Leverage Fic: Letting Go
Title: Letting Go
Author: whimoffate
Characters: Sophie, Maggie, (Nate)
Word Count: 2168
Rating: PG (some language)
Beta:
Spoilers: The whole series, but it will stop being canon after the premiere, I'm sure... I did use the previews for this fic. So, it's kind of Season three....if you squint.
Warning(s): None.
Disclaimer: I am just a rank amateur trying to pass the time
Summary: Just a conversation between Maggie and Sophie prior to "The Jailhouse Job"
Maggie was standing in the bar area of McRory's Pub before she'd calmed down enough to wonder if she should have called first. She had been so upset when she got the call that Nate had been arrested that all she could think about was getting there and finding out what happened.
Steeling herself, Maggie walked up to Cora, who was working the bar and asked, “Is anybody around? You know, that knows Nate?”
The young redhead smiled, “Hi, Maggie.” Maggie smiled back. She nodded her head towards the back stairs. “Eliot was playing darts earlier, so I figure they're still using his place. Why don't you go on up?”
“Sure, yeah.” Maggie smiled, again, and headed up the back way to Nate's apartment. The stairwell was well-lit and cheerful. When she reached the top level, she noticed someone had scribbled “P was here” above the light switch. It was scratched through and a hastily scribbled “Sorry” was written to the side. Parker. A fond smile passed fleetingly across Maggie's face.
Once she reached the door to Nate's apartment, Maggie stalled for a moment. She ran a nervous hand through her hair. Steadying herself, she reached out and knocked. She could hear nothing.
After a moment, the door opened easily and Sophie was revealed.
Upon seeing the grifter, Maggie blurted, “Oh... Thank God.”
Sophie's dark eyes widened a fraction, then both women started laughing, their nervous energy dispelled in that one outburst. Impulsively Maggie reached out and hugged the grifter.
Releasing Maggie, Sophie opened the door wider, smiling as she said, “Maggie, please, come in.”
“Thank you.”
Maggie stepped inside the apartment. It was dark, just a lamp was lit on the table in the seating area. There was a chenille blanket in eggplant crumpled in the corner of the couch. There was a book, face down on the arm of the sofa. A pair of shoes were abandoned on the floor next to it. A half-empty glass of wine was next to the lamp. It was obvious that Sophie wasn't planning on going home that night.
Sophie reached out and flipped the overhead light on. The sudden illumination of the space took away some of the intimacy. It made it easy for Maggie to push aside her momentary jealousy. She was over Nate, but she had this irrational flash that it was unfair that Sophie felt so comfortable in his new life, especially when Maggie herself felt so out of place.
Sophie was heading to the kitchen, elegantly sweeping past Maggie. She called over her shoulder, “Would you care for something to drink? Tea? Wine?” Having reached the kitchen, Sophie turned and smiled at Maggie a bit sheepishly, “I'm having wine.”
“Wine sounds great. Thank you.”
Sophie set about getting Maggie another glass. While the brunette was occupied, Maggie walked aimlessly around the apartment. It was so different from their house when they were married. She could see this new Nate living here, though. It was spartan, gave away very little. In fact, the most telling thing about the apartment was that Sophie was in it.
Sophie walked through to the living room. She placed Maggie's wine glass on the table and folded up the blanket. She flipped off the lamp and placed a bookmark between the pages of the novel she was reading. Maggie made her way to the couch and the two women sat down on opposite ends, facing each other.
“Where's the team?”
“They're at their own places.”
“Why aren't you at your place?”
Sophie arched an eyebrow a bit at Maggie's unintentionally catty tone, but she answered easily, “My apartment blew up.”
“Oh.” Maggie wasn't sure what to say to that and Sophie offered no further explanation.
“I'm assuming that you're here because Nate was arrested.” Sophie looked amazingly relaxed, her feet tucked beneath her and a glass of wine in her hand. So calm.
“Yes. What happened?” Maggie was less calm.
“I'm not completely sure, since I wasn't in the country at the time, but he got in over his head, got the team in over its head, and he thought that the only way out was to turn himself in. He's turning state's evidence for a reduced sentence, but he'll still serve some time. Sterling's with Interpol, now. Did you know that?” Maggie shook her head. Sophie continued, “He's the one that had Nate arrested.”
“Seriously?” Maggie rolled her eyes. Whatever residual warm feelings she had towards Sterling vanished.
“He'd wanted to nab all of us and let Nate go, but Nate wouldn't do that. He totally ruined my helicopter rescue.” Sophie scrunched her face up in disgust at the memory.
“You had a helicopter?” Maggie smiled, she could picture the film noir moment of Sophie Devereaux sweeping in at the last moment to whisk the team away in a helicopter.
“Yes. It was bloody perfect until Nate handcuffed himself to the deck -”
“Wait, there was a deck? You were on a boat?”
“I didn't mention that? Yes, we were on a ship that a gun runner was using to smuggle weapons in to the Belbridge ports.”
“This just keeps getting better and better.” This time Maggie laughed, loud and relaxed. She wasn't sure when it happened, but what started as an awkward conversation between two women who cared about the same man, had become two friends, catching up.
Sophie spent a few minutes explaining about Kadjic and the mayor and what the team's part in the whole mess was. Maggie laughed several times, her face lighting up as Sophie's elaborate storytelling took her up to the time in question. Sophie's ability to weave a good story seemed uncharacteristic of what she knew of the secretive grifter. Maggie noticed that Sophie seemed more open, more willing to talk about herself. It was nice. Maggie feel more a part of Nate's new life, less outside of the man he'd become.
Once Sophie had finished, the two women fell in to a companionable silence. Maggie still had questions, though.
“I'm not sure that I should ask this, but are you planning on doing anything to get him out? Legally?” Maggie was sipping her wine slowly. It was starting to have a relaxing effect on her. She'd been so tense on the flight to Boston, and then in the bar asking about Nate, but knowing that Sophie was back was reassuring. If there was a way to get Nate out of jail, Maggie knew that Sophie would find it.
Sighing a bit, Sophie answered, “Well, that all depends on whether or not I can convince Nate that rotting away in jail for one tiny indiscretion is silly.”
“So, you've seen him?”
“Yes, but he's being impossible.”
“I'm shocked.”
Blue eyes met brown and both women began laughing. The sound of their laughter bounced off the walls, the release of it exactly what Maggie needed.
“Did I mention how relieved I was when you opened the door? I didn't really think coming here through and it suddenly occurred to me that it would be Tara, or Parker and I don't know if I would feel as comfortable.” Maggie finished off the last of her wine and returned the glass to the table. “I'm sure that the team would figure it out, they're all very capable, but they don't know Nate. Not like you do. And, uh, if he needed something, you would just know it. That makes me feel better. That and knowing he's more likely to listen to you.”
“Hm..your vote of confidence is appreciated, but things have been complicated between us as of late.”
“That's what he said.”
“You asked him about us?” Maggie nodded. “Really? I would have thought you, I don't know, wouldn't want to know.” There was a pause. “I wouldn't want to know.”
“Is there something you think I should know?”
Sophie shrugged. “I'm not sure, yet.”
“I'm not stupid, Sophie. I saw the way that you two interacted during the Davids fiasco. He watches you.” Maggie shrugged a bit before continuing, “And I wasn't completely oblivious to the what was happening when we were married.”
“Nothing happened when you and Nate were married. He wouldn't do anything to jeopardize your marriage, or your happiness.” Sophie's dark eyes were wide, her voice earnest. Maggie could tell that the other woman didn't want there to be any suspicion about her being 'the other woman' in the story of her marriage to Nate.
Of course, she's a grifter and lying was like breathing. If Nate had been a different sort of man Maggie might have really been concerned, but Nate's loyalty was essential to his character.
“Except lie to me, try to control me, and, eventually drink himself out of a job and our marriage.” Maggie might have moved beyond their failed marriage, but she still had a degree of bitterness about how her relationship with Nate had ended.
Maggie laughed softly before she said, “Well, and the one person he never asked for help on, never wanted me to go with him on a verification, was you. He did his best to keep me separate from that. When I met you, it made sense, in an insulting way. You know him in a way I was never really allowed to know him.” Maggie tried to meet Sophie's gaze, but the other woman was looking down at her hands. “There's nothing to feel guilty about. Nate made that choice, not you. He chose to keep that side of himself from me, like I was an innocent that he had to protect. Maybe he was right. I don't handle this,” she gestured sweepingly, indicating the room and all that it represented as a base of operations for the crew, “very well at all. I don't like the idea of it, but I like what it's done for him. Is that wrong?”
“No. This kind of life isn't easy and caring for a person who chooses to live this way can be difficult.” Sophie's voice was almost clinical, as though she was used to the excuse. Maggie had to wonder if it was from hearing it, or saying it.
Sophie shifted, trying to resume a less tense posture, but Maggie could see that the conversation was having an effect on her. “Would you like to see Nate while you're in town?”
Maggie thought about it. Did she want to see her ex-husband behind bulletproof glass? No, not really.
Pursing her lips and rolling her eyes at her own cowardice, Maggie said, “No. I'll pass. I'll leave his incarceration to you and the team. I'm sure you'll be more qualified than I am.”
A ghost of a smile ran across Sophie's face. Maggie thought, for a moment, that it made the other woman look wistful, like she, in that moment, regretted her choices.
“I understand. For better, or worse, I'm going to be the go-between for Nate while he finishes testifying.” Sophie yawned and stretched. Maggie glanced at her watch. It was getting pretty late. They'd been talking for hours and she hadn't even noticed.
“I should be going.” Maggie stood, reaching for her handbag.
Sophie stood, also, before saying, “Are you certain? You can take the bed, if you'd like. I can sleep down here. There's no point in getting a hotel.”
“I don't think that would be a very good idea. Something about sleeping in my ex's bed seems counter-productive to all of the very useful therapy I've had in the last year.” Both woman laughed at that, Maggie leading the way to the door.
“I should have thought of that. I guess I don't really think of this as his place anymore. I've taken over.” Sophie shrugged a bit as she opened the door for Maggie.
The two women stood, shifting a bit in the doorway. Their eyes seemed compelled to focus on the floor, their shoes, anything but the woman in front of them.
“Thank you.”
Sophie's eyes widen in surprise, “For what?”
“For not kicking me when when I showed up. For telling me the truth. Mostly, thank you for loving him now that I can't.”
Maggie smiled sadly and stepped in to the hallway. Sophie took a step forward, her body framed in the doorway.
For a moment it looked like Sophie was going to deny it, but the grifter merely nodded her head. “Any time you want to talk, call me. You've got my number, right?”
“Yeah, I do. Night.” Maggie waved over her shoulder as she headed to the stairwell.
“Goodnight, Maggie.” Sophie's cultured voice whispered in to the hallway as she closed the door.
The click of the door in the quiet hallway gave Maggie pause. Straightening her shoulders, she prepared herself to walk down the stairs and back out of Nate's life. A life of thieves and con artists may sound glamorous and it was certainly fun to visit, but she was ready to step back in to her perfectly legal reality.