I'm back! Finally, after finishing my Psych story (:

If you haven't read my previous story, And Everything In Between, you may want to. That's where I introduce Kylie. So, recap from And Everything In Between – Eliot met Kylie, but then Kylie found out he was a criminal when Eliot had to save Nate in the middle of one of their dates. Then Eliot was held hostage, and the team had to call Kylie to help save him. At the end, Kylie asks Eliot if she can join the team, and he says yes.

Leverage Quote of the Day: "What, you thought she was dressed like a nun for no reason?" ~ Nate

-O-

Chapter 1

Sunday Mornings

Eliot woke to the blinding rays of morning sunlight as the curtains on his window were thrown open. He groaned and blinked his eyes open, ready to throw his hands in the air to block any punches from whoever had invaded his room. There was a laugh, and Eliot realized it was Kylie, standing over his bed with a wide grin on her face. Her hair was already perfectly styled in a neat, wavy half-ponytail, her brown draping blouse and sky blue jeans clinging to her body with a sort of freshness – as though she had just recently put them on.

"What're you doing here?" Eliot muttered, his voice still clogged with sleep. He sat up, grabbing a plain gray t-shirt from the pile of newly-washed clothes on the floor next to his bed, and slipped it on.

"I thought we could go out to breakfast this morning," she answered, looking hopeful. "Sorry if I startled you."

Eliot shook his head, standing up and shoving his cell phone in his pocket. Nate was supposed to be meeting with a new client this afternoon, and he had wanted Kylie to be there with him. But, seeing as it was only seven in the morning, Eliot guessed they had some time to kill.

The restaurant wasn't crowded, but that was mostly due to the fact that it was still early for most people to be up on a Sunday morning. Kylie didn't hesitate as she headed to a booth by the window, a big green and blue abstract-shaped lamp hanging over it.

"I used to come here all the time with my sister," Kylie explained as they sat on the plush, light turquoise-colored seats. "We'd sit at this table and try to guess what shape the lamp made," she laughed lightly. "I'd always insist it was a seahorse, but she'd always say it was a tulip, just beginning to bloom."

The waitress came over and took their orders – an egg and cheese omelet for Kylie and a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich for Eliot. They talked as they ate, Kylie about her life before meeting the retrieval specialist, Eliot about the different clients they'd had and the different jobs he'd had on the cons. Eliot marveled at the fact that, only two weeks ago, Kylie had been scared of him and his secret, and now here they were, eating breakfast together and laughing at each other's stories.

-O-

Eliot spotted Nate as soon as they walked into McRory's pub. He was sitting alone at a booth in the far corner, sipping out of a champagne glass. Eliot walked Kylie over, watching apprehensively as Nate gestured for her to sit next to him. Noticing his expression, Kylie smiled up at Eliot and reassured him that she'd be fine.

"It's not you I'm worried about," Eliot said, eyeing Nate one last time before walking away.

Sophie had been watching from the bar counter, and it was her turn to smile as Eliot joined her.

"She's a nice girl," Sophie commented as the hitter took the empty barstool next to her.

"Yeah," Eliot agreed. "That's what I'm worried about," he flagged down the bartender, ordering a beer.

The door to the pub opened, and the client walked in. At least, Eliot assumed he was the client from the way he walked straight over to Nate's booth. He looked to be in his late forties, his short, well-kempt hair just beginning to gray. Dark circles under his eyes made him look weary and haggard. His gray jacket was wrinkled, as though it had been resting on the floor previously.

Eliot watched as he took the seat opposite Nate and Kylie. He wished he could be over there, with Kylie, as she heard this man's story. He'd been in her position before, and it was always hard, hearing about all of the wrong-doings of the world. And if it had been difficult for him, he couldn't imagine how she would take it. He was surprised to see her take the man's hand in hers in a comforting gesture. It was obvious from Nate's raised eyebrows that he hadn't expected it either.

Finally, the man left. Kylie exchanged a few words with Nate, and rose. For the first time since she'd sat down, Eliot got a clear look at the expression on her face. It was a sad frown, her eyebrows slightly knotted together as her eyes sparkled in the artificial light. He was vaguely aware of Sophie leaving her barstool to give them privacy.

"That was harder than I thought it was going to be," she said, standing next to him.

He reached out a hand and pulled her towards him in a one-armed hug. "No one said it was going to be easy."

She sighed, resting her hand on his. "No one said it was going to be this hard, either."

-O-

That was a short chapter, but it was only meant to be an intro. Oh, and that green button down there could use some clicking (: