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Nate didn't believe in the power of prayer, he'd had years of praying drilled into him at the Boys' Home, so all it had become to him was yet another routine to endure-and to break as soon as he left that dammed place.But as he sat and watched over Elena, he found himself silently pleading for help from anyone or anything that was out there.She'd been like this for days-so still, pale and fragile.By the time Chloe had driven them back to the safety of the village Elena was barely alive. Tenzin sent for a doctor straight away but due to the remoteness of the village it would take a while for them to get there. (With Elena the only one of them who could speak Tibetan and Tenzin not speaking a word of English, this had been conveyed through the language of awkwardly performed charades but together Nate and Chloe had worked it out!)Elena was bleeding heavily so Tenzin set to work removing the shrapnel as best as he could, then carefully dressed her wounds-just as he had done after he'd removed Flynn's bullet from Nate's abdomen.Nate knew that Tenzin was doing his best in an incredibly difficult situation, but he was so relieved when the doctor, laden with vital medical supplies, arrived from the Red Cross.He was even more relieved to discover that the doctor turned out to be a Canadian called Jill North-now Nate would finally get some answers about the severity of Elena's condition.Jill had a warm, caring way about her, and she seemed a very thorough doctor too, taking her time examining Elena. She spoke fluent Tibetan as well and was more than happy to be a translator between Nate and Tenzin so Nate could finally thank him for everything he'd done for them.She thought that it would be best for Elena to stay in the village for the time being as the civil war that Lazarevic had stirred up in Nepal had spilled over into other regions. While things were calmer now, the cities-including the hospitals-were still struggling.She then solemnly added that, although Tenzin had done an excellent job removing the shrapnel, Elena would probably need another operation but wasn't strong enough to be moved or to go through the operation yet...Nate tried his best to ignore it but he could tell that she didn't seem to hold out much hope for Elena's recovery...but Jill didn't know about Elena's tenacious spirit...if anyone could defy the odds it had to be her...didn't it?!Jill had other patients that needed her care but promised to circle back to the village as soon as possible to check on Elena's condition. The days went by and Nate never left her bedside. Tenzin and the villagers checked regularly on Elena-her intravenous drip, her dressings and to wash her. They also brought Nate food, gently trying to get him to eat. Chloe tried too, only not so gently, hissing at him quietly to "Just eat the bloody food!" Nate ate what he could but he just couldn't stomach food right now, he felt so sick with worry and guilt.As he held Elena's hand, so lifeless yet so warm, he found himself smiling slightly as he remembered what else her small, soft hand could do. How soon after they'd first met and her show had financed the dive for Sir Francis Drake’s coffin, he and Sully had left her behind when they realised they were onto something even bigger-and how she had tracked them down and promptly punched him hard in the face for leaving her behind!It was a complete sucker punch but that was Elena all over, when they'd first got together she had-in the most delightful but scary way-thrown his whole world completely off kilter!She wasn't like any other girl he'd ever known, she knew so little about him but somehow seemed to understand him. There was no pressure with her, no rush to define their relationship-Nate discovered that she was as uncomplicated as she was beautiful.He found himself introduced to a world of simple pleasures-like going for a walk on the beach, having an ice cream (Nate's first-once he got past the intense, cold, tingling sensation he loved it!) and eating at her favourite restaurant (nothing fancy-a small roadside diner that did the most amazing pancakes!).He found he could talk for ages with Elena, of course at one point childhoods came up and while Nate loved hearing about how tomboy Elena had driven her mother crazy, he'd gotten so uncomfortable when she asked him about his.He'd spat out the basic facts of his parents and the Boys' Home but didn't mention Sam, he just couldn't-it hurt so much to even think about him!Elena seemed to sense the pain this caused him and never pushed him for anymore details, just accepting this was a no-go area. This acceptance and lack of pressure enabled Nate to let his guard down with her, to finally let a girl get close to him.While all his previous romances were torrid, physical affairs, he found himself taking his time with Elena-so happy just to be with her.When they finally did make love, months after El Dorado, it was the most perfect experience-he'd never felt such utter joy being with someone.They slept together as often as they could, even travelling to where the other was working when their own work schedules allowed as they both so hated being away from each other.They made love a lot but they were also both so happy to just snuggle together and fall asleep in each other's arms.As much as Nate loved sleeping with her, the more nights he spent with her the more he found himself worrying-about his nightmares.Thanks to the brevity of his previous romances most of the girls he'd slept with hadn't witnessed them, but the two who had had reacted very differently.The first viewed them as an opportunity to find out what made him tick, to fix him.The nightmares were things that Nate wanted to forget about but that his stupid, stubborn subconscious just wouldn't let go of. They were so painful he struggled to deal with them, so trying to talk about them-especially with someone who seemed to be viewing him as some kind of project-was out of the question, so Nate did what he always did when things felt were getting too intense for him-he ran out on her and never looked back!The second had declared that it was "freaky and creepy" for a grown man to be crying in his sleep so she promptly dumped him! Nate knew he was a screw up but "freaky and creepy"?! That had hurt him way more than he would like to admit.He'd valiantly hoped that he wouldn't have any nightmares with Elena, sleeping with her always made him feel so safe, but about a month after they'd first made love-whether it was because he was worrying about them or it was just his subconscious' time to taunt him-Elena witnessed one for the first time.She didn’t find it "freaky and creepy" and she didn't push him to talk about them, instead-that time and every time his nightmares troubled him-she just held him so close and gently stroked his hair until he calmed down, giving him such sweet love and comfort.Christmas soon rolled around, a time Nate had hated since Sam's death, and yet again, without knowing just why he hated Christmas so much, Elena seemed to know just what to do-no pressure, nothing festive, instead she took him away for a winter break in a remote log cabin she'd inherited from her grandfather.Everything was so perfect, so wonderful...so of course that's when Nate would ruin it all...Nate was pulled away from his memories when Elena let out a soft, wheezy gasp...then became terrifyingly silent!"Oh no...no, no, no, no!" Nate gently felt her wrist...it was there...a pulse-slow and faint-but Elena was still hanging on.He shook his head "You really love me keeping me on my toes, don't you?!" he smiled sadly "Come on Elena...open your eyes..tell me I'm an ass...anything...just don't leave me...please!"Nothing..."She broke your heart."Chloe's words tormented him...Elena did break his heart but not in the way Chloe thought...The longest Nate had been in a relationship before Elena was about a month but it was almost a year since El Dorado and they were still together!In this time Elena had changed...grown up, she was still the sweet, funny, loving girl he'd first fallen in love with but she'd lost that wide-eyed wonder she'd had when they first started out on their hunt for El Dorado. The dangers they'd faced and the things they'd seen on that island had changed her, had woken her up to the reality of there being such evil in the world and true to form Elena wanted to do something about it!So when her archaeology/adventure show wasn't renewed for another season she took it as a sign to pursue more meaningful stories.Despite having a degree in journalism most people didn't take Elena seriously at first. They viewed her as "just a reality TV star come low budget cable show presenter" and were unconvinced that she would be up to the task of being a "proper" journalist! Of course this opposition only made Elena even more determined and very soon she was proving her worth.Nate teased her about her "noble crusades" but he was really so very proud of her. Proud and so scared.He'd never been in love before...and it terrified him...everyone in his life that should have loved him had either left, died, rejected or condemned him. Of course there was Sully who didn't have to love him but did...but Sully was a crook...he and Nate were two of a kind...but Elena...she was the sweetest person he'd ever known...how on earth could she love someone like him?! His fears and insecurities overwhelmed him.His subconscious was having the time of its life, dredging up things that people had said about him years ago-he was "incorrigible", "worthless", "a filthy, cast-off little beggar"!He didn't realise it at the time but he started to try to sabotage their relationship, doing his best to drive her away.He took more risky, shady jobs-ones that were well away from history and treasure and more about simple thievery. Elena didn’t say anything and continued to show him nothing but love but Nate knew she was disappointed with him.They were arguing more and more...Nate used every opportunity to pick a fight with her but her stubborn, beautiful heart refused to quit on him...so that's when Nate made the biggest mistake of his life...Memory is a funny thing...he could remember the night he ended things with her...he could even remember what clothes she was wearing-black jeans and a navy blouse...but he couldn't remember what they'd been arguing about...maybe it didn't matter anymore...but he could definitely remember what he did next..."I don't want this anymore!""Me neither...I hate it when we fight cowboy!""No, I don't want this anymore!" he spat out, whilst indicating between the two of them.Elena looked at him, slightly confused at first...then it hit her "You're dumping me?!""It's for the best...I can't be what you want me to be!""What I want you to be?!...""I know you're disappointed with me!""Sure I am...because you keep taking these crazy, stupid risks...you're too smart to be acting like this! Look Nate, I know this is scary but...""I'm not scared!" Nate snapped.Elena looked at him, completely unconvinced and she smiled at him softly...lovingly...and Nate felt his heart break...why couldn't she see he was worthless?!"I'm not scared Elena...I'm bored!" he said with all the acid he could muster."Bored?!""Yeah, it was fun at first...the girls I usually sleep with...they're real easy to get into bed...but you...I had to really work hard with you...I enjoyed the challenge!" he said, cruelly casual."The challenge?! Nate why are you being like this?!...I know you love me...""Have I ever told you I love you?!""No, but you've always shown it!"Nate scoffed "You're so naive...it was a game...I just did what I needed to do to get what I wanted...sex...incredible sex granted...but that's all it ever was for me...""Nate don't...""I'll admit it was amazing finding out that you were a virgin...I've never had sex with a virgin before...that was a novelty...but it's getting boring now..." he finished coldly.His harsh words stunned Elena...the colour drained from her face and for a minute Nate thought that she was either going to throw up or burst into tears...then she seemed to draw on her inner strength, her face hardening...refusing to show him how badly he'd hurt her "Well I don't wanna bore you...so go Nate!" she retorted.She was breaking his heart...breaking her heart was breaking his..."Just go!" she said bitterly, her voice breaking slightly, but still refusing to let him see her cry.That was the last time he saw her until she'd aimed a gun at him in Nepal...As Nate sat and watched over Elena, still holding her hand, he felt a massive pang of regret for all the time he'd squandered being away from her. Would he ever get the chance to put things right, to tell her what a fool he'd been...why had it been easier for him to hurt her, to run out on her?!...Why hadn't he instead fought his fears and insecurities...and stayed with the only girl he'd ever loved?!Nate leaned in close to Elena and spoke softly "I never meant what I said...I'm so sorry...I never should have left you..."

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After their narrow escape in Borneo Sully had been relaxing on a small island in the Philippines. It had a well stocked beach bar and very friendly barmaids-definitely his kind of place!Then he got that phone call! Over the years he'd grown accustomed to Nate calling him in the middle of the night, needing help to get out of whatever scrape he was currently in, but this call was very different "It's Elena, Sully...she's...she's been hurt..."Elena...it had been about a year since Nate had ran out on her and he hadn't mentioned her name once, but Sully knew that-even if Nate would never admit it-he'd never stopped loving her.Sully got the first flight he could to Tibet, where Chloe met him at the airport."Thank you for getting here so quickly Victor, he's really going to need you soon..." she said with a grim look on her face.Sully looked at her, a little stunned-he could tell by the tone of Nate's voice when he called that things were bad, but just how bad were they?!Chloe sighed as she confirmed his worst fears "I think she's dying Victor, but Nate just can't or won't accept that...I thought I knew him but I've never seen him like this...I guess she really meant a lot to him..."Sully looked at Chloe awkwardly, he knew that Elena was the only girl Nate had ever loved, but how do you say that to one of his other girls?! He cleared his throat a little "Um, yeah...they spent quite a bit of time together..."Chloe gave him a sad, knowing, little smile "It's okay Victor...whatever Nate and I had together...well I think it was over when Elena's cameraman got shot and Nate..." she sighed again "...it's a long drive back to the village...why don't I fill you in on everything that's happened as we go?"By the time they arrived at the small mountain village Sully was reeling with regret. He'd honestly thought that with Chloe as back up Nate would be fine. But now all Sully could think was that he should have gone with them to Nepal, maybe things would be different, better now if he had...As he entered the small house he felt a deep sense of trepidation. It struck him how silent it was, something he'd never associate with Elena and definitely not with Nate!There they were, Elena unconscious in the bed, looking so fragile and a dishevelled looking Nate sitting by the bed holding her hand.Nate leaned in close to Elena and spoke softly "I never meant what I said...I'm so sorry...I never should have left you..."Sully moved quietly over to them and gently put a hand on Nate’s shoulder, which made him jump a little and look round."Sully you came!" he exclaimed softly with a sad smile."Where else would I be kid?!..." Sully said with a warm smile "...Although if you can try to find somewhere not quite so remote next time you call...Chloe's a good driver but those mountain roads...ugh, my spine..." Sully looked at his best friend seriously "...Nate I'm so sorry...I never should have bailed on you after Borneo...""Sully...don't...maybe I should have walked away then too..." Nate looked at Sully sorrowfully "...this is all my fault...Flynn did this because of me...""No kid, Flynn did this because he was an asshole!"Nate smiled sadly at this, then his smile faded as he asked fearfully "But she's gonna make it, isn't she Sully?!...If anyone can it's Elena, right?!...She just has to!"Sully looked at Elena, he'd seen what grenades could do up close during his time in the Navy-they'd killed men three or four times her size, how on earth did her small frame stand a chance?Then he looked at Nate, he'd seen that lost look in his eyes once before-when he'd returned from Panama after Sam had died."Kid...look..." Sully started uneasily, Nate looked up at him-so very scared and lost-and Sully found himself unable to say what he'd planned to "...I'm...well I'm more worried about you right now, you look in a worse state than when I got you out of that Turkish jail!""I'm fine, Sully!" Nate said, slightly wearily."Kid, you're far from fine! Chloe told me you refuse to leave Elena...resting in that chair...barely eating...""I can still hear her Sully, the noise she made...it was like a wounded animal...she sounded so scared...I had to leave her once to go and stop Lazarevic but I don't want to leave her again...I don’t want her to think I've abandoned her...""She wouldn't think that..."Nate looked up at Sully, ashamed "But I ran out on her before...""Nate, come on...you've got nothing to feel bad about...Chloe filled me in on everything that's happened...including your bloody annoying heroics, her words not mine!...I bet she was real proud of you..." Sully said, indicating gently to Elena "...so I know she'd hate to see you like this...go on Nate, go and get some fresh air, stretch your legs...oh and maybe freshen up a bit...you really stink!"Nate smiled weakly at this but seemed reluctant to go."I'll sit with her for a bit...we'll be fine..."Nate nodded "Okay, but just for a little while..." he said as he got up stiffly.Sully watched him go then looked sadly at Elena as he sat down on the chair that Nate had almost taken root to. He let out a heavy sigh, it broke his heart to see her like this-so lifeless, so very unlike the girl he knew-he could only imagine what it was doing to Nate."Oh Elena..." he said softly "...I've really missed you this past year...I've managed to catch quite a few of your reports though...made me feel proud...cos I knew you when you were a scrappy, young reporter filming your low budget show...and now you're covering wars, drug cartels, corrupt regimes...you've come so far!" he let out a soft chuckle "Y'know if I'm honest, I really didn’t think much of you at all when we first met...you were just another pretty girl that Nate would have a fling with...and your show...well with my money problems, it was just a means to an end...of course when I got to know you I realised that you were the sweetest, smartest, funniest, warmest person I've ever known and I grew so very, very fond of you. I've met quite a few of Nate's girls over the years, they always seemed to just tolerate me because I was his friend, but not you...I really loved all the time the three of us spent together after El Dorado...anytime I was around you always made me feel so welcome...I wasn't just Nate's friend, we became friends too didn’t we?...I'm so sorry I didn't stay in touch after Nate ended things...I should have, I meant to...but I just felt so damm awkward about it all...of course I told him he was an idiot but I guess you and I both understand what really happened...he just got scared. Of all the people he's met over the years, I think we're the only ones he's let his guard down with...the only ones that know that there's so much more to him than the cocky wise-ass that he shows the rest of the world! I know he really hurt you when he left but he hurt himself way more...he's been so lost without you but I've tried my best to look out for him..." Sully let out another heavy sigh "What am I doing huh?! You probably can't hear a goddamn word I'm saying...but, well if you can...I promise you that I'll take care of him...so if you can't hang on any longer...it's okay sweetheart..." he said as he gently patted her hand "...I'm here now..."

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The days passed and Elena’s condition remained unchanged. Nate kept up his bedside vigil, he still wasn't eating much and was sleeping even less, dozing in his chair most nights.Then Sully came in one night to find that things had finally caught up with him-he was slumped forward, fast asleep, with his head and chest on the bed close to Elena.As Sully carefully draped a blanket over him he looked at the pair of them. Elena looked so fragile but Sully knew that inside Nate was in a far more fragile state.He felt guilty for thinking it but right now he wished that they'd never met Elena, that she and Nate had never fallen in love.It was bad enough when Nate got scared and ran out on her but now she was dying-Nate would lose another person he loved forever and Sully feared that he just wouldn't be able to cope with this loss.As he left the small house Sully looked back at them, Nate looked so peaceful, sound asleep, he hoped that his sleep was free of the nightmares that often troubled him, that he was having a respite from his pain.Nate did have nightmares, usually they were painful memories, all involving Sam, that he was forced to relive again and again-finding their mother dead in the bath, the fear and bewilderment of being abandoned by their father afterwards, punishments they'd had to endure at the Boys' Home and of course seeing Sam fall to his death in Panama-but tonight his nightmares were different.At first he was back in the Boys' Home, a grown man sitting on his small bed in the dormitory. He noticed that Elena was laying in the neighbouring bed, still unconscious from Flynn's grenade.Then she started, Sister Catherine, Nate was an adult now but that didn't stop her reprimanding him yet again!"Well you've really done it this time haven't you Nathan?! It was one thing not being able to save your worthless brother...but she's dying..." she said harshly as she looked at Elena "...and it's all your fault! What a waste...while she's tried to right wrongs, to make the world a better place, what have you done?! Spent your life stealing and killing...what on earth did she ever see in you?!"The nightmare suddenly lurched and Nate was now on the beach near his old apartment, where he used to walk with Elena. She was there, but way ahead of him and however hard and fast he ran he just couldn't catch up to her. He kept trying until he couldn't go any further...Elena was gone. He was leaning forward, catching his breath and trying to find the strength to go on, when a familiar hand gently rubbed his back. He looked up to find Elena at his side!"Hey there cowboy, don't look so worried!"Nate felt relief at seeing her but also utter bewilderment "I thought I'd lost you!...Don't go...please don't leave me!" he pleaded.Elena laughed warmly, like Nate had just said the goofiest thing ever, then put her hands on the sides of his face. As she gently stroked his face, she kissed him tenderly.Then she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close to her. As she moved a hand up and started to stroke his hair, she murmured in his ear "I'm not going anywhere!"At this point Nate woke up but kept his eyes shut, he wasn’t ready to see Elena how she was, he wanted to hang onto how she'd appeared in his dream for just a little longer.In the past she'd often woken him from his nightmares and given him such sweet love and comfort. Now she was doing that in his head, turning a nightmare into a sweet dream, what did that mean?! Was she really dying, was this the only way he was going to be able to be with her now, another ghost stuck in his screwed up head?!(Don't think like that Nate, she's still fighting so don't you dare give up on her!)He tried to focus on how safe she'd made him feel, how good it was to feel her sweet, gentle touch again, because even if it was only a dream it had felt so real. He could still feel her fingers in his hair...wait...he really could feel her fingers in his hair!Nate opened his eyes and was greeted by the beautiful sight of Elena looking right at him! She looked incredibly weak and fragile but still managed one of those warm, wonderful smiles of hers and sure enough she was gently stroking his hair.Nate didn't know whether to laugh or cry, all he could manage was a delighted gasp as he sat up. Elena went to speak but nothing came out, she swallowed, winced a little with pain, then tried again "Hey there cowboy..." she said softly."Hey you..." Nate replied emotionally.Elena slowly looked around, trying to get her bearings."We're back in the village...Tenzin's village..."Elena nodded slightly in acknowledgement "How long have I been like this?""Almost two weeks..."Elena seemed a little surprised at this, then she grinned "I always did like sleeping in, didn't I?!"As Nate laughed softly at this, the smile slowly faded from Elena's face "Lazarevic...did you stop?!..." she asked anxiously.Nate laughed softly again and stroked the side of her face "Nag, nag, nag!" he said with a warm smile, then he looked at her seriously "It's okay...I stopped him...it's over..."Elena smiled proudly at Nate and held his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.There was so much Nate wanted to say to her, needed to say to her, but right now he found himself hopelessly lost for words!(I love you!)...As he sat with her, holding hands, Nate made a silent promise that one day soon he would tell her this. He wasn’t sure how or when but he knew it would happen, because after all if Elena could defy all the odds and come back to him, Nate believed that anything was possible!

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Nate had big, strong hands that were rough from all the fighting and climbing he did-but with her they were always so incredibly gentle.As she sat up in bed, Elena found herself experiencing the rough yet gentle sensation of his hands on her body once more-he had one hand under her thigh, the other under her calf, both offering tender support as he helped her slowly stretch one of her legs.As promised Jill North returned to check on Elena and was equally stunned and delighted to see Elena fully conscious.She checked Elena's vital signs, removed the intravenous drip and examined her wounds.She told Elena that it would be a very long, slow road to full recovery and that she would probably need another operation (this time in an actual hospital!) to remove further shrapnel.For the time being though Elena needed to rest and get stronger so, much to Elena's annoyance, she found herself being confined to bed. She had however been given exercises to do to prevent her muscles from wasting-this was what Nate was helping her do right now."Can you manage one more?" he asked tenderly."Yep...then I'll beat yesterday's record!...But y'know I'm sure things would move a lot faster if I actually got up and about!" she replied, a little frustrated.Nate rolled his eyes at this "Elena, would you just...""I know, I know..." she interrupted curtly. She paused and looked at Nate sadly "I do know how lucky I am..." she said softly "...I know I should be dead...and I know all of this is to help me get stronger...but it's just all day stuck in bed...I'm going stir crazy...I'm not even that tired anymore..." she added as she did her best to stifle an incredibly ill timed yawn!Nate chuckled at this which made Elena scowl at him briefly, then let out a soft sigh of frustration.Nate looked awkwardly at her, he seemed unsure what to do, which made Elena smile "I'm sorry cowboy..."Nate smiled so warmly back at her-letting her know there was nothing to be sorry for.After they'd finished her exercises, Nate ever so carefully helped her move from sitting up to laying down. Her side was throbbing under her dressings and her whole body felt so very weak but she tried not to let Nate see the pain she was in, she knew she'd worried him enough already. He then gently pulled the blanket back over her "Are you sure you're warm enough?...Cos I can go get another blanket...I even know how to say it in Tibetan now thanks to you!""I'm good...thanks....""You sure?!...Is there anything else you need?!..."Elena smiled at him, she knew Nate was hopelessly out of his depth with all of this, which made his fussing around her so cute, annoying at times but so very cute!"Nate...go!" she said warmly.Nate nodded with a boyish grin, then leant down and gave her a kiss on her forehead-it was an incredibly sweet, tender kiss, it was also utterly platonic which confused Elena.They had grown so close again over the course of their latest adventure but she wasn't quite sure what their relationship was right now...and then of course there was Chloe to worry about.As she watched Nate quietly leave, Elena tried to settle down and sleep. Her brain was resistant to the whole "being stuck in bed" concept-she'd never been really sick in her whole life so it was completely foreign to her, but even if she didn't want to admit it she knew she needed the rest and right now her body was absolutely crying out for it.It was her brain that was causing the problems, it was a sea of jumbled thoughts and emotions-about Jeff's death, Schafer and the villagers, Nate and Chloe, about...well everything seemed to be racing through her mind at one point or another.It took a little while but soon she found that her scrambled head was unable to hold out any longer and she drifted into a deep slumber....While she slept she dreamed...she was back in Nepal, Jeff was shot and Nate had done his best to get him to safety but Jeff couldn't go any further and now they were cornered. Chloe had just betrayed them to save her own skin and then Lazarevic showed up "Did you carry him all the way from the temple?" he asked Nate in a mocking tone, as he looked at a wounded Jeff laying on the floor "Shame." As Lazarevic fired his gun Elena woke up with a start.She felt so sick and panicked that her body's primal fight or flight response kicked in, making her desperately want to run away from it all-but all she could manage to do was to slowly and painfully get herself back up to a sitting position.She could still see Jeff laying crumpled on the floor, the life instantly leaving his body as Lazarevic's bullet entered and she felt so utterly overwhelmed she began to cry.She was so consumed by a mixture of grief and guilt that she was unaware that Sully had come in to check on her."Hey, hey sweetheart...it's okay..."Elena just looked at him, so hopelessly lost. Sully carefully sat down on the bed near her and smiled at her-it was a slightly nervous smile but also so very warm. He hesitantly stretched out his arms towards her and Elena quickly took refuge in them.As she sobbed she found herself being calmed by being held by him. The mixture of scents-aftershave and cigars-was surprisingly soothing and she took comfort from how he was ever so gently patting her back.After a few minutes she slowly eased away from him, giving him a sad smile as she wiped her eyes "Sorry Sully...""Hey, there's nothing to be sorry about...""Please don't tell Nate about this, I've put him through enough already...""I won't tell him..." Sully reassured, then he looked at her, deeply concerned "...are you sure we can't call someone for you...your parents?"Elena shook her head "My producer offered to contact them when I managed to call him with an update on...well...everything that's happened...not about Shambhala-he'd think I was crazy...but everything that went on with...with Lazarevic. I told him I'd call them when I'm back home, I don’t want to worry them...""But I'm sure they'd want to be here for you..."Elena grinned ruefully "You don't know my mom!...She's...well...well we've never really got each other, so I'm sure all of this would just be another way that I've totally stressed her out and I really don't wanna put my dad through that!"She also knew that as much as she loved her dad, he just wouldn't understand everything that had happened-his life was a world apart from hers-but she knew Sully understood and he proved her point with what he said next."It's not easy is it?!...Surviving when others don't...""No..." she answered quietly "...it's all my fault Sully...""No darlin'...not the way I've heard it from Nate and Chloe." Sully said, looking at her warmly."But I was the one with the gun, not Jeff...I should have protected him better...it was my story...my quest for the truth...he shouldn't have died for that...""How long did you two work together?""A little over eight months..." Elena responded, a little unsure of why this was being asked."So he knew what he was doing...what it meant to be your cameraman.""I guess...my producer's going to contact the embassy, work with them to find Jeff...so he can be brought home...I gave him the rough location of where we left him...they'll find him won't they?!""I'm sure they'll do their best...""I didn’t want to leave him behind...""He was gone Elena...and if you'd stayed you would be too..."Elena nodded solemnly then looked around the small house, letting out a sad sigh "Look around you Sully...no TVs, phones or computers...these people have so little and yet they've given everything so freely to help me and Nate...and what was their thanks?!...To have utter chaos rained down on them by Lazarevic and his troops...""No one here blames you two...""I know...that kinda makes it worse...people died, others had their homes ripped apart but everyone that checks on me is so very happy that I'm healing...they're the sweetest people I've ever known-it's so unfair...""It is..." Sully nodded "...but that's just how it goes sometimes...when I was in the Navy I saw quite a few guys die but somehow I made it through okay...a couple of scars to show for it but still all in one piece! The ones that died...they were husbands, fathers...I had no one...""You don't really believe that do you?!...That just because you were alone it should have been you instead of one of them?!"Sully looked at her sheepishly "They were good men, Elena...""You're a good man too Sully...of course I didn’t think that when I first met you, especially when you ditched me to go off with Nate to find El Dorado by yourselves!...But I reckon I know the real Victor Sullivan now!...""Oh, you do?!" Sully asked with a playful smile.Elena nodded "Mmm hmm...a very warm hearted guy who in his own way is heroic and honourable..."Sully scoffed "Oh darlin'...I hate to tell you this but if you really think all that about me, I think the concussion from that grenade must have left you with some brain damage!"Elena laughed "I do not have brain damage!...I know you're a rogue, a crook but under all that you're a good guy too..." Sully looked at her dubiously "...I can't imagine anyone but you doing what you did all those years ago in Cartagena...I'm sure most guys in that situation would have done nothing, got paid and-by the way Nate always told it to me-enjoyed a nice little romantic interlude too!...But you not only chose to side with a kid you didn't know, risking your life to save his...you also took him in and loved him as your own..."Sully shifted a little, embarrassed "You said I didn't know him...but I did...he was like me at that age-smart mouthed, cocky...but underneath that so hurt and all alone..." Sully looked at Elena with a sadness she'd never seen before, she smiled warmly back at him and that seemed to be all that was needed for him to really open up "...my mother died when I was ten...my father beat her to death...I tried to stop him but...well...I got hospitalised for my efforts...""Sully, I'm so sorry...I had no idea..." she said as she took his hand."It's okay...y'know I've never even told Nate that?!...Anyway with my mother dead and my father in jail, I spent the next few years being bounced around foster homes-where the only thing anyone cared about was the money the state was paying them to have me!...So I learnt to take care of myself and to stick my neck out for nobody...then when I was in the Navy there was this guy...Hank...he was a bear of a man...covered in tattoos...with this long, deep scar down his right cheek that made him look real mean...but he was the complete opposite...he was really kind to me...I guess I grew to love him like a father...then our ship got attacked...he was killed...and I was..." Sully hesitated."Alone again?"Sully nodded "I guess I really went off the rails then...got dishonorably discharged..." Sully let out a little sigh "...so when Nate came barrelling into my life...well I hadn't cared for anyone in a very long time. He changed all that...I wasn't alone anymore...I had a friend, a partner...a son...so I guess when I saved his life...well he saved mine too..."Elena smiled warmly again at Sully and gave his hand a squeeze, Sully smiled back and added "...of course if you ever repeat that to Nate...about him saving my life, I'll completely deny it...he's cocky enough!"Elena chuckled "He loves you too Sully!"Sully then looked at her seriously "So speaking of Nate...y'know I always hoped that your paths would cross again one day...I know he must have really hurt you when he ran out on you but...well...how do you feel about giving the idiot another chance?!" Elena looked at Sully uncertainly which seemed to make him feel awkward "I'm sorry...just forget it okay?! It's been a year...I guess you've moved on..."Elena shook her head "I haven't been with anyone since Nate! I've spent the last year throwing myself into my work, telling myself I was too busy to date...but honestly?!...I just didn't want to!...I've never felt as connected to anyone as I did with Nate...he touched my heart in a way that no guy ever has...""But then he went and broke it?!""Yeah...when I ran into him in Nepal...well it was like when we first met...y'know, typical Nate-full of shit, up to his neck in trouble and yet still so roguishly charming!...But I wasn't going to let myself fall for that again...I really thought I was over him...but then when he tried to help Jeff and went to rescue Chloe, I found myself believing in him again...and when Tenzin brought him back here after the train wreck-Nate was frozen, bleeding, so near death-I realised...I've never stopped loving him!"With that declaration Sully looked at her, a little confused about her uncertainty to give Nate another chance, so she explained "But it's not just me and Nate now is it?! There's Chloe to think about...I'm not sure what they are right now but they were together when I ran into them in Nepal and I don't wanna hurt her...I really like her and she was so good helping me after the grenade...I know I wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for her...so I don't wanna be...well...""You don't wanna be what?!""Y'know...the other woman!" Sully let out a deep chuckle at this which made Elena feel a little bewildered "What's so funny?!""I'm sorry..." he said seeing her confusion "...it's just...well I've seen Nate with a lot of girls over the years...but I've only seen him in love once...the rest of the girls he's been with-including Chloe-they're the other women! He's never stopped loving you either Elena, he's still got that photo of you safe in his journal and you should have seen the state he was in while you were unconscious...oh and you don't have to worry about hurting Chloe...when she picked me up at the airport she said that she thought Nate and her were over when things went wrong in Nepal...""Chloe really said that?!" Elena asked, a little embarrassed by the eagerness and joy in her voice.Sully grinned and nodded "So will you..." Sully's question was interrupted when a merry commotion erupted outside, so both Elena and Sully looked out of the window to see what was going on.What they saw made them both laugh, it was such an unexpected but utterly heartwarming sight-Nate surrounded by and playing with the village children!Elena had never really thought about where her life was going, she was always too busy living in the moment, but the combination of almost dying and then being stuck in bed had made her think about her life in a way she'd just never made time for.The most surprising realisation for her was that one day she would like to be a mother.It was crazy really...she hadn't thought about the immediate future..she wasn't even back together with Nate yet...but as she watched him giving the children piggyback rides she realised that she would love it if he was the father of her future children.She knew he wasn’t the obvious choice-he was a rogue, a criminal and probably the most irresponsible person she'd ever met!(Maybe Sully was right-I do have brain damage!)But the more she watched Nate she knew he was the perfect choice. Sure he was a big kid himself, so goofing around with a load of kids wasn't a huge stretch but it was so much more, the way he was with them was how he was with her-so incredibly tender.She knew he was wounded from his troubled past, so much so that he rarely let people see all the sweet, tender love that he had to give but she hoped that with love and time his emotional wounds would heal and that one day he might be ready for fatherhood."Maybe, one day..." she murmured.

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Elena swallowed hard as the train, with Nate hanging on to the side of it, disappeared from her view.Resting her head on the steering wheel of the jeep she had "acquired" at the train station, she let out a deep sigh...what had he gotten himself into this time?!A part of her was furious at him, risking it all to save a woman who had betrayed them, betrayed him, all to save her own skin.Another part of her admired the hell out of him-Nathan Drake the thief, the no-luck tomb robber, who when things were at their worst was at his best, who was heroic and honourable."You're wasting time Fisher!" she muttered to herself as she lifted her head. She looked down the train tracks "Hang on cowboy...I've got your back."She quickly turned the vehicle around and headed back the way she had come...if she was going to help Nate she was going to be organised about it!Thankfully most of Lazarevic's troops were on the train, so the station was quieter than when they'd left it, although that didn't stop the few remaining goons firing at her, the bullets piercing the side of the jeep, as she sped back into the city.She returned to the rooms she and Jeff had been staying in...Jeff...sweet, gentle, goofy Jeff...he was dead...(Focus Fisher! Nate needs you!)She grabbed her rucksack and filled it as quickly as she could...spare clothes, ammunition, first aid supplies...the train was heading towards the mountains...she grabbed her coat and boots...she opened the door to the adjoining room and went over to Jeff's holdall that was on the floor by his bed...she found herself hesitating...it felt wrong to be rifling through his things but what else could she do?! "Really Jeff?! No coat?!..." she sighed as she grabbed a thick sweater, it would have to do for Nate...she looked at the rest of Jeff's stuff and hurriedly grabbed a few personal items including his diary and stuffed them in the side pocket of her rucksack...she would make sure they got back to his family when all of this was over...it was the least she could do.Carrying a full rucksack, and with her coat and boots on, she headed back out to the jeep, and off to follow the train tracks...She wasn't surprised when she found the wreckage...of course a train with Nate on it would crash! With her heart thumping hard in her chest and her gun ready in her hand she headed towards the carnage to find him.She found a lot of bodies amongst the twisted metal of the wreckage. She took comfort in the fact that they were all Lazarevic's men, and that a lot of them had been shot, pools of red blood a stark contrast to the purity of the white snow.As the wind picked up, she found a single set of footprints heading out of the wreckage, accompanied by drops of blood "Oh Nate!..." she murmured sadly...The storm came in so fast, too fast, her vision quickly got obscured and she got hopelessly lost, so much so that she literally stumbled into the small mountain village...The villagers didn't hesitate to help out their suprise guest, welcoming Elena into one of their small homes.After college Elena had spent two years travelling across Europe and Asia, she'd picked up a lot of languages in that time, thankfully including Tibetan! So as she sat by the fire, wrapped in a warm blanket, sipping a hot tea like drink she explained her situation to her good Samaritans.The door to the small abode opened and more villagers entered, including a man with a serene yet commanding presence. He introduced himself as Tenzin and he then listened patiently as the villagers who had aided her filled him in on the situation.Then Elena saw him...an old man who as the only other westerner apart from her seemed so out of place but at the same time seemed like he completely belonged in this small mountain community. He smiled gently at her "Don't worry my dear, you are safe now." he said softly, in an German accent."But my..." Elena paused-what exactly was Nate to her?! "...my friend...he's still out there...and he's hurt...""Tenzin will find him...""I'll go with him..." Elena replied, as she started to get up.The old man gently put his hand on her shoulder to stop her "You need to rest...""But are there other men out there...they're not good men and they have guns..." Elena then repeated this information to Tenzin in Tibetan."My dear, I know you want to help but you will only slow Tenzin down...you must have already missed your friend in the storm...Tenzin knows the terrain and he is a skilled hunter..."Tenzin looked at her as he calmly reassured in Tibetan "I will find your friend." Elena stopped him from going as she got her wallet out of her rucksack. She went to the back zipped up pocket and took out a slightly battered strip of photos of her and Nate they'd posed for in a photo booth. After Nate has ended things with her she'd almost thrown them away many times but she just couldn't bring herself to. Maybe the silly shots of them pulling goofy faces weren't the best thing for identification but Tenzin still studied them intently, although a slight smile crossed his face just before he handed them back to her.As Tenzin left, the old man sat down next to Elena "I'm sorry...I didn't introduce myself...I am Karl Schafer..."~~~~~~A few days later Elena walked through the village. It was a beautiful place and in other circumstances she would have loved to explore it slowly...but right now she just didn't have the time.All the villagers greeted her warmly as she went by, she returned their greetings and smiled, trying to be as friendly as possible, all the while keeping up a brisk pace.She let out a frustrated sigh...why had Schafer sent for her?! And why did his house have to be at the very other end of the village?!She hadn't left Nate since Tenzin had returned with him-frozen, bleeding, so close to death. In that time Schafer had sat with her quite a few times, so why was it different now?! Tenzin had said it was important...it had better be!Still, at least a walk in the crisp mountain air gave her a chance to refocus and to try to work through the jumble of emotions that the last few days had stirred in her heart.She arrived at what she believed to be Schafer's house and knocked gently on the door before entering.The room was empty!(Really?! I don't have time for this!)"Hello?!...Schafer?!" she called as she headed into the next room, to find Schafer placing a book, which looked like an old photo album on the table."Ah! Miss Fisher, thank you for coming!" Schafer smiled "How is Mr Drake?!"He's doing better thanks...Tenzin thinks he should wake up soon...so I really want to be there for that...""Of course...I will try not to keep you too long..." Schafer said warmly, as he invited Elena to sit at the table.As she sat down she noticed another item on the table, an object covered in a brown cloth, which Schafer promptly uncovered to reveal the ornamental dagger that she'd seen attached to Nate's belt."That's Nate's!..." she declared sharply, genuinely surprised."I know...I only wished to study it..." Schafer reassured as he sat down near her."I'm sorry...I didn't mean it like that..." Elena sighed."You love him deeply, don't you?!..."This sudden change in conversation initially threw Elena, but then she nodded whilst biting her lip "We used to be together...it didn't end well...but I guess I've never gotten over him...""And now destiny has reunited you!""I guess you could say that...""What do you know about this?!" Schafer asked as he handed Elena the dagger."Not much...Nate had it on him when..." Elena trailed off as she recognised something on the dagger's hilt "...that symbol...it's like the one at the temple..."Schafer nodded knowingly, up until now Elena had had him pegged as just a sweet old man who'd spent too long in this remote village, someone who was just curious about what was going on in the wider world...but she suddenly realised that there was so much more to him than that."Nate said he was looking for the Cintamani Stone...in Shambhala...y'know Shangri-La...I was going to say that it all sounds crazy, but it doesn't to you, does it?"Schafer smiled at Elena warmly "My dear...just as destiny has reunited you with Mr Drake, I believe that it brought the pair of you here...to me..."Elena woke with a start...more dreams! She sat up slowly and looked out of the window...destiny?!...Had it really brought her and Nate here?!She was still coming to terms with all the death that had surrounded the pair of them-Jeff...too many of the villagers...Schafer-but maybe as he'd said destiny had played its part...that the series of events that had brought them here was inevitable...that idea didn't help her much though...the price had been too high...She watched the villagers go about their day...they had laid their dead to rest, including Schafer (now she was out of danger Nate had returned to the monastery with Tenzin to recover Schafer's remains) and now life was returning to the village.The devastation that Lazarevic's attack had brought to this peaceful village was slowly being erased, with houses and walls being rebuilt.The most entertaining thing about this renewal was that Sully had told her that Nate had been helping! And incredibly the same accident prone guy that wrecked so much on his adventures had actually been doing a good job!She smiled as Nate came into view, deep in conversation with some of the villagers. She'd taught Sully, Chloe and Nate some Tibetan, which had proven a welcome activity for her while she was bed bound. While Sully and Chloe had only wanted to know the basics, Nate wanted to know everything!He might have not finished high school or gone to college but Nate was by far the smartest person she'd ever met. Despite his impressive knowledge, which was largely self taught by the many books he'd read, his quest for knowledge never seemed to end so learning a new language thrilled him.He was a fast learner too, and as she watched him talk with the villagers now, almost as if he'd grown up here, Elena felt the warm glow of pride.Nate seemed to fit in here so well, living a simple life. He seemed the calmest, the most content she'd ever seen him...in another life would this have be enough for him or would he always have craved adventure and all the dangers it entailed?"How you doin' Elena?!" Chloe asked from the doorway, her voice breaking through Elena's thoughts."Pretty good thanks...although the sooner I can get out of this bed the better..." as Chloe walked over to the bed Elena added expectantly "... I'm sure it would be okay if someone was to help me up and accompany me on a little walk...y'know just to keep an eye on me..."Chloe rolled her eyes at this suggestion, dashing Elena's hopes of finally getting up and about today "Maybe so...but that someone won't be me...that doctor was very clear that you need to stay in bed!"Elena let out a deep sigh "I know...""Look at it this way...you getting bored is a good sign...shows you're getting better!"Elena nodded reluctantly...she knew that Nate wouldn't let her get up...she was stuck! Then a glimmer of hope entered her mind...Sully...she was sure that she could sweet talk him into helping her escape from the confines of her bed...she'd work on him the next time she saw him!"Is it okay if I sit?" Chloe asked, indicating to the bottom of the bed."Sure..." Elena nodded.As she carefully sat on the bed Chloe looked at Elena thoughtfully, after a brief pause she spoke "So...as you are well on the way to recovery and Victor's here now to keep an eye on Nate...well sort of...there's nothing to keep me here so I think I'll be leaving soon..."Although Elena knew from Sully that things were over between Nate and Chloe, she still felt a wave of guilt wash over her "Chloe...I'm so sorry..." she started."Don't be...you and Nate seem to like it here but I'm actually looking forward to getting back to civilization...I don't mind roughing it on the job but I kinda miss things like hot running water and electricity...just a little quirk of mine!" this comment made Elena laugh softly "And I'd like to get back to work soon too...tagging along watching you two save the world was a novelty but I'd like to actually get paid this time!""We'll miss you...""No you won't! Not as long as Nate and you have each other..." Chloe smiled warmly.Elena looked at her with disbelief, there was no trace of resentment in Chloe's smile, just genuine warmth "Chloe...I...I never wanted this...I didn't mean to...""No, you didn't did you?!...Oh, you should see your face right now...it's priceless!" Chloe laughed "You didn't steal Nate from me Elena...you couldn't...because he never belonged to me...I know when we met in Nepal I wasn't...well let's just say I've always been a little territorial...y'know I thought it was hysterical when I realised you and Nate had a history, I mean him and me made sense, but you?! I didn't get it...but now I see that you understand him in a way I never will...you belong together." Elena blinked at Chloe, momentarily speechless "I'll admit I will miss him...he's a lot of fun...and the sex is incredible...but I guess you know all about that already don't you?!" Chloe finished, flashing Elena a wicked smile.Elena felt her cheeks flush at this comment, and any attempts at playing it cool failed making her feel even more embarrassed. Chloe laughed loudly as she got up and went to leave "Chloe...before you go..." Elena started, trying to regain her composure "...I haven't gotten around to thanking you properly...""For what?!" Chloe asked, slightly puzzled."For what?!...You saved my life!""Oh wow!...I'm surprised...I didn't think you were that kind of journalist!""What kind?!""The sensationalist kind...that embellishes the facts to make thing sound so much more dramatic that it actually was...I just happened to be there!" Chloe smiled knowingly."Oh...right..." Elena smiled "...well in that case...thank you Chloe...for being there!"Chloe rolled her eyes and smiled incredulously, then sauntered towards the door "See you around sunshine!"

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

As he stood at the reception desk, waiting to check in, Nate looked over to where Elena was sitting in the small lobby of the guesthouse and smiled at her. She smiled back at him and he felt the most delightful, warm glow in his chest-she was so incredibly beautiful. Nate suddenly felt a little anxious as he knew she was also so incredibly fragile and tired.It had been a tough time for her.When Nate was certain she was strong enough they had left Tenzin's village, something that had proved incredibly emotional for both Nate and Elena...neither of them would ever forget how this small mountain community had offered them everything they had.But while it was one thing to have a bullet dug out of your abdomen in the middle of nowhere (Nate had seen the bullet-it had come out in one piece-and his wound was healing well) shrapnel was another thing all together! He didn’t want to take any chances, not when it came to his Elena, so he wanted to get her to a hospital as quickly as he could.Elena had started to regain a little of her strength during her time in the village but the journey to the city drained her. Despite the doctor that had visited the village telling her she would probably need another operation Elena was reluctant to go to the hospital, insisting she was fine (Sully was right, she was a lousy patient!) but Nate was adamant that she needed to go. The hospital confirmed that Elena did indeed have more shrapnel in her that needed to be removed so she was admitted for an operation.Nate had been so stressed while she had this second operation. During the first one he was still fuelled by the adrenaline of stopping Lazarevic and escaping a crumbling Shambhala so he somehow managed to channel that to get through it, plus he didn't have much time to stress as he was too busy doing his best to help Tenzin as he operated on her. But this time all he could do was sit and wait in the hospital. It had felt like an eternity to Nate but thankfully Sully was there to help him get through it. Nate was so very grateful for his support, their relationship had never been one full of deep, heartfelt moments but Sully always seemed to be there for him when he really needed him and he understood just what Elena meant to Nate, even if Nate still couldn't put it into words.Elena's operation had gone well but it had left her in a very weak state which meant she had to stay in hospital for longer than they'd originally envisaged. Nate had thought she was an impatient patient in the village but during her stay in hospital he discovered a different side to Elena-and it was very cranky! He could understand why though, any steps she had made towards recovery in the village were completely wiped out by this second operation and he knew she hated feeling so very weak and helpless.While she was in hospital Nate and Sully had been staying in a cheap motel that was nearby but Nate knew it wasn't a suitable place for Elena to recuperate.Yet again Sully came through for him, he'd found out about a small guesthouse in a quiet part of the city, which offered peaceful rooms, international cuisine and a tranquil garden courtyard for plenty of fresh air-the perfect place for Elena's recovery.As soon as they knew when Elena was going to be released from hospital Sully went and booked a room for them. Nate felt bad about that at first but knew he didn't have many other options open to him right now-Sully had cleared his money out (along with a chunk of Sully's too) to bribe him out of that Turkish jail and apart from some trinkets he'd picked up on his way (some of which he'd lost in the train wreck, some he'd left behind in the village as a thank you) he had nothing really to show for his recent efforts, there was no giant sapphire-right now he was broke. He promised Sully that he would pay him back for Turkey and the guesthouse somewhen but Sully had warmly dismissed that idea telling him to "...forget about Turkey!..Bailing each other out of jail, that's just what partners do isn't it?!...Oh and the guesthouse isn't for you anyway, it's for Elena...after all she's been through I reckon she needs a little pampering..." Nate couldn't help but smile at that, it meant so much to him that the only two people he had left to love in this world loved each other too.Elena had finally been discharged from hospital early this evening. Nate and Elena said their goodbyes to Sully, who was off on a job he'd put together with Chloe, then they made their way by taxi to the guesthouse.Nate knew she was so very sore and tired (the doctor had told her to get plenty of rest and that she would have to return regularly for checks on her wounds) but none of that seemed to matter, she just seemed so very happy to be out of hospital and back with him-her eyes shone with joy as she took in the sights of the city from the taxi window and Nate adored how she held his hand the whole way.By the time they'd checked in, unpacked and got something to eat Elena was worn out so they decided to have a early night.As he put the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door then shut it, Nate was buzzing with anticipation. While he'd so loved every tender moment they'd shared since they'd reunited in Tenzin's village their intimacy had been mostly just kissing and holding hands.The beds in the village had been too narrow for two people to comfortably sleep together and then Elena had been in hospital, so tonight was their first night together. He knew because of her injuries that they wouldn't be able to make love for the foreseeable future but he didn't mind waiting because just being back with her was so wonderful. He longed to just lay with her, to hold her so close in his arms, to once again experience the sweet sensation of her soft warmth snuggling into him.Then that anxious feeling he'd felt earlier returned. He'd always considered Elena to be one tough cookie. On their first adventure together he'd learnt that she was as good with her fists as with a gun. She proved to be the kind of girl who when she was captured and had her hands tied behind her back would successfully boot an armed goon out of a helicopter, then survive the subsequent crash with only a few cuts and bruises to show for it! Then later, when her show wasn't renewed for another season, she pursued more serious stories and yet again she thrived in dangerous situations-she covered wars, drug cartels, organ harvesters, corrupt regimes and of course a psychopathic war criminal called Lazarevic!But Nate just couldn't shake the images of her after that grenade out of his head, he remembered her laying so lifeless in his arms, the horrific sight of her sweet, little body all torn up as Tenzin removed the shrapnel, all the time she lay unconscious afterwards, then her weakened state after the second operation. He kept telling himself that she was strong, that her tenacious spirit had brought her back to him but he was still feeling unsure about tonight. A part of him had been relieved that up to now they hadn't been able to share a bed and seeing her still in an incredibly fragile condition was making him wonder whether sleeping together was such a good idea.As they neared the bed Nate looked at an armchair in the corner of the room "I could always sleep in that chair and then you could have the bed to stretch out in...y'know...get really comfortable..." he found himself nervously suggesting.Elena raised an eyebrow at this then smiled at him warmly but a little incredulously "Nathan Drake, don't you want to sleep with me?!" she asked him playfully.Nate puffed out a little sigh "Of course I want to!...It's just that...well...after all you've been through...you need space to rest....to heal...I just don’t wanna risk hurting you..." he finished, feeling so awkward.Elena smiled warmly at him again as she gently stroked his face then kissed him "We'll be fine cowboy!" she reassured, taking his hand.As they sat down on the bed Nate nodded but he still felt a little nervous. Elena put a hand on his chest for a moment, then it slowly drifted down his body to his waist and gently freed his Henley from where it was mostly tucked into his jeans. As she started to ease his Henley up his body, Nate helped her to take it off by pulling it over his head then Elena finished by pulling it away from his body, freeing his arms from the sleeves in the process.She placed her hand gently back on his chest and looked at him with a mixture of love and sweet desire, followed by concern as she took in the scars he'd added to his collection in the time they'd been apart. She slowly ran her hand over his chest and abdomen, caressing his body. Her sweet, gentle touch felt sublime to Nate and he let out a soft sigh of contentment which made Elena smile. The smile faded as she ran her fingers over some of his new scars "I saw most of these when I was helping Tenzin get that bullet out of you...but good Lord Nate...you take so many risks...""So do you..." Nate gently responded.Elena seemed a little thrown by this initially but then she nodded in acceptance "I guess I do..." she said softly, still a little surprised by this realisation. Then she let out a gentle chuckle as she added "...we're made for each other!...I haven't been as busy as you but I've added to my collection too!...I mean before all of this..." she said indicating to her wounded left side "...it's down here..." she continued as she took his hand and placed it on her right hip "...I'll show it to you somewhen and tell you how I earned it...and then you can fill me in on all of yours..."Nate nodded again, then hesitantly moved his hand up from her hip to the buttons of her shirt. He looked at Elena uncertainly, she smiled and nodded gently so Nate started to slowly undo them. When he'd finished with the buttons he gently opened her shirt then ever so carefully took it off her. Due to her injuries she wasn't wearing a bra but Nate found himself far more distracted by something else-her left side, starting with her breast and going all the way down beyond the waistband of her trousers, was covered with dressings.Elena was without a doubt the most warm hearted person he'd ever known, only she would have tried to help Flynn after all he'd done...and this was her reward?! He found him letting out a soft, sad, little sigh as he looked at her broken body.Elena stroked his face once more and he looked up to see her looking at him lovingly "Hey...it's nothing that won't heal..." she said before kissing him softly.While they kissed Nate slipped a hand round to the back of her head and unfastened her hair-as it tumbled down over her shoulders and back Nate gently ran his fingers through it.As their lips parted Nate's hand was gently resting on her right shoulder. He then slowly ran it down her right side, caressing her collarbone, her breast-which made her sigh softly with pleasure, her abdomen, to finally rest on her hip once more.They kissed again-a series of soft, little kisses that melted into each other, that were suddenly interrupted by Elena desperately trying to stifle a yawn!"I'm sorry!..." she sighed-both upset and annoyed by the interruption.Nate shook his head gently as he put a finger to her lips "Don't be...tonight's been so wonderful...but I reckon it's time I let you get some sleep..."Elena nodded wearily, Nate could tell she was still frustrated by her weakened state but was also starting to accept that she couldn't fight it any longer.Nate gently helped her get out of her trousers and footwear, then into an old shirt of his that Elena had asked to wear earlier (she thought that with it being bigger, it would be more comfortable for her to sleep in) and finally into bed. She lay on her right side, slightly curled up, facing the middle of the bed. When he was sure she was warm and comfortable, he went round to the other side of the bed and stripped down to his boxer shorts, while Elena lay watching him with a sleepy smile on her face.As he got into bed and lay on his back, Elena eased her way over to him and snuggled into his side, then gently rested her head on his chest. Taking great care not to knock her wounded side Nate wrapped an arm around her shoulder "Is this okay?" he asked nervously.Without moving her head from his chest Elena nodded then murmured sleepily "It's perfect!"She was the only girl he'd ever loved, the only girl he'd ever let close and that still terrified him at times! She loved and accepted him for all he was but there was still so much she didn't know about him. She'd never seemed fully convinced about him being a descendant of Sir Francis Drake but considering she had such a curious, journalistic nature she'd never pushed him for the truth. But if she knew the real story behind his name, if she ever saw all the darkness he tried so desperately to hide with jokes and wisecracks would it be too much...even for her?!Of all the risks he'd taken in his life, he knew that loving Elena and being loved so sweetly back by her was by far the greatest one of all.But as Nate lay and watched Elena drift off to sleep, he felt the most wonderful sense of peace...of belonging and completeness that only she could give him. Yes, love was the greatest risk but for once in his life he knew, without a doubt, it was a risk worth taking.

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Nate had missed this...so much...the simple pleasure of waking up to find Elena, sound asleep, snuggled into him. He loved everything about this exquisite sensation-her soft warmth, the sweet scent of her hair, her peaceful little smile, her gentle breath on his chest, he even found that little nasally snore she did sometimes so utterly adorable!They'd been at the guesthouse for over two weeks now and they'd settled into the most blissfully lazy routine.For most of the time it had been just the two of them and Nate had adored this but every now and then the world did creep its way back in. There were the checks at the hospital (Elena's wounds were healing slowly but the doctors were pleased with her progress) and then some visitors had dropped by the guesthouse-these visits had made Nate experience some surprisingly difficult emotions.First there was Jeff's family, they had come to bring his remains home and had phoned Elena to ask if they could see her. Nate had stuck around when they came, he wasn't sure how they would react, they might blame Elena for what had happened and he found himself feeling fiercely protective of her in her current weakened condition.Thankfully Jeff's parents and sister were incredibly understanding of everything that had happened and were proud of what Elena and Jeff had been trying to achieve. Elena had managed to save a few of Jeff's personal belongings, which his family were grateful to have. They stayed for a while, sharing memories of Jeff with Elena, but then they started to ask questions about exactly what had happened when he'd died and right then Nate had wished he hadn't stuck around!Elena told them how when Jeff had been shot it was Nate that had tried so valiantly to get him to safety and that when Jeff couldn't go any further neither of them had left him.As they left his mother and sister both hugged Nate and his father shook his hand. Nate had felt incredibly embarrassed at first and then he'd felt an emotion he'd never felt towards Elena-anger, why did she insist on seeing him in a heroic light?!"Why the hell did you say all that?!" he'd snapped at her after they left."Because they asked...I only told them what happened...""But the way you told it...you made me out to be some kinda hero...I'm not that...never have been, never will!"Elena took his hand "I know you Nathan Drake...and you'll always be my no-luck tomb robber...but every now and then...when it's needed the most, you are heroic!...Y'know, save the world, triumph over evil?!" She looked at him with one of her warm, wonderful smiles that always made him go all gooey inside and his anger just melted away. If truth be told it was a really good feeling-that for once in his life other people saw him in a positive light...Sister Catherine would've never believed it was possible!Then there was Sully, he'd finished the job with Chloe and wanted to see how "our girl" was doing. He spent a day with Nate and Elena, and while Nate loved being with the pair of them it also made a part of him incredibly sad. Seeing his little family together again made him think about the missing member and he knew that Sam would have adored Elena. He could even hear him teasing "What on earth does she see in a numbskull like you, little brother?!"As he watched Elena, fast asleep in his arms, he knew he should tell her about Sam but every time he'd tried to he'd found himself incapable of this task. His guts knotted, his chest tightened and he always ended up coming out with something goofy instead! He knew Elena sensed his pain but she'd never once pushed him for details, always accepting that there were some things he just couldn't share with her. This sweet acceptance made him love her all the more.Nate's thoughts were interrupted as Elena shifted slightly which meant she was surfacing from her slumber. Sure enough she slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him dreamily. She lifted her head off his chest and moved up to give him a slow, tender kiss. "Hey..." she said softly as she stretched her body out carefully then quickly snuggled back into him, returning her head to its favourite spot on his chest."Hey you..." Nate replied as he started to gently run his fingers through her hair "...so no hospital today...what do you wanna do?"As she started to caress his chest, Elena let out a contented little sigh as she looked up at him "I just wanna lay here with you...but I guess it's time for my meds soon..."The hospital had given Elena both painkillers and antibiotics to take, and some of these had to be taken with food. Nate glanced over at his watch on the bedside table "We've got a good half an hour until your next dose is due...what could we possibly do until then?!..." he asked playfully."Well we've got to get dressed...and I'd like to wash my hair..." Elena replied matter-of-factly."Oh...okay..." Nate said, doing his best to hide his disappointment.A wide grin spread over Elena's face, then she burst out laughing "It won't take us long to throw some clothes on...and my hair can wait..." she said as she once again lifted her head off his chest, moved up and started to run her fingers through his hair "...because all I wanna do right now is this..." she finished as she gave him a slow, passionate kiss. A little growl of pleasure escaped from Nate's throat mid kiss, which made them both chuckle then continue with their blissful activity!~~~~~~As they sat out in the garden courtyard enjoying breakfast Nate smiled to himself, he knew Elena still had a long way to go on her road to recovery but he could tell she was getting better-her appetite had returned! He'd always been amazed at the amount she could wolf down, he swore sometimes she ate twice as much as he did!She had just finished a large stack of chocolate chip pancakes and was now starting to pick bits of bacon off his plate! Nate playfully tried to swat her hand away while letting out a soft grunt of mock annoyance. This just made her laugh and move in close for a kiss as she continued to filch food off his plate!"So when you've finished eating my breakfast, what shall we do next?!""Well..." Elena answered with a mischievous smile, while chewing on a bit of bacon "...I really would like to wash my hair and then I guess I should email Dad and Mom...I emailed them quickly when I got to Nepal and when we arrived here...but the last time I sent a proper letter was when I left Borneo...""Are you going to tell them about...well...the grenade?""No...I'll wait until I'm back home...I don’t want to worry them..."Nate nodded "What about...us?!..." he asked uncertainly.Elena smiled warmly "Of course!..."Nate frowned a little, he'd met her parents a few times the first time they were together (not in any pressured "meet the parents" kind of way, just when they'd dropped by Elena's place unannounced and one time when he'd tagged along to her father's birthday party) and while he really liked her father, who was a warm yet quiet man, her mother scared the crap out of him! Elena was the image of her mother but that's where their similarities ended, Mrs Fisher was a completely different temperament to her sweet, funny, loving daughter and always made it very clear to "Nathaniel" that he was a totally unsuitable boyfriend! "Your mother's not gonna be happy!..." he said, concerned.Elena let out a sarcastic little snort at this, then seeing his concern she smiled at him warmly "Hey...it's not you okay?!...Whatever I do...well I always seems to disappoint her..."Nate smiled a little sadly at her, compared to his childhood she'd had what he imagined to be a pretty normal, happy upbringing and yet at times he still sensed an unspoken pain of never being able to please her mother. An awkward silence passed between them for a minute until Elena broke it "Hey I've just realised...I must have just missed you in Borneo...Lazarevic's dig site was deserted and totally wrecked...should have known you'd been there!..." she said with a little smile."Hey, it wasn't just me...Sully and Chloe were there too!...""Right!..." Elena said with a warm yet disbelieving look on her face "...well how come their recent job went off without a hitch?!" she teased."Luck?!...I have done jobs that have gone smoothly y'know?!..."Elena nodded with a grin "Okay cowboy...name me one!" Nate's pause for thought made Elena chuckle "You can't, can you?!"Nate suddenly grinned with pride as he remembered "There was a job in Italy a few years back with Sully...oh crap!..." he hesitated as he remembered further details "...The alarm went off!..." This made Elena burst out laughing "But it was Sully who tripped it!..." Nate protested but it was too late, there was no stopping Elena's laughter-not that he ever wanted to because it was a sweet, affectionate laugh that he adored. Elena moved close to him and stroked his face "Oh, I love you Nathan Drake!" she declared unexpectedly."Well I'm a loveable guy!" he smirked...while inside his guts tightened...she was the only girl he'd ever loved and he knew he that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, so why the hell couldn't he tell her this?!Elena rolled her eyes, then she smiled at him so warmly...so lovingly...he couldn't fool her, she always saw beyond the wise-ass retorts and smirks "So when I've emailed my folks what do you wanna do today?!" she asked, skillfully changing the subject, allowing Nate to relax.Nate thought briefly, they spent most of their time at the guesthouse but had been enjoying regular gentle strolls in the local streets, taking in the atmosphere of the city and had discovered a little street market that had quickly become one of their favourite places "If you're feeling up to it could we go to the market...maybe have lunch there?"Elena nodded "That sounds like a great idea...and don't worry I'll make sure that there's no yak meat in the momos this time!" she grinned.Nate shuddered a little at the mention of yak meat, which made Elena chuckle "It wasn't that bad...a little chewy but...""I just don’t like the idea of eating a yak!...""You like burgers and steak!...A yak is kinda just a big cow...""I know...it's just...well...it makes me think of the yaks back at the village...they were so big and strong and yet so gentle..." Nate explained, feeling a little embarrassed.Elena looked at him adoringly, then kissed him tenderly.~~~~~~It was evening now, Elena still got easily tired so that was all the excuse they needed to go to bed! Right now they were snuggled together, reading to each other.As Elena finished her chapter, she let out a blissful sigh "Just like old times, huh?!..." Nate smiled and nodded, he'd said those very words after they'd survived the convoy and it was true, their past was filled with chaos and carnage but they had also shared so many peaceful moments like this-just the two of them, enjoying each other's company "So I was thinking..." Elena smiled "...when we get back home can we stay at your place?...We can lay in bed and listen to the ocean...go for walks along the beach...we can even go for ice cream!" she said dreamily.Nate looked at her sadly "That sounds so incredible...but I don't have that place anymore...""Oh, that's a shame..." Elena said, clearly a little disappointed "...but it's okay..." she reassured "...as long as we're together..."Nate nodded and tenderly kissed her forehead "Y'know that was the only place that I've ever felt was truly...truly mine?!...After the Boys' Home...well I spent most of my time living on the streets or squatting in derelict buildings...and occasionally very cheap motels...when I wasn't in juvenile detention of course!..." he added with a sheepish smile "...Then when I teamed up with Sully...well we travelled a lot so it was more motels...but way better ones than I'd ever been in!...He also took me to his hideaways that he's got dotted around the globe and told me that they were mine too...he wanted me to know that his home was my home...but I could only ever think of them as Sully's places...I don’t know why...""Well it must have been pretty scary for you...after all that time surviving by yourself, you met someone who offered you friendship...love...maybe you thought it wouldn't last?..." Elena gently suggested.Nate nodded, although he hadn't been alone all the time because of course he had Sam (well, when he wasn't in jail!) Sully had been the only other person to ever show him any affection. Nate was sure that his younger, guarded self would have never believed that it would become a life long friendship...that he would grow to love Sully and consider him family "Something like that, I guess..." he said softly "...Sully was the only one who ever knew about my beach view apartment...the landlord was happy with me paying cash and my mail went to my P.O. Box...I liked that I could just go there and escape from the world every once in a while..." Nate smiled at Elena lovingly "...but then I met you!..." Elena smiled lovingly back at this "...You were different from all the other girls...special...everything changed...I didn’t think of it as a hideaway from the world anymore...it became a special place just for us..." Nate looked at Elena remorsefully "...so when I ran out on you...I couldn't stand to go there anymore, so I kinda took over two rooms in Sully's place in Florida and when I've not been travelling I've been staying there...so I guess we'll be going to our other special place...your cosy apartment?...No ocean to wake up to but I can always get up early and go to that little bakery down the street...wake you up with the smell of fresh croissants instead...which we can eat in bed like we used to!..."Elena bit her lip and gently shook her head "I let my place go too!..." she admitted with a nervous, little laugh "I was the same as you...I hated being in my apartment so I threw myself into my work and travelled a lot! So when the contract came up for renewal and the landlord wanted to put the rent up, I let it go...took my stuff to the cabin...but with work I've spent most of my time in hotels..."Nate let out a sad sigh "I never...well when I ran out...what I said...I never meant it..I'm sorry..." he said forlornly."I know...y'know you broke my heart...but after a while I realised...you couldn't drive me away so you pushed me away instead...I even tried calling you a few times...always got voicemail...""I never got any messages...""No, I didn't know what to say...funny huh?!...A reporter lost for words!" she smiled softly."I went to your cabin...the Christmas after...""You did?! I was in Africa...tracking down a gang of organ harvesters..." she shook her head slightly "...we've wasted too much time apart haven't we?!" Nate nodded solemnly as Elena smiled lovingly at him "Well we better not waste a minute now!" she declared then kissed him slowly and tenderly.As she snuggled her head into his shoulder, she smiled up at him "Well I guess the cabin's too remote for my wounds to be kept an eye on...so do you think Sully would be okay with me staying at his place too?...""Are you kidding?!...He's always been real fond of you...but do you think you can cope...living under the same roof as two reprobates?!..."Elena grinned "Oh, I think I'll manage!...Now come on..." she indicated towards the book "...it's your turn!..."As Nate started to read Elena snuggled even closer, with her head once again resting on his chest.As he got to the part detailing how the Qin dynasty began to build the Great Wall of China he noticed that Elena's breathing had changed so he stopped and saw that she was fast asleep!He carefully put the book on the bedside table then laid very still, watching her sleep "I love you too Elena!..." he said softly.He'd done it, he'd finally said the words! Now all he had to do was to say them to her when she was awake!!

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Do you ever stop worrying about your child? Oliver Fisher certainly didn't think so! He felt racked with guilt for thinking it but sometimes he wished that things had been very different...He and Abigail had both so wanted a child but at one point didn't think they'd be blessed with one of their own. After years of trying with no luck, they'd started to look into adoption when Abigail inexplicably and wonderfully became pregnant.They were both over the moon when she gave birth to a beautiful, healthy daughter, who they named Elena-after Abigail's late mother. Oliver took advantage of the joyous time to reunite Abigail with her father, Max.Max was a good man and a loving father, who had done his best to raise Abigail on his own after her mother had died when she was a toddler. He did, however, have a very different attitude towards life than his daughter.He was a carpenter who loved being out in nature, especially at his cabin in the woods...a place that Abigail hated! With her dreams of a more refined life, she grew to view her father as an embarrassment and distanced herself from him.But now Abigail was in her element with her little girl she actually tolerated him in their lives!Those early years were the happiest of times, with Abigail's head full of dreams of a future filled with ballet classes, beauty pageants and girly shopping trips for mother and daughter!But as their little Elena's personality started to come out it became incredibly clear that she wasn't going to be the daughter Abigail had dreamed of!Elena was an incredibly sweet, funny, loving girl but she was also an adventurous, free spirited tomboy! While Oliver had embraced his delightful surprise of a daughter, Abigail could only see all the things that she wasn't and viewed her as an utter disappointment!She blamed her father-he was a bad influence on their little girl-and she did her very best to stop him seeing his granddaughter...something that little Elena's strong spirit rebelled against, even running away and hitchhiking her way to Max's cabin!To keep her safe Oliver insisted that Max should stay a part of Elena's life. Abigail just seemed to give up on Elena then, spurning her daughter's affection.Both he and Max tried their very best to compensate for Abigail, to make sure Elena felt loved and wanted but Oliver knew her mother's rejection must have hurt her, even if she never let it show.She was an incredible dreamer when she was young, spending a lot of her time playing in the nearby woods. Sometimes she just climbed trees or tracked and photographed animals. Other times she let her imagination run riot and the woods were magically transformed into tropical jungles, battlegrounds, pirate ships and islands that were home to both hidden treasure and hungry cannibals!In Max she found a kindred spirit who nurtured her adventurous dreams with his love of nature, geography and history.When Max died, Elena was eleven and Abigail desperately hoped that things might improve now, that with Elena's impending teenage years she'd grow out of her tomboy phase...but no!While most of the girls her age were into make-up, popstars and boys, Elena's dreams became more focused...she continued her photography and started to write for the school paper.While her dreams of writing for Archaeology Now seemed far-fetched to Oliver, he was pleased that she had a respectable career in mind, so when it was time for college he encouraged her to get a journalism degree.While she was at college she met Michael Harper. Elena still didn't show much interest in romance so at first her and the law student were just friends. Michael was a quiet, studious young man but Elena discovered a wicked sense of humour was hiding underneath his serious surface and she admired his dreams of doing plenty of pro bono work when he started working at his father's law firm. Over time their friendship grew into something far more-Elena's first love.With Michael seeming to be a calming, stable influence (even Abigail approved of him!) and Elena working as an intern at a local paper (no grand adventures there, she just wrote the local crime blotter!) Oliver hoped that just maybe his dreamy, free spirit was growing up and getting ready to settle down, but of course Elena had no such plans!Michael had made the situation worse-he'd pushed too hard and had desperately tried to tame Elena but she was having none of it! Upon graduation she passed on a job she got offered at the paper, she had no intention of being chained to a desk, and instead ended things with Michael and set off to see the world on her own!She spent two whole years backpacking across Europe and Asia, Oliver had worried a lot about her during this time but she was good at staying in touch with them-Oliver's study became covered with postcards she'd sent them from around the world, she also sent him long, affectionate letters or emails regularly and called them when she could.He could tell by the tone of her letters and the excitement in her voice when she called that she was having the time of her life. Apart from a brief relationship with a fellow traveller called Stuart, she was out there all on her own and clearly thriving on every new challenge her globetrotting adventures threw at her. Her adventures also gave her the opportunity to hone her writing as she kept a detailed travel journal, with lots of photos, as she went.It was near the end of these two years travelling that she came across the auditions for a reality survival TV show. Oliver had adored watching his daughter's latest adventure and was incredibly proud when in the end she came second-the winner was an Ex-Army Ranger after all! She had proven to be quite popular with the viewing public (much to Abigail's displeasure-surviving on a tropical island was so unladylike!) and was approached by a low budget cable TV channel, who offered her her own show.This was about the point where he found himself wishing that Elena had been the daughter Abigail had dreamed of, because if she had been the following wouldn't have happened.He'd adored her little archaeology/adventure show at first but then Nathan Drake entered her life and everything seemed to change.Nathan had offered her an amazing scoop, finding Sir Francis Drake’s coffin, but that discovery had led them into immense danger.Elena had survived modern day pirates, a blown up boat, parachuting out of a burning plane, a cliff side car chase, a treasure vault and Nazi bunker filled with monsters and a helicopter crash! To top all of this carnage, their adventure had ended with Nathan stopping a bad guy from letting a cursed treasure out into the world! (Oliver really didn't know what to think about the monsters and cursed treasure, Elena was so sincere when she recalled her adventure to him but she didn't have any proof of these ludicrous claims as her camera had been destroyed!)Now where most people who had survived an experience like that would do their utmost to never be in that kind of situation again, Elena seemed to run headlong towards danger!When her archaeology/adventure show wasn't renewed for another season she started to pursue more serious stories. Nothing was too dangerous for her-she covered wars, corrupt regimes, organ harvesters and drug cartels.At the same time her personal life changed too, Elena was in love with the very man who had put her in harms way! Oliver had seen her with Michael a few times and he remembered how affectionately she'd written about Stuart but what she felt for Nathan was on a whole other level, she was hopelessly and madly in love with him, which made it all the worse when after being together for about a year Nathan finished with her.Nathan Drake had broken her heart so she channelled all her energy into her work, putting herself in yet more danger!A month ago she'd returned from Bolivia with a bullet wound, in typical Elena fashion she played it down-it was "...just a flesh wound..." from a stray bullet when fighting broke out between rival cartels.As if getting shot in Bolivia wasn't bad enough next Elena headed off to track down a war criminal called Zoran Lazarevic. Oliver had received emails from her along the way, she had just missed him in Borneo but found evidence that he was heading to Nepal so she was on her way there too. He received a brief email when she got there then nothing for a while. This wasn’t unusual, the places she went frequently had bad phone and internet coverage, but her current quest made Oliver particularly on edge so he was so relieved when he received another short email from her a while later-saying that Lazarevic had been stopped and she was currently enjoying a restful break in Tibet.He received another, longer email a few weeks later. In it Elena explained that she'd crossed paths with Nathan Drake while hunting Lazarevic and that she was back together with him! Oliver couldn't believe it, sure Nathan was a very likeable guy-funny and charming-but he'd hurt Elena very deeply when he'd finished with her and yet despite this she was so willing to give him another chance...As he reached his destination Oliver sighed, he'd had a phone call from Elena yesterday saying she was back in the country. She sounded happy but also tired and then she told him something more disturbing than the news of her recent reunion with Nathan-she'd been hurt while chasing down Lazarevic. Yet again she played things down, saying she was practically back to normal now but Oliver sensed things had been far more grave than she made out...So here he was, at the address she'd given him-"Sully's place". He'd arranged to see her Friday, today was Wednesday-he didn't want to wait!A moustached man, about his age, answered the door. He was wearing a loud shirt and puffing away on a cigar."I'm guessing you're Victor Sullivan?" Oliver asked tentatively.The man nodded "That's me pal...but whatever you're sellin', I ain't buyin!""Oh...no...I'm here to see my daughter...I'm Oliver Fisher."Sullivan frowned a little "Thought you were coming Friday?!""Yes...but I know my daughter so I want to see how she's really doing...not the brave face she'll put on when she has time to prepare!"Sullivan smiled a little at this then showed Oliver into the house. It was a light, airy, open plan layout with a deck outside and stairs leading up to some bedrooms."You're welcome to wait here but Elena's sleeping right now...jet lag was a real bitch!"Oliver frowned, he didn't buy for a second that it was just simple jet lag and he really didn't care for Sullivan's coarse language "Which room?" he asked quietly but firmly."Look I know she's your girl but I don’t want her disturbed!""Which room?" he asked again, still quietly but a little more firmly.Sullivan sighed and then reluctantly answered "Second on the left..."As he headed up the stairs and made his way to her bedroom, Oliver felt sick with worry so he felt incredibly relieved to discover Elena, initially looking in good shape, sound asleep on top of the duvet, in the very middle of the bed, on her right side, slightly curled up.He sat down quietly in an old, leather armchair that was near the bed and watched over her.Oliver noticed that the shirt she was wearing had ridden up a little and he found himself letting out a soft sigh of despair when he noticed what was lurking underneath-medical dressings. What had on earth had she done to herself this time?!She was the absolute image of Abigail, why oh why couldn't she be more like her?!After a short while Elena stirred and was surprised to see her father "Dad?!...What are you doin'...""I wanted to see how you really are..." Oliver interrupted.Elena stretched then slowly got up to embrace him, afterwards they sat together on the bed "Is Mom here too?" she asked.Oliver looked at her awkwardly-Abigail had refused to come "No...um she...well...she sends her love...""Yeah..." Elena said softly, the resigned look of sadness on her face making it clear she didn't believe his lie."What on earth happened to you baby?!"Elena swallowed a little "It was a grenade Dad...""Good Lord Elena!..." Oliver found his eyes returning to the medical dressings that were still slightly visible above her waist "How bad is it?!..." he asked, indicating to them."It starts here..." Elena indicated to the left side of her chest "...and finishes down here..." she continued as she moved her hand down to her left hip "...but it's not all the way...it's just patches...it could have been so much worse..." Oliver looked at his daughter dubiously so she continued explaining "...so many people were hurt by the civil war Lazarevic stirred up...one of the doctors that treated me tended to others that were injured by explosions...only two of them survived...one's blind now and the other one lost both legs..."Oliver found himself shaking his head in disbelief "Why do you keep doing this to yourself?!""Well, technically someone else did this to me!" Elena joked gently.Oliver let out a soft sigh "Is Jeff okay?" (Elena often mentioned her cameraman in her calls and emails, but since reuniting with Nathan he hadn't been mentioned.)Elena looked at Oliver solemnly then spoke softly "He's gone Dad...Lazarevic murdered him..."Oliver just looked at her, utterly stunned. She'd always been an adventurous soul but this level of danger was unfathomable to him, he felt like he didn't really know her anymore. He wanted to bring her back from this abyss of chaos, to save her from herself and from Nathan Drake, the man who had dragged her into this nightmare world. He looked around the room "Where's your holdall?""In the wardrobe...at the bottom...why?!""Because I want you to pack your stuff and then I'm getting you out of here!""Where to?!...Back home?!...Have you even run this idea by Mom?!""Look...just let me worry about your mother..."Elena smiled sadly "Come on...she used to get hysterical when I came home with cut knees as a kid...do you really think she'll be able to cope with shrapnel wounds?!"Oliver sighed, deeply frustrated-he knew Elena was right, Abigail wouldn't cope with this, at all! "I'll get you checked into a hotel near us then!"Elena shook her head gently "I'm fine here Dad, really..." she said trying to reassure him "...I am tired but that's mostly the jet lag...I had an appointment with my doctor yesterday...he reckons I can get these dressings off for good soon...I'll be back to full strength before you know it!...And in the meantime Nate and Sully are taking real good care of me...they're spoiling me rotten!"Oliver hated how affectionately she talked about them, the very men responsible for her current fragile state "What are you doing back with him?!...Don’t you remember how badly he hurt you before?!...""I love him Dad...and he loves me...I know things ended badly before but...he just got scared...but I think things will be different this time...he's actually grown up now...a little!" Elena said, smiling warmly.Oliver wanted to continue this discussion, to make his daughter comprehend what a terrible mistake she was making but realised that right now wasn't the time-Elena looked so tired and fragile.He didn't stay for much longer and when he left he promised her that he would visit her again soon.As he headed downstairs he silently vowed that as soon as she was stronger he would do everything in his power to make her see sense, to get her away from Nathan Drake.When Oliver got downstairs he realised that Sullivan was nowhere to be seen and the front door was wide open so he headed outside.Sullivan was with Nathan Drake by a car, unloading groceries from the trunk of the vehicle. The pair of them were laughing, just carrying on like nothing bad had happened and Oliver was overwhelmed with emotions he'd never experienced before-anger and hate!He should have just walked to his car, got in and driven away but he found himself storming over to the pair of criminals.As he got near them Nathan smiled at him "Oh hey Mr Fisher, it's good to see you aga...""What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Oliver aggressively interrupted."Um...I'm getting the groceries out of the car!" Nathan said with a slightly puzzled smile and a little shrug."I'm not talking about the damn groceries! I'm talking about my daughter!..." Nathan actually looked a little stunned at this, so Oliver continued "...You won't be happy will you?!...Not until you break her heart again or worse-you get her killed!""I'm sorry...I..." Nathan started but Oliver was in no mood to hear his apologies."Is it fun for you?! Dragging someone so sweet down to your level?!...Pulling them into your seedy world?!...""Now wait just a damn minute!..." Sullivan interrupted "...I know you must be upset but...""This isn't anything to do with you!..." Oliver stopped him."You're wrong..." Sullivan argued "...I know she's your daughter but she's family to me too!""Family?!" Oliver scoffed "What the hell do the pair of you know about family?!..." he looked right at a dejected looking Nathan "What do you even think someone like you can give someone like Elena...apart from misery and pain?!..." Nathan just blinked at him, his smart mouth silent for once "...If you really cared for her...even a little, you'd leave her alone...because every time she's with you she ends up getting hurt!" Oliver shook his head in disgust "I'm leaving now and if I had my way Elena would be coming with me...but I'll be back soon...this isn't over!" With that declaration he walked away from the pair of them and headed to his car.As he drove away Oliver felt the guilt resurfacing yet again as a single question echoed in his mind-Why couldn't you have been the daughter Abigail had dreamed of?!

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Elena's recovery was proving to be a slow one with regular frustrating setbacks. Nate remembered how she'd started to regain a little of her strength during her time in the village but then the journey to the city and the operation she'd had there had utterly drained her. The blissfully lazy time they'd spent at the guesthouse afterwards saw her get stronger once more only for the recent journey from Tibet to the States to completely wipe her out again (despite of the fact they had done it in stages with rest days in between).She'd got so infuriated with her weak condition at first but had slowly learnt that if she wanted to get back to full strength she would have to listen to what her body was telling her to do-right now it was telling her to sleep...a lot.Nate hated seeing her so weak and fragile but today he considered it a blessing. She must have gone straight back to sleep after her father's visit because he was sure if she had heard his angry words as he left she would have dragged herself downstairs and come outside to intervene. He was also relieved that because of her fatigue she'd headed off to bed early this evening because right now he didn't know what to say to her.Sully had tried his very best to reassure him, saying that Elena's father was just upset because she'd been hurt, that he'd calm down and things would be fine but as Nate walked alone along the beach he wasn't convinced. He'd come out here to try to clear his head but it wasn't working...Mr Fisher's diatribe was stuck on a constant loop in his brain..."If you really cared for her...even a little, you'd leave her alone...because every time she's with you she ends up getting hurt!"As an image of Elena, laying so lifeless in his arms after the grenade, flashed into his mind Nate realised he couldn't fight it any longer...Mr Fisher was right!Reuniting with Elena had made him so very happy that he'd never stopped to think whether being back with her was the right thing to do.When he'd ended things and ran out on her about a year ago, his fear and insecurity had convinced him that he didn't deserve her and that she deserved so much more than he could ever offer her...but maybe it wasn't fear and insecurity but his subconscious trying to make him accept the simple truth...Elena was better off without him.As he got his phone out of a pocket in his jeans he let out a heavy sigh...he knew what he had to do...Sully was still up and about when Nate returned from his walk on the beach "Feeling a little better kid?" he asked warmly.Nate nodded hesitantly "I'm going away for a bit...I'm going to do that job Charlie's been on about..." (Charlie had phoned a couple of times about a job in Montreal, once when they were at the guesthouse in Tibet and once when they were on their way to the States, both times Nate had declined the job because he didn't want to be away from Elena, but right now it seemed like the only option.)Sully let out a sad little sigh "And he just so happened to call you again tonight?!"Nate frowned-right now he hated how well Sully knew him! "Well...no...I rang him...but he said he was just about to call me..." Nate protested "...one of his guys has pulled out last minute...he really needs my help..."With a resigned look on his face Sully asked "Straight forward job?""Straight forward enough...and it pays well...""And Cutter's a guy you can trust..." (Nate knew what Sully meant by that as he had frequently warned him against working with Flynn-why couldn't Nate have see Flynn for what he really was, why didn't he heed his best friend's warnings and why oh why did Elena have to pay such a high price for his stupidity?!) "...when are you leaving?" Sully asked.Nate avoided eye contact with Sully as he answered "Tonight..."Sully puffed out an exasperated sigh "Don't do this kid...she's given you a second chance...don't blow it all by running out on her again...""I'm not running out on her!...I'm working..." Nate retorted, trying his best to convince himself as well as Sully! "...you know I'm broke...I need this...""Do you?!...You know the pair of you are welcome to stay here as long as you like...""I just think it's for the best if I give Elena some space right now..."Sully let out another sad sigh "No kid, you need to talk to her..."Nate frowned at that idea "And say what?!""I don’t know...whatever's going on in that head of yours...maybe tell her what her father said to you..."Nate shook his head fiercely "No Sully...she loves her father so much...I don’t want anything to ruin that...and well...""What?..." Sully asked gently.Nate shifted awkwardly "...I kinda think that Mr Fisher was right..." Sully scoffed at this "...just think about it Sully...when we went after El Dorado, Elena got hurt in that helicopter crash...""Which if I remember correctly she caused!..." Sully interrupted."...only to save me...then...well I know I really hurt her when I ran out on her...and the grenade...anytime she's with me she ends up getting hurt...she's the most amazing person I've ever known...she deserves so much more than this...""I'm damn sure that's not how Elena sees it...did you know that in all the time you two were apart she didn't date anyone else?"Nate shook his head again as he felt his heart grow even heavier with this knowledge. In the time they'd been apart he'd gone to bed with quite a few girls, including Chloe, all in a desperate and futile attempt to prove to the himself and the world that he had moved on, that he was over Elena. All he felt now was even more unworthy of her!Sully interrupted his thoughts "You're right, she is amazing...she's the only person who's ever taken the time to really see us...we're not just a couple of crooks to her...and she loves you Nate...because of what she sees...you're her choice kid...and she's one smart lady...so I reckon you should just trust her...she knows what she's doing...""I do trust her Sully..." (I just don’t trust myself!)The resigned look returned to Sully's face "...but you're still leaving aren't you?!"Nate nodded solemnly as he left his friend and headed upstairs to pack...Nate really wasn't known for stealth, but tonight he managed to be nearly silent as he entered their bedroom. He quietly yet quickly gathered some gear and clothes together in his holdall. He looked over to where Elena was sound asleep in their bed, she looked so peaceful and so very beautiful.He remembered how she had kissed him earlier that evening as she headed off to bed-it was a warm, soft, slow kiss-then she had murmured in his ear to wake her up when he came to bed so they could partake in another one of their sleepy cuddles that they'd both been so enjoying since starting to sleep together again in the Tibetan guesthouse.He longed to get into bed, to hold her in his arms, to feel her gentle, loving touch but he resisted. Her father's truths weren't going to disappear so he would instead. He looked at her sadly then he got a pen and paper, sat down in the old, leather armchair near the bed and started to write.Sully was waiting for him as he came down the stairs "I've left her a note..." Nate found himself mumbling. Sully nodded in acknowledgement-Nate knew Sully didn't agree with what he was doing but he didn't attempt to make Nate feel worse about himself than he already did "...the doctor has reduced her meds...." Nate continued "...but she still has to take them three times a day with meals...""Don't worry, I'll make sure she takes them...""...her next hospital appointment is on Friday next week...in the morning...it's all up on the refrigerator...""Sure...but you'll be back by then won't you?!" Nate shrugged at this, he genuinely didn't know what he was doing right now "Don't worry kid, I promise I'll take her if you're not back by then..." Sully reassured.Nate looked at him nervously "I need you to promise me something Sully...""Whatever you need...you know that..." Sully replied warmly."You gotta promise me you won't tell Elena about what her father said..." Sully puffed out another exasperated sigh "...please Sully..." Nate pleaded."Okay, okay....I promise kid...but you've gotta promise to do something too..."Nate looked at Sully, puzzled "What?!""...promise me you'll take care on this job...listen to Cutter...stick to the plan...no crazy risks okay?!""You tired of bailing me out?!" Nate half joked with a sad smile.Sully put his hand on Nate's shoulder and smiled warmly at him "Never kid..."As Nate prepared to leave all he could think of was Sully and Elena-they were always there for him, they'd never let him down...but what had he given them in return?! He'd dragged Sully into so much trouble over the years and he knew that being with him had hurt Elena so badly-both physically and emotionally...why the hell did they stick with him-was it love...loyalty...pity?!Nate just didn't know anymore...

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Sully smiled sadly at Elena-she was sitting next to him, fast asleep, with her head resting on his shoulder. She looked so peaceful, almost childlike.Sully felt a brief sense of relief at seeing her like this, he wasn't sure what lay ahead for the pair of them but he knew that the past few days had been particularly rough on Elena...He could still see the look on her face the morning after Nate had left-a mixture of confusion and pain. The note Nate had left her was short and factual so Sully did his best to reassure her-telling her how Cutter really needed help and that Nate didn't want to disturb her when he'd left-he just hoped his poker face was better than Nate's!She seemed to accept his story but however hard she tried to put on a brave, cheerful face Sully could tell she was hurting. A few days went by with no word from Nate and that only made things worse.The first time they were together Nate and Elena had spent quite a lot of time away from each other due to work, but even with poor phone coverage in some of the places they went to the pair of them stayed in touch as much as possible (Sully remembered how Nate would grin like a lovestruck puppy dog for ages after every call or text!), but with this current job in the decidedly unremote city of Montreal there wasn't even a text and Sully could tell Elena was not only missing Nate like crazy but that she was also worrying about him.Sully was worried about Nate too, he'd never seen him quite like he was when he left, Mr Fisher's words had hurt him deeply and also seemed to open up old wounds. If there was ever a time when Nate needed Elena's love it was now...Sully let out a deep sigh as he remembered the events of this morning, he never wanted it to be like this but what choice did he have?!...Elena was sitting out on the deck (still wearing the quirky little combo of her pink pyjama bottoms and that old shirt of Nate's she'd taken to sleeping in!) finishing off a late breakfast whilst Sully was in the kitchen starting to clean up...then his phone let out a text alert. It was from Nate:'JOB DONE, ALL GOOD. CHARLIE SAYS HI. I'M IN NEW YORK NOW, CHARLIE'S HEARD ABOUT ANOTHER JOB I MIGHT LOOK INTO. DON'T KNOW WHEN I'M COMING BACK, MAYBE ELENA WOULD BE BETTER STAYING WITH HER PARENTS? NATE'Sully responded with an 'OK KID BE CAREFUL'-he wanted to say more but knew it was a waste of time, it reminded him of when Sam had died-Nate just shut down and all Sully could do was be there for him. Sully didn't think anyone else saw Nate's pain as he played the cocky wise-ass with skilled bravado, using it as a protective shield against the world, but then they met Elena...She just seemed to see through Nate's cocky act right to the very heart of him and her sweet, gentle love started to heal him.Elena gave Nate a sense of peace, of belonging that he'd never had before, which of course terrified him to such an extent he ran out on her about a year after El Dorado. But now he had a second chance with her and Sully had never seen Nate so happy until everything had come crashing down thanks to Mr Fisher's harsh words.Oliver Fisher...he was coming to visit Elena again this morning and all Sully could think about right now was how good it would feel to punch his lights out!"What's up?!..." Elena's voice interrupted Sully's thoughts and he looked up to see her in the kitchen with her plate and mug.Sully looked at her awkwardly and cleared his throat-he had to tell her... "Um...well...I've just heard from Nate..."As she set her plate and mug down on the kitchen counter, Elena looked concerned "Let me guess, he needs to be bailed out of jail again?!""Oh, no...the job's done...all okay...it's just...well...he's in New York now looking into another job and...well he's not sure when he's coming back here so...well maybe you want to spend some time with your folks?!..." Sully said uneasily.Elena nodded a little as she took in all Sully had said, then she let out slow, sad sigh "Oh and here I was thinking things were going to be different this time..." she smiled sadly at Sully, which made him feel worse about the whole damn mess "...it's okay Sully...I just don’t know what to do anymore...all I want is to love him...but there’s a part of him that won't let me...and I get why...until he met you no one gave a damn about him...he's never talked much about the Boys' Home to me but the few bits that have crept out...well it's like the nuns did everything they could to make him feel worthless...I wish I could make him realise how special he is..." Elena took a deep breath and looked at Sully with a forlorn resolve "...but I don't think I can get through to him right now...right now he needs you more...so I'm going to go upstairs and get dressed...Dad'll be here soon...and I'll leave with him...Nate can come back to you then..." she finished emotionally as she patted Sully on the shoulder.Sully watched her head towards the stairs with a heavy heart...growing up he'd seen how love could destroy a person-how his father had beaten and hurt his mother in every way possible, but she had refused to leave him because unbelievably she still loved him. Now in contrast Nate and Elena were both willing to sacrifice their happiness of being together because they genuinely thought it was the best thing for the other. Sully couldn't stand this any longer... "Sweetheart, wait..." he called after Elena, who stopped and turned around "...this isn't like the first time he ran out on you...something happened...I promised Nate I wouldn't tell you...but for both of your sakes I think you need to know..." Elena walked back over to Sully with a bemused expression "...when your father came to see you...well I get that he was upset...y'know with you being injured...but well...he blamed Nate...got real mad at him..."Elena looked stunned "My dad got mad?!...I've never seen him lose his temper...ever...what the hell did he say to Nate?!""Quite a bit...including that if Nate really cared for you he'd leave you alone because every time you're with him you end up getting hurt..." Elena shook her head is dismay and disbelief "...I tried to tell Nate that things would blow over...that your father would calm down...but you know what he's like when he fixes on an idea..."Elena nodded "Yeah...even if it's a dumb one...you can’t stop him...""I hoped he'd do the job with Cutter...blow off some steam and come back here...but now I'm not sure what to do...all I know is..." Sully was interrupted by a knock on the front door.Elena glanced over at the door "It's Dad!...He's early...""I can say you're not up yet...I mean...well if you're not up to seeing him right now..." Sully offered.Elena pursed her lips and looked at Sully with a fierce intensity "Oh no...I wanna talk to him..."Sully let Elena's father in then made his escape out on the deck, sliding the door shut behind him. He couldn't hear what they were saying but he didn't need to...their expressions and body language said it all...Elena was a mixture of righteous indignation and frustration...while her father spent his time desperately trying to placate her...Elena was having none of it and things ended with her pointing to the front door before she headed upstairs. Sully couldn't help but have a little chuckle at the sight of a bewildered and dejected Oliver Fisher leaving through the front door "She's done you proud kid..." he murmured to his absent friend.Sully was a little unsure what to do next-as much as he adored women he still didn’t understand how their brains worked! Should he leave her alone for a while to calm down or check on her now? After carefully weighing up his options he decided on the latter and headed upstairs. He knocked gently on the bedroom door as he eased it open only to be surprised by what he found...Elena had got dressed and was currently in the process of packing stuff into her holdall "Elena...what the hell are you doin'?!"Elena looked up at him with a frustrated expression as she stuffed some items of clothing into her bag "I'm packing for New York of course!!""Now hold on a minute...you can’t go...or do I need to remind you how much your last journey wiped you out...""New York is only a few hours by plane...it's not the same at all!" Elena snapped back, a little annoyed."I'm just worried about you darlin'...you need to rest...""Dammit Sully...Don't tell me what I need...I've had enough with my dad thinking he knows what's best for me...don't you start...please..." Elena said angrily with a hint of desperation mixed in."I'm meant to be looking after you...please don't let me mess that up as too...""If you didn't want me to go and find Nate what was the point of telling me?!" Elena asked, exasperated."I just thought you should know!...I guess I didn't think beyond that..."Elena rolled her eyes at this "Good Lord, you and Nate are as bad as each other!..." she declared with a little sigh which turned into sad, gentle laughter "...What on earth am I going to do with the pair of you, huh?!" she finished with a warm smile.Sully shrugged nervously, he was glad Elena was somehow seeing the funny side of it all but he really didn’t know what to do next...luckily Elena did... "Y'know there is a third option...you could come to New York with me?!...That way you can keep an eye on me..." she added with another smile.So that's how they came to be sitting together on a New York bound plane...Elena was fast asleep, with her head resting on Sully's shoulder. She looked so peaceful, almost childlike...it seemed such a shame to wake her..."Elena?!..." Sully called softly-Elena stirred and lifted her head off his shoulder and smiled sleepily at Sully "We're going to land soon...better buckle up..." Elena nodded, promptly fastening her seat belt, then looked at Sully a little nervously. Sully patted her hand gently "Hey...we'll find him darlin'...it'll be okay..."Elena nodded but still seemed unsure and although Sully was doing his best to reassure her he was feeling exactly the same...because it was one thing to find Nate...but to actually get through to him...well that was another thing all together!

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"You'll end up in hell, just like your mother!""Is it fun for you?! Dragging someone so sweet down to your level?!...Pulling them into your seedy world?!...""You won't be happy will you?!...Not until you break her heart again or worse-you get her killed!"(WHY WON'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?!!) Nate continued to keep his head directly under the shower, desperately hoping that the noise of the water would drown out his subconscious' taunts...but it wasn’t working. With a grunt of frustration he turned the shower off, stepped out and grabbed a towel, which he wrapped around his waist.He looked at himself in the ensuite's mirror, right now he hated what he saw...his body was littered with scars of all shapes and sizes. His recent one from Flynn's gunshot had healed well but had still left it's mark-a permanent reminder of Nate's stupidity.Nate's thoughts turned to Elena and how badly Flynn had hurt her, then his subconscious decided to taunt him once more with Mr Fisher's words "What do you even think someone like you can give someone like Elena...apart from misery and pain?!..." Nate felt consumed by an overwhelming surge of frustration and he punched the mirror hard, causing it to smash. He winced a little with pain, he was used to having bloody knuckles but right now they seemed to sting more than ever.He looked again at his reflection-it was bloody and broken...broken...that's how he felt right now. Some of the blood from his hand had run down into the sink, this reminded him of another time he'd seen red blood on white porcelain-when he and Sam had found their mother...Was he going to end up the same way? He hurt so much...inside...so much so that in this moment he could completely understand why she'd left them all those years ago...He looked at the messy criss-cross of scars just below his navel and felt a familiar compulsion rise up inside him. He found himself needing to do it again...he needed the release...he needed the punishment...he needed to cut himself again...He looked at one of the broken shards of mirror that had fallen into the sink and went to pick it up when there was a gentle knocking on his hotel room door-this made him jump and he cut his palm on the shard of mirror, winced again and dropped it back into the sink.His hand hurt like hell but the pain didn't offer the release that intentionally cutting himself did, he looked at it for a moment, watching the blood ooze out, then he grabbed a towel and wrapped it round his hand as someone knocked on his door again "Do not disturb!...Can't you read?!" he muttered angrily.For the third time someone knocked, a little louder this time and Nate realised that ignoring them wasn't going to make them leave him alone.Surely no one heard the mirror breaking...did they?! Nate wasn't sure what to expect when he opened the door but he wasn't expecting...her. "Hey there cowboy..."Nate just looked at Elena, lost for words, simultaneously so happy to see her and distraught that she was seeing him like this... "What are you doin' here?!..." he finally spluttered out...then it dawned on him "...Sully!!...Damm hi..." he started angrily."Please don't be mad at him..." Elena interrupted gently "...I know he broke his promise to you...but he only did it because he thought it was for the best...and I'm real glad he told me...""But you shouldn't be here..." Nate protested "...you should be...""...resting?! I know!..." Elena gently interrupted again "...But how can I rest when I'm worried about you?!...""You don’t need to worry about me...I'm fine!" Nate found himself snapping defensively back at her.Elena raised an eyebrow at this but didn't say anything, instead she stepped over the threshold and moved close to him, kissing him softly.Any feelings of anger or defensiveness just melted away and Elena took Nate's uninjured hand and led him towards the bed "Come on, let's patch you up..." she said softly as he sat down on the bed "...put your arm up like this..." she continued, demonstrating by raising her arm from the elbow, so that her hand was level with her shoulder "...it'll help stop the bleeding..."As Nate complied, Elena put her holdall down on the bed and rummaged in it, pulling out a first aid kit!Nate smiled a little at this "I guess it's good one of us is organised!..." Elena smiled warmly at this then headed off in the direction of the ensuite "...No, don't go in there!" Nate pleaded, in a panic.From where she was standing, Nate knew she could see the smashed mirror and that she knew exactly what had happened but there was no horror or judgement-just sweet love and acceptance as always "It's okay..." she tenderly reassured, then entered the ensuite.As she set about cleaning the sink up Nate felt so uncomfortable-it felt like Elena and Sully were always cleaning his mess up! When she finished making the sink area safe she washed her hands then gently beckoned him in.The uncomfortable feeling increased as he entered the ensuite again, Nate could feel his guts tighten into a knot. When he was at the sink Elena took his towel wrapped hand, carefully removed the towel and examined the damage "Well, you've done worse..."(Worse...if you only knew just what I was about to do before you interrupted me...)She carefully washed his hand then took what looked like the last clean towel in the place to gently dry it, then led him back to the bed.As they sat on the bed together Elena started to get stuff out of the first aid kit. Nate felt like his head was going to explode from all the messed up thoughts racing through it "I'm sorry!" he blurted out.Elena shook her head "No Nate, I'm sorry...Dad had no right to say those things to you and I told him so...""You did?!" Nate asked, genuinely surprised."Of course I did!""How'd he take it?!"Elena smiled ruefully as she got some antiseptic cream out "He's thinking it over..."Nate wasn't quite sure what that meant and didn't know how to respond so instead he changed the subject "How on earth did you find me?!"Elena scoffed gently at this "Really?!...When you and Sully left me on that dock a couple of years ago I tracked you down in the middle of a jungle...you really think I can't find you in New York City?!...""Yeah but I'm not even registered as...ow!" Nate flinched a little as Elena rubbed some antiseptic cream into his hand."Sorry...but it'll help stop it getting infected...y'know between the two of us me and Sully know all your aliases...Mr Sydenham!"Nate smiled at this then looked at Elena seriously as he realised something "Sully's here too isn't he?!"Elena nodded "Yeah...he wanted to keep an eye on me...he got us a room a couple of floors down...in case you weren't in." she explained as she carefully covered Nate's knuckles and palm with sterile dressings then finished by bandaging his hand "I think that'll do...""Thanks..." Nate said softly as he admired her handiwork "...you're real good at this...""Well, I've had a fair bit of practise thanks to you!" Elena smiled.Nate nodded and smiled back but inside he still felt such a pathetic mess.Elena looked at him intently for a moment, like she was trying to decided what to do next "It's been pretty intense hasn't it?!..." she finally asked. Everything felt intense to Nate right now so he found himself looking puzzled at Elena, unsure what part of this mess she actually meant!"I mean...since we ran into each other in Nepal..." Elena explained "...things have been...well...chaotic!...Even afterwards...at the guesthouse...I had to keep going to the hospital for checks...but things are getting back to normal now...I'm getting stronger all the time and you're back working so...well we never did talk much about things did we?!...A little about how things ended last time but not about getting back together...we kissed...it just happened...and being back with you makes me so happy but maybe you've realised away from all the chaos that this isn't what you want...but if the only thing stopping you is what my dad said...please don't let that ruin things for us..."Nate wanted to hold her, to tell her he loved her and how being with her made him so happy too, but right now he genuinely didn't think he had the right to do that so he said nothing, just looked briefly at her awkwardly then lowered his eyes away from her gaze.After what seemed like the longest time Elena got up from the bed "Okay...I'll go..." she said sadly "...you're gonna want to keep changing those dressings...make sure you don't get an infection..."Despite her weakened condition she'd come to find him and although she probably wasn't aware of it she'd saved him from himself...he at least owed her an explanation.Nate reached out and took her hand and looked up at her, lost...he didn't know how to start. Elena sat back down on the bed and patiently waited for him "You make it sound so simple...us..." he finally said."It can be...I just wanna be with you Nate...""But what your father said...it got me thinking...""Uh-oh...that sounds dangerous!..." Elena gently teased.Nate smiled a little at this then looked at her seriously "I'm no good for you Elena...I'm no good for anyone...""Don't you dare say that..." Elena said emotionally "...just think of the things you've done recently...helping Jeff...stopping Lazarevic..."Nate scoffed "Y'know considering all the terrible things you've seen you're still such a romantic optimist...I know you tease me about being your 'no-luck tomb robber' but you still insist on seeing me as some kinda hero...""Well you do have your moments..." Elena said warmly.Nate nodded reluctantly "I guess...but most of the time I'm just a two-bit thief who screws things up...you deserve better...you should have a guy who always does the right thing...who never lets you down...""Oh Nate...a guy that always gets things right?!...I don’t think he exists...and if he did I wouldn't be interested in him...he sounds a real bore to me!" Nate smiled sadly at this "Let me tell you about the man I love...he's a thief...a criminal...but I believe in him because when things are at their worst, he's always at his very best...and that makes me so proud of him...but that's not what I love about him...it's this..." she said as she tenderly placed her hand over his heart "...it's the sweetest, most beautiful heart I've ever known...it's also the most guarded...he doesn't talk about it but I know he's been hurt very badly...and yet somehow he's found the courage to trust me...to let me in...to love me and let me love him...and I think that's incredible...so I don't care if his line of work is shady...if he gets scared and screws things up...if he's absolutely terrible at telling me how he feels...because he's always been so amazing at showing me..." Elena moved her hand to the side of Nate's face and stroked it "...I love you Nathan Drake...I love you for all the things you don't let anyone else see...so it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks...they don't know you like I do..."Nate gently shook his head in amazement, he knew he didn't deserve her, that to the world they didn't make sense-a crusading reporter and a criminal-and yet right now none of that seemed to matter "You're incredible, you know that?!..." he murmured."Yes!..." Elena grinned playfully "...Now c'mere..." she said wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close. As they embraced Nate realised he'd never felt so vulnerable before and yet because of Elena he'd never felt so safe...he never wanted to be without her ever again.

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Sully hated promises, to him they were just empty words. He'd heard his father repeatedly promise his mother that he'd stop drinking, stop gambling, stop cheating on her, stop beating her...but there was always another time!Sully had never planned on being a father but when Nate came into his life he made the decision to never promise the kid anything, he preferred actions to empty words so he just took care of Nate, guided him and tried to always have his back.So why then did he promise him not to tell Elena about her father...and why, oh why did he then go and break it?!Of course he knew the answer, and it still felt like the right choice...but would Nate see it that way?!Trust between them hadn't come easily...Nate might have only been a teenager when they'd met but he'd had to endure too much cruelty in his young life...not that he talked about it much but Sully recognised a fellow survivor.Slowly, bit by bit, trust developed and a bond was forged, their relationship growing into something far more than either of them had ever expected...they became family.When Sam got out of jail a couple of years after Nate and Sully's meeting in Cartagena he threatened to ruin all of that-he was adamant that the Drake brothers didn't need anyone else, especially not a surrogate father! But Nate rejected that idea, refusing to end his relationship with Sully while still remaining a loving, loyal brother to Sam. This fierce loyalty to both of them made Sully love Nate even more.Sam's death almost destroyed Nate, Sully did his very best to support him but felt hopelessly out of his depth. Nate pulled through this dark time but was forever changed. Most people didn't see it, they only saw what Nate wanted them to see-the wise cracking rogue-but Sully knew underneath Nate was broken-hearted.Meeting Elena changed all that, somehow she knew just how to love Nate and although he hid his pain about Sam deep down Sully could see the healing change Elena's love had on him.Nate's fear had made him lose her once, Sully wasn't going to just stand by and let that happen again...as he stood out on the hotel room balcony, letting out a large cloud of smoke from his cigar he prayed that Nate would understand...He stubbed out the cigar on the balcony railing, then went back inside, just as the door to the room opened and Elena entered."Did you find him?!" he asked urgently.Elena nodded as she headed over towards him "It's okay...he's okay...well...let's just say that he'd lost an argument with the bathroom mirror...but he's fine now...""Oh geez kid...""It's not that bad...really...just some cuts on his hand...I think he's feeling more stupid now than anything...we've had a talk and everything's good..."Sully nodded and smiled...the smile faded as he started to ask "How is he about...""About you?! He was mad at first but he gets it now...everything's fine..." Elena gently reassured.Sully felt the heavy burden of guilt and worry lift and he exhaled deeply. Elena smiled warmly "I'm feeling pretty beat now so I'm going to head back up...we'll be turning in soon...but we can meet up for breakfast tomorrow...Nate's idea...about eight-thirty?!""Sounds good..."Elena smiled as she came even closer, surprising Sully with a gentle kiss on the cheek "Thanks Sully..." she murmured.Sully felt himself blush, which made Elena laugh affectionately "Go on!...Get back to Nate!" he playfully growled...Any lingering worries that Sully had about his broken promise to Nate dissipated five minutes later when Sully's phone let out a text alert. It was from Nate, it simply said:'THANKS SULLY'~~~~~~The three of them stayed in New York for a few days, mainly to allow Elena to rest up before heading back home. Nate decided against the other job, the crew seemed very sketchy and besides all he really wanted now was to spend time with Elena.While she was in New York Elena contacted her producer and went to discuss her return to work over brunch.As Nate and Sully headed out of the diner-where they'd been enjoying a brunch of their own-to meet up with Elena, Sully realised that he'd lost Nate. He looked around, quickly realising that Nate had wandered off and was gazing in the window of a small antique store.As Sully headed over to Nate he let out a chuckle "I really can't take you anywhere can I?!""What?! I'm just looking!" Nate protested."Yeah...at the lack of a proper security system!""Well it would be an easy job...this place is a joke...""So what's caught your eye?""That..." Nate pointed to a ring in the middle of the window display, with a big smile on his face.Sully whistled in appreciation, it was beautiful-a fine silver band featuring a ring of small diamonds with a large amber coloured jewel in the centre "A fire opal...so are we coming back tonight?!"Nate shook his head "I can't give Elena a stolen ring...although I'll be buying it with the money from Charlie's job...it's hardly honest money...""It might not be honest but you still work hard...Elena understands that...although...well it's beautiful...""It reminds me of her...her spirit...the colour of her hair..." Nate interrupted dreamily."But Elena's never struck me as the kind of girl who that likes fancy jewellery...and well...not that I know about such things...but that ring looks like the kind you give a girl when you propose..." Nate smiled sheepishly at Sully "...Oh!...Wow kid...""I know what you're gonna say..."Sully raised an eyebrow "Oh really?!""What am I thinking?!...That I must be out of my goddamn mind...that guys like us don't get married...I know it's crazy...I ran out on her after what her father said and now this...but when l saw the ring I just knew that's what I wanted...I love her Sully...y'know I haven't even told her that yet?!""I think she knows Nate...and I would be thinking you were out of your mind if it was anyone but Elena...but I get it kid...and I'm so happy for you!"Nate smiled, a mixture of surprise and pride.Sully looked into the store and grinned at the lady busy adjusting the display cabinets. She was pretty, in her late fifties with short cut grey hair and sparkly blue eyes. Some people might have said she was on the plump side but Sully would describe her as delightfully voluptuous."And you say that you can't take me anywhere!" Nate chuckled."Well as we're not coming back to 'acquire' the ring tonight, I figured I could work a bit of my magic...y'know negotiate you a discount!""Hey we don't want to get thrown out before I can buy the ring!" Nate smirked."Very funny...just watch and learn..." Sully said as he opened the door and the pair of them headed in...Sully looked at Nate as the lady retrieved the ring from the window display...he'd never seen him this excited...this happy.Sully had never planned on being a father...and yet now here he was with his son when he bought an engagement ring...he could have never have dreamed that helping that street kid all those years ago would have changed his life so wonderfully."Sully?!..." Nate's voice interrupted Sully's reverie "...Not a word about this to Elena, promise me?!...I've got to pick the time just right...I want it to be perfect!""Sure Nate...I promise...not a word this time!" Sully smiled."Oh and one more thing..." Nate added as the lady returned with the ring "...if Elena says yes...""Oh course she's gonna say yes!" Sully warmly interrupted."Well if she does...will you be my best man?!"Sully nodded, momentarily speechless, his heart full of love and pride. He cleared his throat, regaining his composure. He smiled warmly at the lady...time to work on that discount for Nate!

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Nate lay on his back in bed, wearing nothing but Drake's ring around his neck and boxer shorts, he looked apprehensively over to the door of the ensuite...They had been back at Sully's place for a few weeks now and had slipped back into a blissfully laid back life, just the three of them.This tranquility had been broken a few times by Elena's father visiting. Although he wasn't as volatile as he was on his first visit, things were still tense. Whilst he was civil to Nate, the looks he gave Nate when Elena wasn't looking definitely weren't! It certainly wasn't the first time Nate had been looked at with contempt but while he could usually dismiss what other people thought of him, Elena's father was different...important.She adored her father so Nate knew he needed to prove himself to Mr Fisher. Elena still believed that he'd come around as she recovered, but Nate was far from convinced, this made him have doubts about his impending marriage proposal...but then again what better way to prove to Mr Fisher that he was serious and committed to Elena?!If Elena's father visiting was a break in their tranquility, the time when both Mr and Mrs Fisher came to dinner was an even more intense experience! Thankfully Sully stayed for moral support but it was safe to say that dinner with the Fishers was far from a relaxed family meal!Elena's mother treated both Nate and Sully with utter disdain, which made Nate wonder why she'd bothered to come, but the real reason soon became apparent...Elena was the absolute image of her mother including her beautiful brown eyes but what was in them was so different.Elena's eyes were warm, welcoming and full of love and laughter. Her mother's eyes were in contrast cold and predatory, they reminded Nate of a falcon looking at its prey and unfortunately her favourite prey happened to be Elena!She seemed to revel in putting her daughter down at every opportunity, with so many negative little comments she'd drop into the dinner conversation. Elena was tragically used to this by now but Nate hated what it did to her. She did her best not to show it but every dig from her mother made Elena shrink a little bit.Sully looked at Nate with stunned disbelief and Nate felt himself bristling, ready to shut Mrs Fisher up one way or the other, when he felt Elena gently squeeze his thigh under the table.He looked at her, she looked so sad it broke his heart "Let it go cowboy...please!" she pleaded softly.Nate took a deep breath, then took a different approach to his fight back by talking about how Elena would have made the most wonderful teacher-how accomplished and patient she was as she taught them Tibetan (Sully added his praise too at this point!). Nate also talked about the incredible photos Elena had taken while she was recovering in Tibet. This acclaim was dismissed by Mrs Fisher, who just curtly changed the subject but it least it made Elena perk up, she smiled warmly at both Nate and Sully and she patted Nate's thigh appreciatively under the table...Nate sighed, the door to the ensuite was still shut...how long should he leave her?! He fidgeted nervously with Drake's ring, unsure of what to do...Elena's health had turned a corner in the last couple of weeks-she didn't tire as easily and generally seemed stronger. Her producer wasn't happy about her going back out in the field just yet, but had given her a temporary research position which she was enjoying.Their love life was more than just sleepy cuddles now too, whilst being careful not to knock her side, Nate would carefully strip her down to her panties and they would lay together languidly kissing and caressing.Today was a milestone in Elena's recovery, the doctor had told her she was doing very well, so well in fact they'd removed her dressings from her side and told her she didn't need to wear them anymore. The doctor had told her that her scars would fade a little over time and also suggested she might want to talk to a plastic surgeon to possibly lessen them.Elena had told all this to Nate in the waiting room when the doctor had finished with her. In typical Elena fashion she'd tried to make light of it, teasing him that he should be worried as now she definitely had the more impressive collection of war wounds! She'd grinned as she'd said it but Nate saw something different in her eyes, something he'd never seen before-a deep insecurity.There was so much he wanted to say to her but he just couldn't get the words out, so instead he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.Their public display of affection made an old lady in the waiting room let out a loud, disapproving tut! Nate looked right at the old lady, flashed a big grin, then proceeded to kiss Elena again but far more passionately this time! Elena delightfully joined in with equal passion! This of course, made the old lady gasp in disgust which made the pair of them chuckle softly. "I think you need to take me home before we give her a heart attack!" Elena whispered."Well at least she's in the right place!" Nate smirked...All this happened this morning and they hadn't talked about her scars since.Scars had never been a problem for them, in fact they were the opposite, another way of showing their love for each other.Nate fondly remembered the first time they'd made love, afterwards as they lay naked together they'd given each other a guided tour of their war wounds, with each scar being gently caressed and kissed.Compared to his, Elena's were the most adorable thin scratches she'd earned on her many childhood escapades.In the time they'd been apart they'd both added to their collections including one on Elena's right hip, which she'd got from a stray bullet when rival drug cartels had started a fierce gun fight in Bolivia.Just as they had done before each scar had been gently caressed and kissed...apart from one-Nate's gun shot from Flynn.As close as they were, there was an awkwardness between them now-the wounds they had received from their recent adventure. Elena hadn't touched his bullet wound yet, always skirting around it. And Nate hated seeing the dressings down her side and was dreading seeing what was underneath them-a permanent reminder of how close he'd come to losing her.As he waited for Elena to come out of the ensuite he debated what to do..."Probably best not to undress her tonight, just hold her close...she won't be ready for me to see her scars yet...but then if I do things differently maybe she'll think I don't want her...Crap!...What do I do?!" he muttered to himself.The door to the ensuite finally opened and Elena walked towards the bed, with her long hair down over her shoulders and wearing that old shirt of his. She looked tiny in it-tiny, beautiful and however hard she tried to hide it, still deeply insecure.Nate smiled warmly at her and she smiled back, but there was sadness in her eyes. Nate hated seeing her like this, Chloe had called her "Sunshine", it was meant slightly sarcastically but it was true...Elena was usually so bright and funny, sometimes she was serious-focused on her latest story-but he'd never seen her this sad and unsure of herself, not even around her mother!She got into bed and Nate pulled her close to him so she was snuggled into his left side. They kissed tenderly as Elena wrapped an arm around his body. They lay together in silence for a few minutes, just kissing and nuzzling. Elena then moved her arm so her hand was on his chest and her fingers started to gently run though his chest hair. She slowly caressed his chest, then down his abdomen, stopping just before she got to his bullet wound. She looked at Nate so seriously then spoke softy "Everyone's been making such a fuss over my injuries...they've all forgotten...you could have died out there in the cold...""No...I knew I'd make it..." Nate replied with a warm smile. Elena raised an eyebrow at this so he explained "...I'm not saying it didn't get a bit scary out there but I knew you'd follow me and get help...""I missed you in the snow storm...I found the village by chance...we got lucky...""I guess...but without you...well you've always had my back..."Elena smiled briefly before the serious look returned to her face."It's okay Elena..." Nate said softly as he looked down at his bullet wound "...it doesn't hurt anymore..."Elena smiled at him sadly, then very hesitantly she ran her fingers over his bullet wound for the first time. Nate closed his eyes momentarily, revelling in her gentle touch. He opened his eyes in time to see her move in close and softly kiss his bullet wound. She looked up at him and they smiled at each other. Elena moved her head back up close to his and said quietly "I know you don't always think you're lucky but we've both been so lucky...haven't we?!""Yeah..." Nate nodded as he ran his fingers through her hair "...but you don't feel so lucky right now do you?!"Elena bit her lip "No, not really..." she said, her voice slightly breaking, before letting out an exasperated sigh."Hey, it's okay...""No Nate, it's not...people died...including Jeff and Schafer...but we survived it all and we're back together...we're so very lucky and here I am worried about what I look like...God I feel so stupid!""Well now that you mention it I guess you are being kinda stupid!" he'd said it with a warm smile but he knew as soon as the words come out he'd screwed up!"Oh really?!..." she retorted, her eyes a mixture of confusion and dismay, as she pulled away from him.Nate squirmed "I didn't mean that you're being stupid...I just meant...well...it's stupid to worry about your scars...because well it...it doesn't..." he gently pulled her back close to him "...it doesn't matter...it doesn't matter because nothing can change how I feel about you...because...well I..." he sighed, deeply frustrated with himself "...because I love you!" he finally blurted out.Elena's face softened and she gave him a soft kiss on his cheek, Nate gently stroked her face "I love you!" he repeated, much more calmer this time but just as intently."Same to you cowboy!" Elena beamed as she wrapped her arm back around his body and rested her head on his chest.They lay snuggled together for a few minutes then Elena asked, with a hint of trepidation in her voice "So...do you want to see?!"Nate swallowed hard "I don't have to...you look so gorgeous in that shirt of mine...well...I just mean if you're not ready, it's okay..."Elena let out a soft sigh "Can we just get it over with?!" she asked as she moved her body away from Nate to allow him access to the shirt buttons.Nate slowly started to undo the buttons, when he got halfway down he stopped and looked up at her "How about I just undo your shirt but leave it on tonight?!...It's not that I don't want to get you naked..." he hurriedly added, trying his best to reassure her "...it's just...well...I want you to feel as comfortable as you can be..." he said softly, as he gently stroked her face again.Elena nodded "That would be really good..." her voice was filled with a mixture of nervousness and relief. She momentarily nuzzled back into him and kissed him. She then moved back to where she was before and gently nodded for Nate to continue.Nate finished undoing the buttons and Elena shut her eyes as he carefully moved the shirt away from her body.The shrapnel had left its brutal impact on her-there were patches of scarring all down her left side, starting on her breast and finishing on her hip, narrowly missing her lucky number nine tattoo.Nate's first reaction was pure rage...at Flynn. Harry was a friend who'd betrayed and even shot Nate, but these transgressions seemed trivial compared to what he'd done to Elena...the one person who'd tried to help him...only to be so cruelly hurt by Flynn's final unconscionable act.The rage quickly faded and in its place Nate felt nothing but love. Of course he saw the scars, it was impossible not to, but what he really saw was her-his amazing, beautiful Elena, the one girl who truly saw him and loved him unconditionally.Elena's eyes were still shut and she was biting her lip now, he'd never seen her this vulnerable before. He knew he had to say something, anything, to take her pain away but he found himself frustratingly lost for words.So instead he did what they had always done with each others war wounds-he moved his head close to her body and started to kiss her scars. Elena exhaled softly as Nate slowly worked his way down her left side, covering it with small, soft, tender kisses. When he reached her tattoo he kept kissing, worked his way back up her body, beyond her scars-her collarbone, her neck, finishing on her lips.He gazed at her adoringly, her eyes were open now and were gleaming from a few tears that had started to well up "Hey...don't cry...you don't need to...every inch of you is beautiful!" he asserted warmly.At this Elena's bottom lip slightly trembled, she then took a few short, sharp breaths-trying so hard not to cry but ultimately failing as she started to sob softly.Nate didn't know what to do, he'd never seen her cry before (well apart from one time, the first time they were together, when he'd tickled her so much she'd cried with laughter-so that definitely didn't count!). Still feeling so unsure of what to do he wrapped his arms around her and held her so close as she cried softly into his shoulder.He was relieved that she didn't cry for very long and soon lifted her head back up close to his "I said you didn't need to cry!" he said, feeling a little bewildered."Come on Nate, you know I never listen to you!" she said with a little smile as she wiped her eyes.Nate let out a nervous little laugh at this. Elena placed her hand on the side of his face and stroked it soothingly "Thank you!" she said warmly, then gave him a slow, tender kiss "You're a good, sweet man Nathan Drake..."Nate put a finger to her lips "Shh...don't tell anyone!" he smirked. Elena rolled her eyes and chuckled, before resting her head back on his chest.They lay together enjoying a warm, comfortable silence...there no awkwardness between them now, just the two of them-so safe in each other's arms...in each other's love.

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Nate's leg bounced up and down restlessly as he sat next to Elena in the waiting room. A woman who was sitting opposite them looked over at Nate's leg with a distressed look on her face. Elena reached over and put a hand on Nate's thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze "I think you're making people nervous cowboy..." she said softly.Nate stopped his leg bouncing and looked at her apologetically."You don't have to wait with me Nate...why not go to that coffee shop down the street and I'll meet you when I'm done..." Elena suggested.Nate frowned a little "Maybe when you go in...I'm okay...just glad I'm not the one going in there..." he indicated to the therapist's door."Therapy's not that bad...it's just a conversation really...""How'd you?!...You've had therapy before?!" Nate asked, genuinely surprised.Elena nodded with a little smile."Was it because of El Dorado?!...I mean I know you had problems after everything you saw and...did..."Elena shook her head "No, it was when I was a teenager..." Nate's eyes widened in surprise, which made Elena grin "...have I shocked you?!" she teased."No!...It's just a surprise...I mean you're the most normal, together person I've ever known...""Well normal, together people have therapy too...how do you think they stay normal and together?!""I guess..." Nate said, looking a little puzzled."My mom thought it would help me be...well y'know...better..."Nate let out an indignant little snort "If she thought that then she's the one that needed therapy!"Elena smiled and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Nate looked at her lovingly and caressed her face "You're the most incredible person I've ever known and you had it so rough growing up...make's you even more incredible!" he murmured dreamily. Elena let out a soft chuckle at this, which only made Nate look puzzled again "What?!...You are incredible!...""It's just you saying that I had it so rough growing up...the same guy that grew up in the Boys' Home from hell and then ended up living on the streets...oh yeah...I had it so rough!" she chuckled again, before looking at Nate warmly "I had a great childhood Nate...my dad and grandpa loved me a lot...my mom did too in her own way...I was just...well not what she was expecting!"Elena never failed to amaze him...he'd seen her mother with her and there was no other way to put it...she was downright mean...and still Elena defended her "It might have been different from how I grew up but it was still rough Elena...when my mom died and my dad...when he...when he dumped me...well I've never felt so lost but I knew that was it...he wasn't coming back...I kinda adjusted to my new life...but you...you've spent your whole life with your mom being...well being a jerk to you...that's rough..."Elena leaned in and kissed him softly "Y'know I think that's the most you've ever said to me about your parents...""Crap!...Just being in the waiting room of a therapist has got me talking too much!...Let's get outta here now before it's too late!" he joked.At that point the receptionist called Elena's name, making Elena grin again "Oops, too late...save yourself cowboy!"~~~~~~The therapy session was what Elena was expecting, maybe a little uncomfortable talking about everything that had happened...about Jeff...about her injuries...but she tried to view it as another step on the road to recovery. If the therapist thought she was okay she could go back out in the field, doing research was all well and good but she was starting to get restless.The therapist was a slightly heavy set woman, in her forties, with slightly greying auburn hair and warm, brown eyes. She had a calm, friendly demeanor which probably made her good at her job by making people relax around her.Elena thought the session was going pretty well until the therapist threw her a curveball..."Your recovery's been remarkable Elena...physically...but mentally...emotionally...I don't think you're in the same place just yet..." the therapist stated with a compassionate smile."I'm not?!" Elena queried...she'd thought she was doing better now...and starting to feel at peace with what had happened until this therapy session...the irony of the situation wasn't lost on her."From our conversation today you still seem to be feeling very guilty for what happened to Jeff...""Well yeah I guess...but isn't that normal?!...He died...I didn't...it was my story...""But wasn't it Jeff's story too?"Elena nodded "...but I was the one that really pushed for it...and I should have taken better care of him...""Why do think Jeff needed taking care of?""Well I can take care of myself...I know how to use a gun...he didn't...""You had a gun with you?""Well sure...it was a literal warzone...""And yet even with you having a gun Jeff was still killed..."Elena let out a sigh...frustrated with the fact that the therapist was right."Have you heard of PTSD?""Sure...soldiers get it sometimes..." Elena answered, feeling uneasy about where the conversation was going."Not just soldiers...anyone who goes through a traumatic situation...""Are you saying I have PTSD?!""I think you need to be aware of that possibility...sometimes we think we're okay...we find ways to cope...to manage the pain...but sometimes our ways of coping can be harmful...""I'm doin' okay...I think..." Elena said softly, she felt incredibly vulnerable...she so wished she had escaped with Nate!"How are you sleeping?...Any nightmares?""I'm sleeping fine...I had a few nightmares at first but not now...""Any problems with relationships...feelings of anger...irritability?"(Not until now!) "No...""Do you drink?!""A little...a couple of beers once in a while...a glass of wine with a meal sometimes...not every day though...and not when I've been on the medication for my injuries...""What about drugs?""Drugs?!...Good Lord no...I've never taken...well there was this one time but it was an accident..." the therapist slightly raised an eyebrow so Elena explained "...after college I went backpacking...I was in India for the festival of Holi...there was this drink...all part of the celebration...Bhang...I found out later on it was made from cannabis leaves!""And what was that like?""Good at first...it made everything more vibrant...the colours...the music...but it made me real sick afterwards...I had to go to hospital...that's when I learnt about the cannabis leaves...since then I've been way more cautious about what I eat and drink!""You mentioned medication for your injuries...have you stopped taking them now?" Elena nodded "And did you have any problems...withdrawal...when you stopped?""No, the doctors helped me reduce them slowly...so no problems...apart from my scars being real itchy...but even that's getting better now...""What about sex?"Elena felt herself blush "Geez...I know this is therapy but isn't this getting a little too personal?!""Sometimes after a traumatic event people can find it difficult to be intimate and even engage in risky behaviour...sex with strangers or...""Oh God no!...Nate...my boyfriend...we certainly don't have any intimacy problems...even if..." Elena trailed off (God this is embarrassing!)"Even if?" the therapist gently encouraged."Well we haven't...y'know...actually made love yet...because of my injuries..." Elena found herself mumbling, feeling increasingly embarrassed."But you're better now...'"Yeah...I think Nate's still worried that I'm fragile...""Does that frustrate you?!""No...he's been real sweet...and it's been a lot of fun rediscovering each other...""Rediscovering?!""Yeah...we used to be together...before...""But it didn't work out?""No...""Because?""Well we were both younger and...""Who ended it?""He did...""Why?""I don't think he was ready for...I guess I scared him..." Elena sighed "...he had it rough growing up...apart from Sully...who's like a dad to him...well I don't think Nate's had a lot of love in his life...""It sounds like Nate had some unresolved issues from his childhood...in the time you were apart has he dealt with them?...Maybe sought professional help?""Oh, no..." Elena smiled softly "...I can't imagine Nate ever doing that...""So when did you get back together?" the therapist asked, changing tack."After everything that happened...while I was recovering...we ran into each other in Nepal and...well Nate was there when Jeff was killed...he tried so hard to help him..."The therapist nodded her head and smiled slightly. It was a knowing, almost patronising smile that made Elena feel on edge "I'm going to recommend that you continue doing research for a little longer...then when you do go back out in the field you need to ease your way back in...no warzones and the like for a while..."Elena nodded, she felt a little disappointed but she guessed the outcome could have been worse "Do I need to have more therapy?""I don't think so...there are more talking therapies that could be of use and medications too...but I feel we should try a little watchful waiting with your situation...I think with a bit more time you'll improve...but if you feel in anyway things are getting worse you need to get help right away...""I will...thanks...""...and I'd also like you to give some serious thought to your relationship...you met back up with this man in an extreme situation...then with your own recovery you haven't had time to think...""But I have...my recovery's been real slow...so I've plenty of time to think...""And you really think this relationship isn't going to go wrong again?...Because I really can't see any other outcome...and that would be harmful...for both of you...""How can you say that?! You don't know Nate...or what we have together...""Why don't I tell you what I know about Nate and you correct me if I'm wrong..."Elena nodded, feeling both intrigued and annoyed."He's one of the smartest people you've ever known but he's an underachiever...he didn't go to college...I don't think he even graduated from high school...""Well that's not really fair because he was living on the streets when he was a teenager...""He doesn't hold down a job for any real period of time...""Again...he's self employed...""What does he do?""He's um...well he helps people manage their portfolios...""Hmm..." the therapist gave Elena a knowing look "...there's times when he doesn't work...when he's broke...and he's been in jail...more than once...""Okay so your job makes you good at profiling people...but all that you've said...there's so much more to Nate than that!""So tell me why you think this relationship is going to work now?""Because of everything that's happened...all we've been through...it's made us realise just how much we love each other!""But is that really enough Elena? Won't that love just scare him again?""Maybe..." Elena admitted sadly, looking down at her feet."And you're willing to risk that?""Yes..." Elena replied with absolute certainty, as she looked back up at the therapist "...because he's worth it...the way he loves me...the way he gets me...I know you probably think that sounds crazy...reckless...but being with him...he makes the world feel a brighter...a better place...haven't you ever felt like that about someone?!"""Yes I have...but I'm still concerned that this love...these intense emotions you're feeling right now are because of everything you've been through...that as your life gets back on track you're going to realise that you've made a very big mistake...""No!" Elena declared adamantly "Look I'll admit that I'm still having problems with what happened to Jeff...and I accept that I'm not ready to go back out in the field just yet...but being with Nate's not a mistake...it's the very opposite...and there's nothing that you can say that'll make me change my mind..."The therapist smiled again...that same knowing, almost patronising smile that made Elena feel on edge again "Okay, I won't try to change your mind...but as your recovery continues I'd like you to reflect on what we've talked about today...because as time goes by you might feel differently about things."~~~~~~"As time goes by you might feel differently about things!..." Elena grumbled to herself as she entered the coffee shop...she caught sight of Nate, who smiled lovingly at her "...No I won't...not about him..."