A/n This is the sequel of my previous fic: Too Much Morphine Will Get You into Trouble.
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures.
Nate was laying on the bed watching Sophie peacefully sleeping in front of him. He couldn't believe it that just the other day, in a morphine induced lack of control, he proposed to her. Even suggested having a baby?
Sophie moaned in her sleep and subconsciously got closer to him putting her right arm around his waist and laying her head right next to his, so that just thin air separated their lips.
Would he like to wake up every day like this? Having this beautiful woman in his arms all night until dawn?
He gently stroked her face, being careful not to wake her. It was the lightest of touch, but it still brought a small smile on her lips that warmed his heart. And right then he knew: the answer was yes. It might I've took him a long time to feel like this again, ready to love again, and he still might have some demons to fight that were hunting him every day, who doesn't, but he wasn't going to let this opportunity slip from his hands.
Of course fate had different plans, and made things difficult for him. Did you have any doubts?
It had been a week since his injury and Sophie had him still on bed rest. Well, that didn't stop her from having occasionally(5-6? He lost count) her wicked way with him, not that he was complaining, but he wouldn't actually consider it "bed rest".
Not considering the fact that she apparently (and sneakily) moved in with him, because quoting:
"There is no way that I'll leave you alone right now, because it appears that you're not capable of taking care of yourself, so someone else has to do it"
So now half of his closet has been replaced with her clothes, and the real mystery was where had the rest of his clothes disappeared to, but he learnt not to ask these questions and to leave it like that for now.
Two of his bathroom drawers where filled with all sorts of "womanly" stuff that half of it he didn't even recognized. And he knew that things were serious (and permanent) when he saw her toothbrush next to his, her razor and different creams next to his aftershave and electric shaver and the day before he had accidentally used her shampoo and smelled like lavender and grapefruit all day earning some snickers from the other two men on the team.
He thought that the change would have scared him, but if he was ready to make the big step he guessed that it was part of the deal.
But since he made the decision he has been under the watchful eye of one Sophie Devereaux that left him with no chance to go out to buy a ring.
Then the first job came, mostly because the team (Parker in particular) was getting restless and before they could cause any trouble in the outside world, they took a small and safe job which had him in the van with Hardison and left all the grifting to Sophie. That took four days. Then finally Sophie let him actually do something, so it was soon followed by a bigger and longer con and because there were rolling that was soon followed by another job that lead them straight to Australia.
So here he was, nearly one month later, with still no ring and still no proposal. He was nursing thoughtfully a glass of whiskey at McRory's wondering how to get away from the team to go to a jewelry shop. And then it hit him! He took his mobile phone and dial a familiar number.
"Hi, I need a favor" He said once the person on the other side answered.
Sophie sat alone in the dark in one of the booth in the bar drowning a bottle of vodka. 1/3 of it was already gone. She hoped that it would have helped her heal her pain, but it still hadn't worked.
She saw the images on the video screen, but she still couldn't believe it. How could have Nate done something like that?
Maybe she moved too fast and scared him in this strange relationship they had. Okay, the subtle moving in was a low blow, but he need someone to watch over him, and they've had soon found a rhythm that moving back into her cold apartment when he finally recovered seemed unnecessary (and she didn't want to). Things seemed okay, even great. The cons, the flirting and little touches that had to do until they were finally alone and they could give into their passion. 13 years of chasing certainly build something between them and once they had a small taste of it in San Lorenzo they couldn't stop it. So why? Why did he give up on them?
Everything changed when they came back from Australia. He had been distant always running away to make mysterious phone calls and lying about them. He thought he was being discrete but you can't con a conman. She had been suspicious, but left it alone for the time being. If things had gone worse she, of course, would have started spying on him. She had been proud of herself at the time, it had been a very mature decision.
So she had been shocked when the rest of the team practically ambushed her an hour ago.
"Hey guys, how come you are all here?" She entered Nate's apartment, well now their apartment. It always brought a smile when she thought about it.
"Sophie.." Eliot started. He was angry and nervous. she had never seen him like that and it scard her.
"What's going on?" She asked worried.
"Sophie, I don't know how to tell you this?" Hardison was standing near the video screen nervously playing with a remote control.
Parker wasn't looking at her and was avoiding her gaze. And now she was definitely worried.
"Tell me! Has something happened to Nate?"
Just with the mention of his name, Eliot growled ready to punch something or someone.
"It is about Nate, but…." Hardison continued.
"Just show her" Eliot shouted.
Hardison presses some buttons and the screen there were some footage from a surveillance camera. It was showing the outside of a café. Nate was sitting at a table, but he wasn't alone, he had company, someone she never thought to see again: Maggie Collins.
They were laughing, enjoying each other company while sharing a drink. Then they got up and Maggie hugged Nate and he kissed her on the check.
"So," she said trying not to show them that that scene had slightly bothered her. "Nate had a drink with his ex-wife. There's nothing wrong with that"
"There's more," Hardison continued "In the last week he called her at least 2 or 3 times a day. Sorry"
"Oh…" There was a moment of silence.
"I can't believe it that Nate cheated on Sophie" Parker finally spoke.
"I'm so going to kill him" Eliot was furious.
Sophie was still in shock "I need sometime alone" she slowly moved to door. Suddenly it opened revealing the unwanted member of the team.
"Hi, everyone" And in a second he was hit by something, precisely Eliot fist that connected with his jaw.
"What the hell?" shouted Nate incredulously "Sophie, what?" she turned to her.
Sophie just gave him a sad look and when out of the door.
"I'm sorry! Are you the only one who's allowed to brood down hear or is that an open bar?"
His voice startled her. She really didn't want to see him and talk to him right now. She saw him go behind the bar, pour a glass of scotch and slowly come across the room to sit in the booth in front of her. He had a different idea.
"Nate, now is really not the time."
He took a sip of his drink and sighed. "I'm sorry that you had to found out like that"
"Why? Was there a better way to find out?" Now she was angry "Who was I kidding? Us together? It was impossible! But I'm glad our little adventure helped you open up again, really. I'm sure you and Maggie will be happy again."
She ignored her. " Yes, our relationship really help me see things in a different perspective. I'm done clenching to the past, it's time to move on, built a new future and I pretty sure that I've found the right person to do it with"
His words were hurting her. She was sure that in time she will be able to be happy for him. After what he had been through, he deserved it, but now it was just killing her.
"Nate, please" she begged whispering. Her eyes had tears in them and she was looking down as a defense, She didn't want him to see her like that.
"That's why I'm asking" he continued. "Sophie Devereaux, will you marry me?"
She suddenly lifted her head up. Did she hear right? "You what?"
"Will you marry me?" he repeated smiling.
"I don't understand…" She was without words, and that rarely happened.
"Well, when two people are attracted to each other and they've been seeing each other for a while now, plus they've already been living together and things seems to being going great, the next logical step would be to make it official by exchanging vows in front of other people and…" he rambled grinning.
"Ok, Ok, I get it, But I thought you and Maggie. Hardison showed me…" Still confuse here.
"I know what Hardison showed you. What he didn't mention was that Maggie has been living with a nice man who is a widower and his little daughter for the last six months and she is happily involved."
"But at the café…"
"She was giving me this." He took out a ring box from his jacket pocket and opened it. Inside there was a beautiful platinum ring with a diamond in the middle. All the band was engraved with what she recognized to be Celtic knots.
"I decided about asking you a couple days after my morphine incident but I really had difficulty to go out for a ring. It's really difficult to have privacy around here, as we found out today. Then I remembered my grandmother's ring was still in a deposit box in L.A. and Maggie is the only one beside me that has access to it. So I've asked for her help. She took it to a jewelry and I coordinated from here. So here it is"
Sophie was speechless. He had really organized all this.
"So, I'm asking you again. And this would be the third time and last time you said that I only had one shot left so you slacking a bit ….. will you marry me?"
"Yes" she whispered crying "Yes" she repeated more loudly.
Nate took the ring out and slowly put it on her left ring finger. Sophie admired her new jewelry piece, looked Nate with adoring eyes and leaned over the table where he met her half way for a gentle kiss.
"Yes" someone shouted from the backdoor. Parker came in skipping with happiness followed by the two men.
"It's about time" Hardison smiled.
"You've asked your ex-wife to get me a ring?" she asked in amazement with a smile.
"Yes, well. Desperate times call for desperate measures." He justified.
Sophie looked at the rest of the team who was strangely smiling like a cat who just ate the mouse. And then it hit her "You were all into this" she accused
"Sorry, babe," Eliot was smiling too "It was Nate's idea."
"A small pay back for last time" He was grinning like a fool, but he couldn't help it. "Although, Eliot wasn't suppose to hit so hard" He glared.
"Sorry man, it slipped"
"I'm sure" Nate replied unconvinced.
"You're a bastard, you know that" She glared but her tone was light.
"I know, but a bastard that you've agreed to marry"
"I'm already regretting that" she teased.
"So what now?" asked Parker.
"Let's go steal us a wedding"
THE END. Thanks for reading.