I just wanted to thank everyone for all of the reviews, its good to know that people are liking this story! Nate's dream is not going to show them breaking him out of the prison, but it happened just as it did on the show. Basically everything from the third season happened. Also, it was getting a bit confusing while I was writing this to tell the difference between when Nate was talking to the little girl and when the Nate on the screen was talking so I decided to underline any part that was Nate watching the screen.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Leverage.
The image on the screen in front of Nate showed him pacing around inside of his apartment, and he noticed that it had still been changed to the teams head quarters. Nate could not tell how long after he had been broken out of prison this scene was. The Nate on the screen looked up suddenly as Eliot came into the apartment.
"Hey Eliot" Nate said, "what are you doing here"
"I need to talk to you man" Eliot said, looking serious
"Ok" Nate said "what's going on?"
"Look I know this may be none of my business" Eliot started "but is something going on with you and Sophie?"
"Why do you ask?" Nate said
"Because ever since we got back from San Lorenzo you have both been acting strange" Eliot said
"Is it that obvious?" Nate asked
"Yeah man it is" Eliot said "its cool if something is going on you know, but you guys need to tell us"
"Its not exactly that something is going on with us" Nate said "while we were in San Lorenzo, after we finally took down moroe Sophie and I slept together"
"Oh wow" Eliot said "so you guys are together now or what?"
"No" Nate said "we decided that we didn't want to jeopardize the team in case something would go wrong"
"You are both idiots" Eliot said shaking his head "if you want my opinion I think you should go for it, you love her and everyone can see it"
"Well actually I have been fighting with this decision since we got back" Nate said "I was just getting ready to call her and see if she would come over to talk about it"
"Well then I had better get out of your way" Eliot said, standing and heading for the door. With his hand on the knob about to leave, he adds "you better treat her right man, she's a great girl"
Nate couldn't help but feel bad for Eliot, it was now clear to him that Eliot also loved Sophie. Nate was not sure that he wanted to be the one to hurt Eliot, but at the same time, he really wanted a life with Sophie. As he was sitting there ready to see what happened next, a thought came into his head.
"Wait" Nate said, turning to face the girl "who are you, and who sent you here?"
"You will understand who I am later" the girl promised "but I guess I can tell you who sent me, it was Sam"
"My son?" Nate asked, shocked
"Yes" she answered "he has been watching you and he is concerned for you"
"Why is he concerned?" Nate asked
"Because you won't let yourself be happy" she said sadly "he wants you to stop feeling so guilty about his death and let yourself be happy again"
"He really said that" Nate asked, tears in his eyes at the thought of Sam "how can I just stop feeling guilty!"
"Its not just going to happen over night of course" she answered "just take it slowly"
Nate turned his attention back at the video, he was shocked that all of this was because of Sam. He loved his son so much and could not believe that he was looking out for him in heaven. As he watched the screen, he was still in his apartment pacing, but this time it was Sophie who came through his door.
"Hi Nate" Sophie greeted him "what did you need to see me for?"
"I wanted to talk to you about something" Nate said, gathering up his courage he added "I don't want to forget about what happened in San Lorenzo"
"What do you mean?" Sophie asked "I thought you didn't want to mess up the team"
"I was just scared of letting you in" Nate admitted, then so quietly that Sophie could barely hear him "scared of loving you"
"What was that?" Sophie asked, looking shocked
"I am in love with you Soph" Nate said, suddenly more confident "I have been for awhile, but I was too afraid to admit it to you and to myself"
"Oh wow" Sophie said, close to tears "I have waited so long to hear you say that"
"So does that mean you want to give it a shot?" Nate asked nervously
"Of course I do" Sophie said laughing "I have loved you for along time"
"Then get over here" Nate said, holding his arm out, and grabbing her to kiss her
Nate watched as the screen showed snapshots of his and Sophie's life in the same way that it had of hers and Eliot's. First, it showed them telling the team about their relationship, Parker grabbing Sophie in a hug, Hardison and Eliot shaking Nate's hand. Next were Nate and Sophie out at a fancy restaurant of some sort, Sophie looking beautiful all dressed up. Nate watched as the next scene showed the team on a job, Sophie sitting next to some man that Nate could only assume was the mark. He watched the Nate on the screen as he watched Sophie flirting with the mark, and he could see the jealously flash across his face. The next thing he saw was the mark kissing Sophie and her trying to push away, his hand running its way up her thigh. The Nate on the screen rushed over and punched the mark in the face, grabbing Sophie while the mark was distracted and getting her out of there. Once they were outside, Sophie stopped him.
"What the heck was that Nate?" Sophie asked "you could have just blown the con"
"I know I shouldn't have interfered" Nate said "but I just couldn't stand to see that man touching you"
"Nate you know it's just for the job" Sophie said, her tone softening
"Yeah I know" Nate said "but I can't help it"
"I know you can't" Sophie said, reaching up to touch his face "and that's one of the reasons I love you so much"
Suddenly Nate was on one knee in front of Sophie with one of her hands in his "Sophie will you marry me?" Nate asked
"Are you serious?" Sophie asked
"Of course I am" Nate said "I have loved you for years and nothing would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life with you, so what do you say?
"I say yes, of course" Sophie said, crying
Nate pulled o beautiful ring out of his pocket and placed on Sophie's finger. He could hear Parker, Eliot and Hardison over the coms cheering for them.
"Have you just been carrying this around with you?" Sophie asked
"Yes, I bought it a couple of months ago" Nate admitted "I have been waiting for the right moment"
"Which you decided was right now during a con" Sophie said laughing "after the mark was feeling me up"
"Hey what can I say" Nate said, grabbing Sophie in his arms and kissing her fiercely "when the moment strikes you just grab it"
The screen then changed to show the team in the bar below Nate's apartment, celebrating their engagement. Sophie asked Parker to be her maid of honor, which of course the thief said yes to. Next, the screen changed to show Sophie telling Nate that she wanted to ask Eliot to walk her down the aisle since she did not have anyone else to and Eliot had always been there to protect them. Nate told her what a good idea he thought that was, and that he would ask Hardison to be his best man. Then there were Parker and Sophie shopping for wedding dresses again, this time it was Sophie trying on the dresses. Next it showed Nate, Eliot and Hardison out for Nate's bachelor party, Eliot thoroughly enjoying the strip show in front of them. Nate felt his pulse quicken at a sight that he knew had to be his wedding to Sophie. The scene before him showed a beautiful beach at sunset, Nate stood at the end of a white carpet that had been laid down to look like an aisle, with Hardison at his side. There was a minister standing on Nate's other side, but no other guests there. Suddenly this beautiful music filled the air as first Parker walked down the aisle, then Sophie with Eliot. Nate thought that he had never seen Sophie look more beautiful then he did then even when he had witnessed her wedding to Eliot. That could be due to the fact that she was marrying him this time and not someone else. Nate sat there mesmerized by the screen looking forward to seeing more of his life with Sophie.