This story takes place after my other two stories, When he knew and When she knew. It will be the story of how Eliot proposes to Sophie.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Leverage.
The team was sitting around Nate's apartment/the team's headquarters, going over the plans for their next con. Eliot let his mind wander to Sophie, who was sitting next to him on the couch. The incident with Sophie being shot had happened almost a year ago, it would be a year ago tomorrow to be exact. They had started dating after she had recovered and had been together since then, both of them extremely happy with the relationship. As Eliot sat there thinking about his and Sophie's relationship, his fingers felt the outside of his pants pocket where the outline of a ring box was. He was planning to propose to Sophie tomorrow, on the year anniversary of the event that had brought them together. Eliot was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of someone saying his name.
"Eliot" Nate said, a little more loudly this time "did you hear me?"
"I'm sorry Nate" Eliot said "I guess I spaced out for a second, what's up?"
"Just wanted to make sure you knew about your part for the con" Nate answered
"Oh yeah" Eliot said "don't worry I know what to do"
"Okay then let's call it a night" Nate said "everyone meet here tomorrow at noon so we can start"
"Are you ready?" Eliot asked Sophie as they both stood
"Yes" Sophie answered, slipping her hand into his "let's go home"
Eliot and Sophie said goodnight to everyone, and then they headed out to his car to go back to their apartment, which had previously been hers. When they got through the front door, Eliot turned to Sophie and kissed her. She pressed her body into his, kissing him back enthusiastically. Eliot broke the kiss to look into her eyes, running his hands through her hair. Sophie stared back at him and the look of longing that he saw in her eyes mirrored the one he was sure was in his, and made him want her even more. He kissed her once more before leading her into their bedroom.
"Hey Soph" Eliot said, later that night as they lay in bed together "after we are finished with the con tomorrow lets go out to dinner somewhere nice"
"Okay" Sophie agreed "it's been awhile since we have been out just the two of us"
Eliot kissed the top of Sophie's head and tightened his grip on her. After she had fallen asleep Eliot crept out of bed and over to his dresser, grabbing the ring from its hiding spot. He just stared at it for a few minutes before putting it back in its hiding spot and getting back into bed with Sophie, giving her one more kiss before falling asleep.
The next day they were all out working on their con, Sophie and Nate pretending to be a married couple at the luncheon they were at. It used to bother Eliot when she and Nate would have to pretend to be a couple, but Sophie had assured him that she loved him and not Nate. Eliot was sitting watch with Hardison in the van, waiting just in case something went wrong and he had to go in and save Sophie or Nate. Parker was up in the air ducts, getting ready to break into the marks office. Suddenly Eliot noticed that the mark was looking at Nate and Sophie with an angry expression on his face. Eliot didn't even wait for Nate or Sophie to say something to him through the coms; he jumped out of the van and ran into the building. As he approached them he saw the mark push Sophie onto the floor, and he felt the anger coarse through him. Eliot ran over to the mark and punched him in the face with so much force that the mark fell right onto the ground. Two men came running over and started to attack Eliot and he shouted for Nate to get Sophie out of there. He could hear Sophie protesting as he defended himself against the men, but was relieved when he saw Nate helping her out of the building. Taking the two men plus the mark out in record time, Eliot ran out to meet the rest of the team in the van.
"Soph are you okay" Eliot asked as he go into the van and sat next to her
"Yeah my ankle hurts but other than that I am okay" Sophie answered "what about you, your nose looks like it could be broken"
"Oh I am okay" Eliot assured her "I don't think it's broken, just swollen"
"Hardison take us by the hospital" Nate said from the front seat "I think Sophie's ankle may be sprained"
"Wait, I thought you said you were fine" Eliot said looking at Sophie
"I am fine" Sophie insisted "Nate I already told you I didn't want to go to the hospital"
"I know you did" Nate said turning around to look at her "but I really do think it is sprained"
"Nate's right" Eliot said "we should take you to the hospital to get it checked"
"Fine" Sophie said, knowing that she was out numbered
Two hours later they were still sitting in the waiting room of the emergency room. It was now almost 5:00 and the reservation Eliot had made for him and Sophie was for six. He looked at the clock and back to the busy waiting room and realized that there was no way they were going to make the reservation.
"Eliot we are going to miss our reservation" Sophie said, as if reading his mind "why don't we just go, I will be fine"
"Soph we are not going anywhere" Eliot said "you couldn't even walk in here, you need to have your ankle checked out"
Before Sophie could argue anymore, a nurse came out from the back and called her name. Eliot followed her back into the examine room, leaving Nate, Parker and Hardison out in the waiting room. Once they were in the room, the nurse did a quick assesment before the doctor came in to examine her ankle. The doctor ordered a set of x-rays, and the nurse wheeled her away while Eliot waited in the room. By the time Sophie was brought back to the room, it was already 5:45 and that they would miss the reservation for sure.
"Oh Eliot" Sophie said, once she was settled back on the bed and the nurse had left the room "I am so sorry we are going to miss the reservation"
"It's okay baby" Eliot assured her "I just want you to be okay"
"I am" Sophie said "I promise"
"You know" Eliot said, taking her hand "that exactly one year ago you were in the hospital after being shot"
"Oh my god" Sophie exclaimed "I hadn't realized that"
"That's why I wanted to take you out" Eliot admitted "it's been one year since I realized I loved you"
"Ohh honey, that's so sweet" Sophie said "I feel awful for ruining the evening"
"Hey" Eliot said, cupping her cheek with his hand "I am spending the evening with you so it has hardly been ruined"
Suddenly making up his mind before he could talk himself out of it, Eliot stood from the chair he was in and got down on his knee. He took Sophie's hand in his and took the small ring box he had been carrying around with him out of his pocket with the other hand.
"Soph this time we have spent together has been the best of my life" Eliot said "I love you more than anyone in this entire world and it would make me the happiest man on earth to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"
"Oh Eliot" Sophie said, staring at the ring he had put in front of her, tears in her eyes "of course I will marry you"
Eliot grabbed Sophie into a big hug, and then placed the ring on her finger before grabbing her in another embrace. The doctor then came into the room and told them that her ankle was sprained and that she should not be on it for a few days. After the doctor left the room the nurse came back into the room and wrapped her ankle and then told them they were free to go. The nurse brought a wheel chair in the room and Eliot wheeled her out to the waiting room where the rest of the team was waiting.
"Hey guys" Eliot said "Guess what"
"Eliot proposed" Sophie said excitedly as the team came over to them
"Oh wow" Parker said, looking at the ring on Sophie's finger "that is so exciting"
"Congrats guys" Hardison said, giving Eliot a quick hug, and squeezing Sophie's hand
"Yeah congratulations" Nate said, smiling at the two
"Thanks guys" Eliot said "let's get out of here"
Later that night Eliot watched Sophie as she was sleeping, thinking back on the day. He couldn't believe him and Sophie were actually engaged, it may not have happened exactly how he wanted it to but that didn't matter anymore. After they had left the hospital the rest of the team had wanted to go and celebrate at the bar. Eliot had tried to say no, stating that he should take Sophie home to rest but Sophie had quickly told him that she wanted to celebrate. The team had sat around for hours talking and laughing together before they had all finally decided to call it a night. As Eliot watched Sophie sleep, he knew he was the luckiest man in the world and couldn't wait until the day when he could call her his wife.