Chapter 25

Nate was moved out of ICU on the fourth day of his stay in hospital. He had not woken up yet but his vital signs had improved and the doctor was happy with his progress. They had taken one of suites on the upper floors of the hospital usually reserved for the wealthy who were in for cosmetic surgery so that they could stay comfortably with the Mastermind until he woke and they could assure themselves he was going to be fine.

It was one in the morning when Nate decided to open his eyes for the first time. Only Eliot was awake sitting slouched in one of the comfortable chairs scattered around the room. He heard Nate stir and was at his bedside almost instantly.

"Hey." Nate croaked out. His throat was sore and his mouth felt like something had slept in it. "Water."

"You can't have water Nate, but here this should help." Eliot said as he placed a piece of ice on the Masterminds lips. Nate licked his lips trying to get as much of the ice cold water down his throat.

"How are they?" Nate asked casting his eyes around the room. Parker and Hardison were on an oversized setae while Sophie was curled up on one of the other chairs next to his bed. All were sleeping soundly.

"Worried."

"How long?"

"Five days." Eliot said putting another small piece of ice on his lips.

"Trevor?"

"In a federal maximum-security cell. He isn't getting out again."

"Good." Nate said laying his head back and closing his eyes again. He did not like the look in Eliot's eyes and wanted to avoid any recriminations until later. Slowly he drifted back to sleep and Eliot took his seat again.

Nate woke again at ten the next morning to find his whole team around his bed when he opened his eyes.

"Hey guys." He said with a hoarse voice.

"Hey yourself." Sophie said and Nate could hear in her voice that his troubles were far from over. "It took you long enough to wake up. And just what were you thinking…"

"Sophie."

"Don't you Sophie me Nate. I mean I get you came back to save us, but then you KNEW Trevor was out and you went off on your own, set yourself up with a big target without including us again. Are you never going to learn, we are a team, we have each other's backs, we are a family."

"Yeah but."

"No but's Nate. That was just wrong man." Hardison said softly.

"Ok, I'm sorry." Nate said looking from one to the other. "I didn't think Trevor knew where I was and…"

"It doesn't matter, you knew he was out, and he was going to come after you. What were you just going to go back to your hotel and hide out?" Eliot growled out. "No, you weren't you were going to set yourself up so he came after you and not us."

"No, no, no." Nate said. "Well ok yes that is exactly what I did." Taking all of them by complete surprise. "Look guys that is what I do, I make sure that we all come out the other side alive. Besides I came here to get you out of trouble not put you back into trouble."

"Yes and you did, but Nate, you are mistaken, that is my job, to keep us all safe and get us out alive." Eliot said his voice cold and hard.

"Well yes Eliot that is your job." Nate looking towards the ice pieces at his bedside. Parker sighed and took one to give to him before he continued. "But it is my job to make sure you can do yours. It is my job to make sure there is a plan and that it works, and if it doesn't that there are contingencies."

"Oh, so like plan M" Parker said looking at Hardison.

"Yes, Parker just like plan M." Nate smiled at the Thief.

"So, Nate, we had this discussion before, and you never said. Just how many of these plans include you dying?" Sophie said looking intently at the Mastermind. "And which one was this?"

"Well, not many, and this one was, well, ah…"

"Nathan Ford. Six months ago, you walked away from us and left us to muddle on by ourselves. You knew we were not going to stop. You knew it. You made us into this team, this family, and you gave us a mission and then you left us exposed. Then you come back waltzing in and 'save' us because we made a mistake. As if that was not bad enough you decide you need to take the hits for us as well. But the reason we were in that position in the first place was your stupid, stubborn, pig headed idea that you needed to leave us to protect us. Do you know why you have so many backups and why we never get to them? Do you Nate." Sophie continued not allowing the Mastermind to answer before continuing. "It is because you are there to make sure we don't need them. You are there to change the plan if we need to, you are there to see what is coming and steer us away from hitting a brick wall. YOU ARE THERE!"

Silence followed Sophie's final words. Nate looked from one to another as his eyes fell on them, they nodded their agreement with Sophie's view. He put his head back against the pillows and closed his eyes. He was tired, and he was sore, and he did not want to have this conversation in the first place. He also knew Sophie was right, but he was not going to admit that now. Just as Nate was going to respond the doctor entered the room with a nurse in tow.

"Mr Ford, Mrs Ford." He said as he came in eliciting a raised eyebrow at Sophie from Nate at the mention of a Mrs Ford, she just shrugged and smiled at him. "I am sorry, but I need to examine my patient now, you can all wait outside please.

Sophie gave Nate a look that told him this was not over, they were still going to discuss his idiotic behaviour and the repercussions thereof, and then left the room with the other three in tow.

"So Mr Ford how are we feeling this morning?" The doctor said approaching his patient.

"Well I am a little sore and I could use something to drink." Nate said.

"Yes well let's see here." The doctor said lifting Nate's shirt and checking his stomach, they had been monitoring him and he had a suspicion that Nate may be bleeding internally again, but he had been too weak to do anything about it before.

"Uh…" Nate said as the doctor probed his abdomen.

The doctor continued his exam and Nate watched him closely as he did. He did not like what he saw on the man's face. He also did not like the shards of pain that were shooting through him as the doctor pressed and prodded him. Finally the doctor moved back and told Nate he could lie back.

"Ok Mr Ford we seem to have a problem."

"A problem?" Nate asked raising his eyebrows. He hated doctors, he hated hospitals and he especially hated both of them when a doctor announced there was a problem.

"I think you are bleeding internally again. I believe that it may have been leaking for a time already, although I could not be sure until now, internal bleeding is one of the hardest things to diagnose, and there is no discolouration as yet to indicate it. We will need to operate again and we need to do so as soon as possible to prevent further damage. I will send you down for a MRI and then if my suspicions are confirmed I will have to take you straight into theatre."

"Risks?"

"I am not going to lie to you Mr Ford. Depending on the severity of the bleed and the damage it may already have caused, there is a risk. But I do not believe we have a choice."

"I see." Nate said. "And what are the odds?"

The doctor paused before continuing then told Nate that the odds were 50/50, and that Nate could die on the operating table. He believed in being honest with his patients, he was a strong believer in informed consent. Of course the man would not refuse the operation, they never did.

Nate stared at the doctor and closed his eyes briefly. Another operation, a very risky one at that, and that was the last thing he needed. That was the last thing they needed.

"My nurse will be in to take you down in a short while. I can inform your wife if you like."

"No, no I'll tell them." Nate said, it would be better coming from him and he did not want to have the doctor telling them about risks and chances.

The doctor left the room and the others filed in and he could see the question mark on Sophie's face.

"Why don't you all have a seat?" Nate said sitting up in bed and wincing slightly as he did.

"Nate what's going on?" Sophie said. She was alarmed, she was scared, the doctor had said something, found something, she was not sure what but something had happened she was sure of that.

"Ok." Nate said taking a deep breath and letting it out as was his way when broaching a topic, he did not like discussing. "So, the doctor thinks they may have missed something and wants to do an MRI and then possibly he might have to go back in to fix it."

"What?" Sophie said moving to his bedside and taking his hand, the first contact she had made with him since he woke. "How bad is it Nate?"

"Nothing to worry about Sophie really." Nate said softly.

Eliot stared at the Mastermind. He was lying. There was a risk here he knew enough about injuries and such to know that. If Nate were still bleeding internally it could be bad if it had been for the last few days, and for the doctor to suspect that then he must have been because it was not an easy thing to pick up even in a hospital.

"When?" Eliot asked.

"Not sure but not long before they take me for the MRI." Nate replied looking at his Hitter and seeing he realised the severity of the situation.

"Nate be honest with us for once in your life please. Trust us." Sophie said softly. She knew from the look on Eliot's face that Nate was lying to them, to her, again.

Nate locked eyes with her and then nodded. "First I do trust you all, with my life." Nate said pointedly and then continued. "Ok so he is not sure how long there has been a bleed if there is one. If it has been since the last operation it could be very bad, even if not it could be bad. I, I am still a little tapped out after the last operation and blood loss then as well as from the other injuries. Bottom line is it is a crap shoot, 50/50." Nate said not putting any frills on and not hiding anything. He could see the look of concern now on Parker and Hardison's faces as they realised what he was saying. There was a fifty percent chance he could die during this operation.

"Ok, well you always played the odds well." Sophie said fighting back her tears and internal turmoil at the revelation. She tried to keep her voice even, she needed to show him support. She too could see the concern in the younger team member's eyes. They had been through a lot in the last six months and now this. She was not sure how much more any of them could take. "I am sure you will be fine."

All Sophie wanted to do was throw her arms around him and kiss him and tell him how much she loved him, but she could not do that. They were not there in their relationship. They were somewhere but not there. She loved this man with all her heart but he was not ready to admit he loved her, at least not to her face.

"Nate, we will see you just now." Eliot said then looked at the other two. "Let's give them a moment guys." He sensed that Nate and Sophie needed to be along for a minute or two.

Neither one of the two made a move until Eliot growled out Hardison's name and threw his eyes towards Sophie telling them they needed to leave Nate and Sophie alone for a few minutes. Hardison nodded his understanding and grabbed Parkers arm dragging her with them as they left the room and closed the door.