My ex-husband's girlfriend.

Maggie Collins couldn't believe it that she was going out shopping with… well, one of her best friends: Sophie Devereaux. How insane was that?

She could still remember the day they had started building the bases of their friendship.

"Hello?" Maggie answered the phone.

"I can't believe he would do something so stupid!" she heard a woman rant.

"Who is this?"

"He got himself arrested! Can you believe that? Of all the things…"

"Sophie?" she inquired.

"Nathan Ford is the most annoying and frustrating man in this universe." Sophie kept rambling. "And of course he got himself shot too. And then he even dared to kiss me, in front of all those people!"

"Wait? Is Nate in prison?" Maggie finally caught something. Her mind was trying to ignore the kissing part.

"Yes!" Sophie shouted "And that arrogant bastard doesn't want us to get him out!"

After that unexpected phone call, Sophie kept in touch at least once a week. At first the subjects were always the same: how stupid Nate was; how Eliot wanted to punch Sterling; how Parker was being annoying; how much Hardison wanted to find a client and keep going without Nate. After a month or so of phone calls they finally started talking about something else. They discovered they had a lot in common. That was probably why Nate had been attracted to both of them. Sophie made sure that Maggie knew that, even though she had flirted with Nate all those years back, nothing ever happened between them. Maggie believed her, she knew how strong Nate's Catholicism was.

On month number six another unexpected call arrived:

"He's back"

She didn't have to ask who he was.

"How is it going?" she asked concerned. She had listen to Sophie all those months and knew that there was tension among the team.

"Things seem back to normal. I don't know how long it will stay like this. There are so many unresolved issues."

"And Nate?" She couldn't help being concerned about her ex-husband.

"He's different. Prison has changed him. We are also blackmailed by a mysterious Italian woman. A very sexy Italian woman who Nate meets alone"

Maggie smirked at the grifter's jealous tone.

"I'm not going to make it easy for him. If he wants to talk about that kiss, he's going have to work for it!"

"You go woman!"

With Nate back their conversations became less and less frequent, but they made sure to keep in touch. Maggie talked about her dating life and Sophie about their cons and how it was going with the rest of the team. One thing Maggie noticed: things between Sophie and Nate were finally going somewhere! She knew it was strange rooting for her friend and ex-husband to get together, but everyone deserved a bit of happiness.

"Is something wrong?" Maggie asked. Something was wrong in her friend's voice.

"I don't know if I should be telling you this" Sophie whispered embarrassed.

"Did Nate do something stupid again?"

"I don't know if you would called it stupid." She paused. "We slept together!"

"What?"

"It was in San Lorenzo after the con."

"Well, it was about time!"

Sophie blushed. "We decided it was a onetime thing"

"Why would you agree to that?"

"I don't think he even remembers it. We were both so drunk!"

"Oh, believe me. Nate is never too drunk for sex!"

"I don't know what to do" she sighed.

"Do you want it to be a onetime thing?"

"Of course not!"

"Then seduce that bastard! Make him realize it's something he wants too. You're a grifter! Don't give up!"

"You know what? You're right! He wouldn't even know what has hit him!"

Hearing about Nate and Sophie's "relationship" was funny. That man didn't even know what game Sophie was playing. Of course most of the times, Maggie had to calm the grifter. Being in a relationship with Nate meant having a lot of patience, she knew that.

"He is so broken, Maggie. I don't know what to do" Sophie nearly cried on the phone.

Flashing of Nate after their son died invaded her mind.

"I know they weren't very close" the grifter continued. "but he was his father. And to watch him die right in front of him. They killed him; Latimer and Dubenich. I have no idea what Nate will do to them, but I'm scared"

"If you need anything…. Anything, you call me, okay?"

"He has this crazy con in mind, it's going to be dangerous. I need a big favour."

"I'll be on the first plane to Boston" she promised.

And here she was, waiting for Sophie to come out of the dressing room.

"What do you think of this?" Sophie came out wearing a beautiful long blue dress.

"It's beautiful!" She smiled. "Nate will have a heart attack when he sees you"

Sophie grinned. "I can't believe it we're getting married. Who knew he's big plans involved a wedding"

"That's Nate. Always full of surprise."

Life certainly had a lot of surprises. Nate still wasn't very happy that his former wife and future wife were very good friends. Mostly because he had the suspicion that they had planned to make the rest of his life a living hell.