Title: Boston

Summary: A different take on Eliot's Christmas. Sequel to Havana.

Disclaimer: I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

Author's Note: This is my own take on Eliot's Christmas. Hope you like!

Chapter 1

December 23rd

"Parker, the queen can't jump over your other pieces," Eliot scowled, frowning at the little blonde thief sitting across the coffee table from him.

"But you said she was the most powerful piece. If the horses can jump over things why can't the queen?" She cocked her head to the side and adjusted her position to sit on her haunches.

"Parker, you're blocking the TV!" Hardison yelled from across the room where he had disassembled his cell phone on the dining table.

They had showed up at Eliot's apartment about three hours ago, Parker carrying bags of ornaments, Hardison lugging a six foot long box containing an artificial Christmas tree. The thief had insisted on making Eliot's apartment festive, despite his every protest. 45 minutes later a fully decorated tree sat twinkling in the corner of his dining room. He wasn't a fan of the tinsel, but he had to admit that it did add the holiday spirit that had been sorely lacking.

Soon enough, pizza was ordered, beers were cracked open, and before he knew it, Eliot had been roped into a game of chess with Parker.

"What time is that pizza supposed to get h…" Hardison was cut short by a knock on the door. Almost immediately, he sprung up to answer it. He reached into his back pocket for his wallet as he turned the handle. "Oh shoot. That ain't delivery…"

Eliot's hands reflexively balled into fists as he stood up and moved to the door, staring daggers at the figure standing in the doorway.

"You should know by now that that look doesn't scare me Spencer."

The hitter's features softened. The woman before him casually leaned against the side of the door frame, a backpack and small duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She stared back at him from under shaggy bangs, her piercing green eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Damn girl, don't just stand there, come on in," Hardison broke the silence, gesturing towards the interior. No sooner had she put her bags down than Eliot held her tightly in his arms, any semblance of tension disappearing as she clung to his neck. When he released her she turned to Hardison.

"Hardison, this is Au…"

"Natalia," she stuck out her hand. "Audrey is what the government calls me," she flashed him that disarming smile of hers, "and you're not the government."

"Far from it," Hardison managed, mesmerized with the fact that a real assassin had just shook his hand. And a beautiful one at that.

She barely had a chance to turn around when Parker came bounding in from the living room, wrapping her in a giant bear hug.

"Nice to meet you too Parker," she patted the thief on the back before glancing over at Eliot. "I thought you said she didn't like strangers."

"I don't," Parker released her hold. "But you're not a stranger. I've talked to you on the phone. Besides, Eliot trusts you and that's good enough for me."

"Wow, I have never seen anybody win her over that fast," Hardison didn't hide the surprise in his voice.

Eliot took Natalia's jacket and hung it on the rack by the door before ignoring her mild protests and toting her bags off to his room himself. He didn't care if she knew where the bedroom was and could take them there herself. She was his guest for the next little while, and he was going to make damn sure that she enjoyed her stay.

He returned to find her sitting on the floor next to Parker, pouring over their chess game. She was wearing a v-neck, cream colored cashmere sweater, hip-hugging blue jeans and worn brown cowboy boots. Her dark hair was pulled up in a ponytail, accented by new shaggy bangs.

"You can still win, Parker," she assured the thief, as Eliot took his seat again on the couch. She bent over just enough for Eliot's eyes to catch a glimpse of her cleavage as she got up.

"Oh, this I've got to see," Hardison leaned over the back of the leather sofa, flipping off the TV as he did so.

Natalia sat down to Eliot's left, her thigh just brushing his, sending a shiver down his spine. He quickly glanced over at the assassin; she hadn't seemed to notice.

Parker watched as Eliot made his move, only she wasn't watching the hitter. Natalia made a motion to casually touch her hair with one hand, as if she was adjusting a hat. Parker squinted her eyes while staring at the board. Hats. Bishops wore funny hats. Immediately she scanned her pieces, seeing the move Natalia was referring to. She needed to get her bishop out of the way before Eliot captured it on his next move. Her gaze shot back up to the assassin who sat back in the seat with the faintest hint of a smile on her lips.

Natalia reached behind Eliot to run her fingers through his hair as he pondered his next move. His reaction to her was Pavlovian. At her first touch his breath hitched in his throat for a fraction of a second, imperceptible to the others, but just long enough to prompt a smirk from the assassin. She knew her power over Eliot and wasn't above using it to distract him just long enough for Parker to win the game. The hitter managed to pull his thoughts together to make his move.

Parker watched as Natalia then crossed her legs, subtly but intentionally clicking her boots together as she did. Cowboy boots. Cowboys ride horses. Knights ride horses. She only had one knight left, which was indeed the piece she needed to move. As soon as she had completed her move, Natalia's fingers disentangled from Eliot's hair and formed a checkmark in the air beside his head, followed by a thumbs up.

"Check!" the thief yelled excitedly.

"Actually Parker," Hardison chimed in, unable to hide the amusement in his voice, "that's checkmate. You just lost Eliot," he laughed.

The hitter's gaze remained on the board, brow furrowed, searching for a way to turn his luck around.

"He's right El," Natalia ran a hand over his thigh. "I think she got you this time."

At that, Parker jumped from her spot on the floor, arms in the air, shaking her hips in some kind of victory dance. Eliot stared up at her through narrowed eyes, his mouth open in annoyance.

"Natalia, girl we forgot to even offer you a beer," Hardison strode to the fridge and retrieved two bottles before cracking open the lids. The assassin left a disgruntled Eliot on the sofa to join the hacker in the kitchen. "By the way," he said under his breath as he handed her a brown bottle, "very smooth." He clinked his bottle against hers and she smiled before taking a sip.

Another knock sounded on the door; their pizza this time. While Hardison and Parker tended to the delivery, Eliot sulked over to the kitchen to get himself another much needed beer.

"You did something didn't you," it was a statement made in the gruff lower tones of his voice. "I don't know what it was, but you did it," he pointed a finger at her as he closed the fridge with his foot.

She leaned against the kitchen counter. "Look at how happy she is," she cocked her head in Parker's direction. "Besides," she sat her drink on the black granite countertop before prowling across the kitchen towards him, 'you may be invincible to everyone else," she tucked a lock of hair behind his ear, fingers just brushing his earlobe, "but I'm afraid I know you better than that," she purred, breathing hot against his neck.

Her words went straight to his package. "You're so going to make up for that," his voice a rumbling drawl.

"Count on it," she grabbed her beer and joined Parker and Hardison at the dining room table, with Eliot following close behind.

"Alright, so I'm dying to know, where in the world did you two find each other?" Hardison held a folded slice of pizza over an already grease stained paper plate.

"They went to school together," Parker stated matter-of-factly.

Natalia laughed and wiped her mouth before answering. "Yes we did. That was what? Over ten years ago?" She looked over at Eliot who was munching on the crust of his first slice.

"Yeah. Can't believe it's been that long."

"So what happened? She was the hottest girl there and you won her over with your little cowboy drawl?" the hacker offered, complete with Hardison-esque hand gestures.

"Nah, actually, she kicked my ass," Eliot laughed and reached for another slice of pizza. "Well that and she was the hottest girl there."

Natalia smirked and took another sip of her beer.

"Well I'll be damned," Hardison smiled. "I never thought I'd meet someone who could beat the shit out of him. It's about time."Eliot frowned as Parker snorted with laughter.

The lighthearted conversation continued like this for another hour, with the assassin falling right into their dynamic. They left around midnight, to Eliot's silent relief. He enjoyed their company, but he enjoyed a certain green-eyed minx in his bed significantly more.

The hitter shut the door behind his teammates and turned to see Natalia standing a few feet in front of him. In an instant she closed the distance between them, jumping into his waiting arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck as he captured her lips between his own. Their mouths collided, lips pressed together, tongues languidly playing against each other. Hungrily he sucked on her bottom lip before gently biting it. She moaned against his mouth before he rested his forehead against hers.

"I've been waiting for that since you walked in," the hitter's breathing was already heavy.

"Same," she whispered. He let her down where she removed her boots and socks which she stuffed into her shoes, placing them neatly by the door. They were right at home amongst his assortment of worn boots and sneakers. She turned around to survey the apartment; it had been two years since she had seen it last.

The kitchen and dining room were to her left. Straight ahead was the bedroom and to her right, the living room, with a guest room and gym branching off of it. His entire apartment radiated warmth with a masculine edge. Golden light illuminated the entire apartment, spreading across brown leather, mahogany wood, and faux deerskin rugs. Eliot preferred to be barefoot whenever possible and had shelled out for heated floors, from the oak wood to the tile in the bathrooms. It was the first time he had ever spent so much time in one place, and he had taken the time to make this place his home.

She tried to help Eliot clear the dining room table but he shut her down just as quickly as she had started. "You," he wrapped his arms around her and started into those green eyes, "get yourself cleaned up and into that bed." He kissed her before lightly slapping her ass as she walked away. She glanced over her shoulder at him, shooting him a sultry smile.

God it was good to have her back.

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