Chapter 1

"Naaate…." Sophie screamed out as she saw him fall. He had pushed her out of the way and taken the bullets standing between her and the man who had come into the Brewpub seemingly looking for her. Nate had watched the man enter and immediately recognised the fact that this was not a happy man and one that was on a mission and had pushed her out of the way just as the man had fired his gun. Eliot, Parker and Hardison were not there, they were out finishing up one of their jobs, but the arrangement was to meet them for dinner that night. Sophie and Nate had come to the Brewpub early and Sophie was enjoying a tea and Nate a whiskey when the gunman had made his appearance.

Just as he fired off his second shot and was about to fire again, Eliot and the others came through the door. Immediately recognising the danger and seeing Nate down Eliot moved quickly to neutralise the gunman before he could do any more damage. Sophie dropped to her knees beside Nate who lay face up, two gunshot wounds staining his shirt with blood. Sophie placed her hand on the chest wound and the other on the stomach wound trying to stem the flow of blood.

"Nate…stay with me, stay with me Nate." She said softly as she looked down into his blue eyes that she saw were fading as she spoke. "Don't you leave me Nate, keep your eyes open and stay with me." She said.

Hardison took in the scene and immediately dialled 911 summoning an ambulance, he could see Nate was in a bad way and needed immediate medical help. Eliot handed the man over to Parker to secure then made his way quickly to Nate's side.

"Nate you have to keep your eyes open, just stay with us ok the ambulance is on its way." Eliot said removing his shirt and placing it over the gunshot wound to the gut.

Nate could feel his life slipping away and he desperately wanted to obey Sophie and Eliot by keeping his eyes open but the lids felt heavy and he could feel them closing.

"No Nate, keep your eyes open ok, you stay with us Nate." Sophie said as she saw his eyelids droop. "I love you Nate you have to stay with me, please stay with me my darling." She said softly.

Nate looked up at her his eyes fixed on her and he wanted to tell her he loved her, that he always would but he could not find his voice. His eyes drooped again and then closed.

"No…Nate… no Nate you will stay with me, stay with me Nate…" Sophie called out desperately.

Eliot looked down at the man then felt for a pulse which was no longer there and then leaned forward and put his ear to Nate's face but he was not breathing either. He immediately started CPR on the man desperate to keep him alive.

"Hardison where is that damn ambulance?" He asked as he pushed down on Nate's chest.

"They're here…" Hardison said running to the door and opening it for the EMT's as they rushed inside.

Eliot and Sophie both gave way to them as they knelt by Nate's side taking over the CPR from Eliot. They worked on him for five minutes and then stopped.

"No…no don't you stop, don't you give up on him…" Sophie cried out as she moved towards them but before she could do anything else she felt the strong arms of Eliot surround her and hold her to him.

"I am sorry." The lead EMT said looking up at the distraught woman. "He is gone."

"No…no you can't…you can't…" Sophie sobbed pulling against Eliot's tight hold. "Please, please Nate…Please don't give up…please…He's…you are going to be a father again Nate please…please you have to try…please." Sophie begged them.

"Charge the paddles…" The older EMT told his partner who gave him a look but did as he was told. The man had been without oxygen now for a while and the chances of him coming out of this without issues, even if they got his heart started again were slim, but he obeyed his senior. He applied the paddles and Nate's body jerked with the stream of electricity that ran through him, he felt for a pulse but still found none, then shouted clear as he applied the paddles again. Leaning in he felt for a pulse and then his eyes widened and he quickly put the bag over Nate's mouth.

"We have a pulse." He said then instructed his partner to get the stretcher.

Eliot watched on as they loaded Nate onto the stretcher and then let Sophie go as she ran to his side and followed them out to the ambulance climbing in with Nate.

Eliot then turned and went back into the Brewpub his eyes on the man who had shot Nate. Parker had him tied up and placed in the corner of the room and she stood watching him.

By the time the police arrived Hardison had cover for them, although he did not have to do much, the story was simple, the man had walked into the pub and started shooting. The police took their statements as well as those of other patrons who verified the story and then they were allowed to leave. Arriving at the hospital they found Sophie in the waiting room and Eliot could see she was still distraught.

"They took him into surgery, he wasn't breathing and…"

"Slow down Sophie." Eliot said sitting down beside her. "He's alive and he is a fighter so…just take a breath."

"Who was that guy Sophie and why did he want to kill Nate?" Parker asked her as she stood in front of her.

"I don't know Parker." Sophie said honestly, she had not paid any attention to the man himself, her attention had been solely on Nate.

Eliot could see the woman was completely distraught and her words kept repeating in his mind. Nate was going to be a father again, Sophie was pregnant. He took her hand and squeezed it gently offering her support. She was his main concern now, she and Nate's unborn child.