A/N Here's a new chapter. I know that in the show canon, 2 years have passed between Prague and Damascus, but it was to big of a jump in the fic, so this starts two months later.

"It's been nearly two months" Eleanor whispered to her daughter as they watched Sophie curled up under a blanket She was tightly holding a cup of tea and watching outside the window, her gaze lost in the horizon.

"Has she told you what's bothering her?" Karen asked her mother. She was concerned for her aunt. After she returned from Prague, she hasn't been the same. She spent the first week closed in her bedroom. During the night she could hear her crying, which was strange because as far as she could remember she had never seen Sophie cry.

"No, I was hoping she might have opened up with you." Eleanor looked at her uncertain. "Is it about the man she met? That guy she had a date with?"

"No, from what she has told me over the phone the date was great, even fantastic. She really liked the guy, but she hasn't called him or talked about him since then. I know she failed to steal the painting, but it can't be that!" Now she was angry. She couldn't see her aunt wasting her life like that.

Karen harshly walked towards Sophie and pulled the cover off her.

Sophie looked up startled. "What…?"

"You need to snap out of it!" Karen shouted at her. "You've been sulking for nearly two months now, we can watch you being like this anymore!"

Eleanor came to stand next to her daughter. "She's right, you know. Please, tell us what's wrong!" she sat next to her sister and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Sophie sighed and looked at her family. She couldn't blame them for wanting answer. They were also right. She couldn't stay there doing nothing for the rest of her life. She was sure Nate was having her problems, why should she? Just because she was the bad guy in the situation?

"Something happened in Prague." She started talking.

"What? You've fail to steal the painting? That's not a big deal" Karen shrugged.

Sophie eyed her annoyed. She hadn't really failed. "The reason I didn't steal the painting was because Nate was there."

"Nate?" Karen looked at her curiously "You mean the weirdo guy from L.A."

"Why would he be there? I thought your date went okay."

"He works for IYS" she finally whispered sadly.

"Oh," and then realization hit. " He was there to arrest you." Eleanor said disappointed.

"You should have seen his face when he recognized me" Tears started forming in her eyes. Her heart broke every time she remember his beaten expression when he saw her stealing that painting.

"But you're still here, why didn't he?" Karen asked uncertain. "Not that I'm not happy about it, but…"

"I ran before he could chase me."

"There's more" Eleanor knew that her sister was omitting something.

"I went to talk to him in his hotel room. I couldn't leave things like that between us."

"And…?"

She sighed frustrated. "And nothing! It's over! Not like something had started in the first place. I mean, it was only one date, I shouldn't feel so devastated about it, but…"

"You were in love with him." Her sister whispered in understanding. She knew Sophie. She knew that she didn't fall with men easily. What she has felt with this Nate must have been really strong.

"I'm still in love with him. He was nice and understanding at the end. He could have easily arrested me and threw away the key. I wouldn't have blamed him. But he was so…. And I broke his heart. And he was right. It's his job to arrest me and if people found out that we know each other, he could lose his job and everything else."

"Yes, well. If he really liked you like he said he did, that wouldn't have mattered to him" Karen pouted.

"It's not his fault!" Sophie quickly defended him.

"Yes, well!" Eleanor got up clapping her hands. "You can't stay here and pine over him. You need to do something. Let's go shopping or let's have a girl's night out!"

"I don't know!"

Karen pulled her up. "Oh, come one! It will be fun. I know there's an art auction in Damascus next week. You should go there and we need to but you a dress for it!"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Nathan Ford was standing by the doorway watching the people laughing and dancing. He really wasn't in the mood for a party, but Ian had send him here in Damascus. He had been on a short leash since he had let the mysterious thief slip away from his fingers. Of course for him she wasn't a mystery thief anymore. She now had a name and a face. A name that as much as he wanted to forget he couldn't, and a face that kept him awake most of his nights together with the smell of her perfume and the sweet taste of her lips. He shook his head. He needed to forget about her, but that didn't stop him from looking in crown everywhere he went hoping to see her. He was worried about her. He knew she hadn't tried to steal something since that night in Prague. He couldn't help but wondering if she were okay.

Suddenly someone in a red dress caught his attention. He would have recognized those legs anywhere. He quietly walked towards her as he watched her observing a painting intensely. She had her back to him, so he would have been so easy to slip behind her.

"I hope you're not thinking about stealing it" he huskily whispered in her ear.

She slightly jumped, startled by the present behind her. She turned around slowly and her eyes were soon captivated by his intense blue ones. "Nate" she sighed.

"Hi, Sophie" he smiled at her. He couldn't help it. He hadn't seen her for two months and meeting her again, like this, re-flamed his feelings for her.

"I'm not here to steal." She quickly told him. "I can appreciate art like normal people, you know" she smirked playfully. She hadn't expected to find him here, even she wished for it. And now seeing him smiling at her and bantering with her, she wondered how the evening would go.

"Really?" he smirked.

"Really" Her lips were so closed to his. Just a few centimeters and they would have kissed again.

"Dance with me" he told her grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the dance floor. They soon found the rhythm of the song and they slowly danced; his left hand found the small of her back while his right one was hold one of hers tightly, Sophie's hand right arm was around his shoulder slowly caressing the hair at the nape of his neck.

She lifted her head and looked at him in the eyes. "Shouldn't you be working?" she asked him smiling.

"I'm multitasking. I'm really good at that" he pushed her away twirled her around and then brought her back in his arms.

She laughed and this time put both her arms around him. "Oh, really? Because I think you're having too much fun for someone who should be keeping eye on thieves" He raised his eyebrow and she rolled her eyes. "And I don't mean me"

"I haven't seen you around in these two months. Well, I know you haven't stolen anything." He finally told her seriously.

"Oh, did you miss me?" she smiled.

"I was worried." He told her truthfully.

She sighed "I needed some time. And a kick in the ass from my family too"

He nodded. " I understand"

"I've missed you too" she ran her hands up and down his chest. She gave a small laugh. "Which is ridiculous, really, because technically we've only had one date."

He chuckled too. "True" he looked around and noticed that most of the people had stopped dancing and that the auction was about to begin. "We should go" he took her hand in his and they walked towards the refreshment table. He ordered a glass of white wine for her and whiskey for him.

"What exactly are you doing here?" she asked before sipping her drink.

"I just have to keep an eye on some paintings insured with IYS until they're sold." He explained. Even saying it sounded boring.

"So you're on babysitting duty" she joked, her eyes smiling.

He looked at her annoyed, but his eyes were smiling too. "Very funny"

Fortunately the painting insured with IYS were on the first lot of the auction. Once Nate checked that they were secured in the back room, he walked back to Sophie who was waiting for him.

"So Ms. Devereaux, are you ready to go on a second date with me?" he offered her his arm.

She smiled at him and put her arm through his. "Lead the way"

A/N What made Nate change idea about seeing Sophie? And how will Nate and Sophie's second date go? Thanks for your reviews and I hope I can update soon.