Okay, so this is my first experiment with a one-shot, and writing anything for Uncharted - but I couldn't resist after playing the game, they don't need to make a movie it already is one!

Disclaimer; As much as I wish I did, I don't own any characters or parts of the Uncharted series.

"Charlie ... No, stop - Ch-"

Its Chloe who hears the choking cries echoing down the passage behind them, she stops dead and holds a fist up for Sully to do the same. He sighs, its been awhile since I was the one with the wolfhound sense of hearing. It shouldn't really bother Sully, and it doesn't most of the time; he's getting older, yes - pushing sixty, what can he expect? Most men his age are shuffling about with arthritic knees, while Sully is scaling buildings.

It's not being able to keep up with Nate, that's what bothers him. Sully still remembers those first few years; in hindsight it was probably the only time that he was faster, better than the kid, and then only because Nate was often too small to reach things, hadn't developed enough muscle to hang for minutes from a crumbling ledge. But once that barrier was overcome, Nate was unstoppable, and the better he became - with Sully as his mentor/father (he never really understood) - the older Victor Sullivan began to feel. He began to let the kid, with his boundless enthusiasm, climb up to open the gates, he became the sniper covering Nate's back while he stormed into Lazarevich's camp, he turned away from adventures, leaving Nate to carry on on his own.

It didn't feel right, and Sully knew that Nate felt the same, however many stupid jokes the kid might make. They were a team. They are a team. And Sully finds that even though its easier to drop out, to let the kid finish the job, it just doesn't feel right. The only reason Sully ended up in Tibet the last time, there to help Nate and Chloe look after a wounded Elena, was because he had been terrified the moment he left Nate to his own devices. What if something went wrong? What if that had been the last time he saw Nate? Ironically, the only time it hit Sully how dangerous their treasure hunting was, was when he stopped doing it all together. Victor Sullivan has gone soft, he went soft the day he saved a boy on the streets from Marlowe's men, and no matter how old Nate is, to Sully he'll always be the surprising little boy who Sullivan spent the last twenty years of his life teaching, protecting.

So when Sully turns to ask Nate if he heard the noise as well, a knot of fear uncoils in his stomach to see that the kid is gone, and so is Cutter - crazy on some drug that Talbot injected into his neck.

It is then that the strangled cries reach Sully's own ears. And he would recognize that voice anywhere. Turn. Run. Back up the tunnel. Chloe following close behind, and she knows as well.

"Cutter!" He yells, pausing only momentarily as he emerges from the tunnel, before throwing himself at Charlie and grabbing him round the middle to try and pull the man away from Nate, away from half of Sully's life. Chloe runs around the front of the man and grams his arms where they hold onto Nate's neck, desperately tugging at his muscled limbs. Both of the newcomers feel a similar wave of sickness and fear at seeing Nate - Nate - almost collapsed on the floor, mouth gaping open for air, too desperate to notice the arrival of his companions. Chloe looks almost angry at him, and Sully knows why - of course he wouldn't attack Charlie.

It is in this moment that Cutter roars aloud, almost comically, at the intrusion, throwing his head back to hit Sully in the forehead. The blow dazes him and Sully loses his vice like grip around Charlie's abdomen. Chloe sees Sully stumble back out of the corner of her eye, and begins to claw even more desperately at the man before her, they can't have long left.

It might be the blow to his head, god knows Sully's brain is rattling around like broken glass in there, or it might be the sudden terrifying realisation; "He'll kill him!" But Sully thinks that its probably the sight of Nate's face, still so much the face of that boy he found on the streets all those years ago, that stupid, amazing boy, who is - to all intents and purposes - Sully's only family. The face that now has teeth gritted in pain, eyelids began to grow lax and drift closed, an ugly purple bruise beginning to spread over one eyebrow. Something snaps inside Sully. This. Will. Not. Happen.

He stumbles back from Charlie, surprising the younger man by letting him go. It doesn't last long though, (for Chloe, at least), as Sully draws the deadly pistol from its holster. This is Nate and, even if his judgement has always been a bit haywire around the boy (Just ask Marlowe), Sully's mind fills with a deadly sense of purpose when the kid is in danger. It isn't the first time Sully has had to do something like this, and it definitely won't be the last. But Nathan Drake doesn't trust anyone without reason - and Sully will be damned if he ever lets that trust down. If that means shooting a (admittedly maniacal) friend, then so be it.

Chloe's head snaps up at the sound of a gun cocking, surprise flares in her eyes and she jumps in front of the two grappling men. Chloe puts her hand out to Sully desperately as she pleads with the furious man;

"No! What're you-"

Sully's anger flares again, why is Chloe defending that man?

"Get back!" He is ready to shoot.

"Don't!" Chloe's eyes flash down to Nate and back up again to Sully. And it hits him. This isn't anyone - this is Charlie. And Nate will never forgive Sully for shooting a friend. Even if that 'friend' was strangling him within an inch of his life - stupid kid.

Sully's hesitation is all the opportunity Chloe needs, and she leaps in front of Cutter, coming in between him and Nate. She grasps the sides of his face in both hands and stares right at him. The drug must be wearing off soon, right? "Charlie, you're killing Nate."

Is it their imagination, or was that a frown appearing on Charlie's face? "Okay, you gotta listen to me - you are killing, Nate."

There is a moment when nothing happens. Sully has had enough of this - they are risking Nate's life!

But then something changes in Charlie's expression, horror appears in his eyes. Cutter drops his hands like he's been stung. He stumbles back, far away from Nate. His back hits the wall, and he looks up in shock at Sully, who is still holding the gun. Sully, however, lost interest in Cutter as soon as he was out of grasping distance of Nate, and Chloe. Nate has collapsed on his side on the floor of the cave and is gasping weakly for breath. Chloe crouches down next to him, forgetting Nate's attacker as well for a moment.

"Jesus..." She breathes as Nate starts to sit up, rubbing his neck gingerly, "Here..." She helps Nate up as he coughs again. Sully catches her swift glance, eyes narrowed, directed at Cutter as Nate stumbles getting up. "Here we got you."

"I'm all right." Nate rasps, speaking for the first time, and the relief that Sully felt as the kid immediately leans towards him for support dissipates instantaneously. He can almost hear the vocal chords scraping together. That was too close. Nate and Sully might joke around, act as if this whole arrangement is some sort of game; but it's completely different when one of them actually gets hurt. It's... an unpleasant feeling. A fatherly protectiveness washes over Sully once more as he shares a glance with Chloe, who seems reluctant to let Nate go. But he dismisses it quickly as the kid leans all his weight onto Sully, still muttering; "I'm all right. I'm all right."

I'll be the judge of that, thinks Sully.

Nate tries to stand up fully, and its clear that he still needs a moment. Hell, after an attack like that most people would probably go to hospital. But as Nate braces himself on Sully's shoulder once more, and the man glances over at Cutter, still crouched immobile against the wall, Sully knows that it will only be a few seconds before Nate bounces back, brushes it off, and moves on. It's how it always is - for the both of them. There isn't time to fuss over broken nails.

So Sully only keeps a reassuring hand on the top of Nate's back for an instant before letting him stumble away across the rubble strewn cave floor, dismissing Cutters pleads ("Nate. Nate, Nate. I'm really sorry") with a pat on the shoulder and an admittedly slightly less than friendly shove, just like Sully knew he would.

"We're even." Nate tells Cutter, and with that, somehow, everything picks up where it was left off.

Well, almost.

"Hold on a sec - you weren't.. you weren't going to shoot me were ya mate?"

Sully can just see Nate smirk out of the corner of his eye. Well, let him enjoy it. For now.

Sully (almost) grins wryly at Cutter and shrugs.

"Like a rabid dog."

And they move on. Nate's not quite Sully's son, he's more, and less. But that's the closest word there is, and the kid really is the only family Victor Sullivan has ever had.