"Come on in, then," Nathan said awkwardly. "Friend of Sam's is a friend of ours."

"Thanks," Eli said, stepping through the door. "Shoes on or off?"

"Doesn't matter. We're pretty casual." Nathan closed the door behind him.

"Dammit, Eli, how are you?" Sam grinned. They clasped hands and hugged, thumping each other firmly on the back.

"Oof, watch the ribs, buddy," Sam winced.

"Oh man, I'm sorry. How am I? Are you kidding, how are you? Good to see you up and about, Sam. I wasn't sure what I was going to find." Eli furrowed his brow.

"Oh, you know me. Nothing I can't bounce back from," Sam said, shrugging.

"Wait, back up," Elena said. She stepped forward towards them and narrowed her eyes accusingly at Eli. "You gave him the intel on the job?" He shrank back away from her slightly.

"I did."

"And you didn't know they would be attacked?" she asked indignantly.

"No. I didn't hear anything." Eli looked grim. "I can't tell you all how sorry I am about that."

"No, man, it's not your fault. Victor and I knew what we were getting into," Sam said quickly, reaching out to pat Eli's shoulder.

"You thought you were working a safe job!" Elena exclaimed.

"And so, did I," Eli replied. "I couldn't believe it when I heard from Sam. I always double check my sources, but I guess the house you guys were going after was a bit of a hot spot for treasure hunters."

"No kidding," Sam groaned.

"But I can't stress this enough, I feel terrible about your friend," Eli said. He shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably and stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. "I'm really sorry. I genuinely thought that you guys would be okay, I mean, I haven't messed up like this before."

"I know. You've never steered me wrong and guys like them are good at flying under the radar," Sam said. "Trust me, I don't blame you."

"So, you two have worked together a lot?" Nathan asked.

"Yeah, I've been going to Eli for odd jobs for years," Sam said. "He's got contacts everywhere. It's impressive. You've come a long way, kid." He smiled at Eli.

"How did you meet?" Nathan pressed, glancing between them.

"That two years where I was working with Rafe Adler?" Sam said. "This guy tipped us off about the cross at the auction. He was working for that estate, right?" He looked to Eli for clarification.

"Yeah, kinda, I was working for one of the people attending the auction. But they got me a job as a server that night."

"I see," Nathan said, crossing his arms. "Wait, did Sam tell you he was here? We, uh, don't get many visitors."

"We talked on the phone last week when he told me what happened," Eli answered, "and he mentioned he was staying with his brother in this area. Of course, I've heard all about the famous Nathan Drake. It wasn't hard to track down an address. I mean, this kind of thing is basically my job already." He half-grinned.

"Makes sense." Nathan wasn't in the mood to joke around with Elijah. "Sorry if I'm being rude, I just don't exactly trust you. Our friend, Sully, is dead from working a job on your intel."

"No, I hear you. Showing up out of the blue and that's all you know about me? I'd be more worried if you weren't suspicious," Eli said, stumbling on his words and shifting anxiously. "Look, I'm sorry I came. I just wanted to check up on Sam and give my condolences. I know it's been a rough couple of weeks for y'all."

"Rough doesn't even begin to cut it," Elena said tersely. Elijah looked even more uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry. I really overstepped. I'll, uh, let you guys get back to your morning." He stepped backwards towards the door, almost tripping in his hurry.

"No, no, it's fine," Sam said, limping towards Eli. "Let's go out on the porch and catch u-"

"No, I think I need to go," Eli said, placing his hand on the front doorknob. "I shouldn't have come. I'm really glad you're okay, Sam, and I am so sorry about Victor. Really. Um. Have a good day, everyone." He turned the knob and started to side-step out the door.

"Eli, don't-" Sam started, but the door was already shut behind him.

"Really?" he asked, turning back to his family. "Seriously? He's a good guy. We've all fucked shit up."

"Sam, Sully is dead because of him," Nathan said gravely.

"I know, Nathan, you don't think I know that?" Sam snapped. "Goddammit, I was there. But Eli's never gotten me in trouble before. He's given me countless solid jobs over the years that all went off without a hitch."

"Isn't it weird that he went to such an effort to track you down? A- and you've never even mentioned this guy to us but you're apparently such good friends?" Nathan shot back.

"Nathan, I basically told him where I was. That's on me, not him. And I've never had any reason to, he's just been a contact for Sully and I, but c'mon, doesn't that show you what kind of guy he is? He came all the way out here just to say sorry."

"Fine, trust this guy with your life. But I wouldn't." Nathan strode around the kitchen island and started to take the trash out.

"Nath- little brother, please. Until this I had no reason not to trust him," Sam pleaded. "Can't you just let me vouch for him?"

"No, I can't," Nathan said. He headed straight for the front door, carrying the trash bag, and let himself out, slamming the door behind him.

"Is this how you both feel, too?" Sam asked, turning to them.

"Leave Cassie out of this," Elena said. "But if you must know, I agree with Nate. Be careful, Sam." Sam's shoulders fell and his face looked helpless.

"Fine. Glad I know how everyone feels. I feel like I've earned a little more trust than this, you know."

"We trust you, Sam," Elena sighed. "This was just bad timing. Especially for Nate. Give it a rest."

**********

Nathan stormed down the front steps and towards the garbage can. He yanked the lid off, tossed the bag in, and slammed it down again. Then he stood, his hand still resting on the can, staring at the ground and breathing harder than he should have been.

Sam the conspiratorialist, only days ago trying to convince Nathan that it had been a set-up, an inside job, was willing to trust and invite into their home the man who had secured him the assignment? Perhaps Nathan had been double-crossed by friends one too many times to trust this guy, but shouldn't their entire experience with Rafe Adler have taught Sam that lesson as well? Everything about this rubbed Nathan the wrong way. Something felt off. And his instincts were never wrong.

If this kid, Eli, was somehow connected to Sully's death, Nathan knew it was just a matter of time before someone else's life was on the line. In that moment, he swore to commit Elijah's face to memory. The selfish part of him wanted to be the one, when the time came, to tell Sam, 'I told you so'.

"Nate, are you okay?" Elena appeared behind him and he spun quickly to face her.

"What? Oh. Uh, yeah, fine."

"You didn't seem fine," she said, tilting her head slightly.

"Okay, so I'm not fine. What do you want from me?" he asked, running a hand through his hair in exasperation.

"I just can't believe him," he continued. "Sam, I mean. Usually, I'm the one who's too trusting, but I don't know, that was weird. Something was off about that kid."

"I'm not disagreeing." Elena bit her lip. "I don't trust him either."

"But Sam does? I don't get it. This...this is too far. Sam was there and yet he seems to forget that Sully is dead." Nathan's voice caught in his throat. "And whether he likes it or not, him and the kid had everything to do with it." Elena shook her head and hugged her arms around herself.

"Nate, you know that's not entire true," she said. "Sam had no idea what they were walking into."

"Listen," Nathan said. "I have tried so hard the past couple of weeks to keep it together, and be understanding, and I have told myself hundreds of times that it's not his fault. If I say it enough times then I'll believe it, right?" He let out a short, stressed laugh.

"But after this? Sam is getting reckless. What if there was a way to have predicted what happened, and he just didn't look hard enough? What if there were red flags but he went through with it anyway? After how..." Nathan searched for the word. "cavalier he was about whatever his name was, Elijah...I wouldn't put it past Sam to have missed something. God knows he's always been careless and stupid."

As he'd ranted, Elena's posture had shifted to a more assertive stance; now her arms were crossed defiantly and she lifted her chin to look him in the eye.

"You're one to talk," she said. "I get where you're coming from, Nate, I really do, and I think you're probably right, but I want you to stop and take a good long look at your own life. How many times did you almost lose your own life or Sully or Sam or me?" She glared at him and saw a look of hurt flash across his face.

"You don't think I regret that?" he argued. Elena could practically see him building a wall around himself as they spoke. "I couldn't have lived with myself if I'd actually caused one of your deaths. Hell, I could barely cope as it was."

"Then imagine how Sam feels," Elena said. "Now, listen. I agree there's something fishy about his friend, but Sam's just doing the best he can. We all are. I think after what he's been through we can give him the benefit of the doubt. He really seems to trust this guy and maybe they are telling the truth." While her words were meant to calm Nathan down, her tone was no warmer. Nathan knew she was right, and he heaved a sigh and cast his gaze towards the ground.

"Alright, fine. But I swear to God, if anything else happens and that kid happens to be involved, Sam's never gonna hear the end of it from me," he said through gritted teeth. Elena nodded and turned away to go back to the house, but as she walked, she said over her shoulder,

"Oh, I know, cowboy."

**********

Cassie laid on her bed with her laptop; her final grades had finally been posted for the spring semester. She glanced up at a light knock at her door. Elena gently pushed the door open and stuck her head in.

"Knock, knock?"

"Come on in." Elena shut the door behind her and sat down alongside Cassie, patting her daughter's leg with one hand.

"Whatcha got there?"

"Grades got posted a couple days ago." Elena ran her eyes down Cassie's transcript.

"Not bad, kid," she grinned. Cassie blushed.

"I dunno, the classes weren't thaaaat bad," she said.

"Still, it's college! Good job." She turned sideways and kissed Cassie on the temple. "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Mom." Cassie laughed lightly. "Hey, what did you need?"

Elena leaned her head back onto the wall and clasped her hands together in her lap.

"I've been thinking about our talk a few days ago," she started, "and since it was okay with your dad and Sam, I decided I won't stop you from going to Havana."

"Oh, man, this is awkward," Cassie said jokingly. She shifted to face Elena better. "I've been thinking about it too, and you were right before. I don't want to go anymore. That was a really insensitive thing to ask Dad."

Elena nodded slowly.

"All right, then. That's mature of you."

"I just want to help, you know?" Cassie said. "But I get it. They need to do that together. Without us."

**********