This takes place after Nate was shot in the finale of season 2.

Nate was lying on a hospital bed in Boston, nearly lifeless cause of the blood loss. Sterling was just outside his hospital room contemplating on what to do.

Sophie's POV:

Sophie had been thinking about what happened. She was thinking things through, because she didn't know what else to do. She had left Nate. She left him at the time he needed her the most, she doesn't even know why.

She rested her head against Elliot's shoulder while the four of them were scooted in together like sardines in a can inside the chopper. Elliot was shaking, He's nervous,she thought, though she doesn't know why.

She was dizzy. Their flight to LA to go back to the old leverage headquarters that Hardison had bought was hard to endure, while she kept thinking about HIM. Always him….

I shouldn't have left him, there was something different about him.

He went pale after he'd locked Tony inside, he had his other hand resting near his hips.

STUPID!STUPiD!STUPiD!

She thought.

Nate was shot.. I should've known it earlier, I should have known better than to leave him again, oh... Sophie, you stupid selfish grifter..

You could've asked Tara to set a bomb on the ship. And everyone could've jumped off together, besides, no one else in that ship deserved to live. Especially Sterling..

STERLING…

She thought about his name like she was thinking about him with so much anger he could literally go to hell right then and there.

This is all his fault…I better ask Elliot to take care of him If we ever get back..

She was sobbing now and Elliot knew why. He had asked the pilot to turn the chopper around.

Elliot's POV

I'm such and idiot… The hitter had thought. Why the hell did I follow Nate's order?He was shot. That was clear to me and instead of following him I should've taken those assholes down. I haven't even told Sophie. Oh Elliot…. Why the hell did you leave him?

Elliot had asked the pilot to turn the chopper around as he noticed Sophie sobbing. She knows already… He thought.

This is all Sterling's fault…. Oh he better not show his F*cking face when I get back there. I'll show him why he's not to get his nose on other people's business.

He would avenge for Nate. For that he was sure. Sterling should've known better.

Sophie's POV

She asked Hardison to look up the hospital where they had put in Nate. She asked him to get a surveillance for him if ever there were. Hardison had found one. Nate was on room 635 where in the camera was on to take security footages as he is still a suspect to whatever had happened back there. Sophie felt like she was drowning in her tears as she saw Nate lying on the hospital bed, no one beside him or even with him inside the room. He looked awful. There was an ivy stuck to his arm which dripped morphine, that would go down to his system to be able to kill the pain. She knew how much pain he was in. This was not the first time he was shot, but this definitely set her off. Sterling had it coming for him. In all directions. He was in for a death wish the moment he had stepped down from the upper deck of that ship.

They arrived at the hospital only minutes after Nate had gotten his surgery. The bullet went in deep, said the doctor. Elliot had to take down every FBI agent that was there and was surprised to know that Sterling wasn't even present. Hardison hacked into the security system to manipulate the surveillance camera inside Nate's room so they could go in. The team agreed to let only Sophie in, hoping to give her time to talk to Nate.

Sophie had opened the door and to her surprise Nate shifted, as if he had sensed Sophie.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw Sophie sitting right next to his bed crying.

"Sophie…. " He croaked. He had forced himself to speak, he had such a hard time doing so, but he was determined enough, because it was Sophie he was talking to. Not someone else.

"Nate…" She said, tears still running from her eyes. She traced Nate's face with her fingers desperate to tell him how much she longed for him.

"Soph…I'm sorry for doing this… I'm sorry for everyth-" She placed her finger on his mouth to interrupt him, afraid that it would take so much out of him. "It's okay Nate… This is not your fault… " She said as she kissed Nate on the forehead.

Nate was fighting the pull of the morphine. He was fighting to stay awake so that he could see Sophie. "I love you Sophie…." He had said with his eyes closed. Tears fell down from her eyes and landing on Nate's cheeks. She felt like she was going to explode. Nate finally said the words she had longed to hear. It would have been perfect if it wasn't said in this kind of state. "I love you too Nate.." she said smiling to herself and hoping to make things better. "Rest now my love, please get better.." With that she gave Nate a chaste kiss on the lips and left the room.