75 Godiva Street, Sunday evening

[vdistinctive]

Eliot wasn't sure who had first started using the term for the occasions when the whole team got together for a friendly meal, instead of eating during a meeting for a job, but somewhere along the lines, "family dinner" had become official. With Nate and Sophie on the island, that was just what the team was doing now, with Eliot putting the

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[thenameislara]

"That smells delicious. As usual." Sophie ignored the Eliot vs. Nate byplay, and smiled over her glass of iced tea. "We should visit more often, I've missed your food something awful, Eliot."

[whoisalicewhite]

"You smash the monkey into little pieces!"

[age_of_the_geek]

Hardison scrubbed his face with his hand. "Pretty sure there was more to it than that, mama," he said. "There was somethin' about a tree, I think. Look, this island is weird as hell. Just trust me, yo."

[vdistinctive]

"Ya ain't gonna believe us until you've seen it yourself, Nate." Eliot cracked open a beer and took a seat. "But that Elder God's the reason I wailed on Sterling last year."

[andiamathief]

"Right. The devil made you do it."

[thenameislara]

Nate might have jolted with a sudden silent kick from the other side of the table, then.

"Are you saying you were under some sort of influence?" Sophie asked, looking worried. "And you're still here? Darlings..." Words failed her. Her! But only for a moment. "Why on Earth do you stay?"

[whoisalicewhite]

"The kids," Parker said simply. "And people like Pinkie. And Allie. And Jono, you met him, Sophie, he's cool, right?"

[age_of_the_geek]

"Ain't never thought about bein' a teacher before," Hardison agreed. "But I like it. Hell, just a few weeks ago, we helped set up a group of kids in the system with a new home that they wouldn't've never gotten if we ain't been involved. Helped keep 'em together when they woulda gotten split up."

He smiled at that, sharing it with Parker and Eliot. "It's a lot like our other Leverage work. Sometimes even without the crime."

[vdistinctive]

"And the longer I stick around, the more I learn about how to fight the evil stuff. 'Sides, it's hard to argue with a place that can get you anywhere in the world in a matter of minutes."

You know, when Portalocity was working properly.

[andiamathief]

"The three of you understand this sounds insane, don't you?"

[thenameislara]

"I really should have taken you to Angkor Wat this last year," Sophie mused aloud. "You wouldn't be so stubborn about this if I had."

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker just shrugged, and took a huge bite of garlic bread before chewing, swallowing, and saying, "And?"

C'mon, Nate, you are living in a crystal palace here, you don't get to throw rocks.

[age_of_the_geek]

"Nate, you turned me into a concert pianist with hypnotism you learned in prison, an' then had me build a Dreamnasium," Hardison snarked. "Your hold on reality ain't exactly the strongest, neither."

[vdistinctive]

"You want we should call the pony over for a visit?" Eliot offered. "She's pretty convincin', especially if you can't claim DTs."

[andiamathief]

Nate looked down at his drink, then raised the glass and took a sip. "No, no, I'm sure that won't be necessary." He'd seen photos. He wasn't certain enough that Eliot was bluffing to risk seeing the thing in person. "If this island is as weird as you say we're bound to wander across something."

[thenameislara]

"I'm still sorry we never got to Caritas," Sophie mourned. "You would have been ever so impressed, Nate."