A/N: I don't own Leverage and am patiently waiting for a Moreau return in the series.

"You attack the heart," Green Goblin, Spiderman

Sophie quickly poured the bottle of whiskey down the drain. She added her shot to the mix in relief. She quickly set about the kitchen in search of every hidey-hole Nate had for his liquor. It was all going to go down the drain.

"I've taken care to learn everything there is to know about you, Ford," Moreau explained with a sadistic smile on his face.

Hardison and Parker stared at the computer screen. Eliot and Nate were trying to figure out who the victim was.

"I know your every move," Moreau continued, "Your every escape plan. I know where you sleep, where you eat, and where you drink. I know everything, Ford. I know everything."

Sophie quickly finished pouring the last bottle of vodka down the drain. She removed her earbud from her ear and stared at what she was about to do. She poured herself a glass of Nate's favorite whiskey, the only bottle left untouched. She raised it to the sky in salute.

"I know your favorite food, your favorite drink, your favorite color."

Hardison suddenly started typing away on his computer as the video continued to roll. Parker was already on her way to the front seat. The hacker tossed her the keys and the engine started.

Eliot took one look at Nate and jumped. The mastermind was chalk white and looked like he wasn't even breathing. His mouth stood agape and his eyes were wide with deep desperate fear. The hitter dropped his phone in realization.

Moreau smiled a satanic smile of victory. "I even know who you love."

Sophie dropped the earbud into the shot glass and watched it fizzle in protest. She immediately dumped the bottle of whiskey and quickly dropped the earbud, shot glass and all, down the drain. She turned on the garbage disposal and ignored the tears in her eyes.

Parker's foot increased pressure on the gas of the van. Hardison's fingers stopped typing. He stared at the feed he brought up with wide eyes.

"She's gone," Hardison coughed.

He raced towards the front of the van and Parker turned. The hacker stumbled into his seat and buckled up. The thief didn't even acknowledge him. She was too busy driving and ignoring her tears.

Sophie fell towards the counter and latched onto anything to keep from falling down. She screamed at the fiery pain flaring in her stomach and throat. She felt herself gag on reflex. She quickly closed her mouth and shook her head. She would not show any signs she suffered. She would not do this to her team.

"No!" Nate screamed at the top of his lungs.

He was already running long before Moreau finished his stupid, evil speech. Eliot was behind him only a second later. They were closer than Parker and Hardison. They would make it in time. They had to. Sophie was dying.

"Hey man…" one street vendor tried to say. Nate didn't even glance at him. He just shoved him out of the way and picked up speed. He pumped his arms as hard as he could and just kept running. They needed to make it. He needed to make it.

Sophie stumbled against the wall and felt her whole world turn on its axis. She panted with the effort it was taking her to walk. She took a moment to blink away the tears and haziness. She had to go. They couldn't find her there. They couldn't hate that place. They needed her to leave their home. She couldn't die at home. She wouldn't.

Nate raced up the stairs three, four, maybe even five steps at a time. Eliot didn't know and he didn't care. The only thing of importance was that Nate was upstairs. He knew what to do.

"Nate!" Hardison called off. He and Parker swerved to the left when she made a mad dash for the right. They were going one hundred plus miles an hour and they still weren't close enough. They weren't going to make it and they both knew it. "Her last known location was the kitchen at home. Her comm went out there."

Nate burst through the apartment door seconds later. He stumbled into the room and stared at the kitchen with wide eyes. She wasn't there. He quickly scanned the downstairs portion and scowled at the lack of brown hair. He hopped towards the staircase and went upstairs. He needed to check the bedroom. He felt Eliot's presence downstairs behind him.

The mastermind raced towards his bed with hope in his chest. He rammed through his bedroom door and stared at the empty mattress in horror.

"Sophie's not here, Hardison!" Eliot growled into the comms. He bumped into the mastermind as he said it. The bed was empty except for the dressings and a note on a pillow. Eliot lunged for the pillow and Nate launched himself out the door.

Sophie slammed against the brick wall and felt another wave of pain. Her feet were sick of walking. She was sick of walking. All she wanted was to curl up into a ball and die with dignity. She couldn't do that here though. She had to gain some distance. She couldn't ruin home for the rest of her team. She had to get away.

"Nate!" Eliot chased after the mastermind as fast as his feet could carry him. "Nate, you don't even know where she's going!"

"To her apartment," Nate mumbled into the comms. He was searching through the crowd at top speed, ducking into every alley that he came across. He knew she was walking home.

"Why would she go there?"

"So she wouldn't ruin home for us," Nate spouted off. He was frantically searching for her. He had to find her. He couldn't let her do this.

"How far do you think she can get?" Eliot stared at him with wide eyes of terror.

"I've seen her jump from rooftop to rooftop with a bullet wound," Nate groaned. He turned into an alley and swore at the lack of brunette hair. "How far do you think she'll get with poison in her system?"

"On it," Eliot nodded. He was racing towards the other block just in case she made it that far.

Sophie slid against the cool brick wall completely spent. She didn't make it as far as she wanted to. She didn't even make it as far as she needed. She hid in the corner of the alley way and prayed to a God she didn't believe in. She prayed they wouldn't find her until it was already too late. She didn't want them to see her like this. She didn't want them to know. She wanted them to keep their happy memories. They didn't need to see her die.

Two rough, callused hands grabbed her from the side and pulled her towards a warm, comforting chest. She knew those hands. She knew that chest. She knew the soft cologne wafting through her senses. She knew the smell of alcohol on his breath she could never be rid of.

"No!" Sophie cried out in pain. She shook her head too. He couldn't see her like this. She wouldn't let him. He couldn't do this to himself, not after Sam.

"You're okay," Nate whispered into her ear. He repositioned himself so his back was against the wall. She was curled up in his arms and he was sitting Indian style. Her head was cushioned comfortably on his shoulder. He could even feel her shaking.

"Please go," Sophie moaned into his ear. She didn't want him to see this. She didn't want him to go through this with her. She didn't want him to watch her die.

"You're not dying alone, Sophie," Nate rasped towards her. He scowled at her too. He looked so angry at the idea of her dying alone. Then his features softened and he kissed her on the forehead. "I'm here."

He felt Sophie swallow and shake some more. He could hear her gasping breaths hammering into his ear. She was crying on his shoulder and it hurt him deep to know what was coming next. He couldn't save her but he could at least be there with her.

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised.

Sophie cried harder at his statement. She seemed to be crushed by it.

"I don't want you to…" Sophie gasped and tried to catch her breath. It took her far longer than it should have. She had to try a few times, "To see this."

"I don't want you to be alone," Nate cried. He then kissed her on the top of the head and smoothed away some of her tremors. She was already getting cold to the touch. They didn't have much longer.

"I love you," she whimpered into his ear. He felt his heart and stomach drop at the comment.

"I love you too," he admitted softly. He rubbed her back and made certain to stare her straight in the eyes. He wanted to see that life in her eyes.

"Tell…" her voice shook from the crying and lack of breath. It was absolutely the most terrifying thing in the world. It was even worse than Sam just not waking up. At least he was dreaming when his heart stopped. "Tell the team thank you..." she swallowed thickly and choked on her own tongue, "For giving me a second… second chance."

Parker's foot hit the brake right in the middle of the intersection. Hardison fell forward in his chair and the seatbelt pushed him back. They both ignored the honks and shouts aimed their way. They saw and heard nothing. Their only focus was on Sophie's very last breath.

Eliot stared at the bridge he was at and turned around. He knew where they were. His gut was telling him exactly where they were. He turned towards the mastermind's apartment and ran. He was going to find them. He had to find them.

Nate stared at the trembling grifter and felt his heart break. He burst into tears and stared at her. She was being so brave under such awful circumstances. Her brown eyes were growing darker every moment. He could literally see the life emptying from her eyes. He could even feel her heart rate slow.

"Soph…" he coughed out through a bundle of tears.

"Moira," she corrected softly. Her breathing was so hard to hear. She didn't have long at all. So he did the only thing he could.

"I love you, Moira," he promised in her ear. He pulled her up against him and kissed her on the forehead. He bobbed from side to side and pulled his hand through her hair. He kept his eyes glued to hers and refused to let her go.

"It's okay," she smiled at the statement. Buckets of tears were pouring from her eyes and her lip was trembling just as much as her body. "I prefer Sophie too."

He laughed and sobbed at her answer. He gently rubbed his thumb against her cheek and pulled her impossibly closer. Then he lowered his head and claimed her lips. He kissed her completely and with everything he had. He kissed her like there was no tomorrow because there wasn't a tomorrow, not for them. He kissed her the way he should have kissed her the first time he saw her outside that Chicago theatre. He kissed her and continued to kiss her even after he felt her very last breath fill his lungs. He kissed her even after he knew for certain she was gone.

"Nate?" Eliot touched the mastermind on the shoulder to get his attention. His voice shook with the pain of the truth. He knew it simply by the way the grifter was laying in his arms.

"She's gone," Nate cried out towards his best friend and hitter. He pulled the grifter closer and gingerly moved her face just to make sure. Her eyes were closed but there was no mistake. "She's gone, Eliot. Sophie's gone."

Hardison sat up in his chair. "No!" He shook his head in horror, "No!"

Parker's breathing became erratic and alerting. Her breaths were coming in short spurts and her eyes were steadily growing wide in panic. Her hands were shaking and her grip tightened on the wheel. She looked towards the hacker with stormy eyes and shook her head.

Hardison grabbed her hand and squeezed.

The hitter fell to his knees and shook his head furiously. He felt the air escape his lungs and the sting of tears on his eyes. His hands hit the pavement and started pulling him forward. He felt the jab of glass somewhere in his body but he ignored it. He crawled to the mastermind and yanked his arm out of his way. He grabbed onto the grifter and shook her. He shook his head and shook her again.

"Sophie!" He shouted at the grifter and shook her violently. Her head lolled back but she did nothing. The hitter slammed her into the mastermind's chest and immediately went for her wrist. He checked for a pulse and felt none. He grabbed her again. He would make her heart work.

"Eliot!"

Nate's hand was on his shoulder and pushed him away in an instant. The mastermind pulled the grifter towards his chest and gently rocked her back and forth. He cuddled his head into her neck and began to shake with sobs. He gently repositioned himself and kept her head perfectly supported. It was like he was holding a precious baby.

Nate's blue eyes rose from the dead brunette and landed on him with death and defeat.

"She's gone," he said, "My Sophie's gone."

"No!" Parker screamed at the top of her lungs. Tears were escaping from her eyes and the hacker couldn't blame her. He was crying as well. He just held up his hand and made a circle with it. Parker put the van in gear and drove off. The people they had blocked stared after them with annoyed faces. Hardison knew because he was watching out of the side mirror. He didn't care. He just flipped them off.

Eliot fell on his butt at the announcement. He stared at the mastermind and grifter dumbfounded. Sophie was dead and it wasn't even his fault. It was Moreau. It was Moreau and his need for revenge. It was Moreau and Nate. Nate loved her and that's why she died.

The hitter punched the mastermind square in the face and immediately ripped the grifter from his arms. Nate stared at him in confusion and curiosity. He didn't seem to care about the fact that he was punched in the face by his best friend. He was just grabbing for the dead grifter and getting frustrated that he couldn't hold her anymore.

"Eliot!"

"You killed her," Eliot growled. He delicately pulled the grifter up into his arms and cradled her close. His eyes stung with unshed tears, but he wouldn't cry. She needed him to be strong for the others. She needed him to take care of their team.

"Eliot, give her back," Nate's voice was desperate and dead. His eyes were zeroed in on the dead body and he completely ignored the blood dripping from his lips. He just wanted Sophie. He was just that messed up.

"He killed her because you loved her!" Eliot screamed towards him. It was the only thing he could say. It was the only thing keeping him sane. His friend died because their boss loved her. Frankly, it was the only reason the hitter didn't know what to do. He didn't know who to be angry at any more.

"Give her to me," Nate begged desperately. His voice was nothing but ice. His entire world apparently revolved around a dead body. He was even reaching for her. It was the most pathetic thing Eliot had ever seen. It was even the most romantic.

"Moreau killed her because you love her," Eliot mumbled. He carefully walked towards the mastermind and placed the grifter in his arms.

Nate snatched her away greedily. He held onto the dead grifter with careful hands and backed into the wall. He rocked her back and forth and rubbed his callused hands over her beautiful face. She was already turning blue. They were going to have to get out of there soon, with her of course. The mastermind wasn't going to leave without her.