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telarynTitle: Beyond Threats & Recrimination
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
telaryn
Word Count: 1167
Fandom: Leverage/BTVS
Characters: Nate, Sterling, Rupert Giles
Rating: PG-13
Warnings:
Disclaimer: No ownership implied, no profit obtained.
Summary: Sterling goes hunting for information about Faith.
Author's Note: Written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
angst_bingo's Round 3, for the prompt "threats".
“Tell me about Faith.”
A stack of 8 x 10 surveillance photos were dropped on the table in front of him; the slap of high gloss paper against metal echoed in the tiny, windowless room. Giles picked up the first one automatically and made a show of studying it – more to buy himself time than anything else. His first instinct was to play dumb, but fortunately – in that double edged sword kind of way – the third photo in the stack proved to be one of him and Faith together. At least I won’t be proven a liar off the mark.
He looked up at the Interpol agent tasked with interrogating him – an arrogant Londoner named “Jim Sterling”. “That’s a pretty broad question, Agent Sterling,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “especially where Faith is concerned. Can you perhaps give me something more specific to go on?” He wasn’t going to be able to respond to this until he knew where and how their security had failed. Faith’s existence was one of Slayer HQ’s most closely guarded secrets, and as far as Giles knew she’d done nothing to encourage people to challenge that idea.
Agent Sterling took one of the other chairs for himself, expertly bringing the interrogation around to more of a conversational setting. “Interpol is always curious when escaped murderers start showing up overseas.” He slid three photos out of the stack – the first was Faith gaining admittance to Lord Savidge’s manor house the night of the party, the second was he and Faith in Germany, and the third was a shot of Faith in Tibet that defied Giles’ understanding of the universe just by existing.
“And we get nervous,” Sterling continued, “when they start keeping company with a group of the world’s most notorious thieves.” Three more pictures laid out for Giles’ inspection – one of her laughing with Eliot Spencer, one of her with a group of people, and the last one of her walking arm in arm with…
Nathan Ford. Giles sighed quietly, his fingertips brushing the surface of the photo. It wasn’t a failure of Slayer security that had brought her to Interpol’s attention at all. “This man,” he said, making his decision in a heartbeat and spinning the picture so it was facing Sterling again, “is Faith’s biological father.”
***********
Of all the things Sterling had expected Rupert Giles to say, this wasn’t anywhere on the list. “Ford’s daughter?” He picked up the photo and studied it more carefully. There was an obvious emotional connection in play, but the age difference between the two of them was small enough that he would have initially assumed lovers instead of father and daughter.
“How come I never knew about this?” He hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud until Rupert Giles answered him.
“Neither of them knew until recently. My understanding is that Ford was sixteen when Faith was conceived, and the girl lied about him being the father.”
Very recently, I’d say. Nate looked happy in the picture; Sterling could barely wrap his mind around the concept. It was easy for people who hadn’t been there to talk about the tragedy that had destroyed the infamous Nathan Ford at the top of his game. Even Ian hadn’t seen the worst of it, not really.
Sterling had long suspected he’d only seen glimpses into how ugly things had gotten, but the only witnesses to that truth were Nate and Maggie, and Maggie Collins didn’t share things like that with anyone.
“If you will allow me to contact my organization Agent Sterling…” Giles was speaking again – Sterling tore his attention away from the photo in his hands with some difficulty. Nate…happy. “…I can provide you with whatever documentation you require regarding Faith’s status. Her connection with Ford and his associates is purely a social one. Whatever illegal activities you may be investigating them for, Faith is not a part of them.”
You don’t like him. It was another piece of what was proving to be a fascinating puzzle.
*************
Eliot was going to kill him for agreeing to the meeting. Nate shoved his hands in the pockets of his trench coat and blinked at the surrounding rooftops. Sterling was trying to tell him something by setting a rooftop as their rendezvous spot. Whatever he wants to talk to me about, it’s personal.
“Thank you for coming.” Nate turned to see Sterling walking towards him. There was no sign of anyone else. As if he’d read Nate’s mind Sterling added, “I know you don’t have any reason to trust me.”
Nate smiled. “I trust you. I just don’t trust you as blindly as I used to.” He took the manila folder Sterling handed him. “What’s this?” He opened it and froze; the world growing cold around him.
His former friend’s expression was absolutely inscrutable. “Call it a warning.”
“I’d be very careful what you say next.” Nate dimly realized his right hand was clenching into a fist. “You don’t get to threaten me with this. Nobody threatens me with this.” The wind caught the photo and sent it flying off the stack; Nate was so focused on the living threat in front of him that he never registered its loss.
Sterling never flinched. “Don’t be stupid. If it isn’t me, it’s going to be somebody else down the line. A child – even a grown one – is a liability in your world. You have to be smart about protecting her.” He paused, and Nate saw a flash of emotion cross his face. “Remember Sam’s funeral?”
Startled into silence by the shift in topic, Nate nodded.
“The man you were died that day,” Sterling said. “It’s not hyperbole – that man was my friend, and I held him and watched him die.”
Nate dimly remembered the arms around him as he’d curled in on himself, praying for God to strike him down. It hadn’t been Maggie keeping him anchored to himself then – she’d been surrounded and supported by her family in his emotional absence. No, it had been Sterling who held him – Sterling who convinced him to leave the gravesite long after the other mourners had gone back to their lives.
“Protect your child,” Sterling said fiercely. The walls between them were down now, and Nate honestly didn’t know how to react. “Protect her, because I don’t want whoever fills my place in your life now to watch you die like I had to.”
He could have said a million things – could have told Sterling that it wasn’t an issue because Faith was some kind of mystical superhero. He could have mocked the man, called him a liar, accused him of running a game – done anything to push him away and avoid the truth of his words.
Instead, Nate nodded. “I will,” he said. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Jim; I’m in your debt.” Their eyes met as soon as the words had left Nate’s mouth.
“No debt here,” Sterling said. “Not about this. Never about this.”
Author:
telarynWord Count: 1167
Fandom: Leverage/BTVS
Characters: Nate, Sterling, Rupert Giles
Rating: PG-13
Warnings:
Disclaimer: No ownership implied, no profit obtained.
Summary: Sterling goes hunting for information about Faith.
Author's Note: Written for
angst_bingo's Round 3, for the prompt "threats".“Tell me about Faith.”
A stack of 8 x 10 surveillance photos were dropped on the table in front of him; the slap of high gloss paper against metal echoed in the tiny, windowless room. Giles picked up the first one automatically and made a show of studying it – more to buy himself time than anything else. His first instinct was to play dumb, but fortunately – in that double edged sword kind of way – the third photo in the stack proved to be one of him and Faith together. At least I won’t be proven a liar off the mark.
He looked up at the Interpol agent tasked with interrogating him – an arrogant Londoner named “Jim Sterling”. “That’s a pretty broad question, Agent Sterling,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “especially where Faith is concerned. Can you perhaps give me something more specific to go on?” He wasn’t going to be able to respond to this until he knew where and how their security had failed. Faith’s existence was one of Slayer HQ’s most closely guarded secrets, and as far as Giles knew she’d done nothing to encourage people to challenge that idea.
Agent Sterling took one of the other chairs for himself, expertly bringing the interrogation around to more of a conversational setting. “Interpol is always curious when escaped murderers start showing up overseas.” He slid three photos out of the stack – the first was Faith gaining admittance to Lord Savidge’s manor house the night of the party, the second was he and Faith in Germany, and the third was a shot of Faith in Tibet that defied Giles’ understanding of the universe just by existing.
“And we get nervous,” Sterling continued, “when they start keeping company with a group of the world’s most notorious thieves.” Three more pictures laid out for Giles’ inspection – one of her laughing with Eliot Spencer, one of her with a group of people, and the last one of her walking arm in arm with…
Nathan Ford. Giles sighed quietly, his fingertips brushing the surface of the photo. It wasn’t a failure of Slayer security that had brought her to Interpol’s attention at all. “This man,” he said, making his decision in a heartbeat and spinning the picture so it was facing Sterling again, “is Faith’s biological father.”
***********
Of all the things Sterling had expected Rupert Giles to say, this wasn’t anywhere on the list. “Ford’s daughter?” He picked up the photo and studied it more carefully. There was an obvious emotional connection in play, but the age difference between the two of them was small enough that he would have initially assumed lovers instead of father and daughter.
“How come I never knew about this?” He hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud until Rupert Giles answered him.
“Neither of them knew until recently. My understanding is that Ford was sixteen when Faith was conceived, and the girl lied about him being the father.”
Very recently, I’d say. Nate looked happy in the picture; Sterling could barely wrap his mind around the concept. It was easy for people who hadn’t been there to talk about the tragedy that had destroyed the infamous Nathan Ford at the top of his game. Even Ian hadn’t seen the worst of it, not really.
Sterling had long suspected he’d only seen glimpses into how ugly things had gotten, but the only witnesses to that truth were Nate and Maggie, and Maggie Collins didn’t share things like that with anyone.
“If you will allow me to contact my organization Agent Sterling…” Giles was speaking again – Sterling tore his attention away from the photo in his hands with some difficulty. Nate…happy. “…I can provide you with whatever documentation you require regarding Faith’s status. Her connection with Ford and his associates is purely a social one. Whatever illegal activities you may be investigating them for, Faith is not a part of them.”
You don’t like him. It was another piece of what was proving to be a fascinating puzzle.
*************
Eliot was going to kill him for agreeing to the meeting. Nate shoved his hands in the pockets of his trench coat and blinked at the surrounding rooftops. Sterling was trying to tell him something by setting a rooftop as their rendezvous spot. Whatever he wants to talk to me about, it’s personal.
“Thank you for coming.” Nate turned to see Sterling walking towards him. There was no sign of anyone else. As if he’d read Nate’s mind Sterling added, “I know you don’t have any reason to trust me.”
Nate smiled. “I trust you. I just don’t trust you as blindly as I used to.” He took the manila folder Sterling handed him. “What’s this?” He opened it and froze; the world growing cold around him.
His former friend’s expression was absolutely inscrutable. “Call it a warning.”
“I’d be very careful what you say next.” Nate dimly realized his right hand was clenching into a fist. “You don’t get to threaten me with this. Nobody threatens me with this.” The wind caught the photo and sent it flying off the stack; Nate was so focused on the living threat in front of him that he never registered its loss.
Sterling never flinched. “Don’t be stupid. If it isn’t me, it’s going to be somebody else down the line. A child – even a grown one – is a liability in your world. You have to be smart about protecting her.” He paused, and Nate saw a flash of emotion cross his face. “Remember Sam’s funeral?”
Startled into silence by the shift in topic, Nate nodded.
“The man you were died that day,” Sterling said. “It’s not hyperbole – that man was my friend, and I held him and watched him die.”
Nate dimly remembered the arms around him as he’d curled in on himself, praying for God to strike him down. It hadn’t been Maggie keeping him anchored to himself then – she’d been surrounded and supported by her family in his emotional absence. No, it had been Sterling who held him – Sterling who convinced him to leave the gravesite long after the other mourners had gone back to their lives.
“Protect your child,” Sterling said fiercely. The walls between them were down now, and Nate honestly didn’t know how to react. “Protect her, because I don’t want whoever fills my place in your life now to watch you die like I had to.”
He could have said a million things – could have told Sterling that it wasn’t an issue because Faith was some kind of mystical superhero. He could have mocked the man, called him a liar, accused him of running a game – done anything to push him away and avoid the truth of his words.
Instead, Nate nodded. “I will,” he said. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Jim; I’m in your debt.” Their eyes met as soon as the words had left Nate’s mouth.
“No debt here,” Sterling said. “Not about this. Never about this.”
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(no subject)
9/11/11 17:07 (UTC)Lovely parallel with Faith and Olivia.
(no subject)
9/11/11 17:10 (UTC)Having a brain twin means never having to explain your subtext. *g*
And yes - Sterling is a BAMF.
(no subject)
9/11/11 20:48 (UTC)All true wealth is biological, as Aral Vorkosigan once said. So think twice before committing to a principle (or lack of one) that destroys people. I like this confirmation that Sterling has something he'll think twice about.
(no subject)
10/11/11 09:26 (UTC)Nate and Sterling really are a lot alike...loved the little thoughts of Sterling while he was with Giles :).
(no subject)
29/11/11 11:35 (UTC)