Chapter 20

Nate steadily improved during the following days. The team came and went with Sophie mostly remaining at Nate's side. On the morning of the fourth day Nate was sitting up in his bed and Sophie was giving him all the details of the harrowing events that had taken place. Finally she got to the point where his condition deteriorated and he was placed on life support.

"Yeah...and then Eliot wanted to pull the plug...but Sophie wouldn't let him." Parker said brining a halt to the conversation.

Eliot who was standing in his usual place at the foot of the bed locked eyes with Nate as the Mastermind stared at him after Parker's statement. Eliot was not the kind of man to back down and he did not turn his eyes away.

"Eliot wanted to do what he thought was best for you." Sophie said softly feeling the tension in the room and wanting to negate it. She did not hold what Eliot had said or done against him. All the doctors had been saying that Nate was gone, brain dead, that he would never recover and that he was suffering. She did not blame Eliot for wanting to protect Nate, in his own way, against that suffering.

Still Nate said nothing, nor did Eliot; they just stared at each other, speaking to each other silently. Parker and Hardison held their breaths waiting for to see how Nate would react to the blurted out news Parker had imparted to him. Both the younger team members were still a little cross with Eliot for suggesting they turn off the life support, although both realised that Sophie for some inexplicable reason was alright with it now. They wondered if Nate would be as forgiving. Finally Nate nodded almost imperceptibly at Eliot and a small smile touched the corners of his mouth. Eliot responded with his own silent acknowledgement to Nate.

"So you wanted to pull the plug...? Well I can't blame you I suppose...I mean interrupting your vacation and all, it must have been upsetting." Nate said light heartedly, the moment had passed. Nate knew that Eliot had had his best interests at heart. He knew Eliot would do anything to protect him and that was what he was trying to do.

"Yeah well that's what you get for going off and getting kidnapped, and then beaten half to death." Eliot replied.

"Hey...that wasn't my fault. There are not supposed to be pirates in the Mediterranean...but you know Sophie seems to be a magnet for trouble..."

"You are not blaming this on me MISTER...I wanted to go to Paris or Prague..." Sophie said joining in the banter, the tension eased and the matter settled. They could go back to who they were; a team, a loving family who would do anything for each other.

"Well I was brewing the perfect brew..." Hardison said huffily.

"And I was helping...you can try it when we get back." Parker said happily, although she was still not sure why Nate was alright with what Eliot had tried to do. Eliot had tried to end Nate's life after all. Whatever the reason was though, she was happy to go along with it. They were back to normal, except for the fact that they were all standing around in a hospital, but they were still them. Her family.

Nate screwed his face at the thought of having to taste Hardison's brew. Neither Parker nor Hardison were very good at the art of brewing beer. He knew he would have to face the tasting some time but was not sure if he could handle it right now. He looked at his people, his family and smiled slightly. Then he looked at the woman he loved who sat beside him holding his hand gently and smiling at the now very lively conversation between Eliot and Hardison on the art of brewing beer. Hardison was telling Eliot that he would definitely approve of this brew and Eliot was rolling his eyes exasperatedly.

"So when do we get to go home." Parker asked brining all eyes to Sophie and Nate.

"Well the doctor said he is doing so well..." Sophie gave Nate's hand a squeeze and smiled at him. "That he will discharge him tomorrow." She said happily.

"Great I'll organise tickets..." Hardison said his face lighting up with the prospect of returning home.

"Why don't you make that just for three of you..." Nate said softly. "I believe we still have at least three weeks' vacation time due and I think I owe Sophie some time in her favourite city." Sophie almost squealed in delight at his words, squeezing his hand tightly. "I mean you said you would rather be in Paris didn't you...?" He smiled at her. "Or we could always go back..."

"Don't you even say it Nathan Ford..." Sophie said in alarm at the thought that he would actually want to go back to sea.

The group laughed happily as they continued to banter with each other over what they were going to do with the rest of their vacations and just generally having their fist family light hearted gathering in more time than they cared to imagine. It was not at home, it was not around a dinner table. It was in a French Hospital after one of the most difficult times of their lives, but to them it felt like home.

THE END...I hope you all enjoyed the story.

I have to give a great big THANK YOU to Stella for giving me the inspiration for the story.

To all the rest of you thank you all so very much for your support. To Sphinx, Carebear818, Leveragus, Gorgolo Chick, KendraBC, SusieDevereaux, Zee-Zee Magee, huttonfan, february28, JustBecause2012, Scasfra, Tethika, AllAroundThunder and floralisette thank you all for taking the time and effort to review and let me know what you thought about each chapter and to any that I may have left off the list. To all of those who followed or favorited the story thank you to you all.

Finally, if any of you would like to give me some ideas as to what you would like to see me write next...I am always open to suggestions