So sorry I haven't updated in a while…I kind of forgot. I also just realized this chapter has 2 parts (sorry about that) I don't own Leverage

It Boils Down to This

Part 1:

Sophie was tired of hearing about how boring the helicopter ride was and how odd Tara was so she abruptly cut her off. "Parker, please stop! I really don't care."

There was a huff from Parker on the other end. "Fine. So how's Nate?"

"He's been acting odd since I got here," she shook her head as she eyed him. "I don't know he just doesn't seem right."

"Do you think he may've hit his head too hard?"

"No. It's like he's off in some dreamland or whatever..."

"Do you think he may just be tired?"

"No, he doesn't look tired."

"What do you think's up with him?"

"I don't know...He's talking kind of slow and he won't look at me."

"Maybe it was his reaction from the chemical burn."

"Possibly."

"I'll make you pay!" She suddenly heard Nate yell as he rose to his feet. The rock he had thrown shattered into bits and she froze. What the hell was going on?

"Okay, something is definitely wrong with him," Sophie said quickly.

Parker was quiet for a moment. "Have you ever seen someone on drugs?"

"No..."

"When I was in the foster system sometimes I saw people do drugs. It wasn't that often because I tried to avoid them but they wouldn't always be focused." She paused again. "Like something wasn't quite right with them."

"Do you think Nate is on drugs?" Sophie asked hesitantly. She watched as Nate stood there, most likely glaring at something in his imagination and muttering something under his breath.

"Yes."

Sophie shook her head. "No. Nope. There is no way he'd ever do drugs. Uh-uh. He may be an alcoholic but he does not do drugs."

"Sophie!" Parker snapped at her. "You know this isn't how he acts when he's drunk. He's on something!"

She watched as he turned around slowly to look at her. His lips were moving and she heard his words grow louder and louder and until she heard his words loud and clear.

"I'll make you pay. I'll make you pay. I'll make you pay. I'll make you pay." The words were repeated over and over. Sophie watched as his now crazy dark blue eyes locked on hers. She caught the glint of his blade in the sunlight and she gasped sharply.

"Sophie!"

"Yeah, P-Parker?"

"You need to think if he's taken anything that could have caused this!"

Sophie quickly closed her eyes as she forced herself to recall the events of earlier that day.

~FLASHBACK~

Her eyes wandered off into the forest and she could faintly hear him take something out of a bag and drink some of his water.

"What did you just eat?"

"I was taking some medicine."

Sophie looked over to him only to see he had his back facing her. "What did you take?"

"Just some acetaminophen."

~END OF FLASHBACK~

When she opened her eyes Nate was no longer in her line of vision. She gasped again and spun around to try and find him. He was standing at the end of the boulder she was sitting on with a dead look in his eyes.

"He took a pill about 45 minutes ago. I think it just kicked in," She replied in a shaky voice. With each heavy step he took she wanted to scream and run.

"What is it?" Parker demanded.

"I think the pill made him have homicidal thoughts...and possibly actions."

Part 2:

Parker couldn't hear what was going on except the panicked breathing of Sophie. She couldn't faintly hear the words 'Make you pay.'

"Nate, what's going on?" She heard Sophie demand in a shaky voice. "Nathan, put the knife down please."

There was another span of silence and the sudden screech of an animal. Parker was starting to get scared. What was going on? What would happen to her?

Her thoughts were suddenly cut off when Sophie screamed. "You just killed a squirrel!"

Another long span of silence and then she heard running. She was running now. "What's going on?" Parker demanded.

There was more sounds of running and some sort of yelling from Nate. Parker liked to think that maybe Sophie would get away. Suddenly there was a loud thump and crack.

"SOPHIE!" Parker suddenly screamed, jumping out of her seat. Eliot and Hardison both whipped around now to see Parker. She furiously put it on speaker phone for them to hear.

"Nate, p-please don't. You have to snap out of this," Sophie said between deep breaths. "Wait-no!" The words slowly got fainter as the phone was either taken of dropped.

"I really must thank Max for helping me out. Sophie would've never come here without his help. I'm also surprised Sophie came by herself," he paused. "I guess that makes it all the better."

"We're on our way Nate. You don't have to worry. We'll bring you back."

Another pause and that was followed by the crescendo of sadistic laughing. "May I remind you that your friend always ends up being your enemy in the end. So you better hope you get here before she's dead."

Those were the last words before the line went static leaving the Hitter, Hacker, and Thief stunned.