Chapter 13

Nate was in a dream, a dark dream that he desperately wanted to get out of. It was a dream of death and sorrow…he kept seeing a small boy die, over and over again in his mind.

"What do you think he is dreaming about?" Parker asked as she watched Nate squirm in the bed.

"Nothing good…" Hardison said with concern as Nate called out in his sleep, a heart wrenching 'NO' escaping his lips along with the tears escaping his eyes.

Suddenly Nate's eyes flew open and he stared around the room wildly trying to get his bearings. He sat up and then felt a sharp pain in his head which made him fall back on the pillows. He closed his eyes and tried to slow his breathing as he realised that it was just a dream. Then he remembered his talk with Maggie. It was not just a dream…it had happened, his son had died, it was just not happening right now.

Neither Parker nor Hardison said anything as they watched Nate struggle to regain his composure, both wanted to but for some reason they felt they should not. They watched as Nate lay back in the bed and closed his eyes again, taking deep breaths to try to calm himself. Then Nate opened his eyes and stared at the two of them as they stood beside his bed.

Parker reached out to Nate wanting to ease his fears and calm him but he instinctively drew his arm away from her then frowned as he saw the hurt look flit across her face. He heard Maggie's words again. They were his family. These people were his family. He could see the concern on both of their faces as they watched him and he felt a distinct uneasiness. Neither he nor them spoke, he did not know what to say and they were scared to say anything. They stayed like that for a few minutes which seemed like hours, each eyeing the other not quite sure what to do. Then Nate sat up and cleared his throat as he ran his hand through his sweat soaked hair.

"How long have you two been here?" He asked hoarsely. His throat was dry and he would give anything for a drink.

Hardison lifted the glass of water off the side table and held it out to Nate. Nate looked at him and then took the glass sipping the cool liquid. This was not exactly the drink he had in mind but it did soothe his throat a little.

"Thanks…" He said as he handed the glass back to Hardison. Hardison took the glass and put it back on the table

"It was a bad dream?" Hardison asked turning his attention back to Nate.

Nate nodded running his hand through his hair again. What did he say to these people? He didn't know them…well not in the way he was supposed to. He remembered them only as criminals whom he chased to get IYS property back. He felt uncomfortable with them here, with Parker staring at him intently her eyes full of concern and tinged with sadness and Hardison trying to make conversation.

"Where's Maggie?" Nate asked.

"I'm not sure, I think she went down to the cafeteria with Eliot." Parker said then cursed herself silently as she saw Nate frown at this information, of course he would not be happy with that, his wife, or ex-wife going to the cafeteria with a Hitter.

"I see…" Was all Nate said in response to her statement. The whole situation was awkward. It was as if they were strangers, with no connection to each other at all.

"How are you feeling?" Parker asked the silence becoming too uncomfortable.

"Fine…" Nate replied. What did he say to her? He felt like shit. His head hurt, his heart hurt…all he could think about was that his son was dead. He could not close his eyes without seeing images. Was that a good thing he wondered? Before Maggie had spoken to him he did not recall any of it. Now he could see it, see his son in the hospital with the doctors trying to save him. Did that mean that the memories of these two people, and Eliot and…and Sophie would return too?

"Nate…"

"Look Parker I don't remember ok. I know Maggie told me about us…about our…our family but…but I don't remember any of it. I don't feel…I just don't feel anything." He said flatly.

"But you will…" Parker said in a small voice. "I told you I would remind you, every day until you did…I told you that before the operation…"

"Parker…"

"No Nate…you will remember. You are…you are family and you will remember." Parker said adamantly.

"Well maybe I don't want to remember." Nate said his eyes boring into the little Thief. "Did you ever think of that Parker? Maybe it is better if I DON'T remember…not any of it." Nate said closing his eyes to shut out the look on her face as he spoke. He did not want to remember…he did not want to remember his son dying. He did not want to remember that and that was all he could think about. Why had Maggie told him…why?

"But you have to…" Parker said softly as she stared at the man who was more than a father to her, meant more than any person in her life ever had, including Hardison. He could not mean that, he could not mean that he did not want to remember them, the way they were. Surely he wanted his family back?

Nate did not respond. He remained still, lying back on the bed with his eyes closed, trying to shut out the look of anguish on her face as she had looked at him. He did not want to hurt her. He may not remember how it was between them, all of them, but that did not mean he wanted to hurt them. He just wanted to forget everything and if that meant forgetting them, or at least not remembering them, then so be it. He wanted to shut out the pain of losing his son. He wanted a drink. Maggie had said he had started drinking. He had become an alcoholic…well now he could understand why. He would do anything not to feel this terrible pain inside of him as he thought about his son. He wanted to block it out, make it disappear just like his memory.

"Nate…" Sophie's voice drifted across from the door. She had stood listening to the conversation and felt that now was the time to intervene, before Parker said something and Nate reacted to it.

Nate's eyes flew open at her voice. He stared at the woman standing in the doorway looking at him. Sophie Devereaux. She always had been able to take his breath away and this was no exception. She looked drawn and weary but still as beautiful as he remembered her.

"Parker, Hardison would you give me and Nate a moment please?" She asked as she entered the room and made her way to stand at the foot of Nate's bed. She did not take her eyes off of him as she spoke.

"Sure…" Hardison said taking Parker's hand and pulling her towards the door.

"Close the door please." Sophie asked still not taking her eyes of Nate.

Hardison nodded and then closed the door behind them leaving the Grifter and the Mastermind alone. Then both of them rushed over to the waiting couches to follow what was happening in the room via the camera's Hardison had installed. They were joined a few minutes later by Maggie and Eliot.

"How long has she been in there?" Eliot said watching the image of Sophie standing at the foot of the bed and Nate lying in it, both of them staring intently at the other without uttering a word.

"Only a few minutes…but they haven't said anything yet, they are just…just staring." Hardison said.

"Maybe we should give them some privacy." Maggie said softly. She for one did not want to watch this. This was a personal, intimate moment between husband and wife, even if he did not remember being her husband.

"Yeah…" Eliot agreed.

"Ok…" Hardison said reluctantly as he closed the laptop.

Parker scooted along the couch and lay resting her head on his shoulder. Eliot and Maggie sat down opposite them and silence filled the room. Eliot wondered what was being said inside that room. If anybody was going to bring Nate back to them it was going to be Sophie. He just hoped she could do it, for all their sakes.

Thank you all again so very much for the reviews. Sorry about the mini cliff hanger… So how do you think the meeting between Sophie and Nate is going to go? I look forward to reading your reviews of this chapter.