AN: Well after however many months hiatus I finally sat down and finished this. Something I've wanted to do for a long time now...so does anyone still read Uncharted fics...I sure hope so. Anyway a big thank you to all my readers, and especially all the team at Naughty Dog for giving us these amazing characters to play with, and of course Nolan North and Emily Rose and the rest of the cast, whom without the inspiration for this would cease to be.

Please note this chap has a slightly higher rating on it for adult themes.

Something Better

Nate, Elena, Sully and Chloe hired two row boats in order to get out to the temple in the middle of Lake Titicaca. Sully and Chloe were in one while Nate and his new wife were in the other. Nate rowed fiercely trying to reach the temple in record time.

"Why are you so worried, we have plenty of time on Lawson, it would have taken Jacob and his crew two days at least to dig him out of that rubble?" She asked him.

"I'm not leaving anything to chance Elena. He's been one step ahead of me at every turn. I'm willing to bet he's not as far behind us as we would like."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I just need to get in there, look at the temple, I need to try and find some inscriptions; I need to find the right one." Nate looked across at Elena. "I will protect you; and the baby; I swear."

She smiled. "I know; I believe in you." Her hand lay protectively across her belly. Nate docked their rowboat on the pier of the island and leaned across to her. Nate took just a moment to caress her face and kiss her gently.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too Nate."

The four companions left their boats, Nate and Chloe ran out ahead and Sully helped Elena towards the temple.

"Are you ready for this?" Chloe asked him as they loaded their guns.

"As ready as I'll ever be; let's go."

The temple was a set of magnificent ruins. One large singular round room with a pedestal in the centre. Large stone columns held up the room. Before Nate could take in his surroundings fully Frederick and Jacob immerged from behind the columns toting their guns. Along with another four armed foot soldiers.

"Shit." Chloe muttered.

"Really?" Nate exclaimed sarcastically.

"Guns down please." Lawson instructed.

"How did you get here?" Nate asked. "We were two days ahead of you!" His voice now carried the tone of a frustrated child about to throw the world's largest tantrum.

"You seem to forget Mr Drake that I have an army at my disposal. I was lifted from the mountainside by a helicopter once Jacob retrieved me from the rubble. I was here before your party reached Puno."

Frederick's gaze wandered straight over to Elena and she tried to take a step back only to be met with the gun wielding soldiers. He walked over to her slowly, taunting with his voice as he did so.

"Now my dear…are you going to help me create history? Will you be the catalyst needed to bring immortality into this world?" He reached out and touched her face. She shrugged it away from him as best she could.

"Don't you dare touch me."

Nate had to do something and fast. "How do you know this is going to work?" All eyes switched focus onto him now. "If you're going to murder my unborn child it would be nice to know that it's not all for nothing."

Jacob pointed his gun over at his rival. "Shut up Drake. No-one asked you."

"Now now Jacob; there's no need for that. He actually makes a valid point. Perhaps you would all care for a little demonstration." Lawson crossed the room and retrieved a large ceremonial spear from the centre of the pedestal. For the ritual to work we need the blood of a truly pure being." He crossed back to Drake. "Do you believe Mr Drake?"

"It doesn't matter what I believe."

"On the contrary; I believe it does." He aimed his gun at Nathan's chest and pulled the trigger.

Nate stumbled backwards with a searing pain coursing through his entire body. His hands clutched at his wound and quickly became clammy with all of his blood. He fell to the ground and could faintly make out Elena's screams. Nate began gasping and Sully was quick to his side to try and hold him upright.

"What was the goddamn point in that?" Sully yelled at their captors.

"If Mr Drake wants to save his life then he will recite the incantation. I will use Ms Fisher's blood for the sacrifice as it should suffice, being of the same blood as the child's, however when it comes to my own ceremony I'm not leaving anything to chance." He rubbed his hand over her bump making Elena cringe.

"He's barely coherent; you're mad!" Chloe argued but Lawson wasn't hearing it. He dragged Elena by the arm up onto the ceremonial pedestal. Jacob retrieved the Eye of Inti from Drake's satchel and handed it to Lawson. He put the gold disk into place, then the eye before making a clean cut down Elena's forearm with the ceremonial spearhead.

"That's going to leave quite the scar." He complimented.

"Go to hell." She spat.

He forced her arm onto the pedestal and dripped the blood into the centre. "If you wish to live beyond the hour Mr Drake I would at least try to co-operate." Lawson reminded him.

Nate's concentration was a mess, he could barely focus on anything except the pain and how everything would be so much easier if he just closed his eyes. He could hear Elena crying out to him; "Nate please, you can't give up now, please Nate, come back to us." Nate forced his eyes open and glanced around the room trying to read the text on the walls before dropping his head in exhaustion.

"This is hopeless." Sully cursed.

"Nate's Journal, quick, he wrote it down." Chloe grabbed it out of his satchel and thrust it at Sully. Sully held it in front of Nate's face.

"Come on kid, just recite the words back, I know you can do it. They're right here; just say them out loud and this will all be over."

Nate could only force one eye open; thankfully he knew most of the incantation by memory. He whispered out the words in Kihoma; barely escaping his lips. After a moment or two it was clear that he had done something right. A golden glow began to surround the pedestal. The wound in Nate's chest began to close over but not before forcing the small piece of shrapnel out. The pain began to lessen and Nate felt as though he could breathe again. He stopped bleeding and slowly forced himself to his feet.

The others couldn't believe their eyes. "There is a God." Sully exclaimed for the first time in his life.

"Maybe; but he's sure got a twisted idea of a good time." Nate joked.

"Was it really the best idea making Nate immortal though, I mean if he's immortal and you're immortal how do you plan on killing each other?" Sully asked their captor.

"Oh Mr Drake will not be immortal. The small amount of blood from Ms Fisher's arm was only enough to save his life. It was not a large enough sacrifice in the eyes of the Incans." Lawson's eyes once again were fixed on Elena. "They require death, in order to grant immortal life." He moved closer to Elena with the spear in hand.

Nate, Sully and Chloe all tried to move in and stop what was about to happen but were met with shotguns aimed at them. Elena tried to struggle against Lawson's powerful grip. She glanced over at Jacob; her one friend and ally that had been with her through all of this. She pleaded to him with her eyes to do something to help her. Miraculously it worked, Jacob rushed forward and tried to wrestle the spear away from Lawson and in the struggle; Frederick managed to manoeuvre it into Jacob's chest.

"That'll work." Nate was shocked by the turn of events and quickly began to recite a different series of Kihoma script. One that even in the foreign language sounded a bit more dark and sinister. Jacob gasped in pain as blood began to form in his mouth, he didn't have long. Elena grasped his hand.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"I'm sorry." He told her before the life left him.

The ground began to shake like the Earth itself wanted to open and a series of glowing blue lights began to spring forth from the pedestal. Gathering speed they shot forth and pierced through Lawson and all of his foot soldiers who all started to writhe in pain.

"What did you do?" Frederick shouted at Drake.

"Enjoy a life of eternal damnation asshole!" Nate told Lawson a moment before he was literally torn apart from the inside out.

"Gruesome." Sully observed.

"I don't get it." Chloe asked. "Does that mean anyone could have been killed by the spear and the hocus pocus would have still done its job?"

"Not exactly." Nate answered. "What Lawson didn't realise is that if the victim had pure intentions, it translates the same as a pure heart."

Not only was the ground shaking but the island was beginning to tear itself apart and it was going to bring the temple down with it. A relieved Elena looked over at Jake's body and smiled sadly, she knew he was one of the good guys after all. But her sense of relief only lasted a moment before she felt a large burst of pain hit her tummy. Something was not ok. Elena started moaning and hunching herself over as best she could. Nate ran over to her, if it wasn't enough that the ground they were standing on was collapsing.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure." She managed in between gasps. "Something's not right."

Nate helped her down onto the ground. "Is the baby coming?"

"No, no it can't be; it's too early." It was then they noticed the blood. Too much blood.

"You're bleeding, shit. We have to get you to a hospital."

She grasped his hand. "Nate…..I think I'm losing it…"

He tried to reassure her, comfort her anything. "Let's just get you out of here ok? Wait to see what the doctor can tell us."

Sully came over and helped Nate to lift her, taking one arm each, and hoisting her over their shoulders.

They made a break for the boats, only to find that the pier was now out of reach on the other side of a large chasm. One of the boats had come loose from the pier and drifted off and out to sea. The remaining boat was fastened to the dock, but the now choppy water was thrashing it around and into the path of sinking rocks and debris.

"There's only one boat!" Chloe exclaimed.

"There's going to be no boats if we don't get it away from those rocks." Sully warned.

Right on cue Nate dove into the icy water. Resurfacing he gasped as the cold hit his lungs. "Shit that's cold." He swam over to the boat and started hacking away at the rope that held it to the pier. Just in time he managed to pull it away from the rocks that threatened to sink it, he climbed up into it and steered it towards the others.

"There's not enough room. We'll sink it for sure." Sully warned. The group looked to Nate for guidance. How could they choose who would take the boat? His teeth were still chattering and his lips were blue. He helped Elena on to the boat carefully before strapping a life-jacket to himself. Sully and Chloe stepped in, and it swayed precariously. Nate stepped back onto the island. "You three take the boat, go get help."

"You're crazy. You can't stay here, you'll freeze or you'll drown, whatever comes first." Elena argued.

Chloe eyed the remaining life jacket hesitantly before strapping onto herself and stepping back onto the sinking pier next to Nate.

"You'll be faster with just two. Now go, you're wasting time."

"She's right. The sooner we get back to the mainland the sooner we can get help." Sully picked up the oars and started to row away from the pier.

"Sully, take her straight to a hospital." Nate called back at them. Elena stared at Nate, knowing this could be the last time they saw each other. He smiled at her bravely, trying to hide the fact he couldn't stop shivering. That water was freezing, if the island went under before they got back….. When they were out of sight Nate turned to Chloe.

"You didn't have to do this."

"I know." She was trying to hide the fear in her voice. This could really be it this time.

"You know there's a high probability of us drowning before they get back."

"I know." She looked around at the island, it was still shaking, and there was no way of knowing how much time was left before they would be underwater. "I'll bet we'll buy some more time by climbing to the top of the ruins." She suggested.

"Good idea. Let's go." He agreed.

Climbing the ruins was difficult, the whole island was rocking like one constant earthquake; but they were both glad when they made it to the top. They would sink last, buying them maybe another ten minutes before hitting the water. They didn't have a lot to do, except hope, pray, and make small talk of course.

"I'm so sorry about the baby Nate. After everything you two have been through."

He looked at her; Chloe had genuine empathy on her face. They both knew deep down that Elena was having a miscarriage. "Thank you." Nate replied. "I guess neither one of us were ready to be parents, maybe someone is telling us something."

"If you make it back home alive, hold onto that girl of yours. Most relationships don't get over something like this."

"Let's just focus on getting home alive first huh?" Nate's voice was still shaking from being in the water, he wasn't very optimistic knowing how cold it was. They could see the ground below them being covered in with water as the island continued to sink. It wasn't long now.

"Here we go…" Nate said.

"Jesus, I feel like I'm on the bloody Titanic." Chloe mused.

"Yeah well the same things about to happen. When we hit the water, the vacuum created by the land and the rocks sinking is going to pull us down. We'll have a better chance if we jump, try and beat the vacuum effect and swim to the surface."

"Are you crazy?"

"Trust me, you do not want to get sucked down deeper than if you had jumped, you won't make it up in time, even with the life-jackets."

"How cold do you think that water is?"

"Maybe ten degrees, if we're lucky."

"Shit that's cold."

"You have no idea."

"How long do you think we'll last in water that cold?"

"An hour, maybe two."

"It takes an hour to reach the mainland." Chloe studied the look on Nate's face as she said it and realised that he knew the odds all along. "Nate." There were only minutes left.

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad to have known you." She took his hand, and he squeezed it.

"Don't forget to take a deep breath….and jump now!"

They launched off of their tower falling rapidly, they let go of their hands right after jumping, and as they hit the water both of them sank deep down. Chloe went into shock, her lungs contracted, and it took more than a moment before she could snap out of it. She reminded herself that she was supposed to be swimming so she started kicking furiously to reach the surface. Nate on the other hand had been prepared for the temperature and the shock and had managed to reach the surface fairly quickly. He looked around for Chloe, and after a moment of her not surfacing he started calling out to her. He was just about to dive under to look for her when her head burst up, gasping for air.

"Jesus Christ." She managed after a moment.

There was nothing left; the only sign there had been a land mass where they now floated was the choppiness of the water.

"I know; it's cold."

"It's gone, everything's gone." Chloe was shivering already. "What do we do?"

"Just try and float Chloe; that's why we're wearing life jackets. We just have to keep it up until Sully comes back."

After an hour in the water Nate saw that Chloe was on the verge of passing out. He took her hand and shook it. "Chloe! Chloe!"

"It's so cold."

"I know, but Sully will be coming for us any minute now, that's why you have to stay awake." He pleaded.

"I just want to close my eyes, and when I open them this will all be over."

"You can't go to sleep, just stay awake a little longer."

"How will they find us?"

"I still have my gun, it's got four rounds left, when the boat comes close I'll shoot them off so they can hear where we are."

"That might work."

"I hope so."

All they could do is talk. The water was so still now, and they had to concentrate on something to stay alive.

After almost two hours in the cold water and the night air Nate could see lights coming from a boat in the distance. He reached for his gun and almost dropped it in his eagerness. Hands shaking he raised it into the air and let off one bullet. Waiting ten seconds he let of a second one, ten more seconds and he let the third one off, he was beginning to lose hope, how would they hear his bullets over the sound of the engine? He really didn't want to use his last bullet. After another few seconds the bright glare of the ships searching beacon hit his body full force. It had worked! He was shifting in and out of consciousness as they lifted him aboard, and once he was certain everything was going to be ok he let himself succumb to the darkness under his eyelids. Everything was ok…until he opened his eyes again, finding himself in yet another hospital bed.

He was drowsy as hell, he could make out Sully sitting next to him, and if he turned his head he could see Elena asleep in the bed next to him.

"Is she ok?" Nate managed to croak out hoarsely.

"I'm so sorry kid….."

"No." Nate cut him off.

"They couldn't save the baby, I'll let the doctor explain it, wait here." Sullivan stood up; it was a time where there were just no words that he knew that would do any good.

Nate zoned right out, he managed to make out a few words here and there, but mostly he didn't want to listen. He heard Sullivan bring the doctor over to him, heard the words "this is the father" and the doctor saying words like "placental abruption". Sully tried to comfort him "it's just one of those things, its no-bodies fault."

When Nate decided to talk again he asked how Elena was coping. Sully told her that she didn't know yet, they had to knock her out and at that stage they hadn't know what was causing the bleeding. Nate wanted to wake her up but reconsidered when Sully said "Just let her rest for now, while she can. When she wakes up she's going to need you, you're going to need each other. "

The doctor came over again, asking Nate the difficult questions like did he want to see the baby, did he want to hold him? He was washed and wrapped up and looked just like he was sleeping. Sometimes it helps to accept what's happened.

Him? It had been a boy. That was all Nate had taken in from what he had been told. After an hour or so to think about it Nate asked Sully to come with him down to see his son.

"He looks just like Elena." Sully's hand was on Nate's shoulder as he looked at the small body. "Look at the nose, that's her nose." Nate choked back a sob. "Shit. Sully…he's gone, he's…"

"I know kid, I know." Sully drew Nate into a hug and just held him as he let everything out. He had never wanted to be a father yet, but now that it was all over, he wished he could take those feelings back, that it might have changed things. When Nate climbed back into his bed he asked where Chloe was, the last time he had seen her was in the water next to him; but even then it was hazy.

Sullivan pulled an envelope out of his pocket. "She wanted me to give you this. Her hypothermia wasn't nearly as severe as yours; it didn't take long for the doctors to discharge her."

Nate ripped the envelope and unfolded the paper.

Nate

I wanted to say again how truly sorry I am about everything. I would have stuck around until you woke up but I figure you and Elena are going to need some space from everyone for a while. Look after her Nate, she's something special. As for me I'm on the first plane out to London, I'm off to meet an old friend of ours, you remember Charlie don't you? Take care my friend, and if you're ever in need of my help, you've got my number.

XOXO

Chloe

Elena woke up to Nate holding her hand, he was nodding off in his chair, and he looked exhausted. Everything hurt. She didn't want to look down at her body; it would only confirm what she already felt. The sense of loss was overwhelming. The baby was no longer inside of her, and she knew from the amount of blood she was losing when she was still conscious that the odds of it still being alive were next to nothing. Once her husband realised she was awake he sat up, trying to look alert, like he wasn't on the verge of exhaustion.

"Hey…" She croaked out hoarsely.

"Hey." He replied, gently rubbing her hand.

"You're still alive…I thought you were going to drown."

"Not a chance." He smiled at her. "I'm not going anywhere."

"The baby?"

"He's gone honey." Nate said as gently as he could.

Elena didn't react at all. She was still in shock.

"It was a boy?"

"Yeah. He's beautiful Elena, he looks just like you."

"You've seen him?" Her tone wasn't accusatory, just interested.

"Just for a minute…Sully went with me; that was all I could manage."

"I see." Elena didn't see. She didn't see how any of this was fair.

"Maybe when you're a bit stronger, and you've had some time, you'll want to see him too…" Nate didn't want to push her, but he didn't know what to say, or how to comfort her either.

"Maybe." Elena told him. "For now, I think I just want some more sleep."

"Of course." He smiled, trying to be strong for her. "I'll be here when you wake up."

Elena rolled over away from him, and closed her eyes, letting the tears slide down her cheeks freely now. She slept for a few hours before deciding that she wanted to get the hardest part over and done with. She told the nurse that she wanted to see her baby and asked if she could bring him to her bedside. The nurse brought the small infant in, wrapped up tightly. He was so little, had he survived he would have been so premature. Elena reached her arms out, signalling that she wanted to hold him. The baby was placed in her arms and Nate put his arms around Elena's shoulder.

She smiled sadly, Nate had been right he was beautiful.

"He's so little." She turned her head to look at her husband. "Do you think if I had gone back to Lima, when you first found me, when you were trying to send me back with Sully…?"

Nate cut her off. "You can't think like that. Elena this isn't your fault. "

"He looks just like he's sleeping, I keep hoping that maybe he'll open his eyes…" She cracked then, and started crying. Nate hugged her tighter and kissed her on the forehead.

"We'll get through this…maybe not today, not tomorrow, but we will. We'll be ok. "

When Elena was well enough to be discharged, her, Nate and Sully booked seats on the first flight home. They packed up their little boy and flew him home as well so they could bury him in their own country. It took them a long time to choose a name, partly because as soon as they named him it became all too real. Once they returned home Nate and Elena tried to return to normal life as quickly as possible.

They walked through the doors of their apartment, the living room was still trashed, bookcase tipped over, mess everywhere. They went into the bedroom, the lamp still laid broken on the floor, the bedside table tipped over; everything remained untouched from where it fell seven months ago.

"Honey why don't you go take a hot bath, relax for a while, I'll clean this mess up." He caressed her face with his hand, tucking back her fringe behind her ear.

"Thank you." She leaned up and kissed his lips softly.

Nate spent the next hour and a half putting the apartment back in order, trying to erase every record of what had happened here. Elena opened the door of the bathroom, steam wafted out, she was wrapped only in a fluffy bath towel. Her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders. She walked over to Nate who had just finished with the bookcase.

He put his hands on her side, "Good bath?"

"Mhmm." She nodded. Elena put her hands down to the hem of his shirt and pulled it up over his head before dropping it to the floor.

"What are you doing?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and leant up so her lips were mere inches from his. "Make me forget Nate, make me forget about everything please."

His lips claimed hers then, he lifted her up, her legs interlocked around his hips. Her towel joined his shirt on the floor and he carried her into their bedroom.

Nate lay her down onto the freshly made bed his pants getting lost somewhere in the process. He was inside her within seconds, not even bothering with protection, it didn't seem important, not after everything they'd been through. She didn't halt him either, if they got pregnant again so be it. Maybe it would finally make Nate settle down once and for all. He kissed her over and over; their bodies clung to each other as he thrust into her again and again. After her first orgasm he pulled out and moved down her body, using his lips, tongue and hands to set her on fire. He was relentless when he settled in between her legs, making her gasp, making her moan, and begging him to stop. Her cries only made him suck harder; he started rubbing his thumb across her clit. She bucked into his mouth; he'd forgotten how amazing she tasted. Nate rose back up to lie on top of her, he thrust back inside her and within a few minutes he stilled above her, moaning her name as he finished. He rolled off of her and lay outstretched on his back and Elena curled up into his side, still recovering from what he had just done to her.

The weeks rolled on from there, they had the funeral service, which was small and intimate. They slowly eased themselves back into work, and life was looking good for the couple. Elena still held out hope that she would fall pregnant again, but each month when her period came right on time; she began to get discouraged. They hadn't talked about trying again, but she was certain that it would fix everything and when Nate had asked her she said she was back on the pill. She hated lying to him, but at the same time was too scared to ask him if he wanted to have another baby. Nate made a huge effort to stay around home during those first few months, but inevitably something new and exciting caught his attention. Sully was coming around all the time now, it was something about a Katherine Marlowe, and who could forget Nate's ongoing obsession with Francis Drake.

"It's Drake's ring! Marlowe's taking the bait!" Nate exclaimed to Sully in the living room one afternoon, he was so excited.

"We'll set up an exchange, Katherine's not an idiot; she'll send someone to do her dirty work."

Elena paced back and forth in the bedroom nervously. Her editor wasn't going to wait much longer. She had to decide whether she wanted to take the Foreign Correspondent job overseas. She could hear Nate and Sully in the living room, they were planning another trip. A big one.

"Nate? Can I talk to you?" She asked, motioning for him to come into the bedroom.

"What's up?"

She held up her cell phone. "Nate, that was my editor, I just found out where they want to post me, if I take the job."

"Oh great, somewhere warm and sunny I hope." His tone wasn't malicious; for once he was being supportive of her work.

"Yemen."

"Yemen? As in, the Arabian Peninsula; Yemen?"

"Yeah, that Yemen." She confirmed.

Nate furrowed his brow. "For how long?"

"A few months, maybe longer."

Nate's brow furrowed. "So what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that if you decide this thing with Sully isn't worth your while, that I'll turn it down, stay here."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think that sounded like blackmail." He had pulled the pin out of the metaphorical grenade.

"What are you talking about; I'm not trying to blackmail you."

"I know you don't want me to go, but you don't understand, I think we're onto something that I've been searching for since I was a kid. This is important to me."

"Our marriage is important to me Nate. I'm starting to think that maybe you don't have the same priorities."

"Oh that's rich, talking about priorities, you're going to pack a bag and fly off to Yemen…"

"I'm only thinking about it, but right now Yemen's looking pretty damn good, so why don't you keep pushing."

"Well Sully and I are flying to London. You do what you want." He walked out of the bedroom and Elena slammed the door shut behind him. Crying now, she pulled her bag out of the closet and began to pack.

When she heard her taxi outside, Elena walked over to the front door. "So, I guess I'll see you around Nate? Sully, it's been fun."

Nate jumped on her words straight away; he hadn't actually thought she would leave. "You're the one who said yes when I asked you to marry me, I wondered how long it would take before you regreted that decision."

"Would you stop acting like a child, of course I wanted to marry you!"

"Then why won't you start acting like my wife and support me on this?"

"Oooh Nate…you're really pushing it this time. You really think I want you to go off on another silly crusade, you're running out of lives here, you'll head off on one of these treasure hunts and not come home, you think I want that? You think I want to bury my husband as well?"

"You knew who I was when you said those vows Elena."

"I thought you were ready to settle down, start a family. Whatever happened to the white picket fence?"

"Well you thought wrong."

"So now this is my fault?" She threw her hands up in the air. "I'm not even going to try and reason with you when you're like this." Elena walked into the bedroom and lifted her bag over to the door, Nate following her every move as she did so. "I'm going to Yemen, my taxi's here."

"Go to Yemen then."

"You really want to leave things like this?" She held the tears back, like hell was she going to cry in front of him.

"I'm not sure what I want anymore." Now he was just pushing her away.

"Well I have a plane to catch so maybe when you work it out you can let me know!" Elena started hauling her suitcase down the stairs towards her waiting taxi.

Nate stormed to the top of the stairs, tugging at his wedding band as he does so. "You want to take off to Yemen, but when I want to fly to London with Sully it's a big deal?"

"You just don't get it Nate." She called back up the stairs.

"Fine!" He threw his ring at her in a dramatic fashion. It missed fantastically and hit the taxi, rebounding off of the metal and landing who knows where. "Have a nice flight!" He yelled sarcastically before marching back inside and slamming the front door. He found Sully on the other side, arms folded, and foot tapping at the floor with one eyebrow raised.

"What?" Nate snapped at him.

"I really have to spell it out for you kid?"

"Hey, she's the one that left."

"It's not too late, the girl's in a taxi driving to the airport; call her."

"I'd rather call the airport, book those tickets to London"

"Nate, you love her."

Nate raised his voice; "Sully would you just drop it?"

Sully raised his hands up in defence, before saying "Fine….forget I mentioned it."

Sully thought about calling Elena himself, asking her if there was any way that her and Nate could work this out, finally deciding that it would be crossing too big a line. He knew the two of them would have to work it out themselves. He did make one small contribution though, as him and Nate were hauling their own bags into a taxi a month or so later, Sully's eye caught a glimpse of something lodged between the cracks in the pavement.

"Hold up a second Nate, my shoe's loose." He used the excuse to bend down and when he saw Nate's wedding band sitting there untouched, he swiftly pocketed it, hoping that one day it would come in handy.

Elena was doing well for herself in Yemen. The weeks passed before she could keep track of the time. Before she knew it she had been in the Arabian Peninsula twelve months. It was hard not to think about Nate, especially when their wedding anniversary came around, what would have been their son's first birthday, but normally she managed to lead a happy un-Nate-like life. Then the phone call came that changed everything. She didn't recognise the number and figured it was a new work contact.

"Elena Fisher." She answered.

"Elena, it's been too long."

"Sully?"

"The one and only. How have you been?"

"Good thanks; I'm a little surprised to hear from you…"

"I'm afraid I have an ulterior motive. If I were to require two press passes for unopposed access through the streets of Yemen, would you be the journalist to ask?"

"Press passes, really?" Elena wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"You would be doing me a huge favour."

"So I'm going to need you to email me some photo ID, you said two press passes? One for yourself and I bet I can guess who the second one is for."

"Look, I know the two of you have had your differences but we need these quickly and without any fuss, we don't have anyone else to call."

"When you say quickly?"

"As soon as possible."

Elena sighed. "I'll see what I can do, give me twenty-four hours." Elena hung up her phone. "Damn! How did he talk me into that?" She fingered the wedding band that she still wore. She promised herself this wouldn't lead to anything. Her relationship with Nate was over and she was determined to keep it that way.

Nate was far too quiet on the flight to Yemen. Sully kept looking over at him until he couldn't resist anymore. "You're not still sore about the fact we had to call your ex for help are you?"

"What? No…." After a moment he said "what am I supposed to say to her?"

"Hello would be a start."

"Don't be a wise-ass." Nate was not in the mood.

"I'm sorry, look, just try and be civil will you?"

"After the last time we spoke?"

"Hey, she had just as much right to be pissed off at you, as you were at her. You have to admit kid you were being a bit of an asshole."

"Oh thanks." Nate huffed and folded his arms.

"Try and be the bigger person?"

Nate closed his eyes in response, dreading every minute that passed as they brought him closer to the girl he had been trying so hard to close out of his life; and his heart.

She was still wearing her wedding band. "It helps in this part of the world" pfft, Nate didn't buy it. She agreed to get him and Sully their press passes. She took responsibility for them inside the city. She still cared, she had to. Maybe when all of this was over….Nate scolded himself, telling him to snap out of it. Then again this is what they do, they fight, the break up, the see each other again and they make up. Then again, how many times would they both be willing to do this dance?

"I'm sorry." He whispered to her, lightly touching the wedding band that sat on Elena's finger before passing out from exhaustion. He actually apologised. After everything he had just been through, Nate would have done anything to make things right with Elena. He had almost missed his chance.

"I know." She told him gently as she laid her head on her hand to rest. That was it. It was all over. She knew then that if they both made it through this alive, she would be packing up her bags. Even if they didn't start seeing each other right away, if they were in the same city, maybe they had a chance.

"I'm really sorry about your ring." She leant up and touched the skin where it usually sat. She really was sorry, as much as she hated the obsession; she knew that it was a huge part of him.

"It's all right." He placed his hand over hers. "I swapped it for something better."

Elena's eyes grew wide as she saw the wedding band that sat once again on his finger, and her smile was gorgeous. He hugged her, and she wrapped her arms around him so tightly. She breathed him in, he was here, he was in front of her, and he finally wanted to be her husband.

When they reached their apartment Nate wanted to prove it to her.

Elena dropped her bag on the floor. "So…I was thinking we could freshen up then go grab some take-out, have some dinner?"

Nate dropped his on the floor and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her close to him.

"I was thinking we could skip dinner, go straight to dessert?"

"Oh? What exactly did you have in mind?" She teased him, she knew exactly what he was thinking, or at least she thought she did.

"How about making a baby?"

His comment completely floored her…flustered she managed to respond; "Excuse me?"

"I want the picket fence Elena, I want you."

She kissed him, long and hard, she couldn't stop kissing him as she pulled him into their bedroom.

Sully's words resounded in Nate's head, "real greatness, is what you do with the hand you're dealt." Elena was his hand now, and he swore to himself that this time, he wouldn't fold. Ever.