Yay, new story! Just as promised!

I may not update this story as quickly as I did my last one (with the exception of that one week when I was sick), because now, as a result of being sick, I have a lot of make-up work for school. But I'm aiming to get at least one more chapter up this week. Enjoy!

Leverage Quote of the Day: "Yes, it has a lot of wires! It's a com-pu-ter!" ~ Hardison

Disclaimer: I do not own Leverage. I would think of some witty saying, but I'm tired.

-O-

Chapter One

Pancakes for Dinner

The loud din of the hotel restaurant neatly blended in with the constant chatter coming over Eliot's wire as he retreated to the kitchen to retrieve another order. A white hand cloth was casually slung over his shoulder, offsetting his black vest and completing the traditional "waiter" look. His shiny black shoes left small scuff marks wherever he stepped in the tiled kitchen, earning him some reproachful looks from the chefs as they handed him plates of food.

The team was in the middle of pulling off a tricky con. They each had multiple parts to play. Sophie, of course, was the one with the offer that would ultimately get the mark's money. Parker was the young girl buying her first house, with Hardison as her newly wed husband, and a maid at the same hotel Eliot was working at – and the mark was staying at. Nate at times was Sophie's rival, at others her partner. And Eliot, he had the worst part. The hotel restaurant waiter. Of course, he also had the best part as the shirtless lifeguard.

"Oh, excuse me, waiter!" The voice came from the far corner of the restaurant. Eliot looked over and smiled, catching sight of the young woman who had called him.

"My name is Harrison, and I will be your server today. How may I help you?" He asked, smiling and trying to ignore the argument between Nate and Sophie rising over his wire. He flipped open his little notepad, ready to write down her order.

"Well, this is gonna sound weird," she gave a small, embarrassed laugh. "I know it's, like, dinner time, but could I possibly have pancakes?"

Eliot laughed. "Pancakes," he wrote on his pad. "I don't think that's weird," She smiled at him, and an unfamiliar feeling woke in the pit of his stomach. Was he… nervous? No, that wasn't the right word.

"Haven't I seen you somewhere before?" Her voice broke into his thoughts. She was tearing open a sugar packet for her coffee.

"Well, don't you think you would've remembered me?" Over the comms, Hardison snorted. "I certainly would have remembered you."

Her smile grew wider, her lips parting to show pristine white teeth. "Definitely."

For a moment, Eliot was lost in her innocent hazel eyes. "Tell you what," he wrote something down on his pad. "Put your dinner on my tab," he held out the slip of paper.

She took it. "Oh, no. I couldn't…" her voice faded away as she noticed what else he had written on the paper. "Is this-?"

"My phone number," The hitter nodded. "You're not crumpling up the paper. I take that as a good sign."

Dimples appeared on her cheeks. A hand reached up self-consciously to brush back her wavy brown hair. "Well, you did promise to pay for my dinner. I'm Kylie, by the way."

Eliot opened his mouth to respond, but cut himself off as Parker's nervous voice came over the wire.

"Eliot," her voice was a harsh whisper. "I think someone's coming!"

"What?" He hissed, provoking a confused look from Kylie. Parker was in the mark's room, and she was supposed to be cleaning out his safe. The mark and his goons were supposed to have been distracted by Nate…

There was a sharp intake of breath on the wire, followed by a tentative, "Uh, hi."

Dammit, Eliot cursed. "Let me go give the chef your order," without waiting for a response, he walked away, passing his platter to another waiter on his way out. "Parker, I'm on my way up. They got guns?" He was at the elevator, pushing the button frantically.

"Yeah, I was just… it was open and I thought he wanted me to clean…"

The elevator still wasn't coming. Where the hell was it? He'd have to take the stairs. The room was on the fifth floor.

"I don't know what you're…" Parker seemed unable to finish her sentences.

Second floor. He heard the elevator's distant ding on the first floor, too late.

Third floor. He brushed by a couple, ignoring their annoyed looks.

Fourth floor. Damn. Why couldn't the elevator have come sooner?

Fifth floor. Eliot nearly jumped up the last steps and vaulted into the hallway. Room 376, where was room 376?

Room 318, 325, 331, 340, 354, 369…. Room 376 was at the very end of the hallway, the door stood slightly ajar. The voices that were muffled-sounding in the hallway were twice as loud on his wire.

"Silencers? No, no, we don't need those…"

"Parker, I'm coming in!"

The door slammed against the wall as Eliot pushed it open. The three goons, momentarily startled by the noise, paused just long enough for Eliot to overpower them.

He chopped down with an open hand on the left one's arm, and kneed him in the stomach. Parker grabbed a heavy book from the nightstand and brought it down on the second one's head. He dropped to the ground. The third one fired his gun, only to have it hit the television. Eliot twisted his hand. The gun dropped from it, and Eliot scooped it up. The goon held up his hands in surrender, and Parker slammed him from behind with the book.

"You alright?" Eliot asked between breaths, discarding the gun on the bed.

"Yeah," Parker nodded, though her hair was slightly mussed, falling out of her ponytail in several places.

The sound of cop sirens wafted up through the open window. "We gotta go."

-O-

The elevator dinged as the doors slid open, revealing the grand hotel lobby. Officers were streaming in, responding to the call that a gun shot had been heard. Eliot's head had started to buzz in the elevator, and now he slipped his arm over Parker's shoulder for support. Nothing had hit him during the fight, so why did he feel so out of it?

A black sedan was parked by the curb as the two walked out. Nate sat in the driver's seat, looking grim. In the passenger's seat, Sophie had a worried look in her eye as she surveyed them. Eliot crawled into the vehicle after Parker, his eyes already sliding shut. The last thing he heard before slipping into sleep was Nate saying, "Okay, time for Plan B."

-O-

Feel free to review. Has anyone seen the music video for "The House Rules"? Aldis Hodge is the security guy! Did anybody else see Gina or Beth? I heard they were in there, but I didn't see them.