Chapter 10

Maggie arrived in the early evening and Sophie and Eliot went to fetch her at the airport. The other two stayed behind to keep an eye on Nate who was still under heavy sedation and was in and out of consciousness.

"Sophie…" Maggie called out as she spotted her friend.

"Maggie…" Sophie called back and the two woman embraced each other warmly.

"Hi Eliot…" Maggie said as she and Sophie separated.

"Maggie." Eliot said taking her bags and indicating they should move towards the car.

"How are you holding up?" Maggie asked Sophie.

"I'm alright." Sophie said softly and although she was a very good liar Maggie saw right through her and shook her head but did not say anything.

"How is he?"

"Sedated...The doctor doesn't want to take a chance that he goes into another panic attack, it could lead to…to a stroke or…" Sophie said tears welling again in her eyes. Maggie took the woman's hand and squeezed it gently.

"Ok…but he wants to tell Nate about Sam and me and everything else?"

"Yes, he said it would be better to tell him in a controlled environment, and he asked for you because…because he needs a friendly face, one he can…can trust."

"I see…" Maggie said seeing that this was hurting her friend tremendously. The fact that she could not be with Nate, the fact that the doctor had told her to stay away from him, that she would do more harm to him than good with her presence, it was killing her.

"What does he think is going to happen when we tell Nate?"

"He doesn't know. But the thing is Nate is anxious because of seeing Eliot, he is going to be in an anxious state until we clear everything up. So not telling him is not an answer either. They can't keep him sedated forever and when they take him off sedation he is still going to be in the same state…" Sophie said. "If he did not remember anything at all, or had not reacted in the way he had to Eliot, then we would not tell him anything until he was stronger, but…"

"But his reaction to me leaves us no choice." Eliot said over his shoulder. "He thinks I have taken his family, you and Sam, and holding you for some reason. He thinks…thinks I have hurt you." Eliot said and Maggie could hear the hurt in his voice.

"Eliot I'm sure…"

"It's ok Maggie. I know who and what I was before, and I understand Nate's reaction." Eliot said and he did, he had been a monster, the things he had done made him a monster. Nate had tracked him, he knew what Eliot was capable of and his fear at seeing Eliot was not unexpected considering he did not remember anything of the last years. If it had not been for Nate he would have fallen so much further, into a dark place that he would never have been able to get out of.

"So how is this going to work…?" Maggie asked.

"I don't know. The doctor will speak to us when we get back to the hospital and we will take it from there."

"Ok…" Maggie said sitting back in the seat. Silence fell over the group as Eliot drove them towards the hospital.

They were met at the front door of the hospital but Parker and Hardison. Parker informed them that the doctor would be round a little later to talk to them about what would happen from here in in and to brief Maggie on what the plan was for telling Nate and what to expect when they did. Then they all trouped up to the waiting area outside of Nate's room.

"Hardison…?" Sophie asked looking at the door which remained closed.

"He's in and out, they are keeping him pretty much under. Every time he wakes he is desperate to find his son and you…" Hardison said looking at Maggie. "There is a nurse with him all the time now.

"Ok…so when did the doctor say he would be here?"

"Mrs Ford…?" Doctor Wayne Cowan asked as he approached the group taking them by surprise.

"Yes…" Both Maggie and Sophie answered simultaneously.

"Sorry…the ex-Mrs Ford I presume…?" The doctor said looking at Maggie.

"Yes." Maggie said taking the doctors hand as he introduced himself.

"Shall we sit?" He said as he moved towards the couches in the waiting area. The rest followed and took seats while Eliot stood behind the couch that the doctor and Maggie sat on.

"How much do you know?" Dr. Cowan asked.

"Sophie filled me in on everything up to now." Maggie said.

"Good. Well we need to make Mr Ford understand what has happened during the gap in his memory. Obviously the death of his son, and his divorce from you are going to be hard for him to hear. However I believe it is imperative that he learns the truth so that he can deal with it. He is currently under the impression that both you and his son are in danger from Mr Spenser and that is causing him great concern." The doctor explained. "Normally we would not do this at such an early stage after the surgery, considering the nature of the memories we will be trying to restore, however we have no choice at this stage. Mr Ford cannot be kept under sedation for much longer, it is not doing him any good and every time he wakes he is more confused and more anxious."

"I understand Doctor." Maggie said softly. "Where do we start?"

"Well firstly we have to convince him that this is in fact the year 2013 and that he is in a hospital after undergoing surgery for a brain tumor. Now we have tried to explain this to him but for some reason he refuses to believe us. I think he believes we are all part of some conspiracy and that we want something from him. Perhaps if it comes from you he will believe it to be true. Once we have established that with him you will have to fill him in on the happenings during the gap in his memory…" The doctor paused and looked at Maggie. "Including the death of your son."

"Ok…"

"Mrs Ford…"

"Maggie, please call me Maggie."

"Maggie, I know this will be hard for you to recount the events, but you have to remain calm and as emotionless as possible when you relate these events to him."

Maggie drew in a deep breath. She had to tell the man she had once loved so very much and still loved to some extent that his son…their son was dead, let him relive that awful truth and she was not supposed to show any emotion. She did not know if that was even possible.

"Ok…" Maggie said hesitantly.

The doctor smiled at her sadly, he knew what he was asking was going to be difficult for her.

"Alright, we have sedated him again only a short while ago so he will sleep through the night now. I propose you all go and get some rest. I will start weaning him from the sedatives tonight and tomorrow morning we can talk to him. Let's say around eight am?"

"We'll be here." Eliot said.

"Good." Dr. Cowan said standing up. "I will see you tomorrow then." He said then turned and left the group.

"Oh God…" Maggie said letting out a deep breath.

"Maggie…"

"I'm fine Sophie, it's just…Sam…"

"I know it is going to be hard to tell him and not to be emotional about it…I know how difficult it will be but…"

"But I will do it." Maggie said wiping away a stray tear that had appeared unheeded.

"Well, there is nothing we can do tonight so why don't you go get freshened up Maggie and then we can go out to dinner." Eliot said.

"That sounds good." Maggie smiled. "Where do I go…?" She asked knowing they would have a room around here that they were using.

"Come…I'll take you." Sophie said picking up one of Maggie's bags while she took the other and leading Maggie towards their room.

Eliot watched them go. Now he was really starting to understand why Nate had done what he had. He admired the man for it, even though he still thought it was an idiotic idea. Nate had wanted to avoid all of this. All this pain and emotional fallout that this was causing, not for himself but for Sophie, and now Maggie, not to mention the rest of the team. Nate could not possibly have possibly known that this was going to happen, but nonetheless he had wanted to avoid all fallout for the team and the woman he loved.

Maggie and Sophie returned to meet them a half hour later and the group set off to get some dinner and just catch up and relax before the ordeal the next day would bring. It was a good dinner with Sophie filling Maggie in on what she and Nate had done on their honeymoon and about her theatre group. They avoided the topic of Nate. Tomorrow would be here soon enough. Once they had finished dinner, Eliot offered that Maggie and Sophie stay at his place for the night. Parker and Hardison said they would go to their place and Eliot would return to the hospital.

"I'll pick you guys up at seven." He said as he left the woman at his apartment.

"Thanks Eliot." Maggie said giving him an unexpected hug. "You know he really does care for you right…I mean…he doesn't really believe you could or would…"

"I know Maggie…I know." Eliot whispered into her ear as they hugged each other.

"Good. Then we will see you tomorrow morning at seven." Maggie said pulling away from the Hitter and smiling at him.

"Right. Good night you two, and try to get some sleep ok." He said. If he knew the two of them they would be up most of the night talking. They were both going to need their strength tomorrow and he hopped that they would get some rest at least.

"We will. You too..." Sophie said kissing him lightly on the cheek. Then Eliot turned and left the two woman to return to keep vigil at the hospital.

It was a quarter to eight when they all gathered outside Nate's room again anxiously awaiting the arrival of the doctor.

"Good morning Maggie…Mrs Ford…" Dr Cowan said as he arrived to meet them.

"Mr Ford is awake and lucid. He was weaned from the sedatives during the night. He is in a very anxious state at the moment so we should proceed as soon as possible."

"I'm ready Doctor." Maggie said.

"Maggie…"

"It's going to be find Sophie…" The blonde woman said pulling her friend into a hug. "We'll get through this."

Sophie nodded and then watched the doctor and Nate's ex-wife enter his hospital room and close the door.

"Hardison…?" Sophie asked.

"Here." Hardison said setting up his laptop on the little table in front of the couches. He knew that Sophie would not want to leave the area to go back to the room, and although they were in a very public place it was too bad. They were going to watch and everybody else be damned.

All of them took their seats in front of the little computer with Eliot again taking up a position behind them. Then they fell silent as the watched the scene inside the room unfold.

Thank you all again for the reviews. How do you think the talk with Maggie is going to play out? What do you think Nate's reaction is going to be? Please don't forget to leave me your thoughts on this chapter, I look forward to receiving each and every review.