TITLE: The Naming of Things

AUTHOR: Electric Light Shadowboxer

RATING: PG13 for some bad language.

CATEGORY: Slash

PAIRING: Nate/Eliot

DISCLAIMER: I do not own, nor am I associated with Leverage. No copyright infringement intended. This little piece of insanity was written for fun, not profit. I make no money. Literally.

SUMMARY: The Tenth in the Unnamed series. With Blackpoole taken down Nate is free to build a new life for himself, but first, he has to completely shed his old one. Change is both wonderful and painful.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Takes place after The Second David Job and bridges the gap to The Beantown Bailout Job. Contains spoilers. Note that this series follows the order of episodes on the season 1 DVD's instead of actual broadcast order.

Nate sat in the small plane, the cool leather of the seat making him shiver. The sun was hot against the windows, heating the plane like an aluminum can, but he still felt cold. Perhaps it was a sort of shock; a kind of disbelief that it was finally over.

He'd dismissed the pilot after watching the others leave. He wasn't in any hurry. He just needed to catch hold of the fraying ends of his life before he moved ahead. He felt a sense of relief climbing through his muscles. Blackpoole had been brought down and IYS was changing their policy. All thanks to a small ragtag team of thieves. Nate closed his eyes and felt the tension leave him, uncoiling from his belly and draining away down his spine. It left him shaky, trembling on the edge of exhileration.

He finally felt like he could breathe. Three years after his son's death, he could finally let Sam rest. Didn't mean that it didn't hurt. It hurt like hell. And hell was something that was always found in the shadows, but that was okay. It was a pain he could live with now. It was time for him to move on. He had only one regret. Eliot was gone, and he'd never be able to tell him all that had been bottled inside him. It was the knife's edge of pain that kept him from feeling truly and utterly relieved. The knowledge that he'd lost someone so close to him because of his arrogance and stubborn refusal to admit his feelings . . . He shook his head. It didn't matter. It was done. Eliot was gone. He needed to forget him and move on.

He rubbed his hand over his face and leaned forward, arms braced on his knees. The future was stretching out before him and he had no idea what he was supposed to do now. He couldn't go back to his life before Sam's death, and he had no desire to continue living the wreck his life had become. It was time to start something new. He sat up and tried to ignore the hollow ache that remained in his gut, focusing on his surroundings.

The plane was a small jet, but it was well stocked. Nathan turned the swivel seat and stared at the wet bar. It was even stocked with Jameson, his favorite. He stared at the alcohol for a long time. If this was a new start then he needed to give up the whiskey. He would never be able to rebuild his life if he was still chained to the bottle.

He stared at the green bottle, a tug in his gut letting him know that he may be ready to quit, but it wasn't going to be that easy. He licked his lips. He couldn't really start his new life if he was going through withdrawals now could he? And it wasn't like he had anyone there to nag him about it now. Besides, he didn't want to go through withdrawal alone. He'd just have one drink before he got going. Just one drink to chase away the hollow gnawing in the pit of his stomach and help him think a little clearer. He blew out a breath and stood, licking his lips as he approached the bar.

He wrapped his hand around the cool glass of the bottle, feeling the anxious flutter in the pit of his stomach release. This would make him feel better. The tension was already ratcheting down a notch. He uncapped the bottle and lifted it to his nose, taking a deep breath, scenting the hints of nut and oak that rode the top notes of the whiskey's scent.

He was pouring the whiskey into the glass when the hatch opened and someone managed to pull the stairway down. He straightened up and splashed the tawny liquid over his hand. Turning, he watched as Eliot climbed up into the plane, long chestnut hair framing his blue eyes, wind reddened cheeks, and full lips.

Eliot straightened up and pushed the hair out of his face. He stood in the hatch, breathing harder than normal. He let his eyes drift from the bottle in Nate's hand to his face, but didn't say anything. He'd done what he could, but the decision to quit ultimately had to be Nathan's.

Nathan blinked at him a moment, too surprised to really digest what had just happened. "Eliot? What are you doing here? I saw you leave."

Eliot moved farther into the plane and stood a few feet from where Nathan was stationed by the wet bar. He put his hands on his hips and cleared his throat. "You really think I'm going to leave you all alone after everything that's happened?" He shook his head and grinned a little. "I'm starting to think Parker's not the only one who's got something wrong with them."

Nathan licked his bottom lip and put the bottle down on the bar, leaving his full glass behind. He was damned happy to see him. The sight of him untwisted the painful lump that had been aching in the bottom of his chest. But something inside him wouldn't let it go that easy. "You don't have to stay, you know. This is your chance to leave without feeling bad."

Eliot rolled his eyes and stepped into Nathan, staring into his eyes. "How many times have I got to tell you, I ain't leaving." He reached forward, grabbing Nathan by the nape of his neck and pulling him down into a kiss. He pulled back and searched Nathan's eyes. "Not unless you want me to."

Nathan couldn't help the lazy grin that spread over his face. He leaned forward and captured Eliot's lips with his own, working them with his tongue and teeth. When he pulled back he was breathing hard and Eliot's mouth was swollen from his attention. "No. I don't want you to leave."

Eliot let his hand slide down Nathan's back until it rested on his ass. He squeezed and put his forehead against Nathan's, eyes closed, mouth stretched in a grin. "We did it, you know? Blackpoole is ruined. He'll never hurt anyone else again."

Nathan took a deep breath and nodded his head, grinding his hips into Eliot's stomach. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss over Eliot's eyes before dropping once more to his lips, tongue darting into his mouth, stroking between Eliot's lips, brushing his teeth.

Eliot sucked on Nathan's tongue, enjoying the flavor of the man without the patina of whiskey covering it. He reached between them and cupped Nathan through his pants, feeling him straining against the fabric.

Nathan grunted into Eliot's mouth and ground harder into his hand. He pulled back, panting, continuing to thrust himself into Eliot's fingers. The feel of the seam in his slacks lent a painful edge against his hardening cock, but it was counterbalanced beautifully by the feel of Eliot's strong grip around his shaft.

Eliot chuckled, the vibrations going through his chest, into Nathan, making him shudder. He snaked his other arm around Nathan's back and tugged him closer, almost crushing. "As much as I would love to take you here, on the floor, I think that's going to have to wait." He gave Nathan another kiss before backing off. "You've been sitting here for far too long. We have no idea if Sterling's going to double cross us. We need to get out of here."

"Cock tease." Nathan grimaced and reached down to try and position himself so the pants weren't quite so agonizing against his sensitive flesh.

Eliot grinned and moved back toward the door, picking up his bag. "So, what are our plans now? What do you want to do? You can't stay in LA right now."

Nathan licked his lips and stared at the man before him. He couldn't believe he was still there, still willing to be in this relationship with him. He didn't want to mess this up. It had come to mean too much to him. "I was thinking maybe Boston." He cleared his throat. "We could go to Boston. Take some time for ourselves."

Eliot's eyes narrowed, but not in anger. He nodded and threw his bag down on one of the seats before pushing the hair out of his face. "That's where you're from, right? Boston? You got family still there?"

Nathan shook his head and glanced at the bar again, licking his bottom lip. "I just . . . It's not that I can't stay here. I don't want to. I need a change of scenery. Boston seems as good a place as any." He studied Eliot. "Unless there's someplace you want to go instead?"

"Boston sounds fine."

Nathan nodded and glanced at the bar again. "Okay. Uh, let's not take this plane."

Eliot watched as Nathan eyed the bar and felt his own eyes open wider, stepping forward and putting a hand on Nate's shoulders, studying him. They'd done this for him, so he could quit drinking. It wasn't a guaranteed success though, and even considering it was a huge step for Nathan. "You thinking about stopping with the booze?"

Nathan licked his bottom lip again and nodded his head. "I'm ready to move on." He stared at Eliot. "I need to let it go and focus on other things, Eliot. More important things."

Eliot couldn't smile. It was easy to say it. It was another thing entirely to actually quit. He nodded though, determined to be supportive. Kicking an addiction was tough, and support could make a hell of a difference. "Is there a place in Boston you're thinking about? Have they got a good rehab facility?"

Nathan backed up and shook his head, grabbing his bag from the floor of the plane. "I'm not going to rehab, Eliot. I can do this on my own."

Eliot felt his stomach knot. Sure, he could do it on his own. Like that worked for alcoholics everywhere. He looked away and shook his head. "Nathan, it's going to be hard. You know that. Besides, it can be dangerous. You've been drinking heavily for a long time. You need to be under a doctor's supervision."

"I don't need to be under a doctor's supervision, Eliot. I have you. It'll be fine." Nathan stopped and turned toward his lover, trying to find a way to express what he felt. "You know, it was a job, but it wasn't. I don't want to go to rehab again. I don't want to be by myself while I go through this."

"Nate . . ." What the hell was he supposed to say. "I just want this done right. This is too important. At a hospital or rehab center they'll have resources that I just can't match."

Nathan stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Eliot's stiff body. Eliot was upset. He understood. He did. He just didn't think he could go through another bout like he had at Second Act, not without Eliot by his side. "Please, Eliot, let me do this my way."

Eliot shook his head, but didn't say anything. Nothing he could say would change Nathan's mind. He was a stubborn son of a bitch. The best he could do was be there for him and call for help if it got too bad. He pulled out of Nathan's arms and grabbed his own bag. "Fine. You want to be pig headed about this go ahead. But, I'll tell you one thing, Bubba. If this gets out of hand I'll do what I think is best. You got it?"

* * *

Once they arrived in Boston they caught a cab to their hotel. Nathan dropped off to sleep with his head resting on Eliot's shoulder. Once they'd gotten on a flight Nathan had just fallen into sleep. He'd slept the whole flight from LAX to Logan, breathing softly. He'd woken long enough to get into the cab before falling asleep again. It was like all the tension, everything he'd been carrying around with him had left, leaving him exhausted.

Eliot listened to Nate's quiet breathing, reassuring himself that the other man was all right despite the pallor of his skin. He needed his sleep while he could get it. Eliot knew that this was the calm before the storm. Once the withdrawal really kicked in Nathan was going to be in a world of hurt. He felt his stomach tighten with nerves.

They pulled up in front of their hotel and Eliot nudged Nathan. "Hey, Nate, we're here." He watched as Nathan sat up and blinked around blurrily. "Come on. We're at the hotel." Eliot climbed out of the cab and held the door for Nathan. The cabbie popped the trunk and Eliot went around, grabbing their bags. He paid the driver and walked over to where Nathan was blinking up at the hotel.

Nathan felt like his brain wasn't moving linearly. He squinted up at the motel's brick façade and ran a hand over his face, trying to clear the cobwebs. "Boy, you didn't spare any expense, did you? Why choose such a swanky place?"

Eliot shrugged and started walking to the door, only pausing long enough to make sure that Nathan was following him. He'd picked the hotel because it had suites and as much as he enjoyed Nathan's company, he knew that being stuck in a small hotel room with him would drive him nuts. Besides, when Nathan started going through withdrawal they might need the extra room. The hotel also had a doctor which was good to have on hand. When he'd made the reservation he'd had them take all the alcohol out of the room. Now, if he could just keep Nathan out of the hotel bar.

Eliot felt Nathan drop back and to right, ostensibly looking at a brochure for the hotel spa while he approached the desk to sign in.

Once he had their key cards he started down the hall toward the elevator, pausing long enough to make sure that Nathan was following. They had the elevator to themselves. Eliot watched Nathan's sleepy eyes blink in the mirrored walls. He reached out and put his arm around Nathan's waist. "You doing okay?"

Nathan glanced at him. "What? Yeah. Just tired. It's been a long day."

Eliot nodded and squeezed Nathan's midsection tighter. They took the elevator up to the thirteenth floor and found their room. Once inside Eliot looked around the room, sighing. It was a little more frou frou than he liked, but it was spacious. And it wasn't like it had a heart shaped bed. It was just fancier than he normally liked for his own comfort.

Eliot tossed his bag on one of the couches in the suite and flopped down on the other one. He watched as Nathan put his bag down beside his and moved his head from side to side, stretching his neck. He patted his hand on the cushion next to him and held out his arm as Nathan came and sat down next to him. Eliot pulled him in close, rubbing Nathan's shoulders as he felt a small tremor cascade through his muscles. He bit his bottom lip and closed his eyes, asking for strength to endure what they had coming. "You hungry? Feel like going out? Or we could order in?"

Nathan tucked his hands under his arms, trying to hide the way they were beginning to tremble. He felt so damn tired. "You know, I'm not really hungry." He licked his lips and tried to burrow into Eliot's side a little tighter, trying to get the muscles around his shoulders and neck to loosen so the pins and needles in his arms would ease up.

Eliot turned toward Nate, pulling him against his chest. He wrapped his arms around Nathan's chest and laid his cheek on his hair. "Nate, will you please consider going to a rehab facility for me?"

Nathan tensed and tried to pull away, but the other man held on tighter and he finally gave up, sinking back into the warmth of Eliot's chest. "Eliot, I'm not going back to some rehab facility. I can do this."

Eliot sighed and ran a hand up and down Nate's chest, trying to ease the tension coming off of him. "I ain't going to lie to you, Nate. If I think this is getting out of control I'm taking you to a hospital. I didn't come through all this just to lose you to the fucking DT's."

Nathan grasped Eliot's hand, squeezing. He knew the other man well enough now to know that the gruff anger was a way of covering up the fear the other man was feeling. He stayed that way for a while, just resting with the sure knowledge that Eliot was here and there wasn't anywhere they had to be. There was no team to worry about, no one to keep up appearances for. It was very freeing. Nathan burrowed a little tighter into Eliot's chest, trying to still his muscles traitorous shaking.

Eliot ran his thumb over Nathan's knuckles, wishing he could steal away the fine tremors skating through his limbs. They were both quiet, content to just sit together. Eliot wanted to savor this time, this brief moment of respite before Nate really started into the throes of withdrawal. "How long since you've had a drink, Nate?"

Nathan glanced around the room for a clock. He cleared his throat and relaxed back into Eliot's grip. "About five hours."

Eliot nodded his head, laying a kiss against his lover's temple while closing his eyes. Only five hours and the symptoms of withdrawal were already dragging Nathan down. He swallowed. "You sure you don't want something to eat?"

Nate shifted and tilted his head up so he could look up into Eliot's face. "Shit, Eliot. I'm sorry. If you want to go out and get a bite to eat we can." He swallowed, hoping the rolling in his stomach wouldn't make him out to be a liar.

Eliot let his eyes roam over Nathan's face before he shook his head. It wasn't just Nathan's pallor, it was also his deep reluctance to leave the quiet little bubble they found themselves in. "I'll order up some room service in a bit."

Nathan nodded and fidgeted a little bit. He sat up, pulling away from Eliot's warmth reluctantly. "Why don't you go ahead? I'm going to take a shower and get ready for bed."

"You sure you don't want me to join you? I can always get something to eat later." Eliot tried to ease the tension in his own muscles, worry making them tight. Nathan was trying his best to cover it up, but the energy that was rolling off of him made Eliot's hair stand on end. It was just the agitation he was sensing, but seeing his usually cool and calm lover vibrating like a California tectonic plate was slightly disturbing.

Nathan tried to smile and shook his head. "No you go ahead and eat." He grimaced a little. "I'd just as soon be in the shower while you deal with the food." He leaned forward and kissed Eliot, trying to wipe the worried look off his lover's face. "I'll be fine." He tried to waggle his eyebrows. "After you're finished eating why don't you come join me in bed."

Eliot sighed and nodded. "Yell if you need anything." He watched as Nathan got up off the couch and walked through the door to the bedroom. He ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath. This was going to be painful, for both of them.