Will You Still Be Here When I Wake Up

A Nate Ford Story

     Nate Ford stepped out of the shower. He grabbed his towel to dry himself off. He stood in front of the mirror and wiped the steam off. He could hear Laura and Charlotte laughing in the living room. He smiled thinking about how lucky he was to have them. He thought back to the day he met Laura. She was going by a different name the first time she introduced herself to him. It was the second time he saw her but the first time he met her. When she turned around and introduced herself as Sophie Devereaux. He was still married to his ex-wife at the time, Maggie. Their marriage didn't last long after they lost their son, Sam, to cancer. He was 8 years old. He would have been 25 years old this year.

     Suddenly there was a knock at the bathroom door. "Yeah," he answered.

     "Daddy, hurry up and get dressed. Everybody is going to be here soon," replied Charlotte.

     Nate laughed and said, "I'll be out soon." Charlotte was so excited to see her aunt, uncles, and cousins today. Hell, even Nate was excited to see them. He got dressed and went out to see Laura and Charlotte.

     Charlotte was dancing around the room as Laura played a song on the radio. Ten years ago, Nate had asked Laura to marry him. He decided to retire from the work he was doing and ready to settle down with Laura at his side. A year later they married with their friends at their side. Charlotte came three years later to complete their family. They gave her Laura's stage name.

     Nate heard a knock at the door. Charlotte ran to the door with excitement, yelling, "They're here!"

     Nate opened the door with Laura standing behind him and Charlotte by his side. Charlotte's face lit up with excitement. Laura barely had time to grab the food from him before Charlotte ran to jump in his arms. "Uncle Eliot." exclaimed Charlotte.

     Eliot reached down and scooped her up in his arms. "Hey, little Charlotte," he said.

     Laura said, "I'll go put this in the kitchen," heading into the kitchen with the food that Eliot had brought.

     Eliot carried Charlotte into the living room while Nate stayed be the door. Nate noticed Parker and Hardison were pulling up and waited by the door for them. They met 15 years ago when they were put on a team with Nate and Eliot. Hardison always had a thing for her, but Parker didn't realize the feelings she had for him until they had known each other for about two and a half years. At the beginning of the fourth year they started dating but didn't make it official until year five. They got married about five years ago.

     Hardison was driving the minivan he called Mini Lucille. Parker stepped out while Hardison pushed a button to open the back doors. Parker unbuckled and pulled out their two-year-old son, Archie. He's named after Parker's surrogate father, Archie Leach, the man who taught her everything she knew about her profession. Hardison was helping their four-year-old daughter out of the other side. They named her Leia because of Hardison's love of Star Wars, of course.

     Nate greeted them as they enter, but as soon as both Leia and Archie got inside, they ran straight to Eliot. All the kids always flocked to Eliot. Nate, Parker, and Hardison headed into the living room and Laura joined them from the kitchen. It was a great sight watching Eliot playing with the kids. Nate always loved having his family together for a good meal and great conversation.

     That night, once everyone had gone home and Charlotte was in bed sleeping, Nate was lying in bed with Laura in his arms. He gently kissed her forehead and said, "I don't want to fall asleep. I could just stay like this forever."

     Laura laughed, "You know you will have to sleep eventually."

     "I know," he said. He paused a moment and then asked, "Will you still be here when I wake up?"

     "You already know the answer to that," she replied.

     Nate nodded as tears formed in his eyes. He never wanted this night to end. But soon he had fallen asleep.

     Nate woke with a jolt. He looked across the bed to find the other side empty. Next to his bed laid an empty whisky bottle. He could hear voices in the other room talking. Someone asked, "How is he doing today?" He recognized the voice of his once former colleague turned antagonist, and now, he is not sure what to call him, Jim Sterling.

     "Same as he has been for the past ten years," was the reply Nate heard. It was Maggie, his ex-wife.

     Hearing them brought it all back. Ten years ago, Nate moved his team to Portland, Oregon to go after The Black Book. A secret computer file that held accounts of all the world's richest people. People who stole millions from innocent people. He had it all planned out. He thought everything was perfect. He thought nothing could go wrong. He was wrong. He got them all killed.

     Nate laid back down on his pillow wishing he could go back to his dream. Tears fell from his eyes as he thinks about Laura's face. He reaches under his pillow and pulls out the ring he had bought for her. "I'm so sorry," he whispered before falling back asleep.