A/N: This is AU or not (depends on how you wanna look/think of things) I was watching The Reunion Job for like the 10th time and this time I finally decided to write down the conversation that NAte and Sophie would have after the dance. Hope you guys enjoy! I don't own Leverage
Secrets in a yearbook? I don't think so
"So do you think we would've been a couple in high school" Nate asked slowly. They had gone back to his apartment after the reunion to relax.
"Nathan Ford and Sophie Devereaux?" Sophie asked
"Yeah"
"Depends what you were like in high school" Sophie shrugged
"What were you like in high school?" Nate asked trying to be casual.
"Why do you care?" Sophie stated at him
"I'm curious"
"What do you think I was like?"
"Sophie" He gave her a warning look
"Fine, I'll tell you myself" Sophie huffed. Nate gave a small nod. "I wasn't popular. I got picked on in school, mostly because I couldn't do anything. I had no friends. I wasn't pretty. My high school life basically sucked. What about you?"
"I'll be right back" Nate got up and headed upstairs. Sophie wasn't sure what he was going to get. He set down the 4 thick hardcover yearbooks in front of her.
"Your yearbooks?" Sophie looked up at him excitedly
"You can go through them. I know you'll laugh when you see my pictures" Nate sat down next to her
"Let's see what Nathan Ford looked like in his freshman year" Sophie thought out loud as she flipped through the pages.
"Page 189" Nate told her
"Oh thanks" Sophie gave him a small smile before flipping to page 189. "Where are you?" she didn't see anyone that really looked like him
"Right there" He jabbed his finger at a scrawny boy with tousled black hair.
"You had straight hair back then?" Sophie murmured
"Yeah but it gets curlier as the years go on"
"Did you have a lot of friends?" Sophie asked as she flipped through the pages
"A few...Jake Whittire was a good friend of mine" Nate said pointing to a boy with long brown hair.
"He looks nice...what does he look like now?" Sophie looked at Nate
Nate shrugged. "I haven't talked to him in a while he moved to Denmark about 15 years ago"
"Oh I see...what about one of your crushes" She looked at him with eager eyes
"Maria Matthews was one of them" Nate took the yearbook from her and flipped around till he found her picture. She had curly blonde hair and by what Sophie could tell, was rather pretty.
"She's pretty" Sophie forced a smile
"I used to think so" Nate mused
"Now let's look at your senior year" Sophie slammed the book shut and grabbed the last one
"Wait till you see the difference" Nate chuckled "Page 24"
Sophie flipped to page 24 and she gave an appreciative whistle. "Wow Nathan"
Nate gave a cocky grin. "See I told you and then if we just flip back here" He flipped to the back where the sports pictures were. "Here I am on my basketball team"
Sophie was about to ask him why he did basketball but stopped short when she saw him in mid rally cry without a shirt on. The rest of the team was shirtless but her eyes were focused on Nate. "Is that really you?" Sophie asked
"Yes" Nate replied. He could tell that her eyes were locked on the picture. "I told you I changed"
"But I didn't think you'd look like a whole different person! With abs and muscles...why couldn't I go to your school?" Sophie pouted
Nate chuckled at her. "Over here is me in the picture for drama club"
"Drama club?" Sophie raised an eyebrow at him
"Yeah look" Nate pointed to one of the pictures where he was dancing with one of the girls
"Were you a good actor?" Sophie asked
"People said I was good, but I never wanted to pursue it as a career" Nate shrugged
"Is that why you always offer to help me with my scripts for shows?" She smiled at him giving him a nudge.
Nate actually enjoyed acting with her because the plays were usually romantic. "A little bit"
"So you were popular in your senior year?"
"No, not really. I was in the class for smarter people so I wasn't considered terribly popular." Nate rested his chin in the palm of his hand
"Maybe tomorrow you can come over and look at my yearbook" Sophie smiled
"Sounds fun" Nate smiled back
"Well I'll see you tomorrow then?" She started to gather her stuff
"Yeah I guess so" Nate watched her walk to the door.
Sophie looked back at him. "Goodnight Nate"
"Night Soph" Nate waved goodbye as she shut the door behind her. He was about to stop her and ask her what her real name was. Then he remembered something, it would be in the yearbook. Nate smiled at his accomplishment and went up to bed.
~The next day~
"So are you ready to see how ugly I was in high school?" Sophie asked clutching the book to her chest
Nate grabbed the top of the book, knowing that his hand was in a very dangerous place. "I'm sure you weren't ugly Sophie"
Sophie looked down at his hand and then back up him with a sassy look. "A little close don't you think Nathan?"
"Maybe" He shrugged not moving his hand
"Move you hand away from my chest" Sophie said calmly
"Okay" Nate said quickly and pulled his hand away and shoved it in his pocket.
Sophie was a bit surprised that he had obliged that quickly. She didn't let her thoughts linger on it and she put the book on the table. Nate sat down next to her and started flipping through the book. Sophie took the book from him and flipped to the page with her picture on it.
"What year is this?"
"Senior"
"You didn't get one any of the other years?"
"It was two expensive for my family" Sophie shook her head
"You were poor?" Nate knew at any second she might start closing off
"No we just had better things to do with our money." Sophie shrugged
"Oh...Where are you? I don't see your name anywhere" Nate scanned the book
"That's because it's under my real name and I scratched it out" Sophie smiled at him
"And why would you scratch it out?" Nate looked at her
"Because I wanted to forget who I was" she replied simply
"Why?"
"You ask to many questions Mr. Ford" She patted his cheek lightly
Nate felt officially stuck in the friend zone but decided it would be best to finish talking about the year book before bringing it up. "Found you!" Nate pointed at the picture corresponding with the scratched out name.
"Yep that would be me" Sophie replied gravely
"Sophie you're not ugly"
"Everyone thought so"
"Well obviously they're blind because you're beautiful" Nate tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.
Sophie felt herself blush. "Thanks Nate"
"So anything else you want to show me?" Nate asked softly. Sophie shook her head no. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure"
"Why am I stuck in the friends zone?" Nate knew he probably shouldn't have asked but did anyway.
Sophie was surprised by the question but didn't let it show on her face. "Because you don't choose to change it"
"So I could if I wanted to?"
"Depends" Sophie shrugged
"On what?" Nate moved in closer to her, watching her lips
"Oh...stuff" Sophie felt a bit powerless. She didn't like it.
Nate finally leaned in a kissed her. He slowly pushed his tongue in her mouth, remembering what it was like on the Maltese Falcon. Now she had just lost all of her willpower. All the pain of waiting was starting to build up in the kiss. He had on hand on the back of her neck and one on her hip. She leaned in more and more to his kiss. Wanting him more. Needing him more. Sophie only pulled away to breathe and she leaned in to his ear.
"How dare you come to my house and make me feel powerless. You complete and utter bastard" Sophie hissed
"I would apologize but I'm not sorry" Nate smirked
"Why the hell not?"
"'Cause you and I both know had bad you want this"
"Oh I will so make you pay for this" She growled before pulling him into a rough kiss. They stumbled to her bedroom never letting other out of their grasp. It wasn't such a bad job after all.
A/N 2: Kind of AU and maybe Nate is slightly out of character but I don't really care...like I said depends on how you think/look at things