Chapter 25

Firstly I have to apologise for the length between chapters. I am struggling to find time to write at the moment as my life is a bit hectic with me being ill and all. I am doing my best though and although it may take time, I will finish the story I promise.

"I'm sorry." Nate said softly sitting beside Sophie as the airplane carried them towards Johannesburg.

"Not good enough." Sophie replied fighting back the tears she felt stinging her eyes.

"Sophie…"

"Nate I know you love me, love us… and want to protect us, but you just end up hurting us, and… and I just…" Sophie inhaled deeply and looked away from Nate composing herself before turning back to him. "Every time Nate, every time… I…we… have to find out you have done something, put yourself in danger and almost got yourself killed without even consulting us…ME…and then we are left scrambling which puts us in even more danger than we would have been had you just been up front and honest with us in the first place and let us help you. But no…the great Nate Ford will protect us and do it all on his own getting himself in trouble every time and putting us through hell at the same time."

Nate watched her as she spoke her emotions going from sadness and fear to anger. This was not the first time they had been in this situation, not the first time he had left the team behind to do what he felt needed to be done, and not the first time they had come after him and yes, they had helped him out of trouble, putting themselves at risk to do so, but he was sure he would have got himself out of trouble without them and without having them get themselves into dangerous situations. He could see it from her perspective but she, and the team, refused to see it from his. He was not prepared to lose any member of his family ever again, not because of something he did or didn't do.

"Sophie…I…"

"Anything to drink?" A passing stewardess asked interrupting him.

Nate broke eye contact with Sophie and looked up at the stewardess almost grateful for her presence.

"I'll have a whiskey please, neat. The lady will have a glass of white wine."

He turned back to Sophie but she had turned toward the window and was studiously ignoring him. Nate reached out and touched her shoulder lightly.

"Sophie…" Nate said softly but got no response. "Ok. So I did something stupid…in your eyes…"

"In my eyes Nate…?" Sophie hissed out.

"Yes in your eyes." Nate said in a harsh tone. He was tired of this now. He loved this woman more than life. He loved his team like his family and he'll be damned if he was going to apologise again and again for trying to protect them. He and Sterling would have muddled through this whole thing without them and nobody but himself needed to get into any kind of trouble.

"Did you ever wonder why I went to such elaborate lengths to keep you guys in the dark? Did you?" Nate asked this time taking Sophie's shoulder and turning her toward him.

"Nate…"

"No it is my turn now. The reason I do it is because I cannot tell you what is going on and expect you to respect my wishes and stay out of it. No you will insist on coming with and getting involved. Well I DID NOT WANT YOU INVOLVED." Nate said his tone getting more severe and emphasising the last part.

"Nathan Ford…" Sophie said her voice cold as ice. What the hell was Nate thinking now, accusing them of things when it was him that was in the wrong?

"No Sophie…not this time. I came here to help out a friend and we were doing just fine until you and Eliot and the others arrived on scene. I appreciate you think I was being foolish and putting myself in danger, well I put MYSELF in danger and not you all. The fact that you are all now involved and so deeply involved that you could all get hurt or worse…killed… well I am as unhappy about that as you are."

"Are you finished...?"

"No Sophie I am not finished."

"Yes Nathan you are. Of course the great Nathan Ford will protect those he loves right…Just like you protected Maggie by not telling her about Sam and I.Y.S…."

"Stop right there." Nate said between clenched teeth. He turned around and sat back in his chair closed his eyes and then downed his whiskey. She had no right to bring that up and it was not at all the same.

"Nate I am sorry…It's just…"

"Don't bother Sophie. You want out, that's fine." Nate said raising his glass in the air and catching the attention of the stewardess in order to get a refill. He had said he was sorry. He had explained why he had done what he had. But enough was now enough. Sophie had gone too far. How dare she bring Sam into this whole mess?

"We will end this thing here and then go our separate ways if that is what you want, I won't fight you on it." Nate said softly keeping is eyes firmly fixed in front of him.

"That's not what I said." Sophie said softly realising she had stepped too far, anger had flooded over her and she had not thought, she had just blurted out something she should have stayed well clear of. "I am sorry I should not have brought what happened with Sam into this…"

"No…You shouldn't have." Nate said watching the hostess approach and taking the proffered drink from her. "We have something we have to take care of." He said sipping the drink and then placing it on his tray and turning towards Sophie brushing her hand from his lap.

Sophie stared at him, she could see the hurt and pain in his eyes and wondered was it for Sam or for her?

"Yes we do." She said softly.

"We land in about thirty minutes. Let's go over the plan." Nate said launching into the plan he had devised for getting Jonathan Derby out of their lives forever.

Next chapter is going to be all action I promise. Hope you enjoying the story so far