ISLA TOSSED and turned in bed that night. After Sully left, Isla had stayed up for a few hours just thinking. She knew hunting for Magellan's gold would be dangerous, she knew her trust issues would interfere as well, but they also could keep her safe. She wasn't sure if she could trust Sully. Isla was also willing to take the risk if that meant she'd see Jeremy again. If that meant she'd see Sam again. If that meant she also see..... A ding rung from her phone sat on the nightstand next to her bed. She sat up and saw the text was sent from an unknown number. Curiously, she clicked on it.
Nate's in too. It read.
She was seeing Nate again. Again, after what was nearing over a year. She wondered if he'd missed her as much as she had missed him. What she didn't know was that Sully had told Nate Isla was in, and it was only after that, that Nate had agreed. She didn't know the days Nate had spent thinking about her. Missing her. They lived in completely different parts of new york, living completely separate lives. But Nate knew a part of his heart would always beat for Isla Dalton. And a part of Isla Dalton's heart, beat for Nathan Drake.
Isla awoke to the sound of frantic banging at her door. She climbed out of bed cautiously and tip toed to the door. The knocking thundered throughout her apartment and she swung the door open.
He stood there. He stood in a blue T-shirt and jeans. Nothing exciting. Plain. His hands were tucked into his pockets and he looked up nervously at the girl standing in front of him. His eyes were filled with a variety of emotions, happiness, sorrow, longingness, love...
"Nate." Isla breathed. She was wearing what she slept in, a worn hoodie and athletic shorts. Her hair was thrown into a very messy bun and her eye makeup was still smudged from sleeping in it. But she was more beautiful than ever.
He studied her face. It was almost the exact same, but matured and she looked a young woman now. He noticed the few faint freckles sprinkled here and there. He noticed the faint scar that run across her face, through her eye brow and eye down to her cheek. It was faint but he remembered it and how she got it, he remembered.
"Hi." He breathed.
"I had to see you." Nate said. Isla stepped forward lightly and embraced him, he was much taller and no longer the scrawny kid he used to be. He was tall and handsome no doubt. He immediately hugged back. Squeezing the girl whom he had missed with every second he'd been apart from her, his whole heart swelled, just being able to see her let alone feel her touch again.
"What are you doing here? How'd you find me?" Isla asked. She had missed Nate with her whole heart. They'd lost contact a while back. Never again would they be apart for this long.
"I don't know, I just had to see you alone. Before we go on this gold hunt." Nate explained.
"I really missed you, Isla." He said, stepping forward to embrace her again.
"I missed you too, Nate."
In truth, Nate wished he had a better reason to have shown up at Isla's door at four in the morning. But he didn't he'd impulsively gotten her address from Sully and took a few hours in a taxi ab to her apartment. He would've kissed her the moment he saw her, but he didn't. They hadn't seen each other in over a year.
So, the two of them stayed up and talked. Caught up. Reunited. The two of them ignored the butterfly feeling in their stomachs and just enjoyed each other's company, happy to be back with each other.
------
"There's an auction coming up. Biggest collection of Spanish renaissance art and artifacts." Sully explained to Nate and Isla walking side by side. He explained to them that the La cruz de hermandad was located in the auction house. It wasn't just a cross, it was a key that would unlock the chamber in which the infamous 18 hid their gold. Nate pointed out that if there were two, one cross wouldn't do them any good for no one man could steal the gold by himself.
"I already have the captain's key." Sully stated.
"So, the second one is in there." Isla said, gazing up at the Augustine auction house.
"It's very exclusive, but I got us on the list. All I need you two lovebirds to do is kill the power during the auction. That'll trigger the alarm and then I can to my thing." Sully explained to the pair.
"Okay and how am I supposed to kill the power?" Nate questioned. Isla chuckled at the stupidity of Nate's question.
"Well shit, that's up to you two. You gotta bring something to the equation." Sully snarked back.
Isla rolled her eyes at the two as they began to bicker about cuts. She would have normally joined in because truthfully she did care about cuts but she had something to get to.
She had to start researching the Augustine, Sully, and find a fucking outfit for the auction. That was going to most definitely be a struggle.
Isla sat in Nate's apartment clicking away on the keyboard of her computer and nate taped up diagrams and blue prints of the Augustine. The decided to divide and conquer, having the same ideas. Nate ran a background check on Sully while Isla marked down the exits, entrances, and power rooms of the Auction house.
After that, Isla began to research Magellan's gold. Although her and Nate were more than educated on the gold case, she had to be sure. Situations like these caused her to overthink, her anxiety levels to spike. But she knew she couldn't let it get to her. She had to focus.
After a few days of preparation (and a few tag team workout sessions which neither of them would admit, were fun for a few different reasons ;) lol abs), Isla sat on the couch of Nate's apartment sipping a glass of wine. He walked out of his room and sat next to her on the couch, boldly laying his arm behind/around her shoulder.
"So what do think, you ready for tomorrow?" Nate asked.
"Barely." Isla chuckled. Nate giggled back and looked at her. There was a tense look in her blue eyes. She looked worried.
"Hey promise me something." She said.
"Anything." Nate replied.
"Just... be careful tomorrow." Isla said sitting forward and beginning to fidget with her rings.
"Hey. I promise. We're both coming out of this mission. The auction house'll be a breeze." Nate reassured her.
"I know. I'm just worried about your clumsy ass." Isla joked, shoving his shoulder playfully.
"I hate you." Nate laughed.
"No you don't, babes."
"No I don't."
------
The day of the auction rolled around and Isla was everything but prepared. Nonetheless, she got ready, unfazed and confident. Her and Nate had laid out a ground plan and now knew the auction house like their own apartment.
Isla smoothed out her brown hair which was about a shade lighter than Nates dark slicked back hair. She re painted her nails which were always chipped with paint from a habit of picking the polish off. She touched up her makeup and stepped in a silk black dress with a low back. It fit her well, hugged her body in all the right places. She slid on a pair of heels and grabbed her bag.
Isla's loose curls bounced on her sh0ulder as she stepped through the door into Sully's apartment. Her eyes scanned the room and stopped when she saw Nate.
He looked incredibly handsome, his hair was slicked back and he was fiddling with his tie, clearly having a hard time adjusting it.
"having trouble with your tie?" Isla spoke making Nate quickly spin around to face her. His eyes scanned her head to toe. He was speechless. Isla raised an eyebrow.
"Take a picture it'll last longer, Drake." Isla playfully scoffed.
"Y-you look...beautiful. You look really really great, Isla." Nate said softly, gazing at the girl.
"Thank you. You uh-clean up nicely too, Nate." Isla smiled.
She walked over to him and took the tie in his hands and adjusted it nicely. Nate didn't take his eyes off Isla once. After she was finished, she straightened it out and looked up, immediately making eye contact with Nate as he was staring at her. The two suddenly became aware of how close they were standing, and a light blush tinted Isla's cheeks as she broke eye contact and stepped away. Nate's face suddenly became extremely red, and he wanted desperately to say something. But he couldn't.
"Heya lovebirds." Sully called breaking Nate's gaze and interrupting what he was about to say to her.
"Shut up." Isla and Nate chorused at the same time.
"You asked for these?" Sully said throwing Nate and Isla a tool they'd requested.
"Thanks." Isla said
"What's with the cat?" Sully asked, gesturing to the cat Nate had brought.
"Oh her? She's just for you." Nate grinned proudly
"What!?" Sully exclaimed.
"Yeah, Nate and I thought your life seemed super sad, so he took it upon himself to get you the cat." Isla said with a smirk.
"No no no I can't keep this thing! It's gonna shit all over my floors!" Sully explained frantically.
Isla and Nate did their little handshake they'd made up when they were younger and smirked. With that, they all walked out the door, auction ready.