Nate sat thinking of his dream as Hardison briefed the rest of the team on their latest job. He didn't pay much attention, the job was simple they were there to retrieve some designs and the prototype before the CEO could pass them off as his own. They would fly out that afternoon to the companies main branch in Virginia were the main vault was also located. Hardison was to wipe the all digital file, Parker was to get into the vault for the prototype, and Eliot was to find the file room and make sure that there weren't any hardcopies. It wasn't so much of a con as it was a retrieval.

"Yo Nate, you paying attention," Hardison's voice broke through his thoughts. He looked around as he noticed everyones eyes were on him.

"Of course," Nate answered "lets steal back a prototype." He stood up as he spoke making his way to the door. He could feel the eyes of his team as they followed him as he made his way out the door. He made no effort to meet their gaze as he closed the door behind him. He needed a drink to help him work through his dream. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong that. Normally after the dream ended so did the feel of something being terribly wrong would to, but it didn't this time the feeling stuck.

The rest of the team stood glancing at each other not sure what to do. Nothing about their masterminds actions of late were what any of the considered to be normal.

"Do you think he's alright," Parker question breaking the silence that has settled over the apartment. All eyes turn to her as she had voiced the question the was going through their minds.

Sophie shrugged she wasn't sure how to answer the thief's question. She wasn't sure herself as to whether the mastermind was all right. He had seem tired which wouldn't bother her normally if it weren't for the fact that he also seem more distant from them especially when Eliot was around. She wondered if something had happened to cause him to distance him self.

"Dud probably hit the bottle a little to hard last night," Hardison cracked trying to make light of the mastermind lack of enthusiasm to say the least. Truth was if that were the case it was still no laughing matter.

The flight to Richmond passed by in without anyone speaking to one an other. There wasn't much to say until they reached there destination about the job at least leaving the only thing left to talk about was the masterminds behavior. As of that moment no one was wanting to open that can of worms. Beside he had seem to fall asleep almost immediately after take off whether it was to avoid talk or because he had had a rough night sleep they didn't know. Sophie sat beside him just as she usually did on flights when jobs allowed. She was lost in the novel she had brought with her only to be brought back the surroundings by the soft mummers of the mastermind. She looked over puzzled by the sounds to see that the masterminds sleep was anything but peaceful. The grifter thought for a moment wondering if she should wake him as listen to the soft mumblings of what appeared to be a nightmare. She reached over to place a hand on his shoulder and gently shook him.

"Nate, Nate," she whispered in a gentle voice "Nate darling wake up," She said a little louder when he did not respond.

"Na...," she stared again as the mastermind jump half dazed as he awoke form his sleep. The grifter to jump startled by the masterminds movement "Nate are you alright," she asked after taking a moment to collect herself. The mastermind blinked at her not sure of what was happening for as his mind slowly began to realize he had once again been dreaming.

"Fine," he managed to choke when at last he found his voice. He sat up in his chair as the flight attendant came over the intercom announcing their decent. The grifter eyed him not entirely convinced.

"Are you sure, because I'm here if you would like to talk about it..." she started.

"No, I'm fine just..." Nate's trailed off as cut the the grifter off. He turned his eyes to the window thinking back to the nightmare he had just woken up from. It was just as horrifying as the ones pervious to it, but it felt different. He couldn't figure out why only that something in his gut was screaming at him, but the message was lost before it could reach him.

As the plane came in for a landing he was some what grateful knowing otherwise Sophie was would try to get him to talk about his dream. He hadn't said a word to his team about the nightmares he had been having nor did he think that it was something they should be aware of. They were just nightmare and harm would it cause if they knew or not.

They arrived at their hotel an hour and a half later. They would set out the next day to start the recon of the facilities. Until then they would settle into their rooms and ready themselves for what ever challenges this job would bring with it. They all sat gathered in the main room of their suite Hardison and Eliot was arguing over what kind of take out to get while the rest sat listening to the two men bicker. It was strangely amusing to watch two grown men fight over something so trivial as takeout. The argument continued for some fifteen minutes until Sophie put an end it by having the two flip a coin. Which of course the they reluctantly agreed to not wanting to infer the wrath of the grifter. When the matter was settled and dinner was to be decide and ordered they all seemed to drift off into their own little worlds as they waited for the delivery guy to arrive.

Nate sat on the balcony over looking the traffic fingering a glass of bourbon. At the moment the last thing that he wanted to do was to be around his team.

"You know its a bit to chilly out here for you to have know coat on," a familiar voice called from behind. He turned to see the Sophie wrapped in white knitted shaw with another blanket in hand. He gave a quick smile not wanting to show her the concern that he felt.

"Thanks," taking the blanket from her. She nodded taking a seat beside him as he fixed the blanket over his lap. They sat in silence listening to the traffic for several minutes.

"Are you going to tell me whats been bugging you lately," She said looking over to the mastermind sat. He didn't answer her knowing she was going to ask. When he didn't answer her she continued "don't think we haven't noticed you acting different as of late," she said nodding towards the people in the room behind them.

Nate still refused to speak after all what could he say? That the reason he had been so withdrawn was because every night he dreams of losing a member of his team, of his family.

Sophie looked at a little annoyed that he was saying anything "Nate," she started again "what ever it is you can tell me. No matter what it is you can tell what is on your mind." She watched as the bit his lip as if debating whether he should tell her or not before he finally let out a sigh.

"Fine," he said at last. He looked at her not sure how to go about telling her of his dreams.

Sophie sat patiently as he thought of how to teller not really sure what it was or what it would be about.

Nate took a deep breath as he began "a few weeks ago I started to have these dreams," he stopped trying to swallow the lump that was growing in his throat.

"What kind of dreams," she asks not sure she want the answer.

"The kind that when you wake up pray will never come true," he said as a tear came to his eye.

"What are these dreams about," she asked urging him to continue.

"Its alway the same dream except it happens a little different each time. I running down a stairwell until I reach a door. I go through it because something his pushing me to. The only thing that I know is that I'm looking for Eliot. When I finally find him its too late. Sometimes I make it and he is still alive only for him to die in my arms. Other times he is already gone by the time I get their. No matter what I do I never get there in time to stop it and the dream always ends the same with you pulling me away from him..." his voice trailed off as his eyes turned away from her.

She stared at him unsure how to proceed after hearing what he had told her. Instead she decided that for the moment it would be best not to say anything. She at least knew now why he had chosen to withdraw himself from them. Although she still couldn't help but wonder why he was having these dreams.

The two of them sat in silence until at they were called in for dinner. They joined the rest of the team neither say speaking of what Nate had said. Perhaps it was because neither wanted to worry the others, or maybe it was to persevere what little good was left of the evening either way two remained silent about what had went on between them. They passed the rest of the night by all gathering around and watching a movie before filing off to bed one at a time. Nate and Eliot were the last two as another movie came on. It was a little passed eleven when the hitter look over to where Nate was sitting.

"You should probably get some sleep," Eliot suggested as he noticed the mastermind fighting to stay awake. The mastermind looked up at him for a moment.

"Yeah, I'll go in a minute," he said looking over to his hitter. He didn't want to for fear of what nightmare sleep would surly bring, but his eyes were growing heavy as his body was threatening to pull him into sleep. Finally he decided if he was going to sleep it would be in a room that was out of the view of his team. The last thing he wanted was for them to struggle with his nightmare. He bid the hitter night as he too file off to bed.

Nate stood in a cemetery. He was surrounded by his team or at least what was left of his team as they stood by as a casket began to lower into the ground. It was a dark cherry wood a elegant arrangement of white roses and red carnations rest upon. The flag that had covered it long since been removed and fold before being presented to him. Nate stood listening as the sound of weeping mourners and bagpipes playing. He was doing his best to hold back the tears that were welling in his eyes. He couldn't bring himself take his eyes off of the name he had had engraved into the wood 'Eliot Spencer-Ford'. He had wanted to leave with his hitter a part of him self that showed how much he cared. He wished he could have conveyed how he felt about him while he had been alive. Nate hadn't felt this empty inside since he had buried his first son, and now here he was laying another one to rest. His eyes moved rest on the tombstone after the casket had passed out of sight. He read the words over and over again until he felt as if they were engraved into his mind:

'Eliot Spencer-Ford

1980-2012

Beloved Son and Brother

Cherished Friend'

He felt a hand as it rested on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Sophie with tears streaking her face.

"Its time to go," she said pulling him towards the car. He followed not knowing what else to do. His mind was clouded not wanting to really think of his lose. For once it was not from too much alcohol. He had come to the funeral sober for the fact that it would have been what Eliot would have wanted.

Nate woke to the sound of his alarm clock screaming and the smell of fresh coffee brewing. He reaches over to turn off the alarm before rubbed the sleep from his eyes only to find that tears he was fighting to hold back were real. Nate shot up from his bed to only remember it was all a dream. The cemetery he had been in was the one his son had been buried in, and from what he could tell he was still in Virginia. He took another moment to collect himself before moving to get out of bed when door burst open. He looks up just in time to see Parker skip happily into his room before jumping on his bed. She manages some how to land cross legged still smiling. Much to his annoyance Parker remains seated on his bed without saying a word.

"Can I help you Parker," he asks after a moment of silence.

She shrugs "not really Sophie just said to make sure you were awake," she says with child like smile. Nate shook his head slightly as rested his head in one hand rubbing his eyes.

"Yes Parker I am awake as you can see," he said before turning to look back at the thief. He couldn't be mad at the thief knowing it was in her nature for the way she went about serving as awake up call. A slight smile crossed his face as her smile only grew wider before hopping off the bed making her way back towards the door closing it behind her as she went. Nate rolled out from under his covers making his way to the bathroom.

As Parker made her way back to the others who sat around discussing the days events Sophie looked up from the conversation.

"Is he up," she asked to thief as she climbed onto the counter.

"Yep," the thief answered crossing her legs. She was still smiling which to Sophie was a good sign. After her conversion with Nate the pervious night she had no idea what kind of mood he would be in. The fact that Parker was still in a good mood herself indicated that he wasn't too unpleasant at the present moment.