Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Leverage
Nate watches as Sophie, Eliot, Parker and Hardison get to Sophie and Eliot's home. Sophie is still insisting to Eliot that she is fine. They all settle in to watch a movie together and it hits Nate hard to see how they really have moved on with their lives without him. Its not that he expected them to pine away for him or anything, but it still hurts a little to see how happy they are without him. Nate looks back at the screen to see them still watching the movie together, Sophie fast asleep on with her head on Eliot's chest, his arm around her waist holding her close to him. Parker and Hardison both laughing quietly at something that happened in the movie.
As Nate sits watching scenes from Sophie and Eliot's life, he cannot help but to think of what a good couple they make. It fills him with jealousy every time he sees Eliot touch her or sees Sophie look at Eliot with those beautiful eyes of hers. The scene he is currently watching shows Sophie and Parker out shopping for a wedding dress for Parker and Hardison's wedding. Sophie appears to be further along in her pregnancy now, if Nate had to guess he would say maybe seven months.
"Come on Parker, let me see it" Sophie calls out from her seat in front of the fitting room door
"I don't know Sophie" Parker says uncertainly "I think I look weird"
"Don't be silly" Sophie says "I am sure you look beautiful"
"Okay I am coming out" Parker says "but you can't laugh"
"Oh Parker" Sophie gasps, as Parker steps into view "you look stunning"
Parker turns around to show Sophie the back and Nate notices the tears welling in Sophie's eyes. He cant help but think of how not only will he miss out on these moments in his own life but he also will miss out on them in all of their lives. He loves Parker and Hardison like they were his own family and he can't believe he will miss out on their wedding. He turns his attention back to the screen to see Sophie and Parker embracing in a hug and then Parker telling one of the shop girls that she would like the dress. Sophie sits back down in the chair she had been in and Nate notices that she seems really tired. He hopes that everything is okay with her; even though it kills him to see her with Eliot he still wants her to be happy and healthy. Parker comes out of the fitting room dressed in her regular clothes and goes over to Sophie.
"You okay Sophie?" Parker asks "you look kind of tired"
"Oh I'm okay" Sophie says, standing up and walking to the cash register with Parker "I am always tired anymore"
"Do you want to go home?" Parker asked "Eliot said not to keep you on your feet for too long"
"Now why doesn't that surprise me" Sophie laughed "you know I'm surprised he hasn't called one of us to check in yet"
"Well he could have" Parker said "remember they made us turn off our phones when we came in"
"Oh that's right" Sophie said as they walked to the car, pulling her cell phone out as they walked and turning it back on "yep I have two missed calls from him"
"I am actually surprised he didn't come out here" Parker said, laughing at the idea, while Sophie called Eliot back
"Sophie is everything okay?" Eliot asked after he answered
"Of course everything is okay" Sophie laughed "did you need something?"
"No" Eliot said "I just wanted to check up and make sure you were okay, you guys have been gone awhile"
"Well it takes awhile to shop for a wedding dress" Sophie said "it is one of the most important decisions of your life"
"Yeah yeah, are you ready to come home?" Eliot asked "I can come and get you if Parker isn't ready to come back yet"
"Eliot I am fine I promise" Sophie said "besides Parker found a dress, so we will probably be home soon"
"Okay, well I will see you soon baby" Eliot said "I love you"
"I love you too" Sophie said before hanging up
The screen suddenly changes to one where Sophie is at head quarters alone. She is sitting on the couch watching some kind of romance movie, the kind Nate can't stand. When she stands up to go out into the kitchen, Nate notices that she has gotten very big and figures that she must be close to her due date. All of a sudden he watches as she gasps and reaches to grab he stomach. Nate can see the fear in her face as she takes a moment to calm herself and then reaches for her phone. She hit's the first number on her speed dial and waits for the other person to pick up.
"Hey Soph" Eliot says on the other line "I am on my way over there now"
"Oh good" Sophie looks instantly relieved "do you think you could hurry?"
"Why what's wrong?" Eliot asks, Nate can hear the panic in his voice
"I think I am in labor" Sophie said nervously "I am pretty sure I just had a contraction"
Eliot doesn't say anything right away; too shocked to put sentences together, finally he finds his voice again "are you okay?" he asks, as he quickens his pace to get to her
"Yeah I am just a little nervous I guess" Sophie says, then quietly "I wish you were here"
"Don't worry baby I am about five minutes away" Eliot says, practically running now "do you want me to call Hardison and Parker"
"No!" Sophie says quickly "don't hang up until you get here"
"Ok I promise I won't" Eliot says
Eliot keeps his promise and stays on the phone with Sophie until he finally makes it back to head quarters. Nate watches as Eliot bursts in the room and grabs Sophie into a huge hug. They both look so excited and so nervous that Nate cannot help but to be happy for them. Eliot is on the phone with Hardison asking him to meet them at the hospital with Parker. Nate watches as Sophie gives birth to her son, watches as they name him. He can hardly believe when he hears the name; Owen Nathaniel Spencer. They hadn't forgotten about him completely after all. Nate watches as Sophie and Eliot proudly introduce Parker and Hardison to their new baby just minutes after the birth is over. He watches the tears that fill Parkers eyes as she holds him for the first time, watches as Hardison nervously accepts the baby from Eliot. He knows that no matter what their backgrounds may be, no matter that they may seem like the wrong people to raise a baby around, that this will be one of the most loves babies in the world. Hell even he loves him, after all he is a part of Sophie and Nate loves anything that has to do with Sophie. No matter how much he may try to deny it, he truly loves everything about her. Even though he wishes that he was the one with her, he loves her enough to be happy for her. Even if he lets them break him out of prison, he may just have to let her go. Being around to see her life with Eliot, he realizes, wouldn't be as painful as never seeing her again.
"Are you okay?" the little girl asks him, interrupting his thoughts
"Yeah" Nate says, quietly "I think I realized why you were sent to show me this"
"Oh really" she asks "well why do you think?"
"To show me that I shouldn't get in the way of them" Nate says, glancing up at the screen to see more snapshots go by, Parker and Hardison's wedding, Owens first birthday, "that even if I get out of here, I should do everything I can to ensure they get that future"
"Do you really think you could do that?" the girl asks "even though you love her?"
"Yes" Nate says "it's because I love her that I could do it, I want her to be happy"
"How do you know she wouldn't be happy with you?" she asks
"I could never give her that life" Nate says sadly "I am sure I could ever open myself up to the idea of having any more kids"
"You never know" the girl says sadly, then adding "well I actually have more to show you"
"Why do I need to see more of their life?" Nate asks "I get it, they are happy and I shouldn't stand in the way"
"What I have to show you isn't about Sophie and Eliot" she says, smirking at him "it's about Sophie and you"
"What do you mean?" Nate asks, brow knitted in confusion
"This is what life could be like if you would stop being so stubborn and let her know how you feel" she says
As Nate tries to ask more questions, the little girl shushes him and point a finger at the screen in front of them. Nate turns his attention back to the screen then to see a familiar sight before him.