A/N Special gift. Here's the second chapter too!
The two girls got inside Sophie's car and after a fifteen minutes' drive they arrived in front of a cottage. She never thought she would ever live in a typical suburb house with a garden and white fence, but sometimes life just throws you a curveball and priorities change.
She opened her front door and she soon heard the quick small steps coming from the sitting room and she smiled.
"Mama!" a young toddler boy greeted her.
"Hello, my little boy!" She picked him up when he finally reached her and pressed small little kissed all over his face. The toddler just giggled as her hair tickled his face. "Look who's here!"
"Paker!" he shouted with a big grin.
"It's Parker!" She didn't get how her name was so difficult to say.
Sophie just rolled her eyes. "Parker, he's not even two yet. You can't expect him to talk properly."
She shrugged. "Look what I have got!" and from out of nowhere she showed him a lollypop.
"Candy!" He took it from her hands and shoved it in his mouth.
"Thanks Parker for giving him sugar right before bed time" she grumbled.
"Sure!" Parker said happily not really getting the sarcasm.
It took her an hour to convince Parker that it was time for her to leave. She loved the girl, she was like a little sister, but sometimes she was too much to handle. Sophie was now standing next to the crib watching Sean peacefully sleeping. She slowly ran a hand up and down his spine. Oh, how much she treasured those moments. Her eyes filled with tears thinking about how so suddenly and unexpectedly Sean entered her life. After team separated, Sophie went back to London to try to reconnect with her really family, or at least the only member she had left. Her sister Jane didn't actually welcome her back in her life with open arms, but after so long the two sisters bonded again. She had been happy for Jane. She had a nice job, she married a nice man, Michael and had a beautiful little boy, Sean.
Sophie was been still in bed when her phone suddenly rang. She couldn't believe it when the officer at the other side told her about the terrible car accident and how her sister Jane and her husband died in the impact. She cried for hours and once her tears had dried she went to station to find out that she was the legal guardian of her nephew. She knew nothing about kids and the thought of raising a child scared her to death, more than when she had been standing in front of a gun (which happened several times), but Sean was the only family she had left, a part of her sister, and she couldn't leave him behind. At the beginning it had been difficult. The toddler kept crying and shouting. He didn't understand the new situation and why they people that had raised him since then disappeared. But Sophie and Sean soon find a rhythm. Most of the times he kept calling her mama and Sophie always corrected him telling that she was his aunt Sophie. But one day she finally stopped and embraced the fact that from there on she was going to be his mama.
Sophie shook her head, lost in her train of thoughts. She smiled at the sleeping boy and left the door, slowly closing the door behind her. She still wasn't ready to tell the team. Parker had found out about Sean by accident, and she had to beg her to keep it for herself. She could only imagine how hurt Nate was going to be when she will find the courage to tell him. His son had been taken away from him so brutally. And he was just a nice honest guy and a good father. And here she was. A thief that received a precious gift, that nobody could steal. Sometimes she wondered how fate worked.
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After the first job, the team found its old rhythm and they did another couple of cons. Sophie was supposed to be with Nate in a client meeting, but that morning Sean had be fussy and he didn't want her to go. So now she was rushing to Nate's apartment already super late. The meeting had already started when Sophie entered Nate's apartment. She could feel Nate's eyes on her and she slowly took a place on the sofa.
"Since, we are all here may I continue with my presentation?" Hardison stood in front of the monitors and explained all the details about their new client and the company which had ripped off all her life savings.
Half way through Hardison's debriefing Sophie's mobile rang.
"Hey," the hacker protested. "you should keep your phones switched off. Don't you have respect for my work? It takes me a lot of time to make these things interesting."
"Sorry" she apologized.
She quickly got her phone from her bag and rushed in the kitchen to answer it.
"Hey, baby." they heard her whisper. "I miss you too. I'll see tonight. Love you more"
She returned to the sofa and took her place again next to Nate. His eyes were dark and blank, but an expert grifter like her could see the anger and hurt he was trying to hide. Was he jealous?
"Okay, so we need to infiltrate the company. Hardison, find us an entrance" the mastermind ordered. He stood up "Sophie, could I talk to you" His tone was firm indicating that it wasn't a question but an order.
She hesitantly looked at the others in question, but they just shrugged.
"You're in trouble" Parker mouthed.
She followed him towards the kitchen. "Yes?"
"You were supposed to meet the client with me at breakfast" he told her.
"Yeah, sorry, something came up. I did send you a text."
"That's not the point" he replied frustrated.
"Then what's the point?" her voice tone started to get angry too.
"You are late to meetings, take phone calls. If you are not invested in this team and our work, then just say so" he slightly raised his voice.
"Funny hearing this from you since we practically had to beg you to start the cons again. I am invested in our job. Sorry, if I have a life outside the team. We're not all like you that has nothing beside this job" she shouted.
Nate just stood there looking at her with cold eyes. Then he shook his head and stormed off.
Sophie let out a big frustrated sign and started pacing the room. She turned around at saw the team looking at her uncomfortably. She could feel their judgment and accusation.
"That was low" Eliot suddenly spoke. "Even for you."
And he was right. She was so frustrated. That man had the ability to irritate her in the worst possible way. The words just started coming out from her mouth before she couldn't stop them.
"I know" she whispered.
"Hmm... someone should probably check on him." Hardison pointed out "He is an alcoholic living above a bar."
With wide eyes they all looked at each other, there was a big chance that he might start drinking again.
"I'll go" Sophie volunteered.
"Are you sure?" Eliot asked.
"I mean, you're the one who might have just sent him to the bottle again" Parker added non very delicately. Sometimes her honesty was very inappropriate
They boys just glared at her silently telling her to shut up.
Sophie looked down guilty and went out of the apartment.
Unfortunately she did find Nate sitting at the bar with a glass full of whiskey in front of him , that for now looked untouched, but he was deeply staring at it and he seemed that he was just moments away from drinking it.
"Please, don't do it" she whispered after she sat next to him
He still didn't look up but just stared at the amber liquid. He could feel the smell invading his scenes. If he could have just one small taste to feel better, to take the pain away.
"Nate" she tried to get his attention.
He finally turned to her and their eyes met and in that simple look the communicate more than any words said out loud could have done. It has always been like this with them.
"I'm sorry" she sighed. "I don't know why I said those things. It's just that you were accusing me of not caring and I had to attack back. It's the way I am"
"You have nothing to apologize for." he commented "What you've said is true. I've got nothing beside the job"
"No Nate, that's not true. The words came out of my mouth before I had the chance to stop them. You do have something, you have the team" she paused. "you have me"
"Do I? Because really Sophie since we got the team back together you've been distant. Back in L.A. we used to do things together as a team, as friends. Now, you just seemed to be here for the cons and then you leave. It feels like we are just colleagues."
She looked away not knowing what to say. It was true, she was neglecting her friendship with Nate.
"I get it that you are seeing someone, and he must be very special for you if you spend all your free time with him. I meant it when I told you could bring him along. If he doesn't know what we do, we won't talk about it"
The guilt was killing her. Why did he have to be so understanding of a non-existing boyfriend of hers? Could telling him about Sean be so bad?
She still wasn't ready for him to know. Sean was the best thing that happened to her and she still didn't want to share him with this life.
"I'll think about it. And I'm sorry that I've been so distant. Maybe we can all go pin bowling after this con?" she suggested.
He reluctantly nodded. He looked back down at the drink still untouched on the bar counter. It was there calling him, tempting like the sirens did to Ulysses and his crew.
Sophie watched him carefully. She could feel his internal struggle. She let out of breath she hadn't realize she was holding when she saw him get up and leave the drink behind. Together they went back upstairs. Maybe she should tell Eliot to keep an eye on him, you to be sure. That had really been a close call.
