sees Nathan - and she sees the flash from the muzzle of the gun as the shot is fired. Sophie cannot help herself, she rushes to his side screaming his name - blowing both their covers.
Screw the job. Here's a man who's given his life over to helping other people - a man who had everything and then nothing, and he's bleeding on the floor of a bank. This is not how Nathan Ford is supposed to meet his maker - and if she has anything to say about it, its not how he is going to.
Nathan Ford is supposed to have a life filled with friends and family. A life filled with white picket fences and backyard barbecues. And his son.
Instead he fills his days reining in her and the rest of his misfit band of thieves. Drinking to numb the unending pain of his divorce and the loss of his son. At least Sophie knew why the universe had dealt her a bad hand - she knew her transgressions, and knew that she'd convinced him to continue with this whole Robin-Hood, help the little guy scheme in part (and in her own way) to make up for her past mistakes.
But, Nate - he had been the good guy. The white knight. In the eyes of the universe, and god - he had done everything right. He spent his days tracking down people like her - people who stole things from anyone without caring who they hurt in the process. He was no Batman, but he had honor and integrity (though he might tell you otherwise) - and everyone in the circles she had run in, knew it. He had had a job, and a life. He was lucky. And then he wasn't. In one swift move it was all gone.
She feels Nate moving, straining to sit up, and its enough to pull her out of her reverie. Without thinking she applies more pressure to the slowly seeping wound. "I think it went through and through…" She paused, unsure what to say next, "Well it missed your artery."
"Well, there's that," he gasped, unwilling to relent to the pain. She found his sarcasm comforting - the easy banter almost normal.
"Things could be worse."
"Worse than me getting shot and you blowing our cover?"
"No, no, no. You're not going to lay that crap on me. We wouldn't even be in this mess if you had just walked out with the cash when you had the chance." He gives her a knowing look. "I would have been fine. I can take care of myself…I've been doing it a long time. Since way before I met you…I'm just saying."
She hears him mumble in agreement…she wonders if he has a plan for this. He doesn't. Their rescue is up to the others.
The thought hung in the air - up to the others. When had she started relying on Nate so much? She'd grifted her way across most of Europe, relying only on herself - her wits, common sense, and skills. Now here she was - a willing participant on the good ship thieves for hire. Here, with Nate - and Parker, Hardison, and Eliot. A weird little makeshift family.
Nate was still saving people - saving her. He'd tried to rebuild himself. Not in the image of his former self - but into something equally important. Maybe even better. No longer was he perfect - but those flaws, the broken pieces he still had to pick up, gave him perspective. Allowed him to understand and connect with those who really needed his help. His clients - and his team.
He was still that white knight. Universe be damned.
Maybe he still had a little luck in him.
- Fin.