Missing scene between Sophie and Tara in The Lost Heir Job. This was written for leverage_bingo and leverageland. The prompt is The Lost Heir Job.
You owe me.
"You'll be there, right?" she hears Nate ask her before closing the door behind and leaving her apartment.
Is she going to be there? She sighs in frustration.
That man! He comes all the way here to London, but he doesn't say the words she so wishes to hear. Will he ever say them?
She torments herself, repeating his question over and over again. Will she be there?
Her answer is simple: no, she isn't going to be there, because she is still not ready to go back to her life. But then she feels guilty. In the last job without a grifter, Hardison nearly got himself killed. She couldn't leave them shorthanded. Her conscience is nearly making her open the door and run after Nate. Forgive him for his inability to commit to someone, forget that she is desperately in love with a broken man that could never give her what she needs. Then an idea hits her. She knows someone who could take her place, help the team until she's ready. She quickly gets the phone and starts dialing.
"Hello?" the woman answers.
"Hi, Tara"
"Well, well, well…" she can hear her smirking in her voice. "I haven't heard from you in a long time. Last I have heard, you were playing Robin Hood in the U.S."
"Well, let's say I'm having a break"
"So you've called for some fun?" she teases her.
"I need a favour" she promptly replies.
"Of course you do. What makes you think I'm in a favour giving mood?"
"Do I have to remind you that you owe me?" Now it was Sophie's time to smirk. "Or you don't remember how I had to save your ass from…"
"Okay, okay…" Tara stops her. "What do you need?"
"Since I'm on a break I need someone to take my place in the team" she let her words linger.
"No, way" she protests. "you know I work alone. A team only complicates things. You were the best, until you've met that Ford guy."
"They are wonderful people. Hardison is just a grown geek boy, Parker, once you've know her, is adorable and Eliot is a professional. If he knows I have sent you, he won't protest." She pauses. "The only problem will be Nate"
"It's not a simple problem, Sophie. I have heard rumors about him."
"How come he has never chased you?" Sophie wonders. When he still worked for IYS, Nate was well known in the crime business.
"Art theft is not exactly my thing. We have never crossed paths . I have heard he is a drunk crazy man."
"Nate is not crazy" she says to her. "Well… some of his plans can be. But he has stopped drinking and he's the best mastermind I have ever seen"
"I don't know how your opinion is reliable since you're in love with him"
Sophie ignores her comment "Look Tara, if you do this for me, we'll be even."
"Seriously?" she asks. "I won't be receiving another desperate call?"
"Yes" she sighs. "Just look after them until I'm ready to go back."
"Okay" she reluctantly agree. "When do I have to go?"
"Nate has a client meeting tomorrow morning at 10."
"I'll try to be there. I have a quick job to finish here."
""Thanks Tara." She tells her sincerely.
"No problem. What exactly are you doing?"
"I don't know. Having a grifter crisis."
"Ah… well I hope it goes away fast because I don't how much I can resist being in a team"
"You call me if something is not right, okay?"
"Sure. I have to go now" and she hangs up.
Sophie looks at the phone in her hand and wonders is she has made the right decision.