Nate Ford walks into his apartment, pausing before he turns on the light.
"I know you're there. If you're going to kill me, you should know I have a couple of friends who don't forgive so easily."
Silence.
He flicks on the light, exposing a man with gun, still as a statue, staring at him. There is no doubt in Nate's mind that if this man wanted only to kill him, he would never have even made it through the door.
"What can I do for you, Sir?" he asks, tapping a button under the table that'll ping his team.
"Eliot Spencer," the man says, staring up at him with cold, merciless eyes.
"Never heard of him," Nate replies automatically.
"Of course not," the man threatens, tossing a set of photos on the table in front of him. Eliot guarding Hardison. Eliot putting his body in front of Parker as a shield. Eliot on Sophie's arm on a job. Eliot taking out the team of 5 men attacking Nate.
"What do you want with him?" Nate growls, just as threateningly, his eyes fierce with warning.
The man's lip curls up in what could almost be a smile.
"Nothing. You answered all my questions," he responds, a hint of approval in his voice. He stands and gathers all the photos again. Nate notes the care with which he handles them, despite his very lethal-looking metal arm.
"You know, a couple months ago, nearly this same thing happened to me already," he stalls, voice rising as his brain tries to make impossible connections. "Only it was an… intriguing woman then. Redhead. Had that same protective look in her eyes you just did."
The man freezes, almost to the door.
"I won't tell him you came by," Nate promised. "Just like I didn't tell him about her."
The man glances back at him, searching, almost pleading with his eyes.
Nate nods, sure of himself now.
"He has a new family, now," he offers, walking over to his desk, before handing over a different photo and a promise. "We'll take care of him. No matter what."
He stares at Nate, then gives him a bittersweet grimace, and looks to the photo in his hand. He runs a tender finger over Eliot's laughing face, his own expression so full of yearning Nate is sure he's unaware of it, then he carefully tucks the photo away, and turns instead toward the window.
Nate's team rushes in just after the man jumps out.