I really have no excuse for this taking so long. Sorry! It's a longer chapter and has something for all you N/S fans that read this. I don't own Leverage

Underneath Torn Skin Lies The Truth

Part 1:

Parker hugged Nate once she got in the helicopter. He hugged her back, tears stinging his eyes.

"You have no idea how worried I was," Parker whispered so the team couldn't hear.

"I'm here now."

She pulled away and hugged Sophie. "How are you guys holding up?"

"I don't think I've felt worse in my entire life. Physically and mentally," Nate said in a depressed tone.

"Me too," Sophie said.

"What about emotionally?"

They exchanged a glance. "Pretty well actually."

Hardison and Parker urged them on. Sophie opened her mouth to reply but Eliot slammed the door behind him as he came in.

"Are you guys alright? Are you bleeding? Are you sane?"

"I think the bleeding's gone down significantly and Nate is perfectly sane. We both just feel like crap," Sophie answered calmly. Eliot nodded and let himself relax in the seat.

"Continue Sophie!"

"Oh, yeah. We're doing pretty good emotionally because we kissed."

"Was that before or after he tried to kill you?"

"After. He have me this heart-felt speech about how we were going to need each other to survive."

"So y'all together now?" Hardison asked.

"We haven't talked about it yet," Nate replied firmly but with a soft edge. He did want to be with her and he wanted her to feel safe with her. In truth he was way too in love with her to let her slip out of his fingers again.

"Just out of curiosity what pill made you...stab Sophie?" Eliot asked slowly.

"Love-struck pyscho," Sophie answered gravely.

"I would've expected him to-"

"-Parker, I do not want to talk about what he would've done," Sophie cut her off sharply.

A heavy silence fell over the cabin. Nate knew perfectly well what Parker was going to say and he fully understood Sophie being so sharp with her. In truth, she was lucky that he had only stabbed her. It could've been much worse…and she would've been scarred for life. This trial had been a real fist to the face as he realized his priorities in life, things he should and shouldn't do, and emotions that had been buried deep or never developed. It was amazing and deeply disturbing all at the same time.

"Those hikers that saved your ass are coming to the hospital," Eliot suddenly said.

"I'm going to hug them to death," Hardison said casually.

"I second Hardison," Parker said.

"I owe them my life," Sophie said quietly.

"Me too."

"You too?" She gave him a look. "I got stabbed!"

"I would've killed myself if you died...knowing that it was all my fault..."

She took his hand and smiled sadly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"Plus I have to make sure my hand isn't infected and that these drugs haven't left anything toxic in my body. Although I trust Max not to give me anything poisonous."

"I hate him," the four growled in unison.

"Why?"

"Do we need a better explanation then the obvious?" Sophie exclaimed.

"He's a good guy. He just wanted my help."

They all scoffed and the cabin fell silent. It was silent for a majority of the flight until someone decided to bring up q-tips. Or as Eliot pointed out the correct term was cotton swab. Then they got into a huge argument and discussion about the origins and proper and improper uses. All Nate could say was:

"They have not changed a bit."

Part 2:

Sophie was taken into care immediately and they decided she needed a blood transfusion. Eliot willing volunteered but his blood type wasn't the same so Parker ended up being the donor. Nate had been taken in for tons of tests to see if the drugs had given his body any permanent damage. Once the tests were done he sterilized his burned hand and got it wrapped up properly. After that the doctors told him to come back if he felt or saw something that looked like infection. The doctor then left the room and left Nate to his own thoughts. He hadn't seen Sophie in hours and was itching to see her. At this point he didn't even care what was wrong with him but to make sure that Sophie was alright. What if the blood transfusion hadn't gone well? What if she had to have an organ removed? What if he gave her permanent damage? Growling, he shut the thoughts from his head and felt his eyes slip closed. He really could go for some sleep...

Dawn spotted the familiar face of Eliot Spencer once they got up to the floor Ford was on. He seemed to recognize them too because he got up and started walking towards them. The other two in the team quickly followed after.

"You have no idea how grateful I - we are that you found Nate and Sophie," Eliot said firmly but gently.

"I can see how much they mean to you," Dusk smiled slightly.

Dawn was about to saw something when Hardison hugged her tightly, soon followed by Parker. "Oh, um, thanks?"

When Parker pulled away she smelled Dawns hair before hugging Dusk (also followed by Hardison)

"Ummm...what?"

"She does that," Eliot informed her quietly.

"Oh."

"Okay, that's enough! You can stop hugging me to death!"

The Hacker and Thief quickly recoiled and stood behind Eliot. He straightened his jacket and brushed it off. "Is it alright if we stay here?"

"Yeah, of course you can stay!"

They nodded and followed the three back to the waiting area. With their backs turned Dawn and Dusk exchanged an evil smirk.

To her huge relief the blood transfusion had gone well and all she needed to do was rest. Not twenty minutes later she was lying down in one of the hospital beds in a deep sleep. Her body was absolutely exhausted from the past days events. It would take a while for her to recover physically and a while to recover mentally too. Even though Nate had made no sexual assault against her it had brought the nightmares that she had buried away back again. It would take a long time to bury it back down in its grave in hell but she'd get there eventually.

He wasn't dreaming; his mind was black. At the very edge of his sleep the world slowly started to seep in white and he could make out the fuzzy objects as they became brighter. He felt a hand on his shoulder and whipped around only to open his eyes to see the doctor.

"I spoke with Eliot and I told him all about the procedures you'll have to go through at home to make sure you flush your body of any toxins. Would you like me to prescribe you a mild pain medication?"

"No."

"I figured. Now go home and get lots of rest." Nate nodded and followed him out towards where the team was.

Part 3:

It didn't take much to convince the team to let Nate go see Sophie. Of course Eliot insisted that he stay outside the door. He really didn't want the team to hear what he was going to say but there was no use arguing with Eliot. When he got there Sophie was sleeping and Nate couldn't help but notice how torn down she looked. It was like he could see behind that mask she puts up. He knew what it looked like because he himself put up one. He went over and took her hand in his and looked beneath her torn skin and beneath her lies to see who she really was. And he knew that whatever truth lurked beneath he would still love her.

Sophie woke up with the feeling of someone's hands holding her. She knew by the familiar feeling of roughness but gentleness that it was Nate. Her eyelids were heavy with sleep as she slowly forced them open. Sure enough Nate was sitting there looking at her.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey Sophie."

She knew he was here to talk about something important because he had called her Sophie instead of Soph. "You're here to talk."

"Yeah...I just wanted to ask you if you're alright."

"I'm fine," she lied.

"Sophie, please stop lying to me."

"Maybe you should stop lying to me," She snapped at him.

"What are you talking about?"

She sighed and buried her head in her hands. "I don't know Nate. I just feel like a mental bomb went off in my head and you're the easiest person to lash my anger out at."

"Maybe I could help you sort out things in your head..."

"No," she shook her head, "no...you don't know how to help me with this."

"Please Sophie, I'll help you with anything. Please I just want to help."

"You've helped a lot of people Nate but you've never helped someone like me."

"It doesn't matter I can still help you!"

She clenched her eyes shut and felt the hot tears fall down her face in big drops. His hand was tight around hers, thumb stroking the back of her hand. She ran her hand through her hair and took a deep breath. "I've been scarred by men before Nate…and by women. I've been hurt and abused…violated...I've been treated like nothing before. Treated like I'm something they can just hurt and hurt until it falls apart…until they can throw it away. I know what could've happened…and I know what did happen. It felt familiar…and not in a good way."

A nauseating silence feel over the room as Nates jaw feel open and his eyes went wide. His eyes were then filled with a typhoon of emotions that nearly set off his own mental bomb. Fear, worry, anger, regret, pity, sadness, and others he couldn't even name. He blinked once and looked straight into the woman's eyes in front of him. She was scared - scarred. Nate hugged her tightly and then pulled away to kiss her. And this time trying to put forth and express what words couldn't because he was truly at a loss for words. Only when he felt like he had expressed his feelings did he pull away.

"I know Nate. And yes I need you more then ever because I trust you." Sophie whispered. She was smart, she knew what Nate was trying to say in the kiss. He looked at her with understanding but slightly puzzled eyes. She also knew what that meant. "Of course I trust them and they're my only family but I know you, and you know me. I feel comfortable sharing it with you more then anyone else."

Nate looked at her for a second, lips parted and eyes glossy. She was right. He felt the same exact way with her and had never felt like it with anyone else. So he kissed her again, slow and gentle. He hoped she understood his understanding and his feelings for her. His undeniable, unspoken, whole-hearted feelings for her.

"Nathan," she whispered against his lips.

He pulled away enough so he could look at her beautiful, raw face. His hand slipped from her arm to her hand. "I know this is my fault and I wish I could erase it from your mind so you would have never had to feel this pain. In the graveyard I knew I should've admitted my feelings whether you were ready for them or not. When you were gone I was a wreck and I just didn't know what to do anymore. You've always been my compass. I-I love you Sophie. I love you more then anyone in the world and I hope you know that."

"I love you too Nate." She gently caressed his face with her hand. "And despite being an oblivious bastard you are the sweetest, loving, kindest man I know. I could never live without you and I could never imagine being with anyone else."

To seal off their words they kissed. A kiss that meant miles and spoke a thousand words and so jam packed with emotions their hearts nearly exploded.

Part 4:

"Do you have the files?" He asked over the phone in a smooth voice.

"Yes we do," Dawn replied.

"And how long does Sophie have to stay in the hospital?"

"They said about 2 or 3 days to make sure nothing went wrong with the surgery."

He cursed under his breath. "The day after she gets out go and give it to the FBI."

"Of course. I do have a question though."

"What?"

Dawn took a deep breath and looked at Dusk. He urged her on. "We found pills in Fords bag. Do you know if those are of any importance?"

"They could have just been some regular medication."

"The only reason I don't think that is because he stabbed Devereaux yet she still went back to him and acted like nothing happened."

"She cost my company millions! I don't care if she got stabbed. Now stop asking questions." With that he hung up the phone.

Who was on the phone? Good question.