A/N: Okay, so today I've decided to publish all the fics I'm writing at the same time so it will give me the motivation to keep up with them! This is written again for my leverage_bingo card. The prompt is Wild Card and I've used it as AU.

Again I don't own Leverage rights. I'll ask one day Parker to steal them for me :P !

A Simple Gesture That Changed Everything.

The beeping of the monitor was the only sound in the hospital room. Maggie Collins was silently crying next to her son's bed, holding his hand while Nate stood in front of the window looking the traffic below. He couldn't see his son like this, knowing that any minute he could die. His clothes were worn out. He hadn't left the building in two days and he probably needed a shower. He had lost a lot of weight and his face was pale expect for his heavy eyes. They were now without life. He was so frustrated and angry and ready to just shout at something or someone.

Suddenly the door behind them opened and one of the doctors rushed inside.

"Good news, we can started the experimental treatment!"

Nate turned around perplexed. "What do you mean? We didn't pay for it"

"We received an anonymous donation specifically for your son's treatment. Hopefully we are still in time for it to work!"

Maggie got up with a sigh in relief. She gave a small chuckle filled with tears. "Nate..."

The man was still dumb fold and shocked. Did IYS change their mind?

Soon nurses and other doctors filled the room and started the new treatment. It was the last hope for the eight years old boy.

Nate and Maggie were escorted outside the room but they could observe what was happening from the window in the corridor. Maggie quietly got closer to her husband and laid her head on his shoulder. On instinct he put his arm around her. In the was the only sign of comfort they had offered to each other in the last days. Their relationship had become distant, especially since Nate blamed himself for failing as a father and started drinking and Maggie didn't have the strength to save her husband.

"There is still hope, Nate. There is still hope." she whispered.

"Yeah!"

The following days were all about waiting and hoping. The doctors kept giving Sam the treatment and check his vital and cell counts, but the boy still hadn't regained consciousness. The two parents took turns in waiting for any kind of sign. Reluctantly, Nate had gone home to wash and change his clothes after Maggie had practically thrown him out of the hospital.

On day three both parents were in the room. They were practically living separated lives. They knew that something had broken between them and maybe only their son could put it back together.

Sam slowly opened his eyes. "Mommy, Daddy!" came the small whisper.

At first they thought they had been dreaming his voice but at the second calling they jumped from the chairs and rushed to the bed.

"Sam, baby!" Maggie ran a hand through his hair and face.

"Mommy!"

And Maggie started crying. She was so happy to hear her little baby's voice again.

"Hey there buddy, how are you feeling?" Nate patted his head.

"My throat hurts." The boy whispered.

Nate filled a glass with water and put a straw it then he brought to his son lips. "This will help"

In the meanwhile Maggie pushed the call button waiting for the medical staff to arrive. The first to enter was a nurse.

"He's awake!" she exclaimed smiling.

After all the check-ups the doctors talked to Nate and Maggie outside Sam's room.

"Well, it seems that everything is doing great. The treatment is working for now, he will have to stay under observation for some time and he still needs his strength back, but for now it's looking good!"

"Thank you, doctor!" That's the only thing they needed to hear. Their son had another chance of living.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A couple of days later, Nate was having some alone time with his son. Maggie had gone home for a rest and to get some clean clothes for Sam and Nate was happy to spend some quality time with him. He never thought he was going to have that chance again.

"What else did I miss? How are the Red Sox doing?"

"Well, they've had their ups and downs!" Nate smiled. "Once you are strong again, I'll take you to a game. I promise"

"How about my team? Did they win?" he asked with enthusiasm.

"I don't know. I haven't really been to your school. But I know your friends have sent you a lot of cards and letters. I think your mother has them."

"Oh, school! I'm going to miss the year, aren't I?" he looked disappointed. He liked going to school and spend time with his friends. He really didn't want to be left a year behind.

Nate patted his leg softly. "Don't worry about it! We will figure something out. All you have to do now is keep getting better, okay?"

The boy nodded and tried to hide a yawn, but Nate wasn't fooled.

"Go to sleep now"

"But, daddy…" Sam protested.

"Come on!" Nate tucked him back under the bed covers. "We will continue talking after your rest"

" ' Night, daddy!" Sam closed his eyes.

" 'Night, son!" and he kissed his temple.

He stood there watching his son fall asleep. His all body slowly relaxing now that he was going to live. Then a sudden movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention. There in front of corridor window he saw a woman that he never thought he would see again. They stood there watching each other through the thin glass. He was still shocked from seeing her and she was mentally regretting coming there in the first place.

Nate finally went out of the room and stopped in front of her.

" Sophie, what are you…" he didn't know what to say.

"Hello Nate. I heard that your son was finally doing better and came to check how he was." She couldn't look at him in the eyes and something in Nate's head finally clicked.

"Let's go outside!"

After asking a nurse to check on Sam until he or his wife got back, he guided Sophie to a secluded balcony on the top floor that he discovered one day while wondering through the hospital. They went outside; the air was warm even though it was evening.

Nate closed the glass balcony door behind him. The light coming from the inside was enough for him to see her figure leaning on the railing.

"It was you." He finally stated " You paid for Sam's treatment"

There was no accusation in his voice, it was just a statement, but his sudden words hit her very hard.

She swallowed. "It was an anonymous donation" They both knew it was a lie.

"Don't play games with me, Sophie!" Nate slightly raised his voice.

"What do you want me to say, Nate?" she shouted back. "Yes, I paid for the treatment, happy? After I've heard what that bastard of Blackpool had done to you, I wasn't going to let your son die; especially since I had the means and founds to help him" …. You… She looked down.

Nate sighed, hands in his pockets. "Why, Sophie? Why?"

She slowly raised her head, her eyes filled with tears and looked straight into his deep blue eyes. "You know why." She whispered.

And so it was out. They both knew that there has always been an attraction between them that they silently agreed never to mention it.

Nate looked down embarrassed. "Soph,… you… I can't…"

"I am not asking anything from you, Nate" she stopped him before he could hurt her even more. "I don't need anything from you"

"I need to patch things up with Maggie. Sam needs both of us…" he tried to justify himself.

"I know, Nate. I know. I just wanted to see how Sam was doing. No child has to go through what he went"

"You know I can never repay you back."

"Nate, the last thing I want is the money back. It was an anonymous donation, that's it. But if you really want for us to be even, let's say it's a thank you for all those times you let me go"

He nodded. " So what is the great Sophie Devereaux going to do now?" he smiled changing the subject.

She chuckled. "Now that Nate Ford is out of the insurance business? I don't know, maybe stop being a thief for the time being."

Nate raised an eyebrow in surprise.

She shrugged. "What can I say? There is no thrill if you aren't the one chasing me. Nobody is good as you are. I think I'll start an acting career."

"Of course"

The awkward silence was back.

Sophie cleared her throat. "Well, it's time to me to leave. You probably want to go back to your son too." She started moving away.

"Sophie…"

She turned around and was surprised to feel his lips on top of hers. Many times she has imagined this moment. In all their chasing around Europe they often caught themselves in this position, their lips closed. But his guilt and Catholicism kicked in before they could do anything. But now he had made the first move. His kiss was demanding, his tongue asking permission to enter her mouth and she happily gave it to him. All their pent up tension was finally being slowly released. A demanding need for oxygen cut the kiss short, but they stayed close. Their foreheads touching and their lips caressing each other with every heavy breath they took.

"What…" she finally said against his lips.

"Thank you for saving my son's life" he whispered back.

"Anytime"

They reluctantly let go, knowing that probably they weren't going to see each other for a long time, if ever again.

"Until we meet again, Nathan Ford" she said with a sad smile and disappeared inside the hospital.

"Until we meet again." He replied in the lonely night.