Eliot sat in the dark of the pub, silence surrounded him. Nate was out at a bar, Sophie was shopping, Hardison was at the movies, and Parker was doing goodness knows what. The pub had closed hours ago and all the workers had gone home. He was left alone with only a beer and his thoughts for company. It was times like these were his not-completely-sober mind wandered to his past, normally it would go to his time working for Moreau or his time as a wet worker, but today his mind decided to go further back, to the day he told his parents he wanted to leave. He was young and wanted nothing more than to serve the country he so loved.
His father had given him a long hard look. "Your place is here on the ranch, helping me, son." He had said. "You're just a boy. What do you want to join the millitary for?"
Eliot had been shocked, his father had always backed him whenever he wanted to do something. Always. What changed? He had wondered. Being the stubborn spirited boy his was, he had argued with his father, that his place was to serve his country and he was over eighteen old enough to join. The arguement had escalated till they were both screaming at the top of their lungs.
Then, his father said in his terrifyingly loud, booming voice. "Alright! I reckon how you seem to think you know everything, you decide what you want to do. Like you said you're eighteen, old enough to do what you want. But you better think about it long and hard, boy, and you better know that if you do we wont support you."
His mother let out a gasp.
Eliot scowled and stormed past his siblings, who had gathered outside their fathers study to listen, and out the door jumping into his pick up truck and driving off. He drove around for hours, contemplating his father's words, struggling to come up with a decision. Finally at 12 am, he pulled into the driveway and got out of the truck, leaving it running. He remember how the horses had whinnied softly to him, and the cows looed in the distance as he walked up to his house. He had opened the door and seen his mother sitting at the kitchen table, nervously sipping tea. He silently walked up to his room and began packing all the things he could hold in a black duffel bag. He pocketed the money he saved and walked back downstairs. The sound his mother had released when she saw him still haunted his dreams.
"I'll pack you something to eat on the road." She had said patting his arm, oh, how her voice had quaked.
His father had walked out of his study and took in his appearance. "So, I see you've made your decision." He had said. "Just know that my decision still stands, and know that once you leave this house don't ever come back."
The last words he heard his father say shattered his heart. "don't worry, I wont." Eliot had responded, his voice hollow and cold, a shocking contrast to his normal laughter filled voice.
His father had just grunted, then returned to his study.
His mother packed him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a can of soda, and an apple. She fussed over him for a long while before it hit him she was stalling, hoping he would change his mind. "Wont you atleast let me wake your brothers and sisters so they can see you off? Maybe call Charlotte and Jim to have them bring Kip over? You have to say goodbye to your only nephew. Maybe you should wait till morning?" The excuses kept piling on.
"Ma, I have to go." He had said, putting an end to her ramblings.
She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "Be safe." She whispered before the strongest woman he ever knew, let go of him and ran away crying.
Eliot climbed into his truck, no one would ever say Eliot Spencer was one to be emotional, and he would never admit this no matter what torture they put him through. But Eliot sobbed all the way to the airport.
"I've never seen you cry before." A soft voice said, interupting his painful thoughts.
Eliot was startled to see that, not only had Parker come in, but she was planted in front of him and he hadn't even noticed. "What?" He asked.
"I said, I've never seen you cry before." Parker repeated.
"I'm not crying." He insisted. He wiped his face and cussed. Sure enough salty tears came away with his hand.
"What are you crying about?" Parker asked.
"Nothing." Eliot said.
"Eliot Spencer, crying over nothing. That's hard to believe." Parker said. "It might help if you talk about it."
"Thanks for the offer, but, no." Eliot said.
She stared at him as he took a sip of his beer.
He set the bottle down hard and sighed. "You're not going to leave me alone until I tell you."
She bobbed her head up and down.
He sighed again. "Fine, I was thinking about a fight I had with someone important to me." Eliot said vaguely, hoping it would satisfy her.
"Who?" Parker asked. "Was it one of us?"
"No, it was before all this." He said.
"Oh.." Parker said. "What was the fight about?" She asked.
"Me leaving." Eliot said.
"To?" Parker asked.
"I left to join the millitary." Eliot said.
"Oh.. What did they think about it?" Parker asked.
"They said they wouldn't support me, and told me never to come back home." Eliot said, struggling to keep a steady voice.
"That's awful." Parker said.
Eliot nodded.
She stayed silent for a moment thinking. "Was it your father?" She asked quietly.
He nodded again.
"Did you ever go back home?" She asked.
He shook his head.
"Have you talked to him since?" Parker asked.
"Parker, what part of we don't support you and never come home did you not understand?" Eliot asked.
"Maybe he didn't mean it?" Parker asked.
"Yea, maybe he didn't, maybe the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Santa are real, too." Eliot snarled.
"Hey! Santa is real!" Parker insisted.
Eliot didn't responded.
"You could call him." Parker said.
"Yea, and what if he did mean it?" Eliot asked.
"Then you'd know, and if he didn't, the risk would be worth it." Parker said.
Eliots eyes went glassy and he stiffened.
Parker knew she wasn't going to get much more out of him.
Eliot had shut down.
Parker knew from experience it would take a while for him to talk again. So, she excused herself, and stepped into the next room. After a moment she heard Eliot dial a number.
"Hey dad it's... it's me... Eliot."
Parker grinned.