[A/N:Because you asked for it,I bring you the third installment to the Embers Series! I hope you enjoy this one as much as you enjoyed the other two.]

A tiny set of lungs cried out into the silence that had came over the house. He was a bright eyed little one with eyes like his mother and hair like his father. He didn't have himself on a schedule yet since he was still learning what to do when he wanted things,and right now he wanted to be held and talked to,he wanted to have the two people he's come to trust most in his young life there to comfort him. A groan followed by a sigh came from Nate as he looked at the clock. Three in the morning his now two month old son decided he wanted attention at this time of morning. A smooth hand across the skin of his bare back told him his now wife was awake as well.

"If we wait,Logan might go back to sleep." She whispered moving closer to him closing her eyes again as she laid her head against his shoulder.

"Darling,you know as well as I do that isn't going to happen,and if he wakes Claire up...not only will we have a cranky two month old but a grumpy teenager to deal with." He turned on his side slightly running his hand over her jawline then pressing his lips to hers before he got out of bed and putting on an undershirt.

After watching him get up Sophie smiled snuggling into his pillow that was covered with the scent that was him."Hurry back Mr Ford." She said before he left the room.

He stopped to check in on Claire before he found his way to Logan's nursery. The walls where painted blue with his name just above his solid oak crib,the walls were lined with toys and stuffed animals and a rocking chair sat in the corner of the room with a window over looking the Portland waterway. Picking up his son he cradled him in his arms and smiled sitting down with him,and the moment he began to speak softly to him the youngest Ford began to settle down.

"Here we are again little guy,we go through this every other day." He said with a smile watching as his son's eyes turned to him at the recognition of his fathers voice. "You know whether you think so or not Daddy does need to sleep,and your sister she has school and you know how she gets when you keep her up at night." He rocked the baby slowly watching as his big brow eyes stared back at him.

Sophie sat listening to him over the baby monitor. It amazed her that here she was with something she always thought she'd never have. She had a wonderful husband,a beautiful daughter and a handsome little boy. It had been just over four months ago that Nate had asked her to marry him and she couldn't help but to say yes. Their wedding was one of the greatest moments in her life,right along with the birth of her two children and meeting Nathan Ford for the first time. It had been a year since their run in with Trevor and she was glad that things had returned to normal...or at least as normal as things can get.

Watching as little Logan's eyelids covered his big brown eyes,Nate stood laying him back in his crib making sure he was warm and safe before closing the door over and leaving the room. Once he returned to the room he shared with his wife he threw himself on the bed with a sigh closing his eyes.

"Did he give you any trouble." Sophie asked pulling him to her and throwing the covers back over him,she could tell her mastermind was exhausted from the last few nights with their young son.

Nate opened his eyes and smiled. "No,he never does." He smiled pressing light kisses to her neck earning a giggle out of her.

"Nathan Ford." She said grinning at him as he gave that boyish grin of his.

"What? I'm just showing my wife some attention." He said pressing more light kisses along the other side of her neck.

Pushing him away she raised an eyebrow giving him a teasing grin. "No no. You and I have to be up early for Claire and meeting the others at the brewery."

"Oh,that's not fair Sophie." He said laughing as he pulled her into his arms.

"All is far in love and war Nate,I've told you this already remember?" She said snuggling into his arms.

"How could I forget?" He asked before watching her fall asleep and he was soon to follow.

Like clock work when seven in the morning hit the house became chaos. Logan was throwing a fit because he was tired of swinging in his swing,Claire was mad because she couldn't find the shoe that her dog Snow had taken off with. Nate couldn't find his keys and the grifter was fighting with Snow to get out of the house since she had muddy paws.

"Mom! I can't find it!" Claire yelled from upstairs looking over the railing to Sophie who was bouncing an angry two month old in her arms.

"Honestly Claire,just wear another pair." She said passing Logan to the mastermind who was still looking for his keys.

"It's the only pair that go with these pants." Claire argued until Nate looked up at her.

Blue eyes stared at matching blue eyes. "Claire,you're wearing jeans,any shoe goes with it not stop arguing with your mom before you are late."

"But Dad I-"

"What did I say? Get a move on!" He yelled watching her disappear back into her room.

"Thank you." Sophie said giving him a quick kiss. "Find your keys yet?" She asked taking Logan back form him since the two month decided he wanted his mummy.

Shaking his head he sighed. "No,I think Snow took off with them again."

"Check her bed near the couch,if not there then up in Claire's room." Sophie said getting back to packing a diaper bag.

"Dad!" Claire called looking over the railing again.

"Claire,seriously?"He said before she waved his keys in the air.

"Snow had them in her bed along with my shoe." She said dropping the keys down to him.

"You can always find shoes you know."He said catching his keys.

"Not a one hundred and fifty two dollar pair of shoes." She said coming down the stairs with a grin knowing she won that argument.

It wasn't long before they dropped Claire off at her private school and soon found themselves in the back of the brewery. Nate cradled Logan in his arms since it seemed to be the only thing to keep him quiet while Hardison did the briefing.

"Alright man,this is our usual suspect,big wig corporation that got himself into trouble by using money that wasn't his,however he was tricked into it by his boss a Mr Jack Corban."

Sophie looked up at the picture and shrugged. "Seems like the average business man,who is the guy he tricked?"

"Oh right,this guy. Luke Arlington." Nate coughed seeing the picture.

"Nate,are you okay?" Sophie asked staring back at her husband.

"I- I know him,we went to school together a long time ago." He said standing and moving closer to the screen. Logan's brown eyes were attracted to the colors on the screen. "How is he?" Nate asked looking back to the hacker who looked to the hitter.

"Well you see,that is the part I was just getting to." Hardison was hesitating.

"Hardison." Nate said in a heavy tone that said he wasn't playing games.

"He's dead Nate,yesterday." Eliot said.

Sophie watched as her husbands face went through a whirlwind of emotions.

His blue eyes eyed the picture of his old high school friend."How?" he asked the tone in his voice a sad once. Logan picked up the change as brown eyes met blue.

"Dunno man,doesn't say much the police are still investigating it." Hardison pulled up the police files on the screen but Nate wasn't looking.

Passing Logan to Sophie he walked out the back door needing fresh deeply he was suppose to meet up with Luke a few months back and never did it and now he regretted it. He should have known Luke was calling him for a reason. He ran his hands over his face,this was his fault,this was on his shoulders now.

"Nate..." Sophie said quietly coming outside. "Are you okay?"

"I was suppose to meet up with him last month,but I- I didn't go." He said turning to her.

Taking her hand she caressed his cheek lightly. "You had a new born son at home,you needed to be there for him and for me. Don't you dare go blaming yourself for this."

Looking into her eyes he nodded slowly."Logan?" He asked realizing she didn't have their son with her.

"He with Hardison,he's okay." She said softly.

"I need to go talk to his wife,make sure she is okay then find out about the funeral." He sighed and she nodded.

"Do you want me to go with you?" She asked watching the consideration in his eyes.

I "I think I'd like that." He said with a smile. He had no idea tat from that moment on out he would be fighting a loosing battle while trying to protect his entire family from the grips of the men who got his old friend.

[A/N 2: That's your introduction! We welcome Back Claire and her dog Snow,as well as the Marriage of Nate and his grifter and introducing Logan Ethan Ford! Anyway I hope you stick around for this one because like with my other two installments there will be twists and turns! I hope you enjoyed the introduction so far.]