Thinking Ahead
Tibetan sunshine fought to warm the day, creeping up behind the mountains and into the window of a small Tibetan home. There was a stillness in the room where Nate sat in the same chair Elena had when he had been hurt. Elena lay on the bed, cloaked in bandages as well as blankets. Nate had been there for about an hour so far. He went and sat by her whenever he was allowed.
Looking down at her, he sighed. Her golden hair was messy, pooling around her head. He hadn't noticed how long it had gotten since the previous year. It didn't seem as long when she had it up in her messy bun.
Nate unclenched his jaw, trying to relax it. It ached from the pressure he had put on it for the past four days. He had been shot at, hunted down, and nearly killed, yet never had he been in as much stress as he was now. This woman before him seemed to affect him more than anything. This accident had opened his eyes. He just didn't see himself being this distraught had Chloe been the one hurt. It was Elena who made him like this. Elena who had punched him in the jaw because he had left her on a dock and yet still forgave him and helped him after Sully's supposed death. Elena, who had helped him stow away on a train even though she didn't believe it was the best thing to do. Elena, the most persistant, kickass woman he had ever met. What he wondered is why it took her almost dying for him to realize this. It would've saved a lot of trouble if he had just known this a year earlier.
Nate desperately wanted Elena to wake. She had once the previous day, but Nate hadn't been in the room at the time. In the few moments that it took for him to be told about her waking and for him to rush back to the room, she had slipped back into an unconcious state. He had been horribly dissapointed at this and had hardly strayed from the room since.
He took her hand in his, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. She had amazingly soft hands for someone who trailed after wanted criminals for her stories. But then again, she was Elena. Everything she did was softer than Nate was used to. That softness was the very reason she was unconcious now. She had only thought to help Flynn, not expecting the help to be rejected and by a grenade no less.
He knew that whatever he felt for Elena, it was more than just friendship, more than lust, or the two combined. He wasn't sure if he could go far enough to say 'love', but he knew that love was the closest. He also knew that he'd have to tell Chloe. Their breakup hadn't been set in stone as of yet. More of a indefinate thing. Niether had confirmed nor denied whether or not they were together any longer. But it had to be denied. What he felt for Chloe was too close to 'friend' and what he felt for Elena was too close to 'love'.
A voice took him out of his thoughts. "Nate..?" He jumped at the sound of her voice.
"Elena!" All at once, he was focussed only on her. He kneeled beside the bed so he was closer to her level, still squeezing her hand gently.
"What's... How long have I been out?" she asked slowly, trying to find her voice.
"About four days all together. Do you remember waking up yesterday?" He smiled softly at her.
"No... How long was I awake for?" She squeezed his hand, twineing her fingers through his as she waited for an answer.
"Only a few minutes. Chloe says you asked for me, but I didn't get back here in time."
She gave him a small smile. "Four days, huh?"
"Yeah... Never, do that again. You aren't allowed to die. Or, hell, even get hurt."
She squeezed his hand. "I'll do my best," she chuckled, quickly stopping to flinch from the pain. Her grip on his hand became vice-like as she fought back the urge to cry do to the stinging pain. He himself fought the urge to pull her into his arms and hold her until she was better.
"Hey, easy, easy now. You gotta be careful. I don't want you hurting anymore." He frowned as she settled back into her pillow.
"God, this is horrible. I shouldn't have been so naive." She bit her lip looking away from his face, feeling as though she had failed him.
"Don't say that, Elena. That's one of the reasons, you're you. Somehow, you find the good before the bad. How else could you have hung around me so often?" he joked.
"Oh, you play the hero. They're allowed to have flaws," she replied with a tired smile.
"Well, I've got plenty of those," he grinned, but it turned to a frown as he said "But I don't think one of those flaws should be letting my best friend nearly get blown up."
She rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine, Nate."
He chuckled. "You're definately back to normal. It hasn't even been fifteen minutes since you woke up, and you've already made a joke at my expense."
"You'll get over it," she smirked. A moment later, she yawned.
"You should get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up," he reassured, returning to the chair besides the bed.
She murmured her thanks before slipping into sleep.
Hours and hours later, Elena woke up again. Nate was still there, just as promised. He was sleeping. He had slid down in the chair a bit, arms on the arm rests, head tilted to one side, snoring almost inaudibly. He looked so uncharacteristically vulnerable. She smiled softly and attempted to sit up, pain shooting through her torso as she managed an upright position.
"How are you, Elena?" a british female's voice asked. Elena looked over to see Chloe sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, a book partially open in her hand.
"Jeez, Chloe, you scared me," Elena sighed, adjusting how she was sitting to accommodate her wounds.
Chloe laughed lightly. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Elena replied with a smile.
Chloe set down her book after placing her book mark within. "I take it you're feeling at least a little better, now that you're sitting up."
"Yeah. Still hurts like hell though. But I should be okay."
"Oh, you will. You have him..." she pointed at Nate who still snored softly in his chair. "... To take care of you." Elena looked at the woman in confusion. "Oh please. Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about."
"What are you talking about?"
Chloe rolled her eyes, sighed and muttered to herself, "I forget. It's only obvious to those who aren't involved..." Louder, though not loud enough to wake a certain sleeping treasure hunter, she spoke to Elena. "Listen, Sunshine, I know that if I had been the one to be hurt by that explosion, he wouldn't sleep all night in a chair by my bed while I recovered. Now, he did that for you. He cried when he thought you were dead."
Elena looked away from Chloe. "But-"
"No buts about it. I also believe that he would've had you live if Lazarabitch had actually meant to shoot one of us. He would've chosen to have me die and you live. Because he could get over me, but you, well, you're a different story." Chloe smiled warmly at the injured blonde, completely free of any bitterness. "He loves you." Elena looked at his sleeping form, unsure what to reply. "You'll see, Sunshine. He'll tell you one of these days." Chloe picked up her book, stood, and left the room.
Elena, lost in thought, settled back into the blankets, now unable to let sleep claim her. She stared at the ceiling, letting her mind wander over what Chloe had told her.
A day later, Sully arrived at the village. He had a small plane, large enough to carry two or three other people with him on the return trip. When he landed, he, of course, went to see Nate first. Nate, of course, was sitting besides Elena's bed. He walked in on the two bickering.
"Why can't I get up? It barely hurts!"
"You're still injured, Elena. You shouldn't hurt yourself more!"
"I'll be fine if I stand up for a few minutes! I've been lying here for days!"
Sully laughed. "Well, what did I come in on?"
Elena, starting to look like her usual self again, spoke to him first, though it wasn't a reply. "Sully! Tell Nate that I'm allowed to get up if I want to!"
"No, not when the healer said you shouldn't!" Drake replied.
"I think she's got the right to at least try to stand," Sully interrupted, taking Elena's side.
"Ha!" She laughed in her victory, giving Nate a smirk.
"Thanks for taking my side, Sully."
"No problem."
Elena motioned the younger man over as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "C'mere. I need something to lean on." Nate sighed and followed her instructions, holding his arm out to her. She grabbed his elbow with one hand and used the other to push off the bed. Her breath hitched with pain as she forced her way onto her feet.
"Careful..." He murmured.
Once on her feet, she clung to his arm like a life preserver and shut her eyes. "I'm dizzy..."
"Well, you are a blonde."
"Oh, be quiet."
Sully laughed at the two, gaining their attention. "Nice to see you two getting along so well." He breathed in a whiff of his cigar and let out the smoke, grinning all the while.
"Well, when Nate's being a caring asshole instead of a stubborn one, he's a decent guy," Elena joked, looking over at the old man. "C'mon, help me make it around the room once. My legs feel like jelly," she ordered the younger man.
"I see that," Sully said, replying to her first sentance. To him, it was like a family reunion. The two people he cared most about, besides his god daughter, Jada.
"Are we gonna be able to leave in the plane soon?" Elena asked, leading the way in a small circle about the room.
"Once you're fit to travel and the weather permits," Sully replied. "I'll be happy to leave this freezing climate at the next chance I get."
"It's not so bad. It's been pretty warm lately," Nate stated, supporting Elena in her second trip around the room. "But what's your hurry to leave?"
"In truth, I wanna be home. I wanna relax. I don't want to have to fight for my life for a month or two. I mean, I love it here. Everyone is nice and I can see how Schäfer liked staying here, but I just want home," Elena told him. "I miss home." Both men nodded, understanding the lure of home. There was a few moments of comfortable silence before she protested to another trip around the room. "Okay... I'm getting woozy. Time to sit down again." Nate led her back to the bed and helped her take her seat. "Thanks."
"No problem."
"So, Drake, didja find the sapphire?" Sully asked, pulling the second chair out of the corner to sit closer to the two.
"There wasn't one, Sully. Get this. It was amber. Marco Polo got it wrong."
"Well, hell. That won't help."
At that moment, a small, old Tibetan woman hustled in, some clean clothe slung over one arm, ready to freshen the bandages on Elena. She spoke in Tibetan to the men, making them stand and pushing them out the door. Nate didn't understand many of the words the woman spoke, but he got the blunt point. 'Get out!'
"I'm going! I'm going!" he spoke. Looking back at Elena, he said, "I'll come back later." She laughed as the old woman pushed Drake once more and closing the door.
Nate found Tenzin with Pemma, wittling her a wooden doll. He spoke in the little bit of Tibetan and asked Tenzin if he could recite a prayer for Schäfer. The man agreed and prepared to do so.
Elena, on the other hand, was getting out of bed. She had convinced Sully to take her outside for some fresh air. The old man guided her down the steps, making remarks all the way.
"C'mon, Elena. You can make it," the old man jokingly said.
"I'm going, I'm going! Be quiet!" She lightly slapped at his hand as she stepped down the last two steps. They made there way over to Drake, who grinned as they approached.
"Well, look who's not supposed to be out of bed," he stated.
"Yeah, she's a lousy patient," Sully chuckled. "Stubborn as all hell!"
She pushed him away and rolled her eyes goodnaturedly. "I'm not stubborn, I'm just restless."
"So, no giant sapphire?" The old man inquired.
It was Nate's turn to roll his eyes with a smile. "Once again, no."
"And you're sure about that?"
Elena answered him. "Yes!"
"Just a metaphor, I'm afraid."
"A metaphor ain't gonna pay your bills, kid," Sully spoke honestly though still with a smile.
"Eh. Something else will come along. Just gotta have faith!" Nate spoke optimistically, holding his arm out to Elena, which she happily took.
"That and a quarter'll get ya twenty-five cents." A moment's pause and Sully asked, "Uh... Which way did Chloe go?" Nate pointed in the direction, knowing full well that Sully knew exactly which way. Sully waved. "See ya later."
"Oh no," Elena complained, turning her head away with a smile.
"You're a dirty old man, Sullivan!" Nate called after him.
"Uh huh!" came an uncaring reply.
The two left there took a few steps towards the altar, Elena still hooked on his arm. Drake sighed as he looked down at Schäfer's amulet in his hands.
Elena squeezed his are comfortingly. "You did good, Nate." He set Schäfer's amulet at the base of the altar. "I think he'd approve."
"Yeah?"
She nodded with a smile as they walked away. "Mm-hm." They slowed to a stop as she said, "So where do we go from here?"
He turned to face her entirely. "I don't know." He leaned foreward and they kissed, his hands on her waist. When they pulled apart, he finished his statement with a small laugh. "I haven't thought that far ahead." He set his hands on her shoulders and stared happily down at her.
"Of course not," she chuckled. "But then again... Niether have I."