A/N So, I moved forward with my other fic Curveball. There is only one chapter left to post there. Next I will write more of my other fic A Simple Gesture That Change Everything. A bit of Eliot introspective in this chapter. Enjoy!

"So, which one of us is going to talk to Eliot?" Nate asked entering his apartment soon followed by Sophie. The lunch out has certainly been awkward. Hardison and Parker were already making all sorts of weird plans for the baby. Hardison even promised Sophie to download for her books about pregnancy and what to expect with an infant. Parker couldn't wait for the baby to be there already. They tried to explain to her that it wasn't going to be like a puppy, but the baby was going to be an actual human being. "Of course, I know that!" she had snorted back. Eliot, on the other hand, had been different. He had stayed quiet for all lunch occasionally nodding or grumping something.

"I guess I'll go first" Sophie sighed. "If it doesn't work you can try the more brutal approach."

"Hmm…" Nate agreed and stood there looking at her, hands in his trousers' pockets.

"Now?" she asked grudgingly. She had already taken her shoes and coat off and was ready for a quiet afternoon in bed.

"I saw him enter the bar. Better get this thing out of the way before it becomes too serious." He put his hands on her waist and began nuzzling her neck with small kisses. "I'll make it up to you"

She moaned at his touch even though she perfectly knew that he was manipulating her. "Promise?"

"I'll be upstairs waiting for you and I'll be at your beck and call for the rest of the day" he won her over.

"Well, with an offer like that how can I refuse." She went to kiss his lips but at the last second she pulled away teasingly. "You know I'm the master of this game, Nathan Ford" she put her shoes back on and exited the room.

Nate just stood there wondering if the all thing wasn't just her playing him all along from the very beginning and he didn't actually know who really won that round.

"That woman is going to be the death of me!" he whispered.

Sophie found Eliot sitting at a corner in the bar, his usual bottle of beer tight in his hand. She went to counter to order a lemon soda and went to sit next to him. Thankfully the pub was busy so there others weren't going to pay much attention to them.

"Have you started brooding down here too? I have always thought it was only a Nate's thing" she tried a simple approach.

"Sophie" He acknowledge her. He slightly change posture in his chair putting at least a physical defence between them.

The waitress brought Sophie her drink and she immediately took a sip of it. "You want to tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong" he replied too quickly.

"Yeah, want to try that again? This time without the lying."

"It's just…. How could you two have been so stupid!" he finally let out.

"Okay?" Sophie was a little taken back.

"A baby? Seriously? With the kind of lives we lead?" he pointed out angrily. "Can't you two have been a bit more careful with protection?"

"Okay, first of all calm down. Second, I'm not going into details about Nate's and mine sex life…"

"Please don't" Eliot interrupter with a disgust frown.

Sophie just glared at him "… but we have been careful about birth control, it just happened. But even though it wasn't planned, it doesn't mean it wasn't a beautiful unexpected surprise."

"How can you say that? What if something happens to you or the baby? If Nate loses either of you, he won't be able to pull it back together this time."

"What makes you think anything would happen to us?"

"Any con could go wrong. Then there's Latimer and whatever plan he has for us. I'm the protector of this team, what if I can't save you? Nate will blame me"

"Oh, Eliot…" she whispered finally understanding the problem. "We will always be a team, a family. I've got all four of you to protect me and I'm not going to let anything happen to this baby. You don't think that Nate has already thought of everything? He will practically micro manage every step of my pregnancy and after it's born, I don't think he will let this baby leave his sight any time soon."

"Yeah," he agreed softly. He could already imagine the extremes Nate will go to make sure that Sophie and the baby will be okay, and that was what he was worry about. But his two friends seemed happy and if keeping them happy meant that he had to work double or use extreme measures, so be it. He smiled gently thinking about it, having a baby around might not be so bad. He missed his nephew. He could still remember how good it felt holding the little thing in his arms. He hated leaving his sister and her son behind, but it was for their own good.

"So," Sophie put a hand on top of his. "All better now?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded "Everything is okay. I'm really happy for you Sophie. And I will apologize to Nate tomorrow."

"It's okay. We were just worried. We're a family now and every member counts."

"I will make sure that nothing is going to happen to you, you know that right?" he looked deeply into her eyes.

"I know you will. Just don't get hurt or killed in the process" she warned.

He smirked. "You know I can't promise that"

She glared knowing that she couldn't say nothing else on the matter. She got up. "Well, I better go and see what Nate is up to. I will see you in the morning."

"See you"

"Nate?" she called out when she entered the apartment.

"Upstairs!" he shouted back.

Sophie went upstairs and into the bedroom. "Hey?"

Nate was lying on his bed quietly reading a book. It was rare for them to have a day off and although he was a control freak workaholic, he liked relaxing now and then.

"So," he closed the book. "Please don't tell me that Eliot is secretly in love with you."

She chuckled crawling her away up the bed. "No, you idiot. He was just being the overprotective Eliot, but everything is okay now" she settled in his arms.

"Sure? Because I could go down and punch him, but I don't think I will come back alive." He muttered in her hair.

"Well, I wish you wouldn't. You promised to be at my service this evening so I kind of need you" she smiled lifting her head from his chest.

"And what exactly do I need to do for you?" he asked a bit uncertain.

"Oh, you know. Cook me a nice dinner, prepare me a hot relaxing bath, maybe a massage..."

"That's all" he replied sarcastically.

She nibbled his bottom lip. "I'm sure I can think of something else"

He rolled her on to her back. "If you're thinking what I'm thinking, I'm sure I could work on that" He leaned down to kiss her.