Eliot turns towards Sophie offering his arm to escort Sophie back into the house. As they stroll, Eliot starts a conversation that he has been meaning to have with Sophie. "You know, the operation has grown since you and Nate left. You should join us, we could use your help." Eliot places his hand over Sophie's to drive home his point. She and Nate had been missed and the world has changed, it has grown colder. The marks are more sophisticated and the grifts more complicated. They really could use Sophie's help. "Oh Eliot, I have been out of the con for years. I don't know if I could do it anymore." The thought is a bit of an enticement. She needs more in her life. "Sophie, you are exceptional, it is like riding a bike." Eliot offers with a wink. "I will consider it if you answer a question for me." Sophie offers with a sly smile. Eliot knows the question that is on Sophie's lips before it is asked. "So what is the story between you and my little sister."
Eliot stops to give Sophie his undivided attention. "If I tell you, you will come back?" Eliot decides to leverage his bargaining chip. Sophie knows that she walked into the trap, call it a honey trap. She is a willing prisoner for now. "Yes, I will." Eliot escorts Sophie to an area out of earshot of prying ears. Eliot escorts Sophie into an empty salon as he paces before her to organize his thoughts. "Sophie." From his tone alone, Sophie knows this is a story that is hard for Eliot to tell. "Remember how I once told you the worst thing I had ever done, I did for Damian Moreaux." Sophie does not like where this story is going with the potential combination of her beloved Teddy and Damian but she nods as an indication for Eliot to continue. "Sophie, I have done some truly terrible things in my life. I have accepted the darkness that came with that life. The worst thing I ever did, I did to Anna Sun." Sophie instinctively knows the unsaid words. She saw her sister's reaction in the hall that very first day. Teddy slipped into her armor. Teddy's armor was her bravado deployed at the drop of a hat since childhood.
"You loved her." Sophie offers as a statement into the air. Eliot does not answer, he merely looks up with an expression that is all that Sophie needs to see in confirmation. The conversation is interrupted by the appearance of Hardison and Parker at the door offering to accompany them to breakfast. Eliot slips into his own set of armor as he again offers an arm to escort Sophie. To mask the true nature of their conversation, Sophie announces to Parker and Hardison that she would love to join the team again. Parker offers with an eyebrow raised and a smile, "We should steal something."
As they speed toward London, Raffy decides it is time to pull it out of Teddy already. "Not that I hate coming home but I take it that you wanted "protection" from yourself." Raffy offered the words with the appropriate air quotes. It all came together and clicked. This was the guy. The one that broke her heart a thousand times. Honestly, Raffy should thank Eliot. It was that level of absolute heartbreak that pulled him into this world. A world that he truly loves. With a smile in Teddy's direction, the past plays like a movie in his mind.
After months of trying to get past the pain, Teddy ended up coming home to Chatsworth when there was a break in the tour schedule. Universal kismet timed her visit to coincide with when he was on leave to decide if he was re-upping. He and Teddy always had a friendship, from the time that they were little kids. She may have been to the manor born and he was of the servant class, but they worked. A long walk through the Cascade sharing a truly astoundingly expensive bottle of bourbon swiped from the Duke's private stash ended with a job offer to come and work for her and the freedom it would allow. Teddy always knew his secret. She was one of the few who did not care, it never made a difference to her. The job offer would free him from the web of lies and would allow him to just be... be who he truly was. Who could turn down a job offer like that? He did not find out the circumstances behind the visit until much much later when the toll again caused the cracks in Teddy's bravado to show.
Though it was a moment of pure whimsey, Sophie has now found herself at the helm of Leverage International. She has to admit that she is duly impressed with what Parker, Eliot, and Hardison had built. By design, the operation runs itself. Sophie finds herself returning to the best of her life. The travel, the intrigue, have reignited her spark and it is now time to fan the flames. Their first few cons were quite bold and have been getting bolder, Sophie has to admit she has her groove back.
Sophie finds herself in a Parisian hotel enjoying the view and lost in her thoughts. She sips her wine with an occasional dip of her sunglasses as she takes in the tourists striding about before returning her gaze back to her book. To her surprise, her attention is grabbed by a gentleman who has approached the table. "Well hello, stranger, funny to find you in Paris, Lady Cavendish." Sophie raises her gaze to see Harry standing before her. With her curiosity tingled, Sophie raises a hand motioning for Harry to join her. "What a coincidence, has business brought you to Paris?" Harry motions to the waiter, ordering a bottle of wine in near-perfect French Sophie is in the mood for indulgence as she settles into the moment. If her memory serves, Harry was delightful company and the ball. What could be better than Paris in springtime to test the waters. She has earned a break.