Warnings: Spoilers through "The Gone Fishing Job"
Disclaimer: I don't own Leverage. I only do this for fun, and unfortunately for me, absolutely no profit.
Author's Note: Maybe it's just me, but I was a bit ticked off to see Eliot hurting and ASKING for some time off and Nathan pretty much blowing him off. I don't know; what did y'all think?

Taking Time

"Are we okay, Eliot?" The Jailhouse Job

Eliot gritted his teeth and tried to breathe through the pain shooting through his entire body. He had just dry-swallowed a couple of aspirin in an attempt to stave off the pounding in his head. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this bad, and that was including all of the time he'd spent fighting overseas in various hellholes. His head ached, and his vision was slightly blurred which indicated to Eliot that he probably had a concussion.

In addition to being in pain he was exhausted. The team had been working back to back to back jobs for months, and Eliot needed a break, a break that didn't seem to be forthcoming, if Nate had anything to say about it. It had been bad enough when the team had forgotten him at Dubertech and had not even been worried if he made it out after fighting with the SAVAK. Yeah, the rest of the team had been dancing the night away, and he'd been back at the office, all alone, treating his myriad of injuries, and trying to find just one reason he shouldn't simply disappear.

He shifted the ice pack he was currently holding to the back of his neck in an attempt to deal with his sudden nausea, and he closed his eyes. It was hard to believe that he'd been reduced to it, but he'd almost begged for a few days off after the job in Juarez. Unfortunately, Nate wouldn't hear of it and was only interested in working non-stop without giving anyone time to recover.

Eliot winced when he remembered how he and Hardison had barely made it out of Turner Creek and away from the militia with their skin intact. The explosion had left him covered in bruises and had given him a slight case of whiplash. Two days later, the team had moved immediately to another job, this one in New York. His part in the job the team had just completed had involved Eliot's body making contact with the hood of a moving car. If that hadn't been enough he'd then been expected to protect Nate and Sophie after their covers had been blown.

It just seemed that his life had turned into a never ending cycle of injury with no time to recover before the next job came along. Eliot knew that the team needed him, but he couldn't help but feel a bit taken for granted. He was the one who was always putting his body at risk. Sure he was a hitter, but there was a limit to how much damage the human body could take before it shut down. Not for the first time he wondered how long the team would last without him there.

He took a deep breath and relaxed his body into the plush cushions of the sofa. The meds were finally beginning to take effect and the pounding in his temples had been reduced to a dull constant ache. As he sat there and allowed his thoughts to drift he felt another presence beside him. He opened one eye and glanced to his right. Parker was sitting beside him with a smile on her face and her hand extended. He felt the icy cold drip on his arm and realized she was handing him a fresh ice pack for his aching head.

Eliot smiled at her as he exchanged his warm pack with her fresh cold one. No matter how much he thought about it; he knew that he would never leave because this team was the closest thing he had to a family. Now...if he could only figure out a way to convince Nate that he REALLY NEEDED a vacation!