Chapter 7

Eliot came down the stairs to be met by three very anxious people.

"How did it go?" Sophie asked almost hesitantly, he had been up there for a long time and she wondered what they had talked about. The fact that neither one had come storming down the stairs was a good sign she thought.

"Ok." Eliot said and Sophie could hear the emotion he was trying to suppress in his voice and saw it on his face, although he was hiding it quite well. "I…I need some air." He said then walked past them and out the front door.

"What the…" Hardison said as the door closed.

"Let him go Parker." Sophie said as the woman turned to go after him. "This must have been hard for him too."

"What do you think they talked about?" Hardison asked.

"I don't know Hardison." Sophie said with a sigh. She wanted to go up and see Nate but resisted the urge. Her stomach was in knots and her mind was racing, what had they talked about, how had it gone, why was Eliot so emotional, all these questions ran through her head as she thought about what might have happened over the last four hours in that room.

Eliot returned an hour later to find Sophie and the others sitting on the balcony, none of them talking but just sitting and staring out over the valley below.

"Eliot." Sophie said as the Hitter walked on the balcony with a bottle of beer. She wanted to ask but bit her tongue. She looked at the two others and told them to give her and Eliot some time. Hardison caught the look and nodded slightly before standing and turning.

"Common girl let's go you can show me that rig you bragging about." Hardison said seeing that Parker did not want to leave.

"Ok." Parker said without much enthusiasm and with a sad pout on her face.

Eliot watched them leave and then sat down in the chair next to Sophie's after pouring her a wine.

"So?"

"He…he told some of what happened." Eliot said softly. "Sophie I don't think we really realise what went on there, he was a monster, worse than Moreau, worse than…" Eliot breathed deeply before continuing. "But Sophie that ain't the worst of it."

"What do you mean?" She asked confused.

"The whole time we were also being watched and the bastard showed Nate video and pictures of us telling him if he tried to get out…well you know, that took away even the slim hope of escape from him, he had nothing to hold on to, add to that he blames himself for Peter and the other guys' deaths."

"Oh my God." Sophie said tears forming in her eyes. "But why?"

"Because he is Nate, because he takes responsibility for things that ain't his to take responsibility for, because…ah hell Sophie because that is just who he is."

"But he opened up?"

"Yeah he did." Eliot said with a heavy heart, it had been hard for Nate to tell him what he had, and it had been hard for him to hear.

"Well that is at least something Eliot." She said softly looking at the man intently and seeing the sadness on his face. "Are you ok Eliot?"

"Yeah." He said but she could hear the tiredness in his voice, the emotion he was hiding from her.

"I know it was unfair of me to lay this on you…I just…I just don't think he would have opened up to any one of us."

"It's ok Sophie really." Eliot smiled at her.

"You had to tell him something from your past didn't you?" Sophie said knowing how guarded Eliot kept his past, not because he did not trust them, but because of the pain it caused him. "I am sorry Eliot."

"Don't be." Eliot said. "He is worth it, all of it."

Sophie felt tears again but this time not for Nate but for the man that sat before her. She reached out and put her hand on his squeezing it gently but said nothing, there was nothing she could say.

"Anyway, I am going to go see what to make for dinner."

Sophie smiled and nodded. Eliot found a kind of peace in the kitchen and she knew he needed that right now, whatever had happened between Nate and him had brought painful memories, for both men, she just hoped it would all be worth it in the end, that it would bring them all closer and allow Nate to really start healing. She sat lost in thought when a yelp startled her and then the figure of Hardison sped past her.

"Nah man girl I said show me not push me of the damn balcony." She heard him say and could not help but smile. "Why ya'll always pushing me off things man…that ain't right."

"Oh stop being a baby." She heard Parker yell from her bedroom balcony. "I made that one specially for you silly."

Nate came awake with a start at the sound of Hardison's yell and was momentarily disorientated, then he heard Parker yell out and his eyebrows knotted slightly, those two were incorrigible he thought as he realised what must have happened. He looked around the room and noted it was empty and the door was open. He had a throw over him and assumed that had been Eliot's doing. He pushed himself up in his chair and rubbed his eyes. He wondered how long he had been asleep and looked at his watch, it was now almost four thirty. He reached for the bottle on the table and poured himself a small whiskey and downed it before walking into the bathroom and turning the cold water tap on. He stood staring at himself in the mirror for a while and then splashed some cold water on his face. He looked old he thought, old and worn out. His thoughts turned to Eliot and what the Hitter had done. He had opened himself up to Nate telling him something he would never have told him, told anybody and it must have been difficult for him. Nate sighed and shook his head slightly, he was putting them through hell, all of them, he was a selfish bastard he thought to himself. Then he wiped his face off and walked back to the table pouring himself another whiskey before walking to stand and stare out at the valley below his mind replaying his and Eliot's conversation over and over in his mind.

It had been difficult to tell Eliot how he felt, what the 'Collector' had done to him, or at least something of it, and how he felt about his part in Peter's death, but at the same time it had relieved some pressure he thought, it was like a weight was lifted and he could see some light at the end of the tunnel. Eliot was right, he was driven by fear and anger at what had happened, and he was not allowing himself to let go of it, not controlling it. Somehow just the act of voicing it had given him some peace. He had slept for longer than he had for a long time without waking from a nightmare or in a panic. He sighed heavily then placed the glass down on the table and headed out the room and down the stairs. He stopped briefly at the bottom of the stairs and looked around. Sophie was on the balcony reading a magazine, the youngest two were nowhere to be seen and he could hear noise coming from the kitchen, that must be Eliot he thought. Bypassing the balcony he walked to the kitchen and stopped at the door watching his Hitter as he chopped up some onions.

"Eliot." He said as he walked in.

"Nate." Eliot said carrying on with his chopping.

"Thank you." Nate said softly.

"No problem Nate, whenever you need to talk I am here." Eliot said wiping his hands and looking up at the man.

"I think…I think I would like that." Nate said. He was not one to go and see a professional, he did not believe in them, but he trusted this man, trusted him implicitly and if he had to talk, which he knew he had to if he was going to conquer this, then he was the man he felt he could talk to.

Eliot smiled at him and then turned to get the other ingredients that needed chopping.

"Eliot." Nate said and his Hitter looked up at him expectantly. "You are a good man, don't ever doubt that. You are one of the best men I know, and I am honoured to know you, and I am…I am glad you are part of this family, of my family." He said softly holding out his hand to the man.

Eliot stared at him and felt emotion well in him as he wiped his hand off again and then took Nate's hand. They stood for a while before Nate smiled at him and told him he would leave him to his preparations then turned and left.

Eliot watched him go and smiled slightly, Nate was going to be ok, they were going to be ok he thought, it was only the first step and there was a long way to go, but he had taken that step and that was what mattered. Then he turned back to his preparation with renewed vigour, determined to make one of the best family meals he could because this was a celebration, maybe only to celebrate a small victory, but a victory none the less.

That evening after dinner they sat on the balcony together enjoying the coolness of the evening when Nate stood and faced them.

"Guys…" He said taking a deep breath. "I am sorry, I know my behaviour has been…"

"No need to say sorry Nate." Parker interrupted him.

"No there is Parker." Nate said softly. "Because I have been a selfish bastard."

"Nate…"

"Sophie let me finish." Nate said. "I went through something yes but so did you all, we all suffered, and we all have a lot of stuff we have to deal with. I can't say that…that I am over it, I don't think I ever will be, but I want to thank you all, for this, for…for trying to…" Nate stopped, he was usually glib with his tongue, but he could not get the words out that would convey what he really meant. "For helping me. You have all always had my back, always and, and I…well thank you."

"That's what families are for." Parker stated smiling at him.

"Yes it is." Nate said smiling back at her.

"Good well I am going to go up, I have a hike planned for tomorrow." Eliot said as he stood.

"We'll come with." Parker said looking at Hardison who pulled a face at her.

"I don't like the outdoors." He said shaking his head.

"It will be good for you, some fresh air." Parker told him. "Or we could always practice some more, I have a few more rigs that need testing."

"Nah…nah that's all good, a hike sounds great." Hardison said not relishing being thrown off her balcony again.

"Then we should also get some sleep." She said standing and pulling him up with her. "Night Sophie, night Nate." She said then bounced into the room pulling Hardison along as he called his goodnights.

"Ok well see you in the morning." Eliot said then he too left, leaving Nate and Sophie sitting alone on the balcony.

Sophie looked over at Nate who sat on the sofa staring out into the night and then rose and sat down beside him leaning into him and putting her head on his shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" She asked softly.

"Better than I have been." He said turning towards her and kissing her lightly.

"I am sorry Nate but we had to do this, we had to do something."

"I know…" Nate said softly. "Thank you."

"I love you Nathan Ford." She said reaching out and putting her hand on his face. "I love you more than…well more than I have every loved anything or anybody in my life."

"Sophie." He said turning in his seat to look at her. "I am sorry you know."

"Like I said nothing to be sorry about."

"There is, there is because I knew you were hurting, I knew I was hurting you and I couldn't stop myself. I love you Sophie, my beautiful Sophie." He said leaning in and placing a gently kiss on her lips. "I am going to try, I promise, I will do whatever it takes, I want you back in my life completely, but…"

"But you are still afraid."

"Yes, what if I…what if…"

"Then we deal with that Nate." She said pulling back from him and holding his gaze. "I am willing to try, I trust you Nate and we will get passed this, we just have to give it a chance.

Nate smiled at her and then pulled her into a passionate kiss wrapping her up in his arms.

"Well I am very tired." Sophie said smiling at him. "It has been a long day."

"So it has." He said then stood pulling her up with him. They walked off the balcony and climbed the stairs making it to his room and entering closing the door behind them.

Later that night Eliot moved silently through the house and made his way to Nate's door. It was one in the morning and he quietly opened it and peered in. Looking at the bed he smiled as he saw Nate sleeping holding Sophie in his arms. He smiled to himself and then closed the door again. It might take time, a lot of time, but they were back, and they would be able to go forward from here, all of them together.

I hope you all enjoyed. Bettamax I hope this was what you were hoping for as a coda. Thanks for reading.